Ingredients
 Filling
   1lb. Ground beef
   1/2cup Onion, Diced
   1/2tbsp. Garlic
   1/2tbsp. Dried Oregano

 Ravioli
   Fresh Pasta
   Egg Wash(1egg)

 Sauce
   Butter
   1/2tbsp. Flour
   1/2cup. Heavy Cream
   1/3cup. Champagne
   Romano Cheese
   1tsp. Dried Oregano

**NOTE: All Ingredients are guestimations I normally do not measure when cooking so just use your best judgement.

Directions
 1. Melt butter and put onions and ground beef in the pan, Brown the Beef(add salt and pepper).
 2. once brown, drain then put back in pan, add in garlic stir for a couple minute.
 3. Add Oregano.
 4. Roll out Pasta dough and cut into squares.
 5. Fill Pasta and put one piece on top and seal with egg wash.
 6. Begin Sauce…
 7. Melt Butter and mix in flour to make a roux.
 8. Add Cream and half champagne.
 9. Once it begins to boil add cheese(to taste) and Oregano, simmer for a few minutes.
 10. Should begin thickening add the rest of the champagne and simmer(add salt and pepper).
 11. While simmering put pasta in boiling water to cook.
 12. The pasta should be done about the same time your sauce is at the consistency you want.
 13. Add the Ravioli to the sauce and coat evenly.
 14. Done

Thats right for my first post back from a short break i’m taking on one of the most well known Italian dishes, or is it? The name its self is an argument of its own, I’ll let you look that one up, but where did the dish we come to call Chicken Parmigiana (or for the Southern Americans Chicken Parmesan)? The original variation of the dish was actually from Sicily, Italy, It was made with fried eggplant. While the origin of the Chicken Parmigiana is unclear some people allude to the idea that it was possibly thought up on U.S. grounds from Italian immigrants. Check it out yourself here.

This is a simple fast dish that I only recently began making for dinner some nights. Of course if you want more authenic taste the you can make your own marinara sauce, but for the quickness of the dish I use store bought. Also the number of chicken breast can be changed acording to the amount of people you wish to feed.

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breast
1 Can Store Bought Marinara Sauce
1/2cup Parmesan Cheese
1-2cups Italian flavored Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs
Milk
Butter
Salt and Pepper

Directions

1. Mix eggs and a little milk in a wide bowl, and pour the bread crumbs into another wide bowl.
2. Dredge the chicken by putting it into the bread crumbs then in the egg mixture then back into the bread crumbs.
3. Melt butter in a pan, fry the chicken until golden brown on both sides then set on a baking sheet. Do this for all breast.
4. Pour some of the marinara sauce onto each breast and top with cheese.
5. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is done.
6. Enjoy.

This goes perfectly with Fettuccine Alfredo and Toasted Basil Bread.

This is the latest out of my kitchen. It is inspired by chef Ramseys Sticky Lemon Chicken, but with emphasis on being fast and something you can easily cook in less than 30 minutes. Serves Four or two if your really hungry.

4 Chicken Breast
3/4 cup White Wine
1tsp. dried Thyme maybe a lil’ more.
5 large Basil leaves (Chopped)
1 clove Garlic (Finely Chopped)
1 1/2tbsp. Butter
1tbsp. Olive Oil
2tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 – 1 1/2cup Heavy Cream

1. Melt Butter and add Olive Oil to pan. 
2. Sear Chicken until both sides are brown.
3. After both sides are browned add garlic and sauté for a minute.
4. Add Thyme, White Wine and Basil and Simmer for about 3 minutes.
5. Add Lemon Juice and a pinch of salt.
6. Cook for about 3 minutes. Chicken should be white throughout.
7. Take Chicken out of pan.
8. Add Cream and simmer for a minute stirring continuously to combine.
7. Pour Sauce over chicken and enjoy. Serve with mashed potatoes, pasta, or vegetables.

P.S. I know the sauce is not in the picture this was my first attempt at the recipe and I didn’t feel like taking another picture just to add the sauce.

You don’t have to be Chinese to cook Chinese… This dish is one that I have been experimenting with and I think I got it down now. Needless to say the first one I made would burn you tong off. Oh the fun of cooking. But I have got the heat under control now I still think that the recipe can use some tweaking so we will see how that goes. If you like spicier foods then go ahead and add a bit more red pepper. Adding red pepper will not change the taste too much but will most definitely add heat exponentially. When I say exponentially I mean fast, 1/4tsp. is pretty hot, almost to the point that the dish is not appetizing anymore, so keep it under that..

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2tsp. garlic, Finely Chopped
1/4 teaspoon ginger
A Dash of red pepper
1/4 cup apple juice or pear juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

Directions

1. Cut Chicken into small pieces (about 1/2-3/4inch pieces).
2. Stir fry Chicken until golden brown.
3. Take Chicken out of pan.
4. Add all other ingredients to the pan and combine till smooth.
5. Simmer for a minute.
6. Add Chicken back to pan and simmer until sauce thickens.
7. Serve over rice.

Warning: If the sauce begins to become gooey and sticky Take off heat immediately, because this means that the sauce is beginning to burn and if left any longer will not taste good AT ALL!

Overall this is a very fast and easy recipe which will satisfy any Chinese cravings you may have.

Tell me that doesn’t make you hungry. Not just because of all the red… This dish is insainly simple and returns an awesome meal. The parents went on vacation for the weekend so I figured since they went on vacation I’m gonna cook and eat like I’m on vacation. Which mean any thing I want.. Well Stir Fry was on last nights menu. Who knows what on tonights menu. I’m thinking Steak. The recipe I used is below, as usual all measurements are relative so if you want to substitute or not put as much of something then make it your own..

Ingredients
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
3tbsp. Cornstarch
3tbsp. Soy Sauce
1/4tsp. Garlic Powder
4tbsp. Olive Oil (Or cooking oil), Split into two tbsp.
2 cups Broccoli Florets
1 whole Bell Pepper
1cup Mushrooms
1 small onion
3/4cup Water
1  Chicken Bouillon Cube

PREP:
1. Cut chicken into strips and add to gallon sized ziplock
2. Add Cornstarch to bag and give a shake
3. Add Soy Sauce, Garlic Powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper to bag.
4. Give a shake to mix and put in Fridge for at least 30min.

While the chicken is chilling chop the Mushrooms(if needed), dice the Onion, and cut the Bell Pepper into strips.

Directions:
1. Heat 2tbsp. Olive Oil in Skillet on medium-high heat.
2. Once Hot. Very hot, we are stir frying here… Add Chicken and cook till no longer pink inside.
3. Take Chicken out and keep warm.
4. Add the other 2tbsp. Olive Oil to pan, once hot add Broccoli, Bell Pepper, Mushrooms, and Onion.
5. Stir fry for about 5min. until vegetables are crisp.
6. Add Chicken back into pan and pour the water in.
7. Add Chicken Bouillon Cube by crushing it above the pan(or you can do it on the cutting board and  add to pan).
8. Let simmer till sauce thickens.
9. Enjoy.

America’s favorite cookie becomes America’s favorite cake!  Make it four layers for large crowds or just two layers for a family dessert…either way, this will become a family favorite.  Half devil’s food and half yellow cake with butter cream frosting stuffed with crushed Oreo cookies, this is one of my most requested cakes.  The recipe is below for you to try.  If you wish to make it “semi-homemade” go with box cake mixes for the layers.  Just get in the kitchen and bake it for your next event….forego those grocery store cakes and present your family and friends with a masterpiece of your own.

Devil’s Food Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/4 cup milk

Directions

To make the frosting: Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate, move the bowl gently to let the cream settle. Set the mixture aside until softened, about 4 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Cover the surface of the frosting with plastic wrap. Set aside and let set up at room temperature, about 2 hours.

To make the cake: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment or wax paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and slowly add the sugar. Continue beating until light and smooth, about 4 minutes. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat at medium speed for 1 minute more. (Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl again, if needed.) With the mixer running at medium-low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Combine the water and milk in a saucepan and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat.

With the mixer at low speed, add the flour mixture, about a 1/4 cup at a time. Carefully pour the hot liquid into the batter. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a large rubber spatula, finish combining the batter until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Lightly drop each pan onto the counter to settle the batter.

Set the pans on the middle rack in the oven. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans and the center springs back when touched lightly, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool the cakes, in the pans, on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake layers out of the pans and cool on the rack. (If not assembling the cake right away, wrap the layers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 day, or freeze for up to 2 months.)

Yellow Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups 2% milk

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.

Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Cookies and Cream Butter Cream Frosting

2 sticks of butter, room temperture

4 cups of confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons milk

1 sleeve Oreo Cookies roughly crushed with filling removed.  (I do this because I feel the filling causes the frosting to be too sweet)

I sleeve Oreo Cookies finely crushed with filling removed ( Use this for crumbs used on the sides of cake)

Putting the Cake Together

Place yellow layer on cake board with 4 pieces of wax paper all around the bottom. Cover top with frosting.  Next place devil’s food layer and cover with frosting.  Repeat for 4 layer cake.  Once layers are in place, cover cake completely with frosting.  Garnish with Oreo crumbs around the outside edges and place whole Oreo cookies on top.  Remove wax paper from the bottom with crumbs.

Today’s lunch. Recipe by Diana Rattray on about.com

Ingredients

4 Boneless Chicken Breast
1/2cup all-purpose Flour
1/2tsp. Salt
1/4tsp. Pepper
1/2tsp. Dried Basil (maybe a little more)
3tbsp. Butter
2tbsp. Olive Oil
1cup sliced fresh Mushrooms
1/2cup Marsala Wine

Directions

1.Combine Dry ingredients(flour, salt, pepper, basil).
2. Heat oil and butter in non-stick pan.
3. Dredge chicken in flour mixture.
4. Cook Chicken till golden brown on both sides adding mushrooms when you flip them(about 2-3min per side)
5. Add Marsala and simmer for about 10min.
6. Enjoy.

This dish can be served with pasta or just by itself.

When making a cheesecake the hardest part is getting the top to be perfect(no cracks). This can be a challenge specially when the cake is drying.  When I made my first cheesecake I had beginners luck and came out with a perfect cake, but after that one I had to begin searching for ways to make sure that it came out perfect every time. Here are a few tips which can help avoid these “cracks” in the cake.

- Fully grease spring form pan, while baking the cake will begin to pull away from the pan so if it sticks then it will begin pulling from the center(not good).
- When preheating the oven put a small glass bowl full of water in the oven, this keeps the air inside the oven humid.
- Don’t open the oven door too much, yes I know you want to make sure your creation is ok and I promise it is…
- Once cake is done just turn the oven off and open the oven door, don’t take the cheesecake out, this will let the cake come down to room temperature slowly before you put it in the fridge.

Ingredients

For Crust
1 stick Butter
2 packs of Gram Crackers

1 1/2lbs. Cream Cheese
1 1/3cups Sugar
5 large Eggs
1/2cup Sour Cream
1/4cup Flour
2tsp. Vanilla Extract
3tsp. Lemon Juice

Directions
Prep: Preheat oven to 350degrees.

For Crust
1. Mash two packs of gram crackers.
2. Melt 1 stick of Butter.
3. Mix the butter and gram crackers till all are moist.
4. press into the bottom of spring form pan.
5. Bake for about 5min.

For Filling
1. Beat Cream Cheese until smooth with an electric mixer on low.
2. Add sugar a little at a time.
3. Add eggs one at a time allowing each to incorporate.
4. Add Flour, Vanilla, Lemon Juice, and Sour Cream.
5. Mix Well.
6. Pour Filling into spring for pan and bake until top is golden and middle appears firm.
7. Once done turn the oven off and leave the cake inside with the door open for about 30 minutes.
8. Put in fridge to cool until ready to enjoy.

Oh and when baking the crust be sure to keep an eye on it cause just when you think things are going good the crust will burn.. Fast!

The other day I was craving something sweet so searching through the freezer I found some puff pastry dough, which I love to eat whether I has any thing special on it or not. However, this time I wanted something different. Since I wanted something sweet I figured why not make it simple and just throw some brown sugar and cinnamon on them and call it a day. Well they turned out just as good as I imagined.

Cinnamon Twists

1 Package of frozen Puff Pastry dough
1cup brown sugar
2tsp. ground Cinnamon
1tsp. Salt

1. Thaw Puff Pastry and cut in half then into strips about 1/4inch wide.
2. Mix Sugar, Cinnamon, and Salt together in a bowl big enough to fit the twists into.
3. Take two strips and squeeze one end together then twist the two one or two times and squeeze the other side together.
4. Lay in bowl and push down a little.
5. Lay on greased baking sheet and repeat till all strips are gone.

Easy and fast, thats what I love to see in a Dessert/Snack. Till next time Get in the kitchen and have fun.

Well as you can probably tell I haven’t posted in awhile and there is a perfectly good reason for that. I’ve been in St. Augustine for the week and didn’t really have too great of access to the internet. None the less I have a bunch of new posts on the way so check back. Well I suppose its back to reality and work… Ohh yeah and school starts this week. ugh. well till next time take a break from reality and Get in the Kitchen.