EatingAndLiving.com

Strawberry Panzanella

Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri Show: Guys Big Bite Episode: Pepperoni Lasagna

1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup 1 loaf sourdough bread, cut in 1-inch cubes 1/2 cup sherry 2 tablespoons honey 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled 1 orange, zested 1/4 cup sliced red onion Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a bowl, combine garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and salt. Drizzle 1/2 cup olive oil on bread and add to the seasoning mixture. Toss thoroughly. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. In another bowl, whisk together the sherry, remaining olive oil and honey. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, toss cooled bread cubes, strawberries, tomatoes, blue cheese, orange zest, onion and sherry dressing. Try to coat each bread cube with the dressing. Serve immediately.

Gingerbread Boys and Girls

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 stick butter or margarine, softened 2 large eggs 1/4 cup molasses 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt Icing: 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted 1 to 2 tablespoons milk Food coloring, as desired Using an electric mixer at low speed, cream the sugar and butter until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs and molasses and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and combine with a spoon or spatula. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap; place in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until pliable. Take about 1/2 cup of dough at a time and roll onto a floured board until about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out with gingerbread boy and girl cookie cutters. You can re-roll the scraps. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies from the board to the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, until just beginning to brown at the edges. Transfer to wire racks to cool. To make the icing, combine the confectioners' sugar and milk. Divide the mixture into thirds; leave 1/3 white, and color 1/3 green and the final third red. Decorate piping eyes, mouths, buttons, and bow ties

Belly Coca-Cola Cupcakes recipe

24 cupcakes

Belly is the name of a charming little general store that serves great food. It is located in the VA/Highlands neighborhood in Atlanta.

Anyone of a certain age knows that the best way to drink Coke is out of an ice-cold, glass contour bottle with a few Planters peanuts dropped inside. Belly storekeeper Melanie Manning kept this in mind when she developed the store's recipe.

2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup Coca-Cola
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the cocoa, Coca-Cola, butter and marshmallows. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Pour the boiled mixture over the flour mixture and stir to combine. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, then stir in the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir into the flour mixture; stir well to combine. Pour the batter into cupcake pans lined with foil or paper cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

Per cupcake (with frosting): 342 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 4 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 19 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 54 milligrams cholesterol, 211 milligrams sodium

Whipped Fudge and Coke Frosting

This fluffy frosting tastes like chocolate mousse with something extra. You can use any combination of chocolate chips, as long as you have a total of 1 2/3 cups.

Tester's note: Keep a close eye on the frosting as you beat it. One trick is to use the electric beaters until the mixture begins to lighten in color and texture, and then finish beating it by hand to the right consistency. If the frosting becomes too stiff to spread, use a spatula that's been held under hot water and dried off to frost the cupcakes.

1 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup Coca-Cola
1 cup milk chocolate chips
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup coarsely chopped Planters peanuts

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, corn syrup and Coca-Cola and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips and butter, stirring until melted and smooth (if the chocolate doesn't melt completely, return the saucepan to low heat and stir constantly until melted). Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and chill for 1 hour.

Using an electric beater, preferably with a whisk attachment, beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy but still spreadable. Do not over-beat, or the frosting will become too stiff to spread. Use immediately to frost the cooled cupcakes, and then sprinkle them with the chopped peanuts.

Baked Butternut Squash

This is a great side for Thanksgiving.

by *Parsley*

8 servings

50 min cook 10 min prep

2  about 1 - 2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes 
1/2-1  teaspoon salt 
1/2-1  teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 
1/2-1  teaspoon ground cardamom 
1/2  teaspoon anise seed (optional) 
6  tablespoons light brown sugar 
8  tablespoons butter, melted 
4  tablespoons lemon juice 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/spray a 2-qt baking dish. 
2. Place squash cubes into a buttered 2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper, cardomom, (optional aniseed), and brown sugar. Drizzle the melted butter and lemon juice over the top; toss to coat well. 
3. Bake, uncovered, at 350* oven for about 30-40 minutes or until squash is to desired tenderness. 

Squash Stuffed with Mushroom Cheese Filling

• 2 acorn or butternut squash • 1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped • 1 c onion, chopped • 1 clove garlic, crushed • 1 c low fat cottage cheese • ½ tsp. basil • ¼ c parsley, chopped • salt and pepper to taste • ¾ c cooked brown rice or bread crumbs • 2 tbsp. dry white wine (optional) Split the squash lengthwise, remove seeds, and bake, face down, on a non-stick tray or on a tray sprayed with non-stick spray for 30 minutes at 350o or until tender. While the squash are baking, sauté mushrooms, onions and garlic with salt and pepper until onions are soft. Drain well (save liquid) and combine with the remaining ingredients. Fill the squash cavities amply and bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes at 350o. Baste with liquid from sauté during baking.

Cornbread Panzanella Salad

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

8 ounces cornbread, cut into cubes (about 2 cups) 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup cubed fontina cheese 1/2 cup cubed cucumber 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine. Place in a serving bowl and serve.

Italian Rice Balls (Prosciutto, Plum Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Romano Cheese)

From The Scottos

8 to 12 rice balls

INGREDIENTS

For Rice Mixture

4 cups cooked Arborio rice al dente, slightly cooled

3 eggs

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

4 ounces prosciutto, chopped

salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed

1 cup dried seasoned bread crumbs

2 cups frying oil

For Meat Mixture

1 medium sized onion, chopped

1/2 pound ground beef

1 (16 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, crushed

DIRECTIONS

1. To make rice mixture: In a medium bowl, mix together the rice, eggs, Romano cheese, prosciutto, salt, oregano and pepper.
2. To make meat mixture: In a medium saucepan, sauté the onions for 2 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Add tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
3. To assemble rice balls: Place 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture in your hand and insert a cube of mozzarella and a teaspoon of the meat mixture into the center. Roll into a ball and repeat to form the remaining rice balls.
4. To cook rice balls: In a small bowl, beat 1 egg to form an egg wash. Dip each rice ball in the egg wash and then roll in the bread crumbs. Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil to 325°F in an 8- or 10-inch skillet. Fry the rice balls about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Baby Sweet Potato Cakes With Pecans and Sticky Caramel Sauce

Prep: 25 min., Bake: 15 min., Cool: 5 min.

1/2

cup butter, softened

1

cup DOMINO Granulated Sugar

2

large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/4

cups all-purpose flour, divided

1

teaspoon baking soda

1

teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/2

teaspoon MCCORMICK Gourmet Collection Ground Ginger

1/2

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1

(15-oz.) can sweet potatoes, drained and mashed

1/3

cup buttermilk
CRISCO Butter Flavor No-Stick Cooking Spray

1/2

cup chopped pecans, toasted
Caramel-Pecan Sauce
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Heavy cream (optional)

1. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Yield: Makes 12 cakes

Karen Harris, Castle Rock, Colorado
Southern Living, OCTOBER 2006

2. Combine flour and baking soda. Gradually add half of flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended, and stopping to scrape bottom and down sides of bowl. Add remaining half of flour mixture, and beat until blended. Add vanilla and next 5 ingredients, beating at medium speed until smooth. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray, filling two-thirds full.

3. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove warm cakes from pan, and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Top each cake with 2 1/2 Tbsp. Caramel-Pecan Sauce. Serve with vanilla ice cream or ice-cold heavy cream, if desired.

SPRING ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

COURTESY OF EXECUTIVE CHEF DAVID BURKE of David Burke & Donatella, a New American Restaurant located on the Upper East Side of NYC

SPRING ASPARAGUS RISOTTO with shrimp, sea scallops and morel mushrooms

1 cup risotto (partially cooked) 2 oz. asparagus 1 oz. asparagus cream 1/2 oz. extra virgin olive oil 2 oz. shrimp 2 oz. sea scallops 1 oz. grape tomatoes 1 oz. morels 0.8 oz. chives 2 tbsp parmesan cheese Salt/pepper taste

Risotto

Heat risotto in a sauce pot with asparagus cream until tender.
In a separate pan heat oil; sautee shrimp, scallops, morels, and grape tomatoes.

Place atop risotto.

Asparagus Cream

2 lbs. asparagus
1 qt. heavy cream

Heat asparagus in heavy cream until tender (approximately 20 minutes)

White Gazpacho

Serves 6 to 8 1 1/2 cups whole Spanish Marcona almonds, salted (or blanched whole salted almonds), plus 1/4 cup chopped, for garnish 1 clove garlic 1/2 shallot, peeled 2 cups seedless English or Kirby cucumber, peeled and chopped, plus 1/2 cup small cucumber balls, formed with a small melon baller, for garnish 2 cups seedless green grapes, plus 1/4 cup, thinly sliced, for garnish 1 tablespoon fresh dill, plus 2 tablespoons, for garnish 1 1/2 cups homemade vegetable or chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium vegetable stock or chicken broth 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon sherry-wine vinegar 2 tablespoons dry Spanish sherry, such as Manzanilla or Amontillado 1.  Working in batches, place 1 1/2 cups almonds, garlic, shallot, 2 cups cucumber, 2 cups grapes, 1 tablespoon dill, stock, oil, vinegar, and sherry in the jar of a blender, purée until smooth, about 1 minute. Chill for 1 hour or until ready to serve. 2.  Place equal amounts chopped almonds, cucumber balls, sliced grapes, and remaining 2 tablespoons dill in 6 to 8 chilled, individual bowls. Pour soup over the garnishes, and serve. Note: Recipe courtesy of chef Michelle Bernstein