As Anthony Bourdain would NOT say...YUMMO!

Crash Hot Potatoes
Love this blog site, Pioneer Woman Cooks... her pics of this recipe are very helpful.

Made these the other night, and they truly were yummo;)

Servings: 6
Ingredients
12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste
Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste ...I used parsley and rosemary.
Preparation Instructions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.
On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.
With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Super Easy Soup for a Rainy Fall Night

A good one from Rachael....lots of good flavor!

Chicken Salsa Soup
Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 head garlic, cloves finely chopped
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs (I used Rotisserie chicken.)
One 32-ounce container (4 cups) chicken broth
1 1/2 cups Salsa
Salt
1 avocado, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions:
In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken thighs and broth, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup salsa, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred.
Return the broth to a simmer; season with salt. Divide the chicken among 4 soup bowls and top with the avocado slices. Ladle the broth into the bowls and top each portion with the cilantro, sour cream and remaining salsa.

Rachael's Squash Mac and Cheese

Even the 5 year old liked this...squash and all!
Compliments of guess who?...Rachael Ray
1 pound macaroni with lines, such as tubatini or mini penne rigate
Salt 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, --1 turn of the pan
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 (10 ounce) box frozen cooked butter nut squash, defrosted (I used 2.5 cups of fresh, boiled in broth and milk and then mashed with a potato masher-- about 20 minutes.)
1 cup cream or half-and-half (80/20...I only had 2% milk.)
2 cups (8 ounces) sharp Cheddar, grated
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, eyeball it
Black pepper
Heat a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Salt the water then add the pasta and cook to al dente or, with a bite to it.
While pasta cooks, heat a medium heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the thyme and grate the onion directly into the pot with a hand held grater or Microplane. Cook the grated onion in butter and oil 1 to 2 minutes, then add flour and cook together 1 to 2 more minutes (I boiled the squash with stock and Whisk in stock, then combine with butternut squash until warmed through and smooth. Stir in cream or half-and-half and bring sauce to a bubble. Stir in cheeses in a figure 8 motion and season the completed sauce with salt, nutmeg and pepper. Taste to adjust seasonings.
Drain cooked pasta well and combine with sauce. Serve alongside chicken sammies and top with thyme leaves picked from remaining sprigs

Super-Easy-Great-Fall Meal

Rachael Ray's Tex Mex Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup enriched white rice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil, 1 turn of the pan
2 slices bacon, chopped

I added a little smoked sausage as well...
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can red beans, drained
1 tablespoon cayenne sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)

80/20... had to use Tony Chachere's seasoning mix and I added a little spaghetti sauce to liquify it a bit.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice, cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When rice is done, remove it from the stove top. To a medium skillet over medium high heat add oil and bacon and cook 3 minutes to crisp edges of bacon. Add onions and cook 3 minutes to soften. Add beans to heat through, then stir in cooked rice. Season rice and beans with cayenne sauce, salt and pepper, to your taste. Serve rice and beans from the skillet.

Chicken Ala King - YUM!

This is compliments of Rachael Ray with a few additions

One tube jumbo bake-off biscuits (recommended: Pillsbury brand "Grands"), available on dairy aisle
A sprinkle cayenne (spicy) or sweet paprika (mild)
1 cup dry white wine (80/20..... 1/4 cup sherry)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used chopped 3 cups of Rotisserie Chicken.)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound small white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons chopped pimentos (80/20 skipped this item.)
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf or curly parsley
Preheat oven according to package directions for biscuits. Arrange biscuits on nonstick baking sheet and sprinkle with a little ground cayenne pepper or sweet paprika then place biscuits into a preheated oven. Bake until golden, remove biscuits from oven and then cool.

In a medium skillet, bring 1 cup white wine and 2 cups chicken broth and 1 bay leaf to a boil. Slide in chicken breasts and gently poach them in simmering broth and wine for 10 to 12 minutes.

Preheat a second skillet over medium heat. Add oil and butter. When butter melts into oil, add mushrooms and onion and cook 5 minutes until tender. Add flour and cook another minute.

Pull chicken from broth and set on cutting board. Ladle cooking liquid into the mushrooms, whisking it in. Add 2 to 2 1/2 cups of liquid and discard the bay leaf. Add pimentos and peas to the sauce. Dice chicken into bite-size pieces and slide into bubbling sauce. (I also added about 1/4 cup heavy cream and I did not have white wine, so I added 1/4 cup Sherry.)

Split the biscuits, place bottoms on dinner plates and cover with ladles of Chicken a la King. Cap with biscuit tops and garnish with chopped parsley.

Beef Picadillo compliments of Rachael

Here's a good and very easy Rachael Ray Recipe...

If you like green olives especially!
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped (I am NOT a red pepper fan, so I used the 80/20 rule here.)
8 large pimiento-stuffed olives, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef sirloin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper
1. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, bell pepper, olives and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Crumble in the ground beef, using a wooden spoon to break up any large clumps. Increase the heat and cook until the liquid is reduced.2. Stir the tomato paste into the meat mixture and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons water to loosen the sauce. Stir in the peas and carrots, cover and cook until just cooked through, 4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro; season with salt and pepper.

Easy Mayonnaise-less Potato Salad

I watched Rachael cook this the other night on 30 Minute Meals...a far less labor intensive salad!

2 to 2 1/2-pounds small red skin potatoes, quartered

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 radishes, sliced

2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped (80/20...I skipped this.)

1/2 medium red onion,

chopped 3 to 4 ribs celery from the heart of the stalk,

chopped 1 cup watercress tops or flat leaf parsley leaves coarsely chopped
Cover potatoes with cold water, bring to a boil and salt the water. Boil potatoes until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, combine the honey, Dijon, and vinegar in a bowl then slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. To the bowl add radishes, capers, onions, celery, watercress or parsley and hot potatoes. Using a wooden spoon break up the potatoes into large chunks. Toss the potato salad adjust salt and pepper then serve.

Excellent Summer Chili Recipe

Surprise, surprise...it's from Rachael Ray.

The first time I made this, I did not add the beans.... either way a great way to have chili in the summer!

1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 ears corn
2 cups elbow pasta
1 red onion, half finely chopped, half thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 pound lean ground beef
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1. In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice and cilantro; whisk in 6 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn until just tender, about 3 minutes; transfer to a cutting board. Return the water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Cut the corn kernels from the cob and add to the pasta.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and chili powder and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander and drain well.

4. Add the beef mixture to the pasta; season with salt and pepper. Add the kidney beans, tomatoes, sliced onion and vinaigrette and toss to dress. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the cheese.

Summer Hash from Rachael Ray

I haven't talked much about Rachael lately, and this recipe is definitely a keeper year-round.

I cheat a bit and sometimes use store-bought salsa and I often poach my eggs instead of frying them. I also like to top with guacamole.
Chili Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Eggs and Fresh Tomato Salsa

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

1/2 pound bulk breakfast sausage ~ Bob Evans Hot Italian or maple sausage

1 medium sweet potato, scrubbed clean, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, thinly sliced into 1/2 moons

1 large red onion thinly sliced, divided

2 teaspoons chili powder,

2/3 palm full

1 teaspoon ground cumin,

1/3 palm full

2 teaspoons ground coriander,

2/3 palm fullSalt and pepper

3 yellow vine ripe tomatoes seeded and diced

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro,

a palm full 1 lime, juiced

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a few handfuls

1 cup grated manchego or extra-sharp Cheddar

1 tablespoon butter

4 large eggs
Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat with 2 turns of the pan of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Add the breakfast sausage and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon into little chunks, brown sausage for 3 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and 3/4 of the chopped red onion to the sausage, season with chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, stir frequently and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the potatoes are nice and tender. While the hash is cooking, in a small bowl combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, and the remaining chopped red onion, cilantro, lime juice and a little salt and pepper. Once the hash is cooked, add the chopped parsley, stir to combine and transfer hash to a serving platter. Sprinkle with the cheese and cover with aluminum foil, the cheese will melt while you make the fried eggs. Wipe clean the skillet you made the hash in, return it to the cook top over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, crack each of the eggs into the skillet, season with a little salt and pepper and fry to desired doneness. Eggs may, of course, be scrambled as well. As you like! Transfer the fried eggs to the top of the hash, sprinkle with the fresh tomato salsa and serve.

The Art of the Junk Bowl

Rachael Ray has mastered "fast" cooking and her "fast" cooking is very appealing to moms who need to cook fast!

I definitely believe that one of Rachael Ray's keys to her ability to cook so fast and so well is her ability to be organized and efficient in the kitchen. She is always thinking 3 steps ahead. One of her best suggestions that has saved me a lot of time is her "junk bowl" for the left over stuff, e.g., onion peels, wine foil, paper towels, ends of garlic, seeds from a jalepeno......etc.

Anyway, I either use a tupperware container or a larger mixing bowl if I am really going to make a mess. It saves me several trips to the garbage can, could potentially be used in a compost, and saves you from clogging your disposal. (It took me a long to find out that there is very little you can put down your disposal.)

My "junk bowl" was a result of the chili below, which was quite good, especially with the corn cakes.

Beef and Black Bean Chili with Green Onion Corn Cakes
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
2 pounds ground beef sirloin, 90 percent lean
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons dark chili powder, 2 palm fulls
1 tablespoon cumin, 1/2 palm full
1 cup beef stock or broth, 1/2 a 14-ounce can or paper container (I used Better than Bouillon)
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce or tomato puree
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, a handful, optional
2 (8 1/2-ounce) packages, corn muffin mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Butter, for greasing griddle pan

In a large deep skillet or pot, brown ground beef in oil over high heat. Season meat with salt and pepper, then add Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to medium high when the meat is browned and crumbled, then add onion, garlic, red peppers, jalapeno. Season veggies and meat with chili powder and cumin. Cook veggies and meat together 5 minutes. Stir in broth and scrape up pan drippings. Stir in diced and pureed tomatoes and black beans. When the mixture comes to a bubble, reduce heat to simmer and stir in cilantro, optional.
Mix together 2 packages of corn muffin mix with 1 cup milk, 2 beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and sliced scallions. Batter should be thick. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle pan over moderate heat. Nest a pat of butter into folded paper towel and wipe hot pan surface with it to lightly grease. Pour corn cake batter into the hot griddle pan or skillet in 3 or 4-inch rounds. Cook 2 or 3 minutes on each side, until golden. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.

To serve, top bowls of beef and black bean chili with green onion corn cake toppers. Eat the chili and corn toppers as you would a pot pie, grabbing some of the corn cake with each spoonful of chili.

My 30 seconds of fame --- Sweet Potato Quesadillas

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
One 15-ounce can black beans
Four 10-inch flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
2 cups shredded jack cheese

1. In a pot of boiling water, cook the sweet potato until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to pot. Add the beans and mash; spread onto 2 tortillas. Top each with chicken, cheese and a second tortilla; press to flatten. In a skillet, cook each quesadilla over medium-high heat until the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes; flip and cook for about 2 minutes more. Cut into wedges. (Published in Rachael Ray Magazine)