Monday, October 10, 2011

Italian Sausage Heros

Makes: 4 sandwiches
Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 4 to 5 hours (low)

Italian Sausage Heros
ingredients

8 ounces bulk Italian sausage
4 ounces lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
1 4-ounce can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
4 French-style rolls or hoagie buns, split lengthwise

directions

1. In a large skillet, cook meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.

2. Meanwhile, in a 1 1/2-quart slow cooker, combine ketchup, mushrooms, olives (if desired), and Italian seasoning. Stir in meat mixture.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting* for 4 to 5 hours.

4. To serve, place half of the cheese evenly on roll bottoms. Spoon meat mixture over cheese. Top with remaining cheese and roll tops.
nutrition facts

Servings Per Recipe 4 sandwiches
Calories484
Total Fat (g)27

Spaghetti with Sauce Italiano

ingredients
  • 1 pound bulk Italian sausage or ground beef
  • 1cup chopped onion (1 large)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 4-ounce cans (drained weight) mushroom stems and pieces, drained (optional)
  • 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 large)
  • 12 to 16 ounces dried spaghetti
  • Grated or finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
directions

1. In a large skillet, cook meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.

2. Meanwhile, in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine undrained tomatoes, mushrooms (if desired), tomato paste, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir in meat mixture.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Discard bay leaf. Turn off cooker. Add sweet pepper; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling, lightly salted water according to package directions; drain. Spoon meat mixture over pasta. If desired, sprinkle with cheese.

Spaghetti with Spicy Sausage-Cream Sauce: Prepare as directed, substituting bulk hot Italian sausage for Italian sausage. Before serving, stir 1/2 cup whipping cream into sauce.

Nutrition Facts per serving for Spaghetti with Spicy Sausage-Cream Sauce: 621 cal., 30 g fat (15 g sat. fat), 78 mg chol., 1,514 mg sodium, 62 g carb., 6 g fiber, 28 g pro.

nutrition facts
  • Servings Per Recipe 6 to 8 servings
  • Calories548
  • Total Fat (g)25
  • Saturated Fat

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcake Surprise



Yields 12 Cupcakes
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in muffin pan wells.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon table salt
½ cup sour cream

Instructions:
1. Place butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan with two inches of simmering water. Gently stir butter and chocolate until melted and combined. Set aside until mixture is warm to touch.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
3. Whisk eggs in second bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.
4. Fill cupcake line ¼ full. Add a Reeses peanut butter cup to each well and finish pouring cupcake batter on top of it until the wells are two-thirds full. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
5. Cool cupcakes to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Chocolate Swiss Meringue
• 5 large egg whites
• 11/2 cup sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Instructions:
1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.
2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixture cools and doubles in volume.
3. Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add cooled chocolate and mix to combine.

Chocolate Pouring Sauce
• 2/3 cups dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
• 4-5 tablespoons water, warm
Instructions:
1. Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

Assembly
1. Frost cooled cupcakes. Freeze frosted cupcakes for ten minutes. Drizzle chocolate pour over chocolate frosting (reheat chocolate pour in microwave as needed to keep pouring consistency). Shake sprinkles on chocolate sauce. Place peanut butter cup on top and add a more frosting. Finish with a maraschino cherry.