Dick and Jane find the Kitchen

[Shawna]

I have an awesome pumpkin bread recipe, Laurie... I'll have to dig it out and post it later...

[_Laurie_]

Awesome, thanks Shawna.

[Shawna]

wow - if my sister hadn't mentioned T-day on her FB this morning, I would have forgotten all about this! That's my memory. Hope this isn't too late, Laurie. It's AWESOME.

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 C sugar

1 C pumpkin

1/2 C oil

1/4 C water

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 2/3 C flour

3/4 tsp. salt

Combine eggs and sugar. Mix well with electric beater. Add pumpkin, oil and water. Blend thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to first mixture. Mix thoroughly. Pour into soup cans (this is how old this recipe is! I use loaf pans, duh) filling about half full. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour.

Also: I typically toss in about 1 or 2 extra tablespoons of pumpkin just to give it that extra heaviness and moistness. This is the BEST pumpkin bread. Ever.

[_Laurie_]

Thanks Shawna...No it's not too late...she's gonna be home for at least 4 more weeks....I visited with her last and we brought her lunch...but I'll have to give this a try and bring it to her...My Aunt's always made their brown breads in coffee cans too!

[_Laurie_]

Shawna I forgot all about the pumpkin bread recipe..maybe I'll make it for Xmas!....

I tried to find the Bruschetta recipe I had and have no idea where it is....this one I found is pretty close to the one I had...I love it!

Ingredients for Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta

•1 seven ounce container roasted red peppers packed in oil - drained and diced

•1/2 cup black olives - diced

•1/2 cup cherry tomatoes - diced

•1 bunch green onions - sliced thin

•2 cloves garlic - minced

•1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

•1 tablespoon lemon juice

•2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

•1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

•1 teaspoon salt

•1/4 cup cilantro - minced

Directions for Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta

1.In a medium mixing bowl, stir in the roasted peppers, black olives, cherry tomatoes, green onions and garlic.

2.In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to make a dressing for the bruschetta.

3.Stir the bruschetta dressing into the bowl of vegetables.

4.Stir the cilantro into the bowl of bruschetta topping.

5.Serve the bruschetta immediately, or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

6.Left over red pepper bruschetta can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for a few days.

Preparing Bread for Bruschetta Topping

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.Cut a loaf of French bread into 1 inch thick, diagonal slices, using a serrated bread knife.

3.Place the bread slices on a large baking sheet.

4.Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.

5.Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the bread slices over.

6.Place the bread back in the oven, and back for another 5 minutes.

7.Remove the bread from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool slightly.

8.Serve the toasted bread along with the roasted red pepper bruschetta.

Recipes Tips and Suggestions

1. Sprinkle a bit of cheese, such as feta or Parmesan, on top of the bruschetta before serving.

2. Basil or flat leaf parsley may be used in placed of the cilantro.

3. Red, yellow or orange tomatoes may be used to make the bruschetta recipe.

I love peppers!...but if you're not a pepper lover you can add or take out whatever you like with this...I like using Basil on it instead of the Cilantro...and I usually use Parmesan...Feta is good too...At the deli I go to they have a few varieties of Bruschetta toppings that you can buy in a jar and they are delish...kind of expensive but they are delish!

This recipe calls for French Bread which is good..I usually use the sliced Italian Bread...

[Lea]

What is balsamic vinegar? I've never heard of it.

[MuzikTyme]

Virgin vinegar, Lea

She pretty much had me at #8

[_Laurie_]

The Bruschetta toppings they sell in the deli would eliminate alot of those steps if you want...but from scratch is really delish!

[Shawna]

All righty, sports fans. I've decided to become a more inspired cook, expand my horizons, and am committed to going through (almost) every recipe I own that looks good. Which is considerable.

I'm happy to report that the baked ziti I made last night, with ingredients I thought rather strange (cinnamon? Allspice?) tasted astoundingly delicious. I mean really good. Next up: Enchilada pie.

If anyone's interested, I will post the recipes as I make them, unless they're total disasters.

[Lucky]

Post away Shawna, I'm always looking for something new & different. I'll be interested to hear if your enchilada pie is anything like my enchilada casserole. Which, come to think of it, sounds really good for dinner.

and congrats on the ziti.

[_Laurie_]

Post away Shawna!

I need to get a recipe from my niece...I'll post it when she sends it to me...

[Shawna]

Baked Ziti Casserole

Serves 6 (who can put away a LOT, or a small army)

8 ounces ziti (ribbed tubes) (shut up, Sammy)

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 pound ground round, crumbled

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce

1/4 cup Burgundy wine

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon allspice

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups milk

paprika and chopped parsley

Cook ziti according to package instructions. Add next three ingredients. Set aside. Sautee hamburger, garlic and onion until brown. Combine next four ingredients. Place half the ziti in a two quart casserole and top with meat mixture. Cover with the remaining ziti. Preheat oven to 350. Stir flour and cinnamon into melted butter, slowly add milk, cook and stir until thickened. Spoon over ziti, sprinkle paprika and parsley over top and bake 45 minutes.

** I used fresh parsley (desperately trying to convince myself I knew what I was doing) and, since I'm a cheese freak, I topped it with some mozzarella before baking. Yum!

[_Laurie_]

Sounds yummy Shawna!

Here's a delish dip that goes great with tortilla chips..

Ruby Tuesday Spinach Dip Recipe

Supplies:

4 cloves garlic

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo-style pasta sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Place garlic in a small baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Remove from heat. When cool enough to touch, squeeze softened garlic from skins.

3. In an 8x8 inch baking dish, spread the roasted garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo-style pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and cream cheese.

4. Cover and bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly. Serve warm.

My niece has also made this with crushed tomatoes to replace the artichoke hearts, because she doesn't care for them too much..but I love 'em!...let me know how it turns out!

[Shawna]

oooo new recipes to add to my collection.

here's what we tried last night. This was my sister's favorite recipe from 7th grade home economics cooking class. That particular teacher is the same one who gave me the pumpkin bread recipe. She was good.

So this one is in my sister's handwriting from years ago, it's got notes all over the back of the paper, "Mom, please wake me up in the morning at 8," and "Valerie called," and all those little blasts from the past. And my sister spelled "cheddar" as "chetter" on it.

Anyway, I made this one for the first time last night and my son positively drooled over it, it was so good. Can't believe I've never tried it before.

Enchilada Pie

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 8oz can tomato sauce

4 corn tortillas

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or more if you're a cheese freak like me)

1 8oz can corn

Sautee ground beef, onion & garlic.

Add seasonings & tomato sauce.

In a round casserole dish, alternate layers of tortillas, meat sauce, and lots of cheese. (I did 3 layers, like a lasagna)

Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.

Cover. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

Cut in quarters and serve.

[_Laurie_]

Mmmmmmm...Now I'm hungry...but then again, I'm always hungry..

[Steel2Velvet]

What's the difference between shallots and scallions?

[miamisammy29]

About three dollars a pound.

[Lucky]

What's the difference between shallots and scallions?

The words are used interchangeably, and that isn't totally incorrect, but truthfully scallions are the typical green onions (no matter what size they are) while shallots are actually a different breed of onion (smaller & sweeter). And also that whole 3 dollars a pound thing ...

[_Laurie_]

Italian Easter Bread Video

My sister just told me she found a video of our cousin "Chef John" demonstrating how to make Easter Bread...My Dad use to make this every year, soooooo I guess I'll give it a try...

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (100 degrees F.)

3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp aniseeds

1 1/2 tbsp anise extract

1 1/2 tsp lemon extract

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

6 tbsp melted butter

1/4 cup milk

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

Here is my cousin John's website

Foodwishes.com

[Lea]

We just tried this tonight and it turned out quite good.

Broiled Clams

What you'll need:

Ritz cracker crumbs and beaten eggs. Whatever seasoning you prefer.

Coat clams in egg and roll in cracker crumbs. Broil for 2 mins. on each side.

Very easy, very fast, and surprising, very good. Did I mention clams are my least favorite shell fish next to oysters but shellfish are my favorite food? If you like/cook clams, this method is awesome

[_Laurie_]

Pomodori con Riso – Tomatoes Stuffed with Rice

Source : inspired by Twelve: A Tuscan Cookbook

Cuisine: Italian

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Serves: 3 – 6 people, depending how you use it

ingredients

6 ripe round tomatoes, medium sized

5 Tblspns olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

250g long-grain rice (e.g. basmati)

1 cup water

1 stalk celery

4 Tblspn grated parmesan cheese

12 basil leaves or sprig of rosemary

breadcrumbs (optional)

method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Slice the tops off of the tomatoes and set aside. Carfully, scoop out the flesh of the tomatoes with a spoon, taking care not to break the tomato shells.

Put the tomato shells into a baking dish, without overlapping and leaving a little space between. Using a little salt, season inside and outside the shells.

Puree the tomato flesh with a stick blender or in a blender.

Heat 2 Tblspns of the oil in a small saucepan with the garlic. Add the rice and the celery, and stir in the oil for a minute. Add half a cup of water and the tomato puree and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.

Remove from the heat, add the parmesan and the basil and stir through gently.

Fill the tomato shells with the mixture. The rice will swell a little during cooking so do not overfill the tomatoes. Replace the tomato tops and splash with a little more oil. If desired, sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with breadcrumbs.

Add the remaining half cup of water to the oven dish. Cook in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until the rice is cooked, most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the outside of the tomatoes are lightly and gorgeously golden.

Stuffed Tomatoes ....These are delish!...usually used as a side dish...we usually have this with baked garlic chicken....I did not use the breadcrumb topping like it says here, and I added crushed red pepper, and a clove of garlic on the bottoms of the tomatoes...Oh and I use fresh grated Romano cheese instead of Parm.

[_Laurie_]

Yes Shawna, I have the chicken recipe for you too...

Garlic-Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 skin-on, boneless chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 heads garlic

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 slices sourdough bread, grilled or toasted

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin-side down, until browned, about 5 minutes.

Separate the heads of garlic into cloves but do not peel. Flip the chicken; add the garlic and rosemary to the skillet and transfer to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through but still moist, 15 to 20 more minutes.

Place the bread on a platter and top each slice with a chicken breast. Add the vinegar to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add 3 tablespoons water and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce and garlic over the chicken and bread.

[Shawna]

YAY!! Yer the best! I'm always looking for different ways to make chicken - and the stuffed tomatoes sound yum. I'll be off to the store later this weekend to stock up on the goods. Thanks, sister!! :-)

[Shawna]

I just discovered this recipe on Half-Assed Kitchen and tried it for the first time last night. My kid loved these so much he ate almost the entire first batch by himself.

They're perfect for Christmas!

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 Cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 egg

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1/8 cup milk

Preheat over tn 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients well in large bowl. Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Let cool for five minutes, then transfer to cooking rack.

You should probably double this recipe, they're so good you'll need a lot.

[_Laurie_]

I will be making my own NY style pizza and wings for the super bowl...love the garlic parmesan wings...so simple to make...yummo!

Ingredients:

Servings:

12 12 12Servings Size

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup butter , melted

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper , freshly ground

½ cup parmesan cheese , grated

24 chicken wings , nude, baked (or fried per your desire)

Directions:

1In a small glass bowl, melt butter in microwave.2Whisk into butter the garlic powder, onion salt and pepper.3Arrange hot, fresh-baked nude wings on a serving platter and drizzle with butter mixture.4Top with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.5Enjoy!