Flat Bread with Thyme

This is another recipe from Real Simple magazine and it is quite literally "real simple". It hardly even requires a "recipe" but it was yummy, easy and cheap, while making a nice addition to a dinner with my family.

1 lb. pizza dough (since I was in the "real simple" mode, I just used a tube of the refrigerated dough, but I'm sure this would be even better with homemade dough)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper

Shape the pizza dough into a rectangle and place on a baking sheet. Brush with a little bit of olive oil and bake according to directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Remove dough from oven, transfer to a cutting board, brush with the thyme mixture and cut into pieces. Serve warm.

Chocolate Icebox Cake

This is a great dessert for when you want to make something in advance. The recipe comes from the Real Simple magazine--and it definitely lives up to it's name and is a very simple, easy dessert.

2 (15 oz.) containers Ricotta
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
9 0z. package chocolate wafer cookies
1/4 cup shaved semisweet chocolate

In a food processor, puree the ricotta and melted chocolate until very smooth. Line an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on 2 sides. Layer the ricotta mixture and half of the chocolate wafer cookies in the pan, then repeat (3 layers of the ricotta mixture and 2 layers of the cookies, beginning and ending with the ricotta mixture). Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. To serve, remove from pan, slice and sprinkle with shaved semisweet chocolate (my slices didn't turn out quite as pretty as I would've liked, so I also added a drizzle of some chocolate sauce that both upped the chocolate flavor and camouflaged my not-so-cute slices---perfect!).

Easy Thai Pasta

I definitely have tried a few recipes that are pretty similar to this, but what can I say? I'm a sucker for easy recipes and I always LOVE a good peanut sauce!

1/2 cup Italian dressing
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lb. whole wheat pasta (any shape is fine)
Peanuts, snow peas, celery and bell pepper

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, in another pot add the Italian dressing, soy sauce, honey, PB and red pepper flakes and stir together to combine. Continue to heat sauce, stirring occasionally. Add veggies and cover, when there is about 5 minutes left for the pasta to cook. When pasta is done, drain and add to pot with sauce and veggies. Stir to combine and serve warm.

Pesto Grilled Cheese

OMG, these were amazing! There isn't really any special recipe to follow (I did get the idea, though, from closetcooking.blogspot.com--one of my very favorite cooking blogs) since it's basically just a grilled cheese with some pesto added in. But seriously, if you love grilled cheese and if you love pesto (which really, why wouldn't you??) you must make this immediately!

It's just these four little ingredients:
Good bread
Butter
Pesto (I just used store bought)
Provolone

I served this with my easy cream of tomato soup and it made for quite the delicious dinner!

Very Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mom had us over for dinner recently and served some delicious homemade ice cream sandwiches for dessert. Colin talked about those ice cream sandwiches for days! After many mentions of how awesome those ice cream sandwiches were, he moved passed the hinting phase and asked (possibly even begged) me to make some. We already had Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, so I just googled for an easy chocolate chip cookie recipe that would work with the ingredients I had on hand. This was the one I came across and the cookies were both very easy and very delicious. They also made perfect little ice cream sandwiches!

1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup walnuts, chopped (these were optional but I included them)
12 oz. chocolate chips

Mix wet ingredients and sugars. Sift in dry ingredients, add walnuts and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Source: Cooks.com

Halloween "Trash"

I know Halloween has come and gone (seriously, what has happened to 2010?!!), but this is too easy and tasty not to share! It's not a super new and creative recipe or anything, but it was quite popular at my work Halloween party. If you want to really go with the "trash" idea, this could be served in a brown paper bag, as suggested by Southern Living. Here's what the trash consists of:

Carmel popcorn
Pretzels
Carmel peanuts
M & Ms
Candy corn
Gummy worms
Dried tropical fruit mix (included bananas, coconut, mango, and pineapple pieces)
Craisins


We took a little roadtrip to attend the wedding of a college girlfriend of mine this weekend and made a non-Halloween version (subtracted the candy corn and gummy worms, added almonds, cashews and goldfish). For this occasion, Colin renamed it "snack zone" and I have a feeling snack zone will now be requested for all future Sanburg family road trips!

Rigatoni with Prosciutto and Parmesan

This is a super easy pasta that can easily be doubled so that it feeds a lot of people without costing a lot of money--perfect for nights when we have my big family over for dinner!

1 lb. rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 oz. prosciutto, cut into 1/4 inch strips
Salt and pepper

In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain pasta. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. Add the pasta and toss. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in parmesan cheese and prosciutto. Season with salt and pepper; toss. Top with more cheese.

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

Onion, Pepper, Spinach and Pancetta Frittata

I LOVE a good omelet for breakfast, but making my own omelets kinds of intimidates me for some reason (maybe I need to try that "As Seen On TV" special omelets-for-dummies pan?). Luckily, frittatas can pretty much do the job of an omelet without all that scary egg flipping required!

Onion, Pepper, Spinach and Pancetta Frittata

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced pancetta (regular old ham works too or you could omit it all together to go vegetarian)
1/2 cup sliced bell peppers (any color works, I prefer a mixture just for added color)
About 8 oz. of spinach
8 large eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup crumbled feta


Move oven rack to position nearest to broiler and set oven to broil. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Saute onion until translucent and soft. Season with salt and pepper, and add pancetta, spinach and bell peppers. Cook for 4 minutes. Whisk together the eggs and half-and-half and pour mixture into skillet. Stir to arrange fillings evenly and cook until bottom is set. Sprinkle feta on top. Transfer skillet to oven; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until top is set. Cut into slices and serve. Makes 3 servings.

Source: Glamour magazine

Football Food!

Now that football season is in full swing, our Sundays are pretty much always planned around the Cowboys games. Usually while Colin is watching the game, I spend most of the time in the kitchen (how 1950s do we sound?!) making something "football-y". A football appropriate dish is usually a. easy to eat b. delicious and c. unhealthy. These are two of my favorites that definitely meet all of the criteria!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayo
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
4 oz. canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1 cup grated Parmesan
Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Stir together cream cheese and mayo in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in green chiles and jalapenos. Pour mixture into an 8x8 dish and sprinkle with Parmesan and panko bread crumbs. Bake until cheese is bubbling and panko starts to brown, about 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

Source: allrecipes.com

Chocolate Football Crispies

6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cups light corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups Cocoa Pebbles cereal
2 small tubes of white decorative frosting

Microwave chocolate, corn syrup and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring when 1 minute remains. Blend in vanilla. Add cereal, mix well. Let cool for 10 minutes, then use moist hands to shape into football shapes on parchment paper. Let cool completely and use frosting to add lacings. Let stand until frosting is firm.

Source: goodthingscatered.blogspot.com

Fruit with White Wine and Mint

Last time my father-in-law came to visit, he brought me a Giada de Laurentiis cookbook as a gift. I had previously not ever used a Giada recipe, but as I flipped through the book, there were several that piqued my interest. This was the first thing I tried from the cookbook and I was definitely not disappointed--this is the perfect summertime dessert! It works with any of the delicious fruits in season (I used cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes as the recipe calls for, but really any fruit combination you prefer would be good), is easy and is a very light and refreshing dessert.

1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/2 ripe cantaloupe, halved, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
8 oz. fresh strawberries, quartered
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved lengthwise

In a small saucepan, bring the wine and sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mint. In a large bowl, combine the cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes. Pour the warm wine mixture over and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until cold, stirring occasionally, at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Transfer the fruit mixture to serving bowls and serve chilled.

Source: Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis

Homemade Ranch Dressing

I have a love affair with Ranch dressing, just as any true Texan does. It is a tasty salad dressing and yes, I even love to dip both french fries and pizza crusts in Ranch. I'm also a girl who loves "homemade" anything more than the store bought version, so I was pretty sure that I would love this homemade Ranch recipe. Indeed I did and this will definitely be making regular appearances on my salads!

3/4 cup mayo (I used light)
3/4 cup sour cream (again, I used light)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk
1 small bunch chives
small handful parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, starting with 1/4 cup buttermilk and blend for 10 seconds. Check the consistency and taste and blend in additional buttermilk as desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Source: annies-eats.com
FYI, I served this Ranch over the salad that Annie described on her blog: Romaine, tomatoes, red onion, homemade croutons and grilled chicken. Delicious!

Ham and Cheese Sliders

I used to think that I didn't like ham--I'm not totally sure where this idea came from, but lately I've been revising my ham stance. I thought these ham and cheese sliders sounded good and in the past, I probably would've subbed in turkey for the ham (which I'm sure would be delicious also), but I went with ham as the original recipe called for. These were very yummy and I didn't regret going with the ham a bit!


24 slider rolls (I used mini Hawaiian honey wheat rolls)
24 slices honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
Mayo

Sauce:
1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Poppy seeds, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350. Split the slider rolls and spread the insides lightly with mayo. Fold a slice of ham to fit on the roll and top with a slice of Swiss. Replace top bun to assemble the sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet. To make the sauce: combine all ingredients except the poppy seeds and a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle the sauce over the tops of the slider buns. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove the foil and bake for 2 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Source: annies-eats.com

"Fancy" Eggs and Hash Browns

I recently caught the end of a Barefoot Contessa episode where the dish was a breakfast that looked absolutely amazing! Since I only saw a few minutes of the episode, all I knew was that it involved scrambled eggs and goat cheese, but with the power of Google, that was all I needed to know! I found the recipes I was looking for and cooked this on a leisurely Saturday morning--what a delicious breakfast! If you are a fan of goat cheese (as we are in the Sanburg household), you will definitely love these eggs!

Slow Cooked Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese

6 Servings

16 extra large eggs
1 1/4 cup milk or half and half
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced

Whisk eggs in a bowl with milk, salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan. Add eggs and cook until desired doneness, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add goat cheese, chives and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir and allow the eggs to sit for 30 seconds, until the cheese begins to melt. Check for seasoning, then serve hot.

Country Hashed Browns

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb. boiling potatoes, peeled and 1/2 inch diced
1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions (about 2 onions)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced scallions, white and green parts
1/2 lb. smoked ham slices, 1/2 inch diced

Melt butter in a large saute pan. Add potatoes, onions, salt and pepper and cook over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally with a flat spatula until the potatoes are evenly browned and cooked through (allow the potatoes to first cook for 5 minutes before turning). Turn off heat and add parsley, scallions and ham.

Source: Ina Garten

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

In my opinion, you simply can't go wrong with a peanut butter cookie. This particular cookie is basically 2 peanut butter cookies with a creamy peanut butter filling in the middle--pure cookie deliciousness! I know it sounds like it could possibly PB overload, but I'm sure that if you like peanut butter cookies, you will like this one too!

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

For PB filling:
6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 and place rack in the center of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
For the cookies: In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the peanut butter mixture and beat until incorporated. Put 1 tablespoon of dough on cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between mounds of dough. Press the dough flat with the back of a fork that has been dipped in granulated sugar. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For the filling: In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla and sugar until smooth.
To assemble: Take 1 cookie, spread about 1 tablespoon of the filling on the flat side, then top with another cookie, flat side down, to make a sandwich. If not serving right away, cover and store in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes about 18 sandwich cookies.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I am a mushroom lover, and lucky for me, so is Colin! I love pretty much anything and everything with mushrooms and this soup was no exception.

1 lb. mushrooms cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream
Small handful of parsley, chopped

Toss mushrooms in olive oil, add 1 tablespoon thyme and salt and pepper. Roast the mushrooms in a preheated 400 degree oven until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and sage and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add roasted mushrooms and broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper. Remove from heat and puree with a hand blender. Mix in heavy cream. Garnish with parsley.

Source: closetcooking.blogspot.com

Orzo with Salmon, Lemon and Dill

Colin loves both salmon and orzo, so when I saw this recipe, I knew that it would be something he would like. I was right, of course! He loved it and has asked for it a few times since then. I also loved the combination of flavors (and it went especially well with a simple Greek salad) and will definitely be making this one again.

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 lb. orzo
4 oz. crumbled feta
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lb. salmon, skinned and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400. In a medium saucepan, combine chicken broth, water, salt, butter and pepper and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, in a 3 quart baking dish, combine the orzo, feta, dill, parsley, shallots, wine, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pour the chicken broth over the orzo mixture and stir to combine. Bake for 25 minutes, then stir and add the salmon. Stir again to combine. Cook and additional 10-15 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through and orzo is al dente. Remove from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Source: pinkparsleycatering.blogspot.com

No Bake Chocolate Fudge Tart

If you even remotely like chocolate, then you will love this dessert because it is chock full of chocolate deliciousness. This seriously couldn't be easier and it is soooooo good!

3/4 cup half and half or light cream
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
6 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 chocolate cookie pie crust (store bought, to continue with the super easy theme)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate shavings for garnish

In a microwave safe medium bowl, combine half and half and 2 tablespoons sugar. Heat mixture on high 90 seconds, or until very hot. Add both chocolates and vanilla, stirring until chocolates melt. Pour mixture into pie crust. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Just before serving, in a small bowl with the mixer at medium speed, beat heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. With a spatula, spread whipped cream over chocolate filling. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

Spinach and Cheese Strata

I love nothing more than brunch--you get to eat delicious breakfast food without getting up too early and there's often alcohol involved in the form of mimosas (my fave!) or bloody marys. Can't go wrong with brunch if you ask me!
This is definitely one of my absolute favorite breakfast/brunch items ever. It's perfect for a holiday brunch because you prep everything the night before and then just pop it in the oven in the morning. Not to mention, this is freaking delicious! I served this when we had both sets of moms and stepdads over and every single one of us went back for seconds--yummy!

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Dash of nutmeg
8 cups cubed French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere
2/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
9 large eggs
2 3/4 cups milk

Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions, saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and nutmeg and continue to cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the spinach, remove from heat and set aside. Butter the inside of a 2 1/2-3 quart baking dish. Layer the bottom of the dish with 1/3 of the bread cubes. Top with 1/3 of the spinach mixture and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layers twice more. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk together until blended. Pour mixture evenly over bread, spinach and cheese layered in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350. Bake uncovered until puffed, golden brown and cooked through, 45-55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Source: annies-eats.com

Roasted Strawberry Salad with Baked Goat Cheese

This was definitely good, but honestly, I think it would have been pretty much just as good with un-roasted strawberries and un-baked goat cheese--and it would have taken about half the time! I love this combination of ingredients and think in the future, I'll probably just stick with the simple route.

4 oz. goat cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 cups strawberries, stemmed and halved
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 handfuls Romaine, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1 handful pecans, toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Freeze goat cheese for about 20 minutes. Slice the goat cheese into discs. Dredge each slice in the bread crumbs and place on a baking sheet. Bake the goat cheese slices for about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, toss strawberries in honey and balsamic vinegar to coat. Place stawberries in a baking dish in a single layer. Roast strawberries at 425 degrees until slightly carmelized, about 10-12 minutes. Pour the juices from the pan into a bowl and mix with the olive oil, mustard, and salt and pepper. Divide romaine onto plates and top with goat cheese, strawberries, green onions, pecans and dressing. Toss to coat and serve.

Source: closetcooking.blogspot.com

"Magic" Ice Cream

The magic is that this isn't really ice cream at all but (pretty much) tastes like it. This is easy and way better for you than real ice cream, so it's a perfect little treat to have when you're trying to be good!

All you need are ripe bananas and then it's optional to add either a scoop of peanut butter or some chocolate syrup.

Peel and slice the bananas into small pieces. Freeze for 1-2 hours (until they are basically solid). Place in a blender and blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until it becomes the consistency of soft serve ice cream. Top with peanut butter and/or chocolate syrup, if desired.

Breakfast for my love

Ok, clearly I'm a little behind in my blogging since I made this for a Valentine's Day breakfast, but it was just too cute not to share! My darling, basketball fanatic husband got tickets to go to the NBA All Star game, which just so happened to take place on Valentine's day (and he wasn't taking me!), so we had to squeeze in all of our V-day celebrations early on in the day. I made this yummy brunch for us to enjoy and it was perfect for the occasion! I think I originally saw this in the Martha Stewart magazine, but you don't really need an exact recipe. All you really do is butter a slice of toast, cut out the center with a heart-shaped cookie cutter, place it in a hot skillet until one side is browned, flip it, crack an egg in the center and cook until the egg is done. Two helpful hints that I learned along the way are to leave the cookie cutter in the center of the bread while cooking (spray it lightly with some cooking spray first) so that the egg keeps its shape, and to toast the cut out part for dipping into the egg. Overall it was super easy and very appropo for the occasion!

Blueberry Fool

Now that the weather has been warming up, I've really been enjoying more spring-like foods. This dessert is absolutely perfect for a spring treat. It's super easy and can really be made with any fruit of your choosing, so as different fruits come into season, this can easily be modified.

Servings: about 2

1/4 cup. whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup blueberries pureed, plus more for garnish

Whip the cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in the pureed blueberries. Garnish with whole blueberries.

Roasted Pepper and Pesto Pasta

This was SOOOOO good! It had tons of flavor and was really easy. Colin and I both loved it and I'm thinking this is a recipe that will most definitely make it into the regular rotation.

1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers (from a jar or fresh)
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 1/2 cup basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound pasta of choice (I used rotini, which was great shape because the sauce was really able to cover each piece)
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Place red peppers and garlic into food processor. Pulse until well combined. Add Parmesan, pine nuts, basil leaves and salt. With processor running, slowly stream in olive oil. Set aside. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and transfer to a large skillet or pot. Pour in pesto and stir. Stir in heavy cream, if desired. Add pasta water as necessary. Heat for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.

Cajun Shrimp and Rice

I'm not sure just how "Cajun" this recipe really is--I probably wouldn't ever serve it to my stepdad who is from "the bayou" and takes great pride in having perfected his Cajun accent, but Colin and I both enjoyed it. It was also pretty quick and easy, so that's a winner in my book!

1 bag boil-in-a-bag long grain rice (I just used regular white rice)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup canned Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. While rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with Cajun seasoning; toss to coat. Add shrimp to pan; saute 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, saute 30 seconds. Add bell peppers, green onions and thyme, saute 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in cooked rice, shrimp, tomatoes, sat and pepper and cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Chicken Tequila Burgers with Baked Onion Rings

If you're in the mood for a burger and onion rings, but are attempting to be at least semi-healthy with your diet, this is a good option. It's yummy and fulfills the "burger" craving, while still being a lot healthier than the traditional version.

Chicken Tequila Burgers
Source: annies-eats.blogspot.com

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (feel free to use more jalapenos if you prefer more heat)
2 chicken breasts
3-4 tablespoons cilantro
Zest of 1/2 lime
1 oz. tequila (we don't have any tequila in the house, so I omitted this)
Dash of soy sauce
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

For Serving:
Burger buns (I used whole wheat to keep with the healthy vibe)
Sauteed bell pepper and onion
Lettuce

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil. Combine garlic, jalapeno, chicken, cilantro and lime zest in a food processor. Pulse several times until the chicken is uniformly ground. Mix in the tequila, soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and panko. Pulse a few more times until the ingredients are well blended. Form the mixture into 4-5 patties and place on baking sheet. Broil the burgers for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking to brown both sides. Check for doneness before serving. Place on bun and add toppings to serve.

Baked Onion Rings
Source: Cooking Light

3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup milk
2 large vidalia or sweet onions, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450. Combine everything through milk in a large bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a a separate shallow bowl. Dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture, then coat with the breadcrumbs. Place onion rings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes.

Thai Chicken Wrap

I just made this for dinner last night, and since it didn't look like anything too special (just a bunch of stuff wrapped up in a tortilla, after all) I didn't even bother taking a picture, but I was wrong about this not being special. It didn't take much time or require any really amazing cooking skills, but it was SO good. I think part of it was that I finally avoided overcooking the chicken (I'm salmonella paranoid!) and I'm a sucker for anything with a good peanut sauce! This is a simple, easy dinner that is seriously tasty!

3 (6 oz.) chicken breasts
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
2 cups cooked rice (I added cilantro and lime juice to my rice, just to add a little more Thai flavor pizazz)
1/2 cup julienned carrots
1/2 cup julienned cucumber
4 (12 inch) flour tortillas

Sauce:
1/4 cup room temperature chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Heat grill pan over high heat. Toss chicken with soy sauce and oil and grill 6 minutes on each side. Meanwhile whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and cayenne together. Stream in oil. When chicken is done, slice on an angle. Toss with carrots and cucumber. In a very hot non stick skillet, heat tortillas for about 15 seconds on each side. Pile chicken, veggies and rice in wraps and drizzle liberally with the spicy peanut sauce before wrapping up.

Source: Rachael Ray

Spinach Artichoke Bread

I LOVE spinach artichoke dip so much that I sometimes want to just order it for my meal instead of being more appropriate and just having it as an appetizer! Colin also would not be thrilled if I told him we were having a dip for dinner, so this gives me my spinach artichoke dip fix, while seeming more like an actual main course--perfect!

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
10 oz. fresh spinach
2 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 package (4 oz.) light cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 loaf Italian bread, sliced in half length-wise

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients through Parmesan together, reserving some of the cheese. Hollow 1/2 inch out of the center of both halves of the bread. Spread the mixture into the holes in the bread slices and top with the reserved cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, covered in foil. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve warm.

Two Pepper and Cheese Rigatoni

I could never go on the Atkins diet because I absolutely love pasta--any and all kinds! This was a perfectly good recipe, but out of all of the yummy pasta recipes out there, I'm not sure this was one of my favorites. For the amount of work/time involved, the end result just didn't quite wow me enough. Maybe someone else will feel differently though, so here's the recipe.....

16 oz. uncooked rigatoni
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups fat-free milk
1 cup. shredded fontina cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeno pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced green onions
Cooking spray
2 slices white bread

Preheat oven to 375. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; place in a large bowl. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Add to pasta. Add flour to pan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, stirring until cheeses melt and mixture is smooth. Stir in jalapeno and salt. Add cheese mixture to pasta, tossing well to coat. Stir in green onions. Spoon pasta mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Place bread slices in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure about 1 cup. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Combine butter and breadcrumbs in a small bowl; toss until blended. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta mixture. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until browned.

Source: Cooking Light

Cranberry Walnut Bread

Ok, I made this for our post-Christmas brunch with my family, if that gives you any idea of how behind I am on my blogging! I'll be better, I promise! In any case, this bread was yummy and fairly easy to make. Since I'm not much of a baker, I'm always nervous when I am making a bread of any kind, so "tasty" is my number one qualification, with "easy" as a close second!

2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped cranberries (I used fresh ones since they were obviously readily available around Christmastime, but I think that dried cranberries would also work)
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon orange zest

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries and walnuts to coat with the flour mixture. In a separate bowl, mix together the orange juice, butter, egg and orange zest. Add to flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until done (toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean). Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Pappa al Pomodoro

It's technically spring now, but with this crazy Texas weather (snow on March 20th???!!), there may still be some chilly nights that would be perfect for this soup, which is basically a jazzed up tomato soup. I served this with the perfect accompaniment--a jazzed up grilled cheese, of course! I used "fancy" bread, 2 kinds of cheese and tomatoes--it was delicious! As yummy as this was, I'm a bit of a food traditionalist (well, I'm actually a bit of a "life traditionalist" too!), so next time I make it I may omit the carrots and celery to make it more of a standard tomato soup.

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup medium diced carrots
1 cup medium diced celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups diced ciabatta bread, crusts removed
2 (28 oz.) cans Italian plum tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Topping:
3 cups diced ciabatta bread
2 oz. thickly sliced pancetta, chopped (we ate this during our vegetarian month, so we skipped the pancetta and were totally fine without it)
24-30 whole fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil

Heat oil in a large stockpot, over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the bread cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. Place tomatoes in food processor and pulse briefly, just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot, along with the stock, wine, basil, salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat and allow to simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes.
For the topping: Preheat oven to 375. Place the bread, pancetta and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally for 20-25 minutes, until all ingredients are crisp.
Beat the soup with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the Parmesan. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot, sprinkled with toppings.

Source: annies-eats.com

More Cookies!

Man, you would think that all we've been eating lately is desserts based on my recent posts! I'm still catching up on all of the holiday goodies I made, so I'll be continuing the trend for now.
Per usual, we spent days negotiating and scheduling to find a way to spend time with our many families here in town (Colin's mom and stepdad, my mom and stepdad, and my dad) for Christmas. I decided to bring a tin with a variety of cookies to each of our parents and came up with several tasty ones. I wanted the cookies to be a little something different--a standard chocolate chip just wouldn't do! Here are the ones I went with (even though there are so many yummy cookie options out there I could barely narrow it down!):

Macadamia Butter Cookies

2/3 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Place nuts in a food processor; process until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping sides of bowl once. Combine macadamia butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until combined (mixture will be very thick). Stir in cranberries. Chill 10 minutes. Divide chilled dough into 30 equal portions into a ball. Place 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small bowl. Lightly press each ball into sugar; place each ball, sugar side up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Gently press the top of each cookie with a fork. Dip fork in water; gently press top of each cookie again to make a criss-cross pattern. Place 15 cookies on each of 2 baking sheets. Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time for 9 minutes or until golden. Remove cookies from pan; cool on a wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining cookies. Yield: 30 cookies

Source: Cooking Light

Mexican Chocolate Cookies

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), coarsely chopped
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of black pepper
Dash of ground red pepper
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Place chocolate in a small glass bowl; microwave on high 1 minute or until almost melted, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through ground red pepper); still well with a whisk. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg; beat well. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; beat just until blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Drop dough by level tablespoons 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 35o for 10 minutes or until almost set. Remove from oven. Cool on pans 2 minutes or until set. Remove from pans; cool completely on a wire rack. Yield: 32 cookies

Source: Cooking Light

Spicy Oatmeal Crisps

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg (I just used ground nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
1 cup packed brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl. Place sugar, butter and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffly. Add egg; beat well. Stir in flour mixture and oats. Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes or until crisp. Cool on pans 2-3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks. Yield: 24 cookies

Source: Cooking Light

Festive Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 pouch Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie dough mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
Sugar
36 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped
Holiday sprinkles

Heat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until dough forms. Shape dough into 36 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately press 1 kiss in center of each cookie. Add sprinkles or additional decorations as desired. Remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 20 minues. Yield: 36 cookies

Source: Bettycrocker.com

Emergency Chocolate Cake

I was on my own for dinner one night, so I decided to take a cooking holiday and just have a plain old bowl of cereal for dinner. While I certainly do love me some cereal, I didn't feel completely satisfied and was really craving something sweet. Luckily I had a recipe on hand for an "emergency" chocolate cake that requires really basic ingredients and no real cooking at all. Perfect!

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips
Small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla and mix again. Put in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little and tip out onto a plate if desired. Goes especially well with vanilla ice cream!

Chili-Spiced Almonds

These were actually kind of a lot of work, but they are pretty tasty, so it was probably worth it in the end. I made these over the holidays (when I had some more time on my hands during my vacation!) and thought they would be a good little munchie that I could put out when people came over. My sister-in-law loved them so much that she finally asked me to put them away before she ate every last one of them!

1 tablespoon water
1 large egg white
1 pound raw, unblanched almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (next time I will probably add a little more chili powder, but I am a little obsessed with spicy foods, so that may just be me!)
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 300. Combine water and egg white in a large bowl; stir with a whisk until foamy. Add almonds; toss well to coat. Place almonds in a colander, and drain 5 minutes. Combine almonds, sugar and next 5 ingredients (through chili powder) in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spread almond mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300 for 15 minutes. Stir almond mixture; reduce oven temperature to 275. Bake an additional 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes. Break apart any clusters. Cool completely.
Yield: 4 cups
Can be stored for up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature

Source: Cooking Light

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yet another variation on basic chocolate chip cookies--when you start with such a delicious basic, it's hard to go wrong!

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 (12 oz.) bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Beat the butter with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat until homogeneous. Stir in vanilla and egg and mix well. Add flour, baking soda and salt and give the bowl a few good stirs. Add the oats and chocolate chips and mix until well distributed. Bake on wax-paper lined baking sheets until just set and browning on the edges, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet about 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

"Healthy" Trifle

In this case "healthy" is probably a relative term, but as far as desserts go it could be much worse!

Cake mix of your choice
Can of Diet Coke (or Diet Sprite/7 up if using a yellow or white cake mix)
Box of sugar-free white chocolate pudding
2% milk
Fat-free Cool Whip
Raspberries
Strawberries

Mix the cake mix with the can of diet soda and pour into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake as directed on box and cool, then cut into cubes. Layer in a trifle dish with sugar-free white chocolate pudding made with 2% milk and mixed with 8 oz. fat-free Cool Whip, and fresh raspberries and strawberries. Couldn't be easier!

Green Gobble 'Ems

Ok, ignore the ridiculous name and make these immediately! They are so yummy! Colin said that he loved these but couldn't possibly request that I make "Green Gobble 'Ems", so in our house they've been renamed, simply "Spinach Toasts". Whatever you decide to call them, I promise they will be good. I made these as a Thanksgiving day appetizer and they were snapped up (too quickly for me to even get a picture)!

4 cups packed spinach leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 stick butter, softened
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Salt and pepper
1 loaf Italian bread, split lengthwise

Preheat oven to 425. Using a food processor, puree the spinach, cheese, butter and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Spread the bread with the spinach mixture and cut into 2-inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: rachaelraymag.com

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are a yummy twist on the basic chocolate chip cookie. I mean, really, who doesn't like chocolate with peanut butter?!

1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4-1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream together peanut butter, butter and both sugars until well blended. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla one at a time. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Source: delishfood.wordpress.com

Peanut Soy Chicken and Veggie Bowl

I absolutely love the chicken pad thai from Pei Wei and this is a pretty good imitationton of it. Yum!

2 chicken breast, pounded very thin
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
Pepper
1/2 box thin spaghetti
1 can water chestnuts, sliced (skipped these)
1 orange bell pepper, sliced
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 6 oz. bag snap peas
1 bunch cilantro
Sesame seeds, sesame oil, grated ginger or any other garnish of your choice

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Preheat grill pan to medium-high heat. In a shallow dish, whisk 2 tablespoons peanut butter with 1/4 cup soy sauce (microwave PB for about 45 seconds to loosen, if necessary). Add pepper, whisk. Pound chicken thin between plastic wrap. Spray pan with non-stick spray. Dip chicken in peanut sauce, then place in pan. Cook for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta and chop veggies. In another bowl whisk together remaining PB, soy sauce and pepper. Flip chicken, cook another 4 minutes, or until done. If desired, during the last minute of cooking pasta, add snap peas to take off bite. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Pour into the bowl with sauce. Toss to coat. Add veggies and toss again. Remove chicken from pan, slice and add to pasta. Top with garnish and serve.

Source: ashleescooking.blogspot.com

Eggplant Parmesan

Colin has a slight obsession with eggplant parmesan, so I had been wanting to make it for a while, but for some reason was slightly intimidated. I was worried I couldn't make something that would measure up to Colin's restaurant favorites! I'm so glad I went ahead and attempted it anyway because this was SO good and Colin absolutely loved it!

1 large eggplant
Salt
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 eggs
4 tablespoons heavy cream
Tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese
Shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400. Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Salt both sides of the eggplant slices and let sit in a colander for 15-20 minutes to draw out bitterness and excess moisture. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, add eggs and cream and mix well. Pat of moisture from eggplant with paper towels. Dip in egg mixture, then breadcrumbs and place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining slices. Bake for 15 minutes. Place a layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. Remove eggplant from baking sheet and place on top of sauce layer. Top each piece of eggplant with a spoonful of sauce, dust with parmesan and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Source: dailydeliciousness.com

Monte Cristo-Style Croque Monsieur

This was a yummy way to make not-your-average sandwich!

4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Salt and pepper
Ground nutmeg, to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 slices white bread
12 deli-think slices baked ham
4 slices Swiss cheese
2 large eggs
4 cups arugula
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a saucepan, melt 2 T butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then 1 cup milk. Bring to a gentle boil; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook for 2 minutes to thicken. Off the heat, stir in the mustard. Spread the bread with the sauce, then layer 4 slices with the ham, cheese and remaining bread. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining 1/2 cup milk. In a non-stick skillet, melt 1 T butter over medium heat. Soak 2 sandwiches in the egg mixture. Add the sandwiches to the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining butter and sandwiches. In a bowl, toss the arugula, lemon juice and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Serve with the sandwiches.

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

Caprese Salad Bites

I LOVE caprese salad! There's just something about the combination that is so delicious and I'm always a fan of fresh mozzarella. These are so easy and the perfect little bite-sized version of a caprese salad.

Grape tomatoes, halved
Basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Toothpicks

Put a tomato half on a toothpick, followed by a piece of basil and piece of mozzarella. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Arrange on a serving dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.

Cream Cheese Squares

These are super easy and yummy. My stepdad, who is quite the dessert connoisseur, had seconds and thirds of this!

2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
2 packages cream cheese, softened (I used light)
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter or margarine melted
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I added these, so they're definitely optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Press one can of the crescent rolls into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread over the crescent layer. Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and lay them on top of the cream cheese layer. Do not press down. Pour the melted butter over the entire pan. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over top. Sprinkle pecans over top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is crisp and golden.

Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram special Christmas dessert section

Pizza Rolls--Yum!

These are so easy, delicious, and can be modified in a million different ways--the perfect party food! I hate that I don't have a picture of these, but I'm sure you'll get the idea anyway.

1 can refrigerated pizza crust (of course you can use homemade pizza dough, but that definitely makes these more work!)
1/4 lb. Genoa salami, thinly sliced
1/4 lb. pepperoni
1/4 lb. provolone, sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Roll dough on the baking sheet into a rectangle approximately 10 x 4 inches. Layer salami, pepperoni and provolone. Sprinkle with mozzarella to within 1/2 inch from edge. Roll jelly-roll style. Seal the edge with a fork. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Slice into 1-inch pieces to serve.

I made an even easier version of these on our recent ski trip, when I wasn't working with all the ingredients or in ideal conditions and they were just as tasty! I rolled the dough into a rectangle, sprinkled mozzarella and pepperoni onto one half of the dough. Then I folded the other half over the top, sealed it with a fork, dotted the top with butter and baked until golden. I cut it into slices and served with marinara to dip it in. Yum!

Italian Club Finger Sandwiches

When we finally had our first party for the "big reveal" of our new kitchen, I tried to keep the menu pretty simple and have several items that didn't have to be served hot and/or I could prep ahead of time. Just like my cooking skills, I was worried that my hostessing skills had gotten a little rusty! These tasty little sandwiches worked out perfectly.

6 thin slices white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Thin White Sandwich Bread
1 cup soft, spreadable herb cheese, such as Alouette
8 slices prosciutto (I subbed in salami)
12 fresh arugula or basil leaves
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
Salt
2 radishes
Toothpicks

Trim the crusts from the bread (optional). Spread 4 slices with the soft herbed cheese. Top each cheese-covered slice with 2 slices of prosciutto, 3 arugula leaves, and top with a few tomato slices seasoned with a pinch of salt. Stack 2 of the completed layers one atop the other, making 2 stacks, each 2 layers high. Top each stack with a third bread slice to make 2 triple-decker sandwiches. Thinly slice and salt the radishes. Spear a couple radish slices onto each toothpick (I skipped this step and I didn't miss them!) as you place 4 toothpicks in each sandwich. Cut each sandwich into 4 equal parts. The yield will be 8 triple-decker, square mini "club" sandwiches.

Source: Rachael Ray: 2, 4, 6, 8 Great Meals for Couples or Crowds