Fresh Green Bean and Tomato Salad

from Paula Deen at Food Network

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and cut into quarters
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into quarters
• 1 can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
• Several green onions, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• Dash lemon juice
• 1 large head romaine or red leaf lettuce, washed and dried thoroughly

Directions

Blanch beans in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove to an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain beans and set aside. In the same pot of boiling water, blanchpeas until slightly tender, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove peas to the ice water bath; drain and set aside.

Place beans, peas, tomatoes, eggs, water chestnuts, and green onions in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Addmayonnaise and lemon juice and stir to combine. Serve over lettuce leaves.

Spiced Crabmeat Corn Chowder

from KSL.com

Ingredients:

• 4 T. butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 russet potato, peeled and cut into ½” dice
• 1 jalapeno pepper, cored and diced
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups half and half
• 2 cups clam broth
• 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning or Cajun seasoning
• 8 oz. crabmeat (1/2 lb.)
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed slightly
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• Garnish: Old Bay seasoning, chopped cilantro and ¼ lb. crabmeat (optional)

Method:

In a 4-quart saucepan, heat butter and sauté the onion and celery until soft, about 2 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the potato and jalapeno pepper. Cover; “sweat” the vegetables for 2-3 minutes, until potatoes are tender, not quite cooked through, stirring often.

Stir the flour into vegetables; cook 1 minute on medium heat. Whisk in the half and half, broth and Old Bay seasoning. Simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes, allowing the chowder to thicken slightly, whisking often to prevent lumps and flour sticking to bottom of pan. Stir in crabmeat, corn, cilantro, and corn. Cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes, until corn is heated through. Taste for seasoning. Serve at once with a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning on top, chopped cilantro and a small mound of crabmeat. Serves 4-6.http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=204&sid=7703695

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

from My Baking Addiction

Makes 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
(enough to liberally frost 12-16 cupcakes)

Ingredients
8 ounces of cream cheese; room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; room temperature
4 tablespoons shortening* (Crisco)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
3 ounces unsweetened chocolated; melted and slightly cooled.
4 cups confectioners’ sugar; sifted

Directions
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter, cream cheese and shortening until well blended.
2. Add in the vanilla and salt and mix on low speed until well combined.
3. Gradually pour in the chocolate until thoroughly combined.
4. Add in the confertioners’ sugar one cup at a time until completely incorporated.

Notes:
1. I use Crisco for a little stability in my frosting, if you are opposed to Crisco, simply sub in a few more tablespoons of butter.
2. The brown cupcake liners and the piping tip used are both from Bake It Pretty.

Caputo's Sardinian Style Gnocchi

from KSL.com

Ingredients:

• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 3 oz. pancetta, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 8 oz. ground pork
• 8 oz. ground lamb
• 1 1/4 lb. ripe tomatoes, chopped, or 1-28 oz. can Italian tomatoes, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 lb. gnocchi
• grated pecorino cheese for the table

Method:

Place the olive oil in a large skillet and heat. Add the pancetta, onion and parsley and saute gently. Add the pork and lamb and cook until browned. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaves, sage, salt and pepper. Cook for about one hour, or until the sauce is thickened.

Cook the gnocchi in a pot of water until al dente, drain and place on a serving dish. Pour the prepared suace over the gnocchi and sprinkle with the grated cheese, serve with additional cheese.

Bacon & Tomato Pasta

from Guy Fieri at Food Network

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 16 ounces spaghetti pasta
• 1 pound thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 4 tablespoons basil, chiffonade
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta isal dente.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add extra-virgin olive oil, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then deglaze with wine.

Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Meat Loaf from Ina Garten

from Ina Garten on Food Network

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
• 2 extra-large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meat loaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot.