Asian Crunch Salad

This is one of my favorite salads. I find any excuse to make it..

There are no exact measurements for this salad. Add as much as you would like of anything. I will tell you how much I add and you can modify.
Ingredients:

Romain Lettuce

Red or Green Cabbage  (I like Green)

1/4 cup Peanuts

1 cup Edamame beans

1 cup Matchstick Carrots

2 Limes

1 bunch of Cilantro

Wontons

Rice noodles or sticks

1 bottle Peanut Sauce

1 tsp. Ginger

1 bunch of green onions

2 Chicken Breasts

Directions:

1. Heat about 2 inches of oil to 400 degrees. After oil is heated cook wontons till they are nice and crispy. Remove from oil and set aside to cool. Add rice noodles to oil and they will cook really fast. When done set these aside to cool as well.

 2. Cut chicken into cubes or strips. Add salt and pepper and ginger to chicken.

3. Mix all ingredients into a large bowl and add rice noodles and wontons just before serving so they don't get soggy.

4. to make the dressing you will need  a food processor, add the cilantro the juice of two limes and the peanut sauce. After it is all mixed add one teaspoon on lime zest. Toss over salad

ENJOY!

Salmon Garlic Skewers

Ingredients:

Salmon Fillets

3 cloves of Garlic

4 Tbs. Fresh chopped Parsley

Ice Cream Rock Salt

1 Tsp. Pepper

1/2 tsp, Cheyenne Pepper

1 Tbs. Olive oil

4 Bamboo Skewers

1. Cut Salmon into large cubes, place in large mixing bowl. Chop parsley, press garlic and add all other ingredient's except the salt. Mix well to coat the Salmon. Place Salmon cubes on skewers and sprinkle ice cream salt over the top, you can also use rock salt. This gives the salmon a little bit of crunch. You will love it. Place skewers on the grill till cooked thoroughly.

Enjoy!

French Baguettes

This recipe is also from The Food Nanny.  It's an easy recipe that tastes great.  Next time I make it I think I'm going add some herbs to the dough.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm (105-115 degrees) water, divided
1 1/2 Tablespoons (2 packets) active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar, divided
3 1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 teaspoons salt
melted butter for brushing on loaves (optional)

**For Italian herb version add the following to dough before shaping

1/2 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the water, the yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar.  Stir just to combine and cover with plastic wrap or a plate.  Let the mixture stand about 5 minutes or until bubbly or foamy.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer or food processor, blend the flour, salt, the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar, and the yeast mixture.  Gradually add water, up to the remaining 1 cup, and mix until the dough forms a smooth ball that is not too sticky to handle.  (If the dough ends up too sticky, add a little more flour.)  Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Cut the dough in half and shape the halves into baguettes.  Grease a baguette pan and place the loaves in the pan.  (If you don't have a baguette pan you can just use a cookie sheet.  It will just not have the perfect shape, but thats what I did.)  Score the loaves down the middle (make a shallow cut) cover with a dish towel, and let rise in a warm place about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a shallow pan of water in the bottom of the oven to create steam.  Bake the baguettes for 15 minutes or until they have a hollow sound when tapped with a knife.

**If desired, brush the tops of the loaves with butter halfway through baking.  For a softer crust, brush with butter when they have finished baking.

• Makes 2 loaves

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chunk Cookies

If you love peanut butter as much as I do you will love this recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup chunky or creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter softened
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 egg
3 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3-4 cup peanut butter cups cut into piece a little it bigger than chocolate chips
4-5 blocks of chocolate bark

Blend peanut butter and butter in a mixer until blended together.  Mix in sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour and mix until combined.  Stir in peanut butter cups.  Cover and chill for about an hour or until firm to the touch.  I used a small cookie scoop to form balls then flatten them into discs on baking sheet.

Bake 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Let cool
Melt bark in a bowl as the directions say on package.  Dip fork in chocolate and drizzle over cookies.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Tomato Cream Pasta

My dad hates traditional spaghetti and even he liked the twist this recipe gives it. The base of this recipe is from The Food Nanny but I put my own spin on it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 cups sliced mushrooms
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes undrained (I used homemade stewed tomatoes)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, Plus additional for sprinkling
1/2 cup cream or half and half
1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese, about 2 ounces
20 fresh basil leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon course salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
8 ounces uncooked pasta of your choice

Directions

Cook meat and drain set aside. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.Cook and stir the garlic and onion until you smell the aroma.  Add beef to onion and garlic.  Remove from the heat and add the tomatoes, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, cream, ricotta, basil, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Cook over low heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain. Serve sauce over pasta.

Serves 4

**For a smoother sauce, puree the tomatoes first in a blender for a few seconds.

Enjoy!

Brazilian Potato Salad

this recipe makes a party size dish

5-7 Potatoes

1 Small bag of frozen mixed veggies(green beans,carrots,corn)

12-17 Green olives sliced

1 Yellow Onion

1/4 cup Parsley

1 Lemon

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

1- 1 1/2 cup mayo

1 tsp. Mustard

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

1. Boil, skin and cube potatoes. Set aside to cool. Thaw frozen veggies and put in large bowl. Dice onion into small pieces and place in a separate bowl with water and sugar. This step is important because it takes the strong flavor out of the onion.Slice parsley, and green olives and add to veggies. Add juice of one lemon salt and pepper. Mix well.

2. Drain water and sugar from onion. Add to veggie mixture and mix well.

3. Add potatoes and coat mixture with mayo and mustard.

Add desired amount of salt and pepper and mayo.

Enjoy!

Pecorino Pasta

Pecorino Pasta

This pasta turned out delicious! It's from Cooking Light, best recipes of 2010.

Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta

8 ounces uncooked pasta

8 ounces ground Italian sausage

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup vertically sliced onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 1/4 pounds tomatoes, chopped (I didn't use that many)

6 tablespoons grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided

1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

I added broccoli to it since I had some on hand, I also think asparagus and mushrooms would be good to add.

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook for 4 minutes, stir occasional. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and basil.

Yield: 4 servings  Serving size: 2 cups pasta mixture

Enjoy!

14-Grain Bread

Bob's 14-Grain Bread

8-10 cups flour (I did half wheat, half white and it only took about 9 cups --if using all white flour it can take up to 12 cups)

2 Tbs. yeast

1 can evaporated milk

3 cups warm water

2 Tbs. salt (I know it sounds like a lot but that's right)

1 tsp. Sugar

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup honey or molasses (I used honey)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

About 2 cups 14 grain mix (you can purchase it at the Bosch store- I used entire bag)

Mix contains

2 cups 9-grain cereal

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1/3 cup amaranth

1/3 cup millet

1/3 cup flax seed (you have to grind it- if not leave out)

2 handful Craisins (I didn't use them in my recipe)

Directions

Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water, slightly mix and top with 1 tsp. sugar- to test to see if yeast is active.

Mix together canned milk, 3 cups warm water, honey or molasses, salt and oil. Then add 14 grain mix, and craisins (if you like).

Add the yeast mixture and mix for 30 seconds.

Add cups of flour, until the dough pulls away from sides of bowl and is not very sticky.

Mix in Bosh for 10 minutes, this is the kneading process (if you have a kitchenaid take out and knead by hand. The dough can burn up your motor.)

Shape into ball, cover and rise in a greased bowl until it doubles in size (about an hour)

Grease 5 bread pans, separate dough into each pan, cover and let rise again.

Bake all 5 pans 40-45 mins @ 350 degrees. The bread to be golden brown on top. (I cooked my all at once in a convection oven and they only needed 30 minutes.)

Garlic Ciabatta Bread

Ingredients

4-6 garlic cloves chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large ciabatta bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Place the garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor.  Process until finely minced.  Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over low heat.  Add garlic herb mixture and cook for 3 minutes.  Wait until garlic is tender but not brown.  Remove from heat.
Cut ciabatta in half horizontally.  Spoon the garlic mixture onto each a half.  Place on a sheet pan. Put pan in oven on high broil.  When it starts to brown and the edges remove from oven.  Cut and serve.

ENJOY!

Shrimp Linguine

I love anything with shrimp.  It's one of my favorite foods.

Ingredients

1 pound linguine
1/2 cup olive oil
1 chopped onion
3-5 cloves garlic minced
1 pound raw shrimp (remove shell and tail)
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup dry cooking white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lemon (for less lemon flavor use 1/2)
1 chicken bouillon cube
parmesan cheese for topping
sea salt and pepper

Heat olive oil.  Add chopped onions, garlic, pepper and a pinch of salt.  Stir occasionally until cooked.  Add cooked shrimp, white wine and bouillon.  Ten minutes before serving add butter, lemon, and parsley.  Mix everything with cooked pasta and serve.

ENJOY!

Zuppa Tuscana

This soup is a copy cat from the Olive Garden.  It has become a family favorite at our house.  We hope you like it.

Ingredients

1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 large onion chopped
3-4 large russet potatoes sliced with mandolin
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups fresh kale
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
1 1/2 quart chicken broth
6 slices of bacon cut into small pieces (optional)

Cook sausage and onion.  Drain. Pour back into pot.  Add chicken broth, potatoes, garlic and bacon to sausage and onion mixture.  Cook until potatoes are done.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Turn to low and add kale and cream.  Serve with bread.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Scotchies

This recipie was my mom's favorite when she was a child... So it has been around awhile!!
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup of butter (2 sticks) or margarine  softened
3/4 sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups oats
1 2/3 cups butterscotch flavored Morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

combine flour, baking soda, cinnamin, and salt in a small  bowl.
beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes for chewy cookies and 9 to 10 for crisp cookies.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

ENJOY!