Crispy Smashed Potatoes

These are so good. The oven does most of the work and the result is this crispy potato goodness that goes well with just about any meat. Tonight I'm serving these with steaks. I can smell them now and I can't wait!

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds fingerling or other small potatoes
3 tablespoons butter/margarine
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil and season the water with salt. Boil the potatoes until they are soft about 15 minutes. Drain and lay the potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet to cool that has been lined with a silpat or sprayed with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 450. Using the flat end of a meat mallot or a drinking glass with a flat bottom, gently smash each potato flat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt the butter and olive oil in the microwave and pour a little over each potato. Bake in the oven 35 minutes, turning each potato over half way through the baking process. Bake until the potatoes are brown and crispy.

Sunday Morning Frittata

Christopher called last night, wanting to come down today to bring some of his dorm room stuff. The schoolyear must be just about over and my garage will soon become free storage for several months. I needed to throw together a quick breakfast this morning and immediately thought of frittata. A frittata is an Italian version of a baked omelet that can serve a crowd. It can be served from breakfast to dinner and you are only limited by your imagination and you frig. Here's mine.

Serves 6-8 people
2 20 oz packages of fresh sliced potatoes(you'll need a package and a half)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic,minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 7 oz package of canadian bacon, diced
3 tablespoons of minced parsley
12 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
cooking spray

Spray a 12 inch oven safe skillet with cooking spray, pour in the olive oil and heat over high heat. Preheat the oven to 400. When the pan is hot add the potatoes and spread them out into a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the potatoes begin to brown, turn them over. Sprinkle the onion, garlic, bell pepper and canadian bacon over the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add the milk to the eggs. Season with salt and pepper and whisk together. Sprinkle the cheese and parsley over the veggies. Pour the eggs over all and place in the oven. Let it bake for 15 minutes or until the eggs are set and have browned. Cut into wedges and serve.

Lemon Sandwich Cookies

My mom is as crazy for all things lemon as I am. I made these for her and me, if I'm being honest. I doubled the batch and froze the extra dough for another day.


Makes 3 dozen cookies

2 sticks of softened butter
1 cup of powdered sugar
2 cups flour
zest of 1 large lemon
juice of 1 large lemon
granulated sugar for sprinkling
creamy lemon frosting

Preheat oven 350. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high, beat the butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest until well combined. Turn the mixer on low and add the flour, until just combined. Place the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Using the sides of the plastic wrap to help you, form the dough into a disk, wrap and place in the frig for 1 hour. Cut the disk into fourths and roll each out onto a lightly floured board to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 2 inch rounds using a cookie cutter. Place on cookie sheets that have been lightly sprayed with cooking spray or lined with a silpat. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with granulated sugar. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn golden. Cool and frost the bottom of one cookie 1 teaspoon of lemon frosting and top with another cookie.

Lemon Frosting

1 8 oz brick of cream cheese softened
zest of 1 medium lemon
juice of 1/2 a medium lemon
1 cup- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Place the cream cheese into a medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix again with the mixer on low. Once all is incorporated, mix on high until smooth. Fill the cookies with frosting.

Spanish Shrimp and Orzo

I needed a quick one pot meal tonight due to a late hair appointment. There is no need to fix any sides its all right here in the one skillet. As colorful as it is satisfying this meal can make it onto the table in about 30 minutes.

Serves 6

2 pounds of shrimp, peeled and deviened
3/4 pound dry orzo pasta
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup of diced roasted red peppers
3/4 cup of frozen peas
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, minced
1 link of linguesa sausage
8-10 saffron threads
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
6 large basil leaves, torn into small pieces
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large 12 inch, oven proof skillet. Saute the sausage, onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and the roasted red peppers and up the heat to medium/high. Season with salt and pepper Add the saffron and smoked paprika, stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes begin to release their juice. Add the orzo and stir. Pour in the wine and chicken stock. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Let the liquids come up to a fast simmer. Turn off the heat and put the skillet into the oven. Let is bake for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile,toss the shrimp in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.Remove the skillet and stir in the peas. Lay the shrimp on the top in a single layer. Turn the broiler on high and return the skillet to the oven. Broil until the shrimp are pink about 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the basil leaves over all and serve.

Carrot and Cranberry Couscous

Couscous is a cooks best friend because it cooks so quickly. I prefer Israeli couscous over the traditional couscous. It is larger and looks like pearls. You can even get in a whole wheat variety as well. Kids will like this dish because the carrots and cranberries give the couscous a subtle sweetness.

Serves 3

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup Israeli couscous
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 cup minced Italian parsley leaves
1 shallot minced

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer over medium/high heat. Add all the other ingredients and stir. Lower the heat to medium/low and cover with a lid. Leave the pot undisturbed for 8 minutes. Remove the lid and stir. Cover and turn off the heat. Let the couscous stand for 2-3 minutes more. Serve

Salmon in Parchment

This had to be the easiest dinner I've ever made! It came together in a matter of minutes. It also is very low in fat because the fish and veggies are steamed inside their parchment packet. The parchment locks in the moisture so your fish will not dry out.

Serves 4

4 skinless salmon fillets
8 oz of baby spinach(1oz equals about 1 cup)
zest of 2 oranges
3 oranges peeled and sliced into rounds
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into thin strips
2 shallots, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 Lay out 4 16 inch long pieces of parchment paper. Lay about 2 cups of spinach in the center of each piece of parchment. Divide the oranges slices evenly among each parchment and lay them on top of the spinach. L

ay some of the sliced shallots and ginger on top of the orange slices. Sprinkle all with salt and pepper and drizzle a small amount of olive oil over all. Lay a piece of salmon on top of all. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay a few pieces of leftover ginger and shallots on top of the fish. Sprinkle the orange zest over the fish. Finish with a drizzle of oil over each piece of fish. Bring the long ends of each piece of parchment together and fold down about three times. Tuck the ends underneath the packet and lay it on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the other three packets. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Open the packets and transfer the contents to individual plates. Serve with carrot, cranberry couscous.

Basil Chicken with Spaghetti al Pamodoro Fresca

I'm reprising a dish I've posted before but am adding the addition of a marinated chicken breast to accompany it. I'm doing some recipe development today, seeing if this recipe has what it takes to win a cooking contest. We'll see! I'm not one to spend months working and reworking a recipe. I usually make it once or twice and then send it off on a wing and a prayer. If it wins, outstanding if it doesn't than I've just found another quick weekday meal to feed my hungry brood. Either way I've got a winner.


Serves 4
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
20 fresh basil leaves
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
7 cloves garlic
3 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 pound whole wheat thin spaghetti
1 cup pasta cooking water

Preheat the oven to 400. Place 15 basil leaves, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper into a food processor and process until you have a smooth marinade. Place the chicken breasts into a gallon sized zip-lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and rub it into the meat. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, spray a large oblong baking dish with cooking spray and place a 6 quart pasta pot filled with water over high heat to boil. Cut the tomatoes in half and place in the baking dish spreading them out into a single layer. Mince the remaining 5 cloves of garlic and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper . Toss entire contents of the baking dish with the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Place in the oven and let the tomatoes bake for 30 minutes. The tomatoes will begin to soften and brown. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Remove the chicken from the marinade and brown the chicken on both sides. This should take 6-7 minutes. The chicken will not be cooked through at this point. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Add the wine and tomato sauce. Nestle the chicken breasts down into the tomatoes and return the pan to the oven for 15 minutes more. Place enough salt into the boiling water to taste like sea water. Cook the pasta, following the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot. Remove the tomatoes and chicken from the oven. Take the chicken out of the sauce. Pour the sauce over the pasta and turn on the heat. Pour in the pasta water. Toss the pasta in the sauce and water to coat well and let the pasta absorb some of the sauce. This should take about 2 minutes. Tear the remaining basil leaves and toss into the pasta. Arrange some of the pasta onto each plate Lay the chicken breast on top. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over all and serve.

Fried Rice

This is so easy you never want to pay all that money for take-out again. This is a good dish to let kids help with. They can use kitchen scissors to cut the green onions and the carrots if you cut the carrots into strips first. You can also add cooked chicken breast or shrimp to make this a one pot meal.

Serves 6

3 cups cooked rice(I use brown basmati rice)
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 inch of fresh ginger, grated
1/3 cup of stir fry sauce or soy sauce
3 eggs beaten
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
3 green onions thinly sliced

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium/low heat. Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet and cook stirring constantly until the eggs are scrambled. Remove them to a plate and set aside. Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining oil. Turn up the heat to medium/high. Add the carrots and onions and cook stirring occasionally until the carrots begin to soften. Add the peas and continue to cook. Add the rice, water chestnuts and eggs to the skillet. Allow them to heat through. Pour in the stir fry sauce and stir to coat. Sprinkle green onions over all and serve

Glazed Chicken

This meal has several things going for it. Kids like it, you can get it on the table in 45-50 minutes, it's fairly cheap to make and it presents veggies in a kid friendly way if you make the fried rice to go

with it.

Serves 6

6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
1/2 cup orange marmilade
1/3 cup soy or ponzu sauce
1 large clove of garlic minced
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

At least one hour before cooking begins, place the chicken thighs in a large zip-lock bag. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients and pour it over the chicken pieces. Seal the bag and let the chicken marinate in the frig. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place a baking rack over the top and spray both sides of the rack with cooking spray. Lay the chicken pieces on the rack, leaving enough space around each piece to bake evenly. Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Then raise the heat to 375 and let the chicken continue to cook for 15-20 minutes more.

Bunco with the Girls

It's my turn to host bunco this month. There are usually 12 hungry teachers to feed so I'm planning on making my smokey beef tacos, stuffed poblanos, ranchero beans and guacamole with chips. Keeping with the Tex-Mex theme, I will be serving a Dulce de Leche Cake below. I like to make the shredded beef for the tacos and the cake the day before. The stuffed poblanos, the beans and the guacamole will be made tomorrow afternoon. This way I can spread out the cooking and not feel stressed to get everything made the day of.

Dulce de Leche Cake

Dolce de leche is sweetened condensed milk that is cooked in a water bath until it turns into a delicious caramel.The cake is really a Tres Leches cake with dolce de leche spread on top just before serving. The whipped egg whites give it a light and airy texture and the 3 milks give it its richness. In a word scrumptious!

makes 1 9x13 inch cake


6 eggs separated
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup half and half
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp rum (I used coconut flavored rum)
1 cup heavy cream
1 14 oz can evaporated milk
1 12 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups homemade dulce de leche(recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with baking spray. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and set aside. Beat the egg whites on high until soft peaks just begin to form. With the mixer running, add the sugar gradually until all is added and the whites form soft,glossy peaks. Switch to a paddle attachment on your mixer and with the mixer going at medium speed, add the yolks one at a time. Alternately add the flour mixture with the half and half, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Add the vanilla and rum beat again briefly until all is just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use an off-set spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, condensed milk and evaporated milk. Using the end of a wooden chop stick or table knife, poke several holes in the cake. Pour the milk mixture over the cake and set aside until the cake is cooled completely. Cover and refrigerate until the cake is well chilled and all the milk is absorbed. Spread the dolce de leche across the top of the cake just before serving.

Dolce de Leche
This delicious topping will store in your frig for several months. Try it as an ice-cream topping for vanilla bean ice-cream or on top of cheese cake. Yum!

Remove the paper from 2-4 cans of sweetened condensed milk. Place them in a large dutch oven and completely submerge them in water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to simmer and partially cover the dutch oven. Let the cans simmer in the water for 2-4 hours. I simmered mine for 3 hours. Remove them from the water bath and let them cool for 1 hour. Remove the lid and pour the contents into an air tight container. Store in the frig.

Eggplant Rollatini

If you like eggplant parmesan than this dish is for you. It has all the same flavors without all the fat from the fried eggplant. You can use it as a different veggie side or give it the starring role for a light vegetarian meal.

serves 6-8

2 medium eggplant cut thinly lengthwise
salt and pepper
1 egg
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup low-fat shredded mozarella cheese
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
homemade marinara or good quality jarred(enough to coat bottom of baking dish and cover the top)

Fill a wide sauce pot 2/3 full of water and add enough salt to taste like sea water. Bring to a boil. Add the several slices of eggplant and let them cook for 1 1/2- 2 minutes or until the slices are just

soft and pliable. Remove from the water and lay on a clean kitchen towel to drain and cool. In a small bowl mix together the ricotta, parmesan cheese, egg, salt, pepper and parsley. Spray an oblong baking dish with cooking spray and pour about 1 cup of marinara onto the bottom of the dish. Lay out 1 eggplant slice and spread a small amount of the cheese filling over entire piece of eggplant. Roll it up starting at the widest end. Lay the seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with all the remaining slices of eggplant. Cover all with the rest of the marinara. Top with parmesan cheese and the mozarella. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese has melted and just begun to brown.

Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce over English Muffins

I have posted a similar recipe before but I wanted to serve them over an English Muffin and Canadian Bacon. It turned out looking much like eggs Benedict but much lighter in taste and calories.
This dish was also quick and easy to prepare. Perfect for a busy holiday morning. I like to serve these with fresh melon and the sticky buns below.

Cook's Notes-The eggs here are minus the spinach. Chris is not a spinach lover and his plate just happened to look the prettiest.


Serves 6

6 eggs
1 jar good quality marinara sauce
3 english muffins, halved
6 slices canadian bacon
16 oz fresh spinnach, optional
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
butter or margarine
parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400. Fill a tea kettle with water and bring to a boil. Spray the insides of 6 custard cups with cooking spray. Place the cups into an oblong baking dish. Spoon 1/4 cup of marinara into each cup. Crack 1 egg into the cups over the sauce. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Fill the baking dish with hot water until it comes half way up the side of each custard cup. Place in the oven and bake 15-17 minutes. Meanwhile brown the bacon in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In another large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add as much spinach as the skillet will hold. Continuously toss the spinach until it just begins to wilt. Turn off the heat, the spinach will continue to wilt. Toast the english muffins and spread a small amount of butter or margarine over each. Place 1 muffin half on each plate, top with a slice of canadian bacon and a dollop of spinnach. Remove the egg cups from the water bath. Gently loosen the egg from the sides of the cup and slip it sauce and all over the top of the bacon and the muffin. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired.

Sticky Buns

I can't take credit for the creation of these. This is one of Ina Garten's fabulous recipes. Once you have made these you will never try them any other way. They're super simple and taste great!

Cook's Notes- My sticky buns in the picture look small because I only used 1 sheet of dough to make 12 rolls. I wanted smaller rolls.

2 sticks of softened butter
1 cup light brown sugar(divided into thirds)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 package of puff pastry, defrosted.
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup of raisins, optional

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray the cups of a 12 cup cupcake tin with baking spray. Melt half of 1 stick of butter. Roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured board to about 11 inches.
Brush each sheet with the melted butter. Sprinkle on 1/3 cup of brown sugar between to the two pieces of dough. Do the same for the cinnamon and the raisins. Roll each piece up starting on the long side. Cut each roll into 6 pieces. In a small bowl mix together the rest of the butter, brown sugar together. Fold in the pecans. Drop 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture into the bottom of each cake cup. Place 1 piece of rolled up dough on top of the butter mixture. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the buns are golden on top and firm to the touch. Let them sit for 5 minutes and carefully invert the pan onto parchment paper and place on a plate to serve.

Steamed Artichokes with Lemon, Garlic Dip

I adore artichokes and my mom served them a lot when we were kids. My first attempt at making artichokes was when I was a newlywed. The results were tragic! I didn't cook them nearly long enough and they were inedible. Fortunately for my family I mastered the veggie and they really are super easy to fix.

1 artichoke per person
2 large lemons
2 tablespoons whole pepper corns
1 large bay leaf
salt
2 whole heads of garlic
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup fat free greek yogurt
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of minced chives

Earlier in the day cut the tops off of both garlic heads. Place them side by side on a piece of foil. Drizzle olive oil over both heads, sprinkle salt onto them and enfold them into the foil. Place the foil packet into an oven heated to 375 for 45-50 minutes. Remove packet from the foil and let the garlic cool completely.
Cut the stems off the artichokes close to the bottom of the choke itself. Cut them level so that the artichoke will stand up in the pot. Place the artichokes in the pot and fill the pot about 1/3 full of water. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf and a big pinch of salt. Cut the 1 lemon in half and squeeze both halves into the water and then insert the lemon halves into the pot. Turn the heat on to high and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium/low. The water should be at a low boil. Place a lid on the pot and let artichokes cook for 45 minutes. Meanwhile make the lemon,garlic dip below.

Lemon Garlic Dip

Squeeze all the garlic cloves from each roasted head into a food processor. Add a cup of mayo and process until all the garlic is incorporated into the mayo. Scrap the mayo into a bowl and mix in the greek yogurt, zest and juice of one lemon, salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons of minced chives. Spoon into small dishes for individual dipping.

White Chocolate Cheese Cake with Strawberry Sauce

I wanted something a little different for dessert this Easter. I hadn't made a cheesecake for a while and thought white chocolate added to my cheesecake recipe would be yummy. Strawberries are in season now so a sauce made with them would really kick it up.

36 graham crackers crushed
1 1/2 sticks butter melted
16 oz sour cream
2 8 oz bricks of cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup cream
2 cups white chocolate chips(get a good quality white chocolate)
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into bottom and sides of a greased springform pan using the sides of a measuring cup.
Bake at 300 for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
In a small sauce pan, heat the white chocolate and the heavy cream over low heat. Stir continuously until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a small bowl to cool. In a mixer put sour cream and start mixing. To that add cream cheese, sugar, eggs, yolks and vanilla in that order. Mix until well blended, scrapping down the bowl. To that add the cooled white chocolate and the lemon juice. Mix until well blended. Pour into crust.
On the bottom rack of your oven, place a large rectangular cake pan. Pour a full tea kettle of boiling water into it. On the top rack, that you have moved to the middle of the oven, place the cheesecake. Lower oven temp. to 250 and bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, crack oven door for 1 minute, close door and leave cheesecake inside the warm oven for 1 more hour. Remove from oven and chill for 6 hours before serving. Garnish if desired and serve.
Note: Pan of water in the oven is a must because it creates a steamy environment that will keep your cake from cracking on the top. The cake will jiggle when you remove it from the oven but will firm up in the frig.
8-10 servings

You could easily substitute fresh raspberries and raspberry jam for the strawberries in this recipe if desired.

Strawberry Sauce
1 quart of fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced in half
1/2 cup of good quality strawberry jam
juice of one small lemon
3 teaspoons corn starch
1/4 cup cold water

Place the strawberries in a small sauce pot and mash with a potato masher. The berries will release their juice and the berries will be chunky. Turn on the heat and add the jam. Stir until the jam melts and combines with the berries. Add the lemon juice and bring to a low boil. At this point taste for sweetness. If the berries seem too tart add a spoonful of sugar if they taste too sweet add some more lemon juice. Mix the cornstarch in the cold water. Add a little at a time until the sauce has reached the desired thickness. Let the sauce come back to a boil to check for desired thickness before adding more. Spoon over the entire cheesecake and let it set up in the frig before cutting. Or you can spoon some of the sauce over each slice before serving.

Baked Penne with Chicken

This is a kicked up version of mac and cheese with chicken and veggies. You can easily double this for a large crowd or freeze the 2nd casserole for another time.

1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 cups milk
1/4 cup flour
pinch of nutmeg
2 cups shredded mozarella
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
10 oz of sliced mushrooms
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Heat a large pot of water to boiling and add enough salt to make it taste like sea water. Add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes. It will be only partially cooked at this point. Drain and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet and brown the chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper. Remove to a dish and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and saute the mushrooms, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked veggies to the chicken. In a medium sauce-pot, melt the butter or margarine over medium/high heat. Add the flour and whisk until combine. Slowly add the milk while whisking to prevent lumps. Season with salt and nutmeg. Stir unitl the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and add the cheeses and whisk until smooth, reserving a 1/4 cup of parmesan for the top of the casserole. Mix the pasta, chicken, veggies with the cheese sauce until combined. Pour the pasta mixture into the baking dish, top with reserved parmesan, and bake for 25 minutes. The top should be browned and the mixture bubbly.

It's Been A Year!

I have been blogging recipes now for a year. Wow how time flies! When I started this it never crossed my mind that I had so many recipes in me. I think the blog has now been visited by every continent except Antarctica. I suppose the scientific community has no time to research recipes.I'm re-posting my Easter recipes today. I have a few new ideas for dessert and sides this year and those will be put up tomorrow. I want to wish all who stop by my blog, a Happy Easter!
Gina

Indian Style Rice

I wanted an Indian inspired rice dish to accompany my Tandoori Chicken. Cleaning out the pantry netted a wealth of finds. Raisins and cashews are a nice compliment to the rice along with the spices.

Serves 6

1 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup lite coconut milk
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
3/4 cup cashew halves
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 a small onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced

Melt the butter or margarine in a medium sauce pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft 3-5 minutes. Add the rice and let toast about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, bay leaf, garam masala, raisins, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil reduce heat and let simmer covered. Cook time will vary from 40-50 minutes depending on the package's instructions. Meanwhile,toast the cashews in a dry skillet, stirring frequently. When they just begin to brown, turn off the heat and let them sit in the pan. The nuts will continue to brown. Turn off the heat and let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Stir in the cashews before serving.

Tandoori Chicken

There I was staring another package of chicken in the face wondering what fabulous meal could I make out of it this time. Tandoori Chicken came to mind. Now I'm not very adventurous when it comes to Indian food but I do like this dish. This recipe has an assortment of spices added to the yogurt marinade and as I began to search my very cluttered pantry for the required items. I quickly came to the realization that the pantry was due for a thorough cleaning. So that is how I am spending my first day of spring break; cleaning the pantry and making a marinade for chicken. I have the life!

Cook's Notes- Tandoori chicken is usually grilled. For this reason, I don't recommend boneless, skinless breasts or thighs. It is too easy to dry the chicken out. I have better luck with grilled chicken if I do the majority of the cooking in the oven first and then finishing on the grill.

2-3 pounds of bone-in, skin on chicken(I like to use thigh and leg quarters
1 1/2 cups fat free plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 large cloves of garlic minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoon garam masala(this is a mixture of corriander, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom and pepper)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon each of turmeric and smoked paprika
2 teaspoons salt
3-4 tablespoons cilantro leaves

Place the chicken in gallon sized zip lock bags. Place all of the other ingredients in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Pour the yogurt marinade into the bags with the chicken. Seal the bags and massage the yogurt into the chicken. Place in the frig and marinade all day. Preheat the oven to 375. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and finish on an outdoor grill heated to medium until the outside of the chicken has the desired grill marks. Remove to a plate, cover with foil and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the cilantro leaves over the chicken and serve.

Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake

I love all things lemon. When I was a kid my grandmother always made me a lemon meringue pie for my birthday. When Spring rolls around I start thinking about making something lemony. This cake is light and creamy with the tangy taste of lemons. Delish!!

4 tablespoons of softened butter
1 cup sugar
zest from 1 large lemon
3 large eggs,separated
1/3 cup meyer lemon juice
1/3 cup flour
1 cup sour cream
1/4 heaping teaspoon of cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a 1 quart oval baking dish or 6 ramekins with baking spray.
In a large bowl with a mixer beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and lemon zest and beat until well combined. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour, sour cream and lemon juice. Up the speed to medium and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again until smooth. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Fold in 1/4 of the egg whites to the lemon mixture by hand. And then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites. The batter should look light and fluffy. Transfer the batter to your prepared dish. Set the cake pan into a large baking dish. Pour in enough boiling water to cover the side of the cake pan by 1 inch. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top and the center is just set. The cake should spring back when lightly touched. Do not open the oven during the baking process. Remove from the water bath and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.