Monday, July 28, 2008

Express Broccoli Beef Stirfry.

This is a quick and easy dinner for those nights you need dinner on the table fast. I use already prepared ingredients for this.

Ingredients
2 C. frozen stir fry beef
1 pkg. steamed fresh broccoli
1/2 stick butter
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook broccoli in microwave for 2 1/2 - 3 minutes, until crisp tender. Melt butter in skillet. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Then add frozen beef and cook until thawed. Add broccoli and cook until tender. Add cheese during last minute of cooking.

May be served over rice if desired.


Serving Size

Egg Drop Vegetables Soup

The easy Chinese soup with the addition of mixed veggies

Ingredients
3 Tbs. corn starch
6 Tbs. cold water
6 C. of chicken broth
1 C. of frozen mixed vegetables
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 Tbs. chopped chives

Directions
Mix the corn starch and cold water together to make a slurry and set aside. Bring chicken broth to a slow boil. Add mixed vegetables and simmer for five minutes. Add the pepper and salt. Beat the eggs and let drop into the boiling broth. Cook for five minutes or till the eggs are done. Add the corn starch slurry and cook till thickened. Add chives and remove from heat.
Can substitube with canned corn.

Bake Asian Chicken Breast

Serve this tangy and sweet chicken with fresh veggies over some hot steamy rice and enjoy.

Ingredients
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1/2 C. water chestnut slices
1/3 C. chopped green onion
1/4 lb. snow peas, fresh
4 boneless skinned chicken breasts
1 Tbs. sesame seed oil
1/2 tsp. grated ginger root
1 clove garlic
3 Tbs. soy sauce

Directions
reheat oven to 500 degree. Lightly oil 4 sheets of aluminum foil, 14 x 12 inches in size.

Place 1/4 of the red peppers, snow peas, water chestnuts and green onion on each piece of foil. Place 1 chicken breast on each pile of vegetables. Stir the oil, ginger root, garlic and soy sauce together. Spoon over chicken.

Fold foil in pouch and place on cookie sheet. Bake in 500-degree oven for 12 minutes. Serve with rice.

Crock Pot Pineapple Loin

Pineapple is a great flavor and also helps to tenderize the pork loin.

Ingredients
2 lbs. boneless pork loin roast - (to 3 lbs)
1/2 C. flour
3 Tbs. margarine
2 medium onions -- halved, sliced
1 can crushed pineapple - (20 oz) -- undrained
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar - (to 2 tsp.) -- (optional)
1 C. chopped green and/or red bell peppers
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder

Directions
Slice pork loin in slices about 3/4-inch thick. Dredge in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Heat margarine in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add pork slices and excess flour; brown both sides. Transfer browned pork to the crockpot (3 1/2-quart or larger). Add onions and peppers to the skillet, stirring, until slightly browned and tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil; pour over pork. Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Barbecued Pork Loin

This rotisserie pork with a homemade sauce also makes the best sandwiches.


Ingredients
8 lb. pork loin roast
Salt and pepper
Barbecue Sauce:
1/2 C. (1 medium) chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced or 1/8 tsp. instant minced garlic
2 Tbsp. oil or shortening
1 C. catsup
1/2 C. water
1/4 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed leaf thyme
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Dash Tabasco sauce

Directions
Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Prepare barbecue sauce by sautéing onion and garlic in oil in fry pan until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Run spit through center of meat, making sure it is evenly balanced. Secure to rotisserie with heavy cord. Insert meat thermometer to tip is in center of roast but not resting in fat, bone or on the rod. Arrange coals for roasting meat; grill over hot coals for 2 hours until meat thermometer reaches 140F. Continue grilling brushing with barbecue sauce every 20 minutes until roast reaches 170F internal temperature, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours longer.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Summer Academy Cocktail

This perfect cocktail results in a lighter colored drink that surprises with its flavor.

Ingredients
1 C. vodka
1 C. orange liqueur
2 C. white cranberry juice
1 lime, juiced
Ice
1 orange

Directions
Combine vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, and lime juice in a pitcher. Stir well and pour into 2 merlot glasses filled with ice. Score an orange from top to bottom in 1/4-inch slices. Peel off and twist to make a garnish. Garnish drink with orange twist and serve. Yield: 2 servings.

Rice and grilled Vegetables Salad

This is the perfect way to use up leftover cooked rice and grilled vegetables, and so flavorful you may be inspired to make extra just for this purpose! The smoky-sweet flavor of lightly-charred zucchini, onion, bell pepper, and portobellos combined with Italian seasonings, olive oil, and rice is a marriage that is truly made in heaven.

Ingredients
1/3 C. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. fresh basil, minced, or 1/2 tsp. dried
1 tsp. fresh marjoram, minced, or 1/2 tsp. dried
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 red bell pepper, halved
2 large Portobello mushroom caps
2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise
4 C. leftover cooked long-grain rice

Directions
Light the fire in your grill and get it down to medium-high heat. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Place vegetables on a baking sheet and drizzle dressing over them, turning to coat evenly. Reserve any dressing remaining of baking sheet. Grill vegetables (you may use a grill basket, or grill them directly on the grill rack) around 5 minutes, until slightly charred but still firm. Transfer vegetables to a platter to cool. Chop vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Add rice and remaining dressing and toss to combine.

Summer Pear Salad

A creamy nut and cherry mixture fills pear halves in this elegant salad. If using for a dessert, zig-zag chocolate lines across dessert plate and place pear in center of plate.

Ingredients
1 large can pear halves, reserve juice
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (8oz.) container Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 C. finely chopped pecans
1/4 C. maraschino cherries, quartered and drained well
2 Tbs. maple syrup, can be imitation

Directions
Dry pear halves off gently with paper towels. Place on tray and repeat the process until all pears are done. Beat cream cheese with maple syrup until smooth with electric mixer. By hand, fold in nuts and chopped cherries. Fold well. Spoon filling into pear halves using all of the filling up. You just heap it up in the pears. Place a well drained half of maraschino cherry cut side down on top of pear filling. Chill several hours covered. Serve on a bed of lettuce on pretty salad plates.

Summer-Sweet Corn Salad

Mix grilled sweet corn and cherry tomatoes with some red onion and fresh lime juice for this amazing salad.

Ingredients
6 ears boiled or grilled sweet corn
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, sliced very thin
1 Tbs. of minced cilantro
Juice from one fresh lime

Directions
Mix all ingredients and squeeze the lime juice over it all. Season with salt and pepper.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Fast and easy Fudge

Here is a quick and easy way to dish out some fudge for your family and guests.

Ingredients
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 C. cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 C. milk
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1/2 C. butter
1 C. nuts, chopped

Directions
In a 1-1/2 qt. casserole, stir sugar, cocoa, salt, milk and vanilla together until partially blended. Put butter over top in center of dish. Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until smooth. If all butter has not melted in cooking, it will as mixture is stirred. Blend in nuts. our into a lightly buttered 8x4x3 inch dish.

Chill 1 hour in refrigerator or 20 to 30 minutes in freezer. Cut into squares. Makes about 36 squares.

Low Fat Tiramisu

A yummy light dessert, that does not have raw eggs and uses Cool Whip instead of heavy whipped cream.

Ingredients
2, 8 oz. pkgs light cream cheese ( Neufchatel ), softened
1 cup sifted Powdered Sugar
4-5 tbsp coffee liqueur
2 8-oz. containers Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 C. sour cream (fat free or regular)
2-3 pkg. purchased Lady fingers or
1/2 C. strong black coffee
13 Tbs. coffee liqueur (divided throughout recipe)

cocoa powder + shaved sweet chocolate for between layers and for top.
Chocolate syrup for decorating the Plate ( optional )

Directions
Directions:
1. For filling: In large bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 5 Tbs. coffee liqueur; beat with an electric mixer on med. speed until blended and smooth. Stir in 1 container of the Cool Whip. set aside.

2. For the frosting: In another bowl, combine the second container of Cool Whip, the sour cream and 4 Tbs. coffee liqueur and set aside

3. Use a square 8-9 inch Pyrex baking pan. Line the bottom with Saran wrap and let it hang over the pan on 2 sides (o you can lift cake out of the pan for cutting and serving). Put split ladyfingers close in bottom of pan so they cover the bottom. Paint lady fingers lightly with mixture of strong black coffee and 4 Tbs. coffee liqueur. Do not soak. Next, spread half of the filling evenly on the lady fingers. Sift a light layer over with cocoa powder, and spread with grated or shaved ( use a vegetable pealer) sweet or semisweet chocolate.

4. Repeat process for each layer (2-3 layers). Spread the frosting on top, swirl it around to cover the cake. Sift with cocoa powder and decorate with shaved chocolate curls. Cover lightly with foil and refrigerate for several hours.

To serve: lift up the cake out of the pan grabbing the both ends of the Saran wrap, put on flat surface and cut into equal size squares.
Swirl the serving plates with chocolate syrup to decorate before putting the cake on the plates.

Crunchy Sesame Chicken Salad

Ingredients
3 Tbs. sesame seeds
1/2 Tbs. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 (4 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 lb. greens

Dressing:
2 Tbs. vinegar
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. honey
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Place skinless, boneless chicken breasts on a sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with sesame seed mixture. In skillet, heat vegetable oil. Sauté chicken until cooked, about 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate. To prepare dressing: In saucepan, combine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger root, dry mustard, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Divide greens among four plates. Cut chicken into slices and arrange over greens. Drizzle with dressing

Apple and Cucumber Salad

This is a very healthy salad for dieters and non-dieters alike.

Ingredients
l/2 sm. cucumber
2 lg. apples
a few sprigs of fresh mint
pepper

Directions
Dice the cucumbers and apples into 1/4-inch cubes. Wash mint, pick off the leaves and chop them finely. Mix all ingredients with a liberal sprinkling of pepper.

Avocado and Orange Salad

This summer salad is amazing. The mixture of orange and avocados is splendid!

Ingredients
1 large avocado sliced
1 bunch lettuce leaf
1 bunch green onions sliced
3 large orange sectioned & cut into chunk

Dressing:
1/2 C. peanut oil
1/2 C. orange juice
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. orange peel grated

Directions
In salad bowl, combine avocado, lettuce, sliced onion and oranges. Mix all dressing ingredients and pour dressing over the salad just before serving.

Serving Size

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Ritz-Carlton Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1 lb., 4 oz. butter
2 C. sugar
2 C. brown sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 C. chocolate chips

Directions
Mix butter until soft, add sugar and mix until incorporated. Add brown sugar until incorporated and scrape bowl. Add eggs a little at a time until fully incorporated. Add vanilla extract. Scrape bowl. Combine dry ingredients and add a little at a time to sugar mixture until fully incorporated and scrape bowl. Add chocolate chips all at once until incorporated. Use a 4-oz. ice cream scoop (or 1/2 C. measure) to scoop the raw cookie dough on to a cookie sheet. Bake at 335 degrees until done, about 18-20 minutes.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Get the perfect chewy consistency to your chocolate chip cookies with the secret ingredient of instant pudding.

Ingredients
2 1/4 C. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. butter or margarine, softened
1/4 C. granulated sugar
3/4 C. packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 4 oz. package vanilla instant pudding or pie filling (I use instant pudding mix)
2 eggs
1 12 oz. package chocolate chips
1 C. nuts (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour with baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugars, and pudding mix. Beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, and gradually add flour mixture. Stir in chips and nuts. Roll into balls and flatten slightly or drop by teaspoonful on a non-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Note: You may use instant chocolate pudding instead of vanilla pudding for a chocolate-chocolate chip cookie.

Soft Chocolate Chips Cookies

Instant pudding mix is the secret ingredient to these super-soft cookies.

Ingredients
4 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 C. butter, softened
1 1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. white sugar
2 3.4 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 C. semisweet chocolate chips
2 C. chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Eggless Chocolate chips Cookies

These are just like the classic cookies, except without eggs! Just as tasty!

Ingredients
1/2 C. unsalted butter
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. all-purpose flour, plus
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/2 C. chunky chocolate pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat butter and sugar in bowl of heavy-duty electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in vanilla. Add flour and baking powder; beat just until mixed. Stir in chocolate pieces. Dough will be firm. Shape into 6 or 7 lemon-sized balls. Arrange 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Using palm of hand, flatten each cookie to 1/2-inch thickness. Bake cookies until faintly browned at edges, about 45 minutes. (The cookies are so big that they require a long baking time.) Remove from oven; let cool on wire rack.

Friday, July 4, 2008

July 4th Patriotic Dump Cake

A true "dump it and run" special. It's hard to find an easier cake recipe.

Ingredients
1 can cherry pie filling
1 C. fresh blueberries
19 oz. pkg. white cake mix
1 C. butter, melted
1 C. chopped nuts

Directions
In a 9x12" greased pan, layer the ingredients in the order listed. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

July 4th-Patriotic Parfait

Layers of red strawberries and raspberries, blueberries, and sweet cream create a patriotic food statement!


Ingredients
1/2 pt./125ml heavy cream
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 qt. strawberries
1 qt. blueberries
1/2 pt. red raspberries

Directions
Whip cream with sugar (or omit sugar altogether and it will taste even better); set aside. Wash fruits and spread out on a terry towel to dry. Puree raspberries in the blender and chill. Slice strawberries. Place some blueberries in the bottom of parfait glasses then add some strawberry slices. Drizzle with a small amount of raspberry puree. Top with some whipped cream. Repeat layers until the glasses are full, ending with whipped cream. Make sure to keep some of the raspberry puree. Just before serving, drizzle the remaining raspberry puree over the whipped cream.

July 4th- Patriotic Pie

Be patriotic with red, white, and blue: strawberries, blueberries, and creamy vanilla filling


Ingredients
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 C. concentrated lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 C. strawberries
1/4 C. concentrated lemon juice
blueberries
banana

Directions
In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk. Beat until smooth. Stir in 1/3 C. lemon concentrate and vanilla extract. Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Chill at least 3 hours. Slice strawberries lengthwise. Arrange "fallen domino" style in 1 ring around outer edge of pie. For next ring, add a single row of fresh (or frozen, thawed and drained) blue berries. Slice a banana into 1/4 C. of lemon concentrate and drain. Place banana slices as next ring. Add another ring of blueberries, then a little "mound" of sliced strawberries in the center

July 4th -Red,White and Blue Torte

A wonderful dessert to celebrate America on the Forth of July.

Ingredients
1 loaf (10-3/4 oz.) frozen pound cake, thawed
1/2 C. blueberry pie filling
1/2 C. strawberry or raspberry pie filling
1-3/4 C. whipped topping

Directions
Split cake horizontally into three layers. Place bottom layer on a serving platter; spread with blueberry filling. Top with middle cake layer; spread with strawberry filling. Replace top of cake. Frost top and sides with whipped topping. Refrigerate for several hours before slicing.

July 4th-Red White and Blue -Shooters

The layers stay separate giving it a patriotic look.

Ingredients
1 part peach schnapps
1 part blue curacao
1 part grenadine

Directions
In a shot glass, pour ingredients in layers and do not mix. 1st grenadine, then peach schnapps, ending with the blue curacao.

July 4th-Red White and Blue Slaw

For a Fourth of July picnic, this slaw is perfect!


Ingredients
12 slices bacon
6 C. shredded cabbage
1 C. cole slaw dressing
1/2 C. blue cheese, crumbled
1 C. cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Crumble and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the bacon, cabbage and dressing. Mix well. Sprinkle with sliced cherry tomatoes and blue cheese. Refrigerate and serve chilled

July 4th-Red ,White and Blue Nachos

Blue corn chips make these nachos extra colorful! Perfect for the Fourth of July!


Ingredients
1 pkg. blue corn tortilla chips
16 oz. can refried beans
1 whole diced tomato
1/3 C. chopped white onion
1 chopped Serrano chili pepper or other hot pepper (optional)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 C. shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

Directions
Heat refried beans. Combine diced tomato, onion, chili pepper and lemon juice in a small bowl. Arrange chips on a large serving platter. Spoon hot refried beans over chips; top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle cheese over all. Serve immediately.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Jambalaya Favourite

This shrimp and smoked sausage dish can be easily altered to your tastes, such as by using chicken or different seasonings.


Ingredients
1 bunch of greens onions (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
2 celery stalks(thinly sliced)
1 green(Bell)pepper (chopped)
1 lb. smoked sausage(sliced)
1 C. shrimp
2 Tbs. margarine

1 can of Rotel tomatoes (14 oz)
1 can of diced tomatoes (14oz)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
2 cans of chicken broth (or 3C. of homemade chicken broth)
salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste
Kitchen Bouquet

2 C. Instant Rice

Directions
Take first seven ingredients, place in skillet and cook until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, hot sauce and enough Kitchen Bouquet to make a darker color. Cook slowly covered for about 45 minutes to an hour. Add Instant Rice. Let stand about 10 minutes and you have yourself a pot of Jambalaya.

New Orleans Shrimp Jambalaya

Bring the taste of New Orleans straight into your home with this easy jambalaya recipe that will have everyone hummin' a tune.

Ingredients
1 C. onion, chopped
1 C. celery, chopped
1 C. green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 stick butter, (4 Tbs.)
2 Tbs. flour
1 14 1/2 oz. can whole tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
2 C. uncooked rice, long grain
2 lb. shrimp
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 C. water

Directions
Sauté onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic in butter until tender. Add flour and mix well. Add tomatoes and sauce and bring to a boil. Add rice, shrimp, salt, pepper and water. Cook covered on low heat until rice is tender. Add more water if mixture is too dry. Add additional salt and pepper to taste if necessary.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Slowcook Crockpot Jambalaya

Ingredients
12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 C. green peppers, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 oz. can whole tomatoes
1/3 C. tomato paste
1 can beef broth
1 Tbs. parsley
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. shelled shrimp
3 C. cooked rice

Directions

Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces. Put all ingredients (except shrimp and rice) in crockpot. Cover; cook on low for 8 hours. Add shrimp the last 20 minutes of cooking. Stir in rice before serving.

More Like This:

Sausage Jambalaya Rice

Ingredients
2 lb. quality smoked sausage (sliced)
3 C. uncooked medium grain rice
2 cans Campbells French Onion soup
1 can water
1 med. onion, diced
1 med. bell pepper, diced
1 Tbs. Tony Cacheres seasoning
1 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Fry the smoked sausage in a frying pan on the stove. Stop to remove excess grease. Add all the remaining ingredients to the rice cooker and stir gently. Add cooked sausage after draining well. Push the cook button on the rice cooker and when the rice cooker stops cooking, it's ready. Serve in bowls with hot sauce and green salad.