Kiy's Recipe Box

I still can't believe I made this. However, I am not surprised the family devoured it!

• Caramel Monkey Bread

• You won't believe how five simple ingredients can combine to make a heavenly breakfast pull-apart!

• Prep Time: 25 Min
• Total Time: 1 Hr 30 Min
• Makes: 12 servings
• 
  

• Ingredients:

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 cans (7.5 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated biscuits
• ½ cup butter or margarine, melted
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 
  

• Directions:

• * 1: Grease or spray 12-cup Bundt® cake pan.
• * 2: Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in 1-gallon bag. Separate dough into 10 biscuits; cut each in quarters. Shake quarters in bag to coat; place in pan. Mix butter and brown sugar; pour over biscuit pieces.
• * 3: Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Turn upside down; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

Pasta with Creamy Pancetta-and-Pea Sauce
Thanks to Lythrum for this recipe!


1/4 c. chopped pancetta or bacon
1 tsp. olive oil
1 c. diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 c. 1% low fat milk
1/4 c. (2 oz) 1/3 less fat cream cheese
2 1/2 c. frozen green peas, thawed (Note from Lythrum: I use baby ones)
1 1/4 c. (5 oz) grated fresh Parmesan
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
5 c. hot cooked pasta (I like farfalle for this)

Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pancetta; cook 1 minute or until browned. Place pancetta in a large bowl. Heat oil in pan. Add onion and garlic; sauté 7 minutes. Add onion mixture to pancetta. Place flour in pan, gradually add milk; stir with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 5 minutes); stir constantly. Add cream cheese; stir until cheese melts. Stir in peas, 1 c. Parmesan, basil, salt and pepper. Add cheese sauce and pasta to pancetta mixture; toss well. Sprinkle with 1/4 c. Parmesan.


Note from Lythrum: I have found that about 1/2 c. of thinly sliced, chopped ham is outstanding with this. I saute the onion and ham in the bacon drippings, then add in the peas (because I always forget to thaw them) and cover the pan for a few minutes to let the peas cook. I add the flour to the pea-onion mixture and stir it, then add the milk. This gives you less chance for flour lumps to show up. I make the cheese sauce in with everything else, because it works fine and makes for easier clean-up.

Had this for dinner tonight, it's pretty quick, and really good. It's from Cooking Light, so it's healthy as-is. If you use my ham suggestion at the end, it will add to the fat content a bit, but I think it's worth it.

Oven Poached Eggs

2 Jumbo eggs per person
1 tablespoon butter per person
2 slices bacon per person
grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook bacon until crisp.
• Melt butter and coat entire inside of ramekin or muffin tin.
• Break 1 egg (try not to break the yolk) in each ramekin or muffin slot.
• salt and pepper.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until just set.
• Top each egg with a slice of crumbled bacon and then grated cheddar cheese.
• Bake another 3 minutes.
• Serve with chilled juice and toast.
  

I use oven safe ramekins at home, but when we're camping I use a cupcake tin.

Chicken Pockets
(Kiy Note: I have no idea how long I've had this recipe, nor where I found it. I came across it in my recipe stash while looking for something fun and different to do with leftover chicken. Keeping my fingers crossed!)

Ingredients:
3 oz cream cheese (I use fat free)
3 T melted butter
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/8 tsp salt and pepper
1 T chives or green onions
1 pkg crescent rolls (I use reduced fat)
½ c. Italian breadcrumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Blend cream cheese plus 2 T butter until smooth; add the chicken, salt, pepper, and chives; mix. Separate crescent rolls into triangles. Spoon meat mixture into center of each triangle. Pull corners together and twist slightly and seal edges. Brush tops with reserved butter and roll in Italian breadcrumbs. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown.

These can be made in advance and frozen; thaw for 1 hour before baking or cook at lower temp for 30-35 min.

Quick Quiche

(Kiy Note: Made this on 11/20/2008, quicker, easier and tastier than my previously posted recipe. I will be using this one from now on!)

PREP TIME: 15 Min
COOK TIME: 35 Min (Kiy Note: Mine took closer to 50 minutes and probably could have used another 5-7)

Ingredients:
8 slices bacon
4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted (Kiy Note: I did not use)
4 eggs, beaten
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup all-purpose flour (suggested: ½ cup pancake mix - Kiy Note: I used Reduced-Fat Bisquick)
1½ cups milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.

3. Line bottom of pie plate with cheese and crumbled bacon. Combine eggs, butter, onion, salt, flour and milk; whisk together until smooth; pour into pie pan.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, until set. Serve hot or cold.

Jerk-Grilled Corn on the Cob

Ingredients:
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Kiy Note: Moment of truth ... I just buy jerk seasoning at the grocery store!

4 ears corn with husks (Kiy Note: We just husk ‘em completely)

2 teaspoons butter or stick margarine, melted
(Kiy Note: I use Pam)

Preparation:

1. Prepare grill.
2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Pull husks back from corn, and scrub silks. Brush butter over corn; sprinkle with spice mixture. Place corn on grill rack; grill 12 minutes or until done, turning occasionally.

~ OR, our method ~

1. Prepare grill.
2. Husk corn, scrub silks.
3. Spray each cob with cooking spray, shake desired amount of jerk seasoning on each cob.
4. Place corn on grill, grill about 12-15 minutes depending on how done you like your corn. Turn occasionally.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 ear of corn)

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 102(26% from fat); FAT 3g (sat 1.4g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 2.5g; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 13mg; SODIUM 326mg; FIBER 3g; IRON 0.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.7g

Cooking Light, JULY 2000

Tuna Melt on English Muffins
Cooking Light, Superfast Suppers, December 2001

½ cup drained canned artichoke hearts, finely chopped
¼ cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (6-ounce) can albacore tuna in water, lightly drained and flaked
2 English muffins, split and toasted
6 tablespoons (1½oz) grated provolone or sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine first seven ingredients and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl. Divide evenly among muffin halves; sprinkle with cheese. Place on a baking sheet; broil 4 minutes or until golden. Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 2 muffin halves).

Calories 374 (26% from fat); Fat 10.8g (sat 4.7g, mono 4.3g, poly 1.3g); Protein 27.6g; Carb 41.8g; Fiber 0.5g; Chol 38mg; Iron 3.3mg; Sodium 845mg; Calc 303mg.

Kiy Notes: This recipe is so old I was not able to find it on-line, but here is one link I found. I had to scan the magazine page I had ripped out for the photo! This is really good, with a surprising twist ... we love the artichokes in these!

*Thanksgiving 2007*

I made this last year. It was such a hit, it has now become the standard in our house. Note, however, Jeff loves tart and this is pretty darned tart ... and I still halved the called for sugar. (Also, I use Splenda instead of sugar and he couldn't tell at all.)

Cranberry-Orange Sauce
Rachael Ray

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
8 Servings

Ingredients:
Zest and juice of 1 orange
½ cup sugar, plus more if desired
Pinch salt
One 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water with the orange zest, orange juice, sugar and salt over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 7 minutes. Sweeten with more sugar, if desired. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving.

Asian Noodles

This is a recipe that I have used to great success. Easy and quick, a sure hit. It is a recipe that is a mix of about four different recipes that I have tweaked here and there over the years. Enjoy!

1 pk Phad Thai Noodles (13.2 oz)

1 can chicken broth/stock (I use low-sodium)
4 tbsp rice vinegar
4 tbsp soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
2 tbsp peanut butter (I use natural, chunky but probably any would do just fine)
4 tsp sugar (I tend to use Splenda, if I have it on hand)
2 tsp minced ginger (I use the kind in the jar, usually found in the produce section) * depending on how much ginger-kick you like, add more ginger (I tend to add another teaspoon)

1 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tbsp vegetable oil (I use canola)
1-2 tsp minced garlic (I use the kind in the jar)

Soak the noodles in a nice deep, wide bowl or pan in warm water for about 30-45 minutes (these directions are on the package, just follow those).

While the noodles are soaking, mix the next set of ingredients (chicken stock through ginger) in a medium size bowl. (Suggestion, spray your measuring spoon with cooking spray before scooping the peanut butter.) Use a whisk to mix this thoroughly.

Drain noodles well. Using either a wok or a wide non-stick pan, heat the two oils over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté about 45 seconds (try not to brown or burn, may need to lower your heat). Add the peanut butter mixture to the pan, cook while stirring constantly until hot and a bit thickened. Add noodles, tossing gently to coat. Cook until most of the sauce is absorbed into the noodles and the noodles are soft.

Optional: Toss in a small handful of cooked shrimp. Also, garnish with some chopped nuts, makes ALL the difference in this recipe!

Jeff thinks this needs a bit of oomph, so he adds a dash or two of red pepper flakes.