Brownies!

You will need:

½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
2 eggs
1 tablespoon rum extract
¾ cup all- purpose flour
¼ tsp baking soda
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
14 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven 350 degrees;

Grease an 8x8 baking pan.

In a medium saucepan combine ½ cup butter, sugar and water. Stir over medium heat just until boiling. Remove from heat.

Add 1 cup chocolate pieces, stir until chocolate is melted.

Stir in eggs and rum extract beating lightly with a spoon just until combined.

Stir in flour and baking soda.

Stir in almonds and walnuts.

Spread batter into prepared baking dish.

Bake about 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

These brownies are rich and decadent and help to make everything seem just a little bit better.

Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Coffee Cake

Adapted from Betty Crocker Fall baking

(With a few changes to make it my own)

You will need:

½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
¾ cup butter milk
1 egg
2 cups all- purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1 cup fresh strawberries(cut up)

Glaze:

½ cup powdered sugar
1 tblsp butter
3 tsps water
¼ tsp almond extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees:

Butter 8x8 inch square baking pan

In medium bowl, beat softened butter, buttermilk, vanilla and egg with a spoon.

Stir in flour, sugar and baking powder until flour is moistened.

Fold in strawberries.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until top is golden or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cake cool.

Mix the glaze ingredients until thin enough to drizzle over warm coffee cake.

This recipe is simple and delicious and does go great with a good cup of coffee!

Enjoy!

p.s. the bull in the picture was a present from my brother this weekend, isn’t he adorable! You will be seeing him more often!

Oven Fried Chicken

You will need:

2 chickens (cut up)

Marinade:

¼ cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar

Coating for chicken:

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup corn flakes
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tblsp dried oregano
1 tblsp dried basil

Place chicken in marinade for 1 hour or as long as over night. The longer the better!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees:

In a food processor combine the corn flakes, bread crumbs and oats and seasonings. Give a few good chops.

In an 8 x 8 baking dish place the buttermilk and in another 8 x 8 baking dish place the bread crumb mixture.

Dip the marinated chicken first in the buttermilk and then in the bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in a baking dish and drizzle a little olive oil over each piece of chicken.

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes.

This dish is so satisfying and so good I hope you will like it as much we all did.

Enjoy!

I'm on Half Hour Meals!

Hello Everyone!

I am so excited to announce that I have been chosen to be the featured community member on HalfHourMeals.com!

Read my interview!

Thank you & Enjoy,
Catherine~

Macaroni with Sautéed Romaine & Cannellini Beans

You will need:

1 box of your favorite macaroni
1 head of Romaine lettuce
1 1lb. 13oz. can of Cannellini Beans (drained & rinsed)
4 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)
1 quart of Baby Bella mushrooms (halved)
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (sliced)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp black pepper
3 tblsps olive oil
Grated Locatelli or Romano Cheese for garnish

In a large frying pan heat the olive oil with the garlic, sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms for a minute or two.

Add the Romaine lettuce on top and cook down just until the Romaine is wilted. Add the Cannellini beans, red pepper flakes and black pepper and toss. Remove pan from heat and set aside while preparing the macaroni.

You do not want to overcook and wilt the Romaine!

Prepare the macaroni as directed and add to the Romaine & Cannellini.

Garnish with a little extra olive oil and grating cheese.

This dish is so fresh and simple. It can be a meal by itself or a welcome side dish.

Enjoy!

Fresh Greek Pizza

You will need:

1 fresh pizza dough (you can get this at your local pizzeria)
2 bunches of fresh baby spinach
3-4 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
8 oz. feta cheese (crumbled)
Romano Cheese for grating over top of pizza
1 tblsp corn meal
olive oil

Preheat oven 375 degrees:

Heat large frying pan with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Saute the spinach and garlic. Saute the spinach just enough to become soft, NOT overcooked.

Sprinkle pizza pan with corn meal and work pizza dough to fit pizza pan, do not make pizza dough too thin!

Spoon the spinach and garlic over pizza dough. Top with feta cheese, red pepper flakes and grated Romano cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

This recipe is so simple and such a tasty addition to any meal or as a meal itself with a nice side salad….Oh so good……

Enjoy!

Apple Cake

You will need:

1 box of Yellow Cake Mix
1 cup flour
¾ cup sour cream
3 eggs
1½ cups milk
1 tsp. rum extract

Apples:

7 apples (peeled and sliced)
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves

Brown Sugar Topping:

½ stick unsalted butter (melted)
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
½ cup all purpose flour
2 tbls nutmeg
2 tbls cinnamon

Preheat oven 350 degrees:

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients for the apples.

In a smaller bowl combine all of the ingredients with the cake mix.

Combine both bowls and place in two 8 x 8 inch greased baking pans.

Prepare the brown sugar topping by combining brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Melt butter and place in bowl with 'brown sugar topping' and crumble over the cake before baking.

Place in oven and bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until the knife test comes clean when inserted in the middle of the cake.

This is a moist, delightful dessert and a great way to use all of the delicious apples in season….

Enjoy!

Oven Baked Marinated Chicken Wings

Adapted recipe from Julia Child’s Kitchen by Julia Child

You will need:

24 chicken wings

Marinade:

Juice of 2 lemons
2 or 3 slices ginger pickled in sweet vinegar (or fresh ginger, shaved thin)
2 tbls. Soy sauce
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
½ tsp. thyme, oregano or Italian seasoning
2-4 cloves of garlic (finely minced)
¼ tsp. cracked peppercorns (or ground black pepper)

Preheat oven 350 degrees:

Cut the end of the chicken wing off.

Combine all of the marinade ingredients and place chicken in marinade for 2 hours or longer in the refrigerator.

Place chicken in baking pan and cover with marinade.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden.

This recipe so fresh and delicious….everyone will sing praises to your chicken wings!Enjoy!

Lemon Bars

Adapted from Time Life Cooking Index Cards

You will need:

2/3 cup & 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup regular rolled oats
7 tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled & cut into small pieces
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. lemon zest
confectioners’ sugar for garnish

Preheat oven 375 degrees:

Grease 8 x 8 inch square baking pan.

In medium bowl, combine flour, confectioners’ sugar and oats. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut butter into 2/3 cup flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, 2 tablespoons flour and baking powder. Mix until smooth. Stir in lemon zest.

Pour topping over crust. Bake until lightly browned and center is set, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into 16 squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This recipe is surprisingly simple and so delicious….and such a treat for all you lemon lovers!

Enjoy!

Grilled Marinated Steak

You will need:

1 3lb. boneless chuck filet

Marinade:

1 cup white wine
4 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
3 tablespoons olive oil

Combine all above ingredients for the marinade.

Place the steak in the marinade and refrigerate anywhere from 1 hour to over night.

Heat griddle and place steak on hot griddle.

Let steak cook fully on one side so that the steak only has to be turned once.

This is a very easy marinade. Please do not underestimate the tastiness of a good chuck filet.

Enjoy!

Peach Cobbler

Adapted from Great American Home Baking Index Cards

You will need:

½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
6 cups fresh peach slices (peeled)
(frozen peach slices thawed)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Topping:

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 tsps. baking powder
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) cold butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven 425 degrees:

Grease 9 inch baking dish.

For the filling:

Mix sugar, flour cinnamon and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the peach slices and lemon juice. Combine well. Pour into the prepared dish and bake until bubbly,
About 15 minutes.

Topping:

Place the flour, ½ cup sugar and baking powder in a medium bowl. Mix well. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until course and crumbs form. Add ½ cup water, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Remove the dish from the oven. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the peach filling. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top of the dough.

Bake until the topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Serve warm or room temperature.

This recipe turned out delightful. I hope you all will be as pleased as the faces at my table were…

Enjoy!

Zucchini Pie

You will need:

3 cups raw zucchini (diced)
4 eggs (beaten)
2 onions (chopped)
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
1 cup bisquick

Preheat oven 350 degrees:

Combine all of the above ingredients and pour into a greased pie pan.

Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until golden.

This is a recipe that I recently found looking through a very old cook book of my mother's. It gives me much comfort to share it with all of you. It comes to you with wonderful memories and love.

Catherine
Enjoy!

Turkey Breast with Basil & Lemon

You will need: 

 3 lb. turkey breast with bone 

½ tsp. paprika 

Marinade: 

 1 cup fresh basil (chopped) 

juice of 1 fresh lemon 

1 tsp. capers 

2 tablespoons honey 

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes 

4 tablespoons olive oil 

 Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients for marinade. 

 Stuff marinade under the skin of the turkey breast. Rub outside of skin with the paprika. 

 Place turkey breast in oven and bake for about 40 -45 minutes. Do not over cook turkey - it will be very dry! Add ½ cup of water to the drippings to make a simple gravy for the turkey. 

 After taking turkey out of oven let sit for about 10 minutes before slicing. 

 This turkey breast will be moist and delicious and will make dinner feel like a holiday!

 Enjoy!

Broccoli Rabe with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Macaroni

You will need:

1 box of your favorite macaroni
1 bunch broccoli rabe
7 cloves fresh garlic (crushed & chopped)
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ cup of sun dried tomatoes (sliced)
Romano cheese for grating

Slice about 2 inches of hard stem off of the broccoli rabe and place in boiling water to blanche for 2 -3 minutes. The broccoli rabe should still be a nice bright green color.

Drain broccoli rabe and rinse with cold water so the cooking process stops.

Cut the broccoli rabe with a cooking scissor into pieces.

In a large frying pan place olive oil and begin to heat, add the garlic and allow the garlic to become a beautiful golden color.

Add the sun dried tomatoes and the red pepper flakes and continue to sauté.

Add the broccoli rabe and continue to sauté on low, tossing frequently so that it does not stay too long on one side.

Do Not allow the broccoli rabe to over cook! The broccoli rabe should remain a nice beautiful green color.

Add the macaroni to the pan with the broccoli rabe and drizzle with a little more olive oil and a few extra red pepper flakes.

Garnish with grated cheese.

This dish is so pleasing to the eye and so delicious and really quite easy to prepare.

Enjoy!

Friday Night Pizza!

You will need:

1 fresh pizza dough (you can get this from you local pizza place)
1 bunch fresh basil
3 cloves garlic (crushed and chopped)
few sprigs fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried oregano)
½ cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup grape tomatoes (halved) or 2 vine ripe tomatoes (sliced)
2 sweet or hot sausage patties (cooked and shredded)
1 tablespoon capers
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon corn meal (sprinkle over pizza pan)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour (to sprinkle on counter and pizza dough)

Preheat oven 375 degrees:

Sprinkle pizza pan with corn meal then gently work pizza dough to fit pizza pan.
Do not overwork the dough or stretch out too thin!

Place on pizza pan and begin topping with – tomatoes, garlic, sausage, basil, oregano, capers, red pepper flakes, mozzarella, Romano cheese and drizzle olive oil over the top.

Place in oven for about 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden.

This is a simple, inexpensive way to begin your weekend with a pizza that tastes gourmet and is quite sure to please!

Enjoy!

(Made simple by Catherine and the crew)