Mac and cheese

• 
• 2 cups of dried elbow macaroni
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 4 tablespoons of butter, plus 1 for the bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 slices of french bread cubed (about 1 cup)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the noodles in salted boiling water for about 5 minutes. (Note: They will be baking in the cheese sauce so you don’t want to over cook them. Mushy noodles are no fun for anyone.) Rinse with cold water. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
3. In a 2 quart sauce pan melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Next add the milk, cheese, salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat until thickened about 5-7 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in a small skillet melt the remaining butter and add the bread crumbs. Cook until slightly toasted about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Once the cheese sauce has thickened pour it over the noodles and stir to combine. You want to make sure that all of the noodles are covered with the cheese sauce
8. Pour macaroni into a casserole dish and top with the toasted bread crumbs. Bake until the sauce is bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

creqmy mishroom pasta

• 
• 1/2 pound dried pasta
• 13 ounces ground mild Italian sausage (about 4 links removed from casings)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1/4 cup diced shallots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup mushroom broth
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 2 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
• salt and pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile while pasta is cooking, brown Italian sausage in a pan over medium heat. Once browned transfer to a plate.
3. In the same pan that you cooked the sausage in add two tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium heat.  Stir in mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are softened and brown.
4. Pour in wine and mushroom broth allow to cook for 5 minutes. Scrape any brown bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Return sausage to the pan.
5. Stir one tablespoon of the hot broth into the half and half to temper it.
6. Stir tempered half and half, sour cream and cream cheese into broth. Continue cooking until the cream cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened slightly, 5 -7 minutes.
7. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Stir to coat. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir once more and add chopped parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Serve.

Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tbsp parsely
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a pan.
2. Bring to a boil
3. Sauce should thicken as it boils if not, cool and add 1 tbsp of flour
4. Pour sauce over fettuccine noodles

Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients

• 4 cooked chicken breast halves (cut up)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup ripe olives
• 1/2 cup mushrooms
• 3 cup grated cheddar or colby cheese
• parmesan cheese
• 9 lasagna noodles (cooked)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion

Directions

1. Grease 9 x 13 inch pan
2. Blend soups, olives, mushrooms, sour cream, onion, and chicken
3. Alternate layers of cheese and chicken mixture
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned
5. Let stand for 5 minutes

Spaghetti

 

1 lb ground beef

1/2 c dry breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 jar pasta sauce

8 ounces spaghetti cooked

combine beef, breadcrumbs, and egg in medium bowl.  shape into 12 meatballs.  bring sauce to a boil.  gently stir in uncooked meatballs.  reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 20 minutes.  serve over hot spaghetti with grated parmesan cheese

Vegetable Soup

 

Ingredients

• 1 quart beef broth (left from the roast combined with water or add canned broth if necessary)
• 1 C. tomato sauce
• 1/2 C. minced onion
• 1 C. cabbage
• 2 C. mixed vegetables of your choice
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil, thyme or oregano (or mixed)
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 C. uncooked small pasta shells or noodles
• 1 C. leftover shredded or cubed roast beef

Directions

In a large pan bring everything but the pasta or noodles to a boil. Add pasta and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Add meat and heat through. This is good with garlic bread. This can easily be put in a crockpot on low around lunch time and be ready by supper. Save the noodles or pasta out until the last 1/2 hour

Pasta E Fagoli

 

Ingredients

• 3 tsp. oil
• 2 lb. ground beef
• 12 oz. onion; chopped
• 14 oz. carrots; slivered
• 14 oz. celery; diced
• 48 oz. tomatoes; canned, diced
• 2 C. cooked red kidney beans
• 2 C cooked white kidney beans
• 88 oz. beef stock
• 3 tsp. oregano
• 2-1/2 tsp. pepper
• 5 tsp. parsley; (fresh chopped)
• 1-1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 48 oz. spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz. dry pasta shell macaroni; or other pasta

Directions

Saute beef in oil in large 10-qt. pot until beef starts to brown. Add onions, carrots,, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper, Tabasco, spaghetti sauce, and noodles. Add chopped parsley. Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Just cut the recipe in 1/2 for smaller family needs!

Mandarine pasta salad

8 oz bowtie pasta cooked

6 oz baby spinach

1/2 cucumber peeled and sliced

1/2 c rd bell pepper sliced and chopped

1/2 c red onion chopped

2 c diced cooked chicken

1/2 c toasted almonds

1 11-oz can mandarin oranges

dressing-

1 t finelly chopped ginger

1 clove garlic

1/3 c rice vinegar

1/4 c oj

1/4 c veggie oil

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

2 T sugar

combine and toss over salad

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad

1 c italian dressing

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

4 c corkscrew macaroni

1 1/2 c croutons

1/2 c sundried tomatoes

parmesan cheese

Reserve 2/3 c dressing.  grill chicken on lightly oiled grill rack over medium hot coals  for 15 minutes or until done.  turning and brushing often with remaining dressing.  slice into thin strips.  toss macaroni, croutons, tomatoes chicken and reserved dressing until evenly coated.  top with cheese.

Pasta Fagioli

1 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cans (14 1/2 oz) reduced sodium chicken broth

2 cans (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 t italian seasoning

1/2 lb ditalini pasta

4 carrots peeled and sliced in coins

2 cans cannelini beans (15 oz)

1/4 lb capicola (spicy italian ham)

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

grated parmesan optional

heat oil in sauce pan over med high heat.  add garlic and cook 1 minute.  stir in broth and 2 c water, tomato sauce, italian seasoning.  bring to a boil , add pasta in beans, capicola salt, pepper-heat through.  serve warm with parmesan cheese.

Chicken Alfredo

3 T butter

3 T flour

1 c chicken broth

1 chicken breast

1/2 pint white cream

1/4 c parmesan

bring to a boil.  then add 1/4 c parmesan cheese, 1/2 pint whip cream.  boil and simmer.

serve over bowtie, pene, or fettuchini noodles

Skillet Mac and Cheese

2 c uncooked pasta

2 T butter

2 T flour

1 1/2 c half and half

3/4 pound velveeta-cubed

cook pasta according to package directions.  meanwhile in a large non-stick skillet melt butter over medium heat.  stir in flour until smooth.  gradually add cream, bring to a boil.  cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  reduce heat-stir in cheese until melted. 

drain pasta, add cheese mixture.  cook and stir 3-4 minutes.

Fettuccine Alfredo

3/4 lb uncooked fettuccine
6 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
dash of white pepper and ground nutmeg
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (I use the packaged grated stuff in the refrigerator section)

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. While cooking, place butter and cream in heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until butter melts and mixture bubbles. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat and gradually stir in cheese until thoroughly blended. Pour sauce over fettuccine and toss to combine. Can serve with bbq chicken.

White Chicken Lasagna

approx. 10 no-boil, uncooked lasagna noodles

1 1/2 - 2 jars (16) oz. white Alfredo sauce (thinned with a splash of milk if desired)

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

3 cups chopped or shredded chicken

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove, pressed (or 2 tsp minced garlic)

3 cups (12 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese (keep 2 handfulls for the top)

1 package (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese

2+ cups packed fresh baby spinach 

 

Mix:

1.  In a small bowl: Alfredo sauce, milk and oregano.

2.  In a separate, larger bowl: All remaining items. 

Prepare:

1.  Pour 2/3 cup of sauce mixture on the bottom of the pan.

2.  Lay a few noodles.

3.  Spread a handful of spinach over the noodles.

4.  Spread approximately half of the chicken mixture over the spinach.

5.  Pour approximately half of the sauce mixture over the chicken mixture.

6.  REPEAT!

7.  Finish the dish by topping it with a thin layer of shredded mozzeralla.

Cook:

Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Uncover and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce bubbles.

(Ann usually just covers it and lets it cook for approximately one full hour.)

Italian Sausage Spaghetti

1 package Italian turkey sausage links, cut into 1/2 pieces

1 cup diced onions

3 Tbs sugar

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

2 cloves minced garlic

28 oz can crushed tomatos (undrained)

15 oz can tomato sauce

12 oz can tomato paste

1 1/2 lbs spaghetti (so about 3 dinners for us)

I cut up the sausage and throw it in the bottom of the slow cooker. Combine the rest of the ingredients, except the spaghetti of course, pour that in over the sausage and leave it be!

Cook in crock pot on low for 8-10 hours. I usually forget to put it in until later in the day and put it on high to reduce the time. So long as the sausage is done it is fine.

Boil pasta according to the directions and viola! Meatballs and all--it is great.

Homemade Noodles

Beat 2 eggs and add 1/3 cup milk.
Sift in:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix well and add as much more flour as necessary to make a stiff dough. Roll about 1/8" thick and let dry on a floured surface for 1-3 hrs. Cut in strips. Put in boiling soup stock. Simmer about 20 minuted.

Stuffed shells

1 1/2 cups 1% lowfat cottage cheese
1 cup lowfat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg, beaten
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
14 1/2 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
16 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
2 Tbsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir well and set aside. Coat a sauce pan with cooking spray and place over medium high heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; saute until tender. Stir in tomatoes, Italian seasoning and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain well. Spoon cheese mixture evenly into shells. Arrange shells in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour tomato mixture over shells. Cover and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Spaghetti Italian Salad

1 pkg noodles-cooked
1 bottle italian dressing
2 chopped tomatoes
1 can sliced olives
parmesan cheese shredded

toss all together and enjoy!

Creamy Pesto Chicken

3 c uncooked bow tie pasta
2 T butter
1 pound ckinless boneless chicken cubed
1 can cream of chicken
1/2 c pesto sauce
1/2 c milk

cook pasta. drain.  meanwhile, heat butter in skillet.  add chicken and cook until browned stirring often. add soup, pesto and milk.  bring to a boil. cook over low heat for 5 minutes.  stir in drained pasta and heat through

makes 4 servings