So if I can be honest, I haven't made either of these skillet recipes yet, but just by looking at the ingredients, I think they're gonna be good ones. I'm learning also that I love skillet dinners because you only have to dirty one dish! Can't beat that!
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion - chopped fine
3 cloves garlic - minced or pressed through garlic
-press
1 pound turkey sausage - Italian
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes - (oil-packed), rinsed, and chopped fine
1/2 pound penne
2 cups chicken broth - low-sodium
1 cup milk
1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
6 ounces baby spinach
1. Heat the oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the penne evenly over the sausage. Pour the broth and milk over the pasta. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes (it took mine around 15 minutes).
3. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time, and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan and sun dried tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Note: Italian pork sausage can be used here, however, you may need to spoon off some of the fat before adding the pasta. When you are adding the spinach, it may seem like a lot at first, but it wilts down substantially. Be sure to at least have a 12-inch wide skillet here-- this recipe fills it nearly to the rim.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Skillet Ziti With Chicken & Broccoli
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1" pieces
Salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, minced (we omitted this due to personal tastes)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces ziti (2 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (I substituted this with half & half)
1 bunch broccoli (1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and sliced 1/4" thick
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
Pat the chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 12" skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until it is lightly browned, but not fully cooked, about four minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl. Add 1 more tablespoon of the butter, onion, red pepper flakes, oregano, & 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook until the onion is softened, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Sprinkle the ziti evenly into the skillet. Pour the broth and cream over the ziti. Cover and bring to a boil, about five minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the broccoli and roasted red peppers. Cover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta begins to soften and the broccoli turns bright green (approximately eight minutes). Stir in the chicken and any accumulated juice. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about three minutes longer. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the Parmesan, and lemon juice (if using). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, minced (we omitted this due to personal tastes)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces ziti (2 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (I substituted this with half & half)
1 bunch broccoli (1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and sliced 1/4" thick
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
Pat the chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 12" skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until it is lightly browned, but not fully cooked, about four minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl. Add 1 more tablespoon of the butter, onion, red pepper flakes, oregano, & 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook until the onion is softened, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Sprinkle the ziti evenly into the skillet. Pour the broth and cream over the ziti. Cover and bring to a boil, about five minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the broccoli and roasted red peppers. Cover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta begins to soften and the broccoli turns bright green (approximately eight minutes). Stir in the chicken and any accumulated juice. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about three minutes longer. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the Parmesan, and lemon juice (if using). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Marci's Nachos
1 can cheese soup
1 can fiesta cheese soup
1 cup sour cream
4 oz cream cheese
1 can chili, not con carne
1/2 cup salsa
milk for each soup can as directed on back of can
Mix all together and heat in crock pot, or pan if you are in a hurry. Serve over tortilla chips. Very yummy!
1 can fiesta cheese soup
1 cup sour cream
4 oz cream cheese
1 can chili, not con carne
1/2 cup salsa
milk for each soup can as directed on back of can
Mix all together and heat in crock pot, or pan if you are in a hurry. Serve over tortilla chips. Very yummy!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Berry Upside-down Cake (with zucchini)
Let me just preface this with the fact that I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't put food where it doesn't belong. Pepper shouldn't be in cookies, cinnamon and sweet things don't belong in stew and raisins don't belong anywhere. That being my opinion I don't eat zucchini bread... ever. My mom sent me a recipe to use all my yellow zucchini I have in my garden, a CAKE recipe! Gross! But I tried it. It originally called for yellow squash but I didn't grow any this year. I made it and then I tweaked it and made it a few more times and loved it more each time. The last time I made it I was attempting to find a way to get the jam to stay on the inside of the cake. Then, when I dropped the experiment version of the cake on the open oven door and watched batter and jam run into the bottom of the oven, all over the door and through the hinge onto my kitchen floor I thought, "Screw it, let them conduct their own experiments! I'm done!" I renamed the recipe and updated it with all my tweaks. It is the moistest, tastiest amazing yellow cake I've ever had. I love it! I've eaten 3 of them almost entirely on my own justifying it each time by saying out loud to myself, "It's ok, it has zucchini in it!"

Berry Upside-down Cake
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 C. Pureed Summer Yellow Squash or Yellow Zucchini
1/2 C. Water
2 T. Vegetable Oil
3 Large Eggs
3/4 C. Sour Cream
Boysenberry Spreadable Fruit Jam
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut up squash or zucchini into chunks and puree in a food processor. It can be a little more than a cup. Mine always is. Add the water and puree some more.
3. In a mixer, combine the cake mix, squash puree, oil, eggs, and sour cream. Beat on low till combined. Beat in Medium for 1-2 minutes.
4. Spray 2 round 8 or 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray. Spray it thicker than you normally do. (or one pan and 12 cupcakes. Also 8 inch pans will make a thicker moister cake)
5. Add half the batter to the pan, then drop the jam all over the entire cake in small spoonfuls. The more spread out it is the more consistent looking it will be when you turn it out. I used about 2/3 of a smaller jar of jam.
6. Cover with the rest of the batter and bake at 350. 20-25 minutes for cupcakes and 25-30 for round cake or till it's light brown on top and springs back when you touch it.
7. Let it cool in the pan for about 15-25 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the pan and turn it upside down onto a plate. Don't try to force it out or the jam will stick to the pan. Let it sit there upside-down till it drops out. Keep it covered or it dries out fast and gets really hard.

Berry Upside-down Cake
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 C. Pureed Summer Yellow Squash or Yellow Zucchini
1/2 C. Water
2 T. Vegetable Oil
3 Large Eggs
3/4 C. Sour Cream
Boysenberry Spreadable Fruit Jam
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut up squash or zucchini into chunks and puree in a food processor. It can be a little more than a cup. Mine always is. Add the water and puree some more.
3. In a mixer, combine the cake mix, squash puree, oil, eggs, and sour cream. Beat on low till combined. Beat in Medium for 1-2 minutes.
4. Spray 2 round 8 or 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray. Spray it thicker than you normally do. (or one pan and 12 cupcakes. Also 8 inch pans will make a thicker moister cake)
5. Add half the batter to the pan, then drop the jam all over the entire cake in small spoonfuls. The more spread out it is the more consistent looking it will be when you turn it out. I used about 2/3 of a smaller jar of jam.
6. Cover with the rest of the batter and bake at 350. 20-25 minutes for cupcakes and 25-30 for round cake or till it's light brown on top and springs back when you touch it.
7. Let it cool in the pan for about 15-25 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the pan and turn it upside down onto a plate. Don't try to force it out or the jam will stick to the pan. Let it sit there upside-down till it drops out. Keep it covered or it dries out fast and gets really hard.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Almond Cookies
I concocted this recipe on my own. I loved it!!! Hopefully you'll like it, too. I may have just been desperate for cookies that day so anything would have tasted good....
3/4 c butter
2 1/4 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 t almond extract
Just under 1/2 t baking soda
A little extra sugar for rolling
Sliced almonds
Softer butter with mixer. Add half of flour, 1 1/2 c sugar, eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and baking soda. Beat until combined and then add remaining flour. Cover and chill in freezer for about 20-30 minutes. Shape into balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press about 4-8 sliced almond into top of cookie dough. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Skillet Baked Ziti
This is the recipe I made for dinner at the cabin. Even though it calls for a lot, I still prefer to add a little extra garlic... as you can all probably remember. Enjoy!
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt & fresh ground pepper
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 ounces ziti pasta(3 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (I like a little more)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaf, minced
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 475.
2. Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. (If your skillet is not ovensafe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the cheese and baking).
3. Add crushed tomatoes, water, ziti and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until ziti is almost tender, 15-18 minutes.
5. Stir in cream, Parmesan, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over ziti. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt & fresh ground pepper
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 ounces ziti pasta(3 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (I like a little more)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaf, minced
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 475.
2. Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. (If your skillet is not ovensafe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the cheese and baking).
3. Add crushed tomatoes, water, ziti and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until ziti is almost tender, 15-18 minutes.
5. Stir in cream, Parmesan, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over ziti. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies
Okay, I admit I didn't invent this recipe- I got it from the oatmeal canister. I just made a few minor adjustments. It's the cinnamon and chocolate chips together that makes this great!
1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt (optional)
2 1/2 c Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 1/2 c chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in oats and chocolate chips; mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen. Bar Cookies: Bake 30 to 35 minutes in ungreased 13x9-inch metal baking pan.
1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt (optional)
2 1/2 c Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 1/2 c chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in oats and chocolate chips; mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen. Bar Cookies: Bake 30 to 35 minutes in ungreased 13x9-inch metal baking pan.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Magnolia's Raspberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Buns
I made these this past weekend at the Tingey family reunion- I thought they tasted dang good! Enjoy!
P.S. In case you've been wondering- Magnolia is a small bakery in New York City run by a woman named Allysa Torey. She must be a baking genius as all her recipes are pretty amazing!

Makes 9 buns (I used the smaller muffin tins and each batch will make 14-16 muffins.)
BUN:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (one 8-ounce package) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (one 8-ounce package) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPING:
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
Garnish
Confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
Garnish
Confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and lightly flour 9 large muffin cups.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Drop 3 small dollops (about a teaspoonful each) of raspberry preserves onto the top of each bun and, using the tip of a sharp knife, swirl the preserves into the batter, forming a decorative pattern. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the bun comes out clean.
Allow the buns to cool for about 30 minutes before sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar and serving.
Grease and lightly flour 9 large muffin cups.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Drop 3 small dollops (about a teaspoonful each) of raspberry preserves onto the top of each bun and, using the tip of a sharp knife, swirl the preserves into the batter, forming a decorative pattern. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the bun comes out clean.
Allow the buns to cool for about 30 minutes before sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar and serving.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe come from the Amish Cookbook (although I got it from a mission companion). It combines three of my favorite things found in cookies: peanut butter, chocolate, and oatmeal. When I saw the recipe I knew I would love them and have now been loving them for about 4 years!!!
Yield: 4 dozen cookies
1 c sugar
2/3 c brown sugar
1 c margarine, softened
1 c peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 c flour
1 c quick oats
2 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
1 (12 oz) pkg. chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350. Beat sugars, margarine, peanut butter, vanilla, and eggs until well blended. Add dry ingredients. Stir in chips. Drop by teaspoonful 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet.
Yield: 4 dozen cookies
1 c sugar
2/3 c brown sugar
1 c margarine, softened
1 c peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 c flour
1 c quick oats
2 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
1 (12 oz) pkg. chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350. Beat sugars, margarine, peanut butter, vanilla, and eggs until well blended. Add dry ingredients. Stir in chips. Drop by teaspoonful 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Chocolate Cake "A Al Francaise"
Some friends wanted this recipe so I am posting it here. My friend Elodie makes this and it is wonderful~ as is everything she bakes!
8 oz butter
6 eggs, separated
1 Tbls flour
1 c sugar
5 Tbls cocoa "perfect for baking" 100% cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" cake tin with wax paper. Melt the butter over a small flame. Beat the egg yolks and sugar. Fold in the chocolate, butter and flour. Beat the egg whites until frothy. Fold in softly the beaten egg whites.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
8 oz butter
6 eggs, separated
1 Tbls flour
1 c sugar
5 Tbls cocoa "perfect for baking" 100% cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" cake tin with wax paper. Melt the butter over a small flame. Beat the egg yolks and sugar. Fold in the chocolate, butter and flour. Beat the egg whites until frothy. Fold in softly the beaten egg whites.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
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