Monday, April 30, 2012

Teriyaki Potatoes

From: Better Homes and Gardens Prize Tested Recipes cookbook

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb tiny new potatoes
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
ground black pepper
ground red pepper
rosemary

Wash potatoes, scrub thoroughly with a vegetable brush. Cut tiny new potatoes into quarters. Place potatoes in a microwave-safe casserole dish. Add butter, teriyaki sauce, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper and red pepper. Toss to combine. Cover; cook in microwave for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir twice while cooking. Garnish with rosemary if desired.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I was cooking potatoes anyway for dinner, so I cooked my regular-size potatoes. Just before serving I mixed all the ingredients and just heated them in the microwave for about one minute.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Neutral. These weren't bad and I liked having an extra flavor to the potatoes. But I'm not keeping the recipe and probably won't ever make them again. These might make a nice side dish if you're cooking Mexican and you're tired of having rice as a Mexican side dish!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Penne Alla Vodka

From: Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:
3/4 cup half and half
1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
28 oz diced tomatoes
Pepper
1/4 cup vodka
1 lb penne pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat large covered saucepot of water to boiling on high. In 1-cup measure, combine half-and-half and cornstarch. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium until hot. Add onion and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned and tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic and red pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, stirring. Add tomatoes with their juice and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and heat to simmering; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until some liquid evaporates. Add vodka and continue to simmer 7 to 8 minutes or until slightly thickened. Meanwhile, cook pasta as label directs. Drain and return to pot. To half-and-half mixture in cup, add 1/4 cup tomato mixture and stir to combine; pour into skillet. Heat sauce to boiling on medium-high. Cook 2 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Remove vodka sauce from heat; stir in Parmesan. Add vodka sauce to pasta in pot; stir to combine. Spoon pasta into shallow bowls; sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Serve with crusty bread, if you like.



What I did differently from the recipe:
I only used a 15-oz can of diced tomatoes and I felt like it was perfect.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! Well, I knew Stephen wouldn't like this (he wouldn't even try it!) because of the tomatoes. But the kids and I all loved it, and what a simple recipe! The flavor was so good and it was a nice change from plain old pasta. I will definitely be making this again in the future!   

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

From: Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/3 cup baking cocoa
2 Tbsp milk
1 3/4 cups AP flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars and vanilla. Beat in egg. Add cocoa and milk. Combine flour and baking powder; fold into creamed mixture with walnuts and chocolate chips. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Verdict:
Thumbs UP!!  Since finding this recipe two weeks ago I've made these cookies FOUR TIMES!!! And I still haven't been able to take a picture of them - they get gone too fast! Trust me when I say these cookies are divine, and loved by everyone who tastes them! A definite new favorite of ours! 

P.S. My husband recommends that you put a layer of chocolate frosting in between two cookies. Because there just isn't enough chocolate already in these cookies.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Super Simple Spaghetti Sauce

From: An old recipe newsletter I used to receive by email

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp of grated sea salt
1 tsp of sugar
2 tsp Italian spice blend
2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes or 4 cups of fresh tomatoes chopped
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 cup water or red wine
1 10 oz package spaghetti, cooked

In a soup pot or large saute pan add the oil, hamburger and onion on medium heat. Brown the burger and cook the onion. Break meat into bite-size chunks as it cooks. After meat is cooked add the garlic and stir. Add the salt, sugar, spices, tomatoes and tomato paste with one cup of water or wine. Heat until boiling and then turn it down to a simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally to make sure sauce isn't sticking to the pan. If the sauce is getting too thick for your taste you can add some more water. When ready to serve, drain the cooked spaghetti. Put the noodles on a plate and top with sauce.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I felt like the sauce was good, but not enough flavor, so as it simmered I added more sugar (probably put closer to a tablespoon of sugar in there by the end), and I also added a bit more sea salt, some basil, some oregano and a bay leaf. I used tomatoes that I had canned last year which I think was close to 4 cups but I'm not sure.

What I'll do differently next time:
Not sure.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Oh, this was delicious! I do feel like there is something else I could do to add more spice to this recipe but I'm not sure what. I would be perfectly content eating this again as is, but if I could get more of "something" to this sauce it would just add icing to the cake, so to speak! Any thoughts??

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Strawberry Thumbprints

From: Family Circle

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup ground walnuts
2 cups AP flour
1/2 jar (12 oz) seedless strawberry jam


 Beat butter, 1/2 cup of the sugar, yolk, vanilla and salt until fluffy. Add walnuts and flour. Blend on low speed just until combined; dough will be crumbly but moist.


 Gather dough together with your hands to form a ball. Divide dough in half; wrap in plastic, refrigerate for an hour. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with nonstick foil. Break off 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Roll ball in remaining 1/2 cup sugar to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet. Press a deep indentation into center of dough, large enough to hold 1/2 teaspoon jam. Fill indentation with jam; repeat.



Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until lightly golden. Cool on pans for 5 minutes.


 What I did differently from the recipe:
Left out the walnuts because I didn't have any on hand.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Neutral. I have made many, many thumbprint cookie recipes in my day (i.e. these with sugar cookies, these with peanut butter, twists) and this was not my favorite. They were a good cookie, but the actual cookie tasted a lot like shortbread to me. Not a great taste unless you add the jam to it. I'd say my favorite of these so far is the peanut butter jammies. But you might love these! I would recommend you try them, especially if you like shortbread cookies!

Strawberry Thumbprints

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup ground walnuts
2 cups AP flour
1/2 jar (12 oz) seedless strawberry jam

  Beat butter, 1/2 cup of the sugar, yolk, vanilla and salt until fluffy. Add walnuts and flour. Blend on low speed just until combined; dough will be crumbly but moist. Gather dough together with your hands to form a ball. Divide dough in half; wrap in plastic, refrigerate for an hour. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with nonstick foil. Break off 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Roll ball in remaining 1/2 cup sugar to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet. Press a deep indentation into center of dough, large enough to hold 1/2 teaspoon jam. Fill indentation with jam; repeat. Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until lightly golden. Cool on pans for 5 minutes.