November 2013

How To Crushed New Potatoes

These potatoes are so easy to make, a really great addition to any meal. I think it brings the meal up a notch...just because they are so delicious and yet different. They are perfect for an appetizer as well.

Ingredients:

2 avocados (peeled, pitted, & cubed)
2 - 3 tomatoes (cubed)
1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese (cubed)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. basil (we used dried, but you could use fresh)
salt & pepper (to taste...I like it saltier than Dakota does)

Ingredients

1 lb medium raw shrimp, shell removed
¾ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 medium tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, or ¼ cup green onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon hot chili flakes
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 garlic clove, pressed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup dry white wine: Sweet wine won’t work!!
½ cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan to serve

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (8 4-ounce pieces)
1 cup whole wheat Italian style bread crumbs
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 clove minced garlic and olive oil for sauteeing
½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
⅓ cup beaten egg whites (I used something similar to Egg Beaters)
3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup marinara sauce
fresh basil for topping

Ingredients

1 package chocolate cake mix (I recommend using Betty Crocker brand), and the ingredients needed to make the cake according to the package
2 lbs. ricotta cheese
4 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 (5.1 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup cold milk
8 oz. Cool Whip

My family devoured this! Chinese Beef With Broccoli Recipe! Simple Way To Make 'Take Out' At Home!

This looks delicious and I’ve never heard of a dip like it! Absolutely trying this for a party this weekend. Looks unbelievable.Yum!

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 sprig fresh thyme
Pinch of nutmeg
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
9 tablespoons grated Parmesan, divided, plus more for broiling

So I have seen taco stuffed shells allllll over the internet and Pinterest and they looked awesome!! Except for one thing they all use cream cheese. Now my family loves cream cheese on bagels and in cheesecake and stuff like that but we don’t like cream cheese in savory fillings for enchiladas or lasagnas. So I started thinking of what we do like in our enchiladas so I could mimic it in these pasta shells and it came out awesome!! I would have loved to add corn and black beans but then I would have a riot on my hands from the picky eaters so I left those out. You can certainly add them in or add anything in you like, add jalapenos or green chiles or even kidney beans would be great here.

Ingredients:

4-6 cups very small broccoli flowerets, blanched about 2 minutes, then drained well.
1-2 cups diced ham (1/2 – 1 lb.)
1 cup low-fat grated Mozzarella
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion (optional, but good)
8-10 eggs, well beaten
Spike Seasoning (or other all-purpose seasoning blend) to taste (I use about 1 tsp.)
fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
low-fat sour cream, for serving (optional)
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My entire family loved it! I used a mixture of shredded cheeses and a precooked chicken from the store to save time. Loved the spinach, tomato and artichoke combination. The kids are asking when I’ll make it again.
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How To Salsa Chicken Casserole

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
1 cup Heavy Cream
Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
Fresh Basil, Chopped
1-1/2 pound Fettuccine

Ingredients:

8 oz. fettuccine
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic
½ lb. peeled & deveined shrimp (41/50 size)
1 (15. oz.) can diced tomatoes
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp salt
Freshly cracked pepper to taste
Handful fresh parsley

Ingredients:

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cups water
12 oz ziti
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Ingredients:
8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
1 can of chili
1/2 an onion, diced
cheddar cheese
mayonnaise
mustard
sweet relish
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This dish is incredibly easy and super flavorful. The pasta cooks in a mixture of broth, herbs, and aromatics, like onion and garlic, which really ramp up the flavor. The starch that leaches off of the pasta as it cooks helps create a thick sauce right in the pot. It’s magic!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups warm water (110°F-115°F)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast or instant yeast
1 cup sourdough starter, fed or unfed; fed will give you a more vigorous rise
7 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Baker’s Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sour salt (citric acid), optional; for enhanced sour flavor
semolina or cornmeal, for coating

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken. Wow this is a must for your summer grillin'! This is the perfect balance between sweet and spicy. And everything is better wrapped in bacon... :)

This recipe is great for when you’ve got a few guests coming over and want to make sure you’ve got plenty of food on the table. It only takes a few minutes to prep and only has to marinade for about half an hour. And as long as you don’t let it cook too long on the grill, it is sure to come out juicy and tender.

Ingredients:
Batter

4 large apples (any variety)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil, for frying

Ingredients

4 cups rice, prepared
½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked (I recommend using slow cooker teriyaki chicken)
1 cup peas & carrots, frozen
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
3 tablespoons sesame oil
¼ cup soy sauce

Ingredients

29 ounces canned tomato sauce
14.5 ounces canned petite diced tomatoes
12 ounces canned tomato paste
2 cups sweet yellow onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped (about 2 cloves)
½ teaspoon dried parsley leaves
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped (about 6 leaves)
3-4 large THAWED/FRESH boneless, skinless chicken breasts
sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese
grated parmesan cheese
4-6 hard rolls
butter
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Ingredients

12 ounces fettuccine (or any pasta shape)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup low-fat milk (I used 1%)
3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
(optional topping: chopped fresh parsley)
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Ingredients

small chicken breasts (1 per serving)
Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Wedges (1 per serving)
steamed broccoli
Mrs. Dash Salt-free Seasoning (I used table blend)
non-stick cooking spray
clove of garlic (crushed/minced)
chicken broth
fat free milk

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 tablespoons Old El Paso hot and spicy taco seasoning
1 pinch coarse salt
1 (12-ounce) tube Pillsbury Grand Big & Flaky biscuits (8 biscuits)
1/3 cup black refried beans
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese
1/3 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup sliced black olives
2 scallions, sliced
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File this under the Onion Soup Mix Recipe category, though there is no Lipton onion soup mix in site.

I may even serve these at my next dinner party, they were that good!

While babysitting for my 6 year old picky eater niece, I had to come up with a good lunch that would be fun for the two of us to make together.

Ingredients

3 skinless boneless chicken breasts, trimmed and filleted in half lengthwise
1/3 cup of flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1 (8 oz) container of sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup of sherry wine
1 small can of condenced cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup whole milk
6 slices of Muenster cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
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Ingredients:

8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
6 tablespoons egg whites or egg beaters
5 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid
6 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
6 oz part skim mozzarella (I used Polly-O)
olive oil non-stick spray (I use my Misto)
1 cup pomodoro sauce or your favorite marinara sauce
salt and pepper to taste
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I’m always looking for a yummy veggie recipe to go along with dinner. My family has had enough of my steamed broccoli. Sigh. So, I got pretty happy when I found this veggie spiral over at For The Love Of Cooking. It’s everything I love–seasoned, topped with parmesan, and baked. If this looks delicious to you, it’s because it is! Go check out the recipe and instructions here. You just can’t miss out on this one.
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The key is amazing thick, aged, balsamic, not grocery store bought. It makes a huge difference. Easy Caprese Garlic Bread Recipe

Ready for an appetizer recipe that pops? I’ve found a great recipe for sausage stuffed jalapeno peppers at The Black Pepper Corn. This spicy appetizer treat is made with ground pork sausage, bacon, jalapeno peppers, and cream cheese. Remove the seeds and membrane from the peppers, fill each jalapeno half with cheese and sausage, and wrap them in bacon. Line them all up and pop them for about 40 minutes. That’s all you need to prepare these fabulous snacks! If you are having a party, serve them on a fancy plate with homemade sauce. These appetizers go well with beer, so grab a six pack on your way

How To The perfect baked potato

Ingredients~

Vanilla Pastry Cream (recipe below)
Bananas (I used two bananas for 6 small dessert servings)
Good quality caramel sauce, or dulce de leche.
Fresh whipped cream (I used 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar)
Graham Cracker crumble (recipe below)
Vanilla Pastry Cream
2/3 cup sugar (can be reduced to 1/2 cup if you prefer desserts less sweet)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
yields 15 truffles

Ingredients:

6 Granny Smith apples, large size
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1 egg white
1 tablespoon vanilla
Cinnamon sugar
Caramel sauce
Canola oil
Dash of salt
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Ingredients:
1 small spaghetti squash (about 3-4 pounds)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup finely minced parsley (or basil)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
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Want to know how to make chocolate covered strawberries even better? Try soaking them in chocolate vodka overnight before you dip them!
First, rinse your strawberries. Then place them in a jar. Pour in chocolate vodka until they are submerged. Seal and refrigerate for 24 hours. *Note – you really need to let them soak. I ate one after only 6 hours and your could note yet taste the vodka.
After 24 hours (or so), remove the strawberries from the jar of vodka and pat dry. Then dip into your favorite melted chocolate (I chose white chocolate).
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Ingredients

2 (10 oz.) packages frozen spinach, thawed & well-drained
2 small onions, very finely chopped (I use a food processor)
2 1/4 c. stuffing with herbs (I use Pepperidge Farm)
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. melted butter
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. black pepper
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Easy Pizza Roll-Ups

How to Cookies ‘N Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies
1 box Brownie Mix
eggs & oil (as called for by the brownie mix)
1 heaping half cup (6 oz) Cookies & Cream ice cream
1/4 Cup hot fudge topping (chilled or room temp)
1 pkg Oreos (regular, Double or Mega Stuffed! Your choice! :))
Preheat oven according to directions on the box and spray an 8×8 baking dish generously with cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil as directed on the back of the box, but do not add the water. Add ice cream and hot fudge to the brownie batter and stir to combine. Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking dish, layer with Oreos, then top with remaining batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes or as directed on the back of the box.
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Ingredients

2 1/2 C pecans
1/2 C butter (I use salted)
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C light corn syrup
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1/2 of a 14 ounce can)
1/2 t vanilla
1 (12 ounce) package milk chocolate chips
1/2 t shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco)
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Baked Zucchini Fries - a delicious way to enjoy zucchini when in season. A super easy side dish and great way to encourage children and fussy eaters to enjoy their vegies!

Ingredients
1 lb. zucchini squash
¼ cup all-purpose flour
⅛ tsp salt
1 cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning blend
1 large egg
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Ingredients:

1 globe eggplant, about 8 ounces and 9-10 inches long
about 1 T salt, for drawing water out of eggplant
about 2 T olive oil, for brushing eggplant before roasting
about 2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, for sprinkling on eggplant before roasting
10 large basil leaves, cut in chiffonade strips (optional)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 cup finely grated low-fat mozzarella blend
hot red pepper flakes for sprinkling finished pizza (optional)
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Ingredients:

1 package string cheese
1 cup panko
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter
marinara or pizza sauce
Unwrap string cheese and cut in half. Put equal amounts of panko and Italian bread crumbs to a bowl and mix together. Beat together 2 eggs and a little milk with a fork. Put flour in a third bowl and roll each piece of cheese in the flour. Dip the flour coated cheese in the egg mixture and then coat with the bread crumb mixture. Place mozzarella sticks in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Remove the mozzarella sticks from the freezer and place them on a baking sheet. Melt butter and drizzle it over the mozzarella sticks. Bake at 400°F for about 8-10 minutes. Dip mozzarella sticks in marinara or pizza sauce.

How to Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
Rosemary

Better Than Sex Chex Mix! Seriously, you won't be able to stop eating this. It is heavenly and sinful at the same time.