Monthly Archives: March 2012

DILLY BAKED POTATOES

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6 med baking potatoes
3 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tbs dried dill
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
6 tbs grated cheddar cheese OR crumbled feta cheese
6 tbs sour cream

preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

slice across the potatoes 1/4″ thick, cutting almost but not quite enough through the bottom. arrange the potatoes in an ovenproof baking dish. brush the olive oil over the potatoes and into the cuts. sprinkle with dill and season with salt. bake 50 minutes. take the dish from the oven and sprinkle the cheese evenly into the cuts. bake another 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts. serve each potato with a dollop of sour cream.

serves 4-6

DILLY GREEN BEANS

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3 qts water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp snipped fresh dill OR dried dill
1 1/4 lbs green beans, stemmed and frenched OR 2 (10 oz) pkgs frozen green beans
3 tbs butter
salt and pepper to taste
6 fresh dill sprigs for garnish (optional)

bring the water to a rapid boil in a lg saucepan over high heat. add the salt and the dill, then by the handful, drop in the beans. boil rapidly, uncovered, 6-8 minutes, or until the beans are fork-tender. (for frozen beans, cook following pkg direction in water flavored with salt and dill.) drain the beans, return them to the pot, and shake the pot over the heat to dry the moisture. add the butter and toss the beans in it. season with salt and pepper, and garnish wih dill springs, if desired.

serves 4-6

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH MOZZARELLA AND PASTA

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3/4 cup roasted garlic oil OR olive oil
6 lg boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp grainy mustard
2 shallots OR 2 onion slices
salt and pepper to taste
2 large parsley sprigs
2 large basil leaves
2 tsp herbes de provence
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 bunch watercress, separated itno sprigs
1 (6 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
4 cups cooked bow-tie pasta

heat a grill to medium-high heat or preheat the broiler. brush a little oil over the chicken, and grill or broil 8 minutes on each side, or until done. blend the remaining oil in a food processor with the vinegar, mustard, shallots or onions, salt and pepper, parsley, basil, and herbs de provence. in a lg bowl, mix together the dressing and mozzarella. ring a lg serving platter with the watercress. toss the sun-dried tomatoes & pasta with the mozzarella. spoon onto the serving platter. top with the grilled chicken and serve.

serves 4-6

GENERAL COOKING TIPS

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KEEP YOUR RECIPES ORGANIZED – Nothing is more frustrating when you’re ready to start cooking than not being able to find your recipe. Keep things organized by finding a system for filing your recipes that you can keep close at hand in the kitchen. A great option is to buy one of those photo albums where you peel a plastic sheet and underneath is a sticky surface. This makes recipes easy to find and at any time you can remove or replace them!

BEEF BOURGUIGNON SAUTE

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1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/2″ wide strips
1 lg onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup minced shallots OR white part of scallions
2 small carrots, cut into 2″ lengths
1 1/2 lbs boneless top sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2″ cubes
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
12 small mushrooms, quartered or halved if large

in a large, wide saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until the pan is well coated with fat. add the onions and shallots, and cook until the bacon is almost crisp and the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.

add the carrots and beef, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring until the beef is browned, about 10 minutes.

stir in the wine, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the mixture is fragrant, 10-12 minutes, adding some water (or more red wine) if the mixture seems dry.

stir in the mushrooms. cover and cook until the beef is just cooked and the carrots are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. (the meat should be rare to medium-rare.)

remove and discard the bay leaf. with a spoon or bulb baster, skim off any visible fat from the surface of the mixture. transfer the beef and veggies to a serving platter and serve hot.

serves 4

VARIATION: FOR A MODERN TWIST ON THIS FRENCH-STYLE CLASSIC, TRY FRESH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS, WHICH ARE AVAILABLE IN MANY SUPERMARKETS, IN PLACE OF THE BUTTON MUSHROOMS CALLED FOR. SHIITAKES HAVE AN ESPECIALLY MEATY TEXTURE AND FLAVOR THAT WORK WELL WITH THE ROBUST FLAVORS IN THIS DISH.

VEGETABLE TIAN WITH HERBES DE PROVENCE

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6 shallots, halved
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 lb small red potatoes
1 small red bell pepper, seeded & diced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup vegetable stock OR water
3 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp dried herbes de provence
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh bread crumbs

combine all the veggies in a 3 1/2-4 qt slow cooker. add the vegetable stock & 2 tbs of the olive oil. season with the herbes de provence & salt & pepper. combine well to coat the veggies. cover & cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

in a small skillet, toast the bread crumbs in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until golden brown. set aside.

when the tian is done, sprinkle the bread crumbs mixture over the top and serve.

NOTE: IF THE HERB MIXTURE IS UNAVAILABLE, YOU CAN APPROXIMATE IT BY USING A COMBINATION OF THREE PARTS DRIED MARJORAM, THYME, & SAVORY TO ONE PART BASIL, ROSEMARY, TARRAGON, & FENNEL SEEDS.

4-6 servings

PEANUT BUTTER KRISPIE TREATS

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1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
2 tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
4 cups rice krispies cereal
1/2 cup white OR semisweet chocolate chips, melted, for decoration

line a 9″x13″ baking sheet with aluminum foil, then lightly butter the foil.

in a small heavy saucepan, mix the brown sugar & corn syrup & bring to a simmer, stirring often until the sugar dissolves. stir in the butter & chocolate chips, & continue stirring until melted & smooth. stir in the peanut butter. remove from the heat.

in a large bowl, toss the cereal with the warm chocolate- peanut butter mixture until well combined; work quickly, before the chocolate sets. spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing it down firmly with the back of a lightly oiled fork or your oiled fingertips.

using a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip or a small plastic bag, pipe the melted chocolate in a zigzag pattern over the cereal mixture. let stand until set, about 30 minutes.

with a small sharp knife, cut into bars.

makes 30 bars

REFRIED BEAN DIP

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2 (16 oz) cans refried beans
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 lg white onion, finely chopped
1 (16 oz) jar chunky medium salsa
1 (6 oz) can pitted black olives, sliced
2 (16 oz) containers sour cream
12 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

mix refried beans, garlic powder, and chopped onion; spread in the bottom of a 9″x13″ glass baking dish. spread salsa on top of the bean mixture. add a layer of sliced black olives, reserving some for garnish. spread sour cream on top of olives; top with grated cheese. garnish with reserved olive slices.

refrigerate. serve with tortilla chips.

CHOCOLATE CHIP PRETZEL COOKIES

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1 cup softened butter (2 sticks, 1/2 lb)*
2 cups sugar
3 tbs molasses
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2 beaten eggs
2 cups crushed salted thin pretzel sticks (measure AFTER crushing)**
2 1/2 cups (packed) flour
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

*THE BUTTER SHOULD BE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

**IF YOU CAN’T FIND THIN PRETZEL STICKS, YOU CAN USE MINI REGULAR PRETZELS. JUST MAKE SURE THAT ANY PRETZELS YOU USE ARE SALTED.

preheat the oven to 350° with the rack in the middle position.

mix the softened butter with the sugar and the molasses. beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, and the molasses is completely mixed in.

add the vanilla and baking soda. mix them in well.

break the eggs into a glass and whip them up with a fork. add them to your bowl and mix until they’re thoroughly incorporated.

put the pretzels  in a ziplock plastic bag. seal it carefully and place it on a flat surface. get out your rolling pin and run it over the bag, crushing the pretzels inside. do this until there are no large pieces and the largest is 1/4″ long.

measure out two cups of crushed pretzels and mix them into the dough in your bowl.

add one cup of flour and mix it in. then add the second cup and mix thoroughly. add the final cup of flour and mix that in.

measure out 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips and add them to your cookie dough. if you’re using an electric mixer, mix them in at the slowest speed. or, if you prefer, you can mix them in by hand.

drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased (or sprayed) cookie sheets. you can also line your cookie sheets with parchment paper, if you prefer. place 12 cookies on each standard sized cookie sheet.

bake the cookies at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until nicely browned.

let the cookies cool for 2 minutes and then remove them from the baking sheets. transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes approx 5 dozen cookies

FOUR-LAYER DESSERT

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FOR FIRST LAYER, combine:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup chopped pecans
pat into a 9″x13″ pan. bake at 350° for 15 minutes. cool.

FOR SECOND LAYER, combine:
1 (8 oz) pkg softened cream cheese
1 cup 10x sugar
1 cup cool whip
spread on top of first layer, then chill.

FOR THIRD LAYER, combine:
2 pkgs instant pudding mix (chocolate, vanilla or butterscotch)
3 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
mix together & beat until thickened. pour on top of second layer. chill.

FOR FOURTH LAYER, spread surface with cool whip. sprinkle with chopped pecans (optional). chill & serve.