#3867 - Pickled Green Beans

(by Shirley McNevich)

3lbs. fresh green beans
3/4 cup white sugar
3 garlic cloves (halved)
2 tsp. dill seeds
2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh dill (chopped)
3 tsp. salt
water (see directions)

Snip off the ends of the green beans. Cut the green beans into 2" pieces. Fill a large pot with 5 quarts of water and 1 tsp. salt--bring to a boil. Add the cut green beans--cook/stir about 7 minutes or until green beans are tender but still crisp. Drain the green beans and rinse them with cold water and drain again--set aside. In a saucepan add the white sugar, garlic cloves, dill seeds, mustard seeds, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 cup water--stir to mix. Turn heat to medium--cook/stir until boiling. Once boiling, cook/stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat--add 1 1/2 cups cold water and 1 cup cider vinegar--stir well. Place drained green beans into a large Ziploc bag. Carefully pour the vinegar mixture into the bag over the beans. Press the bag closed while carefully pressing out as much air as you can. Place the bag in a bowl and refrigerate at least 1 day. When ready to serve, drain/discard the liquid, place the beans in a serving dish and add the chopped dill--toss to coat.

#3866 - Pickled Cherry Tomatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

cherry tomatoes (enough to fill 3 pint sized glass canning jars)
fresh dill
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
2 TBSP salt
2 TBSP white sugar
4 garlic cloves (halved)
6 peppercorns
chopped onions (optional)

Remove stems and wash the cherry tomatoes. DO NOT peel the cherry tomatoes or you will end up with a mushy mess. Use a sharp kabob skewer to poke 3-4 holes into a cherry tomato, then place it in one of the jars. Repeat with all cherry tomatoes. Add some fresh dill to the top of the tomatoes in each jar. Optional--add some chopped onions to each jar. In a saucepan add the cider vinegar, water, white sugar, salt, halved garlic cloves and peppercorns--cook/stir over medium heat until boiling. Once boiling, cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat--cool to room temperature. Pour the vinegar mixture into each jar--enough to cover all tomatoes. Screw on the lids tightly and refrigerate them for at least 1 day before eating. When serving, you can remove the garlic pieces and any leftover large peppercorns.

#3288 - Honey Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 large boneless chicken breasts (halved)
salt and pepper (to your taste)
1/4 cup honey
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a bowl add honey, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, paprika and cayenne pepper--stir well to mix. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts halves (to your taste). Cover a jelly roll pan (baking sheet with a 1" lip on all sides) with foil, then spray the foil with Pam. Brush the honey mixture all over both sides of each chicken breast and place them on the jelly roll pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven, brush remaining honey mixture over the tops of the chicken breasts and return to oven for 10-20 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink.

#3273 - Creamy Tomato Sauce

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 14oz. can Italian diced tomatoes (do NOT drain)
2 TBSP olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 garlic cloves (minced--more if you wish)
1/2 to 1 TBSP dried basil leaves
3/4 tsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 TBSP butter

In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil, chopped onions and minced garlic--cook/stir until onions are tender. Add diced tomatoes--stir. Add basil, white sugar, oregano, salt and pepper--cook/stir until boiling. Once boiling, cook/stir until thickened. Slowly add heavy cream and butter--stir well. Tilt a lid on the skillet, turn heat back to simmer and cook 10-15 minutes longer or until thickened. Serve over pasta.

#3272 - Quick Pasta Sauce

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 14oz. cans Italian style crushed tomatoes (do NOT drain)
1 tsp. dried basil
3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 TBSP olive oil
salt
pepper
oregano

In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil and minced garlic--cook/stir until garlic is tender. Add both cans crushed tomatoes--stir. Add basil--stir. Taste--add salt, pepper and oregano to your taste. Once you have the flavor you like, cook/stir until hot, then turn heat back to simmer. Tilt a lid on the skillet and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve over pasta.

#3183 - Sour Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
4 garlic cloves (minced)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts

In a bowl add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper--stir to mix. Pour 1/4 of the vinegar mixture into a Ziploc and add one chicken breast. Keep alternating vinegar mixture and chicken breasts until all are in the bag, then remove air from bag and seal. Refrigerate the chicken for 3 hours. Grease a glass baking dish. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the baking dish and pour any leftover vinegar mixture from the bag over the tops of the chicken. Cover dish with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

#3137 - Asparagus Pasta

(by Shirley McNevich)

8oz. spiral pasta
2-3 TBSP canola oil OR olive oil
2 garlic cloves (minced) OR a few dashes of garlic powder
1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus (washed and cut into bite sized pieces)
salt and pepper (to your taste)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Cook/drain pasta according to box directions. In a skillet over medium heat add canola/olive oil, minced garlic, asparagus pieces, salt and pepper--cook/stir until asparagus starts to soften. Add the cherry tomatoes--stir. Add the chicken broth--cook/stir until tomatoes break apart. In a large bowl add the drained pasta and asparagues mixture--sprinkle as much grated Parmesan cheese as you wish over the top, then stir until mixed. Top with more grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

#3131 - Really Creamy Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 lbs. potatoes (washed, peeled and sliced very thin)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tsp. salt
fresh ground black pepper
nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded cheese (your choice of type)

In a large pot add potato slices, salt and minced garlic--cover everything with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to simmer and cook potatoes until tender. Remove from heat. Grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Use a slotted spoon to drain and transfer half of the sliced potatoes to the bottom of the baking dish. Carefully pour 1/2 cup heavy cream over the potatoes in the dish. Sprinkle nutmeg and ground black pepper over the potatoes in the dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheese evenly over the potatoes. Use a slotted spoon to drain and transfer the rest of the potatoes on top of the cheese. Sprinkle nutmeg and ground black pepper over the potatoes. Pour 1/2 cup of cream over the potatoes. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until top forms a brown, crispy crust. Remove from oven and let it stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

#3099 - Three Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 lbs. baking potatoes
2 TBSP butter
1 pint heavy cream
2 garlic cloves (minced or sliced thinly)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 deli slices of provolone cheese (thick cut)
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and peel the potatoes, then slice them thinly. Grease a 2qt. casserole dish. Spread half of the sliced potatoes in the casserole dish. Dot 1 TBSP butter over the potatoes. Spread half of the minced/sliced garlic over the potatoes. Carefully pour half of the cream over the potatoes. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the potatoes, then spread half of the shredded cheddar cheese over the potatoes. Spread the rest of the potatoes on top, dot 1 TBSP butter over the potatoes, spread the rest of the garlic over the potatoes, pour the rest of the cream over the potatoes, sprinkle salt and pepper over the top and spread the rest of the shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Spread the provolone cheese slices to cover the top. Bake (covered) at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese all over the top, return to oven and bake UNCOVERED for 30 minutes longer  or until potatoes are fork tender.

#2989 - Crockpot Pork

(by Shirley McNevich)

Note: this recipe is posted in advance for 12/22/13 so we can take the week off.

1 - 3lb. pork tenderloin
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP honey
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves (chopped)

In a bowl add the chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, honey, red pepper flakes and chopped garlic--stir well to mix. Pour half of the broth mixture into the crockpot. Carefully place the pork tenderloin in the center of the crockpot. Pour the rest of the broth mixture over the top of the pork. Cook on high for 8 hours. While cooking, as often as you wish, use a spoon to pour some of the broth mixture over the top of the pork. You can also turn the pork once (halfway through cooking). When ready to serve, place the pork on a serving plate. Use forks to pull the pork. Serve the remaining broth mixture on the side, or pour it over the top of the pulled pork.

#2783 - Shrimp and Sausage

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 large onion (chopped)
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
1 cup chopped celery
8oz. smoked sausage (cut into coin shaped pieces)
1 - 28oz. can diced tomatoes (do NOT drain)
3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
12oz. (or more) medium shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
cooked rice

In a crockpot add chopped onions, chopped green bell peppers, chopped red bell peppers, chopped celery, sausage pieces, diced tomatoes/juice, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano--stir well. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender. Add shrimp and parsley--stir, then cook on high heat for 20-30 minutes or until shrimp are done. Serve over cooked rice.

#2738 - Pickled Carrot Sticks

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. carrot sticks
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 TBSP dill seeds
1 1/2 TBSP salt + 1 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves (crushed)

Fill a pot 3/4 full with water and 1 tsp. salt--bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the carrot sticks--cook/stir for 1 minute, then rinse the carrots with cold water and drain them. In a saucepan over medium heat add the water, vinegar, dill seeds, 1 1/2 TBSP salt and crushed garlic cloves--cook/stir until boiling, then cook/stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Place drained carrot sticks in a bowl, then pour the hot vinegar mixture over the carrots. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for 24 hours before eating the carrots.

#2347 - Black Bean and Corn Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 10oz. box plain couscous
1 - 16oz. bag frozen whole kernel corn (thawed and drained)
1 - 15oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed)
4 spring onions (diced--dice both white and green parts)
1 medium red bell pepper (finely chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
ground pepper to your taste

Prepare couscous according to box directions, then drain and cool completely. In a bowl add couscous, drained corn, drained black beans, onions, red bell peppers and minced garlic--toss to mix. Sprinkle salt over the top and crush black pepper over the top--toss to mix. Add lemon juice and olive oil--toss well.

#2248 - Bacon Shrimp Appetizers

(by Shirley McNevich)

20 large shrimp (cooked, peeled and cleaned)
1 small garlic clove (crushed)
1/2 cup chili sauce
1lb. bacon

Wash, cook, peel and clean the shrimp. In a bowl add chili sauce and garlic--stir. Add shrimp--toss to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. The next day cut the bacon strips in half. Cook bacon until partially done--drain the bacon. Wrap one bacon slice around each piece of shrimp. Place a toothpick through the bacon and shrimp to secure it. Place them in a greased glass baking dish. Broil them on the top rack of the oven just until bacon gets crispy.

#1922 - Shrimp Scampi

(by Shirley McNevich)

2lbs. large raw shrimp
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. salt
6 garlic cloves (minced)
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Clean and de-vein shrimp--wash them under cold water, then drain them well. Add butter to a glass 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Place in oven at 400 degrees just until butter melts. Remove dish from oven--add salt, minced garlic and parsley to the melted butter--stir to mix. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the butter mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes--remove from oven and use tongs to turn each piece of shrimp. Return to oven and bake another 8-10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.

#1711 - BBQ Beef Roast

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 3lb. sirloin tip roast
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup water
1 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic (chopped) - optional
1 - 8oz. can Hunt's tomato sauce
2 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

In a Dutch oven add roast, salt, 1/2 cup water and pepper--cook over medium heat and cook both sides until browned (turning when necessary) and water is almost gone. Add another 1/2 cup water, tomato sauce, onions, garlic--bring to a boil, turn heat to low, put the lid on and cook it for 90 minutes. In a bowl add paprika, dry mustard, ketchup, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce--stir. Pour the mixture over the top of the meat and use a brush to spread the mixture on any empty spots. Bring the mixture to a boil, turn heat back to low, put the lid on and cook for 90 more minutes or until tender.

#1674 - Minestrone Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 carrots (washed, peeled and cut into coin shaped pieces)
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 rib of celery (sliced)
1 onion (chopped)
1 clove of garlic (minced)
2 tsp. canola oil
3 cups water
1 - 14.5oz. Italian diced tomatoes (do NOT drain)
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 cup chopped spinach
2/3 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook macaroni according to box directions--drain but do not rinse. In large saucepan add carrots, cabbage, celery, onions, minced garlic, canola oil and 1 of the cups of water--cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the other 2 cups of water, diced tomatoes and their juice, and the bouillon cubes--stir and cook while bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer--simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add spinach, pepper and drained macaroni--stir and cook until macaroni is hot.

#1636 - Skillet Macaroni

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP canola oil
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
2 minced garlic cloves
1 - 16oz. can kidney beans (drained)
1 - 10oz. frozen whole kernel corn (thawed and drained)
2 - 14.5oz. cans chopped tomatoes
1 - 8oz. box elbow macaroni
1 bag shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 or 2 TBSP chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook macaroni according to box directions--drain but do not rinse. In a skillet over medium heat add canola oil, chopped onions, green peppers, minced garlic, chili powder and pepper--stir and cook until onions and peppers are tender. Add kidney beans, corn, and chopped tomatoes--stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer--stir and cook for 15 minutes. Add cooked macaroni--stir. Sprinkle shredded cheese all over the top and wait until cheese melts before removing from stove and serving.

#1435 - Hot Brown Soup

(by Aunt Janie Baranowski)

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 garlic clove (minced)
1/4 cup flour
1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce
4 cups milk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cooked ham (cut into bite sized pieces)
1/2 cup chopped chicken or turkey (cut into bite sized pieces)

In a large saucepan over medium heat add butter--melt. Add garlic and onions--cook until tender. Add flour and Tabasco--stir and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add milk--stir and cook until thickened and bubbly (do not let it boil). Reduce heat to low--add cheese and keep stirring until cheese is melted. Add ham and chicken/turkey--stir and cook until meat is hot.

#1399 - Cheddar Cheese Log

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 4oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
4oz. sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
1/4 cup grated onion
1 small garlic clove (minced)
1/3 cup + 2 TBSP finely chopped walnuts
2 TBSP finely chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. dried dill

In a bowl add softened cream cheese, grated sharp cheddar cheese, grated onion and minced garlic--stir with a spoon. Add 1/3 cup chopped walnuts--stir until mixed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for 1 hour. Place a sheet of wax paper on your counter. Remove bowl from refrigerator and scrape cheese mixture on to the wax paper. Use your hands and form the cheese mixture into a log about 1" thick. In a bowl add chopped parsley, 2 TBSP chopped walnuts, paprika, chili powder, curry powder and dried dill--stir until mixed. Use a spoon and make a line of the spice mixture the same length as the cheese log. Roll the cheese log on the spice mixture and make sure all parts of the cheese log get covered with spices. Wrap the log in a fresh piece of wax paper and refrigerate until cold. Serve with good quality crackers.