#115 :: Cheddar and Scallion Bread

The perfect side dish for any soup or salad. This is the ultimate garlic bread!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or coarsely grated
• 6 ounces butter, at room temperature
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (1 pound) loaf ciabatta bread, cut in half horizontally

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine the cheese and butter. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add the scallions and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the cheese mixture on the cut sides of the bread. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden.

Using a serrated knife, cut the bread into 1-inch thick slices and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe from Giada at Home on Food Network

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

#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!

#101 :: Mexican Rice

This rice was definitely good, but it just felt like it was missing a little something. I'm used to Mexican rice in Texas, and maybe they use a certain spice that's not in this recipe. I'm going to keep trying rice recipes until I find something that tastes like what I remember from home! But for now, this rice is good enough to serve with my Mexican meals!

Ingredients

• 3 vine-ripened tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1 large finely diced carrot
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups medium-grain rice
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 whole serrano chile
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed

Directions

Cut the tomatoes in half, and remove the seeds. Add the tomatoes and 2 cups of broth to a blender and puree. Strain into a bowl and reserve the liquid. Add enough extra broth to make 4 cups of liquid.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and saute for 4 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Stir in the rice and cook until slightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato broth mixture, stir and bring to boil. Add the salt, bay leaf, and the serrano chile. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from heat. Scatter the peas over the top of the rice, cover, and let the rice stand 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Makes 6-8 servings

Recipe from Mexican Made Easy 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.

#81 :: Grilled Potatoes

I've always loved these! They were definitely a favorite when I was a kid. I just can't seem to get them exactly the same way my mom used to.....but I continue to try!

Ingredients

• Usually 1 or 1/2 potatoes per person (you can make your own decision as to how large you want your portions to be)
• Butter
• Parmesan cheese
  

Directions

Slice your potatoes fairly thin (I like to use russet or Yukon gold) and pile them up on a large square of aluminum foil. Gather the sides up around the potatoes, making a bowl. Add 2-3 pats of butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and close them up. Grill them on a rack, not directly on the grill or directly over the coals - the bottoms will burn that way. Grill them over med-high heat for 30-45 mins. Cooking time will vary depending on your grill heat. You can open the top of the foil to check the potatoes...when a fork is inserted easily and the edges are beginning to brown, they are done.

#78 :: Sweet Potato Fries

Recently I bought a bag of sweet potatoes. We're eating a lot of vegetables lately (potatoes included) and I just wanted to try something a little different. We've done Sweet Potato Chips, which turned out half and half - half came out perfect, the other half burned beyond recognition! Now we're trying Sweet Potato Fries. I still have a few sweet potatoes left too....maybe next time mashed?

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 4 to 6 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch batons
• Salt, to taste
• Essence, to taste, recipe follows

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a very large, deep pot or heat an electric fryer to 360 degrees F. Fry the sweet potatoes, in batches, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and Essence, to taste, and serve hot.

Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe from Emeril Live on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#76 :: Easter Dinner :: Macaroni & Cheese

This is another one of mom's holiday staples. It seriously doesn't feel like a holiday meal to me without her homemade macaroni and cheese. I call her every holiday and double check the recipe to make sure I do it just right! We also had one of our new favorites with this Easter dinner, Parmesan Roasted Asparagus.



Ingredients

2 cups uncooked macaroni
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
3 cups of milk
2 cups Velveeta cheese, cubed
Salt & pepper to taste

In a pot of salted water, cook the macaroni noodles for about 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain the macaroni and transfer them to a 13 x 9 baking dish.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour 1 Tbsp. at a time until it is mixed with the butter. Add 1 1/2 cup of milk and stir for a few minutes until the flour begins to incorporate. Then add the remaianing 1 1/2 cup of milk and continue to stir.

Once the sauce begins to thicken, begin adding the Velveeta cubes a few at a time, and continue stirring until they are all melted in. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce over the noodles, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.



Makes 8 servings.

Recipe from: My Mom :)

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Recipe from: My Mom

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#74 :: Ricotta Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes really are one of my favorites, but I get bored with them sometimes. This recipe uses Ricotta cheese, which isn't something I would normally put in potatoes but WOW is it fabulous. I didn't have the little crocks to put the potatoes in, so we skipped the final broiling stage (which I'm sure is delicious)...but short of throwing the whole pot in there I couldn't do it. It was still yummy with our Sage Butter Chicken, which we've made before and loved!

Ingredients

• 2 pound(s) Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 1/2 cup(s) fresh ricotta
• 1/2 cup(s) whole milk
• 3 tablespoon(s) butter
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to broiler setting. Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Place potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and continue to cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes more. Drain and return all but 1 cup of potatoes to the pot.
2. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Stir in the ricotta, milk, butter, remaining salt, and pepper to blend. Add the reserved potatoes and mash just until combined. Spoon 1/2 cup potatoes into 10 six-ounce ramekins and set on a baking pan. Place under broiler until browned. Serve hot.

Makes 8 servings

Recipe from Country Living

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5

#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

#44 :: Green Bean Casserole

I grew up on this stuff. So easy to make, but soooo good! I served it with some chicken (in sage butter, like we've made before).

Ingredients

• 2 cans french style green beans (drained)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 small can french fried onions
• 1/4 tsp coarse grind black pepper
  
  

Directions


Preheat the oven to 350.

Pour the drained green beans into a glass baking dish. I use a 9x or a meat loaf dish. Add in the cream of mushroom, 1/2 of the french fried onions and the black pepper and mix it all together. Sprinkle the last of the french fried onions over the top. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.




Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe from: My Mom (or maybe the Campbells Soup can, lol)

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

#39 :: Cacio e Pepe Potatoes

I'm learning so many new ways to make potatoes! Before there was fried, baked or mashed. That's it. Now I have options! There are red potatoes, gold potatoes, baking potatoes, sweet potatoes.....I'm incorporating flavors like bacon, garlic, cheese, pepper, or onions.... We might never eat a potato the same way again!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or milk
• 1 tub grated Pecorino Romano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Quarter baby potatoes and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then salt water and cook until tender, about 12 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender, drain and return to the hot pot to dry them out a little. Mash the potatoes with 1/2 cup stock or milk, 1/2 to 2/3 cup grated Romano cheese, a few generous handfuls, lots of black pepper and a little salt.



Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from 30 Minute Meals on Food Network.

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

#35 :: Garlic Hasselback Potatoes w/ Herbed Sour Cream

If you like garlic, you'll love these potatoes. They were perfectly cooked...crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. It was the perfect side dish to compliment the chicken!

Ingredients

• 16 ounces red new potatoes
• 3 to 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Herbed Sour Cream, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a wooden spoon as a cradle, place each potato in the spoon and make several parallel slits into each potato top making sure not to slice completely through. Place 3 garlic slices between slits at the crown of each potato. Toss in a medium bowl with butter and olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake until tops are crispy and potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter and top with Herbed Sour Cream.

Herbed Sour Cream:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Season, to taste, and refrigerate until use.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Cooking for Real on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#34 :: Wilted Greens w/ Bacon Vinaigrette

Jamie had the honors of setting off our smoke alarm for the first time this evening. He was cooking bacon for the salad, and I asked him to cook it until it was really crunchy. Well, he cooked it until it really got to smokin'! But the best part was.....just as he was explaining to me that he wasn't burning it, and it's normal for bacon grease to smoke....the smoke alarm started blaring. It couldn't have been better timing.

Anyway, the dressing and the bacon turned out great, nothing was burned. I was surprised at how much I liked it, because I'm not usually a vinegar person. I even bottled the extra dressing to keep for another meal.

Ingredients

• 4 hearts romaine, chopped
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar (we used balsamic)
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place romaine in a serving bowl. In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and crumble over greens. To the pan, add sugar and vinegar, and simmer until sugar is dissolved, scraping up bacon bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour hot dressing over greens and toss. Serve immediately.

*We also added some cheese to our individual salad bowls. I had shredded Asiago and Jamie had chunks of blue cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Cooking for Real on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#28 :: Fried Zucchini

We had finger food night for dinner because we're testing out some recipes for Super Bowl snacks. This was definitely a good one to consider!

Ingredients

• Olive oil, for frying
• 1 3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3 medium zucchini, cut into 3-inch long by 1/2-inch wide strips

Directions

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F.

Stir 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, the panko, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Whisk the eggs in another medium bowl to blend. Working in batches, dip the zucchini in flour, then in eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the zucchini in the panko mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the zucchini strips on a baking sheet.

When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the zucchini sticks until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried zucchini to paper towels and drain.

Arrange the fried zucchini on a platter. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Everyday Italian on Food Network.

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#27 :: Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

I happened to glance on the backside of the mushrooms wrapper and found this recipe printed there. I'm going to check all my carton's now for interesting recipes. :)

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 8 Crimini mushrooms or White mushrooms
  
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. chopped onions
  
• 3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, dice and set aside.Remove mushroom stems. Set aside caps. Chop the stems.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Slowly cook and stir the chopped stems and onion until the onion is soft. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, stir together the mushroom stem mixture, bacon and 1/2 cup Cheddar. Mix well and scoop the mixture into the mushroom caps. Bake in the preheated oven 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Remove the mushrooms from the oven, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.



Makes 8 mushrooms.

Recipe from AllRecipes.com

Star Rating: 4.5 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

#20 :: Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This was the easy part of the dinner last night. No chaos like with the tenderloin. :)

Ingredients

• 3 medium baking potatoes peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon (or more) whole milk, at room temperature or warmed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium saucepan, cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan.

Add the butter, sour cream and garlic. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or the back of a fork until the ingredients are blended. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes are the desired consistency. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.

Makes 2-3 servings.

Recipe from Paula's Best Dishes on Food Network.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#12 :: Mushroom Risotto

Since Jamie has his archery league on Tuesday nights, I decided to do a crock pot meal. That way, I can eat my dinner when I want and he can easily heat it back up when he gets home.

The photos don't do it justice. It was very good! But by the time Jamie got home to eat it, it had gotten a bit mushy, so I think this is something probably best when eaten immediately {and not as leftovers}.

Ingredients

2 cups arborio rice

1 cup white wine

4 cups vegetable broth

1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup

1 teaspoon minced garlic

6 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Stir together all ingredients, except Parmesan, in slow cooker.

Cook on high, stirring every 30 minutes for 2 hours.

Check consistency. Continue to cook, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Be careful not to overcook risotto. (Rice should be al dente, not mushy.)

Stir in Parmesan before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Receipe from Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee from Food Network.

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

#8 :: Yukon Gold Potatos : Jacques Pepin Style

One of the first things I learned during this project is that chicken stock only stays good for 7 days in the refrigerator. To make sure it didn't go to waste, I looked for a side dish recipe I could use it on today. Since I had extra Yukon gold's left from the chicken hash, this recipe was perfect.

This recipe took me a LOT longer than Rachael Ray said it would. :) I used medium heat, and now I'm thinking maybe I should have cooked it on high? They just seemed like a lot of work, but it was a much healthier side dish for a burger instead of fries. Anyway, the taste was good, they just weren't done cooking until half an hour after our burgers..... so we had a 2 course lunch.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt
  
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

Directions

Place the potatoes in a deep skillet and add salt and pepper, to taste. Cover potatoes halfway with chicken stock, about 3 cups, add the butter and cover skillet with a lid. Cook the potatoes in the stock until almost tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, depending upon the size of the potatoes. Remove the lid and allow the stock to evaporate, about another 5 minutes. Once the stock has evaporated pop each potato using a ladle or large spoon, creating a small crack in each, but do not smash. Allow the potatoes to brown on each side, another 5 minutes, and re-season with salt and pepper, if necessary or desired. Remove the browned potatoes from the skillet and place onto a serving platter, garnished with the parsley.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe from Rachel Ray's Holiday Feast on Food Network.

Star Rating: 3 out of 5 stars