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.

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

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.

Mrs. LeMaire's Spaghetti Sauce

When Michelle was in high school, she took a cooking class from one of our favorite teachers, Mrs. LeMaire. Mrs. LeMaire was an amazing cook, and I know this based off the amazing things that she taught Michelle to make. This is her spaghetti sauce recipe. This can be altered to your liking - omit the mushrooms, add green pepper, shake in a bit of marjoram, etc. But the basic recipe is simple and delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. lean hamburger
1 med. onion - chopped
1/4 lb. mushrooms - washed and diced
28 oz. can cut tomatoes
28 oz. can tomato sauce
12 oz. can tomato paste
2 garlic cloves - chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 - 1 cup water

DIRECTIONS:
Brown meat with onions and mushrooms. Add rest and carefully bring to boil. Then simmer at least 2 1/2 hours (5 or 6 hours is best).

Yield: 7 cups or 12-14 servings

Zucchini Sticks

Wait right there, you say. It's not zucchini season yet! True. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy these delicious, addictive zucchini sticks. This would be a fantastic appetizer or snack or side dish. These were SO yummy. I think I ate a dozen as soon as they were cooled off - no joke! The original recipe, King Arthur Flour, also includes a sweet onion dip that I bet is mighty tasty, too. Check it out.

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium zucchini, unpeeled, cut into 3"-long sticks
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
scant 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Pizza Seasoning or mixed Italian herbs
olive oil spray
2 large eggs


DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the zucchini sticks: Place the zucchini sticks in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with the tablespoon of salt. Let the zucchini drain for 1 hour or longer; rinse and pat dry.
2. Combine the Panko, Parmesan, and pizza seasoning; set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and spray the parchment with olive oil.
4. Dredge sticks a few at a time in the egg, then roll in the crumb mixture. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake sticks for 12 minutes, turn over, and bake for an additional 8 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
6.  Serve immediately, with sweet onion dip.

Yield: about 3 dozen zucchini sticks

Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for breakfast? I'm in! These are a tasty, healthy way to start your day. I combined recipes from Food Network, King Arthur Flour and Eat Better America to make my own concoction. 


INGREDIENTS:
1 large banana (the riper the better)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. baby food carrots (1 small container)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. oats
1/2 c. whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
1/4 c. nonfat dry milk powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup "mix ins" (craisins, raisins, coconut, chopped nuts, m&m's, choc chips, etc.)

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Using a hand mixer, beat banana, peanut butter, brown sugar, carrots and vanilla until smooth.
• In separate bowl, mix oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon and baking soda. Stire into wet mixture until combined.
• Stir in mix-ins.
• Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper or cooking spray or, my favorite, Silpats.
• Drop 1/4 cup mounds of dough 3 inches apart on sheets. With a metal spoon dipped in water, flatten mounds into cookie shapes (will not spread much during baking).
• Bake for 15 minutes or until browned. 
• Cool completely and store in airtight container or freeze.

Yield: 10 cookies

Cowboy Cookies

I was looking for a new cookie recipe and turned to one of my favorite blogs - Let's Dish. Her Cowboy Cookies looked good - and they turned out to be a hit! The cornflakes add a nice, subtle crunch.


Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 
1 cup packed brown sugar 
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 
2 eggs
1 cup crushed corn flakes
2 1/2 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the milk, vanilla and eggs and beat well. Stir in cornflake crumbs and oatmeal. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix. Stir in the coconut, nuts, if using, and chocolate chips.  Place tablespoon-sized balls of dough on a lightly greased or lined cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden around the edges.


Yield: 4 dozen

The Gadget Corner - Scoops

My Pampered Chef scoops get a LOT of use in my kitchen. I've found them to be very durable and wash up easily in the dishwasher.

The large scoop does a great job at filling muffins or cupcakes. If you've ever struggled to do this with a spoon, you will really appreciate how nice it is to scoop the batter into each muffin cup. No messy drips and each muffin is the same size! I've also used it to scoop out fillings for calzones and burritos.

The medium scoop is the perfect size for cookies. It is about 2 tbsp and works well for scooping up cookie dough and releasing it onto the baking sheet. I've also found this size to work well for mini-muffins.

That's it for this month! Anybody else have a scoop they love?

German Chocolate Fudge Bites

I have become obsessed with Katie's "Fudge Bites" from her Chocolate-Covered Katie blog. For the Super Bowl, we made the Peanut Butter and Samoa flavors (along with the chocolate chip cookie dough dip, which Elise and I devoured!).

But the very best of all, was the German chocolate flavored fudge bites. EVERYBODY likes these. And with my Penzey's Dutch Process cocoa, they are out of this world. Seriously. The ingredients are natural - pitted dates is the real secret to the fudge babies. The German chocolate flavor adds vanilla, salt, coconut, pecans and cocoa to the mix. SO yummy! I added a couple tablespoons of chocolate chips for extra decadence.

Measure it all out into the Magic Bullet cup (or a food processor):

And grind it all up. I usually scrape down the sides half-way through. You're left with a sticky, delicious dough.

Roll into bite-sized balls and store in the fridge (if there's any left after you make them!) You can get about 10 tablespoon sized bites from this recipe.

The Absolute Best Pie Crust Ever...seriously

I don't like pie crust. Really, don't like it. Yuck. I eat the good gooey stuff inside instead of that soggy, sorry, not worth the extra calorie mess. Until now. I have discovered the holy grail of pie crust - it's flaky, delicious and really easy. And it's from the Pioneer Woman. The trick is to mix it with a pastry blender, not the food processor, for 3-4 minutes. Not 1 or 2 or even 5. 3-4 minutes. Maybe I always skipped that step in the past or convinced myself it looked like pea sized crumbs before its time. Not sure. It's sad how happy I am now that I have a go-to, perfect pie crust recipe I can whip up for decadent desserts, quality quiches or popular pot pies.

Perfect Pie Crust:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks cold butter
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 egg
• 5 tablespoons cold water
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add in the butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter, gradually work the butter and shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles. This step should take 3 or 4 minutes.

Lightly beat the egg with a fork, and then add it to the mixture. Next, add in the cold water and vinegar. Stir the mixture together until it's just combined, and then remove half the dough from the bowl. Yield: dough for 2 crusts. Refrigerate for 1 hour before using or store in the freezer until needed. 

The Gadget Corner - Lettuce Knife

I have been thinking about posting a monthly "gadget corner" on the blog. There are a lot of nifty kitchen gadgets on the market these days. Some of them work, some don't. Some are worth the big bucks and some are not.

How 'bout we Sistas share what our favorite gadgets are for whoever out there reads this blog?

I'll start with something very simple and inexpensive. It's a lettuce knife. I learned about this when I was working as a waitress at Baker's Square Restaurant during high school. We would use a chef's knife to chop up a head of iceberg lettuce from which we used as the base of our salads.  However, towards the end of the night the cut edges of the lettuce would begin to brown and we'd have to throw it away and cut up a new one. If I had known about this gadget back then, I would've saved the restaurant a lot of money! (Or at least $2 a day.)

The metal from the knife is what turns the lettuce brown. It's just not appetizing. But use a plastic knife, and the lettuce looks fresh and green for many days! These are inexpensive and don't take up much room in your drawer.

There you have it - my gadget of the month!

Knock-You-Naked Brownies

If you're not on the South Beach Diet and craving an indulgence try these brownies. My hubby dubbed them "the best brownies you've ever made". I made them even "worse" by adding a sprinkle of chocolate covered toffee bits. Yum!

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, melted, plus more for greasing
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1/3 plus 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• One 18.5-ounce box German chocolate cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 60 caramels, unwrapped 
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-by-9-inch baking pan.

Begin by pouring 1/3 cup evaporated milk into a bowl with the cake mix. Add the melted butter and the chopped pecans. Mix the ingredients together; it'll be pretty thick!

Divide the dough in half down the middle. Press half of it into the bottom of the prepared pan to make the first brownie layer. Bake until slightly set, 8 to 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and set aside.

While the brownie layer is baking, in a double boiler (or glass bowl set over a bowl of simmering water) combine the caramels and the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk. Stir occasionally until the caramels are totally melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the caramel mixture over the first baked layer, spreading so it's evenly distributed. Sprinkle the chocolate chips all over the top.

Next, on a clean surface or a sheet of waxed paper, press the remaining dough into a square shape slightly smaller than the baking pan. Carefully set it on top of the chocolate chips. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool to room temperature. Cover the pan and refrigerate the brownies for several hours to allow them to set.

When you're ready to serve them (or give them to someone you love!) sprinkle generously with the powdered sugar and cut them into large rectangles before removing from the pan. These are absolutely killer, my friends. Make them for someone you really, really love... or someone you want to love you back.

It'll work. Guarantee it. **From The Pioneer Woman**

Chicken, Black Bean and Cilantro Soup

I love cilantro, yes I do! I love cilantro, how about you? This is one of my favorite South Beach recipes. It's delicious whether you are dieting or not! Taken from Kayln'sKichen.


INGREDIENTS:

1 small diced onion
1 cup diced celery, plus celery leaves
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp garlic powder
4 cups chicken stock/broth
1 can vegetable broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup salsa
6-8 drops Tabasco Sauce (optional - I left it out and it still had a nice little kick)
1 or 2 cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups finely diced cooked chicken
1 cup chopped cilantro
3 tbsp fresh lime juice (or bottled lime juice)


DIRECTIONS:

Saute onions and celery in olive oil 3-5 minutes in large pot. Add the ground cumin, chile powder, celery seed, and garlic and saute about 2 minutes more.

Add the chicken stock, vegetable broth, tomatoes, and salsa, and simmer 10 minutes. Add Tabasco if desired. Add black beans and chicken and simmer 15-20 minutes more.

After 15-20 minutes, add the chopped cilantro and simmer 5 minutes, then add lime juice and cook 2-3 minutes more.

SERVES: 6

South Beach Diet 2012

Last year I went on the South Beach Diet in order to lose some weight. I was at a place where my eating was a little out of control and I needed to decide whether to buy new clothes in bigger sizes or go on a serious diet. I lost 12 lbs! Most of that I kept off all year, but around the holidays some of it was creeping back on.

I decided to start the SBD again in January. It really does amaze me how quickly my body loses the carb-cravings! I feel healthier, slimmer and proud of myself for exercising a little (okay, a LOT) of self-control.

Phase One is the hardest. It's two weeks of no sugar, fruit, breads, and limited vegetables. Basically a lot of eggs, cheese and meat. I was thrilled to find Kalyn's Kitchen, a food blog with tons of phase one recipes. Most of my recipes come from her site.

Last year, I posted some of my favorite recipes that came out of phase one. Here's my list from this year:

Breakfast:
Breakfast Crepes with Ricotta Cocoa Filling
Zucchini Frittata Ricotta
Egg Muffins with Ham, Cheese and Green Pepper

Main Dishes:
Chicken, Black Bean and Cilantro Soup
Grilled Zucchini and Sausage Kabobs
Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps

Salad
Homemade Sugar-free Greek Salad Dressing
Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps

Snacks/Desserts:
Peanut Butter Muffins
Jelled Ricotta Pudding

South Beach Peanut Butter Muffins

One of the things I miss most during phase one of the South Beach Diet is the loss of baked goods. Breads, cookies, rolls, muffins, cakes... *sigh.*  This year, I found a recipe for muffins, using ground flax seed and ground almonds instead of flour.  They will not win any tasting contest, but man did they hit the spot when a baked-good craving hit!


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup egg whites (2-3 eggs)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup ground almonds (* My Magic Bullet did a great job on this!)
1/4 cup Splenda granular, sugar substitute (* I used Stevia. This has a "different" aftertaste to it. If you're not used to it, I would use Splenda or another sugar substitute).
1/2 cup natural-style peanut butter
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt peanut butter in microwave for 1 minute or until smooth.
• Mix all ingredients together.
• Pour into mini muffin cups (24 cup tray), and bake 15 minutes.

*FYI - I received a Babycakes Cupcake Maker for Christmas. This was the first time I tried it out and it worked great! As you can see from the photo, it makes mini-muffins, but the non-stick meant I didn't need to use any liners. 

Herbed Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) whole beef tenderloin, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons olive or canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Tie tenderloin at 2-in. intervals with kitchen string. Combine oil and garlic; brush over meat. Combine the basil, rosemary, salt and pepper; sprinkle evenly over meat. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F; medium, 160 degrees F; well-done, 170 degrees F). Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.