Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Oatmeal choc chip cookies

This is my new favourite cookie recipe. I used to have a picture but I can't find it. You should probably thank me.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats, regular or quick
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
2 cups (1 bag) choc chips

Method:
Preheat over to 350'f.
Cover baking sheets with foil.
Blend oats until finely ground.
Combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.

In another bowl cream butter, sugars, vanilla and lemon juice.
Add eggs and beat until fluffy.

Stir flour mixture into egg mixture.
Blend well.
Add chocolate chips and mix well.
Scoop dough into balls and place on baking sheet.

Bake until lightly browned 16-18 minutes.
Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Penne alla Betsy alla Laura

This recipe is a Pioneer Woman recipe modified. It can be found on page 188 of her cookbook or here.

1 pound penne pasta
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped - 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (14.5 ounces)
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
6 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
salt
pepper

Cook penne until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat oil and butter in sauce pan.
Add onion and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent.
Add chicken stock and simmer.
Pour in tomato sauce and stir.
Reduce heat.
Pour in cream and stir.
Simmer.
Add basil and parsley. Stir.
Add cooked pasta and stir gently.
Add more broth if too thick.
Season well.
Serve.
You can add shrimp, chicken, bacon, sausage or olives. Dress it up, dress it down. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top... YUM!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Stuart's Pico

6 tomatoes
2 med. onions
~10 tomatillos
1/2 a bunch of cilantro
salt
pepper
lime juice
lemon juice

Dice and mix all vegetables.
Finely chop cilantro
Add lime and lemon juice to taste along with salt and pepper
For some heat and a nice flavour add a couple of jalapeƱos

Black Beans

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it.
Add beans, tomato juice, and salt.
Continually stir until heated through.
Just before serving, stir in the cilantro.

(**NOTE** you can add a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder.)

Bajio Sweet rice

1/2-1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 of a white onion, chopped (add more or less to your taste or use green onion)
1/2 bunch 
fresh cilantro
1 1/3 cups raw 
white rice
3 cups 
chicken broth
1/4-1/2 cup 
white sugar

Directions
Put a little oil in bottom of pan (maybe about 1/2-1 tablespoon).
Saute chopped onion until translucent. Add the chopped cilantro (no big stems) and saute a minute more.
Add the rice, cooking until it is light brown (being careful not to burn).
Combine the chicken broth and sugar, letting sugar dissolve. Then stir into rice until combined. Bring to a boil.
Cover and let cook on low, med-low until rice is done, about 25-30 minutes.

Fluff with a fork before serving.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 cup chicken broth
3 pounds potatoes, thinly sliced
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
Handful of chopped green onion

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix cream cheese, sour cream and broth in large bowl until well blended.
Add potatoes, onion, 1-3/4 cups of the cheese; stir gently to coat all ingredients.
Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake 1 hour or until casserole is heated through and potatoes are tender.

This is such a versatile recipe - add ham, different cheese etc. This recipe accompanied the sugar glazed pork below... don't trust the potato picture, it's much tastier than it looks.

Sticky, yummy, brown sugary pork roast.

Ingredients:
1 pork roast, about 5 pounds (pulled pork roast)
1 clove garlic, cut in half (a teaspoon of minced garlic)
salt and pepper

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (normal yellow mustard)
3 tablespoons balsamic or cider vinegar (normal distilled vinegar)
Preparation:

Rub pork roast all over with cut sides of the garlic; sprinkle with
salt and pepper.
Place roast on a rack in a roasting pan.
Roast at 325° for about 2 hours.

Brush with glaze (see below) 

Continue roasting for about 30 minutes longer, or until pork registers 160 to 170 degrees F. when a meat thermometer is inserted into a meaty part of the roast (not touching bone).

Brown Sugar Glaze:
Combine glaze ingredients in a saucepan; blend well.
Stir over medium-low heat until bubbly.
Set aside.

Let roast rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serves 6 to 8.

Text in bold is changes I made to the recipe. It turned out DELICIOUS.