Pressure Cooker Chicken Marsala

Can you tell my new favorite thing is my pressure cooker?! Invest in one of these things because it sure makes life a lot easier. I love the flavors in this dish! I also used the refrigerator fettucini noodles, the dish was  
so good it needed the best noodles possible!

Pressure Cooker Chicken Marsala

4-6 chicken breasts or thighs
2 cups marsala dry wine
1 cup sliced mushrooms (use fresh)
1 cup sliced yellow onion
1/2 Tblsp minced garlic
3 Tblsp flour
1 Tblsp dried basil
1 Tblsp dried oregano
1/2 cup marscapone cheese
1/2 cup paremesan cheese
1 tblsp butter
chopped parsley
1 pckge fettuccine pasta

Prepare the chicken by salt and peppering it on both sides. Poke the heck out of it with a fork as well if you like, to let the flavors really get into it.
In the main cooking pot of the pressure cooker, throw in the onions, garlic, mushrooms, butter and flour. Press the start button on the machine to turn on the heating element, or the "brown" button. Saute ingreadients for about 5 minutes. Add the dried basil and oregano. Give it a stir. Press cancel to shut off heating element.
Pour in marsala wine. Immediatly put the chicken on top everything and shut the lid and lock. Set the valve to airtight. If you wait too long, the wine will start to evaporate.
Program the pressure cooker for 15 minutes then push start and lock it.
While the chicken cooks, prepare pasta noodles by boiling some water in a pot. Drain.
When pressure cooker cycles through the full 15 minutes it will go to keep warm automatically and the light will blink. Let the pressure drop down on its own instead of releasing it manually. It will take about 5-10 minutes. Once all the pressure has dropped, turn the pressure valve to exhaust just incase and unlock lid.
Remove just the chicken to a platter. Leave mushroom and onion sauce inside pot. Add the marscapone cheese and stir the mixture until it melts into the sauce. Put the chicken back into the pot with the sauce and coat it thoroughly. Shut the lid and let it sit to keep warm.
Serve with pasta and garnish with shredded parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. EnJOY!

Apples and Onion Pork Tenderloin in Pressure Cooker

Thanks to my awesome sister in law Lisa for this wonderful recipe! The sauce this makes is so delish!

Apples and Onion Pork Tenderloin in Pressure Cooker

3-5lb pork rump or pork tenderloin
3 apples, sliced
1 whole onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 cups apple juice
1 box chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Remove any unwanted fatty pieces from the pork. Season it well with salt and pepper on both sides.
Place all the onions and apples into the cooking pot of the pressure cooker. Pour in the apple juice and broth. Place the pork directly into all the juices.
Shut the lid and turn it to lock it into place.
Program the pressure cooker for 60 minutes by pressing the pressure cook time button until the green display shows 60, then press start. Make sure the pressure valve is set to airtight.
Once it's finished, release any remaining pressure and turn to open lid. The onions and apples will pretty much melt as soon as you stir the contents. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Slice pork and serve over mashed potatoes or stuffing with some of the apple and onion sauce.
Note: You can always add your potatoes into pot before cooking if you want mashed potatoes. You can also throw in 2-3 Tablespoons of cornstarch to the juices at the beginning and mix it in before you turn it on to thicken your sauce. EnJOY!

Ranch Dip

There are two things I love the most about get togethers with my husbands family, #1 any of his mothers cooking and #2 ranch dip. So yummy!

Ranch Dip

1 packet lipton onion soup mix
1 packet buttermilk ranch mix
1 16oz container knudsens sour cream

Mix all ingredients, store in refrigerator until ready to use. Serve with your favorite chips, I use doritos or scoups corn chips. EnJOY!

Simple BBQ Chicken

Thank you Gladys White for the most awesome and easy baked chicken recipe ever! I have tried this recipe with chicken breasts as well and the thighs are just way more tender. Go for the thighs baby!

Simple BBQ Chicken

1 bottle of favorite BBQ sauce
8 chicken thighs

Preheat oven to 400. Cover chicken in your favorite BBQ sauce and bake chicken for 40-50 minutes until cooked through. Yep, it's that rediculously easy! EnJOY!

Galettes

The other day a friend and I had the most amazing day in Healdsburg CA. We visited a bakery who shared a recipe with us, which I immediatley took home and had to recreate. My husband was a skeptic at first when I told him the ingredients but soon changed his mind. Don't leave out any of the ingredients in the savory galette, especially the caramelized leeks! This dough makes the most amazing savory or sweet galettes! You can find the bakery info and more recipes from them at www.downtownbakery.net

Galette Dough:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
6oz (12 Tblsp) cold, sweet butter
1/2 cup ice cold water

Combine flour, sugar, and salt. cut in the butter until the mixture looks like cornmeal. You can use a food processor, a pastry cutter or your fingers. Stir in the ice water until the mixture just holds together. Press into a ball, flatten and wrap in plastic wrap, put in the refrigerator to relax the dough. Chill for at least 30 minutes but better at 3 hours.
Remove from refrigerator and dived the dough into 4 pieces. (If your making the savory galette then use the entire dough ball, dont cut). Press each piece into a small circle and roll into a 6inch diameter circle, 1/8inch thick. Put the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the refrigerator while preparing the filling. It is important to keep the dough chilled at all times.

Savory Galette:

Roll out entire 1 batch of dough, place on parchment paper and into fridge until ready for use.
caramelized leeks (see recipe below)
cheese of your choice, shredded (I would do a parmesan or gouda)
thinly sliced garlic, or crushed garlic
sauteed swiss chard, about 1 bunch, stems included
salt and pepper
fresh tarrogon and fresh chives
(you could also use pancetta, pears or bacon)

Place your caramelized leeks first, then your garlic, tarragon  chives, swiss chard and cheese onto your galette dough. Carefully fold edges over toppings, pleating to make it fit. Brush the edges with a touch of water or butter. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

Caramelized Leeks:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (or half butter and half olive oil)
4 large leeks (white and pale green parts only) halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices (about 5 cups)
2 Tblsp wter
1/2 tsp salt

Clean leeks well. Melt butter in large pot over medium low heat. Add leeks; stir to coat and saute until leeks are translucent.
Stir in water and salt. Cover pot and reduce heat to low. cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 25 minutes.
Uncover and cook to evaporate excess water, 5-10 minutes or longer if you want the leeks lightly browned.

Sweet Apple Galettes:

1 lb tart cooking apples (2-3 large apples)
4-5 Tblsp sugar
1 Tblsp floiur
2 Tblsp butter, melted

Peel, quarter and core apples and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Divide the fruit into 4 portions, approximately 3/4 cup per tart. Bring the galette dough from the refrigerator and put 1 tsp flour and 1 tsp sugar into the center of the dough circle, spreading to cover the circle. Put your fruit into the center of the circle, leaving approximately 1 inch uncovered dough around the edge. Put 1 Tblsp sugar and a pinch of cinnamon on top of the apples. Fold uncovered edge of the pastry dough over the apples, pleating to make it fit. Brush the edge with melted butter and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool on rack.
(You can also make a strawberry verson, just mix 1 cup strawberries with about 1/3 cup sugar and place in center and follow steps).
EnJOY!

Verjus Vinaigrette

My amazing friend took me on the most awesome "foodie day tour" for my birthday. We pretty much ate the most amazing food all day long. Part of the day of eating was this flippin awesome vinaigrette that I had to share! So go buy some verjus (non alcoholic) and you will be making this every week with your salads! Verjus is basically pressed grapes, minus the fermenting process. Its tart and a little sweet.

Verjus Vinaigrette

1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup Verjus
2 Tblsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp honey

Whisk together all ingredients and season with salt and pepper. EnJOY!

Saffron Risotto with Asparagus

My super awesome brother in law gave me some saffron the other day and I was searching for just the right recipe to use it in. So yummy! I was so nervous to make risotto but to my surprise, it's not at all difficult to make, it just takes some attention.

Saffron Risotto with Asparagus

1-2 bushels of asparagus
2 Tblsp olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
6 Tblsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 oz pancetta, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 oz)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the ends off of the asparagus and cut into smaller pieces. Place onto a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Roast for about 10-15 minutes or until softened. Set aside.
Heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5-10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted asparagus and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve. EnJOY!

Pepper Jack Pretzels

These were pretty easy to make and holy cow they are delish! They have some spice to them but you could substitute the pepper jack cheese for just jack cheese and leave out the cayenne if your not a spice fan. Also, the day after I make these if I have left overs, I slice them and make them into turkey sandwiches. Yum.

Pepper Jack Pretzels

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 1/2 Tblsp active dry yeast (2 packets)

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup for rolling out

1 tsp fine sea salt

1 Tblsp sugar

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

3/4 cup grated dry jack cheese (or manchego)

2 large eggs

3 cups grated pepper jack cheese

2 Tblsp milk

2 tsp dehydrated onion flakes

2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425. Cover 2 large baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. 

In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, combine the warm water and yeast. Stir and let sit 10 minutes, until it foams. (I always add a tsp of sugar to help it activate). 

In a food processor fitted with the plastic dough blade, pulse the flour, sea salt, sugar, cayenne, granulated garlic, and 1/2 cup of the dry jack cheese for three 5 second intervals. (I don't have a processor so I just mixed it by hand.) Add 1 egg and the yeast mixture. Pulse for three 10 second intervals, or until the dough comes together. 

Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead 10-12 times, adding more flour if sticky. cut the dough in half and set half aside.

Use a rolling pin to roll out 1 dough ball into a 12 by 17inch rectangle, about 1/8inch thick. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the pepper jack in a stip down the middle (the short way). Fold one third of the dough over the cheese and sprinkle with another 3/4 cup of the pepper jack. Fold the last third over and pinch the edges of the dough closed. Roll the dough into an 11 by 15inch rectangle. Cut the dough into nine or ten 1 1/2 by 15 inch strips. They do not have to be perfect don't worry. 

Pinch the cut edges of the strips together. Roll each strip into a cigar shape, 18 inches in length. Form each strip into a pretzel shape and place the pretzels 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.

Repeat with the second ball of dough. 

Beat the remaining egg with the milk. Brush the formed pretzels with the egg wash and then sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup dry jack, the onion flakes and the kosher salt.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, until nicely browned.

Let cool and serve warm or room temperature. Store at room temp, lightly covered. EnJOY!

Thai Chicken Wraps

Thank you Pioneer Woman for my new favorite weekday meal! Its quick and simple to make and all the flavors I love! I didnt have all the ingredients on this either and they still turned out rockin!

Thai Chicken Wraps

4  boneless/skinless chicken breasts

Marinade:
2 Tblsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tsp pure sesame oil
2 tsp hot chili oil
juice of 4 limes
2 Tblsp minced fresh ginger
4 Tblsp brown sugar
2 Tblsp cornstarch
2 Tblsp honey


In a bowl, mix together rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, hot chili oil, lime juice, ginger and brown sugar. Whisk it together, then pour off half of the liquid into a separate bowl.
Cut chicken into bite size pieces and put them into the bowl you used to make the marinade. Throw in the squeezed lime halves and set aside to marinade for about 30 minutes.
Into the small bowl with the other half of the marinade, whisk in the cornstarch and honey. Set aside.
In a heavy skillet over high heat, pouir in a small amount of poil. When its hot, add the chicken pies in  a single layer. Let it sit on one side, undisturbed, for about a minute, then stir the chicken arouind and cook until it's totally done, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, then pour in the sauce that you mixed in a sperate bowl. stir it around; the sauce will immediatly start to thicken. Cook over low heat for about 1 minute, then remove from heat and allow to cool.

Peanut sauce:

1/2 cup peanut butter
3 Tblsp soy sauce
3 Tblsp honey
1/2 tsp hot chili oil
1 tsp crushed red pepper
juice of 2 limes

Combine all peanut sauce ingredients. Add a little water if needed to thin. Set aside.

Assembly:

4-5 tortillas
cilantro leaves
carrots, peeled and julienned
cucumber, seeds scraped out and cut into strips
lettuce
peanuts, chopped

Heat your tortillas, then lay on some chicken, add lettuce leaves, carrots, cucumber, cilantro, peanut sauce and peanuts. Roll up in the tortilla tightly an dslice in half and serve. EnJOY!

Mini Carrot Cakes

This recipe is from a pampered chef recipe found on my friends website, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pampered-Chef-with-Leah/352872491500300
I just added a little extra water, you could use oil too, to make it a little easier to stir. Also, instead of only using a portion of the yellow cake mix, I used the entire package and just doubled everything. The topping I just added the entire cream cheese and added a little more sugar and whipped topping.

Mini Carrot Cakes 

9oz yellow cake mix
1/2 tsp allspice
1 egg
2 Tblsp veggie oil
2 carrots
6oz cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 container of frozen whipped topping
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray each well of a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cake mix, allspice, egg and oil in a bowl; stir ingredients until moistened. (I added 1/4 cup water to make it a little smoother, you could add extra oil too.) Mixture will be very thick.
Grate carrots. Stir in 1/4 cup of the carrots into the batter; set aside remaining carrots for garnish. Divide batter evenly into the wells using a small ice cream scoop of a tablespoon, abouit two thirds full. Bake for 11-13 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another bowl; whisk together cream cheese and sugar until smooth; fold in whipped topping. Spoon cream cheese mixture into a resealable plastic bag, set aside. Remove pan from oven and press tops of cups with a mini tart shaper or a spoon to make slight indentations. Carefully remove cups from pan and cool. Trip corner of the cream cheese filled bag with scissors; pipe filling evely into cups. Garnish with extra carrots. EnJOY!

Easy Corn Dog Muffins

These are the easiest things ever to make. They are so good too! I just served them with some fruit and my kids went nuts. Even big kids will like these.

Easy Corn Dog Muffins

1 box Krusteaz Corn Muffin Mix
1 packet hot dogs

Line muffin tin with muffin cups. Mix corn muffin mix according to directions and preheat oven according to package directions. Fill muffin tins just under 2/3 of the way full. Slice hot dogs into little rounds and drop about 3-4 rounds into each muffin cup. Bake according to directions. Yes... they are that easy! EnJOY!

Umple MIke's Breakfast Casserole

This recipe is from the awesome Mike Faussett. Way back in the day, he made this for all of us in the choir that he was conducting. Mike makes this seasoning called "Umple Mikes all purpose seasoning" and it is truly amazing on everything! You can find it on ebay.com under Umple Mike's Seasoning. 

Umple Mike's Breakfast Casserole

18 Large to XL Eggs
6 Cups Frozen Shredded Hash Browns
1 lb Bacon
3 Cups Shredded Chedder Jack Cheese
1 7oz. can Diced Chilies
1 7oz. can Diced Jalapenos
Umple Mikes All Purpose Seasoning

 Fry Bacon until slightly crisp, drain, set aside. Discard all but 3 to 4 Tbsp of the bacon drippings. Season hash browns liberally with Umple Mikes, fry in drippings until golden brown. Line bottom of glass 13 x 9 casserole dish with hash browns (don't use metal as it will turn the eggs green and nobody likes green eggs without ham). Beat eggs together with diced chilies and jalapenos (skip the jalapenos if you want but I like them). Soft scramble eggs until slightly wet. Place in casserole dish over hash browns, spread evenly. Spread cheese evenly over eggs. Top with bacon. Back at 350F for 20 minutes and serve. EnJOY!

Juevos Rancheros

I had this recipe at a local breakfast spot recently and had to recreate it! The beans make it creamy and perfect. I used a local product a friend makes called "Tomato Smash" that is sweet and relishy, mmmm. You can buy it at Andy's in Sebastopol or online as well at www.tomatosmash.com.

Juevos Rancheros

1 egg
2 corn tortillas
2-3 Tblsp refried beans
2-3 Tblsp salsa
salt and pepper

 Warm both tortillas, put one on the plate and top with warmed beans. Top with remaining tortilla. Top tortilla with cooked egg, I like it over medium but you can cook it to however your preferance. Top with salt and pepper and a little salsa or Tomato Smash product. EnJOY!

Pork Carnitas

I got this recipe from my sister in law and I just love it! Super easy to make, and so good! I made this in my new handy-dandy pressure cooker but you can also make in the crockpot. Thanks Lisa!

Pork Carnitas

2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (3-4 pound) boneless pork shoulder/rump roast (Have your butcher remove any bones and fat as much as possible)

2 bay leaves

2 cups chicken broth

Garnishes:

Shredded Cheese

Small Tortillas

Limes

Avocado

Cilantro

Salsa Verde

Pico de Gallo

 

In a small bowl, mix up all the dry spice ingredients, except for the Chiles and bay leaves. Rub the roast with the mixture all over.  Let it sit for about 2-3 minutes. In the pressure cooker’s main cooking pot, pour in the chicken stock and bay leaves. Chop up the Serrano Chiles into small pieces and add it to the stock.

Now, for this recipe I actually decided to use a Trivet. It didn’t come with my pressure cooker, but I happened to have one that fit into it nicely. You can buy these anywhere.

I use the trivet to set the roast on so the meat doesn’t sit directly into the chicken stock liquid at the beginning because if it does, it has the tendency to rinse off all the spices you just rubbed into the roast. So the trivet is pretty handy to avoid that.

Set the trivet into the cooking pot and place the roast on top of it. Close the lid and turn it counter clock-wise to lock it. Turn the Pressure Valve to the Airtight position. Press the PRESSURE COOKING TIME button for 60-minutes and then press START. Yup, this is actually a recipe that will take more than an hour. But in a slow-cooker, it would’ve taken 8-10 hours.

While the pressure cooker is doing its thing, you can take this time to prepare the garnishes. Chop up the cilantro, slice up the limes and avocados, etc.

Once the 60-minute cook time has expired, turn the pressure valve to the Exhaust position to release all the pressure and open the lid. The roast may look done to you, but it’s not quite there yet. But the spices have cooked into the meat and have formed a nice looking yummy soft “crust”. Using a large fork and/or tongs, remove the pork and side aside. Then remove the trivet. Now put the pork roast back into the pot directly into the liquid. There’s no risk of the spices washing off now.

Close the lid again and turn it counter clock-wise to lock it. Turn the Pressure Valve to the Airtight position. Press the PRESSURE COOKING TIME button for 30-minutes and then press START. This extra cooking time will get the meat to the fall-apart stage.

Once the cooking time is complete, turn the pressure valve to the Exhaust position to release all the pressure and open the lid. Remove the roast to a large platter. Using a sharp knife and fork, start shredding the meat into small bite size carnita pieces. Discard any remaining fat. The meat is so juicy and tender, and all the spices make it smell heavenly! Put all the pieces onto a plate and spoon some of the leftover chicken stock over the meat and season with some salt and pepper.

Now you can use the carnitas to make anything you want, from tamales to burritos to whatever. I chose to make tacos. Small and light. Pile it high with all sorts of toppings or keep it simple. EnJOY!

Fruit Topped Cookie Pizza

This is a recipe from Pampered Chef. I love it anytime of year! Fresh and fruity baby and chocolaty! Dont try to use the big roll of ref. cookie dough like I did in this pic or it will run right off of your pan!

Fruit Topped Cookie Pizza

1 pckge (18oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
2 squares (1ounce each) white chocolate for baking
2 Tblsp milk
1 pckge (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup thawed, forzen whipped topping
12-16 strawberries, cut in half
1-2 bananas sliced
1 can (11oz) mandarin orange segments, well drained (I don't use these)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350. Shap cookie dough into a ball and place in center of smaller sized pizza pan than has been covered in foil. If you have a pampered chef round stone you could use that too. Roll dough with a floured rolling pin into a 12 inch circle, abouit 1/4 inch thick. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are set and cookie is slightly golden brown. Cool completely.

Place white chocolate and milk in small bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until melted. Stir and cool slightly. In another bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; mix well. Gradually stir in white chocolate mixture; mix until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cookie.

Arrange strawberries and mandarin oranges or bananas over cream cheese mixture. Place chocolate morsels  in a small plastic bag and melt in microwave for 45 seconds or until melted. Cut small corner off of bag and drizzle chocolate over top of cookie pizza. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut with pizza cutter into small wedges. EnJOY!

Chicken Piccata

This awesome recipe is from life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com

I love how simple and elegant and awesome this recipe is!

Chicken Piccata

2 boneless, skinless Chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise, to form 4 thin cutlets
1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
8 ounces Angel hair pasta
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Pour the bread crumbs in a shallow plate or dish. Pour the beaten egg in a seperate shallow dish. Take one chicken cutlet and dredge in the egg, and then in the breadcrumbs. Shake off any excess breadcrumbs and place on a plate. Repeat with all cutlets.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Place two of the coated chicken cutlets into the skillet. Cook on each side, for 4 minutes. Once thoroughly cooked, place on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. 

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Let butter melt and then cook the other two pieces of coated chicken, for 4 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and keep warm with other chicken.

Pour the lemon juice, chicken stock and capers into the warm skillet. Stir and scrape up any of the loose brown bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and let sauce simmer for 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cook angel hair pasta according to package directions. Drain water and add 2 Tablespoons butter to pasta and 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. 

Serve chicken with sauce and pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and more grated Parmesan cheese. EnJOY!

Turkey Chili

This is another fabulous recipe from Domenica Catelli's cookbook, Mom-a-licious. Have I mentioned I love her?! This is such a hearty and delish recipe. 

Turkey Chili

2 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 Tblsp ground cumin

1-3 tsp red chili flakes(they are not spicy)

3 Tblsp fresh garlic, chopped

1 lb ground turkey

1 Tblsp soy sauce

1 14.5 oz can fire roasted organic crushed tomatoes (they sell them at safeway only)

2 15 oz cans black beans

2 15 oz cans kidney beans

1 cup water or chicken broth

optional: top with jack or chedder chese, fresh onion or sour cream.

1. In heavy pot, saute onion, cumin and pepper over medium heat with extra virgin olive oil. do not let onions brown. as onions become soft, about 5 minutes, add garlic and cook about 2 minutes.

2. add ground turkey and cook. stir and smash up turkey. once browned add soy sauce. add fire roasted tomatoes. add drained beans and chicken broth.

3. bring to a boil, turn down to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. Serve and EnJOY!

Snickerdoodles

Thank you to my mother in law Ilene and her mother for this wonderful recipe. There is nothing like a good old fashioned snickerdoodle to cheer up your day. Mmm.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup shortening

1 ¼ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 ¾ cup flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 tbs sugar

1 ½ tbs cinnamon

Cream shortening, sugar and eggs together.  Add flour, Cream of tartar, soda, salt and vanilla.  Form dough into small balls, walnut size.  Roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Bake at 450 degrees for 5-8 minutes. EnJOY!

Kalua Pig

Thank you to my awesome brother in law who introduced us to the BEST pork recipe Ive ever had. This pork is so juicy, tender and full of flavor. I love it! Jared found the recipe from

Kalua Pig

4 pounds Pork Shoulder Or Butt

1-½ Tablespoon Hawaiian Red Gold Sea Salt (We used regular sea salt)

¼ cups Coconut Aminos Or Soy Sauce (We used soy sauce)

3 cloves Garlic, Grated

1 whole 3-4 Inch Piece Of Ginger, Grated

1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

½ whole Onion, Cut Into 2 Pieces

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line a 9×13 baking pan with foil.

Make deep slashes in pork with a knife. Place pork in pan. Sprinkle pork with Hawaiin sea salt.

Combine coconut aminos (or soy sauce), grated garlic, grated ginger, and liquid smoke. Rub mixture all over pork, working it into the slashes.

Place pork fatty side up. Place onion piece on each side of pork. Wrap pork tightly with foil, folding together 2 sheets of foil if necessary. Make sure the pork is completely sealed in there.

Bake at 325ºF for 5 hours. Shred pork and serve. EnJOY!

Pan Seared Sole

Ive been experimenting with fish a lot lately and got some very much needed help from my favorite Chef/friend Molly Delmonte. Thanks for saving my family from floppy overly cooked fish Molly!

Pan Seared Sole

4 sole fillets
1 Tblsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil. Get a cooking skillet heated until just about smoking. Dredge fillets in flower and remove excess. Place fillets into almost smoking pan then turn heat down to medium heat. Lightly season fish.  Cook 75%-90% through on one side, flip and turn down heat and let them finish cooking. The entire process should take about 5-8 minutes depending on the fillet size.  Serve with sauce below.

Sauce

Add a Tblsp butter to a pan at medium heat, then add juice of lemon and about 1/4 cup white wine. Let sauce reduce for a few minutes then serve over fish. EnJOY!

Twice Baked Cauliflower

Thank you Molly Delmonte for sharing your amazing culinary skills once again! I absolutely love the creaminess of this dish and that I don't feel as naughty eating this compared to twice baked potatoes!

Twice Baked Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower
6 pieces bacon, cooked crisp
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup milk
1/4 sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or more if you would like
salt and pepper to taste

Blanch a head of chopped cauliflower until soft. Drain water and smash cauliflower with a fork. Mix in 5 pieces of bacon that has been crumbled, mix in sour cream, milk, flour and salt and pepper and cheese. Sprinkle top with a little more cheese and last piece of crumbled bacon. Bake at 350 until cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes. EnJoy!

Lunchtime Lentil Soup

This recipe is amazing! Healthy and so flavorful, it doesn't matter what time of day you eat it, it's amazing.
I found this recipe from the cookbook Mom-a-licious. One of my favorite cookbooks.

Lunchtime Lentil Soup

1 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, minced
handful of cilantro, minced and extra for garnish
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp curry powder
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 1/4 cups dried red lentils (I used yellow because it was all I could find)
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 carrots, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1 lemon (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes.
Add garlic, cilantro, and spices and cook for a few more minutes.
Add lentils, tomatoes, and broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-30 minutes or when the lentils are tender.
Finish with celery and carrots for a surprising crunch and a squeeze of lemon. (I didn't want my soup crunchy so I added the celery and carrots with my onion at the beginning of cooking. You can add either end or beginning depending on if you like an extra crunch.) EnJOY!

Caramel, Pretzel and Chocolate Cookies

This recipe is from one of my favorite blogs, www.life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com

I thought it sounded heavenly and, yes it was. Crunchy, chewy, salty and sweet... just perfect. I added sugars to this recipe because I didnt think was sweet enough. You know me. All about the sweets. 

Caramel, Pretzel and Chocolate Cookies

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup pretzels, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup caramel bits
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars together in a stand mixer or in a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, for 1 minute. Add vanilla and egg. Mix to combine, scraping sides.

In a seperate small bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Whisk together to combine, and then gradually add to the wet mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in broken pretzel pieces, caramel bits and chocolate chips.

Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Spacing dough apart atleast 2 inches. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden-brown. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before transferring to a cookie rack.

Makes 24 cookies. EnJOY!

Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce

I have this friend, she is a chef in New York. She is truly amazing and talented  I ask her a billion cooking questions a week. I have been needing lots of help cooking a fish and not destroying it, like I usually do. Thanks a million Molly Delmonte for teaching me how to make an amazing salmon fillet!

Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce

4-5 medium sized salmon fillets, skin or no skin
1/2-1 lemon
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
flour
1 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp olive oil

 Preheat oven to 400. Dust salmon fillets with flour and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat skillet and add butter and olive oil. Once pan is hot, medium high heat, add salmon fillet. If using skin, add in pan skin side down first. Pan sear fish for approximatly 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown, then flip. After 3 minutes put salmon with pan in the oven for approximatly 12 minutes.
While salmon is baking, place cream and lemon juice (or you can add lemon slices) and a little salt and pepper in a sauce pan and reduce for 8-10 minutes on med heat until thick and reduced. Serve over top of salmon fillet. EnJOY!

Gnocchi and Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Ive always wanted to try making gnocchi so this week I decided to be brave and try it. Its really not hard to make just takes a little time. These are some pretty amazing little gnocchi! I love the sauce but you could really use any sauce you like. I found this recipe from a "Sauces" cookbook by Christine France.

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce

1 lb potatoes, peeled and quartered (I used 4 medium)
1 large egg
1 cup flour
fresh thyme sprigs, to garnish
salt and pepper
4 Tblsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and press potatoes through a sieve, using the back of a wooden spoon, into a mixing bowl. Season, then beat in the egg. Add the flour a little at a time, stirring well with a wooden spoon after each addition until you have a smooth dough.
 Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for about 3 minutes, adding more flour if you need to, until it is smooth and soft and not sticky to the touch.
  Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Flour your hands and gently roll each piece on a board into a log shape. Cut each log into 6 to 8 pieces about 1 inch long, then gently roll each piece in the flour. Form into gnocchi by gently pressing each piece onto the floured surface and gently press with a fork to form ridges.
  To cook, drop the gnocchi into a pan of boiling water about 12 at a time. Once they rise to the surface after about 2 minutes, cook them for 4-5 more minutes, then drain.

 To make the sauce, place the gorgonzola, cream and thyme in a large frying pan and heat gently until the cheese melts to form a thick, creamy consistency, then heat through.
  Add the drained gnocchi to the sauce and toss well to combine. Serve with Parmesan and garnish with thyme. EnJOY!

Roasted Beet Salad with Vinaigrette

We had a bunch of beautiful beets growing in our garden this week so after putting together some recipes that sounded good, I came up with this one. Super easy and I would never have known I actually like beets!

Roasted Beet Salad with Vinaigrette

4 Beets
goat or feta cheese
oil
salt and pepper to taste
lettuce

Preheat oven to 425. Cut the top and bottom off of the beets and rinse beets well. Put beets on baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 40-50 minutes depending on size. Test if done with knife, it should have little resistance. Remove from oven and cool for about 20 minutes. Remove the skins by hand or use a pearing knife. Cut beets into bite sized chunks.
Shred lettuce, beets and goat cheese and toss.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup olive oil

Place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine.Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Toss a few tablespoons of the dressing with the salad mix and desired salad ingredients and serve immediately.

If not using dressing right away, cover and refrigerate, whisking or shaking again before use. EnJOY!

Tortillas

I tried 2 different tortilla recipes this week and this one was my favorite. Lard seems to make all the difference. Thanks Molly Delmonte for your recipe! Your amazing and so are your recipes! This recipe is so easy to make that you will never buy tortillas again!

Tortillas

2 cup flour
1/4 cup lard (I used snow cap-mateca)
2 Tblsp oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water

Mix flour, salt and lard until it resembles sant. Add oil and water until dough forms. Kneed until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Rest covered about 1 hour. Heat cast iron pan over medium heat. Cut dough into about 12 pieces. Roll each piece out until almost transparent, using a rolling pin. Put in dry, hot cast iron until brown spots start to appear, about 45 seconds to 1 minute each side. Theyre done when they are no longer opaque. EnJOY!

Sunday Night Beef Stew

This is a pioneer woman recipe that is so amazing! Its unlike any other beef stew I have ever had. My husband liked it so much he proposed to me again, Ha! This is a new family favorite hands down! Make sure and serve this over the mashed potatoes, sooooo good.

Sunday Night Beef Stew

Stew:

3 Tblsp olive oil

1 Tblsp Butter

2 pounds Beef Stew Meat (chuck Roast Cut Into Chunks)

Salt And Pepper

1 whole Medium Onion, Diced

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

4 ounces,  Tomato Paste

4 cups Low Sodium Beef Stock Or Broth, More If Needed For Thinning

½ teaspoons Sugar

4 whole Carrots, Peeled And Diced

2 whole Turnips, Peeled And Diced

2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley

Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds Russet Potatoes (peeled)

1 package (8 Ounce) Cream Cheese, Softened

1 stick Butter, Softened

½ cups Heavy Cream

1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Salt and pepper stew meat. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add butter, and as soon as it melts, brown half the stew meat until the outside gets nice and brown, about 2 minutes. (Turn it as it browns.) Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate. Add the rest of the meat to the pot and brown it, too. Remove it to the same plate. Set the meat aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the pot, stirring it to coat it in all the brown bits in the bottom of the pot. Cook for two minutes, then add the tomato paste to the pot. Stir it into the onions and let it cook for two more minutes.

Pour in the beef stock, stirring constantly. Add the beef back to the pot, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.

After 1 1/2 to 2 hours, add the diced turnips and carrots to the pot. Stir to combine, put the lid back on the pot, and let it simmer for another 30 minutes. The sauce should be very thick, but if it seems overly so, splash in some beef broth until it thins it up enough. Feel free to add beef broth as needed!

When the carrots and turnips are tender, stir in minced parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve piping hot in a bowl with mashed potatoes, letting the juice run all over everything. Sprinkle with extra minced parsley at the end.

MASHED POTATOES

Cut the potatoes into quarters and cover with water in a large pot. Boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 25-30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then put them back into the same pot. With the heat on low, mash the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes to release as much steam as possible.

Turn off heat, then add cream cheese, butter, cream, seasoned salt, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve potatoes immediately or spread them into a buttered baking dish to be reheated later. To reheat, put them in a 375 degree oven, covered in foil, until hot. EnJOY!

Chicken Parmesan

I have made a few different recipes for this and came up with my own version that I like best. Such a special treat without a ton of work. I love chicken parmesan! If you dont have any of the fresh herbs you can use powdered as well. 

Chicken Parmesan

6 chicken breasts, pounded thin (or you can buy thin sliced)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp Italian parley leaves

½ tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 jar good quality tomato sauce

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

2-4 Tblsp shredded parmesan cheese

1 cup flour

4 eggs, beaten

3 Tblsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken into flour and remove excess flour. Then dip chicken into beaten eggs to coat.

Mix herbs and spices with panko bread crumbs and dip chicken into bread crumb mixture.

Heat skillet with olive oil, when hot, cook 3 of the chicken breasts for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining chicken. Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish.

Top chicken with marinara sauce, then mozzarella, then parmesan cheese. Cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken is done and cheese is hot and bubbly. EnJOY!

Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe is from the Mom-a-licious cookbook by Domenica Catelli, I highly recommend this book! These are super healthy muffins that actually taste good! They are not super sweet but they are filling and yummy.

Pumpkin Muffins



1 cup whole wheat or whole grain flour

½ white unbleached flour

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

1 ½ cups canned organic pumpkin (make sure there is only pumpkin in the ingredients list)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 ¼ cup maple syrup or ¾ cup agave nectar

1 Tblsp vanilla extract

½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped



Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients. Fold in the wet ingredients, (and fold in nuts if using) into the dry ingredients and spoon into paper-lined muffin or greased muffin tins.

Bake for 20 minutes or when toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove to cool. Store completely cooled muffins in sealable plastic bags in the freezer and pack in the kids lunch  EnJoy!

Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce

This awesome recipe comes from my amazing friend Jana Tungate. I had trouble with the caramel sauce so after a few different techniques this one was the easiest for me. If I can make a caramel sauce, you can too, trust me. Thanks Jana for this amazing recipe!

Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 medium apples, grated with skins
1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Cream sugar and shortening. Add egg and milk. MIx in all the dry ingredients. Batter will be stiff. Add in nuts and apples. Spread into a greased 8 inch square pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve with caramel sauce.

Caramel sauce:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 stick of butter

Mix water and sugar in a pot and cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly. As soon as sugar dissolves and just starts turning a darker color turn off heat and add butter. Once butter is melted add cream. Let cool and serve with cake. EnJOY!

Chow Mein Cookies

This is a recipe from my most amazing friend Ruth May. I remember having these treats as a little girl and always wanting the recipe. I hadnt had them in years and when I finally came across Ruth's recipe for them, I was so excited! These are rediculously easy to make and so so good!

Chow Mein Cookies

1 (12 oz) pckge butterscotch chips
1 (12oz) pckge semi sweet chocolate chips
1 (9-1/2 to 10oz) pckge chow mein noodles

Melt chips together, add noodles and stir to cover completely. Drop by the spoonfulls onto waxed paper and cool. EnJOY!

Beef Enchilada Casserole

This is a recipe from Pampered Chef's 29 minutes to dinner cookbook, and it is super fast to make! I love a recipe thats easy to make and tastes good. My kind of dinner!


Beef Enchilada Casserole

1 lb ground beef/ or ground turkey
1 Tblsp taco seasoning
3/4 tsp salt
1 can (10oz) red enchilada sauce
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup medium thick and chunky salsa
12 yellow corn tortillas
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
1-2 cups shredded colby and monterey jack cheese blend, divided
sour cream for topping.

Combine beef, seasoning mix and salt and cook over medium heat until beef is no longer pink. Drain. Add enchilada sauce, water and salsa to skillet. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.
As beef mixture cooks, place tortillas in a stack and cut into 1-inch pieces using a pizza cutter. Snip cilantro and set aside.
Arrange half of the tortillas evenly over bottom of a 9x12, top with half of the beef mixture and half of the cheese. Sprinkle 2 Tblsp of the cilantro over cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, beef mixture and cheese and cilantro.
Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly. Serve with sour cream. EnJOY!

Smothered Pork Chops in Crockpot

I found this recipe on melskitchencafe.com. This is my families and mine new most all time favorite recipe ever! Seriously, this is a must put on the menu type recipe. You will thank me. I cannot express enough just how flippin amazing this recipe is! Run! Make it! Then thank me! PS: I skipped the blender part, I just made the gravy out off all the onions and drippings and it was just perfect! If you have to have smooth gravy then use the blender, otherwise, dont bother.

Smothered Pork Chops in Crockpot
*Note: I like to serve these smothered pork chops over rice or mashed potatoes. Let it come to a boil to ensure it thickens properly. Finally, I have doubled the pork in this recipe and kept all the other ingredients the same and there was plenty of gravy to smother the doubled pork.

*Serves 6

5 slices bacon, chopped
6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick
Salt and Pepper
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 tablespoons drippings, drain the excess. If you don't have quite that much, supplement with canola oil. When the bacon is cool, transfer to a small bag or tupperware and refrigerate until later.

Heat the skillet with the drippings over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Meanwhile, pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, cooking them in batches in the skillet if your skillet isn't big enough to hold all six at a time in a single layer. When golden on each side, transfer the chops to the slow cooker and repeat with remaining pork.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet; add onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water to empty skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan and cook over medium-high heat until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour onion mixture over chops in the slow cooker. Add broth, soy sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar to skillet, bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low until pork is tender, about 8 hours (or cook on high for 4 hours).

When ready to serve, carefully transfer chops to serving platter with a large spoon and tent with foil. Discard bay leaves and pour liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving the solids. Transfer solids to a food processor or blender with 1 cup liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl and stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve. EnJOY!

Ham Strudel

This recipe is from Lisa, my brothers awesome fiance. I made this for lunch today and it totally blew my expectations! So delish! You could make it for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner! I used pie crusts and they were crumbly, so instead of making the gorgous braid its supposed to be, I just slapped each pie crust onto a parchment sheet on a baking sheet and put half the mixture in each crust and folded it, sealed it so it was a calzone type. I want to try it again to do the braid but it's delish anyway you make the crust.

Ham Strudel


2 sheets puff pastry (or I usually use the refrigerated 2pk pie crusts in a box)
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup frozen cubed or shredded hash brown potatoes
1 cup diced green and red bell peppers
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup cubed ham
10 eggs
2 tbsp minced fresh chives
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Optional:
Cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Thaw pastry (if using) according to package directions, about 30 minutes or just get the pie crusts out and ready if using these!!
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. add potatoes and sauté 5 minutes.
Stir in bell peppers and onion; sauté 3 minutes then add cubed ham.
Add eggs, chives, cream cheese, and orange juice in a bowl, blend well.
Add egg mixture to the pan and scramble till set.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate eggs while working with puff pastry.
Unfold a pastry sheet (or pie crust) on a work surface that's been lightly dusted with flour. Roll pastry lengthwise to 12X10 then transfer to a piece of parchment cut to fit a baking sheet. Trim pastry cut off top corners notch bottom to create flaps.
Spoon half the egg mixture down the center; cut strips on both sides at a a 45 degree angle. Add optional cheese on top of mixture now.
Fold up the flaps at both ends, then braid the strips across the filling.
Lift parchment and strudels onto baking sheets.
Combine the one solo remaining egg and water; brush over top of strudels. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 20-30 minutes, or until golden.
Let cool 5 minutes before slicing. EnJOY!

Crockpot Chicken Curry

This is a recipe from Martha stewart. I added a couple of ingredients to it. Super easy to make and so full of flavor.

Crockpot Chicken Curry
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
2-3 large carrots, peeled and sliced (large)
2-3 small yukon potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
16 thin slices peeled fresh ginger (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons curry powder, preferably Madras
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt
2 packages frozen green peas (10 ounces each)
2-4 cups unsweetened coconut milk (depending on how creamy you want it. I used 4, or 2 cans)
1/2 cup toasted cashews (optional, for serving)
1/4 cup cilantro leaves (optional, for serving)

In a 5-quart slow cooker, toss chicken, onion, potato, carrot, garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander, and cumin to coat. Season with 2 teaspoons salt. Cover, cook on high setting until chicken is fork-tender, about 4 hours (do not uncover while cooking).
Stir in coconut milk and peas; cover, cook until peas are heated through, about 30-40 minutes, turning to high heat.
Transfer chicken to a large bowl; shred with fork. Return to pot; toss with sauce.
To serve, garnish with 1/2 cup toasted cashews and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, if desired. EnJOY!

Mini Pesto Pizza`s

This recipe is another fabulous pampered chef recipe that I love. Its supposed to be an appetizer but I made it as lunch this week. Super easy to make and delish.

Mini Pesto Pizza`s

plum tomatoes

1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup walnuts
1 pkg refrigerated pizza crust
1/3 cup prepared basil pesto
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice tomatoes and set aside. Grate Parmesan cheese. Coarsely chop walnuts. Combine walnuts and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl; mix well.

Place dough onto Cutting Board (do not unroll). Using a sawing motion, slice dough into 15 disks (about 1/2in./1 cm thick). Place disks onto baking sheet; lightly press to flatten and seal seams.

Spread 1 tsp of the pesto over each crust. Divide mozzarella cheese evenly among pizzas. Top each pizza with one tomato slice and Parmesan mixture. Bake 12–15 minutes or until crusts are golden brown. EnJOY!