Lisa got the recipes to me from her last two gourmet nights! Yeah!! I've been dying to make them. Thanks, Lis!
Walnut Crostini With Gorgonzola & Pear
Walnut bread, 7 slices
Gorgonzola cheese 7oz at room temperature
Pear, 1, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
Salt
Ground pepper
Cut each slice of bread in half crosswise. Spread the cheese evenly on each bread slice and top with two think slices of pear. Transfer the crostini to a platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.
Cranberry Walnut Salad
Salad
Mixed salad greens
Dried cranberries
Chopped walnuts
Crumbled goat cheese
Sweet Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
¼ cup sugar
1. Using a food processor or whisk, combine all ingredients and mix until well blended.
2. Keep refrigerated.
3. Blend dressing before each use. Makes 12 servings.
Mini Caprese Salad
16 ounces fresh mini mozzarella balls
1 pound grape tomatoes, about 2 cups
½ cup shredded fresh basil leaves
1 cup live oil
6 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1. In a large glass or non-reactive bowl, combine mozzarella, tomatoes and basil.
2. In a separate small bowl, blend olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, garlic salt and oregano.
3. Stir the dressing into the salad.
Cheddar Biscuits
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix
¾ cup cold whole milk
4 tablespoons cold butter (½ stick)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese
Brush on Top:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don’t want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don’t over mix.
3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.
5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter oven the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits.
Pesto-Glazed Chicken Breast with Spaghetti
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ bunches fresh basil leaves (about 1 ½ cups lightly packed)
1/3 cup plus ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
9 ounces dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian parsley
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved, for garnish
2 tablespoons torn basil leaves, for garnish
Directions
To make pesto: Using a bump and grind or another large mortar and pestle, smash the garlic into a coarse puree. Add 1 ½ bunches of basil and pound until it is coarsely chopped. Mix in the grated Parmesan cheese. Add 1/3 cup of pine nuts and smash to break them up. Slowly mix in ¼ cup of olive oil. Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken breast generously with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken breasts just until golden brown but not yet cooked through. About 2 minutes per side. Remove the pan from the heat. Spread the pesto over the top of the chicken breasts. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the chicken is just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
To prepare the pasta: Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking, about 8 minutes. Drain the spaghetti, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Whisk 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the reserved pasta cooking water to blend well. Add the spaghetti and parsley and toss to coat.
Using a two-pronged carving fork, swirl some of the pasta around the fork. Slide the pasta off the fork and mound it in the center of the plate. Repeated for each serving. Cut each chicken breast crosswise and on a slight diagonal into 4 slices. Arrange the chicken slices alongside the spaghetti. Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup of pine nuts, shaved Parmesan cheese, and torn basil. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over and serve.
Chocolate Mint Brownies
INGREDIENTS
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup margarine, softened
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk, or as needed
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
6 drops green food coloring
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Melt the unsweetened chocolate in a cup or small bowl in the microwave. Stir at 15 second intervals until chocolate is smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour just until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven until the surface appears dry and the sides are beginning to pull away from the edges of the pan, 20 to 25 minutes. The brownies may look more like cake and may jiggle slightly in the center- this is normal. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan set over a wire rack.
To make the middle layer, beat 1/2 cup of butter with confectioners' sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add milk as needed to get a spreadable consistency. Stir in the peppermint extract and green food coloring. Spread this over the cooled pan of brownies. Refrigerate for 30 minutes
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips with the butter until melted. Stir every 20 seconds until chocolate is smooth. Stir in vanilla and then pour over the chilled brownies and quickly spread to cover the surface. Cool again until firm, about 10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.
*If anyone is having trouble with the top chocolate layer here's a tip: Melt ingredients over low heat on the stove. Turn off heat and add vanilla. Then with a wooden spoon beat it for about 2 minutes until it starts to shine.
Walnut Crostini With Gorgonzola & Pear
Walnut bread, 7 slices
Gorgonzola cheese 7oz at room temperature
Pear, 1, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
Salt
Ground pepper
Cut each slice of bread in half crosswise. Spread the cheese evenly on each bread slice and top with two think slices of pear. Transfer the crostini to a platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.
Cranberry Walnut Salad
Salad
Mixed salad greens
Dried cranberries
Chopped walnuts
Crumbled goat cheese
Sweet Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
¼ cup sugar
1. Using a food processor or whisk, combine all ingredients and mix until well blended.
2. Keep refrigerated.
3. Blend dressing before each use. Makes 12 servings.
Mini Caprese Salad
16 ounces fresh mini mozzarella balls
1 pound grape tomatoes, about 2 cups
½ cup shredded fresh basil leaves
1 cup live oil
6 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1. In a large glass or non-reactive bowl, combine mozzarella, tomatoes and basil.
2. In a separate small bowl, blend olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, garlic salt and oregano.
3. Stir the dressing into the salad.
Cheddar Biscuits
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix
¾ cup cold whole milk
4 tablespoons cold butter (½ stick)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese
Brush on Top:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don’t want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don’t over mix.
3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.
5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter oven the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits.
Pesto-Glazed Chicken Breast with Spaghetti
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ bunches fresh basil leaves (about 1 ½ cups lightly packed)
1/3 cup plus ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
9 ounces dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian parsley
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved, for garnish
2 tablespoons torn basil leaves, for garnish
Directions
To make pesto: Using a bump and grind or another large mortar and pestle, smash the garlic into a coarse puree. Add 1 ½ bunches of basil and pound until it is coarsely chopped. Mix in the grated Parmesan cheese. Add 1/3 cup of pine nuts and smash to break them up. Slowly mix in ¼ cup of olive oil. Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken breast generously with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken breasts just until golden brown but not yet cooked through. About 2 minutes per side. Remove the pan from the heat. Spread the pesto over the top of the chicken breasts. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the chicken is just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
To prepare the pasta: Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking, about 8 minutes. Drain the spaghetti, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Whisk 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the reserved pasta cooking water to blend well. Add the spaghetti and parsley and toss to coat.
Using a two-pronged carving fork, swirl some of the pasta around the fork. Slide the pasta off the fork and mound it in the center of the plate. Repeated for each serving. Cut each chicken breast crosswise and on a slight diagonal into 4 slices. Arrange the chicken slices alongside the spaghetti. Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup of pine nuts, shaved Parmesan cheese, and torn basil. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over and serve.
Chocolate Mint Brownies
INGREDIENTS
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup margarine, softened
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk, or as needed
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
6 drops green food coloring
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Melt the unsweetened chocolate in a cup or small bowl in the microwave. Stir at 15 second intervals until chocolate is smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour just until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven until the surface appears dry and the sides are beginning to pull away from the edges of the pan, 20 to 25 minutes. The brownies may look more like cake and may jiggle slightly in the center- this is normal. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan set over a wire rack.
To make the middle layer, beat 1/2 cup of butter with confectioners' sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add milk as needed to get a spreadable consistency. Stir in the peppermint extract and green food coloring. Spread this over the cooled pan of brownies. Refrigerate for 30 minutes
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips with the butter until melted. Stir every 20 seconds until chocolate is smooth. Stir in vanilla and then pour over the chilled brownies and quickly spread to cover the surface. Cool again until firm, about 10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.
*If anyone is having trouble with the top chocolate layer here's a tip: Melt ingredients over low heat on the stove. Turn off heat and add vanilla. Then with a wooden spoon beat it for about 2 minutes until it starts to shine.
Yea! I've been waiting for these!
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