Gemelli with Fennel and Hot Sausage

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
3/4 pound hot italian sausage links, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large bulb fennel, cut into strips
1 large onion, sliced
3 carrots, sliced on an angle
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound gemelli pasta
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. On a baking sheet, toss the sausage, fennel, onion and carrots with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl.

3. Add the sausage-vegetable mixture to the pasta. Add the reserved pasta cooking water to the baking sheet, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to the pasta mixture. Toss in the parsley; season with salt and pepper

Comments:
I subbed some celery for the fennel since neither of us dig the anise flavor. It worked out fine. It's a teensy bit spicy for me, but Adam liked it. I used some Creste di Gallo pasta we got for Christmas since I didn't have gemelli and I thought it was a neat shape. Looks like little Stegosauruses. But that might just be me...

Bean 'N' Beef Crescent Pie

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1-1/4 pounds ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/3 cup salsa
1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup refried beans
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning and salsa; simmer, uncovered, until thickened. Meanwhile, unroll crescent roll dough. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; seal perforations. Spread cream cheese over the dough.

Stir the refried beans into beef mixture. Spoon over cream cheese layer. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

Comments:
This was just ok. The crescent roll dough up the sides of the pan gets too well done and the filling is nothing spectacular. Probably wouldn't try this again.

Weekly Menu 3/26 through 4/1

Saturday 3/26 - Bean & Beef Crescent Pie

Sunday 3/27 - Gemelli with Fennel and Hot Sausage

Monday 3/28 - Turkey & Bow Ties

Tuesday 3/29 - Sloppy Jose Supper

Wednesday 3/30 - Out - Beauty and the Beast at the PAC

Thursday 3/31 - Chicken Parmesan

Friday 4/1 - Out

This Week's Dessert:
Energizing Granola (true, not exactly a "dessert" but I'm counting it.)

Tacoritos

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 pound ground beef
1/4 pound bulk pork sausage
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1/4 cup refried beans
2 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in chili powder and garlic salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the beef, sausage and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in refried beans; heat through.

Spread 1/4 cup sauce in a greased 8-in. baking dish. Spread 1 tablespoon sauce over each tortilla; place 2/3 cup meat mixture down the center of each. Top each with 1/4 cup cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over the top; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Comments:
I'm not sure these are so much tacoritos as they are tachiladas. It's quite obviously an enchilada sauce we're making here and if you forget to fold the bottom... enchiladas. So there you go. Mexican food according to Martha.

Anyway, pretty simple assembly and quick baking time. Adam really liked these and I didn't mind them.

Mango Chicken with Plum Sauce

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 pound fresh snow peas, trimmed
2 large carrots, sliced diagonally
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, sliced
1 can (4 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound finely chopped cooked chicken breast (about 3 cups)
2 medium mangoes, peeled and mashed
1/2 cup plum sauce
2 cups hot cooked brown rice
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt; stir in broth and teriyaki sauce until smooth. Cook and stir until thickened. Set aside.

In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the snow peas, carrots, zucchini, onion, pepper and water chestnuts in oil until crisp-tender. Add the chicken, mangoes and broth mixture; heat through. Stir in plum sauce. Serve with rice. Sprinkle with almonds.

Comments:
This dish perfectly represents the difference between my food preferences and Adam's. I'd eat this every day. Seriously. Adam? He said it was ok and he'd like to have it again...in a year.

Anyway, left out the water chestnuts because they're on Adam's "hell no" food list. Also didn't add the almonds because... ok, because I forgot. Stir-fries require mad multi-tasking skillz and I failed on that one. Oh well. It was fine without them. I used my rice cooker for the first time in ages. I love it! I wish I didn't have to make 4 cups of rice to use it... but when I do it's the best rice ever. Do they make smaller rice cookers? I should google that later...

Ham, Egg and Cheese Sandwiches

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large eggs
Salt and pepper
8 slices sourdough bread
1/2 pound deli-sliced ham
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Directions:
1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the eggs; season with salt and pepper.

2. Brush the bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Layer the eggs, ham and cheese on half of the bread slices, then set the remaining bread slices on top.

3. In the same skillet, working in batches, fry the sandwiches over medium heat, turning once, until golden-brown, about 8 minutes.

Comments:
I had Adam make an omelet from the eggs rather than used fried ones because... eww. Also used a panini press instead of pan-frying. Worked just fine. These are pretty good. Not ground-breaking or earth-shattering. But a good, quick meal.

Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Sage Butter

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 large baking potato (about 12 ounces)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup Basic Batter Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:
1. Microwave the potato on high until tender, about 12 minutes; let cool slightly. Peel and mash until smooth.

2. In a large bowl, combine the potato, ricotta and parsley. Stir in the batter and season with salt. Stir in the flour. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 3/4-inch-thick rope. Cut the dough crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

3. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes; stir and cook for 1 minute longer. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to a plate. Repeat with 2 more tablespoons butter, the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining mushrooms. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, the sage, nutmeg and reserved mushrooms; cover to keep warm.

4. In a pot of simmering, salted water, working in 3 batches, cook the gnocchi until tender and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a platter. Pour the mushroom mixture on top and toss.

Comments:
Yes, yes, I completely sold out and used pre-packaged gnocchi. This wasn't even a very hard gnocchi recipe and I still wimped out. I hang my head in shame. If only those stupid Colavita gnocchi weren't so good!

Anyway, gnocchi aside, this was pretty easy to throw together. It was my side-prepped meal that caused all my problems. I'm not a fan of the mushroom so I planned to throw my half of the gnocchi in a bowl with some peas and parmesan cheese. Except I put the plastic container of peas on the burner I'd just taken the gnocchi pot off of. Oops. Ah, the smell of burning plastic! I blame it on the fact that just minutes earlier I'd slammed my right hand in the cabinet door.

Anyway. Not my night...

There's a lot of butter in this recipe. A lot more than I ever cook with. But I used it and I used it all. Adam didn't rave, but he did save the leftovers for later so it couldn't have been awful.

Weekly Menu 3/19 through 3/25

Saturday 3/19 - Adam's Night Out

Sunday 3/20 - Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Sage Butter

Monday 3/21 - Ham, Egg, and Cheese Sandwiches

Tuesday 3/22 - Mango Chicken with Plum Sauce

Wednesday 3/23 - Tacoritas

Thursday 3/24 - Turkey & Bow Ties

Friday 3/25 - Fish and Fries

This Week's Dessert:
Mississippi Mud Pie

Adirondack Red Wing Burgers

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery with leafy tops, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or chicken
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
4 sandwich-size english muffins, toasted
4 deli slices cheddar cheese
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/4 cup pickle relish

Directions:
1. In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Reserve the skillet. Mix the turkey, dill and poultry seasoning into the vegetable mixture; season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 patties.

2. In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO over medium heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once, until firm, about 12 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the butter to the skillet to melt, then stir in the hot sauce. Add the patties to the sauce, turning to coat. Top each with some of the blue cheese and a cheddar slice. Tent with foil, turn off the heat and let stand until the cheese is melted.

3. Top each muffin bottom with some lettuce, a patty, some relish and a muffin top.

Comments:
Relatively easy, although I always seem to burn the first side of a turkey burger. Nice flavor, but Adam didn't like the English muffin bun - too dry.

Lamb Kebabs

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
6 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt
5/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 pound boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:
1. Combine yogurt, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic); stir with a whisk. Place yogurt mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add lamb; seal and marinate in refrigerator 45 minutes.

2. Prepare grill to medium heat.

3. Remove lamb from bag; discard marinade. Thread lamb evenly onto 8 (10-inch) skewers; sprinkle evenly with 3/8 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place kebabs on a grill rack; grill 4 minutes for medium-rare or desired degree of doneness, turning once. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Comments:
I'm generally not a fan of lamb in a best case scenario. This was not even good. The cut of meat we got was very fatty and didn't turn out well at all. If I do lamb, I think I'll stick with ground versions.

Broccoli Cheese Bake

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
2/3 cup fat-free milk
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Place 1 in. of water and broccoli in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in onion and cheddar cheese until cheese is melted. Drain broccoli; stir into cheese sauce.

Transfer to a 1-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Comments:
I swear I made this before but I can't find it here on my blog. Anyway, I tend to cook the heck out of broccoli but I think I did ok with this stuff. Not spectacular, but ok. I think I'd stick with plain broccoli next time though.

Italian Sausage Rigatoni

From Johnsonville Sausage



Ingredients:
1 pkg (19.76 oz) Johnsonville® Italian Mild Sausage Links
1 pkg (1 lb) rigatoni pasta
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lg sweet red pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
1 jar (26 oz) of your favorite pasta sauce

Directions:
Cook sausage links according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cook rigatoni according to package directions; drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil until hot. Add garlic; sauté for 30 seconds or until golden. Add red peppers; sauté for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Cut sausage into 1/4-inch coin slices; add to skillet. Stir in pasta sauce; heat through.

Add pasta; toss to combine. Sprinkle with parsley.

Comments:
Easy - I had Adam grill the sausage. I wasn't too much of a fan of the peppers and Adam didn't like the tomatoes, but together we liked the whole thing. Little bit of a Jack Sprat deal. I don't know that I'd make this again. Kind of boring.

Weekly Menu 3/12 through 3/18

Saturday 3/12 - Lamb Kebabs

Sunday 3/13 - Bacon Cheese Topped Chicken

Monday 3/14 - Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker

Tuesday 3/15 - Adam on his own - IMA

Wednesday 3/16 - Spicy Meatballs with Firey Chili Sauce

Thursday 3/17 - Adirondak Red Wing Burgers

Friday 3/18 - Herb-Marinated Shrimp

This Week's Dessert:
Shortbread Bites (from Rachael Ray, but not on her site yet)

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Bread:
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Cooking spray
Glaze:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

4. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

Comments:
Ridiculously easy, turned out great. I tried to be artistic with the glaze, but you can see how well that went. Bah. I'm not a fan of bananas. At all. And it was kind of hard to mash the things up and put them in the batter. The smell... ugh. But once it was baked it wasn't so bad. And the peanut butter glaze definitely helps cut the "banana" in the "banana bread." Adam says he doesn't like the banana/pb combo, but he hasn't tried it yet so I hope he's reserving his opinion.

Artichoke and Goat Cheese Strata

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 1 large)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 (1-pound) loaf country-style white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese, divided

Directions:
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in artichoke hearts and garlic; cook for 8 minutes or until artichoke hearts begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in herbes de Provence. Cool 10 minutes.

2. Combine milk, black pepper, salt, and eggs in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and bread; toss gently to combine. Stir in artichoke mixture, and let stand for 20 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375°.

4. Spoon half of bread mixture into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half of goat cheese, and top with remaining bread mixture. Sprinkle remaining half of goat cheese over top. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Comments:
Quite a bit of prep work on this recipe as well, although not all of it is active. This one is worth it though - great results. I cannot believe I went so many years not knowing how awesome goat cheese is. Yum.

Hot Potatoes

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
7 small yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as yukon gold
1 cup broccoli florets
2 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons reduced-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled jalapeño chile
Salt and pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
Chili powder, for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until fork-tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan of boiling water, cook the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes; drain. Finely chop the broccoli and place in a medium bowl.

3. Slice 6 potatoes in half. Scoop out half of the flesh from each piece and add to the broccoli. Peel and finely chop the remaining potato and add to the mixture. Add the cheese, 2 tablespoons yogurt and the jalapeño; mash coarsely and season with salt and pepper.

4. Preheat the oven to 425°. Arrange the potato halves cut side down on a baking sheet and lightly coat them with cooking spray; invert and season with salt and pepper. Divide the stuffing among the potato halves. Lightly coat with cooking spray and sprinkle with chili powder. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon yogurt and more chili powder.

Comments:
A lot of prep work on these ones, and I'm not sure the end result was really worth the effort. It definitely needs more cheese and I couldn't find my chili powder until after I had put them in the oven (stupid Spring cleaning - I can't find anything these days...) so they weren't really "hot" as in spicy at all. Eh.

Poblano Popper Sliders

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 large poblano chiles
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
1 small ripe avocado
1/2 cup sour cream
A handful cilantro, finely chopped
1 fresno or jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
3/4 pound ground beef sirloin
3/4 pound ground pork
1/2 palmful each ground cumin, ground coriander and sweet smoked paprika (about 1 1/2 teaspoons each)
Pinch ground cinnamon
1/3 cup beer, such as Negra Modelo
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
Sliced pepper jack, hot-pepper cheddar or sharp yellow cheddar cheese, folded or cut to top burgers
8 white, potato or whole wheat slider rolls, split

Directions:
1. Preheat the broiler to high. Broil the poblanos (with the oven door ajar to allow steam to escape) to char them all over. Place the chiles in a bowl, cover and let cool. Peel and seed the chiles, then, using a food processor, puree them.

2. Meanwhile, season the red onion rings with half of the lime juice, salt, pepper and a little EVOO to coat. In a second bowl, mash together the avocado, sour cream, cilantro, fresno chile and remaining lime juice; season to taste with salt.

3. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, pureed poblano, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, salt and lots of pepper. Mix in the beer and worcestershire. Form the mixture into eight 3-inch patties (a little thinner in the center and thicker at the edges). Drizzle a little EVOO in a large skillet or nonstick griddle over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook, turning once, for about 7 minutes for medium-rare. Top with the cheese and tent loosely with foil during the last minute or so of cooking.

4. Place the burgers on the roll bottoms. Top with the onions and sauce and set the roll tops in place.

Comments:
These were really good. Not really that spicy, and that's coming from the world's biggest wuss. There's some prep involved with the poblano pepper and sauces, and I ended up skipping the red onion, but I don't think either of us missed it. The one thing I would change is I'd omit the cinnamon. It was too much and I didn't like it against all the other flavors.

Spicy Pigs in Blankets

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 17.3-ounce package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, slightly thawed
One 12-ounce package andouille sausage links, cut into 32 pieces
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Working with 1 puff pastry sheet at a time, cut the pastry crosswise into quarters, then halve lengthwise to form 8 rectangular pieces. Cut each piece diagonally to form 16 triangles. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheet.

2. Working with 1 puff pastry triangle at a time (and refrigerating the remaining pastry as needed), arrange a piece of sausage across the base of the triangle and roll up snugly, sealing the pastry with a dab of beaten egg; transfer to the prepared pans. Brush the triangles with more beaten egg and bake until puffed and golden, about 30 minutes.

Comments:
These were really good. Not too spicy, although I think that's because I got the Johnsonville version of adouille. I've had much spicier sausage... I also skipped the dipping sauce that went with the original recipe and just used ketchup.

Papas Rellenas

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds potatoes (about 8 medium), peeled and cut into wedges
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup sliced green olives with pimientos
1/2 cup raisins
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1-1/4 teaspoons pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Oil for deep-fat frying

Directions:
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, olives, raisins, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and paprika; heat through.

Drain potatoes; mash with garlic powder and remaining salt and pepper. Shape 2 tablespoons potatoes into a patty; place a heaping tablespoonful of filling in the center. Shape potatoes around filling, forming a ball. Repeat.

Place eggs and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip potato balls in the eggs, then roll in bread crumbs. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry potato balls, a few at a time, for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Comments:
I followed the Editor's Note and baked these for 20 minutes at 450 instead of deep frying them. This definitely results in a dryer end product, which was really Adam's only complaint. They were ok reheated the next day with some ketchup too.

Caramel Apple Pie

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Topping:
1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Crust:
5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
Cooking spray
Filling:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 1/4 pounds)
3 cups thinly sliced peeled Fuji apple (about 1 pound)
Caramel sauce:
1/2 cup fat-free caramel sundae syrup
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
1. To prepare the topping, weigh or lightly spoon 1.1 ounces (about 1/4 cup) flour in a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons butter in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until crumbly. Transfer topping to a bowl; cover and chill.

2. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon 5.6 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) flour in dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined. Add 3 tablespoons butter and shortening; pulse 4 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, add 3 tablespoons water through food chute, processing just until combined (do not form a ball). Press mixture gently into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover and chill 15 minutes. Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap dough, and place on plastic wrap. Cover with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough into an 11-inch circle. Freeze dough 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.

3. Preheat oven to 375°.

4. Discard top 2 sheets of plastic wrap; let dough stand 1 minute or until pliable. Fit dough, plastic-wrap side up, into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Discard plastic wrap. Press dough into bottom and sides of pan. Fold edges under; flute.

5. To prepare filling, combine granulated sugar and cornstarch in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Add apples; toss to combine. Arrange apple mixture in crust, mounding slightly in the center. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle evenly with topping. Bake at 375° for 25 additional minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack 20 minutes.

6. To prepare sauce, combine caramel syrup and salt. Slice pie into 12 wedges, and serve with sauce.

Comments:
I obviously didn't make my own crust. And I forgot the caramel topping. And Adam wasn't such a fan. Overall, not as big of a disaster as some of my other attempts at making pie...

Weekly Menu 3/5 through 3/11

Saturday 3/5 - Poblano Popper Sliders and Hot Potatoes

Sunday 3/6 - Artichoke and Goat Cheese Strata

Monday 3/7 - California Chicken Wraps

Tuesday 3/8 - Italian Sausage Rigatoni

Wednesday 3/9 - Amber's Devils on Horseback
and Broccoli Cheese Bake

Thursday 3/10 - Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Friday 3/11 - Company-subsidized Happy Hour - and ADAM'S BIRTHDAY!

This Week's Dessert:
Peanut Butter Banana Bread