#107 :: Red Potato Salad with Bacon

This is another recipe that I created myself. I looked at so many potato salad recipes, and none of them had everything I was looking for. So again, I chose the things I wanted and created my own. It turned out like a cross between a southern potato salad and a German potato salad.....and it was very good!

Ingredients

• 6 cups cubed red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• Salt
• 2 ounces bacon (2 or 3 strips)
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper (any color, we used green)
• 1 ear of grilled sweet corn
  
• 1/4 cup minced sweet onion
  
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Put the potatoes in a large pot; add water just to cover and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels and finely chop. Add the bacon back to the pan with the onion and cook until the onion is soft. (You can omit this step if you like crunchy raw onions instead - I don't!)

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and bell pepper. Toss in the onions and bacon. Cut the grilled corn off the cob and add the kernels to the potatoes.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour over the potato mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate or serve at room temperature.

Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe from Amy

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

#103 :: Lime Cilantro Marinade

This was an O.K. marinade. We both agreed yesterday's was better, but this was good for a change from the regular plain grilled chicken breast. They didn't get to marinate as long as they did yesterday (today we left them in the marinade for an hour, yesterday was 3 hours) so that might have a little to do with it. The recipe mentions using the chicken for fajitas, which we didn't do but I think would make even better use of the flavor of this marinade. It would have been great for fajitas!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive or other oil

Directions

Place the chicken in a shallow bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the chicken, turning the breasts to coat both sides. Let set about 30 minutes. Heat a grill to high heat. Grill the breasts until just cooked through, turning to brown both sides. (The amount of time depends on the thickness of the breasts and the heat of the grill.) Remove from grill, tent with foil, and let rest about 5 minutes before serving. If using in the fajitas, carve into thin slices.

Note: Breasts can also be cooked in a grill pan, skillet or under a hot broiler.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Teri's Kitchen

Star Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

#102 :: Lemon Dijon Marinade

I noticed that we hadn't really done any marinades since we started this blog, so I decided to try some different varieties of marinades this week. This lemon Dijon marinade was the first, and Jamie loved it! He all but licked the plate clean when he was done! :) We served it with one of our new favorites, roasted broccoli.

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup good olive oil
• 2 chicken breasts, bone-in and skin-on

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Set aside.

Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Pour half the marinade over the chicken, reserving the other half to use later. Allow the chicken to marinade for at least two hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the remaining marinade over the top of the chicken. Cover the dish with aluminium foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Makes 2 servings

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#84 :: Lemony Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Seafood and pasta is a favorite of ours, and this one was another great combo! The recipe called for shrimp, but we used a combo -- shrimp, scallops and calamari. The extra bonus was that the leftovers tasted even better than the original dinner.





Ingredients

* 6 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
* 2 lemons, zested and juiced
* 5 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 pound medium shrimp (21 to 25), peeled, de-veined and butterflied (reserve shells)
(we used a mix of seafood - shrimp, scallops & calamari)
* 1/4 onion
* 3/4 pound thin linguini (we used angel hair)
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 small bunch parsley, leaves chopped


Directions

In a bowl, combine the garlic, zest and juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste, and the shrimp. Set aside.

Meanwhile make a quick shrimp stock: In a small pot, over medium heat, add the shrimp shells and onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a bowl and discard the shells and the onion.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a generous amount of salt. Add the linguini and cook until just tender, 2 minutes less than instructed on the package. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and start to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate and add the remaining marinade. Let cook a few minutes then add about 1 cup of shrimp stock and about 1/2 cup pasta water. Continue to cook until sauce reduces by half. Add the zest and juice of the remaining lemon, the butter and the parsley and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Add in the shrimp and pasta and toss to combine with the sauce. Turn out into a serving bowl and serve immediately.



Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#82-#83 On the Grill :: Steak & Salmon + Stuffed Mushrooms

We've still been cooking at home a lot lately, but we haven't really been following recipes. The weather's been quite nice, so we've been grilling a lot (recently, steaks and salmon). Roasting vegetables has become a favorite as well, so we usually choose a couple to go with our main course.

I drizzled the salmon (both sides) with some olive oil, seasoned with salt & pepper, and gave it a squirt of fresh lemon juice. Then I dropped them on the grill for a few minutes on each side. To go with it I roasted some broccoli, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt & pepper, at 400 for 20 minutes. Then I removed it, sprinkled some Parmesan cheese over the top, and returned them to the oven for another 10 minutes. Same process with the mushrooms -- drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with salt & pepper, and roasted at 400 for 20 minutes. Then I removed them, filled them with bacon crumbles, topped them with monterey jack cheese, and returned them to the oven for another 10 minutes.




These steaks were bacon wrapped and broiled for 6-10 minutes on each side (depending on if you want rare to well done). The squash spears and asparagus spears were drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with salt & pepper, and roasted at 400 for 30-40 minutes (the squash takes longer than the asparagus does, so keep an eye on them). I also made some blue cheese butter, which we've made before and we try to keep on hand all the time now. It goes with so many things so well! All you do is mix it up in the food processor -- a stick of softened butter, 1/2 c blue cheese crumbles, a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything well, then transfer it to a piece of saran wrap. Use the saran wrap to roll it into a log (think the shape of a regular stick of butter), twist the ends closed and refrigerate until firm. Store extra in the refrigerator.

#80 :: Crispy Baked Rosemary-Garlic Chicken

LISA, if you're reading, this one's for you! :) I know you don't have time for complicated dinner recipes.....and I know you like Shake & Bake......so here's a "gourmet grown up" Shake & Bake for you! As a matter of fact, while Jamie and I were in the kitchen cooking I told him all about our tiny apartment on Audelia.... and how you would make Shake & Bake and spaghetti for dinner all the time. Good times!

Ingredients

• 12 chicken legs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 stems rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 4 cups panko bread crumbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a sheet tray in the oven to preheat.

Wash and trim the chicken legs of any excess fat. Mix the garlic, rosemary and panko together in a shallow rimmed dish and season well with salt and pepper.

Crack the eggs into a similar dish, add the milk and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. In another dish add the flour and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Take the chicken legs and 1 at a time, dredge in the flour, then the egg wash and then coat well with the rosemary-garlic panko bread crumbs. (Cook's Note: you could also bread the legs by putting the bread crumbs in a large plastic bag and shaking the legs in the crumbs inside the bag.) Lay the chicken legs out on a tray lined with parchment paper, as you work. Refrigerate the legs for about 15 to 20 minutes for the breading to set.

Remove the hot sheet tray from the oven and drizzle with a good amount of olive oil. Arrange the chicken legs carefully on the tray, spacing them out evenly (the chicken will sizzle when added to the hot oil). Roast until the chicken legs are golden and crispy, about 35 to 40 minutes Remove the chicken from the oven to a serving platter. Season with salt and serve with lemon wedges.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Recipe from Tyler's Ultimate on Food Network

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5

#79 :: Grilled Chicken & Roasted Zucchini

With our Sweet Potato Fries came the healthy portion of the meal -- grilled lemon pepper chicken and roasted zucchini. Honestly, I think I could eat any vegetable if it was roasted. Something about roasting them makes them taste sooo good! Much better than out of a can, and it doesn't take any more work than a can would!

Ingredients

3 zucchini, sliced into quarters
4 chicken breasts
Lemon Pepper marinade

Directions

We marinated the chicken breasts in a store bought lemon pepper marinade. I should have made my own, and now I wish that I would have, but sometimes you just have to take a short cut! After it sits in the marinade for at least an hour, grill it on med-high heat on each side for 8-10 minutes.

For the zucchini, trim off the ends, slice them into quarters and lay them out on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil, add salt & pepper to taste, and bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes.





No "recipe" used

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#67 :: Roasted Grape Tomatoes

Juicy on the inside, a little crisp on the outside, and just bursting with flavor. These were too easy to taste this good!

Ingredients

• 4 cups grape tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl add the grape tomatoes and 3 garlic cloves. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper.

In a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish, place the tomatoes and garlic cloves, ensuring they are in just 1 layer. Roast for 20 minutes, and then stir. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot water, if too dry in appearance. Return to the oven and cook for 20 to 30 more minutes.

When ready, the tomatoes will have begun to shrivel and the liquid in the dish should have thickened. Serve hot from oven.

Makes 8 servings

Recipe from 5 Ingredient Fix on Food Network

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#66 :: Parmesan Roasted Asparagus

These were absolutely fantastic! The tips were crunchy, the insides were soft, and the seasoning used was just right. I could seriously eat asparagus every day if it was cooked this way!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 2 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus (about 30 large)
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 lemons cut in wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

If the stalks of the asparagus are thick, peel the bottom 1/2 of each. Lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and return to the oven for another minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Makes 6 servings

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#60 :: Ricotta Ravioli with Spinach Pesto

Jamie loved this ravioli, but I didn't. I'm not a fan of nuts, and the only thing I didn't like about this was the hazelnuts. I guess that in my mind, crunch doesn't belong in ravioli. I loved it without them. I also loved the spinach pesto...very tasty! I could have eaten it on its own!



Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh ricotta
• 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 (12 ounce) package wonton wrappers
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 4 cups spinach, loosely packed
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Special equipment: Food processor

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, 1/4 cup hazelnuts, nutmeg, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Lay several wonton wrappers on a work surface. Scoop a generous tablespoon of the ricotta filling into the center of each wrapper, and brush outside edges with egg white. Lay another wonton wrapper on top of each, and press firmly with fingertips to press out air and seal ravioli. Transfer ravioli to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers and filling, making 18 to 20 ravioli total. Cover baking sheet with a damp paper towel and transfer to refrigerator to set up, about 30 minutes.

To make the spinach pesto:

In a food processor, combine remaining 3/4 cup hazelnuts, lemon juice, spinach, garlic, parmesan, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste and puree until smooth.

Fill a large pot with water, salt liberally, and bring to a boil. Cook ravioli in three batches, until they are cooked and float to the top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Strain and transfer to serving bowls with a dollop of spinach pesto.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Cooking for Real on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#54 :: Chicken Mole Enchiladas

"Catastrophic flavor failure!" -Jamie

This was a disappointment. I'm not sure what I did wrong, I'm pretty sure I did something to mess this one up. The flavor of the mole was just...wrong. I have full confidence that it's a good recipe when it's done right...and I will definitely have to re-visit this one and try again someday soon. For now, feel free to try it yourself and let me know your results!

*There are no photos because the mole was so bad I didn't even roll up the enchiladas. I ate the shredded chicken breast for dinner instead!

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Mole:

• 5 dried pasilla chiles, (or dried anocho chiles) stemmed and seeded
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 (6-inch) corn tortillas, grilled crisp, recipe follows (or handful of regular tortilla chips)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 5.5 ounces Mexican chocolate, chopped, (recommended: Ibarra*)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Enchiladas:

• 12 corn tortillas, warmed
• Olive oil, as needed
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
• 3/4 cup queso fresco (or mild Feta)

Directions

For the chicken breasts: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a baking sheet, season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and olive oil, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through or, set aside to cool, then shred into small (1-inch) pieces.

For the Mole: Reconstitute the dried chiles by soaking them in 1 1/2 cups hot water for 15 minutes, then drain and set aside. Grill the 2 corn tortillas in a grill pan until dry, crisp and golden. Tear into pieces and set aside. In a heavy large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with a little salt and saute 3 minutes, or until translucent. Then add the minced garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer onion and garlic mixture to blender with all remaining mole ingredients (except for the chocolate and chicken) and blend until very smooth. Then transfer the sauce to a medium saute pan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in the chocolate. Season the mole with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 1 cup of mole for garnishing the enchiladas, the rest will be used for dipping the tortillas.

To assemble the enchiladas: Re-heat the shredded chicken if necessary and keep warm. In a medium saute pan (wide enough to fit the tortillas laying flat) over high heat add the oil to reach 1/2-inch up the side. When oil is hot, dip one tortilla at a time, and fry for a few seconds just until soft and heated through. Lift out, let excess oil drip, then dip the fried tortilla directly into the warm mole (which should be right next to the pan for easy dipping) and place on a cutting board. Working quickly, put about 1/3 cup of the warm shredded chicken in the center, being careful not to over fill. Roll the tortilla like a cigar to enclose the filling and place in serving dish seam side down. (Individual gratin dishes work great to hold the extra mole sauce or if serving family style, a baking dish will work as well.) If necessary, use tongs or a spatula to place each enchilada seam side down in the dish. Continue to fill all of the tortillas and place them side-by-side. Pour the remaining, reserved Mole over the top, drizzle with a little creme fraiche, sprinkle with queso fresco, and serve.

Cook's Note: Queso Fresco is a white, mild, fresh Mexican cheese with the texture of fresh farmer's cheese in the US. Queso fresco can be found in many supermarkets, or can also substituted with a mild feta cheese.

Cook's Note: The pasilla is a Mexican dried chile, also known as "ancho" or "chile negro" in the U.S. It is often used in moles and other Mexican sauces. It also can be sold as a fresh chile in the U.S. - similar to the poblano. They can be found at most supermarkets, Latin specialty markets or online.

*Cooks note: Ibarra chocolate is a brand of Mexican chocolate that can be purchased in most national supermarkets. If you cannot find Ibarra or any Mexican chocolate, you can substitute one ounce of Mexican chocolate for: 1 (1-ounce) of semi-sweet chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and one drop of almond extract.

Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe from Mexican Made Easy on Food Network

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

(but we'll try it again!)

#50 :: Salsa Borracha {Drunken Salsa}

This is definitely a different salsa than what you're used to! It's sweet, but it definitely has a spicy kick! The sweet Ancho chiles paired with orange juice makes this salsa the perfect balance for the crema sauce on the fish tacos.

Ingredients

• 8 dried pasilla chiles* or dried ancho chiles
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup golden tequila
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled anejo cheese** or feta cheese (we used queso fresco)
  

Directions

Cook the chiles in a dry saute pan over high heat turning constantly until slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and when cool enough to handle, cut them in half and remove the seeds. Tear them into small pieces and add them to a blender.

Add the orange juice, tequila, garlic and olive oil to the blender. Puree the salsa and add it to the same saute pan used to toast the chiles. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season the salsa with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cool completely. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with crumbled anejo cheese.

Cook's Notes: "Drunken" salsas have been around forever but they were originally prepared with pulque, an alcoholic beverage made from the once sacred maguey (Agave plant). Pulque, which is not easy to find outside of Mexico, is not distilled and has a much stronger flavor than tequila, which I use in its place in this recipe. The alcohol leaves a musky flavor in the cooking process.

*The ancho chile is a dried poblano chile. It is also sold as "pasilla" or "chile negro" in the US. It has a deep red color, and the flavor ranges from mild to pungent. The rich, slightly fruit flavored ancho is the sweetest of the dried chiles. Anchos are often sold whole and can be stemmed, seeded then ground at home in a coffee or spice grinder. They can also be found at some supermarkets, Latin specialty markets or online.

**Anejo is a salty, crumbly cheese that is generally sprinkled on top of enchiladas, burritos and tacos. It is sold in some supermarkets and Latin specialty markets or even online. It can be substituted with feta cheese.

Makes 1 cup (about 4 servings)

Recipe from Mexican Made Easy on Food Network

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

#43 :: Chicken Wing Sauces *Super Bowl*

Honey Mustard

• 1/2 bottle of Dijon mustard
• 4 Tbsp. honey
  

Mix the two ingredients in a bowl. Make it to your taste,adding more honey if you like it sweeter.

BBQ Sauce

• 1 bottle BBQ sauce
  
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 tsp. Liquid Smoke
  

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Ranch

• 1 bottle of Ranch dressing
  

Pour it in a bowl. Ha! Easy.

Garlic Parmesan

• 1 stick of butter
  
• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin olive oil
  
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  

Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan. Add the butter. Once butter is melted, add the garlic and sautee for 2-3 minutes. Add the Parmesan and stir until all ingredients are combined. Remove from heat, but try and keep it warm. This sauce is best when kept fairly warm, so the butter doesn't solidify.

#37 :: Cornish Hens

This was yummy! I have to say, I liked the sage butter hens we did before better than these....but that doesn't mean that these weren't good. These were {dare I say it?} healthier than the sage butter hens we had. Still made for a good dinner, with a side of roasted sweet corn.

Ingredients

6 Cornish hens
Olive Oil

Seasoning/Rub:
2 Tbsp. lemon pepper
1 Tbsp.dried basil
1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
Stuffing:
2 celery stalks
1 medium onion
1 green bell pepper

Directions

Watch the video for directions from the Neely's! :)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/cornish-hens/19066.html



Makes 6 servings.

Recipe from Down Home with the Neely's on Food Network.

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#36 :: Green Vegetable Omelet

This is something we came up with on our own, just trying to use up the produce before it spoils! I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but when we were finished and took the first bite, I looked at Jamie and said "It's official....we can COOK!" It turned out delicious! I'm really surprising myself!


Jamie cooked our eggs on the griddle -- he loves using that instead of a pan!

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup bacon, crumbled
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (we used an Italian blend of Parmesan, Asiago, Provolone and Romano)
  
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Reserved shredded cheese (for topping)
  

Directions

In a medium pan saute the zucchini, green bell pepper, green onions and garlic in the olive oil & butter. Season with thyme, salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Fold in the sour cream. Add the bacon and shredded cheese, then season with salt & pepper. Add in the sauteed vegetables. Cook the egg mixture in a large skillet {or, if you're like Jamie, a griddle} on medium/high heat until eggs are scrambled. Serve immediately with a little extra shredded cheese sprinkled on top.



Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Amy & Jamie.

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5

#33 :: Chicken w/ White Wine Mushroom Sauce

This entire meal was FABULOUS! AMAZING! One of my favorites so far! Do I say that a lot? Even though this meal took us quite a while to prepare, it was worth it. Definitely worth it!

Directions

For Brine:

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 4 cups water
• 1 lemon, quartered and juiced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 4 (6-ounce) boneless chicken breasts with skin
• 4 drops liquid smoke
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 8 sage leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For White Wine Mushroom Sauce:

nocoupons

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup semidry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Special equipment: grill pan

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl mix together water, lemon juice, sugar and salt until dissolved. Add lemon quarters and chicken. Marinate for 30 minutes. Remove from marinade and pat dry. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Massage 1 drop of liquid smoke into each chicken breast. Salt and pepper generously then rub 1 tablespoon butter over and under skin of each chicken breast, placing 2 sage leaves underneath the skin. Place on hot grill, skin side down, until skin is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile for the white wine mushroom sauce: In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter with olive oil. Add onions, mushrooms and cayenne pepper. Saute until onions are translucent and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes. Add wine and reduce until it's almost evaporated. Add chicken stock and simmer until reduced by one third. In a small bowl press together remaining butter and flour with fingertips until well blended, then slowly add to the sauce while stirring with a wooden spoon. Simmer until sauce resembles loose gravy, about 5 minutes. Serve warm with the chicken.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Cooking for Real on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5+ out of 5 stars

#29 :: Chorizo Mushroom Queso Dip

This dip (or Queso Fundido as they call it at the Mexican restaurants here) is one of my favorites!! We've tried twice before to make it at home so we didn't have to go out for it. I made it once without a recipe, and just hoped for the best...and it came out pretty good. Jamie tried it a few days after me and completely burned it. But, since this is one of my favorites, we had to just keep trying until we got it right. I saw Rachael Ray make it one day on her show, so I decided to try her method and see how it turned out. It was definitely good! We'll keep looking for the perfect Queso Fundido recipe, but this one will do for today!

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a drizzle
• 1/2 pound Spanish or Mexican chorizo
• 1/2 pound mushroom caps, quartered
• 1 cup diced Mexican melting cheese or Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 bag corn tortillas or blue corn tortillas, any variety

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in small skillet over medium-high heat. Dice the Spanish chorizo and add to the pan to render the fat. If using fresh Mexican chorizo, remove the casing and crumble while it's browning. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook with the sausage until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer the sausage mixture to a small casserole or baking dish and top with the cheese. Bake until bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with the scallions. Serve with chips for dipping, or warm corn tortillas.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Recipe from 30 Minute Meals on Food Network.

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#25 :: Veggie Pasta

**We haven't posted for a few days. Shame on us! But we've still been cooking and have a lot to blog posting to catch up on. So here we go!**

Jamie says this recipe is one of his favorites so far. It was simple to make, but big on flavor. I made a couple adjustments to this recipe, and I noted them. This is something we'll definitely be having again soon!

Ingredients

• 2 ears roasted corn (*we omitted the corn, we didn't have any)
  
• 1 pound rotelle pasta, or any spiral-shaped pasta (*we substituted angel hair)
  
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup roasted garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (*we substituted dried parsley flakes)
  
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (*we substituted shredded mozzarella)
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wrap corn in foil and roast in preheated oven for about 1 hour. This can be done in advance on a prep day. Do the same with the garlic cloves.

Cook rotelle according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Transfer pasta to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add corn cut from cob, zucchini and onion and saute for 3 minutes, until golden brown. Add oregano and cook 1 minute. Add broth and roasted garlic and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes. Pour mixture over pasta and toss to combine, adding cooking water, if necessary, to moisten pasta. Fold in parsley and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Transfer pasta to a serving platter and top with feta cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#22 :: Garlic Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair

We bought some frozen shrimp at the grocery store and have been waiting to try something with it! This was one of our own creations (no recipe followed), and it turned out delicious!

Ingredients

• Angel Hair pasta (or your favorite kind)
  
• About 40-50 small shrimp (we just got a bag from the frozen foods)
  
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. parsley
  
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
  
• Salt & pepper to taste
  

Directions

Zest the lemon first, and put aside for later use.

Boil the pasta for 8-12 minutes or until al dente. (I always use salt and oil in my pasta water, salt for flavor and oil to keep the noodles from sticking.)

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, butter and lemon juice. Stir until mixed. Add in the garlic and saute (be careful not to overcook the garlic.) Add the shrimp and saute for about 5 minutes on each side.

Remove from heat. Toss in the lemon zest, parsley, crushed red pepper and salt & pepper. Cover the saucepan and let sit for 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken. Serve over a bed of angel hair pasta and drizzle remaining oil from the saute pan over the top.


Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Me. :)

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#21 :: Orange Viniagrette Salad

We needed a side salad and didn't have any dressing...... so I got to mixin'!

Ingredients

For the salad:

• Romain lettuce
• Orange slices
• Shredded Gruyere cheese

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 medium-large orange
• 1 tsp. White Wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp. Basil
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Zest the orange first, and reserve the zest for later.

Pour olive oil, orange juice and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk. Add the orange zest, basil and salt & pepper then whisk again until everything is mixed.


Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Me. :)

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars