Homemade Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

As time goes on, I want to make my own concoctions so I know what is in it.  

Baked chicken and potatoes topped with italian salad dressing is one of my favorite ways to bake chicken.  Why not make it fresh?

Commercial salad dressing in a bottle is a convenience food and has its place in the kitchen for those who want the convenience.  

If you have the time, there is nothing like making your own kitchen concoctions that only has those ingredients you want in them.

Ingredients

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 large clove of garlic – minced
2 TBSP finely chopped shallots
2 TBSP finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid
Shake until well combined and thickened.



Recipe and photo courtesy of Old World Garden Farms

Easy Stromboli

Photo source:  Pillsbury

"This easy pizza stromboli recipe is a family favorite, made even simpler with Pillsbury™ Classic Crust Pizza Crust and just five more ingredients. Quick, flavorful, and homemade, it's a delicious twist on traditional pizza. Ready in under an hour (20 minutes prep, 15 to 20 minutes bake time), this pizza stromboli recipe saves you time so you can take those extra minutes to sit down and enjoy the meal with your family."  Comment from Pillsbury

Yum!!!  Looks delicious . . . great as a main meal or appetizer.

This is a fast and easy recipe that comes from Pillsbury and utilizes convenience foods to make it easy enough for a beginner.

One of the things I would change is the addition of italian sausage and mushrooms.  The beauty of this recipe is versatility . . . use it as a guide and add what your family loves.  

You can use your own pizza dough, use leftover spaghetti sauce, make a delicious ham and cheese stromboli . . . you get the idea!

Click here to go to the Pillsbury recipe page.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Crescent Bake

This recipe from Pillsbury is a mix of convenience and fresh ingredients.  

Fast, easy enough for beginners and looks delicious!

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped 

1 box (9 oz) frozen broccoli cuts

1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms (about 2 1/2 cups)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken 

1 jar (15 oz) four cheese Alfredo pasta sauce

1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (4 oz) 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F.

Spray (2-quart) 11x7-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Cook chopped bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings.

Microwave broccoli as directed on box. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in the same skillet . . . add mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in bacon, broccoli, chicken, Alfredo sauce, cheese and pepper until well blended. Transfer into baking dish.

Separate dough. Starting at short side of triangle, roll each triangle up halfway and arrange over top of hot filling, alternate triangles to fit in baking dish.

Bake 22 to 26 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown.

Cover with foil last 10 minutes of bake time.

Recipe and photo source

Corn Muffins in Poblano Cups

Here is a recipe for something unusual and delicious looking.  The Captain and I love using poblano peppers and often use it in place of or together with green pepper since we love the spicy taste.

Can't wait to try this recipe that comes from Food.com (link follows recipe).

Ingredients

cooking spray
1 (7 ounce) box corn muffin mix (recommend Jiffy)
1⁄2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 (7 ounce) jar chopped pimiento
3 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
6 poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions, add cheese, pimentos and cilantro.

Place poblano pepper halves on prepared baking sheet and fill each pepper with an equal amount of corn muffin mix.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in 1 muffin comes out clean. Serve and enjoy!

Photo and Recipe Source

Raspberry Pie Squares

This is one of those recipes that can be used as a guide.  Instead of making the crust yourself, you could use frozen pastry sheets, use pre-made pie filling, frozen fruit or substitute the type of filling.

Taste of Home is the photo and recipe source, link follows recipe.

Ingredients


3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups cold butter
1/2 to 1 cup cold water

FILLING:
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon coarse sugar



Directions

Combine flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball.

Divide dough in half so that one portion is slightly larger than the other; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1-1/4 hours or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375°. 

Roll out larger portion of dough between two large sheets of waxed paper into a 17x12-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan and press pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of pan. Trim pastry even with edges.

Filling: in a large bowl, combine sugar, flour and salt . . . add raspberries and lemon juice . . . toss to coat. Spoon over pastry.

Roll out remaining pastry and place over filling. Trim and seal edges, cut slits in pastry. Brush top with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 

Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into squares.Yield: 24 servings.

Editor's Note: If using frozen raspberries, use without thawing to avoid discoloring the batter.


Recipe and Photo Source
Originally published as Raspberry Pie Squares in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2011, p218

Lemony Grilled Chicken

Love grilled chicken that has been marinated overnight.  The chicken picks up the flavors and brings a moisture like nothing else.

The reviews on this recipe are awesome and sounds like a winner.

This recipe comes from Taste of Home, one of my favorite food websites!

Ingredients

1 cup olive oil
2/3 cup lemon juice
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 medium onions, chopped
8 chicken drumsticks (2 pounds)
8 bone-in chicken thighs (2 pounds)

Directions

Whisk the first five ingredients until blended; stir in onions. 

Pour 1-1/2 cups marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. 

Add chicken, seal bag and turn to coat. 

Refrigerate overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Prepare grill for indirect heat. 

Drain chicken, discarding marinade in bag. 

Place chicken on grill rack, skin side up. 

Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat 15 minutes. 

Turn; grill 15-20 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 170°-175°, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. 

Yield: 8 servings.

Originally published as Dad's Lemony Grilled Chicken in Taste of Home June/July 2013

Photo and recipe source

Garlic Cheddar Chicken Bake

Chicken and rice meals are among my favorites and I love the twist of cheddar cheese in this recipe that comes from Pillsbury.

It looks delicious and I can't wait to make it!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs

1 package (14 oz) chicken tenders (not breaded), cut into bite-size pieces

1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

2 1/2 cups Progresso™ chicken stock (from 32-oz carton)

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)

Chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. 

Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. 

Mix melted butter and bread crumbs until well mixed in small bowl. Set aside.

Mix chicken, rice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chicken stock and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese in the baking dish until well mixed.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese and the bread crumb mixture evenly over rice mixture. Bake about 5 minutes or until crumbs are light golden brown.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Source