Pepperoni, Mozzarella & Broccoli Pasta Salad

I have been making this for a very long time and can't believe I haven't blogged it before. My family got this recipe when my sister Heather made it in Home Ec or Foods class at school and then she made it for us at home and we loved it. Now I make it for my family.

The dressing has the right amount of tang and the veggies give it a nice crunch. This is one of my favorite pasta salad recipes and now it can be yours.

Pepperoni, Mozzarella & Broccoli Pasta Salad

Dressing:

1/3 c. oil

2 T. lemon juice

1 T. cider vinegar

1/2 t. salt

Pepper to taste

1/2 t. dried oregano

Salad:

1/2 lb. rigatoni (or other pasta)

1 1/2 c. broccoli florets

6 oz. pepperoni, cut into pieces

3/4 c. green pepper, chopped

3 T. black olives, sliced

1/4 c. red onion, chopped

1/4 c. carrot, chopped

3 oz. mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain; rinse with cool water. 

Break broccoli into small pieces. Place in microwaveable dish and add 1/2 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH for about 3 minutes. 

Put pepperoni, green pepper, olives, onion, carrot and mozzarella in a large bowl. Add broccoli and pasta and toss to combine.

Whisk dressing ingredients together. Add to salad and toss to blend. Serve immediately or refrigerate to serve later. 

Chicken Bacon Garlic Alfredo Roll Ups

I'm one of those strange Americans who doesn't like bacon. I don't hate it. It's just not something that I usually choose to eat on other food and never on the side for breakfast. So when I said I was making this recipe that I found on The Recipe Critic, Sabrina said, "What? You don't even like bacon." But both of my daughters do, so I decided to make it. And guess what. I decided this tastes pretty good with the bacon. 

Not that it cuts down on much of the fat, but I actually used only 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 1 cup of 1% milk, and then just a little less butter than it called for. I also used Neufchatel cheese. 

Chicken Bacon Garlic Alfredo Roll Ups

8 lasagne noodles

2 c. chicken, cooked and shredded  

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Garlic Alfredo Sauce:

½ c. butter

1 pint heavy whipping cream (2 c.)

4 oz. cream cheese

½ t. minced garlic

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. Italian seasoning

¼ t. salt

¼ t. pepper

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese 

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray an 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water and lay them on a paper towel to remove excess water.

In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated Parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Line the bottom of the 9x13-inch pan with 1 cup of the Alfredo sauce.

Spread 2 tablespoons of the Alfredo sauce over each noodle. Take ⅛th of the shredded chicken and bacon and spread evenly over each noodle and top with about 3 tablespoons shredded cheese. Carefully roll up each lasagna noodle and place seam side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with other 7 rolls.

Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining Alfredo sauce over the top and top with remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbly.

Chicken Pasta with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce

I made this back in October, but forgot to post the recipe. I saw the pics on my computer today and now I want it again. I've been in the mood for pasta and this unique dish using cilantro and lime with an Alfredo sauce is fresh and delicious. Found this keeper at Julia's Album.

This would make a great meat-less main dish side dish too if you don't add the chicken.

Chicken Pasta with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce

2 T. olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast, sliced
Salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice 
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2/3 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, grated
8 oz. spaghetti pasta 
1 t. fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-hot heat. Generously season sliced chicken with salt and pepper, add to the hot skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until done. Remove sliced chicken from the skillet.

To the same skillet, add minced garlic, lime juice and chicken broth. Cook for 1-2 minutes on high heat, deglazing and scraping the skillet until the liquid is reduced and making sure garlic does not burn and brown too much. Mix in chopped cilantro.

Add heavy cream and milk. Bring to boil, the immediately add cheese and mix in until melted, while boiling. Then, remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, reserving some cooked pasta water.

Add pasta to the sauce, along with the half of the chicken. Mix everything in and season pasta with more salt, if needed. Top with the remaining half of the chicken and more chopped cilantro.

Southwestern Pasta with Chipotle Cream Sauce

This is a spicy pasta dish full of veggies and it's a new favorite at my house. I added fewer chipotle peppers than it calls for since we like heat, but not as much as some people do. The Hopeless Housewife shared this recipe. This dish is good with or without the grilled chicken. 

 

Southwestern Pasta with Chipotle Cream Sauce

 

8 oz. dry penne pasta

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded to 1.2" thickness

Salt and pepper

Sauce:

3 T. butter

2 small shallots, minced

6 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced

2 c. half and half

1 T. chipotle adobo sauce (from the can)

Vegetables:

1 t. vegetable oil

2 ears white corn

1 yellow pepper, sliced into 2" long slices

1 red pepper, sliced into 2" long slices

½ red onion, sliced into 1" long slices

¼ cup cilantro, chopped plus some for garnish

 

Cook pasta. Cook the penne pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, according to instructions. Drain and set aside.

 

Cook chicken. Heat grill pan or grill and cook chicken until opaque, about 3-4 minutes per side. Slice into 2" long slices and set aside.

 

Start sauce. Heat butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot sand sauté until translucent. Add chipotle peppers, half and half and adobo sauce. Let simmer over medium heat, stirring every minute or two until sauce thickens.

 

While sauce is cooking, sauté corn, red and yellow peppers and onions in vegetable oil in a separate pan over medium heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

 

When cream sauce has thickened, add the vegetables and continue to stir. Add chicken and pasta and stir well to coat pasta. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Salt to taste and serve.

 

 

Avocado Pasta

Who needs buttery Alfredo sauce when you can have a creamy, tasty, easy, sauce made with avocado and just a few other ingredients???  Thanks to Chungah for posting this recipe. It's the kind of recipe that you can switch up the veggies for whatever you have or whatever you like.

You get this from the quick sauce below!!

We've had this twice so far and will have it again for sure. The first time I only had one avocado, so I made half a recipe and it wasn't as much sauce for the amount of pasta I made as the second time. Both with more and with less were really good. The second time I used whole wheat spaghetti noodles so the color looks different.

Avocado Pasta

12 oz. spaghetti noodles

2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled

1/2 c. fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 c. olive oil

1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 c. corn kernels, drained and rinsed

 

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions, adding corn to pasta water at the last 5 minutes. Drain well.

 

To make the avocado sauce, combine avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.

 

In a large bowl, combine pasta with corn, avocado sauce, cherry tomatoes. Serve immediately.

 

Shared at PinIt Pin Party 

Tomato Balsamic Ravioli

Last week I started classes and my longer internship hours and after a long day of that, I had visiting teaching appointments. When I got home at 7:30, my daughter Sabrina asked if we could order pizza since they were hungry. I was happy to have this meal planned, knowing that it was so quick and easy. The recipe is from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts. I used a chicken and spinach ravioli, but you can use whatever kind you like. It was so good that night and then reheated the next day too.

When we were at the store buying groceries for the week and I picked up the refrigerated raviloi, Elisa asked me why I didn't just make my own ravioli. Yeah, I have time to make fresh pasta right now. Crazy girl. She's used to eating just about everything from scratch, but this still tasted great and it will save me from having to order pizza on another busy night sometime.

                        

Tomato Balsamic Ravioli

1 (14-oz) can petite diced tomatoes

1 large tomato, diced

¼ c. red onion, diced

1 T. olive oil

2 T. balsamic vinegar

¼ t. salt

¼ t. black pepper

12 oz. refrigerated ravioli

2 T. fresh basil, chopped

 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the can of diced tomatoes and onion. Saute for 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, cook ravioli according to the package directions.

 

Add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to the tomatoes. Stir in the fresh diced tomato. Cook for 5 minutes. Toss cooked ravioli with the tomato mixture. Serve with fresh basil, and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Delicious Greek Orzo

When I spotted this recipe at Taste Buds , I knew I wanted to make it. I remembered that I made a delicious orzo salad before, but didn't realize how similar it was. They did have distinct flavors even though many of the ingredients are the same and I like them both. I would have loved to have kalamata olives in it, but they're a bit of a splurge right now since I'm the only one here who likes them. I'm about to eat some of the leftovers for lunch today.
Delicious Greek Orzo

1 c. uncooked orzo
1/2 c. diced cucumber, seeds removed
1/3 c. diced red onion
1/3 c. fresh minced parsley
3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 c. diced tomato (optional)
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped, pitted Kalamata (or black) olives

Cook orzo according to package. Drain. Combine orzo, cucumber and onion in a large bowl; toss well. In a separate bowl combine parsley, lemon juice, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir well with a whisk until incorporated. Pour over orzo and add remaining ingredients. Toss gently to coat. Serve with grilled pita bread brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with a little kosher salt and warmed through on grill.

Creamy Mostaccioli With Bacon and Mushrooms

I found this recipe in a magazine or on a pasta package many years ago. I loved it, but I was always the only one at our house. I decided that I'd make it even if I was the only one who ate it. I made a chicken dish for everyone else, but just ate this as my main dish. I still love it. Elisa loved it too.

I use skim milk instead of half-and-half. Yes, skim milk with butter and bacon. I have made this without the bacon and it's still really good. I rarely buy bacon (like maybe once a year) and Elisa was excited to see that we have some left over after making this. She has started eating bacon as a snack at a friend's house. A snack? Ooooo-kay.
Creamy Mostaccioli With Bacon and Mushrooms

6-8 slices bacon, cut up
2 (4 1/2-oz.) jars mushrooms, drained
8 oz. mostaccioli pasta, uncooked
3/4 c. half-and-half
1/3 c. butter
2 t. parsley flakes
1/2 t. salt
1 garlic clove, minced
6-8 drops hot pepper sauce
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 c. sliced green onion

In medium skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove from fat and set aside. Add mushrooms to bacon fat. Cook until golden; drain; set aside.

Prepare mostaccioli according to package directions; drain. In same saucepan, combine half-and-half, butter, parsley flakes, salt, garlic and hot pepper sauce.
Heat just until butter melts, stirring frequently. Combine bacon, mushrooms, hot mostaccioli, half-and-half mixture and Parmesan cheese; toss to coat. Place on warm serving platter; garnish with green onions.

Beach Street Lemon Chicken Linguini

Wow! Two nights of new winning recipes! We really loved this one. I had never used Cajun seasoning and was hesitant to since my children don't like spice. But I used the 1 1/2 teaspoons like it Melanie suggests at My Kitchen Cafe. (She found the recipe on another great blog Deals to Meals.) It wasn't too spicy for any of the kids so next time I'll add a bit more Cajun seasoning---and there will be LOTS of next times! It is so full of flavor. Wish I could share it with all of you. You have to marinate the chicken so make sure to start early enough in the day.
Beach Street Lemon Chicken Linguini
1 lb. linguini
2 T. olive oil
Zest from one lemon
Juice from one lemon
3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Marinade:
½ c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T. Cajun seasoning (cut this down to 1 1/2 teaspoons if you want less heat but don't omit entirely or you will lose great flavor)
Juice of one lemon
2 T. minced fresh parsley
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. soy sauce
2 chicken breasts, sliced

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk lightly before pouring into a plastic bag. Pat chicken dry and toss in marinade to coat. Refrigerate 3-12 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat skillet over medium heat and pour contents of plastic bag (both marinade and chicken) into the skillet. Saute over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked. Combine juice of one lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, green onions and fresh parsley together in a small bowl. Set aside.

While the chicken is sauteing, cook linguini in boiling salted water until done; drain and return to warm pot. Pour lemon juice/olive oil/green onion mixture over pasta and mix lightly. When chicken is finished cooking, add hot pasta mixture to the skillet with the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss in parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

Mix it Up! VIII

Chicken Sausage Florentine Rigatoni
I was disappointed because I was planning to make this, but only had time to go to one grocery store before dinner and I couldn’t find any chicken sausage. I don’t like pork, but really wanted to try this recipe so I bought pork sausage. I halved the recipe and didn’t cook the spinach much. We liked it even with the pork and I will make it again, but hopefully with chicken sausage. I found this recipe at Picky Palate .

2 t. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 lb. ground chicken sausage
½ t. salt
1 (26-oz.) can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 (15-oz.) can fire-roasted tomatoes
8 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1 lb. dry rigatoni noodles
2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted down. Add chicken sausage and salt; cook until cooked through.

Place both cans of tomatoes into a food processor and process until nearly smooth. Add to skillet along with fresh basil. Reduce heat to low and simmer.

Cook rigatoni according to packaging directions. Drain and transfer to sauce. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Rosemary Focaccia
I only tried this one yeast recipe this week, but it turned out great. It is so flavorful. Thanks to Prudence Pennywise for the recipe. I used half whole wheat flour and half unbleached white flour and I will do that again.
2 t. rapid rise yeast
1 t. sugar
1 c. plus 2 T. warm water
1 T. olive oil
1/2 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
1 t. dried rosemary, chopped, or 1 T. fresh
3 cups flour Topping:
2-6 T. olive oil
1/4 c. to 3/4 c. parmesan cheese
Additional chopped dried or fresh rosemary
Black pepper

In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar, water, olive oil, pepper, salt, rosemary and half of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon. (Alternately, if you have a free standing mixer, put in all of the flour and let the machine do the work.) Work in the remaining flour, using your hands and kneading when necessary. Knead dough for five minutes. Cover and let rise for one hour. (The dough can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and store in fridge.)

Preheat oven to 425°. Press dough into a 12 inch circle. Don't worry about being perfect; you're going for rustic Italian here. Press the dough all over with your fingertips to make indentations. Cover dough with olive oil, cheese, rosemary and black pepper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve.

Sopa de Pollo con Fideos (Chicken Noodle Soup)
I made this recipe up this week when my husband was sick since he loves soup to help him feel better. He told me it was the best soup he’s ever had, probably because the mixture made in the blender (minus the enchilada sauce) is called aliño and is used in a variety of dishes in Ecuador, where he is from. The amounts in the ingredients list are estimates and you can use more or less, depending on your taste. You can use the veggies you prefer too. Next time I think I’ll sauté carrots along with the garlic and onion. I used “homemade style” egg noodles which took a bit longer to cook, but tasted great.
1 tomato, quartered
1 small green pepper, quartered
½ onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic
½ c. fresh cilantro
1 t. cumin
1 (10-oz.) can green chile enchilada sauce
Olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ onion, chopped
3 Boneless, skinless Chicken breasts, chopped
1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth
1 potato, chopped in small pieces
Egg noodles
½ c. frozen corn
1/3 c. frozen peas
Salt & pepper to taste

Place first 7 ingredients in blender; blend until mostly liquid. Set aside.
In bottom of large saucepan or pot, add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil and sauté the chicken and onion, adding garlic when the chicken is almost done. When chicken is cooked, add mixture from blender and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and cook until noodles and potatoes are done.

RASPBERRY CRUMB CAKE
This is a buttery cake with a great crumb topping. I just love raspberries! I don't have mace so I've never used it. (I don't know why I can't get the ingredients to do single line spacing. Sorry.)

FILLING:

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. cornstarch

3/4 c. water

2 c. fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries

1 T. lemon juice

CRUST:

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground mace

1 c. cold butter or margarine

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1 t. vanilla

TOPPING:

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. cold butter or margarine

1/4 c. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350°. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, water & raspberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat, boil for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Cool.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine first six crust ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat eggs, milk & vanilla, add to crumb mixture & mix well. Spread 2/3 of mixture into greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Spoon raspberry filling over crust to within 1 in. of edges. Top with remaining crust mixture. For topping, combine flour & sugar, cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in almonds. Sprinkle over top. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until lightly browned.

Symphony Cookies
The Sisters' Cafe had this great recipe. I made two batches of this, one with a regular Symphony bar and one that had toffee & almonds. They keep their shape beautifully and are so soft and chewy. I used vanilla pudding, but you can use chocolate if you like. Maybe I’ll try that next.

1 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 small box of instant vanilla pudding
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 large Symphony bar, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter, sugar, pudding mix, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Combine flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture, stirring until combined. Stir in chopped chocolate. Drop by spoonful on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cool on rack.

Mix it Up! V

Orange Chicken
I found this recipe at Cheap Dinner Date . I know the sauce has a long list of ingredients, but it is very easy. The next time I make it, I will add a little less orange, as requested by my children. I think it's very flavorful.

2 lbs. of chicken, cut up
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 eggs beaten
Sauce:
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 T. orange juice
1/3 c. rice vinegar
2 1/2 T. soy sauce
1 T. finely grated orange peel
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. ginger root
1/2 t. garlic
2 T. finely chopped green onion
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. water

Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the eggs, then in the flour mixture and fry in oil until it's cooked through. In a saucepan, combine the 1 1/2 cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Stir and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, orange peel, ginger, garlic and onion. Bring to a boil. In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Pour into sauce and stir until it thickens a little. Pour over the chicken.

Chicken Broccoli Penne Bake
Quick and easy! I didn't grill my chicken this time, but I have before and it makes it extra special.
8 oz. penne pasta, cooked
4 oz. alfredo sauce
3 oz. steamed broccoli
1 oz. diced tomato
2.5 oz grilled chicken breast
3 oz. mozzarella cheese
Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Place cooked penne in individual oven baking dish with the penne pasta hot. Pour alfredo sauce evenly over the hot pasta. Place broccoli evenly on top of the alfredo sauce, followed by chicken, diced tomatoes and then mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a pinch of shredded parmesan cheese over the entire entree. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is completely melted and light brown, about 20 minutes.

Italian-Sauced Pasta Cake
I first made this when I was a newlywed from a cookbook from my parents. Sabrina won't eat pasta except in this and she eats a lot of it. I don't go by these measurements since we have to multiply it for us. My family prefers me to make individual servings on their plate and microwave them separately. Whatever works for you. The photo is before I microwaved it. 1 (7-oz.) pkg. uncooked angel hair pasta
3 T. oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. parsley flakes
1 c. spaghetti sauce
1 oz. sliced fully cooked pepperoni
1 c. shredded mozzarella

Prepare pasta as directed on package. Rinse and drain. Place pasta in large mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Toss to coat. Set aside. Heat remaining oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, parsley and pasta, pressing into an even layer. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Invert onto 12-inch round serving plate browned side-up. Spread sauce over top of pasta cake to within 1 inch of edge. Arrange pepperoni evenly over sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Microwave at 70% (MEDIUM-HIGH) for 6 to 8 minutes, or until pasta cake is hot and cheese is melted, rotating the plate twice. Serve in wedges.

Potato Spinach Soup
I didn’t make it with the cheese, but it was good without. I think it would be good with some mushrooms thrown in too. Or you could crumble a little bit of bacon on top. I mashed some of the potatoes with a potato masher.
1/4 c. butter
1 lg. onion
2 stalks celery, cut fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c. flour
3 c. chicken broth or water
2 c. potatoes, cubed
2 t. salt
1 c. spinach, chopped
1/2 c. cream
Swiss cheese or parmesan cheese, grated

Melt butter in a pan. Add onions and celery. Cover and cook until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and stir. Blend in flour, and add potatoes, water and salt. Stir constantly until boiling. Simmer 30 minutes. Add spinach cook 2 minutes. Then add cream and mix well. Top with grated cheese.

Raspberry Almond Bars
These are rich.
½ c. butter
1 pkg. white chips, divided
2 eggs
½ c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 t. almond extract
½ c. seedless raspberry jam
¼ c. sliced or chopped toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 325º. Grease a 9-inch-square baking pan (or a 7 x 11-inch pan).Melt butter in medium, microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute; stir. Add 1 cup white morsels. Do not stir. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl until foamy. Add sugar, beat until light lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in morsel-butter mixture. Add flour, salt and almond extract; mix at low speed until combined. Spread 2/3 of batter (about 1 cup) into prepared pan. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Remove from oven to wire rack. Heat jam in small, microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds, stir. Spread jam over warm crust. Stir remaining morsels into remaining batter. Drop spoonfuls of batter over jam. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Drop Brownies
These are super easy and fudgy. Just be careful not to overbake them. They don’t really look done at first, but they are. They often stick for me, so I use my silicone baking mat or I grease the cookie sheets very lightly even though the original recipe said to use ungreased cookie sheets.2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
½ c. butter
1 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine first 3 ingredients in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes, stopping half-way through to stir. Then stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in flour.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake for 7 minutes. Cookies will be soft. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.


Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

I couldn’t find the extra serving size crust at the store so I made it with a regular one and had quite a bit of extra filling. I have since found the right crust so I’ll try it again the right way, but it was still very good and simple. I ran out of time to try it with the chocolate topping, but that can only make it better, right? I used fat-free cream cheese and no one seemed to notice or complain while they were inhaling their dessert. I found the recipe at Blogger Buffet , where it looks like you can contribute recipes if you’d like.
3 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. mini semisweet chips
1 extra serving size (9 oz.) graham cracker crust
2 T. whipping cream

Preheat oven to 450º. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir in 1 2/3 c. chocolate chips; pour into crust. Bake 10 minutes. Without opening oven door, reduce temperature to 250; continue baking 30 minutes or just until set. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Place remaining 1/3 c. chocolate chips and whipping cream in small bowl. Microwave on high 20 to 30 seconds or just until melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool slightly and spread over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until topping is set.

Fudgy Raspberry Brownies
Wow!!!! These are so good I couldn’t stop eating them so I had to give the rest away quickly.
1 c. butter
4 (1-oz.) unsweetened chocolate squares or 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. seedless raspberry jam
Glaze:
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
4 (1-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking squares

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9x13-inch baking pan. Place butter and chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds; stir until smooth; set aside.

Combine sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, until well mixed. Add melted chocolate mixture; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and salt. Beat just until mixed. Spread batter into greased pan.

Stir jam until smooth. Drop tablespoonfuls of jam evenly over batter. Swirl jam through batter using knife. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until set and brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. (DO NOT OVERBAKE.) Cool completely.

Place whipping cream in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until cream begins to boil (1 to 2 minutes). Add semisweet chocolate; remove from heat. Stir with wire whisk until smooth. Spread over brownies.

Mix it Up! IV

There are 3 different recipes on this plate. All 3 are here.

Angel Hair with Gingered Beef
This tastes like a restaurant dish and is so good. The sesame oil is essential for the best flavor.

1 c. dark stock
1 T. very thinly sliced ginger root
1/2 t. minced garlic
1 T. soy sauce
1 1/2 t. cornstarch
3/4 lb. flank steak, cut long thin strips
1/2 t. ginger powder
1/2 t. salt
1 T. oil, for cooking
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1/4 c. Julienne carrots
2 T. thinly sliced green onions
2 c. cooked angel hair pasta
1 T. sesame oil

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock, ginger, and garlic to a boil. Reduce for 3 minutes. Mix the cornstarch into the soy sauce. As you stir the stock, pour the cornstarch mixture into the stock. It will begin to thicken. Allow to boil for 1 minute, and remove from the heat.

Toss the meat with powdered ginger and salt. Heat the cooking oil in the wok until it is smoking. Add the meat, stirring, and searing it quickly on all sides. Pull the meat up the sides of the wok and add the mushrooms and carrots. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the green onions and toss all together. Drop the pasta by the handful into the fryer to create crazy noodles, fry for 45 seconds, remove and place in a bowl. Drizzle with the sesame oil. Place them on a big service platter. To the stir-fry, add the sauce and completely coat everything. Taste and adjust. Pour this over the noodles.

Fried Rice
You can also add chicken or any meat to this dish to make it a main dish.

1/3 c. green onion, chopped
1/4 c. red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. carrots, chopped
1 T. oil
3 cooked rice, cooled
1/2 c. thawed baby peas
2 t. teriyaki sauce

Put green onions, bell pepper carrots and oil in a 2-quart casserole dish and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Onions should be tender, but not too soft. Put in skillet. Over medium heat combine rice, peas and teriyaki sauce with it. Stir often until heated thoroughly.

Peppered Broccoli

1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
6 c. broccoli florets
1 c. red bell pepper strips
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in broccoli and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes or until vegetable are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Lemon Squares
These aren't as lemony as some lemon squares, especially when I don't add the lemon peel when I don't have lemons.

1 c. flour
½ c. margarine, softened
¼ c. powdered sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. grated lemon peel
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. flour
½ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix 1 cup flour, margarine and powdered sugar; press into 8-inch ungreased pan, building up sides. Bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix sugar, eggs, lemon peel, lemon juice, flour, baking powder, and salt; beat until light and fluffy, 3 or 4 minutes. Pour over the baked crust and return to oven until no indentations remain, about 25 minutes. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
The Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Muffin
I always make these in the mini muffin pans. If you don't overbake them, they are dense and chocolatey with melty chips.

3/4 cup good quality baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder (heaping)
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups sugar (or to taste)
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Set oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups or 48-50 mini muffin cups with paper liners. In a medium bowl combine cocoa and baking powder; mix to combine. Add in boiling water; mix well with a wooden spoon to combine. Add in the melted butter and vanilla; mix well.
Add in the sugar, mix well with a wooden spoon. Stir in eggs with a wooden spoon; mix until combined. Mix the flour with salt; add in the the chocolate mixture; mix well to combine (batter will be a bit on the thin side). Add/mix in mini chocolate chips or walnuts or both.

Using an ice cream scoop fill each of the muffin tins almost to the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes for muffins or 10-12 minutes for mini-muffins or until muffins are done, don't over bake!

Mix it Up! III

Lemon Apple Braid
I didn’t take a photo of the actual braid before I cut it up. I didn’t use almonds, but it’s great with them. I love this filling. It makes a pretty, delicious pastry.


1 (8 -oz.) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1/4 c. sugar
3 T. flour
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. finely grated lemons, rind of
2 medium apples, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2-1 t. grated lemons, rind of
2-3 t. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375º. Unroll crescent roll dough into 2 long rectangles on large ungreased cookie sheet. Overlap long sides to form 13x7" rectangle; firmly press edges and perforations to seat.

In medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon peel. Stir in apples until well coated. Spoon apple mixture in 2 inch strip lengthwise down center of dough.
Make cuts 1/2 inch apart on each side of rectangle at an angle. Braid strips over filling.
Bake at 375º for 18-22 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet. In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough lemon juice for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm braid.

Chicken Scampi with Linguine
Buttery and garlicky!

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg beaten
3/4 c. Italian bread crumbs
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 lb. linguine
1/2 c. butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
2 T. butter
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges


Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Dip the chicken in the beaten egg, then into the bread crumbs, which have been mixed with the grated cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread the coated chicken pieces on a rack or platter. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large skillet. Add 1/3 of the chicken pieces; sauté until golden brown. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Discard oil in the skillet, and wipe out.


Cook pasta. While pasta is cooking, melt 1/2 cup butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook 1 min. Add cooked chicken, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce. Do not allow chicken to cook further. Drain pasta, and toss with the remaining 2 tbsp butter and spoon onto a heated platter. Spoon chicken and sauce over. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with the lemon wedges.

Oreo Truffles
I made these with a migraine so I don’t know if that’s why I didn’t like them, but Elisa didn’t either. So why am I including it here? Because I took them to church and so many people asked me for the recipe. I didn’t take any photos because after I made them and tried one, I decided not to take them. Then at the last minute I took them and was glad I did. This photo is from the internet where I found the recipe.

45 Oreo cookies, divided (1 package)
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 (8-oz.) packages semisweet baking chocolate, melted

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor; reserve for later use. (This can also be done in a resealable bag with a rolling pin.). Crush the remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs and place in a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese and mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1" in diameter.

Dip the balls in the melted chocolate and place them on a wax paper covered baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops of the truffles with the reserved cookie crumbs. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in the refrigerator.
Yield: 3 1/2 dozen


Carne Asada
I knew as soon as I mixed the marinade together(minus the jalapeño) that this was going to be good. It was really cold outside so I didn’t grill it. I just cooked it in a skillet. We all loved it, and even little, picky Sabrina had 4 pieces and suggested that we have it all the time. Meat-lover Robin said, “I agree with that”.


2 pounds flank or skirt steak

Marinade:
4 garlic cloves-minced
1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped (great flavor in the stems)Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup olive oil

Lay the flank steak in a large non-reactive bowl or baking dish. Combine marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the steak. Make sure each piece is well coated. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

Preheat your grill over medium-high flame (you can also use a cast iron grill pan on high heat for stove-top cooking). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Remove the steak from the marinade. If you are cooking indoors, you may want to brush off excess marinade as the bits may burn and smoke on the hot pan. Season both sides of the steak pieces with salt and pepper. Grill the pieces for a few minutes only, on each side, depending on how thin they are, until medium rare to well done, to your preference. You may need to work in batches. Remove the steak pieces to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

Creamy Basil Parmesan Chicken & Basil

This is actually a product review, not a recipe. We all ate this up! It is creamy and full of flavor. I never buy Hamburger Helper or anything like that so I usually cruise past that part of the store, but this time, a sale sticker caught my attention. It said “Romano's Macaroni Grill” on the package and it was like half off so I thought I’d give it a try. I have since bought a few more packages to use on those days where I’m too busy to do anything else. Go to the link and get a coupon for $1.00 off a box! YUM!

http://www.restaurantfavoritesathome.com/

Roasted Potatoes with Greens
This was a nice, simple side dish. I didn’t put a cup of spinach in, just what we had left.
You can also drizzle with more olive oil and shredded Parmesan before serving.

6 small red potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup fresh spinach leaves

Preheat the oven to 400º. Place the potatoes in a single layer in a ceramic casserole dish. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook until golden. Stir in the rosemary, and cook just until fragrant. Pour over the potatoes in the dish. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the oven, and toss with the spinach leaves. Return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spinach has wilted.

Penne Arrabiata
I added a bit too much pasta, but I liked the taste of the sauce. I had a mixture of penne and rigatoni since I didn't have enough penne. I didn’t add the salami this time, but might next time. 1 lb. penne pasta
2 T. olive oil
1 c. red onions, thinly sliced
2 t. garlic, minced
6 oz. Genoa salami, cubed
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 (14 ½-oz.) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 T. tomato paste
1 T. brown sugar, packed
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/3 c. torn fresh basil leaves
1/4 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

While heating the water to cook pasta, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salami, and red pepper flakes, sauté until salami caramelizes, 5-7 minutes.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar and vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Once the water is boiling for pasta, cook pasta to al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup liquid to thin the sauce, if necessary. Transfer sauce to a larger shallow bowl. Add the drained pasta, torn basil, and Parmesan to the sauce (tearing the basil won't discolor it like cutting does); toss to coat. Serve pasta immediately.

New Recipes This Week III

I am so bad at taking photos of food even though it makes it more fun when sharing recipes. By the time I get dinner on the table, I don't think about it. I'll try to remember to take photos more often. Sorry!

Teriyaki Burger

 It is a new favorite at our house and I can't wait to eat it again. I didn't eat it with cheese, but those who did liked it.

1/3 lb. ground beef
1 hamburger bun with sesame seeds
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
1 pineapple ring
2 cups teriyaki sauce (divided into 2 separate bowls)
2 slices tomatoes
1 slice cheddar cheese

Form round burger patty. Marinate burger patty in bowl #1 of teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes. Marinate pineapple ring in bowl #2 of teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes. Remove burger patty and grill on high heat to desired doneness. Melt Cheddar cheese on top of patty while still on grill pan by covering with lid. Grill pineapple ring on medium heat for 1 minute on each side. Spread mayo on both halves of the bun. On bottom bun, place tomato slices, followed by the broiled hamburger patty with cheese (tomato on the bottom). On top of burger patty, stack the pineapple ring and shredded lettuce, the top of bun.


Penne With Beef and Mushroom Ragout

This isn't really a new recipe since I've made it before, but I hadn't made it in a long time and had forgotten how much we liked it.

8 oz. penne pasta
1 lb. boneless beef sirloin, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 T. flour
¼ t. salt
1/8 t. ground black pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 med. onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
½ lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ cans (14.5-oz.) beef broth
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. dried thyme
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile toss beef, flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl until evenly coated. Shake off excess. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon. Sauté onion until translucent and golden, about 5 minutes; add garlic during the last minute. Add mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Pour in 1 c. broth and bring to a boil; scrape any browned bits off bottom of pan. Return meat to pan and allow broth to reduce until almost evaporated. Stir in remaining broth, tomato paste, vinegar and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender and sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes; adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve over warm pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.



Chocolate Zucchini Cake



This cake is so good! I think that the frosting is essential to make it perfect. The butter from the frosting seeps into the cake and makes it more moist and delicious. I gave it to several other people and they all loved it. I will add more coconut and pecans to the frosting next time though since I love them.


1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. pure vanilla
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 c. shredded zucchini
FROSTING:
6 T. butter, softened
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. sweetened coconut
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 9x13-inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil and sugar, creaming until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves. Then, add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternately with buttermilk. Stir in shredded zucchini. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until it tests done with toothpick.


Allow cake to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine all frosting ingredients. Spread over warm cake. Broil in oven approximately 4-6 inches from the heat for about 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake and be careful not to let it burn. Cool cake completely before serving.


Light Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
These didn't taste light to me. I usually don't like the texture of low-fat baked goods, but I couldn't even tell these were low-fat. I didn't have any mini-chips so I used regular chocolate chips and they worked fine. This is one of the few light dessert recipes I have that I would make and give to friends. It made 28 muffins for me.

4 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 (16-oz.) can pumpkin
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1 t. salt
12 oz. semisweet mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400°. Greas or line 24 muffin cups. Mix first 5 ingredients together until well blended. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Blend the two mixtures together; fold in chips. Generously fill muffin cups. Bake for 16-20 minutes.