Technique for Hard - Boiled EGGS

Technique for hard-boiled eggs:

Choose the right size pot to cook your eggs in: The eggs must not be stacked but be in one (1) layer only. Gently place the eggs in a single layer in a pan with enough cold water to cover eggs completely (approximately by 1 inch of water over the top of the eggs).

Too much water will take too long for the water to get boiling, which can throw off the timing and give you overcooked eggs. Too little water causes parts of the eggs to be exposed and end up undercooked.

If you have 2 or 3 layers of eggs stacked up in a small pot, they may cook unevenly. Use a large pan and limit cooking to two (2) dozen eggs at a time only.

Over high heat, bring water JUST to a rapid boil.

As soon as the water reaches a rapid boil, remove pan from heat and cover egg pan tightly with a lid.

Set timer for 17 minutes for large eggs or 20 minutes for jumbo eggs.

After 17 or 20 minutes (depending on size of your eggs), remove lid and drain off water from the eggs.

Watch the time when cooking the eggs carefully. Overcook causes a green layer to form around the yolk. This layer is caused by a reaction between the iron in the yolk and the sulfur in the white. Heat speeds up this reaction, so the longer your eggs cook, the greater the chance of discoloration.

Stop the cooking process: Transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and/or cold water. NOTE: While they're in the cold water, a layer of steam develops between the shell and the egg white. The steam helps make peeling an egg much easier.

Let eggs cool at least 10 minutes in cold water, then drain. Either store in refrigerator or peel the eggs (see below for How To Peel Hard-Cooked Eggs Easily).

A quick test to ensure that your eggs are hardboiled: When eggs have cooled, spin them on a hard surface (just like you would spin a top). If the eggs spins quickly without taking off or flying off in one direction, the egg is hard boiled and finished. Undercooked eggs (or uncooked eggs) will have a wobbly and unsteady spin.

Oreo Brownie Ice Cream Cake

My youngest brother Brandon had been craving an
Ice Cream Cake so I decided the perfect time to
make him one would be for his 19th Birthday!!
I had never made an ice cream cake, so this was
my first EXPERIMENT and I chose Brownies because
they are moist!! It turned out SO YUMMY & RICH!!

These are my layers...
Oreo cookie crust (Oreos, butter, sugar)
Cookies & cream ice cream
Brownie
Hot Fudge
Cookies & cream ice cream
Brownie
Fresh whipped cream
I also decorated the cake with chocolate frosting and Oreos

Banana Cream Pie

CRUST (Pate Brisee)
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 c unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1/8 c ice water, more if needed
In food processor, combine flour, salt and butter. Pulse until mixture resembles course crumbs. With machine running, add ice water slowly until dough holds together without being wet. Shape dough on a piece of plastic wrap into a flattened disk and refrigerate at least one hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp edges as desired. Prick dough all over with fork. Fill with dry beans or pie weights. (Once you use dry beans, continue using the same ones as your "pie" beans!) Bake until edges are golden, about 25 minutes.

Filling
4 egg yolks
3 c whole milk
2/3 c sugar
5 T cornstarch
1/4 t salt
3-4 bananas
1 c heavy cream
powdered sugar to taste
1 t vanilla
In a bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks and set aside. In a large pan, whisk together milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Bring to simmer (do not boil) and cook, whisking constantly, for 3-4 minutes. Add small amount of milk mixture to egg yolks to temper and then pour entire mixture back into large pan. Cook, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles appear in center, approximately 2-3 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cover completely with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Cool in fridge. Cut bananas into slices and arrange in rows in the pie crust. Cover with custard. Whip cream, powdered sugar and vanilla and spread on top of custard. Refrigerate for at least one hour!

You can make a coconut cream pie the same way,
just substitute the bananas for toasted coconut!

Phyllo Chicken Wraps

This is my version of what I requested
my mom make on Christmas eve every year!!
Wraps

2 cans (12.5 oz) chicken breast
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
Sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
garlic and onion powder to taste
1 package (8 oz) phyllo dough
1 stick (8 oz) butter melted
Thaw phyllo dough at room temperature for two hours or in fridge overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain chicken and shred with fork in mixing bowl. Add soup, sour cream, and seasonings. Carefully unroll phyllo sheets and remove one sheet. (You need to keep sheets covered with plastic wrapper to keep moist or make them very quickly so the phyllo dough does not dry out.) Fold sheet in half and butter top with pastry brush or fingers. (I do this on a plastic cutting board for easy cleanup.) Put a scoop of chicken mixture in middle and carefully wrap up all four sides. Butter top and bottom of wrap and place on buttered cookie sheet. Makes approximately 16 wraps. (I put eight each on a big cookie sheet.) Bake 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown on top. Serve with rice pilaf and drizzle with sauce.
Sauce
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup
1 can milk
Sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
2 T fresh parsley
Heat & whisk all ingredients until smooth.

Poppy's Cream Puffs

These are my Dad's famous Cream Puffs!!
2 c water
2 cubes butter
1/2 t salt
2 c flour
8 eggs
2 c heavy cream
1 t pure vanilla extract
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot, add water, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Add flour and stir until thick. Remove from heat and add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake 40-50 minutes. Beat heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar. Let cream puffs cool, split in half and fill with cream right before serving. Dust powdered sugar on top! YUM!!

Twice Baked Green Potatoes

My children and Husband Loved these! Success!!!

8 Lg. potatoes
1 lg. head broccoli
4 cups spinach
8 green onions, diced, including green part
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
2 Tbsp. extra virgin Olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Bake foil wrapped potatoes at 350 for 1 hr., then let cool enough to handle. Chop broccoli into small pieces, and steam for 15 minutes, adding spinach the last 5 minutes of steaming. Cut each potatoe in half and scoop out the potato "guts", being careful to keep skin intact and leaving 1/4" of potatoe all the way around for later use.

Use a hand mixer to blend until smooth the potato "guts", steamed broccoli, onions, spinach, parmesean, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add a bit of water if mixture is too thick to blend.

Scoop mixture back into potato skins. Sprinkle with additional parmesean cheese, then bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

I also added some shredded cheddar cheese to the tops of mine, and a dallop of sour cream on top. Yummmmy!

Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili is inexpensive, nutritious, filling, and a complete protein with brown rice added.
Serve with Cornbread, or chips and shredded cheese.

4 C dry pinto beans, soaked overnight and rinsed well
12 C water
2 C brown rice rinsed well
2 diced yellow onions
4 cans tomato sauce
2 qt. diced tomatoes with juice
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pepper
3 bay leaves
2 green peppers
1-2 anaheim peppers

In a very large stock pot, bring water and beans to a boil and simmer for 2 hrs. (or longer if old beans) until beans are almost tender. Add all remaining ingredients, simmer for 1 hr. and serve.( I simmered mine about 3 hrs. more) This makes a lot and freezes well for another meal or you can use the next night over baked potatoes.

Delicious "Magleby's" Like Rolls

24 frozen Rhodes Rolls
1/2 c Mayonnaise
1/2 c Butter, melted
1/2 c Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Garlic Salt
Italian Seasoning or Parsley
Place frozen rolls in well greased muffin tin. Spread on mayo then butter. Sprinkle cheese and other spices on top. Let rise according to the directions (usually 5 hours so you need to plan accordingly.) Bake according to the directions on roll package.

Capellini Pomodoro with Fresh Mozzarella

3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T onion flakes
3 T minced garlic
2 cans (14 oz) Italian diced tomatoes
1 t Italian seasoning
2 T brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 oz fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 lb angel hair pasta
12 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed
Shaved Parmesan cheese to pass at table
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil to cook the pasta. While the water is coming to a boil, saute olive oil, onion flakes and garlic over medium heat. Stir in tomatoes and season the sauce with Italian seasoning, brown sugar, salt and pepper to your taste. Simmer 5-10 minutes then stir in basil and turn off heat. While sauce is simmering, add salt to boiling water and cook the pasta to al dente. Drain pasta and add to sauce. Add cubed fresh mozzarella and serve! Top with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

5 T honey
4 T fresh lime juice
1/2 T chili powder
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
8 flour tortillas
1 lb Colby Jack cheese, shredded
1 large can of green enchilada sauce
Mix the honey, lime juice, and spices together with the shredded chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Pour 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce into bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Place a scoop of chicken mixture, cheese, and 1 T sauce into middle of a tortilla and roll up. Reserve 1-2 cups of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top of rolled enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. I served mine with Mexican rice, corn, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and salsa. (Can you tell I like sides for my enchiladas?!)

Taco Salad

Taco Salad/Burrito Bars are perfect for entertaining!!

Here is my version of TACO SALAD!
(Adjust amount of ingredients by how many people)
Nacho Cheese Doritos
Lean Ground Beef
Taco Seasoning
Colby Jack Cheese, shredded
Green Leaf Lettuce, torn
Corn
Black Beans
Black Olives, sliced
Roma Tomatoes, diced
Guacamole or Avocados, diced

Pico De Gallo
Cilantro
Lite House Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Cheese Tortellini with Tomato Balsamic Sauce and Fresh Basil

2 (9 oz) packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
½ t Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
3 T balsamic vinegar
¾ oz fresh basil, chopped
2-4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Boil water for pasta and cook according to the package directions. In another pan, heat olive oil and garlic, add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Let sauce simmer until tortellini is done. Add basil to sauce and combine with cheese tortellini. Sprinkle feta cheese on top and serve. Serves 4.