recent recipes

I realize I have let this blog go, but I am back in it to win it! We moved shortly after the last post and 2 months has just gone by in a flash! I am picking back up with 7/4/10. Here are some things I have done in the meantime:

French Onion Mac N Cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound whole wheat macaroni or penne pasta
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 large onions, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme (about 1/3 palmful)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions to al dente; drain.

While the pasta is working, heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter to melt, then add the onions, bay leaf and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are light caramel in color, 15-20 minutes.

Pre-heat the broiler. Discard the bay leaf. Stir the flour into the onion mixture. Stir in the milk and beef stock and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted, then stir in the mustard.

Add the pasta to the sauce and toss. Spoon into a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish, top with the remaining 1 cup cheese and broil until brown, 2-4 minutes. Top with the chives and serve immediately.

The verdict: Too, too salty! the beef stock and cheese and mustard have plenty of salt so don't season with salt! My kids didn't really like it, but i love french onion! I am not super keen on penne so I should have used another pasta (egg noodles?) Don't have price but I think I just bought mustard, cheese, and beef stock. The rest I had in kitchen.

Buffalo Chicken Burgers
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 rib celery with leafy tops, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or chicken
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 4 sandwich-size English muffins, toasted
• 4 deli slices cheddar cheese
• 1/4 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1/4 cup pickle relish
PREPARATION
In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, one turn of the pan, over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Reserve the skillet. Mix the turkey, dill and poultry seasoning into the vegetable mixture; season with salt and pepper. Form into four patties. Wash your hands after handling the raw poultry.

In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO over medium heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once, until firm, about 12 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the butter to the skillet to melt, then stir in the hot sauce. Add the patties to the sauce, turning to coat. Top each with some of the blue cheese and a cheddar slice. Tent with foil, turn off the heat and let stand until the cheese is melted.

Top each muffin bottom with some lettuce, a patty, some relish and a muffin top.

The verdict: I loved it--the more hot sauce the better! It is also fun to serve with carrots and celery sticks with ranch for the kids to dip in and eat. I don't have the price, but I had to get the meat, cheese, and english muffins. I did not use the lettuce or pickle relish!

Steak and Potato Salad
• 4 small strip steaks or 4 flatiron steaks (6-8 ounces each)
• 2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes or other small potatoes
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup beef consommé or beef stock
• 1 large shallot
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• About 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• A few sprigs fresh sage
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 1 small red onion, quartered and very thinly sliced
• 3 ribs celery from the heart, very thinly sliced on an angle
• 2 small bunches watercress or upland cress, trimmed
• 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
PREPARATION
Take the chill off the steaks and pre-heat an outdoor grill or griddle pan to medium-high.

In a pot, cover the potatoes with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then uncover, salt the water and cook the potatoes until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, then return the potatoes to the pot and split them in half with a potato masher. Pour in the consommé or stock.
While the potatoes are working, grate the shallot into a salad bowl. Add the mustard, honey or agave, Worcestershire sauce and lots of pepper. Whisking constantly, stream in the EVOO; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter on the grill, or, if you're cooking on the stove, over low heat. Add the sage and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the grill or reduce the heat to low.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper and grill, turning occasionally, for about 9 minutes for medium doneness. Baste the steaks with the garlic-sage butter during the last couple of minutes of cooking. Remove from the heat and let rest, then slice.
Toss the cooked potatoes, onion, celery and watercress with the shallot dressing; sprinkle with the blue cheese crumbles. Serve with the sliced steak on top or alongside.

The verdict: So, a little invovled, but very good. I did this in a skillet, not on the grill. I did not use watercress, I think I just omitted greens altogether. Shallots are not something I use often, so I had to buy those and the meat and potatoes.

Steak Cobb Salad
• 4 small strip steaks (8-10 ounces)
• Salt and pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling, plus about 1/2 cup
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped or 1/4-1/3 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 2 lemons or 3 limes, divided
• 1 large shallot, peeled
• 1 clove garlic, grated or minced and pasted
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon warm water
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 heart romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 small bundle watercress leaves, trimmed
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 baby Vidalia onions or 1 small bunch scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
• 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced or chopped
• 2 ripe Haas avocados, peeled, seeded and diced or sliced
PREPARATION
Bring the steaks to room temperature and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the grill or an ovensafe grill pan over medium-high heat or under the broiler. When you’re about ready to eat, dress the meat with a drizzle of EVOO and cook the steaks for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, up to 12 minutes, turning once, for well done.
Let the meat rest while you combine the chopped parsley or cilantro and the zest of 1 lemon or zest of 2 limes. Slice each steak thinly against the grain and dress the sliced steaks with the herb and zest mixture, the juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime, another drizzle of EVOO and a little more salt.
Grate the shallot and garlic into a bowl and add the mustard, Worcestershire, tomato paste and warm water, then whisk to combine. Add the vinegar and pour in the EVOO, about 1/2 cup, in a slow stream while you whisk the dressing to emulsify it. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
Combine the lettuces in a bowl with the dressing and blue cheese. Arrange the dressed greens on individual plates and top with an arrangement of sliced meat across the center. Place the tomatoes mixed with scallions along one side and the eggs and avocados along the opposite side. Dress the avocado with the juice of the remaining 1/2 lemon or 1 lime before arranging on the salad to keep it from browning on the plate.

The verdict: I love avocado, and consequently love Cobb salads! Again, kind of involved, but it was nice to eat meat that wasn't chicken or ground meat! My husband LOVED this. I did not use the greens suggested, I just bought a package of romaine from the store. Make sure to boil the eggs earlier in the day. It is nice to make your own dressing b/c you can control the sodium content so much better!



Meatloaf Sandwiches
• 24 cherry tomatoes
• Dried Italian seasoning or dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 2 slices good quality white bread, crust removed and torn into pieces
• Milk, for soaking bread
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 3/4 pound ground sirloin
• 1/2 pound mortadella or prosciutto, very thinly sliced
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 large cloves garlic, grated or minced
• A couple sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• A handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 3-4 tablespoons grated onion
• A couple small handfuls of grated Pecorino cheese
• A little freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/8 teaspoon)
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for liberal drizzling
• 1 bundle farm-fresh spinach, trimmed and cleaned
• 2 hard boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
• 2 ciabatta rolls, split or 2 chunks of ciabatta bread, split and lightly toasted
• A few leaves fresh basil, torn or chopped
• Balsamic drizzle, store-bought or homemade (optional)
PREPARATION
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
Halve the cherry tomatoes and arrange them on a baking rack placed over a baking sheet so that the heat can surround the tomatoes while they roast. Season with the Italian seasoning or oregano, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from oven and reserve.
Meanwhile, bring a few inches of salted water to a boil.
For the burgers, place the torn bread in a bowl, cover with milk and let soak. Place the pork and sirloin in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Coarsely chop the mortadella or prosciutto and place in a food processor. Pulse to process into a fine chop. Add the minced meat to the bowl with the pork and sirloin, along with the egg. Wring the excess milk out the bread and mash it into moist crumbs between your fingers as you add to the meat bowl.
Add the garlic, rosemary, parsley, onion, grated Pecorino cheese and nutmeg to the meat bowl. Mix the meats well with your hands to combine. Drizzle with EVOO.
Blanch the spinach leaves in the boiling water, then cold shock them in a bowl of ice water. Let dry on kitchen towels. Layer a few leaves of spinach and wrap them around a hard boiled egg half; repeat with the remaining spinach and egg halves.
Heat a nonstick griddle pan or large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Take a quarter of the meat and form a long, loaf-like burger patty around each spinach-wrapped egg. Cook the burgers for 6 minutes on each side under a foil tent.
Toss the reserved tomatoes with the basil and a little EVOO.
Serve the burgers open-faced on the bread, topped with tomatoes and basil and a balsamic drizzle, if desired, as garnish.

The verdict: Okay. So, very involved, but oh so good! Make sure your eggs are boiled earlier in the day. I don't use the mix of meats--I just bought a package of what was cheap (might have been ground turkey!). Also, I just used packaged bread crumbs--no need to soak old bread! I used parmesean cheese, and I did not even attempt the balsamic drizzle. Once again, very good, but a long process. I love Rachael Ray but sometimes it can get expensive. The cheeses, spices, and breads can get you.

Turkey Sliders with Creamy Spinach Corn and Orange-Scented Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or vegetable oil, for drizzling
• 6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
• 2 pounds ground turkey or ground turkey breast
• 1 small onion
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (eyeball it)
• 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning (a couple of generous palmfuls)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Hass avocado
• 1 cup sour cream
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
• A small handful of fresh chives, finely chopped
• A smal handful of fresh dill, finely chopped
• A small handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 16 slices good-quality white or whole wheat bread
• Bibb or butter lettuce leaves, for serving
• 2 plum or vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced
PREPARATION
Pre-heat an outdoor grill or griddle pan to medium-high. Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO and the bacon to the pan and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels to cool, then chop.
While the bacon cooks, place the turkey in a large bowl. Grate the onion on top of the turkey to get 3-4 tablespoons of onion juice. Add the hot sauce, poultry seasoning, salt and lots of pepper. Add the cooked bacon, mix and form eight slider patties, about 2 1/2-3 inches in diameter. Drizzle with EVOO to coat lightly. Cook the sliders on the grill or griddle, turning once, until cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
While the sliders cook, pre-heat the broiler. Place the avocado in a food processor. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, chives, dill and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Process into a smooth, thick sauce.
Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of bread (or trim 1 inch of crust all the way around the bread slices to form small squares); discard the crusts. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler. Serve the bacon-turkey sliders with the lettuce, tomatoes and avocado-ranch sauce between the toasts.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 ears corn, kernels scraped from cob
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 2 bundles fresh farm spinach, chopped (about 1/2 pound trimmed weight)
PREPARATION
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter is hot, stir in the corn and the starchy liquid scraped from the cobs. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes more, then add the cream and nutmeg, stirring occasionally, until very creamy, about 15 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks or thin slices
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or vegetable oil
• 2 slices smoky bacon, finely chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• Chicken stock, as needed
• 1 teaspoon coriander (1/3 palmful)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A few dashes of hot sauce, to taste
PREPARATION
Put the potatoes in a medium size pot, cover with water, salt the water and bring to boil over medium heat. Cook until tender, then drain and return the potatoes to the pot.
In a medium size sauté pan, heat a little oil over medium heat and add the bacon and cook until it begins to crisp. Stir in the orange zest and juice and the potatoes. Mash to your desired consistency with some chicken stock to thin the potatoes, if desired. Stir in the coriander, cumin, cinnamon and hot sauce.
Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and serve.

The verdict: Okay. You have to be good at timing b/c this is invovled, but I have to say, it was delicious! I LOVED IT! The fresh creamed corn was amazing. Okay to use frozen spinach and corn if that is all you have. The sweet potatoes were amazing! I upped the chicken stock and hot sauce b/c I didn' t want them sweet. The bacon just made them so so good! By the way, I use turkey bacon whenenver I cook. Pork bacon will definitely render more fat--but I always have to add a little oil in the pan afterwards.

ALL THE PREVIOUS RECIPES WERE RACHAEL RAY'S.
The next 3 recipes come from Pillsbury.com and use their new "seamless dough sheet". I was looking for some cheap ideas.

Chicken Spinach Pinwheels
1 box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen chopped spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 egg, beaten
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Cook spinach in microwave as directed on box. Drain spinach in strainer; cool 5 minutes. Carefully squeeze with paper towel to drain well.
2. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach, bacon, chicken, cheese and mayonnaise.
3. Unroll dough on work surface. Spread spinach mixture on rectangle to within 1/2 inch of edges. Starting at long side of rectangle, roll up; seal long edge. With serrated knife, cut into 20 slices. Place cut side down on cookie sheet. Brush with egg.
4. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

The verdict: Good and easy. I rolled the whole thing and cut it after it baked. It looked like a big calzone!

BLTs
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1/2 cup Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend, shredded (2 oz)
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped green onions (2 medium)
1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
8 cherry tomatoes, sliced
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough on work surface; press into 12x8-inch rectangle. Cut into 24 squares; place on ungreased cookie sheets.
2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove to cooling rack.
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix cheese, bacon, onions and mayonnaise. Place slightly less than 1 tablespoon lettuce on bottoms of 12 crescent squares. Top each with 1 heaping tablespoon bacon mixture and 2 slices tomato. Top with remaining crescent squares.

The verdict: Loved it! Very easy and yummy.

Cheeseburger Casserole
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped dill pickles
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded American cheese (6 oz)
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon sesame seed
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in pickles, water, ketchup, mustard and pepper.
2. Spoon beef mixture into 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
3. Unroll dough; press into 12x8-inch rectangle. Cut into 6 squares; place on top of cheese. Brush with egg; sprinkle with sesame seed.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

The verdict: Very good and easy to do. Like a big cheeseburger casserole.