growing recipes. growing belly.

Friday, December 23, 2011

beef stew

1:31 PM Posted by patty , No comments
I've been craving beef stew for quite some time, but was forbidden to have Campbell's Beef & Barley because of all the preservatives... this left me with no option but to make my own. This was my first attempt and I was quite pleased with the result, now to figure out how to add barley.

Beef Stew
(adapted from For the Love of Cooking)
ingredients
  • 1 lb stew meat (I used round cut into small chunks)
  • 1 yellow onion chopped into large pieces
  • 3 cloves of garlic chopped
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 can stew tomatoes
  • 1-2 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups of beef stock
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 2 cups diced baby red potatoes (skin on)
directions
  1. Preheat oven to 250F.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add stew meat and onion then cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding tomatoes, seasonings and stock. Cover and cook in the oven for at least 4 hours. (I actually only cooked it for 2 hours)
  3. Remove pot from oven place on stove top over medium low heat.
  4. Add vegetables to the stew and add more beef broth if low. Taste and re-season if needed. Cover and cook for 1 - 1 1/ 2 hours. If you want the stew to be thick, add a slurry of cornstarch and cold beef broth (mixing thoroughly) then pour into stew while it's boiling, stir then reduce heat to low.

mac and cheese

1:00 PM Posted by patty , No comments
The Husband loves his Mac and Cheese.  I've attempted this recipe many times, each time tweaking it a little, but I think I finally perfected it. The sauce is made from scratch which is a little time consuming, but I think completely worth it.  I just need to figure out how to use less pots!

Mac and Cheese
(adapted from Ina Garten)
ingredients
  • Vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 cups cavatappi
  • 3 cups milk
  • 4 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 4 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  • 8 oz Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 6 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
  • 4 oz mozerella, parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • Panko flakes
  • Freshly chopped basil leaves
  • 1 cup ham, cubed
  • 1 cup sweet corn
directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  2. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the cheeses, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into a 9x12 pan.
  4. Sprinkle the panko and basil leaves on top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
 Note: You can add almost anything in, I liked it the most with ham & corn, but I've made this dish with broccoli and chicken too.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

spaghetti alla carbonara

11:49 AM Posted by patty , No comments
Ever since I got the pasta attachment for my kitchenaid I've been having a hard time buying dry pasta.  Why buy pasta when I can make it myself?  I learned a tough lesson in pasta making this time. Our house was just too cold for the pasta to form correctly so the Husband had to put his muscles to work and knead the dough to the right consistency.  The result was still delicious whole wheat pasta, but it definitely took a lot of work.  So this is one of my favorite sauces to make with pasta.  It taste a little like alfredo sauce, but without the cream.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara
(adapted from foodnetwork.com)
ingredients
  • 1 pound dry spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 ounces pancetta, cubed
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
directions


  1. Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.
  4. Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken. 
  5. Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

chocolate bundt cake

7:23 PM Posted by patty , , No comments

My friend Tiffany has been attempting to coerce me into making bundt cakes. I've always liked the pans, but never thought much about making a cake with no center.  Eventually the pans won and I found myself walking out of the store with a pan in hand, this of course meant I needed to bake a cake, good thing Tiff gave me an arsenal of recipes to try.

This is a super simple, but extremely moist cake.  I decided to make this for The Husband for his birthday with a little french vanilla ice cream on the side.  It was delicious!


chocolate bundt cake
ingredients
  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
  • 1 package instant chocolate pudding mix
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased bundt pan.
  3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
  4. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.

 ....

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

10:26 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
To say these are delicious is a serious understatement...
 
Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms
(adapted from Ina Garten)
ingredients
  • 16 extra-large white mushrooms
  • 5 Tbs good olive oil, divided
  • 2 1/2 Tbs Marsala wine or medium sherry
  • 3/4 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
  • 6 scallions, white and green parts, minced 
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2/3 cup panko crumbs 
  • 5oz mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 2 1/2 Tbs minced fresh parsley leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala. Set aside.
  3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.
  4. Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the stuffing for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Brussel Sprouts with Thyme and Pancetta

10:19 PM Posted by patty , , No comments

Brussel Sprouts with Thyme and Pancetta
(adapted from M. Voltaggio)

ingredients
  • 1/4 lb. pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed, cut lengthwise through the core into 1/4-inch-thick slices
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bushy 3-inch sprig fresh thyme
  • 2 Tbs. butter

directions
  1. In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, cook the pancetta in the olive oil, stirring frequently, until the pancetta has rendered much of its fat and is nicely browned and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. 
  2. Remove pancetta from pan and place on a paper towel. 
  3. Increase the heat to high and add the sprouts, season lightly with salt and pepper, stir to coat with the fat, and cook, stirring, until the sprouts wilt and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. 
  4. Reduce heat to about medium, toss in 2 Tbs. of butter, a splash of olive oil, and cover the pan half way for about 6 minutes, or until sprouts are tender, stirring occasionally. 
  5. Chop your thyme and throw in at the last minute before serving, along with your crispy pancetta.



Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Carrot Cake

3:40 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
Apparently there was a recent sale on carrots, because my mom and I both home came with a bunch of carrots. I've always had a soft spot for carrot cake, but always found them to be too sweet or too moist!  This recipe was my first attempt, but I am already in love with it, because it doesn't require me to purchase anything I didn't already have in my pantry. 

Carrot Cake

ingredients | cake
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
ingredients | frosting
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 8oz cream cheese, softened
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract


directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
  4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake.






Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Orange-Spice Pumpkin Bread

11:15 AM Posted by patty , , No comments
The holidays are right around the corner which can only mean one thing... time for some pumpkin goodness! While attempting this recipe, I was starting to lose faith, especially when I thought the mixture was curdling, luckily I stuck to it because the result was this light delicious pumpkin bread.  Definitely something I'll make again. 

Orange-Spice Pumpkin Bread
(adapted from William Sonoma)
ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. allspice
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 10 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped orange zest
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
directions
Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
  1. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan.
  2. To make the bread, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and pumpkin puree and beat until incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture in two additions just until smooth.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Cilantro-Basil Turkey Burger

1:34 PM Posted by patty , , , No comments
I got this recipe from my friend Grace; she made it for a party and I was hooked after the first bite. I tweaked her recipe a little and I highly recommend accompanying this burger with bbq sauce and jalapeno jack cheese.

Cilantro-Basil Turkey Burger ingredients
  • 2 lbs ground turkey
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 onion
  • 1 bunch basil
  • 2 Tbs maize
  • garlic salt
  • pepper
  • jalapenos - optional
directions
  1. Chop cilantro, onion & basil in food processor. If you want spicy burgers, then also add jalapenos.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the herb mixture, salt & pepper and ground turkey.
  3. Add in the maize, this helps the burgers stay juicy and mix well.
  4. Form into burgers. This recipe should make 6 half cup burgers.






Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Roasted Corn and Edamame Salad

1:58 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
I recently made this simple recipe for a camping trip.

Roasted Corn and Edamame Salad 
(adapted from epicurious.com)
ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cup cooked corn kernels or frozen roasted corn
  • 1/2 cup shelled edamame
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup small-diced red bell pepper
  • 1 Tbs finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 Tbs light mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
directions
Saute the cook corn and let it cool in bowl. Combine with remaining ingredients. Cover and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. 



Wednesday, October 5, 2011

raspberry-topped lemon muffins

9:54 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
Our lemon tree is still producing lemon so my search for more lemon recipes continues. This unassuming muffin really packs a lot of flavor. Not too sweet and so delicious and dare I say... healthy tasting.

Raspberry-topped Lemon Muffins
(adapted from epicurious)

ingredients
  • 1 1/8 cups sugar, divided
  • 4 tsp finely grated lemon peel
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 1/2-pint containers (about) fresh raspberries

  • directions
    1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line 14 standard muffin cups with paper liners. 
    2. Mash 1/8 cup sugar and lemon peel in small bowl until sugar is slightly moist. 
    3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. 
    4. Using electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg. Beat in buttermilk, then vanilla and half of lemon sugar. Beat in flour mixture.
    5. Divide batter among muffin cups. Top each muffin with 3-4 raspberries. Bake muffins until lightly browned on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

     




    Tuesday, October 4, 2011

    Seafood Cucumber Cups

    1:31 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
    This blurry photo doesn't do the dish justice, but we totally forgot to snap a photo of it and this was the best I could find. We actually simplified this recipe even further by purchasing premade seafood dip. This is a great and fast little appetizer to whip up for a party.

    Seafood Cucumber Cups
    (adapted from domesticfits)

    ingredients
    • Cucumbers
    • Santa Barbara Seafood Dip - Costco
    directions
    1. Remove the peel from the cucumbers using a vegetable peeler. Cut the cucumber into 2 inch slices. Using a small melon baller, scoop out most of the inside. You want to leave the walls and a thick portion of the bottom intact.
    2.  Fill each of the cucumber cups with the seafood dip. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve within 2 hours of making.



    yeah.. it's THAT simple.



    Mini Baked Spinach Dip

    1:19 PM Posted by patty , No comments
    The original recipe actually shows you how to make the spinach dip, but since I was making mini bites for a party for 20, I needed a faster method to make these yummy morsels. Even though I took a major shortcut, they turned out great! Everyone loved them!  I'm guessing  it's because the pre-made dip we got was really tasty already.

    Mini Baked Spinach Dip
    (adapted from picky palate)
    ingredients
    • 13.3 oz roll of refrigerated french bread loaf, I used Simply Pillsbury
    • 1/3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
    • 1 tub of Santa Barbara Spinach Dip -- from Costco
    directions
    1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray 10 muffin cups with non stick cooking spray.  Unroll package of french bread loaf and slice into 10 equal size slices, about 1 inch thick.  Press each slice into about a 3 inch round, I did this by pressing in between my hands.  Press into the bottom and up sides of the muffin cup and fill with premade spinach dip.
    2. Top evenly with shredded cheese and bake for 15-17 minutes until just turning brown on edges.  Remove and let cool for 3-5 minutes before removing from oven.




    Monday, October 3, 2011

    Ground Chicken Minced Meat

    9:00 PM Posted by patty , No comments



    So this is a total classic in my family, it's one of those dish that gets The Husband home faster than normal...  :D  It's amazing how such a simple dish can bring so much delight to our family.  Over rice, on noodle, it's just delicious any way you serve it.

    Ground Chicken Minced Meat
    ingredients
    • 2lb Ground Chicken - we use ground chicken in our family because it's less fatty
    • 6 Dried Black Mushroom, reconstituted & chopped
    • 1 clove Garlic
    • 1 tsp little Dried Shrimp, chopped OR 2 Dried Scallops, reconstituted & shredded
    • 1 tsp Dried Onion Flakes
    • 5 Spices Powder
    • Rock Candy or Brown Sugar
    • Low Sodium Soy Sauce*
    • Oyster Sauce*

    directions
    1. In a large pot (we use a clay pot), add a little oil and saute the ground chicken with garlic, slowly breaking the meat apart. Cook the ground chicken apart until it is crumbly.
    2. Add some Oyster Sauce, this is just to darken the meat.
    3. Add Soy Sauce, then Sugar and lastly 5 Spices Powder, season to taste.  With the 5 Spices Powder, you want to add little by little so it doesn't overpower the flavor of the meat.
    4. Let the meat simmer, taste and season to liking ...  then add the mushroom. Let this simmer for 10 minutes.
    5. Lastly add the dried onion flakes.


    *Notes on Soy Sauce
    Because not all soy sauce are created the same or with the same saltiness level, so if you only have 1 type of soy sauce and it's a very dark and salty one, it'll work to replace the 2 required. 






    Saturday, October 1, 2011

    Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

    11:03 PM Posted by patty No comments
    These were a huge hit!  I wanted to serve pizza, but not in the usual by the slice form, these were perfect as a side dish and packed a lot of flavor.

    Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
    ingredients

    • 3/4 c. flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking powder
    • 1 Tbs Italian seasoning
    • pinch of salt 
    • pinch of red pepper flakes
    • 3/4 c. whole milk
    • 1 egg, lightly beaten
    • 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
    • 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
    • 1 c. cubed pepperoni
    • 1/2 c. store-bought pizza sauce
    directions
    1. Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.
    2. Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.




    Red Velvet Cookies

    10:54 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
    As you know, red velvets are all the rage, what bakery and home kitchen isn't making some version of a red velvet cupcake?  I was hosting a baby shower and as part of the favor and desserts, we decided to do an assortment of cookies.  I wanted to give the guests some of the usual, chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin, but also something different. Here's the wonderful and amazingly simple recipe for moist red velvet cookies.

    Red Velvet Cookies
    (adapted from bakerella.com)
    ingredients
    • 1 box red velvet cake mix
    • 1/2 C. butter, softened to room temperature
    • 2 eggs 

    directions
    1. Preheat oven to 350F
    2. Mix ingredients until combined.
    3. Drop spoonfuls of cookie batter onto baking sheet about two inches apart.
    4. Bake for 10-12 minutes and cool.

    Cream Cheese Filling
    ingredients
    • 1/2 C. butter, softened to room temperature
    • 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
    • 1 1lb. box of confectioner’s sugar
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    directions
    1. In a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
    2. Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth.





    Friday, September 23, 2011

    Rustic Pear and Apple Galette

    1:31 PM Posted by patty , , , No comments

    Rustic Pear and Apple Galette
    (adapted from Apartment Therapy)
    Crust
    • 2 cups white flour
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon white sugar
    • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1/3-1/2 cup ice water
    Fruit
    • 2 large apples, peeled and cored
    • 3-4 red pears, peeled and cored
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon flour
    • 1 teaspoon fresh cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon fresh coriander
    • 1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
    • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
    Directions
    Heat the oven to 425F. Pulse the flour, salt, sugar and butter in a food processor until crumbly. Slowly add the ice water just until it comes together in a dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the fruit.
    Thinly slice the apples and pears and toss with the lemon juice, brown sugar, flour and spices. Take the dough out of the fridge and gently pat onto a lightly greased large round pizza pan, or rectangular baking sheet. This is rustic pastry - don't worry too much about the look of it! Lay the fruit out in overlapping circles or rows, then fold the pastry up around the edges. Dot with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
    Bake for about 50 minutes or until browned and crispy on the bottom. Cool to room temperature and serve with cinnamon whipped cream or caramel sauce.



    Wednesday, August 24, 2011

    Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta

    10:49 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
    Stupid me went nuts and bought one too many bags of butternut squash when it was on sale. I only had one recipe in my arsenal and so I needed to find something else that uses butternut squash quick!  I didn't want to make soup since that's not a dish The Husband and I can bring to work for lunch.  This recipe is great, it's "like" mac and cheese, except the cheese sauce is a lot lighter and the combination of sweet butternut and salty pancetta goes great together.  Only thing is, I would not recommend making this dish in the summer since you need to roast the butternut at 425F and let me tell you, it gets REALLY HOT in the kitchen!

    Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta
    (adapted from cookinglight.com)
    ingredients
    • 3/4 tsp salt, divided
    • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
    • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    • 3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
    • Cooking spray
    • 6 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slice -- i actually sub this out with pancetta
    • 1 cup thinly sliced shallots
    • 8 oz uncooked mini penne 
    • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
    • 3/4 cup shredded sharp provolone cheese
    • 1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

    directions
    1. Preheat oven to 425F.
    2. Combine 1/4 tsp salt, rosemary, and pepper. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt mixture. Bake at 425F for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Increase oven temperature to 450F.
    3. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove the pancetta from pan, reserving 1 1/2 tsp drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Combine squash mixture, bacon, and shallots; set aside.
    4. Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.
    5. Combine flour and 1/2 tsp salt in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine.
    6. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; top with squash mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450F for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.


    Sunday, August 14, 2011

    chicken enchilada - red sauce

    8:30 PM Posted by patty , No comments
    as you can tell, we've been on an enchilada kick. 

    chicken enchilada

    ingredients
    • 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
    • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
    • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
    • 1 can (4oz) green chile or 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 10 corn tortilla
    • 3/4 cup shredded Mexican Blend cheese
    • 1 can (10oz) red enchilada sauce
    • 1 jar (16 oz) Chipotle Salsa
    directions
    1. Preheat oven to 350F
    2. In a sauce pan, cook onion, parsley, black pepper, garlic, green chile and salsa
    3. Add 1 cup cheese and chicken and heat until cheese melts
    4. Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortilla.
    5. Arrange in a 9 x13 inch baking dish and cover with taco sauce and 3/4 cup of cheese.
    6. Bake in oven for 20 minutes and cool for 10 minutes before serving.


    Friday, August 12, 2011

    chicken enchilada with salsa verde

    8:19 PM Posted by patty , No comments
    chicken enchilada with salsa verde

    ingredients
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 (7oz) bottle salsa verde 
    • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
    • 1/3 cup (3oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
    • 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
    • Cooking spray
    • 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
    • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
    • 4 lime wedges
    • Cilantro sprigs (optional)
    directions
    1. Preheat the oven to 425F
    2. In a food processor, combine the first 4 ingredients and process until smooth.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and cream cheese.
    4. Stir in 1/2 cup of salsa mixture and reserve the remaining salsa mixture.
    5. Lightly spray the tortilla and stack them, then microwave for 30 seconds.
    6. Evenly spoon the chicken mixture down center of tortilla; roll up.
    7. Place tortilla, seam-side down, in an 11x7 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
    8. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas
    9. Pour remaining salsa mixture over enchiladas; sprinkle evenly with queso fresco and chili powder. 
    10. Bake at 425F for 18 minutes.


    Tuesday, July 5, 2011

    No-Knead Pizza Dough

    2:56 PM Posted by patty , , , No comments
    I got this recipe from my coworker who mentioned Jim Lahey and Mark Bittman, two names that really did not compute into anything in my mind, but when she said No-Knead, I was intrigued!  Perhaps the hardest part about this whole process is leaving the dough alone.

    No-Work Mostly Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
    (Adapted from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook)

    ingredients
    • 2 cups whole wheat flour
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 tsp. instant dry yeast activated in 1/2 cup warm water
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 2 Tbs. olive oil or vegetable oil
    • 1 cup water (at room temperature)
    directions
    1. Combine first four ingredients plus 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl. Stir in water. The dough should be relatively sticky and wet, like biscuit batter.
    2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and put it in a warm spot. Let the dough sit for at least 6 or up to 12 hours.
    3. When you're ready, heat the oven. Generously oil a baking sheet. Dust your hands with a little white flour and fold the dough over in the bowl a few times. It will be sticky, but don't use too much flour. Dust your hands again only when absolutely necessary and use a light, gentle touch. Gently press the dough into the baking sheet.
    4. Brush the top of the pizza with a little olive oil, cover, and let sit while you get the toppings together, but no more than 60 minutes or so. 
    5. Bake at 400F, for about 20 minutes.

    ...

    Monday, June 27, 2011

    zucchini and ricotta galette

    12:07 PM Posted by patty , , No comments

    Zucchini and Ricotta Galette
    (adapted from smittenkitchen)

    ingredients
    • 1 large or 2 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
    • 1 Tbs and 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1 medium garlic clove, minced 
    • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
    • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
    • 1 Tbs slivered basil leaves
    • 1 ready-made pie crust

    for glaze:
    • 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water

    directions | filling
    Spread the zucchini out over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain for 30 minutes; gently blot the tops of the zucchini dry with paper towels before using. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and the garlic together; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon of the garlicky olive oil together and season with salt and pepper to taste.


    Prepare galette
    Preheat oven to 400F. Roll the ready-made dough onto ungreased baking sheet. You can also roll it into a pie tin. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the bottom of the galette dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Shingle the zucchini attractively on top of the ricotta in concentric circles, starting at the outside edge. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of the garlic and olive oil mixture evenly over the zucchini. Fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open. Brush crust with egg yolk glaze.

    Bake the galette until the cheese is puffed, the zucchini is slightly wilted and the galette is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with basil, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.


    ....

    Saturday, June 25, 2011

    Aunt Judy's Popovers

    9:47 PM Posted by patty , No comments
    Aunt Judy's Popovers
    (makes 6) 

    ingredients
    • 1 cup of low fat or 2% milk, warmed
    • 1 cup of flour
    • 2 eggs at room temperature
    • 1 +/- Tbs salt
    • 1 cup grated gruyere cheese
    • non-stick vegetable spray
    • Popover pan

    directions
    1. Place the popover pan in the oven, heat the oven and pan to 350F
    2. Gently warm the milk over the low heat
    3. Whisk the eggs until frothy
    4. Slowly whisk the milk into the eggs
    5. Slowly add the flour and salt into the eggs mixture
    6. Once the combined mixture is smoothed, remove the pan from the oven, spray the non-stick vegetable spray.
    7. Fill each popover cup 1/2 full top and add the grated gruyere cheese to each cup
    8. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes

    Saturday, May 28, 2011

    Orzo Alfredo with Pancetta, Peas & Shrimp

    10:22 PM Posted by patty , No comments

    Orzo Alfredo with Pancetta, Peas & Shrimp

    ingredients

    • 1/2 box of orzo
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 2 Tbs butter
    • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
    • peas
    • shrimp
    • pancetta, cooked
    • salt & pepper
    directions
    1. Cook orzo according to directions on box.
    2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, mix cream, peas, butter, parmesan, pancetta and shrimp. Heat over medium low heat, whisking constantly until parmesan & butter have melted and shrimp has cooked.
    3. Combine with orzo, season with salt & pepper and served topped with additional parmesan cheese.

    Sunday, May 22, 2011

    Chili Relleno Casserole

    11:05 PM Posted by patty , , No comments

    One of The Husband's favorite things to order when we're eating at a Mexican Restaurant is chili relleno. The photo really doesn't do this dish any justice...it's much more delicious than it looks with just a hit of spice. This version is also much healthier than your usual chili relleno and since we're meat-lovers in this family, I packed on the ground meat.

    Chili Relleno Casserole
    (adapted from For the Love of Cooking)


    ingredients
    • 5-7 Anaheim chilies (depending on the size)
    • 3 eggs
    • 3 Tbs flour
    • 3 Tbs sour cream
    • 1 (3oz) can of sliced black olives
    • 2 cups Mexican blend cheese
    • 1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
    • 1 lb ground meat
    • 1 can green enchilada sauce
    directions
    1. Rinse chilies and place on a baking sheet covered in foil. Broil chilies for about 5 minutes on each side or until skin is blackened.
    2. Remove from oven and place in bowl with cover. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove chilies. Skin and remove veins and seeds. Cut into strips.
    3. Preheat oven to 350℉. Combine eggs, flour, sour cream, olives, salt and pepper to taste then mix thoroughly. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
    4. Add a layer of the chilies. Then egg mixture, then cheese, then black beans, then ground meat; repeat layers until gone. Top with enchilada sauce and a more cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Serve with optional toppings like sour cream, avocado, salsa & more cheese! 

      Tuesday, May 17, 2011

      Flourless Chocolate Cake

      5:53 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
      Flourless Chocolate Cake
      (adapted from epicurious.com)

      ingredients

      • 1/2 cup fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (I used Scharffen Berger)
      • 1 stick unsalted butter
      • 3/4 cup sugar
      • 3 large eggs
      • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling
      directions
      1. Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
      2. Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler, melt the butter first then chocolate, stirring, until smooth. 
      3. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. 
      4. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. 
      5. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

      Monday, May 2, 2011

      Shrimp Scampi

      12:07 PM Posted by patty , No comments

      Shrimp Scampi
      (adapted from Epicurious)

      ingredients
      • olive oil
      • peeled, deveined large raw shrimp
      • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
      • 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
      • 1/2 cup dry white wine
      • salt and pepper
      • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
      • pasta, preferably, angel-hair or linguine 
      • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
      • zucchini, diced - optional
      directions
      1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil.
      2. Heat oil in skillet over high heat and saute shrimp, turning over once.  Cook for about 2 minutes, just until through, with a slotted spoon, move shrimp to plate.
      3. In same skillet with shrimp removed, cook zucchini until through, remove to plate.
      4. Add garlic to remaining oil, red pepper flakes, wine, salt & pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally for about 1 minute.
      5. Add butter to skillet, stirring until melted, and stir in shrimp & zucchini.  Remove from heat.
      6. Cook pasta in boiling water until tender. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta.  Toss pasta well with shrimp mixture and parsley in large bowl.  Add some reserved cooking water if necessary to keep moist.

      Sunday, April 17, 2011

      Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo

      11:09 PM Posted by patty , , 1 comment
      I went looking for steak, but instead found fresh wild caught jumbo scallops. This meant a change in the dinner menu, but I'm not complaining since it was a great opportunity for a new recipe. 

      Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo
      (adapted from Cooking Light
      ingredients
      • Cooking spray
      • 1/2 cup prechopped onion
      • 1 cup uncooked orzo
      • 1 cup chicken broth
      • 1/2 cup dry white wine
      • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
      • 2 Tbs chopped fresh chives
      • 2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
      • 2 tsp olive oil
      • 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
      • 1/4 tsp salt
      • 1/4 tsp black pepper

      directions
      1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes.
      2. Stir in pasta, broth, wine, and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente. Stir in chopped chives and lemon juice. Keep warm.
      3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops evenly with salt and pepper. Add scallops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
      4. Serve with pasta mixture.


      Thursday, April 14, 2011

      Easy Mexican Dinner

      5:38 PM Posted by patty , No comments
      My good friend told me about this quick dinner she whipped up one night with some random leftovers in her fridge. I was immediately intrigued since I was just craving some fish tacos. Tortilla, frozen fish nuggets/sticks some greens and tarter sauce and you have home-made fish tacos!  Genius really!  I didn't have tarter sauce, so instead I whipped up a lemon-cilantro crema to go on top of our fish-tacos.

      lemon-cilantro crema
      (i didn't use any exact measurements, so just season & add to taste)
      • Mayonnaise
      • Sour cream
      • Chopped cilantro
      • Garlic salt
      • Lemon juice
      To accompany our tacos I also made one of our favorite Mexican dishes, Shrimp Cocktail. Normally we'll get these cocktails from the street vendors, who'll promptly open their igloo and scoop us a cup of this delicious spicy red concoction. I know, it sounds a lot more frightening than it really is and you can definitely find this dish in most Mexican restaurants as well... in either case, it's quite an addicting dish, a little like gazpacho, but better!

      Coctel de Camarones (shrimp cocktail)
      (adapted from Chef Rick Bayless)

      ingredients
      • 1 pound uncooked small shrimp
      • ¾ cup ketchup
      • ¼ cup Mexican hot sauce, I used Tapatio
      • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
      • 3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
      • 1 small white onion, chopped
      • ¾ cup clam juice
      • 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, sliced crosswise
      directions
      1. Boil the shrimp, cook until shrimp are pink and firm, 10 to 30 seconds. Immediately drain shrimp in a colander and then rinse under cold water until shrimp are cool.
      2. Stir together the ketchup, hot sauce, cilantro, lemon juice, white onion, and clam juice in a medium-sized bowl. Add shrimp and stir well.
      3. Taste & season with salt accordingly, garnish with slices of avocado, and serve with lime wedges and crackers or tortilla chips.

      Note: If you're not accustomed to spicy food, I recommend adding the hot sauce a little at a time and season it to taste.

      Monday, April 11, 2011

      ATK's Banana Bread

      2:08 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
      I have to give credit to my friend Brian here, because if he didn't distract me at work with episodes of America's Test Kitchen, I never would have found this fabulous recipe! Personally, I'm not a fan of bananas, but put it in a bread or smoothie and I just might force myself to ingest some. So you can say it was a good distraction, since just a few days earlier, The Husband was forced to eat 4 overly ripe bananas by himself... in one sitting.

      BANANA BREAD
      350F, 8.5” x 4.5” loaf pan

      ingredients: bread
      • 5 super ripe banana
      • 1 3/4  flour
      • 1/2 tsp salt
      • 1 tsp baking soda
      • 1 stick melted butter
      • 1 tsp vanilla extract
      • 2 eggs
      • 3/4 cup brown sugar
      • 1/2 c toasted walnuts or pecans
      : topping
      • 1 banana, sliced quarter inch
      • 2 tsp sugar

      directions
      1. Peel and put banana in bowl cover with plastic wrap, puncture some holes, microwave on high for 5 minutes.  This releases liquid.
      2. Drain, pour liquid into saucepan and reduce till 1/4 cup about 5 minutes
      3. Combine, salt, flour & baking soda, whisk and put aside
      4. Take juice & microwave banana and mashed together. Make sure there’s no big piece of banana
      5. Mix butter, vanilla, eggs and sugar with the banana mixture
      6. Mix in dry ingredients. Don’t over stir flour mixture. Fold in walnuts
      7. Spray 8.5 x 4.5” loaf pan with baking spray
      8. Pour mixture into loaf pan
      9. Slice 6th Banana into quarter inch slices
      10. Line side of pan with overlapping sliced banana (2 long-side, not down the center)
      11. Sprinkle 2 tsp of sugar on top, this candies the banana & makes a nice shiney crust
      12. 350F oven, middle rack, 1 hour.  Rotate at 30 minutes
      13. Let it cool for 15 minutes


      Wednesday, March 23, 2011

      OG's Zuppa Toscana Soup

      3:24 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
      Rainy days are the best days for a bowl of nice hot soup. This is one of my fave and the sole reason why I go to Olive Garden. Now all I need to make are the bread sticks.

      (Olive Garden's) Zuppa Toscana Soup
      (adapted from many variations)

      ingredients
      • 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
      • 3 bacon
      • 2 (32 oz) chicken stock
      • 2 lg. red potatoes, sliced  (you can also use Russet Potato, peeled and diced)
      • 3 garlic cloves, minced
      • 1 onion, chopped
      • 1 bunch of kale, cut into bite sized
      • 2/3 cup cream
      • 6 cups water
      • pinch of fennel
      • a dash of red pepper flakes
      • salt and pepper
      directions
      1. Bring chicken stock and water to a light boil and add potatoes.
      2. In a skillet cook bacon until somewhat done and remove bacon.
      3. Sauté the onion in the bacon rendering until almost caramelized (golden color). Remove and put in boiling stock.
      4. In the same skillet add olive oil and cook Italian sausage (with casings removed).
      Add garlic with the sausage and cook until sausage is done and the consistency of ground hamburger meat. Drain the oil then add mixture to the stock.
      5. By this time check to see if potatoes are cooked, when they are done reduce heat and add cream and kale, salt, fennel, red pepper, black pepper.

      Sunday, February 6, 2011

      Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Glaze

      10:19 PM Posted by patty , No comments


      Inspired by my friend, I recently purchased a mini bundt cake pan and was looking for a healthier cake recipe.  Since our lemon tree is still producing like crazy, I was immediately drawn to this recipe...


      Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Glaze
      (adapted from foodnetwork.com)


      ingredients
      For the Cakes:
      • 1 tbs unsalted butter, melted
      • 1 cup flour
      • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
      • 2 tbs grated lemon zest
      • 2 large eggs
      • 1/4 cup evoo
      • 2/3 cup milk
      • 1/2 tsp baking powder
      • 1/2 tsp salt
      • 1 tsp finely minced fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish
      For the Glaze:
      • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
      • 3 tbs lemon juice
      • 2 tbs melted butter


      directions
      1. Preheat to 350 degrees. Brush a 12-cup mini Bundt pan with the melted butter and lightly dust with flour and shake out the excess.
      2. Pulse the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a food processor until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then gradually pour in the olive oil and milk, pulsing until emulsified into a thin batter, about 30 seconds.
      3. Whisk 1 cup flour, the baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon thyme in a small bowl. Add to the blender in 2 batches, pulsing lightly until just combined. 
      4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cakes just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and spring back when lightly touched, about 22 to 25 minutes.
      5. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a small knife and invert the cakes onto a rack.
      6. Prepare the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and butter until smooth, adding more lemon juice if the mixture is too thick. Drizzle over the warm cakes and garnish with thyme sprigs.





      Tuesday, February 1, 2011

      Turkey Meatloaf - v1

      2:36 PM Posted by patty , No comments

      Occasionally I get hit with this crazy craving for meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I've attempted numerous variation of meatloaf before, but for some reason they always ended up dry, salty or just mediocre. The other night I was craving meatloaf again, but my favorite place was far and my taste buds needed satisfaction NOW! With limited pantry content and strong determination I started to research meatloaf recipes.  After reading through 20 different variations, I was ready to test out my short-short version. The result, tender, flavorful meatloaf in under an hour. It's a good base recipe, definitely something I can build on.  Watch out Joan's, I'm gonna steal your turkey meatloaf recipe soon!

      Your Basic Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf
      (makes enough for 2, plus a small lunch for the next day)

      ingredients
      • 1 lb ground turkey
      • 1/2 cup milk
      • 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
      • 1 egg
      • 1/2 tsp salt
      • 1/4 tsp pepper
      • 4 slices america cheese, folded so it looks like cubes
      • ketchup for brushing  
      • Worcester sauce, a few dash
      directions
      1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
      2. In a bowl, mix the turkey, milk, bread crumbs, and eggs by hand. Season with salt, pepper and worcester sauce. Fold the cheese cubes into the mixture. Transfer to a loaf pan, and brush the top with ketchup.
      3. Bake 40-45 minutes in the preheated oven, to an internal temperature of about 180 F 


        Sunday, January 16, 2011

        grill-less babyback ribs

        11:19 PM Posted by patty , , No comments
        While grocery shopping, I found a nice rack of baby backs ribs on sale and I just couldn't pass it up.  When I got home, I realized I had a few problems...1) I never made ribs before, 2) we had no coals for the grill and 3) I didn't want to marinate overnight or wait 3-4 hours to eat ribs! I want my ribs now! Tonight!

        Lucky for me I have a great friend who knows meats or at least his father does so I asked him for his dad's "secret" oven-roasted rib recipe.  I did a little research online and found a similar recipe, combined the two and created what I think is a very successful recipe. The result... quite a delicious rack of ribs. They're not fall of the bone and the sauce isn't so saturated that you can't taste anything but sauce. Total cook time: 1 hour and 30 minutes.  You really can't beat that!

        Grill-less Baby Back Ribs
        (loosely adapted from Delicious House)

        ingredients
        • 1 Rack of baby back pork ribs (about 3lb)
        • Garlic Salt
        • Pepper
        • Paprika (or Cayenne pepper, if you want a slight kick)
        • Favorite BBQ Sauce - for us, it's Lucille's or Trader's Joe's

        directions
        1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 1 rack of baby back pork ribs on a large piece of foil.
        2. Sprinkle liberally with garlic salt, black pepper & paprika. Place fat side up on the foil.
        3. Cover ribs with a second piece of foil and fold each edge tightly so moisture is sealed in. It's really important to make sure the ribs are sealed up. Bake in preheated over for 1 hour.
        4. Remove ribs from oven and unwrap foil. Brush with your favorite BBQ sauce and place fat side down. Return ribs to oven, foil still open. Cook 20 minutes.
        5. Cut and serve. If you prefer having more flavor, just serve it with your favorite BBQ sauce on the side.

        Tuesday, January 11, 2011

        Beef Chili with Corn

        11:40 PM Posted by patty , No comments
        The husband loves chili so I'm always on a search for a healthy & hearty chili to satisfy his cravings.  Up until now, my favorite chili recipe was the slow cooker chili.  You just put everything in the pot and let it simmer for 7 hours.  The only problem with the slow cooker chili was, I always had to plan ahead and make sure it starts cooking while I'm away at work. Here our chili recipe for when we want it now!

        Southwestern Beef Chili with Corn
        adapted from Real Simple, makes 4 servings.
        (
        unless you're a chili lover like my husband, then it makes 2 servings)


        ingredients
        • 1 tablespoon olive oil
        • 2 carrots, chopped
        • 1 onion, chopped
        • 1 bell pepper, chopped
        • 1/2 pound ground beef
        • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
        • 2 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed
        • 1 tablespoon chili powder
        • kosher salt and black pepper
        • 1/2 cup corn kernels
        • 1/2 cup grated Cheddar
        • 2 scallions, sliced
        directions
        1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and bell pepper and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
        2. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
        3. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened, 1 minute.
        4. Stir in the beans, chili powder, 1 cup water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
        5. Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the corn.
        6. Divide the chili among bowls and top with the Cheddar and scallions.