Fettuccine with Spinach Pesto

the goods:

12 oz. fettuccine noodles

Course salt and ground pepper

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

2 T. pine nuts, plus more for serving

1 garlic clove

1 tsp. grated zest, plus 2 T. juice from 1 lemon

1/4 c. EVOO

1. Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 c. pasta water; immediately drain pasta and then return to the pot.
2. While pasta is cooking, place spinach, Parmesan, nuts, garlic and lemon zest and juice in a food processor. Process until a paste forms. While the processor is running, add oil and 1/4 c. cold water; process until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Add to pasta; toss. Adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until sauce is thinned slightly and coats fettuccine (you may not need all the water).
3. Serve. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and pine nuts, if desired.
   

   photo, compliments of martha stewart

Croissant French Toast with Fresh Strawberry Syrup

This is SO completely yummy, it's scary. A friend of mine had this for Mother's Day and posted the recipe on her blog. I had to try it. So here it is..........

the goods:

4 large day-old croissants

3/4 c. milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 T. butter

3 T. powdered sugar

1. Slice the croissants in half lengthwise.
2. Whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into a shallow dish. Dip croissant halves into egg mixture, coating well.
3. Melt 1 T. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 croissant halves, and cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until a golden brown.
4. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; top with sweetened whipped cream and fresh strawberry syrup.

Fresh Strawberry Syrup

1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. orange liqueur or orange juice

1 tsp. grated orange rind

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and let stand for 30 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until warm.

Vegetarian Burrito Bar

the goods:

1 c. brown rice

1 3/4 c. chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 (15 oz) can refried beans

flour tortillas

sour cream

shredded cheddar cheese

romaine lettuce, shredded

salsa

guacamole

In a small pot, bring rice and broth to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes (if white rice reduce cooking time to 15 minutes). Remove pan from heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, warm beans and 1/4 c. water over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Wrap tortillas in foil and place in the oven at 350 degrees to warm them, about 8-10 minutes.

Let everyone build their own burrito and chow down!

Spinach, Ham and Rice Casserole

This was a new recipe that we tried the other night, and we really liked it. My girls actually ate it too. Surprisingly they like spinach! YEA! This is another recipe that is super easy when you want to hurry and throw something together and let it bake.

the goods:

2 pkgs. (10 oz. each), frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

2 c. prepared rice

2/3 c. whole milk (i don't use whole milk)

2 large eggs

1 c. Gruyere cheese, grated

1 T. EVOO

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. dry white wine

1/2 lb. ham, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine spinach, rice, milk, eggs, 3/4 c. Gruyere cheese, 1 and 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
2. In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add ham and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Add ham mixture to the spinach mixture and stir to combine. Transfer to an 8-inch baking dish; top with remaining cheese.

Bake until warmed through and golden brown on top, 25-30 minutes.

Chicken and Asparagus Stir-Fry

This is one of our favorite meals. Chad and I Chinese food. So I'm always looking for new things to make to help our cravings so we're not eating out all the time. This recipe is not only yummy, but extremely easy!

the goods:

2 T. cornstarch

1/4 c. cooking wine (optional)

1/4 c. vinegar

1 T. oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried ginger

2 chicken breasts, sliced

1/4 c. green onions

6 1/2 oz. fresh asparagus (i usually put the amount that we like as a family in)

2 T. soy sauce

1/4 c. water

1/3 c. slivered almonds

brown rice

1. Heat pan or wok over high heat, add oil and swirl to coat.


2. "Velvet" chicken. Add cornstarch, cooking wine, and 1/4 c. vinegar in a bowl. Mix. Add sliced chicken and coat with mixture.


3. Meanwhile, add garlic, ginger, and chicken. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, or until the chicken changes color.

4. Add green onions and asparagus and stir fry for a further 2 minutes or until onion is soft.
5. Stir in soy sauce and 1/4 c. water. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender and veggies are tender crisp. Sprinkle with almonds.

Serve over brown rice or noodles.

Mountain Pancakes

We used to have these all the time growing up. I think they are technically called German Pancakes, but as a child we always called them Mountain Pancakes because when they came out of the oven, they really looked like mountains.

the goods:

3-4 T. butter

1 c. milk

1 c. flour

6 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a 9x13 pan, melt butter in the oven.
3. Meanwhile, mix the next for ingredients with a mixer. Blend well.
4. When butter is melted, pour mix into your hot pan and place immediately back in to the oven.
5. Bake @ 425 degrees for 25 minutes.
6. Cut into squares and serve with jam, honey, syrup, or powdered sugar.

Chicken and Spinach Pasta

picture compliments of rachael ray

the goods:

1 lb. whole wheat penne rigate

3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 bay leaf

1 T. EVOO

2 T. butter

1 onion, finely chopped

3-4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

black pepper

2 slightly rounded Tablespoons flour

1/2 c. dry white wine (or chicken stock)

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. cream or whole milk

a few grates of nutmeg

1 c. grated asiago cheese or provolone

1 (10 ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, defrosted, wrung dry and separated

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts in water, drained well and chopped

freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for your pasta. Salt you water and cook pasta al dente.
2. Meanwhile, poach chicken. Place chicken in a small pan, and add water to top of meat but do not cover completely. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil, reduce heat and gently simmer to cook through 10-12 minutes. Shred meat into small pieces with 2 forks.
3. While chicken cooks heat EVOO in a large, deep saute' pan over medium heat. Melt butter into oil and add onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle flour over cooked onions and garlic and stir one minute then whisk in white wine (or chicken stock). Add 1 c. stock and cook 1 minute and then add cream and season with nutmeg. Let sauce thicken for a couple of minutes over low heat then stir in spinach and artichokes and heat through. Melt asiago or provolone cheese into sauce and turn off heat.
4. Drain pasta and toss with sauce and chicken to combine, adjusting salt and pepper to your taste. Garnish with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Chicken and Brown Rice

This meal is SO super simple, you only have to use ONE pot, and it is scrumptious! Enjoy!

the goods:

1 T. olive oil
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (i just used boneless skinless chicken breasts)
1 large yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 celery stalks, cut into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces
3 medium carrots, cut into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces
1 bay leaf
1 c. brown rice

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper, and place, skin side down, in pot.
2. Cook until golden brown on both sides, 10-12 minutes total. Add onion and celery. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, 20 minutes.
3. Add carrots, bay leaf and 1 and 3/4 cup water. Stir in rice and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the rice absorbs almost all the liquid, 40-45 minutes.

Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!!!

Baked Manicotti

This manicotti recipe is awesome! It's done a little differently than your typical manicotti recipes. The thing I enjoy the most about this recipe is that you get alot more noodle to filling ratio. Yum! Enjoy!

the goods:

tomato sauce:
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes (in juice)
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 T. EVOO
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper, optional
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried basil

Cheese Filling and Pasta:
3 c. part skim ricotta cheese
4 oz. grated parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tsp. chopped fresh basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (i use barilla, but i also want to try healthy harvest)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 tsp. salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl combine ricotta, 1 c. parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper and herbs; set aside.
4. To assemble, pour 1-inch boiling water into 9x13 baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, seperating noodles with a tip of a sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in a single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry the baking dish.
5. Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soup spoon, spread 1/4 cheese mixture evenly onto the bottom 3/4 of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish, seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is covered completely.
6. Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 30-40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 c. parmesan cheese. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving. ***The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw the manicotti in refridgerator for 1-2 days. To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.***

Pesto Presto Italian Flag Chicken

the goods:


3 T. pine nuts
8-10 leaves of basil, about half a cup
1/4 c. flat leaf parsley leaves
1 (5.4 oz) round of Boursin garlic and herb soft cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 T. EVOO
salt and pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
12 slices, 1/2 inch thick of vine ripe tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small pan over medium heat lightly toast the nuts then.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, pine nuts, Boursin cheese, 1/4 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano, and some salt and pepper. Process into a smooth paste. Reserve.
3. Butterfly each of the chicken breasts and pound them out lightly in a plastic bag with a dash of water, using a skillet or meat mallet. Season both sides of the chicken and divide the herb cheese mixture between the four breasts, placing a scoop on one half of each breast. Fold the flap over to enclose the cheese mixture.
4. Transfer the chicken pockets to a baking sheet and shingle 3 slices of tomato over each breast. Season with some salt and pepper, drizzle with EVOO, and sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
5. Bake the chicken pockets until cooked through and light golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve with garlic and cheese orzo alongside.

Garlic and Cheese Orzo

the goods:

salt

1/2 pound orzo

4 T. butter

3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

1/4 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 c. chopped flat leaf parsley

ground black pepper

1. Fill a large pot with water and place and place over high heat to boil the pasta. When the water reaches a bubble, season it with salt and drop the pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions then drain and reserve.


2. When the pasta is ready, place a large skillet over medium heat with the butter. Add the garlic to the pan and cook until aromatic and tender, about 1 minute. Add the cooked pasta, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and parsley to the pan. Season with pepper and toss to thoroughly combine.

Cheeseburger Chili Mac and Cheese

Like I said earlier, my camera is not working properly right now and is making it difficult to take pictures of the meals we've been eating lately. This recipe I got from Rachael!
My kids LOVED THIS! I was a little sceptical at first, but they asked to have it for lunch the next day! I'd say that's a success!

the goods:

2 T. EVOO

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground sirloin

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 T. chili powder

salt and ground black pepper

1/2 c. ketchup

1/4 c. yellow mustard

1-2 c. beef stock (depending on how liquid-y you want it)

1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni

1 1/2 c. shredded sharp yellow cheddar (sharper the better!)

1. Preheat broiler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.
2. Place a medium pot over medium-high heat with 2 turns of teh pan of EVOO, about 2 T. Add the meat to the pan and cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the onion and chili powder to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is tender, 4-5 minutes. Add the ketchup, mustard and beef stock to the pot, bring up to a bubble and simmer until sightly thickened, 4-5 minutes.
4. While the chili is working, salt the boiling water and drop the pasta in. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Then drain thoroughly and return it to the pot.
5. Add chili to the pot with the pasta and give everything a good toss. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with the shredded cheese. Place the casserole under teh broiler to melt and brown the cheese. Serve with a simple salad alongside.

Chicken, Lemon and Dill with Orzo

This meal is so extremely easy, it's ridiculous! It is one of our favorites to eat at dinner and has alot of flavor!

the goods:

4 c. chicken broth
1 T. unsalted butter
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. chicken tenderloins, cut in to 1-inch pieces
1 lb. orzo
4-6 oz. havarti cheese, broken into medium pieces
1/4 c. coarsley chopped fresh dill
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In saucepan, bring broth, 3/4 c. water, butter, salt and pepper to a boil.
2. In a 3-quart baking dish, combine chicken, orzo, havarti, dill, lemon zest and juice.
3. Pour broth mixture over orzo and stir to incorporate.
4. Bake until orzo is tender and cooking liquid is creamy, 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle parmesan on top and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Ravioli

This is one of our favorite meals. SO GOOD!
(and yes, you're right.....this is not a picture i took. my camera is not functioning correctly right now, so i have to go online and find pictures that look similar to what i make. is that cheating?). I know, cheap.

the goods:



2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, or oregano
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 pounds store-bought ravioli
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon, until sauce is thickened and reduced, 20-25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling water, just until they float to the top (pasta will continue to cook in the oven). Drain pasta; return to pot.
3. Toss sauce with pasta. Pour pasta in to a 9x13 baking dish, and sprinkle with cheeses. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Vegetarian Chili

the goods:

1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 cans (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
1-2 c. water

toppings:
avocado, sour cream, cheese tortilla chips, scallions

1. In a 5-quart heavy soup pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to softened, about 4 minutes.
2. Add carrots, chili powder and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally (be careful not to let the spices burn onto the bottom of the pan), until carrots are crisp-tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, and 1 to 2 cups of water. Simmer until slightly thickened.

Serve with desired toppings.

Pulled Pork Tacos

the goods:

2 cups salsa, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat

flour tortillas

cheese
sour cream

shredded lettuce

avocado

In a slow cooker, combine salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and salt. Add pork and turn to coat.

Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours. Using 2 forks, transfer pork to a bowl and shred, adding cooking liquid to moisten as needed.

Once pork is cooked, add to your tortilla and serve with desired toppings.

Hearty Beef Stew

This is a FANTASTIC stew to make in the winter. I woke up this morning and there was only a sinch of snow on the ground, but it was freezing outside. I thought to myself....what a perfect day to make my mom's beef stew. This really is fabulous

the goods:

2 lbs. beef stew chunks (I usually only use just over a pound and then cut them smaller because they are so big)

2 T. shortening (I use this when I feel like being naughty)

4 c. water

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic

1 T. salt

1 T. lemon juice

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. paprika

2 bay leaves

Dash of allspice

4-6 carrots, sliced

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. water

1. In a soup pot, slowly brown beef cubes in shortening. Turn often to brown meat on all sides. This should take about 15 minutes. Then add water, onion, garlic (on a toothpick, so you can retrieve it) salt, lemon juice, sugar, Worchestershire sauce, black pepper, paprika, bay leaves, and allspice. Cover with lid and simmer on low (do not boil) for 2 hours.
2. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. When mixture is almost done, add carrots and potatoes and simmer for 30 more minutes.
4. Discard bay leaves and garlic.
5. Pour 1/2 c. water and 1/4 c. flour in a shaker; shake to blend. Stir flour mixture into stew. Cook and stir until gravy thickens and boils. Serve.

Crawfish Fettucine

Okay, so this really isn't a great picture, and doesn't do this meal justice. Being from the south, this is a Bluth family favorite. It smells so good while you're cooking it, that you can hardly wait to sit down and eat it. And yes, I really am not a fan of seafood, BUT I chop the crawfish pretty small, and there is so much flavor, that you can't even tell that it's there. YUMM-O!

the goods:

1/4 c. margarine
half an onion, chopped
half a red pepper, chopped
half a green pepper, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. skim milk
10 oz. Velveeta, diced
1 pkg. cooked and peeled Crawfish Tails (you can buy in the frozen seafood section at most grocery stores)
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lb. Fettuccine noodles, cooked

1. Start cooking pasta. Then in a skillet, melt margarine and add onions, red pepper, green pepper, green onions and garlic. Saute' for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk; stir with whisk. Add diced Velveeta cheese and stir until well blended and melted.
3. Stir in chopped crawfish, Worcestershire, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook until heated.
4. Add cooked pasta to sauce and toss well. Serve.

Linguini with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto and Feta Cheese

the goods:

1 (9 oz) pkg. linguine
3/4 c. oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
1/4 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 T. slivered almonds
2 T. pre-shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1 T. bottled minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. pepper1/2 c. (2 oz) crumbled Feta cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain through, reserving 1 c. cooking liquid. Return pasta to pan.
2. While pasta cooks, place tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through black pepper), in a food processor; process until finely chopped.
3. Combine tomato mixture and the reserved 1 c. cooking liquid, stirring with a whisk. Add to pasta; toss well to coat.
4. Sprinkle with Feta.

This is another one of Melessa's recipe's. It is delicious and super dooper easy! We all really enjoy this one. It's definitely one of those meals you can throw together really quick, when you don't have a whole lot of time.

Slow Cooker Peppered Steak

This is a meal that we really enjoy having on fast Sunday's! This is, again, a recipe from Melessa. Our kids love it and it one of our favorites!

the goods:

2 lbs. beef stew meat, cubed
garlic powder to taste
1 beef bouillon cube
1/4 c. hot water
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 large green bell peppers, cut into strips
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes with liquid
3 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
Brown Rice

1. Sprinkle meat with garlic powder to taste and place in slow cooker.
2. Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar and salt.
3. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Mix in green pepper slices and continue to cook on high for 1 hour more.
4. Serve over rice.