Prosciutto sandwiches and Gnocchi

Original recipe found on this beautiful post.

Pumpkin, Prosciutto & Basil Tea Sandwiches

Packed with the subtle flavor of honeyed pumpkin and the salty hello of prosciutto, this here is a combination that can't be beat.
4 oz. mascarpone or cream cheese
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 T. honey
8-10 slices prosciutto
12-15 leaves fresh basil
1 loaf sourdough bread

In a small bowl, combine mascarpone, pumpkin, and honey. Whip together.
Spread pumpkin mixture on slices of sourdough bread. Top with prosciutto and basil. Slice crusts off of sandwiches, then cut into thin, vertical strips. Serve immediately.

Golden Gnocchi with Caramelized Carrots & Onions
in a Clarified Butter SauceThis delightful recipe is so beautiful, no one will believe how simple it is, either.
1 stick butter + 1 Tbsp.
1 package of gnocchi1/2 c. sweet yellow onion, sliced
1/2 c. shredded carrots
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. dill
Salt to taste
*Boil gnocchi according to package directions. Place in a large bowl, set aside. Over medium heat, begin cooking stick of butter in a medium saucepan. Stir often to keep from burning. Cook until butter begins to bubble and foam. Skim off foam with a spoon, discard. Pour the clear yellow butter over gnocchi, being cautious to not pour the bottom dregs of butter in, as well. In medium saucepan, heat remaining butter and add onions, carrots, brown sugar, ginger and dill. Cook until onions are well softened. Toss into pasta. Salt to taste. Serve warm or cold.

*

Wisconsin Cauliflower-Cheddar Soup

Yields: 9 cups

2 Tbl. Margarine or Butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups milk

1 can (13 3/4 to 14 1/2 oz) chicken broth

1 head (2 1/2 lbs) cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup Pepper Jack cheese

In 4 qt. saucepan, melt margarine or butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and salt; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Gradually stir in milk, chicken broth, and 1 1/2 cups water; add cauliflower and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. In blender (with center part of blender cover removed to allow steam to escape), blend cauliflower mixture at low speed in small batches until very smooth. Return cauliflower mixture to saucepan; heat over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in mustard and 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted and smooth. Garnish soup with remaining cheese to serve.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe found here
Ingredients:

• 6-8 chicken tenders, cut into bite sized chunks
• 1 green pepper, sliced into chunks
• 1 can of pineapple chunks
• 2 carrots, sliced (my addition)
• 8 oz. Russian dressing
• 8 oz. apricot jam
• 1 packet onion soup mix
• 1/4 cup water
• rice

Directions:

1. line a 9x13 pan with foil. lay the chicken strips on the bottom. layer green pepper, carrots and pineapple chunks on top.

2. mix together the dressing, jam, soup mix, and water and pour on top of the chicken. cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes at 350*. remove the foil lid and continue cooking for 30 more minutes. serve over rice.

Mint chocolate Brownies

I made these for a baby shower and they were soooo yummy. recipe found here.

For the cakes:
Bake Devil's Food cupcakes according to the box directions, adding one teaspoon of peppermint extract to the batter.

For the frosting:
Mix 3 sticks of soft butter, 4 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, 2 teaspoons of peppermint extract, and a few drops of green food coloring.

To decorate:
Fill a pastry bag with the frosting. (A gallon-sized ziploc works great--just snip a hole in one corner of the bag.) Swirl the frosting around the cake--I like to start on the outside and work my way in. Finally, drop a little handful of chocolate chips on top. (I recommend using a good brand of chocolate chips for this, as generic chips often have an uneven color.)

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
recipe found here.

Ingredients:

• 1 box (4.3 oz) or Rice-o-Roni's Long Grain and Wild Rice Original
• 1 1/4 c. water
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1/2 c. each of carrots, celery and onion-chopped
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 c. cream
• 3 c. chicken broth
• 6 chicken tenders or 3 chicken breasts
• olive oil (to cook chicken)
• S&P to taste

Directions:
1. combine water, rice, and seasoning pkg into a baking dish. Bake @ 325 for 45 mins. to an hour-until rice is tender.
2. cube chicken and cook thoroughly.
3. in a large pot, melt butter and saute veggies until soft. Add flour in small amounts to veggies to avoid clumps.
4. to large pot, slowly add chicken broth and blend until smooth.
5. add cream and bouillon cube
6. add rice and chicken. S&P to taste and simmer to combine flavors.

4 adult servings.

perfect for those cold winter night. serve with a grilled cheese on sourdough or garlic bread and a green salad.

Skor Cake recipe found here
Ingredients:

• 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
• 1 (5.9 oz)box Chocolate Instant Jell-O Pudding
• 1 tub of Cool Whip
• 6 Skor bars (crushed)
  

Directions:
1. make the cake according to directions on the box. bake the cake in two 8 inch round pans. let them cook at least 1 hour before assembling cake.

2. while the cake is baking, make the pudding according to directions on box.

3. assemble the cake. I didn't have a trifle dish (hint, hint) for a lovely display, so I just used a clear baking dish. assemble layers: cake, pudding, whip cream, candy. repeat and devour! betcha can't eat just one piece.

Chicken Spaghetti

2cups cooked chicken

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup finely diced green pepper

1/2 cup finely diced onion
1-4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained

3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into two inch pieces

2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot

1 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper-

Salt & Pepper to taste-
additional cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Boil chicken for as longs as you can and cut up chicken two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional one cup sharp cheddar. Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil.)

recipe found here

Chicken Cordon Blue

1 package pepperidge farm puff pastry sheets, thawed

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

8 slices of deli ham

1 cup swiss cheese, grated

1 egg beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out puff pastry and cut into 8 evenly divided squares. Place a folded slice of ham in the center of each square. Evenly divide chicken and cheese between rectangles on top of ham. Pull up corners of rectangles to center and twist. Pinch edges to seal. Place on a cookie sheet lined with foil (for easy clean up) and sprayed with olive oil spray. Brush tops with egg. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Kalua Pork

Recipe found here.

Kalua Pig
1 - 5 to 6 lb. pork roast (butt, shoulder, whatever is cheapest)
2 T liquid smoke
1 T sea salt

Combine ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 8 or so hours. The fattier the meat the better. It will just fall apart. Shred with two forks. Taste and add more liquid smoke and sea salt to taste. Serve with sticky rice and panipopo.

Panipopo
Fresh or frozen bread dough to make 18 rolls (I make a 2 # batch of dough in my bread maker or use Rhodes frozen rolls)
1 can coconut milk
2/3 c sugar
1 T cornstarch

Let rolls rise in a cake pan. Meanwhile combine coconut milk, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Pour over risen rolls (be generous) and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Serve with Kalua Pig.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Recipe found in Food Nanny Cookbook

Favorite Pizza dough
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sweet bbq sauce, divided
1/4 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
3 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 thinly sliced red onion
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)

1. Prepare the pizza dough and place it in an oiled pizza pan and set aside.
2. Grill or broil the chicken breasts* until barely done. Cut them into strips or chunks. Mix the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce.
3.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
4. To assemble the pizza, spread the remaining 1 cup of barbecue sauce over the pizza crust. Sprinkle with the Gouda cheese and top with 3 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the chicken, green peppers and onions over the cheese. Top with the remaining 1/2 of mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 minutes on the lowest oven rack. Remove pizza from oven and sprinkle with the cilantro. Return to oven and bake until the crust is light brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Slice and serve.

note: *Instead of using grilled chicken, I have used a roasted chicken from Costco and de-boned it and cut it into chunks.

Classic Chicken Curry

Recipe found here

CLASSIC CHICKEN CURRY

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3 pieces)
2 Tbsp. curry powder (look among the spices)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 1/2 c. (14 oz. can) low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Cooked white rice
1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
1/4 c. (1 oz.) almonds, roughly chopped (optional)

Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut it into 1-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Sprinkle it with the curry and cinnamon, toss, and set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and zucchini and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Add the broth, cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. Return the onion and zucchini to the skillet and heat until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. For a little stronger curry flavor, this is a good time to sprinkle some more of the curry powder into the liquid mixture. (I do.)

Divide the rice among individual bowls, top with the curry, and sprinkle with the basil and almonds.

Tip: You can vary the ingredients depending on what you have on hand. Consider substituting coconut milk for the cream, eggplant for the zucchini, cilantro for the basil, or cashews for the almonds.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Bajio Green Chili Chicken Salad

Yum, Yum, Yum. Worth the work.
Recipe found Here.

INGREDIENTS

2 Grilled Chicken Breasts

1 cup Green Chile Chutney

1 cup of Caramelized Onions

2 cups Fresh Pico De Gallo

1 cup Shredded Cheese (a mix of cheddar and jack cheese)

8 cups of Fresh Lettuce mix (a combination of red and green leaf is optimal)

Cilantro Lime Dressing

*

DIRECTIONS
For the chicken:

1.Marinate chicken breasts in 1 cup of lime juice and 1 cup oil, let stand for at least two hours in the refrigerator.
2.On a hot grill, grill the chicken with a bit of balsamic vinegar, until done and set aside to rest. Once the chicken has had time to cool, shred into small pieces.

For onion:

1.Slice 1 whole white onion into slices. In a medium saute pan, add 2 TBL spoons of oil and saute the onions until they are translucent.
2.Once the onions are done, add the shredded chicken and a cup of Green Chile Chutney, and saute all together until well heated.
Assembly:

On individual plates, pile with mixed greens, add a cup of Fresh Pico De Gallo. Add the warm chicken mixture and top with cheese and a cilantro lime dressing. Serve.