Best Macaroni & Cheese EVER

You will need:

:: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
:: 1 pound elbow macaroni
:: 8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
:: 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
:: 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
:: 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
:: 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
:: 2 cups half-and-half
:: 1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta , cut into small cubes
:: 2 large eggs , lightly beaten
:: 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
:: 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How to make:

:: Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease a deep casserole dish.  (I used my Rachael Ray Large Bubble and Brown Baker <– GAH, I LOVE that thing!)
:: In a large pot, bring water and a dash of salt to a boil.  Add the oil and then the macaroni.
:: Cook macaroni until just tender – do not over cook.
:: As your macaroni cooks, melt eight tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan.
:: Drain macaroni and return to cooking pot.
:: Stir melted butter into macaroni.
:: In a large bowl, mix all of your cheese except the cubed Velveeta.
:: Add half-and-half to macaroni along with 1 and 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta and the eggs.
:: Season with salt and pepper.
:: Stir everything until just mixed and transfer to the buttered casserole dish.
:: Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with remaining one tablespoon of butter.
:: Bake uncovered until bubbling around the edges (approximately 35 minutes).
:: Serve hot.
:: Keel over because you can’t believe how delicious this tastes!

Homemade Pierogies

Dough:

3 cups of flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

water

Cheese onion filling:

1 lb. of pot cheese

1 onion chopped

2 eggs

salt and pepper

Combine flour, salt, egg and about 3/4 cup of water.

Dough - roll 1/16" thick. Cut 4" circles - 1 tsp of filling fold and pinch.

Drop in boiling water, let rise, drain.

Crock Pot Short Ribs (a la Liz)

2 lbs Boneless short ribs
1/3 c soy sauce
2 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp honey
½ tsp Chinese spice
6 cloves of garlic minced.

Cook 5 hours.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

I had a leftover chicken carcass, so i boiled it for an hour to start the chicken broth base.  I added chicken bullion (i use the Better than Bullion paste) to make more flavorful.  I added two cans of garlic and onion diced tomatoes and a large zucchini cubed.  Boiled the zucchini in the broth until it was soft. In a separate pot, cook tortellini for two minutes and drain.  Add to soup.  Serve with bread.

Coconut Shrimp I

6 Servings, Prep Time: 10 Minutes, Cook Time: 20 Minutes

These crispy shrimp are rolled in a coconut beer batter before frying. For dipping sauce, I use orange marmalade, mustard and horseradish mixed to taste..

Ingredients

1 egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup beer

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

1-2 lbs cube steak, cut into one-inch pieces; or 1-2 lbs stew beef, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cans condensed golden mushroom soup (no substitutes!)
1 cup chopped onion
1 Tb Worcestershire sauce
1 14 oz can beef broth
8 oz button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream

In the crockpot, combine the meat, soup, onion, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, salt and pepper and beef broth. Cook on low for 5-6 hours (or on high for 3). Stir in cream cheese and sour cream about half an hour before serving, stirring every ten minutes or so.
Serve over cooked egg noodles or rice.

Chicken Murphy

3-4 large chicken breasts (cut into bite size pieces)
1-1/2 lbs. sweet sausage (cut into bite size pieces) easier to slice if slightly frozen
1 large onion sliced
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 potato per person (cubed)
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
salt, pepper, adobo (blue lid) be careful how much you use it's very salty
1/2 - 1 cup goya olive oil
1/2 - 1 cup water
(optional hot pepper (add last 10 minutes of cooking))

Combine and mix all into a large baking dish
Bake at 400 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until cooked thoroughly
Serve over white rice or egg noodles.

Cole Slaw

1/2 cup of mayo
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp milk
4 tbsp white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all together and then add
1 package of coleslaw

Chris's Sangria

1 big jug of Carlo Rossi Burgandy
1/2 pint E&J Regular Brandy
1/2 pint triple sec (actually use a little less than 1/2 pint)
1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar (according to your taste)
1 pint of OJ, add more if you need to, again to your taste
add fruit

to make a smaller batch, just half everything.

Macaroni Salad (Food Network)

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed, and drained
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup diced vine-ripened tomato (optional)
• 1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large bowl combine the macaroni, celery, onion, parsley and tomato, if using. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, sour cream and salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. Store covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

Ginger Sesame Chicken

GINGER SESAME CHICKEN

liz used 3 chicken breasts and suggested doubling the sauce

Ingredients:
2 T sesame seeds
1 T water 
1 T low sodium soy sauce 
1 T light maple syrup 
1 T sherry
 1 t fresh ginger root, minced 
 1/2 t five spice powder
 2 T flour 
 1/2 t salt 
 1/4 t black pepper 
 1 lb raw boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces 
2 t sesame oil 
3 c cooked brown rice – optional*

Directions:
1.    In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sesame seeds until lightly toasted (2-3 minutes), shaking the pan frequently. Remove toasted seeds from heat and transfer to a dish. Set skillet aside for use in step 4.

2.    In a small bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, maple syrup, wine, ginger and five spice and stir together.

3.    Place the flour, salt and pepper in a Ziploc bag and shake to mix. Add the chicken pieces and seal. Shake until chicken pieces are thoroughly coated.

4.    Add the sesame oil to the large skillet and bring to medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and cook through, flipping the chicken to brown on all sides (about 5 minutes). Pour the sauce mixture from step 2 over the chicken and stir to coat. Cook for a few more minutes until sauce is thickened and coating chicken. Add toasted sesame seeds to chicken and stir to coat (or sprinkle seeds over top of each serving). Split chicken into four servings and serve over rice if desired

Pampered Chef Balsamic Vinagrette

• 12 ounces olive oil
• 4 ounces balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cloves pressed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. 1
   Mix all ingredients well in the order listed.
2. 2
   Enjoy!

Manhatten Clam Chowder

Manhattan Clam Chowder
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001

Prep Time: -- Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: --
Level:
Easy
Serves:
6 to 8 main course servings

Ingredients
8 pounds quahog or large cherrystone clams, scrubbed and rinsed, opened clams discarded
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
3/4 cup diced carrot
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes or 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Directions
In a large stockpot bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add clams, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover, quickly stir clams well with a wooden spoon, and recover. Allow clams to cook 5 to 10 minutes longer (this will depend on the type and size of clams you are using), or until most of the clams are opened. Transfer clams to a large bowl or baking dish and strain broth through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. (You should have about 6 cups of clam broth. If not, add enough water to bring the volume up to 6 cups.) When clams are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Set clams and broth aside.

In a large heavy pot add bacon and render until golden and crispy. Pour off all fat except 4 tablespoons. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and carrots and cook for 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Do not allow to color. Add garlic, bay leaves, oregano, thyme and crushed red pepper and cook an additional 2 minutes. Increase heat to high and add potatoes, reserved clam broth, and chicken stock and bring to a boil, covered. Cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened somewhat. Add tomatoes and continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add reserved clams and parsley and season with pepper and salt, if necessary. Allow chowder to sit for up to 1 hour to allow flavors to meld, then reheat slowly over low fire if necessary. Do not allow to boil.

Here's my changes to this recipe: I went to Wegman's got already shucked clams - for the clam brother, I used an additional jar of clam juice. I omitted the carrots and added clam base to flavor this soup up. Absolutely the best chowder I have EVER MADE.

Clam Chowder

Get 1 quart of clams and broth from clams plus 4 cups of water.
Strain broth many times to get rid of sand.
Keep clams aside to clean (most time consuming part).
Add to claim broth and water:
2 large stalks of celery cleaned and diced and put leaf part of celery in whole.
2 cups of diced baby carrots.
1-1/2 cups of diced potatoes rinsed.
3 - 8oz cans of tomato sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
Bring broth and water to a simmer with vegetables, salt, pepper and sauce.  Let simmer (do not boil as you lose some of your liquid) until vegetables are tender.  Approximately 1/2 hour and then add cleaned clams into broth and vegetables for approximately 10-15 minutes.

Clams have  pocket of dark brown stuff, I remove that part and clean the rest very good.

Chicken Murphy

3-4 chicken breasts (cut into bite size pieces)
1-1/2 lbs. sweet sausage (cut into bite sized pieces) (easy to slice if slightly frozen)
1 large onion sliced
3 tablespoons minched garlic
1 cubed potato per person
1 lb sliced mushrooms
salt, pepper, adobe (blue lid)
1/2 - 1 cup goya olive oil
1-2 to 1 cup of water
optional hot pepper (last 10 minutes of cooking)

Combine all ingredients and mix in large baking dish
Bake at 400 for 1-1/2 hours or until cooked thoroughly
Serve over white rice or noodles.

Cole Slaw

1/2 cup mayo
3 tablespoons of sugar
3 tablespoons of milk
4 tablespoons of white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Mix above in medium bowl until smooth.  Add 1 package of coleslaw and for best taste, let sit for a few hours before serving.

Lady and Sons' Chicken in Wine Sauce

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Prep Time: 10 min

Inactive Prep Time: --

Cook Time: 45 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for casserole
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces (about 8 slices) Swiss cheese
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup herb-flavored stuffing mix, crushed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the chicken to a shallow buttered casserole and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Layer the cheese slices on top.
In a medium bowl, add the soup and the wine, season with salt and pepper and pour over the cheese. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top and drizzle with melted butter.* Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
*Cook's Note: If desired use more butter. \

NOTE: 
I use shredded mozzarella and no butter, I also use cream of mushroom and one package of fresh mushrooms, but have made it like the recipe says too (swapping the cheese, as I don't like swiss and the butter is just not necessary)

Chicken and Brocolli

What You Need:

·        ½ lb. angel hair pasta, uncooked

·        2 cups fresh broccoli florets

·        1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks

·        ½ c. Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing

·        2 Tbps. Soy Sauce

·        ¼ tsp. ground ginger

·        ¼ tsp. garlic powder

·        ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

How You Do It:

1.       Cook pasta in large pot, according to package directions, without salt.  Add broccoli to the boiling water the last 3 minutes.

2.      Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, cook chicken 6-8 minutes until done.

3.      Stir in dressing, soy sauce, and seasonings.  Cook additional 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

4.      Drain pasta and broccoli.  Add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.

Lemon Chicken

What You Need:

·         1 package sugar-free lemon JELL-O

·         1 Tbsp. cornstarch

·         ½ cup chicken broth

·         2 Tbsp.  Kraft Zesty Italian dressing

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 Tbsp. oil

·         1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

·         2 cups snow peas

·         1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

How You Do It:

1.       Mix dry gelatin and cornstarch in small bowl.  Add broth, dressing, and garlic – stir until gelatin is dissolved.

2.      Heat oil in large skillet.  Add chicken and cook 4 minutes, or until done. 

3.      Add snow peas and peppers, cook and stir 2 minutes.

4.      Stir gelatin mixture and add to skillet.  Cook on medium-high heat 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently.

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Dip

16 oz sour cream 1 packet Ranch dressing mix 3 oz bacon bits (in the bag not jar) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Mix together and refrigerate 24 hours. Serve with chips and/or veggies.

Slow-Cooker Thai Chicken

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Hours
Ready In: 8 Hours 15 Minutes
Servings: 4


"Chicken thighs get lots of Thai flavor when slow cooked with salsa with peanut butter, coconut milk, and fresh ginger.
Serve over lots of hot white rice."
Ingredients:
3/4 cup hot salsa
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 pounds skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup chopped peanuts, for topping
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, for topping

Directions:

1. Combine the salsa, peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger in the crock of a slow cooker; mix well. Place the chicken in the sauce, spoon mixture over chicken to coat.
2. Place the lid on the cooker and set to LOW. Cook until chicken is very tender and sauce has thickened, 8 to 9 hours. A meat thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Garnish with peanuts and cilantro before serving.

Homemade Noodles

1 beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup flour

Combine beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, milk, add enough flour to make stiff dough. Roll very thin on floured surface, let stand 20 minutes.

Rollout, let sit 20 minutes. Roll again and let sit for an hour.
Turn over for another hour, then cut into fat slices.
Drop into water for 10 minutes.

( I typically do this recipe doubled, noodles are so darned good you eat them all anyway!)

Wilma's Mahogany Beef Stew

What You Need:
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 ½ lb. boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1” pieces
• 3 ½ c. chopped onions
• 2 c. Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, UNdrained
• ½ c. hoisin sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb. (+) carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1” lengths
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water

How You Do It:
1. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in large pot over high heat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Add meat to pot; sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove meat and juices to another bowl. Reduce heat to medium and add 2Tbsp. oil. Add onions; sauté until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
3. Return meat and juices to onions, add 1c. wine, tomatoes with juice, hoisin sauce, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low; cover pot and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Add carrots and 1 c. wine. Cover; simmer 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Uncover, increase heat to medium high and boil until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes longer.
7. Reduce heat to medium low and add cornstarch mixture, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes.
8. Discard bay leaves.

Serves 6-8

Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to a simmer before serving.

Chicken Francese

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter
2 lemons, juiced
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Directions

Coat chicken with flour, then egg beat, then saute in a large skillet until almost cooked through. Drain on paper toweling.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
In a medium saucepan combine the wine, broth, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, butter or margarine and lemon juice over medium low heat. Stir together while heating slowly. When butter or margarine has melted, slowly stir in cornstarch until sauce thickens slightly. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour sauce over all.
Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Crunchy Chicken

Vegetable cooking spray
2 cups Pepperidge Farm® Four Cheese and Garlic Croutons
1 egg
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
1 cup Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce or Prego® Tomato Basil & Garlic Italian Sauce, heated
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Heat the oven to 375°F. Spray a baking sheet with the cooking spray. Place the croutons into a gallon size resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and crush the croutons with a rolling pin.
Beat the egg in a shallow dish with a fork or whisk. Dip the chicken into the egg. Add the chicken to the bag. Seal the bag and shake to coat. Place the chicken onto the baking sheet. Spray the chicken with the cooking spray.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the cheese.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1-2 chix breasts cooked and shredded. I usually make a roast chix and use the left over meat.
Onions, celery, mushrooms as much or as little as you want. Saute in oil or water until soft. Or add any veggies you want.
1-2 small cans of chic broth.
1 can of water
1 can of diced tomatoes with juice
1 tsp oregano ( my herbs are all dried but you could easily use fresh and it will taste better)
1 TBSP or more cilantro
1 tsp or more of cumin
1 tsp of chopped garlic ( I use the kind in oil)
½ tsp of chili powder
¼ tsp of garlic power
I used a bag of frozen Southwest blend veggies from Wegman's that had corn, red peppers, onions and black beans. The beans added an awesome flavor.

Cook on boil for 20 minutes stirring so it doesn’t burn. Add more water if necessary.

Top with a dollop of cheese, sour cream or tortilla strips. 106 calories before this step.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Zesty, creamy and loaded with chicken, it's no wonder why this Mexican chicken casserole is one of our top-rated recipes.

Photo by: BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER YIELD: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
COURSE: Casseroles, Main Dishes
Ingredients
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, divided
1 3/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup (2 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (about 6 chips)
Preparation
Combine broth and 1 can of chiles in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Add chicken; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning chicken once. Remove chicken from cooking liquid, reserving cooking liquid; cool chicken. Shred meat with two forks, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 can of chiles and onion; sauté 3 minutes or until soft. Add reserved cooking liquid, milk, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce; stir well. Stir in shredded chicken; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers twice, ending with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chips. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Chicken Fajitas

1 lb chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp veg oil
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 onion, sliced
2 small bell peppers, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes, drainded

Toss everything together in a large plastic bag. Dump into 9x13. Bake 400*, 30ish minutes until chicken is cooked.

Non-Cheese Cheese Sauce

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

EZ Mac & Cheese

What You Need:
• 2 cups uncooked whole-wheat-blend rotini pasta
• 3 boxes frozen cauliflower & cheese sauce (Green Giant)
• 3 wedges Laughing Cow light Swiss cheese


How You Do It:
1. Cook pasta, drain and return to pot.
2. While pasta is cooking, cook vegetables in cheese sauce according to package. Add to cooked pasta.
3. Unwrap cheese wedges and add to pasta/veggie mixture. Mix to melt and combine.

Cheeseburger Pie

What You Need:
• 1 lb ground beef
• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup dill pickle relish
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (6 oz)
• 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

How You Do It:
1. In large skillet, cook beef.
2. Stir in ketchup and heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; stir in relish and 1 cup of the cheese.
3. Spoon into ungreased 9- or 10-inch glass pie plate.
4. Separate dough into 8 triangles; roll up 1 inch on shortest side of dough. Place dough on top of meat mixture in spoke pattern with points towards center.
5. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
Bake at 375°F 15 to 20 minutes.

Mexican Casserole

What You Need:
• 1 lb ground turkey (or beef)
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 can Mexicorn - undrainded
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent sheet dough

How You Do It:
1. In large skillet, cook meat.
2. Stir in taco seasoning and corn (and its juice).
3. Pour into baking dish.
4. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.
5. Top with crescent sheet.
6. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
7. Bake at 375°F 15 to 20 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

BLT Mac & Cheese

What You Need:
• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 ½ cups uncooked whole-wheat-blend penne pasta
• 2 large yellow squash
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
• 4 wedges Laughing Cow light Swiss cheese
• 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
• 2 slices fat-free cheddar cheese



How You Do It:
1. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Set aside.
2. Cook pasta, drain, and set aside.
3. While the pasta cooks, cut squash into pieces similar to the size of pasta. Add squash to skillet, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, occasionally uncovering to stir.
4. Add spinach and tomato to the skillet, re-cover, and continue to cook for about 1 minute.
5. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach has wilted, tomatoes are soft, and excess liquid has cooked off, about 3 minutes. If needed, drain any excess liquid. Set aside.
6. Place cheese wedges in a microwave-safe bowl and stir to break them up. Add sour cream and cheese slices, breaking cheese slices into pieces as you add them. Microwave for 30 seconds, and then stir thoroughly. Microwave for another 30 seconds, or until cheeses have fully melted. Mix until smooth.
7. Add cheese mixture and cooked veggies to the pasta. Toss to coat. Stir in bacon. If needed, bring to desired temperature on the stove.

5 SPICE CROCK POT BEEF

Ingredients
1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 pounds beef chuck, cubed
Salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sherry
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
1 can beef consommé
2 red bell peppers, sliced
1 fresno pepper, minced
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup tamari (soy sauce)
1 tablespoon 5-spice powder

To serve on top:
Cooked white rice
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 fresno pepper, sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Preparation
Place a large skillet over medium heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Season both sides of the chuck with salt and pepper then toss in flour. Sear on all sides until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and place in a slow cooker. Deglaze the skillet with sherry, cook out 1 minute and pour into the slow cooker.

Add garlic, ginger, consommé, peppers, onion, tamari and 5-spice powder into the slow cooker and cover. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours until the meat is tender.
Serve with a scoop of rice and top with scallions, sliced Fresnos and slivered almonds.

LAZY BOLOGNESE-STYLE LASAGNA

INGREDIENTS

Salt and pepper
1 pound wavy lasagna noodles, broken into irregular pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
A sprinkle of ground cloves
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup white wine or an additional 1 cup beef stock
2 cups beef stock
3 tablespoons butter
2 rounded tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Serves 4


PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook to al dente.

In a Dutch oven, heat the EVOO, two turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown well. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, rosemary, cloves and lots of salt and pepper and cook until tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the wine or vegetable stock for 1 minute. Stir in the beef stock and simmer for a few minutes longer.

Pre-heat the broiler and position a rack in the center of the oven.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then the milk, and let thicken enough to coat a spoon; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Toss the pasta with the meat sauce and arrange in a casserole. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top in an even layer. Top with a layer of Parmigiano Reggiano and broil in the oven to brown the top.