Jess's Recipes

Ingredients 1 medium onion, cut into wedges 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 pound baby carrots 3 cups water 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet, cut in half 1 small head cabbage, cut into wedges Directions Place the onion, potatoes and carrots in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine water, garlic, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, pepper and contents of spice packet; pour over vegetables. Top with brisket and cabbage. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Irish Soda Bread 3 1/2 cups flour 2/3 cups sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 TB baking powder 1 1/2 cups raisin 1 TB caraway seeds 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 4 TB melted butter 2 eggs beaten Sift dry ingredients together.  Add raisins and caraway seeds to flour mixture.  Add buttermilk and butter to beaten eggs.  Add mixture to flour mixture and combine well.  Pour into iron skillet or 9 x 2 x 2 loaf pan. Bake in 375 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until done.  

parmesan chicken breasts with crispy posh ham (USA version - imperial) main courses serves 2 This is a great way to prepare chicken breasts. The texture of the crisp cooked prosciutto goes brilliantly with the tender chicken. Bashing the chicken out thinly before you start cooking means it cooks much faster than a regular chicken breast. If you can’t get hold of prosciutto, then any kind of thin ham, such as Parma ham, or even smoked streaky bacon will work just as well. ingredients • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme • 2 skinless chicken breast filets, preferably free-range or organic • Freshly ground black pepper • 1 lemon • 1 ¼ ounces grated Parmesan • 6 slices of prosciutto Olive oil To prepare your chicken Grate your Parmesan. Pick the thyme leaves off the stalks. Carefully score the underside of the chicken breasts in a criss-cross fashion with a small knife. Season with a little pepper (you don’t need salt as the prosciutto is quite salty). Lay your breasts next to e...

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables 2 Cornish game hens  ( Coarse salt and pepper to taste) 2 Tbls. Fresh Thyme or 1 tsp. dried 10 large shallots peeled 1 large or 2 medium parsnips  cut into 1 ½ inch chunks. 8 small red potatoes cut in half 2 large carrots cut in chunks 1 Tbls.olIve oil 2 Tbls. Italian parsley Preheat oven to 400F. Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Put some thyme in cavity. Scatter the shallots and vegetables over the bottom of a large roasting pan.  Do not crowd.  Sprinkle with oil and turn with a slotted spoon until they are well coated.  Season with salt, pepper and remaining  thyme. Put hens breast side down on top of vegetables. Roast for 20 minutes, turn  vegetables and roast 20 more minutes  until vegetable and hens are cooked through.

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts From  Bon Appétit-February  2011 10 Tbls. (1 ¼ sticks) butter cut into pieces 1 ¼ Cups sugar ¾  Cups unsweetened cocoa powder (spoon into cup and level) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs ½  Cup plus 1 Tbls flour 1 Cup walnut pieces Preheat oven to 325F.   Line an 8x8 pan with foil. Coat with spray.  Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter stops foaming and browned bits form on bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons of water, vanilla and ¼ generous teaspoon of salt.  Blend. Let stand about 5 minutes.  Add eggs to hot mixture one at a time.  When mixture is thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Put in pan and cook about 25 minutes.

Easy Peanut Butter Cups From Martha  Stewart 4 ounces white chocolate chopped or white chocolate chips ½ Cup smooth peanut butter 12 oz. semisweet or bitter sweet chocolate chopped or chocolate chips 2 Tbls. Chopped nuts 1. Line a 24 cup mini muffin pan.  Melt white chocolate and the peanut butter in a microwave safe dish about 1-1 1/2  minutes until almost melted, stirring halfway through.  Set aside and cool slightly. 2. Melt chocolate in another  microwave safe bowl about 2-3 minutes, stirring once or twice. 3. Layer chocolate, peanut butter and chocolate into muffin cups.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts.  Put in freezer for about 15 minutes.

Crunchy Thai Salad   1 C. slivered almonds (toast on a cookie sheet until golden)     2 pkg. Ramen noodles     “          “              “            “            “               (put aside beef flavoring packets)                                                   1 C. hulled sunflower seeds   Combine toasted almonds, toasted noodles and sunflower seeds 1 bunch of scallions 3 bags of coleslaw   Dressing 2 packets of beef seasoning 1 C. olive oil ½ C. Sugar or Splenda 1/3 C.  rice vinegar   Combine all the ingredients and toss with dressing just before serving.  Add chicken if desired.