Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Recipes and cleaning tip

Good Morning!  I'm sorry I didn't make it in here yesterday.  Rylie and I went up to visit Papa yesterday morning and didn't get home until about 5pm.  It was a pretty long day and I didn't feel much like getting on the computer when we got home.
 
So I'm going to try to make up for it today by posting 3 recipes that sound pretty good for these long, hot summer days.  I hope you like them, I found them at the Pillsbury web site.
 
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Bread Boat with Crab Spread
Prep Time: 20 min ; Start to Finish: 1 hr 20 min
Makes:
6 servings
A fresh-baked Pillsbury® crusty French loaf holds a tasty filling in an amazing appetizer that's perfect for a crowd.

Ingredients
1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crusty French loaf
1 cup shredded Asiago cheese (4 oz)
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tablespoon white wine Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1 can (6 oz) crabmeat, well drained
1 jar (2 oz) diced pimiento, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions
1 .
  Heat oven to 350°F. Bake French loaf as directed on can. Cool 30 minutes.

2 .
  In medium microwavable bowl, mix remaining ingredients except parsley. Set aside.

3 .
  Cut 1 inch from top of loaf. Cut top into 1-inch pieces; place in serving basket. With sharp knife, cut around inside of loaf, leaving 1/2-inch-thick sides. Remove bread, leaving inside of loaf hollow. Cut removed bread into 1-inch pieces; place in serving basket.
4 .
  Microwave cream cheese mixture uncovered on Medium (50%) 3 to 4 minutes or until hot, stirring twice. Spoon hot mixture into hollowed-out loaf. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve spread with bread pieces and/or crackers.
Tip
Vary the flavor by substituting Swiss or pepper Jack cheese for the Asiago cheese.

Shrimp Salad Pita-Wiches
Prep Time: 25 min ; Start to Finish: 40 min
Makes:
5 sandwiches  
Delicate curry flavors this fruited shrimp salad served in freshly baked biscuit pockets.

Ingredients
2/3 cup sliced almonds
1 (10.2-oz.) can (5 biscuits) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits or Flaky Layers Refrigerated Original Biscuits
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (8 medium)
1 lb. cooked deveined shelled shrimp, tail shells removed, shrimp coarsely chopped
1/2 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
1 cup firm red seedless grapes, quartered
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Garnish, if desired
5 large lettuce leaves
3 cups mixed fruit

Directions
1 .
  Heat oven to 375°F. Spread almonds on ungreased cookie sheet; bake at 375°F. for 2 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet; cool.

2 .
  Separate dough into 5 biscuits. Press each into 4 1/2-inch round; place on same ungreased cookie sheet.

3 .
  Bake at 375°F. for 8 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet; place on wire rack. Cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, reserve 2 tablespoons toasted almonds and 2 tablespoons onions for garnish. In large bowl, mix remaining toasted almonds, remaining onions and all remaining sandwich ingredients.

4 .
  With knife, cut along side of each cooled biscuit about halfway around; open gently to form pocket. Spoon rounded 3/4 cup shrimp mixture into each biscuit pocket. Sprinkle reserved almonds and onions over top. Serve each sandwich on lettuce leaf with mixed fruit on the side.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Raspberries
Prep Time: 30 min ; Start to Finish: 30 min
Makes:
2 servings 
Make this restaurant-fancy salad for two in just 30 minutes.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
1 1/2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 bag (10-oz size) American blend mixed salad greens
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
2 Pillsbury® Oven Baked frozen soft white dinner rolls

Directions
1 .
  Heat gas grill or coals. In medium bowl, stir together jam, vinegar, honey and oil. Reserve one-third of the mixture for dressing. Add chicken to remaining mixture, tossing to coat. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

2 .
  When ready to grill, remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill over medium coals. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Sprinkle with pepper. To heat dinner rolls, place rolls in foil on grill during last 6 to 7 minutes of cooking time.

3 .
  In large bowl, toss salad greens and reserved dressing. Divide between 2 serving plates. Slice each chicken breast crosswise into slices; do not separate slices. Fan chicken slices; arrange 1 breast on salad greens on each plate. Garnish with raspberries. Serve with dinner rolls.
 
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Microwave Odors: Keep a cup of baking soda in the microwave between uses to keep potatoes from smelling like bacon or other unusual combinations!
 
We had an excellent weekend.  Samantha's kareoke birthday party was a lot of fun.  Grandma stayed here until we closed down at almost 2:30 in the morning.  I think, and hope, she had a lot of fun.  It was probably good for her to get away for a wee bit and forget all her troubles and just have some fun. 
 
The chocolate fountain went over real well.  Especially with Rylie.  Apparently she loves her chocolate as much as her Aunt Cathy.  LOL  I was standing in the kitchen, about 40 minutes before people were going to start arriving, fixing the pasta salad.  Unfortunately my back was to the fountain machine, which I had running.  When I turned around there stood Rylie with a bowl, some pretzels and chocolate covering her hands completely and some how all over her legs.
 
OMG!  I grabbed her and ran her into the bathroom to start cleaning her up.  But when I picked her up, as I was yelling, she reached up and grabbed my head.  Yep!  People will be showing up within 40 minutes and I now had chocolate covered hair.  UGH!  Clean the chocolate dipped kid up quick and throw some clean clothes on her....run and call Aunt Cathy...I tell her the story and ask her "Can you please come and pick up your niece so I can take a shower?"....when she gets done laughing her butt off she tells me she will be right over....BTW, Ray and Sammi were at the store picking up last minute beverages.  Cathy comes and gets Rylie, I go back in and start cleaning the chocolate that Rylie had splattered here and there, and the trail leading to my bathroom.
 
Ray and Sam get home and I run to take a quick shower as there is now about 20 minutes until people get here.  Whew!  Get out, run a comb through my hair, put on a bit of mascara and bronzer, throw onsome clothes that aren't covered in chocolate and I'm ready.
 
Other than the bumpy start to the evening, it was a lot of fun.  I hope we can do something similar again soon.  Well, not too soon.  LOL  But sometime within the next month or two.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Bumpy start?  I'll say!!  LOL.  I'm glad everything turned out okay!  Sounds like everyone had a delicious fun time!