Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera

1 box (16 ounces) campanelle pasta
1 lemon
6 ounces broccoli crowns
4 Tbl butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 bag (8 ounces) sugar snap peas
8 ounces asparagus, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
1 cup carrot chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

Heat large covered sauce pot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Ass pasta and cook as label directs. Meanwhile, grate peel from lemon. Trim broccoli crowns into florets; cut stem crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices. In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook 5 mins or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add sugar peas, asparagus, carrots and broccoli and cook 6 to 8 mins or until tender-crisp, stirring frequently. In colander, drain pasta. return pasta to sauce pot. Add cream, salt, crushed pepper, grated lemon peel and vegetable mixture; gently stir to combine. Remove sauce pot from heat. Set aside 1/4 cup cheese and 1/4 parsley; add remaining cheese and parsley to pasta and toss to combine. Transfer pasta to large warm serving bowl or platter, sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley to serve.

Oh Barbara

Oh Barbara

1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup nuts optional
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cool whip
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
2 (3 oz) pkg. vanilla pudding
2 (3 oz) pkg. chocolate pudding

Blend flour, softened butter, and nuts together. Press in to a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 mins. Blend powdered sugar, cool whip, and softened cream cheese. Spread over cooled crust. Make vanilla pudding according to pie filling instructions on box. Spread over last layer. Make chocolate pudding according to pie filling instructions on box. Spread over last layer. Top with more cool whip (I usually just finish off the container). Put in fridge if you leave it over night the crust is a little softer but if you don't like it that way then an hour should be fine. I also top mine with chocolate shaving it just adds an extra touch.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

1 lb dry ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
1 (16 ounce) container cottage cheese
3 cups mozzarella cheese
2 eggs

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 mins; drain. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 mins. Preheat oven to 350. Mix cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, and eggs. Layers as follows 1/2 of ziti, 1/2 cheese mixture, and 1/2 spaghetti sauce; repeat. Top with more mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 mins or until cheeses are melted.

Sour Dough Pancakes

Sourdough Pancakes

2 tsp yeast
1/4 cup warm water (almost hot, but still warm)

Combine and let sit 5 minutes. Add....

5 cups flour
4 1/2 cups luke warm water

Beat until smooth like snot. Let rise overnight, you probably want to put a plate underneath because sometime it does overflow. In the morning add...

3 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
pinch less than 2 tsp salt

Grill on hotter than normal griddle.

Hot Cocoa

Hot Cocoa

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups powdered milk
3/4 tsp vanilla

Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in saucepan; stir in water. Cook and stir over medium hear until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 mins. Stir in milk and heat. DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat; add vanilla.

Bean Soup

Bean Soup

1 lb. ground beef browned
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can navy beans
1 can corn
1 can crushed/diced tomatoes
1 can rotelle
1 can green beans (drained)
1 packet ranch dip
1 packet taco seasoning

Mix together and heat in crock pot for 6-8 hours. Serve with corn bread.

Oven-Fried Chicken

Oven-Fried Chicken

6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 cups buttermilk
3 Tbl honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
8 chicken thighs
2 cups corn flakes, lightly crumbled
2 tsp herbs de Provence
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

In large bowl, with whisk, mix garlic, buttermilk, honey, salt, and pepper until well blended. Add chicken, turning to coat; cover and refrigerate at least 30 mins or up to overnight. Preheat over to 400. In small bowl, combine cornflakes, herbs, and oil. Line rimmed baking pan with foil. Remove 1 chicken thigh from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Dip chicken, skin-side down, into corn flakes mixture to evenly coat; place chicken in prepared pan. Repeat with remaining chicken and corn flakes mixture. Press any leftover cornflakes onto chicken. Bake 30 to 35 mins to until browned and internal temperature reaches 165.

Hot Cider

Hot Cider

1 1/2 Cups sugar
4 cups water
2-3 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice
2 qt. apple cider (I just use make apple juice from concentrate)
6 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate

Combine sugar, water, and spices. Bring to a boil; boil a minimum of 5 mins, but longer gives it more flavor (it's best to boil it until the water turns a little brown and smells wonderful). Add the juices. Heat and serve. It's great with glazed donuts.

Chicken Crescents

Chicken Crescents

2 pkgs. Crescent rolls

4 cups cooked chicken or turkey, chopped

6 oz. cream cheese

4 t butter

4 t onion, chopped

4 t milk

Mix cream cheese and butter; add onion and milk. Add chicken, and combine well. Take two crescents and pinch together to form a rectangle. Place 1/2 cup of chicken mixture in center. Bring up corners to secure. Repeat with remaining crescent rolls. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with gravy. Makes 8 crescents.

BBQ Grilled Chicken Burgers

BBQ Grilled Chicken Burgers

3 slices whole wheat bread or wheat bun halves

1 package (16 ounces) ground chicken or turkey

2 celery ribs, diced (about 2/3 cup)

2 large egg yolks

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2/3 cup)

1 1/3 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tb. olive oil

1 can (16 ounces) whole cranberry sauce

1 (8-count) package wheat buns

1. In food processor with knife blade attacked, pulse 2 bread slices until small crumbs form. Transfer to large plate. Into medium bowl, tear remaining slice of bread into 1/2 inch pieces. Add chicken, celery, egg yolks, onion, 1/3 cup barbecue sauce, salt, and pepper and gently mix until well blended.

2. Form chicken into four 1-inch-thick patties. Gently press both sides of patties into breadcrumbs. For even cooking, press a small well in top center of patties.

3. Brush oil on grill pan. Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning once to brown both sides. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 8 to 9 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 F, turning burgers 3 to 4 times.

4. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix cranberry sauce with remaining 1 cup barbecue sauce. Place burgers on bottom half of wheat buns; top each with 2 Tb. barbecue sauce. Replace top half of buns to serve. Refrigerate remaining barbecue sauce in airtight container to use within 2 weeks.

* I don't have a food processor so I just did all the bread by hand. Also I found 2 egg yolks too much I just used one egg, I used the whole thing not just the yolk. I've been making the patties in my George Foremen and that has been working really well (thanks Adam and Danelle).

* I doubled the recipe cause we had a bunch of people over. I still had some left over so I made it into a meatloaf. I really liked that I cooked for 45 min at350. Then pored the barbecue cranberry sauce on top and cooked it an additional 15 mins at 400. Loved it.

Guacamole

Guacamole

2 jalapeno or chilies, dices (or 2 Tbsp canned chopped green chilies)

2 ripe lg avocados

2 Tb lime or lemon juice

2 Tb finely chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

dash of pepper

1 clove of garlic, chopped (1/2 tsp)

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

Mash avocados then add all ingredients and mix. Chill in the fridge for an hour. Serve with chips.