Recipes by Kristen:
Lasagne Blanca
1 lb. spicy bulk pork sausage
1/2 c. chopped green onion
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. lowfat cottage cheese
4 oz. Neufchatel cheese
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 17 oz. pkg. frozen no-boil lasagne noodles, thawed(or cook twelve noodles yourself)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. dried tarragon
1 c. milk
Cook sausage and onion in a large skillet until
sausage is cooked through. Stir in 1/4 tsp. of the
garlic powder and a dash of pepper and set aside.
Combine cottage cheese, Neufchatel, 1/2 c. cheddar
cheese, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder and a dash of pepper in
a bowl. Grease a 2 qt. baking dish.
Place noodles on a clean surface. Spread cheese mix
on noodles. Sprinkle sausage mix over cheese mix.
Roll each noodle up into a spiral/pinwheel and place,
seam side down, in baking dish.
For sauce, melt butter in pan. Stir in flour and
tarragon. Add milk. Cook and stir until thick and
bubbly. Stir in 1/2 c. cheddar. Pour sauce over
rolls.
Cover and bake at 325 for 25 min. Uncover; sprinkle
with remaining cheese and bake 10 minutes more.
Parmesan Chicken and Broccoli
1 c. rice
1/2 c. sliced green onion
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 1/4 c. milk
1 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, cut up
1 1/2 c. chopped broccoli
1/2 c. grated Parmesan
Cook rice according to directions. Remove from heat
and stir in half the onion.
Cook chicken, seasoning, and garlic in skillet for 10
min., truning once. Reserve drippings.
For sauce, cook remaining onion in drippings until
tender. Stir in cornstarch; add milk. Cook and stir
over med. heat until slightly thickened. Reduce heat
and stir in cream cheese until nearly smooth. Remove
from heat. Stir in broccoli and Parmesan cheese.
Spread rice into greased baking dish. Arrange chicken
on rice. Spoon sauce over chicken. Bake covered at
350 for 10 min.
Nan's Tuna Salad
12 oz. tuna
1/4 c. mayo
2 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 large stalk celery (leaves are good to use too so don't throw those away)
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. dried mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
The keys here are to almost mince the celery and to
make sure the tuna is so smashed it's almost a cream
spread consistency.
Broccoli Lasagne
2 bunches broccoli (more if you don't eat stems)
12 dried lasagne noodles
1 15oz. carton ricotta cheese (I used low fat)
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 slightly beaten egg
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley
1 12 oz. jar roasted red sweet peppers, drained
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. milk
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz.)
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Trim and cut up broccoli (you should have about 8
cups.) Steam broccoli until crisp-tender (I used a
microwave steamer on about 6 minutes).
Cook noodles according to package. Drain, rinse, and
set aside.
For filling, combine ricotta cheese, 1/4 c. Parmesan,
egg, and parsely. Mix well. Set aside.
For sauce, puree roasted red peppers. In a large
skillet, melt butter. Stir in flour and garlic to
make a roux. Add pureed peppers, milk, basil, salt,
and pepper. Cook an stir unti thickened and bubbly.
Grease a 3 qt. casserole. Spread 3/4 c. sauce in
bottom of dish. Lay 3 lasagne noodles on top of
sauce. Spread with 1/3 of filling. Top with 1/3 of
broccoli and 1/4 of Monterey Jack. Repeat layers 2
more times. Top with remaining noodles and sauce.
Cover and bake in 425 oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle
with remaining Monterey Jack and 3 Tbsp. Parmesan.
Bake another 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes to
cool. Serves 10.
Spicy Zucchini Boats
1 lb. hot Italian sausage
4 small zucchini, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
1/4 c. plain bread crumbs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
Preheat broiler.
Crumble and cook sausage until browned.
Scoop pulp out of zuchinni halves, leaving 1/8 in.
thick shell. Save pulp and chop if needed. (My pulp
was basically shredded but they say to coarsely chop
it so obviously theirs wasn't.) Place shells, cut
side up, in microwave safe baking dish. Microwave on
high 3 minutes or until fork tender.
Drain and remove sausages. Discard all but one tsp.
fat in skillet. In remaining fat, cook zucchini pulp
4 min. or until very soft and almost all liquid has
evaporated. Remove skillet from heat and stir in
sausages, bread crumbs and all but 1 Tbsp. Parmesan.
Fill shells with sausage mix. Top with tomatoes and
sprinkle with reserved Parmesan. Broil 5 min. or
until tops are browned and tomatoes are heated
through.
Slow Cooker Vegetable Chili
1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
1 15 oz. can chickpeas
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 c. chili powder
1 4oz. can chopped green chili peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
Throw everything into crockpot, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 3-4.
Rosemary Beef Stew
2 lbs. cubed beef stew meat
3 Tbsp. oil
4 cubes beef boullion, crumbled
4 cups water
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 lg. potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. cold water
In a large pot, brown stew meat in oil. Dissolve boullion in water and pour into pot. Stir in rosemary, parsley and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer one hour.
Stir potatoes, carrots, celery and onion into pot. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water and stir into stew. Cover and simmer another hour.
Buttermilk Cheese Bread
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. water
3 1/2 c. bread flour
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. bread machine yeast
Place all ingredients in pan according to the order in your manufacturer's directions. Set crust on medium and program for the basic cycle. (Makes 1 1/2 lb. loaf size.)
Remove immediately when finished and put on cooling rack to cool.
Crockpot Chicken with Grapes
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. cooking sherry
black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. cold water
1 c. seedless green grapes
Dump chicken, butter, lemon juice, sherry, and pepper in crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water and mix that as well as grapes into pot the last hour. Before serving, shred chicken and pour over risotto prepared with onion.
Broccoli Balls
1/2 c. onion, finely chopped
1 stick butter
2 c. crumb stuffing mix
2 10 oz. Boxes frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
6 eggs
Preheat oven to 350.
Cook onion in butter until soft. Remove from heat and mix in remaining ingredients. Chill.
Drop by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 12-15 min. until lightly browned.
Spicy Garbanzo Bean and Turkey Sausage Soup
1 tsp. olive oil
3/4 lb. turkey sausage crumbled, casings removed
8 lg. garlic cloves, chopped
1 c. canned, diced, peeled tomatoes with juices
2 Tbsp. thinly sliced seeded jalapeno chili
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried
3 15-16 oz. cans garbanzo beans, undrained
2 c. canned chicken broth
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey sausage and garlic and saute. Reduce heat to medium. Add tomatoes with their juices, chilis, cumin, and rosemary. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garbanzo beans with their liquid and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 min. Stir in lemon juice.
Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with cilantro and top with sliced avocado. Serve immediately.
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
Filling:
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
dash ground cloves
Crust:
2 c. finely crushed ginger snaps
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans
6 Tbsp. Butter or margarine, melted
Mix ginger snap crumbs, pecans, and butter; press into bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a 9 in. springform pan.
Beat cream cheese, 3/4 c. sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low until just blended. Reserve 1 1/2 c. plain batter. Stir remaining 1/4 c. sugar, pumpkin, and spices into remaining batter. Spoon 1/2 of the pumpkin batter over crust. Top with spoonfuls of 1/2 reserved plain batter. Repeat layers. Cut through layers with a knife several times for a marbled effect.
Bake at 325 for 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from sides of pan; cool before removing. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Simple Savory Pork Roast
1 1/2 Tbsp. rosemary
2 tsp. gralic salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 lbs. boneless pork loin roast
Preheat oven to 325.
In a large plastic bag, mix all seasonings. Place pork in bag and shake until thoroughly coated with seasonings. Transfer to medium baking dish.
Cook for 1 hr. or to an internal temp. of 160.
Roasted Chicken Drummie Dinner
8 frozen corn on the cob nibblers (half a cob so 4 whole cobs)
16 chicken drumettes (1 1/2 lbs., these are chicken wing drumsticks)
8 small red potatoes, quartered
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1 in. pieces
1/4 c. creamy mustard mayo sauce (I used Durkee's Famous Spread)
1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. garlic pepper blend
1/4 tsp. salt
Partially thaw corn cobettes.
Preheat oven to 425. Spray 15x10x1 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, potatoes, pepper, and partially thawed corn. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat welll. Spread into baking dish.
Bake at 425 for 50 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and veggies are tender.
Cheesy Artichoke Chicken Pasta
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders, cubed
4-6 oz. roasted red peppers, chopped
1 can (15 oz.) artichoke hearts, chopped
8 oz. white American cheese
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 cups hot cooked pasta
pepper to taste
Combine chicken, peppers, artichokes, American cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and soup in a crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 15 minutes before serving, add shredded cheddar cheese and pasta. Taste and add pepper as needed. Serves 4-6.
Chicken Squares
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. cooked, cubed chicken
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 T. milk
8 oz. package crescent rolls
optional additions: chives, onion, or pimento (I used green onions)
Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and milk; mix well. Seperate crescent roll dough into 4 rectangles. Press diagonal perforations to seal. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto center of each rectangle. Pull up corners of dough, twist and pinch edges to seal. Bake at 350 on ungreased cookie sheet for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Ham and Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled apple
1 (12 oz.) can refrigerated flaky biscuits
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
Heat oven to 375. Lightly spray large cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine ham, cheese, and apple, mixing gently. Seperate dough into 10 biscuits. Press or roll 5 biscuits into 4 inch rounds and place on cookie sheet. Top with about 1/2 cup of ham mixture. Press or roll remaining 5 biscuits into 5 inch rounds and place over ham mixture. Press edges with a fork to seal. Combine egg and water; beat well. Brush over filled biscuits. Bake at 375 for 13-18 minutes or until golden brown.
Spicy Pork Casserole
1-1 1/2 lbs. pork chops or boneless pork
2 T olive oil
1 pkg. chicken flavored rice, uncooked
1 can tomato soup
1 can skim milk (using the soup can as the measure)
1 pkg. taco sauce from a taco kit
spices to taste: garlic powder, seasoned salt, pepper, etc.
Preheat oven to 400.
Brown pork chops in oil in skillet.
Mix the remaining ingredients in a casserole dish.
Place pork on top of mixture and make sure sauce covers pork.
Bake 40 minutes covered in foil.
Tuscan Cheese Straws
1 1/2 c. flour
8 T butter
1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp. rosemary, dry and finely chopped
1/4 tsp. pepper, coarsely ground
1/4 tsp. salt
Add all ingredients in a bowl and blend until a firm dough forms. (Incidentally, mine never did form a dough so I added water until it was the consistency I thought it wanted.) Cover and refrigerate 45 minutes. Roll out doung 1/4 think on a floured board. Cut into strips 3 inches by 1/2 inch. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or lightly browned. Cool before serving.
White Bean Dip
1 lg. can Great Northern Beans
2 T lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 T diced white onion
1/4 c. olive oil
seasoned salt, pepper, parsley, etc. to taste
Rinse beans thoroughly and place in a bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and then mash all together with a potato masher.
Refrigerate for an hour to allow flavors to meld.