July 19, 2010

Heirloom Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Posted by kimlj under Appetizers, Bunco, Italian, Tennis | Tags: , , , , , |
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This recipe is from my girl friend Laura.  She has so many good recipes, which you can find at  www.laurasbestrecipes.com.  There are many many ways to make Bruschetta, but I love the idea of the goat cheese.  I am especially excited to make this since I have the tomatoes and basil fresh from my garden…Yummy

May 30, 2010 1:26 PM   |  
Heirloom Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
This is one of my favorite things in the world.  When I start craving this during the peak of heirloom tomato season… I. must. make. it. now.  Although it’s not exactly a traditional method – I don’t care. There are a million variations of this including roasting tomatoes, adding garlic or a host of other ingredients.  But this is my favorite.  It is wonderful as a light lunch, an appetizer or a mid-day snack. I’ll give you the basic idea without exact ingredient amounts.  You can tailor quantities depending upon how much you feel like making. Plan to make a lot…. it’s good! 
Ingredients:
  • Fresh sourdough bakery baguette, sliced 1/2 -3/4 inch
  • Pats of butter (plan on 1 pat per slice)
  • 1-2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes (core, remove seeds and chop)
  • 1 bunch, fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced into ribbons (chiffonade)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Good quality goat cheese (I used Haystack Mountain from Boulder)
  • Sea Salt
  • Freshly cracked pepper
Method:
Melt butter in a pan and lightly toast both sides of the sourdough bread until golden brown (like you would with grilled cheese) You want the bread to have a light, buttery crunch without getting burned or too toasted. The inside should still be soft. Set aside.
Chop tomatoes.  Try and remove seeds and lightly pat tomatoes to remove excess water.  Add lots of basil “ribbons” to the tomato (as much as you desire.)  Add salt and pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil. Gently blend together. Continue to lightly blot with towels to remove any remaining tomato liquid. You don’t want them to be too runny on the bread.
Take toasted bread and lightly spread olive oil on surface, then a layer of goat cheese.  Top with tomato mixture. Salt and pepper lightly. Serve immediately. Bite into it open-faced and have a napkin nearby for all that tomato juice!
 

July 18, 2010

Baked Potato Salad

Posted by kimlj under Bunco, Comfort foods, Salad, Side Dishes, Tennis | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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Baked Potato Salad

Just a twist on a favorite salad. I love the Baked potato flavor.
6 medium potatoes, about 2 pounds
3/4 cups of sour cream
3/4 cup of mayonnaise
8 slices of bacon cooked crispy
1/2 cup red onion chopped
1/2 cup celery
1/4 to 1/2 cup sharp shredded cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Heat oven to 425°
Spray potatoes with vegetable oil and prick them with a fork. About 6 times each.. Bake for 60 minutes. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, bacon, onion, celery, salt and pepper. refrigerate above mixture. Cool potatoes completely and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Mix withe the sour cream mixture. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight. Garnish shredded cheese

 

July 12, 2010

Jeanne’s Plum Sauce Chicken

Posted by kimlj under Asian, Bunco, Chicken, Grilling, Tennis | Tags: , , , , |
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Jeanne's Plum Sauce Chicken

This is so good I am sure you will make it a weekly favorite. Simple, easy and delicious.

Marinate 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast tenders overnight in
1 Tablespoon Sesame oil
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon chopped ginger
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
Marinate over night

Make plum sauce:
1 cup plum jam
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon chopped ginger
3 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup honey

After marinating chicken overnight, BBQ chicken until golden brown. Do not over cook.
Place Chicken in a 9×13 glass dish cover with plum sauce and bake at 325 for 20 minutes.
Serve over rice

 

July 8, 2010

Just an update

Posted by kimlj under Uncategorized
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Wow this summer is going by fast.  Had a dinner party on June 19th, actually it was an appetizer party.  I was going to post every thing I made and then got busy with packing to go on vacation so the post never happened.  Now that I am home (and almost unpacked) I hopefully will find some time to post some really yummy recipes.  Something I made last night was coconut shrimp, but I made it with coconut rum and let me tell you they were delicious.  The plan is to get all of this posted next week

 

June 16, 2010

Avocado Feta Salsa

Posted by kimlj under Appetizers, Bunco, Mexican, Tennis | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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Avocado Feta Salsa

This is one of my most favorite dips.  Incredibly light and refreshing.  Thankyou Rene :)

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 ripe avocados chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 clove of garlic, minced or a teaspoon from a jar

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 package basil tomato feta cheese crumbled

Gently stir all ingredients together.  Cover and chill for 2-6 hours.  Although you may not have to because of the vinegar I still add an avocado seed to the mix before chilling to keep from turning brown.  Serve with tortilla chips

 

June 14, 2010

Black Bean with Corn Salsa

Posted by kimlj under Appetizers, Bunco, Mexican, Side Dishes, Tennis | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Black Beans with Corn

It doesn’t get much easier then this. 

1 can black beans drained 

1/2 can corn with peppers. 

1/4 can Herdez Mexican Salsa. I like mine hot 

1/2 – 1 teaspoon cumin 

Heat through and serve 

You can also serve it as a dip with chips, just don’t heat and add about a 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

 

February 22, 2010

Two Cheese Tomato Tarts

Posted by kimlj under Appetizers, Bunco, Side Dishes, Tennis | Tags: , , , , , |
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Two Cheese Tomato Tart

I have a tomato pie that I posted a few months ago.  I was playing around with the recipe and this is what it morphed into!  I tried Crescent rolls and thought they were to fluffy.  You could always use a pie crust too.

1 package of puff pastry, defrosted

2 -3  Tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions thinly sliced

3 – 4  large cloves of garlic, cut into thin slivers

3 Tablespoons dry white wine

2 teaspoons frsh thyme minced

4-5 Tablespoons fresh grated Parmesean

5-6 shaved pieces of fresh Parmesean

4 ounces of herb goat cheese

1 large tomato cut inot 4 thick slices

4 Tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°

Unfold the puff pastry on lightly floured surface and roll in to an 11 x 11 inch square.  Cut 2 circles from the pastry 6 inch in diamiter each, or just use what ever size saucer you have.  Line sheet pans with parchment paper and place circles on pans.

Heat olive oil in skillet and add onions and garlic.  Saute for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the moisture is gone. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, wine and the thyme cook for about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Score 1/4 inch border around each pastry circle, be careful not to cut all the way through.  Prick pastry inside the score lines with fork and sprinkle a Tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round inside the circle.  Place equal amounts of the onion mixture on top of the Parmesan.  Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese onto each round.  Place a tomato slice in the center brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper and top with shaved Parmesan pieces.

Bake 20 – 25 minutes

Serve warm

 

January 15, 2010

Roasted Chicken in Mole Sauce

Posted by kimlj under Chicken, Mexican | Tags: , , |
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I received this recipe from a recipe exchange and if you like Mole Sauce you are going to love this.   Thank you Sparky.

1 large whole chicken

1 large onion.

Mole Sauce

4 1/2 cups of chicken broth

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

3 Tablespoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

21/2 tablespoons chili powder

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flower

2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (use Hershey Special Dark)

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium low heat.  Add onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon.  Cook until onion is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Mix in chili powder and flour, and stir for about 3 minutes.  Gradually whisk in the chicken broth.  Increase heat to medium high and boil until reduced, about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate, season with salt and pepper if needed/desired.

clean out the cavity of the chicken and place into a 8×10 oven safe dish.  Chop up the onion in large chunks and put into the chicken cavity.  Lift the skin up off the chicken but do not remove the skin, you only want to lift it up.  Pour the mole sauce under the skin and in the cavity and then on top of the chicken – totally cover it up.

Cook for 1 hour at 350°

You will have lots of extra mole sauce.  It will keep in your refrigerator for week, there is nothing perishable in it.  We eat in fajitas, or just pour over shredded chicken and serve with rice and side salad.

 

January 11, 2010

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Posted by kimlj under Bunco, Casseroles, Comfort foods | Tags: , , |
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Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I love when I can make something that I know my kids are going to want seconds!  There are so many variation to this ever simple dish.  I sometimes follow this recipe and sometimes I switch the cheeses around with ones like Guyre or pepper jack.  I also swap the bread crumbs for Panko, a Japanese bread crumb.

1 8 ounce box of elbow macaroni

4 Tablespoons of flour

4 Tablespoons of butter

2 Tablespoons ground mustard

3 cups of milk

1 onion fine dice

1 bay leaf                                                                                      

1 teaspoon paprika

12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar

10 ounces shredded Monterey jack

1 pound bacon cooked and crumbled- optional

Topping

1-2 cups fresh bread crumbs

3 Tablespoons butter

Melt butter and toss bread crumbs till coated.

Cook Macaroni according to package.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Melt butter in skillet and add onion, sauté for about 5 minutes over med high heat.  Whisk in flour and mustard and stir about 5 minutes till lump free.  Add milk, bay leaf and paprika, stirring constantly simmer about 10 – 15 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.  At this point you may add 1 pound of crumbled bacon if desired.  Layer a 9×13 dish with the sauce, macaroni and both cheeses.  Repeat layers ending with the sauce and topping off with the bread crumbs.  Bake for 30 minutes.

 

January 11, 2010

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

Posted by kimlj under Bunco, Chicken, Crock pot/Slow Cooker, Mexican, Soups and Stews, Tennis | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

This is yet another recipe from Tennis.  Incredible easy.  I would say you could do this in a crock pot, but be sure to add the cream during the last hour or it will probably curdle.   Thank you Karen P. it is DELICIOUS  :)

3 Tablespoons of margarine or butter.  I just sprayed the pan heavily with Pam.

4 skinned and boned chicken breast cut into bite size pieces.

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced or 2 Tablespoons of the stuff from the jar.

2 cups of half and half – I used fat-free

2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

2 cans cream style corn

1 can chopped chiles, undrained

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce of choice.  Clearly you can add more depending on your desired heat.

1/4 teaspoon salt – optional

1 teaspoon cumin

2 -3 Tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro.

In a dutch oven melt the butter over medium heat and add chicken, onions and garlic.  Cook about 10 minutes.  Add next 7 ingredients and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.  Stir in cilantro.

I have not tried this in a slow cooker, but if I was I would place the onion in the bottom add chicken and all ingredients except the half and half and cook for 5 hours on low.   Take the chicken out and shred, return to slow cooker and add half and half and cook on low for another hour.

 

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