Highlights From 2011

        Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


      Happy New Year everyone!  It's hard to believe it's already the last day of the year.  I definitely think it's true that the older you get the faster time goes by....this year seems to have passed by in the blink of an eye.

     While this year has passed by quickly, I realize that there have been quite a few highlights along the way.  Our family was able to take two fabulous trips, one to London and one to Costa Rica.  Both trips made memories that will last a lifetime.  We also had some great family time at our cabin this past summer, which is something that I look forward to every year.

     I have also gotten involved in some things that have fed my creative side.  Earlier this year, I started singing in a praise band with Steve and Alex at our church.  Once I started doing that, I realized how much I had missed performing!  I even managed to sneak onto a couple of songs as a backup singer recording with  Steve's band.  I was also able to feed my foodie creative side by taking a week long intensive cooking class last winter.  It really was a foodie dream come true and I enjoyed every minute of it.

     Finally, starting this blog has been an amazing journey and has really inspired me to bring my cooking to a new level.  I can't wait to see how things evolve in 2012, starting with unveiling my new site.  I can't wait for you all to see it!

     I will end this post with a list of my top 5 posts for 2011.

5.  Beef Stroganof, It's Not Christmas Eve Without It

4.  Lemon Glazed Lemon Poundcake

3.  Another Rediscovered Recipe, Chicken Lasagna Alfredo

2.  Clarity at the Nail Salon, The Perfect Chicken and Rice Dish

And the number one post of 2011......drumroll please......

1.  Pearl's Bars

I wish you all a healthy and happy new year!!!

Pesto Puff Pastry Pinwheels

       Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


      I love appetizers that are really quick to make.  This particular appetizer is great because not only is it quick to make, it also calls for ingredients that you can easily keep on hand, puff pastry, pesto and cheese.

     I made this appetizer for Christmas Eve and I have to admit, it wasn't the prettiest appetizer I've made.  But everyone loved them.  There was nothing left on the tray except for crumbs!

    Pesto Puff Pastry Pinwheels

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• prepared pesto
• finely shredded asiago cheese (you could also use parmesan, but asiago is what I had on hand)
• fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On a lightly floured board, roll puff pastry out into a rectangle, about 9x12.

Spread a thin layer of pesto over pastry, leaving about a 1 inch border.

Sprinkle a layer of cheese over the pesto.

Starting from the long end, roll the pastry up into a pinwheel.

Cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick.

Place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly brown and crispy.  Serve immediately.

ENJOY!

Another Sweet Treat, Crumb Cake

       Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


      Last year Steve spent a big chunk of the fall in NYC for work.  One of the last weeks he was out there, he and his co-workers decided that they would stay in a hotel in Hoboken for a change of scenery (ok - they planned a couple of pub crawls over there).  Well, on his last day in Hoboken, he went to Carlos Bakery (Cake Boss) before work and he brought home a crumb cake.  I have to say, the crumb cake was amazing!

     So for the past year, we have thought about this crumb cake and wished that we could just pop over to Carlos Bakery and buy some more.  But, that just wasn't going to happen.  So I was very excited when I was out reading blogs one day and I happened upon a recipe for New York crumb cake at Cats and Casseroles (stop over and check it out, they have a lot of really great recipes).  I just had to give it a try and see if it was close.

     In the end, the crumb cake was absolutely delicious and was close enough to remind us of Carlos Bakery.  I will definitely make this cake again!

Crumb Cake

     

For topping:

• 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 1/2 cups flour

For cake:

• 2 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 9x13 pan with butter and flour.
Prepare topping first.  Combine brown sugar, sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Stir in melted butter.  Add flour, combining well.

Set topping aside.   Cream butter and sugar together.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating in well.

Add sour cream and vanilla and beat in.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to wet ingredients, 1/3 at a time, combining well after each addition.

Spread batter into prepared pan.

Crumble topping over the batter evenly.

Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool before serving.

ENJOY!


Shared at Six Sisters' Stuff on 12/31/11.
Shared at Food Corner on 1/3/12.
Shared at Miz Helen's Country Cottage on 1/5/12.
Shared at It's a Keeper on 1/5/12.

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

        Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


     Nicole and Kelly went to the wedding of a friend of theirs a couple of months ago.  The wedding was fabulous, the bride was beautiful and all of the details had been meticulously planned.  The thing they came home raving about, though, was the BBQ bacon wrapped water chestnuts!  The waiters soon realized that they were loving these tasty little morsels and so every time they came out with a new tray they made sure to walk past my girls and offer them another one.

     When they came home and told me about these little appetizers, I thought they sounded fabulous.  I also thought that they would be very easy to make.  So I put them on the menu for my Christmas Eve dinner.  They actually were VERY easy to make. Nicole wrapped whole water chestnuts with bacon and then we put them in the oven for about 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, we pulled them out and basted them with our favorite BBQ sauce and put them back in the over for another 10 minutes.  When they came out of the oven we had some very tasty morsels!!

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

• 2 cans whole water chestnuts
• 12 oz bacon
• BBQ sauce (our favorite is Famous Dave's Rich and Sassy)
• toothpicks

Preheat oven to 425.

Drain water chestnuts and pat dry with paper towels.

Cut bacon into thirds.  Wrap each third around a water chestnut.  Secure with a toothpick.

   

Place each water chestnut on a cookie sheet, preferably with a baking rack on it (if you have one).

Place in preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove and baste with BBQ sauce and bake for an additional 10 minutes until bacon is crispy and BBQ sauce has carmelized.

Serve immediately or at room temperature.

ENJOY!




Shared at Food Corner on 12/27/11.
Shared at Gooseberry Patch on 12/28/11.
Shared atThis Chick Cooks on 12/28/11.
Shared at Miz Helen's Country Cottage on 12/29/11.
Shared at Baking Bad on 12/30/11.
Shared at Six Sisters' Stuff on 12/31/11.
Shared at Lady Behind the Curtain on 1/4/12.
Shared at Everyday Mom's Meals on 1/8/12.

Lazy Day Turkey Noodle Soup

        Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has moved.  Please visit me at my new and improved blog site!  The new address is http://lisasdinnertimedish.com.  I look forward to seeing you at the new site!!


      After Thanksgiving I made up a really big batch of turkey stock and I froze the last of the leftover turkey.  This came in really handy in the days leading up to Christmas.  I was able to take those leftovers along with vegetables that I needed to use up and make a really easy and delicious turkey noodle soup.

     To make it even easier, I decided to make it in the slow cooker.  I chopped up the veggies I was using and I literally threw everything but the noodles into the pot and let it simmer away all day.  It really couldn't be more simple than that!  As far as the veggies go, I used the basic carrot, celery and onion mix and then I threw in some red pepper and zucchini.  You really could throw in whatever veggies you like, it's a great recipe to use up what you already have on hand.  If you don't have any turkey on hand you could certainly use chicken stock and chicken, it would be equally delicious.

Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup

• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 ribs celery, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 small zucchini, chopped (or whatever veggies you like)
• 3 cups cooked, shredded turkey (or chicken)
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• salt and pepper
• 8 cups turkey stock (or chicken stock)
• 2 cups egg noodles (I used whole wheat)

Chop your veggies.

Add veggies, turkey, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to slow cooker, stirring to combine.

Add turkey stock and combine.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  About 30 minutes before you're ready to serve, add egg noodles.

Ladle into bowls and serve.

ENJOY!


Shared atFood Corner on 12/27/11.
Shared at Gooseberry Patch on 12/28/11.
Shared at This Chick Cooks on 12/28/11.
Shared at Miz Helen's Country Cottage on 12/28/11.
Shared at Baking Bad on 12/30/11.
Shared at Easy Natural Food on 1/1/12.
Shared at Newlyweds Blog on 1/4/12.