Recipe(tried): The Weeks Winners

Sunday Night Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Rotelle With Walnut Pesto

Recipe By : Risa Golding/Biba Caggiano
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 pound rotelle pasta -- dry
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 garlic cloves
salt -- to taste
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese -- freshly grated

Make the sauce first: Put all the ingredients except the cheese in the bowl of the food processor and process until smooth. Pour the sauce into a small bowl and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use. You will have about 1 cup.

Put a large pot of water on to boil. When it reaches a boil, add some coarse salt and then the pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the pesto sauce, 1/3 cup at a time until you have the amount that tastes right to you. Serve immediately with garlic bread or breadsticks and extra Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

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NOTES : Recipe for the sauce came from the book "From Biba's Italian Kitchen" by Biba Caggiano. It is from a recipe called Swiss Chard Pansotti with Walnut Pesto. It is quite delicious. If my 3 year old will eat it, it is good.
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Monday Night Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Caribbean Bean Burgers

Recipe By : Low Fat & Fast from Vegetarian Times
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Vegetarian Days

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 15 ounce can great northern beans -- rinsed & drained
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg -- slightly beaten
3 tablespoons skim milk -- or soy milk
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 teaspoon Jerk seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
nonstick cooking spray
4 hamburger buns -- whole wheat
red onion slices
tomato slices

In a medium mixing bowl, mash beans with a fork until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients (except for buns, onion and tomato), mix well.

Shape mixture into 4 patties, about 4 inches in diameter. Spray a nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in skillet until browned, turning once, about 8 minutes. Serve burgers on buns with tomato and onion slices. Also make sure to have catsup handy.

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NOTES : My substitutions: I used egg substitute instead of eggs, and soy milk instead of skim milk. I also did the whole thing in the food processor - I pulses the beans and the onion together and then added the other ingredients. Pulsed a few times just to combine.

These were the best bean burgers I have ever eaten. They just needed a touch more spice in my opinion (altho' my husband felt they were fine the way they were.) I served them with roasted potatoes seasoned with adobo seasoning.
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Tuesday Night Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Roll Over In Your Grave New Mexico Gumbo

Recipe By : Hot & Spicy & Meatless by Dewitt/Wilan/Stock
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Vegetarian Days

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 tablespoons olive oil -- *
2 medium onions -- chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms -- cleaned & sliced
3 cloves garlic -- minced
1 pound fresh tomatoes -- peeled/seeded/diced
2 cups tomato juice -- or V-8
1 15 ounce can okra
1 cup New Mexican Green Chiles -- **
1 bay leaf
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
3 tablespoons fresh parsley -- minced
2 tablespoons New Mexico red chile powder
2 cups Rich Vegetable Stock -- ***
4 cups cooked rice

In a large, heavy Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for a minute. Then add the sliced mushrooms and saute until they give off their juices and start to brown. Add the garlic and stir it in. Then add the chopped tomatoes with their juices and saute for 10 minutes.

Add the tomato juice, okra, green chiles, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes; check for burning and stir once or twice. Add some stock if necessary.

Add the black-eyed peas, the parsley, red chile, and 1 cup of the stock. Simmer for 30 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Check the consistency; it should be thick and soup-like. Add more stock if necessary.

Place a portion of the hot rice in a large soup bowl and pour some of the gumbo over the top. Serve hot and spicy!

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NOTES : * I thought that olive oils' flavor was too delicate and wouldn't be noticed in a dish like this so I used canola oil which has no taste.

** I didn't have any New Mexican green chile but I did have some roasted poblanos in the freezer so I defrosted them and they were just the right amount when chopped.

*** I used 2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon reconstituted in hot water instead of the stock. I added less salt to flavor.

I garnished with some strips of poblano pepper and some parsley.
--------------------------------------------------------Wednesday Night Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Turkey Chili

Recipe By : Pure & Simple/An InCircle Neiman-Marcus Cookbook
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Slow Cooking Entrees

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon ground basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon paprika
2 pounds ground turkey
1 onion -- chopped
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dry red wine -- * see note
1 teaspoon garlic puree -- or 2 cloves mashed
1 can tomato puree -- 8 ounce
1 bottle ketchup -- 8 ounce
salt -- to taste
onion -- chopped
cheddar cheese -- grated

Combine chili powder, oregano, basil, pepper flakes, cumin, bay leaves, and paprika. Add ground turkey and mix well. Combine turkey mixture with onion. Place in a large saucepan. Add worcestershire sauce and red wine. Cover and cook over medium heat 1-1/2 hours, stirring often. Add garlic and stir well. Add tomato puree and ketchup. Mix well. Season with salt. Cook over low heat 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot with onion and cheese.

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NOTES : * I didn't have red wine in the house so I used chinese rice wine. I thought it would have more flavor than water or bouillon-type broth and less salt.

I also used some roasted garlic I had in the refrigerator for the garlic puree, since it is basically the same thing.

I didn't have tomato puree so I used crushed canned tomatoes. Also added a touch of water when the turkey mixture was cooked down a bit.
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Thursday Nights Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Caramelized Onion & Fresh Tomato Pizza

Recipe By : Low Fat & Fast/Vegetarian Times Cookbook
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Vegetarian Days

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 large red onion -- thinly sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon basil pesto
1 large pizza crust
3 medium plum tomatoes -- sliced
4 cloves garlic -- thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil -- chopped
1/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium nonstick skillet, cook the onion in oil over medium-low heat until caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush pesto evenly over pizza crust. Spread caramelized onion then tomatoes and garlic evenly over pesto. Top with remaining ingredients.

Bake the pizza until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned, about 9-12 minutes.

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NOTES : I didn't have fresh basil anymore, so I used some fresh oregano and a little dried basil.

I had some leftover Sonoma Pesto Jack cheese so I shredded that and added it to the cheese mixture. Also, I dolloped some extra pesto sauce on top of the cooked pizza. It was delectable.

I also didn't have any red onion so I used regular yellow onions.
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Friday Nights Dinner

Steve loved it and called it an A List meal. That means it has to be made again some time. Real soon.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Adapted Bourbon Chicken

Recipe By : Original by Unknown Internet Site
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Chicken &Turkey

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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6 whole boneless chicken breasts --
cut in 1/2"
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup soy sauce
8 ounces crushed pineapple -- in juice*
1 tablespoon Corman's Light Butter**

Mix together the pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl. In separate bowl or a pyrex measuring cup, combine the soy sauce and bourbon and set aside.

Season chicken with pepper/garlic powder mixture. Place in a ziploc bag with marinade and place in refrigerator. Marinate chicken for several hours.

When you want to cook it, place chicken and marinade into a baking dish. Top with pineapple.* Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Baste several times during the baking time.

MY CHANGES TO RECIPE:

When baking time is finished, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, place chicken on it and grill just to get those beautiful grill marks.

In a separate 2 qt saucepan, pour the juices from the chicken and a little of the pineapple juices from the can (If using canned that is). Let it simmer for a few minutes until the juices are reduced a bit and it thickens a little. Turn heat off. Take pan off the heat. Add a touch of butter.**

Serve by cutting the chicken breasts on the diagonal and fanning it out on the plate. Spoon some of the juices over it. Serve with rice pilaf or roasted potatoes. Possibly a salad or a green veggie.

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* I didn't use pineapple when I baked the chicken. I just used some pineapple juice with the marinade.

** I used a touch of Corman's Light Butter to thicken the sauce a bit (a french technique I learned from the TV Food Network). Also to give more flavor to the sauce.

NOTES : I found without doing the grilling at the last moment that the chicken looked really bland. It had no color. The grilling takes care of that. It does not overcook the chicken. That is why you take the chicken out of the oven after 35 minutes.

Served with:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Pilaf on the Pecos

Recipe By : Hot & Spicy & Meatless by DeWitt/Wilan/Stock
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Sides

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion -- minced
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 cup long-grain rice
2 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
1 teaspoon dried mexican oregano -- crumbled
1/4 cup New Mexican Green Chiles -- chopped
3 tablespoons pine nuts

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the onion and garlic, and saute until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and saute, stirring constantly, until the rice is golden brown, about 4-7 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a Pyrex baking dish and bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. For crisper rice, remove the cover for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

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Serving Ideas : With Bourbon Chicken

NOTES : The book says the heat scale is medium but I found it very mild. I would use a spicier chile like a jalapeno or maybe some hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes.
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I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we did.

RisaG