Recipes – Page 20 – Parmesan Princess

27
Mar
2014

Simply Super Sugar Cookies!! Sugary Bonus, Sweet Tips And Tricks!!

categories: Desserts, Fun for Kids, Recipes

Ready to pull your hair out when you need to make cutout sugar cookies?? Take a deep breath, I have a never fail recipe and some great tips to ensure cookie success every time!! No tears! And they are delicious!!!

Ever eat a beautifully decorated cookie that tastes like cardboard?? Yup! Make sure your cookies taste amazing!

I am no cookie connoisseur, but I have learned a few tricks along the way that I wish someone would have told me!!!

#1 Always place cutouts on parchment paper lined cookie sheets!
This eliminates scraping cookies off of the sheet, breakage and bottom burning!

#2 Always set a cold cookie sheet on dough while you are working!
If the dough gets warm, it get sticky and sticks to the rolling pin and work surface. Not to mention, the cookies will not rise when baked!

#3 Always switch to the dough hook after creaming butter and sugar. The dough can bend or break your beater arm! It gets way to heavy!

#4 Always let the cookies cool before trying to use icing or decorate!
If the cookies are not completely cool the icing will run and waste your hard work! They will taste good, but look a mess!

Simply Super Sugar Cookies
Makes 3 dozen 2-1/2 inch cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp. milk

1 cup powdered sugar for work area

Directions:

Preheat oven 350
Cream butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Add egg and milk, beat.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt .
Mix on low dry mixture into bowl a little at a time.
Beat until it pulls away from bowl.

Refrigerate dough in 2 balls wrapped in waxed paper for 3-4 hours.
Brush rolling pin and work area with powdered sugar.

When making sugar cookies try using powdered sugar instead of flour for your rolling pin and work area!!

Roll out 6 inch ball into an oval 1/4 inch thick.
Cut with cookie cutters.
Place cutouts 1″ apart on parchment covered cookie sheets.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden!

The difference between a slight golden finish on the left and a crispy overcooked version was. 50 seconds! Watch them closely for the last minutes!! — The difference between a slight golden finish on the left and a crispy overcooked version on the right was 50 seconds! Watch them closely for the last minutes!!

Let them cool 5 minutes on pan and transfer to cooling rack.

Theme cutouts are my favorite! Birthday parties, showers, weddings, celebrations! These are for the church fish fry! Crosses, tulips and daisies!! — Theme cutouts are my favorite! Birthday parties, showers, weddings, celebrations! These are for our church’s Friday fish fry! Crosses, tulips and daisies!!

Decorating is a whole different post for sure! It can be a meticulous process! Making delicious cookies, is definitely the first priority. Use an easy cookie glaze or buy the squeeze bottle Wilton icing as a start!

Ciao!

25
Mar
2014

My Nuni’s Sicilian Empanadas! Broccoli Pies! A Quick And Easy Rosemary Pizza Dough With A Broccoli Filling!!

categories: Dinner, Healthy Living, Homemade Italian, Recipes

My Nuni, maternal Sicilian great-grandmother, made what she called “empanadas” or “broccoli pies”. Since it is impossible to replicate any of her creations, here is my version…For my Nuni!

Sicilian Broccoli Empanadas

Rosemary Pizza Dough:

Ingredients:

2-3/4 cups flour
1 small packet dry yeast
1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp.chopped rosemary or dry flakes
1 cup water
1 tbsp. olive oil
Flour for working surface

Don't like Rosemary? Leave it out! Still a great dough recipe for pizza, Stromboli and calzones! — Don’t like Rosemary? Leave it out! Still a great dough recipe for pizza, Stromboli and calzones!

Directions:
Mix together flour, yeast, sugar, salt and rosemary well with a wooden spoon.
Stir in water a little at a time. Dough begins to form. Work with hands
Add olive oil.
Cover bowl with a dish towel and let sit 3-4 hours.

Broccoli filling:

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves pressed
1-1 lb. bag of broccoli florets
1 small onion chopped finely
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:
Put olive oil in a fry pan on medium heat.
Add pressed garlic then onions and stir for a few mins.
Add thawed broccoli.

Cover with a nice coat of pepper.
Add a few shakes of salt.
Mix all together.
Cover with a lid and stir frequently.

The broccoli will cook down. Chop up big florets with your spoon as you stir. If chopping fresh broccoli, chop small!

Put them together:
Preheat oven 400! With pizza stone inside oven!
Section dough in to 4
Roll out dough on floured surface into 4″x6″ ovals.
If too elasticy let it sit a min.

If your dough won't relax roll it out a little bigger to around 1/8 inch thick. — If your dough won’t relax roll it out a little bigger to around 1/8 inch thick.

Scoop mixture from pan into center of oval.
Add a handful of mozzarella and a shake of Parmesan.
Fold dough over and tuck and pinch all the way around

Pinch dough in a rolling motion to close dough.

Put 2 slits in the top of each.
Brush with a tiny bit of oil.

Don't have a pizza stone?? Get one!!! — Don’t have a pizza stone?? Get one!!!

Bake 25-30 mins until golden brown.

Serve with a nice marinara sauce for dipping!

Ciao!

24
Mar
2014

Panko Ricotta Eggplant Parmesan!! Plus, Learn How To Take The Bitterness Out Of Your Eggplant!!

categories: Dinner, Homemade Italian, Recipes, Shopping

They say the perfect eggplant is “tight-skinned” “fresh” and “young”…Yeah, yeah, yeah sounds like a mom in her 30s worst nightmare!! Well, you will be happy to hear these “types” don’t exist in Western, PA! The eggplants, that is. Ours are slightly older, a little looser, more bitter…

Since we don’t get the ripe, young eggplants, to get the best taste we need to degorge!!

Cut off the ends. Peel off skin. Thinly slice. Sprinkle with salt in a colander for 20 mins. Rinse and pay dry!! — Cut off the ends. Peel off skin. Thinly slice. Sprinkle with salt in a colander for 20 mins. Rinse and pat dry!!

Degorging takes out any bitter taste and really makes the dish delicious!

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, rinsed,peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups tomato sauce
3 cups ricotta
1 tbsp. each thyme rosemary basil
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk

Directions:
Preheat oven 350!
Spoon 1/4 cup sauce in bottom of 9X13 baking dish. Spread around with spatula.
Prepare egg coating by beating with milk.
Dip eggplant rounds in egg and then cover in Panko breadcrumbs. Create a layer of these in the dish.

Use different sized eggplant rounds to cover as much of the pan as possible!

Next add a layer of ricotta topped with mozzarella and Parmesan.

Layer it up! Finish with sauce and cover with mozzarella cheese and parmesan

Follow with a layer of sauce then another layer of eggplant.

Cover with foil.
Bake 45 mins at 350 covered.
Remove the foil and bake another 10-15 mins until cheese is melted and it is bubbling a bit.

Panko browns on the edges! I made a salad and serve a nice ciabatta! — Panko browns on the edges! I made a salad and served a nice ciabatta!

Let it sit for 15 mins before serving!
Always serve with additional freshly grated Parmesan! Enjoy!

Ciao!

22
Mar
2014

Weekend Wonderful! Superfood Chia Blueberry Muffin Recipe!!

categories: Breakfast, Healthy Living, Recipes

Happy Saturday! Spring cleaning today anyone? Start your day including superfood chia in your breakfast and have more energy to accomplish your Saturday To Do list!

One step closer in our quest for health and youth…Try chia!

Chia is tasteless! Add to any baked goods!

Superfood Chia Blueberry Muffins

Makes 24ish

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1-1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup blueberries

Add fresh rinsed blueberries!! Not a blueberry fan? Add chopped strawberries, raspberries, oranges...anything you like! — Add fresh rinsed blueberries!! Not a blueberry fan? Add chopped strawberries, raspberries, oranges…anything you like!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350!
Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray
Cream butter and sugar with mixer.
Add the eggs one at a time beating well.
In a mixing bowl, fold together flour, chia seeds and baking powder.
In another bowl add yogurt, vanilla.
Add each to creamed butter sugar mixture.
Fold in blueberries.
Fill muffin tins 2/3 full with batter.

Muffins are an easy way to pack high nutrition into a portion controlled size! I use a muffin pan for twice baked mashed potatoes, even servings of meatloaf when I entertain!

Bake. 20-25 mins until muffins are lightly browned.
Let cool. Enjoy!

Ciao!

21
Mar
2014

Happy Friday!! Gotta Love Skinnygirl Bethenny Frankel’s Recipes For A Skinny Life! Have You Tried Her Mexican Chili Or Her Cocktails?? It is 5 O’Clock Somewhere, Right?? Salute!

categories: Dinner, Healthy Living, Recipes

Skinnygirl Bethenny Frankel created a healthy way of living with her skinny recipes! From low carb, no carb to superfoods, she has paved the way for reinventing mac’n cheese, burgers and even desserts! It is no wonder she has gone from a Real Housewife of NY and “skinny chef” to having her own liquor line and a daytime talk show with her name “Bethenny!”

Photo courtesy of www.theartfulgourmet.com Kristen Hess! I popped on her site and picked up a quick recipe from Mario Lopez! Avocado, mozzarella, tomato salad on a toothpick! Add a basil leaf. Drizzle with olive oil - salt and pepper! What a great app, Slater!! — Photo courtesy of www.theartfulgourmet.com Kristen Hess! I popped on her site and picked up a quick recipe from Mario Lopez! Avocado, mozzarella, tomato salad on a toothpick! Add a basil leaf. Drizzle with olive oil – salt and pepper!

What a healthy and easy app, Slater!! Thanks!

Whether you have tasted her Skinnygirl cocktails or love her balls to the wall attitude, Bethenny is a real mom with a great product! Who says what she thinks! Love that !!

I am a fan of Skinnygirl margarita! But Bethenny's skinny fried chicken recipe is amazing! — I am a fan of Skinnygirl margarita! I earned my shirt a long time ago when Bethenny’s skinny fried chicken recipe won over my family…amazing!

I want to share some of her favorite skinny recipes…from her book “Naturally Thin”
Try this recipe!

Bethenny’s Mexican Chili

According to Bethenny,

“This is a popular recipe on my Web site. It substitutes ground turkey for the typical ground beef; or you can just skip the turkey if you want a vegetarian version. If beans bug you, you can even leave those out. It will still be good. This chili also tastes great the next day!

Ingredients
1/2 medium onion, chopped
Nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 each red and yellow bell pepper (or half a bell pepper of any color), chopped
1 small can of pureed tomatoes or tomato sauce (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
1/4 pound ground turkey breast
1/4 cup canned red pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Cooking Directions

Over medium-high heat, saute the onion in a nonstick skillet coated in cooking spray until soft. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Stir in the garlic and bell peppers, and cook until the peppers are soft and the garlic is golden but not burned.
Stir in the tomato sauce and the zucchini.
When all the vegetables are soft, add the turkey breast and beans.
Let the chili simmer for at least 10 or 15 minutes. The longer you simmer, the better the flavor.
Serve.”

This chili is awesome!! Plus it’s Friday!! Serve with Skinnygirl margaritas and tortilla chips for the perfect Friday happy hour! It is Lent…leave out the meat, no problem!

Ciao!!

20
Mar
2014

Hearty Healthy Super Easy Crockpot Lentil Soup! Optional Add… Sausage And Potatoes!!

categories: Crockpot, Healthy Living, Recipes, Soup

As our first-week-of-Spring low temps here in Western PA tank back into the 20s and 30s, we need a hearty soup to warm our bones! Again!! Hopefully for the last time! I love this recipe!!! So easy in the crockpot!!

Add your own twist to this soup! Like spicy? Add red pepper flakes and hot sausage! — Add your own twist to this soup! Like spice? Add red pepper flakes and hot sausage!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic pressed
4 carrots chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 tbsp. each Basil, rosemary, thyme
1/2 tbsp. fennel seed
Salt/pepper
1 28oz. can LaValle San Marzano
1 cup dry lentils rinsed
1 32oz.box of low sodium chicken stock

Optional:
1-1/2 lb. kielbasa, sweet or hot sausage link cut into 1 inch chunks.
3 cups chopped red potatoes washed and skinned.
Remember the superfood chia! Add your gel or the seeds right into to the soup!

Directions:

Add olive oil to frying pan on medium heat.
Start with garlic and chopped onions.
Add celery and carrots and let cook 15 minutes.
Season with basil, rosemary, thyme and add fennel seed.

I love to start off a soup with olive oil, garlic and veggies in the frying pan. I season all of it with my spices! The flavors mix and the veggies have an opportunity to soften a bit!

Add contents of frying pan and all other ingredients to the crockpot! Cook for 6 hours on high!

Add lentils dry, but washed with water! Like any other veggie, clean them off dab with a paper towel! They will cook in the crockpot! — Add lentils dry, but washed with water! Not soap!!! Like any other veggie, clean them off dab with a paper towel! They will cook in the crockpot!

Always top off with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, grab a fresh loaf of ciabatta bread and enjoy!

Ciao!

20
Mar
2014

Kids Birthday Party Season! A Look Baaaaaack Brady’s On The Farm 1st Birthday Party!!

categories: Fun for Kids, Party Time, Recipes

My backyard was filled with goats, pigs, sheep, a miniature pony, a puppy, a llama and kittens. My kitchen was filled with chicken fingers, pasta, lasagna, meatballs, potato salad, baked beans, fruit salad, Caesar salad, Mexican dip, various appetizers and desserts. Overboard, you think? The animals?? No way! The food?? Oh Yes!

Barnyard petting zoo! Eighty four , PA — Barnyard petting zoo! Eighty Four, PA! They bring the animals to your house!!!

We bottle fed the babies!!

The On the Farm theme was a blast to plan and so easy using Oriental Trading! I ordered everything from their massive barnyard theme party arsenal! A personalized banner, #1 red balloons, tablecloths, paper products, cups, even a helium tank! The favors were Oriental Trading plastic cow cups and straws and a barn favor box filled with farm animal water squirties, crayons, coloring books and whistles! I still buy odds and ends from Oriental Trading. Lately, I have been finding really cool homemade decorations, favors and invites on Etsy!

So let’s talk food! I used to cook 6-8 dishes for a party this size! Why? Because my mother always had the same full spread- 2 or 3 long folding tables filled with food!!

I have learned to focus on a menu theme and stick with it! Have your menu make sense. Save yourself a ton of work! Here are some fast and easy kids party food menus…

Lunch theme– sandwich rings, 2 cold salads (potato salad and coleslaw) and chips!

Pasta theme– pasta bar, meatballs or sausage, a garden salad and bread with butter

Mexican theme– taco bar, tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole!

Pizza theme– pizzas, salad bar and fruit!

You get the idea!

Changing my party menu mindset has simplified the prep work and lowered my stress levels, leaving me countless additional hours to spend hanging paper tissue balls and front door signs to making theme decorated sugar cookies!! I love it all and wouldn’t trade my kids elaborate, exciting, entertaining, extraordinary parties for anything in the world!

My first try - wow have I come a long way! Fun looking baaaaaack! — My first try – wow have I come a long way! Fun looking baaaaaack!

Coming soon! Mickey Mouse 2nd, Superhero 3rd Easter Egg 4th- Abby Cadabby 1st, Hello Kitty 2nd!

This year…they say they are twins! (2 years and one month apart) They love each other so much and want a joint party! Phew! One party this year! I’m busy planning and can’t wait to share my ideas with you!

Ciao!

19
Mar
2014

Ch Ch Ch Chia!!! Remember When Chia Pets Were All The Rage? Check Out The Hottest New Superfood… Chia Seeds!

categories: Healthy Living, Recipes, Shopping

This Native American seed can be sprinkled on anything! Or make it into a gel and add to soup, salad dressing, smoothies or protein shakes!

Chia seeds are a weight loss dream! One ounce of chia seeds contains 11g of dietary fiber! High in phosphorus, protein and omega 3 fatty oils, they help you feel full!

Need more stamina and energy? When eaten, chia seeds slow the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar giving us more strength and endurance!

Chia can be added to anything! It is a healthy lifestyle choice and I started today by incorporating chia into our breakfast routine!

I sprinkled 3 tbsp chia seed on Greek yogurt with some fresh raspberries!!

Even though the seeds are tasteless…if you don’t want a gritty feel, make a gel and add it to any liquid!

Chia Gel:

Add 1/3 cup of chia seeds to 2 cups of water in an an airtight container. Shake vigorously for 90 seconds. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks!

In a PreventDisease.com article “Are Chia Seeds the Perfect Superfood?” Some benefits of chia are:

Lose weight without starving
Balance blood sugar
Add Omega-3 oil to your diet
Nutrition
Feel more energized
Bake with less fat
Add age-defying antioxidants
Cut food cravings
And many more!!
Hair and skin products containing chia are popping up everyday!! This really is a superfood for the mind, body and soul!

Buy some seeds!
Where can you buy chia seeds? Whole Foods for sure!
I found mine at Pennsylvania Macaroni in Pittsburgh’s Strip District! www.pennmac.com
Another step toward our quest for youth!! Count me in!

Ciao!

I did my research!
Sources:

Mychiaseeds.com
PreventDisease.com
Dr.Oz.com
Living-foods.com
nytimes.com

18
Mar
2014

Superfood Quinoa Crockpot Stuffed Peppers!! Anti-aging Disease Preventing…Yes, Please!!

categories: Crockpot, Dinner, Recipes

The term “superfood” is used by nutritionists, doctors and scientists to describe foods with extremely high nutritional benefits and obvious disease fighting chemical properties. Dr. Oz is pretty convincing in his arguments promoting superfoods for anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, cancer fighting, cancer prevention and the overall health of our bodies’ systems!

Some of Dr. Oz’s favorites:
Sweet potatoes
Kale
Black soy beans
Quinoa
Red wine

In our crazy busy worlds, let’s try to add some superfoods a few times each week. Ever heard of chia?? It can add 10+ years to your life! Look for plenty of chia recipes coming soon!!!! All I need to hear is anti-aging, cancer preventing and red wine and I’m in!!

So Here it is:

Superfood Quinoa Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Be healthy , look younger and feel great!!

Ingredients:
5-6 whole peppers- hollowed out and de-seeded with the tops cut of (see photo)
2tbsp. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic pressed
1 small onion chopped
5 carrots peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
1/3 cup chopped spinach
1 35oz can San Marzano tomatoes
1-1/2 cups quinoa- cooked
2tsp. of Salt/pepper/sage
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

I keep the ‘hats”, the top of the peppers you cut off, for a cute presentation!

Directions:
Cook quinoa according to package -3 cups water cook until tender,quinoa will absorb water

1 cup quinoa 2 cups water -it absorbs the liquid!

Meanwhile,
Add olive oil to frying pan on medium heat and add garlic

Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook 5-10 minutes

Add can of tomatoes.

As soon as carrots start to soften, add tomatoes!

Let it cook another 10 minutes

Add chopped spinach last

In a large mixing bowl, add quinoa to veggies and stir until blended.

Carefully spoon mixture into peppers

Mix well together. Taste - add extra salt, pepper, sage or spice it up with some cayenne pepper! — Mix well together. Taste – add extra salt, pepper, sage or spice it up with some cayenne pepper!

Add 2 cups of water to crockpot.

Set peppers in crockpot

Peppers will hold each other up in the crockpot! Be sure to see how many fit and choose your peppers accordingly! Maybe you need tall peppers instead of fat!

Cook on low for 3-4 hours

**Careful not to overcook the peppers!! You cannot cook them all day in the crockpot or you will end up with Quinoa Stuffed Pepper Soup!!**

Serve with a simple salad.
Always top off with freshly grated parmesan!! Enjoy!

17
Mar
2014

Happy St.Patrick’s Day!! Wow Your Family With A Traditional Irish Meal! Quick and Easy Shepherd’s Pie!!

categories: Dinner, Recipes

Happy St.Patrick’s Day!!

Surprise your family with a Quick and Easy Shepherd’s Pie!

In crockpot:

1lb. Ground beef

1 small onion

2cloves of garlic chopped

4strips bacon chopped

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

Salt and pepper

Let this cook 4-6 hours

30 mins before dinner,

51/2 cups Mashed potatoes (without milk and butter)

2 eggs

Pinch of Salt

Spread mashed potatoes in a greased pie plate bottom and sides.

Layer with the drained beef mixture and then top with more potatoes.

Brush pie with melted butter

Bake at. 375 for 20 mins!

Enjoy!
Ciao!

Category: Recipes