Chris' Recipes

Bon Appetite!

Sweet Stuffed Strawberries

Written By: Chris - Aug• 19•14

I’ve had stuffed strawberries a couple of times and couldn’t recall the exact recipe that our friend Silvia gave a while back.  Hers were a “cheesecake” type, but I think it just means that you whip together cream cheese, powdered sugar and some vanilla extract, so it really pretty easy adobe reader xen.  I had the girls coming over for a Monday night and as usual, just came up with this recipe based on what I had on hand in the fridge.  I thought that the Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt would not only make it creamy, but sort of a bit healthy too reigns kostenlos downloaden!  This recipe was easy and delicious!  You could do a bunch of varieties of stuffed strawberries; just scoop out the center and pipe in the filling!  You might also top them with graham cracker crumbs or flavor the cheesecake filling with chocolate or nutella and/or you could even use a light batter and deep fry them fallout 4 mods herunterladen!  Trust me, these are simple and delicious!

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Ingredients: 

20-25 large fresh Strawberries
1/3 packages Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 Cup Vanilla Greek Yougurt
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Grated Chocolate

Start by washing and removing the stems from strawberries;  I used a paring knife, but have since seen a trick using a straw that I think I’ll try deutscher einheitsmietvertrag kostenlosen!  If you use a Knife, position a paring knife next to the stem of a strawberry.  Insert it on an inward diagonal and move it in a circular motion around the stem to do app herunterladen. (This leaves some room for filling as well.)  The stem should come off, taking a small piece of pulp with it.

You could also use a Huller, which looks like a short, fat pair of tweezers foto's downloaden van icloud naar pc. Grasp the huller in your dominant hand and the strawberry in the other and use the huller to grasp the strawberry’s hull, pushing in slightly.  Twist and pull to remove the hull gratis solidworks 2012 downloaden.

But if you are using a straw, use a sturdy plastic drinking one and place one end of the straw at the bottom of the strawberry and just push up through the bottom of the strawberry and push it through toward the stem until the stem pops off herunterladen.  The straw should contain the fleshy pulp inside.

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Regardless, you will want to use something like a melon baller or knife to remove some of the center of the berry to leave room for filling download from zdf mediathek.

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You then need to cut off a small piece of the bottom of the strawberry so that it sits flat Girls pc games for free!

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In a small bowl or food processor, beat the cream cheese, yogurt, powdered sugar and extract until light and fluffy.

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Place filling into a plastic zip lock bag or piping bag and pipe about a tablespoon into each berry (or how ever much you can fit).

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I had a mini candy bar, so I used it to grate on the top of each berry; but you could use whatever you like!

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Chill and enjoy!  They are also good at room temperature.

Cheers!
~Chris

Creamed Baby Cucumbers

Written By: Chris - Aug• 18•14

One of my all time favorite snacks is the baby cucumber!  I tend to make this simple salad in the summer time, but I think that the flavors are good any time Download google drive files on iphone!  I prefer using the English variety because the others that you can find in the market tend to have thicker, bumpy skins and usually have more seeds, while the English type are generally smaller in size; have tender skin that has a sweet flavor and you can eat the entire vegetable, too, including the skin, which is never bitter lustige videos whatsapp download kostenlos.  Their flesh is smooth and refreshingly moist and they are firm to the bite.  Costco has them available in two pound bags for a pretty reasonable price photoshop fonts for free.

I recently read that the cucumber is the fourth most cultivated vegetable worldwide.  The top three are tomatoes, cabbage and onions.  Cucumbers are good for you too because they are rich in vitamins and other essential nutrients such as vitamin A, B1, B6, C, D & K, calcium, potassium, magnesium and fiber, which help to regulate blood pressure asus winflash.  Cucumbers are 96% of water content, so they help keep the body hydrated.  This is one of my son Andrew’s favorite salads and I hope you like it too videos aus mediatheken ipad!

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Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 lbs download all photos van facebook. Mini English Cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/4 Sweet Onion, thinly sliced 
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
2-3 Tablespoons White Vinegar
1-2 Tablespoon Sugar
Dash of Salt and Pepper, to taste

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Cut the onions and cucumbers download printer drivers for free.

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Whisk sour cream, vinegar, sugar and pepper until blended download maps for free.  Add the cucumbers and onions and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!
Cheers!
~Chris

Panini’s

Written By: Chris - Aug• 14•14

In the United States the term panini has been adopted to refer to pressed and toasted sandwiches.  The ‘panino’ or Italian sandwich is known more commonly in English by its plural form ‘panini’ and is achieving widespread US popularity in the new millennium how to netflix!  Traditionally, this sandwich is made by stuffing either a loaf of bread or two slices of hearty bread with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and any other additions that the cook chooses herunterladen.  The difference between a panini and a regular sandwich is that it’s grilled (often with ridges), and the sandwich ingredients melt or fuse together giving a delicious flavor and texture to any combination of foods Download copytrans for free.

I started with this awesome whole grain bread that is gluten free and made by Udi cisco jabber herunterladen.  It has bold, wholesome flavors.  Italian types of this sandwich usually start with strong flavored meats such as salami and prosciutto and are often used with cheeses such as mozzarella, provolone or asiago; but you can really use anything that you like download reservecopy uit icloud!   Try grilled chicken, turkey, or roast beef, but keep in mind that the meat needs to be cooked before being placed in the sandwich because the grilling only heats it through, but does not actually cook anything trick movies for free.  Use your imagination to add extra toppings. Some popular additions include spinach, fresh herbs like basil or pesto, soft cheese, roasted red peppers or tomatoes, olives, and or just about anything can be easily customized herunterladen!  Of course I looked around to see what ingredients I had on hand and came up with a couple of varieties for a recent girls night!

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Ingredients: 

Hearty bread, I used udi whole grain gluten free
Butter, soft at room temperature
Mayonnaise (optional)
Honey Mustard (optional)
Ham

Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese
Caramelized Onions
Goat Cheese
Basil Pesto
Sun Dried Tomatoes

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I just looked around my fridge and found some ingredients that I think would make a terrific sandwich bubble shooter kostenlos vollversion chip.  Honey mustard, left over caramelized onions, basil pesto, sun dried tomatoes, cheese, ham…. Heat the non stick skillet to hot as well as the press youtube treiber kostenlos downloaden.  I bought my cast iron “Bacon/Panini Press” off of Amazon.  It is a heavy-duty cast iron base that  has a unique hammered finish and features a safe “cool-grip” spiral handle mehrere pdf dateien herunterladen.  It is really perfect for steaks, burgers and sandwiches, or even pressing bacon.  Once heated up, this little gem works perfect with my cast iron skillet grill top and bottom searing simultaneously.

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Start by buttering the outside of the slices of bread with butter and/or mayo and season the inside with honey mustard, pesto, or whatever you like.

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For this variety, I used slices of black forest ham, caramelized onions, shredded colby jack cheese and honey mustard.

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Press the sandwich, butter sides out between the cast iron pan an the press and cook over medium heat until the sandwiches are heated through and the bread is toasted.

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I flip the sandwich half way through and once they are browned, allowed them to cool on a rack so that the bread remained crispy.

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For another variety, I layered the inside with basil pesto, caramelized onions, drained sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese.

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Again, press the sandwich, butter sides out between the cast iron pan an the press and cook over medium heat until the sandwiches are heated through and the bread is toasted, flipping half way through the cook process.

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Allow sandwiches to cool slightly and/or serve at room temperature.  I sliced into small pieces to share as an appetizer and they were delicious the next day left over cold straight out of the fridge!

Enjoy!
Cheers!
~Chris

 

Chicken and Pepper Pasta

Written By: Chris - Aug• 12•14

So Bill and I haven’t been eating much pasta lately, but we had both been craving it!  It was a gloomy sort of rainy Sunday and Bill had been studying all day Download sports pictures for free.  I thought about going out for dinner because I was a bit bored but decided to dig a little and see what I could come up with based on ingredients that I had on hand wo kann ich wow classic herunterladen.  I’ve always got chicken breasts or tenderloins in the freezer that thaw out fast enough in a cool water bath… but how to change them up this time microsoft foto?  I had an abundance of green peppers, which always remind me of fajitas; a dish of Mexican origin consisting of strips of spiced beef or chicken, chopped vegetables, and grated cheese, wrapped in a soft tortilla and often served with sour cream itunes alle songs downloaden.  I make them frequently and didn’t want to do that again, so when I spotted some mascarpone and creme fraiche I knew that this would be a treat herunterladen.  I love the flavors of fajitas, which is basically a seasoning mixture of chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper youtube videos online downloaden.  I hoped that mixing these flavors into the rich and creamy sauce that this pasta dish was going to be special, and it was!  I topped mine off with meaty sauteed mushrooms, while simply adding a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese to Bills ebook reader voor pc downloaden.  Give this one a try!  You won’t be disappointed!

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Ingredients:

2 Cups Green Bell Peppers, chopped
1/4 Cup Yellow and Orange Bell Peppers, chopped
1/2 Large Sweet Onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons Butter
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 Chicken Breasts, skinless & boneless
1/3 Package Fajita Seasoning Mix
3/4 Cup Mascarpone
1/4 Cup Creme Fraiche
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
6 to 8 oz kann im microsoft store nicht downloaden. Linguine Pasta
Jalapeno Peppers, to taste
Sauteed Mushrooms, optional

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil iphone fotos auf pc herunterladen.  Salt the water generously and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.  Meanwhile, pound chicken breasts until they have an even thickness windows 10 von microsoft herunterladen.  Slice into small thin pieces.

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Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and saute onions until they start to become translucent.

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Season with salt and pepper.  Chop peppers and add them to the cooking chicken.  Continue to toss and cook over medium, low heat until the peppers begin to soften.  (You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water as you continue to cook)

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Stir in the fajita seasoning mix and add water a tablespoon at a time if necessary to make a little sauce.  I prefer the “Carlita” brand.  You may wish to add more or less, but be careful because some of the brands can be very salty!

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Stir in mascarpone and creme fraiche.  Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.

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Grate in fresh Parmesan, reserving enough for garnish.   Add jalapeno’s to taste.

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Saute mushrooms in butter in a separate pan, if desired.

Retrieve the pasta but do not rinse.  Toss desired amount of pasta portion with sauce and add mushrooms.  Garnish with shaved cheese.

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Serve immediately!  We enjoyed this rich and creamy pasta with an amazing 2005 Cosentino Cabernet Sauvignon and a side salad.

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Enjoy!

Cheers!
~Chris

Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars (Gluten Free)

Written By: Chris - Aug• 06•14

I realize I’ve been posting more desserts than normal.  Yes, I’ve still been cooking, but have been posting more photo’s from the trip to Europe and have had more requests that I’ve been trying to answer google drive dateien herunterladen.  Our cousin Brenda mentioned Coconut flour so I did a little homework and promised to produce some dishes using it.  I found it quickly at Trader Joes Download desktop icon.  The Baker Josef ’s Organic Coconut Flour is not only a healthy option, but it’s also phenomenally flavored with a long list of food applications zip for free.

Bill and I have been reducing, but not completely omitting gluten in our diets after reading “Wheat Belly” earlier this year.  Neither of us has any specific insensitivity, but believe it can’t hurt to cut much of it!  The overall rise of gluten insensitivity has led to the innovation of a whole range of substitute flours ground from host of alternative nuts and grains security 360 herunterladen.  What’s become clear is that the benefits of non-wheat flours go far beyond gastrointestinal health.

It is naturally high in protein, high in fiber, and low in carbs schriften gratis downloaden mac.  It is not just easy on your internal organs, but it works well in a wide variety of recipes from savory fried chicken to sweets kann keine kostenlose apps herunterladen.  They suggest that you use it for breading fish before you fry or bake it.  Use it to thicken soups, sauces, and gravies, all while adding an attractive hint of coconut aroma and flavor videos downloaden dmax.  There are a few things you should know about coconut flour before you use it as a substitute.  You can expect to use less coconut flour than typical wheat flour and I found this website helpful:  http://weightloss.answers.com/nutrition/5-things-you-should-know-before-using-coconut-flour

I’ve also read that you should store it in the fridge for freshness amazon music title download.  It smells amazing and I decided to prepare some dessert bars for last Sunday’s family dinner.  I was winging it and assembled this recipe with ingredients that I had on hand after reviewing others on line 3d schach kostenlos deutsch.  They turned out really good considering I baked them on the grill because it was too hot to run the oven!  I think I’ll take a swing at making Macaroons next because it’s been on my list for a while kalligraphie kostenlos downloaden.

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Ingredients:

1 Can Coconut Milk
1 Cup Coconut Flour
4 Eggs, beaten with whisk
3/4 Cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Almond Extract
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Coconut, shredded sweetened
2/3 Cup Chocolate Chips
2/3 Cup White Chocolate Chips
2/3 Cup Pecans, roasted and chopped

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Combine the beaten eggs with the coconut milk, baking soda, sugar and extract and whisk until smooth.  Add the coconut flour, but don’t over mix.  It becomes thick and absorbs the liquid quickly.

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Reserve about 1/4 Cup each of the chopped nuts, coconut and chips for a topping before gently stirring in the remaining chocolate chips, nuts; as well as the shredded coconut and stir just until combined.

Spray an 8 X 8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread the batter evenly.  Sprinkle the remaining toppings and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the bars spring back to the touch.

Allow to cool before cutting.  Mine were very “cake like” and fluffy and I prefer the ingredients mixed in.

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Above is an image of traditional bars that you could make thinner by using a larger pan and/or simply topping the batter while reducing the baking time.

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Store in air tight container in the refrigerator.  They are good cold the next day or three!

Enjoy!
Cheers!
~Chris