Ravioli

Poor little Cookie Monster has been neglected for far too long!  Here is the recipe I use to make the ravioli.  They're really pretty easy to make, just very time consuming.  While you're doing the work, it's a great idea to just make a bunch and put it in the freezer.  (Make the filling, and put it in the fridge while you're making the dough)  Don't be intimidated by how long the recipe looks, hehe!  

---

Ingredients

Filling

•  1/2 lb. ground beef

•  1 small onion (minced)

•  1 garlic clove (minced)

•  1\4 C minced parsley (If you don't have fresh parsley, I just use a couple tablespoons of the dried stuff :) )

•  2 TB parmesan cheese (I used more than 2 TB...you can play around with how much you want)

•  1\2 tsp salt (You maybe want to add just a tink more...)

•  1 egg

Dough 

•  2 1/4 C flour

•  2 eggs

•  1/4 C water

•  1 TB olive oil

•  1 tsp salt

Marinara sauce 

•  2 TB olive oil

•  1 small onion (chopped finely)

•  1 clove garlic (chopped finely)

•  1 TB sugar

•  2 tsp basil

•  1 tsp salt

•  1 C tomato paste

•   1 C water

 Directions

Dough

In large bowl, stir flour with other ingredients to make a stiff dough.  On well floured surface, knead dough until smooth and not sticky (about 20 times).  Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 mins.  Cut dough into 4 pieces.  On floured surface, roll 1 piece into approx. a 12x8 rectangle (If you can get it to actually roll into a rectangle - congrats! :) ).  Lightly mark into dough 24 2 inch squares.  Place about a tsp of meat filling into middle of square.  Roll a second piece of dough into a same size rectangle, and carefully place on top of other dough and the filling.  Press down around the lumps of filling and the edges.  Cut into 24 ravioli and place in a single layer on a dry tea towel to dry.  Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling, and let rest for 30 mins.  In saucepan, heat 6 qts. of water and 2 tsp of salt to boiling - then add a tink of olive oil.  Gently add ravioli and carefully stir.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until tender but firm (Approx. 5-10 mins).  Drain, and add sauce.

Sauce

Over medium heat in hot oil, cook onion and garlic until tender.  Stir in sugar, basil, salt, tomato paste and water.  Heat to boiling while stirring.  Reduce to low heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 mins to blend flavors, stirring occasionally.  Pour over ravioli, and eat - ready to handle all the "Oohs", "Ahhs", and elaborate compliments that come your way.

:)

Enjoy, and make sure to leave a comment if you tried the recipe!

___ 

(Pictures courtesy of Julia)

 

Sweet Cinnamon Quick Bread

This is one of my favorite breakfast breads!  It's really quick and easy to make, and it's so good!

---------------

Bread                                       

• 2 cups flour                       
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (Since we don't have buttermilk here, I just use one cup of regular milk, and add one capfull of white vingear)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs

Streusel

• 2 TB  sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp butter, softened

Directions
-----------

• Heat oven to 350˚F.  
• Grease and flour bottom of 9x5 loaf pan (just using cooking spray or greasing it alone doesn't cut it, trust me...it needs greased and floured).  
• Combine all bread ingredients well, and pour batter into pan.  
• Combine streusel ingredients, and siwrl to marble.  
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  
• Remove from pan and cool. 

  



Enjoy!  
Tell me if you tried the recipe!  :)

 

Southern Gal biscuits

These are the best biscuits ever.  Next time you want to make biscuits (or just want to try making biscuits period), give this recipe a try!  You'll be glad you did.

----

Ingredients

4 cups sifted flour

8 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp salt

4 TB sugar

...

1 cup shortening

2 eggs, unbeaten

1 1\3 cup milk

Directions

Sift dry ingredients into bowl.  Blend in shortening until  it looks like corn meal.  Pour in milk slowly, and mix with fork or wooden spoon.  Add eggs.  Stir to a stiff dough.  Roll out to 1\2" thick.  Cut with cookie cutter or drop with cookie dipper.  Bake at 400*F for 10-15 minutes.

Yield: Makes (?) of the best biscuits you've ever tasted.


.................................
There you have it!  Make sure and tell me if you tried and liked the recipe. :)

Lemon-Mint Chicken

I tried this recipe a while back, and I really liked it!  It's a different kind of "flavor genre" than we usually eat, but it was a very nice change.  It had a nice tang to it, and the lemon and mint flavors went together well.  I just used bottled lemon juice, and some mint sauce because we didn't have any fresh lemons or mint.  I didn't have any watercress either {not that I even know what that is anyway...}.

__________________________________

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 2  lemons
• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 2 tablespoon(s) fresh mint, chopped
•  salt and coarsely ground black pepper                                        
• 1 bag(s) (4 ounces) baby watercress

Directions

1. Heat ridged grill pan over medium-high heat (or prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat). 
2. Pound chicken to uniform 1/4-inch thickness if necessary.
3. From lemons, grate 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice. In large bowl, whisk lemon peel and juice, oil, 2 tablespoons mint, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until dressing is blended.
4. Reserve 1/4 cup dressing. In large bowl, toss chicken cutlets with remaining dressing. Place chicken in grill pan and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until juices run clear when breast is pierced with tip of knife, turning over once.
5. To serve, toss watercress with reserved dressing and top with chicken. Sprinkle with additional chopped mint for garnish.

Crusted pork chops with apples and onions

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter                                                         
• 1/4 cup(s) vegetable oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground pepper
• 2  Rome apples, each cored and sliced into 8 wedges
• 2 tablespoon(s) coriander seed, crushed
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
• 2 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoon(s) honey
• 4  (6- to 8-ounce) boneless pork chopa

Directions

1.  Caramelize the onions: Melt 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent and continue cooking until onions are browned. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and set aside.

2.  Sauté the apples: Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook until lightly browned on one side. Turn the wedges over and continue to cook until browned. Remove from heat and keep warm.

3.  Cook the pork chops: Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine the coriander, cumin, mustard, honey, and remaining salt and pepper in a small bowl. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Spread the spice mixture over the pork chops and place them in the hot pan. Sear pork chops for 2 minutes on each side and transfer to oven. Continue to cook in the oven until done--5 to 7 more minutes. Serve with Sautéed Apples and Caramelized Onions.
_______________________________________________________________________________


I made these the other day, and they were really good.  I wasn't so sure how the mustard\coriander mixture would taste, but it worked!  They take longer to cook than 5-7 minutes though, but it's not going to be a long time.


-Enjoy! :)

Tada!

Tada... I decided to do a recipe blog!  One, because it doesn't take any work to do it, two, I liked the idea, and three, it'll be really nice when I want to post recipes, but don't want to clutter up my other blog with them.

So I'll give it a go!  Hopefully you all can try some of them, and don't forget to leave a comment if you tried one!