Tag Archives: cooking

Spice It Up

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I was buying refills for my spices the other day and I started thinking about which ones I can’t live without. I have a list of “must have spices”. They are: Black Pepper, Basil, Garlic, Cinnamon, Oregano ,Parsley, Red Pepper Flakes, Rosemary,Thyme and Mrs. Dash Table Blend.  If I had no other spices in my cabinet these would be fine.  I mix them , I make rubs with them, I use them for so many of my recipes. Of course I have a lot of other spices for baking etc. and don’t get me started on herbs. But these are my must haves.

You may think Mrs. Dash  is an odd one. But, it truly is a great spice mix. You may have noticed there’s no salt on my list. I do not cook with salt ( only if the recipe absolutely can’t be without it). Salt is easily added to the finished dish and is a matter of personal preference for many anyway. We limit our salt intake.

Do you have a  must have  list of spices?

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Meals On Monday Pasta Parmesan

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I often notice that the simplest meals are the best ones. This is one of our favorites. It is an easy “go to” recipe for lunch, a side dish, or in our case, a complete meal with a little crusty bread.

What You Need

8 oz. Pasta (linguini, spaghetti or fettuccini)

1 Clove garlic (minced)

1/4 Cup olive oil

3/4 Cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

1/4 Cup Parsley (finely chopped)

Salt and pepper to taste

Pasta pot

Colander

Nonstick skillet

Before You Start: prepare pasta according to package directions, drain and place in serving bowl

Let’s Make It! Sauté garlic in olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until tender (golden) pour over pasta. Add salt and pepper, cheese and parsley and toss gently to coat.

Serves 2-4

Katie’s Tid Bits* Try adding sautéed shrimp (in garlic olive oil) or chicken to this recipe

I also wanted to share a photo of the lovely hand  painted Italian dish I served our pasta in last night. One of these days I need to write a blog to share all of my wonderful dishes with you. :-)

Do you have a simple “go to” pasta recipe?

 

 

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Meatless Monday Recipe Candy Bar Cake

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Did someone say chocolate?

What You Need

For The Cake

3 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 Cups  chocolate candy bars (finely chopped) Go crazy pick your favorite!

1 Cup butter (softened)

1 1/2 Cups sugar

4 Large eggs (separated)

2 tsp Vanilla extract

1 1/4 Cups milk ( not skim  or fat free)

1/4 tsp Cream of tartar

   For the Frosting

4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)

1/2 cup heavy cream

10 Cup non stick bundt pan

Electric Mixer

2 Large Mixing bowls

Wire cooling rack

Whisk

Small saucepan

 

Before you start: Place the eggs in a bowl on the counter, let them come to room temperature, this will help to create a smooth emulsion and keep your cake springy. Pour your milk into a cup or bowl too and let it sit for a few minutes to take the chill off. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour the bundt pan.

 

Lets Make It! Beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with the electric mixer on medium-high speed,  until light and fluffy ( about 3 minutes) Add the egg yolks one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of milk. Repeat, until you end with the flour mixture. Do not over mix. In the second mixing bowl using dry beaters add the egg whites and cream of tarter and beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Stir in your candy bar bits and 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter. Fold in remaining whites, then spoon the batter into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour (check it at 50 minutes). Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes then unmold cake. Pre Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, pare the frosting by placing chocolate in a bowl.  Pour cream into a saucepan and warm on medium low heat, as soon  as it boils pour over the chocolate. Let it sit in the bowl for about a minute, then whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly. Pour frosting over cake, allowing excess to drip over sides. Yum…..

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Tomatoes and Peppers What To Do

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Before I get started with today’s post.  I wanted to mention the change in the comments section. You all know how much I love your comments.Love them!! I try and reply to them all here at Katherines Corner ( sometimes I fall behind) . But the other day I had over 300 and I was so excited. Until I realized  only 7 were actual comments the rest were spam! So now there is  a little box that you have to mark when you leave a comment. I’m sure you understand.

Okay……As I mentioned in yesterday’s post we have tomatoes..lots and lots of tomatoes.

 

 

 

 

But we also have peppers, yes, lots and lots of peppers.  What to do? Easy Peazy..time to start cooking! I made spaghetti sauce base, marinara, or what I call “spaghetti starter”  It’s the wonderful rich and delicious beginning of my spaghetti or marinara sauce. Before I add more tomato sauce, mushrooms and meat, etc.I start with this.

I start by sautéing onions and  bell peppers in olive oil with a little basil,garlic and oregano. I toss in a bay leaf or two at the end just before adding the tomatoes.

 

 

 

I remove the skin from the tomatoes by cutting out the stems and placing them in boiling water. When they float to the top take them out carefully and remove the skin.

 

 

Then add the tomatoes to the sauteed veggies. Oops,no photo, sorry I forgot, just imagine  those tomatoes in the pot all mixed with the veggies, they look good right? Okay just cook for about 5 minutes.  Let cool, remove bay leaves and spoon into freezer safe containers.

I made a bunch to put in the freezer to use in the cooler months when the sweet taste of garden grown veggies is an absolute treat.

Do you do this? Do you store or can any veggies or fruit for use in the the cooler seasons?

 

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Apple Stuffed Chicken

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Sharing a yummy chicken recipe with you today, easy to prepare and delish. Served using the last of our fresh beans too. I think we may only have one more picking until they’re all gone. Sad face.

 

 

 

 

 

What You Need

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz each)

1 Fuji apple (peeled, cored and diced)

1/2 Cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

2 Tbsp seasoned dried bread crumbs ( I use the Italian style)

11/2 tsp Fresh thyme (chopped)  plus 3 large sprigs

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Fresh ground pepper

¼ Cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp Olive oil

3/4 Cup apple cider

1/2 Cup chicken broth

2 tsp Dijon mustard

12 Wooden toothpicks

Mixing bowl

Pie plate or shallow dish

Cutting board

Large non stick skillet with lid

Cooking thermometer

Aluminum foil

Whisk

Before You Start: Combine salt and pepper in a small bowl  and mix well. Coat wooden toothpick with nonstick cooking spray ( place on a plate until ready to use) and pour flour into pie plate or shallow dish.

Lets Make It! In a  bowl, combine apple, cheese, bread crumbs, chopped thyme, lemon juice and half the salt/pepper mixture. On a cutting board, lightly press each chicken breast flat with one hand; using a sharp knife, carefully cut into the side of the  breast to form a deep horizontal pocket (do not cut through the top, bottom, or backside of breast). Divide the apple mixture into 4 portions and stuff into chicken pockets. With the prepared toothpicks, poke through top and bottom to hold it closed. Sprinkle the remaining salt/pepper mixture over the breasts. Dredge chicken in flour to lightly coat; tap off excess flour. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown 3-5 minutes per side. Pour 1/2 cup of the apple cider and the broth into skillet. Add thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and apple stuffing registers 165º F on a cooking thermometer. Remove thyme sprigs ( and toss out) and chicken to a serving plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Whisk mustard and remaining 1/4 cup cider into skillet, bring to a boil on high heat, let cook for about 3-5 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Serves 4

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