Roasted Sweet Potato and Prociutto Salad

This was another Taste of Home recipe I found and it was really tasty!  I changed it just barely (it called for radishes, which I used, but I didn't think they blended well at all.)


Ingredients:
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-in . pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
2 green onions, sliced, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey



Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Place sweet potatoes in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoons slat and the pepper; toss to coat. Roast 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle prosciutto over sweet potatoes; roast 10-15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and prosciutto is crisp. Transfer to a large bowl; cool slightly.

Add pecans, red pepper and half of the green onions. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, honey and remaining oil and salt until blended. Drizzle over salad; toss to combine. Sprinkle with remaining green onion.

PW's Alfredo Pasta

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound Fettuccine Noodles
• 1 stick Butter
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 2 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a saucepan or skillet, warm butter and cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Grate Parmesan cheese and place half of it into a large serving bowl. Pour warm butter/cream mixture over the top.
Drain pasta and immediately pour it into the bowl.
Toss a couple of times, then sprinkle in the other half of the Parmesan.
Toss to combine, thinning with pasta water if necessary.
Serve immediately as a main course or accompaniment to meat or salad.

 

Fried Green Tomatoes

 

Ingredients:

4 large green tomatoes 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup bread crumbs 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1.	Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.
2.	Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.
3.	In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels.

Quinoa and cheese

We tried this last night and really enjoyed it.  This was a super basic version, and I'm excited to mix up the cheeses or add-ins for other recipes.  I'm thinking of a blue cheese and bacon and sundried tomato version, or with green chilies and corn for a mexican side dish.

Here is the basic cheddar recipe (which we enjoyed with hot sauce on top):

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
2 cloves minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth
salt
seasoning salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, plus a little more for the top


Directions:

• In a skillet heat olive oil, and then saute onions until soft.
• Stir in quinoa and garlic and cook 3 or 4 minutes.
• Add chicken broth, and season with salt and seasoning salt.  Bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 15 minutes, (or length according to your quinoa directions.)
• Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs and milk in a large bowl.  Stir in quinoa and cheese.  Pour into a greased 9x13.
• Bake at 350 until it starts browning around the edges, 30-45 minutes.

Kung Pao Chicken W/ Sesame Noodles

 

Kung Pao Chicken (from Mary Ostyn!!)

Ingredients:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks 2 tablespoons white wine 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

1 ounce hot chile paste 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar 2 teaspoons brown sugar 4 green onions, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts 4 ounces chopped peanuts

Directions:

1.	To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2.	To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
3	Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens. Pioneer Woman's Sesame Noodles: Ingredients 12 ounces, fluid Thin Noodles, Cooked And Drained ¼ cups Soy Sauce 2 Tablespoons Sugar 4 cloves Garlic, Minced 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar 3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil ½ teaspoons Hot Chili Oil 4 Tablespoons Canola Oil 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin Preparation Instructions Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat. Sprinkle with green onions and toss.

Glazed carrots

I made these for our Christmas dinner, which was ham and the fixings.  I'm usually not a big cooked carrot fan, but this is what I went after for seconds and leftovers the next day.  I made these ahead of time on the 24th, and they reheated really well for dinner, which left me more time to play with new toys and less time in the kitchen.

1# carrots - peeled, sliced, boiled until cooked, but still firm

2 T butter
2 tsp flour
1/3 c orange juice
1/4 c brown sugar
shake of cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in a saucepan.  Blend in flour, then OJ, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.  Stir well.  Fold in the cooked carrots and place into a casserole dish.  Either eat immediately or reheat when needed.

Summery Corn salad

Ingredients

• 4 ears Corn
• 4 slices Bacon
• 2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Chives Or Green Onions
• 2 Tablespoons Good Quality Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar, Or More To Taste
• 1 teaspoon Cumin Or Really Good Quality Sweet Smoked Paprika
• 1 bunch Arugula or one container cherry tomatoes
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350
I roast the corn in the shucks on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes.
While corn is roasting, cook bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels and roughly chop.
Remove husks and silks and cut kernels off the ears. I cut the kernels off directly into the bowl I will be serving the salad in.
Add the bacon and chopped green onion or chives (I prefer chives, but I usually don’t have them in my fridge. I think the green onions work just fine) to the corn kernels.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar. Add in the cumin or paprika if using. Pour over salad. Adjust to taste.
Roughly chop the arugula or slice tomatoes and add at the last minute. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss and serve.

PW's Easy Potatoes Au Gratin

• 4 whole Russet Potatoes, Scrubbed Clean
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
• 1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Freshly Grated

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Smear softened butter all over the bottom of a baking dish.
Slice potatoes, then cut slices into fourths.
In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, minced garlic, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes.
Repeat this two more times, ending with the cream mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and really bubbling. Add grated cheese to the top of the potatoes and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Pioneer Woman's Mashed Potatoes

• 5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 3/4 cups Butter
• 1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.
Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.
Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.
Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.
Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Breakfast Potatoes

 

Ingredients:

• 4 whole (to 5) Large Potatoes
• 1 whole Onion
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Or Canola Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Bacon Fat
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Red And Green Bell Peppers, Diced (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover entirely with water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender. You can also bake them in the oven at 375 for about an hour.
When they are ready, place the potatoes on a cutting board and dice them into 1-inch pieces.
Next cut up an onion into a large, rough dice.
In a large skillet heat oil and bacon fat over medium-low heat. Put the onions in the skillet and sauté until they start to turn brown. (You can also use red and green bell peppers diced up. If you do, throw them in at this point).

Next, throw in the diced potatoes. Stir well and then slightly press/pack then. Now you will cook them without stirring for several minutes. You want the pan to be hot enough to crisp the potatoes but not hot enough to char them. (Optional step: sprinkle a bit of flour over potatoes as they cook). Cook for several minutes and then flip them with a spatula. Salt and Pepper them as they cook. Cook until desired brownness.

Garlic buttered noodles

I served this as a side dish, but it stole the show.  So simple, but garlicy buttery cheesy good.

2 1/4 cups uncooked egg noodles
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
2 Tbl butter, melted
2 Tbl grated parmesan
2 tsp minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic (I was pretty generous with this measurement)
1/8 tsp pepper

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain.  Transfer to a serving bowl.  Immediately add other ingredients and toss to coat.

.

Cheesy pasta side dish

I cook one lb rotini pasta. Mix with one can of campbell's cheddar cheese soup or nacho cheese soup and 1 can of milk.

Cauliflower Fritters

Mmm, these were garlicy good!

1 head of cauliflower, cut up and cooked
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup parmesan (shredded would taste better, but the "shaker cheese" works, too.)
1/4 cup hot water
salt and pepper
olive oil

After the cauliflower is cooked, place in a large bowl. Break it up with a potato masher, into small pieces. Add the flour, garlic, eggs, cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Stir together. Add enough water so that the batter is a little thicker than pancake batter.

On medium heat, add 1 Tbl of oil to a skillet. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop fritter batter. Place in the pan, and then squish flat with the bottom of the measuring cup. (I could get 4 in a pan at a time.) Cook until golden brown, flip and cook other side. Add a little more oil between each batch of fritters.

I had some extra cheese sauce in the fridge that I warmed up and poured on top, but they are good by themselves, too.

Bruschetta

1 loaf french bread sliced into 1-inch slices
3 T butter
1 pint cherry tomatoes
4-5 cloves of minced garlic
6 large basil leaves
3 T olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper

Butter slices of bread and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 5 min until golden brown.
In a bowl, mix all other ingredients. Top each bread slice with a spoonful.

Praline Yams

I made these for Thanksgiving. The texture is like a fluffy mashed potato, but they taste almost like pumpkin pie. All 6 of us ate them, which really says something!

1 lg can yams (Canned, I know.... but it turned out great)
2 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T melted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves

Topping:
Pecan halves
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter

Drain yams. In the mixer, beat yams until smooth. Continue beating, adding one egg at a time, then the brown sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Beat until light and fluffy.

Place in a casserole dish. Arrange pecans on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar and drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Creamy Chicken and Rosemary Potatoes

For the potatoes:

Peel one russet potato per person, chop into small cubes

In a mixing bowl add 2 T of olive oil to potatoes

Add 2 cloves of garlic, minced

Add "several shakes" of rosemary and a "dash" of tyme

Mix well and spread evenly in a greased baking dish

For the chicken:

Mix one can cream of chicken with 1/2 can of milk. Wisk until blended.

Pour soup mixture over raw chicken pieces in glass baking dish

For both:

Bake at 350 for one hour

Easy Cheesy Salsa Potatoes

How can you go wrong with a recipe with both easy and cheesy in the title?

2 cups shredded cheddar
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can cream of whatever (original recipe called for condensed cheddar, but I used cream of chicken, and still tasted great)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bag (24 oz) frozen hash browns, thawed
1 cup plain bread crumbs (I used cracker crumbs instead)
1/4 cup melted butter

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13. (Picture shows a half recipe, smaller casserole dish)

Mix cheese, salsa, onion, sour cream, soup and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in potatoes and spread into dish.

In small bowl mix the crumbs and butter. Sprinkle over potatoes.

Bake 45-60 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Corn casserole side dish

This is a great dish to bring to a thanksgiving potluck. Hmmmm, exactly what I did last Thursday.
In a mixing bowl, combine:
1 package jiffy corn mix
1 cup sour cream
1 can creamed corn
1 can whole kernal corn not drained
1 stick melted butter.
Mix and pour into a pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. If desired, sprinkle grated cheddar on the top and return to the oven for it to melt.

Yummy Yams

I saw a recipe in a magazine for sweet potato crunch, but of course, I didn't have all the ingredients or the time to make it according to the recipe. So I'll start with the original recipe, and then follow up with what I did.

4 each - sweet potatoes (8 - 9 oz each)
1 1/2 cups vanilla non fat yogurt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cups low fat granola
Cooking spray

1-Place washed sweet potatoes in the oven and back at 350 for approx 40-60 minutes, or until they are soft to the touch. After they have cooled remove the skin.

2-Place the sweet potato flesh in a mixing bowl. Add yogurt, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Whip with a mixer until well mixed.

3- Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Scoop potato mixture into the dish. Sprinkle granola on top and coat with cooking spray.

4- Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.


What I did....

Peel and cube two huge yums. Boil until fork tender. Drain and place into a mixing bowl along with a heaping scoop of vanilla yogurt, a sprinkle of cinnamon, a sprinkle of nutmeg, and about a tsp of salt. Beat with the mixer until fluffy. Either serve promptly or put into a baking dish and into the oven to keep warm.

Sweet Corn Cake

You know at Mexican restaurants when you sometimes get that little scoop of yummy, sweet corn bread? That is what this recipe is for. (Top, left in the picture.) It turned out sort of dry this round, not sure why. My masa harina wasn't brand new, which might be. I also cooked it at the same time as the main dish, which might have done it. But usually it turns out very well. I originally found this recipe by a google search, which pulled it from the Blue Mesa Grill. Never been there, but I like their corn cake!

Serves 10-12 as a side dish

• 1/3 cup Crisco shortening
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups corn masa harina*
• 1/3 cup ice water
• 4 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels (about 1 lb. frozen)
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place Crisco and butter in a mixing bowl and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Add corn masa to butter mixture and mix for 2 minutes or until thoroughly incorporated. Add the ice water and mix at medium for 1 minute or until completely absorbed.

Place the corn kernels in a processor work bowl with the metal blade. Pulse on and off until mixture is coarsely chopped. Set aside.

Combine the corn meal, sugar, heavy cream, baking powder and salt in a large 4-quart mixing bowl.

Add the masa mixture and the ground corn to the corn meal/sugar mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly.

Pour the batter into a prepared pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil to retain the steam, and bake for 45 minutes at 375°.

*Note on Masa Harina:
You can purchase Masa Harina, dried corn that has been ground and treated, at most markets. It is the basic ingredient used in making tamale dough (also called masa).