Rachael Ray's Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound semolina or whole wheat penne
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups milk
• Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped artichokes, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
• Black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Italian Fontina cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta,
salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While the pasta water comes to a boil, place a medium
pot over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO,
about 2 tablespoons, and the butter. Add the onion and
garlic to the pan and cook the veggies until very soft, about
10 minutes. Then heat the broiler and position rack in
the middle of the oven.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into
the pan. Cook for about 1 minute then whisk the wine into
the pan, cooking for another minute to burn off the alcohol.
Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add
the nutmeg, spinach, artichokes, salt and pepper to the
sauce and simmer until thickened and vegetables are warmed
through, 2-3 minutes more. Add 1 cup of each of the cheeses
to the sauce and stir until melted.

Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and
transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle some more Fontina
and Parmigiano over the top and bake until the cheese
has melted and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich with Garlic Mayo

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
•  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound beef round steak, cut into thin strips
• 2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/4 inch strips
• 2 onions, sliced into rings
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise and toasted
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and minced garlic. Cover, and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute beef until lightly browned. Stir in green pepper and onion, and season with salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables are tender, and remove from heat.
3. Spread each bun generously with garlic mayonnaise. Divide beef mixture into the buns. Top with shredded cheese, and sprinkle with oregano. Place sandwiches on a baking pan.
4. Heat sandwiches in preheated oven, until cheese is melted or slightly browned.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 935 | Total Fat: 66.4g | Cholesterol: 96mg

Mom's Macaroni and Cheese

This is from my mother-in-law, Marilyn Crozier. When Paul and I were first married I made Paul Mac N Cheese from a box. Big no-no...because apparantely Paul had grown up on his Mother's homemade version that puts a shame to the box. I have not made him Mac N Cheese from a box since. Of course, kids love it.

Makes 1 8X8 pan.

2 Cups Macaroni
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup milk, and 1/2 soup can of milk

Cook Macaroni according to package directions. Mix soup with 1/2 soup can of milk. Mix it with macaroni. Cut cheese into cubes or slices, or shred. Spray pan with cooking spray.

Layer 1.) 1/2 of macaroni mixture and a little pepper.
2.) 1/2 of cubed cheese

Repeat. Push top layer of cheese into macaroni.

Pour 1 cup milk over top. Cover wil foil. Bake on top rack at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Take off foil and bake for 45 minutes more. (1 and 1/2 hour total).

Personally I usually double the recipe so that it will fill an entire 13X9 pan.

Variation: 1/2 mozzerella and 1/2 SHARP cheddar cheese.

I need Help

So I was wondering if everyone could make a little bit of time, to post a recipe. I only have a few weeks left until delivery and need new ideas for dinner. Because when the baby comes I probably will be too stressed out or sleep deprived to search for new recipes. So if you have any, that you have been hiding up your sleeves. Please post them.

Chicken Pot Pie

Courtesy of allrecipes.com

I made this last week for Paul, and we LOVED it. I did make quite a few alterations, including adding a few more vegetables, doubling the sauce, and adding a few more seasonings and spices. My favorite spice is an herb blend called, "Spike." I can only find it at specialty health food stores here in NM, but in Utah it can be found at almost any grocery store. It's a must have! You can use Spike for chicken, sweet potatoes, soup, beans, almost anything. I doubled the recipe and am so glad I did because our family ate almost the entire first pie over one meal. ENJOY!


Prep time: 30 Min
Cook Time:40 Min
Ready In:
1 Hr 10 Min
Servings 8

Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9 inch pie

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
3-5 baby red potatoes, skins left on
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 chicken boullion cubes
1-2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 teaspoons Spike seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon celery seed (I used celery salt)
4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts (I used Pillsbury pre-made crusts, very easy/yummy)


Directions

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.) In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add chicken broth to cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

3.) In a pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Cut red baby potatoes into cubes and cook in pot, cover. Let boil until potato cubes fall apart when jabbed with a fork. Strain and set aside.

4.)In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed, and remaining spices/seasonings. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

5.) After greasing deep dish pie pan, place pie crust in pan, and pre-cook bottom pie crust in oven for 5 minutes, optional egg white brushed on.

6.) While the crust is pre-baking, place the chicken mixture in large bowl or pot. Add steamed potatoes, and pour hot liquid mixture over. Stir until blended.

7.) Using the deep dish pie pan that has the pre-baked pie crust in the bottom, pour mixture into pan. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

8.) Place pie pan on a cookie sheet to catch possible leaks or drips that might boil over. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.


Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 416 | Total Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 56mg

Nutritional Information
Chicken Pot Pie IX
Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 416

Total Fat: 24g
Cholesterol: 56mg
Sodium: 766mg
Total Carbs: 30.7g
Dietary Fiber: 3.3g
Protein: 18.7g

Orange Rolls

I love Orange Rolls , but it is incredibly hard to find a recipe that isn't loaded with butter. I made these when my sister came over and they couldn't stop eating them. I mean who wants a dessert that may be low fat but flavorless? Not me But if you can still have a delicious dessert that is also better for your heart then why not ? So I tweaked this recipe and experimented with it to make it healthier then originally posted and was very happy when I met success and my tastebuds couldn't taste a difference. The secret was using nonfat plain yogurt, which is different then fat free yogurt. Fat free is loaded with chemicals to make it somewhat resemble the flavor of yogurt. But nonfat yogurt is just plain yogurt that they take the fat out of without altering it. The ingredient list only has like three things on it. Verses a very lengthy list with comlicated names. I have found that it is wonderful for cooking. This may look like a complicated recipe but, it's not. It took ten minutes to mix up the dough in my mixure and a few more minutes to finish it off and walah done.

courtesy of cookinglight.com

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (100-110 degrees, I use my meat thermometer to get the right temp.)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (or sour cream if you aren't being healthy consciece)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3-3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (can use half white, half wheat flour)
Cooking spray

Filling
2 Tablespoons butter melted
3 tablespoons grated orange rind
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Glaze:
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
1/4 cup low fat sour cream

Directions:
1.To prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. let stand for 5 minutes. Then add 1/4 cup sugar, plain yogurt (or sour cream), 2 tablespoons of softened butter, salt, and egg. Beat on a medium speed until smooth.
2.Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. Add two cups of flour to yeast mixture. Mix until incorporated. Then add another 1-1 1/2 cups flour until you have a soft dough. Knead dough for a few minutes until smooth and elastic.
3.Place dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place until double about an hour. Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.
Punch dough down and let rest for five minutes.
4. Divide dough in half. Working with one portion at a time, roll or pat out into a 12-inch circle. Brush the circle with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup granulated sugar and half of orange rind on top of dough circle. Then using a pizza cutter cut into wedges like a pizza, about 8-12. Starting with the wide side, rolling toward the center, roll each wedge up tightly. Place in a coated 9 x 13 pan point side down.
Repeat with second portion of dough.

5.Cover 9 x 13 pan and let rise for 25 minutes.
6.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover pan and bake rolls for 25 minutes or until slightly

7.While the rolls are baking prepare the glaze. Combine sugar, butter, and orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and cool slightly then mix in the sour cream. Drizzle glaze over the warm rolls.

Flour's Famous Banana Bread

I was so happy that this recipe turned out. I have been searching for another banana bread recipe that would be healthier then the one I have used for years which has a lot of shortening. I am so excited because this bread was so moist and flavorful, without the shortening or butter found in almost every other recipe that I found. And I like it as much or more then my old recipe.

Recipe courtesy Chef Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery in Boston, via Foodnetwork

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed (about 2 cups mashed bananas)
  
• 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream (I used nonfat plain yogurt)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a separate bowl,beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. (I used a hand electric mixer for about 5 minutes)

Drizzle in oil in with eggs. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla to egg mixture. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes one loaf in a 9x5 inch bread pan.