Thursday, October 30, 2008

Chicken Marsala

My neighbor gave me this recipe and it was really good! If you have all the ingredients prepped ahead of time, it doesn't take very long at all. The only change I made was cooking the chicken longer than 2 minutes on each side, although once it is in the oven there is carry-over cooking so just use your best judgement.

Chicken Marsala
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour (you actually need to measure this)
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 sliced green onions
6 Tbsp margarine or butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup marsala cooking wine (not actual wine, but the kind found near the vinegar, it's way cheap)

Rinse chicken, pat dry, Place each breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer until chicken is 1" thick (don't use chicken cutlets since pounding the chicken flat makes it really tender). Stir together flour, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Lightly press chicken into flour mixture on both sides. Shake off excess. In large skillet cook mushrooms and onions in 2 Tbsp butter until tender. Empty into dish and cover to keep warm. In the same skillet cook chicken pieces in 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken on platter and cover. Stick in oven at 200 degrees to keep warm. Return mushrooms and onions to skillet with 2 Tbsp butter. Add remains of flour mixture and stir until a paste forms on mushrooms on med-high heat stirring constantly. Slowly add chicken broth and marsala and cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes, when sauce thickens stirring occasionally. Spoon mushroom mixture over chicken. (If the sauce is too thick for your liking, like mine was, just add a little more stock or cooking wine or a little of both to thin it out).

I served mine with garlic mashed potatoes and a salad.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies

Um, why are all the recent recipes desserts? Is it because they are soooo good, and, at least for me, our dinners have been less than spectacular? You betcha!Finally, a "brownie" recipe that isn't chocolate that my husband will actually eat! I got this off of the Picky Palate blog, which I love to pieces. I've made a couple of her things and am excited to make more, like her shepherd's pie, open face lasagna on ciabatta rolls, and corn chowder! This is a girl after my own taste buds! Seriously, though, these blondies have an almost cheesecake-like texture, and the only expensive thing is the raspberries since they are a little out of season. I did not use "sanding sugar" since I really don't have any (you can get it at JoAnn's in the cake area) but just mixed regular sugar with the pecans for some sweetness anyway. I also had to cook mine almost 20 minutes more than 30-35 minutes, so just bake it for 30 minutes and then check it with a toothpick, then bake for 5 minute increments until it's done. Anyway, here is the link, and check out the rest of her blog too!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Squished Witch Creams

1/2 cup powdered spooks (powdered sugar)
1 cup ghost blood (sweetened condensed milk)
2 cups frog eyes (chocolate chips)
1 cup squished witch (peanut butter)

Put powdered spooks in bowl. Add frog eyes. Add ghost blood. Add squished witches. Stand on one foot only and stir together. While stirring repeat your name backwards. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper. Chill and serve!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies

I've found my new favorite cookie! My mom brought some really amazing recipes when she came to help me with the baby and this was one of them! The recipe doesn't sound very appetizing but you have to give these a try. They really are sooooo delicious!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cans (16 oz. each) Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1 egg
1 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 c. flour
sugar

Set aside 1 can plus 1/3 cup frosting. In a large bowl, combine egg, peanut butter and remaining frosting. Stir in flour until moist. Drop by tablespoons 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Flatten cookies with a fork dipped in sugar. Bake at 375 for 8-11 min. Cool completely and spread with frosting.

Mini Toffee Rolls

OK, these little things are TO DIE FOR! I really could have eaten the whole pan if I didn't have to share them with the rest of the family. They are super easy and kid friendly and the perfect snack anytime, day or night!

6 Tbls. butter, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. toffee bits
2 tubes refridgerated crescant rolls
1 c. powdered sugar
4 1/2 tsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until light and fluffy. Stir in toffee bits.
Separate each tube of crescant dough into four rectangles. Seal perforations. Spread evevly with butter mixture. Roll up each rectangle like a jelly roll, starting with a long side. Cut each into six 1-inch slices and place into two greased 8 in. square pans. Bake at 375 for 14-16 min.
Combine powdered suagr, milk and vanilla until smooth and drizzle over warm rolls. Make sure you are home alone so you don't have to share!!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Zuppa Tuscana Soup

I made a comment to get you this recipe on the "fall is here" post about soups. This is a knock off recipe of Olive Gardens Zuppa Tuscana soup. Enjoy!!

1 lb Italian Sausage
2 Potatoes
1/2 Onion (chopped)
1/2 lb bacon
2 cloves Garlic.(minced)
2 cups chopped Kale
3 cans chicken broth
4 cups water
1 cup heavy whip cream

After all is cooked stir in whip cream and remove from heat. Serve Hot!

Saturday, October 4, 2008

My blue ribbon apple pie

So for those who don't read my family blog, I entered an apple pie contest today and won first place. The recipe consists of different parts of different recipes that I found and then tweaked to my liking. The crust is Barefoot Contessa's, the filling is from a recipe on Food Network that got rave reviews except I used different apples and added a few more spices and a little more brown sugar, the streusel is from a caramel apple recipe except I added extra spices and pecans, and the idea for the spiced whipped topping came during one of my sleepless episodes (how does anyone sleep when they're pregnant?!). Anyway, the judges loved it. Enjoy!

Apple Pie with Pecan-Cinnamon Streusel and Spiced Whipped Cream

Crust:

12 Tbsp (1 ½ sticks) very cold unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 Tbsp ice water

Filling:

6 to 8 variety apples, peeled and sliced (about 5 cups)
Juice from ½ of a lemon
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Streusel topping:

2/3 cup crushed cinnamon graham crackers
¼ cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup pecans
6 Tbsp cold butter, diced

Whipped Topping:

1 cup whipping cream
2 1/2 Tbsp powdered sugar
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp vanilla

Crust: Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Set second pie crust aside.

Filling: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Fill pie crust with apple mixture.

Streusel topping: Combine graham crackers, brown sugar, and flour in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add pecans and diced butter, pulsing until the butter is the size of peas. Sprinkle over apples after apples have been placed in the pie dish. Top pie with latticed pie crust and flute the edges. Brush edges and top of pie with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp water).

Fold foil strips around edges of crust and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 40 minutes or until apples are bubbling and crust is browned.

For whipped topping, mix whipped cream with a stand mixer fitted with a wire whisk until soft peaks form. Continuing to whisk, gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Top with pie once pie has cooled to room temperature.

Friday, October 3, 2008

BYU'S MINT BROWNIES

My husband emailed me this recipe. I'm thinking it might be a hint! But, these are the best!!!

BYU Mint Brownies
Sugar-n-Spice, Cougareat Food Court
MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)
MINT ICING

5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.