CHEESY BASIL STUFFED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES

Filed Under Main Dishes
Ingredients
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil, divided
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced and divided
Salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons of the minced basil, cream, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cut a pocket in chicken breasts (don't cut all the way through) and stuff with cheese mixture.  Use a toothpick to help close the slit, if necessary. Transfer the stuffed breasts to 19x13 inch baking dish and spread tops evenly with mayonnaise. 

In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, remaining garlic, remaining fresh basil, and one tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle crumb mixture over chicken, pressing lightly to adhere.  Toss tomatoes with remaining tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange the tomatoes in the baking dish in and around the chicken. Bake until the crumbs are golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Let's Dish
There's nothing I love more than a fancy looking dish that's easy to make and incredibly delicious.  And these cheesy stuffed chicken breasts are just that.  The chicken is fabulous, but the tomatoes are my favorite part!  Which was just fine with all of my kids, who gladly shared theirs with me.  You can also use fresh basil in this recipe (you'll need about 1/4 cup), but I don't care for the look of fresh basil when it's been cooked--although it does taste delicious.  As a compromise, I sometimes sprinkle some freshly chopped basil over the dish just before serving.  This is a dish I'll make again and again.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

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QUICK OATMEAL RAISIN SPICE COOKIES

Filed under Desserts
Ingredients
1 (18.25 oz.) package spice cake mix
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup raisins
2 cups quick cooking oats

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Spray cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine half of the cake mix, brown sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and raisins.  Mix with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the remaining cake mix and the oats until well combined.  Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart.  Flatten slightly.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until set at the edges and lightly browned.  Cool for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Let's Dish
Sometimes you want cookies in a hurry, so why not start with a cake mix?  No one will ever guess.  This recipe will make about 2 dozen big, soft cookies.  You could always make them smaller and have even more!  We also like butterscotch or cinnamon chips in place of the raisins, and sometimes we use raising and chips.  These are good anytime of the year, but I especially like to make them when fall weather arrives.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from The Shortcut Cookie Book by Camilla Saulsbury.

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BLACK BEAN SOUP

Filed under Soups
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalepeno, seeded and finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
4 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, jalepeno and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the chili poweder and cayenne.  Add the beans and broth and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Remove 3 cups of the soup and puree in a blender, then return to the pot (or alternatively, use a hand blender directly in the pot).  Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Let's Dish
I'm of the opinion that black bean soup is ugly, but delicious.  Really delicious.  This version is full of flavor with a spicy kick, but you can always cut back on the jalapeno and omit the cayenne for a milder version.  I absolutely love this soup and often make up a batch for lunch.  Once I've enjoyed a big bowl full, I freeze the rest in individual serving sized containers for another day. 

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

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JUMBO SAUSAGE RAVIOLI WITH CREAMY MARINARA SAUCE

Filed under Main Dishes
Ingredients
24 Barilla oven ready lasagna noodles (about 2 boxes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
1 egg, beaten
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups marinara sauce (jarred or homemade)
1 1/2 cups half and half

Directions
Fill a large glass baking dish with hot water and a few drops of olive oil.  Lay lasagna noodles in hot water and set aside; check noodles occasionally and separate to prevent sticking (I put in a few extra in case any tear).  Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Saute garlic and fennel seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Remove sausage from casings and crumble into pan.  Cook sausage until no longer pink, breaking up as finely as possible during cooking; drain.  In a medium bowl, combine beaten egg, ricotta, 1 cup shredded Italian cheese, sour cream, bread crumbs, basil, and oregano.  Stir in cooked sausage.  Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  To make the sauce, combine the marinara sauce with the half and half in a medium bowl.  Mix well.  Grease two 9x13 glass baking dishes and cover the bottom of each dish with a thin layer of sauce.

After about 20 minutes, remove the lasagna noodles from water and layer them between paper towels.  Working with 2 noodles at a time, place one noodle on top of the other to form a plus sign (it should look like the intersection of two roads).  Place about 2 tablespoons of the sausage mixture in the center of the noodles.  Grab the edges of the bottom noodle and fold them into the center, over the filling, so they overlap slightly, pressing the filling down slightly as you do so.  Fold in the edges of the remaining noodle to form a square pouch.  Place the ravioli seem side down into the prepared baking dishes (6 ravioli per dish). When all of the ravioli are completed, cover them with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese.

Cover with foil and bake in the preheated over for about 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more or until cheese is browned and sauce is bubbly.

Let's Dish
I'm so excited about this recipe, I'm posting it the very night I made it!  Everyone in my family cleaned their plates.  My friend Elaine shared this idea with me and I couldn't wait to try it.   You could do this with any kind of ravioli filling and sauce, but this sausage version was amazing!  The secret ingredient is the fennel seed--don't leave it out.  Don't be scared by the long list of ingredients and the lengthy instructions.  Once you get the idea, these are really quite simple, yet very impressive looking.  I do recommend using the Barilla brand of oven ready noodles because they are perfectly flat, with no ridges or fancy edges.  I'm already dreaming about all the other versions of giant ravioli I could make using this technique.

Who Dished It Up First
This is an original recipe, inspired by my good friend Elaine.  She's a genius!

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TACO SALAD DIPPERS

Filed under Main Dishes
Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups water
1 cup white rice
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Tortilla chips and your favorite taco toppings (shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, avocado, etc.)

Directions
In a large pot, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain any accumulated grease. Add the water, rice, seasonings, tomato sauce, tomato paste and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, watching to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.  The mixture will seem very watery at first, but after simmering, but will thicken as it simmers.  Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping and other taco garnishes.

Let's Dish
We love tacos around here, but sometimes they can get a little boring.  This is a fun way to serve them, and it's especially popular with kids.  The Tostito's Scoops tortilla chips are perfect for this dish.  The recipe does make a lot of taco filling, so you might want to cut it in half.  I usually make the full batch, because it freezes well, and their are endless possibilities for the leftovers--our favorite is burritos.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

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MEYER LEMON BARS

Filed under Desserts
Ingredients
For the crust:
3/4 lb. unsalted butter (3 sticks), room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
6 eggs, room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions
Butter a 9 x 13  baking pan, then line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper. This is optional but will make removing the bars from the pan much easier. Make the crust by creaming the butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Stir in the flour.  Using your hands, press the dough  into the bottom of prepared pan.  Chill the pan while the oven preheats to 350° F.  Bake the crust for 15 until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour.  Pour the lemon mixture over the crust and bake for about 35 minutes, until filling is set.  Let cool to room temperature. Cut into squares and dust with confectioners' sugar. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Let's Dish
I've tried a lot of lemon bars, but I love these because the have such a thick layer of lemon filling.  And although they're called Meyer Lemon Bars, any kind of lemon will do.  You can even mix lemon and lime together for a slightly different twist.  I highly recommend using the parchment paper trick.  It does make cutting the bars much easier.  I have been known to overcook mine on occasion, which makes the edges a little tough and chewy.  If this happens to you, don't despair.  Just cut the edge off.  Problem solved! My family loves these and always goes back for seconds.

Who Dished It Up First
Monica over at Lick the Bowl Good.

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LABOR DAY ROUND-UP

Labor Day is the last chance for many of us to throw (or attend) a backyard barbecue bash, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite sides, salads and desserts to go along with all those burgers and dogs. 

Favorite Potato Salad

BYU Mint Brownies

Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob


S'mores Bars

Greek Pasta Salad

Cheddar Jalepeno Cornbread

Happy last (unofficial) day of summer!