Budget Travel: 2015

One-Pot Chicken Alfredo

SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 20 Min | TOTAL TIME 30 Min

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup (8 ounces) entwine Chardonnay (white wine)
1 cup (8 ounces) chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine pasta (or whatever pasta you prefer)
4 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese, about 2 cups
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
(optional) chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat, add butter. Once butter is melted add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add wine to skillet, use a rubber spatula to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add broth and cream. Stir to combine.

Add uncooked pasta to skillet. Stir to combine and coat pasta in the sauce (the pasta will cook right in the sauce absorbing the sauce and becoming incredibly flavorful). Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and cook 7-9 minutes until pasta is cooked al dente (with a bite to it). If you are using long pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, etc) you will need to stir every minute or so after 7 minutes to make sure the pasta is combined and cooking in the sauce.

Once pasta is cooked al dente, remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. If necessary, add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley (or basil would be good too).

Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: Sauce will thicken as it cools. If sauce gets too thick, you can add a splash of wine or chicken broth and give it a stir. It will loosen the sauce up.

If you are sensitive to alcohol, you can substitute white grape juice or chicken stock. But, I highly recommend using entwine Chardonnay.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Sugar Cookie French Toast Casserole

SERVES 8 | ACTIVE TIME 5 Min | TOTAL TIME 40 Min

butter, to grease pan
1 loaf french bread (approximately 14 ounces)
5 large eggs
1 cup plus 1-2 tablespoons International Delight Frosted Sugar Cookie Creamer, divided
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch salt
optional: sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Generously butter a 6"x10" baking dish. Set baking dish aside. Cut bread into cubes. Add cubes to the prepared baking dish. Set dish aside.

In a large bowl whisk eggs and 1 cup creamer until blended. Pour mixture over the bread cubes. Use a spoon to toss the cubes into the mixture remaining on the bottom of the dish until all cubes are well coated.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Meanwhile combine powdered sugar, extracts, 1 tablespoon creamer and salt in a small bowl and stir until well combined to make the icing. Add remaining 1 tablespoons creamer as necessary to create a thick frosting that will drizzle.

Remove casserole from oven. Drizzle icing over casserole and scatter sprinkles over the top.

Serve and enjoy.

DONNA'S NOTES: You can bake this immediately, or refrigerate it up to overnight. If you are not baking immediately, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 3 hours (up to overnight). Bake 30-40 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Pumpkin Honey Dinner Rolls

MAKES 24 Large Rolls | ACTIVE TIME 20 Min | TOTAL TIME 2 Hours 40 Minutes

4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packets) 1 cup warm almond milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup honey
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie)
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons butter or butter substitute, melted (divided)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
7 cups all-purpose flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, add yeast, warm milk and honey. Swirl with your fingers or a spoon to dissolve the yeast. Allow to sit until the yeast starts to bubble and becomes aromatic, about 5 minutes.

Add pumpkin, eggs and 6 tablespoons melted butter. Mix on medium speed until mostly combined. Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and 4 cups of flour. Mix on low speed until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft
dough (mine takes the whole 3 additional cups) so that it cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl. You should have a ball of tacky (not sticky) dough at this point. When you touch the dough and pull your fingers away there should not be any dough on your fingers. If it is sticky, add a little more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it becomes tacky (does not leave dough on your fingers when you touch it). Allow to knead for about 5 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a floured board; knead about 10 turns. Form into a loose ball. Place dough into stand mixer bowl(which should have been mostly cleaned out from the dough being kneaded in it). Cover with plastic wrap and a cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and we will form into 24 balls. Place dough on counter top and form dough into a loose ball. We are going to cut this ball into 24 (somewhat) even pieces. First quarter the ball of dough. Roll each quarter into a log. Cut that into 3 equal pieces. Then cut each piece into 2 equal pieces. I used a bench scraper but a butter knife will work fine. When you are done you will have 24 pieces.

Place rolls on a greased 13"x19" jelly roll pan (or 2-9x13 pans). *At this point you can refrigerate to continue tomorrow, see notes.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45-60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Brush tops and sides with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Allow to cool before serving.

DONNA'S NOTES: You can mix the dough by hand if you do not have a stand mixer. Add milk, yeast and honey to a bowl. Once the yeast blooms mix in the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and 6 tablespoons butter. Once it comes together, add in the salt and the flour. Mix with a spoon. Turn dough out onto floured counter top and knead for 3-5 minutes until dough is no longer sticky. Proceed with remaining instructions.

You can substitute regular milk for almond milk if you do not need dairy free.

OVERNIGHT METHOD: Once the dough is formed into balls and placed on the baking sheet you can place them in the refrigerator covered with aluminum foil to bake tomorrow. To continue this recipe from the refrigerator, you will need to remove from refrigerator and remove aluminum foil. Allow dough to come to room temperature and rise. This can take longer than the 45-60 minutes as the dough has to warm up before it begins to rise. Proceed with recipe as written.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Best Ever Gravy Recipe

MAKES 5 Cups | ACTIVE TIME 15 Min | TOTAL TIME 20 Min

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dried crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste
4 cups (32 ounces) chicken stock
1 cup entwine Chardonnay

Melt butter in a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat. Once butter is completely melted whisk in flour, herbs, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking frequently to cook off the floury taste.

While whisking, pour wine into roux (flour mixture). Continue whisking until mixture bubbles up and becomes a thick consistency, about one minute. While whisking, add chicken stock. Continue whisking until mixture is completely smooth.

Bring gravy to a boil. Whisk occasionally. Boil 10 minutes until gravy is thickened.

Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: If using salted butter, decrease salt by 1/2 teaspoon to start. Salt content in chicken stock varies greatly. Start with 1 teaspoon of salt and add more as necessary. If the gravy doesn't taste quite right, it could need more salt. I use the full 2 teaspoons in my recipe.

Gravy can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat over low heat.

If you are sensitive to alcohol, you can substitute white grape juice or chicken stock. But, I highly recommend using entwine Chardonnay.

USING TURKEY DRIPPINGS: Once the turkey comes out of the oven. Remove the turkey and place it on a platter to rest. Turn stovetop to medium high and place pan on burner or two. Once the pan drippings are hot, add a cup of chicken stock (from your ingredient list) reserve the remaining chicken stock for the recipe. Use a wooden spatula to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Pour the pan drippings into a measuring cup and let cool in the refrigerator. In about 20-40 minutes the fat will rise to the top and begin to get hard. Skim the fat off of the top, replace the butter in the recipe with the amount of fat you have in your measuring cup. For example if you have 1/4 cup turkey fat, use that plus 1/4 cup butter for a total of 1/2 cup.

Next use the pan drippings (in the measuring cup) in place of part of the chicken stock. If you have 1 cup of drippings, add that when the chicken stock is called for and also the reserved 3 cups chicken stock so you have a total of 4 cups when adding to the recipe.

For a smoother gravy, strain the drippings before adding to the gravy.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Pumpkin Spice Crinkle Cookies

MAKES 72 (1 Tbsp Cookies) | Active Time | Total Time 2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
cinnamon (optional garnish)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or an electric mixer on medium speed) cream sugar, cream cheese and butter until well light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes).

Add creamer, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat on medium speed until you have a smooth consistency. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl and make sure the mixture is fully combined. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low speed until combined.

Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, drop onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart . Bake for 11-12 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Sprinkle cooled cookies with cinnamon. Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: If you under bake cookies, they will fall flat and spread.

You can substitute International Delight French Vanilla Creamer and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice if the Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer is out of season.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Cheesy Bacon Corn Chowder with Chicken

SERVES 12 | ACTIVE TIME 25 Min | TOTAL TIME 45 Min

6 slices thick cut bacon (about 1/2 pound)
2 tablespoons STAR Fine Foods Butter Flavored Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided (to taste)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 cups frozen corn (or about 4 large ears fresh corn, corn removed from the cob)
2 cups diced and peeled red potatoes (about 4 or 5 potatoes)
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups half and half
8 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Warm an 6-quart dutch oven over medium-high heat. Using clean scissors; cut bacon into pot. Cook bacon until lightly crisp, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. *If bacon starts to cook too quickly reduce temperature and/or remove from heat.

Meanwhile prep onion, garlic and chicken.

Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and place on upside-down pot lid. Leave 2 tablespoons bacon dripping in pan and drain remaining drippings.

Add olive oil to dutch oven. Place chicken into dutch oven in a single layer. Stir occasionally until chicken is cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and dice potatoes.

Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken from dutch oven and place onto lid with bacon. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and garlic to dutch oven. Cook until onions start becoming translucent, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle flour, paprika, salt and pepper over onions. Stir to coat the onions with the mixture. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon to garnish. Add broth, half-and-half, corn, potatoes, cooked chicken and remaining bacon. Cover and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Add cheeses, stir to combine.

Reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.

Serve in bowls, garnish with bacon and fresh parsley. Enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: If you are a beginner cook or if doing your prep work while you cook stresses you out, take 10 minutes before you start cooking to get all of your ingredients prepped and ready. The recipe will go much smoother for you.

The soup will thicken as it cools. Add more liquid as necessary to thin to your desired consistency.

Half and half is a product sold in the dairy case, next to the heavy cream. It consists of equal parts heavy cream and milk. You can substitute all heavy cream or all whole milk for the half and half. It will make it thicker and richer if you use all cream and thinner and lighter if you use all milk.

Reheats well on the stove top or the microwave. Add milk or broth to thin chowder out as necessary.

If you are preparing this to freeze, follow the recipe without the potatoes and add them in the pot when you reheat. Being sure to cook until the potatoes are fork tender and falling apart.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Disclosure: We have an ongoing partnership with Star Fine Foods.

Pan Fried Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomatoes

SERVES 6 | TOTAL TIME 40 Min | ACTIVE TIME 20 Min

6 chicken thighs (2-3 pounds), skin-on bone-in
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2-1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 (5.75 ounce) jar STAR Fine Foods Tomato & Pepper Marinated Olives, drained
1 cup Chardonnay white wine

Use 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to sprinkle both sides of the chicken. Warm a high sided large skillet over medium-high heat. Once you hold you hand 6 inches from the skillet and feel the heat, add the olive oil. Then, place the seasoned chicken in the pan skin side down. Cook until golden brown, then flip to brown the other side, about 4-5 minutes for each side. Remove chicken and place in your upside down pot lid or on a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and onion. Cook until onions soften, about 3 minutes. Add olives, wine and 1 cup of tomatoes. Stir to combine and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the browned bits. Cook until liquid has reduced about half, about 4 minutes.

Taste sauce. Add salt and pepper as necessary. I usually add about 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Add chicken (skin side up) to skillet. Cook for 10 minutes longer, until the chicken is cooked through to the bone.

If preferred you can place skillet under broiler to crisp the chicken skin. Add remaining tomatoes. Stir and serve.

DONNA'S NOTES: You can substitute chicken stock or white grape juice for the wine.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Chili Sauce

SERVES 4 | ACTIVE TIME 5 Min | TOTAL TIME 15 Min

2 tablespoons Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound Brussels sprouts, rinsed and cut into halves
1 tablespoons sesame seed oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chili paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

In a 10" cast iron skillet over medium-high heat warm olive oil. Hold your hand 6" above the pan, once you can feel the heat it is ready. Add Brussels to the pan, cut side down. Once the pan is filled, add remaining Brussels into pan on top of the cut side down ones. Cook until Brussels begin to caramelize, about 2-3 minutes. Once browned, stir.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine sesame oil, honey, chili paste, minced garlic and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

Pour sauce over the Brussels, stir to combine well and reduce to low heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir.

Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: If the Brussels start getting too browned, stir and reduce heat to medium.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Disclosure: We have an ongoing relationship with Star Fine Foods.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Extreme Brownie Cake

SERVES 18 | ACTIVE TIME 25 Min | TOTAL TIME 45 Min

1-1/2 cups unsalted butter
3 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 (10.5 ounce) bags snack size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (divided)

Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (15 ounce) jar natural peanut butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray (3) 9" round baking pans with non stick spray. Set aside. Unwrap and cut 12 Reese's cups into quarters. Place the remaining peanut butter cups into the fridge to chill.

Cut butter into chunks and place it in a large microwave safe mixing bowl, melt completely. Add sugar, cocoa, vanilla and eggs. Mix with an electric mixer on medium, until combined. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until completely combined, but do not over mix.

Divide evenly into prepared baking pans. Sprinkle quartered Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups over batter, press into batter with a spatula until they are even with the brownie mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Place in the freezer to cool, about 15 minutes.

Combine cream cheese, butter and peanut butter in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer (or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment). Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar. Beat on low until combined, then switch to medium speed and beat until light and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Beat mixture until well combined.

Place a dollop of frosting on a 10" plate. Place first brownie layer on plate. Spread about 1/2 cup frosting over top of cooled brownie. Place second layer and spread about 1/2 cup frosting over top. Frost the top and sides like a cake.

Unwrap Reese's and cut them all in half. Place halved peanut butter cups around the bottom of the cake with the cut side down. Cut remaining Reese's halves into bite size pieces and sprinkle over the top of the cake.

Serve and enjoy.

DONNA'S NOTE: This cake freeze very well. Be sure to wrap well and defrost for 30 minutes before eating.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Lazy Day Sloppy Joe's

SERVES 6 | ACTIVE TIME 10 Min | TOTAL TIME 15 Min
1 pound lean ground beef 1 1/4 cups ketchup

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon STAR Fine Foods Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
6 hamburger buns

Cook ground beef, in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Drain any excess liquid. Add remaining ingredients. Add 1/4 cup water. Stir until combined. Cover and reduce temperature to simmer, for 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir.

Serve sloppy joe mixture on hamburger buns and enjoy!

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Disclosure: We have an ongoing relationship with Star Fine Foods.

Slow Cooker Lamb Barbacoa

Slow Cooker Lamb Barbacoa
SERVES 6

FOR THE LAMB:
A 12-inch chunk of an agave leaf (penca de maguey) or 1 large banana leaf, optional
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder
1 12-ounce bottle of Negra Modelo
Salt

FOR THE MARINADE:
2 guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
2 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 canned chipotle in adobo
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican canela
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

FOR SERVING:
Your favorite hot sauce or salsa
A little chopped white onion
A handful of cilantro leaves

Roast the agave leaf (being careful not to touch the exposed flesh of the agave) over an open flame, turning every few minutes until pliable and charred, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness. (If using a banana leaf, run it briefly over an open flame to soften it.) Cut into 3 pieces.

In the stovetop-safe insert of your slow cooker or in a very large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel, sprinkle generously with salt and lay it in the insert of skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until richly brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Fit the insert into the machine or transfer the meat to the slow cooker.

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a blender with 2 cups of water and blend to a smooth puree. Pour through a medium mesh strainer into the slow cooker. Nestle the pieces of agave leaf or banana leaf under and around the meat, if you are using them. Cover and turn on the slow cooker to high. Your barbacoa will be done in about 6 hours, though you can hold it for longer. (My slow-cooker can be programmed to switch from high after 6 hours to a “keep warm” temperature for up to another 6 hours. Some slow cookers click to “keep warm” automatically; others need to be switched manually.)

When you are ready to serve, coarsely shred the lamb and arrange it on a warm platter. Skim any fat from the sauce that remains in the slow cooker, and then taste it. If you feel it would be better with a more concentrated flavor, pour it into a medium saucepan or remove the insert and set it over high heat. Boil for a few minutes to reduce that quantity, then taste and season with salt if it needs it. Spoon as much as you like over the lamb or beef. (I like to sprinkle coarse salt over the meat at this point.) Serve the barbacoa with the hot sauce or salsa, onion and cilantro. Grab some tortillas, if you like, and you’re ready to make some delicious tacos.

NO SLOW COOKER?

In a large (6- to 8-quart, at least 12 inches in diameter) heavy pot (preferably a Dutch oven), combine the ingredients as described. Set the cover in place and braise in a 300-degree oven for about 3 hours, adding water occasionally if necessary to ensure the liquid stays at about the same level. Finish as described.

Recipe courtesy of Negra Modelo and Chef Rick Bayless

Garlic Parmesan Cheesy Potatoes

SERVES 8 | ACTIVE TIME 10 Min | TOTAL TIME 1 Hours 10 Min

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 pounds red potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a small bowl combine butter, olive oil, chopped herbs, garlic and salt. Stir to combine. Brush 1/2 mixture onto a large cast iron skillet. Add potatoes to skillet. Brush potatoes with remaining herb mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove from oven. Remove foil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: You can bake these with no foil for a crisp potato.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Disclosure: We have an ongoing relationship with Star Fine Foods.

Hearty Beef Pot Roast

SERVES 8 | ACTIVE TIME 20 Min | TOTAL TIME 3 Hours 20 Min

3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups halved baby carrots
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups low-sodium beef stock
1 cup entwine Merlot
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided
4 sprigs fresh thyme, divided

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Combine 2 tablespoons flour, 2 teaspoons salt and all of the pepper in a gallon zip top bag. Seal and shake to combine. Add roast, press out most of the air and seal bag. Shake bag until beef is well coated. Use your fingers to press the flour onto the beef (if needed).

Warm olive oil in a large dutch oven (or oven-safe heavy bottom pot), over medium-high heat. Once you can feel warmth when holding your hand over the pot, add butter. Once butter is mostly melted, use tongs to remove roast from bag. Carefully add roast to dutch oven. Brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile: slice onions, chop carrots and mince garlic.

Once roast is nicely seared with a good crust, remove it from the dutch oven and place it your upside down pot lid.

Add carrots, onion, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent. Add wine. Deglaze pan by scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add beef stock and stir to combine. Add 2 sprigs rosemary and 2 sprigs thyme. Return roast to the pot, ladle some of the cooking liquid over the top of the roast. Top with remaining rosemary and thyme. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, place covered dutch-oven into the oven.

Bake for 3 hours. Remove dutch-oven from the oven. Take the roast out of the pan and place on a plate. Use a slotted spoon to remove vegetables to platter. Tent with foil while you prepare the gravy.

Remove rosemary and thyme sprigs from the pot. Place dutch oven over medium heat.

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup water in a mason jar. Seal and shake until there are no more lumps. While stirring the liquid, pour flour mixture (called a slurry) into the pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper as necessary. Remove from heat.

Use 2 forks to pull the meat apart. Serve with gravy.

Enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: This roast is excellent with entwine Merlot and also the entwine Cabernet Sauvignon.

You can add medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2's into the pot for the last hour.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Skillet

SERVES 6-8 | ACTIVE TIME 20 Min | TOTAL TIME 20 Min

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup frozen corn kernels (or canned corn, rinsed and drained)
1 pound pre-cooked diced chicken (about 3 cups)
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic
1 cup black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/4 cup diced green chiles (from a can)
1 cup enchilada sauce
1 (4 ounce) bag tortilla strips, divided
1 (6 ounce) package Horizon Organic Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 (6 ounce) package Horizon Organic Shredded Mexican Cheese, divided
1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
optional: 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)

Warm a medium skillet over medium-high heat, once you can feel the heat by holding your hand 6 inches over the skillet, drizzle olive oil into pan. Immediately add corn. Use a wooden spoon to create an even layer of corn.

Allow corn to cook until golden brown and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Then add chicken and stir. Add diced tomatoes, beans, green chiles and enchilada sauce. Stir to combine and bring to a bubble, stirring occasionally, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Taste for seasoning, if you prefer more heat add the cayenne pepper to your taste preference. 1 teaspoon was perfect for us. If you like mild spice it may be perfect the way it is.

Add 1/2 of the bag of tortilla strips, reserve the remaining for topping the skillet. Add all of the cheddar cheese and 1/2 of the bag of Mexican cheese. Reserve the remaining cheese for topping the
skillet. Stir to combine. Sprinkle remaining cheese, chips and cilantro over top.

Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: Use your favorite enchilada sauce. The heat level of the sauce will affect the skillet, so if you like mild, use mild. If you prefer hot, use hot.

You can also use left over beef, or rotisserie chicken in the skillet if that is what you have on hand.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Pizza Skillet Dip

SERVES 6-8 | ACTIVE TIME 20 Min | TOTAL TIME 30 Min

1 pound hot Italian sausage, removed from casings
2 cups pizza sauce, (I used 5 Minute Marinara)
8 ounces (2 cups) fresh shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup pepperoni slices
2 cans (10 count) biscuits, cut into 1/4's (regular size biscuits)
2 tablespoons garlic flavored olive oil
4 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
optional fresh cut parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Brown sausage in a 10" cast iron skillet over medium-high skillet.

Meanwhile: in a large bowl, combine cut biscuits, olive oil, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Toss with your hands until the biscuits are well coated with all ingredients. (Don't worry if you have left over Parmesan cheese, we will sprinkle that on top later).

Drain any remaining sausage drippings from the pan. Add pizza sauce and stir until combined. Use spoon to even out the sauce.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top, until all the sauce is covered. Place pepperoni in a ring around the outside edge of the pan (You are making a base for the biscuits to sit on). Add remaining pepperoni to the center of the pan.

Place biscuits in a ring against the side of the pan (on top of the pepperoni slices). Sprinkle any remaining Parmesan cheese from the biscuits over the top of the biscuits. Cover with foil and cook 10-12 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through. If the top is not golden brown, remove foil and place under the boiler 1-2 minutes, or until they biscuits are golden brown and the mozzarella cheese
is bubbly.

Allow to cool briefly. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: I recommend serving this dip with bowls so everyone can have their own serving.

You can use ground beef and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning in place of the sausage.

You can use frozen dinner rolls in this recipe. Simply thaw 12 regular size rolls. Cut into quarter and proceed with recipe.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Garlic Lime All-Purpose Marinade

SERVES 6-8 | ACTIVE TIME 5 Min | TOTAL TIME 5 Min

2-5 pounds meat of choice (I used boneless skinless chicken breasts)
6 tablespoons STAR Garlic Flavored Olive Oil
1/4 cup STAR White Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1-1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced

Place meat in ziptop gallon bag. Set aside.

Combine all remaining ingredients in a mason jar (or a 2 cup measuring cup). Seal your jar and shake vigorously until your mixture becomes completely combined (or you can whisk well) and pour over meat. Zip bag closed and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (to prevent leaks) or double bag it. Marinate 30 minutes to overnight. I recommend overnight if you have the time. If marinating for hours, remember to flip the bag over a few times to keep the meat coated and moist.

DONNA'S NOTES: If you wish to use the marinade to serve over the meat, you can boil it on the stove top until reduced by 1/3 to create a delicious sauce.

You can substitute all Dijon mustard or all whole grain.

Cooking instructions will vary based on the meat you choose. Here are a few to get you started.

TO GRILL CHICKEN: Preheat grill to medium-high. Place chicken on the counter (to take the chill off) while grill is heating. Grill chicken about 4-5 minutes on each side. Serve and enjoy.

TO GRILL PORK CHOPS: Preheat grill to medium high. Place the pork chops on the grill and sear both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Move the pork chops away from the flame. Cook over indirect heat with the grill closed until they are somewhat firm to the touch or until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into the center of a chop, away from the bone, registers 145°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork chops to a platter and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

TO BAKE CHICKEN OR PORK CHOPS: Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake for 30-40 minutes until chicken is cooked through (1 pound takes less time, 5 pounds takes more time). Cover with aluminum foil for 5 minutes and let the chicken rest. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with STAR Fine Foods. All opinions are my own. This summer we are partnering with Star Fine Foods. Their products are absolutely staples in my pantry. I am so excited to share one of our favorite brands with you, again. Keep an eye out for more fantastic recipes to come.

Lazy Day Coconut Macaroons

SERVES 30 | ACTIVE TIME 10 Min | TOTAL TIME 25 Min

1 (14 ounce) bag sweetened coconut flakes

7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (about 1/2 of a 14 ounce can)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat Mat.

In a medium bowl combine add coconut. Then pour condensed milk over top. Mix with a spoon until the coconut and milk are completely mixed and all of the milk combines with the coconut.

Use a 1 tablespoon scooper. Scoop and then press the mixture into the scooper to make sure you get a well packed scoop. Place them on the baking pan about a finger apart. They will not spread so you can place them pretty close together.

Bake until the tops are golden brown, about 14-16 minutes. If the tops are not perfectly browned but the bottoms are, you can turn the broiler on and broil until the tops are perfectly browned, about 1-3 minutes.

*Do not walk away when broiling, you can go from golden brown to crispy in a flash.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, if you can wait that long.

Serve and enjoy!

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

Baking Pan
Silpat Baking Mat or Parchment Paper
1 tablespoon scoop

DONNA'S NOTES:
This recipe can be doubled. Simply use double the ingredients and 2 sheet pans. I bake one while I scoop the other, so the cooking time remains the same for each pan.

If your macaroons will not stay together check to see if you used sweetened condensed milk. Evaporated milk can NOT be used in this recipe.

Store in a resealable plastic bag or container, in the refrigerator.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Kitchen Hack: How to Bake Bacon

Baking Bacon: The Rack Method
SERVES 12 | ACTIVE TIME 25 Min | TOTAL TIME 25 Min

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cover a baking pan with aluminum foil and place an oven safe cross-wire grid cooling rack in the pan.

Lay slices of bacon on the pan. Do not overlap the slices or they will not cook properly.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-25 minutes. The length of time will vary based on the thickness of your bacon (thick cut takes longer) and the doneness you prefer. (I like mine crispy).

You can cook 2 sheets at the same time, but it will increase your bake time significantly. Switch baking sheets half way though cook time.

Baking Bacon: The Crumpled Foil Method
SERVES 12 | ACTIVE TIME 25 Min | TOTAL TIME 25 Min

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Gently crumple a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil causing wrinkles. DO NOT crumple into a little ball. Just squish it together and pull it apart. Lay it across your baking sheet and gently straighten it out. Do NOT smooth it down or you will lose your crumbles.

Tuck the edges under the lip of the baking sheet. Lay bacon strips on top of foil. As you can see above the bacon lays across the little ridges. The bacon drippings will collect in the foil below the bacon (pretty smart, huh?). Do not lay strips on top of one another or they will not cook.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-25 minutes. The length of time will vary based on the thickness of your bacon (thick cut takes longer) and the doneness you prefer. (I like mine crispy).

You can cook 2 sheets at the same time, but it will increase your bake time significantly. Switch baking sheets half way though cook time.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

How to Make Brown Sugar

SERVES 1 Cup | ACTIVE TIME 3 Min | TOTAL TIME 3 Min

1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses (I use Grandma's brand)

Add sugar to a medium bowl. Pour molasses over sugar. Use a fork to combine the molasses into the sugar. You can also use a whisk, wooden spoon or an electric mixer. I have even used a blender. But, in the end the fork is my favorite method.

Continue pressing fork into sugar until the molasses and brown sugar are fully combined and there are no molasses chunks left.

Store in a sealed resealable container. Use as needed.

DONNA'S NOTES: For light brown sugar use 1 tablespoon molasses, for dark brown use 2 tablespoons molasses.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.