Rosemary Ranch Kabobs

These are absolutely DELICIOUS and soooo easy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 3 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
• 5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. (I placed chicken in a Ziploc, then poured the marinade into the bag to coat chicken.) Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours. (I marinated for about 2 hours.)
2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes (I grilled them for 10), or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

*www.realmomkitchen.com

Chicken Pot Pie...So EASY!

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into approx. 1″ cubes (I used new potatoes)
• 1 pound (about 6 medium) carrots, cut into approx. 1″ pieces
• 10-12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup cognac
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• 5 cups chicken, cooked (roasted or poached) (I used a whole rotisserie chicken de-boned the last time I prepared this.)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 5 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 3 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 sheet frozen puff pasty, thawed
• 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. (If making ahead, skip this step.)
2. In a stock pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
3. Add onion, potatoes, carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
4. Add cognac, and combine.
5. Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute until combined well.
6. Add chicken stock and milk. Combine well and bring to a simmer for about 2-minutes, stirring until mixture thickens.
7. Add chicken, mushrooms, peas, parsley, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and combine well.
8. Transfer mixture to preferred serving vessel. Or if preparing ahead, let cool and refrigerate to re-heat later.
9. When ready to bake, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of water.
10. Cut thawed puff pasty 1″ larger in diameter than the chosen serving dish/vessel, and cut out a 1/2-1″ hole in center for venting.
11. Center cut puff pastry over dish and crimp down around edge of dish to seal.
12. Brush top of pastry with egg wash.
13. Bake in 425°F oven on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then cover lightly with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Number of servings (yield): 8

*www.shewearsmanyhats.com

Sausage and Rice Stuffed Peppers

This recipe serves 8, so I halved the recipe, BUT I only used two peppers and then devoured the remaining mixture for the peppers that I didn't use.  On a side note, even two peppers was a lot for two people...just an FYI.

Also, the rice and sausage mixture can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container until needed.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (I used chicken sausage.  Turkey sausage can also be used.)
• 1 zucchini, diced small (I used mushrooms.  Yum.)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 ounce Parmesan, grated (1/4 cup)
• 4 cups cooked long-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (I used Italian breadcrumbs.)
• 4 large bell peppers (any color), halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed (I used one yellow and one orange.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon oil to skillet along with zucchini (mushroom), onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
2. Add zucchini (mushroom) mixture to bowl with sausage, along with Parmesan, rice, and 1 teaspoon oil; stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and 1/2 teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with oil and arrange bell peppers, cut side up, on sheet. Divide rice mixture among peppers and top with breadcrumbs. Bake until breadcrumbs are browned and peppers are tender, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.                                
    

*Everyday Food Magazine, September

S'mores Treats

 Ingredients

• 1 (10.5 oz.) bag mini mashmallows, plus 1 c. mini marshmallows
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1 (12 oz.) box golden grahams, or 8 cups
• 2 (1.55 oz.) bars milk chocolate, chopped and frozen, or 2/3 cup frozen milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a large sauce pan, melt butter and 10.5 oz. bag of marshmallows over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. Stir the golden graham cereal into the marshmallow mixture until cereal is well coated.
3. Stir in the additional 1 cup of mini marshmallows and frozen milk chocolate until well distributed.
4. Pour and press the mixture into a sprayed 11x7 or 9 x13 inch dish. Allow to cool and cut into bars. 
  

www.realmomkitchen.com

Spicy Tuna Melt

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (6 ounces each) solid light tuna packed in water, drained and broken into pieces
• 3/4 cup (5 1/2 ounces) salsa
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 baguette
• 4 1/2 ounces pepper Jack cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Directions:

Heat LOW broiler, with rack in top position.  (OR...I had my broiler set on HIGH and kept rack in center position.  If broiler is too hot and rack is too high, the bread will burn and tuna won't be hot enough.)  In a medium bowl, mix together tuna, salsa, and mayonnaise; season with salt and pepper. Cut baguette in half lengthwise and place, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with tuna mixture and pepper Jack cheese, and broil until cheese melts and begins to turn golden, 5 minutes. To serve, cut into pieces and sprinkle with parsley.

Everyday Food Magazine, September 2011

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1 pkg. spice cake mix

1 cup sour cream

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

1/4 cup oil

3 eggs

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

BEAT first 5 ingredients with mixer until well blended; spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

BAKE 20 to 22 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove from pans. Cool completely.

BEAT cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in cinnamon. Spread over cupcakes.

www.kraftrecipes.com

Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 whole Onions
• 6 whole Carrots (Up To 8 Carrots)
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Red Wine (optional, You Can Use Beef Broth Instead)
• 2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste
• 3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste

Directions:

First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split).

Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up.

When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Put the lid on, then roast in a 275F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad with Candied Pecans

Can you love TWO things more than a friend?

Ohmygosh, delish...

Dressing:
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. coarse-grain mustard (like Creole mustard)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 c. minced onion
1/3 c. olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except for the olive oil in the jar of your blender and blend until smooth. Add the olive oil in a a steady stream until completely blended. Add black pepper to taste and refrigerate until you’re ready to drizzle onto the salad.

Salad:

1 head Romaine lettuce (2 two heads of Romaine hearts)
3 pears, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 avocado, pitted and diced
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. chopped pecans
4-5 ounces crumbled Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese

Spray a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a small non-stick skillet (if possible), stir the nuts and sugar constantly over medium heat until the sugar melts and the nuts are evenly coated in the sugar syrup. Spread the nuts over the prepared sheet of foil or parchment and let them cool completely.

While the nuts are cooling, toss together the chopped lettuce and diced pears and avocado. Add the crumbled cheese and candied nuts, then drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. If serving as a meal, you can add grilled chicken. Makes 4-6 main dish servings or 8-10 side dish servings.

www.ourbestbites.com