Blue Cheese Dressing

There are very few bottled salad dressings that I like, so I prefer to make my own! We eat a lot of salads, so I am always looking for new and different ways to make salad, to shake it up a bit!

I made a salad last night with chopped iceberg lettuce, REAL bacon bits, french fried onions and this dressing...so good! This would also make a great dip for buffalo wings, veggies, etc! You won't believe how easy it is!

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
1 cup blue cheese crumbles (less if you don't want it chunky)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

HOW EASY IS THAT?????

Creamy One-Pot Pasta

This is another Pampered Chef recipe. I made it at a lot of my shows and it always got rave reviews. It is very versatile, so you can add and take out whatever you don't like. As always, I have modified this recipe to my preferences! The recipe makes 6-8 servings.

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves, pressed

1 jar (7 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, undrained

3 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth

1 lb uncooked penne pasta

2 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen)

2 medium carrots, julienned OR 2 handfuls of matchstix carrots

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Grated fresh Parmesan cheese

dried basil leaves (optional)

Steps:

1. Pour 1 Tbsp of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes into an 8-qt stock pot. Add garlic. Cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until garlic is golden brown, stirring occassionally.

2. Remove from heat; add broth. Return to burner; increase heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Add pasta; cover and simmer vigorously 8-10 minutes or until pasta is almost cooked but still firm, stirring occassionally.

3. While pasta is cooking, put broccoli and carrots in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. This starts the cooking process so that they vegetables are not crunchy. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes; pat dry and add to bowl with cooked broccoli and carrots. Here's a picture of the carrots and tomatoes that I buy. If you don't buy julienne cut tomatoes, you will need to slice them into thin strips.

4. Cut cream cheese into cubes. Add vegetables, cream cheese, salt and pepper to pasta. If you want a little spice, throw in some cayenne pepper, too! Stir until cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated.

5. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Top with Parmesan cheese and basil, if desired.

6. For a heartier version of this recipe, you can add grilled turkey, Italian sausage or sliced grilled chicken breasts to pasta.

Steamed Artichokes

Artichokes are misunderstood...mostly because people don't know what to do with them! They are easy to cook and easy to eat and have TONS of health benefits! Give 'em a try!

Ingredients:

2 whole artichokes (1 per person...if you are feeding more, adjust accordingly!)
water
butter
salt

Steps:

1. I use a stock pot with a steamer insert. Fill the pan with just enough water to cover the bottom. Bring to a full boil over high heat.

2. While water is heating, trim and discard the stems and tough outer leaves of artichokes. Some people also trim the thorns, but it is not necessary. They will soften as the artichoke cooks and pose no threat to the person eating the artichoke.

3. When water is boiling, place steamer insert into pot and set artichokes in steamer, stem-side down. Cover pot with lid and allow artichokes to steam for approximately 20 minutes, until tender. They are tender when a knife is inserted easily into the stem.

How to eat the artichoke:

Pull off petals one at a time and dip into melted butter. Sprinkle a little salt on it, if desired. Place in mouth, fleshy side down and pull through teeth to remove flesh. Discard petal. I usually keep a bowl on the table for petals to be discarded in.

Continue until you get to the fuzzy part, which is called the "choke"...I stop here, but you can scrape out and discard the choke (don't eat it!) and underneath is the "heart", which can be cut into pieces and also dipped into the butter.

Try them and let me know how you like them! Feel free to comment me if you have any questions!

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Don't be afraid...scallops can be a little intimidating, but they are yummy! This meal is TOO EASY to not at least try! This recipe feeds two people, so adjust accordingly!

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon (I prefer Wright's ~ it is thick and doesn't shrink up!)

12 sea scallops

garlic salt, to taste

juice of one large lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cut bacon slices in half and place a scallop on a half of a slice of bacon.

3. Sprinkle scallop with garlic salt.

4. Wrap bacon around the scallop and secure with a toothpick.

5. Repeat with remaining scallops and place on metal cookie sheet.


6. Roll lemon back and forth with your hand a few times. This gets the juices flowing and makes it easier to juice. Cut lemon in half and squeeze both halves over scallops.

7. Bake 15-20 minutes and then turn broiler on until bacon is cooked.

Potstickers

This a Pampered Chef recipe...a little time consuming, but made faster if you get an already cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. I tried to include lots of pictures to help you along the way!

Ingredients:

1 can (8 oz) water chesnuts, drained and finely chopped

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion with tops

1/4 cup grated carrot (I use matchstix carrots)

1 tsp peeled and finely grated fresh gingerroot (*see note on gingerroot below)

10 oz chicken (I use rotisserie, but you can also use canned or get some fresh chicken breasts and boil them)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1/4 c mayo

1 garlic clove, pressed

24 square wonton wrappers (these can be found in the produce section of most supermarkets)

* A few things to know about gingerroot: Here is a picture:

When you purchase it from the grocery store, just break off a small piece...you don't have to purchase the entire root.

To store in the refrigerator, wrap it in a paper towel and put it in a sealed plastic bag. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Gingerroot freezes well. If you have any left over, keep it wrapped in paper towel and in sealed plastic bag and it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Peel it with a vegetable peeler before using.

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Finely chop water chesnuts.

3. Thinly slice green onions (I use kitchen shears).

4. Grate carrot OR use matchstix carrots, like me! About a handful...

5. Finely grate gingerroot...I do this by using a microplane.

6. If using a rotisserie chicken or boiled chicken, finely chop...

7. Combine chicken, water chestnuts, green onions, carrot, gingerroot, soy sauce, egg white, mayo and garlic in a bowl and mix well.

8. To assemble potstickers, place 12 wonton wrappers onto smooth surface.

9. Lightly brush edges of each wonton with water.

10. Scoop filling onto center of each wonton.11. To assemble, fold one point over filling and overlap with the opposite point. Repeat with remaining two points.

12. Place potstickers on pan and repeat with remaining wontons.

13. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges of potstickers are golden brown.

I serve mine with Hot Chinese Mustard, but you may want to try this dipping sauce:

Ingredients:

1/2 c red jalapeno jelly

1/4 c rice vinegar

2 Tbsp soy sauce

Steps:

Place jelly in small, microwaveable bowl and microwave on HIGH 30-40 seconds or until warm; add vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk until well blended.

Meal Plan for Week of 3/1

Ah, back to cooking 4 days a week...a couple of super, duper easy recipes this week! You may be asked to step out of your comfort zone...just trust me...

Monday ~ Potstickers and Fried Rice
Tuesday ~ Bacon Wrapped Scallops and Artichokes
Wednesday ~ Creamy One Pot Pasta
Thursday ~ Cube Steak Sandwich and Creamy Rosemary Potatoes

Breakfast Pizza

I love breakfast, but I rarely (ok, never) get up in the morning and fix it. So, occassionally, I like to fix it for dinner. This is one of those occassions!



Ingredients:


1 lb pork sausage
1 c frozen hash browns (I use Ore-Ida country style)
1 (8 oz) pkg crescent rolls
4 oz freshly grated cheddar cheese (see my note on cheese)
5 eggs
1/4 c milk
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
sour cream (optional)
salsa (optional)


Steps:


1. Brown sausage; drain.


2. Roll out crescent rolls onto a pan with edges. I use Pampered Chef's Medium Bar Pan, which measures 11 1/2" x 7 3/4".


3. Spoon on sausage. Sprinkle on hash browns and cheese.

4. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over sausage mixture.

5. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until eggs are set.

6. Serve with sour cream and/or salsa.