Something for entertaining this holiday weekend ~

This got rave reviews at work this week ~

Chili Cheese Ball

1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups marble jack cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ancho chile pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp green chili peppers, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts or pecans, finely chopped
2 dashes hot sauce

Mix together softened cream cheese and marble jack cheese.  Add in all of the spices, peppers and hot sauce.  Shape into a ball shape in bowl and cover with plastic wrap and refrigeratel for 2 hours.  Remove and roll in chopped peanuts or pecans.

Return to refrigerator.  Remove 15 minutes before serving.

Have a safe holiday weekend!

Movie inspired dinner

Ever since I watched the movie Seems Like Old Times with Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase, I have been obsessed with a meal they served ~ Chicken Pepperoni.  I have bought countless chicken cookbooks in search of the recipe and finally started trying to make it on my own about 5 years ago.  I have no idea if I got it similiar or not but finally this is the effort that I'm keeping a recipe on.

Chicken Pepperoni

3 tbsp extra light virgin olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
3 ounces tomato paste
2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup wine
3 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp basil
2 pounds Chicken breasts -- boned and skinned
2 cups  V8 juice
3 ounces pepperoni
3 ounces mushrooms, chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste

Sautè garlic and onions in olive oil.  Add in tomato paste, V8 and crushed tomatoes with spices and honey.

Add in your favorite wine and let simmer.

Lightly sautè pepperoni.  Drain on paper towels.  Brown chicken breast strips lightly seasoned with pepper.

Add pepperoni and chicken to sauce and let simmer until ready to serve.

I served it on linguine but any pasta will work fine.  Add freshly grated Parmesan on top.

Servings: 8

Off to find inspiration from the movies.  Have a good evening.

Italian Herb Bread

Another rainy afternoon so it was a good day to revive the bread maker.  I'm trying to create a new meal for dinner so I made this bread to compliment it~

Italian Herb Bread

3 cups bread flour
2 1/2 tsp bread machine active dry yeast
1/4 cup milk powder
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp basil
1 1/4 cup water, lukewarm

Put all of the ingredients into a bread machine and select white bread cycle, light or just put on dough selection and bake in a regular loaf pan.  Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.

Edited to add ~ this makes an awesome grilled cheese sandwich.

For adults only icing ~

Today's first recipe is for a Mascarpone Baileys Caramel icing.

3/4 cup whipping cream
4 oz Mascarpone
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp Baileys with Caramel

Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Add in Mascarpone and powdered sugar.  Add in Baileys and ice your favorite cake.  Makes enough for 24+ cupcakes.

Homemade Calzones

This falls into the comfort food category.  I considered ordering one the other night (which I should have instead of the Chinese food) but opted to wait until I could make my own and I'm glad that I did.

I used the rapture crust and sauce recipes from in May ~ http://micheleswomancave.blogspot.com/2011/05/rapture-homemade-pizza.html 

Divide the crust into 4 portions.  Let rise and then roll out into round circles on a floured surface.  I braised a chicken breast with just salt and pepper, cut up 2 oz prosciutto, sliced baby button mushrooms, used fresh mozzeralla and 2 tablespoons of the pizza sauce in each bottom half of the calzone circle.  Fold over top and crimp edges with your fingers.  Take one egg and stir until mixed and brush over dough or you can use olive oil.

Bake at 350°F for a half hour and enjoy!

Dear Chinese Restaurant,

We've had a long, tumultuous relationship.  I forgave you for hiring the delivery driver without a license or insurance and kept him employed after he hit a friends car and it was reported to you that he lacked these essential things to drive. 

I forgave you for sending my food out with a 1 1/2" washer in it and your disbelief that it wasn't my fault (I was leery of what you might have done to the replacement beef lo mein). 

I cannot forgive food poisoning.  It was a stressful evening with trying to get my Tivo hooked up with the cable company here and no success.  This thing is going to cost a small fortune to hook up I can tell.  But I opted to order food in.  We ended our relationship at 2:30 this morning.  I could call you and let you know but I'm sure you would think it's my fault and this time you're right.  It is because I gave you so many chances.  This does give me the opportunity to learn how to cook Chinese food on my own so I thank you for that.

To put the past behind me, I did cook tonight.  Something easy and it's what I should have done last night.

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

1 1/2 cups  flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2  tbsp sugar
4 tbsp melted butter
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 cup blueberries
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  In another bowl, mix together the butter, ricotta cheese, orange juice, milk and lemon extract.  Gradually add liquid mixture to dry ingredients.  Add in blueberries.

Heat oiled griddle to medium heat and ladle a small amount of batter to desired size.

Servings: 20

So easy and I have some for lunch tomorrow and have added to my supply of I need a quick dinner from the freezer to microwave.

Farewell my Chinese delivery.  When it was good, it was really good.  But when it was bad, it was really bad.



It's raining, it's pouring...

And it was close to I'm not cooking but calling in for delivery.  Very close.  I was thinking calzone with spicy chicken and prosciotto.  Then I thought that sounds like something I want to create in my own kitchen.  I also remembered the last time I ordered from this restaurant that I ended up making uncomplimentary comments about it on Twitter (not naming them, I'm not a paid critic). 

Seriously.  If you advertise a dessert as a homemade chocolate turtle tort make sure it is homemade, not a Sandra Lee semi-homemade disaster.  It turned out to be a graham cracker crust, check aisle three, chopped pecans, aisle three also.  Torte, aka mousse mix, how convenient same grocery aisle and let's grab some caramel ice cream topping, Hershey's syrup and Cool Whip in aisle seven.  They could have gone to Sam's Club and gotten something as equally "homemade". 

So I went into the kitchen and popped in a .38 Special cd since the Avenged Sevenfold case was empty and made this soup ~


Cheesy Ham & Potato Soup

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk, 2% works fine
4 medium potatoes, diced
2 cups ham, cubed
1 1/2 cups Pepper Jack cheese, cut into small pieces
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Heat broth and milk.  Add in potatoes and cook until almost tender.  Add in ham and cook for another 10 minutes.  Add in cheese and stir until melted.  Add in paprika, salt and pepper.

Servings: 8

I would have taken a picture but who hasn't seen potato soup?  I suppose I could have garnished it with a sprig of parlsey.  I didn't.  Next time.  Especially the calzone that I want to try making.