Rosemary Red Potatoes

Ingredients

3 lb. bag of petite red potatoes
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped garlic
1 large onion, sliced
0.75 oz. package fresh rosemary, stemmed and chopped
Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean half of potatoes and cut into quarters. Store the rest for another use. Put the cut potatoes into a large bowl. Mix in garlic, onions and rosemary. Add enough olive oil to moisten. Spread onto greased 9x13x2 inch baking sheet. Bake on the next up-from-bottom rack for 30 to 45 minutes or until potatoes are browned and fork-tender. Serves 4.

Sweet Potatoes with Red Onions and Rosemary

Ingredients

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled
8 Tbsp. canola oil
3 tsp. minced garlic
2 large red onions, peeled
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut potatoes lengthwise and then into one inch cubes. Mix with 6 Tbsp. oil and minced garlic. Spread on greased, foil-lined baking sheet. Meanwhile, cut onions lengthwise and then crosswise into chunks. Mix with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil and spread on another greased, foil-lined baking sheet.

Put potatoes on center rack and onions on bottom rack. Roast for 30 minutes. Halfway through, turn both batches and sprinkle rosemary on potatoes. When both vegetables are tender, remove from oven and toss together in a bowl. Sprinkle cheese into mixture before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Wild Rice, Barley and Mushroom Casserole

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz. wild rice
2 Tbsp. pearl barley
28 oz. beef broth
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
8 oz. sliced mushrooms

Directions

Melt ¼ cup butter in 2 quart microwave casserole on high. Add onion and cook uncovered on high until soft, about 1 minute. Add rice, barley, beef broth, and thyme. Cover tightly and cook on high for 25 minutes. Stir and cook on medium setting for about 40 minutes, or until most liquid is absorbed.

Melt remaining ¼ cup butter in shallow 10 inch microwave dish on high. Add mushrooms. Cook uncovered on high until mushrooms are tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir mushrooms into cooked rice and barley mixture. Serves 6.

Lemon Bars

Ingredients

CRUST
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour

FILLING
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

TOPPING
1 Tbsp. Powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar, then add flour in small batches until mixture is blended. Press into an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, beat the filling ingredients until frothy. Pour over crust.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into squares to serve. Makes 16 lemon bars.

Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups fat free milk
1 oz. package sugar free instant butterscotch pudding mix
½ cup canned pumpkin
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
½ cup fat free whipped topping
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Whisk milk and pudding mix in large bowl for two minutes. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. Add to the pudding mixture. Gently fold in whipped topping until blended. Spoon into individual dessert cups. Sprinkle nutmeg on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 4 to 6.

Turkey Tetrazzini

Ingredients

16 oz. spaghetti or vermicelli
2 cups cooked roast turkey or 8 oz. package Perdue carved turkey breast
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
12 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
10.5 oz. can Healthy Choice cream of mushroom soup
12 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
4 oz. jar diced pimento, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil. Sauté onion, green pepper, and mushrooms until wilted. Meanwhile, cut turkey into bite-size pieces and put into a large bowl along with cooked spaghetti. Mix in onion, green pepper, and mushrooms, plus mushroom soup, mixed vegetables, pimento, cheddar cheese, white wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well to blend.

Pour mixture into greased 10x14x2 inch baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and paprika on top. Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated through. Serves 6 to 8.

Cooking Class

My husband and I have always enjoyed taking cooking classes together. This time, we brought our grown children along. They were visiting for Thanksgiving weekend and we thought it would be a fun experience.

Here’s a recap of the weekend up until then: We enjoyed our traditional turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day, followed by an evening of TV viewing wherein the ladies watched the Hallmark Channel and the guys watched sports. Friday morning, we ate breakfast out and then headed to Westfield Mall to shop at Dillards. Lunch followed at the Red Robin. Then we saw The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1. It kept your interest although the movie dragged out with too many close-ups. That evening, we ate out at J. Alexander. Saturday, my daughter and I indulged ourselves in nail treatments at the salon. Then we all took a walk at Volunteer Park on Sunrise Blvd.

Saturday at 6:30 found us at Aprons Cooking School inside our local Publix. If you have one near you, by all means go take a class. But bring an appetite. You’ll come away stuffed from all the delicious dishes you get to taste. You can choose either a Demo class, where you get to watch the chefs; or a Hands-On class where you do the work. I prefer the former at this stage in my life.

Chefs Maggie and Wes poured us each a welcome drink, a Pinot Grigio. I liked this light white wine. Oh, did I tell you the title for tonight’s adventure? The class was called “Girl’s Night Out.” I called up in advance to make sure guys could attend. I told our family during the drive over. The guys took it in with a sense of humor. No matter; one of the chefs was male, and it was a small class so the title really didn’t matter.

We began the night with a Walnut and Brie Strudel with Cranberry and Florida Citrus Jam. The strudel pieces looked like egg rolls, but they were lip-smacking good! This was my favorite of the evening and it was served with a Sauvignon Blanc wine.

Next came crispy fried crab fritters, with the crab on the side for people allergic to seafood. “A slice and a slice equals a dice,” said the chefs as they demonstrated techniques. Served with an avocado remoulade, it hit the spot. Another winner. I liked the Chardonnay served with this dish.

The entrée was a Caesar roasted swordfish with citrus roasted asparagus and a scoop of an orzo mixture on the side. A parmesan crisp added a decorative touch. Swordfish is a meaty variety with a fishy taste. I was surprised when the chefs said that tilapia, one of my favorites, has little nutritional value compared to other fish. Think I’ll stick with salmon. A different Chardonnay accompanied the seafood.

Finally, for dessert we had red velvet cupcakes topped with cassis cream cheese. These melted in the mouth and so did the warm frosting. They’re unlike anything you’d buy in the store and are like a dessert from a gourmet restaurant, including the presentation. However, the ruby port wine served with this sweet was too strong for our taste.

All in all, we had a great time and walked away a few pounds heavier and with a packet of recipes to try at home.

Jambalaya

The original inspiration for this recipe came from a cooking class I’d attended in New Orleans. Over the years, I’ve modified the recipe, preferring easy ingredients and preparation. So here is the Lazy Cook’s Jambalaya.

The Lazy Cook’s Jambalaya

2 Tbsp. oil
9 oz. package Perdue Short Cuts Original Roasted Chicken Breast
2-11 oz. packages Hebrew National reduced-fat beef franks
2-8 oz. containers fresh diced onions
2-8 oz. containers Trinity Mix (chopped fresh green pepper, celery, onions)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
1 bunch green onions, chopped
8 oz. diced fresh tomatoes
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Cut up the chicken and hot dogs into bite-sized pieces. Set aside in different bowls. Assemble the other ingredients.

In a soup pot, sauté the franks in oil for flavor and then remove to bowl.

Next add diced onions, Trinity Mix, basil and garlic to pot and sauté until tender.

Return franks to pot along with chicken, tomatoes and green onions. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add rice, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed.

Mix in parsley and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Add a fancy garnish if you wish. Serve with a side salad.

Recent Recipes

I like to experiment and try new recipes. For the chicken stew, I combined two different recipes into one that would use up some ingredients I had in the house. It turned out pretty nice. The one below it is an easy company dish.

CHICKEN STEW

1 package Perdue original roasted chicken cuts
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 frozen package peas and carrots
1 frozen package cut green beans
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
¼ teaspoon each cumin, curry powder, and ground ginger
1/3 cup plus ½ cup 2% milk, divided
1 cup biscuit mix or more if desired

Mix 1/3 cup milk into biscuit mix and set aside. Stir cornstarch into ½ cup milk. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a nonstick skillet, sauté onions and garlic until wilted. Add all other ingredients except for biscuit mix and heat until thickened. Transfer to greased baking dish. Drop biscuit mix by the tablespoon on top of casserole in separate mounds. Bake for 30 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned on top and casserole is bubbly around the edges.

Option: Toss in ½ cup rice to skillet and compensate with enough white wine to add liquid for rice to absorb while in oven.

CHICKEN ARTICHOKE

1 package Perdue boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 jar artichoke bruschetta sauce

Place chicken breasts in greased baking dish. Spoon artichoke bruschetta sauce over each breast to coat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

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For more Recipes, visit my website: https://nancyjcohen.com/fun-stuff/recipes/

Cooking School

Cooking Class

Imagine going to a gourmet restaurant, watching the cooks prepare your meal while following along with the recipes, and then eating a delicious four-course meal with wine pairings. This was our experience at Publix’s Apron Cooking School. It was a repeat visit for us as we greatly enjoy this experience. Tonight’s menu started with a crisp salad using curly lettuce with tomatoes, bacon, dates, and a warm walnut vinaigrette dressing. Dijon mustard gave this dressing a kick while maple syrup added a sweet element. Accompanying the starter was a Chateau St. Michelle Chardonnay. I liked this medium bodied white wine that sells for $12.99.

Cooking Tips: Cutting an onion releases an enzyme that causes tearing. To avoid this, leave on the root end. Remove the stem and peel, then slice through almost to the root. Turn onion and dice in the other direction.

To increase the juice from a fresh lemon, roll it on the counter first or microwave it for 8 seconds before squeezing.

Next came a yummy Portobello mushroom and barley soup. Including carrots, celery, and onion, this was so good that I still smack my lips at the remembered taste. Truffle oil added finesse. I loved the nutty texture of the barley. The accompanying wine was a Pinot Grigio by Ecco Domani. This was good but I liked the Chardonnay better.

Cooking Tips: Cut your vegetables the same size so they cook evenly together.

And—Garlic burns so add it last.

The main course was buttermilk meatloaf with stroganoff mushrooms and egg noodles.

This was perfection. The wine was a Santa Rita Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. I would have preferred a red wine with the meat dish.

Cooking Tips: Use a tube of tomato paste instead of a can. Then when a recipe calls for one tablespoon, you won’t have a whole can left over.
A roux helps to thicken sauces. It’s equal parts fat and flour. The fat coats the flour and allows it to be absorbed into the sauce. A roux can be light or dark.

Dessert tempted our palates with warm banana shortcakes. The sparkling wine was a pink Moscato. It was all right but I wouldn’t buy it. I love anything with warmed bananas so this dish hit the spot to finish off the evening.

Cooking Tips: Baking soda helps things spread; baking power helps them to rise (or is it the other way around?)

To roll out dough, put it between pieces of parchment paper. The dough is easier to cut if you refrigerate it first.

To whip cream, move your whisk back and forth rather than around the bowl.

Sugar in the raw is produced when sugar is spun at a high velocity and the molasses separates out. Molasses plus sugar equals light brown sugar.

**These tips are accurate to the best of my hearing ability and are subject to my interpretation.

Publix Apron’s Cooking School is a fun and tasty experience. You can sign up for the demo or take a hands-on class. Either way, you’ll eat a wonderful meal and explore some new wines.

Tag: recipes

Rosemary Red Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes with Red Onions and Rosemary

Wild Rice, Barley and Mushroom Casserole

Lemon Bars

Pumpkin Mousse

Turkey Tetrazzini

Cooking Class

Jambalaya

Recent Recipes

Cooking School

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