3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 blocks cream cheese, softened
buffalo sauce
ranch dressing
hot sauce
cheddar cheese
Spread the cream cheese onto the bottom of a square baking dish. Sprinkle a few dashes of hot sauce onto the cream cheese. In a separate bowl, coat the shredded chicken in ranch dressing and buffalo sauce. I just eyeball this. I put a lot of each. Spread the chicken mixture over the cream cheese. Top the dip with lots of sliced or shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the dip is bubbly and the cheese is melted. We eat this with Wheat Thins. Fresh celery would be great also! Jason loves this dip. It's very man-friendly.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Sour Cream Cheesecake with Blueberry/Strawberry Topping
I made this yesterday in the morning time. It was AMAZING! Try it. I dare you.
Graham Cracker Crumb Crust
1.5 graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
Mix the crumbs, almonds, sugar and cinnamon well. Add the melted butter to the mixture and use a fork to mix it throughout. Press the crumbs into the bottom of a round springform pan. Set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
3 large eggs, beaten
Allow all ingredients to come to room temperature before mixing and baking. This should prevent your cake from cracking and splitting. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla until combined. Beat in the sour cream until smooth. Stir in the eggs. Pour the filling over the cracker crumb crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.
Allow to cool in the pan on a rack for 45 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan, and cool completely on the rack. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Blueberry/Strawberry Topping
1 pint blueberries
1 pint strawberries, slice
1/4 cup sugar
Mix the fruit and sugar in a bowl and allow to sit for a few hours. Before serving, spoon the fruit mixture onto the top of the cheesecake.
I'm thinking that honey or melted strawberry preserves mixed into the fruit might be a nice touch too. I'll save that for next time.
Graham Cracker Crumb Crust
1.5 graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
Mix the crumbs, almonds, sugar and cinnamon well. Add the melted butter to the mixture and use a fork to mix it throughout. Press the crumbs into the bottom of a round springform pan. Set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
3 large eggs, beaten
Allow all ingredients to come to room temperature before mixing and baking. This should prevent your cake from cracking and splitting. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla until combined. Beat in the sour cream until smooth. Stir in the eggs. Pour the filling over the cracker crumb crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.
Allow to cool in the pan on a rack for 45 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan, and cool completely on the rack. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Blueberry/Strawberry Topping
1 pint blueberries
1 pint strawberries, slice
1/4 cup sugar
Mix the fruit and sugar in a bowl and allow to sit for a few hours. Before serving, spoon the fruit mixture onto the top of the cheesecake.
I'm thinking that honey or melted strawberry preserves mixed into the fruit might be a nice touch too. I'll save that for next time.
Chicken Ragu with Linguini
Best. Pasta. Dish. Ever.
Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
2 small onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
Saute onions and garlic (until translucent) in heated olive oil. Add the celery, carrots, salt and pepper and saute until tender. Next, add your crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaves. Let this simmer for about an hour. While your sauce is simmering, start preparing your chicken thighs cooked in white wine with garlic, rosemary, and shallots.
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 chicken thighs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 shallots, minced
2 teaspoons rosemary
2/3 cup dry white wine (I use Sutter Home Chardonnay)
Cook the thighs, garlic and shallots in oil. Once the liquids have reduced, add the rosemary and wine. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes and allow the flavors to fuse. Add this to the marinara sauce and serve over linguini. This is great with a light salad. Try my cheesecake recipe for dessert.
I've adapted this from the Food Network site.
Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
2 small onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
Saute onions and garlic (until translucent) in heated olive oil. Add the celery, carrots, salt and pepper and saute until tender. Next, add your crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaves. Let this simmer for about an hour. While your sauce is simmering, start preparing your chicken thighs cooked in white wine with garlic, rosemary, and shallots.
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 chicken thighs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 shallots, minced
2 teaspoons rosemary
2/3 cup dry white wine (I use Sutter Home Chardonnay)
Cook the thighs, garlic and shallots in oil. Once the liquids have reduced, add the rosemary and wine. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes and allow the flavors to fuse. Add this to the marinara sauce and serve over linguini. This is great with a light salad. Try my cheesecake recipe for dessert.
I've adapted this from the Food Network site.
Italian Meatball Subs
These are so easy and delish!
Homemade Meatballs
1 pound of ground beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash of Italian seasoning
Mix the above ingredients. Roll the mixture into your preferred size meatballs. Place the meatballs on a broiler pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes about 20 meatballs. I bet these would be great with a bit of parmesan cheese mixed in. I'm thinking that substituting shallots for the garlic would be nice, too.
Sandwich Construction
4 Hoagie Rolls
Meatballs
8 ounce can tomato sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Slice the hoagie rolls open and stuff them with the meatballs. Then, pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs and cover liberally with cheese. I rolled our sandwiches in foil and baked them for about 10 minutes. You could also put them under the broiler. (I tend to avoid our broiler due to my bad habit of burning/catching things on fire.) To each their own! FYI, these freeze well. If frozen, microwave them for 4 minutes at 50% power. Enjoy!
Homemade Meatballs
1 pound of ground beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash of Italian seasoning
Mix the above ingredients. Roll the mixture into your preferred size meatballs. Place the meatballs on a broiler pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes about 20 meatballs. I bet these would be great with a bit of parmesan cheese mixed in. I'm thinking that substituting shallots for the garlic would be nice, too.
Sandwich Construction
4 Hoagie Rolls
Meatballs
8 ounce can tomato sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Slice the hoagie rolls open and stuff them with the meatballs. Then, pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs and cover liberally with cheese. I rolled our sandwiches in foil and baked them for about 10 minutes. You could also put them under the broiler. (I tend to avoid our broiler due to my bad habit of burning/catching things on fire.) To each their own! FYI, these freeze well. If frozen, microwave them for 4 minutes at 50% power. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Brown Sugar-Cranberry-Pecan Granola
I love granola! This granola has my favorite combination of sweet ingredients. You can crumble this or cut it into bars.
4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bag dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Splash of vanilla
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup of oil
Mix the first five ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix the oil and honey and vanilla. Microwave the wet ingredients for about 20 seconds. Pour the honey and oil mixture over the oat mixture. Be sure to mix the granola well. Spread this onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
I've added a handful of white chocolate chips before. Delicious! Tonight, I added coconut and marshmallows. I'll report back after the taste test. These turned out great! The taste test went a little too well.
4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bag dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Splash of vanilla
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup of oil
Mix the first five ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix the oil and honey and vanilla. Microwave the wet ingredients for about 20 seconds. Pour the honey and oil mixture over the oat mixture. Be sure to mix the granola well. Spread this onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
I've added a handful of white chocolate chips before. Delicious! Tonight, I added coconut and marshmallows. I'll report back after the taste test. These turned out great! The taste test went a little too well.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Sour Creme Pound Cake
This is the most amazing poundcake EVER. I'm giving serious consideration to making it into a cupcake. I'll report back on that idea!
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
3 cups sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and lightly flour 1 (10 inch) tube or Bundt pan. In a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir to mix. Add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, starting and ending with flour. Add vanilla and blend. Bake for 1.5 hours. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. (This recipe is from Bell's Best IV.)
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
3 cups sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and lightly flour 1 (10 inch) tube or Bundt pan. In a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir to mix. Add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, starting and ending with flour. Add vanilla and blend. Bake for 1.5 hours. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. (This recipe is from Bell's Best IV.)
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