dinner diva background

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Ham-and-Swiss Stuffed Burgers




1 lb. ground round
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
2 (1-oz.) Swiss cheese slices
2 oz. thinly sliced deli ham

8 (1 oz.) slices sourdough bread
Toppings: lettuce, red onion, tomato

1. Preheat grill to medium-high (350-400). Combine first five ingredients; shape into 12 (5 inch) oval patties. Fold cheese slices into quarters and separate. Top 6 patties with 2 quarter slices cheese and 1/2 oz ham, leaving a 1/2 inch border; top with remaining patties. Press edges together to seal.

2. Grill patties over medium-high heat 3 min on each side or until done. Meanwhile, place bread slices on grill rack; grill 1 min. on each side or until toasted. Serve burgers on toasted bread with desired toppings.


Bacon and Swiss Quiche



Ingredients:
1 (9 inch) frozen pie crust, thawed
1 pound sliced bacon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prick bottom and sides of pie crust and bake 10 minutes, until lightly brown; set aside to cool.
Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
In a bowl, mix eggs, milk, mustard and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, toss bacon with flour to lightly coat. Spread 3/4 bacon mixture and Swiss cheese over bottom of pie crust. Pour egg mixture over bacon mixture. Top with remaining bacon mixture.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Dinner Divas:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Bake from frozen (DO NOT THAW) for 1 hour 15 min. or until fork inserted in the center comes out clean--check after an hour of baking

Easy Grilled Lime Chicken

Food.com

Ingredients:

Servings:
4
Units: US | Metric
4 chicken breasts
½ cup soy sauce , low sodium preferred
½ teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup lime juice
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons garlic , minced (You can use garlic powder but be careful as many brands are salty. )
Directions:

1
Mix together and pour over 4 frozen chicken breasts in zipper seal bag. Allow to thaw in refrigerator.
2
Drain marinade and grill until chicken is no longer pink in middle.
3
Use less cayenne- or none- to reduce heat!
4
OAMC: To freeze: Place chicken and marinade in a large freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze. To serve: Place in fridge to thaw overnight. Grill or broil until done. Thanks Lucid for these great instructions!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Orange Glazed Country Style Ribs

1 3/4 to 2 lbs boneless country style pork loin ribs
2/3 cup onion slices
1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup orange marmalade
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp ground ginger

Spray a slow cooker with nonstick spray.  Place ribs, onion slices and garlic in slow cooker.  Cover, cook on low for 8-9 hours. 

While ribs are cooking, mix together the marmalade, soy sauce, bell pepper, cornstarch and ginger.  Mix in 3/4 cup juices in slow cooker.  Heat for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes in a microwave or medium-low in a small sauce pan.

Serve with cooked ribs in sauce

Freezer preparation:  Package ribs with onions and garlic in a one gallon freezer bag; seal.  Mix sauce as directed and package in a plastic container with tight fitting lid or a freezer bag.  Combine both bags in another freezer bag; seal, label and freeze.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Ricky Ravioli


Dough


Ricotta Filling 1


 

Directions:

  1. 1
    MAKING THE FILLING: Ricotta Filling#1: In a large bowl, blend all filling ingredients together until smooth, set aside filling until needed.
  2. 2
    Ricotta Filling#2: In a large bowl, blend all filling ingredients together until smooth, set aside filling until needed.
  3. 3
    Beef and Spinach Filling: Brown beef and veal in butter with the whole clove of garlic.
  4. 4
    Remove garlic and let meat mixture cool.
  5. 5
    Mix spinach, parsley, eggs, cheese and nutmeg into cooled meat until well blended, set aside filling until needed.
  6. 6
    Sausage Filling: Brown sausage in frying pan, drain fat and allow sausage to cool.
  7. 7
    When sausage has cooled, mix in eggs and cheese, set aside filling until needed.
  8. 8
    MAKING THE RAVIOLI DOUGH: Sift flour and salt together.
  9. 9
    Place flour mixture on a board, making a well in the center of the flour.
  10. 10
    Drop eggs into the flour well, using your hand or a fork, break the yolks and beat eggs slightly.
  11. 11
    Combine the eggs and flour together, gradually adding enough warm water to make a stiff dough.
  12. 12
    Knead dough well, until smooth; cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.
  13. 13
    Cut dough in half and roll each half of the dough out on a floured board, into a very thin sheet (about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick).
  14. 14
    FILLING THE RAVIOLI: Drop about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoonfuls of filling about 1 1/2 inches apart all along the dough.
  15. 15
    When the sheet of dough is fully dotted with dabs of filling mixture, cover filling with other sheet of dough.
  16. 16
    Using your fingers, gently press dough between each dab of filling to seal it.
  17. 17
    Cut ravioli into squares with a (zig-zag edged) pastry cutter, or very sharp knife.
  18. 18
    DRYING THE RAVIOLI: Allow ravioli to dry for one hour before cooking.
  19. 19
    COOKING THE RAVIOLI: Drop ravioli into 6 to 8 quarts of boiling, salted water and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until dough is tender.
  20. 20
    Remove cooked ravioli from pot carefully with a skimmer or a large slotted spoon, and drain well.
  21. 21
    Place drained ravioli on a serving platter in layers, alternating layers with your favorite sauce and a sprinkling of grated cheese between each ravioli layer.
  22. 22
    Serve hot.

Poppyseed Chicken

(Disclaimer... Do not serve if you are scheduled for a drug screen)

1 can cream of chicken
8 oz sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 large cans drained white chicken or several cooked chicken breasts (shredded)
poppyseeds
Ritz crackers
stick of butter

Stir soup, sour cream, cheese and chicken together. Add poppyseeds, exact amount unimportant, until can see throughout. Spread in 9x13 pan. Crush ritz crackers on top & pour stick of melted butter over top. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

DINNER DIVAS:
Thaw 24-48 hours. Spread crushed crackers and melted butter on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.


Saturday, March 17, 2012

March Dinner Divas - Chicken Tenders "On the Ritz"

Chicken Tenders "On the Ritz"

1/2 cup prepared Ranch dressing
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 tsp dried parsley

16 (about 1.75 lbs) chicken tenders

3 TBS melted butter

Your choice prepared dipping sauces (ranch, honey mustard, BBQ)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or, for easier clean-up, line the cookie sheet with foil and spray foil with nonstick spray.

In a small bowl, mix the Ranch dressing, milk, and pepper; set aside. In a shallow pan or dish, combine the cracker crumbs, breadcrumbs and parsley.

Dip each chicken tender into the dressing mixture, then roll in cracker crumb mixture to coat. Place tenders on prepared baking sheet, then drizzle with melted butter.

Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Turn tenders over and bake an additional 10 min. If extra browning is desired, broil for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with your choice of dipping sauces.


Serves 6

To prepare from frozen: Thaw and bake as listed above.