-- RECENT RECIPE POSTS --

NEW for DECEMBER & JANUARY:

Main Courses:

Penne with Two Tomatoes and Mozzarella [+ pictures] by Kellie Barlow

Poppyseed Chicken by Cathryn Daniels

Chicken Broccoli Casserole by Kellie Barlow

Greek-Style Mini Lamb Burgers by Kellie Barlow

Almond-Apricot Chicken with Mint Pesto by Kellie Barlow

Soups & Salads

East African Peanut Soup by Caitlin Duncan

Minestrone Soup by Cathryn Daniels

Thai-style Steak (Salad) by Kellie Barlow

Side Dishes:

Roasted Pears and Sweet Potatoes by Kellie Barlow

Appetizers:
[your recipe here!]

Beverages:
[your recipe here!]

Desserts:
White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars [+ pictures] by Crepes of Wrath

Cherry Winks [+ pictures] by Meredith Boyle

Molasses Cookies by Cathryn Daniels

White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

from The Crepes of Wrath -- see link for pictures of each step!

2 cups all-purpose flour (reserve 2 tablespoons)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar (reserve 2 tablespoons)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup molasses

1 cup white chocolate chips (optional, but highly recommended)

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted (for drizzling)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil, then spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Add the flour in a medium bowl. Reserve 2 TABLESPOONS OF FLOUR and place in separate bowl to reserve for then topping. In the non-reserved flour, add in the ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.

3. In large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and 6 TABLESPOONS of granulated sugar. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating just to combine after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and molasses (if it looks strange, it’s okay, don’t worry!). Add in the flour and spices mixture and gradually combine. Stir in white chocolate chips by hand, if you’re using them.

4. Press the batter into your prepared pan. I used clean hands because the batter is pretty thick. Sprinkle the top with reserved flour, then sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over that (I used 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar).

5. Place into oven and bake until bars are golden brown and a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached, about 20-25 minutes. Remove and place pan on wire wrack to cool completely before cutting. When the bars are mostly cooled, melt the 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips and drizzle over the bars either with a spoon or a plastic bag with the tip cut off. When the bars have cooled completely, cut into bars and enjoy!

Cherry Winks

MEREDITH BOYLE

2 1/4 Cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup margarine

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 cup finely crushed frosted corn flakes
Vanilla and/or almond extract to taste
A little bit of the cherry syrup (optional)

2 1/2 cups of crushed frosted flakes for rolling

maraschino cherries

Variation: You can put cherry candy kisses on each cookie instead of cherries but you need to do it AFTER cooking but before cooled all the way.

Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs then milk and vanilla. Add dry ingredients Mix well. Shape into small balls and roll in frosted flakes. Slightly flatten and place on greased cookie sheet. Top each cookie with a cherry (pushing the cherry down a little). Bake at 375 for 10 minutes

Shape the dough into balls.

Rolling dough balls in crushed frosted flakes.

Slightly press down corn flake balls, using your thumb to place the cherry.

Place the cherry in the center, pressing it into the dough securely. Now bake!

Poppyseed Chicken

CATHRYN DANIELS

4-5 chicken breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 16oz container of sour cream

1 sleeve Ritz or Towne House crackers

¼ c. butter

2-3 T poppy seeds

Rice or potatoes

Cook chicken and shred it or cut it up into bite-size pieces. Put into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Mix together sour cream and soup. Pour over chicken. Crush the crackers and mix them with the butter (melted) and poppy seeds. Sprinkle over soup mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve over cooked rice or baked potatoes.

Minestrone Soup

CATHRYN DANIELS

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 cups chopped celery

5 carrots, sliced

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

4 cups tomato sauce

1/2 cup red wine (optional)

1 cup canned kidney beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can green beans or frozen works, too

2 cups baby spinach, rinsed

3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup seashell pasta

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping

1 tablespoon olive oil

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 4-5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Add celery and carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes more.

2. Add chicken broth, water, and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, basil, oregano and salt and pepper. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes.

3. Fill a medium sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta as directed until al dente.

4. Once pasta is cooked and soup is ready place 2 Tbsp. cooked pasta into individual bowls and ladle soup on top of it. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and serve.

Molasses Cookies

CATHRYN DANIELS

1 1/2 cups butter (not margarine)

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

4 1/2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons group ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

Form the dough into small balls and roll the balls in white sugar before you put them on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes

Roasted Pears and Sweet Potatoes

KELLIE BARLOW

2 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
2 Bartlett pears

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Scrub the sweet potatoes. Quarter lenthwise; slice diagonally 1 1/2 inches thick. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the slices with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the mustard, ginger, and cayenne; season with coarse salt. Roast, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 20-25 minutes.
2. Core and quarter the pears; halve crosswise. Add to the potatoes; toss all with the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Continue roasting until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes more.

from Food Everyday's Great Food Fast recipe book.

-- MAIN COURSES --

Penne with Two Tomatoes and Mozzarella *new

Chicken Broccoli Casserole *new

• Thai-style Steak (Salad) *new
• Greek-Style Mini Lamb Burgers *new
• Almond-Apricot Chicken with Mint Pesto *new
• Bubba Gump’s Coconut Fried Shrimp
• Creamy Pasta w/ Bacon & Mushrooms
• Peanut Chicken Soba Salad
• Chicken Marinade
• Ginger Flank Steak with Wasabi Smashed Potatoes
• Green Chicken Enchiladas
• Mushroom Chicken Parmesan
• Chicken Divan
• Lemon Mustard Chicken Marinade
• Flank Steak Marinade
• Farfalle w/ Chicken, Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Best Baby Back Ribs…Ever!
• Julie’s Chicken Fingers
• Grandma Bingham’s Brisket
• Hot Chicken Salad
• Crispy Baked Chicken
• Southwest Chicken Pockets
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Pasta w/ Tomato & Cream Sauce

• 
  

Penne with Two Tomatoes and Mozzarella

KELLIE BARLOW

Serves 4 Prep Time: 10 min. Total Time: 25 min.

6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

course salt and ground pepper

12 ounces penne rigate

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1/4 cup snipped chives

1. Place cheese in freezer for 15 minutes--helps them retain their shape when added to the hot pasta. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.

2. In pasta pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and pasta water. Cook until cherry tomatoes soften, 2-4 minutes.

3. Add pasta, chilled cheese, and chives to pot, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

Rigatoni or medium shells would also work well. The ridges catch the pieces of tomato, garlic, and chive. Sometimes, I halve the cherry tomatoes to add more of their juices to the sauce.

Recipe from Food Everyday Issue 62, p. 100.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2 large packs frozen broccoli spears or buy 3-4 fresh
4large chicken breasts boiled
2 cans cream of chicken soup (or cream of celery)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp curry powder
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Arrange broccoli in 9x13 baking dish, then chicken, torn in bite size pieces.
Separately combine cream of chicken, mayo, lemon juice, curry powder and cheese.
Pour evenly over chicken and sprinkle breadcrumbs.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Thai-style Steak (Salad)

the steak tastes great besides the salad...mmm

steak marinade:
1/4 fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 boneless rib-eye steaks (each 8 ounces and 3/4 inch thick)
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

additional salad ingredients:
1/2 pound carrots (3-4 medium)
1 medium head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1-inch ribbons
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh bean sprouts (optional)
1/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped (optional)

1. Make marinade: Whisk ingredients together in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup. Season the steaks generously with S+P; place in a baking dish. Pour 1/4 of the marinade over the steaks (reserve the remaining marinade); turn the steaks to coat. Let the steaks marinate up to 30 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, cook the steaks on medium-high heat, turning once, 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board; tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes. Slice the steaks across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices; halve the slices crosswise. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with the reserved marinade.

for the salad:
3. With a vegetable peeler, cut the carrots into long ribbons. Add to the steak in the bowl along with the lettuce and mint; toss to combine. Divide the salad among bowls, sprinkle with bean sprouts and peanuts if desired.

from Food Everyday's Great Food Fast recipe book.

Greek-Style Mini Lamb Burgers

tzatziki: (traditional Greek dressing)
1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
1 small garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

lamb burgers:
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1/2 small onion, minced (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
4 pita breads (6-inch)
2 medium beefsteak tomatoes, sliced, for serving
Shredded lettuce, for garnish (optional

1. Heat a grill to high. Make the tzatziki: in a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Make the burgers: In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine the lamb, onion, parsley, and oregano; season with S+P. Gently form the mixture into 16 small patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Grill until medium rare, 2-3 minutes per side.
3. To serve, warm the pitas on the grill; halve, and fill with the burgers, tzatziki and tomatoes. Garnish with shredded lettuce if desired.

from Food Everyday's Great Food Fast recipe book.

Pictures coming soon!

Almond-Apricot Chicken with Mint Pesto

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz each)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 ounces goat cheese
4 dried apricots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (3 tablespoons)
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
Mint Pesto (recipe below)

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Cut a slit in one side of each chicken breast to create a pocket about 4 inches long.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the almonds with the goat cheese and apricots. Stuff each breast with one quarter of the mixture. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. On a plate, combine the breadcrumbs and the remaining 1/4 cup almonds. Dip each breast into the beaten egg, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken until golden, 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer to the oven; bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot with the mint pesto on the side.

Mint Pesto:
1. In a food processor, combine 3 cups lightly packed fresh mint and 1/4 cup sliced almonds; process until finely chopped.
2. With the motor running, gradually pour 1/2 cup evoo (extra virgin olive oil) through the feed tube. Season with coarse salt. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve. Store leftover pesto in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, letting it come to room temp before serving.

from Food Everyday's Great Food Fast recipe book.

*Note: It's easier than it sounds! I even substitute feta for goat cheese, and often skip the pesto and serve with rice.

Get Your Cook On!

Welcome to the USC Ward Recipe Blog!

Feel free to share, comment, and add to this reservoir of deliciousness.

Each month is a separate Recipe Category:

10 Main Courses

09 Side Dishes

08 Appetizers

07 Beverages

06 Breakfast Foods

05 Desserts

04 Soups & Salads

Wong's Korean Barbecue Beef

4 lbs of beef (thinly sliced 1/8"), we buy the cheapest, such as London broil on sale
1 cup Soy Sauce
¼ cup water
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup Sesame seeds (toasted)
1 bunch green onions (finely chopped), all except the roots
Lots of garlic (1 head of cloves finely chopped), the more the better!
1/2 -2/3 cup sugar, depending on how sweet you like it.

Directions:
Put the meat in a big mixing bowl. In a different bowl mix all the rest of the ingredients together and pour over the meat. You will need to make more sauce if the meat is not covered all the way. Marinade beef for at least ½ an hour. If thicker slices then marinade one hour until meat looks darker.


Note: If there’s marinade left, you can refrigerate and and use it later. The water is in the recipe if you don’t want it too salty. You can try low salt soy sauce.

Bubba Gump’s Coconut Fried Shrimp

JULIE ROYLE

1/2 pound medium-size fresh shrimp

3/4 cup pancake mix (Bisquick)

3/4 cup beer (non-alcoholic okay, or ginger ale or Sprite)

peanut oil or vegetable oil

1/4 cup flour

1 cup flaked coconut

Peel shrimp, leaving tail intact. Devein, if needed. Rinse well and drain thoroughly. Pour oil to depth of 2 inches in a medium-large pot, Dutch oven or deep fryer; heat to 350°. Combine pancake mix and beer in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Dredge shrimp in flour; excess. Dip shrimp into batter; dredge in coconut. Fry a few at a time for 45 seconds on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Creamy Pasta w/ Bacon & Mushrooms

COURTNEY FJELDSTED

Cook 8 ounces pasta.

Sauté together over medium heat:

2 tablespoons butter

1 to 2 packages mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup onions, minced

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/4 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper

Add 2 tablespoons flour. Add 1 cup mild and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup sour cream.

Peanut Chicken Soba Salad

SARA JENSEN

2 cups water

2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

4 black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups cooked soba noodles (about 4 ounces uncooked)

1 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

4 teaspoons chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

lime wedges (optional)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan, and discard peppercorns, bay leaf, and cooking liquid. Shred chicken; place in a large bowl. Combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients (vinegar through salt,) stirring with a whisk. Pour over chicken; let stand 5 minutes. Add soba noodles and the next 4 ingredients (noodles through chopped basil) to chicken mixture, and toss well. Sprinkle with peanuts. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

THIS IS A GREAT SUMMER SALAD. SERVE WITH COCONUT RICE (SIDE DISHES) AND FRUIT. PURCHASE THE SOBA NOODLE IN THE ASIAN SECTION.

Chicken Marinade

SARA JENSEN

2 parts Sprite (not diet)

1 part oil

1 part soy sauce

1 tablespoon horse radish

1 tablespoon garlic

Marinate 24 hours. If marinating a whole Costco bag of chicken, use 2 cups Sprite, 1 cup oil and 1 cup soy. Grill on low to medium as to not to burn the sugars in the marinade. If grilling in advance, grill until brown and then finish baking at 350°.

Ginger Flank Steak with Wasabi Smashed Potatoes

SARA JENSEN

2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 limes, zested and juiced

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, eyeball it

2 tablespoons Montreal Steak seasoning

2 pounds flank steak

2 1/2 to 3 pounds Idaho potatoes (4 large potatoes,) peeled and cut into chunks

salt

1/4 to 1/3 cup cream

1 to 2 tablespoons Wasabi paste or powder

4 scallions, root end trimmed

handful cilantro leaves

Preheat a grill pan or indoor/outdoor grill to high.

Combine ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, oil and grill seasoning in a large sealable plastic bag. Add meat to marinade and coat evenly. Let stand 10 minutes then grill meat 6 to 7 minutes on each side.

Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, salt the potatoes and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and add them back to the hot pot. Smash the potatoes with a masher to desired consistency with the cream and Wasabi. Adjust salt, to taste.

While potatoes and meat cook, finely chop the scallions together with cilantro and lime zest.

Let meat rest 5 minutes then thinly slice on an angle against the grain. Serve meat on mashed potato mounds with a garnish of a generous sprinkling of the chopped scallion-cilantro-lime zest.

THIS RECIPE LOOK GOURMET AND IT DOESN’T TALKE A LOT OF TIME. SERVE WITH SESAME SOY GREEN BEANS AND PEPPERS (SIDE DISHES.)