just the recipes

2009-05-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C. butter, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2-1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1-3 oz. package instant vanilla pudding
2 c. chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars.
Add vanilla and eggs
Mix in baking soda, flour, and pudding.
Add chocolate chips.
Drop by tablespoon-full on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes or until slightly browned (when it comes to cooking time with these cookies, less is more! Do not over-brown!)
Remove from cookie sheet and cool on paper towels.

2008-12-30T17:28:00.000-08:00

Sausage Balls

Ingredients
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups Bisquick
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 lbs Jimmy Dean sausage

Mix all ingredients together.
Form into 1 inch balls.
Bake at 375 degree for 15 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. May also be baked individually in a mini-muffin pan.

These may be frozen for later use. Freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then place in freezer bags. They may be put into the oven frozen, but the cooking time will be longer.

2008-12-22T18:40:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Brownie Batter:

3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Cheesecake Batter:

6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each ground ginger and ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8" square metal baking pan.

For the Brownies:

Beat together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in eggs one at a time. Combine dry ingredients and then gradually stir into butter mixture by hand.

For the Cheesecake:

In a separate bowl, beat together all ingredients.

To assemble:

Spread about 2/3 of chocolate batter into prepared pan. Spread the pumpkin batter over it, distributing evenly. Drop the remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter. To make the swirls, run a butter knife back and forth through the pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until center is set. Cool completely and chill before cutting and serving.

2008-11-08T19:21:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin-Craisin Muffins

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour (you could probably use all white-whole wheat flour, but I wasn't feeling adventerous)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/4 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or vegetable oil, if you're not calorie counting)1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup Craisins (could also use raisins)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
Sift together flours, baking powder and soda, salt and spices.
In a seprarate bowl, beat egg with brown sugar until well combined.
Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, applesauce and pumpkin puree.
Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined.
Fold in nuts (if using) and Craisins.
Pour mixture into muffin cups and bake approximately 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

2008-06-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

Black Bean Croquettes

2-15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed
1 t. cumin
1 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 plus 1/3 c. breadcrumbs (panko or Italian)
2 c. finely chopped tomatoes*
2 scallions, sliced*
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro*
1 t. chili powder, divided
1/4 t. salt
1 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 425. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Mash black beans and cumin with a fork in a large bowl until no whole beans remain. Stir in corn and 1/4 c. breadcrumbs. Combine tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, 1/2 t. chili powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir 1 c. of the tomato mixture into the black bean mixture.
Mix the remaining 1/3 c. breadcrumbs, oil, and remaining 1/2 t. chili powder in a small bowl until the breadcrumbs are coated with oil. Divide the bean mixture into 8 scant 1/2 c. balls. Lightly press each bean ball into the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the croquettes until heated through and the breadcrumbs are goldren brown, about 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings, 2 croquettes each

405 calories/serving, 12 g fat (2 g sat)

16 g protein, 16 g fiber, 61 g carbs

*You may also use about 1 c. bottled salsa, plus more for serving.

2008-06-16T17:24:00.000-07:00

Beef and Black Bean Burritos

8 oz. lean ground beef
1 C. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 t. ground cumin
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
6-8 inch flour tortillas
1 to 1-1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, along with the onion, and garlic.
Stir in cumin, chili powder, and coriander. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the black beans, salt and pepper.
Cook for about 5 minutes. Spoon the beef mixture down the center of a tortilla and top with the cheese and and other of your favorite taco toppings.

optional additional toppings: shredded lettuce, taco sauce, sour cream, and any other of your favorite taco toppings

2008-06-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

Pork Chops in Garlicky Sauce

Serves 4

4 thick bone-in pork chops (about 2 lbs). I used boneless chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 T. olive oil
1 C. chopped onion
1 C. chopped bell pepper
1.5 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces. I didn't peel them
1 C. peeled, seeded, and chopped tomato. I skipped this
1/2 t. pimenton, bittersweet if available. I left this out because I don't know what it is!
Pinch of ground cloves
Freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 C. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper and let them stand for 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat and fry the chops, turning to brown both sides, for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them from the skillet.
Add the onion, green pepper, and potatoes and saute for 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 C. water, 1/2 t. salt, the pimenton, cloves, nutmeg, and thyme. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 30 minutes.
Return the pork chops and and juices to the pan and reheat gently until the chops are cooked through, 5-10 minutes.
Puree the garlic and parsley in a blender with 1/3 C. water. Stir into the skillet and combine with the pan juices. Cook for 5 minutes.

From Cooking From the Heart of Spain by Janet Mendel

2008-05-19T17:04:00.001-07:00

German-Style Lentil Soup

To serve 4; good with bread

1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
3 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
garlic powder, thyme, and black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
5-6 cups broth (chicken or beef) or water
1 potato, chopped, OR 1/3 cup quick-cooking barley
1/4 to 1/2 lb cooked smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced
1 14-oz can diced or stewed tomatoes (optional), drained, their liquid counted as part of the broth measure

Sauté the carrot, celery, and onion in a little oil until soft.
Add lentils, meat, tomato if using, potato or barley, broth, bay leaf, and seasonings to taste.
Simmer on low approx. 45 minutes, or until lentils are soft, adding more broth if soup gets too thick.

2008-05-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

Creole Buttermilk-Black Pepper Dressing

Prep time 10 minutes

Makes 6-8 servings (1 cup)

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used Miracle Whip)

1/4 cup sour cream (low-fat okay)

1 T. Creole Mustard

2 T. finely chopped shallot or onion

3 T. buttermilk

1 t. prepared horseradish, optional

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. (or more to taste) freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. If you want it a little more tart, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar.

2008-05-05T18:02:00.000-07:00

Mint Julep Ice Cream

1 cup heavy cream
2 cups half-and-half
~1 ounce mint sprigs (about 1/4 of a bunch)
4 egg yolks
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup bourbon (less if you want a less strong bourbon taste)

Heat the heavy cream, 1/2 cup of the half-and-half, and the mint in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until it is just on the verge of boiling. Turn off the heat, cover, and let it steep for about 30 minutes.
Strain the cream into a small bowl.
Into a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale yellow. Slowly whisk the cream into the egg mixture and return it to the same saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the custard has thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon.
Strain the custard into a bowl and cook in an ice bath, then add the remaining 1 & 1/2 cups half-and-half and the bourbon.
Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Allow to ripen in the freezer for about an hour before enjoying.

Makes 1 quart.

2008-04-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

Grilled Lime Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

Grilled Chicken Ingredients:
Juice of 4-5 limes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup+ (more to taste) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 red onion, halved then sliced into 1/4” strips

Black Bean Sauce Ingredients:
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 quart filtered water
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced and crushed
Stems from one bunch of cilantro, chopped into 1/4” bits (approx. 1/2 cup)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper in a glass bowl and mix well. Trim the chicken breasts, then add to the marinade. Cover lightly and marinate, turning the chicken occasionally, for 2 hours at room temp (or overnight in the fridge).
Prepare Black Bean Sauce while chicken is marinating. Place beans in a large sauce-pan or soup pan, and add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours. Add additional water if needed. Remove bay leaves, then transfer the bean mixture to a food processor. Process well, adding water if needed to make desired consistency. This is where having an immersion blender comes in handy!
Preheat oven to 350° F, and prepare grill (gas or hot coals). Place the red onion slices in the bottom of a shallow, oven-proof dish, then cover with chicken breasts and marinade. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, then bake for 15-20 minutes (only until the chicken is opaque). Remove the chicken breasts and onions to a platter (separate them) and set aside. Save the marinade for grilling.
Place the chicken breasts on the grill over very hot coals or gas flame, and grill until they are thoroughly cooked but still moist (approximately 2 minutes on each side). Drizzle with remaining marinade while cooking. Remove to platter when grilled.
Serve the grilled chicken with the red onions, drizzle with the black bean sauce. Garnish with sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes or fresh cilantro - or serve with a leafy green side salad - as desired.

2008-04-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

Panko-Breaded Chicken Fingers

1-1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Few drops of Tabasco or other hot sauce, to taste
Drop of honey, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1-1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into 1-inch strips
Spicy ketchup or honey mustard (store-bought or homemade), for dipping

Preheat the broiler, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place panko in a pie plate or other flat rimmed bowl.
In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, honey and black pepper, and stir.
Dip the chicken strips into the mayonnaise mixture, and then roll them in the panko, pressing lightly to make sure the crumbs adhere.
Place on the baking sheet, and cook under the broiler, turning once, for a total of 6-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the panko is browned. Serve with your choice of dipping sauce.

2008-04-12T14:46:00.000-07:00

Oven-Crisp Black Bean and Corn Flautas

Serves 6

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)
2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp chili powder
1 16-oz tub prepared salsa, divided
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
12 6-inch corn tortillas
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook onion 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute, or until translucent and fragrant.
Stir in beans, chili powder and 1 cup water. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Mash beans until mixture is thickened but still chunky, and some beans remain whole. Stir in 1 cup salsa and corn, and season with salt and pepper. Cool.
Preheat oven to 425F. Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray. Spoon 1/3 cup black bean mixture down center of tortilla. Roll tortilla around filling, and secure closed with toothpick. Set on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and black bean mixture. Bake 6 to 10 minutes, or until tortillas are browned and crisp.
Meanwhile, combine cilantro and remaining salsa in small bowl. Place 2 flautas on each plate, and top with remaining salsa.

PER SERVING: 286 CAL; 11 G PROT; 3 G TOTAL FAT ; 56 G CARB.; 435 MG SOD.; 11 G FIBER; 9 G SUGARS

2008-04-08T18:13:00.001-07:00

Fresh Strawberry Ice-Cream

Sweet cream base:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream (or whipping cream)
1 cup milk

strawberries
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/3 cup sugar
juice from 1/2 lemon
zest from 1 lemon (optional)

Combine strawberries, lemon juice/zest, and 1/3 cup sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Once strawberries have refrigerated, prepare the sweet cream base. Whisk eggs in a bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the sugar and continue whisking for a minute longer. Add the cream and milk, stir until fully combined.Combine the strawberry mixture into the sweet cream base.
Pour into an ice-cream mixer and mix according to mixer instructions.

2008-04-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

Fresh Berry Tarts

Crust:
1/3 C. sugar
3 T. vanilla sugar*
1/2 c. butter
2 large eggs
2 1/2 C. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

*you could also use all regular sugar and add a little vanilla extract to the mixture.

Filling:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz. package reduced fat cream cheese (aka Neufchatel cheese)
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla extract

Topping:
2 T. vanilla sugar (see note above)
You will need a total of about 3 pints of berries total. The original recipe calls for setting aside 24 perfect berries to put on top of the tarts, but I ended up with more like 36 tarts, so be sure to set aside plenty of berries for topping. You will need at least one pint of strawberries to make the topping, but the other two pints can be pretty much any berry you want.

To prepare the crust, cream sugar and butter together until fluffy. Beat in the 2 eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; pour into the mixer at low speed until blended. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate in the fridge at least a few hours. Can also be chilled overnight.

Next, prepare the topping. Slice any strawberries that will not be used whole, about 1 pint total. Top with vanilla sugar and mix well with a spoon. Cover and refrigerate a few hours or overnight.

Once the dough has been chilled sufficiently, prepare the filling. Mix the sweetened condensed milk with the cream cheese, egg, and vanilla until creamy. Next you'll be rolling out the dough: leaving half the dough in the fridge, roll out the other half very thin - about 1/8 of an inch. If you go much thicker you'll wind up with cookie blobs instead of tarts. You'll also need to flour your surfaces very well - put flour down on the cutting board or counter, then plop the dough down. Sprinkle some more flour on top of the dough blob, flour your rolling pin, then start rolling. I find that the easiest way to accomplish all this is to fill an empty shaker jar with flour. Use a biscuit cutter or wide-mouthed jar to cut out circled that are approximately 3 to 3-1/2 inches across. Carefully drop each circle of dough into a greased nonstick cupcake pan - I used both standard size and mini-cupcake pans, and I found that while both work well, I liked the shape of the smaller sized ones better. Top each shell with 2 T. of the cream cheese filling. Don't overfill. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the crust is golden and the filing is puffy and firm to the touch. Remove the tarts from the pan immediately.

Now you're ready to top the tarts with your whole berries. I ended up quartering some nice-looking strawberries and using two quarters for each tart, along with either a blueberry, a raspberry, or a blackberry, but just do whatever looks good to you. Next, take the strawberry topping out of the fridge. Pour a small amount over each tart - 1/2 to 1 teaspoon. The topping will help hold everything together and adds a nice fresh taste, but if you prefer you can brush on a little of your favorite jam. Once you are done pouring off the syrup for the topping, you will have some macerated strawberries leftover. These are tasty on top of vanilla ice cream, or you can use them to make strawberry ice cream!

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy! These are a lot of work but are very elegant and tasty.

2008-04-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

Dill Roasted Salmon

Prep time: less than 5 minutes
Roasting time: 20 minutes or so depending on how thick the salmon fillet is
Serves 2

2 salmon fillets, skin left on
Enough fresh dill to be the base for the salmon
1 tsp olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp fresh dill, chopped (more for garnish)
Sprinkle of smoky paprika (brings out flavor and adds even more color)

Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a small roasting pan, large enough to hold the fillets so they are not touching each other, place a bed of fresh dill. This should only be enough for the salmon to rest on. Exposed dill will burn at this high temperature.
Lay the salmon, skin side down on the dill, drizzle with olive oil, spritz the lemon juice and sprinkle with paprika and a little chopped dill. Bake for 20 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through
Slide the salmon off its skin and onto a plate, spritz with a little more lemon juice and garnish with chopped dill.

Optional: serve with lemony dill mayo

big dollop of mayonnaise

1-2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Squeeze of lemon juice, to taste

2008-04-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

Dill and Cheddar Beer Bread

Basic Beer Bread Mix:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder (make sure it's fresh!)
To Make Dill and Cheddar Bread:
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
12 ounces beer
Optional glaze: 1 egg & 2 teaspoons water, beaten

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, dill, and cheddar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in beer and mix just until combined. Batter will be thick.
Spread in a greased 8-inch loaf pan, brush with egg glaze if desired, and bake until golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Flavor Variations:
Garlic & Herb: Add 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 2 minced garlic cloves (or 1 teaspoon garlic flakes) to the basic mix. For fresh herbs, use 1 chopped Tablespoon of each.
Dill & Chive: Add 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried dill) and 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives to the basic mix.
Rosemary & Feta: Add 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary and 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces) to the basic mix.
Italian: Add 1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano (or 1 Tablespoon each chopped fresh basil and oregano), 2 minced cloves of garlic, and 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan or romano cheese to the basic mix.
Other Additions: Any dried or fresh herbs; 1/2 cup freshly grated asiago (or other hard cheese); 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped scallions; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour or 1/2 cup oats in place of 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour. Or practically anything else you can think of--just use your imagination.

2008-03-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

1 pound strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
2/3 cup sugar (I used half Splenda and half sugar - next time I'll probably try all Splenda)
2 teaspoons vodka or kirsch (bourbon would probably also be good)
1 cup plain, whole milk yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Toss in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch (if using) until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring every so often.
Transfer the strawberries and their juice to a blender or food processor. Add the yogurt and fresh lemon juice. Pulse the machine until the mixture is almost smooth. If you wish, press mixture through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds.
Chill for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

2008-03-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

Shredded Beef Tacos

Ingredients:
2 lb. beef chuck roast, cut into 3 inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp oil, divided1 jar red chile sauce (15 oz. or more)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Season the beef with salt and pepper.
In a Dutch oven over medium heat bring 1 Tbsp oil up to temp. Brown half of the beef on all sides, about 1 minute per side.
Remove from pan, add 1 Tbsp of oil if needed and brown other half of beef the same way.-Return first batch of beef, with juices, to the pan and cover with red chile sauce. Cover dutch oven with heavy duty tinfoil and then lid.
Place in the oven and cook until beef is tender and can easily be pulled apart with a fork, about 4 hours.
Transfer the beef to a bowl, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let stand for 20 minutes.-Reserve the sauce and let cool.
Shred the beef with two forks or a knife. Skim fat off the sauce, then stir about 1 cup or more back into the beef.
Serve with warmed tortillas, and all the fixins.

2008-03-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

Fresh Mint Ice Cream

3 cups of fresh mint leaves (not stems), rinsed, drained, packed
1 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream (divided, 1 cup and 1 cup)
2/3 cup sugar
A pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
6 ounces semisweet chocolate or dark chocolate, chopped fine, kept in the freezer until used

Put the mint leaves in a heavy saucepan with the 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of the cream. Heat until just steaming (do not let boil), remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes. Reheat the mixture until steaming, remove from heat and let stand for 15 more minutes.
While the mint is infusing in step 1, prepare the remaining cream over an ice bath. Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a medium size metal bowl, set in ice water (with lots of ice) over a larger bowl. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. Set aside. You will use this in step 6.
Using a different strainer (or just wash this one later), strain the milk cream mixture into a bowl, pressing against the mint leaves with a rubber spatula in the sieve to get the most liquid out of them. Return the milk cream mixture to the saucepan. Add sugar and salt to the mixture. Heat until just steaming again, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
Whisk the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl. Slowly pour the heated milk cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm mixture, but not cooked by it. Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Return the saucepan to the stove, stirring the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon so that you can run your finger across the coating and have the coating not run. This can take about 10 minutes. When the custard base coats the back of the spoon and you can run your finger across the coating and have it not run, it is ready and should be removed from heat immediately.
Pour the custard through the strainer (from step 2) and stir into the cold cream to stop the cooking.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (at least a couple of hours) or stir the mixture in the bowl placed over the ice bath until thoroughly chilled (20 minutes or so). Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Once the ice cream has been made in the ice cream maker it should be pretty soft. Gently fold in the finely chopped chocolate. Put in an airtight container and place in the freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours. If it has been frozen for more than a day, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften it before serving.

**Note that there is no alcohol in this recipe. A few teaspoons of some spirits such as rum or bourbon will help keep the ice cream soft over several days. Even the alcohol in vanilla extract will help. If you have no added alcohol in a homemade ice cream recipe, you will need to eat it up quickly - in a day or two; beyond that point the ice cream will quickly get very very hard.
Makes 1 quart.

2008-03-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Beef Stew

You can use cheap cuts of beef for this recipe like shin or flank. Even though those cuts might contain sinew, the slow cooking will melt them and you'll end up with tender cubes of meat that almost fall apart.

1. Chop beef into cubes and coat it with some plain (all purpose) flour, salt, pepper and a teaspoon of paprika, all mixed together. Dry fry in a bit of oil, in small portions, until all the meat is brown. It's not cooked at this point, just brown on the outside. Put the meat aside on a plate.
2. Add one chopped onion - another way of adding flavour to food. Even if you don't like the taste of raw onion, it should be added to food because it will add a depth of flavour you won't get without it. Fry the onion until it too is a light brown colour. When it's light brown, that means you've also caramelised the sugars in the onion - and therefore developed its flavour.
3. Chop up two carrots and two sticks of celery. Again, you don't have to like the flavour of these foods as they won't taste like they taste fresh, but they'll add flavour to your dish. Cook these vegetables until the celery has turned bright green.
4. Add pinch of salt and pepper and stir. It's much better to add small amounts of salt and pepper throughout this type of cooking, instead of once large amount at the end. Adding small amounts at the various stages will add layers of flavour instead of just adding seasoning.
5. At this point you could add a variety of other flavours - such as chilli, tomato, paprika, curry etc - or you could leave them out and go on to the next step. If you so add an extra flavour, add it, stir it in and make sure it's well incorporated into the other ingredients before going on.
6. Add the meat back to the pot and pour in some stock or water, enough to just cover the meat, a small amount of salt and pepper, stir again, bring to the boil and stir again. Place the lid on the pot and put it in the oven to slowly cook (150C) for about 2 hours.
When it's cooked, taste for flavour. At this point the meat will be tender and there will be a thick sauce covering the meat. Serve with mashed potato and green beans.

2008-02-24T13:50:00.000-08:00

Key Lime Cake

CAKE
1 box lemon cake mix
1 small box lemon instant pudding (3.4 oz)
1 c. water
1 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp. key lime juice (regular lime juice is fine if you can't find key limes)

GLAZE
2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. key lime juice (regular lime juice is fine if you can't find key limes)

Beat cake ingredients together until well blended. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 325* for approximately 50-55 minutes. In the meantime, combine the glaze ingredients. While the cake is still warm, prick the top several times with a fork and pour the glaze evenly over the top.

*I used a mini bundt cake pan and baked at 325 for about 15 minutes. It made 12 cakes.

2008-02-17T13:23:00.000-08:00

Blueberry-Buttermilk Pancakes

1 C all-purpose flour
2 tbs cornmeal
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt1 beaten egg
1 C buttermilk or sour milk* (I used sour milk, see directions below)
2 tbs cooking oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 C fresh blueberries or strawberries

Mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and set aside.
In another bowl, mix together egg, buttermilk or sour milk, oil, and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently fold in berries.
Heat and grease gridle or skillet. Pour about 1/4 of batter onto hot surface. Cook over medium heat and flip when edges brown and bubbles form over surface. Cook for another two minutes or so. Serve warm with butter and syrup.

*To Make Sour Milk:For each 1 C of Milk, pour 1 tbs of white vinegar into the bottom of measuring cup. Pour in enough milk to equal 1 C of liquid. Set aside for a few minutes for milk to sour. Use in place of buttermilk.

2008-02-15T17:11:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Fondue

1/2 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk (I used evaporated milk)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur or vanilla or hazelnut syrup (I skipped this)
2 tablespoons light or dark corn syrup
1 1/2 cups (8 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces (I used dark chocolate chips)
2 teaspoons vanilla
whole strawberries, hulled and washed; or assorted sliced fruit, cake, or other berries

In a saucepan set over medium heat, bring the cream or milk, salt, and liqueur or syrup, and corn syrup to a boil. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the chocolate all at once. Stir until the chocolate is melted. If all the chocolate doesn't melt, return the pan briefly to the heat, and stir until it's melted completely. Stir in the vanilla, then pour the chocolate into the fondue pot. Serve with sliced fruit or chunks of cake. Yield: 1 1/2 cups, 4 to 8 servings.

2008-02-03T16:35:00.001-08:00

Rosemary French Bread

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (2 and a half teaspoons)
2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon butter, softened
17 tablespoons warm water (1 cup plus 1 T)
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Place ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturer’s directions, start dough cycle. You may have to add up to ½ c. more flour, depending on the humidity in your area and the makeup of the flour. The dough should be in a moist-looking ball while mixing in the machine, pulling away from the sides.
When the cycle has completed, place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16x12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8x12 inch rectangles.
Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper end.
Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

2008-01-21T17:15:00.000-08:00

Fish Fillets in a Maple and Dill Brine

This brine works well on fillets of tuna, salmon, orange roughy and trout. Brining fish is faster than meats. You need real maple syrup for best results.

Ingredients:
1 qt water
2 TBS kosher salt
2 TBS maple syrup
1 TBS brown sugar
1 bunch fresh dill, coarsely chopped (about 1/ 2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, smashed
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 LBs fish fillets, center cuts if possible

Directions:

Combine the water, salt, maple syrup and brown sugar in a large non reactive (glass) container.
Stir to dissolve the salt.
Add dill, garlic, and pepper.
Submerge the fish skin side up in the brine.
Cover the container and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
To cook, remove the fish from the brine and pat dry. Brush or spray with oil. To grill, put on a sheet of foil directly on the grill rack over medium heat (350-400 degrees) for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

2007-12-16T18:02:00.000-08:00

Honey Chicken Stir-Fry

TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
Hot cooked rice

Directions:

In a large nonstick skillet, stir-fry chicken and garlic in 2 teaspoons oil. Add the honey, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is lightly browned and juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.
In the same pan, stir-fry the vegetables in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Return chicken to the pan; stir to coat. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Serve with rice. Yield: 4 servings.

2007-12-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

Apple-Oat Muffins

2 c. shredded, peeled McIntosh apples (about 3/4 lb). *
1-1/2 c. AP flour
1 c. quick-cooking oats
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1-1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. fat free milk
2 T. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) carton plain low-fat yogurt (I used fat free strawberry from Publix)
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Place apple on paper towels, squeeze until barely moist. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine the flour and next 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of the mixture. Combine milk, oil, vanilla, yogurt, and egg, stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in apple.
Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. They will be almost full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.

Yield: 1 dozen
Serving size: one muffin
190 calories; 3.9 g fat (.9g sat.)
1.9 g fiber; 4.5 g carbs

*I used Granny Smith Apples and pulsed them a few times in the food processor.

2007-12-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup shortening

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

FILLING:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Dash salt

1 cup milk

3/4 cup shortening

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water; mix well. Cool for 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add cocoa mixture, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk; mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a spoon. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove to wire racks to cool.
In a saucepan, combine flour and salt. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth; cook and stir over medium-high heat until thick, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool.
In a mixing bowl, cream shortening, sugar and vanilla. Add chilled milk mixture; beat for 7 minutes or until fluffy. Spread filling on half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.

2007-12-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:
• 4 LB chicken, butterflied
• 3 TBS Dijon mustard
• 1 TBS honey
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 TBS olive oil
• salt & pepper

Preparation Directions:
Flatten the chicken out, skin side up.
Whack it with your fist to crack the breastbone (for easier carving).
Fold the wing tips back and tuck them under the chicken.
Salt and pepper both sides.
Blend the mustard, honey, soy and oil. Brush generously on both sides of chicken.
Let sit at room temperature for an hour or so, or cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Cooking Directions:
Roast over direct heat (no drip pan), at a grill temperature of 270 (about 300 dome).
Start skin side up; after 50-60 minutes, flip the skin side toward the coals.
Roast another 30 minutes or so, until skin is golden brown and crispy and the meat is done to your
liking.

Good for when there's no time to brine.
Good with or without pecan or cherry wood.

2007-11-30T10:53:00.000-08:00

Mashed Potato Casserole

4 c. mashed potatoes
1 c. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese
1 t. dried chives
¼ t. garlic powder
¼ c. dry bread crumbs
1 T. butter, melted
½ c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, sour cream, cream cheese, chives and garlic powder. Turn into a greased 2 qt casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs with butter, sprinkle over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 1 hr. Top with cheese and serve immediately.

Can be made ahead and baked just before serving.

2007-11-29T17:36:00.000-08:00

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
3 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 t. salt
2/3 c. oil
2 t. vanilla
2 c. sugar
2 t. baking soda
2 c. warm water
2 t. vinegar

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 c. sugar
chocolate chips

Beat topping ingredients well and set aside
Mix cupcake ingredients well. Batter will be very thin. Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full - do not overfill.
Place about 2 t. topping in the center. Add 6-8 chocolate chips per cupcake.
Bake at 350 for about 18 minutes.

These freeze well if you can keep them around that long! Makes 3 dozen standard cupcakes.
You can also make 8-9 dozen mini cupcakes (bake ~12 minutes).

2007-11-20T09:27:00.000-08:00

Taco Tot Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can corn w/ pepper, drained (I just used regular 'ole corn w/ no salt added)
1 can condensed nacho cheese soup (I had never heard of this, and could not find it, so I used cream of cheddar soup by Campbell's)
4 c. frozen Tator Tots
Salsa and Sour Cream, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cook meat w/ taco seasoning according to pkg. directions
Spoon meat into an ungreased 11x17 inch baking dish or a 2 qt. casserole dish
Spoon corn over meat; spread soup over corn
Arrange the frozen tots in a single layer over the soup
Bake 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned and the mixture is bubbly
Serve w/ salsa and sour cream if desired

2007-10-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Baby Back Ribs Like Applebee's

3 racks pork baby back ribs, cut in half
1 c. ketchup
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
3 T. dark brown sugar
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. liquid smoke
1/2 t. salt

Place ribs in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover them.
Bring water to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until ribs are fork tender.
While ribs are boiling, combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, for 30 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Place boiled ribs, meat side down, on a broiler pan.
Brush with half the sauce mixture and broil 4-5 inches from heat for 6-7 minutes.
Turn ribs over, brush with remaining sauce, and broil and additional 6-7 minutes, or until edges are slightly charred.

2007-10-08T16:43:00.000-07:00

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

4 (small) pieces of boneless, skinless chicken
1/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 C butter
1/4 C milk
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in oven in pan (I used an 8x8 baking pan). While butter is melting, mix all other ingredients except milk and chicken.
When butter is melted, dip chicken first in milk, then coat generously in flour mixture, then dip in butter. Place chicken in pan to be baked. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.
Bake at 400 degrees. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken. Check it after about 15 minutes.

2007-10-04T16:52:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

FILLING:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1 tablespoon sugar

MUFFIN:

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup canola oil

24 pecan halves, optional

For the filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Divide half of the batter among 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Drop filling by teaspoonfuls over batter. Top with remaining batter. Place a pecan on each muffin if desired.
Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen.

2007-09-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

Crock-Pot Chicken & Dumplings

From Campbell's Kitchen

Prep Time: 20 min. - Cook Time: About 8 hr.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1" pieces
2 cups baby whole carrots
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) Campbell's® Cream of Chicken Soup OR 98% Fat Free Cream
of Chicken Soup
1 cup water
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose baking mix
2/3 cup milk

PLACE chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery in 6-qt. slow cooker.
MIX soup, water, thyme and black pepper. Pour over all.
COVER and cook on LOW 7 to 8 hr.* or until chicken is done.
MIX baking mix and milk. Spoon batter over chicken mixture. Tilt lid to vent and cook on HIGH 30 min. or until dumplings are cooked in center. Serves 8.

*Or on HIGH 4 to 5 hr.

2007-09-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies

1 large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 t. vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. baking soda
1 cup dried raisins or craisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray, set aside.
In a large bowl, stri together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda, Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in raisins or craisins.
Using a 1/4 cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. With a thin spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to about 1/2 inch thick.
Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14-16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Freeze if the cookies will not be eaten within three days.

2007-09-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

Cowpoke Chili

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed beef broth, undiluted

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 can (15-1/2 ounces) hot chili beans

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Dash cayenne pepper

2 cups frozen lima beans, thawed

Cherry tomatoes, fresh oregano and small chili peppers, optional

In a large saucepan, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce and paste until blended. Add the next 10 ingredient. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add lima beans; cook 5-10 minutes longer or until beans are tender. Garnish with tomatoes, oregano and peppers if desired.

Yield: 7 servings.

2007-09-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

PB&J Spirals

1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

8 teaspoons creamy peanut butter

8 teaspoons grape jelly

1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles. Spread 1 teaspoon each of peanut butter and jelly on the wide end of each triangle; sprinkle with peanuts.
Roll up from the wide end and place point side down 2 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Curve ends to form a crescent shape.
Bake at 375° for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.

Yield: 8 servings.

2007-09-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

Sausage Swiss Muffins

8 ounces pork sausage
1-3/4 cups biscuit/baking mix
3/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

In a small skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the baking mix, sage and thyme. In another bowl, combine the egg and milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the cheese and sausage.
Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 9 muffins.

2007-09-03T17:38:00.001-07:00

Cheesecake Brownies

For the brownies:

4 squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 c. butter
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T. instant coffee granules
1-1/3 granulated sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt
3 eggs
1 c. all-purpose flour

For the topping:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 T. lemon zest
1 T. lemon juice

For the brownie: in a saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate, butter, cocoa, and coffee granules, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in flour, mixing until smooth. Spread evenly in a 9-inch square greased cake pan.

For the topping: Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, lemon zest, and juice until smooth. Spread evenly over unbaked base.

If desired, scatter 1-1/4 cups raspberries over the top.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven just until set, 40-45 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Chill overnight. Cut into sqaures.

2007-09-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

Spinach Salad with Bacon Dressing

1 lb. fresh spinach, ripped
1/4 lb. fresh, raw mushrooms
1/4 c. scallions, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 hard-cooked eggs, diced
6-8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbed (save drippings for dressing)

Toss gently.

For the dressing, combine 2 T. of the bacon drippings, 1/2 cup salad oil, 3 T. cider vinegar, and 3 T. honey. For best results, serve immediately.

2007-09-03T17:21:00.000-07:00

French Dip Sandwiches in the Crock Pot

2 c. water
1/2 c. soy sauce
4 whole peppercorns
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 t. garlic powder
3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
8 French or Sourdough rolls, split

Combine water, soy sauce, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme and garlic in a slow cooker, stirring until well blended. Place roast in cooker and cover.
Cook on high 5-6 hours or until beef is tender. Remove from broth and shred with a fork or slice thinly. Pour broth in small bowls for dipping. Serve on rolls. If desired, top with swiss cheese, sauteed onions, and peppers.

2007-08-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

Chocolate-Covered Oreo Cookie Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

24 Oreo cookies, chopped (you will need a full package, the rest will be used for the filling)
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup butter
1 package chocolate cake mix (the richer the better), and ingredients called for on the package

For the Chocolate Mousse Icing:

1 teaspoon gelatin powder, unsweetened
1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons hot water
½ cup sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract

For the Buttercream Filling

¼ cup vegetable shortening
¼ cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 cup milk
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¼ t. vanilla extract
The rest of the package of Oreos, chopped finely

To Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the chopped cookies, chocolate chips, flour, and butter. Sprinkle one-quarter of the cookie mixture in the bottom of one pan, repeat with the other pan. Set aside.
Mix the cake up according to package directions. Pour one-quarter of the cake batter over the cookies in one pan, repeat in the other. Divide up the remaining cookie mixture between the two pans and sprinkle over the cake batter in both pans. Top off the pans with the remaining cake batter and bake for 30-40 minutes or until cake is done.
Once removed from the oven, let the cakes sit for 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

To Make the Buttercream Filling:

Beat the shortening and butter in a mixing bowl. Add sugar, milk, and the extracts slowly; mix until blended. Beat at medium speed until fluffy. Add the rest of the package of Oreos to the mixture. Chill.

To Make the Chocolate Mousse Icing:

In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute to soften. Add the hot water; whisk until gelatin in completely dissolved and the mixture is clear. Cool slightly.
Stir together the sugar and cocoa in a large bowl, add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is stiff. Pour in gelatin mixture, beat until well blended. Chill.

Once everything is chilled, arrange the bottom cake layer on a cake dish. Put the buttercream filling on top of the bottom cake layer (you’ll have to lay it on pretty thick, but the filling holds up nicely if the cake is refrigerated). Place the other cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides with the chocolate mousse icing. You may want to sprinkle more cookie crumbs on top, or make a pretty design with chocolate syrup.

2007-08-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

Rosemary Bread

1 c. water
3 T. olive oil
1- 1/2 t. white sugar
1- 1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. Italian Seasoning
1/4 t. ground black pepper
1 T. dried rosemary
1-1/2 c. bread flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1- 1/2 t. active dry yeast

Bake in your bread machine or use the dough cycle and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until loaf is browned and makes a hollow noise when thumped.

This bread is wonderful with olive oil and dipping spices!

To mix the dough by hand, combine yeast + 1/4 c. warm water, wait 10 min. Add flour, salt, sugar, and oil; knead for several minutes. Add the herbs & pepper and knead some more. Let rise an hour or so in an oiled, covered bowl in a warm place. Punch down, let rise another hour. Bake at 375 until browned.

2007-08-12T18:05:00.000-07:00

Red Ribs (also works on Pork Tenderloin) - For the Slow Cooker

2 lbs. pork tenderloin OR country-style pork spareribs, cut into serving piececs of 3-4 ribs
1/4 c. ketchup
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. honey
1 T. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 T. freshly grated ginger

Arrange the rib portions in the slow cooker. Combine the ketchup, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl and mix until smooth; spoon over meat. If you have a round cooker, stack the ribs with sauce in between. Cover and cook on low 7-9 hours, until the meat is tender and starts to separate from the bone. Serve immediately.

2007-08-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Blueberry Orange Cheesecake

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING:

4 cups cream-style cottage cheese, undrained

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 eggs

TOPPING:

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1 cup fresh blueberries

Fresh mint, optional

In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, flour and brown sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 2-1/2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside.
In a blender, cover and process cottage cheese until smooth.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl; beat in sugar. Beat in the flour, cream, orange juice concentrate, vanilla and salt. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust.
Bake at 350° for 70-75 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream and confectioners' sugar; spread over cheesecake. Garnish with blueberries and mint if desired.

Yield: 12 servings.

2007-08-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

Fruit Pizza

1 tube sugar cookie dough
2-8 oz. packages cream cheese
1 cup powered sugar
1 8 oz tub cool whip, thawed
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
2 T. cornstarch
1 ½ cup strawberries, sliced
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries

Roll out cookie dough into a circle the size of your pizza pan. A 14-16” pan works best. Place on greased pan, and bake about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool.
Make glaze: Mix together orange and pineapple juice in a small saucepan. Stir in cornstarch, and heat, stirring until mixture thickens. Set aside to cool.
Mix together softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in Cool whip. Spread over cooled crust.
Arrange fruit on cream filling, in a pleasing design. Spread cooled glaze over fruit. Chill until ready to serve.

You can substitute any fresh seasonal fruit. Try peaches, any fresh berry, mandarin oranges, grapes...

2007-07-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

Pizza Pancakes

2 cups biscuit/baking mix
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 can (8 ounces) pizza sauce, warmed

In a large bowl, combine the biscuit mix and Italian seasoning. Combine eggs and milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the cheese, pepperoni, tomatoes and green pepper.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until the seconds side is golden brown. Serve with pizza sauce.

Yield: 14 pancakes.

2007-07-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

Black Bean Rice Burgers

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup salsa, divided
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
4 lettuce leaves
4 slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese (1 ounce each)
4 hamburger buns, split

In a large bowl, mash beans with a fork. Add the rice, onion, egg and 2 tablespoons salsa; mix well. Drop by 1/2 cupfuls into a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until firm and browned.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream and remaining salsa. Place a lettuce leaf, burger, sour cream mixture and slice of cheese on bun. Yield: 4 servings.

2007-07-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

Blueberry Pound Cake

3 Beaten Eggs
1/2 Cup Melted Butter (or Margarine)
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Milk
2 1/2 Cups Blueberries

Beat eggs; add melted butter, sugar and almond - vanilla flavorings; beat well.
Sift flour with baking powder and salt and add alternately with milk to make a smooth batter.
Fold in Blueberries. Pour into a well greased and flour dusted 9" (23 cm) found tube cake pan.
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for about 60 minutes.

This cake tastes wonderful warm from the oven. If you want to eat it cold, try it with a little icing on top.

2007-07-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

Sauteed Apples and Raisins

4 large tart apples, peeled and cored (I used Gala apples and it turned out fine)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cut apples in half and then into 1/4-in.-thick slices.
Melt butter in a large skillet; add apples. Cook and stir over medium heat for 6-7 minutes or until almost tender.
Dissolve cornstarch in water; add to skillet. Add brown sugar and raisins; bring to a boil.
Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice. Serve warm. Yield: 4 cups.

Nutritional Analysis: One 1/2-cup serving (prepared with margarine) equals 182 calories, 6 g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 73 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, trace protein

2007-07-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

Irish Whole-Wheat Soda Bread

3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 level teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk

Combine dry ingredients and mix thoroughly to distribute the soda and baking powder, then add enough buttermilk to make a soft dough, but firm enough to hold its shape.
Knead on a lightly floured board for 2 to 3 minutes, until quite smooth and velvety. Form into a round loaf and place in a well-buttered 8-inch cake pan or cookie sheet. Cut across on the top of the loaf with a very sharp, floured knife.
Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until loaf is nicely browned and sounds hollow when rapped with the knuckles. (The cross will have spread open.) Let the loaf cool before slicing. Makes 1 round loaf.

2007-06-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

Blueberry-Cheese Rolls

1 pkg. (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Neufchatel Cheese, (1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese), softened

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 cup blueberries, divided

PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Unroll dough into four rectangles; firmly press perforations together to seal.

COMBINE Neufchatel cheese and sugar; spread onto dough rectangles to within 1/2 inch of edges. Top evenly with blueberries. Bring opposite corners of rectangles together; press together to seal. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

BAKE 11 to 13 min. or until golden brown.

2007-06-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

Honey-Oat Quick Bread

2 T. plus 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking (not instant) oats, divided
1-1/3 cups whole-wheat or white whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1-1/4 t. salt
1-8 oz. container nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
1 large egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey, preferably a mild variety
3/4 cup nonfat or low-fat milk

Position oven rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375 degrees. Generously coat a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 T. oats in the pan.
Thoroughly stir together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Using a fork, beat together the remaining cup oats, yogurt, egg, oil, and honey in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir in milk. Gently stir the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture just until thoroughly incorporated but not overmixed.
Immediately scrape the batter into the pan, spreading evenly to the edges. Sprinkle 1 T. oats over the top.
Bake until well browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. It's normal for the top to crack. Let stand on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a table knife around the loaf to loosen it and turn out on to the rack. Enjoy!

2007-05-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

Baked Ham with Bourbon Glaze

1 C. honey
1/2 C. Jim Bean Bourbon
1/2 C. molasses
1/4 C. Orange Juice
2 T. Dijon Mustard
1 (6-8 lb.) smoked ham half

Microwave honey and molasses on high for 1 minute, whisk to blend. Whisk in bourbon, OJ, and mustard.
Brush glaze on ham. Bake at 325 degrees on lower oven rack for 1.5 hours or until meat reaches internal temperature of 140 degrees. Baste occasionally with glaze.
Bring drippings and remaining glaze to a boil, serve with the ham. 12-14 servings.

2007-05-01T19:02:00.000-07:00

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

LEMON CURD:
3 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4-1/2 teaspoons butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
BATTER:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1-1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
FROSTING:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
Yellow food coloring, optional

For lemon curd, in a heavy saucepan, cook and stir sugar, lemon juice and butter until smooth. Stir a small amount into egg; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in lemon peel. Cool 10 minutes. Cover and chill for 1-1/2 hours or until thickened.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and lemon peel. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a small round pastry tip. Fill bag with lemon curd. Insert tip 1 in. into center of each cupcake; fill with curd just until tops of cupcakes begin to crack.

Combine frosting ingredients, tinting with food coloring if desired; frost cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 1 dozen.

2007-04-09T17:39:00.000-07:00

Ham Buns

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 small onion, grated
1 tablespoon poppy seed
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1-1/4 cups finely chopped fully cooked ham (about 8 ounces)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
6 to 8 hamburger buns, split or 16 to 20 mini buns

In a bowl, mix butter, onion, poppy seed, Worcestershire sauce and mustard until well blended. Add ham and cheese; mix well. Divide evenly among buns.
Place in a shallow baking pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until hot. Yield: 6-8 main dish or 16-20 appetizer servings.

2007-04-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter Carrot Cake for Dogs

1 cup flour (I used whole wheat)
1 t. baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1 t. vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
1 egg

Mix flour and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 8" round cake pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool. Puree cottage cheese or neufchatel cheese in a blender for icing.

2007-03-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

Hearty Beef Vegetable Soup

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian diced tomatoes

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 cups hot water

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

6 medium carrots, sliced

2 medium turnips, peeled and cubed

1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

1 medium green pepper, julienned

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

2 tablespoons sugar

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.

In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, brown beef in oil. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Yield: 8 servings (about 2-1/2 quarts)

2007-03-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

Raspberry-Stuffed French Toast

4 oz. Neufchatel Cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese), softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 t. ground cinnamon
2 eggs, plus 2 egg whites
5 cups fat free milk, divided
1 loaf (ends trimmed off) French baguette, cut into 18 slices
1 pkg. frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix

Beat Neufchatel Cheese, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon with mixer until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Gradually add 2 cups of the milk, beating until well blended.
Arrange 9 of the bread slices in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the raspberries, top with remaining bread slices. Pour wet mixture over bread. Let stand 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, bring remaining 3 cups of milk just to boiling in a saucepan, gradually add the dry pudding mix, whisking until well blended. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes. Microwave remaining berries in small microwaveable bowl in high 15-20 seconds or until warm. Serve French Toast topped with custard sauce and raspberries.

Makes 9 servings.

2007-03-25T19:10:00.000-07:00

Herbal Iced Tea

4 Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea bags
4 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea bags
4 cups pure apple juice

Steep the 8 tea bags in 4 cups of boiling water for 10 minutes.
Discard the tea bags*.
Combine the tea with the apple juice and refrigerate until cold.
Serve over ice.

*note: I thought that the tea bags still had more potency, so I steeped them again and made regular iced tea.

2007-03-25T17:07:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon Stewed Apples

6 cups chopped peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat 45 minutes or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally.
Let stand 5 minutes.

2007-03-12T17:04:00.000-07:00

Grilled Marinated London Broil

4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 T. balsamic vinegar
4 T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. each dried oregano, basil, and thyme, crumbled
1/2 t. dried hot peper flakes
2/c c. olive oil

one 2 to 2 1/2 pound London Broil

To make marinade:

In a bowl, wisk together ingredients until combined well
Put London Broil in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over it. Seal bag, pressing out excess air and set on a plate. Marinate meat, chilled, turning bag once or twice, overnight.
Grill meat, marinade discarded, over medium heat turning once (9-10 minutes on each side or until meat reaches 135 degrees). Alternatively, meat may be broiled. Transfer meat onto a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Cut meat diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serves 6.

2007-02-19T19:23:00.000-08:00

Chicken Piccata

4 Chicken breast halves, boned and skinned
Salt and Pepper
Flour (enough for coating)
3 T. butter
Jiuce of 1 lemon
1 1/2 C. chicken broth
1/2 C. white wine

Use a meat pounder to pound the meat to a uniform thickness, a little less than an inch. Salt and pepper the chicken generously, then coat with flour. Melt butter in a large skillet and brown chicken on both sides.
Remove chicken from skillet. Add lemon juice, chicken broth, and wine. Boil down until it's about 1/2 cup. Place chicken back in skillet, cover and cook 3 minutes. Remove cover and serve.

2007-02-12T19:09:00.000-08:00

Oreo Truffles

1 package Oreo cookies
1 package Cream Cheese, softened
2 packages (8 oz. each) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs for later use, set aside
Crush the remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs, place in medium-sized bowl. Add cream cheese, mix until well blended.
Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1 inch in diameter.
Dip balls in chocolate, place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.
Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

2006-12-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

Warm Winter Lemon Cake

1 package (2-layer size) yellow cake mix and the ingredients to make it
2 cups cold milk
1 1/4 cups cold water
2 packages (4-serving size each) Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
1/3 cup sugar
2 T. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Pour batter into greased 13x9 inch baking dish
Pour milk and water into a large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes and sugar. Beat with wire wisk 2 min. or until well blended. Pour over cake batter in dish. Place baking dish on a cookie sheet to catch any bubbling over that may occur in the oven.
Bake 55 min to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 20 min. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Spoon into serving dished, serve warm; garnish with raspberries if desired.

Makes 16 servings.

2006-12-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

Meat Loaf Wellington

INGREDIENTS
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup meatless spaghetti sauce, divided
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

In a large bowl, combine the egg, 1/3 cup spaghetti sauce, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.
On a piece of heavy-duty foil, pat beef mixture into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese and parsley to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side and peeling foil away while rolling. Seal seam and ends. Place seam side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour; drain.
Unroll crescent dough; seal seams and perforations. Drape dough over meat loaf to cover the top, sides and ends; seal ends.
Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and crust is golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Using two large spatulas, carefully transfer meat loaf to a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve with remaining spaghetti sauce.

Yield: 8 servings.

2006-11-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

Florida Hot Browns
(Jacki's version of Kentucky Hot Browns)

Ingredients:
Ham, roasted and sliced (you will need about 3 oz. per sandwich)
Toasted white bread (1 slice per sandwich)
Cooked Bacon (1 piece per sandwich)
Sandwic toppings (tomato, onion, etc.)

Sauce:
3/4 c. milk (fat free not recommended)
~5 oz. cheese. I used 3 slices american cheese plus 2 oz. mozzerella
dash garlic powder
2 oz. butter
3 oz. flour
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Note: the sauce makes enough for about 4 sandwiches

Heat butter and add flour. Whisk and slowly cook for 5 minutes. Whisk in milk and heat. Whisk in cheese until melted. Season. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Sauce should be very thick, but you can add more milk to reach desired consistency.
Build your sandwich!

2006-11-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

Two-Step Crunchy Chicken Strips

Makes 4 -6 servings
Start to Finish: 20 min

Ingredients
2 1/2 c. crushed bite-size cheddar goldfish crackers or pretzels
2/3 c. bottled buttermilk ranch or honey mustard salad dressing
1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking pan with foil, lightly coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a shallow dish, place the crushed crackers or pretzels. In another, place the dressing. Dip the chicken into the dressing, allowing excess to drip off. Dip into crumbs to coat.
Arrange chicken in prepared pan.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees). Serve with more dressing for dipping if desired.

2006-11-05T16:55:00.000-08:00

Zesty Grilled Ham

1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. prepared horseradish
¼ c. lemon juice
1 fully cooked ham steak (about 1.5 lbs)

In a small saucepan, bring first 3 ingredients to a boil. Brush over both sides of ham. Grill over med-hot coals, turning once until heated through and well glazed. You can also use a George Foreman grill.

2006-10-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

Stuffing-Crusted Creamy Chicken Casserole
Serves 6

1 package (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for chicken
6 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 and a half pounds)
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed and drained
1 can (7 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 c. Reduced Fat Ranch Dressing
1 1/2 c. hot water

Preheat oven to 400. Sprinkle 1/2 c. of the stuffing mix evenly onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish; top with the chicken. Sprinkle evenly with the garlic powder. Cover with the stir-fry vegetables. Mix corn and dressing; spoon over vegetable layer. Set aside.
Add hot water to remaining stuffing mix; stir until just moistened. Spoon evenly over corn mixture.
Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (17o degrees)

Variations:
Prepare as directed, substituting your favorite frozen vegetables for the stir-fry veggies.

2006-10-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

Basic Pancakes
Serves 4

1 c. AP flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
2 T. butter, melted, or vegetable oil
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 200; have a baking sheet to keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture, whisk until just moistened (do not overmix, a few lumps are fine)
Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium heat. Grease skillet.
For each pancake, spoon 2-3 T. of batter onto skillet.
Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst; 1-2 minutes. Flip carefully and cook until underside is browned.
Transfer to baking sheet, keep warm in the oven until the rest of the pancakes are finished.
Serve warm, with desired toppings.

Pancake variations

BUTTERMILK: Add 1/2 t. baking soda to dry mixture. Replace milk with low-fat buttermilk.
YOGURT: Add 1/2 t. baking soda to dry mixture. Replace the milk with 2/3 c. plain (or vanilla) low-fat yogurt and 1/3 c. milk
WHOLE-GRAIN WITH YOGURT: Replace the all-purpose flour with 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour, 1/4 c. each cornmeal and wheat germ, and 1/2 t. baking soda. Replace the milk with 2/3 c. plain (or vanilla) yogurt and 1/3 c. milk

To make and store extra mix:

Whisk together 3 c. flour, 6 T. sugar, 2 T. baking powder, and 1 1/2 t. salt. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. This makes enough for 12 servings of 3-4 pancakes per person. For four servings: place 1 1/4 c. mix in a bowl. In a seperate bowl, whisk together 1 c. milk, 2 T. melted butter or oil, and 1 large egg, add to dry milk and whisk just until combined.

How to freeze pancakes:

Stack cooled pancakes between squares of waxed paper; place in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months. Reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350.

2006-10-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

Chicken Gruyere Bisque

4T butter
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1 stalk finely chopped celery
2 carrots, peeled & grated
2 pints half-n-half
8oz cubed gruyere cheese
2 c cooked, minced chicken
dash of white wine
1 tsp dried tarragon

In soup pot melt butter and saute veggies until soft, remove from heat.
In saucepan heat 1 cup half-n-half and cheese,stirring constantly until chees is melted. Add remaining half-n-half and heat thoroughly. Add veggies and chicken, stir well. Add wine and tarragon

Serves 6

2006-10-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

Mexican Pork and Black Beans

1 pound black beans, cooked
1 pound boneless pork sirloin -- cut in 1" cubes
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp salt
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
16 ounces stewed tomatoes, broken up
2 cups water
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro leaves

Put beans in crock pot. Toss pork with chili powder,coriander and salt.
Lightly brown onion and garlic with pork in ungreased skillet.
Mix tomatoes into crockpotwith their juice. Add meat, pepper and 2 cups water.
Cover and cook 9 hours on LOW. Ladle over rice and garnish with cilantro.

2006-09-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Cream Sauce

Serves: 2
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min

1# pork tenderloin, cut into 1" slices
Seasoned flour (S&P)
2 Tbl. butter, divided
2 tsp. canola or olive oil
2 green onions, sliced (coin shape), white and green parts separated
1/3 cup white wine or dry vermouth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. Dijon mustard - or more to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to low, about 170 degrees.
Pound pork medallions to 1/2" thick.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tsp. oil over medium high heat.
Dredge pork in seasoned flour. Add all at once to pan and saute 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and hold in the oven while finishing the sauce. (pork will be a bit underdone but will finish in the oven.)
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to pan.
Add white part of onion, saute for 1 minute.
Add wine or vermouth, simmer until reduced to about 3 tablespoons.
Add cream, simmer 2 - 3 minutes until thickened.*
Stir in Dijon, add salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon sauce over pork, garnish with green part of onion.

*If sauce ends up too thick for your liking, add a little water, but no more than 1/4 cup.

2006-09-22T17:44:00.001-07:00

Preheat oven to low, about 170 degrees.
Pound pork medallions to 1/2" thick.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tsp. oil over medium high heat.
Dredge pork in seasoned flour. Add all at once to pan and saute 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and hold in the oven while finishing the sauce. (pork will be a bit underdone but will finish in the oven.)
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to pan.
Add white part of onion, saute for 1 minute.
Add wine or vermouth, simmer until reduced to about 3 tablespoons.
Add cream, simmer 2 - 3 minutes until thickened.*
Stir in Dijon, add salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon sauce over pork, garnish with green part of onion.

*If sauce ends up too thick for your liking, add a little water, but no more than 1/4 cup.

2006-09-22T17:44:00.000-07:00

Grilled Fish with Brazilian Garlic Marinade

6 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
1/2 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 red sweet pepper, cored and seeded
2 Tblsp. olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 Tblsp. ketchup
2 tsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly snipped cilantro
1-1/2 lb. fish steak or fillets, such as sea bass, swordfish, tuna, or salmon -- cut 1" thick

For marinade, combine the garlic, onion, red pepper, oil, wine, ketchup, paprika, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and stir in cilantro. Add the fish, spooning marinade over fish. Marinate in refrigerator for 2-4 hours, turning occasionally.
Drain fish, reserving marinade. Grill fish on rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 5 minutes.
Turn fish and brush with reserved marinade. Grill 3-7 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

2006-09-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

Individual Chicken Meat Loaves

Take about a pound of ground chicken (ground beef or turkey would work, too) and add any of the following until it reaches meatloaf consistency: one egg, breadcrumbs, minced onion, granulated garlic, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped carrots or celery...I'm sure there's more, be creative!
Shape the meat into individual loaves. I usually make about 4 with one pound.
Combine 1/2 c. ketchip, 1 T. dijon mustard, and 1/2 c. brown sugar. Spread over the meat loaves.
Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until done.

2006-09-19T12:36:00.000-07:00

Mike's awesome chicken soup

Sautee 1/2 cup of chopped onions, 4 baby carrots chopped, and 2 cloves of garlic in olive oil.
Once the onions begin to clarify, add 1/8 cup of chopped green onions. Continue to saute for another minute.
Add one chicken breast, cut into cubes and begin to caramalize the chicken.
Add a 1/2 cup of white wine to deglaze the pan.
Slowly add a can of Cream of Chicken and Mushroom soup and the equivalent of 3 cans of water. Stir often.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked pasta or rice if desired.

2006-09-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

Curry-Marinated Baked Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. plain low-fat yogurt
2 t. curry powder
1 t. ground ginger
1 t. ground coriander
3/4 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Combine all ingredients and marinade for at least one hour, up to overnight.

2006-09-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

Garlic-Ginger Lime Marinade

1 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ginger root, grated
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup olive oil

Throw all ingredients in a large, zipper-topped plastic bag,
mush it around to mix, then toss in your meat, chicken or fish (a
steak-like swordfish or mahi mahi would work, but a delicate
fish would fall apart). Place in the refrigerator and turn
whenever you remember. Not necessary, but will give you a more
even distribution of the flavors.

When the meat is marinated to your liking (you'll marinate fish
the least amount of time, then chicken and meat the longest;
from about 1 hour all the way to 8 hours), pull it out, throw it
on a medium high barbecue (that has been preheated for at least
10 minutes) and cook it to desired doneness. YUM!

This wonderful marinade will also work with veggies. So have
fun!

recipe courtesy of the savingdinner.com newsletter

2006-08-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

Lighter Lasagna Roll-Ups

1 c. low-fat ricotta cheese
1 package (10 oz) thawed spinach OR 10 oz. cooked ground beef, lean
1 large egg white
1/2 t. basil
1/2 t. oregano
1/4 t. garlic herb seasoning
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese made with 2% milk
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
6 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 can (15 oz.) spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
For spinach rolls, squeeze moisture from thawed spinach
In a bowl, mix together ricotta, egg white, basil, oregano, garlic herb seasoning, nutmeg, salt, pepper, half the mozzarella, and half the parmesan cheese. Add the beef or spinach.
Lay each noodle on waxed paper. Dividing equally, spread filling down length of noodle. Roll up each noodle.
Spread one-third of sauce over bottom of a shallow, rectangular baking dish. Place each roll-up, seam-side down, in dish. Spoon remaining sauce over roll-ups.
Tent dish with aluminum foil
Bake 35 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle remaining cheese over rolls. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes more.
Serves 6

2006-08-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

Georgia Peach Bread

3 cups fresh peaches, sliced
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup pecans, finely chopped (I left this out)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place peaches and sugar in blender or food processor container. Process until pureed. Mixture should yield about 2 1/4 cups.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.
Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and shortening. Cream well. Add eggs and mix well.
Add peach puree and dry ingredients; mix until dry ingredients are moistened.
Stir in nuts and vanilla extract.
Spoon batter into 2 well greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F until done.
Cool for 10 minutes in pan. Turn out on rack and let cool completely.

2006-08-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon-Raisin Biscuits

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 425°F.
Stir all ingredients in medium bowl until soft dough forms. Drop by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

2006-08-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

Microwave Brownies

2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. butter melted
3/4 c. unsifted flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 c. chocolate chips

In a small bowl at medium speed, beat together eggs, sugar, and vanilla for about 1 minute. Add melted butter, continue beating until well blended. Mix in flour and cocoa at low speed. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread evenly in a greased 8" square pan. Microwave on high 6-7 minutes, rotating dish 1/4 turn ever 2 minutes. Cut when cold.

2006-07-31T18:54:00.000-07:00

Beer Bread

9 oz. beer
3 T. sugar
2 C. self-rising flour
about 1/2 stick butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, pour in the beer, let fizz, stir in the sugar. Add the flour and blend. Do not mix until smooth; leave lumpy and coarse. Spoon into a lightly greased loaf pan and pour butter over batter. Bake for one hour at 350, test for doneness. Remove from oven and pan, cool on rack about 10 minutes before slicing.

~One-half cup shredded cheddar cheese can be added when mixing in the flour.

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe

2006-07-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

Soft Chicken Tacos

1 3-4 lb chicken, cut up and skin removed
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can green chiles
1/3 c. chopped onion
2 T. chili powder
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. garlic powder
10 flour tortillas (8 inch)
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa
shredded lettuce
chopped tomato
sour cream

Place chicken in 3 qt slow cooker.
In a small bowl, combine the tomato sauce, chiles, onion, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder; pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours until chicken is tender and juices from chicken are clear.
Remove the chicken. Shred meat with 2 forks, discard bones.
Return meat to slow cooker and heat through.
Spoon chicken down center of each tortilla, top with desired toppings.

2006-07-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

Oreo Cookie Cake

1 package devil's food cake mix
4 squares Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/4 C. butter, cut up
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. sugar
2 C. Cool Whip, thawed
12 Oreo Cookies, coarsely crushed

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, making 2 9-in. layers
Cool in pan 5 min., then invert onto wire rack. Cool completely
For glaze: melt chocolate in microwave, blend in butter. Set aside to slightly thicken, about 5 min.
For filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in Cool Whip and cookies.
Place one cake layer, top side down, on cake plate. Spread with filling, gently place other cake layer on top; top-side up. Spoon glaze to cover the top of the cake only.
Makes 16 servings, 1 slice each

2006-07-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

Bean Burritos

1 1/2 C. rice (brown or white)
2 T. olive oil
2 med. onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalenpeno chile, chopped (remove ribs and seeds for less heat) (I freeze these so they last longer and are easier to handle)
1/2 t. ground cumin
coarse ground salt and pepper
3 T. tomato paste
3 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz. frozen or canned corn; drained and rinsed if canned
6 scallions, thinly sliced
8 burrito-sized (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 C. shredded Montery Jack cheese (8 oz)
salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Cook rice according to package directions, set aside
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, jalepeno, and cumin, season with salt and pepper
Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10-12 min. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 min.
Add beans and 1 1/2 C. water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, 10-12 min. Add corn, cook to heat through, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in scallions.
Heat tortillas according to package directions; fill with rice, bean mixture, and cheese. Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream, if desired.
If freezing, freeze on a baking sheet individually, then freeze-wrap.

How to assemble:

Mound 1/4 C. rice, 3/4 C. bean mixture, and 1/4 C. cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides.
Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle.

Reheating from frozen:

Microwave and oven: Remove frozen burritos from wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate, microwave for 2 minutes. Transfer to baking sheets, bake at 450 until crispy, about 10 minutes. This is considered the best way.
Microwave only: Remove from plastic wrap. Place on microwave-safe plate, cover, and defrost on high power for 3-4 minutes; uncover, microwave on high 3-4 minutes longer.
Oven only: Remove frozen burritos from wrap, rewrap individually in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet, bake at 450 for 40 minutes, remove foil and bake to crisp, 5-10 minutes. To reheat defrosted burritos, remove any wrapping and bake for 10 minutes.

2006-07-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

Sauteed Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 C. white wine

Season the chicken with salt and pepper
Heat butter and oil in skillet, add chicken
Cook until golden brown, about 5-6 min per side
Remove chicken from skillet, keep warm
Add garlic and onion to juices in the skillet and fry for one minute
Add the wine to the skillet to deglaze the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, then return chicken to pan
Cook for 8-9 minutes longer, uncovered. Serve immediately.

*For bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, fry chicken for about 25 minutes, turning often. Follow the remaining instructions.

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe

2006-07-19T18:25:00.000-07:00

Chocolate-Sour Cream Fondue

1 bag milk chocolate chips (~11 oz.)
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat ingredients over low heat, preferably in double boiler. Be careful not to burn.
Serves about 10 people

Optional ingredients:

2-3 T. orange liqueur
2-3 T. Kirsch
2-3 T. Brandy
2-3 T. white creme de menthe
2 T. dry instant coffee
1/4 t. cinnamon

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe

2006-07-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

Cheddar-Swiss Fondue

1 garlic clove, halved
3/4 C. beer
8 oz. swiss cheese, shredded
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 T. flour
dash bottled hot pepper sauce

Rub inside of heavy saucepan with cut surface of garlic
Add beer and heat slowly
Coat cheeses with flour, gradually add to beer, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly
Stir in hot pepper sauce
Transfefr to fondue pot

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe

2006-07-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

All-Purpose Baking Mix

5 C. AP flour
1 1/4 C. nonfat dry milk
1/4 C. sugar
1/8 C. baking powder
1 T. salt

To Make Pancakes:

2 C. mix
1 C. water
1 egg
2 T. oil (3 for waffles)

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe

2006-07-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

1 C. Bisquick baking mix - low fat okay
1/3 C. milk
1/4 C. shredded cheddar cheese - low fat okay
1/8 C. butter or margarine - melted
1/8 t. garlic powder

Combine bisquick, milk, and cheese, and beat with a wooden spoon for about 30 seconds
Spoon onto greased cookie sheet. Smooth down tops with spoon
Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes
Combine butter and garlic powder and pour over hot biscuits

Makes 4 biscuits

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe

2006-07-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Garlic Lime Chicken

Serves 6

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can eliminate if too spicy for you)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons lime juice

In a bowl, mix together first 7 ingredients. Sprinkle mixture on both sides of chicken breasts. In a skillet heat butter and olive oil together over medium high heat.Saute chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and add lime juice and chicken broth to the pan, whisking up thebrowned bits off the bottom of the pan. Keep cooking until sauce has reduced slightly. Add chicken back to the pan to thoroughly coat and serve with remaining sauce drizzled over the top.

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe

2006-07-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

Jacki's Favorite Chocolate Cake

2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
¾ c. unsweetened cocoa
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. hot coffee
1 c. milk
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract

Sift together dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add oil, coffee and milk; mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 more minutes. Batter will be thin. Pour into two greased and floured 9” round cake pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool cakes 15 minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack.

Icing

1 c. milk
5 T. flour
½ cup butter, softened
½ c. shortening (Crisco)
1 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla extract

Combine milk and flour in saucepan, cook until thick. Cover and refrigerate. In a mixing bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk/flour mixture and beat for 10 minutes. Frost bottom cake layer, then add top layer. Frost sides, then top. Decorate with sprinkles or as desired.

*notes:

The icing has a tendency to look terrible at first, but just keep beating it for the whole 10 minutes. It should be light and fluffy after that time.
Although this recipe has coffee in it, you can't taste it in the end result, but it lends a very moist, rich flavor to the cake. Paired with the light, mild icing, this cake really is my favorite!
Make sure the cake is completely cooled before icing. Don't ask how I know this...

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe

2006-07-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

Cuban Mojo Chicken

1/4 c. orange juice
¼ c. lime juice
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

Combine first 7 ingredients in a shallow dish or Ziploc bag. Cover or seal and let stand 20 minutes. Remove from marinade, and reserve marinade. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with oil or cooking spray, and heat over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from skillet, keep warm.
Wipe skillet clean. Add reserved marinade, and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, stirring often. Cut chicken diagonally into ½ inch thick slices. Garnish if desired.

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe

2006-07-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

Garlic Chicken Adobo

2 pounds chicken (whole or parts such as breasts, legs or thighs cut into serving size pieces)
1/4 cup vinegar; white wine or cider
5-6 fresh garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
coarse ground black pepper, to taste

Remove chicken skin to save calories if desired.
Brown chicken briefly on all sides in a large non-stick skillet. Drain off fat. Add garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, water and pepper. Cover and simmer at least 30 minutes or until very tender. Turn chicken once during cooking.

Serve with rice to soak up the juice.
This recipe would also be good with pork.

recipe compiled by Jacki Wolfe