Edamame

I love Edamame more and more. If you don't know, edamame is soy beans and my stores carry it in the freezer section by peas and carrots! It's very good for you and easy to work into a lot of different recipes. This one was pretty dog gone tasty! We had it with a pork loin, and for several meals after that. Makes a lot!

MEXICAN BEAN SALAD (with Edamame)

1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can light kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 to 2 cups frozen edamame beans, cooked minimum time - rinsed
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 10 oz pkg frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup canola oil
1/ cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 dash Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder

In a large bowl combine beans, bell peppers, corn and red onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime and lemon juice till combined. Stir in sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder; add more cumin, salt and pepper if needed.

Pour dressing over veggies and mix well. Chill thoroughly and serve cold.

Another Crescent Roll Discovery!

What's not to like about crescent rolls? Some of the best desserts I make include them. Last night when my husband made soup for supper, I thought about a bread at the very last minute. I grabbed a can of the crescent rolls that are seamless out of the fridge. This was the first time I bought that kind. On the side of the tube was this recipe, and as luck would have it I had all the ingredients. Well let me tell you, they were fantastic! I will make these for brunch sometime soon.

Crescent Bacon-Cheese Tartlets

Prep Time: 20 Min

Total Time: 45 Min

Makes: 12

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet (love the seamless dough!)

1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 cup chopped cooked bacon

1 tablespoon chopped green onion (1 medium)

1 egg

3 tablespoons whipping cream (or half & half)

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough into 1 large rectangle on work surface. Press into 12x9-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough on work surface. Press into 12x9-inch rectangle.
• Cut dough into 12 squares. Gently press squares into 12 ungreased mini muffin cups, shaping edges to form rims 1/4 inch high. Spoon cheese evenly into dough-lined cups. Top each with bacon and onion. In small bowl, beat egg and whipping cream with wire whisk or fork until blended. Spoon slightly less than 1 tablespoon mixture into each cup.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown and filling is set. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups.

Soup-ER!

Minestrone Soup

Recipe courtesy Ellie Krieger for Food Network Magazine

Prep Time:

15 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

30 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 15-ounce can low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• cup elbow pasta
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.

Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the parmesan and chopped basil.

Per serving (2 cups): Calories 260; Fat 8 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 5 mg; Sodium 560 mg; Carbohydrate 37 g; Fiber 10 g; Protein 15 g

Photograph by Andrew Mccaul

Printed from FoodNetwork.com on Wed Jan 19 2011

© 2011 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Peanut butter cups are divine...

My sons birthday is coming up later this week. He requested two things: A smoked turkey from Louie, a friend of the family since James was a youngster. And a Peanut butter cup pizza. I ALMOST forgot them both. Just realized last night I had not ordered the turkey, and about an hour ago I happened to think about the dessert. That is why I live my life around a list, keeps me out of trouble. I think that working with preschool age children has given me a shorter attention span. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Well, before I'm distracted again I will post the recipe so I will be able to deliver the ultimate birthday treat on James' GOLDEN birthday!!

TRIPLE PEANUT PIZZA
1 tube (18oz) refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups chopped peanut butter cups

Press cookie dough onto a greased 14: pizza pan. Bake @ 350* for 12-15 min. Sprinkle with chocolate chips; let stand 4-5 minutes. Spread melted c hips over crust and freeze for 10 min or until set.
Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread over the chocolate layer. Sprinkle with the PB cups and chill until serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Muffin Man

REFRIGERATOR BRAN MUFFINS

1-15oz Raisin Bran cereal
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
5 cups flour
5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2-3 cups walnuts or pecans coarsely chopped
1 cup dried apricots - chopped
1 cup dried dates - chopped
1 cup margarine melted
4 eggs beaten
1 qt buttermilk

Line cupcake pan with liners, fill each 3/4 full and bake approx 20-25 min @ 375*
This can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks. I bake just a 1/2 dozen or so at a time so they are fresh!

Prime Rib

Do you cook prime rib around this time of year? We do a small cut, but this recipe turned out the best of all last time. Making my mouth water....yum.

Prime Rib
4# meat
Sniders Prime Rib and Roast seasoning

Leave meat out for 2 hours to bring to room temp. Use a generous amount of seasoning and hand rub it into the prime rib. Place into a pan with about 3" sides for roasting. I just used a cake pan. Heat oven to 450* put meat thermometer in roast then place in oven for 20 min (5 min per pound). Shut oven off DO NOT open the door!!
After 3 hours turn heat on to 350* and roast to desired internal temp. Ours was at 150* it was beautifully pink and juicy. It took about 25 min.
Let it stand 15 min before carving to keep it juicy. I used the meat drippings and an envelope of aujus for delightful dipping :-)

Huskers Like Cake!

I can't wait to eat this!! It's a recipe for BOSTON CREAM PIE, why they call a cake a pie in Boston is beyond me. Premier run on this recipe, but I can tell you the icing tasted fudgy, the filling was creamy, and the cake....don't know yet but it looks good! The original recipe said to use one layer of the cake and cut it horizontally, but what would I do with the other layer cake??? I just used them both. This picture was taken outside since it said to refrigerate for an hour, and it definitely wouldn't fit in my frig today. Rest assured I put it in an airtight cake carrier so nothing could creep in, not even a 4 legged Maddie dog. I'm taking this to a Husker party tonight, let's hope it's a celebration cake!

BOSTON CREAM PIE

1 pkg (3.4 oz) JELL-O vanilla flavor instant pudding
1 cup cold milk
1 1/2 cups thawed cool whip
1 yellow cake mix - baked according to directions in 2 round pans
1 square semi sweet Bakers chocolate
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk

Beat pudding mix and 1 cup cold milk 2 minutes. Stir in cool whip, let stand 5 minutes.

Stack first cake layer on serving plate, spread pudding mixture on and top with second layer.

Microwave chocolate and butter 1 min. Stir until chocolate is melted. Add sugar and 2 Tbsp milk; mix well. Spread over cake and refrigerate for 1 hour.