tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77952408791385893062024-02-07T01:24:28.284-08:00Mishi's MasterpiecesThis is a blog dedicated to my new found love for cooking. Or at least my new found love for ATTEMPTING to cook new recipes!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-70136884266063803492011-09-20T11:47:00.000-07:002011-09-20T11:47:56.382-07:00Proper English Cottage Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FqNKqcmIvXQ-CgYN_jERTTd-VkgUT5LfIrWcp59VrLLBIObEcFQ3yp480IkgJSRnoJhBaqvSUo0iRWUQQXMtRcXziXjLN2nkyBh-poJXa-lYmHcd1m3kQMGEjGKmWWt1g3LVrLo2/s1600/DSCN0862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FqNKqcmIvXQ-CgYN_jERTTd-VkgUT5LfIrWcp59VrLLBIObEcFQ3yp480IkgJSRnoJhBaqvSUo0iRWUQQXMtRcXziXjLN2nkyBh-poJXa-lYmHcd1m3kQMGEjGKmWWt1g3LVrLo2/s320/DSCN0862.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i>So, I know I once posted <a href="http://mishismasterpieces.blogspot.com/2010/09/chicken-leek-mash-topped-pie.html">a recipe</a> and called it "British," which I suppose it is since it is a recipe from a BRITISH can. However, I would never call that a "proper" British pie (though I did like it). THIS recipe however actually TASTED British to me and it's good! I even got both of my little boys to eat it. My 15 month old ate it without a problem, but it took a lot more coaxing for my 3 year old. But he did eventually eat it ALL up! As an aside, when I lived in America, I often heard dishes like this called "shepherds pie." Here in the UK, I've learned that a shepherds pie has minced lamb. If you use minced (ground) beef, it's cottage pie. Just a little random fact for you! Enjoy!</i><br />
<br />
<div align="center"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original recipe, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/proper-english-cottage-pie/detail.aspx">here</a>.</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: orange;"> Ingredients:</span></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: orange;"></span></b></span></div><ul><li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">1 pound lean ground beef</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">1 onion, diced</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">3 carrots, diced</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">2 tablespoons all-purpose flour</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (<i>the reviews said the original 1/2 a tsp was a bit much, so I did a little less and liked the flavour</i>)</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tablespoon Italian seasoning</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">2 tsp dried parsley</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/2 cups beef broth (<i>I did closer to 2 cups based on the size of my bouillon cube over here, since you let the water boil off, it doesn't seem to matter too much</i>)</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tablespoon tomato paste (<i>I used ketchup because I didn't have tomato paste</i>)</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">4 potatoes, peeled and diced</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 cup butter, softened</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">3/4 cup milk (<i>you may want to try a little less depending on the consistency you want</i>)</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 pound shredded Cheddar cheese</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li>
</ul><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: orange;">Directions: </span></b></span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><ol><li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C or gas mark 6). </span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">To Make Meat Filling: Place a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble in ground beef and sauté 1 minute. Add onion and carrot, then continue to sauté until meat is no longer pink and onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in flour, cinnamon, mixed herbs, and parsley. </span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">In a small bowl, combine beef broth and tomato paste. Mix together, then add to beef mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost all of liquid has been absorbed. Spoon mixture into a 9 inch pie plate or similar sized pyrex.</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">To Make Potato Topping: Place diced potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and place over high heat. Allow to come to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain.<br />
Mash potatoes until smooth, then add butter or margarine, followed by milk. Whip until fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread potatoes over beef filling. Sprinkle with grated Cheddar cheese.</span></li>
<li align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until top is browned and cheese is bubbly.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: orange;"> </span></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li>
</ol>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-72931337231495397042011-09-18T13:51:00.000-07:002011-09-19T05:43:48.427-07:00Chicken ContinentalAnother recipe without a picture, but it's still a keeper! Tonight I was feeling way too tired to cook and I needed something fast. Some people have elaborate Sunday meals, but Sunday's tend to wipe me out and since I do a lot of intense cooking during the week, Sunday tends to be a "lazier" day. Well, tonight I was looking for something quick to cook based on the ingredients I had on hand in my bare cupboards and found this. Jeff pointed out that it tastes A LOT like rice-a-roni and I'd have to agree with him, BUT it's made from scratch so it's a lot healthier. (Really, I don't cook from a box...ever, unless you count brownies). Plus, it's easy and my boys LOVED it, which is a big plus! I modified the recipe slightly based on other reviews, but it was great! I just served it with some cooked carrots and fruit (I use fruit to bribe my 3 year old to eat, though he didn't need it for this meal!).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original recipe,</span><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-continental/detail.aspx"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> here</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: purple;">Ingredients:</span></b></div><ul><li>4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I cubed them first)</li>
<li>2 Tb butter</li>
<li>1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">2 1/2 cups water</div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">2 tsp dried parsley</div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">2 cloves minced garlic</div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">1 stalk of celery, diced</div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 tsp salt</div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">1 pinch ground break pepper</div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 cups rice</div></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: purple;">Directions:</span></b></div><ol><li><div style="text-align: left;">In a large skillet, brown the chicken in the butter. Stir in the soup, 1 1/2 cups of water, parsley, garlic, celery, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.</div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">Add remaining 1 cup of water and stir in uncooked rice. Simmer (covered) for an additional 10 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed.</div></li>
</ol><ul><div align="left" style="text-align: left;"><i>Mmmm...I love quick, easy meals that my boys will eat! I make really involved meals way TOO often. Like the lasagna the other day that took THREE intensive hours to make and then my toddler refused to eat!</i></div></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-660693582486912242011-08-31T14:59:00.000-07:002011-08-31T15:00:26.176-07:00Creamy Jalapeno DressingI've REALLY been slacking at posting on here, even though we've made loads of new recipes. Jeff reminded me the other day that I really need to post this dressing because we LOVED it and want to have an easy place to find it when we want it again. So, although I don't have a picture, here goes:<br />
<br />
Original recipe, <a href="http://www.jbgorganic.com/blog/2011/04/">here</a>. When we lived in Austin, this was our CSA farm, so we still get emails and love to check out the recipes. This recipe was originally meant to go with pulled pork tostadas also from that link (which we liked, but not really a killer recipe in my mind, but we LOVED the dressing and it works well with any TexMex type meal.)<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">Ingredients:</span></b><br />
<br />
¾ cup ranch dressing<br />
2-3 tablespoons pickled jalapenos, chopped, with juice<br />
¼ cup cilantro, chopped<br />
Pinch garlic powder<br />
Kosher salt and black pepper<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>Directions:</b></span><br />
<br />
Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend well (we sadly don't have a food processor or blender in this country, but basically just chop everything up and mix it together). Allow to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using. Serve chilled or at room temperature.<br />
<br />
Super easy. And super delish! Like I said above, it goes well with any TexMex dishes!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-19190902349179509882011-05-15T12:22:00.000-07:002011-05-15T12:23:16.537-07:00General Tsao's Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaU54JvzPZcPmmUkvky6s2BL0G_qoz6k0RCyK3g711jGy6HndI2pRFoDnW8d5FyoV026xN_Zhx4icZxd-LqjXYqBkI5CWbMpzndvlR1LmiPI0Obc19H9qKjLq0Uq4s5zYLmcf2HXWgKKxy/s1600/IMG_5264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaU54JvzPZcPmmUkvky6s2BL0G_qoz6k0RCyK3g711jGy6HndI2pRFoDnW8d5FyoV026xN_Zhx4icZxd-LqjXYqBkI5CWbMpzndvlR1LmiPI0Obc19H9qKjLq0Uq4s5zYLmcf2HXWgKKxy/s320/IMG_5264.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>My husband has been making this dish for several years now. I refuse to make it because it's less-than-healthy AND time consuming (and besides, he'll cook it, so why should I?! :) However, I will admit this is an excellent recipe and definitely a keeper! For variety, you can even make the fried chicken pieces using this recipe and then use a different sauce.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Original recipe, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/General-Tsaos-Chicken-II/Detail.aspx">here</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Ingredients:<br />
<ul><li>4 cups vegetable oil for fying</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1/2 inch cubes</li>
<li>1 tsp salt</li>
<li>1 tsp white sugar</li>
<li>1 pinch pepper (the recipe calls for white pepper, but we've never had any, so we just use black)</li>
<li>1 cup cornstarch</li>
</ul><ul><li>2 Tb vegetable oil</li>
<li>3 Tb chopped green onion</li>
<li>1 clove garlic, minced</li>
<li>6 dried, whole red chilies</li>
<li>1 strip orange zest</li>
<li>1/2 c white sugar</li>
<li>1/4 tsp ground ginger</li>
<li>3 Tb chicken broth</li>
<li>1 Tb rice vinegar</li>
<li>1/4 c soy sauce</li>
<li>2 Tb sesame oil</li>
<li>2 Tb peanut oil</li>
</ul><ul><li>2 tsp cornstarch</li>
<li>1/4 c water</li>
</ul>Directions:<br />
<ol><li>Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in a large saucepan on high heat. </li>
<li> Beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken cubes; sprinkle with salt, 1 tsp sugar, and pepper; mix well. Mix in 1 cup of cornstarch a little bit at a time until the chicken cubes are well coated.</li>
<li>In batches, carefully drop the chicken cubes into the hot oil one by one, cooking until they turn golden brown and begin to float, about 3 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to cool as you fry the next batch. Once all of the chicken has been fried, re-fry the chicken, starting with the batch that was cooked first. Cook until the chicken turns deep golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.</li>
<li>Heat 2 Tb vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in the green onion, garlic, whole chilies, and orange zest. Cook and stir a minute or two until the garlic has turned golden and the chilies brighten. Add 1/2 cup of sugar, the ginger, chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and peanut oil; bring to a biol and cook for 3 minutes.</li>
<li>Dissolve 2 tsp of cornstarch into the water, and stir into the boiling sauce. Return to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch, about 1 minute. Stir the chicken into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes until the chicken absorbs some of the sauce.</li>
</ol>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07615309667934710483noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-61468944413189073122011-05-15T12:01:00.000-07:002011-05-15T12:08:07.478-07:00Turtle Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHVQhDHTYUp_eSI_RXZbv0AzSoCtdBoShK3STR03mr7adn3wVq0D-6fvxS6Ky9YifxEArUN92xNKjbgASpoeCtgCsnEh7hp-_MVccj1WjpL8o7QGpZMz6PZiuk35U7_HAnYvfKNY7zokq/s1600/IMG_4792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHVQhDHTYUp_eSI_RXZbv0AzSoCtdBoShK3STR03mr7adn3wVq0D-6fvxS6Ky9YifxEArUN92xNKjbgASpoeCtgCsnEh7hp-_MVccj1WjpL8o7QGpZMz6PZiuk35U7_HAnYvfKNY7zokq/s320/IMG_4792.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>A few months ago I was making one of my favourite vegetarian dishes,<a href="http://mishismasterpieces.blogspot.com/2009/06/ratatouille.html"> ratatouille</a>, and wanted to add a bit more to our meal. I thought bread would add a nice touch, but was short on time. Thanks to my favourite recipe website, allrecipes.com, I was able to find this quick, easy, and tasty recipe that also happens to be kid friendly. Although I will admit that the first time I made it, my son refused to eat it and was appalled that we were eating the turtle's body parts. Also, the original recipe suggests putting raisins for eyes. I tried this the first time I made it, but they fell off. My son got really upset because he thought they were chocolate and he wanted to eat them. Needless to say, now I make it without eyes! Still, I would recommend this to anyone! Quick, easy, and fun! Although it doesn't have to be shaped like a turtle... :) <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #783f04;">Prep Time</b><b style="color: #783f04;">:</b> 40 min</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #783f04;">Cook Time: </b>30 min</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #783f04;">Ready In:</b> 1 hour 30 min<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Original post, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Turtle-Bread/Detail.aspx">here </a></span></div><br />
<div style="color: #783f04;"><b>Ingredients:</b></div><ul><li>1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast</li>
<li>1 Tb white sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup warm water (110 F - but I always just guesstimate)</li>
<li>1/2 cup milk</li>
<li>1 Tb butter</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>3 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 tsp salt</li>
</ul><div style="color: #783f04;"><b>Directions:</b></div><ol><li>In a small mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.</li>
<li>Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Add the butter and stir until melted; let cool until lukewarm.</li>
<li>In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the cooled milk, butter, egg, 2 cups flour, and salt; <span class="plaincharacterwrap break">beat well to combine. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes. Cover dough and let rest for 10 minutes.</span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"></span><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Divide dough into seven pieces. One round 2 inches in diameter, five rounds 1 inch in diameter and the remainder in one large round. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Place the large round on a lightly greased cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Shape four of the 1 inch rounds into 'feet' and one into a 'tail' for the turtle. Shape the two inch round into a 'head' for the turtle Attach each piece by flattening the end which attaches to the body, wetting it slightly with water and pinching it under the turtle's 'body'. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">Cover the turtle with as damp cloth and let rise for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">With a sharp knife, make crisscross cuts in the turtle's body to make the 'shell'. Finally, make a cut for the turtle's mouth. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.</span><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"></span><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> </span></li>
</ol>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07615309667934710483noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-27439175438256558072011-05-15T11:40:00.000-07:002011-05-15T11:41:23.868-07:00Rhubarb BreadI haven't posted in a while, but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy trying new recipes and re-making old favourites! (Pardon my British spelling. I have no idea how to spell anymore!) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9n0ImaoOyDT5guuFoqyPoj2rofqbHBfV8qlBwzsKF9L1_jxitfnVLE0MNVcqfMaZyFA246uOXJncSkv-8wtKj3lJS-5pNnMgNFnjwiO8AYIvtlvkCjPeE1HmCzFj4VbMwcmsiuj3EYZpG/s1600/IMG_6330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9n0ImaoOyDT5guuFoqyPoj2rofqbHBfV8qlBwzsKF9L1_jxitfnVLE0MNVcqfMaZyFA246uOXJncSkv-8wtKj3lJS-5pNnMgNFnjwiO8AYIvtlvkCjPeE1HmCzFj4VbMwcmsiuj3EYZpG/s320/IMG_6330.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Jeff is definitely the baker in our house, so this is actually a recipe he found and has been making quite regularly. This bread is absolutely moist and delicious. Plus, as it uses rhubarb, I can easily rationalize that it's ok to eat half of a loaf in one sitting. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Original recipe, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Streusel-Rhubarb-Bread/Detail.aspx">here</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #6fa8dc;">Prep Time:</b> 20 min</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #6fa8dc;">Cook Time:</b> 1 hour</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #6fa8dc;">Ready In: </b>1 hour 20 min </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ingredients:</span></span></b></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup vegetable oil</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 egg</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 cup buttermilk (whenever I cook with "buttermilk," I use 1 Tb lemon juice mixed with just under 1 cup of regular milk)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tsp vanilla extract</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tsp baking soda</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tsp salt</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb (we've always used fresh, but you can use frozen as well)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup chopped walnuts </span></span></li>
</ul><div style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">TOPPING:</span></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup sugar</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 tsp ground cinnamon</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 Tb cold butter</span></span></li>
</ul><div style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Directions:</span></span></b></div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar and oil. Add egg, mix well. Beat in buttermilk and vanilla. Add salt. Separately mix baking soda with a little bit of a water to make a paste. Then add baking soda paste, plus 1/2 cup of flour into batter and beat well at a high speed. Next, add remaining flour and mix well. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Pour into two greased and floured 8in x 4in x 2 in loaf pans.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">For topping, combine sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bake for 60 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing pans to wire racks.</span></span></li>
</ol><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07615309667934710483noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-85940927805397210502011-02-08T05:30:00.000-08:002011-02-08T05:30:25.566-08:00Creamy Artichoke Pasta in Saffron Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk3hoZE92HLwQy5HbQ4V90ZlnuS_wKBIOoBXgmRsYafv-CSae99tOJjq98XUgp-J3Ch5zFdcUSusxaJLJHQ9uV0UXpq8x3Rrr9lUKhyeR7GoWWqtUffzHA8z5iACczpwzVSxlSxS1/s1600/IMG_4009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk3hoZE92HLwQy5HbQ4V90ZlnuS_wKBIOoBXgmRsYafv-CSae99tOJjq98XUgp-J3Ch5zFdcUSusxaJLJHQ9uV0UXpq8x3Rrr9lUKhyeR7GoWWqtUffzHA8z5iACczpwzVSxlSxS1/s320/IMG_4009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is really, REALLY good pasta. I apologize that the picture in no way does it justice. When I was in Germany at the end of last year, my sister (<em>who is a brilliant cook</em>) made this for me and I had to pinch the recipe off of her. I made it on my own (<em>with a few modifications</em>) when I returned home and it was still delicious! Even my 2 year old loves it, which is really saying something!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="background-color: white;">1 lb pasta (<em>my sister used linguine, I used spaghetti since that is what I had</em>)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">2 Tb extra virgin olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1 large onion</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">3 cloves garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1 big pinch Saffron (<em>I would say this is an essential ingredient - it's fairly pricey, but you don't need a lot and it's definitely worth it</em>)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">salt & black pepper to taste</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">3/4 cup white wine <em>(I don't have white wine hanging around my house, so I substituted 1/4 c of white wine vinegar and it worked nicely</em>)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1 1/4 cup vegetable stock <em>(I used chicken stock instead since that is what I had available</em>)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1/3 cup cream</span></li>
<li>14 oz jar of artichoke hearts</li>
<li>1/2 cup parsley, fresh (<em>I didn't have fresh parsley, so I just substituted some other dry Italian seasonings)</em></li>
<li>1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated </li>
</ul><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999;"><strong>Directions:</strong></span><br />
<ol><li><span style="color: black;">Boil Pasta</span></li>
<li>Meanwhile heat oil in a large skillet and add garlic, saffron, onion, slat, and pepper. Cook until tender. Add wine (<em>or wine vinegar</em>) and cook 3 minutes, until most has evaporated. Add vegetable stock and cream. Bring to a simmer for approximately 4 minutes.</li>
<li>Add artichokes and heat through.</li>
<li>Add parsley and pasta and turn off heat. Add cheese and salt and pepper to taste. </li>
</ol>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-89808604113048994912010-12-07T00:57:00.000-08:002010-12-07T00:58:38.372-08:00Tuna Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2wYmQvI-ihykNdFC5bsTED4cclSO_5qQd55K4YDMp7XJaknHMz5CH1aUqHD8gmVS2ZLVbW0yLbD5lmIIF5KXBzXPoFuTI5VImxUrHygd3a3u9eIeN2HVpMjzWmnduQFUBw2HMQbg/s1600/IMG_2904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2wYmQvI-ihykNdFC5bsTED4cclSO_5qQd55K4YDMp7XJaknHMz5CH1aUqHD8gmVS2ZLVbW0yLbD5lmIIF5KXBzXPoFuTI5VImxUrHygd3a3u9eIeN2HVpMjzWmnduQFUBw2HMQbg/s320/IMG_2904.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><em>I'll admit that when I first heard of this and saw it being made, I was not interested AT ALL. I'm not a huge fan of tuna fish and I'm somewhat hesitant about some "pies," (though they are very common here in the UK) but once I tasted it, I was sold! I saw it being made on Thursday of last week as part of a women's activity at my church. I made it for dinner the following Saturday. I'll definitely make this again. It's easy and tastes BRILLIANT! The woman who made it is actually from Brazil, so I'm not even sure if this can be considered British, but in any case, it is worth tryinig out!</em><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #783f04;">Ingredients:</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">(Pastry)</span><br />
<ul><li>4 eggs<em> </em></li>
<li>1 c olive oil</li>
<li>1 c milk</li>
<li>2 c flour</li>
<li>1 tsp salt OR 1 cube (<em>U.S. size - I broke my UK size in half</em>) chicken or vegetable stock</li>
<li>1 Tb baking powder</li>
</ul>(Filling)<br />
<ul><li>2 cans tuna, drained</li>
<li>Mixed vegetables <em>(I used drained, canned corn since that is what I had)</em></li>
<li>1 medium onion, chopped</li>
<li>1 chopped tomato</li>
<li>1 cup cheese</li>
<li>2 chives, chopped</li>
<li>Salsa (<em>she didn't make it with this and I didn't have any either, but it was listed as an option</em>)</li>
<li>Whatever you have on hand... (<em>She even said you could use chicken,turkey, or minced (ground) meat instead of tuna</em>)</li>
</ul><strong><span style="color: #783f04;">Directions:</span></strong><br />
<ol><li><span style="color: black;">Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F).</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;">In a blender (<em>or in a bowl, with a hand mixer</em>), blend the eggs, oil, milk, flour, and salt (<em>or chicken stock cube</em>) until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.</span></li>
<li>In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for the filling.</li>
<li>Grease and flour a baking dish (<em>I just used a rectangular, glass casserole dish</em>).</li>
<li>Add the baking powder to the mixture in #2 and blend for a few minutes.</li>
<li>Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking dish.</li>
<li>Add the filling.</li>
<li>Spread the remaining batter over the filling (<em>First pour some around the edges and then go back and forth over the middle until it is entirely covered</em>).</li>
<li>Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes (<em>I think it took me closer to 45</em>) or until golden brown.</li>
</ol><div style="text-align: center;">Enjoy! Yum!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-77387335258170909272010-09-01T14:02:00.001-07:002011-10-02T08:50:46.905-07:00Creamy Italian Chicken<i>No picture, but this is one of my favorites that I have made many, many times. I loved it so much that I made sure to pack some dressing packets to bring across the pond to England when we moved here. This isn't as "made from scratch" as some of my recipes, but it is really easy and a family favorite! This recipe is supposed to be made in a crock pot, but since I don't have one over here, I made it on the stove top and it worked fine. I just boiled the chicken first and shredded it and then simmered it with a little bit of water and the mix, along with the other ingredients for an hour.</i><br />
<i></i><br />
<b><span style="color: #000099;">Ingredients:</span></b><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: black;">6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast (I usually do less, but then it probably doesn't serve as many people)</span></li>
<li>1 envelope Italian dressing mix</li>
<li>1/4 cup water</li>
<li>8 oz cream cheese, softened</li>
<li>1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (cream of mushroom soup works too)</li>
<li>1 (4 oz) can mushrooms, sliced (I've never made it with mushrooms)</li>
<li>pasta or rice to serve it over</li>
</ul><b><span style="color: #000099;">Directions:</span></b><br />
<ol><li><span style="color: black;">Put chicken in crock pot (even if frozen). Combine seasonings and water, pour over chicken. </span></li>
<li>Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours.</li>
<li>Mix the soup, cream cheese, and mushrooms together and pour over the chicken. </li>
<li>Cook for one hour longer. </li>
<li>Boil the pasta or rice according to package instructions. </li>
<li>Serve chicken over pasta or rice.</li>
</ol><div align="center"><b><span style="color: #000099;">Serves:</span></b> 8</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-24683268889749757962010-09-01T13:45:00.000-07:002010-09-01T14:02:29.221-07:00Chicken & Leek Mash Topped Pie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rOcdpdzBjC74Hj35ZAf4gPW9DJw8ILZLHGegnXtrkYt-tJIkeMec44Zu4J2lxUs_6PMiEWa3826JAufR5sF4PT2XqwX17PeoSytjW9ACuCOgz1CFccmVjWkjuYSdQeRrUKtTWmSr/s1600/IMG_0595.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512049573445032834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rOcdpdzBjC74Hj35ZAf4gPW9DJw8ILZLHGegnXtrkYt-tJIkeMec44Zu4J2lxUs_6PMiEWa3826JAufR5sF4PT2XqwX17PeoSytjW9ACuCOgz1CFccmVjWkjuYSdQeRrUKtTWmSr/s320/IMG_0595.JPG" /></a> Not the best picture in the world, but YUM-MY! Trust me! This is my first attempt at making something "British" since we moved here. I found it on a can of condensed cream of chicken soup over here and improvised it based on what I had on hand. In fact, there were no leeks in my version, just a few leftover spring onions and cooking onions. Also, I added carrots to the mashed potato (or mash as they call it here) topping since I didn't have enough potatoes left and had some carrots on hand. I probably didn't make enough of the topping (but, like I said, I was just doing what was on hand), so it didn't brown up as much as it could have. Jeff really liked it and told me to keep the improvised recipe for sure!<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong> </span><span style="color:#000000;"><em>(Note: the original recipe has some of the ingredients in weights, since that is how they measure here. I've tried to adjust it to be easier)</em></span><br /><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">3 cups potatoes, peeled & cubed</span></li><li>1 - 2 carrots, peeled & chopped</li><li>3 large chicken breasts, cubed</li><li>2 leeks, sliced (<em>I didn't have leeks, so I used some spring onions and chopped cooking onions</em>)</li><li>1 can condensed Cream of Chicken soup</li><li>4 Tbsp milk</li><li>2 Tbsp butter</li><li>1 - 2 cups shredded cheese</li></ul><p><strong><span style="color:#ff6600;">Directions:</span></strong></p><ol><li><span style="color:#000000;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).</span></li><li>Boil the potatoes and carrots in water until soft.</li><li>Stir fry the chicken in oil until almost cooked. Add leeks (or onions) and continue cooking until the leeks are just soft.</li><li>Stir in the soup & milk, mix well and pour into ovenproof baking dish.</li><li>Mash the potatoes and carrots with the butter and cheese.</li><li>Roughly spread over the chicken and cook for 25 minutes or until golden brown. </li></ol><div align="center"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong>Serves:</strong><span style="color:#000000;"> 4</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-88342630761749324122010-04-26T13:32:00.000-07:002010-04-26T13:39:23.004-07:00Grandmother's (not mine) Buttermilk Cornbread<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdUSWpfC1UijAUyS_BhUx02xsN_0_axe9K63_xaSh12Gnc1IqcY6dBjL7JU6vDtBQ3anNIBzmE7ZV21CZNiFwGJdDuKIfc7ElZTXXaUjklWrGdUJjlkiUhqtyIFdJL5ZPwGaBoXKz/s1600/December+08+240.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdUSWpfC1UijAUyS_BhUx02xsN_0_axe9K63_xaSh12Gnc1IqcY6dBjL7JU6vDtBQ3anNIBzmE7ZV21CZNiFwGJdDuKIfc7ElZTXXaUjklWrGdUJjlkiUhqtyIFdJL5ZPwGaBoXKz/s320/December+08+240.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464547426169185730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I found this recipe about a year and a half ago and use it every time I want to make cornbread. It's super easy and tastes DELICIOUS! It's got to be cheaper than buying a mix, plus I can make it with ingredients I typically have on hand. Perfect!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Prep Time:</span> 15 min<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Cook Time:</span> 40 min<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Ready in:</span> 55 min<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grandmothers-Buttermilk-Cornbread/Detail.aspx">here</a>.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>1/2 c butter</li><li>2/3 c white sugar</li><li>2 eggs</li><li>1 c buttermilk (<span style="font-style: italic;">I use 1 cup milk + 1 Tb lemon juice to make my own "buttermilk"</span>)</li><li>1/2 tsp baking soda</li><li>1 c cornmeal</li><li>1 c all-purpose flour</li><li>1/2 tsp salt</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch square pan. </span></li><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Melt butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan. </span></li><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. </span></li></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Serves:</span> 9<br /></div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-80180188073096193272010-04-26T13:14:00.000-07:002010-04-26T13:39:45.196-07:00Baked Garlic Parmesan ChickenI have actually made this recipe quite a few times, but I've never gotten around to posting it on here. It's one of my favorite ways to serve chicken as a main course. It's quite easy and VERY tasty! Unfortunately I don't have a picture, but next time I cook it, I'll make sure to take one.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Garlic-Parmesan-Chicken/Detail.aspx">here</a>.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Prep Time: </span>15 min<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cook Time:</span> 30 min<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ready in:</span> 45 min<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>2 Tb olive oil</li><li>1 clove garlic, minced</li><li>1 cup dry bread crumbs (<span style="font-style: italic;">I use crushed Ritz crackers</span>)</li><li>2/3 c grated Parmesan cheese</li><li>1 tsp dried basil</li><li>1/4 tsp ground black pepper</li><li>6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. </span></li><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> In a bowl, blend the olive oil and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, and pepper. Dip each chicken breast in the oil mixture, then in the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish, and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.<br /></span></li><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.</span></li></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Serves:</span> 6<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-53256551138079941262010-02-28T20:16:00.000-08:002010-02-28T20:27:17.653-08:00Cream-less AlfredoI wanted to make an alfredo dish for dinner tonight using our leftover broccoli and asparagus that was on its last leg. Unfortunately it is a Sunday (<span style="font-style: italic;">we don't shop on the Sabbath</span>) and I didn't have whipping cream, cream cheese, or half-in-half in the house, so I knew it would be a BIT tricky. Luckily, thanks to my good friend the Internet, I was able to find this recipe and it actually turned out really well. Plus, it's got to be a lot healthier than regular alfredo sauce, so that is a plus! Oh, and sorry, no picture of this one!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Original recipe, <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006010203827">here</a> (randomly). It sounds like it is from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Cookbook.<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Ingredients<span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>:<br /><ul><li>2 tsp extra virgin olive oil</li><li> 1 small onion, diced</li><li> 1 garlic clove, minced</li><li> 2 cups skim milk (<span style="font-style: italic;">I used whole because we had some and I figured it would be closer to cream</span>)<br /></li><li> 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth</li><li> 3 tbsp all-purpose flour</li><li> 1/2 tsp salt</li><li> 1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper</li><li> 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li>Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet on med-high heat, add onion and garlic and cook until golden.<br /></li><li>In medium bowl, whisk together the milk, broth, flour, salt, and pepper until well-blended. Stir the mixture into the skillet, turn heat to high, and cook until the mixture boils and thickens.<br /></li><li>Stir in the Parmesan cheese.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> This is enough sauce to coat a one lb. box of fettuccine when it has been cooked.</span></li></ol></div></div><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-6272305285934727812010-02-24T20:38:00.000-08:002010-02-24T20:48:25.149-08:00Crazy Bread Sticks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpnW9r8ukSNzV5GUYb-e5AFJAGt-NxPH4hWDAtpDSEg21jyjaacvQfNo7d8-iQxe5Gs4CWLVGZf4y_Hv2CQBpEPtbp8p3heg3yRO1OwiYWVbXc4OSvOpfSNDgK-ah8kHqpKkXrpZC/s1600-h/Mishi's+camera+152.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpnW9r8ukSNzV5GUYb-e5AFJAGt-NxPH4hWDAtpDSEg21jyjaacvQfNo7d8-iQxe5Gs4CWLVGZf4y_Hv2CQBpEPtbp8p3heg3yRO1OwiYWVbXc4OSvOpfSNDgK-ah8kHqpKkXrpZC/s320/Mishi's+camera+152.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442036660184503426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I got this recipe from my friend, Anah, and I hope she doesn't mind that I am posting it here. I have made these a few times and like them because, not only do they taste good, they are fairly quick and easy. Plus, every time I have made them (whether a 1/2 batch for just Jeff and I) or a full batch when I've had a handful of people over, they are ALWAYS gone that night. No leftovers! [And, unfortunately, I can't keep the picture from being sideways!]<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Ingredients:</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);"><br /></span><ul><li>1 1/2 c warm water</li><li>2 Tb sugar</li><li>2 Tb yeast</li><li>1/2 tsp salt</li><li>3 c flour (<span style="font-style: italic;">*every time I have made these, they have been pretty sticky, so I might try more flour next time</span>)<br /></li><li>1/4 c butter<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></li><li>garlic salt or parmesan cheese, optional<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Directions:</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><ol><li>Dissolve water, sugar, yeast, and salt together. Mix in flour and let sit for 10-20 minutes.</li><li>Dump onto a floured cutting board and flatten with hand. Cut into strips with a pizza cutter. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Because of the stickiness, I don't use a rolling pin and I often end up forming the bread sticks with my hand. They don't look the greatest, but they taste good!</span>)</li><li>Melt butter and pour onto large cookie sheet, reserving about 2 Tb.</li><li>Place strips on cookie sheet. Brush tops with a basting brush dipped in the remaining melting butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt or parmesan cheese, if desired. (<span style="font-style: italic;">You can also add the garlic salt to the mixed butter and spread it on that way.</span>)<br /></li><li>Let raise an additional 15 minutes.</li><li>Bake at 375 for for 20 minutes.</li></ol>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-30543753702609835802010-02-24T19:53:00.000-08:002010-02-24T20:28:55.057-08:00Cheesy Vegetable Lasagna<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdxv0LAtadGIgiF_ffj29ytKkegBevRRDu7RCZziFTEh7JJsAIJH4FBOP5_7vP0xQHTqy1Eshs2OS8jk22u_JTuGfps0_ksrBdCHIewtA7N6iq1ca1mEdtfHBZVlamowlsDwk8iQ2/s1600-h/Mishi's+camera+037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdxv0LAtadGIgiF_ffj29ytKkegBevRRDu7RCZziFTEh7JJsAIJH4FBOP5_7vP0xQHTqy1Eshs2OS8jk22u_JTuGfps0_ksrBdCHIewtA7N6iq1ca1mEdtfHBZVlamowlsDwk8iQ2/s320/Mishi's+camera+037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442032696237556482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Lest you think I dropped off of the face of the Earth or stopped cooking, don't worry, I didn't! Earlier this month, I was trying to decide what to do with all of my veggies and stumbled across this recipe and made a few modifications. Since I'm borderline vegetarian at times, I loved it. My husband thought it was ok until he had some leftovers the next day and then he thought it was really good! It reheated REALLY well. Next time I think I'll add more tomatoes because they really added a nice flavor. Yum!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Original recipe, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cheesy-Vegetable-Lasagna/Detail.aspx">here</a>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">Prep Time: </span>35 min<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Cook Time:</span> 45 min<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Ready In:</span> 1 hour, 20 min<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>12 lasagna noodles</li><li>2 Tb olive oil</li><li>2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped (<span style="font-style: italic;">I think I only used one since it was big - I also used a food processor</span>)</li><li>2 carrots, thinly sliced (<span style="font-style: italic;">I used a food processor for this too</span>)</li><li>1 large onion, chopped</li><li>2 green bell peppers, chopped</li><li>2 small zucchini, sliced</li><li>5 cloves garlic, minced</li><li>1/2 cup all-purpose flour</li><li>3 cups milk</li><li>3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided</li><li>salt, to taste<br /></li><li>pepper, to taste</li><li>garlic powder, to taste<br /></li><li>basil, to taste</li><li>oregano, to taste</li><li>crushed red pepper, to taste<br /></li><li>2-3 cups of fresh spinach <span style="font-style: italic;">(the recipe called for frozen, but I used fresh and just guessed how much to use.</span>)</li><li>1 (8oz) container small curd cottage cheese</li><li>24 oz ricotta cheese (<span style="font-style: italic;">I used less ricotta and more cottage cheese, since it is cheaper. Even then, I think I used less cheese overall and it was still plenty.</span>)</li><li>2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided <span style="font-style: italic;">(I don't think I used this much. I just kind of guessed and used what I had on hand. I did use some mozzarella and some Italian blend, including Parmesan, but it was all kind of guesstimated</span>).</li><li>1 tomato, sliced (<span style="font-style: italic;">I added this per one of the suggestions and in the future</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">would probably add more tomatoes and include them between the layers.</span>)<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li><span> Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I used a foil-lined stoneware casserole dish that I had. This makes a really big lasagna, so I'm not sure a regular 9x13 would be large enough.</span>)<br /></span></li><li><span> Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. </span></li><li><span> Heat 1/2 of the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot add broccoli, carrots, onions, bell peppers, and 3 cloves of garlic. Heavily season veggies with basil, oregano, salt (several large pinches), pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Saute for 7 minutes; set aside.</span></li><li><span>Heat remaining 1/2 of the oil and add zucchini with remaining 2 cloves of garlic. Season the same way as the other veggies, saute, and then set aside.<br /></span></li><li><span> Place flour in a medium saucepan and gradually whisk in milk until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and garlic powder (to taste) [can also add a little butter]; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Reserve 1/2 cup spinach mixture. In a small bowl combine cottage and ricotta cheeses; stir well. </span></li><li><span> Spread about 1/2 cup of spinach mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer noodles, ricotta mixture, vegetables, spinach mixture and 2 cups mozzarella cheese, ending with noodles. Top with reserved spinach mixture, tomatoes, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.<br /></span></li><li><span> Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Cool for approximately 10 minutes before serving. </span></li></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">Serves:</span> 12<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR39WHPJ-txk2kc086pt76cffeBr2rjgEjAIzOwPNvhXwSs7EJXgYVzEKuzN2JMOexP5IOy_geGlg4VaQMZpV1X7O1-oEnSRhBjfn63nWlYx_bZViPN6zC290YTLLjUvboPuVFjMxn/s1600-h/Mishi's+camera+035.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR39WHPJ-txk2kc086pt76cffeBr2rjgEjAIzOwPNvhXwSs7EJXgYVzEKuzN2JMOexP5IOy_geGlg4VaQMZpV1X7O1-oEnSRhBjfn63nWlYx_bZViPN6zC290YTLLjUvboPuVFjMxn/s320/Mishi's+camera+035.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442032299974034114" border="0" /></a></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-50935907723959407902009-12-17T18:39:00.000-08:002010-11-27T09:37:03.880-08:00Tex-Mex Turkey Soup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrGTlJXrHpP9NzNU1PJIT6LmijUWHu_hpvilC53eNjx8vNIWx36lR4svPyIkMlstQ7dliND4QNk9ug2BOWDdJ08mf-OXZNzUVqzopqM3ttgJNJ-0eZykqbKesX9xOD4rRc6rhYerq/s1600-h/Mishi's+camera+250.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrGTlJXrHpP9NzNU1PJIT6LmijUWHu_hpvilC53eNjx8vNIWx36lR4svPyIkMlstQ7dliND4QNk9ug2BOWDdJ08mf-OXZNzUVqzopqM3ttgJNJ-0eZykqbKesX9xOD4rRc6rhYerq/s400/Mishi's+camera+250.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416402852724423826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Several weeks ago, in an attempt not to waste all of the leftover (but still unfrozen) turkey from Thanksgiving, I whipped together this tasty dish. Jeff LOVED it and so did I. It's a great way to use up leftover holiday turkey, but I'm sure it would also taste great with chicken.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Have I ever said how much I love homemade soups?!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tex-Mex-Turkey-Soup/Detail.aspx">here</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Prep Time:</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"> </span>10 min<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Cook Time:</span> 40 min<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Ready in:</span> 50 min<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>1 Tb olive oil</li><li>1/2 c minced onion</li><li>3 cloves garlic, minced</li><li>2 tsp chili powder</li><li>1/2 tsp cumin</li><li>1/2 tsp oregano</li><li>4 c water</li><li>1 (10.75 oz) can condensed tomato soup</li><li>1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes</li><li>1 c salsa</li><li>4 c shredded cooked turkey</li><li>1 Tb dried parsley</li><li>3 chicken bouillon cubes</li><li>1 (14 oz) can black beans, rinsed, drained</li><li>1 (14 oz) can corn</li><li>1/2 c sour cream</li><li>1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro</li></ul> Toppings<br /><ul><li>tortilla chips</li><li>chopped green onion</li><li>shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack blend</li><li>fresh cilantro</li><li>sour cream<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li class="plaincharacterwrap" style="overflow: visible;"><span> Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add minced onions and cook until onions begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. </span></li><li class="plaincharacterwrap" style="overflow: visible;"><span> Stir in water, tomato soup, diced tomatoes, salsa, shredded turkey, parsley and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until bouillon cubes dissolve. Add black beans, corn, sour cream and cilantro. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. </span></li><li class="plaincharacterwrap" style="overflow: visible;"><span> Serve soup with crushed tortilla chips, chopped green onion, shredded cheese and additional cilantro and sour cream. </span></li></ol></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-72459795754636053722009-11-23T21:17:00.000-08:002009-11-23T21:28:00.067-08:00Pumpkin Pie Bites<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcla60M5Zk74cgzY105akwF5s4qIrASSq5h1uk7E_9Uvg986ZspMVRn9BN4WtJ5_hTrcWDqwRohgrQ5U5KTulDFK5J24D8HtQg04xyV5JWwOJm54j1FpjBr1PvHainPJ7pBpk2dKt/s1600/Mishi's+camera+206.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcla60M5Zk74cgzY105akwF5s4qIrASSq5h1uk7E_9Uvg986ZspMVRn9BN4WtJ5_hTrcWDqwRohgrQ5U5KTulDFK5J24D8HtQg04xyV5JWwOJm54j1FpjBr1PvHainPJ7pBpk2dKt/s320/Mishi's+camera+206.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407535772097613330" border="0" /></a>I've been in a bit of a cooking funk lately due to the first trimester of my pregnancy. Luckily (<span style="font-style: italic;">or unluckily for my pregnancy weight gain</span>), as the holidays approach, I am finally starting to feel like cooking again. Tonight my husband and I made these little treats for a work meeting he has tomorrow. They are SO cute, SO easy, and SO tasty! The website I found this recipe on may just be my new favorite place. I'm typically not much of a baker, but she seriously makes some SUPER cute stuff!<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe, <a href="http://www.bakerella.com/pumpkin-pie-bites/">here</a>.</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>3 refrigerated ready-to-roll pie crusts (<span style="font-style: italic;">the original recipe only calls for 2, but we had so much extra filling, that we used 3</span>.)<br /></li><li>8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature</li><li>1/2 cup sugar</li><li>1 cup canned pumpkin</li><li>3 eggs</li><li>1 teaspoon vanilla</li><li>1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees.</li><li>Use cookie cutter to cut approximately 12 shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We were able to get a few extra</span>.) </li><li>Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray.</li><li>Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.</li><li>Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.</li><li>Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust, until full.</li><li>Bake for 12-15 minutes.</li><li>Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.</li></ol> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 102, 51);">Makes: </span>30 mini pies. Keep refrigerated.</p><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9x5wdd52J4O4qKC_w-ZzoL9VtnGqSiTil5ThFxK5-yL-fdZuWnLaX6G9M2-V3qhqX_BLTvx7L_jWrnMo2v9hLhVu_D3pMElHKqlklr2OvBTnBLSmcIPzI1TGW2SBaoKttWE7tX34/s1600/Mishi's+camera+208.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9x5wdd52J4O4qKC_w-ZzoL9VtnGqSiTil5ThFxK5-yL-fdZuWnLaX6G9M2-V3qhqX_BLTvx7L_jWrnMo2v9hLhVu_D3pMElHKqlklr2OvBTnBLSmcIPzI1TGW2SBaoKttWE7tX34/s320/Mishi's+camera+208.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407537389783052130" border="0" /></a>Yum!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-35679889447730401992009-10-15T19:31:00.000-07:002009-10-15T19:45:04.178-07:00Chicken Enchiladas Verde<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO6lwd9d-f5a-cMNNDbFrQW9TeSOu3Kx-sgn71ENHax5WfdbFuCcwo0v1Z2lRJ4DEps72yroOyGmrvcsHIx18I1B6Xj3TE02RgGZeHO1R9eMjS8mur-NSOKAn-gab7Fh4ESgdQMlb/s1600-h/Mishi's+camera+126.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO6lwd9d-f5a-cMNNDbFrQW9TeSOu3Kx-sgn71ENHax5WfdbFuCcwo0v1Z2lRJ4DEps72yroOyGmrvcsHIx18I1B6Xj3TE02RgGZeHO1R9eMjS8mur-NSOKAn-gab7Fh4ESgdQMlb/s400/Mishi's+camera+126.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393020502955816466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I can tell I am starting to get more confident in my cooking because I am getting better at improvising (</span><span style="font-style: italic;">even though it was just enchiladas, which are pretty straightforward</span><span style="font-style: italic;">) . After making</span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://mishismasterpieces.blogspot.com/2009/10/green-salsa.html"> salsa verde</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> using our tomatillos, I wanted to find a meal I could incorporate it into. I used my favorite allrecipes.com to find a few recipes and then blended them together, using what I had on hand, to make these. They turned out quite tasty and I wouldn't be surprised if my husband took the leftovers to work for lunch tomorrow. That is always a sign of a great meal - if my husband can eat it the very NEXT day for lunch. (</span><span style="font-style: italic;">And sorry this picture isn't the best. It mostly looks like a ton of cheese, but really they were good, I promise!</span><span style="font-style: italic;">) The sad thing is that I used cheddar cheese and an Italian cheese mix to make these. During dinner my husband asked if I had used our monteray jack cheese (</span><span style="font-style: italic;">he thought it tasted like I had because of the salsa verde flavor</span><span style="font-style: italic;">). I had completely forgotten that we had some! Oops!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Recipe adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spinach-Enchiladas-Verde/Detail.aspx">this </a>and <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Authentic-Enchiladas-Verdes/Detail.aspx">this</a>.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li> 2 chicken breast halves</li><li> 2 cups chicken broth</li><li> 1/4 white onion</li><li> 1 clove garlic</li><li> 2 teaspoons salt</li><li>Green Salsa - recipe on this site, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://mishismasterpieces.blogspot.com/2009/10/green-salsa.html">here</a>.</li><li>1/2 c sour cream</li><li>2 c cheese</li><li>4 large flour tortillas<br /></li></ul><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li><span>In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 20 minutes. Set chicken aside to cool, and discard onion and garlic. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands. </span></li><li><span>Preheat oven to 350F.<br /></span></li><li><span>Coat 8x8 inch baking dish with enough green salsa to cover the bottom. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and 1/2 of the green salsa.<br /></span></li><li><span>In each tortilla, spread chicken, sour cream and salsa mixture, and top with cheese. Roll up and place in dish with seam on bottom. When all tortillas are filled and rolled, add remaining green salsa over the top and top with cheese.</span></li><li><span>Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the enchiladas are browned and heated through.</span></li></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Serves:</span> 4<br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-24604131618652583382009-10-15T19:19:00.000-07:002009-10-15T19:45:24.043-07:00Green Salsa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hOloeJm4Z9tZVQsrJM6kFKzbrND4UPOIsg-YaLXLO-z3LqXKZ6y02DhWmPoEsDBiEzG1CQszqh8qv3Vvoy6BqVP8hBpXauWBUqyoL8QJ_lhrPQc9BLPTWvDqx2x7LHLsfXz-Mczp/s1600-h/Mishi's+camera+118.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hOloeJm4Z9tZVQsrJM6kFKzbrND4UPOIsg-YaLXLO-z3LqXKZ6y02DhWmPoEsDBiEzG1CQszqh8qv3Vvoy6BqVP8hBpXauWBUqyoL8QJ_lhrPQc9BLPTWvDqx2x7LHLsfXz-Mczp/s400/Mishi's+camera+118.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393017275792608898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Our tomatillo plant is finally producing, so I wanted to find a great recipe that could use them. This green salsa turned out great and I used it to make chicken enchiladas. Yum!</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe taken from "Vegetarian Classics" by Jeanne Lemlin.<br /></span></div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:<br /></span></span></span><ul><li>12 oz tomatillos (<span style="font-style: italic;">about 18 small golf ball sized, or 10 medium</span>)</li><li>1 very small onion, chopped</li><li>1 garlic clove, chopped</li><li>2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (<span style="font-style: italic;">wear rubber gloves</span>)</li><li>1 Tb lime juice (<span style="font-style: italic;">just under 1 lime</span>)</li><li>1/4 tsp sugar</li><li>1/4 tsp salt</li><li>2 Tb minced cilantro<br /></li></ul><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions:<br /></span></span></span><ol><li>Remove the husks from the tomatillos, then rinse under cold running water to clean off any sticky residue. Place in a medium-size saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a lively simmer, and cook 10 minutes, or until softened. Drain thoroughly and let cool.</li><li>Place the onion, garlic, jalapenos, and lime juice in the container of a food processor or blender and pulse a few times until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatillos and process until finely chopped but not completely smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl.</li><li>Stir int eh suger, salt, and cilantro. Serve at room temperature.<br /></li></ol><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">Makes:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1 2/3 cups</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-86580139559367903612009-10-15T19:08:00.001-07:002009-10-15T19:45:42.713-07:00Classic Guacamole<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7T-KUbqtnVz1qwNQTol_fNc4BzCi0wfVnojOmbfzJip-tVEMH-yWFTPUB_iFPytGqqRIA1249K6JtqzZ4-eYv-P-OIZvDmaIApiyVmklCxx_ZB7cMfjdQ_l-82KYlQdxbUf0YpsU/s1600-h/Mishi's+camera+120.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7T-KUbqtnVz1qwNQTol_fNc4BzCi0wfVnojOmbfzJip-tVEMH-yWFTPUB_iFPytGqqRIA1249K6JtqzZ4-eYv-P-OIZvDmaIApiyVmklCxx_ZB7cMfjdQ_l-82KYlQdxbUf0YpsU/s400/Mishi's+camera+120.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393014262837383058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I decided to have a Mexican-themed dinner tonight and since I had several ripe avacados around, I decided to make some guacamole. Tasty! Next time I might try to cut back on the lime juice and add a little more onion, but even then it was good!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe taken from "Vegetarian Classics" by Jeanne Lemlin. This is a fabulous book that my friend lent me. It has so many great recipes! The <a href="http://mishismasterpieces.blogspot.com/2009/08/winter-pesto.html">pesto recipe</a> on this site is from this book.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>2 ripe Haas (<span style="font-style: italic;">dark pebbly-skinned</span>) avacados</li><li>4 tsp fresh lime juice (<span style="font-style: italic;">approx 1 lime should give you enough</span>)<br /></li><li>2 Tb minced red or white onion (<span style="font-style: italic;">I used white because that is what I had, but I bet red would add nice flavor</span>)<br /></li><li>1/4 c minced tomato</li><li>1/4 tsp salt</li><li>Minced cilantro and jalapenos can be used to add flavor</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li>Scoop avacado into food processor or blender and add lime juice. Process or blend until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the mixture into a bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 24 hours, then bring to room temperature before serving.<br /></li></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Serves:</span> 4<br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-14277434645222461912009-09-30T13:58:00.000-07:002009-09-30T14:06:01.581-07:00Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNZlPGOdcMKk_m4BgBbuA1nIKdCl9RE1TxcZpJwAWwwUJbwy5_Q6hkRpuXhliEoP1W3AUh8Iyw8bYJvPQJwHF6qRrUjWhanEJN1mAJ1aOXTqEt5RPHAeokyMraCHwZK_OaqO9UguY/s1600-h/Mishi's+camera+437.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNZlPGOdcMKk_m4BgBbuA1nIKdCl9RE1TxcZpJwAWwwUJbwy5_Q6hkRpuXhliEoP1W3AUh8Iyw8bYJvPQJwHF6qRrUjWhanEJN1mAJ1aOXTqEt5RPHAeokyMraCHwZK_OaqO9UguY/s400/Mishi's+camera+437.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387368384425428626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">We have a lot of pork chops in our freezer, so I wanted to find a new recipe I could use to make some. My husband LOVED this recipe and ate up his entire pork chop before he even thought about putting salad and potatoes on his plate. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sunnys-Creamy-Chicken-Pork-Chops/Detail.aspx">here</a>.</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li> 1 teaspoon olive oil</li><li> 1 onion, chopped</li><li> 2 cloves garlic, chopped</li><li> 4 pork chops</li><li> 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup</li><li> 1 cup chicken broth</li><li> salt and pepper to taste</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li><span> Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until translucent. Add pork chops and brown about 4 to 6 minutes each side, stirring often to avoid burning onions and garlic. </span></li><li><span> Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together soup and broth. Pour soup mixture over browned chops, stirring well to loosen onions and garlic and to deglaze skillet. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring and turning chops occasionally, until chops are cooked through (internal temperature should reach 160 degrees F/70 degrees C). Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. </span></li></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Serves: </span>4<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-9186290250882804242009-09-30T13:44:00.000-07:002009-09-30T13:58:36.371-07:00Sweet & Sour Chicken<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91Km-LtJF91n8WhyphenhyphenAZ0FSdcY7Wb3ueoakC0SJFjzmypq4Z7q_ypJbnTHqWJUd8hIXMbrb5cH0DhQ0jzaLCCg1Y9bVeCQ-Fm8mPtgoLYPyo8mlLOzLCaZS9vzEON9yOWjhgKogAf7v/s1600-h/Mishi's+camera+397.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91Km-LtJF91n8WhyphenhyphenAZ0FSdcY7Wb3ueoakC0SJFjzmypq4Z7q_ypJbnTHqWJUd8hIXMbrb5cH0DhQ0jzaLCCg1Y9bVeCQ-Fm8mPtgoLYPyo8mlLOzLCaZS9vzEON9yOWjhgKogAf7v/s400/Mishi's+camera+397.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387364845922139858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I've made this several times, but I keep forgetting to post it on here. Instead, I have to go back to the draft folder in my email account and find the recipe that I have pasted in there. Every time I make it, I am reminded how yummy it is! Jeff and I both like it very much. I made it for my family when they were in town a few months ago and accidentally added some spicy peppers. It definitely made it more "hot," but Jeff liked it that way. I like it better with sweet peppers, although the spicy ones definitely gave it a kick! Jeff must like it with sweet peppers too because last time I made it he ate ALL of the leftovers! </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe,<a href="http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007332sweet_and_sour_chicken.php"> here</a>.</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>1 pound of boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1" chunks </li><li>1 egg white </li><li>1/4 teaspoon table salt </li><li>2 teaspoons cornstarch </li><li>1 10-ounce can pineapple chunks (reserve juice) </li><li>1/4 cup juice from the canned pineapple </li><li>1/4 cup white vinegar </li><li>1/4 cup ketchup </li><li>1/4 teaspoon table salt </li><li>2-3 tablespoons brown sugar </li><li>1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cooking oil </li><li>1 bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks </li><li>1/2 onion, sliced</li><li>1 carrot, grated<br /></li><li>1/4 teaspoon ground ginger</li><li>1 cup of rice<br /></li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li>Prepare rice according to packaging directions.</li><li>In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white, salt and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.</li><li>In the meantime, whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, salt, and brown sugar.</li><li>Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the chicken out in one layer. Let the chicken fry, untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side the same for 1 minute. The chicken should still be pinkish in the middle. Dish out the chicken onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.</li><li>Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up and then add the bell pepper chunks and ginger. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple chunks and the sweet and sour sauce. Turn the heat to high and when the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking. </li></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Serves: </span>4<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-3082845959716829032009-08-29T18:27:00.001-07:002009-08-29T19:13:05.921-07:00Winter Pesto<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6U15mCTAoKMxoG-fyAgtaOe13O5lUv5mLN4vjD8CtFbUFL2aR-BfEZAgT9WJi7Zw1aSts9ZCsLuIOvq6pimRDbAq_lKbYRbdCiLPdyc_ekf8r-ZHcUW4NfscnXWxBQ3J83AJPd7X/s1600-h/IMG_1494.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6U15mCTAoKMxoG-fyAgtaOe13O5lUv5mLN4vjD8CtFbUFL2aR-BfEZAgT9WJi7Zw1aSts9ZCsLuIOvq6pimRDbAq_lKbYRbdCiLPdyc_ekf8r-ZHcUW4NfscnXWxBQ3J83AJPd7X/s400/IMG_1494.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375562796939127890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >My friend, Rebecca, is a fabulous cook and so when I want to try something new, I usually steal a recipe from her blog. I have been wanting to try pesto for a while and since she had a recipe for it on her blog, I decided to give it a try. Yum! This is so quick and easy and is a nice alternative to red pasta sauce. I also loved it because my one year old seemed to like it! I've heard you can use pesto on bread and crackers as well. This recipe makes a decent amount of pesto, but it keeps well in the fridge if it is covered with one tablespoon of olive oil. </span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Recipe from <a href="http://mywifesfoodblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/winter-pesto/">here</a>.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>2½ cups tightly packed triple-washed fresh spinach, stems removed</li><li>½ cup chopped fresh parsley</li><li>1 tablespoon dried basil</li><li>3 garlic cloves, chopped</li><li>¼ teaspoon salt</li><li>¼ cup walnuts (<span style="font-style: italic;">optional - we didn't have any, but I am curious to try it with walnuts next time</span>)<br /></li><li>⅔ cup olive oil</li><li>½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (<span style="font-style: italic;">I used an Italian cheese mix</span>)<br /></li><li>2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft (<span style="font-style: italic;">we only had salted and it worked fine</span>)<br /></li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li>Combine the spinach, parsley, basil, garlic, salt, walnuts, and oil in a blender (<span style="font-style: italic;">preferably</span>) or food processor and process until it is a smooth puree. Turn off the machine and scrape down the sides as necessary.</li><li>Pour the pesto into a container with a tight-fitting lid and stir in the cheese and butter by hand until well blended. If the pesto is to be used as a sauce for pasta, stir in a few tablespoons of boiling pasta water to thin it out before using.</li></ol> </div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSC1ozQMoL5OWK71qZfK8DUQd4ZwDLGpTLxna8w4iLC7GBWV7hfnaEXX1PBb0X-2ygZrvtzj3pXM7Y7rhhwM2OztOJAf8b24Otn_gU6qJ8sup2rOKA8AYkWwraSSxG0rv55jd5vyf/s1600-h/IMG_1489.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSC1ozQMoL5OWK71qZfK8DUQd4ZwDLGpTLxna8w4iLC7GBWV7hfnaEXX1PBb0X-2ygZrvtzj3pXM7Y7rhhwM2OztOJAf8b24Otn_gU6qJ8sup2rOKA8AYkWwraSSxG0rv55jd5vyf/s400/IMG_1489.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375562809843427410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Get those leafy greens! I love spinach!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-90421493498443575652009-08-29T18:18:00.001-07:002009-08-29T18:26:25.219-07:00Mexican Rice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RPsTYnRxzrN9p7WxAVd4ReB6_X9sBZ2zOcBZSXL2FTT2yMI-kian7dGSCMaXnsJL2_jeL_0doUjFQm5W5-mZ29kJ9L8aNyKSVWnRaTDbrgj960GHTrHo0-7-tP7BjEfVA4o8Tp5m/s1600-h/IMG_1485.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RPsTYnRxzrN9p7WxAVd4ReB6_X9sBZ2zOcBZSXL2FTT2yMI-kian7dGSCMaXnsJL2_jeL_0doUjFQm5W5-mZ29kJ9L8aNyKSVWnRaTDbrgj960GHTrHo0-7-tP7BjEfVA4o8Tp5m/s400/IMG_1485.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375561400892415618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Yesterday I was in the mood for Mexican food so I made chicken fajitas and served them with beans and rice. The fajitas were good, but the recipe isn't worth posting. On the other hand, I really really really liked this Mexican rice recipe and I don't even like Mexican rice. So, it's a keeper. The only thing Jeff would like to add is some hot peppers. We'll see.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe,<a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mexican-Rice-II/Detail.aspx"> here</a>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Prep Time:</span> 5 min<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Cook Time:</span> 25 min<br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Ready In:</span> 30 min<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li> 3 tablespoons vegetable oil</li><li> 1 cup uncooked rice</li><li> 1 teaspoon garlic salt</li><li> 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin</li><li> 1/4 cup chopped onion</li><li> 1/2 cup tomato sauce</li><li> 2 cups chicken broth</li></ul><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Directions:<br /></span><ol><li><span> Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin. </span></li><li><span> Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.</span></li></ol></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795240879138589306.post-82284024232204473302009-08-23T20:43:00.001-07:002009-08-23T20:53:33.521-07:00Roasted Vegetables<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKE5g0MH1FBLYJSiIL2v7VG4pwE6Ex3jX0ocfi6o-WYVluwg6T2hjZIl_XS9JGB7w8iRmhFYFo6-Q5llaLOTnyKXWVSQj02ius-HiJZz6DnAMwieu5X3f4AYEJ_WYDU1O_T9_-e5A9/s1600-h/IMG_1250.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKE5g0MH1FBLYJSiIL2v7VG4pwE6Ex3jX0ocfi6o-WYVluwg6T2hjZIl_XS9JGB7w8iRmhFYFo6-Q5llaLOTnyKXWVSQj02ius-HiJZz6DnAMwieu5X3f4AYEJ_WYDU1O_T9_-e5A9/s400/IMG_1250.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373371142300299090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I signed up to provide a side dish for a funeral a few weeks ago and since I had a plethora of vegetables from our farm, I decided to make roasted vegetables. I've made roasted vegetables several ways before, but this was the first recipe that used balsamic vinegar. I kept a few spoonfuls to taste (to make sure I didn't send NASTY food!) and I thought it turned out quite nicely! I must say, I like roasted vegetables! </span>:) <span style="font-style: italic;">Also, I decided to add okra to this recipe because I had some on hand and I must say that I like the flavor of okra. I want to try cooking with it more. Expect to see some additional okra recipes in the future!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Original recipe, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Roasted-Vegetables/Detail.aspx">here</a>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Prep Time:</span> </span>15 min<br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Cook Time:</span> 40 min<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Ready In: </span>55 min<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li> 1 small butternut squash, cubed</li><li> 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced</li><li> 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed</li><li> 1 onion, chopped</li><li>Additional vegetables as desired (<span style="font-style: italic;">I added okra and carrots because I had some on hand</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>)<br /></li><li> 1 tsp dried thyme</li><li> 2 tsp dried rosemary</li><li> 1/4 cup olive oil</li><li> 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar</li><li> salt and freshly ground black pepper</li></ul><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Directions:</span><br /><ol><li><span> Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. </span></li><li><span> In a large bowl, combine all vegetables.<br /></span></li><li><span> In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large roasting pan. </span></li><li><span> Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned. </span></li></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Serves:</span> 12</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0