Crab Rangoon Dip

We served this yummy hot dip at our Christmas party last year and it was a big hit!  I served it with crackers last year, but I bought plain pita chips this year.  It would also be delicious with bread.

The recipe comes from the December 2011 issue of Cuisine at Home.

Crab Rangoon Dip

Makes 3 cups
Total time: 25 minutes

Mince:
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 Tbsp each chopped fresh cilantro and ginger
1 tsp sugar

Add:
2 pkg cream cheese, softened (8oz each)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
salt to taste

Fold:
1 can lump crab meat (6.5oz)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degress.  Coat a 3-cup ovenproof dish with nonstick spray.

Mince scallions, cilantro, ginger, and sugar in a food processor.

Add cream cheese and lime juice; pulse to combine.  Season with salt and transfer to a bowl.

Fold crabmeat into cream cheese mixture.  Transfer to prepared dish.  Bake dip until hot in center and bubbly, 15 minutes.  Serve dip with fried won ton chips.

Baked Cheddar Eggs and Potatoes

We had this dish for dinner the other night and it was FANTASTIC!  Baking the eggs makes them the same as soft boiled, which is divine.


It takes longer to cook the potatoes than you think, so I'm not sure I would ever make this for breakfast.  Maybe brunch, since I'm not a morning person. :-)  The next time I made it, I used red potatoes, as the recipes says, and the timing was more accurate.  I've also added cooked bacon to it when you add the cheese and it is even better!

This recipe comes from the December/January 2013 issue of Taste of Home.  Since it was just for the two of us, I halved this recipe.  It was so filling, even for dinner, neither of us could finish all our potatoes!

Baked Cheddar Eggs and Potatoes

3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, chopped (I used Idaho, which might be why it took so long for them to cook!)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (I used dried)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
8 eggs
1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1.  In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes.  Cook and stir until golden brown and tender. Stir in the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.  With the back of a spoon, make four wells in the potato mixture.  Break two eggs into each well.

2.  Bake at 400 for 9-11 minutes (I think I baked mine for at least 15) or until egg whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 1 minute longer or until cheese in melted.

Zucchini Tomato Casserole

I got this recipe from a friend.  It is extremely vague, so use your own judgement about how much you want of each thing!

This was a great side dish for Homemade Rotisserie Chicken.

Zucchini Tomato Casserole

Layer the following:

sliced zucchini
sliced tomatoes, peeled (I used quartered cherry tomatoes, not peeled)
sliced onion
grated cheese (I used extra sharp cheddar)
salt & pepper

Top with croutons (I used garlic cheese -- you can put them in the layers too, if you want -- but the layers inside the casserole will get soft)

Bake, covered, for one hour at 350 degrees.  Remove cover, top with more cheese, and bake uncovered until cheese melts.

"German" Apple Crisp

This recipe isn't exactly "German."  That's my friend's last name, and this is her mom's recipe!

It is just WONDERFUL.  I went to the orchard less than a week ago to buy apples and I have made this TWICE.  I will probably use up all the apples I bought making this recipe, again and again and again...

I used the full 3/4 cup of brown sugar.  And while I like nutmeg, I don't love nutmeg, so I only sprinkled it in rather than using 3/4 tsp.  My apples were huge, so the first time 4 apples was a bit too much for an 8x8 pan.  Should have known better!  The second time I made it, I only cut up 3 apples.  And I cut the slices in half the second time so I didn't have to cut them into bite-sized pieces with my spoon while eating it.

It tastes a lot like the stuffed apple recipe I used to make from Rachel Ray, except this is way easier!

 

“German” Apple Crisp

Ingredients

4 cups sliced pared tart apples (about 4 medium)
2/3 to ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
½ cup flour
½ cup oatmeal
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

Directions

Heat oven to 375. Grease 8 x8 pan. Place apple slices in pan. Mix remaining ingredients thoroughly. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden. Serve warm and if desired with light cream or ice cream.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Cannellini Beans

I watched Rachael Ray make this on her talk show yesterday morning and except for the bread, was nicely within our diet.  I picked up chicken thighs with the skin and the bone because I wasn't paying attention.  When I went back to the store today, I couldn't find any boneless, skinless thighs.  Now that I've made it, as lovely as the thigh meat is, I would recommend substituting breasts if you can't get the boneless.  It's not easy to eat with the bone, and quite messy!  I copied the instructions as they were, but I would highly recommend you prep the veggies first before you season and wrap the chicken.  Otherwise, a tasty recipe that I'd make again.  Oh, and we don't really care for spicy, so I left out the chili pepper.

Ingredients

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped

• 8 slices prosciutto di Parma or speck (smoky ham)

• 3 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 small chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped

• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 2 cups passata or tomato purée

• 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained

• A few leaves of basil, torn

• Crusty bread for mopping

Yields: 4

Preparation
Season chicken with salt and pepper and lots of rosemary. Wrap each piece of chicken in a slice of prosciutto or speck. Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a Dutch oven or deep skillet. Brown the chicken pieces 3 minutes on each side or until ham is crisp; remove to a plate. To the same pan add remaining EVOO, a turn of the pan, celery, carrot, onion, chili and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook partially covered until soft, stirring frequently 10-12 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute then add wine, stock, tomato purée, beans and basil. Set chicken back into pan and simmer 10 minutes more.Serve with crusty bread for mopping.

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

My mom's sauce is my favorite!  And mine tastes just like hers.

We used to have spaghetti sauce at least once a week when I was a kid.  It reminds me of cold Saturday nights in the wintertime, when my entire family gathered together to eat dinner.  Those were good times.  We usually had leftover sauce once during the week too.

My mom always makes her famous meatballs in the sauce, and she adds links of sweet Italian sausage.  Even though Chris and I don't even like the sausage, I always put it in so the sauce will taste right!

Making sauce actually isn't that difficult.  You just have to be sure to stir it every 15-20 minutes so it doesn't burn.

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

1 medium onion, pulverized (use a food processor - I use my Pampered Chef chopper)
1 tsp minced garlic
olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pot)
6 28-oz cans of crushed tomatoes (I use Red Pack)
Parmesan cheese
basil
parsley

one batch of Mom's Meatballs
4 links of sweet Italian sausage, cut in half (use hot sausage if you like that better)

Heat olive oil in a very large Dutch oven.  Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil for 20 minutes.  If the garlic or onion begins to brown, add a spoon or two of crushed tomatoes.  Continue to simmer for the full 20 minutes.

Add 6 cans of crushed tomatoes.  Add the equivalent of 1/2 can TOTAL of water by rinsing each can with a small stream of water.  You should be dumping in what looks like thin tomato juice from each can, not just water.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, basil and parsley over the top and mix in completely.  I would guess I use about 1 tsp of each spice and maybe 1/4 cup of the cheese.  Adjust to your taste.

Stir sauce often until entire pot heats up.  It might take about 20 minutes or so before the mixture heats through.  Once heated, turn it down to one notch above Lo.  Stir every 15-20 minutes for 2 hours.

Add raw meatballs and sausage.  Turn temperature up briefly, as the cold meat will cool down the sauce mixture.  Turn back down to one notch above Lo.  Stir VERY gently every 15-20 minutes for at least an hour.  I like to cook mine for 1 1/2 hours.

Serve over pasta of your choice!  Add a salad and fresh Italian bread or garlic bread for a complete meal.

This is what the sauce looks like before you add the meat.  The meatballs and sausage bring it right to the top of my pan!

Chicken a la King

This recipe is based on my mom's recipe, but I tweaked it a bit.  Hers is based on cream of celery soup.  This is real comfort food for me.  I remember asking for this dish for my birthday dinner when I was 8 or 9 years old!

I haven't made it in awhile, and last night I thought it might be better if I skipped the canned cream of chicken and made the base from the Chicken Pot Pie recipe instead.  Next time I might try that.  the canned soup seemed a bit on the salty side.

If yours is too thick, add more milk until it's the desired consistency.  I usually add milk when I'm reheating it, because it tends to thicken.

Kim's Chicken a la King

1 medium onion, sliced
2 carrots, cut in matchsticks
1 sweet pepper, sliced (yellow or red)
1-2 Tbsp butter
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp minced garlic
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
buttermilk biscuits (homemade or otherwise)

Cook onions, carrots, and peppers in 1-2 Tbsp butter over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until just soft.  Add soup, milk and spices.  Add chicken, heat through.  Serve over biscuits.

Slow Simmering Beef Bourguignon

Boy am I glad I saw this recipe in the November 2012 issue of Taste of Home!  I've made Julia Child's version before, and I have to say, this is almost as good and WAY easier!  And with its long cooking time, it's perfect for working people.  It won't be overdone when you get home!

Slow Simmering Beef Bourguignon

3 lbs beef stew meat
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups red wine, or additional beef broth, divided
3/4 lb fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 thick sliced bacon strip, chopped (I used a few more than that!)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp Italian tomato paste (I always buy plain and add spices myself)
egg noodles

1.  Season beef with salt and pepper.  In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown beef in batches.  Remove with a slotted spoon to a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker.  Add flour.  Toss to coat.  Add broth and 1 cup of wine.

2.  In the same skillet, add the mushrooms, carrots, onion and bacon.  Cook and stir over medium heat until carrots are tender.  Add garlic, cook one minute longer.  Add remaining wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan.  Stir in tomato paste.  Transfer to slow cooker.

3.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until beef is tender.  Serve over hot noodles.

Chicken Riggies

If you're not from central New York, you probably have no idea what this recipe is!

Where I grew up, variations of this dish are a local specialty.  Everyone has a favorite recipe from a favorite restaurant.  It is essentially chicken, peppers, onions, and some kind of red sauce (usually vodka sauce) with rigatoni (hence the name "riggies").

I found this recipe online about ten years ago.  It was supposedly from a restaurant in Rome, NY.  Unfortunately, I just printed it and didn't write down the website or the name of the restaurant.  I made a few tweaks to the original recipe anyway.

Heat up leftovers in the oven with shredded mozzarella sprinkled on top!

I don't like my riggies hot.  If you do, kick it up with some red pepper flakes!

Chicken Riggies

1 pound chicken breast
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 mediun onion, sliced
8 oz container fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
pinch salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
olive oil (for sauteeing)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups marinara or vodka sauce (I like Spicy Tomato Vodka Sauce, but I skip the pepperoni in it for this dish - I also like Bertoli's vodka sauces in a jar)
8 oz rigatoni

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.  Season flour with oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and coat with seasoned flour.  Brown chicken in hot oil.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add more oil to pan.  Saute peppers, onions, and mushrooms with garlic until wilted.  Return chicken to pan.  Add chicken broth and scrape down any browned bits.  Simmer briefly.  Add vodka sauce.  Simmer for 30 minutes. 

Cook rigatoni according to package directions.  Add to sauce mixture and serve immediately.

Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu

Some of my most favorite recipes have come from Woman's Day.  And this is no exception.

Why bother stuffing and rolling the chicken, when you can make chicken cordon bleu in a baking dish and skip all the hassle?

The flavor of this dish was great, but I would make a few changes next time. 

First, I like a bit more sauce in a dish like this.  I would double the wine, sour cream, and Dijon, but leave the onions the same.  Second, I used thin cut chicken breasts, and some of the smaller pieces were overcooked.  This isn't the recipe's fault.  It's my fault, and my fear of undercooked chicken!  I think I'll try buying regular chicken breasts and maybe pounding them a little, but not too thin.  Then I'd add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.  In theory, they will be cooking in more of that yummy sauce, which might help them to stay more moist.

It was a delicious recipe that I will definitely make again!

Click here for the link to the original recipe.

Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu

2 tablespoon(s) olive oil

8 small (about 1 1/2 pounds total) chicken cutlets

Kosher salt

Pepper

1 large onion, sliced

1/2 cup(s) dry white wine

1/4 cup(s) low-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard

4 ounce(s) Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

4 ounce(s) deli ham, thinly sliced

6 sprig(s) (small) fresh thyme

Directions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Working in two batches, cook the chicken until browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side, adding more oil to the skillet if needed.

Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the wine and simmer until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream and mustard until blended.

Spoon half the sauce on the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Arrange the chicken, cheese, and ham, overlapping, on top. Spoon the rest of the sauce over and around the chicken and sprinkle with the thyme. Bake until cheese is melted and chicken is heated through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Heirloom Tomato and Onion Quiche

This recipe appeared in my inbox, just as I was wondering what to do with all the tomatoes from my garden!

I didn't grow any heirloom varieties, but mine worked just fine in this recipe.  It comes from Midwest Living.  Click here for the direct link to the recipe, which includes nutrition information.

I forgot to put the salt in it (I rarely cook with salt!) and it was still good.  Also, I didn't end up having to use foil to prevent the edges from browning too much.  I watched the stupid thing like a hawk for the last 10 minutes though!

Heirloom Tomato and Onion Quiche

1/2 15 -ounce package (1 crust) rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust
12 ounces assorted garden heirloom tomatoes (Cherokee Purple and/or Brandywine) or regular tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (I used about 5 smallish tomatoes -- you will be placing them in a single layer across the pie plate, so judge how many you'll need as you slice)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
3 eggs
3/4 cup half-and-half, light cream or milk (I used half-and-half)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed (I used fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Swiss, cheddar, Monterey Jack, and/or Havarti cheese (4 ounces) (I used Swiss)
Paprika

Directions

1. Let piecrust stand at room temperature according to package directions. Unroll piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp edge as desired. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more or until pastry is set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
2. Meanwhile, place tomato slices on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion. Cook until onion is tender but not brown, stirring occasionally.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, flour, basil, salt, dry mustard and black pepper.
4. To assemble, sprinkle cheese onto bottom of the hot, baked pastry shell. Spoon onion mixture over cheese. Arrange a single layer of tomato slices over cheese, overlapping slightly. Slowly pour egg mixture over tomatoes. Sprinkle paprika over egg mixture.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until egg mixture is set in center. If necessary, cover edge of pie with foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Kidney Bean Tuna Salad

I found this recipe to go with our diet.  It's easy to put together after a busy day, which is a lovely bonus.  Also, the red onion flavor isn't overpowering (good for me) and the olives aren't overly noticeable either (good for the boyfriend).  I skipped the cilantro and used tuna in oil.

Ingredients

• 1 can kidney beans Rinsed and drained
• 1 can tuna 6 oz
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 3 tablespoons sliced ripe olves
• 2 tablespoons red onion finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro minced

DRESSING

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper

Directions

Ina a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice,garlic, dill, salt and pepper. Pour over tuna mixture and toss lightly. Serve on a bed of lettuce if desired.

Kim's Grilled Chicken Salad

Originally I had planned to make the Crockin' Girls chicken salad recipe, but I didn't have a whole chicken in the freezer like I thought I did.  And they weren't on sale -- I can't stand paying full price for something that is BOGO all the time!

So, I decided to take some elements of that recipe and come up with my own.  We marinated the chicken in Italian dressing and grilled it, which gives this salad a delicious flavor!  I used my Pampered Chef chopper to cut it into fine pieces.

All of the amounts are based on your own taste.  I didn't measure anything, so I'm giving approximate amounts here.  Put in more of what you like, and less of what you don't!

I was amazed that the chicken salad was so good with absolutely NO spices.

Kim's Grilled Chicken Salad

1 pound grilled chicken (marinated in Italian dressing), shredded or chopped fine
20 red grapes, halved
1/2 an apple, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup cashews
mayo to the texture you like (Less is more! You can always add more, but you can't take any away.  I think I used about 1/4 cup.)

I served the chicken salad on wheat bread, but it would be great on a baguette or crackers too.  Chris had a slice of tomato on his, but I didn't like the taste of that because the chicken salad is sweet.  He thought it was great!

Lentil Soup

The boyfriend found this recipe when we wanted to eat more lentils for a diet and the other lentil stew recipe I liked was a slow cooker version.  This one takes some time and effort, but comes out well.  I have made it a lot over the last month and have made a few alterations and changes (some coming from the other recipe and some at the behest of the boyfriend).  The recipe below is my version.  In all the times I've made it, I've never taken a picture, not that it looks very appealing anyway.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, halved and sliced into half circles
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated with a microplane or 1 teaspoon of the jarred stuff
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 lb dry lentils
8 cups water
2 cups spinach, julienned or 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 tablespoons vinegar
4 cubes vegetable bouillon
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in lentils, and add crushed tomatoes, then the water, and the bouillon cubes. Return heat to medium to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, remove bay leaf, stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts or heats through. Stir in vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired.

Bacon Egg Breakfast Cups

The boyfriend found this recipe mentioned on lifehacker.  I tried to make it on a regular morning before work, and it does take longer than regular bacon and eggs, so it's more of a weekend treat type of dish.  Especially since I have to partially cook the bacon first before I can put it in the muffin cups.  The first time I forgot to spray the pan and I'm still working on cleaning that pan of the stuck on egg, so don't forget!!  And I cooked them for longer than the eight minutes that Kirbie recommends, as neither of us care for runny yolks.  This would make a cute dish to serve if you have breakfast company and don't want to be stuck at the stove making eggs for everybody; and if there are kids, it's finger food!

Bacon Egg Breakfast Cups

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients:

4 eggs
4 slices of precooked bacon (if you are using raw bacon, make sure to heat it up so it is cooked about 50% before placing it into the molds)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray muffin tin with pam spray.
2. Line muffin pans with bacon so that it circles each mold.
3. Break an egg into the center of each mold. Bake for about 8 minutes or until egg is cooked to the doneness of your liking. Serve while warm.

Wild Rice Salad with Cashews

I served the rice salad with a BLT (and C!) with a tomato from the garden!

This recipe is a delicious side dish, but you could easily make it into a main dish by adding some chicken or shrimp.

I couldn't find wild rice, so I made it with brown rice.  One thing to note:  you have to chill it for two hours before eating it -- I didn't notice that and had to save it for the next day!

This recipe comes from the July 29, 2012 issue of Parade magazine.  It is author Patricia Cornwell's contribution to the "Sunday Dinner" column.  She serves it with hamburgers and hot dogs.

Wild Rice Salad with Cashews

1 cup uncooked wild rice
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups chopped red or green bell pepper
3/4 cups cashews, coarsely chopped
2 green onions, sliced

Dressing:
3 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Asian sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of freshly ground pepper

1.  In a strainer, rince wild rice under cool running water. Drain well.

2.  In a 3 quart saucepan, bring rice and broth to a boil over high heat.

3.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 to 50 minutes or until rice is tender.  Drain excess liquid and set rice aside.

4.  In a medium skillet, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add peppers and cook for 3-5 minutes or until tender.

5.  Add cashews and green onions.  Cook for 2-3 minutes or until nuts begin to brown.  Remove from heat.  In a large bowl, stir wild rice with bell pepper mixture.

6.  For dressing, combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Shake well.  (I just whisked it in a bowl)  Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Vanilla Ice Cream

You will never find an easier recipe for homemade ice cream!  And it is as good as it is simple.  Creamy, full of flavor, and very, very rich!  You won't want a huge portion, believe me.

The recipe comes from the August 2012 issue of Woman's Day.  You should really browse their recipes sometime -- some of my favorite "go to" recipes have come from the pages of that magazine.

Vanilla Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl until thick, stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2.  Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or freezer-safe container, cover and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and up to 2 weeks.

Summer Party Menu

I put together the following menu for our Summer Party that I wanted to share with all of you!

• Hamburgers/Cheeseburgers
• Hot Dogs
• Special Sauce
• Easy Refrigerator Pickles
• Pesto Pasta Salad
• Balsamic Pasta Chicken Salad
• Fiesta Corn Chip Salad
• Pockets of Lemon Cake
• Spa Water

We're also serving assorted sodas and a Key Lime Cheeseball from Tastefully Simple!

Pesto Pasta Salad

I made this recipe for our summer party as a meatless option for our guests.  Delicious!   I sometimes skip pine nuts in a recipe because they're so expensive.  Don't skip it in this recipe!  They really add a wonderful flavor to the salad.

This recipe comes from the August 2012 issue of Cuisine at Home.

Pesto Pasta Salad

1 lb dry penne pasta
2 cups frozen green peas
1/2 cup pesto, homemade or purchased
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp minced lemon zest
1 Tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 grated Parmesean cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Cook penne in salted water according to package directions.  Add peas during last three minutes.  Transfer penne and peas to a bowl of ice water; drain well. (I just rinsed it all in cold water)

Whisk together pesto, lemon juice, oil, zest, and garlic in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in penne, peas, spinach, Parmesan, and pine nuts.  Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 20 servings (about 15 cups).

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

These pickles are AMAZING!  I'm usually a dill pickle person, but these are the best sweet pickles I have ever tasted.  And they are super easy.  I made mine with fresh cucumbers from our garden.

My mother-in-law gave me this recipe from an old cookbook or magazine.  It was clipped out with no additional information, other than the name "Mrs. Homer Hooks, Leesburg, Fla."

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

6 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vinegar (I used white distilled)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

In a glass or crockery bowl alternately layer the sliced cucumbers and onions. (I made mine in a large plastic bowl with a sealed top)  In a medium saucepan combine sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard ssed, celery seed, and ground turmeric.  Bring to a boil, stirring just until sugar is dissolved.  Pour vinegar mixture over cucumber-onion mixture.  Cool slightly.  Cover tightly.  Refrigerate pickles at least 24 hours before serving.  Store up to 1 month in the refrigerator.

Blueberry Shortcake Sundaes

The "signature" photo of this blog has always been Blueberry Shortcake Sundaes, and yet, I never posted the recipe!

This sauce is super easy and would be delicious without the ice cream on plain poundcake, or as a sauce for pancakes.  The secret ingredient is the cinnamon! 

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.  It tastes just as good.  During blueberry season when they are on sale, stock up and freeze them for later!

It comes from the May 2010 issue Taste of Home Simple & Delicious.

Blueberry Shortcake Sundaes

1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp water
1 pint blueberries (1 1/2 cups)
4 slices poundcake
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
whipped cream (optional)

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon.  Stir in water and blueberries until blended.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2-4 minutes or until thickened.

Place cake slices on four dessert plates.  Top each with ice cream and blueberry sauce.  (We like to top it with whipped cream too!)

Creamy Garlic Pasta

I saw this on Pinterest (original link is here) and thought it looked like a good dish to try.  Quick and easy to put together, it's a recipe I'd make again.

2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
¼  tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
½ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil. 

Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.

Cucumber and Blueberry Salad with Feta

I saw this last year on the Wegmans website and have been meaning to make it since last summer.  I finally got around to picking up all the ingredients tonight and put it together.  I enjoyed it although it's not a salad I would eat every day; it's more of a special occasion kind of dish.



3 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced thinly (half moon shape) (about 4 cups)
1 pint (2 cups) blueberries, rinsed and picked over
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Wegmans White Balsamic Vinaigrette (Produce Dept)
3 Tbsp thinly sliced Food You Feel Good About Fresh Mint Leaves
1 cup (about 1/4 lb) Wegmans Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese (Cheese Shop)

Directions:
    Combine cucumbers and blueberries in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Add white balsamic vinaigrette, mint, and feta. Toss gently to combine.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I've had a recipe for strawberry spinach salad kicking around for ages from a friend of the family.  When I brought home yet another quart of strawberries, it seemed like it was time to dig it out.  Unfortunately when I looked at it, I realized the friend had typed it up much too quickly and it called for nearly 2 tablespoons of paprika, so I turned to allrecipes.  It turned out excellent!  Forgive the picture though, I took it after we'd eaten and that was the leftovers.  Still tastes good, just doesn't look as pretty after the dressing's sat on the spinach for awhile.  And I used a 1/2 cup of almonds, since I didn't want a half package of them leftover and we both love nuts.

Ingredients

    2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    1 tablespoon poppy seeds
    1/2 cup white sugar
    1/2 cup olive oil
    1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
    1/4 teaspoon paprika
    1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    1 tablespoon minced onion
    10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
    1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
    1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

Directions

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
    In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Fiesta Corn Chip Salad

OK, this sounded a little odd, but I took a chance on it.  And oh. my. GOD.  It is GOOD!  It makes a lot, so cut it down a little if you're not having a cookout!  We ate it for three days.  (And yet, I never got a picture of it!)

To keep the chips from getting soggy, I kept them separate and just added them to the amount we were planning to eat right away, rather than add them all at once since I knew we wouldn't eat it all in one sitting.

This recipe comes from Taste of Home Simple & Delicious, June/July 2012.

Fiesta Corn Chip Salad

2 cans whole kernel corn, drained (15.25 oz each)
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (8 oz)
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1/8 tsp salt (I skipped it, didn't miss it)
1/8 tsp pepper
1 9.25 oz chili cheese flavored corn chips, crushed but still in big pieces

Mix all ingredients except corn chips in a large bowl.  Chill.  Stir in chips just before serving.

Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

This is a Kim Kenney original recipe! :-)

The secret is to add garlic and chili powder to the peppers and onions as you saute them.  I eat mine with salsa, but Chris likes his with sour cream.  I usually make four at a time -- two for dinner and two for lunch the next day.  Let the quesadillas for leftovers cool for about 20 minutes.  Wrap themin foil and reheat, wrapped, in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

4 flour tortillas, burrito size
1 lb of chicken breast
Italian dressing for marinating
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium pepper, sliced
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
about 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp minced garlic
extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I grate a little more than half a brick)
salsa and/or sour cream for garnish

1.  Marinate chicken in Italian dressing for at least a few hours. (I ususally start mine in the morning for dinner that night.)  Grill until done. Cut into thin slices.  Set aside.

2.  Heat vegetable oil in frying pan on medium heat.  Saute peppers, onions, garlic and chili powder until crisp-tender.

3.  Assemble quesadillas.  Place chicken strips on one half of the tortilla.  Top with peppers, onions and cheese.  Fold in half.

4.  Place quesadilla on panini press.  Press down for 10 seconds.  Grill for one minute.

Barbie's Tuna Salad

Another recipe that the boyfriend found on allrecipes (and made this first time; I've made it a couple of times since).  I never overly cared for tuna salad before, but it turns out that I'm much more a fan of relish in my tuna salad rather than chopped celery.  Don't be scared by the curry powder in the recipe, you won't taste it!  Also, we double the recipe as the current can size for tuna is 5 ounces (I have never even seen a 7 ounce can, which makes me wonder how old this recipe is).  And again I neglected to take a picture, although it looks like, you guessed it, tuna salad! (o.p. 6-15-12, edit 5-12-14 to add picture)

Ingredients

    1 (7 ounce) can white tuna, drained and flaked
    6 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
    1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
    3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
    1/8 teaspoon dried minced onion flakes
    1/4 teaspoon curry powder
    1 tablespoon dried parsley
    1 teaspoon dried dill weed
    1 pinch garlic powder

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the tuna, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and onion flakes. Season with curry powder, parsley, dill and garlic powder. Mix well and serve with crackers or on a sandwich.

Strawberries and Cream Biscuits

The boyfriend found this recipe on the smitten kitchen blog (if you haven't checked it out, you should!) and since I had a co-worker give me a couple of quarts of strawberries shortly after, it seemed destiny.  I baked them and we ate the first couple plain, and although they were tasty, the boyfriend thought they weren't as sweet as he expected a scone to be and therefore would work great as a strawberry shortcake base.  So, of course, as I still had berries left, I sliced up some (use an egg slicer if you have one lying around - works great!!), added some sugar, whipped up some whipping cream and presto, strawberry shortcakes with strawberry and cream biscuits.  Very tasty!  I neglected to get a picture, but, well, we all know what strawberry shortcake looks like.  And the pictures on the smitten kitchen blog are amazing.

2 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (15 grams) aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (85 grams) cold, unsalted butter
1 cup (about 130 grams) chopped very ripe strawberries (I quarter small or medium ones and further chop larger ones)
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the bottom of a large, wide-ish bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Add butter, either by cutting it in with two knives or a pastry blender (alternatively, you can freeze the butter and grate it in on the large holes of a box grater; a tip I learned from you guys) cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, breaking it up until the mixture resembles a crumbly meal with tiny pea-sized bits of butter about. Gently stir in the strawberries, so that they are coated in dry ingredient, then stir in heavy cream. (I like to use a rubber spatula to gently lift and turn the ingredients over each other.) When you’ve mixed it in as best as you can with the spatula, go ahead and knead it once or twice in the bowl, to create one mass. Do not worry about getting the dough evenly mixed. It’s far more important that the dough is not overworked.

Generously flour your counter. With as few movements as possible, transfer your dough to the counter, generously flour the top of it and with your hands or a rolling pin, gently roll or press the dough out to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2-inch circles with a floured biscuit cutter or top edge of a drinking glass, pressing straight down and not twisting (this makes for nice layered edges) as you cut. Carefully transfer scones to prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple inches between each.
You can re-roll the scraps of dough, but don’t freak out over how wet the dough becomes as the strawberries have had more time to release their juice. They’ll still bake up wonderfully.
Bake the scones for 12 to 15 minutes, until bronzed at the edges and the strawberry juices are trickling out of the biscuits in places. Cool in pan for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: Biscuits are generally best the day they are baked. However, if you wish to get a lead on them, you can make them, arrange them on your parchment-lined sheet and freeze them. If you’re prepping just one day in advance, cover the tray with plastic wrap and bake them the day you need them. If you’re preparing them more than one day in advance, once they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Bring them back to a parchment-lined sheet when you’re ready to bake them. No need to defrost the froze, unbaked scones, just add 2 to 3 minutes to your baking time.

Chicken Florentine Casserole

Time for another cooking creme recipe.  As usual, the prep time was longer than indicated.  And I hate spinach - I can never get it to defrost for me!  I also sprinkled some extra mozzarella on top with the bacon.  The spinach makes you forget how much cheese you're eating!  Overall, very tasty and a recipe I'll make again.


1 tsp. oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme
3/4 cup milk
2 cups cooked farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

HEAT oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and garlic; cook and stir 6 to 7 min. or until chicken is done. Stir in all remaining ingredients except bacon.

SPOON into 1-1/2 qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; cover.

BAKE 25 min. or until heated through, uncovering and sprinkling with bacon after 15 min.

Praline Sweet Potatoes

Located at 4 o'clock in the picture, the Praline Sweet Potatoes is a recipe I've been meaning to try for ages (I printed the recipe out in 2001!!!)  Very sweet and decadent - not a recipe for your everyday sweet potatoes, but for a special meal, definitely a treat.  The recipe calls for four cups of mashed sweet potatoes, so I guessed at four potatoes.  Well, by the time I finally made it (the ham dinner was delayed a couple of times), two of potatoes no longer looked so appetizing, so I halved the recipe.  I think I ended up with a bit more than two cups though.  But even so, I halved everything else and it still came out absolutely amazing! (edit December 15 2016 to add a new picture taken on Thanksgiving)

Ingredients

• 4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 pint heavy cream (1 cup)
• 1/4 pound butter (8 Tbsp)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Directions

1. Butter one 2 quart casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and cream. Blend well, and spread evenly in casserole dish.
3. Prepare the topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, flour and pecans. Mix until crumbly, and sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
   

Red Velvet Waffles with Cream Cheese Icing Drizzle

Rachael Ray had these on her show at Valentine's Day and I finally got around to making them.  I made a couple of small changes to it... I never find 4 oz blocks of cream cheese, only 3 or 8, so I went with 3 and stirred in part of the milk until it looked drizzley.   And I have no idea where to find pomegranate seeds, so I skipped them entirely and used the whole 6 oz container of raspberries, which might have been slightly over the one cup.  We had them as a breakfast treat for Easter. And a word of caution, I used a Belgian waffle iron, so I was guessing at how much to ladle in... the batter is thinner than regular waffles (or at least my regular waffles), so go with less than you think or you'll have batter all over the iron and counter.  Oh, and on the show, she used liquer in her berries, but I skipped that too, already decadent enough for breakfast, didn't need boozy berries too!

Ingredients

• 1 box of red velvet cake mix
• Nonstick cooking spray
• For the Cream Cheese Icing Drizzle:
• 4 ounces cream cheese, one small block, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• For the Red Berry Salad:
• 2 cups strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup red raspberries
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 tablespoon sugar 

Yields: 8 waffles

Preparation

Preheat waffle maker to medium-high heat.

Prepare cake mix to package directions. Once waffle iron is hot, spray with cooking spray. Pour 2 cups (about half) of the cake batter into the waffle iron. Cook 5 minutes; carefully remove from the waffle maker.

For the cream cheese drizzle, cream together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt into a bowl. Slowly whisk in milk. Set aside.

Mix together all ingredients for the red berry salad in a small bowl.

Top each waffle with a heaping spoonful of red berry salad and a drizzle of cream cheese

Shrimp & Broccoli Fettuccine

 Alas, this was not among my favorites for the cooking cremes (Enchiladas still win!).  Not bad, but I would make some changes the next time.  I used a whole pound of shrimp (what was I going to do with 1/4 pound that would've been left?) which turned out to be too much (boyfriend said that he prefers his shrimp breaded) and I left out the tomatoes as he doesn't care for them and a 1/4 cup seemed negligible.  I wasn't sure how far the cream sauce would go so I didn't add more broccoli as I was inclined.  One cup of broccoli is not enough, particularly if you want to make this a one dish meal.  I would increase the amount of pasta, double the broccoli, and use a 1/2 pound of shrimp (which would leave enough to make it again another time! - and more economical too).  If and when I make it again, I'll let you know how the changes came out.

1/4 lb. fettuccine, uncooked
1 cup broccoli florets
3/4 lb. frozen cooked cleaned medium shrimp, thawed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Savory Lemon & Herb Cooking Creme
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

Directions

Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt and adding broccoli for the last 3 min. Drain; keep warm.
Cook and stir shrimp and garlic in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 2 to 3 min. or until shrimp are heated through. Add cooking creme and milk; cook and stir 2 min.
Add pasta to shrimp mixture; mix lightly. Top with tomatoes.