Butternut Squash Ravioli using Won Ton Wrappers

This was an experiment that I've yet to refine...

This ravioli is made with wonton wrappers instead of pasta.

Ingredients:

1 (1 1/2 lb) butternut squash, halved and seeded

1 celery stalk
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
wonton wrapper (square)

1

Preheat the oven to 400°F Brush the olive oil over the cut sides of the squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place, cut-side down, in a glass baking dish. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until soft. Let cool. Scoop the squash out of the skin and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Chop the celery finely.

 2
In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat and add the celery, cooking until softened.  Add the squash, cheese, parsley, cinnamon and stir until just heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3
Place 1 tablespoon filling on a wonton wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water, fold one corner over to the other and seal two sides, pressing any air out of the middle of the ravioli. Fold one corner over, then fold the other corner over on top.  Squeeze gently to make sure corners stick together. Place ravioli on wax paper lined cookie sheet. Repeat until all the filling is used.

(note: I discovered after making these that a good tip is to place the cookie sheet directly into the freezer and allow raviolis to freeze through for ~1-2 hours)

4
In a large pot of salted slowly boiling water, cook the ravioli until they float to the top, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, pull out of water.

5 

Heat up a big skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat and when it was hot, I placed my raviolis into the pan.

6

While the ravioli are cooking, melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. 

You could brown sage leaves in the butter for 3 to 4 minutes or add parmesan cheese.  Pour over the ravioli and serve at once.

Roast Chicken with Green Beans and Artichokes Recipe from O Magazine

I got this recipe from Oprah's magazine and you can find it online HERE

Inspired by English food writer Nigella Lawson's chicken Vesuvio, chef Art Smith created his own variation, throwing spicy chorizo and green beans into the mix along with white wine and broth for a juicier bird.

Roast Chicken with Green Beans and Artichokes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2-pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound fresh pork chorizo or chicken sausage
• 2 cups fresh green beans
• 1 cup frozen artichoke hearts
• 1 lemon, sliced into 1/4-thick rounds
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Preheat oven to 400°. Season chicken with oregano, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper (if using). Place chicken, scallions, and garlic in a large roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil.

Roast until chicken starts to brown, about 30 minutes. Add wine, chicken broth, and sausage to the pan and roast an additional 10 minutes. Flip sausages and add green beans, artichoke hearts, and lemon slices, making sure vegetables are partly submerged.

Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Caribbean Beef Stew

Caribbean Beef Stew

This is a sweet stew made with beef.

recipe adapted from Chris over at Caribbean Pot

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs beef – cubed into 1 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 cloves of garlic – thinly sliced or crushed
2 tablespoon vegetable oil (one that can withstand high heat)
1 medium onion – chopped
1 medium tomato – chopped
2 tablespoon cilantro

1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 hot pepper (only if you like your food spicy)
1 green onion or chive – chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried)
1 lime or lemon or 3 tablespoons of vinegar
1/2 cup mushrooms

2 cups peas

2 sliced carrots

Start by cutting the beef into 1 inch cubes, add lemon or lime or vinegar. With the cubed pieces of beef in a bowl, start to season. Add all the ingredients mentioned above, except the oil, water and sugar. We’ll be using those later on in the dish. Allow the seasoned meat to marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking. For best results, leave to marinate about 2 hrs in the fridge.

In a heavy pot on high heat pour in the oil and allow to get hot, then place the sugar and move it around so it starts to melt, change color and bubble. Remember to use a long handle spoon to prevent getting burn and have the seasoned meat within reach. This step requires good timing. When you see the sugar fully melted and turns to a rich brown color, start putting in the pieces of meat. Remember to stir everything around, so it’s fully coated.

Leave on high heat for about 3 minutes, then turn down the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Allow to cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure all the pieces of beef gets evenly browned. You’ll notice that dish will release natural juices. Now remove the lid and turn the heat back to high med-high. We want to burn-off all the liquid and give the meat the lasting rich brown colour.

In the same bowl we seasoned the beef, add the water and swoosh it around a bit so every bit of remaining seasoning is mixed in with the water. When all the liquid (see pic above) is burnt away from the pot, add the water from the bowl.  Add the veggies.

Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. With the pot covered, allow to cook for about 1 hour or until the beef is really tender. If after the 1 hour of cooking there’s still a lot of water left in the pot, do turn up the heat and allow to burn off. You’re looking for a nice thick gravy.

I served mine over mashed potatoes, but you can also pair it well with any side you usually serve meats with – rice or salads.

Lasagna

This is a basic, back of the box lasagna that can be modified in many ways of your choosing.

Though I usually cook this with meat, today I didn't include it and didn't miss it either.

A good recipe to either make-ahead or double and freeze.  Always goes fast! :)

 

 

Ingredients:

10-12 lasagna noodles
1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (and or cheddar or a mixture of cheeses of your liking)
2 eggs
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can (28 oz.) of diced tomatoes
Italian seasonings to taste (basil, oregano, parsley)

optional:
1 pound sausage and/or ground beef or turkey, cooked and drained
1 package spinach
1 can or fresh chopped mushrooms
1/2 of a red and/or green pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Preheat oven to 350. 
In large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese and eggs (also spinach if using).  Mix well. 

In saucepan, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil, saute onions and garlic.  Add tomatoes and seasonings to taste.  I usually add about a half cup of the pasta water.  Add cooked ground meat if using.

In a greased 15x9 inch baking dish (or two smaller casserole dishes), spread 1 cup sauce.  Layer lasagna noodles over sauce.  Top with a layer of cheese mixture then a layer of sauce.  Repeat. 

(Note:  you could also roll them individually like this

Once the dish is filled, sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.  Cover with foil.  Bake 40 minutes.  Uncover, bake an additional 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  10-12 servings.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole obtained from artistforpeace on redbubble.com

THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKIN ABOUT BABY….This is one of my easy, delicious, go to dishes. It's great for a family night in but it's also a great dish that you can take to a friend. Just have everything in the pan ready to go, and finish cooking it there!

Directions:

1.  Pre-bake or boil chicken breasts, when tender, shred or cube/dice and set aside.
2.  In a saucepan, mix together cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and tomatoes.  Add onions/peppers and seasonings, cook on medium-high until veggies are semi-softened, approx 8 minutes.
3.  Cut tortillas in half.  Spray or grease baking dish (one 9x13 pan or two smaller dishes).  To begin, place tortillas in bottom of pan, overlapping edges.
4.  Layer: tortillas, chicken, 1/2 of liquids, and then 1/2 of the cheese
5.  Repeat.
6.  Bake uncovered @350 degrees for about 1 hour

Tips:

~ Serve with avocado slices, sour cream and jalapenos ala cart for the ’’hotties’’
~ Serve with lemonaid, mojitos, margaritas?
~ This dish is always better the next evening…so save some (hide it!) J Enjoy!

The King Ranch, located in south Texas between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, is one of the world’s largest ranches (85% as large as Rhode Island).  It is the largest ranch in the United States.  The 825,000 acres (3,340 km2; 1,289 sq mi) ranch, founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis, includes portions of six Texas counties, including most of Kleberg County and much of Kenedy County, with portions extending into Brooks, Jim Wells, Nueces, and Willacy counties. The ranch does not consist of one single contiguous plot of land, but rather four large sections called divisions. Only two of the four divisions border each other, and that border is relatively short. The ranch was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961.(wiki)

* 2 cans of cream of chicken soup

* 2 cups chicken broth (1 can)

* 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

* 10 (approx) corn tortillias

* 3-4 large chicken breasts

* 1 large onion ~ chopped

* 1 med. green/red pepper ~ diced small

* Seasonings to taste (salt/pepper, bay leaf, garlic, basil, oregano, chili powder)

* 1 lg. pkg. shredded Mexican cheese (sometimes I use two packages of various cheeses)

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Ingredients: ·        2-3 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, chopped into bite size pieces ·        1 large yellow onion, peeled & sliced ·        1-2 large carrots, peeled & sliced ·        2 celery stalks, chopped ·        4-5 medium red potatoes, chopped ·        1-2 zucchini, sliced ·        1-2 yellow crookneck squash, sliced ·        1 cup frozen corn ·        1 can kidney beans, drained (optional) ·        1 can stewed tomatoes ·        bay leaf/salt/pepper/chili powder to taste

Preparation 

1.   Place chicken, onion, celery, salt and pepper in a 10 quart stock pot.  Fill pot with water until ingredients are fully covered and bring to a boil.  Let simmer for 1/2 hour or until chicken is tender.

2.   Add the rest of ingredients to pot and increase temperature to medium heat.  Be sure to add additional water if ingredients are not fully covered (you can also add a can of chicken stock if you prefer not to use your own seasonings).  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes.

Note:  After cooling, this soup freezes well. 

Superbowl Sunday

For superbowl Sunday I made several things for my honey to snack on while yelling at the players on television.  It was a sad day for us Patriots fans, but at least our bellies were full!  And these little football trays were begging to be used! ;)

I've listed each dish individually here on my blog.  Click on the dish name to go directly to the recipe or just scroll down the blog.  I made:

Deviled Eggs

Potato Salad

Spinach Dip with Pita and French Bread

Eggrolls

Baked Subs

Pulled Beef Sandwiches



See how cute!