Daddy Cooks - Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Yesterday was my 24th straight day of working. Long hours, long days and long weeks. When I found out that I was actually going to have the weekend off Brian told me that he would have something special planned when I got home. I had a great bubble bath and dinner after. This recipe he found in the Taste of Home cookbook. Wow, it was good!



Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins (3/4 lb each)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon 1% buttermilk
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1-2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup bread crumbs

1. Place tenderloins side by side and tie together with kitchen string. In a small bowl, combine themustard, buttermilk, thyme, pepper and salt; spread over surface of milk. Press crumbs onto meat.

2. Place on a rack in shallow roasting pan. Cover and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove string before serving.

Feedback: Brian didn't use the string because the tenderloin wasn't stuffed. It worked fine and was delicious! The only variation we may try next time is a little garlic powder.

Chicken & Asparagus in Puff Pastry with Dijon Cream Sauce

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
8-10 stalks asparagus
1 Can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1-2 T Course Ground Dijon Mustard


Cut chicken breasts in half, leaving you with 4 pieces of chicken. Salt and Pepper both sides of the chicken breasts.

Brown the chicken breasts in a skillet. Roll out crescent rolls,cut into squares. Cut asparagus into half leaving short stalks. Place 2-3 stalks in the middle of each crescent square, place chicken on top. Pull crescent dough over and cover, pressing to seal. Place onto cookie sheet and bake according to crescent roll instructions.

While chicken is baking place 1-2 T dijon mustard into the bottom of the skillet. Add 1/4 cup of the heavy whipping cream and stir with a whisk to mix. Bring to a slight simmer, adding heavy cream until the sauce has reached the thickness you desire (I prefer mine like a thick soup, i.e. cream of mushroom). Set aside.

When chicken is completed place a large spoonful of dijon cream sauce onto your plate, using spoon to spread into circle. Place chicken on top and serve.

Feedback: I made this recipe up because I wanted to suprise my husband for dinner. Translation: I wanted something that looked complicated but really took me no time at all. This came out great, was delicious, and was easy. The only thing that I would do slightly different would be to add a little cheese inside next time.

Basil & Garlic Sausage Lasagna

It's been awhile and I apologize. With going back to work full time, going to school full time and juggling a 4 month old and a husband I've been to busy to cook! I also FINALLY got propane for my husband's grill as a Fathrt's Day gift so he's wanted to cook on the grill. Tonight I had a craving for a quick fix lasagna. Hubby is working new hours so I have to have dinner ready before he leaves for work at 3:30pm - here's what I came up with.

Basil & Garlic Sausage Lasagna



1 Box No Boil Barilla Lasagne
1 package Large sausages - (I used a fresh basil & garlic sausage from Safeway meat department)
1 15 oz container Ricotta
8 ounces Mozarella
8 ounces Parmesan cheese
1 can mushroom pieces
1 jar tomato sauce of your choosing ( I prefer to make my own but for this quick I meal I did not. I used Bertolli Marinara with burgundy wine.)

Remove casings from sausage and brown, breaking up to the consistancy of ground beef. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350.

Place a thin layer of tomato sauce along bottom of pan. Place lasagna sheets along bottom. With a spatula spread one layer of ricotta over lasagna sheets,follow with mozarella, a thin layer of parmesan and mushrooms. Top with a layer of the basil & garlic sausage. Repeat with as many layers as you wish (I had 3) ending with tomato sauce topped by mozerella and parmesan.

Bake covered with foil at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until heated thru and bubbling.



Feedback: This was very good for a variation on a regular lasagna. The basil and garlic sausage gave a nice extra flavor though I don't think I would want it everytime I have lasagna. Perhaps if it was mixed with a ground turkey or beef it would make the basil not quite as strong tasting. I was very pleased with the Bertolli sauce and would use it again when I don't have time to make my own from scratch. Overall though I was very pleased with the outcome as was my husband.

Fresh Summer Fruit Salad

Sometimes nothing is better on a hot summer day than -



1 Granny Smith Apple
1 Pear
1 Bunch Green Grapes
5-10 Strawberries, cut into quarters
1/4 of a small watermelon, cubed
1/2 of 1 pineapple, cubed
1 orange, each slice cut into thirds
1/4 cup sugar

Mix all together and enjoy!

Beer Brine Pork Chops & Garlic Thyme Mashed Potatoes

2 cups water
2 cups dark lager beer
1/4 cup coarse salt
3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 cup ice cubes
6 1- to 1 1/4-inch-thick center-cut bone-in pork chops

7 large garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried sage leaves

Combine 2 cups water, beer, 1/4 cup coarse salt, sugar, and molasses in large bowl. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Stir in ice. Place pork chops in large resealable plastic bag. Pour beer brine over pork chops; seal bag. Refrigerate 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Remove pork chops from beer brine; pat dry. Mix garlic, pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, and sage in small bowl. Rub garlic mixture over both sides of pork chops. Grill pork chops until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 145°F to 150°F, about 10 minutes per side, occasionally moving chops to cooler part of rack if burning. Transfer chops to platter; cover with foil, and let stand 5 minutes. Serve.

Feedback: We got this recipe from Bon Appetit. We did make one variation because we are out of propane for the grill - that always means .. time to cook on the Foreman! I LOVED these porkchops though I think next time I'll go ahead and use boneless, skinless. I guess I am spoiled but it always irritates me having to cut around the bone on a pork chop.

Garlic Thyme Mashed Potatoes

3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered
4 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
6 tablespoons (or more) warm whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Boil potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; return to pot. Add butter, 6 tablespoons cream, garlic and thyme; mash. Season with salt and pepper. Do ahead Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring often and adding more cream by tablespoonfuls if dry.

Feedback: I made last week but mashed potatoes and pork chops just sounded more appealing. Not much to say about mashed potatoes but it's always nice to find some variation away from the norm - the thyme and the garlic provided just that. The Bon Appetit recipe did NOT call for garlic - but it was great!

Tilapia with Balsamic Butter Sauce

I got this recipe from the Bon Appetit web site. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out after I began cooking because making the sauce the smell of the vinegar was SO strong. Think .. making Easter eggs.

BALSAMIC BUTTER SAUCE
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 4- to 5-ounce tilapia fillets

Simmer vinegar and garlic in small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to thick syrup, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 large skillets over high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Sauté fish until golden, about 2 minutes per side.

Rewarm balsamic syrup over medium-low heat. Whisk in 1/2 cup butter 1 piece at a time. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to peas; stir over medium heat until warmed. Season with salt and pepper.

Feedback: The sauce when finished wasn't at all overpowering and I think this may go into my book as one of my favorite tilapia recipes.

The asparagus risotto cake I can not take credit for. I purchased it at the deli of a local Oliver's Market (so it was sure to be wonderful). It was good, though if I purchased them again I believe I would sprinkle the top with fresh shaved parmesan cheese for slightly more flavor. For $1.99 a cake I can't complain ...

Hubby Cooks - Red Wine Slow Cooked Roast

1 3-4 lb Beef Round Rump Roast
2 C Red Wine
1/4 C Worcestershire Sauce
1 Can Beef Broth
1 Large Yellow Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
Seasoning Salt
Salt
Pepper
4 Bay Leaves

Hubby cooked tonight and I must say I was fairly impressed. When I left the house this morning we knew we had thawed the rump roast but he wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do with it. We knew that we didn't want just another plain pot roast, nor did he want to make something to complicated.

Place several knife holes into the roast. After cutting the garlic cloves into 2-3 pieces each, stuff one piece into each hole in the roast. Sprinkle the roast with salt, pepper and seasoning salt. Place the roast into the slow cooker. Cut the onion into large chunks and place it around the roast in the slow cooker. Add bay leaves and pour wine and beef broth over roast. Slow cook on High for 5 hours.

The roast had a very good flavor - slight taste of the wine coming thru but not overpowering. I hope that he makes this again! We served it with rice pilaf and some cheese bread - yum!

Summer Chicken Corn Chowder

Summer is coming back and this is one of my favorite recipes. I am a HUGE fan of cilantro and the cilantro in this dish really converts it from a warm winter comfort food to something that doesn't seem so heavy. I've also cooked it in my slow cooker but it's not necessary.

I've also made it for people who don't like cilantro - just eliminate that ingredient - but to me it is soooo much more delicious with it!

2 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp. flour
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cups reduced-sodium or homemade chicken broth
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
3 cups corn kernels
1/4-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
2 limes, cut into wedges
Freshly ground black pepper

(Please note that I did not use the limes or the avocado because I don't like either - the original recipe does call for them though).

1. In a large heavy pot over medium-high heat cook bacon until fat renders and meat starts to brown. Add onion, reduce heat to medium and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, until flour smelled cooked (you should get a whiff of baked piecrust) but hasn't started to brown - about 3 minutes.

2. Add potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to keep mixture summering and cook until potatoes are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and corn and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream to taste. Heat through, about 2 minutes.

3. Serve, garnished with tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, pepper & 1-2 squirts of lime to taste. (Again, I only garnished with tomatoes and cilantro).

Chicken and Dumplings - Slow Cooker

My husband Brian had never had chicken and dumplings so I decided, being Southern, that it was my duty to introduce him. I did a recipe with the rosemary in the dumplings though to give it a little "wine country flair." I've made it many, many times for him, and also for my family when I visited them in Mississippi, and everyone has always loved it. Hopefully one day I get a picture!

It's great in a slow cooker for nights that I work!

1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 whole chicken (about 3 lbs) cut into pieces (I just used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
1 Tbsp vegtable oil
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
2 stalks celery, slived 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas

Dumplings
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add chicken pieces to mixture and coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 8-10 minutes or until brown on all sides.

2. Add carrots, celery, onion and rosemary to slow cooker. Place chicken pieces OVER vegetables. Pour 1/2 cup of the broth into skillet and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan. Pour pan juices into slow cooker with remaining stock or broth.

3. Cook and cover on high 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours until vegetables are tender and stew is bubbling. Add peas to combine.

4. Dumplings: Whish flour, baking powder, dried rosemary and salt in a bowl. Combine milk and egg in a measuring cup. Mix well and add to flour mixture. Stir with a fork to make a lumpy dough (do not overmix - lumps are fine). Drop dumpling mixture over chicken pieces. Cover and cook on High for 25 to 20 minutes or until tester inserted in center of dumpling comes out clean.

Macaroni and Cheese

People can be picky about their macaroni and cheese. REALLY picky. So I'm always hesitant to try a new mac and cheese recipe and anyone other than my husband and I. I have a stack of recipes I wanted to try before I settled on calling one "my" recipe even though it seems odd to make variations of the same dish over and over. This version came from the book "Cooking in the South" with Johnnie Gabriel. Apparently she is great friends with Paula Deen which explains the massive amounts of butter!



4 quarts (16 cups) water
Pinch of Salt
1 (16 ounce) package macaroni
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dry mustard
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 1/2 cups whole milk
16 ounces Colby cheese, shredded
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and Black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large stockpot bring water to boil, add a pinch of salt and cook the macaroni until it is al dente. Drain and set aside. Do NOT put the macaroni back into this pot.

In the same pot add the butter and melt it on medium heat. Add the dry mustard and flour, cooking and stirring constantly to make a golden colored roux. Whisk in the chicken broth and milk, simmering 5-6 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in both shredded cheeses. Stir until completely melted and add salt and pepper.

Add the pasta to the cheese mixture and stir to combine all together. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover with bread crumbs if you wish. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese melts.

Feedback: I made a few variations to this dish. I added garlic powder because I love it so much and I used boxed bread crumbs instead of making them from scratch as she recommended with Ritz crackers. I also didn't use ham which she offers as an option should you want this as a hearty main meal.

After having this dish I'm not even certain I will continue going through the stack of recipe's before deciding which will be my main "go-to" macaroni and cheese recipe. It was WONDERFUL. Everyone who ate it loved it - both adults and children (which was the real test with mac-n-cheese).

Ad Hoc Fried Chicken

I'd heard that this was the best fried chicken ever made so I had to try it. Forgive the poor picture - all I had was my cell phone at the time. I didn't make the brine from scratch - I found an "Ad Hoc Fried Chicken" kit from Williams Sonoma that kept me from having to purchase all of the ingredients - I will probably do the same next time I make the recipe.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/ad-hoc-fried-chicken-kit/

Brine:
1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
12 bay leaves
1/2 cup garlic cloves, skin left on, smashed
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
About 1/2 ounce (3 large) rosemary sprigs
About 1/2 ounce (1 large bunch) thyme sprigs
About 2 ounces (1 large bunch) flat leafed parsley sprigs
Grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons

Coating:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 quart buttermilk
10 cups peanut oil
Kosher salt

For the brine: Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and cool completely before using.

Rinse the chickens and place the chickens in the cold brine and refrigerate overnight or for up to 12 hours. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat the chicken dry, removing any herbs or spices sticking to the skin. With a knife and pair of kitchen shears, cut the chicken up into 8 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 breast halves and 2 wings.

For the coating: Mix the coating ingredients together in a bowl and place the buttermilk in a second container.

Bring the peanut oil to 330˚F in the 6 quart sauté pan.

Just before frying, dip each piece of chicken into the coating, patting off the excess, then into the buttermilk and back into the coating. Place the chicken on a parchment lined sheet tray.

When the oil has reached the proper temperature, carefully lower the pieces of dark meat into the oil. The temperature of the oil will decrease. Adjust the heat as necessary to bring the oil to proper temperature. Fry the dark meat for about 13 minutes, to a deep golden brown, cooked throughout and very crisp. Remove the chicken to a tray lined with paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

Carefully add the white meat to the oil and fry for about 6 to 7 minutes until cooked.
Remove to the tray, sprinkle with salt and turn off the heat under the oil.

Feedback: This chicken was very good - I suppose it has to be because if it wasn't no one would go to all of the trouble that it required. It was amazing and I'd make it again but in a much smaller batch than I did this time (20-22 pieces).

I tried to cheat and use a deep fryer because I knew I could control them temperature and not have the grease splatter - bad idea. I could only cook 2 legs or wings at a time or one breast. I was standing at my fryer from 3:30p - 8:30p .... In fact company had ledt by the time the last piece came out!

Pasta with Asparagus and Pancetta

8 ounces uncooked pasta (I used what I call wagon wheel pasta)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 ounces diced pancetta
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 475°. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; add asparagus to pan during last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain. Sprinkle pasta mixture with garlic; return to pan, and toss well.

Arrange pancetta on jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475° for 6 minutes or until crisp.

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with pancetta, and cheese.

Feedback: I adapted this recipe from a Cooking Light recipe I saw online. Initially it called for pine nuts also but I'm not a big fan of those in pasta so I eliminated them. Overall this recipe was enjoyable nut I felt, as did my husband, that it didn't have enough of the sauce. If I chose to remake this I will probably double the ingredients for the sauce.

Because it was so light, and the asparagus so delicious, I could see this also being a great summer pasta salad - using leftovers the following day I could definatley take this for lunch!

Pasta with Spinach and Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce

1 lb package of pasta (ziti, penne or linguine)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1½ cups low-fat milk or half and half
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach (about 6 cups), chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Gradually add the milk or half and half, stirring constantly with a whisk. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, salt, and pepper. Combine the sauce, pasta and spinach, tossing gently to coat. Toss again with with 1/4 Parmesan.

Feedback: I wasn't to sure about this because I'd never had gorgonzola cheese before - again, my attempt to try new foods and ingredients. After reading online that it was sharp like blue cheese I wasn't hesitant - I hate blue cheese. But, if I want to learn more about cooking and tastes I need to be willing to experiment. I LOVED this dish and husband had 2 servings - that should voice his opinion I suppose.

I could taste the similarity to blue cheese but it wasn't sharp and therefore I could handle it. Perhaps that mixed in parmesan cheese also helped. I would repeat this dish without doubt.

Smoked Salmon with Black Pepper Potato Chips and Lemon Crème Fraîche

1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

16 large black pepper or salt-and-pepper potato chips

1 4-ounce package thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 16 pieces

Chopped fresh chives

Stir crème fraîche and lemon peel in small bowl. Arrange potato chips on plate. Divide salmon among chips. Spoon rounded 1/2 teaspoon lemon crème fraîche atop salmon on each chip and sprinkle with chives.

Feedback: I really enjoyed these, but I'm not sure how often I'd make them for a party. They aren't something that you can make ahead really easily and transport - perhaps only for a party at my home. They were very delicious but even though the salmon was smoked a lot of people who won't typically eat sushi wouldn't try them. Husband's feedback was that he ate them and they were good but I've done many more appetizers he'd rather have.

New Orleans Shrimp, Tomato and Okra Saute

1 1/4 pounds large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined
3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, divided
6 slices smoked bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups frozen cut okra (from 16-ounce package), thawed
1 12-ounce container cherry tomatoes
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 green onions, chopped


Toss shrimp and 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning in medium bowl to coat. Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and brown. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel to drain.

Add flour to drippings in skillet. Stir constantly until roux is very dark brown, about 5 minutes. Add okra and cherry tomatoes. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning. Cook 1 minute. Add clam juice and allspice. Boil until sauce is thick, stirring often, about 3 minutes.

Add shrimp. Sauté shrimp until just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in chopped green onions and cooked bacon. Serve.

Feedback: I really didn't enjoy this recipe at all. I may try it again because I used creole seasoning as opposed to cajun - is there a difference? It was way, way to hot - I couldn't enjoy any of the flavors because my mouth was on fire.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 cups chopped spinach leaves

8 oz feta cheese

1/2 cup oil packed sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 tsp minced lemon zest

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes with juice

1. Working with one at a time, place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound meat until approx. 1/2 inch thick.

2. Combine spinach, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest, basil, garlic powder and pepper in bowl.

3. Top the wide end of each chicken breast with the mixture. Roll tightly.

4. Place rolled chicken in slowcooker. Top with diced tomatoes and their juice.

5. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low 5 1/2 - 6 hours in slow cooker.

Feedback: I probably wouldn't repeat this recipe. You can't actually top the chicken with the tomatoes or the stuffing cooks out. I have a hard enough time getting items to stay into stuffed chicken breasts - I guess I've not yet mastered that trick.

Cooking so long in the slow cooker the chicken was also a little dry. With some modifications (like baking instead) it could be a successful recipe.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I served this with some store bought lobster ravioli. I'd been wanting to try the sauce but the idea of fresh made ravioli still feels slightly daunting.



1 jar roasted red pepper pieces
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup heavy cream
Fresh parmesan, shaved or grated (used to top pasta)

Feedback: The sauce was good but a little over powering for my taste. The recipe didn't say what size jar to use so perhaps that was the problem? I believe next time I would use slightly less roasted red pepper and a touch more cream. It was good however, it will be a repeat.

Personalized Pizzas

Tonight hubby and I wanted to eliminate some of the leftovers from the meals that we ate this week. Because near my Weight Watchers meeting there is a bread outlet we stopped by and picked up some Boboli pizza shells. Not the ideal, and I should have made them from scratch, but I was feeling lazy.

My pizza was half parmesan and BBQ shrimp, and half Feta and BBQ shrimp. I used the Boboli sauce and that was my first mistake.



Brian's pizza I must admit smelled much better than mine did and I was very jealous. I didn't get to taste it but he had Boboli sauce, parmesan cheese, olives, mozzerella (strong cheese) and the left over roast and spiced Cornish game hen. Very over loaded but very good (or so he told me).

Pork Roast with Apples, Sage and Rosemary

Roast in the Slow Cooker

This recipe was actually a little magazine insert that was an ad for a slow cooker. I love my slow cooker, especially in the winter when I can make hearty soups and stews. This is the first time I attempted a recipe without a liquid, though I suppose the apples release their juice and assist in the cooking process.

Even browning off the onions I knew that this was going to be amazing. The kitchen smelled delicious. I was correct and the roast was very good. The flavor of the rosemary and the sage really came through in the meat and gave off a delicious aroma also.

4-6 Granny Smith Apples
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
4 lb boneless loin pork roast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, quartered
1 fresh sprig sage
1 fresh sprig rosemary

Toss apples with lemon juice. Set aside.

Season roast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown roast om all sides and remove from skillet.

Add red onions to skillet and stir to brown slightly. Place in bottom of slow cooker.
Top with seared roast. Surround roast with apples and place sage and rosemary on top of the roast.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 7-8 hours. Discard rosemary and sage sprigs.


Prepared Roast

Feedback: I would make this again. My only disappointment was that all of the apples weren't able to be used and they were so mushy they would have been wonderful if you pureed them into an applesauce. However, because the onions are cooked with it you can't seperate the two. Everything but the roast had to be discarded and it felt like a waste.

Hubby Cooks - Spiced Game Hens

My wonderful hubby decided to give me a break from the kitchen this evening. He's been rather impressed with my new obsession with the kitchen and I believe wants to outshine me :0) I won't complain though as it's been a long day of grocery shopping and a screaming baby who got his two month shots. Sad Momma.



Spiced Game Hens

1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 24 ounce Cornish game hens
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

For marinade, in a small bowl combine lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, salt, coriander, tumeric, pepper and garlic. Set aside.

Using a long, heavy knife or kitchen shears, halve each Cornish hen lengthwise, cutting through the breast bone jice off-center and through the center of the back bone. If desired, remove backbone.

Place hen halves into a resealable plastic bag. Pour in marinade and seal bag. Chill for 2 hours, turning bag once.

Remove hens from bag after 2 hours and place them cut side down into a rectangular baking dish. Pour lemon mixture from bag over the hens. Pour broth arond hens in dish. Season hens with additional salt and pepper.

Roast, covered, in a 375F oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and roast for an additional 20-35 minutes or until thermometer inserted into the thigh registeres 180 degrees and juices run clear.



Feedback: He did an outstanding job. We had peas and Basmati wild rice with the hens and it was a perfect match. The hens were juicy, very flavorful, and I think we'll be making these again. The only change Brian, my husband, said he would make is that he may marinate the hens longer than the suggested two hours next time.

Baked Parmesan Tilapia

I found a recipe for Broiled Parmesan Tilapia and it looked like something I wanted to try. Hubby and I are both big fans of tilapia and make it often. However, because the rental that we are in has a rather temperamental stove I didn't want to try to use the broiler - hence my adapted version of a baked version. The recipe also called for 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise but I cut that to make a slightly healthier version.



1/2 C Parmesan Cheese
1/2 C butter, softened
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 Teaspoon dried basil
1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Celery Salt
2 lb Tilapia Fillets

In a small bowl mix together the cheese, butter and lemon juice. Add the remainder of the dry spices, mix and set aside.

Arrange fish on a non-stick, foil lined cookie sheet. Bake fillets for 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from oven and flip. Top each fillet with parmesan cheese mixture. Place back into the oven for an additional 5 minutes until fish cooked and cheese melted.

I served this with one of my favorite sides - baked potato, butter spray, garlic powder and low fat sour cream.

Feedback: The fish was AMAZING - I would without doubt make it again. I can't wait until I have a better oven so that I can try the original recipe with it broiled.

Chicken with Feta and Green Onions

I made a recipe out of the Weight Watchers cookbook tonight because hubby and I have been trying to eat healthier. This means I've been trying to cook healthier but I still want to try new things. I've never cooked with feta before and I'm happy I made the decision to do so. I'll defintely be trying some more feta recipes in the future. I did made some substitutions - I removed the hot sauce because honestly it just didn't sound that appealing. I served it with green beans sauteed with garlic and onion as a side dish.



1/2 cup feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomatoes (I couldn't find this so I just used feta)
2 Tablespoons minced green onions
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon country style dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Cooking Spray
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, toss gently. Set aside.
Combine mustard and hot pepper sauce; stir well.
Place chicken on pan coated with cooking spray. Spread mustard mixture over chicken. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle cheese mixture over chicken and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is slightly melted. Sprinkle with pepper.

Pasta with White Wine Tomato Sauce

Again, this is something that I made up spur of the moment while standing at the stove. I had another idea for dinner but as I began my prep I realized I was missing a key ingredient (bad chef!). I had been craving pasta for awhile and decided that I would attempt to throw something together to kill the craving. This was the result ..



2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 large white onion, diced
3/4 Cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1/2 can diced tomatoes
1/2 lb large shrimp
1 bag No Yolks Egg Noodles
1/2 Cup Milk (or heavy cream which I didn't have on hand)
Dried Oregano
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt
Pepper

Place the garlic and onion into a skillet that has been warmed to medium/high heat. Add the white wine and bring to a low simmer and let cook several minutes to soften the onion. Add the diced tomatoes and ALL of the juice from the can despite using only half of the tomatoes. Bring back to a simmer and let continue to cook another 3-4 minutes. Test to ensure the onion is now cooked thru.

Start the pasta cooking in a seperate pot.

Add to the sauce skilled 1 teaspoon Oregano (or more to your taste), salt and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes or until they are cooked thru (I used precooked). Add the milk, stir to incorporate into the sauce and let heat.

When the pasta is completed, drain and add back to pot. Pour sauce from skillet over pasta and toss. When plated top with grated parmesan cheese.

Appetizer Saturday

Last night we had family dinner and I was in charge of the appetizers. I made sausage balls, which I love but are typically in my family only for the holidays. The Cordon Bleu appetizers were found in a Taste of Home magazine about a year ago and everywhere I take them they are a hit.



Sausage Balls



1 package Jimmy Dean HOT sausage (16 oz.)
1 package sharp cheddar cheese (16 oz.)
1 1/2 - 2 Cups Self Rising Flour

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir well. Form into 1" balls. Place sausage cheese balls on ungreased baking sheet; bake 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove sausage cheese balls from oven; cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve with cocktail forks or toothpicks.

Tip: I always place a cooling rack onto my backing sheet before I lay the sausage balls down and bake them on the rack. It keeps the balls from sitting in the grease that leaks from the sausage while baking.

Cordon Bleu Appetizers



4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
3/4 cup diced fully cooked ham
1/2 cup minced chives, divided
18 slices French bread (1/2 inch thick)

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and mustard until smooth. Stir in the Swiss cheese, ham and 1/4 cup chives. Spread 1 tablespoon mixture over each bread slice; place on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining chives. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

Chicken Stuffed with Asparagus and Cheese

This recipe is very, very complicated. Get into your car, drive to Safeway supermarket, go to the butcher counter and purchase 2 Chicken breasts stuffed with asparagus and cheese! I had my nephew all day so I took the easy way out - they were wonderful though. I will need to find a recipe so that next time I can make them from scratch.

COF Chicken

Tonight's dinner was a spur of the moment improvision, no recipe involved. I wanted to clean things out of my fridge that weren't going to last much longer and see what I could create. So, I guess I'll call this COF (Cleaning Out the Fridge) chicken.

4 Chicken Breasts (sprinkled with salt and pepper)
2 Cloves Garlic
3-4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 C Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 C Mushrooms
1 Handful Fresh Snap Peas, stemmed and cut in half

I browned the chicken breasts on each side and then removed them from the deep skillet. I then added the garlic, thyme, and chicken broth. After that game to a simmer and cooked for a few moments I added the mushrooms and the snap peas. After they began to soften I added the chicken breasts back to the pan and covered them. I let the entire meal simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken was completely cooked. Ta Da!

For an improvision it came out really yummy - Hubby even had two pieces and is taking one for lunch. I guess you know that your getting more comfortable in the kitchen when you feel comfortable "winging it" without a recipe! I loved the flavor of the thyme - it really came thru. Rosemary is still my favorite herb, followed my fresh cilantro in the summer, but thyme is a nice change occasionally.

Turkey with Lemony Thyme Butter

Lemony Thyme Butter

Zest of large lemon
4 garlic cloves
1 cup butter, room temp
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Turkey

One 14-16 pound turkey, rinsed, giblets removed, patted dry inside and out
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 lemons cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups turkey stock, chicken stock, or water

Lemony Thyme Butter: Blend lemon zest and garlic in a mini-processor (or a regular food processor) until finely chopped. Add butter, mustard, lemon juice, scallions, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper, and process. The butter can be made two days ahead. Bring to room temperature before using.

Roast Turkey: Generously season the main turkey cavity with salt and pepper, and coat the cavity with 2 tbsp. butter. Starting at the neck end of the turkey, carefully slide your hand between skin and meat of the breast, thighs, and upper drumsticks, to loosen the skin. Spread the Lemony Thyme Butter over the meat of the thighs and drumsticks, below the skin, on both sides. Arrange a few lemon slices under the skin. Spread the remaining butter over the breast meat, below the skin. Fill the main cavity with any remaining lemon slices, parsley, and rosemary. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Tuck the wing tips under.

Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub outside all over with the oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour stock into the pan. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165-170 degrees, about 3 hours. Transfer the turkey to a platter. Tent it very loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes (the internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees). Serves 10 to 12

Gravy

2 cups (or more) turkey or chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Lemony Thyme Butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To make the gravy, scrape the juices and browned bits from the roasting pan into a large glass measuring cup. Spoon off the fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. If necessary, add enough stock to the juices to measure 1 2/3 cups.

Heat the reserved 2 tablespoons fat in a heavy, large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots; saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour; whisk until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the degreased pan juices and 2 cups stock. Bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Reduce the heat and simmer until the gravy is reduced to the desired consistency about 4 minutes. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons reserved Lemony Thyme Butter, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and the sour cream, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.


Feedback:

Wow. This was the first time I'd ever made a turkey and it was a challenge - especially trying to get the turkey prepped with a screaming infant in the background. I was suprised what a chore it was getting the skin up so that I could get the butter under it - who knew! The entire process was a learning experience and a success - now I know that I can be counted on to prepare the Thanksgiving turkey for my family. I even carved it!

The turkey (14 lbs) actually needed to cook slightly longer than stated in the recipe and I cooked it for 3 1/2 hours. I LOVE the taste of the lemony thyme butter under the skin and so did my Mother and Husband. It filled the house with a wonderful smell as it cooked and it made me want to make a larger batch and wear it as perfume! I did not make the gravy so I can't give an honest review of that - someone else attending our Easter had already agreed to make that item.

Chicken with Creamy Mushrooms and Snap Peas

4 chicken breasts, boneless
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 scallions, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms (button, cremini, shiitake or a combination, quartered)
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups sugar snap peas, stemmed and halved lengthwise
1 Clove Garlic, thinly sliced

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Cook chicken breasts until done and set aside on plate.

Add the butter to the hot skillet, then add the scallions, garlic and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms brown, about 4 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce thickens slightly, 3 to 4 more minutes. Stir in the snap peas and heat through; add chicken to the skillet again and let simmer 1-2 minutes in sauce.

Feedback:

This is a variation of a recipe which I saw in the Food Network Magazine. I added the clove of garlic, they used chicken cutlets and not whole breasts, and I served my recipe over white rice. The magazine recipe called for you to dredge the chicken in flour and cook it but I didn't see the need for that and was attempting to make the recipe slightly healthier (ok, other than the heavy cream and butter!)

The mushrooms added a wonderful flavor and even my husband seemed to like the dish .... this is rare because it had something green and healthy in it. Enjoy!

Tortellini with Peas and Pancetta

1 pound meat-filled tortellini
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook as the label directs. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and prosciutto and cook until crisp, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Ladle in about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and simmer until reduced by about half, 3-4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. About 2 minutes before the tortellini are done, add the peas to the boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain the tortellini and peas and add to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sauce. Stir in the parsley and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Feedback:

This recipe was really good but it didn't make enough sauce for me. There was a very thin coat on each of the ravioli but I like a little extra when I'm eating pasta. Next time I think I will create a little extra and the recipe will be perfect. I also used three cheese tortellini instead of a meat filled variety. This one is another keeper!

Asparagus with Warm Bacon Dressing

I have to thank Paula Deen for this wonderful creation. I was slightly nervous about preparing it because it was so out of my comfort zone. Leave it to Paula to make a healthy vegetable as fattening as possible. It was well worth it and a favorite at the table - I'll be using this dressing in the future on other items. It was very easy to make and I think everyone that dined with us that evening were fairly suprised that they enjoyed this side dish.

3 strips bacon
2 tablespoons sliced shallots
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1⁄2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, about 10 minutes, or until crisp, turning once. Remove bacon, reserving drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels; cool, crumble, and set aside. Add shallots to bacon drippings, and cook over medium-high heat until tender. Remove from heat, and cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine shallots and bacon drippings, mustard, vinegar, and lemon zest, whisking until blended. In a large deep skillet, add enough water to fill to within 2 inches of rim; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, and cook for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain well. Serve asparagus with warm dressing, and top with crumbled bacon.

White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with Citrus Sugar

I got this recipe from Bon Appetit magazine. It was well worth the effort! I wasn't certain how I felt about using the zest of fruit in my chocolate but it really gave the strawberries a different twist. This will be going into my file of "things to bring to a party to impress."

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina)1
6 large ripe strawberries

Line baking sheet with foil. Using fingertips, mix sugar and citrus peels in small bowl until sugar is moist. Stir chocolate in small bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water.Holding 1 strawberry by stem end, dip 2/3 of berry into chocolate; shake excess back into bowl. Turn berry dipped end up and sprinkle with citrus sugar. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining berries, chocolate, and sugar. Chill until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Momma Cooks .... Maybe?

I had no idea when I had a child exactly how time consuming it is to raise a newborn. I think it's one of those things that you can't really know until you do it yourself. I had delusions of spending my maternity leave learning spanish, reading books, crosstiching and cooking all of these new and gourmet recipes for the first time. Instead my house looks like a disaster area, I'm constantly covered in spitup and my hubby is lucky if he gets a frozen pizza for dinner.

Jacob was born on Feb. 21, 2010. He's now approaching six weeks old and we seem to be getting some sort of a routine established. I'm finally finding the time to cook though all of the other things I wanted to do are still on hold - I suppose it's because I have to eat everyday and I assume I might as well make it worth wild - at least it makes me feel productive.

I've always loved to cook and I love trying new foods and methods to create them. I constantly collect recipes from magazines, friends, family and my cookbook collection is slowly overtaking the nursery bookcase! So here I will document what I'm cooking - the successes, the failures and feedback showing what I would do different if I thing the recipe is worth attempting a second time. Enjoy!