For years we have had strawberries with angel food cake for many a spring dessert. We've never put balsamic on the strawberries though. Going to have to try it.
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 C. halved strawberries
Angel food cake
Combine sugar and vinegar in a bowl; stir until sugar dissolves. Add berries; toss gently to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon berries over cake slices.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Portobello Saute
I made this tonight for dinner with NY strip steaks. Chris is not a big mushroom fan so I diced two giant portobello caps and sauteed them in a pan with a diced onion in garlic infused olive oil. I cooked them over medium heat until the mushrooms and the onions were almost the same color, about 10 minutes. I added some additional oil during cooking and salted and peppered them when I took them off the heat.
This might be the shortest recipe on the blog.
PS--the beagle does NOT like portobellos!
This might be the shortest recipe on the blog.
PS--the beagle does NOT like portobellos!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Easy Corn Chowder
I am getting the feeling that it's going to be cold forever. Now I realize that we really didn't get any winter weather until February this year but I am tired of the cold and snow. Time to move on and honestly spring and summer are so much nicer. It's a good thing I can eat soup year round!
2 medium unpeeled red potatoes
1 C. cubed cooked ham
1/2 C. diced red bell pepper
1/2 C. coarsely chopped celery
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
14oz. chicken broth
1 12oz. can fat free evaporated milk
1 15oz. can creamed corn
2 tbsp. sliced chives
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cooked crumbled bacon (optional)
Cut potatoes and ham into 1/2 inch cubes; set aside. Dice bell pepper. Coarsely chop celery. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and celery; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender. Stir in flour; heat until bubbly. Gradually add broth, evaporated milk and corn, whisking as you go.
Add potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in ham; heat through. Remove from heat, stir chives into soup and season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cooked bacon, if desired.
6 servings (6 1/2 cups)
210 calories, 4g. fat, 34g. carbs, 11g. protein, 880mg. sodium, 1 g. fiber.
2 medium unpeeled red potatoes
1 C. cubed cooked ham
1/2 C. diced red bell pepper
1/2 C. coarsely chopped celery
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
14oz. chicken broth
1 12oz. can fat free evaporated milk
1 15oz. can creamed corn
2 tbsp. sliced chives
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cooked crumbled bacon (optional)
Cut potatoes and ham into 1/2 inch cubes; set aside. Dice bell pepper. Coarsely chop celery. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and celery; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender. Stir in flour; heat until bubbly. Gradually add broth, evaporated milk and corn, whisking as you go.
Add potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in ham; heat through. Remove from heat, stir chives into soup and season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cooked bacon, if desired.
6 servings (6 1/2 cups)
210 calories, 4g. fat, 34g. carbs, 11g. protein, 880mg. sodium, 1 g. fiber.
Chicken and Orzo Soup
This is a Pampered Chef recipe. I have most of the stuff that Pampered Chef sells so making this soup shouldn't be difficult. I haven't added a ton of new soup recipes recently. I have been relying on a few old favorites...I currently have Italian Sausage Soup thawing for future lunches.
1/2 C. shopped onion
1 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
32oz. chicken broth
1 C. water
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1/3 C. uncooked orzo
1 1/2 C. diced cooked chicken (I will probably season the chicken with my Greek seasoning)
1 C. chopped zucchini
1/3 C. chopped roasted red pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Feta cheese and snipped parsley (optional)
Chop onion. Heat oil in saucepan over medium high heat until hot. Add onion, garlic, and oregano; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add broth, water and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in orzo; cook stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until orzo is tender.
Meanwhile, dice chicken. Chop zucchini and red pepper. Add chicken, zucchini and red pepper to broth. Return to boil; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with feta and parsley if desired.
Yields 4 servings (6 Cupsx)
Per serving: 190 calories, 5g. fat, 18g. carbs, 17g. protein, 980mg. sodium, 1g. fiber
1/2 C. shopped onion
1 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
32oz. chicken broth
1 C. water
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1/3 C. uncooked orzo
1 1/2 C. diced cooked chicken (I will probably season the chicken with my Greek seasoning)
1 C. chopped zucchini
1/3 C. chopped roasted red pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Feta cheese and snipped parsley (optional)
Chop onion. Heat oil in saucepan over medium high heat until hot. Add onion, garlic, and oregano; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add broth, water and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in orzo; cook stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until orzo is tender.
Meanwhile, dice chicken. Chop zucchini and red pepper. Add chicken, zucchini and red pepper to broth. Return to boil; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with feta and parsley if desired.
Yields 4 servings (6 Cupsx)
Per serving: 190 calories, 5g. fat, 18g. carbs, 17g. protein, 980mg. sodium, 1g. fiber
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Sunburst Fruit Salad
This recipe is in the new Kraft Food and Family that arrived yesterday and I think I am going to make it for Easter. With a few little people who are a little picky in their eating habits, sometimes chunks of fruit are an easy sell. The photo in Food and Family shows the fruit arranged on a platter, I may try it in a glass salad bowl. It should be very colorful.
1/2 C. sour cream
2 tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. zest and 1 tbsp. juice from 1 lime
1 C. seedless red grapes
4 kiwis, peeled and sliced
1 C. fresh blueberries
1 1/2 C. fresh pineapple chunks
3 navel oranges, peeled, quartered and sliced
3 C. halved fresh strawberries
Mix sour cream, honey, zest and juice. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Arrange fruit as desired.
Serve fruit with dressing.
1/2 C. sour cream
2 tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. zest and 1 tbsp. juice from 1 lime
1 C. seedless red grapes
4 kiwis, peeled and sliced
1 C. fresh blueberries
1 1/2 C. fresh pineapple chunks
3 navel oranges, peeled, quartered and sliced
3 C. halved fresh strawberries
Mix sour cream, honey, zest and juice. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Arrange fruit as desired.
Serve fruit with dressing.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Lemon Bundt Cake
Who saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding?? Who knew that "bundt" had so many syllables?? This is from allrecipes.com, one of the several sites that send me recipes on a regular basis. Does that make me a food dork?
1 pkg. lemon cake mix
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
3/4 C. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 C. lemon lime flavored carbonated beverage
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix, then stir in the oil. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the lemon lime soda.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
1 pkg. lemon cake mix
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
3/4 C. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 C. lemon lime flavored carbonated beverage
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix, then stir in the oil. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the lemon lime soda.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Ode to Mac and Cheese
In each edition of Food Network Magazine they do 50 twists on a particular food. This month it was mac and cheese. Mac and cheese, to me is a nearly perfect food...I mean you have noodles and cheese, how can you go wrong. If you're new to the blog...check out my recipe for Mac and Cheese for Grown Ups. I am very proud of that recipe and it's a pot luck favorite. I have put bacon it in and pancetta. Here is a list of things you can add to your mac and cheese to try and improve on a "perfect" food.
I am also including Food Network's classic recipe, although, I will probably start with my own and tweak as I go!
Kosher salt
8oz. fusili or other short pasta
4 tbsp. unsalted butter plus more for the baking dish
1/4 C. all purpose flour
2 C. whole milk, heated
1 bay leaf
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 1/2 C. shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C. shredded gruyere cheese
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 C. cooking water, then drain the pasta. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, 2 minutes. Add the bay leaf, nutmeg and 1 tsp. salt and simmer, whisking occasionally until thick, about 8 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in 2 C. cheddar and the gruyere. Stir in the pasta and reserved cooking water to make a loose sauce.
Butter a 2 quart baSking dish; add the pasta mixture and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.
Italian-->Replace the cheddar with fontina. Top with 1/4 C. each of panko and Parmesan before baking.
Beer and Brat->Replace 1 C. of milk with pilsner beer. Add 3 browned, sliced bratwurst; increase the cheddar on top to 1 C.
Smoked Mozzarella-->Add 1/2 C. each sliced roasted red peppers and diced smoked mozzarella. Top with cheddar and broil until melted; do not bake.
Andouille-->Add 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning to the flour. Stir in 6oz. browned, diced andouille sausage, 1/3 C. chopped Peppadew peppers and 1 sliced scallion.
Sun Dried Tomato-->Stir in 4oz. goat cheese, 1/4 C. chopped sun dried tomatoes and a handful of chopped basil. Swap the cheddar for mozzarella.
Lobster-->Use all cheddar; add 12oz. chopped cooked lobster. Top with the cheese and a mixture of 1/2 C. panko, 1/4 C. chopped chives, and 1 tbsp. melted butter; broil until golden. Do not bake.
Feel free to make your own tweaks and add them in the comments.
I am also including Food Network's classic recipe, although, I will probably start with my own and tweak as I go!
Kosher salt
8oz. fusili or other short pasta
4 tbsp. unsalted butter plus more for the baking dish
1/4 C. all purpose flour
2 C. whole milk, heated
1 bay leaf
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 1/2 C. shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C. shredded gruyere cheese
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 C. cooking water, then drain the pasta. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, 2 minutes. Add the bay leaf, nutmeg and 1 tsp. salt and simmer, whisking occasionally until thick, about 8 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in 2 C. cheddar and the gruyere. Stir in the pasta and reserved cooking water to make a loose sauce.
Butter a 2 quart baSking dish; add the pasta mixture and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.
Italian-->Replace the cheddar with fontina. Top with 1/4 C. each of panko and Parmesan before baking.
Beer and Brat->Replace 1 C. of milk with pilsner beer. Add 3 browned, sliced bratwurst; increase the cheddar on top to 1 C.
Smoked Mozzarella-->Add 1/2 C. each sliced roasted red peppers and diced smoked mozzarella. Top with cheddar and broil until melted; do not bake.
Andouille-->Add 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning to the flour. Stir in 6oz. browned, diced andouille sausage, 1/3 C. chopped Peppadew peppers and 1 sliced scallion.
Sun Dried Tomato-->Stir in 4oz. goat cheese, 1/4 C. chopped sun dried tomatoes and a handful of chopped basil. Swap the cheddar for mozzarella.
Lobster-->Use all cheddar; add 12oz. chopped cooked lobster. Top with the cheese and a mixture of 1/2 C. panko, 1/4 C. chopped chives, and 1 tbsp. melted butter; broil until golden. Do not bake.
Feel free to make your own tweaks and add them in the comments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)