Give me your ideas!

So, I have managed to bore my followers to death.....not displaying anything I've made for months. Let me know through the blog comments or email me at hfprickett@email.com what you would like me to test and or try to make for the blog.  I'd love some inspiration!!!!! Really...anything, maybe that curry you thought you'd try your hand at, or a roast something, a holiday dish or appetizer, recreate that great Morrocan dish you had at a restaurant, whatever. Please let me know, cooking is my passion and I'd like to breathe new life in to this stagnant blog!!!! My knife is ready to go!

-Hillary

Pesto Pasta with Raisins and Chicken

Sorry I haven't posted in a long time. Days get busy and I need the evenings to relax.  I've also made some pretty stand-by meals lately.  Anyway, I made a very different pasta last night.  I made Rotini pasta in a pot.  In a separate pan, I sauteed chicken and onions, then added fresh garlic, raisins, Portobello mushrooms and almond slivers that  I had previously toasted on the stove.  I combined everything together with olive oil and high end Italian pre-made pesto sauce.  I then plated it the concoction and topped it with fresh crumbled goat cheese....yum!  The dish had a lot of flavors...herbal with the pesto, sweet with the raisins and crunch from the almonds...heart healthy omega 3's.  Yummy dish!

Nachos

                       So this is not the most glamorous of dishes, but it can be such satisfying munchie food.  I started by sauteing a green pepper, an onion, a yellow pepper and chicken in a pan.  I then added taco seasoning, hot sauce and about a quarter cup of premium salsa to the pan to reduce to a thick sauce.  I built my nachos in a deep baking pan. A layer of whole grain tortilla chips, a layer of the chicken/pepper/onion combo, then dollops of refried beans and shredded Mexican cheese blend and repeated til out of ingredients.  The top was a layer of cheese and finely sliced jalapenos. 
                       I baked them for 18 minutes....served them with premium salsa, sour cream and FRESH guacamole, which I made with 2 fresh creamy avocados, salt and pepper, fresh squeezed lime juice and olive oil.  I served Mango Margaritas made with Mango nectar to go with the dish.  They were sooooooo good!

Homemade Mac and Cheese

                I am very proud of this one. True to form, no recipe was used in the making of this dish.  I was craving mac and cheese and wanted a side for the leftover turkey from last night, so I stopped on my way home from work to pick up the ingredients I needed. I boiled elbow macaroni to al dente and put aside. In a pot, I brought a half pint of heavy cream and about 2 cups of 2% milk to a simmer. I added a roux (just flour and softened butter) until it the milk thickened (approx 2 tablespoons). I then added approx 10 ozs. shredded white cheddar and approx 16 ozs. shredded orange cheddar until melted and creamy. I added salt and cracked black pepper and about a tablespoon of dijon mustard and stirred. I then added the macaroni.  I poured the cheesy mixture into a buttered 9x12 pan and topped with shredded parmesan, bread crumbs and more cheddar cheese. I baked it at 375 for about 45 minutes. I let it sit for approx 10 minutes to set before serving and........... IT WAS SOOOO GOOD.

Baked Turkey with Blue Cheese Broccoli Slaw

                  My husband was in the mood for Turkey. He bought 2 large breasts with intentions of grilling them, but due to the freezing temps and a long day, I offered to bake the turkey. I simply rubbed them with olive oil then coated them in a blend of bread crumbs, and seasonings and baked them for an hour. I made my blue cheese broccoli slaw again (as described in last Saturday's steak post) to serve on the side. It was a very simple and filling meal to end our weekend.

1st Attempt at Homemade Meatballs

                 I have never made meatballs before, so this was a challenge. I know, very simple to make, yet intimidating due to it's "grandma makes the best" connotation. Seems like a specialty left to Italian grandmothers.  Well, this Irish-German girl took a stab at making them. I used a meatloaf mix (ground veal, pork and beef) and 85% hamburger meat. I mixed in 1 egg, finely chopped mushrooms, green peppers, onion and garlic. I added breadcrumbs, crushed red pepper flakes, s&p, basil, bayou seasoning, season salt and black pepper.I formed them into 3 inch balls and baked on a cookie sheet for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees. I served them with red pasta sauce over thin spaghetti. 

                 They were very tasty, but I think there were a few things I could have done better. Next time I will add fresh bread crumbs soaked in milk. I will also put the meat through a fine shredder. I will then, after baking, let them cook in sauce for an additional 30 minutes. My meatballs, on 1st attempt, were good, and very tasty, but reminiscent of a gourmet burger. They were lacking the moist, dense consistency associated with a meatball. I will try again, but this was a very good 1st attempt.

Stuffed Green Bell Peppers

               I have never made stuffed peppers before but gave it a whirl tonight. I used a combo of ground beef, ground pork and ground veal as a base. I sauteed onions, mushrooms, cabbage, and garlic into a pan with the meat. I then added tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, grated parm, a little hot sauce, red pepper flakes, s&p, basil and bread crumbs. I hollowed out 4 large green bell peppers and stuffed them with the mixture. I topped them with lots of grated parmasean cheese and baked them for about 40 minutes. They were delicious! 

              I remember liking stuffed peppers but always remembered them being very dry. I added the ricotta and tomato sauce to add moisture to the stuffing.  I also made sure to slightly under cook the peppers as I also remember not liking the mushy gray consistency of the peppers I've had in the past. This dish was simple and filling and definitely comfort food.