(120) Pretzel Turtles

These are absolutely the cutest things ever! And they are SO GOOD. One of my favorite candy bars is "Take Five" and this is very much like that (minus the peanut butter part). YUM. So easy, so good. Did I mention they are good?! :)

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Pretzel Turtles

Yield: 20 pieces

20 mini pretzel twists
20 chocolate covered caramels (aka: Rolos)
20 pecan halves

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2) Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one chocolate covered caramel candy on each pretzel.
3) Bake for 4 minutes. While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Nutritional Information per piece:
Calories 78, Fat 1.9g, Sodium 263mg, Carbs 14.1g, Fiber .6g, Protein 1.6g

(119) Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints

This was another win from the December Cooking Light! These are little bites of chocolaty goodness!! Can't go wrong with chocolate, nuts, and Nutella

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Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints

With a double shot of chocolate and hazelnut flavors, kids and adults will rave over these filled cookies. The espresso powder is optional, but it intensifies the chocolate flavor.


Yield: 28 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, December 2009

4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon instant espresso (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/3 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso, if desired. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.

3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 104 ; FAT 6.5g (sat 2.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.4g); CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 11mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.9g; SODIUM 46mg; PROTEIN 1.6g; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 0.6mg

(118) Chocolate Baklava

We forgot to cut it before we baked, but it still came out of the pan just fine! What a neat twist on baklava! The Nutella in the middle is AMAZING. Delish!

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Chocolate Baklava

Layered phyllo dough and Nutella—the creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread—form the base of this nutty pastry dish that's sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 piece)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, December 2009

3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup blanched toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
24 (14 x 9–inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat; stir until honey dissolves. Increase heat to medium; cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 230° (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; keep warm. Discard cinnamon stick.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. Place hazelnut-chocolate spread in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted. Combine hazelnuts and next 5 ingredients (through salt). Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), place 1 phyllo sheet lengthwise in bottom of prepared pan, allowing ends of sheet to extend over edges of dish; lightly brush with butter. Repeat procedure with 5 phyllo sheets and butter. Drizzle about 1/3 cup melted hazelnut -chocolate spread over phyllo. Sprinkle evenly with one-third of nut mixture (about 1/2 cup). Repeat procedure twice with phyllo, butter, hazelnut-chocolate spread, and nut mixture. Top last layer of nut mixture with remaining 6 sheets phyllo, each lightly brushed with butter. Press gently into pan.

4. Make 3 lengthwise cuts and 5 crosswise cuts to form 24 portions using a sharp knife. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until phyllo is golden. Remove from oven. Drizzle honey mixture over baklava. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover; store at room temperature.

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 238 ; FAT 13.4g (sat 4.3g,mono 5.6g,poly 2g); CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.8g; SODIUM 148mg; PROTEIN 4g; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 1.3mg

(117) Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Last Christmas my neighbor (Tonya) made these cookies for the cookie swap. I couldn't stay away!! I had to make them this year. This recipe below includes the recipe for a cream cheese frosting. Tonya just used regular white frosting from a can. We made both ways this year and I have to say, I'm a fan of the white frosting, but you have your choice! Enjoy!

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Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Source: My neighbor Tonya

2 packages (18 1/4 oz each) devil's food cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil

1-8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup softened butter
3-4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
food coloring, optional

1) In a mixing bowl, beat cake mixes, eggs, and oil (batter should be stiff). Roll into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheets and flatten slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

2) In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter. Add sugar and vanilla; mix until smooth. if desired, tint with food coloring.

3) Spread icing on bottom half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

(88) Tequila Lime Tart

Tequila Lime Tart

This almost tasted like a key lime cheesecake. Delicious texture, flavor, and appearance! The crust was so good!

Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)
Yield: 8 servings

For the crust:

10 ounces vanilla wafers
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup butter, melted

For the filling:

2 egg whites
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup tequila
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
4 egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Fresh whipped cream, for serving

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Add wafers and pine nuts to food processor, pulse until well ground up. Pour into bowl and add melted butter. Mix by hand, with a wooden spoon, and press into 10-inch tart pan. (reserve 4 tablespoons of crumbs to sprinkle on top when done baking.)

Place tart pan in the oven and bake for 8 minutes.

For the filling:

In a mixing bowl add egg whites and sugar, beat until there are soft peaks.

In another mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fold in the egg whites. Pour into tart shell and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Let cool before cutting and serve with fresh whipped cream.

(87) Sweet Potato Fries with Malt Vinegar

Sweet Potato Fries with Malt Vinegar

Our cooking club member Kevin was in charge of cutting fries. He looked like he might pass out, he cut so many sweet potatoes. All we could think was WOW that's a lot of fries. Um, no. We ate every last one of them!!! These were great! Thanks for all the chopping, Kevin :)

Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)
Yield: 4-6 servings

4 cups peeled and julienned sweet potatoes
3 cups vegetable oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1 teaspoon granulated onion powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons malt vinegar

Add the julienned potatoes to a bowl filled with ice water while you heat the oil.

Preheat the oil in a cast iron skillet or fryer to 325 degrees F. In a small bowl, add all the spices and combine well.

Remove the potatoes from the ice water and pat dry with paper towels. Fry the potatoes, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes to cook the inside. Remove the potatoes from the oil to a bowl and bring the oil up to 350 degrees F. Add the potatoes and fry again, in batches, this time to cook the outside until golden brown. (They will not achieve the texture of a French fry, but will have a nice color and be slightly crispy).

Remove the potatoes from the oil to a paper towel lined plate. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle generously with the spice mix and sprinkle with malt vinegar. Serve immediately.

(86) Red Rocker Margarita Chicken

Red Rocker Margarita Chicken

These sandwiches were SO FREAKING GOOD (yes, I am yelling!). Wow. There were 2 changes/adjustments that we made. First, I used jarred roasted red peppers instead of roasting my own. When you fry these things up, oh heaven. Get a bib. You will be drooling (they're that good!). Secondly, we used bagged cole slaw mix vs. cutting our own cabbage. I highly recommend these sandwiches! They were so moist and flavorful!

Yield: 4 sandwiches
Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)

2 jalapenos, thinly sliced rounds
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
4 tablespoons tequila (recommended: Cabo Wabo Reposado)
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 limes, juiced
2 teaspoons salt, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 red bell peppers, roasted, skinned, seeded, julienne
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 cups canola oil
4 Kaiser rolls
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
4 ounces provolone cheese, sliced

In a medium mixing bowl add jalapenos, cilantro, tequila, garlic, red chili flakes, cumin, oregano, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken breasts and red bell peppers to resealable gallon bag and pour in marinade. Let marinate in refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours.

Heat grill to high. Remove chicken from marinade, and add chicken to the grill.

In a small mixing bowl add flour, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the granulated garlic.

Heat the canola oil to 350 degrees F.

Remove bell peppers from marinade and dredge in flour and fry until crispy. When done drain on paper towels.

Cook chicken thoroughly on both sides, remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes Remove chicken from the bone and thinly slice or shred.

Lightly toast rolls. Spread mayonnaise evenly among the rolls and then stack evenly with the cabbage, onion, chicken breast, fried peppers, and top with cheese.

(85) Italian Stuffed Jalapenos

Ok, let's talk about this recipe. I have a few suggestions if you try to make this!
1) PLEASE wear rubber gloves when you cut the jalapenos. We had our first ever cooking club catastrophe. Poor Dee, I don't think her fingertips will ever be the same.

2) Cook the peppers long enough. They should look kind of soft when they come out of the oven. If they're not, they'll be hotter than fire. Ours didn't cook long enough and although we LOVE hot, we couldn't eat them. Sad :(

3) The filling for this is AWESOME!!! We doubled the recipe, so it made way too much filling. We had leftovers today on a toasted bun, open face, with cheese melted on top. HEAVEN!

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Italian Stuffed Jalapenos

Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)
Yield: 4-6 servings

15 jalapenos, preferably red, cut in 1/2, seeded and deveined
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 pounds mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups mascarpone or cream cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and set a rack in the middle of the oven.

Place jalapenos on a sheet tray and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Turn broiler on medium.

Heat the oil in a medium saute pan. Add the sausage and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic and cook to soften for about 5 minutes. Remove and place in a large bowl. Cool to room temperature, then add mascarpone, and Parmesan. Mix ingredients thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.

Place approximately 1 tablespoon of mixture into each jalapeno half, and top with 1/2 teaspoon of mozzarella cheese.

Place the sheet tray of stuffed peppers in oven and broil until mozzarella cheese melts.

(84) Garlic Aioli

Garlic Aioli

This goes with the Beer-Battered Asparagus recipe, but honestly this has so many uses. It would be great over some grilled fish or as a dip for vegetables.

Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)
Yield: 1 cup

1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 lemon, zested
4 tablespoons finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt

In a food processor, combine all ingredients well. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

(83) Beer-battered Asparagus with Garlic Aioli

Beer-battered Asparagus with Garlic Aioli

Let me tell you something - these were GREAT!!! The aioli was off the hook good (to quote Guy). We ended up putting it on our chicken sandwiches with dinner. YUM! I had a small dish to soak the asparagus in, so I used more like 4 cups of buttermilk. I think you should just adjust it to what you need. Make sure the asparagus is covered completely while soaking.

Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)
Yield: 12 servings (but this depends on your asparagus size)

1 bunch medium asparagus, ends trimmed
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, separated
3/4 cup beer, lager or pale ale
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups peanut oil
Sea salt
Garlic Aioli, recipe follows

In shallow pan, soak asparagus in buttermilk 12 to 24 hours. Remove from buttermilk, but do not rinse.

In a large bowl, combine well the egg yolks, beer, flour, cornmeal, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. In large deep sided pot, heat oil to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a large clean bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold beaten egg whites into batter mixture. Dip spears, 1 at a time into batter, then carefully lay in oil. Do not overcrowd pan. Fry in batches, if necessary. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning the spears with tongs to ensure even cooking. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with sea salt, to taste. Serve immediately with Aioli.

(82) Red Apple Hooch Bowla

Red Apple Hooch Bowla

This is the perfect fall drink! The cinnamon, apple, and cranberry flavors work great together and the whiskey taste is not strong at all - but gives it a nice grownup kick! The simple syrup is easy to make and makes your house smell wonderful at the same time! Please try this recipe!

Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)
Serves: 4-6 drinks

Ice
5 ounces whiskey, premium quality
2 red apples, cored and sliced, plus more for garnish
4 ounces Cinnamon Simple Syrup, recipe follows
2 ounces apple schnapps
1 1/2 cups cranberry juice
Splash sweet and sour mix
Cinnamon sticks, for garnish

Fill a large pitcher or bowl with ice. Add whiskey, apples, cinnamon syrup and apple schnapps. Pour in cranberry juice and splash of sweet and sour mix.

Pout into glasses and garnish with cinnamon sticks and red apple slices.

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Cinnamon Simple Syrup:

2 cups water
4 cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 cups sugar

In a small sauce pot add water and cinnamon and bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, and strain out cinnamon sticks. Bring water back to a boil, add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

(82) Ginger Margaritas

Ginger Margaritas

I made a triple batch of this simple syrup. The peeling of the ginger is a little tedious, but worth it! These are delish! I added a little more tequila and a little more lime juice than recommended. The ginger flavor was a little strong otherwise. Such a great twist on the normal margarita!!

Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)
Yield: 1 drink (but the syrup you make will make more than 1 drink!)

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 large hand ginger, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch coins/chunks
Bar sugar
Freshly grated nutmeg
2 ounces good quality tequila or reposado (recommended: Cabo Wabo)
1 lime, juiced, plus lime wedges for garnish

Bring sugar and water up to a light simmer and cook until all of the sugar is dissolved. Add ginger and steep for 30 minutes. Pour ginger-simple syrup into blender and puree. Strain out pulp and store in a tightly sealed jar or bottle. Will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Pour some bar sugar onto small plate and grate a pinch of nutmeg on top, mix well.

Add tequila, lime juice, 5 ounces ginger-simple syrup and ice to cocktail shaker and give it a good shake. Run lime wedge around rim of glass and dip in sugar/nutmeg mixture, add ice and pour in contents of shaker, grate a little nutmeg on top and serve with a wedge of lime.

Cooking Club Menu

I'm a member of a cooking club. I can't even tell you how many years we've been cooking together? 4 maybe? Time is flying and I've lost track. We rotate months between the houses. The hostess picks the menu and buys the groceries. Everyone pays their part (it seems to have settled right on $20/pp which is a steal for a huge meal + lots of booze!). Tonight we are hosting.

I struggled with the menu. I really wanted to do Sardinian food after seeing the latest episode of No Reservations (I LOVE THAT SHOW. Anthony Bourdain is awesome!), but I just couldn't seem to get it together. So rather than a cuisine as a theme, I went with a chef. I enjoy watching Guy on the Food Network, so we are having BIG BITE NIGHT (I think it deserves to be in all caps, don't you?!). I can't wait!

Drinks:
- Ginger Margaritas
- Red Apple Hooch Bowla (this is a whiskey/cranberry/fallish drink - sounds good!)
- Beer, beer, beer

Appetizers:
- Italian Stuffed Jalapenos
- Beer-Battered Asparagus with Garlic Aioli

Dinner:
- Red Rocker Margarita Chicken (sandwiches)
- Sweet Potato Fries with Malt Vinegar
- some kind of fruit (whatever looks good when I shop!)

Dessert:
- Tequila Lime Tart

So now I ask you - if you cook with others, how do you put your menus together? Do you have any fun suggestions for me for the future? Any questions for me about how we do it? I really encourage everyone to get together to cook! We've had so much fun and learned so much over the last few years!

(49) Nutter Butter®-Banana Pudding Trifle

We made this as part of our cooking club menu last week. I must admit, I'm really not a huge fan of bananas, but it got DEVOURED! I love the idea of using Nutter Butters in place of nilla wafers! YUM!

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Nutter Butter®-Banana Pudding Trifle

Prep: 35 min., Cook: 20 min., Stand: 30 min., Chill: 2 hr. 
This homemade pudding is divine, economical, and uses on-hand ingredients. The pudding has thickened enough when a distinct trail is left in the mixture when you stir with a spoon. The cookies will soften the longer the dessert chills.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Source: Southern Living, February 2009

3 cups milk
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 medium-size ripe bananas
1 (1-lb.) package peanut butter sandwich cookies
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
Garnishes: peanut butter sandwich cookies, dried banana chips, fresh mint sprigs

1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.

2. Fill a large bowl with ice. Place saucepan in ice, and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly chilled.

3. Meanwhile, cut bananas into 1/4-inch slices. Break cookies into thirds.

4. Spoon half of pudding mixture into a 3-qt. bowl or pitcher. Top with bananas and cookies. Spoon remaining pudding mixture over bananas and cookies. Top with sweetened whipped cream. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Garnish, if desired.

Shortcut Nutter Butter®-Banana Pudding Trifle: Omit eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. Substitute thawed extra creamy whipped topping for sweetened whipped cream. Reduce vanilla to 1 tsp. Place 3 cups milk and vanilla in large bowl; add 2 (3.4-oz.) packages vanilla instant pudding mix. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until thickened; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream. Proceed with recipe as directed in Steps 2 through 4.

(21) Basque Cake with Cherry Preserves

I am the suckiest baker EVER. Really, it's the truth. But at our cooking club I somehow got the job of the cake. And guess what? I didn't screw it up! So that means this recipe is easy! Even more exciting than the fact that I made it is that it is a really flavorful cake! It was light, but delicious. I will definitely be making this one again!! Oh and I used 1/2 cup of preserves because I wanted more coverage in the middle! Definitely use more than 1/3 cup!

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Basque Cake with Cherry Preserves

Source: Food Network
Yield: 10 servings

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/3 cup sour cherry preserves
1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1) Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch cake pan or spring-form pan. In a mixer with a whip attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

2) Sift the cake flour, salt, and baking powder together and use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into this butter mixture until a soft dough forms and no white streaks of flour remain. Spread half the batter evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Stir the almond extract into the cherry preserves. Spoon the cherry preserves over the batter, spreading it within 2 inches of the border.

3) Drop the remaining batter by large spoonfuls or pipe it with a plain tip over the preserves. Spread the batter carefully over the jam to the edge of the pan. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, if using.

4) Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a bamboo skewer inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Unmold the cake and dust with confectioners' sugar.

(20) Mocha Coffee Basque

This was like hopped up hot chocolate. VERY rich but VERY delicious!!

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Mocha Coffee Basque

1 ounce chocolate (one square)
4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups brewed coffee
1 cup evaporated milk
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
salt (just a few grains)
vanilla extract, to taste (you'll only need a few drops)

1. Melt chocolate over hot water.
2. Add condensed milk.
3. Add coffee slowly, stirring constantly.
4. Add evaporated milk, salt and cinnamon; heat almost to the boiling point, whisking all the time.
5. Add vanilla and serve while hot.

(19) Basque Vegetable Rice

This rice was a real treat. Sligthly spicy, very creamy, chock full of good stuff! It was like risotto or even jambalaya. Worth repeating!

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Basque Vegetable Rice

Serves: 6
Source: Recipezaar

This is a versatile rice. You can add all sorts of vegetables or spicy Italian sausage for a heartier dish. Use Arborio rice for a creamier dish or short-grain paella rice, such as Valencia rice.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small dried red chili pepper, broken (can substitute crushed red pepper flakes)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon paprika, preferably Spanish
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups short-grain white rice, Valencia or arborio rice
3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
2 tablespoons parsley, fresh minced for garnish

1. Heat oil in 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.

2. Add chile pepper, onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until onion is soft but not browned, about 6 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

4. Add rice; stir to coat well with the tomato mixture.

5. Add broth; bring to boil.

6. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, 25-30 minutes.

7. Serve hot directly from pan; garnish with parsley.

(18) Basque Chicken with Sweet Peppers and Tomatoes

We all loved this! Easy and very flavorful (the veggies and sauce were AWESOME and the chicken was really tender).

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Basque Chicken with Sweet Peppers and Tomatoes

Yield: 4 servings
Source: Food and Wine Magazine, January 2007

Camdeborde is from the Béarn, the southwestern French region bordering Basque Country, and he grew up eating Basque dishes like this chicken simmered with tomatoes, onions and peppers. Camde­borde updates the recipe, using cherry tomatoes instead of big ones and red onions instead of yellow. He also shortens the usual cooking time so the vegetables keep more of their texture and flavor, plus he sometimes adds potatoes to the dish.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 jarred piquillo peppers, drained
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
2 ounces serrano ham or prosciutto, sliced 1/16 inch thick and cut into thin strips

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large, deep ovenproof skillet, heat the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderately high heat until richly browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a large plate, skin side up.

2. Add the onion, red and green bell peppers and garlic to the skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, piquillo peppers and thyme; once the tomatoes are hot, pour in the wine and simmer over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Stir in the water and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Cover tightly and braise in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Transfer the chicken to a large, shallow serving dish. With a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables in the skillet to the baking dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Boil the cooking juices over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the serrano ham and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Pour the juices over the chicken and vegetables and serve.

(17) Basque Salad

I don't think I realized this didn't have lettuce in it until we started making it! HA! (yes, I'm blonde!) Anyway, I wasn't sure what it would be like, but it was REALLY tasty. It was a great, cool compliment to our main meal. There were 8 of us and we had leftovers - big salad!

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Basque Salad

Yield: 6 (big!) servings
Source: Allrecipes.com

"Inspired by a salad served at a Basque restaurant in Bakersfield, this sensational summer salad features fresh tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and colorful bell peppers. The dressing combines olive oil, red wine vinegar, with oregano, basil, and marjoram."

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 medium fresh tomatoes - cored, quartered,
and sliced as thin as possible
1 large cucumber - peeled, seeded, and thinly
sliced
1 Spanish onion - peeled, cut in half, and
thinly sliced

Dressing:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
chopped fresh parsley

1) In a large bowl, toss together the green, red, and yellow peppers with the tomatoes, cucumber, and onion.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Whisk in oregano, basil, and marjoram. Continue whisking until ingredients are well blended and the oil and vinegar are emulsified.

3) Pour dressing over vegetables, and toss gently with a wooden spoon. Cover, and marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, stirring frequently. Refrigerate until 1 hour before serving; then remove from the refrigerator, and let sit at room temperature. Garnish with chopped parsley.

(16) The Columbia's Red Sangria

We love going to the Columbia Restaurant. It's really close to where we live, but for whatever reason, we only go when we have company. They make the most INCREDIBLE sangria. I love the white (check out the recipe here) but tonight called for red! I like my sangria a little sweeter, so I added some Sprite to help out with the sweetness factor!

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The Columbia's Red Sangria

Serves: 4

1 bottle Spanish red wine
1/4 cup Spanish brandy
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup club soda
1 sliced lemon
1 sliced orange
2-3 whole cherries

Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher. Stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Pour into large wine glasses. Garnish with orange slices and cherries. Add ice to pitcher.