Tag: Recipes

Recipe

Baked Spaghetti by Paula Deen

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Paula Deen is such a great ambassador for the South. But. She lays on that accent a little too thick sometimes and God help me with the cackling.  No matter.  If she says a recipe is good, you can take it to the bank.

This spaghetti is her recipe, and one of the most popular ones I’ve ever shared on Food.com.  Tons of reviews.  It is really juicy and you will be tempted to increase the pasta, but don’t do it!  It makes it too dry, upsets the balance of goodness or something.  Trust me, the best way to make this dish is just to do it exactly as Paula says.  If you want to take a short cut by using jarred marinara, I understand the inclination; but you are shortchanging yourself.  Delish with a salad and hunk of french bread.  If you’re real naughty, splurge on that fancy Irish butter in your fancy grocery store and slather it on the bread.  Heaven.

Baked Spaghetti by Paula Deen

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INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons italian seasoning
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 small bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • 8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
  • House Seasoning (use 1 1/2 tsp)
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1/4 cup black pepper
  • 1/4 cup garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, seasoning mixtures, sugar, and bay leaves.
  • Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
  • Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet.
  • Cook over medium-high heat until fully cooked, with no pink color remaining.
  • Drain the fat from the meat, and then add the ground beef to the stockpot.
  • Simmer for 20 more minutes.
  • Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
  • Cover the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with sauce.
  • Add a layer of pasta and then a little less than 1/2 of each cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce.
  • Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return it to the oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes.
  • Cut into squares before serving.
  • House Seasoning: Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Recipe

Never Fail Chicken Casserole

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Never Fail Chicken Casserole

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Easy to put together on a busy weeknight, with plenty of passive cooking time. A new staple for us! The rice does get pretty “soggy” so if you are someone who likes individual grains of rice, this is NOT the recipe for you.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of celery soup
  • 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 soup can water
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 chicken, cut up (I used breasts)
  • salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Combine soups, butter, water and rice in buttered oblong casserole dish. Salt and pepper chicken and place in mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Recipe

Almost-Famous Spinach-Artichoke Dip

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Almost-Famous Spinach-Artichoke Dip

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Our Christmas Eve tradition is to gather the family for a night of appetizers and punch. Our grandparents always cooked a large Christmas Dinner on this night, much like a Thanksgiving feast, which we had to suffer through (and the cleaning of the dishes!) before we were able to get to the much awaited gift exchange. My family developed this appetizer idea as a way to avoid the formality, just a grab and go while we get to the good stuff. This however, has morphed into fancier appetizers and complex desserts as we grew up and had children and realized the value of making them wait! It is excruciating for them, and thus, much fun for us. 🙂

This is from Food Network, and it is a dip, but I think of it almost as a fondue. It was runnier than I expected. The flavor was good, but I encourage you to spice it up to you taste!

Almost-Famous Spinach-Artichoke Dip

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INGREDIENTS

2 (10 ounce) bags spinach, stems removed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup frozen artichoke heart, thawed, squeezed dry and roughly chopped
tortilla chips and salsa, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the spinach and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water; squeeze out the excess moisture, then finely chop.

2.Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is soft, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan and sour cream.

3. Return the pot to medium heat. Add the spinach, cheddar and artichokes and stir until the cheese melts and the dip is heated through. Serve warm with tortilla chips, salsa and sour cream.

Recipe

Christmas Ornament Cupcakes

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I feel bad putting this under the “recipe” column, but sometimes you just need an “easy” fun thing to do with the kids during Christmas.  Believe me, you better enjoy it while your children “want” to do it, because the day will come all too quickly when they get bored with these simple projects 😦 

MATERIALS:

  • Cake Mix (any flavor)
  • oil and eggs for cake mix
  • 2 containers white frosting
  • food coloring
  • decorating gels, dragees, edible confetti, etc.
  • bag of mini Reese’s cups
  • mini pretzels

So, here’s what we did.  Bake some cupcakes (I freely admit to using a mix).  I’d fill them a little more than you normally might so they’ll hump up more when baked.  While they cool, take a few containers of store-bought white frosting and dye it the colors you desire.  Frost and decorate.  Top with mini Reese’s cups with a pretzel “hook” jammed in.  As you can see, mine look weird.  The only pretzels I found were football shaped and I couldn’t get a good “hook” out of it, but a regular shaped pretzel would work amazingly. 

I got the idea from: Homemaking Fun

Recipe

Peppermint Popcorn Bark

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Peppermint Popcorn Bark

Adorable and delicious for Christmas!

ingredients

  • 2 bags microwave popcorn, popped (18-20 cups)
  • 1 6oz box candy canes, crushed
  • 1 package Almond Bark
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract or a few drops of peppermint oil

directions

Place popcorn in a very large bowl – the biggest one you have. Pour crushed candy canes on top of the popcorn. (I crush my candy canes in the food processor – it is quick and it pulverizes the candy canes!) Melt almond bark according to instructions on the package. Add the peppermint extract or oil to the almond bark and pour over popcorn. Stir until all the popcorn is coated. Pour popcorn on wax paper and allow to harden. Once the popcorn has hardened, break into pieces and enjoy!

I found this idea at Plain Chicken

Recipe

Recipe: Turkey Monte Cristo Sandwich

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OK, I know Turkey Sandwiches are the obvious choice for Thanksgiving Leftovers, but *this* turkey sandwich is elevated!  Plus, you’ll already have the cranberry sauce on hand.  Just try it.  My family loved these better than the turkey dinner.

I got this recipe out of my Food Network cookbook.

Turkey Monte Cristo Sandwich

ingredients

  • 8 slices challah (1/2 inch thick) or 8 slices brioche bread (1/2 inch thick)
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 6 ounces sliced Muenster cheese
  • 12 ounces thinly sliced cooked turkey breast
  • kosher salt
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 2/3 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

directions

  • 1. Mix the Mayo and Mustard. To make the sandwiches: Lay the bread out on the work surface. Spread one side of each slice with the mustard mixture. Spread half of the cheese on 4 slices of the bread. Cover with half of the turkey and season with salt and pepper to taste. Evenly spread the cranberry on the turkey on the sandwich. Top with the remaining turkey; season with salt and pepper to taste, and cover with the remaining cheese and bread. Press down slightly on each sandwich.

  • 2. In a lipped plate or dish, whisk together the eggs and milk, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

  • 3. Heat 2 large skillets over medium-low heat, add a 2 tablespoon of butter to each pan. Dip and coat each of the sandwiches in the egg mixture and lay in the pans. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.

Recipe

Comeback Sauce

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This sauce is so good it has its own Wikipedia page.  A staple from Jackson, Mississippi, this sauce is used as a dip, a dressing or on meat.  It is amazing.

Comeback Sauce

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup chili sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1/4 cup light olive oil
  • juice of one lemon

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients well and store in refrigerator overnight. It needs to sit to let the flavors become “acquainted”. They shouldn’t rush into marriage.

Recipe

Recipe: Mike Isabella’s Pepperoni Sauce (For Pasta)

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I love Top Chef!  Each season I pick an early favorite and in Mike’s season…he wasn’t it.  In fact, I really didn’t even like him.  Then I saw him on the fan favorites show, and though I rooted for Richard, I developed a new appreciation for the brashness that was Mike.  He had passion that seemed limitless…and this sauce.  Sinfully delicious.

This sauce is most likely designed to be a garnish, not to cover and entire plate of pasta.  It is extremely intense.  I made this and then added it to my regular Marinara sauce  (4 cups marinara, I’d guess?) and it was perfect.

Mike Isabella’s Pepperoni Sauce (For Pasta)

ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, cut into small dice
  • 5 medium garlic cloves, cut into very thin slices
  • 1 lb pepperoni, cut into thin slices
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted (see NOTE)
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 8 -12 ounces canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juices
  • 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 fresh bay leaf

directions

  • Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, until the oil shimmers.

  • Add the onion and garlic; cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until they are golden and fragrant.

  • Stir in the pepperoni; cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and evenly coated, then add the toasted fennel seed and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.

  • Add the tomatoes and their juices (to taste), the broth and the bay leaf; stir to incorporate.

  • Once the mixture starts to bubble at the edges, cover and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • The pepperoni slices will be soft, with a deeper color.

  • Remove from the heat.

  • Working in batches as needed, transfer to a food processor or a high-powered blender (including the bay leaf); puree until smooth.

  • The sauce is ready to use. Or cool, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

  • NOTE: Toast the fennel seed in a small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet often to keep the seeds from burning. They will become fragrant and slightly darker in color. This only takes a couple of minutes.

  • He also recomends using San Marzano tomatoes for this recipe.

Recipe

Grilled Corn on the Cob

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It’s feeling like Fall in the Carolinas!  That means it is cool enough to go back outside, fire up the grill and enjoy a cookout without sweating your fool head off.  When my jokesters wanted a cookout, we headed to Lake Hickory and grilled some chicken.  We brought the fresh corn pre-wrapped at home and put them on the grill to cook with our chicken.  The greatest thing?  We didn’t need to bring any butter, they were already buttered up for us.  Perfect cookout side dish!

Grilled Corn on the Cob

ingredients

  • 6 ears corn
  • 6 sheets aluminum foil (8 inches long)
  • 6 tablespoons butter

directions

  • Heat up grill.

  • Take each sheet of foil and butter with one tbs where corn will be touching.

  • Roll it and pinch the ends.

  • Put on grill with medium low flame and turn after five minutes to other side.

  • Listen for crackling, whereas it might be burning!
Recipe

Recipe: Dr. Pepper Cherry Marshmallow Cake

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Isn’t it pretty?  I wish I could take credit for its growth, but my thumb is black.  My husband loves all of the pretty flowers and makes sure they get water and whatever other mysterious things they need to grow.  He makes the world pretty, and I make it taste good.  Here’s my offering in the same color family: Dr. Pepper Cherry Marshmallow Cake.  Please note: I did not have 2 boxes of jello, so my cake wasn’t as pink (or as cherry flavored) as yours will be when you make it.  It was still delicious.

Dr. Pepper Cherry Marshmallow Cake

ingredients

  • 2 (8 ounce) cans dark sweet cherries, pitted, drained, reserving syrup
  • JELLO MIXTURE
  • 3/4 cup reserved cherry syrup
  • 1/4 cup Dr. Pepper cola
  • 1 (3 ounce) package cherry Jell-O
  • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
  • BATTER MIXTURE
  • 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package yellow cake mix
  • 1 (3 ounce) package cherry Jell-O
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup Dr. Pepper cola
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows

directions

1. Arrange cherries evenly on bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F

3. In a small saucepan, combine the cherry syrup, 1 package of cherry Jello and 1/4 cup Dr. Pepper; gently heat until Jello is dissolved.

4. Add almond extract and cool slightly.

5. In a large mixing bowl, combine yellow cake mix, 1 pack cherry Jello, oil, eggs and 3/4 cup Dr. Pepper. Beat on high for 3-4 minutes.

6. Pour cooled Jello mixture over cherries in pan.

7. Sprinkle evenly with the miniature marshmallows and then carefully and evenly spoon the batter mix over the marshmallows.

8. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool on rack for 45 minutes. Chill 3-4 hours.