Moving

I have moved onto a new blog to include recipes cooked in my new apartment...please follow me there! :)

http://alyssaandderek.blogspot.com/ 

Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Salad

Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Salad
serves 2-3

Ingredients
3 small tomatoes
1/2 lb (8 oz) fresh mozzarella
5-6 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons EVOO
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions
Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices and lay out on a round plate.  Add the sliced mozzarella (also cut to 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices) on top of the tomatoes.  Add the washed basil leaves and spread around plate.  Drizzle EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Serve at room temperature.

Salmon and Egg on Toast

Salmon and Egg on Toast

Ingredients

• leftover grilled salmon (that was rubbed with EVOO, chopped dill, garlic, and salt+pepper)*
• prepared salad (that includes baby arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• salt and pepper
• 1 slice of toasted sandwich bread

Directions
In an effort to use up leftovers, stack the ingredients on top of each other, beginning with the toast.  Shred the salmon so that the fish is broken up and add onto your toast.  Add a layer of salad and an over-easy egg.  Yummmm.


*Salmon may also be baked in the oven.  Prepare the seasoning to your liking and bake in a "foiled tent" for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.  

Sausage and Rice Stuffed Peppers

Sausage and Rice Stuffed Peppers
original recipe by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 teaspoons EVOO
• 1/2 pound apple chicken sausage, casings removed
• 1 zucchini, diced small
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup (0.5 oz) grated Parmesan, grated (1/4 cup)
• 4 cups COOKED long-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup fresh panko breadcrumbs
• 4 large bell peppers (any color), halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high.  Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat
3. with a wooden spoon, until browned for 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a medium bowl. 
4. Add 1 teaspoon oil to skillet along with zucchini, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
5. Add zucchini mixture to bowl with sausage, along with Parmesan, rice, and 1 teaspoon oil; stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. 
6. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and 1/2 teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper. 
7. Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange bell peppers, cut side up, on sheet. 
8. Divide rice mixture among peppers and top with breadcrumbs. Bake until breadcrumbs are browned and peppers are tender, about 30 minutes.  Serve warm.

Brie en Croute

I've had this appetizer at Mise en Place in New Hampshire as well as at a friend's house...I absolutely love it and was excited to try it myself!  Turned out really well, and it was super easy to make.

Brie en Croute

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 of a 17.3 oz package of Pepperidge Farm's Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
• 1 8 oz brie cheese round
• crackers, sliced apples, etc for serving

Directions

1. Thaw 1 puff pastry sheet for 40 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Unfold the pastry sheet on a work surface and place the brie in the center of the sheet. 
4. Fold the edges of the sheet over and around the cheese.  
5. Beat the egg and water together to use as a wash to seal the sheet around the brie.  Brush the seams with the egg wash.  
6. Place the brie seam-side down in a baking dish (that you plan to serve with), and brush with egg wash.  
7. Bake for 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.  Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.  Serve with crackers or sliced apples.

Monkey Bread

This is a party hit that is served as a "finger dessert."  Sugary, cinnamon-y, yumminess. :)

Monkey Bread

Original recipe from JoCooks

Ingredients:

• 3 cans Pillsbury biscuits (10 in each can)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 sticks butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

 

2. Cut each biscuit into quarters.

3. In a big Ziploc bag, add a cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and mix it well. Add the biscuit pieces to the bag. Close the Ziploc bag and shake until each piece is fully coated in the cinnamon sugar.

4. Put the cinnamon sugar coated pieces of biscuits in a bundt pan.

 

5. In a sauce pan melt the butter and add the brown sugar to it. Once the butter is melted and the sugar fully dissolved, pour it over the biscuit pieces.

6. Bake this for about 45 minutes, or until the top is dark brown.

Another batch of ccc

Another attempt of mine to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe...I'm still looking...

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Original recipe from Barbara Bakes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and brown sugar.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Gradually add the flour mixture.  Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Drop dough in 2-tablespoon portions, 2 inches apart, onto baking pans lined with parchment paper. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned, 12-15 minutes.

Cowboy Cookies

Cowboy Cookies

Original recipe by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup pecans (3 ounces)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until darkened and fragrant, 5-8 minutes.  Let cool, then coarsely chop.  Set aside.
2. Into a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
3. With an electric mixer, cream butter and both sugars.  Add eggs and beat in vanilla.  Gradually add flour mixture.  Stir in oats, chocolate, pecans, and coconut until just combined. 
4. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared sheets, about 3 inches apart.
5. Bake until edges of cookies begin to brown, 16 to 18 minutes. 

Roasted Red Potato Home Fries

Roasted Red Potatoes Home Fries
Recipe adapted from Savoring the Thyme
serves 3 people
 
Ingredients:

• 4 large Red Bliss potatoes (with skin)
• 2 slices Canadian Bacon (or regular stripped bacon)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• salt and ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons parsley flakes

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Wash and cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks and place in a bowl. Toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper and scatter over a shallow baking pan lined with foil.  Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes.  Toss halfway through baking.
   After the potatoes have baked, add the garlic to them, toss and bake another 5 minutes.
3. Using a medium non-stick frying pan at medium heat, add olive oil and cook the bacon for 1-2 minutes on each side.  Lay on a paper towel (to absorb the fatty oils) and then slice into smaller pieces.
   Remove the potatoes and place them in a large bowl.  Add the Parmesan, parsley, and bacon.  Toss together.

Cream Cheese-filled Snickerdoodles

Cream Cheese-filled Snickerdoodles
Recipe from Cookies&Cups

Ingredients:
Dough

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup room temp butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

 Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. With an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla for the filling.  Cover the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, use a whisk to combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. With a wooden spoon, cream butter and 1 1/2 cup sugar.
4. With an electric mixer, mix in eggs and 1 tsp vanilla.  Next, add the flour mixture until all ingredients are incorporated.
5. In a separate, small bowl combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon, set aside.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Remove the cream cheese mixture from the refrigerator.
7. For each cookie you will need 2 flattened balls of dough, 1 Tbsp each. (The flattened disk will be approx 2″ in diameter).
8. Place 1 tsp of the cream cheese mixture on top of one of the flattened dough disks. Then place the other flattened dough on top of the cream cheese. Pinch the edges together to seal.
9. Carefully form into a ball and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a plate as you finish making each and refrigerate. Before baking the cookies they should chill for 15 minutes.
10. When the dough is chilled bake on a parchment lined baking sheet 2″ apart for 12-13 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Roasted Balsamic Sweet Potatoes

These sweet potatoes were baked with my Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloin, but they can also be made separately as a side dish.

Roasted Balsamic Sweet Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Laura Rebecca's Kitchen


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Newman's Fat-free Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing
• 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large sweet potatoes

Directions:

1. Microwave the sweet potatoes as they are on HIGH for 3 minutes.
2. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1 1/4 inch cubes.  Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.  Line a shallow baking pan with foil.
4. In a small pot, bring the balsamic and sugar to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes.
5. Add the butter an salt and stir until the butter melts.  Toss the mixture with the potatoes and spread evenly on the baking pan.  Bake for about 22 minutes.

** For my Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloin, I just added the tossed sweet potatoes around the pork, and it came out perfectly.

Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloin

Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloin
Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 6 ounces pork tenderloin
• 4 tablespoons Olde Bay's Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing
• 4 tablespoons EVOO
• 6 cloves garlic, cracked
• 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend (or coarse salt and black pepper)
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves, stripped and finely chopped
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and finely chopped (I had to use 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme instead.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Trim fat from the pork tenderloin.
3. Place tenderloin in a medium bowl and massage balsamic into the meat. 
4. Combine the steak seasoning wiht rosemary and thyme.  With tenderloin on the cutting board, use a rub the meat with the blend.  Coat both sides with EVOO and any excess balsamic.
5. Cut small slits into the meat and disperse chunks of cracked garlic cloves into the meat.
6. Roast in the oven for 20-22 minutes.

** I added Roasted Balsamic Sweet Potatoes to this dish by surrounding the pork with tossed sweet potatoes while roasting.  YUM.

Chive Risotto Cakes

These risotto cakes were sparked by S on Christmas...thanks for the delicious inspiration! :)  I will definitely be making these again. 

Chive Risotto Cakes
Recipe adapted from Ezra Pound Cake and Ina Garten

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 1/2 cups grated Italian Fontina cheese (about 5 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon, plus 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• EVOO

Directions:

To prepare the risotto...

1. Bring a large (4-quart) pot of water to a boil and add 1/2 tablespoon salt and Arborio rice.  Cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes.  The grains of rice will be very soft.  Drain the rice and run under cold water until cool.  Drain well.
2. While the rice is draining, use a wooden spoon to combine the yogurt, eggs, chives, Fontina, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.  Add the cooled rice and stir together until it is mixed well.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, until firm.

To prepare the cakes...

1. Combine the Panko and Parmesan and spread mixture in a shallow dish.  Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Form balls of the rice mixture using a large spoon.  Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick.
2. Place 3 patties in the Panko, turning once to coat.
3. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned.  Place patties on a platter lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.  Continue cooking in batches, adding oil as necessary, until all the cakes are fried.  Serve hot (cakes may be kept warm in a 250 degree oven for about 30 minutes).