Cheese Ball Three Ways

This is another recipe that my sister makes from www.marthastewart.com It is always a favorite with our family. The recipe makes a ton, so she has frozen it and used it for two separate parties weeks apart! They are very festive looking too!

Ingredients

Base Recipe:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5 dashes hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Cheddar and Cranberry:
8 ounces sharp orange cheddar cheese, finely shredded
2 tablespoons store-bought chutney
3/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
Water crackers, for serving

Roquefort and Walnut:
6 ounces Roquefort cheese
1 shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons brandy (optional)
1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Vegetable chips (such as Terra Chips Sweets & Beets), for serving

Goat Cheese and Scallions:
8 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1/3 cup fresh curly-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 English cucumber, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, for serving

Directions
Put butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, and pepper into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined. Divide equally among 3 medium bowls.

Stir cheddar cheese and chutney with base mixture in the first bowl. Form into a ball. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Roll cheese ball in cranberries to coat before serving. Serve with crackers.

Stir blue cheese and shallot with base mixture in second bowl; add brandy, if desired. Form into a ball. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 3 days; freeze up to 1 month. Roll in walnuts to coat before serving. Serve with chips.

Stir goat cheese and scallions with base mixture in remaining bowl. Form into a ball. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Roll in parsley to coat before serving. Serve with cucumber slices.

Cauliflower Gratin

Best side dish ever! My sister Krista made this for one of the sides at Thanksgiving and it is awesome! Didn't miss the mashed potatoes one bit (and that is my all-time favorite side). I will be making a couple batches of this for our Christmas Eve dinner this year too! The orignal recipe is from http://www.marthastewart.com/ and can be found by clicking HERE!

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower, cored and cut into florets
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup grated Parmesan
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, heavy cream, flour, and 3/4 cup grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over cauliflower. Dot with butter and bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown and cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Smoked Paprika Butter (topping for steaks)

My sister, Krista came across this recipe the other day when searching for "legal" foods while she is on her boring Crohn's diet. We made it to top off a flank steak and it was amazing! The smoked paprika really comes to life when mixed with the butter and garlic! Very easy to make! I even used the pre-made minced garlic to save time and mess. I personally hate getting fresh garlic smell on my fingers so I almost always use the pre-made minced garlic - especially since it is now in a squeeze bottle!

I am not sure where Krista found her original recipe, but the below recipe was adapted from Food & Wine...

Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3/4 teaspoon smoked hot paprika

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method

In a small saucepan melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and keep warm until your steaks are done. You can also make ahead and reheat gently when needed. When steaks are ready, spoon paprika butter over and serve immediately.

Krista's New Diet

My sister Krista has been trying a new diet to help keep her Crohn's in check - so far it has worked. Problem is - no sweets! No flour, no sugar, no chocolate... Anyone that knows Krista, knows that this could be a deal breaker. She did find that Larabars are a really good treat when she craves sweets - but they are expensive and anyone that knows Michael, knows that this could be a deal breaker :) I did some googling and found this article that has links for several recipes for the bars - we are going to try some this weekend!

Homemade Larabar Recipes

More Recipes

Chicken Cacciatore with Crisp Polenta

My sister and Michael told me about this recipe and they way they described it, we had to try it. We really enjoyed it! It has a completely different taste and is perfect when you want something outside of the norm. I did use regular chicken breasts because our lovely Norwood Kroger did not have the boneless, skinless chicken thighs (oh and I am not a fan of chicken with bones - even if the recipe calls for it). Norwood Kroger also did not have polenta, so I substituted with Country Mush - haha. It worked, but just annoyed me enough to say I wouldn't go back to the Norwood Kroger again! Hate it! Anyway, we liked the meal so much that I am making it again tonight - this time with the boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Ingredients
Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
8 skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds total)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in juice, broken up with a spoon
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/3 cup pitted green olives, halved
1 tube (16 ounces) plain prepared polenta, sliced into 12 rounds

Directions

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, sear chicken, meaty side down, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate (chicken will cook more in step 2).
2. Add mushrooms to pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with their juice), wine, onions, garlic, olives, and chicken (with any juices). Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Season stew with salt and pepper.
3. While stew is cooking, heat broiler. On a rimmed baking sheet, brush both sides of polenta slices with remaining oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken cacciatore over polenta.

From Everyday Food, October 2008
Marthastewart.com: Chicken Cacciatore with Crisp Polenta - Martha Stewart Recipes

Thanksgiving Recipes - 2010

Wow - I am behind in my posting, but better late than never! For Thanksgiving we had a great dinner at my brother-in-law Matt's house on Thursday. Matt and his wife Lauren were great hosts and we had wonderful food and got to spend quality time with that side of the family in Indianapolis. I brought my grandma's famous corn. There really is no recipe for this - it is just fresh corn, cut off the cob, with salt, sugar and pepper. She and poppy makes it in the summer from corn given to them by local farmers and they store it in freezer bags so we can enjoy it all winter long! Then I made a green bean casserole. I like this particular recipe because it has pecans and lots of cheddar cheese.

Cheddar-Pecan Green Bean Casserole





Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Rose Nguyen


The Saturday after Thanksgiving, I was lucky enough to be able to spend more QT with my side of the family at my sister Krista's house. I made Sausage, Apple, and Fennel Corn Bread Dressing. This is the second year in a row that I have made it for Thanksgiving and it is a big hit. I love cooking with fresh fennel. The other thing that Krista asked me to bring, is also one of my favorites - Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce. I use the Beaumont Inn Bread Pudding and the Keeneland Bourbon Sauce.

Sausage, Apple, and Fennel Corn Bread Dressing (reposting from last year)

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Beaumont Inn Bread Pudding

Keeneland Bourbon Sauce

Krista made her yummy Squash Casserole again (also from last year), but my favorite new thing she made was the appetizer cheese balls. The recipe is appropriately named Cheese Ball Three Ways. All three were absolutely delicious!

Krista's Shower Menu

I hosted Krista's shower this weekend and we had a great turnout and good food. A few people had asked for recipes of some of the things that either Krista and I made or that other people had brought! Below are the links to sites where we found the recipes. A couple of them were things where we didn't have a recipe, but they are super easy.


Beer Chese in a Bread Bowl - Mom made this!


Winter Spiced Sangria - I made six batches of this throughout the night, so it was definitely a crowd favorite.


Ham and Guyere Thumbprints - Krista and I made these and altered the recipe slightly. Instead of using a pastry bag, we spooned the dough into the mini-muffin pan. I think they turned out great! Best when served warm.


Hot Roast Beef Party Sandwhiches - Mom made these - always a favorite!


Sausage Balls - described as a sausage hushpuppy, whatever, love them.


Bacon Wrapped Dates - my personal favorite. Can eat these for a meal.


Mini Salami Puff Sandwiches - we used a tiny cookie cutter and these turned out super-cute - very easy.


Pecan Pie Muffins

Peanut Butter-Filled Brownie Cupcakes - Mom made these and they were delicious.

Three-Cheese Mini Macs - Holly gave me this recipe - she always makes it for the kids at parties and it is a big hit. The adults like it too!

No recipes here, just threw these together:

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Toast

Ingredients:

1 skinny french loaf

Tomatoes and Mozzarella salad from Kroger Olive Bar

Fresh Basil, chopped

Directions:

Cut bread into 1/4 inch pieces. Cut tomatoes and cheese to fit on toast. Sprinkle with Basil. Bake at 350 until toasted.

Bruschetta with Goat Cheese, Fig, and Prosciutto

Ingredients:

1 skinny french loaf
Fig spread (jam, jelly, preserves)

1 package Prosciutto

1 small package of Goat cheese
Fresh rosemary

Directions:
Cut bread into 1/4 inch pieces. Spread fig jam on toast. Top with goat cheese, prosciutto and top with a few sprigs of rosemary. Bake at 350 until toasted.

Brie in a Puff Pastry with Roasted Garlic Onion Jam

Pretty self explanatory! Jessica made this and used frozen puff pastry, a small round of brie and Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Onion Jam. She topped the Brie with the jam, wrapped it in the puff pastry and baked it at about 350 degrees until golden brown.

Thanksgiving Recipes

I haven't posted in awhile - we have all been busy! These are some recipes from our Thanksgiving meal at Krista's house - all were really good!

Sausage, Apple, and Fennel Corn Bread Dressing

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

Ingredients

Corn bread:

1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Stuffing:
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 ounces lean, low-sodium smoked turkey sausage, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups diced Granny Smith apple (about 1 large)
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced fennel bulb
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare corn bread, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk, canola oil, and 1 egg in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan; cool completely.
Reduce oven temperature to 375°.

To prepare stuffing, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add onion and bay leaf; cook 8 minutes or until onion starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Add apple, celery, and fennel; cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper); cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf. Cool to room temperature.
Crumble corn bread into a large bowl. Add sausage mixture to bowl; toss to combine. Add broth and 2 eggs; toss to combine. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until top is crisp and golden brown.

Laura Martin, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2006

Mixed Apple Salad over Greens

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup apple mixture and 1 cup greens)

Ingredients

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon olive oil
Dash of salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
2 cups chopped Granny Smith apple
2 cups chopped Cameo or Braeburn apple
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
4 cups mixed salad greens

Preparation

To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
To prepare salad, combine apples, cheese, and bacon. Drizzle dressing over apple mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve over greens.

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2002

Two-Cheese Squash Casserole

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

4 pounds yellow squash, sliced
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups soft breadcrumbs, divided
1 1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Preparation

Cook squash in boiling water to cover in a large skillet 8 to 10 minutes or just until tender. Drain well; gently press between paper towels.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic, and sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until tender. Remove skillet from heat; stir in squash, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and next 7 ingredients. Spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir together melted butter, remaining 1 1/2 cups soft breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and garlic salt. Sprinkle mixture evenly over top of casserole.
Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until set.

Southern Living, MAY 2004

Pink Lemonade Cocktail

Yield Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
1 (12-oz.) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
3 (12-oz.) bottles beer (not dark), chilled
3/4 cup vodka, chilled
Ice

Garnishes: fresh cranberries, citrus slices

Preparation
1. Stir together first 3 ingredients. Serve over ice. Garnish, if desired.

Cami Perry, Birmingham, Alabama, Southern Living, OCTOBER 2007

Asparagus, Ham, and Fontina Bread Puddings

Krista made this and said that really you could add any type of veggie, meat & cheese to the egg base! I think she also made it in one big pan since vs. individual ramekins. Can't wait to try it in the new kitchen :)

Yield 6 servings

Ingredients
1 pound asparagus
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
Cooking spray
5 (1.4-ounce) slices firm white sandwich bread (such as Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chopped reduced-fat ham
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
1 2/3 cups fat-free milk
3/4 cup egg substitute
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cut a 3-inch tip from each asparagus spear, reserving the stalks for another use. Cut asparagus tips into 1/2-inch pieces.
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add asparagus; cover and cook 4 minutes, stirring once. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Coat 6 (10-ounce) custard cups or ramekins with cooking spray; place in a large baking pan. Place bread cubes evenly into custard cups. Top evenly with asparagus mixture, ham, and cheese. Combine milk and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Pour evenly into custard cups; let stand 20 minutes. Add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2001

Black Bean Salad

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Dressing
1 small clove garlic
Pinch salt, plus 2 teaspoons
Juice 1 1/2 limes (about 3 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small hass avocado, halved, seeded and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

Directions
Make the dressing: Smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with a pinch of the salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Whisk the garlic paste, lime juice, salt and chili powder together in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream.
For the salad: Cook the corn, bell pepper, and onions in the olive oil until beginning to brown over medium-high heat in a skillet. Toss in the black beans and cook until warm. Add the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and gently fold in the tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Serve.

Copyright (c) 2004 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.

Tortilla-Crusted Pork

My sister Krista told me about this one and I made it tonight - it was very good! I used fresh salsa as a sauce and it complimented it nicely! Will definitely make this one again!

Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds pork tenderloin
1/2 cup finely crushed blue-corn tortilla chips
1/2 cup finely crushed tortilla chips
1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Fresh Salsa
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs

Preparation

1. Remove silver skin from tenderloin, leaving a thin layer of fat covering tenderloin. Cut tenderloin into 1-inch-thick medallions.
2. Combine blue-corn tortilla chips and next 5 ingredients in a bowl. Brush pork medallions with 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, and dredge in tortilla chip mixture, pressing mixture into medallions on all sides to thoroughly coat.
3. Cook pork medallions in remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 6 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with salsas. Garnish, if desired.

Karin Jane Stern, Hutto, Texas, Southern Living, MAY 2008

Banana-Raspberry Cake with Lemon Frosting

After 40 days of going without desserts, my sister Krista made this for me tonight! It was so yummy - I had two slices!!! The banana makes the cake really moist and the lemon cream cheese frosting is to die for! Thanks so much Krista! Oh and the recipe says optional on the rasberries, but I think that they make the cake!

Yield 14 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Ingredients

Cake:

Cooking spray
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare the cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust each pan with 1 1/2 teaspoons flour.
Place granulated sugar and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Lightly spoon 1 3/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk.
Combine buttermilk, banana, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture (mix after each addition just until blended). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake cake at 350° for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Peel off wax paper. Cool layers completely on wire rack.
To prepare frosting, combine cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, rind, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and dash of salt in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat).
Place 1 cake layer on a plate, and spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Arrange raspberries in a single layer over frosting, and top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2003

Spicy Paella with Chile, Lime, and Cilantro

My sister made this for her boyfriend this week and they thought it was great!

Yield 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups paella and 3 shrimp)

Ingredients

Broth:

1 dried New Mexican or Anaheim chile
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Herb Blend:

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

Paella:

24 unpeeled large shrimp (about 2 pounds)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 (3.5-ounce) andouille sausages or chicken sausages with habanero chiles and tequila (such as Gerhard's), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups finely chopped red bell pepper
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
8 lime wedges

Preparation

To prepare the broth, remove stem and seeds from chile. Combine the chile, cumin, cinnamon, and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor; process until minced. Combine chile mixture and broth in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

To prepare herb blend, combine cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and 2 garlic cloves; set aside.

To prepare paella, peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact; set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large paella pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add sausages; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Add shrimp; sauté 2 minutes. Remove from pan. Add bell pepper and onion, and sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, paprika, salt, and 3 garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, herb blend, sausages, and corn; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Arrange shrimp, heads down, in rice mixture; cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover with a towel, and let stand 10 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

Cooking Light, MAY 2000 Cooking Light, MAY 2000

Scallops Provencal

Krista just recently made these and said that they were very tasty and it was very quick and easy! Can't wait to try them!

Cook Time 10 minutes

Yield 3 servings

Ingredients

1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in 1/2

Directions

If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved - from http://www.foodnetwork.com/