Mile-High Lasagna

Mile-High Lasagna~*~Sandy~*~

1/2 pound Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 onion, chopped
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon white sugar

12 ounces cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg

9 lasagna noodles (sub no-boil noodles)
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage and onion until brown. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, garlic powder, and sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour.

2. While sauce is simmering, blend cottage cheese, Parmesan and egg until smooth. Set aside. (Or just stir together)

3. 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. (Use no-boil noodles)

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

5. Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover sauce with 3 noodles. Cover noodles with one-third of remaining sauce. Top with half the mozzarella. Place another layer of noodles and one of sauce over the mozzarella; top that with the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce.

6. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top and bake 15 minutes more, until golden and bubbly.

Chicken and Apples in Honey Mustard Sauce Recipe

Chicken and Apples in Honey Mustard Sauce Recipe

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes

The sauce this recipe produces is fairly mild. If you would like a more intensely honey-mustard sauce, double up on the apple cider/mustard/honey mixture and skip the broth. Whatever you do, do not use red delicious apples for this recipe. That variety of apple simply does not cook well.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup flour, for dredging
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 small unpeeled apples, cored and cut into eighths (use Fuji, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Jonagold, Pippin, or McIntosh apples, good cooking apples)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Method

1 Whisk cider, cornstarch, mustard, honey, salt and pepper (to taste) in a bowl. Set aside.
2 Salt the chicken well and dust in flour. Shake off the excess.
3 In a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil on medium to medium high heat. Once the oil is hot add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 3-4 minutes. Turn chicken, add apples, and cook until the chicken has browned on the other side.
4 Add chicken broth and cider mixture to the pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and simmer until chicken is tender, about 15 minutes.
5 With slotted spoon, remove chicken and apples to serving plates. Spoon sauce over chicken and apples and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with rice or noodles.

From here.

White Chocolate Orange Dream Cookies

White Chocolate Orange Dream Cookies- indfldmom

1 cup butter- soft

2/3 cup light brown sugar packed

½ cup sugar

1 lg egg

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoon orange extract

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 pkg white chocolate chips

Beat 1^st 3 ingredients until creamy. Gradually add in the rest except for the chips. Mix well then stir in chips. Drop by tablespoon onto UNGREASED cookie sheets and bake @ 350* for 10 to 12 minutes.

 

http://servedupwithlove.blogspot.com/2011/10/white-chocolate-orange-dream-cookies.html

Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches~*~Sandy~*~
adapted from Betty Crocker 

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 bottle of your favorite Caesar Dressing
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (or to taste)
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
12 french hamburger buns or buns of your choice (about 2 1/2 inch)

1.  Place chicken in a 3-4 quart slow cooker, cover and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours.
2.  Remove chicken from cooker using a slotted spoon.  Place on a cutting board and pull chicken into shreds.
3.  Place chicken back in the cooker and pour dressing, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper over the top. Stir until mixed evenly. Cover and cook on high heat for 30-35 minutes or until mixture is hot.  
4.  Spoon 1/4 cup mixture onto lettuce in each bun and serve! 

 I could not for the life of me find a packet of Caesar Dressing Mix, so I opted for a bottle of dressing and it turned out great.  So I listed both options.

OP?s notes: I used Brianna's Asiago Caesar) OR 1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup plus one packet Caesar Dressing mix.   I only used about 3/4 of the bottle of dressing.
Sandy’s notes: I also used Brianna’s Asiago Caesar dressing, it’s fabulous. I only needed about a half bottle. Just enough to coat the meat.

Hungarian Goulash

Hungarian Goulash

2 lbs beef stew meat, browned in a little bit of oil
1 large onion, sliced
14.5 oz can beef broth
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 T paprika
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper

* 1/2 c. cold water + 3 T flour, mix together and add the last hour of cooking to thicken the sauce

Combine all ingredients except the water+flour in the slowcooker, cook on LOW 8 hours. Serve over egg noodles.

To freeze, brown the meat and combine it and the rest of the ingredients in a freezer ziplock bag.

Schezuan Noodle in Spicy Beef Sauce

Schezuan Noodle in Spicy Beef Sauce

Combine the following in the crock pot:

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1.5 cups chopped onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1.5 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (alter this if a spice weiny) 
2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup beef broth
2 tablespoon hoisin sauce (found in asian aisle)
3 tablespoons La Choy soy sauce

Stir it all up. I let it cook on low all day (6 or 7 hours). When finished, serve over vermicelli noodles and top with sliced green onions. 

Based on this Food.com recipe.

Tomato-Olive Stuffing

Tomato-Olive StuffingEveryday Food (November 2011)Subscribe to Everyday Food
Serves 8
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS

• 1 loaf crusty white bread, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (8 cups)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced medium
• 2 large celery stalks, diced medium
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 cup roughly chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in middle and lower thirds. On two rimmed baking sheets, arrange bread in a single layer. Toast until dry and pale golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.
Meanwhile, lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a large skillet, melt butter and cook, stirring frequently, until onion and celery are softened, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, olives, rosemary and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Add parsley, eggs, and bread; stir to combine. Add broth in two additions, stirring until absorbed after each addition. Season generously with salt and pepper and transfer stuffing to dish. Bake on middle rack until deep golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Cinnamon Orange Pancakes

Cinnamon Orange Pancakes
Amy (amylz)
(This recipe yields 6 servings)

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup low-fat milk
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 large egg or egg substitute equivalent
2 Tablespoons Wheat germ
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon orange zest or finely grated peel
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pinches of salt
cooking spray

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the two flours with the wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg slightly. Add milk, orange juice and orange zest and mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just mixed and moistened. Prepare a griddle or large skillet at medium-high heat with a coating of cooking spray. Dollop batter onto hot surface in 1/4 cup amounts to make individual pancakes. Cook until bubbles begin to appear in the center of pancake. Flip and cook other side until golden brown

Haricots Verts With Lemon Brown Butter

Haricots Verts With Lemon Brown Butter 
Sara Moulton, posted by Michelle (MMmom)

1 pound haricots verts or other thin green beans, trimmed
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Cook beans in a 2-quart heavy saucepan of salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, then drain in a colander. Wipe out pan and cook butter over moderate heat until deep golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and remove pan from heat. Add beans, toss well, and season with salt and pepper.

Creamy Spaghetti and Beans

Creamy Spaghetti and Beans

Ingredients

    5 to 6 cups chicken stock
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    2 tablespoons butter
    1/4 pound chunk pancetta chopped into small dice
    4 cloves garlic, chopped
    1 pound spaghetti
    1 medium onion, chopped
    2 carrots, cut into a small dice
    1 fresh bay leaf
    5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
    1 (15-ounce) can Roman beans or small white beans (recommended: Goya brand)
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1 cup dry white wine, eyeball it
    1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
    A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions

Place the stock in a sauce pot and warm it over medium heat then reduce to simmer.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the pancetta to brown slightly. Next add the garlic and spaghetti and toast the noodles lightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions and carrots, bay leaf and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Soften veggies a bit, 5 minutes. Add wine and allow it to be completely absorbed. Add beans then add a few ladles of stock and stir the pasta. Keep adding stock a few ladles at a time allowing liquids to be mostly absorbed before adding more, as if you were preparing a risotto. When liquids are absorbed and spaghetti is cooked to al dente, 12-15 minutes, stir in cheese. Adjust salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir another minute. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Serve in shallow bowls and garnish with lots of parsley.

Recipe by Rachel Ray.

Basmati Rice with Vegetables

Basmati Rice with Vegetables 
(from Best Indian Cookbook, posted by Lisa- averyhappymama)

Serve with chicken, lamb, or fish.

1 3/4 c basmati rice 
3 Tbls vegetable oil 
1 chopped onion 
2 crushed cloves garlic 
3 c water or vegetable stock 
2/3 c corn kernels 
1 bell pepper 
1 large grated carrot 
Wash rice in a strainer, soak in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain very thoroughly. 
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion for a few minutes over a medium heat until it starts to soften. 
Add the rice to the pan and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent rice from sticking. Stir in crushed garlic. 


VERSION 1: Put mixture in rice cooker with water or stock, add vegetables, and steam until ready. 


VERSION 2: Pour in the water or stock and stir well. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the corn over the rice, spread the bell pepper and sprinkle over all the grated carrot. Cover tightly and steam until tender.

Baking Powder Biscuits

Baking Powder Biscuits

Ingredients

    2 cups all-purpose flour
    2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    5 tablespoons butter
    3/4 cup milk

Directions

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
    In a bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and mix until in little pieces. Add milk a little at a time and mix until it forms a ball.
    Roll out on floured board to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out in desired size and dip in melted butter. Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.
    Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes.
    Variation: For shortcakes add 2 tablespoons for sugar to the dough and roll dough out to 1/2 inch thick.

Recipe is from allrecipes.com

Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Casserole

Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Casserole

via pillsbury.com-4kowboys

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 jar (16 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce
1/4 cup milk
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 can (7.5 oz) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Cook mushrooms and onion in butter, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in Alfredo sauce, milk, chicken, broccoli and basil. Cook until mixture is thoroughly heated and bubbly, stirring constantly. Spoon into baking dish.

Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half crosswise. Arrange around edge of baking dish, overlapping slightly. Drizzle biscuits with melted butter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

*kowboys notes: I used fresh steamed broccoli instead of frozen. I used fat free evaporated milk. I used a 13x9 pan and used 2 cans of biscuits. I cut the biscuits into fours and spread them all over the top of the casserole and baked it that way. I also subbed canned chicken instead of chicken breasts, cooked, since I didn't have any.

Chicken Vesuvio

Chicken Vesuvio

recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken thighs with skin and bones
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, halved
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat the oil in large ovenproof pot over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches if necessary, cook the chicken in the pot until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl.

Carefully add the garlic and onions to the same pot and cook until softened. Add the potatoes and cook until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, oregano, and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot, nestling them on top of the potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once you reach a boil, cover the pot and bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the chicken to a platter. Arrange the potatoes around chicken.

Add the artichoke hearts to the sauce in the pot. Cover and simmer over high heat until the artichokes are tender, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Turn heat to low. Stir in the butter. Add the artichokes to the chicken and potatoes, pour the sauce over the dish and serve.

Turkey and Mushroom Shepard’s Pie

    6 medium russet potatoes
    •    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    •    1/2 – 2/3 cup milk
    •    1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as desired
    •    1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as desired
    •    1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
    •    2 tablespoons olive oil
    •    1 pound ground turkey
    •    1 yellow onion, sliced
    •    2 cloves garlic, minced
    •    10 crimini mushrooms, sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
    •    1 tablespoon all purpose flour
    •    1 1/4 cups mushroom broth
    •    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    •    2 ounces softened cream cheese
    •    1 cup frozen corn

    1.    Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
    2.    Place potatoes in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender and drain.
    3.    Return the potatoes to the pot add in butter and milk. Whip with a hand held mixer or use a potato masher. Once creamy, stir in salt, pepper and rosemary. Reduce heat to low and cover while you prepare the rest of the dish.
    4.    In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Cook turkey until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
    5.    In the same skillet heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, stir in onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until onions are softened and mushrooms have browned slightly, about 7 minutes. Stir in flour. Allow to cook 1 minute and slowly whisk in the mushroom broth. Continue cooking until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and Worcestershire. Once the cream cheese has melted return the turkey to the pan and stir in corn. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    6.    If your pan is oven proof, at this time spread the rosemary potatoes over the top. If you are transferring to a casserole dish, transfer the turkey mixture to a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top.
    7.    Bake the Shepard’s Pie in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 – 4 minutes or until potatoes brown slightly. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve.




From here.

Crock Pot Asian Pork with Mushrooms

Crock Pot Asian Pork with Mushrooms

Ingredients:
    •    2 lb lean boneless pork sirloin roast (aka pork center rib roast, pork center loin roast)
    •    kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
    •    Non-stick oil spray (I used Smart Balance spray)
    •    1 cup low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
    •    1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (for gf use gf tamari)
    •    1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
    •    3 tbsp agave (or sugar)
    •    1 tsp hot sesame oil (aji oil)  (or use sesame oil + pinch red pepper flakes)
    •    1/2 tsp Chinese five spice (I used McCormick)
    •    3 cloves crushed garlic
    •    1 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
    •    8 oz sliced mushrooms (I used baby bella)
For topping:
    •    1/4 cup chopped scallions
    •    1/4 cup chopped cilantro
    •   
Directions:
Season pork on all side with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat, spray with a little oil and brown the pork on all sides for about 7 - 8 minutes.

In the crock pot, combine the broth, soy sauce (or Tamari), balsamic, agave, sesame oil, Chinese five spice, garlic and ginger; add the pork and set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low.

Thirty minutes before the timer goes off, remove the pork and set aside to rest a few minutes; add the mushrooms to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the pork using two forks.

When the mushrooms are tender, remove about 1 cup of the broth and reserve if needed. Add the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well. If adding baby spinach, add at the end and cover a few minutes until it wilts.

From here.

Chocolate chip cookies with brown butter

Chocolate chip cookies with brown butter
Recipe source: own creation

Prep time: ~30 minutes, Baking time: 12-14 minutes

Ingredients (yields about 35 cookies):
*150 g butter
*150 g dark chocolate (50-70%)
*150 g dark Muscovado
*50 g granulated sugar
*1 egg plus 1 egg yolk (L)
*225 g bread flour (type 550)
*1/2 tsp baking soda
*a little less than 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
*Maldon sea salt (or Fleur de sel) for sprinkling

1 Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat and let it brown slowly. I prefer to use an old enamel pan, simply because its inside is white - makes it easier to control the degree of browning. Stir regularly using a silicone spatula and make sure the butter solids don't stick to the bottom and burn. At first the butter will foam, then simmer gently. Wait until it starts to smell nutty and reaches a golden brown color, but be careful to not let it get to dark or it will taste burnt. Immediately fill into another bowl (otherwise it will brown further) and let cool for at least 30 minutes. Coarsely chop the chocolate

2 Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Put both sugars, egg and egg yolk into a big bowl and beat with a hand- held mixer (whisks) or the flat beater of a KitchenAid at least 3 minutes until light in color and creamy, most of the sugar crystals should have dissolved. Now add the cooled down brown butter and beat for 2 more minutes. Sieve flour and baking soda into the bowl, add the fine sea salt and mix only as long as it takes to reach an even dough (change to dough hooks for this step, if using a hand- held mixer). Lastly add the chopped chocolate (or other additions like nuts, dried fruits, etc.) and mix shortly until evenly distributed.

3 Scoop little mounds of dough onto the sheets using either two tablespoons or an extra small ice cream scoop and leave generous space between. Sprinkle with a little Maldon sea salt and bake on middle level for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden brown, yet the center still feels slightly soft to the touch. Take out, let rest for 3 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack (minus the one you have to eat right away) and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from here.

French Onion Burger with French Oven Gravy Fries

Ingredients

    2 to 2 1/2 pounds baking potatoes
    7 cloves garlic, peeled (4 smashed and 3 minced)
    5 to 6 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    6 tablespoons butter, divided
    2 large onions, sliced
    1 fresh bay leaf
    1 teaspoon ground thyme
    1/2 cup dry sherry
    2 pounds ground sirloin
    3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    4 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
    1 shallot, minced
    2 tablespoons flour
    2 cups store-bought beef stock
    1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    1 baguette, fatter in size, cut on a bias into 1-inch slices (about 8 slices)
    1/2 pound gruyere cheese, shredded
    1 10-ounce sack of mixed greens
    3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 425°F. Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise then cut each half into 4 to 5 long wedges, depending on how big the potatoes are. Place the wedges and smashed garlic cloves on a cookie sheet, drizzle with about 3 tablespoons of EVOO and toss to coat. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and roast for about 20 minutes, until brown and tender. Flip the potatoes and continue to roast for about 10 minutes, until cooked through. If you like them extra crispy, cook them a total of 45 minutes.

While the potatoes are in the oven, place a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat with 4 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add onions, minced garlic, bay leaf, ground thyme and some salt and pepper. Cook onions for about 10-12 minutes, until caramelized. Add sherry and let the alcohol cook out, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and set the mixture aside to top the burgers.

 

In a medium bowl, combine the ground sirloin, Worcestershire, parsley, salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form 4 patties, each about an inch thick. Drizzle the patties with EVOO and place them on the preheated grill pan. Cook about 5 minutes per side, until pink in the center.

While the burgers are cooking, place a small sauce pan over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the flour to make a roux. Cook the flour-butter mixture for about 3-4 minutes, while stirring constantly, until lightly golden in color. Whisk in the beef stock, a little at a time to avoid lumps. Once all of the stock is added, stir in the Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and set aside.

For the French baguette, you want large round slices: Hold your serrated knife on a 45-degree angle and slice, keeping your knife on that angle; just like slicing a flank steak or London broil. Drizzle bread slices with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler for about 30 seconds. Flip to the other side and top four of the slices with the shredded gruyere cheese. Give them another 20 seconds under the broiler to give them a good melt. Keep a close eye on it, because if you're like me, you've burned one too many loaves of bread!

Last, but not least, add the sack of mixed greens to a salad bowl and drizzle with the red wine vinegar and a few tablespoons of EVOO. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

It's burger assembly time! Place a burger on a piece of non-cheesy bread. Top with the caramelized onion mixture and a slice of the cheesy bread. Place a serving of potatoes on the plate and spoon some of the gravy on top. Place a portion of the mixed greens salad on the plate and enjoy!

This recipe is from Rachel Ray.

Homeburger Helper

Homeburger Helper
lvlupfood.com
1 pound ground meat
2-3 cups pasta or 2 cups instant rice
2-3 cups water (2 if using the rice)
2 cups sauce
seasonings and add in of your choice
topping
Instructions: Brown meat in a large non-stick skillet. Add water and pasta. Cover and cook until pasta is soft and most of water is absorbed. Add sauce and season as desired. heat through. Add your add-ins and topping. Cover and let topping get hot. Serve. If using tuna skip browning step and cook rice or pasta and add tuna after the sauce.

PARMESAN-ROASTED BROCCOLI

PARMESAN-ROASTED BROCCOLI
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ via What a Dish!)

1-2 pounds broccoli (2 small heads)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Good olive oil
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest, optional
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon julienned fresh basil leaves, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart.
3. Place the broccoli florets on a baking pan (I used 9x13) large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.
4. Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

Annie’s Ranch Dressing

Annie’s Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:
¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk
1 small bunch chives
Small handful parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food
processor starting with ¼ cup of the buttermilk and blend for 10 seconds. Check
the consistency and taste and blend in additional buttermilk as desired. Taste
and adjust seasonings as necessary. Dressing will be thin, but tasty! Store in an airtight container in the
refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Orange Zested Cookies w/ Sweet Orange Glaze

Orange Zested Cookies w/ Sweet Orange Glaze

makes about 2-3 dozen (depending on the size)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 egg

For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
fresh orange juice

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and orange zest. Rub together with your fingers until zest is throughout the sugar. The sugar will become moist from the oils being released. Using a mixer, cream the butter and orange zested sugar. Add egg and orange juice. Slowly add the dry ingredients until well incorporated. At this point you can chill for an hour or so or overnight. I was impatient and baked them! Scoop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and roll into smooth round balls. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until very lightly golden on the bottoms. Don’t overbake or they will be a bit to dry and lose the perfect texture.
Mix the confectioners’ sugar, orange zest and enough orange juice to get a glaze consistency and mix until smooth and creamy. Pour glaze over the tops of the cookies and let set.
Feel free to mix up the citruses.  Use lemons or limes instead of oranges, or use some of each.  Delicious!

From here. 

Pull-Apart Pizza Bread

Pull-Apart Pizza Bread
1/2 recipe Jay's Pizza Crust dough (allrecipes.com)
mozzarella cheese, about 20 cubed pieces
sliced pepperoni

For topping:
olive oil
Italian seasoning
garlic salt
grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400ËšF. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or cake pan. Divide the pizza dough into roughly 20 equal sized pieces. Take one of the dough pieces and press in a cube of cheese and two slices of pepperoni. Pull the edges of the dough down around the filling and seal. Place in the pan, seam side down. Repeat with remaining dough. Each piece of dough should be touching each other in the pan. (It may seem crowded, but will be fine.)

Lightly brush the tops of the dough with olive oil. Sprinkle on seasoning mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature, with dipping sauce if desired.

Gordon Ramsay's Sticky Lemon Chicken

Gordon Ramsay's Sticky Lemon Chicken
Steph11/25

1 large chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces (I just used thighs)
Sea salt and black pepper
 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
Few thyme sprigs
Splash of sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1 lemon, finely sliced (ideally with a mandolin)
Bunch of Italian parsley, chopped

1.     Season the chicken with salt and pepper  I rubbed the salt and pepper under the skin on the chicken and heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Brown the chicken pieces (in batches if necessary) over high heat with the garlic and thyme for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Return all the chicken to the pan, add the sherry vinegar, and bubble until reduced by half. Drizzle over the soy sauce and honey and shake the pan to mix.

2.     Pour in a good splash of hot water and add the lemon slices. Let the liquid bubble and reduce down until syrupy, which will take about 10 minutes or so. By now the chicken should be cooked through.

3.     Transfer the chicken to a platter and sprinkle over the chopped parsley..

Foolproof Baked Brown Rice

Foolproof Baked Brown Rice
Sharon via Cook's illustrated

Makes 4 cups

To minimize any loss of water through evaporation, cover the saucepan and use the water as soon as it reaches a boil. An 8-inch ceramic baking dish with a lid may be used instead of the baking dish and foil. To double the recipe, use a 13 by 9-inch baking dish; the baking time need not be increased.

1 1/2 cups long-, medium- or short-grain brown rice
2 1/3 cups water
2 teaspoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Adjust the oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread rice in 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Bring water and butter or oil to boil, covered, in medium saucepan over high heat (I did this in the microwave with a cover over the measuring cup); once boiling, immediately stir in salt and pour water over rice. Cover baking dish tightly with doubled layer of foil. Bake rice 1 hour, until tender.
3. Remove baking dish from oven and uncover. Fluff rice with dinner fork, then cover dish with clean kitchen towel; let rice stand 5 minutes. Uncover and let rice stand 5 minutes longer; serve immediately.

Cheesy Roasted Garlic Potato Balls

Cheesy Roasted Garlic Potato Balls

   1 bulb garlic
    1 tablespoon butter
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    kosher salt
    2 cups leftover stiff mashed potatoes, at room temperature
    2/3 cup freshly shredded Gruyere cheese
    3 eggs
    1/2 – 1 cup plain bread crumbs
    1/2 – 1 cup panko bread crumbs
    oil for frying

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    Cut 1/4 inch off the top of the bulb of garlic to expose the cloves beneath, but do not peel the garlic, you want to roast it in the skin. Place clove on a piece of aluminum foil, place butter on top, pour lemon juice over the garlic and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bring up all sides of aluminum foil and twist together to close. Cook for 60 minutes or until garlic cloves are soft and golden in color. Allow to cool.
    Place mashed potatoes in a bowl. Once garlic has cooled use a fork to remove cloves. Add roasted garlic cloves to mashed potatoes. Stir in Gruyere cheese.
    Using about a tablespoon of the mixture. Roll into balls.
    In one bowl beat the eggs. In another bowl combine equal parts plain bread crumbs and panko bread crumbs.
    Dip each ball into egg, then coat in bread crumbs. Then dip in egg and bread crumbs again to double coat. Repeat with remaining potato balls.
    Heat 2 inches of oil in a large pan or pot. Once oil starts to shimmer sprinkle in a few bread crumbs, if it sizzles the oil is ready. Fry potato balls in batches until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
    Using a slotted spoon transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt, allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
    Serve.

Recipe from Life's Ambrosia. 

Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes

Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes

Ingredients:

    2 whole Golden Potatoes
    2 Tablespoons Butter
    1 piece (about 2 Inches Long) Parmigiano-Reggiano, Sliced Thinly
    ⅛ teaspoons Garlic Powder
    ¼ teaspoons Kosher Salt
    2 teaspoons Olive Oil
    ¼ cups Heavy Cream
    ¼ cups Cheddar Cheese Blend

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Scrub potatoes.

You need 2 wooden spoons with handles of the same width. Place a spoon on each side of the potato and start slicing the potato into thin slices. The spoons will stop the knife from cutting all the way through the potato.

Slice the butter into thin pieces. Alternate the butter and the parmesan, stuffing them in between the slices of the potato. Season the potato with garlic powder and kosher salt. Drizzle the potato with olive oil.

Bake at 400ºF for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle heavy cream over the potatoes. Top with cheddar cheese.

Place back in the oven for 10-12 more minutes. Remove and serve!

Baked Quinoa Patties

HS: I baked these, but you can pan-fry them in a skillet** if you like - it's a bit quicker, but requires more of your attention. I've included those instructions at the bottom of the recipe.

2 1/2 cups / 12 oz /340 g cooked quinoa, at room temperature*
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup/ .5 oz /15 g finely chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup /.5 oz /15 g finely chopped fresh dill
1 cup / 1.5 oz /45 g finely chopped kale
1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (toasted) cumin
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup / 3.5 oz /100 g whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed
water or a bit of flour, if needed
1/3 cup / .5 oz / 15 g crumbled feta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter

Preheat oven to 400F / 200C.
Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the chives, dill, kale, onion, garlic, and cumin. Stir well.
Add the baking powder and bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture.
Gently stir in the feta.
At this point, you should have a mixture you can easily form into twelve 1-inch / 2.5cm thick patties. I err on the very moist side because it makes for a not-overly-dry patty, but you can add more bread crumbs, a bit at a time, to firm up the mixture, if need be. Conversely, a bit more beaten egg or water can be used to moisten the mixture. If you're still having trouble getting the mixture to hold - mix in flour, a couple tablespoons at a time.
Oil a baking sheet, and arrange the patties with a bit of space between each. Bake for ~20 minutes, or until the bottoms are brown. Flip and bake for another 5 minutes.
Enjoy hot, or allow to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
Makes about a dozen patties.

*To cook quinoa: Combine 2 cups/ 12 oz/340 g of well-rinsed uncooked quinoa with 3 cups / 700 ml water and 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, decrease the heat, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and you can see the little quinoa curlicues.
**Alternately, you can cook the patties in a skillet. Here's how - Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add 6 patties, if they'll fit with some room between each, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms are deeply browned. Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes and continue to cook until the patties are browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and cook the second sides for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties. Alternatively, the quinoa mixture keeps nicely in the refrigerator for a few days; you can cook patties to order, if you prefer.

Recipe from 101 Cookbooks.

Spicy Potato Tacos

Spicy Potato Tacos

Ingredients

    1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
    1 (16-ounce) bag pre-cooked diced red-skin potatoes
    1/2 cup pre-sliced mushrooms
    1/3 cup reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
    1 (16-ounce) can vegetarian refried beans
    3/4 cup cilantro salsa, plus more for serving
    1 (5.8-ounce) box white corn taco shells
    Chopped red onion, tomato, and lettuce, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together oil and fajita seasoning. Add potatoes and mushrooms and toss until well coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, stir together beans and salsa in microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes; set aside.

Heat taco shells in oven for 3 to 5 minutes.

Spoon beans into heated taco shells. Top with potato mixture and garnish with red onion, tomato, and lettuce.

Serve immediately with salsa.



Recipe from foodnetwork. 

Citrus Cookies

Citrus Cookies

Ingredients

    1/2 cup butter
    2/3 cup white sugar
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    2 teaspoons lemon zest
    6 drops yellow food coloring
    1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

    Cream together butter or margarine and sugar. Add salt, zest, juice, and food coloring. Mix until well blended.
    Add flour a half cup at a time, mixing well. Dough should ball up when finished. Shape into a cylinder about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Chill for 4 hours.
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
    Slice into 24 cookies and bake on cookie sheet 6 to 8 minutes.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

FRENCH CHICKEN BROCOLLI SUPREME

 FRENCH CHICKEN BROCOLLI SUPREME

Ingredients:
1 – lb. fresh broccoli Break in pieces, and steam for 2 minutes.

3 cups cooked chicken breasts  – Break up in small pieces

3 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese divided

2 tubes Ritz Crackers

1  stick melted butter

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

SAUCE: 

1/3 C. Butter melted

1/4 C. Cornstarch, dissolved in
1/2 C. COLD Water

1/3 C. Chicken Broth

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

2 Cups Milk

1 1/2 cups of the above Cheddar Cheese

 Directions:
In greased 13×9 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside. In saucepan over medium heat, combine the melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk. Stir well, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened. Turn heat down to low, and add 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top with 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese.
Melt the butter, and add the poppy seeds, and stir well. Crush Ritz crackers in large zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Don’t crush too small. Add crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.
Eat and enjoy!

Beef with Mushrooms

Beef with Mushrooms

(Etli Mantar)

200 gr beef, cut in cubes
200 gr mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 + 1 cup hot water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook the beef cubes with their own juice on medium-low heat. Then add 1 cup hot water and cook over low heat until the beef pieces are tender. Add the butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste, mushrooms and 1 cup hot water. Put the lid on and cook for another half hour on medium-low heat.

Serve with any kind of rice.

Note: Make sure not to wash the mushrooms as they will retain water and lose texture. Instead, wipe off with a damp paper towel.
http://turkishcookbook.com/

Green Lentil Dish with Caramelized Onion

Green Lentil Dish with Caramelized Onion

(Soganli Mercimek Yemegi)

3/4 cup lentils, soak in water overnight, washed and drained
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
3 tbsp crushed tomatoes, in can
1 tsp red pepper paste, hot
1 tbsp orzo
2 cups warm chicken stock or beef stock or just water

Garnish:
1 large onion, sliced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place all the ingredients in a medium sized pot. Cook for about 20-25 minutes at medium-low heat until the lentils are soften, stir occasionally.

Meanwhile caramelize the sliced onion with olive oil over low heat. Place the dish on a service plate. Then sprinkle the caramelized onion all over the top.

Makes 2-3 servings.

http://turkishcookbook.com/

Corn Patties

Corn Patties

(Misir Mucver)

1 + 1/3 cup whole kernel corn, in can
1 egg
1/3 cup yogurt, plain
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
4-5 fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Salt
Pepper

Sunflower oil
1 tsp butter

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Pour some sunflower oil in a large skillet, about 1 cm deep. When the oil warms up, take a lump of the mixture (a couple large spoons' worth) and put in the skillet. Fry each side approximately 3 minutes at medium-high heat. When done, put the pieces on a plate with a paper towel to soak up extra oil.

http://turkishcookbook.com/

Chipotle Meatballs Recipe

Chipotle Meatballs Recipe

• Prep time: 25 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 2 slices bacon, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano or finely chopped fresh mint
• 1-2 teaspoons chipotle powder (or a couple teaspoons of adobo sauce)

Sauce

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-3 canned chipotles in adobo, minced fine and sauce reserved
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix all the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well with your clean hands for a minute or two. You want the mixture to be well integrated, but you don't want to overwork it or the meatballs will be tough.
2 With wet hands or an ice cream scoop, form meat into about 16 plum-size balls and space them out in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, or, if you have one, a mini-muffin tin. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
3 While meatballs bake, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the onions until they just start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the minced chipotles, the can of tomatoes, oregano or mint, and beef broth. Mix well and add salt to taste. If you want more chipotle flavor, add the reserved chipotle sauce spoonful by spoonful, mixing and tasting between spoonfuls. Boil the sauce uncovered as the meatballs cook.
4 When meatballs are ready, put them into the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thin for your taste, continue to boil it down for a few minutes. Otherwise, serve with rice, tortillas or polenta. Garnish with cilantro to serve.
Yield: Serves 6-8.

Recipe from Simply Recipes.

Perfect Every Time Baked Meatballs

Perfect Every Time Baked Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey, 93% lean, not 99%
• 1/4 cup grated cheese, I like Pecorino Romano
• 2 small to medium garlic cloves, minced very small
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley, fresh parsley only
• 1/4 cup pre seasoned breadcrumbs, I like 4C
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, I put it in the meat for a perfectly moist meatball
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, or 8 turns on the pepper wheel
• 1/3 cup olive oil  to moisten you hands with.

 Instructions:

In medium bowl, mix all ingredient together, except 1/3 cup olive oil, until just mixed. Over mixing will make them hard. Roll them into small balls,  scant 1/8 cup scoops at a time. They roll into 1 1/2 inch balls.  After you form each one, moisten you hands with olive oil and roll each one in you hands again to get a fine coating of olive oil onto them.  Arrange in a casserole with a little space in between each one or on a baking sheet.  Bake in a PREHEATED oven at 450 for 20-25 minutes.  Don't let them timer tell you when they're done, let the color. If they are browned at 20 minutes, then theyre done.  Its important to keep them small so they cook through and to not over brown them as they will dry out.

Servings: 6

Notes: these freeze beautifully, so make extra and you can pop them into a tomato sauce next week or next month!  They will keep for 2 months in an airtight container in the freezer. 

Recipe from Julia's Healthy Italian

Chicken and Mushrooms in a Velvety Wine Sauce

Chicken and Mushrooms in a Velvety Wine Sauce

2 lbs chicken tenderloins, washed and dried
24 ozs sliced mushrooms
5 cloves fresh garlic peeled and minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter plus 2 more tbsp butter
1 cup Cream of Sherry Wine (or 1 cup of white wine and 1 tbsp sugar if you don't have sherry)
Flour
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup parsley chopped
1 tbsp oregano

Melt 2 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of butter in a large frying pan.
Dredge tenderloins in flour, then salt and pepper them well.
Sauté tenderloins in butter and oil on medium until cooked through, turning them once when they're golden brown.
Set tenderloins aside in serving dish.
In same pan add mushrooms, remaining 2 tablespoons butter and garlic and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper the mushrooms generously. Careful not to over brown the garlic. Lower flame if necessary.
After 10 minutes or so have passed, add 1 cup of Cream of Sherry Wine and parsley. If you cannot find cream of sherry, substitute it for 1 cup of white wine plus 1 tablespoons sugar.
Allow liquid to reduce by half while stirring any flour bits into the sauce.
Pour over chicken and serve. I served this with a garlic buttery brown rice.

Serves 6

Recipe from Julia's Healthy Italian.

Drunken Chicken

Drunken Chicken
Teamgulley via allrecipes.com

Ingredients
1 (3 pound) whole chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Dijon-style prepared mustard
8 fluid ounces beer
1/2 cup Italian-style salad dressing

Directions
Prepare an outdoor grill for medium heat.  Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Coat with mustard.  Pour half of beer out of can and refill with Italian style dressing. Place can on a disposable baking sheet. Set chicken on beer can (it acts as a stand), inserting can into cavity of the chicken. Place baking sheet with beer and chicken on the preheated grill. Cover, and cook about 1 hour, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Italian Dressing Mix
teamgulley via allrecipes.com

Ingredients
1 tablespoon garlic salt (I subbed onion flakes)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
2 tablespoons salt

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, oregano, pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, celery salt and regular salt. Store in a tightly sealed container. To prepare dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2/3 cup canola oil, 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons of the dry mix.

Creamy White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna

Creamy White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna

Ingredients

    2 cups boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
    1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, chopped
    1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
    1 (8 ounce) package KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese with a Touch of PHILADELPHIA, divided
    1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
    2 (8 ounce) packages PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
    1 cup milk
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    1/4 cup basil, chopped
    12 lasagna noodles, cooked

Directions

    Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

    Combine chicken, artichokes, tomatoes, 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan. Beat cream cheese, milk, and garlic powder with mixer until well blended; stir in 2 tablespoons basil. Mix half with the chicken mixture.

    Spread half of the remaining cream cheese sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with 3 noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers of noodles and chicken mixture twice. Top with remaining cheese sauce and mozzarella; cover.

    Bake 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining basil. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients

2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 whole eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices. Season each piece on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Place the eggs into a separate pie pan. Dredge the meat on both sides in the flour. Tenderize the meat, using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Once tenderized, dredge the meat again in the flour, followed by the egg and finally in the flour again.

Repeat with all the pieces of meat. Place the meat onto a plate and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.

Place enough of the vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a 12-inch slope-sided skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the meat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook each piece on both sides until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a wire rack set in a half sheet pan and place into the oven. Repeat until all of the meat is browned.

Add the remaining vegetable oil, or at least 1 tablespoon, to the pan. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the flour left over from the dredging. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Whisk until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add the milk and thyme and whisk until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the gravy over the steaks.

Recipe by Alton Brown.

Gordon Ramsay's Sticky Lemon Chicken

Gordon Ramsay's Sticky Lemon Chicken
Steph11/25

1 large chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces (I just used thighs)
Sea salt and black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
Few thyme sprigs
Splash of sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1 lemon, finely sliced (ideally with a mandolin)
Bunch of Italian parsley, chopped

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper I rubbed the salt and pepper under the skin on the chicken and heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Brown the chicken pieces (in batches if necessary) over high heat with the garlic and thyme for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Return all the chicken to the pan, add the sherry vinegar, and bubble until reduced by half. Drizzle over the soy sauce and honey and shake the pan to mix.

2. Pour in a good splash of hot water and add the lemon slices. Let the liquid bubble and reduce down until syrupy, which will take about 10 minutes or so. By now the chicken should be cooked through.

3. Transfer the chicken to a platter and sprinkle over the chopped parsley..

Fish Italiano Revised

 Fish Italiano Revised

2 cod fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup dry white wine
1-2 fresh limes
salt/pepper

Heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic until they're soft. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, wine and the juice from a lime; simmer for about 5 minutes. Season the cod fillets with salt, pepper and fresh lime juice then add to the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes or so, until the fish turns white.

I serve it over Goya yellow rice (I'm a sucker for that stuff)

Butternut Squash Apple Cider Bisque

Butternut Squash Apple Cider Bisque

Ingredients

    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1/2 large onion, diced
    1/2 large carrot, diced
    1 stalk celery, diced
    2 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
    4 sprigs fresh thyme, rinsed
    5 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
    2 cups apple cider
    2 cups heavy cream, apple cider, or chicken stock (use only one item)
    salt and black pepper, to taste

    Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until the carrot and celery are soft and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the squash and thyme and sauté until all of the vegetables are coated with oil, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and the 2 cups of cider and simmer until the squash is very soft, about 30 minutes.
    Remove from heat. Puree the mixture, in small batches (a blender on medium speed or food processor or immersion blender will work).
    Place the pureed mixture into another pot (I use a crock pot if I know I’ll be traveling or leaving the soup on all day to serve whenever desired). Stir in one of the following: cream, cider or stock to achieve the desired consistency. Add the salt and black pepper. Heat gently through.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Recipe by OurBestBites.com


1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing.
Wanna make it a meal?
Serve with a side of Black Beans and a simple green salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing.

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken

4 tablespoons tomato puree,
150 ml water,
1 inch cube of ginger,
300ml half & half,
1 teaspoon garam masala,
1 teasp salt,
1 tesp sugar,
1 fresh chili,
1 teasp chili powder,
1 tablesp fresh cilantro,
4 teasp lemon juice,
1 teasp roasted cumin seeds,
4 oz unsalted butter.
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked & cubed.

In a food blender put the tomato puree, water, ginger, half & half, garam masala, salt, sugar, fresh chili, chili powder, fresh cilantro, lemon juice, roasted cumin seeds. Blend well. 

Heat butter in large pan, when butter has melted, add all ingredients from blender. Bring to a simmer & cook for one minute. Add the chicken pieces stir gently into the sauce. Add more chopped cilantro & serve!

whole wheat bread

whole wheat bread

2 t yeast
2 T dry nonfat mill
3 T Gluten
3 1/3 c whole wheat flour
1 t salt
1/3 c honey
3 T butter (I usually use canola oil)
1 1/3 c lukewarm water
Sometimes I add walnuts, or ground flax seed or wheat germ.  My fussy kids will even eat this!  I sometimes add a little more water if the consistancy's too thick.  The vital wheat gluten is what keeps it from getting too dense.

Asian Turkey Meatballs With Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Asian Turkey Meatballs With Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

    1/4 cup panko crumbs
    1-1/4 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
    1 egg
    1 tbsp ginger, minced
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    3 scallions, chopped
    1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
    2 tsp sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

    4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
    2 tsp sesame oil
    2 tbsp fresh lime juice
    2 tbsp water
    1 chopped fresh scallion

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Mix ground turkey, panko, egg, salt, scallions, ginger, cilantro, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp oil and mix with your hands until combined well. Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

For the dipping sauce mix together lime juice, water, soy sauce, and remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a bowl. Add scallions.

Transfer meatballs to a serving dish. Stir sauce, then drizzle meatballs with 1 tablespoon sauce.

Serve meatballs with remaining sauce, about 1 tbsp per person. Chances are you won't use all the dipping sauce.

Makes 12 meatballs.

Recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes. 

Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar

Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar
I loosely adapted the tomato soup part from an old Bon Appetit recipe, although more than quartering the oil, using less stock, no rosemary, roasting rather than sauteeing the garlic cloves and of course opening up a grilled cheese sandwich and broiling it on top. I think if the recipe could talk, it would forgive me.
Serves 4 (though closer to 6 if served in mugs)

Soup
3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large or 4 small cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon (or more to taste) dried crushed red pepper
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Lid
4 1-inch slices from a large loaf of rye bread, whole wheat sourdough or bread of your choice (or 16 1-inch slices from a baguette), toasted until hard and lightly buttered on one side
1 tablespoon grated raw onion
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar (or more to taste)

Make soup: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap garlic cloves in a tight foil packet. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper (I used 1 full teaspoon of Kosher salt). Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil. Add foil packet of garlic to tray. Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender (garlic will be very tender), about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Unwrap garlic packet and peel cloves. Transfer cloves, tomatoes and any accumulated juices to a blender or food processor and pulse machine on and off until tomatoes are a chunky puree. Transfer tomatoes to medium pot and add thyme, crushed red pepper and stock and bring to a boil Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.

Create cheddar lid: Preheat oven to 350. Arrange four ovenproof soup bowls, crocks or large mugs on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. Stir grated onion into the warm soup. (I love this last-minute suggestion of onion.) Float toast slice(s) in each bowl, buttered side up and divide grated cheese generously over top. (If you’re using a wide bowl, you might find that you want more cheese to create a thick, broiled lid.) Bake soups on tray for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbling and brown at the edges. If you’d like it even more bronzed on top, preheat your broiler and finish soups for a minute or two under it. Serve immediately.

Do ahead: Soup can be prepared one day ahead, and kept covered in the fridge. Rewarm before serving, or before finishing with cheddar crouton.

A Smitten Kitchen recipe.

Baked Rigatoni with Tiny Meatballs

Baked Rigatoni with Tiny Meatballs
Adapted, no doubt blasphemously, from Marcella Hazan
Serves 8 but I think Americans would serve this to 4 to 6

When I first realized that this “baked ziti” lacked a tomato sauce, I had my doubts. But then Alex said “it would be like Italian mac and cheese!” and then, predictably, it had my full attention. Although the original dish didn’t yield anything so sauced and cheesy as the mac-and-cheese we know, I’ve upped the sauce, cheese and seasoning for a baked pasta that is more lush, but surprisingly un-heavy. This is still a subtle baked pasta.

There’s a lot of room for tweaking here: If you’re certain you won’t be happy without a veritable oozing of cheese, you could tear up some fresh mozzarella and toss it in with the dish before you baked it. If you cannot bring yourself to eat this unless it contains one form of vegetable matter, I imagine a bit of cooked spinach, steamed broccoli bits or even eensy cubes of roasted carrot and parsnip would work in here.

For the meatballs:
1/4 cup milk
1 slice good white bread trimmed of its crust
1 pound ground pork (or beef, or lamb, or a mix of the three)
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/3 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano (Parmesan)
1 egg
Salt
Black pepper in a grinder
1 cup flour, spread on a plate
Vegetable oil for frying

For the bèchamel:
4 1/2 cups milk
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

To finish:
1 pound rigatoni
3/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup milk

Make the meatballs: Heat the milk, but don’t let it simmer. Tear pieces of the white bread into it and let it soak for 5 minutes, before picking it up with your hand, squeezing it of excess milk and putting it in a large mixing bowl.
Add the pork, garlic, parsley, grated cheese, egg, salt, and pepper. Combine all the ingredients with a fork until they are evenly mixed (or “amalgamated”, as Hazan so charmingly says).

Pinch off a small lump of meat, about the size of a raspberry and roll the lump into a ball in the palm of your hands. (Hazan says if you are good with your hands, you can try making 3 balls at a time. It turns out, I am not.) When all the meatballs have been shaped (a process that took less time than I had expected, just the same), roll them in the flour, 15 to 20 at a time. Place the floured meatballs in a strainer and shake it smartly to dispose of excess flour.

Put enough vegetable oil in a skillet to rise 1/4-inch up the sides of the pan and turn on the heat to medium high. When the oil is hot, put as many meatballs in the skillet as will fit without overcrowding. Brown them until they form a nice crust all around. When one batch is done, transfer it with a slotted spoon to a platter covered with paper towels to drain and do the next batch until all are done.

Make the bèchamel: Heat the milk over low heat in a saucepan until it forms a ring of pearly bubbles, but do not let it break into a boil. In a larger saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, add the flour and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or flat whisk until combined. Add 2 tablespoons of milk at a time to the flour and butter mixture, stirring steadily and thoroughly, then repeat through 8 additions. At this point, you can add the milk in 1/2 cup increments, stirring constantly to keep it smooth. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir the sauce until it thickens.

Assemble the dish: Cook the rigatoni in a pot of well salted water. Drain when still al dente, and combine immediately in bowl with two-thirds of the bèchamel, half the grated cheese, and all the meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heavily butter a 9×13 baking dish. (Original recipe calls for a 12-inch springform, which I am sure would be lovely but is not the commonest U.S. cake pan.) Spread the rigatoni and meatball mixture in the pan, leveling it off with a spatula. Pour the milk over the dish, the spread the rest of bèchamel on top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.

Place in the uppermost level of the preheated oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until a golden brown crust forms on top.

A Smitten Kitchen recipe.

Pizza Scrolls

Pizza Scrolls

2 cups self-raising flour
30 g butter, chopped
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup tomato pasta sauce
1 cup grated tasty cheese
100 g shaved Virginia ham, chopped
225 g can pineapple pieces, drained

Preheat oven to 200 °C or 180 °C fan. Line a large tray with non-stick baking paper. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add butter and rub in with your fingertips until evenly combined.

Make a well in the centre of flour mixture and pour in the milk. Mix in with a flat-bladed knife until mixture is moist and starts to clump together. Gather the dough into a ball and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Press dough into a roughly rectangular shape.

Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to a 35cm x 25cm rectangle. Spread pasta sauce over the dough leaving a 3cm space along the two long edges. Sprinkle cheese, ham and pineapple over sauce.

Starting from a long side, roll into a log. Cut into 12 slices. Place onto tray, cut side up and with ends turned inwards so they don't unroll while cooking. Bake for 25 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Recipe from here.

Green Bean Stir-Fry

Green Bean Stir-Fry

Ingredients

    1 tablespoon soy sauce
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
    1 teaspoon brown sugar
    1 teaspoon peanut butter
    3/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
    4 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions

    In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, garlic, sesame seeds, brown sugar and peanut butter; set aside. In a large skillet, stir-fry the green beans in oil until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat. Add the soy sauce mixture; stir to coat.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Cindy ~ mommy_of_love1

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese
8 thin slices smoked ham
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg; beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
1 cup milk
1/4 C parmesan cheese
4 slices swiss cheese
fresh ground pepper

Pound chicken breast to1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 2 ham slices on each breast. Roll up each breast using toothpicks to secure if necessary. Dredge each in flour, shake off excess, then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. Place seam side down in baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Spray each pice of chicken with Pam. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes until juices run clear. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt butter. Once melted add flour and mix together; let mixture cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in milk; making sure there is no lumps and bring up to a boil. Add Parmesan and Swiss cheese, stiring to melt. Season to taste (salt, pepper). Simmer on low stirring until thickened. Pour over cooked chicken.

Smokey Chipotle Meatloaf

Smokey Chipotle Meatloaf via allrecipes.com

Dani/danibably
Ingredients

    2 eggs
    1/3 cup hickory flavored barbeque sauce
    2 cloves garlic, minced, or to taste
    2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced, or to taste
    2 tablespoons adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
    1 teaspoon kosher salt
    1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon celery salt
    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    1 onion, chopped
    1/2 cup dry oatmeal
    2 pounds lean ground beef
    2 tablespoons hickory flavored barbeque sauce

Directions

    Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
    Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl until smooth, then whisk in 1/3 cup barbeque sauce, garlic, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, celery salt, cumin, and Worcestershire sauce until evenly smooth. Mix in the onion, oatmeal, and ground beef with your hands until evenly blended. Pack the mixture into the prepared pan. Brush the top of the meatloaf with 2 more tablespoons of barbeque sauce.
    Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Footnotes

We used ground turkey instead of beef and we used sweet baby rays original BBQ sauce

cinnamon roll pancakes

cinnamon roll pancakes
Yield: 4 servings (4 pancakes)

An absolutely decadent morning treat...

Ingredients:
PANCAKES:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

CINNAMON FILLING:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE:
4 Tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Prepare pancake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, oil and egg, just until batter is moistened (a few small lumps are fine).
2. In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the filling into a small zip baggie and set aside. You don't want this to remain super-liquidy. It's best if it becomes a consistency similar to toothpaste.
3. In a medium, microwave-safe bowl- heat butter and cream cheese until melted. Whisk together until smooth; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract; set aside.
4. Heat large skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Scoop about 3/4 cup batter onto the skillet. Snip the corner of your baggie of filling and squeeze a spiral of the filling onto the top of the pancake. When bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.
5. When ready to serve, spoon warmed glaze onto the top of each pancake.

Tips:
*Keep the heat low or your pancakes might cook up too quickly. Don't flip them until you see those bubbles starting to pop on top. Flip them with a wide spatula so you can grasp the whole thing without batter and filling dripping all over the place!
*It's best if you pour the batter onto your skillet, wait a minute or so and then swirl the cinnamon onto the batter. That'll give it a chance to set a little before you add the swirl.
*If your baggie of filling begins to get too thick, just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up again. On that same note, it shouldn't be too runny. The consistency of soft toothpaste is perfect. If it's melty and runny, it will tend to run all over your pancakes. Once you micro it, let it sit on the counter at room temp for a while until it thickens slightly.
Source: RecipeGirl.com

AMAZING!!!!  we had these yesterday and theya re worth every calorie:)
got the recipe from a firend off of FB and she got it from recipegirl.com

Checca Sauce

Checca Sauce
sadie_love from Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentis
12 oz. cherry tomatoes (I use whatever good tomatoes I have, up to a pound)
3 scallions, chopped
8 leaves fresh basil
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 oz piece of parmesan, chopped into small pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper
4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 pieces (I frequently use regular mozz, and it's fine)

Combine all ingredients, except mozzarella in a food processor, and process until the consistency of a salsa. Add in mozzarella. Toss with your favorite pasta.
ETA: I should add that raw garlic = some serious garlic breath. But it's worth it!

Savoury Three Cheese Cookies

Savoury Three Cheese Cookies

Recipe courtesy Jackie Leung via RWOP
    •    1/2 cup(s) of flour
    •    1 tsp. of baking powder
    •    1/4 tsp. of salt
    •    1/4 tsp. of ground black pepper
    •    1/4 tsp. of paprika
    •    1 cup(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (1 250g brick)
    •    1 egg yolk
    •    1 dash tobasco sauce (or to taste)
    •    1 cup(s) of grated sharp cheddar cheese
    •    1/2 cup(s) of grated parmesan cheese
    •    1/2 cup(s) of walnuts, chopped fine
    •    2 tbsp. of sundried tomatoes, chopped

Steps
    1.    Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
    2.    In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and paprika.
    3.    In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat Cream Cheese until smooth. Add egg yolk and tobasco sauce and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl once of twice.
    4.    Thoroughly beat in cheddar and parmesan cheeses.
    5.    With the mixer on low, add flour, walnuts and sundried tomatoes. Mix until just combined.
    6.    Scoop 1 tablespoon mounds of dough onto cookie sheets, spacing at least an inch apart.
    7.    TO MAKE COINS: Dip a flat-bottomed glass in flour and press cookies to flatten.
    8.    TO MAKE THUMBPRINT COOKIES: Dip the bottom of a wooden spoon into flour and press an indentation into mound of dough.
    9.    Bake until tops are dry, bottoms are golden and edges are turning brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
    10.    To finish thumbprint cookies: Using a piping bag or a small spoon, fill the thumbprints with plain or flavoured cream cheese.
    11.    Serve with a smile and a thank you!