Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto

Here in our house, we love the warm, creamy comfort that risotto brings to a meal. I think I've said it before, but I don't understand the idea that risotto is a difficult dish to prepare. Folks site the length of time involved or the amount of effort involved in "babysitting" the dish. For me, I am going to be in the kitchen prepping dinner for a good 30 minutes anyway, so what's a little stirring and pouring on the stovetop when I’m already involved in cooking!

So not only do I love that risotto fits into my dinner prep schedule, it is also so versatile! You can have your plain Parmesan version or you can kick it up with artisan cheeses, specialty mushrooms, savory vegetables, smoky meats, or fresh seafood. This chameleon dish is happy to be the star of the meal, or morph into a perfect complimentary side.

With all this adoration, I was pleasantly surprised to find a recipe for sun dried tomato risotto attached to the cap of my Bella Sun Luci bottle! We made it and devoured it- the flavors were fantastic together. It was the perfect addition to the stuffed chicken entree and will definitely be on the menu again soon.


Sun Dried Tomato Risotto
From Mooney Farms, Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomatoes

• 1 Onion, chopped
  
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
  
• 1 C. Risotto (Arborio) Rice
  
• 4-6 C. Chicken Broth, warmed
  
• 1/2 C. Sun Dried Tomatoes (packed in oil), chopped
  
• 1/4 C. Fresh Basil, chopped
  
• 1-2 tsp. Dried Parsley (I didn’t have fresh on hand.)
  
• Salt & Black Pepper
  
• 1/4+ C. Parmesan Cheese, grated

1. In a large saucepan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until the onion starts to become translucent.
   
2. Add in the dry risotto rice. Stir to coat the rice with oil and let it sit for a minute to brown.
   
3. Pour in about 3/4 cups of broth to the pan. Bring to a low boil and stir the risotto. As the liquid starts to absorb, add in the tomatoes, basil, parsley and salt & pepper to taste. Give a good stir.
   
4. Continue to pour in 1/2 to 1 cup of broth and stir until the rice is al dente and creamy. Personally, I pour the liquid in, give it a stir, and then let it sit for a few minutes while it simmers away. I only stir every few minutes, usually in between chopping something else that will go into dinner. When I give a stir and the bottom of the pan is dry, that's when I add in more broth.
   
5. You may not need all of the broth. Other liquids can be used as well such as water or white wine. The stirring will create the creaminess and the slow simmering will make the rice soft and chewable!
   
6. Just before serving, stir in the grated Parmesan until it melts and is thoroughly mixed in.

Spicy Black Bean Cakes

I love reading other food blogs for a few reasons. One is that I'm nosey; I like to know what other people are doing and being voyeuristic. Another is that I get so many great recipes and inspiration from others. Sometimes I see something that reminds me of something I wanted to make or gets my mouth hungry for a certain culture's cuisine. Sometimes there is a recipe that looks delicious and interesting just the way it is.

These black bean cakes fall into that second category. Tara from Smells Like Home featured this Martha Stewart recipe and I was intrigued by the orange color (from sweet potatoes) and the healthy, vegetarian aspect.

I've made these twice now and the hubs and I just love them! I never would have thought that you can take raw, grated sweet potato and prepare them like this to end up with such a flavorful addition to dinner. These have always been the star of the show. And don't tell, but they are super simply and quick to make! Bonus!!!


Spicy Black Bean Cakes
From Martha Stewart by way of Smells Like Home

• 2 Green Onions, chopped
  
• 2 Tbsp. Sliced Jalapenos, chopped
  
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
  
• 1 Tbsp. Cumin
  
• 1 Can of Black Beans, drained
  
• 1 Sweet Potato, peeled and grated
  
• 1 Egg
  
• 1/2 C. Bread Crumbs

1. In a small saute pan, cook the onions, jalapenos, garlic, and cumin with a little olive oil on medium heat. The onions will be translucent when done.
   
2. In a large bowl, pour in the drained black beans. Add in the mixture from the pan and mash everything using a fork. You will want the beans to be smashed, but it's perfectly ok to have some that are still whole. Don't go nuts about it!
   
3. Fold in the rest of the ingredients until they are well mixed.
   
4. Form small cakes, about 3" across and around 1/2" to 1" high.
   
5. Place on a cookie sheet or flat pan. Broil on high for 10 minutes. Be sure they don't start to burn- if so, turn the broiler down to low.
   
6. Flip the cakes after the initial 10 minutes and then return to broil for another 2 minutes.
   
7. Serve warm. These are excellent with sour cream or a little lime juice.

Classic Potato Salad

We had a low key 4th of July this year. Many years we'd go to my parents' place to hang by the pool and eat cookout food. Recently we've been doing casual neighborhood get togethers where we eat cookout food. This year we kept it a private day with just the two of us... eating cookout. Are you seeing a trend?

My neighbor Cathy makes a kick-ass potato salad, but I didn't want to call her for the recipe this year just out of the blue. The biggest thing I always love about her recipe is that it has tons of hard boiled eggs. Yum! This recipe that I used was based off a number of recipes and was really tasty. We kept picking at it for days afterwards and it will come back for the next cookout we have- with or without others!


Red Potato Salad
Based off recipes from AllRecipes.com

• 6 Red Potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
  
• 5 Eggs, hard-boiled
  
• 3/4 C. Low Fat Mayonnaise
  
• 1/4 C. Sour Cream
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Chives, chopped
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
  
• 1/4 tsp. Dried Dill
  
• 1/4 tsp. Paprika
  
• 1 Tbsp. White Vinegar
  
• 1 Tbsp. Pickle Juice

1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the cubed potatoes, with skins on, until they are just tender. It should be around 15 minutes, but do check them by piercing with a fork because mushy potatoes are no good.
   
2. Drain the cooked potatoes and cool. Add to a large bowl.
   
3. Slice the hard boiled eggs. Add to potatoes.
   
4. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients to make the dressing.
   
5. Pour the dressing onto to the eggs and potatoes and stir to coat. Cover and let sit for an hour or two to let the flavor meld together. Serve chilled with a good burger and local microbrew.

Tasty Little Salad

The hot weather is here which means the grill is going to start racking up the miles and the salads are going to increase. This little ditty is nothing so exciting, but it sure was tasty! Paired with a mustard based marinade on the grilled chicken, it was a great side.


Apple and Cheddar Salad

• Raw Spinach
  
• Iceberg Lettuce
  
• Sliced White Mushrooms
  
• Granny Smith Apple, cored and cubed
  
• Walnuts
  
• Sharp Cheddar, cubed
  
• Honey Mustard Dressing

1. Tear up the lettuce and place it and the spinach on a plate as a bed.
   
2. Mix in the mushrooms, apples, cheese, and walnuts to your liking.
   
3. Drizzle with dressing and enjoy on a hot day!

Pork Dumplings with Cheater's Asian Veggies

Adam mentions a couple weeks ago that we haven't had the pork dumplings I made once or twice a long time ago. Shoot, he was right- those were tasty and I had forgotten all about them!

So onto the weekly menu they went. I planned them for a midweek meal on a night I knew I'd have some time to put them together- they aren't the fastest meal to assemble after all.

Sadly, my memory of these was better than reality. The hubs thought they were tasty enough, but I thought they were just kind of bleh. The fact that they look like brains doesn't help either! We made a huge batch of these thing- around 4 or 5 dozen- and I froze half. I'm planning to pan fry the frozen ones and make a dipping sauce in hopes it will kick up the flavor.

There were two good parts of this dinner though... the first was a pretty side dish that I whipped up. Nothing fancy, but it looked really nice and I thought it was quite good. (Adam thought it was just ok.) The other highlight was that we both made the dumplings together, which not only made the preparation go twice as fast, we enjoyed spending the time together in the kitchen. With our small space and my dictator like style in the kitchen, we rarely get to make food together. Aw, cheesy happy moment!


Asian Pork Dumplings
Modified from AllRecipes.com

• 1 Lbs. Ground Pork
  
• 1 Package Wonton Wrappers, around 50-60 count
  
• 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
  
• 1 Egg
  
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
  
• 2 Green Onion Stalks, chopped
  
• 1 tsp. Grated Fresh Ginger
  
• 1 1/2 C. Red Cabbage, finely chopped

1. In a large bowl, blend all of the ingredients except the wonton wrappers to make the dumpling filling.
   
2. Heat a large pot of water on the stovetop to boiling. This will be the water you boil the dumplings in. I flavored my water with fresh ginger, soy sauce, a few chopped pieces of green onion, and a little sesame oil. Next time I'd use less or no ginger and I will boil for half the time, moving dumplings to a saute pan to finish off the cooking.
   
3. Place one wonton wrapper on a cutting board or other clean surface. Lightly wet the edges on one side.
   
4. Take a small spoonful of the filling mixture and place it in the middle of the wrapper. You'll learn quickly two facts: 1. Too much filling doesn't work and oozes out the sides, making a huge mess. 2. If your cabbage isn't chopped enough, large knife-like pieces will slice through your wrapper, wrecking everything.
   
5. Fold the wonton wrapper over onto itself, making a triangle shape with the filling in the middle.
   
6. Press down on the moist sides, trying to push out as much air from the middle as possible.
   
7. Pick up the dumpling and take the two opposite triangle points and fold them on top of each other and press down to connect. This leaves the top point remaining and the filling well sealed up inside.
   
8. Repeat for as many wontons as you can fill, or until you run out of wrappers like we did. As you finish the dumplings, put them aside. If you place them on a cookie sheet with plastic wrap, you can put the whole sheet into the freezer to freeze dumplings. Once hard, move unused dumplings to a ziplock bag for long term storage.
   
9. With the water boiling, gently place as many dumplings as you want in the hot liquid. Be careful not to splash hot water on yourself!
   
10. Cook the dumplings for about 5-10 minutes. They will inflate like puffer fish if there is air inside! The pork does not take long to cook. Again, next time I will mostly cook through and then drain and finish in a pan.
    
11. Serve either with a little broth or dry with a soy sauce based dipping sauce.

Cheater's Asian Veggie Side Dish

• Frozen Stir Fry Veggies (as much as desired)
  
• Sliced Red Cabbage
  
• Fresh Mushrooms
  
• Soy Sauce
  
• Sesame Oil
  
• Sesame Seeds

1. Heat the frozen veggies in the microwave like any vegetable from the freezer.
   
2. Plate hot veggies in the center of a dish.
   
3. Add some cabbage and fresh mushrooms.
   
4. Lightly drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
   
5. Eat while hot!

Classic Cornbread

I’ll admit it, I used to only ever make cornbread from the Jiffy mix box. In my defense, I thought it was hard to make so I never looked into it. Well geez was I wrong! I made my first cornbread from scratch last year and could not believe how simple it is. I’ve tried a couple of versions now, and I think this is my favorite. It is sweet, without being heavy or overwhelming. It is moist, but still has a good dry crumble to it. Not bland, not showy- just nice like a good cornbread should be! Good ol’ Betty Crocker, sometimes she just plain knows her stuff!

We enjoyed this with from scratch baked beans and a fake chicken BBQ I threw together. Yeah, fake BBQ as in I cooked the chicken in a pan and then threw prepared BBQ sauce on it. It was tasty, but the bread and the beans were the stars this evening!

Sorry for the crappy picture, I didn't realize I hadn't blogged about this before, so I didn't really take good pics of the cornbread!

Classic Cornbread
From Betty Crocker

• 1 C. Milk
  
• 1/4 C. Butter, softened
  
• 1 Egg
  
• 1 1/4 C. Cornmeal
  
• 1 C. Flour
  
• 1/2 C. Sugar
  
• 3 tsp. Baking Powder
  
• 1/2 tsp. Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour a round 9 1/2” or square 8” pan.
   
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the milk, butter, and egg until well beaten.
   
3. Add in remaining dry ingredients and mix until everything is just moist. It will be thick.
   
4. Pour into the prepared pan.
   
5. Bake in the oven 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Mine only took about 20 minutes.
   
6. Remove from oven, allow to cool for just a minute or two, then carefully slice and serve!

Bean’s “Baked” Beans

As someone who cooks dinner at home almost every night, my pantry is well stocked. I try to keep all the standards that we like on hand for whatever I decide to whip up on a given evening. And I usually make things from scratch, but some dishes- especially side dishes- I just can’t be bothered to do all that work. I mean, I do work full time and like to have some free time after work! So things like pasta sauce, Goya red beans & rice, salsa, refried beans, and soups live in the pantry for when I’m lazy or just don’t want to do it all.

Well, I made [link]cornbread and fake BBQ chicken the other night and knew that baked beans would be perfect to round out the meal. [Trit-trot, trit-trot, down to the basement pantry to get a can I go!] What the deuce, I somehow don’t have a can of baked beans waiting for me! Has the world gone wrong?!

Clearly I have forgotten to purchase a replacement can from the last time we ate beans. (Of course, I have 2 unopened jars of sun-dried tomatoes and another 2 giant jars of green olives. Sometimes I think I’m out and buy more of these random things only to find 10 on the shelves already.)

What’s a chef to do!? Nothing else would do for a side dish- certainly not with what I had on hand. I went back upstairs to look at recipes and decided to do it from scratch myself. Lo and behold- they were great! I didn’t bother baking them- a nice simmer on the stovetop did the trick perfectly. They smelled delicious, tasted authentic, and I had everything I needed in the house. Only thing I would have liked to improve the taste would be to add a piece of bacon or bacon fat for some extra depth.


Bean’s Last Minute, From Scratch “Baked” Beans

• 1 Can Cannelloni Beans, drained
  
• 1 Can Light Red Kidney Beans, drained
  
• 1/4 C. Chopped Onion
  
• 1/2 C. Molasses
  
• 1 Tbsp. Ketchup
  
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
  
• 1 tsp. Ground Mustard

1. Combine everything in a medium saucepan.
   
2. Heat over medium heat, achieving a very low simmer.
   
3. Cook uncovered for 15-25 minutes until warmed through and liquid is reduced just a little.

Butternut Squash Risotto & Apple Scented Pork Chops

Mmmmmm, risotto and baked pork chops make for such a nice warm and hearty meal. Risotto is one of my favorite things to make. Everyone talks about how labor intensive it is, and how difficult... I don't get it. Sure, you can't walk away from it like a crockpot or baked dish in the oven, but I do all my cooking actively standing in the kitchen for at least 30 minutes most nights. So risotto ain't no thing to me! And hubby loves it too, which is an added bonus!

Pork, on the other hand, hubby does not like. He's not totally against it, but it is low on his favorites list and complains about it whenever I make it. So I only make it about 6 times a year. That's about the same amount we eat beef steaks. (We eat lots and lots of chicken and fish and pasta!) But I am off topic... I was in the mood for pork, so I declared we were having it. I thought a nice sweet dish would go well with the risotto.

Goodness it was good...


Butternut Squash Risotto

• 2 Tbsp. Butter or Olive Oil
  
• 1 or 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
  
• 2 Tbsp. Onion, finely chopped
  
• 1 C. Arborio (Risotto) Rice
  
• 1 C. White Wine
  
• 3+ C. Chicken Broth, warmed
  
• 1 C. Butternut Squash, cooked and cubed
  
• 2-3 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese, grated

1. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic and onion and saute until delicious smelling!
   
2. Stir in rice and coat with oil/ butter and let heat up, about 1 minute.
   
3. Pour in white wine and stir, continuing over medium heat. The wine should start to bubble and soak into the rice. If you do not want to use wine, you may just use the equivalent amount of chicken broth.
   
4. Add in 1/2 C. (or so) of chicken broth and stir. The broth should simmer and slowly soak into the rice. Stir every couple of minutes to make sure the rice is not burning and sticking on the bottom and to make sure there is enough liquid. Once most of the liquid is absorbed, add in another 1/2 C. and repeat the process.
   
5. With around 1 C. of broth remaining, stir in the squash. As the rice finishes cooking, the squash should cook further, getting softer and breaking into tiny pieces with the rice. You will get a lovely orange color and the rice will almost be coated with the squash.
   
6. Continue adding in the broth until the rice is thoroughly cooked through. If you need more broth to get a tender, al dente texture, add more in.
   
7. Just before serving, stir in Parmesan cheese until melted.

Apple Scented Pork Chops
From Allrecipes.com

• 2 Medium Pork Chops
  
• 1 Apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
  
• 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
  
• 2 Tbsp. Apple Jack Brandy
  
• 1 Tbsp Butter, cut into smaller pieces
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops. Brown both sides in a hot pan on the stove top.
   
2. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
   
3. In a glass baking dish lined with foil, place apples slices along bottom of pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
   
4. Place browned chops on top of apple slices and pour Apple Jack on top of everything.
   
5. Bake uncovered in oven for about 45 minutes until pork reaches a temperature of 160 internally. Serve warm with cooked apple slices.

Betty Crocker's Butter Lovin Stuffing

My husband told me, upon the suggestion that I add something like cranberries or nuts to the stuffing, that "you don't mess with the triumvirate of Thanksgiving- potatoes, turkey, and stuffing." Ok, ok- nothing "weird" in the stuffing!

Instead I stuck with the classic recipe I've made for a number of years now. It's from my go-to cookbook, Betty Crocker. Know why it is so good? The secret ingredient is butter! There is nothing fancy to it, and that is ok- it doesn't always have to be fancy to be delicious. Especially with butter involved!

I should mention that I've heard it is stuffing when it's in the bird and dressing when cooked outside. I think that's silly- it's stuffing no matter where it cooks. And that's my opinion!


Betty Crocker's Tried and True Stuffing
Source: Betty Crocker

• 3/4 C. Butter
  
• 2 Celery Stalks, chopped
  
• 1 Onion, chopped
  
• 9 C. Cubed White Bread (I used an entire loaf.)
  
• 1 1/2 tsp. Fresh Thyme, chopped
  
• 1 tsp. Salt
  
• 1 1/2 tsp. Fresh Sage, chopped
  
• Dash of Black Pepper

1. Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
   
2. Cook the celery and onion in the butter for about 5-10 minutes until tender.
   
3. Add in the remaining ingredients and gently mix to coat bread with butter.
   
4. Transfer to a large casserole or glass dish and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for about 45 minutes. You can cover for the first 30 minutes and then uncover for the last 15, but I don't think I remembered to do that. Also, you can cook it in the bird, but you should go to BettyCrocker.com for details!

Greek Chicken Salad & Lemon Cous Cous

I mentioned in my last post, I have been a super slacker in the kitchen this week. I had to snap out of it last night- I mean, it is the weekend where I have tons of time to cook and I was once again out of ideas.

We did however have some great raw ingredients to work with, so I I pushed myself for a new dinner. Feta cheese, green olives, spinach, and Greek dressing worked together for a really great meal. Hubby can't make it through a meal without a starch, so along side the healthy salad, I made a quick cous cous meal. I wish I had more lemon juice- a little more tang would have been nice.

I'd like to put down on the record that hubby lit the grill and I went out and endured grilling in sub-freezing temperatures. That's right, I'm hearty New Englander baby!


As Grilled Chicken Greek Salad

• 1 Chicken Breast
  
• 1/2 C. Greek Dressing
  
• Fresh Spinach
  
• 3 Medium Tomatoes, cut into large slices
  
• Green Olives, cut in half
  
• Feta Cheese
  
• Greek Dressing

1. Marinade chicken breast in the 1/2 C. of dressing for 1-2 hours in the fridge.
   
2. Grill the chicken until cooked through but still moist. Remove from grill and when safe to touch, slice into long pieces to top salad.
   
3. Arrange the spinach, tomato, green olives, chicken, and feta on the plate. Drizzle with Greek dressing to taste.

Lemon Cous Cous

• 1 C. Water
  
• 1 C. Plain Cous Cous
  
• 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice (either fresh squeezed or another 2+ Tbsp. would have made this better.)
  
• 1-2 Tbsp. Pine Nuts, toasted
  
• Black Pepper to taste
  
• Olive Oil to moisten cooked pasta

1. Bring water to a boil. Stir in cous cous, remove from heat, and cover.
   
2. After 5 minutes, cous cous should be cooked. Stir in lemon juice, a splash of oil, pine nuts, and a grind or two of pepper.
   
3. Enjoy warm with some feta sprinkled on top if desired.

Cajun Catfish N’ Biscuits

This week I have been a bad cook- we’ve eaten a lot of pasta & jarred sauce and other less than exciting meals. Some times I just don’t want to cook, ya’ know?

I had however started off the week well though with a little number inspired by the Cajun bayou. I was very, very stuffed up though, so although I thought it was going to be spicy, hubby reported that although the flavor was good, it could have been “kicked up another notch.” I cook by smell most of the time, so a stuffy nose does not make a good companion in the kitchen.

Funny story around this… so I’m making the sauce that is supposed to have a nice heat to it. I’m smelling it and just getting steam in my face. Hmph. So, in an effort to make sure dinner tastes good, I taste it. Unfortunately, I tasted it with the whisk I was working with that was super hot from being in the sauce! Subsequently, I ended up with two thin white burn marks on the front of my tongue where the whisk sizzled on it. What a dummy!

Good thing dinner was really tasty!


Cajun Catfish
Inspired by AllRecipes.com

• 3 Medium Catfish Fillets (About 1.25 Lb.)
  
• 1 Egg
  
• 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
  
• 1/4 C. Flour
  
• 1/4 C. Cornmeal
  
• Spices: Black Pepper, Dried Thyme, Chili Powder, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt)
  Vegetable Oil

1. Mix together the egg and lemon juice in one bowl, and the flour, corn meal, and spices in another.
   
2. Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat, coating the bottom with oil.
   
3. Rinse and pat dry the catfish fillets. Dip the fillets into the egg mixture and then the cornmeal mixture.
   
4. Place each fillet in the hot pan. Cook each side until it is a deep brown and the fish is cooked through.
   
5. Remove fillets when cooked and place on a paper towel to drain. Serve with the accompanying cream sauce.

Sauce (Note- next time I’d try to make it thinner. Either less flour or more liquids!)

• 1 Green Pepper, chopped
  
• 1 Shallot, minced
  
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced
  
• 1 C. Sliced Mushrooms
  
• 3. Tbsp. Butter
  
• 2 Tbsp. Flour
  
• 1 C. Cream
  
• 1/2 C. White Wine
  
• Spices to taste- go heavy! Dried Basil, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Salt, Dried Parsley, Red Pepper Flakes, Dried Thyme, 1 Bay Leaf (crumbled), Garlic Powder, Chili Powder OR Cajun Spice Mix

1. In a medium saucepan, drizzle in a bit of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Saute peppers, shallot, garlic and mushrooms. Remove from pan and set aside.
   
2. Melt butter in pan. Add in flour and whisk until smooth. Continue stirring often until roux turns a medium brown.
   
3. Stir in cream and bring to a low boil. This will thicken the sauce. Continue to stir to prevent burning, and reduce heat to medium-low.
   
4. Stir in white wine until smooth. Add in spices to taste, keeping it a little spicy. Stir in the reserved sauteed vegetables.
   
5. Serve over fish and use for dipping biscuits.

Home Style Biscuits
From AllRecipes.com

• 2 C. Flour
  
• 4 Tbsp. Baking Powder
  
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
  
• 1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
  
• 1 tsp. Sugar
  
• 1/2 C. Cold Butter, cut into small pieces
  
• 3/4 C. Milk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
   
2. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
   
3. Using a pastry knife, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it is crumbly.
   
4. Arrange the mixture with a well in the middle. Pour milk into the center and mix together until it is all wet.
   
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface so it is about 1” thick. Use a biscuit cutter to cut the individual biscuits. Reroll out dough once or twice more to use excess for additional biscuits.
   
6. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in heated oven for 10 minutes or until golden.

Beet Risotto, Sauteed Mushrooms, & Almost Marsala Chicken

Beet risotto is a menu item that comes up every now and again in our house. We always love risotto- so creamy and cheesy and rich. And we are some of the few people that really like pickled beets from the can. We like them hot, cold, or chopped up in risotto.

I paired this tasty dish with another standard and something I made up and really don't remember what I put in it. The standard was a sauteed mushroom dish- we love mushrooms. The other was a chicken dish that I whipped up. It is kind of like chicken marsala in that is uses marsala wine. Otherwise I just kind of made it up as I went.

That night dinner was delicious. The mushrooms were gone at the end of the night. However, the leftover risotto and chicken were not as good. The risotto was bland and I over nuked the chicken, killing the nice texture it had at first. I'll still make these all again though!


Beet Risotto
Printed from www.kbuxton.com in 2002!

• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil or Butter
  
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
  
• 1 Small Onion, chopped
  
• 1 Can Pickled Beets, finely chopped
  
• 1 C. Arborio Rice
  
• 1/2 C. White Wine or Vermouth
  
• 3+ C. Hot Chicken Broth
  
• 1/4 C. Grated Fresh Parmesan

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil or butter and saute the garlic and onions until soft.
   
2. Pour in rice and stir to coat with oil.
   
3. Add in wine and stir. Wine will evaporate as you stir.
   
4. Add in chicken stock about 1/2 C. at a time, stirring often. The risotto will slowly absorb the broth, cooking and becoming creamy with stirring.
   
5. About halfway through cooking the rice, add in the beets. This adds a wonderful color and lets the beet flavor absorb into the rice as it cooks.
   
6. When rice is tender (may not require all the broth), stir in the cheese until it melts throughout.
   
7. Serve hot with extra Parmesan on hand for grating on the plate.

Sauteed Mushrooms

• 1 Small Package of Sliced Mushrooms
  
• 3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
  
• Olive Oil

1. In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in shrooms, soy, and garlic. Saute until cooked through and aromatic. Serve hot.

Caramelized Marsala Chicken

• 1/2 Red Onion, sliced into thin strips
  
• Olive Oil
  
• 1/2 C. Marsala Wine
  
• 1 1/2 Lbs. Chicken Breasts
  
• 1 tsp. Thyme (I think- maybe it was Rosemary)
  
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook red onions until they are soft and starting to caramelize, about 25 minutes.
   
2. Add in marsala wine and stir. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce wine a little.
   
3. Place chicken breasts in pan and spoon marsala and onion mixture on top of breasts. Sprinkle in the herbs and then cover the pan.
   
4. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 30 minutes, turning occasionally. When turning, be sure to spoon more mixture over the chicken to keep the flavors melting over.
   
5. Serve warm with onions on top of chicken.

Rosemary Salmon & Summer Veggie Saute

We decided to do a cookout with the neighbors for Labor Day weekend- sort of impromptu style. Of course I was going to have to go to the store and do a bunch of cooking for company. With all that effort in my near future, I wanted a simple and quick dinner. Since I already was at the store, I wandered past the fish counter and picked up some fresh salmon. I also had a zucchini from the neighbor's garden and needed to eats me greens, so I threw that in the mix as a side too. It was a really simple, attractive, and delicious dinner!


Rosemary Salmon

1. In a saute pan with a lid, pour in some olive oil. Place a 1 lb. salmon fillet in the pan, skin side down, and place sprigs of fresh rosemary over the fish. I used about 5 or 6 sprigs.
   
2. Heat the pan over medium heat and cover. Cook until the fish is cooked through in the thickest part. It should be about 10-15 minutes.

Carrot & Zucchini Saute

1. Julienne a medium zucchini and either a handful of baby carrots, or 2 full carrots.
   
2. Over medium-high heat, cook up carrots for in olive oil for 5-10 minutes.
   
3. Add in zucchini and a little more olive oil. Cook for an additional 5-10 until both veggies are crisp tender.
   
4. Season with salt and pepper and eat!

Chicken, Feta, Spinach with Tomato, Rosemary

As with many evenings’ meals, tonight’s based mostly out of wanting to use up what was hanging around in the kitchen that I didn’t want to go bad. Feta was purchased for a salad I had in mind, ricotta was used for my weekend cream puffs, my aunt gave us a ton of tomatoes from her neighbors’ garden, and a bag of spinach was starting to look just a little sketchy.

And so a meal was born! Chicken was filled with feta, spinach, and ricotta- with some other goodies thrown in for good measure. The tomatoes were roasted with fresh rosemary and onion. The chicken was absolutely delicious- how can you go wrong with so much yummy cheese! The tomatoes were also quite tasty, very fresh and, well, tomato-y! The rosemary was the best part.


Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken

• 3 Boneless Chicken Breasts
  
• 1/4 C. Feta Cheese, crumbled
  
• 1/4 C. Ricotta Cheese
  
• 1/2 C. Fresh Spinach, chopped
  
• 1/2 Small Onion, chopped
  
• 1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
  
• 1-2 Tbsp. Green Olives, chopped
  
• Salt & Pepper
  
• Olive Oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
   
2. Mix together all of the ingredients except the chicken.
   
3. Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise, leaving the back side connected.
   
4. Spread the cheese and spinach mixture inside the split breasts. When as full as possible, insert a toothpick or two to keep the breasts shut.
   
5. Place stuffed breasts in a glass dish. Season tops with salt and pepper. Pour a little olive oil over the breasts- just a drizzle.
   
6. Bake the chicken for 30-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Enjoy hot.
   

Fresh Oven Baked Tomatoes

• 2-5 Tomatoes
  
• 1/2 Onion, chopped
  
• 1 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic
  
• 1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
  
• 2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
  
• Salt & Pepper
  
• Olive Oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
2. Mix together all ingredients in a small glass or ceramic dish.
3. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until heated through.

Healthy Mexican- Quesadillas & Cornbread

Our sweet neighbor brought over two gorgeous zucchinis from her yard last night. Isn’t that just the nicest thing- we have the best neighborhood! I decided to celebrate tonight with our favorite zucchini recipe, quesadillas. I got the recipe from my mom a couple of years ago and it’s a favorite. Not only is it super healthy, it is filling and delicious. Tonight it was extra good- maybe it was the particular combo of salsas, but I’d like to think it was the lovingly grown veggies from next door.

Since we only had 3 tortillas and my husband is an eating machine, I needed a side. Tonight I decided to make cornbread and add a Mexican flair to it. The recipe I usually make is sweet, but this one was more mellow. The original recipe from Betty Crocker called for buttermilk, but I substituted sour cream and it was quite yummy. Hubby raved over everything tonight- I guess it was good!


Weight Watchers Veggie Quesadillas

• 1 Large Zucchini, Shred
  
• 1 C. Salsa
  
• 1 Can Black Beans, drained
  
• 1-2 C. Cheddar Cheese, shred
  
• 4 Tortillas
  
• Salsa & Sour Cream for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
   
2. In a bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except the tortillas.
   
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and put in a tortilla. Let the tortilla get hot and then place a large scoop of the veggie mix on one side of the tortilla.
   
4. Fold the empty tortilla half over the filling. Let it cook for 3-5 minutes to heat through. If feeling ambitious, feel free to flip it, but be prepared for the fillings to fly!

Mexican Sour Cream Cornbread
Inspired by Betty Crocker recipe

• 1 1/2 C. Cornmeal
  
• 1/2 C. Flour
  
• 1 C. Sour Cream
  
• 1/2 C. Milk
  
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
  
• 1 tsp. Sugar
  
• 1 tsp. Salt
  
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
  
• 2 Large Eggs
  
• Large Dash Chili Powder (I’d add more next time for more kick.)
  
• 2 tsp. Chopped Jalapenos

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
   
2. Mix together all of the ingredients. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds.
   
3. Pour the batter into a greased 8x8x2 baking dish.
   
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The top will be browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle will come out clean.

Blueberry BBQ & Oven Baked Fries

I am not a big fan of BBQ. It just doesn’t suit me. But I thought I’d give it shot tonight using all the berries that we picked over the weekend- blueberry bar-b-cue! And what goes great with sweet grilled meat, but fries! I prefer not to deep fry because a) it’s not particularly healthy and b) I don’t have anything to deep fry in. So instead I made oven baked sweet and red potato fries.

So the end result is that it was good, but not quite barbecue. The blueberry flavor was prominent- and that was ok- and you could taste the ketchup- also good- and it had a nice mellow heat- just fiiiine! But it was missing something. Hubby says it’s missing that “BBQ flavor”- whatever that means! I think more vinegar might be good- as with another kick of Tabasco. The fries were delish though!


Blueberry BBQ

• 2 1/2 C. Fresh Blueberries
  
• 1/2 C. Red Wine Vinegar (Next time I’d step it up to 3/4 cup.)
  
• 3/4 C. Ketchup
  
• 1/2 C. Onion, chopped
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
  
• 1 Tbsp. Chipotle Seasoning
  
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
  
• 2 tsp. Chili Powder
  
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
  
• 1 tsp. Mustard Powder
  
• 1-2 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
  
• Dash of Salt
  
• 1 1/2 Lb. Chicken Breasts

1. In a medium saucepan, cook the berries, vinegar, and ketchup over medium heat. Simmer to let the blueberries breakdown and create a thick sauce.
   
2. As the sauce simmers, add in the rest of the ingredients, except the chicken. Stir and taste, making adjustments to the spices as desired.
   
3. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes to reduce sauce. As it simmers, turn the heat down so the sugars from the berries and brown sugar don’t burn.
   
4. When the sauce is reduced, pour into a blender and puree until smooth.
   
5. In a glass or ceramic dish, put a couple of tablespoons of the sauce over the chicken breasts to marinade. Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes.
   
6. Scoop 1/4 C. of the sauce into a small bowl for brushing on the meat. Return the rest of the sauce to the original sauce pan.
   
7. Grill chicken breasts over medium heat, brushing and turning occasionally while the meat cooks. Chicken should be cooked within 20 minutes.
   
8. Serve with remaining warmed sauce.

Sweet and Red Potato Oven Baked Fries

• 2 Good Sized Sweet Potatoes
  
• 1 Good Sized Red Potato
  
• 2 Tbls. Vegetable Oil
  
• 1 Heaping Tbsp. Kosher Salt
  
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
  
• Dash of Cinnamon
  
• Dash of Cumin
  
• 1-2 Tbsp. Onion, large chunks

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   
2. Scrub all the potatoes and leave the skins on. Slice all the taters up into small fry shaped pieces.
   
3. In a large glass or ceramic, microwave friendly dish, place the potato strips in with a splash of water. Microwave on high for 5-7 minutes until the potatoes are mostly cooked through.
   
4. Put the vegetable oil into a large ziplock bag and then (carefully- it’s hot) pour in the potatoes. Seal the bag and rub the oil onto the fries. Re-open the bag and add in the spices. Seal again and massage everything around.
   
5. Pour the fries onto a cookie sheet onto a single layer. (I like to line the pan with foil for easy clean up!) Place chunks of onion around the fries to add aromatic flavoring while they bake.
   
6. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, flipping once, until the fries are crisped.

Caper Chicken & Tuscan Zucchini

The plan for dinner tonight was to make fresh pasta with the Kitchen Aid. We had gone blueberry picking in the morning and then for a hike on a small mountain. Upon getting home, Adam got to work on painting and working on fixing up the garage. I took a nap and then started on a giant list of chores. I realize this is boring to read, but the end result is that we couldn't be bothered with taking over an hour to make dinner starting at 8 PM!

Instead, my mission (should I choose to accept it or else eat canned soup for dinner) was to find something tasty that would go with the already made French bread based on what I had on hand. Good news! I poked around in my cookbooks and found a recipe to modify with yummy results for the main course and whipped up a veggie side that worked great too. Mission accomplished.


Caper Chicken

• 1.5 Lbs. Chicken Breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
  
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
  
• 1 Can (14.5 oz) Diced Tomatoes
  
• 1 Tbsp. Capers and a Splash of Caper Liquid
  
• 1/4 C. Green Olives, coarsely chopped
  
• Dash Oregano, Salt, Pepper
  
• Olive Oil

1. In a large skillet with lid, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add in garlic and saute. Add in can of tomatoes (with liquid) and simmer for about 5 minutes.
   
2. Put chicken in the pan with the tomato and garlic mixture and continue to cook over medium heat. Cover the skillet and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
   
3. Sprinkle in the spices, chopped olives, capers, and a splash of the caper liquid from the jar. Allow to simmer another 5 minutes and then serve. Serve with a crusty bread for soaking up the sauce!

Tuscan Zucchini

• 1 Large Zucchini, Sliced into 1/2" Rounds
  
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  
• 1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
  
• Salt & Pepper

1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil, vinegar, and spices over medium-low heat.
   
2. Add in zucchini and stir. Cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes until squash is tender.
   
3. Serve warm.

French Bread a la Kitchen Aid

So, this is kind of a lame blog entry as there isn't anything interesting about this, but I think it's cool that I made it, and so you are stuck reading it! This is my second loaf of yeast bread that I've ever made- although I used the same recipe for #2!! All I did was use the generic French Bread recipe from the user's manual. It is so delicious though- I could eat the whole loaf in one sitting by myself.


French Bread
From Kitchen Aid mixer manual, cut in half

• 1 Package Active Dry Yeast
  
• 1 1/4 C. Warm Water
  
• 1/2 Tbsp. Salt
  
• 1/2 Tbsp. Butter, melted
  
• 3 1/2 C. Flour
  
• Cornmeal

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and put it into a warmed Kitchen Aid bowl.
   
2. Add in the flour, salt, and butter. Using the hook attachment, mix on speed 2 for about 3 minutes until the dough is in a pretty ball.
   
3. Put the dough ball into a greased bowl and cover for an hour until the dough rises into double the size.
   
4. When it rises, take it out and roll it flat, around 12" by 15". Tightly roll the dough into a loaf shape. Place it on a cookie sheet that is sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let it rise again for another hour.
   
5. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Slice 4 diagonal slits in the top of the loaf and then bake for 30 minutes.
   
6. Remove, cool, and devour!

Mom's Rice Pilaf

My mom gave me this pilaf recipe and it is my stand-by side dish either for everything. It is good for just the two of us or for a bunch of guests. It is super simple and savory! It takes about 25 minutes to make and we hardly ever have leftovers. Tonight we had it with grilled steak and mixed veggies. Yumm-o!


Mom’s Rice Pilaf

• 1-2 Tbsp. Butter
  
• Large Handful Skinny Egg Noodles (little ones from Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup)
  
• 1 C. White Rice
  
• 1 Can Chicken Broth
  
• 1 Small Can Mushroom pieces (do not drain)
  
• Handful of Slice Almonds

1. In a large skillet with lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the egg noodles and brown. Be sure to watch the noodles and stir them occasionally as they go from brown to burnt very quickly.
   
2. Add in rice, mushrooms with liquid, and broth. Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the rice is cooked.
   
3. While the rice finishes cooking, toast the almonds on a single layer in a toaster over or in a small stove top pan. These also burn quickly, so keep an eye on them! Stir in the toasted almonds and serve warm.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Coconut Rice, & Mango Salsa

So one of the What’s Cooking Nesties was looking for ideas for something to serve guests this weekend that wasn’t Italian or take out pizza. It was a hot and humid one in Portland, so I suggested some grilled jerk chicken with accompanying Carribean style dishes. It sounded so good that I decided to steal my own idea!



Jamaican Jerk Chicken

• 1-1.5 lb. Chicken Breasts
  
• 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
  
• 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  
• Half of 1 Fresh Jalepeno Pepper, chopped
  
• 1 tsp. Chili Powder
  
• 1 large dash Onion, Garlic, and Ginger Powders
  
• Juice of 1/2 a Lime
  
• Spices for rub: Chili Powder, Ginger, Allspice, Oregano, Thyme, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Cumin

1. In a medium to large glass bowl, mix all of the ingredients except the chicken and rub spices. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the jalapenos and other flavors to meld.
   
2. Place chicken in marinade, turning to coat. Allow the chicken to absorb the flavors for about 30 minutes, flipping occasionally.
   
3. Light the grill and heat to medium heat.
   
4. In a separate bowl (it can be small), mix together the rub spices. Each spice should measure between 1/2 to 1 tsp. Go heavy on the chili, allspice, and ginger; go light on the cayenne, thyme, and oregano. Everything can go to taste.
   
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on a dry plate. Sprinkle the rub equally on the breasts and then with hands, massage in the spices. This is messy work!
   
6. Cook the chicken on the grill, turning once to thoroughly cook the chicken through.

Coconut Rice

1. In a rice cooker, add 2 cups white rice, quarter of a can of light coconut milk, and a dash of cinnamon.
   
2. Cook through.
   
3. When rice is ready, pour in another quarter of the can of coconut milk and stir. Let rice sit for a minute or two for milk to be absorbed further.

Mango Salsa

• 1 Mango, chopped
  
• 1 Small can Pineapple Pieces
  
• 1 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped
  
• 1/2 Fresh Jalepeno, chopped
  
• 1 Tbsp. Onion, very well chopped
  
• Dash of Ginger powder

1. Combine all of the ingredients and let sit for 30+ minutes for flavors to meld. Enjoy on top of chicken, fish, or as a side.