Dinner: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Photo by: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Cindy Barr

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Light cheese and a flour-and-milk mixture keep this chicken and wild rice soup creamy but surprisingly low in fat. Make a batch of soup and reheat throughout the week for effortless and satisfying meals.

Cooking Light SEPTEMBER 2004

• Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking wild rice
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato
• 3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 10 ounce light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)
• 2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until potato is tender.

Combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in rice, chicken, pepper, and salt. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

SOURCE: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-wild-rice-soup/print/

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 280
 
• Calories from fat: 23%
 
• Fat: 7g
 
• Saturated fat: 4g
 
• Monounsaturated fat: 1g
 
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.5g
• Protein: 24.9g
 
• Carbohydrate: 28.7g
 
• Fiber: 1.6g
 
• Cholesterol: 52mg
 
• Iron: 1.1mg
 
• Sodium: 879mg
 
• Calcium: 329mg
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Dinner: Chicken Mozzarella Pasta

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta

Prep Time:

 10 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 15 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound Penne Or Rigatoni
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Plus More For Drizzling
• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Small Bite-sized Pieces
•  Salt And Pepper
• 1 whole Large Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 jar (25 Ounce) Good Quality Marinara Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)
• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley
• 8 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella, Cut Into Medium Cubes
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Shavings
•  Extra Parmesan, For Serving
• 12 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow to cook without stirring for 2 minutes, or until golden. Stir chicken around to brown on all sides. Remove to a plate.

In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the onions and garlic and stir immediately to start cooking. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden.

Reduce the heat to low and pour in the marinara sauce, red pepper flakes, and the water. Stir until the onions and garlic are mixed in, then add the chicken back into the pan. Add the parsley, stir to combine, then allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 7-8 minutes.

Make sure the sauce is bubbly and very hot, then gently stir in the mozzarella. Let it sit, undisturbed, for 2 to 3 minutes, until you can see that the mozzarella is very soft.

Drain the pasta and pour it onto a platter. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Immediately sprinkle on 1/4 cup Parmesan shavings (or grated Parmesan.) Pour on the sauce, sprinkle with extra Parmesan and the chiffonade of Basil, and serve immediately!

* NOTE: The mozzarella should be very soft but should still be in visible chunks rather than distributed throughout the sauce. It's better for the chunks to be on the firm side than the falling-apart side! You can always heat it a little more to get the cheese to the consistency you want.

Dinner: Shrimp, Leek and Spinach Pasta

Folks, this is to die for. Follow the directions precisely and this quick meal only takes 20 minutes and tastes like fine dining. Perfect for dinner guests!

Serves 4

 preparation 

 

10 

minutes 

 cooking 

 

20 

minutes

Ingredients

3/4 

pound 

gemelli, fusilli, or other short pasta

2 

tablespoons 

unsalted butter

2 

leeks (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise then crosswise

kosher salt and black pepper

1 

pound 

peeled and deveined medium shrimp (raw)

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

3/4 

cup 

heavy cream

10 

ounces 

baby spinach (about 12 cups)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and lemon zest and cook, tossing frequently, until the shrimp is opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes more.
4. Add the cream and ½ teaspoon salt to the pasta in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp mixture and the spinach and toss to combine.

Source: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/shrimp-leek-spinach-pasta

Dressing: Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing

This dressing is thick, creamy and very flavorful without using anchovies. Enjoy! :)

INGREDIENTS

1 lemon
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Juice lemon to measure 2 tablespoons juice; place in Small Batter Bowl. Add mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and black pepper; whisk until blended using Stainless Whisk. Add mayonnaise; whisk until smooth. 2


While continually whisking, add oil to mayonnaise in a thin, steady stream. Continue whisking until blended; stir in Parmesan cheese. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve. Store dressing covered in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.


Yield: 1 cup, 8 servings of 2 tablespoons


Nutrients per serving: Calories 190, Total Fat 20 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrate less than 1 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 110 mg, Fiber less than 1 g

Source: http://www.pamperedchef.com/recipe/Side+Dishes/Creamy+Caesar+Salad+Dressing/18167

Brunch: Ham and Cheese Casserole

Hi friends. Everything about this was perfect. It was DELICIOUS! I replaced pancetta with smoked ham. Enjoy!!!

"Ham and Cheese" Breakfast Casserole

Serves 4 to 6

4 cups (loosely packed) day-old challah or other egg-enriched bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound pancetta (thickly sliced), diced
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese, from about 4 ounces

Grease an 8-inch square baking dish (or another 1 1/2 quart to 2-quart baking dish) and spread the cubed challah in the bottom.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium to low heat. Add the onions, salt, and sugar. Sauté until they are lightly caramelized (a medium golden brown color), about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another heavy skillet, heat the other tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and sauté the pancetta until the fat is almost all rendered and it begins to get crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set on a paper towel to drain.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, dry mustard, nutmeg, and thyme. Season with about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a generous quantity of black pepper.

Spread the pancetta over the bread cubes, then layer the onions on top. Sprinkle grated Gruyère on next, and then pour the egg mixture over the entire thing.

Press down on the top gently, so that all of the bread cubes get soaked a bit with the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350°F and take the casserole out of the fridge while the oven is preheating. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 50 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the top begins to brown. The baking time will be greatly dependent on the depth of dish you use. Check the interior with a knife; if it comes out clean the bread custard is baked through. (Cover with foil near the end of cooking if the top is already browned.)

Serve with a green salad, some asparagus, or just a tall Bloody Mary.

Souce: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-ham-and-cheese-breakfas-43364#recipe

Salad: Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Shockingly, this turned out to be my favorite pasta salad to date! It was stunningly delicious! The only alteration I'd say is that it DOES NOT need to be chilled for 3 hours before serving. Mine didn't chill and it was yummy. 

If you're a broccoli salad fan, you'll love the combination of these colorful ingredients. Cook the pasta al dente so it's firm enough to hold its own when tossed with the tangy-sweet salad dressing.

Use these video tips for getting pasta just right every time.

Southern Living SEPTEMBER 2011

• Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
• Hands-on: 25 Minutes
• Total: 3 Hours, 30 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 (16-oz.) package farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
• 1 pound fresh broccoli
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
• 8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2. Prepare pasta according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems, and finely chop stems.

4. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes, and stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/broccoli-grape-pasta-salad/print/

By Nicole Lataif

Dinner: Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

1 cup dry white wine
1 bag shredded swiss & gruyere cheese (Trader Joe's)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
loaf of French breach cut in cubes
optional: apple slices, carrots, broccoli, etc

Directions:

Pour cup of wine in pot and bring to boil than simmer. Add cheese a little bit at a time while stirring. Add flour and nutmeg, stir. Serve with bread and favorite dipping sides. Enjoy!

Adapted from All Recipes http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cheese-fondue/

Nathalie Calvo

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Dessert: Homemade Salted Caramel

Ingredients:

·       1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

·       6 Tablespoons (90g) salted butter, cut up into 6 pieces*

·       1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream*

·       1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.    Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula.

2.   Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.

3.   Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.

4.   Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes.

5.   Very slowly, drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while whisking. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble and/or splatter when added.

6.   Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.

7.   Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to cool down before using.

8.   Cover the caramel tightly and store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Warm the caramel up for a few seconds before using in a recipe.

*Unsalted butter may be used instead, though I prefer salted. No other changes need to be made to the recipe if using unsalted.

*Heavy cream (approximately 36% milk fat) may also be sold as whipping cream. Light whipping cream (30% milk fat), or double cream (48% milk fat) may be substituted.

Source: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-salted-caramel-recipe/

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Welcome to Pink Party Plates, where friends and family are welcome to share their best recipes! After a delicious fondue dinner at a friend's house, PPP was born. Why didn't we think of this sooner? There is no more need to email your friends your party recipes. Upload them to the site, where not only everyone can benefit, but others will be able to search for specific meals.

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Nicole Lataif Abi-Kheirs and Nathalie Calvo (hostesses)