Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Pesto Butter

6 Deboned chicken breast halves

1/2 cup Fresh basil leaves, washed and dried

1/4 cup Grated parmesan cheese

1 clove Minced garlic

1/2 cup butter

1 eggs

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

Directions: In food processor combine basil, parmesan cheese, garlic and butter. Process until well combined. Cut a small slit in the side of the chicken breast with a boning knife, from that slit form a "pocket" in the chicken to stuff the butter into. (I just pound the chicken flat and roll the ingredients and use toothpicks to secure). Dip the chicken in the egg, dip them in the breadcrumbs. (I always need more egg and breadcrumbs). Place on pan to cook at 350F for about 35-45 minutes.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Hot Fudge Sauce

This is a deep, dark fudgy bittersweet sauce that firms up on ice cream.

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons corn syrup
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon rum (or other flavoring, such as a flavored liquer or vanilla extract)

Melt the chocolate and butter very slowly in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring frequently until combined. Meanwhile, heat the water to boiling in the small, heavy saucepan. When the butter and chocolate have melted, stir the mixture into the boiling water. Add the sugar, corn syrup and salt and mix until smooth. Turn the heat up and stir until mixture starts to boil; adjust heat so that sauce is just maintained at the boiling point, stirring occasionally. Allow sauce to boil for nine minutes.

Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Stir in the rum and serve warm over ice cream.

Do ahead: Sauce can be easily and quickly reheated in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds. Stir and it will be shiny and even again.

Yields 2 1/2 cups

(smittenkitchen.com)

Bliss Layer Bars

Bliss Bars
1 c. light corn syrup
1 c. granulated sugar
2 c. peanut butter
3 c. rice krispies
2-1/2 c. corn flakes
3/4 c. unsalted butter
4 c. powdered sugar
2 regular sized vanilla pudding mixes (instant)
milk (as needed)
1/2 c. butter
2-1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Over medium heat, heat the corn syrup and granulated sugar; bring to a soft boil, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the peanut butter . Stir until it is smooth and creamy:



Have both kinds of cereals mixed together in a large mixing bowl. Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the cereal and mix it until it's well combined. All of the cereal should be coated. Press it into a cakepan, packing it down with the bottom of a spoon:





In a saucepan, melt 3/4 c. butter. Add to this the powdered sugar and vanilla pudding mixes. Stir well; it will be very thick. Slowly add bits of milk until the mixture is the consistency of frosting, mix well. Spread this over the cereal layer in the pan:





In a microwave-safe bowl, mix together the last portion of butter and chocolate chips. Heat for 1 minute. Stir well. Continue to heat in 15 second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is smooth. Spread over the vanilla layer.



Cover tightly and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until chocolate is set. Cut into bars. These are extremely THICK bars.





Enjoy!

(http://comeandpeek.blogspot.com)

Pasta Carbonara con Pollo

- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts - 4-6 oz. pancetta, chopped - 3/4 cup white onion, diced - 4 egg yolks - 1/2 cup heavy cream - 8 oz. grated parmesan cheese - 1 TBSP dried parsely - 3-5 TBSP olive oil, in all - fresh ground black pepper - large amount dried fettucine or linguine Heat a pot of water to boil the pasta. Cut the chicken into small chunks. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks, cream, 6 oz. of the parmesan, and the parsely. Set aside. Heat 3 TBSP of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken, remove to a paper towel. In the same skillet brown the pancetta, remove to the paper towel. Add a little more olive oil to the skillet, then add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until just starting to turn translucent. Return the chicken and the pancetta to the skillet and heat through. Add some cracked black pepper to the skillet. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, return to the cooking pan, and then add the egg mixture. The residual heat from the pasta will cook the egg without scrambling it. Mix through then combine this pasta mixture to the chicken and pancetta mixture.

(meninaprons.net)

Honing

To hone your blade, rest the honing steel on a counter top, or better yet, your cutting board. Stand it straight up on its tip. Then rest the blade on one side of the steel at an angle of 23 degrees (see graphic). With a medium amount of pressure, arc your blade down and towards you 8 to 10 times. Now switch sides of the steel, and repeat the process. Each time you switch, cut the number of strokes in half until you reach one. Wipe the blade down with a cloth before using. No one likes metal shavings in their food.

Feta Cheese and Pine Nut Stuffed Pork Roast

• 1 boneless pork loin (1.5-2 pounds)
• Kosher Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butterfly the roast by cutting down the center of the roast and stopping about a half-inch before you get all the way through. Spread the roast out flat on a plastic cutting board. Sprinkle the inside with salt. Make the stuffing by combining feta cheese, pine nuts, apples, and rosemary. Spread a thick layer of the stuffing on the "inside" of the pork roast. Press down to help it stick. Gently roll up the pork roast and tie off with butcher's twine. Using cooking spray, coat the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the roast in the pan and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour 15 minutes. If the roast has a layer of fat, put the fat side up. It should crisp up golden brown when cooked. Start checking the internal temperature of the roast at about one hour. Pork must get to at least 140 degrees. Make sure thermometer goes into the pork and not into the stuffing. When finished remove from oven, and let sit for 10 minutes. Carefully cut away the twine and slice the roast into 1/2 inch thick slices.

(meninaprons.net)

Cocoa Candied Pecans

Needing a quick dessert slash snack food this evening, I pulled this recipe out of my hat. It's way too easy to make, and it could be a great snack food for your super bowl party this weekend. The addition of cocoa powder gives this basic sugary pecan a heavenly twist.

Ingredients

• 2 cups pecan halves and pieces
  
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  
• 1 TBSP cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a long cookie sheet or baking pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl sift together the cocoa powder and sugar.

Put the pecans in a large colander or strainer and run it under cold water. Stir the pieces around to coat them well. Turn off water and shake off any excess. Transfer the pecans to a large bowl.

Slowly mix the sugar mixture into the pecans, turning them over constantly until the pecans are sticky or all the sugar mixture is gone. Transfer the pecans to the baking pan, using a spatula to spread them out.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring them about ever 3 minutes. Be careful not to let them get too dark as that will turn them bitter.

Remove from oven, let cool, and enjoy.

(meninaprons.net)