Sage And Garlic Rubbed Cornish Hens

Despite the name,Cornish Hens are not game birds. It is a broiler chicken, the most common strain of commercially raised meat chickens.  Also, though the bird is called a "hen" it can be either male or female.    We love to amaze our family and friends with this stunning main dish because it makes such an elegant presentation.  They are also great alternative for for small Thanksgiving meals, or any special occasion.    Notice in this  recipe bird is served "halved".

Ingredients:
6 garlic cloves
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
12 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 Tbs. grated lemon rind
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Cornish hens (about 2 2/3 pounds total) butterflied and backbone removed
2 lemons, halved and seeded


Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place a wire rack in a roasting pan or on a heavy-duty baking sheet.
• Smash garlic cloves with the back of your knife; then, with the flat side of your knife, press then to grind to a fine past with the sugar and salt against the cutting board.
• Combine garlic mixture, chopped sage, and oil in a small bowl
• Pat hens dry with paper towels.  Rub garlic mixture under skins.
• Place ends on rack; roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 160 degree.
• Remove hens; let stand 5 minutes. Remove and discard skin.  Split hens along breast plate. Server with Lemons

Tupps Tidbits: In this recipe the hens are spread out flat. I used a kitchen shears to cut them and remove the backbone before cooking.

Where did we find this? cookinglight.com

These roasted birds are very fragrant, be prepared for a garlic filled house! Even though the picture does not show the hen darken in color, it was amazing and cooked beautifully. You can serve these with just about anything you would traditionally serve with turkey or ham.   This recipe is a KEEPER in our HOUSE!

Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana

From my understanding, this is a favorite, signature Olive Garden soup.  We have never tried it before at Olive Garden but one of  our friends stated they made this exact recipe, and loved it, so we thought we would give it a try.  Hoping for another warm soup on a cold January night!  Of course, I saw the "note",  goes with "nice crusty bread",  and I was all in!

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground Hot Italian sausage
• 1 bag Simply Potatoes, diced potatoes and onions
• 2 large cloves garlic minced
• 32 oz. chicken stock
• 1/2 bunch kale, stemmed and torn into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbs flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

1. Heat large saute pan over medium high heat and brown sausage
2. Add minced garlic and stir to combine
3. Drain off the grease and then add sausage and garlic to the bottom of slow cooker
4. Add bag of diced potatoes and onion, cover with chicken stock and water (if necessary) to completely cover potatoes and sausage.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 (potatoes should be soft)
6. BEFORE SERVING:
7. Whisk together heavy cream and flour until well mixed.  Pour into slow cooker, add kale and stir to combine.
8. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes until soup has thickened slightly.
9. Taste, season according to you taste and serve.

Notes:  

**if desired, top soup with slices of crumbled peppered bacon

**goes great with a nice crusty bread

Tupps Tidbits:  I did not use the bag of Simply Potatoes.  I peeled and cut up 20 oz. of potatoes, and diced some onion.

Where did we find this?  www.thechunkychef.com

We changed this recipe by using turkey sausage & Italian seasoning, maybe that is why were were only able to choke down about a bowl before we threw the rest in the trash! It did NOT warm up the tummy or fill it!   NOT A KEEPER in our house!!

Too-Tasty-to-Be-Good-for-You Cauliflower Mac 'N Cheese

Anyone seen the new show on ABC called, "My Diet is Better Than Yours"?  Well as I was watching it one night, one of the trainers assisted a contestant/competitor in making a recipe "like" mac and cheese but with cauliflower in it.   I started goggling recipes similar and found this one on Rachael Ray's site to try.

Ingredients
Salt
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pound whole wheat pasta
2 Tbs. butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
Pepper


Preparation
Bring large pot of water to a boil.  Salt it, add cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.  In the same boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente, then drain in a colander.  Add the pasta to the cauliflower.

While the pasta is working, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in milk and chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the cheese.  Whisk in the mustard and season with pepper.

Stir the cheese sauce into the pasta and cauliflower.

Tupps Tidbits:  Just buy a box of Kraft Shells and Cheese, do not alter


Where did we find this one?  www.rachaelray.com/recipes

Ok, first bite, we did not like this dish.  Maybe it was the whole grain pasta? Nope, another bite, maybe it is the cauliflower? Nope, another bite, still disgusting...in the trash it went.  Changing the title of this recipe to "Too-Nasty-to-Be-Good-for-You" and we will be sticking to the box of Shells & Cheese and just eat less!   Why try and change a good thing anyway, right? We have not had good luck in the new year yet with our recipes, hoping the next one is better! THIS ONE IS NOT A KEEPER in our house!

Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup

The weather is definitely getting colder and its a perfect time for soup. We love it for leftovers & works great to pack for lunch. This looks like a thick & creamy loaded soup. A pure comfort bowl.

The last recipe we blogged in 2015 came from this same web site and it was a KEEPER, we will see how this one does!

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour (all purpose, whole wheat or ap gluten-free)
2 1/2 cups less sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup fat free milk
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small
1/4 tsp kosher salt and fresh pepper
4 cups (about 2 heads) broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
1-1/2 cups reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar
2 slices 2% American cheese
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Chop onion, carrot, celery, garlic in a chopper or mini food processor.
2. In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add chopped vegetables and sauté on low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add flour, salt and pepper to the pot and stir until smooth.
   
4. Add chicken broth, milk and potatoes and set heat to high until it comes to a boil, then cover and cook on low until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.
5. Add broccoli florets, parmesan cheese, and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered until broccoli is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add cheddar and American cheese, stir well and remove from heat.
6. Using an immersion blender, quickly blend part of the soup for a quick second or two. If you don't have an immersion blender, remove about 1-2 cups of potatoes and broccoli, place it in your chopper, then add it back to the soup. This helps thicken it a bit.

Tupps Tidbits:  We did not have an immersion blender,  but it was still pretty thick with skipping step 6

Where did we find this?  skinnytaste.com

This past weekend, we enjoyed a nice hearty lunch on a cold day. We would consider adding a few spices next time, maybe some dry mustard or hot sauce, but either way, it was yummy and warmed up the tummy! It made the right amount of soup for 2 of us, not too big of a pot. Just enough for a few leftovers. KEEPER in our house!

We are starting back up with new recipes in 2016!!!!

Welcome to 2016!

I’m Deanna, food eater & writer of the blog.  Sean (Tupps) is your cook and grill master. We are into our 5th year of blogging and we made yet ANOTHER New Years resolution together to try and attempt to make and share with you 52 NEW recipes.   We have came close to completing the resolution over the past years but have not quite made it yet!

The recipes are either original, family recipes, or have been adapted from magazines, cookbooks, newspapers, and internet. The majority of the recipes comes from sources, which we always credit when we can! 

We are the photographer’s. The camera of the moment is an IPAD 2.

Email us to tell us about something fabulous that you think we should know about or if you tried a recipe listed and if it was a “Keeper” in your house.

Since it is predicted to no reach above 5 degrees this weekend, we are thinking a new soup recipe might come in handy!  We will be attempting our first meal this week and post is as soon as possible.

Happy New Year everyone!

Skinny Meatloaf cupcakes with Mashed Potato Frosting

What a cute idea! Mini meatloaves topped with my favorite garden potato - Yukon gold!
And to top it off, there is vegetables hiding in the meatloaf.

Ingredients:

For the Meatloaf cupcakes:

• 1.3 lb 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 cup grated zucchini, all moisture squeezed dry with paper towel
• 2 tbsp onion, minced
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp kosher salt

For the Skinny Mashed Potato "Frosting":

• 1 lb (about 2 Medium )Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 2 tbsp fat free sour cream
• 2 tbsp fat free chicken broth
• 1 tbsp skim milk
• 1/2 tbsp light butter
• salt to taste
• dash of pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme

Directions:

Put the potatoes and garlic in a large pot with salt and enough water to cover; bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat; simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Drain and return potatoes and garlic to pan.  Add sour cream and remaining ingredients.  Using a masher or blender, mash until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, preheat over to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with foil liners.

In a large bowl, mix the turkey, zucchini, onion, breadcrumbs, ketchup, egg, and salt.  Place meatloaf mixture into muffin tins filling them to the top, making sure they are flat at the top. 

Bake uncovered for 18-20 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove from tins and place onto baking dish.

Pipe the "frosting" onto the meatloaf cupcake and serve.

Tupps Tidbits:  I cut the corner off of a zip-lock bag to pipe the mashed potatoes.  You can you a pastry bag to do that also.

Where did we find this?  skinnytaste.com

I usually do not like ground turkey but these were very tasty.  We served them with peas and added some ketchup and they were SO GOOD! The actual meatloaf was super moist.  This would definitely satisfy your craving for meatloaf minus the red meat!  We found this recipe at skinnytaste.com and I can't wait to try more from this site.  KEEPER in our house!

Pink Lemonande Strawberry Shortcake

It would not be summer without desserts like Strawberry shortcake. This week we tried an old fashioned, made from scratch recipe, with fresh whipped cream.  Shortcake is a sweet cake or biscuit and by adding strawberries and cream to it, this  makes a nice refreshing dessert!

Ingredients

6 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar (optional)
2 cups flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/5 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp finely shredded lemon zest
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 - 8 ounce carton mascarpone cheese or tub-style cream cheese
3/4 cup sifted powder sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest
Lemon zest (optional)

Directions

1. In medium mixing bowl, stir together strawberries and, if desired, the sugar.  Set aside.
2. For the shortcake:  In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt.   Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  make a well in the center; add buttermilk, lemonade concentrate and 1/2 tsp lemon zest all at once.  Stir just until dough clings together.
3. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough gently for 10 to 12 strokes.  Pat dough into 8-inch circle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.   Bake  at 400 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly.
4. Meanwhile, for Lemon Mascarpone Cream:  In a medium mixing bowl beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer on low speed just until soft peaks form.  Add the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and 1 tsp. lemon zest; beat until fluffy ( mixture will thicken as it is beaten).
5. Using a large serrated knife,  gently split warm short cake horizontally into 2 layers.  Using a wide spatula to help support the layers as you move them, place bottom layer on serving platter.  Spread with about two-thirds of the mascarpone cheese mixture.  Spoon some of the strawberries onto the mascarpone cheese layer.  Again using a spatula to help support the layer, add shortcake top.  Spread with remaining mascarpone cheese mixture and top with more of the strawberries.  Serve immediately, cutting into wedges and passing any remaining strawberries.

Tupps Tidbits:  instead of buttermilk you could substitute for sour milk by placing 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice or vinegar in a 1-cup measure; add enough milk to make 1/2 cup, let stand for 5 minutes before using

Where did we find this?  www.midwestliving.com

Be sure to bake the shortcake all the way thru, keeping it in the oven until a golden brown on top. Also, wait for it to cool completely before cutting to avoid a crumble mess.  The pink lemonade concentrate gave this a summery twist to a classic strawberry shortcake.  Very yummy...KEEPER in our house!

The name of this dessert reminds me of my dad.  He had this joke he would tell and of course tell it over and over:  Do you know what happened when Indian Chief Shortcake died? Squaw bury Shortcake!  And he would laugh and laugh! Please pass it on and entertain your guests!  

squaw bury Shortcake