10/05/2011

Broccoli, Leek, and Potato Soup recipe.

Ingredients
4 slices bacon, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 large leeks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cups chicken stock
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
3 cups broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3 green onions, chopped (optional)

Directions
Stir the bacon and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until the bacon has turned golden brown and released its grease, about 7 minutes. Add the butter, leeks, onion, and celery. Cook and stir until the leeks have softened, about 7 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock, potatoes, herbes de Provence, coriander, fennel, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are just beginning to turn tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the broccoli, and simmer 5 minutes. Add the milk, and continue simmering until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes more.
Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper; sprinkle with chopped green onions to serve.

Best Burritos recipe.

Ingredients
1 (10 inch) flour tortilla
1/4 cup vegetarian refried beans
1 slice American cheese
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 teaspoon low-fat sour cream
1 dash hot pepper sauce

Directions
In a small pot heat the refried beans until they are heated through, approximately 5 minutes.
Warm the tortilla in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat.
Lay the burrito on a flat surface. Place the refried bean in the center of the burrito, layer the cheese, pepper, sour cream and hot sauce over the beans. Roll the tortilla so that the mixture is wrapped in the center. Serve warm.

Bechamel Chicken Pasta recipe.

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package dried penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 bunch cilantro
3 sprigs fresh dill weed, chopped
1 (6 ounce) can Italian-flavored tomato paste
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
5 tablespoons butter
1 cube chicken bouillon
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, cook the penne pasta 10 to 12 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir in the chicken, and cook until almost done. Mix in the peas, cilantro, dill, tomato paste, and enough water to make a thick sauce. Continue to cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, and all the ingredients are heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To prepare the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Dissolve the chicken bouillon cube in the melted butter. Stirring constantly, blend in the flour until smooth. Mix in the milk, season with pepper, and continue to cook and stir until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
In a bowl, mix the cooked pasta with 1/2 the bechamel sauce. Place 1/2 the pasta in a baking dish, layer with 1/2 the chicken mixture, and 1/2 the mozzarella cheese. Layer with the remaining pasta, remaining chicken mixture, and remaining bechamel sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly.

10/04/2011

Baja Stuffed Potatoes recipe.

Ingredients
6 large baking potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese
2 (11 ounce) cans Mexican-style corn, drained
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Pierce each potato several times and rub generously with oil. Bake until softened, about 45 to 55 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine sour cream, cheese, corn and chiles.
When the potatoes are cooked, cut a slit in the top of each one and squeeze or scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/2 inch thick shell. Combine the potato flesh with the cheese mixture; mix well. Spoon the potato mixture back into the shells, and place them on a baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Banana and Peanut Butter Pancakes recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 small banana, peeled and chopped

Directions
Combine flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Mix in the peanut butter until the texture resembles cornmeal. Add milk and vanilla; stir just until blended. Stir in the banana pieces.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Spoon batter onto the skillet, using approximately 2 tablespoons to form each silver dollar pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot.

Asian Steak Stir-Fry Salad recipe.

Ingredients
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound skirt steak, sliced into strips
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon chopped serrano pepper
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

Directions
Whisk together the peanut oil, soy sauce, and pepper in a bowl; pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the steak, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.
Cook and stir the steak and the marinade in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bell pepper, onion, green onion, ginger, and serrano pepper. Cook until the steak is evenly brown. Serve over a bed of spinach with the balsamic vinaigrette.

Bar-B-Q Baked Beans recipe.

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained (optional)
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can lima beans, drained
1 (16 ounce) can great Northern beans, drained
1 (12 ounce) bottle chili sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
3 slices bacon, cut in half

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a medium baking dish, mix kidney beans, pinto beans, lima beans, great northern beans, chili sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and molasses. Top with bacon.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until thick and bubbly.