Week 20, Recipe 3: South By Southwest 7 Layer Sliders

Recipe from Rachael Ray's 'Big Orange Book'

• 8 ounces canned refried beans
• 2 pounds ground beef sirloin (I used ground turkey)
• 1 cup beer (I used Dos Equis to match the Southwest theme)
• 1/4 cup grated onion
• 3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grill seasoning (about 1 1/2 palmfuls)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder, preferably chipotle (about a palmful)
• 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika (about a palmful)
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
• 1 Hass avocado (I would use at least 2 for all those burgers-- 1 small barely covered 2 burgers)
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
•  2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon grated lime peel, plus juice of 2 limes
• Salt
• 2 yellow tomatoes, seeded and chopped (I used red plum tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup mustard (eyeball it) (I skipped this... mustard in salsa??? Pass.)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (eyeball it)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (about 1/3 palmful)
• 6 slices deli pepper jack cheese, quartered
• 12 mini hamburger buns, split (I used regular-sized wheat buns)
• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce (I used spinach because that's what I had)
• 1/2 cup green olives with pimento, chopped (I used black olives)

In a small skillet, heat the beans over medium-low heat; stir in a splash of water.
In a large bowl, combine the sirloin, beer, onion, two-thirds of the garlic, the grill seasoning, chili powder and paprika. Divide into 4 equal portions, then form each portion into three 3-inch patties. Drizzle with EVOO.

In a small bowl, mash the avocado with half each of the red onion, jalapeños and cilantro. Mash in the lime peel and juice and the remaining one-third of the garlic; season the guacamole with salt. In another small bowl, toss the tomatoes with the mustard and the remaining half of the red onion, jalapeños and cilantro; stir, then season with salt. In another bowl, stir together the sour cream, hot sauce and cumin.

Pre-heat a large grill pan to medium-high. Add the patties and cook, turning once, for 6 minutes for medium. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with 2 cheese slices and tent with foil to melt.

Top each bun bottom with a small spoonful of refried beans, a beef patty, some lettuce, guacamole, salsa, spicy sour cream and a sprinkling of olives; cover with the bun tops. Serve the sliders with any remaining toppings.

Results: WHAT??  One of the best recipes I've ever made.  Truly.  I don't believe in sliders (teases) so I made 4 regular-sized burgers with about a pound of ground turkey.  I served this with frozen corn cooked on the stove according to the package directions with a tablespoon of chile powder, 1 tbsp. black pepper, 1 tablespoon of butter, a squeeze of lime, salt and a handful of chopped cilantro.  SO GOOD!!!!  MAKE THIS RECIPE!!

Week 20 Bonus Recipe: Derby Special

Cointreau
Light Rum
Lime Juice
Orange Juice

Directions: Combine to your tastes & enjoy!!!

Results:  Sweet deliciousness this is good!  I had a splash of lime juice, probably could have used a tad more.  About a shot of cointreau, a shot & a half of rum, topped it with orange juice... and my personal fave, finished with grenadine!!!!  This was a delight and with the amount of alcohol I had in it (probably more than I admitted to since I've never measured anything I put into a drink... ever... and I've made a lot of drinks) I'm already feeling quite nice and I've taken just a few sips.  This is probably Jam good virgin, too!  Enjoy!

Week 20, Recipe 2: Bisquick Vanilla Pancakes

• 2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tbsp. vanilla

1. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375 degrees F; grease with cooking spray, vegetable oil or shortening. (Surface is ready when a few drops of water sprinkled on it dance and disappear.)
2. Stir all ingredients until blended. Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.
3. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. 

Results: This recipe is from the Bisquick box.  I figured some of you wanted me to use some regular ingredients!!  You can omit the last 3 ingredients to make regular pancakes but Rashan really liked the extra sweetness to the pancakes.  I used cinnamon infused sugar.  I didn't love these pancakes.  They were a little dense for my taste.  I'm not a big pancake fan anyway.  Whatevs.  Served with thick cut bacon.  Mmmmm.

Week 20, Recipe 1: Roasted Lamb Meatballs with Honey-Rosemary Polenta & Tangy Red Onion & Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce

That title is a mouthful, isn't it?  Dang Rach!  Do I really have to know every single ingredient?  Lol.  Recipe from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book.

• 3 slices whole wheat bread, crusts discarded, chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1-1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 large cloves garlic, grated
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for brushing
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• One 28-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
• 1 cup polenta
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a bowl, moisten the bread with 1/3 cup chicken broth. Add the lamb, egg, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Form the mixture into 8 meatballs. Brush with EVOO and set 2 inches apart on a rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook it off, 1 minute. Stir in 2/3 cup chicken broth, then the tomatoes. Bring the sauce just to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 2 cups chicken broth and the milk to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, lower the heat and cook, whisking, until the polenta is thick but spoonable, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the honey, butter, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste. If it gets too thick, add water or more milk.
4. Spoon the polenta into bowls; top with the meatballs and sauce.
   
   Results: SUPER YUMMY!!!!  I served mine with a side of spinach sauteed in garlic.  I also cooked the meatballs 19 minutes because they still looked a little wet after 15 minutes.

Week 19, Recipe 4: Cumin Rub Chicken

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray's Mag June/July 2010

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper, ground ancho chile powder and granulated garlic or garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
   
   Results: I used this on chicken & it was definitely a hit! MMMMM.  Rach is killin me with the grillin this month!!  I'm not sure how I ended up w/o a pic of the chicken by itself but it was quite tasty!  On the other side of the grill are onion, bell peppers & squash.

Week 19, Recipe 3: Black Bean & Couscous Salad

Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com

• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 green onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.
3. Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Results: I added a black cardamom pod and onion powder to the chicken broth as it boiled.  I didn't use fresh onion because I didn't feel like chopping.  I used crushed red pepper which added a nice kick.  I also didn't have cilantro.  And yet... this was delicious!!  I though it needed a pretty significant salt addition so I would add this at all stages.

Week 19, Recipe 2: Lemon Ricotta Amaretto Pound Cake Cupcakkes

So I took this Giada recipe to make this Giada recipe for Ricotta Orange Pound Cake
This was definitely a crap shoot.  To the leftover cookie batter (at room temp), I added

• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 egg (at room temp)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Amaretto
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered or 3 oranges, cut into supremes

Directions: Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until golden brown & a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool.  Dust with powdered sugar. 

Meanwhile, place the strawberries (or orange supremes) in a small bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit until the juices have pooled around the strawberries.
To serve, serve with a spoonful of strawberries and their juices over the top of the cake.

Results: REALLY REALLY good!!   I used cinnamon infused sugar (a cinnamon stick broken and rolled around in sugar for a few days).  I was excited this worked! :)

Week 19, Recipe 1: Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis

Cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.

Results: This makes like a million cookies.  I would halve this recipe unless you're making this for a group of more than 20.  There's no way you're fitting all that cookie on 2 baking sheets.  I didn't make the glaze because I ran out of time but these were delicious without the glaze.  This was also my first time using ricotta in a dessert!  A huge hit at the party.  They were gone with a quickness.  But I still have a ridiculous amount of batter in my fridge.  Could I turn it into a cake???  What's the difference between a cookie & a cake?  Expect another attempt with the leftover batter later in the week.  Sorry I missed a picture this time!

Week 18, Recipe 5: Blue Cheese Penne

Recipe from the Cuckoo Kitchen

Some blue cheese, crumbled
Some Heavy cream
salt
pepper
Penne

In a pan heat up heavy cream, salt and pepper, crumble in blue cheese (you'll want the ratio to be so that cheese flavor really comes through the cream, stick your finger in and taste it, until it's how you like it.). Continue heating until the cheese has melted.

Cook penne and drain. Pour cheese concoction over penne, mix, serve.

Results: I promise you that's how the recipe goes!  Lol.  I used garlic salt for the salt & white pepper for the pepper.  Use medium low heat.  This tastes GREAT!!  I seriously looked at this while it was cooking and thought, why do I have to be anything other than fat?  I want to eat like this all the time!!!

Week 18, Recipes 3 & 4: White Wine & Tarragon Chicken with Zucchini Pasta Bake

This month's Rachael Ray magazine is all about grilling.  I couldn't wait for a grill to try this marinade recipe, though!

1 1/2 cups dry white whine
1/2 cup white wine
2 finely chopped shallots
1/3 cup chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
chicken quarters


Results: This marinade could be used for anything.  Marinade from 1- 8 hours.  I cooked the chicken on 350 uncovered for 35 minutes, then covered it for another 25 minutes.  GORGEOUS and falling off the bone!  I can't say I was too crazy about the flavor.  It definitely needed more salt.  I probably should've done at least 3 hours but I got hungry after 1hr and a half!


Zucchini Pasta Bake  
Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com

• 8 ounces penne pasta
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cups chopped zucchini
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 pinch dried celery flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta, cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a blender or food processor, thoroughly mix the Parmesan cheese and crackers.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the onion in the skillet, and cook and stir until tender. Mix in the zucchini, tomato, and garlic, and season with oregano, basil, celery, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook and stir until the zucchini is tender.
4. In the prepared casserole dish, mix the pasta with the vegetable mixture and mozzarella cheese. Top evenly with the Parmesan cheese mixture.
5. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the topping is lightly browned. Allow to sit 5 minutes before serving. 

Results: Pretty awesome!  I used only asiago cheese & should've paid attention to the amount of pasta.  BUT that mistake paved the way for tomorrow's deliciousness!  I used breadcrumbs instead of crackers & canned diced tomatoes.  I also added pepper.  How does a recipe not call for black pepper??  I also omitted the celery flakes because I didn't have any in the house.