Yummy all-in-one dinner!

Herb Seared Chicken Breast, Warm Zucchini Stew with Angel-Hair Pasta

Yield: four portions

Ingredients:
Part 1-Chicken prep
1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, trimmed of fat
3 Tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes, julienne
3 Tbsp. rosemary, chopped fine
3 Tbsp. garlic, chopped fine
1/2 c. virgin olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 c. virgin olive oil

Part 2-Vegetable prep
1/2 c. pine nuts
1/4 c. garlic, chopped fine
1 c. Spanish onion, sliced thin
1 c. green peppers, sliced thin
1 c. Portobella mushrooms, sliced
2 c. zucchini, diced medium
1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes, julienne
1/2 c. fresh basil, sliced thin
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. angel hair pasta, cooked according to manufacturer’s directions


Part 1-Chicken prep procedure:
Completely combine or puree the herbs, seasonings and oil. Coat the chicken at least 1/2 hour before cooking.

Sear chicken in a sauté pan over medium heat on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and finish cooking until the juices run clear at 350° on a baking sheet.

Part 2-Vegetable prep procedure:
In the same pan you cooked the chicken, over medium heat, add the pine nuts and the garlic and brown them lightly.

Add the onions and green peppers, and cook until they are lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until the mushrooms are soft. Add the zucchini and sun-dried tomatoes, and continue cooking and tossing the vegetables until the zucchini is bright green. Add the basil and water (if you want the vegetables to be saucy) and lower the temperature. Stir the pan to loosen all the browned sugars from the pan.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve the chicken on top of the pasta (tossed with the vegetables) and add additional olive oil, fresh ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese, as desired.

Amazing Turtle Brownies!

I had these at my friend's baby shower and they were the best brownies I have ever had!



Turtle Brownies

Brownies:
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Caramel Topping:
40 Kraft caramels (10 oz), unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups pecan halves, toasted

Ganache Topping:
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 13 inch rectangular baking pan.


Brownies: Melt the chopped chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside while you make the brownie batter.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugars until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and then the melted chocolate mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and, on low speed, beat in the flour and salt.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or just until the brownies are barely firm to the touch. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.

Caramel: Place the unwrapped caramels and cream in a saucepan and melt, over low heat (stirring frequently), until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the toasted pecans (instructions are at the bottom of recipe), making sure all the pecans are coated with caramel. Spread the caramel topping evenly over the still warm brownies and let cool to room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate brownies for about an hour or until the brownies are firm.

Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow tostand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.

Remove the brownies from the refrigerator and, using a fork, drizzle the ganache over the brownies in a zigzag pattern. Cover and refrigerate until the chocolate is set..

Store, covered, in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days, or in the freezer for longer storage.

Note: To toast pecans - Bake in a 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant

Yummy crock pot chili

My friend downstairs had us over for sunday dinner last week and this is what she made. It was awesome. Some of the best chili I've ever had. Enjoy!

Slow-Cooked Chili

1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 lb beef stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp flour
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
16-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
16-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp barbecue sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
Garnishes: sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh chopped parsley, crushed tortilla chips

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown it for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the chili powder and cumin and let the spices heat for 1 minute, stirring all the while. Stir in the flour and let the mixture cook for 1 minute more.

Transfer the meat mixture to a large slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients (except the garnishes) and stir well. Cover the cooker and let the mixture cook for 6 to 8 hours on the low setting, stirring occasionally. If necessary, thin the chili with a little water or beef broth

Awesome salsa

We had our Easter potluck lunch today at the church and my friend brought this amazing salsa. It is very pretty looking too. Thought you might all enjoy the recipe. I know Ben it isn't authentic, but try it anyway:)

FRESH CORN SALSA
1 can whole kernal corn
1 can black beans
1 can black-eyed beans
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
cilantro, chopped (to taste)
1 pkg good seasons italian dressing mix (make it into the dressing using vinegar and oil. follow the directions on the package)

Mix it all together and serve with tortilla chips.

layered salad for dummies, title requested by Jordan

Layer in a bowl the following: (a glass bowl is beautiful to see the layers, but whatever)
-cleaned and chopped lettuce, (any kind) romaine holds up well, and spinach mixed, you can make this whole salad the day before, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. DON'T mix until served!
The lettuce and spinach should fill approx. 2/3rds to not quite 3/4ths of your bowl
-chopped celery. Each layer should be just a thin layer, like just so you cannot see through it to the lettuce.
-sliced water chestnuts (canned)
-chopped green onions (again a thin layer, just enough so you cannot see the layer below.)
-frozen baby peas, always last, with dressing on top of the peas. " " Dressing:
Start with 1 cup mayonnaise and
1 cup sour cream stirred together. (If you use low fat of both, I put about 1-2 TB of milk in it, so it is not too thick. It must be spreadable, but not drippy, like cake mix thickness.)
Spread that on top of your salad. Here is the rule. The same as the rest. It should just cover the layer below it. As soon as it is all white, then it is good. I make more depending on the amount of salad I am making, but always start with that much and if you don't have enough to cover it about 1/4" thick than you don't have enough dressing.

On top of the dressing layer, fresh grated parmesan cheese, about 1/4"
Then sprinkle garlic powder, lawrys seasoned salt, sugar, sesame seeds (optional) and paprika. The spice amount is just until you can see the color across the entire surface, not dark and thick. Some people I give this to, don't put enough. Put about as much spice as you would sprinkle cinnamon on cinnamon toast.
-Cooked, crumbled bacon, 1 lb
-3 eggs hardboiled and diced
-sliced tomatoes, enough to point toward the center around the outside periphery of the bowl.
ok good luck! I have tried to make it foolproof!

Too late for your barbecue salad but yummy

Linguine Salad
1 small pack. linguine cooked, drained, rinsed (or any kind pasta)
1 cucumber chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 large tomato chopped
1 bunch green onions chopped or red onion
1 small bottle italian salad dressing
1/4th c wine vinegar
garlic salt to taste
1/2 bottle small salad supreme seasoning
Mix all above, add salad supreme seasoning to taste.
Can use the same basic recipe above but for a variation salad add:
1/2 lb grated mozzarella
grated carrots
broccoli, chopped
chopped black olives


Pizza Salad
1 lb. curly pasta cooked and drained
3-4 lum tomatoes diced
1 lb. cheddar cheese cubed
1-2 bunches chopped green onions
3 oz. sliced pepperoni, chopped
3/4 c cannola oil or whatever kind you want
2/3 c grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/2 c red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
Combine top 5 items - make dressing - pour over above
add more seasoning to taste
optional add croutons

Help!

I need a good recipe for a pasta salad to take to a BBQ...any good ideas?