What's Cookin' ??

Soup with Ditalini and White Beans (Zuppa di Cannellini e Ditalini)



Servings: 1-3

Ingredients:

3 tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 oz.) canchicken broth
1 (19 oz.) cancannellini beans, rinsed, drained
4 largeplum tomatoes, chopped (about 4 cups)
1-1/2 cupsBARILLA Ditalini
1/4 cup chopped parsley, divided
1 tbsp.chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp.freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp.salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided

HEAT oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; sauté 3 to 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
ADD broth and beans; heat to simmer.
STIR in tomatoes, Ditalini, 2 tablespoons parsley, oregano, pepper and salt.
BOIL 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining parsley and ½ cup cheese. Serve with remaining cheese.

Tip: Serve with crusty bread and drizzle with olive oil, if desired.

Pasta with Lemon Cream & Prosciutto

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 large shallots, minced
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
12 ounces penne pasta

12 thin slices prosciutto
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add broth. Simmer over medium-high heat until mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Add cream, lemon peel, orange peel, and cayenne. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Add peas; simmer just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in mint and lemon juice. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return pasta to pot. Toss pasta with sauce to coat.

Divide pasta among plates or bowls. Drape prosciutto slices atop pasta and serve, passing Parmesan separately.

Makes 4 servings.

Crockpot Creamy Country Chicken and Vegetables

Cook Time: 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH
Makes 6 servings



Ingredients:
4 bone-in chicken breasts (about 2 1/4 pounds), each cut in half
3 cups cubed potatoes, cut in 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 cups baby carrots (about 1 pound)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 packages McCormick® Chicken Gravy Mix
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves
1/4 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
(OR Ground Sage)
1 teaspoon Season-All® Seasoned Salt
1 cup sour cream


Directions:
1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place potatoes, carrots and onion in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart crockery slow cooker. Top vegetables with chicken overlapping slightly, making sure all chicken is on top.
2. Combine gravy mixes, water, thyme, poultry seasoning, and Season-All® in a small bowl. Pour mixture over chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook for 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH, until chicken is done and vegetables are tender.

3. Place chicken and vegetables on a platter or in large bowl. Whisk sour cream into drippings in pot; pour over chicken and vegetables.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 (16-ounce) jar roasted peppers, drained
2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan in a slow stream) extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
Grated Romano, as an accompaniment
Crusty bread, as an accompaniment

Grind drained roasted peppers in a food processor.
Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and shallots to the pan. Saute garlic and shallots 3 minutes, stir in roasted peppers. Saute pepper paste 2 minutes, stir in wine or chicken stock, reduce liquid for 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and parsley. Season sauce with salt and pepper and simmer until ready to serve.

Toss hot pasta with sauce and transfer to a serving dish. Pass grated Romano and crusty bread at table

Baby Back Ribs



SPICE RUB

1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried paprika
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon onion salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 slabs baby back pork ribs (about 4 pounds total)

1 to 2 cups barbecue sauce

Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 225F. Lightly oil 2 rimmed baking sheets.

To make the Spice Rub: Combine the parsley, thyme, oregano, paprika, garlic salt, onion salt, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl.

To cook the ribs: If necessary, cut the rib slabs in half so that they can be arranged to fit on the baking sheets. Pat the spice rub onto the slabs, coating them allover as thoroughly as possible. Put the slabs on the baking sheets and roast them for 2 1/2 hours, turning them over twice during cooking. Remove the ribs from the oven and baste both sides of each slab with the barbecue sauce. Return to the oven and roast until the sauce is glazed, and just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Slice the slabs into individual ribs and serve warm.

Spaghetti with 3 Cheeses


1 tbsp.butter
3/4 cup half & half
1 cup (4 oz.)crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 cup (4 oz.)shredded Fontina cheese
1/2 cupfreshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 tsp.salt
1/4 tsp.freshly ground black pepper
garnish parsley, chopped
1 box BARILLA Spaghetti Rigati


HEAT butter and half & half in medium saucepan over low heat until butter is melted. Add cheeses, salt and pepper; stir until cheese is melted.
COOK Spaghetti Rigati according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot.
POUR cheese sauce over hot Spaghetti Rigati. Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water to desired consistency. Serve with additional pepper and garnish with chopped parsley

Linguine with Clam Sauce (Linguine alle Vongole)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp.flour
1 (10 oz.) can whole baby clams, drained, reserving juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tsp.parsley, chopped and divided
1/4 tsp.dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp.crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 (6 1/2 oz.) can minced clames, drained
1/2 (8 oz.) box BARILLA Linguine

HEAT oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Stir in flour.
ADD reserved clam juice, wine, 1 teaspoon parsley, thyme and red pepper flakes; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
ADD baby clams and minced clams; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently.
COOK Linguine according to package directions; drain and transfer to serving bowl.
SERVE clam sauce over hot Linguine; sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Tip: Substitute 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme for dried.

Bacon Wrapped Grilled Corn on the Cob Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

8 ears corn
1 pound bacon

Gently pull back the husk exposing the corn. Do not remove the husk. Remove the corn silk and use a brush to make sure all the silk is removed. Soak the corn with the silks removed in water for 30 minutes. This will prevent the husks from charring.
Preheat a grill to medium heat.

Remove from the water and pat dry. Take a strip of bacon and wrap it around the corn. Fold the corn leaves back over, covering the bacon and corn. Tie the leaves with butcher string and repeat the process for each ear of corn. Place the ears of corn on the hot grill and cook, turning occasionally until bacon is cooked and corn is tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

STRAWBERRY NUT BREAD

10 ounces sliced frozen strawberries
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup white all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts

Thaw strawberries. Beat eggs until fluffy. Add oil, sugar and berries, beating until light. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Blend flour mixture into strawberry mixture until flour is moistened. Do not over mix. Stir in nuts. Pour into greased 91/2 by 5 inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool five minutes. Remove from pan. Finish cooling on rack.
— Recipes courtesy of Oregon Strawberry Commission

Bistro Potatoes

2 pounds small red potatoes
1 cup ranch dressing
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Cool; cut in fourths.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the dressing and melted butter.

In a small cup, combine the paprika, white pepper and salt. Mix half the spice mixture into the dressing mixture and combine with potatoes.

Pour into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish (or a pan large enough so that potatoes form a single layer). Shake the parmesan evenly over the top and sprinkle the remaining spice mixture over that. Bake on middle rack 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves six.

PIEROGIES WITH CABBAGE, BACON, AND ONIONS

20 frozen potato-cheese pierogies (about 28 oz; not thawed)
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 bacon slices (6 oz), chopped
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 lb Savoy cabbage, halved, cored, and thinly sliced (8 cups)
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
Accompaniment: sour cream

Parboil pierogies in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 minute less than package instructions indicate (pierogies will not be completely cooked). Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander to drain. Pat dry.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté half of pierogies, turning over once, until golden, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and sauté remaining pierogies in same manner, transferring to platter.

Cook bacon in same skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, 6 to 8 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, then add remaining tablespoon oil and sauté onion over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate, then stir in garlic, cabbage, water, and salt and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to platter with pierogies and sprinkle with bacon and dill.

Makes 4 main-course servings.
Gourmet

Italian Macaroni and Cheese (Elbows con Formaggi Italiani)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup onion, chopped (optional)
2 tbsp.flour
1 tsp.salt
3 cups milk
1/2 box (8 oz.)BARILLA Elbows
1 (4 oz.) cup Fontina cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fresh Parmigiano cheese, grated and divided

MELT butter in 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions; sauté 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour and salt. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
ADD milk, stirring to blend. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Add Elbows; cover. Continue to simmer over low heat for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Mixture will thicken as it cooks.)
REMOVE from heat. Add Fontina cheese and ¼ cup Parmigiano cheese; mix gently. Pour into 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese; cover and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Crispy Herb Baked Chicken


This is a good recipe that you can quickly make, especially in the summer time when you're craving crispy chicken.

2/3 cup hungry jack instant mashed potatoes
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 teaspoon Italian spices
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 fryer, cut-up and skinned
1/3 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 375. Grease or line with foil, a 15 x 10" baking pan.
In medium bowl, combine potato flakes, cheese, Italian seasonings and garlic powder.
Dip chicken in melted butter then roll in potato mix.
Place in pan.
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes.

Macaroni Grill Focaccia

9 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsifted semolina flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided use
1 1/2 tablespoons quick-rising yeast
1 1/2 cups hot milk (between 120-130 F)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

Pour a scant tablespoon of olive oil into a 9-inch square cake pan; spread evenly to cover bottom and sides.
Place all-purpose flour, semolina flour, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/4 teasponon salt and all of the yeast in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.
(Or do it by hand!!) Blend ingredients on medium speed.
Reduce speed to low and slowly add hot milk.
Raise speed to medium and continue mixing for 5 minutes (or knead about 8-10 minutes by hand.) Sprinkle bottom of cake pan with a little flour.
Remove dough from bowl and spread out evenly in pan.
Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Remove towel.
Brush dough with 1 to2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Sprinkle top with additional salt and all of rosemary.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining oil.

Applesauce Spice Bread

1 egg
1 cup applesauce
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup currants or raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F Line the bottom and sides of a 9"x5" loaf pan with waxed paper and grease.
Break the egg into a bowl and beat lightly. Stir in the apple sauce, butter or margarine, brown sugar and granulated sugar.
In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fold the dry ingredients into the applesauce mixture in three batches.
Stir in the currants or raisins and chopped pecans.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. (Note: in my oven, it took only about 45 minutes to finish).

Chef Jack's Corn Chowder

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, finely diced
1 small celery stalk, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups white corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups half-and-half
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt 1 stick of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook until the roux is lightly browned; set aside to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, combine the corn and chicken stock in another saucepan, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the boiling stock with the corn (a little at a time) into the saucepan with the roux, whisking briskly so it doesn't lump. Return the skillet to the heat and bring to a boil. The mixture should become very thick.

In a small saucepan, gently heat the half-and-half; stir it into the thick corn mixture. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste. Just before serving, cut the remaining stick of butter into large chunks. Add it to enrich the soup, stirring until the butter melts.

Grilled Salmon

2 salmon fillets (about 1 pound each)
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 green onions, snipped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place salmon in a dish; combine remaining ingredients and reserve 1/4 cup. Pour the rest over the salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain; discard marinade. Grill over medium heat skin side down for 15-20 minutes basting with reserved marinade.

Country Corn Hot Dish


Very easy for such a nice addition to your meal as a side dish. For added color, add 1 tablespoon chopped pimiento to mixture before baking, if desired.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 (12 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (pinch)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine cream cheese and eggs until well blended.
Add remaining ingredients; mix well.
Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.
Bake 40 minutes.

Kids Trail Mix

Ingredients:
4 cups Chex cereal
1/2 cup Dried fruit bits
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Yogurt covered peanuts
1/2 cup Reeses Pieces

Directions:
Put into a large ziploc bag and shake to mix.

Seafood Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayo or salad dressing
2 teaspoons parmesan cheese
2 cups corkscrew noodles cooked and drained
1 1/2 cup chopped crabmeat
1 small can shrimp
1 cup broccoli flowerets partially cooked
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup onion

Directions:
Combine dressing or mayo and cheese till mixed well. Add rest of ingredients; chill. Serve with crackers.

Kona Chicken (crockpot)

3 lbs chicken, cut up
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey

Place chicken in your slow cooker. Mix together onions, soy sauce, wine and water. Pour over top of chicken. Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender (3 to 5 hours). Remove chicken from slow cooker. Brush with honey and place in broiler. Broil until golden brown, brushing with honey several times. Serve with sauce from slow cooker. Rice on the side.

Texas Country Potato Salad

4 strips bacon
1 pound small red potatoes, unpeeled
1 green onion, sliced
1 boiled egg, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper


Cook bacon until crispy. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the grease, and crumble. Set aside.
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Add a tablespoon of the bacon grease and some salt and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let the potatoes cool and then cut into bite-size pieces.

In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper for dressing.

Toss potatoes, onion, and egg in dressing. Add bacon. Serve chilled.

Mocha Cappuccino Pudding Cake


1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar (divided)
1/4 cup baking cocoa (divided)
1 TBSP instant espresso coffee powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 TBSP canola or soybean oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp instant espresso coffee powder
1 1/2 cups very warm fat-free milk

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together the following ingredients: 3/4 cup of the sugar, 2 TBSP of the cocoa, 1 TBSP espresso coffee powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. When the dry ingredients are well mixed, stir in 1/2 cup milk, canola oil and vanilla. Stir until all the ingredients are well mixed together. Stir into an ungreased 9x9x2 square pan. Set aside.

Mix remaining 1 cup of sugar, 2 TBSP cocoa, and 1 tsp espresso coffee powder in a small bowl. When they are well mixed , sprinkle evenly over the cake batter. Pour the 1 1/2 cups very warm milk over sugar mixture.

Place in the oven and bake for approximately 35 to 45 minutes until the center of the cake is set and firm to the touch. Spoon the cake onto dessert dishes while it's still warm. Should get approximately 12 servings.

*Tip: Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the lower rack of your oven, under the cake to catch any spill-over or drips.

Chicken Glorioso

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of potato soup
1/2 cup potato chips, crushed (Lite Pringles)
1 1/2 cups water

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place chicken in prepared baking dish.
Mix soups together. Add water and stir until dissolved.
Pour over chicken and bake until chicken is done, turning occasionally and basting with sauce mixture.
After chicken is done, sprinkle with half the crushed potato chips.
Bake until chips are brown, then turn the chicken and sprinkle on remaining chips. Bake until golden brown.

4th of July Grilled Salmon

2-8 salmon fillets (4-6 oz. ea.)
1/2 cup peanut oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more if you're brave or insane)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Into a large zip-lock bag, make marinade out of peanut oil, soy sauce, vinegar, green onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil and salt. Combine well, and insert fish. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 4-6 hours.
Oil and preheat grill on medium-high heat. Grill fillets ~5 minutes per side, until fish just flakes with a fork. (10 minutes total, per 1” of thickness at thickest point of fillet).