Source: my mom, who got it from a Quick Cooking Magazine (she thinks)
Ingredients:
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced (I'm out of fresh garlic and my garlic press broke - sad day! - so I just used 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves (I didn't have any sage so I subbed marjoram - don't ask me why I have marjoram but not sage!)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups penne
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup whipping cream (I used the 1/4 cup butter + 3/4 cups 1% milk substitution trick for the cream - and I also sprinkled in a bit of flour to help it thicken up, but I don't know that it actually helped so I'll probably just skip that next time)
1/2 cup chicken broth
shredded parmesan cheese
Directions:
Place sweet potatoes and onion in an ungreased baking pan. Combine the garlic, oil, salt, sage and pepper; drizzle over vegetables and toss to coat.
Bake uncovered at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
Cook penne according to package directions.
In a small saucepan melt butter; stir in cream and broth. Bring to a gentle boil; cook for 10-12 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Drain penne, add to vegetables. Add cream, toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.
Notes:
My mom served this for dinner while I was there visiting last week and Callie and I loved it. It's a meal that's right up our alley with our love for sweet potatoes. I decided I had to make it soon upon my return home, and Gregg loved it, too. I was happy with how quickly it all came together and how delicious it smells while the potatoes are roasting. This one will definitely be staying in our meal rotation. (I always call this and then search for "roasted sweet potato penne" and it never comes up in the search . . . so maybe it will now that I've made this random little note.)
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Cinnamon and Sugar Breadstick Twists
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe (seriously, where else would I get a new recipe?)
Ingredients:
for the breadstick dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
for the filling and glaze:
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk, more or less
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Soften yeast in water and sugar in large bowl till yeast is bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add salt. Add flour one cup at a time and mix until the dough starts to form a ball. Knead for three minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Lightly grease a large 11X17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll or press the dough into about an 8X18-inch rectangle. Spread the melted butter evenly across the dough.
In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture across the dough and lightly press into the top of the dough.
Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into about 1-inch or so widths. Twist each breadstick a few times and place them on the baking sheet about 1/2-inch apart.
Cover the breadsticks lightly with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let them rest for 20-30 minutes until they are slightly puffy. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden on top.
Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until a pourable mixture forms, adding more or milk if needed.
Let the breadsticks rest out of the oven for about five minutes before drizzling with the glaze. Serve warm. (These reheat magically for a few seconds in the microwave.)
Ingredients:
for the breadstick dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
for the filling and glaze:
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk, more or less
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Soften yeast in water and sugar in large bowl till yeast is bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add salt. Add flour one cup at a time and mix until the dough starts to form a ball. Knead for three minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Lightly grease a large 11X17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll or press the dough into about an 8X18-inch rectangle. Spread the melted butter evenly across the dough.
In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture across the dough and lightly press into the top of the dough.
Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into about 1-inch or so widths. Twist each breadstick a few times and place them on the baking sheet about 1/2-inch apart.
Cover the breadsticks lightly with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let them rest for 20-30 minutes until they are slightly puffy. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden on top.
Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until a pourable mixture forms, adding more or milk if needed.
Let the breadsticks rest out of the oven for about five minutes before drizzling with the glaze. Serve warm. (These reheat magically for a few seconds in the microwave.)
Notes:
I taught the young women the joy of yeast and how to make bread this week for our activity. I knew I was going to use my tried and true breadstick recipe for the lesson because it's quick and easy and perfect for a first attempt in yeast dough, but then I remembered that I had seen this sweetened version, using the same base dough recipe, on Mel's site recently. I decided to do both. I split the girls (and leaders) into two groups, each armed with a breadstick recipe and ingredients, and we ended up filling the church (ssshh, don't tell anyone that we "prepared and cooked" something in the church kitchen/oven) with the magnificent scents of garlicy bread and cinnamon sugar. I call any activity with smells like that a success. And luckily the girls agreed. These were fantastic!
Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe (holy cow, I love her!)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup finely shredded carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, honey, egg, vanilla, and applesauce.
Stir ingredients together until just combined and there are still some spots of flour remaining.
Fold in the shredded carrots just until combined (don't overmix or the muffins will be dense).
Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin liners (I used a heaping 2 Tablespoons per cup and ended up with 14 muffins). Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. These muffins freeze wonderfully and keep well if covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Notes:
I barely squeaked in my monthly muffin challenge on the 31st of March with these babies. They're definitely on the healthier tasting muffin spectrum, but they don't taste like dog biscuits by any stretch of the imagination (that's what one commenter on Mel's site said - sheesh!). I must admit, though, that I did slather a tiny bit of left over cream cheese frosting from my birthday cake (the best ever cream cheese frosting, in my opinion) on a few and called it dessert. Just perfect!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup finely shredded carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, honey, egg, vanilla, and applesauce.
Stir ingredients together until just combined and there are still some spots of flour remaining.
Fold in the shredded carrots just until combined (don't overmix or the muffins will be dense).
Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin liners (I used a heaping 2 Tablespoons per cup and ended up with 14 muffins). Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. These muffins freeze wonderfully and keep well if covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Notes:
I barely squeaked in my monthly muffin challenge on the 31st of March with these babies. They're definitely on the healthier tasting muffin spectrum, but they don't taste like dog biscuits by any stretch of the imagination (that's what one commenter on Mel's site said - sheesh!). I must admit, though, that I did slather a tiny bit of left over cream cheese frosting from my birthday cake (the best ever cream cheese frosting, in my opinion) on a few and called it dessert. Just perfect!
Bourbon Chicken
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe, via my aunt Nikie Elwood
Ingredients:
for the chicken:
2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Tablespoons oil (for pan-frying)
cornstarch (for dusting, optional)
for the sauce:
1 garlic clove (minced)
¼ teaspoon ginger (I used ground ginger)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup apple juice (I had pear juice so that's what I used)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
½ cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
Directions:
Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, and if you choose lightly dust with cornstarch. Heat oil in your wok and fry chicken bits in batches until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Pour into wok and bring to a boil. Add chicken bits back to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over warm rice.
Notes:
My aunt Nikie submitted this recipe to an Elwood Family Cookbook that was compiled a few years ago, saying that it's her son Cardon's favorite weekday meal. I finally got around to making it a few weeks ago, and I wish I hadn't taken so long to try it. Totally yum. But make sure you don't forget the brown sugar! I did (that's what happens when I try to make dinner with a cranky baby) and it was definitely less than yum at first, so we had to sprinkle some brown sugar over our individual portions and kind of stir it in. Crude, but it worked. And next time I won't forget it in the first place. Also, next time I think I might do like Nikie suggests and just skip the frying - it was messy and my skills with the corn starch didn't produce my desired crispy chicken anyway.
Ingredients:
for the chicken:
2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Tablespoons oil (for pan-frying)
cornstarch (for dusting, optional)
for the sauce:
1 garlic clove (minced)
¼ teaspoon ginger (I used ground ginger)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup apple juice (I had pear juice so that's what I used)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
½ cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
Directions:
Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, and if you choose lightly dust with cornstarch. Heat oil in your wok and fry chicken bits in batches until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Pour into wok and bring to a boil. Add chicken bits back to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over warm rice.
Notes:
My aunt Nikie submitted this recipe to an Elwood Family Cookbook that was compiled a few years ago, saying that it's her son Cardon's favorite weekday meal. I finally got around to making it a few weeks ago, and I wish I hadn't taken so long to try it. Totally yum. But make sure you don't forget the brown sugar! I did (that's what happens when I try to make dinner with a cranky baby) and it was definitely less than yum at first, so we had to sprinkle some brown sugar over our individual portions and kind of stir it in. Crude, but it worked. And next time I won't forget it in the first place. Also, next time I think I might do like Nikie suggests and just skip the frying - it was messy and my skills with the corn starch didn't produce my desired crispy chicken anyway.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake
Source: here, via pinterest
Ingredients:
for the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (I only had salted, so I reduced the salt to 1/4 teaspoon)
1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, careful not to overmeasure (I used 2 cups all-purpose and 1 cup fresh ground hard white wheat)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I cut this down by half because I had salted butter)
1 cup buttermilk (I used my favorite buttermilk substitute: 1 Tablespoon lemon juice + enough milk to make one cup)
zest + juice of 3 medium lemons (I used 6 Tablespoons lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons zest from my frozen stash)
1 and 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or non-thawed frozen
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
for the cream cheese icing:
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3.5 cups confectioners' sugar
1 - 2 Tablespoons heavy cream (I used 1% milk instead, and while the recipe author said it would be less creamy than cream, I thought it was divinely creamy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt (I skipped this because I had salted butter)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray three 9x2 inch (mine were 8" but it was just fine) cake pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Make the cake: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamy - about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside. (I was lazy and just added everything at together at the beginning - it probably wasn't quite as smooth as if I would have beat the butter first, but it worked out just fine in the end.)
In a large sized bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed for 10 seconds, then add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat on low until just combined. (My handheld mixer doesn't handle thick stuff super well, so I just stirred it by hand.) Toss the blueberries in 1 Tablespoon of flour and fold into the batter. Batter is extremely thick. Do not overmix at any point. Overmixing will lend a tough, dense textured crumb.
Spoon batter evenly into 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 Tablespoon cream (or milk), vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 more Tablespoon of cream (or milk) to thin out, if desired. (I ended up with about 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk and it was silky smooth and easy to spread.)
Assemble and frost: First, using a large serrated knife, trim the tops off the cake layers to create a flat surface. (I just skipped this step because my cakes didn't really dome up after baking so they stacked easily as they were.) Place 1 layer on your cake stand. Evenly cover the top with cream cheese frosting. Top with 2nd layer, more frosting, then the third layer. Top with frosting and spread around the sides. The recipe doesn't make a ton of frosting, just enough for a light frost. Top with blueberries or lemon garnish if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting or else the cake may fall apart as you cut. (Whoops - I didn't do that and it cut just fine.)
Make 1 day in advance if you'd like. Extras keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes:
I always (for the last several years, anyway) have some sort of incarnation of strawberry shortcake for my birthday. The strawberries come into season and show up in grocery stores right around my birthday and they're just too tempting to resist. Until this year. This year I had a plethora (well, a dozen) fresh lemons brought directly from Arizona by a kind lady in our ward who shared with anyone and everyone who wanted one (or twelve). I brought them home and zested them all, then juiced them all, and froze the zest in a jar and the juice in ice cube trays. And then I got busy searching for delicious desserts and meals I could make using these lemons. Enter pinterest and this amazing recipe. I took one look at the pictures in her original post and I knew that this would be my birthday cake this year. Especially because I had a pint bag of fresh frozen blueberries from Kim waiting in my freezer for something spectacular. This was it. And it did not disappoint. I was a tiny bit nervous about constructing a layer cake since I had never done so before, but it was easy . . . a piece of cake you might say. And now I have a new desire to try other layer cakes. The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients:
for the cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (I only had salted, so I reduced the salt to 1/4 teaspoon)
1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, careful not to overmeasure (I used 2 cups all-purpose and 1 cup fresh ground hard white wheat)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I cut this down by half because I had salted butter)
1 cup buttermilk (I used my favorite buttermilk substitute: 1 Tablespoon lemon juice + enough milk to make one cup)
zest + juice of 3 medium lemons (I used 6 Tablespoons lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons zest from my frozen stash)
1 and 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or non-thawed frozen
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
for the cream cheese icing:
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3.5 cups confectioners' sugar
1 - 2 Tablespoons heavy cream (I used 1% milk instead, and while the recipe author said it would be less creamy than cream, I thought it was divinely creamy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt (I skipped this because I had salted butter)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray three 9x2 inch (mine were 8" but it was just fine) cake pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Make the cake: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamy - about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside. (I was lazy and just added everything at together at the beginning - it probably wasn't quite as smooth as if I would have beat the butter first, but it worked out just fine in the end.)
In a large sized bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed for 10 seconds, then add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat on low until just combined. (My handheld mixer doesn't handle thick stuff super well, so I just stirred it by hand.) Toss the blueberries in 1 Tablespoon of flour and fold into the batter. Batter is extremely thick. Do not overmix at any point. Overmixing will lend a tough, dense textured crumb.
Spoon batter evenly into 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 Tablespoon cream (or milk), vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 more Tablespoon of cream (or milk) to thin out, if desired. (I ended up with about 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk and it was silky smooth and easy to spread.)
Assemble and frost: First, using a large serrated knife, trim the tops off the cake layers to create a flat surface. (I just skipped this step because my cakes didn't really dome up after baking so they stacked easily as they were.) Place 1 layer on your cake stand. Evenly cover the top with cream cheese frosting. Top with 2nd layer, more frosting, then the third layer. Top with frosting and spread around the sides. The recipe doesn't make a ton of frosting, just enough for a light frost. Top with blueberries or lemon garnish if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting or else the cake may fall apart as you cut. (Whoops - I didn't do that and it cut just fine.)
Make 1 day in advance if you'd like. Extras keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes:
I always (for the last several years, anyway) have some sort of incarnation of strawberry shortcake for my birthday. The strawberries come into season and show up in grocery stores right around my birthday and they're just too tempting to resist. Until this year. This year I had a plethora (well, a dozen) fresh lemons brought directly from Arizona by a kind lady in our ward who shared with anyone and everyone who wanted one (or twelve). I brought them home and zested them all, then juiced them all, and froze the zest in a jar and the juice in ice cube trays. And then I got busy searching for delicious desserts and meals I could make using these lemons. Enter pinterest and this amazing recipe. I took one look at the pictures in her original post and I knew that this would be my birthday cake this year. Especially because I had a pint bag of fresh frozen blueberries from Kim waiting in my freezer for something spectacular. This was it. And it did not disappoint. I was a tiny bit nervous about constructing a layer cake since I had never done so before, but it was easy . . . a piece of cake you might say. And now I have a new desire to try other layer cakes. The possibilities are endless!
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Lemon Angel Hair with Chicken and Spinach
Source: a quick google search led me here, after a different blog I had originally seen it on via Pinterest ended up conking out on me - apparently it's a popular recipe on the interwebs
Ingredients:
1/2 lb angel hair pasta
4 cloves of garlic (diced, only because my garlic press broke on the first clove)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I cut this down by half)
Perfect Chicken, cut into chunks (I'm not exactly sure what "Perfect Chicken" is - I'm sure I could have googled it, too, but instead I just seasoned a chicken breast with salt and pepper, cut it into chunks, and browned it in a bit of oil on the stovetop. It was delicious, and perfect enough for me.)
2 lemons, zested and juiced (I used ~ 4 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice that I had frozen in ice cube trays in the freezer)
3/4 cup half-and-half (I used a handy substitution trick I found here: melt 1 Tablespoon butter and add enough milk to make it 1 cup. Bam.)
1 cup Parmesan, grated (or shredded) (I'm very un-gormet and used the canned stuff, which was just fine by me)
1 cup baby spinach, stems removed
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I just used regular vegetable oil - again, un-gormet)
Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over low heat. Add oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook until the oil sizzles (about 7-10 minutes). When the water in your pot is boiling, add pasta - remember Angel Hair doesn't take very long to cook, so don't add it too early*.
To the skillet with the oil-garlic mixture add lemon juice, half-and-half, and a ladle of the pasta water. Raise the heat to med-low to med heat until the sauce begins to bubble. Drain pasta - do not rinse. Add the pasta, zest, and 1/2 c. Parmesan to the cream sauce. Toss for a minute or two. Add chicken and spinach, and toss until well distributed. Top with remaining cheese. Enjoy!
*Side note: If your pasta is cooking too quickly, just take the pot off the heat, but leave the pasta in the hot water. The pasta will continue to cook, just at a slower pace.
Servings: 4
Note:
I was blessed with a dozen fresh lemons straight from Arizona one week at church. I came home with all kinds of ideas in my head for what to do with them: lemon bars, lemonade, lemon pie. And then I started searching for savory dishes that had lemon. I found this and knew I had to give it a try. Oh boy oh boy! It was delish! I actually doubled it for a Sunday dinner when two of my sisters were visiting. I was a little worried it wouldn't be saucy enough for Gregg's liking, but he loved it enough to eat the leftovers for lunch for the next two days. We all loved it.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb angel hair pasta
4 cloves of garlic (diced, only because my garlic press broke on the first clove)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I cut this down by half)
Perfect Chicken, cut into chunks (I'm not exactly sure what "Perfect Chicken" is - I'm sure I could have googled it, too, but instead I just seasoned a chicken breast with salt and pepper, cut it into chunks, and browned it in a bit of oil on the stovetop. It was delicious, and perfect enough for me.)
2 lemons, zested and juiced (I used ~ 4 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice that I had frozen in ice cube trays in the freezer)
3/4 cup half-and-half (I used a handy substitution trick I found here: melt 1 Tablespoon butter and add enough milk to make it 1 cup. Bam.)
1 cup Parmesan, grated (or shredded) (I'm very un-gormet and used the canned stuff, which was just fine by me)
1 cup baby spinach, stems removed
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I just used regular vegetable oil - again, un-gormet)
Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over low heat. Add oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook until the oil sizzles (about 7-10 minutes). When the water in your pot is boiling, add pasta - remember Angel Hair doesn't take very long to cook, so don't add it too early*.
To the skillet with the oil-garlic mixture add lemon juice, half-and-half, and a ladle of the pasta water. Raise the heat to med-low to med heat until the sauce begins to bubble. Drain pasta - do not rinse. Add the pasta, zest, and 1/2 c. Parmesan to the cream sauce. Toss for a minute or two. Add chicken and spinach, and toss until well distributed. Top with remaining cheese. Enjoy!
*Side note: If your pasta is cooking too quickly, just take the pot off the heat, but leave the pasta in the hot water. The pasta will continue to cook, just at a slower pace.
Servings: 4
Note:
I was blessed with a dozen fresh lemons straight from Arizona one week at church. I came home with all kinds of ideas in my head for what to do with them: lemon bars, lemonade, lemon pie. And then I started searching for savory dishes that had lemon. I found this and knew I had to give it a try. Oh boy oh boy! It was delish! I actually doubled it for a Sunday dinner when two of my sisters were visiting. I was a little worried it wouldn't be saucy enough for Gregg's liking, but he loved it enough to eat the leftovers for lunch for the next two days. We all loved it.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients:
4-5 medium russet baking potatoes
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
6 cups milk (I used 1% and it was just fine)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup finely diced green onions
1/3 cup light sour cream (I had regular sour cream, but if you're looking to save some calories, go ahead and use light)
garnishes:
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions
Cooked, diced bacon pieces (a must, in my book!)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pierce the potatoes all over with the tines of a fork. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for about an hour (mine took a little longer than an hour), until tender and baked through. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them sit for about 20 minutes, until they are cool enough to handle (or use an oven mitt if you don't want to wait for them to cool slightly). Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides of the potatoes. Place the potato chunks in a medium bowl and mash with a fork or a potato masher until the potatoes are broken into smaller chunks.
In a large 4-quart pot, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add 1/4 cup of the flour and whisk to combine. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes until lightly browned. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and remaining 1/4 cup flour. Gradually whisk the mixture into the pot, and cook until thick and bubbling, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the potato chunks and salt and pepper. Whisk in the cheddar cheese until it is completely melted. Stir in the green onions and sour cream. Serve immediately with desired toppings (like I said, the bacon is a must!).
Notes:
Another Thursday Soup Day attempt and it was a hit! Totally thick and creamy and delicious. I'll be making this one again.
Ingredients:
4-5 medium russet baking potatoes
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
6 cups milk (I used 1% and it was just fine)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup finely diced green onions
1/3 cup light sour cream (I had regular sour cream, but if you're looking to save some calories, go ahead and use light)
garnishes:
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions
Cooked, diced bacon pieces (a must, in my book!)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pierce the potatoes all over with the tines of a fork. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for about an hour (mine took a little longer than an hour), until tender and baked through. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them sit for about 20 minutes, until they are cool enough to handle (or use an oven mitt if you don't want to wait for them to cool slightly). Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides of the potatoes. Place the potato chunks in a medium bowl and mash with a fork or a potato masher until the potatoes are broken into smaller chunks.
In a large 4-quart pot, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add 1/4 cup of the flour and whisk to combine. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes until lightly browned. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and remaining 1/4 cup flour. Gradually whisk the mixture into the pot, and cook until thick and bubbling, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the potato chunks and salt and pepper. Whisk in the cheddar cheese until it is completely melted. Stir in the green onions and sour cream. Serve immediately with desired toppings (like I said, the bacon is a must!).
Notes:
Another Thursday Soup Day attempt and it was a hit! Totally thick and creamy and delicious. I'll be making this one again.
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