Fried Chicken Strips & Baked Sweet Potatoes

I forgot to take a picture before devouring these, but trust me, they looked as yummy as they tasted. I topped the sweet potato with butter and brown sugar. Delicious! Then I just used some ranch dressing for the chicken strips. Easy, scrumptious lunch.

To bake the sweet potato, wash it and dry it. Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the ends off the potato (you don't want to eat those), poke some holes in it, wrap it in foil, and pop it in the oven for an hour. I usually do the potato(es), then turn the oven off and let them sit inside while I do the rest. It makes them super soft and super wonderful.

Fried Chicken Strips
12 thawed chicken strips, patted dry
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying

1. Put the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large ziploc bag. Shake it to mix it up.
2. Dip the chicken strips in the milk, then put them in the bag with the flour mixture. Shake the bag so that all the strips are coated.
3. Add about an inch of oil to a deep skillet. I prefer my cast iron for this. Heat the oil over medium-high. To test if the oil is hot enough, run your fingers under the faucet, then put a few drops of water in the oil. If the drops sizzle and pop, the oil is ready.
4. Carefully remove the chicken from the bag and place them gently in the skillet. Fry the strips for about 8 minutes on each side, or until they are nicely browned. Remove them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off most of the oil. If you need to do the strips in batches, make sure you let the oil heat back up before putting in the next set of strips.

Candy Cane Truffles

I don't have a picture for these yet, because I ate them too fast. Once I make some more, I'll definitely get a picture up. The first time I made them, I rolled the chocolate balls in the cocoa powder, which gave them too much of a cocoa taste for my liking and turned the candy cane crumbs brown. Next time, I'll lightly dust them, which should work much better.

Candy Cane Truffles
8 oz chocolate chips (semi-sweet works great)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp peppermint extract
cocoa powder for dusting (optional)
1/2 cup crushed candy canes

1. Combine heavy cream and peppermint extract in microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute.
2. Add the chocolate chips to the bowl and whisk until chips are melted and smooth. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
3. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Using a teaspoon, drop small, rounded spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture on the baking sheet.
4. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 45 minutes. Once the balls are firm, remove and quickly roll each spoonful between your palms into a ball.
5. Dust each ball lightly with cocoa powder, if you so choose. If the balls grow too soft, place the baking sheet back into the freezer until they are firm.
6. Roll each ball in the crushed candy canes.
7. Store the truffles in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Decorative serving suggestion: Place each truffle in a mini cupcake cups or on small doilies.

Gingersnap Whoopie Pies

Recipe borrowed from the September 24, 2010, issue of All You. Enjoy!


Gingersnap Whoopie Pies
Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Pinch of ground black pepper
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 tbsp butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
3 tbsp molasses

Filling:
6 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 7oz jar marshmallow cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper until combined. Stir buttermilk and vanilla in separate bowl.
3. Beat butter and brown sugar in mixing bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses, beating continuously. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture. Beat in buttermilk mixture until smooth, then add the rest of the flour.
4. Drop cookie batter (about 2 tbsp per cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, switching baking sheets halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Cookies should be puffy and spring back when touched. Cool completely.
5. To make the filling, use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine all filling ingredients until smooth. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
6. Spread approx 2 tsp filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Press remaining cookies onto filling. Store in fridge or freezer.

Butterbeer

In honor of the new Harry Potter movie, I went and found some tasty-looking recipes for butterbeer. There are two versions, one for the kids and one for the adults. Enjoy!

Butterbeer (non-alcoholic)
1 1/2 cups cream soda
1/4 cup butterscotch syrup
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp whipped butter

1. Combine condensed milk, butter, and butterscotch topping in microwave-proof bowl or mug. Heat on high for 1 minute. Stir until combined.
2. In separate bowl, heat cream soda on high for 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Divide condensed milk mixture between two glasses. Add cream soda. Stir until thoroughly combined.


Butterbeer for Adults
1 cup butterscotch schnapps
7 cups cream soda

1. Combine in bowl, stir gently until thoroughly mixed. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Chili

Okay, so don't laugh, but before today, I'd never used a food processor.  My new blender has a food processor attachment, though, so I figured I'd try it on this recipe that I've made a bajillion times before. I learned some crucial lessons that I thought I should share.
1. Don't drop the food processor attachment while taking it out of the box. The little plastic tabby things that hold the lid on will break. This doesn't make the unit unusable, but it does mean that the lid won't stay on without you holding it down, which you should probably do anyway.
2. Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT, put your face over the bowl after chopping the onions if onions in any way make you cry. I am very sensitive to onion fumes for some reason (which is cruel in and of itself, because I love to eat them) and let me tell you, my eyes are still burning. I had to run to the bathroom and rinse them out. Painful!
3. If using the processor to chop onions, jalapeno, and garlic, do the jalapeno and garlic first, then add the onions. I threw them all in together and the onions ended up more minced than chopped. Since the chili is just for me, that's fine, but I prefer chunks of onion, rather than slivers.

To top your chili, I suggest shredded cheddar and a nice, big dollop of Chobani Plain 0% Greek Yogurt. It's a wonderfully delicious substitute for sour cream, and you will be helping me try new recipes. My family owns a medium-sized dairy farm and a lot of our milk goes to the local Chobani plant. If you haven't tried it, go buy some now! The flavored kinds are creamy, scrumptious, and contain more protein than two medium eggs! Wal-Mart doesn't carry it (bad Wal-Mart!), but it's available at Price Chopper (in NY) and Publix (in FL), plus many other stores.

Vegetarian Chili
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can low-fat refried beans
1 cup vegetable broth or ale
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp cumin powder
6 oz Chobani 0% Plain Greek Yogurt
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese

1. Saute onions, jalapeno, and garlic in olive oil until tender.
2. Add tomatoes, black beans, and red beans. Simmer 5 minutes.
3. Add broth and refried beans. Add the beans in small chunks or it will be hard to mix in. Combine thoroughly.
4. Stir in chili powder, cayenne powder, and cumin.
5. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until desired thickness. If chili is not thickening as you like (I prefer chili thick enough to scoop with tortilla chips), mix 1 tbsp of flour in 1/4 c of milk and add to chili. Do not add flour directly to chili, or it will clump.
6. Spoon chili into bowl, top with cheese and Chobani. Eat with tortilla chips (Tostitos Scoops work great for this!).

Philly Cheesesteak Flatbread

This is a quick and easy meal.  As I am usually the only one eating, I just pop the extra steak and onions in the fridge to re-use throughout the week. Getting the steak sliced just right is tough when it's soft, so I usually let it thaw just enough to get my knife through, then cut it while it's still frozen. If the strips are too long, cut them in halves or quarters.

 Philly Cheesesteak Flatbread
1 lb cube steak, thinly sliced
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp butter
1 package flatbread
Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Melt butter in skillet, then add onions. Saute until lightly caramelized.
3. Push the onions to one side and add the steak. Cook until done. Do not cover or the steak and onions will be too runny.
4. Layer steak and onions on flatbread, then top with cheese.
5. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes or so, until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Scones

These are tasty little treats for the holidays. I attempted to make drop scones instead of following the instructions and rolling them out, so I added a little extra milk. Needless to say, they turned out more like large gingerbread cookies, but they were still very yummy.

Gingerbread Scones
2 c flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 c cold butter
1/3 c molasses
1/2 c milk
1 egg, separated
sugar for sprinkling

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.
3. In a separate bowl, combine molasses, milk, and the egg yolk.
4. Add the dry mix to the wet mix. Stir until just combined.
5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 6 to 8 times.
6. Pat into an 8" circle and cut into 12 wedges.
7. Brush each wedge with the egg white and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake at 400 for 12 to 15 minutes.

My mom spread some cream cheese frosting on hers and it was delicious. Enjoy!

Pizza Dough

Pizza is one of the most delicious foods ever, but it can be ridiculously expensive if you order it from a pizza store. And frozen pizza just never really hits the spot. Homemade pizza is by far the best possible pizza, not only for your taste-buds, but also for your pocketbook. Below is a simple pizza dough recipe.This can be doubled and frozen, so you always have fresh dough at hand when a pizza craving hits.

Pizza Dough
1 package dry yeast (1/4 oz)
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tbsp olive oil (If you're in a creative mood, add some oregano, garlic, and onion powder to the oil before mixing it in.)
1 tsp salt

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in flour, oil, and salt. Let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 450.
4. Turn out dough onto floured surface and knead. If it's super sticky, add a bit more flour. Press dough onto greased pizza sheet. Top with sauce, cheese, and other tasty bits.
5. Brush crust with olive oil (add some oregano, pepper, and garlic before brushing for extra yumminess).
6. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes or until crust is a nice golden brown. Let sit on top of stove for a few minutes before slicing.

Makeshift Chocolate Pie

I made this strange chocolate pie-type thing yesterday. I took an idea I saw on a forum and ran with it. For the filling, I melted chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Then I added a bit of peanut butter and some heavy cream. Stirred it all together, then poured it into a graham cracker crust and stuck it in the fridge for awhile. On the forum, they mentioned whipping it after it had cooled, before pouring it into the crust, but I was too lazy for that. I might do that next time, as the filling is a little thick, almost like fudge, but it's still darn good.

Borscht

I've always loved the sound of borscht. It's so fun to say. I've never eaten it, though. So not only is this my first attempt at making it, but it's my first time trying it. The borscht came out chunkier than I imagined. I have always pictured a thin, watery red soup. If this recipe (which I cobbled together from other recipes) is even close to correct, borscht is delicious. The only thing I do not enjoy is that my fingers are now stained a nasty brown from peeling and chopping the beets (which were pulled from my mother's garden). My only adjustment would be to slice the cabbage a bit thinner and cut the strips in half.

Borscht (w/ meat)
4 large beets, peeled and dices (about 4 cups)
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-in cubes
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cups water
2 bouillon cubes
4 cups beef broth
2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
3 tbsp dried dill
1 lb stew meat
1 large onion, quartered
3 tbsps red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream for topping

1. To large saucepan add water, stew meat, bouillon cubes, and onion. Cook about 30 minutes.
2. Add beets, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook about 30 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
3. Add cabbage and dill. Cook about 20 minutes, til cabbage is tender.
4. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve in bowls, topped with sour cream. Sprinkle with a little fresh dill if you have it handy.

Spicy Potato Soup

My mom and step-dad plant a ton of potatoes and onions each year, so we're always trying to find new ways to use them. I found this recipe on about.com. It uses spicy sausage, such as andouille or chirizo. Or if you don't like spicy sausage, you can used smoked.



Spicy Potato Soup
3 tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/2  cup chopped celery
16 oz spicy sausage
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups chicken broth (or enough to cover potatoes and sausage)
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and sausage. Saute until onions are tender and sausage is browned (if not pre-cooked).
2. Stir in flour until well-blended.
3. Add chicken broth, green onions, and spices. Stir until blended.
4. Add potatoes and simmer covered for about 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
5. Stir in heavy cream and cook for another 2 minutes.

Turkey Jamaican Patties

Jamaican patties are one of my favorite snacks ever. They're so scrumptious and, if seasoned right, they explode with flavor. For those not familiar with Jamaican patties, they're very similar to meat pies and pasties (no, not the things you put on your boobies). Traditionally, Jamaican patties are made with beef. However, I prefer using a poultry of some sort, usually turkey or chicken. I first discovered this yummy substitute the day after Christmas, when I had way too much turkey and mashed potatoes left over. I was craving patties and thought to myself "Why not use turkey instead of beef and mashed potatoes instead of breadcrumbs?" The result was so delicious, I devoured the leftover filling as soon as the patties were in the oven. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Turkey Jamaican Patties

The Pastry
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup cold water
1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 egg, beaten

The Filling*
1 cup turkey, shredded
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 small onion, finely diced
1 hot pepper, diced (Scotch Bonnet is traditional, but poblano works just fine. I often use 1 tsp of cayenne pepper instead.)
1/2 cup broth or water (I usually use water)
1 tsp each of salt, black pepper, and thyme
2 tsps curry powder (most recipes use 1 tsp, but I like my curry)

1.Preheat oven to 400.

The Pastry
2. Measure flour, curry, and salt into a mixing bowl and combine.
3. Add shortening and butter. Using a fork, mix until big shortening/butter clumps are gone and flour is crumbly.
4. Add water to mixture and combine until a dough forms. You may need to use your hands. If it seems like your flour will not mix in completely, add another tablespoon of water. Do not add more than that, or your dough will be too moist and will fall apart when rolling.
5. At this point, I like to cut the dough into 5 even balls. You will want to get two circles out of each ball.
6. Sprinkle a clean, flat surface with a light layer of flour and roll out your first ball. You want it to be about 1/8" thick. Cut out a 6" circle and lay it aside. Roll it out again and cut out another circle. If you do not have enough dough left in this ball for another circle, roll out your next ball and combine the leftovers from both. Repeat until you have about 10 circles (I usually end up with 9, as I like my crust a bit thicker).

The Filling
7. Heat some olive oil in a skillet and add your onions and pepper. Saute until tender.
8. Add turkey and mashed potatoes. Mix thoroughly.
9. Stir in salt, pepper, thyme, and curry. (Also add cayenne pepper if using that.)
10. Add broth/water and let simmer until liquid is mostly gone, stirring frequently. You want the mixture to be moist, but not runny.

The Patty
11. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of mixture into the center of a pastry circle. Dip your fingers in water and wet the outside of the circle. Fold it over and pinch the sides together. You can use a fork to crimp the edges or just use your fingers. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all circles are filled or you run out of filling.
12. Brush the top of each patty with beaten egg.
13. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until patties are golden brown.

*This will make extra. It's better to have too much than not enough.

Pumpkin Soup

This recipe is best with a fresh, roasted pumpkin. I've included instructions on roasting a pumpkin at the bottom. If your pumpkin makes more puree than necessary for this recipe, simply freeze the rest. This soup freezes quite well, too. It's fabulous topped with a bit of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.

Pumpkin Soup
2 tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 cups pumpkin puree
4 cups chicken stock, warmed
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
Scallions

1. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute for about 5 minutes

2. Add thyme, tomatoes, and pumpkin puree. Bring to a simmer.

3. Stir in warmed chicken stock. Return to simmer. Cook 20 minutes.

4. Puree soup with blender. You may need to do multiple batches, depending on how big your blender is. I use a stick blender and it works beautifully.

5. Season soup with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. If you've never made this soup before, start with light seasoning, taste, and go from there. You don't want to over season your soup. 

6. Stir in cream and return to simmer for just a few minutes. 

7. Ladle soup into bowls and top with chopped scallions. Enjoy!

To roast a pumpkin: Preheat oven to 350F. Cut pumpkin in quarters and clean out seed and other goop. Use a glass baking dish or cover a metal baking dish with aluminum foil. To avoid stickage, brush a little oil or melted butter on the cut sides of the pumpkin and place the wedges face-down in the baking dish. Bake for about an hour or until the pumpkin is soft. Remove from the oven and let it sit until it is cool enough to handle. Remove the pumpkin skin and puree the pumpkin meat until smooth. Rinse and dry pumpkin seeds for use in Pumpkin Seed Brittle (recipe coming soon).

Warm Apple Snack

I invented this little recipe one day when I was craving something sweet. All I had in the house were apples, but I didn't have the energy to make an apple pie.

Warm Apple Snack
1 apple, cored, skinned, and cut into wedges
1 tsp sugar or sugar substitute (I use Splenda)
A sprinkle of cinnamon
1 tbsp butter

1. Melt butter in a pan on the stove.
2. Toss apple wedges with sugar and cinnamon.
3. Add apple wedges to pan, coat with butter, and cook until apples are tender. I like mine to be just on the softer side of crispy, so that they still have a bit of crunch but are warmed all the way through.
4. Apple can be eaten solo, or topped with ice cream, crushed graham crackers, or whatever else suits your fancy.

If anyone has a better name for this recipe, let me know!

Flatbread Pizza

Flatbread is awesome. You can use it for so many things. One of my favorite ways to use it is for personal-size pizzas. Below is my favorite flatbread pizza recipe. It's super simple, super fast, and super yummy. I cheat and use store-bought flatbread, but someday I'll learn to make my own.



Pesto Flatbread Pizza
1 Toufayan Flatbread
1 tbsp pesto
5 cherry tomatoes, sliced in thirds and seeded
2 oz mozzarella cheese (more or less to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Spread the pesto evenly on the flatbread. Layer with tomatoes and cheese.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and flatbread is crusty. Yum!

Sausage-Cauliflower Penne

I found this delicious recipe on FoodNetwork.com. They used spaghetti, but I prefer penne in most dishes like this. I skipped the scallions as I didn't have any. While super tasty, it's not the most visually appealing. I might revisit this recipe later on and add a bit of color (green peppers maybe?), whole wheat pasta, and mushrooms. This recipe might be even better if you use vegetable stock in place of the reserved cooking water.

Sausage-Cauliflower Penne
1 16oz box Penne
1 small head of cauliflower, broken into florets
12 oz Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

1. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Save 2 cups of water from the pasta.
2. Remove casings from sausage and brown in skillet with oil. Break up with wooden spoon. Once sausage is browned, make a hole in the middle and add garlic. Saute until lightly browned.
3. Add cauliflower to skillet and cook until slightly brown. Add a cup of the reserved cooking water and cover the skillet. Cook until cauliflower is tender. Remove lid and continue cooking until most of the water has evaporated.
4. Add pasta to skillet and toss with sausage and cauliflower. Sprinkle cheese over the top and mix until cheese melts. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Savor every bite!

Rachael Ray's Quick Chicken Suiza Burritos

I saw Rachael making these on Tuesday while sitting in a waiting room and decided to try them for dinner last night. They were pretty good. Even my mom liked them, and she doesn't like to try new things. I warmed the tortillas in the oven; I'm sure they would have been much better on the grill.

Chicken Suiza Burritos

4 boneless chicken breasts
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup salsa (Rachael suggests salsa verde, but I'm cheap so I used regular salsa)
8 small flour tortillas
2 c shredded cheese

1. Drizzle chicken with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill chicken breasts (about 5 minutes on each side). Remove from grill and thinly slice.
2. Put chicken in bowl and coat with salsa.
3. Place tortillas on the grill and char on each side. (Tortillas can be warmed in the oven if a grill is not available.) Stack tortillas and wrap in foil to keep them warm.
4. Layer chicken, avocado, and cheese in the tortilla and fold into a burrito. Eat!

French Onion Soup

After a long hiatus, I am back with some tasty new recipes. I've made French Onion soup twice now, once last week and once this week. Why did I make it twice? The first time, I made an amazing batch. It was so delicious. I had a bowl and set aside some for my aunt (who is one of the better chefs in the family). As I was attempting to pour the rest into a storage container, I dropped the pot and it went all over the floor. Very depressing.


French Onion Soup
1/4 c butter
3 cups onions, thinly sliced (white onions work the best)
1 tsp sugar (omit if using a sweeter wine or onion, such as Vidalia)
7 c water
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 c red wine (I used port. Start w/ 1/2 c and increase wine to taste.)
4 cubes beef boullion
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme (or a sprig of thyme)
1 French baguette
8 slices of cheese (Gruyere is traditional. I used muenster and loved it.)

1. Melt butter in stock pan. If using sugar, add now. Cook onions over medium heat until they have sweated down and are nicely caramelized. This could take more than half an hour.
2. Add flour to onions and mix well. Deglaze pan with wine, then add water and bouillon. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for an hour. Taste periodically and adjust flavors accordingly.
3. Just before soup is ready, cut baguette into 1-inch-thick slices. Heat oven to 425F. Place cheese slices on top of bread and toast until cheese is melted and bread is slightly crispy. *
4. Ladle soup into bowl and place toasted bread on top. Enjoy!

*If you have ovenproof bowls, toast bread until lightly browned. Ladle soup into bowl, place bread on top, and add a slice of cheese. Bake for 10 minutes until cheese is just melted.

Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a fantastic meal.  It's cheap, easy, and makes massive portions that can be eaten all week, or frozen.  I've made this before, but it's so good, I wanted to share it.  I got the initial recipe from SparkPeople.com (yes, that's one of my best sources of recipes, along with foodnetwork.com).  I usually make some minor changes, such as substituting andouille for the turkey sausage and eliminating the celery (I hate celery).  This time, I forgot the tomato paste, but it turned out wonderful, just the same.  I always end up with 8 servings, instead of 5, as I consider 1 cup a serving. 

Boeuff Bourginon and Risotto

When I was home for Christmas, we watched Julie & Julia.  Like I'm sure many people did, I immediately thought, "Boeuff Bourginon sounds delicious!"  Last week, I tried it.  For my red wine, I used my favorite, port.  I'm a huge fan of port.  Especially port and cranberry juice.  You should try it sometime. 

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.  I made the boeuff bourginon from a recipe I found on SparkPeople.com. 
Boeuf Bourginon
It turned out a bit runny, but I attribute that to the fact that I used 1.38 lbs of beef instead of 1.75.  It was still delicious.

My side dish for the meal was risotto.  I've always wanted to try risotto, considering it's a staple on nearly any Food Network show, but it seems really complicated when you're watching them on television.  This recipe made it insanely easy to make, and it tasted delicious.  I added a half cup of  mushrooms and a half cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, right at the end.  I will definitely be making both of these dishes again.