Cooking Signature

Mini Spinach Artichoke Blue Cheesecakes with Mixed Greens Recipe with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 12 serving
12 saltine crackers, finely crushed,
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) container spinach and artichoke cream cheese spread
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream, divided
1 (4 ounce) package crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 (5 ounce) bag mixed spring greens,
1 (12 ounce) jar refrigerated blue chese dressing
Garnish: fresh oregano sprigs

Procedures:

• Preheat oven to 325 degree. Line 1 (12 cup) muffin pan with paper liners. Spray liners with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a small bowl, stir together cracker crumbs and melted butter. Spoon cracker mixture evenly into bottom of liners, pressing to form crust.
• In a large bowl, place cream cheeses, ½ cup sour cream, blue cheese, and flour. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, one at a time beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Spoon cream cheese mixture over cracker mixture, filling paper liners completely full.
• Bake for 40 minutes, or until set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool completely (about 15 minutes). Cover and chill for 2 hours. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until paper liners can easily be removed from cheesecakes. Removes and discard paper liners.

Serve cheesecakes over greens. Drizzle with desired amount of blue cheese dressing. Dollop cheesecakes evenly with remaining sour cram. Garnish with oregano sprigs, if desired. end

Lime Chipotle Steak Fajitas Recipe with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 cup lime chipotle marinade
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon coarse grained salt
1 (1 ½ pound) flank steak, trimmed
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
Lime wages
Toppings: shredded Colby Jack cheese and chunky salsa

Procedures:

• In a large bowl or zip top plastic freezer bag, combine lime chipotle marinade, lime juice, and salt; add flank steak, turning to coat. Cover or seal, and chill for 1 hour.
• Let steak stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove steak from marinade discarding marinade. Spray grill rack with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium high heat (350 to 400 degree)
• Grill steak, covered with grill lid, for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve slices in warmed tortillas with a squeeze of lime desired toppings. End.

Grilled Sweet Onions Recipe with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 4 to 6 servings
4 large sweet onions
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
½ cup butter
Salt and ground black pepper

Procedures:
Spray grill rack with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat one side of grill to medium heat (300 to 350 degree); leave other side unlit.

Cut a thin slice from one end of each onion to create a flat surface. Cut about 1 inch from other end of each onion; make about a 2 inch deep cavity in centers of onions.

Place each onion on a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. Spoon 1 teaspoon beef granules into each cavity; top each with 2 tablespoons butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil, leaving top slightly open

Place onion on unlit side on grill, and grill, covered with rill lid, for 1 hour or until onions are tender and browned. end

Grilled Rosemary Potatoes Recipe with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 6 servings
3 large russet or idaho potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
Garnish: rosemary sprig

Procedures:

• Cut potatoes, lengthwise, into ¾ inch thick slices. In a dutch oven, combine potates, salt and cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium high heat; reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or just until slightly soft. Drain well.
• Spray grill rack with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium high heat(350 to 400 degree)
• In a small bowl, combine oil, rosemary, and pepper. Brush mixture on warm potato slices. Grill potatoes, covered with grill lid, for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Garnish with fresh rosemary, if desired. End.

Grilled Marinate Vegetables Recipe with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 6 servings
1 (8 ounce) package button mushrooms
3 yellow squash
3 zucchini
2 red bell peppers
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup low sodium soy souce
¼ cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Procedures:

• Remove stems from mushrooms, and discard stems. Cut mushrooms in half. Cut squash and zucchini lengthwise into quarters, and cut quarters into 2 inch slices. Cut bell peppers into 2 inch pieces. Place vegetables in a large zip top plastic freezer bag.
• In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. Pour over vegetables in bag, and seal. Chill for 30 minutes. Remove vegetables from bag, reserving marinade.
• Spray grill rack with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium high heat (350 degree to 400 degree)
• Spray a grill basket with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray. Place vegetables in grill basket; place basket on grill rack. Grill, covered with grill lid, for 10 minutes, or until crisp tender, stirring occasionally and basting with reserved marinade. End. 

Caprese Salad Recipe with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 4 serving
½ (16 ounce) package sliced fresh mozzarella, (8 slices total)
4 medium vine ripened tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices
24 basil leaves, divided
¼ cup light Italian dressing
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Garnish: fresh basil sprigs

Procedures:
On each of 4 salad plates, arrange 2 mozzarella slices, 4 tomato slices, and 6 basil leaves. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon dressing. Sprinkle each with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired. End.

Bow tie Pasta Primavera Salad Recipe with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 6 serving
1 pound bowl tie pasta
1 (12 ounce) package broccoli florets
1 (12 ounce) bag baby carrots, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup sliced radishes
1 (1 ounce) packet ranch salad drssing and seasoning mix
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (1 ounce) package fresh basil, chopped (optional)
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
Garnish: fresh basil

Procedures:

• In a large heavy bottomed pot, prepare pasta according to package directions, adding broccoli during the last two minutes of cooking. Rinse and drain well.
• In a large bowl, combine pasta, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and radishes.
• In a medium bowl, stir together dressing mix, buttermilk, mayonnaise, and, if desired, basil. Add to pasta mixture, tossing to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Stir before serving. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil, if desired. End. 

Deviled Eggs Recipe with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 24 stuffed egg halves
12 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons ranch dressing
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika

Procedures:
Halve eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks, and place yolks in a small bowl. Add mayonnaise, dressing, mustard and salt. Mash with a fork until desired consistency is reached. Place yolk mixture into a pastry bag, and pipe into whites. Sprinkle paprika over stuffed eggs. End.

Corn and Black Bean Salad Recipe with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 8 to 10 serving
2 (16 ounce) bags frozen whole kernel corn
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ red onion, diced
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Procedures:
In a large bowl, combine corn, black beans bell pepper, and onion.

In a smaill bowl whisk together oil lime juice, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. Add to corn mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving. End.

Grilled Eggplant
with Sandra Lee
Ingredients: Makes 4 servings
1 large eggplant
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon coarse grained salt
Garnish: shredded Parmesan cheese, fresh oregano sprig

Procedures:
Spray grill rack with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium high heat(350 to 400 degree)

Cut eggplant into 8 (about ½ inch thick) slices. Brush both sides with olive oil, and sprinkle evenly with Italian seasoning and coarse grained salt.

Grill eggplant, covered with grill lid, for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh oregano sprig, if desired. End.