Garlic Cream Sauce

Garlic Cream Sauce

1 quart heavy whipping cream
1 cup water
2 teaspoons chicken base
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic in oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour

Make a rue by mixing together the butter and flour. Over low heat,
constantly stirring, mix together rue, whipping cream, minced garlic,
paprika and chicken base. Serve over pasta or seafood.

Idaho Potato Gnocchi with Pesto

Idaho Potato Gnocchi with Pesto

Recipe compliments of Chef Peter Schott, Peter Schott's.

Gnocchi:

INGREDIENTS:

* 3-4 Medium Idaho Russet Burbank potatoes 70 Count
* 5 quarts Water, divided
* 3 tsp. Salt, divided
* 1 1/2 cups Flour
* 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
* 2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
* 2 Tbsp. Butter, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil the potatoes in 2 quarts of water in a covered saucepan until
tender. Drain well. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel.
2. Force the potatoes through a sieve with the back of a wooden spoon,
or grate with a small grater.
3. Measure out 3 cups of potatoes; reserve the remaining for another use.
4. Combine the potatoes, 1 tsp. salt, flour, olive oil and eggs in a
bowl. Stir until a thick dough forms.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured board. Knead 15 times. Roll into
half-inch ropes, using 1/2 cup of dough at a time. Cut each into 1
1/4-inch pieces.
6. Place each piece of dough near the tines of a floured fork. Press
the center of each piece with a finger and roll the dumpling toward
you, allowing the tines to make decorative ridges. Place on a
generously floured baking sheet.
7. Bring 3 quarts of salted water, 2 tsp., to a rapid boil in a large
saucepan. Add 1/3 of the gnocchi. Reduce the heat until the water is
just boiling. Cook for 5 minutes after the dumplings bob to the
surface of the water. Drain and toss with the butter. Keep warm in a
200°F oven while cooking the remaining gnocchi.

For Pesto Sauce (makes about 1/2 cup):

INGREDIENTS:

* 3/4 cup Flat leaf parsley, lightly packed, thick stems removed
* 1/4 cup Pine nuts
* 1 clove Garlic, chopped
* 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
* 6 Tbsp. Olive oil
* 1/2 tsp. Salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor or blender, puree the ingredients.
2. Spoon over gnocchi.

Copyright © 1997-2007 Idaho Potato Commission. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Creamy Chicken and Penne

Creamy Chicken and Penne

1 pound penne pasta
4 cups broccoli florets
1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts,
cut in 3 x 1-inch strips
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Procedures :
Cook pasta according to package directions. Stir in broccoli during
last 2 minutes of cooking. Sautee; onion in olive oil until softened.
Add chicken and sautee; . Stir in sun dried tomatoes, cream, broth,
vinegar, salt and pepper. Simmer about 4 minutes. Drain pasta and
broccoli, toss with chicken mixture and Parmesan cheese.

Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad
"Penne pasta has great company in this robust salad that is hearty
enough to serve as an entree. Tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers,
sweet onion and black olives are tossed with the pasta and an herbed
oil and lemon juice dressing."
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) package penne
pasta
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon ground black
pepper

1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 cucumber, coarsely chopped
1 cup black olives, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain,
and rinse in cold water.
2. In a small bowl, mix together oil, lemon juice, basil, garlic
salt, and black pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, green pepper, onion,
cucumber, and black olives. Add dressing, and toss to coat. Chill in
the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Woot!

At least for now, my email "food" file is under 300 messages, most of them have been archived for ages!

I have 2 batches of dough going right now. The first is white bread from Jersey Girl Cooks. Second, is a pizza crust from All Recipes I am using the overnight in the fridge method. I'll post the results tomorrow after they've been baked.

I also made stuffed shells for Valentine's Day dinner. I made enough to put a second dish in the freezer, all ready to go in the oven. I added some pre-made meatballs to the freezer meal. Hubby sliced some beef tenderloin & wrapped it with bacon & then made a sauce, I'll have to get the recipe out of him...

The stuffed shells were easy, I put spinach in them, cuz that's how I roll but you don't have too. This is sort of the recipe I followed, I'm going off the top of my head...

1 box jumbo shells, cooked
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I had an extra large jar for the 2 meals)
1 2 pound container of ricotta cheese
1 8 oz bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
3 eggs
about a cup of food processed spinach leaves
1 spinach leaf for each shell (optional)
1/2 c Parmesan cheese (I forgot to add it to the mix)

Mix the ricotta, eggs, shredded spinach & Parmesan cheese together.

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread enough spaghetti sauce on bottom of a large casserole dish to cover the bottom. Place a leaf in a shell & top with a large spoonful of the cheese mixture, then place cut side up in the casserole dish. Repeat until dish is full. Top with sauce & shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake 45 to 55 minutes.

Crab and Ricotta Cannelloni

Crab and Ricotta Cannelloni

1 box (8 ounces) cannelloni or manicotti pasta (about 12 shells)
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 pound lump crabmeat
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the
pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring
occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, egg yolk,
basil, crab, salt, and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Fill the cannelloni with the crab mixture and place in a buttered
baking dish. Top the filled cannelloni with the Bechamel Sauce and
sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly and the
top is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Bechamel Sauce:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour
and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the warm milk,
whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick, smooth, and creamy,
about 10 minutes (do not allow the sauce to boil). Remove from the
heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. (The sauce can be made
up to 3 days ahead. Cool and then cover and refrigerate. )

Yield: about 4 cups

Chicken Pot Pie Lasagna

Chicken Pot Pie Lasagna

12 pieces Lasagna, uncooked
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced spring onions
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed and well drained
1 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 15-oz. carton low-fat ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups grated part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated reduced-fat Swiss cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Spray a Dutch oven or
large skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until
hot. Add chicken and saute 4 minutes or until cooked through. Drain
well and set aside. Recoat Dutch oven with cooking spray and place
over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms, carrots and onions;
saute 6 minutes. Set aside.

Place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a
wire whisk until blended; stir in sherry. Bring to a boil over medium
heat and cook for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.
Stir in salt and red pepper. Reserve one cup of sauce and set aside.

In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and Swiss
cheese.

Preheat oven to 350-o F. Spread 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of
a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Arrange 4 pieces of the lasagna (3 lengthwise,
1 widthwise) over the sauce. Top with half of ricotta cheese mixture,
half of chicken mixture and half of remaining sauce mixture. Repeat
layers, ending with 4 pieces of lasagna. Spread reserved 1 cup of
sauce over the last complete layer of lasagna, being sure to cover the
lasagna completely.

Cover lasagna with foil and bake 1 hour. Uncover lasagna, sprinkle
remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top and bake an additional 5
minutes uncovered. Re-cover and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Bats & Cobwebs

Bats & Cobwebs

Perfect dish for before trick-or-treating. I need to remember this for next time!

The Ultimate Lady's Cheesy Mac and Cheese

The Ultimate Lady's Cheesy Mac and Cheese
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
2 cups dried elbow macaroni (4 cups cooked)
1/3 cup grated Cheddar
1/3 cup grated Swiss
1/3 cup grated Jack
1/3 cup grated colby
1/3 cup grated Muenster
1/3 cup grated Gouda
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
Nonstick spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot, bring water to boil. Season water with salt and cook
macaroni until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta and place in a
large bowl and while pasta is still hot add all the cheese. In a
separate medium bowl, using a whisk, combine the sour cream, butter,
eggs, salt, pepper, and milk and add to the macaroni mixture. Spray
casserole dish with nonstick and pour macaroni mixture into the dish.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Top with additional
cheese, if desired.

Poppy Seed Noodle & Vegetable Toss

Poppy Seed Noodle & Vegetable Toss

Servings : Makes four 1-cup servings

Ingredients:
6 oz. yolk free noodles (cooked as package directs)
½ c. water
1 Tbsp. margarine or butter
2 tsp. Wyler's® Chicken Flavored Granules or 2 Bouillon Cubes
½ c. sliced shredded carrots
½ c. sliced green onions
1 tsp. poppy seeds

Directions:
In medium skillet, combine water, margarine and bouillon; heat and
stir until bouillon dissolves. Add carrots and onions; cook and stir
until vegetables are softened. Toss with hot noodles and poppy seeds.

Source: wylers instant boullion.

Low-Fat Fettuccine Alfredo

Low-Fat Fettuccine Alfredo

8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
1 pinch ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; immediately return
to pan. Add olive oil; toss to coat. Add evaporated milk, 1/3 cup
Parmesan cheese, dried basil, lemon juice and pepper. Cook over
medium-high heat until bubbly, stirring constantly.

4 servings

Spicy Ravioli Salad

Spicy Ravioli Salad

1 pkg. (25 ounces) frozen beef or sausage ravioli
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies. undrained
1 can (8 3/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 bottle or can (8ounces) taco sauce
1 can (2 1/4 ounces) sliced olives, drained
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 small red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves. minced
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drain ravioli; stir into tomato mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Taste of Homes Country Cooking.

Egg Noodles--Amish

Egg Noodles--Amish

3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour (approximately)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Beef or chicken stock

Beat eggs until frothy. Add flour and stir until of dough texture.
Knead until smooth. Turn into floured cutting board. Roll dough
turning often until thin. Let noodle dough dry 45 minutes, then turn
and dry another 1/2 hour.

Cut into noodles. Drop into boiling beef or chicken stock. Reduce heat
and cook at rolling boil for about 20 minutes. As the noodles boil,
begin their own gravy. Season to taste.

Eggplant Parmesan

I should have grown eggplant this year, I'm adding it to the list for next year!

Eggplant Parmesan

Serving Size : 8

1 cup dry bread crumbs -- unseasoned
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried basil
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium eggplants -- about 2 pounds, unpeeled, each
cut crosswise
into 8 slices
vegetable cooking spray -- or olive oil spray
3 cups low-fat spaghetti sauce
1 cup part skim milk mozzarella cheese -- shredded
2 tablespoons fresh parsley -- chopped

In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and basil.
Mix well.

In another shallow bowl, lightly beat together egg whites and salt.
Working one at a time, dip eggplant slices into egg whites, then into
crumb mixture. Turn to coat both sides with crumbs.

Place slices on 1 large or 2 small baking sheets that have been
sprayed with non-stick spray. Spray tops of slices lightly with olive
oil cooking spray. Bake at 400ºF for 15 minutes.

Remove eggplant slices from oven, turn them over, and spray again
with cooking spray. Return to oven and bake for 15 more minutes.
To assemble casserole, spoon 1 cup pasta sauce over bottom of 9 x 13
inch baking dish.

Top with 1/2 eggplant slices. Spoon another 1 cup sauce over eggplant,
followed by 1/2 mozzarella. Repeat layering with remaining eggplant
slices, sauce, and mozzarella. Sprinkle parsley over top. Return to
oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until cheese is completely
melted and sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately!

Sweet Onion and Chicken Pasta

I bet this beats Chicken Helper!

Sweet Onion and Chicken Pasta
Cooking Method: Boil-Simmer
Prep Time: 10
Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes

Makes: 5 servings

Ingredients
1 package (12 ounces) wide egg noodles
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Hunt's® Diced Tomatoes with Sweet Onions
1 can (8 ounces) Hunt's® Tomato Sauce
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
Rosarita® hot sauce, to taste
1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves, (optional)

Directions

1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Do not rinse.
Stir in margarine keep warm.
2. Combine and mix tomatoes, sauce, chicken, peas, and hot sauce in a
large saucepan; simmer 5 minutes.
3. Add noodles to sauce; mix well. Sprinkle with basil, if desired.

Source: hunts.

Cheesy Sausage Bake

This is something I would make for a potluck, or a chilly rainy day!

Cheesy Sausage Bake
Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) package sausage patties
4 cups water
1 (16-ounce) package light processed bar cheese
2 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
20 reduced fat buttery-taste crackers
large zip-top bag
salt and pepper, to taste

Steps
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Preheat large saucepan on medium-high for 2-3 minutes.
3. Place sausage in pan and cook 7-9 minutes, stirring frequently until sausage is brown, breaking meat up as it cooks. Drain meat (if needed) and return to pan.
4. Add water to sausage, increase heat to high and bring to boil.
5. Open cheese and cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
6. When water boils, add pasta and return to boil. Boil 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Place crackers in zip-top bag and crush to make about 1 cup.
8. Add 2-3 cubes of cheese at a time to sausage and pasta mixture, stirring until melted and well blended.
9. Pour into 8-inch square baking dish. Top with crushed crackers.
10. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (Makes 6 servings.)

Mushroom and Vegetable Lasagna

More from my email!

Mushroom and Vegetable Lasagna

Prep Time: 30 min ; Start to Finish: 1 hr 35 min
Makes: 12 servings

Source: Pillsbury

Entertain vegetarian-style, and enjoy the vitamin-rich benefits of a
veggie-packed casserole.

9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (28-oz.) can Progresso® Crushed Tomatoes, undrained
3 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (10-oz.) container refrigerated Parmesan sauce
1 (1-lb.) pkg. Green Giant® Frozen Broccoli Cuts, thawed, drained
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 lb. assorted fresh mushrooms, sliced (9 cups)
2 cups shredded carrots
12 oz. (3 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 . Heat oven to 350°F. Cook lasagna noodles to desired doneness as
directed on package. Drain.
2 . Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, oregano and
garlic; mix well. Reserve 1/2 cup Parmesan sauce. In another medium
bowl, combine remaining Parmesan sauce and broccoli; mix well.
3 . Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and
carrots; cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
4 . Spoon and spread reserved 1/2 cup Parmesan sauce over bottom of
ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish. Top with 3 cooked noodles.
Spread half of broccoli mixture over noodles. Top with 1 cup of the
tomato mixture, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and half of mushroom
mixture. Repeat layers, topping with remaining noodles and remaining
tomato mixture. Cover tightly with sprayed foil.
5 . Bake at 350°F. for 50 to 60 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Remove from oven; uncover dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.
Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

I thawed 3 packages of ground (approximately 3 pounds), tossed them in the KA, added 2 eggs, 2 handfuls of oatmeal, 3 handfuls of baby spinach chopped fine, 1T onion powder, 1T garlic powder. It mixed for a while. I stopped it, took out about 1/2 to make the burger patties we will be grilling Friday sometime. Then I added in 1T of dried oregano & let it mix longer.
Rolled the meatballs, put them in a baking dish & microwaved them until they were done.

I put them in a large casserole dish with a jar of spaghetti sauce, 1/3 of an onion chopped & sauteed, and 1 large can of crushed tomatoes. When it's time I'll just cook up some pasta & dinner will be all set.


Part of this weeks Menu Plan

Cheesy ham and mac

Posted in this weeks Carnival of the Recipes


1 box pasta I used small shells
1/3 of an onion chopped I chopped and suateed a whole onion for the 2 other dishes I made.
1 can evaporated milk
2 cups shredded colby jack cheese
1 - 2 cups cubed ham
8 oz peas I tossed the peas in with the shells the last minutes of cooking.

Boil the pasta. Add peas at the end of the cook time. Drain
Sautee the onions in butter until soft, add the can of milk. Simmer until warm then add the cheese, stir until melted.
Mix the pasta, ham and cheese mixture together in a casserole, serve warm. I had to reheat in the microwave, because the kids weren't ready to eat when I was ready to serve!

Blue Crab Lasagna

On my way home from a quick Aldi run I heard a commercial for a restaurant in the city advertising their "Blue Crab Lasagna." So I had to run home & google for recipes before I forget about it.

Blue Crab Lasagna

Crab Meat Lasagna

Crab & Spinach Lasagna

I am thinking this will make a good "date" night dinner with hubby, yum.