Share Gallery: January 2010

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Chicken and Black Bean Stuffed Pasilla Peppers

I love stuffing pasilla peppers with different ingredients. I had leftover Southwestern Roasted Chicken to use up so I decided to mix the chicken with black beans, cilantro, onion, bell peppers, jalapeno, sharp cheddar cheese and some seasonings then stuff the mixture into the pasilla peppers. I topped each baked stuffed pepper with guacamole and served them with a side of salsa. Words can't describe how good this dish was! My husband and I both LOVED these stuffed peppers. They were spicy, flavorful and so delicious. I HIGHLY recommend this recipe for anyone who loves Mexican food.

Chicken and Black Bean Stuffed Pasilla Peppers:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

2 cups of leftover roasted chicken meat, shredded

1/2 cup of black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese

2 tbsp red and yellow bell pepper, diced

2 tbsp red onion, diced

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1/2 small jalapeno, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Dash of oregano

Dash of cumin

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Gina’s Collard Greens

Gina: I’m always surprised to discover that folks in these parts tend to cook turnip and mustard greens more often than collard greens. I think the perception is that collards tend to be a little bitter. But I gotta tell you, you’re sleeping on this one! Rich in vitamins and nutrients, collard greens are actually the sweetest, best-tasting leaves you can buy (turnip and mustard greens, on the other hand, have a slightly spicy, peppery taste). In this recipe, the deep, full flavor of the collard greens along with a bit of sugar and some heat from the red-pepper flakes create an irresistible sweet-and-hot pot of goodness, while the ham hocks add a note of smoke that balances out the other flavors. Pat can’t get enough of these sweet greens. Trust me on this one, ladies--this is the recipe that’ll bring your man home every night!

Five bunches of collards might seem like a lot of greens, but these jokers will cook down to a fraction of their original size.

Yield: SERVES 6 TO 8

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Roasted Tomatoes with Cotija Cheese and Cilantro

I am finally on the mend...thank you so much for all of your well wishes and sweet comments, you truly made me feel better.

One of my very favorite foods in the world is roasted tomatoes. I make them often and switch up the seasonings to suit the meal. I roasted these tomatoes with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper then topped them with cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. They are extremely easy to make and taste fantastic. I highly recommend roasting tomatoes if you haven't tried them yet... they make the perfect side dish and they are so good for you. I served these tomatoes with Southwestern Flank Steak and Cilantro and Lime Rice.

Roasted Tomatoes with Cotija Cheese and Cilantro:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

8 vine ripened tomatoes, halved

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Olive oil

Cotija cheese, grated

Fresh cilantro, chopped

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Chicken and Basil Dumplings

I found this recipe in my Cooking Light Best Chicken Recipes magazine. The original recipe made rosemary dumplings but since my husband and I don't care for rosemary, I decided to use basil instead. This recipe was very easy to make and tasted FANTASTIC. It really hit the spot after being sick for so long. I loved the dumplings and the rich broth filled with chunks of chicken, carrots and celery. My kids and husband also agreed that it was a delicious dinner and my daughter asked if she could have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I will be making this recipe over and over.

Chicken and Basil Dumplings:

Adapted recipe from For the Love of Cooking.net

Original Recipe from Cooking Light Best Chicken Recipes

Soup:

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced

3-4 carrots, diced

3 stalks of celery, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

8 cups of chicken broth (I used homemade)

2 cups of roasted chicken, shredded

1 tsp dried basil

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

2 tsp chicken bouillon granules

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Thursday, January 14, 2010

Chicken Piccata

While looking through a new magazine called Cuisine at Home, I found a delicious recipe for chicken piccata. I only adapted the recipe a little by substituting extra chicken broth for wine because I didn't have any wine on hand. The recipe was quick and easy with little clean up. The chicken was moist and tender while the sauce had excellent flavor from the lemon and garlic. We all, kids included, loved this recipe. It feels good to be cooking in my kitchen again.

Chicken Piccata:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe from Cuisine at Home Magazine

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cutlets

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

1/4 cup flour

Nonstick spray

1 tbsp olive oil

3/4 cup of chicken broth

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

1-2 tbsp butter

Fresh lemon slices

Fresh parsley, chopped

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Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup with Pesto Tortelloni

I was craving something simple to make for dinner and since it was a really cold and rainy day, I decided soup would be perfect. I had all the ingredients on hand for my roasted tomato and basil soup but decided to make it a bit heartier by adding pesto tortelloni. It was simple and delicious with very little clean up. I served this soup with my House Salad and freshly baked crusty bread. It was a big hit with my entire family. This recipe only makes a small batch of soup (perfect for two adults and two small children), double the recipe if you need to feed a larger crowd.

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup with Pesto Tortelloni:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic:

1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp dried basil

2-3 cloves of garlic, sliced into thin slivers

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Chocolate, Coconut and Pecan Crescent Rolls

The kids and I decided to make a fun and tasty afternoon snack using the crescent rolls we had in the refrigerator. We used coconut, chocolate chips and pecan pieces this time (I've tried peanut butter and chocolate chips as well as cinnamon and sugar). They were quick and easy to make and tasted delicious - the kids absolutely LOVED THEM.

Chocolate, Coconut and Pecan Crescent Rolls:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by Cathy at Noble Pig

1 tube of crescent rolls

Shredded coconut

Semi sweet chocolate chips

Crushed pecan pieces

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Chocolate Pixies

When I saw this recipe on My Tasty Treasures, I knew I would make them immediately. My husband, daughter and son all LOVE chocolate desserts - the richer the better. My son and I had a great time making these cookies while my daughter was at school. The cookies turned out rich and delicious - the pecans gave them a nice crunch. They were a huge hit with my family and disappeared quickly. Thanks for the great recipe Donna.

Chocolate Pixies:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by My Tasty Treasures and Kitchens Are Monkey Business

4 1 oz squares of UNSWEETENED chocolate

1/4 cup of unsalted butter

4 large eggs

2 cups of sugar

2 tsp of vanilla extract

2 cups of flour

2 tsp of baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup of pecans, chopped

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

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Southwestern Flank Steak

I was craving a steak for dinner and decided to make a rub using Southwestern spices. The rub was simple to make and tasted fantastic on the flank steak. I threw the spices together in a zip lock bag and shook it up to make sure it was mixed thoroughly. I sprinkled the flank steak with the seasonings and stored the remaining rub for later use. I let the rub sit on the meat for a few hours before cooking in my grill pan. It had a hint of heat and was loaded with flavor - my whole family gobbled it up.

Southwestern Flank Steak:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

3 tsp chili powder

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder

Pinch of cayenne

Flank steak

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Cilantro and Lime Rice

I have always wanted to try making this rice dish and I can't believe it's taken me so long to do it. I found this recipe on Closet Cooking and trusted that it would be good because Kevin always has great recipes. It was not only really simple to make it also had very little clean up. I loved the cilantro and subtle lime flavor - it tasted fantastic and was a big hit with my family. This dish paired nicely with the Southwestern Flank Steak. I plan on making this rice again and again. Thanks for the great recipe Kevin.

Cilantro and Lime Rice:

Adapted recipe and photo by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe from Closet Cooking

1-2 tsp olive oil

1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup long grained rice (brown or white)

2 cups of water

1 tsp chicken bouillon granules

1 large handful of cilantro, chopped

Juice and zest of 1 lime

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Monday, January 11, 2010

Spinach, Pear, and Endive Salad

An ideal salad to serve alongside Asian-style duck or grilled meat.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

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Monday, January 4, 2010

Crab Cakes

Yield: Makes 8 crab cakes

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Sunday, January 3, 2010

North African Red Lentil Soup

This is one of those remarkable dishes that manages to be both quick and complex-tasting at the same time—and with just a few ingredients. The key lies in cooking the lentils first, and then adding sautéed onion, carrot, and garlic toward the end of the cooking process, so you really taste their full flavor in every spoonful. Look for red lentils in the bulk section near the brown lentils. (They’re actually orange, not red, and turn a deep golden yellow when cooked. For some reason, they’re confusingly labeled.)

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

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