French Bread Pizzas
French Bread Pizzas
Submitted by Nikki Slater
These are quick and easy to make for lunch. I will make four at a time and freeze the other three to eat at a later date (pizza sauce and cheese only, I’ll add the toppings when I’m ready to re-heat.)
And yes, I accidentally took a bite of the pizza before I went to take a photo. Oops!
INGREDIENTS:
1 whole loaf French bread
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pizza sauce, divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Your desired toppings (see this recipe for many ideas)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice bread in half lengthwise and place on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Brush cut side of each loaf with a little olive oil. Bake for 5-6 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Spread 1/4 cup pizza sauce on each bread half, then top each with 1/4 cup cheese. Add desired toppings. Evenly sprinkle bread halves with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bread is heated through.
Source: http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/02/french-bread-pizzas.html
Cannoli Stuffed French Toast
Cannoli Stuffed French Toast
Submitted by Gracie2762
Ingredients:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
French bread/baguette (I used a baguette and made small sandwiches out of the whole loaf)
2 tablespoons butter
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
2. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk the eggs and heavy cream together. Spread 2 slices of the bread with the ricotta mixture, about 1/2 cup per slice. Place the other slices of bread on top and gently press them together. Carefully dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture until well coated.
3. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the French toast sandwiches and cook until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Serve immediately.
Source: Two Peas and Their Pod (www.twopeasandtheirpod.com)
Butterscotch Pudding Triple Chip Cookies
Butterscotch Pudding Triple Chip Cookies
Submitted by Gracie2762
Yields 3 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 3.4 oz package of butterscotch instant pudding mix (I used sugar free since it’s all the store had)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Using a mixer, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add in butterscotch pudding mix, eggs and vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
3. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges and set. Remove cookies from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Source: Two Peas & Their Pod Blog (www.twopeasandtheirpod.com)
Broccoli Leek Soup
Broccoli Leek Soup from Bailey1806
Ingredients:
1 large bunch broccoli
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter (unsalted)
2 medium leeks (white and light green parts only, thinly sliced)
1 medium baking potato (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 garlic clove (thinly sliced)
3 cups water
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
3/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup half and half (optional)
1/4 cup snipped chives
Separate broccoli stems from florets. Remove tough outer layer from stems with a vegetable peeler (if necessary) and slice into 1/4 inch thick “coins.” Break the florets into small pieces and set aside.
In a soup pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add broccoli stems, potato and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until broccoli and potato are tender, about 12 minutes.
Add florets, bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add half and half (if using) and chives and re-heat before serving. I usually freeze the soup in 1-2 serving portions and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top when serving.
Notes:
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I rarely take the time to chop up garlic, but get the jar of minced garlic from the grocery store and save myself two minutes of my life once or twice a week when cooking.
I rarely measure out salt and pepper, and sometimes I even leave them out because I prefer to add it later when I’m serving the dish, since every one likes a different amount.
I do not add the half and half, because I usually use extra broccoli and that makes it thick enough, plus I get the dairy when I sprinkle with cheddar.
I usually forget to buy fresh chives, or don’t want to be stuck with extra, so I use the dried chives from my spice rack, use only 1/8 of a cup and add with the florets so they get softened by cooking a little.
This is originally from an Oprah cookbook.
Mock-a-mole
Mock-a-mole by Bailey 1806
Ingredients:
1 avocado
1 cup cooked green peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 tbsp. chopped red onion
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes:
I would probably double this recipe, especially if taking it to a party, plus where can you actually buy such small amounts of these ingredients anyway???
I will rarely juice a lime or lemon for a recipe… instead get the cute yellow and green bottles of juice at the grocery store.
This is from Bethenny Frankel: http://www.bethenny.com/
Cincinnati Chili
Cincinnati Chili, submitted by Megcheer
2.5 lbs. ground beef or turkey, browned
29 oz. can tomato sauce
4 cups water
5 bay leaves
1.5 Tablespoons vinegar
1 heaping teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon allspice
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
4 Tablespoons chili powder
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Add all ingredients to browned meat and simmer 3-4 hours. Serve to taste: over vermicelli spaghetti, with kidney beans (recommended: 2 cans), with chopped onion (recommended: 1 onion), topped with cheddar cheese or oyster crackers.
Danish Potato Salad
Danish Potato Salad
Submitted by
6 to 8 servings
3 pounds of Red Skinned or other pretty colored Boiling Potatoes
1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Chives or Green Onions
1/2 Cup of Chopped Fresh Parsley
2 Tablespoons of Drained Capers
3 Tablespoons of White Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon of Caper Liquid from Jar
1 Teaspoon (or a lil’ more) of Dijon Mustard
1/2 Cup of Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Cracked Black Pepper
Paprika
Wash and cut potatoes into cubes. Boil in salted water until just tender (fork tender). Drain and add chives, parsley and capers, Set aside.
For the dressing: Combine vinegar, caper liquid and mustard in a small bowl or jar and whisk in oil. (or shake).
Season salad with salt and pepper. Then pour dressing over potatoes and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Dust with Paprika. Can serve at room temperature or make the night before and serve chilled or warm up in oven
Greek-esque Pasta Salad
Submitted by LOJ
I’m only now discovering how easy it is to whip up a yummy pasta salad.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound tri-color pasta – cooked
2/3 cup Italian dressing (I’m sure Greek dressing would taste excellent too)
1 cucumber – sliced and cut into quarters
1 pint cherry tomatoes – sliced in half
1 can of pitted black olives – sliced in half
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta as directed, drain. Mix in Italian dressing while pasta still warm to help prevent pasta from clumping. Add rest of the ingredients, except the feta. If the pasta has cooled enough so that it won’t melt the feta, add the feta. Cover and chill 3-4 hours. Enjoy!
Tangy Brisket
Submitted by LOJ who found it on Smitten Kitchen.
This one was definitely sweet, almost a little too sweet for me even. I may have added too much brown sugar, I can’t remember. Either way, this particular brisket reminded me of shredded pork barbecue and was great on a roll. Joe didn’t necessarily like the sweetness though. I made it just before Dad came to help move us out. He definitely had no problem finishing it off.
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from Emeril. I halved the recipe, which is reflected here.
INGREDIENTS
1.5 large onions, sliced
1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 teaspoons onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (adjust to your heat preference)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cups beef stock (unsalted or low salt)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
4 to 5 pound brisket
DIRECTIONS
Prepare the sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and sauté onions in vegetable oil, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and most of liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add minced garlic cloves and saute for 3 minutes more. Stir in spices and seasoning (paprika, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, cayenne, oregano and thyme) and cook for 2 minutes. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together the beef stock, ketchup, chili sauce and brown sugar. Don’t worry if your brown sugar is lumpy (mine always is), the acidity of the ingredients will quickly break it down.
While my husband eats onion rings, he doesn’t eat sauted onions (who knows). So, once I made the sauce, I used my Ninja (love that thing!) to puree everything. (Yes, I’m trying to hide the vegetables and it worked!)
If baking in oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place brisket in a baking dish or casserole, spread onion mixture over the top, then pour sauce mixture over the entire dish. Cover tightly with foil bake until very tender but not falling apart, about 3 to 4 hours.
If making in a slow cooker (which I did): Place brisket in a slow cooker and pour pureed mix over it. Cover with the lid and place in fridge over night. In the morning, cook on low for 8-10 hours. Smitten Kitchen has lots of other directions, which I omitted. At this point, I just let it cool slightly and then sliced and enjoyed.
Cuban Ropa Vieja
Cuban Ropa Vieja from Gracie2762
1 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
2 pounds Beef Flank Steak
1 Cup Beef Broth
1 8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
1 small Onion, sliced
1 Green Pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
2 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
1 6 oz. can Tomato Paste
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tbsp. White Vinegar
Directions:
1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
2. Transfer beef to a slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and vinegar. Stir until well blended. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for up to 10 hours.
The meat will shred itself in the crock pot and then you can serve with rice or tortillas. I like to serve it with fried plantains (peel and slice plantains lengthwise and saute in a pan with vegetable oil until golden brown).
