Really great hot pinwheel appetizers!

I just had to post this before I left for my New Year's Eve party.  I was asked to bring an appetizer, and  I have been seeing this all over the internet, so I thought I'd try it.  Of course when I went to look for the recipe online, I couldn't find the one I originally saw. So here is my version.  The original recipe used ham and cheese, but then I decided to make another batch with turkey.  They are really tasty, and it takes less than 15 minutes to put them together!  How's that for fast! These would also make a fun lunch for the kids, with a bowl of hot soup!

The original recipe called for canned pizza dough, but I used crescent roll sheets because that's what I had in my fridge. (Pizza dough has less fat, so substitute if that's a concern)  I tend to keep these around since I find so many uses for them. You can use regular crescent rolls, but then you have to smush (a very technical culinary term) all the seams together. I will give you my original recipe and then my variation. One canned crescent roll sheet gives you about 15 pinwheels.  I ended up making three batches! Here goes!

1 canned crescent roll sheet
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli ham
1/2 pound sliced swiss cheese
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2  teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1/2 to 1 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Open the can of crescent roll sheet onto a floured surface roll out to about a 9" by 15" rectangle. Mix mayo, mustard, worcestershire sauce and pepper in a small bowl.  Spread mayo mixture over the dough.  Now put a layer of ham slices over the dough, then a layer of cheese slices and finally another layer of ham slices.  Leave about an inch open at one of the long sides.  Now, starting on the long side and working towards the inch you left without filling, roll the whole thing together TIGHTLY like you would for cinnamon rolls, or a jelly roll, and pinch the long side shut.  Now cut the log into slices about 1/2 inch thick.  Place a toothpick through the pinwheel to hold it together.  Place on a cookie sheet which you have covered with parchment.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.  Keep an eye on them, it depends on your oven.  Remove when they are golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool, or eat hot from the oven.  Remove the toothpicks and serve.  How easy was that! These can be made in advance and reheated.  You can even freeze them, and then thaw and reheat.

For the second batch, I spread the dough with about 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise to which I added two or three tablespoons of pesto. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and layer with deli turkey and swiss cheese instead of the ham.  Roll and secure and bake as before.  We almost liked the turkey ones better! Experiment! I'm sure any number of fillings would be great.  What about pepperoni and mozzarella?  Roast beef and horseradish sauce? Or just cheese if you're vegetarian?  I could keep going here, but you get it!

Well, I'm on my way to my party. I wish you all a safe and happy New Year.  May the new year bring you health, blessings and happiness!  See you in 2016!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a. Nonnie

Fettuccine with spinach and ricotta

Please forgive the long pause between posts, but I have been having some minor health issues that are now pretty much under control. I'm back in the kitchen and raring to go! 

I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday and are preparing for a healthy and prosperous New Year. If you are not planning to go out for a big fancy meal on New Year's Eve, here is something rather easy and elegant, you can make at home.  This meal took less than thirty minutes to prepare and can certainly qualify as an easy weeknight meal.  I have been watching lots of cooking shows on television and I get lots of inspiration from them.  This is a recipe I saw on "Lydia's Kitchen" that I have adapted to make my own.  I left some of her ingredients out and added a few of my own.

This recipe calls for pancetta which is a kind of Italian bacon. Most supermarkets carry it, but feel free to substitute bacon. It also calls for pignoli nuts, also called pine nuts. They can be a bit pricey, so feel free to substitute chopped walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts.


1 pound fettuccine
1/2 cup pignoli or other nuts (if substituting other nuts make sure to chop them)
1/2 cup finely chopped pancetta (if using bacon, use about four slices and chop before cooking)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine (you can substitute chicken broth)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg - use fresh and grate yourself if you have it, but don't try to measure, just a several times over the grater will do.
1 pound fresh baby spinach
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
16 ounce container of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving

Begin by cooking the fettuccine in salted water.  You will prepare the sauce in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.

Add about half a tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and turn the heat to medium.  Place the pignoli nuts in the pan.  Do not leave the pan!  These will burn in about 45 seconds.  Stir until they begin to turn brown.  Remove quickly.  Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until it is crisp.  Now add the olive oil and garlic to the pan.  When the garlic begins to soften, add the wine and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan.  Turn the heat to high for just a minute to let the alcohol cook off.  Add the spinach to the pan and lower the heat to medium.  Use tongs to continually stir the spinach until it is wilted.  Add the nutmeg and pepper and stir.  When the spinach is wilted after about five to seven minutes, add the ricotta and stir until it is softened.  If the mixture seems thick add about a cup of water from the pasta pot to the pan.  When the pasta is cooked, add it to the pan.  Stir to thoroughly mix and turn off the heat.  Add parmesan and stir.  Transfer to a bowl and add pignolis and serve with additional parmesan. Enjoy!

Remember you can leave questions or comments in the comment section below this post. Please feel free to share with friends and family!

I would like to thank you all for your support this past year.  Here's hoping that next year will be even better! I hope you all have a very happy and healthy New Year!

Happy Cooking!
Carol

a.k.a Nonnie

Quick,savory stove top pork chops

This is a quick meal that can be made on a weeknight.  I used thick cut boneless pork chops (about 3/4 inch), but this will work with thin chops or those with a bone, just don't cook them as long, and use a thermometer to check the temperature.  We no longer need to cook pork to death as we did years ago as trichinosis has all but been eliminated with modern pig farming techniques. Just be sure that the internal temperature of your meat is at 150 degrees. This is great served over rice or egg noodles.

4 pork chops
3 cloves garlic finely minced
2 shallots finely minced
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup beef broth plus extra if needed
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup white wine
2 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Note:  I don't always have beef broth in my pantry, but chicken broth will work just as well.  If you like a deeper flavor, just add a bullion cube or a half teaspoon of beef base.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat.  When the oil is shimmering, place pork chops in the pan. Don't fiddle with them, just let them cook and turn after 2 or 3 minutes.  Cook on the other side for another 2 - 3 minutes.  While you are searing the chops mix soy sauce, brown sugar beef broth and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.  Remove pork chops to a plate and cover with foil. Add the garlic and shallots to the pan and lower the heat to medium.  As soon as shallots and garlic soften, sprinkle with flour and cook for 2 more minutes.  Add the wine to the pan and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  Add broth soy sauce mixture to the pan.  Mix the cornstarch with water and add to the pan.  Raise heat to medium high and stir until sauce begins to thicken. If sauce becomes too thick, add more beef broth.   Add the pork chops back to the pan, cover and cook over low heat for about ten minutes.  After ten minutes, check temperature of the meat, if it has not reached 150 degrees cook a little longer.  Serve over rice or noodles and pour sauce on top.  Include a green vegetable and salad for a healthy meal!  Enjoy!

Please feel free to leave questions or comments in the "comment" section below this post.  Let me know how you liked it!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a. Nonnie

Delicious cheesy zuccinni rounds

These are fabulous.  They were almost all eaten before I could take a photo!  The original recipe came from Ellie Krieger on the Food Network.  I made a few changes to the breading.  They were quick and easy.  The kids loved them, and they are really healthy!  This recipe makes two large sheet pans full, but you could easily halve it.  Feel free to change up the cheeses, maybe add a little cheddar or Monterrey Jack and some hot pepper flakes for a little kick.  Have fun with this and let me know how you like it!

Use small zucchini so you don't get that seedy pithy middle.  I used ones that were about an inch and a half in diameter. I used four,you could easily use more or less. Another hint is to use parchment paper to cut down on sticking.  I sprayed it with cooking spray and it helped minimize clean up.

4 small zucchini
3/4 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder - do not use garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and prepare two large sheet pans with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.  Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds and place them in a bowl.  Pour olive oil over zucchini and mix with your hands and make sure they are all coated with oil.  In another bowl combine bread crumbs cheese and seasonings.  Coat zucchini and press crumbs into them.  Lay on the sheet pan and sprinkle them with extra Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and crisp on top.  Enjoy!

Feel free to share with friends and don't forget to leave questions and comments in the comment section below the post.

Happy Cooking!
Carol

a.k.a.
Nonnie

Peach Cobbler

I know that I have not been around for awhile. I have a good reason this time. I have had a rather serious computer issue that warranted my purchasing a new laptop.  Let me give you some advice. Do not drink coffee while using your laptop!  With that being said, I have a new laptop and I am back in business!

Last week my granddaughter and I went apple and peach picking. Today, I discovered that there were still quite a few peaches left in the fridge, and they were about to go bad, so I decided to make peach cobbler for dessert tonight.  I usually use Bisquick to make a cobbler, but tonight I tried a recipe using flour, sugar and butter to make the topping.  This was a big success!

Here is a hint for peeling your peaches.  Dip each peach into boiling water for a minute or so and they will peel easily. I changed the filling recipe quite a bit by adding more ingredients to build the flavor.
I actually peeled and sliced the peaches earlier in the day and made the cobbler later.  The peeling and slicing was the most time consuming part.  I served this with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and it was perfect!

Here is the recipe.

For the filling:
8 large peaches - peeled and sliced - about 10 cups
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (I use whole nutmeg and grate it on a micro-plane grater, but already ground is fine.)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
juice of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a two to three cup ovenproof casserole.  Combine sugars, cornstarch and spices and pour over peaches.  Add lemon juice.  Mix to combine all.  Pour into the casserole and bake for ten minutes.

While the peaches are in the oven, prepare the topping.
1 cup flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons very cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

Mix dry ingredients together.  I used the food processor and pulsed the dry ingredients a few times. Add the butter. Use the food processor, or a pastry blender and mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add the water and mix until combined.  Mixture will resemble soft dough.

Take the peaches out of the oven and drop spoonfuls of dough mixture on top.  You will probably not cover the whole surface, but don't worry about this, it will spread in the oven.  Sprinkle a mixture of 3 tablespoons white sugar mixed with one teaspoon cinnamon over the top of the dough.  Return to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden and peaches are bubbling. Spoon into bowls and top with vanilla ice cream, heavy cream or whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Please let me know if you made this and how it turned out.  I welcome your questions and comments, just use the "comments" section at the bottom of this post!  Also please feel free to share this post or any other with your friends.  The more the merrier!

Happy Cooking!
Carol

a.k.a.
Nonnie

How about Hummus?

 

Hummus with fresh veggies

 

Some time ago, I came across a book titled Make the Bread, Not the Butter.  This book listed all kinds of foods, and which were cheaper and better to make, and which we should just purchase in our favorite supermarket.  One of the foods was hummus.  It's cheaper to make your own hummus instead of buying it.  I have tried many hummus recipes and just this past spring came across this one, which my family loves.  I now make it nearly every week.  It's a really healthy snack with cut up veggies or pretzels.

While I did say it's cheaper to make your own hummus, you have to factor in the price of sesame tahini.  Tahini is a paste kind of like peanut butter made from sesame seeds.  It's a little pricey, but you only use a quarter cup, so a jar lasts quite a while. The cheapest way to make this is to buy the beans dried and soak and cook them, but that is just too much trouble for the few pennies you save.  You can usually find chick peas (also called garbanzos) for less than a dollar a can. Look in the Spanish food section, since they are usually a little cheaper there. The hardest part of this recipe is peeling and slicing the garlic. I used to throw in the cloves whole and chop them with the chick peas, but this recipe has you slice and simmer the garlic in olive oil.  What a difference!  Raw garlic can have kind of a bite, simmering it just until it softens gives you a milder, gentler garlic flavor.  I do recommend using a food processor for this, because in a blender you have to blend the chick peas in small batches.

There are debates as to whether you should remove the thin skin from the chickpeas.  Don't waste your time!  One of my favorite most reliable sources tried it both ways and said there is no difference in taste as long as they are well blended. We want to make this easy not painful!!

When you serve this, it's best to take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.  You can also add a little drizzle of olive oil to the top along with some parsley and paprika.  Okay here we go!

2 cans of chickpeas
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sesame tahini
juice of 1 lemon
6 large garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt

Drain the beans, but reserve about 1 cup of the liquid.  Pour olive oil into a small pan, add the garlic and heat over medium heat.  Keep a close watch on the garlic!  You only want to soften it, not brown it.  Browned garlic is bitter and yucky. Add the chickpeas, tahini, salt, and lemon juice to the food processor and blend; the mixture will be VERY thick.  Remove the garlic from the oil using a slotted spoon, add to the food processor and continue to blend.  While the food processor is running, add the oil from the pan in a slow stream.  If the mixture still seems thick to you, add some of the reserved liquid a little at a time until you reach a desired consistency.  Taste and check for seasoning, sometimes if my lemons are a little small, I may add more lemon juice, but that is just personal preference. You can adapt this recipe by adding things like roasted red peppers from a jar, but just add a little at a time as you are mixing the chickpeas and taste as you go.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
Carol

a.k.a. Nonnie

Everyone's Favorite Granola

                                                                   
                                                           

                                              
                                            Granola and vanilla yogurt - my favorite breakfast!


This is so good that friends tell me I should sell it! I haven't made this in a while, and I was just caving yogurt and granola so I decided to give it a go. The thing I love most about this recipe is that it's all natural.  No additives.  Check store bought granola and see what's in it.  This is really easy. Just assemble your ingredients, mix a few things together, and pop it in the oven.  Here are some hints. Place parchment in your baking pans, clean up will be soooooo much easier!  Keep an eye on this while it's in the oven.  I check it every 15 minutes and give it a stir to keep the color even. When you take it out of the oven, it will seem a little "gooey", but as soon as it cools it crisps up.  Let it cool completely before you transfer it to a storage container so it doesn't stick together.

                                                                 

                                                                  Assemble your ingredients.

I will give you a basic recipe, but add and subtract what you like.  The original recipe called for raisins, I use Craisins because I like them better. It also called for one cup of cashews, but I don't use them.  You could add any other kind of nut you like, or none if you have allergies.  The original recipe calls for brown sugar.  I used to make it with brown sugar, but have now substituted coconut sugar.  If you don't want to spend extra, use brown sugar; it tastes just as good.  I also always use coconut oil, but you can substitute any healthy vegetable oil. I have also added finely chopped dried apricots, other dried fruit, or sunflower seeds.  It pretty much depends what I have in the house. 

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup shredded coconut, I use the sweetened
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey (you can substitute REAL maple syrup)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins or Craisins

                                                       Let the granola cool completely!
                                                                                          

Mix oats, coconut and almonds together in a large bowl. If you are adding cashews or other nuts and them to the bowl also.  Mix oil, honey and salt in a small bowl.  Pour over oat mixture and stir well to make sure the liquid is incorporated into all the oats.  Spread on two pans prepared with parchment.  I use rimmed cookie sheets.  Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Check and stir every 15 minutes. and when half the cooking time is over, switch the pans on the racks.  Let cool completely. Mix in Craisins, sunflower seeds or any other ingredients.  Transfer to tightly covered storage container.  I like these giant, 2 liter mason jars, but any container with a tight fitting lid will do. Enjoy!

As always, I welcome questions or comments.  Feel free to comment in the comment section below this post. 

Happy Cooking!
Carol

a.k.a. Nonnie

Zucchini Potato Pancakes

Here's another zucchini recipe.  The squash borers have attacked my zucchini, so I won't have many more.  I wish I could find a way to prevent this from happening, but alas, even my master gardener friends don't have an answer.

So for the past few weeks, I have been using zucchini nearly every day.  This recipe was a favorite of my family, so I'm sharing it with you. Now you will see that there is a lot of grating going on here.  Grated zucchini will keep for several days in the fridge, if you want to do it ahead, but don't do the potato ahead because it will turn black.  I use the grater blade on my food processor and this whole process takes minutes.

1 - 2 zucchini grated
1 large potato grated
1 small onion grated
1 egg, beaten
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper 1/2 teaspoon each
vegetable oil for frying

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Drop by spoonfuls into the hot oil and cook about 2 minutes, flip over and cook another minute or so.  Serve as a side dish with dinner.  I originally made these without the cheese, so that is an option, or you could substitute finely grated cheddar.  You can also add grated yellow crookneck squash to the mixture.  For a less fattening version, drop onto a lightly oiled hot griddle. 

Let me know how you like these.  Please feel free to leave comments or questions in the comments section below this post and I will get back to you as soon as possible. 

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a.  Nonnie

A Quick and Healthy Summer Dessert

I had some beautiful white peaches and I wanted to use them before they got too soft.  My chef friend made something similar at our last farm to table meeting,  so I thought I'd play around with it. Here's what you'll need.

Summer Peach and Blueberry Compote

4 peaches, pitted and sliced
1 to 2 cups blueberries
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine yogurt,  honey, vanilla and cinnamon.  Put peaches and blueberries in a bowl.  Top with yogurt mixture.  Mix and serve.  How easy is that? This recipe was kid tested and they loved it!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a. Nonnie

Zucchini bread

Zucchini is one of those things that, when planted in the garden, will give you an over abundance of vegetables. Unfortunately, zucchini does not freeze well, but I did discover that if you freeze grated zucchini in plastic zipper bags, you can use it to make bread.  When it thaws, there will be liquid separate from the zucchini, just dump the whole thing into the recipe, and it works just fine.  I discovered this because you can only eat zucchini so many times in a week, before your family starts to complain.

The past few years, I have not had much luck with my zucchini due to the cabbage borers, but this year looks like I may have a bumper crop.  Mine went in a little late, so they are not quite ready to pick, but since my sister's garden is producing so well, she shared her bounty with me.  I have been experimenting with recipes, but this is a tried and true favorite of my family's, so I will share this one first.   

This recipe is nearly 40 years old.  It came from the cookbook that came with my original Waring Food Processor, called Processor Perfection  Before this recipe, I tried several others, but none seemed to have much flavor.  I think this one is helped by the hefty amount of cinnamon.  I would like to experiment and add some other spices, and when I do, I will let you know how that turned out.

1  2/3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4  rounded teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup wheat germ
2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini
2/3 cup vegetable or coconut oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup raisins (optional)

Do not peel the zucchini, just give it a good scrub with a vegetable brush to remove those prickly things. Grate using a food processor with a grating blade or on an old fashioned hand grater. Sift dry ingredients together.  Mix oil and sugars and add vanilla and eggs. Combine with dry ingredients and add sesame seeds, nuts and zucchini.  Mix only until ingredients are combined.  Pour into greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.  Bread is done when toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes and turn out on a rack to cool. Feel free to add raisins, craisins or chocolate chips if that's what your family likes. Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
Carol
a.k.a. Nonnie

I know, it's about time. How about pizza on the grill?

I apologize for being away for so long.  Sometimes, life just gets in the way.  Right now I'm in Colorado visiting my daughter. Last night I made pizza on the grill for dinner and thought I would share it with you.

Here is the history behind this recipe.  I belong to a group called "Farm to Table"  that meets at a local garden center.  We meet once a month to work on crops we have planted as well as learn a few recipes from a wonderful chef, Heidi, who works with us. After we work out in the field she has a wonderful snack prepared for us.  This was something she made for us last summer.  It's very easy, doesn't heat up the kitchen, doesn't require any fancy equipment, and is really delicious.

There actually isn't a real recipe, just some instructions, but it's worth sharing here.  While I make my own pizza dough in my bread machine, you can use store bought pizza dough.  Sometimes it's frozen and in some stores it's fresh in the refrigerator section.  You can also ask your favorite pizza place to sell you dough.  If you would like my dough recipe, just let me know in the comments section below this post, and I will send it to you.  If I get enough requests, I will post it to the whole blog.

The secret to this is to get your grill REALLY hot.  Like 500 degrees hot. Before I turn my grill on,  I get everything ready.  We usually do this outside, because it's just easier.  I set up a tray with all my toppings.  This is the part where individuality comes in. You can use prepared pizza sauce, or make your own, or don't use any sauce at all!

To make your own pizza sauce, pour a can of tomato sauce or puree in a sauce pan, add a few sprinkles of garlic powder (not garlic salt), a few sprinkles of onion powder, about a tablespoon of dried oregano and a tablespoon of dried basil and salt and pepper to taste. Heat to blend flavors.  You can freeze and reuse what ever is left over.  I always have a container of this in my freezer.

Suggested toppings:

Pizza sauce
Pesto
Shredded mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella
Fresh basil cut into ribbons, or dried basil if that's all you have
Dried oregano
Fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, spinach, zucchini, broccoli or whatever you really love!
Meats such as pepperoni, cooked sausage, chicken, or meatballs.  (Note: meats should be fully cooked before putting them on the pizza because it doesn't cook long enough to cook the meat)

Once my toppings are all ready, I turn on the grill to the highest setting and go back inside to work on the dough.  I make individual pizzas because they are easier to handle on the grill, and everyone makes their own, so everyone gets what they like. I have a large family, so I make enough dough for two pizzas.  This will give me eight individual sized pizzas.  The recipe makes two pounds of dough. 

Divide the dough into small balls, a little smaller than the size of a tennis ball.  (How's that for exact science?)  Roll the dough onto a floured surface into about an 8 - 10 inch round.  If it's not exactly round, don't worry about it.  Lay them out on a large cutting board, if you don't have one, use a cookie sheet, but make sure it's well floured.  It's okay if the rounds overlap each other a bit.  Once your grill is at 500 degrees, take the dough outside.  Place rounds directly on the grill, no stone, no pan, nothing!  Cook for about three minutes.  Take a look at it, if large bubbles have happened on your rounds, just poke them with your tongs.  (the only piece of fancy equipment you need) After another minute, flip them over and cook for another two or three minutes. At this point, I go back inside to bring out the tray of toppings.

The pizzas will not be fully cooked.  Remove them from the grill and put your toppings on each one.  Place them back on the grill and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.  Take a peek now and then.  You want your cheese to be melted and bubbly. Remove and enjoy!

Once you start making pizza on the grill, you will never use your oven again!  Let me know how yours turned out, and of course I always welcome questions and comments and will answer you as quickly as possible.  Just check the comments section below this post. Enjoy!

Happy cooking!

Carol
a.k.a Nonnie

Update/correction to the snickerdoodle recipe

So I'm guessing that no one has tried to make the snickerdoodle recipe, because today I went to make snickerdoodles, and I can't find the recipe card so I looked it up on the blog and printed it out.  Lo and behold!  There is no flour in the recipe!  Duh!  I'm hoping that no one tried and had a disaster, because, no one e-mailed me about it.  So I have fixed the problem.  Use 2  3/4 cups of flour.  The recipe was posted September 24, 2014. 

Here is my request for you,  if you read a recipe and something seems wrong, please let me know!!!  I always try to double check everything, but sometimes things slip by.  So sorry!  Have a great day! 

Carol

a.k.a.
Nonnie

Chicken Imperial

                                                                   

This recipe is nearly 40 years old! It was given to me by a friend and I still have the original card in her writing!  I have been cleaning out my recipe box and binders and getting rid of any recipes that I know I will never make again-like those with canned cream of anything soup. If I can't change the recipe to something healthier, I toss it.  This one was a favorite, I don't know why I stopped making it, maybe because of all the butter (the original called for 1 1/2 sticks!).  I wrote the recipe to serve four.  You might notice there's more than that in the photo.  I had family over for dinner tonight and doubled the recipe.

I changed the original recipe a bit-actually, I changed it a lot, but the original flavor is still there. The original recipe called for a whole cut up chicken and was cooked in the oven for an hour and a half.  I had thin sliced boneless breasts, so I decided to do it on top of the stove. I adjusted the seasonings a bit, and made a sauce with the seasonings and butter.  I added parsley and rosemary to the original seasonings.  Don't be afraid of the curry, it gives it great flavor!

If you don't want to spend the extra money for thin sliced chicken breasts, use regular boneless breasts and slice them through the middle to made two thin slices out of each one. This was a really quick meal because there was no chopping involved; it took less than 30 minutes to prepare.  Serve it over rice with a vegetable and salad and you have a great meal.

Chicken Imperial

4 thin sliced boneless chicken breasts, or two regular boneless breasts sliced to make 4 thin slices
4 tablespoons flour + two tablespoons more for the sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 stick butter
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
salt and pepper

Melt butter in a small sauce pan.  Combine curry powder, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, paprika and rosemary in a small bowl, stir to combine.  Add Worcestershire and Dijon mustard to the butter whisk, add dried spices and whisk until combined.  Keep on low heat while preparing the chicken.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large heavy bottomed skillet.  Season 4 tablespoons of flour with salt and pepper, dredge chicken in flour and place in hot skillet.  Do not touch the chicken until it moves freely in the pan, about 2-3 minutes.  Turn and brown on the other side for another 2 -3 minutes  Add the butter, spice mixture to the pan, lower heat to medium, and continually baste the chicken for two to three minutes.

Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm while you make the sauce.  Raise the heat to medium high and add two tablespoons of flour to the pan, Whisk quickly to form a roux.  Add wine and continue mixing, Add chicken broth.  If mixture gets too thick, add more broth.  Taste and check for seasoning, you may want to add a little salt at this point.  Add the chicken back to the pan to warm through.  Transfer chicken to a platter and pour the sauce over.  Serve over rice.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a.
Nonnie

Fresh Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Oranges, and Almonds

This is one of those recipes that came about because of what was in my fridge at the moment.  I was in the mood for a salad, but  I was out of lettuce.  I did, however, have a bag of fresh spinach in the fridge along with some strawberries and clementine oranges, and so this was born!  You can vary it with whatever fruit you have on hand, I have even used craisins.  Tonight I made it with slivered almonds, but I have also made it with walnuts or pecans.  Your choice!  You can of course add other greens to the salad, even some fresh parsley or mint.  Add some goat cheese or blue cheese and it would be a wonderful light lunch or dinner on a warm summer day.  You can use bottled dressing, but I made my own. I have included the recipe here.

Fresh Spinach Salad

1/2 bag fresh baby spinach, washed and spun dry
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 clementine oranges peeled and sectioned
1/4 cup slivered almonds, or nuts of your choice
goat cheese or blue cheese (optional)

Dressing

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed dried mint (optional)

Combine spinach, fruit and almonds in a large bowl.  Combine dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well.  Pour over salad and enjoy!

Fried Rice

                                                                         

This is a recipe I learned from a Taiwanese woman about 35 years ago.  I have adapted and changed it several times to fit the likes and dislikes of my family.  This can be served as a side dish or as a meal in itself.  If I serve it as a meal, I try to make sure it has sufficient protein.  I always add eggs, and one other animal protein, usually either ham or pork.  You could also use chicken or shrimp. I also use edamame because it is higher in protein than the traditional green peas.  If you don't eat soy, you could use peas or green beans. The original recipe calls for regular long grain rice, but because I am trying to eat healthier, I have been making it with brown rice for a few years now. 

Fried Rice

1 cup rice (uncooked)
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
4 eggs beaten
1 to 2 cups ham, pork, chicken or shrimp (cooked)
1 package edamame or frozen green peas defrosted
1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice Powder (found in the international section of your supermarket)
3 - 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 scallions chopped

Cook rice according to package directions.  While the rice is cooking, chop onions and garlic.  Add two tablespoons of oil to a wok or large skillet with the heat turned to high.  When the oil is hot, add the eggs to the pan and stir constantly.  I use chopsticks for this, but a fork will work just as well.  Cook for three or four minutes or until the eggs are cooked through and somewhat dry.  Remove the eggs to a bowl and set aside.  Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan and lower the heat to medium.  Add the onions and garlic.  Cook until the onion begins to soften.  Chop ham or pork and add to the onion in the skillet, along with the five spice powder.  Mix well.  Turn heat to low and add the eggs back to the pan along with the edamame or peas.  At this point the rice should be cooked, add to the pan along with a tablespoon of vegetable oil and mix well.  Turn the heat back to high or medium high..  Cook for several minutes, stirring often, then add soy sauce and sesame oil.  Cook for about five more minutes, stirring often.  Transfer to a bowl and top with chopped scallions.  Serve with additional soy sauce for those who want it.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a.
Nonnie

Sausage, Potato and Pepper Skillet Supper

                                                                            

This is a recipe that came about because one night, I unexpectedly had to babysit my grandchildren and I had to come up with something for dinner, quickly and with what I had on hand that was defrosted.  I planned to make some sausage, but didn't have enough for everyone, so I stretched it by adding some veggies, and potatoes and that night eggs. This meal took just thirty minutes! Everyone loved it, and it has become a regular on my menu list.

This is a make ahead dinner, you can make it over the weekend, and freeze or refrigerate it until you need it.  The most time consuming part is prepping the vegetables.  You can chop the peppers and onions when you are prepping for another meal and freeze them until you need them.  The consistency of the peppers will change, but once you cook them, there is no change in consistency or taste. You can adjust the amount of any of the ingredients to suit your needs or your family's preferences. The idea, is that the whole meal is made in a skillet and you don't have to worry about side dishes, unless you would like to serve this with a salad. One hint, I use my electric skillet for this dish because it is very large.

Sausage, Potato and Pepper Skillet Supper

1 pound Italian Sausage (sweet or hot - your choice)
2 - 3 large potatoes
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
2 - 3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 - 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Remove sausage from the casing, break into small pieces and cook over low heat.  While sausage is cooking, peel and thinly slice potatoes.  Add oil to the skillet and raise the heat to medium, when the oil is hot, add potatoes, salt and pepper.  Stir frequently to keep the potatoes from sticking to the pan.  While this mixture is cooking, chop peppers. onion and garlic and add to skillet.  Cook for about 15 minutes more, or until potatoes and sausage are cooked through.  If the potatoes stick to the bottom of the pan, add a little water and scrape up.  Serve with a fresh salad if you like.

You can add any vegetables you have to this meal, try broccoli, artichoke hearts, green beans, even fresh spinach.  Another thing I have done, is to add 3 beaten eggs just before serving. The eggs add a little more protein and bind the whole mixture together.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a. Nonnie

Lasagna Rolls

                                                                        

Every time I make this, I forget how great it is! This is very similar to traditional lasagna, but I think it's less dry, and easier to serve.  I got this recipe from Giada De Laurentis. No, I don't know her personally, although I wish I did! I think I got it from the Food Network site. This is a dish you can prepare the night before, or even a few days before.  In fact, this is what I did for Easter this year.  I did all my cooking the day before, and all I had to do, was to stick things in the oven after we got home from church.  I will caution, if you prepare it the night before, let the pan come to room temperature before you bake it, or it will take much longer to bake.

This recipe calls for making a béchamel sauce for the bottom of the pan, which I do, because I think it adds a bit of creaminess to the whole thing, but you can certainly skip that step and just put marinara sauce on the bottom of your pan.  Another change I made this time, was to use fresh spinach instead of frozen chopped.  I chopped the fresh raw spinach and added it to the cheese mixture. 

If you are vegetarian, you can certainly leave out the prosciutto, but I really feel that it adds something to the dish.  Or, maybe it's just because I really LOVE prosciutto.  For those of you who aren't familiar, prosciutto is a kind of Italian dry cured ham.  It is always sliced very thinly, and it's a real treat. You could probably substitute regular thin sliced ham, but it's a very different flavor.  So here is the recipe, pretty much the same as the one I originally got from the internet.

Béchamel Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of nutmeg

Lasagna:
1 box dried lasagna noodles ( don't use the no boil ones, they won't work)
1 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese plus more for sprinkling on top
3 ounces of thinly sliced prosciutto
1 large egg, beaten
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (or 1 to 2 cups raw fresh spinach, chopped)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt plus more for salting the water
2 cups marinara sauce - I use homemade, but you can certainly use a good jarred sauce
1 cup (about 4 ounces) shredded mozzarella
2 tablespoons olive oil

Begin by putting a large pot of water on to boil for the lasagna noodles.  When the water boils, add the olive oil and a tablespoon of salt to the water.  Cook according to package directions to al dente.

While the pasta water is heating, make the béchamel sauce, melt butter in a sauce pan over medium low heat, and add flour. Whisk to form a roux for about 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the temperature to medium high and add the milk, continue whisking until the sauce begins to thicken.  This should take about three minutes.  Add salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk until they are incorporated.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9" by 13" ovenproof pan and pour the béchamel sauce over the bottom of the pan. If you are not using béchamel sauce, increase the amount of marinara to 3 1/2 cups and pour 1 1/2 cups over the bottom of the pan.

When the lasagna noodles are done, remove and lay out on a cookie sheet or large cutting board.  Put layers of parchment, waxed paper, or plastic wrap between layers of the noodles.  Now prepare the filling. 

Preheat oven to 450F.  If you are using frozen spinach, defrost and squeeze out all the liquid.  If using fresh spinach (about 1 - 2 cups) chop the raw spinach.  Layer the prosciutto and chop it finely.  In a large bowl add ricotta, beaten egg, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, prosciutto and spinach, and mix well.  Take the noodles one at a time and spread a layer of the ricotta mixture over them.  Begin rolling them up from one short end and place in pan seam side down.  Continue until you have used all your filling. Depending on how many noodles where in your box, you can make between 12 - 18 rolls.  Once they are in the pan, pour over one cup of the marinara sauce.  Sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of parmesan and the one cup of mozzarella.  Cover tightly with foil, but try not to let the foil touch the cheese.  At this point, you can refrigerate the lasagna for use the next day, or bake in a 450F oven for about 20 minutes, remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the top becomes golden.  Heat the remaining marinara sauce and serve with the lasagna. Serve with a salad and crunchy Italian bread (to mop up all the yummy sauce).  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a.
Nonnie

Empanada Update - Big Improvement!

Several months ago, I wrote a VERY long post about my trials and tribulations with empanadas.  I have made them several times since and have made a huge improvement.  I went to the grocery store and purchased the Goya discos in the frozen food section of the store in the area where they have international foods.  Oh my goodness!  How easy this was!  I just rolled them to make them a little bigger, filled them, sealed with water and a fork and baked them.  The package does tell you to fry them, but I'm looking to make things easier, not harder.  I also brushed each one with a little beaten egg.  So here is the recipe again, this time using discos.

 Fillling: Makes enough for about 12 empanadas

1 lb. ground beef--you can probably substitute chicken or turkey
1 small onion finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped, or run through the garlic press
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tablespoons vinegar - I used red wine, but you can substitute, white wine, apple cider or even rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Depending on the likes of your family you can also add red and/or green peppers or green olives--about a cup of peppers or olives.

Brown the beef, drain any fat and set aside in a bowl.  Add olive oil, onions and garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes or until translucent.  Add spices, vinegar and tomato paste.  And cook until combined. Add any other vegetables and cook till they are soft.  Return beef to the skillet and heat through.  At this point you can remove from the heat, cool and freeze so you have a meal ready to go for another night.  Or double this recipe and freeze half.

Roll out the discos crust on a well floured surface, so each is a little larger and thinner than when you began.  Fill half the circle with filling, leaving about 1/2 to 3/4 inch around the edge.  Wet the edge with a little warm water, fold over and crimp the edges with a fork. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Brush all the empanadas with a beaten egg to which you have added two tablespoons of water.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 -12 minutes.

 Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a. Nonnie

Steak with Chimichuri Sauce

                                                                               

It's been a long, cold, snowy winter, but I think spring is finally here, and to celebrate, I fired up my grill tonight.  I grilled a London broil, made some green beans in a foil packet on the grill, splurged and made French fries and made some bright, fresh chimichurri sauce for the steak. This was a great meal!

Chimichurri sauce is originally from Argentina, but has become very popular here.  It's traditionally served on steak, but you can also eat it on pork or chicken. It can be used as a marinade or as a sauce over your steak.

The first time I had chimichurri sauce I was visiting my daughter in Colorado. A friend brought over this meal and I loved it.  For a long time, I couldn't stop thinking about it, finally I began researching recipes and found several.  After trial and error, I came up with this one.  It's easy to do, you can even chop the parsley in the food processor. The original recipe calls for cilantro as well as parsley, when I make this for my family, I leave out the cilantro, while I love cilantro, some of my family members have that gene that makes cilantro taste like soap.  No, I'm not kidding, it's an actual gene.  Look it up!  So if you don't like cilantro, leave it out! In my research, I also found many recipes that called for fresh jalapeno finely chopped, but that's too much heat for me, but if you like it, add it in.

Chimichurri Sauce

1/2  to 3/4 cup flat leaf parsley finely chopped - if you use the food processor, just pulse it, you don't want it pureed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
3 to 4 fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped or run through a garlic press
1 shallot finely minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk in the olive oil with a fork.  Mix well and chill.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Carol
a.k.a.
Nonnie

This Pasta Salad is Almost Too Pretty to Eat!



This salad is a favorite of one of my granddaughters and she suggested that I post it on the blog.  This is a colorful pasta salad that has lots of possibilities.  Start with tri color pasta and then add your favorite veggies, cheeses, meats, or whatever is in the fridge.  I'm going to give you the ingredients for mine, but you can change it up however you like.  Use cheddar or Monterey Jack instead of mozzarella. Use ham cubes or salami instead of pepperoni or  leave out the meat and cheese and it can be vegan.  Add radishes, broccoli florets, scallions, red onions, or what ever your family likes. You can use bottled Italian dressing, but I made my own and included the recipe below. When I make this for a whole crowd, I use a pound of pasta, but for a weeknight dinner, I just use half a pound because there are so many things added to it that there is more than enough. Here we go!

1 to 1/2 lb. tri color pasta cooked and cooled
1/2 each green, yellow, red, and orange peppers chopped
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half
2 - 3 carrots thinly sliced
1/2 cups sliced black olives
2 cups fresh mozzarella balls (If the fresh mozzarella balls are large, cut them in half
1 cup pepperoni cut into small cubes
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

After you cook the pasta, rinse in cool water and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil.  Chill.  Add all the ingredients and stir to combine.  Add dressing.  Serve!

dressing:
 1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar - red or white
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Carol
a.k.a.
Nonnie

Homemade Fajita Seasoning-no package mix for me!

 

Tonight I am making a huge double batch of fajitas for dinner.  I plan to freeze half, so one night when I am too busy to cook, I just have to defrost and heat the filling and warm some tortillas and I have dinner!

For the past few years, I have been making a conscious effort to remove as many chemicals and artificial flavorings and ingredients as possible from my diet.  I have gotten to the point that when I eat some packaged foods, I can taste that artificial, chemical taste.  Little by little, I have been coming up with recipes for my own seasoning mixes.  This is one I found on the internet and really liked.  It seemed kind of a pain to take out all those jars every time I wanted to make fajitas, so I multiplied the recipe by 8 and had enough to fill a pint sized mason jar.  I measure out a quarter of a cup each time I make fajitas; it's just like opening one of those packages of fajita seasoning from the grocery store only much healthier!

I used to do lots of canning when I had a huge garden, so I have lots of Mason jars.  I use them for everything. They make great little storage containers.  I taped the recipe to the jar so I don't have to look it up when it runs out! One last word of caution, make sure you buy onion and garlic POWDER not salt.  Check the ingredients to make sure it's natural. So here is a recipe for two cups (8 uses)  of fajita seasoning.



Fajita Seasoning

1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons onion powder
4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup ground cumin

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and use a whisk to thoroughly combine.  Store in a Mason jar with a tight fitting lid.  Use 1/4 cup of seasoning mix and 1 cup liquid (water or broth) each time you make fajitas.  The recipe for fajitas can be found in "Older Posts" on September 24th, 2014.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Carol
a.k.a.
Nonnie

Super Easy Sweet and spicy Aisan Chicken

This is a recipe I found in the Spring 2014 issue of Cook Fresh magazine.  I discovered this magazine about a year ago.  They only publish four issues a year, but each one is filled with wonderful recipes make with fresh, seasonal ingredients.  This recipe is a family favorite and since I discovered it,  I have made it often. This works well as an appetizer at a party, or for dinner served over rice with broccoli or Chinese pea pods as a side dish.

The original recipe calls for cooking the chicken under the broiler, but I have made it several ways. Sometimes I use chicken tenders and thread them on a skewer, sometimes I use skinless boneless thighs cut into chunks.  Sometimes I cook them on the grill, and sometimes in the oven.  I have even cooked the chicken in a skillet on the stove.  One thing I discovered, is that the marinade is great as a sauce, so I doubled the recipe and hold half of it back to use as a sauce. This is a recipe that is super easy to prepare, doesn't involve a lot of chopping and prep work. and can even be made on a week night when you get home from work. For those of you who like to prep ahead, cut up your chicken the night before and prepare the marinade ahead.  Do not marinate the chicken until just before cooking, or it will become too powerful.

This recipe uses hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, five spice powder as well as the traditional soy sauce.  These sauces can all be found in the international food section of your supermarket.  All the other ingredients, you should have in your pantry.  One other hint:  if you are using wooden skewers instead of metal, be sure to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before cooking. Ready?  Here we go!

Sweet and Spicy Asian Chicken Kebabs

1 1/4 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into one inch pieces.  You can also use thin cut chicken tenders, do not cut the tenders, just thread the whole thing on the skewer.

3/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup cooking sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
4 cloves garlic finely minced or run through a garlic press
2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how much of a kick you like)
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
2  to 3 scallions thinly sliced.

If you plan to make these in the broiler, preheat your broiler and set your oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Soak skewers in water if using wooden skewers. If using thighs, cut into one inch pieces. Combine hoisin sauce, sherry, soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, five spice powder and red pepper flakes in a bowl.  Stir to combine.  Take out about half a cup of the marinade and set it aside to use as a sauce.  Add the chicken to the bowl and let sit about 15 minutes.  Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray or vegetable oil.

Thread the chicken onto the skewers, leaving space between each piece so they can cook properly.  Arrange on the baking sheet and broil about six minutes. Remove, turn the pieces over and broil another 3 to 4 minutes.  If the chicken seems to be getting charred, lower the oven rack. If you would like to thicken the extra sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 1/4 cup of water. Add this to the sauce and heat until it bubbles and begins to thicken.

Remove and serve over rice.  Pour a little of the sauce over, sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.   If serving as an appetizer, sprinkle sesame seeds and scallions on top and serve the sauce as a dipping sauce.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Carol
a.k.a.
Nonnie

Savory Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole (Published in Taste of Home Magazine!)

Note:  This is the recipe I submitted to Taste of Home Magazine several years ago.  They just published it in their Breakfast and Brunch edition which just came out in October, 2015!  Quite exciting for me!

Yesterday, I posted a recipe for a yummy, gooey Orange Pecan French Toast casserole.  Truth be told, I am not one of those people who likes sweet things in the morning, I will always pick a bagel over a donut, or eggs over pancakes anytime.  So here is a recipe for a make ahead casserole that is savory, filled with eggs, cheese and sausage. This one is a family favorite; I hope you like it!

Savory Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole

1 lb. log of breakfast sausage (Jimmie Dean type)  If the log is only 12 ounces, that's fine
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 to 2 cups grated cheddar ( you can also use a cheddar Monterey jack mix)
1 loaf French bread cut into one inch pieces

Butter or spray a 9 X 13 baking pan and set bread slices evenly on the bottom.  Cook the sausage and drain off any fat.  Cover the bread slices with the crumbled sausage.  At this point, you could also add 1/2 cup each finely diced onion and green pepper, however, my family prefers it plain.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs and add milk, chives, parmesan and pepper.  Pour over sausage.  Press down gently on each slice to make sure bread is soaked with egg mixture.  Top with grated cheddar.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, remove casserole from refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Cook about 30 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Carol
a.k.a.
Nonnie

Make Ahead Orange Pecan French Toast Casserole, Perfect for Easter Brunch

Easter is just a little over a week away and I'm starting to think about my menu.  Here is a great idea for those of you who do brunch on Easter, or who need a good idea for a make ahead breakfast. When you serve it, you flip it over, so the bottom is at the top, and it makes its own syrupy, nutty topping.  Yum!

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup melted butter, additional butter for pan (or use cooking spray)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1 loaf of French bread cut into 12 one inch slices

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 inch pan.  Combine brown sugar, melted butter, and maple syrup and spread over the bottom of the pan.  Coat evenly with the chopped nuts. Place bread slices in an even layer over the nuts. 

Now combine remaining ingredients and pour over the bread slices, making sure all the bread is covered.  Turn over the slices, if you are not sure they are fully coated.  Cover with plastic wrap and store overnight in the refrigerator.  When you are ready to bake, take the pan out and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 35 minutes, or until lightly browned.  To serve, cut into slices. As you slide the slices out of the pan, flip them over onto the plate so the bottom is on the top and you get all the nutty goodness of the topping.  Serve with additional syrup and whipped cream if you wish.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Carol
a.k.a.Nonnie

Lemony orzo tuna salad with artichoke hearts.

Good morning everyone, as you can see, I'm on a roll.  I'm trying to make up for lost time since I didn't post too many recipes in February or the beginning of March.  So now I'm making it up to you.

Here is another recipe for a salad that I just love.  It would make a great meal on a warm summer evening, (wishful thinking!) but I usually just eat it for lunch.  It's quick and easy.  The original recipe came from a magazine called Cook Fresh.  It's published by Fine Cooking, the people who do Moveable Feast.  I love their magazines; they only come out quarterly, but the recipes are always great and use fresh, seasonal ingredients.  This one was from the Spring of 2014 issue. Of course, I made a few changes, because that's who I am!

Orzo is a little pasta that looks like rice.  I often put it in soups, but it works great in this salad.  As you have heard me say before, I believe in having a well stocked pantry.  I can make this recipe at any time because I always have the ingredients on hand.  I love artichoke hearts and always have a few cans in the pantry.  I always use the ones packed in water, but for this recipe, you could use the ones marinated in oil that come in a jar.  I also always keep a jar of oil packed sun dried tomatoes in my refrigerator.  They keep forever as long as they are covered in oil. It's best to use fresh basil in this recipe.  In the summer, I have it growing in my yard, but you can find it in the supermarket all year; it's just a little pricier in the winter. You could easily substitute fresh parsley.  I always use the Italian flat leaf parsley.  It has so much more flavor. The original recipe says to serve this warm, but I prefer it cold as a salad.  Ready?  Here we go!

1 1/2 cups dried orzo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 small yellow onion finely diced
1/3 cup dry white wine (you can substitute chicken broth)
1 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts drained and quartered
1/2 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, finely diced
1 can of tuna - I always use the water packed - well drained
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped into ribbons.

Begin by boiling the orzo according to package directions and drain well.  While the orzo is cooking, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion with salt and pepper until it is golden brown, about six to seven minutes. Add the white wine and scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan.  Now add the sun dried tomatoes and artichokes to the pan and cook for about two minutes.  Remove from the heat and gently fold in the well drained tuna. Transfer the orzo to a large bowl and toss with the sour cream and lemon juice.  Add the tuna mixture and basil.  Taste to see if you would like to add more salt and pepper.  Serve warm, or chill and serve on a bed of lettuce or spring greens.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Carol
a.k.a. Nonnie

Gnocchi With Brown Butter, Sage, and Garlic

                                                                       
Gnocchi are little dumpling like pillows of dough made with potatoes, flour and egg. I remember my grandmother making gnocchi.  She would make what seemed like millions of them, spread clean sheets over the beds and lay them out to dry.  I don't think she ever dried them so they were hard, but just until she was ready to cook them.

I love to make pasta.  There is no comparison between the taste of homemade pasta and store bought pasta.  It doesn't even taste like the same food!  Well kind of, but given the choice, I will always pick homemade.  Is it difficult to make?  No!  A little time consuming, not something you would make on a weeknight, after a long day at work, but there is an amazing sense of accomplishment when you make your own pasta.  You feel really talented, and boy, is your family impressed!

I use a pasta machine to make regular pasta. Regular pasta dough is very stretchy and hard to roll out by hand.  My first machine was purchased over 40 years ago when I lived in Germany.  It was a hand crank model and it made sheets for lasagna or ravioli, fettuccine, and thin spaghetti.  I passed my hand crank machine down to a dear friend when I got an electric one that attaches to my KitchenAid stand mixer.  It is much easier to use. Then a few years ago, for my birthday, my daughter gave me another attachment for my stand mixer that makes fusilli (corkscrew shapes), rigatoni, ziti, and buccatelli (long spaghetti with a hole in it).  What fun I can have!

So the great thing about gnocchi is that it doesn't require a pasta machine or any fancy equipment, you can use a potato ricer or food mill if you have one, but a colander with large holes works well too.

                                                                   

                                                                   
I find it easier to prepare the sauce before I start to make the gnocchi, because once you start cooking them, things move very quickly. 

I have lots of pictures to hopefully explain things as I go along, so here is the recipe.

Gnocchi With Brown Butter, Sage and Garlic

Sauce:
1 stick of butter
6 cloves of garlic
1 bunch fresh sage leaves - about 1/4 cup chopped

Gnocchi

3 large potatoes - about 2 1/2 pounds
1 1/2 to 2 cups of flour
1 egg

Begin by scrubbing the potatoes and piercing several times with a fork.  Bake in a 425 degree oven for about an hour.  While the potatoes are baking, chop the garlic and sage leaves and melt the butter over high heat until it turns slightly brown.  Lower the heat to medium low and add garlic and sage.  Be very careful not to burn the garlic or it will taste bitter. When garlic begins to soften, turn off the heat.  Set aside.  Also, set a large pot of water on the stove, turn the heat to high.  If it boils while you are still forming your gnocchi, turn it down and turn it back up when you are almost finished.  Don't forget to salt the water; pasta water should be about as salty as sea water.  I also set out a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to put the completed gnocchi on.  No sheets on the bed for me!!

When the potatoes are done, remove from the oven and when they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and break into large chunks.  I use a large wooden cutting board to work on, but you could also use a very large bowl.  Force the potato through the colander or potato ricer. Try not to make one huge pile because you want them to stay fluffy, not clump up. It should look like this:
                                                                       

                                                                             
Next, sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of flour over the potato, make a well in the center and add the egg.  Using a fork stab the egg to break the yolk and begin to work the egg into the flour and potato.  Work from the outside in. At some point, you will see that you need to start working with your hands.  Continue mixing until a soft dough forms.  Add more flour as needed. Don't add more than a total of two cups or your dough will become too heavy. It is a very soft dough, not like regular pasta dough or bread dough.  Bread off pieces of the dough and roll into snakes about 3/4 inch in diameter.
                                                                             

 



 

Now use a knife and cut into one inch pieces.  You can leave them like this, or add ridges using a fork or ridged paddle.  My paddle part of a se for ma that was actually used for making fancy butter pats. You can find gnocchi boards online and they are less than $10.00.  You can also use the back of a fork. The purpose of the ridges is to hold the sauce, but they are not necessary.  I remember that my grandmother used to make a little dent in each one with her thumb.  See how they look like little pillows?

 

                                                                             

 

Here are some photos of the process of putting in the ridges, using both the paddle and a fork

                                          

 

 

                                           

Here are my completed gnocchi ready to go into the pot of boiling water.

                             

                                                                     

 

Do not dump all the gnocchi into the water at once or you will have a sticky, gooey inedible mess.  I do small batches at a time.  Maybe one quarter of the total batch each time.  They cook VERY quickly as soon as they rise to the top of the pot they are done. Gnocchi have a very different texture than regular pasta. No al dente here, they are very soft and light in your mouth.  Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and transfer to a bowl with the sauce.  Continue working quickly until they are all cooked.  Garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and serve. 

                                                                             

                                                                           

 

Gnocchi can also be served with tomato sauce, pesto or any other type of pasta sauce. We just love the flavor of the sage and garlic.

 

I know this is not a quick recipe, but well worth the work if you are willing to take on the challenge. Relax and have fun with it!

 

Happy Cooking!

 

Carol

a.k.a. Nonnie