Chicken and pasta with sun-dried tomato pesto

I found this recipe on Cooking Light and was amazed at not only how good it was, but also how much my children raved about it.  We served it again tonight (for the umpteenth time!) and both kids went back for seconds.  Serve it with a garlic or tomato-basil bread from your local bakery, and you have a wonderfully filling meal.  This recipe has been adapted to add chicken and to alter the ingredient order a bit, but you can opt out on the chicken if you want it as a side (and serve with a smaller pasta for a side dish) or potluck item.  Use whole wheat pasta if you prefer.  I also suggest making bigger batches of the pesto and freezing for really quick dinners!


YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)             

Ingredients

• 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fresh linguine
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with olive oil and Italian seasoning (or Italian turkey sausage even!), cubed and cooked
• 3/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
• 1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons preshredded fresh Asiago cheese
• 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup pasta water
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain through a sieve over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pan.
While pasta cooks, place tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through black pepper) in a food processor; process until finely chopped.
Combine tomato mixture and the reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, stirring with a whisk. Add to pasta; toss well to coat.   Stir in chicken breast.  Spoon onto plates and sprinkle with feta.

Lemon, Pepper, and Tequila Grilled Chicken Breasts
We made these tonight after I found the recipe on MyRecipes.com.  WAY too much pepper was indicated in the recipe, but I altered it a little to begin with so it was almost tolerable.  So here we go with my version, including a lot less pepper.  A great recipe to throw together in the morning and let marinate all day!

Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes of marinating time

• 1/2 cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tbsp white (blanco) tequila
• 4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves

1. Combine lime juice, sugar, pepper, oil, salt, and tequila in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag. Stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Set aside.
2. Put chicken in bowl or plastic bag with marinade. Cover or seal; chill 30 minutes up to several hours.
3. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-hot (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 in. above cooking-grate level only 3 to 4 seconds). Remove chicken from marinade and grill 5 minutes (cover if using gas). Turn chicken over (cover if using gas), and grill until cooked through (chicken should feel firm when poked), 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

The best potatoes...EVER!

I made these tonight on a whim that we needed a different version of potatoes for Father's day dinner.  I had purchased a bag of small red potatoes last week and knew I could pan-fry them from a previous recipe's experience, but that recipe needed more flavor.

I dug the recipe out of a folder and started working my own magic, only using their cooking methods.  I couldn't get enough of them!!  Rob thought they were really, really good, Lauren chowed down on them and Alex got picky enough to say he didn't like them... meh, what ever, picky child!

So here goes...the best potatoes, EVER!

Pan-Fried Smashed Potatoes

1 pre-packaged bag of small red round potatoes (no bigger than 2" diameter; maybe a 1 pound bag)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
chicken broth or bullion, for boiling potatoes
1 tbsp dried thyme (or 3 tbsp fresh)
1 tbsp dried chopped rosemary (or 3 tbsp fresh)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

Place potatoes, olive oil, and salt in a large pot.  Fill pot with enough broth (or water and equivalent chicken bullion) to cover by at least and inch.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat slightly and simmer for 10 minutes, or longer depending on the size of your potatoes, until you can just put a fork into a potato.  They do not need to be fork-tender, just a little on the surface.

Remove the potatoes from the water and place on a cookie sheet.  Using a wooden spatula or another firm utensil (do not use a potato masher), slightly smash the potatoes so the skin breaks.  They should be about 1/2" thick.

Heat 1/2 cup oil in a 12" skillet over high heat, until it shimmers.  Place potatoes in pan and season with half the thyme and rosemary, then salt and pepper to taste.  Place a lid on the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low.  Let cook for 10 minutes.  Flip potatoes and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes, seasoning with more of the herbs and salt and pepper.  Serve immediately, and, if desired, sprinkle with shaved parmesan or romano cheese.

Linguine with potatoes, green beans, gorgonzola and sage

We had this tonight, and 3 of the 4 of really liked it!   It was a little grainy because of the type of potatoes I used and the dried sage since the grocery store didn't have any fresh.  And we used peas instead of green beans since it was what we had on hand.  It was quite tasty, a little too salty (cut back on that if you think the cheese will be enough), and would be really good with chicken added in!  Oh, and it was really quick and easy to throw together....minimal chopping and not much cleanup!  If you use blue cheese instead of gorgonzola, add 2 more tablespoons of butter.

• YIELD: Makes 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
• TOTAL:30 MINUTES
• COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients

• 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes  (I used russets since it was what we had)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 pound linguine
• 10 ounce green beans, cut into 2-in. lengths, or 1 bag (10 oz.) frozen cut green beans (frozen peas or a veggie medley would work fine)
• 6 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
• 8 ounces gorgonzola dolce or other soft blue cheese, such as Fourme d'Ambert (see Notes)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish

Preparation

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4-in. pieces. Put in a large pot, add 2 qts. water, cover, and bring to a boil. Add salt and linguine. Stir, cover, and return to a vigorous boil. Add green beans, cover, and bring back to a boil. Uncover and cook until linguine is tender to the bite, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, chop sage leaves. In a large serving bowl, mash cheese, butter, sage, and pepper together. Set aside.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and vegetables, shaking off as much water as possible. Pour pasta and vegetables on top of cheese-butter mixture. Toss to combine until cheese melts and coats pasta. If resulting sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, 1 tbsp. at a time. Serve hot, garnished with additional sage or pepper if you like.
Variations:
Spinach: Add 6 oz. of spinach, cut into thin ribbons or chopped, to the pasta for the last minute of cooking.
Radicchio: In a large frying pan over high heat, cook 1 head thinly sliced radicchio in 2 tsp. olive oil until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add to cooked pasta before tossing with cheese.
Herbs: Use thyme, oregano, or basil instead of sage.

Farfalle with tomatoes, onion, and spinach

In my attempt to steer my family toward more meatless meals (no, I am NOT going vegetarian!), I came across a few recipes that actually do sound quite tasty.  This one was one of them.  And I would not mind throwing in some grilled chicken (maybe one breast....) to make it a little more sustainable.  But really, it wasn't necessary.  My husband was prepared to chow down on some leftover potato salad after this "light" meal, but was surprised when he finished and was full!

I did add extra oregano, as well as some salt and pepper.  I used a stainless steel skillet so I needed to add more oil.  But Rob liked it, Alex ate all of it, and Lauren picked out the tomatoes and spinach (she does not like tomatoes, but apparently only likes spinach SALAD...sigh...she's getting pickier as she gets older!). 

I might add some Italian seasoning next time, and also try rehydrating some sun-dried tomatoes instead of using fresh (I know Lauren likes those!).  It would also make a tasty cold salad-type dish. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces uncooked farfalle pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup vertically sliced yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 3 tablespoons shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions; drain.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and oregano; sauté 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and vinegar; sauté 3 minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften. Add pasta and spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with feta.

Greek Easter Bread
I made this for Easter dinner with a few alterations for the bread maker.  Right now my kids are thoroughly enjoying the leftovers as french toast for breakfast.  VERY good bread, slightly sweet, plenty of flavor!  Just change the order of ingredients according to your breadmaker's directions, remove the dough and pick up with the original directions with braiding and rising.  Original recipe from Cooking Light.

Greek Easter Bread

1 teaspoon whole allspice

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)

Dash of salt

Dash of sugar

2 packages dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons each)

4 3/4 cups bread flour, divided

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons butter

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon water

1 large egg yolk

Preparation

Place allspice and cinnamon in a spice or coffee grinder, and process until finely ground. Set aside.



Combine water, dash of salt, dash of sugar, and yeast in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Let stand for 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 1 cup flour to yeast mixture, stirring until well combined. Let stand 20 minutes.



Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in allspice mixture. Add yeast mixture to butter mixture; stir with a whisk until well combined. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Add 3 1/2 cups flour, about 1 cup at a time, stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).



Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press 2 fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)



Divide dough into 3 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 14-inch-long rope. Place ropes lengthwise on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray (do not stretch); pinch ends together at one end to seal. Braid ropes; pinch loose ends to seal. Lightly coat dough with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.



Preheat oven to 350°.



Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg yolk, stirring with a whisk. Brush half of yolk mixture over loaf. Let stand for 5 minutes. Repeat procedure with the remaining yolk mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Atomic Buffalo Turds

Yeah, I know the name sounds.....intriguing.  But we were invited to a party last night and were asked to bring a dish.  So we made these.  Hollowed out jalapeno halves stuffed with cream cheese, a little smokie, and wrapped in bacon, then smoked.

We used Jack Daniels mesquite wood chips in our smoker and were not impressed.  I think we'll make them this way next time...they are definitely worth another try!

18-20 jalapenos
2 blocks cream cheese (any fat content)
cayenne and paprika to taste
1-2 drops liquid smoke
1 package Hillshire Farms Little Smokies
2 lbs.thick cut bacon, cut in half and very lightly browned
Raspberry chipotle glaze

Special equipment: broiler pan or a rack set over a roasting pan, toothpicks, foil for easy clean up

Cut the tops off the jalapenos, then slice lengthwise.  Remove as much of the seeds and membranes desired.  (We removed all of it and it had ZERO kick, negating the "atomic" protion...big mistake!) 

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, cayenne, paprika and liquid smoke to taste(you can also use a spicy barbecue rub, chipotle chili powder, or minced/pureed canned chipotles in adobo sauce to taste; if using chipotle powder or sauce, omit liquid smoke).  Using a knife, fill jalapenos with 1 teaspoon cream cheese mixture, then top with little smokie.  Wrap a slice of bacon around the jalapeno and secure with a toothpick.

Place on a baking sheet/broiler pan and bake at 300 degrees for about a hour, maybe longer if the bacon does not appear browned.  (Bacon will not cook to a crisp texture, but it should be browned).  Brush with raspberry chipotle glaze and return to oven for another 20-30 minutes.  Serve warm, with additional glaze on the side.

Ms. Helen's Halibut Chowder

I got this recipe from my co-worker Helen.  I've had her version several times and always enjoyed it.  She also makes it with salmon and it is equally good!  I altered the recipe a little bit, sauteing the veggies first and adding some seasonings, and my husband said, "This is REALLY good!"

2 T butter
6 strips bacon, chopped
1 c diced carrot
1 c diced celery
1 c diced onion
1 lb (or more) halibut, chopped into 1/2 to 1" pieces
4 c milk (any variety, I suggest 2% but will try skim next time)
2 8-oz blocks cream cheese (I used reduced fat, and do not recommend fat free)
30 oz total cream of potato soup
15 oz cream of mushroom soup
1 can sweet corn, drained
Additional seasonings (sorry, I didn't measure): salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, cayenne and Old Bay seasoning)

Melt butter in a large saute pan.  Add chopped bacon, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly crispy.  Add the carrots, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender.  Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.  Add halibut and cook until flaky.  Remove from heat.

In a large pot, add milk and cream cheese, stirring to blend.  Put over medium heat and stir until cheese has melted.  Add soups.  DO NOT add water.  Whisk ingredients together, bringing to  a simmer.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.  Add reserved halibut mixture and corn and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add up to 1/2 cup water if desired to thin consistency.  Serve hot.

(As for the seasonings, I added salt, pepper, and thyme to the veggies as they were cooking.  I also added the same seasoning to the milk mixture as it was cooking.  I added the same seasonings once it was all put together and simmering, as well as maybe 1 tsp cayenne and 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning.)

Chicken Larb?  Sounds funny, but it is actually quite good!  Use any type of curry sauce you like, we used mild curry sauce because it was what we had on hand, and it had good curry flavor without any heat.  In consideration of time, we used ground turkey meat, which may have had more fat (dark meat), so we look forward to trying it with chicken breast.  We served it on tortilla shells so the kids would eat it, and we all really enjoyed it!  Found on Cooking Light's web site. 

Chicken Larb


Other Time: 27 minutes minutes

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 filled cabbage leaves)
2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/3 cup chopped English cucumber

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

8 cabbage leaves

Thai chile paste (optional)

1. Combine curry paste, chicken, and salt in a food processor; process until smooth. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until done, stirring to crumble. Remove pan from heat; stir in cucumber and next 3 ingredients (through juice). Place 2 cabbage leaves on each of 4 plates; divide chicken mixture evenly among leaves. Serve with chile paste, if desired.
CALORIES 174 ; FAT 4.9g (sat 0.6g,mono 2.6g,poly 1.3g); CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.1g; SODIUM 507mg; PROTEIN 26.7g; FIBER 0.3g; IRON 1mg
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2011

S'More pancakes
These are as sweet as the name sounds...definitely a KID pancake.  I tried a bite and it was too much for me, but they might not be bad with just syrup.  My kids said they were awesome though!  I got this recipe from my friend Heather at Out of the Box Into the Kitchen, who got it from Sweet Luvin' In the Kitchen

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/4 cups milk

2 eggs

2 tbsp oil

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Marshmallow Syrup


1 cup marshmallow fluff

1/4 cup HOT water

Whisk together dry ingredients. Add in the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Place batter onto hot, greased griddle. Sprinkle on a few chocolate chips. When bubbles start to form on the top, flip and continue to cook until browned.

To make syrup, combine fluff and hot water until soup. Drizzle over pancakes.

My birthday cake!

This cake starts out easy with a boxed cake mix.  The mousse is wonderful, although it is a bit of work.  But totally worth it in the end.  Even Rob loved it!  This one came from myrecipes.com.  I had to alter it a bit because we only had one pint of whipping cream, but it turned out fine.  Very moist and even better the second day!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake






Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake or 8 parfaits





1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix without pudding

2 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided

1 (10-ounce) package peanut butter morsels

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Garnish: chopped roasted peanuts



Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour into 2 lightly greased 8-inch round cakepans. Bake according to package directions. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely.



Combine 2/3 cup whipping cream and peanut butter morsels in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until morsels melt and mixture is smooth; remove saucepan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract, and cool 25 minutes.



Beat 1 1/3 cups whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stir one-third whipped cream into peanut butter mixture. Fold into remaining whipped cream. Spread between cake layers; cover and chill.



Bring remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Add chocolate morsels; remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Stir until morsels melt and mixture is smooth.



Pour glaze over cake; garnish, if desired. Serve warm, or chill and serve at room temperature.



Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Parfaits: Cut cooled cake layers into cubes. Layer 8 Parfait glasses evnly with two-thirds peanut butter mixture, cake cubes, and half of cocolate mixture. Top with remaining peanut butter mixture and chocolate mixture; sprinkle each parfait with chopped peanuts, if desired.

This recipe came from Bon Appetit in 2006.  We tried it once and we amazed at how good it was!  Obviously it made it into our "repeat" cookbook.  We don't make it often because it's rather time consuming.  But if you make the sauces ahead (and there are instructions for making ahead) it actually throws together rather quickly come dinner time!  We haven't made any changes to this recipe so the credit goes fully to Bon Appetit magazine.  This a definite "company" dish...go ahead and cook this for your boss, you just might get that promotion!


Pretzel-Crusted Pork Chops with Orange-Mustard Sauce Bon Appétit
September 2006
Grouse Mountain Grill

Crushed pretzels make a better-than-breadcrumb crust.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar

2 oranges

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup all purpose flour

3 large eggs

2 cups crushed pretzel sticks (about 5 ounces)

8 1-inch-thick center-cut pork rib chops

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, divided

Simmer balsamic vinegar in small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 10 minutes. Transfer to small pitcher. DO AHEAD: Balsamic reduction can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from oranges (orange part only) in long strips. Slice peel lengthwise into very thin strips. Place peel in heavy small saucepan and add enough cold water to cover peel by 1 inch. Bring to boil; strain. Repeat 2 more times. Return peel to same saucepan. Add 3/4 cup water and sugar. Boil until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain. DO AHEAD: Candied orange peel can be made 2 days ahead. Place in small bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

Mix cream, mustard, and 2 tablespoons candied orange peel in heavy small saucepan. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce is reduced to 1 cups, about 12 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Place flour in shallow bowl. Whisk eggs to blend in another shallow bowl. Spread crushed pretzels on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Working with 1 pork chop at a time, press 1 side of chop into flour, dip floured side only into eggs, then press into pretzels, coating 1 side only. Transfer to baking sheet, coated side up. Repeat with remaining pork chops, flour, eggs, and pretzels. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large ovenproof skillets over medium-high heat. Add 4 pork chops to each skillet, coated side down, and cook until brown, about 2 minutes. Turn chops over and transfer both skillets to oven. Roast until pork is cooked through and thermometer inserted horizontally into chop registers 140°F, about 10 minutes. Let chops stand 5 minutes.

Rewarm sauce. Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce onto each plate and place chop atop sauce. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and garnish with remaining candied orange peel.

If you're looking for a curry dish, and I mean a GOOD curry dish, try this one!  Rob made it the other night (I was substituting at the school and wouldn't be home until 6:00) and while it was a lot of work to prep and put together, it was SOOOOOO worth it in the end!!!  It was a bit too spicy for me and the kids, but that can be easily changed by using just 1 pepper or cutting out all the seeds.  This dish is absolutely a party in your mouth.  Raisins and apples nicely compilement the spicy peppers and curry.  The only real alteration we made was using beef cubes instead of lamb, since they usually only carry lamb around here at Christmas and Easter.  It turned out so wonderful I very happily saved half of it and froze it for another meal!  Oh, and I found this on http://www.epicurious.com/ under "member recipes".


South African"World Cup" Curry
Here's an indigenous South African Curry I created in South Africa. The fruit content produces a curry that's sweet and hot. Jalapenos add the perfect amount of heat.

Serves 6 people

Submitted by setzine

June 2, 2010

3 Tablespoons butter

2 Cups onion finely chopped

1 Granny Smith Apple, cored, seeded

peeled and chopped fine.

1 35 oz. can diced tomatoes.

1 Cup of chicken stock.

1 Cup unsweetened coconut

3 Pounds cubed stewing lamb

3 Tablespoons curry powder

3 Tablespoons lime juice

3 Tablespoons fruit chutney

2 Tablespoons apricot preserve.

2 Jalapenos,chopped (seedsincluded)

2 inch piece of ginger

3 cloves garlic

2 bay leaves

1 cup seedless yellow raisins

1.Coat stewing lamb well with curry powder and set aside.

2. Saute the onion,apple and tomato in the butter over a low heat until onions are translucent.

3. Boil chicken stock and add coconut.

Reduce heat to low and soak while you brown the lamb

4. Brown the lamb in a large pot,turning often.

5. In a food processor, blend lime juice,fruit chutney, apricot preserve, jalapenos, ginger and garlic.

6. Add this mixture to the pot with the lamb and coat well.

7. Add the tomato,onion and apple mixture.

8. Add the coconut and stock.

9. Add the bay leaves.

10. Add the yellow raisins.

11. Cook slowly for 1 hour 15 minutes.

12. Serve with boiled rice and coconut, chopped tomatoes and onions, chutney on the side.

This dish does well when you let it stand for a while and can be prepared a day ahead. Remove the bay leaves before you serve the curry over rice.

Caribbean Pork Loin with Pineapple Raisin Relish

My friend Kayla gave me this recipe a couple of weeks ago.  She knows how much I enjoy cooking something different every night!  We finally tried it tonight and we ALL loved it!  I added a small dash of tequila to the relish...because I could, lol!  And if you want to kick it up just a little, add either some red pepper flakes or finely chopped jalapeno (seeded or not, your call).  If you're looking for a quicker dish, grill some pork chops seasoned with Jamaican or Caribbean blend, warm the sauce and serve on top (instead of pouring it over and baking it).  I'm looking forward to having it again!  Oh, and we forgot to serve with the tortilla chips but considering the calorie and fat count in this recipe, we did just fine without them! 

Caribbean Pork Loin with Pineapple Raisin Relish

Prep: 45 minutes
Roast: 1-1/4 hours

Ingredients

Pork

1 cup packed fresh oregano leaves

1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 Tbsp. finely shredded lime peel

3 Tbsp. lime juice

2 tsp. kosher salt

4 cloves garlic

1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup olive oil

1 4-lb. bone-in loin center rib roast

Relish

1-1/2 cups chopped pineapple

1 cup golden raisins

4 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup pineapple juice

3 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 cup canola oil

16 6-inch corn tortillas, quartered

2 limes, quartered

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In food processor or blender combine oregano, 1 cup cilantro, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, the lime peel, 3 Tbsp. lime juice, 2 tsp. kosher salt, the garlic, and cumin. Cover and blend or process until chopped. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream until incorporated.

2. With sharp knife, score surface of pork roast with small slits. Place roast in roasting pan, bone side down. Pour herb mixture over roast. Roast, uncovered 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast reads 150 degrees F, spooning herb mixture over meat two or three times during roasting. Lightly tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Temperature will rise to 160 degreesF.

3. For relish, in bowl combine pineapple, golden raisins, green onions, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 3 Tbsp. lime juice, 2 Tbsp. cilantro, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt.

4. In large skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. Cook tortilla wedges in hot oil for 15 to 20 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels. Wrap in foil to keep warm.

5. To serve, cut meat from bone and thinly slice. Serve with tortilla wedges, relish, and garnish with lime wedges. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Calories664, Total Fat (g)37, Saturated Fat (g)5, Monounsaturated Fat (g)23, Polyunsaturated Fat (g)7, Cholesterol (mg)76, Sodium (mg)643, Carbohydrate (g)52, Total Sugar (g)19, Fiber (g)6, Protein (g)35, Vitamin C (DV%)73, Calcium (DV%)15, Iron (DV%)16, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Bourbon Fudge Brownies

I just made these, they're in the oven, but if the batter is any proof of their awesomeness, then we're in for a real treat when they come out!  If you like a more cake-like brownie, add another egg.  Never tried these before but I made a double batch anyway...lol!

Oh, it's from Cooking Light too!  Even better!

Bourbon Fudge Brownies

Bourbon and vanilla enhance the rich chocolate flavor of these moist brownies. If you don't want to use bourbon, use hot milk in its place.

Yield: 20 servings

1/4 cup bourbon

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups sugar

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Bring bourbon to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, stirring until smooth.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture and bourbon mixture to sugar mixture, beating at low speed just until combined.

Spread batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

CALORIES 148 (30% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 2.9g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.2g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 31mg; CALCIUM 20mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.2g; SODIUM 121mg; PROTEIN 2.2g; FIBER 1g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2003

Ragu alla Bolognese with fettuccine

This is a favorite in my house.  A friend of mine, who has actually been stationed in Italy, said "This actually tastes like something I would eat in Italy!"  Okay, that's about as high a praise as I can get on a dish!

Ground veal may be hard to find so sub your favorite - extra ground beef or sausage - to make up the extra meat.  I used a pound of ground beef and a pound of ground sausage, which is more meat than called for, so I increased the liquid quite a bit.  I also seasoned the ground beef (and the veggies) with salt, pepper, parsley, basil, garlic powder, sage, Italian seasoning (Red Monkey makes an awesome blend), etc.  I added more seasonings to the sauce as it was cooking.  Other than that, I pretty much left it alone.  Super yummy and tastes even better the next day!


Ragu Alla Bolognese with Fettuccine

This recipe is adapted from the classic ragùs of Italy's Emilia Romagna region.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)


1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 cup finely chopped carrot

5 ounces ground veal

5 ounces ground pork

5 ounces ground round

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 bay leaf

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato puree

1 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 (9-ounce) packages fresh fettuccine, cooked and drained

2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Parsley sprigs (optional)

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; cover and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove onion mixture from pan.

Add veal, pork, and beef to pan; cook over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add wine, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture, broth, and tomato puree; bring to a simmer. Cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Stir in milk and minced parsley; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Add pasta, and toss to coat. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

CALORIES 369 (29% from fat); FAT 11.8g (sat 4.2g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.4g); IRON 3.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 87mg; CALCIUM 117mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44g; SODIUM 546mg; PROTEIN 21.4g; FIBER 4.2g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2002