Cinnamon French Toast Bake

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 (12.4 ounce) cans Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
6 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 cup maple syrup
icing from cinnamon rolls package
powdered sugar for dusting

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pour the melted butter into an ungreased 13 by 9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish.
Separate both cans of dough into 16 rolls and set the icing aside. Cut each roll into 8 pieces and place the pieces over the butter in the dish.
In medium bowl, beat eggs. Beat in the heavy cream, cinnamon, and vanilla until well blended. Gently pour the mixture over the roll pieces. Sprinkle with pecans and drizzle with 1 cup maple syrup.
Bake 20 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove covers from cinnamon bun icing and microwave on Medium (50-percent), 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle.
Drizzle the icing over top and sprinkle with powdered sugar. If desired, spoon the syrup from the dish over the individual servings. Serve with the remaining 1/2 cup maple syrup, if desired

Source: cookingchanneltv.com (PIllsbury)

Zesty Lime Fish Tacos

1 lb Tilapia Fillets (about 4)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (2 to 3 limes)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 (16.3 oz) can Grands Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 ct)
6 Tbl canola oil
1-1/2 Tbl chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7 oz can), finely chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cups shredded cabbage
Lime

Heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Cut each fish fillet lengthwise into 4 strips. In shallow glass dish, mix garlic and 7 tablespoons lime juice. Add the fish strips to the mixture and turn to coat. Let stand while preparing the biscuits.
On a work surface, mix the flour and cornmeal. Separate the dough into 8 biscuits. Press both sides of each biscuit into the flour mixture, then press or roll into 6 to 7-inch rounds.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil over medium heat. Add 2 biscuit rounds and cook about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Place on a cookie sheet and keep warm in the oven. Cook the remaining rounds, adding 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil to the skillet for each batch. Wipe the skillet clean.
Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and lime juice mixture, chipotle chiles, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook about 5 minutes, turning fish once, until fish flakes easily with fork.
In a small bowl, mix the salsa, sour cream, and remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the fish and divide evenly among the biscuit rounds. Top each round with shredded cabbage and 1 to 2 tablespoons salsa mixture. Fold the biscuit rounds in half over filling. Serve with any remaining salsa mixture. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Source: cookingchanneltv.com (Pillsbury)

Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups

1 16oz package of Pillsbury Ready to Bake Sugar Cookies (24 cookies)
4 tsp sugar
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1-1/2 cups vanilla bean ice cream, softened
24 whole fresh raspberries

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 cookie dough round in each mini muffin cup. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Place 2 teaspoons sugar in small bowl. Dip the end of a wooden spoon handle in the sugar and carefully press into the center of each cookie to make a 1-inch wide indentation. Cool completely in the muffin pan, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix the chopped walnuts and remaining 2 teaspoons sugar; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave the chocolate chips, uncovered, on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, until smooth.
Run a knife around the edges of the cups to loosen and gently remove from pan. Dip the rim of each cup into the melted chocolate, and then dip the edges into the walnut mixture. Place the cookie cups walnut-side up on cookie sheet with sides.
In another small microwavable bowl, microwave the jam uncovered on High about 15 seconds until melted. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon jam into each cup. Freeze cups about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set.
Spoon the ice cream into cups, using a small cookie scoop or measuring tablespoon. Top each cup with a fresh raspberry and serve immediately.

Source: cookingchanneltv.com (Pillsbury)

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

 1 butter pie dough or 1 shortening pie dough
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon Bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups loosely coarsely chopped pecans

 

Directions:

• Follow the instructions on page 120, line a 9 inch pie pan with the dough and cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 400 degree.
• Remove the plastic wrap and line the pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum with pie weights.
• Bake until the pastry seems set, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the foil and set the pie shell aside on a baking sheet.
• Reduce brown sugar and eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk in the corn syrup melted butter, bourbon, vanilla, and salt and whisk to combine.
• Arrange the pecans in pan and pour in the filing.
• Bake the pie on the baking sheet until the sides of the filling are puffed but the center slightly indented, 35 to 45 minutes.
• Transfer the pie to a wire cooling rack.
• Let stand until warm, or cool completely.
• Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Serve at room temperature.
• The pecans should be coarsely chopped- whole pecans make the pie impossible to cut.
• Serve the pecan pie warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside, or with a whipped cream.
• Dark corn syrup and a splash of bourbon make this a pecan pie with backbone.

Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

4 -12.5 oz can of chicken, drained (I get mine from Costco)
2 t olive oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
¼ C Miracle Whip
¼ C Non-Fat, Plain Greek Yogurt (I like the FAGE brand from Costco)
½ C cream or whole milk
2 t poppy seeds
1 C celery, chopped
1 T butter
½ C chopped pecans
1 C dried Cranberries

Directions:
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Drain the chicken and cook in skillet until all the pink is gone (you may have to do this in batches depending on how big your skillet is). Place cooked chicken in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until cool, about 1 ½-2 hours.
In a small bowl, mix Miracle Whip, Greek yogurt, cream/milk, and poppy seeds until combined. Pour the mixture over the chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper again. Add in the chopped celery and mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the nuts and stir them often until they are toasted, about 4 minutes (they should be a little more than lightly browned and you’ll begin to smell them).
Add the toasted nuts and dried Cranberries just before serving, and mix until combined. Serve with split croissants.

Makes about 8-10 servings.

Garlic and black pepper beef with toasted quinoa, lentil, beanand baby radish salad, piquant salsa verde dressing

Garlic and black pepper beef with toasted quinoa, lentil, bean and baby radish salad, piquant salsa verde dressing

INGREDIENTS
For the beef:
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
½teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Good pinch sea salt flakes, crushed
4 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely minced using a microplane
1” cube fresh ginger, peeled and very finely minced using a microplane
400g fillet or sirloin steak

For the salad:
1 cup puy/French lentils
1 cup quinoa
1 x 400g tin kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Handful baby radish, finely sliced on a mandolin
1 cup smoked almonds, roughly chopped

For the salsa verde dressing:
1/3 cup light olive oil
¼cup white wine vinegar
Large handful fresh basil leaves
Handful flat leaf parsley
2 white anchovy fillets
Juice and zest 1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper

Extras:Extra Virgin olive oil (EVOO)Baby radish sprouts

METHOD

To prepare the beef, pre-heat oven to 180˚C (350˚F) fan-forced. Add the lemon pepper, mustard powder, ground black pepper and crushed seasalt flakes into a Tupperware container and shake well. Add garlic and gingerpulp into a small bowl or cup and mix well then smear over all sides of beef fillet. Roll fillet in the herb rub then place on a small metal baking tray androast in the oven for 15-20 or until medium rare. Use a meat thermometer totest for doneness. When cooked, remove and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing paper thin with a sharp knife.

Cook lentils and quinoa in separate pots (add 1 cup grain/pulse to 3 cups water, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins each. Rinse both well under cold running water then drain thoroughly).

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan, when hot add the quinoa,season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry quinoa for 8-10minutes stirring/tossing often until lightly toasted and light golden brown.Remove from heat and allow to cool before adding to a large mixing bowlalong with the drained kidney beans, cooked and cooled lentils, sliced radishand chopped almonds. Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) andcoat everything well.To make the salsa verde add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processorand whizz together for 3-4 minutes.

Roast Chicken Provencial (O)

• 1 whole roasting chicken

• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 T fresh thyme
• ½ tsp fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp fresh oregano
• Zest and juice from one lemon
• 1 tsp salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; clean the chicken.

2) Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Add the provencal herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano), garlic and salt. Add the olive oil and mix well.

3) Place the chicken in a roasting pan and pour the mixture over the chicken. Rub in gently.

4) Cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Source: http://thehealthyblooddiet.wordpress.com/2010/08/02/roast-chicken-provencal-2/