Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

I know! I know! You've been sitting there waiting with baited breath to find out what delicious dishes I've made over the past couple of days.

Well, wait no longer.  I made Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce for my Christmas eve dinner. It's a Pioneer Woman recipe and it was FANTASTIC. It's easy and tasty! I give it 5 stars!

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce
Recipe from Pioneer Woman
Serves 4

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
• Fresh Basil, Chopped
• 1-½ pound Fettuccine

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, let it sit for a bit and then stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

Flank Steak Skewers with Chimichurri

I'm a fan of flank steak.  It gets expensive though.  Thankfully as a single person buying one flank steak really means 4 meals - give or take.

This particular meal I didn't actually have flank steak. It was TOO expensive at the store, so I used skirt steak in it's place.  Which I often do. 

This dish was super flavorful.  I particularly liked the Chimichurri sauce - even though I dressed it up more with lime juice.  I can't help it...I have to change the recipes.  I try, sometimes very hard, to stay within the boundaries of the recipes, but it's so difficult for me. 

Anyhow, this is a super easy main dish.  If I did it again, I'd ignore the skewer part. That, to me, is really about the appearance. And when it's just me...I don't so much care.

Do you know what Chimichurri sauce is?  It's from Argentina and is often used for dipping grilled meats.  I've had it a couple of times on beef, and as a dipping sauce for things like empenadas.  It's great. You'll love it.

Flank Steak Skewers with Chimichurri
Recipe from Cuisine Tonight - Grilling
Makes 8 skewers


For the Chimichurri:

• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 scallions
• 1 clove garlic (it should be a medium size)
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste

For the steak:

• 1 1/2 lb flank steak, trimmed
• 1 T each - ground cumin, and dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp each - ground coriander, salt, and black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 T fresh lime juice
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 16 cherry tomatoes (shocking, but I used mushrooms instead)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Puree parsley, cilantro, scallions, garlic and vinegar in a food processor.  With the processor running, drizzle in the oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  The consistency should be like pesto.

Slice steak against the grain into sixteen 1/4 inch thick strips; set aside.

Combine the cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl. Whisk in lime juice and vegetable oil and toss steak strips.

Place a cherry tomato on each of the 8 1 inch skewers.  Thread two steak strips on each skewer, folding strips accordion style. Spread strips along length of the skewer.  Place a cherry tomato at the end.

Grill skewers, covered, over direct heat for 2 minutes. Turn skewers and grill for 2 minutes more. (grill longer if you like your meat more well done).

Remove skewers from grill, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with chimichurri sauce on the side.

Grilled Chicken Caesar with Bacon Herb Parmesan "Croutons"

I like making salads.  I really like salads that have a lot of little viddles with them. Somehow it doesn't seem much like a salad.

This recipe is a Rachael Ray recipe out of one of her cook books.  It was good. Relatively easy...the best part was the "croutons".

This recipe does take some planning so be sure to read the entire recipe.

Grilled Chicken Caesar with Bacon Herb Parmesan "Croutons"
Recipe from Rachael Ray

Serves 4

• 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 slices bacon, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 T Fresh flat leave parsley, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 8 thin chicken breast cutlets
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 3 Romaine lettuce hearts, roughly chopped
• 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Preheat your oven to 400F. Preheat your grill at the same time.

Heat a small skillet over medium high heat with 1 T of oil.  Add the chopped bacon and cook until really crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel.  NOTE:  I bought precooked bacon and used it. It seemed to work just as well.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of the grated cheese with the chopped parsley and cooled bacon.  Mix to distribute the bacon and parsley evenly.  Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Pour the cheese mixture out onto the center of the baking sheet and with your fingers, spread out the cheese in an even and very thin layer.  Give the pan a little shake to help you even it out.  This way you will have a lacy web when the cheese melts. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 3-4 minutes, turning the pan midway through.  WATCH the cheese.  4 minutes goes fast.  NOTE:  mine took longer than 4 minutes. At 4 minutes I kept checking the cheese every 30 seconds or so.

While the cheese is baking, prepare the chicken and Caesar dressing.

In a shallow dish combine half of the chopped garlic, half of the lemon juice, salt and pepper and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  Add the chicken cutlets and toss completely coating them.  Place the chicken on the hot grill and cook on each side for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the grill.

In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining chopped garlic, remaining lemon juice, the Dijon mustard, the Worcestershire sauce and lots of freshly ground pepper.  Whisk in about 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and stir to combine. In a salad bowl combine the lettuces and the hard boiled egg (I chopped mine up). Dress with the Caesar dressing.

To serve, slice the chicken into thin strips and divide among the 4 plates.  Top with the salad that's already dressed. Gingerly remove the Parmesan from the pan, pulling on the corners of the parchment paper to help lift it up and out. With your hands, crack the baked cheese into "croutons" into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Garnish the salad with the croutons and serve.

Hazelnut Crusted Chicken

Chicken gets boring for me.  So I am frequently on the search for a new recipe that will spice chicken up a bit.

I tried making Nutella fudge this past weekend - what a disaster - and so had some left over hazelnuts.  Stumbled onto this recipe in my brandy snifter of recipes. 

It was good. I couldn't be bothered with the Gorgonzola sauce, so I just had the chicken.  It was tasty. I'm not very good at sauteing a chicken in a skillet and then plopping it in the oven.  I usually burn said chicken. And this time was no different. My hazelnuts, we could say, were very toasted.

If you like hazelnuts you'll like this.  It adds a nice, yet flavorful crust to the chicken. And what the heck, step out some and try the Gorgonzola sauce.

Hazelnut Crusted Chicken with Gorgonzola Sauce
Serves 4

• 2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 cup chopped hazelnuts, available on baking aisle
• 4 (6-ounce) pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup Gorgonzola
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, plus extra for garnish – substitute 1 teaspoon dried sage and stir into sauce, if fresh is not available

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix flour, poultry seasoning and garlic powder in a dish. Beat egg whites in a shallow plate or bowl. Place hazelnuts on a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap on a cutting board or work surface.

Preheat a nonstick skillet with oven safe handle over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Turn in flour to dust the breasts, then turn in egg whites, then press breasts into nuts on both sides. Wash hands. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan and add chicken. Brown the nuts and chicken 2 minutes on each side then transfer to the oven and finish cooking the chicken through, about 8 minutes.

In a small pot, warm milk over medium heat. Add cheese and melt it into the milk. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped sage and simmer 5 minutes.

To serve, place chicken on plates and pour a couple of spoons of the Gorgonzola sauce over the center of each piece. Garnish with chopped sage.

Puerto Rican Chicken Stew

I've never been to Puerto Rico. I've tried many of their dishes and often wonder what they taste like IN Puerto Rico.  Some day maybe.

This dish was super easy to throw together. And the bonus of it all was it was tasty.

I had a heck of a time finding Annatto.  Turns out in Redmond, Wa you can't find annatto.  I need to track down a spice store around here that might have some off the shelf spices.

I did, however, Google it and found that Goya's Sazon Flavor packets work.  I used Sazón with Coriander and Annatto.  Could I tell it added flavor? Not sure.  If I made this stew again, I'd probably forget this ingredient.

I also don't like mushy rice.  Unfortunately, I had mushy rice in this dish.  If I make it again, I'd make the rice separately then add it in the end. 

Still, it was good and flavorful and worth a try.

Puerto Rican Chicken Stew
Serves 6

• 4 cups Low sodium Chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (yah, I so didn't include this)
• 1/2 cup diced pepperoncinis (I didn't add these either. I forgot to get them).
• 1/2 cup chopped pimiento stuffed green olives
• 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 T White wine vinegar
• 1 T capers
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp annatto (I used one packet of the Goya seasoning
• 3 lbs bone in chicken thighs, skin removed (yah, so don't like dark meat. did chicken breasts and they stayed quite moist)
• 1/2 cup long grain white rice

Combine broth through everything in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook until chicken is tender - 3.5 to 4.5 hours. 

Stir in rice. Cover; cook until rice is tender, on low heat setting for 20-30 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Nutella Fudge

It shouldn't be surprising to anyone who reads this blog that I made Nutella fudge this year. Nutella seems to be my flavor of choice for the last several months.  It's delicious. 

The work team went to lunch on Friday and we had a little cup of goodness, Nutella and espresso.  Oh my goodness it was good.  So that got me thinking I needed to make some Nutella fudge. 

Which turned out more like a big brick of Nutella and hazelnuts.  It was rock hard! I have no idea what, exactly, went wrong with it.  I'm determined to make this fudge correctly. I'm sure it will be good. The brick was good, just more like hard candy.  And yes, I used a candy thermometer and yes, I boiled the sugar etc to soft ball.  That was my first thought was maybe I cooked it too long. 

Anyhow, here's the recipe. Enjoy! And good luck. If you make it, can you let me know if it turns out okay?

Nutella Fudge

• 3 cups sugar
• 1/2 stick real butter
• 5 oz. can evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 13 oz. jar of Nutella Chocolate hazelnut spread
• 2- 1.55 oz. Hershey's milk chocolate bars, broken
• 1 cup roasted chopped hazelnuts (pecans or walnuts may be substituted)

Take a9" x 9" pan, lined with parchment paper (you can use foil and butter if you want)

Combine sugar, butter, salt, and milk in heavy 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for about 4 or 5 minutes or until candy reaches 240 degrees F.

Remove from heat. Stir in broken chocolate, Nutella Spread, and chopped toasted nuts. Stir for a couple minutes until the candy is smooth and creamy.

Spread in prepared 9" x 9" pan. Cool and cut into 1" squares.

Note: If you read the recipe correctly you'll see the ingredients calls for vanilla - yet the directions don't.  I put the vanilla in when I put in the Nutella chocolate and nuts.

Good luck!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

I love chocolate covered cherries.  Its a tradition that I get them every year from my folks.  I could, right now, sit down and eat a good portion of a box. I'd feel sicker than sick, but I'd do it.

When I found these cookies I knew I had to try them.  KNEW it. And let me tell you, they do not disappoint. We have a cookie exchange tomorrow at work...I hope everyone likes them. If not, more for me.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen...depends on how big you make the cookies.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).


2.Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and stir until smooth. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls about the size of a walnut (larger if desired). Place on ungreased

3.Drain cherries and reserve juice. Place a cherry in indentation of each cookie ball.

4.In a saucepan, heat condensed milk and chocolate chips until chips are melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of mixture over each cherry and spread to cover cherry. (More cherry juice may be added to keep frosting of spreading consistency.)

5.Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Side Note:  I didn't like adding the chocolate on top of the cherrie before cookie.  I did a batch where I did that, but the chocolate just melted away.  So I added an extra dallop after they cooled.  The second batch I didn't add any and added a dallop as soon as I took them out of the oven. Those turned out the best.

Lacquered Short Ribs with Spicy Ginger Sauce

I have a confession.  I've never EVER made short ribs.  I know. Weird considering I'm a cook...but I've never felt like it was something I could do successfully (my dad is Rib Master in our family - all ribs) that I've just not done it.

I secretly collect recipes for ribs though thinking, maybe, one day I'll be brave.

Last night I was brave.

Blueberry came over to do some Christmas stuff and I decided yesterday was the day.  I dusted off the crock pot, again, and put this recipe to work.

Can I just say....Blueberry and I just sat for the first several bits and made sounds like "mmmm", "oh yum" and "OMG these are good..."  We talked with our mouths opened and we were in heaven with these ribs. 

So go out there, buy some beef short ribs and make this recipe.

One side note, it calls for 1/4 cup Sriracha sauce - that was a bit too much for me. It was spicy. I'd cut that in half the next time I make this. And I will make this again.

The size of the short ribs will determine how long they need to cook. Served with steamed rice or stir-fried noodles, this dish makes a fabulous dinner entrée.

Lacquered Short Ribs with Spicy Ginger Sauce
Makes: 4 servings

Total time: Preparation time: 30 minutes, Cook time: 4-6 hours (high heat) 7-9 hours (low heat)

FOR THE SHORT RIBS—

• 3 lb. beef short ribs, trimmed and seasoned with salt and black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

FOR THE SPICY GINGER SAUCE—

• 1⁄2 cup chopped scallions
• 1⁄4 cup minced fresh ginger
• 1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup Sriracha sauce
• 1⁄4 cup molasses
• 1⁄4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. fennel seed
• 1⁄4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Brown ribs in oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat about 10 minutes, working in batches if necessary.

Transfer browned ribs to a 4- to 6-qt. slow cooker.

Combine scallions, ginger, brown sugar, vinegar, Sriracha, molasses, hoisin sauce, lime juice, fennel seed, and pepper flakes for the spicy ginger sauce in a measuring cup with a pour spout. Pour sauce over ribs.

Cover slow cooker and cook ribs until tender, on high-heat setting for 4–6 hours or on low-heat setting for 7–9 hours.

Serve sauce over ribs.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

The Seattle Sister In Law was over last night for a much needed night of scrapbooking.  Each time she comes over she's a guinea pig.  She never knows what I'm going to put in front of her, but so far everything I have, she's liked and eaten.

This is a Giada De Laurentiis recipe.  Her recipes are hit or miss with me. This one hit.  The house smelled fantastic while it was baking. 

I made a few small changes and I noted them below. Enjoy

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina
Serves 4

• 1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta) - one cup didn't look like enough, so I made two cups
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes) - I think I had two breasts in mine and it was just right
• 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
• 1 clove garlic, minced - yah right. unless that clove is the size of Kansas. I used about 3 medium cloves
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice - all I had in the cabinet was the Italian diced; I think it worked well
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. 

Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. 

In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Quick Beef Bourguignonne (Beef Burgundy)

That French word has too many letters.  While I appreciate Real Simple being specific, it seems to me that if they title a recipe "quick" they should then make the title short. Just a Jenn Theory.

Anyhow...

I'm IN LOVE with this recipe.

First, I love Beef Burgundy and hate how long it takes to make a good version of it.  The other "quick" versions I've tried just doesn't have the depth of flavor an all day cook has. 

Second, this recipe has that depth of flavor.

It calls for a Campbell soup called Golden Mushroom.  In all my life I've never heard of this soup.  I thought I had memorized ALL the soup possibilities Campbell's pushes out...apparently I had not. 

This soup, I think, is what really adds the depth of flavor to this recipe.  It's going in my "to be tried real soon again" folder. 

You should most definitely try this recipe.  I made egg noodles and put it over the noodles...so glad I did.  The creamy sauce with the noodle...OMG.  Burp!

Quick Beef Bourguignonne

Recipe from Real Simple

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/4 pounds sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 10-ounce package sliced mushrooms
• 1 16-ounce package frozen pearl onions
• 2 cups red wine
• 1 10.75-ounce can Campbell’s Golden Mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

1.Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

2.Season the steak with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

3.Add the mushrooms and onions to the pan and cook until the liquid has evaporated.

4.Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, 5 to 6 minutes.

5.Stir in the soup and ¼ cup water and bring to a boil.

6.Add the steak and the juices from the bowl and simmer, 2 minutes. Divide into individual bowls and sprinkle with the parsley, if using.

Lime Marinated Flank Steak

I find it highly unlikely that I've not tried new recipes for over a month.  Then again, November went by so quickly I could barely tell you what, if anything, I did.  So if I remember any  new recipes I made in November I'll publish them.

Let's just pretend we're starting a new month with new recipes, shall we?

I've tried a lot of "lime-marinated" type marinades and they all taste about the same to me. I'm in search of a marinade that truly has a significant flavor of lime.  This one does, slightly, but not enough lime for this lime lover.

Still, you should try it. It's super easy and flank steak takes well to this type of marinade.  And yes, I fired up the grill in December. I will never understand people who think there is a "grilling season." Year round baby!

Lime Marinated Flank Steak

Recipe from Everyday Food

Serves 4

• 1/3 cup (about 4 limes) freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 scallions (about 1/3 cup), thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• Vegetable oil, for grates
• Coarse salt and ground black pepper

1.In a resealable plastic bag, combine lime juice, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and red-pepper flakes. Add steak, and seal bag (place in a dish to catch any leaks); marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, up to 1 hour.

2.Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. Remove steak from marinade, letting excess drip off (discard marinade); season with salt and black pepper. Place on grill; cover. Cook, turning once, until meat reaches desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing thinly.