Arancini

I consider myself to be incredibly lucky to live where I do because you have so many food choices right in the immediate area.   I love when people come from out of town and I take them for Italian ice or fajitas at our favorite Mexican place, there's are several stores within 5 miles I can get fresh homemade pasta and arancini.  What is arancini you ask??  Rice balls...with cheese, and/or meat and sometimes vegetables.  I've never made them before...this recipe seems easy...I may have to give it a try.

3 C. low sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt
1 C. arborio rice
2 tbsp. pine nuts toast
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. shredded fontina cheese
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 large eggs
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 C. breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Bring the broth and 1/4 tsp. salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Stir in the rice, reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.  Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet and let cool completely.

Combine the pine nuts, mozzarella, fontina, and parsley in a bowl; set aside.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl; then stir in the cooled rice, the Parmesan, and 2/3 C. breadcrumbs.  Shape the mixture into 16 1 1/2 inch balls.

Put the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl.  Press your finger into the center of each rice ball, insert 2 tsp. of the cheese mixture, then pinch the rice around the filling to enclose.  Roll the rice balls in the breadcrumbs and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Loosely cover and refrigerate, at least one hour or overnight.  If refrigerating overnight roll in additional breadcrumbs before frying.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer reads 350 degrees.  Working in batches, fry the rice balls, until golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.; season with salt.

Land of Enchantment Posole

I am working on some serious Spring cleaning and am going through old cookbooks planning to donate ones that I do not use.  This came from a Taste of Home Cookbook from several years ago and sounds outstanding.  I might steal some of the pork that Chris brought home last week and use it in this.

1 1/2 lbs. pork stew meat, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 C. beef broth
2 15 1/2oz. cans hominy, rinsed and drained
2 4oz. cans chopped green chiles
1 to 2 jalepeno peppers, seeded and chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 C. minced fresh cilantro

In a Dutch oven, cook the pork, onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until meat is not longer pink; drain. Stir in the broth, hominy, chiles, jalepeno, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper and cayenne.

Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until meat is tender.  Stir in cilantro.

Blue Cheese Slaw

I see this becoming a summertime party staple.  You can most likely swap the blue cheese for feta or any other cheese that will make you happy.

4 C. shredded green cabbage
4 C. shredded red cabbage
4 large carrots, shredded

Dressing:
1 C. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. stone ground mustard
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1 1/2 C. crumbled blue cheese
1/4 C. minced fresh parsley

In a large bowl, combine cabbages and carrots.  In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustards, vinegar, celery salt, salt and pepper,  Pour over cabbage mixture; toss to coat,  Stir in cheese and parsley.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Fabulous Fruit Salad

OK, it's the 15th of February and everyone is craving good fresh fruit.  Well, maybe not everyone, but those of us who LOVE fresh fruit sure are.  I love going to the store this time of year and seeing beautiful fruit...cherries, raspberries, oranges, etc.  Then you take them home and they taste just "eh"??  This is a fruit salad that I think you can do year round and have a tasty salad.

1 medium cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 large navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
2 C. cubed fresh pineapples
2 medium kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
1 C. green grapes
1 C. red grapes
3/4 C. peach or apricot nectar
1/4 C. honey
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp.balsamic vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients.  In a small bowl, whisk the peach nectar, honey, lemon juice, and vinegar; drizzle over fruit and toss to coat.  Chill until serving.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies

Bacon cookies?!?!  Bacon cookies??  Those two words together are music to my ears.  Is February 15th too early to start Christmas baking planning???

1 1/4 C. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of chipotle or ancho chile powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
5 strips bacon
4 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. roughly chopped honey roasted peanuts
1/3 C. bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, chile powder and salt in a large bowl.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 to 6 minutes per side.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate; reserve 2 tbsp of the drippings and set aside to cool.  Crumble the bacon, discarding any chew bits.

Beat the butter and reserved bacon drippings in a large bowl with a mixer on medium high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.  Beat in the granulated and light brown sugar until creamy, about 4 minutes, then add egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.

Reduce the mixer speed until low; add the flour mixture in 2 additions, scraping down the bowl as needed, until just combined.  Stir in the peanuts and all but 2 tbsp. each of the chocolate chips and bacon.

Form the dough into 12 balls and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Flatten with your fingers; the cookies will not spread in the oven.  Press the reserved bacon and chocolate chips on top.  Bake until golden; 12 to 14 minutes.  Let the cookies cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Greek Lamb and Feta Lasagna

This caught my eye from the March 2013 issue of Cooking Light.  It is a beautiful dish and I wonder if my rosemary plants will come back this spring.  Winter has been a littler more robust this year than last but there have been many sunny days on my deck where the two rosemary plants are "sleeping".  We'll see what happens.

2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 C. chopped onion
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
9oz. lean ground lamb
9oz. extra lean ground beef
1 1/4 C. unsalted chicken broth
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 14oz. can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 1/4 C. part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
9 no boil lasagna noodles
Cooking spray
3oz. crumbled feta cheese
3 tbsp. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add onion and the next 4 ingredients (through beef).  Cook 14 minutes or until lamb and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.  Add stock to pan; cook 3 minutes.  Stir in salt, pepper and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 4 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

Combine ricotta and rind in a small bowl.  Spread 1 tbsp. ricotta mixture over one side of each lasagna noodle.

Spread 2 C. tomato mixture in bottom of an 11x7 inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated in cooking spray.  Arrange 3 lasagna noodles, ricotta side up, over tomato mixture; top with 2 C. tomato mixture.  Sprinkle evenly with feta cheese.  Cover with foil; bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.  Remove foil; let stand 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 9

Calories: 321, Fat: 13.3g, Protein: 23.8g., Carb: 28.5g, Fiber: 3.8g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Iron: 3.7mg, Sodium: 543mg, Calcium:206mg.

Garlic and Herb Crusted New York Strip Roast

Today is my Mom's birthday and true to form when you have a birthday in January and you live in a suburb of Chicago, you can usually count on some wild weather.  Today's menu outside called for snow, sleet, freezing rain and Mother Nature threw in some lightning and thunder for good measure.

The menu inside the house was garlic and herb crusted New York strip roast with mashed potatoes and green beans.

I modified the recipe below because, well it's January in a suburb of Chicago and I don't have a ton of fresh herbs handy.  The way this roast tasted made me forget about a lack of fresh herbs.

I only wish I had take in photo because it was gorgeous as well as delicious!

• 4 garlic cloves
• 8 fresh sage leaves--I used dried
• 4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves--I used dried
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

• 1 4- to 5-pound boneless beef loin New York strip roast, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch

With machine running, drop garlic into processor; blend until finely chopped. Add sage, thyme, oil, salt and pepper; process until paste forms.

Pat meat dry with paper towels. Rub meat all over with herb paste. Cover; chill at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place meat, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan. Roast meat 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast meat until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 130°F for medium-rare, about 35 minutes (or 140°F for medium, about 40 minutes). Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices on platter.