Recipleased : Easy and Delicious Recipes

Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Salmon

Recipleased — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:51:36 +0000

This is a great light dish that is easy to prepare. I love to serve this salmon with orzo or pasta. The sun-dried tomatoes provide such a great flavor to the salmon and the spinach is packed full of vitamins.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, over medium high heat, cook:

3 cups chopped leaf spinach

Once spinach is wilted and liquid has evaporated, remove pan from heat. In a small bowl, mix together:

1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

Once spinach is cool, add to cheese and tomato mixture and stir until combined. In a small baking dish, arrange 2 washed salmon fillets, about 6 oz each (skin off, most markets will remove the skin for free). Heap the spinach, cheese and tomato mixture on top. Mixture should be about as high as the salmon fillets. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

Serves 2

Chocolate Brownie Cakes

Recipleased — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:05:54 +0000

Although this dessert is rich, it is not overly heavy. It is perfect for a Valentine’s Day dinner celebration, New Year’s Eve, or any other special occasion. It is wonderful dessert for small dinner parties because it can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before serving.

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease 6 (8oz) ramekins or 4 (12oz) ramekins.

In a *double boiler, over medium heat, add:

5 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup butter

Stirring frequently, melt until smooth. Set aside and let cool. In a large mixing bowl, combine and beat on a medium speed:

3 whole eggs and 3 eggs yolks

1/3 cup sugar

Beat for about 3-5 minutes or until egg and sugar mixture are a lemony color and combined well. Add:

5 tablespoon floor

Beat on meduim speed until all egg, sugar, and flour are combined. Reduce speed on mixer to low and slowly add the cooled chocolate and butter mixture. Beat until well blended. Seperate equally into ramekins place ramekins on a baking sheet. (Ramekins can now be covered with foil and set aside at room temperature for up to three hours before baking.) Bake 6 ramekins for about 10 minutes or 4 ramekins for about 12 minutes or until the center of the cake still moves slightly when ramekins are shaken. Cakes should be set, but if over baked they will be dry instead of having a creamy center. Place ramekins on dessert plates and serve immediately. You can dust cakes with powdered sugar, top with whipped cream or ice cream as well.

Serves 4-6

* A double boiler is a two pan set, with one pan stacking on the other. Water goes in the bottom pan and the ingredients to be melted go on the top pan. This is a pan that is traditionally used to make delicate sauces or melt chocolate without buring. The water in the bottom pan boils and melts whatever is in the top pan more slowly than being on direct heat.

Steamed Lobster Tail

Recipleased — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:24:48 +0000

Lobster is such a decadent food and perfect for any special occasion. The first time I made it was for my husband on Valentine’s Day. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. Living in San Francisco, we have access to great lobster tails and when they are on sale, it is such a delicious treat. Although fresh lobster tails are best, I have tried frozen and been pleased as well. Just allow them to defrost before you cook them.

In a large skillet, (that has a lid) over medium heat, bring a 1/2 cup water to boil. Add to the skillet:

2 rinsed and butterflied lobster tails, seasoned with salt and pepper

Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook about 8-10 minutes or until lobster tail turns a bright red and curls. Do not overcook. Serve with hot, melted butter. I usually serve 2 tablespoons of butter with each tail.

Serves 2

Twice Baked Potatoes

Recipleased — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:28:26 +0000

This is a great side dish for a special occasion or just any night of the week. They are an excellent side dish to Prime Rib or Filet Mignon Roast. These twice baked potatoes are so easy to make and can be made ahead of time so you can spend less time out of the kitchen if you are entertaining.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork, poke a few holes into 5 washed potatoes (russet is a great baking potato). Place directly onto rack and bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until tender when squeezed. Allow potatoes to cool and then cut in half (the long way). Scoop out potatoes into a large mixing bowl and place skins on a baking sheet. To the mixing bowl of potatoes, add:

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Using a hand held mixer or standing mixer, beat potatoes until fluffy and whipped. Spoon potatoes back into skins. Potato skins should be heaping with mashed potato mixture. Either refrigerate potatoes for up to one day or reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and light brown crust forms on potatoes. If potatoes have been refrigerated, you may want to bake an additional 10n minutes or remove potatoes from the refrigerator a half an hour prior to baking.

Serves 5-6 people

Pulled Barbecue Pork

Recipleased — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:56:17 +0000

This is a perfect recipe for a Superbowl party because it makes a large amount of meat and is cooked in the crock pot so you don’t have to be in the kitchen. The pulled pork goes great on sandwich or hamburger rolls. I like to serve it with my Asian Coleslaw and french fries.

In a small bowl, mix together:

2 cups ketchup

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon onion powder

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Once mixed pour over:

2-3 boneless pork roast, any cut, in a crock pot

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 5-7 hours or until pork starts to fall apart. Using a fork pull meat into shreds. Serve warm.

Serves 6-8

Adapted from William Sonoma, The Gourmet Slow Cooker, Volume II