Friday, May 20, 2011

Super Easy Orzo Side Dish

1 1/2 c. orzo pasta, cooked according to directions on box
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 can (15 oz) Italian style diced tomatoes, drained

Toss all ingredients together.

It makes a ton, and the leftovers are also good cold as a pasta salad the next day!


Posted by: Erika

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Double for a big family or big eaters :)

2 cups cooked chicken chopped
1 cup broccoli chopped (I have used both raw and thawed frozen)
4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 garlic clove pressed
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package refrigerated crescent rolls

Heat over to 375F Combine chicken, broccoli, cheese, garlic mayo and salt in large bowl.
Arrange dough with 12"x15" rectangle baking sheet. Roll dough to edges of stone. Cut dough on long side 1 1/2 inches apart 3 inches deep. Spread filling evenly over the middle. Lift dough across filling twist and press ends together. 
*This is MY variation* Scoop 2-3 spoon full of mix onto the single triangle crescent roll and fold dough around mixture. 
Bake 25-28 minutes or until golden brown. 

Posted by: Michelle

Chocolate Truffles

16 oz high quality chocolate, no less than 60% cacao, chopped
2 cups heavy cream

Fill a large saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a simmer, but don't let it come all the way up to a boil (you'll want to keep checking while you're melting your chocolate). Place a heat-safe glass bowl inside the pan (like this --ignore the fact that the website is all in French, it's the only picture I could find. lol) and put the chocolate and cream inside. 
Slowly melt the chocolate into the cream. Do not let the water in the pan come to a boil, and make sure the chocolate/cream mixture doesn't start to bubble.
Once the chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool a couple of minutes before placing it in the refrigerator.
Refrigerate 2-3 hours until the chocolate has hardened. 

Scoop the chocolate out into serving sized pieces (somewhere between 2tsp and a tbsp in size) and place on a sheet pan. 
Refrigerate at least 10 minutes.
Roll the scoops of chocolate into balls, and then roll the balls in the garnishes of your choice. 
(I did crushed candy cane, chopped pistachios, cocoa powder w/ powdered sugar, and white chocolate caramel instant cappuccino mix.)


Posted by: Erika

Egg Nog

Makes one Quart

1/3 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
Brandy or Rum (optional)
Nutmeg (optional)

Beat 1/3 cup sugar into yolks until creamy. Add salt and stir in milk. Cook over medium heat until mixture coats spoon (this is the part I believe is suppose to make it thick and is also the part where I burn the eggs). Let cool. 
Beat egg whites till foamy. Add 3 tablespoons sugar. Beat to soft peaks. Add to custard. Mix together. Add vanilla and liquor (if desired). Stir together. Chill 3 or 4 hours. Serve with a sprinkle of nutmeg (if desired). 
Enjoy :)


Posted by: Michelle

Oreo Balls

1 pkg of Oreos (I used the mint ones)
1 pkg cream cheese
1 pkg almond bark

Crush oreos in ziploc or food processor. Combine oreos and cream cheese. Knead like meatloaf. Put in fridge for an hour. Remove and roll into balls. Dip in melted almond bark. (I used tooth picks) and put on wax paper to cool completely. Yummy! Enjoy :)


Posted by: Tonya

Apple Bundles

I made this as a way to use up some leftover homemade pie crust. I had enough to make a dozen little pie crust cut-outs, using about two apples. If you're making this from a whole pie crust (instead of leftover scraps) you'll need a lot more, obviously. Basically, the whole recipe is "to taste." Use however much tastes right to you. (Also, I used golden delicious apples because that's what I had on hand.)

Ingredients:
Refrigerated pie crust (or, one recipe home made pie crust, rolled out)
Apples, sliced (also peeled if the peel is kind of thick) 
Lemon Juice
Apple pie spice (or pumpkin pie spice, they're pretty similar)
Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 400. Mix together the apples, lemon juice, apple pie spice, and brown sugar. Let it sit about 5-10 minutes. Use a glass or cookie cutter to cut out little discs of pie crust and place on a cookie sheet. Top each with 1-2 apple slices, then bring up the sides to cover the apples. Put them in the oven, and turn the oven down to 350. Bake 15-20 minutes (or more if necessary... I didn't time it when I made them, so I'm estimating, here!) until the apples are soft and the crust is golden.


Posted by: Erika

Smoked Gouda Grits

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1 cup freshly grated smoked Gouda cheese
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

1. Bring chicken broth and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until creamy.
2. Gradually stir in cheese, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in butter and salt; season with pepper to taste.

**I usually add more cheese, maybe 1/2 cup extra. 1 cup just isn't enough ;)


Posted by: Tabitha