White Bean Soup, Italian Style - Lexie's

8 oz dried cannellini beans
or
3 cans of cannellini beans
3Tbs olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups vegetable stock
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 or 4 parsley stems (flat leaf parsley)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

To serve:
Chopped parsley leaves
Crumbles of cooked bacon

1) Soak the beans in cold water to cover overnight. Drain.
2) Heat 2 Tbs oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3) Add the drained beans, stock, celery, parsley, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, stirring or until the beans are very tender. Stir in the lemon juice.
4) Remove the bay leaf. In batches, with the lid ajar, purée the soup in a blender. Return to the pan and season. Keep warm.
5) Heat the remaining 1 Tbs oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon, cook for 5 minutes. Add shallots and cook for 3 more minutes.

Top with crumbled bacon and shallots or leaves of parsley.

Easy Paella - Lexie's

- 2 Tbs Olive oil
- 1 lb. pre-cooked shrimp, thawed
- 1 large chorizo
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 1/2 red peppers, sliced in thin strips
- 1 clove garlic, chopped finely
- 2 cup arborio rice (or bomba)
- 3 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen petite peas

1) Heat olive oil in a large skillet and brown chorizo lightly.
2) Add onion and red pepper. Cook until onion is translucent.
3) Add garlic. Cook 1 minute.
4) Add rice. Cook 2 minutes stirring continuously.
5) Add chicken broth and paprika. Heat to boiling.
6) When boiling is reached, cover and reduce heat.
7) Simmer 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
8) Stir in shrimp and peas. Continue stirring and heat all ingredients back up to HOT.

Serve with slice of lemon.

Chicken Hand Pie / Pot Pie - Lexie's

In large pan:

2 cups cooked chicken

1 Tbs butter 

In large pot: 

1/4 stick butter 

1 cup carrot, finely chopped 

1/2 stick butter
1/4 tsp rosemary, dried
1/4 tsp thyme, dried and ground
1 tsp salt
1 cup potato, chopped finely
2 cups yellow onion, chopped finely

1 cup celery, chopped finely

In the vegetable pot, add cooked chicken and:
1 cup peas
1/4 cup flour

Cook for 2-3 minutes 

Then add to pot:
2 cups chicken stock (or enough to cover contents of pot)
And bring to a boil.

Let cool in fridge.

For hand pies, fill dough circles. 

Seal with milk and score dough. 

Freeze or cook at 375 for 15 min, flip and cook for 5 more min.

Enough filling for 2 chicken pot pies.

Enough filling for 3 rustic chicken pot pies. 

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken - Lexie's

- Clean whole chicken inside and out.
- Squeeze lemon on top and place lemon slices inside
- Rub exterior in seasoning of choice
- Place on four balls of aluminum foil inside slow cooker
- Cook on high covered for 4-8 hours.
(About 1 hour per pound of chicken. Check with meat thermometer)
- Let sit 20 min before carving.

Quick Yummy Chicken - Lexie's

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated Parmesan 

4 chicken breasts

4 tsp. dry Italian seasoning 

Dry bread crumbs

425 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Mix Parmesan and mayo. 

Spread on raw chicken. 

Top breadcrumbs mixed with Italian seasoning.

Mini Pecan Pie - Lexie's

Total Time: 1 hr 55 min

Prep: 20 min

Inactive: 1 hr 10 min

Cook: 25 min

Yield: 24

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon butter, melted

One 3-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup all-purpose flour

Nonstick cooking spray

1 large egg

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of fine salt

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Directions

With an electric mixer, beat the 1/2 cup butter and the cream cheese until smooth. Add the flour and beat until fully combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with cooking spray or canola oil.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Set aside.

Shape the chilled dough into 24 balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Press each ball into a cup of the muffin pan, spreading evenly and up the sides, then spoon 1 teaspoon of the pecans into each muffin cup. Fill each cup with the egg mixture until evenly distributed, about 1 teaspoon in each. Bake until the filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, and then remove from the muffin pan.

Green Bean Casserole - Lexie

- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup

- 1 cup milk

- 2 tsp soy-sauce

- 1/8 tsp pepper

- 2 pkgs 16oz green beans frozen, cooked and drained

- 1 can (6oz) french fried onion divided

1) In a bowl, combine soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper. 

2) Then fold in gently the cooked green beans. 

3) Spoon half mixture into 13"x9" dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 onions. Spoon remaining bean mixture.

4) Bake at 350 for 30mins or until heated through. 

5) Sprinkle with the remaining onions. Bake 5 minutes longer.

Serves: 

Chili Con Carne - Lexie's

3 Tbs butter
1 green pepper (chopped)

1 large yellow onion (chopped)
1 garlic clove (minced)

1 lb ground beef
2 Tbs chili power
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp red pepper powder

2 cups tomato sauce

2 cans red kidney beans (drained)
1 can corn (drained)

1 can black beans (drained) 

In large pot, Sauté green pepper in butter about 5 min. 

Add onion sauté about 4 min. 

Add garlic for 1 min.  

Add beef and spices, brown.  

Add tomato sauce, beans and corn. 

Simmer for 30 min, stirring regularly. 

Serve over corn chips with Monterey Jack cheese or sour cream. (Optional: top with cilantro) 

Serves 4-6.

Serve with cornbread or corn chips. 

Roast Duck - Lexie's

simple rub

2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
melted butter
5 lb. duck

Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Clean duck. Stuff with onion, lemon wedges and garlic cloves. Combine spices. Rub spices on skin and place in roasting pan. Cook covered for 1 hour. Pour melted butter over the top. Cook 45 more min. Pour more melted butter over the top then 15 more minutes in oven until golden brown.

Macaroni Salad, Classic - Lexie's

4 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 1/2 Tbls prepared yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 stalks celery, chopped finely
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. 
Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. 
Rinse under cold water and drain.

In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the onion, celery, green pepper and macaroni. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.

Snicker Salad - Lexie's

1 container cool whip, cold or frozen,
2 granny smith apples, chopped and cold
1 bag mini snickers, chopped and cold/frozen
1 red apple, chopped and cold
1 banana, sliced
1/2 package of french vanilla jello pudding mix
4 Tbs milk
1 can mandarin oranges, drained

Mix, Let sit, Serve. Refrigerate as necessary.

Golden Kebabs with Zesty Mayo - Lexie's

Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 10-15 min

First, soak skewers in water.

2 Tbsp olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

2 tsp tumeric

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 Tbsp lemon juice.

4 chicken breast fillets about 1/4 lb each, cubed

3 nectarines, halved and stoned (substitutes are mango and papaya)

1 large green pepper

Zesty Mayo Ingredients: 

2 scallions, chopped finely

grated zest of ½ lemon

6 ½ Tbsp mayonnaise

1/3 cup plain low fat yogurt

lemon juice to taste

1.     Put olive oil, turmeric, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, and chicken into bowl. Toss and coat thoroughly.

2.     Thread kebabs. Preheat broiler.

3.     Broil 5 mins on each side until peppers and and nectarines are browned. 

 

f Make zesty mayo in small bowl, mix scallions and lemon zest with mayo and yogurt and lemon juice to taste.

Raspberry Ribbon Cookies - Lexie's

Serves: 5 ½ dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 Tbls milk

2 Tbls vanilla

¼ tsp almond extract

2 2/3 cups flour

6 Tbls raspberry jam (remove seeds)

Glaze (recipe below)

1.     Beat butter and sugar. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract until well blended.

2.     Gradually add 1 ½ cups flour. Beat together. Refrigerate in strips until firm.

3.     Preheat oven to 375 F.

4.     Place strips 2 inches apart with ¼ groove in center.

5.     Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven; spoon 1 Tbls jam into each groove. Return to oven; bake 5 – 7 mins longer or until strips are light golden brown. Cool strips for 15 mins on cookie sheet.

6.     Prepare glaze. Drizzle strips with glaze; let stand 5 mins to set. Cut cookies strips at 45 degree angle. Into 1-inch slices.

Glaze: Combine ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbls milk and 1 tsp vanilla in small bowl. Stir until smooth. 

Quick Chicken Mole - Lexie's

Prep: 25 min

Cook: 20 min

Serves: 4 to 6

2 Tbls canola oil

1 medium onion

6 garlic cloves

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp red pepper flakes

1 Tbls cocoa powder

½ cup smooth almond butter

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

¼ tsp salt

1 slice white bread

1 ½ pound chicken breast

Dice onion. Cut white bread into small pieces. Cut chicken into ½ inch cubes.

In a Dutch oven, medium heat, combine oil, onion, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, red pepper flakes and cocoa powder. Sauté 5 minutes.

Add the almond butter and mix until it melts into the other ingredients. Add the tomatoes, broth, salt and bread and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and return to simmer.

Cover and cook 12-15 min. or until the chicken is cooked through.

Lebanese Chicken Kebab - Lexie's

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 10 min

Serves: 4-6

First soak skewers in water.

1 lb chicken breasts

1 clove of garlic

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp allspice

2 Tbls olive oil

3 Tbls lemon juice

Cube uncooked-chicken. Peel and crush garlic. Combine chicken, garlic, salt, cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, oil and lemon juice, mix well, cover and marinate for 3-6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Grill:

30 minutes before grilling, remove from refrigerator. Thread onto skewers (if using wood or bamboo, soak ½ hour.) Grill over medium heat, basting several times until delicately browned.

In Oven:

Pre-heat to 325 F. Place kebabs on oven sheet and cook 6-8 minutes, basting occasionally, until browned.

Other:

Can be served in pita, goes well with hummus and/or baba ganoush.