Weekend Recipes

Yay, Friday! Here are today's weekend recipes. Enjoy!

WHOLE-WHEAT BUTTERMILK PANCAKES WITH MAPLE SYRUP AND FRESH BERRIES

This comes from FamilyTime.com, and starts off, "Whole-wheat flour and buttermilk combine to make a hearty but light pancake with a slight tang." Prep. time: 7 minutes; Cooking time: 15 minutes; Serves: 10 pancakes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup yellow corn meal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, *

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup fresh berries

Directions

Grease griddle or skillet.

Ccombine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk, eggs and honey in a medium bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir until blended but still lumpy.

Heat prepared griddle over medium heat until hot. Pour about 1/3 cup batter onto griddle. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with syrup and berries.

Notes *or substitute 4 teaspoons lemon juice and enough milk to equal 1 1/2 cups. Let stand for 5 minutes before using.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

This comes from Giada de Laurentiis of The Food Network's Everyday Italian. I've made this several times, and absolutely love it. Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pasta-primavera-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips

2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips

2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1/4 cup olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence

1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)

15 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

EASY CALZONES

This is from Ree Drummond, The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total Time: 3 hr 40 min; Prep: 40 min; Inactive: 2 hr; Cook: 1 hr; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/easy-calzones-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

16 whole frozen, un-risen dinner rolls (I use Rhodes, can also use frozen bread loaves)

1 tablespoon butter

1 whole medium onion, diced

1 pound breakfast or Italian sausage

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

15 ounces whole milk ricotta

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

Black pepper

2 whole eggs plus 1 whole egg, beaten

All-purpose flour, for dusting

Marinara Sauce, warmed, for serving, recipe follows

Marinara Sauce:

Olive oil

3 to 4 whole cloves garlic, minced

1 whole small to medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)

Three 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

Salt and ground pepper

Pinch sugar

Fresh parsley leaves

Fresh basil leaves

Directions

Place the frozen rolls (or frozen bread loaves) on a baking sheet to thaw. Cover with a tea towel and let thaw and rise for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the sausage and cook until brown, crumbling the sausage as you stir. Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool on a plate.

In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, some pepper, parsley and 2 eggs.

When the sausage is cool, stir it into the cheese mixture and set aside.

When the rolls are thawed and risen, roll them out on a lightly floured surface until paper thin. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the filling onto half of the dough circle. Fold half of the dough over itself, and then press the edges to seal.

Brush the surface of each calzone with the beaten egg, and then bake until nice and golden brown, 10 to 13 minutes. Serve with warm Marinara Sauce.

Cook's Note: If you want a larger calzone, use frozen bread loaves and use one-quarter to one-third of the loaf for each calzone.

Marinara Sauce:

Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil into a hot pan over medium-high heat and throw in the garlic and chopped onions and give them a stir.

Now add the wine (or chicken broth), whisking to deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the liquid reduces by half.

Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Toward the end of the cooking process, chop up your fresh parsley and basil and add it to the sauce to taste, stirring to combine.

SLOW COOKER BEEF RAGU WITH MUSHROOMS AND PEPPERS

I've been receiving ivillage.com newsletters for years. This was in one of them, in "Easiest Homemade Dinner Ever! 5-Ingredients Recipes for Your Slow Cooker." This recipe originates with Jessica Fisher's blog Good Cheap Eats. Prep time: 5 minutes; cooking time: 4 hours; Yields 8 servings

To view it online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound chuck steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 to 1 whole bell pepper, chopped

4 cups Red Sauce or other favorite spaghetti sauce

Instructions

Place the items in the order listed in the crock of a 4-quart slow cooker.

Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6 hours.

Serve over pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes.

To freeze: store cooled meat mixture in an airtight container in the freezer. Reheat on the stovetop.

MAGIC CATERPILLAR PEANUT BUTTER BREAD

Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live, although the episodes can still be found here. Check out his website, The Bread Monk.

This recipe and the next (Raisin Walnut Bread) are from Breaking Bread... This recipe yields 1 loaf.

Ingredients:

1 package FLEISCHMANN'S Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

For decoration: tubes of colored frosting, candies, gumdrops, licorice, etc.

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Combine milk, peanut butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Let cool to lukewarm, then add to yeast mixture. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until flour is thoroughly incorporated.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 5 minutes, adding small amounts of the remaining flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Rinse and dry bowl, then lightly oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Roll dough into a rope about 24 inches long. Form rope into a large S shape on a lightly greased 18x12-inch baking sheet. Using a butter knife or dough scraper, chop rope into 3-inch sections, but do not separate completely. Cover with a cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. (The caterpillar will magically grow back together during rising and baking.)

About 15 minutes before end of rising time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake loaf 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate cooled loaf with frosting and gumdrops or other candy. Poke holes in the sides with a wooden pick and insert sections of licorice for legs.

Note: Decorating gel doesn't work as well as frosting as a glue for the candy decorations, so make sure you pick up the right tube at the store. Any candies will work to make spots for the caterpillar's sections. Thin red licorice makes the perfect legs and antennae, unless you know your youngsters prefer the flavor of black licorice.

POTATO AND ONION SOUP

This is from Roadfood.com. The send out emails periodically which are almost always interesting. This recipe, from Harry Caray's, starts off, “Cooking potatoes in beef stock gives the starchy vegetable a savor that all carnivores will appreciate. A sprinkle of Parmesan on each serving adds just the right zip.”

Preparation Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes Servings: 6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups peeled and sliced Spanish onions

3-1/2 cups homemade beef stock or equivalent amount of canned, low salt beef broth

3 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan and add the olive oil.

Add the onions and sauté until they become clear and turn a light brown. Set aside.

In a large stock pot, bring the beef stock to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the diced potatoes. Simmer over medium heat until the potatoes are soft.

Add the onions to the stock pot and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Salt and pepper the soup to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese on top and serve.