Creamy Turkey Sausage Alfredo

This recipe is actually to be made with chicken breasts, but Jimmy and I discovered it was delicious with hot Italian turkey sausage. I omitted the minced onion since I didn't care for it the first time we made it. I added some garlic salt to it and didn't bake it. Just let the sausage simmer in the sauce for a while. We served it over a tri-color pasta and had garlic bread made from hot dog buns and a caesar salad.

I'm giving you the true recipe. It is from some cards I got in the mail from Easy to Bake Easy to Make.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves (about 4 oz each)

1/2 tsp salt

2 T plus 1 tsp olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T minced onion

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 T coarsely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place flour in a shallow dish or pie plate. Sprinkle chicken with salt; coat with flour. heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook, turning once, until golden, 2-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet; place in a 13" x 9" baking dish.

2. Heat remaining olive oil in same skillet over medium heat until hot. Add garlic and onion; cook until garlic is fragrant and onion is tender, 1-2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; add whipping cream, parmesan and pepper. Cook until sauce is bubbly and slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken in dish.

3. Bake chicken until an instant read thermometer inserted in center of chidken registers 180 degrees, 8-12 mintues. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 6 serviings

Cookie Carnival: Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

This month's Cookie Carnival recipe was mini pumpkin whoopie pies. I remember whoopie pies from when I was younger. These cookies were absolutely delicious! The recipe was easy to follow and not very time consuming at all. My son thought they were the best! I doubled the recipe so I would have plenty to bring to work and to my mom's.

For the cookies:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 T unsalted butter, softened

1/3 c. vegetable shortening

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the filling:

4 oz cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

Directions:

1. Prepare cookies. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Place butter, shortening, and sugars into bowl. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.

3. Drop about 2 tsp dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12-14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and tranfer to wire racks using a spatula. Let cool completely.

4. Prepare filling. In bowl, whip together cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, butter and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

5. Pipe or spoon about 2 tsp filling on the flat side of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

TWD: Pumpkin Muffins

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was Pumpkin Muffins, page 13, chosen by Kelly of Sounding My Barbaric Gulp. I wasn't in the mood for raisins, so I omitted them and the sunflower seeds. I found the muffins wonderful tasting, especially slightly heated with some butter! I made these Saturday night and took some to the Dolphins game the next morning (yes, the Dolphins lost to the Ravens. Sniff!)

I would definitely make these again, but maybe closer to Thanksgiving time. Thanks, Kelly!

Golden Chicken Cordon Bleu

I got this recipe off the Taste of Home website. It's from one of the Cooking for 2 magazines. I wanted to make homemade chicken cordon bleu for last night's dinner. I found this recipe and it was delicious. I would definitely make it again. It was a hit! I served it with mashed potatoes, gravy and caesar salad. I doubled the recipe since I had more than 2 breasts. I will never serve frozen chicken cordon bleu out of a box again!

The recipe was not time consuming at all, especially since I started with the filets that were thin to begin with so I didn't have to bang them out. It looks like it was fussed over. Next time will fry a couple at a time since some started to get too brown since I was trying to bread and fry at the same time! Otherwise, perfect meal!

CATEGORY: Main Dish

METHOD: Baked

TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 20 min.

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz each)
• 2 slices deli ham (3/4 ounce each)
• 2 slices Swiss cheese (3/4 ounce each)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness; top each with a slice of ham and cheese. Roll up and tuck in ends; secure with toothpicks.

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, paprika and pepper. In another bowl, whisk egg and milk. Place bread crumbs in a third bowl. Dip chicken in flour mixture, then egg mixture; roll in crumbs.

In a small skillet, brown chicken in oil on all sides. Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Discard toothpicks; drizzle with butter. Yield: 2 servings.

TWD: Lenox Almond Biscotti

This week's recipe on pages 141-143 was chosen by Gretchen of Canela & Comino. I wasn't sure if I was in the mood for Biscotti, but I have to say these tasted pretty darn good. I even liked them when I tasted the ends after the first baking. The recipe was simple and not too many ingredients. Good choice, Gretchen!

I didn't modify the recipe any. The unmodified version I find is light and delicious.

Crescent-Topped Cheeseburger Casserole

I had bought a can of the new Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated flaky dough sheet about a month ago. I decided I wanted to make it so I went onto the Pillsbury website and found this recipe. Not only did it seem easy, but something Jimmy would like.

It was very good. The dough tastes just like a crescent roll. Jimmy did the mixing of the ingredients and finished browning the meat. I don't think you should have to cut the dough into 6 squares, but instead just lay the dough on top of the meat in one sheet.

While I was putting this together, I thought of ways to change the recipe - different cheese, make it Italian or Mexican. I will definitely make this again and experiment!

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped dill pickles
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
1 T yellow mustard
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded American cheese (6 oz)
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated flaky dough sheet
1 egg, beaten
1 T sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in pickles, water, ketchup, mustard and pepper.

2. Spoon beef mixture into 11/7 inch (2 quart) glass baking dish (I used metal). Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Unroll dough; press into 12x8 inch rectangle. Cut into 6 squares; place on top of cheese. Brush with egg; sprinkle with sesame seeds.

4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Yield: 6 servings

Quick Cheese Biscuits

I got this recipe from the Great American Home Baking cards in the mail. I made them to have with the Jerk Pork my boyfriend is making. I was a little skeptical at first since they seemed runny. But they taste delicious. Quite simple. Mine only made 7 biscuits tho. Next time I will double the recipe. I used colby jack cheese since I did not have any cheddar.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 t. butter
2/3 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well. Stir in the cheese.

3. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives (or a fork) until coarse crumbs form. Stir in the milk into the flour mixture just until a soft dough forms.

4. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the biscuits are firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.

Yield: 10