Dinner in an Instant

It's Crunch Time Entree week in the continuing Real Women of Philadelphia Cooking contest. This week we are challenged to create a dinner in 30 minutes using only 5 ingredients and of course cream cheese. This week we are asked to use the Cooking cream which I LOVE because it does all the work for you. I chose the Italian cheese and herb flavor and paired it with lentils and turkey sausage.
Here is the recipe I hope you try it for your family meal.

This is a quick and delicious meal that will satisfy any hungry family. Since the cooking cream does all the work for you, with all the herbs and spices dinner can be on the table in an instant.

5 oz Philadelphia Brand Italian Cheese & Herb
1 cup lentils
½ cup celery diced
½ cup carrots diced
1 package turkey sausage
Salt-pepper to taste

In a 5quart pot bring water to a boil. Add lentils, carrots and celery cook until al dente. (About 25min)
While lentils are cooking in large sauté pan cook sausage until no longer pink (15 min). Remove from pan set aside.
Drain lentils, place back in sauce pan, add the cooking cream. Stir until cooking cream melts and is heated through.
Place lentils on a serving platter, top with turkey sausage.
Garnish with parsley if desired.
Enjoy!

Until tomorrow eat well live well

Italian Rice Balls

It's week 5 in the Real Women of Philadelphia Cooking Contest. Congratulations to all the winners so far. Each winning recipe has been awarded $500.00 and a chance to get their winning recipe in the RWoP Cookbook Season2. I am working towards being one of them.

Ok It's INTERNATIONAL Appetizer week. We are challenged to get passports in hand and

create an appetizer inspired by another country. For me this is a no brainer. While I love lots of other countries appetizers my heart belongs to ITALY and this particular recipe has been in my family for forever. I just tweaked it a bit with the addition of Philadelphia Brand cream cheese and dare I say it was even a bit creamier and more delicious then ever. I am hoping its a $500.00 winner; nevertheless it is a winner in my family!

Recipe follows hope you enjoy.

Italian Rice Balls

These delicious little bites have been in my family forever. They are the most requested most loved appetizer. Family and strangers gobble them up. There is never enough no matter how many I make. The addition of the cream cheese in the rice balls as well as the dipping sauce just put them over the top. Yum!

1 cup cooked hot plain white rice
6 oz cream cheese (softened and divided)
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 handful parmesan cheese
5 basil leaves chopped
Salt pepper to taste
Italian Panko bread crumbs
8oz of your favorite marinara sauce (homemade or store bought)
Vegetable oil for frying

Cook rice according to package directions. Drain, do not rinse.
Place in a large mixing bowl and add 4 oz cream cheese along with the next 6 ingredients. Stir to incorporate & cheeses are melted.
Form into bite size balls. Coat in the bread crumbs. Set aside.
In a 2 quart sauce pot heat ½ cup of oil. You will know it’s ready when you insert a wooden spoon handle side in and the oil bubbles around it.
Fry the rice balls 2 by 2 until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

For the sauce: in a sauce pot heat your marinara along with the remaining 2 oz of cream cheese until hot and bubbly. Add a dash of pepperoncino if desired for a little kick.

Prep time :30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield : 30 rice balls

Until tomorrow Eat well live well

Philled Zucchini Boats

And the competition continues. This is week 2 of the RWoP cooking contest where you have a chance to submit your winning recipe that might be worth $500.00 and a page in the RWoP Season 2 cookbook.
This week its all about the side dish so I stepped outside and gazed around my garden for some inspiration. The zucchini looked really good this morning so i put my thinking cap on and here is what I came up with. Wish me luck.


Philled Zucchini Boats

The inspiration for this dish came from what was available in my garden this morning. It was delicious with my sage roasted chicken.

5 oz Philadelphia Italian Cheese & Herb cooking cream
2 Medium zucchini sliced vertically in half pulp scooped out
1 medium shallot minced
1 clove garlic minced
6 baby Portobello mushrooms diced (or your favorite)
1 roasted red pepper diced
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh basil leaves chopped
2 tsp plain bread crumbs
1 tsp grated Romano cheese

Preheat oven 350°
Slice zucchini vertically in half and scoop out pulp. Set aside.
Chop zucchini pulp. Set aside.
Sauté shallots and garlic in oil until translucent in a sauce pan over medium heat.
Add mushrooms, roasted red pepper (minus 2 tsp for garnish) and zucchini pulp. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté a few minutes more.
Add cooking cream and chopped basil, stir to incorporate and cook 1-2 minutes to blend all flavors together.
Fill zucchini boats with equal amounts of zucchini mushroom pepper mixture. Top each “boat” with breadcrumbs and Romano cheese.
Bake 18-20 minutes. Zucchini boat should be soft yet still have a crunch
Garnish with reserved roasted red pepper

Prep time 15 min
Cook time 20 min
Total time 35 min
Serves 2 (or 4)

Until Tomorrow eat well live well.

Coffee Time Treat

It's all about dessert for some people. I know one woman in particular who will almost forego any meal just to get to the dessert round. Im a bit particular about how I use my calories but the dessert I feature today excites me becaue it incorporates one of my favorite things. COFFEE. Its esay to make and even faster to assemble. Hope you enjoy

This dessert came about out of my LOVE for coffee plus the fact I had nothing to serve some unexpected guests one evening. In Italy dessert can be a simple dish of vanilla ice cream drizzled with hot espresso coffee. This is my spin on that dessert.

8 oz. Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese
8 oz. frozen whipped topping (thawed)
1 cup cold strong coffee (I used espresso)
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp espresso powder

In large mixing bowl whip cream cheese, coffee and sugar together until well blended.
Add whipped topping and blend until incorporated. Add espresso powder whip a minute more.
Place coffee mousse in Italian demi-tasse cups. Place in freezer for 15 minutes until it firms up just a bit.
Garnish with grated espresso bean a slice of orange peel and some coffee beans.