I served this side dish that I found in the January/February 2012 Cooking Light issue with the Chicken Cacciatore I made recently.  The beans had a nice tangy flavor and the onions and shallots melted in my mouth.  I was the only one in my family that liked them so I enjoyed the remaining green beans today with my lunch.  My kids said they liked the flavor of the sauce but didn’t like the green beans and my husband said it just wasn’t his favorite.  I LOVED these beans so I decided to post the recipe even without the rest of my family’s approval.  If you like green beans and balsamic vinegar – give this tasty side dish a try.

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and shallots then cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, or until softened.  Add the garlic then sauté, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Add the beef broth; cook for 4 minutes or until the onions are really tender and the liquid almost evaporates.  Add the green beans and vinegar; cover and cook for 4 minutes or until the beans are crisp-tender.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp of butter then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.  Enjoy.

Print

Balsamic Green Beans with Red Onions and Shallots

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tsp of olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1 shallot, sliced thinly
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of beef broth
2 cups of green beans, trimmed
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 tsp butter

Directions:

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and shallots then cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, or until softened. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the beef broth; cook for 4 minutes or until the onions are really tender and the liquid almost evaporates. Add the green beans and vinegar; cover and cook for 4 minutes or until the beans are crisp-tender. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp of butter then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking
Original recipe found in January/February 2012 Cooking Light

I found this recipe in the March 2012 Cooking Light that looked too good to resist.  The recipe was fairly quick and simple to make and turned out delicious.  I adapted the recipe a bit by using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and using basil instead of rosemary.  I served the chicken and sauce over orecchiette pasta which was really tasty.  My kids both said they liked it and my husband and I really enjoyed it.  I can’t believe it took me so long to try making chicken cacciatore!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large OVEN proof skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Season each side of the chicken thighs with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, garlic powder, and dried basil, to taste.  Cook one side of the chicken thighs for 4 minutes then flip the chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate.

Add the other 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet then add the peppers and onions.  Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes then add the mushrooms.  Continue cooking, stirring often, for 6 minutes.  Add the minced garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Add the marinara sauce; cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken thighs and their juices back to the OVEN PROOF skillet or Dutch oven.  Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese on top.  Serve with pasta if desired.  Enjoy.

Print

Chicken Cacciatore

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Dried basil, to taste
1 1/2 cups of orange, yellow, and red baby bell peppers, sliced
1 small sweet yellow onion, diced
1/2 tsp dried basil
8 oz button mushrooms, quartered
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/3 cups of marinara sauce
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large OVEN proof skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season each side of the chicken thighs with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, garlic powder, and dried basil, to taste. Cook one side of the chicken thighs for 4 minutes then flip the chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate.

Add the other 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet then add the peppers and onions. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes then add the mushrooms. Continue cooking, stirring often, for 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce; cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken thighs and their juices back to the OVEN PROOF skillet or Dutch oven. Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese on top. Serve with pasta if desired. Enjoy.

I had plans with a girlfriend for dinner so I made a quick pizza for my husband and two little mini pepperoni pizzas for my children for dinner.  My husband finds this particular pizza dough and sauce a little bland for his tastes so he likes it if  I season the dough with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.  He also likes it if I add a bit more sea salt and freshly cracked pepper as well as some crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce to give it more flavor.  I cooked up some turkey Italian sausage before layering it on the pizza along with turkey pepperoni, fresh mushroom slices, black olives, and some fresh jalapenos for a kick.  Using store bought dough and sauce makes this meal so simple and easy to put together and cooks really quickly.  My husband was thrilled that he didn’t have to cook dinner!

Side Note:  Please let me know if you had to hit refresh to view this new recipe so I know if the website is working properly or not.  Thank you!!!

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Remove the dough from the bag & let it sit on a floured surface for 20 minutes.  This helps the dough become easier to work with.

Remove the turkey Italian sausage from their casings then cook it in a skillet over medium high heat until cooked through and in crumbles.

Spread dough on a pizza sheet that has been coated with cooking spray and a sprinkle of corn meal; season with seas salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Mix some crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce, if desired, and mix well. Spoon the sauce on the dough and spread evenly. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese all over followed by the sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, and jalapeno slices.

Place pizza into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven then slice and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Print

Turkey Italian Sausage, Pepperoni, Mushroom, Olive, and Jalapeno Pizza

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Total Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
Corn meal
1/2 of a pizza dough (I used the other half for my kids pizzas)
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, if desired
Pizza sauce
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, if desired
Mozzarella cheese
3 links of turkey Italian sausage, removed from casings and cooked
Handful of turkey pepperoni
Sliced mushrooms, sliced very thin
Black olives
Jalapeno, sliced very thin

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the dough from the bag & let it sit on a floured surface for 20 minutes. This helps the dough become easier to work with.

Remove the turkey Italian sausage from their casings then cook it in a skillet over medium high heat until cooked through and in crumbles.

Spread dough on a pizza sheet that has been coated with cooking spray and a sprinkle of corn meal; season with seas salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Mix some crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce, if desired, and mix well. Spoon the sauce on the dough and spread evenly. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese all over followed by the sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, and jalapeno slices.

Place pizza into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven then slice and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Wow!  This was such a delicious lunch!  I was craving pasta and eggs so I decided to combine the two and see how it would turn out.  I found asparagus, mushrooms, and Parmesan in my refrigerator which are ingredients I love with both pasta and eggs so I threw those in the dish too.  I simply seasoned the pasta with a teaspoon of butter, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper.  The egg yolk gave the pasta a nice richness without being heavy.  This is definitely a new favorite for me… I know it sounds a little strange but trust me – it’s amazing!

Side Note:  Please let me know if you have problems viewing this recipe or if you have to hit refresh to get the website to update.  Thank you!!!

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.  Cook the spaghetti per instructions.  While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat then add the mushrooms & asparagus.  Cook the mushrooms and asparagus, stirring often, until golden and tender, about 5-6 minutes.  Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Meanwhile, add water to a pan, filling it two thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Coat a poaching cup (or custard cup) with cooking spray then place in the water. Break the egg into the cup then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the whites are firm but the yolk is soft.

Drain the cooked pasta then place back into the pan.  Add the butter, asparagus, mushrooms, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, then toss until mixed combined.  Pour into a bowl, top with the poached egg, and Parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy.

Print

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Mushrooms, Parmesan, and a Poached Egg

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 oz of spaghetti, cooked per instructions
1 tsp olive oil
3 asparagus spears, wooden ends removed, cut into thirds
5 button mushrooms, quartered
1 egg
1 tsp butter
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti per instructions. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat then add the mushrooms & asparagus. Cook the mushrooms and asparagus, stirring often, until golden and tender, about 5-6 minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Meanwhile, add water to a pan, filling it two thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Coat a poaching cup (or custard cup) with cooking spray then place in the water. Break the egg into the cup then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the whites are firm but the yolk is soft.

Drain the cooked pasta then place back into the pan. Add the butter, asparagus, mushrooms, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, then toss until mixed combined. Pour into a bowl, top with the poached egg, and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Well, I think we have finally gotten through the tough, frustrating, and stressful portion of changing the website.  The problem was with the hosting company I was using.  Although they were really nice, helpful, and courteous, they just weren’t able to make my site run smoothly.  They kept shutting down my website, I had posts that were lost, and I have had SEVERAL readers not be able to view updated posts, some since January 27th.  After trying everything, I finally decided to move to a different hosting company that is able to handle my site (fingers crossed).

I couldn’t have gotten through this difficult and stressful time without the help and support of the most amazing web designer out there – Lindsay from Purr Design.  This woman went above and beyond for me and I truly can’t even imagine where I would be right now if it weren’t for her knowledge, help, and fantastic customer service.  If you are ever in need for a web designer, look no further, because Lindsay, in my opinion, is the BEST!

I have a favor to ask of you.  If you were having difficulty seeing my new posts, or could only view new  recipes when you hit refresh, please comment and let me know if this testing post came right up for you.  It would really help us out to know if things are back to normal.

Once again – thank you so much for your continued support and patience through this difficult transition.   If all goes well tonight & tomorrow, I will be back to posting on Friday.

Here are a few recipes that will hopefully bring a smile to your sweetheart’s face and will make your Valentines Day extra special.

Side Note:  I am having more problems with the new website which I am working very hard to get fixed.  Many of my readers are not seeing my updated posts – some still see recipes back in January as my most recent post.  If you are having similar problems on any of your computers please pull up the website and hit REFRESH which should bring you up to date with the new recipes.  I am hoping to have this problem fixed soon.  Thank you for being so patient with the change of the new website.  I am trying to stay patient as well!!  UGH!!!

Cilantro and Lime Crab Salad in Avocado Halves

Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad

Tiffany’s Tomatoes

Chicken Milanese with Spring Greens

Steak with Stroganoff Sauce

Gemelli with Lump Crab, Mushrooms, & Asparagus in a Lemon Butter Sauce

Chicken Thighs with Chanterelle Mushroom Sauce

Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

Panko Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, Tomato, and Basil

Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies

Strawberry Galette with Homemade Vanilla Whipped Cream

Banana Coffee Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting

Blueberry and Lemon Curd Galette with Homemade Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Chocolate Tart with Mint Krispy Topping

Eclairs

I have been seeing egg dishes with something called soldiers for awhile now.  I did some research and the soldiers are just strips of toast.  The toast is cut into strips to make dipping into the egg easier.  I was craving something quick and simple for lunch today so I checked the refrigerator to see what I had on hand.  I decided to bake an egg. I added Parmesan cheese and a bit of sliced grape tomatoes to the egg and I served it with toast “soldiers”.  It was a simple and delicious dish.  I loved the salty Parmesan with the sweet tomatoes  and the toast dipped in the egg tasted wonderful.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a small ramekin with cooking spray.  Place a couple of tomatoes and some Parmesan  into the ramekin.

Crack an egg into the ramekin, being careful not to break the yolk. Add the milk, a few more tomatoes and Parmesan to the top. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Place onto a baking tray and cook for 5 minutes; Turn the oven to broil and cook for another 5 minutes or until the whites are set but the yolk remains soft. Meanwhile, place a piece of bread into the toaster and toast.  Butter the toast then cut into 4 equal strips.  Remove the egg from the oven and serve with the soldiers immediately. Enjoy.

Print

Parmesan and Tomato Baked Egg with Toast Soldiers

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
2-3 grape tomatoes sliced in half
1-2 tsp Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 egg
1 tsp milk (I used fat free but cream would make it richer)
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 slice of bread, toasted & buttered, sliced into strips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a small ramekin with cooking spray.

Place a couple of tomatoes and some Parmesan into the ramekin. Crack an egg into the ramekin, being careful not to break the yolk. Add the milk, a few more tomatoes and Parmesan to the top. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Place onto a baking tray and cook for 5 minutes; Turn the oven to broil and cook for another 5 minutes or until the whites are set but the yolk remains soft. Meanwhile, place a piece of bread into the toaster and toast. Butter the toast then cut into 4 equal strips. Remove the egg from the oven and serve with the soldiers immediately. Enjoy.

I love quick and simple recipes that taste fantastic and this is one of them.  I combined some Parmesan cheese with Italian seasoned panko crumbs together to make a tasty crust that made these pork chops really delicious.  The pork turned out moist and tender on the inside and crunchy and flavorful on the outside.  We all, kids included, gobbled up these chops and enjoyed each and every bite.  You can’t beat a 6 ingredient recipe that tastes this great!!

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil then coat with cooking spray.

Combine the Italian seasoned panko crumbs with the Parmesan cheese and mix well.  Dip the pork chops in the beaten egg before coating both sides of each chop evenly with the panko mixture.  Place on the baking sheet then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 145 degrees.  Turn the oven to broil and cook for a minute or two (watching very carefully) so the top crust gets golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy.

Print

Italian Panko and Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 bone in pork chops
1 egg, beaten
1 cup of Italian seasoned panko crumbs
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil then coat with cooking spray.

Combine the Italian seasoned panko crumbs with the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Dip the pork chops in the beaten egg before coating both sides of each chop evenly with the panko mixture. Place on the baking sheet then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 145 degrees. Turn the oven to broil and cook for a minute or two (watching very carefully) so the top crust gets golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

My son has been very sick and I wanted to make him something that would cheer him up and make him feel better.   I saw this breakfast cake on my friend Cathy’s site, Wives with Knives, and knew immediately that this would make my son (and the rest of the family) VERY happy. I was right.    My entire house smelled amazing while this cake baked .  This breakfast cake was moist, bursting with sweet blueberries,  and  tasted so delicious.  My daughter said she especially loved the sugar coating on the top of the cake.  My son was definitely feeling a bit better after having this for breakfast – thanks Cathy!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray.

Cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together with a mixer until creamy & smooth.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add  2 tablespoons of flour to the blueberries and toss to coat evenly.  Mix the remaining flour together with the baking powder and salt until well mixed.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time alternating with the buttermilk.  Fold in the blueberries gently.  Spread batter into the pan evenly.  Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on top of the batter.  Side note: The batter will be very thick.

Place into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let it cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving.  Enjoy!

Print

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Yield: 9 slices

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar
Zest of one lemon
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 cups of flour (divided)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup of buttermilk
2 cups of fresh blueberries
1 tbsp white sugar (for the top)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

Cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together with a mixer until creamy & smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the blueberries and toss to coat evenly. Mix the remaining flour together with the baking powder and salt until well mixed. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries gently. Spread batter into the pan evenly. Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on top of the batter. Side note: The batter will be very thick.

Place into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let it cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe by Wives with Knives