Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Pioneer Woman Aunt Trish's Salad Dressing

Ingredients 3/4 cups Olive Oil Or Canola Oil Juice Of 2 Lemons 4 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese 1/4 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste Freshly Ground Black Pepper 1/4 teaspoon Sugar Dash Of Paprika 1 clove Garlic - Peeled And Left Whole Preparation Instructions Place all ingredients into a jar. Shake it up and store in the fridge at least 24 hours before serving. Serve on your favorite green salads. Also works well on pasta salad.

Michelle's Blue Cheese Dressing

Not for calorie counters...


Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Season with mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in blue cheese. Cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Pioneer Woman Meatloaf

Wowzer! Yum!


Ingredients

Meatloaf:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 6 bread slices
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry's
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 8 to 12 thin bacon slices

Tomato Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 6 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • Dash or 2 hot sauce (more if you like)
  • Dash or 2 Worcestershire sauce

Directions

For the meatloaf: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Pour the milk over the bread and allow it to soak in for several minutes. Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, salt, some pepper, seasoned salt and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the eggs. With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined.
Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a foil-lined broiler pan, which will allow the fat from the meat to drain.
Lay the bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf to give the meatloaf some support.
Next, make the tomato sauce: Pour the ketchup into a bowl. Add the brown sugar and dry mustard, and splash in the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir the mixture until well combined. Pour one-third of the sauce over the top of the meatloaf.
Bake for 45 minutes, and then pour over another one-third of the remaining tomato sauce over the meatloaf. Bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes; the meatloaf should be no longer pink in the middle. Allow to sit 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with the remaining tomato sauce on the side as a dipping sauce.

Buttermilk Biscuits with Parsley and Sage


  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 to 10 pieces, plus 2 tablespoons, melted
  • 1/2 cup cold nonfat buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
  • 1 cold egg
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Yield: 8 biscuits
Prep Time: any time
Method:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed for 10 to 15 seconds, or until combined. Scatter the cold butter pieces over the top and mix on medium-low speed for about 1 minute, or until the butter is broken down and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cream, egg, and sage until well combined. With the stand mixer on low speed, pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Mix for 10 to 15 seconds, or just until the dough comes together. (There will still be some loose dry ingredients at the bottom of the bowl.)
Unscrew the bowl from the stand mixer. Using your hands, gather the dough together and turn it over in the bowl so that it picks up the loose dry ingredients. Turn the dough a few more times, until all of the dry ingredients are mixed in.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it into a 1-inch-thick round. Using a 3-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out biscuits and place them on a baking sheet. Gently recombine the dough scraps, pat into another 1-inch-thick round, and cut out more biscuits. (Repeat if necessary; you should have 8 biscuits total. At this point, the biscuits can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 week.)
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the biscuits are entirely golden brown. (If baking frozen biscuits, add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.) Remove, place the pan on a wire rack, and let cool. In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter and parsley. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the butter while they are still warm.

Friday, April 06, 2012

Spicy Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti



Ingredients

  • 3 cups (1-inch diced) bread cubes from a round rustic bread, crusts removed
  • 2/3 cup whole milk
  • 2 pounds ground turkey (85-percent to 92-percent lean)
  • 1/2 pound sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
  • 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, finely chopped
  • 1 cup freshly grated aged Asiago cheese
  • 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the meatballs
  • 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 (24-ounce) jars good marinara sauce, such as Rao's
  • 2 pounds dried spaghetti, such as De Cecco
  • Freshly grated Parmesan (or Asiago) cheese, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the bread is in medium crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, sausage, prosciutto, bread mixture, Asiago, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Lightly combine the ingredients with your hands. Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the eggs, and stir lightly with a fork to combine.
With your hands, lightly roll the mixture into 2-inch-round meatballs and place them on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tops are browned and the centers are completely cooked.
Pour the marinara sauce in a large, low pot, add the meatballs, and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the directions on the package. Drain and place the spaghetti in individual bowls, and top with 3 meatballs and lots of sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese on the side.

Ina Garten Food Network

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Gadget Corner: Bread Knife

What's a chef without his knife? And for a bread baker like myself, a good bread knife is a MUST. I use this knife every day and absolutely love it. My favorite bread knife is the Wusthof Classic 9" IKON.

It's been through the dishwasher many times and still can slice my bread like butta. :) Sometimes I have to dig out my old, cheap, inferior knife and I'm always amazed at how poorly it does in comparison. The Wusthof is a quality knife and I highly recommend it.