Last night's dinner...

Beer Battered Asparagus with lemon herb dipping sauce

2009-08-16T13:18:00.002-05:00

Lemon Herbed Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves*
1/2 teaspoon roughly minced fresh rosemary leaves*
Pinch salt

Beer Battered Asparagus:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 cup beer
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

*Cook's Note: Herbs other then thyme and rosemary can be substituted

**you can also use broccoli or mushrooms instead of asparagus

Lemon Herbed Dipping Sauce:

Stir together all ingredients and transfer to a small bowl. Chill, covered, until ready to serve.

Beer Battered Asparagus:

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan until it reaches 375 degrees F.

Whisk together flour, salt, pepper lemon and zest in a bowl until combined. Add beer and whisk ingredients until smooth.Dip asparagus in batter to coat. Remove excess batter before frying. Gently transfer battered asparagus to oil and fry until golden. Stir gently to prevent asparagus from sticking together.

Transfer to a baking sheet that has been lined with paper towels and keep warm in a preheated 200 degree F oven.

chicken ala king

2009-08-09T23:25:00.001-05:00

3 cups of diced, cooked chicken

3 tbl. of chopped pimento or roasted red peppers

3 cups of Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)

6 tbl. of Sherry (optional) some times I use it some times I don’t; it does add a depth of flavor. I would suggest you make a batch, split it and add 3 tbl. to one batch and see which you like the best.

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

3 tbl. of chopped green pepper (don’t omit, it will not taste the same)

1 tbl. minced onion

3 tbl. of chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the mushrooms, green pepper and onion in 4 tbl. of butter.

Make the Bechamel Sauce;

6 tbl. butter

6 tbl. flour

3 cups of half & half

Salt & pepper to taste

¼ tsp. of ground nutmeg

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat and stir in the flour. Blend well for 2 or 3 minutes and gradually add the half & half. Increase the heat slightly and stir until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Add the nutmeg. Allow to simmer 3 to 4 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the chicken, pimento or roasted red peppers and sherry (if using) in the sauce. Add the mushroom mixture and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This is great over biscuits, toast or noodles. It also freezes well.

fish tacos

2009-08-09T15:21:00.000-05:00

1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon tequila
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces cod or firm white fish, cut in 1-inch pieces
16 (8-inch) corn tortillas
Canola oil
4 ounces tempura flour
8 ounces prepared tempura batter made with cold water
6 ounces panko bread crumbs
1 cup shredded white cabbage
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup very thinly sliced red onion

Directions

In medium bowl, combine lime juice, tequila, cumin, salt, and pepper; mix thoroughly. Add the fish and toss to coat. Marinate for 10 minutes.

Warm tortillas on grill or pan. Cover with a towel to keep warm.

In a medium Dutch oven, heat the canola oil to 350 degrees F.

Remove fish from marinade, shake off excess, dredge in tempura flour, and dunk in cold tempura mixed batter. Roll in panko bread crumbs, pressing panko onto fish. One by one add fish to oil, making sure to keep the fish pieces separated. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Mix cabbage, cilantro and onion. Stack 2 tortillas; place 1/8th of fish on top of each, and top with cabbage mixture, Pico de Gallo, and Tequila Lime Aioli. Serve immediately.

Pico de Gallo:

4 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 red onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 lime, juiced
Salt and pepper

In a bowl, mix all ingredients, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate for 1 hour for flavors to meld.

Tequila Lime Aioli:

3 tablespoons premium tequila
1 lime, juiced
8 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper

In small bowl, combine all ingredients and chill for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

robert irvine's clam chowder

2009-08-08T21:26:00.000-05:00

1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups butter (3 1/2 sticks)
2 cups medium diced celery
2 cups medium diced onions
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart clam juice
1 pint heavy cream
6 large potatoes, peeled and diced medium
2 pounds fresh shucked manila clams (approximately 12 to 14 dozen manila clams in shell)
3 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)

In a large saucepan, heat oil and butter and add celery and onions, sauteing until translucent. Add flour to make a roux. Add clam juice and mix well to integrate flavors. Reduce heat to low, add cream and bring slowly to a simmer. Add potatoes, and let cook until just fork tender. As potatoes begin to soften, stir in clams and continue to simmer until clams become opaque, but be careful not to overcook the potatoes. Season with salt, pepper and crab boil seasoning, to taste.

bobby flay's Lobster and Green Chile Chowder with Roasted Corn-Green Chile Relish

2009-08-08T21:25:00.000-05:00

4 (2 pound) lobsters, steamed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups roasted corn kernels, cobs reserved *see Cook's note
4 to 5 cups lobster stock
3 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
3 cups heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus leaves for garnish
Roasted Corn and Green Chile Relish, recipe follows

Directions

*Cook's note: to roast corn: Remove the silks from the corn, but leave the husks on. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove corn from water, place on baking sheets and roast in the oven until tender and slightly charred, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, remove husks and kernels and place kernels in a bowl. You can also do this on a grill.

Remove the claws from the lobsters. Carefully crack the claws and try to remove the meat in 1 piece and set aside for garnish. Remove the tail meat and chop into 1-inch chunks and set aside in the refrigerator. Reserve the shells.

Melt butter in a medium stockpot over medium heat; add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Increase heat to high, add the wine, lobster shells, and corn cobs and cook until completely reduced. Add 4 cups of the lobster stock and bring to a boil. Add 2 cups of the corn and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove the lobster shells and corn cobs.

Transfer the soup to a food processor and process until smooth. Strain into a clean saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the lobster meat, remaining 1 cup of roasted corn kernels and green chiles and cook for 5 minutes.

Place heavy cream in a medium saucepan and reduce by half. Add the reduced cream to the chowder and stir until combined, if the chowder appears too thick, add some of the remaining lobster stock to thinly slightly. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cilantro. Ladle into bowls and top with a few tablespoons of relish, a lobster claw and fresh cilantro leaves.

Roasted Corn and Green Chile Relish:

4 ears fresh corn, silks removed but husks left on, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes

1 large poblano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and finely diced

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons canola oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove corn from water, place on baking sheets and roast in the oven until tender and slightly charred, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, remove husks and kernels and place kernels in a bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Let relish sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Potato Leek Soup

2009-08-08T21:17:00.001-05:00

6 potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
8 leeks, whites only, soaked in salt water to remove grit
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (4 ounces or 1 stick) melted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper

To a large pot add potatoes, 4 of the leeks, celery, onion, bay leaf and chicken stock. Let boil until potatoes are soft. Chop the remaining 4 leeks. Mix flour and butter in small bowl to make a roux for thickening the soup. Add the remaining leeks, roux, cream, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper, to taste. *Blend soup with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor*). Simmer for 20 more minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

tempura shrimp with spicy chocoalte sauce

2009-08-08T21:12:00.002-05:00

	1/4 cup tempura mix
	2/3 cup cold water
	2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
	3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated
	2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
	2 tablespoons thai fish sauce
	1 tablespoon butter, melted
	1 clove garlic, chopped
	1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
	3 cups cooking oil
	30 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deviened
	place the tempura mix in a large bowl and gradually ass the water. whisk well until the mixture is smooth and of the same consistency as pancake batter. if the mixture is too think, add more water, and if the mixture is too thin, add more tempura mix. place the chili sauce, chocolate, lemon juice, fish sauce, melted butter, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl. mix well. pour cooking oil into a deep frying pan. heat the oil. hold the shrimp by the tail and dip into tempura batter and coat well. gently shake off excess batter and fry the shrimp until golden brown. transfer the shrimp to a plate lined with paper towels. use the towels to soak up excess oil. transfer to serving plate and serve with chocolate sauce.

citrus shortbread cookies

2009-08-08T14:43:00.000-05:00

	1) 3/4 cup butter, softened
	2) 1/4 cup granulated sugar
	3) 2 cups all purpose flour
	4) 1 1/2 teaspoons lime peel, grated
	5) 1 1/2 teaspoons orange peel, grated
	6) 1 cup powdered sugar
	7) 1-2 tablespoons lime juice




	1: heat oven to 350^F. In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes or until light and creamy. add flour, lime peel, and orange peel. beat on low speed until mixture is blended. gather dough into a ball. 2: on lightly floured surface, roll dough into 8x16 rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. (if dough cracks around edges, press edges to smooth.) cut into 12 (2-inch) squares, then cut each square diagonally in half into triangles. on ungreased cookie sheet, place triangles 1/2 inch apart. 3: bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. cool completely, about 15 minutes. 4: in small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lime juice with spoon until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. drizzle glaze over cookies.

texas sheet cake

2009-08-08T14:38:00.000-05:00

1. cake:

	1) 2 cups sugar
	2) 2 cups flour
	3) 1/4 teaspoon salt
	4) 1 stick butter
	5) 3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
	6) 1/2 cup shortening
	7) 1 cup water
	8) 2 eggs
	9) 1/2 cup buttermilk
	10) 1 teaspoon baking soda
	11) 1 teaspoon vanilla


	put sugar, flour, and salt into a large mixing bowl. place butter, cocoa powder, shortening, and water into a sauce pan. bring to a boil and pour over dry ingredients. blend well. add eggs one at a time, blending well after each. dissolve baking soda in buttermilk. add buttermilk and vanilla to batter. mix well and pour into 11X16X1 inch pan. bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees. when the cake has been out of the oven for 10 minutes, start the icing.

	2. icing:

	1) 1 stick butter
	2) 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
	3) 1/3 cup milk
	4) 1 cup chopped pecans
	5) 1 teaspoon vanilla


	bring butter, cocoa powder, and milk to a boil. add sugar, nuts, and vanilla. blend well and pour over hot cake. let cool, cut into squares.

chicken and shrimp jambalaya

2009-08-08T14:34:00.000-05:00

	1) 2 whole chicken 3lbs each
	2) salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
	3) 1 pound raw smoked ham
	4) 4 tablespoons lard or bacon fat
	5) 1/2 cup all purpose flour
	6) 3 medium onions, finely sliced
	7) 2 green bell peppers, seeded and sliced
	8) 1 1/2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
	9) 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
	10) 1 teaspoon dried thyme
	11) 24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
	12) 3 cups white long grain rice
	13) 2-3 good dashes of tabasco sauce
	14) 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
	15) 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves


	cut each chicken into 10 pieces and season with salt and pepper. dice the ham coarsely, discarding the rind and fat. in a large heavy-based pan or flameproof casserole, melt the lard or bacon fat and brown the chicken pieces all over, lifting them out with a slotted spoon and setting them aside as they are done. return the chicken pieces to the pan, add the diced ham, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, then stir in shrimp. stir the rice into the pan with 6 cups of cold water. season with salt, pepper and tabasco sauce. bring to a boil and cook over a gentle heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is fully absorbed. add a little extra boiling water if the rice looks as though it is drying out before it is completely cooked. mix the scallions and the parsley into the finished dish, reserving a little of the mixture to scatter over the jambalaya. serve hot.

easy paella

2009-08-08T14:24:00.001-05:00

	1) 3/4 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
	2) 3/4 pound sea scallops, each cut in half (or cod cut into bite size pieces)
	3) 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
	4) 1 1/4 teaspoons saffron threads (optional)
	5) 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
	6) 5 medium onions, chopped
	7) 2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes undrained
	8) 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
	9) 3/4 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
	10) 2 cups uncooked basamati rice
	11) 4 cups chicken broth
	12) 1 teaspoon paprika
	13) chopped fresh parsley leaves if desired




	1: heat oven to 375. spray two 11X7" glass baking dishes with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, toss shrimp and scallops (or cod) with 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the saffron threads; cover and refrigerate. 2: In a 4-quart dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Cook garlic and onions in oil about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are crisp-tender. stir in tomatoes, artichokes, and sausage. cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. stir in rice. spread half the rice mixture evenly in each baking dish. 3: In a 2-quart saucepan, heat broth, paprika, and 1 teaspoon saffron threads to boiling. Pour 2 cups broth mixture evenly over rice mixture in each baking dish. 4: cover with foil. bake 35 minutes. place shrimp and scallops (or cod) on rice mixture in each dish. cover and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until shrimp are pink and scallops (or cod) are white and opaque. sprinkle with parsley.

perogies

2007-01-13T20:14:00.000-05:00

i haven't tried these yet but since the food network's threatening to remove it from their site and i love perogies and it looks decent. i'm storing it here. i'll let you know how they trun out.

Helen's Perogies
Recipe courtesy Ken Kostick

2 1/2 pounds red potatoes, halved

2 tablespoons butter 2 onions, chopped

1/2 pound bacon, chopped

6 ounces mild cheddar cheese

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup warm water

1/4 corn oil

Boil the potatoes until well done, drain and mash with butter. Set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat cook the onions and bacon together. Reserve 1/2 cup of mixture for spooning over the cooked perogies. Add the remaining bacon and onions to the potatoes. Stir the cheese into the potato mixture. Mix well. Chill until very cold. Mix flour and salt in large bowl. Make a well in the middle. Pour water and oil into the well. Mix together. Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time until dough is firm. Knead dough until mixture does not stick to hands. Cover tightly and let stand for 1/2 hour in a warm place. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut in 2-inch diameter circles. Add 1 teaspoon filling, fold over 1 half of circle and press the edges together to seal. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon oil, then add perogies. Stir occasionally so perogies won't stick to the bottom. When perogies rise to the top, add 1 cup cold water to stop the cooking. Remove the perogies with a slotted spoon. Perogies will cook in 3 to 4 minutes. Serve topped with reserved onion-bacon mixture.

Black Bean Sauce

2006-12-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

this sauce goes well with chiles rellenos or as a dip for tortilla chips.

2 tbl spoons oil
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 jalapeno minced
1 can black beans
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbl spoon cumin seeds
1 medium tomato coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat, heat the oil and sautee the onion until clear. add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for roughly 5 minutes stirring often. reduce the heat and add the black beans and chicken stock. simmer for 30 minutes. add the cumin and salt and pepper. place in a food processor and process until smooth. add the tomatoes and stir until well combined.

cornmeal-coated chiles rellenos

2006-12-04T11:28:00.000-05:00

i've been a fan of chiles rellenos for years. my favorite for ages came from a whole in the wall restaurant in midtown memphis, TN. then i stumbled upon these and well...the ones from memphis took second place.

1 1/2 cup cornmeal (i prefer the blue cornmeal when i can find it)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 large egg
2 tbl spoons of milk
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 poblano peppers roasted, seeded (optional...i like the additional heat), and peeled
4 tbl spoons of crumbled goat cheese
4 tbl spoons of grated monteray jack
3 cups of oil

to roast peppers
preheat oven to 350F. rub peppers with olive oil, place on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. remove from the oven and place in a brown paper bag for 5 minutes to steam. cut a slit down one side of the pepper to remove the seedsand peel off outer skin.

In a mixing bowl combine cornmeal, flour, and salt & pepper. in another small bowl lightly beat the egg and milk until just combined. in a third bowl mix together the goat cheese and monteray jack.

Stuff each pepper with the cheese mixture. roll each pepper in the cornmeal then dip in the egg mixture and then roll again in the cornmeal.

In a large frying pan heat the oil until a drop of batter sizzles. fry the peppers, turning until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. remove from oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess grease. serve hot. goes well with black bean sauce.

chinese chicken salad

2006-12-03T13:37:00.000-05:00

the ingredients in the salad are approximate measurements. you can add more of some and less of others as you prefer. also you can add any other ingredients that you'd like such as snow peas, shredded carrot, bean sprouts, celery etc. Experiment and find out what you like.

Dressing:

1/2 tsp. dry mustard, dissolved in 1/2 tsp. water
1 tbl. Soy sauce
3 tbl. Rice wine vinegar
2 tbl. Hoisin sauce
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbl. Oriental sesame oil
1/4 cup of corn or canola oil

Salad:

1 1/2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken or turkey
1 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
2 to 3 cups of mixed baby lettuces
1/2 red pepper, seeded and juilienned
3 scallions, sliced on the diagonal
3/4 of a cup of chow mein noodles
1/4 cup of cashews, roughly chopped

Tomato Soup with Pancetta

2006-11-26T11:49:00.000-05:00

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces pancetta, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 (3/4-inch-thick) slices rustic rye bread (each about 5 3/4 by 3 3/4 inches), cubed
6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup sour cream

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the bread and toss to coat with the pan drippings. Saute until the bread is crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.
Stir the mascarpone and sour cream in a small bowl to blend. Ladle the soup into bowls. Spoon a dollop of the mascarpone mixture atop the soup and serve.

Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Pie

2006-11-23T20:00:00.000-05:00

recipe courtsey of verybestbaking.com

have i mentioned how i love nestle's shameless "use our products" baking site? well i do. it's saved me more than once. the mini cheesecakes i posted earlier here are from there as is this recipe. they have a wide variety of products from pies to cookies to cakes...whatever your sweet tooth could want really. my family loved the pie that i made from there this thanksgiving and if you like chocolate and pie...i'm sure you will too. it's just sweet enough without being overly sweet and EASY? did i mention how frickin easy it was? my 3 year old is still upset that "somebody ate all of HIS pie!!"

Chocolate Chip Pie

Estimated Times:
Preparation - 15 min | Cooking - 55 min | Cooling Time - 15 min cooling | Yields - 8

Ingredients:

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell *
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup (6 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts
Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

BEAT eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.

BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream.

NOTES:
* If using frozen pie shell, use deep-dish style, thawed completely. Bake on baking sheet; increase baking time slightly.

Chipotle Butter

2006-08-28T18:09:00.000-05:00

recipe courtsey of bobby flay

i had this on my steak last night and wow was it good. it'd also be good on any number of things of course all i can come with at the moment is a spoon...it is that good.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) of unsalted butter
1 canned chipotle, stemmed
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
salt and freshly ground pepper

in a food processor, combine the butter, chipolte, garlic, onion, and salt and pepper to taste. process until completely mixed. spread the butter in a cylinder shape about 1 inch in diameter along the long side of a sheet of parchment or wax paper (don't tell bobby i used plastic wrap.), leaving a 1-inch border. roll up the butter in the paper to form a log. refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. May be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen.
makes 1 cup.

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders

2006-08-27T12:24:00.000-05:00

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

i have a two year old and like most children his age he could live off chicken nuggets. i don't want to get him in the habit of having me cook a seperate meal so one night i tried these. he loved them and so did i.

4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (about 18)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
3/4 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over each of 2 heavy large lined baking sheets. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders and stir to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic with the salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and then the remaining 1/2 cup of oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with pepper. Transfer the vinaigrette to a small serving bowl.

Stir the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a pie dish. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and dredge them in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken tenders and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Transfer the chicken tenders to a platter and serve the vinaigrette alongside for dipping.

*you can use whatever sauce you'd like for dipping. i mixed up a black pepper mayo for mine.

Orecchiette with Toasted Breadcrumbs

2006-08-27T12:06:00.000-05:00

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

i can't say enough about this one. COOK it...EAT it...ENJOY!!!

1 pound dried orecchiette or other small shaped pasta
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup Italian seasoned dried bread crumbs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup finely chopped prosciutto
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (i actually use chopped fresh spinach mostly b/c i need the iron.)

In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Cook pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium-sized saute pan, heat the oil until warm. Since the bread crumbs will cook quickly, you don't want to add them into a hot pan, otherwise they can burn. Add the breadcrumbs and stir constantly. Season lightly with salt and pepper since flavored bread crumbs may already have seasoning. Saute for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Drain pasta in a colander. Working quickly, add pasta to the saute pan and stir to combine. Add Parmesan and the chopped prosciutto. Mix thoroughly. Pour into large serving bowl and garnish with chopped parsley.

mini cheesecakes

2006-08-27T11:59:00.000-05:00

need a quick, easy, and delicious dessert? you can't beat these. i've made them many times and they disappear in minutes. also they work well with splenda...but i recommend using just under half a cup.

36 vanilla wafers
1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE®™ Real Semi-Sweet Morsels, divided (you can use any flavor chip you like)
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Place 36 2-inch foil bake cups (if you can't find the foil cups, regular paper ones placed in a muffin pan will work) on baking sheet(s) with sides. Place one vanilla wafer, flat-side down, on bottom of each cup. Place 5 to 6 Chocolate Morsels on top of each wafer.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and flour in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well. Spoon heaping tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into each bake cup.

BAKE for 15 to 17 minutes or until just set and not browned. Remove from oven to wire rack. While still warm, top cheesecakes with remaining Chocolate Morsels. Morsels will soften but will retain shape. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate.

Baked Chicken with Elbow Macaroni

2005-07-11T09:22:00.000-05:00

with chicken thawing, i found myself in need of some inspiration. Scanning the pages of The Foods of the Greek Islands by Aglaia Kremezi, i found what turned out to be THE PERFECT dish. the chicken was tender and delicious. and the pasta? with hints of sundried tomatoes and the savory use of cinnamon, the pasta was...heavenly.

Makes 6 servings
Pre-Heat the oven to 4oo

1/3 c olive oil
1 4.5lb chicken cut into six pieces (or 6 turkey drumsticks)
1 large onion halved and thinly sliced
1/3 c chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon aleppo pepper (or a pinch of red pepper flakes)
2 c grated ripe tomatoes* (or canned diced tomatoes w/their juice)
Salt to taste
2 c chicken stock**
1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked in plenty of boiling salted water for 2 minutes and drained (you can also use orzo)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c coarsely grated hard myzitha, kefalotyri, pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

*i used fresh tomatoes that i finely chopped b/c i couldn't be bothered trying to "grate" tomatoes.
**2 c is a good idea of how much stock you'll use but don't be surprised if you need a little more or even a little less.

In a Dutch oven or any large dish (i used a large cast iron skillet) that can be used on the range as well as in the oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the chicken or turkey in batches until golden brown on all sides. Set aside. Also, don't worry too much if your chicken doesn't brown quite the way you think it should. you can always brown it in the oven later by leaving the dish uncovered for part of the cooking time.

Add the onion to the pot and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, cinnamon stick, oregano, pepper or pepper flakes, and tomatoes. Sprinkle the chicken or turkey with salt and place it on top of the onion and tomato mixture. Add about 1/2 cup of stock, or just enough to come about 2/3 of the way up the chicken or turkey pieces. Bring to a boil, cover and transfer to the oven. If your chicken didn't brown as much as you'd like, leave the cover off the dish for the first 15 or 20 minutes of the baking time.

Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Transfer the chicken or turkey to a platter and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring remaining 1 1/2 cups of stock to a simmer.

Add the stock to the onion and tomato mixture, stir in the pasta and bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. add more stock if the pasta begins to dry out.

Place the chicken or turkey on top of the pasta and bake for another 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the parsley and cheese.