Dinner's on the Table 12.6.10

Frozen veggies cooked with olive oil, garlic, and lemon

 pepper makes for a quick veggie dish.

Potatos with mushrooms and verts, seasoned with spicy pesto.

Dinner is served.

Kerry's Sweet Potato-Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 large egg

1 small sweet onion, finely chopped

1 cup fresh spinach, stems remove

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup spicy barbecue sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 slices whole-wheat bread

1 teaspoon salt & pepper

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish.

2.Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potato, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the sweet potatoes, and mash until semi smooth. Pulse bread in food processor to get smaller 1/4" size bread crumbs.

3.Mix the ground turkey together with the egg, sweet onion, garlic, spinach, barbecue sauce, Dijon mustard, and whole wheat bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the sweet potatoes, and stir until evenly combined. If the mixture seems too wet, add more bread crumbs. Use your hands to form the turkey mixture into a loaf shape and place in the prepared baking dish.

4. Glaze Loaf with bbq sauce,save remainder of BBQ sauce for serving.

5.Bake in the preheated oven 1 hour. Slice the loaf to serve.

RECIPE OF THE DAY November 23rd, 2009

NEW GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Ingredients

3 pound(s) green beans, trimmed and cut in half

4 large shallots

1 tablespoon(s) olive oil

1 1/2 cup(s) coarse fresh bread crumbs

1 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper

3 cup(s) lowfat 1% milk

3 tablespoon(s) margarine or butter

1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon(s) freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 cup(s) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat covered 8-quart saucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Add beans and cook, uncovered, 6 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Drain well and transfer to shallow 3-quart glass or ceramic baking dish.

Meanwhile, finely chop 2 shallots. Thinly slice remaining shallots; set aside. In 12-in. skillet, heat oil on medium until hot. Add chopped shallots and cook 4 to 7 minutes or until browned and tender, stirring occasionally. Add bread crumbs and cook 2 minutes or until dry and golden, stirring. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

In microwave-safe measuring cup, microwave milk on High 4 minutes or until milk is warm.

Meanwhile, in same 12-in. skillet, melt margarine on medium. Add sliced shallots and cook 5 minutes or until golden brown and tender, stirring occasionally. Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Gradually pour milk into flour mixture in slow, steady stream, stirring constantly; heat to boiling, stirring. Stir 2 minutes longer or until thickened (mixture should have the consistency of heavy cream). Stir in nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Pour sauce over green beans; gently stir until green beans are evenly coated. Stir Parmesan cheese into bread crumb mixture; spread evenly over green bean mixture in casserole.

Bake casserole 30 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown and sauce is bubbling.

Find this & other recipes at Delish.com

RECIPE OF THE DAY November 19th, 2009

Easy Ham and Corn Chowder

Ingredients

4 ear(s) of corn, kernels cut off and cobs reserved

1 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil

1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 pound(s) ham, rind removed and reserved, ham cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 cup(s) heavy cream

1 pound(s) baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Using the back of a knife and working over a medium bowl, scrape the corn cobs to release any pulp and juices; reserve the cobs.

In a medium soup pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 6 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, the ham rind and the corncobs, pulp and juices and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderately low heat for 5 minutes; discard the cobs and ham rind. Add the cream and potatoes, bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the corn kernels and ham and simmer until the corn and potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and serve.

From the Kitchen of Delish.com

RECIPE OF THE DAY November 17th, 2009

SEAFOOD LASAGNA

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound seafood (king crab, shrimp and scallops)
1 teaspoon garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup white wine (or chicken stock)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons garlic (chopped)
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup dill (chopped)
1 (16 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (10 ounce) package spinach (thawed and drained)
1 egg
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
1 cup mozzarella (grated)
1/2 pound lasagna noodles (cooked)
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
1/2 cup mozzarella (grated)

Directions:
1. Heat the butter in a pan.
2. Add the seafood and saute until cooked, just a few minutes and set the seafood aside.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minutes.
4. Add the white wine and lemon juice, deglaze the pan, and simmer to reduce by half.
5. Add the seafood and toss to coat.
6. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan.
7. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
8. Add the flour and stir while cooking for a few minutes.
9. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer until it thickens.
10. Remove from the heat and mix in the parmigiano reggiano, salt and pepper and dill.
11. Mix the ricotta, spinach, egg, parmigiano reggiano, mozzarella and a cup of the white sauce.
12. Pour 1/4 cup of the white sauce over the bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish.
13. Add a layer of noodles.
14. Add a layer of half of the cheese mixture.
15. Add a layer of noodles.
16. Add a layer of all of the seafood and pour a cup of the white sauce over it.
17. Add a layer of noodles.
18. Add a layer of the remaining cheese mixture.
19. Add a final layer of noodles.
20. Pour 1/2 cup of the white sauce over the noodles and top with the parmigiano reggiano and mozzarella.
21. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 45-60 minutes.

FROM THE KITCHEN OF CLOSETCOOKING

RECIPE OF THE DAY November 13th, 2009

FRIDAY is for PIZZA!!!!!!!!

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, CARMELIZED ONION, GORGONZOLA, AND SAGE PIZZA

Ingredients:

2 cups butternut squash (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 onion (sliced)

1 clove garlic (chopped)

1 tablespoon butter

1 handful sage leaves

1 pizza dough

1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)

1/4 cup gorgonzola (crumbled) 

Directions:

1. Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil.

2. Roast the squash in a preheated 350F oven until tender, about 30-40 minutes and set aside.

3. Heat the oil and melt the butter in a pan.

4. Add the onion and cook on low until caramelized, about 40-60 minutes.

5. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes and set aside.

6. Melt the butter in a pan.

7. Add the sage leaves and saute until crispy, about 2-3 minutes.

8. Spread the onions over the pizza dough followed by the butternut squash and the cheeses.

9. Bake in a preheated 500F oven until golden brown on top, about 5-10 minutes.

10. Place the sage leaves on top.

From the delectable recipes of Closet Cooking.

RECIPE OF THE DAY November 11th, 2009

Salmon with Citrus Soy Glaze & Asian Slaw

I made this for dinner last night and it was a hit! Serve with a glass of Riesling and Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage

4 cups (packed) thinly sliced fresh spinach

1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips

1 carrot, cut into matchstick-size strips

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil

6 6-ounce salmon fillets

1 teaspoon chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Toss first 4 ingredients in large bowl to combine. Whisk vinegar, 1/4 cup canola oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and sesame oil in medium bowl. Set vinaigrette aside.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper; add to pan. Cook salmon until brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook until opaque in center, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer salmon to plate; tent with foil to keep warm. Add ginger and garlic to same skillet. Sauté 1 minute over medium-high heat. Add orange and lime juices and 1 teaspoon soy sauce; boil until mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup glaze, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Rewhisk vinaigrette. Add to vegetable mixture and toss to coat. Divide equally among plates. Place 1 salmon fillet atop vegetables on each plate. Drizzle glaze over salmon and serve.

DINING OUT

Villa Mozart located in the city of Fairfax is by far my most visited restaurant in the DC area.

The authentic French cuisine and cozy atmosphere makes going there a decadent experience time after time. Each bite has you longing for more, which is something I have rarely experienced. Put this at the top of your list for a romantic night out or just treat yourself, it promises to leave you fully indulged.

Hook on Georgetown's M street serves up appealing sustainable seafood as well as desserts thought up by DC's no.1 ranked pastry chef. The Menu dons courses presented in order to compliment the next and not to mention the Pear Martini's are to die for.

Enology rated as one of the top Wine Bar's in the DC area by The Washington Post proves worthy with their solid collection of wines concentrated on North American vineyards. Light and complimentary cuisine separates Enology from other wine bar's in the area.