Saturday, April 16, 2016

Blackberry Sangria (Redemption- Year Seven: Volume 1; April, 2016)


Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Chill time: 24 hours
Ready in: 24 hours, 35 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients:
1 c. blackberries
1 c. water
3 T. sugar (more to taste)
1 bottle sweet, red wine1/2 c. blackberry vodka
Orange slices, lime slices, and/or fresh blackberries

Directions:
- Place blackberries, water, and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat
- Bring to a boil
- Reduce heat, simmer until blackberries are very soft, about 10- 15 min
- Strain liquid several times and discard fruit
- Pour into pitcher
- Add wine and vodka
- Add orange slices, lime slices, and blackberries, as desired
- Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours
- Serve over ice, garnished with additional fruit


*Jen found recipe here

Strawberry Sangria (Redemption- Year Seven: Volume 1; April, 2016)


Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Chill time: 24 hours
Ready in: 24 hours, 30 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients:
8 c. strawberries- trimmed, halved
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
3 c. white wine
2 c. sparkling water- chilled
Strawberries- sliced (for garnish)

Directions:
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine strawberries, sugar, and water
- Bring just to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved
- Remove from heat and cool to room temperature
- Once mixture is cooled, press, a little at a time, through a mesh sieve placed over a bowl, pressing down on the strawberries to extract as much syrup as possible (you should have about 3 c. of syrup)
- Discard solids
- In a 2-quart pitcher, stir together syrup and wine
- Cover and chill up to 24 hours.
- Just before serving, stir in sparkling water
- Garnish with sliced strawberries and serve


*Jen found recipe here

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Soup (Redemption- Year Seven: Volume 1; April, 2016)


Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 hour, 20 min
Ready in: 1 hour, 35 min
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
3 bell peppers- seeded, sliced thin
1/2 onion- sliced thin
1 T. olive oil
1 can (15 oz.) fire roasted tomatoes
1 c. red quinoa- cooked
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground dry mustard
3 c. milk
1 3/4 c. chicken broth
2 T. Parmesan cheese- shredded
1/3 c. mozzarella cheese- shredded

Directions:
- Break all the sausage into small pieces and roll each into a small ball
- In a large pan, add a small drizzle of olive oil
- Heat to medium heat
- Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally to brown on all sides, about 5 min
- Remove sausage from pan into a soup pot and set aside
- Add another drizzle of olive oil, bell peppers, and onions to pan
- Stir to pick up any browned bits from sausage and coat with oil
- Allow peppers and onions to cook until tender and caramelized, turning the pan to medium low if they are cooking too fast, about 30- 40 min
- Add to soup pot
- Heat soup pot to medium
- Add remaining ingredients
- Allow to cook for 30 min
- Until you’re ready to eat, turn to low and allow to barely simmer or cook on low in a slow cooker for up to a few hours - the flavor is better the longer it cooks


*Julie found recipe here

Chicken Wontons (Redemption- Year Seven: Volume 1; April, 2016)


Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ready in: 20 min
Serves: 3- 6

Ingredients: 
DIPPING SAUCE:
3 T. Thai sweet chili sauce
2 tsp. lime juice
1 T. cilantro leaves- chopped
Pinch of white sesame seeds

WONTONS:
1/2 lb. ground chicken
1/4 lb. shrimp- chopped into small pieces
1 stalk scallion- cut into rings
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
3 dashes ground white pepper
12 wonton wrappers
Water, for sealing
Oil, for deep frying
Soy sauce, for garnish

Directions:
- Mix all sauce ingredients well, and set aside
- In a bowl, mix chicken, shrimp, scallion, and cornstarch until well-combined
- Add salt, sesame oil, and pepper and mix well
- Heat cooking oil
- To assemble wontons, place a wonton wrapper on your palm
- Add 1/2 T. filling in the middle of the wrapper
- Dip your finger into some water and trace it on the outer edges of the wonton wrapper
- Fold and pinch edges of the wrapper up and seal the wonton tight so there is no opening at the top
- Deep fry wontons until golden brown
- Serve hot with dipping and soy sauces


*Jen found recipe here

Gnocchi in Lemon Sage Butter (Redemption- Year Seven: Volume 1; April, 2016)


Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 1 hour, 2- 5 min
Ready in: 2 hours, 2- 5 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
2 lb. russet potatoes
1 egg- lightly beaten
2 tsp. salt
Approx. 1 3/4 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
3/4 c. sage- chopped
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Garlic powder, to taste
Salt, to taste

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Pierce unpeeled potatoes several times each with a fork
- Bake until done, about 1 hour
- While potatoes are baking, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat
- Add sage and cook until butter starts to turn brown and smells slightly nutty
- Turn heat down to a low simmer and add lemon juice
- Once cooked, let cool just long enough to handle
- Peel potatoes
- Rice or finely grate potatoes into a large mixing bowl
- Stir in egg and salt
- Slowly incorporate flour until dough is still moist but is no longer tacky; the less flour used, the lighter the gnocchi will be
- Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead lightly
- Roll into 1/2” thick ropes
- Cut into 1” pieces
- Press lightly with floured fork to shape
- Cook gnocchi in boiling water until it floats, about 2 min
- Add gnocchi to sauce and stir
- Add cheese, garlic powder, and salt to taste
- Serve immediately


*I found recipes here and here

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Alana's Café's All Fools Chocolate Cake (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)


Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ready in: 1 hour
Serves: 8- 12

Ingredients: 
3/4 c. + 3 T. milk
1 T. white vinegar
3 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. boiling water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate glaze (for serving)
Tahitian vanilla ice cream (for serving)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Grease and flour two 9" cake pans
- Mix together milk and vinegar, and set aside
- Mix together flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and baking soda
- Make a well in center of dry mixture, and add eggs, oil, and milk mixture
- Beat well
- Add vanilla and boiling water, and mix well
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans
- Bake until done, about 35 min
- Cool slightly
- Slice
- Drizzle each slice with chocolate glaze
- Serve each slice with a scoop of ice cream


*Michele found recipe here


Outback Steakhouse's Wedge Salad (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)


Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 45 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
DRESSING:
3/4 c. mayonnaise
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. blue cheese- crumbled
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. pepper

GLAZE:
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 t. honey
1/4 tsp. salt

SALAD:
3 slices bacon- cooked, drained, finely chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce- trimmed, quartered
1/2 c. tomato- finely diced
1/2 c. red onion- finely diced
1/4 c. blue cheese- crumbled
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Directions:
- Combine all dressing ingredients, stirring well
- Chill until ready to use
- Place glaze ingredients in a very small, non-stick saucepan and cook over low heat, swirling pan frequently, until it is thick and syrupy, about 5 min
- Stir in the salt and keep slightly warm
- Place a wedge of lettuce on each serving plate and drizzle with some dressing
- Sprinkle each wedge with tomato, red onion and blue cheese
- Drizzle glaze over each
- Sprinkle each wedge with salt and pepper, and serve


*Jen found recipe here


Town's Sesame Seared Tuna with Lime Ginger Vinaigrette (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)


Prep time: 14 min
Cook time: 6 min
Ready in: 20 min
Serves: 2- 6

Ingredients: 
3 T. black sesame seeds
3 T. white sesame seeds
1 lb. ahi tuna fillets
1 tsp. wasabi paste
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. lime juice
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
3 T. avocado oil
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
2 large handfuls salad greens

Directions:
- In a shallow bowl, mix all sesame seeds
- Pat tuna very dry
- Smear a bit of wasabi paste on each side of tuna
- Cover fillets in sesame seeds- pressing in on all sides
- Season fish with salt and pepper
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil
- When oil is shimmering, carefully lay tuna fillets in pan, not touching
- Cook for 2 min, then flip; lower heat if seeds brown too quickly
- Cook 2 min, then flip fillets to side and cook 1 min
- Flip one more time, to cook last other side for 1 min, so that you have a good sear on all sides
- Remove from heat, and thinly slice
- In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, ginger and oil
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Toss 2 T. vinaigrette with salad greens
- Spread salad on serving platter
- Arrange tuna over salad
- Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over fish, and serve

*Liz found recipe here


Pazzo's Rigatoni with Broccoli and Sausage (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)


Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ready in: 50 min
Serves: 6

Ingredients: 
1 lb. rigatoni
4 c. broccoli- cut into florets
1/4 c. olive oil
2 garlic cloves- minced
1 T. lemon zest- finely grated
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage- casings removed
Parmesan cheese- grated (for serving)

Directions:
- In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions
- In last 2 min of cooking, add broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp-tender
- Reserve 1 c. pasta water
- Drain pasta and broccoli
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper
- Cook sausage over medium-high, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8- 10 min
- Remove from heat
- Combine meat, pasta and broccoli, and oil, tossing well to combine and adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta
- Serve sprinkled with Parmesan


*Julie found recipe here


Moosewood's Vegetarian Chili (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)


Prep time: 3- 4 hours, 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ready in: 4- 5 hours, 15 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 
2 1/2 c. dry kidney beans
8 c. water
1 T. salt
1 c. tomato juice
1 c. bulgur
2 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves- crushed
1 1/2 c. onions- chopped
1 c. carrots- chopped
1 c. celery- chopped
1 tsp. basil
1 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cumin
Pepper, to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 c. green bell peppers- chopped
2 c. tomatoes- chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tsp. tomato paste
3 tsp. dry, red wine
1/3 c. cheese (for garnish)
1/4 c. parsley- chopped (for garnish)

Directions:
- Put kidney beans in a saucepan, cover them with 6 c. water, and soak for 3- 4 hours
- Add remaining water and 1 tsp. salt
- Cook until tender, about 1 hour
- Watch water level, and add more if necessary
- Heat tomato juice to a boil
- Pour over raw bulgar,  cover, and let stand at least 15 min
- Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil
- Add carrots, celery and spices
- When veggies are almost done, add peppers and cook until tender
- Combine beans, bulgar, sautéed veggies, tomatoes, lemon juice, tomato paste, and wine and stir until well mixed
- Cook until heated through
- Serve topped with cheese and parsley


*I found recipe here


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