Ingredients for calzone:
Cooking spray
2 reserved chicken breast halves, diced, about 2 cups
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2/3 cup reserved tomato sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 pound fresh or frozen pizza or bread dough, thawed according to package directions
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
For dip:
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, tomato sauce, liquid smoke, and hot sauce. Mix well and set aside.
Roll dough out, using a rolling pin, to a 12-inch circle. Spread chicken mixture over half of circle, to within 1-inch of the edge. Fold over untopped side so that it meets the other side, forming a half moon. Pinch the edges together to seal.
Transfer calzone to prepared baking sheet and brush the top with olive oil. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan. Using a sharp knife, make a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape during cooking. Bake 15 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
For dip:
While the calzone is baking, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, blue cheese and chives.
Serve calzone sliced with sour cream dip on the side.
Food and Features - Topics from July, 2010
Peachy keen in Pike
Pike County peaches are weighing down the limbs at orchards across the county. Gregg Farms in Hollonville has provided Pike with peaches since about 1960 when Patsy and John Gregg planted their first trees. Visitors to Gregg Farms can pick their own peaches from the orchard by the bushel or can buy already picked peaches and enjoy some homemade peach ice cream.
[Full story »]
Heat advisory issued for Pike
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Pike County.
[Full story »]
[Full story »]
Pepper Pork Chops
Ingredients:
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, slightly crushed
1 pound ice
4 (1 to 1 1/2-inch thick) bone-in pork chops
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 ounces dried apple slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, julienned
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions:
Combine the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup kosher salt, brown sugar and peppercorns in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook just until the salt and sugar dissolve, then remove from the heat and add the ice. Place the pork chops into a 2-gallon zip-top bag along with the mixture and seal. Place in a plastic container and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the chops from the brine, rinse, and pat dry. Season on both sides with the kosher salt and set aside
Place the apples in the slow cooker.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 12-inch stainless steel saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the pork chops on both sides until golden brown, approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side. Once browned, place the pork chops into the slow cooker atop the apples.
Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan followed by the onions and saute until they begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth to the pan to deglaze. Add the black pepper and thyme and stir to combine. Transfer this to the slow cooker, set to high, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Decrease the heat to low and continue cooking for another 4 hours and 30 minutes or until the pork is tender and falling away from the bone.
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, slightly crushed
1 pound ice
4 (1 to 1 1/2-inch thick) bone-in pork chops
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 ounces dried apple slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, julienned
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions:
Combine the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup kosher salt, brown sugar and peppercorns in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook just until the salt and sugar dissolve, then remove from the heat and add the ice. Place the pork chops into a 2-gallon zip-top bag along with the mixture and seal. Place in a plastic container and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the chops from the brine, rinse, and pat dry. Season on both sides with the kosher salt and set aside
Place the apples in the slow cooker.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 12-inch stainless steel saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the pork chops on both sides until golden brown, approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side. Once browned, place the pork chops into the slow cooker atop the apples.
Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan followed by the onions and saute until they begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth to the pan to deglaze. Add the black pepper and thyme and stir to combine. Transfer this to the slow cooker, set to high, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Decrease the heat to low and continue cooking for another 4 hours and 30 minutes or until the pork is tender and falling away from the bone.
Abandoned dogs rescued by residents
When her neighbors on Bottoms Road moved away, Paula Nalley didn’t know they had left five dogs behind until two starving pups were seen near the street. She started feeding them and sent e-mails with pictures of the neglected dogs to her group of friends.
[Full story »]
Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 ounces
Large plastic food storage bags or waxed paper
1 package, 10 ounces, frozen chopped spinach
2 tablespoons butter
12 small mushroom caps, crimini or button
2 cloves garlic, cracked
1 small shallot, quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, a couple of handfuls
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated or ground nutmeg
Toothpicks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
Directions:
Place breasts in the center of a plastic food storage bag or 2 large sheets of waxed paper. Pound out the chicken from the center of the bag outward using a heavy-bottomed skillet or mallet. Be firm but controlled with your strokes.
Defrost spinach in the microwave. Transfer spinach to a kitchen towel. Twist towel around spinach and wring it out until very dry. Transfer to a medium-mixing bowl.
Place a nonstick skillet over moderate heat. When skillet is hot, add butter, mushrooms, garlic and shallot. Season with salt and pepper and saute 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms, garlic and shallot to the food processor. Pulse to grind the mushrooms and transfer to the mixing bowl, adding the processed mushrooms to the spinach. Add ricotta and grated cheese to the bowl and the nutmeg. Stir to combine the stuffing. Return your skillet to the stove over medium high heat.
Place a mound of stuffing on each breast and wrap and roll breast over the stuffing. Secure breasts with toothpicks. Add 3 tablespoons oil to the pan, 3 turns of the pan. Add breasts to the pan and brown on all sides, cooking chicken 10 to 12 minutes. The meat will cook quickly because it is thin. Remove breasts; add butter to the pan and flour. Cook butter and flour for a minute, whisk in wine and reduce another minute. Whisk in broth and return breasts to the pan. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve. Remove toothpicks. Serve breasts whole or, remove from pan, slice on an angle and fan out on dinner plates. Top stuffed chicken breasts or sliced stuffed breasts with generous spoonfuls of the sauce.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 ounces
Large plastic food storage bags or waxed paper
1 package, 10 ounces, frozen chopped spinach
2 tablespoons butter
12 small mushroom caps, crimini or button
2 cloves garlic, cracked
1 small shallot, quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, a couple of handfuls
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated or ground nutmeg
Toothpicks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
Directions:
Place breasts in the center of a plastic food storage bag or 2 large sheets of waxed paper. Pound out the chicken from the center of the bag outward using a heavy-bottomed skillet or mallet. Be firm but controlled with your strokes.
Defrost spinach in the microwave. Transfer spinach to a kitchen towel. Twist towel around spinach and wring it out until very dry. Transfer to a medium-mixing bowl.
Place a nonstick skillet over moderate heat. When skillet is hot, add butter, mushrooms, garlic and shallot. Season with salt and pepper and saute 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms, garlic and shallot to the food processor. Pulse to grind the mushrooms and transfer to the mixing bowl, adding the processed mushrooms to the spinach. Add ricotta and grated cheese to the bowl and the nutmeg. Stir to combine the stuffing. Return your skillet to the stove over medium high heat.
Place a mound of stuffing on each breast and wrap and roll breast over the stuffing. Secure breasts with toothpicks. Add 3 tablespoons oil to the pan, 3 turns of the pan. Add breasts to the pan and brown on all sides, cooking chicken 10 to 12 minutes. The meat will cook quickly because it is thin. Remove breasts; add butter to the pan and flour. Cook butter and flour for a minute, whisk in wine and reduce another minute. Whisk in broth and return breasts to the pan. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve. Remove toothpicks. Serve breasts whole or, remove from pan, slice on an angle and fan out on dinner plates. Top stuffed chicken breasts or sliced stuffed breasts with generous spoonfuls of the sauce.
Dumped at the dump
For Jody Harper, the most difficult part of managing the Pike County transfer station has nothing to do with the trash. It’s other things people often dump there. She says the number of animals abandoned at the center is disturbing. Feral cats live under dumpsters while dogs roam the area looking for trash to eat.
[Full story »]
Spicy Shrimp and Pasta Casserole
Ingredients:
Butter, for greasing pan
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
9 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked
16 ounces mild salsa, thick and chunky
2 pounds shrimp, cleaned, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 12 by 8-inch pan or glass dish with butter. Combine the eggs, half-and-half, yogurt, Swiss and feta cheeses, parsley, basil, and oregano in a large bowl, mixing until thoroughly blended. Spread 1/2 of the cooked pasta evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover the pasta with the salsa. Add 1/2 of the shrimp and then cover it with Monterey Jack. Add the remaining pasta and shrimp. Spread the egg mixture over top of the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Butter, for greasing pan
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
9 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked
16 ounces mild salsa, thick and chunky
2 pounds shrimp, cleaned, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 12 by 8-inch pan or glass dish with butter. Combine the eggs, half-and-half, yogurt, Swiss and feta cheeses, parsley, basil, and oregano in a large bowl, mixing until thoroughly blended. Spread 1/2 of the cooked pasta evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover the pasta with the salsa. Add 1/2 of the shrimp and then cover it with Monterey Jack. Add the remaining pasta and shrimp. Spread the egg mixture over top of the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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