If you like garlic, this is the salad for you. Warning, Listerine will not help you after eating this.
Ingredients
4 hands full of fresh green beans (I went to the produce section and literally grabbed four hands full)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large slice of red onion, minced
1/2 of a red bell pepper, minced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, minced
olive oil
red wine vinegar
salt
pepper
Place a large pot with salted water on the stove to begin boiling. Snap the ends off of the green beans and rinse them in cold water. When the water is boiling, place the beans in the water, return to a boil, and let boil for five minutes. Remove the beans from the boiling water to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat the beans dry.
In a large bowl, toss all of the vegetables together. Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least four hours before serving. The longer it marinates, the more flavorful it becomes. Serve cold.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Stuffed Mushrooms
These turn out rather elegant! They make an excellent appetizer. I also think the stuffing would be phenomenal used in stuffed chicken breasts.
Ingredients
24 large mushrooms
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of all moisture
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tub of crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
splash of Tabasco
grated Parmesan cheese
non-stick cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350.
Remove mushroom stems and discard. Clean and dry the mushrooms and place them in a single layer in a 13x9 inch baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
In a food processor, pulse all ingredients except for the mushrooms and the Parmesan cheese. Pulse until smooth. Top each mushroom cap with a portion of the spinach mixture, putting them back into the baking dish when stuffed. Sprinkle all of the stuffed mushrooms with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, remove from oven to serving dish, and serve hot.
Ingredients
24 large mushrooms
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of all moisture
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tub of crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
splash of Tabasco
grated Parmesan cheese
non-stick cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350.
Remove mushroom stems and discard. Clean and dry the mushrooms and place them in a single layer in a 13x9 inch baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
In a food processor, pulse all ingredients except for the mushrooms and the Parmesan cheese. Pulse until smooth. Top each mushroom cap with a portion of the spinach mixture, putting them back into the baking dish when stuffed. Sprinkle all of the stuffed mushrooms with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, remove from oven to serving dish, and serve hot.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Mexican-Style Pork Chops with Garlic Potatoes
This is SPICY. The pork chops and potatoes come out very tender and EXTREMELY flavorful.
Ingredients
1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/2 Tablespoon onion powder
1/2 Tablespoon black pepper
1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
2 thick, center cut pork chops, trimmed of all visible fat
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large baking potatoes, cut into cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt
Rinse the pork chops with water, pat dry. In a pie pan, mix together the cumin, red pepper, onion powder, black pepper, and garlic powder. Coat the pork chops on all sides with the spice mixture. Sprinkle with salt to your taste preference. Let set at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, garlic, and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt to your taste preference.
Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a skillet, heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat. Place the pork chops into the hot oil and sear on both sides until golden brown.
Place the pork chops into the middle of the prepared baking dish. Surround the pork chops with the potatoes. Cover with foil.
Bake for 20 minutes covered. Remove foil and set it aside. Bake for an additional 20 minutes uncovered. Reduce heat to 375, cover with the saved sheet of foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Potatoes should be tender.
Ingredients
1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/2 Tablespoon onion powder
1/2 Tablespoon black pepper
1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
2 thick, center cut pork chops, trimmed of all visible fat
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large baking potatoes, cut into cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt
Rinse the pork chops with water, pat dry. In a pie pan, mix together the cumin, red pepper, onion powder, black pepper, and garlic powder. Coat the pork chops on all sides with the spice mixture. Sprinkle with salt to your taste preference. Let set at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, garlic, and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt to your taste preference.
Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a skillet, heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat. Place the pork chops into the hot oil and sear on both sides until golden brown.
Place the pork chops into the middle of the prepared baking dish. Surround the pork chops with the potatoes. Cover with foil.
Bake for 20 minutes covered. Remove foil and set it aside. Bake for an additional 20 minutes uncovered. Reduce heat to 375, cover with the saved sheet of foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Potatoes should be tender.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Three A Day Salad
This salad is flavor and nutrient packed. It's got it all, including three of your five daily servings of fruits and veggies, and the added bonus of heart healthy almonds. And, using the Sweet and Sour Dressing recipe, if made with the healthy version, the dressing has heart healthy olive oil. What's not to love?
Ingredients
2 cups (2 hands full) of lettuce mix (with carrots, romaine, iceberg, and radishes)
1 small apple, cored and cubed
1/2 cup green grapes, cut in half
1 Tablespoon dry roasted, unsalted sliced almonds
1 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing (see Blog Archives or use the search feature)
Place lettuce on plate or in salad bowl. Top with apples, grapes, and cheese. Drizzle dressing over salad. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve and enjoy!
Ingredients
2 cups (2 hands full) of lettuce mix (with carrots, romaine, iceberg, and radishes)
1 small apple, cored and cubed
1/2 cup green grapes, cut in half
1 Tablespoon dry roasted, unsalted sliced almonds
1 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing (see Blog Archives or use the search feature)
Place lettuce on plate or in salad bowl. Top with apples, grapes, and cheese. Drizzle dressing over salad. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve and enjoy!
Traditional Baked Hoagie
I'm a Pittsburgh native, and hoagies are a staple-food there. Goodness, high school marching bands sell them as fund raisers! This is my favorite version, baked in the oven.
**Buy your bread from the bakery.
**Buy your meat from the deli, custom cut to thin but not too thin.
Ingredients
one hoagie roll, cut in half but not separated
3 slices hard salami
2 slices beef bologna
3 slices Virgina baked ham
4 slices of mild banana pepper rings
1 thin slice of red or sweet onion
1 slice of provolone cheese
mayonnaise or my recipe for Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing (see Blog Archives or use Search at top left corner)
lettuce
tomato
Preheat oven to 400.
Place open hoagie roll on ungreased cookie sheet. Layer with, in order, salami, bologna, ham, pepper rings, onion sliver, and provolone.
Bake for about 7-8 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Pile on the lettuce and tomato and serve with either mayonnaise or the Sweet and Sour Dressing drizzled over it all.
**Buy your bread from the bakery.
**Buy your meat from the deli, custom cut to thin but not too thin.
Ingredients
one hoagie roll, cut in half but not separated
3 slices hard salami
2 slices beef bologna
3 slices Virgina baked ham
4 slices of mild banana pepper rings
1 thin slice of red or sweet onion
1 slice of provolone cheese
mayonnaise or my recipe for Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing (see Blog Archives or use Search at top left corner)
lettuce
tomato
Preheat oven to 400.
Place open hoagie roll on ungreased cookie sheet. Layer with, in order, salami, bologna, ham, pepper rings, onion sliver, and provolone.
Bake for about 7-8 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Pile on the lettuce and tomato and serve with either mayonnaise or the Sweet and Sour Dressing drizzled over it all.
Spicy Cappicola Baked Hoagie
Yeah, sounds easy, right? Well, hoagies can get messed up! It's all about the combination of meat, cheese, and veggies. If you mix certain things, they just simply taste funny. Here is my husband's favorite homemade version.
**Buy your bread from the bakery.
**Buy your meat from the deli, custom cut to thin but not too thin.
Ingredients
one hoagie roll, cut in half but not separated
3 slices spicy cappicola ham
3 slices hard salami
3 slices of Virgina baked ham
4 slices of mild banana pepper rings
1 thin slice of red or sweet onion
1 slice of provolone cheese
mayonnaise or my recipe for Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing (see Blog Archives or use Search at top left corner)
lettuce
tomato
Preheat oven to 400.
Place open hoagie roll on ungreased cookie sheet. Layer with, in order, cappicola, salami, ham, pepper rings, onion sliver, and provolone.
Bake for about 7-8 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Pile on the lettuce and tomato and serve with either mayonnaise or the Sweet and Sour Dressing drizzled over it all.
**Buy your bread from the bakery.
**Buy your meat from the deli, custom cut to thin but not too thin.
Ingredients
one hoagie roll, cut in half but not separated
3 slices spicy cappicola ham
3 slices hard salami
3 slices of Virgina baked ham
4 slices of mild banana pepper rings
1 thin slice of red or sweet onion
1 slice of provolone cheese
mayonnaise or my recipe for Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing (see Blog Archives or use Search at top left corner)
lettuce
tomato
Preheat oven to 400.
Place open hoagie roll on ungreased cookie sheet. Layer with, in order, cappicola, salami, ham, pepper rings, onion sliver, and provolone.
Bake for about 7-8 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Pile on the lettuce and tomato and serve with either mayonnaise or the Sweet and Sour Dressing drizzled over it all.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Breakfast Casserole
If there is one recipe that should be a staple food at every breakfast gathering, THIS is it (well, maybe besides my Mom's French Toast Casserole recipe, see Blog Archives).
This is a recipe that you make the night before your breakfast. If you are serving it at a dinner party, like I did, make it the morning of. It needs at least eight hours to sit so the bread soaks up the egg mixture.
Ingredients
1 lb. regular bulk sausage, lightly browned, blotted with paper towels to remove excess grease, and crumbled (a food processor is good for crumbling)
4 cups of bread, cubed (I prefer using unsliced Italian bread from the grocer's deli)
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
10 eggs
4 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
butter-flavored cooking spray
Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with butter-flavored cooking spray. Arrange bread evenly in baking dish. Sprinkle with the cheese.
In a large bowl, slightly whisk the eggs. Add milk, whisking until smooth. Add the mustard, salt, onion powder, and pepper, whisking just until combined. Pour this evenly over the bread in the baking dish.
Sprinkle sausage evenly over the top of the entire mixture. Press down slightly on entire mixture. Cover and chill over night, or at least for eight hours.
One hour before your party or meal, preheat oven to 325. Allow the dish to sit out while oven is preheating.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for about 20-30 minutes. Check the middle with a butter knife to ensure eggs are setting. If it's runny, it needs more time. If the sausage is getting to dark, cover with foil again.
Keep covered with foil until ready to serve to retain the heat. Serve hot and enjoy!
This is a recipe that you make the night before your breakfast. If you are serving it at a dinner party, like I did, make it the morning of. It needs at least eight hours to sit so the bread soaks up the egg mixture.
Ingredients
1 lb. regular bulk sausage, lightly browned, blotted with paper towels to remove excess grease, and crumbled (a food processor is good for crumbling)
4 cups of bread, cubed (I prefer using unsliced Italian bread from the grocer's deli)
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
10 eggs
4 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
butter-flavored cooking spray
Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with butter-flavored cooking spray. Arrange bread evenly in baking dish. Sprinkle with the cheese.
In a large bowl, slightly whisk the eggs. Add milk, whisking until smooth. Add the mustard, salt, onion powder, and pepper, whisking just until combined. Pour this evenly over the bread in the baking dish.
Sprinkle sausage evenly over the top of the entire mixture. Press down slightly on entire mixture. Cover and chill over night, or at least for eight hours.
One hour before your party or meal, preheat oven to 325. Allow the dish to sit out while oven is preheating.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for about 20-30 minutes. Check the middle with a butter knife to ensure eggs are setting. If it's runny, it needs more time. If the sausage is getting to dark, cover with foil again.
Keep covered with foil until ready to serve to retain the heat. Serve hot and enjoy!
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