Cavatappi Bolognese

This is a quick, easy and inexpensive meal that will impress!

1 zucchini or squash

Cavatappi Pasta (or Ziti) 

one onion

2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning

2 links or 6-8 oz sweet Italian Sausage

1/2 cup chicken Stock

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup sour cream

Pamesan Cheese (not the powder kind in the green shaker)

Slice the zucchini or squash from top to bottom the slice into 1/4" pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and 1 tsp of the Italian spice. Throw on a baking sheet and cook for 15 mins at 350.

Fill a pan halfway up with water and boil.  Add pasta and cook for 9 minutes.  Do not over cook.

While the veggies are cooking, heat a pan on medium heat and cook the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces.  Dice up the onion and add when the sausage is no longer pink.  Add the remaining Italian seasoning and saute until the onions get translucent. Add the chicken stock and stir everything together.

save 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.

Add the pasta water, sour cream and tomato paste.  Stir really well.   Add the baked vegetables, then add the pasta and mix well.

Plate the pasta and top with the Parmesan cheese.

Serve with Italian or Garlic bread.

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies for Grown-Ups

I finally found a recipe that doesn't make a flat cookie and stays moist!  I used Bailey's chips and Godiva double chocolate pudding.

Seriously, these are the kind of cookies you buy for a dollar a cookie.

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3.9-oz package instant chocolate pudding
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 12-oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl at medium-high speed 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Set a timer; you are beating in air to create a fluffy texture. 
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat just until combined. Add pudding mix and beat just until combined. Let stand 2 minutes. Don’t skip this step.
• Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl or large plate and add to the mixing bowl; beat just until flour is incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Using a small scooper, scoop cookie dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  Bake 9 minutes at 350°. The center will still be slightly doughy but the cookies will firm up when cooled. If you over bake these cookies, they will lose their soft, and chewy texture. 
• Let cookies cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
  Mine makes 36 cookies.  If you want them flatter, use a spoon to flatten after you scoop.  They don't fall much during baking.

Joe's Italian Pizza, Pasta and Caffe Tomato Basil Soup

Shoutout to AL.Com and Joe's Italian Restaurant 

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
4 cups ground tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream or half & half
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Melt the butter with the oil over low heat in a heavy bottom pot.
2. Add the onion; wilt over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic during the last 2 minutes, stirring.
3. Add the tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover; cook over medium-low heat for 60 minutes. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
4. Add basil. Stir in the cream or half & half, simmer for another 30 minutes.
5.Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Note: When tomatoes are in-season use fresh tomatoes, blanch for 8 minutes and process with food processor. In the winter, use a San Marzano-type canned tomato, drain half of the liquid and process in food processor.

Terri's Chipotle Chicken Salad

The kiddo stumbled upon a few free Chicken Salad Chick sandwich cards at college over the summer.  He's not into chicken salad but got hooked on something called Jazzy Julie Chicken Salad Sandwich.  He asked me to make it for him and all I knew from the menu is that it had cheddar cheese, cayenne and bacon.  I made this up and am addicted.  I make little scoops on Ritz crackers.  I like my chicken salad a little dryer but if you prefer it more moist, add 1/4 cup more each of mayo and sour cream.

Meat from one rotisserie chicken at the grocery
1/2 - 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayo or Miracle Whip
about 3 dashes of Tabasco sauce (I use Chipotle)
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper (I use Penzey's Chipotle)
3 slices bacon, chopped up

Combine the mayo, sour cream, Tabasco, and cayenne and let sit.  I use Penzey's spices which are strong.  If you use a different brand you may want to add and extra dash or two

Place bacon on a rack in the over and broil for a few minutes til cooked.  Let cool and cut into small pieces.

Cut up the meat from the chicken into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.  Add cheese and mix it up well.  Add wet ingredients and mix well.  Add bacon and mix well.  Chill for an hour.

Pioneer Woman's Olive Cheese Bread courtesy of MsTxnHeartOlyphant

MsTxnHeartOlyphant swears this is the bee's knees!

One 6-ounce can black olives, drained
One 6-ounce jar pimiento-stuffed green olives, drained
2 stalks green onions
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup mayonnaise
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 loaf crusty French bread, sliced lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Roughly chop both the black olives and pimiento-stuffed green olives. Slice the green onions into thin pieces.

Combine the butter, mayonnaise, cheese, olives and green onions in a mixing bowl. Stir together until thoroughly combined.

Spread the mixture onto the French bread. Bake until the cheese is melted and browning, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cook's Note: The mixture can also be refrigerated (up to 2 days) and used as a dip. Great with crackers!

2012 Ree Drummond, All Rights Reserved

Anna's Spicy Drip Sandwiches

I used a crockpot (for 6 hours), but you can put in the oven for 4 hours at 300 degrees F. Basically you combine the following:
-Chuck roast, 4 lbs
-Beef stock, 32 oz
-Crushed tomatoes, 28 oz can
-1 (16 oz) jar of pepperoncinis with juice
- 1 (16 oz) jar of hot peppers, drained (I used giarndiniera this time, but any hot peppers work)
- 2 (4oz) jars pimentos

Once the meat is fork tender, take it out of the pot and shred it. Skim the fat off the top of all of the juices, and then put the meat back in. Serve it on toasted hoagie rolls with provolone.
This is actually a Pioneer Woman recipe, and know some on here are not big fans of hers. Although, I feel like a lot of what she makes is appealing to a wide variety of people. This was the first time I'd made this recipe, and my husband and brother-in-law raved about it and both insisted I make it again in the near future - and they're usually not that insistent about a recipe. My husband specifically said I need to write it down in my "book" - which is basically my recipe journal that I keep for really good recipes.

JennyBee's spicy sandwich spread

great for sandwiches, especially corned beef.

Mix together:
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons horseradish
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt & pepper.

Tarty's Banana Bread

• 4 medium ripe bananas (800g), peeled and chopped
• ½ cup (125ml) light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1½ cups (260g) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups (225g) self raising (self-raising) flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the bananas in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Add the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the flour and cinnamon and mix to combine. Pour into a lightly greased 25cm x 11cm loaf pan (see note, below) lined with non-stick baking paper and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serves 8–10.

Summer Salsa

I won a Ninja Blender this Spring, and as you can imagine I'm blending my life away.  My first creation was a Mexican salsa.  After a few tweeks, it's perfect.

• 4 medium ripe beefsteak tomatoes, quartered
• 1 green bell pepper, quartered
• 4 sweet baby bell peppers, tops removed
• 3 jalapeno pepper, top removed and de-seeded for mild heat (if you want it hotter leave in some or all of the seeds)
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• Juice from one lime
• Salt to taste (optional)

Place all ingredients EXCEPT THE TOMATOES into the base and pulse a few times. Then add the tomatoes and pulse again.  This leaves the tomatoes a little bit chunky which is how my boys like it.

Shrimp Creole

I posted the original recipe from Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.  In typical style, I changed it up and my changes are posted below.








1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2½ cups finely chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 bunches green onion, green parts finely chopped, white parts roughly chopped
½ large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3 fresh bay leaves
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
Juice of ½ large lemon
2½ cups water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2½ pounds large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooked long-grain white rice, for serving
Garnish: chopped green onion

Instructions

1. In a large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, add oil; stir in flour, stirring constantly until a peanut butter-colored roux forms (10 mins in my cast iron skillet). Reduce heat to low and add onion, garlic, green onion, and bell pepper. Stir well, and cook until softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato sauce, thyme, bay leaves, oregano, and lemon juice. Increase heat to medium, and bring sauce to a simmer. Add 2½ cups water, cayenne, and salt, and simmer until thickened, 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Gently stir in shrimp, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook, covered, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes more. Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve over rice with green onion, if desired.

I liked this recipe but it needed something more.  I purchased some boneless, skinless chicken thighs and fried them up in the oil first.  I coated them with flour and about 2 - 3 tablespoon of cayenne, garlic powder and seasoning salt.  After frying, I added a little more oil to the pot then began making the roux as directed.

I diced then added the chicken at the end of step 2.

These changes made the roux spicier and added more bulk/less soupy to the meal.  Serve with French bread.  

Lemon-Yogurt Crumb Cake

I found this in the Southern Living magazine and made it because it's been too cold and I figure if I cook like it's Spring, perhaps the weather will warm up.  It worked.  High of 60 today.

This recipe took a little time but it was worth it. If you live in a nicer city, you can probably find lemon curd at your store.  I had to make mine from scratch the day before.

Lemon Curd
6 lemons
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs

Grate zest from lemons to equal 2 Tbsp. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice into a measuring cup to equal 1 cup.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add lemon juice to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition; stir in zest. (Mixture will look curdled.) Transfer to a 3-qt. microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave at HIGH.   Stirring at 1-minute intervals. Microwave, stirring at 30-second intervals, 1 to 2 more minutes or until mixture thickens, coats the back of a spoon, and starts to mound slightly when stirred, about 5 minutes. Time will vary greatly depending up on your microwave.

Place heavy-duty plastic wrap directly on warm curd (to prevent a film from forming), and chill 4 hours or until firm. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks

Crumb Topping

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar 

1 tablespoon lemon zest 

1 tablespoon orange zest 

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces 

 

Cake Batter

1/2 cup butter, softened 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided 

3 large eggs, separated 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1 tablespoon lemon zest 

3/4 cup lemon curd

1/4 cup powdered sugar

 

 Prepare Crumb Topping:
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients; cut cold butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Cover and chill until ready to use.

 Prepare Cake Batter:
Beat softened butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Add 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, beating 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
Stir together flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lemon zest.
Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch square (2-inch-deep) pan.

Dollop with lemon curd; gently swirl with a knife. Sprinkle Crumb Topping over batter.
5. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm, or cool on a wire rack 1 hour.

Southern Living King Cake

I'm trying to find the perfect recipe and this one is it.  Now I need to learn to make it look pretty.  The yeast really rose and make the cake big and wider than anticipated.  Bread flour really makes all the difference.

1 (16-ounce) container sour cream 

1/3 cup sugar 

1/4 cup butter 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)

1 tablespoon sugar 

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

6 to 6 1/2 cups bread flour

1/3 cup butter, softened 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze

Melt together 2 tablespoons milk, 3 tablespoons butter,few drops of vanilla.  Add about 2 cups powdered sugar til it makes a thick glaze.

Purple-, green-, and gold-tinted sparkling sugar sprinkles 

 

Cook first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Set aside, and cool mixture to 100° to 110°.

Stir together yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until smooth. I use my dough hook in my KitchenAid mixer.  Reduce speed to low, and gradually add enough remaining flour (4 to 4 1/2 cups) until a soft dough forms.  Keep beating for 5 mins.

Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.
Punch down dough, and divide in half. Roll each portion into a 22- x 12-inch rectangle. Spread 1/3 cup softened butter evenly on each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over butter on each rectangle.

Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side. Place one dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Repeat with second dough roll.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Bake at 375° for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden. Slightly cool cakes on pans on wire racks (about 10 minutes). Drizzle Creamy Glaze evenly over warm cakes; sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands. Let cool completely.

Fran's Mashed Potatoes

This is how you make perfect mashed potatoes. This is my grandmothers recipe from rural Virginia that mom made all the time.  I never understood why people always complimented these until I tasted how other people make them.  Water?  Really?

5 lbs regular baking potatoes
1 stick butter
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
salt
pepper

Fill large stock pot with water and about 2 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil.  Peel potatoes and cut in half, quarter each half, then place in pot.  Drain when soft and tender, about 30 minutes.

 In a large bowl mash the potatoes with a hand mixer until creamy.  Add butter and milk and beat until smooth.  Add pepper to taste.

Orange n Berry Blondies

Thanks NikNak for this tasty treat!

½ cup white chocolate chips

1 cup brown sugar packed

¾ cup dried cranberries

2 large eggs, fork beaten

2 tsp grated orange zest

2 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cup flour

¼ tsp salt

Place oven rack in center position, preheat oven to 375°.

Put butter and white chocolate chips into heavy saucepan on lowest heat,

stirring often until chocolate is almost all melted.  Remove from heat.

Stir chocolate/butter mixture until smooth and pour into large bowl.  

Add next 5 ingredients and stir well.  Add flour and salt and stir until just moistened.

Grease a 9”x9” baking pan with cooking spray.  Spread mixture evenly in pan.

Bake in oven for approximately 25 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let blondies cool in pan then cut into squares.

Blondies are a lot like brownies except more fun, sweet cranberries and zippy orange zest will start a party on your tongue.

Crab Dip

This is always a hit with my gang at holiday time. -- Niknak

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 can 7 1/2 oz of crab meat
3 Tbsp. Seafood cocktail sauce
4 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
Garlic powder and pepper to taste.
A dash or 2 of Shirracha sauce (Horz sauce) optional.

Mix together and refrigerate.

This dip can also be served hot, pop into oven at 350 f. until it bubbles.

Serve with crackers

Blueberry cake with crumble topping

I made this cake with a mixture of blueberries and raspberries as I had both in the fridge and both were sour as ****.

Cake:
1.5 cups of plain flour
3/4 cups sugar (I used caster)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 medium egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup of blueberries or raspberries

Topping:
1/3 cup plain flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tsp cinnamon or all spice for a more festive smelling cake


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F/170 Celsius. Grease and line a cake tin/ loaf tin, I used a small 15cm tin.

In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. In a measuring cup, pour in 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, 1 egg and top it up with milk until the cup is full. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the berries and mix it all gently together so as not to break the berries too much. Put the mixture into the pan.

Prepare the topping by mixing the sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter into a breadcrumb consistency. Sprinkle on top of the cake mixture and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until ready. Pig out once cooled.

Alabama Shrimp Bake

Last night I told the hubby that shrimp is on sale and what would he like me to make.  He pulled this oldie but goodie out of his brain.

Do you remember when Forrest Gump was all the rage?  Well Southern Living Magazine took advantage of it and put out a "Bubba Gump Cookbook" that took all the SL shrimp recipes and put them in one book.  Mom gave me and my sis one for Christmas along with the usual "Southern Living Annual Cookbook" and a Chickfila Calendar.  I do believe I have made every recipe in the Bubba Gump Cookbook but this one was very popular with my family.  Enjoy!

1 cup butter, melted (I used 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. salt (I used seasoning salt)
1 tbsp. freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 tbsp. hot sauce (I used Sriracha)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 lbs. unpeeled large or jumbo fresh shrimp (I peeled mine)
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced


1. Preheat oven to 400F. Combine first 9 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Rinse shrimp with cold water; drain well. In an ungreased 9x13x2-inch baking dish, layer shrimp, lemon slices, and onion slices. Pour butter mixture over shrimp.
3. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes (less if you're using peeled shrimp) or until shrimp turn pink, basting occasionally with pan juices.

I like to make some Linguine noodles and cook them al dente.  I will put the noodles in a large bowl and then pour the shrimp on top and let them sit for a minute or 2 so the noodles absorb some of the juice.  

Roasted Bananas

I just pulled this out of my butt and it is NOOOOOOOOOOOMS!!!  - BaconSlut

Heat the over to 400 degrees.  Butter a metal bread loaf pan.  Cut two bananas down the center, lengthwise.  Drizzle with real maple syrup, sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, and add a few small dots of butter.  Roast for about 12 minutes (go by the smell) before om nom nom-ing.

Ibby's Food Coma Spinach Balls

3/4 of a large onion, minced and microwaved for a few minutes
2 boxes of frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped thoroughly
6 large eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups herb stuffing mix (not the cubed kind but the crumbs kind)

1 cup grated (shredded) Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients except cheese together and form into 1" balls.  Roll into the cheese and place on baking sheet.  Bake on 350 for 20 mins.  Let cool and devour.  Can be made ahead and frozen.

Chicken or Salmon Superfood Salad

Thanks again Eliza for this super-healthy meal, courtesy of The Leon Cookbook.

2 tbsp quinoa
½ head of broccoli
300g free-range chicken thighs, each cut into 4 pieces and marinated overnight, or 4 x 70g slices of salmon fillet
2 handfuls of rocket
2 handfuls of baby spinach
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
120g frozen peas (if using fresh, use 500g unshelled pods)
1 lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A light sprinkling of alfalfa sprouts
3 tbsp aïoli
2 tbsp toasted seeds
A hefty sprinkling of chopped mint and parsley
Salt and pepper
Put 80ml of water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Stir in the quinoa and boil fast for five minutes, then turn the heat down and simmer for five minutes more. Turn the heat off, fluff with a fork, and leave until cooled.
Preheat your grill to very hot, or get your griddle pan smoking.
Cut the broccoli into small florets and slice the stalks into 1cm thick circles. Drop into a pan of rapidly boiling salted water for three minutes, then drain and run under the tap until cold.
Season your protein. Then for chicken, grill for five minutes, turn it over, then five minutes more; a scant three minutes each side for the salmon slices.
While all this is going on, build your salad: toss the leaves, tomatoes, broccoli and peas in the juice of half a lemon and the olive oil. Lift on to one big serving dish or individuals, scatter on the cooled quinoa and alfalfa. The next layer is the protein (try feta if you're veggie). Top with the aïoli, seeds and herbs, with the other half lemon, wedged, on the side.