Monday, March 30, 2009

PW’s Chicken Scallopine

1 pound linguine
6 boneless, skinless, trimmed chicken breasts
Flour
Salt & Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
12 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
1 cup dry white wine
Chicken broth (optional)
1 lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream (can use half & half)
1 heaping tablespoon capers
chopped fresh Italian parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Flatten chicken breasts to uniform thickness.
Salt and pepper both sides, then dredge in flour.
Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken breasts until golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Throw mushrooms into the pan and stir. Immediately pour in wine, then squeeze juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon. Stir to deglaze the pan, then cook vigorously for 1 minute, until sauce reduces.
Pour in cream and stir, then add capers and parsley and stir. Turn off heat. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Don’t undersalt!
Place pasta and chicken on a platter and top with every last drop of sauce. Generously sprinkle Parmesan Cheese over the top.

People will fall in love instantly.

They’ll like the pasta, too.

Enjoy!

Love,
P-Dub

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/chicken-scallopine/

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Blueberry Baked French Toast

INGREDIENTS
1 Family Size Bag Stacy’s Pita Chips - Simply Naked
7 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
6 oz fresh blueberries (optional)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (use a little more)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
DIRECTIONS
Grease 9 x 13 inch baking pan with butter.
Pour in bag of pita chips and arrange evenly.
In a bowl mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla.
Pour egg mixture over pita chips.
Cover pan tightly with foil and place in refrigerator overnight, or at least six hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove pan from refrigerator.
Sprinkle blueberries over the top.
Mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Slice butter and add to bowl, then use pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture.
Sprinkle flour mixture over the blueberries and make sure it’s evenly distributed.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
Chips on top should be crispy and crunchy.
Remove from oven and cut into squares.
Drizzle with blueberry or maple syrup and serve warm.
Note: If you’re feeling naughty, top with whipped cream. Just don’t say I told you to do it.

Love,
Pioneer Woman

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/blueberry-baked-french-toast/

Thursday, March 26, 2009

BBQ Meatballs - Comfort Food to the Max

Meatballs
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup oats
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons very finely minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
plenty of ground black pepper

Sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
4 to 6 tablespoons onion
Dash of Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all meatball ingredients.
Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet.
Place sheet in freezer for five minutes.
Remove from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour.
Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown.
Place into a baking dish.

Combine all sauce ingredients.
Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty french bread.

Enjoy!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/bbq-meatballs-comfort-food-to-the-max/

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

3 red bell peppers
2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
Flat leaf parsley, finely minced
Fresh Parmesan, shaved or grated
1/2 to 1 pound pasta: orecchiette, penne, fusilli, etc.

Roast red peppers, then place in a Ziploc bag to allow to sweat. Peel the charred skins from the peppers, then removed seeds. Set aside.
Lightly toast pine nuts in a skillet. Set aside.
Puree peppers with pine nuts. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree and stir together. Add plenty of salt.
Pour in cream and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Add cooked pasta, then stir together.
Place pasta into a bowl, top with chopped parsley and plenty of shaved Parmesan.
Give thanks for Italy.
Repeat as necessary.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/pasta-with-roasted-red-pepper-sauce-groan/

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Ginger Steak Salad

Steak Marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
2 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 rib-eye, strip, or sirloin steak
2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad Dressing:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 generous tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
8 ounces salad greens: baby lettuces, endive, radicchio, etc.

Combine steak marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Mix and place steak into bag. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Combine salad dressing ingredients. Slice green onion.
When steak is finished marinating, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a hot skillet. Cook steak about 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until medium rare. Remove from skillet and keep on a plate, allowing to cool slightly.
Toss salad greens in 3/4 of the salad dressing. Place steak on cutting board and slice thinly, then pour juices from the plate over the top. Mound tossed salad on a platter, then place sliced steak on top of salad. Pour remaining salad dressing over the top.
Sprinkle green onions over the salad, and add cherry tomatoes if that makes your skirt fly up.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/ginger-steak-salad/

Monday, March 2, 2009

Pasta alla Marlboro Man

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 generous teaspoon ground thyme
3 14-ounce cans whole tomatoes
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 to 2 pounds rigatoni

Heat olive oil in large skillet or pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook a couple of minutes, until starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and stir, cooking 1 minute, making sure not to brown the garlic.
Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of excess fat.
Add salt, pepper, and ground thyme. Stir to combine.
Dump in canned tomatoes with their juice. Stir, reduce heat to low, and cover pot. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
Uncover the pot and cook an additional 30 minutes.
Cook rigatoni according to package directions—don’t overcook! Drain and place individual portions into bowls.Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan into the sauce. Check and adjust seasonings. Ladle sauce over cooked pasta, sprinkle with more Parmesan, and serve.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/monday-night-dinner-pasta-alla-marlboro-man/

Garlic Cheese Bread

1 loaf crust French bread
1 stick butter
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
4 green onions, white and light green parts minced
Dash of salt
4 cloves garlic, finely minced.

Mix cheeses with the mayonnaise and the green onions. Add dash of salt to taste and set aside or keep in fridge until you need it.
Cut loaf of bread in half, then each half into half again.
Working 1/4 loaf at a time, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and add 1/4 of the minced garlic.
Place 1 of the 1/4 loaves face down in the skillet, swirling it to soak up the butter and garlic. Allow bread to toast in the skillet, removing garlic if it starts to get too brown.
Repeat with remaining butter, garlic, and bread.
Spread cheese mixture on warm loaves and bake in a 425 degree oven until cheese is hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Slice and serve.

Then get on the Stairmaster. Pronto.

LoveP-Dub

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/garlic-cheese-bread/