Ma Dukes Hot Potato Salad

My mom made this pot salad for us this summer and it instantly became a favorite of mine and a staple in my house.  Ma dukes doesn't measure anything when she cooks, so you will have to feel the measurements out and adjust to your liking (when I made this for just me and Chris, I used half a bag of red potatoes).

Ingredients:

1/2 bag of red potatoes
1/2 onion diced
2 green onions, chopped
garlic powder
onion powder
parsley, chopped
oil oil
red wine vinegar
salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop potatoes into chunks, add to a medium pot and add just enough water to cover potatoes.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through.

Drain and add to a medium bowl.

Add the onions, garlic and onion powder and mix well.  Drizzle olive oil on top, then drizzle red wine vinegar (i usually use a bit more vinegar because I like the extra tangy taste).  Add salt/pepper, mix well, then top with chopped parsley.

i love potatoes

Chicken Pesto Pizza

I love Pesto.....and I love pizza.  I remember when I was in sixth grade and Domino's came out with a Pesto pizza, I thought it was the greatest thing ever.  I have since tried to create the best version I could.  This one is pretty great.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of shredded chicken (rotisserie, or boiling and shredding 2 chicken breasts works too)
Pesto (I used pre-made from Trader Joes)
1 Beefsteak tomato, sliced into thin pieces
1 large ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
1/2 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 bag of garlic herb pizza dough from Trader Joes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Flour counter top.  Take dough out of bag and let sit for about 20 minutes.

Prepare chicken.  In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp pesto with chicken to coat. Set aside.

Sprinkle the bottom of a pizza pan with cornstarch.  Stretch dough out to sides.  Spread a thin layer of pesto over top. 

Layer thin slices of tomato over pesto.

Add fresh mozzarella slices. 

Add chicken, and cover rest of pizza with shredded mozzarella.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

I could eat you all day every day.

Greek Salad

My apologies that it has been so long since my last post.  This past month has been crazy with weddings, parties, hurricanes, you name it.  Therefor, I haven't made as many new recipes as I would have liked, and have opted for Sushi a majority of nights.  This Greek salad is a classic easy recipe, and I only have added ingredients that I like (tomatoes? no thanks). Enjoy.

Ingredients:

Iceberg lettuce
1/2 red onion, chopped into 1 inch pieces
feta cheese
chopped Kalamata olives (yup, I depitted them, then chopped them)
croutons
Trader Joe's Feta Greek Dressing
Oregano

Directions:

Combine all ingredients above.  Top with extra feta.

Beef Stroganoff

Chris' mom used to make this dish for him all the time growing up, so since she has passed away, I have tried to master it.  I have tried a few different variations, but after making this recipe, we both decided that it is by far the best.  It is simple, easy to make, and fast.  This recipe will be in our rotation for years to come.


Ingredients:


1/2 package of egg noodles
4 ounces of fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tbsp butter
1lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions:


Bring large pot of water to a boil.  Cook egg noodles according to package, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.


In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of butter of medium heat.  Add mushrooms and onions and cook until soft.  Remove from pan.


Using the same pan, melt remaining 1 tbsp of butter.  Cook ground beef in melted butter until browned.  Mix in flour.  Stir in beef broth, and cook until slightly thickened.  Add mushroom and onion mixture.  Stir in sour cream.  Taste, and season with salt and pepper.  Continue cooking until sauce is hot, but not boiling.  Pour sauce over noodles and serve.

Nancy K. would be proud :)

Steak Tips, Leftovers, and Steak and Cheese!

This past weekend, I bought a bunch of steak tips, and decided to make kabobs, using the marinade from my previous Honey Chicken Kabob post.  They came out wonderful, and Chris snapped a few shots with his new Iphone.

I look so determined to get all those veggies on the skewer

Perfectly lined up. Who do you think did that?

They came out real well, and we had a nice dinner of Kabobs and salad on Saturday night.  The next day, we had a few skewers left over so I decided to make steak and cheeses with them.  I took the steak tips, and sliced them very thin, along with a few skewers of peppers and onions.  I heated a skillet over medium heat, and added the shredded steak and vegetables and  cooked until heated through, then added 2 pieces of American cheese to the skillet and mixed all ingredients together.  Placed the mixture on toasted white bread, and then had an instant steak and cheese!

Grilled *Mac and Cheese with Pulled Pork* Cheese

When I was in college, my roommate Teddy and I would look at this website called "this is why you're fat.com".  It is basically a site where people make up the most ridiculous food combinations, take pictures, and send them in (they have actually made a book of this site, which you can buy, here).  We would look at the different combinations of food and just laugh at the ridiculousness of it.  When I saw this recipe come into my inbox from Food Network, I knew I had to make it for Chris, because those are 3 of his favorite foods.  I only took a few bites, but Chris said the combination of the three different dishes worked real well together.  He could only eat one sandwich.  How many can you eat?


Ingredients:


3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 box of Kraft Mac and Cheese
2 onions, caramelized
BBQ pulled pork
4 slices of white bread
4 slices of cheddar cheese


Directions:


Spread newly cooked Mac and Cheese in an 8-inch baking dish.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 45 minutes.  Cut the Mac and Cheese into 4 squares.


Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.


Soften butter and mix with mayo.  Generously spread the butter-mayo mixture on one side of each bread slice.  Place bread spread side down on skillet, then add cheddar cheese, Mac and Cheese square, pulled pork, caramelized onions, second piece of cheddar cheese, and then top with bread, spread side up.


Cook sandwiches until cheese melts and bread is golden brown, about 5 minutes each side.

Eat. Me.

Slow Cooked BBQ Pulled Pork Sammies

I am super excited to post this recipe.... not only because of how good and easy this recipe is, but because I accomplished something this past weekend that I have never done before - I caramelized onions for the first time!  Now I'm sure a lot of you are thinking, who cares, its simple, you're an idiot... but like baking, caramelizing onions is something I could not get right.  I have tried COUNTLESS times to do it, always changing something to get it right, following directions to a tee, but it never worked.  I burnt onion after onion, and after many wasted onions, I figured they just weren't in the cards for me.  I'm not sure how or why it worked this time (ok, I do know, I stopped stirring so much), but the food gods shined down on me and allowed me to make a large batch of caramelized onions for these sandwiches. I don't usually eat sandwiches, but this recipe is my only exception. It is that good.

Ingredients:

1lb boneless pork ribs

1 can beef broth

1/2 bottle Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce

Caramelized onions

Brioche rolls (they have mini ones at Trader Joes that work well for mini sandwiches)

Directions:

Add boneless ribs and beef broth into slow cooker.  Cook on high heat for 3 1/2 - 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove meat, and shred with two forks. Transfer meat to iron skilled and stir in BBQ sauce. Bake in preheated over for 25-30 minutes.

Add BBQ pork to Brioche roll, and top with caramelized onions.

Red Bliss Potato Salad

Potato salad is my favorite side dish.  I always try new, different variations, but this one is by far my favorite. I was at Whole Foods and I saw that they had Red Bliss Potatoes, so I thought, why not, lets do this.....what's the worst that could happen?  It came out so well that we didn't even have any leftovers.  This will be my go-to recipe for potato salad from now on, so make sure you try it!


Ingredients:


1lb red potatoes, cut into chunks
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tbsp and 2 tsp mayonnaise
3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp white vinegar
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 of a dill pickle (or 2 spears), chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
dash of Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions:


Place potatoes in a pot with enough water to just cover.  Bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes.  Drain, and transfer to a large bowl to cool.


While cooking potatoes, place eggs in a small pot with just enough cold water to cover.  Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.  Run under cold water to speed up cooling, and peel and chop eggs when cooled.


In a medium sized bowl, mix the sour cream, mayo, mustard, vinegar, eggs, pickle, onions, and hot sauce.  Season with chives, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  


Mix in potatoes and gently toss to coat.  Place in fridge for at least 3 hours before serving (I place in freezer for 1.5 hours to speed up that process).

The best! I apologize for the horrible pic, but again, we ate 3/4 of the batch before realizing I forgot to take a pic!

Italian Sausage, Spinach, and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

You are going to find a ton of Italian food on this blog.  Not only am I 50% Italian, it is my favorite type of food.  Chris will eat just about anything so I usually get to choose what we have for dinner.  These stuffed shells were one of the first dishes I learned to make (my moms meatballs and gravy were first - hi, mom! you're the best Italian cook ever!), so I don't usually measure out the amount of ingredients, but I will for you here. Mangia!

Ingredients:

1/2 package of jumbo pasta shells

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 egg

10 ounces ricotta cheese

10 ounces chopped frozen spinach - thawed, squeezed dry, chopped

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Jar of pasta sauce

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Spread pasta sauce over the bottom of 9x13 baking dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the shells according to instructions on package.  Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside.  I like to separate the shells right then so they do not stick to each other and rip.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.   Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Remove casings from sausage and add sausages to pan, breaking up the sausage into smaller pieces.  Cook sausage until cooked through, about 5 more minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds  to 1 minute longer.  Remove pan from heat.

Beat egg lightly in mixing bowl.  Mix in the ricotta, chopped spinach, 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, pepper, and sausage mixture.  Fill each cooked shell with mixture.

Arrange the stuffed shells and pour remaining sauce over top of shells.  Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese and then top with shredded Mozzarella.  Cover with tin foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Remove tin foil and bake for another 5-10.

We ate half the pan before realizing I forgot to take a pic! These are all that remained :(

Mushroom-Artichoke Chicken Piccata

I'm a newbie when it comes to mushrooms.  I wouldn't go near them for all 25 years of my life, until one day when I was out to dinner with Chris and he made me try a stuffed one, and I fell in love.  I have since made all different kinds of dishes using mushrooms, including the one I made last night for the first time.  You can serve it over anything - mashed potatoes, rice, pasta.  I served mine with egg noodles.  It was a hit and I'm sure I will be making it for years to come.

Ingredients:

2 thick chicken breasts, cut in half (not lengthwise making them skinny, but in half at a slant so you have two short thick even pieces)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
3 tbsp butter
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can of artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 bag of egg noodles

Directions:

Boil egg noodles according to package.  Set aside.

In a shallow dish, mix together flour, salt, and paprika.  In a small bowl, mix together egg and milk.  Dip chicken pieces in egg, then in seasoned flour.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp butter over medium high heat.  Saute chicken until golden brown.  Remove from skillet and keep warm.  Add remaining 1 tbsp butter, and add mushrooms, onion, and artichokes. Saute for 3-5 minutes.

In a medium bowl combine the broth, wine, lemon juice, and cornstarch.  Mix well and pour mixture over vegetables.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Portion noodles and chicken out on individual plates, and pour mixture over.  Serve.

I love mushies.

Greek Style Quinoa

I'd love to take credit and say that I discovered Quinoa on my own and I'm the coolest person alive,  but I have to give the credit to my big bro, Drew.  We were up at our house in Maine and I saw Drew eating it, and it looked gross to be honest.  He insisted I take some home, and try it, which I did, and have been hooked ever since.  Whenever we go to Maine, I'll usually boost whatever boxes of Quinoa Drew has up there, and 30 minutes after we leave, I will get that mean phone call screaming that I stole all the Quinoa.  Sorry Drew, ya snooze ya lose.

Being Greek, and having a fiance who LOVES Feta cheese, I will always try to incorporate it into our meals (Chris' famous feta eggs are coming soon to the blog), so when I saw this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine, I knew I had to try it.  I have adapted it somewhat to fit what I had in my pantry, but you could always add anything you want to this to make it suit you.  I will give my own tip to making Quinoa though...always boil it in chicken broth.  It makes it taste so much better.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
a whole lot of crumbled feta
1/4 cup diced red onion
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine broth and quinoa and quinoa for about 15-20 minutes over medium heat or until it has absorbed all of the chicken broth.

Spread cooked quinoa on a large dinner place and place in freezer for 15 minutes to chill (sounds crazy, but works like a charm!!)

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and garlic.  Remove quinoa after the 15 minutes are up and toss with contents of bowl.

Add olives, onion, feta and scallions.  Top with extra feta, then add a little extra lemon juice on top. Nom.

BBQ Ribs

I am a huge fan of ribs.  When we lived in Winchester growing up, my parents would always get Redbones ribs for us for dinner (and now my friend Courtney and I get them off their to go truck in downtown Boston), and that has always made me love ribs.  I have a few ways I've made them (slow cooker, grill, etc.), but I found this way always comes out great.

Ingredients:

2 lbs bone in pork spareribs
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays - the best)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
dash of Tabasco sauce
2 tsp A1 sauce
1/2 clove minced garlic

Directions:

Place ribs in a large stock pot with enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat for 40 min.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, combine ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, A1 and garlic. Blend well and cook sauce over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Take ribs out of pot and make slice between the bones and place in a baking pan.  Pour sauce over ribs, cover, and cook for 25 minutes.  Remove cover and cook for an additional 25 minutes.

I <3 ribs

Easy Brownies

Last night was quite an accomplishment.  I cannot bake for the life of me.  I mess up every recipe, and every time I say "Oh, lets try again", I find myself failing, and then sticking to premade mixes.  Yesterday, after speaking to my bridesmaids who are now doing "bridal bootcamp" to get in shape for the wedding, I was all pumped to go to the gym and start working out.  As soon as I got home I thought, brownies are better.... and away I went looking for an easy recipe that I would hopefully not mess up.  These were it!  They came out well, and even though I left my oven on by accident for a hour after they were done (Chris was pissed - I burst out laughing, as this is the 5th time in 2 weeks I've done that). Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I use Hershey's)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Melt butter and then mix ingredients into medium bowl in the order listed above.

Bake for 25-35 minutes.  Let cool then serve.

These are sitting on top of the oven, which is still on. HAHAHA.

Auntie Marlene's Amazing Strawberry Salad

My Aunt Marlene made this salad for a family gathering once, and I have been hooked ever since.  I have made it multiple times for parties, and it always gets amazing reviews.  Maybe its the dressing, or maybe its the chow mein noodles. Who knows, but regardless, thanks Auntie!

Ingredients:

1 bag of mixed greens
1/2-3/4 carton of strawberries, sliced (depends how many strawberries you like in your salad)
generous helping of asian crispy chow mein noodles
Brianna's Rich Poppy Seed Dressing

Directions:

Pretty self explanatory.  Mix all ingredients.  Watch how fast it disappears.

Nom.

Cajun Style Baked Fries

As a side dish to my previous chicken finger recipe, and still continuing the non-fried foods approach, I found this recipe for Cajun fries.  I put red-pepper on mostly anything I eat, so I will always try a hot dish.  I have made these a few times, and they always come out great.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine oregano, thyme, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, sugar, cumin, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Tabasco sauce, and oil.  Mix well into a paste.

Grease a large baking sheet with Pam.  Add a tsp of oil and  spread across so it makes a very thin coat.

Peel potatoes and cut into french fry shapes.

Place fries into a large quart-style plastic bag and spoon paste into the bag.  Shake and massage to coat fries.

Place fries on baking sheet, trying not to let the edges touch.

Bake in preheated over for 35 minutes, turning once during cooking.  I have found that it sometimes takes about 45 minutes to get that real crispy fry.

Oven-Fried Chicken Fingers

I love chicken fingers, nuggets, animal shapes, etc.  Always have, always will.  I have been trying to find a recipe that would allow me to make them without frying them in fat.  I found this recipe from good ole Betty Crocker, and it was great. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1 cup panko style bread crumbs (I use Italian style)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 package (a little over 1 lb) of chicken tenders

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray cookie sheet with Pam.

In a shallow dish, place flour.  In another shallow dish, mix breadcrumbs and cheese.  In a small bowl, beat egg and water.

Coat chicken in flour, dip into egg mixture, then coat with bread crumb mixture, patting crumbs onto chicken to make sure they stay.  Place on cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through, until coating is golden brown.  Serve.

Eat me.

Scallops in a Mushroom Cream Sauce

I was at Whole Foods the other day when I decided to buy some scallops, not really knowing what I wanted to do with them.  When I got home I looked and saw we had some mushrooms that were unopened, so I quickly googled an easy cream sauce, and came up with this recipe!  I served it with garlic mashed potatoes, but you can literally put it over anything. They tasted great, but visually... not so much.  Nonetheless, a great recipe for you....

Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter
1 lb scallops
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped scallions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Handful of chopped cherry tomatoes (remove seeds)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsp of butter in large skillet.  When butter is hot, but before it browns, add the scallops.  Cook, shaking the skillet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove scallops from pan and keep warm.

Add scallions to the skillet and cook for a minute or so.  Add mushrooms and chopped tomatoes.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Add wine, and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream.  Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.  Add scallops, and swirl in remaining butter.  Serve.

Not the prettiest dish, but tastes good!

Garlic Shrimp Scampi

I've always loved Shrimp Scampi.  I usually always have shrimp in the house as well, so this is an easy dish when I don't feel like spending a lot of time cooking.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb linguine
2 tbsp butter
6 tbsp white wine
5 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

Cook pasta according to box. Drain.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium low heat.  Add wine, cheese, garlic, parsley and salt and pepper.  Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Increase heat to medium and add shrimp to skillet.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until shrimp starts to turn pink.  Make sure not to overcook them.

Plate pasta and pour sauce ontop.  Add more Parmesan cheese if you would like.

Bacon Fried Rice

Like most dudes, Chris is obsessed with Bacon.  Whenever I make a dish that has Bacon in it, I am instructed to make 4-5 pieces extras so that he can have it.  I didn't have any pork in the house, or chicken for that matter, so I decided to make some Bacon Fried Rice and see how it came out.......and it was awesome.  It was actually even better the next day.

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked white rice
4 tbsp oil
1/2 can of baby corn, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs
10 pieces of bacon
2 carrots, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
4 tbsp soy sauce (I always add more)

Directions:

Heat large skillet over high heat.  When pan is hot, add 2 tbsp of oil. Swirl to coat pan.

Add eggs to pan and cook til they are scrambled.  Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add bacon to pan and cook until crispy.  Set aside to cool, and then chop.

Wipe pan clean and return to high heat.  Add remaining oil and coat. When oil is very hot, add onion and cook for about 30 seconds. Add rice to the pan and stir well to mix onions.  Spread the rice out evenly over the pan and let rice cook without stirring until you hear the rice sizzle, about 2-3 minutes.  Toss rice again with spatula, then spread out evenly again.

Drizzle soy sauce over rice, and toss again.  Add the baby corn, bacon, carrots, and egg to the pan.  Toss to combine all ingredients.  Let everything heat again until you hear the rice sizzling. 

Add a top coat of soy sauce, toss, and serve.

so good.

Chinese Beef and Broccoli

I have a severe peanut allergy.  So for those who love nuts, you will be at a loss with these recipes!  I'm allergic to all nuts, and especially peanut oil, therefore I am very limited with Chinese Food.  Even when I let restaurants know about my allergy, somehow, I still manage to blow up.  I have found a few recipes for staple Chinese dishes that have allowed me to still somewhat eat this genre of food that I love so much.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour
1 can of beef broth
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 lb thinly sliced round steak, cut into bite size pieces (I had the meat man slice it thin for me)
1 can of baby corn
2 large carrots, sliced thinly
1/4 tsp copped fresh ginger
1 clove of minced garlic
4 cups of chopped broccoli

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine flour, broth, sugar, and soy sauce.  Stir until sugar and flour are dissolved.

In a large skilled over high heat, cook and stir beef about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in broth mixture, ginger, garlic, baby corn, carrots and broccoli.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer about 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.

still cooking!

Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic, Red Pepper, and Parmesan Cheese

This is a quick easy side dish, one that I make frequently because it is fast and I love broccoli.  Make sure that you pay attention to hot your pan/the oil gets, because you can easily burn the broccoli.

Ingredients:

Fresh broccoli, chopped

3-4 tbsp oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat 3 tbsp oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Add broccoli and stir to coat.  Stir frequently for about 5 minutes, or until broccoli begins to soften.

Add garlic, drizzle remaining oil, and add red pepper flakes, and stir to mix well.

Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes.  Plate and top with Parmesan cheese.

I love my ghetto iphone pics!

Panko Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, Tomatoes and Basil

I found this recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs, For the Love of Cooking, and it instantly became a favorite in my house.  I probably make this a few times a month, and it always comes out great.

Ingredients:

1 cup of ricotta cheese (I use part-skim)

Small handful of baby spinach, chopped (frozen spinach works just as well)

Large handful of grape tomatoes, diced, and all seeds and middle removed

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1 clove of minced garlic

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sprinkle of oregano

2 thick chicken breasts

Panko bread crumbs

2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the ricotta, spinach, tomatoes, parm cheese, basil, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Mix until blended well.

Rise the chicken breasts then cut a long horizontal slit almost til the other side.  Stuff the middle with the ricotta mixture.  Season each side of chicken breast with salt and pepper, then carefully dip the chicken breast in breadcrumbs until both sides are evenly coated.  


Close the slit together with toothpicks.


Heat the oil in an oven proof skillet over medium high heat.  Place chicken in the skillet at cook for 3 minutes.


Flip the chicken over and place skillet into the oven.  Cook for about 20 min.  Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before eating.

Martha Stewart's Mac and Cheese

I have to admit, there are a couple things that I just cant seem to master.  One is caramelizing onions.  I just cant do it right.  The other obstacle I've come across is finding the best mac and cheese recipe.  My Bacon, Mushroom, and Spinach Mac and Cheese is the great, but this recipe, adapted from Martha Stewart, has done wonders for me.  I hope you like it.


Ingredients:


1 stick of unsalted butter
6 slices of white bread, without crusts, torn into little bits
5 1/2 cups of milk
1/2 cup of flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, I've done it both ways and seen no difference)
4 1/2 cups sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated
3 cups Gruyere cheese, grated
1 lb elbow macaroni


Directions:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 2 quart casserole dish.


Cook pasta according to directions on box, but subtract about 3 minutes to time that it should be done, so it is still very al dente.  Rinse with cold water and set aside.


While pasta is cooking, melt 2 tbsp butter.  Toss butter with torn bread in a medium bowl. Set aside.


Warm milk in a saucepan over medium heat. 


Melt remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 min.


Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter and flour, whisking constantly, until it is mixed well together, about 6 minutes.


Remove the pan from heat, and stir in the salt, nutmeg, pepper, 3 out of the 4.5 cups of Cheddar cheese, and 1.5 cups out of the 3 of Gruyere.  Set aside.


Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.


Pour the mixture into the casserole dish.  Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and Gruyere cheese on top.  Then add the breadcrumbs to top.


Bake about 30 min, or until the top is golden brown.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes on wire rack, then serve.




Cooling on wire rack (thank you Nancy Karassik)- Nom I love M&C.



Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Chris loves everything Buffalo.  Buffalo wings, sammies, pizza.  I think I could dip a shoe in Buffalo sauce and Chris would eat it.  Therefore, I try to incorporate Buffalo something, once every other week or so.  One of our favorite bars, Clerys, has this pizza on their menu, and their version was my inspiration for my version.  For the chicken, I always buy a rotisserie chicken, then pick it apart, and store the shredded pieces in a tupperware to use in pizzas, enchiladas, etc.  You could use any type of chicken for this recipe, but if you do not use a rotisserie chicken, I recommend that you poach the chicken and then shred it.  This pizza is a favorite in our house.  


Ingredients:
1 package Trader Joes Garlic and Herb pizza dough (though I'm sure you could use any kind)
Cornmeal
1/2 of a rotisserie chicken, shredded
Ken's Buffalo Wing sauce
1 package of shredded cheddar cheese
Ken's Blue Cheese salad dressing
2 stalks of celery, cut lengthwise, then chopped into small pieces
2 large carrots, cut lengthwise, then chopped into small pieces


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.


Remove the pizza dough from the bag and let sit on a floured counter for 20 min.


Coat a pizza tray with cooking spray and a bit of cornmeal sprinkled over the top of the tray.


Place the chopped chicken in a small bowl and drizzle with the buffalo sauce.  Add more sauce and mix until it is coated well.


Flatten the pizza dough onto the prepared pizza tray.


Spread the blue cheese dressing evenly over the top of the dough then sprinkle with cheddar cheese.


Top the cheese with the buffalo chicken, chopped celery, and carrots.


Drizzle a small layer of buffalo sauce over the top, then add one more layer of cheddar cheese.


Place in oven and bake 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Baked Ziti

My favorite favorite favorite dish is baked ziti.  It could be the fact I'm half Italian, or the fact I just love pasta, but ever since I was little, baked ziti was it for me.  My Aunt Marie makes a great version, and whenever she does make it, I steal and take home all the leftovers.  Enjoy!


Ingredients:


1 package of ziti
1 small container of Ricotta cheese (I use part skim)
1/2 bag of shredded mozzarella
1 jar of pasta sauce (Newman's Own Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce works real well)
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced into thin pieces
Garlic Powder
2 quart casserole dish


Directions:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Boil pasta according to directions on box, to just about al dente.  Drain, and pour into a large mixing bowl


Add ricotta, and about 1/4 of the jar of pasta sauce.  Sprinkle Garlic powder on top to liking.  Mix well.


Grease casserole dish (I use simple Pam).  Spread a small layer of pasta sauce on bottom of dish.

Spread half of the pasta/ricotta/sauce mixture flat in the dish.  Pour half of the remaining pasta sauce on top and evenly spread.  Layer with shredded mozzarella cheese. 


Repeat this step again, so that there are now two layers of the pasta mixture, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.  


Add the fresh mozzarella slices on top of the shredded mozzarella.


Bake in oven for about 45 minutes, or until the top starts to turn golden brown.  Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

So good.