Cajun Lasagna

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 lb andouille sausage, fresh, casing removed

1 box lasagna noodles, dried

1 red onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1/2 bunch Italian parsley, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 6oz. can tomato paste

1 1/2 tablespoons creole seasoning

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon Italian seasonings

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

For the Ricotta/Cheese Mixture:

1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups jack cheese, grated

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, grated

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 eggs, beaten

extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta for 6 minutes.

Rinse Pasta with warm water, drain, coat with oil and set aside.

Mix seasonings, reserve 1 tablespoon for ricotta/cheese mixture, and divide remaining seasons in half, set aside.

In a large soup pot heated over medium heat add 2 tablespoon of olive oil, add onion, bell pepper, and celery.

Saute for about 5 minutes, add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Add ground turkey and andouille sauce, break into small chunks. Season with half of the seasoning blend and cook until browned about 15 minutes.

Add tomato paste and mix well, cook for 5 more minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, season with remaining seasoning blend and mix well.

Lower heat to medium-low add parsley and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To Assemble Ricotta/Cheese Mixture:

Mix Sharp, Jack, and Mozzarella cheese, set aside.

Mix eggs, ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, 1 cup sharp, jack, and mozzarella cheese mixture with remaining seasoning blend and set side.

To Assemble Lasagna:

In a large greased 13X9 inch casserole dish, place about 1 cup of pasta sauce on the bottom.

Top with lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping noodles.

Top with more pasta sauce, top with about 6 heaping tablespoons of ricotta/cheese mixture.

Top with a handful of remaining grated cheeses and repeat with another layer of lasagna noodles, meat mixture/ricotta cheese mixture/grated cheese.

For the last layer top with noodles, pasta sauce and remaining grated cheeses.

Cover casserole with greased foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and cook 20 minutes more.

Remove from oven, allow to cool 10 minutes. Serve with garlic bread.

Notes

If you can't find fresh andouille sausage, smoked sausage can be used and diced into small chunks.

Salami and Cream Cheese Roll-ups

Ingredients

1 pound cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 -3/4 pounds salami sliced thin (thinner is better as it rolls easier)

1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced

How to make it:

Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap on the work surface. Place the cream cheese on top of the plastic wrap and cover with another piece of wrap the same size.  With a rolling pin roll the cream cheese out into an even layer, approximately 1/4-inch thick. Watch the edges of the cream cheese as it rolls out because the top wrap can work its way under the cheese. To avoid this, occasionally pull the wrap off and replace it to continue rolling the cheese into a rectangle.

Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and add the salami, overlapping the slices until all the cream cheese is covered, lightly press the salami into the cream cheese to make it stick. Replace the plastic wrap and carefully flip the salami and cheese so that the cream cheese is again on top.  Remove the wrap and place the sliced green peppers over the cheese.

Roll the salami over the cream cheese being careful not to leave any air space (this make it harder to cut later) and use the plastic wrap to pull it tight as you work. Roll the meat log and press the outer layers tight to hold it all together.  Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight (it can be cut without chilling, but the longer it chills the easier it is to cut.)  Cut the meat slices thin, taste one on a cracker, as large crackers may need a thicker slice, while smaller crackers will need one cut thinner. Enjoy with your favorite beverage.

Chicken, Bacon and Cream Cheese Mini Taquitos

Ingredients:

1/3 of a 16-ounce package bacon (about 6 slices), chopped

1/2 of an 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

2 cans (12.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained (or used leftover cooked chicken)

8 flour tortillas (10-inch) 

Vegetable oil (I used canola)

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and cut up

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon milk 

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 

1/8 teaspoon onion powder 

dash Dried dill weed

dash Garlic powder 

dash Ground black pepper 

How to make it:

1.Cook the bacon in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

2.Stir the bacon, cream cheese and chicken in a medium bowl.

3.Cut each tortilla into 3 (3-inch) circles using a round cutter. Spoon about 2 teaspoons chicken mixture in the center of each (one) tortilla round. Roll the tortillas around the filling and secure with toothpicks.

4.Pour the oil into a heavy 4-quart saucepan to a depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil to 350°F.

5.Add the taquitos to the saucepan in batches and cook until well browned on all sides. Remove the taquitos from the saucepan and let drain on paper towels. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks before serving.

6.Mash the avocado in a medium bowl with a fork. Stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, salt, parsley, onion powder, dill weed, garlic powder and black pepper. Serve with the taquitos for dipping.

Skillet Chicken Divan

Ingredients

2.5 cups (or so) of chopped cooked chicken

3 cups cooked chopped broccoli

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 Tablespoon Better than Boullion and 3/4 cup water, or 3/4 cup chicken broth and salt to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk (see note above)

2 teaspoons low carb thickener such as NOTStarch or 2 T whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (it's nice if you toast them, but not vital)

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preparation

Saute onion and mushrooms in oil for 4-5 minutes.

Add wine and boil most of it away.

Add thickener. If you are using flour, cook for a minute or so before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Add liquids and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese - you can mix that in or sprinkle it over the top and put the whole thing under the broiler to brown.

Nutritional Analysis: (with NOTStarch): 6 grams effective carb plus 6 grams fiber, 31 grams protein, and 400 calories.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

1 pint sour cream

1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 (4 ounce) cans green chilies, diced

6 flour tortillas (we used whole wheat but any will work)

1 small package mild cheese, shredded

3 chicken breasts pre-cooked & cut up or use a Rotisserie Chicken!

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*F.

Combine soup, sour cream and chilies in a bowl.

Take 3/4 cup of soup mixture and slather the entire bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. This will be a thin layer that will help the enchiladas from sticking to the bottom.

In each tortilla, layer soup mixture, cheese & chicken.

Roll up and place in casserole dish.

Top with remaining soup mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.

3 Ingredient Crock Pot Hawaiian Chicken

Ingredients

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple

1 bottle (16 ounces) barbeque sauce

Instructions

Place chicken in a greases 3.5-5 quart crock pot

Combine pineapple and BBQ sauce and pour over meat

Cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or on low heat for 6-8 hours

Hawaiian Garlic Chicken

Ingredients

Garlic Sauce

1 cup Aloha shoyu, or light soy sauce

1 cup sugar

½ cup garlic, chopped

¼ cup green onion, chopped

1 tablespoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon chili flakes or sriracha

Chicken & Coating

1½ pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into pieces

¾ cup flour

¼ cup cornstarch

Salt and pepper

Instructions

In a medium pot, combine sauce ingredients and bring to a boil, then simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside. Taste garlic sauce and adjust ingredients to you liking.

Mix together flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper.

Marinade a little garlic sauce with chicken. Then coat in flour mixture.

Deep fry chicken until cooked through.

Shake off excess oil and immediately dip chicken in sauce and place on serving platter.

The Chew's Baked Artichoke Chicken

Ingredients:

4 lbs. chicken legs and thighs, w/ skin (I used a chicken cut up, including breasts)

1 cup artichoke hearts, halved (canned is fine)

1 medium onion, cut into pieces same size as the artichokes

1 pound white button mushrooms (halved or quartered)

2 tablespoons brown mustard

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup red or white wine (you could also sub in chicken stock)

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 bay leaf

kosher salt and pepper (to taste)

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 350F-375F, depending if you like crispy skin or not.

Place artichokes, onions and mushrooms on the bottom of a big pan.

Place chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.

Mix the mustard with the rest of the ingredients and pour over chicken.

Season w/ kosher salt & pepper.

Bake about 1 hour, basting the pieces once or twice.

Dinner is served!

Easy slow cooker ham

Ingredients:

1 (1.3kg) middle cut gammon joint

30 whole cloves

750ml cloudy apple juice, or as needed

200g dark brown soft sugar

225ml maple syrup

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 tablespoons ground cloves

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)

1 orange peel

How to make it:

Prep: 15 min |Cook: 10 hours

1 Press whole cloves into the ham so they are evenly distributed. You may score the ham for easier insertion if you wish. Place the ham in a slow cooker. Pour in apple juice until only about 5cm of ham is above the surface. Pack the brown sugar on top of the ham, pressing into the cloves. This will get washed away in the next step but any that stays on is a bonus.

2 Pour the maple syrup over the ham. Season the apple juice with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, ground cloves and vanilla. Add the orange peel to the pot. Fill the slow cooker as full as you can with apple cider without going over the fill line. Cover and set to Low. Cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Ingredients

1 (16 oz) loaf day old French bread

2 and ½ cup milk

1 cup half & half

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

⅛ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, softened

1 and ½ cup packed brown sugar

1 cup pecan, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cube bread the place in a large bowl.

In another bowl, beat eggs, milk, half & half, sugar, salt, and vanilla to eggs; whisk. Pour over bread. Allow to sit 5 to 10 minutes

In another small bowl, combine with a fork, softened butter, brown sugar, and pecans. Mixture will have the consistency of wet sand.

Pour half of the bread mixture into a 8×8 inch pan.

Top with half the pecan mixture.

Spoon remaining bread mixture over and top with remaining pecan mixture. Press down into pan slightly. Pan will be really full.

Top with remaining pecan mixture.

Place pan on a cookie sheet with a edge to catch mixture that may boil over. Bake at 350 degrees F 45 to 55 minutes. Center will be slightly wiggly, but will set when cool.

Passover Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup matza meal

1 cup matza farfel

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Stir together the matza meal, farfel, sugar, brown sugar and salt. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. 

Then, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Roll the dough into large balls and drop two inches apart on the cookie sheets. 

Bake until golden for 16-18 minutes, turning the sheets halfway through baking for evenness.

Let the cookies cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

low roasted sweet potatoes

Ingredients

3 pounds sweet potatoes*

1 1/2 Tbsp. sunflower oil

salt and peppe

Instructions

1. Scrub sweet potatoes and slice into 3/4″ slices. 

You may peel them before slicing, but if scrubbed well it is not necessary. 

Place in a bowl, drizzle with sunflower oil and season with salt and pepper. 

Toss the potatoes to evenly coat with the oil.

2. Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with a layer of aluminum foil. 

Coat with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet. 

Using a second sheet of foil, cover the potatoes and create a tightly sealed pocket. 

This will keep the moisture in for the first part of baking.

3. Place sweet potatoes in cold oven, and turn on to 425°F. Bake 30 minutes. 

Remove top layer of foil.

4. Return to the oven and bake 20-25 minutes more or until bottom of potatoes are golden brown when lifted with a spatula. 

Remove from oven and flip over each potato slice. 

Spread in an even layer and return to the oven, baking 12-15 minutes more until other side browns. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before placing in a serving dish (bottom potatoes will get soggy if stacked immediately).

*Note: It helps to buy sweet potatoes that are evenly sized. 

Smaller slices will roast faster than larger ones and may be overly browned by the end. 

Cooking times are for sweet potatoes 2-3″ in diameter.

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

Ingredients:

3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size cubes

2 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp of brown sugar (more if you want it sweeter)

1 tsp of ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground ginger

Sea salt, to taste

How to make it:

Roasted Sweet PotatoesPreheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. 

Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into bite size cubes and place in the baking dish. 

Melt butter in the microwave and pour over the potatoes along with the olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. 

Add more sugar or cinnamon if desired. Toss to coat evenly.

Roasted Sweet PotatoesBake in the oven for 60 minutes. 

Stir the sweet potatoes once or twice during roasting. Enjoy.

Spicy Crockpot Whole Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

Whole Roasting Chicken

Onion

How to make it:

The original recipe suggests combing all of the spices and rubbing them on the chicken and letting it marinade over night in the rub.  

I however am never that prepared.  

So the three times I’ve made this chicken I just coat the chicken with the rub right before I put it in the crockpot and it still tastes great!

To make this Spicy Crockpot Whole Chicken you have to start by removing all the junk from inside the chicken.  

Once that’s finished the rest of the preparation is a breeze.  I slice the onion and place it along the bottom of the crockpot.

Spicy-Crockpot-Whole-Chicken-Fone Then measure out all of the spices and mix them together.  

I like to begin applying the rub to the bottom of the chicken first so that once it is covered it can be placed into the crockpot.  

Then I make sure the rest of the chicken is coated with the spice mixture.  I used every last bit of it!  The paprika is what gives it the nice color.

Next you just place the lid on top and set the crockpot to low and set the timer for 4 hours.  

If you need to you can let it cook for up to 8 hours; I’ve just never left a whole chicken in the crockpot for that long.

Once the Spicy Crockpot Whole Chicken is finished cooking pull it out and let it sit for a few minutes so that it is easier to handle while cutting.  

I start cutting on the bottom of the chicken because that is where the white meat is and I’m not a big fan of the dark meat.  

The meat isn’t really that spicy, but rather it has just a nice little hint of spice to it.  

CrockPot Zesty Italian Chicken, The Healthier Version

Ingredients:

2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 T Salted Butter (melted)

2 C Chicken Broth (or 16 oz water & 2 tsp Chicken Base)

¼ C Whole Wheat Flour

*2 T Zesty Italian Dressing Mix

Mix well, then add:

3­4 Chicken Breasts

How to make it:

Add the lid and set on High for 3.5 to 4 hours or Low 6­7 hours. You'll know it's ready when the chicken is well

cooked. This is the time to set out 2 C Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt (covered) so that it is room temp when you need it

later.

Once the cooking time is up, remove the Chicken Breasts, chunk the Chicken to your desired size and return it to the

Crock, mix well.

Then add:

2 C or 16 oz of Room Temperature Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt

2 T Flax Meal

Mix well, then add:

1 (12 oz) Package Whole Wheat Penne Pasta

Mix well, cover, and set CrockPot to LOW and let cook for 1 more hour or so, you'll know it's done when the

noodles are at your desired consistency. It's ready to serve. It's good with a fresh Green Salad or cooked Green

Beans

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

1½-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

1 medium onion, chopped

2 TB butter

2 tsp dried parsley

½ tsp seasoned salt

¼ tsp poultry seasoning

¼ tsp garlic powder

2 cups chicken broth

2 cans (or boxes) cream of chicken soup

10 canned, regular size, buttermilk biscuits (I use two small cans, each contains five biscuits)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place chicken in the bottom of slow cooker, along with chopped onion and 2 TB butter. Sprinkle with dried parsley, seasoning salt, poultry seasoning, and garlic powder.

Add chicken broth and cream of chicken soup to crockpot, and stir all ingredients to combine. Place lid on top and cook over low heat for 6-8 hours, or high heat for 4-5 hours.

After cooking for at least 6 hours on low, or 4 hours on high, remove lid and stir mixture with a spoon or fork, breaking apart the chicken into smaller chunks.

Chop the biscuits into quarters and add to the crockpot. Push biscuit dough down into the crockpot a bit so that they will absorb the gravy as they cook.

Replace the lid and continue cooking for 1 more hour over high heat until biscuits are cooked through and begin to turn golden brown. Enjoy!

CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

Ingredients

4 quarts water

1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of celery or cream of chicken soup

1 teaspoon Paula Deen's House Seasoning

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 bay leaves

1 large onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

1 2 1/2 lb chicken

2 cups all-purpose flour, mixed with 1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup ice water

2 tablespoons corn starch, (optional)

Preparation

Chicken:

Cut up chicken, but do not remove skin. The skin and bones can be removed later. 

Place chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, bouillon and House Seasoning in water and cook at a low boil for 30 to 45 minutes, until meat begins to fall off the bones. 

Remove skin and bones at this point, along with bay leaves. Return chicken to pan. Prepare dumplings and set them aside for a few minutes. Add cream soup to chicken and continue to boil. 

If desired, you can thicken the stock at little by mixing 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and adding it to the stock. Drop dumplings into boiling stock. Never stir dumplings. 

Shake the pot gently in a circular motion to submerge dumplings in stock. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overcook.

Dumplings:

Put flour/salt mixture in a mixing bowl. Beginning in center of flour, dribble a small amount of ice water. 

Work mixture with fingers from center of bowl to sides of bowl, incorporating small amounts of water at a time. 

Continue until all flour is used up. Batter will feel as if it is going to be tough. Knead dough and form into ball. 

Dust a good amount of flour onto dough board and rolling pin. Roll out dough, working from center. Dough will be firm. 

Roll to 1/8 inch thinness. Let it air-dry for a minute or two while you return your attention to the boiling pot at the point at which you add the canned soup to the chicken mixture. 

Cut dumplings into 1-inch strips. Working with one strip at a time, hold strip over pot, pull it in half, and drop into the boiling stock. 

Remember, do not stir after dumplings have been added to pot.

Note: Frozen dumplings are available in most supermarkets if you don't have time to make them.

turkey burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey meat (prefer thigh meat)

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced (or whatever fresh herbs you like)

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

cheese (optional)

How to make it:

Mix ingredients together and form 4-6 patties. Grill on medium heat for 7 minutes a side. 2 minutes before burgers are done, place a slice of cheese (optional) on each patty. Serve hot.

Caramel Apple Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups coarsely chopped apples (I didn’t peel mine, but feel free to peel yours if preferred. I also used Golden Delicious, but Granny Smith would work!)

Caramel sundae sauce

For Crumb Mixture:

1 tsp cinnamon

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp brown sugar

4 Tbsp cold butter

HOw to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. If using paper bakeware, place two loaf baking pans on a foil-lined baking sheet. If using glass pans, spray liberally with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy. In a separate bowl, dissolve the baking soda into the lemon juice. Mixture will foam up; that’s normal. Once dissolved, add the baking soda mixture, eggs and vanilla to the butter and beat to combine.

3. Add the flour and salt until a thick batter has formed. Stir in the chopped apples by hand.

4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the crumb ingredients until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Set aside.

5. If making two loaves with paper bakeware: Spread 1/4 batter in the bottom of each loaf pan. Sprinkle heavily with the crumb mixture and drizzle a generous amount of caramel on top. Repeat with another layer of each batter, crumb and caramel. If using a regular-sized loaf pan: Repeat same process, just in one pan.

6. Bake the paper bakeware loaf pans for 30 minutes, or a regular-sized loaf pan for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean. Bread can be cooled and served directly from the paper bakeware, but if using glassware, remove the bread from the pan after cooling slightly; allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

7. Bread can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, wrapped tightly.

The great thing about this paper bakeware is that cleanup was SO easy. When we were done serving from the loaf pan, we just recycled it and we were done. No scrubbing dishes, no mess. And we gifted the other loaf to a friend by just simply wrapping the bread in cellophane and tying it up with a ribbon. Think of how easy holiday baking will be with this paper bakeware!

Good luck, and enjoy!!

Cheesy Mexican Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients:

For the bread :

3 7/8 cups white bread flour

2 T course semolina flour

1 package Fleischmann's active dry yeast

2 heaping tsp. fine grain salt

5 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups water

Spice Mixture:

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 T minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. onion flakes

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

For layering:

3 T jalapeno pepper, diced

3/4 cup finely grated pepperjack cheese

3/4 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Dough likes warm kitchens. 

Combine dry ingredients (flour, yeast, semolina, salt) in the bowl of a stand mixer. 

Using a bread hook, turn stand mixer onto its lowest setting. 

Slowly add oil and water. 

After liquid has been added, continue to mix at lowest speed for two minutes. 

Turn mixer to next highest speed and continue mixing for six minutes or until dough becomes firm and barely sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead for two minutes. Form dough into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a towel and let rest for one hour. While dough is rising, whisk together butter, oil and next eight ingredients in a small bowl.

Once dough has nearly doubled in size, lightly punch it down in the bowl. Pull off small pieces of dough from dough ball (roughly a tablespoon if you were to measure it), dip each piece in spice mixture and drop into a bundt pan. Once the bottom of the pan is covered with a layer of dough, sprinkle with 1/3 cup of mixed cheeses and 1 T jalapenos. Continue this process two more times (reserving a little cheese for the top once baked)

Cover pan and let rise for another 45 minutes to an hour, once the dough nearly reaches the top of the pan. Place into the oven and reduce heat to 425. Bake for 16- 20 minutes until top is dark golden brown and crispy. Let cool for 30 minutes and turn out bread onto serving platter. Top with remaining cheese and serve with salsa and queso for dipping. (As a chef's note, next time, we think it would be good to dice and saute red pepper and onions and jalapenos for the layering, too.)

GARLIC HERB AND CHEESE BREAD

Ingredients

500g plain flour

1/2 tablespoon dried yeast granules

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon bread improver

325ml water at room temperature

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/3 cup chopped continental parsley

1/3 cup chopped basil

1/4 cup chopped rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon butter

200g Grated Philly and Tasty cheese

How to make it:

Mix the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and bread improver together in a large bowl. Add half of the water to the dry ingredients and then mix, slowly adding the remaining water whilst mixing. When all mixed together the ingredients should come together in a ball at this point transfer to a floured bench top.

Add the olive oil to the ball of dough and knead it in. If necessary, add extra flour if it becomes too sticky and continue working dough. The kneading is extremely important as it is a necessary technique to ensure the dough will rise and be fluffy. You want to kneed the dough till the texture is smooth and elastic.

Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with glad wrap and then a tea towel and keep warm until the mixture doubles in size – this can take 1 – 1.5 hours depending on the weather).

When risen, knock the dough back in the bowl and then take it out, cut it in half and roll each half out to a large rectangle about 50cm x 25cm, then trim the edges to straighten. 

Spread the top of each with 1/2 butter then scatter the crushed garlic, herb mixture and grated philly and tasty cheese over both rectangles.

Cut each rectangle into strips, to the height of your loaf tins, with a very sharp knife and lay the strips on top of each and cut the layered strips into squares the width of your tins.

Grease or line your loaf tins, and then stack the squares on top of each other, turn the stack on its side and place them into the tins (don't worry if your dough doesn't reach the edge of the tins, the dough will rise again with the final proof). Cover the tins in glad wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

At this stage, if you want to freeze the loafs you can. 

Preheat oven to 190° Celsius.

Remove the glad wrap from the loaf tins and bake in the over for 55 minutes until the tops are golden. Remove from pan and let it rest for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and serving warm.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Crust:

1 ¾  cups vanilla wafer crumbs

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

⅓ cup butter, melted

Pecan Filling:

1 cup sugar

⅔ cup dark corn syrup

⅓ cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1 ½ cups chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 ¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 eggs

⅔ cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine wafer crumbs and brown sugar. 

Stir in melted butter. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9″ springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pecan Filling:

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 

Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into crust and set aside.

Cheesecake Filling:

Reduce oven to 325°. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. 

Add brown sugar and flour and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. 

Stir in cream and vanilla. Pour over pecan filling. Bake for 1 hour. 

Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven with the door closed for 1 hour. 

Remove from oven and run a knife along the outside edges to loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Let cool. 

Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

**Note: I always end up having a mushy crust whenever I try to do a water bath for my cheesecakes - I guess I just don't wrap the pan well enough in foil. 

This time I had a Pyrex dish filled with very hot water on the bottom rack while the cheesecake baked on the top rack, and I did not have a single crack!

Cheesecake Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 ounces cream cheese

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

Graham Cracker Crumbs, for coating

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Mix in vanilla extract. 

Stir in the flour until well combined.

Scoop the dough and form into 1" balls. Roll in graham cracker crumbs so cookie is covered.

Place covered cookie balls onto the prepared baking sheet. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the tops are slightly puffed.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 Tbsp dried basil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

3 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups chicken broth

2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes

1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken

thighs

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 cups frozen cheese tortellini (or you can use fresh)

3 cups packed spinach (you can definitely add more than this if you want)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup heavy cream or 1 cup half and half

1.  In a microwave-safe bowl add the

How to make it:

onions, flour, basil, garlic, tomato paste and drizzle with olive oil.

Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds or so.  (The

mixture will be pasty and look weird but don’t worry it will all be okay in the

end).  Add the mixture to the slow cooker.

2.  Add broth, tomatoes, chicken,

salt and pepper to the slow cooker.  Stir.  Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours

or on HIGH for 3-4 hours (or until chicken is very tender).

3.  Remove the lid and add in

tortellini and spinach, Parmesan cheese and warmed cream (cream should be warmed because it may

cause curdling if added in cold).

4.  Use a fork to remove the chicken

out of the slow cooker.  On a cutting board, shred or cut the chicken into

bite-size pieces.  Add the chicken back into the slow cooker.  Put

the lid back on and cook on HIGH for about 10 more minutes, or until the

tortellini are cooked through.  Ladle into serving bowls and enjoy!

SLOW COOKER CREAMY TORTELLINI, SPINACH AND CHICKEN SOUP

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 Tbsp dried basil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

3 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups chicken broth

2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes

1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken

thighs

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 cups frozen cheese tortellini (or you can use fresh)

3 cups packed spinach (you can definitely add more than this if you want)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup heavy cream or 1 cup half and half

1.  In a microwave-safe bowl add the

How to make it:

onions, flour, basil, garlic, tomato paste and drizzle with olive oil.

Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds or so.  (The

mixture will be pasty and look weird but don’t worry it will all be okay in the

end).  Add the mixture to the slow cooker.

2.  Add broth, tomatoes, chicken,

salt and pepper to the slow cooker.  Stir.  Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours

or on HIGH for 3-4 hours (or until chicken is very tender).

3.  Remove the lid and add in

tortellini and spinach, Parmesan cheese and warmed cream (cream should be warmed because it may

cause curdling if added in cold).

4.  Use a fork to remove the chicken

out of the slow cooker.  On a cutting board, shred or cut the chicken into

bite-size pieces.  Add the chicken back into the slow cooker.  Put

the lid back on and cook on HIGH for about 10 more minutes, or until the

tortellini are cooked through.  Ladle into serving bowls and enjoy!

Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut Casserole with Beer

Ingredients

125mls ale or beer

350g or 4 large Kielbasa sausages (or similar smoked pork sausages)

350g drained ready-made sauerkraut (I used a 3/4 of a 500g tin of sauerkraut)

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (or fennel seeds)

fresh crusty bread or baguettes to serve

dill pickles to serve

mustard to serve

Note

A comforting Polish inspired meal that is cooked in the slow cooker with beer and caraway seeds; makes a fabulous mid-week winter supper, or serve at a BBQ in the summer for any large gatherings. (Recipe idea was taken and adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)

Directions

Place the beer, sausages, drained sauerkraut and caraway seeds in the slow cooker, and gently mix through to combine.

Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours, or a combination of both, Some slow cookers have an Auto setting that switches to keep warm for the last few hours.

Serve with crusty bread, bread rolls or baguette, with dill pickles and mustard.

Taco Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef or turkey

1/4 cup taco seasoning

4 oz. cream cheese

12 Jumbo Pasta shells

1 cup salsa

1 cup taco sauce

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Jack cheese

Directions

Cook Shells.

On the stove sear Beef or turkey.

Add Taco and cream cheese. Cover, remove from heat and let it sit for a while while the cheese is melting.

Stuff the shells with the mix and place in a baking pan. Cover with sauce.

Bake covered with foil for half an hour at 350F. Take out and put some cheese on top.

Bake uncovered until the cheese melted and starting to brown a little.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped (equivalent to 1 cup)

1 large carrot, chopped (equivalent to 1 cup)

3 stalks celery, chopped (equivalent to 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 can (15 ounces) beef broth

1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, with liquid

1 can (15 ounces) white kidney beans, with liquid

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

8 ounces ditalini pasta, precooked weight

Directions:

In a large pot, over Medium heat, cook the ground beef.

Drain the liquid from the cooked beef (if any).  If you use ground beef with a lower fat ratio then you will have little to no liquid to drain.

Stir in the chopped onions, carrots, celery, and minced garlic.  Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, red and white kidney beans (with the liquid).

Season with the salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and thyme and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

When the soup has 10 minutes left to simmer, cook the ditalini pasta in boiling water for 7 minutes or until a bit firmer than al dente.  Do not over cook the pasta.

Drain the pasta and stir it into the soup.  Simmer for 10 more minutes.

Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

Source: Iowa Girl Eats

Spicy Tuscan Soup

Ingredients

1 pound Spicy Breakfast Sausage

1 whole Medium Red Onion, Diced

2 slices Bacon, Diced

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

3 whole Medium Potatoes

1 quart Warm Water

3 cubes Chicken Bouillon

¼ bunches Kale, Roughly Chopped

½ cups Heavy Cream

Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation

Crumble sausage into a Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain off the grease and set the sausage aside.

Add onions and bacon into the Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are clear. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4″ slices. Add warm water, bouillon cubes and potatoes to the Dutch oven and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are almost done.

Add remaining ingredients as well as the sausage and simmer for 5 more minutes. Let cool and serve with warm garlic breadsticks.

Enjoy!

Confetti Chicken Pasta Recipe

Ingredients

16 oz. of Whole Wheat Penne Pasta (always cook al dente in salt water according to pkg directions)

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut in 1″ cubes

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

½ c. Onion, diced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, long thin slices (mom uses red, yellow and orange…)

1 c. Broccoli florets

1 c. Asparagus, chopped in 1″ pieces

1 c. Grape tomatoes

How to make it:

Cook your pasta and let it drain.  (tip: I always add a bit of olive oil to my pasta water during cooking so the noodles don’t stick together). Sprinkle the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook chicken until done and golden on all sides. Remove and let rest in a large bowl.

Add the remaining olive oil and begin sauteing the onions for 2 min. Add in the garlic and bell pepper and saute another 2 mins. Then toss in any other woody veggies  (broccoli, asparagus) saving the tomatoes until the very end.

When everything is cooked, combine the veggies with the chicken in your big bowl. (I’m all about reducing dishes here) Now its time for the sauce!

Spicy Cream Sauce

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour (I used whole wheat)

2 c. half & half

1/4 tsp. of red pepper flakes

1 c. Feta cheese (mom uses Parmesan)

In the same pan you cooked the chicken and veggies in, melt the butter over medium heat. Toss in the flour and stir, cooking 1-2 minutes.  (We are making a roux)

Slowly add in the half and half while stirring to prevent any clumps from forming.  Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and allow to simmer until you see boiling action.  Stir periodically.

When your sauce begins to thicken and bubble, turn off the heat and add in your cheese. Stir until melty (yes that’s a technical term).

To assemble everything I like to add the pasta first so it gets nice and coated with sauce and then pour the rest of the goodies in. (see photo above). This makes enough for 4 people (or two if you want lunch the next day!)