Sausage Risotto with Spinach and Tomatoes

I found this recipe in one of my cooking magazines, Taste of Home, but it was actually on an advertisement page for Jimmy Dean sausage. They had hosted a contest and this was one of the top 3 winners; the woman actually was from Danville I think. I've probably made this recipe 10 times, and every time I try to make a little more since it never stretches far enough into the week! Leftovers are wonderful, so sometimes I double the rice (and broth and wine of course). I like to use a Riesling, but a Chardonnay is good too, just a bit less sweet.

Sausage Risotto with Spinach and Tomatoes

3 1/2 c chicken broth, warmed
1 package regular Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage
2 c chopped leeks (white portion only)
1 c chopped fennel bulb
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c uncooked arborio rice
1/2 c white wine
1 pkg (6 oz) baby spinach, fresh
2 c grape tomatoes (leave whole)
1/2 c minced fresh basil
1/2 t pepper (or more to taste)
parmesan cheese for topping

In small saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In skillet, cook the sausage, leeks, and fennel over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add garlic; cook 1 min longer. Stir in rice; cook and stir 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat and stir in wine. Stir until liquid is absorbed. Add heated broth, 1/2 c at a time, stirring constantly. Let liquid absorb between additions. Cook until creamy and rice almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add the spinach, tomatoes, basil and pepper. Cook until heated through and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Chicken Saute with Carmelized Ginger Sauce

I want to say I found this recipe on Cookinglight.com, but I'm not for sure. It's one of my old standby's and I go back to it often. Really an easy and tasty stir-fry style dish and you can adjust the heat on it (chile paste with garlic) to your liking.

Chicken Saute with Carmelized Ginger Sauce

1 T canola oil
2 T sugar
1 1/2 T soy sauce
1 t chile paste with garlic
1 t grated fresh ginger
3/4 c chicken broth
1 t sesame oil
4 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1/4 t black pepper
1/8 t salt

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add sugar to pan; cook 1 min or until sugar dissolves and is lightly browned. Combine soy sauce, chile paste, and ginger in a small bowl; add to pan. Add chicken broth, sesame oil, and chicken to pan SLOWLY. It will sizzle. Cook 10 min or until chicken is done. Let simmer until sauce is thick. Season evenly with salt and pepper. Serve with jasmine rice.

Bacon Toffee Chocolate Cupcakes

I took on this challenge from a co-worker who conveniently decided to go on vacation when I provided (thanks Carlos). Anyway, for those who were able to try one, I made these a while back and had taken the photo, but lost the recipe. Found it! So I'm sure you're cringing just at the title. Bacon and chocolate?! Gross. But really when you think about it, you're getting the same sweet and salty mix you get when you bite into some Crunch 'n Munch. I admit, it's very difficult to get past the idea when you're biting into a cake with bacon flecks. But don't think about it, just taste and enjoy the flavors! And swallow fast, because if you bite down on a little chunk of bacon after the cake has already gone down, you're done. Also, I halved the icing recipe since it makes WAY more than you need for a single batch of about 17. Recipe off Cupcake Bakeshop website.

Bacon, Toffee, Chocolate Cupcakes

~17 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup high quality unsweetened cocoa powder like Valrhona brand
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-1/2 slices cooked bacon cut into chunks
1/3 cup chopped chocolate covered toffee

1. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2 Add egg and beat until well combined.
3. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine
5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
6. Gently fold in the bacon and toffee chunks.
7. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 1/2-2/3’s full. Bake cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

2-1/2 packages of Philly cream cheese
1 stick butter
5-8 cups sifted powdered sugar
~1/4 cup maple syrup

1. Bring butter to room temperature by letting it sit out for 1 or 2 hours.
2. Sift powdered sugar into a bowl or onto parchment.
3. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.
4. Add 3 cups of the powdered sugar and maple syrup. Beat until combined.
5. Add more maple syrup and confectioners sugar until you get to the flavor, consistency, and sweetness you like.

Assemble
1. Frost cooled cupcakes.
2. Top with a piece of maple sugar candy or crispy bacon.

Pasta with Creamy Smoked Bacon and Pea Sauce

I made this dish a while back and had taken the photo, but lost the recipe. Alas, I was flipping through my Jamie's Food Revolution cookbook by Jamie Oliver and came upon it. Have you ever watched his Food Revolution show? Amazing and sad at the same time. To see how kids eat these days and not just what their school cafeteria feeds them, but often the same or worse at home. Anyway, this pasta dish turned out yummy! The mint is a fun surprise element. It seemed like it needed a bit more veggie to it, so I also added fresh sliced cremini mushrooms. You should try it.
Pasta with Creamy Smoked Bacon and Pea Sauce

10 slices of smoked bacon or pancetta
a small bunch of fresh mint
sea salt and pepper
1 lb dried pasta noodles
olive oil
a pat of butter
2 cups frozen early spring peas
2 T heavy cream
1 lemon
Parmesan cheese, grated
a couple large handfuls of sliced cremini mushrooms

Finely slice the bacon. Pick the mint leaves and discard the stalks.
Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large frying pan over medium heat, add a "good lug" of olive oil and the butter. Add the bacon to the pan, sprinkle a little pepper over and fry until golden and crisp. Meanwhile, finely chop the mint leaves. As soon as the bacon is golden, add your frozen peas (and mushrooms if desired) and give the pan a good shake. After a minute or so, add the heavy cream and chopped mint to the bacon and peas. Drain the pasta in a colander over a large bowl, reserving some of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the frying pan. Halve your lemon and squeeze the juice over the pasta. When its all bubbling away nicely, remove from the heat. Its really important that the sauce is creamy, silky and delicious, but if its too thick for you, add a splash of the reserved cooking water to thin it out a bit. Add the grated parmesan and give the pan a shake to mix it in. Serve with additional parmesan on top if you like.

Blueberry Crumble Bars

I had a bag of frozen wild blueberries on hand and found this recipe that was super quick and easy. Made these for my coworkers and I think they turned out pretty good! You can use standard blueberries, but the wild ones are more petite and possibly sweeter. Recipe off tastykitchen.com

Blueberry Crumble Bars

• FOR THE FILLING:
• 3 cups Fresh Blueberries
• ⅓ cups Granulated Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 3 teaspoons Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• _____
• FOR THE CRUST:
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter
• ⅓ cups Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×9″ baking dish. To make the filling, crush the blueberries and then pour them into a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the sugars, cornstarch, and ginger. Stir the sugar mixture and lemon juice into the blueberries.

To make the crust, in a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients half at a time until crumbly. Press 2/3 of the dough into the pan, reserving the remaining third. Bake the crust about 10 minutes or until very lightly browned.

Pour the blueberry filling onto the hot crust, and then sprinkle the remaining dough over the top. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the crumb topping turns golden brown. Cool before serving.

Oven Ham Sammies

I first tried these at a baby shower and couldn't stop eating them. It's such a simple recipe, yet such a crowd pleaser. These would be great at a Superbowl party for sure. I pulled the recipe off Tastykitchen.com

Oven Ham Sammies

• 16 ounces, weight Thin Sliced Deli Ham
• 12 slices Swiss Cheese
• 1 package King Hawaiian Rolls, 12 Count
• ½ cups Butter, Melted
• 2 teaspoons Onion Flakes
• 1 teaspoon Poppy Seeds
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• ½ teaspoons Ground Mustard

Put ham and cheese in between sliced rolls. Mix all other ingredients and spoon evenly over sandwiches. Let set overnight or several hours. Bake at 350F for 15 - 20 min before serving.

Fajitas with Peppers and Beer Carmelized Onions

I can't remember what magazine I got the marinade out of it's been so long. You can opt to slice the chicken after it's marinated, but shredding it really soaks up the flavors. And don't skip the onions! They are sooooo delicious. I manipulated the onion recipe out of a "cooking with beer" cookbook from my mom--one of those small ones you pick up at the grocery checkout. I usually cook the onions while the chicken is cooking; peppers can be started after about 20 minutes into it. Another KEY is warming the tortilla shells on a cast iron skillet. It truly makes a tasteful difference. And last but not least, after you place the chicken, peppers, and onions on the just browned shells, top with cilantro.

Fajitas with Peppers and Beer Carmelized Onions

Marinade:

1 cup lime juice
2/3 cup beer
4 t chili powder
2 t ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients with about 4-6 chicken breasts cut in half each. Marinate overnight. I like to put everything in a ziploc and turn it over in the morning for even soaking. Place chicken and marinade in a pan and simmer in the sauce until cooked through, maybe 15 minutes. Pull each half breast out of the pan and shred with two forks. When all breasts are shredded, spoon some of the cooked marinade over it and toss to coat. You don't want the chicken to be dripping, but heavily moistened.

Onions:

2 large onions, sliced thin

2 T butter

1 T sugar

3/4 c beer (I used Budweiser; any stout would be good)

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sugar. Cook , stirring occasionally until onion is soft and golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Increase heat to med-high and stir beer in. Cook until beer has evaporated, about 5-6 minutes.

Slice red, yellow, and/or green peppers. In skillet toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper until crisp tender. Serve with fajitas.

Don't forget to warm your tortilla shells and add the cilantro!!!