Recipes

[Sabatini2]

Using ready made marinara (doctored up) and pesto makes it easy.

Creamy, Meaty Pasta Casserole with Spinach

Ingredients:

olive oil for sauteing

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Italian sausage links, casing removed

1/2 to 3/4 pound ground meat

24 oz. jarred (or canned) marinara

1 can stewed tomatoes, (tomatoes smushed)

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp dried basil

a few dashes cayenne

1/2 tsp sugar (if the marinara is too acidic)

1# box shell pasta, or whatever you have on hand

8 oz cream cheese, cut into chunks

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup grated asiago or parmesan, plus extra for topping casserole

1/3 cup jarred pesto

1/4-1/2 cup milk or cream

1 pound bag frozen spinach

Breadcrumb topping:

1 Tblsp butter

1/2 cup bread crumbs (toss frozen bread crusts into the food processer to make crumbs)

Melt butter in skillet, add crumbs & stir a bit till toasted. Set aside.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

1. Grease a large baking pan, approx 13X9

2. Put salted water on to boil for pasta.

3. In large skillet, add olive oil, then the onions & saute till soft. Add the garlic & stir a minute. Add the sausage & ground meat, breaking it up w/ a spoon. Cook till browned, pour off grease, & add the marinara, smushed up stewed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, dried basil, cayenne & optional sugar. Simmer while pasta cooks.

4. Set a colander over a medium saucepan in the sink to catch some of the hot pasta water when you drain the pasta. (to cook the spinach)

5. Cook the pasta a few minutes less than you normally would.

6. Drain the pasta, catching some water into that saucepan, & then dump the the hot pasta right back into the pot it cooked in.

7. To the hot pasta, add the chunked cream cheese, asiago or parm, sour cream and pesto & stir, making sure the cheese has melted. Add the milk or cream.

8. Throw the frozen spinach into the pot w/ hot pasta water & place on stove, stirring to separate. Once it's no longer frozen (a few minutes), pour into a colander. Squeeze firmly to remove excess water.

Assemble:

1. Pour the creamy pasta into the greased pan & spread evenly. Top w/ sqeezed out spinach.

2. Spread marinara meat sauce over all, & bake for 25 minutes.

3. Remove from oven, & top w/ more cheese, sprinkle on the buttered crumbs & bake an additional 20 minutes.

Next ingredient: dried mushrooms

[forrestwolf]

The pressure cooker has made risotto an easy dish to make............

Shrimp and Bay-Scallop Risotto with Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1/2 ounce(s) dried porcini or other dried mushrooms

2/3 cup(s) boiling water

4 cup(s) canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock

2 cup(s) bottled clam juice

1 tablespoon(s) olive oil

1 tablespoon(s) butter

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/4 cup(s) arborio rice

1/2 pound(s) mushrooms, cut into thin slices

1/4 cup(s) dry white wine

1 teaspoon(s) salt

1/2 pound(s) medium shrimp, shelled

1/2 pound(s) bay scallops

Directions

In a small bowl, soak the dried mushrooms in the boiling water until softened, about 15 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and strain their liquid into a medium saucepan through a sieve lined with a paper towel. Rinse the mushrooms well to remove any remaining grit and chop them. Add the broth and clam juice to the mushroom-soaking liquid and bring to a simmer.

In a large pot, heat the oil and butter over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and rice and stir until the rice begins to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and salt and cook, stirring, until the wine has been absorbed.

Stir in the dried mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the simmering stock; cook, stirring frequently, until the stock has been absorbed. The rice and the stock should bubble gently; adjust the heat as needed. Continue cooking the rice, adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time and allowing the rice to absorb the stock before adding the next 1/2 cup. Cook the rice until almost tender, about 25 minutes, and then add the shrimp and scallops. Cook, stirring, until the rice is tender and the shrimp and scallops are done, about 5 minutes longer. The stock should be thickened by the starch from the rice. You may not need to use all of the liquid.

NEXT INGREDIENT: COCONUT

[walker]

Coconut Pecan Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup melted butter

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 1/4 cups flaked or shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 inch square pan. Sift 1 cup flour with salt. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar. Add butter; mix until smooth. Press into bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes. While pastry is baking, prepare topping: beat eggs well. Gradually beat in the remaining brown sugar; beat together until fluffy. Sift remaining flour with baking powder. Add to creamed mixture; beat well. Add almond extract, coconut, and nuts. Spread quickly over pastry; return to oven. Bake 20 minutes or until browned. Mark into squares or triangles while still warm; leave in pan to cool. Makes 16.

NEXT INGREDIENT: DRY ONION SOUP MIX

[Zhills]

Pot Roast in slow cooker

Ingredients:

• one beef pot roast of your choice
• 1 box, (2 envelopes) Lipton Onion Soup Mix
• baby carrots
• new potatoes
• 2 cups water

Preparation:

Place beef pot roast in crockpot and sprinkle with Lipton onion soup mix. Add carrots and new potatoes. Pour water over pot roast. Cook on low 8 to 10 hrs or until tender.

Tip: The juices tend to be watery by the end of the cooking time, so when the roast is done, keep it warm and pour juices into a medium saucepan. Bring the juices to a boil and simmer briskly until reduced and more flavorful, about 8 to 10 minutes.

To thicken, combine 2 teaspoons of cornstarch or flour with a few tablespoons of cold water. Mix until smooth and stir into the simmering juices. Serve the gravy or juices with the sliced pot roast.

Next ingredient: Boiled eggs

[forrestwolf]

SHRIMP STUFFED DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients:

6 extra-large hard-boiled eggs, cooled

6 large shrimp

3 teaspoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I USE HORSERADDIS MUSTARD)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon capers, drained and finely chopped

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Tabasco sauce, to taste

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill

Directions:

1

Place the shrimp in a small saucepan with enough water to cover(I ADD OLD BAY SEASONING TO THE LIQUID); bring to a boil, remove from the heat and let stand 1 minute. Drain, add cold water to cover and let stand 5 minutes.

2

Carefully peel the shells from the eggs. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise; place the yolks in a mixing bowl and reserve the whites.

3

Shell, de-vein, and chop the shrimp finely, then add to the egg yolks.

4

Add the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, capers, parsley and Tabasco and mash the mixture with a fork until smooth.

5

Fill the whites with equal amounts of the mixture and sprinkle dill over the tops.

6

Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

NEXT INGREDIENT: BRISKET (NOT CORNED BEEF)

[dfyre]

Brisket:

Finely chop 1/2 C. each onion, carrot and celery

Saute for about 5 minutes and add to slow cooker

In same pan, brown (thin cut) brisket on both sides and place on top of veggies

Pour a bottle of Heinz ketchup over the whole thing and cook on low 8-9 hours.

You can add baby carrots and/or quartered red skin potatoes if you like.

Next ingredient: oatmeal.

[Sabatini2]

These are yummy cookies. The recipe was posted a few years ago by MissButtercup. She is missed!

MissButtercup's Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies

"These are delicious, very toasty and melt in your mouth crunchy, the combination of brown sugar, butter and oats makes these almost caramel-like.. The are the simplest cookie you will ever make too."

2 sticks real unsalted butter (8 ounces)

2 cups dry oatmeal (reg or quick cooking, I use reg)

1 cup flour

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Knead all these things together in a large bowl with clean hands. Smash it all together till well blended. This is a great recipe to make with children for this reason. Now, take the dough and form pieces into balls the size of walnuts. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and flatten the balls with a drinking glass dipped in sugar. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes.

Nest ingredient: mayo

[sue-p]

Tony's Texas Tuna Salad

8 oz. pkg. macaroni, small shells or elbow pasta, cooked
1 cup Hellman's Mayonnaise
1/2 large sweet onion, diced small
1 can Le Suer Baby Sweet peas
1/2 cup green stuffed olives, sliced
2 stalks celery, cut fine
2 cans tuna, drained and flaked
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
6 hard boiled eggs
parsley flakes and paprika

Mix first 8 ingredients together in a large bowl.
Chop 4-5 eggs and add to the salad.
Place salad in serving bowl.
Garnish with the remaining 1 or 2 eggs, sliced and the tomato wedges.
Sprinkle the eggs with paprika, for color.
Sprinkle green parsley leaves on the tomato wedges.
Chill in the refrigerator, covered, until cold throughout.
Store leftovers in Lock N Lock after removing any tomato wedges.

Next ingredient in the Game will be FRESH STRAWBERRIES

[walker]

Spinach Salad with Pasta

2 cups penne noodles, cooked and drained

3 cups fresh spinach, torn

1 cup cooked chicken, cut into strips

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup sliced red onion

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 cup bottled balsamic viniagrette salad dressing

Cook pasta, drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Place spinach in bowl, add pasta. Toss lightly to combine. Add rest of the ingredients and mix gently. When ready to serve, drizzle with dressing. Toss lightly to coat. This recipe can be made without the chicken.

NEXT INGREDIENT: Mini-Marshmallows

[Beebee2]

I fix this recipe every Easter. The men in the family are crazy about it, and I like it, too, but it's quite rich. There are variations and differing ingredients; this is the one we prefer:

Six Cup Salad

1 c sour cream
1 c canned mandarin oranges, drained
1 c pineapple chunks, drained
1 c miniature marshmallows
1 c Angel Flake coconut
1 c chopped pecans.

Combine dry ingredients.

Drain fruits.

Mix wet and dry ingredients together, and enjoy!

next ingredient: fresh button mushrooms