Sunday, February 26, 2012

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

I promised no Sunday chicken recipes so here's what I made today ~




Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 large egg
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 12 ounce chili sauce
1 cup grape jelly
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Mix together meats, egg, ricotta cheese, Panko bread crumbs and spices.  Roll into balls and place on a greased baking sheet.  Bake for one half hour or until cooked through at 350°F .
While baking, mix together chili sauce, grape jelly and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in crock pot on low heat.

Remove meatballs from oven and add to sauce.  Let cook on low for 1 hour before serving.

Yield: 28

Split Pea Soup With Barley

Our weather forecast changed from a winter watch to advisory to warning yesterday.  I decided it would be a good day for soup so I put together these ingredients in the crock pot last night.  The aroma was so good I almost had it for breakfast.



Split pea soup with barley

7 cups water
1 Chicken Bouillon cube
16  oz green split peas, rinsed
1 bay leaf
2 large cloves fresh garlic minced
1 cup carrots peeled and diced
1/4 cup onion finely chopped
1/2 cup barley
1 tbsp celery flakes
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
kosher salt to taste
2 cups diced smoked ham (optional)

Place water and chicken bouillon in crock pot set to high.  Add in rinsed split peas, onions, garlic and carrots.  Add in ham.  Stir in spices.  Let cook on high for 1 hour and then set to low for 6 hours.  1 hour before serving, add in barley.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Ancho Chili Pepper Chicken Tenders





Ancho Chili Pepper Chicken Tenders

1 pound chicken tenders
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup flour
1 large egg, beaten
1 tbsp water
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp ground Ancho chili pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Let chicken tenders sit in a buttermilk bath for 20 minutes.  Lay out 3 bowls for dipping.  In the first, put in the 1/2 cup of flour.  In the second, mix together egg and water.  In the third, blend Panko bread crumbs, Ancho chili pepper, paprika, salt and pepper.

Dip chicken in flour, then in egg mixture and last in the Panko crumbs making sure it's evenly coated in each bowl.

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Crock Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu

Obviously chicken must be a comfort food to me since I seem to be making it every Sunday.  I'll try for a different meat next week.  I just happened to have all the ingredients in my refrigerator to make this today.



Crock pot chicken cordon bleu

6 Chicken breasts -- boned and skinned
6 slices Canadian bacon
2 ounces brie, thinly sliced as possible
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp flour
4 dashes hot sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pound chicken breasts until 1/4" thick.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Place Canadian bacon and brie in the middle, fold in the ends and roll up.  Secure with toothpicks.

Lightly brown in olive oil and place in crock pot.  In same pan, add in chicken broth, cream, flour, salt and pepper to taste and let thicken.  Pour over chicken breasts.

Cook for 3 hours on high in your crock pot.

Servings: 6

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Crock Pot Chocolate Rice Pudding

Sunday is a day for easy recipes and this was one of the easiest that I've created.



Crock Pot Chocolate Rice Pudding

4 cups milk
1 cup rice, (not instant)
3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 tbsp cocoa powder (I used dark)
2 tbsp Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur (optional)

Place milk, sugar and rice in the crock pot.  Set on high for a half hour and reduce heat to low.  When it starts to thicken, remove vanilla bean after scrapping contents into pot.  Add cocoa powder and Frangelico.  Allow to finish cooking
.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Chicken Stroganoff





Chicken Stroganoff

4 large chicken breasts, cubed and cooked
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
6 oz baby portable mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
poultry seasoning to taste

Heat chicken broth and cream while lightly sauteeing chicken breast cubes in olive oil.  Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and poultry seasoning.  Add chicken to broth mixture.

Add a tablespoon more olive oil into the pan that cooked the chicken and cook onions, garlic and mushrooms.  Add to crock pot.

Cook on low heat for 3 hours and then add in sour cream and parsley.

Serve over egg noodles.

Strawberry Honey Butter

I can tell this butter is going to be made often because it's goes well with bread, muffins, pancakes, etc.



Strawberry Honey Butter

2 sticks butter, softened
1/4 cup strawberries, chopped
3 tbsp honey
1/4 cup powdered sugar

When the butter has softened, mix in strawberries.  Add in honey and powdered sugar.  Store in refrigerator.

Strawberry Waffles

Another chilly morning which is hopefully going to end soon with a warming trend next week.





Strawberry Waffles

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 large eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup strawberries, chopped

Whisk all dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add in buttermilk, oil and egg yolks.  Beat egg whites until light and fluffy.  Gently fold in egg whites.  Add in chopped strawberries and juice.  Bake in waffle maker per manufacturers instructions.


Serve with strawberry syrup and whipped cream for a special treat.


Servings: 9

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Canadian Bacon Hash

Good morning!  Another easy hash recipe to start off your day. 



Canadian Bacon Hash

1/4 large onion finely chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
4 ounces thick sliced canadian bacon, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1In a large frying pan, add olive oil, onions and sweet potatoes.  Add in diced potatoes after 10 minutes.  Cook until tender and add in canadian bacon.

Caramel Pear Nachos

Super easy to make and a joy to eat.



Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

3 small Flour tortillas
3 tbsp butter melted
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Cut flour tortillas like a pizza into 8 wedges. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 5 minutes at 325°F


Place cinnamon chips at the bottom of your serving dish.  Slice 2 pears on top (fresh pears work much better than canned).  Drizzle caramel sauce on top.  Dot with whipped cream.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Crockpot Turkey Breast

Getting ready for the big game tomorrow, I cooked a turkey breast today.  It's so moist to make it in a crockpot.



Crockpot Turkey Breast

1 turkey breast (4-6 pounds)
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp butter
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp thyme, crushed

Place broth, butter and lemon juice in bottom of crockpot.  Spray a light mist of olive oil on turkey breast and season with kosher salt, pepper and thyme.

Cook on high for first hour and reduce heat to low and cook for an additional three hours.