Easy Pesto Spinach Pasta

I've told a few people about my new favourite dish lately and they've wanted the recipe so I figured I better get it up here.

It really is my new favourite dish...I love that the spinach and tomatoes are fresh and the best part about it is it seriously takes 10 minutes to make!

I came up with the idea one day when I was making Jacob and Eliana some homemade mac and cheese (add a little milk, butter and lots of shredded cheese to cooked noodles - it's 10 times better than the Kraft stuff...I promise) and since I had some extra noodles and didn't want mac and cheese I decided to experiment with a few things I had on hand. Since the first time I made it I crave it all the time... I think I could eat it everyday.


Easy Spinach Pesto Pasta
noodles, any variety
pesto (basil, spinach, anykind would be good)
fresh spinach, roughly chopped
tomatoes, chopped
parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt, to taste

This is so simple I almost don't even need to write directions;)

Cook noodles, drain and return to pot over low heat. Pour a little bit of olive oil over the noodles, then a spoonful of pesto, a handful of chopped spinach, the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with a generous amount of parmesan cheese. Stir until combined, making sure the pesto is completely mixed over all the noodles. Add salt to taste and serve immediately with some additional parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.


*Note: Sorry I don't have any measurements as it all depends on how much noodles I make. You will be able to tell if you need to add more olive oil or pesto as your noodles will look dry and not all covered with the sauce.

*Note: You could also add some grilled chicken to this dish, or as Chris would suggest cooked and sliced Italian sausage.

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Chris found this recipe on Allrecipes.com one day when we ran out of my veggie burgers from Costco. As it turned out I like these better than the Costco ones so now they're the only ones I eat.

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

2 (16 oz) cans black beans, drained
1 red/orange/yellow/green bell pepper, cut in to small pieces
1 large onion, cut in to small pieces
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 eggs
2 tbsps chili powder
2 tbsps cumin
2 tsp Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
1 cup - 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.

In a food processor, finely chop the bell pepper, onion and garlic. Then stir in to the mashed beans.

In a small bowl stir together the egg, chili powder, cumin and chili sauce/hot sauce.

Stir the egg mixture in to the mashed beans. Mix in the bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together.

Divide mixture in to 8 to 12 patties, depending on the size of the patties you want.

You can cook the burgers immediately or put in the freezer to use when you need them.

To grill: Preheat outdoor grill to high heat. Lightly oil or spray PAM on a piece of aluminum foil and place patties on foil. Grill about 8 minutes on each side. Add a slice of cheese near the end of the 8 minutes on the second side.

*Note: Chris always sprinkles some Worscheshire sauce and a little salt on the burgers when he cooks them.

To bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place patties on a baking sheet lightly oiled or sprayed with PAM and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

To freeze: Place the patties on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and once frozen remove from tray and place in a Ziploc until you're ready to use them.

Serve with avocado, grilled onions, tomatoes, and lettuce!

Enjoy!

Chimichangas

I've never thought I liked Chimichanga's until Chris made one for me. I'm sure it's the fact that it's fried, but I couldn't believe how much I loved it. And they're super easy to make which is a bonus when you don't have much time to make dinner.

Chimichanga's
Tortilla's
Refried beans
shredded cheese
lettuce
tomatoes
sour cream
Cholula hot sauce, optional

Heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan, just enough to fry one side of the Chimichanga at a time.

If using uncooked tortilla's like we do, grill a tortilla then fill with refried beans and some cheese.

Fold the sides of the tortilla over the beans and cheese and then fold the bottom up over it as well.

Place the folded side down in the oil and fry until golden brown, then flip it over.

Place on paper towels and pat the excess oil off and serve immediately, topped with sour cream, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocado's (or guacamole), chopped lettuce and Cholula.

*Note: You can of course make a chicken, beef or pork Chimichanga, but we love the bean and cheese ones!

Enjoy!

Coconut Curry Chicken

I've made this once before but after I made it tonight Chris said he liked it more than the last time so I figured I should write down what I did before I forgot. And mum wanted the recipe, so here we are. I have to say I enjoyed it a lot more this time as well... probably because I didn't have the chicken flavour in it as I made a separate little pot for myself so I wouldn't have to pick it out.

*Note: I just wanted to add that this really is not a spicy curry dish at all. In fact, I gave some to Eliana who is now 9 1/2 months old and she loves it.

I've posted two versions of the recipe, a small batch (feeds about 5 people) and a large batch (feeds about 10 people) to make things easier.

Coconut Curry Chicken (Small Batch)

2 large chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (1/4 - 1/2 inch cubes)
salt and pepper
vegetable oil (not measured but guessed about 1 1/2 tbsp)
2 tbsp curry powder
1 medium onion, sliced
lots of minced garlic
1 1/2 cans (14 oz) coconut milk
1 large can (28 oz) stewed tomatoes (or 2, 14.5 oz cans)
1/2 can (5.5 oz) tomato paste
1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup water


Coconut Curry Chicken (Large Batch)

4 large chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (1/4 - 1/2 inch cubes)
salt and pepper
vegetable oil (not measured but guessed about 3 tbsp)
1/4 cup (or 4 tbsp) curry powder
1 1/2 large onions, sliced
lots of minced garlic
3 cans (14 oz) coconut milk
2 large cans (28 oz) stewed tomatoes (or 4, 14.5 oz cans)
1 can (5.5 oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup water

Season chicken with salt and pepper and cut in to pieces.

Heat oil and curry powder in large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in onions and garlic and cook for another minute. Add chicken, tossing to coat with the curry oil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and sugar in to the pan and stir to combine. Stir and cook approximately 30-40 minutes.

Serve over rice.

* Note: This recipe freezes well if you want to make a big batch and save half of it for another time;)

* Note: You can also use any cooked chicken meat you want. My mum bought two rotisserie chickens and cut up all the white meat on them for me to use tonight and everyone said it was just fine.

Yummy Baked Quesadilla's

I love these quesidilla's. I make mine without chicken in them, but make Chris's with chicken. Of course when Chris makes them mine have chicken in them as well (he claims "the baby wants it").

They're really pretty simple, but very very yummy! And sorry there's no exact amounts for anything as it all depends on how many you're making and of course how full you like your quesadilla's.


Yummy Baked Quesadilla's

chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into small pieces (approx. 1 tenderloin or 1/2 breast per full quesadilla)
zucchini, sliced and halved
red, yellow, orange peppers, julienned
onions, sliced
Wishbone Bountifuls Simply Santa Fe or Kraft Zesty Italian dressing (regular, low fat or fat free)
cumen, very generous sprinkling
shredded cheddar cheese (sometimes I used pepper jack for Chris's as well)
sour cream
tortilla's (2 for every quesadilla)
tomatoes, chopped
cilantro, chopped (fresh is preferable, however dried works as well)
lettuce, chopped
avocado/guacamole

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a large baking sheet with tin foil.

Over medium heat and in a frying pan (sprayed with PAM) add the cut up chicken and drizzle a generous amount of dressing on top, followed by the cumen (again be generous).

When the chicken's about half way done I start my veggies in a separate frying pan (also sprayed with PAM) and again drizzled with the dressing and cumen on top.

Of course if you're making chicken/veggie quesadilla's then you can add the veggies to the same frying pan as the chicken.

When the chicken and veggies are almost finished lightly cook the toritilla's (we always buy the uncooked ones from Costco, so if you have precooked tortilla's already then you can skip this step).

To prepare the quesadilla's, place one tortilla on the baking sheet and sprinkle with a little shredded cheese, followed by a nice thick layer of the chicken / veggie mixture. Sprinkle some chopped tomatoes, cilantro and more cheese on top of the chicken and veggies. Then spread a thin layer of sour cream on the other tortilla and place on top of the first tortilla. Continue with as many as you're wanting to make and then bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven with a lifter/spatula.

Serve with guacamole/avocado, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and lettuce on top.

Enjoy!

*Note: You can also make a 1/2 quesadilla by of course using only one tortilla and folding it in half.

Creamy Veggie Chicken Pasta

I got this recipe from my sister in law Shannon and as noted below had to make some alterations to it (I've included notes at the bottom that show her original recipe). It's a yummy creamy pasta with a little bit of a zing to it!

Sorry there's no pic, but another sister in law just asked for the recipe so I thought I'd put it up without a picture for now...I'll be sure to add a pic the next time I make it!


Creamy Veggie (w/ optional Chicken) Pasta
1 lb noodles of choice (penne, bowtie, rigatoni, shells, corkskrew, etc), approximately

Sauce:
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 tbsp mustard*
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup veggie/chicken stock
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
2-3 tbsp parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

2 chicken breasts (or 4-5 tenderloins), cubed
1/2 large onion
1 medium zucchini, chopped and halved**
1 red pepper, julienned (or orange or yellow peppers)
1/2 cup creamy ceasar dressing (or ranch dressing)***


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Over medium heat fry onions in a little olive oil and when the onions start to soften add the chicken. After the chicken is about half way cooked add the zucchini, red pepper and ceasar dressing. Cover and slightly reduce heat.

Boil the water for the noodles while you start the sauce. Cook the noodles to al dente.

Sauce: Melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until combined. Add mustard and whisk until combined. Mix stock and milk together and gradually whisk into the flour mixture. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add cheddar and parmesan cheeses and salt and pepper.

Combine the noodles, chicken/veggies and sauce together in a large casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with cheese and cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until bubbling.

Serve with garlic bread, breadsticks, etc.

Enjoy!


*Note: Original recipe called for 3 tbsp mustard, but as I'm not a fan of mustard I found that was too much mustard for me.

**Note: My sister in law makes this with an added 1 lb bacon (fried and cut into 1/2 inch pieces) and uses 1 head of broccoli (chopped into bite sized pieces) and mushrooms (a couple handfuls of sliced) instead of the zucchini and peppers. Again because Christopher won't eat broccoli or mushrooms I had to improvise. I've never made it with the bacon in it, but I'm sure Chris would love it if I did...I just wouldn't;)

***Note: I wanted to make this once and I didn't have any creamy ceasar dressing on hand so I used ranch dressing instead and it turned out just as yummy.

Eggplant Parmesan

So Chris first made this for me for Valentine's dinner this past Valentine's. I was quite impressed he came up with making Eggplant Parmesan for me and then even more impressed with how much I loved it! In fact, I've been thinking about making it a lot lately, I just need to remember to get more eggplant!

Instead of your traditional Eggplant Parmesan, this is a little different as it's layered almost like lasagna...and actually the last time I made it I had the idea to add a cottage cheese layer the next time I make it. I added it this time and it was delicious! Feel free to omit the cottage cheese layer if you like;)

Eggplant Parmesan
1 large eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs, approximately (I don't measure but just use as much as needed)
3 1/2 cups Rose sauce, (you can also use regular spaghetti sauce, but we prefer the rose sauce), approximately
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, approximately (again I don't measure but use as much as needed)
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, approximately
1/8 tsp dried basil

Optional cottage cheese layer:
16 oz cottage cheese
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Dip eggplant slices in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with PAM. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes on each side.

In a 9x9 inch baking dish (that has been sprayed with PAM) cover the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Then place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce and sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat the sauce, eggplant, cheese layers, ending with the cheeses on top. Sprinkle basil on top.

Optional cottage cheese layer:
Add a layer of the cottage cheese mixture sprinkled with a little mozzarella cheese in place of one or two of the cheese layers.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes. Then remove the tin foil and bake for another 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown.

*Note: If you don't slice the eggplant thinly enough you might want to bake the dish for an extra 10-15 minutes, as you want to make sure the eggplant is tender before removing the tin foil and baking for the additional 10-15 mins.

Enjoy!

Green Bean Dish

I started making this dish a number of years ago - don't ask me where I got the idea from, but I just remember making it all the time when I was single and basically living with Sandra and the girls. Being a fellow veggie lover, Sandra loved it as much as I did. I don't get to make it very often now that I'm married because Chris hates green beans and therefore won't eat it. However, if you like green beans I think it's pretty safe to say you'll like it!

I have to say I thought it was funny that my sister in law, Tamela was talking about a green bean dish at Christmas and when she gave everyone the recipe I realized that though there are a few differences it was basically the same as my green bean dish. I just thought it was funny because I've never heard of anyone else making anything like this before.

Just beware that this is definitely not a very specific recipe as far as measurements go!

Green Bean Dish
green beans (fresh or frozen, I usually use the frozen french style because they're easier to keep on hand and I like the french style the best with this dish)
1 onion, sliced
roasted almonds (sliced or whole)
olive oil
minced garlic
garlic powder
salt
pepper
soy sauce
grilled chicken *optional

Over medium-high, heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add the sliced onions and minced garlic and cook until the onions are about half cooked. Then add the green beans, almonds, salt, pepper, and garlic powder according to your taste. Continue to cook until the onions and green beans are cooked through, however not too much that they're mushy. Serve over rice, and sprinkle with soy sauce, again according to your taste.

*Note: When I make this for other people I add in grilled chicken as well.

*Note: I roast my own almonds by putting them in our little toaster oven for a few minutes. Just be careful not to cook them too long that they get overcooked and / or start to burn. If I'm using whole almonds, I cut them before I roast them.

*Note: The recipe Tamela gave me had a note that said "I also use this for mushrooms, asparagus and zucchini/squash".

Enjoy!

Gourmet Vegetarian (w/ optional chicken and bacon) Pizza

Papa Murphy's Gourmet Vegetarian pizza is one of my all-time favourite things to eat. There's not many things that I like so much that I'd care to keep eating it even when I'm full, but their pizza is one of those things. I first started making it myself when I was living back home in Canada (because we obviously didn't have Papa Murphy's there). I've started adding chicken to it for Christopher and usually just put it on 1/2-2/3rds of the pizza for him! And just trust me about the lemon juice because it really brings out the flavours!

* Note: Chris just recently started adding bacon to his half as well and now he can't eat it without the chicken and bacon.

Gourmet Vegetarian (w/ optional chicken and bacon) Pizza

Pizza Dough:

use your favourite or see our pizza dough recipe

Creamy Garlic Sauce:

1 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
1 round tbsp minced garlic

This makes enough to cover 2 pizza's.

We use the Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing mix, following the directions to make 8 oz, then add the 1 tbsp garlic.

Toppings:

spinach, fresh is ideal, but frozen (and thawed) works as well

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

mushrooms *optional (Chris hates mushrooms so sadly we don't add them very often)

artichoke hearts, cut in half (I buy the marinated hearts from Costco in the large jar, then rinse and drain as many as I want to use)

1 large tomato, diced (or 2 Roma tomatoes)

1/2 large red onion, diced

2-3 chicken tenders (I usually poach the chicken and then cut them into bite sized pieces), *optional
bacon, cooked and broken in to bite sized pieces *optional

lots of shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, etc)
parmesan cheese

Hand press or roll pizza dough onto large round pizza stoneware sprinkled with corn meal. You can also use a regular pizza pan.

Liberally spread the creamy garlic sauce on the dough. Then cover the dough with a layer of spinach, then a layer of zucchini, followed by a layer of mushrooms, then the artichoke hearts, then the tomato and red onion. If you're adding chicken and/or bacon, I'd suggest putting on here. Top with as much cheese as you'd like, but I suggest lots. You can also add a layer of cheese under all the veggies if you like a lot of cheese on your pizza.

Bake at 425 degrees on the bottom rack for 18-20 minutes, or according to your dough recipe, though please note it will take a little longer to cook due to all the veggies (wet ingredients).

After the pizza comes out of the oven let it sit for a couple minutes before cutting and serving it.

And here's the trick, sprinkle lemon juice and salt on the pizza!

Enjoy!

Masman Curry - Chris's favourite meal!

I was first introduced to Thai food while I was in Thailand with our Wave of Hope project in 2005. I absolutely fell in love with it, especially Pad Thai and Masman curry! Chris took me to a Thai Restaurant on our first date after we got back together (a few weeks after I got back from Thailand) and he also fell in love with Thai food, and Masman curry in particular. I found a little Thai market near where we lived and I've been making Masman curry ever since. If you live in Utah Valley, send me an email and I'll let you know where the market is;)

Masman Curry
100 grams (1/4 of a container of the MAE PLOY Masman curry paste - it works out to be a little less than 1/2 cup)
3 cans of coconut milk, 400 ml each (approximately 5 cups)
1 cup water
5-7 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup corn, approximately
2 chicken breasts or 4-5 chicken tenders, cut into bite sized pieces (*optional, you can add tofu or possibly even beef if you'd like, though we've never used beef)
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sugar

Stir fry curry paste with 1 can of the coconut milk, once mixed through add the rest of the coconut milk and heat until boiling.

Add the uncooked pieces of chicken and continue cooking, stirring occasionally.

As the chicken is almost done cooking (probably 10-15 mins depending on the size of the pieces) add the potatoes, carrotts, onions and peanuts. Add 1 cup water (you can add more depending on desired consistency) and continue cooking until the vegetables are cooked through.

Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and sugar, and 1 cup of frozen corn. Cook for another 5 minutes and serve over rice! Be sure to taste before seasoning with salt or pepper!

* Note: This is not a really spicy curry (Jacob, who's 13 months old likes it if that tells you anything), however you will want to taste it before serving so you can adjust the flavour if you'd like. For a milder curry, you can add more coconut milk OR if you know you want a milder curry you can use a little less of the curry paste.

* Note: You can use any brand of Masman curry paste, but the one I use is MAE PLOY and it's a product of Thailand! I haven't been able to find Masman curry paste in a regular grocery store here in Utah Valley, but depending on where you live, you might be able to find it. Just know that if you try to use red, green or yellow curry paste it will be a totally different flavour!

Makes approximately 12 generous servings (includes second servings for those like Chris who like seconds).
Enjoy!

My Rose Pasta Sauce

I came up with the idea for this sauce a number of years ago when I was in charge of coordinating lunch for our Oshawa Stake Women's Day Conference. I wasn't sure what to serve and began brainstorming and experimenting. I'd recently heard that traditional alfredo sauce in Italy is made using heavy cream, which gave me the idea to add cream to spaghetti sauce. I tried it and everyone LOVED it so I decided to serve ravioli baked in this sauce at the luncheon. It was a huge hit and everyone loved it. I love it because I've never been a real big fan of plain marinara sauces (too tomato-y) or of cream sauces (they're too rich), so this rose sauce is absolutely perfect. I started calling it rose sauce and have been making it ever since! In fact, it's the only sauce we ever make. I started adding chicken to the sauce to please my dear hubby...it's just as yummy without the chicken though! The chicken goes great with the sauce, so if you want to add meat I'd definitely suggest using chicken and not ground beef!  I've been making it without chicken lately and then Chris just adds some italien meatballs from Costco and loves it with them as well.

And just so you don't feel too bad about the fact that there is whipping cream in the sauce, the amount of cream that's actually in each serving is very small.  We've recently started making it with coconut milk instead of whipping cream and it's just as good and healthier too. The taste is a little different but not a lot.

Rose Pasta Sauce
1 large can Hunt's spaghetti sauce (26 oz) OR 2 cans (8 oz) of tomato sauce and 1 can(6 oz) tomato paste *see Note below for more info
2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz cans) or 1 large can (28 oz)
1 cup of whipping cream (half pint) OR 1 cup of coconut milk
1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced (or 2 heaping tsp prepared minced garlic)
1 onion, diced
zucchini, sliced
red/yellow/orange peppers, julienned
mushrooms, sliced (optional)
chicken breasts or tenders, cooked and diced (optional) - I usually poach them and then cut them into bite sized pieces
1 - 1 1/2 tsp basil
garlic powder/garlic salt, to taste
salt, to taste
shredded or Parmesan cheese

In saucepan, heat oil and cook garlic, onions and desired veggies until tender. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, whipping cream and basil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 20 mins, stirring occasionally. While the sauce is cooking, taste it and then add desired garlic powder/garlic salt and salt to taste (you'll need to add less because the canned spaghetti sauce already has salt added to it).

Serve with any kind of pasta with shredded cheese or Parmesan cheese on top.

*Note: If you're going to use canned spaghetti sauce, Hunt's spaghetti sauce in any variety is the best...I promise! You can also use 2 cans of tomato sauce (8 oz each) and a can of tomato paste (6 oz) and a little brown sugar instead of a can of spaghetti sauce. You'll just need to add a bit more salt, garlic powder, garlic salt, etc to give the sauce a little more flavour.

Ravioli Casserole
This sauce is delicious with ravioli (note: if you're making / using meat ravioli I wouldn't add the chicken to the sauce). To make a ravioli casserole, spray baking dish with PAM then put a little sauce on the bottom of the dish. Put the cooked ravioli in the dish and pour sauce over, stirring to make sure all the ravioli are covered with the sauce. Cover with shredded mozzarella/cheddar/jack cheese as well as parmesan cheese and cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. I usually take the foil off the last 10 minutes or so to brown the top. If necessary, use toothpicks to keep the foil off the cheese.

Enjoy!

Homemade Ravioli / Cannelloni

Ever since I started the blog I've been wanting to make this ravioli recipe. It's one of the first things I remember making... now that I've made it again I think that's because it's such a production to make and takes such a long time that the experience made a lasting impression on my mind.

It's extremely yummy, though also extremely time consuming and as a result I told Chris I don't ever plan on making ravioli again while we still have young children at home. As it turned out I decided to switch to making cannelloni about half way through as the ravioli was taking way too long to make. While I was in the middle of making everything I kept thinking "why on earth did I decide to do this today?". I obviously didn't remember how long it took to make, and kept thinking Jacob would wake up at any minute and then wondered what I'd do. Thankfully he ended up sleeping for 3 hours today (which is un-heard of) so I was able to finish everything. And it sure was delicious!!!

Ok, so the recipe is pretty much the same regardless of if you want to make the ravioli or cannelloni, but you'll want to make sure you follow the right instructions, as the instructions are obviously different.

Homemade Ravioli / Cannelloni

Pasta Dough:

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup water

2 egg yolks

1 egg

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

Combine 1 cup flour and remaining ingredients and mix with a mixer at low speed.

Add the rest of the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to make a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 mins. (While kneading, knead a little more flour if necessary, should be no more than 1/4 cup)

Cover dough and let it rest for about 30 mins.

Fillings:

Cheese Filling:

2 cups ricotta/cottage cheese

6 tbsp minced fresh parsley or 5 tbsp dry parsley flakes

2 egg whites

2 tsp salt

4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese ( or 6 tbsp shredded cheese)

Combine all ingredients in small bowl and stir until well mixed.

Meat Filling:

1/2 lb ground beef

1/3 cup minced onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 egg

1/4 cup minced parsley

2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt

Combine first three ingredients in skillet/frying pan until mean is cooked. Remove from heat and spoon off fat. Add the egg, parsley, cheese, and salt and stir until well mixed.

Spinach Filling:

1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp softened butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in small bowl and stir until well mixed.

Ravioli Instructions:

Prepare dough and desired filling. Cut dough into 6 pieces. On floured surface roll 1 piece of dough into a long narrow rectangle. Then cut it into 9 smaller pieces (should have a total of 54 pieces). Drop a tsp of filling on one side of the dough. Brush dough edges with water, then fold dough over filling and using a fork dipped in flour press the edges together. Place on a floured, clean cloth and let them dry for approximately 30 minutes.

In a large pot heat water (at least 6 qt), 2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp olive oil until boiling. Add ravioli and stir occasionally. Cook until thoroughly cooked and tender.

Drain well and serve with my rose sauce and shredded cheese. (You can of course also serve with marinara sauce.)

Cannelloni Instructions:

Prepare dough and desired filling. Cut dough into 6 pieces. On floured surface roll 1 piece of dough into a long narrow rectangle and cut into 4, 4 inch squares (should have a total of 24 pieces).

In a large pot heat water (at least 6 qt), 2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp olive oil until boiling. Add the pieces of dough and cook until tender.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Once the noodles are cooked, fill each piece with filling and roll them up, placing them in a greased 9x13 baking dish (put a little sauce on the bottom as well).

Pour rose sauce or cheese sauce over the cannelloni and sprinkle with parsley and parmesan cheese. Cover with tin foil and bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes or so.

Enjoy!

Basic Cheese Sauce

Cheese Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups half and half cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 vegetable or chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (or 1/2 cup grated cheese of choice)

Melt butter in saucepan and then stir in flour until well blended. Gradually add the cream, water, and bouillon cubes, cooking and stirring constantly until sauce is thickened. Stir in cheese and heat just until melted.

Serve over cannelloni.

*Note: You can of course be as creative as you want with this sauce, adding sauteed vegetables, basil, parsley, or other spices and serve it over any other kind of pasta.

Enjoy!

Authentic Chicken Enchiladas

Chris loves Mexican food...he loves it so much in fact that he organizes our Mexican Heritage night every Christmas Eve (his grandmother grew up in Mexico I believe - yes it's a little bit of a stretch, but it's fun!). Some of the girls he works with at the Hospital know how much he loves it and started bringing him different dishes from time to time (one of them is originally from Mexico and one is from Guatemala). After having their enchilada's he decided he asked for the recipe and we've been making our enchilada's this way ever since. I actually really like our other, not quite so authentic recipe we have for enchilada's, so I'll post that one at a later time. I should note that recipe is a very loose term with these enchilada's because there's no exact recipe. I should note that the first time I had them I thought they'd taste really good with rice and beans added to them (aka, less chicken) so now that's the way we make them, therefore the recipe I'm going to give you below. I have to say that they're absolutely delicious!

Authentic Chicken Enchiladas
corn tortillas
chicken breasts, tenders, or any kind of chicken
minced or chopped garlic
chopped onion
green enchilada sauce
shredded cheese
cooked rice (optional - I recommend using Cafe Rio rice - it makes a large batch and I usually store some of it in the freezer)
black beans (optional)
sour cream
olives (optional)
*Note: amounts will vary depending on how large of a batch you want to make.

Boil chicken with garlic and onions.

Make rice. Or if you're like us, you'll take a container of rice out of the freezer and just defrost it.

While the chicken is cooking, fry the tortillas in a little bit of oil, just until they're cooked slightly. Place tortillas on a plate and pat the oil off them with a paper towel.

Once the chicken is finished drain the water and shred the chicken using two forks. Add the green enchilada sauce to the chicken.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray PAM on the bottom of your baking /casserole dish and pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan. Put a layer of tortilla's on the bottom (you'll notice as you're doing this that you might want to cut some of the tortillas in half), then a layer of the chicken mixture, topping it with a little cheese and enchilada sauce (if your chicken mixture has a lot of sauce in it you can skip this step). Put another layer of tortillas on top and add a layer of rice and beans, followed by cheese and some enchilada sauce. Repeat the layers, alternating between the chicken and rice/bean layers, finishing with a layer of tortillas on the top. Cover the top tortilla layer with some enchilada sauce and shredded cheese and cook at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream. You could also serve with olives, or add olives in with the chicken.

Enjoy!

Just Like Cafe Rio Recipes

I love the restaurant here in Utah called Cafe Rio...I guess I should say that what I love is their salad. Chris found me recipes online for their rice and dressing shortly after we got married and we've been making our own Cafe Rio salads since then.

It's all super easy and tastes pretty similar. We usually cook our tortillas, then put some cheese and pinto or black beans on the tortilla and cook them in our toaster oven on broil until the cheese melts. Then we top it with the rice, chicken (if desired), lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, a dollop of sour cream and then the dressing. Sometimes we also make our own tortilla strips for on top too. Depending on how much you put on top of your tortilla you might want to eat it like a salad, or you can fold it in half and eat it like a soft taco. We usually just end up eating it like a soft taco... sooo yummy!

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
1 buttermilk Ranch dressing packet, make as directed (we buy the Hidden Valley Original Ranch Seasoning mix at Costco and then make 8 oz)
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno, use seeds only if you want it spicier (you can substitute 2-3 drops green tabasco sauce instead)

Using a food processor, blend all ingredients together. Let sit in fridge for approximately 30 minutes (you can use it right away too it just won't be as thick).


Cilantro Rice
3 cups water
4 tsp chicken bouillon (you can also use vegetable)
4 tsp minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 onion
1 can green chilies (4 oz)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter or margarine
2 cups rice

Blend the cilantro, green chilies and onion in a food processor.

Bring the water to a boil and stir in all other ingredients. Turn the heat down and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Stir before serving.

*Note: Sometimes I make half a batch and other times I make the entire batch and put some of it in containers in the freezer to use later.

Shredded Chicken
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italien dressing (8 oz)
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 lbs chicken breast

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken using two forks and cook for 1 more hour.

*Note: I don't make 5 lbs of chicken at once so I never follow this recipe exactly. Instead I put as much chicken as I want to make (usually about 6 tenders) in the crockpot, drizzle some of the dressing over it and then sprinkle some chili powder, cumin and garlic on top. I stir it periodically.


Tortilla Strips
tortillas
melted butter or margarine or oil
salt (optional)

Using a pastry brush lightly brush the melted butter/margarine over one side of each tortilla and if desired sprinkle with a little salt. Pile the tortillas on top of eachother (if you're making a lot you might want to make two piles) and cut each pile into thin strips and then cut the long strips in half. Place the tortilla strips in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until strips are crisped and lightly browned.


Sweet Pork
Chris got this recipe from someone at work claiming it's Cafe Rio's sweet pork recipe.
5-6 lb pork roast
2 tbsp cumin
12 oz hot taco sauce
20 oz coke

Cover roast 1/2 way with water and cook in crock pot on low for 8-12 hours. Drain liquid and add remaining ingredients and cook on low for another 2 hours or so.

I also found another recipe online that said it's like Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork, however we haven't made this one. I thought I'd include it for interest sake.
2 1/2 lb pork roast
1/3 cup water
pinch of salt, pepper and garlic salt
1/2 cup green chili sauce
brown sugar

In crock pot slow cook 2 1/2 pounds of pork in the water with a pinch of salt, pepper and garlic salt. Once the pork is done drain the water, then pull the pork apart and add the green chili sauce and some brown sugar.

Sweet and Spicy Chili

I saw a recipe for the Lion House (in Salt Lake City, UT) chili on a friends blog and thought I'd try it... As usual I made a few changes. I haven't tasted the original recipe, but I can say that my recipe has quickly become our favourite chili recipe as it's the perfect combination of spicy and sweet. I'm not the biggest fan of really spicy food, so if you like things on the spicier side you can add more chili powder, cheyenne powder, or red pepper flakes. I would recommend trying it first before you go spicier. And I'd recommend trying this even if you're not the biggest fan of chili as I took this to a potluck tonight and had someone tell they don't usually like chili that much, but liked this and wanted the recipe!

Sweet and Spicy Chili
1/2 lb ground chicken (if you like more meat in your chili you can use 1 lb)
 OR to make it vegetarian omit the chicken and add an extra can of black or kidney beans (depending on your preference) AND 1 small sliced zucchini
1 yellow / orange bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
3/4 - 1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans

1 can (15 oz) black beans
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups of water
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups or so of frozen corn (can also use 1 can of corn)

Sour cream
Cheese, grated

Brown ground chicken, peppers, onion and spices together in a frying pan (using the canola oil if necessary). When cooked through add to crock pot, along with the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 4-6 hours, stirring occassionally. You can also cook this in a large pot and simmer for 45 minutes or so. I make it in a 6 quart crock pot and it's the perfect size.

Serve with sour cream and grated cheese on top and with Simple but Savory Cornbread (see recipe below).

Serves approximately 8-10.

Enjoy!