Zesty Southwestern Burgers with Cilantro Slaw

Ingredients

1 bag Success® White, Success® Brown, or Success® Jasmine Rice
1/2 Marzetti Refrigerated Classic Ranch Salad Dressing
2 cups shredded cabbage
3 tbsp cilantro, minced
1 lb ground chuck
1 pack of hot and spicy taco seasoning mix
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 ea hamburger buns

Directions

1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Let cool for 5 minutes.
2. To make the cilantro slaw: in a large bowl combine ranch salad dressing, cabbage and cilantro.
(note: we added shredded carrots and apple vinegar)
3. Toss to combine; cover and refrigerate until serving.In a large bowl, combine rice, ground chuck and taco seasoning mix. Form into four patties sized slightly larger than hamburger buns.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add patties and cook 10 to 12 minutes for medium well doneness (165°F), turning once.To serve, on each hamburger bottom bun, place a cooked patty, an equal amount of slaw and bun top.

Source: my sister

Review: The flavor was good, but they fell apart as I cook them. Perhaps an egg?

Quest for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies Commences

It was recently my birthday, I turned twenty two. After twenty one there pessimistically is no other age to look forward to besides retirement. With that being said my friend and I, Michele, made chocolate chip cookies for our History of Math course for my birthday. I find baking very relaxing, as with cooking. I assumed we were going to bake cookies from scratch because she said all she needed was butter. She then proceeded to tell me it was an instant package of cookies where all you add is eggs and butter, honestly I was quite skeptical at first. Although it was more convenient granted it was 11 o'clock on a Sunday evening on a college campus but that is not the point.

We made two batches since we only had one pan. The cookies came out very nicely. Nice even color, great texture. I had the chance to have one freshly baked and it was delicious. Then, I had one in class and it was just as good room temperature. The day after my birthday they were still good, but not the freshly made cookies good.

I then did some research to find the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. I found an article in the New York Times that just addresses that. The title is Perfection? Hint: It's Warm and Has a Secret. Since this paper is obviously credible and has interviews with bakers in New York City I decided to go on quest for a great recipe. I will start with Toll House because it is a classic and cited in the article. There secret is letting the dough sit in the refrigerator for 36 hours. I will try this and report back later when I actually bake them.

This may be a long process because I am not going to make endless batches of cookies, unfortunately.

Italian Baked Chicken Pastina

Ingredients

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Source

Review: I thought dish would be plain but the flavor after it baked was delicious! It had a nutty taste to it. Also the texture of the dish was good too with the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs on top.

Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze

Ingredients

Cake:
1 stick plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

Source

Review: Made this for my Dad's birthday. It reminded all of us of our Nanny's apple cake. It was really moist the texture was great. A nice crumbly topping on top with a nice moist cake.

Grilled Cheee with Peanut Butter Sandwich

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 slices white bread
2 tbs. smooth or chunky peanut butter
3 slices American cheese

Directions

1. Preheat a grill pan or griddle over medium heat.

2. Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread. Spread the peanut butter on the other side of one of the slices of bread. Lay the cheese on the peanut butter and top with the other slice of bread, butter side up.

2. Place the sandwich on the grill pan. Cook the sandwich for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove to a cutting board, slice in half, and serve immediately.

Source: The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook, Quirk Books, 2005.

Sausage with Polenta Pucks

Ingredients

2 14-oz Italian-style diced tomatoes (with juice)
6-oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 16-oz package polenta
3/4 lb hot Italian sausage
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp. dried rosemary

Directions

Fire up your grill to medium. On the stove, heat the oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook for ten minutes, or until soft. Stir in the tomatoes, mushrooms, and rosemary. Boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low, and cook for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the polenta into 1/2 inch thick pucks. Coat both sides with cooking spray. Slap the pucks and sausage on the grill and close the lid. Grill, turning a few times, for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove the sausage to a cutting board, slice it up, add it to the sauce, and cook for ten minutes. Dump the sauced sausage over the pucks.

Source: A Man, A Can, A Plan, A Grill, David Joachim, Rodale Books, 2003.

Review: I never had polenta before so I tried this recipe. Since it was the pre-made it was much easier. The hot sausage was good, I love things spicy.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
1/2 pound Gruyere, grated
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup panko bread crumbs
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove the top sheet of plastic and lay 2 slices of prosciutto neatly over the top to cover the breast and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the prosciutto. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll inside the plastic wrap. Squeeze the log gently to seal and twist both ends tight to form a nice log. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs with thyme, garlic and kosher salt, pepper, and melted butter. The butter will help the crust brown. Beat together the eggs and season so the flour, the eggs and the crumbs are all seasoned.

Remove the plastic wrap. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, dip in the egg mixture and gently coat in the bread crumbs. Lightly coat a baking pan with olive oil and carefully transfer the roulades onto it. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Source

Review: This was a great recipe for the classic French dish. I did not use fresh thyme so I put dried basil mixed in with the bread crumbs. I had a little trouble wrapping them so I just folded them in half and it was fine, little messy while coating them to flour, egg, and then bread crumbs. I served with rice and brussel sprouts. I tossed in some parsaley in the white rice to make it more dynamic. This was the most advanced meal I made yet.

Prosciutto Wrapped Figs

Ingredients

4 large whole figs (or 16 small mission figs), quartered
Goat cheese
1 (3-ounce) package prosciutto
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Cut a small hole in the center of the flesh of each fig. Fill each hole with 1/4 teaspoon of goat cheese.

Take a prosciutto slice and tear in half. Use 1 half to diagonally wrap around the fig, starting from the top. Tuck underneath at the ends. Repeat until all figs are wrapped. (Secure with toothpicks if necessary.) Place wrapped figs on prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced.

In a small bowl, combine honey and pumpkin pie spice. Drizzle honey evenly over each fig.

Place in the oven on the top rack and roast for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Source

Review: I made these because we have a fig tree in our backyard and I know prosciutto and figs is a classic combination. There nothing like I expected to taste but that was fine because the were delicious. This would be a good appetizer for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Pebbles Marshmallow Crispy Treats

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 pkg. (10-1/2 oz) miniature marshmallow (6 cups)
13 0z. Fruity Pebbles cereal (8-1/2 cups)

Directions

Microwave butter in 4 qt. microwavable bowl on high for 45 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows: toss to coat. Microwave 1-1/2 minutes or until marshmallow are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 45 seconds. Add cereal; mix well. Press firmly into greased foil-lined 13 x 9 pan. Cool. Cut into 24 squares

Source: Fruit Pebbles cereal box

Review: I saw this on a box and I had to make it because of the beautiful colors. They came out really good!