Lemony Penne & Broccoli

RECIPE FRIDAY time!

Got a great recipe for you today. It's healthy, yummy and filling! I made it this week with pork chops and corn. Didn't really need the corn - but Chloe isn't really a broccoli pasta salad person. This would be good even as a main course for me, as I LOVE LOVE LOVE pasta! :)

Hope you en{JOY}!



Lemony Penne & Broccoli Salad

8 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pound broccoli florets
1 can (19 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 basil leaves
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

1.) Cook penne following package directions about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the liquid. Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl.

2.) While pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden. Add broccoli, and 1/3 cup water to skillet and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until tender.

3.) Stir beans into skillet and heat through. Add lemon juice and zest, salt and red pepper flakes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and enough reserved cooking liquid to create a sauce. Tear in the basil. Serve immediately with the cheese on the side (I actually put my in as I like a lot of the cheese).

Makes: 4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes

Guest Recipe: Stuffed Shells

My facebook friend, Holli, gave me this recipe. Super easy and super delicious!! Note: you can make this mixture for Lasagna noodles too - just plan to double the recipe for a heartier meal!

Happy Cooking!



Crab Stuffed Shells (or Lasagna)

1 package of green giant antioxidant veggies in the microwavable pouch...make as directed, then cut up into pieces.

1 package of cream cheese, softened.

1 package of imitation crab or lobster meat. Chop up and mix with veggies and cream cheese.

Spread a layer of spaghetti sauce in bottom of baking dish (I use Prego).
After boiling the shells, rinse with cold water and fill shells with mixture.
After shells are stuffed, pour the rest of the sauce on top and then top with mozzarella cheese and bake for about a half hour at 375 degrees.

Yummo! :) Thanks Holli!

Broccoli Soup & Croutons

Since my family has had colds for the past couple weeks - I felt that a soup day was in order for one day this week. I found this one on Food TV Network - - courtesy of Pat and Gina Neely, two of my favorites on the network! :) It's very tasty and the croutons are out of this world! :)

Happy Cooking!



Ingredients

* 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
* 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 carrot, chopped
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 cup cream
* Homemade Croutons, recipe follows

Directions

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy medium pot over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, onion, carrot, salt and pepper and saute until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, until the flour reaches a blonde color. Add stock and bring to boil.

Simmer uncovered until broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes. Pour in cream. With an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and then replace the lid back on the pot. Serve hot with Homemade Croutons.

Homemade Croutons:

* Day old French bread
* Olive oil
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut bread into cubes and place in a large bowl. Drizzle cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Mix well.

Spread seasoned bread onto a sheet pan and bake for about 15 minutes.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Simple Breakfast Burritos

So - this recipe was actually an "accident" really. I use these same ingredients in a stuffed mushroom recipe... but the last time we made these, we had some "stuffing" leftover, so my husband decided to try them in a tortilla. And YUMMY they were. So - in an instant - Simple Breakfast Burritos were created! :) I made these for our small group over the weekend and they seemed to be a hit with them... and you know, they're a hard crowd to please! Kidding, of course!

Happy Cooking!



Ingredients

1/2 white onion
2 cloves garlic
2 packages of Bob Evans Pork Sausage
1-1/2 c of shredded sharp cheddar
10-12 small cubes of Velveeta cheese
Franks Red Hot sauce
Cayenne pepper
10 flour tortillas

Chop up the onion and begin to saute in pan. Add minced garlic (I like to use fresh, but you can also use the can)
Cook until translucent.
Add the sausage and brown (I like to make sure to really mix it well until it's in fine small pieces)
When the sausage is browned up nicely - reduce the heat to about medium and add both cheeses and blend well. This will be your binding agent. (Gotta LOVE cheese, right?)
Add 5-8 splashes of Franks Red Hot (depends on how spicy you like it)
Add some cayenne pepper at the very end and mix well (again - this depends on how spicy you like it. You can choose to omit this step altogether).

Serve in warm flour tortillas
(Note: I don't fill up the tortilla with much as it's a pretty rich mixture.)
(Note: For an additional flavor - you can mix in scrambled eggs as well.)

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I LOVE LOVE LOVE lettuce wraps. Quite honestly, I don't know a person who doesn't! I remember the first time I had them! My sweet friend Monty made them for our small group and I instantly fell madly in love with them! I was hooked!

I tried them for a second time at The Elephant Bar in Toledo, Oh. Then for a third time at PF Changs in Novi, MI. I have to admit that between the two restaurants, I liked the ones at The Elephant Bar a little better. They are made with turkey and have a peanut sauce that is to DIE FOR. No - I'm really not kidding. It's an "opener" on their menu, but I could go just for those. And I always get an extra side of the sauce!! It's a little on the spicy side, but the mango salsa they serve on the side cuts the spiciness just enough.

So - I was on a mission to find the best Asian Lettuce Wraps recipe I could find. Granted, they won't be The Elephant Bar's, but hey - I'll save myself the 35 minute drive and the 25 minute wait for a table! :) Besides - if I can master these, I'm fairly certain I'll gain some new dinner guests as a result!

Here is the recipe I've decided to try. If YOU get to these before I do - PLEASE let me know what you think! I'd love to hear your feedback! :)

Happy Cooking!



Ingredients for pouring sauce:

* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup warm water
* 2 tablespoons gluten free tamari (or regular soy sauce if you’re not concerned
about gluten)
* 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons ketchup
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon hot water
* 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
* 2 cloves garlic, minced

Ingredients for stir-fry sauce:

* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Ingredients for chicken stir-fry:

* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons sesame oil
* 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed to 1/2″
* 1 – 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, minced to the size of corn kernals
* 1/2 cup mushrooms, minced to the size of corn kernals
* 1/2 onion, chopped fine
* 3 cloves garlic, minced fine
* 6 large leaves of iceberg lettuce or nappa cabbage

To make the pouring sauce:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, then add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and throw in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
2. Just before serving, combine 1 teaspoons hot water with dijon mustard and garlic and mix in small bowl. Add to the pouring sauce, 1/2 a teaspoon at time to taste.

To make the stir-fry sauce:

1. Prep the stir fry sauce by mixing soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

To make the chicken stir-fry:

1. Combine oils and add to wok or large frying pan. Heat oil over high heat until it glistens, about one minute. Add chicken and saute until mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2. Turn the heat under the wok down to medium-high. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, wait one minute, and then add garlic, onions, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and the stir-fry sauce you prepared earlier. Stir-fry everything until the mushrooms have cooked through, about 4 minutes, and remove to a serving dish.
3. Serve stir-fry with iceberg lettuce or nappa cabbage leaf wraps and top with pouring sauce.

Recipe Friday

So - - today I've decided that I'm not going to post a recipe. What I thought I would do today is share with you some GREAT websites I go to often for GREAT recipes and dinner ideas! Some are websites... some are just some great blogs I reference back to from other foodies - like me! :) Hope you'll enjoy these sites and find some of them helpful in your search for keeping your kitchen creative!

Happy COOKing!!

The first one is a no-brainer... and hands-down one of the best sites on the web for everything food - Food Network. Some of my favorite chef's to check up on regularly are Paula Deen, Giada At Home, The Neeley's, Barefoot Contessa and Sandra Lee!

Cooks.com is a great website for easy every-day cooking. All recipes are posted by average everyday cooks - like you and me! Recipes are easy and oftentimes affordable and there are TONS to pick from!

I stumbled upon this site some years ago. It's a fantastic resource for those who LOVE organizing (like me). Laura also includes menu planning to her blog and frequently posts great recipes and links to other menu-planning sites as well!

This one pretty much says it all in the blog name... Meal Planning Mama. Great ideas and great recipes folks!

You can't go wrong with this one... $5 Dinners! Speaks for itself, doesn't it? Great coupon links, giveaways, printable planners and recipes!

Allrecipes is a good site for finding some great dinner ideas!

This is a blog I ran across a while back. Love some of the ideas in here and learned how to make Asian Lettuce Wraps from this site! Can't do better than lettuce wraps!!! (I know my friend Faythe is sticking her tongue out right now!) ;)

Kitchen Daily has some great suggestions!

Here's a pretty neat blog site I ran across with a pretty darn cute name too... Recipeasy! I love EASY! :)

Hope you enjoy this collection of resources. I'd love to hear how YOU get YOUR inspiration for meal time madness in your home! :) Leave a comment!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Portobello Mushroom Lasagna

Thought I would post a recipe today for all my vegetarian friends. A lasagna alternative. While I REALLY enjoy good lasagna... this is a terrific recipe using mushrooms to replace hamburger or sausage. If you love mushrooms as much as our family does - you'll enjoy this recipe without missing the meat! :)

(Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten from TV Food Network)

Portobello Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients

* Kosher salt
* Good olive oil
* 3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles
* 4 cups whole milk
* 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms
* 1 cup freshly ground Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.

For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.

Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside.

To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Repeat 2 more times, layering noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.

Happy Cooking,

Ambrosia Cake

Okay - so I haven't actually made this yet - but I plan to. Soon. Most likely for my small group. (Sorry, guys, you tend to be guinea pigs to many of my homemade dishes!)

It's Ambrosia Cake. Yummy! Saw this made a couple weeks ago on Food Network. It's a Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade recipe. Gotta love semi-homemade cooking! And this one is a calorie-conscious one too!

If you make it - I'd love to hear how you liked it!

Happy Cooking!




Ingredients

* 1 (12-ounce) store-bought angel food cake
* 1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
* 1 (16-ounce) container lite whipped topping, divided use (recommended: Cool Whip Lite)
* 1 (8.25-ounce) can peach slices, drained, cut in 1/2 (recommended: - S and W)
* 1 cup seedless grapes, sliced in 1/2
* 1/2 cup sugar free apricot preserves (recommended: Smucker's)
* 1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin orange segments, drained (recommended: Dole)
* 1 cup plain shredded coconut, plus 1 cup toasted
* 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple slices, drained and cut in 1/2 (recommended: Dole)
* 1/4 cup frozen cherries, defrosted

Directions

Cut the cake horizontally into thirds and place the bottom layer on a serving plate. In a small bowl add the yogurt and a 1/2 cup of whipped topping and mix well to blend. Spread on the bottom layer and top with the sliced grapes. Add the middle layer and spread with the preserves and cover with the orange segments. Put the last layer on top and frost entire cake with remaining whipped topping. Toss 1 cup coconut with the toasted coconut and press into sides of cake. Arrange pineapple and cherries on top.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature.

Colorful Rice

I am a rice lover and always look for ways to spice it up a bit or make it a little more unique. For instance, years ago I started boiling the rice in chicken stock, instead of just plain water. It really makes a difference in the flavor!

I found this recipe online (courtesy of Food Network... Sandra Lee) and it is YUMMY! If you want a little something different - I suggest this one! Really flavorful and fun!

Colorful Rice

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
* 1 (6-ounce) package wild rice
* Olive oil cooking spray
* 1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic or crushed garlic from jar
* 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
* 1/2 cup diced celery
* 1/2 (8-ounce) package sliced white mushrooms, chopped
* 1/2 cup dried cranberries, optional
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
* 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
* 1/2 orange, zested

Directions

In a large sauce pot bring the chicken stock to a boil over medium heat. Add rice, cover, turn the heat down to low and cook for 20 minutes or until rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Add the garlic, onions, celery and mushrooms and saute until tender about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add rice, cranberries, pecans, water chestnuts and orange zest. Mix to combine and cook until all ingredients are heated through. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
















EnJOY!

Chicken & Rice Casserole

I love chicken. It's usually 'what's for dinner' in the Bender household more than just about anything else. So - because of that, I'm always in search of yummy chicken recipes.

I found this one last week and we tried it this week...it was really a hit. My family enjoyed the taste, while I enjoyed the one dish wonder! I LOVE casseroles as they are SO easy and make clean-up a cinch!

This one is courtesy of Paula Deen from TV Food Network. Gotta LOVE her! (Note - the only ingredient I omitted was the pimentos.)

Hope you enjoy!

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
* 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
* 3 cups diced, cooked chicken
* 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans green beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
* 1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos
* 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 (6-ounce) box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package directions
* 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
* Pinch salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat butter or oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined.

Pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.
















Happy Cooking,

German Style Oven Fries

This recipe is courtesy of Rachael Ray from TV Food Network. I'll admit I haven't made this variation, exactly, but they look DELICIOUS and I will be trying them out this next week with dinner!

Hope you enjoy!

German Style Oven Fries

Ingredients

* 4 medium to large Idaho potatoes
* 1/4 cup cider vinegar
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 slices smoky bacon, chopped
* 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Parboil potatoes for 4 minutes in a large pot over medium heat, or pierce with fork and microwave for 6 minutes. When ready, cut into 8 wedges each and sprinkle with vinegar.

In large skillet, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels and reserve. Toss potatoes in the bacon drippings and season with sugar, and salt and pepper. Scatter onto a baking sheet and roast, in the preheated oven, until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and toss with the parsley and the reserved bacon.

















Happy Cooking,

Guest Recipe: Banana Cookies

Had to share this delicious treat with you. These were made at my Annual Cookie Bake last weekend. The recipe is courtesy of my friend, Shelly and they are yummy! They are super moist and a great alternative to the classic Christmas cookies we normally see.

Enjoy!

Frosted Banana Cookies

Cookies:
3/4 cup margarine
3/4 sugar
1 egg
1/2 mashed banana
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 c sifted flower

Cream shortening. Add sugar and blend.
Add egg, vanilla and bananas.
Sift together flour, salt and soda.
Place by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. (These brown only the edges.)

Frosting:
6 T brown sugar
4 T margarine
4 T evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
Confectioners sugar

Place in pan and bring to boil the brown sugar, margarine and milk.
Remove from heat and add enough powdered sugar to make runny, but spreadable.
Add vanilla.
Keep pan over warm water to keep frosting soft.
If frosting gets thick, add a little hot water.
Frost cookies while they are warm.

Chicken and Bows

I have made this a number of different ways - but I will note that I don't personally like peas - so I add broccoli instead. :) And I love, love, love bowtie pasta! Yummy! Hope you enjoy!

Chicken and Bows

Ingredients

* 1 package (16 ounces) bow tie pasta
* 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
* 1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
* 1/4 cup butter, cubed
* 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
* 2 cups frozen peas
* 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

* Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook chicken and red pepper in butter over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
* Stir in the soup, peas, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Stir in cheese. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.
* Serve half of the mixture immediately. Cool remaining mixture; transfer to a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.
* To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to an ungreased shallow 3-qt. microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes or until heated through, stirring once. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Chicken Noodle Casserole

One of my all time favorite comfort foods is Tuna Noodle Casserole. Chloe likes it too. However, it's not one of Trevor's favs. So - since we are a chicken family primarily, I decided to change it up a bit and incorporate chicken instead of tuna - made the same way I've always made it with tuna.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

2 chicken breasts (poached and shredded)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 c bread crumbs (I like to use Panko breading)
1 c shredded cheese (I use cheddar)
1 c broccoli (chopped into small pieces)
1/2 c milk (I like to use Half and Half)
6 small squares of butter
1/2 pound (approx) Penne pasta noodles (This is our family's favorite noodle)

Poach the chicken breasts for approximately 10 minutes on medium-high heat until cooked through. (Chicken should be 180 degrees with meat thermometer.)

Shred the chicken using a fork and then sit in a bowl to cool for a bit.

Cook the Penne pasta for approximately 10 minutes in boiling water. (I like to use the pasta when it's still al dente and not too soft. The sauce tends to stick better that way.)

In a separate bowl, combine the soups, bread crumbs, cheese and broccoli until well combined. Add the chicken to the bowl. Stir. Add the pasta to the bowl. Stir. I finish the dish off by adding the milk. This is just to bind everything together. Using Half and Half will make it a little richer and thicker. Add enough so that the noodles won't be hard, but not so much that your dish is drowning in the liquid.

Place all of the ingredients in a greased 9x12 pan. Add the squares of butter to the top.

Bake at 350 for approximately 20-25 minutes until golden bubbly.

Serve.

Hope you enjoy!! :)

Recipe Friday - a day late!

Oops - - too busy putting up Christmas Tree yesterday to remember about posting on the blog. ;)

Here is this week's recipe... courtesy of a friend of mine. I'm so addicted to these things it's scary. Good Christmas-time dessert.

ENJOY!

Special K Bars

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cup Special K Cereal
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips



Directions
Boil the sugar and the corn syrup at a full boil for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the peanut butter. At this point either stir in the special K (if you used a large pot) or pour the mixture over the special K cereal in a mixing bowl. Place the cereal mixture in a well greased 9 X 13 pan. Melt the butterscotch and chocolate chips together and pour over the cereal mixture. Eat whenever you desire.

Notes: For easy cutting, let cool for an hour or so and then cut them all up. Do not smooth or compact the special K mixture or topping more than the minimum required to spread it.

Number of Servings: 24

Recipe Friday

Happy Friday!

Made this recipe for our small group on Sunday night and it was a winner. I will note this: I added about one more cup of cheese than it called for AND I added cooked, crumbled bacon to the top before going into the oven. YUMMY! :)

Hope you enjoy!


Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

* 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1 tablespoon powdered mustard
* 3 cups milk
* 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1 large egg
* 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* Fresh black pepper

Topping:

* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Recipe Friday

I made these about a month ago for my family. Used shredded chicken... and they were YUMMY!

Hope you enjoy!

SHREDDED BEEF OR CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Ingredients:

* 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
* 2 medium onions, chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1 cup milk
* 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chilies
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 8-9 flour or corn tortillas
* 2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded beefchuck roast or shredded chicken
* 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced (optional)
* Sour cream
* Salsa

Directions:

1. Prepare your meat however you would like. I baked three chicken breasts, with a small amount of enchilada sauce, in the oven for about an hour on 400 degrees F. Remove from oven, shred into a bowl and set aside. (You can be creative here, use whatever meat you want and cook it how you like).
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until onion is tender. Mix the flour in the broth, stir into pan. Stir in milk, chilies, salt and cumin. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
3. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Spoon a little sauce in the center of each tortilla; spread to the edges. Place meat down the center of each tortilla. Combine cheeses; sprinkle on top of meat. Roll up tortillas and place in baking dish, seam-side down.
4. Pour remaining sauce and some enchilada sauce over tortillas, if you like a wet enchilada use more sauce. Sprinkle with green onions and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Recipe Friday

Oops - haven't had any time to blog this week - but wanted to throw in my Friday recipe. I made this one this summer. It was very yummy! It's a Neely's recipe from TV Food Network.

Hope you get to make it - - enjoy!

Zucchini Gratin

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 6 zucchini, sliced into half moons 1/4-inch thick
* 2 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded
* 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1/2 cup half-and-half
* 1/4 cup grated sharp white Cheddar
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch casserole dish.

In a large heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add zucchini and tomatoes, about 7 minutes Add thyme, and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Add mixture to the buttered casserole dish.

In a medium size bowl, add brown sugar, eggs, and half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the milk mixture over the zucchini and sprinkle with both of the cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes.

Recipe Friday

When I was blogging before, I did a RECIPE FRIDAY, and had so much fun with it - I decided to continue it. I am hoping some might find these recipes helpful. I will only post those in which my family and I have tried and found tasty ourselves. :)

I tried this one this summer... and it's not a very "warm-weather" dish, but would certainly be good as a fall/winter meal for a larger family. It's delicious and filling! (And if you're anything like me - you'll appreciate the one-dish meals!) Don't be discouraged by the long list of ingredients - they can all be prepped ahead of time and placed in small baggies until you're ready to cook! Note: I didn't include the jalapeno pepper when I made it.

ENJOY!


Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 pound sausage, such as kielbasa or andouille, sliced
* 1 pound smoked ham, cubed
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 1 cup diced celery
* 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
* 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
* 1 cup seeded and diced tomato
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano
* 1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
* 3 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
* 3 bay leaves
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 6 to 8 dashes hot sauce, optional (recommended: Tabasco)
* 1/2 cup chopped scallions, divided
* 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 pound medium shrimp, deveined (20 to 24 count)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or black iron pot over medium heat, add the kielbasa and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the kielbasa to a bowl, and set aside. Add the ham to the same pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to the bowl with the kielbasa, and set aside. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, ham, bay leaves, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the scallions, 1/4 cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.

Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup scallions and 1/2 cup parsley, and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

New Recipe

I realized that I hadn't posted a recipe in quite a long time. I found this one in a magazine a couple months back and I made them this past Thanksgiving. They were a big hit so I thought I'd share it here with all of you.

Candy Bar Cookies

Prep time: 35 minutes Bake time: 10 minutes Cool: 2 hours

1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
1/4 cup dark or light-color corn syrup (I used light b/c that's what I had)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 cup butterscotch chips
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For oat layer, in medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar, butter and corn syrup over medium-low heat until combined. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in the 1/4 cup peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.

Place the rolled oats in a very large bowl. Pour brown sugar mixture over oats, stirring gently until combined. Press oat mixture evenly onto bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let oat layer cool slightly in pan on wire rack.

In the same saucepan, stir together chocolate chips and butterscotch chips over low heat until melted. Stir in the 2/3 cups peanut butter until mixture is smooth.

Sprinkle half of the peanuts over oat layer in pan. Slowly pour chocolate mixture over the peanut-topped oat layer, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top of chocolate.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for several hours or until chocolate layer is firm. Cut into 1-inch squares. Makes about 115 pieces.

To store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

YUM-O!