Recipe of the Month

Apr 16, 2012

Tarragon Chicken Salad

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups diced Granny Smith apples
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add pecans, and cook, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.
2. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in chicken and next 3 ingredients just until blended. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours; stir in 1/2 cup toasted pecans just before serving. Sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Southern Living Magazine-March 2012

Recipe of the Month

Mar 21, 2012

One-Dish Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 (12-oz.) package farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (8-oz.) package fresh mushrooms, quartered
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups milk
• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Toppings: toasted sliced almonds, chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes. Remove from Dutch oven.
2. Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. butter in Dutch oven over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.
3. Stir chicken, sautéed vegetables, and hot cooked pasta into sauce. Add cheese, pepper, and salt. Serve with desired toppings.

Southern Living-October 2011

Recipe of the Month

Feb 8, 2012

Caramelized Banana Pudding

Makes: 8 servings
Hands-On Time: 30 min.
Total Time: 1 hr. 15 min.

• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 large ripe bananas, sliced
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 48 vanilla wafers

For best flavor, choose firm, ripe bananas with brown speckles.

Preparation

1. Cook first 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly. Add bananas; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat.
2. Whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, next 3 ingredients, and 4 egg yolks in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until a pudding-like thickness. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
3. Divide half of banana mixture, pudding, and wafers among 8 (1-cup) ramekins or ovenproof glass dishes. Layer with remaining banana mixture, pudding, and vanilla wafers.
4. Beat 4 egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Spread meringue over ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet.
5. Bake at 325° for 15 to 20 minutes or until meringue is golden. Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes.

Southern Living Magazine-February 2012

Recipe of the Month

Jan 23, 2012

White Lightning Chicken Chili

Makes: 11 1/2 cups
Hands-On Time: 30 min
Total Time: 30 min

Don’t drain the chopped green chiles or navy beans.

1 large sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans chicken broth
2 (4.5 oz) cans chopped green chiles
1 (1.25 oz) package white chicken chili seasoning mix
3 (16 oz.) cans navy beans

Toppings: Avocado-Mango Salsa, sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, fresh cilantro leaves.

Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in chicken, next 3 ingredients, and 2 cans navy beans. Coarsely mash remaining can navy beans, and stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring often: cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.

Avocado-Mango Salsa

Stir together 1 large avocado, cubed; 1 cup diced fresh mango; 1/3 cup diced red onion; 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro; and 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice. Makes: About 2 cups.

Southern Living Magazine-January 2012

Recipe of the Month

Dec 16, 2011

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Makes: 2 dozen
Hands-on: 25 minutes
Total: 2 hours, 18 minutes

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 (1 oz) bottle red liquid food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
White Chocolate-Amaretto Frosting (recipe below)
Garnishes: white chocolate snowflakes, red candy sprinkles

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in food coloring and vanilla until blended.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir together buttermilk, vinegar, and baking soda in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup. (Mixture will bubble.) Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Place 24 paper baking cups in 2 (12 cup) muffin pans; spoon batter into cups, filling three-fourths full.
3. Bake at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pans to wire racks, and let cool completely (about 45 minutes.)
4. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Garnish, if desired.

White Chocolate-Amaretto Frosting

2 (4 oz.) white chocolate baking bars
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup butter, softened
6 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/4 cup almond liqueur

Preparation

1. Break white chocolate baking bars into pieces. Melt white chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl at medium (50% power) 1 minute or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. (Do not overheat.) Let cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Beat butter and 1 cup powdered sugar at low speed with an electric mixture until blended. Add 5 cups powdered sugar alternately with almond liqueur, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Add white chocolate mixture; beat at medium speed until spreading consistency.

Southern Living Magazine Dec-2011

Recipe of the Month

Nov 15, 2011

Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

Makes: 12 Servings
Hands on Time: 25 min
Total Time: 11 hours, 32 min (Including topping & pecans)

Ingredients:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
5 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Praline Topping (below)
Garnish: Coarsely Chopped Pecan Pie-Glazed Pecans

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. (Pan will be very full.)
3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
4. Remove sides and bottom of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Prepare Praline Topping; immediately pour slowly over top of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/4 inch of edge. Garnish, with Pecan Pie-Glazed Pecans.

Praline Topping
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Boil, stirring occasionally, 1 minute; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Use immediately.

Pecan-Pie Glazed Pecans
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups pecan halves
Parchment paper
Vegetable cooking spray

Preparation

1. Stir together corn syrup and sugar. Add pecan halves; stir until pecans are coated. Line a jelly-roll pan with parchment paper; coat parchment paper with cooking spray. Spread pecans in a single layer in prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until glaze bubbles slowly and thickens, stirring every 3 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack. Spread pecans in a single layer, separating individual pecans; cool completely. Cooled pecans should be crisp; if not, bake 5 more minutes.

Southern Living Magazine-November 2011