Rosemary Thyme Spiced Nuts

 

INGREDIENTS
3 c. large whole nuts - I like to use 1 c. cashews, 1 c. pecans, and 1 c. almonds (I usually buy nuts at Trader Joe's)
2 T. olive oil
2 T. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300° F. Place nuts in a medium heatproof bowl.

Pour oil into a small heavy saucepan and place over medium-low heat until warm. Do not let it get too hot – the oil will burn. Add rosemary and thyme and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in cumin and cayenne pepper. Pour the flavored oil over the nuts and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir again. Transfer to a jelly roll pan or a baking pan with sides. Bake for about 15 minutes total, stirring after the first 10 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

JEN'S NOTES:

• Very tasty and simple! A nice break from all the sweet snacks this time of year.
• I made a double batch and divided them into little mason jars as St. Nicholas day gifts for co-workers.
• I used half oven-roasted, salted almonds and half unsalted, chopped pecans, which was a good mix for flavor and texture.
• I didn't have fresh herbs, so I used dried rosemary and thyme, and changed the proportions accordingly.
• I added a little garlic powder because, you know, garlic.

Source

Hawaiian Ham and Swiss Sliders

24 slices of deli honey ham

6 Slices of swiss cheese, cut into fourths

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1/2 cup butter melted

1 tablespoon Onion Powder

1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

2 packages (12 count) KING'S HAWAIIAN Original Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls

Preparation

Step 1

Cut rolls in half and spread mayo onto 1 side of the rolls. Place a slice or two of ham and slice of swiss cheese in roll. Replace the top of the rolls and bunch them closely together into a baking dish. 

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk together poppy seeds, dijon mustard, melted butter, onion powder and worcestershire sauce. 

Step 3

Pour sauce over the rolls, just covering the tops. Cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes. 

Step 4

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for additional 2 minutes until tops are slightly browned and crisp. Serve warm.

NOTES:

I used Pepperidge Farms Hawaiian rolls and they didn’t have quite the same flavor as Kings. It was good, but I’ll try Kings next time.

Delicious recipe. Very easy. 

Nick suggests a sauce with a little more zing like Arby’s horsey.

Beer Bread

3 c flour
3 tsp baking powder (omit if using self-rising flour)
1 tsp salt (omit if using self-rising flour)
1/4 c sugar
12 oz beer (almost anything works; Guinness makes a pretty heavy loaf, though)
6 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix dry ingredients and beer.
Pour into a greased loaf pan.
Pour melted butter over dough.
Bake 1 hour, remove from pan, and cool at least 15 minutes.  Best the first day.

Sweet and Sour Glazed Pork Chops

4 (8-ounce) pork chops, bone-in, 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR GLAZE
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Season pork chops with salt and pepper, to taste.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork chops and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 140 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes.*
To make the sweet and sour glaze, combine balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Serve pork chops immediately with sweet and sour glaze.

NOTES:

• I skipped the red pepper flakes and poured the glaze over both sides of the chops while still in the pan.  
• The method was very easy. Results were good.

Source

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt ( I like these salty like French fries), and serve immediately.

NOTES:

• Source - Ina Garten
• Very easy and delicious!
• Mine took quite a bit less time than called for and I ended up peeling off outside leaves on some of them because they really were too overdone.
• Ina likes hers salty and I agree.  A little extra sea salt ground on top was good.

Tikka Masala

Excellent sauce at a great Aldi price!  Just combine with cooked chunks of chicken and sweet peppers and serve over rice.  (They sell jasmine rice at Aldi now too!)

Cashew Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry

Sauce
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
 Dash ground red pepper

Vegetables and Chicken
4 cups broccoli florets
3   stalks celery, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices
3   green onions with tops, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons finely chopped, peeled fresh gingerroot, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
2   garlic cloves, pressed, divided
2 packages (3 ounces each) ramen noodles, any flavor
1/3 cup cashews or peanuts

DIRECTIONS
For sauce, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey and ground red pepper in Small Batter Bowl; mix with Stainless Whisk (mixture will not be smooth). Set aside.

For vegetables and chicken, cut broccoli, celery and green onions using Chef's Knife. Finely chop peeled fresh gingerroot using Food Chopper. Set vegetables aside. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in Stir-Fry Skillet over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Add chicken, 1 teaspoon of the gingerroot and 1 garlic clove pressed with Garlic Press. Cook and stir 6-7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from skillet; keep warm.

Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to skillet. Add broccoli, celery and remaining gingerroot and garlic. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Add green onions and continue cooking 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Return chicken to skillet. Stir in sauce; bring to a boil. Remove skillet from heat.

Meanwhile, bring 4 cups water to a boil in (2-qt.) Saucepan. Break noodles and add to boiling water (discard seasoning packets or reserve for another use). Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally; drain. Stir noodles into chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cashews. Serve immediately.

Yield:
4  servings

NOTES:

• It's easy to overcook pretty much everything here, but better if you take care not to.
• This is another in my series of "getting rid of cookbooks that feature all the recipes online" project.  This one is from Pampered Chef.
• I prepared the vegetables and chicken the night before and it came together very quickly when we all got home from work/school.

Pull-apart Garlic Rolls

Not a great picture, but they were cute in person

Ingredients:
1 tube refrigerated biscuits
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Cut biscuits into fourths, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, garlic powder, parsley, and mozzarella, and mix with your hands, coating all of the biscuit pieces. Place the pieces in a muffin tin, 3 pieces per tin (you’ll have 2 extra—just use them in whichever tin you want). Bake for 15 minutes. Best served fresh out of the oven!

Notes:

• Easy, cute, and really tasty.
• I used jumbo flaky buttermilk biscuits
• I used dried parsley instead of fresh and it was fine
• Source

Alfredo Sauce

We've rejected most of the jarred Alfredo sauces we've tried but this one has passed the test and now this one makes the short list too.

We mixed it with steamed broccoli, 8 ounces of linguine and some rotisserie chicken for a very respectable and very quick dinner.

Garlic Honey Ginger Glazed Salmon

It was every bit as nice as promised, including visually.

4 salmon filets, skin removed (about 2 lbs total)
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (or regular)
2 teaspoons minced or chopped garlic
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
4 cups broccoli florets (or serve with your favorite veggie)
optional for garnish: chopped scallion, sesame seeds, sprinkle of parsley for color
Directions:

1. Place the salmon filets in a large zipped-top bag. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger together in a medium bowl (I added a sprinkle of dried parsley for color-- try chopped scallion!). Pour half of this sauce over the salmon filets, coating them thoroughly. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
3. Line the marinated salmon filets on the baking sheet. You can hold onto this used marinade-- see step 5. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on thickness (about 10 minutes per 1-inch inch thickness-- measured from the thickest part of the filet). You can broil the salmon for the last 3 minutes for crispier edges.
4. Meanwhile, begin steaming the broccoli and reducing the glaze. First, the broccoli: fill a large saucepan with 1 inch of water. If you have a steamer, place it inside. Bring water to a boil. Add the broccoli. Cover and reduce hear to medium. Cook for 6-7 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and tender.
5. Now, the glaze: Pour the remaining, unused marinade into a small saucepan or skillet. If you want, you can add the remaining (used) marinade as well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat low-medium and allow to simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken.
6. Remove cooked salmon from the oven. Some of the glaze may have browned on the edges. You can discard this.
7. Garnish the salmon with any of the listed options. Serve with steamed broccoli and additional glaze. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat to your liking.
8. Make ahead tip: You can marinate the salmon up to 4 hours in advance. If needed, you can extend to 8 hours. You can steam the broccoli and reduce the unused marinade (steps 4 and 5) ahead of time as well.

NOTES:

• I made this recipe as written except I had just used up my jar of fresh ginger on another recipe and couldn't get more at Aldi.  I used powdered ginger which, I'm sure, isn't as nice.  (But it wasn't bad!)
• I made the glaze, but we didn't end up using it because it was quite delicious without.
• Also, we had fresh green beans, so no broccoli here.

Quick, easy, beautiful enough to serve to company, and delicious!  All credit (including the photo) goes to Sally's Baking Addiction, whose blog I'm really appreciating these days!

Skillet Taco Mac Hotdish

8 ounces of macaroni, cooked
1 lb. ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 can black beans
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 cup salsa
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 c sour cream

• Prepare pasta according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook ground beef and onion
• stir in black beans, tomatoes, corn, salsa and taco seasoning.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes
• Stir in 1 cup cheese, sour cream and pasta. Top with remaining cheese, serve.

NOTES: 

• I cooked everything in one pot after the macaroni was done.
• I didn't have taco seasoning, so just added a little cumin and chili powder.  Really, the salsa covered it pretty well anyway.

Source:

Back of the pasta box.

Maker's Mark Mustard

1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds

1/4 cup brown mustard seeds

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup bourbon

2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

To prepare mustard seeds: In small bowl, combine yellow mustard seeds, brown mustard seeds, vinegar and bourbon. Cover. Let cure at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

To make mustard: In blender or food processor, combine mustard-seed mixture, brown sugar and salt. Process to desired consistency.

NOTES:

• Mmmmm!  Sorry we used up your Maker's, Tony, but this is a pretty good use for it.
• Source
• See the recipe source for a news article with some other recipes as well, including a yellow ballpark mustard that looks really good.  Reprinted below just in case the article disappears, but not yet tried.

BALLPARK BEER MUSTARD 

Don't let the bright-yellow color fool you. Thanks to mustard powder and hoppy beer, this condiment packs a spicy punch. Swipe this stuff on your next grilled hot dog and don't look back.

Makes 1 pint.

1/2 cup mustard powder

1 cup hoppy beer (see shopper's note)

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

1 egg

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons sugar

To prepare mustard powder: In small metal bowl, whisk together mustard powder, beer, water and turmeric until smooth. Cover. Chill overnight.

To make mustard: Bring saucepan with 1 inch of water to a simmer. To mustard-powder mixture, add egg, salt, cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar. Whisk to blend. Place bowl over simmering water. Cook, whisking continuously, for 5 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. Immediately remove from heat.  I used an India pale ale.

Spicy Honey Mustard

1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds

1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

To prepare mustard seeds: In spice blender or mortar and pestle, grind yellow mustard seeds and brown mustard seeds until most are broken. In small bowl, combine seeds, vinegar and water. Cover. Let cure at room temperature for 24 hours.

NOTES:

• Did not make a pint as it said
• More "spicy" than "honey" but definitely good.
• Source

Whole Grain Mustard

AKA Nick's Craft Mustard

Makes about 2 cups

½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup yellow mustard seeds
¼ cup brown mustard seeds
¼ cup beer or water
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
¾ teaspoon salt

1. Combine vinegar, mustard seeds, and beer in medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

2. Process soaked mustard seeds with sugar and salt in food processor until coarsely ground and thickened, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as necessary.

3. Transfer mustard to container and let stand at room temperature until it achieves desired spiciness, then refrigerate for up to 2 months.

NOTES:

• We were in a bit of a hurry to get this started so just lightly processed the seeds in the little electric coffee grinder first and basically skipped the first step.
• On the "beer or water" option, use beer.
• Very good, would definitely make again!
• Source

Chicken Florentine Pasta

Ingredients
1 pound Penne
4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
3/4 cups Dry White Wine
3/4 cups Low-sodium Broth, More If Needed
1 bag Baby Spinach
2 cups Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
4 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Shaved With Vegetable Peeler

Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water. Drain and set aside.
Cut chicken breasts into chunks and sprinkle on salt and pepper.
Heat butter and olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken chunks in a single layer and do not stir for a minute or two in order to allow the chicken to brown on the first side. Turn the chicken and brown on the other side. Cook until done, then remove chicken from the skillet.
Turn heat to medium. Add garlic and quickly stir to avoid burning. After about 30 seconds, pour in wine and broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Allow the liquid to bubble up, then continue cooking until it's reduced by at least half (most of the surface of the liquid should be bubbling at this point.)
Turn off the heat. Add spinach, tomatoes, chicken, and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine; the spinach will wilt as you toss everything. Add plenty of Parmesan shavings and toss to combine.
Serve with extra Parmesan shavings.

NOTES:
I used diced, canned (and drained) tomatoes instead of fresh.  It's probably not better, but it was convenient.

Source

Pita Pizzas

4 6-inch pita breads

1/2 cup hummus

1 cup crumbled feta (4 ounces)

1 small onion, sliced

2 cups fresh sliced spinach

1 tomato, seeded and chopped.

1/4 c sliced olives

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spread hummus on breads and sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until cheese in melted.
• Top each pizza with vegetables.

Fusilli With Spinach, Ricotta, and Raisins

Inspired by Jen's account of pasta with golden raisins, I went off searching for recipes. This was awesome, and the whole thing (including thawing spinach) only took as long as cooking the pasta.

• 12 ounces fusilli pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 10-ounce box box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed of excess moisture
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (1/3 cup)
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 cup whole or part-skim ricotta
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain and return to the pot.
Add the olive oil, spinach, scallions, raisins, basil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine.
Fold in the ricotta, balsamic vinegar, Parmesan, and pine nuts.

Notes: I was working with what I had, and subbed a healthy splash (for one serving) of cream for the ricotta, and cashews for the pignoli. I also forgot to drain the spinach, and it didn't seem to hurt anything. I used a kitchen scissor to slice the basil and scallions right into the bowl, which saved on effort and dishes. A seriously simple Friday meal!

German Pancakes

6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp melted butter

Blend eggs, milk, flour, and salt until smooth.  Pour the melted butter into a 9x13 pan and add the batter.  Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.  Serve with Buttermilk Syrup.

Source: Donna Shogren

Chicken Cutlets

In the "unbelievably easy" category.

• Cut a plump chicken breast in half lengthwise (see photo)
• Dredge each piece in flour
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I used Montreal Chicken seasoning)
• Add a little olive oil to a skillet and cook pieces 2-3 minutes on each side.

Source: Real Simple's daily recipe email.

Sausage Orzo for Two

1/2 lb orzo
1/2 lb chicken sausage links in your favorite savory flavor
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
1/4 cup caesar vinaigrette dressing(or greek dressing)

Boil and lightly salt a large pot of water; add the orzo and sausage and boil until both are cooked through; drain. Slice sausage links diagonally into bite-sized pieces; stir sausage, orzo, cheese and dressing together.

Makes 2-3 servings