Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 Tbs crushed red pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs chopped garlic
• 6 oz chicken, sliced
• 3/4 cup. Marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
• 2 tsp butter
• 1/4 cup peas
• 1 lb Rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions
• additional 1/2 t crushed red pepper (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

• 1
  In a sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper and garlic and sauté just long enough for garlic to caramelize and red pepper to release flavor into the oil. Add sliced chicken and sauté briefly to coat in spices and garlic.
• 2
  Add Marinara Sauce first and then Alfredo Sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens slightly and chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°. Turn off flame, add butter and peas and incorporate into sauce.
• 3
  Drop cooked pasta in boiling water for 3 seconds. Let drain for 15 seconds. Toss with the sauce. Place pasta and sauce in pasta bowl, reserving the majority of the chicken to be placed on top of the pasta. Using a rubber spatula, scrape any remaining sauce from the pan to the pasta. Garnish with crushed red pepper and serve.

Blueberry Buckle

Streusel Topping:

1/3 cup (45 grams) all purposeflour

1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated whitesugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (56 grams) cold unsaltedbutter, cut into pieces

Cake Batter:

1 cup (130 grams) all purposeflour

1 teaspoonbaking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (56 grams) (4 tablespoons) unsaltedbutter, room temperature

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated whitesugar

1 largeegg

1/2 teaspoon purevanillaextract

1/3 cup (80 ml)milk

2 cups (480 ml) fresh blueberries

Blueberry Cake Recipe:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).  Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan.

Streusel Topping: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and ground cinnamon. With apastryblender, two knives, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture, until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

Cake Batter: In a separate bowl whisk together the flour with the baking powder and salt. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add theflourmixture (in three additions), alternately with the milk (in two additions), and beat only until combined. Spread the batter onto the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. 

Evenly arrange the blueberries on top of the cake batter and then sprinkle with the streusel topping.

Bakeforabout 40 -50 minutesor until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool slightly. 

Serve warm, at room temperature, or even cold.

Makes about 9 servings.

Read more:http://www.joyofbaking.com/BlueberryCake.html#ixzz21U78ndCd

Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole 

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8-10 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes  (I leave the skin on)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 TBS. freshly ground pepper
1 TBS. paprika 
2 TBS. garlic powder 
6 TBS. hot sauce 

Topping:
2 c. Fiesta Blend Cheese or a mix of Cheddar & Monterey Jack
1 c. crumbled bacon 
1 c diced green onion

Preheat oven to 500F.  In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder & hot sauce.  Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat.  Carefully scoop the potatoes into a cooking spray coated baking dish, leaving behind as much of the olive oil/hot sauce mix as possible.  Bake the potatoes for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and crispy & browned on the outside.  While the potatoes are cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the leftover olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat.  Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400F.  Top the cooked potatoes with the raw marinated chicken.  In a bowl mix together the cheese, bacon & green onion and top the raw chicken with the cheese mix.  Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly delicious.  Serve with extra hot sauce and/or ranch dressing.

Recipe and more photos found HERE

Rachael Ray's Southwestern Chili Con Queso Pasta Bake

Rachael Ray's Southwestern Chili Con Queso Pasta Bake
1 pound penne rigate (ridged penne)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon ground cumin (1 palmful)
1 tablespoon roasted ground coriander (1 palmful)

2 tablespoons chili powder (2 palmfuls)
Coarse black pepper
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3-5 garlic cloves, chopped (we really like garlic so I put in more, the recipe calls for 3)
1 jalepeño
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (2 palmfuls)
2 cups milk
3/4 pound cheddar cheese (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (a generous handful), chopped
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (a few handfuls) chopped
1 14-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

Preheat the broiler to high and position the rack 8 inches from the heat. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta until slightly undercooked--a little chewy at the center.

While the water is coming to a boil, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the hamburger.  When the hamburger is almost finished, but still a little pink, throw in the garlic, jalepeño, and onions and finish cooking until the burger is browned and the onion is translucent.  Drain the grease from the skillet and mix in the cumin, coriander and chili powder.  Take off the heat or turn heat down low.

In a medium sauce pot (and you can do this while you're browning the hamburger), melt the butter and add the flour to it.  Cook for 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat and then whisk in the milk. When the milk comes to a bubble, stir in the cheese, cilantro and parsley with a wooden spoon.  When the cheese has melted, stir in the tomatoes.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it back into the large pot.  Add the contents of the hamburger and all of the Cheddar sauce, and stir to combine.  Transfer to a baking dish, sprinkle with a bit more cheese if you wish, and place under the broiler to lightly brown.

Zucchini Muffins

No photo, but trust me, they're good!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Mix egg, oil, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in another bowl; stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in zucchini and walnuts. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full.
3. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe found HERE

Blueberry Crumb bars

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Crust & Crumbs
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 large egg

Filling
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
4 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Whisk together sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Cut in butter and egg with a pastry cutter until dough is moist and crumbly. Press half of the dough evenly into bottom of prepared baking dish.

To prepare filling, stir together lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl; add blueberries and toss gently to coat. Spoon blueberry mixture evenly over crust, then crumble remaining dough over the berry layer. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the top is golden. Cool bars completely in pan on a wire rack, then chill dish in the freezer for 10 minutes to make cutting easier. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Recipe found HERE

Chicken Taquitos

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheesesmall flour or corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese; mix thoroughly.

(If you decided to prep this in advance, refrigerate the mixture at this point until ready tocontinue.)

Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 20 – 30 seconds).
Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.
Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone.
Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other.
Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

**To freeze:  Before baking, flash freeze the taquitos in a single layer on a baking sheet then place in a labeled freezer bag and store up to 3 months.  To bake a frozen taquito (no need to thaw first): Preheat oven to 425˚F and bake for 20 minutes.  (Flash Freeze means freezing the taquitos in a single layer for 15-20 minutes (until hardened) so that when you add them to the freezer bag, they will not all stick together).

Recipe found HERE

Tomato Basil Cream Pasta

Ingredients

• 3/4 pounds Penne Pasta (Or Bow Tie)
• 1 pound Chicken (can also use Shrimp or Spicy Italian Sausage)
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Onion (small)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
• 1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream (Or milk with 1 T flour if you don't have cream)
• Fresh Parsley, to taste
• Fresh Basil - To Taste (A must!!)
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.

Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of Chicken. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the chicken and cook until done, set aside.

Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.
In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your broth. Let the broth evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.

Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil, or if you’re feeling very proper, chiffonaded.

Now add your chopped chicken back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

Recipe found HERE

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Recipe found HERE

1 (18.25-ounce) package spice cake mix
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup peeled, cored, and chopped Granny Smith apple (about 1 large apple)
35 caramels
1/4 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream (or regular milk)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
24 wooden craft sticks

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vegetable oil until incorporated (about 30 seconds). Scrape sides of bowl and then beat on med-high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in chopped apple.

2. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

3. Meanwhile, combine caramels and milk in a medium saucepan over very low heat; stir 4 minutes or until smooth. It's very important to keep the heat very low because if the caramel gets too hot it will become really hard when cooled.

4. Spread caramel mixture over cupcakes being careful to not touch the caramel to the paper liners or it will stick to the liners; immediately sprinkle with pecans, pressing in slightly. Insert a wooden stick into center of each cupcake. Store covered in an airtight container. It's best to serve the cupcakes the same day that you add the caramel topping. Caramel will soften if kept at room temperature for too long so store in the refrigerator until ready to serve then let come to room temperature to let caramel soften up a bit.

Makes 20-24 cupcakes.