Category: SAUCES, SEASONINGS, DRESSINGS, DIPS, RELISHES, GRAVIES & RUBS

CHAMPAGNE SALAD

CHAMPAGNE SALAD
1 large wedge romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 small avocado, sliced
2 kiwis, skinned and sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 orange peeled, segmented and halved again
1/3 cup peanut oil
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons sugar
salt & pepper to taste
  • Whisk together peanut oil, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt & pepper. Chill for several hours.
  • Prepare veggies and toss well.
  • Drizzle salad all over and toss again.
  • Enjoy!




ASIAGO GARLIC MUSHROOM RAVIOLI

HOMEMADE PASTA DOUGH
2 to 2 1/2 cups flour, divided 2 cups and 1/2 cup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs
1 tablespoon cold water

  • Place 2 cups of the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  • Make a well in the center of the flour.
  • Add the eggs and water to the flour.
  • With your hands or a wooden spoon, gradually mix all together until well blended.
  • Gather into a ball and knead on a floured surface until smooth, about 10 minutes.
  • Add remaining flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands or the kneading surface.
  • Divide the dough into fourths.

FILLING
2 tablespoons butter
1 large bunch green onion, minced
1/2 pound mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
3 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago Parmesan cheese
1 eggs, slightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

  • Melt the butter in a small skillet and cook the onions, stir and cook until onions are transparent.
  • Add mushrooms and simmer until tender.
  • Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl.
  • Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
  • Season to taste.

ASSEMBLY

  • Divide the pasta dough into 4 balls and roll out one at a time about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling about every 2 inches apart on the sheet of pasta.
  • With a brush dipped in water draw lines between the mounds.
  • Then place a second sheet of pasta evenly over the first sheet, but work quickly ~the dough must remain pliable.
  • Press down between the mounds to form the ravioli envelopes. The wet areas of the pasta sheet will help seal the ravioli.
  • With a ravioli cutter or a serrated knife separate from each other.
  • Cook ravioli in large kettle of chicken broth or salted water. Boil slowly for about 10 minutes. Drain. Always add 1 tablespoon of oil to the cooking water for a better noodle.
  • Layer ravioli and sauce.
  • Sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan cheese on last layer and serve, hot.

STUFFED MEATBALLS & ROASTED VEGGIE SPAGHETTI SAUCE

  • I start with whatever vegetables I have in the vegetable bin. Today was Roma tomatoes, celery stalks, green onions and snap peas.
  • Then I drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper over it all and bake it for an hour at 400 degrees.
  • I started the sauce with a can of Contadina tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Better than Beef Bouillon paste, 2 cups orange juice and a V8. This truly was a clean out the fridge day.
  • When done roasting add the vegetables to the sauce and set to simmer all day. The vegetables will continue to cook down into a uniform consistency with the sauce. Salt & pepper taste.


For the meatballs:
1 pound hamburger
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3 large slices sourdough bread, crumbled
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheeseAlign Center
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1 bunch green onions, finely minced
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
mozzarella cheese, about 4 ounces, cut into 1 inch cubes

  • Crumble bread into a large bowl.
  • Toss in Parmesan cheese, parsley, green onions and garlic.
  • Add meat and with your hands mix extremely well until you have a uniform mixture.
  • Roll meatballs around a Parmesan cheese cube.
  • Chill Meatballs until sauce is done.
  • Just before the sauce is finished, brown meatballs.**
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce and bring to a medium high simmer until meatballs are cooked though, about 20 minutes.
  • Prepare pasta and Parmesan Cheese Bread while meatballs are cooking.
  • Enjoy

**If you prefer you can add the meatballs directly to the sauce and SLOW simmer for a couple hours instead of browning.



HAMBURGER STEAKS with PARMESANMASHED POTATOES & ONION GRAVY



HAMBURGER STEAKS
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound hamburger
1 sleeve Keebler club crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 Jumbo eggs
1 tablespoon liquid Smoke – MYSTERY ingredient
PARMESAN MASHED POTATOES
6 medium red potatoes, washed and cut into pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 cup Buttermilk
ONION GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons self-rising flour
1 tablespoons cream sherry
2 cups hot water
1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
salt and pepper to taste

  • Combine all the hamburger steak ingredients until well mixed. Form six steaks.
  • Bake 30 minutes in convection oven at 350 degrees.
  • In a large skillet melt the butter for the gravy. Saute the onions until browned.
  • Add the bouillon base, cream sherry and hot water. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, add flour and continue cooking to desired consistency.
  • Bring potatoes to a boil until tender. Drain.
  • Combine potato ingredients and beat until smooth.
  • Enjoy

CRAB SALAD & HOMEMADE 1000 ISLAND DRESSING

CRAB SALAD & HOMEMADE 1000 ISLAND DRESSING
CRAB SALAD
8 ounces Louis Kemp Crab, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup minced red onion
salt and pepper
mayo (about 1/4 cup)
Romaine lettuce
Roma tomatoes, sliced
Snap peas, halved

  • Wash lettuce, peas and tomatoes. Arrange on plate. Salt and pepper.
  • Mix crab, celery, onion, salt and pepper together until well blended using enough mayonnaise for desired consistency.
  • Place a large scoop of crab salad over the romaine mix.
  • Serve over chopped romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes and snap peas.
  • Top with dressing.

1000 ISLAND DRESSING
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
1 heaping tablespoon minced red onion
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

  • In a mini blender blend all ingredients to desired consistency.

Dieter’s Delight – Thousand Island Dressing

Quick Thousand Island Dressing

This is really yummy. More like McD’s special sauce & less like thick, gloopy bottled thousand island.

I also like it because there’s not high fructose corn syrup or any other crud.

*Bonus~each tablespoon is only 12 calories & I usually have most of these things on hand.

1/3 cup low-fat mayonaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used the kind in the bottle & it was fine)
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper (tip, I chop & freeze these to use in recipes when I need them)
1 tablespoon minced onion1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves (I did not have these, my dressing way yummy without them)
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relisha pinch of cayenne (or drop of Tabasco)
1/4 cup water.

Blend all ingredients until somewhat smooth in a blender or food processor, I used my Magic Bullet & it rocked.

Add up to 2 tablespoons of additional water if needed to thin dressing to desired consistency. Keeps in the fridge about 10 days.

Come on & share your great diet recipe with us!

Pineapple Cider Brine Pork Chops w/ Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce, Broccoli Green Bean Almond Saute & StrawBlackberry topping for Magazine Monday

Magazine Mondays is hosted by Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice. All 3 of these recipes are loosely based on recipes from magazines, but the main ingredients have been changed to protect my family. No seriously, the main ingredients were changed to make my family happy as the original recipes had ingredients that my family just won’t eat! Also Healthy Helpings is debuting over at ThE KraZy KitcHen tomorrow. Stop by and join in.
When I do ‘recipe experiment’ night I try to do EVERY part of the meal as a new recipe. Some times I get lucky and they ALL are worth sharing. I’m a ‘no measure’ cook, well at least a no exact measure cook so when I invent a new recipe, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. But, today worked!

PINEAPPLE CIDER BRINE PORK CHOPS
1 1/2 cup water
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sea salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 thick pork chops

  • In a large sauce pan whisk together water, cider vinegar, sea salt and brown sugar together until salt and sugar are dissolved.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Add seasonings and blend well.
  • Slow simmer 10 minutes.
  • Cool.
  • Immerse pork chops and soak 12-24 hours. I used my 8 cup pampered chef batter bowl so the chops had plenty of room to ‘swim’.
  • Drain chops.
  • Grill or broil 5-6 minutes on each side.
  • Heat enough Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce to cover the chops.
  • Brush each side of chops with BBQ sauce for the last few minutes.

ROOT BEER PINEAPPLE BBQ SAUCE

12 ounce MUG root beer
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
4 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
4 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sun dried tomato pesto
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon Frank’s hot sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • Melt butter in a large saucepan.
  • Add onions and garlic, Saute’ until tender.
  • Add other ingredients, except cornstarch, and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
  • Remove 1 cup of sauce and whisk cornstarch into it.
  • Return mixture to the sauce pan and simmer 15 minutes.
  • Cool 15 minutes.
  • Refrigerate,
  • Makes 4 cups.

BROCCOLI GREEN BEAN ALMOND SAUTE’

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/3 pound green beans, trimmed
1 broccoli crown, chopped small
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons slivered almonds

  • Heat olive oil in large skillet.
  • Add vegetables and saute’ until tender.
  • Add soy sauce and white balsamic vinegar.
  • Sprinkle with sea salt and white pepper.
  • Add almonds, blend well and heat through.
  • This dish is good hot OR cold!

STRAWBLACKBERRY SHORTCAKE TOPPING

1 pint blackberries, washed and sliced in thirds
1/2 pint strawberries, washed and chopped small
1/4 cup brown sugar

  • Toss Together and marinate several hours.
  • Serve over shortcake.

♥final blog signature. ♥

Orange Vinaigrette

So the menu plan has gone right out the window this week. We were trying to clean out the fridge today and ended up with a salad for dinner with lettuce, tomato, green onion, shredded cheese, croutons, tuna and cantaloupe. I also had an orange to use so I made this dressing and it was really GOOD! The good news is that the fridge is cleaned out and we didn’t waste any produce this week! YAY!
ORANGE VINAIGRETTE
Juice and pulp from 1 orange
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 ounces rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

  • Blend together and chill.

final blog signature. ♥

National Hamburger Month

“I’d gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” ~ Wimpy
I recently heard on a radio station that May 28th is National Hamburger day. I thought it would be a good time to share a recipe and make burgers. So, I started researching it and the ONLY consensus I can find is that May is National Hamburger MONTH. I found some sites listed National Hamburger day as May 28th, July 28th and even December 21st. I did find a site that seems to have a very comprehensive list of holidays and seems like a great reference. Another fun site is the History of the Hamburger~ anything you ever wanted to know about burgers, but were afraid to ask. All this aside, here is my recipe for our favorite burgers.

GARLIC & HERB BURGERS
1 pound ground round
1 JUMBO egg
1 stale & dried slice of San Francisco Sourdough Bread, crumbed
1 package Good Seasons Garlic and Herb dressing mix
  • Mix all the ingredients together with your hands until well blended.
  • Form patties.
  • Chill for 24 hours before preparing.
  • Grill.
  • Add sharp cheddar cheese, mayo, sweet and sweet red red onion relish, a tomato slice and red onion slice.
  • Enjoy.

SWEET RED, RED ONION HAMBURGER RELISH

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 large red onions, chopped small
2 large sweet pickles, chopped small

  • Combine the sugar, salt, cloves and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.
  • Add onion and pickles and blend well.
  • Reduce heat and and cook a few minutes more until onion is translucent and tender.
  • Remove from heat and cool.
  • Keep chilled in refrigerator for up to a week.

Joy of desserts hosts Vintage Recipe Thursday
Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday

final blog signature. ♥

Sweet & Sour Cucumber Dressing

1 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small bunch green onions, minced
1/2 cup small peeled and diced cucumber

  • Whisk sour cream until smooth.
  • Add lemon juice, salt and vinegar and blend well.
  • Add cucumbers and onions.
  • Cover to chill and blend flavors.
  • Serve over tomato and lettuce salads, sliced chicken or chilled salmon.
  • Makes 1 1/2 cups give or take.

final blog signature. ♥

Fountain of youth ~ the chocolate continues to flow…

This week we’ll do some chocolate based beverages and sauces to get ready for the chocolate round-up over at Joy of Desserts.

OLD FASHIONED HOT CHOCOLATE
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
dash salt
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups milk
whipped cream
shaved chocolate

  • In a saucepan whisk the milk, salt and sugar together.
  • Add the melted chocolate and cook over a low heat until heated through.
  • Whisk until foamy on top.
  • Pour into warm mugs,
  • Garnish with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg
dash cloves

  • Sift together the cocoa and sugar into a heavy saucepan.
  • Gradually stir in milk until well blended.
  • Heat over low heat until hot, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
  • Whisk egg until frothy. Then whisk in vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.
  • Whisk egg mixture and continue whisking until the whole mixture lightens in color.
  • Add egg mixture to chocolate mixture and whisk until frothy and serve immediately.

COCOA FUDGE SAUCE
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

  • In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, milk and corn syrup.
  • Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Boil for 8 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in chocolate and butter immediately until melted and well blended.
  • Gradually add the heavy cream and return to heat and bring to another boil for 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Cool.
  • Store in tightly covered jar in refrigerator.

MILKY WAY FUDGE TOPPING
12 ounces Milky Way candy bars, cut into chunks
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup milk

  • In a double boiler combine candy bars, chocolate and milk.
  • Cook and stir constantly until melted and well blended and smooth.
  • Store in a airtight jar in the refrigerator.

DECADENT HOT FUDGE SAUCE
1/2 cup butter
2 ounces unsweetened
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
dash salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

  • In a heavy saucepan melt butter and chocolates over a low heat.
  • Blend in sugar, cream and salt.
  • Stir 5-8 minutes until thickens and is creamy.
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Serve warm.
  • Store in airtight jar in the refrigerator.
final blog signature. ♥

Favorite Ingredient Friday is colliding with Scrumptious Sunday ~ Pumpkin Edition ~ Pumpkin Cheesecake & Pumpkin Casserole

Favorite Ingredient Friday, Holiday Cooking Blogger Style is hosted at Overwhelmed with Joy
Be sure to check it out November 7th
Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks
PUMPKIN CASSEROLE

16 ounce can pumpkin
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup half & half
4 eggs
4 ounces grated jack cheese
PURE

  • In a large mixing bowl stir together cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
  • Add pumpkin and seasonings, blending well.
  • Add in half and half blending until creamy.
  • Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
  • Blend in 3/4 cup cheese.
  • Generously spray an 8×8 baking dish with PURE.
  • Spoon mixture into dish.
  • Place dish inside a larger dish and carefully add boiling water around the edge until 1 inch deep.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
  • Top with remaining cheese and serve.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

3 cups crushed ginger snaps/vanilla wafers mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon golden Rum
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  • Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter until coarse crumbs.
  • Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan (I like to use a square one).
  • Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
  • On a low speed beat cream cheese is smooth and creamy, but DO NOT OVER BEAT!
  • Gradually add sugar and then eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended.
  • Pour 3 cups of this mixture on top of crumb crust.
  • To the remaining cream cheese mixture, add the pumpkin puree and spices mixing until just blended.
  • Pour this mixture on top of the plain cream cheese mixture.
  • Bake 1 hour 25 minutes or until edges are set, but center still jiggles when moved.
  • Turn oven off and open door 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and run a table knife around the edge of pan to loosen.
  • Cool on cooling rack another 30 minutes.
  • Cover loosely and and chill at least 6 hours.
  • Remove pan sides and serve with Caramel Sauce.