Italian Chicken Burgers

Ingredients:

1 heaping cup panko bread crumbs

1 TB dried Italian seasoning

2 TB finely grated hard Italian cheese, like Parmesan

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 tsp finely ground pepper

1 1/3 lb ground chicken

1 egg

1 TB fresh, finely chopped basil or oregano (optional)

1/2 tsp coarse salt 

1 TB olive oil

4 burger buns, preferably Kaiser or a soft Ciabatta

4 large slices tomato

4 oz low-moisture mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly

1/2 cup arugula

8-12 large basil leaves

Mayonnaise 

Directions:

First, make your seasoned breading. Mix the panko, dried seasoning, grated cheese, salt, and pepper. Set aside on a large plate.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix the chicken, egg, salt, and oregano, if using. Add about 1/4 cup of the bread crumb mixture, mixing gently, and careful not to overwork. Patties should hold together at this point; if you need a little more panko for it to hold it together, add about 1 TB at a time, using no more than an additional 2 TB. Shape it into 4 patties roughly 4" in diameter, and dredge it in the panko mixture, pressing the panko into the chicken patties. You may have some panko left over.

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the patties. Cook until medium golden brown on the bottom, and chicken appears cooked halfway up, about 4-5 minutes. Flip, and continue cooking until the other side is the same color, another 3 minutes or so more. (Now's a good time to put the buns in the toaster.) When bottoms of chicken patties are light golden brown, with about 1 minute to go, add a thin layer of cheese on the top, and let cheese melt.

To serve, spread a little mayo on each side of your kaiser bun. Lay a few pieces of arugula, basil, and tomato slice on the bottom bun. Top with the patty and serve. 

Summer Salad Line-up 2012

  What comes to mind when you think about summertime?  How about the fact that it’s grilling season?  Around my house, grilling & summer food are a big deal.  All the fresh ingredients...ugh…like heaven.  Well anyways, what accompanies grilled food oh so well?  Creamy, delicious, summer salads.  Here is a compilation of the tastiest for your Summer 2012.

Garden Pasta Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing

This one uses fresh garden vegetables and herbs and a super easy lemon dijon dressing to make it the perfect barbeque or picnic accompaniment. This recipe is just a starting point; switch up the vegetables and herbs depending on what's available. Use what you like in whatever combination you like, it's all good. Crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese is also a great addition to this simple salad.

Ingredients:

6 cups cooked cold pasta (rotini and fuscilli work well)

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup sliced red onion

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup kalamata olives

1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs (here I've used mint, basil, oregano and chives)

Lemon Dijon Dressing:

1/2 cup plain mayonnaise

1/4 cup lemon juice (alternatively apple cider vinegar is very good too)

zest of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to season

3 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard

1 tbsp sugar

Directions:

Whisk or shake together and toss with all of the ingredients above. This salad is best when left for a couple of hours or overnight for the flavors to meld.

Roasted Potato Salad

A new take on an old favorite.  This updated potato salad also features artichokes and bell peppers,  all coated in a creamy, blue cheese sour cream dressing. 

Ingredients:

1/2 red onion, chopped

4 cups red potatoes, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 tbs olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

6 oz artichoke hearts, chopped

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup blue cheese salad dressing

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp deli mustard

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425.

Directions:

On a baking sheet, place the red onions, potatoes and pell pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, toss to coat. Roast at 425 for 25-35 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender, tossing every 10-15 minutes while roasting. Allow to cool.

In a bowl, add the remaining ingredients, along with the roasted vegetables and toss to coat. You can serve this either warm or cold, depending on your preference.

Gemelli with Tomatoes, Olives & Ricotta

Light and fresh, and topped with a cool dollop of fresh ricotta. Simply said – it’s just plain good.

Ingredients:

Coarse salt

8 ounces gemelli (or fusilli or penne)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

10 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons capers, rinsed

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

1/3 cup fresh basil, torn

Fresh ricotta cheese, for serving

Directions:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain. Drizzle with just enough oil to coat, so the pasta doesn’t clump.

Pulse sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, capers, and garlic in a food processor. With machine running, add oil in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss together pasta, sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, grape tomatoes, olives, basil, and salt. Transfer to serving plates. Top with a scoop of ricotta, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with pepper.

Creamy Grape Salad

This creamy grape salad is fresh and light, with just the right balance of sweet and tart. 

Ingredients: 

8 ounces cream cheese, softened 

1 cup sour cream 

1/3 cup sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 pounds seedless red grapes 

2 pounds seedless green grapes 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Mix in the sugar and vanilla extract. Stir in the grapes until evenly coated. Mix in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and toasted almonds.

Serve chilled. Top with the remaining brown sugar and almonds.

Creamy Cucumber Salad with Dill

Ingredients: 

4 cucumbers, thinly sliced

2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, or to taste  

1 small white onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp. sour cream whisked with 3 tbs of White Vinegar

1 tsp cracked pepper

Directions:

Toss together the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl. Gently toss in the sour cream mixture, then srir in pepper and dill, cover, and refrigerate until cold. This can also be eaten at room temperature, but be sure to allow the cucumbers to marinate for at least 1 hour. 

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

This take on bacon-wrapped chicken is so juicy!  It's simple to prepare and it's kid approved by my daughter, Ellie! Recipe courtesy of my mom. 

Photo from KitchenScrapbook.com

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 carton (8 oz) whipped cream cheese with onions & chives

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, cubed

salt to taste

6 bacon strips

Directions:

Flatten the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness.  Spread 3 tablespoons cream cheese over each.  Dot with the butter & sprinkle with salt; roll up.  Wrap each with a bacon strip.  Place, seam-side down, in a greased 13 in. x 9in. x 2in. baking pan.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear.  Broil 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Chilly Day Chili

Bet you can't eat just one bowl of this flavorsome sausage and ground beef chili!  This is the amazing chili recipe (courtesy of my mom) I was talking about in the last post.  Scoop into parboiled bell peppers for Chili Stuffed Peppers like Ellie and I enjoyed a few nights ago. Yum!




Ingredients:
1 lb Italian sweet or hot sausage
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz  each) diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 cans chili beans (16 oz each)
1 can beef broth (14.5 oz)
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
shredded cheese (optional)


Directions:
Cook sausage and ground beef until no longer pink.  Drain and place in slow cooker.  Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.  Serve.  Top with shredded cheese, if desired.  Enjoy!

Serve up this delicious lemon and pineapple slime punch on Halloween! Takes only 15 minutes to prepare.  This recipe is brought to you via Pillsbury.  Ellie and I enjoyed these with supper (red bell peppers stuffed with the most amazing chili recipe ever, which I will share with you soon.) Enjoy!

Lemon-Slime Punch

Makes 24 (1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:

¾ cup lemon juice

1 (46-oz.) can (about 6 cups) pineapple juice, chilled

1 pint (2 cups) lime sherbet, softened

2 (20-oz.) bottles (about 4 cups) lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage, chilled

Directions:

In punch bowl, combine lemon juice, pineapple juice and sherbet; stir until sherbet is dissolved.

Just before serving, pour carbonated beverage slowly into pineapple juice mixture.

                 

Halloween Goodies!

Halloween is tomorrow!  What are you going to be?  My four year old daughter, Ellie, is going out as Pocahontas.   She’s so excited.  Unfortunately, we’ll be trudging through a couple inches of snow for Halloween this year. 

I was given this recipe a few days ago.  Ellie had one after dinner last night and she loved it.  It’s not necessarily just a Halloween recipe.  It makes a great fall treat and a delicious ending to Thanksgiving dinner! 

Pumpkin Crunch Parfaits

Makes 6 servings.

 Ingredients:

¾ cup cold milk

1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups whipped topping

1 cup canned pumpkin

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 cup chopped pecans

32 gingersnap cookies, crushed (about 1 ½ cups)

Additional whipped topping

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in the whipped topping, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice.  Fold in pecans.  Spoon half of the mixture into parfait glasses; top with half of the gingersnap crumbs.  Repeat layers.  Top with additional whipped topping. 

                 

Chance to Win Mary Ann Esposito's New Cookbook

Here's a chance to win Mary Ann Esposito's newest cookbook, "Ciao Italia Family Classics."  
All you have to do for your entry is submit a personal Italian recipe of your own by following the link below courtesy of PBS Food. Hurry! Deadline is tomorrow! Winners chosen my Mary Ann herself. Good luck everyone!
http://www.pbs.org/food/features/win-mary-ann-espositos-new-cookbook/








Start A Cake Decorating Business Today!

As you may or may not know, Vermont experienced its first snow of the season yesterday.  (I guess this means I finally have to retire my flip flops for the year! )  When I woke this morning, I was greeted by a bright and sunny day, though the snow still coated the ground and the tops of trees.  So, before my morning walk, I had to dig my gloves, hats, and scarves out of the back of the closet.  By the time I arrived back home, I looked like Rudolph.  I figured, what’s a better way to warm up in this chilly weather than with a toasty bowl of your favorite soup!  Split pea with ham was calling my name! 

Growing up, I can remember running around in the bitter cold with my brother.  When it was time to go inside for supper, mother often had a bowl of steaming split pea ready on the table and my family would sit down for a comforting meal together.  Man, how I miss those days!  Now that I have mother’s recipe, I can go back to the memories every time I make this satisfying soup, and now YOU can, too! 

Check out the recipe below.  Would love to hear what you think of this!  Don’t hesitate to share your own Soup Stories! 

Mom’s Split Pea with Ham Soup

Prep Time: about 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Makes about 8 servings

You will need:

1 package green split peas

1 medium onion, diced

2 cups ham chunks

2 whole carrots, peeled and diced

1 medium potato, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

Directions:

Rinse split peas well.   Remove bad peas or small pebbles that “snuck in” during processing. Put  rinsed peas in a large pot and cover with at least 2-1/2 inches of water. Turn your burner on medium- high heat.  Next, dice up at least half of your medium sized onion and add the onion to the pot. Add some salt to the water, and allow it to cook.

After they’ve cooked for at least an hour, throw in your ham chunks.

While your soup is cooking, dice up remaining vegetables and set aside. When the peas are just about how you like them, toss in the remaining veggies and continue to cook.  Mom’s soup was always thick and chunky.  She allowed it to cook on the stove for at least another hour and a half, if not two hours.

If you prefer, add salt and pepper.  I usually don’t.  It’s so tasty without extra seasoning.  Serve with buttered rolls. 

And there you have it!  Enjoy folks!  I’m enjoying a nice bowl right now!  I’ll be happy to answer any questions if you have them.

The Beginning

Hello & welcome everyone!  I'm Emma.  I've been passionate about cooking since as long as I can remember.  Constantly experimenting with new recipes, I figured I'd start a blog to share my (and my daughter Ellie's) favorite dishes with you!  Here you'll find delicious, mouth-watering cuisine to make and share with your own family!  Every recipe posted is tried and true to ensure your cooking experience is a productive one. Join Ellie & I on our kitchen encounters!