Thursday, November 25, 2010

Peas Au Gratin

Peas Au Gratin

Ingredients

    •    1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons butter
    •    1 cup minced onions
    •    Salt
    •    Freshly ground white pepper
    •    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    •    2 cups whole milk
    •    4 cups sweet green peas, blanched
    •    1/2 cup fine dried bread crumbs
    •    Essence, recipe follows
    •    4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8 cup oval gratin dish with 1 teaspoon of the butter.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the peas and mix thoroughly.

Pour into the prepared pan. Season the bread crumbs with Essence. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the peas. Top with the grated cheese.

Place in the oven and cook until the peas are bubbly and the top is golden, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Spoon onto serving plates and serve.

For Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
    •    2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
    •    2 tablespoons salt
    •    2 tablespoons garlic powder
    •    1 tablespoon black pepper
    •    1 tablespoon onion powder
    •    1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
    •    1 tablespoon dried oregano
    •    1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup

From here.

Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 teaspoon minced chives

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash. Add sour cream, butter, salt and pepper; beat until smooth and fluffy.

Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese, bacon and chives if desired. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. 

From here

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
¾ cups Butter
1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
½ cups (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper


Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

From here.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Vegetable Tian

Vegetable Tian

  • 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
  • 1 large sweet yellow onion cut in half and sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1-2 russet potatoes, unpeeled
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 3 large Roma tomatoes
  • Sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • Dried thyme, to taste
  • 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 60 seconds. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the greased baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini, squash and tomatoes in 1/4 inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly into a spiral, making only one layer. Season with sea salt, black pepper and dried thyme, to taste. Drizzle the last tablespoon of olive oil over the top.

Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Uncover and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until browned. Enjoy.

From here.

Tomato Tian

Tomato Tian:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
  • 4 firm yellow tomatoes
  • 4 firm red tomatoes (I used Roma)
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • Italian flavored panko crumbs
  • Fresh basil, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a circular baking dish with cooking spray.

Slice the tomatoes into thick slices then layer them alternately in the baking dish, fitting them into a tight spiral, making only one layer. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then drizzle them with a bit of olive oil.
 
Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Sprinkle the tomatoes with Parmesan cheese and panko crumbs then place under the broiler, on the middle rack, for 1-2 minutes or until the panko crumbs are golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with freshly chopped basil. Serve immediately. Enjoy.
 
From here.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Shoyu Chicken

SHOYU CHICKEN (Soy Sauce Chicken)
Dottie (hokiesmom)

1 cup soy sauce
1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teas. wine
1 piece ginger (crushed)
2 large cloves of garlic (mashed)
3 pounds - skinless chicken thighs - cut in half or thirds (boneless)

Mix above ingredients well, add chicken. Bring to a boil and lower to simmer. Cook slowly until chicken is TENDER.


SHOYU CHICKEN (Soy Sauce Chicken)

From here.

3/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)

1/4 cup teryiaki sauce

1 cup crushed pineapple with juice

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teas. white wine

1 piece ginger (crushed)

2 large cloves of garlic (mashed)

4 bonless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 tbls. cornstartch mixed with some water so you do not see any clumps

Mix above ingredients well. Add chicken and sauce in crockpot. Cook on low 8 hours or until chicken is done. Add cornstartch mixture and stir. It should thicken up. Serve.

CrockPot Applesauce Chicken Recipe

CrockPot Applesauce Chicken Recipe
Rachel ~ burns_toast via ~ A Year of Slowcooking


The Ingredients.

--4 frozen chicken breast halves or thighs (I used 2 of each)
--1 1/2 cups of applesauce
--1 T dried onion flakes, or 1 yellow onion, chopped finely
--1 T apple cider vinegar
--1/4 tsp cinnamon
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--2 cloves garlic, minced
--1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I used them, and added more to the adult servings)

The Directions.

A 3 or 4 quart crockpot is the best size for this, but I did use a 6 quart. If your pot cooks fast, err on the lower end of cooking time.

I decided to up the applesauce a bit from Amiyrah's original recipe and omitted the water. I live life on the edge.

Put the frozen chicken pieces into your crockpot. Add the onion (if you are using the dried onion, wait and add it to the applesauce). In a bowl, mix the applesauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices together. Pour on top of the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4.

Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushrooms

Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushrooms

Michelle (MMmom) from allrecipes

12 whole fresh mushrooms--I use 2 pkg button mushrooms (8 oz each)
1 T vegetable oil
1 T minced garlic
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.

3. When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Roasted Mushrooms with Green Peas and Tomatoes

Roasted Mushrooms with Green Peas and Tomatoes
Sharon via Fresh Every Day cookbook

Serves 4 to 6

8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms
(or Portobello mushrooms), wiped clean, larger mushrooms cut into bite-size pieces)
1 16-ounce bag (3 cups) frozen petite peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Place the mushrooms, peas, tomatoes, and onion on a large baking sheet with sides. Drizzle with the oil and butter, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Spread the vegetables in an even layer and roast for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms are golden brown and the tomatoes are soft. Sprinkle with the parsley and more salt and pepper, and serve warm.

Think Outside the Recipe: This recipe can also be made with broccoli or green beans, though the beans will take about 5 minutes longer to cook. You can also use this recipe as a base

Friday, November 12, 2010

Slow Cooker French Dips

Slow Cooker French Dips

Ingredients:

4 pounds rump roast
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
6 French rolls
2 tablespoons butter
 
Trim excess fat from the rump roast, and place in a slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup and beer. Cook on Low setting for 7 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Split French rolls, and spread with butter. Bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Slice the meat on the diagonal, then put back in the juice for an additional 1/2 hour.

Pull out meat and place on the rolls. Serve the sauce for dipping. 
 
From here.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Asian Chicken Meatballs with Teriyaki Glaze

Asian Chicken Meatballs with Teriyaki Glaze
Katie (Katiedid)

For the meatballs:
1lb ground chicken breast
1 egg
1/4c plain bread crumbs
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1" piece of ginger, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch salt
2-3 drops sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch
canola oil

For the teriyaki glaze:
1/2c teriyaki sauce
1/3c water
2 tsp cornstarch

Combine chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, green onion, garlic, ginger, pepper, salt, sesame oil and soy sauce. Stir well to combine. Stir in cornstarch and blend well. Form into small 1-1 1/2" meatballs and flatten slightly to make small discs. Heat a small drizzle of canola oil in a medium sized pan over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook 2-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with second half of the meatballs. Drain any fat or remaining oil from the pan.

Combine teriyaki glaze ingredients and pour into the same pan used for the meatballs. Stir to scrape up any brown bits and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened. Add meatballs and stir to coat. Serve with rice, stir-fry vegetables, and green onions for garnish.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Crock Pot Steak Fajitas

Crock Pot Steak Fajitas
 
Ingredients:
 
1 1/2 lbs boneless sirloin, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 -2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 onions, thinly sliced
6 -8 flour tortillas
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
salsa (optional)
guacamole (optional)
sour cream (optional)
shredded lettuce (optional)
chopped tomatoes (optional)
chopped onions (optional) 
 
Brown the steak in oil.
Place the steak and drippings into the crock pot.
Add lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, and chili powder.
Mix well.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until meat is tender.
Add green pepper and onion; cover and cook for 1 hour more.
Warm the tortillas.
Spoon beef and veggies down the center of the tortillas.
Top each with cheese, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, and tomatoes if desired.
Fold in the sides of the tortillas and serve immediately.
 
From here.

Texas BBQ Sloppy Joes

Texas BBQ Sloppy Joes
-4kowboys via cassiecraves.blog

adapted from Tried-and-True Cooking with Heidi

1 1/3 pounds lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1/2 cup ketchup

1 cup bottled barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 package frozen garlic Texas toast

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese


1. Brown ground beef and onion in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain well. Return to skillet.

2. Stir in tomatoes with green chilies, ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare Texas toast according to package directions. Serve beef mixture over Texas toast; sprinkle with cheese.
* Rachel's Notes: I used 2lb.s of hamburger meat.  I skipped the diced tomatoes with chilies and just added a small can of chilies. I used 1 tsp. onion flakes and 1/2 tsp. garlic and just served on hamburger buns.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Squares

Peanut Butter Chocolate SquaresCindy(mommy_of_love1) from Gold Medal Flour- Cookies from the Heart

1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C margarine or butter, softened
1/3 C peanut butter
1 C Gold Medal all-purpose flour
3/4 C quick cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 C semisweet or milk chocolate chips
Peanut Butter Glaze ( below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Mix sugars, margarine and peanut butter in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips and peanut butter glaze. Spread in pan.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let stand about 5 minutes or until chips are softened; carefully spread over baked layer.

Refrigerate uncovered about 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm. Drizzle with peanut butter glaze. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Peanut Butter Glaze
1/3 C powdered sugar
2 Tbs peanut butter
1-2 Tbs milk

Mix all ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle.

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

Garlic Cheddar Chicken  
 by: jill.G. ---via ALLRecipes.com

 Servings: 8
"Chicken breasts dipped in garlic butter and Cheddar bread crumbs. NEVER have any leftovers!"

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -pounded thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.  In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt.  Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.  Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

From here.