Orzo Pasta

 This is one of my kids' favorite meals.

-Averie Cooks

1 pound orzo, cooked according to package directions and drained

 3 tablespoons olive oil for pan + more for finished dish, as desired

 1 medium sweet Vidalia onion, diced small

 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper

 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

 1 teaspoon dried oregano

 1 to 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

 5 ounces fresh spinach (about 4 giant handfuls)

 1/2 English cucumber, diced small

 1 1/2 cups sliced cherry or grape tomatoes

 1 teaspoon lemon zest, or to taste

 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

 1+ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

 

 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

 

To a large pot, add the orzo and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot; set aside.

 

While orzo is cooking, to a large skillet add 3 tablespoons olive oil, onions, and cook for about 3 minutes; stir intermittently.

 

Add the chicken, season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through; flip and stir frequently to ensure even cooking.

 

Add the garlic, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.

 

Transfer the chicken, onions, and any cooking juices to the large pot with the drained orzo.

 

Add the spinach (looks like a lot but it will wilt) and stir to incorporate. Stir for about 2 minutes, or until it begins to wilt.

 

Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and stir well to incorporate.

 

Add the feta and stir to combine. Tip – If you want the feta to remain more intact, don’t add it until the chicken and orzo have cooled down a bit, or it will melt, which is totally fine, you just won’t see the white crumbles.

 

Taste, and as desired, add additional salt. I added an additional approximately 2 teaspoons because it’s a very large quantity of orzo, chicken, and vegetables.

If desired, drizzle in additional olive oil. I recommend another approximately 2 tablespoons for both flavor and so that the orzo doesn’t stick as it cools. Serve immediately.

Spicy Salsiccia

Brandon makes this for our pizza nights - yummy!

-Serious Eats

1 pound coarsely ground pork

1 Tbsp. fennel seeds

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. garlic powder

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together well. Form into a single 1-inch-thick patty, and par-cook in a skillet over medium-high heat to just above pink, about 2 minutes per side.

 

Break patty into grape-size nuggets, being careful not to make them too small, as the sausage will dry out. Place sausage chunks on top of the cheese before baking your pizza.

Peach Cobbler (fresh peaches)

Peach cobbler is perfect for summer when peaches are in season. This recipe is a spin on my grandma's recipe, just using fresh peaches instead of bottled.

6-7 ripe large peaches

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350. Slice butter into large pieces and place in a 9x13" pan. Set aside.

Peel, pit, and sliced the peaches and place in a bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar, stir, and set aside.

Place the pan with the butter in the oven to melt while you prepare the batter.

In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, then add vanilla, egg, and milk and whisk until combined.

Remove pan with melted butter from the oven and carefully pour in the batter. Top with the peaches and all the sugar and juice. Bake for 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. (It might take up to 75 minutes if using a deeper disposable pan.)

Panda Express Orange Chicken

Our family loves orange chicken from Panda Express. This recipe comes as close as you can to replicating it at home!

3 lbs chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

 

Batter

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp white pepper

1 cup cornstarch

3 cups flour

1 egg

3 cups water

2 Tbsp oil

 

Stir chicken into batter. Cover and chill for 30 min.

 

Fry in batches for 6 min each til golden brown. Remove to paper towel-lined tray.

 

Sauce

2 tsp oil

½  tsp chili flakes

1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

½  cup sugar

½  cup brown sugar

½  cup orange juice + more if needed

½  cup vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

slurry (¼ cup water + ¼ cup cornstarch)

 

Add fried chicken and toss. Serve with fried rice.

Banana Cake

This cake is delicious and great for a large group. It stays moist for several days and is always a crowd favorite.

-Mom Pulsipher

1 ⅔ cup sugar
⅔ cup shortening
3 eggs
1 ¼ cup mashed banana (3 medium)
1 tsp. vanilla
⅔ cup buttermilk
2 ⅓ cup flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
⅔ cup finely chopped pecans

Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
6 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. heavy or whipping cream

ream sugar and shortening. Add eggs, banana and vanilla and mix well. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and add to mixture, alternating with buttermilk and ending with flour. Stir in pecans.

Pour into greased sheet pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cake tests done. 325 for dark pan. Cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Ravioli

Brandon got a pasta roller for his birthday and he has become a pro at ravioli. We decided to ditch the ravioli molds after the first batch- it's much easier to cut them with a roller. 

PASTA DOUGH

-Mario Batali

2 cup 00 fine Italian flour


2 cup All-purpose

4 large eggs

Mound the flour in the center of a large wooden board. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the eggs. Using a fork, beat the eggs together and then begin to incorporate the flour; starting with the inner rim of the well.

As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape (do not worry if it looks messy).

When half of the flour is incorporated, the dough will begin to come together. Start kneading the dough, using primarily the palms of your hands. Once the dough is a cohesive mass, set the dough aside and scrape up and discard any dried bits of dough.

Continue kneading for 10 minutes, dusting the board with additional flour as necessary. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before using.

FOUR CHEESE RAVIOLI

-Allrecipes


1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese



1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened



1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese



1/2 cup provolone cheese, shredded



1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley


Egg Wash:

1 egg

1 Tablespoon water

Combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, egg, and parsley and mix well. Set the filling aside.

Beat the egg with the tablespoon of water to make the egg wash.

Roll out the pasta dough into thin sheets no thicker than a nickel. To assemble the ravioli, brush the egg wash over a sheet of pasta. Drop the filling mixture on the dough by teaspoonfuls about one inch apart. Cover the filling with the top sheet of pasta, pressing out the air from around each portion of filling. Press firmly around the filling to seal. Cut into individual ravioli with a knife or pizza cutter. Seal the edges.

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the ravioli, and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the ravioli float to the top and the filling is hot, 4 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

TOASTED RAVIOLI

After shaping ravioli, dip in beaten egg, and then in a mixture of 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs and 1 cup Panko bread crumbs. Deep fry until golden brown. 

Coconut Key Lime Pie/Tartlets

This recipe works great as a large pie, or as tartlets. I really like the coconut, but you could easily leave it out.

-Stephanie Warner, 2014 Carling Cookbook

Crust:

8 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces

5 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

3 Tbsp. sugar

Filling:

1 Tbsp. lime zest

⅓ cup fresh squeezed lime juice (about 30 key limes)

2 egg yolks

1 can sweetened condensed milk

⅓ cup sweetened coconut flakes toasted in oven until light brown (or a little more for topping)

Topping:

Heavy whipping cream + sugar

Remaining toasted coconut

To make crust, put broken graham crackers into food processor and process until you get fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle butter and sugar with it and pulse until incorporated. Put in a 8 or 9 inch pan depending on your like of thickness (I like it thick!). Bake in oven at 325 for 13-18 minutes until crust is fragrant and beginning to brown. I like to make this the night before for ease.

To make filling: sprinkle ⅓-½ of the ⅓ cup of toasted coconut flakes directly on top of crust. In bowl, combine all the rest of filling ingredients (not coconut) and mix with spoon until it thickens. Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until set (not jiggly). Cool completely, a minimum of 1 hour. Top with freshly whipped cream and the rest of your toasted coconut flakes.

Caramel Apple Cake

This cake is definitely a new-found favorite! Everyone loved it so much it was requested in place of apple pie for Thanksgiving. I halve this recipe when using my Demarle Bundt mold.

-Taste of Home

1-1/2 cups canola oil

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3-1/2 cups diced peeled apples

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

CARAMEL ICING:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup half-and-half cream

1/4 cup butter, cubed

Dash salt

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Chopped walnuts, optional

In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugars and eggs until well blended. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture until blended. Fold in the apples, walnuts and vanilla.

Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, cook and stir the brown sugar, cream, butter and salt until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a small bowl; cool to room temperature. Beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth; drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired. 

Black Cherry Ice Cream

For as long as I can remember, homemade ice cream has been part of summer and the Carling family reunions. When I was very young and we camped at the Brown Creek, hand-cranked ice cream makers were used and all the cousins took turns until the adults had to take over when the cranking got too hard. My grandma usually makes banana nut and I'm pretty sure there was always a freezer of vanilla. A few years back my mom made this cherry ice cream for the reunion and it has become my most favorite homemade ice cream flavor. Thanks Mom for another great recipe! I use whole milk instead of half-and-half and don't add any more than 4 cups. 

-Mom Pulsipher

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups heavy cream
4 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cherry extract
1/4 tsp. salt
8 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained and cut in fourths
15 oz. can dark sweet cherries cut in fourths, plus 1/2 cup of the juice (or 2 cups frozen dark sweet cherries, no juice needed)
Additional milk, as needed

Whisk the 3 eggs. Add sugar to eggs and whisk until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Add cream, half-and-half, vanilla, cherry extract, and salt. Refrigerate for half an hour. Stir in cherries and juice. Put in freezer canister. Add a little milk if needed to get a good level. Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream freezer. After churning, place in the freezer, in an air-tight container. It's best to cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap to prevent ice crystals.

Chicken Fajitas

-Taste of Home, modified

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. dried oregano

1 ½ tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. paprika

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional

1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

½ medium sweet red pepper, julienned

½ medium green pepper, julienned

½ medium sweet yellow pepper, julienned

½ large onion, julienned

6 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed

Shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole and sour cream

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine lime juice and seasonings; add the chicken. Seal and turn to coat; refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

In a large skillet, saute peppers and onions in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Remove and keep warm.

Discard marinade. In the same skillet, cook chicken over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink. Return pepper mixture to pan; heat through.

Spoon filling down the center of tortillas; fold in half. Serve with cheese, taco sauce, salsa, guacamole and sour cream. Yield: 6 servings.

Soft Breadsticks

My 10-year-old son loves breadsticks. He's been helping me try out new recipes and we finally found a winner!

-Food.com, modified

1 cup warm water

2 ½ teaspoons yeast

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 cup oil

3 cups bread flour

Make dough using your favorite method- bread machine, mixer or by hand. Let rise for 1 hour.

Measure out 2 oz. portions and roll into 8-inch lengths.

Place on Silpat and let rise for at about 20 minutes or until risen and puffy. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.

Brush with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese.

Hash Brown Cups

These hash brown cups make a great weekend breakfast. Customize them to fit your taste! 

-Tiphero.com

20 oz. bag refrigerated shredded hash browns

4 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil (2 Tbsp. if using a Demarle tray)

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

pinch ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Use a Demarle Straight-sided muffin tray (no spray), or Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray. Spray generously to keep the cheese from sticking.

2. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until combined.

3. Scoop about 1/3 cup of the hash brown mix into each muffin tin. Press the hash browns down into the tin and up the sides. Let it come up over the top a little bit, as they will shrink down once baked.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on the bottom.

Filling

6 large eggs

3 Tbsp. heavy cream or half and half

pinch of kosher salt and ground pepper

cooked and crumbled bacon or sausage

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or melting cheese of your choice)

1. Scramble the eggs together with the cream and salt and pepper in a large measuring cup with a spout.

2. Divide the bacon or sausage evenly among the muffin wells, then top with the cheese.

3. Then pour the egg mixture evenly, filling each about ¾ of the way full.

4. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the egg is no longer runny in the middle.

Ebelskivers

Uncle Brian and Aunt Luraly introduced me to Ebelskivers when Mom and I took a trip to visit them in California when I was 8. They use traditional iron pans to make their Ebelskivers and I always wanted to have one, but Brandon surprised me one year with an electric Ebelskiver maker and I love it! These Danish treats are traditionally filled with jam or applesauce, but our favorite fillings are Nutella and lemon curd.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

4 large eggs, separated

2 cups whole milk

4 Tbsp. butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture and, and using a wooden spoon, stir until well blended. The batter will be lumpy.

In a clean bowl, suing an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold about one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest just until no white streaks remain. Use the batter right away.

Spinach Lasagna Rollups

It's funny how just changing up the presentation of a dish can change perceptions. I made this dish just as I would my regular Manicotti or lasagna recipe, yet my family thought it was totally different and more delicious than regular lasagna. :)

-Tasteofhome.com

12 uncooked lasagna noodles

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 ½ cups ricotta cheese

2 ½ cups (10 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I don’t use the whole package)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 jar (26 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the eggs, cheeses, spinach, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Spread 1/3 cup cheese mixture over each noodle; carefully roll up.

Pour 1 cup spaghetti sauce into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Place roll-ups seam side down over sauce. Top with remaining sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings.