Yankee Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Winner, winner, Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole dinner! 

Rice Recipe Contest - Second Prize Winner

1 box wild rice mix

4 chicken breasts, boned and skinned

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

1 small red onion, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1/3 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup light mayonnaise

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the rice according to the package directions. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a greased 13x9-inch casserole dish. In a large bowl, combine the rice with all of the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Spoon the rice mixture around the chicken breasts. Sprinkle the cheese on the chicken and rice. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and cook 15 minutes more, or until the cheese is brown and bubbly and the chicken is cooked through.

-Glenna Anderson Muse, Springfield, Missouri for Yankee Magazine

Tailgate Ready Ham and Cheese Stuffed Bread

The first tailgate of the season is Friday!  Woohoo!  Here's an easy stuffed bread recipe that's guaranteed to please!

Tailgate Ham and Cheese Stuffed Bread

1 package (1 pound) prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
All-purpose flour (for work surface)
3 large eggs
5 ounces shredded Cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese
4 ounces good-quality sliced ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 scallions, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Garnish: 1 scallion, halved lengthwise

Instructions:
Set one oven rack to the lowest position; set the second rack a couple of levels above. Fill a pie plate or other shallow pan halfway with water and set it on the oven’s upper shelf (to create steam and let the bread rise better). Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle about 10 inches wide and 12 inches long. Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk the eggs until blended; then add the cheese, ham, scallions, basil, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.

Pour the egg mixture down the center of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges (save the small amount of egg left in the bowl for later). Form a loaf by first folding the shorter edges up an inch or so over the filling (as you would with a burrito); then fold the long sides up so that they meet in the center; now pinch them together. Be sure to seal the dough well so that the filling stays inside during baking.

Turn the loaf over, seam side down, onto the lined baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make a few shallow slashes on the top of the dough. Brush the top with the leftover egg from the mixing bowl and lay a halved scallion lengthwise down the center to garnish. Bake until the bread is deep brown, about 50 minutes. Check the bread periodically during the latter half of cooking—if any filling is leaking out, bring the foil up and around the sides of the loaf to hold everything in.

Transfer to a wire rack for at least 15 minutes to cool before serving. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

Nick Stellino's Pasta Matriciana

Who says that Yankee's can't cook?!  This once sounds pretty good!

Nick Stellino's Pasta Matriciana

Ingredients:
3 quarts water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onions
6 ounces sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
4 tablespoons chopped basil
1 pound pasta: penne, ziti, or rigatoni
5 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

Instructions:
Bring water to boil in large pot. Heat the olive oil and the garlic in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the garlic starts to brown, about 2 or 3 minutes.

Add the bacon, onions, and red pepper flakes; cook until bacon begins to brown and onions soften. Pour in the red wine and stir up any brown bits that might be clinging to the bottom of the pan. Boil until the wine is reduced by half.

Add the tomato sauce, chicken stock, and chopped basil. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain well, then return to the pot. Pour sauce over pasta and cook, stirring, 3 minutes over medium heat, until the sauce is absorbed. Add the cheese. Toss well and serve.

Zuppa Toscana - Sausage, Potato Soup

My friend posted this recipe on her FB page today.  This is a copy and paste job - sounds too good not to share!  Let me know what you think!

Zuppa Toscana (better than Olive Garden!)

1 lb. Italian sausages (use spicy to get that signature Olive Garden flavor)
4-6 russet potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. REAL bacon pieces (optional)
2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 c. kale or Swiss chard, chopped (or spinach)
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp flour 

DIRECTIONS:
1. Brown sausage links in a sauté pan.
2. Cut links in half lengthwise, then cut slices.
3. Place sausage, chicken broth, garlic, potatoes and onion in slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and meat.
4. Cook on high 3-4 hours (low 5-6 hours) until potatoes are soft. 30 minutes before serving:
5. Mix flour into cream removing lumps.
6. Add cream and kale to the crock pot, stir.
7. Cook on high 30 minutes or until broth thickens slightly. 8. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. 

In honor of Mangia's moving...Arugula Salad with Lemon and Shaved Parm

There's a pop-up restaurant near my house that serves amazing Italian food in a family-style, festive environment.  For as good as the food tastes, the ambiance is even better - think singing, dancing, The Godfather!  Mangia has been my go to for birthdays and other celebrations!

I just read this week that Mangia is moving from my neck of the woods to Nashville.  Boo :(

In honor of this restaurant, I'm going to post a version of their super delicious Arugula Salad with lemon and shaved parm.  It's deilicous!

Arugula Salad with Olive Oil, Lemon and Shaved Parm

2 bunches arugula, washed, dried and torn
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon juiced
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Parmigiano-Regianno, shaved

In a bowl, drizzle the arugula with oil and lemon juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Toss till mixed and sprinkle plenty of shaved cheese on top.  Enjoy!

Mexicorn Dip - Version 2

I crave this dip.  Give me a bag of Fritos and I could literally finish off an entire tub of it in a sitting.  So good!

Cold Mexicorn Dip

2 cans Mexicorn

1 can Rotel

2 cups shredded cheddar

8 green onions (sliced)

1 cup mayo

1 cup sour cream

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Mix, chill, and enjoy!

Paula's Zucchini Bread

It's summer!  That means most of us with gardens (or who have friends with gardens) are experiencing zucchini overload.  I'm not a zucchini casserole girl, but I sure do love zucchini bread!  I LOVE it!  Even though I will forgo the nuts (boo) for my kids, they don't share the love quite as much.  Oh well, more for me!  I use Paula Deen's recipe.  I'm sure there are much, much healthier versions out there (1 cup oil and 3 cups sugar - oy!), but this one tastes as it should.  Enjoy!

Paula's Zucchini Bread

3 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix together the flour, salt, nutmeg, soda, cinnamon and sugar in a large bowl.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, lemon juice and zucchini.  Fold zucchini mixture into flower mixture.  Stir until well combined.  Pour batter into 2 standard loaf pans sprayed with Pam.  Bake for 1 hour or until tester comes out clean.  Cool in pan on rack for 15-20 minutes.  Loosen from sides and remove from pans.  Continue to cool on rack.

Fresh from the Garden Tomato, Basil, Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich

One of my favorite summertime sandwiches features staples from my vegetable garden.  I like to harvest the ingredients right before I make it.  So yummy!  Hope you try this combo!

Tomato, Basil, Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich

1 ciabatta roll
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 handfull of arugula
6-10 basil leaves
2 slices fresh mozzarella
2-3 pieces of roasted red pepper
olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste

Assemble and enjoy!

Aunt Janice's Refrigerator Pickles

My Aunt Janice was a fantastic cook!  She provided my mom with many of her favorite recipes.  I hope you give her recipe for refrigerator pickles a try!

Refrigerator Pickles (Aunt Janice’s recipe) 

* 8 cucumbers, sliced paper thin
* 1 cup onion, sliced thin
* 1 cup celery, sliced thin
Mix with 1 Tbsp. salt and let stand. (Good to combine in ice cream bucket)

Mix together:
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup white vinegar
* 1 tsp. celery seed
* 1 tsp. mustard seed
Pour mixture over cukes, onion & celery. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand for a couple of days for best flavor.