Thursday, January 31, 2013

Mexican Potato Nachos

 

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
  2. Pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a large bowl; toss the potato slices in the oil to coat.
  3. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven until the potato slices are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  5. While potato slices are baking, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat; brown the ground beef in the hot oil, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess grease.
  6. Mix the black beans into the ground beef; stir in the taco seasoning and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.
  7. Arrange the potato slices on a serving platter and sprinkle with half the Cheddar cheese.
  8. Top the potatoes with the meat and bean mixture; sprinkle the remaining cheese on the nachos.
  9. Spread the lettuce out over the nachos and garnish with tomato and dollops of sour cream and guacamole.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Shanghai Spring Rolls With Sweet Chili Sauce

  • 1/2 pound unpeeled fresh shrimp 
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and minced
  • 1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained and minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 2 green onions, diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt 
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 (12-ounce) package spring roll wrappers
  • Vegetable oil
  • Sweet Chili Sauce (see below)
  • Lettuce leaves (optional) 

Preparation

  1. Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired; finely chop.
  2. Stir together shrimp, 1 egg, pork, and next 8 ingredients. Spoon 1 tablespoon mixture in center of each spring roll wrapper. Fold top corner of each wrapper over filling, tucking tip of corner under filling, and fold left and right corners over filling. Lightly brush remaining corner with remaining egg; tightly roll filled end toward remaining corner, and gently press to seal.
  3. Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 2 inches into a medium saucepan, and heat to 350°. Fry spring rolls, a few at a time, 6 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve spring rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce and over lettuce leaves, if desired
SWEET CHILI SAUCE
  • 1 (7-ounce) bottle hot chili sauce with garlic
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chili paste

Preparation

  1. Stir together all ingredients until blended. Chill until ready to serve.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Three Cheese Baked Pasta

 

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, cook ground meat and onion in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until meat is browned. Stir in pasta sauce, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer the ingredients in the prepared baking dish as follows: half of the cooked pasta, all the provolone cheese, all the sour cream, half of the sauce mixture, remaining pasta, mozzarella cheese, and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Seafood Chowder Pot Pie


1
teaspoon salt
2
cups peeled and diced potatoes (2 medium russet potatoes)
4
slices bacon, cut in half
1/3
cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
2
bottles (8 oz each) clam juice
1/4
cup whipping cream
1/2
teaspoon onion salt
1
cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1
cup Green Giant® Niblets® frozen corn, thawed
1
tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1
cup cooked deveined peeled medium shrimp, tail shells removed (about 6 oz)
1
can (6 oz) crabmeat, drained, flaked (about 1 cup)
1
sheet frozen (thawed) puff pastry (from 17.3-oz package)
  • 1In 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 cups water and the salt to boiling over high heat. Add potatoes; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; drain.
  • 2Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 11x7-inch (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
  • 3Meanwhile, in heavy 3-quart saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Remove bacon; crumble and set aside. Using wire whisk, stir flour into bacon drippings. Gradually stir in clam juice, whipping cream and onion salt. Heat until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Stir in potatoes, bacon, peas and carrots, corn and thyme. Cook 3 to 4 minutes longer or until hot. Stir in shrimp and crabmeat. Spoon mixture into baking dish.
  • 4On lightly floured surface, unfold pastry. Roll into 12x8-inch rectangle. With sharp knife, cut slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. Place pastry in baking dish over hot seafood mixture. Roll outer edges of pastry over edges of baking dish, and press onto edges.
  • 5Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Banana Cream Pie In A Bowl


1
cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/4
cup packed brown sugar
1/2
cup firm butter or margarine
1/2
cup peanuts
1
box (4-serving size) banana instant pudding and pie filling mix
2
cups cold milk
3
ripe medium bananas, sliced
1
container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 1Heat oven to 400°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter, using pastry blender, until mixture is crumbly. Stir in peanuts. Press evenly on bottom of ungreased 9-inch square pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until light brown. Stir to break up. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • 2In large bowl, make pudding mix as directed on box, using 2 cups milk. In 2-quart serving bowl, layer half of the crumb mixture, pudding, bananas and whipped topping; repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Top with additional peanuts if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Maple Date Bars

  • 1 3/4 cups finely chopped pitted dates (about 12 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
  • 1 cup regular oats
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • Cooking spray

Preparation

  1. Combine dates, water, and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; cook 12 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. (Mixture will look like jam.) Stir in rind; cool completely.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°.
  3. Beat sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture (mixture will be crumbly). Press 2 cups flour mixture into bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Spread date mixture over flour mixture. Sprinkle with remaining flour mixture. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.