More is Better

From Michael Symon on The Chew made this great meatless Monday sauce --it was very satisfying with lots of great flavor. I didn't have fresh herbs so substituted with a strong 1t+ of dried herbs. 1 large Eggplant (peeled, large dice) 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more to garnish) 1 cup onion (peeled, minced) 1/2 cup carrots (peeled, minced) 1/2 cup celery (minced) 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/3 cup tomato paste 1 cup whole milk 1 cup white wine 1/2 bunch fresh thyme 1/2 bunch fresh oregano 1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg (finely grated) 1 pound tagliatelle fresh basil (roughly chopped, to serve) Parmigiano-Reggiano (freshly grated, to serve) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste) butcher's twine Line a baking sheet or large plate with paper towels and set aside. Season the eggplant with salt and place in a colander. Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes. Remove to the prepared baking sheet and pat eggplant dry. In a Dutch oven over medium-h...

This is a hybrid recipe after I saw a huge pan of Ravioli Lasagna at Costco and thought that's too much  for us I will halve a recipe and make it in a loaf pan! OK remember the name of this blog is More-is-Better and you know just how much a made! The second photo is before baking! 1 lb. ground beef (USED 1/3 LB GROUND VEAL, PORK AND BEEF) 1/2 sweet onion 24 oz. jar marinara 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 c. ricotta 1 large egg 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan 1/4 c. freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish 1 tsp. garlic powder 25 oz. frozen cheese ravioli ( USED BOTH MEAT FILLED AND CHEESE) 2 c. shredded mozzarella Preheat oven to 350º and spray a  9”-x-13” baking dish with non-stick spray. Warm a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add ground beef and onion. Brown the beef, crumbling it as it cooks, then drain fat and set aside. Add marinara and garlic, then reduce heat and simmer, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, add ricotta,...

This recipe came from Food & Wine website -- the only thing I did differently was to substitute white wine for the water and I used angel hair pasta. Naturally we topped it with Parmesan. It was really delicious! 1 pound spaghetti Salt 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed 1/4 cup water (USED WHITE WINE) 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley Freshly ground black pepper Step 1     In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until just al dente, then drain the pasta well. Step 2     Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the clams and water, cover and simmer until the clams open and are just cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any clams that don't open...

This came across my Instagram from the site DELISH.  Before I could even review the recipe Kevin sent me a message asking me to make it !! I actually halved the recipe and instead of the last 5 ingredients I used Trader Joes Everything Bagel topping. Also do not salt your scrambled eggs as there is plenty of salt in the topping mixture. Will be a great breakfast to serve a crowd! Cooking spray, for pan 2 cans crescent dough 3 tbsp. butter, divided 12 large eggs 1/4 c. milk kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 c. finely chopped chives 1/2 lb. deli ham 12 slices cheddar 1 tsp. sesame seeds 1 tsp. poppy seeds 1 tsp. minced onion 1 tsp. dried garlic Flaky sea salt Preheat oven to 375° and grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and half-and- half. In a large nonstick pan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp. butter. When butter is foamy, reduce heat to low and add egg mixture. Cook, stirring often with a spatula, until ...

While going through my recipe box from the 90's came across this newspaper cut out recipe from the Washington Post--made it again and it was very good.  Served over rice!!                       1 tablespoon  vegetable oil   2 garlic  cloves -- minced   1 1/2  pounds  uncooked shrimp -- peeled   1 cup  orange juice   1 teaspoon  tabasco sauce   2 teaspoons  worcestershire sauce   2 teaspoons  light brown sugar    1/4 teaspoon  salt   1 tablespoon  cornstarch   1 tablespoon  water   4 cups  cooked long-grained white rice Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add shrimp and cook until opaque and pink, about 2 minutes. Stir in orange juice, Tabasco or other hot sauce, Worcester sauce, brown sugar and salt.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2 mi...

From the Today show demonstrated by Giada De Laurentiis - we skipped the chili paste and add about a 1/2 t red chili flakes. This was so delicious only ended up adding less than 1/2 c of the pasta water. Technique tip:  By grating the Parmesan directly on the pasta, you create a glue to help the mascarpone sauce stick to the pasta. Swap options:  You can swap sweet Italian for spicy sausage and Pecorino cheese for Parmigiano. 1 pound mezzi rigatoni pasta 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3/4 pound spicy Italian sausage (about 4 links), casings removed 2 shallots, diced 2 cups frozen corn, thawed 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 8 ounces mascarpone, at room temperature 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili paste 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions or until al dente. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta...

This is a new fun cocktail to try - I didn't have an orange so used one of my dehydrated lime and lemon wheels! The teaser on this recipe was to break the rules putting together pomegranate and bourbon! 1 oz Pama Pomegranate liqueur 1 oz bourbon 1 oz fresh lemon juice 1/2 oz simple syrup Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange wheel and a cherry.

This recipe was in Rachael Rays Magazine in January and when I saw it I immediately wanted it for my birthday cake. My wonderful daughter surprised me with it after I mentioned how awesome it looked. We had it both with fresh whipped cream and also vanilla ice cream....and yes that means we ate it more than one dessert! The only pics we took were of me being serenaded ( yes I was tickled pink!! )  and of what was left after  the second day picking at it -see the fork tines !! Sorry! 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 stick unsalted butter 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder 3 large eggs 1 1/2 cups (packed) light brown sugar 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted 1/4 cup chopped pecans In saucepan, stir chocolate, butter, and cocoa over medium until smooth. Let cool to lukewarm. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 1/2 cup sugar on high until tripled in volume, 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate mixture. Pour into foil-lined 8-inch ro...

So back in the 80's when we lived in Minnesota there was an incredible fancy for the time (chandeliers hanging over the freezer aisle and carpeted floors!) This recipe is from them --it is so good and brought back many memories!                       6 tablespoons margarine or butter 1 tablespoon minced onion 1/2 cup Flour 3 cups Chicken Broth 2 cups cooked wild rice 1/2 cup finely grated carrots 1/3 cup minced ham 3 tablespoons chopped slivered almonds 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup half-and-half 2 tablespoons dry sherry, (optional) snipped fresh parsley or chives In large saucepan, melt margarine; saute onion until tender. Blend in flour; gradually add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds and salt; simmer about 5 minutes. Blend in half and half and sherry; heat to serving temperature. Garnish with snipped parsley or chives. Tip: ...

Made this recipe from The Black Forest Inn in Minneapolis that I had from decades ago. Very good and served it over spaezel and with glazed carrots -delish!! 1 onion diced 8 oz bacon diced 4 oz brown gravy ( bought a packet and made half to = 1/2 cup) 2 oz sour cream ( 1/4 c) 1 t paprika dash of cayenne pepper boneless pork tenderloin which I sliced in 1/2" slices flour to dredge 1 Saute bacon. Drain grease, add onion , paprika and cayenne and saute until onion soft. 2 Add brown gravy. Cook a minute until hot then remove from heat. 3 Add sour cream Flour pork slices and saute in a separate pan at med high heat until cooked through. Add to sauce and serve immediately.

So growing up if we had a German style meal it was usually served with Sweet and Sour Glazed carrots so when I was making Paprika Schnitzel with spaezel for my Mom and sister naturally I needed to serve the carrots. Found this recipe on a website called Genius Kitchen. I got those fun tricolor mini carrots from Traders --looked great for presentation ! 3 cups sliced  carrots  - see above 4 green onions , chopped 1 ⁄ 4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice 2 tablespoons  honey 2 tablespoons  butter 1 tablespoon  vinegar 1 teaspoon  cornstarch 1 teaspoon  soy sauce Boil sliced carrots until crips-tender; drain and remove from pan. ( I steamed mine) In the same pan combine all other ingredients, cook over medium until bubbly. Add carrots back into the pan, stir and cook until heated through.

This recipe was one of my Mom's infect I have the faded splattered index card with her handwriting for this- When she was down for a recent visit I made it -- a fun good memory and quite tasty! I substituted canned asparagus with fresh cut into 1" pieces and steamed until soft about 12 spears   4  puff pastry shells -- frozen   1 tablespoon  butter or margarine   4 eggs   1/4 cup  milk   1 envelope  Knorr's spring vegetable -- (cup-a-soup) - SO I USED 1/2 envelope of dry mix   8 ounces  can cut asparagus -- drained - THIS IS WHEN THE AGE OF THIS RECIPE SHOWS   1/3 cup  champagne ( or prosecco)   1  envelope  cream of mushroom -- (cup-a-soup) I USED 1/3 CAN CONDENSED Prepare puff pastry shells according to package direction.  Meawhile, in medium skillet, melt butter.  Add asparagus and instant spring vegetable soup mix blended with eggs and milk.  Cook, stirring gently, until set....

These are on oldie but goodie ! I remember my cousin making these with us on the assist when we were young --there to crush the grahams and help stir! Biggest hint it at the end which is remove from pan immediately after cooling 20-30 minutes!                     22 graham crackers (each cracker is 2 squares )-- crushed   1 can  condensed milk, sweetened  1/2 package  chocolate chips ( about a cup)   1teaspoon  vanilla Mix graham crackers and milk, stir in chocolate bits, add vanilla.  Grease pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cut and cool.  Do not leave in pan for to long or it will stick.

This recipe is from Carla Hall and it looked so good I made it both ways smothered with Chicken as the recipe below and then the German style noted at bottom with pork chops just same method. The chicken we served over rice and the pork German style over noodles.  I actually used the leftover sauce from first night and added about 1 T guldens mustard and  1/4+ t grated nutmeg as well so a really quick new meal with leftovers! Both were a big hit!! The CHICKEN VERSION: MARINATED CHICKEN: 1/2 cup olive oil 6 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on) 1 jalapeno (split lengthwise) 4 cloves garlic (peeled, smashed) 1 peel of lemon Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste) SMOTHERED CHICKEN: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 recipe marinated chicken 1 onion (peeled, thinly sliced) 2 cloves garlic (peeled, minced) 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 cup whole milk 1 bunch fresh parsley (finely chopped, to garnish) Kosher salt a...

Another Clinton Kelly cocktail on The Chew - we actually made it twice this weekend --the first time the correct way with Campari and the second because I didn't look back at the recipe grabbed Aperol instead of Campari -- that was actually very good too! For all you with great eyesight --yes that is a lemon twist as I didn't have orange! 2 ounces bourbon 1 ounce Campari 1 ounce sweet vermouth peel of 1 orange (twisted) In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Cover and shake vigorously. Strain into coup glasses and serve with an orange twist! Tip: Make it a batch cocktail and serve at your next party!

On a recent dinner out with a friend Mike -- oysters were the appetizers and we got into a discussion about how he was a server in a restaurant that served a tabasco sorbet with them...so lo and behold in this day and age of the internet I found the recipe he was referring to. This was a fun presentation and with the Mignonette the sorbet was a nice balance. Tito’s Tabasco Sorbet ingredients:: 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup water 1-1/2 cups tomato juice 2 Tbsp. Tito’s vodka (or 1 ounce) juice of 1 lime 2 Tbsp. TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce method:: Create a simple syrup by bringing the sugar and water to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the stove and cool. Add the syrup, tomato juice, vodka, lime juice, and Tabasco in a blender and blend until combined. If you have an ice cream machine, pour the mixture into it the machine and follow the instructions for sorbet. If you don’t have an ice cream machine (like me), line a rimmed cookie sheet, pie plat...

Saw these at a restaurant in a fun cocktail and thought I would try my hand at them.  The lessons I learned was don't leave in too long or they will brown  -- the larger fruit like oranges take about another hour -- make sure that the fruit is totally dry to touch - or else you will discover they will end up with black around the edges from moisture! It's a learning curve but fun! To begin, turn on your oven as low as possible (this will be 200 degrees F for most ovens). Cut your citrus into thin wheels, and place the wheels on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Hamic estimates the process will take about a day, but it’s wise to check in every few hours to make sure the wheels don’t over-dry. “If you’re doing it in the oven at home, don’t open the oven door too often, for the same reason as if you’re making cake or bread. Leave it alone and let it do what it does,” he says. “You can tell when they’re done because they will be dry and won’t feel ta...

The fun thing about a compound butter is it can go over anything --fish ( swordfish in our case), chicken , steak or vegetables! Also can be made with so many different herbs to change the flavor profile. Great way to use fresh herbs that you don't want to waste. I used my pampered chef easy accent decorator to press out my pats of butter --but the method below or a pastry bag would work equally well. 1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill (tightly packed into the teaspoon) Zest of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon lemon juice INSTRUCTIONS In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. (It’s very important that the butter be soft.) To shape the compound butter into a cylinder – spoon the butter onto a large piece of parchment paper. Fold the parchment over the butter (keeping it in a rounded shape, not creased) and roll the butter back and forth until you have a smooth cylinder shape. (Tip: If your butter is ve...

  This is such an oldie but goodie --we used to make them all the time and just came back across this recipe --so good and so easy to make-- enjoy!   24 Shrimp,Large,Fresh -- cooked drained   1  Garlic,Clove,Raw -- minced   1 tablespoon  Parsley,Fresh,Chopped   1/4  teaspoon  Hot Pepper Sauce   1 tablespoon  Olive Oil   8 ounces  can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls   2  tablespoons  Parmesan Cheese,Grated                        Seafood cocktail sauce HEAT OVEN TO 375* IN MED FRY PAN OVER MED HIGH HEAT STIR FRY SHRIMP, GARLIC, PARSLEY, AND HOT SAUCE IN OIL FOR 1 MIN.  REMOVE FROM HEAT REMOVE DOUGH FROM CAN- DO NOT UNROLL CUT EACH ROLL INTO 12 SLICES AND PLACE ON UNGREASED COOKIE SHEET 1" APART. PRESS 1/2 OF EACH "COIN" TO FLATTEN. PLACE ONE SHRIMP ONTO FLATTENED SIDE AND GENTLY PULL DOUGH OVER SHRIMP DO NOT SEAL SPRINKLE WITH P...

Katie has beat me to it again --this time a COOKING LIGHT recipe from myrecipes.com. This would be a great one for Superbowl !  Don't you want to just jump in with a spoon!! 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided 1/3 cup fat-free milk 1/4 cup egg substitute 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White) 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained Cooking spray 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso) 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream Step 1 Preheat oven to 400°. Step 2 Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Step 3 Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. T...

Another SKINNYTASTE recipe from Katie --just 3 ingredients and a fun alternative for those of us who aren't big on breakfast ! And who doesn't have ripe bananas in their freezer! Ingredients:     • 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed     • 1 cup of uncooked quick oats*     • 1/4 cup chocolate chips Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray a non-stick cookie sheet with cooking spray or use a Silpat. Combine the mashed bananas and oats in a bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips and place a tablespoon of each on the cookie sheet  15 minutes 

Katie made this recipe and it was so good we had it for dinner and lunches this week as well. It is flavorful enough you almost barely need the dressing -- I add a few more chopped cashews on top of mine as well.She got it from a site call SKINNYTASTE.  332 calories per serving !!! FOR THE SALAD DRESSING: 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1 clove garlic, minced 1/8 tsp kosher salt and pepper FOR THE CHICKEN: 1/4 cup hoisin sauce* 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce 2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce* 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger cooking spray 1 pound ground chicken 8 ounce can water chestnuts, drained and diced 2 tbsp chopped unsalted cashews 2 scallions, thinly sliced FOR THE SALAD: 1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce, chopped 1 romaine lettuce heart, chopped 2 carrots, grated DIRECTIONS: For the dressing: In a small bowl,...