Zupa Toscano

Yield 12 servings

10 cups water
7 chicken bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons garlic paste

1 lb russet potato, peeled and sliced (Or cubed. About 3 large)

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1 large white onion, diced

1 bunch fresh kale, torn in small pieces (or 16 oz. bag of prewashed and cut Kale. Discard stems)

1 cup heavy cream

• 6 tablespoons oscar meyer bacon bits

Directions:
1 In a large stockpot, put water, bouillon, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, and potatoes. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2 Sauté the sausage and onion in a skillet, until the sausage is brown, then add it to the stockpot, along with the Kale. Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, or until Kale and potatoes are tender.
3 Add the cream and bacon bits, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
4 Notes:.
5 I use 10 medium size potatoes.
6 Half and Half can be substituted for the heavy cream if desired.
7 Kale can be found in the produce department of most grocery stores.

from: http://www.food.com/recipe/olive-garden-zuppa-toscana-soup-274110#ixzz20pZvWtSb

O'Henry Bars

Yield 13x9 pan 1 cup sugar 1 cup karo syrup Boil together for one minute remove from heat 1 1/2 cups peanut butter Mix well 4-6 cups rice crispies Press into pan Sprinkle with 16 oz milk chocolate chocolate chips When chips are warm, spread

fernwood mint recipe

http://www.positivelyo.com/2008/04/sweets-for-sweet.html

French Dip

yum.

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

1 Cup brown sugar 
1 Cup white sugar 
2 Eggs 
1 Cup margarine 
2 tsp soda 
3 Cup flour 
1 tsp vanilla 
1 tsp salt 
1 Cup peanut butter 


Cream together sugars, eggs, and margarine. Add remaining ingredients. Chill and roll into small balls. Bake 5-6 minutes until cookies set. Remove and press a Hershey kiss into each cookie. Return to oven and bake for another 2-2.5 minutes. Let sit on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes. 


Optional method. Roll cookies into balls then flatten. Place one rolo in center of each cookie and fold sides up. Flip cookies so that flat side is up. Bake. 


From Denise Taylor via Allie Hardy

Tomatillo Dressing

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the
seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it! 

from Allie Hardy

good with Chicken Enchiladas, Chile Verde

Hamburger Soup

Yield ?

1 lb Hamburger
1 Medium onion chopped
S & P to taste

Brown together in a heavy saucepan

Add:
1 12oz can Swanson's Beef Broth
1 12oz Water
small carrots (let cook for a few minutes before adding potatoes)
diced potatoes
2-3 stalks celery (chopped)
(canned corn)
(frozen peas)
titch of garlic salt
titch of Lawry's seasoning salt
1 28oz can stewed tomatoes (or 1 lg can or 1 qt tomato juice)

Cook slowly for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender



freezable

from Carol Rice

Cafe Rio Pork Salad

Uncooked tortillas, cooked
Romaine lettuce, chopped
Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
Guacamole
Sour cream
Tortilla Strips
Cotija cheese, crumbled (or you can use Parmesan)
Cilantro Lime Rice 
Black beans 
Cafe Rio Pork 
Tomatillo Dressing 


Lay a tortilla in the bottom of a pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about
5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven. Add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce
and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions (pico de gallo). Add guacamole and sour cream.
Add crushed tortilla chips, a shake of Parmesan cheese, and top with a few cilantro leaves.
Serve with the delicious cilantro ranch! (makes about 6 salads)


recipe from www.favfamilyrecipes.com

Spinach Linguine with Ham and Broccoli

*Spinach Linguine with Ham and Broccoli

2 tsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups low-fat (1%) milk
2 oz. reduced-fat bar cream cheese
1 head broccoli, cut into bite size florets

1. In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add ham and cook, stirring
occasionally, until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant,
about 1 minute. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute.
2. Stir in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until mixture is thickened
slightly, 4-5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and cook until melted, about 1 minute.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package

2 oz. cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
10 oz. spinach linguine
3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

directions, adding broccoli during final 3 minutes. Drain; transfer
pasta and broccoli to a large bowl. Add cream-cheese sauce and Parmesan, and toss to combine. Serve
immediately.

Jessica Kern

Lemon Herb Chicken

*Lemon Herb Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 to 1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1. Flatten chicken to 3/8 inch thickness; place in skillet. Add broth and bring to a boil over medium
heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Turn chicken; sprinkle with seasonings. Cook 3-5 minutes longer or until juices run clear.

Jessica Kern

Chicken Gyro

*Greek Chicken in a Pita (so yummy!)

Juice of a lime or lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup mint or cilantro leaves
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Sliced into thin strips
1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 tomato, chopped
Mixed lettuce leaves
4 pitas with pockets

Directions

In a blender combine juice, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper and mint or
cilantro leaves. Process until smooth and pour over chicken to marinate. Refrigerate chicken and allow
to marinate for 30 minutes. In a small bowl stir together yogurt, cucumber and chopped mint.
In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook
for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Heat pitas under a broiler or in a toaster oven. Slice open pitas
and stuff with chicken, tomatoes, lettuce and top with yogurt dressing. Serve immediately. (I personally
don’t like the yogurt sauce! I also serve it with caesar dressing in the pita.) Foodnetwork.com
Serve it with a spinach salad.

Kaci Odell's

Tzatziki Sauce

• 8 ounces plain yogurt (or Greek yogurt, if your store carries it)
• 1/2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely chopped or 1/2 peeled grated cucumber
• 2 ounces sour cream
• 1 small pinch salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 mint leaves, finely minced or 1/4 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 small garlic clove, finely minced

Directions:

1. 1
   Place yogurt in a coffee filter or piece of cheesecloth, and place in a strainer over a dish. Let drain for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator. If using Greek yogurt you do not need to drain it, as it is already a thick consistency.
2. 2
   Meanwhile, put the chopped or grated cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove liquid. Discard liquid. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and mix into the cucumber. Set aside 20 minutes. Rinse a little to wash out the extra salt, if you want to. Then squeeze again to express as much liquid as possible.
3. 3
   Draining the yogurt and cucumber make for a thick and authentic consistency of tzatziki sauce.
4. 4
   Combine the drained yogurt and cucumber, sour cream, pinch of salt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, mint and garlic. Note: we love garlic, so I tried adding more once. It made for an overpowering and almost bitter taste, so now I stick to only 1 clove.
5. 5
   Place sauce in the refrigerator for 1 hour or more to meld flavors. Stir before serving. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/greek-tzatziki-sauce-257413#ixzz1VL1hYusW

http://www.food.com/recipe/greek-tzatziki-sauce-257413

Pork Chops

Yield as many pork chops as you would like

Pork Chops
Seasoned Salt
Pepper
Water
Butter

Melt butter in deep frying pan, add pork chops and sear. Season, turn over and season and sear second side. Once both sides are seared, add enough water to almost reach the top of the pork chops. Cook on high until water is evaporated.

chicken bacon stuffed pizza rolls

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/06/chicken-bacon-stuffed-pizza-rolls/

sooo yummy, add these

Banana Bread from Tami England Heartland

Add- Bundt pan at 300 for 60 minutes

BBQ Bacon Sliders (3 parts)

Burgers
1 1/2 lbs high-quality 85/15 ground Angus
1/2 C BBQ sauce (or your favorite bottled BBQ sauce)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

8-10 small white dinner rolls, or Hawaiian sweet rolls, sliced in half and toasted if desired
8-10 crisp lettuce leaves
8-10 slices bacon, cooked crisp

Burgers: Heat a grill pan on the stove top, or an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Combine beef, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, salt and pepper. Divide and shape mixture into 8-10 3/4″-thick patties (keep the size of your buns in mind as wells the fact that the burgers will shrink quite a bit while cooking when shaping the patties). Grill for 2-3 minutes and then flip. Brush the top side of each burger with remaining sauce. Continue grilling for another 2 minutes and flip burgers again, brushing the other side with additional sauce. Continue to cook and baste until the internal temperature of the burgers reach 160-165 degrees.

Garlicky Blue Cheese Spread
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese (not a blue cheese fan? Leave it out!)

Garlicky Blue Cheese Spread: Combine mayonnaise, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and garlic. Mix well and stir in crumbled blue cheese. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Crispy Shoestring Onions

To assemble: Lightly spread the bottom half of each bun with Garlicky Blue Cheese Spread and top with a lettuce leaf. Break each bacon piece in half and place on top of lettuce leaves. Place burger on top and drizzle with additional barbecue sauce if desired. Top with a small handful of Crispy Shoestring Onions. Spread remaining Garlicky Blue Cheese Spread on top halves of buns.

 from: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/09/bbq-bacon-sliders-for-the-better-homes-and-gardens-cook-off/

Crispy Shoestring Onions

YIELD about 4 cups 

6 oz onion slices (1 large onion)
1 egg
1 Tbs milk
3/4 C flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
vegetable oil for frying

You’ll need three bowls. One with an egg and a little milk, one with some white flour and seasonings, and one with your sliced onions. You can slice your onions however you like. I slice them about 1/8-1/4″ wide and then quarter the slice of whole onion so the pieces are only an inch or two long. (ya, ya…forgot the picture of that one…)

Take a small handful of onions at a time and dunk them in the egg. Lift them up and let any excess egg drip off. We don’t want to deep fry clumps of egg here. Actually, that would probably taste good. Pretty much anything deep fried tastes good, but that’s beside the point.

After they’ve had a dunk in the egg, then just toss them around in the flour mixture until everything is coated. This is where you can personalize these little bits of yumminess. The recipe here is the most basic one, add seasonings to your heart’s delight.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees. Make sure to use a pot with sides (as opposed to a skillet style pan) so the oil doesn’t boil over when you add the onions). Working with a handful of onions at a time, dip in egg mixture and let excess drip off. Then dredge in flour and lightly toss to coat. Place onions in hot oil and cook until golden brown. Remove and place on folded paper towels to absorb oil. Repeat process until all onions are fried.  

The next step is to pop them in a pot of hot oil, for just a couple of minutes.

Take them out when they’re golden brown and let them drain on some paper towels.

Now eat one warm. And if no one’s looking, bust out the ranch dressing and give it a dip. Just to be naughty.

Let them cool to room temp and then you can use them on salads (they’d be seriously awesome on this salad), to top casseroles, on burgers or sandwiches, or just to snack on!

from: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/09/tutorial-how-to-make-crispy-shoestring-onions-and-an-announcement/

Buttercream Syrup

½ cup buttermilk

1 cube butter

1 cup sugar

1 TBSP Karo (corn) syrup

1 TBSP Vanilla

Bring to boil (in a two quart sauce pan…will "foam up"). Boil 1 minute. Add ½ tsp Baking Soda, take off heat & stir. Refrigerate unused syrup. Good on pancakes, waffles, german pancakes, or crepes. 


from Lisa Jackson

baked cream chicken taquitos- must try!!!

http://cookingcousins.blogspot.com/2011/04/baked-creamy-chicken-taquitos.html

grilled chicken with lemon basil pasta- must try!!!

http://cookingcousins.blogspot.com/2011/04/grilled-chicken-with-lemon-basil-pasta.html

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

YIELD 24 small rolls

BAKE @400 for 15-20 minutes

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough* (or make your own)
marinara/pizza sauce (click here to make your own)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese 

1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

*You can use regular pizza dough, or thin crust. I used thin crust when taking these pictures.

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it’s 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it’s about 12″ by 8″. You’re going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares (bet ya didn’t see that one comin’ did ya?)

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you’re not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it’s for dipping after) You guys are smart, right? Just eyeball how much. You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind. For these ones pictured I used a teaspoon each of cheese, Canadian bacon, and pineapple.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I’ve used both and there’s not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese. (In lieu of the Parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning you could substitute this garlic bread seasoning.)

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I’d check them after even 10 minutes.

Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

The outsides are like garlic bread and the insides are full of oozing cheese. This might just be a perfect food.

from: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/06/stuffed-pizza-rolls/

chicken bacon stuffed pizza rolls-must try!

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/06/chicken-bacon-stuffed-pizza-rolls/

Breadstick and Pizza Dough _must try!

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/04/breadsticks-and-pizza-dough/

Buffalo Chicken Salad

YIELD 4 servings


CHICKEN
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbs light molasses
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tbs cornstarch
4 (6oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tbs canola oil


SALAD
3 romaine lettuce hearts (about 1 lb) torn into bite sized pieces
3 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
3/4 cup blue cheese dressing 


FOR THE CHICKEN
whisk the hot sauce, butter, and molasses together in a bowl; set aside. Whisk the cornmeal and cornstarch together in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Thoroughly coat the chicken with the cornmeal mixture, pressing on the coating to help it adhere.


Heat the oil and a 12-inch non stick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until well browned on the first side, 6-8 minutes. Flip the chicken, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook until the chicken registers 160-165 degrees on an instant read thermometer, 6-8 minutes longer. 


Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the chicken cross-wise into 1/2 inch thick pieces. 


FOR THE SALAD
toss the lettuce, celery and carrots with the dressing, then divide it among four plates. Toss the chicken with the hot sauce mixture, arrange on top of the salads, and serve. 




from the America's test kitchen health family cookbook

Simple Tomato Sauce

YIELD  2 cups-ish

1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 tsp olive oil 
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbs minced fresh basil leaves
salt & pepper

Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor until mostly smooth, about 10 pulses; set aside. Cook the garlic, tomato paste, oil and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pureed tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thickened and measures 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until needed. 


from the complete America's test kitchen TV show cookbook

Chicken Parmesan

YIELD 6 servings
Bake @475 for 8-10 minutes


6 chicken cutlets 
[take 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut in half    horizontally to yield two pieces. They should be 3/8-1/2 inch thick. Lay each piece between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a mead pounder or small skillet until roughly 1/4 inch thick]



1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese + extra for serving
 
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper

3 large egg whites (or 6 Tablespoons of store bought egg whites)
1 Tbs water

2 cups simple tomato sauce
3/4 cups part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 ounces)
1 Tbs minced fresh basil leaves

Combine panko and olive oil in 12 inch skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until really golden brown about 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a pie pan. Let cool and then add Parmesan cheese.

In a 2nd pie pan COMBINE: flour, garlic powder, 1 Tbs salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.


In a 3rd pie pan WISK: the egg whites and water together




Spray a wire rack with vegetable oil spray and place over a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge onc piece of chicken at a time in the flour, then dip into the egg whites, and finally, coat with the toasted crumbs, pressing on them to adhere. Lay the breaded chicken on the wire rack. 


Spray the tops of the chicken lightly with vegetable oil spray. Bake @ 475 degrees until the chicken registers 150-160 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 8-10 minutes. 

Top each cutlet with 2 Tbs marinara sauce and 2 Tbs mozzarella. Continue to bake until the cheese has melted and the chicken registers 160-165 degrees, 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and Parmesan and serve. 


from the complete America's test kitchen TV show cookbook

Classic Chicken Salad

YIELD 6 servings
perfect for Costco croissants, double recipe for one package

1/3 cup light mayonnaise (Hellman's)
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (omit if using regular mayonnaise)
1/4 tsp celery seed
salt & pepper to taste
1 recipe Poached Chicken for Salad, shredded (about 4 cups) 
     OR 2 1/2- 12.5 ounce cans of chicken breast (Costco)
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 scallions, minced
2 Tbs minced fresh parsley or tarragon

Whisk the Mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, celery seed, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper together in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the chicken, celery, scallions, and parsley until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let sit until flavors have blended (about 15 minutes) before serving

Yummy in sandwiches or spooned over leafy greens.

This salad can be refrigerated ahead of time for up to 1 day; season with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste before serving.


from the America's test kitchen health family cookbook 

Chicken Enchiladas

YIELD 6 servings
Bake @ 450 degrees for about 10 minutes

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3 trimmed, pounded if necessary)
salt & pepper
2 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (20 ounces)
1 cup finely crumbled queso fresca or feta cheese (or mexican shredded mix)
1-4 oz can diced green chilies
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas (or 6 flour tortillas)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
lime wedges for serving

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Combine the chicken and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, 10-15 minutes. When the sauce is simmering, flip the chicken over, cover, and continue to cook until the chicken registers 160-165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10-15 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred it into bite-size pieces when cool enough to handle. Combine the chicken, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, queso fresco, chilies, and cilantro in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cover to keep warm while heating the tortillas. 

For corn tortillas, lightly coat both sides with vegetable oil spray. Place 6 tortillas on a baking sheet and bake until the tortillas are soft and pliable, 2-4 minutes.

Working quickly while the tortillas are still warm and pliable, spread them out over a clean counter. Place 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll each tortilla around the filling and lay them, seam-side down, in a 13X9 inch baking dish. 

Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour 1 cup more enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the cheddar. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until they are heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes longer. Serve, passing the remaining sauce and lime wedges separately. 


to make ahead, assemble the enchiladas through step 5, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Before topping with sauce and cheese and baking, spray the enchiladas lightly with vegetable oil spray and bake until warm and lightly toasted on top 10 to 20 minutes.

Italian Chicken and Cous Cous

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2 Chicken Breasts, cubed 
 
marinate for 20 minutes:
2 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS Rice Wine

bring to room temp before cooking

onion med-pieces
green pepper med-pieces
garlic minced

Pineapple (optional)

Sauce:
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup sugar

Heat wok on high with oil. Cook chicken, set aside. Don't be afraid to have a little brown/black on the chicken from the heat, same with the veggies. Cook them really hot, they taste better. Add oil, cook vegetables, salt generously, keep green pepper slightly firm. The salt helps the sauce taste more sweet. Remove veggies. Turn down heat to Med-high, Heat oil. Have sauce on hand, add garlic to pan, cook quickly until fragrant. Add sauce and quickly mix, let thicken without burning, remove from heat (If adding pineapple, add to pam after sauce is added and let sauce cook for longer to reduce down and to thicken). Add vegetables and chicken and toss in sauce. Serve over rice or noodles.
 

Garlic Basil Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper

Fresh garlic clove
Fresh chopped basil, a few leaves’ worth

For three good-sized paninis, I simply scooped out about three spoonfuls of mayonnaise into a bowl. I threw in some basil, two shakes of salt, two shakes of pepper, and 1/2 of a garlic clove pushed through a garlic press. Mix together and spread on bread for Caprese Paninis.

from Jane Maynard, www.thisweekfordinner.com

  

Caprese panini

Panini bread or any delicious sliced bread (Rosemary olive oil bread is delish!)
Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Fresh basil, chiffonaded  

Tomatoes, your favorite variety, sliced
Olive Oil and/or Balsamic Vinegar and/or Garlic Basil Mayo

Salt & Pepper

Place your sliced mozzarella cheese, basil and tomatoes on a slice of bread. Sprinkle some salt and pepper, then drizzle with a bit of olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar, or spread the bread with Garlic Basil Mayo before putting ingredients on the bread. Top sandwich with second slice of bread and cook in a panini maker or on the stove in a skillet with another skillet on top (see below for my oh-so-fancy technique) over medium heat. When side 1 is lightly browned, flip and cook until side 2 is browned and the cheese is melted.

from Jane Maynard, www.thisweekfordinner.com

Blackened Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

YIELD 4 Servings

9-oz package fresh fettuccine
1 jar Newman’s Own Alfredo Pasta Sauce
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I prefer cutlets)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

be a liberal with the spices so they go far enough..

Lightly spray a 9×13 baking pan or dish with cooking oil. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pound the chicken breast until quite thin (around 1/4″ thick). Mix all of the spice ingredients together thoroughly. Coat both sides of the chicken breasts with the spices.

Heat a non-stick grill pan or skillet over medium high heat. Place chicken breasts in pan and brown both sides, 45-60 seconds per side. Place chicken in prepared baking pan and bake in oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and slice chicken into strips.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return pasta to warm pot over medium-low heat. Pour in alfredo sauce and mix thoroughly.

Serve pasta with sliced chicken served on top.

from Jane Maynard, ThisWeekforDinner.com

Simple Tomato Sauce

YIELD about 2 cups

Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves minced
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon fresh minced basil
salt & pepper

Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until mostly smooth, about 10 pulses. Cook the garlic, tomato paste, oil, and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the processed tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thickened and measures 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.




from the America's test kitchen healthy family cookbook

Chinese Chicken or Pork Marinade

YIELD enough marinade for 12 ounces of meat (2 chicken breasts or 1 pork tenderloin)

2 Tablespoons sesame oil 
1 Tablespoon cornstarch (I used 2 and didn't use any flour)
1 Tablespoon flour
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese rice cooking wine

Marinade for at least 10 minutes and up to one hour. 

To cook: Heat 1 Tablespoon canola oil in 12 inch non-stick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, break up any clumps, and cook until lightly browned on all sides but not fully cooked, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover and set aside.

Cooke veggies, add garlic and ginger, add chicken back in, add sauces.


from the America's test kitchen health family cookbook

Blondies

YIELD 13X9 pan
Bake @350 for 22-25 minutes

Wisk together:

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled


Add: 
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla


Combine:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)


Fold flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined with a rubber spatula. Do not over mix.


Fold in:
1 cup (4 oz) pecans, toasted and chopped coarse
1/2 cup (3 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (I used 1 1/2 cups choc chips only, no nuts or white choc chips)
1/2 cup (3 oz) white chocolate chips


Line a 13X9 pan with tinfoil and spray with vegetable oil. Turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Bake @350 degrees for 22-25 minutes until the top is shiny and cracked and feels firm to the touch. Loosen the edges with a paring knive and lift the bars rom the pan using the foil extensions, Cut into 2X2.5 inch bars. 






from the complete america's test kitchen tv show cookbook

Ham & Cheese Turnovers

YIELD 4-5 people (8 sandwiches)
Bake @400 degrees for about 20 minutes

1 refrigerated or frozen french bread dough (from Smith's baker) 
     or 1 lb pkg refrigerated pizza dough (Haven't been able to find)
8 oz deli ham, thinly slices (prefer pesto Parmesan)
4 oz swiss cheese
1/2 yellow onion, cut into rings

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll the dough into 14inch circle for pizza dough or a rectangle for french bread dough and cut into 8 triangles. Stack a piece of the ham, cheese and onion on the bottom of each triangle and roll the dough up around the filling. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and Bake @ 400 degrees for 20 minutes until golden and crisp.




from Real Simple April 2008

Pasta Stackups with Chicken Sausage

YIELD 4 servings

6 lasagna noodles
1 cup dried tomato halves (not oil packed), coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb fully cooked chicken sausage links (pre-cooked when purchased)
2 Tbs olive oil
1 5-oz bag baby spinach
Shaved Parmesan

Cook lasagna noodles; meanwhile, place dried tomatoes and garlic in a bowl. Add 1 cup boiling pasta water to tomatoes, set aside.
Cut sausage in half lengthwise and slice in large pieces. Cook sausage in hot oil over medium-high heat until lightly browned and heated through, turning occasionally. Add tomato mixture, Cook uncovered 2 minutes. Stir in spinach, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cover and remove from heat. 

Cut cooked lasagna noodles in half. To serve, layer noodles and sausage mixture onto individual plates. Add Parmesan if desired.


from Real Simple September 2010

Spiced Mini Burgers with Couscous Salad

YIELD 4 servings

10 oz couscous
1 lb ground beef
kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tbs dried oregano
4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
6 scallions, trimmed and sliced
4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 seedless cucumber, sliced into half moons
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice


Place the couscous in a medium bowl and pour 1 1/2 cups hot tap water over the top. Cover and let stand 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. 


Form the beef into 12 small 1/2 inch-thick patties. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, the cumin and oregano.


Heat 1 Tbs of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook to desired doneness, 4 minutes per side for medium. 


Combine the couscous, scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, lemon juice, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 3 Tbs oil in a large bowl. Toss. 


from Real Simple 2008

Mongolian Beef

MARINADE:
2 lb thinly sliced lean beef (top sirloin or flank steak) 
      [Cut into long strips along the grain, then cut across the grain
       on an angle]
2 Tbs cooking or rice wine
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs cornstarch
Marinade for at least 20 minutes. Just before cooking, add 2 Tbs oil to the marinated beef. This will help it separate easily during cooking. 

VEGGIES:
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbs fresh ginger, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
6 green onions, cut into 3" long strips (including the green part. Separate the white from the green on different plates)

SAUCE:
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs oyster sauce
4 Tbs sugar
Mix together and set aside

Heat the wok (works well in more of a skillet) over high heat until very hot. DO NOT ADD OIL. Add the beef, spreading it in the wok. Cook undisturbed, 1-2 minutes, until the bottom is browned, then cook on the other side until the beef is browned on both sides. Transfer the beef to a plate and finish cooking the remaining meat. 

Add small amt of oil to the wok. Heat and add the onions to caramelize. Cook about ten minutes. Remove onions, leaving oil in pan. Add ginger, garlic and the white part of green onions. Stir-fry for about one minutes on medium high heat. Then add the beef and green parts of the green onion. Pour the sauce over the top. Quickly toss together over high heat. Serve warm with white rice. 

Also good to add green beans (cook separate then add at end)



from Meiling Dawson (Orson Gygi cooking class)

Peanut Butter Fingers

YIELD 9X13 cake pan
Bake @ 350 for ~15 minutes

CREAM:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar 
1 cup brown sugar

ADD:
2 eggs, beat
1 cup peanut butter
2/3 tsp baking soda
2/3 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla.


BLEND IN:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup oats

TOPPING:
Peanut butter 
Chocolate frosting


Press into a 9X13 pan (thick bars, preferred) or a jelly roll pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes shorter for jelly roll, longer for cake pan. Let cook 10 minutes. Spread peanut butter over top, cool, frost with chocolate frosting (homemade is best!).




adapted from Heartland Favorites

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

YIELD about 18 large cookies

Bake @ 325 degrees for 15-17 minutes

MIX TOGETHER:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour (10 2/3 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Set aside

CREAM TOGETHER:

1 1/2 cubes (12 TBS) unsalted butter, melted and cooled (you can use salted butter, just omit the 1/2 teaspoon salt)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

ADD:

1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

ADD flour mixture back in. 

ADD:

1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (May use half chips and half chunks or milk chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line two cookies sheets with parchment paper. Make sure the oven racks are in the middle of the oven.

Divide the dough into 18 portions and roll them into balls. To create a nice bumpy texture on top of the cookies: take a dough ball and pull it into two equal halves, push the two halves together with the uneven surfaces ( where the dough pulled apart)on top, 

Place these on a cookie sheet. Space six cookies on each sheet.
 

Bake @325 degrees for 15-17 minutes until the cookies are light brown on the edges. They should be puffy and soft on the inside (they will flatten as they cool). If baking two pans at once make sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking time. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets. 

from The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Cookbook via www.makeitwithmegan.blogspot.com