Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Greek Pasta Salad

1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Greek pasta salad mix
1/3 c. water
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 cu. grape tomatoes, halved
1 small cucumber, coarsely chopped
1 c. feta cheese, crumbled
1 c. kalamata olives
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. fresh basil, torn into small pieces

1. Cook pasta as directed on box. Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together seasoning mix, cold water and oil.

2. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well.

3. Stir drained pasta and remaining ingredients into seasoning mixture. Serve immediately or refrigerate 1 hour to shill.

source: on the back of the Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Greek pasta salad mix

Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry

1/2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

1 clove chopped garlic

1 tsp chopped chiles

1 lb boneless chicken breasts

4-6 tbsp Annie Chun's Pad Thai Sauce

broccoli florets or green beans

2 scallions, sliced

1 c. loosely packed bail leaves



Heat oil in pan. Add garlic, chiles, and chicken and stir fry until chicken is cooked. Stir in Annie Chun's Pad Thai Sauce. Add broccoli or green beans, scallions, and basil and mix until heated through. Serve over rice.

source: on the back of Annie Chun's Pad Thai Sauce

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Greek Lamb-Feta Burgers With Cucumber Sauce

Ingredients
4 large unpeeled garlic cloves
1 lb of ground lamb
1/2 crumbled feta cheese
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 large cucumber, peeled, grated and squeezed very dry in a clean towel
3/4 sour cream
1 tbs minced fresh mint leaves
1 tsp red or rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
4 large thin tomato slices
4 small (4 inch) pita breads

Directions:
1. Set 4 whole garlic cloves in a small skillet over medium heat; toast until spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Peel, mince and set aside.

2. Break up lamb in a medium bowl. Sprinkle roasted garlic, feta, oregano, salt and pepper over meat; stir with a fork to combine. Divide into 4 portions. Toss meat back and forth between cupped hands to form a ball. Pat with Fingertips to flatten to about 4 inches wide. Refrigerate.

3. Mix cucumber, sour cream, mint, vinegar, 1 minced clove of garlic, salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. Refrigerate sauce until ready to serve.

4. Cook on grill or grill pan on stovetop.

5. Warm pitas and top burgers with sour cream mixture and tomato.

source: Allrecipes.com

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Sausage and Clam Soup



Ingredients:


2 tbsp extra -virgin olive oil


8 ounces hot italian sausage, thinly sliced


1 small onion


3 cloves garlic, minced


1/2 to 1tsp red pepper flakes


1 6 ounce can (3/4) cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed


1/2 bunch kale, trimmed and roughly chopped


1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes


1 14-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed


16 littleneck clams, scrubbed


1 to 2 tbsp white wine vinegar


Crusty bread, for serving




Directions:


1. Heat the olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning, until browned,a bout 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until onion is soft, about 3 minutes




2. Stir in the orange juice concentrate, kale and 3 cups water. Add tomatoes and break them into chunks with a spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.




3. Add the beans and clams. Return to a boil over high heat, cover and cook until the clams open, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and serve with bread.
source: Food Network magazine

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Bunny Cupcakes



1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake box mix
Betty Crocker pink cupcake frosting
Betty Crocker white cupcake frosting

To make Bunny faces:
5 large marshmallows
Pink sugar
mini M&Ms for eyes
Twizzler bites cute for noses
chocolate sprinklers for whiskers

1 Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack, Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

2 Frost cupcakes with pink frosting.

3 Spoon 1 heaping teaspoonful white frosting of each cupcake. To make ears, cut each large marshmallow crosswise into 5 pieces with kitchen scissors.


Using scissors, cut through center of each marshmallow piece to within 1/4 inch of edge. Separate to look like bunny ears; press 1 side of cut edges into pink sugar, flattening slightly. Arrange on each of the white frosting mounds. Use mini M&Ms for eyes, sprinkles to make eyes, Twizzler bites for nose and sprinkles for whiskers.




source: Betty Crocker's Cupcakes Cakes & more Recipe book




James mom gave me this cook book for my birthday along with a beautiful Heart Bangle bracelet. I thought they would be so cute to make for Easter this year. My brother and Gina came over to help me make them. Gina iced the pink frosting because it had to be perfect, Michael made the ears and helped me make there faces. We had to make one bunny all vanilla because Gina is allergic to strawberry. We gave the bunny orange eyes because that is her favorite color.

Pad Thai Noodles


4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided


2 cloves minced garlic


shrimp


2 eggs, lightly beaten


1 pkg. Annie Chun's Pad Thai Rice Noodles (cooked as directed)


1 pkg Annie Chun's Pad Thai Sauce


1 cup bean sprouts


2 tbsp chopped cilantro


3 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed


1 line, cut into wedges




Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok over high heat.


Add garlic and shrimps; cook and set aside.


Wipe off wok. Heat remaining oil; pour in eggs and stir to cook through. Reduce heat to low; add noodles and shrimp then mix in sauce. Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro, peanuts, and lime.




source: on back of the Annie Chun's Pad Thai sauce




I found this recipe while shopping in Fairway Markets in Paramus.