Friday, December 28, 2007

Weekly Menu 12/31-1/5/08

Monday: L: We will go out to eat after my dr.'s apt
D: NYE-not sure yet

Tuesday: NYD: Venison Chili and celery

Wednesday: I have my girls monthly dinner club: Green Chili & Cheese chicken with smashed Cauliflower and chocolate mousse with raspberries for dessert

Thursday: Tilapia with Asparagus/gorgonzola and pine nuts

Friday: Hamburger Kebabs with Stir-fried Green Beans with Lemon, Parmesan and pine nuts

Saturday: Cuban Pork Chops Mo Jo with some peppers (red & yellow)

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Baked chicken-bacon purses

This recipe came to be after having leftover ingredients from the Baked Crab Rangoons. I started playing in the kitchen with ingredients I had on hand and this is what I came up with. We had a fun dinner consisting of appetizers!

12 wonton wrappers
4 oz cream cheese
1 can diced chicken meat
1/4 cup bacon pieces (I used the bacon in the refrigerator section that's already in pieces)
sprinkle of garlic & herb seasoning

Preheat oven to 350.
Put the wonton wrappers in muffin tins.
Mix together remaining ingredients.
Put about a tablespoon in each wonton wrapper then fold corners together to form a "purse".
Bake for about 18-20 minutes.

Baked Crab Rangoon

My friend Carla gave me this recipe to try. I am very glad she did because it's very good!

12 wonton wrappers
1 can white crab meat
4 oz cream cheese-softened
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup chopped green onions
I added a sprinkle of garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix crab meat, cream cheese, mayo, green onion and garlic powder in small bowl.
Put each wonton wrapper in a muffin tin, pushing down the middle and letting the ends stick out.
Put a tablespoon of filling in each wonton wrapper. (I found if you know fold the corners in they won't get as brown like they do when you leave them sticking out).
Bake in muffin tins for 18-20 minutes.

Pumpkin Roll


This is my husbands favorite dessert and fastly becoming mine as well. Pictures to come!

Libby's Pumpkin Roll:

CAKE
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional


FILLING
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)


Directions:
FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. DH says it has to have icing on the top also (that's how is mom does it) so I reserved some icing and used a bag with a decorator's tip and made some decorations on the top.

COOKING TIP:
Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Weekly menu 12/16-12/22

Sun: Baked ziti, garlic bread
Mon: Ritz chicken, mashed potatotes, corn
Tues: Bagel chip tilapia, rice, green beans
Wed: Stuffed pork chops, veggie
Thurs:Hoagie bake
Fri: pizza
Sat: IL's for our Christmas there

Monday, December 10, 2007

Christmas Baking!

I have a ton of new recipes I am wanting to try out this Holiday season! So yesterday I got started. I haven't taken pictures yet, I won't until I have everything cut and ready to go in the tins!

I'll start with the best! Our local grocery company produces a holiday magazine and I found this recipe in it, my mom really wanted me to make her some, I am afraid I will have to make another batch, because it is really good!

White Chocolate Raspberry Fudge
(Hyvee seasons magazine)
serves 24

2 cups mini-marshmallows
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups white chocolate chips-divided
2 tbsp seedless raspberry preserves
1/2 tsp vanilla

Coat 1 1/2 quart loaf pan with cooking spray.

Combine marshmallows, sugar, cream, butter and salt in medium saucepan, cook stirring constantly over medium heat to melt butter and marshmallows. Boil 5 mins, stir occasionally.

Meanwhile combine 1/4 cup white chocolate chips and raspberry preserves, microwave 15-20 seconds, stir until smooth. Set aside.

Remove mixture from heat add 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips and vanilla, stir. Pour into pan. Drop spoonfulls of raspberry mixture on fudge and use knife to swirl.

Cool at room temperature for 3 hours. Store up to 10 days in an airtight container.

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The second thing I started making last year for my new husband. He loves peanut brittle. This has been a huge hit with anyone who has tried it!

Microwave Peanut Brittle
(Kraftfoods.com)

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups spanish peanuts
1 tbl butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Spray large baking sheet or line with parchmant paper, set aside. Mix sugar and corn syrup in large glass microwavable bowl until moistened. Microwave on HIGH 5 min (caution use pot holders as candy mixture gets VERY hot). Stir in butter and peanuts. Microwave an additional 3-4 minutes or until pale golden brown. Add baking soda and vanilla (mixture will foam).

Immediately spread mixture as thin as possible onto prepared baking sheets. Cool Completely. Break into pieces.

The recipe calls for, but I've never done this step: Melt 4 squares semi-sweeet baking chocolate in a glass measuring cup on HIGH 1-2 mins. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter until melted. Dip half of the peanut brittle pieces halfway into chocolate mixture, scraping back of brittle against edge of cup to remove excess chocolate. Place on sheet of foil or wax paper, refrigerate until chocolate is set about 20 mins.



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I tried my hand at a peanut butter fudge recipe I found on line and it went very wrong. The fudge did not set up correct, so I fell back on a fudge recipe I tried last year that Kevin liked!

Peanutty Chocolate Fudge
(Nestle bag)
serves 49
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups mini-marshmallows
1 2/3 cups Nestle Peanut Butter/Milk Chocolate Morsels
1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
1 tsp vanilla

Line 8 inch square pan with foil.
Combine sugar, milk, butter, and salt in medium-heavy duty saucepan. Bring to a full-rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in marshmallows, morsels, peanuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan; Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces.


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Okay I made the toffee last night and it's delish!
Toffee
(Hyvee seasons magazine)

1 cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 tsp water
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz chocolate chips
1/3 cups nut topping

Combine the sugar, butter, water and salt in a heavy saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Turn heat up to med-high and cook until it reaches 300 degrees, stirring constantly. Take off heat stir in vanilla. Immediately pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchmant paper, spread with a spatula. Pour chocolate chips over the top, once they start to melt, spread over the top. Sprinkle nut topping on top. Refrigerate until set. Break into pieces.


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Pretzel Turtles
(from a cookie exchange I went to)

Take one mini pretzel set on a baking sheet, top with a Rollo. Place in oven on 250 for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Remove pan and top each pretzel combo with a pecan half, press down. These are best enjoyed after they get to set for a day.

Weekly Menu 12/9-12/15

S: Calzones
M: Enchiladas
T: Baked Ziti
W: Pizza party during my infusion
T: Cookie party, DH will go out with grandpa, I'm not sure what I'll do
F: Sister in town for our Christmas we are going out to a local pub
S: Christmas with my family!!!