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EASY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
INGREDIENTS 2 pounds of good quality chocolate, one quart of heavy cream, 1/4 lb. unsalted butter, 1/3 C liqueur of choice cocoa powder
DIRECTIONS: Melt chocolate and cream over a double boiler. Whisk in butter and liqueur. Continue to whisk as the mixture cools and thickens. Pour into quart containers and refrigerate. To serve, scoop out with melon baller, roll in powdered cocoa. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. YIELD: over 2 pounds Category: Desserts, Sweets.
SWEET TRUFFLE TIPS:
Metallic candy wrappers or miniature muffin cup liners make great holders. You can serve them, in their holders, on a doily lined silver tray. They also make perfect gifts. Place the truffles, in their wrappers, in a pretty box. Close the box and add a silk bow. This is one homemade gift you'll know will be appreciated.
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HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES:
Ingredients Needed: 16 ounces milk chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons shortening, 1 pound fresh strawberries with leaves
DIRECTIONS: Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture. Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.
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RECIPE: RASPBERRY SOUFFLE DESSERT ***********************************************************
INGREDIENTS: 2/3 cup seedless raspberry spreadable fruit, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 4 large egg whites (1/2 cup), 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoon sugar.
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, with wire whisk, beat raspberry fruit spread with lemon juice; set aside. In small bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until whites begin to mound. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar dissolves and whites stand in stiff peaks when beaters are lifted. With rubber spatula, fold one-third of whites into raspberry mixture until well-blended, then fold in remaining whites. Spoon mixture into 1 1/2-quart souffle dish; gently spread evenly. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until souffle is puffed and lightly browned. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 Servings (75 calories, 3 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated), 1 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 35 mg sodium.) Category: Desserts, Low Fat.
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INDESPENDIBLE BAKING TIPS:
* Accurate oven temperature is crucial for baking success, so don't take any chances. Place an oven thermometer, available at department and kitchen supply stores, in your oven to check the exact temperature. Adjust the temperature up or down as necessary, if your oven is not accurate. * Measure ingredients accurately and with the proper equipment. For dry ingredients, use nested cups in various sizes, spoon in ingredients such as flour and sugar and then level top by sweeping away the excess with the edge of a knife. For measuring liquid ingredients, use glass measuring cups. * Always preheat the oven to desired temperature 10 to 15 minutes prior to baking. * When baking cakes or other desserts, don't peek until the minimum baking time has elapsed. A blast of cold air can cause a cake to fall. And that goes for souffles too!
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RECIPE: PENNE PASTA WITH GRILLED SHRIMP ****************************************************************
INGREDIENTS: 1 pound penne pasta, 3/4 cup olive oil, 1 1/2 pounds medium-large shrimp peeled, deveined and grilled, 1 pound ripe plum tomatoes peeled, diced and seeded, 1/2 pound mozarella cheese, cubed 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 2 cloves minced garlic, Salt to taste, pepper to taste.
DIRECTIONS: Cook penne in rapidly boiling, salted water as directed on package until al dente. When cooked, remove from heat and drain well. Place penne in a bowl and stir in oil. Coat well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Allow to sit for 15 minutes and then serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings Category: Seafood, Pasta, Main Dishes.
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SHRIMP & DEVEINING Of the hundreds of shrimp species, there is a general rule of thumb...the colder the water, the smaller and more succulent the shrimp. Though there are slight differences in texture and flavor, the different sizes (except the miniatures) can usually be substituted for each other. Raw shrimp should smell of the sea with no hint of ammonia. Cooked, shelled shrimp should look plump and succulent. Before storing fresh, uncooked shrimp, rinse them under cold, running water and drain thoroughly. Tightly cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Cooked shrimp can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Freeze shrimp for up to 3 months. Thaw in its freezer wrapping overnight in the refrigerator, or place package in cold water until defrosted. In general, small and medium shrimp do not need deveining except for cosmetic purposes. However, because the intestinal vein of larger shrimp contains grit, it should be removed. To devein unshelled shrimp, just grasp the vein at the head end with the tip of a paring knife and gently but firmly pull it out.
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BONUS RECIPE: MARZEES FAVORITE CLAM CHOWDA
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INGREDIENTS: 1/3 Stick of Butter, 1 sm. Chopped Onion, 6.5 oz. Chopped/Minced clams, 15 oz. can clam juice, 2 Medium Potatoes, 1/2 tsp. Salt, 1 Stalk of Fresh Celery (chopped), 1/2 tsp. Dill, 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper, 2 Cups Half & Half, 3 Tbsp. Flour, half cup of evaporated milk.
DIRECTIONS: Melt butter in soup pot and sauté celery and onions until transluscent. Add the can of juice along with the juice drained from clams to the pot. Add potatoes, dill, pepper, and salt to the pot and boil until potatoes are done, but firm. Dissolve flour into the half and half and combine with other ingredients. Cook on low heat for 1/2 hours.
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RECIPE: FOUR CHEESE MANICOTTI ************************************************************
INGREDIENTS: 1 large onion minced, 1 pound mushrooms sliced, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup flour, 4 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, grated salt and pepper to taste, 12 manicotti shells, 1 pound deli-style ricotta, 4 ounces mozzarella cheese diced, 1/2 cup romano cheese grated, 1/4 cup walnuts finely chopped, 1/4 cup parsley chopped, 3 eggs, 1 dash nutmeg
DIRECTIONS: Saute onion and mushrooms in butter 5 minutes; stir in flour. Gradually stir in milk; stir over low heat until sauce bubbles and thickens. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Cook manicotti shells according to package directions; drain and cover with cold water. Mix together ricotta, mozzarella, Romano and remaining Parmesan cheese; add walnuts, parsley and eggs. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Drain manicotti shells; stuff with cheese mixture. Place shells side by side in a greased shallow baking pan; spoon sauce over all. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden. Category: Pasta, Main Dishes.
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RECIPE: LIGHT & SIMPLE CHICKEN CORDON BLEU ************************************************************
INGREDIENTS: 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, 2 slices fat-free ham halved, 2 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese halved, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1 egg
DIRECTIONS: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1 chicken breast half, boned side up, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Working from center, gently pound chicken with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick; remove wrap. Repeat with remaining chicken breast halves. Place 1/2 slice each of ham and cheese on each chicken breast half. Fold in sides; roll up jelly-roll fashion, pressing ends to seal. If necessary, secure with toothpicks. Place flour and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Place egg in another shallow bowl; beat well. Coat chicken with flour; dip in beaten egg. Roll chicken in bread crumbs; place in ungreased 8-inch square baking dish. Spray chicken rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear. Yield: 4 Servings Category: Chicken.
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DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT EGGS?
A fresh egg will sink in water, a stale one will float. An egg white is easiest to beat at room temperature. Take the egg out of the refrigerator about 1/2 hour before using. For light, fluffy scrambled eggs, add a little water while beating the eggs. Add vinegar to the water when boiling eggs. The vinegar helps seal the egg.
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RECIPE: CORN CASSEROLE ***********************************************************
INGREDIENTS: 1/4 pound butter (1 stick), 1 large onion chopped, 1/4 cup green onion chopped, 2 eggs slightly beaten, 1 15-ounce can creamed corn, 1 15-ounce can whole kernel incl. liquid, 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 pint sour cream, 4 ounce cheddar cheese.
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute onion and green pepper in butter. Add eggs, creamed corn can, corn and liquid, Jiffy mix, salt, sour cream and cheddar cheese. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking pan and bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown. Category: Vegetables, Casseroles.
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CASSEROLE BAKING BITS:
When you don't have the specific casserole baking dish called for in a recipe, it's best to think big. Opt to use a pan of equal or slightly greater volume. However, if you substitute a pan that is shallower than the one specified, reduce the baking time by 25 percent, if the pan is deeper increase the baking time by 25 percent. To save time, though not necessary money, stock up on pre-cut and peeled vegetables like carrots, onions, and broccoli florets available in either your supermarket produce aisle or salad bar-you'll discover they make casserole preparation a snap.
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RECIPE: CITRUS ASPARAGUS SAUTE ************************************************************
INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup orange juice, 3 Tablespoons white wine, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 2 Tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup chopped pecans, 3/4 pound fresh asparagus spears, 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas, 1 1/2 ounces shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced, 1 head Boston lettuce separated into leaves.
Garnish: zest of 1 orange and 4 orange wedges. Combine orange juice, wine, salt and pepper; set aside.
Procedure: Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in skillet over MEDIUM heat. Saute pecans until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towel. Add remaining butter to pan. Saute asparagus over MEDIUM heat 2 minutes. Add orange juice/wine mixture to pan. Cover and steam 3 to 4 minutes, until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add peas and cook until tender. Stir in mushrooms and heat through. Arrange lettuce on four plates. Divide asparagus, peas, mushrooms and sauce from pan among lettuce. Top with orange zest and pecans. Squeeze juice from orange wedges over salad before serving. Yield: 4 Servings Category: Vegetables.
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TIP FOR KEEPING ASPARAGUS FRESH:
Keep fresh asparagus clean, cold and covered. Trim the stem end about 1/4 inch and wash in warm water several times. Pat dry and place in moisture-proof wrapping. Refrigerate and use within 2 or 3 days for best quality. To maintain freshness, wrap a moist paper towel around the stem ends, or stand upright in two inches of cold water. How to pick the best asparagus? Look for firm, fresh, spears with closed, compact tips and uniform diameter, so that all spears will cook in the same amount of time. Larger diameter spears are more tender.
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GENERAL ROASTING TIMES:
Here is the timetable for roasting a few different cuts of beef.
Boneless rolled rump roast, 4 to 6 lbs. 150 - 170 degrees, 1 1/2 to 3 hours.
Boneless sirloin roast, 4 to 6 lbs. 140 degrees rare, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours; 160 degrees medium, 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 hours; 170 degrees well-done, 3 1/4 to 3 3/4 hours.
Eye round roast, 2 to 3 lbs. 140 degrees rare, 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours; 160 degrees medium, 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours; 170 degrees well-done, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.
Rib eye roast, 4 to 6 lbs. 140 degrees rare, 1 1/4 to 2 hours; 160 degrees medium, 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 hours; 170 degrees well-done, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Rib roast, 4 to 6 lbs. 140 degrees rare, 1 3/4 to 3 hours; 160 degrees medium, 2 1/2 to 3 3/4 hours; 170 degrees well-done, 2 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours.
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