I have lots of company coming! And I may love to cook but family first! So, its got to be quick. Yep, I’ll be cooking every night now until Thursday’s big meal. My plan is to put together meals that are quick and pretty much one dish … Like this 30 Minute Beef Stew. The Baked Chicken with Roasted Vegetables is another really good choice. Click on these links for the recipes. Sunday I’m putting together a new recipe combining all the good things in Chicken Cordon Bleu and Chicken Divan. Stay tuned to see the outcome. Until tomorrow!
Put this together in minutes and bake for 30. A warm dip for the holidays. Serve with sliced and toasted baguette topped with a little drizzle of olive oil. Perfect!
There are three main ingredients and a few optional ones. The idea is to keep it simple to bring the artichoke flavor through.
Dean Martin certainly created a curiosity about pasta fazool with his song “That’s Amore.” But it wasn’t until I heard a friend’s remark, he was driving around in his corvette when the rest of us were eating pasta fazool, that my curiosity was pushed enough … I needed to know. (Thanks Paulie) Simply put, this is a traditional Italian dish made with, you guessed it, pasta and beans … Originally a peasant soup usually made without meat.
Since those days I’ve tasted many versions of this soup and pretty much love them all. I’ve heard the chain, Olive Garden, has their version as well. So, I jumped on the bandwagon and created my own Pasta Fagioli.
Candied Pecans are a great addition to recipes. Or eaten alone. Make this pecan recipe no more than a week ahead for optimum freshness and store nuts at room temperature. I’ve used these nuts in my candied yams for an added touch. And these would have worked well in my Apple and Cranberry Chutney. My favorite ‘though is eating a mixed greens salad with feta and candied pecans with a balsamic vinaigrette … And toss in a few dried cranberries.
Candied Yams are included here too. No surprises in the recipe except the potatoes are baked the day before and candied the following day. Why this two step process? My oven will be stuffed during the holidays and this reduces the baking time on the day of. Of course it all can be done in the same day.
After the traditional cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving how about giving this a try for Friendsgiving. Sweet, tart and spicy apple. Too much of a change for your turkey? Try it with my Pork Chops Recipe!
I’ve never met a vegetable I didn’t like … almost never. The thing about brussels sprouts is they can be bitter. I understand there’s a new hybrid reducing bitterness but I’m sure it hasn’t found its way to my grocery store. There are a few tricks to reduce bitterness and I find caramelization the most effective. Martha Stewart, I believe, recommends doing a quick boiling method and then caramelizing. I’m always into the least amount of cookware and time involvement. Sometimes it works and sometimes no. First try to purchase the freshest brussels sprouts you can find. Pick through looking for the smallest ones. Smaller may be less bitter.
Next when you caramelize the more surface being caramelized the sweeter the outcome. So, when I heard my nephew Christian chops up his brussels sprouts before cooking and my brother saying they were amazing I agreed this not only was a delicious idea but one skillet easy too.
I have another successful recipe with brussels sprouts. I hadn’t analyzed my method of cooking them until today. When preparing Chicken Breasts with Roasted Vegetables I sometimes include yams and carrots with the brussels sprouts, and other vegetables. The sweetness of these two vegetables (yams and carrots) eliminates the bitterness. Finally, adding a bit of brown sugar to brussels sprouts while caramelizing may decrease bitterness as well.
This recipe is so simple. Few ingredients and not a lot of prep. I added the bacon and blue cheese as a garnish after visiting Christy’s Cooking Creations. She has a delicious Brussels Sprout Recipe. Check it out!
It’s no secret … I’m easily a chocoholic. And I’ve found over time good chocolate matters. If I’m taking the time to put together a chocolate dessert and investing the calories when consuming it I want the best chocolate for the recipe. I still have some candy bar favorites from the Parish’s Market days but if chalky or waxy I’m over it. Yes, candy bar ingredients have changed.
I’m in a chocolate kinda mood. And I’m looking at my chocolate dessert recipes. This one can’t be improved. Why change a good thing! But I have a cookie with a bad rap.The pictures just didn’t capture how amazing they are. I had one follower on Facebook mention in his words, looking similar to dinosaurpoop. Nope, he wasn’t a paleontologist but a CEO. Hmm, does that explain it?
Tonight this meat was served simply … with bread. The extra is going into my taquitos. And when you find out how easy all this is….
You know the diversity of this meat, tacos, burritos, tostadas, enchiladas, sandwiches, over rice or potatoes. It’s just a good recipe to know and this one is Easy.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family.
Partial to Yeast Donuts but don’t have enough time to make them? Mix these up in about 20 minutes and refrigerate overnight. Next morning roll out and let rise about 50 minutes. Cook up on your stovetop in minutes. And make a “Gingerbread Man” for the little one.
But this recipe is going to include chicken breasts. And, what I’ve done here. This is a 30 minute version of this hunter stew with little fuss.
Curious yet, about what I’ve used? Turkey! But not just turkey, lean ground Italian spiced turkey. I love turkey and sometimes find myself substituting it for chicken if I can. For me this works here but if you’re looking for something close to the actual dish … Not to worry.
