Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

Hey, blogging world!  I have been way too absent lately and I'm hoping to change that soon.  Work is crazy, my kids are busy, and we're entering "the holidays" which, as awesome as they are, makes my to-do list grow exponentially.  I keep saying I just need to find my groove, but... well, I'm still waiting...

This is a recipe that I made for the first time last Thanksgiving and I've been waiting since then to post it.  I've always just done cranberry sauce from a can, and you have to admit that it's pretty good.  However, I've always wanted to try a fresh version, so I was happy to see that The Pioneer Woman posted a recipe that looked unique, easy, and delicious.

This was just sweet enough without being overpowering.  I loved the healthy addition of pomegranate sauce, and I especially loved the fact that I could make it in the morning and let it chill all day.  Any recipe that can be done in advance scores some serious bonus points from me!

We host a crowd of 20+, so I doubled the recipe below.  You can bet that it will be back on my table this year!

Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce
from The Pioneer Woman

• 1 bag (about 12 To 16 Oz) Fresh Cranberries
• 16 ounces, fluid Pomegranate Juice
• 3/4 cups Sugar, More Or Less To Taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Mixture will thicken as it cooks, and will thicken more as it cools.

Cool in a jar or bowl in the fridge. Serve with Thanksgiving turkey.

Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pancakes

I've mentioned many times that my husband is the pancake expert in our house. I can never ever get them to come out right and usually end up frustrated, but when he requested pancakes for his Father's Day breakfast, I knew I had to suck it up and do it.

So I did.

I added some chocolate chips and food coloring, and I really think the cake flour made a huge difference. As usual, the Pioneer Woman didn't disappoint, and we happily enjoyed some special pancakes!

(Sidenote: my youngest is currently obsessed with Eric Carle's Pancakes, Pancakes! and kept yelling his toddler version of "Let's make a pancake!" and laughing hysterically at himself.)


Perfect Pancakes
from The Pioneer Woman

• 3 cups Plus 2 Tablespoons Cake Flour
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 3 Tablespoons Baking Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 2 cups Milk
• 2 whole Large Eggs
• 3 teaspoons Vanilla
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• Extra Butter
• Maple Or Pancake Syrup

Mix together dry ingredients in large bowl.

Mix together milk, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring very gently until just combined.

Melt butter and add it to the batter, stirring gently to combine.

Cook on a greased skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown. Serve with an obscene amount of butter and warm syrup.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

I was skeptical about this dish because it called for cottage cheese. I don't think I like cottage cheese, although admittedly I haven't tried it in several years. I thought about subbing ricotta in, but decided to be a big girl and try it again.

I didn't mind it in this dish, though I don't have any plans to finish the rest of the container. ;)

This dinner reminded me of Lighthouse Lasagna, which I think I prefer, although this one is faster. I doubled everything, except for the beef, and it made enough for our family, plus a little leftover.


Sour Cream Noodle Bake
from The Pioneer Woman

• 1-¼ pound Ground Chuck
• 1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• 1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• ½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sourProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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ream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.

To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.

Barbequed Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

I am a huge quesadilla fan. One of my fondest college memories is running down the road to Friendly's at like 11pm for some chicken quesadillas. Yum. I love trying new varieties and think they taste so awesome when cooked on my panini press.

I just made The Pioneer Woman's version the other day and they were delicious. I used leftover rotisserie (okay, that does NOT look like it's spelled correctly but spell check isn't picking it up, we're going to just go with it) chicken and canned pineapple, so the prep time was minimal - pretty much just as long as it took the panini press to preheat.


Barbequed Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

• 4 large tortillas
  
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1/2 cup barbeque sauce
• 20oz can pineapple chunks, drained
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend)

Preheat panini press or griddle.

Combine chicken and barbecue sauce; set aside.

Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, warm tortillas on each side until slightly brown.

Respray the skillet and add the pineapple. Cook for a few minutes, tossing frequently. Add the chicken and cook until heated through.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese over one half of each tortilla. Divide the chicken and pineapple mixture evenly over each tortilla half, and top with another 1/4 cup of cheese over each. Top with more barbecue sauce if desired. Fold over the tortilla and cook until browned and the cheese is melty and gooey.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

Mmm.  Cream sauce is delicious.  I don't make it much, for obvious reasons, but it's hard to resist once in awhile.  It's basic and easy and sure to please your palate.  And your belly.  But probably not your waistline.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
• Fresh Basil, Chopped
• 1-½ pound Fettuccine

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

Springy Shells

I think it's obvious from the title that I'm a little late in posting this one! I actually had to do some serious detective work to even remember which recipe this is.

But now my memory has been refreshed, and I can rave about this dinner. I think next time I would add a little more cheese (there can never be too much, right?).


Springy Shells
slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman, by way of Juliann's Easy Eats

Ingredients

• 16 ounces, weight Pasta Shells (medium) Or Other Short Pasta
• ½ pounds Broccoli, Cut Into Small Florets
• ½ pounds Zucchini (about 1 Medium Zucchini) Diced
• ½ cups Frozen Peas
• 3 whole Green Onions Sliced (white & Light Green Parts)
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 20 ounces, weight Ricotta Cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1-½ cup Parmesan Cheese
• Black Pepper, Freshly Ground
• Extra Olive Oil For Drizzling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta until extremely al dente—with still quite a bit of bite.

Melt butter with the olive oil over medium-low to medium heat, then add in the garlic. Sprinkle in a little salt.

Add the broccoli and cook for one minute, then add the zucchini and cook for one or two more minutes. Add the frozen peas, still together then turn off the heat. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Assembly:

Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add half the pasta, then spread 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over the surface. Sprinkle 1/3 of the Parmesan over the ricotta, then ½ of the vegetables. Repeat with the rest of the pasta, the rest of the ricotta, and another 1/3 of the Parmesan. End with the rest of the vegetables and the rest of the Parmesan. Top with mozzarella

Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons olive oil, then bake for 25 minutes on 350 degrees or until nice and hot.

Serve with extra Parmesan, crusty French bread, and chilled white wine. Yummy!

Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks

I've never cooked with pancetta before, and, after my experience trying to buy it, I must assume that most people don't use this either.  I had to ask FOUR DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES in my local Stop and Shop where I might find packaged pancetta, and no one had any idea.  It was a fellow shopper who eventually pointed me in the right direction.

This confuses me, though, because it was actually very delicious.  Though perhaps not the healthiest dinner, this was fast to whip up and was a hit.  It's perfect not only for fall, but also for those winter days when you crave something comforting.

Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks

from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 12 ounces, weight Pasta, Cooked Al Dente
• Reserved Pasta Water, If Needed
• 3 ounces, weight Chopped Pancetta
• 3 whole Leeks, Sliced Thin
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• ½ cups Dry White Wine
• ½ cups Heavy Cream
• Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
• Parmesan Cheese, Shaved

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta and set aside. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Saute chopped pancetta until fat is rendered and it starts to brown. Add sliced leeks and cook for 8 minutes. When you add the leeks, you can also throw in a pat or two of butter if you want to. This’ll give the dish some scrumptious flavor. I add it after the bacon is browned because I don’t want the butter to brown. After 8 to 10 minutes, pour in wine, then cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until reduced. Reduce heat to low, then pour in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in Parmesan shavings. Toss in pasta, adding a little pasta water to thin as needed. Serve with Parmesan shavings over the top—delicious!

Mystery Mocha

My parents came over on the 4th of July for some golf and a belated Father's Day and Birthday dinner. I was excited to try out this recipe I saw on Tasty Kitchen - "Mystery Mocha." Interestingly, this was submitted to Tasty Kitchen by a dude named Larry, and that's my dad's name. Hmmm...


Anyway, make this. Soon. It was so easy to throw together and so delicious. I didn't have enough brown sugar and it definitely made a difference - but almost non-noticeable when you throw some ice cream on top.


Ingredients

• ¾ cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 cup Sifted All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt
• 1 piece Unsweetend Chocolate (1 Square)
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ cups Whole Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ½ cups Brown Sugar
• ½ cups Granulated Sugar (additional)
• 4 Tablespoons Powdered Cocoa (Not Drink Mix)
• 1 cup Cold Strong Coffee

Sift together 3/4 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Melt square of unsweetened chocolate and butter in the microwave. Add to dry ingredients alternately with the milk and vanilla. Blend. Pour into a greased 8×8 pan.

Combine brown sugar, the 1/2 cup additional granulated sugar and cocoa powder. Sprinkle over the cake batter. Pour the one cup COLD coffee on top. This will look TERRIBLE. Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream or sweetened whip cream or whipped topping. This will serve 8. In a 9×9 square pan, you can cut 9 pieces. Best served warm.

Pastor Ryan's Bolognese Sauce

I am a sucker for trying new sauces. I don't know if it's the bitterness of winter or what, but I've really been in the mood for hearty, chunky bolognese recipes. I remembered that Pioneer Woman had posted a version from her pal Pastor Ryan, and I dug through my reader until I could find it.

And I might never make another version again.


This was just so comforting and warm and cozy and perfect. I honestly had to fight off the urge to just eat this by the spoonful.

The first night, I made a baked gnocchi with it and had plenty of sauce leftover to freeze. I've used it since with tortellini, ravioli, penne... you can make it with anything. It's absolutely fantastic.


Ingredients

• ½ cups Olive Oil
• 1-½ cup Grated Carrots
• 1 cup grated celery
• 1 whole Large Red Onion, Diced
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil Flakes
• 1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup (to 2 Cups) red wine
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire
• 2 cans (28 Ounce) tomatoes - sauce, puree, crushed, a combination... whatever you want
• 1 cup milk
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add grated carrots and onions and cook for a few minutes. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and then add in the ground beef. Cook for a few minutes until brown, gradually stirring it into the carrot mixture.

Throw in oregano and basil. Use fresh if you have it; if you don’t, it’s fine. When the meat is browned and combined with other ingredients, make another well. Add tomato paste and let it heat. Add garlic and stir to combine.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add red wine. Stir together. Add Worcestershire and stir. Add canned tomatoes. Finally, pour in milk, stir, and let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours—however long you need.

Serve with pasta and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Breakfast Bowls

My husband gave me The Pioneer Woman's cookbook for Christmas, and I couldn't wait to delve into its yumminess.


One of the first recipes that jumped out at me was this one for "Breakfast Bowls." Breakfast is often of the grab-and-go variety, especially during the week. But since he was home with us last week and our days were more leisurely, I decided to whip up this breakfast.


Well, "whip up" is not really an accurate phrase, because these took a lot longer than I thought they would to be finished. There were just many steps involved and I may have left behind a sink with its fair share of dishes and pans and knives and boards and whatnot.

But don't let that deter you - these were DELICIOUS, and I will for sure make them again. I altered the recipe slightly as I went based on my mood and what I had on hand. I couldn't find the original online.


Ingredients

• 1 TB butter, plus extra for the bowls
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 cups of frozen hash browns, thawed
• salt/pepper to taste
• 2 cups egg substitute (or 8 beaten eggs)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 6 plum tomatoes, diced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 8 basil leaves, chopped
• 1 pound breakfast sausage, browned and crumbled
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated Mexican blend cheese

Butter 8 ovenproof bowls or ramekins. Preheat the oven to 325.

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and potatoes.

Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, green onions, and basil. Stir and set aside.

To assemble, divide all the ingredients evenly among the bowls in the following order:

1. Potato-onion mixture
2. Sausage
3. Cheddar
4. Egg mixture
5. Tomato/green onion/basil mixture
6. Mexican cheese

Place the bowls on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the eggs are just set. Keep an eye on the bowls to make sure the eggs don't brown. It's better for the eggs to come out of the oven slightly runny, as they'll continue to set after they're removed from the oven.

Pasta with Artichokes and Tomatoes

This little pasta dish, courtesy of the Pioneer Woman, was so easy to make and absolutely delicious. It was creamy but light... filling yet not heavy. I have already made it several times, and am sure to make it again!


I altered just a few minor things, so click on the link above if you want her original version.

The leftovers reheat pretty well, but it's also pretty yummy straight out of the fridge.


Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• ½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 1 can Artichoke Hearts (14.5 Oz. Quartered Or Whole) Drained (and briefly rinsed)
  
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes With Juice (14.5 Oz.)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• ½ cups Chicken Broth (More As Needed)
• ½ teaspoons Nutmeg
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 pound tri-color rotini
  
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives (or Other Herbs) Chopped

Cook pasta till al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not undersalt!) Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.

Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

Superbowl Snack Throwdown: Mini BBQ Meatballs

Another Friday; another voting session!  Kick off your weekend by visiting HighLowAha to cast your vote for your favorite game food; polls are open until 9pm EST.

This week's secret ingredient was turkey.  I am very happy to present to you a very versatile appetizer - something that is suitable for cooks of all levels.

A few months ago, I stumbled upon The Pioneer Woman's BBQ Meatballs.  I've made them repeatedly, and each time they are delicious.  I've used them in sandwiches, on top of mashed potatoes, mixed with pasta, and on their own; no matter how I've prepared them, they were amazing. 

Now that the cold weather is absolutely upon us, this recipe is the first thing I thought up when trying to come up with a turkey snack.  I frequently make this meal with ground turkey rather than beef in an effort to be a bit healthier, and I actually find them yummier as well.

So for this week, I shrunk 'em down and adjusted the sauce to make these the perfect snack to grab while watching your team.

Perhaps the best part about this is that, truly, anyone can make these.  While they are time consuming, they are very basic and simple.  Short on time?  No problem!  Grab a package of pre-made meatballs and just make the sauce.  Easy peasy.

My three-year-old LOVES these, and so will your guests.  Enjoy!

Meatballs

• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 3/4 cup oats
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons very finely minced onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• plenty of ground black pepper

Sauce

• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2.5 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
• 4 to 6 tablespoons onion

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes.

Remove from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour.

Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place into a baking dish.

Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty french bread.

Superbowl Snack Throwdown: Brie-Stuffed Mushrooms

Welcome to another week of HighLowAha's Superbowl Snack Throwdown! This week's secret ingredient was onions; go to their site to vote for my, uhh I mean your favorite recipe. Voting is on the right sidebar if you scroll down a bit and ends on Sunday at 9pm EST.

When The Pioneer Woman posted this recipe, she opened with, "You want to make these. Oh, you want to make these."

Never have truer words been spoken. I don't think I've ever eaten anything so spectacular. (Dad? Chris? Jonny? If you're reading this, you need to learn to like mushrooms, like, yesterday.)



My house smelled amazing while these guys were cooking. And they were FAST - prep took maaaaybe 10 minutes (and many of those minutes were spent peeling my 3-year-old off of my leg while trying to chop onions) and they need only 15 minutes in the oven. With just a small handful of ingredients and a short time spent in the kitchen, they will make your football party much easier.

Plus, did I mention? They are faaaaaaaaantastic.


The creamy brie and the green onions and the garlic... oh, the garlic! I made about 14 of these little bites of wonderfulness (yes, that is totally a word) and I had to deliberately hide 3 to save for my husband to try.

I ate the rest. And I'm not even sorry.

You need to make these today. It is so important, in fact, that you make these today that I am going to just shut up and get to the recipe so you can get to the store and start cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 package White Button Mushrooms, Washed And Stems Removed
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• ¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
• 4 whole (to 5) Green Onions, Sliced (up To Middle Of Dark Green Part)
• Splash Of White Wine (optional)
• 1 slice (wedge) Of Brie Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add mushroom caps and toss to coat in butter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and cook for 1 minute. Remove mushrooms from pan and place upside down in a baking dish.

In the same saucepan (without cleaning it) throw in garlic, parsley, and green onions. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and splash in wine, if using. Stir around until wine evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Cut rind off of brie wedge, then cut pieces of brie to fit each mushroom cap. Place inside, lightly pressing to anchor each piece of brie.

Top mushrooms with onion mixture.

Place into the oven for 15 minutes, or until brie is melted.

Note: mushrooms are best when they’ve been allowed to cool slightly. Delicious.

Pioneer Woman's Baked Lemon Spaghetti

I was both intrigued and skeptical of the Pioneer Woman's Baked Lemon Pasta. It seemed an interesting combination of flavors, although I wasn't sure if that was good-interesting or bad-interesting.



I thought this was really delicious, and the fact that it was so fast and easy to prepare sure helped! I think I'd halve it next time; it just made a TON and I had to throw some out even after taking some for lunch a few days.

Ingredients

• 1 pound thin spaghetti
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste if desired
• Plenty of grated Parmesan cheese
• Flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Extra lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary.

Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top.

Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley.Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.

Good Morning Muffins

As I've posted many times, I love baking muffins with Ryan (or, as he calls them, "nuffins"). I couldn't wait to try these "Good Morning Muffins" from the Pioneer Woman.


I am not sure what, but I did something very wrong. I used liners, and many of them scorched and stuck to the side of the pan. They also got really, really greasy, to the point where I felt gross just picking one up and putting it in a container for Ryan's breakfast.


They tasted good, for sure, but just became too greasy and gross to really enjoy. Any ideas what I can do differently?

(And yes, they look fine - because I took the best-looking ones to photograph. Hee hee!)


Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup shortening (can use 1/4 cup shortening with 1/4 cup butter)
• 2 cups orange marmalade
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs, beaten

Topping:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon melted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• wheat germ (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sift together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Place in a mixing bowl.

Use a pastry cutter to mix in shortening (or butter/shortening if desired).

Mix marmalade, orange juice, and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour into dry ingredients.

Beat eggs and pour into the bowl.

Mix all ingredients together gently, using fewer than 10 large strokes.

In a small bowl, mix topping ingredients.

Fill muffin pans with batter. Sprinkle 1 heaping teaspoon of topping ingredients over each muffin.

Sprinkle wheat germ over the top for extra crunch.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until done. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Eat warm or at room temperature.

Pioneer Woman's Mac and Cheese

There are simply no words for the Pioneer Woman's Mac and Cheese. None. While I was eating this, I mentally wrote some eloquent entry that would have all of you just flocking to your kitchens to make this.

But now... the cheesy goodness has completely taken over my mind and I cannot think of anything remotely intellectual to say about this meal. After we had it for dinner, I did everything I could to make sure my husband would not touch this for lunch over the next few days - it was all MINE! And it reheated amazingly - maybe even better than the first night.

And I am absolutely not ashamed to say that I ate this for lunch right alongside of her BBQ meatballs.

I should also add that I chose to eat it straight out of the pan - I didn't bake it. When it comes to baked mac and cheese, I definitely want my dad's!


Ingredients

• 4 cups dried macaroni
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 4 tablespoons) butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 pound cheese, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• *Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If you plan to bake it, cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain. (If you do NOT plan to bake, cook a bit longer.)

In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.

Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.

Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

Add in cheese and stir to melt.

Add salts and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

Chicken Scallopine

This chicken scallopine was yet another successful dinner courtesy of the almighty Pioneer Woman. I want to move into her ranch.


I absolutely loved loved loved this dinner. So fresh and delicious and the flavors rocked. Definitely a keeper!


Ingredients

• 1 pound linguine
• 6 boneless, skinless, trimmed chicken breasts
• Flour
• Salt & Pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 12 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
• 1 cup dry white wine
• Chicken broth (optional)
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (can use half & half)
• 1 heaping tablespoon capers
• chopped fresh Italian parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Flatten chicken breasts to uniform thickness. Salt and pepper both sides, then dredge in flour.
Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken breasts until golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Throw mushrooms into the pan and stir. Immediately pour in wine, then squeeze juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon. Stir to deglaze the pan, then cook vigorously for 1 minute, until sauce reduces.
Pour in cream and stir, then add capers and parsley and stir. Turn off heat. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Don’t undersalt!
Place pasta and chicken on a platter and top with every last drop of sauce. Generously sprinkle Parmesan Cheese over the top.

Barbeque Meatballs

When the Pioneer Woman posted this recipe for BBQ Meatballs last week, I was tempted to run out and make them immediately.

Well, I restrained myself, but I did make them on Sunday because, quite frankly, I couldn't wait much longer.


They were really easy to assemble, and I'm glad I remembered to start them early since they take a lot of time between freezing, browning, and baking.

The result? AWESOME. Unbelievably delicious. When she says "Comfort food to the max," she is NOT kidding around.

I served my husband's on a roll to make a sub...

...and I just plopped mine down atop my mashed potatoes!

Meatballs

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 3/4 cup oats
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons very finely minced onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• plenty of ground black pepper

Sauce

• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
• 4 to 6 tablespoons onion
• Dash of Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes.

Remove from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour.

Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place into a baking dish.

Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty french bread.

Penne alla Betsy

Aside from her Crispy Yogurt Chicken, Penne alla Betsy might be one of The Pioneer Woman's most famous dish. I did make it months ago, but it didn't come out right (my fault, not hers) and then I never got the picture off of my camera.

I suddenly got the urge to make it, although not being a seafood-eater, I omitted the shrimp. Ewwie. I would have ordinarily subbed in some grilled chicken, but it was a Friday during Lent, so I didn't this time.


I thought that the cream sauce was really delicious, and even Ryan ate it all. Of course, my parents were over and bribed him with a "surprise" (That "surprise" turned out to be a chocolate chip cookie the size of my HEAD. Mom? Dad? I ate all of MY dinner too, you know...!) but hey - whatever gets him to eat, right?


Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Butter
• 1 lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3/4 lb penne or other short pasta
  
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1/2 cup of dry white wine
• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce (I used about a cup or so of homemade sauce)
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• Parsley
• Basil
  

1. Put water on to boil for the pasta.

2. Heat a large frying pan and melt 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil in pan. Sautee shrimp until opaque and then remove to a plate to cool.

3. Melt another 2 tbsp butter and olive oil in the same pan and cook garlic until slightly browning. Add onion and cook until translucent.

4. Add pasta to boiling water and cook per package directions.

5. Add 1/2 cup of wine and allow to cook down for approximately a minute. Then add tomato sauce, stirring to combine, and cream.

6. Chop parsley and basil and add to sauce to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Remove shrimp tails and chop shrimp into tiny, bite-size pieces. Return to sauce and stir to combine.

8. When pasta is cooked, drain, and then add to sauce, tossing to cover. (Or, if you're like me, add the sauce to the pasta pot because you don't have a big enough fry pan.) Serve!

Pasta Almost alla Marlboro Man

As I've probably said a billion times so far during this pregnancy, I could eat pasta every single night. As it is, I try to "limit" to no more than 3 or 4 times a week.

When I saw this recipe for Pasta alla Marlboro Man on The Pioneer Woman Cooks (anyone else dying to know what his name is?), I thought it had to be better. Sure, it was pasta, but the dude's a cowboy. A ranch guy. An outdoors, rugged manly man. So a skimpy pasta dish wouldn't do crap for him. There had to be tons of meat. And meat should be good for me and at least kinda sorta balance out the 3lbs of pasta I can pack away in a week.


I did make a couple of minor changes, so check in with Ree at the link above for the official version.


Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 generous teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
• 1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
  
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 pound rigatoni

Heat olive oil in large skillet or pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook a couple of minutes, until starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and stir, cooking 1 minute, making sure not to brown the garlic.

Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of excess fat.

Add salt, pepper, and ground thyme. Stir to combine.

Dump in canned tomatoes with their juice. Stir, reduce heat to low, and cover pot. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

Uncover the pot and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions—don’t overcook! Drain and place individual portions into bowls.

Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan into the sauce. Check and adjust seasonings. Ladle sauce over cooked pasta, sprinkle with more Parmesan, and serve.