MAX & ERMA'S® CHICKEN POMODORO

Max & Erma's® Chicken Pomodoro

Serves 4

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Oven Roasted Tomatoes:

4 Roma tomatoes

1 tbl. Olive oil

Italian Seasoning

Salt

Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash, drain and dry tomatoes. Remove core and discard. Cut tomato in half from top to bottom. Place tomatoes on an icing rack on a cookie pan.
Brush cut surface of tomatoes with olive oil.Lightly sprinkle Italian seasoning, salt and fresh ground pepper on top of tomatoes.
Place on bottom rack of oven and turn off oven. Leave tomatoes in oven for 1 1/2 hrs or until tomatoes reduce in size by 1/2 and become highly flavorful.

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Sun Dried Tomato Basil Spread
1 jar of sun dried tomatoes in oil & spices (7 oz. Grocery store brand)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbl. Garlic – fresh – chopped fine
1 tsp. salt
5-8 fresh basil leaves
1 tbl. Vinegar
Place sun dried tomatoes in Cuisinart and blend until smooth approx. 20 seconds. Scrape bowl. Add cheese, garlic and salt to Cuisinart
Wash, drain and dry basil leaves. Roll into a tube and cut into thin ribbon strips add to cuisinart Add vinegar to Cuisinart and process until smooth approx. 20 seconds.

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Chicken Pomodoro Pasta
1 1/2 lbs. Fresh chicken breast, cut into 3/8" strips
3 tbl. Olive oil (mild)
Sun dried Tomato Basil Spread – from above
2 cups Organic Chicken Broth Low Sodium – Pacific brand (not canned – too salty)
4 Roma tomatoes – cut in 1/4's
2 oz wt. Baby spinach
Oven roasted tomatoes for garnish
Fresh Fettuccine 2 – 9 oz packets (Buitoni brand)
Bring 4 qts. Of water to a boil and add 2 tbl. Salt. Add fresh pasta to boiling water and stir to free pasta. Cook until al dente (tender) approx. 2 –3 minutes.
Heat large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil and heat. Add chicken and cook through. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add tomato basil spread to pan and stir until evenly distributed.
Add Roma tomatoes and baby spinach and toss in sauce. Turn off heat.
Place pasta in a large bowl and top with chicken and sauce Place oven roasted tomatoes on top to garnish.

MAX & ERMA'S® GO BANANAS! CREAM PIE

MAX & ERMA'S ® GO BANANAS! CREAM PIE
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6 individual vanilla wafer pie crusts

FOR THE VANILLA WAFER PIE CRUST:

1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafer cookies

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Combine ingredients well, and press on bottom and up sides of pie pan. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Let crust cool completely before filling.

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FOR THE FILLING:

1 (12 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups half and half

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

3 Bananas, sliced 1/4 inch thick

*TO SERVE:

1 can aerosol whipped cream

1 bottle chocolate syrup additional fresh banana slices (for garnish)

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TO PREPARE THE VANILLA WAFER CRUSTS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Using a fork, prick a few holes in the bottom of each vanilla wafer crust. Bake crusts in a 350 degree oven for 3 minutes until slightly brown and crisp. Cool crusts completely.

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TO MAKE THE FILLING:Place half and half and whipping cream in a mixing bowl. Add vanilla pudding. Mix on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure ingredients get mixed smoothly and completely. Whip on medium speed for 2 minutes and then on high speed for 2 minutes.
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TO MAKE THE PIES:Spoon approximately 1 1/2 ounces of pudding mixture into cooled baked crust. Layer with 4 banana slices.
Spoon approximately 2 1/2 ounces of pudding mixture over banana slices. Layer with 4 additional banana slices.
Spoon approximately 2 1/2 ounces of pudding on top of bananas. Fill crusts out to the sides, mounding the pudding in the middle. Smooth the top of the pie with a spoon.
Cover each pie top with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1/2 hour before serving.
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TO SERVE:Remove pie from aluminum pie plate and carefully place in center of dessert plate. Cover the top of pie with a mound of aerosol whipped cream. Drizzle with a small amount of chocolate syrup around the pie. Top with a fresh banana slices. Serve immediately.
*Cut bananas directly onto pies as they will brown quickly. Bananas should be just yellow and firm, not over ripe or brown.

OLIVE GARDEN® PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE

Use this dough to make Olive Garden Bread Sticks.

Olive Garden Pizza Dough Recipe

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7 ½ cups all-purpose flour (approximately)

1 pk dry active yeast

2 1/2 cups water, warm (90-115ºF)

1/2 Tbsp +1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

All-purpose flour as needed

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POUR warm water into a bowl. Add yeast. Using a wire whip, whisk to completely dissolve yeast. Set aside for about 5 minutes, or until yeast activates. Add 1 cup flour, salt and extra virgin olive oil. Mix well. Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time until dough is soft and springy. Dough should turn into a ball. If dough is too dry, add a very small amount of water. If it becomes too wet, add a small amount of flour.

PLACE ball of dough on a floured board and cover with a dry towel. Allow to sit until ball doubles in size.

CUT risen dough into 4 equal pieces. Again, roll into balls and allow to rise

OLIVE GARDEN® SANGRIA

Olive Garden® Sangria

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1-1/2 liters Soleo Red table wine

1 cup grenadine

2 cups cranberry juice cocktail

1-1/4 cups sweet vermouth strawberries, cut into thirds

oranges, slice thin,then quartered

crushed ice

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Simple Syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

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Simple Syrup:

Bring water to full boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in sugar and dissolve the sugar saucepan placed over medium heat. Cool and store in covered container refrigerator until cold and ready to use.

Combine cooled simple syrup and the remaining ingredients (excluding the crushed ice). Place in the refrigerator at least 4-5 hours. If possible leave overnight. Pour mixture, including fruit, into a serving glass and add the crushed ice.

OLIVE GARDEN® HOUSE SALAD AND HOUSE SALAD DRESSING

At Olive Garden there is just 1 tomato slice, 1 olive, etc for each person ordering. That has been used as a guide for the salad recipe, but feel free to add plenty of your favorites to this recipe.
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Olive Garden House Salad
Makes 4-6 Servings
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Salad"
1 bag Dole American Blend Salad
4-6 slices Red Onion
4-6 Black Olives
4-6 Banana Peppers
1/2 cup Croutons
4-6 slices Roma Tomato
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
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Salad Dressing:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoons Corn Syrup
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons Romano Cheese
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Parsley Flakes
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice Sugar (optional)
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Dressing:
Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed (approximately 30 seconds). If this is a little to tart for your own personal tastes please add a little extra sugar. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
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Salad:
Chill a glass salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Place the bag of salad in bowl. Place red onion slices, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoe slices, and croutons on top of lettuce.
Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Toss with salad dressing.

OLIVE GARDEN® BREAD STICKS

This recipes uses frozen bread dough for a short cut. Later this week I will post Olive Gardens' pizza dough if you would like to use that in place of the frozen bread dough.
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Olive Garden® Bread Sticks
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1 Loaf frozen bread dough, thawed and brought to room temperature or Olive Garden Pizza Dough recipe
Pam vegetable spray
Garlic Powder to taste
Dried oregano leaf, rubbed to a fine powder
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Once the dough has been resting at room temperature, spray a small amount of Pam on your finger tips and knead the dough briefly .
Take the dough and roll out small little cigar shaped sticks. You should be able to get 8 to 10 sticks from each frozen package of dough.
Spay a cookie sheet with a light coating of Pam vegetable spray.
Lay the bread sticks out on the cookie sheet approximately 3 inches apart.
Let the dough rise in a nice warm area until they’ve doubled in size. This should take between 1 1/2 and 2 hours.
Lightly spray the tops of each loaf with more Pam vegetable spray and sprinkle with some garlic powder and the fine oregano powder.
Bake at 375 degree for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool on the sheets or a cooling rack and serve warm.

OLIVE GARDEN® MINESTRONE SOUP

Olive Garden® Minestrone Soup

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3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small minced white onion

1/2 cup chopped zucchini

1/2 cup frozen cut Italian green beans

1/2 stalk minced celery

4 cloves minced garlic

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cans (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained

2 cans (15 oz) great northern or small white beans, drained

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1/2 cup shredded carrot

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

3 cups hot water

4 cups fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup small shell pasta

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Heat olive oil in large stock pot on medium heat.

Saute the onion, celery, garlic, green beans,and zucchini into the stock pot for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

Add the vegetable broth, drained tomatoes, beans, carrots, hot water and spices to the stock pot.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the spinach leaves and the pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

OLIVE GARDEN® CAPRESE FLATBREAD

Olive Garden® Caprese Flatbread

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Menu Description: Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil on flatbread crust with garlic spread.

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8 Roma or plum tomatoes, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

10 medium fresh basil leaves, stemmed and chopped (about 1/2 cup)

7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

11 oz container of refrigerated thin crust pizza dough

1 garlic clove

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

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Preheat oven to 350°F .

Dice tomatoes into small pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add chopped garlic, salt, pepper, 1/2 of the chopped basil (about 1/4 cup), and 4 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.

Set aside and allow the mixture to marinate for 10 minutes.

Flatten pizza dough into a rectangle pan as indicated on the package, making sure you take the dough to the edge of the pan.

Drizzle the dough with extra virgin olive oil and brush it over the surface. Bake the dough in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes on center race. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, about 2 minutes.

Cut the garlic clove in half and rub, cut side down, on to the surface of the bread. The warmth of the bread will help extract the garlic flavor. Allow the bread to cool completely, about 10 additional minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Combine mayonnaise and garlic powder in a mixing bowl.

Evenly spread onto the surface of the bread. Top with shredded mozzarella to evenly cover the surface.

Drain the Caprese mixture, as the salt will have extracted water from the tomatoes, and spread it evenly over the bread. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven for 5-7 more minutes until golden, crisp and bubbly. Garnish with the remaining chopped basil Serve immediately.

MIMI'S CAFE® BONELESS IDAHO TROUT WITH LEMON-BUTTER CAPER SAUCE

From Mimi's Cafe's seasonal menu 2007

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Mimi's Cafe® Boneless Idaho Trout with Lemon-Butter Caper Sauce

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Menu Description: Boneless Idaho Trout: Available pan griddled or blackened with cajun spices. Served with seasonal vegetables, choice of potato and one of two pan sauces: Asparagus Tomato Cream or Lemon Caper Butter

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Serves 4

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4 boneless Idaho trout fillets, skin on (8 ounces each)

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1-1/2 tablespoons capers, drained

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

4 lemon wedges

1/4 cup chopped parsley

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1. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper over both sides of trout. Heat vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place trout, skin-side up, in pan and cook about 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully turn trout over and cook second side about 2 minutes or until fish is cooked through. Divide trout among four heated dinner plates and keep warm.

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2. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the wine, 3 tablespoons of the butter, capers, lemon juice and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat and stir 3 minutes or until butter is melted and sauce is bubbling. Remove pan from heat and swirl in remaining tablespoon of butter until melted. Divide sauce by pouring over trout on warmed plates. Garnish each serving with a lemon wedge that has been dipped in chopped parsley. Serve with hot mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

MIMI'S CAFE® BREAD PUDDING AND WHISKEY SAUCE

Mimi's Cafe® Bread Pudding & Whiskey Sauce

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Serves: 6

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

Bread Pudding:

1 loaf French bread (cut into 1" cubes)

1/2 cup Raisins (soak 1/2 hour in warm water and drain)

1 pinch Nutmeg

1/4 lb. Butter (melted)

1/4 cup Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 qt. Half & Half

4 Eggs (beaten)

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Whiskey Sauce:

1/2 lb. Butter

2 cups Sugar

1/4 cup Whiskey

4 eggs (beaten in a small bowl with the whiskey)

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Bread Pudding:

1. Fill a 9” x 9” x 2-1/2" baking pan with the bread cubes and sprinkle the raisins on top. (Use enough bread to come to the top of the pan. You might not use the whole loaf).

2. Whisk the remaining ingredients together to make a batter, pour over the top of the bread and stir lightly. Allow the bread to soak 1/2 hour. The pan will be very full. If you have too much batter, discard the excess. If there's not enough, add a little more milk to the pan.

3. Bake in a 325° oven for about 40 minutes, until the pudding is golden brown and puffed up around the edges. The center should be "set" but still a little soft. You can make this ahead of time and heat it in the microwave oven later.

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Whisky Sauce:

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and stir well. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then quickly whisk in the beaten eggs and whiskey.

2. Put the sauce back on the stove over low heat and whisk constantly until the sauce has thickened slightly. (If it's overcooked, the sauce will curdle). Keep the sauce warm until serving. If you like, you can serve the bread pudding with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

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Rev. 01.02.09 NOTE: This sauce contains egg yolks,which can carry salmonella bacteria if not fully cooked. As with other foods like beeftartar, Caesar salad, or eggs cooked "sunny side up," caution is advised when eating raw or lightly cooked eggs.

MIMI'S CAFE® SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

Mimi's Cafe® Spinach and Artichoke Dip Appetizer

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

4 oz. Jack cheese (grated)

2 oz. Swiss cheese (grated)

8 oz. Parmesan cheese (shredded)

¾ cup Artichoke hearts (quartered)

1 bunch Fresh spinach

½ cup Mayonnaise

½ cup Prepared Alfredo sauce

2 tsp. Garlic (chopped; approx. 2 cloves)

½ tsp. Black pepper

½ cup Sun-dried tomatoes

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1. Combine Jack, Swiss and Parmesan cheeses in a mixing bowl.

2. Drain artichokes and dice into small pieces. Wash and cut spinach into 1-inch piecesand add to cheese mix.

3. In a separate mixing bowl combine the mayonnaise, alfredo sauce, garlic and pepper.Mix until well combined.

4. Pour the mayonnaise mixture into the cheese mix and stir until well mixed.

5. Drain sun-dried tomatoes of any oil or liquid and dice into small pieces and add to themixture.

6. Heat cold dip mixture over medium heat in non-stick frying pan until hot and cheese iscompletely melted. Transfer to serving dish and serve with tortilla chips and slicedbread.

MIMI'S CAFE® PAIN PERDU

Mimi's Cafe ®Pain Perdu
8 Servings

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Balboa Mix Ingredients:

12 oz. Cream Cheese

1/2 cup Orange Marmalade

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Preparation:

Cut cream cheese into smaller pieces and place in mixer. Add marmalade and mix approximately 10 minutes on medium speed, scraping the sides frequently.

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Perdu Ingredient:
16 pieces egg-white bread

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Preparation:

Trim crusts off egg-white bread; add scoop of balboa mix to center of a slice of bread. Do not press down. Top with another slice of bread to form a “sandwich.”

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French Toast Batter Ingredients:
3 eggs, whisked

1/2 cup Half and Half

1 ½ tablespoon Sugar

¼ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Vanilla

¼ teaspoon Cinnamon

¼ teaspoon Nutmeg

Zest of ¼ Orange

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Preparation: Add eggs, Half and Half, sugar and spices together and mix; add orange zest.

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Grilling:

Dip Pain Perdu “sandwich” in French toast batter. Cook French toast on flat griddle to a golden posted at meemos kitchen brown on both sides. Slice diagonally. Add strawberries, blueberries and raspberry puree across entire center. Dust with powdered sugar.

MIMI'S CAFE ASPARAGUS AND POTATO CAKE BENEDICT

This recipe has been cut down from the original 12 servings to 6 servings.
Be forewarned, that amount of salt is not a typo, I have actually cut it down a bit from the original recipe.
To make volume measurements a bit easier, 1/2 gallon of panko is roughly 8 cups and a #12 scoop should hold about 1/3 cup. Since the original recipe was for 12 this will double beautifully.

Makes 6 Servings

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Asparagus And Potato Cake Benedict
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2-1/2 pounds red-skinned potatoes
1 cups raw corn kernels
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese 1/2 cup chipotle sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic in oil
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups blended whole liquid egg
1/2 gallon Japanese bread crumbs (panko)
Oil as needed for deep-frying
36 marinated asparagus spears
12 poached eggs
3 cups hollandaise sauce
1/4 cup diced tomato
36 strawberries
12 cantaloupe wedges
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In saucepan, cover potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-heat heat; boil until potatoes are easily pierced with fork, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain well.
Place potatoes in bowl of mixer; mix on low speed. Add corn, cheeses, chipotle sauce, sour cream, green onions, salt, Cajun seasoning cilantro, garlic, lime juice, pepper and cumin posted at meemos kitchen to potatoes. Continue mixing on low speed until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture is uniform in color and texture, 2 to 3 minutes.

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Transfer potato mixture to full-size pan. Chill at least 30 minutes. When mixture is cool, using a level #12 scoop, scoop potato mixture onto parchment-lined sheet tray. Shape each scoop into a cake shape about the size of a crab cake.
To bread:
Season flour with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge each formed cake into seasoned flour; dip in liquid egg; dredge in bread crumbs. Transfer to clean parchment-lined sheet tray. Cover cakes; label and refrigerate.
Per Serving:
Fry 2 potato cakes in hot fryer until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, broil 6 asparagus spears until hot, 2 to 3 minutes.
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To plate:
Place 2 cooked potato cakes on half of white dinner plate. Top each potato cake with 3 spears broiled asparagus at slight angle with tips facing outward. Place 1 poached egg atop asparagus on each cake. Drizzle 2 ounces hollandaise over each egg. (All ingredients should be visible under hollandaise.) Sprinkle eggs with 2 teaspoons diced tomato.
Garnish each portion with 3 strawberries and 1 cantaloupe wedge.

MIMI'S CAFE® HONEY DIJON SALMON WITH FRESH ASPARAGUS

Mimi's Cafe® Honey Dijon Salmon with Fresh Asparagus

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

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3 tbsp. Olive oil (divided)

1 tbsp. Butter

1 tsp. Garlic (minced)

1 tsp. Salt (divided)

½ tsp. Black pepper (divided)

8 cups (9 oz.) Fresh spinach (cleaned and stemmed)

16 Asparagus spears (trimmed)

4 Salmon fillets (4 oz. each; skin removed)

2 tbsp. Honey

3 tbsp. Dijon mustard (divided)

½ cup Heavy cream

2 cups

Prepared mashed potatoes

2 tsp. Parsley (minced)

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1. Preheat oven to 200° F. Place 4 dinner plates in oven to keep warm.

2. In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil,butter and garlic just until butter is melted. Pile spinach into skillet and cover; cook 3-4 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Divide spinach among dinner plates in oven.

3. Fill large saucepan with ½-inch of water. Insert a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Place asparagus in steamer basket; cover and steam 4 minutes or until asparagus is tender-crisp. Remove asparagus from pan and keep warm.

4. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and place overmedium heat. Place salmon serving side down in pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook 4 minutes per side or until salmon is golden brown and cooked through. Place salmon fillets on top of spinach and return plates to oven to keep warm.

Rev. 01.02.09

5. In a small mixing bowl, add the honey and 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard to the pan juices. Brush 1 tablespoon of the honey mixture over each fillet; discard any leftover honey mixture.

6. In the same skillet that the salmon was cooked in, heat the cream, remaining 1tablespoon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together until blended and bubbling.

7. To serve, remove plates from oven. On each plate, spoon some of the mashed potatoes alongside the spinach, place 3 asparagus spears next to salmon and spoon cream sauce around edge of spinach. Sprinkle parsley over the top and serve immediately.

MIMI'S CAFE CARROT RAISIN BREAD

Just in case you were looking for the super secret recipes version of Mimi's Cafe Carrot Bread here it is for you to try and compare with the authentic recipe posted on Monday. Try both recipes and see which you prefer.

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Mimi's Cafe Carrot Raisin Bread
1-1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

1 Teaspoon cinnamon

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1 Teaspoon baking soda

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Cup vegetable oi

l1 Cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 eggs

1/4 Cup molasses

1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Cup shredded carrot

1 Cup raisins

3/4 Cup chopped walnuts

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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. In another bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs, molasses, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Add shredded carrot and mix. Add raisins and walnuts and mix well by hand.
4. Pour flour mixture into the other ingredients and stir until combined. 5. Pour batter into two ungreased 8-inch loaf pans. Bake for 60 minutes, or until done.
Makes 2 loaves.

MIMI'S CAFE® BUTTERMILK SPICE MUFFINS

MIMI'S CAFE® BUTTERMILK SPICE MUFFINS
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Muffin Batter:
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine
3 Eggs
2-1/2 Cups Flour
2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
3/4 Cup + 1 Tbs Buttermilk
Additional butter or margarine for greasing the baking tins
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Nut Topping:
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Cup Walnuts, Chopped
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
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Preheat oven to 375° in a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and the butter together with an electric mixer. When they are thoroughly mixed, add eggs and beat one more minute.
Sift the flour into a separate bowl, together with the baking soda, nutmeg and the cinnamon.Add the flour and the buttermilk to the first mixture, mix at low speed until smooth. To avoid lumps in the batter, add the wet and dry ingredients alternately, in small amounts.
Make the nut topping: Mix all ingredients posted at meemos kitchen together in a small bowl. The nuts should be finely chopped.Grease muffin tins with additional butter or margarine. You can also use paper baking cups. Fill each cup 3/4 full of batter. Add a full rounded tablespoon of nut topping on top of the batter in each cup. Bake immediately or the topping will sink to the bottom of the muffin. Bake at 375° for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin should come out dry.
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Home ovens heat differently from commercial ovens, you may need to adjust the temperature or the baking time accordingly.
Recipe yields 12 standard-size muffins, or six Mimi's size muffins. If using the jumbo muffin pans, reduce the oven temperature by 25° and increase the baking time 5-10 minutes.

MIMI'S CAFE® CARROT BREAD

At Mimi's Cafe you are served a bread basket with a freshly baked loaf of french bread and Mimi's very popular Carrot Bread.
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Mimi's Cafe® Carrot Raisin Bread

1-1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
1-1/2 Cups Brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts
1/2 Cup Canned Crushed Pineaple, with juice, drained
1/2 Cup Raisins
1 Cup finely shredded Carrots

Sift first five ingredients into a mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs.
Stir the liquid mixture into the flour; mix well.
Add the next four ingredients; stir again.
Grease and flour a 9" square pan or four mini-loaf pans.
Fill the pans 2/3 full with batter)
Bake at 350° for about 40 minutes. (Mini loaves take about 30 minutes.)
(Yields one 9" square, or four 3" x 6" mini-loaves.)

APPLEBEE'S® HONEY GRILLED SALMON

Applebee's® Honey Grilled Salmon

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Menu Description: ""Flame-grilled Atlantic Salmon with Applebee's Honey Pepper Sauce served with a side of almond rice pilaf, seasoned vegetables and toasted garlic bread.

Honey Pepper Sauce

3/4 Cup honey

1/3 Cup soy sauce

1/4 Cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 Cup pineapple juice

juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

2 Tablespoons white distilled vinegar

2 Teaspoons olive oil

1 Teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 Teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 Teaspoon paprika

1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder

4-8 ounce salmon fillets (without skin)

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Honey Pepper Sauce:

Combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce begins to boil.

Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or sauce thickens and becomes syrupy.

Be careful not to let the sauce boil over.

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Preheat barbecue to medium. Rub salmon filets with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grill salmon 4-7 minutes on each side or until done.

Serve with small cup of sauce on the side.

COOKIES 'N CREAM PIZOOKIE®

Photo by EvilMidori

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COOKIES 'N CREAM PIZOOKIE®

MENU DESCRIPTION:
A rich chocolate cookie featuring the unforgettable taste of OREO® cookies. Topped with 3 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and a dollop of creamy mousse - it's amazing!
5.25

More Pizookie® recipes
6-8 servings

Pizookie
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1-1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup corn syrup
3 ounces chocolate (3 squares) melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
10-20 oreo cookies, crushed-medium chunks (optional)
8 ounces milk chocolate chunks

Chocolate Mousse
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons boiling water
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
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To Top Pizookie:
3 scoops Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Hot Fudge Sauce (optional)

Pizookie:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Prepare (2) 8 inch round cake pans.
In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa; set
aside.
With an electric mixer cream sugar and butter until light.
Add egg and mix until light and fluffy. Mix in corn syrup chocolate and vanilla.
Blend in flour mixture on low speed until just combined.
Fold in the crushed oreos, of using and chopped milk chocolate.
Spread the dough onto the prepared cake rounds.
Bake for 16 to 20 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet 2-3 minutes.

Chocolate mousse:
Sprinkle gelatin over cold water to soften.
Add boiling water, stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Mixture will be clear
Stir together cocoa and sugar in small bowl. Add cream and beat at medium speed until stiff peaks form, add vanilla. Pour in softened gelatin mixture and beat until well blended. Chill 1 hour.

Assemble Pizookie:
Top cookie with 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, and a large dollop of chocolate mousse.

More Pizookie® recipes.


This is an original Meemo's Kitchen recipe include a direct link to the recipe and post full and clear credit to Pattie Kaykes and Meemo's Kitchen.

HOUSTON'S® COLE SLAW

Houston's® Cole Slaw

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3/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt
8 cups chopped green cabbage (1 head)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped green onion (green part only)

2 tablespoons minced green bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery seed
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Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.

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Toss shredded cabbage, parsley, green onion, and bell pepper in a large bowl.

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Pour the dressing over the cabbage and mix well

Add celery seed and mix.

Cover and chill for at least 4 hours

HOUSTON'S® GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD WITH HONEY-LIME VINAIGRETTE

This recipes for Houston's popular salad includes the super secret recipes version of Houston's also very popular Honey-Lime Vinaigrette.
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Houston's® Grilled Chicken Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette and Peanut Sauce.
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Honey-Lime Vinaigrette
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced red bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch salt
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Combine vinaigrette ingredients in microwave safe glass bowl.
Microwave vinaigrette on high for 1- 1-1/2 minutes or until mixtures starts to boil.
Remove from microwave and whisk mixture for about 1 minute.
Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.
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Peanut Butter Sauce:
4 tablespoons peanut butter
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons hot water
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon ground ginger
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Combine and mix ingredients for peanut sauce.
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Salad:
mixed greens
carrots
tortilla strips
1 grilled chicken breast-sliced
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Toss the salad ingredients with the lime dressing. Drizzle peanut sauce on top.

HOUSTON'S® CHICAGO-STYLE SPINACH DIP

This is the super secret recipes version for Houston popular dip.

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Houston's® Chicago-Style Spinach Dip

One 12-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 cup chopped canned artichoke hearts (not marinated)

1 tablespoon chopped white onion

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/4 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmegiano Reggiano cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

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On the side

Corn tortilla chips

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Mix spinach with chopped artichoke hearts, and onion in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, cutting a small slit in the center to allow steamto escape.Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Keep spinach covered and set aside.

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Combine cream, sour cream, jack cheese, grated Parmegiano Reggiano cheese, and garlic salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly warm the mixture for about 10 minutes or until the sauce reaches a simmer and thickens. DO NOT let the mixture boil.

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Add the spinach mixture to the sour cream cheese sauce and heat over medium for about 10 more minutes.
Pour into bowl and serve with tortilla chips.

GETTY CENTER COBB SALAD

GETTY CENTER COBB SALAD

This salad is a combination of a traditional Cobb and a Waldorf salad.
Total time: 50 minutes, plus 4 hours marinating
Servings: 4
Note: Marinate, roast and dice the chicken, glaze the pecans, make the dressing, then assemble the salad.

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Chicken breasts
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons chopped shallots
6 tablespoons lemon juice
4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)

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1. Mix together the olive oil, tarragon, shallots and lemon juice. Place in a bowl, add the chicken and spoon over to coat. Refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Roast the chicken breasts until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool, remove skin, dice and set aside.
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Rosemary-glazed pecans

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup pecan halves
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon brown sugar

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1. Melt the butter in a small skillet.
2. Add the pecans, rosemary and sugar and cook over low heat to caramelize the sugar, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using a spatula, remove the pecans to a piece of foil to cool.

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Creamy cider dressing
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon finely chopped savory (or dried oregano)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey

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1. In a small pan, cook the rosemary and savory in the olive oil until lightly toasted to release the flavors.
2. While the herbs are still warm, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple juice, apple cider vinegar and honey in a small bowl, then add the herbs.
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Assembly
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons sugar
8 cups Romaine hearts and radicchio, mixed, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped Fuji or other tart apples
1/2 cup smoked bacon (about 3 to 4 slices), cooked crisp and chopped
1 cup Maytag or other blue cheese, crumbled

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1. Soak the cranberries in a bowl with 1 cup warm water and the sugar for 10 minutes, then drain.
2. Place the julienned greens on a large platter.
3. Arrange a row of apples down the middle of the plate. On each side, arrange rows of bacon, cheese, cranberries, diced chicken and glazed pecans. Dress and serve.

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Each serving: 797 calories; 795 mg. sodium; 117 mg. cholesterol; 58 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 36 grams protein; 5 grams fiber.

THE UNION HOUSE CARROT CAKE

The Union House Carrot Cake

12 to 16 servings

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4 large eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

2 cups minus

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cups shredded carrots

1 cup dark raisins

1 ½ cups walnuts chopped

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Cream cheese frosting -recipe follows

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Line three 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, beat eggs, vanilla and sugars. Add oil and mix until combined.In another bowl, combine dry ingredients, then gradually add to egg mixture. Stir in carrots, raisins and nuts. Divide batter among prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven 35 to 40 minutes or until done. While cakes bake, prepare cream cheese frosting.When cake is done, remove from oven. Let cool in pans on rack 10 minutes, then remove layers from pans and cool completely on rack.

To assemble, frost between layers and on top and side of cake with cream cheese frosting.

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Cream cheese frosting:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

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In medium bowl, whip together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and whip until it becomes spreadable.

MARSHALL FIELD'S SPECIAL SANDWICH

Marshall Field's may be gone, but not the many memories from those who enjoy lunch at the Walnut Room. This memory of their Special Sandwich was made perfect in the article by Deborah Loeser Small for Lake Magazine.

MARSHALL FIELD'S SPECIAL SANDWICH
Source: Deborah Loeser Small, Lake Magazine

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The Walnut Room. Marshall Field's Special Sandwich. Some things cannot be improved upon.

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One fresh, crispy head iceberg lettuce

Three to five thin slices of freshly roasted turkey breast (white meat only), room temperature

Three-fourths cup thousand island dressing (recipe to follow)

One thin slice of aged Swiss cheese

One fresh slice of Jewish or other mild (but flavorful) rye bread

One to two teaspoons butter, softened

Two slices of your favorite bacon

Slice of hard-boiled egg

Slice of tomato

Olive and parsley garnish

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Butter rye bread and place on a large cold serving plate. Cover bread with Swiss cheese slice, followed by one or two slices of turkey. Take a nice large outer lettuce leaf from the head of iceberg and set aside. Slice the iceberg lettuce in a few large sections and arrange a section on top of the turkey and Swiss cheese. Cover the open-face "sandwich" with big lettuce leaf. Top with several slices of turkey. Pour a very ample amount of dressing over the lettuce, allowing it to puddle slightly all around the plate. Place a slice of bacon and an olive on either side of sandwich mound. Place tomato slice and egg slice atop mound with parsley sprig. Serve immediately.

Yield: one Special Sandwich

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Thousand Island Dressing
One cup real mayonnaise

One-half cup Heinz chili sauce

Two tablespoons sweet pickle relish

Two large green olives, pitted and finely chopped

One-half teaspoon dried tarragon

Dash Tabasco

Dash Worcestershire sauce

One hard-boiled egg, finely chopped (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

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Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Serve.

BUCA DI BEPPO® WARM TOMATO & SPINACH SALAD

Buca di Beppo® Warm Tomato & Spinach Salad

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup olive oil
3 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges ½ small red onion, cut into strips
4 ounces baby spinach
¼ cup crushed pecans
2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

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To make dressing: In small bowl, combine vinegar, garlic and sugar. Whisk together, then drizzle in the olive oil and mix well. Place vinaigrette mixture in a small sauté pan with tomatoes and onions. Cook over medium heat just until it simmers.

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Place spinach on a plate. Top spinach with vinaigrette, tomatoes and onions. Garnish with pecans and goat cheese and serve.

NORDSTROM BISTRO CAFE TOMATO BASIL SOUP

Look's like Google is having formatting issues again.

This is a scaled down and tweaked version of Nordstrom's Bistro Cafe's Tomato Basil Soup. Following the recipe is the original large batch version.

I use an immersion blender for my soups. No need to move the hot soup to the food processor and blend in batches. Just put the emmersion blender into the stockpot and start blending.

Nordstrom's Bistro Cafe Tomato Basil Soup
Serves 12 to 14
1/3 cup olive oil

5 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 T fresh basil sliced

2 -28 oz cans diced Italian style tomatoes in puree

3 -32 oz boxes chicken broth (12.25 cups)

1 cup half and half

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste
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In a 6 to 8 quart saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots,
onion and dried basil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes, including the
puree and the broth, and bring to just a boil. Reduce the hear to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes to blend
the flavors.
Remove from the heat. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade.
Return the pureed soup to the saucepan, add the cream and place over medium heat. Warm until heated through.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into a warmed soup tureen or individual bowls, garnish with the
basil leaves and serve immediately.

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This is the original LARGE batch recipe ...

Nordstrom Cafe Tomato Basil Soup

A large batch recipe from the Nordstrom's Cafe

SERVES 128

12 cups canned peeled plum tomatoes

3 lbs carrots, chopped

3 lbs onions, chopped

4 tablespoons dry basil

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 gallons water

1 lb chicken base

3 quarts heavy cream

4 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons black pepper

In a large stock pot, sautee the olive oil, carrots, and onions at medium heat for 15 minutes.Add the basil, salt, pepper, and tomatoes and bring to a simmer.In a large bowl, whisk the chicken base into the water until dissolved.Add the water mixture to the stock pot, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 45 minutes.Puree the soup using a hand blender while adding the heavy cream until it reaches a thin consistency.

CARRABBA'S® ITALIAN GRILL APPLE MARTINI

If "gooey" is your style, following the recipe is a caramel apple variation with garnishing tips.
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Carrabba's Italian Grill Apple Martini
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2 ounces Absolut Vodka
1 ounce DeKuyper's Sour Apple Pucker
1/2 ounce Midori
1 slice Granny Smith apple or 1 maraschino cherry
Ice
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Shake over ice for a full minute or until some crystals appear in the drink.
Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the apple slice or cherry.
Serves 1

VARATION: Caramel Apple Martini
Add 1 ounce Butterscotch Schnapps to martini shaker. Before pouring the martini into the glass, drizzle the martini glass with caramel sauce. This drink looks best with a slice of Granny Smith apple as garnish. Cut the apple slice parallel to the apple's "equator" so you have a nice round slice with the seed star in the center.
After adding the martini add the apple slice and drizzle the slice with more caramel sauce.

CARRABBA'S ITALIAN GRILL® POLLO ROSA MARIA

Carrabba's Italian Grill Pollo Rosa Maria

Menu Description: Grilled chicken breast stuffed with Fontina cheese and prosciutto, topped with mushrooms and a basil lemon butter sauce

Pollo Rosa Maria
2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and butterflied

4 slices prosciutto ham

4 slices Fontina cheese

2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

4 Tbsp. butter, divided

6 mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh garlic chopped

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

White pepper to taste

Kosher salt to taste

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Cover one-half of each breast section with one slice of prosciutto ham, one slice of Fontina cheese. Fold chicken breast half flap over the dressed chicken breast half; season with grill seasoning. Grill and baste until cooked.

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In a sauté pan place 1 tablespoon butter, sauté mushrooms and onions and garlic until softened. Add white wine and lemon juice; simmer approximately 10 minutes on medium-low heat to reduce. A little at a time, add remaining 3 tablespoons butter until butter melts and mixture emulsifies, add basil. Place lemon butter mushroom basil sauce on top of the Rosa. Serve with pasta or garlic mashed potatoes if desired.

2 servings

CARRABBA'S® POMEGRANATE MARTINI

Carraba's® Pomegranate Martini

Menu Description: Absolut Apeach Vodka, pomegranate syrup, fresh squeezed orange juice and a splash of Sprite 8.00

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1-1/4 Absolut Apeach Vodka

3 ounces pomegranete juice

2 ounces fresh squeezed orange juice

1-1/4 ounces 7-up

ice

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Combine the ingredients with ice in a martini shaker, shake approximately 1 minute and strain and serve in chilled martini glass.

1 serving

CLICK to see all our pomegranate martini recipes (Oprah's and Bonefish Grill's )