Spinach Manicotti

I made this for dinner tonight and liked it a lot!  It's from this website

I do think it cooked too long, and I followed the recipe...so next time I'll try cutting 10 minutes out of that first 45...

Enjoy!

One jar of pasta sauce

1 box of manicotti

Mix together:

1 small onion diced

8 oz. cottage cheese

10 oz. frozen spinach (or 1 1/2 c. fresh chopped)

2 eggs

shredded mozzarella cheese (as much as you want…I usually do around 1-1 1/2 cups)

Fill the manicotti shells with your mixture and place them in a 9x13 pan with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce spread on the bottom.  This is kind of a messy job, but someone’s got to do it.  (Place them kind of far apart because they grow when they cook.)

Then spoon some spaghetti sauce on top.

Then sprinkle some fresh mozzarella cheese on that.

Add a few tablespoons of water in the bottom of the pan to give it a little moisture, cover with tinfoil and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Uncover and cook for 15 more minutes.

Chicken and Rice Soup (Freezer Friendly)

One of the reasons I love cooking is that it is creative and flexible.  This recipe varies a little in taste each time I make it but it is consistently delicious. I will throw in any vegetable I feel like or need to use up.  Also the taste varies if I use some homemade stock in addition to bullion or all bullion or how much of each spice I use.  So don't worry... feel free to make any substitutions or halve the recipe on a night when you want a super quick dinner. I love to use cauliflower because it becomes a hidden vegetable that my husband and child can't detect, but provides extra fiber and vitamins.

Chicken and Rice Soup :Makes 2-3 Quarts- Freeze leftovers

Ingredients:
 3-5 Carrots
1 Head of Cauliflower
1 Medium to Large Onion
 Diced Garlic
1 Quart Homemade Stock
1-2 Quarts Water and Better than Bullion or Chicken Bullion
 Cooked Brown Rice (4-6 cups cooked)
1 or 2 cans cooked Chicken Breast
Seasonings (Listed Below)

I steam my brown rice in my rice cooker and then get my broth boiling and dice up my carrots, onions, garlic, and cauliflower (cauliflower is crumbly so i let it be diced small like rice).  I throw those into the broth and let them cook and soften.  I then put in my seasonings : I just eye ball it but I use: Rosemary, Thyme, Celery Seed, Marjoram, Pepper, Oregano, Parsley, and a dash of cloves. I let that meld together for 10-15 minutes and then dump in the whole can of chicken, liquid included, I stir it around and break up the chicken chunks into bite size pieces let it boil a few minutes longer, check my seasonings and when everything seems cooked about right I stir in my cooked brown rice very last, and check if it needs more salt or pepper.

Classic Mac & Cheese

16 oz. pkg. elbow macaroni

½ cup margarine or butter

6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp dry mustard

¼ tsp salt (optional)

¼ tsp black pepper

4 cups milk

3-4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1-2 cups croutons (I like to crush them)

Cook elbow macaroni as directed.  Drain, cover and set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In saucepan melt margarine or butter, blend in flour, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly; gradually add milk.

Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly. 

Gradually mix in cheese.  Stir over low heat until cheese is melted.

Add pasta; mix together lightly.  Pour into casserole dish. 

Top with croutons.  Bake 25 minutes.

Smothered Sweet Pork Burritos

2 ½- 3 lbs  pork (any cut will work)

1 pkg (10 count) flour tortillas

2 cans (15 oz) mild green enchilada sauce, divided

½ c. brown sugar

1 - 15 oz. Can black beans, rinsed well

1 bunch cilantro, chopped (optional)

1/3 lb. Montery jack cheese (or cheddar), grated

Garnishes: chopped tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole

                  salsa, cilantro dressing below

Cut pork into large cubes and place in crock pot with ½ c. water.  Season with salt, pepper & garlic powder.  Cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours, until well done.  Remove meat and drain.  Shred meat using two forks and place in bowl.  Stir in ½ c. green enchilada sauce and brown sugar.  Heat oven to 350°.  Spray 9x13 dish with Pam.  Warm tortillas. Pour ½ c. green chili sauce on bottom of the dish.  Place 1/4-1/3 c. meat mixture in middle of tortilla, add 1-2 Tbsp. Black beans and 1-2 tsp. chopped cilantro.  Roll and place seam side down in dish.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.  Pour 1 ½ - 2 c. green enchilada sauce over burritos and sprinkle with cheese.  Cover with foil and bake 25-30 min. or until cheese is melted and burritos are heated through.  (Serves 6-8)

Cilantro Ranch Dressing (Café Rios)

1 pkg. dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

2 tomatillos, quartered

1 clove garlic

½ bunch cilantro, including stems

1 jalapeno, seeded

juice of one lime

Make Ranch dressing according to package direction except only use half of the milk called for.  Put everything in a blender and mix well.  Chill.

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

2-3 chicken breasts

1 can chicken broth

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 cup salsa

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 cup sour cream

½ cup shredded cheese

Shredded Chicken

 Place first 6 ingredients in the crockpot for 3 to 4 hours on HIGH. Just before serving, shred Chicken, and mix in the sour cream and shredded cheese.  Top with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, salsa, avocados, and anything else that sounds good.

Cook’s Note:  It will be runny. I like to fry up scones and make Navajo tacos.  My husband eats it like soup so you could try that too:)

If you don't want it to be as soupy, you can leave out the chicken broth.  It is still runny but less so.

Pasta with Prosciutto

I had never even heard of prosciutto until I tried this recipe...it's delicious!

4 oz prosciutto

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

12 oz tagliatelle, or your fave long pasta

2/3 cup heavy cream

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Trim off the fat from the prosciutto, then finely chop both the fat and the lean meat, keeping them separate.  Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom skillet.  Add the prosciutto fat and onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta as directed on the pkg, until tender but still firm to the bite.

Add the lean prosciutto to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.  Stir in the cream, then season to taste with pepper and heat through gently.  Drain the pasta and transfer to serving dish.  Add the prosciutto mixture and toss well, then stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4.

Chicken Pesto Stromboli

1 Rhodes Rolls frozen bread loaf

½ cup Pesto sauce

2 cups spinach

2 cups cooked shredded chicken

2 cups shredded Mozzarella

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 tsp garlic salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

 Thaw bread according to package directions.  On greased counter, roll out to a rectangle about the size of a cookie sheet.  Spread Pesto all over leaving a 1” space from edge.  Sprinkle ¼ cup Parmesan on top of Pesto.  Next sprinkle Mozzarella, spinach, and shredded chicken.  Now roll, jelly roll style, starting at the long end.  Roll it all the way so it makes a long tube.  Place on greased cookie sheet, making sure seam is on bottom.  Tuck ends under.  Brush with egg.  Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garlic salt.  Cut slits along the top to vent.  Let rise for 30 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, 20-30 minutes.

Pasta Phoenix

I got this recipe from my Mother in Law and it's tasty & easy!

3-4 chicken breasts, cut into 1” chunks

1 pkg frozen broccoli

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (7 oz) pkg feta cheese

1 pkg linguine pasta

2 cups chicken broth

Pine nuts (optional)

Brown chicken chunks in oil and garlic.  Add frozen broccoli.  Add broth and cheese.  Simmer while cooking linguine noodles only until cooked enough to be easily added to chicken mixture.  Finish cooking noodles in chicken mixture.  Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Miso Salmon (Cheesecake Factory)

This is my husband's favorite meal.

• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 tablespoons miso (I found this at an oriental store in Provo)
• 4 salmon fillets
• cooking spray

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. (I usually end up doubling the sauce.)
3. Arrange fish in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Spoon miso mixture evenly over fish.
5. Broil 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, basting twice with miso mixture.
6. Serve over white rice. Pour a little more sauce over the top.

100% Whole Wheat Loaf

Hi Ladies! I can see you all have been very busy and I'm very excited to try these recipes they sound delicious!
  I love to cook and I'm very excited to share my favorite recipes with you all. I don't know if there are any bread bakers out there but I have been trying to improve my bread baking skills.....which are not very good.  Here is one of my favorite bread recipes:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/king-arthurs-100-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread-recipe 

I do make a couple substitutions, I substitute the chopped walnuts for chopped pumpkin seeds and flax seeds, and i use vital wheat gluten instead of King Authors bread improver.  I love the taste and texture of this bread but I'm still trying to get my bread to rise a little higher and look like the gorgeous picture below.  :) Also i usually double the recipe and freeze a loaf.  I have also found it helpful to read the reviews of the recipe for help with troubleshooting.

This 100% whole wheat loaf is moist, tender, AND high-rising. Subtly studded with seeds and nuts, it makes wonderfully flavorful toast and sandwiches.

King Arthur's 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

dairy free, whole grain
Hands-on time:	15 mins. to 20 mins.
Baking time:	35 mins. to 40 mins.
Total time:	2 hrs 50 mins. to 5 hrs
Yield:	9" x 5" loaf
Published:	10/12/2010

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 tablespoons honey, molasses or maple syrup
• 4 cups King Arthur Premium Whole Wheat Flour or 100% White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 tablespoon King Arthur Whole-Grain Bread Improver, optional
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (sunflower midgets are a good choice), chopped*
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) walnuts, chopped*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• *A quick whirl in the food processor does the job nicely.

Directions

1) To prepare the dough: Combine all of the ingredients, and mix them till you have a shaggy dough.

2) Let the dough rest, covered, for 20 minutes, then knead until fairly smooth.

3) Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's puffy and nearly doubled in bulk.

4) Gently deflate the dough, shape it into a log, and place it in a lightly greased 9" x 5" bread pan.

5) Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap (or a clear shower cap), and allow it to rise for 1 to 2 hours, till it's crowned about 1" to 2" over the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

6) Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil for the final 20 minutes of baking. The bread should be golden brown, and its interior should register 195°F to 205°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into its center.

7) Remove it from the oven, and after 5 minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.

Yield: 1 loaf.

Beef Pot Roast

I liked this recipe because I can do all the prep work during nap time and then leave it until we are ready to eat.  If you leave it in longer, it just gets more tender!

 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 1/2 pounds beef chuck pot roast

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Pour vegetable oil into a large oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Season the chuck roast with salt and black pepper. Brown the meat on both sides in the hot oil, and transfer to a plate.
3. Stir carrots, celery, and onion into the pot, and cook and stir until vegetables start to release their juices, about 3 minutes; loosen any brown flavor bits on the bottom of the pot. Add butter, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Then sprinkle in rosemary, stir the vegetables, and return the roast to the pot. Cover the pot with a lid.
4. Roast in the preheated oven until the chuck roast is tender, about 3 - 3.5 hours. Season vegetables with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

These cookies are so fast, they'll be on the cookie sheet ready to go before the oven is preheated!

1 box Devil's Food cake mix
½ cup oil
2 eggs

Stir the cake mix, oil, and eggs together until smooth. Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch or so. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 F for 10-14 minutes, depending on how big the dough balls are. After the cookies have cooled, spread frosting on the back and make it into a sandwich. 

Filling #1: one jar of marshmallow cream (about 7 oz), 8 oz cream cheese and a teaspoon of vanilla extract

Filling #2: 8 oz cream cheese (softened), ½ cup butter, 2 Tbsp vanilla, 2 cups powdered sugar

Filling #3: Store bought frosting