Max’s New Hiding Spot! January 23, 2012

This is where Max loves to hang out now … In my cupboard next to my oven!  Can you tell that we spend alot of time in the kitchen?  LOL  Love the pic of just his tiny fingers sticking out !

Chicken and Edamame in an Orange Ginger Dressing January 23, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was a great light meal to off set all the heavy comfort food dinners from the holidays, and that are so infamous in winter!  I did add some low sodium soy sauce to the sauce, and it was delicious!  Max wanted to help me with this meal, he loves his cooking utensils 

• 1/4 cup orange juice (squeeze from 1/2 an orange)
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 Tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• Salt
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked as desired and sliced/diced
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1 large red bell pepper diced
• 1/4 small avocado, sliced
• Small handful of cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• 1 cup brown rice

Instructions

1. Cook brown rice in water, according to package instructions.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, oil, soy sauce and ginger.
3. Add salt to taste.
4. Add edamame, red bell pepper, and chicken, tossing to coat.
5. Spoon mixture over brown rice and garnish with avocado slices and cilantro.

Buffalo Chicken Chowder January 23, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This recipe was perfect for a lazy winter day, watching football… It tastes like the infamous “crack dip” , but its a meal!  Genius or what?  And a cute pic of Max and Ryan on their mini quad

4 1/2 cups (about 2 large) potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 cup (about 3 stalks) celery, chopped
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper, divided
1/8 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp buffalo sauce

3 oz blue cheese crumbles, for topping
5 celery stalks, cut in half, for serving

Directions:

Peel and cube potatoes, add to the slow cooker. Add diced chicken, then the onion and celery. Sprinkle in celery seed, salt, pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes.

Carefully pour in half-and-half, chicken broth, and buffalo sauce. Gently stir. Remove roughly 1 cup worth of liquid, add flour to the liquid. Whisk well until smooth. Pour back into the slow cooker. Stir well.

Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 10. Before serving, stir well.

Top off with blue cheese crumbles and a drizzle of buffalo sauce, if desired. Serve with celery stalks

Ah, Xmas is over :( January 11, 2012

One of the worst days of the year for me is taking down the christmas tree(s)… I have three in my house!  Ah!  Here is a picture of one of them, and Max is not too happy to see all the decorations gone

Broccoli Cheddar Bites January 11, 2012

I saw this on someone’s google reader about making baby snacks.. This was brilliant!  Max just gobbled it up and it is loaded with broccoli , I can’t wait to see if my nephew , Ryan likes them too!  Perfect Hand Held Snack! Max Definitely approves!

Broccoli & Cheese Patties (Makes 12 Patties)

1 Russet Potato, peeled and cubed
1 Cup Broccoli Florets
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
3 Tbsp Panko or Bread Crumbs
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Large Egg
1/8 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/8 Tsp Onion Powder
1/2 Cup Panko or Bread Crumbs
1 Tbsp Canola or Vegetable Oil

1. Place the potato cubes in a steamer pot over boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. 

2. Add the broccoli to the steamer pot and steam the vegetables for an additional 2 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Then, remove everything from pot and allow them to cool.
3. Mash the potatoes in a large bowl and chop the broccoli florets into bite-size pieces.
4. Add the broccoli, cheese, panko, salt, egg, garlic and onion powder to the bowl and combine.
5. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of panko in a separate bowl.
6. Using a ice cream scoop or 2 tbsp to measure, roll the mixture into balls, coat them in the panko and then shape each one into a small patty.*
7. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium heat, place the patties in the skillet and press down with a spatula to flatten a little.
8. Pan-fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden.
9. Serve with ketchup or any favorite dipping sauce.

Fondue For New Years! January 11, 2012

We had a fondue feast at our house for New Years Eve again, it was so much fun!  We had regular fondue, ultimate fondue ( with langostino’s), and this new fondue that my sister made that was sooo good …  ( Oh and who can forget chocolate!??)  Here is a picture of our fondue spread, along with some of the kids playing at the party!!

 

 

 

 

 1 Tbsp. butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup dry white wine

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) KRAFT Shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA

2 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 cup PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread

1-1/2 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped

MELT butter in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add garlic; cook 2 min., stirring frequently. Stir in wine; bring just to a simmer.

TOSS shredded cheese with cornstarch. Add, 1/2 cup at a time, to wine mixture; cook 1 min. after each addition or until cheese is completely melted, stirring constantly. Stir in cream cheese spread; cook and stir 2 min. or until melted. Add spinach; cook 2 min. or until heated through, stirring constantly.

SERVE in a fondue pot or small slow cooker.

 

 

Sweet Potato and Kale Pizza January 11, 2012

I am so glad I tried this – the flavors were so good together!  And it is good luck to eat kale in the new year!  Score!!

Ingredients:

Your favorite pizza dough

1 large sweet potato, thinly sliced, about 1/4 inch thick
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, for seasoning potato slices and onion
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon, freshly chopped rosemary

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potato slices and red onion slices in a bow and toss with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a large baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft and tender. Make sure you turn them once during the 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the pizza dough.

2. Turn the oven to 500 degrees F or as high as your oven will go. If you have a pizza stone, place the pizza stone in the oven to get hot. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough, using a rolling pin. Roll it out to about 3/8 of an inch. Place the pizza dough on a pizza peel or pan that has been generously coated with corn meal. Lightly brush the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In a small bowl, toss the kale with balsamic vinegar. Top the pizza dough with mozzarella cheese, sweet potato slices, kale, red onion slices, and fresh rosemary.

3. Place the pizza in the oven-directly on the pizza stone, if using one, or on the oven rack. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Slice and serve warm.

Tuscan Lasagna January 11, 2012

My friend Gretchen came to my house over the holidays and was talking about tuscan lasagna, and how good it was!  I remembered I had a recipe for it, and I immediately wanted to try it!  It was like a cross between Pastitsio and Regular Lasagna… so good and so different!

1 red onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 stalks of celery chopped

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Crushed red pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

3 1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp curry powder

1 package ground pork/beef/lamb mix

1 cup dry red wine
1 pkg (24 oz) Tomato Sauce

1 3/4 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg (12.5 oz) no bake lasagna sheets

1 pkg (24 oz) bechemal

6 Tbsp parm

Cracked black pepper to taste

 

• Make soffritto: Process onion, carrot, celery, in food processor until very fine. Set aside.
   
• Heat oil in large stockpot on MEDIUM. Add soffrito, red pepper, and pinch of nutmeg. Cook, stirring often, about 10 min until water from veggies has evaporated and color has deepened.
   
• Make spice blend: Combine garam masala, 1 tsp nutmeg, cinnamon, and curry powder in small container. Set aside.
   
• Make meat ragu: Add ground pork, ground beef, to soffritto. Raise heat to MEDIUM-HIGH;  cook, stirring constantly, until meat is cooked and crumbled to small pieces. Add red wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10-12 min until wine has completely evaporated.
   
• Add tomato sauce, water, and spice blend. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper; bring to a simmer. Cover partially; reduce heat to LOW. Cook 15 min. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of pan with nonstick cooking spray; spread bottom of pan with 1 cup meat ragu.
 

• Arrange two lasagna sheets in pan in a single layer. Trim to fit bottom of pan without overlapping or going up sides or corners of pan.  
   
• Top with 3/4 cup meat ragu; completely covering noodles. Drizzle with 3/4 cup parmesan cream sauce. Top with 1 1/2 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano and cracked black pepper to taste.
   
• Repeat steps 7 and 8 twice.
    
• Repeat step 7 one final time, then top with 1 1/2 cups meat ragu. Drizzle with remainder of Parmesan Cream Sauce. Top with 1 1/2 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano and cracked black pepper. Cover with foil.
   
• Bake 50 min. Remove from oven, remove foil. Return to oven; bake 15 min. Let rest 15 min before serving

Christmas Day! December 28, 2011

Here are some pictures from Christmas Day!  Hope you got everything you asked Santa for! 

Caramel Tassies December 28, 2011

One of mike’s favorite cookie is a caramel tassie.  Every year he reminds me how good the tassies were that my Aunt Barb made… Hi Aunt Barb! Anyways, I don’t know why I was so intimidated by them – because they were not as hard to make as I thought!  The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had a recipe for them this year, and I knew I had to make them!

• 1 stick ( 1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 14-ounce package caramels
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coffee liqueur or brewed coffee
• Frosting (recipe follows)

Beat butter and cream cheese together until well blended; stir in flour. Form dough into a ball; chill 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll pieces of dough into 1/2-inch balls; press balls into ungreased mini-muffin pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Let cool.

Combine caramels and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from heat; stir in liqueur or coffee. Spoon filling into shells. Cool completely before piping frosting onto caramel filling.

Makes about 2 dozen.

For the frosting

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk, chilled
• 1/2 teaspoon coffee liqueur or brewed coffee

Blend shortening and sugar until fluffy; add evaporated milk and liqueur or coffee. Beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer for 7 to 10 minutes until fluffy.