Eastern Shore Crab Slaw

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/2 pound green cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 pound red cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon celery seeds
Two 6-ounce cans crabmeat, drained
2 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the green and red cabbage. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice and celery seeds; add to the cabbage and toss well. Add the crabmeat and eggs and toss; season with salt and pepper.

Comments:
This is pretty much a brainless recipe. Especially when you cheat and use coleslaw mix in bag. And make your husband hard-boil his own eggs. I don't do hard-boiled eggs so I don't even really know how to go about it. And I hate the smell. But I took one for the team so this could be made correctly.

Adam really liked it although I think my short-cut coleslaw mix thing might have thrown the balance of meat to cabbage out of whack. Still, no complaints. Hopefully he eats the leftovers.

Leek & Bacon Tart

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 9-inch frozen pie shell, thawed
2 large eggs, 1 separated
2 leeks, green parts discarded and whites thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 slices thick-sliced smoked bacon, cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Prick the crust all over with a fork, fill with pie weights and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes; remove the foil and weights.

In a small bowl, beat the egg white; lightly brush the crust with some egg white, reserving the rest. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Meanwhile, add the leeks to a salad spinner and cover with water. Swish the leeks around to separate the pieces and dislodge any dirt. Slowly lift the basket from its bowl so the dirt stays at the bottom; discard the water and rinse the bowl. Replace the basket and spin the leeks dry.

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off all but about 1 tablespoon bacon grease. Add the leeks to the skillet and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl, beat together the remaining whole egg, egg yolk, beaten egg white and the sour cream. Stir in the heavy cream, milk, nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set the crust on a baking sheet. Spread the leek-bacon mixture in the bottom, then pour in the cream mixture. Bake until set, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Comments:
A little more complicated than most RR recipes. I don't have pie weights (we all know what happens when I try to bake pies) so I skipped those and it seemed to turn out ok. I think my shell was only 8 inches so I couldn't fit all the filling in. I also used all milk instead of half heavy cream. It was a teensy bit runny, but nothing serious. Still tasted great.

Adam's suggestion? Add cheese. *sigh*

Weekly Menu 10/10 through 10/16

Saturday 10/10 - Peachy Barbecue Chicken (got bumped by an ill-advised indulgence of a Mexican food craving)

Sunday 10/11 - Leek & Bacon Tart

Monday 10/12 - Eastern Shore Crab Slaw

Tuesday 10/13 - Double-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Wednesday 10/14 - Adam's Night Out

Thursday 10/15 - Springtime Bows with Asparagus, Ham, and Peas (From RR's 365 cookbook - don't see the recipe online anywhere)

Friday 10/16 - Bacon Cheeseburger Calzones

Turkey Goulash

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 pound ground turkey
1 15oz can kidney beans
1 medium yellow squash, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 14.5oz can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp extra-spicy seasoning mix
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
Lightly mist a medium nonstick pot with olive oil spray. Set over medium heat. Place the onions and garlic in the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Transfer the onion mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Set the pot over medium-high heat until it is hot enough for a spritz of water to sizzle on it. With an oven mitt, briefly remove the pan from the heat to mist lightly with olive oil spray. Add the turkey to the pot. Cook, breaking into chunks with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the beans with liquid, squash, tomatoes, chili powder, seasoning mix, salt, cayenne, and reserved onion mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Comments:
My only problem with this cookbook as a whole is their weird directions. And their obsession with "lightly misting" olive oil spray. Gargh!

Anyway, I made this my way. That is, in a way that makes sense. I put some olive oil in the pan, heated it, added the onions, garlic, and turkey. Cooked it until the turkey was done, added everything else (except the "spicy seasoning mix." What the heck is that?) and cooked it for 40 minutes. Turned out fine. Perhaps I added a few more calories using actual oil rather than a spray. Eh. It'll happen.

I thought this was very good. A nice spicy burn in the background from the chili powder and cayenne. Adam hated it. He has this thing against beans and it ruined the whole thing for him. He pretty much picked out the squash, ate some turkey, and then declared the dish "too bean infested." He then snacked on potato chips. I thought that might happen. Oh well. More leftovers for me!

Mini Caesar Salad Pizzas

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 canned anchovy fillet
1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
3/4 head romaine lettuce, shredded (about 4 cups)
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Preheat a grill to medium-high. Using a food processor, puree the parmesan, 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and anchovy.

Cut the pizza dough into 4 pieces. On a baking sheet, rub the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and press each piece into a 4-by-8-inch rectangle. Place the dough on the grill, cover and cook until browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and grill until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Brush one side of each pizza with the anchovy dressing. Top with the lettuce and tomato; drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Comments:
I skipped the grill part and just baked the crust in the oven. 10 minutes and it was perfect. I also opted for anchovy paste rather than messing with a food processor and a can of fillets. Really, when am I going to use all the other ones in the can if this recipe only needs one? It worked just fine. Adam didn't seem to be bothered by it and even requested seconds. Woo! He did suggest perhaps making it a CHICKEN caesar salad pizza. Interesting thought.

Weekly Menu 10/3 through 10/9

Saturday 10/3 - Turkey Goulash (Biggest Loser Cookbook)

Sunday 10/4 - Mini Caesar Salad Pizzas

Monday 10/5 - Chicken and Veggies (in the slow cooker)

Tuesday 10/6 - Onion Soup with Cheese Crostini

Wednesday 10/7 - Spicy Meatballs with Chili Sauce

Thursday 10/8 - Carbonara Pasta Frittata

Friday 10/9 - Peachy Barbecue Chicken

Smoky Red Rice and Chorizo with Black Beans

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
1 cup white rice
1 cup drained piquillo peppers or 2 roasted red peppers
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a generous handful)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
One 3/4- to 1-pound package Spanish chorizo, cut on an angle into 12 slices
2 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
One 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
Salt and pepper

Directions:
In a pot, bring the chicken broth and EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, to a boil. Add the rice, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Using a food processor, puree the piquillo peppers. Stir the puree into the rice along with the parsley and paprika. Cover, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until crisp, turning, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add the chiles, onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and beans; season with salt and pepper.

Serve the rice in shallow bowls topped with the beans and chorizo.

Comments:
Mark this day down in the record books. I actually bought and used a serrano chile. Yes, really. I was impressed with me too. I did leave out the piquillos though so it was more like "slightly pink rice" rather than "red rice". I can't try too many new things at one time. That'd be scary.

Anywho! This was pretty good. I did eat a couple pieces of chorizo even though it's not really my thing. Overall, not too spicy. But still a little much for my wussy taste buds. Adam didn't get the whole effect since he was preoccupied with cable connectivity problems tonight. Hopefully he'll try some leftovers. Ha.

Beef and Cheese Manicotti

From a recipe card in my box. No idea where it's from.



Ingredients:
4 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
14 manicotti tubes
15 oz Ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
salt & pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups marinara sauce
2 tbsp butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
In a heavy skillet over medium heat add 1 tbsp olive oil, onion, and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until meat is brown and onion is translucent. Remove and cool. Cook manicotti until slightly softened. Remove and cool. Combine ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and mix well. Stir meat into cheese mixture.

Spoon 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese mixture. Arrange in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses. Dot entire dish with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Comments:
Yeah, not the prettiest picture there. They kind of fell apart on the way out of the pan. But they taste good so I guess looks aren't everything. This is my favorite go-to meat-filled manicotti recipe. Good combination of meat and cheeses.

Provolone 'n' Turkey Sandwiches

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
4 slices rye bread
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 slices provolone cheese (1/2 ounce each)
10 spinach leaves
4 ounces sliced deli peppered turkey
4 roasted sweet red pepper strips
4 teaspoons butter

Directions:
Spread two bread slices with mustard. Layer with cheese, spinach, turkey and red pepper. Top with remaining bread. Spread outsides of sandwiches with butter. In a large skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches for 3 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
I used whole wheat bread again. Perhaps I left it on a little too long. It still tasted ok so I'm not too worried about that. :) Left off the red pepper since we don't like them much.

Another simple sandwich option. Good for those nights I work late and come home to both hungry cats and a hungry husband.

Honey-Mustard Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions:
In one of three shallow dishes put the flour. In the second beat the eggs with the honey and mustard. In the third put the breadcrumbs. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Dip first in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. You might want to spray the foil with non-stick spray for easier removal after baking. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.

Comments:
I was originally going to make Honey Nut Chicken Sticks but when I noticed I didn't have any appropriately flavored cereal I ditched that idea and improvised. This is what I came up with. Worked quite well, I'd say. Better than this version, anyway. :)

Taffy Apple Dip

From Recipezaar



Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
6 apples, cut into wedges

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth.

2. Spread mixture on small serving plate; top with nuts.

3. Serve with apple wedges

Comments:
Back at Christmas Cheryl brought some apple dip to our party and Adam loved it. He immediately went and found a recipe. This is actually the first time I've made it. I brought home two bags of apples from the store and when he saw me eating one, he remembered this dip and decided it was time to try it out. I tasted a bit when I put it in the container. Seemed kind of sweet to me, but I suppose that's the point. Adam likes it.

Oh, and I left out the peanuts.

Grilled Bacon-Tomato Sandwiches

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
4 slices Italian bread (1/2 inch thick)
4 slices provolone cheese (1 ounce each)
4 slices tomato
4 bacon strips, cooked and halved
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing

Directions:
Top two slices of bread with a slice of cheese; layer with tomato, bacon, basil and remaining cheese. Top with remaining bread. Brush dressing over outsides of sandwiches.

In a large skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches for 2-3 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
I used whole wheat bread so that's why it looks so dark. I also skipped the basil and Italian dressing and just spread butter on the outside of the bread instead.

These were very good. Basic, simple, but tasty.

Weekly Menu 9/26 through 10/2

Saturday 9/26 - Grilled Bacon-Tomato Sandwiches

Sunday 9/27 - Honey Nut Chicken Sticks (it's in the 365: No Repeats cookbook.)

Monday 9/28 - Pork Tenderloin (in the slow cooker)

Tuesday 9/29 - My night out for the month. Not sure where we're going yet. Any suggestions?

Wednesday 9/30 - Beef & Cheese Manicotti. I've got a card in my recipe box - not sure where the original is from.

Thursday 10/1 - Provolone 'n' Turkey Sandwiches

Friday 10/2 - Smoky Red Rice and Chorizo with Black Beans

Sweet 'n' Saucy Sausage Sandwiches

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 Italian sausage links (4 ounces each), sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped green pepper
1/3 cup ginger ale
1/3 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon onion soup mix
1 French roll, split
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute the sausage, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the ginger ale, chili sauce, preserves and soup mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Place roll halves, cut side up, on an ungreased baking sheet; top with sausage mixture and cheese. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
Direct quote from Adam: "These are good. You definitely have to make them again."

That would probably be all the commenting I need on this one, but I'll add that I used that sausage that comes in a tube, omitted the green peppers, but kept everything else the same. A tad bit spicy for my tastes, but I'm a wuss.

Really good. You should go make them. Seriously.

Great Grandma's Baked Chicken

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
8 ounces (about 3/4 cup) soft goat cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese, rosemary and lemon peel; set aside. Using a small sharp knife, cut into the side of each chicken breast half to create a pocket. Stuff each chicken breast with about 1 1/2 tablespoons goat cheese mixture and secure with a toothpick.

In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and set aside. Place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add half the melted butter to the bread crumbs and combine. Keep the remaining butter warm for basting.

Cover a baking sheet with foil. Dip each stuffed chicken breast in the egg and then in the bread crumbs to coat; set on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 45 minutes, drizzling with the remaining butter every 15 minutes.

Comments:
I skipped the whole butter thing and it turned out a wee bit dry. I just thought that it called for a whole lotta butter and that didn't seem like a good idea to me. The result wasn't fantastic, but it was still edible. I'll have to think of an alternate method if we have this again.

On a side note, look at those beautiful beans. We've been able to get all kinds of wonderful produce at our local farm stand this summer: strawberries, corn, melons, blueberries, peaches, beans, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers. We're so lucky to have so many local choices for fresh fruits and veggies.

Soon we'll be seeing pumpkins and squash and then it'll be winter. Boo. Now I'm depressed.

Penne Pasta with Black Beans & Mango

From Recipezaar



Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 small onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces penne pasta, cooked
1 mango, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup fresh basil leaf, sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Simmer tomatoes, onion and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes.

2. Add beans and oil. Cook for one additional minute.

3. Place pasta in a serving bowl, and spoon bean sauce over the top.

4. Add mango, basil and salt & pepper to taste.

5. Toss and serve.

Comments:
Once again Adam saw the beans and complained. And then ate it and determined it wasn't horrible. And he'd probably eat it again. *sigh*

Anywho. Picky, complaining husbands aside, this was a total breeze to prepare. Nothing tricky, I skipped the oil, but kept the rest of the recipe the same... for the most part. I almost never cook with garlic - it makes Adam's stomach unhappy - so I usually throw some garlic powder in toward the end instead. I was also feeling lazy and on onion overload so I gave a few shakes of the dried, minced stuff and called it good.

I liked the texture contrast of the tomatoes, beans, and mango. Flavor was good too. We ended up with some leftover sauce so I'll see how it reheats tomorrow.

Adam Cooks Jerky

Adam used a Nesco dehydrator and jerky gun and the accompanying spice mixes



Ingredients:
1 pound sliced or ground meat
1 spice/cure seasoning packet

Directions:
For Ground Meat:
1. Combine entire contents of spice/cure sides with 1 pound lean ground meat. Mix until well blended.

2. Form into strips or sticks using the jerky gun.

3. Dry using food dehydrator.

For Sliced Meat:
1. Mix contents of spice/cure packet with 1/4 cup water. Marinate strips 12 to 24 hours.

2. Dry using food dehydrator.

Comments:
For some unknown reason, Adam decided to get a food dehydrator and make his own jerky. He used some round steak first (on the left up there in the picture) and then used some ground turkey with the jerky gun (on the right.)

It appears that both turned out pretty well. I'm not a jerky person so I can't attest to the taste or quality. Adam is loving it. It seemed pretty simple and the most time-consuming part is the drying, which really happens by itself inside the appliance. I was just glad it didn't stink the house up too much.

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dash Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup 2% milk
1-1/2 teaspoons sherry or chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 medium potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion

Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning until smooth. Gradually add milk, sherry and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Remove from the heat; set aside.

Place half of the potato slices in a 1-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with the ham, onion and half of the white sauce. Repeat layers.

Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
These are kind of time-consuming, but worth the effort. I doubled the recipe so my cooking time was a bit longer. Overall, good flavor - nice and cheesy. Not at all like the awful stuff you get in a box.

Oh, and I obviously didn't peel the potato. I rarely do. The skin is full of nutrients and as long as you clean it well, it's fine. Such fussy work, peeling vegetables. I try and avoid it if at all possible.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

From Allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Comments:
I had made these kind of cookies previously, but lost the recipe. Sorry person who emailed me about that a while back. I looked everywhere and couldn't find where it ended up.

Anyway, while we were at Fleet Farm this morning for a jerky gun (more on that later), I stopped by their candy and nut section to see if anything leapt out at me. Adam spotted macadamia nuts and when I asked if he wanted me to make cookies since he had just finished off the cake in the fridge he immediately grabbed the chance. So, white chocolate macadamia nut it was. He found this recipe and I made it. At the same time that I was making dinner. Talent...

I haven't tried one yet - and probably won't. Neither white chocolate nor macadamia nuts are really my thing. But Adam likes them and he's my target audience, so I'm satisfied.

Weekly Menu 9/19 through 9/25

Saturday 9/19 - Mom's Turkey Meatloaf (got bumped)

Sunday 9/20 - Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

Monday 9/21 - Brats in Beer

Tuesday 9/22 - Penne Pasta with Black Beans & Mango

Wednesday 9/23 - Great Grandma's Baked Chicken

Thursday 9/24 - Meat Loaf Cups

Friday 9/25 - Sweet & Saucy Sausage Sandwiches