Saturday, October 31, 2009

Classic Martini Recipe

While there are many modern variations of martini recipes, such as the apple martini, the mango martini, the chocolate martini and the dirty martini (we even uncovered recipes for a lemon meringue martini and a gin cumumber martini!!!), the classic martini recipe uses gin and vermouth, garnished with an olive.

Dubbed the 'King of Cocktails', the classic martini is an approximate ratio of four ounces gin to one ounce dry vermouth, although some prefer less vermouth, about a five or six to one proportion of gin to vermouth.

Contrary to the method made popular by the fictional super-spy, James Bond, who asked for his martinis to be shaken, not stirred, many bartending schools insist that using a cocktail shaker will dull the taste of the vermouth, and traditional cocktail mixology dictates that the best martini recipes are always stirred and never shaken.

The ingredients for the classic martini are mixed together then strained and served straight up (without ice) into a chilled martini glass, and garnished with a green olive.

Classic Martini Recipe

Ice cubes
2 1/2 measures gin
1 measure dry vermouth
1 green olive

Mix all ingredients together, and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Enjoy, but enjoy responsibly!

For more great cocktail ideas, recipes, Chef's tips and tricks visit http://www.amateur-chef.net/

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Award Winning Chili Recipe

With the cooler days and nights upon us, we tend to gravitate towards warm and hearty meals, so on these crisp fall evenings, anyone dropping by our house will inevitebly find a huge pot simmering in our kitchen, filled to the brim with our Award Winning Chili recipe.

We have heard many people claiming to have winning chili recipes, but in our estimation, for a truly great homemade chili to qualify as an award winning chili recipe, it needs to be quick to prepare for our hectic lifestyles, must use everyday ingredients, and not compromise on either taste or nutrition.

Our delicious Award Winning Chili Recipe is easy to make and simple to increase to feed large numbers, freezes well, and can be spiced up to suit your taste by increasing the amount of chili powder you use.

Award Winning Chili Recipe

l lb (454 gm) lean ground beef
1 1/4 cups (275 ml) chopped onion
1 cup (250 ml) chopped green or red pepper
1 1/2 cups mild or medium salsa
10 oz (284 ml) condensed tomato soup
14 oz (398 ml) kidney beans with juice
4 tsp (20 ml) chili powder (increase to taste)
1 tsp (5 ml) prepared mustard
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) garlic powder
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) oregano
1/4 tsp (1 ml) pepper
1 tsp (5 ml) granulated sugar

Spray a large Dutch oven with non-stick cooking spray. Add ground beef. Brown, stirring often to break up the meat.

Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes to cook vegetables and to blend flavors. Increase chili powder, if desired, for a hotter chili.

Makes about 6 2/3 cups.

Enjoy!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit http://www.amateur-chef.net/

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

'Hail Caesar' Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe

At the Amateur Chef, we know that although everyone swears by their own homemade Caesar salad dressing, a great Caesar Salad dressing recipe is hard to find. Well, we aren't biased (not at all!!), but we truly think that our 'Hail Caesar' Caesar Salad dressing is THE absolute best recipe for Caesar Salad dressing, and with only 6 ingredients, our Caesar Salad dressing recipe is a breeze to make!!

So put away the bottled Caesar Salad dressing, pull out your blender, and give our Caesar Salad Dressing recipe a try!! We are certain you will be pleased with the results!!

'Hail Caesar' Caesar Salad Dressing (THE best Caesar dressing!!)

½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup milk
2 cloves garlic
2 tblsp lemon juice (fresh is best, but can use bottled lemon juice)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Pepper to taste

Mix all in blender till well blended.

Toss with torn romaine lettuce, croutons and bacon bits.

Enjoy!!

For more great recipes, chef's tips and tools visit http://www.amateur-chef.net/

Monday, October 26, 2009

Foil Baked Salmon

One of our favorite ways to cook salmon is this easy foil baked salmon recipe, perfect for the BBQ or the oven, and due to it's popularity (combined with its exceptional health benefits), we were asked if we would reprint the recipe.

Our fast and easy recipe for BBQ or foil baked Salmon is not only rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which are proven to be heart-healthy but also Vitamin D, often referred to as the sunshine vitamin. Many studies have been conducted substantiating the health benefits of both Omega 3 and Vitamin D to the human body.

We are all aware that salmon is high in Omega 3 (more on Omega 3 in future blogs) but not many of us know that salmon is also high in Vitamin D. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends Canadians consume 1,000 IU of vitamin D every day (1 glass of milk contains 100 IU whereas 3.5 oz or 100 gm of cooked salmon contains 360 IU of vitamin D).What is vitamin D and why do you need it? Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, thereby making bones stronger. A Vitamin D deficiency in children can cause rickets, a bone disease that causes skeletal deformities and soft bones. In adults a vitamin D deficiency can cause osteoporosis which leads to decreased bone mass and tissue and increased risk of bone fractures and breaks, especially as we get older. Although vitamin D is absorbed naturally by the human body through exposure to the sun's rays, long winters in northern climates make it difficult to maintain adequate levels naturally as the sun's rays are not strong enough through the winter months (however we must be careful as increased sun exposure also leads to other critical health issues such as melanoma and other skin cancers). Certain foods such as cow's milk which are fortified with vitamin D, fatty fish such as salmon and herring, and multivitamins can help boost the body's vitamin D levels.

Try this fast and easy, great tasting BBQ Foil baked Salmon Recipe and do something wonderful for your body and your taste buds!!

BBQ Foil Baked Salmon
4-6 oz portions of Salmon, skin on (120-180 gm portions)
5-6 sprigs fresh dill
1 whole lemon, sliced
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Heavy duty foil

With an olive oil sprayer, grease a piece of foil large enough to make a foil packet. Place the salmon pieces, skin side down, on the foil. Season with pepper to taste. Place 5 or 6 sprigs of fresh dill (depending on the size of your salmon) and cover with lemon slices. Lightly seal packet. BBQ on medium heat 8 minutes or until salmon reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F (salmon will continue to cook and meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after you remove it from the grill). Carefully open the foil packet and remove the salmon with a lifter (the skin will stick to the foil, making it much easier to lift the salmon off the skin).Serve immediately with salad and rice.

For more great recipes, chef's tips and tools, visit www.amateur-chef.net

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Halloween Appetizers - Monster Claws with Dipping Sauce

With Halloween just around the corner, we thought now was the perfect time to bring you some frightfully delicious Halloween appetizers, starting with Monster Claws with Dipping Sauce. Increase the number of 'claws' to suit the number of people at your party.

These easy to make appetizers are from our collection of great Kraft appetizer recipes and are sure to be a hit with all the little ghosts and goblins at your Bash. These kid-friendly appetizers can also be turned into a quick and easy main dish to serve the little ghouls on Halloween night before they go out trick-or-treating!!

Monster Claws with Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb/450 gm) gut lenghtwise in half
1 pouch Shake'N Bake extra crispy original coating mix
8 red pepper triangles (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup Kraft original BBQ sauce

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400 F.
2. Coat chicken with coating mix as directed on package. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Bake 13 to 15 min or until chicken is done.
4. Make 1/2 inch slit in thinner end of each chicken strip; insert red pepper triangle in slit for the monster's claw. Serve with sauce.

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit http://www.amateur-chef.net/

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Easy Party Appetizers - Sweet Vidalia Onion Dip

At the Amateur Chef we are always searching for great recipes for easy party appetizers, so we were thrilled when we found this amazing Sweet Vidalia Onion Dip appetizer recipe. Vidalia onions, an unusually sweet variety of onions due to the low amount of sulfur in the soil in which the onions are grown, are the key ingredient in this easy appetizer recipe.

The Vidalia onion was first grown near Vidalia, Georgia in the 1930's. In 1986, Georgia's state legislature passed 'the Vidalia Onion Act of 1986' which trademarked the name 'Vidalia Onions' and limited the production area to certain counties in Georgia. Shortly afterwards the Vidalia Onion was named as Georgia's official state vegetable.

Our delicious and easy appetizer recipe for Sweet Vidalia Onion dip uses only 4 ingredients and is best served with an assortment of crackers, nacho chips or thin baguettes slices.

Make extra servings of this amazingly simple appetizer recipe as it is certain to be a hit at your next party.

Sweet Vidalia Onion Dip

2 large vidalia onions, chopped
2 8oz pkgs cream cheese
3 heaping tblsp mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together and bake for 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit http://www.amateur-chef.net/

Monday, October 19, 2009

Pork Cutlets with Morel Mushrooms

Morel mushrooms are a staple of many different types of cuisine. Although morel mushrooms are usually dried or canned, they can also be purchased fresh.

In some of the easiest and best morel mushroom recipes, the morels are gently sauteed in butter and seasoned with fresh pepper and salt, or soaked in an egg batter and lightly breaded.

Morel mushrooms also make a great addition to sauces for easy and stress-free gourmet entertaining, such as this great recipe for Pork Cutlets with Morel Mushrooms.

Pork Cutlets with Morel Mushrooms

1 pound pork cutlets, cut very thin
2 cups morel mushrooms
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup of your favorite brown sauceto taste
salt and pepper

Trim fat from pork cutlets and pound until thin, approximately 1/4 inch thick.
Melt butter in a saute pan and add the cutlets and mushrooms. Saute two minutes, then add the white wine and cook 30 seconds.
Add the brown sauce and finish with a little whole butter.

Quick and easy, and absolutely delicious!

Recipe courtesy The Great Morel.

Enjoy!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools, visit www.amateur-chef.net

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Outback Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe

Generally, a signature dish that keeps us coming back to a restaurant is also the recipe we most want to make at home, as is the case with the ever popular Outback blue cheese dressing recipe.

The delicious Outback restaurant blue cheese salad dressing recipe is a closely guarded secret, as we discovered when we asked if they would share their homemade blue cheese dressing with our readers, so we went on our own search for the best copycat Outback blue cheese dressing recipe we could find.

And from the recipe folders courtesy of Chef Pablo's Restaurant Recipes, we found this top rated copycat recipe for:

Outback Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe

"This is as close as you’ll get to the real recipe from Outback Steakhouse"

Candied cinnamon pecans
1/3 cup pecans sliced-lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

Salad
3 cups chopped butter or bibb lettuce
3 cups chopped red leaf lettuce
3 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
1 green onion, chopped

Blue cheese vinaigrette dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Slice each pecan half into at least three lengthwise pieces.
Combine the cinnamon and brown sugar.
Toss the pecans with the melted butter, then with the cinnamon/sugar mixture, making sure to coat them all evenly.
Put the nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until sugar is caramelized.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and slide the pecans off of the parchment to cool.
Chop all of the lettuce into small bite-sized pieces; and rinse them with cool water.
Slice the green onion.
Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients.
Place the chopped lettuce into a serving bowl large enough to allow you to toss the salad.
Add the vinaigrette and toss thoroughly.
Sprinkle with the chopped onion.
Break the cooled pecan slices apart and sprinkle them over the salad.

Enjoy!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools, visit http://www.amateur-chef.com/

Friday, October 16, 2009

Roasted Butternut Squash with Walnuts and Pasta Bows

While searching for butternut squash ravioli recipes, we stumbled instead across this great recipe for roasted butternut squash with walnuts and pasta bows and thought it sounded enticing and much faster to make than a butternut squash ravioli.

Butternut squash is in season from early fall through the winter, and can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 3 months. Butternut squash is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, manganese, magnesium and potassium. Baked, mashed or pureed, butternut squash is a healthy and nutritious addition to hearty soups and butternut squash ravioli recipes, as well as this delicious Roasted Butternut Squash recipe with Walnuts and Pasta Bows.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Walnuts and Pasta Bows

Ingredients

3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh rosemary leaves, very finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) honey
1 tsp (5 ml) white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
1/2 tsp (2 ml) freshly ground black pepper
4 cups (1 L) butternut squash, cubed
1/3 cup (75 ml) walnuts, chopped
1 pkg (300 gm) whole wheat pasta bows
1/3 cup (75 ml) dried cranberries
1/2 cup (125 ml) crumbled blue cheese or chèvre-style goat cheese (we prefer the goat cheese)
1/4 cup (50 ml) fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (220° C). Whisk the vegetable oil with the garlic, rosemary, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. Toss 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the oil mixture with the butternut squash. Spread in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast, turning occasionally, for 30 minutes or until fork tender and well browned. Add the walnuts during the last 4 minutes of roasting.
3. Meanwhile, cook the bows according to package directions. Toss the hot cooked pasta with the remaining oil mixture, roasted squash, walnuts, dried cranberries, blue cheese and parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Tips
Butternut squash is often conveniently sold already cubed in the refrigerated case of the produce section. Be sure to cut the cubes to equal sizes for even cooking.

Recipe courtesy Catelli Pasta

For more great recipes, chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Patty Pan Squash

Pattypan squash is a summer squash easily identifiable by its small size, round and shallow shape and scalloped edges. Patty pan squash comes in three varieties - yellow, green or white - and is at it's most tender when immature (no more than two to three inches in diameter). Pattypan squash is a good source of magnesium, niacin, vitamin A and vitamin C, with one cup containing only 20 to 30 calories for the health conscious chef.

In many gourmet patty pan squash recipes, the flesh of the squash is scooped out and mixed with flavorings then stuffed back into the shell for creative presentation, as is the case with this wonderful pattypan squash recipe that we found, courtesy of AllRecipes. This one is truly a keeper!!


Stuffed Pattypan Squash

INGREDIENTS
6 pattypan squash, stem and blossom removed
6 slices bacon
1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring one inch of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, or until a fork can pierce the stem with little resistance. Drain, and slice off the top stem of the squash. Use a melon baller to carefully scoop out the centers of the squash. Reserve all of the bits of squash.
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Remove bacon to paper towels, and set aside. Saute onion in bacon drippings. Chop the reserved squash pieces, and saute them with the onion for one minute.
Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the breadcrumbs. Crumble the bacon, and stir into the stuffing along with the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff each squash to overflowing with the mixture, and place them in a baking dish. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until squash are heated through

Enjoy!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit http://www.amateur-chef.net/

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Pomegranate Spritzer

Give your tastebuds a treat with this light and refreshing pomegranate spritzer which gives you not only a great tasting cocktail, but also the added health benefits of pomegranate, one of the antioxidant-rich super-foods. Pomegranates are a wonderful source of anthocyanins which help to keep the arteries clear and stabilize your blood sugar level.

You can omit the white wine if you wish to have an alcohol-free pomegranate spritzer but the wine does give this recipe a certain added oomph! This recipe calls for pomegranate syrup instead of pomegranate juice, and oranges or lemons for an attractive garnish.

Pomegranate Spritzer

Ingredients
1 cup pomegranate syrup
1 750 ml bottle chilled fruity white wine (a Riesling or Chardonnay is best)
1 cup sparkling water, chilled
Orange or lemon wedges (optional)

Directions
Add 2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup to each of 8 champagne flutes.
In a 2-quart pitcher combine the wine and sparkling water.
Pour wine mixture into each glass to serve.
Garnish each with orange or lemon wedge.
If desired, add ice to the glasses and serve.

For more great recipes, Chef's tips or tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

At the Amateur Chef, we know that everyone swears they have THE best beef stew recipe, 'passed down for centuries' from their mother's mother's mother (or something like that), but just to toot our own horn, we simply do not believe there is anything out there that will compare with our recipe for Old Fashioned Beef Stew!

With the fall season upon us, and everyone turning to more substantial fare for the long, cold nights ahead, nothing seems to satisfy an empty stomach better than a hearty bowl of old fashioned beef stew.

Our rich and flavorful recipe for Old Fashioned Beef Stew has been tested and tweeked over the years to finally culminate in what we believe is the best beef stew recipe we have ever eaten, and we certainly hope you will agree. Choose tender stewing beef with some marbling for added flavor and be sure to roast the meat with the fat side up to keep it moist and tender.

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Dredge:
2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
in mixture of:
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
In a frypan, heat throughly:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Add floured meat and cook until evenly browned.
In a large saucepan, heat thoroughly:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Add:
2 lbs onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Cook until onion is transparent.
Combine browned meat with onions and stir in:
1/2 tsp sage
1 (12-oz) bottle beer
1 tblsp soya sauce
1 tblsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tblsp HP or steak sauce
3 tblsp bovril
1/4 cup ketchup
4 bay leaves
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is almost tender.
Add:
4-6 oz peeled baby carrots
3 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut in chunks same size as potatoes
Simmer covered for an additional 20 minutes or until potatoes are partially cooked.
Stir in:
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas
Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves.

Serve and enjoy!!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Olive Garden House Salad Dressing Recipe

We recently met with a group of friends for a birthday dinner at the Olive Garden Restaurant, and were surprisingly impressed by their house Olive Garden Salad Dressing.

Now, we are understandably hard to please - we love to cook, believe in fresh ingredients and find most restaurant fare sub-standard (please forgive our frankness) - but the Olive Garden house salad dressing recipe was one we thoroughly enjoyed, so we really had to get the recipe to pass on to you.

Needless to say the Olive Garden guards their recipes, but were were able to find this copycat Olive Garden Salad dressing recipe that closely approximates the real thing, and are happy to present it to you, courtesy of the RecipeZaar.

Olive Garden House Salad Dressing Recipe

Ingredients
1 (12 ounce) bag iceberg garden salad
1/4 small red onion, sliced paper-thin
6-12 pitted black olived
6 mild pepperoncini peppers
1-2 small roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup croutons
Italian dressing
freshly grated parmesan cheese, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
1) In a large glass or wooden salad serving bowl, toss together the lettuce mix, onion slices, olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes, and croutons. Add dressing and toss to combine.
2) Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese and black pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Au Gratin Potato Recipe

You don't have to be Irish to love your spuds - this delicious au gratin potato recipe is certain to make converts even out of non-potato-lovers. Tender and tasty potatos in a rich and creamy sauce with just the right amount of spicing, - just the thought of this potato gratin dish is enough to make my mouth water!!

The key to making the perfect au gratin potato recipe is in the choice of potato. Pick a good all-purpose potato such as the Yukon Gold, Superior or Kennebec. They are moister than baking potatoes and are particularly well-suited to gratins. Don't skimp on the cream, just use a lighter one if whipping cream is too rich for your tastebuds (or waistline).

Oh, and did we mention how easy our au gratin potato recipe is to make??

Best Au Gratin Potato Recipe

2 lbs potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold)
1 cup whipping cream or table cream
1 cup milk
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese to taste

Grase a casserole with butter or margarine.
Mix whipping cream and milk together and set aside.
Slice potatoes thinly and layer potatoes in casserole, adding garlic, thyme, freshly ground black pepper and parmesan cheese to each layer (usually 3 layers of potatoes).
Pour milk/whipping cream mixtue evenly over entire casserole.
Cover casserole tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes at 350F. Remove foil and bake an additonal 30 minutes or until golden.

Enjoy!!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Golden Graham Smores Recipe for Kid-Friendly Treats

With school is back in session most parents are finding it difficult to come up with healthy and tasty snacks to tide the kids over until dinner is ready, but that task just became a whole lot easier with this quick and delicious Golden Graham Smores recipe.

S'mores are a North American campfire dessert made popular in the latter part of the 20th century. Although many variations of the original S'mores recipe exist, including this Golden Graham Smores recipe made with cereal, the traditional S'mores recipe consists of a roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of a graham cracker.

The name s'more means 'some more', or more precisely, 'give me some more', and once your kids try this delicious Golden Graham Smores recipe, you can be sure they will be begging for s'mores.

Golden Graham Smores Recipe

3/4 cup light corn syrup
3 tbsp. butter
1 pkg. (11.5 oz.) milk chocolate morsels
3 c. miniature marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (12 oz.) Golden Graham cereal (9 c.)

Directions
1. Grease rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.
2. Heat syrup, butter and morsels to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.
3. Pour over cereal; toss until coated. Fold in marshmallows, 1 cup at a time. Press in pan with buttered back of spoon. Let stand 1 hour.
4. Cut into 2 inch squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature up to 2 days. Makes 24 squares.

Enjoy!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit http://www.amateur-chef.net/

Monday, October 5, 2009

KitchenAid Cook for the Cure 5-Speed Blender

At the Amateur Chef we strongly believe in supporting Breast Cancer research, and what better way to support such a worthwhile cause than by having some of your consumer dollars funnelled back into this research through the purchase of the KitchenAid Cook for the Cure Blender. A win-win situation for all - you purchase a superior kitchenware product and a portion of the proceeds of your purchase go towards supporting Breast Cancer research.

The KitchenAid Cook for the Cure Blender is a high-performance blender perfect for mixing crepe batter, pureeing soups and crushing ice. To make fast work of big jobs, it operates at five speeds (plus it has a pulse function) and is equipped with an oversized stainless-steel mixing blade. Cleanup is a breeze with the easily removable, dishwasher-safe vessel.

Support this worthwhile cause by purchasing your KitchenAid Cook for the Cure Blender today.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Best Beef Stroganoff

In the world of the Amateur Chef there is no such thing as fast beef stroganoff recipes - for the tastiest and best beef stroganoff, you will need to invest some time and effort into the preparation and cooking for fabulous results.

Having said that, once you get started you will actually be pleasantly surprised by how little time and effort actually does go into making our delicious and updated version of the traditional authentic beef stroganoff recipe. Choose lean but well-marbled beef and cut meat into thin slices against the grain for the tenderest and tastiest beef stroganoff.

We hope you enjoy making this recipe for our Best Beef Stroganoff as much as we do, and that you thoroughly enjoy the 'fruits of your (minimal) labor'!!

Best Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:
2 lb sirloin steak or beef tenderloin
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
8-12 fresh white or crimini mushroom, sliced approx 1/8 inch thick
1 can (10 oz) beef broth
12 oz water
1/4 cup ketchup
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup flour
2 cup (500 ml) sour cream
1 tsp salt
Directions:
Combine water and broth in a bowl and set aside, reserving 2/3 cup.
In skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil and saute onions and mushrooms until golden (about 5 minutes). Remove vegetables from skillet and set aside.
Add meat to skillet and brown. Once browned add ketchup, garlic, salt and water/broth mixture (minus the 2/3 cup reserved) and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Blend reserved 2/3 cup water/broth mixture with the flour until no lumps disappear. Stir into meat. Add reserved onions and mushrooms and sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.
Serve over buttered noodles.
Enjoy!
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit http://www.amateur-chef.net/

Friday, October 2, 2009

Easy Veal Marsala Recipe

There is no need to dine out or resort to take-out food when you are pressed for time since this easy veal scallopini recipe with marsala wine sauce can be quickly prepared for busy weeknight dining yet is elegant enough for gourmet dining as well.

This easy veal marsala recipe can be assembled, cooked and served in under 15 minutes. Add zucchini and mushrooms for a healthy and delicious alternative to restaurant food.

Veal Scallopini with Marsala

1 lb (450 g) veal scallopini, preferably cut across the grain, about 1/4 inch thick (5mm)
1/2 cup (4 oz / 118 ml) flour seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper, for dredging
1/2 cup (4 oz / 118 ml) olive oil, divided
1/2 cup (4 oz / 118 ml) dry marsala wine
1/4 cup (2 oz / 60 ml) chicken broth
2 medium zucchini
12-15 large mushrooms

Directions:
1. Pound the veal scallopini flat to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. If they have not been cut across the grain, cut small slits around the edges to prevent them from curling during cooking.
2. Spread flour on a plate. Heat oil in large frying pan. Lightly dredge veal slices in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add veal slices to pan in one layer and brown the slices quickly on both sides, in 2 batches if necessary. Remove to a warmed plate.
3. Add remaining oil and lightly saute the zucchini and mushrooms. Remove to warmed plate.
4. Deglaze pan with marsala and chicken broth and reduce to about 1/2 the volume.
5. Return veal and vegetables to pan, simmer approximately 2 minutes or until hot and serve.

Enjoy!

For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Kool Aid Punch Recipes

If you are planning a party for the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays and looking for some great mocktail ideas for the kids, then look no further than these great Kool Aid Punch recipes.

Kool Aid punch recipes are easy and inexpensive to make and just a few ingredients go a long way in quenching the thirst of active kids. The upside is that they are also alot healthier than the soda pop alternatives.

Try one or more of these great Kool Aide punch recipes from the kitchens of Kraft Foods.

Kool Aid Punch Recipe

2 pkg. lime flavored Kool Aid
2 qt. water
2 c. sugar
46 oz. can pineapple juice
1 lg. bottle gingerale

Mix first 4 ingredients and chill. Pour some of the punch into ice cube trays and freeze. Add ginger ail and kool aid ice cubes before serving. Serves 30.


Kool Aid Punch Recipe with Sherbet

1 package cherry Kool-Aid
1 package raspberry Kool-Aid
2 cups sugar
2 quarts water
16 ounces pineapple juice
1 quart ginger ale
1 quart raspberry sherbet

Mix kool aids, sugar, water and pineapple juice and chill. Pour some of the kool-aid into ice cube trays and freeze. When ready to serve, add ginger ale and sherbet and frozen kool-aid ice cubes.

Great Gift Ideas for the Amateur Chef