St. Patty’s Day Limerick for Foodies

1 Comment | Written on March 17, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day I decided to compose a food themed limerick to share!

Each night is a challenge at dinner,

what to cook when you’re a beginner?

Better Recipes is the site,

to find meals that delight.

Every dish is a crowd-pleasing winner!

 

Now it’s your turn…  Let’s see if the Better Recipes readers can come up with their own culinary limerick!  Simply follow the sing-song pattern of the “AABBA” rhyme scheme and create your own whimsical 5 line poem.  Post your creation in the comments section here or on our Facebook page!

No time to prepare an entire corned beef and cabbage today?  You can still add a touch of the Irish to your dinner table by making these easy Corned Beef Panini!  The key is the toasted mustard and caraway seeds.  Toasting seeds fills the kitchen with a delightful aroma and brings out their full flavor. Erin Go Bragh!

CORNED BEEF PANINI WITH HORSERADISH MAYONNAISE

Horseradish Mayonnaise:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon honey mustard

1/2 teaspoon mustard seed, toasted

1/4 teaspoon caraway seed, toasted

Panini:

8 slices dark rye bread

6 ounces thinly sliced corned beef

4 ounces Swiss cheese slices

Thin slices of red onion, cucumber, and tomato

Olive oil – for brushing on sandwiches

1.  Stir together all mayonnaise ingredients in a small bowl.   Lay out rye bread slices and spread mixture on each slice.  Layer half of the slices with corned beef, cheese, red onion, cucumber, and tomato.  Top with remaining bread slices.

2.  Brush both sides of sandwiches with olive oil.  Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.  Place sandwich in hot pan and cover sandwich with foil.  Place a heavy pan like a cast iron skillet on top of sandwich and cook for about 3 minutes.  Flip sandwich, cover with foil again, and top with skillet; cook for another 3 minutes or until cheese melts and sandwich is crispy.  Instead of this method, you can also use a panini grill pan.

3.  Remove sandwiches to plates; cut in half and serve hot.  Makes 4 panini.  Good served with big dill pickles.

Here’s How We “Shake Up” Facebook

1 Comment | Written on March 16, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Last week we put a call out to our Facebook fans and asked them to spread the word about all the great aspects to Better Recipes.  The goal was to reach 500 fans, and by today we have already exceeded 625!  Everyone is telling their friends all about the great recipes, videos, blogs, contests and community forums.  Join the fun!  Become a fan of Better Recipes on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to the YouTube Channel.

As an incentive to spread the word, I agreed to post a few fun and seasonal recipes once we hit 600 fans.  To thank our readers for their support, I shared the following recipes on Saturday afternoon.  With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I think it is the perfect way to celebrate.

Do you love a certain seasonal mint green fast food milkshake?  (You know what I am talking about…)  Here are two ways you can make this delicious treat year-round!

“McBetterRecipes” Mint Shake

Just like your favorite seasonal mint green fast food milkshake, but lighter.

2 cups low-fat vanilla ice cream

1 cup skim milk

1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract

4 drops green food coloring (or however green you want to make it!)

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and creamy.  Serves 2.

The Naughty Leprechaun

Here is an “adult” version of the mint shake!

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1/4 cup Bailey’s Original Irish Cream

1/4 cup Creme de Menthe

1/2 cup milk

Garnish:  Mint sprigs

Red or green maraschino cherries

Place all shake ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and creamy.  Alternate small sprigs of fresh mint with cherries on a toothpick and place on the edge of the glass for garnish.

Ode To My Kitchen Aid…

1 Comment | Written on March 15, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

I have to admit, I am madly in love…with my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer!  This classic appliance has seen me through my first batch of cookies, to developing recipes today.  The large silver bowl reminds me of the sweet smells that filled my childhood and with each whip and whirl I can hear my culinary love grow.  It is not only functional, with it’s plethora of gadgets and attachments, but it is also extremely durable.  My mustard yellow Kitchen Aid is from 1977 when it was given to my parents as a wedding gift.  Here we are over 30 years later and it is still going strong!  Heck, I even found a Christmas ornament to match and hang it on my tree every year.

Now, thanks to a new challenge here on Better Recipes, our readers have a chance to win their very own Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer!  Believe me, take advantage of this contest, it is worth it!

With the “Recipe Photo Craze Challenge” all you have to do is upload your food photos here on Better Recipes.  You can upload a recipe along with a photo, or browse the site for your favorite recipes and photograph your creations.  How easy is that!?  The member who uploads the most food photos will be our winner. Whether it is a snapshot from your phone or a digital masterpiece, just take a picture of your meals and you can win big.  What are you waiting for?  Start uploading your food photos today!

Weekend Breakfast Treat

2 Comments | Written on March 12, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

There is nothing like waking up to the sweet smell of something baking in the kitchen.  This weekend, indulge your family with a warm treat from the oven.  These homemade pastries are made quick and easy by using refrigerated breadsticks and a jar of preserves.  With their whimsical twisty shape, a drizzle of glaze and a sprinkle of pearl sugar, these morning treats look like they came from a fancy bakery.  Who says breadsticks are just for dinner?  I bet this quick and creative recipe will become part of your weekend morning tradition!

BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST BREADSTICKS

11-ounce package refrigerated breadsticks, original flavor

1/3 cup blueberry preserves

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup powdered sugar

3 teaspoons milk

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 Tablespoon coarse pearl sugar

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet (at least 16-by-14″) with parchment paper.  Unroll breadstick dough; separate into 12 strips.  Lay strips, without touching each other, on prepared baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl, stir together preserves, lemon rind, and cinnamon.  Spoon mixture evenly down the center of each strip.  Carefully lift each strip and twist several times and lay back down, pressing down ends firmly.  Bake 13-14 minutes or until golden.
3. While breadsticks are baking, stir together in a small bowl, the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract, adding milk a teaspoon at a time until mixture can be drizzled.  Add any additional milk, if needed, a little at a time if mixture is too thick.  When breadsticks are done, and keeping them on baking sheet, drizzle each evenly with icing.  Sprinkle each with pearl sugar. Remove breadsticks to a serving platter and serve warm.  Makes 12 breadsticks.

Entertaining On The Fly

No Comments | Written on March 11, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

A bottle of wine and a simple cheese appetizer can transform an informal get-together into a swanky affair.  Next time you are entertaining friends give this Brie appetizer a try.  The recipe is effortless, but the result is delightful and impressive.

CHERRY-BRIE APPETIZER

One 7-ounce wedge of Brie cheese, chilled

3 Tablespoons cherry preserves or jelly

2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped dried cherries or cranberries

2 Tablespoons chopped pecans

1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel

Water crackers or French bread slices

1. Place the Brie on a microwave-safe serving dish; set aside.
2. Place the preserves, cherries, pecans, and orange peel in a small pan and heat until preserves are melted, or place mixture in a small bowl and heat on high in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until melted.
3. Place Brie in the microwave and heat on high for about 30-40 seconds, or just enough to soften the cheese.  Spoon the warm preserve mixture over the cheese and serve immediately with crackers or bread.  Serves 2-4.

Better Recipes has hundreds of appetizer recipes to fit any type of gathering.  Check out this list of hundreds of cheese appetizer options!

From Helsinki with Love

2 Comments | Written on March 10, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

My Father’s side of the family hails from Finland, and a few summers back I was lucky enough to visit my family in Helsinki.  While there I studied the language, culture and, of course, the food!  Finnish cuisine is filled with unique berries, wild mushrooms, handmade cheeses, cardamom filled pastries and freshly caught fish.  One of the most memorable meals was while on a weekend trip up North to Rovaniemi, in the Arctic Circle.

Besides being home to Santa Claus, this is also the land of the Sami – the native people of Lapland in Northern Scandinavia.  Here in Rovaniemi I enjoyed one of the most unique restaurant experiences when I dined on freshly caught salmon inside a native Sami tent.

Our “chef” spoke little English, but by this time in my studies I had learned enough to order “lohi” (salmon) and “olut” (beer – specifically Lapin Kulta, the signature drink of Lapland!).  He prepared our lunch by simply seasoning the salmon, caught only moments earlier, with a heavy dusting of salt.  The fish was then placed near the raging fire in the middle of the tent in order to cook in the “glow” of the flames.

Served on a wood plank, the result was the moistest, most flavorful piece of fish I ever enjoyed.  Upon returning home it became my mission to recreate this dining experience.  This recipe is a simple, flavor packed preparation that can easily be created in your kitchen.  No tent or open fire required!  Served along side red potatoes and chives, this meal transports me back to Finland.  Now if only I could find Lapin Kulta in the States…

LIME AND HONEY BAKED SALMON WITH RED POTATOES AND CHIVES

SALMON: 

2-pound whole salmon fillet

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1-1/2 Tablespoons lime juice

1-1/2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Sliced limes for garnish (optional)

1. Place the salmon fillet in a glass or ceramic dish to fit, skin side down.  Salt and pepper salmon.  Stir together lime juice, honey, and olive oil.  Brush over salmon.  Let stand while oven is preheating to 450 degrees.
2. Bake for 15 minutes or until salmon is cooked, and flakes easily with a fork.  Carefully remove salmon to a serving platter and garnish with lime slices, if desired.  Serves 4.  Serve with red potatoes and chives.

RED POTATOES WITH CHIVES: 

2-1/2 to 3 pounds small red potatoes

6 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, peel a 1/4″ wide band around the center of each potato.  In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with salted water and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife.
2. Drain the potatoes.  Place the butter in the same pan and melt butter.  Toss in hot potatoes, chives, and taste for salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4.

There are a wide variety of salmon recipes with countless preparations here on Better Recipes – click here to view them all!

Pudding Please!

1 Comment | Written on March 9, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Sometimes you just need dessert – a creamy, indulgent, sweet delicacy.  With this recipe you can give into your cravings without the guilt!  Even with the use of skim milk, this pudding is thick and creamy.  Layered with sliced banana and garnished with chopped peanuts this effortless recipe is extraordinary!

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA PUDDING 

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3-1/4 cups skim milk

3/4 cup creamy-style peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 bananas, sliced

Garnish:  sliced banana and chopped peanuts

1. Place brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat.  Gradually stir in milk until smooth and thickened.  Bring to a boil; stir 1 minute.  Remove pan from heat; stir in peanut butter and vanilla; mix until smooth.
2. Using 6 individual serving dishes, spoon pudding between layers of sliced bananas.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill.  To serve, garnish with slices of banana and chopped peanuts.  Serves 6.

Slow Cooker, Fast Cash

No Comments | Written on March 8, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

The Better Recipes monthly contest is back and this time with a twist!  During the month of March, you can upload your favorite crock-pot creation for a chance to win $500.  For the first time we are asking for a photo along with your original recipe.  So go ahead and whip up your favorite slow cooker innovation and snap a picture of your submission!

Inspired by the contest theme, this weekend I decided to try a new take on chili.  I used chicken and cannellini beans to create a white chili in the slow cooker.  My secret ingredient is a bit of white pepper. The subtle heat lends a distinctive flavor that is different from the typical ground black pepper.

SLOW COOKER WHITE CHICKEN CHILI 

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2″ pieces

2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 or 15 ounces) cream-style corn

2 cans (4 ounces each) diced green chile peppers

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, stir together all the ingredients until combined.  Cover and cook on low heat setting for 5-7 hours. (I have found that sometimes the lowest number of hours is just fine, so just check it at 5 hours and cook longer if you think it needs it).  Serve with whatever toppings you wish.  Serves 8.

Serve with:  shredded cheddar, chopped green pepper, sliced green onion, diced avocado, crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, etc – whatever sounds good to you!

Ultimate Oscar Party

2 Comments | Written on March 5, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

This weekend Hollywood’s elite will gather together for the 82nd annual Academy Awards.  Even if you won’t be walking the red carpet, you can still party like a celebrity!  With tips and recipes from the expert, Chef Wolfgang Puck, you too can throw an A-list Oscar bash!

Today I visited the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood to preview the menu for this year’s Governor’s Ball.  Check out this video to see how the stars will dine on Oscar Sunday.

82nd Academy Awards

Enjoy a bite of Hollywood in your home and make these mini burgers for your Oscar bash!

Prime Mini Burgers with Cheddar Cheese and Remoulade
(recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck)
Yield: 12 Mini Burgers

Ingredients:

3/4 pound prime ground beef, such as Kobe-style

Pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

12 small slices of cheddar cheese

12 mini sesame brioche buns Remoulade (recipe below)

Arugula leaves

6 cherry tomatoes, sliced

3 cornichons, sliced

Directions:

Preheat grill or grill pan.
Put the ground beef in a bowl and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together with your hands to combine. Take a small amount (about 2 tablespoons worth) of the ground beef and roll it in the palm of your hand like you are making meatballs. Flatten the top slightly and put the mini burger patties on a side plate. Drizzle the burgers with oil and season the tops with salt and pepper. Turn the burgers over and season the other side.

Place the burgers on the hot grill. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn them over with tongs. Place slices of cheddar cheese on top of the burgers, allowing it to melt. While that’s cooking, put the buns on the grill. Let them toast slightly on both sides, about 2 minutes total time.

To put the burgers together: Put the toasted buns on a platter. Top each with a small spoonful of Remoulade. Put the burger on top (cheese side up), followed by an arugula leaf, a slice of tomato and a slice of cornichon.

Remoulade | Yield: 1 cup
Combine 3/4 cup of store-bought or home made Thousand Island dressing with 2 tablespoons of bottled barbecue sauce and a little bit of diced red onion. Stir to combine.

No Oscar party is complete without a few games and predictions!  I like to print out Oscar ballots for each of my guests so they can vote for their favorites.  Whoever guesses the best goes home with a fun gift basket!

Print out your own official Oscar ballot

You can also play a round of “Oscar Bingo” throughout the show.

Print out boards to play a round of “Oscar Bingo”

Test your Oscar smarts with this Academy Awards-themed crossword puzzle.

Print the Oscar crossword puzzle

Lighten Up A Snack Time Favorite

No Comments | Written on March 4, 2010 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Gearing up for an Oscar Party this weekend?  This recipe is a healthier take on the classic chips and dip favorite.  Now you can snack and fit into the little black dress!

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for full Oscar Party coverage straight from the Red Carpet in Hollywood!





REDUCED FAT ONION-CREAM CHEESE DIP

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dash of hot pepper sauce

1 package (8 ounces) block-style reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion, tops included



1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add chopped onion, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and hot sauce.  Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes or until onion is soft, but not brown.  Let cool completely.
2. In a mixer bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream until combined.  Mix in the onion mixture and green onion.
3. Scrape into a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors, or up to 2 days ahead.  Makes about 2 cups.  Serve with chips or raw vegetables.  Before serving, you can sprinkle the top of the dip with additional sliced green onion tops.