Pumkin Spice Muffins w/Cream Cheese Frosting

One of my very favorite things about the arrival of Fall is cooking with Pumpkin. I lurve me some punkin' flavored desserts!!! Pie, cake, pancakes, muffins...bring it on! I got this recipe from Ree Drummond who writes my favorite food blog, The Pioneer Woman Cooks at http://thepioneerwoman.com/ You have GOT to check out her blog. It is incredible! Everything I've made of hers is fab so I was not suprised when these muffins came out great too. Of course, the cream cheese frosting takes them over the top and makes them out of this world good, but the muffins would be great for breakfast/brunch if you leave it off. Now all I need to go with them is a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. Yum!

What You'll Need:

(For the muffins)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 heaping cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup golden raisins (optional!...I omitted these)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

(For the Frosting)

1/4 cup softened butter

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 pound powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

What You'll Do:

(For the Muffins)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla.

Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.

Pour into greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full.

Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

(Frosting)

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!
Store in fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Breast over Creamy Polenta

Oh wow, this was soooo yummy! My friend (thanks Kelly Martin) recommended this recipe to me and I am so glad she did! It comes from Robert Irvine with the Food Network. The pesto makes the chicken very flavorful and the polenta...mmm, mmm good! I've always loved polenta, but had never made it before. Oh my goodness, it is so simple to make! It's actually easier than making mashed potatoes because you don't have to peel potatoes! This polenta was soooo creamy and delicious...I couldn't get enough of it. I used smoked gouda cheese instead of the cheddar so it had a nice, smoky flavor to it. I omitted the scallions because we aren't big fans of scallions. For the chicken, I used boneless, skinless breasts. While they were fine enough, the next time I make this I will definitely do as the recipe suggests and use chicken with the bone and skin so that it will be more tender and juicy. Alright, so, if you want to impress someone with your culinary skills, make this recipe!!!

What You'll Need:

(For the Chicken)
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes from a jar
2 garlic cloves, quartered
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 (6-ounce) chicken breasts, with wing bone, skin on

(For the creamy polenta)
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup freshly shredded Cheddar
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

What You'll Do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
For the pesto crust:
Blend sun-dried tomatoes, garlic cloves and basil leaves in a food processor. Stir in Parmesan and add salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside briefly. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken breast with pepper only. (The Parmesan in the pesto will provide salt.) Brown both sides of chicken, beginning with skin side first. Coat chicken with pesto and roast in oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until fork tender.
For the polenta:
Combine chicken stock and cream in a large heavy saucepan. Heat to a gentle boil over medium heat, being careful not to burn. While whisking constantly, gradually add the cornmeal in a thin stream. Once cornmeal is incorporated, keep heat low and continue to whisk until mixture is slightly thickened and creamy. Stir in butter and Cheddar and allow cheese to melt. Season with pepper, (and salt if needed). Spoon polenta onto serving plate, top with chicken breast and garnish with chopped scallions.

Pasta Ponza

Oh my! I think I have just found my new favorite quick & easy pasta dish! It's definitely in the top 3 anyway! This recipe comes from Giada de Laurentiis of Food Network. Tomatoes, capers and cheese...that's really about it...what more do ya need? My 16 month old polished off an entire plate, my husband had seconds and my 10 year old had three helpings! That's enough to make me want to make this dish pretty often. I couldn't find yellow tomatoes so I used all red, I used rotini instead of ziti and I used fresh basil instead of parsley. Next time, I'll half the recipe because a pound of pasta is way too much for my family. It would be the perfect amount for a dinner party though.

What You'll Need:
Butter for greasing
2 cups (12 ounces) red cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups (12 ounces) yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 cup Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
1 pound ziti or other short tube-shaped pasta
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 ounces) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

What You'll Do:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes, capers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in the prepared baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the cheese and toss well. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter Torte

If you like cheesecake and peanut butter, you will love this dessert! The crust is really just refrigerated cookie dough which makes it super yummy and fairly easy. This is a very rich dessert...you only need a very small piece to satisfy your sweet tooth. It's also really pretty once you slice it! I got this recipe from Pillsbury.com.

What You'll Need:
1 roll Pillsbury refrigerated choc. chip cookie dough
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup semisweet mini choc chips
1 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup peanut butter

What You'll Do:
Heat oven to 350. In ungreased 9 or 10 inch springform pan, break up cookie dough. Press dough evenly into bottom of pan to form crust. Bake 15-18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and egg until well blended. Stir in 1/2 cup of choc chips and 1/2 cup of peanuts. Poor over cooled crust, spread evenly.

Microwave butterscotch chips on high for 1 minute, stirring twice, until melted and smooth. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Drizzle over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining choc chips and peanuts.

Bake 30-40 minutes longer until edge is set but center is still slightly jiggly. Cool on cooling rack 10 minutes. Run knife around side of pan to loosen torte. Carefully remove side of pan. Cool 1 hour and then refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

To serve, cut torte into wedges. Store in refrigerator.

French Chicken Breasts with Orange Tarragon Sauce

Okay, so this is one of the more fancy dishes on my blog. I usually make things that are quick and easy...especially for weeknight meals...but, I had bone-in breasts and tarragon so I needed to do something with them. I'm glad I did! I found this recipe on Foodnetwork.com. The sauce is amazing! My husband liked this as much as I did and I'm sure I'll be making it again. I wouldn't say this is a complicated recipe, really, just a little more involved than most of my others. I actually messed up the sauce on my first attempt and had to re-do it. I let it reduce too long and it pretty much dissipated in the pan. Good thing it only requires 4 ingredients! Also, this recipe states that the chicken only needs to be in the over for about 15 minutes...mine actually took about 30 minutes. Stick a meat thermometer in it and take it out when it reaches 165 degrees. I made this recipe for just the two of us using only two breasts. I cut all the other ingredients in half and actually wished I hadn't of because I would have loved more of that yummy sauce to pour over rice.

What you'll Need:

8 chicken breasts, skin on and wing bone attached
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups chicken broth
2 sprigs tarragon
4 TBS unsalted butter, cut into bits

What You'll Do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet and place it over high heat for 2 minutes.

Season the chicken breasts with a sprinkling of salt and pepper and place 4 of the breasts in the pan skin side down. Sear for 1 minute or until the skin is crispy and a golden brown. Turn the breasts and sear 1 more minute.

Remove to a baking dish and repeat the process with the rest of the butter, oil and breasts. Place the baking dish into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add orange juice, chicken broth, and tarragon to the hot skillet. Cook until reduced by about 3/4 (sauce should coat the back of a spoon). Right before serving, whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned over the top.

Chicken Salad w/Grapes, Pecans & Tarragon

The BEST chicken salad I have ever had...period! I am super picky about chicken salad. Honestly, I just don't usually like most people's chicken salad. This is Ina Garten's recipe, back from when she used to cater and I just don't think it gets much better than this. Roasting the chicken with the bone and skin keeps it super moist and the fruit and pecans add just the right amount of sweetness and crunch. I omitted the walnuts and doubled the pecans. Make sure you toast them first...makes a big difference! I like to eat this chicken salad with a side of honeydew, but it would be fantastic inside a soft croissant, nestled inside some fresh butter lettuce, wrapped in a tortilla or stuffed in some pita bread. Just be careful...this stuff is addictive. I ate it every day for three days straight for lunch!

What You'll Need:
2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1 1/2 pounds)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup walnuts halves
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided
1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2
Lettuce leaves, for serving

What You'll Do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool.
When the chicken is cool, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4-inch dice.
Meanwhile, place the pecans and walnuts on a separate sheet pan and toast in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool.
For the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Fold in half the chopped tarragon leaves.
Place the diced chicken in a bowl, add the pecans, walnuts and grapes. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining chopped tarragon leaves on top, and serve on a bed of lettuce leaves.

Dill Potato Salad

I saw Ina Garten make this on the Food Network and craved it every day until I finally made it myself. It is so yummy and creamy and easy to make. I made a few changes: I used regular milk instead of buttermilk, I omitted the celery and I used regular mustard instead of whole grain. It was still delish!

What You'll Need:
3 pounds small red potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk, milk, or white wine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

What You'll Do:
Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. (As the salad sits, you may need to add more dressing.)

Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

My friend, Deana, made this for girls night once and I fell in love with it. It's so simple to throw together. I've made it several times since. It's a great summer salad! I'm not including amounts for the ingredients because you can just use as much or as little as you like depending on your taste and how much salad you need. Oh, and you can buy resealable packs of bacon pieces which means you don't even have to get out a frying pan. Yes!

What You'll Need:

Baby Spinach
Feta Cheese, crumbled
Bacon, crumbled

Strawberries, sliced or quartered

Pecan Halves or Pieces

Mandarin Oranges
Newman's Own Raspberry Walnut Vinagrette

What You'll Do:

Throw it all together, of course, and then just toss in dressing!

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Sorry that there is no picture of this! We dug into it before I thought about it. This is great for parties...a sweet little ending. You can roll it in chopped pecans at the very end if you wish, but I chose not to. Goes great with graham crackers (plain, cinnamon or chocolate) or those little graham cracker sticks would be perfect too.

What You'll Need:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened (not margerine)
1/4 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs. brown sugar
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

What You'll Do:
Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars. Stir in chocolate chips.
Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Place mixture in plastic wrap and form into a ball. Refrigerate for 1 more hour.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

OMG!!! That's really all I can say! Try these and you WILL be hooked! I got this recipe from my friend Carla, but also from this amazing blog: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/ These were a big hit! And they only have 3 ingredients! Seriously! I'll be making them again and again I'm sure. A word to the wise, however, make sure you wear gloves when you take the seeds out. I didn't and my fingers burned for two days...not to mention what it does to your eyes when you touch them. OUCH! They were worth the pain though!

What You'll Need:

Jalapenos

Cream Cheese
Center cut Bacon

What You'll Do:

Cut the Jalapenos length-wise. Take out the seeds and the veins.

Smear lots of cream cheese inside each half.

Wrap each jalapeno with a slice of bacon.

Bake for 20 minutes on 375 degrees. If the bacon isn't crispy, put them under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Yum-O!!!

Crock Pot Chili

This chili is rich and satisfying and the crock pot makes it so simple. I combined two recipes to make it my own. We eat it with good ol' saltine crackers, but it would also be great with cheese, sour cream, and fritos!

What You'll Need:
2 lbs. Ground Chuck
29 oz can Tomato Sauce
29 oz. can Kidney Beans (with liquid)
29 oz. can Pinto Beans (with liquid)
1 can Rotel
1 c. Diced Onion
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Cup Diced Celery
2 tsp. Cumin Powder
3 Tbs. Chili Powder (I would do a little less next time...it was too spicy for my daughter)
1 1/2 tsp. Black Ppepper
2 tsp. Salt
Water (about 1/2 cup-1 cup...eyeball it)

What You'll Do:
Brown the meat in skillet over medium heat, drain.
Put all ingredients in Crock Pot. Cover and cook on Low 10-12 hours or High 5-6 hours.

Chicken 'n Bacon Ranch Pizza

Pillsbury was nice enough to send me free products to experiment with and their pizza dough was one of those products! This is a great, quick & easy pizza to make...especially since you don't have to make your own dough. If you love bacon and ranch (who doesn't?) then you will love this pizza! Thank, Pillsbury, for the free food and for this recipe!

What You'll Need:

1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated thin pizza crust

1/2 cup ranch dressing (I use the Hidden Valley that you make from the packet)

2 packages (6 oz each) refrigerated cooked Italian style chicken breast strips, chopped

4 slices crisply cooked bacon, coarsley chopped (I used 6 slices)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 large plum tomato, seeded and chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar

1 cup shredded mozzaerella

What You'll Do:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 15 x 10 inch or larger nonstick cookie sheet.

Unroll dough on cookie sheet; starting at center, press dough into 15 x 10 inch rectangle.

Spread ranch evenly over dough. Top with cheeses and remaining ingredients.

Bake 13-16 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Pepper Steak

This is really called Green Pepper Steak, but my husband and I prefer red bell peppers so that's how I made it! You probably have almost everything you need to make this already in your pantry. I only had to get the meat and bell pepper. I love that everything goes into one pan...makes for easy clean up! It was really yummy and I'll definitely be making this again.

What You'll Need:

1 lb round steak

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup oil

1 cup green onion, sliced (I omitted this)

1 cup red or green bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. corn starch

1 cup water

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

What You'll Do:

Cut steak into thin strips.

Combine soy sauce and garlic. Add meat, toss and set aside.

Heat oil over med-hi heat and brown meat.

Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.

Turn heat up and add onion, pepper and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes until crisp tender.

Mix corn starch with water, add to pan, stir and cook until thickened.

Add tomatoes and heat through.

Oven Roasted Tilapia & Veggies with Lemon Herb Butter

This is a very light and tasty dish that is so easy to prepare. It goes great with a side of rice...you can pour the lemon butter over it. This recipe originally comes from the "Fresh Fish Cookbook", but my friend Scott Dickenson gave it to me. Thanks Scott! It's a new favorite of mine now!

What You'll Need:

1 ½ pounds of Fresh Tilapia (4 each 5-6 oz filets)

1 each Tomato (sliced in 8 slices)

1 each Zucchini (med sliced)

1 each Yellow Squash (med sliced)

1 each Lemon (sliced in 8 slices)

To taste Italian seasoning

To taste Salt and Pepper

4 Tbsp Butter

2 cups Cooked Rice

4 sheets Aluminum Foil (approx 12-16 inches long)

What You'll Do:

1. Lay four pieces of foil out on counter top or work table.
2. Place two slices of tomato in center of each sheet, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Divide the Zucchini and Yellow Squash into four portions, and place over the top of tomatoes. Try to keep them as flat and evenly spread out as possible so they will cook evenly.
4. Season the vegetables with Italian seasoning.

5. Place the Tilapia on top of the vegetable stack. Place 1 Tbsp butter on top of fish.
6. Season lightly with Salt and Pepper, and same seasoning you used on vegetables.
7. Top with two slices of Lemon. Form a pouch with Foil and crimp edges, forming an envelope or bag.
8. Place in 350 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. (It took about 40 minutes for my fish to be done!)
9. Remove from oven and open foil; use caution as steam will be trapped in foil. Serve the Tilapia and vegetables over cooked rice. Make sure to spoon liquid from bottom of foil over top of the fish and vegetables.

Gourmet Mint Brownies

These brownies are some of the best I've ever had! My friend, Amy---check out her great blog--- (http://abeginnercook.blogspot.com/), made these for a baby shower that we hosted and everyone loved them. We couldn't stop eating them! They are so moist and flavorful...and you can tint the mint filling any color you want to go with different themes. Be careful...they are addictive!




What You'll Need:

Filling
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp mint extract
4 drops green food color**

Brownies
1 cup margarine or butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour

Frosting
2 tbsp margarine or butter
2 tbsp corn syrup
2 tbsp water
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

What You'll Do:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13x9 inch pan.
In small bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Add 1 egg, mint extract and food color; mix well. Set aside.
In large saucepan, melt 1 cup butter and 4 oz chocolate over very low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in 2 cups sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour; mix well. Spread in greased and floured pan. Carefully spoon filling over brownie mixture. Lightly swirl filling into brownie mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Cool completely.
In heavy saucepan, bring 2 tbsp butter, corn syrup and water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat. Add 2 oz chocolate; stir until melted. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla and powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Frost cooled bars. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Tomato & Cucumber Salad

This is a super fast little side salad. You can use any tomato that you like...cherry, roma, ugly, vine-ripe...whatever is most tasty at the time. As with most things that I throw together quickly, I have not listed amounts for ingredients. Just add as much or as little to suite your tastebuds!



What You'll Need:
Tomatoes, halved or sliced
Cucumber, cut into chunks
Red Onion, sliced or chopped
Balsamic Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

What You'll Do:
Put all veggies into a bowl. Drizzle on EVOO and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well and let marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Mashed Potatoes

I know, I know...everyone has their own perfect way of making good ol' mashed taters. So, I thought I'd share mine too! Amounts of ingredients are not listed since I just eyeball everything as I go, but you get the idea. I usually allow one potato per person if they are on the larger side...maybe 2 per person if they are really small...the potato, not the person...LOL! I crack myself up!




What You'll Need:
Potatoes, Scrubbed and Peeled (I like Yukon Gold or Small Red Potatoes)
Heavy Cream
Sour Cream
Cream Cheese
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Garlic Powder

What You'll Do:
Boil the potaotes until tender. Drain.
Add the butter, heavy cream, cream cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the potatoes and mash. I usually mash by hand using a masher for a creamy, dense consistency. I somtimes throw everything into the mixer for a more whipped consistency.
(Of course, nothing makes mashed potatoes better than a little gravy on top. I like to use the juices from Paula Deen's pot roast...recipe follows.)

Pot Roast

This is Paula Deen's Slowcooker Pot Roast and let me tell you...it is a winner! It is sooooo tender and flavorful. Definitely a comfort food. Goes great with mashed potatoes because of all the "gravy" that is left behind. Although Paula's recipe does not call for them, I added baby carrots to mine. Also, I cut this recipe in half since I was only making it for 3 people. There was plenty and we even had leftovers. Follow the recipe below as is if you are serving a crowd though. Your husband will love you for making this...and I'm thinking it could definitely impress the in-laws too ;-)

What You'll Need:
1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast
1 1/2 teaspoons House seasoning, recipe follows
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 bay leaves
3 or 4 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup Chardonnay

House Seasoning:
1 cup Salt
1/4 cup Pepper
1/4 cup Garlic Powder

What You'll Do:
Sprinkle roast on all sides with house seasoning.
Using a skillet (*I use cast iron) over high heat, sear roast until brown in oil.
Place roast in a slow cooker and layer onions, bay leaves, crushed bouillon cubes, garlic, and cream of mushroom soup.
Add the Chardonnay and cover with enough water to cover all of the ingredients. (*I do not completely cover with water because I like a thicker gravy in the end...just cover half way.)
Cook on the low setting for 8 hours.

Fried Fish Sandwiches

I used Tilapia for this sandwich, but any white fish would be great (grouper, flounder, etc). The sauce that I threw together was so simple, but very tasty. Next time, I will make twice as much because we could hardly taste it because of all the other ingredients. They were still yummy though! I'm not using exact measurements because you will need more or less of the ingredients depending on how many filets you are frying.

What You'll Need:

Fish Fillets

Vegetable Oil

Milk

Flour

Bread Crumbs

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Mayonaise

1/2 a Lemon

Morton's Seasoning Salt

Kaiser Rolls or Hoagie Buns

What You'll Do:

To make the sauce, combine mayo with lemon juice and seasoning salt. Stir well.

Season the fish fillets with salt, pepper and garlic powder. (I keep a container of these 3 already combined...Paula Deen's House Seasoning.)

Dredge the fish through the flour. Shake off excess.

Dip the fish into the milk.

Next, put the fish into the breadcrumbs and press them in firmly to both sides. (I like Panko bread crumbs.)

Let the fish sit for about 10 minutes after coating...may want to put into fridge.

Heat the oil in a skillet (I use cast iron) over med-hi. The oil should be very hot.

Place the fish into the hot oil and fry on both sides...about 3 minutes or until flaky.

Butter and toast your buns while the fish is cooking.

Spread the sauce over the buns and add desired toppings such as tomato and lettuce. Place fish on top. Enjoy!

Chicken Marsala

My sister gave me this recipe. It is Carabbas-style chicken marsala and is really, really good! It does require quite a few ingredients, but once you get started...it's really nothing more than throwing a bunch of stuff together in a pan and simmering. To make things easier and for timing purposes, I prepped all the ingredients first (dice the proscuitto, mince the garlic and shallots, measure out the liquids, combine spices for rub, season the chicken, etc.) This made it much easier for me to ensure that the chicken, the sauce, and my sides would all get done at the same time. Carabbas also serves a sirloin marsala which is fabulous, so I think I will make this sauce with steak next time. *I used 3 slices of proscuitto because I love it so much. I served this dish with baked potatoes and salad.

What You'll Need:

Marsala Sauce:

1/3 cup butter

1 slice prosciutto, diced

2 teaspoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 4-ounce cans sliced mushrooms (drained)

1/4 cup marsala wine

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons corn starch

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Chicken Spice:

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

4 chicken breasts

What you'll Do:

Melt butter over low heat in a medium saucepan.

Turn heat up to medium/high to sauté the prosciutto in the melted butter for about 2-3 minutes (be careful not to burn the butter).

Add shallots and garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.

Add marsala wine, simmer for another 30 seconds or so, then add mushrooms (drain off liquid) and black pepper.

Simmer over medium/high heat for 5 minutes.

Dissolve corn starch in chicken stock. Add stock to the saucepan and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Add parsley and cream to the sauce and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until thick.

Remove pan from the heat, then cover it until needed.

Preheat barbecue grill on high heat.

Combine ingredients for chicken spice in a small bowl. Use your thumb and fingers to crush the spices in the bowl to make a finer blend.

Brush each chicken breast generously with olive oil.

Sprinkle spice blend over both sides of each chicken breast and grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until done. Give chicken a one-quarter turn on each side while cooking to make criss-cross grill marks.

Serve entree by arranging each chicken breast on a plate. Spoon one quarter of the marsala sauce over each serving of chicken.

Goulash

If you can get past the name of this dish...I think you'll really like it! The name reminds me of something you would have thrown together in a bucket in your backyard when you were a kid pretending to cook, but it really is pretty tasty. It's Paula Deen's recipe and, as I've said before, if it's Paula's...you know it's gonna good! Definitely nothing fancy, but sometimes that's just what the doctor orders! I only made half of the recipe (and cut down the cooking time) and it still made plenty. I added a dollup of sour cream before serving and it made it more creamy and rich...I love sour cream!

What You'll Need:
2 pounds lean ground beef (I used ground sirloin)
1 pound ground turkey
2 large onions, chopped
3 cups water
1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
2 cups dried elbow macaroni

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

What you'll Do:
In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef and ground turkey over medium-high heat, until no pink remains. Break up meat while sauteing; spoon off any grease.
Add the onions to the pot and saute until they are tender about 5 minutes.
Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House Seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

These biscuits taste just like the ones served at Red Lobster! So easy to make since you use Bisquick, and you most liklely already have all the ingredients. For the recipe, visit: http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com/2008/01/red-lobster-style-cheese-biscuits.html (What can I say? It was a total "SugarandSpice" week for me! Thanks Celeste!)

Nacho Spuds

This was yummy-licious! My daughter loved it too. It's a nice departure from regular tacos and something new to do with potatoes. For the recipe, visit: http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com/2008/01/nacho-spuds.html Thanks for another great recipe, Celeste! (Originally from Rachel Ray)

*Suggestion for additional toppings: Black Olives and Zesty Ranch Sauce

Chicken Divan

I got this recipe from "RubyRedBride06" and her great blog: http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com/ Thanks Celeste! The recipe originally comes from Paula Deen with the Food Network. I knew it was going to be good...I mean, what does Paula make that isn't scrumptious? I used a Rotisserie chicken from the store. I was worried that it wouldn't produce 6 cups of chicken, but it ended up being the perfect amount. Also, I used Panko bread crumbs because that's what I happened to have on hand. I really like the texture and consistency of them too. I doubled the bread crumb topping too because that's one of my favorite parts of a casserole. This makes alot, so unless you have a crowd, I would half the recipe or make it in two seperate dishes and freeze half.

What You'll Need:

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen broccoli, chopped
6 cups cooked and shredded chicken
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

What You'll Do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove the outer wrappers from the boxes of broccoli. Open 1 end of each box. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, until thawed. Drain the broccoli and put into a bowl with the shredded chicken.
In a seperate bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.
Place the mixture into an 11 by 7-inch casserole dish or 2 (9-inch) square disposable aluminum foil pans that have been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula.

Combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Rib-Eye Steak with Black Olive Vinaigrette

Most people love a good steak, right? We do too. Especially Rib-Eye...it's our favorite cut. But, this black olive vinaigrette was unlike anything we had ever tasted on steak before. It made it super tasty and extra special. This recipe comes from Everyday Italian with Giada. I saw her make it and knew I had to try it. I adore black olives. If you've ever had a black olive tapanede, this kind of tastes like that...only a little tangier and not as thick. Speaking of black olives...make sure to get really good, Italian black olives. Definitely do not use those little watery things from a can! Giada grilled her steak, but it was way too cold here for that so I seared it and finished it in the oven. I was amazed at how tender it was! I had never cooked a steak like that before, but will certainly do it again!

What You'll Need:

Rib-eye Steak:

1 2-inch rib-eye steak, boneless

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Black Olive Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup black olives, pitted

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

What You'll Do:

For the Rib-eye:

Turn on your oven to 400 degrees. Get a cast iron skillet super hot over medium-high heat. It should be VERY hot.

Coat the beef with olive oil and sprinkle with the Herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper.

In the skillet, sear the steak on each side for about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to the oven and cook for about 8 minutes longer or until desired doneness...depending on how thick the steak is.

For the Black Olive Vinaigrette:

Combine the olives, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until mixed. Drizzle the oils into the blender with the machine running. Transfer the vinaigrette to a serving dish. Stir in the parsley and serve with the rib-eye.

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesean

Couldn't be faster or easier and makes for a nice, elegant side. Pretty healthy too! I like to get the skinny asparagus rather than the big, fat ones because they tend to be more tender.

What You'll Need:

Asparagus
EVOO

Salt & Pepper

Shredded Parmesean

What You'll Do:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse and dry asparagus. Cut off the woody part at the ends...hold one asparagus on each end and bend it...where it naturally snaps off is how much you need to remove from the rest.

Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook for 8-10 minutes. They should still have some texture to them...should not be mushy.

When they come out of the oven, sprinkle with parmesean.

Seared Scallops with Wasabi Mayo

Seared scallops are so easy to make...I don't know why I tend to save them for special occasions. The wasabi dressing with the avocado goes perfectly with the scallops. To make it more of an appetizer, you could get a leaf of Bibb lettuce and place a piece of avocado on it, a scallop, then a drizzle of the dressing.



What You'll Need:
6-8 Jumbo Sea Scallops
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Avocado
3/4 Cup Mayonaise
Juice of Half a Lime
1 Tbsp. Wasabi Paste (more or less to taste)
2 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped

What you'll Do:
Rinse the scallops making sure the "beard" has been removed. Thouroughly pat dry.
Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper.
In a VERY hot pan, sear the scallops on one side and allow to cook for about 3 minutes until they loosen from the pan. Flip them over and do the same for the other side.
To make the dressing, combine the mayo, lime juice, wasabi, and cilantro and refrigerate until ready to use.
Serve the warm scallops with the avocado on the side drizzled with the wasabi mayo.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

My husband's all-time favorite sweet treat is chocolate covered strawberries. In fact, he loves them so much that we had a tower of them at our wedding rather than having a groom's cake! I made them for him last Valentine's Day and thought I would continue on the tradition this year. They are super easy to make and taste so yummy. It's a nice ending to a romantic dinner. Sure, my white chocolate drizzle may look more like blobs than the professional drizzle you see in the Godiva shop....but, I don't think my husband will mind once he tastes them!

What You'll Need:

Strawberries (ripe and large...stem on looks even nicer)

Milk Chocolate (I use the chocolate that you buy by the pound from Fresh Market, but you can use chips, squares, bars...whatever you like best.)

White Chocolate

What you'll Do:

Gently rinse the strawberries and dry them very well. They should not be even the slightest bit damp. I like to leave the green leaves on.

Melt the milk chocolate. (I just use the microwave on 50% power for a minute at a time, stirring in between. You can use a double boiler if you prefer.)

Dunk the strawberries into the milk chocolate. Put into refrigerator to cool and harden for a few minutes.

In the meantime, melt the white chocolate.

Take the strawberries out of the fridge and, using a fork, drizzle the white chocolate on. This will work best if you lay your strawberries on some wax paper before drizzling so that you can make long, sweeping motions with your drizzle. Then, transfer them to your serving dish.

Crispy Fried Chicken Cutlettes

This chicken is great served with freshly squeezed lemon. Although they are fried, the cutlettes are so thin that they don't seem heavy or greasy at all. Pair them with a salad, some corn and/or rice, and you have a great weeknight meal that doesn't take long to cook.

What You'll Need:

4 Chicken Cutlettes (Or 2 breasts, butterflied and pounded thin.)
1 Egg
Flour for Dredging
Breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Butter

Hot Sauce

What You'll Do:

Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium.

Put the flour in a container. Season with salt and pepper.

Crack egg into a seperate container. Put a few dashes of hot sauce into the egg.

Put the breadcrumbs into a third container.

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Dredge one piece of chicken at a time into the flour. Dip into egg then into breadcrumbs, pressing them into the chicken.

Add oil and butter to pan.

Put chicken into pan and continue with other pieces.

Cook for about 4 minutes. Flip and cook other side for about 4 more minutes.

Place cooked chicken on a wire rack after removing from pan so that they don't get soggy.

Italian Panini

Oh My!!! I think I could eat a panini every day of my life and not get tired of it! Of course, you can make them with just about anything that you love...turkey, roasted peppers, pesto, artichoke hearts...but I love it this way because it reminds me of a panini that ate while in Italy. It was in one of those fabulous little cafe windows and I couldn't resist. Eating one at home just makes me smile remembering how great it tasted while I walked the streets of Venice!

What You'll Need:

Good bread (Ciabatta, French Loaf, Italian Loaf, Baguette)

Proscuitto
Salami
Fresh Mozzerella

Fresh Basil

Tomatoes

EVOO

S & P

What You'll Do:

Slice the bread in half long-ways.

Add the proscuitto, salami, cheese, basil, and tomatoes to the bread, layering any way you like.

Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with S&P.

Drizzle a hot panini press, grill pan, or griddle with some olive oil. Put the panini on the pan and press with something heavy. (I just use a heavy cast iron skillet on top of the panini to press it down).

Cook for about 3 minutes then flip to cook the other side.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I combined several recipes to make this one my own. I love the smoked gouda in this...it gives it such good flavor. I really think, though, that what makes a pizza great is its crust. I just used a Pillsbury pizza dough from a tube that I rolled out, but I think it would be much better with a homemade dough or one that you buy from a local pizzeria. For the BBQ sauce, I used a combination of Sticky Finger's North Carolina Sweet and Stubb's Original. Use whatever you like best.

What you'll Need:

Pizza Dough

1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and shredded

1/2 red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb. smoked gouda, shredded

1-2 cups shredded mozzerella

2 oz. bacon bits

Small can pineapple tidbits

1 bottle BBQ sauce

cilantro, chopped

What You'll Do:

Prepare your crust according to directions. (I drizzled my store-bought crust with EVOO and baked it on 400 for about 8 minutes.)

Put a little oil in a pan and sautee the onion and garlic over medium until soft. Add the cooked, shredded chicken, bacon bits, and about 2/3 of the BBQ sauce and heat through.

Pour the remaining BBQ sauce on the crust and all the chicken mixture on top of that.

Add the pineapple and sprinkle the cheese all over.

Bake for about another 10 minuites until cheese is melted.

Sprinkle cilantro on top.

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

This is (yet another) quick and easy meal that I like to cook during the week when I'm too tired to spend hours in the kitchen. You can make your own pesto, but the kind I buy in the jar is great and saves alot of time and dirty dishes! Any pasta would be good with this, but I like Pene b/c it's holds the sauce well.

What You'll Need:

2 Tbsp. Oil

1 lb. Chicken (breasts or tenders), cut into medium sized chunks
Mini Pene Pasta (I used about 1/2 a box)
1 Jar Pesto

What You'll Do:

Heat oil in a large skillet.

Boil pasta to al dente in salted water.

Cook chicken in the oil until no longer pink.

Add 1-2 Tbsp. of the pesto to the chicken. Stir and cook over low heat for a couple of minutes.

Drain pasta and add to the chicken. Stir and let everything cook together for a few minutes.

Crispy Sauteed Potatoes with Rosemary

I'm always trying to find new things to do with potatoes, and these were really good. The funny thing is that once I tasted them, I realized that I grew up eating potatoes cooked this way. My mom used to make them all the time. She would always serve them with pinto beans, turnip greens, and cornbread...a true Southern country dinner. I served them with grilled porkchops and they worked just as well!

What You'll Need:

1-2 lbs. red or white potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. minced garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

What You'll Do:

Place potatoes in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer until nearly tender (about 10 minutes). Drain.

Heat oil over med-high heat in a large non-stick skillet for 3-4 minutes.

Cook potatoes in the oil, tossing from time to time, until they are nicely browned all over (about 15 minutes).

Add the rosemary and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Omelet...My Way

When I'm really hungry in the morning, nothing satisfies me like an omelet. Also perfect for weekend mornings when you get to sleep in and be lazy after breakfast! Of course, you can put anything you like in your omelet, but this is how I like mine. I think the only difficult part to making an omelet is learning how to manuever the pan so that all the egg cooks, yet stays together. I think the only way to get this down pat is to practice it alot. I was so excited when I learned to flip the omelet over in the pan just by using a swift flip of the wrist! But, even if it doesn't look perfect when it's done (and you can see from the picture that mine tore a little too) it's okay....it'll still taste great!

What You'll Need:

2 Eggs
1 Tbsp. Butter
Salt & Pepper

Shredded Cheddar

Roasted Red Peppers
Bacon, crumbled (or bacon bits)

Capers

(Mushrooms are also great, but I didn't have any)

What You'll Do:

In a bowl, wisk the eggs with some salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in an omelet pan.
Pour the eggs into the pan and let set on the bottom for several seconds. I like to use a rubber spatula to lift and push the eggs around a bit, allowing the uncooked egg on the top to run to the sides and bottom.

Once all the eggs look cooked, put the cheese, bacon, peppers, and capers in a small pile on one side of the omelet.

Fold over the other side on top of the ingredients.

Let cook for a few seconds while the cheese begins to melt and everything gets warm.

Using a quick, swift flip of your wrist, flip the omelet over so that the other side can cook for a few more seconds (or just turn it over with your spatula!)

Double Chocolate Mocha Brownie Trifle

Man oh Man! This dessert is so yummy! If you like brownies and coffee...you will love this! This recipe comes from Pampered Chef. It is very simple to whip together and tastes great the next day too. Also, it serves alot of people which is always a good thing for parties!

What You'll Need:

1 package brownie mix

1 3/4 cups cold milk

2 packages white chocolate instant pudding

1/4 cup warm water

4 teaspoons instant coffee granules

2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping

3 toffee bars (or buy toffee bits)

What You'll Do:

Lightly spray 9" X 13" pan with vegetable oil. Prep and bake brownie mix according to cake-like package directions. (This usually means adding an extra egg.) Cool completely.

Whisk pudding mix into milk until mixture begins to thicken. Dissolve coffee granules in warm water; add to pudding mixture, mixing well. Fold in whipped topping.

Cut brownies into 1-inch cubes. Chop toffee bars. Layer 1/3 of brownie cubes onto bottom of trifle bowl. Top with 1/3 of pudding mixture, pressing lightly, and 1/3 of shopped toffee. Repeat layers two more times. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

White Chip Chocolate Cookies

This recipe was given to me by Bridellie on TheNest.com. It comes from Allrecipes.com. She described these cookies as the best and easiest she had ever made, and I think I must agree! I had all of the ingredients needed, so no special trip to the store was necessary. I undercooked them just a bit because I like cookies to be a little gooey inside and chewy on the outside. This recipe makes over 50 cookies...so I only baked half and left the other half of the dough in the fridge to bake later. Anyway, is there really anything better than a spoonful of cookie dough? I think not!

What You'll Need:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups white chocolate chips

What You'll Do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture.

Fold in the white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are set.

Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lasagne with Bechamel and Ragu

I combined several different lasagna recipes to come up with this one. I much prefer a lasagna with a bechemel sauce rather than one with ricotta and cottage cheese. It is much creamier and is more authentic Itlaian in my opinion. In the past, I have made homemade meat sauce for lasagna, but in this one I just used some ground round and a jar of tomato sauce (I like Bertolli Organic, Olive Oil, Basil and Garlic) to make it much faster and easier. The pictures above show the steps involved (layer of noodles with bechemel, layer of meat sauce, layer of cheese) but I forgot to take a picture of it after it was cooked. Oops! This lasagna can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or even frozen. It makes alot so it's great for a large group too!

What You'll Need:

12 lasagne noodles

1 Lb. ground round

1 jar good tomato sauce

2-3 Tbs. white wine

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

2 cups milk

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups grated parmesean

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

More salt & pepper, to taste

Butter, oil, or spray to coat dish

What You'll Do:

Set at least 5 quarts of water in a large pot over high heat. When it comes to a boil, salt it. Cook lasagne noodles for about 5 minutes. They should be underdone...they will finish cooking in the oven. You do not want them to be mushy. Drain the noodles, then spread them out and allow to rest on paper towels while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

To make the meat sauce: Cook meat over medium until browned. Drain. Add tomato sauce to the meat. Pour the white wine into the jar, swish, and pour into pot. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

To make the Bechamel: In medium saucepan, melt butter over med-lo heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes until smooth and golden. Whisk in milk, broth, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. The sauce should be thick enough to cover the back of a spoon...it will thicken more as it sits.

To assemble: Prepare glass casserole dish by smearing some butter, oil, or spray on the bottom. Place a layer of noodles (3 noodles if you are using a 9 X 13 dish) , touching but not overlapping. Cover the noodles with about 1/4 each of the bechamel, meat sauce, mozzarella, parmesean, and a sprinkling of black pepper (also salt if you feel it needs more). Make four layers, ending with parmesean. (Make sure no noodles are left on top without being completely covered in sauces and cheeses or they will get hard on the edges.)

Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, until lasagne is bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Lemon Squares

This recipe was suggested to me by Katie http://www.goodthingscatered.blogspot.com/
on the What's Cooking Board on TheNest.com. It comes from the Williams Sonoma Collection Series, Dessert. These are probably the most declicious lemon bars I've ever eaten! They are very lemony and tart. One bar is the perfect ending to any dinner!

What You'll Need:
For the crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For the filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbs. heavy cream

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

What You'll Do:
To make the crust, preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish, preferably glass. In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt and cinnamon. Pulse briefly until blended. Add the butter and pulse until the dough forms moist crumbs and sticks together when pinched, about 1 minute. There should be no trace of dryness. Press the dough into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared baking dish, lightly flouring your fingertips if necessary to prevent them from sticking. Bake the crust until pale golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the crust cool completely.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

To make the filling, in a bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, salt and lemon zest. Add the eggs, lemon juice and cream and whisk until just blended. Carefully pour the mixture over the baked crust.

Bake until the filling is set but still jiggles slightly when the dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes, or longer if using a metal pan. Transfer the pan to the wire rack and let cool for about 30 minutes.

Run the tip of a small knife along the inside of the dish to loosen the crust from the sides, then let cool completely.

Cut into 12 small rectangles. Using a spatula, carefully remove the bars from the dish. Just before serving, sift a dusting of confectioners sugar over the bars. Makes 12 bar cookies.

Taco Chili

Taco Soup is so good when it's cold outside. And, I love the fact that I usually have all the ingredients on hand and can just throw it all together in a matter of minutes. You can let it cook in a crock pot for hours or just cook it on the stove for about 30 minutes. I serve it with sour cream, shredded cheese and fritos.

What You'll Need:

1 lb. ground beef (I use round)

1 onion, chopped

1 can chili beans

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can corn, drained

1 can rotel

1 can diced tomatoes

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 pkg. ranch dressing mix

What You'll Do:

Sautee the onion in a little oil.

Add the meat and brown.

Drain the meat.

Add all other ingredients and cook on Med to Med-Hi for about 30 minutes.

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

This recipe makes alot! This is a great dish to make for a crowd and it freezes well too. The sausage gives it great flavor... and, of course, all that cheese makes it so delicious! The tomato sauce couldn't be easier to throw together and can be made days in advance, if needed. I found this recipe on FoodNetwork.com.

What You'll Need:

(For the tomato sauce)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound sweet and or spicy Italian sausages, casing removed and crumbled

1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 1/2 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes in puree, (one 28-ounce can), roughly chopped

Sprig fresh thyme

Sprig fresh basil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

(For the Rest)

1 pound dried ziti pasta

Kosher salt

1 pound fresh mozzarella, half cut into 1/2-inch cubes and half thinly sliced

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

What you'll Do:

Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and boil the pasta until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Drain.

Sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes more.

Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Use now or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Toss the cooked pasta with the marinara sauce, cubed mozzarella, half the Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Transfer the pasta to an oiled 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Cover the top of the pasta with the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake until lightly browned and hot, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tuscan Pasta with Basil Cream

The name of this pasta makes it sound much fancier than it really is! In fact, it uses a jar sauce and pre-made ravioli. So, it's great for a quick week-night dinner when you are tired and hungry. You pretty much just throw everything together and warm through...and, presto, dinner is served!




What You'll Need:
1 (20 oz) package refrigerated 4-cheese ravioli (I use Buotini)
1 (16 oz) jar Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo sauce
2 Tbs. white wine
2 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh Basil
1/3 cup Parmesean Cheese


What you'll Do:
Prepare pasta according to package directions
Pour alfredo sauce into saucepan. Pour white wine into jar, shake, and pour into sauce.
Stir in chopped tomatoes and basil.
Cook over med-lo heat for about 5 minutes.
Toss pasta into sauce and top with Parmesean cheese.

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken

I used chicken cutletts for this recipe because that's what I had in the freezer, but I think it would have worked best with chicken breasts that you pound out yourself. This is because the cutletts are much smaller and I wasn't able to put as much filling in. Also, I had to use several picks in each one to get them to stay closed. The next time I make this, I will add salt to the spinach mixture while cooking and I will put more feta cheese inside. They were still really good though!

What You'll Need:

3 cups lightly packed baby spinach (about 4 oz)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp. olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheeese

1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 tsp. oregano

What You'll Do:

Preheat oven to 400.

In a saucepan, cook spinach and garlic in olive oil until spinach is tender. Set aside.

Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet to 1/4 inch thickness.

Spoon one-quarter of the spinach mixture down the center of each breast. Top with 1 Tbsp. of the feta.

Fold in long sides and roll up from a short end. Secure with picks.

Brush rolled-up breasts with some olive oil and sprinkle on the lemon pepper and oregano.

Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Top with chopped parsley and additional feta, if desired.

Roasted Fish with Cherry Tomatoes and Capers

This recipe originally called for Flounder, but I used Tilapia. I think it would also be good with Grouper or any other white fish. The cherry tomatoes are so good...they get sweet and juicy, and go very nicely with the capers and balsamic vinegar.





What You'll Need:
3-6 Fish Fillets
30 Cherry Tomatoes
6 Garlic Cloves, skin on and crushed
3 Tbs. Capers, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tbsp. EVOO
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/8 Tsp. Pepper
1 Tsp. Dried Thyme

What You'll Do:
Make a marinade out of the vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Put the tomatoes, garlic, and capers into the marinade and gently mix.
Pour onto a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes on 400 degrees. You should start to see the tomatoes split open.
Add fish, resting on top of tomatoes.
Season fish with more salt and pepper. Drizzle on some EVOO and sprinkle on the thyme.
Bake for another 10 minutes or so, until fish is done and flaky.

Double Layer Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Wow! This pie is a winner! It tastes just like a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup! If you love peanut butter and chocolate...this pie is a must-try. I'll warn you though...it is so rich, I couldn't even finish my entire piece. And that never happens! (Tip: I used the larger sized graham cracker crust that holds more filling. I think the regular size would have been too small.) This recipe came from AllRecipes.com.

What You'll Need:

1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon cold milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
2 (3.9 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
4 peanut butter cups, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

What You'll Do:
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and peanut butter until smooth. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups of whipped topping.

Spread mixture on bottom of pie crust.
In a second bowl, stir pudding mix with 2 cups milk until thick.

Immediately stir in remaining whipped topping.

Spread mixture over peanut butter layer.
Scatter peanut butter cups over top of pie.

Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Harvest Salad

This salad reminds me of Fall and Thanksgiving for some reason. It has so many yummy things in it, and the dressing is different than most because of all the fresh basil in it. It is a sweeter dressing, so if don't like sweet, you may want to put less sugar than called for.

Dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar (more or less to taste)
2 cloves garlic
1 package fresh basil, chopped or torn
Salt & Pepper to taste

Salad:
Romaine Lettuce
Bacon, crumbled
pples, very thinly sliced
Craisins, large handful
Pecans, broken into pieces
Blue Cheese, crumbled

Mix everything together just before serving.

Chicken Piccata

This is one of my absolute favorite chicken dishes. This recipe comes from Giada on Food Network. If you like butter, lemon and capers, you will love this! I use chicken cutlettes when I make this, but you can just butterfly regular breasts if that's what you have. Also, I usually leave off the parsley just because I usually don't have any in the fridge...it's still great without it.

What You'll Need:
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

What You'll Do:
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil.
When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning.
Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously.
Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Zesty Corn Quesadillas

These corn quesadillas make a great appetizer for a party or a side dish with dinner. With only 4 ingredients, they are quick and simple. You probably already have everything you need to make them! Just make sure you drain the corn well and try to use a chunkier salsa that does not have much liquid. I serve them with a dollup of sour cream and a squeeze of lime. Cilantro would be great too...and you could add some chopped, cooked chicken to the mix for a main dish.

What you'll Need:

1 can Corn, drained
1/4 cup Salsa
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
4 Tortillas (I use the soft taco size)

What You'll Do:

Heat just a little oil in a pan over Med-Hi.

Add one tortilla to the pan and put corn filling on one side.

Fold over the tortilla and cook.

Flip over and cook other side.

Cheese should be melted and tortilla should be brown on both sides.

Repeat with remaining tortillas and cut into 3 wedges each. You should end up with 12 wedges.

Picante Black Bean Soup

This is my mother's recipe. She makes about three homemade soups every week, and this is one of my favorites. It couldn't be any more simple to make...just cook some bacon, sautee some onions, and then throw the rest in the pot. And, I promise, it tastes better than this picture makes it look! It's great with a loaf of good, crusty bread.

What You'll Need:

4 slices Bacon, diced
1 Onion, chopped

1 clove Garlic, minced

2 (15 oz) cans Black Beans
1 can Beef Broth

1 1/4 cups Water
3/4 cup Pace Picante Sauce

1/2 tsp. Oregano
1/2 tsp. Salt

What you'll Do:

In a heavy pot, brown the bacon and remove.

Sautee the onion until tender.

Add the garlic and sautee just another minute.

Add the bacon back in with all other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Linguini with Shrimp

This pasta dish is so light and delicious. It's not a typical pasta dish in that it doesn't feel heavy like most. The lemon juice and parsley give it a very fresh taste. It is very simple to make and ready in about 10 minutes. I served it with Ceasar salad and garlic toast.

What You'll Need:

1 lb Linguini

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

What You'll Do:

Cook linguini to al dente.

Heat oil and butter in a pan. Sautee garlic making sure that it doesn't brown. Add white wine and simmer for about 2 minutes. Place shrimp in sauce and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Take off heat and add lemon juice and parsley. Mix linguini with shrimp and sauce. Shave some fresh parmesean on top and add a splash of EVOO if desired.

Turkey Milanese

We love this dish! Even my 8 year old gobbles it up! (No pun intended...haha!) It is very similar to a dish that I had in Italy, only it was made with chicken. Squeezing fresh lemon on top after it's cooked gives it a great finishing touch. I bought turkey cutlets from the store, but if you can't find any, you can always pound out the turkey yourself. Also, it calls for fresh breadcrumbs, but I use the kind from a canister and they are find. Panko bread crumbs would also be good!

What You'll Need:

1 1/2 pounds turkey cutlets (about 1/4-inch thick)

All-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper, for dredging

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs

1 1/2 cups finely shredded Parmesan

1/4 cup olive oil

What You'll Do:

Pat the turkey cutlets dry and spread seasoned flour on a plate.

In a small shallow bowl, beat eggs lightly and in another small shallow bowl stir together bread crumbs and Parmesan.
Dredge cutlets in flour, shaking off excess, and dip in egg, letting excess drip off.

Coat cutlets with bread crumb mixture and put on a waxed-paper-lined tray.

Chill cutlets 15 minutes.
In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Saute cutlets 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and just cooked through.

Remove the skillet from heat.
Transfer cutlets with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain briefly and arrange on plates. Serve with lemon wedges.