Strawberry Bread

Strawberry Bread
By: Heather Bassett

3 cups All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup plain yogurt
4 eggs
2 (10oz) package of frozen strawberries, thawed and undrained
OR (1) 16oz container of fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
1 ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 ¼ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix together the dry ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix together both the wet and dry ingredients. Grease 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for approx 1 hour. Test center for doneness. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto cooling racks. Freezes well. Very moist and yummy. One of Rosanna’s favorite breads~

Risotto with Peas and Scallions

Risotto with Peas and Scallions
By: The Culinary Institute of America’s

8 ¼ cups vegetable broth, or as needed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 ¾ cups Arborio rice
2 cups green peas, frozen
8 scallions (green onions), sliced
1 Tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated, plus additional for garnish, or to taste

Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, reduce the heat, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring to coat, about 2 minutes.

Add about 1/3 of the simmered vegetable broth to the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice absorbs all of the broth, about 6-8 minutes. Add the same about of broth again and simmer, stirring, until the broth is absorbed, 6-8 minutes more. Add the remaining broth and simmer, stirring, until the risotto has a creamy consistency and the rice is tender, about 6-8 minutes more.

Before all of the liquid is absorbed, add the peas and 1 cup of the scallions (green onions). Stir in the butter, salt, pepper; and cheese. Garnish with additional grated cheese, if desired, and the remaining scallions.

Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 40 minutes

Oregano and Roasted garlic pesto

Oregano and Roasted garlic pesto
By: The Culinary Institute of America’s

¼ cup gently packed fresh marjoram or Italian oregano leaves
1 cup gently packed fresh flat-leaf parsley and tender sprigs
1 ½ Tablespoons roasted garlic paste
¼ cup raw walnut pieces
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Put all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely ground. With the machine running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream. Stop and scrape down the sides, then continue to process until the sauce is smooth and slightly creamy. Taste and add additional salt if needed. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Makes scant 1 cup

Classic basil pesto

Classic basil pesto
By: The Culinary Institute of America’s

3 cloves garlic, peeled
4 Tablespoons raw pine nuts
¼ teaspoon salt
3oz stemmed sweet basil leaves (about 3 cups gently packed)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Food Processor Method:
Process the garlic, pine nuts, and salt until finely ground, about 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves and process in spurts until no whole leaves remain. With the machine running, pour the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Stop and scrape down the sides, then process for several more seconds. The mixture should be ground to a paste like consistency but a little of the leaves texture should remain. If necessary, quickly pulse the mixture again. Add the cheese and pulse until just incorporated.

Makes 1 cup, enough for 1lb dried pasta.

Angel hair pasta with shrimp

Angel hair pasta with shrimp
By: Anne-Marie Chorak

1lb pre-cooked shrimp (cleaned with water and remove tails)
6oz feta cheese with basil and tomato flavor, crumbled
1 red onion, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ cup white wine or chicken broth
½ teaspoon brown sugar
Olive Oil
Angel hair pasta cooked according to package directions. ½ lb of dry pasta.

In a large skillet heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add tomato, wine or chicken broth, lemon juice, parsley, basil and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and ½ of feta cheese container. Cook for 5 minutes or until feta cheese has melted. Add brown sugar.

Cook angel hair pasta according to package directions. This only takes about 4 minutes once your water has come to a boil so don’t do this step ahead!

Pour drained, cooked, angel hair pasta over shrimp sauce. Mix with remaining feta cheese. Stir together. Bon Appetite~

4 stars….Rosanna loves…WOW!!!

Angel hair pasta with pesto

Angel hair pasta with pesto
By: Williams-Sonoma

Pesto:
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
1 ½ cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup baby spinach, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup grated parmesan

To make the pesto, in a small dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, shaking the pan frequently, until pale gold, about 2 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a plate and let cool.

Bring a small saucepan ¾ full of water to a boil over high heat. Add the basil, pressing down with a spoon to immerse the leaves, then immediately drain in a colander. Scrape the leaves into a bowl of ice water, stir, and let cool for 3 minutes, then drain again. Squeeze small handfuls of the basil to extract as much water as possible and chop coarsely.

With a mortar or mini food processor:
Combine the pine nuts, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Pound/pulse to a smooth paste. Add half the basil and pound/pulse. Add remaining basil and pound/pulse until smooth. Add ¼ teaspoon pepper, pound/pulse. Add the olive oil 2 Tablespoons at a time, pound/pulse, scraping down the sides until a smooth past forms; add the lemon juice to the mixture and stir. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl and fold in the cheese.

For Angel hair pasta:
Kosher salt
1lb angel hair pasta
Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Bring a large saucepan ¾ full of water to a rapid boil over high heat *the key to pasta is giving it enough room using a large tall saucepan, letting the water “taste like the sea” by adding enough salt, and not moving the pasta much once it comes to a boil*. Add 1 Tablespoon kosher salt and the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water. Put the pasta in a warmed serving bowl. Add the pesto and the reserved water and toss to coat the pasta evenly. Serve at once, and pass the grated parmesan at the table.

Makes 4 servings.

Heartwarming Chili

Heartwarming Chili
1lb hamburger
1 small yellow onion; chopped
1 yellow bell pepper; seeded and chopped
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2-3 Tablespoons chili powder (if you don’t like a lot of spice, only go with the 2 Tabl.)
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon dried oregano leaves
½ teaspoon roasted pepper seasoning
1 can (14oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 can (14oz) fired roasted tomatoes
1 ½ - 2 cans beef broth
¼ cup A-1 steak sauce
1 can black beans; drained and rinsed

In an 8qt stockpot brown hamburger. Season with salt and pepper. Add diced yellow onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes. Add everything but the black beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1-4 hours (may need more liquid if you chose to let it cook for 4 hours. The sauce will reduce down and thicken the chili over time), uncovered, so the aroma can fill the house. ½ hour before serving add the black beans. *Allow black beans to simmer in chili at least ½ hour before you serve* Stir occasionally. Leftovers are perfect as the flavors mellow overnight! Serve with grated cheese and sour cream. Great with cornbread~

Buttermilk cornbread

Buttermilk Cornbread
By: Jeremy Jackson
1 Tablespoon plus ¼ cup canola oil
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 large egg

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees (not convection). Put 1 Tablespoon canola oil into a 9x9 deep dish pie plate (preferably stoneware). Place dish into warm oven and let heat up while you make the batter.

Whisk the dry ingredients together until they are well combined and there aren’t any lumps. In a separate bowl whisk the buttermilk, egg and ¼ cup oil together until they are smooth. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined (don’t over mix).

Carefully removing pan from oven pour batter into dish. The batter will sizzle as it hits the hot oil! Bake cornbread for 20 minutes. Immediately cut into wedges and served with whipped butter melted over it and lots of honey!!! Serve hot. Leftovers become dry…if you have any!