Chicken and Roast Beef Muffulettas

Ingredients:

Olive Salad (Save time and buy pre-made olive salad at the grocery or create your own delicious olive salad with these ingredients):

  • 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1 7 oz bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
  • 1 minced garlic clove

To prepare olive salad, combine first 8 ingredients in bowl of a food processor. … Read More »

Kale Chips

Kale Chips

Makes 4 servings (about 2 cups each)

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch or bag of kale, tough stems removed, leaves torn into pieces (about 16 cups)
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • ¼ tsp. Kosher or sea salt

 Directions:

  1. Position racks in upper third and center of oven; Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Rinse, then thoroughly dry kale with a paper towel; transfer to a large bowl.
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Creme de Menthe Brownies

Bottom Layer Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1 16 oz can chocolate syrup
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Bottom Layer Directions:  Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and other ingredients in order given. Blend well.  Pour into a greased 13 x 9 inch glass pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.… Read More »

Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 Seedless Cucumbers (sliced) *I don’t take the seeds out of mine!
  • 1 small onion (thinly sliced)
  • 4 cups small, vine-ripened tomatoes (cut into quarters)  (or use halved grape/cherry tomatoes)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil-and-vinegar dressing
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Stir together cucumber, onion, and tomatoes.
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Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients
  • 1 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 5 whole Eggs
  • 1 cup Sugar, Divided
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1/3 cup Milk
  • 1 can Evaporated Milk
  • 1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
  • 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
  • FOR THE ICING:
    • 1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
    • 3 Tablespoons Sugar
Directions: (Click here to see step by step photos with directions from The Pioneer Woman)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.… Read More »

Spaghetti & Meatballs (Easy Weeknight Recipe)

This was so good but so easy I felt like I was cheating!  Last night I had a church meeting with one child and then had to rush to get the other child’s baseball practice carpool.  All this was going on between 5 and 7:30, therefore I had to find a way to have supper cooking while I was taxiing kids. … Read More »

Pork Ragu

Courtesy of the Cookbook: Week in a Day, with Rachel Ray

Suggested Side:  Serve the ragu over 1 lb pappardelle pasta cooked al dente, or 1 cup quick-cooking polenta, cooked according to package directions.

Ingredients: 

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, finely chopped
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry white wine, or medium bodied red
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 3/4 pound to 1 pound cooked shredded pork shoulder
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 pound pappardelle pasta, cooked to al dente or 1 cup quick cooking polenta, cooked to package directions
  • A handful finely chopped parsley leaves
  • Shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, for topping or for more tang use grated Pecorino Romano

Directions:

Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat.… Read More »

Braised Pork Tacos

Courtesy of the Cookbook: Week in a Day, with Rachel Ray

Ingredients: 

  • 1 (4-5lb) boneless pork shoulder (pork butt)
  • Salt &  Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 onions cut into wedges, root end attached
  • 4 large cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped oregano leaves
  • 1 fresh red chile, thinly sliced
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 1 (12 oz bottle) mexican beer
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • Juice of 4 oranges (about 2 cups)
  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo, seeded and finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 16 flour or corn tortillas
  • 1 cup drained pickled jalapeno slices
  • 1/4 head red cabbage shredded
  • 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 F.
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Tangy Yellow Squash

Ingredients: 

  • 5 Medium-size yellow squash, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup sliced celery
  • 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 2/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed

Directions:

  • Combine squash, green onion, green pepper, and celery in a large mixing bowl and toss lightly
  • Combine wine vinegar, suagar, salt, pepper, salad oil, cider vinegar, and garlic and stir well.
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Easy Weeknight Porkchops

Ingredients: 

  • 6 (1/2 inch thick) boneless pork loin chops
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
  • 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream

Directions:

  • Sprinkle pork chops evenly with salt and pepper
  • Cook in hot oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat 2 minutes on each side or until browned
  • Add orange juice and next 3 ingredients; bring to a boil. 
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Fall-Off-The-Bone Crock Pot Ham

Ingredients: 

  • One bone-in ham (best to get the “butt portion”)
  • 3 cups light brown sugar

Directions:

  • Cover the bottom end of the crock pot in a 1/4 inch layer of the borwn sugar
  • Remove all packaging from the ham and place it flat side down on top of the brown sugar
  • Coat the top and sides of the ham liberally with the rest of the brown sugar to form a thick layer of sugar
  • Replace lid. 

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Peppermint Divinity Bars

From 12/13 Southern Living Magazine”Make this recipe all the way through without stopping, spreading the warm divinity onto a still-warm cookie base.  If the divinity is too cool, it will tear the cookie base as you spread it.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 1 & 1/14 cups butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar, divided
  • Parchment paper
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 large eggs whites
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp.
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Tex-Mex Brownies

 

From 12/13 Southern Living Magazine

“These are note your mama’s brownies.  The subtle heat from red pepper turns these delights into conversation starters.”

Ingredients:

  • 1 & 1/2 cups butter
  • 1 (16 oz) package bittersweet chocolate morsels
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp ground red pepper
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 & 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • Parchment Paper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. … Read More »

Cranberry Margaritas

From 12/13 December Southern Living

Dip rims of 6 (8 oz) glasses in 1 tablespoon cranberry juice; dip rims in sugar to coat.  Fill glasses with ice.  Process 1 & 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (or thawed frozen cranberries), 3/4 cup tequila, 3/4 cup cranberry juice, 3/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup orange liqueur (Triple Sec), and 1/3 cup sugar in a blender 30 seconds. … Read More »

Glazed Carrots and Turnips

Need real-time remedies? Tune in to Food Network’s Thanksgiving Live, airing Saturday November 23rd from 12 – 2 pm ET/PT. An all-star cast of Ina Garten, Alton Brown, Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis are on-call live to answer viewer questions about all things Thanksgiving.  In addition, viewers can submit questions directly to Food Network’s culinary experts via social media.… Read More »