Fettuccine Alfredo

 

I needed a fairly quick dinner with little prep so I turned to my Food Nanny Cookbook and decided on this yummy Fettuccine recipe. It did not disappoint. I was able to utilize the Spinach from my Bountiful Basket this week. Dinner was on the table in 25 minutes!!

 

Fettuccine Alfredo

 (Printable Version)

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup butter

3 oz. cream cheese

1 pint heavy cream

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and Ground Pepper

1 pound uncooked fettuccine

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Mix in the cream cheese. Stir in the cream and garlic powder. Increase the heat and bring to boil. Decrease the heat and simmer stirring often,while you cook the pasta. 

2. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, drain.

3. Stir the Parmesan Cheese into the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Toss the sauce and pasta in a large bowl and serve immediately.

Variations:

For Chicken Alfredo stir-fry bite size chunks of chicken in 1 Tablespoon olive oil until cooked and add to the sauce.

If you are a seafood lover toss the sauce with medium cooked shrimp or chunks of crab.

If you want to add Spinach like I did in  the photo above Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan and add 3 cloves of crushed garlic and 1 lb of fresh spinach  and 1/4 chicken broth..heat until wilted. Toss with the pasta and sauce.

 

Spicy Shredded Pork

 

We love Mexican food and Sweet Pork Salad is one of our favorite meals.This pork has a great flavor and  works well with all the components of a "Cafe Rio" style meal. It is not as sweet as the Sweet Pork Recipe I have posted before but it is equally yummy . This one works well in the crock pot too.

  Spicy Shredded Pork from the Pioneer Woman

(Printable Version)

Ingredients

• 4 pounds (up To 7 Pounds) Pork Shoulder
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Salt
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Salt
• Pepper To Taste
• 3 cloves (to 4 Cloves) Garlic
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) White Wine Vinegar
• ¼ cups Brown Sugar
• 1 whole Onion
• Lime Wedges

Preparation Instructions

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder.

To begin, just throw the dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and brown sugar into a food processor or blender.

Cut one onion into quarters and put it in the food processor with the spices. Blend mixture until totally combined and then pour it over the pork shoulder.

Now rub it into ethe meat, tucking it under folds an in crevices.

Then place the pork into a roasting pan or Dutch oven and add a couple of cups of water. Cover tightly and roast pork at 300º for several hours, turning once every hour.

When it is fork tender, crank up the heat, remove the lid, and roast it, skin side up for another 15 to 20 minutes to get the skin crispy. When it’s done, let it rest for 15 minutes before shredding.

Shred the pork shoulder (two forks work well). When it’s all shredded be sure to pour the juices all over the meat.

Serve with warm tortillas, lime wedges, sour cream, pico de gallo

Honey Garlic Chicken

We made this great chicken with a basic fried rice and the family really enjoyed it. Living in Middleton we are limited on take out options and are trying a few new Chinese Food recipes on the menu. This was really easy and came together in minutes.

HONEY GLAZED CHICKEN

(Printable Version)

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10  boneless skinless Chicken Thighs

SAUCE:

1 c. honey
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
Salt and pepper

Place chicken pieces in glass baking dish. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Prepare sauce by mixing together honey, soy sauce, ketchup and garlic.Pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until crispy brown. Serve with white rice or fried rice. Preparation time about 15 minutes.

Cinnamon Pull apart bread

 

When I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats I knew I would be making it immediately ( okay it was 12 hours later).The kids are off on Spring Break and enjoyed this for Breakfast this morning. It is a great breakfast/brunch bread. Tastes alot like a cinnamon roll. You could drizzle icing but we thought it was perfect just they way it was. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

(Printable Version)

Yield: one 9 x 5" loaf

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

¼ cup granulated sugar

2¼ tsp. instant yeast

½ tsp. salt

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

¼ cup water

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

For the filling:

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp.  nutmeg

Directions:

To make the dough, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat just until the butter is melted.  Set aside and let cool briefly, until the mixture registers 115-125˚ F on an instant-read thermometer.  Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla and eggs to the mixer bowl.  Mix on low speed until a cohesive dough forms.  Continue to knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky.  Knead about 3-5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.  (After the dough has doubled, it can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.  Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before proceeding.)

While the dough rises, add the butter to a small saucepan and melt until browned.  Set aside.  Combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl and mix well.  

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate.  Roll into a ball, cover with a clean towel and let rest for 5 minutes.  Roll the dough out into an approximately 12 x 20-inch rectangle.  Brush the dough with the browned butter.  Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer.  (Yes, really, use all of it.)  

Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.  Slice the dough vertically into 6 even strips.  Stack the strips on top of each other and again cut again into 6 equal slices.  Stack all the squares on top of each other and set into the prepared loaf pan.  Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, 30-45 minutes.  

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Transfer the loaf to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.  (If the top seems to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil at the end of baking.)  Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan 20-30 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen and carefully turn the loaf out, transferring to a serving plate.  Serve warm.  

Frosted Marshmallow Brownies

Marshmallow Chocolatey Goodness...Enough Said :0)

Frosted Marshmallow Bars from Baking Blonde

(Printable Version)
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBS baking cocoa
3-4 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly grease a 9×13 pan with PAM
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla beat until fluffy.
In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa. Stir to combine. Add the flour mixture to creamed mixture. spread in greased 9×13 pan.
Bake for 17-20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with marshmallows, return to oven 2-3 minutes, or just until marshmallows are soft.
Remove from oven. Using a knife dipped in water spread the metled marshmallows evenly over bars.

Frosting
3/4 stick butter
6 TBS Milk
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup mini marshmallows or 4-6 large marshmallows
1/2 cup Chocolate chips (maybe up to 3/4 cup depending how chocolatey you want it)

Combine ingredients (except marshmallows and chocolate chips) in medium saucepan and melt over medium low heat. Stir constantly until combined. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.
Add marshmallows and chocolate chips
Stir until marshmallows and chips are melted.
Remove from heat. Allow to cool and thicken slightly (can set in sink of cold water to speed up process). Pour and spread over marshmallows on bars.
Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

The Best Buttercream Frosting

 

I have made soooo many cupcakes the last few weeks 16 dozen to be exact ... that is 192 cupcakes but who's counting right. This is by far my very favorite frosting. It is creamy and smooth and easy to work with. Try it the next time you need forsting. You will never use a canned frosting again ;)

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

(Printable Version)

from melskitchencafe.com

*Makes about 4 cups of frosting

½ cup (1 stick, 8 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

16 ounces powdered sugar (about 3 ½ cups)

¼ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until it is light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar gradually and mix in fully after each addition. Cream at low speed until well blended and creamy. Pour in the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is light and fluffy.

For a chocolate butter cream you can add 4 oz of melted chocolate or 1/2 C. of cocoa. 

Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cake

I finally mad a Red Velvet  Cake....I was always afraid of the amount of food coloring used. I saw this recipe on Bakerella and decided it was time. I am going to make red velvet cupcakes next. This is a very moist cake with a yummy cream cheese icing.

 

Red Velvet Cake

(printable version)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 oz. red food coloring

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans.
• Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with whisk until blended. Set aside.
• Place all the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together really good with another wire whisk.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined.
• Pour into cake pans and then drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• After about ten minutes, remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack. I also cover in plastic wrap while the cakes cool.
• Then make the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups confectioners’ sugar

• Sift sugar and set aside.
• Beat cream cheese and butter on high until creamy. Add vanilla.
• Then, add the sugar in batches. Scrape down the sides in between each addition.
• And frost away.