Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Butternut Squash

1 Butternut Squash
3 TBS butter melted
1/8 cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper

Peel and chop into big cubes. Put all in bowl to coat. Put on cookies sheet
Bake 400 for 45-55 min. Stir squash a few times

Baked Veggies

1 potato cubed
1 carrot sliced
1 zucchini sliced
1 sweet red pepper

Mix:
½ TBSP Vegetable oil
½ tsp basil
½ tsp oregano
1/8 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove minced

Pour on top of veggies and mix
Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or till tender.

Calzone

1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup pizza sauce
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces pepperoni sausage, chopped
3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dry milk powder
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 Place water, salt, bread flour, dry milk, sugar, and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select Dough cycle.

2 After cycle ends, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface; shape into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle. Transfer to a lightly greased cookie sheet. In a small bowl, mix together chopped pepperoni and mozzarella. Spoon pizza sauce in a stripe down the center of dough lengthwise; add sausage and cheese filling. Make diagonal cuts 1 1/2 inches apart down each side, cutting within a 1/2 inch of the filling. Criss cross strips over filling, sealing with water. Brush top with melted butter.

3 Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 45 minutes

Tara's Meatloaf

1 ½ lbs. hamburger
2 eggs
1 pkg. onion Soup Mix
2 c. bread crumbs - about 3 slices of bread in the blender
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. ketchup

Mix hamburger, soup mix, bread crumbs and eggs. Grease square pan (or bread loaf). Spread brown sugar on bottom of pan and add ketchup on top of brown sugar. Pat down hamburger mix.
Cook for 1 hour at 320ยบ

Hearty Baked Pasta

Preheat Oven: 450

1 lb chickn – boneless, skinless, trimmed and cut
½ yellow onion – chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic – minced
1 can chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
¼ cup fresh basil – You can use dried
Oil Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes (optional)
12 oz. bowties pasta
8 oz. Cauliflower - cooked
8 oz. Broccoli - cooked
8 oz. Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

1. Cook chicken pieces and onion in large stock pot and cook till chicken is done. (While this is cooking I start the pasta to cook and vegetables)
2. Push to the side and add a little oil (or you don’t have to) and cook minced garlic till fragrant. Mix all together and then…

3. Add liquids (can of chicken broth and cream). Bring to boil over medium-high heat and reduce to simmer, cook for 10 minutes. Till sauce thickens a little.

4. Stir in basil, sun dried tomatoes, or other herbs. Let them cook for 5 min till melded.
5. Add cooked / drained pasta and cooked vegetables to sauce.
6. Stir in most of the cheese; save some to top.
7. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese as well as desired. Optional: Top with bread crumbs

Bake in oven for 15 min or until cheese is golden and if using breadcrumbs, the breadcrumbs are crisp. Let rest about 10 min before serving to thicken and settle. (I just ate it last time and it was a little runny, but still very good)

I serve with: Breadstick & Salad

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup ½

1 tsp. chicken bouillon 1 can cream of chicken
1 ½ c. chicken broth 2 Tbsp. evaporated milk(or 1/4 cup whole milk)
1 c. chopped carrots 1 c. cooked chicken
1 c. chopped celery 2 c. cooked egg noodles
¼ c. chopped onion Salt and pepper to taste

Heat chicken bouillon and broth together. Add carrots, celery, and onion and simmer until veggies are tender. Add cream of chicken soup and milk. Thicken with corn starch, then add chicken and noodles. (recipe has been cut in half)
Takes about 1hour

Chicken Citrus Salad

1 head romaine lettuce
1 bunch spinach
½ lb Monterey Jack cheese, grated
3 chicken breasts cooked, chopped
1 (8 oz) can mandarin oranges
1 (5 oz) pkg slivered almonds
¼ cup sugar
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
Dressing:
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 ½ cup vegetable oil
3 tsp. poppy seeds

Cook slivered almonds on stove with the ¼ cup of sugar . Mix all ingredients and pour dressing on right before serving. Lots of variations for all occasions; you can skip chicken and oranges and use pomegranate seeds and avocado to make a Christmas salad.

Streusel Topping

½ cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 Tablespoons butter

Place everything in a bowl and cut with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.