Reader Request - Desserts

I'm making these recipes for Thanksgiving with my family tonight.  If you're reading this and you're in my family, I hope this looks good!

Peppermint Pie

1 Pie Crust, softened and cooked as directed

3/4 c Semi Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided

1 pkg (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened

1 container (12 oz) Frozen Cool Whip, thawed, divided

1/2 c Milk

1/2 t Peppermint Extract

3-4 drops Red Food Coloring

1 pkg (3.3 oz) White Chocolate Instant Pudding and Pie Filling

6 small Candy Canes, crushed (about 1/4 c)

1. Prepare crust as directed.

2. Melt half of chocolate in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds.  Spread over the bottom and halfway up sides of crust.

3. In large bowl, whish cream cheese until smooth.  Fill icing decoratorwith 1 cup of Cool Whip; set aside for garnish (if you don't have a icing decorator you can just reserve to garnish on your own).  Add remaining Cool Whip, milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring to cream cheese; whisk until smooth.  

4.  Add pudding mix to cream cheese mixture; wisk/mix until the mixture is blended and very thick.  Immediately spoon filling into crust; spread evenly.

5. Melt remaining chocolate in mircowave until melted; drizzle over pie.  Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes.  Pipe rosettes of Cool Whip around edge of pie.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

- Recipe from The Pampered Chef

Chocolate Velvet Cake

Cake

1/2 c Buttermilk

1 t Baking Soda

2 c All Purpose Flour

2 c Sugar

1/4 t Salt

1/2 c Margarine (1 stick)

1 c Water

4 T Cocoa

2 eggs (beaten)

1/4 t Red Food Coloring

1. Combine buttermilk and baking soda - set aside.

2. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in mixing bowl and mix well.

3. Combine margarine, water, cocoa, and red food coloring in saucepan and bring to a boil.  Pour over flour mixture, mix well and let cool.

4. Add eggs and buttermilk mixture -- stir well (can use mixer but don't beat too long)

5. Pour into two 8" cake pans

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting

1 stick Margarine

4 T Cocoa

1/4 c plus 2 T Milk

1 box Powdered Sugar

1. Combine margarine, milk, and cocoa in saucepan.

2. Bring to a boai.

3. Add powdered sugar.

4. Beat with a mixer until smooth.

- Recipe from Lee Lynch's grandmother

Yummy, I can't wait until dinner tonight!

Reader Requests - Drinks

I decided to honor all requests today.  Here are a few of my favorite drink recipes!  Dessert recipes, coming up next!

Hot Spiced Tea

This is my favorite cold weather drink.  It was a winter staple at our house growing up -- at least in my mind -- and just drinking it today can make me feel so much better!  The best part is that it's super easy to make and makes a lot!

2 c Tang

1/2 c Instant Tea

2 c Sugar

1 t Cinnamon

1/2 t Cloves

Mix ingredients together.

Mix 2-4 spoonfuls (depending on how you like to drink it) into a mug of hot water.  Stir.  Enjoy!

Sparkling Punch

This is the recipe that we used at Kelly's baby shower.  The picture above is from Southern Living since we didn't get a picture of the punch at the shower.  I loved it!  For me, you can't go wrong mixing things with pink lemonade!

1 12 oz can Frozen Pink Lemonade concentrate, thawed

4 c White Cranberry Juice Cocktail

1 qt Club Soda, chilled

Stir together lemonade and juice in a large pitcher.  Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.  Stir in Club Soda just before serving.

Cherry Chocolate Martini's

I, obviously, couldn't make this one and try it again but this recipe is tried and true.  My Dad and I spent quite a few nights trying to recreate the recipe that we got at the country club exactly.  We were finally able to make a recipe that we both liked.  The picture above is from our wedding.  At the top of our stairs at the reception we had a table of martini's across from a table of cherry lemonade for the kids.  This is my "go-to" fun drink, when I'm not pregnant of course!

3 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

2 oz Kahlua

1 oz Grenadine

2 oz Heavy Whipping Cream

Ice (enough to get it the consistency that you desire)

Pour ice into a blender (we usually start with it about half way up) and then pour the other ingredients on top of the ice.  Blend until the ice is chopped.  If you want the drink slush-ier add more ice, if you want it less slushy then add less.  

Do you have great drink recipes?? Send them my way, I'd love to try them!

Baked Ziti

I love Italian! I especially love pasta dishes.  This recipe is originally from my aunt but it was tweaked by my mom and I have to say, it's a great recipe!  Very easy and tastes fantastic!

Baked Ziti

Serves 6-8

1 lb Ground Beef

1 16 oz container Cottage Cheese

1 c Parmesean Cheese

1 jar (30 oz) Old Style Ragu

2 c Grated Mozzarella

1 16 oz Box Ziti Noodles

1. Brown ground beef in skillet.  Drain grease.

2. Cook and drain noodles.

3. Grease 9x13 dish.

4. Mix noodles, sauce, and 3/4 of cheese.

5. Pour mixture into dish. 

6. Sprinkle cheese on top.

7. Cook at 350 degress until bubbly (approximately 30 minutes)

Let me know how you like it!  For next week's Thanksgiving edition of Recipe Wednesday I'd like to do a dish that you're interested in.  Would you prefer a dessert?  Chicken? Beef? Pasta?  Let me know what kind of recipe you want to see and I'll find one and make it to ensure that it's a great recipe!  Just leave me a comment with the type of recipe you'd like to see and whatever gets the most votes is what I'll go with.

Arrabbiata Sauce with Chicken and Mushrooms

This yummy pasta dish from Family Circle is pretty easy. With chicken and pasta you don't need much else to make a full dinner! But beware, depending on how much red pepper you use this dish can get spicy in a hurry!

Arrabbiata Sauce with Chicken and Mushrooms

Makes 6 Servings

3 T Olive Oil

4 c (10 oz) Sliced Mushrooms

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless Chicken Breast, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 t Salt

3 cloves Garlic, chopped

3 cans (8 oz each) Tomato Sauce

3/4 t Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 t Salt

1 lb Large Shell Pasta

1/2 c Shredded Ricotta Salata or Mozzarella Cheese (we used Mozzarella)

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat.

2. Heat 2 T of the olive oil in a large skillet over M/H heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Push the mushrooms to one side of the skillet and add the chicken adn cook for about 7 minutes or until cooked through, turning halfway through cooking. Season the chicken and mushrooms with 1/4 t of the salt. Remove chicken and mushrooms to a plate and reserve.

3. Add the remaining 1 T olive oil and cook garlic for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, and remaining salt. Cook for 2 minutes. Return chicken and mushrooms to skillet and heat through.

4. While sauce is cooking, prepare pasta following package directions. Drain pasta thoroughly.

5. Add pasta to skillet and toss. Serve immediately with shredded cheese.

Let me know how it turns out if you try it!

Chicken Scarpiella

This is a fantastic recipe that I think is my new favorite! Jason really loved it also (and I don't think that he was just excited that this recipe doesn't have mushrooms!). While it takes a little while to make and does involve a little bit of prep it's well worth every ounce of effort! And by the way, does anyone know how to say the second part of the recipe name? If so, please post a comment to enlighten me because I say it differently every time I say it and I'm pretty sure every time I'm wrong!

Chicken Scarpiella

Makes 4 Servings

4 fully cooked Italian or Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 12 oz)

1 large sweet onion, peeled, halved, and cut into 1/2 inch rings

2 green Bell Peppers, about 1 pound, cored, seeded, and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

4 hot cherry peppers, trimmed, seeds removed, and thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 T olive oil

3/4 t Dried Italian Seasoning

1/2 t Salt

1/4 plus 1/8 t Black Pepper

1 package Chicken Breasts

1/2 c Chicken Broth

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large roasting pan, combine sausage, onion, green peppers, potatoes, cherry peppers, and garlic. Add olive oil and toss together. Season with 1/2 t of Italian Seasoning, 1/4 t of Salt, and 1/4 t of pepper. Place on lower rack of oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken in dish and season with remaining 1/4 t Italin Seasoning, 1/4 t Salt, and 1/8 t Pepper. Pour broth into bottom of dish. Once sausage mixture has baked for 10 minuts, add chicken to oven on top rack. Bake both dishes at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of chicken reads 160 degres and potatoes are fork tender. Stir vegetables twice during baking.

3. Add chicken to vegetables; cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken registers 170 degress.

Helpful hints:

- I left out the onion because Jason's not a big fan and we didn't miss it

- I left out the hot cherry peppers for me (and because I didn't have time to find them at the grocery store!) and we didn't miss them

- Instead of garlic cloves I just sprinkled minced garlic over the veggies. I know that real garlic would probably make it taste better, but it was pretty good anyway!

- I definitely didn't measure out my spices but instead just used my judgment to approximate the measurements.

- I only left the chicken cooking for 20 minutes separate from the veggies and then cooked the chicken with veggies another 8 minutes instead of 30 minutes plus another 5-10. This will depend on the temperature of your oven and how big your chicken pieces and potatoes are, but you'll need to watch everything at the end because it can be ready quicker than the recipe says!

If you make this, please let me know how it turns out! I want to know if everyone loves this as much as we do!