BAREFOOT CONTESSA FROZEN TREATS

Lots of good food.  I need to try the mango daiquiris.

Frozen Berries with Hot White Chocolate

Mango Daiquiris

Palmiers

Pesto Pea Salad

Lasagna with Turkey Sausage

http://www.foodnetwork.com/barefoot-contessa/frozen-treats/index.html

WEEKEND WONDERS BY NIGELLA LAWSON

Her show Nigella Feasts filmed in London has become one of my favorites.  Down home type cooking but with some splashes of wonder and surprise.  Here is a complete dinner plan with recipes for

Honey Bee Cake

Garlic Roast Potatoes

Petits Pois a la Francaise

One-Pan Sage-and-Onion Chicken and Sausage

http://www.foodnetwork.com/nigella-feasts/weekend-wonders/index.html

GIADA'S LEMON MERINGUE CUSTARD

I saw Giada demonstrate this today on her show. 

It looks so easy and so delicious.  A definite future dessert.

No picture posted, but I'll take a picure of my creation after I try it.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-meringue-with-amaretti-cookie-topping-recipe/index.html

MARGARITA PIE

YUM!

Here is the website I found it on.

http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/frosty-margarita-pie/3588f5ff-64aa-4f47-a44b-1b01c62de583

INGREDIENTS

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (12 squares)

3 Tbl powdered sugar

1/4 cup frozen (thawed) margarita mix concentrate

2 cups lime sherbert, softened

1/3 cup cup frozen (thawed) margarita mix concentrate

3 Tbl tequila

2 cups vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS

Mix cracker crumbs and powdered sugar.

Stir in 1/4 cup margarita mix until crumbly.

Press mixture firmly against bottom and side of pie plate, 9x1 1/4 inches

Mix sherbet, 1/3 cup margarita mix and the tequila in large bowl.

Gently swirl in ice cream.

Spoon mixture into crust; spread evenly.

Cover and freeze 4 to 6 hours or until firm.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

(recipe by my daughter G)

Ingredients

1 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour

1/3 Cup white sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

5 Tbl unsalted butter, chilled, cubed

1 Cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 Cup orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400*F (200*C)

2. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
She uses a scone pan with 16 individual triangle sections.

3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

4. With a pastry blender or a large fork, cut in the butter until it resembles course crumbs.

5. Fold in the chocolate chips.

6. Mix in the orange juice to form a crumble-like dough

7. Bake in pre-heated oven until golden brown, approximately 12 minutes.

8. Move to wire rack to cool.

REESES CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIES

I found this picture on Pinterest - you can view it HERE. It doesn’t show what site it came from….. but here are the SUPER EASY directions:

Preheat oven to 350; smoosh 1.5 squares of break-apart refrigerated cookie dough into the bottom of each well. Place Reese cup upside down on top of cookie dough (or an Oreo!). Top with prepared box brownie mix, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes!

BREAKFAST OMELET MUFFINS

Ingredients

1 pound Italian Sausage

1 cup veggies
8 large eggs
1/4 cup milk

1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
salt & pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese as needed

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a large saute pan, over medium high heat, brown Italian Sausage for about 5 minutes,
or until the sausage is no longer pink.

3. Remove from heat and stir in veggies.
4. Whisk together eggs, milk, oil and baking powder. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Lightly spray a 12-cupcake pan with oil.

6. Spoon out the sausage and veggie mixture evenly into each cupcake.

7. Ladle the egg mixture over sausage and broccoli.
8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

LEMON BURST CAKE MIX COOKIES

Ingredients

1 box Lemon Cake Mix

1- 8 oz container Cool Whip

1 egg

1/3 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. In medium bowl, beat cool whip, egg and cake mix until well blended.
Dough will be thick and sticky.

3. Drop by teaspoonfuls into a bowl of powdered sugar and roll to coat.

4. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 10- 12 minutes

Try these using strawberry or orange cake mix for variety.

BEEF SHORT RIBS - Crock Pot

http://southern.food.com/recipe/slow-cooker-beef-short-ribs-32147

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 1/2 lbs boneless beef short ribs

1/4 cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup beef broth

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup chili sauce

2 tablespoons catsup

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon chili powder

DIRECTIONS

1.  Put flour, salt and pepper in a bag.

2.  Add ribs and shake to coat.

3.  Brown ribs in butter in a lg skillet.

4.  Put in slow cooker. 

5.  In same skillet, combine remaining ingredients.

6.  Bring to a boil, stirring.

7.  Pour over ribs. 

8.  Cover and cook on low for 9 hours.

STEAK AND ASPARAGUS ROTINI

This is a direct post from Lovely Little Snippets
http://lovelylittlesnippets.blogspot.com/2012/03/steak-and-asparagus-rotini.html

I am always looking for new ways to cook steak at our house. Every year my dear husband kills an elk (or 2) and a deer (or 2), so some years, that leaves us with HUNDREDS of pounds of meat! There are a lot of Steak and Potato dinners going on at our house. This was a great DIFFERENT way to use elk at our house! But you could certainly use beef!

Steak and Asparagus Rotini

1 lb. steak pounded to 1/2 inch thick

1 lb. rotini pasta

1 lb. asparagus

2 TBS butter

1 tsp Lemon pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

2 TBS Parmesan cheese

garlic powder, salt and pepper

In a large skillet, melt butter. Season both sides of the steak with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place in the skillet (on high) with the butter. Sear both sides of the steak and then turn to med-low and cover. Continue cooking for about 10 min, or until steak is done to your liking. While the steak is cooking, cook your rotini. As your pasta cooks, trim the tough ends off of the asparagus, cut them unto 1 inch pieces, and put them into a colander. At the end of your pasta cooking time, carefully dip the colander into the boiling water until the asparagus is covered. Hold for about a minute so the asparagus gets par-cooked, then remove. place the colander in the sink and pour the hot pasta over the asparagus to drain. Toss together. Slice the steak into strips and toss with the pasta. Add olive oil, lemon pepper, some S&P and parmesan cheese. Toss well, and serve.

I'M BACK

I've been neglecting this blog since last year. I hit a rough patch and planning meals or even cooking hasn't been my top priority. Lucky my kids are older and they sure have helped me out in the kitchen. I've been stymied by planning meals because I used to work around my husband’s favorites.  Now it’s just me and my 2 girls, and sometimes my adult son.  I went online to find a few new recipes to try and came across a great website that not only has an entire week’s meals planned, including the recipes, but also has information on all types of organizing.  I do love to keep things organized.

I made some changes to her plan and am going to start keeping a menu and grocery list on my blog so I can pick a week and have a grocery list ready.  I'm going to keep my menus on http://artzestmenuplan.blogspot.com/.

Wish me luck!  Go give her a visit.  http://orgjunkie.com/2012/05/menu-plan-monday-may-2112-giveaway.html