Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits Rock!

OK, here's my unhealthy binge for the week. I made Ina Garten's Buttermilk Cheddar biscuits and I have to tell you, they are to die for! The biscuits are moist but also still flaky. They go great for breakfast, with soups or as a snack. My dog begs and begs every time I take one out. The smell is incredible.

If you live in Northern New Jersey, I recommend shopping for a really good cheese at the Maywood Market, downtown Maywood. I used two cheeses to make my biscuits, a Sharp Wisconsin Cheddar and a buttermilk yellow English Farm Cheddar. You can see bits of the Wisconsin Cheddar as you tear open the biscuit, but the English Cheddar integrated right into the batter.

You can find the recipe online at:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/buttermilk-cheddar-biscuits-recipe/index.html

Minestrone Soup

This recipe is my variation of a recipe I found in the Williams-Sonoma Appetizer book.

It's a delicious, hearty minestrone soup. My recipe includes many changes to give this soup more of an earthy, rich flavor. It's winter now and fresh tomatoes are out of season and I hate those flat tasting ones that are in the stores right now. Instead I found fire-roasted diced canned tomatoes at whole foods that are organic too. These tomatoes added a nice smoky flavor to the stock.

This soup does include one cup of diced pancetta and low sodium chicken stock. If you are vegetarian you can skip the meat and use water or vegetable broth for your base. If you leave out the stock all together, you may want to add some extra herbs from this recipe or your own choice to further enhance the flavor. I also recommend you allow the soup to simmer longer. That will give it time to develop it's own rich broth. I also added red pepper flakes, garlic, basil and parsley because I like my soup stock to have a nice, fresh flavor and smell.

Ingredients
1 can of small white beans (northern beans or cannellini beans)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions diced 1/4 inch size (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup of diced pancetta (diced to tiny pieces 1/8 inch)
3 carrots, peeled and diced 1/4 inch
2 celery stalks, diced to 1/4 inch
2 cans (1 lb) fire roasted diced tomatoes (I purchased the organic ones from whole foods)
3 cups chicken broth, low sodium
3 cups filtered water
1 1/2 - 2 cups russet potatoes, diced 1/4 inch
1/2 cup fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups Swiss chard, chopped
1/4 cup basil sliced
2 gloves garlic minced
fresh chopped parsley
red pepper flakes (optional)
salt to taste
pepper to taste

In a large stock or soup pot heat olive oil. I like to add a fresh dashes of red pepper flakes and let them begin to sizzle, to give the oil a little flavor, but you can omit it if you like. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook until garlic is slightly golden. be careful not to over cook. Add pancetta and stir until warm and integrated. Add celery, carrots and potatoes and stir. Cook until they just begin to soften. Add 1 and 1/2 can of tomatoes and liquid. (You can save the remainder of the tomatoes for a salsa or other dish or use only one can if you prefer.) Add broth and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.

Drain white beans in a colander rinsing off liquid from can. Split bean in half. In a food processor or with a potato masher, mash beans into a puree.

Add the white beans, puree, green beans, parsley and basil to the pot. Let cook for another 5-10 minutes or until potatoes are nicely done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Servings: 8

Spicy Asian Vegetables

I whipped this up tonight with dinner. Hot and spicy Asian flavors complement the texture and crunch of the veggies.

Ingredients
2 medium carrots, sliced Julienne style
1 red pepper, sliced Julienne
3 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup ginger sliced very tiny and thin, Julienne style
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste
1-2 dashes red pepper flakes.

In a small skillet toast sesame seeds over medium heat. I knew mine were starting to cook when they began popping. This was a bit of a surprise. I did a bit of research and it is recommended you cover your pan with a mess screen. You want the seeds to turn a slight gold brown or caramel color and then you know they are done. Watch carefully because they brown really fast!

In a large skillet or a wok, heat olive oil. Add a few dashes of red pepper flakes depending on how hot you like it. Let the flakes cook at bit -- you will know the time is right when you start to smell the pepper. Add carrots and red peppers. Stir fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes. You want the veggies to change color but to still have their crunch, so lean more towards cooking less. This also helps preserve all the nutrients you can lose when over cooking. Add scallions and ginger. Reduce heat and stir. Let this cook for about two minutes until flavors become integrated. Add sesame oil and stir. Add curry paste and stir. Remove from heat and spoon into serving dish. Sprinkle top with sesame seeds.

Servings: 4

Portuguese Soup with Hearty Kale

This recipe was inspired by a recipe for Caldo Verde in the Williams-Sonoma appetizer book. If you like soups, I highly recommend this book because it's filled with many delicious and hearty soups and many interesting recipes. This recipe is similar to the one in the book, with some changes to reduce fat and calories.

The site http://www.everynutrient.coml/ says that "Kale provides an excellent source of vitamins B6 and C, carotene's, and manganese. Kale is also a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E, fiber, iron, copper, and calcium. Kale provides an excellent source of vitamins B6 and C, carotene's, and manganese. Kale is also a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E, fiber, iron, copper, and calcium. "


Ingredients
12 oz Turkey Kielbasa sausage
3/4 pound kale
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced 1/4 inch pieces
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
3 cups organic chicken stock
3 cups filtered water
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

I purchased Turkey Kielbasa at Whole Foods. It's a smaller link that traditional kielbasa and the flavor is incredible! It added a great flavor to the soup. Slice up kielbasa into small pieces and set aside.

Rinse and dry kale and remove large stems. Slice across leaf into fairly thin ribbon like pieces.

In a large stock pot or sauce pan, heat up olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender and translucent. About 10 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic. (I left skins on my potatoes but they do tend to peel off once potatoes are cooked.) Saute until potatoes begin to become translucent. Be careful not to overcook or burn garlic, it will turn bitter.

Add water, stock and salt. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Scoop out 1-1/2 cups of potatoes into a small bowl and with a potato masher or immersion blender, puree or mash potato. I prefer mine for rustic, so I just used an ordinary pastry blender to break it up. Return to pot. Add kale and kielbasa and stir. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until kale has wilted.

The Williams-Sonoma cookbook noted not to overcook the kale, that is should be slightly crunchy. When I made this recipe the kale was still pretty tough after ten minutes. I found it needed to cook longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Chowder with Shrimp & Red Potato

This is a hearty soup for a cold day. This recipe is easy to make because most of the ingredients are already made, you just need to combine them. I use Trader Joe’s Organic Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Soup as a base. I also use TJ’s pre-cooked frozen medium shrimp, and their frozen roasted yellow corn. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your area, you can still look for the same ingredients. If you can’t find roasted yellow corn, make your own. The frozen corn I buy is nicely browned on all side and has a smoky flavor to it. I like to add a nice spicy flavor to this soup with a dash of Tabasco.

Ingredients:
2 cups medium frozen shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1- ½ cup roasted corn
2 cups of red potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes, skin on
1 carton Organic Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Soup, 32 fl. Oz.
I clove garlic minced or use frozen garlic cube
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
¼ parsley, chopped
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Thaw frozen shrimp by place in a colander. Put colander in a larger bowl and fill with cold water. I like to keep the water trickling into the bowl for a few minutes to keep it circulating. Gently swish shrimp around every few minutes until they are separated and feel like they are beginning to thaw. Add new water as needed.

If possible I like to let the frozen corn thaw a bit. If you don’t have time to can work with it frozen.

In a large pot add five cups of water and cook potatoes until al dente. When potatoes are done drain most of the water except for about a half cup.

To make soup: If you are using fresh garlic, heat oil and add garlic to the oil and stir for just a minute, just until you can begin to smell it. Add the corn and stir. Add soup base, potatoes and potato water and shrimp to pot. Bring to s soft boil and then reduce heat to simmer.
Add Tabasco sauce and parsley and stir. Continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes until potatoes are fully cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Servings: 6

Chicken Provencal

Here's my version of Chicken Provencal. Use a white wine that you like because it will be the base flavor in the dish. Also consider the taste of the shallots and bacon and how those flavors will merge with the wine you select.

Ingredients
4 free range chicken breasts
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 shallots, quartered
¼ cup of good quality bacon diced to ½ inch pieces
2 cups white wine
2 fresh thyme sprigs
¼ cup capers
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 small cans of stewed or plum tomatoes

Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow bowl or small cookie sheet. Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly.

In a large Dutch oven or sauce pan over heat olive oil. Add two chicken breasts. Brown chicken on both sides, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with the two remaining chicken breasts. Add the shallots and bacon to the pan and cook until the onion is golden and the bacon is browned. Reduce heat to very low and add the wine. Bring wine to a low boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. If you are using canned tomatoes, drain the tomatoes and remove any seeds or small pieces. Return the chicken to the pan, add the thyme, capers, and tomatoes and bring to a low boil again. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook covered for 25-30 minutes. Taste midway through cooking and season with salt and pepper as needed. Taste again before serving and add any additional seasoning need.

Servings: 4

French Onion Soup

This recipe comes from Williams-Sonoma. I attended a French cooking class at one of the stores today and saw a cooking demo for this soup.

Notes:
-The instructor recommended using chicken stock instead of beef stock.
-I used two medium sized leeks instead of four.
-For additional flavor, add 2-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.
-I needed to add quite a bit of salt and pepper to enhance the flavor.
-My husband had trouble finding shredded Gruyere cheese so we substituted organic shredded mozzarella cheese instead, and it came out great.

You can find the original recipe at:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=8133885B-30AC-480F-A36B0CA68A044859

Ina Garten's Roasted Tomatoes

This roasted tomato recipe can be found in Ina Garten's cookbooks and also at FoodNetwork.com. It is so simple to make and completely healthy too!

Note: Roasting the tomatoes does create some smoke in the oven, so be sure to have your kitchen fan on high or have some good ventilation. You could even do these on the grill in the summer.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-tomatoes-recipe/index.html

Ina Garten's Baked Shrimp Scampi

Sunday night, I made Ina Garten's Baked Shrimp Scampi. This recipe is to die for! It doesn't take long to make and the flavor will knock your socks off. It tastes like a combination of shrimp scampi and baked stuffed shrimp. The only issue I have with it is that it does use one whole stick of butter. (No wonder it tastes so good!) So, pick a time when you are not dieting to indulge in this scrumptious dish.

You can find the recipe on the Food Network web site or in her Back to Basics book.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/baked-shrimp-scampi-recipe/index.html


NOTE: I got some feedback on this recipe --it calls for to much butter. A friend tried making it with 1/2 the amount of butter but says it didn't turn out that good. For those of you fearful of ingesting a whole stick of butter, fear not. The beauty of this dish is that all the butter settles to the bottom of your baking dish, creating a buttery and protective bath that keeps the shrimp tender and juicy. When you remove the shrimp, you'll see an ocean of cooked butter left behind. If you are a butter lover, then you can scoop it up and pour it back over the shrimp, but honestly it won't need it.

Spring Risotto

My friend Pam gave me the most beautiful cookbook for the holidays. It’s Lorenza De’Medici’s “Tuscany The Beautiful Cookbook”. This over sized book is filled with vivid photos and authentic recipes from all the provinces of Tuscany. Sunday night, my husband and I made Risotto All’Erbe (Risotto with Spring Greens). For this risotto you can use any spring greens available like swiss chard, spinach, chicory or arugula.

I cut the original recipe in half which made 6 good size servings. I also made a few substitutions based on what I had in my refrig and pantry.

Ingredients
4 cups of organic chicken stock
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
1 pound of Swiss chard, with large stalk sections removed and chopped
1-1/2 cup of Arborio rice
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

This recipe is fairly easy to make. Heat up your stock in a small sauce pan and keep it at a simmer just below boiling.

In a separate large sauce pot or pan, heat up the oil and cook the onion and Swiss chard until the onion is slightly translucent. Add the rice and stir for a few minutes. You will see the rice turn slightly translucent as it begins to absorb the flavors of the onion and Swiss chard. Add one ladle of stock to the rice and stir. Once liquid is absorbed add another ladle and stir. Continue doing this until you have used all the stock or until the rice is fully cooked. It takes about 15-20 minutes. The last step is to stir in the cheese and add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

When I reheated this the next day, I simply added some stock to the rice and repeated the same process.

Potato and Leek Soup

I have a leek I’ve been courting. Yes, it’s been sitting in my refrigerator for about four days now. When I open the door I admire how perfect it is in color and texture and I’ve been asking myself, “When are you actually going to cook it?” Tonight I decided to step into uncharted waters. Yes, that mysterious world of the leek. I took a whiff of that oniony stalk and decided it must go to into a soup… my very own, first time ever created potato and leek soup! But could I do this picture perfect leek justice?

To start, I researched a bunch of recipes online and chose the ingredients I wanted in my soup. This was a really fun exercise to do. Once I decided on the basics of my recipe, I just went from there.

Here’s my version of potato and leek soup. Mine isn’t the fancy, pureed version you’ll find at a restaurant. It’s more rustic and less creamy in consistency. I did use a cup of heavy cream which you can omit to cut down on fat and this soup will still be super delicious without it. Really.

Ingredients
2 shallots diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or frozen cubes
1 leek sliced into rings
4 large russet potatoes, diced
4 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of filtered water
½ cup yellow onion diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Fresh ground pepper
Sea salt to taste

Heat olive oil and butter in a stock pot or Dutch oven. Add leeks, onion, shallots, celery and salt and pepper. Cook until very vegetables are soft. Add garlic, and cook for another minute.
Add vegetable broth, water, parsley and potatoes. Bring mixture to a slow boil and then reduce to simmer. Cook until potatoes are very soft. Use a slotted spoon or pasta spoon with teeth to slightly break up potatoes. Do this until potatoes are in small piece and broth becomes creamier. Add one cup of heavy cream and stir. Turn off heat and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

6 servings

Potato, Leek & Tomato Bake

This is an incredibly delicious, completely low fat dish. I was very surprised at how yummy it turned out. The recipe is from: Complete No Fat Low Fat Cookbook, published by Hermes House.

I also found it online at plaincook.com, and it's the exact recipe published in the cookbook.

http://www.plaincook.com/tomato-leek-and-potato-bake-Recipe-2007-05-07

Notes: I added some basil and garlic to the stock. I also sprinkled my layers with parsley and a little Parmesan cheese.

Hearty Kale and White Bean Soup

I never fully understood what kale was until last year. My girlfriend made us a holiday dinner and served kale sauteed with garlic and olive oil. It was delicious. Then she explained that this leafy green vegetable is full of all kinds of nutrition, including calcium.

Here's a recipe I found at chowtimes.com! I made a few changes and my notes are below. You won't be disappointed. This soup is hearty, healthy and delicious!

http://chowtimes.com/2008/03/04/kale-and-white-bean-soup/print/




My notes:
-Replace the bacon with turkey bacon to reduce fat.
-Add one chopped celery heart with leaves to cook with the carrots and onions.
-Add one cup vegetable stock when simmering soup at end.
-Substitute dry beans with one can 14.5 oz of canned beans.
-Add 2-3 additional teaspoons of salt.
-Add extra fresh ground pepper to taste.

Kale is super healthy, so you can't lose with all the nutrition you get from this soup! Here's a few links about the health benefits:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Health-Benefits-of-Kale&id=136177
http://www.everynutrient.com/healthbenefitsofkale.html

Rustic Pasta Sauce

This sauce is simple, easy to make and it's good for you too.

Ingredients3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
I teaspoon red pepper flakes
I red pepper
1 medium size yellow onion
¾ cup kalmata olives
2 cans stewed tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 ½ cup arugula
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste (I used about 1 teaspoon)

Chop ½ of a medium yellow onion into one inch pieces. Slice one red pepper into thin julienne style slices about 1-2 inches in length.

In a large sauce pan heat three tablespoons. Add red pepper flakes and cook for one minute or until you can smell the pepper. Add the onion, tomatoes and red pepper and cook until the onion becomes slightly translucent. Add one can of stewed tomatoes with liquid. Drain the liquid from the second can before adding. Bring to a low boil. Add olives, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook sauce for about five minutes on a low boil to evaporate some liquid. Add grated cheese and stir. Let cook for a few minutes. Cheese will absorb some of the liquid and you want it to melt into the sauce. Add arugula and stir to incorporate—this will wilt.

Remove sauce from heat. You should still have some liquid in this sauce.

Prepare one pound of pasta. I recommend penne for this dish. Just before pasta is done and is still slightly hard, scoop the noodles from the pot with a slotted spoon and add directly to the sauce. Heat up sauce and cook the pasta until al dente. Serve with grated cheese on top.

Serves 4-6

Notes:I used the stewed tomatoes (full of lycopene) with onion, celery and green pepper. Be sure not to over cook the onions and red peppers. They should still have a slight crunch to them when the sauce is completed.

King Crab Bisque

Christmas Eve, we returned home from visiting family to find a package at our door from FishEx.com. We opened it to discover a dozen gigantic king crab legs. I've never seen crab legs this big in my life! They were well over a foot long each and several inches wide.

After stuffing ourselves with this succulent crab meat for days, we needed a change. I was craving a rich bisque with a nice sherry flavor to it. Here's a recipe I worked from.

King Crab Bisque: Recipezaar
http://www.recipezaar.com/King-Crab-Bisque-195554

Recipe #195554 25 min prep time

Ingredients

8 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I added additional 1/2 teaspoon)
3/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper (I added additional 1/2 teaspoon)
2 garlic cloves, minced (used forzen garlic cubes)
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups 2% low-fat milk (I used whole milk)
1 lb king crab meat (I added and extra 1/4 pound of meat)
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup fresh parsley
3 tablespoons sherry wine (I added an extra 1 1/2 tablespoon)

Directions
In a large sauce pan add olive oil, onions, celery and garlic. Heat on medium until onions are translucent. Add butter and melt, then add flour, salt and pepper and make a roux.
Once the rue is golden brown add the milk and cream; blend well. Crumble crabmeat and add to the sauce pan. Slowly bring mixture to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.
Add the sherry and serve garnished with parsley and a dash of paprika.


Notes: I added an extra ½ teaspoon of salt and ground black pepper plus 1 ½ tablespoons sherry. I used two frozen garlic cubes which I melted into the butter before adding the flour. I also sprinkled a teaspoon of paprika on top of the soup while still in the pot.

Pining for Panettone

OK, Martha inspired me. She also made it look easy and I got caught up in the fantasy that I could actually replicate her sickly perfect desserts.

On a recent show she and a guest created homemade Panettone. The recipe had many steps, but looked doable- so I went for it.

The recipe is Panettone Casalinga and here’s the link: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=ba535f872814e110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=ts_Homepage_Homepage
I had many issues with this recipe and my first attempt was a disappointment. The recipe calls for letting the dough rise for two hours between the last two steps. I did this but I had a few issues. The dough was incredibly sticky and almost impossible to work with get into the molds. I did use instant yeast rather than the regular yeast. I also put my dough into the paper molds you can buy at Chef Central and other specialty stores.

I was shocked when after only 20 minutes I could smell my panettone burning. I rushed to the oven and found the tops dark brown and smoldering a bit. I checked the inside of the of bread with a toothpick and it was still raw. I covered the tops with foil and reduced the heat from 375 to 350. I baked them for the full 45- 50 minutes.

After letting the panettone cool for an hour, I wrapped them in plastic wrap. The recipe said to store them in the refrigerator. The next morning my panettone had shrank to the size of a fruit cake. The bread was still delicious but it was also a bit dry on the inside. I was told my in-laws that it needed more fruit- real Italian panettone has more fruit.

On my second attempt I did a few things differently. This time I did use regular yeast. I let my sponge dough rise for about two hours rather than the 45 minutes called for in the recipe. I also let the dough rise about 3 hours in each of the following two steps resulting in a much fuller dough. I increased the candied orange slices from ¾ cup to 1 full cup and I also add ¼ of candied citron I had left over.

I started the oven on 350 instead of 375 to account for the paper molds. Regardless of the changes- my panettones again browned very quickly, but this time I was watching. After the first 20 minutes the top was perfectly brown but the inside still not cooked. I covered the panettone with foil on top and reduced the heat to 325. I kept them in the oven roughly 40-45 minutes. The toothpick test came out a little sticky but not wet. I figured these babies would cook a little more as they cooled.

This time I let my panettones sit and cool over the course of 4-5 hours. After that I wrapped them in plastic wrap and then cello wrap for giving. They held up- looking beautiful! Tonight we are giving them as gifts to family members.

PENNE, TOMATO, RED PEPPER AND OLIVE CASSEROLE

The snow is falling very heavy outside. We are expected to get about 10 inches by the end of the day. My hubby decided to work from home to avoid the hazardous commute. Since it's a special occasion having him here, I decided to make us something comforting for lunch. In the refrig I found grape tomatos, red peppers and olive tapenade. In my house we have an endless supply of pasta and the penne boxes are stacked so high you can barely get in the pantry!

This dish is a casserole, but it can work just as well if you want to skip the whole "baking the in oven" part. You can also substitute pastas or skip the greens if you don't have them on hand.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound penne
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup olive tapenade spread (Trader Joes brand)
1 red pepper
¾ arugula
½ cup fresh chopped basil
½ cup fresh chopped parsley
1 glove garlic (or 1 frozen garlic cube)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup fresh mozzarella cubed (small pieces)

Heat water for pasta with salt.

Slice tomatoes in half and gently squeeze out seeds into a bowl to discard. Slice red pepper length wise. Slice into very thin strips about 2-3 inches long. Finely slice garlic or use the cubed frozen garlic which incorporates nicely into dishes.

Cut fresh mozzarella into small cubes.

Preheat oven to 425.

Cook penne just until it begins to soften. Noodles should still be slightly hard. Drain pasta. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

In large saucepan add olive oil and heat. Add garlic and stir for about one minute until garlic is incorporated into oil. Add tomatoes and red pepper. Saute over high heat until slightly soft.
Turn off heat. Stir in tapenade.

When pasta is done remove directly from the water with a slotted spoon into the pan. Stir as you add pasta. If you need more liquid add a bit of pasta water or a bit move olive oil. Add arugula and stir. It should begin to wilt from the heat of the pasta.

Grease a 9 or 10 inch baking dish or casserole dish with butter or non-stick spray. Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of the pasta mixture. Sprinkled half of the mozzarella cheese over the pasta. Add another layer of pasta and repeat. Add remaining pasta as a top layer and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 or until cheese browns on top and mozzarella is melted inside casserole. Remove from oven. Allow to cool slightly, then serve.


Servings: 4

Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers
FROM BULLWRINKLE.COM

Here's a great recipe I found online for homemade dog treats. My hubby and I made them on Tuesday night and my dog Pepe seemed to like them. There's only a few ingredients so you can make the dough pretty quickly.

Ingredients

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375'F. In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk, then add to dry ingredients and mix well. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Bake for 20 minutes on a greased baking sheet until lightly brown. Cool on a rack, then store in an airtight container.

*There were some notes on this recipe that the cookies easily burn. I didn't have that problem with it.

http://www.bullwrinkle.com/Assets/Recipes/Peanut%20Butter%20Puppy%20Poppers.htm

Butterscotch Crunchies

If you're short on time and you need a holiday cookie these are easy to make, take little time and the best part... no baking required!

I like to add extra cereal because these tend to be a little too sweet for me. If you use the larger package of morsels please do add more cereal amd nuts so the flakes are very thinly coated. These harden up quickly once they chill in the refrig.

Ingredients

1 pkg Nestle’s Butterscotch Morsels (11 or 16 oz)
2 ½ cups Total cereal (small box will make 2 batches)
¾ cup peanuts (dry roasted recommended)

Melt morsels over hot (not boiling) water in a double boiler. Add cereal and peanuts and stir until coated. Drop on waxed paper and chill.

I found this recipe on a card buried in a recipe book from when I was a kid. I have no idea where it came from, but it's one I turn to year after year.

Sugared Nut Drops

These tasty little cookies look like tiny snowballs when finished. The combination of nuts and powered sugar makes them delicious!

Ingredients

1 cup butter softened
½ cup confectionary sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
2 ¼ cups sifted flour
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
confectionary sugar

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place butter in large bowl and beat at moderate speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat thoroughly. Gradually add flour. When well blended add walnuts. Shape a teaspoon of mixture into balls. Place 1 ½ apart on cookie sheet. Bake 25 minutes. Cool slightly. Roll in confectionary sugar. Cool.

Source: This recipe came to me from my cousin Ally.