Amatriciana Sauce

This is easy enough to be a go-to dinner, but tasty enough for company. I first had Amatriciana sauce in Murano, Italy and knew that I had to find a recipe so that I could relive the experience back home. Giada came to the rescue with this delicious and easy sauce.

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

8. oz. pancetta, diced

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes

1 28 oz can of tomato puree, or crushed tomatoes

1/2 t. sea salt (or just salt if you don't have sea salt)

1/2 t. ground black pepper

1/2 c. Pecorino Romano cheese

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in the can of tomatoes and salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, on medium low until the sauce thickens, between 15 and 20 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

~I recommend using a long pasta for this sauce. In Italy it was served with Bucatini, but I can't find that anywhere near me. I use spaghetti or linguini.

~Serve with a salad and enjoy!

~Original recipe can be found in Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis
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Orange Pound Cake and Raspberry Jam Trifle

I love a good trifle, and this is definitely a good trifle! It takes a decent amount of work as you make your own cake, pastry cream and whipped cream, but it's worth it. I made it for my family as a Christmas dessert and I found that it could easily serve 10 people. If you plan on doing this, give yourself a couple of hours, but, again, it's worth it!

Ingredients:

1 orange pound cake (recipe follows)

1 jar of seedless raspberry jam

2 half-pints of fresh raspberries

Orange pastry cream (recipe follows)

1 c. cold heavy cream

2 T. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla extract

How:

Cut the pund cake into slices and spread each slice on one side with raspberry jam. Set aside.

Place a layer of cake, jam side up, in the bottom of a trifle bowl or a 2.5-3 quart serving bowl, cutting the pieces to fit. Top with a layer of raspberries and orange cream. Repeat and then end with a third layer of cake, jam side down and then raspberries.

Whip the cream in with an electric mixer using the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks. Put on top of trifle. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

ORANGE POUND CAKE

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2.5 cups sugar, divided

4 extra large eggs, room temperature

1/3 g. grated orange zest

3 c. all purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

3/4 c. orange juice, divided

3/4 c. buttermilk, room temperature

1 t. vanilla extract

Preheat to 350. Grease and flour to 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 loaf pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper

Cream the butter and 2 c. of the sugar with an electric mixer with the paddle for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. On medium speed, beat in eggs one at a time and the orange zest.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 1/4 c. of the orange juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake between 45 minutes and an hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cook the remaining 1/2 c. of sugar with the 1/2 c. of orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Remove them from the pans and put them on a cooling rack over a baking tray. Spoon the orange syrup over the cakes and allow the cakes to cool.

Enjoy one cake, and save the other for the trifle.

ORANGE PASTRY CREAM

1.5 c. milk

1 t. orange zest

5 extra large egg yolks, room temperature

1/2 c. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 t. Grand Marnier or Triple Sec

1 T. unsalted butter

1 T. heavy cream

Combine the milk and orange zest in a medium saucepan over medium and bring almost to a boil, then remove from heat.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed in an electric mixer with the paddle until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, sprinkle on the cornstarch. Beat on medium-low until combined, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

With the mixer on low speed, pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture back into the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes. KEEP STIRRING! When it starts to look thick on the bottom of your stirring utensil keep going a little longer until the mixture itself is actually thicker.

Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec, butter and heavy cream. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold.

~Original recipe can be found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/raspberry-orange-trifle-recipe/index.html

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Mushroom and Feta Frittata

Ingredients:

~1 c. chopped onion

~1 T. olive oil

~1/3 of a 10 oz. package of frozen spinach, defrosted and water squeezed out

~3/4 c. chopped button mushrooms (or any other kind you like)

~3/4 c. crumbled tomato and basil feta

~1/2 mozzarella cheese, shredded

~7 eggs, beaten

How:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x9 casserole dish, or a 7x11 casserole dish On the stove in a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add onion and cook until soft. Add mushrooms and cook 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until warmed.

Put the veggie mixture in the bottom of the casserole. Add the feta to the eggs and add to casserole. Top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes in a 9x9 or 25 minutes in the 7x11, or until eggs are set. Cool for a few minutes.

~Next time I think I'll add some sun-dried tomatoes.

~If this is dinner, add a side salad.

~Original recipe can be found at: http://www.food.com/recipe/spinach-feta-frittata-19310

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Succotash

I thought I hated lima beans and then I tried this. It comes from an unlikely source; a baby food book. We had no food in our house except for baby food, and as I was preparing this for Clare, I was overcome by how good it smelled. So I mustered up the confidence to try lima beans again, tasted it, and now I'm hooked. I doubled the recipe to serve as a family side dish.

If you make this for baby food, you can serve it to babies 10 months and up as finger food, or mashed up. If food allergies run in your family, you may want to delay introducing corn until your baby is 1 year old.

Ingredients:

1 T. unsalted butter

1 c. frozen lima beans, defrosted

1 c. frozen corn, defrosted

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. paprika

1/2 c. chicken broth

How:

In a saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add beans, corn, salt and paprika and saute for about 3 minutes. Then add the chicken broth, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until beans and corn are tender.

Enjoy!

~original recipe from Cooking for Baby: Wholesome, Homemade, Delicious foods for 6 to 18 months by Lisa Barnes
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Pork Chops with Onions and Apples

My husband had no idea that people regularly pair pork with applesauce. I didn't want to introduce him to the flavor combo with a plain chop and a bowl of applesauce (although I make some good applesauce) so I searched for and found this recipe. I made a couple of changes and, while I haven't had the recipe exactly as originally printed, I think it's delicious. And so does my husband.

Ingredients:

4 (3/4 inch) thick bone-in pork chops-lightly dipped in flour

2 T. vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1 c. apple juice

2 T. brown sugar, divided

1 t. salt

1/4 t. dried rosemary, crumbled

1/4 t. dried thyme

1 T. cornstarch

1 T. cold water

1 large apple (I used a fuji), sliced

1/2 of a medium sized onion, cut into slices

2 T. butter

How:

In a large skillet, brown lightly floured chops in oil. Add the juice, 1 T. brown sugar, salt, rosemary and thyme. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes or until meat juices run clear. Combine the cornstarch and water until smooth and add to the skillet. Boil. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until thickened.

In another skillet, cook the apples, onion, butter and 1 T. brown sugar over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Serve over pork chops.

~I think this would be good with rice, as it makes a decent amount of sauce. We also had a simple side salad.

~Original recipe can be found here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apple-Glazed-Pork-Chops-2/Detail.aspx

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The incomparable peanut butter kiss cookies!

It was a shock to me that I became known for these cookies where I used to work. It would go "oh wow, you're a great baker! You make those peanut butter cookies with the kisses right?". I would dumbfoundedly respond that yes I do make those, but think to myself, "who doesn't?". Therefore, I decided that this recipe was worthy of a post.

Ingredients:

1 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. creamy peanut butter

1 c. sugar

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 t. vanilla

3 c. flour

2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 9oz. packages milk chocolate candy kisses (unwrapped)

extra sugar for rolling

How:

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside. In an electric mixing bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter on medium. Gradually add the sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well in between. Add vanilla. Add the dry ingredients mixture gradually.

Shape the dough into 1 inch balls (you'll want to stick to this size so that you maintain a good ration of dough to chocolate later on). Roll each dough ball in the extra sugar to coat. Place the dough balls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and press a kiss into the top of each cookie and return to the oven for 2 more minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

~Adapted from a recipe on food.com by MizzNezz. See title link for original recipe.

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Snickerdoodles

My good friend Shannon told me one day how much she liked snickerdoodles and I had to think if I had ever had one. I went to my stack of baking books and found what seemed to be the most promising. Lots of butter and the name "Martha Stewart" made these the clear winners. By the way, Shannon approves.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c. all purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 c. plus 2 T. sugar

2 large eggs

2 t. ground cinnamon

How:

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Cream butter and 1 1/2 c. sugar on medium until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in flour mixture.

Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 T. sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 20 1 3/4 inch balls (the photo shows cookies rolled into 1 inch balls). Roll in cinnamon sugar. Space 3 inches apart on baking sheets(crucial as they spread a lot) lined with parchment paper (if you don't have parchment paper, just spray your sheets with non-stick baking spray).

Bake cookies, until slightly firmed at the edges 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

The cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temp for up to three days.

~ Original recipe from Martha Stewart's Cookies

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Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Every year my mother asked my brother and me which cookie we wanted for Christmas, and every year she got the same answer. Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies. Simply put, in my opinion, these are the best cookies out there.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. cocoa

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 t. vanilla

1 10 oz. jar maraschino cherries, halved, reserving juice

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate pieces

1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk

How:

In a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk. Heat till chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 T. of the cherry juice. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and soda. Cream butter and sugar in mixer on low. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Gradually add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and beat until blended.

Shape in to 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make an indent in each with your thumb. Place 1 cherry half in the center of each cookie and then spoon 1 tsp of the frosting over each cookie. If the frosting has hardened, turn your burner back on low for about 1 minute and it should soften right up.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen

~ You can thin the chocolate with extra cherry juice.

~I've never seen this recipe printed anywhere, although my mother tells me that it originally comes from Better Homes and Gardens, sometime in the early 1980s.

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Cherry Garcia and Kit-Kat ice creams

I love making ice cream at home. It's easy and super delicious. My lovely sister-in-law gave me one of my favorite gifts ever when she got me my Cuisinart ice cream maker AND an extra bowl! Therefore, I can make two flavors in one day, which I did.

Cherry Garcia

1/4 c. shaved plain chocolate (I used Ghiradelli 60% dark)

1/4 maraschino cherries, halved (original recipe calls for Bing or canned, neither of which I had)

2 large eggs

3/4 c. sugar

2 c. heavy whipping cream

1 c. milk

How:

1. Place the Shaved chocolate flakes and cherries in separate bowls. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 more minute. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend.

3. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.

4. After the ice cream stiffens (about 2 minutes before it's done), add the chocolate and the cherries, then continue freezing until the ice cream is ready.

~Adapted from Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book.

Kit Kat ice cream

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

3/4 c. sugar

2 c. heavy whipping cream

1 c. milk

4 1.6 oz Kit-Kat bars ( I used 11 fun-sized ones)

2 t. vanilla

How:

1. Cut the Kit-Kat bars into bite sized pieces and store in the refrigerator.

2. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour n the cream, milk and vanilla, and whisk to blend. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.

3. After the ice cream stiffens (about 2 minutes before it is done), add the chopped candy, then continue freezing until the ice cream is ready.

~Adapted from Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book.

Notes:

Both recipes make slightly more then 4 cups, with the Kit-Kat recipe making slightly more than the cherry one.

Please note that it is best (in my opinion) to use pasteurized eggs in these recipes as they are not cooked. Using the pasteurized eggs basically eliminates the chance of salmonella poisoning.

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Macaroni and Cheese BONANZA!

Yes my three year old asked for macaroni and cheese for his birthday.  

Yes mommy went overboard.  

Basic Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

            1/2 pound elbow macaroni

            3 tablespoons butter

            3 tablespoons flour

            1 tablespoon powdered mustard

            3 cups milk

            1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced

            1/2 teaspoon paprika

            24 ounces sharp cheddar {shredded}

                       

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes.

Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Pizza Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

SAME as Basic plus…

            1 1/2 cups pizza or spaghetti sauce

            Black olives, pepperoni, optional garnish

Directions

Spoon half the Mac n' Cheese into a large casserole dish; spoon pizza sauce around edge of dish.  Spoon remaining Mac n' Cheese into center of pizza sauce.  Garnish top with optional sliced black olives and pepperoni. Top with remaining cheese.

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

SAME as Basic plus…

            1 small onion, finely chopped

            2 stalks celery, finely chopped

            3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

            2 cloves garlic, minced

            3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's)

            2/3 cup sour cream 

            1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

            2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, add sour cream and cook until warm about 1 more minute.

Spread half of the macaroni in the large casserole dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Garnish top with blue cheese and parsley.

Chili Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

SAME as Basic plus…

            2 cups chili
            1 small can chopped green chilies

Directions

Spoon 1/2 the Mac n' Cheese into a large deep pie plate; spoon chili around edge of dish. Spoon remaining Mac n' Cheese into center of chili.  Bake for 30 minutes.   Garnish top with chilies. Top with remaining cheese.

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