Category: Easy

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 C butter

2 T Crisco®*

1/2 C white sugar

3/4 C brown sugar packed

1 egg and 1 egg yolk

1 t vanilla

1C flour

1 C rolled oats

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate grated

1 1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Oven temperature 350º

Combine sugars, butter, and Crisco® In medium bowl and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and blend.

In separate bowl mix flour,  salt, baking powder, and baking soda

Add flour mixture, oats, and grated chocolate to butter mixture and stir. Add chocolate chips and mix.

Place  cookies on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-14 minutes. Remove and place on rack to cool. 

Note:

*Crisco has a higher melting point angives cookies to set up in the oven resulting in taller cookies. 

Delicious with ice cream.

 

 

 

Pear Melon Gorgonzola Salad*

 

Ingredients

3 pears ripe

1 lemon juiced

1 C rose wine

1 t brown sugar

1/2 t cumin

1/3 C Gorgonzola cheese

1/4 C pistachios

1 cantaloupe seeded

2 limes  zested and  juiced

2 T honey

1 t Dijon mustard

1/4 C olive oil

Salt  and pepper

Directions

Serves 3-6

Cut pears in half and remove cores. Place in skillet add lemon juice, wine, brown sugar, and cumin. Simmer until tender but firm. Chill in wine sauce.

Lime Vinegarette

Whisk lime juice, zest, honey, Dijon, olive oil and salt and pepper in small bowl. Adjust seasoning  if needed.

Cut  cantaloupe in half and remove seeds then using melon baller cut 12 balls. Place a smear of wine sauce on serving dish. Place pears on wine sauce and add melon balls to cored out center of pears. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola and pistachios. Dress with lightly with  lime vinagarette. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Note:

*Can  also be served on a bed of arugula

 

 

 

 

Turkey Egg Noodle Bake

Ingredients

3 T olive oil

1 onion diced

2 garlic cloves minced

1 pound Cremini mushrooms sliced

1/2 C white wine

1 t thyme sliced

2 C leftover turkey diced*

1 container of creme fraiche (7.5 ounces)*

1 C chicken broth

1/4 t nutmeg

1 C green peas frozen

1/2 C Parmesan*

1/2 package of wide egg noodles

Salt and pepper

Directions

Add olive oil to large fry pan and heat then add garlic and onions. Cook until translucent. Add cremini mushrooms and thyme and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid. Deglaze with white wine over medium high heart.  Add creme fraiche, chicken broth, nutmeg and combine and simmer for 10 minutes. Add turkey and peas and cook until peas and turkey heated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring 4-5 quarts of water salted to boil. Add noodles and cook unit all dente or about  6 minutes. Drain and combine with turkey mixture. Butter a 12″ by 9 ” pan and transfer mixture to the dish. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for about 20 minutes. 

Note:

*Cooked chicken can be substituted in place of turkey.

* I have substituted sour cream or  Mexican creme when I was out of creme fraiche.

*I have also added crushed garlic croutons to the top with the Parmesan before baking. 

 

Easy Spaghetti Sauce with Pasta

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An easy to make spicy pasta sauce made from scratch served over pasta that is low fat but flavorful.

Ingredients

3 T olive oil

1 red onion diced

2 carrots diced

4 garlic cloves minced

2 Jalapeños diced

1 pound 93% lean ground beef

1 T oregano sliced

1 T Worcestershire sauce

3 T Kalmata olives sliced

1/2 C red wine

3 T Cento® tomato paste

3 C tomato sauce

2 C crushed tomatoes

1 box of spaghetti or linguine

5-6 quarts of salted water

1/2 C grated Parmesan(optional)

Directions

Serves 6 – 8

Heat olive oil in large skillet then add onions,carrots, Jalapeño, and garlic and cook 7-10 minutes. Add in ground beef  and cook until meat is brown. Add red wine, tomato paste, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to boil then lower heat. Add in olives and oregano and simmer 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ready to serve.

Bring salted water to boil and add pasta. Boil for 9-10 minutes for al dente. Drain and plate in large spaghetti bowl. Pour sauce over the pasta and sprinkle on cheese. Serve with green beans and in the summer with a simple Caprese salad.

 

Cherry Pie

Ingredients

3/4 C white sugar

3/4 brown sugar

4 T corn starch

2 32 ounce cans red tart cherries

2/3 C juice from canned cherries

1/4 t red food coloring

1/2 t almond extract

1/2 t vanilla

1 T cinnamon

1/2 t butter

1 9 inch deep dish pie crust

Topping

1 9 inch pie crust

6 T butter

6 T flour

4 T brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

Directions

Oven 400º  Line oven with foil.

Blind bake pie crust. Line with parchment paper and fill with beans or beads and bake until golden. Remove beans and parchment and gently pierce bottom. Bake for 10 minutes.

Cherry Filling

Drain cherries and reserve 2/3 cup of juice. Add cherries, juice, sugars, and cinnamon to medium sauce pan. Stir in the corn starch and cook  over medium high heat until mixture comes to boil stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in almond and vanilla extract. Pour into pie crust and dot with butter.

Crumble

In medium bowl mix butter, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Break frozen pie crusts into pieces into bowl and mix with fingers until combined. Sprinkle over top of filling and bake 30-45 minutes. Place pie crust shield on crust for first 15-20 minutes to prevent over cooked crust.

Remove to rack and cool.

 

 

 

Sugar Spiced Pecans

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A delicious, easy to make spicy, sugared pecan recipe. Tasty with cheese and fruit plates or on salads.

Ingredients

8 ounces pecan halves

4 T sugar

1/4 – 1/2 t cayenne pepper

2 T butter, melted

Directions

Oven 350º

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread pecans out on baking sheet and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from oven, toss, cool, and place in air tight container.

Note:

Serve with a cheese platter or on a green salad.

Richard’s Pork Tenderloin and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

Brine

1 quart of water

1/3 C Kosher salt

1/4 C brown sugar

1 garlic clove smashed

2 bruised rosemary stems

1 t sage leaves

2 pound pork tenderloin

Recipe

Brined tenderloins 

1 C brown rice

1 onion fine sliced

1 can of beef consommé

1 1/2 C water

Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 350º Serves 4

Mix brine ingredients and pour into gallon resealable  bag. Add pork tenderloins that have fat and silver removed. Brine in refrigerator for two hours.

Add rice and sliced onions to 9 inch square dish or large loaf pan then add consommé plus water.  Remove tenderloin from brine, dry and season  with salt and pepper.  Place on top of rice.

Cover and seal dish with aluminum foil. Bake for about 1 hour. Serve with steamed broccoli.

Note:

My friend was going to law school and I was a financially struggling undergrad. He occasionally fed me. His favorite to share was his Granny’s pork tenderloin rice casserole. Not fancy but easy and tasty.

Tzatziki Sauce

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Chunky tzatziki sauce with dill and lemon. With 2% low fat greek yogurt, this dip is low calorie and big-flavored.

Ingredients 

1 C Greek yogurt plain

1/2 cucumber de seeded, grated or diced*

1 garlic clove grated

2 t lemon zest

1 T lemon juice

1 T white wine vinegar

1 T dill chopped

1/2 t salt

Pepper to taste

Directions

Place double layer of paper towels in small bowl. Place yogurt on paper towels to de water for 30 minutes. At same time de water cucumbers by placing in double layer of paper towels.

Combine all ingredients in small bowl and adjust seasoning. Cover and rest for 4 hours to over night. Ready to serve with pita, vegetable sticks, topping for vegetables, fish, or chicken.

Note

* Cucumbers can be peeled

Tomato Bread Soup

Ingredients

1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano(Roma) tomatoes

2 T olive oil

1 T butter

1 large onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 t red pepper flakes

3 sprigs of basil plus 3 T sliced basil set aside

2 C tomato juice*

1 C broth or water as needed

2 C Day old rustic bread chunked*

1/4 C Parmesan grated plus 1/4 C set aside

Directions

In 3 quart Dutch oven melt butter with olive oil then add chopped onions and cook 5 minutes then add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1-2 minutes.

Add  San Marzano(Roma) tomatos hand crushed, basil sprigs, and tomato juice. Bring to boil then simmer 10 minutes.

Add bread and gradually  stir in broth just  until bread starts to get mushy. Simmer until thickened. Add chopped basil and Parmesan. Season and serve with additional Parmesan on the side.

Note:

I remove the crust. (Alternative way to use leftover bread.)

I have used spicy tomato juice and also spicy  V8®when out of juice.

 

 

 

 

Compound Butter

Ingredients 

1/4 pound butter chunked

3 T leftover fresh herbs

Directions

Chop the herb leaves and place in small blender. Pulse 2-4 times. Add chunked cold butter and pulse until combined. Remove and place on sheet of plastic wrap and roll into log. Ready to use or refrigerate and use on favorite dishes.

Notes

I have logs of thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, and basil in my refrigerator. I use for seasoning vegetables, scrambled eggs, and  meats.