Creamy Jambalaya Pasta

from PlainChicken.com

1/2 pound Farfalle pasta
1/2 lb smoked sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup heavy cream (or half & half or evaporated milk)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion or 2 Tbsp minced onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley
Parmesan cheese


In a large pot, boil water for pasta. Salt water.  Boil pasta and cook until al dente.  Set aside.

Brown sausage in a small skillet over medium heat. Once browned, add onion and saute for two minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Add white wine to skillet, making sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom.  Let wine reduce by half, about two minutes.
Stir in Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper and tomato sauce. Add cream and heat to almost bubbling, then reduce heat to low. Allow the cream mixture to reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta and add to skillet. Toss with parsley and freshly grated Parmesan.

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

from Iowa Girl Eats

Makes 16 mini cinnamon rolls

Ingredients:
1-8oz tube crescent roll dough
2 Tablespoons butter
cinnamon
brown sugar

For the maple icing:
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 Tablespoon skim milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven according to crescent roll dough package directions. Layout half the dough (4 triangles) and pinch all the seams together. Flip over and pinch the seams on the back side together too.
2. Using a rolling pin, smooth the seams and roll the dough into a square about 1/4″ thick. Brush with half the butter, and sprinkle with as much cinnamon and brown sugar as you want. Roll into a log and cut into 8 pieces.
3. Place mini cinnamon rolls into a non-stick sprayed mini muffin tin. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the other half of the crescent roll dough. Bake according to package directions.
4. Meanwhile whisk together maple syrup and milk in a bowl. Add in powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

Cucumber Cocktails

from Dishing Up Delights

Cucumber Mint Lemonade
(By Esi)

1 1/2 cucumber juice (recipe follows)
6 tablespoons mint simple syrup (recipe follows)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sparkling water
Vodka
Lemons, cucumber, and mint for garnish if desired

Mix the cucumber juice, simple syrup, and lemon juice together in a pitcher. Fill a glass with a few cubes of ice. Add 1/4 cup of the cucumber/lemon mixture, 1/4 cup of sparkling water, and 2 tablespoons of vodka. Stir to combine and serve immediately.

Cucumber juice
(By Esi)

Makes 3 cups

4 English cucumbers, peeled and roughly chopped.

Blend the cucumbers in a blender or food processor until liquefied. Set a strainer over a bowl and strain the juice, making sure to squeeze the extra juice from the pulp. Set aside.

Mint Simple Syrup
(By Esi)

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 springs mint

In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and mint over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely in the refrigerator. Once the mixture has cooled, discard the mint.


Basil Simple Syrup
(By Esi)

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
4 large basil leaves

In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and basil over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely in the refrigerator. Once the mixture has cooled, discard the basil.

Cucumber Basil Limeade
(By Esi)

1 1/2 cucumber juice
7 tablespoons basil simple syrup
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Sparkling water
Vodka
Limes, cucumber, and basil for garnish if desired

Mix the cucumber juice, simple syrup, and lime juice together in a pitcher. Fill a glass with a few cubes of ice. Add 1/4 cup of the cucumber/lime mixture, 1/4 cup of sparkling water, and 2 tablespoons of vodka. Stir to combine and serve immediately.

Pickled Cucumbers

from Nourish Network

2 cups rice wine vinegar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 medium limes)
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 pound Japanese, Persian, English or pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced (1/8-inch thick or thinner)
1/2 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Combine cucumbers, onion, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Add vinegar mixture and stir to combine. Let stand at room temperature for at least 45 minutes before serving, or transfer cucumber mixture to a clean jar and refrigerate up to 5 days.

Yields 1 quart

Authentic Mexican Pozole

from Food.com

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs pork shoulder
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons california chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
4 cups canned white hominy, drained and rinsed
3 -5 cups pork broth, from cooking pork shoulder
1 cup canned diced green chilis (optional)
salt
2 whole fresh jalapenos, chopped (optional)
3 whole ancho chilies, seeded and stemmed (garnish) (optional)

Directions: 

1. This recipe requires a simple prep. 
2. Prepare the onion, peel the garlic, chop the onion, peel and chop the 2 garlic cloves, chop the green chilies and jalapenos if you are using them and get the hominy drained and rinsed. 
3. I boil my ancho chilies in a separate small pot for the garnish part (read below). 
4. Now you are ready to cook. 
5. Place the meat in a large saucepan and just cover with lightly salted water. 
6. Add 1/2 chopped onion, the 2 cloves peeled garlic, pepper, cumin, and oregano. 
7. Bring to a boil over medium heat, skim off any foam that rises, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. 
8. Remove meat and broth, reserving both. 
9. Saute the remaining chopped onion and garlic in oil until translucent. 
10. Add the remaining spices, stir for a minute. 
11. Cut the reserved pork into 1 inch cubes and add to the pan. 
12. Stir in the canned hominy, pork broth (if there is not enough pork broth, add chicken stock, I like to add it anyway for flavor, about 2-4 cups, eyeball the amount you like), green chilies and jalapenos (optional). 
13. Cook at a simmer, covered, for 45 to 60 minutes until the meat and hominy are tender. 
14. If necessary, cook for up to an additional 60 minutes until the chilies and onions are well blended into the broth. 
15. Degrease the stew, taste for salt, and serve in soup bowls. 
16. This is a delicious recipe and well worth the effort to make. 
17. Garnishes that are always served with are: lots of lime/lemon wedges, sliced radishes, chopped cilantro, shredded cabbage (not red), fresh/ packaged fried corn tortillas.
18. When my ancho chilies are soft from boiling (takes about 15 minutes), then I put them in the blender with 1 1/2cups of water, 1 clove of garlic and about 2 tablespoons diced onion, and about 1 tablespoons of salt and pepper. I blend this thin, then strain it to get the liquid separated from its "pulp". I throw the pulp into the soup for the flavor i like but you can discard if too spicy for you. The remaining liquid you put in a serving dish for guests to add in their own bowl, if desired. Beware! It's HOT! 

Sausage Ratatouille

The classic French ratatouille is made by simmering eggplant with other vegetables and herbs. It's often served as a side or appetizer with bread, but our addition of Italian sausage turns it into a hearty meal for cooler months.

Ingredients:
3 to 4 links (about 3/4 pound) Italian sausage
4 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-size eggplant, peeled and cut into a 3/4-inch dice
2 small zucchini, halved and sliced
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium-size green bell pepper, halved, seeded, and sliced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions:

1. Bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil. Puncture the sausage links in several places, then cook them at a low boil until they're no longer pink in the center, about 14 minutes. Transfer the links to a plate to cool, then slice them into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. 
2. Over medium-high heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add the eggplant and zucchini and sauté them, stirring often, until they are lightly browned but not soft, about 7 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a plate. 
3. In the same skillet over medium heat, warm the remaining olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté them for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sliced sausage and sauté, stirring often, for 3 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes, eggplant, and zucchini. 
4. Partially cover the skillet and gently simmer the ratatouille for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, along with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer 5 minutes more. Stir in the parsley and half of the basil. Serve hot, sprinkled with the remaining basil. Serves 6.

Nutritional Information: 
Per serving (1 1/3 cups): Calories 252 Total Fat 15 g (24% DV) Saturated Fat 3 g (17% DV) Cholesterol 17 mg (6% DV) Sodium 767 mg (32% DV) Total Carbohydrate 18 g (6% DV) Fiber 5 g (20% DV) Sugars 9 g Protein 12 g (24% DV) Vitamin C (100% DV)

Chicken and Biscuit Pie

Topped with mini biscuits instead of pastry crust and amply filled with a saucy mix of chicken and your family's favorite veggies, this potpie is sure to warm you up on a wintry evening. Just don't count on leftovers.

Ingredients
FILLING:
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
2 cups vegetables of your choice (left-overs or frozen ones that have been thawed)
Salt and pepper

BISCUIT TOPPING:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup milk

Instructions

1. Melt the butter on the stovetop in a Dutch oven or other oven-safe sauté pan with high sides. Stir in the onion and celery, then cover the pan and cook them for 7 to 8 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the flour, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes to lightly brown it. 
2. Whisk the chicken stock into the pan. When it starts to thicken, whisk in the milk. Add the sage, thyme, chicken, and vegetables, continuing to stir until the mixture is heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Remove the pan from the stovetop and heat the oven to 375 F. Meanwhile, make the biscuit topping by combining the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the dry ingredients. Add the milk and stir briskly, just until the dough pulls together. 
4. Flour your work surface and turn the dough onto it. Using floured hands, knead the dough two or three times, then flatten it to about 1/2 inch thick. Using a small round cutter, cut the dough into biscuits and place as many as will fit, barely touching, on top of the filling. (You can bake any extras separately, on a lightly greased pie plate, for about 15 minutes.) 
5. Bake the potpie until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 20 to 30 minutes. Then let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving it. 

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Nutritional Information: 
Per serving (3 biscuits and 1 cup of filling): Calories 381 Carbohydrates 38g (13% DV) Total Fat 15.5g (24% DV) Saturated Fat 9.3g (46% DV) Cholesterol 74.5mg (25% DV) Sodium 697mg (29% DV) Calcium 13% DV) Vitamin A (35% dv) Fiber 1.6 g (6% DV) Iron (13% DV) Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.