Amy's Recipe of the Day

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Location: Texas, United States

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bakes

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup peanut butter
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cup quick oats
1 cup peanuts

Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Heat chocolate chips, corn syrup, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; remove from heat. Stir in oats and peanuts. Drop mixture by rounded tablespoons onto waxed paper. Refrigerate uncovered, about 1 hour or until firm. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cookies. Makes 2 dozen.

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Friday, January 26, 2007

Spinach-Artichoke Ravioli Lasagna

1 (10-ounce) packages chopped frozen spinach
1/4 stick butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart milk
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Salt and pepper
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 packages large fresh ravioli cheese, wild mushroom or spinach stuffed varieties
2 (15-ounce) cans artichoke hearts in water, drained and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta.

Place oven rack in middle of oven and preheat broiler or oven to 425 degrees F.

Defrost the spinach in the microwave for 10 minutes on high.

While spinach defrosts, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Cut butter into small pieces and melt. Whisk in flour and cook a minute or 2 then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a bubble, as it begins to thicken, drop heat to low and season it with nutmeg, salt and pepper, to your taste.

Combine ricotta cheese, a little salt and pepper, lemon zest and garlic in a bowl.

Cook pasta to al dente, 5 to 6 minutes in salted water.

Remove spinach from the microwave and wring it completely dry in a kitchen towel. Open the towel and separate the spinach with your fingers. Pile up the sliced artichokes on your cutting board.

Drain pasta well. Ladle just enough white sauce in the bottom of a lasagna dish to lightly coat it. Top with 1/3 of the pasta. Top the pasta with a layer of half of the ricotta cheese dotted with half of the spinach and artichokes. Thinly cover the veggies with more white sauce then top liberally with grated cheese. Repeat these layers then top your lasagna with the remaining 1/3 of the cooked ravioli, the last of the white sauce and some grated cheese.

Place under hot broiler or into a preheated 425 degree F oven until sauce browns and bubbles, 3 minutes

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Monday, January 15, 2007

Shrimp Parmesan Casserole

2 pkg (8 oz each) frozen breaded popcorn shrimp
8 oz spaghetti
1 jar marinara pasta sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (14.5 oz)
1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella (I used plain mozzarella)
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
Parsley for garnish, optional (fresh or dried)

Bake shrimp according to package directions; reserve. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until almost tender; drain.

In same pot combine sauce and tomatoes; over medium heat cook until hot, 2-3 minutes. Reserve ¾ cup sauce mixture. Remove pot from heat; stir in spaghetti, then ½ cup mozzarella. Transfer to 2-qt baking dish.

Spoon ricotta over spaghetti mixture; top with shrimp. Top with reserved sauce mixture; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly, 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

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Sunday, January 14, 2007

Cannoli Parfaits

The picture is a little misleading--we were very hungry for dessert and didn't bother to get out the dessert dishes and layer it. This is simply cannoli cream with strawberries on top.


½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 pkg (15 oz) ricotta cheese (fat-free is fine)
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
blueberries and sliced strawberries
granola (not pictured)

Combine cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and stir by hand. Fold in chocolate chips. Put a dollop of cheese mixture in a dessert glass, add a spoonful of fruit, and sprinkle with granola. Repeat. Makes 6 parfaits.

You can make cannolis if you buy 8 cannoli shells, dip the edges of the shells in melted chocolate chips, let chill in fridge, then pipe in the cheese mixture. You can garnish with fruit if desired. Leave out the granola.

You can also use the cannoli cream with sliced fruit mixed in as a filling for angel food cake. Cut cake in half, and put cannoli cream in the middle. Frost with chocolate glaze, then garnish with cannoli cream and fruit.

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Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Not Daily Anymore

I started a new job, so I will be posting recipes a little less often. I will post at least one a week, though.

Blueberry Buckle


¾ cup sugar
¼ cup margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup buttermilk
2 ½ cups blueberries
Streusel topping (see below)

Cream sugar & butter, beat in eggs & vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to batter. Stir in berries. Spread batter in lightly greased 9” square baking pan. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake at 3750 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Makes 9 servings.

Streusel topping:

Blend ¼ cup each granulated sugar, firmly packed brown sugar, flour, and margarine and ½ tsp cinnamon until crumbly. 12 g fat.

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