Pasta and cherry tomatoes in a Boursin cream sauce

Recipe;

I halved the below Boursin cheese recipe .

Cook about 3/4 lb. Pasta until au dente. Drain making sure to reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

In a deep saucepan place about 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter.  Add minced garlic.  Sauté slowly until you smell the aroma of the garlic.  Add cherry tomatoes and toss to coat.

Add cheese mixture and cooked pasta.  (Reserve some pasta water to thin cheese mixture if necessary). Add a few dashes of red pepper to top pasta.

Boursin cheese copycat recipe.

• 2 8-ounce bricks of cream cheese, at room temperature so it's softened 
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) salted (or unsalted) butter, at room temperature so it's softened 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves (1 tablespoon) garlic, minced or pressed 
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Take a silicone, rubber or wooden mixing spoon or spatula and mix together, folding it over until well combined with even seasoning distribution. (NOTE: You can also use a hand mixer if that's easier but I find that familiar consistency is best achieved when mixed by hand.)
2. Once done, you can either serve immediately with crackers or in a recipe or store for later. If storing for later, keep the cheese in the large mixing bowl with a lid on top or divide into 4-5 small ramekins for pre-measured portions (each ramekin will be equivalent to about one 5.2-ounce package of Boursin).
3. 
   
4.  Cover with plastic wrap if placing in the fridge where it will last up to a month or the freezer for several months!

Enjoy!

Adapted from Pressure Luck

Fruit Bundt cake

This was my first attempt at making a fruit cake.

It’s delicious but….my pan wasn’t greased and floured enough so 1/2 of the top stuck. Uggh so make sure you grease and flour it heavy.

I thought I was using the right amount of fruit but it appears this particular fruit mix was chopped so fine you can barely see the fruit. Uggh

Please go to bottom of recipe for my notes.

Here’s the recipe:

8 oz. Extra fancy fruit cake mix

1cup Butter softened

2cups granulated sugar

2 tsp. Baking powder

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 1/4 tsp. Salt

4 large eggs

3 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1cup cranberry juice

4 oz. Red glacé cherries

4 oz. glacé cherries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°

Generously Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan.

Combine extra fancy fruit cake mix with 1/2 cup water. Microwave one minute. Set aside.

Beat butter and softened sugar in a stand mixer until smooth.  If you don’t have one use what you have. I’m sure it will come out fine.

Beat baking powder, vanilla extract and salt

Best in eggs one at a time scraping side of bowl. Slowly beat in flour and cranberry juice a little at a time.

Stir in fruit mix and its liquid and the cherries .

Transfer batter to well greased Bundt pan.

Bake 80 to 90 minutes rotating pan half way through baking time.

Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan 15 minutes. Loosen edges and reverse pan onto cooling rack.  Sprinkle with powered sugar once cake is completely cooled.

****Notes

I did some substitutions in this recipe.

I used pineapple juice instead of cranberry.

My fruit and cherry mix were a little under 16 oz.

I cut sugar back to 1 1/2 cups.

I cut salt back to 1 tsp.

 I used a dark Bundt pan so decreased baking time to 80 minutes.  Watch your oven.  Everyone’s is different.

Since I didn’t gave cranberry juice I used pineapple juice so my cake is much lighter in color.

Enjoy!  It’s a very good cake with a nice texture.  I served it tonight with coffee and conversations with a friend.

Ps.  I managed to patch it up so I was able to hide the top that was pieced . 

Cheese tortellini with chicken and broccoli in a red and white sauce

Our Sunday meal today!

Playing with food I had in my freezer.

I’m love using what I have in my freezer to make an easy casserole type meal.

1 quart red sauce

1- 16 to 20oz. Refrigerated cheese tortellini 

1/2 package frozen broccoli florets cooked 

11/2 to 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded or sliced 

1 cup ***Béchamel sauce

Shredded mozzarella or Italian grated for garnish 

Recipe link below for

Bechamel sauce

https://iliketobakeandcook.blogspot.com/2023/11/homemade-bechamel-sauce.html

Bring tortellini to a boil in slightly salted water. Drain saving some water and boil broccoli in same water for a few minutes. Drain.

In a 13” x 9” baking dish place a few spoons of red sauce (about 1/4 cup) or more depending on how much sauce you enjoy.

Place drained tortellini in casserole evenly. Layer chicken and broccoli and top with more sauce and drizzle with Bechamel and some grated cheese or some shredded mozzarella.

Bake 350° uncovered for approximately 30minutes or until cheese has melted.

Serve with a basic salad with Italian dressing 

Delicious !

Cannoli ricotta cake

I decided to be a bit adventurous and topped it with freshly whipped cream.  

****Note:  for the 9” x 13” pan recipe for a thicker layer of ricotta filling DOUBLE the amount of ricotta FILLING.

Home made butter cake topped with fresh ricotta that  I added vanilla, powdered sugar and mini semi sweet morsels.

Note:  I had this last week at a restaurant and we both really enjoyed it so I used my moms butter cake recipe and my cannoli filling recipe to put on top.  I taste tested yumm!

Recipe link below:

Moms Butter cake

I had been to a local restaurant where they served a cake similar to this so I decided to use my moms recipe for butter cake and my ricotta filling to top it.

Note:  you can top with finely chopped colored nuts for the holidays.

I’ll link the recipes below.

Ricotta filling

https://iliketobakeandcook.blogspot.com/2018/12/cannoli-ricotta-or-custard-filled-you.html

 

New recipe Chili w vegetables recipe

Today was a day to play with food.

I added my touch to a recipe I had never used before.

My mother in law when she made chili she would add a can of mixed vegetables to hers.  I never cared for it so when I made chili I would make my version of a recipe I used from the first time I made chili and it involved beef, onion salt and pepper, chili powder and tomato juice.  My original recipe:

https://iliketobakeandcook.blogspot.com/2019/02/basic-chili-con-carne.html

New recipe:
I lb. Ground beef

1 medium onion chopped 

2 carrots chopped or sliced

I tsp. Cumin

1tsp. Chili powder

1tsp. Better than bullion beef seasoning****

1/2 cup water***

I stalk celery chopped 

1tsp. Salt

1large can crushed tomatoes 

1 small red or green or yellow pepper ****

1 can dark kidney beans rinsed and drained 

In a Dutch oven pot place a small amount of vegetable oil.

Place carrot,celery,onion and beef, yellow pepper ,salt and sauté until onion is translucent and beef is browned.

Add tomatoes, Better than bouillon, cumin , chili powder, drained beans and chopped pepper.

Cook on low to medium until it starts to boil.  Cook on low slightly covered for approximately 1hour or more.

Because of the vegetables this recipe will need to be cooked on low until vegetables are tender.

Some fresh bread or crackers to sop up the juice.

Tbis chili is meant to be soupy!

Usually chili is topped with shredded cheese but today I put a dollop of sour cream on mine.  Delicious!!

Enjoy!

Shrimp fried rice my way

Shrimp fried rice my way.

You can easy make this for one or more just increase all ingredients especially vegetable oil and butter.

1 cup minute rice according to directions and set aside as well as 6 extra large shrimp I had defrosted and cut in half.

In a medium saucepan on medium heat adde approximately 4 tablespoons vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons butter.  

When it starts to sizzle I added one chopped scallion, about 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots, dried parsley,  onion powder and garlic powder.

Cover pan allowing peas and carrots to cook a few minutes.  Then  add the cut shrimp making sure to throughly coat all the shrimp with the butter vegetable oil .  I immediately added the cooked rice stirred thoroughly to mix.

Note:  you can add more scallions and if you want add about 1 tablespoon soy sauce for color if you have them.  I only had one scallion  so I added additional onion powder.  It’s the first time I did this my way and it was so good.

It was ready to eat in less than 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

Chicken Asado my way

• This recipe has been adapted using two 

different recipes and methods.

I did this stove top but you can use boneless 

chicken breasts and grill the chicken.

          Note:  I did not use the achiote powder or the cilantro but left it in as it may be something you might have and want to use.

               

                 1lb. Chicken breasts pieces 

                Marinade:

                1/3 cup orange juice (the juice of one orange)

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

                 1 tsp. Coriander 

2 garlic cloves minced

                ****1tsp. Achiote powder optional 

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cumin

****1/4 cup cilantro minced( optional) 

Combine the orange juice, lime juice, vegetable oil, garlic, chili powder, salt, cumin , coriander and cilantro in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. 


Add the chicken to the marinade. Flip several times to make sure that the chicken is completely coated. Cover and marinate for 2 to 24 hours. 


Remove the chicken from the marinade and discarde the excess marinade. 

In a large frying pan place about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.  On medium heat Place seasoned chicken in pan.  With a large spoon stir chicken while cooking as not to stick.  Turn heat to high and keep stirring to brown chicken.  After chicken has browned and no longer pink.   add about 1/4 cup water to pan , stir to incorporate and cover.  

Do not overcook.  

Lemon garlic chicken

My own recipe for your enjoyment.

2 large chicken breast halves

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 sliced lemon

2 tsp. Garlic granules 

1/2 tsp. Dried parsley

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chicken broth 

****Panko crumbs(about 3 tablespoons to sprinkle over chicken while cooking)

In a small bowl place lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and dried parsley. 

Stir to combine.  Add chicken and turn chicken over several times as to coat it.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While chicken is marinating place butter and oil in a deep frying pan.  Once the 30 minutes of marinading is up turn heat to low medium in pan.  It should start to sizzle slightly but not brown. 

Place chicken in pan.  Top with sprinkle of Panko on each side and brown chicken on each side. Remove chicken and set aside.

 The chicken drippings now will be a little brown.  Scrape pan and add chicken broth and stir.  Add cooked chicken.  Top with a slice or two of lemon and cover.  Turn heat to low , COVER and allow liquid to boil slightly. Cook with cover on about 10 to 15 minutes. Place chicken in serving dish and  drizzle drippings over chicken.  Delish!

I served this with Rice R Roni and sour cream cucumbers.  

Mondays vegetable soup

Updated photo Vegetable Soup

10/7/2023

To the original recipe today I added garbanzo beans drained, a handful frozen chopped spinach, a medium size(14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, a handful frozen green beans, dried parsley and acne de Pepe.

Today was an excellent day to make some vegetable soup with what I had in my freezer and pantry.

I’ve been nursing a cold:sinus infection and have had no desire to eat but today I needed something that would taste really good and also get me warmed up!  This Pa weather is so damp and downright cold.

I know it’s only April but some sunshine is definitely needed to get me on the right track.

Using my medium size Dutch oven I knew starting my vegetables in vegetable oil and butter would certainly give it some yummy flavor.  I was right.  The soup turned out spectacular!  I even managed to drink all that broth you see too! Feel good feeling for sure.

Sauté in vegetable oil and butter the following until tender 

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 medium potato chopped 

Add 2 quarts chicken broth ( I use part homemade broth and 1 can Swanson chicken broth but approximately 3 quarts of broth would be perfect.

Cook slowly until broth starts to boil then add 1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup chopped escarole 

1/2 cup Italian flat beans

1/2 cup  barley 

Note:  I had all of these handy in my freezer.  I save as not to waste all my extras.  They do come in handy for times like today…

Simmer until barley is tender but still a little chewy.

Start to finish about one hour or more.  Do not overcook!

Delicious!