Spinach Mushroom Pasta

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
8 ounces whole-wheat pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound sliced mushrooms
6 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
8 cups lightly packed spinach
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Boil 2 qts. water in a large pot and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add garlic and mushrooms, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and milk and heat until boiling, stirring often. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour over pasta. Sprinkle with chives and serve with parmesan on the side.

Comments:
I liked this one but it was another case of lactose overload in the aftermath. Something about creamy sauces just doesn't jive with my digestive system. I've really been trying to give mushrooms a chance and it seems like if they're cooked I can deal with them.

Pasta with Ricotta and Broccoli

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 pound dried (orzo) pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon hot chili flakes
1 pound broccoli rabe or broccoli, rinsed, ends trimmed, and coarsely chopped
1 container (15 oz.) low-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 3 quarts water to a boil. Add orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, 7 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta-cooking water. Return orzo to pan.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic; stir until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chili flakes and broccoli rabe; stir 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of reserved water; simmer until greens are tender to bite, 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Add broccoli rabe mixture to orzo with ricotta, olives, and remaining 1/2 cup reserved water; mix, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Comments:
This was not as good as I expected it to be. It was just missing... something. I don't know what that might have been, but it was pretty bland. I also suspect all that ricotta made me sick, but that's more a personal lactose intolerance thing than a defect in the recipe. :)

Herb and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (4-ounce) package goat cheese
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler to high.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each breast half to form a pocket. Stuff 2 tablespoons cheese mixture into each pocket; close opening with a wooden pick. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. Add chicken to pan, and cook for 2 minutes on 1 side or until browned. Arrange chicken on a baking sheet (browned side up); broil for 8 minutes or until done.

Comments:
I had some trouble with this one. I had to cook it much, much longer than the recipe calls for in the oven. Like three times as long. It just wasn't getting cooked. I even "unrolled" it and laid the breasts flat. It was annoying. I even scrapped the whole "slit" idea and pounded the breasts out instead hoping that would help with cooking times. All in all, not too impressed and probably won't make it again.

Bacon, Potato, and Leek Turnovers

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed red or Yukon gold potato
2 cups chopped leek
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
12 Savory Cornmeal-Whole Wheat Dough circles (I used this pie crust recipe instead.)

Directions:
Combine potato, chopped leek, and 3/4 cup water in a microwave-safe pie plate or bowl; lightly cover with wax paper. Microwave at high 8 minutes or until tender, stirring every 3 minutes. Coarsely mash mixture with a fork. Stir in chives and the next 5 ingredients (through bacon). Cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place the Savory Cornmeal-Whole Wheat Dough circles on a lightly floured surface. Spoon 1/4 cup potato mixture into center of each dough circle. Fold dough over filling; press edges together with a fork or fingers to seal. Place turnovers on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pierce top of each turnover once with a fork. Bake at 425° for 17 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Comments:
I'm sure using the wonderful, flaky, OMGITSSOGOOD pie crust altered the "light" part of this recipe a bit. But it was worth it. I think the directions given are pretty dumb. Why would you cook all this stuff in the microwave? I started that way and when I saw it was pretty much a big waste of time I threw the potatoes and leeks into a pan on the stove with some water and finished them off there. I made four kind of big turnovers instead of 12 small ones. This require a little longer baking time. But I think they turned out great. Very yummy. Might have brushed some eggwash for some color maybe...

Crispy Herbed Shrimp

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Directions:
1. Combine 1/4 cup panko, parsley, thyme, and crushed red pepper in a mini food processor; pulse to combine. Combine herb mixture with remaining 1/2 cup panko in a shallow dish. Place cornstarch and egg whites in separate shallow dishes. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and black pepper. Dredge half of shrimp in cornstarch, shaking off excess; dip into egg whites. Dredge shrimp in panko mixture; press to adhere. Repeat procedure with remaining shrimp.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of shrimp to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat with remaining oil and shrimp.

Comments:
I didn't eat the shrimp. Yet another one of the thinks I just can't bring myself to like. It was entirely consumed and appreciated by Adam. I did eat the asparagus/tomato side dish though - recipe can be found here.

Adam Cooks: Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fettuccine
3 (4-ounce) links sweet Italian turkey sausage
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups sliced onions
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce
1/2 ounce pecorino cheese, grated (about 2 tablespoons packed)
8 basil leaves, torn

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Remove casing from sausages. Shape sausages into 12 (1-inch) balls. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan; cook 7 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove the meatballs from pan. Add onions, red pepper, and garlic to pan; sauté for 2 minutes. Return meatballs and add marinara sauce to pan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes or until meatballs are done. Add pasta to sauce mixture; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Comments:
Adam made this so I can't speak to the preparation part. The eating part was good. Nice switch up from your ordinary everyday beef meatballs.

Italian Meatball Sliders

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, finely diced
1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), toasted
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 ounces lean ground pork
2 (4-ounce) links turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce
12 slider buns, toasted
12 basil leaves

Directions:
1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat; swirl to coat. Add garlic and shallots to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until shallots are softened, stirring frequently. Combine shallot mixture, ricotta, and next 8 ingredients (through egg) in a medium bowl. Shape mixture into 12 (1-inch) meatballs; flatten each meatball slightly.

2. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add meatballs to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning once. Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until meatballs are done. Top bottom half of each bun with 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce, 1 meatball, 1 basil leaf, and top half of bun.

Comments:
These were pretty good. I used a pork sausage instead of combining ground pork and turkey and it turned out well. Easy recipe, and finally a burger that fit the bun!

Potato, Mushroom, and Leek Croquettes

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
8 ounces coarsely chopped peeled Yukon gold potato
4 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
4 ounces sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped leek
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
1. Place potato in a pan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Press potato through a ricer or food mill into a bowl.

2. Place mushrooms, leek, and thyme in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushroom mixture; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mixture to potato. Add Gruyère, 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper, and egg yolk; stir until blended. Shape mixture into 8 (2-inch) round patties.

3. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine egg white and 2 teaspoons water in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-­Reggiano and panko in a shallow dish. Dredge patties in flour. Dip in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add patties; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden.

Comments:
These were almost disasterous. There's definitely something wrong with this recipe as it's written. There's no way you can shape the glop that you create into patties. No. Way. I ended up adding probably half a cup (or more) of breadcrumbs to get it to stick together enough to cook. They were ok, if a bit bland. I added salt to mine. I probably wouldn't bother with these again.

Tofu Steaks

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 (14-ounce) package water-packed reduced-fat extra-firm tofu
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
1. Cut tofu crosswise into 4 slices. Place tofu slices on several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 30 minutes, pressing down occasionally.

2. Combine basil and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add tofu to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.

3. Place flour in a shallow dish. Place egg substitute in another shallow dish. Place panko in another shallow dish.

4. Remove tofu from marinade, reserving remaining marinade. Working with one tofu piece at a time, dredge tofu in flour, shaking off excess. Dip tofu in egg substitute, allowing excess to drip off. Coat tofu completely with panko, pressing lightly to adhere. Set aside. Repeat procedure with remaining tofu, flour, egg substitute, and panko.

5. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add tofu to pan; reduce heat to medium, and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until browned.

Comments:
I didn't eat this. I just can't get on the tofu wagon. There's something about it that just grosses me out. Adam had this and thought it was pretty good.

Gyro Meatloaf

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds ground lamb or ground beef
1 cup refrigerated tzatziki sauce

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble lamb over mixture and mix well. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 160°. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with tzatziki sauce.

Comments:
This was really good. I used beef and skipped the tzatziki, but the meatloaf had really good flavors. I'm a sucker for spinach hidden inside of something else and the oregano just makes the whole house smell wonderful.

Cheesy Potato Soup

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chopped red potato (about 1 pound)
1 1/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Sprinkle with flour; cook 1 minute, stirring onion mixture constantly. Add potato, milk, broth, and 1/2 cup water to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese and ground red pepper; cook 2 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Top each serving evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped green onions.

Comments:
This was... ok. It takes a whole lot longer than 10 minutes to get the potatoes cooked though. I let it go more than 20 and there were still some that were questionable. I added a lot of black pepper to mine and we both added some extra cheese on top. Adam suggested adding bacon or ham to the base for some additional flavor. Might try this again, but I'd definitely tinker with the recipe.

Adam Cooks: Chocolate-Mint Hearts

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) mint chocolate chips, divided
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup shortening
Colored sprinkles, optional

Directions:
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips; stir. Cool slightly. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla and melted chocolate. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

In a microwave, melt shortening and remaining chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Dip each cookie halfway into chocolate mixture; allow excess to drip off. Sprinkle chocolate with sprinkles if desired. Place on waxed paper; refrigerate until set.

Comments:
In honor of Valentine's Day, Adam made these cookies. I think the chocolate dip tastes like a Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie. Overall, pretty good. Can never get enough chocolate!

Shredded Barbecue Chicken with Grits

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup hickory smoke-flavored barbecue sauce
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon ground ancho chili pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-1/4 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking grits
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
6 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Directions:
Sprinkle chicken with pepper; place in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup broth, barbecue sauce, molasses, chili pepper and cinnamon; pour over chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. Shred meat with two forks and return to the skillet.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring water and remaining broth to a boil. Slowly stir in grits and pumpkin. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 5-7 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted.

Divide grits among six serving bowls; top each with 1/2 cup chicken mixture. Serve with tomato, sour cream, green onions and cilantro.

Comments:
Adapted this one a little for what I had around. Left out the cinnamon and pumpkin, used cheddar instead of pepperjack, omitted the tomato and cilantro. Overall not too bad. Adam thought it would make a good sandwich.

Mexican Manicotti

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 package (8 ounces) manicotti, cooked and drained
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, optional
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, chili powder and cumin. Stuff into manicotti shells.

Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Combine tomato sauce and chilies if desired; pour over manicotti. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes or until heated through.

Comments:
I left out the optional chiles, but otherwise pretty much stuck to the plan. I chose this recipe to use up some refried beans and it worked like a charm. Pretty tasty and relatively easy to assemble. Although I notice every time I make manicotti I think to myself "man, I really hate making manicotti." Such a pain in the butt, stuffing all those shells. *sigh*

Brookies

From Andrea the Kitchen Witch



Ingredients:
2 cups high quality 62% cacao chocolate chips
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 T oil
1 t butter
1/2 c flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips with the oil and butter until melted. Stir well to melt all chips. Allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl mix the flour, salt and baking powder together.

In a medium work bowl mix the eggs and brown sugar together. Add the melted chocolate, stirring well to thoroughly mix. Scrape down sides before adding the flour mix. Whisk it in until just in mixed, then add the remaining chocolate chips and stir well.

Transfer batter to a shallow pan, like a pie pan and put in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up batter before scooping.

Scoop cookies onto either a parchment or silpat lined sheet pan. Using a 1T size scoop, form cookies.

Bake 10-11 minutes, until tops are dry looking and cracked like a brownie. Remove from oven and allow to rest on tray for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. The centers will be very soft and brownie like in texture. These cookies are best consumed in the first 12 hours, they begin to dry out after that and lose that brownie like texture.

Comments:
Not brownies, not cookies, Brookies.

These are awesome. Go make them right now.

I did screw up the recipe a little and I melted all the chocolate chips instead of reserving half of them to stir into the batter. Doesn't appear to have affected the end result too much. Also, you must resist the temptation to just eat all the batter when you take it out of the freezer. Good lord, it looked tasty!

Baked Mozzarella Bites

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3 (1-ounce) sticks part-skim mozzarella string cheese
3 tablespoons egg substitute
Cooking spray
1/4 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup panko to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and place the panko in a shallow dish.

3. Cut mozzarella sticks into 1-inch pieces. Working with one piece at a time, dip cheese in egg substitute; dredge in panko. Place cheese on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 3 minutes or until the cheese is softened and thoroughly heated.

4. Pour the marinara sauce into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring after 30 seconds. Serve with mozzarella pieces.

Comments:
Like a lot of the comments on the Cooking Light website, I could not get the panko to stick to the cheese. Kind of disaster. But they tasted ok. I don't know that I'd make them again though.

Quick Pan-Fried Chicken Breasts

From Cooking Light



Also seen here.

Ingredients:
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chile paste (such as sambal oelek)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Directions:
1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to an even thickness (about 1/2-inch), using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, juice, and chile paste in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes. Remove chicken from bag; discard the marinade.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Place panko in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken evenly in panko. Add half of chicken to pan; saute 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and chicken.

Comments:
I did marinate them this time. I don't know if it made a difference or not. They were still pretty good. I like easy recipes.

Portobello Mushroom Pizza Cups

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
4 large portobello mushrooms (3 inches)
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup marinara or spaghetti sauce
12 slices pepperoni, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

Directions:
Remove and discard stems and gills from mushrooms; brush caps with oil. Place rounded sides down on an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the pizza sauce, pepperoni, green pepper and 1-1/4 teaspoons Italian seasoning; spoon onto mushrooms. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining Italian seasoning. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and cheese is bubbly.

Comments:
I left out the pepperoni and green peppers so it probably deserved the "this is boring" verdict given by Adam. I'm not a mushroom fan, but I've decided I should try and branch out a little. (But I do draw the line with fish. I just can't do salmon. Sorry.) These were ok - got really liquidy when they cooled a little. Good concept, I think the problem was with the execution.

Adam Cooks: Overnight Cinnnamon Rolls

From Allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/2 cup white sugar
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs

FILLING:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:
1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Add the butter and stir until melted; let cool until lukewarm.

2. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the milk mixture. Add the sugar, 3 cups of flour, salt and eggs; stir well to combine. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes.

3. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

4. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10x 14 inch rectangle. Lightly brush the far edge with water. In a small bowl combine the cinnamon and 3/4 cup brown sugar and sprinkle over the rectangles. Then sprinkle the raisins and chopped nuts over the dough. Roll up the dough into a log and seal the seam.

5. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces; place the pieces in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan, or 12 inch deep dish pizza pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rise overnight.

6. The next morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Take the rolls out of the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

7. Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.

Comments:
Good lord, anything with seven steps is just too much work for me. Last night Adam decided he wanted cinnamon rolls. So he made these. He ended up using some Penzey's cinnamon sugar (the free item in the last catalog!) and left out raisins. Because he knows I hate them. He's nice like that. There's a glaze that goes with this (which you'll see in the original recipe if you follow the link) that he left out. Just used store bought cream cheese frosting. Yum. All in all, a pretty good way to start the morning.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

From Weight Watchers



Ingredients:
1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
2 pound(s) uncooked broccoli, tough ends removed, stems and florets chopped
4 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1 cup(s) fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Directions:
Combine onion and garlic in a 2-quart saucepan with 1/4 cup of water. Simmer until onion is soft, about 10 minutes; spoon vegetables into a large pot.

Add broccoli and broth to pot; bring to a boil over high heat. Once soup boils, reduce heat and simmer until broccoli is soft but still green, about 8 minutes. Do not cover pot while broccoli is cooking or it will turn gray.

Remove soup from heat; puree until smooth in batches in a blender (be careful not to splatter hot liquid) or puree in pot using an immersion blender. Add evaporated milk and hot pepper sauce to soup; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Comments:
I read some of the reviews on this recipe before making it so I also made some adjustments to the original recipe. I added some cornstarch to thicken it. Added cheese. Added a bunch of Penzey's "Mural of Flavor" spice blend. It was ok, but still not the best. I'm not really a cream of broccoli fan anyway, but I don't know that I'd try this again.

Adam Cooks: Cheeseburger Quiche

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 unbaked pie shell (9 inches)

Directions:
In a skillet, brown ground beef and onion; drain and set aside. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, milk, oregano, salt and pepper; beat in eggs. Stir in beef mixture and 1 cup cheese. Pour into pie shell.

Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Allow to stand 5 minutes before cutting. Yield: 6 servings.

Comments:
Given my history with ugly, unphotogenic (but tasty!) quiches, Adam decided to take a crack at it (get it? Crack. Bcause there are eggs. Ha. Ok sorry, back to the topic at hand) and see how his success would compare to mine. He used the second half of the totally awesome pie crust he made last week for the flat apple pie. It did take signficantly longer than the recipe says, but eventually it set up pretty well. It was pretty tasty, but seemed to be missing... something. Maybe bacon? Maybe pickles? We couldn't quite put our finger on it. Still, good stuff, and much prettier in a picture than any quiche I've made. :-)

Pantry Pasta

From The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond via FoodNetwork



Ingredients:
1/2 whole red onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1/3 cup chicken stock or white wine
1/3 cup assorted olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 whole jar artichoke hearts, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces pasta, cooked al dente and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons jarred pesto
1/2 cup fork-chunked feta
3 tablespoons dry-toasted pine nuts

Directions:
Add the onions into a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Saute for a few minutes, and then add in the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, olives, artichoke hearts and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce. Mix in the pesto. Toss in the feta and top with the pine nuts.

Comments:
I don't know that I've ever made anything from The Pioneer Woman that I haven't totally loved. I caught this recipe on her new(ish) show on the Food Network and I knew it was right up my alley. A local Italian restaurant makes a version of this and I love it and this is what I always get at Stone Cellar as well. Olives and tomatoes and artichokes and pasta = Heaven! I did leave out the pesto since I'm not particularly a fan. I also used some Garden Delight Ronzoni in an effort to up the healthy components. I'm not sure about the two servings thing though - this makes a whole lot, and unlike Ree, I don't live on a working ranch and chase cows around all day.

Adam Cooks: Asian Beef with Broccoli

From Crock-Pot Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes



Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless chuck steak, about 1 1/2 inches thick, sliced into thin strips
1 10.5 oz can condensed beef consomme, undiluted
1/2 cup oyster sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 16 oz bag fresh broccoli florets
Hot cooked rice
Sesame seeds (opt)

Directions:
1. Place beef in slow cooker. Pour consomme and oyster sauce over beef. Cover; cook on high 3 hours.

2. Combine cornstarch and 2 tbsp cooking liquid in small bowl. Stir well to combine. Stir into slow cooker. Cover; cook on high 15 minutes longer or until thickened.

3. Pole holes into broccoli bag with fork. Microwave on high 3 minutes. Empty bag into slow cooker. Gently toss beef and broccoli together. Serve over cooked rice. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.

Comments:
Maybe it was because we couldn't find beef consomme so we used beef broth. Or maybe it was because we skipped the oyster sauce. Whatever the reason, this was really boring. Very bland, not interesting texturally or flavorally (is that even a word?) at all. Probably wouldn't make this again - I have a different slow cooker version I much prefer.

Nice 'N' Easy Italian Chicken

From Crock-Pot Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes



Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 26oz jar pasta sauce
hot cooked spaghetti

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except pasta in slow cooker. Cover; cook on low 6-8 hours or until chicken is tender. Serve over spaghetti.

Comments:
Not much out there that's easier to make than this. This is the classic "throw some stuff in the crockpot and forget about it" meal. It turned out really well. I did use a red pepper rather than the green since I think green peppers tend to overpower everything else in the dish. It does make a lot for just two people so I ended up freezing a bunch. We'll see how it tastes when it's thawed.

Mixed Berry Cobbler

From Crock-Pot Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes



Ingredients:
1 16oz package frozen mixed berries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:
1. Coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Stir together berries, sugar, tapioca, and lemon peel in a medium bowl. Transfer to slow cooker.

2. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add milk and butter; stir until just blended. Drop spoonfuls of dough on top of berry mixture. Cover; cook on low 4 hours. Uncover; let stand about 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Comments:
Pretty simple, pretty tasty. The berries end up being very sweet so you really need the ice cream to cut it a bit. And the crust is really good too. Stays nice a moist but with a little chewy top layer. And you can make this is a ton of iterations with all different kinds of berries. Thumbs up.

Adam Cooks: Flat Apple Pie

From The Pioneer Woman via FoodNetwork



Ingredients:
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 recipe Perfect Pie Crust (recipe is in link above)
6 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In large bowl, stir together the apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice. Set aside and see how long you can keep from sneaking a slice of apple.

With a rolling pin, begin rolling out the Perfect Pie Crusts into large circles. Roll the dough from the center outward. Be gentle and patient, it'll take a little time to get the dough completely rolled out.

If you think the bottom is really sticking to the surface below, use a nice, sharp spatula to loosen the dough and sprinkle some extra flour on top. Then flip it over to finish rolling. Remember to roll from the center in single, outward strokes, no back-and-forth rolling.

Again with a spatula, loosen and lift the dough and carefully place the circles on large baking sheets.

Place half the apple mixture on one crust and the other half on the other crust. Fold over the edges of each crust so that it covers 2 to 3 inches of the apple mixture. No need to be artistic - the more rustic the better. Dot the tops of the pies with chunks of the butter.

Bake until the filling is golden and bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. If the crust appears to brown too quickly, cover the edges with aluminium foil for the remaining baking time.

Allow to cool slightly, then slice into wedges with a pizza cutter. Eat 'em on the go!

Comments:
OMG. This was so good. My dislike of pie crust is well known (and well documented here on this blog) so I was skeptical of Ree's "perfect pie crust" that everyone raves about. And apple pie especially, not my favorite. But seriously people. It's wonderful. The crust, so flaky and just awesome. Perfect pure apple flavor without all that cinnamon and spice junk to mess it up. Go make it immediately.

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Cranberries

From The Pioneer Woman

Chicken recipe can be found here. (It's a good one!)



Ingredients:
3 pounds Brussels Sprouts
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Salt And Pepper
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup Dried Cranberries

Directions:
Trim/clean Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half if desired (or you can leave them whole). Arrange on two baking sheets and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with plenty of salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown.

Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and reduce until very thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the roasted sprouts, then sprinkle on dried cranberries. Toss and serve immediately.

Comments:
This was my first attempt at cooking Brussels sprouts. It was also my first attempt at EATING Brussels sprouts. I don't know why it's taken me almost 30 years to venture into this culinary territory. I guess the opportunity just never presented itself prior to this occasion. But I saw this recipe on the Pioneer Woman Christmas show on FoodNetwork and I thought it sounded yummy. So I made it. And it was yummy. Yay for fulfilled expectations!

My one caution is about this glaze thing. Wow, does it get thick. As in, good luck scraping it out of your saucepan and serving dish thick. Yikes! Tricky clean-up aside, this was a great introduction to a new veggie.

Oven-Fried Pork Chops and Parmesan Potato Wedges

From Cooking Light (pork) and Crockpot Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes (potatoes)



For the pork

Ingredients:
2 cups panko or other coarse bread crumbs
1 1-oz. packet onion soup mix
1 teaspoon paprika
Pepper
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons flour
6 6-oz. boneless pork chops, trimmed of excess fat
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
Arrange a rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix bread crumbs with soup mix, paprika and pepper in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, combine mustard and 2 Tbsp. water. Spread flour on a plate. Dredge pork chops in flour. Coat both sides of each pork chop with mustard mixture, and then dredge in bread crumbs to coat well. Place chops on prepared baking sheet.

Drizzle 1 Tbsp. melted butter over each chop. Bake until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes, turning chops over halfway through cooking time for even browning. Let chops rest for 10 minutes before serving.

For the potatoes

Ingredients:
2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp butter, cut into 1/8-inch pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Layer potatoes, onion, oregano, salt, pepper, and butter in slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 4 hours. Transfer potatoes to serving platter and sprinkle with cheese.

Comments:
The pork was good. Even with sub-par meat the breading was pretty good. I even ate all of mine, which is impressive since I don't really like pork all that much. On the other hand, the potatoes were iffy. Potatoes in the crockpot generally end up all mushy and despite the high cooking temp and the deceivingly delicious picture in the cookbook, they ended up, well, kind of mushy. Still ok tasting, but not something I'd make again.

Moroccan Chicken Salad

From Eating Well



Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups shredded carrots
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine rice, chicken, carrots, scallions and olives in a large bowl. Whisk together broth, orange juice, lemon juice, mint, cilantro, oil, cinnamon, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste in another bowl. Toss dressing with rice mixture.

Comments:
I went a little heavy handed with the cayenne on this one. And again with the cinnamon. I'm just not a cinnamon fan, I guess. I might try this again skipping those two ingredients, but I don't know. The balance of rice to carrots to chicken seemed off to me and Adam didn't really care for it at all.

Adam Cooks: Baked Haddock

We can't for the life of us find the recipe used for this meal. It's lost in the maze of the internet... but it was good! Fish breaded with panko and baked.

Indian-Style Apricot Chicken

From CrockPot Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes



Ingredients:
6 skinless chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chicken broth
1 8oz package dried apricots
1 pinch saffron threads (optional)
Hot basmati rice

Directions:
1. Coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Brown chicken on all sides. Transfer to prepared slow cooker.

2. Add onion to skillet. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook and stir 15 to 30 seconds longer or until mixture is fragrant. Add tomatoes with juice and broth. Cook 2 or 3 minutes or until mixture is heated through. Pour into clow cooker.

3. Add apricots and saffron, if desired. Cover; cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours (HIGH 3 to 4 hours) or until chicken is tender. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with basmati rice.

Comments:
We weren't sold on this one. Adam wasn't a fan of all the tomato action. I didn't like the cinnamon part. We ate it, but probably wouldn't make it again.

Polish Sausage and Veggies

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
4 cups cubed peeled potatoes (about 2-1/2 pounds)
1 pound smoked Polish sausage or smoked kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup julienned sweet yellow pepper
1/2 cup julienned sweet red pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the potatoes, sausage, onion, peppers and Cajun seasoning in oil and butter for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Comments:
This was really good (and easy!) I added some leftover broccoli for additional vegetable action. We also had no Cajun seasoning so I used some of the 33rd & Galena spice from Penzey's Kind Heart Gift Set. Honestly couldn't even taste it so I added a bunch of pepper to my serving. I heart pepper!