Fresh Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Sauce over Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 oregano sprig
• Pinch chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 pound dried angel hair pasta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup chiffonade basil, plus whole sprigs for garnish

  Directions

  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice water bath. Cut a small "x" on the bottom of each tomato. In batches, place the tomatoes in the boiling water and blanch them for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the skins are easy to peel away. Remove and immediately plunge into the ice bath. Peel the tomatoes and halve horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds, using your fingers to get them all. Roughly chop the peeled and seeded tomatoes. Set aside. (You can also use whole peeled canned tomatoes. Simply drain them, seed, and roughly chop).
  Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the thyme leaves, oregano sprig, and chili flakes and saute until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. Add the tomatoes and the sugar and stir well. Lower the heat and cook slowly until the mixture is fairly dry, about 15 minutes.
  Cook the angel hair pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Add the Parmesan and basil and toss well. Place in a large pasta bowl and garnish with Parmesan and basil sprigs.
  

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 tube (16-1/2 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon shortening

Directions

• Press dough onto an ungreased 14-in. pizza pan. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until deep golden brown.
• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add eggs and sugar; beat until combined. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with peanut butter chips and peanuts.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes or until center is set. Cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over pizza. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 16 slices.

Spanish Rice

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
• 3 cups* chicken stock (or vegetable stock if vegetarian)
• 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained
• Pinch of oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt

*Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice.

Method

1 In a large skillet brown rice in olive oil, medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook onion rice mixture, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes, or until onions are softened.
2 In a separate sauce pan bring stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add rice to broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover. Lower heat and cook 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

CHINESE LEMON CHICKEN

CHINESE LEMON CHICKEN

Printed from COOKS.COM

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2 boneless chicken breast
1 egg
Salt and pepper
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. cornstarch
Peanut oil
Lemon sauce

Pull loin from breast (half chicken lengthwise) to make 4 pieces. Heat oil in deep pan. Dip chicken parts into mixture of beaten egg and salt and pepper. Mix together flour and cornstarch. Dip egg batter chicken to coat. Deep fry in hot oil until browned. Drain, place on heat proof platter, pour hot lemon sauce over. Serves with rice.

LEMON SAUCE:

1 c. sugar
2/3 c. water
2 tbsp. cornstarch
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from same lemon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Dash white pepper
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
Dash salt
1 tbsp. butter

In medium saucepan over low heat, mix everything together stirring constantly cook about 15 minutes or until mixture is clear and thicken. Pour over chicken. I make the sauce first and put a lid on it and set off the hot burner then cook the chicken while the rice is boiling.

Sour Cream Lemon Cake

I received 12 lemons at church this Sunday and decided to find some good recipes to cook.  We had lemon, garlic, basil marinated grilled chicken last night, Chinese Lemon Chicken tonight with this cake and fresh lemonade.  I still have 3 lemons left.  I shall see what the future of those lemons holds. 

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
grated zest of one large lemon
1 cup sour cream

Lemon Glaze:
1/4 cup melted butter
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Generously spray cake pan.
Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside




In a mixing bowl cream, 1 cup butter and sugar, beat at high speed until mixture is very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down side of bowl frequently.  Blend in lemon zest.  Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, adding each in 3 additions.  Pour batter into prepared cake pan.  Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester interted near the center comes out clean.  While it cools, combine the lemon glaze ingredients in a bowl, blending until smooth.  Drizzle evenly over cake.

Fresh Lemondade

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup Splenda
4 cups water
1 cup frozen raspberries

Yummy!

Chipotle Turkey Meatball Soup

I got creative tonight and it worked, so I thought I had better blog about it.  I don't have any specific measurements here, just kind of winged it. 
First I made the meatballs..with ground turkey, an egg, rice, garlic & onion powder and chipotle  (about 3 tsp. of each if I had to guess at measurement)...I baked them at 350 for 30 minutes and they were perfect, not too dry...just right.

Then I put three large cans of chicken broth into a stock pot (had to skim some off, so it was a little more than I needed)...added 3 chopped carrots, a stalk of celery, a red bell pepper, 3 green onions and 3 ears of grilled corn cut from the cob.  Put the cooked meatballs in and boiled away.  Oh yea, I also added some onion powder, chipotle powder, dash of celery salt and garlic powder, salt and pepper.

It is almost done and is quite a flavorful broth.  Can't wait to eat it.

Lemon Stir Fry Sauce

This one was just shared with me by my sister who also made stir-fry tonight.

It's 1/4 cup lemon juice with lemonzest , 1/4 cup chicken stock, 1 tbl spoon soy sauce, 2 tbl spoon sugar

Brown Garlic Stir-Fry sauce

I found this recipe on All Recipes and loved it.  My more particular daughter said it is the first one she has really liked.  :)

 

Ingredients:

Servings:

4

• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup rice wine
• 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins

1. 1 In a bowl, combine soy sauce, broth, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil and white pepper.
2. 2 Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup water.
3. 3 Heat a pan over high heat; add the cooking oil, swirling to coat; add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
4. 4 Add the soy sauce mixture; bring to a boil.
5. 5 Reduce heat to medium and cook for 1 minute.
6. 6 Add the cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens.