Mascarpone Swirled Brownies

Umm...need I say more?

I didn't think so.


Mascarpone Swirled Brownies
from Shared Sugar

2/3 cup AP flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 eggs, plus one egg yolk
8 ounces mascarpone cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter a 9 inch baking pan.  Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.  Melt both chocolates with butter oven low heat in a saucepan.

Once melted, remove from heat and mix in 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon vanilla.  Whisk in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Whisk dry ingredients into chocolate mixture until batter is smooth.

In another bowl, mix mascarpone with egg yolk, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Pour half of the batter into the pan.  Spread half of the mascarpone over the batter.  Add other half of batter, then top with remaining mascarpone.  With a knife, swirl batter around to achieve a marbling effect.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.  Brownies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Linked to:  Sweets for a Saturday

Meatless Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Happy Monday!  What was the highlight of your weekend?

Since I know some of you like to "go meatless" on Mondays, I figured I'd post this today.

I recently made these to drop off to good friends for a ready-to-go meal during a time of need (hence the aluminum tin...sorry!).  They were so delicious that I had to keep one for myself :)  Feel free to add meat if you like...but you definitely don't miss it with this great combo of beans and veggies.

These can be made ahead and transported easily, too.  A great weeknight meal...especially on Meatless Monday!


Meatless Mexican Stuffed Peppers
3 bell peppers, cut lengthwise and seeded
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried cilantro (I didn't have fresh on hand but it would be great, too!)
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat oil in a skillet, then add onion and garlic.  Saute for a few minutes, then add rice, corn and beans.  Add all spices and mix.  Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Place peppers in a baking pan and fill each half with rice mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and add cheese on top.  Return to oven and cook another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Serve.

Buffalo Chicken Sliders for a Virtual Baby Shower!

Happy Monday, everyone!  Hope you had a great weekend.  I did - a wonderful time with family/friends, along with a lot of exciting sports - with both of my favorite teams winning yesterday, I'm feeling the spirit.  So, the timing of this post couldn't be more perfect!

My friend Jessica, from The Jey of Cooking, is expecting her second child one month from today.  And it's a girl!  Her adorable little boy is going to be a big brother :)  So exciting!

Jey is a huge baseball fan, so what theme would be more perfect for her virtual baby shower than ballpark food?  It's an All-Star event that will have you all yearning for your favorite stadium eats!

Many of you know that I pretty much love buffalo ANYTHING.  And I think Jey does too.  So, I think she'll appreciate my contribution, which is quick, easy, delicious...perfect to eat while rooting for your home team.  I'd normally make this in the crockpot for a large crowd, but since I was only feeding myself and Frank, I made a faster version.

Jey, congratulations again...I hope we hit this virtual baby shower out of the park for you!


Buffalo Chicken Sliders
3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked
1/4 cup (approximately) Frank's Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
slider rolls

Shred cooked chicken and place in a bowl.  Add hot sauce and dressing and mix.  Taste and adjust ingredients according to your liking.  Spoon onto slider rolls and serve.

Sweet Ham & Swiss Sliders

I've been intrigued by this recipe for a long time now, so I recently tried it and took it along to a party.  What a crowd pleaser!  And it couldn't have been easier to make.

I mean, seriously, what's not to love about this?

I made a few adaptations, like using large onion rolls cut in 4, instead of slider rolls (gotta improvise when you can't find what the recipe calls for!), and I also made a batch with turkey instead of ham.  They were equally delicious :)

I think this post is perfect as far as timing goes, considering football season has begun!


Sweet Ham & Swiss Sliders
adapted from Heather Likes Food

8 large onion rolls
24 slices ham (or turkey)
16 slices swiss cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a 9x13 baking pan, or on a rimmed baking sheet, place bottom halves of rolls.  Top each with ham and cheese (enough so all is evenly distributed among all of the bread).  Spread a little mayonnaise on each top half roll and place on top of ham and cheese.  Make sure rolls are snug together.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, butter, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar.  Mix until combined.  Pour evenly over rolls.  Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake (or bake right away).

Bake covered for 10 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until tops are browned and cheese is melted.

Parmesan Tilapia

Our latest recipe swap was "blogger's choice" (pick any recipe from your assigned blog), and I was assigned Coleen's blog, Does Not Cook Well With Others.  I had a few different recipes bookmarked when I first started browsing through her recipe index, like honey glazed drumsticks (which I will be trying soon!), but ultimately chose a recipe that I thought I'd never make.

This parmesan tilapia recipe has been floating around our cooking board for a while, and I have to admit, I've been skeptical about it every time someone posted it.  To me, it just didn't "go"...I don't know why, but it just never sounded appetizing to me.  

Well, I was wrong.  I'm so glad I tried this, and so is Frank...he really loved it!  The flavors were delicious, and really tasted good with the fish.  

I served it on top of sauteed broccoli rabe, which made the dish even better.  I highly recommend trying this soon!  Oh, and it takes about 15 minutes, in TOTAL, to make.  Perfect for a quick weeknight meal!

Parmesan Tilapia
slightly adapted from Does Not Cook Well With Others

1 pound tilapia filets
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Turn oven on broil setting.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Place fish on baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine butter, mayo, cheese, lemon juice, garlic, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.  Set aside.

Broil fish for 3 minutes, then flip over and broil for 2 more minutes.  Remove from oven, spread cheese mixture on top, and return to oven until lightly golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta

In honor of my friend Sarah's 6th blogiversary, I'm guest posting today at her place - A Taste of Home Cooking!  Head on over, and be sure to congratulate her while you're there :)

Here's a glimpse of what you'll be seeing...SO GOOD!!

Linked to:  Tastetastic Thursday

Baked Quinoa with Chicken Sausage and Spinach

Another make ahead meal?  Yes, please!  This was super delicious...made early in the afternoon and reheated before serving.  Frank really, REALLY loved it, which made me very happy, considering how healthy it is (well, minus all the cheese I used, but come on...who can resist cheese!).

I can't wait to make this again, using a different protein and cheese, different veggies...whatever it is, it'll be just as good.  And easy.  Yum.

Baked Quinoa with Chicken Sausage & Spinach 
1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
1 package chicken sausage (I used Trader Joe's Fontina, Spinach & Roasted Garlic), cut into bite size pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1 bag baby spinach
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded swiss/gruyere blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add garlic and onion, then sausage.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook through, then add spinach.  Add salt and pepper again to taste.  Cook until spinach is slightly wilted.

Pour sausage mixture into a deep pie plate, then add quinoa.  Mix together.  Top with cheese and
bake for about 20 minutes, until cheese has melted and everything is heated through.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

Pete's Italian Frittata

I'd be lying if I said I was the best frittata maker in the family.  I'm beat out by the men, for sure.  My dad and my brother have been making a kick-ass frittata for as long as I can remember.

Even though it was Father's Day, Pete (a proud dad to my two nephews) was happy to host our family for brunch, with the centerpiece being this deliciousness.  It's hard to tell in the picture, but that is a GIANT pan.  I don't know how many eggs were used, exactly...I'm going to assume it was a dozen.  Scramble them up and season with a bit of salt and pepper, and set aside.

Italian sausage was the meat of choice.  He cut it into bite size pieces and sauteed it in extra virgin olive oil with chopped onions and garlic.  Toss in some sliced mushrooms and saute for a minute, then add some parboiled broccoli rabe.  Season with salt and pepper and cook it all together for a few minutes.

Now it's time for the star of the frittata - the leftover pasta!  It's why they're made in the first place.  Throw in your cooked spaghetti...and if there are no leftovers, don't worry, you can just make some ahead of time and save it for this :)  Season again and mix.

Add the scrambled eggs and move the pan around a bit so everything is covered with egg.  Cook a few minutes to let everything settle in together, but not too much, then add some shredded or grated provolone.  As much as you like.  And we like a lot.

Mix it all together, then place in a 450 degree oven.  Bake for about 10 minutes until the sides have browned, then lower heat to 375 and bake until the frittata is set, about 20 minutes or so (keep an eye on it after 15).  Remove from oven (carefully!) and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting.

Mangia!  And remember - this is just as delicious at room temp or even cold!

Linked to:  Egg Blog Hop

Horseradish Burgers with Havarti

There are very few things I love more than a great burger.  Seriously, I could eat one every day.  All the more reason why, once again, variety is key.

The rain doesn't stop me, either.  I made these beauties on my Griddler and they were just as delicious as grilling them outside.  Do yourself a favor and buy one today if you don't have one already - it's one of my favorite things!  Which reminds me...I still have to get the waffle plates...

It's easy for me to have my burgers "protein style" when they're this yummy.  You won't miss the bun here - promise!

Horseradish Burgers with Havarti

barely adapted from Tyler Florence

2 pounds ground beef

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper

sliced havarti cheese

buns (but like I said, you don't need them!)

toppings and condiments of your choice

Put beef in a bowl.  Mix in horseradish and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Handform into 8 patties.  

Grill burgers for about 8 minutes (for medium), then flip.  Add cheese.  Cover for 1 minute so cheese melts.  Serve with favorite condiments and toppings.

Linked to: Cheese Blog Hop

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches

Another week, another crockpot recipe...and another use for bottom round roast.

We love my pot roast but we like to change it up too.  I came across this recipe during a recent recipe swap and put it on my short list to make on one of my work days.  The ease of it was just one reason why I loved it.  The rest, well, is pretty obvious.

I didn't even bother sticking these under the broiler and they were still delicious.  The heat of the meat melts the cheese a bit and all the flavors join together really well.

A delicious sandwich that's hearty enough for dinner.  And easy enough to make while you're in the office.  Score!

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches
barely adapted from Kate's Recipe Box

2 pounds beef bottom round roast
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tablespoon herbs de provence
3 bay leaves, broken in half
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 cups water
Italian bread
sliced provolone cheese
mayonnaise
italian seasoning

Place meat in crockpot.  Add garlic, herbs de provence and bay leaves.  Pour in soy sauce and water.  Cook on low for 6-10 hours until meat is fork tender.

To assemble sandwiches:  cut and split bread.  Add meat to bottom slice.  Spread mayo on top slice then sprinkle italian seasoning on top.  Place cheese on meat and either broil for a few minutes, or close sandwich and serve right away.  Spoon out some au jus and serve on the side, if desired.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

Chili Dog Nachos

Ever since the weather has warmed up and the grill has been back in use, I've had a craving for hot dogs.  I don't eat hot dogs very often so it's a little unusual for me.  Matter of fact, I didn't eat hot dogs for about 10 years after a few, um, unfortunate incidents.  But that's a thing of the past :)

We had a few hot dogs left in the fridge after my craving was satisfied, and they needed to be used.  On Cinco de Mayo I was looking for something easy to make that was in keeping with the Mexican theme, and came across this interesting recipe from Rachael Ray.

Any chili dog fan would be happy to indulge in some of these.

This would be a great game day dish...pure man food!  Try this - you won't be disappointed.

Chili Dog Nachos
slightly adapted from Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
salt and pepper
3 hot dogs, cut into bite size chunks
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 bag tortilla chips (or enough to cover a baking sheet generously)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
Olives, sour cream, scallions, avocado, salsa for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add oil.  Add beef and season with salt and pepper.  After a few minutes, add hot dogs and brown for another 2-3 minutes.  Add onion, Worcestershire, chili powder and cumin.  Cook another few minutes then add tomato sauce.

Arrange chips on foil lined baking sheet.  Top with chili dog topping.  Add cheese and bake for about 10-12 minutes until cheese melts.  Garnish with desired toppings.

Easy Cheese Grits

Recently my sister, brother-in-law, nieces and parents took a road trip down south.  It sounded like a really fun one - one that involved a lot of good eats, drinks and laughs.  What's better than that?

Well, I guess if I went along for the ride it would have been a LITTLE bit better.  Just a little :)

Instead of bringing me back a t-shirt, they brought me (among other things) this:

Straight from Tennessee, y'all.

Naturally, I went ahead and did this:

And the grand finale looked like this:

Southern perfection.

Next time I open that bag it'll be for breakfast.

Easy Cheese Grits
slightly adapted from the Falls Mill white corn grits bag

1 cup white corn grits
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup half & half (I used fat free)
2-4 ounces cheese of your choice

Place grits in bowl and cover with 2 cups water.  Stir so the light bran rises to top of water.  Set aside.

Bring 2 cups water, onion and butter to a boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan.  Carefully pour off water and bran from bowl of grits, then add rinsed grits to boiling mixture.

Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until grits soften.  Add half & half and cheese and stir until cheese melts.  Serve hot.

Makes 4 half cup servings.

Baked Chipotle Chicken Chimichangas

Our latest recipe swap theme was Blogger's Choice, where we were each assigned a blog and got to pick the recipe we wanted to prepare (think SRC).  The blog I was given, Kate's Recipe Box, had some great ones to choose from!  I came very close to making this but had a change of plans mid week, and ended up going with something different (I'm definitely making it soon though...like, probably next week!).

And coincidentally, it's a Mexican dish...perfect for tomorrow's Cinco de Mayo celebration!

I made some changes to Kate's recipe based on what I had on hand and our preferences.  My regular readers know Frank doesn't eat beans, so I omitted them...used smaller (and low carb) tortillas...and swapped out sauce from canned chipotle peppers for the enchilada sauce.  

I love that this recipe is a healthier alternative to its fried counterpart.  I also love that they were easy to prep the night before so we could eat them on a work night.  They were delicious!

Baked Chipotle Chicken Chimichangas

adapted from Kate's Recipe Box

1/2 cup brown rice

1/2 onion, chopped

8 whole wheat low carb flour tortillas (smaller size...can be found at Trader Joe's)

2 tablespoons (approximately...adjust based on your heat level preference) sauce from canned chipotles in adobo

1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken breasts

3/4 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese

1/2 can black olives, chopped

low fat sour cream and cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook rice with onion according to package instructions and set aside.  

Lay tortilla flat and spread adobo sauce evenly on it.  If necessary, soften tortillas first in microwave or a pan to be able to roll them.  Add even amounts of rice mixture, chicken, cheese and olives and roll up.  Place seam side down on foil lined baking sheet.  Repeat with all tortillas.

Spray lightly with cooking spray and bake for about 10 minutes, or until tortillas start to crisp up.  Top with sour cream and cheese (and guacamole/avocado if you have it...I didn't).

Fried Onion Mac & Cheese

Our recipe swap them this time around was your favorite celebrity recipe.  When I received Alton Brown's Mac & Cheese from Does Not Cook Well With Others, I knew right away I'd be making a few adaptations.  After all, I already have a great go-to recipe for baked mac & cheese.

The night before I made this dish, Frank, Bella and I went to a new local burger place for dinner.  We ordered the "crispy onions" as a side dish, since Bella and I love onion rings.  Little did we know we'd be faced with a ginormous plate of pieces of fried onions.  Very good but WAY too much to eat.

The light bulb over my head lit up and I had those suckers packed up to go.

So, as you can guess, I made some adaptations to Alton's original recipe.  And great changes they were!  Yum.

Even celebrities can stand to use some improvement once in a while :)

Fried Onion Mac & Cheese
adapted from Does Not Cook Well With Others, originally from Alton Brown

3/4 pound elbows
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons AP flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk (I used 1%)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and pepper
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
fried onion pieces (I guess you could use canned, but this recipe looks pretty easy)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook elbows until al dente and drain.

Melt butter in a pot over low heat, then add flour and mustard.  Stir constantly until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Stir in milk, bay leaf and paprika.  Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the bay leaf.

Add a ladle of the milk mixture to the egg and mix, then pour into the pot with the rest of the mixture.  Stir in most of both cheeses, reserving about 3/4 cup for the top.  Season with salt and pepper.  Gently stir in macaroni, then pour into casserole dish.  Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for about 25 minutes.  Let sit for about 5 minutes.  Top with onions and serve.

Asparagus Carbonara

Another spring day, another use for asparagus.  And this one is a new favorite!

This dish was seriously delicious, even with "thinning it out" by using fat free half and half in place of heavy cream.  I was a little worried that it wouldn't hold up, but fortunately I was wrong.  It was creamy and flavorful and perfect.

And while we're talking about spring days, what's up with this weather?  80 degrees yesterday...a predicted 93 degrees today...I can't believe I'll be turning on the AC in mid-April.  I want my spring back!!

Well, at least eating this will make me feel like it's 60 degrees...

Asparagus Carbonara
adapted from Closet Cooking

6 ounces penne
1 bunch asparagus
5 slices bacon
3 cloves garlic
1 egg yolk
4 tablespoons fat free half & half
1/3 cup grated pecorino romano
pepper

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Meanwhile, cut bacon into bite size pieces and fry in a large skillet.  Once cooked, drain most of fat out of pan.

Cut asparagus into penne shaped pieces then add to pan.  Add garlic and pepper and toss together.  Mix egg yolk, half & half and cheese in a bowl.  Set aside.

Drain pasta, reserving a little bit of water.  Add pasta to pan and toss.  Remove from heat and wait for sizzling to stop.  Add egg mixture and toss to coat.

Taste at this point and decide if you need to add reserved pasta water.  I didn't need to, but if you do, add slowly, then toss.  Top with more pepper, if desired, and serve.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

Scalloped Ham and Potato Bake

This week has pretty much been all about Easter leftovers.  The other night, we had stuffed shells and meatballs.  Another night was eggplant parm.  For lunch, I've been eating egg salad (or straight up hard boiled eggs).  I'm pretty sure many households across the country have been doing the same thing...

I'm also pretty sure that many households have turned their leftover ham into deliciousness that looks something like this:

Photo credit goes to Frank (I was working late)...not bad for an amateur!

I made this dish the day before we ate it - threw it in the fridge and reheated it before serving.  Perfect for a busy work night!  Another successful use of leftovers, which you know always makes me happy.

So, what leftovers have been on your table this week?


Scalloped Ham and Potato Bake
slightly adapted from RecipeTips

2 cups ham, diced
5 cups potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 large yellow onion, sliced
5 tablespoons flour
dash of pepper

for the sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk (I used 1%)
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 cup colby jack and cheddar cheeses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine first 5 ingredients and place in a greased casserole dish (approximately 2 quarts).

For the sauce, melt butter in saucepan.  Add flour and cook for one minute, until smooth.  Add milk, mustard and cheese.  Stir over low heat until cheese melts.

Pour sauce over potato mixture and bake for 60 minutes or until potatoes are done.

Medjool Dates with Almonds & Pecorino Romano

You've found your next go-to appetizer...especially when you have to feed a big crowd.

I recently catered a women's networking event and had to supply appetizers for about 50 people.  The caveat - I had no stove, no oven, no fridge...so I needed to get creative.  These little beauties were perfect (and EASY!)...people loved them.

Sorry for the awful pic but I only had my point and shoot with me that night.  Still, you get the idea of how delicious they are, and how ridiculously simple they were to assemble!

Medjool Dates with Almonds & Pecorino Romano


Medjool dates
wedge of pecorino romano
whole unsalted roasted almonds

Split dates lengthwise and remove pits.  Stuff an almond (or two, depending on size of date) followed by a thin slice of cheese inside.  Place toothpick on top and serve.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday

BBQ Chicken Enchiladas

We went to a great BBQ restaurant over the weekend for my Dad's birthday.  There were about 15 of us (as usual) so we went ahead and ordered 2 HUGE platters of nothing but MEAT.

Now I'm mad that I didn't take pics, but let's just say these plates were insane.  Four different kinds of ribs, sausage, brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken...it was never ending.  And the sides...oh my...

Somehow we ended up with the leftovers (I honestly didn't want them!).  I heard a little mumbling about how if anyone could come up with a way to use them, it was me.  Um, tell me something I don't already know.

I mean, this was a no-brainer.

The next time you have leftover shredded BBQ chicken, or pork, or both (!)...don't throw it away!!  Do yourself a favor and make this.

BBQ Chicken Enchiladas
inspired by How Sweet It Is

leftover BBQ chicken (I used the pork, too!)...about 2 cups**
2 onions, sliced
salt
canola oil
2 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (canned or use this homemade recipe)
8 whole wheat tortillas, medium size
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Add oil to pan and once heated, add onions and a sprinkle of salt.  Turn heat to medium low and cook until somewhat caramelized, about 10 min.  Add chicken, 1 cup enchilada sauce and cayenne.  Add half of each type of cheese and mix.  Turn off heat.

Coat bottom of baking pan with enchilada sauce.  Lay tortilla flat and place filling on one side.  Carefully roll up and place seam down in pan.  Cover enchiladas with rest of sauce and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Finish off with your favorite toppings, if desired.

**If you feel there isn't enough BBQ sauce on your leftover meat, simply add more!

Linked to: Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

Hot Reuben Dip

Tired of corned beef yet?  Yeah, I know...this post is a few days late.  But honestly, this dip is a hit any time of the year!  Plus, if you have leftovers from this weekend, this is a great way to use them up.

Men (especially my man) go NUTS over this!  The guy at the deli counter (who was kind enough to shred the 4 pounds of corned beef I ordered) even started drooling over it without even trying it.

It's perfect for crowds, and can be made in no time at all.  It takes under an hour to heat up, and it can sit in the crockpot on warm for hours as well.  Great for game day...or, like I said, any day :)

Hot Reuben Dip
adapted from allrecipes

4 pounds shredded cooked corned beef
4 cups shredded swiss cheese
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup thousand island dressing (homemade or store bought)
1 large can (25 ounces or so) sauerkraut, drained

Place all ingredients into crockpot and stir to combine.  Cook on high for about 45 minutes if in a hurry, or longer on low until cheese has melted.  Stir occasionally.  Serve on mini rye or pumpernickel slices, or on crackers.

Serves an army!

Sicilian Artichoke Pie (Tortino di Carciofini)

These are a few of my favorite things...

Artichokes.
Cheese.
Sicilian food.

Combine them and what do you get?  Well, awesomeness is one word that comes to mind...

My dad found an old cookbook that we've been sifting through and finding some pretty incredible recipes.  This is one of them.  And it brings me right back to the homeland.

Lunch, dinner, snack, appetizer...you decide.  Enjoy this little slice of heaven, no matter when you have it!

Sicilian Artichoke Pie (Tortino di Carciofini)
from The Art of Sicilian Cooking (the version we have is WAY older than this one!)

for the crust:
2 cups sifted AP flour
pinch of salt
3/4 cup shortening (or 2/3 cup lard)
1/3 cup ice water

for the filling:
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup grated caciocavallo cheese
8 ounces mozzarella, chopped
salt and pepper

Place flour and salt in bowl, and cut in shortening with two knives or pastry blender.  Continue until mixture resembles small peas.  Sprinkle ice water, one tablespoon at a time, over mixture, adding to driest part each time.  Mix gently with fork until fully moistened.  Form into ball and divide in half.

Roll one half between two pieces of waxed paper to 1/8 inch thickness and 1 inch larger than 9 inch pie pan.  Fold in half and place loosely in pan, working carefully.  Set aside.  Do the same for other half for top crust; set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Saute garlic in hot oil.  Add artichokes and brown lightly on both sides.  Transfer to bowl and stir in eggs and cheeses.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, then pour into pie pan.

Cover with top crust and trim off all but 1/2 inch of excess dough.  Turn under, sealing two crusts together.  Flute crust gently and cut air holes on top with a knife.  Bake for about 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake another 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Serves 6-8.