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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

As if chocolate chip cookies need to be any sweeter, English toffee adds a crunchy smoothness and hazelnuts add a touch of sophistication.

1/2 C. old-fashioned oats
2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C. (packed) light brown sugar
1 C. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 ounces English toffee candy (recommended: Heath or Skor bar), finely chopped
1 C. hazelnuts, toasted, husked, and chopped
1 (12-oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely chop the oats in a food processor. Transfer the oats to a medium bowl. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the toffee, hazelnuts, and chocolate chips.

For each cookie, drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough onto sheet, spacing 1-inch apart (do not flatten dough). Bake until the cookies are golden (cookies will flatten slightly), about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Editor's Note: When we made these cookies they were extremely sweet. You could easily use a 1/2 C. of brown sugar and a 1/2 C. white sugar and still have a sweet cookie.

Macaroni Grill Lemon Butter Sauce

Macaroni Grill Lemon Butter Sauce

4 ounces lemon juice
2 ounces white wine
4 ounces heavy cream
1 pound (4 sticks) butter

Heat the lemon juice and white wine in a saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a boil and reduce by one-third. Add cream and simmer until mixture thickens (3 to 4 minutes). Slowly add butter until completely incorporated.

Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Easy Rice Additions

Easy, Cheesy Rice: Add butter and Parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.

Emerald Isle: Add peas and finely chopped fresh mint to hot, cooked
rice.

Baked, but not Potato: Add crumbled bacon and sour cream to hot, cooked rice.

Lemon Zinger: Add butter, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to hot,
cooked rice

How Sweet It Is: Add cinnamon, sugar and butter to hot, cooked rice.

Maui Wowi: Add crushed pineapple and green bell pepper slices to hot, cooked rice.

Sesame Treat: Add toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil and thinly sliced green onions to hot, cooked rice.

Country Bumpkin: Add cream gravy to hot, cooked rice.

Health Nut: Add toasted sunflower seeds and raisins to hot, cooked
rice.

Dracula's 'Shroom: Add mushrooms and garlic sautéed in butter to hot, cooked rice.

Gardener's Delight: Add chopped fresh basil, chopped tomatoes and
fresh corn-off-the-cob to hot, cooked rice.

Leek Freak: Add butter and cooked leeks to hot, cooked rice.
Cantonese Please: Add broccoli flowerets, sesame oil, chopped toasted peanuts or cashews to hot, cooked rice.

Pass the Parmesan, Peas: Add garlic sautéed in butter, peas and
parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.

Polish BBQ: Add kielbasa sausage and barbecue sauce to hot, cooked
rice.

Unkissable Crunch: Add sautéed garlic and onions, and toasted walnuts to hot, cooked rice.

Moo Goo Rice: Add sautéed mushrooms, snow peas and sliced water
chestnuts to hot, cooked rice

Mama Mia: Add tomato basil sauce, cooked zucchini and Italian sausage to hot, cooked rice. Top with parmesan cheese.

Rice Ole: Add black beans, minced red onion, chopped bell pepper,
chopped cilantro, and vinaigrette to hot, cooked rice.

Corn on the Range: Add corn and barbecue sauce to hot, cooked rice.

For Southerners Only: Add cooked okra and stewed tomatoes to hot,
cooked rice.

Porky Peas: Add crumbled bacon and peas to hot, cooked rice.

Hoppin' John: Add black-eyed peas and sliced green onions to hot,
cooked rice.

Veggy Medley: Add garbanzo beans, shredded carrots, ripe olives,
parsley, and ricotta cheese to hot, cooked rice. Top with parmesan
cheese.

Mock Apple Cobbler: Add sliced apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, chopped nuts, and vanilla yogurt to hot, cooked rice.

Rice Parmigana: Add mixed vegetables, your favorite spice or herb,
butter, and parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.

South of the Border: Add diced tomatoes, sliced green onions,
shredded Monterey jack cheese and chopped cilantro to hot, cooked
rice.

Hearty Rice: Add marinated artichoke hearts and grated Parmesan
cheese to hot, cooked rice.

Little Bit of Italy: Add asparagus tips, toasted pine nuts, red and
yellow peppers to hot, cooked rice. Top with Parmesan cheese.

U.S.S. Rice: Add naval orange slices, chopped red onions or
scallions, and vinaigrette dressing to hot, cooked rice.

Feeling Slightly Mexican: Add fresh avocado, tomato chunks, fresh
cilantro, and lots of lemon

Steam-it-Up: Add steamed zucchini and carrots, butter, parmesan
cheese to hot, cooked rice.

Nuts about Garlic: Add sautéed garlic and toasted pine nuts to hot,
cooked rice.

Let's Salsa: Add cooked beans, salsa and shredded cheese to hot,
cooked rice.

Trail Blazer: Add yogurt and fresh fruit to hot, cooked rice. Top
with granola.

Pooh Bear's Favorite: Add milk, raisins, a little sugar and a dash of
vanilla to hot, cooked rice. Simmer until thickened. Drizzle with
honey.

Farmer's Scramble: Add scrambled eggs, sausage and green onions to
hot, cooked rice.

Rice Cream: Add vanilla ice cream, dash of cinnamon to hot, cooked
rice.

Indian Gold: Cook rice with a pinch of saffron. Add cooked green
beans.

Tea-Time: For extra flavor, toss an herbal tea bag into the water
while rice cooks.

Beefed-Up Rice: Cook rice in beef broth. Add sautéed onions, cashews, and raisins. Top with green onions

Rice Worth Crowing About: Cook rice in chicken stock. Add sautéed
onions, mushrooms, green pepper, and toasted pine nuts.

It's Greek to Me: Cook rice in chicken broth with chopped onion and a
clove of minced garlic. Fold in feta cheese and chopped parsley.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 pkg graham crackers crushed
1/3 cup sugar
5 tbsp melted butter
1 cup chopped peanuts
Cake
32 oz cream cheese (good quality)
1 cup sugar
5 jumbo eggs
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
8 Reese's cups ( chopped into pieces)

Crust
Mix and pat into 10 inch springform pan and set aside.

Cake
Break eggs and heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Put to side. Cream the cheese until light. Add sugar and beat some more. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix in peanut butter, cream, vanilla and corn starch. Blend well. Stir in candy.
Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 for 60 minutes. or until outside edge is firm and middle is still soft.
Keep pan of water on bottom of oven to prevent cracking while baking. When cake comes out of oven run knife around the edge to loosen. Cool for several hours then top with additional Reese's and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Honey-Chipotle Sauce

Honey-Chipotle Sauce

1 oz chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (available in cans; remainder may
be frozen)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
4 oz honey
1 tbsp ground dry mustard
1 tsp ground cumin
4 oz fresh lime juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 oz vegetable oil

Sauce: Place all ingredients except oil in a food processor or blender.
With it running, slowly add oil until blended.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
1 cup white hominy
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
chopped green onions

In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.

Citrus Chicken and Rice

Citrus Chicken and Rice

Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 35 min.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Stock
3/4 cup orange juice
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Cook the chicken in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until it's well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Stir the stock, orange juice, onion and rice in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked though and the rice is tender.  Stir in the parsley.

Tip:  For a special touch, cook orange slices in a nonstick skillet  over medium-high heat until they're lightly browned. Serve over the chicken.

Serves 4.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Skillet Lasagna

SKILLET LASAGNA

 

CL's Note: I have issues with ricotta so I substitute low-fat cottage cheese, run round in the blender a time or two.

 

"Any brand of curly edged lasagna noodles will work here, but do not

use no-boil lasagna noodles. If the pasta is especially dry and

brittle, you may need to add extra water to the skillet while the

pasta cooks. To make things go even quicker, you can replace the

mozzarella and Parmesan with 3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend."

 

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and ground black pepper

6 ounces curly edged lasagna noodles (8 noodles), broken into 2-inch pieces

1 (26-ounce) jar tomato sauce, such as marinara (about 3 cups)

2 cups water

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh basil

 

Cook meat in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat, breaking it

into pieces with wooden spoon, until fat renders, 3-5 minutes. Mince

garlic and measure out pasta while meat cooks. Drain meat and return it to skillet.

 

Stir in garlic, pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook over

medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

 

Sprinkle broken noodles into skillet, then pour in tomato sauce and

water. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until noodles are tender, about 20 minutes.

 

Off heat, stir in half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Season

with salt and pepper. Dot heaping tablespoons of ricotta over

noodles, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and let stand off heat until cheeses melt, 3-5 minutes.

 

Sprinkle with basil before serving.

 

Serves 4

Source: The Best 30-Minute Recipe by the editors of Cook's Illustrated

Green Goddess Dressing

Green Goddess Dressing

 

1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 TB minced tarragon

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 TB fresh lemon juice

Salt and ground black pepper

 

In a food processor, combine the parsley, anchovies, garlic and

tarragon and process to a fine paste. Blend in the sour cream,

mayonnaise and lemon juice.

 

Scrape the dressing into a serving bowl and season with salt and

pepper. Refrigerate until serving time. Dressing can be refrigerated

for up to 3 days.

 

Makes: 1-1/4 cups.

 

Recipe from Todd English.

Greatest Spaghetti Sauce

Greatest Spaghetti Sauce

 

2 lbs. Ground Beef

1 lb. Jimmy Dean ground Italian sausage

1 1/2 Cups Chopped Italian sausage link

6 cloves Garlic

1/2 cup Chopped white onion

1 cup Chopped white mushrooms

1 can Stewed or diced tomatoes

2 cans Tomatoes Sauce

1 can tomatoes paste

2 tbsp. Garlic Powder

2 tbsp. Garlic pepper

2 tbsp. Spaghetti Sauce seasoning (or one packet)

2 tbsp. minced onion

2 tbsp. onion powder

2 tbsp. minced garlic

Water

Spaghetti noodles

 

Brown and drain Ground beef, garlic, onions. Set aside. Brown and

drain ground sausage. Set aside. Add to crock pot ground beef mix and sausage. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir. Cook on low heat for 6 hours. Stir every 2 hours. Add water as for desired consistency.

Boil noodles and serve. Delicious!!

Baked Chicken and Cheese

Have made something similar several times and enjoyed it. 

 

Baked Chicken and Cheese

8 boneless chicken breast halves

8 slices Swiss cheese

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups herb stuffing crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

Few mushrooms

Green pepper

Parsley

 

Place chicken breasts in buttered 9x13-inch baking dish. Top each

with a slice of cheese.

 

Mix together the soup, milk, and sour cream. Pour over chicken and

cheese. Top with herb stuffing. Drizzle melted butter over.

 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

 

Remove foil and bake another 30 to 40 minutes.

 

Servings: 6 to 8

Mixology Monday - Strawberry Basil Mojito - Drink of the Week

Oh my gawd, does this sound GOOD.  Go click on the link and check it out.  I'm thinking strawberries, raspberries, blackberries...



Mixology Monday XXXVIII is being hosted over at the Wild Drink Blog and the theme is “Superior Twists.” The idea is add a twist to a classic cocktail that sends it over the top of cocktail goodness.Mixology Monday - Strawberry Basil Mojito - Drink of the Week, Apr 2009



You should read the whole article.

Skyy Infusions Pineapple - Drink of the Week

I found this yummy drink today:



1 1/2 parts Skyy Vodka Infusions Pineapple 1 1/2 parts fresh squeezed orange juice 1 part guava pureeSkyy Infusions Pineapple - Drink of the Week, Apr 2009



You should read the whole article (and patronize the site, they'd love you for it).