Lasagna Soup

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound lean ground beef (or half Italian sausage)..I used Hot Italian Sausage
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 TBS minced garlic cloves, ­
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes…more if you like some “kick”
• 1 (24 oz.) jar Prego Traditional Italian Sauce
• 8­-10 cups low­ sodium chicken broth. Once it is cooked you will add more to the soup for a good consistency or you can leave it thick
• 1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 4-oz can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)
• 2-3 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 10 uncooked lasagna noodles, broken into approx. 2 inch pieces Cheese Garnish
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup cottage cheese…both mixed together
• freshly finely grated Parmesan cheese 
• fresh Basil for garnish

Saute Ground Beef, Sausage and onion in large soup pot until browned.  then add garlic and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds.  Then drain excess fat.

Add Prego Sauce, 6 cups of Chicken Broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, spices and lasagna noodles. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer until lasagna noodles are tender..about 20-30 mins.

Now, mix your “cheese mixture” ingredients together and then dish out your soup and top with as much or as little cheese mixture as you want!!

• 
• Now, go and enjoy…it is the BEST and even better, the next day!!

Thank you Jen@Carlsbad Cravings.com for this delicious recipe!!!

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Mac & Cheese with Broccoli & Bacon

This I made from the May issue of Cooking Light. So EASY and SOOO darn good!

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked large or regular elbow macaroni
• 3 cups prechopped broccoli florets
• 6 bacon slices, cooked crispy, then cooled and then crumble and put in bowl and put aside
• 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic from a jar is just fine!
• 1 1/4 cups 1% low-fat milk…or whole milk..or better yet, 1/2 & 1/2
• 1 cup chicken stock (such as Swanson)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour $
• 10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/4 cups) and i also used some blue cheese that I had on hand!! That was yummy!

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. 2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add broccoli to same pot  during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain both
3.  While pasta cooks, place bacon in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, drain then crumble; reserve 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in pan.
4. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to drippings in pan; cook 4 minutes. Sprinkle with garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with turmeric; cook 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
5.  Combine remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, milk, stock, and flour, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Add pasta mixture and 2 ounces cheese; toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 3 ounces cheese and bacon. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and just begins to brown.
6. Let cool about 5 mins and then dish it up!! You will see nothing but empty plates and people asking for more!!

This feeds 4 people with a little extra for seconds…and there WILL be seconds!!!

THANK YOU Ann Taylor Pittman, Cooking Light (with a little adaptions of my own!)
MAY 2014

Grape Tomatoes Pasta Sauce

Left over grape tomatoes, garlic, onion, EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), some turkey bacon and capers (all on hand) made a great sauce to top some angel hair pasta for an easy pasta dinner!! EASY!!!!

Ingredients

4 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1 shallot, sliced thinly or yellow onion…whatever is on hand

2 TBS minced garlic…from the jar is just perfect!

3 Slices Turkey BAcon (optional)

2 sprigs of basil, sliced into ribbons

2 TBS Capers (optional)

1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

8oz cooked pasta such as angel hair or spaghetti

Instructions

Put olive oil into a hot pan on medium-high heat

Add in the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, be careful not to burn

Add in the shallots or onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes

Saute garlic in EVOO

Add in the tomato halves and sauté a few minutes until soften and juices start flowing

Add in half of the basil and stir, cook a few minutes to let the sauce thicken up a little bit

Add in half of the cheese and stir, cooking a few more minutes to combine

Add the cooked pasta into the pan and toss to mix

Top with Parmesan Cheese & more Basil and Voila!!

Mac & Cheese All Grown Up

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
• 6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 c grated parmesan
• 5  cups milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (do taste and add more if you like)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 4  cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)
• 2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (about 10 ounces) or 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 5 ounces) ( I use BOTH!!!)
• 1 pound elbow macaroni

Directions

1. Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 4-5  minutes, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and put aside
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, Parmesan cheese and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.
3. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.
4. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
5. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 4 cups cheddar cheese, and 2 1/2 cups Gruyère or 1 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside.
6. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce and stir, tasting and adding spices as needed
7. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Put prepared breadcrumbs over top. Bake at 375 covered for 20 mins and then uncovered until browned on top, about 30 minutes TOTAL.  Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.

Cook’s Note

You can divide this recipe in half; use a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.

***Thank you Martha Stewart for guidance in this recipe!!****

******I added diced ham, asparagus and 2 roma tomatoes seeded and diced**** Add whatever!!!

Sherry Wine/Mushroom Sauce with Ravioli

Sweet Sherry Wine Reduction w/Portobello Mushrooms

Serves 5-6 people

• INGREDIENTS
• 1-2 lbs Ravoli of choice

• 1 TBS butter/1 TBS EVOO

• 1 lg Shallot, minced

• 1 TBS minced garlic (from jar is fine)

• 1 cup Red Pepper, julienned

• 1 lb Portobello Mushrooms or Baby Portobello Mushrooms, sliced

• 1 cup Dry Sherry Wine

• 1 cup Half & Half

• 1 TBS chopped Basil

• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

• S & P to taste

• Candies Slivered Almonds

• **make a roux with equal amt of butter & flour, and put aside.**

DIRECTIONS:

START WATER TO BOIL FOR RAVOLI THEN TIME ACCORDINGLY!!!

1. Melt Butter & EV olive oil in saute pan. Then add shallots and garlic and cook about 2” until shallots are softened. Next, add the red peppers and cook another 2-3 minutes until soft.

2. Add mushrooms and continue cooking, and season with S & P for about 2-3 mins.

3. Now add wine and turn up the heat. Stir & scrape the bottom of the pan and stir until liquid reduces to half.

4. Now add ½ & ½ and turn heat down, and stir until that liquid reduces. If mixture is too watery, add some of the roux to thicken.

5. Add the Parmesan cheese, basil and take off heat. Place Ravioli’s on plate and cover with sauce, add parsley and top with candied almonds!!!!!!

Scarselletti Family Spaghetti Sauce

Scarselletti Spaghetti Sauce

Feeds 6-8 hungry people

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 -28 oz can diced peeled tomatoes & ½ can water
• 1 -28 oz can tomato puree & ½ can water
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste & ½ can of water
• 1 onion to float to absorb grease
• bacon grease if you have it on hand, otherwise Olive Oil

• 3-4 lb bone in loin of pork cut up into large pieces or better yet, pork country ribs with NO bones
• 1 lb of both hot sausage & mild sausage cut into pieces
• 1 lb pepperoni cut into pieces
• ½ lb ground beef (not lean because you want the fat for taste)
• ½ lb ground pork (to mix with beef for the meatballs)

• parsley, chopped and put aside
• 2 garlic cloves, minced & put aside
• garlic powder
• kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese ( grated and put aside)
• 1 cup basil (fresh would be great) chopped and put aside
• 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 egg, scrambled

 

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Open all the cans of tomato products and put in a large pot or dutch oven.  For each can, add ½ of the can with water and swish around then add to pot.

2.     Add seasonings…garlic, garlic powder, ¼ c of basil, parsley…do this to taste and remember, you can ALWAYS add. Salt & pepper

3.     Take all the meats and brown them on all sides and then add to the sauce.  I use bacon grease but olive oil is just fine.

4.     Take a whole peeled onion and put it in the pot just to float around

5.     When everything is in the pot, turn it down to a low heat, cover and let the meat do its magic!!!! I let it cook for at least 4-5 hours.

MEATBALLS:

Take the 1 cup of bread crumbs & 1 cup of milk, mix together and put aside

1.     Take the ground beef & ground pork and put into bowl

2.     Season with some garlic powder, minced garlic, parsley, S & P, ¼ c Parmesan cheese & egg and mix thoroughly. ( I taste and season accordingly…and NO you will not die eating the raw meat mixture.

3.     Now, take some olive oil and rub on your hands and then take about a tablespoon of the meat mixture and roll it into a ball, and put aside.  Repeat this until you have finished with the meat mixture.

4.     Now, put 1-2 TBS of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) into a pan and put the meatballs in and just brown them then put aside.  When you are about an hour out for dinner, put the meatballs in the slow simmering sauce and cook.  Do not put them in too soon as they will over cook.

5.     When you are ready to cook the pasta that goes with the sauce, take all the meat out, put on a platter, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm…

6.     Then, put the meat on the table, mix the pasta with the sauce and voila.  And make sure you have gravy boats to put extra sauce on the table.  They will be lapping it up, I promise!!!

The Creamiest Mac & Cheese

The Creamiest Mac & Cheese

This feeds LOTS of people!!!!

READ THE DIRECTIONS…NOW READ AGAIN AND THEN GO GATHER EVERYTHING!!!! Measure, chop, mince, whatever and have that all done…then get started!!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz bag of elbow macaroni
• ½ lb sliced smoked bacon (you choose the flavor)
• 5 slices white bread with crust removed
• ½ c grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 stick of butter (8 TBS)
• ¼ c minced shallots
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• ½ c flour
• 5 cups whole milk
• 6 oz Gruyere cheese, grated (can use Swiss or Monterey Jack if you like)
• 8 oz Extra-Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 ½ tsp powdered mustard
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• S & P to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the pasta according to directions and put aside
2. Cook the bacon till crisp, drain on paper towel to cool. **Save 1-2 TBS of bacon fat** Once cooled, coarsely chop and put into food processor and give it 6-8 pulses and put into bowl.
3. Take the bread and coarsely chop and put into food processor and give it 8-10 pulses and put in bowl with bacon.
4. Take the Parmesan cheese and 2 TBS of the butter (melt the butter) and then mix that with the bacon & bread crumbs and put aside.  This is your topping for the dish!
5. 5. PREHEAT THE OVEN to 350 degrees
6. Sauté the minced shallots over a low heat in the pan that has the reserved bacon fat for about 1-2 mins, add the garlic and continue to stir.  Then, increase the heat & add the 6TBS of butter and stir with a whisk.  Next add the flour and it will form a “roux” which is a thickening agent. Stir constantly and slowly add the milk.
7. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.  Do not leave unattended, it could burn!
8. Once the sauce coats the back of a spoon, TAKE IT OFF THE HEAT.  Add the seasonings and the cheeses and continue to stir with the whisk until creamy and smooth. Taste and season if necessary.
9. Now add this cheese mixture to the pot with the pasta and stir until evenly coated then put into a baking dish. Sprinkle the bacon/breadcrumb mixture evenly on top and then cover with either a lid or aluminum foil and put into preheated oven and cook for about 15-20 mins (USE A TIMER!!)
10. Finally, remove the lid/foil and continue cooking until the sauce is bubbling and the topping is browned.  Then remove and let sit for 5 minutes…and THEN DIG IN!!!!!

**** Thank you Laura Macek****

Chicken Pinocchio with Red Pasta!

Chicken Pinocchio

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 -4OZ chicken breast (frozen from Costco work just fine!)
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup Italian Breadcrumbs
• 2 oz Brandy
• 2 TBS minced garlic (out of the jar is fine too!)
• 1 cup of Heavy Cream
• 1 cup ½ & ½
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup spinach (fresh)
• 2 TBS chopped shallots
• 6 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 6 oz Mozzarella cheese, shredded (just shed those cheese sticks)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb pasta

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Put pot of water to boil for pasta, and once boiling, add pasta (takes about 20 mins)

• Dust chicken with flour, then dip into egg, followed by a coating of breadcrumbs.
• Pan fry lightly on medium/high heat with olive oil & butter for 2-3 mins per side until golden brown.
• Stir in garlic, shallots, brandy, spinach, mushrooms, heavy cream & half & half, salt & pepper and cook for 6-8 mins. .
• Add Gorgonzola cheese and Mozzarella cheese..stir and then take heat resistant pan and put into preheated oven for 6-8 minutes until cheese is melted and is golden brown.
• Serve on top of pasta with garnish of asparagus
• Serve warm crusty bread or rolls

SERVES 4 PEOPLE