Forget dinner tonight’s about pie!

Apple – Raspberry Pie

1 refrigerated pie crust

5 cups (3 large) sliced apples

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup corn starch

1 teaspoon grated orange peel (no white)

1 cup (6oz container) raspberries

1 tablespoon of cold butter cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

This recipe was in my local grocery store flier.

Preheat over to 400 degrees.  Using a 9 inch glass pie pan prepare pie crust as directed on box.

- In a large bowl place sliced apples, sugar, corn starch and orange peel, toss to coat apples.  Put 1/2 apple mixture in pie crust top with raspberries and remaining apples.  Top with second crust , seal edges and flute.

- Lightly brush with water and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Cut several slits into pie crust to release steam. I like to cover the edges with foil to prevent burning.  (remove foil the last 10 minutes if edges are not brown)

- Bake in center of over for 45 to 50 minutes, let pie cool at least one hour before digging in great with vanilla ice cream.

Chicken Marsala – Simply Delicious!

Really, so simple and simply delicious.

Sweet Marsala and mushroom sauce topped over a herbed chicken breast.

1/4 cup of all  purpose flour for coating chicken breast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning

4 skinless boneless chicken breast pounded to about 1/4 inch thick

6 Tablespoons of light Olive Oil

1 cup of sliced mushrooms (I like to use baby Portabello mushrooms)

1/2 chopped onion

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

1 cup of Marsala Wine

1/2 cup of chicken stock

1 Tablespoon of chopped Italian flat parsley

Combine flour, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and coat chicken breast.

In a large skillet (you will need a lid) medium heat, add olive oil and brown coated chicken breast. Turn over chicken breast and add mushrooms, onions, garlic, wine and chicken stock. Cover skillet and simmer chicken 10 – 12 minutes, turning once, cook until no longer pink and juices are clear. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Bread Pudding with Butter Rum Sauce

4 Tablespoons melted butter, cooled

1 Tablespoon butter (for greasing 9×13 baking dish)

8 cups dried 1 inch bread cubes (I like to use French or Italian)

4 cups of milk (for a less lighter version 2 cups milk 2 cups heavy cream)

6 large eggs

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

5 Tablespoons of liqueur (I use Myers Rum)

3/4 cup of chopped walnuts (toasted work best)

1/2 cup golden raisins

Lightly grease 9X13 baking dish with 1 Tablespoon of butter.

Combine the milk, eggs, melted butter, sugars, vanilla, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon and liqueur in a medium mixing bowl whisk together.

Place cubed bread in a large mixing bowl add milk mixture. Stir and let sit for 30 minutes or until bread is soft and has absorbed most of the liquid.

Pour mixture into prepared dish and bake in a 350 degree oven of 45 to 50 minutes top should be golden brown and center firm.

Butter Rum Sauce

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

2 lightly beaten egg yolks

1/3 to 1/2 cup rum to taste (I like using Meyers Dark Rum)

In a heavy combine all ingredients except the rum cook over medium low heat constantly whisking until sauce thickens. Remove from heat immediately. DO NOT boil. Add rum, stir, allow to cool but serve warm over bread pudding.

Serve with whipped cream with or without whipped cream this is always a big hit.

Wendy’s Birthday Dinner

Wendy is a member of a  group of us that get’s together every Wednesday to play Dominoes.  It just so happened that her birthday fell on our Domino night and I wanted to make a special dinner.  (Wendy is also the author of Henri and Friends.)

-The Menu-

Crab Cake topped on a bed of Season Greens

Black Bean Succotash

Garlic Shrimp

Fresh Tomato Focaccia Bread

Warm Rice Pudding – Requested by Birthday Girl

Black Bean Succotash

1 16oz can of Black Beans (drained & rinsed)

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/2 small chopped sweet onion

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

2 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra (optional)

2 Romana tomatoes diced

1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro or parsley

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

Juice from one lime.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly saute onions, okra, sweet peppers and corn in olive oil and season add black beans and with salt and pepper.  Let cool add juice from one lime. Best made a day ahead.

Garlic Shrimp

An easy recipe for shrimp scampi, made with shrimp, garlic, butter, and a little white wine and lemon juice.

• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 16 to 24)
• 1/4 cup  butter
• 4 tablespoons minced garlic
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper, to taste

Peel and devein shrimp and set aside.   Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned. Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving.

Bananas with Rum Sauce

• 4 bananas, peeled and sliced  
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

In a skillet melt 3 tablespoons butter add brown sugar and rum (I used Meyers Rum) reduce slightly add bananas, nuts, cinnamon and vanilla heat until bananas start to soften but do not over cook, last add 1 tablespoon of  COLD butter.  Serve warm over vanilla ice cream or pound cake topped with whipped cream.

Quick and easy last minute dessert.

Mixed Berry Biscuit Cobbler

In a hurry for a quick dessert?

4 to 5 cups of fresh or frozen fruit

1 1/2 cups of sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 can (12 oz) Pilsbury Golden Layers

refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

4 Tablespoons sugar

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Heat oven to 400 degress.  In a saucepan add cut up fruit 1 1/2 cups sugar and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat until mixtures boils and thickens.

Pour into 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Separate dough into 8 biscuits, cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll each quarter in to the remaining 4 Tablespoons of sugar and place on top of thicken berry mixture.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Let cool but serve warm, topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

Barley Vegetable Stuffed Mushrooms

Craig and I have been trying to eat healthier.  After a visit to EarthFare (health food store) and coming home with some unprocessed barley I came up with this recipe.  If you do not have barley you can used cooked rice.

4 – Large Portabello Mushroom caps cleaned

Saute in 2 tablespoons of olive oil -  1/2 chopped onion, 1/2 chopped bell pepper and one minced toe of garlic.

Add vegetables – 3 cups total. I used corn, peas, carrots and chopped mushrooms continue to saute until vegetables are tender.

Add:

3 chopped green onions chopped

2 tablespoons of chopped  Italian Flat Leaf Parsley

Add one cup of cooked barley or cooked rice.

Season with salt and pepper.

Let filling cool then add one beaten egg and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese or grated cheese blend.

Now pile it on top of your cleaned Portabello Mushroom caps. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with Marinara Sauce and grated cheese and bake another 10 minutes. Great served with salad and crusty Italian bread.

If you are looking for organic healthy recipes check out EarthFares website.

Caution Naked Chicken

Beer Can Chicken

If you have not done a beer can chicken before here is a great video on YouTube.

I think it’s one of the best ways to do a chicken on a grill.. always moist, never dry.

All time Basic Barbecue Rub good for chicken or pork.

1/2 cup course salt               

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup paprika

3 Tablespoons black pepper

1 Tablespoon garlic

1 Tablespoon onion flakes

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

Looking to grill some ribs this summer use this basic rub recipe on your ribs.

Simple Hummus – Tasty Tuesday

I love chickpeas/ garbanzo beans on salads in wraps and especially made into hummus.

This is a very easy recipe and can be kicked up if you like.

16 oz. of drained chickpeas or black beans

2 Tbsp. of Tahini or Peanut Butter

1 large clove of chopped garlic

Juice from one lemon

1 teaspoon of salt

Add a little heat with either pepper, jalapenos or red pepper

Optional additions can be curry, cumin, parsley or cilantro

In blender or food processer add beans, Tahini, garlic, lemon juice,  and salt blend then season with seasoning of your choice.

Hummus is great made into a veggie wrap, served on a hot pita or with your favorite chip.

Black Bean and Mango Salsa – Tasty Tuesday

This is so easy and great with just about anything you can top your grilled chicken breast, fish, pork chops or eat it with tortilla chips.  I served it over  crab cakes  and the recipe can be found here on my blog.

 

• 1 cup cooked black beans (drained and rinsed)
• juice from one lime
• 2 cups diced fresh fruit (mango, pineapple, and/or cantaloupe
• 1/4 finely chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped red and/or green red peppers
• 2 Tablespoons cilantro or flat leave parsley
• Chipotle Pepper Sauce (I use about 1 teaspoon +/- for you liking)

          Mix and refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.

 

 

Easy way to dice a mango,  slice along side the seed, just off center.

 

 

 

          Score mango into a dice pattern.