New Blog Worth Visiting

I just found a blog titled: My Husband Cooks. I put a link to it on the right sidebar...he just posted a great recipe for Peach Sorbet that I'm going to try. It's done very well, and I love the way they post. Enjoy!

Posted by Debi

Brown Sugar Cookies - Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

• 14 tablespoon Unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
• 2 cup Brown sugar packed
• 2 cup Unbleached flour plus 2 Tablesoons
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 large Egg
• 1 large Egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. In shallow baking dish or pie plate, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing between fingers, until well combined; set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in medium bowl; set aside.

3. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; mix until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

4. Divide dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons, rolling between hands into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Working in batches, toss balls in reserved sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, 12 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but it will take 3 batches.)

5. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone; see photo below), 12 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake.

6. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 12 minutes (per dozen)

These are amazing! I've eaten WAY too many already!
Posted by Ashley
Photo credit: me! fresh out of the oven!

Robbie's Copy Cat Recipies - Zuppa Toscana Soup like Olive Garden's®

Has anyone heard of this website?

Robbie's Copycat Recipies

I LOVE soups, in fact, I could probably eat soup and salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of my life. So anyways, last night I tried the Zuppa Toscana Soup like at Olive Garden and I must say...it is pretty spot on. I added zucchini because I love zucchini but it really didn't make it taste any different at all. If I were to do this again (which I will) I would not put as much sausage in it.

I have included the recipie below but strongly urge people to visit the site and try some of the other recipies out. If anyone tries one let us know how it went! I have the ingredients to make Bruchetta like at Carraba's next ;)


Zuppa Toscana Soup like Olive Garden's®
Spicy sausage and bacon, russet potatoes and
greens in a creamy broth.
Submitted By: Jessica Dudley
Serves: 10
Prep. Time: 0:35

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
1/2 lb. smoked bacon - chopped
1 qt. water
(2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
2 lg. russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed
2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
1 med. onion - peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper - to taste


-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.
-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.
-Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
-Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.
-Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

Posted by Erin S.
~Photo not my own~

Fast and Easy Croutons

I found this wonderful recipe on another blog. It's so simple to do and they taste delicious!

Madame Monet’s Crouton Recipe:

Makes 1 1/2 cups, to serve 2-4 people, depending on portion size

Step 1: Remove crusts from bread (preferably whole-wheat, but any type of bread will do), and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1-cm cubes.

Step 2: In a LARGE metal or glass bowl, prepare a mixture of: 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper to taste, and 1 tablespoon mixed dried green herbs of your choice. Set aside.

Step 3: In a stainless steel pan (or Dutch Oven with a large flat bottom, especially for larger quantities) melt an equal amount of butter to whatever amount of olive oil you use (the mixture should be 50-50). For one-and-one-half cups of bread cubes, use two tablespoons EACH of olive oil and butter. When melted together, dump in the bread crumbs, stir quickly, over medium heat (if you don’t use enough oil, they will burn quickly). Leave them to brown on all sides, stirring constantly for about four or five minutes (larger quantities in a Dutch Oven will take about fifteen minutes, and should be stirred every minute or two).

When browned, dump into the bowl with the herb mixture, and fold together delicately with a spoon. To retain crispiness, do not cover before they are completely cool and dry. They will keep up to several days, unrefrigerated. It’s also easy to make a smaller quantity just for one meal.

NOTE: I used day old french bread and didn't remove the crusts. I also stirred them constantly over medium-high heat. I didn't have a stainless steel pan, so I used the only flat bottom frying pan I have. It worked perfectly!

Posted by Debi

Shepherd's Pie

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4-5 servings

Ingredients

* 2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
* 2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese
* 1 large egg yolk
* 1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
* 1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
* 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 cup beef stock or broth
* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
* 1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
* 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Before peeling potatoes, put pan of salted water on stove to boil. Cube peeled potatoes. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Posted by Debi
Recipe from Rachel Ray on Food Network.com

Pasta and Greens

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Start to Finish Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

WHEN THE AIR is crisp and the leaves begin to turn, leafy greens come into their prime. I like to buy fresh greens at my local farmers' market. Somehow, they just taste better.

I adore mustard greens. They can be as spicy hot as mustard, yet as tender as spinach. Turnip greens are great too, but if you prefer a milder green, opt for spinach, collards, or escarole. All of these greens are packed with vitamins and minerals, and they are extremely low in calories.

The following recipe can be prepared with pantry staples, greens, and a little Parmesan cheese. It's also highly adaptable. You can use prewashed or frozen greens. If you like, stir in a little cream just before serving. And remember: greens cook down to less than half their original volume. Enjoy!
-- Judy Feagin

Pasta and Greens

* 1 8-ounce package pasta
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 14.5-ounce can vegetable broth
* 1 pound fresh greens (mustard, turnip, spinach, kale, escarole, or collard)
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute onion and garlic in oil 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Gradually add fresh greens, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the greens selected. Stir in cooked pasta, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

Choosing Your Greens

Collard greens are dark, leafy greens in the cabbage family. Unlike cabbages, they don't form a head. Closely related to kale, collards taste like a cross between kale and cabbage.

Escarole is a variety of endive with broad, pale-green leaves with slightly curved edges. Milder in flavor than either Belgium endive or curly endive, escarole can be eaten raw or cooked. Peak season is June to October.

Kale has a mild cabbage-like flavor. The leaves are frilly and deep green with shades of blues and purple. Available year-round.

Mustard greens are the peppery leaves of the mustard plant. They are dark green and have a pungent flavor.

Spinach leaves are dark green and spear-shaped, and are either curled or smooth depending on the variety. Because the leaves grow so close to the ground, they need a thorough cleaning to avoid grittiness.

Turnip greens are slightly sweet when young. However, they develop a strong, sharp, slightly bitter flavor as they age. Available year-round.

- Adapted from The New Food Lover's Companion (third edition)

Cleaning Your Greens

To prepare greens, remove tough stems and discolored spots, then wash the greens at least three times in lots of cold water. Drain and roughly chop. Store greens in heavy-duty zip-top bags lined with damp paper towels up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Posted by Debi

Cinnamon Cinnabon Recipe

By Taraleigh

Well I received a bread maker from my mom this week who brought it from my Aunt in New Jersey, whose mother from Parsippany got for her.... :) All that to say I have had alot of fun trying new recipes this week. I made these Cinnamon Rolls from a recipe called "Clone of a Cinnabon" off of http://www.allrecipes.com/ They turned out amazing actually a little bit better than Publix's Cinnamon Rolls from their bakery. See my notes underneath for some great tips. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioner's' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.

After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioner's' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Notes: If you doing have a bread maker my dough setting kneads for a while and then lets the dough rise for about an hour. I wanted these rolls to be done at a specific time so I let them rise longer than the 30 minutes in the directions and they turned out fine. I used a 9x13 glass baking dish and the middle rolls were a bit doughy after the 15 minute baking time so we ate a few from the outside and put the rest back in for a bit. I think next time I make these I will make 2 8x8 pans with six rolls each. Also if your filling runs out the bottom of the rolls while baking flip them over on a cookie sheet and all the yumminess will go right back into the rolls. :)

Posted by Taraleigh

Chicken Salad

4-5 cups chicken, cooked and cubed

1 cup celery

1/2 cup green onions

1 cup silvered almomds

2 cups halfed, green grapes

2/3 cup mayo

1/4 cup half and half

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 T. white vinegar

Add celery, onions, almonds and grapes to chicken. In separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Toss with chicken mixture. Chill.

Ginger Flank Steak with Sake-Glazed Vegetables

A soy-sake marinade is the base for a delicious reduction sauce. For convenience, begin this one day ahead and refrigerate the steak in its marinade overnight.

Rating: 5 stars
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sake (Japanese white wine)
1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
3 Tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger (asian markets sell this already minced and cheaper than grocery stores)
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 - 2 lb. flank steak

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1.5 inch lengths

3 Tablespoons peanut oil
2 red bell peppers, but into 1" wide strips
1.5 lbs. crimini mushrooms, halved, each half cut crosswise into 1/4" thick slices (I used Shitake mushrooms)
4 green onions, cut into 1" lengths
2 teaspoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

Combine first 6 ingredients in 13x9x2 glass baking dish. Add meat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to one day ahead. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.

Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water to cool. Drain again.

Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red bell pepper strips and saute 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Add green onions and asparagus and saute until vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer vegetables to serving platter. Tent with foil to keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in same skillet over high heat. Remove steak from marinade; reserve marinade. Add steak to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to cutting board. Tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place reserved marinade in small saucepan. Whisk in cornstarch. Whisk over high heat until sauce thickens and boilds, about 3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut steak across grain on diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange steak slices atop vegetables on platter. Spoon some of sauce over meat and vegetables. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

Source: Epicurious.com

Smothered Chicken Breasts

I got this recipe from a friend of a friend, so I don't know where it originated. However, not being a big fan of chicken crockpot recipes - this one is amazing! Each time I make it I remind myself to make it more often. It's worthy of being a regular meal in my opinion. While it was cooking everyone in my family made separate comments saying, "wow, something smells good!"

Rating: 10 stars!!!
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 40 minutes, divided
Cooking time: 4 hours

INGREDIENTS:

3 - 4 LBS. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
1/4 cup dried chives
4 - 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (drained if using canned)
2/3 cup water

SAUCE:

4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
6 heaping Tablespoons whole wheat flour
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups milk - rice, soy or dairy (I used 1 percent)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 heaping Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon - Chicken flavor

Line crockpot with Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners and add the first six ingredients. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours. In the meantime prepare sauce and pour it over chicken when the 3 hour timer goes off.

To make the sauce:

In a saucepan, melt butter mixed with oil. Add minced garlic and saute briefly. Whisk in flour and cook until smooth and browned. Add milk and cook over medium-high heat, whisking continuously until thick and bubbly. Add broth, salt and pepper if desired, and soy sauce. (Be sure to taste before adding salt - I didn't need to add any)Let cook until thickened, and pour over chicken in crockpot.

Cook chickena nd sauce on HIGH for 1 hour, then check the chicken for doneness. If not cooked through, continue to simmer on LOW until done. Taste sauce and correct seasonings before serving.

TIP: You can use a meat thermometer to be certain that boneless white meat chicken breasts are cooked to an internal temperature of 170 degrees.

The sauce is not super-thick, but rich and creamy. Serve sauce over mashed potatoes or rice and serve with lots of fresh whole grain bread to sop up the sauce! Enjoy!

Posted by Debi