Mixing it Up

Nutty Cheese Tortellini

Jen Clark — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 02:22:30 +0000

I made quite a few changes to this recipe. I used whole wheat tortellini and threw in some extra penne to make more pasta. The recipe calls for a stick of butter (yikes!) so I only used 2/3 of a stick and added about 1/4 cup of milk, 1/8 cup of the reserved pasta water, and one more handful of parmesan cheese. I also threw in bacon crumbles which really complemented the flavor of the nuts and parmesan!

3 Servings
Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients

1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Coarsely ground pepper to taste

Directions

Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain and keep warm. In the same pan, melt butter. Stir in the tortellini, parsley and walnuts; toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pepper. Serve immediately. Yield: 3 servings.

Nutty Cheese Tortellini published in Taste of Home February/March 2008, p54

Toasting Nuts

Toasting nuts before using them in a recipe intensifies their flavor. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 5 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Be sure to watch them carefully so they don’t burn.

Back in the Kitchen!

Jen Clark — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 02:15:20 +0000

It has been a LONG time since I posted anything on here, probably because I haven’t been trying any new recipes (or cooking). Now that my second child is almost two months old, I felt inspired to get back in the kitchen. I am trying 4 new recipes this week. Last night I tried out a fish recipe but it wasn’t that great. Tonight we had success with a new pasta dish. Later in the week I plan on making slow cooker enchiladas and white chicken chili.

Meatloaf Sliders

Jen Clark — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:05:52 +0000

We had these for lunch today and they were yummy! It was a fun twist on the traditional hamburger. It made quite a few sliders so we will be able to make 3 meals out of it – 2 meals as sliders on buns, and for the other meal we plan on eating them as meatballs in spaghetti!

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Mayonnaise, for serving
24 slider-size hamburger buns, split

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top. Mist the rack lightly with cooking spray.

Combine the beef, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, the onion, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and the garlic powder in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together.

Shape tablespoonfuls of the meat into small, thin patties, about 2 inches in diameter. Place on the prepared rack on the baking sheet. Brush the patties with the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup and bake about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread mayonnaise on one side of each bun. Serve each meatloaf slider on a prepared bun.

Frozen Lemonade Pie

Jen Clark — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:59:03 +0000

This pie was amazing! My brother in law said he has made and eaten tons of pies in his life and this one is now his favorite! It was also easy to make. I made the pie for my mom’s birthday and she doesn’t like raspberries and blueberries so I used strawberries for the topping.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw)

For the Topping:

1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes; cool completely.

Make the filling: In a cold medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, stir together the condensed milk and frozen lemonade. Gently fold the lemonade mixture into the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust; freeze overnight.

About an hour before you serve the pie, make the topping: Toss the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.

Let the pie come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Top each slice with berries.

Fudgy Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

Jen Clark — Fri, 14 May 2010 11:58:52 +0000

I made these this week because they looked good and I already had most of the ingredients. They are fattening, but they are SO good! You have a buttery graham cracker layer, a chocolate fudge layer, and a cookie/toffee layer on top!

Toffee Fudge Bars

INGREDIENTS

1/2	cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, melted
2	cups graham cracker crumbs (32 squares)
1	bag (8 oz) Heath® Bits ‘O Brickle® toffee bits (1 1/2 cups)
1	roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
1	bag (12 oz) Hershey’s® semi-sweet chocolate baking chips (2 cups)
1	can (14 oz) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1	tablespoon LAND O LAKES® Butter
1	teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1.	Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13×9-inch pan with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray.
2.	In medium bowl, stir 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 1/2 cups of the cracker crumbs and 3/4 cup of the toffee bits. Press mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Refrigerate about 15 minutes or until firm.
3.	Meanwhile, let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. In 2-quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips, milk and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat, stirring frequently, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Spread mixture over cracker crust.
4.	In medium bowl, break up cookie dough. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup cracker crumbs with wooden spoon until well blended. Crumble mixture evenly over chocolate layer. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup toffee bits.
5.	Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For a firmer bar, refrigerate 30 minutes longer. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.

Pillsbury Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid

Jen Clark — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:35:42 +0000

This meal turned out to be very good! I made extra of the filling and made two crescent braids. Don’t expect a lot of leftovers if you only make one! The leftovers weren’t quite as good as the first night we ate it, but I think it would be a good meal to make if you need to feed your family and take a meal to friends the same night.

The Inside

The Outside

INGREDIENTS

1	can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1	tablespoon vegetable oil
2	small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1×1/2×1/2-inch strips
1	teaspoon chili powder
1/4	teaspoon salt
1	clove garlic, finely chopped
1	small onion, thinly sliced
1/2	cup green or red bell pepper strips (2x1x1/4 inch)
1/4	cup Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky salsa
2	cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)
1	egg white, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1.	Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press to 8×12 inches.
2.	In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir in chili powder, salt and garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper strips; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are crisp-tender.
3.	Spoon chicken mixture in 4-inch strip lengthwise down center of dough. Top with salsa; sprinkle with cheese. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough within 1/2 inch of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling; press edges to seal. Brush with egg white.
4.	Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

Pillsbury Pull-Apart Coffee Cake

Jen Clark — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:22:32 +0000

I made this coffee cake for my morning Bible Study and it was yummy! I did the prep work the night before so it was very easy to make the next morning. They were a good mix of sweet and salty and I will make them again!

Pull-Apart Coffee Cake

INGREDIENTS

1/4	cup sugar
1/4	cup golden or dark raisins
1/4	cup chopped walnuts, almonds or pine nuts
2	teaspoons grated lemon peel
2	tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1	can (12 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Jr. Golden Layers® Refrigerated Buttermilk or Flaky Biscuits

DIRECTIONS

1.	Heat oven to 375°F. Line bottom of 8- or 9-inch round cake pan with waxed paper. In large bowl, mix all ingredients except biscuits.
2.	Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each into quarters. Place biscuit pieces in sugar mixture; toss to coat. Arrange in single layer in waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle top with any remaining sugar mixture.
3.	Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Run knife around side of pan to loosen. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan and waxed paper. Cut coffee cake into wedges or pull apart. Serve warm.

Chocolate Truffle Cake

Jen Clark — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:50:23 +0000

I decided to try this cake recipe for my MIL’s birthday. She requested a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and this recipe won the grand prize in my Taste of Home cooking magazine. It was really good and did taste a lot like a truffle! It was very rich and dense and was the perfect treat as we were snowed in for a few days! I really liked the filling and had a lot leftover so I think I will use thicker layers of filling the next time I make it. I was going to do a raspberry or strawberry garnish on the top with some chocolate drizzle, but couldn’t find any the night before the snow was supposed to arrive.

Chocolate Truffle Cake

16 Servings
Prep: 35 min. + chilling Bake: 25 min. + cooling

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups 2% milk
1 cup butter, cubed
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
FILLING:
6 tablespoons butter, cubed
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
GANACHE:
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook the milk, butter and chocolate over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat; let stand for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat eggs and vanilla; stir in chocolate mixture until smooth. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into the mixture (batter will be thin). Transfer to three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
For filling, in a small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate. Stir in confectioners’ sugar and cream until smooth.
For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally, until ganache reaches a spreading consistency.
Set aside 1/2 cup filling for garnish. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the remaining filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread ganache over top and sides of cake. Decorate with reserved filling. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 16 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 slice equals 676 calories, 38 g fat (22 g saturated fat), 109 mg cholesterol, 299 mg sodium, 84 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 8 g protein.

Chocolate Truffle Cake published in Taste of Home December/January 2010, p45

Mix

Jen Clark — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:28:31 +0000

The name is boring, but the food is far from it! I first tasted this snack when visiting Jeff’s parents while we were dating. Jeff’s mom makes this most times we come to visit and for the holidays. I was a bit scared of it at first when I knew it was made with tons of butter (I’m not a butter type of girl), but I quickly realized how good the butter makes it taste! I usually don’t make it for us in VA, but I thought the snowstorm would be a perfect excuse. You can tell from the picture that it made a lot, and I only made half of the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon seasoned salt (Lawry’s, the orange stuff)

1 heaping tablespoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 pound of butter

2 boxes of Rice Chex

1 box plain spoon-sized shredded wheat

1 small box plain Cheerios

1 bag of small-size pretzels (twists or rings)

2 pounds mixed nuts (whatever combination you like)

Directions:

Melt the butter and add 1 T seasoned salt, 1 heaping T garlic powder, and 3 T Worcestershire sauce. Divide your dry ingredients between the two large roasting pans. With a big spoon, gradually add the butter mixture, stirring up the ceral mixture from the bottom after each addition to distribute the butter as much as you can. Don’tworry if every piece is not covered – it all works out as it bakes.

Bake at 250 degrees for about 2 hours, stirring the mix every 20 minutes. Stir up from the bottom of the pan each time. Let mix cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Cranberry Chicken Freezer Meal

Jen Clark — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:59:05 +0000

I made this recipe the week of Thanksgiving. I was excited about the idea of freezer meals and it definitely made weeknight cooking easier! I think Jeff liked the chicken a little more than me, but I would definitely make it again. I might throw in more chicken next time as there was a lot of sauce left over.

Cranberry Chicken

Ingredients:
8 oz. Catalina dressing (or
approximately 1 cup)
1 package dry onion soup mix
1- 1lb. can whole cranberry sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts –
if large, cut each
breast in half crosswise
Mix together dressing, onion soup mix, and cranberry
sauce. Place chicken and cranberry mixture in resealable
Ziploc freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months.

Cooking Directions:
Thaw completely in refrigerator. Place chicken with
cranberry sauce mixture in greased baking dish and
bake uncovered at 350°F for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (depending on size of chicken breasts).