Brunch Strata

From Taste of Home


(not the best photo, I know...)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
3 small zucchini, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
12 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups cubed day-old bread
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and ham; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain and pat dry.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and cream until smooth. Gradually beat in eggs. Stir in the remaining ingredients and vegetable mixture.

Transfer to two greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Comments:
I halved this recipe because, good gracious, I don't need that many leftovers! Once again, a good deal of prep work, but yielding a satisfactory result. I do think it needs... something. I'm not altogether sure what that might be. Adam voted for more meat. I'm thinking it just needs a flavor boost with some herbs or something.

Chicken Breasts with Cranberry Quinoa

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 green onions, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup chopped dried apricots
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt

CHICKEN:
3/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 large tart apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons butter
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Add quinoa and thyme. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork. Discard thyme.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onions and celery; cook and stir until tender. Add cooked quinoa. Stir in the dried fruits, lemon juice, lemon peel and salt.

In a large saucepan, mix the first six chicken ingredients until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until slightly thickened. Add the apple, cranberries and walnuts. Stir in preserves and butter until melted.

Cut a pocket horizontally in the thickest part of each chicken breast. Fill each with 2-3 tablespoons quinoa mixture; secure with toothpicks. Place remaining quinoa mixture in a greased 1-qt. baking dish; cover with foil. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Carefully brown stuffed chicken on both sides. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; pour apple mixture over top.

Bake chicken and quinoa, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170° and quinoa is heated through. Serve chicken with quinoa. Discard toothpicks before serving.

Comments:
A little labor intensive, but so worth it. I skipped the "stuffing" part and just cooked the quinoa mixture underneath the chicken. Such a great mix of flavors and textures. I'd definitely make this one again.

Adam Cooks: Cranberry Meringue Pie

From Eating Well



Ingredients:
CRUST
3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour (see Tip) or all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons butter, softened

FILLING
1 12-ounce bag cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3 large eggs, separated

MERINGUE TOPPING
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

To prepare crust: Stir flour, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in oil and butter with a fork until well blended and crumbly (it should look like wet sand). Using the back of a spoon, firmly press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust until it just begins to brown, about 20 minutes. (Keep the oven on for Step 4.)

To prepare filling: Meanwhile, combine cranberries and orange juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the cranberries are beginning to break down, 5 to 6 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all the juice. Whisk 3/4 cup sugar into the juice until combined. Whisk in whole egg and 3 egg yolks. Return the cranberry mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and vigorously, until it thickens and just starts to bubble as you are stirring, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour the warm filling into the warm crust. Set aside while you prepare the meringue topping.

To prepare topping: Beat the 3 egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and pinch of salt and beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Very slowly add 1/3 cup sugar, beating constantly, until the mixture holds stiff, shiny peaks. Beat in vanilla. Spoon the meringue over the filling, then gently spread to the edges of the crust. Make peaks in the meringue with the back of a spoon or a small off-set spatula. Bake until the top is lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool the pie on a wire rack to room temperature, at least 3 hours, before serving.

Comments:
This is what we brought to the Dodds Thanksgiving on Thursday. It was absolutely delicious. Perfect balance of sweet and tart, wonderfully executed meringue. And I can take no credit whatsoever. All I did was separate a few eggs...

Adam Cooks: Rosemary Dinner Rolls

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
3 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
1 egg
1/4 to 1/3 cup canola oil

EGG WASH:
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons 2% milk

Directions:
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Place the flour, sugar, 2 teaspoons rosemary and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add the warm milk, egg and yeast mixture; cover and pulse 10 times or until almost blended.

While processing, gradually add oil just until dough pulls away from sides and begins to form a ball. Process 2 minutes longer to knead dough (dough will be very soft).

Transfer dough to a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide and shape into 12 balls. Roll each into a 15-in. rope. Starting at one end, loosely wrap dough around itself to form a coil. Tuck end under; pinch to seal.

Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

For egg wash, in a small bowl, whisk egg yolk and milk; brush over rolls. Sprinkle with remaining rosemary. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks; serve warm.

Comments:
This is our contribution to the Paalman Thanksgiving being held this afternoon. His mom told us to bring two dozen rolls and Adam kind of ran with it. We tried one last night when they came out of the oven. Pretty tasty!

Pecan Apple Pancakes

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1-3/4 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1-3/4 cups shredded peeled apples
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the first nine ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and oil until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.

Lightly grease a griddle; heat over medium-low heat. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto griddle. Cook until bubbles on top begin to pop and bottoms are golden brown. Turn; cook until second side is golden brown.

Yield: 18 pancakes.

Comments:
Mis-reading of the recipe that resulted in a few gargantuan-sized pancakes aside, these were really good. Different than my usual pancake recipe, much more cake-like, but good. Nice textural contrasts with the nuts and apples, nice hint of spice.

Inside-Out Cheeseburgers

From Eating Well



Ingredients:
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler.
2. Combine Cheddar and Gruyere in a small bowl.
3. Gently mix beef, Worcestershire, paprika and pepper in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Shape into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp and seal the edges closed.
4. To grill: Lightly oil the grill rack. Grill the stuffed patties over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. (Be sure not to press the burgers as they cook or they’ll split open and the cheese will ooze out.) To broil: Cover a broiler pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Broil the stuffed patties in the upper third of the oven, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. In either case, let the burgers stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Comments:
I know I've made some version of this before. Seems to me like it was probably Rachael Ray's recipe. I can never seem to get the burgers to seal completely and I end up with cheese all over my grill pan. Anyway, nothing spectacular here, just meat and cheese. Yummy, yummy cheese.

Turkey, Kale, and Rice Bake

From Eating Well



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
1 cup thinly sliced celery
4 cups slivered kale leaves
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup low-fat, no-salt-added cottage cheese
1 cup instant or quick-cooking brown rice
6 ounces smoked turkey breast or smoked tofu, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add kale and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the kale begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cottage cheese, rice, turkey (or tofu), water and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

3. Stir the rice mixture, increase the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Spread cheese on top. Broil until the cheese is bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.

Comments:
Adam picked this one after we got a Nook subscription to the magazine. Kind of surprised me, actually. This doesn't seem like his usual area of food choices. It was ok, I guess. I'm not too big a fan of the dark, leafy greens so the kale was a struggle, but overall it was fine. Not sure I'd make it again. Awful lot of prep and effort for something just so-so...

Adam Cooks: Raspberry Gelato

From Cuisinart.com



Ingredients:
4 cups red raspberries (thawed if frozen)
1 cup granulated sugar
2-1/4 cups half-and-half, divided
6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup fat-free powdered milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-2 drops red food coloring, optional (will enhance color)

Directions:
Place raspberries in a food processor fitted with the metal "s" blade or in a blender (if using a blender, 2 cups at a time for best results). Process until completely puréed and smooth. Press raspberry purée through a fine mesh sieve or chinois with a wooden spoon or spatula. Discard seeds -- you will have approximately 2 cups red raspberry purée; reserve.

Place the sugar and 1 1/4 cups of the half-and-half in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan with a heavy bottom. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Keep warm over low heat. Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until thickened, about 2 minutes (can use a hand or stand mixer fitted with the whip on low speed). While whisking, add 1/2 cup of the hot half-and-half/sugar mixture and whisk until blended. Stir the egg mixture back into the saucepan; increase heat to medium. Stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thickened like a custard sauce and registers 180 °F when checked with an instant-read thermometer.

Stir in remaining half-and-half, powdered milk and heavy cream.

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer; stir in reserved raspberry purée, vanilla, and food coloring. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before continuing.

Turn the machine on; pour mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. The gelato will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the gelato to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Comments:
After the wonderful gelato we had at the Venetian in Vegas, Adam got bitten by the gelato bug and decided to pull the poor ice cream maker out of its exile in the basement. It turned out great. It's very rich, so a little goes a long way, but it's not too sweet, not too heavy, a perfect balance.

Mama's Meat Loaf

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread, torn into small pieces
1 1/2 pounds ground round
Vegetable cooking spray
1/3 cup ketchup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, tossing to moisten bread. Crumble meat over onion mixture, and stir just until blended. Pack mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Spread ketchup over top of loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until meat loaf registers 160°. Let loaf stand in pan 10 minutes.

Remove meat loaf from pan; cut loaf into 6 slices.

Comments:
I obviously opted to turn these into individual sized meat loaves rather than one big loaf. This cut the cooking time in about half. That was nice, but I think if I do that again the future I'll pre-cook the onions and peppers a little. They were still mighty crunchy. Other than that, I'd deem this a success. Pretty standard meatloaf, but tasty just the same.

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Bacon, and Marinara Sauce

From a recipe in the grocery store ad. Looks like it's Barilla branded, but I can't find it on their website. I've tweaked it a little as it seems like whomever put it in the paper didn't edit it very well...



Ingredients:
2 tbsp EVOO
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2# bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock)
1 (23.5 oz) jar marinara or pasta sauce
1 (1 lb) box spaghetti (or fettuccine)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese, grated
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain onto a paper towel and remove all but 1 tsbp of the fat from the pan. Add the onions to the skillet and cook until translucent. Add asparagus and saute for one to two minutes. Deglaze with wine/stock. Add marinara sauce and bring to a simmer.

Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce. Stir in butter, parsley, and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with bacon and serve.

Comments:
This was ridiculously easy, but a combination I don't know that I've tried before. Whenever I use asparagus or bacon with pasta it's more in a carbonara way than a tomato-based sauce way. It wasn't a bad flavor mix - I was pleasantly surprised.

Slim Chicken Parm with Spaghetti (Squash)

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
4 5 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
2. Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.
3. In the same skillet, cook the garlic over medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet, turning to coat. Top each piece of chicken with some of the mozzarella and 1 teaspoon parmesan, cover and cook until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes; transfer to a platter.
4. Add the pasta and parsley to the skillet, toss and season with salt. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and serve alongside the chicken.

Comments:
I've made this one before, but this time I swapped out the pasta for some spaghetti squash. This was my first time cooking a spaghetti squash and I was amazed at how easy it is. Cut it (ok, so this wasn't easy - I called in the big guns (ie Adam)), put it on a baking sheet, bake in the oven at 350 for an hour, scrape the guts into a bowl, and voila. Fake spaghetti. It's just a little bit sweet so it goes well with the acidic tomato-based sauce. Overall, a success. I'm excited about all the other possibilities for spaghetti squash.

Baked Chicken Egg Rolls

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
2 cups grated carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can bean sprouts, drained
1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups finely diced cooked chicken
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 pinch cayenne pepper
16 egg roll wrappers
nonstick cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat; cook and stir carrots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, green pepper, green onions, and garlic until vegetables are crisp, about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Combine cornstarch, water, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oil, brown sugar, and cayenne in a small bowl; stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir, cooking until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes; remove from heat.
4. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture on the bottom third of one egg roll wrapper. Fold sides toward center and roll tightly; place seam side down on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers. Spray top of egg rolls with nonstick cooking spray.
5. Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

Comments:
Egg rolls are relatively easy to make and aren't too bad for you if you fill them with a lot of veggies and bake, rather than fry, them. These were good, even though I left the water chestnuts out because Adam's not a fan.