Chicken Scarpariello

I think chicken "scarpariello" typically involves chicken thighs, but since my husband does not care much for the dark meat, I used chicken breasts, and this turned out very delicious in my opinion.

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 large boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, cut up into slightly bigger than bite sized pieces
1/3 pound Italian sausage
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2-4 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar (adjust to taste; increase for more tanginess)
1 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the kosher salt and pepper over the pieces of chicken. Working in batches if necessary (don't crowd the chicken too much or it won't brown well), add the chicken to the hot oil and toss after a minute or two. Add the sausage (break the sausage into small chunks in the pan.) Cook the sausage and chicken in the pan until the sausage is done and the chicken is browned all over, about 10-15 minutes.
2. Add the slices of garlic to the pan and stir to distribute. Let cook and caramelize about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the vinegar and stir to coat. Let this cook about 3 minutes. The chicken should be browning nicely on all sides and becoming coated in the all the cooking liquids.
4. Stir in the oregano and turn heat to low. Cover and cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 5-6 more minutes.

This should make about 4 servings!

Chicken and Artichoke Panino

This is really good if you like artichokes and basil. I love them. Make sure you get really soft and delicious bread from the bakery (or make some yourself!) I suggest a french boule, which can be purchased at Wal-Mart! This recipe is for two sandwiches. The ingredient amounts are really up to you, and you will be able to tell how big you want to make your sandwich and how much bread you want to use. These are more like guidelines.

Ingredients:

4 pitted Kalamata olives
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
pinch of lemon zest
1-2 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise (not MiracleWhip) 

1/2 (12.5-ounce) can premium white meat canned chicken, drained
1/4 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
one good squeeze fresh lemon juice
ground black pepper to taste
1-2 teaspoons torn fresh basil leaves
1/2 roma tomato, diced
2 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 loaf white french boule or other soft white bread (sourdough would be excellent)

In a food processor or mini-chopper, combine the olives, oil, garlic, and puree until well combined. There may still be small pieces of olive; that is ok. Add the mayonnaise and pulse a few more times.

Preheat a panini maker or skillet.
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, artichokes, basil, tomato, lemon juice, cheese, and pepper.

Cut the bread to make four slices (to make two sandwiches) and hollow out a bit of the bread from each piece so that there will be more room for filling. Spread the olive and mayonnaise on one side of each piece of bread. Divide the filling evenly among the two sandwiches.

Lightly brush oil on the panini maker and place the sandwiches on it. Press the top down onto the sandwiches firmly and allow to crisp for a few minutes. Do not let get too brown or too hot. This should be slightly warm, but not piping hot. Carefully transfer the sandwiches to a plate and serve!

Snickerdoodle Cheesecake

Oh, yes. This one is worth it. (Worth the money and the calories, that is...) It IS expensive to make, which is why it was a Christmas gift to my brother, who loves cheesecake. The reason this one is a snickerdoodle variety is because he also LOVES snickerdoodle cookies. I wanted to make this one special, so I decided to combine the two. I made a snickerdoodle cookie crust (yum) and then flavored the cheesecake portion with a bit of cinnamon. Here goes:

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the cheesecake:
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
7 large eggs
3 (8-ounce) containers sour cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
ground cinnamon


To make:
1. First mix up the cookie dough crust. In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, and then mix the rest in by hand. Cover and chill dough about one hour or until firm.
2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Once the dough has been chilled, lightly (very lightly) butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with about 3 inch sides. Roll the entire blob of dough in the sugar and cinnamon mix, coating it thoroughly. Evenly press the cookie dough on the bottom and about half-way up the sides of the pan . Make sure it isn't too thick, you may not use all of the dough. The bottom should be about 1/3 inch thick. Bake the cookie crust in the oven until lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. The cookie should feel slightly firm but still soft. The dough you pushed around the sides will likely have fallen a bit; that is okay. Don't worry if the cookie crust doesn't seem perfect, it should still turn out great. (I thought for sure that the cookie part wouldn't work because it rose up and fell back down when I took it out of the oven.) Let that cool slightly while you make the cheesecake batter.

3. Beat cream cheese at medium-high speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer until fluffy. Gradually add 1 3/4 cup sugar, beating well and scraping sides with a flexible spatula. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla, and a couple of dashes of cinnamon; beat at low speed until smooth, remembering to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Pour batter into prepared pan with cookie crust. It will come all the way up to the top of the pan. Place half-teaspoons of cinnamon in a few places on the top of the batter and swirl with a knife or spoon to create decorative swirls.

4. Bake at 300ºF for 1 hour 25 minutes. Turn off oven, and leave cheesecake in oven 4 hours. (DO NOT open oven door to peek)

5. Remove cake from oven carefully. Run a knife or small metal spatula around the very edge of the cake to help prevent cracks (this allows the cake to contract freely when cooling) Cool completely on a wire rack, about 3-4 more hours. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 8 hours.

6. When ready to serve, remove sides of springform pan carefully. Store in refrigerator.

Yields about 12 servings.

*You don't even want to know how many calories my husband and I figured up in this total cake. Also be warned, this is pretty expensive to make and takes a lot of time and patience. Like I said though, it is worth it.

Braised Chicken Breast with Provolone

This one comes from a cookbook I recently received as a gift; Lidia's Italy in America, by Lidia Mattichio Bastianich. (There is a slight ingredient change, since smoked provola was not available at my grocery store.)

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
All-purpose flour, for dredging
2-3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
8 large fresh basil leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried crushed basil)
4 thin slices prosciutto
1/2 cup dry Marsala 
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 slices provolone cheese

Slice open the chicken breasts crosswise to butterfly, so they open to a flattened, even thickness. Season the chicken all over with salt. Lightly dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter is just melted. Add the chicken to the pan, and brown each side for about 2-3 minutes.

Once it is browned, top each breast with a basil leaf or sprinkle even amounts of dried basil over each breast and add a slice of prosciutto. Increase heat to medium high. Push-aside the chicken to make a clear spot in the middle of the pan, and pour in the Marsala and the white wine. Drop in the remaining basil leaves. Bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by half, about two minutes. Add the chicken broth and cover, simmering to blend the flavors, about three minutes.

Uncover, top the chicken with the sliced provolone and cover again. Adjust heat to a simmer, cooking about five minutes to melt the cheese, then uncover. Bring to a boil and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is reduced to your liking, about 8-10 minutes more. 

Serves 4.

Banana Bread

I made a few changes to this recipe from  The Martha Stewart Cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 medium banana, medium diced

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well.

Stir the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then combine with the butter mixture. Blend well. Add the mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir well. Fold in the nuts and diced banana and pour into the prepared pan.

Bake 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

Makes 1 loaf.

Chewy Sugar Cookies

These are gooey, chewy, soft sugar cookies that melt in your mouth! I got the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens' cookbook, Celebrating the Promise; Limited Edition.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar for coating

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for about 30 seconds. Add the 1 1/2 cups sugar, beat until combined. Beat in eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, vanilla, and salt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the electric mixer and stir the rest in by hand, mixing well. Divide and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Shape small portions into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in enough sugar to coat. Place balls on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 10-12 minutes until very light brown, rapping the sheet hard a couple of times throughout the cooking process to make the cookies fall. When cooked, let cool on the sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. 

Provençal Potato Salad

I love this version of potato salad even more than the creamy, eggy, mustard and relish version you always find at barbecues. It is a little more appealing to those who gag at the word "mayonnaise" and who won't eat anything they can't identify all the ingredients. (ahem...my husband about most foods and definitely about mayo.) This version is an alteration of a recipe in one of Ina Garten's cookbooks, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

Ingredients:

2 pounds small boiling potatoes (white or red)
2 Tablespoons dry white wine
2 Tablespoons chicken stock
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
7 Tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 Tablespoon dried dill weed
1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
1/2 pound (or less, depending on your taste) haricots verts, stems removed
1 (4-ounce) can best quality all-white tuna, drained and flaked
1 Tablespoon capers, drained
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in fourths

1. Drop the potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over them to steam for 10 more minutes. Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, 1 Tablespoon at a time to make an emulsion.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into halves or fourths, depending on the size, and place in a bowl. Toss potatoes gently with the white wine and the chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak in for a few minutes while you bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Then, add the vinegar mixture to the potatoes and add the parsley, basil, and dill, and more salt and pepper to taste.

2. Blanch the haricots verts in the boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until barely tender. Drain. Add to the potatoes. Add the tuna (and you can add as much of that as you like- I don't use the entire 4-ounce can), the tomatoes, and capers to the potato mixture and gently toss to coat and combine. Serve warm or room temperature.

Baby Carrots in Cream

I found this Italian recipe in The Silver Spoon.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 pound baby carrots

2 Tablespoons butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Cook the carrots in salted, boiling water for about 10 minutes, then drain and let cool. When cold, cut in halves or fourths. Melt the butter in a pan over low heat, pour in cream, add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, add the carrots and cook for a few minutes, then add the parsley. Mix well to coat the carrots and cook for a couple more minutes. Serve while hot.

Makes about 4 side servings.

If you can't tell, I love cooking with cream. Yum.

Parmesan-Herb Risotto

This one is delicious and different. It is creamy, a bit cheesy, and still has a firm texture like regular rice. I recommend this to someone who can focus on one dish for about 30 minutes, since it takes special attention and constant stirring. Enjoy this with a grilled steak and a baked sweet potato.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted in a deep skillet
1/2 small sweet onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth, heated over medium-low heat
1/4 teaspoon salt (but you may not need this much; the broth and cheese may make it salty enough, just taste and see)
2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or oregano (or a mixture of other fresh herbs)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Over high heat, cook rice in melted butter, stirring constantly for 1 minute. 

Reduce heat to medium-high and stir in onion; sauté for 1-3 minutes until onion is tender, stirring constantly.

Stir in wine and garlic; cooking until wine is absorbed.

Add 1 cup (or one ladle-full) of hot broth, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining broth, one ladle-full of 1 cup at a time, until broth is absorbed after each addition. This should take about 30-45 minutes total. 

Add the fresh herbs and stir constantly 2-3 minutes longer.

Remove from heat and add salt if needed and cheese, stirring vigorously until blended.

Serve hot or warm with a sprinkling of the grated cheese and some pepper to taste.

Makes about 4 side-dish servings.

Cheddar-Dill Scones

I tried this recipe earlier this spring and I loved it. It comes from Ina Garten's cookbook, the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. This savory treat is similar to a biscuit, but a bit denser and richer. I like using the yellow variety of specialty sharp-cheddar cheese (like you would find in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store) but you can use any good sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese in this. You can also use fresh dill (which is what the original recipe calls for) or you can do what I did and use dried "dill weed." I am also cutting the original recipe in half here, but you can double it to make the full original amount. Enjoy!


Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, diced
2 extra-large (or three medium-large) eggs, beaten lightly
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
1/4 pound sharp yellow cheddar cheese, small-diced
3-4 Tablespoons dried dill weed (or 1/2 cup minced fresh dill)
1/2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 egg beaten with 1/2 Tablespoon heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Mix the eggs and 1/2 cup heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Combine until just blended. (Dough should be shaggy-looking.) Toss together the dill, cheese, and 1/2 Tablespoon flour and add that to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated. 

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the cheddar and dill are well distributed. Pat dough out to 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 4 inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles. Arrange the triangles on the baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg and cream mixture. Bake until the outside is crusty and the inside is fully baked, about 15-20 minutes. 

Makes 8 large scones.

Turkey Cupcakes!

Oh, boy these are so fun to make! It does take some time to do these alone, so you could get the whole family involved in this fun Thanksgiving day project!

You can probably use any cupcake recipe for this (including boxed varieties.) I recommend using icing that won't dry out quickly, like a whipped variety if you are using canned. Also, the type of candy used could probably be changed as well, depending on what you can find. I used Mike and Ike's, but I think you could use Jujubes, Dots, or Mini-Swedish Fish in assorted colors. Life-Savers could probably be used as well, but I am not as confident in those! I will lay out the basic needs first and then provide recipes for everything according to how I made these cuties earlier tonight. (Thanks, Martha Stewart Cupcakes for the idea and recipes!)

You will need:

18 cupcakes
4 cups icing
1 Bag flaked coconut, toasted (see below in the recipes section)
1 Bag coconut marshmallows
dark chocolate sprinkles (the long kind)
candy that comes in assorted colors, like the varieties listed above (two boxes of Mike and Ike's worked for me)
toothpicks

*If you are using your own cupcake and icing recipe, skip to the assembly portion below.*

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (or sour milk: 3 teaspoons lemon juice mixed with enough milk to make 3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm water

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners (brown is a good color, but I had to use green!) With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, buttermilk (or sour milk), oil, vanilla, and water and beat until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. 

2. Divide batter evenly into tins, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean, between 15-20 minutes. Transfer tins to a wire rack and let cool for a few minutes and then take out cupcakes and let them cool completely on the rack. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight container.

Makes 18 standard cupcakes.


CHOCOLATE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM ICING

5 Tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 large egg whites
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (important!) cut into tablespoons
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. In a heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt the chocolate chips until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

2. Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl (I used the metal one) of a standing mixer. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk the mixture constantly by hand until it it warm to the touch and completely smooth (sugar has dissolved.) It should feel smooth when rubbed between your fingers.

3. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy and completely cool. (Test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

4. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all the butter has been added, whisk in the vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue beating until the frosting is smooth. Fold in the melted and cooled chocolate until well incorporated.

Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to three days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with a paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again.

Makes about 5 cups of buttercream frosting.


TOASTED COCONUT

Place about 3/4 of the bag of flaked coconut on a lined baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350ºF, turning and stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes for a darker color. 




*ASSEMBLY*

Ice the cupcakes with an offset spatula. Mound the icing slightly higher in the "back" to create a hump for the feathers (candy) to sit upon. 

With a wet toothpick, poke two holes in a coconut marshmallow and insert the chocolate sprinkles in the holes to create eyes. 

Cut a small slit where the mouth will go and insert an orange candy piece for the mouth. (I had to cut my candy slightly to make it fit and look better.)

Next stick a toothpick in the head and insert into the cupcake.

Insert alternating colors of candy into the mound of icing at the "back" of the cupcake to represent tail feathers. 

Finally, sprinkle the toasted coconut over the icing and press lightly to adhere. Cover any portion of visible icing with the coconut. 

You can make miniature versions as well, just use smaller cupcakes and cut the marshmallows into fourths and angle in a way so the sticky part of the marshmallow is facing down.

I know this is a long process, but you really save time by buying pre-made icing. Buying a boxed mix for cupcakes doesn't really save you any time, and probably costs more money. I would recommend just making them yourself. Have so much fun! Happy Thanksgiving!

Mini-Orange Muffins

I love these tiny little muffins with the frittata recipe posted below. The citrus adds a nice contrast to the heavier flavors. I also love the fact that these only take about 7 minutes to bake!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon orange zest
3/4 cup orange juice (medium or low pulp is best)
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 large egg

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Grease bottoms only of a 24 miniature muffin tin. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and orange zest.
3. In a small bowl, combine orange juice, oil, and egg. Add to flour mixture and stir until just mixed; the batter will be lumpy.
4. Divide batter evenly into muffin tins, filling to the top. Bake at 400ºF for about 6-7 minutes, but checking at about 5 for doneness, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 1 minute then remove from pan. 

Makes 24 miniature muffins.

Sausage and Vegetable Frittata

This frittata is full of a few of my favorite things...sausage, mushrooms, and spinach.

 You can substitute red bell pepper in this, and it is wonderful as well. You can also add other vegetables that you like, including zucchini and/or yellow squash. If you add squash, chop it into small pieces and sauté with the onion and bell pepper. You will need a 9-inch oven-safe skillet for this recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2  lb ground sausage (I use sage-seasoned sausage-it is awesome in this!)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 finely chopped leek (optional; but I had some on hand so I threw it in there)

1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (can substitute red bell pepper)

1/3 cup small- diced zucchini (optional)

1/2 cup chopped "Baby Bella" mushrooms (optional)

6 large eggs

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400ºF

1. Cook the sausage in the 9-inch oven-safe skillet until almost cooked through, breaking up the sausage well. Add the onions, leeks, bell pepper, and if using, zucchini. Sauté with the sausage until onions are soft and the sausage is cooked thoroughly. 

2. Add the mushrooms and the spinach and cook for 1-3 minutes more until mushrooms are slightly more tender. 

3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Evenly pour the eggs over the sausage mixture and sprinkle the chopped basil evenly over the whole thing. 

4. Using a rubber spatula, gently lift the edges of the frittata and tilt the pan so that uncooked mixture goes under the portion that you are lifting. Work your way around the pan, repeating this until the edges are set and hardly any egg is running from the middle.

5. Put the entire skillet in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, making sure that the frittata is not browning to quickly. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake for a few more minutes to let the cheese melt over the frittata. 

6. To serve, run the spatula around the outside and slightly under the frittata to loosen it from the pan and slide onto a plate or serving platter and cut into even wedges. Serve hot!

Makes about 8 small wedges.

Remember, you can make this to suit your taste and your crowd's taste. Be creative and think of flavors you love together- even bacon can be used instead of sausage..or in addition to it! Have fun and enjoy eating this for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie (or CCC as my husband likes to call it) is one of those dishes that can be made a number of different ways. You can also use frozen pie crusts (following the directions on the package) or you can make your own. I like the homemade crust better, so I will include the recipe for the crust in this post. You can also add the veggies you want to this recipe and they can be either fresh or frozen (the fresh may take longer to cook) This is the usual way I like to make my chicken pot pie:

Ingredients:

2 pie crusts, uncooked* (see recipe below)
1 cup frozen baby limas
2/3 cup frozen corn
2/3 cup frozen green peas
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1-2 whole carrots, peeled and chopped
1-2 (depending on size) russet potatoes, small cubed
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Combine frozen vegetables, celery, carrot, and potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until vegetables are heated through, then drain. 
2.Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the chopped onions. Sauté the onions in the butter until they are getting translucent and are turning a light golden color. Add the flour and stir well. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk, still stirring. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thick. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Roll out 1 of the pie crusts and place in pie pan. Prick bottom and sides with a fork in a few different places and cook for about 5 minutes until slightly cooked and set. Roll the other into a round and cut into thick ribbons for a lattice pie or leave plain, however you like it.
4. Mix the chopped chicken with the cooked vegetables. Add half the vegetables to the pie pan and then drizzle half the onion cream over them. Repeat with the remaining half of vegetables and onion mixture. Cover the filling with the remaining pie crust and bake for about 15 minutes or until top crust is slightly brown and the pot pie is heated through. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pie Crust Recipe (makes two crusts)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil (optional)
salt
1 cup (two sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
6 Tablespoons ice water

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas (this is important!) Add the water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork just until the dough pulls together and you are close to having a big ball of dough. Divide in half and roll out as directed above. 

Chocolate Gravy

This was always a favorite for me growing up, especially on those Saturday mornings at grandma's house... I know it isn't the healthiest option for breakfast, but it sure is delicious, especially with some bacon or sausage on the side and served with a glass of cold milk or orange juice.

 I remember a particular time when my brother had two of his baseball teammates over to spend the night and hang out. In the morning, my mom made biscuits and chocolate gravy. When asked if they wanted any, they told her they didn't know what it was! When she told them it was chocolate gravy, they were so confused. These guys were from a very southern (culture, not location) town in Arkansas and they had never heard of chocolate gravy! They reluctantly (but politely) took some and I am pretty sure they just picked around it, not sure what to think of it. If you've never tried it, it may be a little different to you, and if you have tried it, then you probably already have a great recipe that has been passed down to you. It is great on hot buttermilk biscuits.

Ingredients:

1 stick butter
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
3-4 Tablespoons flour (use less if you want a thinner gravy)
2 cups milk
3/4- 1 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Melt the stick of butter in a deep skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the cocoa and flour and whisk together until combined and bubbly.
3. Add the sugar and the milk, whisking constantly. (The mixture will look odd for a few minutes; see picture below)
4. Whisk over medium until thick and thoroughly combined.
5. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish. Add the Tablespoon butter and the vanilla and stir in. Serve hot over biscuits.

Makes about 3 cups. 

{It will seem separated at first, but give it time; it will come together smoothly.}

{Add the butter and vanilla after you remove the gravy from the heat source.}

Happy Saturday morning!

Orange Cake

The recipe comes from an Italian cookbook called The Silver Spoon. I baked it for dessert last night after a meal of fresh pasta and meat sauce, bread, and salad. Since the meal was a bit on the heavy side, I decided to go with a fresh, lighter variety of dessert. To me, citrus desserts always do a great job of lightening the heavy (but delicious) load that my taste buds experience after eating garlic, tomato, and meat. You will most likely have all the ingredients in your pantry, which is a plus when you are in a pinch!

Ingredients:

butter, for greasing plus
scant 1/2 cup sweet cream butter, gently melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar 
scant 1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
juice of two oranges, strained or about 1 1/2 cups orange juice and poured it through a fine mesh strainer to get out all the pulp
orange zest (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a cake pan with some butter. Whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and half the powdered sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in the melted butter. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture, mix well and gently stir in half the orange juice. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until barely browned on top and cooked. Meanwhile, sift the remaining (and you may need more) powdered sugar into the remaining orange juice, whisking to get out all the lumps, until you have a semi-thick consistency. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool, then turn out onto a serving dish. Spread the orange frosting evenly over the cake and let set in a cool place. Lightly sprinkle a small amount of orange zest over the cake before serving!

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake; about 8 small pieces. 

Lasagna Rolls

This recipe is one of my favorite new discoveries. I grew up with traditional lasagna: layers of noodles, sauce, ricotta and cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, repeat. This time, the filling is much more substantial (contains spinach and prosciutto!) , and rolled into easy-to-serve individual noodles set atop a creamy sauce and covered with meaty spaghetti sauce and shredded cheese. It takes a little time to prepare, but let me tell you- it is WORTH it. This recipe is a modified version from Giada's Family Dinners.

Ingredients:

Creamy Sauce:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
dash of nutmeg

Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or you can follow the package's microwave directions to thaw, but be careful; it will be hot!)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped *(see note)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for boiling water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 dried (regular variety, not oven-ready) lasagna noodles
butter for greasing
1 pound ground beef
1 jar (about two cups) spaghetti sauce (I use Ragú's garlic variety)
1 cup shredded Mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese

To make the cream sauce:
1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside.

For the lasagna:
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, egg, the 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper until blended.
2. Cook the ground beef until done and add the jar of spaghetti sauce, keeping the heat on simmer, and stirring occasionally.
3. Bring a very large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the boiling water and add the lasagna noodles. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite (the noodles will cook more in the sauce in the oven). Drain the noodles and arrange on a cookie sheet in a single layer to prevent them from sticking.
4. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Butter a 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Spread the cream sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish.
5. Spread about 3 heaping tablespoons of the ricotta mixture evenly on each noodle. Roll up and arrange the rolls, seam sides down and not touching one another, atop the cream sauce. Repeat with each noodle. Spoon the meat sauce over evenly over the rolls and then top with the shredded cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the rolls are heated through and the sauce is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese on top is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for about 10 minutes and serve.

Makes 6 main-course servings (two rolls per person).

* Note: Prosciutto can be found at Wal-Mart in the deli section, where the specialty cheeses and prepared gourmet pizzas are located. I am sure you can find superior quality at specialty-food stores, but this variety has worked for me!

Chewy Dinner Rolls

The All-New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook provided me with this recipe a few months ago. Ever since trying it, I am hooked. Baguettes can also be made out of this recipe. You can use a cookie sheet, but baguette pans create a better crust.

Ingredients:

4 1/2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 cups warm water (100º-115ºF)
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
6-7 cups all-purpose flour
olive oil for greasing a bowl

1. Stir together first 3 ingredients in a 4-cup measuring cup (or whatever size you have over 3 cups; you can also just measure out the ingredients in a bowl if you do not have a large measuring cup.) Let stand 5 minutes for the yeast to foam up.
2. In a large bowl of a mixer, stir together yeast mixture, softened butter, and salt. Gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft but slightly sticky dough (see picture below)
3. Place in a well greased bowl, turning to coat top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk (see below pictures)
4. When dough has risen, punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly (see picture) four or five times. Divide dough into equal portions for rolls (about 16 equal portions) and gently form into oval balls and place on the baguette pans or cookie sheet. Using kitchen scissors, snip a slit on the top of each roll (see photo below). Cover with plastic wrap or light-weight kitchen towel and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
5. Bake rolls at 400ºF until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Take out of oven and brush with melted butter and serve.

*These rolls can be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed inside a freezer bag, and frozen up to 2 weeks. To reheat, unwrap from plastic and wrap or cover in foil and bake at 350º until thoroughly warmed through, about 30 minutes. 

*If you want to make baguettes instead, follow instructions up to step 4. Turn out and knead, and then divide into four long baguettes and place in pan or on cookie sheet to rise, making diagonal cuts on the tops of the baguettes. Bake at the same temperature and about the same time. 

Makes 16 large rolls or 3-4 baguettes.

Lemon-Filled Strawberries

This dish was something I came up with on the way home from Kroger today. I had some fresh strawberries in the fridge and also some Lemon Cream. I had dipped a strawberry in the cream yesterday, knowing that whipped cream and strawberries go great together anyway, and the lemon in the cream really sparked a new love for the flavors together. I bought some prepared lemon curd at the store and decided I wanted to try it out with something, and the strawberries and cream came to mind. So I decided a cute way to present this little dessert snack would be to cut the tops and fill them, and then place the tops back on, like a little hat! I would serve this simple treat at a breakfast, as dessert, or even at a shower of some sort because it is delicious and oh-so-pretty!

Ingredients:

Recipe for Lemon Cream (just scroll down until you see Lemon Cream in the post)

12-15 red, ripe strawberries

1/3 cup prepared Lemon Curd (I used Dickinson's Lemon Curd)

1. Pick out and rinse the prettiest strawberries.

2. Gently heat the lemon curd in the microwave for 5-7 seconds (but no more, it doesn't need to be hot, just a thinner consistency)

3. Place the lemon cream in a piping bag fitted with a bigger tip.

4. Cut the tops (the pointed end) off the strawberries, but do not discard!

5. Spoon a small amount of the lemon curd on the bigger half, and then pipe the lemon cream on top of that. Place the cut off portion on top, pushing down just slightly so the filling oozes a little. 

6. Arrange on a platter and serve!

Makes 12-15 (or so) filled strawberries

Basil Chicken Roulades

I got this recipe from The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook, which I received as a wedding gift! You can make a dipping sauce from yogurt, chives, and mustard mixed together, but I am just giving you the amounts of everything needed for the chicken.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt* (see note)
1 Tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
2-3 Tablespoons whole or chopped fresh basil leaves (whatever your preference)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to about 3/8 inch thickness
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the kind in the can used for pizza!)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Lightly brush a baking sheet (preferably non-stick) with some of the melted butter.
2. In a shallow dish (like a pie pan) mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. In a separate shallow dish mix together the yogurt and mustard. 
3. If you haven't already, be sure to pound out your chicken to the proper thickness. Lightly salt and pepper each breast. Sprinkle the middle of the breast with the basil. Roll each breast up long-ways (making a long log shape).
4. Carefully, while holding the rolled breast together, roll each one in the yogurt mixture and then coat each with the crumb-parmesan mixture, coating thoroughly. 
5. Place rolls on baking sheet and drizzle with remaining melted butter.
6. Bake at 400 F degrees for about 30 minutes; until the coating is brown and the chicken shows no signs of pink when cut in the center. Serve hot (and with sauce if you so desire)

Makes 4 servings. 

*Note: Plain low-fat yogurt is great in other dishes too. I have found that it makes a fine substitution for buttermilk when mixed with regular milk. It is great to marinate chicken in for grilling as well!