Showing posts with label Foodie Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foodie Friday. Show all posts

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Lemon Cream Ice Cream

Last week I shared with you the first recipes I tried one of my newest cookbooks, Mozza. In addition to the amazing Mozza cookbook, I received Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home.

I love homemade ice cream and am always in search of the best recipes. Jeni's book is featured in almost all of the lists for 2011's best cookbooks. I've been making homemade ice cream for years. Jeni's recipes are different than any I've made before. She uses cornstarch for thickening, cream cheese and no eggs.

I had one Meyer Lemon remaining from our trip to California, so I chose Lemon Ice Cream as the first recipe to try. I've read some great reviews of Jeni's ice cream. This ice cream did not disappoint, it was creamy, tart and so smooth! I also felt it kept better in the freezer than any recipe I'd made before. You know how some ice creams freeze way too hard? Not this one, it stays a nice frozen consistency even after a week or so. I can't wait to try another one of Jeni's recipes.



Jeni's Splendid Lemon Cream Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

Lemon Syrup:

2 to 3 lemons

2 tablespoons sugar

Ice Cream Base:

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 1/2 ounce (3 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

2/3 cups sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Zest of 2 lemons (reserved from above)

  1. Prep for the lemon syrup: Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from 2 of the lemons in large strips; reserve. Halve the lemons and squeeze enough juice to make 1/2 cup. Combine the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and refrigerate until chilled. This won't be a very thick syrup.

  2. Prep for the ice cream base: Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

  3. Cook: Combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, corn syrup, and lemon zest in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes -- watch it closely and stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't boil over. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

  4. Chill: Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.

  5. Freeze: Remove the lemon zest. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister and turn on the machine. Pour the lemon syrup through the opening in the top of the machine, and continue to spin the ice cream until thick and creamy.

  6. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, about 4 hours.

I am linking this to Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday , Foodie Friday and Sweet Tooth Friday.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Asiago Breakfast Bake

It's always fun when you run across a blogger who lives in the same town you do. Early in 2011, I ran across the blog You Go Girl. While checking out Susan's recipes, I realized she lives in Omaha, too. Of course, I commented. Susan sent me an email and asked if by chance I was related to Mike. As it turns out her daughters attended the same high school as Mike and she's good friends with the Mom of one the boys from Mike's soccer team. I continue to follow her blog and often bookmark her recipes.

This one particularly caught my eye. I am always looking for make ahead breakfast recipes, especially those that are good for company. I decided to make this for Tim and I for New Year's Day. We stopped at Panera to pick up Asiago Bagels and unfortunately they were out. The asiago bagel bins at Hy Vee were also empty. While debating whether to use plain bagels or make the recipe another time, I spotted Asiago dinner rolls. I decided to give them a try, they worked fine. This is a delicious make ahead breakfast dish. The next time you have company or want to make something special for Sunday morning breakfast, give this one a try!




Asiago Bagel Breakfast Bake

8 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp fresh chopped tarragon or 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 tsp paprika
freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 oz Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated
6 oz. Asiago cheese, grated
4 Asiago Cheese bagels

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, tarragon, paprika and season with pepper. Grate and mix the cheeses in another bowl. Cut the bagels in bite-size pieces. Grease a 2 qt casserole or souffle dish. Starting with the bagel pieces, alternate layering the bagel pieces and grated cheese into the dish. Pour the egg mixture evenly over everything. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 and bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour til eggs are set and top is golden brown.

I am linking this to Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

Being from Kansas City, I always have one of Kansas City's many famous barbeque sauces in my fridge. Until this summer, I'd never made barbeque sauce from scratch. How about a non traditional barbeque sauce for my first try? This rhubarb barbeque sauce is delicious. It's a little on the sweet side, so it's not made for burgers or hot dogs but is perfect with pulled pork or chicken.





Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

1 cup chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
2/3 cup water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup ketchup
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup (I used molasses)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring rhubarb and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat; cool slightly.
Place rhubarb in a blender or food processor; cover and process until smooth. Set aside.
In the same saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute longer. Add the remaining ingredients.
Whisk in rhubarb puree until blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/3 cups.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday and Full Plate Thursday!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Bobby Flay's Pickled Onions

A few weeks ago, my CSA included several sweet onions. Although onions have a good shelf life, I still didn't think I could use all of them before they went bad. Searching for things to make with them and being on a roll of pickling veggies, I ran across this recipe for pickled onions.

The reviews I read said these were pretty tart, so I cut back just a bit on the red wine vinegar. This recipe is easy, fun to make and perfect for burgers or salads.





Bobby Flay's Pickled Onions
2 large red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used sweet onions)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
6 whole black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Garnish: 2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme

Directions

Saute the onions over low heat in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft. Place the vinegar, 1/4 cup of olive oil, sugar, peppercorns and thyme in a large noncorrosive saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the onions to the hot liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the onions to steep for at least 2 hours or overnight. (if storing overnight, place in a bowl and cover.) When ready to serve, drain the liquid and top with thyme.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday and Full Plate Thursday.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Freezer Cole Slaw

When I was in my early twenties, I made cole slaw for the first time for a family gathering. I am not sure what I did but the cole slaw was a BIG disaster and I haven't made slaw since. A few weeks ago my CSA included the biggest head of cabbage I'd ever seen and I decided to give cole slaw another try. After all, it's been 30 years, surely I can make a good slaw? I decide to make Tim's mom's Freezer Cole Slaw. Besides Snicker Salad, most holiday gatherings at Tim's moms include this slaw.

Tim said my salad wasn't quite as good as his mother's but it was good. Hey, I can live with that, it was so much better my first try years ago.



Freezer Cole Slaw

1 medium head cabbage (about 2 pounds), shredded
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 large carrot, shredded
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, combine cabbage and salt; let stand for 1 hour.
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, water, celery seed and mustard seed. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; cool.
Add the carrot, green pepper and vinegar mixture to the cabbage mixture; stir to combine. Transfer to large freezer bags; seal and freeze for up to 2 months.
Remove from the freezer 2 hours before serving. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 10 servings.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday and Full Plate Thursday.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Green Bean Salad with Goat Cheese

I love browsing my favorite blogs or finding new blogs I've never explored before. How many food blogs do you think there are on the internet today? Every day I find at least one recipe to bookmark, often they're recipes I haven't made before or wouldn't normally make. Rarely do I prepare a main dish salad for lunch or dinner. When I saw this recipe and realized I had all of the ingredients on hand, it became the perfect Sunday lunch.

Everyone says you eat with your eyes. Anyone would be drawn to the vibrant colors in this salad. Fresh summer green beans, bright yellow corn and juicy red tomatoes make up the pallet for your eyes and feast for your stomach.

When I make this salad again, I would cook the green beans a little longer. While I enjoy my green beans crunchy, cooking just two minutes leaves them a little too crisp for my taste.



Green Bean Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing
Recipe Courtesy of Love & Olive Oil
Yield:
4 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 ounces crumbled fresh goat cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
3/4 cup fresh corn (from 1 ear corn)
1 large tomato, diced

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook just until they turn bright green and are barely tender, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can steam the green beans in a microwave save, lidded glass container. Fill with approximately 1 cup of water, and microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until beans are crisp tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Pat dry.

To make the dressing, whisk together goat cheese, lemon zest and juice, apple juice, garlic and pepper in a small bowl. Toss green beans with half the dressing and half the basil or basil and spread on a platter. Top with corn and tomato, drizzle with remaining dressing and sprinkle with remaining basil.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum and Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Molasses Coffee Marinated Pork Chops

When Tim and I first began camping this summer, we purchased a Coleman Road Trip Grill. Although I love food grilled over an open fire, it can be a bit challenging especially when the temperatures are in the 80's and 90's. We enjoyed these pork chops on our recent Fourth Of July camping trip. No doubt our fellow campers thought we were a bit strange, always photographing our food.

When I first shared this recipe with Tim, he was a bit skeptical. I must admit, I wasn't 100% sold either but the reviews were excellent. Alton doesn't usually serve up disappointing recipes. I've always been a big Alton fan although he was a bit of a jerk on a recent episode of Food Network Star. Maybe it's all of the weight he lost? I know for a fact, people with a few extra pounds are happier :).

This recipe is a keeper. The molasses marinade makes a rich and delicious sauce. As it cooks down it thickens and the flavor develops. I wanted to eat it by the spoonful. This would be wonderful on chicken or even ribs. Give this one a try, you won't be sorry!!!





Molasses Coffee Marinated Pork Chop

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

1 cup cool strong coffee
6 ounces molasses, by weight
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6 to 8-ounce) bone-in, 1-inch thick pork chops

Directions

Place all of the ingredients into a 1-gallon zip top bag, seal, and shake to combine. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Remove the pork chops from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and boil gently, stirring often, until reduced to about 1/2 cup liquid, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the thyme stems after the glaze has reduced. Meanwhile, grill pork chops 3 to 4 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Allow the pork chops to rest 4 to 5 minutes before serving with the glaze.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday and Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday!

Friday, July 1, 2011

NY Style Crumb Muffins & A New Baking Group

One of my favorite baking groups, Sweet Melissa Sunday's is coming to an end. We're baking two recipes for the next couple of months, with our last recipe in August. Besides Melissa's great recipes, the reason I've enjoyed this group so much is the other bakers. It's such a great group of women! I was thrilled when Karen from Karen's Cookies Cakes and More suggested we bake our way through Matt Lewis's Baked Explorations. I'd been wanting to buy this cookbook and now I have a really good reason to buy it! Not that I need another cookbook, I am not sure what the count is these days but I know it's way over 100.

When I read through the recipe for the NY Style Crumb Cake, I quickly realized this wasn't a low fat recipe. 2 1/2 sticks of butter? I knew this much butter would bring two things, a delicious cake and way too many calories! My solution, cut the recipe in half. When reading Karen's comments on the recipe, I noticed she'd had a failure with an 8" pan. Thinking maybe the pan was too small, I sent Karen an email and inquired about using a 9" pan. She quickly responded that the 8" pan was too big and I needed to use something smaller. I decided to use my large muffin tins.

Not being from New York, I was curious what a New York style Crumb Cake was. I think it's what we call a Coffee Cake in the Midwest. My crumb topping didn't seem to be sticking together enough to make these big crumbs. I didn't have the time or the patience to make a bunch of large crumbs, so I went with the topping as it was. There were some large crumbs, otherwise it was like a cake topping. My half recipe made 5 muffins. A couple were pretty large, so I think I could have made 6 muffins. I had quite a bit of topping leftover, which I saved for the next fruit crumble.

The recipe called for 60 minutes of baking time. I set the timer for 30 minutes and when I checked them, I was a little surprised to find they were done. I think they could have baked for 20 - 25 minutes. As the muffins rose, the topping spread out and in the end I didn't end up with as much crumb topping as I would have liked. That's probably why I have so much leftover!!!



OMG! These are so good. They have such a nice tender crumb and the flavor is delicious!
You can find the recipe here on Karen's blog and the links to the other Baked bakers's here!

I am linking this to Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday and Full Plate Thursday!

Friday, June 10, 2011

Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake

What if your favorite cookie could also be a cake? It can be if you love Snickerdoodles. I found this recipe over at Let's Dish. When I read Danelle say it was one of the best cakes she'd eaten recently, I was sold. I made this cake for a co-workers birthday and Danelle is right, this one is a keeper. It's so moist and tastes just like Snickerdoodles!



Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake
Ingredients
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup white sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Directions
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon; mix well. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously spray a 9-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray, being careful to cover all the nooks and cranies, as well as the center tube. Gently dust the entire inside of the pan with about 1/3 cup of the cinnamon and sugar mixture, set the rest aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Beat just the butter on medium speed for one minute. Add the white sugar and mix for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and blade and add the brown sugar. Mix for 2 minutes until the mixture is light brown and uniform in color. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream; beat well. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture Spread the rest of the batter into the pan and sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

I am linking this to Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday !!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Salt and Pepper Chicken

Isn't it great when you find a recipe you love? Even better when the recipe requires very little time and only has two ingredients? Yes, that's right, besides the chicken itself, just two ingredients. When I saw this recipe over at There's Always Time To Cook, I knew I'd be giving it a try. Carol said it was outstanding! Curious, I tried it that same weekend. She was right, it IS outstanding. In fact, we liked it so well, we had it again the following weekend while camping with friends. I am planning on adding rosemary next time.




Grilled Salt and Pepper Chicken
Source: original recipe can be found at Martha Stewart online
Courtesy of There's Always Thyme to Cook

1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), quartered, rinsed, and patted dry ( I used thighs, and removed the skin!)

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Combine salt and pepper. Rub chicken with mixture, covering all sides and shaking off excess. (You may not need all of the mixture.) Or put the mixture in a ziploc with the chicken and shake it all up. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Place chicken on grill, skin side down. Close cover, and grill 8 minutes. Flip chicken, and close cover. Grill until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes more.

Transfer chicken to a plate, and let rest 15 minutes.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Rosemary Scones

What's your favorite herb? Mine is rosemary with basil running a very close second! I first posted this recipe in August 2009. The rosemary gives these a wonderful earthy flavor that blends well with the sweetness of the jam.




Rosemary Scones
Adapted from Giada De Laurentis

Scones:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup jam

Glaze:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or silpat).

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, sea salt and butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a medium bow. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough. On a lightly floured work surface, rool out the dough into 1/2 inch thick, 10 inch circle. Using a heart shaped cookie cuter, cut out heart shaped pieces of dough and place on the cookie sheet. Gently knead together any leftover pieces of dough and cut into heart shapes and add to the baking sheet. Using a small round measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each pastry heart. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of ham into the indentation. Bake for 18 to 2o minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.

To make the glaze, mix together lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually add the water until the mixture is thin enough to spread. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the scones. Let the scones set for approximately 30 minutes. Can be stored in an airtight container for 2 days.

My notes on this recipe:

One of the keys a good dough is making sure the butter is very cold. In the summer I keep my flour in the refrigerator, to keep away those pesky summer bugs. If you keep your flour in the refrigerator, allow it to warm to room temperature before using (approximately an hour).

The glaze recipe made way too much glaze for the amount of scones, next time I will cut the recipe in half.

I followed Giada's recipe exactly with one exception. Her recipe called for Strawberry jam. I used my mother in law's homemade, Strawberry Rhubarb jam instead.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Butterfinger Cheescake

I always been known for my cheesecakes. For family gatherings or parties, people request my cheesecake. So why is it after two years of blogging I haven't posted a cheesecake recipe? I guess I've been too busy trying new recipes.

This recipe comes from a restaurant that used to be at Oak Park Mall in Kansas City, Paradise Diner. It's a rich and creamy cheesecake. Over the years, I've made lots of changes to this recipe. I've used an oreo cookie crust instead of the graham cracker crust, substituted a variety of candy bars, oreo cookies or thin mint cookies for the Butterfingers. The possibilities are endless!! To help a little with the tremendous number of calories and fat in this recipe, you can use the low fat sour cream and cream cheese. Do not use the no fat!!

If you like cheesecake, give this one a try! You won't be sorry!!!!



Butterfinger Cheesecake
- from the Paradise Diner

Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 ounces butter, melted
Mix together. Pat into the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan.

Filling
2 pounds cream cheese
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 Butterfinger candy bars, chopped

Cream together cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Scrape bowl after each addition. Mix until smooth. Fold in candy, reserving some for the top of the cheesecake. Pour into crust and bake at 300 degrees 45 minutes to one hour. To test for doneness, shake pan lightly. Cheesecake is done when filling is firm.

Topping

1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar

Spread on hot cheesecake. Chill overnight. Garnish with remaining chopped Butterfingers.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Rhubarb Dessert - Revisited


The past couple of weeks I have featured recipes from some of the "Mom's" who have touched my life. There was Nana's Chocolate Cake and Mrs. Flint's Banana Bread. Today, I am featuring my Mother In Law, Bernie's Rhubarb Dessert.

You can find the original post and recipe here!

I am linking this to Foodie Friday!

Friday, April 15, 2011

Chicken Spaghetti - Pioneer Woman

There's a great blog party over at Happier Than A Pig In Mud. The 15th of every month, you can link up a recipe from that month's celebrity chef.

This month's chef, The Pioneer Woman, is well known in the blogsphere. I have to be one of the only bloggers who, until just recently, had never made one of her recipes. When I first saw this recipe, over a year ago, on my friend Susan of Baking With Susan's blog, I bookmarked it. For a year, I've passed it over when searching for ideas for the weekly menu. After making it, I am so sorry I didn't try it sooner. It's delicious and the perfect comfort food. The pimentos and green pepper give this dish some zip. Try this one soon, you won't be sorry.



Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Cooked Chicken (I used two boneless chicken breasts)
  • 3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
  • 2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup (I used 1 can mushroom and 1 can chicken)
  • 2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • ¼ cups Finely Diced Green Pepper
  • ¼ cups Finely Diced Onion
  • 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
  • 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot (I used pasta water)
  • 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
  • ⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
  • Salt And Pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Friday, March 25, 2011

Champagne Risotto with Leeks and Asparagus

We've been really busy these past couple of weeks. When I went to choose my recipe for today, I realized I had only one recipe in my drafts. Then I discovered I didn't have a picture! I decided to repost one of my favorites, Champagne Risotto with Leeks and Asparagus.

I posted this in my early blogging days when no one was reading my blog, so I don't even think it really counts as a repost. I love this recipe and it's one I've been making for years. Those of you who are leery of risotto, give this recipe a try! You won't be sorry, it's so delicious.


I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Today's recipe is courtesy of an amazing blogger, Joanne of Eats Well With Others. Joanne is in medical school, is a runner and still maintains one of the best blogs on the blogsphere. Her blog has amazing recipes and some of the funniest and best stories out there. If you haven't been to her blog, run on over there!!! You won't be sorry!!

If you're looking for a new chicken recipe, give this one a try. The flavors are delicious. I am not a huge fan or spicy dishes but I loved this one. The flavor of the sweet potatoes goes so well with the spice of the chile's. If you find it a little too spicy, you can cut back a little on the chile's or even scrape them off your piece before eating!


Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4,
Courtesy of Eats Well With Others, adapted from Melissa Clark's
In The Kitchen with a Good Appetite

20 oz butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
20 oz sweet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
chopped cilantro or basil for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Toss the sweet potatoes and butternut squash with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Spray a roasting pan with cooking spray and then spread the sweet potatoes and squash over it. Roast for 15 minutes.

2. While the sweet potatoes and squash are cooking, in a small bowl, mix together the remaining tbsp of olive oil, chiles, garlic, honey, cider vinegar, salt, cumin, and cinnamon, until they form a paste. Rub the paste all over the chicken. Carefully place the chicken on top of the sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Put back in the oven and continue to roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro or basil.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Worlds Best French Toast

When we were in Cabo a few weeks ago, we had breakfast at a great little restaurant, Mama's. Mama's boasts they have the "Worlds Best French Toast". It's their version of Stuffed French Toast.

I wanted to recreate this dish! After reading the recipe, I realized I don't really have a flambe pan. Probably not a good idea to flambe in non stick! The only french bread in the freezer was baguettes. Not a good size for french toast. With stuffed french toast as my inspiration, this is my version of the "Worlds Best French Toast". Maybe not the world's best but we thought it was pretty darn good.


Stuffed French Toast w/Banana Syrup

French Toast
1 serving
2 slices White Bread (I used sourdough)
Strawberry Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 Egg
2 T. Milk
1 t. vanilla
1 T. Butter

Spread cream cheese on one side of slices the bread. Make a sandwich out of the bread.
Whisk egg, milk and vanilla.Dip the bread in the egg mixture, making sure it is is coated well.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Once the butter is hot, add the bread and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side.

Syrup

1 banana, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
2 T. Honey
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 T. Pecans, roughly chopped

Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat, stir in honey. Once combined, add cinnamon and pecans. Once the sauce is bubbling, add the banana and cook an additional minute or two. Don't overcook or the banana will get too soft.

Pour over French Toast. Garnish with powdered sugar, if desired.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum and Fat Camp Friday at Mangoes and Chutney.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Two Year Anniversary and a Dangerous Dessert

Today is the two year blogiversary of Little Bit of Everything. A lot of people blog as a career, to make some extra cash or as the start of a cookbook. I'm not blogging for any of those reasons, I am blogging for me! I love to cook. Blogging has given me the vehicle to showcase and prepare recipes, I might not otherwise try. What's your favorite thing about blogging? Mine is my readers! It's been so much fun getting to know all of you! I appreciate all of your comments so very much!!! I remember when I first started getting comments, it was like a present in my in box!! Thanks for reading my blog!!!

Without my husband, there not be a Little Bit of Everything. Tim is my photographer. He's so patient with me. When I say, no I don't like that shot or not from that angle, he just smiles and takes another picture. Dinner is often delayed a few minutes while we get a shot for the blog. I am always saying I need a "pink" for Pink Saturday. He finds a picture in the mass of photographs on his computer. I know I don't say it as often as I should but thanks for all you do for me and Little Bit of Everything! I love you!!

Have you ever eaten one of those Betty Crocker Warm Delights Molten Chocolate cakes? They're a quick, yummy treat. Certainly not as delicious as a homemade molten chocolate cake but perfect for a quick chocolate fix! I used a small bowl to "bake" this cake and it was the perfect size. Be careful not to cook this too long. The recipes calls for three minutes. Next time, I am going to try 2 1/2 minutes and see if it comes out more gooey! It will be fun to experiment with other chips, flavorings and applesauce instead of the oil. Way too easy make!!! This dessert is dangerous.


Dangerous 5 Minute Chocolate Cake
Recipe Courtesy of Bargain Hoot

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 egg ( I just used an egg white)
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons chocolate chips
• Small splash of vanilla extract
• 1 large coffee mug

Directions:
-Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.
-Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
-Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
-Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract, and mix again.
-Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

I get home late two nights a week and try to do slow cooker meals on those nights. It's been really cold here, perfect soup weather. I was thumbing through Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker cookbook looking for a new soup to try. When I saw the French Onion Soup, I was hooked. French Onion Soup in the slow cooker, seriously?

If you've made French Onion Soup you know it's an afternoon project. I was excited to think I might be able to make French Onion Soup while I was at work. I did some searching on the internet and found a few other slow cooker French Onion Soup recipes. With the recipe from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker cookbook recipe as my inspiration, I created my own version. Most recipes call for dry white wine, cognac or brandy, I decided to use leftover champagne. I think it added a wonderful depth of flavor. The recipe in Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker cookbook cooks the onions for 10 - 12 hours, adds the wine and broth and cooks 1 -2 additional hours. I felt the soup would have a better flavor if the broth cooked longer. I also thought the original recipe was lacking in some spices, so I chose to add bay leaves and thyme.

Give this soup a try! It is almost, if not as good, as French Onion Soup cooked on the stove.



French Onion Soup
Adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook
Serves 2

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon flavorful olive oil
2 large onions
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 - 3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons dry white wine (I used champagne)
2 cups beef broth
Thick slices of French bread, small enough to fit inside the rim of the soup bowl, for each serving
2 teaspoons cognac or white wine (I used champagne)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Approximately 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese for each serving

1. Combine the butter and oil in the slow cooker and cover. Turn the slow cooker on low and allow the butter melt and the oil to heat which you slice the onions.
2. Peel the onions, slice in half lengthwise, slice thinly into half moons. You should have about 4 cups of onion slices. Add them to the cooker. Sprinkle the salt and sugar over the onions. Toss with oil, butter, sugar and salt to coat them. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour, stir. Turn the temperature down to LOW and cook until they are dark brown and caramelized, but not burned. (I cooked mine about 5 hours.) They will have cooked down to a fraction of their original volume and most of the liquid will be evaporated. If you are home, stir the onions once or twice during the cooking time to help them cook evenly. (I didn't stir mine after the first hour and they browned nicely.)
3. When the onions are done, add the wine, broth, bay leaves and thyme. Cover and continue to cook on LOW 4 -5 hours.
4. When you are ready to serve the soup, stir in the cognac. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toast the bread. Preheat the oven to 350. Put the bread slices on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, 10 - 15 minutes. Increase the temperature to 400.
5. Pour the soup into 2 ovenproof soup bowls; place on a baking sheet. Drop a bit of the cheese into the soup. Top each bowl with bread. Pile the rest of the cheese on top of the bread. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and browned, about 10 minutes. You can also put it under the broiler for a minute or two to help brown the cheese. Serve immediately.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday and Souper Sundays!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Slow Cooker Italian Soup

Soup seems to be my theme of the week but since we've all determine it's soup weather. Why not! Soup is perfect for the slow cooker. Cooking all day gives the flavors the opportunity to meld together perfectly. Nothing is better than walking in the house after a long day at work to the smell of a hearty soup!

I am giving you this recipe as it was written. I used white beans instead of garbanzo beans and omitted the kale/cabbage. This is one of those flexible recipes where ingredients can be added or deleted depending on what you have in the kitchen.




Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup
Courtesy of An Oregon Cottage
•1 lb. Italian sausage (any kind-ground, links, or precooked)
•4 c. beef broth
•1/2 c. dry red wine (or more broth)
•1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
•1 med. onion, chopped
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 15-oz can garbanzo beans (or freezer beans- and I use whatever type I have)
•2 c. chopped green cabbage, chard, kale, or spinach
•1-2 c. chopped green beans (if using frozen, thaw a bit and add with pasta)
•2 carrots, peeled and diced
•1 tsp. Italian seasoning
•1/2 tsp. black pepper
•1 c. small pasta (macaroni, orzo, ditalini, broken spaghetti, etc.)
•salt to taste
•Parmesan for serving (grated or shaved)
•Parsley for serving (optional)
1.If using uncooked sausage, cook it in a skillet until brown, drain and transfer to the bowl of a large slow cooker.
2.Combine the broth and the wine (if using) and pour over the meat.
3.Add the remaining ingredients except the last four. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours or high for 3-1/2 to 4 hours.
4.Add the noodles (turn cooker to high if you used the low setting) and cook for another 45 minutes until the noodles are done. Salt to taste, if needed.
5.Serve with Parmesan and parsley.
Makes 8 servings

I am linking this to Foodie Friday, Souper Sunday and Fat Camp Friday!