cooking with Amy

Pasta Arrabbiata

salt
1 16 oz package penne pasta
4 slices bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 28-oz can plum tomatoes
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/8 to 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus more for serving

Heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add pasta and cook as directed on box. Meanwhile, in 3 quart saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned. Drain tomatoes, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Coarsely chop tomatoes. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings from skillet. Add garlic to same saucepan and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and crushed red pepper and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Drain pasta. In large serving bowl, toss pasta with sauce, 1/4 cup Pecorino, and bacon. Serve with additional Pecorino, if you like.

Crockolate Cake

I haven't made this yet, but my friend Michelle has, and she loves it. Michelle says, "It serves 6 to 8 people. Or just me if it's been a bad day."

18 oz pkg chocolate cake mix

8 oz sour cream

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup water

4 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 four-serving-size box instant chocolate pudding

1) Lightly grease sides of crock pot

2) Mix all ingredients with a spoon or whisk in a bowl and pour into crock pot

3) Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.  LEAVE LID ON while cooking.  (removing lid lets out heat and moisture and causes edges to burn.)

4) Serve warm, topped w/ a scoop of vanilla or mocha ice cream.

Nutmeg Muffins

This recipe is from my friend Michelle's mom, Karol. Karol made these for a baby shower Michelle threw for us when I was pregnant with Spencer; I think I ate four at the shower and have been craving them for the past four years. I finally got the recipe and now I can start making up for lost time. I lined my muffin tins with paper muffin cups to keep them from sticking.

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cups butter

1 cup flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix 2 cups flour and the brown sugar.  Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles cornmeal. Reserve 3/4 cup.

2) Add 1 cup flour, the baking soda, powder nutmeg, salt to remaining mixture in bowl.  Add buttermilk, eggs stir until moistened.

3) Spoon batter into greased muffin cups 1/2 full.  Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoon of topping.  Bake 20 minutes until wooden pick inserted comes out clean. Makes 2 dozen.

Palmiers

This flaky, sweet cookie is one of Gary's favorites.

3 cups all-purpose flour                
¾ cup sour cream
1 cup sugar                                     
1 ½ cups butter, cut up

Measure flour into large bowl. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor-fashion, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in sour cream. Transfer mixture to lightly floured work surface and knead until dough holds together. Flatten dough to 8” by 6” rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, at least 2 ½ hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle ½ cup sugar onto work surface. Divide dough in half. Wrap half and return to refrigerator. Roll remaining half of dough on sugar to 14-inch square. Using side of hand, make an indentation down center of dough. Starting at 1 side, tightly roll dough until it reaches indentation. Repeat with other side, incorporating as much sugar as possible into dough. Refrigerate roll 2 hours or up to 3 days, or free up to 3 weeks. Repeat with second half of dough and remaining ½ cup sugar. With serrated knife, cut roll crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices. (Return roll to refrigerator if it becomes too soft to slice). Place slices, 2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes; carefully turn cookies over and bake 5 minutes longer or until sugar has caramelized and cookies are deep colden. Let cookies remain on cookie sheet on wire rack 1 minute to cool slightly. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in tightly covered contain ner up to 1 week. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Gary's Favorite Muffins

2 cups Bisquick
8 Tbs melted butter
1 cup reduced fat sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set aside one muffin tin. Stir all ingredients in a bowl with a spoon until they come together. Spoon into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 15-18 minutes, until light brown.

One-Pot Bean Dinner

I halved this when I made it, but next time I'll double it to make sure we have leftovers. It was easy and very, very good. I served it with a green salad and garlic breadsticks.

1 pound ground beef
1 pound bacon cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped onion
62 oz. pork and beans
1 can red kidney beans (drained)
1 can of buttered lima beans (drained)
1 cup of ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tblspn liquid smoke
3 tblspn white vinigar
1 tspn salt
dash of pepper

Brown ground beef and drain off fat.  Put in crock pot.  Brown bacon and onion, drain
fat.  Add bacon and remaining ingredients to crockpot. Stir well.  Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Ali's Marinara

From my good friend Ali.

3 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
1 medium to large onion finely shopped
1/2 cup - 3/4 cup dry white wine
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp pepper
salt to taste

Heat skillet over medium heat. Chop onion and garlic. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the skillet and saute the onions and garlic until nearly clear and cooked through, about five minutes. Add the wine and cook it down another five minutes or so. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano and chili powder, cover, turn down the haet and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Beef and Barley Soup

From Cooking Light.

cooking spray
2 lbs beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tsp anola oil
2 cups chopped leek (about 4 medium)
2 cups chopped carrot
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 bay leaves
2 14-oz cans less-sodium beef broth
1 cup uncooked pearl barley

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of beef; cook five minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add leek, carrot and garlic; saute four mi nutes or until lightly browned. Return beef to pan. Add water and next five ingredients (through broth), simmer one hour. Add barley, cook 30 minutes or until beef and barley are tender. Discard bay leaves. Makes eight servings.

Braised Herb Chicken Thighs with Potatoes

From Cooking Light.

2 Tbs all purpose flour
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
8 chicken thighs, skinned
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups 2-inch thick slices carrot
1 large onion cut into 8 wedges
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 pounds small red potatos, quartered

Combine first six ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; seal bag, shaking to coat. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken and remaining flour mixture to pan, cook three minutes on each side or until lightly brown. Add carrot and onion; cook three minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth, wine, and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 35 minutes or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender. Makes four servings.

Ham & Bean Soup

Bean Soup with Ham
Ingredients:
1 ham bone with some meat left on
2 cups Navy, Northern beans or mixed beans
8 cups water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Wash beans the beans and add to a medium to large pan on the stove. Cover with water, boil, and turn off the heat. Let these sit about a 1/2 hour. Drain the beans, and place all the ingredients in the crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or so, then switch to low and continue to cook. You want the beans to be done, but not mushy. Add more water if needed to make it a soup consistency as it cooks. Cut the meat off the bone and put in with the beans and remove the bay leaf before serving.