10/30/08

Beef Ravioli in Basil Cream Sauce

1 (24 oz) pkg. frozen beef ravioli
2 T. butter
1 (8oz) pkg fresh mushrooms
3 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. dried Italian seasoning
1 (10oz) can diced mild tomatoes and green chilies, drained
2 T. chopped fresh basil
1c. whipping cream
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare ravioli in a large Dutch oven according to pkg. directions; drain and keep warmMelt 2 T. butter in Dutch oven over med.-high heat. Add mushrooms and next 3 ingredients; saute over me-high heat. Heat 6 mins. or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in dice tomatoes, green onions, basil and cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer. Stirring occasionally, 5 mins. Stir in Parm. cheese; add salt. Stir in ravioli, tossing to coat.

10/22/08

Red Cabbage with Apple

3 bacon strips, diced
1 med. onion, chopped
1 med. apple, peeled and chopped
1 small head red cabbage, chopped
1 c. water
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain.

In the drippings, saute onion and apple until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 mins. or until tender. Stir in reserved bacon.

10/21/08

Harvest Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6 to 8
1 small sugar pumpkin, halved, seeds and stringy fibers removed and reserved
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
3 cups water
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 small parsnip (about 4 ounces), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 small Yukon gold potato (about 6 ounces), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 small turnip (about 4 ounces), peeled and coarsely chopped
2 small shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon packed light-brown sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pumpkin halves, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until soft, about 50 minutes. Scoop out flesh, and puree in a food processor (you should have 2 cups).
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add reserved seeds and fibers from pumpkin, and cook for 4 minutes. Add stock, water, and thyme, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 9 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin puree, parsnip, potato, and turnip, and cook for 5 minutes. Add shallots, and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add wine, and cook until liquid has reduced by half.
Strain pumpkin-seed mixture, reserving broth and discarding solids. Add broth to pumpkin-wine mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook 20 minutes. Let cool.
Pass soup through a food mill into a clean saucepan, or puree in a food processor in small batches until smooth. (If soup does not reach desired consistency using a food processor, press it through a fine sieve to remove any remaining lumps.) Heat soup in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in cream, sugar, salt, and pepper, and serve.

I got the recipe from Andrea and it is so good that I don't want to forget about it so I am posting it here....Thanks Andrea for the recipe

Crab Soup

1/2 c. flour
1 T. butter
on med. heat brown the flour and set aside, then: the following is all added together gradually

Saute:
2 c. carrots, chopped
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped red bell pepper
1/4 c. green bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Add: cook 1 min.
1 T. bay seasoning
1/4 t salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. thyme

then add:
1 bay leaf
4 c. clam juice
1 1/2 c. whole milk

then add:
flour to the pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 mins. and add 1/2 c. half and half--cook 4 mins

then add:
1 lb. crab meat
1/3 c dry sherry
cook for 5 mins.

This soup is worth all the work!!! Thanks to Teresa for this recipe!

Spicy Vegetable Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped onion
2 garlic cloves
cook the above and drain, then add the following:

1 30 oz. chuncky spag. sauce
10 1/2 oz. beef broth
2 c water
2 c. celery
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 10 oz. ro-tel
1 16 oz frozen mixed veg.

10/20/08

Portabella Mushroom Gravy

2 Portabella Mushrooms , chopped
2 T. butter

saute mushrooms with butter and then add:

3/4 c whipping cream
7 T. Vermouth Wine
2 pkg. peppercorn gravy mix
2 c. chicken broth

Bring to a soft boil

Serve with Meat!!! Thanks to Teresa for this recipe!

Bran Muffin Mix

Bran Muffin Mix
2 c. Grape Nuts cereal
2 c. boiling water
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
4 eggs
5 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
5 tsp. soda
4 c. All Bran cereal
1 quart buttermilk
1 pound raisins (optional)
Combine boiling water with Grape Nuts - set aside. Cream sugar, oil and eggs (1 @a time). Combine dry ingredients (except All Bran) and add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Add All Bran and cooled Grape Nuts. Add raisins and whatever else you want. Mix thoroughly and store in a tight large container covered in the refrigerator for up to 8 weeks. When ready to use, DO NOT STIR - Scoop mix from the bottom (incase raisins have settled) into greased muffin tin or muffin cups. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. YUM!

Thanks Karen for this recipe. I am posting it here so that we can get to the recipe easier.

10/3/08

Chili Corn Bread Salad

Chili Corn Bread Salad
Taste of Home
SERVINGS: 12
CATEGORY: Salads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 20 min. + chilling Bake: 20 min. + cooling
Ingredients:
1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch rubbed sage
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (15-1/4 ounces each) whole kernel corn, drained
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Directions: Prepare corn bread batter according to package directions. Stir in chilies, cumin, oregano and sage. Spread in a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and dressing mix; set aside. Crumble half of the corn bread into a 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Layer with half of the beans, mayonnaise mixture, corn, tomatoes, green pepper, onions, bacon and cheese. Repeat layers (dish will be very full). Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Yield: 12 servings.

Crepes (optional: w/ strawberries and cream)

Ingredients (makes 10 crepes) Crepes 2 large eggs 4 tablespoons oil, or melted butter 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons sugar 1 ...