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Saturday, May 25, 2013

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Blue Cheese Pesto


4 cooked Tyson chicken breasts
1/2 cup buffalo sauce, warm
4 ozs blue cheese crumbles
4 large basil leaves, chopped
2 Tbs red onion, chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
4 slices lettuce
4 sandwich rolls

Directions:
1.  Heat chicken breast according to directions on package.
2.  Pour buffalo sauce in small bowl.  Dip chicken and cover both sides.
3.  In small mixing bowl add blue cheese, basil, onion, olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.
4.  Add chicken to roll. Add lettuce and top with pesto.

Italian Sweet Potato Salad



3 lbs cooked fresh sweet potatoes
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced

Dressing:
1 1/2 cups mayo
4 oz mascarpone cheese, soft
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs cider vinegar
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp fresh ginger root
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb bacon, fried and crumbled


Directions:
1.  Cut potatoes into approx. 3/4 inch cubes.  Cook until soft, but not over cooked.  (you will know they are done when you can easily stab knife through center.  Drain and put aside.
2.  Cook eggs for approx. 15-20 mins, peel and then dice.
3.  Cook bacon, drain on paper towels, dice.  (This step can wait a bit while salad is chilling)
4.  In large mixing bowl, add mayo, softened mascarpone cheese, brown sugar, vinegar, onion, zest, allspice, ginger, parsley and salt and pepper.  Mix well.
5.  Add potatoes in mayonnaise mixture, fold dressing into potatoes. 
6.  Chill for few hours before serving. 
7.  When salad is chilled, stir.  Then add bacon crumbles to top.



Sunday, May 12, 2013

Goat Cheese Crepe Ravioli with Mango Date Sauce


picture shown with grilled scallop


Ingredients for crepes:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1 egg
salt and pepper, to taste
cooking spray

Ingredients for filling:
1/2 cup goat cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp chives, chopped
1/2 tsp rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp parsley, chopped

Ingredients for sauce:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tbs chives, chopped (reserve about 1 Tbs for garnish)
1 Tbs Rosemary
2 Tbs parsley, chopped
1 cup dates, (reserve about 4 dates for garnish)
1 cup mango(reserve about 8 pieces for garnish)
2 Tbs flour
1/2 cup marsala wine
3 cups beef broth
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions:
1.  In large bowl whisk 1 cup flour, water and egg, season with salt and pepper. (Batter should be runny (thiner than pancake batter)  Extra water might be needed
2.  Heat small (6 inch) non stick pan on medium heat.  Spray with cooking spray.  Ladle approx. 1/4 cup of batter into grease pan, tilting to stretch out batter evenly across bottom of pan, creating a thin crepe.  It will be done when edges start to come away from pan.  Flip onto wax paper.  Repeat process to make additional crepes.  Makes approx 9 crepes.
3.  In another large bowl mix together goat cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 tsp chives, 1/2 tsp rosemary and 1/2 tsp parsley.  Put aside
4.  To make sauce:  In large skillet add oil, butter, garlic, chives, rosemary, parsley and dates.  Simmer until dates are soft.  Add mango and flour, heat for 2 mins.  Deglaze pan with wine, scrapping pan to loosen any bits on bottom of pan.  Add 2 cups of broth, stir.
5.  Puree contents of skillet to blender or food processor.  Puree, then add back to skillet.
6.  Add remaining 1 cup of broth to blender, mix to help loosen sauce from blender. Add to skillet, stir.  Simmer on low heat.
7.  Spoon about 1 Tbs cheese filling in center of each crepe.  Fold on all ends creating a folded ravioli.  Place creased side down into sauce in skillet.  Simmer for few mins.  Season with salt and pepper, if needed
8.  Chop reserved mango and dates.  Garnish on top of ravioli with chives.