Spaghetti Puttanesca

Spaghetti Puttanesca
This recipe was adapted from David Rocco's Dolce Vita
 Cookingchanneltv.com

"Spaghetti Puttanesca" (pronounced spaghetti putta'neska). The name of this pasta dish is very controversial. In Italian, it means "spaghetti in the style of a prostitute". The name is often said to have originated with the ladies, because it was quick enough to make in between appointments, or that the aroma of the dish lured the clients in from the streets. Regardless of the meaning, this pasta dish is delicious. I loved everything about it. The tomatoes, olive oil, anchovies, olives, capers and garlic all work well together.

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti
4 - 5 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Crushed red pepper flakes
4 - 6 anchovy filet's, coarsely chopped
1 (6 ounce) can, or more black olives, pitted
1 tablespoon capers
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes with juices, hand crushed
Fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

While the spaghetti cooks in salted boiling water, prepare the sauce.

Heat up the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, to taste. When the garlic is golden, add the anchovies, olives, capers, and walnuts.

Let the mixture cook for about 1 minutes before pouring the hand crushed plum tomatoes with juices into the pan. Cook for approximately 10 minutes on medium heat.

About a minute before the al dente stage, drain the spaghetti and add it to the saucepan, allowing it to finish cooking in the sauce. Sprinkle the spaghetti with freshly chopped parsley and transfer to a pasta bowl. Serve immediately.

Quinoa and Black Beans

Quinoa and Black Beans

Serve this salad chilled.  The cayenne pepper can be substituted with 8 drops Tabasco sauce, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper or chili flakes.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup quinoa
1  1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Mix quinoa into onion mixture and cover with vegetable broth; season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until quinoa is tender and broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes; mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Looking for another quinoa salad? If yes, here's a great tasting quinoa salad recipe.

Zesty Quinoa Salad
http://crowdedkitchen509.blogspot.com/2013/04/zesty-quinoa-salad.html

Chocolate Pecan Carmels

Chocolate Pecan Caramels
Recipe submitted by Lani May Gumm

These caramels are a must for your Christmas gift boxes.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened, divided
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Line a 13x9-inch pan with foil; butter the foil with 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle with pecans and chocolate chops; set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm-ball stage).

Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool completely before cutting.

Yield: about 2 1/2 pounds (about 6 3/4 dozen).

Note: You should test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212 degrees. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.

Recipe submitted by Lani May Gumm

Slow Cooker Chocolate Covered Peanut Clusters

Slow Cooker Chocolate Covered Peanut Clusters
Recipe submitted by Michelle Morphy

So good and simple to make. Add these peanut clusters to your baking list each Christmas.  Your friends and family will be jumping for joy!

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package dry roasted salted peanuts
1 (16 ounce) package dry roasted unsalted peanuts
1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 (4 ounce) German chocolate bar
1 (32 ounce) white almond bark

Directions:

Put peanuts in bottom of crock pot. Add other ingredients.

Cook on low setting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir ingredients 2 or 3 times during the allotted time.

Place rounded spoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool.

Recipe submitted by Michelle Morphy

Pumpkin Pecan Loaves

Pumpkin Pecan Loaves
Recipe submitted by Lani May Gumm

Ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Caramel Glaze:

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin, oil, eggs and water; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in the pecans.

Spoon into two greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

For glaze, combine butter, sugars, and cream in a saucepan. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Cool for 20 minutes. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle or spread over cooled tops of loaves.

Recipe submitted by Lani May Gumm

Black Olive Focaccia Bread

Black Olive Focaccia Bread

This bread is fun and easy to make. Your family will be impressed and they will love you forever!

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried or fresh rosemary
1 can (3.8 ounce) sliced black olives, drained
2 cups warm water

Extra olive oil, coarse sea salt and rosemary for sprinkling

Directions:

Place all the ingredients together in a stand-up mixer bowl, except the warm water.

Using a dough hook attachment, mix all the ingredients together while slowly adding the water. Mix the dough until it comes together and forms a sticky ball.

Place the dough ball inside a lightly oiled clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place a clean towel over the plastic wrap and let rise and double in size for about an hour or more.

Oil an 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll baking pan.

Deflate your dough and place it on the baking sheet. Using your hands to push, pull and press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. Once finished, cover the pan with a towel and let rise for another 20 minutes.

Use your fingertips to make dimples in the focaccia dough.

Drizzle olive oil over the dough and spread with a brush. Sprinkle rosemary and coarse sea salt over the top of your bread and let rise for another 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a pale golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing bread.

Chocolate - Orange Biscotti

Chocolate - Orange Biscotti

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted, coarsely chopped
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, chopped

Directions:

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then Grand Marnier and orange peel. Add flour mixture and beat until blended. Stir in pecans and chocolate. Gather dough together; divide in half. Wrap in plastic and freeze 20 minutes to firm.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Using floured hands, form each dough piece into 14-inch long, 2 1/2-inch wide log. Transfer logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer parchment with logs to rack. Cool 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Place 1 log on cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut log on diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices. Stand slices upright on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining log.

Bake biscotti until dry to touch and pale golden, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on rack.