"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." -Albert Einstein
Good morning and welcome to the newest issue of A to Z Recipes Newsletter. I am so glad to be back with you guys! So much has happened since my last post, I couldn't begin to tell you here. But -- so much is good! I got married! I married a wonderful man, a retired engineer, and we live in Houston now. Oh! I retired!!! Yay! After 40-some years in law enforcement I finally hung up the radio mic. I love retirement!! I am happier now than I have ever been in my life. 'Bout time, huh?
Part of what made our newsletters so popular with folks is that we shared recipes. In this issue, I have shared some recipes of mine with you. Next issue, it's your turn! Share a recipe with us!!
I will start with a weekly newsletter and see how that works for us. If you guys start sending in oodles of recipes I will post more often. Thanks!
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Want to get to know one another better or share cooking tips? We have a gathering of fellow recipe collectors, cooks, and friends at the "QT". Join in at the A to Z Recipes Quick Talk (QT). Here is the link:
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DID YOU KNOW?
Pre-soak pasta and it will cook in about 60 seconds.
Sounds weird, but it works! Soak the pasta in water in a sealed bag for a couple hours or overnight. Then you can cook it super super fast in boiling water or just add it straight to a hot sauce in a pan and let it finish cooking there.
Source: BuzzFeed
OH, JUST MAKE ME LAUGH!
Q. How much room is needed for fungi to grow?
A. As mushroom as possible
I wonder what my parents did to fight boredom before the internet. I asked my 17 brothers and sisters and they didn't know either.
TODAY'S RECIPES
Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Crack Pie
Makes two 9" pies.
Ingredients:
Oatmeal Cookie-
1/2 cup (110g or 8 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup + 1 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp. salted caramel sauce
Crust-
Oatmeal cookie, crumbled
1/4 cup (55g or 4 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Filling-
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup salted caramel sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 egg yolks
6 oz. dark chocolate, melted
Optional-sea salt, for sprinkling
Preparation:
Oatmeal Cookie-
Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy, using an electric mixer. Beat in the egg. Stir in flour, baking powder and soda, and salt until just combined. Mix in oats.
Spread dough evenly in a very thin layer on the parchment paper and drizzle with salted caramel sauce.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.
Let cool completely, then finely crumble.
Crust-
Grease two 9 inch pie pans.
In a stand mixer, food processor, or by hand combine the crumbled oatmeal cookie with the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt (you'll want very small crumb pieces, I recommend using your food processor.)
Divide the crust mixture evenly between the pie pans. Press down into the base and sides, forming an even layer of cookie crust. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
Filling-
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Pour an even amount of the melted chocolate into each of the pie crusts, spreading to evenly coat the bottom of each crust.
Combine the sugars with the salt.
Whisk salted caramel, heavy cream, and vanilla into sugar and salt mixture. Then, gently whisk in the egg yolks.
Divide the filling between the pie crusts.
Bake the pies for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 15-25 minutes, until golden brown and the filling is only slightly wobbly. Sprinkle the tops of the pies with sea salt.
Let cool completely, then cut.
Store at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Alternately, after cooling completely, you can wrap pie in multiple layers of plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months (I like to do this with the 2nd pie).
Source: Adapted from Nutella Crack Pie
Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan, Panko, & Pecans
Yield: 4 servings
Oven roasting turns plain broccoli into something special... and a crunchy, garlicky, toasty topping takes it to the next level in this Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan, Panko, & Pecans!
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds broccoli
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
Instructions
Place rack in center position of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
Wash and dry the broccoli and remove the broccoli florets and thin stalks from the thick base stem. Discard the thick stem and cut the large florets in smaller pieces, so that all of the broccoli florets are similar in size. Scatter the broccoli florets on a large, rimmed sheet pan so that they fit in a single layer.
Evenly drizzle the broccoli with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the broccoli on the pan until it's evenly coated with oil and seasonings. Roast the broccoli for 15 minutes. While the broccoli is cooking, combine the grated Parmesan, panko bread crumbs, chopped pecans, and minced garlic in a small bowl; set aside.
After 15 minutes of cooking, use a metal spatula to flip each piece of broccoli over. Evenly sprinkle the Parmesan/panko/pecan/garlic mixture over the top of the broccoli. Roast for 5 to 10 minutes more until the broccoli is crisp-tender, the edges are just starting to char, and the topping is toasted. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe may easily be doubled. Just be sure that your pan is large enough to spread out the broccoli in a single layer. It's also possible that the cooking time may need to be slightly increased, so just keep an eye on it.
Source: FiveHeartHome.com
Diabetic Condensed Milk
4 cups powdered non-fat milk
2 cups (or equivalent) sugar substitute
1 1/3 cups hot tap water
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on very high for about 2 minutes. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Will thicken as it cools. Can be used in any recipe calling for regular, canned condensed milk.
Source: Today in Mississippi
Cubano Crescent Squares
Prep 15 min
Total 1 hr 15 min
Ingredients 7
Servings 24
Ingredients
2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dough sheet
8 oz thinly sliced cooked deli roasted pork
1/4 cup yellow mustard
8 oz thinly sliced Swiss cheese
8 oz thinly sliced ham
1 egg, beaten
48 dill pickle slices (about 1/2 cup)
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
2. Unroll 1 can of dough into 1 large rectangle; place in pan. Press in bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pan to form crust.
3. Layer roasted pork onto dough; spread mustard evenly over pork. Top with cheese slices and ham.
4. Unroll second can of dough. Place over layered ingredients, stretching to cover filling; press edges to seal. Brush with beaten egg. Cover with foil.
5. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until deep golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. To serve, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Just before serving, top each square with 2 pickle slices.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories 140
Calories from Fat 60
Total Fat 7g 10%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 30mg 10%
Sodium 470mg 20%
Potassium 105mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 2g
Protein 9g
Exchanges:
1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat;
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Source: Pillsbury
Creamy Guacamole Salsa (like Mama Ninfa's)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 mins (plus 3 hours chill time)
Yield: ~3 ½ cups, serves 4-6 people
A creamy guacamole salsa that’s a mashup of guacamole and salsa verde. This is the famous Mama Ninfa’s green sauce recipe tweaked to give it more of a flavor punch!
Ingredients:
Cook:
1/2 lb. green tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 lb. tomatillos, husk removed and roughly chopped
3-4 cloves garlic
1-2 jalapenos (seeds removed for a milder flavor)
Blend:
2 medium avocados
1/4 cup cilantro leaves and stems
1/2 cup sour cream (or greek yogurt)
2-4 tablespoons lime juice (to taste)
Directions:
Cook: add the ingredients to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat along with a big pinch of salt and stir to combine. When you hear it start to sizzle, lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 12-15 minutes or until everything softens. If around the 10-minute mark you see a lot of liquid leftover in the pan, kick the heat up to medium-high to help evaporate all the liquid, stirring as needed to prevent sticking. Allow the mixture to cool for 20 minutes before proceeding.
Blend: add the avocados, cooled tomatillo mixture, and cilantro to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the sour cream and continue to mix until it reaches a mostly smooth consistency. Drizzle in a couple tablespoons of lime juice and pulse to combine. Taste and adjust with additional lime juice and salt as desired. Pour the guacamole salsa into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Notes:
If you can’t find either green tomatoes or the tomatillos you can double the amount of the other ingredient (so a pound total of either the green tommies or the tomatillos)
This will comfortably feed about 5 people, the recipe can also easily be doubled to serve more!
Source: Little Spice Jar
http://littlespicejar.com/guacamole-salsa/
Blueberry Biscuits with Sweet Lemon Glaze
Prep 15 min
Total 40 min
Ingredients 5
Servings 8
Ingredients
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers refrigerated Buttermilk biscuits
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Steps
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line large rimmed baking pan with cooking parchment paper. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Separate each biscuit into 2 layers, making a total of 16 thin biscuits. Evenly divide blueberries among bottom biscuit halves. Place biscuit tops on top of blueberries. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Transfer to serving platter; cool 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix powdered sugar, lemon peel and lemon juice. Brush biscuits with half of lemon glaze. Let stand 5 minutes. Brush with remaining lemon glaze.
Source: Pillsbury
Baked Seafood Stuffed
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Crab and shrimp filled Baked Seafood Stuffed Avocados make an extraordinary Sunday or special occasion brunch entree.
Ingredients
4 avocados, sliced in half length-wise and pitted
8 ounces chopped cooked shrimp
3.25 ounces flaked fresh cooked crab
1 cup finely shredded Cabots White Oak Cheddar
1/2 cup finely diced vidalia onion
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped shrimp, crab, shredded cheddar, onions, parsley, seafood seasoning, lemon juice, and eggs; mix well.
Spoon the mixture equally on top of each avocado half (you may have a little mixture remaining, depending on the size of your avocados). Place in a glass 9x13 baking dish without tilting the avocados, and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 268 Calories from Fat 180 % Daily Value* Total Fat 20g 31% Saturated Fat 5g 25% Cholesterol 130mg 43% Sodium 362mg 15% Potassium 551mg 16% Total Carbohydrates 9g 3% Dietary Fiber 6g 24% Sugars 1g Protein 13g 26% Vitamin A 5.8% Vitamin C 16.7% Calcium 16.3% Iron 8.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Creamy Chicken & Chile Enchiladas
1 pound uncooked chicken breast strips
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cut into strips
1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso chopped green chilies
1 package (12 count) Old El Paso flour tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas
2 cans (10 ounces each) Old El Paso green chile enchilada sauce
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
Heat oven to 400°F.
Lightly grease 13x9x2 inch rectangular baking dish. Cook chicken in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center.
Add cream cheese and chiles; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until blended and cream cheese is melted.
Spoon chicken filling onto tortillas; roll up and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.
Source: Old El Paso
Garden Vegetable Dip
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped cucumber
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chili sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash hot pepper sauce
1. Blend all ingredients in medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate dip 1 hour before serving.
2. Serve with fresh vegetables, crackers or chips.
Makes 12 servings.
Zucchini-Parmesan Pancakes
A twist on potato pancakes. Matzo meal, easy to find around Passover, makes them nice and crisp. "These are great as a side at dinner, with fried eggs for breakfast, or as an appetizer with sour cream for dipping."
Prep Time 40 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Yield Makes 24
Ingredients
2 pounds zucchini (about 3)
1 pound russet potatoes (about 2), peeled
1 medium onion
3/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 ounce Parmesan, grated (1/4 cup)
6 tablespoons matzo meal
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Sour cream, for serving
Directions
Using the large holes of a box grater, shred zucchini, potatoes, and onion onto a clean dish towel; squeeze out excess liquid. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in parsley, Parmesan, matzo meal, dill, sugar, lemon juice, garlic, eggs, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. In batches, drop mounds of zucchini mixture (2 tablespoons each) into skillet; flatten with a spatula and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes total, flipping once. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm with sour cream.
Cook's Note
You can make your own matzo meal by processing plain matzo until finely ground. Freeze cooled pancakes between sheets of waxed paper, up to 1 month.
Source: Martha Stewart
http://www.marthastewart.com/898035/zucchini-parmesan-pancakes
Creamy Asian Slaw
Tme prep: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Servings total: 16 servings, 1/2 cup each
1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Original Cooking Creme
1/4 cup KRAFT Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
2 pkg. (12 oz. each) broccoli slaw
1/2 cup PLANTERS Slivered Almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins
COMBINE cooking creme and dressing in large bowl.
ADD remaining ingredients; toss to coat.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour. Stir before serving.
Variation
Give this delicious slaw an Italian twist by preparing with PHILADELPHIA Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme, and KRAFT Tuscan House Italian Dressing.
Creamy Ranch-Feta Slaw
Prepare as directed, using KRAFT Classic Ranch Dressing and adding 1/2 cup ATHENOS Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese.
Variation
Substitute chopped apples for the raisins and/or chopped PLANTERS Pecans for the almonds.
Nutritional Info per serving
Calories 90 Total fat 5 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Cholesterol 10 mg Sodium 200 mg Carbohydrate 8 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 6 g Protein
Source: Kraft Kitchens
Lemon Dream Cake
This fantastic Lemon Dream Cake reminds us how awesome easy cake recipes can be. Just some cake mix, yogurt and Cool Whip and you've got an amazing dessert.
Ingredients
1 package lemon cake mix (pudding in the mix is richer)
2 (8-ounce) containers lemon yogurt (blended type if possible)
1 (8-ounce) container of Cool Whip (thawed)
Instructions
Bake cake in any form you wish (I make 2 9" layers).
Let cake cool completely on wire rack. Fold yogurt into thawed Cool Whip.
Frost generously and use tines of fork to form wavy lines. Refrigerate if not serving right away.
Bean-Stuffed Jalapenos
These make wonderful appetizers or sides! Just be careful- they're spicy!
Ingredients
8 lg. fresh jalapenos
2-3 C. refried beans
1/4 C. shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 Tbs. olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 300. Remove stems from peppers and cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Brush cavities of peppers with olive oil. Place enough refried beans in each cavity to fill just to the top. Don't over-fill. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top of each stuffed pepper. Place on a baking sheet or in a baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
Shredded Beef au Jus (Slow Cooker)
8 Servings
Prep: 10 min.
Cook: 6 hours
Ingredients
1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 pounds)
2 cups water
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
8 hamburger buns, split
Directions
Cut roast in half and place in a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine the water, bouillon granules and seasonings; pour over the beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove beef; cool slightly. Meanwhile, skim fat from the cooking liquid. Shred meat with two forks; return to the cooking liquid and heat through. Using a slotted spoon, place 1/2 cup on each bun. Serve with additional cooking liquid on the side.
Nutrition Facts: 1 sandwich with 1/4 cup liquid equals 411 calories, 18 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 111 mg cholesterol, 889 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 37 g protein.
Source: Taste of Home 2012
Cottage Cheese Salad
Serves 4
1 c. cottage cheese
1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/2 tomato, chopped fine
2 tsp. chives and/or parsley (opt.)
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving (overnight is better).
Scotch Eggs
Prep 20 m
Cook 30 m
Ready In 50 m
Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
1 (3 ounce) package seasoned coating mix (such as SHAKE-N-BAKE)
1 pound bulk pork sausage
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Pour milk into a shallow dish; empty the packet of seasoned coating into a large plastic zipper bag. Divide the pork sausage into 6 equal portions, and cover each egg completely with a layer of sausage. Roll the sausage and egg balls in the milk, and place in the plastic bag. Seal the bag, and gently shake until balls are covered with seasoned coating. Place the coated sausage and egg balls onto a rack over a baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 30 minutes.
Source: Allrecipes.com
Roast Beef Horseradish Spirals
Servings: 36 Spirals
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
2 green onions, chopped about 1/2 cup
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces deli roast beef, sliced
2 10-inch flour tortillas, cheese flavoured are nice
Directions:
Combine first 6 ingredients.
Place the two tortillas on work surface, spread half of cheese over each, top each with half of the roast beef slices, leaving a 1/2 inch border around edges.
Roll up, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes or up to 1 day ahead.
Cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices and serve.
One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb chicken, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
1/2 c. yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. chicken broth
2 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 lb penne pasta
4 oz Crystal Farms Shredded Parmesan Cheese
2 roma tomatos, seeded and diced
Fresh parsley and Cajun spice for garnish
Instructions
In a large pot over medium heat season chicken with Cajun seasoning. Add onions. Cook in olive oil until cooked through. Stir in garlic and cook for one minute.
Add chicken broth, heavy cream and pasta. Stir and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Stir in Crystal Farms Parmesan Cheese.
Top pasta with tomatoes, parsley and additional Cajun seasoning to taste.
Source: julieseatsandtreats.com
Spicy Beef Loaf
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup All-Bran® Original
2 eggs
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sage
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried parsley
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
Horseradish Sauce:
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1/4 cup horseradish
1 Tbs chopped chives
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs milk
Directions
1. In large mixing bowl, combine KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN cereal, eggs, tomato sauce, onion and seasonings. Let stand 2 minutes or until cereal softens. Add ground beef, mixing only until combined. Gently press mixture into 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
2. Bake at 350°F about 1 hour or until meat is done. Cut and serve with Horseradish Sauce, if desired.
3. To make Horseradish Sauce, place all ingredients in small mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Refrigerate until serving time. Serve cold.
Lemon Velvet Cake
1 lemon cake mix
1 small box lemon jello
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups powdered sugar
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix first 5 ingredients and pour into greased and floured 13 X 9 pan.
Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.
While cake is baking, mix together juice of 1 1/2 lemons and 2 cups of powdered sugar.
While cake is hot, poke holes all over cake with a fork. Pour sugar and lemon juice mixture on cake.
Healthy Chicken Pasta Salad
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 595 kcal
Healthy Chicken Pasta Salad loaded with spinach, mandarin oranges, craisins, almonds and parmesan cheese, tossed together with a light and healthy creamy citrus dressing.
Ingredients
8 oz dry farfalle pasta white or whole wheat
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
4 ounces baby spinach stems removed
11 oz. can mandarin oranges drained
1/2 cup craisins
2 green onions chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup slivered almonds toasted
Dressing:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp honey
Zest and juice from 1 orange
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
½ tsp fine sea salt
1/8 tsp freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
Make the dressing by combining all ingredients and whisking until smooth. You could use a blender to get it really smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Place the cooled, drained pasta in a large bowl.
Add 1/4 cup of the dressing to the pasta and toss to combine.
Add in the chicken, spinach, mandarin oranges, craisins, green onion, parmesan cheese and toasted almonds.
Drizzle dressing over the top (to taste, you may not want to use it all), and toss everything to combine. Serve immediately.
Source: Tastes Better From Scratch
Mexican Hamburger Casserole (CROCK POT)
6 to 8 servings
1 pound ground beef
3 cups corn chips, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 ounce) can tomatoes and green chiles (Ro-tel)
2 cups grated cheese
Brown ground beef and drain off fat. Mix well with undiluted mushroom soup and tomatoes and chiles. Line bottom of crock pot with 1 cup of corn chips. Add 1/3 of onion, sprinkle with 1/3 of grated cheese and add 1/3 of meat mixture. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.
Baked Banana Bliss
4 Tablespoons butter
6 firm bananas
4 Ounces cream cheese, softened
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Cup heavy cream
whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Melt butter. Slice bananas lengthwise. Saute quickly over high heat. Place 1/2 of bananas in buttered 8 x 8-inch dish. Beat cream cheese with sugar and cinnamon. Spread 1/2 of mixture over banana. Top with remaining bananas and spread with remaining cheese mix. Pour cream over top; bake in 375 degrees oven for 20 minutes. Serve cool garnished with whipped cream or warm over vanilla ice cream.
Yield: 9 Servings
Sour Cream Chicken Casserole
Creamy and has a slight blend of sweet and salty. It looks very presentable for special occasions, and is simple to make.
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 roll Ritz crackers
1 stick margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown chicken and cut into cubes. Place in an 8 inch square casserole dish. Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream in a medium bowl and spread mixture over chicken. Crush crackers and sprinkle over soup mixture. Drizzle butter over crackers. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until bubbly and crackers are slightly browned.
Beef Tips & Mushrooms
2 lb. stew beef, cut in 1" cubes
1 env. onion soup mix
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) mushroom soup
1 can whole mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup red wine
Combine all ingredients in crockpot; mixing well.
Cover and cook on Low 7 -- 9 hours.
Serve over egg noodles or rice.
Makes 6-8 servings.
Yeast Butter Rolls
My grannie used to call these "refrigerator rolls". Sure makes me miss her!
1 pkg. yeast
1 c. lukewarm water
2/3 c. melted butter
4 & 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
Mix all ingredients. Put in greased bowl. Set in refrigerator overnight. Divide in 3 parts. Roll each to 1/4 inch on floured board. Cut into rolls. (Drinking glass works well). Let rise 3 to 4 hours. Bake 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees in greased pan. Brush tops with butter before serving.
Salmon Appetizer
When seafood meets Mexican cuisine, this is the kind of gourmet goodness you get.
15 oz. of salmon in can
8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp. of mild or medium salsa
2 tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. of dried cilantro
1/4 tsp. of ground cumin
8 inch flour tortillas
Drain salmon; remove any bones. In a small bowl, combine salmon, cream cheese, salsa, parsley and cilantro. Add cumin. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the salmon mixture over each tortilla. Roll each tortilla up tightly and wrap individual with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Slice each tortilla into bite-size pieces.
Three Layer Pineapple Cake
1 pineapple cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup of pineapple juice
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
ICING:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 small can of crushed pineapple
2 cups of confectioners sugar
3 cups of whipping cream
juice of one lime
Mix cake mix, eggs, oil, and pineapple juice together. Divide evenly between 3 cake pans. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 or until done.
For icing, mix together cream cheese, crushed pineapple, confectioners sugar, whipping cream, and lime juice. Mix together until creamy.
Place one layer of cake onto dish. Top with icing. Repeat two more times ending with icing on top. Garnish with lime zest and lime slices or pineapple.
Chipotle Mayonnaise
1 & 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 & 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 & 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 & 1/2 tablespoons chipotle chili puree
Pinch kosher salt
Mix the mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro and chipotle chili puree together in a medium bowl, add the salt and mix again.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Yield: 1 & 1/2 cups