I received this recipe about 11 years ago from one of my favorite host families while I was traveling in Up With People.It’s doesn’t have the greatest name or describe what it is for that matter, but it’s delicious!!!It calls for something that I absolutely refuse to use, boxed cake mix!It has ingredients that you can’t pronounce and of course is partially hydrogenated, which I have eliminated from my life.Until there is a great alternative, I used it and gear up my self control.It’s a quick easy dessert that everyone loves!
Raspberry Dump
1 box raspberry jello
1 box white cake mix
1 stick butter
1 cup water
2-3 cups raspberries, frozen or fresh
Preheat oven to 350°.Using a round or oval dish, about 9x9 size, grease bottom and sides.Place raspberries evenly in pan.Sprinkle raspberry jello over berries.Spread cake mix over berries, evenly.In a bowl, melt butter and add water.Pour over all of dish.Bake for 45 minutes.Let cool.Serve warm or room temperature.Best with vanilla ice cream.
This is a sweet dessert! To cut the sweet a bit, only use half of the raspberry jello.
It’s a holiday staple.Some like the can, ridges and all.I’ve never been a big fan until this year when I decided to try making it myself.It was delicious!
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
1 cup Sugar 1 cup water 1 12oz package of fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained 1/3 can orange juice concentrate
Combine water, and sugar in a medium saucepan.Bring to a boil; add cranberries and return to a boil.Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Sauce should thicken and cranberries will pop open.For a soother sauce, take a potato masher and gently mash cranberries after boiling.Add orange juice concentrate, stirring until dissolved.Cover and cool completely at room temperature.Refrigerate until serving time.
Makes 2-1/4 cups.
Happy holidays!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
This is a quick easy recipe that makes for great leftovers. If you’re sort on time and need something for a night you don’t want to cook...here ya go! Cheese Ravioli with Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4 Italian Sausages, slices into bit size pieces 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 cans diced tomatoes, drained (juices reserved) 5-6 Fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish 1 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp Italian seasoning 1 Tbsp sugar Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 ½ lb. frozen cheese ravioli 1 oz parmesan cheese, grated
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook for about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Put drained diced tomatoes in pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until they are slightly dry. Add reserved juices, basil, sugar and salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high and cook until the sauce thickens. Stir in ¾ cup water and reduce the heat. Let simmer while you cook the ravioli.
Add salt to the boiling water, then add the ravioli and cook as label directs; drain. Serve immediately. Garnish with parmesan and basil.
I know having to follow a recipe adds time to your cooking, but this is really easy. You can literally throw in the sausage and let it cook, then add everything else and it would turn out just the same. The great thing about this recipe is that you probably have everything in your pantry except the ravioli. I didn’t have Italian sausages, so I used beer brats, and they were great. If you don’t have either of those, add some salami or pepperoni, or forgo the meat all together.
We’re back on the wagon of trying new recipes, maybe not the best time of year to try one of the most caloric and high fat Italian dishes…regardless it was delicious. Spaghetti Carbonara
Kosher Salt
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1.2 inch pieces
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp minced fresh rosemary
2 red jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
¼ c. cognac or brandy (optional)
12 oz. spaghetti
3 large eggs
¾ c. parmesan cheese, a handful more for garnish
½ c. mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
Freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.Combine bacon, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, jalapenos and ¼ cup water in a large skillet.Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and the bacon crisps, about 12 minutes.Discard the garlic.Add the Cognac, if desired and cook until it evaporates.Removed from the heat and set aside ¼ cup bacon mixture for garnish.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water as the label directs.Mix eggs, cheeses and parsley and 1 tsp pepper in a bowl.Drain the pasta, reserving 1.4 cup cooking water.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat.Add the pasta and toss until heated through, 1-2 minutes.Remove from heat.Whisk the reserved pasta water into the egg mixture, then quickly pour over the pasta and toss to gently cook the eggs and make a creamy sauce.Garnish with the reserved bacon mixture and sprinkle more parmesan on top. Serve immediately
This recipe is pretty easy and a crowd pleaser.Although there are 2 jalapenos in the recipe, they will cook down and it won’t be too spicy.Next time I’d add a vegetable into the dish, broccoli or even a mixture of peppers (red, orange, yellow) would be nice.
Long overdue is an understatement…I’m back and here are a couple of great recipes we tried during the Thanksgiving week.
We’ve never done a Thanksgiving breakfast, but this year we did. My husband had to work when we were going to be eating turkey, so breakfast was his menu…Biscuits and gravy eggs and fruit. It was delicious. He grew up mainly in Louisville Kentucky and being from Denver, I’ve never made gravy. I gave it a whirl and it was awesome.
Breakfast Gravy (to be accompanied with Biscuits)
1 pound ground breakfast sausage ½ medium onion, diced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp black pepper 1 cup half and half 1 cup skim milk 2 Tbsp butter
In large skillet, combine the sausage, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the sausage is browned and crumbles.
Stir in the flour, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the half-and-half and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened.
A few tips: I use Jimmy Dean’s low fat breakfast sausage. It’s so lean there isn’t any fat to drain. Secondly, if prepare this ahead of time, or before you’re ready to eat, it will continue to thicken. Add another cup of milk to thin it out. It reheats well and was a hit!
I love fall, the temperature is getting cooler, the leaves are changing, and its football season.It’s that time of year when I am home more in the evenings and ready to heat up the stove, turn on the oven and cook!Sunday night as I waited for Kyle to arrive home from the Bronco game, I decided to try something out of my comfort zone, PORK.I don’t really like it, don’t order it at a restaurant and don’t buy it at the store.Problem is, Kyle loves it and it seems I’m the only one not partaking in “the other white meat”.So here goes…
Juicy Braise Pork
2 lbs pork shoulder or tenderloin, cut into 8 pieces
Salt and Pepper
3Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 gloves of garlic, roughly chopped
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp flour
2 ½cups red or white wine
½ cup beef broth
1 bunch of parsley stems, tied with a string
2 bay leaves
Preheat oven to 325°.Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
In a large cast iron pan or skillet heat oil over medium – high heat.Place four pieces of pork at a time into the pan and brown the meat on all sides until a golden crust forms. Transfer pork to a plate and set aside.To the pan, add the onion, celery, carrot and ½ cup of wine and cook for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are softened.Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes.Stir in the tomato paste and cook until you smell the sweet aroma of the paste, about 3 minutes.Whisk in the remaining wine and reduce sauce by half.Pour half of the sauce into a glass or ceramic baking dish.Place pork into dish along with the parsley and bay leaves.Pour remaining sauce in the dish, evenly.Add water if the sauce does not come up to the top of the pork.Cover the dish and place in the over to braise until the meat is fork tender.Salt and pepper to taste.Transfer to a serving platter and serve.
A few things to keep in mind, you can make this dish in a Dutch oven and then skip the transfer to a baking dish step.Depending on the type of pork you use, the baking time will vary tremendously.If you are using a shoulder cut, it will take longer, up to 3 hours because it is generally a tougher meat.If you use tenderloin, it will be more like 20 minutes in the oven.
It’s really easy to make, doesn’t take much time from pan to oven and can be paired with anything.It has great flavor, even I ate it and really like it!
If this doesn’t make you want to throw a Halloween party, I’m not sure what will. I just came across these from King Arthur Flour and they are so fun!!!
Adding the cherry on your sundae...they arereusable!!!! Makes the set of 12 for $12.95 worth it. I’m pretty sure this is a must have for my holiday kitchen accessories!
I realize I’ve only been blogging about food for a few months and there is no reason for a second blog on any restaurant this early on, but it’s just so good I can’t help myself!
Saturday night was date night and Kyle, my husband, wanted to try Bones, the restaurant I recently raved about. My rant worked on him, because three days before we went, he knew what he was ordering. It was a beautiful night and we sat on the patio. The place was packed and people were pouring in all night. (I’d advise reservations specifically for more comfortable chairs.)
We started with two appetizers, the steamed buns with pork belly and the lightly fried shishito peppers. We had previously has Shishito peppers and loved them. They are a mini, mild pepper from Japan that is slowly becoming popular at boutique restaurants in town. If you see them on a menu, they are great, nearly zero spice and can be almost sweet. The menu said lightly fried, and I’d say more like pan seared. They were a perfect little start. Pork Belly happens to be Kyle’s new favorite thing and I am trying to venture out of my “I don’t like pork” box. A top a small rectangular plate, were three, mini taco shell shaped, steamed buns with shredded pork belly. I’d never had a steamed bun before, and had no idea what to expect. I believe they are of Chinese origin and are commonly stuffed with meat. The bun is almost spongy to the touch and after taking a bite, I’d say chewy, like not cooked all the way dough. Always fun to try something new!
For the main course Kyle ordered the Udon which are large, dare I say, worm like, noodles, accompanied with roasted pork and a poached egg. He loved it! I was my usual self and ordered what I knew I loved, the Ramen. I just could past up the noodles decorated with lobster, edamame and a buttery lobster miso broth. DELICIOUS!
The “FINISH” is Frank’s soft serve ice cream. The flavors of the night were Honey Nut Cherrios, Nutella or twist. I have a love for hazelnut and couldn’t pass up Nutella ice cream. It was awesome, and surprisingly light. Kyle had a twist in a cone which was gone quickly, obviously a good choice
On Wednesday, free night number two, I tried a second new recipe.Sure, we’ve all done shrimp scampi before, but the lemon takes it to a whole new level.As you’ll read on, the recipe instructs you to make your own shrimp stock.If you’re like that typical American, you think, “forget it!”, you can buy it in the store?!As we all know the answer is yes, but it is soooo easy to make, why spend the extra $5.00 when you have the shells right there calling your name!The whole dish is crisp, light and refreshing!I paired it with steamed broccoli and it was a wonderful meal!
In a medium size bowl, combine the garlic, zest and juice of 1 lemon, oil, red pepper flakes half of the diced onion and shrimp.Set aside to marinade.
Meanwhile, place shrimp shells and remaining diced onion in a small pot, over medium heat.Cover with water and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.Strain into a bowl and discard the shells and the onion.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.Add the linguini and cook until just tender.Drain and reserve ½ cup of cooking water.
Heat a skillet over high heat.Take shrimp out of marinade and cook until they turn pink and start to caramelize.Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate, set aside.Add remaining marinade and let cook for a few minutes and then add about 2 cups of shrimp stock and the reserved pasta water.Continue to cook until sauce reduces by half.Add zest and juice of remaining lemon and butter and stir to combine.Add salt and pepper to taste.Add the shrimp and pasta and toss to combine.Sprinkle parsley over plated serving.Serve immediately
If you don’t want to scorch your hand trying to reserve pasta water, bail on that and pour all of the shrimp stock you’ve made into the pan.It adds more flavor and creates more of a sauce for your pasta.Also, you don’t need to butterfly the shrimp if you don’t have time for this laborious step.The reason is the shrimp look bigger, so you can trick your guests or family into thinking they are eating XL shrimp, while they are just an M.The shrimp will also fan out a little, which is beautiful for presentation.
I haven’t cooked a real meal in what feels like forever and with Tuesday night free, I wanted to try something new. Besides a new recipe, I am stepping outside of my skinless, boneless chicken breast comfort zone. It’s bone-it and skin on!
Buying chicken with these two pieces is cheaper, adds moisture and flavor and its not so hard to DIY (do-it-yourself). This recipe calls for crisping the skin, but if you didn’t want the skin, just cut it off. When the chicken is cooked, the bones…yuck, just pop right out! I didn’t believe it when I say it on TV, but it works, and I am now a buyer of “chicken with skin and ribs”.(that sounds terrible)
Orange Glaze Chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 skin-on bone-in chicken breast halves 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ½ cup frozen orange juice concentrate 2 tablespoons honey
Meanwhile, make the orange glaze: In a small saucepan, heat the orange juice concentrate, honey and salt and pepper to taste, over medium heat. Boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat.
Turn chicken over and brush each piece with the glaze. Turn the chicken skin side up and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the internal temperature is 160°-170°. Brush on more glaze halfway through, about 15 minutes total. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board. Remove the chicken breast from the bone and slice the meat on the bias.
This will easily serve 4 people a generous helping. I paired the chicken with a slight slaw with about 1 Tbsp of the orange glaze in the dressing and jasmine ride. For an added garnish, you could sprinkle orange zest on top of the rice. A nice, light, refreshing and citrusy dinner!
A few weeks ago, before we headed to a Thursday night pre-season Bronco game, Courtney, her Mother-in-law, Erika, and my mom and I stopped at Venue for drinks and dinner.
Well known Denver Chef and Owner, Holly Hartnett, is a former culinary school mate of my mom.So when we were trying to figure out where to go near the stadium, Venue was a fabulous choice!
The Highlands is where everyone wants to be, from living, shopping and dining, it’s where you’ll find some of the best spots in town. Venue is just in from the busy happenin’ corner of 32nd and Lowell.The patio is small and has the feel of a novel set in a New York City neighborhood.We pulled two tables together and enjoyed a bottle of the house wine, Venue White, made especially for Venue!It’s a blend of Viognier, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc that is crisp and a great paring to everything we tried.
Between the four of us, we ordered the happy hour Pork Quesadilla, Arugula Salad and the Shrimp and grits.There were a couple orders of each item, and they were all fabulous.I have to get on a soap box here and scream from a mountain top how absolutely FABULOUS the Shrimp and Grits are!!!!!A few things…first, I don’t like the texture of gritty, sandy, granular foods, and grits are in that category.I inquired about the grits, and she described them as smooth, creamy and buttery.So I thought what the heck, I’m ordering something outside of my box and it sounds like a very interesting combination.
Turns out this is Venue’s signature dish, as it should be!It’s served in a dinner size shallow bowl, but the size is more of a small plate.The creamy grits are in a perfect circle in the center of the dish surrounded by a thin circle of chartreuse sweet thai chile sauce.The shrimp are huge, 3 bites per shrimp and beautifully displayed overlapping one another in the center.I started from the outside in, getting a little of the chile sauce and fork full of grits…amazing, creamy, buttery, and how grits should be!I’ve never had grits like this.They are smooth with almost a mashed potato consistency.The chili sauce adds the perfect amount of sweet to the dish and a little spice.The shrimp were perfectly cooked and a perfect meat to accompany this dish.I don’t know that I’ll ever try anything else on the menu because that is all I want!I guess when I’m there, someone will have to order that, so I can taste a little piece of heaven!
The menu at Venue changes often with the changing of season and availability of fresh food, which just forces you to go back and try something new!I’m calculating my next visit…here I come Shrimp and Grits, or maybe something new?!
As I made lunch plans with some reps, the question of “where to eat” is of course on the top of the list.Emily and Pam typically want sushi so when they suggested Bones I was in!
Bones is apart of the family of restaurants by Frank Bonanno, which in my mind are always a fabulous bet!http://www.frankbonanno.com/I have been to two of his restaurants and had wanted to try Bones.Back in my college days, this location was a little sandwich shop we could count on for a quick bite to eat.Since, it was a coffee and ice cream shop until it was transformed into Bones.
It is a small, quaint and inviting little place that has a feeling of calm.The 7 tables that occupy the little floor space are accompanied by a dine-in bar and outdoor patio.It’s the perfect date night spot that reminds you of a Chicago neighborhood restaurant.
The lunch menu is small with choices to please all.“First” we shared the White Gazpacho with Crab.I’m not sure I would have ordered this on my own, and after the first bite I was sold.The cool broth was light and creamy and filled with garnished grape tomatoes and lump crab meat.A couple of bites each, just enough to tease.The six noodle bowls make your mouth water, except one, it was more of a drool.Ramen:Poached Lobster, Edamame, Miso…need I say more?The bowl arrives with steaming noodles, lobster and edamame.The miso broth is then poured over the bowl, and the aroma takes you to anther land.I dove in immediately and devoured nearly the entire dish.
I found this great quick and super easy jam recipe and I have to share it!I made it last week for a weekend event and it was delicious and fresh.
Strawberry Jam
1 qt hulled strawberries
½ c sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
In a food processor, coarsely chop strawberries.Transfer to a large skillet and stir in sugar and lemon juice.Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until jam has thickened and bubbles completely over surface, about 10 minutes.Transfer jam to jar or container to store.Cool to room temperature.If not using immediately, place jam in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.To store, place in tightly sealed container and freeze.
As the Matron of Honor in my sisters wedding, there are many duties before the big day, specifically the Bachlorette party. We are doing a wine tasting and thought a perfect favor would be a wine glass. I just can’t let these women walk out with an empty wine glass, so I decided to make a little sweet. I have this fabulous recipe for truffles and knew it would be perfect to fill the wine glasses.
Truffles, man that sounds difficult to make and “I’d rather buy them” thought runs through my head. This recipe is super easy and can be done days in advance. They are little balls of heaven!
1 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter 24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 to 1 cup finely ground cocktail peanuts (optional)
Heat cream and peanut butter in a medium size saucepan. Use a whisk to break up peanut butter so it melts evenly and chill. Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Combine peanut butter mixture with melted chocolate, using a whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Let cool, then cover and chill for 4 hours (or overnight).
Whisk powdered sugar and cocoa together until well mixed. Grind peanuts, if using, in the bowl of a food processor. Line a large baking sheet or tray with waxed paper. To shape truffles: If very chilled, let mixture sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to soften. Spoon teaspoon portions of chilled filling and roll into a ball. Roll truffle in cocoa mixture or ground nuts. Keep chilled to maintain best flavor and texture. Makes 40-60 truffles
If you don’t want to bother with a double boiler, place chocolate in a sauce pan on a very low heat. Chocolate burns easily, so stir frequently once the melting starts.
I love breakfast and with a free Sunday morning, we headed over to try a local joint, Dino’s Soda Bar.It is one of those places, you drive by and haven’t tried, but there are always people there, morning noon and night!
It is a casual place, sit anywhere and we’ll be right with you.The young waitresses are in old diner shirts and are running to keep up with the crowd.The real history of the place, I’m unsure about but it appears to have been a diner with bar stools to order your malt from.
After taking a seat at a booth inside, I learn that the coffee is self-serve at the end of the bar.The menu is small, and everything sounds good.We both got The Original Egg Sandwich, but with different add-ons.As we read the paper, the patio filled up and our meal arrived.The Egg Sandwich is on a large “Texas toast” type bun.It was grilled on one side and soft on the outside.The eggs were perfectly cooked and the cheese was melted and stringy.It was delicious!
Breakfast options are eggs of some variety, pancakes or granola and lunch is burgers, sandwiches, limeades and salads.For evening guests they have homemade ice cream, but when it’s gone, it’s gone!This isn’t a mass producing ice cream shop, so get there early for a choice of flavors.
I have just been introduced to Justin’s Natural, and it’s AWESOME! There three butters: Almond, Peanut and Hazelnut and a variety of flavors. The best and most convenient part is that they come in single serving packs. This would be great for Mom’s on the run and need to make a quick sandwich or easy snack for the kids, breakfast at the office or lunch in your car.
They are all natural, which of course I am a huge fan…no bad oils. I toasted my English muffin this morning, kneaded my little pack of Honey Almond Butter and squeeze and spread….delicious!
There are three new flavors coming this fall, and I can’t wait! You can buy these products in packets, jars or 100 calorie packs. It’s genius!
1 Boboli thin crust 3 ripe peaches, sliced and diced ¼ c brown sugar 1 Brie round, cut into cite sized pieces (15)
Preheat oven to 375°. Heat medium size skillet on medium heat. Before the pan gets really warm, place diced peaches in pan. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring so they don’t stick. Add brown sugar and let this cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour peach mixture onto pizza crust. Cut Brie into small bite sized pieces. Scatter on top of peach mixture, evenly. Put pizza in oven on the middle rack. On the lower rack, place a cookie sheet directly under the pizza. This will catch the brown sugar drips, and then you won’t have to scrub the oven. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is crisp.
Let cool for 5 minutes, cut and serve. If peaches aren’t in season, try apples or pears. Brie goes well with most fruits. It is a simple and easy dessert
This is my absolute favorite “new to me” place for lunch or dinner! Not only are there great options on the menu for any taste bud, but I recently read in my Health magazine that my two favorite items are among the healthiest they serve.
On the menu: “You Pick Two” Garden Vegetable Soup and the Turkey Artichoke Panini
I rarely stray from this awesome combo. The tomato broth in Garden Vegetable Soup is filled with potato and carrot slices, onion, zucchini, tomato, beans, corn and edamame and is packed with flavor. If I am ordering more than just soup, I get the “You pick two”. My choice is of course the Garden Vegetable soup paired with the Turkey Artichoke on Focaccia Panini. This delicious warm and gooey sandwich is dripping with flavor. There are numerous slices of turkey to fill you up, topped with caramelized onions, tomatoes, spinach artichoke spread and Asiago-Parmesan cheese. This combo is filling and delicious, either together or by them selves.
**WARNING: Garden Vegetable soup is served on ONLY Monday, Wednesday and Friday.** Low-Fat Vegetarian Garden Vegetable Serving size: 8oz (You Pick Two size) 70 Calories .5 grams Fat 0 Saturated Fat 15 grams Carbs 4 grams Fiber 3 grams protein
Posts
