February 5, 2008 Bay Scallop Stuffed Pasta Shells

Easy Tastebud Delights

02.05.08 Edition (February 5, 2008)

Easy Recipes

45 minutes+

Hi Everyone! Happy Pancake Tuesday to you!

Today's recipe is one that I tried last night. I got the inspiration from a recipe card given to me from a friend I met a few years ago who is also a foodie, ironically her name just happens to be Ruth, as well. She doesn't live far from me and we don't talk often but every once in awhile we sit down and share ideas and pass on books, cards, magazines and recipes that we no longer want ourselves.

When I started looking this recipe over I thought, "Wow! this sounds YUMMY!" I made some changes to the recipe and after tasting it thought that it was a keeper with a few more changes, like marinading the scallops in citrus juice first and heating the shells instead of having them cold. Here's my version. Enjoy!

Bay Scallop Stuffed Pasta Shells

1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. fresh, chopped dill
1 cup frozen, chopped spinach
1 tsp. oregano
1 package frozen, steamed bay scallops, (the small ones!)
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tbsp. Zesty Italian salad dressing
1 pkg. cooked large pasta shells
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Marinate scallops in citrus marinade consisting of orange juice, fresh lemon juice, pepper, worchestershire sauce and a squirt of honey, to taste. Let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour.

In a blender, combine cottage cheese, lemon juice, dill and spinach until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl and add oregano, celery, onion, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Add scallops to cheese mixture.

Cook pasta as directed and drain then in a separate bowl, mix the pasta with the Italian salad dressing.

Scoop cheese mixture into shells and warm through in the oven for 1 minute just to melt the cheese.

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February 4, 2008 Classy Chicken

Easy Tastebud Delights

02.04.08 Edition (February 4, 2008)

Easy Recipes

45 minutes+

Hi Everyone! We are starting off a new week and it is supposed to be a very mild day. Let's enjoy it.

Today's recipe is courtesy of Country 95.3, What's for Dinner? contest and sounds quite tasty. I hope to try it some day. Enjoy!

Classy Chicken 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 1 can of Campbell's cream of chicken soup 2 tbsps. of mayonnaise 1 tsp. of lemon juice 1 tsp. of curry powder 1 tsp. of olive oil 1/2 cup of grated cheese 1 cup of broccoli 1 cup of cauliflower Cook the chicken in a frying pan with oil until it's white on both sides. Mix together the mayo, soup, curry powder and lemon juice then set aside. Layer the bottom of a roast pan with the broccoli and cauliflower and put the chicken breasts on top. Cover with the soup mixture then sprinkle with cheese and cook at 350 degrees for one hour.

(wfd)

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February 3, 2008 Porcupine Meatballs/Traci W.

Easy Tastebud Delights

02.03.08 Edition (February 3, 2008)

Easy Recipes

45 minutes+

Hi Everyone! Well Superbowl Sunday has come and gone by now, so Day 7 will not happen this year.

Instead of covering day 7, I will share a recipe submitted by a subscriber instead. Thanks Traci!

Porcupine Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 large can (15 ounces) tomato sauce (I use tomato soup a lot of times)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1/2 cup water

Mix the ground beef, rice, 1/2 cup of water, the chopped onion, , salt, garlic powder, seasoned salt, and pepper. Shape the mixture by tablespoons into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet and cook the meatballs over medium heat until brown; drain off excess grease. Add tomato sauce, remaining 1/2 cup water, and Worcestershire sauce; heat to boiling. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes.

If you wrap these in cabbage leaves, and pour the tomato sauce over the cabbage leaves, you have golabki.

Submitted by Traci W.

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February 2, 2008 Superbowl Special: Day 6 Chicken Wings Rule!

Easy Tastebud Delights

02.02.08 Edition (February 2, 2008)

Easy Recipes

45 minutes+

Hi Everyone! Happy Saturday to you. One more day left for the Superbowl Specials.

Please take note that today's issue is dedicated to the Mookieville crew, Brampton953_listeners and Wild Wing. Wish I could have made it, everyone!

I tried a new recipe for wings on Thursday from my new Betty Crocker book that I got myself for Christmas. They turned out DELICIOUS and of course I made some changes to the original. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Wings

12 chicken wings
2 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp. tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Heat oven to 425 degrees. If you buy the presplit wings, it will save LOTSA time. Rinse the wings under cold water and dry well.

Melt butter in 9x13 pan in the oven. Mix flour, salt, pepper and oregano in a zippy bag. Add chicken and seal bag. Shake to coat chicken wings then place chicken in the pan.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Mix bbq sauce, tabasco sauce, Cajun seasoning and cumin. Flip chicken then pour sauce over chicken until coated.

Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes until golden in colour on the outside and no longer pink in the middle.

Serve with celery and carrots sticks with a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing.

The way I've been making wings until now is very quick and tasty as well. We've made them a few different ways but everyone's favourite is in the oven.

Italian Wings

1 large package of split chicken wings
1 small bottle zesty Italian salad dressing
few drops of tabasco, to your taste
few splooshes of worchestershire sauce, again, to taste
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
a few sprinkles of dry oregano

Rinse the wings in cold water in a strainer and dry well. Place in zippy bag then add Italian salad dressing and seasonings in a measuring cup, tasting as you go. When you're happy with the flavour, pour it into the bag and mix well with the wings.

Let sit in fridge for at LEAST an hour, I usually go for a couple hours depending on available time, the longer they marinate the more intense the flavour will be.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and remove chicken from marinade to a broiler pan or raised wire rack draining juice back into the bag. When all the chicken is on the tray, toss the zippy bag with remaining dressing. (It's done its duty!)

Bake on middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes or until browned then flip over for another 15 minutes or so. Let cool and enjoy!
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February 1, 2008 Superbowl Special: Day 6 Beverage Tips/Irish Cream Liqueur

Easy Tastebud Delights

02.01.08 Edition (February 1, 2008)

Easy Recipes

45 minutes+

Hi Everyone! Well, the storm really WAS as debilitating as the weatherman said it would be. Not only were the buses not running today but school was cancelled. I can't remember the last time that happened.

Today I'm going to share some beverage/party tips for the big event that I heard in an interview with a party planner on Country 95.3. Enjoy!

Of course the first thing I can think of is LOTSA cold beer!! Stock up on a few different kinds: light, ale, lager, pilsener. If you can find variety packs, pick them up, set them in a nice cold fridge along with a bunch of beer mugs in the freezer.

When preparing for mixed drinks only have 2 or 3 choices, (rum, rye, vodka) and lots of different juices and soda choices.

If there will be kids at the party, make some mocktails for them and give them Football names like Kicker Punch or Punters Brew. They will love to be involved in the festivities as well. Speaking of getting the kids involved, at half-time they can sell popcorn, pretzels and hotdogs in bags to the viewing adults. Everything can be set up beforehand and they can tie a string to a box and wrap it around their necks and scream out the items they have.

For those planning to go home afterwards, make sure NOBODY that is drinking will be driving, (discuss arrangements beforehand!) If it is a neighbourhood party, that's great because they can just walk home.

I will be sharing a recipe that I've posted before but it is one of my favourites. I make it about 4 times a year.

Irish Cream Liqueur

1 cup table cream 1 can sweetened condensed milk (300 ml size) 1 cup whiskey (I use the cheapest brand I can find.) 1 tsp. instant coffee (A name brand is suggested. I have tried the cheaper brands and they make the mixture taste gritty.) 2 tbsp chocolate syrup (Any brand will do) 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. coconut extract (I have also tried almond or rum extract for a change of taste.) Combine all ingredients in a blender, hand mixer or food processor, and set on high for 30 seconds, bottle in a tightly sealed container and store in refrigerator. This will keep up to 2 months if kept cool. (It rarely lasts more than a weekend and usually I am asked to make another batch before the evening is through.) Shake well before serving. Makes 4 cups.

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January 31, 2008 Superbowl Special: Day 5 Piggies, Poppers and Pretzels!

Easy Tastebud Delights

01.31.08 Edition (January 31, 2008)

Easy Recipes

45 minutes+

Hi Everyone! Here we are on the last day of January and it's a beautiful day. Hard to believe we are supposed to get a huge storm tomorrow. Breakfast Television will be starting at 5:30 tomorrow morning instead of 6am. I guess we're in for a good one! Will it be a snow day? We'll find out in the morning. Does everyone know about School Bus Monitor?

Today's recipes are inspired by the song, "Take me out to the ballgame". I changed the words to match the snacks though. Enjoy!

Pigs in a Blanket

1 pound uncooked all beef hotdogs
2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls

Sauce:
1/2 cup coarse-ground mustard
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey

Cook hotdogs in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned and thoroughly heated through. Drain on paper towels.

Divide crescent rolls into individual triangles. Place one hotdog in the center of each dough triangle. Roll up, starting at wide end. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Sauce:
Stir together mustard, mayonnaise, and honey. Serve with sausage rolls.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Jalapeno Poppers with Cream Cheese

*Use latex gloves when handling the peppers* A dozen jalapeno peppers A bar of Philadelphia cream cheese Shake and Bake (Southern Fried) or bread crumbs Wash the jalapenos in cold water then cut the tops off (where the stem is attached) and wash out the seeds. With a teaspoon scoop out the cream cheese and stuff it into the jalapenos. In a bag, combine either the Shake and Bake or bread crumbs then in a bowl crack one large egg and throw the jalapenos in to get coated. Put the jalapenos into the bag with the bread mix to get them coated. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and put the jalapenos on a lightly greased pan or baking sheet for 5-10 minutes.

Home-made Pretzels

1 tbsp. yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. honey
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Put the yeast in a small
bowl with the water and honey. Stir, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Mix the flour and salt together in a medium-size bowl.

After the 5 minutes is up, check on the yeast mixture. It should be bigger than before and bubbly. Add this mixture to the flour and salt mixture.

Stir everything together. Use a spoon to start then finish with
your hands. The dough is ready when it's still a little
crumbly and flaky. Put the dough on the cutting board and
knead it like you are playing with clay. Knead it into one
big ball. Break off a piece of dough that's about the size
of a gumball. Use your hands to roll it into a snake shape. Twist the snake into a medium-size pretzel shape, and put it on the cookie sheet. Do this with all the dough, making 12 pretzels. Bake for 10 minutes then allow to cool slightly before tasting.

Makes a dozen pretzels
Serve with honey mustard sauce from the Piggie recipe.

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January 30, 2008 Superbowl Special: Day 4 Thick Crust Pizza

Easy Tastebud Delights

01.30.08 Edition (January 30, 2008)

Easy Recipes

45 minutes+

Hi Everyone! The month is almost over. Where did it go?

Today's recipe is for pizza. For over a year, we set aside Thursday as pizza and wing night and made our own pizza instead of ordering it. Most of the prep can be done in advance then it just needs to be assembled and baked. Enjoy!

Thick Crust Pizza

1 bag store-bought pizza dough or homemade
flour

Sauce

store-bought pizza sauce
spinach
oregano
worchestershire sauce
hot sauce
parmesan cheese
finely chopped onion
fresh cracked black pepper

Topping Suggestions

We use:
drained stems and pieces mushrooms
pepperoni
grated mozzarella cheese
green olives
spinach
any other toppings you may enjoy, (we've stayed away from bacon and sausage because it makes the pizza greasy)

Set pizza dough out to warm up to room temperature. Spread wax paper or plastic placemats out for spreading the dough. Sprinkle a little flour down and spread dough from center outwards, adding flour as required. Transfer to pizza pan forming dough out to the edges. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spread mixed pizza sauce on dough then add a small amount of mozzarella cheese as "glue". Top with a layer of pepperoni, sprinkle of olives, mushrooms, spinach then mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove to cooling rack and let sit for 20 minutes or until cooled enough to eat.

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