Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Raspeberry Chipotle Sauce


Okay...I think this might cover the raspberry chipotle craze... you can do so much with this sauce, it's crazy... You can either make can this or if you're lazy just go get a bottle... I'm attaching the dip recipe which is where my love began...

For the dip...

Easy Version:
Ingredients:
Raspberry preserves, or Raspberry chipotle preserves
Chipotle seasoning..or peppers
Cream Cheese
-Mix that stuff up and serve with club crackers! Bomb...

If you wanna take it up a notch here's another recipe:

TROPICAL HABANERO or RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE PARTY DIP
The best party dip you’ve ever tasted!!----This is what the author said??? :)
1 8 oz. container cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 8 oz. container sour cream
2T chopped onion
1 t. garlic powder
¼ C. Mac’s Raspberry Chipotle Hot Sauce or Tropical Habanero Hot Sauce
Mix well, serve with raw veggies and chips.


Raspeberry Chipotle Sauce- now you can either make this or just buy a bottle..whatever you're in the mood for :)

This popular raspberry chipotle chile sauce is sweet, savory and packs a kick of heat. Use the sauce as a barbecue sauce, a glaze, or a dip.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup small diced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
2 pints fresh raspberries, rinsed
1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft and slightly caramelized, 4 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 1 minute. Add the chipotle chiles and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute. Add the raspberries and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the sugar and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thickened and reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool before using. For a clear glaze, strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.

Serving Suggestions:Use as a barbecue sauce, glaze, or basting sauce for poultry, shrimp, and meats. Pour over a block of cream cheese and serve as a dip with club crackers. Use as a sauce for meatballs or cocktail sausages for a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Great in wraps.
Yield: about 1-1/2 cups

It's supposed to be from Emeril's Favorites....

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Wings Recipe


Now doesn't this just sound decadent? I'm on the raspberry craze right now so bare with me... I've been looking up everything there is raspberry-chipotle. It all started with this raspberry-chipotle cream cheese dip I had on crackers and I've gone nuts...Anyways this looks good..... Stay tuned for the cream cheese dip...and the raspberry chipotle sauce to come :) Enjoy!

Ingredients
5# s chicken wings,separated at the joints
1 3/4 cups chicken broth(1 can or homemade)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 large cloves garlic,cut in quarters
2 tsp. dry rubbed sage
2 tsp. dry thyme
1 bay leaf
water

SAUCE:
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 sweet onion,minced
3 cloves garlic,minced
2 tsp. canned chipotle in adobo,chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam or jelly
salt

Directions
place cut up wings(include tips)in a large stock pot with broth,onion,celery,garlic,sage,thyme and bay leaf
add water to just cover
cover and bring to a boil,over high heat
lower heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes
remove cover and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
while wings are cooking,make sauce
heat a heavy saucepan over medium high heat.add butter and onion
reduce heat to medium and cook onions until soft and translucent
add garlic and chiles,stir fry for 2 minutes
deglaze with vinegar,scraping up all browned bits
add jam and salt to taste,stir until smooth
let cool until wings are cooked
strain wings(discard tips)retain strained stock for another use.
toss wings with sauce and serve

G Garvin's Bourbon Chicken Wings


My sister had a dinner party recently and served these as appetizers....of course everyone said they were the bomb! How could these not be good? Fried chicken wings with some syrup on top? Why not? This is definitely a special occasion treat. If we ate these everyday we'd all be big as a house, but sometimes you have to just dig in.


In G Garvin's recipe he seasons the wings with salt and pepper, fries them up, and then puts the sauce on top, that I provided below. I ran across the following recipe below, which would be a great marinade and a way not to have to fry them. I'm sure the frying part sets them off, but this is a better alternative for us trying to watch our girlish figures.
They'd also be great grilled and then dipped in the sauce.... finger licking good...
Ingredients: (This is the modified recipe if you wanna marinade and bake them. If not you could just marinade them, fry, then dip in the sauce....get creative though!)
24 chicken wings
3 tablespoons bourbon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
1 cup fine, dry, unseasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:Cut chicken wings at joints; discard tips or reserve for broth or stock. Combine the wing joints, bourbon, olive oil, lemon rind, and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss to coat the wings and marinate refrigerated for 4 hours or overnight. Mix the bread crumbs, paprika, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag. Drain the wing joints and toss with the bread crumb mixture. Place the wings on a baking sheet and place about 4 to 5 inches from heat source under preheated broiler. Broil until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes on each side. Chicken wings serves 4 to 6.

Bourbon BBQ Sauce


INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons diced jalapeno chili's

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

2 ounces bourbon

2 cups ketchup

1 cup orange juice

¼ cup coke

1 cup molasses

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon BBQ spice


PROCEDURE:
1. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat
2. Add olive oil, jalapenos, garlic, and shallots
3.Stir until brown
4. Remove pan from heat and pour in bourbon
5. Add ketchup, orange juice, coke and molasses and mix well
6. Pour in brown sugar, liquid smoke, paprika, garlic salt, and BBQ spice
7. Stir and let cool down
8. Pour over any meat of your choice

Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls.


I made these years ago for an ex and I swear i couldn't beat him off with a stick after that!! These are really good... they taste similar to the one's at the restaurant, but he claims they are better...He still asks me about these and I made these over 5 years ago...Enjoy!

Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls
Top Secret Recipes version of Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls

1 chicken breast fillet

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons minced green onion

1/3 cup frozen corn

1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2 tablespoons diced, canned jalapeno peppers

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt dash cayenne pepper

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

five 7-inch flour tortillas



Avocado-Ranch Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup smashed, fresh avocado (about half of an avocado)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley

1/8 teaspoon onion powder dash dried dill weed dash garlic powder dash pepper



Garnish:

2 tablespoons chopped tomato

1 tablespoon chopped onion



Preheat barbecue grill to high heat. Rub chicken breast with some vegetable oil then grill it on barbecue for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Lightly salt and pepper each side of chicken while it cooks. Set chicken aside until it cools down enough to handle. Preheat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add red pepper and onion to pan and sauté for a couple minutes until tender. Dice cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to pan. Add corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to pan. Cook for another 4 minutes; stir well so that spinach separates and is incorporated into mixture. Remove pan from heat and add cheese; stir until cheese is melted. Wrap tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 1 1/2 minutes or until hot. Spoon approximately one-fifth of mixture into center of a tortilla. Fold in ends and then roll tortilla over mixture. Roll tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls. Arrange eggrolls on a plate, cover plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. While eggrolls freeze prepare avocado-ranch dipping sauce by combining all of ingredients in a small bowl. Preheat 4-6 cups of oil to 375 degrees. Deep fry eggrolls in hot oil for 12-15 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate around a small bowl of dipping sauce. Garnish dipping sauce with chopped tomato and onion. Serves 3-4.

Carrabba's Caesar Salad

A little complicated, but I love their Caesar Salad so why not?

CARRABBA'S CAESAR SALAD
Winner of the best classic Caesar category at the 1999 Caesar salad competition from Damian Mandola.
1 head romaine lettuce
3 medium garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided use1 cup cubed Italian or French bread
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, divided use
5 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tablespoon small capers
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 egg, coddled*'
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Wrap lettuce in a clean kitchen towel and refrigerate until dry and cold. Crush 1 garlic clove with flat side of chef's knife. Place garlic and 2 tablespoons oil in small skillet over moderate heat. When that garlic starts to brown, discard and add bread to skillet. Cook and toss until bread is golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels. While bread is still hot, season with salt and toss with 1 tablespoon Parmesan.Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon oil in large wooden bowl. With 2 forks, break remaining 2 garlic cloves in half. Using 1 fork, rub bowl with cut side of 1 piece of garlic, rubbing it through oil and salt to season bowl. Mash all remaining garlic with back of fork until it forms a smooth paste. Add anchovies and capers; mash with 2 forks into garlic mixture.Add dry mustard and egg yolk with a little bit of egg white into bowl; mix well into paste. With a wooden spoon, add remaining oil to bowl, a little at a time, stirring constantly in same direction with spoon until you have a creamy base. Add lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire and 1 tablespoon Parmesan; mix well.Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces; toss with dressing. Grind black pepper over lettuce; toss again. Add croutons. Toss only a few times so croutons won't get soggy. Divide among 4 large chilled dinner plates. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Offer more freshly ground black pepper when served. Salad should be eaten immediately.*To coddle egg, boil in shell 1 minute.

Carrabbas Pollo Rosa Maria


OMG! This is one of my all time favorite chicken dishes... I'm from the south were I used to think fried was always better, but eating this dish was what turned me on to the wonder of grilled chicken. I first went to Carrabas when I was back in college in Tallahassee, FL. Carrabas is like one of the few decent restaurants in this town. You thought you were all that if a guy on a college kids budget took you all the way out to Captial Circle to Carrabas.... Anywho.. out of the like 20 times I went to this restaruant back then, I ordered this dish about 16 out of the 20 times... It's the bomb believe me.... I turned my dad on to it, who whenever you asked him how something is..he's like..it's fair...... but daddy was like this is Goooood.... They opened one up in Memphis a couple of years ago so now my daddy goes there and of course orders his Pollo Rosa Maria... I pray this is the real thing... I searched through millions of copy cat reciepes, but I believe this one is the closest to it...If you ever have the chance to go this is what I'd recommend:




Start out with some Red Sangria...

They'll bring out this bread that's sinfully delicious...if it's not hot send it back! if you're going to blow some calories it better be well worth it. (they bring out this seasoning with olive oil and it is the bomb!)- Now don't eat too much or you'll spoil your meal...

Order the Ceaser salad...A must!

For the entree of course this with the fettuchini or the zuccini with tomatoes on top.... oh my gosh..... Sometimes if I'm watching my weight i'll get the chicken marsala which is a little better, but they still use that butter and heavy cream i'm sure, but it would be a little better for you. Or the Carrabba's spiedino di mare (wonderful scallop and shrimp dish) is also good.

Now you will be smelling like garlic all night long, but if you're companion ate there too, then ya'll will have to bare through it together :)



POLLO ROSA MARIA
1 (10 oz) chicken breast, cut in half and butterflied
2 oz fontina cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 thin slice prosciuttoPinch of white pepper
Favorite Grill Seasonings
Grill basting sauce

Lemon Butter Basil Mushroom Sauce:
Thick sliced mushrooms, sauteed with garlic and parsley
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp chopped onion
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine
Pinch of salt and white pepper
1/3 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sweet basil chopped

Fettuccini Alfredo:
1 oz unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and white pepper, to taste
3 oz grated Romano4 oz fresh fettuccini

Sprinkle each chicken breast with white pepper and place 1/2 slice of prosciutto on one side of breast. Top with cube of fontina. Fold over chicken breast, encasing fontina and prosciutto. Allow to sit for 3 hours. Sprinkle each prepared breast with grill seasoning and baste with available grill baste. Place on grill approximately 5 minutes per side or until done. To make the Pollo Rosa Sauce, saut onion and garlic in 1 ounce of butter until translucent. Reduce to oatmeal consistency. Allow to cool and begin to add 4 ounces of room temperature butter. Whisk over low heat until emulsified. For the Fettuccini Alfredo, melt butter with salt and white pepper. Add 6 ounces heavy cream. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Allow to rest until serving. For the pasta, submerge pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Place pasta in Alfredo sauce. Return to medium heat, sprinkle with grated Romano. Using pasta fork, incorporate Romano into pasta until melted. To finish, incorporate previously sauteed mushrooms and basil into Pollo Rosa sauce. Top pasta with chicken and sauce

Carrabba's Chicken Marsala

One word...bomb...if they reproduced it we're all in luck.

Carrabba's Chicken Marsala

Ingredients
Marsala Sauce:
1/3 cup butter
1 slice prosciutto, diced
2 teaspoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 4 ounce cans mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup Lombardo dry marsala wine
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Chicken Spice:
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 chicken breasts; small butterfly cut double breasts or large single breasts
olive oil

Directions
Melt butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Turn heat up to medium high to saute the prosciutto in the melted butter for about 2 to 3 minutes; be careful not to burn butter, add shallots and garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add marsala wine, simmer for another 30 seconds or so, then add mushrooms and black pepper. Simmer over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Dissolve corn starch in chicken stock. Add stock to the saucepan and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add parsley and cream to the sauce and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat, cover until needed. Preheat barbecue grill on high heat. Combine ingredients for the chicken spice in a small bowl. Use your thumb and fingers to crush the spices in the bowl to make a finer blend. Brush each chicken breast generously with olive oil. Sprinkle spice blend over both sides of each chicken breast and grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until done. Give chicken a one quarter turn on each side while cooking to make the criss cross grill marks. Serve entree by arranging each chicken breast on a plate. Spoon one quarter of the marsala sauce over each serving of chicken and serve. Serves 4. Presenter: Carrabba's Italian Grill

Carrabas Italian Grill Tomato Sauce

I got this recipe from Carabbas website. This tomato sauce is great on zucchini... I'm not really a vegetable lover and I love it! Try... beats that Ragu or Prego stuff all day..

Mamma's Pomodoro "Tomato Sauce"
Makes approximately 3 cups
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
¼ cup garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 28-ounce (790 g) can whole tomatoes with juice, chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 large basil leaves, each torn into 3-4 pieces

Method
In a medium-sized stainless steel saucepan, place the olive oil and onion over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent and just starting to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute,
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the sauce from burning.
When the sauce is done, add the salt and pepper to taste. Add the basil leaves to the top of the sauce and cover tightly.
Let the sauce sit for a few minutes, then remove the lid and stir in the basil.
Let cool and store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Houston's Spinach Aritchoke Dip


Okay ladies and gents... whose had Houston's Spinach Artichoke Dip?! Omg it's the absolute best!!! My girlfriend and I love it so much one time we decided to go to Houston's and each order it as our entree... We were so sick of spinach artichoke dip after that fiasco we didn't know what to do... but that doesn't take away from the dish, it just shows how good it is :)

Spinach and Artichoke Dip like Houston's®
Serves: 8-12 Prep. Time: 0:40
(2) 10 oz. boxes frozen spinach - thawed
1/4 cup real butter
1 Tbls. minced fresh garlic
2 Tbls. minced onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 pint heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded white cheddar
12 oz. jar artichoke hearts - drained, coarsely chopped

-Strain spinach and squeeze through a cheesecloth to remove as much liquid as possible; mince; set aside. -In heavy saucepan over medium heat, sauté garlic and onions in butter until golden, about 3-5 minutes. -Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. -Slowly whisk in cream and stock and continue cooking until boiling. -Once boiling, stir in lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, and Romano cheese; stir until cheese has melted. -Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. -Stir in sour cream, then fold in dry spinach and artichoke hearts. -Sprinkle cheddar evenly over top. -Microwave to melt cheese and serve OR portion and microwave to order.
Notes: Serve with tortilla chips for dipping and sour cream and salsa

Buffalo Chicken Dip


This has become one of my signature recipes... Talk about a crowd pleaser...It's like eating buffalo wings on a chip? What could be better than that? It's perfect with tortilla chips or carrots or celery... Throwing in some chunky blue cheese would be perfect, but a little pricier... Sidenote (sometimes the cheese and get oily at the top after being baked. I had a nasty little accident trying to transport this in the car one day...be careful...but everyone will definitely be trying to get the recipe :) Enjoy! (I just pour the whole bottle of blue cheese dressing and hot sauce in there... sometimes I mix the franks regular and buffalo wing sauce just for kicks...) You can actually sorta make this low cal...minus all that cheese... i would suggest serving it with the vegetables and using reduced fat or low fat dressing and cheese... the hardest part of this recipe is shredding the chicken... once you do it you're a pro


INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing

1/2 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or FRANK'S® REDHOT® Buffalo Wing Sauce

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups shredded cooked chicken


DIRECTIONS:
1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep dish 9-inch pie plate. Microwave 1 min. to soften. 2. WHISK in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese until smooth. Stir in chicken. 3. BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with chips or vegetables.

The Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger


If Oprah says it's the best turkey burger in the world then I know something!!!! Haven't checked it out yet, but this one cook made them into sliders and put them on those Hawaiian white and wheat rolls. sounds cool to me...Just wait till I have a barbecue.

Recipe:
Oprah found a new favorite food when she tried this turkey burger at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach. "I believe [it] may be the best turkey burger in the entire world," she says. The Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger will be permanently available at the Trump Bar and Grille in Trump Tower in New York City, open to the public for lunch and dinner. It will also be served during lunch in Chicago at Sixteen, the Trump International Hotel restaurant.
Ingredients:
Serves 6
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
1 lemon , juiced and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley , finely chopped
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney , pureed
Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.
Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Serve with a side of Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney and your favorite toasted bread, pita or hamburger roll.
They say don't make one without the other!!!!
Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney
Recipe courtesy of Jeff O'Neill

This pear chutney topping is the key to giving the Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger that extra zing.
Ingredients:
Serves 6
1 Anjour pear , peeled and diced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 cups Major Grey's Chutney
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins
Preheat oven to 350°.
Toss the diced pears with the cinnamon and salt. Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes.
Cool and mix with the chutney and currants or raisins.

Pineapple Upside Down French Toast- Breakfast will never be the same again

Who doesn't love a breakfast casserole?? Try this one out. I make a sausage casserole that's to die for that I will post at a later date, but I came across this one and it looks pretty good.

Pineapple Upside-Down French Toast Recipe
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
Serving Size :
41/4 cup unsalted butter — (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup brown sugar — firmly packed
3/4 cup crushed pineapple — pack & drain well
1 whole egg
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 cups 2% low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 slices egg bread — or Hawaiian bread

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400. In a saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and stir in sugar and pineapple, stirring until sugar is dissolved.2. In a shallow bowl whisk together eggs, milk and salt.3. In a baking dish, 9 x 13 inches, spread pineapple mixture evenly over bottom. Dip bread slices into milk mixture in batches and arrange in one layer on top of pineapple mixture. If you have spaces in the pan, just mush the bread a little to squeeze in some more slices. It’s fairly easy to mix up a little more egg/milk mixture to make the dish feed more people.4. Bake French Toast in middle of oven for 20-25 minutes, or until bread is golden brown. Cool in pan for one minute and serve.NOTES : The original recipe didn’t use any low-fat ingredients, so I adapted it some. You can cut down even more on the butter if you wish, and can use all egg substitute if you would prefer. The original called for challah or brioche bread, but since I couldn’t find itve any of that I used Hawaiian bread. It’s quite sweet and rich, so that’s why the sugar has been reduced by half. If you’re going to prepare this for breakfast and don’t have much time, just get all the ingredients ready the night before, including mixing up the milk, eggs, etc. It doesn’t take long to put it together.Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 424 Calories; 20g Fat (41.7% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 50g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 122mg Cholesterol; 527mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 3 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.To view a printable recipe, click HERE.

Cha Cha Cha Jerk Chicken


So Cha Cha Cha is my absolute fav Caribbean restaurant... It's a cross between Caribbean and Spanish flavors. There's a lot of different versions of jerk chicken, but this one by far is the best I've ever tasted. This one has a sweet flavor to it.. I found the recipe on this ladies blog and if this one is correct, you're in for a treat. It's lo-cal too! Don't we all love that? Enjoy!

Excerpt:

The chicken breasts are marinated in a combination of the herb/spice mixture, canned pineapple juice, orange juice and Worcestershire sauce. Ideally for 24 hours, but I’ve done it in far less when I haven’t planned ahead to make this. It’s very simple once you have the dry mix ready; I always marinate meat/chicken/fish in a plastic bag - one of the freezer types so there’s no chance of puncturing it. Or at least very little chance of a chicken bone or something poking a hole in the bag. When I am unsure about how safe the bag is, I’ll put it into the bag, then in a large plastic bowl. Just in case.


The only other info about this chicken that is different is how it’s cooked. It is done on direct heat, but after grilling for a fairly short time on the grill, you remove the breasts and slice them into strips, dip in the marinade again, then finish cooking. The batch pictured above didn't get that last step because the head griller had already turned the meat over and it was deemed “too late” to do the slice. So we just slathered more of the marinade on it and allowed it to cook that way. It’s very moist as long as you don’t overcook it. Remove the chicken when it reaches about 150-155 degrees, allow to sit a few minutes then slice and serve. Discard the marinade as it’s contaminated. You could boil the marinade down if you wanted to and make it a sauce, but it might take longer than you have to devote to it since the chicken cooks in nothing flat. I’m going to try that sometime. The chicken is extremely low in fat because the marinade has no oil in it at all. None. So it’s just the fruit juices that help it retain moisture. Our family from Placerville was here, and they deemed it good. My daughter Dana has made this a few times and recommends buying the pineapple orange combination juice (Dole makes it) instead of using separate canned juices. Makes good sense to me. I may stock up on that, because I never have pineapple juice on hand.


The original recipe called for double the ingredients for the marinade, but I’ve been perfectly happy with a smaller quantity and if it’s marinated in a plastic bag, you can turn it over and back, and all the chicken is in contact with the liquid.


Cha Cha Cha Jerk ChickenRecipe :

Servings : 8
DRY MIXTURE:

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons minced garlic

4 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon dried oregano


MARINADE:

2 cloves garlic — minced

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 cup orange juice1 cup pineapple juice

8 boned and skinned chicken breast halves, tender removed


1. Prepare the dry mixture first.2. In a large heavy-duty plastic bag, combine the dry mixture, adding the fresh garlic, Worcestershire sauce, orange juice and pineapple juice. Mix it up a bit, then add the chicken breasts. Seal the bag and marinate overnight if time permits, turning the bag a few times in that time.2. Remove chicken from marinade and drain briefly, then place on grill heated to medium heat, and cook about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat (jerk chicken is always cooked twice). Cut each breast half in half lengthwise and use a brush to apply more marinade to each piece. Return to grill and cook until chicken is cooked through - about 4-5 minutes, brushing frequently with more marinade to keep it moist.NOTES : Be sure to read this recipe all the way through before you begin. It is best if allowed to marinate for 24 hours, although I’ve done it in 6 hours (not as good!). When I make up the herb/spice mixture, I prepare a 4x batch, and store in small plastic bags with a label inside. It’s a bit of a nuisance to make the mixture as there are so many different ones. But, this is a very tasty dish and worth the effort. If you add more marinade to the chicken during the grilling time, be sure it COOKS, since the raw chicken was marinated in it and it will contain raw-chicken bacteria.Per Serving: 193 Calories; 2g Fat (9.7% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 68mg Cholesterol; 772mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.Printer-friendly recipe.


Raspberry White Chocolate Scones Recipe

These things are absolutely the bomb!!! I've had them before, but never cooked them myself... You should keep them frozen and then pull out a few and cook them right before company comes over... They will have your place smelling delish and make people think you're a regular Martha Stewart... Some tea or lemonade would go great with these :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1/2 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

¾ cup fresh or frozen raspberries

½ cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten


For egg wash:

1 large egg, lightly beaten1 tbsp. milk or cream


Directions:Preheat oven to 375° F and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chunks (chips) and raspberries. In a small measuring cup, whisk together the yogurt, vanilla extract, and egg. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix.Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently four or five times and then pat, or roll, the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick. Cut the dough into eight triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture.Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.


Here's another recipe...you be the judge..


Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt

1 egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups frozen raspberries

1 cup white chocolate chips or chunks


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a cookie sheet. Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Work butter or margarine into dry ingredients, using a pastry blender or fork, until it is the size of small peas. Combine milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until the dry ingredients are moist. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon about 1/3 cup of batter for each scone onto cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 1 dozen scones.

Raspberry-Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Sounds yummy huh?........ I'm obsessed with barbeque chicken pizza so when I saw this recipe it just seemed like it couldn't get any tastier... haven't tried it yet but i'm sure it's going to be a barbeque chicken dream! I'm sure using the wrong barbeque sauce would just kill this recipe.. When I figure it ou i'll let you know..Whatever you do stay away from Kraft! Enjoy.......

Update: I actually made this pizza last night and here are some tips:
Toppings: I added red peppers and you could also throw on some yellow corn
Sauce: Next time i won't be so heavy handed with the barbecue sauce.. :) (i'm of the mindset that more is better) I might also experiment with combining tomato sauce with the barbeque sauce.
Pizza Dough: Another change would be to the pizza crust...if you're pressed for time, the pillsbury pizza crust is cool, but if you want to change the pizza game up i would suggest using a different crust.. I ran into the following recipe that might be a winner ( I attached to the bottom of the recipe)...at least the author thought so.... the toppings however were awesome..
Chicken: I shreaded the chicken and put the sauce on the chicken and then transfered it to the pizza dough....

















INGREDIENTS
1can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust
1/4cup SMUCKER'S® Red Raspberry Preserves
1/4cup hickory smoke-flavored barbecue sauce (or other favorite flavor)
2teaspoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7-oz can)
1package (6 oz) refrigerated grilled chicken breast strips, cubed
1/2medium red onion, cut into thin strips
1 1/2cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 oz)
1/4cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS
1.Heat oven to 425°F. Lightly spray 13x9-inch pan with CRISCO® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Unroll pizza crust dough in pan; press dough to edges of pan.
2.In small bowl, mix preserves, barbecue sauce and chiles. Spread mixture evenly over dough to within 1/4 inch of edges. Top with chicken, onion and cheeses.
3.Bake 12 to 20 minutes or until cheeses are melted and edges are deep golden brown. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Option #1 Peter Reinhart's Napoletana Pizza Dough Recipe
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001199.html

4 1/2 cups (20.25 ounces) unbleached high-gluten,
bread, or all-purpose flour, chilled
1 3/4 (.44 ounce) teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces)
olive oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) water, ice cold (40°F)
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

Directions:
1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). With a large metal spoon, stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment), If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand. Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a tea- spoon or two of cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50 to 55F.

2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Using a metal dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you are comfortable shaping large pizzas), You can dip the scraper into the water between cuts to keep the dough from sticking to it, Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan, Mist the dough generously with spray oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag.

3. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days. (Note: If you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.)

4. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Dust the counter with flour, and then mist the counter with spray oil. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Let rest for 2 hours.

5. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone either on the floor of the oven (for gas ovens), or on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.

6. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, including the backs of your hands and knuckles, in flour and lift I piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss as shown on page 208. If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn't as effective as the toss method.

7. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other top- pings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy. The American "kitchen sink" approach is counterproductive, as it makes the crust more difficult to bake. A few, usually no more than 3 or 4 toppings, including sauce and cheese is sufficient.

8. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake. If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower self before the next round. if the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone for subsequent bakes.

9. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.
Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.


Option #2....Which I think I will try cause it's a sweeter crust... Read the attached for intersting commentary:
http://www.fabulousfoods.com/index.php?option=com_resource&controller=article&category_id=46&article=17753

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
Three choices in mixing your dough:
In A Food Processor
In A Bread Machine
By HandMixing Dough in a Food Processor:Some Food Processors come with a dough blade. If you have it use it. If you don't, just use the standard cutting blade. My dough blade broke from over use (some would call it pizza abuse, but that's another story) and the regular blade works fine.
Pour in warm water. The water should be about 85 to 115° F. Test it with your hand. It should feel very warm, but comfortable. Add the honey and salt. Mix on low for about 20 seconds. Add the yeast and mix on low for another 5 seconds. Add 1 cup of flour, mix on low for 10 seconds. Add the olive oil and mix until blended (about 15 or 20 seconds more). Add the rest of the flour (and any other additions) and mix on high for about a minute or two. The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor. If the dough does not ball up because it's too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding water or flour as needed to get the right consistency will assure you always get a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts.
Once the dough is balled up, place the ball on a floured board and knead for about a minute. This builds the gluten which helps the dough to rise and become fluffy when cooked. Place the dough in a plastic grocery bag or a covered bowl and store in a warm, dry area to rise.
After about 45 minutes the dough should have about doubled in size. Show it who's the boss and punch it down. That's right, give it a good smack so it deflates. Let it rise for another hour to an hour and a half. The dough is now ready to be rolled out. You can punch the dough down one more time if you want and wait another hour or two before rolling out. The choice is yours.
You're now ready for the next step: Rolling out the dough.
This dough can also be made in advance and refrigerated for a day or so, or even frozen. Be sure to let the dough come to room temperature before using.To Mix Dough in a Bread Machine:Throw all the ingredients in, set to dough only setting, push start and walk away. That's it! No work, no hassle. If you don't work for something is it really worth having? In this case, you bet!
Once the machine "beeps" and your dough is ready, it's time to go on to the next step - Rolling Out The Dough.
This dough can also be made in advance and refrigerated for a day or so, or even frozen. Be sure to let the dough come to room temperature before using.To Mix Dough by Hand:Pour warm water into a bowl. The water should be about 85 to 115° F. Test it with your hand. It should feel very warm, but comfortable. Add the honey and salt. Mix on low until well blended. Add the yeast and mix. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of flour and the olive oil and mix until well blended. Add the rest of the flour (and any other additions) and mix well. The dough should turn into a ball. If the dough does not ball up because it's too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding water or flour as needed to get the right consistency will assure you always get a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts.
Once the dough is balled up, place the ball on a floured board and knead for about a minute. This builds the gluten which helps the dough to rise and become fluffy when cooked. Place the dough in a plastic grocery bag or a covered bowl and store in a warm, dry area to rise.
After about 45 minutes the dough should have about doubled in size. Show it who's boss and punch it down. That's right, give it a good smack so it deflates. Let it rise for another hour to an hour and a half. The dough is now ready to be rolled out. You can punch the dough down one more time if you want and wait another hour or two before rolling out. The choice is yours.
You're now ready for the next step: Rolling out the dough.This dough can also be made in advance and refrigerated for a day or so, or even frozen. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before using.

Raspberry Chipotle Meatballs Recipe

Since i'm on my raspberry obsession...why not?!

Wonderful blend of flavors that is easy to put together.

Raspberry Chipotle Meatballs Recipe (+)
Directions
Sauté the chopped bacon in small skillet over medium heat, when bacon is half cooked, add diced onions and garlic. Continue to sauté until bacon is cooked and onions transparent. Pour bacon mixture on paper towels to absorb grease. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl combine all remaining ingredients. Mix slightly, don't over mix. Round each meatball in hands making about 1 - 1 1/2" round (depending on the size you want). Should be firm in shape but not packed tight. Place on cookie sheets sprayed with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
Remove from cookie sheet and place in large mixing bowl, pour the rest of the Raspberry Chipotle Salsa over the meatballs (or to taste), mix gently.
Serve in warming dish or serving platter. Can also be kept warm in slow cooker on low heat.
Container: Skillet, large mixing bowl, cookie sheets
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serving Size: 1 piece
Servings: 55
Enter desired servings:


Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, fresh, minced
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/3 cup raspberry chipotle salsa
- 1/4 cup dried craisins, chopped
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs, plain or seasoned
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon basil, dried
- 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)