Sausage and Spinach (if desired) Stuffed Shells

This week I have had such a taste for pasta dishes so in researching I came across this recipe in my friend's blog. I am so glad that I tried it because they were so yummy. My husband does not like spinach so I stuffed half of the shells with the sausage spinach mixture and half with just the sausage mixture. So, if you are not a fan of spinach I still definitely recommend making this dish because it was delicious both ways. The only thing I would change next time is slightly reducing the amount of salt. Also, this recipe makes a ton so it is perfect for left overs and if desired I am sure it would freeze (if you use frozen spinach they recommend not re-freezing) perfectly for a later use. This recipe will not disappoint :)

Sausage and Spinach (if desired) Stuffed Shells

With Spinach:

Without Spinach:

1 12-oz package jumbo pasta shells
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (if desired; I only used 1/2 of the spinach since I was stuffing only 1/2 of the shells)
1 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes with herbs, including the liquid

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Salt water and cook pasta shells according to package directions.  Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. 
4. Add the sausage to the pan, and cook through breaking into smaller pieces.  
5. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Remove from the heat.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, ricotta, spinach (if desired; I added the spinach very last after I added the sausage mixture), 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, basil, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  
7. Add the cooked sausage mixture to the bowl and stir until evenly mixed. After completely mixed I seperated the mixture into two separate bowls and then added the spinach to one bowl and mixed well.
8. Spread a thin layer of the chopped tomatoes in a 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with some of the sausage and cheese mixture and arrange in the baking dishes, open side up.  
9. Spread the remaining tomatoes with liquid over the top of the pasta shells.
10. Cover the pans with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling.  
11. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.  Bake, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. 

Recipe from my friend Amy's Blog 

Cornbread Casserole

Cornbread is one of my favorite foods and this recipe has now become a favorite at our Thanksgiving table. Most recently, I have also started making this recipe for everyday dinners. It is so easy to make, has few ingredients, and is very moist and delicious. For all you Southerner's out there you must give this recipe a try :)

Cornbread Casserole*

Very moist and delicious

1 box Jiffy corn mix
2 8-ounce cans of creamy corn
2 eggs
1 stick of butter, melted
1 8-ounce sour cream
1/4 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Stir all ingredients together until well combined
3. Place in a casserole dish
4. Bake for 1 hour or until lightly brown, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

*This recipe can easily be doubled and we have even tripled it before, but make sure you allow more time for baking because it will take quite a bit longer. I prefer to double and place into 2 separate casserole dishes to be able to better judge the baking time.

Recipe from my Unlce's family

Goulash

Please forgive me in the delay of posting new recipes. My 4 year old niece stayed with my husband and I this past week and we kept very busy having loads of fun with her. Also, today I started a new job so please bear with me in the days to come as I adjust to my new schedule. Okay, so on to this yummy recipe. This recipe is so yummy and  easy to make. It is wonderful for a delicious weeknight meal.

Goulash

Delicious Weeknight Meal

1/4 green pepper
1/4 onion
1 clove minced garlic
10-12 baby carrots or 3-5 regular carrots 
1 1/4 pound ground chuck
1 29-ounce tomato sauce
1 29-ounce can of water
1 14.5-ounce diced tomatoes
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon parsley
1 8.5-ounce canned sweet peas or 1/4 bag frozen peas
1 lb elbow or seashell pasta (I used 1/2-3/4 box of elbow pasta)
oil; if desired
shredded cheese; if desired

1. In a large saucepan sautee pepper, onion, carrots and minced garlic in water or oil until lightly brown
2. Add ground chuck and brown until no longer pink
3. Add sauce, water, diced tomatoes and seasonings
4. Cook on low 1 hour. Add peas at 40 minute mark
5. Cook pasta separately according to package directions
6. Serve goulash and pasta mixed together and garnish with shredded cheese (if desired)

Recipe from my Mom

Simple Chicken Marsala

This is a no fuss deliciously simple not fancy way to make chicken Marsala. This post will include only how to make the Marsala sauce. To make the chicken please refer to Breaded Sauteed Chicken Breast.

Simple Marsala Sauce

Fast, Delicious, Weeknight Meal

Refer to Breaded Sauteed Chicken Breast for chicken ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 mushroom gravy packet

Approx. 3/4 cups Marsala wine

Approx. 1/4 cup water

Flour, if needed

1. First prepare chicken according to the directions from Breaded Sauteed Chicken Breast
2. Once chicken is removed from skillet heat extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sautee, stirring occasionally (make sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen the bits) until brown
3. Add Marsala wine, water and mushroom gravy packet to skillet. Cook until sauce is slightly reduced and slightly thickened
4. If you find the sauce to be to strong you can add more water. Also, if you desire a thicker sauce mix a small amount of flour to water in a separate cup and slowly add to sauce until desired consistency is reached
5. Serve sauce over chicken immediately

Recipe from my Dad

Patio Potatoes

This recipe is another family favorite! We love to compliment a honey baked ham with this side dish. It is a tradition in our family to have a honey baked ham and patio potatoes for Easter and Christmas dinner. This dish is so yummy and doubles and triples perfectly, but of course is not a dish I would recommend to make often because it is high in calories. If I was not worried about calories then this dish would be on my dinner table more often then 2 times a year :)

Patio Potatoes

A Delicious Tradition

2-lb frozen cubed hashbrown potatoes

2 cups sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 can cream cream of chicken soup

2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped onion (we use less onion)

1/3 cup butter; melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
3. Pour into casserole dish
4. Baked uncovered 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the top is golden brown and bubbling (if you double this recipe increase the baking time)

Recipe from my Unlce's Grandmother

Crab Cakes

For my Aunt's birthday this year with the help of my dad we decided to do an all seafood menu. For the appetizer's I made shrimp dip (see previous post) and crab cakes. As usual I am always very nervous to try new recipes with a crowd of people. In the end boy am I so glad that I tried this recipe. These crab cakes were so yummy! They were moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. The sauce complimented them wonderfully and were a nice change to the traditional sauce served with crab cake's. I tweaked this recipe and am so happy with the turn out. Also, this recipe doubled perfectly for me. My husband says that he is looking very forward to me making this recipe again. Enjoy this special delicacy :)

Crab Cakes

Moist on the inside and crispy on the outside

Crab Cakes:

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 green onions, chopped

3/8 cup olive oil (I used only what I thought necessary)

1 (16 ounce) can canned crab meat, drained

1 egg

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon dry mustard (I used 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard)

8 ounces buttery round crackers, crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (I used 1/2 teaspoon paprika plus some)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or regular dry bread crumbs

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over high heat. Saute green onions briefly until tender; cool slightly.
2. Combine crab meat, sauteed green onions, egg, mayonnaise, dry mustard (or Dijon), crushed crackers, cayenne pepper (or paprika), garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
3. Form into 1/2 inch thick patties. I was able to get about 20 crab cakes from doubling the recipe.
4. Coat the patties with panko or bread crumbs.
5. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook cakes until golden brown on each side.
6. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot. If desired serve with following sauce.

Sauce:
2/3 c fat free chicken broth
3 tbs chopped shallots
2 tbs white whine vinegar
2 1/2 tbs butter

1. Combine broth, chopped shallots, and vinegar in a small sauce pan; bring to boil.
2. Cook until reduced to a 1/2 cup (about 4 minutes); remove from heat, stir in butter.
3. Serve with crab cakes.

Crab cake recipe inspired from Allrecipes
Sauce recipe from my cousin Alison's Blog

Banana Bread

Banana's are not one of my favorite fruits and quite frankly I am allergic to them (not deadly allergic), but there is one recipe I cannot turn down that contains banana's and that is my mom's banana bread. This recipe has wonderful flavor and stays very moist. I had a friend over to study one day and I happened to have some of my mom's banana bread on hand that my mom had actually made. My friend informed me she was not crazy about banana bread, but would be willing to try it. Let's just say that she loved it! She even went back for seconds :)

Mom's Banana Bread

Moist and delicious

1 large egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
3 very ripe mashed banana's (the riper the better)
1 1/2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
If desired serve with butter or cream cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease 3 small aluminium mini pans or 1 greased large (8.5 inch) pan
3. Mix with beater egg and oil
4. Add sugar and mix
5. Add banana's and mix
6. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well
7. Pour batter into baking pans. It is best to use 3 small aluminum mini pans but 1 large pan will work fine
8. Bake for 30 minutes for 3 small pans or 60 minutes for 1 large (8.5 inch) pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If top begins to brown to fast cover very loosely with foil
9. If desired spread individual slice with butter or cream cheese

Recipe from my Mom

Chicken Stock and Soup

Growing up chicken soup was always an essential recipe to make when anyone was sick or when we needed that "comfort" food. My mom was always involved with the hospitality team at church delivering food to other families who were in need, and starting at a very young age I always went with her to deliver the food. Unfortunately, the majority of the families we delivered food to were elderly and my mom would let me know at a later time that so and so had gone to be with Jesus. Well, one day I was not feeling well myself so my mom told me she was going to make me some of her chicken soup to help me feel better. Without skipping a beat I responded please not the soup that kills people! In my young innocent mind I thought the yummy soup my mom was delivering to people was killing them lol! Anyways, that cute story from my childhood goes to show how much my family loved making this delicious soup and I promise that it won't kill you ;) It can be very time consuming, but worth ever minute! You can also use this recipe to make chicken stock and then just not proceed onto the actual chicken soup steps.

Chicken Stock and Soup

Best ever!

1 3 pound whole chicken

5 packets Goya Chicken Bouillon (this is what I had on hand. You can also use cubes, boxed or canned chicken broth)

10 carrots

6 celery stalks plus some leaves

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

3 potatoes

salt to taste

pepper to taste

parsley

garlic powder

Complete Seasoning (not required; found in the ethnic isle)

If desired box of small noodled pasta or biscuits for chicken and biscuits

To make the chicken stock:

1. Place the chicken, 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks with some leaves, 1/2 onion, and 1 clove of minced garlic. Don't worry about being precise on cutting the vegetables when making the stock because you will strain them out before proceeding on to the soup.
2. Add enough water to just cover the chicken and vegetables. I used 14 cups of water.
3. Add approximately 4 packets of chicken bouillon, light salt, pepper, parsley, and Complete seasoning.
4. Cook on high heat until boiling and then lower the heat and cook for approximately 3 hours. I checked the internal temperature of the chicken (at least 165 degrees) to ensure it was cooked through. Remove any fat that may come to the surface while cooking.
5. Once cooked remove chicken and place in a separate bowl 
6. Strain the stock and discard the vegetables
7. Refrigerate or freeze stock or proceed onto soup recipe 
8. If not making a soup refrigerate chicken until ready to use if desired. If making into a soup proceed onto the next steps.

To make the chicken soup:

1. In a pot bring the stock you made to a low simmer
2. Chop 7 carrots, 3 celery, and 1/2 onion into bite size pieces and 3 potatoes quartered. Add to stock.
3. Add 1 clove minced garlic
4. Shred the whole chicken into bite size pieces and add to stock. If you feel the entire chicken is too much to add to the stock then refrigerate leftovers for future use which is perfect for chicken salad
5. Add 1 packet of chicken bouillon
6. Season with light salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder and Complete seasoning if desired
7. Simmer covered for 1-2 hours or until the vegetables are tender. While simmering if you feel it needs more liquid you can add more water but make sure to also add more chicken bouillon and seasonings
8. If desired add a small amount of noodles or biscuits right before serving but be careful not to add too much of either because they will thicken the soup and absorb some of the broth. You can also make the noodles and biscuits separately and add to individual bowls.
9. Serve hot
10. Refrigerate or freeze cooled leftovers

Recipe from my Grandma

Shrimp Dip

This shrimp dip is by far the easiest dip to make as well as delicious. It also contains only a total of 4 ingredients! I recently made this dip for a family get together and everyone raved all evening about how yummy it was, and in the end there was not one crumb left! You know it is good when family raves about it because out of all my taste tester's they are not afraid to give me their honest opinion :)

Shrimp Dip

1 bag of frozen cooked, devined, and tail removed shrimp; thawed
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese
Garlic salt with parsley*
Whole round loaf of bread or Ritz crackers

1. Place thawed shrimp (put a few a side to decorate dip before serving), cream cheese, and desired amount of garlic salt with parsley in food processor and combine till uniform
2. Refrigerate dip a couple hours before serving
3. If using a whole round loaf of bread remove the center to create a hollow bread bowl. Tear apart the center of the bread into bite size pieces.
4. When ready to serve place dip in bread bowl or regular bowl and serve with bite size bread or Ritz crackers
5. Refrigerate leftover's

*Recently when I made this dip I accidentally made it too salty so I added more cream cheese and it turned out perfect.

Recipe from a friend

Peanut Blossoms

Every year at Christmas time my Aunt and her 3 children would come over to my parent's house and we would have an all day bake-off that ended with enjoying our baked goods, a Christmas movie, and a sleep over. It has always has been one of my families favorite traditions. This year it was different due to the passing of my mother, but we decided to carry on the tradition. This recipe is 1 of the 9 delicious kinds of cookies plus streusel bread that we made this past Christmas!

Peanut Blossoms

A favorite family tradition

Here is a look at the 9 different cookies we made that totaled a little over 100 cookies!

1 3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar plus sugar for rolling

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 bag of milk chocolate Hershey Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Sift flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
3. Cream together shortening, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar
4. Add egg, milk and vanilla to creamed mixture and combine all together
5. Add sifted ingredients and combine all together
6. Shape dough into small balls and roll in white sugar
7. Place cookie balls on an ungreased cookie sheet
8. Bake for 8 minutes
9. Remove from oven and place one Hershey Kiss in center of each cookie
10. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes longer
11. Cool cookies on a wire rack

Recipe from Simply Delicious cookbook



Breaded Sauteed Chicken Breast

Breaded Sauteed Chicken Breast

A very fast way to cook chicken breast while keeping them moist and delicious.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
Approx. 1 tablespoon oil
Approx. 2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper
Approx. 1/4 cup flour
1-2 eggs
Approx. 1/4 cup italian bread crumbs

1. Heat oil and butter over low heat
2. Pound each chicken breast to approximately the same width to ensure even cooking
3. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken
4. Place flour, egg (beat with a fork or whisk) and italian bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls
5. Dredge chicken first in flour then in beated egg and lastly in italian bread crumbs
6. A couple minutes before sauteing increase the heat to medium-high
7. When the butter stops foaming and starts to smell nutty arrange the chicken breasts in the skillet
8. Cook, turning only once, until both sides of the chicken breasts are a rich golden brown
9. Remove from skillet and serve warm with desired sides 

Recipe created by Me
Sauteing technique from How to Cook Without a Book

Ham and Cheese Sliders

In January my best friend's little girl had her 1st birthday party! My friend and I share the same love and passion to be in the kitchen. So, of course my friend wanted to make everything from scratch which of course I offered to help her in any area that she needed. I do not think that there is another child who had a 1st birthday full of such delicious home cooked food. My friend did such an awesome job and it was such an honor to be able to help her through the entire process. One of the recipe's we made were called Ham and Cheese Sliders. These were so yummy! My husband loved them so much I had to get the recipe from her. These sandwiches are a great party pleaser as well as perfect for everyday work week lunches. I recently made a whole batch and stored them in the fridge and gave them to my husband for lunch throughout the week. Lets just say he had no complaints :)

Ham and Cheese Sliders

A excellent party pleaser as well as a yummy alternative to everyday lunches

Sandwich:
12 sandwich rolls (or 24 slider rolls)
24-36 slices of honey ham
12 slices Swiss cheese (or 24 if using slider rolls)
Mayonnaise

Sauce:
1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon minced onion or 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Poppy seed for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Split the sandwich rolls and spread bottom roll with mayonnaise. Top with 2-3 slices of honey ham and 1 slice of Swiss cheese. Replace top roll.
3. Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet
4. To make the sauce combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine
5. Drizzle the sauce over the top of the buns
6. Sprinkle each bun with poppy seeds
7. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted
8. Remove the foil and bake 2 minutes longer
9. Serve warm

Recipe from Amy's Blog