Penne with Mushrooms and Bacon
Okay....this recipe hails from Bon Appetit...in the reader's favorite restaurant section......I always go to that section first...because the recipe must be the bomb if someone is willing to sit down and write into a magazine...I wonder how long they have to wait for a response.....are they checking their mail everyday in hopes of it's arrival?? Or do they have to check the magazine for their recipe??.....inquiring minds want to know!!! This I wonder about....along with.... why is the shavings container on pencil sharpeners so dang small....pencil shavings get everywhere.....why put a container on it, just let it pour out onto my desk....it's going to anyways...another wonder....why do I always get stuck behind someone in the grocery store that writes a dang check...it's 2012....who writes checks anymore.....you people DRIVE me crazy....you....check-writers' you!!! I guess I should put a recipe on this now:) By the way.....have I mentioned my love of bacon....and mushrooms???
3 cups beef broth
2 cups dry red wine
3 TBSP olive oil, divided
12 oz assorted fresh mushrooms cut into large pieces, I used oyster and shiitake....
salt and pepper
1/2 pound bacon, coursely chopped (original recipe calls for pancetta....I like bacon better)
6 TBSP butter
1 TBSP chopped fresh sage
1 lb penne pasta.....now....here's what I found after I made this recipe....it's better with a smaller pasta shape, mini penne, bow-tie, small shells.....cooked.....reserve 1 cup of the pasta water...
1 cup parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan...bring the broth and wine to a boil over med-high heat and cook until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups.....takes about 18-20 minutes. Heat 2 TBSP of butter in a deep skillet, add chopped bacon and mushrooms....season with salt and pepper, saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth/wine reduction and sage to the bacon and mushrooms...
Stir the pasta and mushroom mixture together...along with 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese....add TBSP of the pasta water if needed....only a TBSP at a time.....once it's nice and moist....pour into a serving dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese on top......so yum....!!!
I have a picture...but my camera is being stupid....I mean stubborn....
Honey Ginger Salmon
We do adore salmon at our house.....we....meaning "the hubby"......I try and serve a salmon dish every other week to keep "we" happy!!! Here's another winner in the marinade department.....:)
Marinade:
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 1/2 TBSP minced fresh ginger
2 TBSP white wine
1 TBSP lemon juice
3 TBSP honey
pinch of salt and pepper
Glaze:
6 TBSP butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 lb Salmon, cut into 4 servings
Prepare the marinade, and pour it over the top of the salmon....refrigerate for 2-4 hours....i liked the 4-hour version better:) Preheat oven to 375......after marinading is complete, transfer the salmon to a baking dish, place in the oven for 15 minutes. to prepare the glaze, combine the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and melt until it's goopy goodness.....spoon the glaze over the salmon....and place directly under the broiler for 5 minutes.....YUM!
Crispy Fish Sticks
4-6oz tilapia fillets....cut into strips
1/2 cup flour
salt
pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
This looks uber complicated....right? NOT! Season your strips of fish with the salt and pepper....now dredge in the flour....now dip into the beaten eggs....and coat with the panko bread crumbs....continue with all your fish strips....Heat 1/2 cup of canola oil in a skillet.....and fry your fish sticks until cooked through...about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with your favorite dip-it's.....ketchup, ranch, bbq sauce.....whatever floats your boat!
4 Cheese Pasta
This is a super easy pasta dish, and so-beyond yummy! Serve it with some crusty garlic bread!
1 lb angel hair pasta, boiled and drained, reserve some of the pasta water
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup grated Fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Goat cheese.....not a fan of goat cheese?? use 1/2 cup grated Havarti cheese
2 TBSP butter, softened
1 cup heavy cream
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper
In a small saucepan, heat the cream over low heat. Cook pasta according to the directions....do not overcook:) Drain, then return the pasta to the cooking pot.....Pour in the cream, add the butter, cheeses and salt and pepper. Stir gently to combine....add reserved pasta water if needed.....cut your garlic clove in half and rub your serving dish with the garlic clove.
Pot Roast in the Crock-Pot (the 8 hour version)
2-4 lbs of sirloin roast....hint: when shopping in the meat section....always stick with the roast that has to be tied together with string....look for the word...loin...sirloin...it will always be more tender.
Layer your crock-pot in this order!!!
2 onions, sliced
4 med potatoes, peeled and halved
5 carrots, peeled and cut into large sections
1 can beef broth
now...that seems all orderly don't you think?
Here's the fun part:
In a large skillet, heat 2 TBSP of oil....place your roast in and salt and pepper it, turn every minute or so...salting and peppering as you go.....giving each side a good browning....don't forget the ends!!
Now take your happy and browned roast and lay it on top of the veggies in your crockpot....pour a dry package of lipton soup mixture over the top and cover. Turn your crock-pot on low. After 3-4 hours of cooking...add 1 cup of good red wine.....place the lid on and let the crockpot do it's thing! If you would like your gravy to be thick....take 2 TBSP of corn starch and mix in 2TBSP of cold water and stir....in the last 30 minutes of your pot-roast cooking, pour this over the top and cover with the lid again. This will thicken your gravy and make everyone more happy! That's what it's all about...everyone being happy!
I don't have to tell you to remove the string...do I?
Garlic Butter Asparagus
1/4 cup butter (ya, baby)
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 pound fresh, trimmed asparagus
Melt the butter in a skillet over med heat, stir in the olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic...do not burn the garlic:( that makes it taste yucky! Add the asparagus and cook for 10-12 minutes, turning often!
Roast Pork Loin with Maple/Mustard Sauce
2 1/2-3 lbs boneless pork loin
Sauce:
1 cup maple syrup
4 TBSP Dijon mustard
2 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
2 1/2 TBSP cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all of this up in a bowl:) Place your pork loin in a shallow baking dish and then smother the pork loin with the happy sauce. Place in a 350 degree oven for 45 mins to an hour....25 minutes into the baking....throw a sheet of foil over the top. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes....Yum!
Salsa Verde Taco Filling
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey or beef (if you prefer) (I like turkey....makes me think I'm being healthy)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 jar Salsa verde (16oz)
Brown your ground meat, in a large skillet.....then toss in the cilantro and salsa verde....Whoa...that is a very difficult recipe to follow...I'll wait as you catch your breath....!
You will notice it's a little soupy after you add the salsa verde....never fear...turn your stove to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.....gives you time to place all your taco toppings in bowls...because I know you don't eat tacos without mexican rice, sour cream, cheese and guacamole!!!! I'm only thinking of you and your multi-tasking abilities!!!!
Knock you Naked Brownies
Can you ever wrong with chocolate??? Everyone loves brownies including me, but I have yet to find a food that I am not totally in love with....hence the hard-core workouts that I have to put my body through every morning so I don't have to be lifted out of my house with a crane. The only slight problem I have with this recipe is the unwrapping of 60 caramels....not that I'm lazy, I just have issues holding an unwrapped caramel and NOT putting into my mouth. I have tried to hire my kids to do the unwrapping but had to fire them....as half of the caramels disappeared into their bellies. No worries, there was a generous severance package for each of them:) This recipe hails from thepioneerwoman.com a blog that I visit multiple times a day, simply because she shares my love...ok let's be honest: obsession with butter! This didn't actually "knock" my clothes off...probably because of the 6 cinnamon rolls that I chowed down on the day before....clothes were feeling pretty darn tight!
1 box (18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix
1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
⅓ cups Evaporated Milk
½ cups Evaporated Milk (additional)
½ cups Butter, Melted
60 whole Caramels, Unwrapped
⅓ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
¼ cups Powdered Sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick.
Press half the mixture into a well-greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.
In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.
Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.
Cheesy Baked Tortellini
1 1/2 lbs purchased cheese tortellini (that means you can't steal it)
1 large jar Marinara sauce
8 oz container of Mascarpone cheese (found in your specialty cheese section)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp thyme
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
Preheat your oven to 350. Boil your tortellini for 6 minutes. Drain. In a large bowl, whisk the sauce, mascarpone, thyme, garlic and 1/4 cup of the parm cheese together. Pour your drained pasta into the bowl and coat the pasta with the yummy goodness (the sauce). Pour the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and remaining parm cheese on top, cover and bake for 25 minutes.
