Pesto

Last week we had an amazing 4th of July BBQ.  One of my room mates made homemade pesto.  It was by far the biggest hit of the night!  The boys ate this up.  I thought I'd share.  Can't wait to make me another batch this weekend! 

Homemade Pesto

2/3 cup olive oil

2 cups fresh basil

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 or 2 cloves garlic (I like using 2, it gives it a little more bite)

I usually throw the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in the blender and pulse them until they're pretty well chopped. Then pour the olive oil in slowly with the blender on medium speed until it incorporates.  Finally, add the cheese, and blend on low speed just until it's mixed in.  This is enough to go with a 1-lb box of pasta.

My favorite chicken recipe: chicken pillows

I don't mind chicken in this recipe at all.  I love these.

Chicken Pillows

2-3 cooked chicken cut in bit sized pieces

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

1 can drained mushrooms

2-3 pkgs crescent rolls 

butter

bread crumbs

Gravy

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup of milk or 1 c. sour cream

1 tbsp lemon juice

Mix cooked chicken, cream cheese and mushrooms together.  Place mixture in each crescent roll. Seal edges.  Melt butter and drizzle on each roll.  Dip in bread crumbs.  Bake @ 350.  Make gravy by heating soup and milk/sour cream and lemon juice.

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Another Aunt Paula favorite!  I believe this is a similar recipe to the pampered chef one...  When I made it the first time- I had no idea how to do the braid. I found this on youtube and it shows how to make it pretty! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YYju6VIMLI

Chicken Broccoli Braid

2 c. cooked chicken

1 c. broccoli 

1/2 c. red bell pepper

1 garlic clove

1 c. sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 c. mayo

2 tsp. dry dill weed

1/4 tsp. salt

2 T. slivered almonds

2 packages crescent rolls

Chop chicken, broccoli and red pepper.  In a large bowl combine chicken, broccoli, red pepper, garlic, cheese, mayo, dill weed & salt. Mix well. Unroll both packages of crescent rolls.  Do not separate sections.  Arrange dough across the width of a cookie sheet or baking stone.  Roll dough to seal perforations.  Apply filling down the center of the dough (approx. 6 in.) and fold sides over the filling.  Brush 1 lightly beaten egg white over dough.  Sprinkle with almonds. 

Bake @ 375 for 30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad

I was looking through food blogs yesterday and came across a great recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

My old room mate in van ness used to make something similar.  I do like this recipe, however I changed it up a bit- I didn't really care for the Brianna’s Asiago Caesar Dressing.  I think I'd use my trusted Kraft Caesar dressing next time.  I didn't use chicken because I don't like it- but I know lots of people do so I left it in.  It is great without!

This recipe feeds a family.  Last night my roomie and I each had a bunch of romaine lettuce and added the amount of toppings we wanted.

Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad

3 bunches romaine leaf lettuce, chopped

1 bag Marie Calendars Fat Free Croutons
1 bag Almond Accents/ Roasted Garlic Caesar
2 Chicken Breasts, boiled with an onion and salt and pepper (optional)
2 cups bowtie pasta, cooked
4 - 6 oz. shredded parmesan cheese
Kraft Caesar Dressing

Toss all the above ingredients with Caesar dressing right before serving.

Peanut Butter Fudge Cake

I saw this on my old co-workers and dear friend's blog.  I forced her to send me the recipe. Yummmm. You just can't go wrong with peanut butter and fudge.

Peanut Butter Fudge Cake

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

1/4 cup cocoa (I use dutch )

1 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

chocolate frosting

Combine first 3 ingredients in large bowl and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in cocoa, water, and buttermilk. In a separate bowl whisk eggs. Slowly pour half of hot chocolate mixture into eggs while whisking constantly. Then pour it back into saucepan, whisking continuously, to combine it all. (This prevents the hot mixture from cooking the eggs upon contact. If you still get tiny pieces of white cooked egg in the dough, it doesn't effect the taste.) Allow mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add to flour mixture and stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully spread peanut butter ( I heat it in the microwave for a minute to soften it) over warm cake. Cool completely. Spread with chocolate frosting. Cut into squares. 20-25 servings.

Chocolate Frosting

1 (16oz) package powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa (I use dutch)

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Bring cocoa, butter and buttermilk to a boil in a small saucapn over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour hot mixture into a bowl with the sugar, stirring until smooth. stir in vanilla.

Modern Waldorf Salad

When I was little I remember my mom having grapefruit and I hateddddd it. Like a lot. I remember my room mate Alyson in Scotland eating them everyday and being disgusted. What kind of mad person would like something that bitter?

Well, my friends, after taking the grapefruit out of the little case I discovered..... I like it. It really isn't bitter and gross once it is out of the case. Ah I must be growing up.

Here's a recipe for a Modern Waldorf Salad. I added chicken cooked with the Cajun seasoning because apparently, protein is good for you.

The traditional apple, walnut and chopped celery salad is updated with a yogurt and low-fat mayonnaise citrus dressing, pine nuts and Cajun seasoning.
Dressing

• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Salad

• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 grapefruit
• 1 firm but ripe Bosc pear, peeled, cored, diced
• 1 tart green apple (such as Pippin), peeled, cored, diced
• 1 cup seedless grapes, halved
• 1/3 cup chopped dates
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Instructions

Mix mayonnaise, yogurt, orange juice, orange peel and Cajun seasoning in small bowl to blend. (Dressing can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Line large bowl with large outer leaves of lettuce. Chop enough remaining leaves into bite-size pieces to measure 6 cups (reserve remaining lettuce for another use). Place chopped lettuce in another large bowl. Using small sharp knife, cut off peel and white pith from grapefruit. Cut between membranes to release grapefruit segments. Cut segments in half. Place in bowl with chopped lettuce. Add diced pear, diced apple, halved grapes and chopped dates. Add dressing to salad and toss to coat.

Transfer salad to leaf-lined bowl. Sprinkle salad with pine nuts and serve.

Chicken Broccoli Bake

When I lived in Scotland one of my room mates made this chicken broccoli bake all the time.  It is so good! I made these cards back before I broke my computer and lost my adobe photoshop. Sigh.:(

Update 7/6: My mom just made this recipe and said this goes great with mashed potatoes.  I don't eat mashed potatoes so I'll take her word for it. :)

In case you can't read it... Here's the recipe. 

3 chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

3/4 can milk- (use empty soup can and fill it 3/4 way up with milk)

Juice from one lemon (don't skimp on the lemon!) 

2/3 cup salad cream or dressing (you can usually find this by the mayo) 

2/3 cup mayo

Salt and pepper

1 bag cheddar cheese

Broccoli **Note that if you use frozen broccoli- cook it before and drain well before placing it in the bake

Flavored Croutons

Cook chicken and cut into bite sized pieces.  Place broccoli into a glass baking dish and cover with cheddar cheese. In a bowl, mix soup, milk, lemon juice, mayo and dressing with the chicken.  Place mixture over broccoli. Place croutons on top.  Cover with foil.  Bake @ 350 for for 30 minutes. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes so croutons can brown.