Ravioli Caprese

I have been wanting to make homemade ravioli for a long time but since I don't have a pasta maker, I didn't think I would be able to. Then I saw Giada make this ravioli on Everyday Italian. It looked so easy and simple. I had to try it. The flavors were great. So fresh and light. And I was suprised at how well it went for my first try at homemade pasta. I squeezed fresh lemon on it just before serving to brighten it up and intensify the lemon flavor. I will definitely be making this again soon, especially after I plant my basil in my herb garden. A great, light, and simple summer dinner. (Serves about 4 people)

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 cup very hot water

Filling:

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/2 cup finely shredded rotisserie chicken

1/4 cup grated parmesean

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

juice of 1 lemon (optional)

Directions:

For the dough:

In a large bowl combine the flour and water. Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine into a large ball. Cover wil plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.

For the filling:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine

To form the ravioli, cut the dough into 4 evenly sized pieces. The dough should be slightly sticky. Add extra flour as necessary for rolling, but use only a little as necessary. Form each piece into a 2 by 6 inch rectangle. Recover the dough with the plastic wrap.

Lightly dust the work surface and a rolling pin. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a 4 by 9-inch rectangle. Place rounded teaspoons of filling about 1 inch apart down the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the filling. Press down around the edges of each of the ravioli with your fingertips. Cut the ravioli into small squares (or use a circle cutter) and press down around each of the edges again with your fingertips to seal. Place the finished ravioli on a baking tray and continue forming the remaining ravioli.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add half the ravioli and cook until the ravioli float, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain into a large bowl and cook the remaining ravioli.

Pour olive oil over the cooked ravioli. Add the basil, lemon zest, lemon juice (if desired), salt, and pepper. Gently toss to coat and serve immediately.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

When making my Chinese take-out dinner, I knew I had to make some Sweet and Sour Chicken. For this recipe I turned to a cooking blog I had come across recently called Rasa Malaysia. Between the countless easy but authentic Asian recipes and awesome pictures of her food, I would highly recommend it! The original recipe called for pork, but I used chicken since there aren't many pork fans in our family. It turned out great and I will definitely be making this again!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into pieces
2 stalks scallions, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 small can pineapple chunks
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
oil for frying

Marinade:
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. rice wine

Frying Batter:
1/2 cup water
2 oz. all-purpose flour (I had to look this up, and found out it's a little less than 1/2 c)
1 oz. corn starch (a little less than 1/4 c)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 egg (just whisk it in a little bowl and dump half of it out)
1 tsp. cooking oil
1 small pinch of salt

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 1/2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. plum sauce
1/8 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. water

Directions:
Cut chicken into pieces and marinate with the ingredients for 15-20 minutes.

Mix the sweet and sour sauce ingredients well and set aside.

Mix together the dry ingredients for the frying batter and then add in the 1/2 egg, water, and cooking oil to form a thick batter.

When the chicken is well marinated, transfer the pieces into the batter and make sure they are well coated. In a deep skillet, pour enough cooking oil to fry the chicken pieces. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the chicken pieces until they turn golden brown. Dish out and drain on paper towels.

Heat up a wok and add in some cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir fry until light brown, then add the bell peppers and pineapple. Stir fry until you can smell the peppers. Add in the sweet and sour sauce. As soon as the sauce thickens, transfer the chicken into the wok and stir well to coat chicken with sauce. Add in the chopped scallions, do a few quick stirs. Serve with hot steamed white rice.

Chicken Parmesean Burgers

A few months ago I subscribed to Bon Apetit magazine. Since then, I have made a huge list of recipes to make but I haven't really gotten around to trying any of them until a few nights ago. This recipe caught my eye because it was a unique take on a classic dish and it looked so good. I'm not usually a huge fan of Italian food but I loved the flavors in this recipe and it wasn't too heavy.

Ingredients:

10 1/2-inch-thick slices French bread (4 inches in diameter); 8 slices toasted, 2 slices (crust removed) diced
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons minced fresh basil, divided, plus 12 large basil leaves
3/4 cup purchased refrigerated marinara sauce
12 ounces ground chicken (white meat) (**I couldn't find ground chicken so I just put some chicken breasts in the food processor until they were finely ground**)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon grated onion (** I didn't want to grate it so I just finely chopped it**)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced (**make sure its the fresh kind, not the rubbery kind :)
4 large radicchio leaves (**I used red leaf lettuce because that's what I had**)

Directions:

Blend diced bread and Parmesan in processor to fine crumbs. Transfer to pie dish; mix in 2 tablespoons minced basil.

Mix marinara and 2 tablespoons basil in small saucepan. Transfer 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce to large bowl. Add chicken, 1/2 tablespoon oil, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with pepper; blend. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties; coat with crumbs. Heat sauce over low heat.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook patties until bottoms are crusty, 4 minutes. Turn patties over; top with cheese. Cook 3 minutes. Cover; cook until cooked through and cheese is melted, about 1 minute. (** Since I was making this for our whole family, I just decided to bake them in the oven for about 25 minutes at 375. Then added the cheese and broiled them until the cheese was melted.**)

Assemble burgers with bread, radicchio, basil leaves, and warm marinara.

Makes 4 servings

Tandoori-Style Chicken Burgers

I actually made this recipe a few months ago but didn't realized that I hadn't posted it until I found the pictures on my computer. I got it from this cookbook that I bought in the fall. This was a really fun and unique meal to make. The flavors were great and everyone enjoyed it. It was a little time consuming but it was worth it. I also made some sweet potato fries to go with them. I just sliced up a sweet potato, tossed the slices with olive oil, garlic salt, salt, and dried parsley. Then I spread them out onto a foil lined baking sheet and baked them at 400 degrees until they were soft and lightly browned.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds (4 to 5) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into rough chunks (**I used chicken breasts because that's what I had)
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger (from a peeled 2-inch piece)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (** I omitted this because it was fairly expensive)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for grates or pan
4 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas
1 cucumber (8 ounces), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
Cumin yogurt sauce (see recipe below)

Watermelon slices (optional)

Directions:

Heat grill or frying pan to medium-high. In a medium bowl, place chicken, scallions, ginger, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, cardamom, cayenne, 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; toss to combine. Set aside to marinate, at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.

Transfer chicken mixture to a food processor; pulse until roughly chopped, but not pasty, 10 to 12 times. Gently form mixture into sixteen 3/4-inch-thick patties (about 3 tablespoons each).
Moisten a folded paper towel with oil; grasp with tongs and rub over grates, or if using a frying pan, add oil. Season patties with salt and pepper; grill or cook until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

For the Cumin Yogurt Sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

Halve pitas crosswise (toast on grill, if you like). Into each pocket, place 2 chicken patties, cucumber slices, and cilantro sprigs. Serve with Cumin Yogurt Sauce and, if desired, watermelon slices.

Ginger Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

For this appetizer, I took this recipe I found for some wraps and decided to just take the recipe for the filling and turn it into lettuce wraps instead. They were SO good! They had so much flavor and tasted really fresh. I will definitely be making these again. They are also nice because you can make the filling way ahead of time and just let it chill in the fridge. So easy!

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
6 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves, cooked (we just baked them with a little salt and pepper on them)
1 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger (I just used 3/4 tsp. ground ginger instead)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Lettuce leaves (I used iceburg because I like the crunch:)

Directions:

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Place chicken, cucumber, and bell pepper in a large bowl; set aside.

Whisk together sugar and the next 6 ingredients (sugar through garlic) until smooth. Add peanut butter and water; whisk until smooth, scraping sides. Add peanut butter mixture to chicken mixture; stir well. Add cilantro, and toss well. Serve with lettuce leaves.

Baked Broccoli & Tortellini Casserole with Roasted Bell Pepper Creame

I made this pasta a few weeks ago for my cousin's baby shower. I found the recipe a few years ago but had forgotten about it until I was looking through all my old recipes to find one to make for the shower. It is a bit labor intensive but the results are so worth it :) It has become a Payne family favorite!

Ingredients:

6 ounce Chicken Breast

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

9 ounce package of refrigerated cheese or meat-filled Tortellini

2 Cups of frozen Broccoli florets

1 large Red Bell Pepper

1 1/4 Cup of Cream

2 Tablespoons of Butter

5 ounces of whole Parmesan Cheese, chopped

1/2 teaspoon of Salt

1 teaspoon of Pepper

4 cloves of Garlic

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon Oregano

1/4 teaspoon Basil

1/4 teaspoon Thyme

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Directions:

Salt and pepper the chicken (to taste). Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet and sauté the chicken on high heat until cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and let cool. Once cool, cut into strips and set aside. (*I just cooked my chicken in the oven while I prepared the rest of the ingredients. Its less work that way :)

Cook the tortellini according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Defrost the broccoli by placing it in a large bowl and pouring hot water over it. Drain water and pour more hot water over it. Repeat this until broccoli has defrosted. Then drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to broil/grill (the highest top-heat setting available).
Place the red bell pepper on a rack the closest to the top that is physically possible. Broil each side of the bell pepper for about 5-8 minutes or until it has completely blackened and burned. Turn and repeat for each side and the bottom. Then, remove to a cutting board and let cool. Once cool, scrape off all blackened skin, the core and seeds, and cut into strips. Save about 2 strips (enough that when diced you get 2 tablespoons worth); set aside. Place the rest in a food processor and puré; set aside.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, combine butter and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, and then add cream, salt, pepper, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese chunks. Stir constantly until the Parmesan has melted and combined into the cream sauce. Lower the heat it it starts to stick to the pan.
Add puréed and diced roasted bell pepper and mix in. Dump the tortellini, broccoli, and chicken into the skillet with the sauce and mix well. Pour into a medium-small casserole dish.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs with oregano, basil, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and then mix in melted butter. Sprinkle this over the top of the tortellini mixture. Broil/grill 4-6 inches from top heat for 1-2 minutes of until the topping has turned golden brown.

Makes 4 servings.

(Recipe and picture from here)

Chicken Piccata with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Herb-Roasted Onions

I actually made this dinner over the summer, but never got around to posting it. The recipes are all from the Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook that Ashley got me for my birthday. This dinner was a huge hit, fun to make, and Ashley said it was really pretty too:)Chicken Piccata

(serves 4)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 extra-large eggs

1 1/2 cups seasoned dried bread crumbs

olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved

1/2 cup dry white wine

sliced lemon, for serving

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound it out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the eggs and 1 Tablespoon water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread-crumb mixtures.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan while you cook the rest of the chicken. Heat more olive oil in the saute pan and cook the second 2 chicken breasts. Place them on the same sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. On medium heat, melt 1 Tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, white wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves. Serve one chicken breast on each plate, spoon on the sauce, and serve with sliced lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

(serves 5 to 6)

kosher salt

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

1/2 cup whole milk

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water and 2 Tablespoons salt to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Add them to the boiling water and bring the water back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the whole milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.

As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Mash the potatoes with a food mill or potato masher. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, stir in the hot milk-and-butter mixture with a rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the pepper, or more to taste, and serve hot. To keep the potatoes warm, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water for up to 30 minutes. You can add a little extra hot milk to keep them creamy.

Herb-Roasted Onions

(serves 6)

4 red onions

3 yellow onions

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon minced, fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onions. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onions in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a large bowl

Combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Pesto Chicken Sandwich

So after we made all that pesto, we had to come up with a way to use it! Ashley and I came up with these sandwiches and they were SO good! If you make these, make sure you use the fresh mozzarella that comes packed in the liquid... it's so much better!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

4 large slices tomato

4 slices fresh mozzarella

pesto

4 Kaiser rolls

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Grill on medium high heat, 8 minutes on each side. Slice rolls in half and broil on high until slightly toasted. Spread a thin layer of pesto on each roll. Layer chicken breast, tomato slice, and mozzarella.

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad

I found this recipe on Martha's website and thought it sounded light and refreshing but still substantial enough to have for dinner. The dressing is basically just lime and cilantro, so if that's not your thing then beware haha! Next time I might switch it up and instead of the cashews, add black beans and corn instead. We all loved it and I will definitely be making it again this summer!

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad (I thought it tasted more mexican than asian, but whatever!)

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves and soft stems
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 rotisserie chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin and bones removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups)
1/4 medium red cabbage (8 ounces), cored and thinly sliced crosswise
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup cashews

Directions:
1. Make dressing: In a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, cabbage, bell pepper, and scallions; season with salt and pepper. In another large bowl, toss lettuce with 1/2 cup dressing. Divide among four bowls, and top with chicken mixture. Drizzle all with remaining dressing, and sprinkle with cashews.