Rider On Recipes - the completed show

Shopping to the big networks... so so so excited!   Here is our finished product!

AMAZING Cookie Recipe

The copy of my amazing cookie recipe is tattered and splotchy, with water marks and additional writing.  I've had it for over 20 years; it's my tried and true cookie recipe, the one I fall back on over and over again.   Until now, I've kept it under wraps and haven't shared it with anyone.  Note, I said until now.   What I'm offering is the chance to get your own copy of this recipe.   If you'd like to have it - just send an email to RiderOnRecipes@gmail.com and I will forward it to you. 

Take a look at this cookie - it's soft and warm and screams for a glass of milk!

Don't you want to try it?

Stuffed Picante Pepper Appetizer

The little picante peppers have an amazing flavor that's not too spicy!   Filled with an artichoke and goat cheese mixture, they make for a zesty "pop in your mouth" one bite appetizer.

Stuffed Picante Pepper Appetizer

Ingredients:

• picante peppers, cored and de-seeded
• 8 oz goat cheese
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 C artichoke hearts, minced
• 2 T fresh thyme, minced
• 2 T fresh Italian parsley, minced
• zest from 1 lemon
• salt and pepper

 Directions:   In a bowl, add minced artichokes, shallots, thyme, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper to goat's cheese.   Mix until incorporated and smooth.   Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe mixture into each picante pepper.   Arrange on platter and garnish with a bit of the chopped Italian Parsley.   Serve immediately or keep in refrigerator wrapped in plastic until ready to serve.

Weekly meal planning

My solution for weekly meal planning. Each Sunday, plan out your week. Check through your pantry for items you need or don't need, create your grocery list and shop accordingly. It'll save you money as you are buying what you need, you won't have to go back to the grocery store continually during the week wasting gas, and you'll always be prepared!

Use my handy sheet and keep it in the kitchen.  I always put mine on the refrigerator so I'm never at a loss!

Caramelized Onion Bruschetta

I made stuffed meatballs the other day and had some Ciabatta Bread that I wanted to dress up. Since the meatballs were sausage and mozzarella stuffed I thought the bruschetta shouldn't overpower. I just tossed onions and shallots into some olive oil, added herbs, took my time and caramelized it all into a yummy blend.

Caramelized Onion Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• Ciabatta bread, sliced
• olive oil
• 2 large sweet onions, chopped
• 2 shallots,chopped
• 2 T oregano, chopped
• 2 T basil, chopped
• Sea salt and pepper
• Parmesan shaves

Directions:   In a medium saute pan, add some olive oil and the onions and shallots.   Cook over med-low heat slowly caramelizing.   Towards the end of this process, add the herbs.   Remove from heat and season to taste.   Cut bread to desired thickness.   In a large saute pan, add olive oil to cover bottom and turn on to med-high.   Let oil heat up and "fry" the bread, both sides, until golden with crispy edges.   Remove onto serving platter and while bread is hot, top with the caramelized onion mixture.   Top with Parmesan and serve!

Rider On Recipes THE PILOT 3 minute teaser

On February 26th we filmed my Rider On Recipes pilot and it is almost ready to go.   The Director has created a 3 minute teaser for me and I'm sending it out to start the BUZZ!!!   Cannot wait for the final version...  enjoy!

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

This is a favorite of my family!   The mozzarella stuffed sausage meatballs are full of flavor and then I simmer them in the sauce for an hour after cooking for a super rich taste!

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Ingredients:

• Hot Italian Sausage
• Container of small mozzarella balls in water
• 2 T basil, chopped
• 1 small shallot, minced
• olive oil

Directions:   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   In a large bowl and using your hands, mix the hot Italian Sausage with the basil and shallot.   Put a little olive oil on your hands to keep the meat from sticking.   Form an open cup with the meat mixture in your hand, add a small mozzarella ball to the center, then cover it with additional meat.   Place on a cooling rack on top of a baking tray.   Make as many as you can, I usually get about 25 or so, and mine are about 1 1/2 inch wide.   Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes or until the sausage is cooked.

Use whatever red sauce you like, whether from scratch or store bought, and simmer in a saute pan over medium heat.   Transfer the meatballs into the sauce and continue to simmer at LOW heat for an additional hour.  

Serve over your favorite pasta.   To plate, I cut ribbons of basil and added that with Parmesan shaves.

Crisp Sauteed Haricot Verts

My recipe calls for blanching, shocking and sauteing haricot verts in olive oil and caramelized shallots which produces a crisp and delicious side dish.   I finished with a chili infused fleur de sel which you can easily make a home.   You'll never boil your veggies again!

Crisp Sauteed Haricot Verts

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb haricot verts, stems removed
• sea salt
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 large shallot, minced
• chili infused fleur de sel

Directions:   Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt.   In a large bowl, add cold water, ice and salt to shock after blanching.   Add the beans to boiling water and blanch for 5 or 6 minutes.   Remove from the boiling water and plunge them into the salty ice water bath.

blanching in salted boiling water

shocking in salted ice water

caramelizing the shallots

In a saute pan, add olive oil and shallots and cook until caramelized.   Add the cooled beans to the pan and saute until hot, turning to coat.   Transfer to serving platter and garnish with the chili fleur de sel.

Chili Fleur de Sel

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C Fleur de sel (available at Whole Foods)
• 2 T crushed red chilis

Directions:   Combine the fleur de sel and the chilies and place into a glass jar.   After a week the chili's will have infused the salt and it will be ready to use!

Lemon Icebox Pie

With the temperatures climbing in Austin, I thought it was time to make my Lemon Icebox Pie.   It's zesty, creamy and cool with a crunchy graham cracker crust.   Served it last night to my friends as we gathered in our cul-de-sac and watched the kiddos play until 11:00 p.m.   If you are pressed for time, use a purchased crust, but in all honestly it only takes a few minutes to make it yourself.

Lemon Icebox Pie

Graham Cracker Crust Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 C graham crackers, crushed
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1/3 C butter, melted
• zest of 1 lemon

Directions:   Heat oven to 375 degrees.   In a bowl mix the crushed graham crackers, sugar, melted butter and lemon zest together.   Press into the bottom and sides of a pie plate and bake 8 minutes until golden.   Cool.

Filling Ingredients:

• 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• juice of 4 lemons
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1 1/2 C heavy whipped cream
• 1/4 C powdered sugar
• 1 T lemon extract

Directions:   In a medium bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy.   Add condensed milk, lemon juice and zest and mix until smooth.   Set aside.   In a large bowl, beat heavy cream until soft peaks.   Add powdered sugar and lemon extract and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.   Gently fold cream into cream cheese mixture and spoon into cooled graham cracker crust.   Refrigerate at least 2 hours to set.

Chicken Tetrazzini

My husband Trey had hip replacement surgery on Monday.   I needed to make a casserole to have when he got home.   I know we all have those go-to recipes that we fall back on when we need to deliver food to a neighbor or need to prepare something in advance and this is one to keep!   It's easy to prepare, freezes well and cooks up into something delicious!

Chicken Tetrazzini

Ingredients:

• 6 T butter
• 1 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 C flour
• 2 C milk
• 1/2 C half and half
• 1 C chicken broth
• 1/2 C white wine
• 2 1/2 C Parmesan, grated
• 1 lb pasta of choice
• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed
• 2 small cans sliced black olives
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:   Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bring a pot of salted water to a boil.   In a large saute pan, melt 2 T butter over high heat and saute mushrooms until browned.   Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In the same saute pan, melt remaining 4 T butter.   Add flour and cook for a minute.   Gradually add milk, half and half, chicken broth and wine, whisking together.   Bring to a boil then reduce heat to med-low.   Add 2 C Parmesan, season with salt and pepper.

Undercook the pasta a bit, to just before al dente.   Drain and return to pot.   Add sauce, mushrooms, chicken, and olives and toss to combine.   Turn out into a large casserole dish and top with remaining 1/2 C Parmesan.   Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes.   Let cool a little bit before serving.

If you want to FREEZE the Tetrazzini, cover casserole with foil and place in freezer.  To bake after freezing, thaw casserole in refrigerator overnight.   Bake at 400 degrees covered for 30 minutes.  Uncover and continue to bake until top is browned.