Potato_Leek_Soup

Potato_Leek_Soup
Originally uploaded by hombreciego.

Tis a blustery day in Mesquite. Temperature dropping. Weird for May, so I thought I'd make some delicious Potato/Leek soup before the heat rolls in and ends the comfort soup, season.

Another fine Gorilla bread 

Balsamic /Sausage Lasagna

Balsamic Lasagna 

Baked a delicious lasagna today. Added some balsamic vinegar to the recipe for some zing, and it turned out super tasty and delicious! Here is the recipe:

Balsamic Sausage Lasagna

This recipe serves 6-8.


Ingredients:

Filling:


5 mild Italian sausages, casings removed and crumbled
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Italian herbs
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 T fresh parsley or Italian parsley, chopped
1 or 2 zucchini, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
1/2 c. cremini or white mushrooms, chopped fine
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 can tomato sauce
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar (or more to taste)
Salt and pepper

Cheese mixture:


8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 T fresh parsley or Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp. Italian herbs
Salt and pepper

For assembly:


1/2 can tomato sauce
1 package no-cook lasagna noodles
1 jar pasta sauce
1/2 c. grated mozzarella
1/4 c. grated parmesan
Directions:

Filling:


Cook sausages until light brown. Drain.
Add onion, garlic, Italian herbs, crushed red pepper and parsley and saute until onion turns translucent.
Add zucchini and red peppers, and cook to soften.
Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, 1 minute more.
Add tomato paste, tomato sauce and balsamic. Cook 15 minutes or until sauce is reduced.

Cheese:


Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

To assemble:


"Grease" the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan with remaining tomato sauce.
Layer in 1/3 package of noodles to cover bottom of pan.
Add sausage mixture and spread over noodles evenly.
Layer in 1/3 package of noodles to cover sausage mixture.
Add cheese mixture and spread over noodles evenly.
Add 1/2 jar of pasta sauce on cheese and spread evenly.
Top with remaining 1/3 package of lasagna noodles.
Cover noodles with remaining sauce, mozzarella and parmesan.
Lasagna may be covered with foil and refrigerated overnight at this point, or can be baked immediately.
Bake lasagna in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until hot throughout.
Serve with parmesan cheese and bread.

Tasty Muffins

Delicious, Hot Fresh Cranberry/Oat Muffins


Cranberry-Oat Muffins 

Tiger Woods leads the Master's Golf tourney today. so I decided to make some delicious muffins to go with my coffee while watching golf. The above photos shows my creation fresh from the oven. They taste as good as they look. Maybe even better!! Here is the Recipe. Try it! It's easy and you'll like it!

Cranberry/Oat Muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter at room temp.
3/4 cup packed dk. brown sugar
2 lg. eggs
3 tbsp. unsulphured molasses
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup yogurt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 3/4 cups wheat bran or 1 cup quick oats
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins or both

Pre-heat oven to 375 deg. light coat a muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper muffin cups.

In a medium bowl stir together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon. Blend well.

In stand up mixer bowl put softened butter and beat on speed 4 for 2 min. with flat beater attachment until creamy. Stop and scrape sides of the bowl. Add sugar and turn the mixer to speed 6, and beat for 90 seconds. While the mixer is running, add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly each time. Add the molasses, vanilla and yogurt and continue mixing for 60 more seconds. Stop mixer, add the the buttermilk and half the flour mixture and mix fo 90 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir for 1 minute more. Turn off mixer, remove bowl, stir in the cranberries or raisins and oats or bran with a sturdy spoon until well-mixed. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan evenly among the cups. Bake in the center rack of oven for 25-30 minutes. Cool muffin pan on rack for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a plate or basket, cover to keep warm and serve immediately. Delicioso!!

Bananna Nut Bread

I used up two overripe banannas that were begging to be baked in a nut bread today. The aroma of this fresh baked treat is wonderfu. I can't wait to taste it.


Hot Bananna Nut bread 

Layered Mexican Cornbread

mexican cornbread and beef barley soup 

Tonight I served layered Mexican cornbread along with delicious homemade beef barley soup and a fresh spinach salad with my special raspberry vinagerete. The cornbread was a wonderful compliment to the soup and salad. My guests raved about everything and repeatedly asked for the cornbread recipe, so here it is:

Layered Mexican Cornbread

Ingredients:
Butter or non-stick cooking spray, for greasing pan
1 c all-purpose cornmeal
1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 tbsp baking powder
2/3 c milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c vegetable oil
1/2 c chopped onion
1 (14-ounce) can creamed corn
1 c grated Cheddar
1 c chopped jalepeno peppers

Instructions:
Grease an 8 by 8-inch or 9 by 9-inch square pan with softened butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, milk, eggs, salt, and oil. Stir in onion and creamed corn. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Top with cheese and peppers, spreading onto batter. Pour remaining batter on top of cheese and peppers. Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before cutting into squares.