Penne and Vodka Sauce with Chicken

 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 1/2 pounds (about 4 small) chicken breast, 1/2 inch dice

1 medium shallot, diced

1/2 c. sweet onion, small dice

3 large or 4 medium cloves garlic, minced

3/4 tsp red pepper flakes (less if you cannot handle spice)

1/2 cup vodka

1 Tbsp tomato paste (from a tube)

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (more or less depending on your taste)

2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

3/4 c. half and half (use heavy cream if you want)

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

16 oz penne pasta (I used organic, large cut penne)

1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped

Additional Parmesan cheese for serving 

In a 6 qt Dutch Oven, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. Salt and pepper diced chicken and cook over medium heat just until browned, but not cooked through. Remove chicken from stock pot into a bowl. You will finish cooking the chicken later.

Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to Dutch oven, add, shallot, sweet onion and garlic, and cook until they are soft and translucent. Stir constantly to avoid burning. Add red pepper flakes and give it a good stir. By now you should have some brown bits on the bottom of your Dutch oven. Add vodka and carefully scrap up the brown bits to deglaze the pan. Continue boiling until liquid is reduced by about half. Add the tomato paste and stir well. You should have a slurry of yummy goodness on the bottom of your pan.

Now add your crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and parsley. Add the partially cooked chicken back to the pot and bring to a boil, then turn down burner to a simmer. Cover your Dutch oven partially to allow steam to escape, but to keep contents from bubbling outside your pan. Cook the sauce for at least 20 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.

At this point, bring a large stock pot of water, generously salted to a boil. Depending upon how much time it takes to cook the penne pasta, drop the pasta and cook until just al dente. Drain pasta thoroughly and set aside to keep warm.

Add the half and half and grated Parmesan cheese to the red sauce. Stir well, but do not boil hard. Add the cooked, drained pasta to the sauce and give it a good stir. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Just before serving, top with fresh basil and grate additional Parmesan Cheese to each serving of pasta.

Serve immediately and enjoy. This is a creamy, rich, peppery sauce that is hard to stop eating. I served mine with fresh steamed green beans, but it would taste great with a salad. Serve bread if you want. We tried to save carbs by not eating bread on the side, but for those who love bread with pasta, it would be great for scooping up the last bits of sauce in your bowl!

 

Pesto Avocado Sauce for Pasta

This creamy sauce's secret ingredient is a ripe avocado. Tastes amazingly smooth and creamy, AND it takes only as long to make the sauce as it does to cook the pasta. I made mine with Papparadelle .

1 large ripe avocado, peeled, remove seed
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and Pepper

Pasta of your choice, cooked and well-drained.

Place all ingredients except pasta and salt and pepper into a food processor or blender (like a Vitamix). Blend until very creamy and smooth. Remove and add to warm, cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

Fettuccine with Ricotta, Lemon, Basil, and Chicken

1 pound fettuccine, cooked and drained
1 cup pasta water (saved from cooking pasta)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
6 oz fresh spinach
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh cayenne pepper, minced (or substitute dried red pepper flakes)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 # chicken breast, seasoned with salt, pepper and granulated garlic
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. Cook fettuccine as directed on the package.

2. Meanwhile, saute' garlic and cayenne pepper in 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, set aside

3. Heat grill.

4. Add a small amount of oil to top and bottom of chicken and grill chicken until done. Cut chicken into long strips.

5. When the fettuccine is cooked and drained, put the noodles back into the pan and add the fresh spinach. Add 1/2 cup pasta water and wilt spinach slightly.

6. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, ricotta cheese, cooked garlic and cayenne, and Parmesan cheese and stir well. Add more pasta water to thin sauce as desired, make sure spinach is wilted (you can turn the heat on to bring sauce to a hot creamy temperature.

7. Add grilled chicken and give it a good stir. Place into a large serving dish and top with fresh basil.

8. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Note: If you like more veggies, add grilled eggplant, cooked zucchini or yellow squash, steamed asparagus, red bell pepper, or broccoli. I wouldn't add all of these, but use what you have on hand or like.

This makes 6-8 large portions.

Yet Another Way to Make Pasta

I made this the other day and we loved it, but I forgot to take a photo of it! This recipe is simple, yet tasty. There are so many ways to make pasta and this is just another way to make it! If you're a computer "geek," you might get the joke.

12 oz Campanelle noodles

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup sweet onion, roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

1/2 c. white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)**

1/2 tsp-1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used the mixed variety)

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

(pasta water -- up to 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade cut

Extra black pepper

Extra Parmesan Cheese

Cook noodles al dente, saving 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining it.

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large frying pan with high sides. Saute' onion and garlic until soft and a little caramelized. Add wine, crushed red pepper, oregano, salt and pepper and simmer for about a minute. Add cherry tomatoes and cover. Turn heat to medium low and simmer until tomatoes are soft and skin begins to crack (about 10 minutes).

Once they are soft, you can smash the tomatoes (carefully) to pop them open. Stir until everything is mixed together. At this point, the sauce should be fairly thick, Add the warm pasta, cheese, and pasta water (start with a small amount of water and add up to 1/2 cup). The sauce should be a little thin, but creamy. Stir the pasta well to coat with the sauce.

You can add more cheese or pasta water to make the sauce as cheesy and creamy as you like. Simmer to thicken the sauce if you get too much water. The sauce should just coat the noodles with little sauce on the bottom of the pan. Top with fresh chiffonade basil, extra black pepper and adjust salt to taste. 

Serve with additional Parmesan cheese on top.

NOTE: To make this a whole meal, add grilled chicken, cut into strips You can also add mushrooms (slightly fried) and/or a fresh green vegetable like peas, zucchini, broccoli, (all pre-cooked or steamed slightly). You could also add spinach and let it wilt slightly just before adding the pasta and cheese.

**Variety: Add juice of 1/2 lemon with the wine and top with zest of one lemon just before serving.

Chicken and Asparagus Alfredo with Sun-dried Tomatoes

Once the chicken is grilled, this dish takes about half hour or less to pull together. I have my husband grill the chicken while I make the rest of the dish. He cuts it up once it has rested and cooled, which means this meal can be on the table from start to finish in under 30 minutes. Serve with a fresh garden salad and you have a completely gourmet meal to eat during the week or serve to guests (and, of course, pass the wine!)

1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 tsp. Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp each of dried lemon peel, garlic powder and onion powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
3 oz. cream cheese, cut into pieces
12 oz penne pasta,
1 pound fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
Reserve 1 cup pasta water
1/3 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese or Parmesan cheese, grated (plus more for serving)
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (not in oil)

Heat grill.
If not using Sunny Spain seasoning, mix together the black pepper, dried lemon peel, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl.  Cover chicken with olive oil and sprinkle seasoning (heavy) on both sides of the chicken. Grill chicken about 10-12 minutes or until cooked over medium high heat. Remove from grill and place on a plate to rest.

Cook pasta to al dente. During the last 2 minutes, add asparagus to boiling pasta. Before draining, remove 1 cup of pasta water and reserve for later. Drain pasta and asparagus and set aside.

In a large, deep skillet, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook a minute. Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Slowly pour in the milk and half and half, whisking until flour is smooth. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly.

Once sauce begins to boil, reduce heat to medium low.  Add cream cheese and stir until it is completely incorporated into the sauce. Stir in Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese and sundried tomatoes.

Slowly add the pasta and asparagus, stirring until they are completely coated with the sauce. Add pasta water to pan to make it smooth and keep from being too thick. This could be up to 1 cup, although I used only about 3/4 of a cup, so add slowly and stir.

Cut chicken into strips. Place pasta mixture into a large serving dish, taking care to scrape all of the sauce over the pasta. Place cut chicken on top and top with additional Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately.

NOTE: For added flavor, you can crumble 5-6 pieces of crispy bacon on top and about 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, cut into thin strips.

NOTE: You can substitute broccoli for the aspargus -- use about 3 cups of broccoli florets. You can also add mushrooms or substitute sun-dried tomatoes for mushrooms. Be sure to saute the mushrooms ahead of time.

Chicken Chop Salad

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/2 c. bottled Italian dressing
2 heads romaine, chopped
1 red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch squares
1 English cucumber, cut into slices, then quartered
16 grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/3 cup black olives, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
5-6 slices provolone cheese, cut into small squares
1/2 c sliced pepperoni, cut in half
4 pepperoncinis, sliced

Dressing
1 lemon, zested
8 Tbsp lemon juice (from zested lemon)
 (note, if you don't have enough lemon juice, make up the difference with red wine vinegar)
2 large garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano)
1/3 c. Extra Virgin olive oil

Marinade chicken breasts in Italian dressing at least 4 hours or overnight. Grill chicken until done. Then slice or chop into bite-sized pieces. Place into a bowl.

While chicken is marinading, combine all the other ingredients in a large salad bowl as shown in photo above.

Make dressing by combining all the ingredients together except olive oil. Whisk oil into the rest of the ingredients, until well combined.

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Serve salad with chicken on top.

I also made Italian bread croutons by toasting Italian bread, topped with olive oil, Italian spice and a pinch of salt on top. Toast until crunchy, but not too brown. You can serve the bread on the side or cut up and add to the salad.

This makes 5 generous dinner salads. It is light and delicious.

Meatball Minestrone

I combined two different recipes I found on the Internet to come up with this winner. It is a hearty soup, perfect for those cool fall evenings or winter nights.

24 or more homemade meatballs thawed (walnut size)
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 carrots, diced
2-3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press or minced
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. tomato paste (I use double strength from a tube)
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 large zucchini, diced (about 2 cups or so)
1 rind from Parmesan cheese (I store these in my freezer and use in soups)
8 cups low sodium (or homemade) beef broth
15 oz can white kidney or northern beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup cooked ditalini pasta
2 heaping Tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
Handful of chopped fresh parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

If you haven't homemade meatballs in the freezer to thaw, make fresh ones using this recipe.

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil. Add carrots, celery and onion and cook until onion is soft. Add garlic, spices and tomato paste. Stir until garlic is fragrant and everything is mixed together. Add diced tomatoes and stir. Then add the MEATBALLS, Parmesan cheese rind, beef broth, beans and heat to boiling.

Simmer for about 25-45 minutes or until zucchini is cooked to your liking. Meanwhile, heat a pan of hot water and cook the pasta, drain and keep warm.

Adjust seasoning, then add spinach and basil and cook until spinach is wilted. Turn off soup and add the pasta and fresh parsley and give it a good stir. (optional -- only add 6 cups of beef broth and don't add the pasta to the soup -- but put the pasta in the bowl and ladle soup over pasta. By keeping the pasta separate, it doesn't soak up as much of the broth, keeping noodles al dente.)

Serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread and a nice sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (saving the rind in the freezer for the next time you make this soup!).

Enjoy!

Mom's Stuffed Manicotti

I first made this recipe on 3/28/1971 when I was just 13 years old! Yes, I was cooking since I was a young girl. I have no idea where I got the recipe (probably the back of the manicotti noodle box), but it is still one of my favorite Italian recipes.

In addition to the ingredients listed under the Meat Sauce and Cheese Stuffing, you will need:
1 box of manicotti shells (12-14 in a box)
1 cup or more of Mozzarella or Italian cheese blend
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (in addition to what you put in the cheese stuffing)

Pasta Shells
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12-14 manicotti noodles until just al dente. Rinse in cold water and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a clean flour sack towel. Set aside.

Meat Sauce
1 pound ground sirloin (90% lean)
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. dried basil, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
12 oz can Contadina tomato paste (this brand is the best)
2 cups water (or if you like, 1 cup good red wine and 1 cup of water)
(add about 1 Tbsp brown sugar or raw sugar if you like your sauce a bit sweeter)

Brown ground sirloin, onion and garlic until onion is soft and meat is cooked. Add spices and allow to cook about a minute longer. Add tomato paste and water and stir until saucey. Let it come to a boil and then turn to a low simmer uncovered (or place a cover on cock-eyed to allow steam to escape), stirring occassionally. Simmer while preparing the rest of the ingredients or for at least a half hour.

Cheese stuffing
3 cups or 1 1/2 pounds of fresh ricotta cheese
2/3 cup of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Combine all ingredients and stir until well mixed. Using a small spoon, fill the manicotti shells with cheese mixture. You can also cut the shells on one side, but filling them keeps the cheese inside the shells.

In a 13x9 inch glass dish, spoon enough meat sauce to cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/3 of the sauce. Place the stuffed shells on top of the sauce in a single layer. Top with remaining meat sauce. then generously sprinkle 1/2 cup to 1 cup of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese on top.**

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a generous amount of mozzarella or Italian cheese blend on top of the manicotti. (1 cup or more) and place manicotti on the middle rack of the oven so cheese doesn't burn. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is browned. Remove from oven and allow to rest about 10 minutes before serving. This should serve 6-8 people, depending upon your appetite.Makes great leftovers the next day!

Serve with garlic toast or warm bread and a big salad. Makes a great meal for company!


**At this point you can freeze it if you want. (If you freeze it, be sure to thaw dish completely in the refrigerator before baking it.)

Chicken Gnocchi Soup That's Better than Olive Garden's

If you like the gnocchi soup at Olive Garden, you will love this recipe. This is one of those recipes you must eat for a cold fall or winter meal. Super easy and super fast! Gnocchi used in this recipe is a small dumpling made with potatoes, flour, and egg. You can purchase pre-made gnocchi or make your own. This recipe uses small ones, but if you can only find large ones, cut them in half before cooking.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
2 cups of half and half
2 cups milk
1 (12-ounce) package gnocchi*
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
2 cups diced cooked chicken breast or chicken tenders
12 oz. package of fresh spinach
1-2 teaspoons dried parsley or 1-2 Tbsp. fresh parsley
Freshly grated nutmeg
Parmesan Cheese, grated

Directions:

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and sauté until the onion becomes translucent. Add salt and pepper. Whisk in the flour to make a roux. Let the flour mixture cook for about a minute.

Add the half and half  and milk. Heat until very warm, but avoid boiling it. Add the thyme or fresh rosemary, parsley, carrots, and chicken broth and heat to slow boil.

Add the gnocchi and cook until gnocchi is soft and soup is thickened (about 3-4 minutes). In the alternative, you can pre-cook the gnocchi and add the cooked dumplings at this point; however, the starch in the pasta will be drained and won't thicken the soup as the pasta does when you cook it in the soup.

Add the chicken and, if desired, stir in an additional cup of milk, additional half-and-half or more chicken broth (to desired thickness). Bring back up to a boil and add spinach; simmer the soup over medium-low heat until it is heated through and spinach is wilted. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. Sprinkle with nutmeg and Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

DELICIOUS!!! Better than Olive Garden’s!!!

Chicken Marsala

This recipe was inspired by Emeril Lagasse's recipe. I add a lot more mushrooms and butter! :)

1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp. Emeril's Essence
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded VERY thin (remove tenderloins)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 Tbsp. butter
5-6 cups sliced mushrooms -- I used a combination of baby portabellas, oyster and shiitake
1 cup sweet Marsala wine
1 cup homemade chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped chives (for garnish)
(Optional: Add 2 Tbsp dry sherry when you add the Marsala wine)

Mashed potatoes

In a small pie pan, combine the flour and Emeril's Essence. Heat oil in a large 10-12 inch skillet with tall sides then add 1 Tbsp. butter. While oil is heating, dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture, making sure to cover all the chicken in flour. Shake off excess flour. When butter is melted, add the chicken breasts to the skillet (over medium-high heat) and cook chicken on one side until golden brown. Salt and pepper each side of the chicken. Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown (and crusty).  You may need to add a little more olive oil to the pan. This will take about 5 minutes total. Remove chicken (it won't be cooked through) onto a warm plate and keep warm.

Add 2 Tbsp. butter to the pan (if there is burned flour in the pan, wipe it out first). When butter is melted, add half the mushrooms and lightly salt them, stirring them until mushrooms are golden brown and liquid that comes from the mushrooms is evaporated. Remove mushrooms to a bowl or plate. Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the pan and cook the other half of the mushrooms, repeating the process. Remember not to crowd the mushrooms (Julia Child's motto) as they will cook faster and fry rather than steam.

Remove mushrooms from the pan and add the Marsala wine (and dry sherry, if using), scraping up any bits of browned mushrooms from the bottom of the pan. Continue simmering wine until reduced by about half. Add the chicken broth and add the chicken breasts back into the pan. Place the mushrooms on top of the chicken breasts, keeping them from the liquid if possible. Lower heat and continue to cook chicken until completely done and liquid is slightly thickened. Swirl one tablespoon of butter on top, just before serving and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve chicken over mashed potatoes (or pasta), with mushrooms atop and gravy ladled over the chicken and potatoes. Garnish with chopped chives. Delicious with a side of green vegetables and a salad.

Sausage, Kale, Lima Bean Stew

I bought some fresh lima beans in their pods and wanted to make something hot and hearty on the first day of fall, so I threw together this stew recipe (which could easily become a soup). It's a one-pot wonder!

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pound hot Italian sausages (remove from casing if you buy links)
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups low sodium chicken broth (or homemade broth)
29 oz. petite diced tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes diced -- about 4 cups)
4 medium carrots, sliced
16 oz can Northern beans, undrained
1 1/2 cups fresh lima beans
Rind of Parmesan cheese
2 cups water (I just used one can of water and rinsed out my bean can in the process)
1 large sprig fresh rosemary (about 4 inches long)
Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (1/3 cup)
Small handful fresh thyme (6 sprigs)
1/2 - 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
10 oz. package of chopped kale (I use Trader Joe's organic kale) or use fresh kale and chop it up -- probably about 6 cups)

Heat olive oil, add sausage, breaking up, and onion until browned, add garlic cloves and cook about 30 minutes longer. Add chicken broth and scrap up bits on the bottom of the pan. Add tomatoes, carrots, lima beans, canned beans (undrained), water, Parmesan cheese rind, fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer at least 45 minutes or until lima beans are very tender. Remove stems from herbs.

Add chopped kale and stir until wilted and cooked. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Serve with crusty bread toasted in the oven.

VARIATIONS: You could also add butternut squash, sweet potatoes, white or red potatoes, zucchini squash, use other kinds of beans, add celery, use chicken instead of Italian sausage, add grains such as quinoa, barley, even small noodles. You could leave out the meat and use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version of this stew. It has endless possibilities!

5 Easy Freezer to Crockpot Meals

  Philly Chicken Sandwiches

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2-2 pounds)

2 Tbsp butter

1-2 bell peppers (green, red, orange, yellow - your choice), sliced

1 large sweet onion, sliced and then cut into half moons

1 Tbsp + Montreal Steak Seasoning (any brand will due)

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

 

Sliced cheese or grated cheese of choice (mozzarella, provolone, etc.)

Hoagie Rolls

 

Put all ingredients except cheese and rolls in a gallon freezer bag and freeze and label. If you want, you can leave out the onion and pepper and add those when you make this.

 

Cooking Instructions:  Put chicken into crock pot (add fresh ingredients if you didn't freeze them with the chicken) and cook on high for about 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to crock pot and stir with a slotted spoon.

To serve, drain the chicken with the slotted spoon and scoop into hoagie buns lined with the cheese of your choice. If you don't drain the chicken, your bun will get soaked and it will be too slopping to pick up and eat. You can also toast the buns under the broiler and then top with chicken and then cheese, return to broiler to melt the cheese on top.

These taste great with sweet potato chips or roasted sweet potatoes and a side of fresh tropical fruit.

Note: you can also cook this on the stove in a covered sauce pan. Be sure chicken is not frozen for best results.

Cilantro Lime Chicken w/ Corn and Black Beans

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Limes, juiced (1 oz)
1 cup cilantro
3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 chopped onion
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp Mexican seasoning
½ tsp ground cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
12 oz bag frozen corn

Put all ingredients except frozen corn into a gallon freezer bag. Mix bag by shaking, seal, label and put in the freezer.

Cooking instructions: Put chicken mixture and frozen corn into a Crock pot on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 1.2 hours.  Serve with warm tortillas or serve over cooked rice, and dress with sour cream, guacamole, and/or cheese.

Makes 8 1 cup servings - 381 calories per serving without rice or toppings.

Honey Garlic Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup soy sauce (use reduced sodium to lower saltiness)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey

Add all ingredients to gallon freezer bag.  When you are ready to cook this, put all ingredients into a crockpot and let cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Serve with your favorite sides.

BBQ Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle (about 1 1/4 cups) your favorite BBQ Sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays Honey Chipolte)
1 green pepper and white onion (when ready to cook)

Combine above ingredients in a gallon freezer bag.When you are ready to cook this, put into a Crock pot and add 1 chopped green pepper and ½ cup chopped white onion.

Cook for 3-4 hours on high or low for 6 hours.Shred to make sandwiches or serve with rice or potatoes or however you enjoy BBQ chicken!

Italian Dressing Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup or so of Zesty Italian Dressing

Place chicken in a gallon freezer bag. Pour Italian dressing over the top just until the chicken is covered. Seal, label and freeze

Cooking Instructions: Add frozen chicken to crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. When finished, cut up chicken for pita sandwiches, for salad topping, or eat with rice and Italian green beans.

 Alternate Cooking Method: This is a great one to grill! You can pound the chicken breasts to flatten slightly before freezing. Then just put them on the grill frozen and grill until juices run clear. Otherwise, you can thaw and grill these using the same method.

Pesto Orzo with Salmon

 Inspired by a Pampered Chef recipe, I modified this slightly to create
 a simple pasta side dish for chicken, fish, or shrimp.

1 cup dry orzo
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 c. green onions
1/3 c. black olives
2 1/2 Tbsp. Pesto
1 tsp. lemon zest

For fish:

16-20 oz salmon, skin removed 

4-5 tsp pesto

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook orzo until al dente, drain well. Meanwhile, seed and chop tomatoes, slice green onions with the green tops, slice black olives and place into an 8 inch square baking dish. Add the cooked orzo and stir well. Add the pesto and stir until well mixed. Sprinkle lemon zest on top.

Top Orzo with salmon cut into 4-5 pieces. Top salmon with additional pesto (about 1 tsp per piece). 

Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 13-20 minutes or until fish flakes. 

This also makes a great side dish without fish and can be baked at almost any temperature.

Makes 5 servings.

Crispy Baked Haddock

2 lbs. fresh haddock, cut into serving pieces
1-2 cups buttermilk
3/4 c. Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 c. fresh, grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 c. melted butter
salt (to taste)
Paprika
Lemon

Place haddock in a large glass baking dish. Pour buttermilk over the top making sure the fish is covered (it's okay if the skin is up and is not covered). Cover and place in the refrigerator. Soak for at least 1 hour, but no more than 12 hours.

Heat oven to 475 degrees. Cover a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, and thyme in a shallow bowl. Remove fish pieces and allow to drain slightly and then dip (flesh side down) in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to make sure they are sticking. Place fish pieces on foil-lined pan.Repeat until all fish pieces are covered in cheese-crumb mixture, pressing any leftover crumbs on top of the fish.

Drizzle melted butter over the top of all the fish. Sprinkle with salt and paprika.

Bake on top rack of oven for about 13-15 minutes or until fish is flaky. Be sure not to over-bake or it will be dry. Serve with lemon wedge and sprinkle lemon juice on top just before eating.

This recipe can be used for any fish, but works best with white fish and not too good for a more meaty fish (like salmon, tuna, or swordfish).

Serve with salad and a side of orzo-pesto bake.

Makes 5-6 servings.

Homemade Lasagne Soup (AKA Deconstructed Lasagna)

Ingredients for the soup:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. sausage
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. fennel seed

1 1/2 c. chopped onion
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
2 bay leaves
6 oz. can tomato paste
14 1/2 oz can petite diced tomatoes
14 1/2 oz can tomato puree
4-6 cups beef or chicken stock
1-2 cups small pasta such as mini bow ties or fusilli
salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Ricotta Cheese Mixture
1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add sausage, red pepper flakes, fennel and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and brown until softened. Add garlic, oregano, basil and cook for 1 minute so that the garlic smell comes out, but doesn't burn. Add 2 Tbsp. of tomato paste and cook until the mixture becomes a rusty brown color. Then add bay leaves, the remainder of the tomato paste, petite tomatoes, tomato puree, and stock. You may need to add more petite diced tomatoes or stock to make it soupy. Bring to a boil, the reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to your likeness. While soup is simmering, make the Ricotta Cheese Mixture (recipe below). 

Note: At this point, if you don't think you will eat up the soup or if you want to freeze some of the soup, do not add the noodles (noodles don't freeze well). You can cook the noodles separately and just spoon the soup over the noodles instead of adding the noodles to the soup as per the instructions below. Otherwise, proceed as follows:

Add more stock or water if soup is too thick. You want the soup to be like soup and not a stew. Then bring mixture to a good boil. Add the pasta -- how much pasta depends upon how many noodles you want. Cook until noodle are al dente. Do not add noodles until ready to eat as the longer they cook, the thicker and more mushy the soup will become.

This obviously has too much cheese! :)

To serve soup
Put soup into a deep bowl. Place a dollop of Ricotta Cheese Mixture on top (a large rounded soup spoonful. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. If you want it extra cheesy, add more, but if you hold back, it won't be quite as cheesy and I think it is easier to eat. 

Ricotta Cheese Mixture
8 oz. ricotta cheese (half of a 15 oz. carton or make your own)
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients together until well mixed.

Summer Bruschetta

I don't use a recipe for bruschetta, but the basic ingredients are:

1 bunch fresh basil (chopped),
2-3 home-grown fresh tomatoes (chopped),
1/2 c. red onion (chopped),
 2-4 cloves of garlic (minced),
then add salt, freshly ground black pepper,
red wine vinegar

olive oil

1-2 Tbsp. high quality red wine

 

I usually do two parts red wine vinegar to one part olive oil, but I've never measured it -- so I could be way off!. I also added a splash of a good quality red wine and it was better than I've ever made it.

 

Because of the salt, the tomatoes will juice and the juice is great when you dip fresh bread into it. 

 

I usually allow the flavors to marry for at least a half hour to an hour on the counter before we eat it -- just enough time to preheat the oven, warm some french bread and/or toast it. 

 

Variety -- toast the french bread and lightly scrape fresh garlic over it when it is done toasting, then top with bruschetta.

 

Another variety -- Use freshly baked french bread cooled slightly, topped with a thin slice of fresh mozzarella cheese, topped with bruschetta and a drizzle of the "juice" from the bruschetta mixture.The cheese melts a little because the bread is still warm.

 

 

Baked Spaghetti & Meatballs with Gorgonzola Cheese

1 batch of Dave's Famous Meatballs (only make them about ping-pong ball size)
12 oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente, and drained
Homemade spaghetti sauce (see below)
Shredded Parmesan cheese (about 3-4 oz)
Shredded Italian cheese blend (about 1/2 c.)
Gorgonzola Cheese (about 1/3 cup)

Homemade spaghetti sauce

1 to 2 turns of olive oil (about 1/2 Tbsp)
1/4 c. sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 c. red wine
14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes
14.5 oz. petite diced tomatoes
3 oz. tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt/Pepper to taste
Water to thin as needed

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic, fennel seed, crushed red pepper and allow to toast until fragrant. Add red wine and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Add tomato paste, sugar, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15-30 minutes. Add water to thin as needed. Adjust spices. I like extra spicy, so I add more red pepper flakes and black pepper.

To Assemble

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 Qt. casserole dish. Place cooked spaghetti noodles in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add around 20 meatballs around the top of the noodles. Pour spaghetti sauce on top and mix slightly. Top with shredded Parmesan, Italian cheeses and sprinkle Gorgonzola cheese on top of it all. Add more cheeses as preferred. If you like the taste of blue cheese, add more. If you don't care for it, leave it out altogether.

Bake for 20-25 minutes and remove from oven. Allow to rest 5 minutes before eating.

Rachel Ray's Fancy Fake-Out: Chicken Version

I must give credit where credit is due. This recipe is from Rachel Ray and we love it. It is fast, easy and very gourmet. Here's the link to the recipe, but below is the recipe reproduced for your convenience with a few of my personal changes.

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/fancy-fake-out-chicken-version/

(Photo courtesy of Rachel Ray)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling, divided
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
• 6 slices prosciutto
• 1 large sweet onion (or 2 medium red onions), thinly sliced
• 1 medium bulb fennel, fronds removed and discarded, bulb cored and thinly sliced
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced on a bias
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 5 cloves garlic, 4 thinly sliced, 1 peeled and left whole, divided
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 loaf whole wheat ciabatta, split in half lengthwise and cut into four chunks
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup balsamic drizzle (this is NOT optional)

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons.

Spread the prosciutto slices out on the counter and place a chicken breast half onto each piece. Season chicken with salt and pepper and a tiny drizzle of EVOO, then roll it up in the prosciutto. 

Place the wrapped chicken into the hot pan seam side down and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to the oven until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. 

When the chicken is in the oven, place 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons in the same pan as you browned the chicken. Add the onion, fennel, celery, bay leaves and sliced garlic to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Cook the veggies until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken stock and white wine, and reduce for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bring up to a bubble and cook until reduced, about 5-10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, discard the bay leaves and stir in the herbs.  If you don't have fresh basil, use dried basil and add when you add the tomatoes. 

About  5-8 minutes before serving time, cut the loaf of ciabatta in half lengthwise and open up to toast it. When the ciabatta comes out of the oven, drizzle with some EVOO and rub the cut sides with the clove of garlic. Cut the two halves of the bread in half to make a total of 8 pieces of bread.

 To serve, lay 2 halves (top and bottom) piece of toasted bread down onto a plate and top each with a couple of scoops of veggie stew getting plenty of the juices to soak in. Lay a piece of chicken down onto each plate and drizzle with some of the balsamic drizzle.