Monthly Archives: April 2011

BAKED BRUNCH SANDWICHES

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3 tablespoons dijon mustard
12 slices bread
6 slices fully cooked ham
12 slices cheddar OR swiss cheese
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter OR magarine, softened
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper

spread mustard on one side of 6 slices of bread. layer ham, cheese and tomato over mustard; top with remaining bread. butter the outsides of the sandwiches; cut in half. arrange in a greased 13″x9″x2″ dish. beat eggs, milk and pepper; pour over sandwiches. cover and refrigerate 30 minutes before baking. bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30 minutes or until threw sandwiches are golden brown and the cheese is melted.

6 servings

FINGER LICKIN’ CHICKEN

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2 1/2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar (or sugar substitute)
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Rinse the chicken pieces off and pat until dry.

arrange the chicken in a shallow baking dish.

in a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, chopped scallions, dijon mustard, minced garlic, sugar, worcestershire sauce, dry mustard and black pepper and whisk to blend well.

pour the marinade over the chicken; cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning occasionally.

preheat oven to 325° and bake for 30-40 minutes.

remove chicken from the marinade and save remaining marinade.

place the chicken on a prepared grill and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, until tender, basting with the reserved marinade. serve immediately.

PANCAKE CUPCAKES

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2 cups bisquick
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
12 tablespoons filling (nutella, fruit jam, or cream cheese)
powdered sugar for sprinkling
maple syrup for serving

preheat oven to 400°. generously coat the bottom and sides of a 12 muffin cupcake tin with butter. make bisquick pancakes per instructions on the box. fill each cup in the cupcake tin halfway. add 1 tablespoon of filling to the middle of each cupcake, then cover with the remaining pancake mix. bake 20 minutes. remove from oven, place on serving dish and use a flour sifter to sprinkle with powdered sugar. serve with warm syrup.

RANCH POTATOES

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2 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
1 cup sour cream
1 envelope dry buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup

spray the inside of a slow cooker with pam.

place the potatoes in the slow cooker.

combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl. spoon over potatoes and stir gently.

cover and cook on LOW 7-8 hours, or on HIGH 3 1/2-4 hours, or until potatoes are tender not dry or mushy.

stir carefully before serving.

HOLY COW CAKE

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CAKE:

1 (18.25 oz) package plain devil’s food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

TOPPING:

1 (8 oz) jar caramel topping
1 (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
4 butterfinger candy bars (2.1 oz each), crushed
1 (12 oz) container cool whip, thawed
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature

place rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. lightly mist a 13″x9″ cake pan with pam. set the pan aside.

place the cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. the batter should look thick and well blended. pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out the top with the rubber spatula. place the pan in the oven.

bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 35-38 minutes. remove the pans from the oven and place it on a wire rack. immediately poke holes in the top of the cake with a drinking straw or chopstick.

to prepare the topping: place the caramel topping and sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl and stir to combine. spoon this mixture over the warm cake so that it can seep down into the holes. measure out half of the crushed candy bars and sprinkle the pieces over the cake.

place the cool whip and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and combined, 1 minute. spread the mixture over the top of the candy. sprinkle the remaining candy pieces on top.

place the pan, uncovered, in the refrigerator to chill the cake for about 20 minutes before cutting it into squares and serving.

serves 20

RICOTTA MASCARPONE MOUSSE WITH BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES

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1 cup heavy cream
1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 pounds strawberries, cleaned, hulled, cut into quarters
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste

in a medium bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form.

in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, marscapone, 1/2 cup of sugar and the lemon zest. using an electric mixer, whip the mixture until thoroughly combined and smooth.

gradually fold the whipped cream into the ricotta until the mixture is smooth. cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

put the strawberries in another bowl.

half an hour before serving, gently mix in the remaining sugar and balsamic vinegar.

do not let the strawberries sit in the balsamic vinegar longer than 30 minutes. the acidity of the vinegar will cook the strawberries and make them mushy.

when ready to serve, fill glass bowls halfway with the strawberries and their juices. spoon on the ricotta/mascsrpone mousse or use a pastry bag to pipe the mousse.

PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS

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5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2-3 dashes hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon butter OR margarine
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 pound mostaccioli OR elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

in a skillet, cook garlic, red pepper flakes and hot pepper sauce in oil and butter for 2-3 minutes. add asparagus, salt and pepper; saute until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes. add parmesan cheese; mix well. pour over hot pasta and toss to coat. serve immediately.

4-6 servings

CHERRY (OR STRAWBERRY) RICE DESSERT

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3 cups cooked long-grain rice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened, divided
1 (21 oz) can cherry OR strawberry pie filling
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (12 oz) carton cool whip, thawed, divided
1 (3.4 oz) package instant coconut cream pudding
3 cups cold milk
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted

in a bowl, combine rice, pecans and a third of the cream cheese; mix well. spread into a greased 13″x9″x2″ baking dish. refrigerate for 30 minutes; spread with pie filling. refrigerate for 15 minutes. in a bowl, combine sugar and the remaining cream cheese. fold in half of the cool whip; spread over pie filling. refrigerate for 30 minutes. in a mixing bowl, beat pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes or until thickened. pour over top; refrigerate for 30 minutes. spread with remaining cool whip. sprinkle with coconut.

16-20 servings