Green Curry Coconut Shrimp and Noodles

12 oz. dry linguine pasta

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 Tbsp oil

5 green onions, thinly sliced, separate white part from green part

1 chili pepper, minced (I used jalapeño)

1/2 sweet onion, sliced and chopped into 2 inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 can unsweetened coconut milk (I used lite)

2-3 Tbsp green curry paste

1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce

2 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

1-2tsp chili pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro 

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add whites only of green onion and chopped chili pepper. Brown until crispy. Remove onion and peppers but leave oil in the pan. Save the onion-pepper mixture for later.

Meanwhile boil water and cook  linguine to al dente stage. Keep 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.

Add red pepper and sweet onion to pan and cook until tender crisp. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds until fragrant. Add green curry paste and stir into the veggies. Then add the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar snd chili flakes. 

Bring mixture to a boil, then add hot, drained noodles. Cook snd stir until noodles are covered. Add pasta water (maybe 1/2 cup) if not enough liquid. At this point, turn heat to medium to make sure it’s hot. 

Add shrimp to pan and submerge into the noodles and liquid to cook. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Add the cilantro and mix. 

Sprinkle with onion- peppers you set aside and the green part of the green onion. 

Serve with your favorite side or none at all. Makes 4 hearty servings. 

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.

Greek Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken

16 oz Orecchiette pasta cooked al dente
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 small English cucumber, cut into half moons
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup Greek olives, cut in half
15.5 oz can chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), drained
2 cups (about 2 large handfuls) of greens, such as chopped romaine lettuce or spinach or a combination of both
8 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled

Greek-Style Dressing
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 glove garlic, pressed through garlic press or finely shopped
1 tsp. dried oregano (crumbled)
1 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Mix well or shake in a jar to combine

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, marinaded in Italian or Greek Dressing (make another batch of the dressing listed above for this) for at least 4-6 hours, but not more than 24 hours

Directions
Right after cooking the pasta, rinse pasta with cold water to stop it from cooking. Drain well and place in a very large serving bowl (this recipe will feed about 8 people) add the olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together. Refrigerate pasta to cool it completely.

Stir the next 9 ingredients into the pasta, mixing well. These amounts are very forgiving, so it's fine if the amounts are more or less than listed above.

Add the Greek-style dressing to the pasta salad and you can either refrigerate until ready to serve or proceed to grill the chicken,

Pound raw chicken until about 1 inch thick. Grill chicken on high about 10 minutes or until juices run clear, discarding the marinade.

Cut chicken into strips or cubes. Add chicken to the pasta salad or you can serve it on the side and let each person add the chicken to their own salad. You can also add the chicken to the salad and refrigerate until ready to serve if you prefer your chicken cold rather than warm.

Serve pasta salad as a main dish or it can be a side dish. This will feed 8 people a main course or 12-15 people as a side dish. If you want to make it for a main course, you can complete the meal with a fruit salad and a tall glass of iced tea or lemonade.

This salad makes great leftovers too!

Enjoy!

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!

Chicken Paprika with Perogies

Adapted from Rachel Ray's recipe, this makes enough stew for 4 adults with leftovers. Delicious with a green salad or green veggies.

1/4 pound (about 2-3 slices) of uncured smoked bacon
3 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
1 onion, chopped (about a cup)
3 large carrots, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 green pepper, 1/2 inch chunks (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed with garlic press
1 1/2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 bay leaf
2-3 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup white wine
1-2 cups homemade chicken broth
14 oz can crushed or petite diced tomatoes

Potato-cheddar perogies (I allow 5-6 per person)

Toppings
Sour cream
grated lemon peel
chopped fresh rosemary leaves
chopped fresh chives
chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to bake perogies (or you can boil them and then fry in butter.)

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towel, leaving oil in pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan. Brown chicken, but do not cook until done. Add carrots, green pepper, onions, garlic and spices. Cook for about 3 minutes or until onion is translucent, adding additional oil,, if necessary. Add remaining olive oil in the middle (shove veggies and meat to the sides of the pan. Add flour and mix with oil until well incorporated.

Add wine and scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add broth and tomatoes. Add enough broth to make it a bit loose since liquid will evaporate while it simmers.

Simmer for about 20 more minutes or until vegetables and meat are tender. Remove bay leaf.

While stew is simmering, prepare the perogies by either method. I like to bake them.

Serve the stew over perogies or on the side. Top with desired toppings. Be sure to add grated lemon peel and rosemary because it adds a very fresh flavor!
 

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

12 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni or any shaped pasta desired
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 cups milk
5 cups (1 1/4 pound) shredded cheese (sharp cheddar and American, smoky cheddar, etc) - do not use pre-shredded cheese!
Smoked paprika (about 1/2 tsp)

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook macaroni al dente, drain and rinse to keep it from continuing to cook (unless white sauce is already made, then you can skip cooling down the pasta). While the macaroni is cooking, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Slowly blend in the flour to make a roux (be sure to put the burner on low to keep it from scorching). Mixture should be smooth and just starting to brown. Slowly stir in the milk and mustard and whisk into the butter-flour mixture until incorporated.

Heat to boiling, stirring constantly - boil one minute and then remove from heat.

Place macaroni in a large 2-3 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with vegetable spray. Place the macaroni into the casserole and place shredded cheese on top. Pour hot cream sauce on top of cheese and let it sit for a minute. Then blend it all together with the macaroni to combine.Sprinkle smoked paprika on top.

Made without Panko Bread Crumbs

Melt butter and stir in Panko bread crumbs. Brown crumbs slightly and then spread the bread crumbs on top of the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake uncovered in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 8 dinner portion servings or 10-12 side-servings.

Variety:
Chicken-Bacon Mac and Cheese: Stir in 2 cups of cooked and diced chicken and 1/4 cup sliced green onions. Top with crispy bacon (about 6 slices) that has been crumbled.

Tuna Mac and Cheese: Stir in two 6.5 oz. cans of tuna that has been drained. Can also add 1 cup of frozen peas that have been thawed.

**Updated 01/30/2020 to reflect better measurements and method.

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!!!

Stove Top Mac & Cheese

Inspired by Alton Brown's recipe, this goes great with the Ultimate Chili Mac recipe

8 oz. macaroni
4 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs
6 oz. evaporated milk
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp hot sauce (I used Emerald Coast from Pepper Palace)
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
10 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded from a block (don't use pre-shredded)

Cook macaroni in salted water until al dente. While the macaroni is cooking, whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper and set aside. Drain and return macaroni to the pan. Add butter and turn burner to low, stirring until melted. Add egg-milk mixture to the pan and stir. Quickly add the shredded cheddar cheese to the pan and stir constantly until melted. Stir about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and creamy.

Serve immediately alone or with Chili Con Carne. Makes 4 servings unless you're really hungry, then it will serve one or two people!

Ultimate Chili Mac

Nathaniel had a brilliant idea of combining a homemade mac & cheese with homemade chili con carne. This is what we made. Inspired by Alton Brown's stove top mac & cheese, we made this meal over two days. I made the chili con carne minus the beans the day before and put it in the fridge. Nathaniel made the mac & cheese which takes about 15 minutes to make -- just about the same time it takes to warm up the chili, so if you plan ahead, you've got dinner ready in under 30 minutes!

Chili Con Carne

1 lb ground chuck, cooked and drained (I rinse mine with water to take out the excess fat)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
3 Tbsp. chili powder (I use Frontier which is salt-free)
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. hot sauce (I used a Chocolate Habanero one from Pepper Palace)
14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
14.5 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies
14.5 oz can of crushed tomatoes
16 oz can of red kidney beans

Cook ground chuck in a large pot. Drain and rinse and set aside. Place the onion, pepper and garlic in the pot with a tiny bit of oil. Cook until onion becomes translucent. Add the ground beef back into the pot, then stir in the chili powder, salt and pepper making sure to coat the meat with the chili powder. Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the beans and stir.

Cover and simmer on low about 45 minutes, stirring periodically to make sure it doesn't burn. Taste chili and adjust seasonings to your personal taste. At this point you can refrigerate or freeze the chili or add the beans and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes longer. If you refrigerate or freeze the chili, don't add the beans until your warm it up to eat.

Serve with toppings or make the Stove Top Mac & Cheese recipe and serve chili on top of the macaroni & cheese.

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.

Cantwell-Style Chick'n and Dumplin's

 I won't lie -- this recipe takes a long time to make, but with planning and some help, you can make a meal of chick'n and dumplin's that your family will never forget. Sure, there are easier recipes out there, but we made this one up one weekend when we had to prepare a meal for a bunch of hungry Boy Scouts who were camping after a day of biking one-third of the way across Indiana. It was their second day of biking and it was cold. They eventually biked 190+ miles across the State of Indiana. We like to think our high-carb comfort food brought them a little bit of home while they were out on the "trail."

Chicken

1 (4-5 lb) whole chicken (or whole chicken cut up), neck and giblets removed

1 stalk celery with leaves

1 small onion

5-6 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

fresh herbs (such as parsley, rosemary, thyme)

1-2 tsp. salt

Water to cover chicken

A day in advance, or several hours ahead, prepare the chicken by placing all of the ingredients in a large stockpot. Be sure chicken is fully covered with water. Cover and boil until chicken is completely cooked (half hour to an hour). Remove chicken from broth and place in a covered bowl in the refrigerator to cool. Strain broth and place in covered bowl and cool in refrigerator. Once cold enough to handle, remove chicken from bones, shred meat and refrigerate until ready to use. Skim fat off chicken broth. Remove 8-9 cups of broth and place back into the stock pot and let it come to a rolling boil. (Freeze any leftover broth for another use.)

Dumplin's
2 cups flour
1  tsp. kosher salt
6 Tbsp. room-temperature butter
1/2 cup HOT chicken broth left over from cooking chicken
Extra flour (save any used flour on the counter for later)

In a small mixing bowl, mix flour and salt. Add butter (no need to blend). Add hot chicken broth and stir until dough starts to pull away from sides of the bowl. Place on a well-floured surface and knead in enough flour to pat out dough to about 1/8 inch. Cut dough into 1/2 inch squares using a pizza cutter. Make sure there is plenty of flour to avoid sticking to the surface. The dough will be quite soft in texture. Save the flour from the dumplin's and place in a small bowl (you will use this to thicken the dish later).

Drop half the dumplin's in the hot chicken broth. Cook for about 5 or 6 minutes (until they are firm, but not completely done. Remove with a slotted spoon into a small bowl. Add the other half of the dumplin's and cook for another 5 or 6 minutes. When they are firm, dump the first batch back into the chicken broth and add the chicken meat to the broth to heat. Simmer until dumplin's are done (about 15-20 minutes longer).

In the meantime, prepare veggies below:

2-3 stalks celery, sliced
2-4 carrots, sliced
1 large onion, diced

In a large frying pan, melt 4 Tbsp butter. Add veggies and saute' until tender (about 10 minutes). Add leftover flour from dumplin's (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup), 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. black pepper. Stir until well blended.

Dump the veggie-flour mixture into the boiling pot of chicken and dumplin's and broth. Boil until thickened, stirring constantly to avoid burning the bottom of the pan. Add more broth if it is too thick. It should be a very thick "gravy" that clings to a spoon. Adjust seasoning.

Optional: add 1 cup of frozen peas and stir. Cook until peas are thawed. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve over mashed potatoes or for less carbs, just eat the chicken with the dumplings! Warm, comforting, and high carb, so don't eat too much, but enjoy this on a cold fall or winter's night!

QUICKER RECIPE:
If you don't want to boil a whole chicken and make homemade broth, you can use 1 1/2 pounds of chicken tenders (cut into chunks or leave whole if they are small) and boxed or canned chicken broth. If you do, the broth won't be quite as flavorful, but you can probably make chicken and dumplings in about 45 minutes or less. Saute' the chicken and vegetables together and put extra butter in the pan for a richer flavor. Also, you can add milk or half and half to the "gravy" to make it creamy. Experiment with the flavors and techniques. The key is the dumplings which can still be made the same way as above.

Makes 6-8 generous 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.

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.

Pasta and Meatball Bake

For a quick meal or when company comes, try this casserole with a pocket of goodness hidden inside that is easy on the budget and easy to make. Substitutes are possible if you don't like my combo, but for those nights when you're looking for quick -- this meal can be made in less than a half hour!

16 meatballs (homemade - pull out ones you froze from this recipe the day before so they are thawed)
1 1/2 jars (36-40 oz) favorite marinara sauce (I used this Classico sauce but any will do)
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
16-oz box of mini-penne pasta (or your favorite pasta noodle)
1/2 cup to 1 cup small curd cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Extra spices like red pepper flakes, Italian spices, granulated garlic to taste
Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boiling and add the dry pasta. The pasta mentioned only takes 7 minutes to cook. Drain and add the marinara sauce to keep pasta from sticking.

While the pasta is cooking, fry zucchini and and garlic in a small amount of olive oil or butter until tender and slightly browned.

Add meatballs to pasta-marinara mixture and heat until completely warmed up. Add black pepper, red pepper flakes and any other spices you like. Stir in about half the mozzarella cheese and mix until slightly melted.

Pour a 1/4 c. of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan to coat the bottom. Add half the pasta-marinara-meatball mixture. Put the zucchini on top, then dot the top of the zucchini with cottage or ricotta cheese. Top with the remaining pasta-marinara-meatball mixture. Cover the top with the remainder of the mozzarella cheese.

Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is hot and cheese is slightly browned. Allow to rest for a few minutes.

Serve with freshly-baked bread and a tossed salad. This is enough to serve 8 hungry people. Feel free to cut the recipe in half or keep the rest for leftovers the next day. It just gets better!

Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Pasta

3 cups (dry) baby farfalle (bow tie) pasta, cooked, drained
3 cups grape tomatoes
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 large sweet onion, cut in slices or chunks
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
OR a handful of fresh spinach leaves (they will wilt as you mix the pasta and the sauce)
Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven 425 degrees. Cook pasta, drain and keep warm. Save a cup of pasta water.

Wash and dry tomatoes, put into a 4 cup mixing bowl. Add garlic, onion, olive oil, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt. Mix well and put on a foil lined baking sheet or a Pampered Chef bar pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and begin to "pop."

Place cooked pasta in a serving dish, add roasted veggies and all the juice, crushing tomatoes slightly with a spoon or fork. Add  some pasta water to keep pasta moist, start by adding no more than a quarter cup. Add parsley or spinach and mix well. Add more olive oil or pasta water as needed and adjust seasoning (add a little more red and black pepper to spice it up a bit!)

Serve as a side dish to chicken, fish or whatever you'd like! Sprinkle pasta generously with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Baked Rigatoni

1 pound ground beef (I used ground round)
1/2 large green pepper, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 to 1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 jar your favorite marinara sauce + water to rinse out the jar
1 pound rigatoni
1 1/2 c. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
3-4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small squares
Extra Parmesan cheese

Heat large pot of water to boiling, add a small amount of salt. Cook rigatoni noodles to al dente, drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a large skillet, brown ground chuck, breaking into chunks, drain and rinse meat with water to remove extra fat. Set aside. In a small amount of olive oil, saute' green pepper, garlic and onion until tender. Add spices and cook a bit more until fragrant. Add marinara sauce and water and cooked ground chuck. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer.

While sauce is simmering, combine ricotta cheese, egg and 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese until well blended.

Place half the noodles in a large baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray (I use my Pampered Chef deep dish pan). Pour half the meat sauce on noodles and mix. Add half the ricotta cheese mixture and swirl. Add the rest of the noodles, sauce and ricotta cheese and swirl the cheese to spread throughout. Dot the top with the fresh mozzarella cheese squares. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove the foil and cover top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Allow to melt and allow to stand about 5-10 minutes to rest.

Serve with a large garden salad and bread sticks. Very easy and yummy!