Cheesy Rigatoni Bake

This is a wonderful recipe:
http://www.kitchenmonki.com/recipe/Cheesy_Rigatoni_Bake

Ingredients:
16 ounces Rigatoni Pasta
2 tablespoons Butter
1⁄4 cup Flour
1⁄2 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Milk
1⁄4 cup Water
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
2 cans Tomato Sauce, 8 oz. each
2 cups Shredded Partly Skimmed Mozzarella Cheese,
8 oz 1⁄4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour and salt until smooth; gradually add milk and water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Drain pasta; place in a large bowl. Add eggs. Spoon into greased 13x9 baking dish. Layer with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and the white sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 30-35 minutes.

Barbecued Pulled Pork

I love this recipe:
http://www.kitchenmonki.com/recipe/BBQ_Pulled_Pork


Ingredients:
2 1⁄2 pounds Boneless Pork Shoulder, trim the fat off before cooking and season with salt and pepper.
3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
1⁄2 cup Water
3 1⁄2 cups Barbecue Sauce, Tastes better with a sweet bbq sauce like Sweet Baby Ray's. (Debbie's note- I want to make a really good apricot barbecue sauce. This winter, I will perfect this)
1 package Sandwich Buns

In a small bowl, combine water, vinegar, worcestershire, and cumin. Pour over meat in slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Remove meat and discard liquid. Shred meat using two forks to pull the meat apart and return the pulled meat to the cooker. Stir in 2 cups BBQ sauce and add rest of sauce to taste. Cook on high 30-45 more minutes and serve.

Toasted Tuscan Walnut Squares

Toasted Tuscan Walnut Squares

1/2 c. walnut halves and pieces
1 pizza dough (we used the Pillsbury in a can, but Trader Joes would work, too)
2/3 c. pesto
9 oz frozen spinach (we just blanched 9 oz of fresh)
½ c. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, patted dry, cut into slices
½ c. drained artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
1 c. crumbled feta (4oz)
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (4oz)

Heat oven to 400. Spread walnuts in ungreased pan. Bake 3-7 min, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Set aside.

Lightly spray large cookie sheet or 15x10x1 inch pan with cooking spray. Unroll pizza crust dough on sheet. Press dough to rectangle. Bake 8-10 min or until edges are light brown.

Spread pesto over crust. Top with spinach, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta and mozzarella.

Bake 8-15 min longer or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with walnuts. Cut into 24 squares. Serve warm.

Mom's (and Nana's) Scalloped Potatoes

These are the cheesy potatoes that I grew up loving. I thought it was Mom's recipe, but she told me yesterday when we made them together that it was her mom's recipe. Since I have to have it all written down, I wrote while she cooked.

Mom's (and Nana's) Scalloped Potatoes

2 lbs. cheddar cheese, sliced in the food processor
5 lbs. potatoes, peeled and sliced in the food processor
Salt
Pepper
Parsley Flakes
3 cans evaporated milk

In the bottom of a big pan (like one of those disposable ones), spray with oil. Put one can of evaporated milk in the bottom. Layer with potatoes, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, cheese and then repeat all. Keep potatoes moist with evaporated milk throughout. Bake 350 for 1 hour and then turn so that the cooked top gets distributed underneath. Bake 45 more minutes and turn again. Bake until done (about 15 more minutes).

Stuffed Cornbread Chicken

This was delicious and (brace yourselves), SIGNA HAD SECONDS!!!

Stuffed Cornbread Chicken

1 (8 oz.) pkg. corn bread stuffing mix
1/4 c. melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 c. milk
3 1/2 to 4 pound chicken pieces

Combine stuffing mix and melted butter, toss well.

In another bowl, mix soup and milk. Dip chicken into soup mixture, then into stuffing mixture, pressing stuffing on with hands to coat.
Place on ungreased baking pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Ranch Chicken Wraps

Ranch Chicken Wraps

1 can jumbo biscuits
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 envelope ranch dressing
3 chicken breasts, sliced and cooked
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 15x10x1 inch baking sheet by spraying with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine oil and 1 Tablespoon dry ranch dressing mix. Combine until well blended. Separate biscuit dough into 8 rounds. Using a rolling pin, roll each biscuit into a 6 inch oval. Spread about 1 teaspoon of ranch mixture onto dough. Arrange 3-4 pieces of chicken into center of biscuit. Bring long ends of biscuit together and pinch to seal or use a toothpick to secure. Brush each biscuit with melted butter and sprinkle tops with about 2 teaspoons dry ranch dressing powder. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until light golden brown. In a small bowl, prepare dipping sauce by mixing sour cream, mayonnaise and any remaining ranch dressing mix. Serve warm wraps with prepared dipping sauce.

NOTE: The ranch envelope stuff was overkill. Too salty and not something I normally have anyway. Next time I'll use seasonings I have already.

Smokey Mountain Chicken

This one was a hit. We all loved it.

Smokey Mountain Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian-style seasoning
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
4 slices ham
4 slices Monterey Jack cheese
1/8 cup chopped green onion for topping
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, for garnish

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2 Place chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Season with pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning to taste. Bake
seasoned chicken in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until
cooked through and juices run clear.

3 When chicken is done, remove from oven and pour on barbecue sauce.
Layer each breast with slice of ham, then slice of cheese. Return to
oven and continue to bake for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
Remove from oven and top with chopped green onions and tomatoes.

Lasagna

I wanted to make a new lasagna recipe last week, but no days had enough time for me to prepare AND bake it in time for dinner. But then I remembered that I have the best husband in the world and so he made it. It was the best ever.

Lasagna

2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork sausage
2 28oz cans whole tomatoes, drained and quartered lengthwise
2 12 oz cans tomato paste
4 teaspoons chopped garlic
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
12oz mozzarella cheese

Brown the beef and pork sausage separately, drain. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, basil and salt. Heat until boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together ricotta cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

In an un-greased 13x9x2 dish, alternate layers of noodle, sauce, parmesan and ricotta mixture and then the mozzarella. You should end up with three layers. Use any remaining meat sauce to fill in the sides and top of the dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes so it firms up before cutting it.

Breakfast Burritos- for the freezer

Breakfast Burritos

12 eggs
2 tblsp butter
1/2 lb bacon
1/2 c salsa
2 c cheese
24 tortillas

Scramble the eggs and add the bacon and salsa. Warm the tortillas and then add 1/2 cup of the egg mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and then roll up into buritto. Freeze on cookie sheets and then wrap individually. To heat, wrap burrito in paper towel and microwave for 1 or 2 min. (until hot).

Freezer

Today I decided to make stuff for the freezer. I made a big pot of maple chicken, a double-batch of taco meat, a giant pot of chili, 24 dinner rolls, 12 breakfast burritos, and a bunch of hoagies. I had a fun time just cooking away and now the freezer is happy. Yay!

Beef and Pork Sugo, Round 2

I tried this again today, tweeking just a few things and I think it was FABULOUS! I loved it and don't think I'll change anything else.

Beef and Pork Sugo

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
4 tblsp olive oil
2/3 cup butter
1 yellow onion
Pepper
3 carrots (diced)
3 celery (diced)
3 cups milk
1 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cup beef stock (made from 3 cups of beef stock that has been cooked down)
4 cups chopped canned whole peeled tomatoes (and 1/2 cup juice from the can)

Heat oil and butter in a large pot. Add onion and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook to sweetness. Add carrots, celery and another pinch of salt. Cook to slightly crisp, but done. Add the meat and brown until pink is gone. Add the milk. Cook on medium low until the liquid is gone (about 1 1/2 hours), stirring when you can.

Add nutmeg, wine, stock. Cook on medium low until the liquid is gone (about 1 1/2 hours), stirring when you can.

Put tomatoes in crockpot, add the beef mixture. Cook on low for 3-5 hours, stirring when you can. (or you can keep it on the stove, just stir more frequently)

Serve over pasta of your choice (we use fettuccini) with a heap of Parmesan cheese and a glass of red wine.

Bistro Chicken Twist

This is a Pampered Chef recipe that I *LOVE*. It is so delicious and so pretty and (most important of all) so easy.

Bistro Chicken Twist

1 cup chopped cooked chicken (I use leftovers or those packets of already done)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 (11 ounce) packages refrigerated French bread dough (in the tubes like Pilsbury)
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning mix

Preheat oven to 375. Mix chicken, bell pepper, basil, Parmesan, mozzarella, mayonnaise, and garlic.

There is a seam on the bread, so place it with that side up on the cutting board. Use a knife to slice halfway through from one end to the other (so you can make a spot for the filling). If you use your fingers to spread it apart while you slice, it works really well.

Flour lightly and rull it so that it's about four inches wide with a well in the center. Repeat for other loaf.

Spoon half the chicken mixture in the center of each loaf. Then gather the edges and pinch it all closed so that they look like loaves again, only this time filled with chicken! Put one loaf on the baking stone seam side down (I'm sure a cookie sheet would work, too, but you may want to make sure it's non-stick). Put the other loaf on top of that one (seam side down) making an "X".

Crisscross ends of dough to form a large figure 8, keeping ends of dough one inch from edge of stone and leaving two 1 1/2-inch openings in center of twist.

In a small bowl, combine egg white and seasoning mix; lightly brush over dough. Cut a three-inch slit in each of the top sections of the twist to reveal filling. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over loaf (note: I use A LOT more than 2 tablespoons of Parmesan...).

Bake 30-32 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes.

Arroz con Pollo

Tonight's dinner was made at Dream Dinners and put in my freezer. Can't get much easier than that. It was delicious and we all liked it, so next time I will make it myself. Some tweeks next time will be a different salsa and add some saffron. And some more corn. I found the recipe in my Dream Dinner's cookbook, so I'm likely breaking copywrite laws here, but I'll put my tweeks in the below to make it more mine.

Arroz con Pollo

1 cup uncooked white rice
1 15-oz can black beans, drained
1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (not cob, duh)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1 pinch saffron (crumbled)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Spray on 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Prepare the rice according to the package directions. Spread the rice over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer the beans, corn, and chicken over the rice and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken broth, salsa, marinara sauce, bell pepper, scallion, cilantro, cumin and garlic and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture in equal amounts over the chicken in the baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake additional 5 minutes.

Roast Beef

I am going to do it. Yep. I am. I am going to make a roast beef. Not pot roast-ick, all stringy and soupy. A true roast beef. One that looks like this:



Only bigger.

Please send me ideas. I have only those 17 that are totally different from eachother that friends have now shared. Let's just round it out to an even 25 different ideas for roast beef.

Just because it's my phobia.

Which I am going to conquer.

Weekly Menu

Sunday: Hot Dogs and chili
Monday: Leftover Turkey Dinner from Saturday night (may make Paninis for all)
Tuesday: Arroz con Pollo
Wednesday: Soup Night
Thursday: Pesto Ravioli
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Roast Beef