Greek Style Mac and Cheese

1 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
One 10 ounce bag fresh bagged spinach, roughly chopped
generous pinch of salt
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups grated Havarti cheese with dill , or regular Havarti plus 1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
One 8 ounce package feta cheese, crumbled
1 - 12 ounce jar Kalamata olives, chopped
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs or panko crumbs

1. Preheat oven broiler to low. In a large pot, cook the macaroni pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon olive oil and add onions. Saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for an additional 2 - 3 minutes. Add spinach and salt. Continue to saute until spinach is wilted. Remove spinach mixture from pan and set aside.
3. Wipe the skillet dry and return to the stove over medium heat. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to skillet. When the oil is hot, whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk while adding a generous pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk over medium heat until flour smells nutty and is a light golden color. Whisk in milk and bring mixture to a boil while stirring frequently. This mixture will thicken. Simmer for about 5 minutes then remove from burner and stir in the Havarti cheese until the cheese is melted. Add feta and whisk, feta will get melty, but will stay in chunks.
3. Spoon in the sauteed spinach mixture, chopped olives, capers and sun-dried tomatoes. In a casserole dish, combine all of the ingredients with the macaroni. Mix well and top with bread crumbs. Brown under broiler for about 5 minutes before serving.

From here.

Whitefish and Vegetable Gratin

Whitefish and Vegetable Gratin
~*~Sandy~*~
A great flavor develops as the fish bakes in wine with a crumb-cheese topping. Use thin fish fillets for this dish.

1 large yellow onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 1/2 pounds whitefish fillets, such as snapper, cod, sole, or tilapia
1/4 tsp dried basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 ounces mushrooms, sliced (sub small can of mushrooms)
1 tomato, sliced
1/3 cup dry white wine (sub sherry)
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Arrange onion slices in a lightly sprayed or oiled 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Place fillets on top and sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper. Arrange mushrooms on top of fish, then tomato slices. Pour wine over all.

In a small bowl, toss bread crumbs with melted butter. Spread on top of fillets and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until fish flakes when tested with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.

Sandy's Variation: Heat 1 T oil in an iron skillet. Sauté onion slices until soft and lightly browned. Top with fish pieces, mushrooms, tomatoes, wine, and buttered bread crumbs. Transfer skillet to 400º oven to bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Salisbury Steaks with Gemelli

Salisbury Steaks with Gemelli
Jamie&kids- Taste of Home

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• Hot cooked gemelli or spiral pasta, mashed potatoes
  In a large bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, pepper and garlic. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties.
• In a large skillet, cook patties in oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.
• Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Saute mushrooms in drippings until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in the broth, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Return patties to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Serve with gemelli. Yield: 4 servings

Ravioli with Pea-Prosciutto Sauce

Ravioli with Pea-Prosciutto Sauce
Foodnetwork Magazine

- 1 lb cheese ravioli
- 4 oz proscutto
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 3 sliced garlic cloves
- 1 TBSP tomato paste
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Chopped parsley
-parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook as the label directs.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and prosciutto and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Ladle in about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and simmer until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

About 2 minutes before the ravioli are done, add the peas to the boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain the ravioli and peas and add to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sauce. Stir in the parsley. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese

Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese
CindyJ courtesy of Rachael Ray

Salt
1 pound semolina or whole wheat penne
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups milk
Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped artichokes, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
Black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian Fontina cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.
While the pasta water comes to a boil, place a medium pot over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons, and the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook the veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes. Then heat the broiler and position rack in the middle of the oven.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute then whisk the wine into the pan, cooking for another minute to burn off the alcohol. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, spinach, artichokes, salt and pepper to the sauce and simmer until thickened and vegetables are warmed through, 2-3 minutes more. Add 1 cup of each of the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.
Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle some more Fontina and Parmigiano over the top and bake until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Cindy's notes: I used tri-colored fusili, instead of WW pasta. I also used a mixture of fontina and mozzarella cheese, since fontina was so expensive. I used 2 cans of artichokes in water, rather than frozen, since I couldn't find any.

Roasted Garlic-Parmigiano Broccoli

Roasted Garlic-Parmigiano Broccoli
Michelle (MMmom) from Food & Wine

Roasting broccoli makes it sweet; topping it with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and broiling it makes it additively crispy and almost nutty tasting. 

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 pounds broccoli, cut into long spears and stems peeled
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425°. Position a rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. In a food processor, pulse the butter with the garlic and cheese until smooth. Scrape the butter into a small bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. 

In a large bowl, toss the broccoli spears with the olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Spread the broccoli spears on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once and shifting the pans halfway through, until the broccoli is crisp-tender and browned on the bottom. 

Preheat the broiler. Return the broccoli spears to the bowl and toss with the garlic-cheese butter. Transfer the broccoli to the baking sheets, scraping all of the butter in the bowl onto the spears. Broil one pan at a time 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the butter is golden in spots. Transfer the roasted broccoli to a platter and serve.

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

1	lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1	large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2	teaspoon salt
1	cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/2	cup Original Bisquick® mix
1	cup milk
2	eggs

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.
3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Spinach Lasagna Rolls
Bethany via skinnytaste.com

• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
• 15 oz fat free ricotta cheese (I like Polly-o)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• salt and fresh pepper
• 32 oz tomato sauce
  
• 9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

Taco Crescent Bake

Taco Crescent Bake
Melissa (mom-2-four) via Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 cups crushed corn chips, divided
• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 can (15 ounces) Hunt’s® Tomato Sauce
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

• Unroll crescent dough into a rectangle; press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Seal seams and perforations. Sprinkle with 1 cup of chips; set aside.
• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce and taco seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Spoon over chips. Top with sour cream, cheese and remaining chips.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Yield: 8 servings.

Sticky Chicken (Wings)

Sticky Chicken (Wings)
kbrockwell - Southern Living Nov. 1997

• 2  pounds  chicken wings
• 3/4  cup  soy sauce
• 1/2  cup  teriyaki sauce
• 1/2  cup  butter or margarine, melted
• 1  cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon  Creole seasoning
• 1  teaspoon  dry mustard

Cut off wingtips, and discard; cut wings in half at joint.
Combine soy sauce and next 5 ingredients in a broiler pan; add chicken, turning to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour. Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Return chicken to pan.
Bake at 375° for 1 hour. Broil 5 inches from heat (with electric oven door partially open) 10 minutes or until browned. Serve with carrot and celery sticks and dip, if desired.
Kim's Notes: Haha - read the instructions! I just realized when copying this that I didn't discard the marinade - that's why it had so much sauce!

Crispy Parmesan-Ranch Chicken Breasts

Crispy Parmesan-Ranch Chicken Breasts (Strips or Tenders)
Katie (Katiedid) from Recipezaar

1 cup crushed corn flakes
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (1 ounce) package hidden valley ranch dry ranch dressing mix
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup melted butter

Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Set oven to 350 degrees F. In a shallow dish mix together the cornflake crumbs with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder (if using) black pepper and dry ranch dressing mix. Place the melted butter in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken breast or strips into the melted butter, then roll into the cornflake mixture. Place in prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (strips or tenders or chicken strips might take less time).
Katie's Notes: I used plain bread crumbs instead of corn flakes and egg substitute instead of the melted butter. I cut my chicken into large nugget size pieces. I baked them for about 20 minutes, turned them over and then turned up the heat to 400 for about 5 minutes and finally broiled them for a few minutes to get them a little crispier.

Tortellini Primavera

Tortellini Primavera

• 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese or 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, dill or chives or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots and snap peas, or 16-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 16-ounce package frozen cheese tortellini

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Meanwhile, whisk broth and flour in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture to the pan, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese, tarragon (or dill or chives) and salt.
3. Add vegetables and tortellini to the boiling water; return the water to a simmer and cook until the vegetables and tortellini are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain; add to the pan with the sauce and stir to coat.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tortellini_primavera.html

Molten Cheese Gnocchi

Molten Cheese Gnocchi---
Summer aka The Skipper Bunch via myrecipes.com

2lbs Russet Potatoes
4c Gouda Cheese, grated
3/4c heavy cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
1-2 c flour
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

---Preheat oven to 350. Bake potatoes until tender and look slightly dried out, about 1- 1 1/2 hrs. In a small bowl, mix together 3c cheese and cream, set aside. When potatoes are cool enough, peel discarding perls. Mash potatoes in a large bowl. Mix in egg, salt and 1c flour, affing just enough adfitional flour to make dough pliable and not sticky. Turn onto a floured work surface, knead 10-12 times. Divide dough and cover one batch with a damp cloth. Roll other batch into a 3/4" in think rope and cut into 3/4" long pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten intoba 2" circle with fingers or bottom of a floured glass. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Top each fough piece with 1/2 tsp cheese mix. Gather dough up around filling, pinch to seal, then roll into a ball, repeat with all dough. Working in batches, drop dough into water, don(t crowd them. Boil until they rise to surface 4-5 min, cook 8-10 more sec, remove and drain with a slotted spoon. Melt butter in a 4qrt baking, turn gnocchi in melted butter. Sprinkle with pepper and remaining cheese. Broil in oven until browned on top, about 5 min. Sprinkle with parsley.

Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi

  

1 1/2 lb fresh shrimp, shelled
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1/4 cup white wine or low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup clam juice

6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
4 oz butter
10 oz angel hair pasta
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oil in a saute pan, add onion and saute 2 minutes.

Add garlic, saute 1 minute.

Add shrimp, cook 1-2 minutes.

Add butter, wine or broth, clam juice, red pepper, salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in rapidly boiling salted water and drain.

Place on plate, serve shrimp over it.

Sweet and Spicy London Broil

Sweet and Spicy London Broil

Sadie-love via Foodnetwork

Ingredients

    1 flank steak (about 1 3/4 pound)
    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    2 tablespoons sweet paprika
    2 tablespoon light brown sugar
    1 tablespoons kosher salt
    2 teaspoons chili powder
    1 lime, zested

Directions

Preheat a broiler to high. Bring the steaks to room temperature about 20 minutes before cooking.

Mix the olive oil, paprika, sugar, chili powder, salt, chili powder, and zest in a bowl to make a paste. Rub the spice mixture all over the steak. Broil until just charred and crispy on top, about 6 minutes on 1 side. Flip the steak and cook until beginning to char, about 6 minutes more or until rare and temperature registers 115 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Place the steak on a cutting board and let rest, tented with foil for about 10 minutes. Slice across the grain and serve.

Hot Pineapple Casserole

Hot Pineapple Casserole
OP Jennifer (mom99-02)

½ cup flour
1 lg can pineapple tidbits, drained
¾ cup sugar
3 lg apples, diced
¼ lb shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup butter, melted

Place pineapple & apples in casserole dish. Mix flour and sugar and sprinkle over fruit and top with cheese. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Can double recipe for a 9x13 pan.

*note* I use a little less butter.
SHARON's NOTES I couldn't find the large 48 oz can so I used two 20 oz, just two apples and kind of eyeballed the flour and sugar.

Kathy's Delicious Whole Slow Cooker Chicken

Kathy's Delicious Whole Slow Cooker Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, skin removed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic

DIRECTIONS:

Remove skin from chicken, and empty inner cavity of contents within. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, and place inside the slow cooker.

In a bowl, stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, olive oil, honey, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Pour mixture over chicken, and cover.

Cook chicken on low setting for 8 hours, or 4 hours on high setting.


From here.

Vanilla Balsamic Chicken

Vanilla Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients

1/2  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2  cup  balsamic vinegar
1/4  cup  finely chopped shallots
1/4  cup  packed brown sugar
1/4  teaspoon  grated orange rind
1/4  cup  fresh orange juice
1  (2-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
16  skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
Orange rind strips (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into broth mixture, reserving the bean for another use. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in the bottom of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes.

Brush half of broth mixture over chicken; bake 5 minutes. Brush remaining broth mixture over chicken; bake 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 180°. Garnish with orange rind, if desired.


From here.

Sloppy Joe

Sloppy Joe
dani/danibaby1025 from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
In a large saucepan, over a medium heat cook the beef until there is no pink.  Drain off excess oil.  Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30-40 minutes.  Serve over hamburger buns, rice, egg noodles, mashed potatos, whatever suits you best.
Note-  We used 93/7 ground beef, and reduced sugar ketchup.

Easy Honey Mustard Mozzarella Chicken

Easy Honey Mustard Mozzarella ChickenOP?
Yields: 4 servings

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup prepared mustard         
lemon pepper to taste
4 slices bacon, cut in half
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place the chicken breast halves in a baking dish, and drizzle evenly with honey and mustard. Sprinkle with lemon pepper. Bake chicken 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Top each breast half with 2 bacon slice halves, and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Continue baking 10 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear, bacon is crisp, and cheese is bubbly.

Honey Dijon Pasta & Ham

Honey Dijon Pasta & Ham
Rachel~ burns-toast

Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked bow tie pasta (4 cups)
2 cups light sour cream
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups cooked ham, cubed
2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (broccoli, carrots and cauliflower)

Directions
Cook the pasta as directed on package; drain.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine sour cream, mustard and honey; mix well. Set aside. In 12-inch nonstick skillet cook ham and green onion over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until ham is lightly browned (3-4 minutes). Add vegetables. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until veggies are crisp-tender (3-5 minutes).
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cooked pasta and sour cream mixture; stir gently to coat. Cook until heated through (1-2 minutes).

Barbacoa

Barbacoa

Ingredients:

4 guijillo chiles
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cloves
10 allspice berries
1/3 cup Mexican oregano
12 sprigs fresh thyme
6 garlic cloves
1 Spanish onion, roughly chopped
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 (6 to 8-pound) beef roast
Salt and pepper
1 (2-pound) package dried avocado leaves
Large tortilla for wrap, beans, rice and vegetables of your choice.

Instructions: 

Toast chiles, cover with boiling water in a deep bowl and set aside for 20 minutes. Grind cumin, cloves, allspice, and oregano in coffee grinder. Drain soaked chiles, puree in blender the chiles, ground spices, thyme, garlic, onion, vinegar, and 1/2 cup of water. Process until smooth. Push mixture through a sieve, season beef with salt and pepper. Rub paste all over the meat. Arrange in a bowl and allow to marinate for 4 hours, refrigerated. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a deep roaster pan, scatter half of the avocado leaves on the bottom, place meat on top of the avocado leaves and scatter the remaining leaves over the meat. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Cook the beef 6 to 7 hours until meat is falling off the bone. If using lamb shoulder cook for 4 hours. Note: Fresh avocado leaves are toxic - they must be dried to be used for cooking. 

From here.

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 chipotle peppers, canned (or you can use 4 - no sauce)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 teaspoons cumin (toast and grind whole seeds)
• 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon clove (toast and grind whole cloves)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 lbs chuck roast
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 bay leaves

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/chipotle-mexican-grill-barbacoa-burritos-323815#ixzz1HiNsk33V

Sauerbraten

Sauerbraten

Ingredients

    •    2 cups water
    •    1 cup cider vinegar
    •    1 cup red wine vinegar
    •    1 medium onion, chopped
    •    1 large carrot, chopped
    •    1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, additional for seasoning meat
    •    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    •    2 bay leaves
    •    6 whole cloves
    •    12 juniper berries
    •    1 teaspoon mustard seeds
    •    1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) bottom round
    •    1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    •    1/3 cup sugar
    •    18 dark old-fashioned gingersnaps (about 5 ounces), crushed
    •    1/2 cup seedless raisins, optional

Directions

In a large saucepan over high heat combine the water, cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, onion, carrot, salt, pepper, bay leaves, cloves, juniper, and mustard seeds. Cover and bring this to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pat the bottom round dry and rub with vegetable oil and salt on all sides. Heat a large saute pan over high heat; add the meat and brown on all sides, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.

When the marinade has cooled to a point where you can stick your finger in it and not be burned, place the meat in a non-reactive vessel and pour over the marinade. Place into the refrigerator for 3 days. If the meat is not completely submerged in the liquid, turn it over once a day.

After 3 days of marinating, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Add the sugar to the meat and marinade, cover and place on the middle rack of the oven and cook until tender, approximately 4 hours.

Remove the meat from the vessel and keep warm. Strain the liquid to remove the solids. Return the liquid to the pan and place over medium-high heat. Whisk in the gingersnaps and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Add the raisins if desired. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce.


From here.

Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin

• 4 whole Russet Potatoes, Scrubbed Clean
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• ½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Freshly Grated

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Smear softened butter all over the bottom of a baking dish.
Slice potatoes, then cut slices into fourths.
In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, minced garlic, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes.
Repeat this two more times, ending with the cream mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and really bubbling. Add grated cheese to the top of the potatoes and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving by the spoonful. Delicious!

From here.

Spaghetti Casserole

Spaghetti Casserole
Cyndy (MyPB&Jelly)

1 package (16 ounces) angel hair pasta
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 jar (26 ounces) spaghetti sauce
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce. Remove from the heat.  Drain pasta. Combine soup and sour cream. In two 8-in. square baking dishes, layer half of the meat sauce, pasta, soup mixture and cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until cheese is melted.  To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed. 

Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Benihana's Ginger Salad Dressing

Benihana's Ginger Salad Dressing
(Mags via copycat)

1/2 cup minced Onion
1/2 cup Peanut Oil
1/3 cup Rice Vinegar
2 tablespoons Water
2 tablespoons minced Fresh Ginger
2 tablespoons minced Celery
2 tablespoons Ketchup
4 teaspoons Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon minced Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds or until all of the ginger is well−pureed.

Chicken Carbonara Risotto

Chicken Carbonara Risotto

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

-1 Tbsp Veg Oil

-1 lb b/s chicken breasts

-1 can cr chicken soup

-1 cup frozen peas

-1 1/2 cups milk

-2 cups minute rice

-1/4 cup real bacon bits

-1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese



DIRECTIONS:

HEAT oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until cooked through.

ADD soup, peas and milk; bring to a boil. Stir in rice; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes.

STIR in bacon bits and Parmesan cheese.

* Or substitute grated Romano cheese.

Saucy Mozzarella Patties

Saucy Mozzarella Patties:
(Jessica)

ingredients:
1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
or
16-24 oz homemade marinara/pasta sauce
1 lb ground turkey (or meat of your choice)
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
butter or margarine
olive or veggie oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or fave melting cheese)
1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

*Place ground meat into a large mixing bowl.
*Add egg & incorporate into meat.
*Add 1 cup bread crumbs.
*Add salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste.
*Combine ingredients by hand until well-blended.
*Heat non-stick frying pan.
*Melt about 1 TB of butter & about 1 TB of olive oil in pan.
*Put 2 cups bread crumbs into flat dish.
*Measure 1/3 cup of meat with a 1/3 measuring cup & flatten meat into a patty, like a hamburger.
*Press patty into dish with bread crumbs to coat/bread patty.
*Cook patty in butter & olive oil just until both sides are browned.
*Depending on size of pan, cook 3-4 patties at once.
*Place patties in a flat baking dish, sprayed with cooking oil if desired.
*Repeat until all of meat mixture is used.
*Spoon some sauce onto top of each patty.
*Sprinkle with Parmesan.
*Sprinkle with mozzarella.
*Drizzle more sauce on top of cheese.
*Bake at 350* until cheese is melted and bubbly, but not brown; about 15-20 minutes.
*Makes 6-8 patties.
*For kids, 1/4 measuring cup of meat is a great serving size

Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentinecindybakedababy -paula dean

Servings: 6-8 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time: 30 min
Difficulty: Easy

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
6 chicken breast halves (about 4 pounds), cooked, boned, and shredded
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Remove the outer wrappers from the box of spinach. Open 1 end of each box. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, until thawed. Drain the spinach and put into a large bowl. Add the shredded chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, to taste, and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the spinach and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.
Place the mixture into an 11 by 7-inch casserole dish or 2 (9-inch) square disposable aluminum foil pans that have been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula. Combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top. Dot with the butter. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes until bubbly.

Freezer directions:

Wrap the uncooked casserole securely with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil. Place each pan into a plastic freezer bag and seal. Place into freezer.

Allow casserole to thaw 24 hours in refrigerator. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and foil

Cindy's notes: Serve over rice, I used rotisserie chicken instead of making breasts.

Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

 Ingredients

• 1 whole Large Onion
• 1 whole Pork Shoulder ("pork Butt") - 5 To 7 Pounds
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
• 2 cans Dr. Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay them in the bottom of a large dutch oven.

Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.

Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.
Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.

Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.
Serve on warm flour tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado slices, salsa, and whatever else you’d like.

From here.

Mediterranean Chickpea Burgers

Mediterranean Chickpea Burgers
Everyday Food (March 2011)Subscribe to Everyday Food 
Serves 4
Active time: 20 mins  |  Total time: 20 mins
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces feta cheese
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup bulgur
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound ground beef chuck (95% lean)
1/3 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
nonstick cooking spray
4 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, mash feta with the back of a fork until smooth. Stir in yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a small heatproof bowl, combine bulgur and 1/2 cup boiling water. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse chickpeas until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and add beef and mint. Drain bulgur and add to chickpea mixture. With your hands, mix until mixture is evenly combined and holds together when pressed into a ball. Divide into four 1-inch-thick patties and season with salt and pepper.
Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Add patties and cook until browned and crispy on the outside and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once. Serve on buns with sliced cucumber, tomato, and feta-yogurt sauce.
MEATLESS: Use 1/2 cup more bulgur and replace beef with 3 ounces shredded cheddar (1 cup) and 1 egg white.

Parmesan Risotto

Parmesan Risotto

6 cups chicken stock
2 Tbs. butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped finely
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
3/4 cup white cooking wine
2 cups cooked, diced chicken (I used rotisserie)
1 cup frozen peas
2/3 cup grate parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. of cayenne (if desired)
Parsley for garnish

In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring often until the rice turns opaque, 2-3 minutes. Do not allow rice to brown.
Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until it is almost completely absorbed. Stir in 2 cups of stalk, or enough to barely cover the rice. Continue to cook, stirring almost constantly, until nearly all the liqued is absorbed. Repeat, each time adding more stock to cover the rice and stirrin until the liquid is almost absorbed, until the rice grains are tender but still slightly firm at the center, 20-25 mintues. During the last 3 minutes, stir in the chicken and peas to heat through. When the rice is just cooked, make a final addition of 2/3 cup of stock to give the risotto a creamy consistency.
Remove form the heat and stir in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cayenne, if desired. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 for main dish, 6-8 for side dish.
Recipe adapted from Williams and Sonoma Chicken.

From here.

Baked Onion Rings

Baked Onion Rings

1 medium onion, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
2 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Italian seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup crushed corn flake crumbs
salt to taste
olive oil baking spray (I used my Misto)

Place slices of onion in a shallow dish. Pour the buttermilk over the top and let them soak for about 1 - 2 hours, refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Combine panko, bread crumbs and corn flakes in a large dish, season with salt.

Dip each soaked onion ring into the crumb mixture; coat well. Place rings onto two cookie sheets. Lightly spray with oil. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

From here.  

Beer and Onion Braised Chicken

Beer and Onion Braised Chicken

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large chicken thighs with skin and bones
3/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2-3 medium onions, halved from root to stem, and thinly sliced
3 teaspoons (packed) dark brown sugar, divided
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup beer: ambers and dark lagers shine here
1/2 cup beef stock
1 to 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1/2 pound small creamer potatoes
1 medium turnip, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
2 scallions, white parts only, chopped, for garnish

Preparation:
1. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and allspice. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until brown, about 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate.
2. Add onions and 2 teaspoons brown sugar to skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and sauté until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Mix in bay leaves, mustard, and remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar. Add chicken, skin side down, then beer, broth, and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots, potatoes and turnip. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover skillet and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce thickens, turning chicken occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and more vinegar, and garnish with scallion, if desired.
Serves 4.

From here.