"Skewered chicken tenders are brushed with a tropical mixture of pineapple juice, brown sugar and soy sauce, and then they're grilled. That 's all it takes to make these scrumptious kabobs."
Ingredients:
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light soy sauce
2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins or strips
skewers
Directions:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Remove from heat just before the mixture comes to a boil.
2. Place chicken tenders in a medium bowl. Cover with the pineapple marinade, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread chicken lengthwise onto wooden skewers.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken tenders 5 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. They cook quickly, so watch them closely.
I made these for Justin's party and they were a hit! very easy too. I marinated the chicken overnight though and I put the pineapple on with the chicken, i am sure you could add other vegis on there if you want. One can of pineapple yields enough juice for the recipe too. You could also serve this with rice and use the marinade as a sauce, just make sure you boil it good since the raw chicken was in it.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Sherbet slushy drink punch thingamaroo
I served this at a baby shower last night, people love it! Especially me.
Frozen lemonade concentrate- don't mix in any water
Raspberry sherbet
Package of frozen raspberries or strawberries- thawed
Ginger ale (or probably Sprite or whatever)
Mix it all together : )
this is a great base recipe for success. I got rainbow sherbet and frozen strawberries. Everyone loves it, especially me.
Frozen lemonade concentrate- don't mix in any water
Raspberry sherbet
Package of frozen raspberries or strawberries- thawed
Ginger ale (or probably Sprite or whatever)
Mix it all together : )
this is a great base recipe for success. I got rainbow sherbet and frozen strawberries. Everyone loves it, especially me.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Asiago sun dried tomato pasta
I thought this was very tasty and a different flavor than your regular white sauce and pasta dish, I took some suggestions from the reviews and I marinated chicken in Italian dressing overnight and I added 1 cup of cheese instead of a tablespoon. I also put less green onion in than it called for and a little bit of fresh ground pepper, oh and I used 1 cup of milk and 2 cups cream because i ran out of cream. YUMM!oh- I also cooked the bacon in a deep skillet, drained the grease then cooked the sauce in that to give it some extra flavor.
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1 cube chicken bouillon
* 1 tablespoon Asiago Cheese (i used the italian mix with like different cheeses)
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with equal parts water
* 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
*
* 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
* 3/4 cup bacon- crumbled
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 cup diced red onion
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 cup chopped green onion
* 1 pound grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced( i used tenders)
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook 2 cups cream until just bubbling. Watch carefully, to ensure that it doesn't boil over. Stir in bouillon and Asiago cheese. Stir with a whisk until dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture, and simmer until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate for later use.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute red onion until soft and translucent. Stir in garlic and cooked bacon, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in green onions, chicken and 1 cup cream. Cook, stirring, until cream is heated through. Add Asiago cream sauce, and heat through. Toss with cooked pasta until evenly coated, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1 cube chicken bouillon
* 1 tablespoon Asiago Cheese (i used the italian mix with like different cheeses)
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with equal parts water
* 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
*
* 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
* 3/4 cup bacon- crumbled
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 cup diced red onion
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 cup chopped green onion
* 1 pound grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced( i used tenders)
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook 2 cups cream until just bubbling. Watch carefully, to ensure that it doesn't boil over. Stir in bouillon and Asiago cheese. Stir with a whisk until dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture, and simmer until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate for later use.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute red onion until soft and translucent. Stir in garlic and cooked bacon, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in green onions, chicken and 1 cup cream. Cook, stirring, until cream is heated through. Add Asiago cream sauce, and heat through. Toss with cooked pasta until evenly coated, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Asian Orange Chicken
I thought this was really good, it is a little sweet and a little spicy. The only change I would make to the recipe is at the end instead of adding the chicken to the sauce I would put the chicken in a bowl and pour the sauce over the top so that the breading wouldn't fall off. Definitely worth making and I will make it again for sure. Here is the link if you want to read the reviews
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=61024&servings=4
"Enjoy delicious citrus chicken marinated in lemon and orange juice with brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. It's terrific served with rice."
Ingredients:
Sauce:
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into
1/2 inch pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
1. Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Place the chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag. When contents of saucepan have cooled, pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
3. In another resealable plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake to coat.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and brown on both sides. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels, and cover with aluminum foil.
5. Wipe out the skillet, and add the sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, add the chicken pieces, and simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=61024&servings=4
"Enjoy delicious citrus chicken marinated in lemon and orange juice with brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. It's terrific served with rice."
Ingredients:
Sauce:
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into
1/2 inch pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
1. Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Place the chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag. When contents of saucepan have cooled, pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
3. In another resealable plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake to coat.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and brown on both sides. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels, and cover with aluminum foil.
5. Wipe out the skillet, and add the sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, add the chicken pieces, and simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Thick and Chewy Double (or Triple) Chocolate Cookies
If you liked those brownies I posted recently, you will love these. I might even like these better than the brownies. I am all about the decadent desserts lately, huh? You'd think I was pregnant or something...
This is another one from my America's Test Kitchen cookbook.
This makes about 3.5 dozen cookies (or 4 dozen if you add the chocolate chips)
(I often half the recipe because even just one of these cookies seriously mean business)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I have used about 2 2/3 cups chocolate chips when I was out of bar chocolate, but bar chocolates have a better fat content for this application)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder (For SOME reason, I don't have any of this in my home ;) I skipped it.)
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Triple chocolate option (but who WOULDN'T want to add this??? seriously, not "optional" if you ask me): 12 ounces (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
1. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, stirring once or twice, until smooth; remove from heat OR to melt in microwave, heat at 50% power for 2 minutes, stir, then continue heating at 50% power for 1 more minute and then if not completely melted, heat an additional 30 to 45 seconds at 50% power. Beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork, sprinkle the coffee powder over to dissolve (if using), and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in the sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. If using chocolate chips (YES, YES), use a wooden spoon to stir in now. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until consistency is scoopable and fudgelike, about 30 minutes. (Unless it is summer in Texas, in which case, about never. This will just be a very messy endeavor, but it's worth it!)
4. Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (Unless your other two cookie sheets are dirty and you're too lazy to wash them. Then just use one. The benefit of using just one sheet is that you're spared moving the sheets around part way through baking and you have more chances to fine tune your baking time. If you half the recipe like I did, two sheets mean they all cook at once, so if you decide you took them out a touch too soon, oh well. No second chance for you! But one sheet means second chances. I suppose the down side is that you spend more time with your oven heating up your house. Can you tell I'm not handling the heat well lately?) Leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each ball, scoop the dough onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets with a 1 3/4 inch spring-loaded ice cream scoop (I don't have this size scoop, so I just estimate a really really heaping scoop with my regular cookie dough scoop. Good luck.)
5. Bake, reversing the position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes. (Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer than indicated; they may appear underbaked at first but will firm up as they cool.) Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes, slide the parchment with the cookies onto a wire rack, and cool to room temperature; remove with a wide metal spatula (or my greedy, greedy hands were all I needed).
This is another one from my America's Test Kitchen cookbook.
This makes about 3.5 dozen cookies (or 4 dozen if you add the chocolate chips)
(I often half the recipe because even just one of these cookies seriously mean business)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I have used about 2 2/3 cups chocolate chips when I was out of bar chocolate, but bar chocolates have a better fat content for this application)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder (For SOME reason, I don't have any of this in my home ;) I skipped it.)
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Triple chocolate option (but who WOULDN'T want to add this??? seriously, not "optional" if you ask me): 12 ounces (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
1. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, stirring once or twice, until smooth; remove from heat OR to melt in microwave, heat at 50% power for 2 minutes, stir, then continue heating at 50% power for 1 more minute and then if not completely melted, heat an additional 30 to 45 seconds at 50% power. Beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork, sprinkle the coffee powder over to dissolve (if using), and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in the sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. If using chocolate chips (YES, YES), use a wooden spoon to stir in now. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until consistency is scoopable and fudgelike, about 30 minutes. (Unless it is summer in Texas, in which case, about never. This will just be a very messy endeavor, but it's worth it!)
4. Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (Unless your other two cookie sheets are dirty and you're too lazy to wash them. Then just use one. The benefit of using just one sheet is that you're spared moving the sheets around part way through baking and you have more chances to fine tune your baking time. If you half the recipe like I did, two sheets mean they all cook at once, so if you decide you took them out a touch too soon, oh well. No second chance for you! But one sheet means second chances. I suppose the down side is that you spend more time with your oven heating up your house. Can you tell I'm not handling the heat well lately?) Leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each ball, scoop the dough onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets with a 1 3/4 inch spring-loaded ice cream scoop (I don't have this size scoop, so I just estimate a really really heaping scoop with my regular cookie dough scoop. Good luck.)
5. Bake, reversing the position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes. (Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer than indicated; they may appear underbaked at first but will firm up as they cool.) Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes, slide the parchment with the cookies onto a wire rack, and cool to room temperature; remove with a wide metal spatula (or my greedy, greedy hands were all I needed).
Monday, May 18, 2009
Saucy/Sassy Pork Tacos
I saw this on Food Network, didn't really remember what Sandra Lee called it. But it was pretty tasty!
1 pork tenderloin
1/2 onion
taco seasoning
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 small can enchilada sauce
1. Sprinkle pork tenderloin with some of the taco seasoning and brown both sides. (I just did it in a skillet on my stove)
2. Mix enchilada sauce, cilantro, onion, and more taco seasoning (1 tbsp?) in a 13x9 pan.
3. Add tenderloin to pan and coat all sides with enchilada sauce mix. Cover with foil and bake at 350 until done (30-40 minutes, or maybe longer. Just make sure it's cooked)
4. Cut the tenderloin into strips, the size you'd want if you were eating them in a taco.
serve in tortillas with typical taco toppings-- tomatoes, lettuce, etc.
We were out of tortillas so we ate it taco salad style and it was still delicious. My husband said something like "the only problem with this meal is that I don't know if you could duplicate how good it is."
1 pork tenderloin
1/2 onion
taco seasoning
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 small can enchilada sauce
1. Sprinkle pork tenderloin with some of the taco seasoning and brown both sides. (I just did it in a skillet on my stove)
2. Mix enchilada sauce, cilantro, onion, and more taco seasoning (1 tbsp?) in a 13x9 pan.
3. Add tenderloin to pan and coat all sides with enchilada sauce mix. Cover with foil and bake at 350 until done (30-40 minutes, or maybe longer. Just make sure it's cooked)
4. Cut the tenderloin into strips, the size you'd want if you were eating them in a taco.
serve in tortillas with typical taco toppings-- tomatoes, lettuce, etc.
We were out of tortillas so we ate it taco salad style and it was still delicious. My husband said something like "the only problem with this meal is that I don't know if you could duplicate how good it is."
Friday, May 15, 2009
Whole-Wheat Banana-Strawberry Muffins
Well, would you look at that. I made something that wasn't an America's Test Kitchen recipe!
Mimi's Giant Whole-Wheat Banana-Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients:
Mimi's Giant Whole-Wheat Banana-Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 bananas, mashed
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (some reviewers said the recipe was too cinnamon-y, so I halved this since sometimes I find too much cinnamon flavor distracting)
- 1 cup frozen sliced strawberries (I used the fresh strawberries I had going bad on my counter, which was the inspiration to try this recipe. I cut them into fairly small chunks - like half inch-ish cubes - per suggestions of some reviewers.)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 large muffin cups, or line with paper liners. (I used regular sized muffin cups and filled them pretty much all the way. They don't rise a ton. Ended up with 16 muffins total.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, oil, brown sugar, vanilla and bananas. Combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon; Stir into the banana mixture until moistened. Stir in the strawberries until evenly distributed. Spoon batter into muffin cups until completely filled.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when pressed lightly. Cool before removing from the muffin tins.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Southwestern Egg Rolls - FOUR STARS
Holy cow these were amazing. Seriously.
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 Chicken breasts
* 2 tablespoons minced green onion
* half a red pepper minced
* 2/3 cup frozen corn kernels
* 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 tablespoons frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained OR some chopped fresh spinach (two handfuls?)
* 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers
* 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/3 teaspoon salt
* 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
* 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used pepper jack)
* 5 (6 inch) flour tortillas
*
1. cube chicken and fry in 1Tbs oil until juices run clear. Take out of pan and shred or mince into smaller pieces.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in green onion and red pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until tender.
3. Dice chicken and mix into the pan with onion and red pepper. Mix in corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until well blended and tender. Remove from heat and stir in Monterey Jack or Pepperjack cheese so that it melts.
4. Spoon even amounts of the mixture into each tortilla. Fold ends of tortillas, then roll tightly around mixture. Secure with toothpicks (or not if you don't have them:) I just squeezed them tightly together in the pan). Spray medium dish with cooking spray arrange eggrolls in dish and spray top with cooking spray.
5. cook uncovered for 15 minutes in 425dg oven
I tried to list the recipe as I made it the original recipe can be found here . I think it would be awesome that way, we just don't do much deep frying in this house.
And you must serve it with this sauce!
Whoa nelly, this was seriously so GOOD! They could easily be made vegetarian as well.
YUM.
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 Chicken breasts
* 2 tablespoons minced green onion
* half a red pepper minced
* 2/3 cup frozen corn kernels
* 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 tablespoons frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained OR some chopped fresh spinach (two handfuls?)
* 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers
* 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/3 teaspoon salt
* 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
* 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used pepper jack)
* 5 (6 inch) flour tortillas
*
1. cube chicken and fry in 1Tbs oil until juices run clear. Take out of pan and shred or mince into smaller pieces.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in green onion and red pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until tender.
3. Dice chicken and mix into the pan with onion and red pepper. Mix in corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until well blended and tender. Remove from heat and stir in Monterey Jack or Pepperjack cheese so that it melts.
4. Spoon even amounts of the mixture into each tortilla. Fold ends of tortillas, then roll tightly around mixture. Secure with toothpicks (or not if you don't have them:) I just squeezed them tightly together in the pan). Spray medium dish with cooking spray arrange eggrolls in dish and spray top with cooking spray.
5. cook uncovered for 15 minutes in 425dg oven
I tried to list the recipe as I made it the original recipe can be found here . I think it would be awesome that way, we just don't do much deep frying in this house.
And you must serve it with this sauce!
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 (7 ounce) can tomatillo salsa
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, pepper, celery salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor (um, I placed it in a bowl and used a fork, but whatever). Blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a serving bowl.
Whoa nelly, this was seriously so GOOD! They could easily be made vegetarian as well.
YUM.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Recipe Exchange
Not really a recipe, but some good advice.
I am an avid www.allrecipes.com user, I recently discovered a tool on that site that has changed my life.
From the main page click on the "recipe exchange" link. This is a forum where people can request recipes, etc. First of all, I think there are like hundreds of women who sit on the site and wait for questions to be asked because every time I ask a question I get about ten responses in about ten minutes, it's amazing. I love it. Some of the questions I've asked...
"What's a quick healthy lunch?"
"I have a ton of mushrooms and a ton of spinach, what are your favorite recipes that use those?"
"I really like this recipe (link to recipe for santa fe veggie wraps)...what's your favorite similar recipe"
I ask a question like this and then ten minutes later I have a weekly menu all lined up, and I didn't even have to do anything hard.
Sometimes I scroll through and see what other questions people ask. Some people ask things like "what is your favorite recipe ever" and then there are 200 responses of the best recipes ever, it's so awesome. Go try it.
I am an avid www.allrecipes.com user, I recently discovered a tool on that site that has changed my life.
From the main page click on the "recipe exchange" link. This is a forum where people can request recipes, etc. First of all, I think there are like hundreds of women who sit on the site and wait for questions to be asked because every time I ask a question I get about ten responses in about ten minutes, it's amazing. I love it. Some of the questions I've asked...
"What's a quick healthy lunch?"
"I have a ton of mushrooms and a ton of spinach, what are your favorite recipes that use those?"
"I really like this recipe (link to recipe for santa fe veggie wraps)...what's your favorite similar recipe"
I ask a question like this and then ten minutes later I have a weekly menu all lined up, and I didn't even have to do anything hard.
Sometimes I scroll through and see what other questions people ask. Some people ask things like "what is your favorite recipe ever" and then there are 200 responses of the best recipes ever, it's so awesome. Go try it.
Fudgy Triple-Chocolate Brownies
These are the best brownies I've ever had. I'm not exaggerating. Moist and fudgy without being underdone and without the chemically taste and slightly weird texture of box mix (bleh). The recipe is, of course, from America's Test Kitchen. Don't be scared off by the amount of text below. They come together fast and easy.
Makes 64 1-inch square brownies. These brownies are very rich, so the recipe says to cut them into small squares for serving. (I am a glutton, so I cut them into more like 1.5-inch squares and got more like 30-40 brownies out of the batch)
Either Dutch processed or natural cocoa works well in this recipe. (I used my cheaper stuff to save money and they were still incredible!)
Ingredients:
5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I was out of this and still wanted to make these, so I used a little less than 1 cup of chocolate chips. Chocolate chips tend to have a lower fat content to help them maintain their shape, so they're less ideal than true baking chocolates, but the recipe seemed to turn out more than fine.)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into quarters
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fold two 16 inch pieces of foil lengthwise to measure 7 inches wide. Fit one sheet in the bottom of the greased pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides of the pan (overhang will help in removal of baked brownies). Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray. (Note: I forgot to spray the pan first, so I only sprayed the foil. No negative effects noticed and less clean up! YAY! Plus I was lazy and just fit one layer of my extra wide heavy duty foil into the pan rather than making the 2 perpendicular strips. Also seemed to work just fine.)
In a medium heatproof bowl set over pan of almost-simmering water, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth. Whisk in the cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture; then stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spread into corners and level surface with a rubber spatula; bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil handles and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch (or more gluttonous like me) squares. (Do not cut the brownies until ready to serve; brownies can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 5 days.) (But you know, I was a rebel and cut them up last night anyway and the taste today is still TO DIE FOR.)
Makes 64 1-inch square brownies. These brownies are very rich, so the recipe says to cut them into small squares for serving. (I am a glutton, so I cut them into more like 1.5-inch squares and got more like 30-40 brownies out of the batch)
Either Dutch processed or natural cocoa works well in this recipe. (I used my cheaper stuff to save money and they were still incredible!)
Ingredients:
5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I was out of this and still wanted to make these, so I used a little less than 1 cup of chocolate chips. Chocolate chips tend to have a lower fat content to help them maintain their shape, so they're less ideal than true baking chocolates, but the recipe seemed to turn out more than fine.)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into quarters
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fold two 16 inch pieces of foil lengthwise to measure 7 inches wide. Fit one sheet in the bottom of the greased pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides of the pan (overhang will help in removal of baked brownies). Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray. (Note: I forgot to spray the pan first, so I only sprayed the foil. No negative effects noticed and less clean up! YAY! Plus I was lazy and just fit one layer of my extra wide heavy duty foil into the pan rather than making the 2 perpendicular strips. Also seemed to work just fine.)
In a medium heatproof bowl set over pan of almost-simmering water, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth. Whisk in the cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture; then stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spread into corners and level surface with a rubber spatula; bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil handles and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch (or more gluttonous like me) squares. (Do not cut the brownies until ready to serve; brownies can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 5 days.) (But you know, I was a rebel and cut them up last night anyway and the taste today is still TO DIE FOR.)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Tea's Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Bake
We had this for dinner tonight and we all enjoyed it. It's fairly healthy and decently tasty (though you will definitely want to add some salt). Nothing special, but a nice weeknight dinner.
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
2 c whole wheat rotini pasta
9 oz broccoli florets
1/2 c onions, chopped (the recipe list includes these onions but never says when to add them)
1 tbsp butter
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz 1/3 Less Fat Neufchatel Cream Cheese
1 c low sodium chicken broth
Cut raw chicken into bite size chunks. Cut broccoli into bite-size florets.
Heat oven to 375. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli the last 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat butter in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; simmer 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add cream cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 minute or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella.
Drain pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture, mix lightly. Spoon into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
Bake 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake 3 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Serve.
Serves 4.
Recipe originally found here. Site includes nutrition information.
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
2 c whole wheat rotini pasta
9 oz broccoli florets
1/2 c onions, chopped (the recipe list includes these onions but never says when to add them)
1 tbsp butter
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz 1/3 Less Fat Neufchatel Cream Cheese
1 c low sodium chicken broth
Cut raw chicken into bite size chunks. Cut broccoli into bite-size florets.
Heat oven to 375. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli the last 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat butter in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; simmer 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add cream cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 minute or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella.
Drain pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture, mix lightly. Spoon into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
Bake 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake 3 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Serve.
Serves 4.
Recipe originally found here. Site includes nutrition information.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Cheeseburger Soup
* 1 lb. ground beef
* 3/4 cup chopped onion
* 3/4 cup shredded carrots
* 3/4 cup diced celery
* 3 T. butter or oil
* 3 cup chicken broth
* 4 cup diced potatoes
* 1/4 cup flour
* 8 oz. Velveeta cheese
* 1 1/2 cup milk
* 1 t. basil
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* salt and pepper
In a stock pot, brown beef, drain, rinse with hot water, and set aside. Saute onion, carrots, celery and basil in same pan about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and add broth, potatoes and beef. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream. Serve.
This is a recipe from menus4moms.com but I really liked it, it was so easy, and the kids all liked it too. Definitely a keeper.
* 3/4 cup chopped onion
* 3/4 cup shredded carrots
* 3/4 cup diced celery
* 3 T. butter or oil
* 3 cup chicken broth
* 4 cup diced potatoes
* 1/4 cup flour
* 8 oz. Velveeta cheese
* 1 1/2 cup milk
* 1 t. basil
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* salt and pepper
In a stock pot, brown beef, drain, rinse with hot water, and set aside. Saute onion, carrots, celery and basil in same pan about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and add broth, potatoes and beef. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream. Serve.
This is a recipe from menus4moms.com but I really liked it, it was so easy, and the kids all liked it too. Definitely a keeper.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Leftover Rice Pudding
We had a bunch of rice leftover from our dinner tonight, and that happens a lot. So rather than put it in a tupperware and have it sit in the fridge for a week before I throw it away, I decided to look up stuff to make with it. I decided on rice pudding. I one time tried to make rice pudding from scratch and it was a total and complete disaster. So I was nervous. The good news is that it turned out great! And now I have an easy thing to do with all of my leftover rice!
Leftover Rice Rice Pudding
2 cups leftover cooked white rice
3 cups milk (any kind)*
1/2 cup sugar
small pinch salt
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
pinch nutmeg, optional
Combine cooked rice, milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and stir in the vanilla and raisins. Cook until just about all of the milk is absorbed (30-45 minutes, depending on how absorbent your rice is). Stir in cinnamon and/or nutmeg, if using.
Divide rice pudding into individual serving dishes serve warm or chilled.
Makes 4-6 servings.
*Note: Sometimes I add an extra 1/2 cup of milk, if the rice seems unusually firm or dry, to make it creamier. Feel free to add a bit extra if the pudding is not as creamy as you like it. You can use nonfat, lowfat, whole or soy milk in this recipe.
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Note from Kristi: Raisins? Ewwwww. No way. And I just did cinnamon rather than cinnamon and nutmeg. It was yummy and it's what the kiddos are going to be eating for breakfast tomorrow. Enjoy!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Light Lemony Pasta
2 b/s chicken breasts
1/4 C lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic
cream/half and half/ whole milk (one of these, not all)
salt
pepper
pasta
chicken broth
mushrooms (optional : )
lemon zest (grated lemon peel)
Bring water in a pot to boil and add chicken bouillon (or just boil chicken broth instead of water). Cook your desired pasta type (we used spaghetti) for the recommended time.
Meanwhile cube up the chicken and mixed in a bowl with lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Then grill up the chicken and towards the end of it grilling put in a couple handfuls of mushrooms (or you could choose some yummy vegetable, like broccoli or peas or something or nothing if you want).
When chicken is cooked through dump in about a cup of cream or half and half or whole milk (I had half and half, so I used that and it was perfect) and put in about 2 tsp of lemon zest (I have no idea how much, I just grated the rind from one small lemon). Let it thicken up and then throw on a handful of parmesan (if you want, which I am not sure why you wouldn't want to but...). Serve
It was really good and flavorful and delicious! Hope you enjoy. It could easily be done with shrimp instead.
Also....speaking of chicken broth. Have you ever gotten the "chicken base" at Costco? It's like three bucks and you keep it in your fridge and I love it so so much more than bouillon or canned broth. Look into it, it's by the spices!
1/4 C lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic
cream/half and half/ whole milk (one of these, not all)
salt
pepper
pasta
chicken broth
mushrooms (optional : )
lemon zest (grated lemon peel)
Bring water in a pot to boil and add chicken bouillon (or just boil chicken broth instead of water). Cook your desired pasta type (we used spaghetti) for the recommended time.
Meanwhile cube up the chicken and mixed in a bowl with lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Then grill up the chicken and towards the end of it grilling put in a couple handfuls of mushrooms (or you could choose some yummy vegetable, like broccoli or peas or something or nothing if you want).
When chicken is cooked through dump in about a cup of cream or half and half or whole milk (I had half and half, so I used that and it was perfect) and put in about 2 tsp of lemon zest (I have no idea how much, I just grated the rind from one small lemon). Let it thicken up and then throw on a handful of parmesan (if you want, which I am not sure why you wouldn't want to but...). Serve
It was really good and flavorful and delicious! Hope you enjoy. It could easily be done with shrimp instead.
Also....speaking of chicken broth. Have you ever gotten the "chicken base" at Costco? It's like three bucks and you keep it in your fridge and I love it so so much more than bouillon or canned broth. Look into it, it's by the spices!
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