Spinach Pesto and Sausage Strata

I enjoy pesto but don't make or eat it very often.  I saw this recipe called for jarred pesto and knew jarred would be much easier than making my own.  I wasn't sure if the kids had ever tried pesto before.  Let's just say that they're not fans of the stuff!  Please note, there's a "Mommy & Daddy Rating" below, rather than a "Family Rating!" This dish was tasty.  The pesto added a nice flavor with the sausage, bread, and cheeses.  However, this dish does have a decent amount of prep work involved AND 45 minutes of cooking.  Definitely not a quick and easy meal.  Plus, when I have to use the food processor, mixing bowls, and fry pans....well....as much as a fan I am of cooking, I'm not really a fan of doing dishes.  My husband will tell me to "leave the dishes, I'll do them when I get home."  But really, after working all day I'm NOT going to have him wash all of the dishes.  Plus, I'm a clean as you cook type of person.  So while this dish was cooking, the pots and pans got washed.  Needless to say, if you like pesto AND you have some time, definitely give this recipe a try. It was tasty!  I'm sure homemade peso would taste even better!  However, I do not recommend this meal if you are short on time!

Spinach Pesto and Sausage Strata
recipe adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray, April 2013

Ingredients:
6 ounces fresh spinach (6 cups packed)
1/3cup jarred pesto
Salt and pepper
3 eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1/2cup grated parmesan
3/4cup sliced scallions
9 ounces italian sausage, casings removed
1 10 ounce loaf Italian bread, sliced 1/2-inch thick
2/3 cup ricotta
2 cups grated swiss cheese

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . In a food processor, puree 2 cups spinach with the pesto; season with salt and pepper.

2.In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, parmesan cheese, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper.

3.In a nonstick skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until cooked, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. Reduce heat to medium and cook the remaining spinach until wilted, about 1 minute; chop.

4.Using half of the ingredients: Arrange bread in a 7-by-11-inch baking dish, spread on pesto, then ricotta; pour in egg mixture and top with spinach, sausage and swiss. Repeat. Let stand for 10 minutes, pressing to soak.

5.Bake the strata until puffed and browned, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Mommy & Daddy Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Tofu Ramen Soup with Spinach

This past month's supper club theme was "Asian."  We've previously done Korean and Thai themed dinners.  But "Asian" is so broad!  I wasn't sure what I was making until I saw this recipe in the latest edition of Every Day with Rachael Ray.  I thought an appetizer soup would fit nicely.  Ramen is definitely asian and I love tofu.  This dish was soooo easy to put together.  And cost-wise, this dish was super cheap to make as well.  This was a tasty soup but you MUST make and add the chili oil to really get a great depth of flavor!  This is super-easy to make a vegetarian soup by replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth.  We all enjoyed this soup and it was a great start to a really tasty meal!

 BTW, the awesome picture shown below was photographed by fellow supper club member Ashley (I forgot my camera!).  She also writes a food blog Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen.  She has been writing her blog for years and has tasty recipes and beautiful photographs!  Definitely take a minute and check it out! 

Tofu Ramen Soup with Spinach
recipe from Every Day with Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
6 cups sodium-free chicken broth
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems discarded and caps chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 ounce unpeeled fresh ginger, cut into 2 or 3 large slices
4 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 pound firm silken tofu, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 3 ounce packages instant ramen (noodles only)
Salt

Directions:
1.In a small saucepan, heat the oil, crushed red pepper and garlic over medium-high heat until the garlic sizzles. Lower the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the garlic turns golden, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes. Strain the chile oil into a bowl, discarding the solids.

2.Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. In another medium pot, mix the chicken broth, mushrooms, scallions, soy sauce, sugar and ginger. Cover and simmer over high heat for 8 minutes. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat; discard the ginger. Stir in the spinach, then the tofu. Cover to keep warm.

3.Add the ramen to the boiling water, breaking up the noodles. Cook until tender, 3 minutes. Drain, then stir the noodles into the soup. Season with salt.

4.Divide the soup among bowls. Drizzle each with some of the chili oil.

Mommy & Daddy Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

This post is being shared at:
Foodtastic Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes
Tasty Thursdays @ The Mandatory Mooch
Showcase Your Talent Thursday @ What's Cooking Love?
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Fabulous Fridays @ Real Housemoms
Saturday Show and Tell @ Cheerios and Lattes
Strut Your Stuff Saturday @ Six Sisters' Stuff

Cheesy Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches

I have been debating whether to get a grill pan for awhile now.  In the summer my husband is the "grill master" and uses our Weber charcoal grill a lot.  I do not know how to use the charcoal grill, nor do I really want to use it!  But I have so many "grilled" recipes that I'm not sure I'll ever be able to make.  I almost bought a cast-iron grill pan.  But we already own a cast-iron pan.  The only difference this pan would make would be to put "grill" marks onto the food!  So I decided against it.  As my husband pointed out, we own a George Foreman grill, that we haven't used in years!  So I made these sandwiches by grilling the eggplant on the George Foreman and then cooking the sandwiches on it to get the "grill" marks.  The good thing about these sandwiches is that I was able to customize the kids' sandwiches.  My daughter doesn't like cheese, neither of the kids wanted eggplant (although they had to have a taste!), and so on.  My husband and I found these to be really tasty.  But of course, we love any excuse to eat prosciutto!!!

Cheesy Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches
Recipe slightly adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, August 2008

Ingredients:
1 pound small eggplants, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
8 slices Italian bread
4 slices Swiss cheese, torn into two pieces
4 ounces  thinly sliced prosciutto

Directions:
1.Preheat a grill to medium. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until softened, about 4 minutes.

2.Lay the bread on a work surface. Top 4 slices with a layer each of cheese, prosciutto, eggplant and another layer of prosciutto and cheese. Top with the remaining bread slices.

3.Brush the outside of the sandwiches with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Grill, covered, turning once, until crisp, about 2 minutes.

 Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.  

This post is shared at:
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Tasty Thursdays @ The Mandatory Mooch
Foodtastic Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes

Might Have Missed Monday: Cannoli French Toast

I have recently started re-posting some of our family's favorite recipes from the past year, in case you "might have missed" them.  I had posted this November 11, 2011.  Our family, especially the kids, love breakfast-for-dinner.  It allows me to make some of the casseroles and breakfast type foods that require too much time and effort for me to make in the mornings.  To me, the best part of a cannoli is the inside, so I enjoyed this too!  It's almost too good to be dinner......more like dessert!  This was definitely a winner for us all!  As I'm writing this I'm thinking I may have to make this again for us soon!

Cannoli French Toast
EveryDay With Rachael Ray, October 2010

Ingredients:
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
12 slices sandwich bread

Directions:
1.Sift 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl, then stir in 1 cup ricotta cheese. In a medium bowl, beat together 2 eggs and 1/2 cup milk. Trim the crusts off 12 slices sandwich bread and, using a rolling pin, roll out the bread to flatten. Add 1 tablespoon of the sweetened ricotta to each slice, fold over and pinch the edges together. (The edges will seal during cooking.) In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Working in 3 batches, dip the stuffed bread slices in the egg mixture and transfer to the skillet. Cook, turning once, until puffed and golden, about 3 minutes. Dust with more confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Family Rating: 2 Thumbs Up!

This post is shared at:
Manic Monday @ Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
The Bulletin Board @ Mrs. Happy Homemaker
Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling

Recipe Repeat: Baked Macaroni & Cheddar

I originally found this recipe in an issue of EveryDay with Rachael Ray back from 2008.  I had made it once before, but not sure when.  I figured if I had saved the magazine tear-out it must have been good.  You can't really go wrong with mac & cheese.  Plus, this recipe has broccoli in it, so I didn't need to make any extra veggies!   My kids love mac & cheese and broccoli, so of course this was a hit with them! 

Baked Macaroni & Cheese
recipe from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, April 2008

Ingredients:
1 large bunch broccoli, cut into bite-size florets and stalks peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pound whole wheat elbow pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 3)
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups low-fat milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
12 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons bread crumbs

Directions:
1.Fill a large pot with enough water to reach a depth of 2 inches and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse with cold water. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the broccoli in an even layer.

2.Fill the same pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain.

3.Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees . In the same pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup milk until thickened, then whisk in 1 cup more. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, then whisk the mixture into the pot. Simmer, whisking, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the cheddar and 4 tablespoons parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the pasta. Spoon the mixture over the broccoli.

4.In a small heatproof bowl, combine the garlic and remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter; microwave at high power until melted, about 20 seconds. Stir in the bread crumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Discard the garlic, then sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on the pasta. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!

This post is shared at:
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Creative Thursday @ Michelle's Tasty Creations
Showcase Your Talent Thursday @ What's Cooking, Love

Biscuit-Crusted Sausage-Egg Pie

My kids love eggs and breakfast for dinner is always a hit in our house.  Unfortunately, this was one of those recipes that sounded quick and easy, but that I should have read through to plan out my timing.  When I went to make this at 5:30 after taking the kids to tae kwon do, I discovered that there was quite a bit of prep work AND almost a half hour of cooking time involved.  So, by the time this was on the table it was about 6:45 that we were eating.  Fortunately, we all enjoyed this alot!  Even my daughter, who hates pretty much all cheese, ate all of her piece and even asked for some for lunch the next day.  I guess she didn't taste the feta! Because this recipe only called for 4 pieces of biscuit dough and 2 ounces of feta and the biscuits came in 8 pieces and the feta came in 4 ounces, I just doubled everything and made two.  Then we had leftovers for breakfast for a couple of days.

Biscuit-Crusted Sausage-Egg Pie
recipe very slightly adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, May 2009

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound bulk pork breakfast sausage
1 teaspoon oregano
4 pieces refrigerated biscuit dough, such as Pillsbury
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
4 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees . In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and oregano and cook, breaking up the sausage, until just browned, about 5 minutes. Drain and let cool.

2.Grease a 9-inch pie pan with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Place 1 piece biscuit dough into a large resealable plastic bag and, using a rolling pin, roll into a 1/8-inch-thick disk. Remove the dough from the bag and transfer to the prepared pie pan. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces, pinching the pieces together in the pan to form a crust.

3.In a large bowl, combine the cooked sausage, onion and feta; spread evenly over the crust. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage mixture and bake until set, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Family rating: 2 thumbs up!

Recipe Repeat: Broccoli Rabe and Salami Pasta

I was cleaning out my "already tried" recipe folder and found this recipe.  I made it so long ago, that I didn't remember making it the first time so I thought that I'd try it again.  I changed it a little this time, trying to use up some ingredients that I had in the refrigerator.  The kids enjoyed this.  They both like pepperoni, my son loves cheese, and my daughter enjoyed the broccoli rabe.  I remember grocery shopping with her when she was maybe 3 years old and buying some broccoli rabe.  She asked me what it was and when I told her what it was she replied, "I like broccoli, I don't like rabe."  Fast forward to this dinner, eating some broccoli rabe she told me that it looked and tasted like broccoli....and she ate it all up!  I was pleasantly surprised!  This was tasty enough and had components that the kids could pick out what they didn't like, so they were more willing to eat this.  This was a quick and easy weeknight pasta meal.

Broccoli Rabe and Salami Pasta
recipe slightly adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, September 2007

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound rigatoni
2 bunches broccoli rabe, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more to pass around the table
1/3 pound sliced pepperoni
3 oz. mozzarella, diced
Black pepper

Directions:
1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water. Reserve the pot.

2.While the pasta is working, fill a deep skillet with enough water to reach 2 inches deep. Bring to a boil, salt it and add the broccoli rabe; lower the heat and simmer until just tender, 7 to 8 minutes; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, heat the EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Return the broccoli rabe to the skillet and cook for 1 minute longer.

3.In the pasta pot, combine the ricotta, parmigiano-reggiano and pepperoni. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking liquid, broccoli rabe, diced mozzarella, and pasta and toss to coat. Season with black pepper.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Recipe Repeat: Cheeseburger Meatloaf

I had my fill of cheeseburgers this past summer and don't make burgers a lot (although Rachael Ray sure has many delicious looking ones in her magazines!), even though I do enjoy them.  As fall comes I think less of burgers and more of meatloaf.  It's similar to a burger, without the bun, right?!  And this recipe combines the flavors of a cheeseburger in meatloaf form.  This was in my folder of recipes that I've made before, although I couldn't tell you when.  I know that we enjoyed it the first time I made it though, which is why I had saved the recipe in the first place.  The flavors of a cheeseburger are all in there - the pickles, onion, cheese.  Of course my son didn't eat much of this, but my daughter really liked it.  Unfortunately, there is a bit of preparation for this and a lengthy cooking time so this does not make for a quick weeknight dinner.  However, when I was working and we wanted meatloaf for dinner, my husband or I would prep the meatloaf the night before and then I'd stick it in the oven when I got home from work.  So at least all the prep work was out of the way and I had time to give the kids showers, help with homework, etc.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf
recipe from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, April 2008

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 cup bread-and-butter pickle chips, chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
8 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
2 pounds new red potatoes
3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees . Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

2.In a large bowl, combine the ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs and pickles; mix in the onion. Crumble in the beef, add the cheese and mix together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 4-by-12-inch loaf. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees , about 35 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, halve the potatoes and place them in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, return to the pot and mash with the cream.

4.Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the mashed potatoes.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

This post is shared at:
Miz Helen's Country Cottage

General Tso's Chicken

If my daughter had a choice I think that she'd eat Chinese food every night if I let her.  Especially sesame chicken and boneless spare ribs.  So I'm always trying out various Chinese take-out type recipes.  They are usually easy to make and much healthier than take out.  This recipe was easy and tasty! I thought General Tso's Chicken was spicy, but this dish is not!  When my son eats the main protein than the dish is a winner!  I know brown rice is healthier, but I just prefer white rice. So I served the chicken with white rice and some veggies. 

General Tso's Chicken
recipe from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, May 2012

Ingredients:
1 egg white
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon plus 2 1/2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups cooked rice, for serving

Directions:
1.In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg white, 4 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1/2 tsp ginger. Stir in the chicken until evenly coated.

2.In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil and the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1/2 tsp ginger. Stir in the honey and vinegar.

3.Heat a wok or large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Carefully add half of the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook, turning once, until the meat is no longer pink. about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil and chicken.

4.Discard the excess oil from the wok (about 1/2 tbsp). Add the scallions and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the sesame oil mixture. Return chicken to the pan and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick and the chicken is cooked through, 1-2 minutes. Serve with the rice.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!

California Pasta with Artichokes and Almond-Citrus Pesto

This past month our supper club theme was "California" cooking.  The host couple, which wasn't us usually makes the protein. In my search for a recipe to make I found all kinds of good "main dish" recipes....fish tacos, cioppino, grilled pizza.  Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding a side dish.  After many internet searches I finally narrowed it down to a California Cobb Salad and then I found this recipe.  It has California right in the name and used lots of ingredients from California.  I should have stuck with the salad!  I just wasn't a fan of this dish.  I think a large part was due to the fact that this pesto was made from parsley and I'm not a parsley fan.  As my husband commented, "Well, if you don't like parsley why did you pick this recipe?"  I told him that I like pesto and I thought that the parsley flavor wouldn't be so strong mixed with the other ingredients.  I was wrong though.  The parsley flavor was pretty strong.  Note to self, do not make any more dishes, especially pesto, that calls for this much parsley!  If you're a fan of parsley though this may be right up your alley!  My husband ate all the leftovers and the kids surprisingly ate some....so you never know!

California Pasta with Artichokes and Almond-Citrus Pesto
recipe from The Rachael Ray Show, April 30, 2008

This recipe is dedicated to Maria Shriver. I wrote it in honor of her visit to our show. It highlights many ingredients that California is the proud producer of: artichokes, citrus, almonds, olive oil, garlic and of course, fine wine.


Ingredients:
2 leeks
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 10 ounce box frozen quartered artichoke hearts, defrosted or 1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
Salt and pepper
1 pound fettuccine
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 cup flat-leaf parsley tops
3 tablespoons (a small handful) slivered or blanched almonds, toasted
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
1/3 cup (a rounded generous handful) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions:
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil for the pasta.


Trim off the root ends and top four inches of the leeks. Cut them in half lengthwise then into slices 1/4-inch thick. Wash them vigorously, separating the layers to free grit in either a colander under cold running water or in large bowl of cold water. Drain and pat dry.

Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and artichokes, sauté 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Salt the boiling pasta water and drop in fettuccine.

Place zest, parsley, almonds, garlic and cheese in food processor and season with salt and pepper. Turn processor on and stream in 1/4 cup EVOO until it combines into a thick pesto sauce.

Add wine to the leeks and artichokes, and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the pesto sauce and a ladleful of starchy cooking water. Drain pasta and add to skillet. Toss pasta with sauce to coat evenly. Serve with Orange and Arugula Salad with Marmalade Dressing alongside and pass more cheese at the table for topping.

Family Rating: So-so.

Meatless Monday: Macaroni n Cheese Pancakes

Wednesdays in our house are pretty busy.  The kids are at two different camps and then after camp my daughter has gymnastics class.  Last Wednesday there was a special reptile show at the library that I had signed us up to go to at 7 p.m.  I knew that we'd be really crunched for time between coming home from gymnastics and getting ready for the show.  My daughter was home with me last Wednesday so I ended up making these pancakes for us for lunch and then they were already made for dinner for my son.  The kids loved these, but really, how couldn't they?  Pancakes plus mac & cheese?!!  Those are two of their favorite foods!  They ate these up and also had them for breakfast a couple of days too.  While this isn't "gourmet" food, it's nice every once in awhile knowing that I'm making a meal that I know the kids will enjoy!

Mac n Cheese Pancakes
recipe from Every Day With Rachael Ray April, 2012

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 1/3 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 1/2 cups cooked macaroni (1 1/4 cups dried), preferably elbows, drained and cooled
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar
Maple syrup, for serving

Directions:
1.In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

2.In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and butter. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined (the batter will be a bit lumpy). Using a spoon, fold in the macaroni and cheddar.

3.Preheat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and lightly grease. Using a 1/4-cup measure and working in batches of 4, scoop the batter onto the griddle to make pancakes. Cook until the undersides are golden-brown and bubbles start to form on the top, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden-brown, 3 to 4 minutes. repeat with the remaining pancake batter. Serve with maple syrup.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Penne with Turkey and Broccoli Rabe

I love pasta.  Although I've never made home-made pasta before, I usually cook some type of pasta dish at least once a week.  The kids love pasta as well so I try to make kid-friendly pasta dishes that I hope they'll eat.  This recipe looked good and was easy to make.  Notice how I said it "looked" good.  Both my husband and I commented that it just didn't do it for us with the ground turkey.  We're used to eating a similar dish with sausage.  And we realized that it definitely tastes better with sausage too!  Every bite we took we were expecting a sausage taste but instead we had bland ground turkey.  The parmesan cheese helped to flavor it up but this was not a favorite dish of ours.  The kids enjoyed it though and I'm always happy when I make a dinner that they eat and like!

Penne with Turkey and Broccoli Rabe
Recipe adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray, April 2012

Ingredients:
3/4 pound penne
1/4 cup EVOO
1 bunch broccoli rabe
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
grated parmesan for topping (optional)

Directions:
1.In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne until al dente, 11 to 13 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add 2 tbsp. EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli rabe and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tbsp. water, cover and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3.Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining EVOO and the onion and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Push the onion to the side of the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and crumble in the turkey; season. Cook, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

4.Add the pasta, broccoli rabe and three-quarters of the reserved pasta water to the turkey; toss well. Add the remaining pasta water if needed to thin the sauce.

Family Rating: So-so.

Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Peanut Sauce

I think I've mentioned before that I really like meatballs.  I actually haven't made them in awhile though.  I saw this recipe and I liked that it used ground chicken instead of ground beef and that it had Asian flavors to it.  I think these were meant to be appetizer meatballs but I just rolled them a little larger to use as a main course.  They were super easy and quick to make.  They were also really tasty.....yes the kids liked these!  We all enjoyed the sweet peanut sauce.  I served these with rice, as seen below, steamed edamame, and some store-bought egg rolls.  This was a great Asian-inspired meal.

Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Peanut Sauce
from Every Day With Rachael Ray, June 2011

Ingredients:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated onion
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons sesame oil
Chopped peanuts, for garnish

Directions:
Mix chicken, cilantro, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, salt and pepper; roll into 1-tablespoon balls. In medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook through, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients (except peanuts) and warm in microwave. Toss meatballs with half of sauce and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve on toothpicks with remaining sauce for dipping.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

The Weekend Chef: Memphis-Style Baby Back Ribs

Happy Father's Day!  I hope everyone is enjoying this day with their families.  We will be enjoying a bbq with one of my daughter's school friend's and her family and then having some family over for our own little bbq. 

In honor of Father's Day, I thought that I'd post a "manly" dish.  I had a rack of ribs in the freezer that I had been wanting my husband to make for awhile.  I had thought he'd grill them but he wanted to slow cook them in the oven.  What's nice about slow cooking them in the oven was that after the initial preparation, he was free to do other things.....like powerwash our shed, mow the lawn, etc.  We don't eat ribs very often, so these were a tasty treat.  We ended up having a spur-of-the-moment bbq with our neighbors that included hotdogs, grilled corn-on-the-cob, these ribs, cole slaw, baked beans, and sauteed zucchini.  The sauce was a little spicy, which my daughter didn't enjoy.  But everyone else thought that these were great. 

Memphis-Style Baby Back Ribs
Every Day With Rachael Ray, Ocotber 2008

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
2 racks pork baby back ribs (about 5 pounds total)
2 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
1/2 onion, finely chopped
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 275 degrees . In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Run a paring knife down the length of the bone side of each rack to split the skin, then season all over with the rub.

2.Arrange the ribs, meaty side down, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast, turning halfway through, until very tender, about 3 hours.

3.Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the tomato sauce, onion, vinegar, brown sugar and hot sauce to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the racks into individual ribs and serve with the sauce on the side.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumb up.

Meatless Monday: Dutch Baby Pancake with Sauteed Peaches

Breakfast for dinner is always a hit at our house.  I hadn't made pancakes, particularly, a Dutch Baby Pancake, in awhile.  With peaches being on sale this past week, I thought this sounded like a great meal.  It was super quick and easy to make. I served it with breakfast sausage and yogurt. The kids LOVED it and would have eaten more if I let them (they already had seconds but I had to save some for daddy!). 

Dutch Baby Pancake with Sauteed Peaches
from Every Day with Rachael Ray, August 2010

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole milk
3 eggs, at room temperature
4 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 large peaches – peeled, pitted and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:
1. Place a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet in the bottom third of the oven and pre-heat to 425°F.

2. In a small glass measuring cup, heat the milk in the mircowave for 30 seconds at full power. Using a blender, mix the milk, eggs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the salt briefly at low speed until combined. Add the flour and blend until just incorporated.

3. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the hot skillet to melt, then pour in the batter. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the pancake is puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium size skillet, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons each granulated sugar and butter, the peaches and lemon juice and cook over medium-high heat until the juices are syrupy, about 5 minutes; remove from the heat. Dust the hot pancake immediately with the confectioners' sugar, cut into four wedges and serve with the warm peaches.

Family Rating:  2 thumbs up!

Masala Meatballs

I love Indian Food.  My favorite thing to do is to go to the lunch buffet because then I'm not limited to one dish.  I can sample all kinds of dishes and try new things that I probably wouldn't order if going out for dinner.  I think I've mentioned that I really like meatballs and meatloaf and am always looking for new variations on the dishes.  I thought this "Indian" take on meatballs was different.  They were really easy to make and quick to cook.  I served them over pasta with the sauce.  My husband thought that they were tasty, but the kids and I weren't big fans.  To me they were okay, but nothing I'd rave about.  Luckily, there are many more recipes out there waiting to be tried!

Masala Meatballs
Recipe slightly adapted from EveryDay With Rachael Ray, Jan./Feb. 2012

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/4 pounds ground chicken
2 eggs
Salt
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 cups marinara
10 ounces spinach

Directions:
Mix first 5 ingredients with 1/4 tsp. salt. Heat EVOO in skillet over medium. Brown tbsp.-size meatballs in skillet. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover; simmer 7 minutes.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

Sausage, Peppers, and Onion Hash Hoagies

My kids love sausage and I'm always up for a sausage and pepper roll.  I thought this sounded interesting with the addition of potatoes.  Who doesn't love extra carbs?!!  I ended up omitting the cayenne pepper to make it kid friendly.  Most of the time in making this recipe was peeling and boiling the potatoes.  It's a step that you can probaby do the night/day before to make this a quick weeknight dinner.  Although it was tasty, it really doesn't need the potatoes.  I of course don't mind the extra carbs, but it really seemed a bit much with the roll! 

Sausage, Peppers, and Onion Hash Hoagies
EveryDay With Rachael Ray, October 2011

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 pound bulk sweet italian sausage
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, boiled and sliced
Salt and pepper
4 hoagie rolls, split

Directions:
Heat EVOO in large skillet and cook sausage over medium heat until browned, about 8 minutes; transfer to paper towel. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic and cayenne in sausage drippings until soft, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and potatoes to pan and cook for 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pile onto rolls.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

BLT Mac n Cheese

Happy Easter!  Since my daughter turns six this month and we'll be hosting a big family party later in April, we are going to my parent's house to celebrate Easter. Unfortunately, being pretty new to the blogging world, I don't have any previous Easter recipes.  So, I am posting a dinner recipe from a couple of weeks ago.

 C'mon, who doesn't love mac and cheese?!!  and bacon?!  I LOVE bacon!  Recently when I made my son boxed mac and cheese (one of those days when I just couldn't think about cooking!) he told me that it was "the best dinner ever!"  But of course when I made this homemade mac and cheese with bacon he barely ate any of it....go figure!  I really am not a fan of warm tomatoes and wasn't going to add them, but I figured I might as well try them and give my kids a chance to see if they like them.....they didn't.  I also didn't make the romaine salad, so technically, my Mac n Cheese was missing thte L part.  I usually go shopping at the end of the week for the next week.  I didn't want to buy the lettuce too early and meant to go back to the store the day of making this to buy some....but I forgot.  I don't think that this dish could have been bad because bacon makes everything taste good!  I thought it was different with the addition of the cream cheese.  But it wasn't the most amazing mac and cheese I've had.  It does require a bit of prep time and then another twenty minutes of cooking, so definitely not a quick weeknight meal, but can be doable if you get home early enough and can get some other stuff done during the cook time.

BLT Mac n Cheese
EveryDay with Rachael Ray, June 2011

Yield:  4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces fusilli pasta
2 1/4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
6 ounces cream cheese
2 cups finely shredded orange cheddar cheese (about 8 oz.)
6 ounces cherry tomatoes quartered (about 1 cup)
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 small head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees . In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; drain.

2.Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until almost al dente; drain. In the same pot, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat; whisk in the turmeric and stir in the cream cheese. Stir in the cheddar cheese until melted. Add the pasta, bacon and tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the yogurt and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce and toss to coat. Serve the salad with the pasta.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

Schnitzel and Veggies

Schniztel is an Austrian dish, traditionally made with veal, that is pounded thin and then fried.  I have to say that I don't normally eat veal.  Dating back to when I was in high school and realized where veal came from I became a vegetarian.  That lasted for probably a week or two (I can't help it, I cannot give up bacon!) but nonetheless, I still don't eat veal very much.  This recipe calls for a pork tenderloin, where you slice and pound the pork into thin slices.  I was in the grocery store though and found already pounded thin pork cutlets.  It was definitely a time saver!  I posted the original recipe for the Schnitzel and Veggies.  I followed the recipe for the pork, however, I am not a big fan of fresh, cooked tomatoes.  I ended up sauteing the zucchini with some garlic and then adding a little bit of leftover canned tomato sauce.  This brought back memories of a zucchini side dish that my mom made growing up that was very similar, and which I liked a lot!  Overall, this was a quick an easy meal.  I ended up serving it with mashed potatoes, which take a little time in the prep work.  Everyone enjoyed it....except my son, as usual!

Schnitzel and Veggies
EveryDay with Rachael Ray, October 2007

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
2 large eggs
1 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 8 even pieces and pounded
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 large tomato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 250 degrees . In a wide shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan and 2 pinches each salt and pepper; set aside. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Turn each piece of pork in the crumbs to coat well, then coat with the eggs and again with the crumbs; transfer to a plate.

2.In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add 4 pork cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with 2 more tablespoons olive oil and the remaining cutlets.

3.In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

4.Serve 2 pork cutlets per person with the zucchini and lemon wedges.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Smores Stacks

My kids love pancakes.  Unfortunately, I consider homemade pancakes weekend breakfast food and normally I'm sleeping in on the weekend while my husband gets breakfast ready for the kids.  Pancakes are normally not on his breakfast menu.  So, when I make breakfast for dinner I often make pancakes or waffles. In EveryDay with Rachel Ray she has a column called To Three Cooks where three chefs create variations on a basic recipe.  Normally, I do a quick glance at the column but normally don't make anything.  All of the substitutions/swaps from the basic recipe always seemed a little annoying to me.  I'm sure I'll leave something out.  But when I saw the pancake theme in the December issue I ripped it out.  This recipe was created by one of the Senior Test Kitchen Associates.  I knew the kids would love it...I mean, who doesn't love smores?!  Of course they gobbled it down having seconds.  Honestly though, for me it was almost too sweet.  And I didn't put the chocolate sauce on that the original recipe called for!  Really, it is almost a dessert.  Yes, I gave my kids marshmallows and chocolate chips for dinner.  There was no dessert after this meal though....the meal was the dessert! 

Smores Stacks
Recipe adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, December 2011

Yield:  4 servings
Prep:  10 minutes
Cook:  15 minutes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs, separated
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, egg yolks and melted butter. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir in the mini marshmallows and chocolate chips until just combined.

2.Preheat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Gently fold the whites into the batter.

3.Grease the griddle and ladle on 1/4-cup portions of batter. Cook on 1 side until bubbles form and the pancakes are cooked around the edges, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook through, 1 minute more. Top the finished pancakes with more marshmallows.
 
Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.