Recipes

Bacon, Pineapple and Boursin Puff Pastry Bites

Ingredients
1 package puff pastry, thawed
12 ounces center cut bacon, cut into small pieces
2 eggs
1 container (5-7 ounces) Garlic and Herb Boursin
1 can (14 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained
¹⁄₂ teaspoon curry powder
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 ¹⁄₂ cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 400*F. 

2. Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Drain well. 

3. Whisk eggs in medium bowl.  Add Boursin, pineapple, bacon, curry, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine. 

4. Cut each pastry sheet into 12 squares and arrange each square in a cup of a regular size muffin tin.  (You will need two muffin tins for this, or to bake two batches.) 

5. Evenly distribute egg mixture into puff pastry cups and top each with a sprinkle of Monterey Jack cheese. 

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and cheese is melted. 

Comments
This recipe is from Perfecting the Pairing and it was one that I selected for Appetizer Day – New Year’s Eve.  We all loved these and leftovers did not last long at all.  I heated the leftovers in the toaster oven to try to get some of the crispness back and that worked okay, but these are definitely best right out of the oven.

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

Ingredients
1 large head broccoli, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
¹⁄₂ teaspoon kosher salt
¹⁄₂ teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¹⁄₄ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 425*F. 

2. Place broccoli on rimmed baking sheet.  Toss with garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until broccoli is tender. 

3. Toss broccoli with lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon olive oil before serving. 

Comments
This recipe is from Center Cut Cook.  It’s not that much different from the other roasted broccoli (recipes I’ve posted, but it was still yummy.  I guess there are some things I just keep coming back to! 

Shown here with Mom’s Chicken and Parsley Rice.

Parsley Rice

Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¹⁄₂ cups milk
¹⁄₂ cup olive oil
1 onion, finely minced
¹⁄₂ teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup parsley, chopped
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
4 cups cooked rice (I used a mixture of brown, wild, and white rice.)  

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 350*F. 

2. Combine all ingredients in large bowl then transfer to a greased 9 by 13-inch baking dish.  Bake 1 hour or until edges are crisp and eggs are cooked through. 

Comments
This recipe is from Natasha’s Kitchen.  I thought it was a tasty dish but it was a bit.. boring?  Maybe too eggy?  I’m not sure.  I’d like to try it again, but maybe with a few changes.  I’m just not sure yet what I’d change. 

Shown here with Mom’s Chicken and Roasted Garlic Parmesan Broccoli.

Ranch Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite size pieces
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 green onions, minced
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 375*F. 

2. Mix oil with ranch dressing mix and pepper.  Toss potatoes with seasoned oil.  Season potatoes with salt if necessary, depending on how salty your ranch mix is. 

3. Spread potatoes on baking sheet and roast 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown, but not completely tender. 

4. Meanwhile, mix sour cream with green onions. 

5. Remove potatoes from oven and mix with sour cream mixture.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over potatoes and bake 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and Parmesan is slightly crunchy. 

Comments
This is another recipe from Kayotic Kitchen.  It’s a pretty simple recipe for roasted potatoes and the results are great.  Quite a nice twist on regular roasted potatoes! 

Shown here with Baked Cod with Crispy Herb Topping.

Spaghetti Gangnam Style

Ingredients
2 pounds pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 handfuls baby carrots, half carrots diced, half sliced in thin strips
1 onion, diced
2 medium leeks, cut into half moons
2 bunches green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 ¹⁄₂ cups milk
²⁄₃ cup tomato paste
¹⁄₃-²⁄₃ cup Sunchang Gochujang
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1-3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Sesame oil

Instructions
1.  Cook pasta as directed by package instructions and drain. 

2. Heat oil in large skillet and sauté mushrooms until browned.  Add diced carrots, white onion, leeks, and white parts of green onions.  Sauté until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. 

3. Add ¹⁄₂ cup chicken broth and stir.  Add ground meats, 1 cup of broth, season with salt and pepper, and cook 8 to 10 more minutes or until meats are cooked through. 

4. Stir in milk and cook until half of liquid has evaporated.  Add tomato paste, gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, and remaining chicken broth.  Continue cooking until sauce starts to thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Adjust seasoning to taste. 

5. Remove skillet from heat and add jalapenos and remaining carrots.  Garnish with sesame seeds, green parts of green onions, a drizzle of sesame oil, and serve over cooked pasta. 

Comments
This recipe is from Sushi Bytes and it was excellent!  Leftovers were devoured in short course.  The sauce was nicely spicy and we all enjoyed it.  This is definitely a nice spin on traditional spaghetti sauce.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 cup enchilada sauce
¹⁄₂ cup sour cream
1 pound pasta
1 cup monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped

Instructions
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add chicken to skillet and cook until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

2. Bring large pot of water to boil and cook pasta as instructed by packaging.  Drain well. 

3. Combine pasta, sauce, sour cream, and chicken mixture in pot or skillet.  Cook over low heat until heated through.  Top with shredded cheese and green onions. 

Comments
This recipe is from Budget Bytes.  A while back I started using Rick Bayless’s taco sauce when I made tacos and then I picked up a pouch of enchilada sauce.  I knew I didn’t want to make enchiladas, but I had been keeping my eyes open for something to use the sauce for.  This recipe caught my eye and it turned out great!  We all enjoyed it quite a bit!

Tilapia Coconut Curry

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
2-4 red chilies, finely chopped
2 cans coconut milk
2 teaspoons turmeric
4 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons fish sauce
6 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (4 to 6 ounces each) tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. 

2. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, and red chilies.  Saute 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. 
Spray a frying pan over a medium high heat with some Frylight or Pam spray.

3. Stir tomato paste and turmeric into skillet to evenly coat then slowly pour in coconut milk, stirring until combined.  Add in fish sauce, salt and pepper, then bring to a low boil. 

4. Place tilapia in sauce, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tilapia is cooked through.  Top with cilantro before serving. 

Comments
This recipe is from Slimming Eats.  It’s the first time I’ve made curry with fish and it was delicious.  We might have fought over the leftovers, I’m glad I doubled the original recipe to make four servings!

Smoked Salmon Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Ingredients
1 pound pasta
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 pounds asparagus, cut into bit size pieces
²⁄₃ cup shallots, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
Juice from 1 lemon
Zest from 1 lemon
2 cups cream or half and half
12 to 14 ounces smoked salmon, cut into pieces

Instructions
1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta as instructed by packaging.  Drain well. 

2. Heat butter and oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Once butter has melted, add asparagus and shallots and cook until asparagus is starting to get tender.  Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Stir in lemon zest and juice then pour in cream and mix well.  Cook until heated through. 

3. Add salmon and continue cooking until salmon is heated through.  Toss with pasta then taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. 

Comments
This recipe is from The Missing Lokness.  I love smoked salmon and this was a great way to use some up.  I enjoyed the way the flavor of the salmon permeated the rest of the dish.  Leftovers were quite tasty as well.

Baked Cod with Crispy Herbed Topping

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ranch seasoning
¹⁄₄ teaspoon dried rosemary
4 (4 to 6 ounces each) pieces cod
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons panko
¹⁄₂ teaspoon kosher salt
¹⁄₂ cup fresh parsley, minced
1-2 fresh thyme leaves, minced

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 400*F. 

2. Mix 3 tablespoons oil with ranch seasoning and rosemary.  Brush marinade over fish pieces and place in baking dish. 

3. Heat remaining oil in large skillet and sauté shallot for 2 minutes.  Add garlic and tomatoes and sauté 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spoon tomato mixture over cod. 

4. Mix panko with kosher salt, parsley, and thyme.  Divide panko mixture over fish pieces and press gently to adhere.  Drizzle with a little oil. 

5. Bake fish for 15 to 20 minutes until topping is nicely browned and fish is cooked through and flakey. 

Comments
This recipe is from Kayotic Kitchen.  I love her (recipes!  This cod was lovely and flavorful, the tomatoes were a nice burst of brightness alongside the fish. 

Shown here with Ranch Roasted Potatoes.

Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients
For the filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
¹⁄₂ medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon chili powder
¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground cumin
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
4-5 fresh sage leaves
1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, liquid included

For the sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 ¹⁄₂ cups beef broth
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin

For the assembly
12 corn tortillas
2 cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded

Instructions
1. To make filling: Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and 1 clove minced garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Break up chunks of meat as they cook.  Add flour, chili powder, cumin, salt, and half the sage.  Stir to combine.  Add stewed tomatoes and stir again.  Reduce heat to low and keep warm. 

2. To make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Once butter has melted, add remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in flour until garlic is coated.  Add beef broth and continue stirring until smooth.  Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and remaining sage.  Turn heat to high and cook until boiling, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens a little.  Remove from heat. 

3. Heat oven to 350*F. 

4. Pour 1 ¹⁄₂ cup of sauce into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and spread evenly with spoon. 

5. Place tortillas on microwave-safe plate and cover with damp paper towel.  Microwave for 30 seconds or until pliable.  Scoop 3-4 tablespoons of beef mixture into the center of each tortilla, sprinkle with some shredded cheese, and roll tightly.  Place in baking dish, seam side down.  Repeat for remaining enchiladas. 

6. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and cover with foil.  Bake 30 minutes.  Uncover, top with remaining shredded cheese, and bake another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving. 

Comments
This recipe is from Koko Cooks.  The picture I took is horrible because enchiladas always fall apart on me – sorry.  Art absolutely loved these and, the best part, is that I now know how easy it is to make homemade enchilada sauce!  These were really scrumptious but a single recipe didn’t yield any leftovers for the three of us.  Next time, this must be doubled.