Last But Not Least-Penne alla Betsy!

            Now, I don’t know how you have all been feeling about PW week turning into what seems like PW month, but I assure you that this is the last PW recipe coming your way for awhile.  So far, I have been overjoyed at how much I have loved this cookbook.  While I pined away for this and dropped hint after hint to Chris that this (and of course my new camera) were all I wanted for Christmas, I would not have predicted that I would love it THIS much.

            This last recipe I share with you is far and away my personal favorite to date.  The PW shares in the cookbook that this recipe for Penne Alla Betsy is one her sister always makes for her when she comes to visit.  I think of it as the equivalent of Brooke’s chicken and rice dish.  This, like the chicken and rice, is super easy to prepare and is so delicious you actually consider if you could eat it every day for the rest of your life…and really, I think I could!  Well, maybe I could have a special plan where I rotated Penne alla Betsy and Chicken and rice every other day!

            If you have a pasta-tooth like me PLEASE, I beg of you, try this one soon and let me know how much you love it.  I, of course, will be sure to reply with the kindest “I told you so!”

Slainte!

Recipe:

-1 pound penne pasta

-1 pound large shrimp (I bought them peeled, and de-veined)

-2 tablespoons butter

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 small onion, finely chopped

-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

-1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)

-One 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce

-1 cup heavy cream

-milk for thinning

-1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

-6 basil leaves, cut

-Salt

-Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

-Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Cook the penne until al dente, drain and set aside.

-In a small skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

-When the pan is hot, add the shrimp cooking about 2 minutes.  Remove, and allow to cool.

-Next, finally chop the onion.

-In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add the garlic and onion, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

-Pour the wine into the pan (after taking a few sips), stirring and allowing it to evaporate, about 45 seconds.

-Pour in the tomato sauce and stir to combine.  Reduce the heat to low.  Pour in the cream.  Stir well to combine, reduce the heat to simmer.

-Remove the tails from the shrimp, and chop them into medium-sized pieces.  Add them to the sauce, stirring gently to combine.

-Next, add the herbs, followed by the cooked pasta.  Stir to combine and serve! 

Enjoy!

Meatloaf and Banana Bread: A Winning Combination!

            During the school year, when my brother Ethan and his girlfriend, Kaylie, are in town for college, we like to have them over and do different things to spend time with them.  I think that I have mentioned this before, but when I have them over for diner, I know the direct line to Ethan’s heart is by serving anything with beef.  So, it seemed appropriate to finally try out the PW’s recipe for Meatloaf.

            Now, I must admit that I was a little intimidated by this recipe as it is a little more involved than I like at this point.  Because I made it on a Sunday evening, I had plenty of time and didn’t feel rushed in the preparation.  This was also good because it did not bake as quickly as the cookbook said that it would.  But, I must say that the results were so worth the wait!

            As a kid, I hated meatloaf.  Chris reports that he enjoys it quite a bit, so I have been searching for a while to find a recipe that looks like something I would also enjoy.  This was certainly it, as Ethan and Kaylie loved it as well!

            You might think that this success would be a good stopping point for the evening as everyone was so satisfied with the meatloaf, but that evening I randomly had a bunch of bananas I had tragically neglected over the past week.  So, being unsure whether or not I would like the meatloaf, I decided to make some banana bread!

            The amazing thing about this banana bread recipe (taken from the Fridhem Lutheran Church of Funk, NE Cookbook) was that I didn’t even have to go to the store for any of the ingredients!  I had them all at my home, which should really say something about how far I have come.  I knew that I would love the bread, but was shocked how much the others liked it as well.  It turns out Ethan loves banana bread as well!  And the list of things I didn’t know about him grows…

Slainte!

Meatloaf Recipe:

-1 cup milk

-6 bread slices

-2 lbs ground beef

-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-1 teaspoon salt

-1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s

-Freshly ground black pepper

-1/4 to ½ cup minced flat leafed parsley

-4 eggs, beaten

-8 to 12 thin bacon slices

Tomato Gravy Recipe:

-1 ½ cups ketchup

-6 tablespoons brown sugar

-1 teaspoon dry mustard

-Dash or two of hot sauce

Meatloaf Preparation:

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

-Pour the milk over the bread and allow it to soak for several minutes

-Place the ground beef, milk soaked break, Parmesan cheese, salt, seasoned salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl.  Pour in the eggs.

-With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined

-Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat from the meat to drain.  Line the bottom of the broiler pan with foil for easy cleanup!

-Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf

-Next, make the tomato gravy: Pour the ketchup into a small mixing bowl.  Add the brown sugar and dry mustard, and splash in the hot sauce.  Stir the mixture until well combined.

-Pour one-third of the tomato gravy over the top of the meatloaf

-Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the tomato gravy over the loaf.  Bake an additional 15 minutes.

-Serve with the remaining tomato gravy on the side as a dipping sauce

Eyral’s Banana Bread:

Cream together:

-1 Cup Sugar

-1/2 Cup butter

-2 eggs

-3 Tablespoons sour cream

-1 Cup mashed bananas

Add two cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon soda.  Nuts if desired.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Enjoy!

Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich with Potato Bacon Soup

            This next post comes a little too late as it seems as if we are finally moving into some less frigid weather.  However, because this is Nebraska, I am certain (sorry guys) that we aren’t moving into spring quite yet.  So, hang on to this next recipe as you will need it when the whether turns chilly again (hopefully not soon).

            On her famous blog, the Pioneer Woman refers to her husband as Marlboro Man.  This seems to me an accurate description of the handsome rancher she fell in love with.  This next recipe is a sandwich he loves, appropriately titled Marlboro Man’s Favorite Sandwich.  When I showed this to Chris in the cookbook and asked if he would like me to try it, he replied something to the effect of “oh yeah.”  He enjoyed this sandwich so much, as did his friend Devin, who we were hosting that evening for dinner.  In fact, I think the PW could even start calling it “Every Man’s Favorite Sandwich.”

            To make sure the men (well, and myself) got full, I also sought out a recipe for Potato Bacon Soup.  This recipe was very easy to pull together, and the only little snafu was that the cheese didn’t melt as nicely in the broth as I would have liked.  When I make this one again, I may experiment with other cheeses.  So if anyone tries something different please let me know!  Try this one out on the next chilly evening and enjoy the lavish praise that will likely come your way, you deserve it!

Slainte!

Marlboro Man’s Favorite Sandwich Recipe:

-1 large onion

-Butter

-2 or 3 pounds cube steak

-Seasoned salt, preferably Lawry’s

-Lemon pepper

-Black pepper

-Worcestershire sauce

-Tabasco

-4 French or deli rolls

Preparation:

-Slice the onion

-Melt ¼ stick butter in a skillet over medium heat

-Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and light brown, 5 to 7 minutes

-Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside

-Cut the cube steak into 1 inch strips

-Season the meat with the seasoned salt, lemon pepper, and black pepper

-Add two more tablespoons butter to the skillet, add the meat

-Brown the meat, then add the onion, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and an additional 2 tablespoons of butter.  Simmer over low for about 5 minutes.

-Cut each roll in half lengthwise, spread with the butter, and brown on a griddle or skillet.

-Put the meat onto the bread and enjoy!

Link to Potato Bacon Soup:

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/bacon-and-potato-soup/Detail.aspx

Enjoy!

BBQ Jalapeno Poppers

            So unless you live in a cave, you are aware that last Sunday was the Super Bowl, i.e. Mecca of professional football.  If you are like me, and not an intense follower of professional football, you might view the Super Bowl as more of an opportunity to spend time with good friends and over indulge in fare such as chips, dips, and other not so healthy foods.

            This year, our friends hosted a “Souper Bowl” party with a variety of tasty soups.  I thought this was an excellent idea and a good way to try a variety of soups, and warm up as it has been so cold this past week!  I decided to contribute buffalo chicken dip (aka the love of Chris’s life) and BBQ Jalapeno Poppers from the Pioneer Woman as I have been dying to try them out.

            First and foremost, I loved that this recipe was very simple and took minimal effort.  The only thing that was somewhat time consuming, was the preparation of the jalapenos, but I enlisted a certain someone to help me out with that.  Securing the bacon with the toothpicks was somewhat difficult at first, but I became significantly faster towards the end of the poppers.

            These poppers were a hit with many party guests and Chris says that he would like to see them again in the near future if possible.  I will admit that I only tried half a bite of Chris’s, but enjoyed what I tried.  I also just think they are SO pretty!  Next time I will be sure to lay claim to one before they are gone!  One final word to the wise-if I didn’t know there was going to be a plethora of food at the party, I would have seriously wished I had doubled or tripled the recipe.  Try these out for yourselves soon!

Slainte!

Recipe:

-18 fresh jalapenos

-One 8 oz. pkg cream cheese

-1/2 grated cheddar cheese

-1 green onion, sliced

-16 slices thin bacon, cut into halves

-Bottled BBQ sauce

-Toothpicks

-Rubber gloves for working with the jalapenos.  Don’t skimp on this unless you have a death wish for your hands!

Preparation:

-Preheat the oven to 275 degrees

-Begin by cutting the jalapenos in half lengthwise, trying to keep the stems in tact.  WEAR GLOVES WHILE DOING THIS!

-Scrape out the seeds and light colored membranes

-In a bowl or electric mixer (I used the mixer) combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and chopped green onion. 

-Stuff each jalapeno with the cheese mixture.

-Wrap each jalapeno with the bacon, trying to cover as much of the surface as you can without stretching the bacon too tightly (it will contract as it cooks).

-Brush the surface of the bacon with the BBQ sauce.

-Secure the jalapenos with the toothpicks and pop them into the oven for 1 hour, or until the bacon is sizzling.

-Serve hot or at room temperature

Enjoy!

Peach Crisp With Maple Cream Sauce

            This past Friday night, Chris and I invited to dinner one of our friends, who also happens to be one of the priests that co-celebrated our wedding mass.  We also invited the new priest at our parish that we had yet to be formally introduced to.  Inviting people into your home for dinner is such a wonderful way to get to know people, but can also be somewhat stressful if you are a woman who is both a perfectionist and still working out the kinks of meal-mastering.

            Because I am both of these, and have experienced the anxiety of trying a new recipe to be served to guests before, I made a veteran decision to make something I felt that I have previously “mastered.”  So, in an effort to push my boundaries a bit, without the resulting anxiety, I decided to try a new dessert recipe from none other than my friend, the Pioneer Woman.  She never leads me astray.

            Now seeing as how this isn’t technically peach season, this could have been a recipe for disaster.  Instead my friends, I found a recipe that will likely become a McQuillan staple!  It was THAT good.  The peaches really softened during the baking, and the topping was perfect.  I will admit that I was also pretty proud of myself for the homemade drizzle (which was also super yummy!). 

            It is also probably important to note here that I prepared the dessert before I began working on the meal itself.  I would highly recommend doing this, as the drizzle needs a significant amount of time to chill, and you can just put the cobbler in the oven according to when you would like to serve it.  Please try this one for yourselves soon, you won’t be disappointed!

Slainte!

Maple Cream Sauce Recipe:

-1 ½ cups heavy cream

-5 tablespoons pure maple syrup

-3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Peach Crisp Recipe:

-1 cup all purpose flour

-1/2 cup granulated sugar

-1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-dash of nutmeg

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1 stick cold butter

-5 or 6 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches (about 6)

-grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Preparation:

-Begin my making the maple cream sauce.  It needs to chill before serving.  Pour the cream into a heavy saucepan.

-Add the maple syrup and corn syrup.

-Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and reduced by a third, about 20 minutes.  Chill for at least an hour before serving over warm peach crisp.

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Start with crumb mixture.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

-Cut the cold butter into pieces.  Add the butter to the bowl and use a fork or pastry blender to cut into the flour mixture.

-Place the peaches in a bowl, add the lemon zest to the peaches.  Mix in the lemon juice and maple syrup and gently stir the peaches to combine.  Pour the peaches into the baking dish.

-Top with the crumb mixture, evening out the surface with a fork.

-Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 15 minutes.

-Remove the foil, and bake for 30 more minutes (or longer if it appears undone).  It should be a golden brown.

-Scoop into bowls, and drizzle the maple cream sauce over. 

-Then un-button the top button of your pants…

Enjoy!

Chicken Spaghetti

            

            To pick up where I left off as closely as possible, I think it is appropriate to continue with my sharing of all things Pioneer Woman.  Initially, I had proclaimed that  the McQuillan household would observe ‘Pioneer Woman Week.’  I must admit, that I almost daily read through the cookbook as if it is literature one must consume daily in order to survive, and if you were to look at it on my shelf you might think it was growing page markers.  Thus, PW week has now started looking more like PW month.

            I was beyond pumped to prepare her Chicken Spaghetti.  Perhaps because of this over-enthusiasm, I ended up leaving the table feeling a little (scratch that…a lot) disappointed.  Now, because of my everlasting love for the Pioneer Woman, I am willing to admit where I went wrong and take full responsibility for my misstep.  In fact, after fully analyzing the situation, I think that I just couldn’t deal with the crunchy green peppers and onions.  I didn’t chop them as finely as I could have because I (stupidly) assumed that they would cook and soften, but the point in which they were added to the pasta didn’t allow for that. 

            So, would I make this again?  Probably.  Chris loved it, and I wanted so badly to love it that I am willing to give it a second shot.  Of course, if I do, I will be sure to FINELY chop the veggies!

Slainte!

Recipe:

-1 cut up fryer chicken

-1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces

-One 4-ounce jar diced pimientos, drained (I omitted this)

-1 small onion

-1/4 cup FINELY diced green bell pepper

-2 cans cream of mushroom soup

-2 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese

-1 teaspoon seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s)

-Finely ground black pepper to taste

-1/3 to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste

Preparation:

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

-Add the chicken to a stock pot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the eat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 25 minutes.

-Remove two cups of broth from the pot and set aside

-Bring the remaining broth back to a boil and add the spaghetti.  Cook it al dente.

-Drain the spaghetti, discarding the cooking liquid.  Set aside.  With two forks, remove the chicken from the bones.  Shred or cut the meat into bite sized chunks

-Dice all of the vegetables

-Place the cooked spaghetti in a large bowl.  Add the cream of mushroom soup.  Add 2 cups of the cheddar cheese

-Add the veggies and season with the Lawry’s, salt, and pepper.

-Finally, add the chicken and broth.  Stir together well. 

-Pour the mixture into a large baking pan, and top with the remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese.  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until bubbly.

Enjoy!

Sweet Baby Kale

I love this picture I took of him this fall :) 

            I have now been sitting here for 10 minutes trying to decide how to proceed with this post.  This of course, is after I have been thinking about what to say for over a week.  When I look at the date of my previous post, it is difficult to think about all that has transpired since I last updated my blog.  For those of you who know me personally, you know that on January 20, our sweet nephew Kale was called to be with the Lord.  The time that has passed since that sorrowful day has been filled with tears, denial, amazement, and hope. 

            If you did not have the opportunity to keep up-to-date on Abbie’s wonderfully written Caring Bridge site, I will summarize here that Kale was an incredible fighter who touched countless lives during his short life here on Earth.  He made people understand the value of the life we have all been given and the importance of putting our faith and trust in God.

            It occurred to me while thinking of what to say, that this would be my first update post Kale’s passing.  While reflecting on this, I thought of how Kale has impacted me, and that in a lot of ways I could characterize my life in two sections: before I was changed forever by Kale and after I was changed forever by Kale.  My brother-in-law, Greg, wrote a poem that was read at Kale’s memorial service, which likened him to another baby born in a manger whose life literally split time in two.

            Before I knew Kale, I took oh so many things for granted, and had my focus on too many small meaningless things.  After being changed forever by him. I now know that God has taught me to take nothing for granted, live each day to the fullest, and to always be aware the impact that I have on others.

            I am so proud to be the aunt to such an amazing little boy, and thank God all the time for the time that he gave Kale to us.  While I will always wish that we could have kept him longer, I know that God could not have chosen a more perfect, strong, and loved little angel-so I can’t say as though I blame Him for wanting Kale back too soon. 

            I think all the time that Kale is watching over all of us, and that I want nothing more in my life than to make him proud.  While I don’t know if I can ever have as strong of an impact as Kale did in his 8 months of life, I know that I will never cease in trying!

            Because cooking has now become such an integrated part of my life, I have been continuing to cook over the past weeks, but have just not had the energy to write, and must admit that my personal blog has taken a backseat to other things (like my job) in which I needed to get caught up.  I am looking forward to sharing these yummy recipes with you!