Thursday, February 23, 2006
Crockpot Jambalaya (Shrimp & Sausage)
Delicious! The recipe calls for hot sauce but I prefer the taste of cayenne. All preference!
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chopped fully cooked smoked sausage
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce
3/4 lb uncooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen
4 cups hot cooked rice, for serving
6-8 servings
Mix all ingredients except shrimp and rice in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 8 hours (or high 3 to 4 hours) or until vegetables are tender.
Stir in shrimp.
Cover and cook on low heat setting about 1 hour or until shrimp are pink and firm.
Serve jambalaya with rice.
Posted by Jen ::
1:17 PM ::
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Monday, February 13, 2006
Fantastic Fudge Brownies
This has always been my favourite brownie recipe. Chewy and rich and delicious. From the Best of Bridge.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 heaping Tbsp. cocoa
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1 cup walnuts, chopped (personally, I think that nuts defile brownies, but whatever floats you boat)
1 tsp. vanilla
Icing:
2 cups icing sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. cocoa
2 Tbsp. boiling water
2 Tbsp. vanilla
Instructions:
Cream sugar, cocoa and butter. Add beaten eggs and vanilla. Add flour and fold in walnuts. Bake in greased 9"x13" pan at 350 F. for 40 - 45 minutes. Top will appear to be underdone (falls in middle) but don't overcook.
To make icing:
Mix ingredients together with electric beater while brownies are cooking. Spread icing on top of brownies immediately after removing from oven so it will melt into a shiny glaze.
These always get gobbled up really quickly! Enjoy!
Posted by Amanda Brown ::
5:31 PM ::
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I'm Useless
Jen is putting me to shame with this recipe blog of ours (aka: hers). She has posted 20 recipes for my every one. I've got to get more on the ball. The thing is, most of my recipes are at home, and I spend the bulk of my time on the computer while at work, so I keep forgetting to post on this site.
I will get better!
Just you wait.
Posted by Amanda Brown ::
1:40 PM ::
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Thursday, February 09, 2006
Another Morning Fave- FRENCH TOAST!
2 eggs, slightly beated
1/2 c. milk
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsbp. butter
4 slices of bread
Preheat skillet to 350. Mix thoroughly eggs, milk, sugar & salt. Melt butter in skillet until bubbly. Dip bread in mixture, coating both sides. Place in skillet. Fry until golden brown. Flip.
Yields: 4 slices
Posted by Jen ::
7:24 PM ::
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Crepes
A morning favorite!
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
3 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. flour
In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, butter, baking powder and salt. Add flour blending well. Heat 8 inch skillet over med-high. Brush with shortening. Pour just enough batter into skillet to thinly cover the base. Brown about 1 minute per side.
Yields: 14- 16 mouth watering crepes
Posted by Jen ::
7:22 PM ::
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Veggie Pasta Sauce
I kind of invented this recipe. I saw Emeril make something similar but decided to "tweak" it a little. :)
1 small (or 1/2 large) eggplant, 1/2 peeled, cubed
1 small zucchini, cubed
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1/3 c. onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
S & P to taste
2 tsp. oregeno
2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. basil
Sautee onion, eggplant and zucchini in olive oil until soft. Add garlic. Pour in can of tomatoes and their juices and spices. Simmer until warm. Serve over pasta. Tastes especially yummy on something heartier like beef ravioli or tortellini.
To claify 1 small eggplant, 1/2 peeled, cubed: I usually peel two sides of the eggplant so the sauce still has the deep purple color but doesn't have the chewiness of all the peel. :)
Posted by Jen ::
7:15 PM ::
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Country Chicken Nuggets
So easy and kid friendly too!
1 c. corn flakes, crushed
1 1/2 tsp. oregeno
1 1/2 tsp. thyme
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. margarine, melted
Heat oven to 425. In small bowl, mix together corn flake crumbs, oregeno and thyme. Slice chicken into bite size pieces. Dip pieces into melted butter then coat with crumb mixture. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until fork tender and crisp. Voila!
Posted by Jen ::
7:14 PM ::
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Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Buffalo Shrimp w/ Blue Cheese Dip
At my mom's request:
For the blue cheese dip:
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream
1/3 c. crumbled blue cheese
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
For the shrimp:
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c. hot sauce
8 c. peanut or vegetable oil
1 lb. medium shrimp
2 c. all purpose flour
To prepare the blue cheese dip, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until well combined.
To prepare shrimp, combine melted butter and hot sauce in large mixing bowl and set aside. pour the oil into a large saucepan. Dredge shrimp in the flour and shake off the excess. Fry the shrimp, about 10 at a time, for 1 minute or until lightly browned. Remove the shrimp from the pan with a slotted spoon or strainer and place on paper towels to drain.
Toss the hot shrimp in the butter/hot sauce glaze, coating them completely. Serve warm with the blue cheese dipping sauce.
Isn't your mouth just watering Amanda?? Blue cheese AND shrimp. ;)
Posted by Jen ::
2:17 PM ::
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Monday, February 06, 2006
The Easiest Roast Beef Evah!
It's time to put that slow cooker to use!
2-3 pound roast
1 pack onion soup mix
1 can beef broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
The night before combine the onion soup mix, beef broth and mushroom soup in the slow cooker. Add the roast and keep in the fridge overnight. The next morning, set your slow cooker on low heat and let it cook for 8 hours.
When you come home, the aroma of roast beef will greet you. You can easily make a gravy from the juices. I usually add a package of gravy mix to the drippings then stir it up.
Serve with mashed potatoes and cooked veggies.
Nothing like a home cooked meal!
Posted by Amanda Brown ::
11:07 AM ::
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Saturday, February 04, 2006
Knuckles
As per Amanda's request. Those fluffy, delicious dumplings for soups and stews.
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. water
flour
Stir together 1 egg, salt and water. Add flour to thicken. Consistency should be a little thicker than oatmeal and a little runnier than cookie dough. Wet spoon in soup. Scoop out batter into pot. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Posted by Jen ::
6:42 PM ::
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Friday, February 03, 2006
Napa Cabbage Salad
Ok, I know I said I would be posting mainly sweet desserts on here, but this is a delicious salad that always gets rave reviews. It's from the Best of Bridge collection. Give it a try!
Ingredients:
1 large Napa cabbage(suey choy)cabbage, chopped
2 bunches green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup butter
1 cup slivered almonds
2 pkg. chicken-favoured oriental soup noodles with seasoning mix
Dressing:
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
Instructions:
Place chopped cabbage, green onions and red pepper in large salad bowl. Melt butter in frying pan and saute almonds, broken noodles and seasonings until golden. Add to cabbage mixture and toss. Shake dressing ingredients in a jar. Pour SOME over salad and toss at least 1/2 hour before serving.
NOTE: You will have extra dressing - refrigerate and use again.
Posted by Amanda Brown ::
3:16 PM ::
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Thursday, February 02, 2006
No Bake Oreo Cheese Cake
Here's the recipe Jen was drooling over this week when I brought it to our Bible study and sabatoged her Weight Watchers goals. It's so easy to make!
1 Big Package of Oreos
1/2 cup butter
1 container of cool whip
2 (8oz) packages of cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar
Directions:
Crush all of the Oreos up into bite-size pieces. Reserve 1 cup for the topping. Melt butter and mix with rest of cookies. Press into a 9x13 pan. Put in freezer for 5 minutes.
Blens 1/2 of the whipped topping with all of the cream cheese and the icing sugar. Spread over crust. Top with remaining whipped topping and sprinkle the leftover Oreos chunks on top.
Keep cake refrigerated.
Posted by Amanda Brown ::
7:27 PM ::
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Chicken Stir Fry
The best chicken stir fry I've ever had.
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
1 tbsp. soya sauce
2 tbsp. oil
3/4 lbs. boneless chicken, chopped into bite size pieces
5 cups assorted vegetables (carrots, peppers, mushrooms, onions, snow peas, etc.)
1/4 chicken soup base
1 1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. salted cashews (optional)
Combine 1 tbsp. oil, chopped garlic, soya sayce and chicken. Stir to coat. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in wok over high heat. Stir-fry carrots for 1 minute. Add remaining vegetables and 1/2 c. water. Stir fry for 3 minutes or until crisp tender. Remove to plate. Stir fry chicken in the same wok until lightly browned. Combine 1 - 1 1/2 cups water, cornstarch and soup base. Mix well. Stir into browned chicken. Reduce heaet and over. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked vegetables and cashews. Cook enough just to heat through. Serve over cooked rice.
Posted by Jen ::
4:12 PM ::
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Pesto "Fried" Chicken
Such an easy thing to do with chicken breasts. We had this for the first time this week and we all loved it! Low in fat and carbs.
1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons pesto sauce (I used Classico's Basil Pesto)
1/4 c. cornflake crumbs or bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375. Brush pesto over chicken breasts on both sides. Coat with cornflake or breadcrumbs. Bake on a non-sick cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes or until done.
Posted by Jen ::
4:09 PM ::
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Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Honoured
Greetings to all your hungry foodies out there! This is Amanda here and I just want to let you know how honoured I am to have been asked to join Jen's cooking blog. She is a whiz in the kitchen and has many great recipes to offer. When the Dalsins lived with us for the month of December I would come home from work to the delicious smells of Jen's cooking wafting through the house. She's got a gift and we reaped all the benefits.
I'll be the first to admit that I am a much simpler cook than Jen. My tastes are not nearly as adventerous and I am often found concocting a hearty casserole or chicken pot pie rather than lemon veal scallopini (or whatever the heck that gourmet dish is called).
My passion in the kitchen has always leaned more towards the baking realm...fresh cookies and cakes and breads and squares. So that is what I will be offering more often than not.
Stay tuned for many more great recipes from the Gourmet Master, Jen, and her chubby Pastry Chef, moi!
Bon appetit!
Posted by Amanda Brown ::
2:51 PM ::
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Herbed Pork Tenderloin
Always a favorite with company. Everyone I've made this for has asked for the recipe.
1 1/2 c. minced onions
2 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin
Mix the first 11 ingredients together. Rub over the pork. Bake uncovered at 400 for 45 mins. Put on a rack in shallow roasting pan. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes covered with foil before slicing.
Posted by Jen ::
1:24 PM ::
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Confetti Couscous Salad
Perfect to bring to a BBQ. Light and tasty!
1 small zucchini, shredded
1/3 c. olive oil
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 carrots, diced
1/2 c. cucumbers, diced
1 c. couscous
1/4 c. wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground corriander
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 c. cherry tomatoes, quartered
Place zucchini and couscous in heat proof bowl. Pour 1 c. boiling water over. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Whisk together all wet ingredients and spices. Pour over couscous. Add chickpeas and carrots. Toss. Tomatoes. Toss
Posted by Jen ::
12:59 PM ::
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Grilled Pineapple with Rum & Coconut Glaze
My variation of one of Emeril's recipes.
1 ripe pineapple, peeled and eyes removed, cored and cut into 3/4" rounds
1/2 c. Malibu rum
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1/4 c. orange juice
1 tbsp. lime juice
Vanilla or Coconut Ice Cream Coconut flakes
Grill pinapple until warm. In saucepan, combine the rum, sugar, orange juice and lime juice. Simmer and stirring to dissolve the sugar. Place pinapple in the mixture and heat throroughly. Place pineapple slices in seperate dishes, two per dish. Top the pineapples with a scoop of ice cream. Pour remaining rum glaze over ice cream and pineapple. Garnish with coconut flakes. Serve warm.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOD!
Posted by Jen ::
12:58 PM ::
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Maple Glazed Salmon Filets
So easy and low fat too!
1 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. crushed chilis
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. syrup
2 salmon filets
Mix together first 4 ingredients. Sprinkle fish with salt and rub with mix. Cook at 400 for 12 minutes on cookie sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with 1/2 tsp of syrup on each.
Posted by Jen ::
7:37 AM ::
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