Hot Artichoke Dip

This is Jillian Weidmann's recipe and we LOVE it.

2 cans or jars marinated artichoke hearts-chopped
2 bricks cream cheese softened or use whipped
1 cup mayo
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup grated parmesan

Drain and chop artichokes
Stir all ingredients together
Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes
Remove foil and bake for additional 10-15 minutes

Serve with bread or crackers.

Brie Appetizer

Ashley and I make these ALOT.  I use a mini muffin tin, spray with non-stick.

Thaw and roll out puff pastry.  Cut in squares to fit in the mini-muffin tin.

Place piece of brie cheese on top of puff pastry in each tin, top with apricot jam, or anything that sounds yummy!

Bake in oven for 15-17 minutes

I tried these italian style the other night with fresh mozzerella, pesto, and sundried tomatoes and it was yummy too.  Totally different but same idea.

Pesto Dip

Ask, and you shall recieve!!  Here are a couple of my favorite appetizer recipes.

First, this one came from Meleea Miller, passed on from Lynn Miller.  SCORE!!  100 bucks to whoever can get lynne miller to post on here!  JUST KIDDING.  5 bucks! ;)   Okay, one dollar per recipe!! LOL!

Okay, back to the pesto...

First layer...

1 block of Cream cheese softened, mixed with 1/4c. fresh grated parmesan and 1 crushed clove of garlic (I think I did two--and I like to use whipped cream cheese)

Second and Third layer...

Top with Pesto and toasted pinenuts.  You could also top it with chopped sundried tomatoes, etc.  Serve with crackers, baguettes, or eat with a spoon! ;)

Really good Manicotti.

I like to cook good food. Really good food. Unfortunately, not everything that looks good in a recipe turns out so good in the end. Whether it be my lack of cooking skills, the recipe itself, or just a matter of personal taste...it doesn't always turn out so good in the end. This manicotti turned out good in the end. Really good.

I love Italian food. Maybe its my Italian heritage or the fact that Italian food tends to be good 'ole yummy comfort food. Aka: "carbs" :)

This manicotti didn't disappoint. Loved the yummy, chunky sauce on top. All you tomato growers could probably make it even better with your home grown stuff! :)

It came from this recipe blog which I love.

Manicotti.

Serves 6 to 8

Tomato Sauce
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (in juice)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried basil

Cheese Filling and Pasta
3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (I use the Barilla brand - apparently they are supposed to be the most similar to homemade pasta and I love them, both in this and in lasagna)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan chese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs; set aside.

To assemble, pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.

Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. (You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, allowing all 16 to fit in the dish). Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.) To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Recipe from My Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.blogspot.com)

Sausage Stuffing

Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, thought I would post my favorite stuffing recipe. I rarely get to make it, unless I go home for Thanksgiving, because my mom-in-law takes care of most everything for Thanksgiving. This one is so yummy, I could eat it alone for dinner. Enjoy!

Sausage Stuffing

1lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1/2c. Butter

3 cups onion, chopped

2cups celery, chopped

1T fresh sage, chopped

2T fresh parsley, chopped

6 cups plain croutons

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/4c. real maple syrup (you don't want mrs. butterworth to be spread on this stuff) ;)

2 cups dried cherries or cranberries

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

2 cups chicken stock, plus extra as needed

2 T fresh thyme, chopped

salt and pepper

Saute sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling sausage with the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Transfer sausage with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Discard sausage fat in pan. Add butter, onions, and celery to skillet and saute until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add to sausage, along with herbs and croutons, mix to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine allspice, maple syrup, cherries, and pecans, and chicken stock. Add to crouton mixture. The mixture should be moist, but not soggy. Add more chicken stock, if necessary. Transfer stuffing to a large baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes, or until top is golden

Tortellini Sausage Soup

I have a new favorite recipe blog, designed by our friend, Shannon....Our Best Bites! Love all the recipes on it. I've made this soup twice in the last week and we all LOVE it!

Click HERE for the recipe!

Zucchini Side

Made this with dinner tonight and it was so stinkin yummy.  

Zucchini sliced and then sliced again in halves.  

Red Bell pepper chunks

1 garlic clove, crushed or chopped

olive oil

chopped fresh basil

fresh parmesan

Saute  olive oil and garlic for a couple minutes and then add zucchini, red bell pepper.  Finish with fresh basil and parmesan.  Sprinkle with lots of kosher salt and pepper.  So good.  

Cucumber and Red Onion Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing

Oh, how I love the dressing on this salad. This would be a great side dish to salmon.

2 large cucumbers, peeled and seeded

1/2 red onion, sliced and separated into rings

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Dill Dressing

1/2 c. light sour cream

1/4 c. plain yogurt

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dill weed

1/2 teaspoon salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

in a bowl wisk all ingredients together

Halve cucumbers lengthwise and scrape seeds out with a spoon. slice horizontally into 1/4 inch slices.

In a bowl combine cucumber slices, onion rings, and bell pepper, and mix with dressing. Cover and chill several hours or overnight

Caramel Brownies

I'm not kidding, the best 'brownies' ever...

50 square caramels (you might want to employ your kids to unwrap the caramels)
1/2c. evaporated milk

melt above in saucepan.

1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix
3/4 c. butter, melted
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1/3 c. chopped nuts
6 oz. chocolate chips

Combine cake mix, butter, evaporated milk, and nuts in a bowl and stir by hand until dough holds together. Press 1/2 of the dough into 9X13, greased pan. Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle chocolate chips and pour caramel mixture over baked crust. Then crumble the rest of the dough over that. Return to oven for 15-18 minutes. cool slightly. Refrigerate 30 minutes to set.

Beth Moore, texas grub

The girls in our home group are doing a Beth Moore study called "stepping up". I have done one or two other studies of hers and she always forces you to dig a little deeper and get into the word, as hard as it is sometimes. All good stuff. I went to her blog, to get to know her a little better and found some great recipes scattered through out. I tried this tonight and it was really good. My kids actually scarfed it down. Whenever I make something new I usually ask Ryan if it is something I should make again, or not. Tonight Connor says in reply, "Is it 'yuck' or 'yum', dad?" So now that is my new question, "Ryan, is it 'yuck' or 'yum'?" (i usually like just about everything so its his vote that counts) ;) This recipe was voted "YUM" by everybody! Click HERE for the recipe.

Cooking Light Baked Potato Soup

I made this last night from Cooking Light Magazine and it was really yummy. It was posted on another blog. http://www.yumsugar.com/843158 I'm actually really looking forward to leftovers for lunch today!

2 tbsp. butter

1/4 of a large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

4 baking potatoes (about 2-1/2 lbs.)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 oz.)

6 cups milk (use 2 percent reduced fat if you prefer)

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided (use reduced fat if you prefer)

1 tsp. salt (i used a lot more than this)

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour into the vegetables; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes).
Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil).
Ladle 1-1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 tsp. cheese, 1-1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tbsp. bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.
Serves 8.

One of my favorite Rachel Ray Meals

Tomato and Basil Cheese Baked Pasta

The key on this one is to make the marinara sauce yourself. It is really easy. The language on the recipe is a little on the over-explanation side...because it was designed for teenagers to do it. So yummy. I get the pesto sauce at Costco.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28782,00.html

Do you have a favorite Rachel Ray meal?

Edited to add. I just made this again tonight and I forgot I double the marinara sauce to serve on the side as well.

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

I worked at a restaurant called California Pizza Kitchen through high school and college in Tarzana and Pasadena, CA. They just recently opened one at Bridgeport Village a couple of years ago. I still crave the food, it is so good. CPK is known for their BBQ Chicken chopped salad. Here is my copy-cat version with some variations from the original!

2 chicken breast cooked and chopped
1 bunch romaine, 1 head iceberg chopped
1 c. jack cheese grated
1/2 to 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1/2 to 1 can corn (optional)
1/2 c. chopped red onion
chopped cilantro to taste
chopped tomatoes
chopped cucumber (optional)
jicama (optional)
tortilla chips
Bulls eye BBQ sauce
Ranch
limes

Cook chicken and cover in bulls eye bbq sauce. Chop and toss the rest of the ingredients. Toss with the ranch dressing, crush chips, squeeze lime, and drizzle BBQ sauce on top right before serving. I like mine, drenched in BBQ sauce and lime!

Mango Chipotle Chicken Tacos

This is one my husband's favorite tacos

soft corn tortillas, warmed
shredded cooked chicken (1-2 chicken breasts)
sourcream
chipotle sauce (i use melinda's chipotle sauce)---i haven't had the greatest of luck with other brands
jalapeno hot sauce (Ryan likes them spicy)
rice-r- roni, spanish rice ( i like the rice roni because it has chunks of tomatoes in it)
Grated cheddar cheese
Mango salsa from Costco
Cilantro (optional)

This is kind of a throw together dish. Prepare the RiceRoni according to package directions. I boil the chicken and then shred when cool. Then add sourcream to coat the chicken and add chipotle sauce and hot sauce to taste.

Make your tacos by placing the rice on the bottom of the corn tortillas, then cheese, chipotle sourcream chicken, and top with mango salsa and cilantro.

Enjoy.

Blog Challenge, Brunch

Sausage Egg Dish

This is Ryan's family's staple Christmas dish and I like it for MOMS because it is so easy.

1 crescent roll dough package
3 eggs
1/4-1/2c. milk
2c. swiss cheese, grated or sliced
1 package Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage.

Roll crescent rolls out flat into greased 9 x13 pan to form crust. Cook sausage and place over crescent rolls. Place sliced cheese over sausage. (I like the sliced because its easy and creates a thick layer of cheese) Mix eggs and milk and pour over sausage and cheese. Refrigerate overnight.

Cook at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Strawberry Tart

I don't know if I'd call this a 'recipe' or an idea?! Thaw a puff pastry and roll out to a rectangle. Cut desired shape and bake according to package directions. This could also be great for birthdays or baby showers and you can cut the puff pastry in the shape of an initial. Use one 8oz. container of marscapone cheese and whip with milk and sugar to desired taste and texture. Place sliced strawberries on top and enjoy. I drizzled white and milk chocolate on top of the 'heart' but that is optional as well.