Monthly Archives: June 2011

GARDEN HARVEST VEGGIE SOUP

Posted on by
Reply

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 leek, white part only, sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme
3 red potatoes, quartered
1 cup baby spinach
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
9 cups water
2 small zucchinis, chopped
1 cup green beans
1/2 cup ditalini pasta (or another small pasta)
2 plum OR italian tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

BASIL TOPPING:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

place 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan or stock pot. once warm, add carrots, leek, and celery. cook over medium heat for 5 minute, stirring occasionally. add garlic and thyme and continue to cook for 5 minutes. add potatoes, spinach, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper; cook 3 minutes. add water, zucchini, beans, pasta, and tomatoes to the saucepan; cook an additional 8 minutes. while soup is cooking, place the basil, remaining oil and cheese in a small food processor; blend until smooth. swirl basil mixture into the soup just until combined and serve.

8 (2 cup) servings

GROUND BEEF AND BAKED BEANS CASSEROLE

Posted on by
Reply

2 tablespoons vegetable oil OR olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
1 pound ground beef
2 (15 oz) cans boston-style baked beans
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (1 cup)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 slices bacon

preheat oven to 350°. coat a 2-quart casserole dish with pam; set aside.

in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. add the onion; cook about 5 minutes or until softened. add the beef; cook about 10 minutes or until brown, breaking meat up with a fork as it cooks.

in a large bowl, combine the beef mixture with the remaining ingredients except the bacon; mix well. pour beef mixture into the prepared casserole; arrange the bacon slices on top. cover with a lid or aluminum foil. bake about 45 minutes or until thick and bubbly. uncover dish and preheat broiler. broil for 1-2 minutes or until the bacon is crisp.

8-10 servings

KNOCK YOU NAKED BROWNIES

Posted on by
Reply

1 (18.5 oz) box german chocolate cake mix
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk (additional)
1/2 cup butter, melted
60 caramels, unwrapped
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup 10x sugar

preheat oven to 350°.

in a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. stir together until totally combined. mixture will be very thick.

press half the mixture into a well-greased 9″x9″ square baking pan. bake for 8-10 minutes. remove pan from oven and set aside.

in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water, melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. when melted and combined, pour over brownie base. sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.

turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.

bake for 20-25 minutes. remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. when ready to serve, generously sift 10x sugar over the surface of the brownies.

12 servings

S’MORE SKEWER BITES

Posted on by
Reply

10-12 jumbo marshmallows
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 cup crushed graham crackers

line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

place the marshmallows on skewers. place graham crackers on a plate or other flat surface.

place chocolate in a double boiler and cook over low heat until melted. remove from heat.

dip skewered marshmallows into melted chocolate. make sure to coat all sides.

roll the chocolate dipped marshmallows in the crushed graham crackers. transfer to prepared baking sheet. chill in the refrigerator until chocolate hardens.

allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

makes 10-12 skewers

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL COOKIES WITH SEA SALT

Posted on by
Reply

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
soft caramel, rolled into little balls
sea salt

preheat oven to 350°. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper lightly coated with pam, or, silpats if you have them. lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars (mixture will resemble coarse sand). add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. add flour mixture, stirring until moist. wrap the chocolate dough around the caramel balls. place balls on cookie sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.

bake for 10-12 minutes or until almost set. cool on pans 2-3 minutes or until firm. remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

makes approx 2 dozen cookies

STUFFED CHICKEN ROLLS

Posted on by
Reply

6 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
6 slices fully cooked ham
6 slices swiss cheese
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup oil
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
chopped fresh parsley, optional

flatten chicken to 1/8″ thickness. place ham and cheese on each breast. roll up and tuck in ends; secure with a toothpick. combine flour, parmesan cheese, sage, paprika and pepper; coat chicken on all sides. cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

in a large skillet, brown chicken in oil over medium-high heat. transfer to a 5 quart slow cooker. combine soup and broth; pour over chicken. cover and cook on LOW 4-5 hours. remove toothpicks. garnish with parsley if desired.

6 servings

CHICKEN CACCIATORE CASSEROLE

Posted on by
Reply

1 1/4 cups minute rice (uncooked)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 chicken breast filets (skinless, if desired)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

spread,rice in bottom of lightly greased 13″x9″x2″ baking dish. in small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon parsley and remaining ingredients except chicken and cheeses; pour over rice. arrange chicken on top of rice mixture. bake, covered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes. uncover casserole. sprinkle mozzarella then parmesan cheese over top and bake 5 minutes longer. sprinkle remaining parsley over top just before serving.

6 servings

OVEN-ROASTED POTATO WEDGES

Posted on by
Reply

4 unpeeled baking potatoes (2 lbs)
2 tablespoons olive OR vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary OR 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1/4 teaspoon pepper

cut potatoes lengthwise into wedges; place in a greased 13″x9″x2″ baking pan. drizzle with oil. sprinkle with onion, garlic, rosemary, salt if desired and pepper; stir to coat. bake, uncovered, at 400° for 45-50 minutes or until tender, turning once.

8 servings

POTATO CHIP COOKIES

Posted on by
Reply

1 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (your choice)
6 ounces butterscotch chips
2 cups crushed potato chips

cream margarine, sugars, and eggs.

mix in all other ingredients in order.

drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet.

bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes

makes approx 4 dozen

SWEDISH OATMEAL COOKIES

Posted on by
Reply

preheat oven to 350°; rack in middle position.

1 cup butter (2 sticks, 1/2 lb)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup flour (no need to sift)
2 cups quick oats
1 egg yolk

melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for approximately 1 1/2 minutes. let it cool to room temperature. mix in the sugar. add the baking soda, flour and oatmeal. stir thoroughly. beat the egg yolk with a fork until it’s thoroughly mixed. add it to the bowl and stir until its incorporated. grease (or spray with pam) a standard-sized cookie sheet. make small balls of dough and place them on the cookie sheet, 12 to a sheet. press them down with a fork in a crisscross pattern the way you do for peanut butter cookies. bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until they’re just starting to brown around the edges. let the cookies cool for a minute or two on the sheets and then transfer them to a wire rack to complete cooling.

makes approximately 5 dozen