Sauteed Asparagus with Parmesan Lemon Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 Bunch Asparagus
3 Tablespoons Butter
Small Lemon or Half of a normal size Lemon
3/4 Cup Half & Half
2/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
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Directions:
In a large fry pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter on medium heat. Was your asparagus and snap near the end until it breaks off itself, or line them up and with a knife, cut about 2-3 inches off to get rid of the tough ends. Lay your asparagus in the fry pan over the melted butter and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Let saute for 10-12 minutes, or until just tender. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a smaller pan and once it's melted, add your cream, then your Parmesan, then squeeze in your lemon, and season to taste with salt & pepper, making sure to whisk to evenly incorporate everything. Drizzle lemon sauce over asparagus.

Egg Rolls

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Pizza potpie

For the crust:

1 pkg. yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp.)
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups bread flour (you can use all-purpose, but bread flour makes a fluffier crust)
For the filling:

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 jar pizza sauce
For top of crust:

2 Tbs. melted butter
dried oregano and basil
Make the dough first. Dissolve the yeast in the water. Mix in the other ingredients until they are well blended. I use a stand mixer with a dough hook, but you can also do this by hand. Let the dough rest while you cook the sausage.

Brown the sausage with the onion and garlic. Drain and rinse under hot water to remove the extra fat.

Heavily grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Layer the mozzarella and then the sausage over the top. Pour the sauce over the sausage, using a spoon the spread it out.

On a floured surface, roll out the pizza dough with a rolling pin. It should be about the shape and size of the casserole dish. Carefully lift the dough and place it on the casserole dish. Trim any dough that is hanging over the sides. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with oregano and basil, if desired. Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes.

I flipped the pieces upside down to serve them, which is how the original individual pies get served. The cheese ends up on top. It’s not pretty, but it’s oh-so-good!

Chicken and Cheesy Rice

chicken, cooked and shredded
about 1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup rice
2 cans chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
pepper

I baked 3 small chicken breasts and shredded them for this dish. I really like to have chicken already to go for casseroles in the freezer. You can also substitute canned chicken if you’re very short on time.

Place the chicken in a casserole dish and sprinkle the rice over it. Stir the broth, soup and pepper together and pour over the top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for an hour.

Baked Spaghetti

Paula Deens Baked Spaghetti

2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons House Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 small bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup grated Monterrey Jack

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, seasoning mixtures, sugar, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fully cooked, with no pink color remaining. Drain the fat from the meat, and then add the ground beef to the stockpot. Simmer for 20 more minutes. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Cover the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with sauce. Add a layer of pasta and then a little less than 1/2 of each cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return it to the oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes. Cut into squares before serving.




Alternate way:

1 lb. ground beef

1 can Hunt’s spaghetti sauce

1 can tomato sauce, 15 oz

1 onion, diced

about 2 cups Mozzarella

generous shakes of oregano, basil, salt and pepper (optional)

8 oz spaghetti (the picture shows 16oz., but you only need 8oz)

Brown the meat with the onion. Drain the fat and rinse under hot water. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain and stir it together with the meat, sauces and extra spices. Put it into a casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or till hot and bubbly.

Crockpot Pepper steak

2 lbs. stew beef
1 can or jar of spaghetti sauce
1 onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
2 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet

Put everything in the slow cooker and cook 6-8 hours on low. I have made this without the Kitchen Bouquet and it’s still good, but the ingredient does add a good flavor.

Bowtie Pasta w/chicken

You’ll need:

boneless chicken breasts or tenders, the amount depends on how many you’re cooking for
box of bowtie pasta
broccoli, cauliflower and carrots (I like to use those steam in the bag fresh kind)
feta cheese 6-8oz, crumbled
lemon pepper
3-4 Tbs butter
1 1/2 – 2 cups half and half, warmed for a minute or two in the microwave

Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with lemon pepper and grill it. I used 4 chicken breasts for my family of 6. We had enough leftovers for the next day’s lunch.

While the chicken is grilling start the pasta cooking. Steam the vegetables in the microwave, if you bought that kind
When the chicken is done, slice it into thin strips
Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot. Add the butter and warmed half & half. Stir in the feta cheese, veggies and chicken. You may want to add a bit more half & half, if it looks like it needs it. Serve with additional lemon pepper. If it weren’t for my kids I would add more lemon pepper while I’m adding the other ingredients, but they don’t like so much of the peppery taste, so my husband and I just add it to our servings.

Poor mommas pizza

POOR MOMMA'S PIZZA
sliced bread
spaghetti or pizza sauce (I made my own-the recipe is below)
shredded mozzarella cheese


Pre-heat oven to 450. Place bread on baking sheet. Top bread with sauce and spread to edges. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes (it took 6 minutes in my oven). Enjoy :)


PIZZA SAUCE
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp garlic salt


Mix ingredients. IMPORTANT- let set 30 minutes to an hour. This makes the flavors combine and taste amazing.

Peanut butter cookies

1/2 cup shortening (or butter flavored shortening)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.

Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls (using a cookie scoop works great) 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to cool completely.

Pizza Puffs

PEPPERONI PIZZA PUFFS
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 TBSP pizza seasoning
3/4 cup milk
1 egg- slightly beaten
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 package mini pepperoni (or 1 cup cut up)
1/2 cup pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a mini muffin pan. Whisk flour, baking powder and pizza seasoning in bowl. Whisk in milk and egg. Stir in cheeses and pepperoni. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir and divide in mini muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve with warmed pizza sauce.

Bacon wrapped Pork Tenderloin

BACON-WRAPPED PORK TENDERLOIN
1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin
1 tsp steak seasoning (I used Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning)
3 bacon slices, cut in half crosswise

Preheat oven to 425. Remove silver skin from pork tenderloin, leaving a thing layer of fat covering the pork. Sprinkle seasoning over pork (you can do this in the morning or a few hours before baking). Wrap pork with bacon slices, and secure with wooden picks (I used toothpicks I had soaked in water so they wouldn't burn). Place pork on a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined roasting pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155. Broil 5 inches from heat 3-5 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Remove from oven; cover pork with foil, and let stand 10 minutes or until thermometer registers 160.

Mac N' Cheese

My FAVORITE Mac N' Cheese
Recipe by: Emily

2 cups Elbow Macaroni
1 medium Onion, sliced thin and chopped
1 TBS Garlic Salt
1 can Chedder cheese soup
1 1/2 cans milk
1 cup Shredded Italian Cheese
1 cup Shredded Mild Chedder Cheese
3 Tbsp Butter
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 cups Bread Crumbs, I like to use coarse brioche crumbs best

1. Cook macaroni according to directions on the package to al dente. Drain pasta and set aside in a large bowl.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, melt together add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until onions begin to brown. Lower heat to medium low and continue to cook onion stirring occasionally until softened about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Use the same skillet that you cooked the onion in to make the sauce, it will deglaze the pan. Higher heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and melt. Add 1 1/2 cans milk and cheddar soup to the mixture and whisk while continuing to cook. Once the milk mixture begins to thicken and bubble add the shredded cheeses and continue to whisk until the cheese has melted, about 3 minutes. Taste cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni mixture and mix well. Pour macaroni mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish and top with 2 cups of brioche bread crumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bread crumbs are browned and the macaroni is bubbly. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving, enjoy!

Horchata

1 3/4 C long grain white rice
2 cinnamon sticks
7 C water
3/4 C milk
1/2 C sugar
1 TBLS vanilla

Place rice, cinnamon sticks and about 2 cups of water in blender.
Blend until rice and cinnamon sticks are roughly ground. Add remaining water and blend some more.
Pour into a pitcher and let it soak in the refrigerator overnight.
Strain out rice and cinnamon sticks (you can save this for rice pudding).
Add milk, sugar and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
Serve over ice.
Enjoy!

Pepperoncini Pasta with Chicken

1 box bowtie pasta or other shape
boneless chicken breasts or tenders – 1 lb. (I used precooked Fajita Chicken)
seasoned salt, homemade or store-bought (didnt use)
olive oil for sautéing
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 green pepper, chopped (didnt use cause I didnt have any)
1 can regular diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped pepperoncini peppers
1 cup chicken broth (I used 2 bullion of chicken and tomato flav with 1 1/2 cups water)----Added so much flavor!
salt and pepper to taste (didnt use any)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Sprinkle the chicken with seasoned salt and grill outdoors. (Or just heat up cooked chicken)

In a skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until tender. Add the green pepper (I Omitted) and cook until tender-crisp. Stir in the other ingredients, except the cheese. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for a few minutes while the pasta and chicken finish cooking. Stir the sauce together with the finished pasta. Serve with the grilled chicken and top with cheese.

Makes about 8-10 servings.

Crumb Cake

Jersey Diner Coffee Cake

1 pkg Duncan Hines Butter Cake mix (or any other brand)
4 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Blend together until lumps disappear - do not over mix.
Bake in a greased 11x15 jellyroll pan for 20-25 minutes.

Crumb Topping:

4 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (I use Floridian Gourmet [see photograph] - this guy knows his stuff! Check the website and see if you can still get your hands on some)
2 sticks of margarine
1 stick of butter

Melt butters and let cool slightly. Add vanilla.
Mix flour, cinnamon, sugars then add the liquid mixture.
Crumble with hands and place on warm cake. Bake again for 20 min at 350 degrees F.
Let cool and dust with powdered sugar.