Bowtie Pasta with Italian Sausage - April (Lori's house)

4 links Italian sausage with casings removed (I used two sweet and two hot sausages)
1 onion, chopped fine
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz crushed tomatoes or diced, depending on your preference (I used half and half)
Basil to taste (1-2 tbsp)
1 cup cream
1 pound bowtie pasta

Cook sausage over medium-high heat, breaking up as you cook it.  Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the meat and cook until meat is cooked through and onion is soft and translucent.

Add tomatoes and basil and bring to a simmer.  Lower heat to low.  Stir in cream.  Bring to a simmer and continue simmering uncovered on low.

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Cook to al dente.  Pour sauce over cooked noodles and serve.

Cinnamon Chip Cookies - March Tawnya's House

1 3/4 cup flour1/2 tsp baking soda
14 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp salt (I omit this if I'm using salted butter)
2 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 large yolk
1 1/4 cups cinnamon chips

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 375 degrees.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Heat 10 tbsp butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 1-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tbsp butter into hot butter until completely melted.

Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated.  Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds.  Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds.  Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny.  Using, rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute.  Stir in cinnamon chips, giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.  Drop dough onto cookie sheets 2 inches apart.  Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10-14 minutes.  Let cookies cool for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Wingers Sticky Fingers

Winger's Sticky Fingers Recipe:

1 pkg. frozen breaded chicken strips (We use Tyson brand)

6 Tbl. Frank's Hot Sauce (It has to be Franks Hot Sauce, no other sauce will taste as good)

4 Tbl. water

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

Chicken:

Prepare the chicken strips as directed on the back of the package. My favorite way is to deep fry them.

Sauce:
Heat hot sauce, water and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, until sugar is dissolved.

Pour sauce over chicken, and enjoy!

 

Homemade Ranch Dressing:

 

Ingredients
1-2 cloves Garlic (You can just use garlic powder as well, if you don't have any fresh)
Salt To Taste
1/4 cup Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives (I use the dried kind in a bottle I found in the produce section)
1 cup (Real) Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour Cream
Buttermilk (as Needed To Desired Consistency) (if I don’t have buttermilk on hand [which I rarely do-so I use this trick a LOT], I mix up a substitute of one cup of milk and a tsp of lemon juice or a tsp of cream of tartar).
Preparation Instructions
Mince the garlic with a knife and then sprinkle about an 1/8 to ¼ teaspoons of salt on it and mash it into a paste with a fork. Chop the parsley, chives and any of the optional herbs very finely and add to the garlic.
In a bowl combine all ingredients, adding other optional ingredients as you wish, tasting frequently and adjusting seasonings as needed. Chill for a couple of hours before serving, thin with milk or buttermilk if desired.

Pina Colada Punch

The Punch
Ingredients:
1 can frozen pina colada concentrate, thawed (Bacardi makes a good one)
1 can frozen orange pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
4 liters of diet lemon-lime soda (That’s two 2-Liters for the mathematically challenged.)
1 bag of pebble ice (You can buy it at Sonic Drive-In or at most grocery stores in the deli or meat departments.)
1 bag of frozen raspberries

Directions:
*Pour the thawed concentrates into your punchbowl and stir.
*Use one of the empty cans and fill it with water four times and add it to the mixture. Stir.
*Add your diet soda to the mixture. (You can use regular sugar-filled soda if you want, but I think it gets too sweet .
*Next, add about half your bag of pebble ice.
add the ice before the soda. You will get an ugly foam at the top of your punch bowl.)
*Add your frozen raspberries to the top.

May 2012 Rotation

Easy Caramel Corn

15 Cups Popped Corn (1/2 C unpopped)

1/2 Cup Margarine or Butter

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Light Corn Syrup

1 tsp. Salt

Microwave for 30 sec-1 minute at a time on high for about three minutes or until smooth. Stir frequently.

Stir in 1/2 tsp. baking soda and pour over popcorn in a microwaveable bowl.

Microwave for 2-3 minutes stirring every 30 sec until well coated.

Pour out onto wax paper, separate and let cool.

Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta

from http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/04/perfect-panna-cotta/

(all the dialogue in this recipe is from Mr. Bovitz) :)

Eight servings

Adapted from Secrets From My Tuscan Kitchen by Judy Witts

I love this dessert and the great thing about Panna Cotta is that it demands to be made in advance. You can make them up to two days ahead and keep them well-covered and chilled.

For gelatin-related questions, read my Tips for Using Gelatin. You can find instructions for using sheet gelatin at the end of the recipe.

4 cups (1l) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
6 tablespoons (90ml) cold water

1. Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan or microwave. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

(If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover, and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)

2. Lightly oil eight custard cups with a neutral-tasting oil.

3. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Pour the very warm Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.

5. Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the prepared cups, then chill them until firm, which will take at least two hours but I let them stand at least four hours. (Judy told me American refrigerators are colder than European ones. )

If you’re pressed for time, pour the Panna Cotta mixture into wine goblets so you can serve them in the glasses, without unmolding.

6. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each Panna Cotta and unmold each onto a serving plate, and garnish as desired.

April 2012 Rotation