Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Chicken tortilla soup

1 (49 oz) can chicken broth
1 large onion, diced
4 large celery stalks, chopped
1 (32oz) can pinto beans or white beans (do not drain)
1 (15oz) can black beans (drained)
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (we usually just boil up chicken
breasts and de-bone them)
2 cups frozen or canned corn
2 jars salsa (we like Chi Chi's brand)
1 tsp. oregano
tortilla chips
1/2 cup diced cilantro (we usually leave that out)
1 tbsp. butter

Saute garlic, onion, and celery in butter, then in a large soup pot combine
with pinto and black beans, chicken stock, chopped cooked chicken,
corn, salsa, oregano and
tabasco. Simmer on low heat for one hour (or until hot.) Serve in a
bowl with tortilla
chips (we like Tostitos brand) on the bottom or top or both. Optional: a
dollop of sour cream on the top.


---Courtesy of Joan Snipes

French Country Cassoulet

Ingredients:

I use leftover cooked chicken (about 1 cup) from something else that i have
made--like grilled chicken, a roasted chicken bought at the store, etc.

1 cup of cooked ground breakfast sausage

I can white beans drained

small onion chopped (or 1/2 cup -2/3 cup frozen chopped)

1 can tomatoes - do not drain (I use the one with green chilies)

A couple of chopped cloves of garlic

2 - 3 tsp. Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (this is a very important
ingredient--really gives it flavor.) You have to play around with amount on
this--more makes it spicier.

Directions:

Layer it all in a casserole dish (I use a covered 8 inch square ceramic one)
in the order above and bake for about 30 minutes at around 375. It should
be bubbly all over. I have done this many times--but I don't measure
ingredients, so if it doesn't turn out let me know and I will try to be more
careful about measuring next time I make it and let you know.

--Courtesy of Debra Woodward

Monday, March 19, 2007

Carrot Cake

This delicious, flavorful cake can be iced with Honey Cream Cheese Icing (below) and decorated with a few walnuts.

1/4 cup (2 oz/55 g) butter, softened
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/114 ml) mild oil
3/4 cup (9 oz/263 g) honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 oz/178 g) unbleached flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 ml) cinnamon
1 1/2 cups (6 oz/170 g) grated carrots
1/2 cup (1 1/4 oz/35 g) shredded coconut
1/2 (2 oz/57 g) walnuts

With an electric mixer, blend the butter and oil. Slowly pour in the honey and eggs (one at a time) while mixing. Combine the flour and baking soda and sift into the liquid. Add the cinnamon. Stir in the grated carrots, then the coconut, and finally the chopped nuts. Pour the batter into a well-greased 8-inch-square (20-cm-square) pan and bake in a 350° F (177° C) oven for 35 minutes. Ice the cake when cool, if desired.

Honey Cream Cheese Icing
2 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz/43 g) honey
8 ounces (226 g) softened cream cheese

Beat the honey into the softened cream cheese until smooth and well blended. Spread on cooled cake.

Refrigerate cake if icing is used.

Yield: 9 servings

Friday, March 16, 2007

Shamrock Dessert Pizza

Bake a sugar cookie dough crust (Pillsbury works well) shaped like a shamrock on the Large Round Stone. Cool well.
Combine 8 oz. softened cream cheese and 1/3-cup sugar and spread over cooled cookie.
Whisk together 1 box instant pudding (use pistachio or white chocolate with added green food coloring) and 1 pint half-and-half.

Let sit 5 minutes to thicken then spread on top of cream cheese mixture.
Top with shaved white chocolate and green sprinkles.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving

Shamrock Dip

1 (8 oz) pkg. Cream Cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 T Dijon Mustard
2 1/2 oz corned beef, chopped
2 T chopped red onion
2 teaspoons freshly snipped parsley
1/4t salt

Soften cream cheese
Chop Beef and onion
Snip Parsley
Mix and serve with bread or crackers

Rockin' Rueben Ring

¾ pound Corned Beef
1/3 cup Extra Mild Sweet and Sauerkraut
¼ cup Chopped Onion
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1 cup Swiss Cheese, shredded
3 Tablespoons Bacon Flavored Thousand Island Dressing
2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg white, whipped

· Preheat oven to 350°F.
· Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles toward the center, arrange 8 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone. Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend 1 inch beyond edge of Baking Stone. Match wide end of each remaining triangle to wide end of each outer triangle; seal seams using Baker's Roller. (Note: Do not seal points overlapping in middle)
· Chop Corned Beef and onion with Food Chopper and place in Classic Batter Bowl.
· Snip Parsley with Kitchen Shears and add to Batter Bowl
· Grate Swiss Cheese with Deluxe Cheese Grater into Grate Container.
· Add Cheese, Sauerkraut, Dressing and Pepper to Batter Bowl and mix
· Using Large Stainless Steel Scoop, evenly spoon mixture onto arranged crescent rolls.
· Beginning in center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer strips, slightly overlapping to form ring. Tuck last end under the first.
· Lightly brush egg white over dough using Pastry Brush.
· Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown
· Cut and Serve using Slice and Serve

Corned Beef and Cabbage (5 star recipe from the Food Network!)

One 3-pound corned beef brisket (uncooked), in brine
16 cups cold water
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
4 whole allspice berries
2 whole cloves
1/2 large head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cut into 8 thick wedges
8 small new potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), halved
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Place the corned beef in a colander in the sink and rinse well under cold running water.
Place the corned beef in a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid; add the water, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, and cloves. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Cover and transfer pan to the oven, and braise until very tender, about 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board and cover tightly with foil to keep warm. Add the cabbage and potatoes to the cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cabbage to a large platter. Slice the corned beef across the grain of the meat into thin slices. Lay the slices over the cabbage and surround it with the potatoes. Ladle some of the hot cooking liquid over the corned beef and season with pepper. Serve immediately with the mustard or horseradish sauce.

Braided Stuffed Pizza – An all-time favorite

1 (10 oz.) can Pillsbury Pizza Crust or two packages of crescent rolls
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 package of cream cheese
2 tsp Italian Spice Mix
1 tsp of PC Basil and Garlic Oil
10 slices pepperoni
1 cup shredded combo cheese (containing mozzarella)
Small wedge Parmesan or Romano cheese
5 mushrooms
Other fresh veggies of your choice (black olives, peppers, broccoli etc)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll dough & place on RECTANGLE BAKING STONE. Using the DOUGH & PIZZA ROLLER, roll out to cover stone. Mix cream cheese, garlic, spices and oil in classic Batter Bowl and mix until smooth. Chop veggies with FOOD CHOPPER and set up in separate prep bowls. Using the PIZZA CUTTER, make 1” slits down both sides of rectangle. Using the SKINNY SCRAPER, spread garlic & herb cheese down center. Arrange pepperoni and fresh veggies over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with cheese mix & using the DELUXE CHEESE GRATER, grate Parmesan over top. To braid, lift one strip of dough, twist & fold over mixture at an angle. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Spinach Pita-Pizza

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1/8 pound spinach, raw bunch or bagged
4 mushrooms, medium, fresh
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon olive oil, extra virgin
2 tablespoons chicken broth, fat-free, low-sodium
1 pita, whole wheat, large
2 tablespoons reduced sodium spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 ounces mozzarella cheese, part-skim
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon oregano, dried
10 baby carrots
1 cup tossed green salad
1 tablespoon fat-free salad dressing, favorite flavor
Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash and chop spinach, mushrooms and garlic (peeled).
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; add garlic and saute´ for one minute.
Add spinach and mushrooms and heat until spinach is wilted, adding chicken stock, a small amount at a time as needed, to prevent sticking. Remove from heat.
Place a pita round on a flat baking sheet lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray.
Spread pita round with spaghetti sauce.
Spread spinach mixture on top of prepared pita; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese that has been shredded, basil and oregano. Bake pizza in oven for 8 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Serve with raw carrots and tossed salad.
Prepare salad with washed greens, your favorite crisp vegetables and fat-free salad dressing of choice.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Tuna Apple Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

3 ounces tuna, canned in water
1/2 apple, medium
2 tablespoons raisins
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon mayonnaise, low-fat
2 ounces yogurt, fat-free, favorite flavor
2 cups mixed salad greens
1 tablespoon almonds, slivered
8 crackers, whole wheat
Preparation

Drain tuna, if necessary and place in a medium bowl, flaking with a fork.
Wash, peel, core and chop apple half; add to tuna.
Add raisins, curry, mayonnaise and vanilla yogurt to tuna and apple; mix thoroughly to combine.
Wash lettuce greens and place on serving plate. Place tuna-apple mixture on bed of lettuce; top with slivered almonds.
Serve with wheat crackers.

Avocado Salsa

Ingredients
2 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1 fresh hot chili, seeded
4T cilantro leaves
4T parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 scallions, minced
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients except the oil and lime in a food processor and puree.

Add the oil gradually, pulsing to combine.

Add the lime to taste.

Season and serve.

Summer Berry Trifle

6 cups of your favorite pound cake or chiffon cake, cubed
3 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups blueberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup mascarpone
¼ cup powdered sugar
12 ounces whole milk
6 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
1T plus 1t vanilla extract
2 ounces dark rum*

Preparation
Whisk together sugar and yolks until pale yellow and ribbon-y. Heat milk until steaming over medium heat in a small pot. Pour milk into egg mixture, slowly, to temper eggs. Return mixture to heat, stirring until mixture thickens. Be careful not to curdle eggs, you are making a thick custard sauce.

Immediately pull from heat, strain and chill. Add the vanilla. Whip the cream to stiff peaks and season with the powdered sugar. Combine with the marscapone. Combine the egg mixture with the whipped cream mixture. Stir in the rum.

Place 1/3 of the cake cubes in a glass bowl or fool bowl. Top with 1/3 of the berries. Top with 1/3 of the cream mixture. Repeat 2 more times. Decorate top of fool with berries, or leave as is. Refrigerate for 12 hours and serve.

----------
I found this elsewhere on the Internet:
In the spice aisle of your grocery store, with the flavorings and extracts, you will find a rum flavoring. Add a touch of this flavoring to apple juice for a rum substitute that works quite nicely. In a pinch, if you don’t have that rum flavoring, use just the apple juice.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Pampered Chef

I hosted a Pampered Chef party yesterday. And I'd like to post the food I served here, because I think it was more high-class than I usually do, and it was so yummy!

--home made Boursin cheese (see recipe further down in the blog, only I omitted the black olives)
--everything crackers
--home made Italian bread
--slices of yummy tomato, fresh ground sea salt, fresh sliced mozzerella w/ beautiful basil leaf on top
--bowl of cherry tomatoes (I meant to also have cucumber slices & carrots too, but the table was too small)
--baked potstickers with asian dipping sauce - see recipe further down
--surprise turtle cake (chocolate cake with chocolate, caramel and pecan topping)
--homemade Ben & Jerry's French Vanilla ice cream
--fresh brewed tea from England - Twining's "Traditional Afternoon Tea" - chilled to become iced-tea thanks to the cold weather outside, because I had no room in my fridge!
--raspberry green tea from Crystal Light

I had also planned to serve but didn't have time or room for it:
--cheese pizza rolls - organic - from Annie's
--Apple Scrapple bread from Herndon's "Great Harvest Bread Company"
--egg rolls from Annie's - also organic

Friday, March 02, 2007

Hummus

Store-bought hummus is tasty, but homemade is even more flavorful. Serve it with Arab, pita or whole-wheat bread, or as a dip for raw vegetables.

2 cups (11 1/2 oz/328 g) cooked chick-peas
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/59 ml) lemon juice
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/59 ml) olive oil Cold water
2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley

Puree the chick-peas and garlic in a food processor, blender, or food mill. Mix in the lemon juice and olive oil. Add a little water, if needed, to make a soft mixture. Sprinkle the chopped parsley on top and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes (after the chick-peas are cooked)