Wild Rice Pilaf

 Wild Rice Pilaf

4 Tbs butter

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 cup carrot, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

Saute- then add

1 1/2 cups wild rice blend

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cup apple juice, or orange juice

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp EACH- dried oregano, rosemary, ground cumin, pepper

Bring to a boil and cook until tender

Can also add later- butternut squash (roasted) almonds,    pomegranate seeds, cranberries, feta crumbles. 

Watermelon Pico de Gallo- from the Pioneer Woman

Watermelon Pico de Gallo

Prep Time:

 15 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

 12

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 whole Small Seedless Watermelon, Diced
• 1/2 whole Red Onion, Diced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Diced
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Finely Diced
• 1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, Seeded And Finely Diced
• 2 whole Jalapeños, Seeded And Finely Diced
• 1 whole Bunch Cilantro, Chopped
• 2 whole Juice Of 1 To 2 Limes
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions

Throw all the ingredients into a large bowl and toss it together. Taste with a chip and adjust ingredients as needed.

Serve with chips or on top of grilled chicken or fish...or as a side salad!

Hummus- Allison

Hummus

1- 16 oz can Garbanzo beans
1/4 Cup bean liquid from can, reserved
1.5 Tbsp tahini
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 T lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients except for the bean liquid in a food processor. Let it run for a few minutes making it as smooth as it's going to get, and then slowly add the bean liquid

Crockpot Stove Top Stuffing- Allison

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• The recipe is very easy.
  
  1/4 Cup fresh Parsley is 4tsp of dry.
  the 12 cups of bread cubes was a 1 lb (16oz.) bag of plain bread cubes.
  4.5 Cups of chicken broth is WAY TOO MUCH. I used 3.5 and it was still too much, so eyeball it.
  
  Don't stir it after the initial mixing as well (if you can help it), or you will have bread soup.
  
  I hope you like it!!
  
  Allison
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• 
  
• 
  
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 12 cups dry bread cubes
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or as needed
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter, stirring frequently.
2. Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in enough broth to moisten, and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover.
3. Cook on High for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for 4 to 8 hours.

Footnotes

• To make the slow cooker stuffing in the oven, prepare as directed using the full amount of broth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish or other large casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• This recipe is designed for use in a standard 4 quart slow cooker. Larger slow cookers will also work.

Fresh Green Bean Casserole

I am not a huge fan of green bean casserole- but it was requested for Thanksgiving this year.  I came upon this recipe and thought I would give it a try.  It was really good and I loved how fresh it tasted, and the fact that I didn't have to use canned soup.  Its a keeper.  Due to running out of time- I just put the fried onions on top and omitted the breaded topping.  From the Brown Eyed Baker.

Fresh Green Bean Casserole

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Prep Time: 40 minutes | Bake Time: 15 minutes

For the Topping:
4 slices white bread, each slices torn into quarters
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups canned fried onions (about 6 ounces)

For the Beans and Sauce:
2 tablespoons salt
2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed, and halved
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound white button mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean and broken into ½-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups chicken broth
1½ cups heavy cream

1. For the Topping: Pulse bread, butter, salt and pepper in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with onions; set aside.

2. For the Beans and Sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add 2 tablespoons salt and beans. Cook beans until bright green and crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain beans in colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking. Spread beans on paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

3. Add butter to now-empty pot and melt over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add mushrooms, garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook until mushrooms release moisture and liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Add cream, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced to 3½ cups, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add green beans to sauce and stir until evenly coated. Arrange in an even layer in 3-quart (or 9×13-inch) baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

*Note 1: You can prep this ahead of time. Store the bread-crumb topping in an airtight container in the refrigerator and combine with the onions just before cooking. Combine the beans and cooled sauce in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To serve, remove the plastic wrap and heat the casserole in a 425-degree oven for 10 minutes, then add the topping and bake as directed.

*Note 2: This recipe can be halved and baked in a 2-quart (or 8-inch square) baking dish. If making a half batch, reduce the cooking time of the sauce in Step 3 to about 6 minutes (1¾ cups) and the baking time in Step 4 to 10 minutes.

*Note 3: If you want to go 100% homemade and eliminate the canned fried onions, you can make your own caramelized onions. Thinly slice 2 sweet onions and saute in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the onions are golden, caramelized and soft. Set aside to cool before combining with remainder of crumb topping. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

(Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, November 2006)

Baked Zucchini Fries & Wasabi Cucumber Ranch Dip

I took these zucchini fries to a ward cookout and they were a big hit.  They are reminiscent of Friday's crispy green beans.  In fact, I used a copy cat recipe of their   Creamy Cucumber Wasabi sauce to dip them in.  This is a tasty way to use up some of your garden zucchini- if you are lucky enough to have a plant. :)

Baked Zucchini Fries- adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

• 3 small zucchini (around 1 lb.)
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 packet Shake & Bake Coating Mix- I used Shake N Bake Parmesan Crusted
• salt, to taste- I would not use this and then add salt if needed later.
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 450ºF.  Trim the zucchini and cut each in half width wise. Then cut each half into 1/4 inch sticks.
2. In a bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, coating mix, and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and water together. Place flour in another bowl.
4. Coat zucchini with flour. Then place zucchini in the egg mixture followed by the parmesan cheese/coating mix.
5. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
6. Bake at 450 for 12 to 13 min. or until golden brown, rotate the baking sheet  180 degrees halfway through baking for even cooking. Serve with ranch dressing or marinara sauce for dipping.  I used the following dip.

Wasabi-Cucumber Ranch Dip
1/2 cup Hiddert Valley Ranch bottled salad dressing 
1/4 cup minced cucumber (peeled and seeded)
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon powdered wasabi
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch ground cayenne pepper


Make the dip by combining all of the ingredients in a blender on high speed until smooth. Cover and chill. The dip will thicken as it chills. 

Linguine with Bacon and Spinach

I found this recipe at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  We all loved it!  The bacon is totally optional- if you opt out- just cook your garlic and mushrooms in butter and go from there.  I also recommend adding a little more parmesan cheese- I used half a cup and it was great.   This could be a main dish or a side.
Linguine with Bacon and Spinach


*Serves 4-6
12 ounces turkey bacon, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt- or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pound linguine
4 cups baby spinach
Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling



Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently to avoid burning. Once the nuts are golden, set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the turkey bacon, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, until the turkey bacon and mushrooms are browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the chicken broth and let the mixture simmer for about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt to the water in the pot and cook the linguine until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining the noodles, reserve 1 cup of the pasta wter and set aside. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the spinach, mushroom/bacon mixture, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine, adding additional pasta water, if needed.

Serve immediately, topping the pasta with the toasted pine nuts and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Arroz Verde (Green Rice)

1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro sprigs (about 1/2 oz.)
1 cup tightly packed fresh stemmed spinach leaves (about 1-1/2 oz.)
1-1/4 cups homemade or low-salt chicken broth
1-1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups long-grain rice
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced

Put the cilantro, spinach, and broth in a blender and blend until the vegetables are puréed. Add the milk and salt and blend a bit more until well combined.

In a medium (3-qt.) heavy-based saucepan (with a good lid) over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the rice and sauté, stirring about every 30 seconds, until it just begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the contents of the blender, stir well, turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, turn the heat to very low, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir the rice carefully to avoid crushing it, cover, and cook another 5 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and let the rice steam in the covered pot for 10 minutes. Serve

Carrot- Ginger Rice

Loved this rice- we served it with homemade potstickers- but it would be great with anything Asian- Teriyaki chicken etc.

Carrot-Ginger Rice:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 cup of basmati rice- I used Jasmine rice
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 2 tsp of olive oil
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled & grated
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled & minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Dash of cayenne pepper (or more if desired)- I omitted
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
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• Combine the rice and chicken broth together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and steam for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
  
  
  While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until tender. Add the carrot, ginger, and garlic to the onions and cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice to the mixture along with the cilantro, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and dash of cayenne pepper. Stir gently so all ingredients are well combined. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Rosemary Potato Gratin

I made this for a party we hosted for Brigham's office staff in December  It was really good and so pretty sitting on a pedestal.  I served it with beef tenderloin....sooooo good.  I think if I were to make it again for people I don't know very well- I would just use the yukon potatoes.  Sweet potatoes can be scary for some people.  We all thought it was delicious.

Total: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Yield: Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

1 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrust
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove, minced
Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Unroll piecrusts on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle rosemary, pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese over 1 piecrust; top with remaining piecrust. Roll into a 13-inch circle. Press on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; fold edges under. Chill.
2. Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice Yukon gold and sweet potatoes.
3. Layer one-third each of Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, and salt in prepared crust. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice, pressing layers down slightly to fit.
4. Microwave cream and garlic in a 1-cup microwave-safe measuring cup at HIGH 45 seconds; pour over potato layers in pan. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Cover pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet.
5. Bake at 450° for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 25 minutes or until potatoes are done and crust is richly browned. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully transfer to a serving plate, and remove sides of pan. If desired, carefully slide gratin off bottom of pan using a long knife or narrow spatula. Garnish, if desired.
Southern Living, DECEMBER 2010

Yellow Rice

Yellow Rice with Corn (from Daisy Cooks) Arroz Amarillo con Maiz 1/2 cup Achiote Oil (see below) I couldn't find the ingredients for this so just used olive oil 1/2 cup Sofrito (see below) 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 1/2 cup alcaparrado or coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives 2 to 3 tablespoons salt (this is way too much. Try 2 teaspoons) 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 bay leaves 3 cups long grain white rice Homemade or canned chicken broth as needed (about 4 cups) 1. Heat the achiote oil in a heavy 4- to 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Stir in the sofrito and cook until most of the water is evaporated. Add the alcaparrado or olives, salt, cumin, pepper, bay leaves, and corn stirring to combine. When the mixture is bubbling, add the rice, stirring to coat and to fix the color to the rice. Pour in enough chicken broth to cover the rice by the width of two fingers. Bring to a boil and boil until the broth reaches the level of the rice. Stir the rice once, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, without opening the pot or stirring. Gently fluff the rice up by scooping the rice from the bottom to the top. Serve hot. Achiote Oil (From Daisy Cooks) Aceite de Achiote Annatto seeds, known as achiote in Spanish, are small irregularly shaped, deep reddish colored seeds about the size of a lentil. They grow in pods but are sold loose in jars in the spice aisle. (Or see the "Sources" section above.) Steeping annatto (achiote) seeds in hot olive oil for a few minutes will do more than give the oil a brilliant orange-gold color; it will infuse it with a nutty, delicate aroma and add a quick kick to whatever you use it in. This incredibly simple technique will become part of your repertoire, not just for the many dishes that call for it in this book, but any time you want a splash of color and a hint of annatto flavor. Makes about 1 cup 1 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons achiote (annatto) seeds Heat the oil and annatto seeds in a small skillet over medium heat just until the seeds give off a lively, steady sizzle. Don't overheat the mixture or the seeds will turn black and the oil a nasty green. Once they're sizzling away, pull the pan from the heat and let stand until the sizzling stops. Strain as much of the oil as you are going to use right away into the pan; store the rest for up to 4 days at room temperature in a jar with a tight fitting lid. In addition to using achiote oil to sauté onions, garlic and such, you can use it straight, painted onto fish and poultry headed for the grill or broiler. Sofrito (From Daisy Cooks) I made a ton of changes on this and would really like to try it the right way but the rice was still fabulous. There is no other recipe I could have chosen to open with. This is the one indispensable, universal, un-live-withoutable recipe. Having said that, it is incredibly easy to make with ingredients you can find at the supermarket. (I don't know where she shops, I couldn't find anything!) And if you can't find all the ingredients I list below see the note that follows for a very simple fix. What sofrito does is add freshness, herbal notes and zing to dishes -- you can do that with the onion, garlic, bell pepper, cilantro and tomato alone. In my house, sofrito makes its way into everything from yellow rice, black bean soup, sauce for spaghetti and meatballs to braised chicken and sautéed shrimp. Not only that, it freezes beautifully, so in about In 10 minutes you can make enough sofrito to flavor a dozen dishes. I'm telling you, this stuff does everything but make the beds. Try out your first batch of sofrtio in the recipes you'll find throughout this site, or add sofrito to some of your own favorite dishes that could use a little boost. You will change the way you cook. I guarantee it. Makes about 4 cups. If you can't find ajices dulces or culantro, don't sweat. Up the amount of cilantro to 1 ½ bunches. 2 medium Spanish onions, cut into large chunks (yellow onion) 3 to 4 Italian frying peppers or cubanelle peppers (1 bell red bell pepper with 2 slices bottles jalapeno) 16 to 20 cloves garlic, peeled 1 large bunch cilantro, washed 7 to 10 ajices dulces (see note below), optional (more cilantro and another slice of jalapeno) 4 leaves of culantro (see note below), or another handful cilantro 3 to 4 ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into large chunks Chop the onion and cubanelle or Italian peppers in the work bowl of a food processor until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients one at a time and process until smooth. The sofrito will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes beautifully. Freeze sofrito in ½ cup batches in sealable plastic bags. They come in extremely handy in a pinch. You can even add sofrito straight from the freezer to the pan in any recipe that calls for it in this book. Pantry Notes: Ajices Dulces, also known as cachucha or ajicitos are tiny sweet peppers with a hint of heat. They range in color from light to medium green and yellow to red and orange. They add freshness and an herby note to the sofrito and anything you cook. Do not mistake them for Scotch bonnet or Habanero chilies (which they look like)--those two pack a wallop when it comes to heat. If you can find ajicitos in your market, add them to sofrito. If not, up the cilantro and add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Culantro is not cilantro. It has long leaves with tapered tips and serrated edges. When it comes to flavor, culantro is like cilantro times ten. It is a nice, not essential addition to sofrito. (See Sources for both the above.)