March 31, 2009

Turkey enchiladas

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano leaves or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salad oil
1 can (29 oz.) red enchilada sauce
Salt
12 flour or corn tortillas (6 in. wide)
2 cups shredded reduced-fat jack cheese (8 oz.)
Chopped fresh cilantro


1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, stir turkey, onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin in oil until turkey is crumbly and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup enchilada sauce. Add salt to taste.

2. Meanwhile, cut tortillas in half. Arrange a fourth of the halves evenly over the bottom of a shallow 3-quart casserole, overlapping to fit. Sprinkle a fourth of the cheese evenly over the tortillas, then top with a third of the turkey mixture and a fourth of the remaining enchilada sauce, spreading each level. Repeat to make two more layers of tortillas, cheese, turkey mixture, and sauce; top with another layer of tortillas and sauce, then cheese.

3. Bake in a 425° regular or convection oven until cheese is melted and casserole is hot in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro

March 30, 2009

Zucchini casserole

8 cups sliced zucchini(about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain; partially mash with a potato masher.

Combine zucchini mixture, rice, cheddar cheese, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and eggs in a bowl; stir gently. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Preheat broiler. Broil 1 minute or until lightly browned

March 29, 2009

Potato casserole

1 1/2 cups fat-free sour cream
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) finely shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons minced fresh onion
5 teaspoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (30-ounce) package frozen hash browns, thawed (such as Ore-Ida)
1 (10.75-ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup (such as Campbell's Healthy Request)
1 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl; spread evenly into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cornflakes over potato mixture.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until bubbly. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

March 28, 2009

Mediterranean Spinach Strata

2 (8-ounce) loaves French bread baguette, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 (7-ounce) bags baby spinach
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
3 cups thinly sliced plum tomato (about 1 pound)
1 (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Asiago cheese, divided
3 cups fat-free milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

Place bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 bag of spinach; cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Add remaining spinach; cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Place half of bread slices in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread spinach mixture over bread. Top with tomato slices; sprinkle evenly with feta and half of Asiago cheese. Arrange remaining bread slices over cheese. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, milk, and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Pour over bread; sprinkle with remaining Asiago cheese. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover strata; bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Serve warm

March 27, 2009

Cheese slaw

1 lb shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup chopped bananna peppers
1/2 cup chopped jalapeno slices

Mix with enough mayo to bind mixture together. Serve with crackers or Frito Scoops

March 26, 2009

Bacon hashbrown casserole

6 bacon slices
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (32-ounce) package frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded Classic Melts Four Cheese blend, divided
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed 30% reduced-sodium, 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, and crumble. Discard drippings in pan. Add 1 cup onion and garlic to pan; cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the potatoes; cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine crumbled bacon, 1/4 cup cheese, green onions, sour cream, salt, pepper, and soup in a large bowl. Add potato mixture; toss gently to combine. Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Remove casserole from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Bake casserole, covered, at 350º for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until bubbly around edges and cheese begins to brown

March 25, 2009

Light Chicken Broccoli Casserole

3 quarts water
1 (12-ounce) package broccoli florets
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed 30% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 400°.

Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, and cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer broccoli to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Add chicken to boiling water; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken to a cutting board; cool slightly. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, and add chicken to bowl with broccoli.

Combine evaporated milk, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add mayonnaise, next 4 ingredients (through soup), and 1/2 cup cheese, stirring until well combined. Add mayonnaise mixture to broccoli mixture; stir gently until combined.

Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until mixture bubbles at the edges and cheese begins to brown. Remove from oven; let cool on a wire rack 5 minutes

March 24, 2009

Lynn's pizza dip

1 large package (8 ounces) cream cheese softened
1 jar pizza sauce (16 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pkg. sliced pepperoni
8 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preparation: Spread cream cheese in bottom of slow cooker/Crock Pot. Then mix up the pizza sauce, onion, and pepperoni and spread on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle with the pizza cheese and cook on low until the cheese on top melts. Serve with tortilla chips. You could add other pizza toppings to this or delete

March 23, 2009

Easy Cheezy turnovers

1 pound ground beef
1 (1-ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or any blended mix)
3 (8-ounce) packages refrigerator crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375*F (190*C). In medium skillet cook the hamburger until done; drain. Stir in soup mix and cheese. Separate crescent dough. Place a tablespoonful of meat mixture in center of each triangle, fold over and seal edges. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown

March 22, 2009

Magnolia cupcakes

Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes
Source: More from Magnolia by Allysa Torey - Magnolia Bakery, NYC
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream Icing
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in a bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes our clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. Ice the cupcakes with either vanilla or chocolate buttercream.
Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.
Note: If you would like to make a layer cake instead of cupcakes, divide the batter between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake the layers for 30-40 minutes.


Magnolia’s Chocolate Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted (see note)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream Icing
Note: To melt the chocolate. Place in a double broiler over simmering water on low heat for approximately 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally until completely smooth and no pieces of chocolate remain. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm 5-10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Set aside.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream.
Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes. (Depending on the size of your cupcake papers and muffin tins)
Note: If you would like to make a layer cake instead of cupcakes, divide the batter between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake the layers for 30-40 minutes.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6-8 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes,. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp milk
9 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk carefully and beat until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat on low speed until creamy and of desired consistency.

March 21, 2009

Crockpot taters

2 lbs frozen hash browns
1/2 pint sour cream
3 green onions
8 oz Velveeta Cheese, cubed
1 can Cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in crockpot. Cook 6-8 hours on low, 4-5 hours on high. Enjoy!!

March 20, 2009

Beef n biscuit casserole

1-1 1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
12 oz. tomato sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
2 cans flaky buttermilk biscuits, all separated in half
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten

Oven 375 degrees. Greased 9 x 13 inch pan (I always use a glass one). Brown ground beef, onion and green pepper, drain. Stir in garlic salt, tomato sauce and chili powder. Mix 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, sour cream and beaten egg in a separate bowl, add to ground beef mixture. Simmer while preparing biscuits. Place one-half of the biscuits in bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Spoon ground beef mixture over biscuits and top with remaining biscuits, stretching slightly. Sprinkle remaining cheese over biscuits. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

March 19, 2009

Chocolate delight

1 18 1/2-ounce package devil's food chocolate cake mix
3 3 1/2-ounce packages instant chocolate pudding mix, regular or sugar free
2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
Chocolate sauce or syrup, any variety, for garnish

Directions:

Prepare the cake mix and bake in a 13 by 9-inch pan according to package directions. Let cool thoroughly, then cut into cubes about the size of a walnut. Prepare the chocolate pudding according to package directions. In a medium bowl, whip the cream with the sugar until stiff. To assemble: In a trifle bowl, cover bottom with chocolate cake cubes, pudding, whipped cream, nuts and chocolate sauce. Repeat, making 3 layers

March 18, 2009

Crockpot pizza

¾ lb. Hamburger. browned and drained
¾ lb. Italian Sausage, browned and drained
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/8 tsp. Ground Red Pepper
1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, Grated
1 Medium onion, Chopped
1 Package Pepperoni
1 lb. Rigatoni noodles cooked and drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup (10oz.)
1 Jar Pizza Sauce (14oz.)
1 Can mushrooms (6oz.)

Fry hamburger and sausage, drain grease. Stir in salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and red pepper together mix with hamburger and sausage. Layer the ingredients in a crockpot in the following order: Meat, Noodles, Cheese, Soup, Onions, Pizza sauce, Pepperoni, Mushrooms and Juice. Cook 4 hours on Low.

March 17, 2009

Corned beef & cabbage crockpot style

3 carrotts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2-3 onions, quartered
3-4 lb corned beef brisket (w/ seasoning packet)
10 small red potatoes, halved
1 small head cabbage, cut into wedges
2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 sprig thyme
1 teaspoon sugar
12 ounces Guinness stout
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Place carrots in bottom of crock pot, add brisket and onions. Mix together beer, water, sugar, dry mustard, garlic powder, thyme, salt & pepper. Pour over brisket. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove carrots and onions, set aside. Add cabbage and potatoes and cook on high at least 2 more hours. Push cabbage down a couple of times as it cooks. Return carrots and onions to crock pot for a few minutes to warm. Slice corned beef thinly, across the grain. Plate up with the veggies and pour a little juice over all.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

March 16, 2009

Brownie delight

Your favorite boxed brownie mix
3 6-ounce chocolate bars with almond & toffee chips (I used the Symphony bars)

Make batter according to the box. Pour half the batter in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Place the 3 candy bars in the batter. Cover with the remaining batter and bake as per the box instructions. SO GOOD!!

Corned beef & Cabbage Casserole

By Michele M. Brown

Description
This casserole is quick, easy and is a good substitute for rolling cabbage rolls!

Ingredients
3 cans of corned beef (or fresh cooked and shredded corned beef can be used)
1 medium onion
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 head of raw green cabbage chopped into bite size pieces
3 cups cooked long grain white rice
2 jars Ragu Chunky Garden Combination Spaghetti Sauce (27.5 oz jar)
1 T. olive oil

Directions
Peel and chop onion and garlic. Heat skillet with olive oil and saute onion and garlic until onions are clear, slightly browning. In large mixing bowl smash up the canned corn beef, adding the cooked onion/garlic until mixed well and meat is crumbled well. Add the cooked rice, all of the spaghetti sauce and the cabbage and mix well (more sauce can be added if needed, depending on how much cabbage is used.) Lightly coat 13 x 9” glass baking dish with olive oil (or spray) and fill with mixture. Bake in hot oven at 400 degrees for approx. 45 min. (or until cabbage is tender). Remove and let set for 15 min. before serving. Great with cornbread muffins and iced tea!

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 45 Min
Total Time: 1 Hr 5 Min

Stuffed cabbage

1 lb. ground sirloin
1 lb. lean ground pork
2 cups cooked rice
1 med. onion chopped fine
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 large head cabbage, outer leaves removed,set aside,the rest blanched,large vein removed
2 large cans tomato soup
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp. vinegar

Directions
Spray a casserole dish, or oven proof dutch oven with non stick spray. Line bottom with a couple of the reserved outer cabbage leaves. ( lapprox. 3 qt. size, depending on how much you want to make)Cook rice, drain, and cool. Mix together meats, rice, onion, salt and pepper.Take approx. 2-3 tbsp. of meat mixture( this will vary on leaf size)place on leaf, roll. ( to roll, place meat towards bottom of leaf, fold in sides, roll up, making sure the "end" is on the underside of the roll.)Layer snugly in bottom of pan. Spoon some soup over this. Continue layering, and adding soup. Once you reach the top layer,pour remaining soup over the rolls, pour the vinegar on top. Cover with any remaining cabbage leaves( I always use the small ones from the middle, that are too small to roll, and any remaining outer leaves. ) Spray a piece of foil with non stick spray, cover the rolls with that, then put dutch oven/casserole lid on top of this. Bake in a preheated 325 oven for 3 hours.( lalternately you can do this in a crock pot, but, the flavor just is not the same)

Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 2 Hr
Total Time: 2 Hr 25 Min
Servings: 8
By Mary Prickett

March 15, 2009

Honey Cranberry Chicken salad

Ingredients
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 celery ribs, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup orange-blossom honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Garnish: chopped toasted pecans
Preparation
Stir together first 4 ingredients.

Whisk together mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients. Add to chicken mixture, stirring gently until combined. Garnish, if desired.

Teresa Mosher, Bradenton, Florida, Southern Living, MARCH 2004

March 14, 2009

Lemon bars

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Prep Time: 15 min Inactive Prep Time: hr min Cook Time: 45 min Level:
Easy Serves:
16 bars Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
Pinch salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan.

Make the crust by combining the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. You may need to dip your fingers into a little flour or confectioners' sugar to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, mix the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and lemon juice. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired, when the bars are done.