Browned Butter & Myzithra Pasta

First I'd like to share some exciting news. Tiff has finally made it officially public that she & Austin are having a baby!!! A BOY for that matter - in November. Emily and Bea also found out they are both working on their second baby girls. So many babies! It's going to be a great rest of the year with all the new little ones being passed around while we talk food, mom stuff and that first real glass of wine after pregnancy. We can't get enough...of any or all of those things. 


I hosted most of the girls at my house for this menu and some wine that paired really well with the Cacao bar that Teresa brought for us to snack on afterward. The girls liked the wine (Red Roan by Tagaris Winery) so much that I had my mother-in-law pick us up a case to split between us all. It is half off on Wednesdays (only $13)...how can you pass that up? Thanks Jane - you're the BEST! :) Tagaris is my husband and my new favorite winery in TriCities. They have amazing food as well as a few award winning wines. I signed up for my first wine club...just today actually. I already get milk & organic produce delivered...why not wine a few times a year too? I highly suggest checking them out next time you're over in TriCities. www.tagariswines.com 


Ok, back to our menu. Browning butter - It's an easy way to take a recipe that calls for butter up a notch in flavor and complexity. Just by cooking the butter a few minutes past the melting point results in the milk solids in the butter browning, and creating a wonderfully nutty aroma. It's fun to do with butter-based sauces, baked goods that call for melted butter, or with pastas such as the dinner I made for the girls on this particular Thursday night. Just be sure to keep your eye on it while cooking...it's pretty easy to go from browned to burnt. Directions below. It should look like this once it's done...

1 Heat a skillet on medium heat. Add the butter (sliced so that the butter melts more evenly) whisking frequently. Continue to cook the butter.

2 Once melted the butter will foam up a bit, then subside. Watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan (after approximately 5 mins). The butter should have a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and place on a cool surface to help stop the butter from cooking further and perhaps burning.

Use browned butter immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for future use. I always make more than I anticipate on using for dinner. It's so nice to have it stored away in the fridge for my next craving.

(photo courtesy of lifesabrosia.com)

I served spaghetti noodles with a choice of toppings: chicken, garlic sautéed mushrooms, fresh basil, red pepper flakes & the show stopper cheese....MYZITHRA! The combo of this cheese with the browned butter could be compared to...well, wine & chocolate is the first thing to come to mind.  I served it with a spinach salad with crimini mushrooms, red peppers and our favorite Uncle Dan's Ranch Dressing. Also with streamed broccoli with...you guessed it, more browned butter and Myzithra. If you've been to The Old Spaghetti Factory before it's easy to tell where this menu was born. I really only modified it with the choice of toppings. I love recipes that are easy to customize...they're great for picky kids. Oh, wait, no...it's me that's picky.

Hope you enjoy this one!

AK

A Pike Place Market Inspired Menu

Caroline hosted, for the 1st time in many years, at her new place. She took a hiatus for a few years in Texas, but as everyone originally from here knows, the NW has it all...so of course she moved back! With a peek-a-boo-view of the sun setting on Puget Sound, we enjoyed a lovely dinner. Care is a Seattlite at heart so naturally she put together a menu inspired by what Pike Place Market has to offer. So next time you're visiting the market, pull up the menu from tonights post and you can make your very own...best part is, we'll tell you how to throw it all together.

Enjoy!

PIKE PLACE PASTA BAR

Apps

• Sliced bread
• Olive oil (I served garlic and original)
• Balsamic (I served vanilla fig)
• Prosciutto wrapped asparagus (recipe below)
• Beechers cheese and crackers

Dinner

• Pasta: A few options like penne & macaroni (short pasta holds up longest)
• Sauces: Pesto, meat sauce, Alfredo (recipes below)
• Salad and dressings
• Toppings: peas, sundried tomatoes, olives, artichokes (for salad and pasta)

Prosciutto Asparagus

Ingredients:

Asparagus (go for thicker if possible)

Prosciutto: 10-12 pieces thinly sliced 

Parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper

Balsamic 

Olive oil

Steps:

• Trim the ends off asparagus
• Cut proscuitto into 1 inch strips
• Start at top of asparagus spear and wrap prosciutto around to the end
• Place on foil lined baking sheet
• Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper
• Bake at 415 for 8-12 minutes (depending on thickness) until prosciutto is crisp
• Place asparagus on platter and drizzle with balsamic and freshly shredded Parmesan

Pesto Recipe

Making pesto is all about individual preference. I like to mix up the herbs used based on what is fresh and available, but the basics are always cheese, garlic, olive oil an herb and nuts. 

Ingredients: 

1-2 cloves chopped garlic

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil - depending on consistency preference (for dip use less, for sauce use more)

1/2-1 cup shredded parmesan cheese  

1/2 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes (optional but nice kick)

1/4-1/2 cup nut option

2-3 cups herb option

Nut Options About 1/4-1/2 cup or to taste of your choice

-Pine nuts

-Almonds

-Walnuts 

Herb Options About 2-3 cups fresh of any of the following (or combo)

Parsley

Mint

Basil 

Spinach

Kale 

Ragu d'Anitra (meat sauce adapted from Serafina restaurant chef)

Ingredients:

6oz smoked bacon 

1/2 Lb veal

1/2 Lb ground beef

1/2 Lb sausage 

3/4 C chopped onion

1/2 C chopped carrot

1/2 C chopped celery

2 bay leaves

2 Tb chopped Italian parsley

1 Tb dried porcini 

2 Tb tomato paste

1 C red wine

1 spring rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 C heavy cream (milk ok too)

Steps:

• In a large pot/dutch oven saute vegetables (carrot, onion, celery) in oil until softened (3-5 min)
• Add meats, parsley, salt and pepper and simmer for 35 min
• Add wine, porcinis, rosemary and tomato paste and simmer for 2.5 hours
• Add heavy cream, check seasonings and serve over pasta

Until next time...

-AK

Not Your Average Sloppy Joes

As much as I like to think I am a culinary wizard, Teresa always amazes me with her adventurous nature and fun creations in the kitchen. We had bread with homemade butter to snack on as she whipped up the Sloppy Joe topping.  I even have the super easy directions to share...who would have thought?

"Why should you prepare butter at home? Simply because it is much healthier than the processed butter you are so used to eating. It contains natural, and not processed, fats that are healthy for the body, and ought to be an important part of our diet. It is also free of additives such as excess salt and other chemicals, that are used to flavor processed butter. Homemade butter is a rich source of fatty acids, healthy cholesterol, and important vitamins." (Buzzle.com)

Homemade butter

Heavy cream

In food processor or mixer whip cream. Will become whipped cream, continue to process. Emulsion will break and solids will start to form.  Pour off non-fat butter milk and flavor butter (herbs, salt, etc.)

How easy is that?? With our hearty and delicious dinner we had a Beet & Goat Cheese salad. The simple recipe is as follows...

Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

Beets & crumbled goat cheese over your choice of greens and covered with your favorite white balsamic vinaigrette. If you're feeling particularly adventurous have some candied walnuts to sprinkle over the top.

Not Your Average Sloppy Joe

Serves 8-12

2# ground beef

3 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp canola oil

1 ½ large yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1.5 tsp chili powder

3.5 C chicken stock

4 tsp tomato paste

2 large ear yellow corn, kernels removed

4 plum tomatoes diced

½ c chopped fresh cilantro

ground black pepper

Avocado slices on top

Combine beef, salt and garlic, mix.  In large skillet over high heat cook meat thoroughly.   Heat oil in skillet and add onion and pepper. Cook for 2 mins stirring occasionally.  Add meat back to skillet.  Add jalapeno, cumin, chili powder.  Cook and stir for 1 min. Stir in stock and tomato paste and return beef to pan. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by half.  Remove from heat. Stir in corn, tomatoes, and cilantro.   Serve hot over toasted bread or pasta.

Recipe adapted from Kurt Beecher Dammeier’s Pure Flavor 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest

And on to dessert...how do we have room for this??

Mini Blueberry Pies

All Butter Double- Crust Pie Dough1/3 c ice water, plus extra as needed
3 Tbsp sour cream or greek yogurt
2.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for the work surface1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp table salt16 Tbsp unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into ¼ inch pieces and frozen for 10-15 mins

• Mix 1/3 cup of the ice water and greek yogurt in a small bowl until combined. Process the flour, sugar and salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and pulse the mixture until the butter is the size of large peas, about 10 pulses.

• Pour half of the yogurt mixture over the flour mixture and pulse until incorporated, about 3 pulses. Repeat with remaining yogurt mixture. Pinch the dough with fingers, if it feels dry and does not hold together, sprinkle 1-2 T more ice water over the mixture and pulse until the dough forms large clumps and no dry flour remains 3 to 5 pulses.

• Divide the dough into two even pieces. Turn each piece of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 4” disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hr. Before rolling, let sit on counter for 10 mins. To make mini pies- roll out and use round cookie cutter. With dough cut roll to fit muffin pan. Fill with filling. Cut and roll second piece. Crimp edges and vent.

Blueberry filling

6 cups fresh blueberries
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and shredded 
¾ c sugar
2 T instant tapioca, ground
2 tsp grated zest plus 2 tsp juice from lemon
pinch table salt
2 T unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

• Place 3 cups of berries in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Using a potato masher, mash the berries several times to release the juices. Continue to cook, stirring frequently and mashing occasionally, until about half of the berries have broken down and the mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 ½ cups, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

• Adjust an over rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Place the shredded apple in a paper towel and ring dry. Transfer the apple to a large bowl and stir in the cooked berries, remaining 3 c of uncooked berries, sugar, tapioca, lemon zest and juice and salt until combined. Spread the mixture into the dough lined cups. Scatter the butter pieces over the top of the filling.

• After placing top dough piece, crimp edges and vent. Brush with the egg white

• Place on heated baking sheet and bake @ 400 degrees F until crust is golden, about 25mins. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, rotate and continue to bake until juices are bubbling and the crust is deep golden brown.

Thank you for hosting Teresa!

AK

Skinny Baked Mozzarella Stix

Ugh...I hate being behind on postings of our Girl's Nights menus and gossip. I apologize to all 32 followers (ok, a bit of sarcasm there). Do us girls a favor and follow the blog so we know you care. It's an amazing journey I share with these girls and I need a little motivation to keep the postings up to date :) We love that we have somewhere to go to and retrieve these great recipes...and that we can share them with you. How do we have 5400 page views and only 32 followers? Maybe a stalker or 2...wow, we're flattered, really. Be like Nike and "Just Do It" :)

Ok, my rant is over and I have some AMAZING news to share. Emily & Bea join Cassie on the preggo home front. Congrats girls...This will be both girls second child...the family is growing!! We love it!

While at Em's about...ahem...a month ago we had taco salads (go ahead and use your imagination for this recpie). She served some yummy bites as an appetizer though that I feel the need to share. Skinny Baked Mozzarella Sticks. What's the old Wheat Thins catch-phrase..."Baked, Not Fried"? Recipe and photos courtesy of www.skinnytaste.com Here it is...

Servings: 12 • Serving Size: 2 pieces • Old Points: 1 pts • Points+: 2 pts*
Calories: 86.8* • Fat: 4.8 g • Protein: 7.4 g • Carb: 3.5 g • Fiber: 0.2 g • Sugar: 0.2
Sodium: 168.6

Ingredients:

• 12 sticks part-skim, reduced sodium mozzarella string cheese
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp flour
• 5 tbsp Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 5 tbsp panko crumbs
• 2 tsp parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• olive oil cooking spray

Directions:

Cut cheese in half to give you 24 pieces. Place cheese in the freezer until cheese is frozen. In small bowl, whisk the egg. Place the flour on another small dish. In separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, panko, parmesan cheese and dried parsley.

Dip the frozen sticks in flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then coat with the crumbs. Repeat this process with the remaining cheese placing them on a tray with wax paper. Place cheese back into the freezer until ready to bake (this is a must or they will melt before the crumbs get golden).

When ready to bake preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with oil. Place frozen cheese sticks on baking sheet. Spray the tops of the mozzarella sticks with a little more oil and bake in the bottom third of your oven until crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and bake an additional 4 - 5 minutes watching them closely so they don't melt.

Low-Fat Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

Dinner at Meg's a few weeks back was extra yummy. We obviously love our Mexican food.  I forgot to take notes as to our non-stop witty banter so you can ad lib for us here :)

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken was derived from www.SkinnyTaste.com (photo courtesy of a very popular blog, www.chef-in-training.com) Wow, how do we get to 5800 followers too? Not that it matters too much, we're seeing heavy traffic on our blog since Pinterest has come along. It's a win/win for sure. Here is your recipe...Delicious AND healthy!

CROCK POT SANTA FE CHICKEN

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• salt to taste
  

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot.

Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top.

Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.

Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred.

Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning.

Serve over rice (extra pts)

Servings: 8 servings

Serving Size: 1 cup

Old Points: 3 pts

Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 190

Fat: 1.5 g

Fiber: 5.6 g

Carbs: 23.1 g

Protein: 21 g

Dessert was our choice of root beer or orange creamsicle floats. We wanted to relive our glory days :)

Enjoy,

AK

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup & Spinach Salad

While I'm waiting for a recipe from Meagan, I'll post our dinner & convos from this past week at my house. I've said it before and I'll say it again...hosting these girls is so much fun! I can't say that I don't stress about making dinner for 8+ people (not to mention for my husband and 2 1/2 year old little boy), but I am happy to say we have finally implemented a new system. The one to host dinner the week before is to bring dessert for the current week. Whew...one thing off my list...until next week :)


While I was putting the finishing touches on dinner I served a Baked Brie with candied walnuts, caramelized onions & apricot preserves. Sliced red grapes and sea salted water crackers along side. Sound familiar? If you have ever been to Purple Cafe & Wine Bar in Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland or Woodinville (www.thepurplecafe.com) maybe you were lucky enough to have tried this delicious treat. I was so excited when I found this wonderful blog with the actual recipe (http://northwestnoshings.com/2008/07/07/oozing-with-cheesy-goodness/), which was donated by Purple to an amazing cookbook called Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia (by Braiden Rex-Johnson), which can be found on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Northwest-Wining-Dining-Washington/dp/0471746851/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334173258&sr=8-1


Here is the Brie recipe... (note, I wasn't in love with the walnuts so I used a recipe I found on allrecipes.com which is below)

Baked Brie with Candied Walnuts and Caramelized Onions
serves 2 to 4 as an appetizer

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small white or yellow onion, very thinly sliced
pinch kosher salt
4 sheets phyllo dough
6 tablespoons clarified butter, melted
one 4-to-8 ounce wheel of ripe Brie cheese
1 ½ to 2 tablespoons apricot jam, or orange marmalade(note: stir or whisk jam/marmalade until is loosens enough to spread)
3 to 4 tablespoons Candied Walnuts (recipe follows)
Fresh fruit of your choice, such as red grapes, apple slices, or pear slices
Baguette slices or crackers

-Preheat the oven to 450F.
-Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and golden., 25 to 30 minutes; adjust the heat if necessary so the onions don’t brown too quickly or burn. Set aside.
-While the onions are cooking, arrange the oven rack in the center of the oven. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- Lay the phyllo dough on a clean, damp kitchen towel on a dry work surface and cover with another damp kitchen towel. Lay a sheet of dough on the baking sheet. Brush the dough lightly with melted butter. Place a second piece of dough across the first piece of dough to form a cross shape and brush lightly with butter. Place a third piece of dough diagonally over the cross and brush lightly with butter. Place the fourth piece of dough diagonally over the third piece of dough(to form a “x” shape) and brush lightly with butter.
-Cut the Brie horizontally through the middle to form a top and bottom layer.
-Place the bottom layer of brie in the center of the phyllo dough.
-Brush with the apricot glaze, and arrange 2 to 3 tablespoons of the onions and the Candied Walnuts evenly over the glaze. Cover with the top layer of brie.
 -Form a beggar’s purse by gathering all eight ends of the phyllo dough, bringing them together over the top of the brie, and pinching them together until the brie is totally encased in dough. Brush lightly with butter, place the phyllo package in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour before proceeding to the next step.
-Cover loosely with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 8 minutes.
-Remove the foil and continue baking for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the phyllo turns golden in color.
-Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange the fresh fruit and crackers around the brie and serve immediately.

Dawn's Candied Walnuts

Ingredients

• 1 pound walnut halves
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I omitted because it didn't seem relevant to the brie dish)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread nuts in a single layer over a baking sheet. Roast for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until the nuts start to turn brown and the smell of roasting nuts fills the kitchen.
2. Stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, or until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage of 236 degrees F (113 degrees C). Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla immediately. .
3. Add walnuts to sugar syrup, and stir to coat well. Spoon nuts onto waxed paper, and immediately separate nuts with a fork. Cool, and store in airtight containers.

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup (originally found at http://utah.todaysmama.com/)

                                                      Photo by Clair Buys/BYU Magazine

Makes about 2 quarts (about 8 servings)

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed (or skim milk if you’re trying to cut some calories)
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

1.  Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.
2.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
3.  About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper.  Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don’t be afraid to always season to taste at the end).
4.  Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.


Cranberry-Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds and Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Courtesy of: http://thecafesucrefarine.blogspot.com/

I keep this dressing on hand at all times now. I've used it over a Chicken, Black Bean & Quinoa dish I threw together as well as a basic green salad. It's super versatile.

Ingredients for the dressing:

⅓ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
½ teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1 tablespoon minced sweet onion
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the salad:

6 dinner size salads, 8 side salads

12 ounces baby spinach, arugula and/or field greens

1 small bunch cilantro, washed and dried, leaves removed whole from stems
2 medium avocados, peeled and halved
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup Candied Spiced Almonds (recipe to follow)

Directions:
1. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a pint sized glass jar and shake well to dissolve sugar.

2. For the salad, place greens and cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Add avocado and dried cranberries and about 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss gently. Scatter candied almonds over salad and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pass extra dressing at the table.

Candied Spiced Almonds

Ingredients:

5 cups sliced almonds, or a 1 pound package*
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin*
1-1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika* - some smoked paprikas are quite hot, if you don't like "hot", just use 1 teaspoon and they will be mildly spiced.
1 teaspoon vanilla
sea salt

*The cumin and the smoked paprika give just a hint of mysterious, delicious flavor - even though these are savory spices, these almonds are still wonderful served with sweets like ice cream or yogurt.

Directions:
1. Place a large sheet of foil on a work surface. Spray with cooking spray or rub a teaspoon of oil over foil with a paper towel.

2.  Place sugar in a large non-stick sauté pan and heat over medium heat , occasionally tipping and swirling the sugar until it is all melted into a pale golden syrup.

3. Lower heat immediately and add butter, cinnamon, smoked paprika and vanilla. Stir until well combined and all butter is incorporated into the sugar syrup.

4. Add the nuts and stir gently to coat. Don't worry if you have some clumps of caramelized sugar - they will melt as you continue to sauté the almonds. Cover and continue to cook on low, stirring every minute or so until almonds are a delicious golden brown. Watch very carefully as they can go from beautiful to burned very quickly! Turn out onto prepared foil and sprinkle liberally with sea salt. Spread out on foil to cool.

We chatted a lot about our families this past week. From growing them to marriages and other relationships within our own families. Lauren has 2 boys, Aiden & Isaac; Emily has a girl, Ellie; and I have my son, Wyatt. We try to get the kids together once a week or everyother week...maybe we should keep the ball rolling on this whole girls group thing and create a moms group as well (maybe we already have)...

Enjoy the recipes!
AK

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Nelle hosted us a few weeks back....yes, here I am trying to get caught up again. She always has yummy-ness to snack on before dinner. This particular day was Tzatziki from Cooking Light magazine (April 2012), slightly modified by her. Then we moved on to Wild Mushroom Risotto and a Spinach Salad.

After dinner the old photo books from these girls college days at Wazzu were brought out. OH. MY. HILARIOUS! It makes me both sad and extremely thankful I didn't go to college myself. These girls had WAY too much fun. Danielle, Meagan, Lauren, Lisa, Tiff & Teresa graced the campus of WSU back in the day and had the photos to prove they left a few memories. I actually met a few of these girls for the first time on a trip over with Tiff. Ridiculousness all around!
Here are your recipes...

TzatzikiIngredients
3/4 cup Greek yogurt (I like Chobani)
1/4 peeled and grated cucumber
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
*Mix all ingredients in medium bowl, chill in fridge before serving with fresh veggies, crackers or pita bread

Spinach SaladFrom Danielle
Fresh washed spinach (maybe 6-8 cups)
Fresh washed arugula (maybe 2 cups)
Sliced baby portabello mushrooms (1/2 cup)
Chopped or cubed goat cheese (a lot!)
Chopped green onions (4-6)
Pecans
Crasins
*Mix all ingredients in large salad bowl, toss with homemade white balsamic dressing before serving.

White Balsamic Dressing6 Tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
Minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
Salt & pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in small bowl and let sit for 10-15 minutes before tossing over salad

Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.
2. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.               

Enjoy!

A Zatarians Mardi Gras Dinner Party

OK, time to get caught up here. Sundays are usually my days. I feel behind :)
Two weeks ago Lauren hosted a party sponsored by Zatarains. I've talked before about how a few of us are signed up through a few companies to sample products, foods & other items. Consequently that's how we came to this weeks dinner. While we were waiting for dinner we played with her boys (who we decided have grown far too quickly), and Lauren broke out mardi gras masks, the 3 hot glue guns that she owns (?!), feathers, sequins, sparkles & beads so we could decorate our dinner party attire. From left to right are Teresa, Meagan, Cassie, Caroline, Tiff, Lisa, Danielle, Emily and myself. We know how to have fun on a Thursday night, eh?

Here are your recipes...

Jambalaya Maque Choux
makes 6 servings
1 T oil
1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 1/2 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix
1 cup frozen corn

1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add celery, bell pepper and onion; cook and stir 3 minutes or until sausage is browned and vegetables begin to soften.
2. Stir in water, tomatoes and Rice Mix. Bring to boil. Reduce hear to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in corn, cover and cook 5 minutes longer or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.

Red Beans and Rice Tortilla Casserole
makes 8 servings
1 package Zatarain's Red Beans and Rice Mix
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can chopped green chiles, undrained
6 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Assorted topping, such as sour cream, salsa and chopped green onions

1. Prepare Rice Mix as directed on package. Add corn and green chiles; mix well.
2. Spread 1/2 cup of the rice mixture on bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish sprayed with no stick cooking spray. Top with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping as needed. Layer with 1/2 each of the remaining rice mixture, chicken, and cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tortillas, rice mixture and cheese.
3. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with assorted toppings, if desired.

Zatarain's King Cake Cupcakes
yields 10-12
Yellow Butter Cake
1/4 pound butter
1/8 t. salt
1 1/4 cup cake flour
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 T baking powder
1 t. vanilla extract

1. In a mixer at medium speed, cream butter, su8gar, and salt together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time while the mixer is running, making sure each egg is totally mixed in before adding another. Beat mixture until light and fluffy, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl carefully.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder using a wire whisk to sift and combine them. In another separate bowl, mix the milk and vanilla.
3. Alternate adding wet and dry ingredients to butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix, as batter should be thick and fluffy. Spoon into lined cupcake pans, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until done.

Creole Cream Cheese Filling with Root Beer1 pound softened Creole or regular cream cheese
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 t. Zatarain's Root Beer Extract
1/4 pound powdered sugar
Dried fava beans (set aside, if desired)

1. Combine shortening and cream cheese in mixer at medium speed and whip with paddle until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar and whip until fluffy,, mix in root beer extract until well combined.

Root Beer Frosting
1 pound powdered sugar
1/4 pound butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup water
pinch of salt
1 t. Zatarain's Root Beer Extract

1. Combine all ingredients in bowl of mixer. Beat together at medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. After baking the cupcakes and allowing them to cool completely (about an hour), use a 1/4 t. measuring spoon to scoop out the center of the cupcake from the top to about half way down.
3. With a piping bag, or plastic bag with the corner snipped off, fill the hole with the filling.
4. Insert a dried fava bean in to the filling of each cupcake. Note fava bean is for decoration only and should not be eaten.
5. Using a star tip and separate piping bag, pipe the frosting starting on the outside, working you way in to the center in one continuous motion. Top with green, purple and yellow or gold sprinkles or decorative sugar like on a traditional king cake.

Crack Bread and Sweet & Sour Chicken

Dinner at Tiff's is always yummy. She made us one of her specialties. It's her mom's recipe for deep fried chicken bites with homemade sweet & sour sauce over rice. Homemade is the way to go and this stuff is so much better than that goop you get at the grocery store Asian marketplace. It's not an easy thing to make but Tiff has it perfected.
We are also excited to announce Cassie & her husband Johnny are expecting their 1st baby in September. Congrats you two!! Here we are with Cass at her wedding last year. Loving that we're adding another little one to the group!

Here are your recipes for the week...

Appetizer: CRACK BREAD:

1 unsliced loaf of (round is preferable) sourdough bread
8-12 oz cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
3 oz bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon bits
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix (we like Uncle Dan's)

Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust. Place slices of cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get in between cuts. Mix together butter and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread. Wrap in foil the entire loaf in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

This recipe courtesy of http://www.plainchicken.com/. Found via Pinterest.com
Sweet & Sour Chicken

Tempura:
1/2 c flour
1/2 c corn starch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 c cold water

Whisk together. Dip bite size chicken pieces in batter. Immediately add them to oil that has been heated for 5 mins over medium heat. Leave them in until golden brown. Test one to make sure the chicken has cooked all the way through before removing them all.

Sweet & Sour Sauce:
3/4 c sugar
2 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs ketchup
2 Tbs corn starch
3/4 c water

Combine and heat on low until ready to serve. Serve over your choice of rice...brown if you're feeling guilty about deep frying. :)

Congrats again to Cassie!

~AK

Gnocchi & a Blind Wine Tasting

Lisa is our wine girl! Last week she hosted a blind wine tasting for us. We each brought a bottle of wine ranging in price from $5 to $25 and immediately put it in a paper bag so no one could see what is was. After dinner we began scoring the wines based on clarity, aroma, taste & finish. After adding up the scores for each once we were done, Lisa announced the winner...drum roll please....... 2009 Cabernet from Desert Wind. This wine retails for only $9. Desert Wind is a beautiful winery directly off Hwy 82 in Prosser, Wa.  I visit this winery every year. We go over in April for the Yakima Valley Spring Barrel Tasting. They've consistently had great wines all of the years I have been.You can find more information about the festival here http://wineyakimavalley.org/ I highly recommend the experience!

Dinner was a delicious Gnocchi Mac n' Cheese. The recipe is as follows...

Gnocchi Mac n' Cheese
From Cuisine at Home

1 lb purchased pre-made or homemade gnocchi
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk (I used non-fat and turned out great)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (I probably used a bit more)
1/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese (again probably used a bit more)
*Who says you can't use too much cheese!!
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in single-layer in 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

Combine Gruyere and Fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful.  Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top.  Bake gnocchi until they puff and the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

*I added bread crumbs to the top before baking to add some crunch.

For dessert we had a variety of different cookies. I brought these...a recipe I found on Pinterest... Courtesy of http://www.chef-in-training.com/ I'm loving this blogger's recipes lately!

CAKE BATTER PUDDING COOKIES

• 1 1/2 sticks (or 3/4 cup) butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix, dry
• 3/4 cup yellow cake mix, dry
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Stir together flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together.

Add in pudding package and cake mix and beat until well blended.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Add flour mixture slowly until well incorporated.

Mix in sprinkles.

Roll into 1" balls and place on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

AK

Cheese Beer Dip Heaven

Cassie hosted girls night for the 1st time. Let me start by saying...wow! what a drive...we really have to hand it to Cassie for joining us so often down south and then driving home to EVERETT. We thank you for your dedication Cass :) but are also looking forward to you moving closer...fingers crossed for you during the home buying process.

We did a lot of talking about food allergies. Until recently the only one we had within the group was my own, to shellfish. Lucky for me, in a group that loves seafood so much, they accommodate my needs very carefully. Recently two of the girls decided to cut out gluten due to some issues they were having...turns out they were able to self diagnose it as an allergy and now we are working through learning about gluten-free alternatives. If anyone has any recipes or product brands they recommend, send 'em on over. We love to try new things.

The dip Cassie made us for an appetizer was AMAZING...soon to be a new favorite.

Cheese Beer Dip

2 - 8oz packages of cream cheese (I use one regular and one low fat)
1 package ranch dressing mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup beer (light or amber)
Chives (optional - can add just as a garnish)
To dip: pretzels, or chips
Directions: Mix all ingredients together. It's best to use a Kitchen Aid or mixer to get cheddar cheese to blend in.

Spaghetti Sauce (to feed 10 people)

1 1/2 cans of Hunts meat sauce
1 can tomato puree
1 can tomato paste (2 small cans)
1 can of tomatoes
Italian seasoning - basil, oregano, garlic powder to taste (You always need more seasoning then you think you do)
1 can of olives
8 large mushrooms cut in 4
1 1/4 lbs ground beef
Directions: Cook ground beef and add garlic while cooking, mix all ingredients in crock pot and let it cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Chocolate Kahlua Bundt Cake

1 package chocolate cake mix
4 large eggs
1/3 cup Kahlua
1 1/2 teaspoon sour cream
1 small instant vanilla pudding mix
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions: Mix all ingredients and put in greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 55 minutes. Serve the cake cold.
Icing (optional):
Mix powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter until at a texture where you can spread over the bundt cake, but runny enough that it can drip down the sides.


Hope you enjoy this meal as much as we did.

AK

Comfort Food Special - Stuffed Bell Peppers

I love entertaining...especially for these girls. They're really good at making you feel like all the effort you put into making a meal for 10+ was more than worth it, so I had fun having them over this past Thursday. Food is a big part of all of our lives and we believe you should be able to enjoy it with others that share the same love for tasty goodness. This is a huge reason why I love these ladies so much.

While catching up over glasses of wine and All Green Guacamole, I finished up our dinner for the evening - Stuffed Bell Peppers. This recipe was derived from my favorite cookbook, Best of Home Cooking, which can be bought for only $12.99 on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Family-Favorites-Best-Cooking/dp/1445405687/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329697272&sr=8-2

"This tasty cafeteria classic is the best use of leftover rice ever invented. You have to love a recipe where you get your meat, vegetable and starch all in one delicious package." (Serves 6-8)

For the sauce...
1 T olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 c. beef broth
2 1/2 c. prepared marinara sauce
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 t red pepper flakes

Add the olive oil to a saucepan and lightly brown the onions with a large pinch of salt over med-high heat. Remove half, reserve for the stuffing. Stir in the rest of the sauce ingredients ans bring to a simmer. Pour the sauce into the bottom of a large deep casserole dish. Preheat oven to 375.

For the peppers...
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb Italian pork sausage, casings removed
2 c. cooked rice
1 c. grated 'real' parmesan
1/4 c. chopped Italian parsley
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes
2 t salt
1 t fresh ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne
4 large red peppers (or green if you prefer)

Add all the filling ingredients to a mixing bowl, along with the reserved onions, and stir with a fork, or your hands, until the mixture is combined. Tips: You can cook a small piece of the filling to test the seasoning. Use brown rice to make this dish even healthier.

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the stem, seeds and white membrane from each pepper. Fill with the stuffing and place in the casserole dish. Additional cheese can be rated over the top if desired.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 mins. Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 mins, or until the peppers are very tender. Exact cooking time will depend on size, shape and thickness of the peppers. Best to let rest for 10 mins before serving. Serve with the sauce spooned over the top.


Dessert was courtesy of Folgers Coffee & Smucker's... Raspberry Fudge Mocha Mousse Trifle.

I had come across this recipe over the holidays and waited for just the right group to make it for. It's a huge success with my husband and little one too. I promise you won't be disappointed. You can find it here: http://www.folgers.com/coffee-dessert-recipes/raspberry-fudge-mocha-mousse-trifle.aspx

Enjoy...we sure did. Thanks for visiting!

AK