Sparkling Grapefruit Mojito – Cocktail Contest Winner

No Comments | Written on May 15, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Congratulations to our “Cocktail” recipe contest winner, Julie Merriman.  Every sip of her “Sparkling Grapefruit Mojito” tastes like summer!  It is easy to prepare, colorful and perfect for warm weather entertaining.

Julie says, “I have been creating recipes for a while, but until now I have never created a cocktail recipe.  I saw this weeks category and decided I would see what I could come up with (we had fun “taste testing” a few creations!).

I have been on a grapefruit kick lately and wanted to incorporate that flavor into a recipe as I think grapefruits are very underrated and underused!  Mojitos are my favorite rum drink and I really wanted to update the mojito into something more exciting and different. 

I love to take a known recipe and change it up into new and exciting flavors.  I always try to have multiple flavors and textures going on to make it more interesting.  This drink was my favorite creation so I am very glad it won!  Cheers to all!”

Sparkling Grapefruit Mojito  (click here to view and print recipe)

2 cups Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice

½ cup Sugar

1 Lime, juice and zest

2 cups White Rum

1 cup Fresh Mint Leaves, plus more for garnish

1 Large Ruby Grapefruit, peeled and segmented

Fresca

Directions:

In saucepan, add grapefruit juice, sugar and lime juice and zest. Bring to boil and cook until sugar is melted. Remove from heat and cool.

To serve, in glass, muddle some mint leaves and grapefruit segments with some of the grapefruit simple syrup. Add some rum and ice. Top with Fresca and garnish with some mint leaves and a segment of grapefruit.

Congratulations as well to Rhonda Culver and her ”Strawberry Peachade” for receiving the highest number of votes in our Reader’s Choice contest.  Remember there are two ways to win each and every week.  One for “Judge’s Choice” and one for “Reader’s Choice!”  Good luck everyone!

Breakfast Week Winner – Apple Crepes with Yogurt

No Comments | Written on May 8, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Round of applause for our latest recipe contest winner, Cortnie Parson!

Her recipe for “Apple Crepes with Yogurt” received raves from the judges in our Breakfast themed contest.  I love how she added orange juice, maple syrup and yogurt to the crepe batter.  Plus, there is a dollop of cinnamon yogurt and drizzle of caramel sauce on top!

Cortine says, “This dish is about 20 years old in my family.  I was in girl scouts at age 7.  They were having a mother/daughter breakfast and me and my mom came up with these.  They were a great hit.  They are something I will always treasure as a mother/daughter recipe.  My daughter will someday know the history of these amazing tasting crepes!”

Apple Crepes with Yogurt  (click here to view and print recipe)

1 cup Flour

1 Egg

2 cups Vanilla Yogurt, divided

½ tsp Baking Powder

4 Tbsp Orange Juice

4 Tbsp Maple Syrup, divided

3 Apples, peeled and sliced

1 tb Milk

1 tb Butter

¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon

Few Tbs Warmed Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Combine the flour, egg, 1 cup yogurt, baking powder, orange juice, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 TB mik into a batter. In a nonstick skillet, saute the sliced apples with 1 TB butter until the slices are tender and caramelized. Combine the remaining yogurt and maple syrup with the cinnamon. Using a clean nonstick pan, make thin crepes by first spraying pan with nonstick spray then pouring 4 TB tablespoons of the batter into the preheated pan and rolling it around to cover the surface of the pan. Cook over medium heat about 1 minute, flip with a spatula and cook the other side for about 10 seconds. Continue until all the batter has been used. For each serving, roll each of the crepes around even portions of the apples. Garnish with a dollop of flavored yogurt. Drizzle top with 1 TB caramel topping. Serve with fresh fruit.

Strawberry/Rhubarb Recipe Contest Winner

2 Comments | Written on May 1, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Look at those colors!

This time of year, I love the vibrant reds of fresh strawberries and rhubarb stalks at the farmer’s markets.  Plus, they are so flavorful, I couldn’t wait to taste the winner of our latest contest.  Our creative home cooks were asked to use one or the other in their recipe, but our winner, Trisha  Krause, decided to use both!

Trisha says, “When we moved to our current home as newlyweds, we discovered that we already had a bumper crop of rhubarb and strawberries ready for harvest.  This cake is the first one I baked for my new husband with produce from our new home.  I make it every spring when our garden brings forth it’s bounty.”

I love how she took the strawberry and rhubarb flavors and gave the coffee cake a tropical twist by adding coconut and macadamia nuts.  You could certainly enjoy this recipe at breakfast or a leisurely Sunday brunch, but according to Trisha it is also great for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

 STRAWBERRY RHUBARB COCONUT COFFEE CAKE  (click here to view and print recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar

2/3 cups Oil

1 Egg

1 tsp Coconut Extract

2 1/2 cup Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 cup Vanilla Yogurt

1 1/ 2 Cups Rhubarb, chopped

1 1/2 cups sliced Strawberries

3/4 cup Sweetened, shredded coconut

1/3 cup Sugar

2 Tbsp Butter

1/2 cup Chopped Macadamias Nuts

1/4 cup Sweetened, shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9 x 13 inch pan and set aside. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, oil, egg and extract together until smooth. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt. Beat until smooth. Fold in rhubarb, strawberries and 3/4 cup coconut. Transfer to prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine sugar, butter, nuts and 1/4 cup coconut until crumbly, sprinkle over batter and bake 40 to 55 minutes or until golden and top springs back when pressed. Makes 20 servings.

HELPFUL TIPS:

This cake is delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting all over it! I made this cake up by combining elements from several different recipes to serve at a Luau themed party. Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. Now it’s a “must bring” to pot lucks. I make sure and freeze plenty of rhubarb so I always have some on hand.

Deviled Eggs Contest Winner

2 Comments | Written on April 24, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

The “Deviled Eggs” contest was a blast, and the entries received were so creative!  This week our big winner is Cameron Stell, also known as “Camstell8” on Better Recipes.

It really is incredible how these perfect little eggs can be transformed in so many delicious ways!    Did you know there is actually no difference between brown and white eggs?  Nutritionally they are the same, and the color comes from the breed of chicken.  However, on average brown eggs tend to be more expensive than white eggs!  Specific breeds of brown hens are larger than white hens and require more food, which translates into the higher cost at checkout.

Yet, somehow I just feel “fancier” cooking with brown eggs…why is that?!  Now if only I could get my hands on some of Martha Stewart’s fabled blue eggs…

These Cobb Salad Deviled Eggs were absolutely scrumptious, and they were quickly gobbled up this weekend over Sunday brunch.  I love the idea of taking traditional, familiar recipes and giving them a unique twist!  In fact, we have seem recipes like this several times in the Better Recipes weekly contests.  There was the General Tso’s Slow Cooker Tacos, the Inside Out Chinese Spring Roll Salad, as well as Shrimp Scampi Burgers.

The Cobb Salad was first created at the Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood.   There is a version of the recipe posted here by “lynnda” as well as the one pictured above from Recipe.com.

Brown Derby Cobb Salad

Classic California Cobb Salad

As the legend goes one night in 1937, Bob Cobb, then owner of The Brown Derby, prowled hungrily in his restaurant’s kitchen for a snack. Opening the huge refrigerator, he pulled out this and that: a head of lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, some cold breast of chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese and some old-fashioned French dressing. He started chopping. Then he added some crisp bacon and voila!  The Cobb Salad was born.

The salad was nothing short of an overnight Hollywood success story.  Popular with Sid Grauman (of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre) as well as movie mogul Jack Warner.  I think Cameron’s deviled eggs will have just as much success right here on Better Recipes!

COBB SALAD STYLE DEVILED EGGS  (click here to view and print recipe)

6 Hard Boiled Eggs

1/4 cup Crumbled Blue Cheese

2 Tbsp Plain Yogurt

1 Avocado Chopped

Salt & Pepper

3 Pieces Cooked Bacon

6 Cherry Tomatoes

Slice eggs in half and place yolks in a bowl with blue cheese, yogurt and avocado. Mash together and add salt and pepper to taste. Crumble bacon and slice cherry tomatoes in half. Stuff eggs with mixture. Top with crumbled bacon and half a tomato.

Also, don’t forget to check out the Reader’s Choice Winner this week.  Wasabi Deviled Eggs with Sesame Ginger Slaw from “deezrecipeze“.  Fabulous!

MEXICAN CHOPPED SALAD WITH SPICED CITRUS VINAIGRETTE – Mexican Recipe Contest Winner

11 Comments | Written on April 12, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

I am pleased to announce the winner of our “Mexican” themed week, Jamie Miller!

Jamie says, “I created this recipe for a Cinco de Mayo party last year.  I read a variety of recipes for different Mexican salads and combined all of the elements I liked into one big chopped salad.  It’s nice for a party because guests can pick and choose what they like, and you can prepare all of the ingredients in advance.”

This recipe is simply packed with color and flavor.  Jamie’s homemade dressing starts with toasting cumin and coriander seeds.  The aroma is heavenly!  Toasting seeds always makes such an amazing difference in the flavor of a dish.

The dish is perfect for serving a hungry crowd.  A rainbow of vegetables and beans looks beautiful on display.  I love to toss it all together with the Spiced Citrus Vinaigrette and top with cilantro, scallions and queso fresco.  Que bonita!

Don’t forget we are just past the halfway point in the weekly recipe contest series.  There are still plenty of chances to win the weekly Judge’s Choice prize and the Reader’s Choice award!  That’s $500 is prizes every week and, of course, the $2500 Grand Prize at the end!  The theme this week is “Deviled Eggs.”  Submit your best recipe by midnight on Saturday!

MEXICAN CHOPPED SALAD WITH SPICED CITRUS VINAIGRETTE   (click here to view and print recipe)

Vinaigrette:

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsp Coriander Seeds

1/8 tsp Cayenne, optional

1 tsp Minced Fresh Garlic

1/4 cup Fresh Orange Juice, plus ½ tsp finely grated orange zest

1/4 cup Fresh Lime Juice, plus ½ tsp finely grated lime zest

1 Shallot, minced

1 1/2 Tbsp Agave Syrup or Honey If You Can’t Find Agave

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper

Salad:

2 cups Halved Grape Tomatoes

2 cups Peeled & Diced Jicama

1 can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups Peeled, seeded and chopped avocado

1 Each, thinly sliced red, yellow and orange bell peppers, roasted

2 cups Edamame, roasted*

2 cups Corn, fresh or frozen (thawed), roasted*

Garnishes:

1 cup Crumbled Queso Fresco

1/3 cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro

1/4 cup Chopped Scallions

*toss Edamame & Corn With Canola or Grapeseed Oil.

Spread Out On a Baking Sheet.

Roast, at 425 for 10-15 minutes.

DIRECTIONS:

To make vinaigrette, toast cumin and coriander seeds in a small skillet, over medium high heat, for 2 minutes or until fragrant and lightly toasted. Grind in a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder. Place spices in a mini food processor, along with cayenne, garlic, orange juice and zest, lime juice and zest, shallot, agave, and olive oil. Puree. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Arrange salad ingredients in sections on a large serving platter; drizzle with vinaigrette, sprinkle with queso fresco, cilantro and scallions. Serves 10.

Congratulations is also in order for the latest “Reader’s Choice” Winner, Peggy Calhoun!  Her recipe for Fiesta Enchiladas received the most votes during the Mexican contest.

Peggy says, “I am thrilled to be chosen “Readers Choice” winner in “Mexican” week contest.  My passion for cooking and creating new recipes has given me the opportunity to meet new foodie friends.  There are a lot of “Superstar” home cooks out there and I have been blessed to call many of them my Facebook Foodie friends!  You really need to develop  a network of other home cooks. When it comes to voting requests, foodie friends are a loyal group.  I would suggest creating a strong support group by starting to vote and comment on recipe contests… it is then you will develop that network of other home cooks.  Voting is usually a daily ritual for us. When you need a vote..all you have to do is ask.   Join groups and support others in the culinary field.”

Burger Recipe Contest Winner

1 Comment | Written on April 5, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

CRISPY SHRIMP SCAMPI BURGERS WITH A LEMON GARLIC AIOLI  (click here to view and print recipe)

Aioli:

3/4 cup Mayonnaise

Juice & Zest of One Small Lemon

2 cloves Garlic, finely minced

1/2 tsp Finely Chopped Tarragon

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

Burgers:

2 lbs Shrimp, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 cup Finely Chopped Yellow Onions

1 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Dry Vermouth

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Parsley

2 cups Finely Crushed Buttery Crackers

1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs

2 Eggs, beaten

1/2 cup Light Canola Oil

Mixed Greens or Arugula, for 8 burgers

1 pkg Refrigerated Biscuits or Crescent Rolls

DIRECTIONS:

Remove biscuit dough from package and bake as recommended on package. If using crescent rolls, roll out dough and seal up the seams. Use a round biscuit cutter to cut into rounds. Bake as recommended on package. Remove from oven and set aside. To prepare aioli, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until ready for topping burgers. In a large skillet on medium high heat, combine the butter, garlic, parsley, vermouth, yellow onion, then cook until onions are tender. Add shrimp and lemon juice, then cook until the shrimp has turned color and is cooked through. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit. In a large bowl, add shrimp mixture, eggs and 1 cup of cracker crumbs. Mix with a fork to combine thoroughly. Combine the remaining cracker crumbs with the panko breadcrumbs and pour into shallow bowl. Form the shrimp scampi patties into three inch round discs. Coat each patty in the cracker and panko mixture. Continue with the remaining shrimp mixture. Heat the canola oil to medium high heat in a large skillet. Fry the patties until both sides are a crispy, golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Split each biscuit in half to become the top and bottom buns. Top each crispy shrimp scampi burger with the lemon garlic aioli and serve with a mixed greens salad.

Also, be sure to check out the latest Reader’s Choice Winner - Cathi Iannone for her ”Plantano Cubano Burgers.”  The photo alone looks like a work of art!

Pizza Contest Winner – Caramelized Onion, Gorgonzola, and Pear Pizza

5 Comments | Written on March 27, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Pear and gorgonzola cheese.  This sweet and savory combination just has that certain something…

When I heard that the winning recipe from our recent pizza contest showcased this classic Italian flavor combination, my mouth just watered and I was excited to make and photograph the dish. Let’s hear from our latest winner, Lou Sansevero!

Lou says, “I am s-o-o-o excited to have won BetterRecipes’ Pizza Contest for a second year in a row.  Some 46 years ago my first real job was as a pizzaiuolo (Italian for pizza chef) and although it only lasted about a year until I went  into the Marine Corps it left me with a life-long love of pizza making and a burning desire, which I am yet to fulfill,  to someday open my own restaurant.   This particular recipe is inspired by the memory of my grandfather, who immigrated to America alone at the age of 15, and who had a great love, which he often shared with me, for snacking on pear slices and Gorgonzola cheese.  

If I had one quote to share with my fellow BetterRecipe members it would be to remember that recipes are only a starting point, you need to add some of your own preference to them to make them yours and that you can never go wrong if you prepare what you love for those you love!”

 

 

 

 

 CARAMELIZED ONION GORGONZOLA & PEAR PIZZA  (click here to view and print recipe)  

Authentic Pizza Dough:

2 1/2 cups Bread Flour, plus additional for work surface

1 cup 105 Degree Water

1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup Honey

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 tsp Salt

Toppings:

2 lbs Onions; Peeled, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

1/2 stick Butter

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Sugar

3 Large Pears, cored and sliced in half lengthwise

1 Tbsp Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Balsamic Vinegar

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

2 oz Gorgonzola or Bleu Cheese, crumbled

Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Authentic Pizza Dough:

In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine the water and honey, then stir to combine and sprinkle the yeast over it. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes. If the yeast doesn’t proof (get foamy) pour it out and start again as it is important to have a live yeast mixture. Meanwhile, place the flour and salt in a sifter and sift it into the medium bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the flour and pour in the olive oil and yeast mixture. Turn on the mixer, fitted with dough hooks, to knead. Continue kneading until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball around the dough hooks. Scrape the sides of the bowl to move flour into the path of the hooks as needed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, but still slightly tacky. Add flour gradually as needed to reach the slightly tacky state, 3-5 minutes. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil the ball on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or cloth and set in a warm, draft free place until nearly doubled in size, 1-1 1/2 hours. Place a pizza stone on the middle shelf of the oven and heat to 450 degrees.

Remove the risen dough ball from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Flatten into a thick disk and with fingertips and palms, working from the center of the disk out to the edges, pressing into a thin disk of dough 10-12 inches around and about 1/8 inch thick. If necessary, use a rolling pin to achieve the 1/8 inch thickness, but don’t worry if the pizza isn’t perfectly round. That is called rustica and is the way real Italian pizza looks in Italy. If really brave, try the spin and toss method of forming the pie, but just remember to use your knuckles when spinning and tossing as fingertips can cause holes. Sprinkle flour over the surface of the thin disk as this will become the bottom of the pie when placed on the peel. Distribute some cornmeal over the surface of a pizza peel and transfer the formed pizza base onto the peel, insuring that the lightly floured side is on the bottom.

Toppings:

In a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the olive oil so the butter doesn’t burn. When the oil and butter mixture is hot, add the onions and sprinkle with the sugar. Saute the onion until they begin to brown. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the Balsamic vinegar and continue sauteing until the onions are caramelized. Slice each half pear in half and slice the resulting quarters lengthwise into thin slices. Gently toss the pear slices with the lemon juice so they don’t turn brown. Place a pizza stone on the middle shelf of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Place one of the dough balls on a lightly floured work surface and flatten it into a thick disk then, with fingertips and palms, work from the center of the disk out to the edges, pressing into a thin disk of dough 10-12 inches around and about 1/8 inch thick. If necessary, use a rolling pin to achieve the 1/8 inch thickness, but don’t worry if the pizza isn’t perfectly round. That is called rustica and is the way real Italian pizza looks in Italy. If really brave you can try the spin and toss method of forming the pie, just remember to use your knuckles when spinning and tossing as fingertips can cause holes. Sprinkle flour over the surface of this thin disk. This will become the bottom of the pie when placed on the peel. Distribute some cornmeal over the surface of a pizza peel and transfer the formed pizza base onto the peel insuring that the lightly floured side is on the bottom. Evenly spread 1/2 of the caramelized onions over the pizza, evenly arrange half of the pear slices on the pie, evenly crumble 1/2 of the Gorgonzola over the pie and finally evenly distribute 1/2 the shredded mozzarella. Gently shake the peel to insure the pizza moves freely. If it doesn’t, gently lift the edges of the pizza and distribute additional cornmeal until it does. Using the peel, slide the pizza onto the stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, then slice and serve. Repeat with the remaining dough, toppings and cheeses.

I would also like to offer a round of applause for the latest Reader’s Choice Winner, Bobbie Keefer (aka BobbieCooks) for her Apricot Bacon Pizza with Dates and Cashews!

Bobbie says, “To me, creative cooking is all about trial and error. It is about taking chances and figuring out what ingredient is going to make a recipe stand out, and most importantly taste delicious. The combination of ingredients in this pizza give it a wonderful mix of flavors, colors, and textures. That’s what makes it so appealing.  It looks like a gourmet pizza yet it is easy to make. It is so rewarding when a recipe comes together and others like it!”

What’s Cooking Behind the Scenes at the Pillsbury Bake-Off

1 Comment | Written on March 15, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Did you know in just a few short weeks one very lucky home cook will be a Millionaire?!  That’s right, the legendary Pillsbury Bake-Off is right around the corner!

I am thrilled to be traveling down to Orlando with Pillsbury to cover the contest again this year.  In fact, I will be a contributing writer to the “Behind the Scenes” blog on Pillsbury.com!

My first story was just posted yesterday.  Click on this link to read all about my unique family history with the Pillsbury Bake-Off:

Three Generations of Bake-Off Fun

That’s right!  My grandmother, my mother and I have all been finalists in this phenomenal cooking competition.  Stay tuned to Pillsbury.com for more of our posts leading up to the Bake-Off, as well as up to date information from the contestants and the winner!

In the meantime, I thought I would post the two recipes that took me to the Pillsbury Bake-Off years ago.  I competed with this first recipe when I was only 12 years old!  It is a light and fruity dessert, perfect to serve in Spring.  This recipe won $2,000 in the “desserts” category.

Raspberry-Filled Apricot Cake  (click here to view and print recipe)

Cake:

1 Pkg  (1 Lb. 2.25-oz.)yellow Cake Mix, with pudding

1 1/3 cups Apricot Nectar

2 Eggs

Filling:

1 cup Raspberry Spreadable Fruit or Jam

Frosting:

1 pkg (1-oz) Sugar-free Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix

1/2 cup Skim or Low-fat Milk

2 Tbsp Apricot Nectar

1 (8-oz) Frozen Light Whipped Topping, thawed

3 Tbsp Coconut, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease and flour two 9- or 8-inch round cake pans.

In large bowl, combine cake mix, 1-1/3 cup apricot nectar and eggs at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at high speed.

Pour into greased and floured pans.

Bake 350 F for 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Bake 8-inch pans 30 to 40 min.) Cool 15 minutes; remove from pans.  Cool completely.

To assemble cake, slice each cake layer in half horizontally to make 4 layers.

Place 1 cake layer cut side up on serving plate; spread with 1/3 cup spreadable fruit.

Repeat 2nd & 3rd layers with fruit.

Top with remaining cake layer.

In small bowl combine pudding mix, milk and 2 T apricot nectar; blend well.

Add thawed whip topping beat at low speed 2 minutes. Frost sides and top of cake.

Sprinkle top with toasted coconut.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator. Tip: to toast coconut, spread on cookie sheet; bake at 350 for 7 to 8 min. or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

I attended the contest again in 2000 when I was in college.  I may not have walked away with the $1,000,000 prize, but my recipe did make it on the cover of the Pillsbury Bake-Off Cookbook!

Smoky Southwestern Shepard’s Pie  (click here to view and print recipe)  

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lb Lean Ground Beef, such as ground round

1/2 cup Chopped Onion

2 cups Water

3 Tbsp Margarine or Butter

1/2  tsp Salt

3/4 cup Milk

2 cups Instant Mashed Potato Flakes

1 (4.5-oz.) Can Chopped Green Chilies

4 oz (1 Cup) Shredded Mexican-blend Cheese

1 (10-oz.) Can Enchilada Sauce

1 or 2 Canned Chipotle Chilies In Adobo Sauce, drained, seeded and chopped

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Dried Oregano Leaves

1 (11-oz.) Can Vacuum-packed Whole Kernel Corn With Red & Green Peppers, drained

1/8 tsp Paprika

1/3 cup sliced Green Onions

1 Small Tomato, cut into 6 wedges

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In large skillet, brown ground beef with onion over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, combine water, margarine and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in milk and potato flakes. Cover; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in green chilies and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Drain beef mixture. Add enchilada sauce, chipotle chilies, cumin and oregano; mix well. Bring just to a boil. Remove from heat. Spread beef mixture in ungreased shallow 2-quart casserole or baking dish. Top with corn. Spread potatoes evenly over corn. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. To garnish, sprinkle with paprika and green onions; arrange tomato wedges in center of casserole.

Grilled Cheese Recipe Contest Winner

4 Comments | Written on March 13, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

When you hear “Bon Appetit, Y’all!” you know it is time for a fantastic meal from our latest winner, Mary Louise Lever.  Her recipe for “Southern Style Sweet ‘n Sassy Bacon and Gruyere Cheese Panini” earned top honors from our judges in the recent “Grilled Cheese” contest.

Mary Louise says, “What a thrill it is to win this contest with my Panini!  My Mother  taught me to use ingredients on hand and add an element of surprise to a dish.  I continue to use this culinary concept.  Being from the South, I enjoy adding ingredients that are indigenous to my heritage and pepper jelly and bacon rank high on my list of flavorful and readily available ingredients!  To the food police – I say, everything in moderation! 

Although I make my own pepper jelly (of course), I also use the recommended brand in my recipe which is almost as tasty as mine.  As a time saver, I use the purchased bacon crumbles which are delicious – but sometimes I lament not having the pan-cooked bacon with its added bonus of savory bacon drippings to add to some my recipes!  My tasters said that adding the artisan Gruyere cheese to the Panini elevated it to “gourmet” with my Southern touches!  My  Mom would be so proud too!”

SOUTHERN STYLE SWEET ‘N SASSY BACON & GRUYERE CHEESE PANINI  (click here to view and print recipe)

3 Tbsp Spicy Red Pepper Jelly

1/3 cup Purchased Real Crumbled Bacon or Can Make Own

8 slices Hearty Country-style Sandwich Bread

4 slices Deli-cut Gruyere Cheese

1/4 cup Softened Butter, as needed

Powdered Sugar

Extra Pepper Jelly

Directions:

Combine pepper jelly and bacon in small dish; set aside.

Lay bread slices onto wax paper. Spread each slice with divided pepper jelly mixture. Top 4 slices of bread with cheese and cover, face-down with remaining slices, pressing slightly. Brush outsides of each with butter.

Place on heated Panini press and cook until golden and crisp. Repeat process as needed.

If desired, place on wire rack in low-heat oven to keep warm.

To serve,slice diagonally and place on 4 individual plates. Dust each with powdered sugar. Serve with extra pepper jelly if desired.

I would also like to extend a round of applause to our “Reader’s Choice Winner” Allison Luxenberg also known as “PackOf3” here on Better Recipes.  Her recipe for “Sweet Blue Pig Grilled Cheese” received the highest number of votes during Grilled Cheese week.  Thanks so much for your votes!

Pasta Recipe Contest Winner

5 Comments | Written on March 8, 2012 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

I believe that every dish tells a story, and this winning recipe is no exception!  Wait until you hear about our latest recipe contest winner, Deborah Mele.  She is not only an Italian food blogger, she also lives in Italy half the year!  She is certainly a pasta expert, so it is easy to see how she nabbed the $250 prize this week.  Let’s hear from Deborah in her own words.

“I have had an online food blog for almost 10 years called “Italian Food Forever” where I enjoy sharing the recipes with my blog visitors that I have collected over the many years I lived in Italy.  We now live in Umbria, Italy 6 months out of the year where we have a farmhouse rental, Il Casale di Mele.  I love preparing dishes like this one for our farmhouse guests every summer.  Throughout the years we spent living in Italy, I learned to appreciate simple, rustic, Italian cuisine and many of my personal recipes reflect that.  I understand how busy family life can be these days, and therefore I try to create recipes that can be assembled and prepared quickly, but are also delicious and elegant enough to serve to guests.  I have prepared this easy pasta dish many times for both family and friends and it always gets rave reviews!”    

Pasta With Mascarpone Chicken Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Spinach  (click here to view and print recipe)  

Ingredients:

1 cup Mascarpone Cheese, at room temperature

1 Lemon, zest and juice

1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, trimmed and 1″ dice

1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1/3 cup Chopped Sun-dried Tomatoes

1× 9 oz bag Baby Spinach

1× 500 Gram Pkg Pasta

to Serve:

Sauteed Garlic Breadcrumbs or Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Cheese

Directions:

Combine the zest, lemon juice, mascarpone and pepper in a bowl, then whisk to combine. Bring a pasta pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet and cook the chicken until it is cooked through and just beginning to brown, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two, then season with salt and pepper. Cook the pasta until al dente, taking it off the heat 1-2 minutes before you would normally remove it. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot and set over medium heat. Stir in the mascarpone and lemon mixture, chicken, tomatoes and spinach. Loosen the sauce with about 1/4 cup of the water and toss all over the ingredients together until the spinach has wilted and everything is piping hot, adding a little additional pasta water, if needed. Serve immediately, topped with grated cheese or sauteed breadcrumbs.

We also have a fantastic Reader’s Choice Winner this week, Pat Harmon, also known as “patcook!”

Penne Pesto Goat Cheese Alfredo with Chicken Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomatoes  (click here to view and print recipe) 

Pat says, “Thanks so much for the good news. I tried realllly hard to drum up the votes for this one as I really liked my recipe. Sometime ago, I had this carton of goat cheese in the fridge for a while and I was afraid it may go bad so when I was creating this dish, I decided to use it for the creamy sauce of Alfredo and was pleased. My quote might be – “Never be afraid to try something new when experimenting with cooking – it just might be the right thing for your dish.” I think that using Facebook was perfect for getting the word out for votes from my family, friends and cooking friends. We have a close-knit circuit to support each other and they really came through for me. Besides, some of them indicated they will try my recipe as it sounded good to them. I am grateful for having the opportunity to enter and win. You know, these recipes that we create are like our “kids”. We want everyone to like them and for them to be successful in a contest.”