Panzanella Salad

This was also part of my Father's Day Menu :-) Came out amazing. The dressing is nice and light and has a great taste to it!!! Everyone enjoyed this (and I even have leftovers for today)!! Enjoy!!!

Recipe Courtesy of Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

3 tablespoons good olive oil

1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups) ( I used the Rosemary and Olive Oil Loaf from Costco - so good!)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick ( I used a normal cucumber)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced

20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons capers, drained ( I omitted)

For the vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes,
or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.
For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes
and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for
the flavors to blend.

Frozen Banana Split

This was the dessert that I decided to make for Father's Day. I had asked my father what he wanted for dessert and he told me a Banana Split. So i took it upon myself to find a different recipe for it! By the way.... IT WAS SOOO YUMMY! Just an fyi... the bananas freeze pretty good so its a good idea to take it out of the freezer maybe a 1/2 hr before serving so they soften a little bit.

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

24 (3.5-ounce) ice-cream sandwiches, unwrapped

6 medium bananas, peeled and thinly sliced

1 (12.25-ounce) jar hot-fudge sauce

1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped

1 (8-ounce) package milk chocolate covered toffee bits, divided (i omitted this)

1 (12.25-ounce) jar butterscotch ice-cream topping (not a fan of butterscotch so i used caramel)

1 (8-ounce) container frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed

Directions
Line a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Place half of ice-cream sandwiches evenly over bottom of pan, completely covering bottom,
cutting sandwiches to fit, if necessary. Top evenly with banana slices. Pour hot fudge sauce
over bananas. Top with cherries and 1/2 of the toffee bits ( i omitted) and pour butterscotch (I used Caramel )evenly on
top. Layer with remaining ice cream sandwiches and spread whipped topping over
sandwiches; sprinkle with remaining toffee bits ( I chose to sprinkle with walnuts on 1/2 in case anyone did not like them instead of the toffee bits).

Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours. Remove from pan, using foil handles. Cut into squares
and serve.

Spring Asparagus Risotto!!

I really love Risotto Recipes so i'm always looking for something to new to make with it. I picked up Cooking Light to find some healthier alternatives to my normal recipes. Came across this recipe and decided to give it a try! It was sooooo YUMMY!!! LOVED IT! Hope you enjoy it as well!

Cooking Light - April 2009 Issue

4 Cups (1 inch) slices asparagus, divided
3 Cups Fat Free, Less-Sodium Chicken Broth, divided
1 1/2 Cups Water
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 Cups Chopped Onion (about 1 large)
2 Cups Uncooked Arborio rice or Other Medium-Grain Rice
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Cup Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, divided
1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Place 1 cup asparagus and 1 cup broth in a blender; puree until smooth, combine puree, remaining 2 cups broth, and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 cup broth mixture; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining puree mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 30 minutes total). Stir in remaining 3 cups asparagus; cook 2 minutes.

Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Transfer risotto to a bowl. Serve with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Yield: 8 Servings

Polynesian Glazed Meatballs

I was looking for something to make with my Chicken Meatballs that I got from Costco the other day. I was surfing Kraftfoods.com and ran across this and it looked yummy... Guess what, IT WAS!!! My husband loved it and it was so easy and quick to make. Great for weeknight cooking! I think the Chicken Meatballs made the dish so yummy... Enjoy!

Recipe from: Kraftfoods.com

Ingredients:

1 tsp. oil
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 cans (8 oz. each) pineapple chunks, drained, liquid reserved
12 oz. (3/4 of 1-lb. pkg.) frozen cooked meatballs (I used chicken meatballs from Costco)
2 cups instant white rice, uncooked ( I used Brown Rice)

Make It:
HEAT oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions; cook 5 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently.
STIR in barbecue sauce, ginger, garlic powder and reserved pineapple liquid. Add meatballs; mix lightly until evenly coated. Cook 10 min. or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook rice as directed on package.
STIR pineapple into meatball mixture. Serve over the rice.

French Onion Sliced Steak with Gruyere Sauce and Green Beans

This recipe was really good!!! We really enjoyed this one - once again, another winner with the leftovers! I cooked green beans and then tossed with Olive Oil and Garlic and finished the meal off with a salad. Per my husband, "When are we having this again?" Enjoy!

Receipe from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided plus additional
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3 softball-size yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon ground dry thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 London Broil (about 2 to 3 pounds, one that is large enough for 4 people)
1 pound green beans
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO and 2 tablespoons butter. When the butter is melted, add the sliced onions, bay leaf, thyme, salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until caramelized, about 15 minutes, or until melted down, brown and sweet.

While the onions are cooking, place steak on a broiler pan and generously coat it with EVOO, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Broil under the broiler for 10 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness. When done, remove and let the steak rest to let the juices return to the center of the meat, about 5 minutes. I switched things up here. We cooked the London Broil on the grill instead. I did coast with EVOO and Salt & Pepper before grilling.

In a medium-size pot over high heat, boil water. Once at a boil, add the green beans and cook for 5 minutes, until cooked through. I steamed my Green Beans

In a medium-size skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter, add cooked green beans to the pan, juice from half a lemon, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat and heat through. I omitted this part

In a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add flour to the melted butter and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in chicken stock and milk and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let it come up to a bubble and thicken then turn off the heat. Add the cheese and stir in a figure-eight motion until mixed.

Slice the steak and place on a platter. Pile the onions on top and pour the cheese sauce over the top. Serve the buttered lemon green beans alongside.

Pasta e Fagioli al Forno with Lemmon Pepper Salad

This recipe was actually pretty good. I still need to adjust a few things, otherwise it was yummy. And even better re-heated the next day!

Recipe from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book

Pasta e Fagioli al Forno

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound penne rigate or whole-wheat penne ( I used whole grain pasta)
1/4 pound pancetta, 3 to 4 slices thick cut like bacon (I omitted)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 to 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped
1 fresh bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can small white beans "Roman" beans, such as Goya brand or, cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Nutmeg, to taste
1 1/2 cups grated Romano

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, cook pasta to just shy of al dente.
Chop pancetta into 1/4-inch dice.
While pasta cooks, heat a skillet with olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add pancetta, cook 2 to 3 minutes then add celery, carrot, onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf to the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Saute the vegetables until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Add beans and heat them through. Stir in 1/2 cup wine, simmer 30 seconds more and turn off heat. Remove bay leaf.
While vegetables cook, place a small sauce pot over medium heat, add butter, melt butter then whisk in flour and cook 1 minute then whisk in milk. Season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg and reduce 4 to 5 minutes, stir in half the grated cheese, turn off heat and adjust seasoning.
While sauce cooks, place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat broiler to high.
Drain pasta and return to the pot, toss with white bean mixture and sauce, stir to coat, transfer to a casserole dish, top with remaining cheese and place in oven to brown, 5 minutes.

Lemmon Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

Salt
2 lemons
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pint yellow tomatoes, halved or 2 vine ripe yellow tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 hearts romaine lettuce, shredded or chopped

Zest the lemons into a bowl. Add the juice of the lemons with the pepper, whisk in olive oil then season the dressing with salt, to taste. Toss the tomatoes and greens with dressing and adjust seasoning.

Thanksgiving LeftOver Stuffed Shells!!!!!

OMG!!! These were amazing!!! I was trying to find some new recipes to use with Thanksgiving Leftovers. I came across this recipe on Food Network for Turkey and Cranberry Raviolis. I didn't want to make my own ravioli's so i decided to use Stuffed Shells (Thanks to my mom!). And then i put my own spin on the recipe and they were AMAZING!!!! If you do decide to make the stuffed shells version, i would double the gravy recipe because there was not enough there. My husband loved them and wants them again next weekend!!!! Its really quick to make once you make that turkey and use all of your leftovers! I can't wait to make them again!

Turkey and Cranberry Ravioli
Recipe from: Food Network

Ingredients:
Ravioli
1/4 pound of turkey - I used fresh leftovers and shredded them
2 Tablespoons of cranberry sauce - I used a lot - we love cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons of grated Romano - I'm sure i used more, we love cheese
1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
20 Store bought wonton wrappers - I used stuffed shells

Gravy:
3 tablespoons of butter
1 shaollot, chopped
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


To make the ravioli: in a medium bowl, stir together the turkey, cranberry sauce, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper. I also added leftover mashed potatoes and stuffing!!! Place 10 wonton wrappers on a work surface. Brush lightly with water using a pastry brush. Place 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture on each of the wonton wrappers. Top with another wonton wrapper. Push out any air bubbles and press the edges tightly to seal. After i mixed together all the ingredients, i put 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling in each stuffed shell. then I topped them with the remaining gravy and mozzerella cheese on top.


To make the gravy: in a medium, heavy skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir until cooked, about 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring quickly to avoid lumps. Add the cream, parley, salt, and pepper and cook, without boiling, for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook until tender but still firm to the bite and the turkey is cooked, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. I omitted this section. I brought the pot to a boil and cooked the stuffed shells for 10 minutes. Then Drain. Drain the ravioli into the gravy and stir to coat. Serve immediately in individual dishes, drizzled with the remaining gravy.

Changes - Once the stuffed shells were done cooking - I added the filling to the shells and poured the sauce over them. Then i added a little mozzerlla cheese to the top of each one. I baked them at 375 degrees for about 20-25 mins. I then arranged them on a plate in a circle and added cranberry sauce in the middle. YUM!