General Tso's Chicken

     My husband and I love Chinese food, especially General Tso’s chicken and tofu. We have tried on numerous occasions to make this dish using store bought sauces, mixes, and powders, but it has never tasted even close to the real thing. So when I saw a recipe for General Tso’s on Joelen’s blog and read many of the rave reviews I was incredibly anxious to try it.

     I bought the ingredients and whisked everything together for the marinade. I had a little taste and much to my surprise, it tasted good! I marinated the chicken for an hour and then got started on the chicken. I added some broccoli to the chicken and ground ginger to the coating.

     As I brought the sauce to a boil it smelled amazing. I poured the sauce over the chicken and served it all over rice. My husband and I were excited to try it. It was really good! It tasted very similar to the General Tso’s that is served in Chinese restaurants. This is definitely the closest I’ve ever gotten to the real thing. We can’t wait to try it over tofu next time.

General Tso’s Chicken (adapted from Joelen’s Culinary Adventures )

Marinade and Sauce:

½ c. hoison sauce
¼ c. white vinegar
3 T. soy sauce
3 T sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 t. ground ginger
1 ¼ c. water
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. grated fresh ginger
½ t. red pepper flakes
1 c. fresh broccoli florets

Coating and Frying:

2 large egg whites
¾ c. cornstarch
¾ c. flour

1 t. ground ginger

½ t. baking soda

4-5 T. olive oil

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces. Put in a gallon sized zip top bag and place in the refrigerator.

2. In a medium bowl whisk the hoison sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, ground ginger, and water. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and pour 6 T. of the marinade over the chicken in the bag. Seal and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cover the remaining marinade in the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

3. In a medium sauce pan heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, fresh ginger, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant. Add all the remaining marinade/sauce (reserved 2 T.) that was chilling in the refrigerator. Whisk occasionally, until mixture in dark brown and thickened. Remove from heat and cover with a lid.

4. Get out 2 prep bowls. In one bowl whisk the egg whites until foamy, set aside. In the second bowl mix flour, cornstarch, ground ginger, baking soda, and reserved marinade/sauce. Mix well.

5. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and marinade. Pat the marinated chicken with a paper towel. Toss half the chicken into the foamy egg white and then dredged in the cornstarch mixture. Put on a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

6. In a large skillet heat 3 T. of olive oil. Add the chicken and sauté 3-4 minutes on one side. Add the remaining oil then sauté 3-4 minutes on the other side. Add in the broccoli and stir fry for 4-5 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, warm the sauce over medium heat until simmering. Pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with green onions and serve over rice.

This post is linked to:

Tuesday Night Supper Club

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Tuesday's at the Table

The Winner Is.....

     Thank you to all who entered the Sabra Hummus giveaway this past week!  I used random.org to draw a number and the winner is:

 Karen from Lovestoeat! 

You can find her fabulous blog at http://www.lovestoeat.wordpress.com/ .  Congratulations!  I'll be sending you an e-mail later today so that I can get your address to ship out your prize!  Thank you to Houseparty and Sabra for providing me with this fabulous prize package!

Breakfast Crostata

     This is my first month joining in on the Daring Bakers' challenge and I was so excited to finally become a part of this group!  The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.

     I have never made a crostata and I didn't even own a tart pan.  I figured this was the perfect opportunity to splurge and buy myself one.  I looked for tart pans at four different stores before I finally found one at the local kitchen store.  I was very excited to start on this challenge.

     I am usually one for making sweets but I had just made a pan of brownies the day before so I decided to go for a savory crostata.  My husband loves breakfast foods but since I'm not a big breakfast eater I rarely make breakfast for him.  This was the perfect opportunity to make him a breakfast treat, even if I had an alterior motive. 

     When I think of breakfast I think of eggs and bacon.  I wanted to make the crostata a bit more gourmet so I finally decided on a filling of pancetta, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, thyme, and a savory egg custard.  The result was amazing!  The filling was the perfect balance of creamy egg custard and salty pancetta with the mushrooms blending everything together.  The crust was flaky and brown.  My husband loved it and was thrilled I had made him breakfast.  I enjoyed it so much I may make breakfast again next weekend!

Breakfast Crostata with Pancetta, Mushrooms, and Egg Custard
 (Crostata crust recipe inspired by those in the book La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiare bene by Pellegrino Artusi (1820-1911) translated into English as Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well)

Pasta Frolla (crust):
2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 stick butter, chilled, cut into pieces
Grated zest of half a lemon
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 t. thyme

1. In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt, and thyme.


2. Rub or cut the butter into the flour mixture until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs. (I used my fingers to do this)

3. Make a well in the center of the mounded flour and butter mixture. Pour the beaten eggs into the well. Add the lemon zest and thyme.
4. Use a fork to incorporate the liquid into the solid ingredients, then use your fingertips. Knead lightly until the dough just forms a ball. Shape into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight.


Filling:
4 oz. chopped pancetta
4 oz. thinly sliced mushrooms
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. low fat milk
1/4 t. thyme
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 t. salt

1.  Take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll out to 1/8 inch thickness.  If the dough is firm, start by pressing the dough with the rolling pin from the middle to each end.  If it is too crumbly, add a few drops of water.

2.  Once the dough is 1/8 inch thick, flip dough over the tart pan, centering it.  Delicately press it all around so the corners are well covered.  Prick the bottom of the dough with the fork in several places.  Set aside.

3.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

4.  In a small skillet heat the pancetta over medium high heat.  Stir for 4-5minutes or until crisp.  Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.  Add the mushrooms to the same pan that you cooked the pancetta in.  Cook for 6-7 minutes or until browned.  Remove from skillet.

5.  In a small saucepan heat the milk and 1/4 t. thyme.  Bring to a simmer, but not a boil.  Meanwhile, beat the egg and egg yolk in a bowl.  Slowly add the hot milk to the eggs, stirring contantly.

6.  Layer the pancetta and mushrooms on top of the dough in the tart pan.  Top with the cheddar cheese.  Slowly pour the egg mixture over top of the other ingredients.

7.  Put in the oven and cook 30-35 minutes, checking to see that the eggs are set and the crust is brown.  (This took 32 minutes in my oven.)  Slowly remove from the oven and release the tart base from the fluted tart ring.  Let sit 5 minutes to cool.  Cut and enjoy!

This post is linked to:
Not Baaad Sundays
Mommy's Kitchen

Cranberry Apple Mini Pies-What's Baking?

The November challenge for What’s Baking? was to make a dish that reminded us of Thanksgiving. At first all I could think of was pumpkin. I’ve made several pumpkin dishes in the past two months, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to use one as part of this challenge. I began thinking of other foods that reminded me of Thanksgiving and finally came up with cranberries.

I don’t really like cranberries by themselves so I tried thinking of a complimentary fruit and immediately thought of apples. I wanted to make some sort of pie or tart. After sleeping on it I came up with the idea of making mini pies. My thought was that after a huge Thanksgiving dinner everyone always wants a little dessert but ends up eating way to much. With mini pies, the portions are already controlled. They are big enough to satisfy a sweet tooth, but not too much.

I didn’t have any mini pans so I wanted to try making them in my muffin tin. I wasn’t sure how it would work out, so I just went with it. I made the pie crust, baked it, and then pulled it out of the oven. I filled it with the cranberries and apples and put it back in to bake.

It had an amazingly sweet and spicy scent when it came out of the oven. The pies easily popped out of the muffin tins and held their shape. They were sweet and tart, with a hint of cinnamon. They were fantastic! This is probably the best dessert I’ve made this month. I will be making this for our Thanksgiving dinner.



Cranberry Apple Mini Pies (Crust recipe adapted from All Recipes . The pie filling is my own creation.)

For the crust:

1 ½ c. flour
1/3 c. vegetable oil
¼ c. low fat milk
2 T. sugar
½ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon
For the filling:

¾ c. fresh cranberries
½ c. water
½ c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 T. flour
2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½ inch pieces (I used Gala)
Juice of ½ lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a small bowl combine all the ingredients for the crust. Mix with a fork until combined. Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 3 inch circles (using a cookie cutter or a knife). Put each circle into one of the muffin cups in your muffin tin.

3. Push into the bottom and the sides of the muffin tin. Trim any extra dough hanging over the edge or top. Poke two holes in the bottom of each pie crust with a fork. Bake for 12 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat the cranberries, water, sugar, and cinnamon in a small pot of medium heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the flour.

5. Cut the apples into ½ inch slices. Sprinkle with the lemon juice.

6. Pull the mini pie crusts out of the oven. Put 2 or 3 cranberries in the bottom of each then fill almost to the top with apple slices. Pour the remaining cranberries with juice over top of each of the filled crusts to the top.

7. Put back into the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Cool for 5 minutes then remove the mini pies to a wire rack to cool completely.

***There are only 3 more days to enter the Sabra Hummus giveaway!  Remember to enter here by midnight on November 26th for your chance to win an awesome Sabra prize pack!***

This post is linked to:

Crazy for Crust Pie Party, 

Buffalo Chicken Dip

     One of the easiest appetizers to make that is a huge crowd please is Buffalo Chicken Dip. So it’s no surprise that during football season I make this spicy dip often. I’ll be honest, this recipe is all over the Internet and I’m not sure where I first found it. All I know is its super easy, makes a lot, and we love it! I didn’t have two packages of cream cheese to use like I normally do, so I substituted in some sour cream. My husband commented that today’s dip may have been the best I even made it, so I’ll be keeping the sour cream in it.


     This dip is perfect when served with tortilla chips, celery, carrots, or crackers. It can also be made in individual ramekins so that each person gets their own container of dip.

Buffalo Chicken Dip (adapted from Frank's Red Hot)

1 can (13 oz) chunk chicken breast, drained

1 package (8 oz) 1/3 less fat cream cheese

½ c. light ranch dressing

½ c. light sour cream

1/3 c. Frank’s Red Hot (more or less depending on how hot you like it)

1 c. cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl mix softened cream cheese, ranch dressing, and sour cream. Add the hot sauce and stir until well mixed. Mix in the chicken making sure you break up the bigger pieces and it is well combined.

3. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spread the dip into the pan. Top with the cheddar cheese.

4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, and vegetables.

**Don't forget to comment here for your chance to win a Sabra Hummus gift pack!

This post is linked to:

Tuesdays at the Table

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Tuesday Night Supper Club 

Sabra Hummus Giveaway and Hummus Chicken Salad

      Two weeks ago Houseparty and Sabra Hummus had me host a fabulous party featuring hummus, pita chips, and other snacks. I ended up having the party at work and my friends and co-workers raved about the Hummus. (see original post here)

    
     The wonderful people at both Houseparty and Sabra also gave me some goodies for a giveaway!  This is my very first giveaway and I'm so excited about it!  Included in the hummus party pack are a bamboo Sabra cooking spoon, a Sabra hummus trivet, a Sabra hummus recipe card holder, a coupon for a free container of Sabra hummus, and two $1.00 off coupons as well!  Everything you need to have your very own Sabra hummus party!

      One of the recipes that I tried at the party is was the Hummus Chicken Salad (recipe from the Sabra website)
1 c. grilled chicken breast, cubed
1 T. finely chopped onions
2 T. diced celery
2 T. diced red peppers
1 T. water
1/2 c. hummus, any flavor (I like the roasted red pepper!)
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.

2.  Serve on a lettuce leaf as a salad, on bread as a sandwich, or in a wrap.

    
     There are three ways to enter in the Sabra hummus giveaway, each will give you one entry to win the prize pack!
1.  Leave a comment about your favorite flavor of Sabra hummus or something you like to make with hummus.
2.  Tell me about your favorite healthy dip.  It can be something you make yourself or a store bought dip.
3.  Become a follower of my blog then comment telling me you are a follower.

Be sure to leave your e-mail so that I am able to contact you if you are the winner.  You have until midnight on November 26 to enter.  I will announce the winner on November 27!

This post is linked to:
Not Baaad Sundays

"Cleaning out the Kitchen" Pasta Salad

I love pasta. It is one of my food vices in life. I think I could eat it everyday if my husband would go for it. One of our favorite pasta dishes in the hotter months is pasta salad. It’s cold and refreshing, full of fresh vegetables. I really like making “Clean out the Kitchen” Pasta Salad because it helps to clean out the pantry and refrigerator at the end of the week in addition to making a great side dish.

All it takes it some fresh vegetables, leftover uncooked pasta, some cheese, and pepperoni. I normally use carrots, onion, peppers, and tomatoes as my vegetables, but any fresh vegetables that are left over in the refrigerator at the end of the week will work. This week I didn’t have any tomatoes left but I did have celery so I substituted it in. I had two cups of corkscrew pasta left from a pasta salad I had made the week before and a cup of macaroni noodles leftover from a macaroni and cheese we had 2 weeks ago.

I like to make my own dressing with the pasta salad because it just makes it taste that much better.  However, if you have an Italian dressing or vinaigrette you need to use in your refrigerator it will work just as well.  Cook it up, mix it together, and sprinkle with your choice of seasonings!


“Cleaning out the Kitchen" Pasta Salad

3 c. uncooked pasta (I used 2 c. corkscrew pasta and 1 c. macaroni)
1 ½ c. fresh vegetables, diced (I used 2 celery stalks, 1 large carrot, ½ an onion, and a green pepper)
4 oz. cheddar cheese, diced
3 oz. pepperoni, cut into small chunks
1 t. sea salt
2 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 t. oregano
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 c. Italian vinaigrette (already prepared or using the recipe that follows)
¼ c. Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, making sure it is al dente. Drain and run cool water over the pasta.

2. In a large container that the pasta salad will be kept in toss the vegetables, cheddar cheese, and pepperoni together. Add the Italian dressing. Toss well to coat. Sprinkle the pasta salad with the salt, pepper, oregano, and Italian seasonings. Mix well.

3. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Italian Vinaigrette

2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. oregano
1 T. chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste


1. In a bowl mix the vinegar with the garlic, oregano, and chopped parsley. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
This post is linked to:
Friday Potluck
Foodie Fridays

Grilled Burgers

     My husband and I love to grill out most of the year, unless it’s snowing. One of our favorite meals is hamburgers and grilled corn. I usually have a veggie burger, but Frank loves a good hamburger. After trying many different hamburger recipes and using many different seasonings, we both agree that simple is better. This recipe gives the meat a lot of addition flavors without covering up the flavor of the beef itself. We like to top ours with a slice of cheese, a leaf of lettuce, and put it on a bun with some A1. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s good.

Hamburgers on the Grill

1 pound Laura’s lean ground beef
2 t. Montreal steak seasoning
2 t. A1 steak sauce
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
3 hamburger buns
Cheese, lettuce, A1 to top the hamburger

1. In a bowl mix the beef, steak seasoning, A1, and Worcestershire sauce until well blended.

2. Divide the beef into 3 one-third pound burger patties.

3. Place on a hot grill and cook 3-4 minutes each side or until they are cooked through.  Top with cheese if desired and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Serve on a toasted hamburger bun.

Note:  To make into sliders, simply patty the hamburger meat into 1-2 inch round burgers and grill for several minutes on each side.  Be careful not to overcook the burgers.

This post is linked to:

What's Cooking Wednesdays,

What's on Your Plate?

Smothered Pork Chops and Seeing Paula Deen Live!

    This past weekend my nieces invited me to go with them to the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show in Washington, DC.  I was extremely excited to go because there were over 300 vendors, samples of products, and appearances by Food Network Stars.  We were lucky enough to get tickets to see Paula Deen live!

    Paula Deen is hilarious.  She was only supposed to be on stage for an hour, but stayed for an hour and a half.  Her husband Michael was there as well.  He ended up doing much of the cooking with sous chef Glen while Paula entertained the audience and answered questions.  I found it very inspiring that Paula never really cooked until she was 18 and didn't start cooking professionally until she was 42. 

   During her time on stage she made a glazed ham, stuffing (or dressing as she called it), and gooey pumpkin butter cake.  Everything looked delicious, but it was how real Paula was that made the event for me.  She shared some very personal stories and interacted with various people in the audience.  She spoke about her grandmother being her inspiration, about her sons style of cooking, and even told us a story of how she came to adopt her cat Pumpkin.

   We even had two surprise guests visit during the show!  Jill Biden stopped by with a message for the spouses of soldiers who were spending the day at the show, and Paula's cousin Johnnie stopped by as well!  Johnnie had a booth set up with baked goods from her amazing bakery Gabriel's (more on that in another post).

   After the show we bolted to the bookstore and ended up buying the last three signed copies of Paula's cookbook The Deen Family Cookbook.  I cannot wait to start cooking from this book.  However, in the days leading up to the show I browsed some Paula Deen recipes online and made her Lowcountry Smothered Pork Chops for dinner tonight.

   I really wasn't too sure how this recipe would turn out as it didn't seem to incorporate nearly enough butter for a Paula Deen recipe.  It did, however, turn out wonderfully.  The combination of tender pork chops, sauteed vegetables, and the smothered sauce was really delicious.  I could totally picture the Deen family sitting down to Sunday supper with this meal.  The Worcestershire sauce adds a nice hint of flavor to the rest of the dish and the chicken broth reduces down to almost a gravy.  We ended up putting the leftover gravy on rolls!  Delicious!

Paula Deen's Smothered Pork Chops  (adapted from Paula Deen )

4 center cut pork chops, 1 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 t. red pepper

2 T. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 medium green bell peppers, cut into strips
1 large sweet onion, cut into strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 t. Worcestshire sauce
4 oz. sliced mushrooms

1.  Trim fat from chops and season with salt and peppers. 

2.  Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Dredge the pork chops in the flour, shaking off the excess, and put them into the pan.  Brown well, about 3 minutes per side, and remove to a plate.

3.  Add the pepper and onion to the skillet and saute to softened, about 3 minutes.  Add in the mushrooms and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook about a minute.  Push the vegetables to the side and add the chops to the center.  Put the vegetables on top of the pork chops.

4.  Pour in the chicken broth and sprinkle with the Worcestshire sauce.  Turn the heat to low, cover with foil and simmer for 35 minutes.

This post is linked to:

Tuesday Night Supper Club

Tuesdays at the Table

Recipe Swap Thursday

Cooking Thursday

Sabra Hummus and Stacy's Pita Chips (Party Host)

I’m excited to say that I was chosen to host another House Party this month! When I heard that the party was sponsored by Sabra I was ecstatic! I love their hummus. We buy at least one container of it per week. In our house we eat it with pita chips, raw veggies, on our sandwiches, and as a dip with pretzels. While there are many brands to choose from, one of our favorites is Sabra.

For hosting this party I received 4 free containers of Sabra hummus and a bag of Stacy’s pita chips. We really enjoy Stacy’s Pita Chips as well. They are made with all natural pitas and contain no artificial flavorings.

Also included in my party pack were a Sabra wooden spoon, Sabra trivet, and a CD with music from around the world! This was the perfect party for me to host because my learning team at school is working on food and nutrition. We had a joint after school meeting to discuss how to teach nutrition and exercise to our students and Sabra healthy snack party!

We had a great time. We ate, shared recipes, talked about healthy living, and relaxed to the music. There were even two people who had never had hummus before! I could hardly believe it. Every single person that came to the party loved the hummus and the pita chips. The overall favorite flavor was the roasted red pepper hummus, which just happens to be my favorite as well. I tried the spinach and artichoke hummus for the first time and thought it was a great alternative to fatty spinach artichoke dip.

In addition to using hummus as a dip I also ended up making hummus chicken salad which was a great variation on the original.  There are several yummy entree recipes using hummus as well on the Sabra website.  There's also a section on easy ideas for using hummus that has some unique ideas.  

Sabra has 15 different varieties of hummus. At just 2 Weight Watchers points per serving it’s the perfect snack for people who are watching their weight but want something satisfying as well. I’m glad that I got the chance to share Sabra hummus with my friends and try a new flavor for myself.

Meat and Veggie Lasagna

     It’s been a rough week at work. Four day weeks are fantastic and horrible at the same time. They are great because of the three day weekend and four days makes for a short work week. They are horrible because after having a three day week the students often have difficulty coming back to school. So it’s been a tough week for some of my students.


     Dinner this week has been fairly easy so far. On Sunday I went to my parents, then Monday and Tuesday we had leftovers from my parents. On Wednesday we had a frozen pizza. By Thursday I was ready for a good home-cooked meal; preferably one that would last two nights so I wouldn’t have to cook again until I had some time this weekend.

     My go to meals are always pasta. I love the fact that pasta is so simple to make yet so filling and delicious. My standard two day pasta meal is lasagna. It’s a pain to make, but worth the trouble. Last time I made it I made vegetable lasagna which was very tasty and my husband enjoyed, but he said he missed the meat in it.

     I had ground beef in the refrigerator as well as a lot of vegetables that I had bought at the market over the weekend. I figured I’d combine two of my favorite recipes and make a meat and vegetable lasagna. I had spinach, carrots, an onion, and some homegrown tomatoes in the crisper that needed to be used by the weekend.

     I mixed the spinach and carrots into the ricotta cheese mix and put the onion and tomatoes in with the sauce and meat. The lasagna ended up being really tasty! It was so filling that we had it for dinner two nights and lunch one day. It also satisfied my need for vegetables and hubby’s need for meat. This is a great meal for using up veggies that are in your refrigerator. You can really add any vegetables to this lasagna as long as you cut them up and sauté them before adding them.

Meat and Veggie Lasagna

1 lb. Laura’s Lean Ground beef (93/7)

1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2-4 chopped tomatoes (if desired)
2 jars Barilla Marinara sauce
1/3 c. red wine
1 container ricotta cheese (15 oz.)-I like to use Maggio Premium Part-Skim Ricotta
3 c. part-skim mozzarella cheese (divided)
1 egg
2 c. vegetables, chopped (my favorites are carrots, spinach, and mushrooms)
½ c. Parmesan cheese
1 box Barilla Lasagne (no boil lasagna noodles)

1. In a large skillet brown the ground beef. When it’s almost fully cooked add the onion and garlic, stirring well.

2. Add 1 jar of the marinara sauce, the chopped tomatoes, and red wine to the ground beef. Stir until well incorporated. Cook on medium low while preparing the cheese mixture.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

4. In a medium bowl beat the egg. Stir in ricotta cheese, ¼ c. Parmesan cheese, and 1 c. mozzarella cheese. Mix in vegetables and stir until well blended.

5. Turn the heat off under the ground beef mixture. Spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with cooking spray.

6. Spread 1 c. of plain marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan. Layer 4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the cheese mixture, ¾ c. mozzarella cheese, and half of the ground beef and sauce mixture.

7. Layer 4 more lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the cheese mixture, and 1 c. of the plain marinara sauce.

8. Layer 4 more lasagna noodles, the remaining cheese mixture, ¾ c. mozzarella cheese, and the remainder of the ground beef and sauce mixture.

9. Layer 4 lasagna noodles on top. Pour on the remaining plain marinara sauce. Top with ½ c. mozzarella cheese and ¼ c. Parmesan cheese.

10. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and brown. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

This post is linked to:
Foodie Fridays
Katie's Cusina
Tasty Tuesdays

Caramel Swirl Brownies

      One of my favorite weekend treats are brownies. My husband is a huge brownie fan and they are incredibly easy to make. So when I went to the cupboard to get the cocoa I saw that the bag of caramel bits that I had recently purchased and decided to jazz up the brownies a little. I thought about putting caramel in the middle of the brownies, but decided against it because I didn’t want a huge pan of brownies that my husband and I would eat ourselves.

     I made a pan of my favorite brownies from Hershey’s, and then poured the melted caramel bits on top in lines. Then I ran a knife through the caramel to make a pretty pattern. They turned out better then I expected! Most of the caramel stayed on top, but some of it ran down and pooled on the bottom on the brownies, almost sandwiching them in caramel. These brownies are so moist and chewy. The addition of caramel was fantastic as well! It gave a whole new dimension to these weekend favorites.

Caramel Swirl Brownies (adapted from Hershey’s)

½ c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
1 egg white
½ c. flour
1/3 c. Hershey’s cocoa powder
½ t. baking powder
½ c. Kraft Caramel Bits
2-3 T. skim milk

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl mix the butter, sugar, and vanilla until well mixed. Whisk in the egg and egg white.

3. In a small bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Stir until well mixed.

4. In a microwave safe bowl, mix the caramel bits and milk. Heat on high in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir and heat for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute or until caramel bits are melted and the milk is incorporated into the caramel. Set aside to slightly cool.

5. Spread the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the caramel mixture onto the brownies in straight lines across. Take a knife and run it top to bottom through the caramel making a pretty design on top of the brownies.

6. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Cut into 12 pieces and enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie with Crumble Topping

     Chicken breasts were on sale at the market a week ago so I bought two pounds of them. I had them defrosting in the refrigerator and was trying to figure out what in the world I was going to make with them. I needed half a pound for a new football appetizer I was trying, but that left me with a pound and a half of chicken.


     While I thought on it I rambled off what I thought I could make to my husband. I suggested chicken soup, Crockpot chicken, or stir fry chicken. In a moment of genius he reminded me that I had a new chicken pot pie recipe that I’d wanted to try. Let me preface this with the fact that I’ve never made a chicken pot pie in my life because I don’t really like them all that much. I think it’s the peas. I HATE peas, but I had printed out the recipe because my husband loves pot pies and I wanted to make one for him.

     It was cold and rainy outside so it was the perfect night for a pot pie. I started cooking at 6:15 figuring we would eat at 7:00. Boy was I wrong. I’m not sure if it was because a friend was over and I was distracted or if it just took a really long time, but we didn’t eat until 7:45. My husband loved the pot pie. He thought it was great, liked the flavors, but added that next time it needed more “gravy” or liquid in it.

     I thought the chicken pot pie was ok. I loved the crumbly topping and it had a nice flavor to it, but I couldn’t really get over the peas. Of course, my spoonful of pot pie was overflowing with peas. Other then the peas, it was actually a pretty tasty dish. Next time I think I may eliminate the peas and add in celery or something similar (and green).

     I will say that when we heated this dish up the next day I liked it a lot more then I did the first day. I think it had time to sit and the vegetables really absorbed the flavor of the “gravy”. The peas didn’t taste nearly as bad on day two because they had the richness of the milk with a hint of butter to them. While it isn’t my favorite dish, I’ll be making it again for my husband’s sake.


Chicken Pot Pie (adapted from Cooking with Christen )
Filling:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 ½ c. chicken broth
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 8-oz. package of mushrooms, washed and sliced
2 t. low sodium soy sauce
4 T. butter
1 ½ c. low fat milk
½ c. flour
1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 T. dried parsley (or 3 T. fresh chopped parsley)
1 c. frozen baby peas
Crumble Topping:
2 c. all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
½ t. black pepper
½ t. red pepper
6 T. butter, cut into pieces, chilled
½ c. parmesan cheese
¾ c. low fat milk

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces. In a skillet heat 1 cup of chicken broth. Put chicken into the broth and cook over medium heat 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Discard the chicken broth.

3. For the topping: Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and peppers in a large bowl. Toss in the butter pieces and mix with fingers until it is crumbly. Stir in cheese then add milk until just combined.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread topping out on the baking sheet. Cook 12-14 minutes or until it begins browning. Take out and set aside. (At this point I crumbled the topping into pieces).

5. For the filling: Heat 1 T. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Cook vegetables until tender. Transfer vegetables to the bowl with chicken and set aside.

6. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and add the mushrooms. Cook five minutes. Stir in the soy sauce. Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are brown. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the chicken and veggies.

7. Heat butter in the skillet. Add flour. Stir and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to get up the browned bits. Simmer another minute. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley. Stir in chicken and vegetables mixture and peas.

8. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top. Bake at 450 until the filing is bubbling and the topping is browned, about 15 minutes.

**When reheating, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover the pot pie with foil and bake 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the filling is bubbly.**

This recipe is linked to:

Mommy's Kitchen-Potluck Sundays

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

     I am so into pumpkin right now. Fall is in the air, the leaves are changing, and I just keep buying cans of pumpkin at the market. I wanted to make a delicious pumpkin spice cookie. I took some ideas from sugar cookies and snicker doodles and tried to make a really yummy cookie. Well friends, I failed miserably. I made a cookie that had a great flavor, but that was thick and doughy. I tossed that batch and decided to start fresh with a few different ideas.


     The new batch had more pumpkin in it, less flour, and baking soda in addition to baking soda. I also added one more key ingredient: chocolate chips. Let me tell you, I believe those chocolate chips made all the difference in the world. These cookies are very good. They taste of pumpkin, spices, and melted chocolate. They are the perfect fall treat.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

½ c. butter (1 stick) softened
1 c. pumpkin (I used Libby’s canned pumpkin)
¾ c. brown sugar
½ c. sugar
1½ t. vanilla
1 egg
1 egg white
2 ½ c. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 ½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl mix the butter, pumpkin, brown sugar, and sugar. Cream until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Slowly mix in the egg and egg white.

3. In a medium bowl mix flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips

6. Drop batter by 1 inch teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 11-13 minutes or until the tops begin to brown.

7. Pull out the cookie sheet and let sit for 1 minute. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes before eating.

4th of July by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (Book Review)

     I really enjoy the Women’s Murder Club series that is written by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. I have read four of them so far, in no particular order, and I’ve really enjoyed each one. So when I arrived at the library and found that my copy of 4th of July had arrived I was very excited. I couldn’t wait to get home and start reading it.
     The book starts off with a bang. James Patterson wastes no time jumping into the story and within the first few chapters there is a car chase, a gun fight, one teenager dead, another severely injured, and two police officers shot at the scene. Then after getting out of the hospital, SFPD Lt. Lindsay Boxer is charged with a police brutality and wrongful death suite against her.

     Lindsay runs to her sisters’ house to hide out on the advice of her lawyer, Yuki. But her vacation in Half Moon Bay is cut short when someone starts killing the local residents in a brutal way. The deaths are reminiscent of a ten year old cold case from Lt. Boxer’s past. She’ll never forget the death of John Doe #24 and these eerily similar deaths cause Lindsay to begin investigating the murders even though she is on restricted duty.

     The Women’s Murder Club takes a backseat as Lindsay works to win her lawsuit in San Francisco and solve the murders in Half Moon Bay. As the trial comes to a close and Lindsay returns to Half Moon Bay she finds herself a target of the murders. She races against the clock to solve the murders before she ends up the next victim. The book comes to a close in a dramatic twist that I could not have imagined.

     I really enjoyed this book. It was a page turner that I did not want to put down. Lindsay Boxer is at the center of this installment of the Women’s Murder Club series and she really shines in this book. The introduction of Yuki as the newest member of the club is the perfect balance. I can’t wait to get the next book in the series and the newest one that just came out.


I give this book 4 ½ out of 5 stars.

Pasta Pizza Salad

     I’ve been craving pasta salad lately but I wanted something a little different. I remembered a woman at work making a pasta salad with lettuce and a yummy cheese. I went into work the next day and asked if she could bring the recipe in for me. Turns out she had a copy in her desk-SCORE!


     After looking at the recipe I was pleased to find I only needed to go buy the cheese as we had everything else at home. It was better then I remembered. It’s an interesting hybrid of a pasta salad and a tossed salad. The flavors are decidedly Italian and the vinegar adds the perfect amount of acid to balance out the creamy cheese.
Pasta Pizza Salad (a recipe from Kathy Z.)

12 oz. tri-colored pasta
2 chopped tomatoes
4 oz. gruyere cheese
½ chopped red onion
1 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
2 t. oregano
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. garlic salt
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
Dressing:
¼ c. olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Toss together all of the salad ingredients.

2. Whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over salad right before serving.

This recipe linked to:

Meatless Mondays

Crock-Pot Chili

    I woke up this morning and was freezing. I checked the temperature and it was only 42 degrees outside and 57 degrees inside. BRRR! Way too cold for October, but I refuse to turn my heat on full blast this early in the year. We have an oil heated furnace and oil is NOT cheap. So I decided that since my husband has been asking for chili for the past two weeks this would be the perfect day to make it.


     I’ve worked hard over the past few years to perfect my chili recipe. I’ve often just used what has been in the refrigerator or in the cupboard and liked it so much that I’ve added it to my chili recipe. I think that I’ve probably revised the recipe 6 or 7 times over the years. The one I have now is great, but I still substitute ingredients in and out depending on what I have in the house.

     I checked out my supplies to see what I had. I didn’t have a packet of chili seasoning, but I had taco seasoning so I substituted that in instead. I had fresh peppers, tomatoes, and onions in the crisper so I was good on vegetables. I made the chili before work and put it in the crock-pot on low for the day. When I got home from work the smell of spicy tomatoes filled the air.

     The chili was perfect for this cold October day. It was warm, spicy, and filling. We ate it with salads and bread. I had butter on my bread but my husband swears by bread with peanut butter on it when eating chili. The best part? We have enough left over for dinner tomorrow!
Crock-Pot Chili

1 pound lean ground beef (I use Laura's Lean)
2 cans of diced tomatoes with jalapenos
2 cans red kidney beans, drained
2 c. water
1 packet of chili seasoning (or 3 T. ground cumin, 1 t. red pepper, 1 t. chili powder)
2 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
2 t. black pepper
3 T. cumin

1. Put the crock-pot on low heat. Add the canned tomatoes, kidney beans, water, and chili seasoning and mix well. Add in the diced tomatoes, green pepper, onion, and garlic. Cover.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the ground beef, 3 T. of cumin, and black pepper. Cook until the beef is heated through. Drain the grease and add to crock-pot. Cover crock-pot and cook on low for 8 hours.

**There are many things you can do with leftover chili. It freezes well for up to 3 months in a freezer bag.  I like to make a taco salad the next day from leftover chili and my husband likes to make chili dogs the day after. **