Baked Orzo with Eggplant and Mozzarella

Can I just say that Deb Perelman from Smitten Kitchen is a genius and this recipe is a  prime example of her talents.  This rustic dish full of flavor and I'm always looking for ways to sneak in eggplant into meals.  My husband says he detests it but seems to eat this.  This can be served as a main dish for a hearty side for grilled steaks, chicken, etc.

 
1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 celery stalk, in a 1/4-inch dice
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, rinsed
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 to 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest or more to taste, up to the zest of a whole lemon
4 ounces mozzarella, firmer is better here, cut into 1/3-inch dice
1 1/2 ounces parmesan, grated
1 can diced tomatoes, drained

Sprinkle eggplant generously with salt and let it drain in a colander for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rinse it well and pat it dry on towels.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil and once the oil is shimmering, add the eggplant. Fry for 8 minutes, stirring pieces occasionally. Transfer fried eggplant to paper towels to drain. Add celery and carrots to remaining oil and cook for 3 minutes before adding onion and garlic. Cook together for 5 more minutes on medium heat. Stir in the orzo and tomato paste and cook for two minutes more. Off the heat, add the oregano, mozzarella, parmesan, tomatoes, fried eggplant, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon table salt, many grinds of black pepper and the stock and mix well.

Transfer mixture to an 8×11-inch (about 2 quarts) ovenproof baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then bake 20 minutes without the foil.

Recipe and pic from Smitten Kitchen

Avalanche Bars

Warning, if you make these you may be compelled to eat the whole pan.  Seriously, you've been warned because these are just so darn good. 

1 (12 oz) bag white chocolate chips or white chocolate melts
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips


Lightly grease 8x8" baking dish. Set aside.
In large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips for 1 minute. After 1 minute, stir, then microwave in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring between intervals, until completely melted. Once melted, add the peanut butter and stir well to combine. Add the Rice Krispies and then let cool for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, add the marshmallows and chocolate chips and stir to combine. Press the mixture into the prepared pan and let cool completely before cutting. You can put into the refrigerator for about an hour which helps in cutting clean squares.   

Recipe all over Pinterest

Mexican Hot Corn Dip

Since the Superbowl is right around the corner, I thought about this wonderful dip to help me pass the time since I generally have no idea which teams are on the field and really only look forward to the snacks and time with friends or family.  This is one bowl of sinful cheesy dippy delight and so have lots of corn chips and cold beer ready and may the best team win.

 

• 2 11-oz can Mexican corn, drained
• 2 small cans chopped green chiles, drained
• 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 8 ounces)
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Corn chips, for dipping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9- 13- by 2-inch casserole dish.

In a medium bowl, mix the corn, chiles, cheeses and mayonnaise until fully combined. Spread the mixture in the prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, until bubbly around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve the dip warm from the oven with corn chips.

Chicken Tequila Burgers with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise

The temps have been hovering in the single digits for days and quite frankly, I'm just plain sick of winter.  I know I'm not alone when I say that I am now yearning for sun, sand and even mosquito bites would be a welcomed diversion from boots, icy driveways and shivering commutes to work.  So imagine my surprise to stumble across this recipe that made me feel like a we had a bite of summer for dinner.  Let's face it - anything with tequila makes me happy.  These were a huge hit with the family but be warned that they have a slight kick so you may want to reduce the jalapeno if you don't like any heat.  The cilantro lime mayo is also delish so be sure to take the extra time to make it as well.

1 pound ground chicken breast
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 chopped garlic cloves
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 seeded and chopped jalapeño pepper
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) or 1/4 cup uncooked regular or quick-cooking oats
 2 tablespoons tequila
1 teaspoon lime zest
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

Sliced bell peppers
Sliced onions
5 hamburger buns

Cilantro Lime Mayo:
3/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon (or a little less) salt and dash of white pepper


Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat.  We used an indoor grill. 

Pulse ground chicken, cilantro, garlic, chives and jalapeño pepper in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until combined. Add panko or oats, tequila, lime zest, salt, pepper, and soy sauce; pulse until combined. Shape into 5 patties.

Grill, covered with grill lid, 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165°; remove from grill. Keep warm. Grill sliced bell peppers and onions until slightly charred and tender.  An indoor grill grill works great too!

Serve burgers, bell peppers, and onions on buns with Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise.

Pic and recipe slightly adapted from from Southern Living, October 2012

Salsa Verde Chicken with Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings

Happy Holidays!  Today I'm celebrating that we've survived the madness of shopping, cooking, wrapping, decorating and the like.  I love this time right before the new year begins.  The house is a wreck and we're making our to-do lists for next year but we get to sleep in, stay in our jammies until noon and generally recoup in front of a cozy fire while watching the snow fall.  And a big bowl of this is also not a bad thing!  Nice riff on the standard chicken and dumplings and with a few basics, we had this ready in no time with minimal effort. 

For chicken:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 jar (16 ounces) salsa verde (2 cups)
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk (or 2/3 cup fat-free half and half)
1 rottiserie chicken cooked & deboned with meat chopped or at least 3-4 cups chicken

For the dumplings
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 – 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, if desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large oven-proof skillet. Cast iron is great too!  Whisk in the flour to make a paste. Add broth, salsa verde, and evaporated milk (or half and half) and whisk vigorously until thick and bubbly. Stir in chicken and turn heat to low to keep warm.


Dumplings:  Meanwhile, heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until warm but not boiling. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, scallions and cilantro in a separate bowl with a fork. Pour in milk mixture and stir to form a dough. Drop spoonfuls of dough into the skillet with chicken mixture.

Transfer skillet to oven and bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, until dumplings are cooked through, and the edges are crisp and golden brown.

Note: This meal can be made 2 days ahead up to the point of making the dumplings. Reheat it before topping and baking. If you want to double the recipe, use a large heavy roasting pan set over two burners.



Recipe and pic from Pam Anderson's Perfect One-Dish Dinners

Mustard Maple Chicken

This chicken has a wide fan base already but I'm posting it because if I ever misplace this recipe, I'd be shunned from the family.  It's that good.  I don't know why.  My daughter debated licking the pan.  On the web you'll find this under "Man-Pleasing Chicken" but who are they kidding?  This is pure people pleasing magically goodness. 

Chicken thighs- 2 packages (about 12 thighs)
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup real maple syrup
2 Tbls. rice wine vinegar
Couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Mix together dijon mustard, maple syrup and rice wine vinegar. Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the mustard mixture over them, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated.  Bake for 40 minutes. Halfway through baste the chicken with the sauce.  Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Then sprinkle with fresh rosemary.

Crockpot Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Our crockpot has been getting a lot of love lately.  Maybe it's the hours at the office, sport practices, Christmas shopping or just plain exhaustion when we get home but in terms of my favorite things - it's a close second to my iPad.  This is a bowl of comfort and was a HUGE hit at our house. 

4 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package of Rice-a-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice
1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups half and half  - fat-free works just fine
1 cup grated carrots or pre-shredded from the store


Combine broth, water, carrots, celery, chicken and rice (along with seasoning packet) in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. Take out chicken and shred with two forks and then add back into slow cooker. In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, and flour. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour mixture by tablespoon to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Stir cream mixture into slow cooker and then let cook on low for 15 more minutes.

Recipe from 360daysofcrockpot