Ravioli with Arugula, Tomatoes and Pancetta

Ingredients:

1 pound cheese ravioli
6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped (Substitute with thick bacon)
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
3 cups arugula (Substitute with spinach)
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, divided
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook for 7 to 9 minutes until tender. Drain.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the pancetta and cook stirring frequently, until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain. Add the tomatoes, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook for 2 minutes until tender. Add the arugula and 1/4 cup basil and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Stir in the butter and melt. Add the ravioli and cooked pancetta and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the ravioli to a large serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining basil and serve.

I like this recipe, I wish that the grocery store I went to carried the pancetta and arugula. I was to lazy to go to another store. M thought it was okay, he just wished there was more bacon. He wishes there is always more bacon. This was a very quick, simple and tasty recipe.

New Look Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:

4-1/2 lb. red potatoes (about 9), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 16 oz. Fat Free Sour Cream
3/4 lb. 12 oz. Velveeta 2% Milk , cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 lb. Smoked Ham, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

HEAT oven to 350°F.
Cook potatoes in boiling water in large covered saucepan 10 to 12 min. or just until potatoes are tender; drain. Remove 3/4 of the potatoes; place in large bowl. Add sour cream; mash until smooth. Stir in velveeta, ham and onions. Gently stir in remaining potato slices. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with Parmesan.
Bake 30 min. or until heated through.

Yes, this is a used plate. I ate after M and I didn't want to dirty another dish. = P

Cranberry-Orange Conserve

Ingredients:

1 quart unfiltered cranberry juice (This was hard to find in a regular store, Ocean spray is fine)
1/4 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
Peel of 1 orange, cut in large strips
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 bay leaves
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 pound fresh cranberries

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberry juice, apple cider, sugar, orange peel, ginger and bay leaves. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Add the nuts, vinegar and cranberries. Continue to cook until the cranberries burst, about 15 minutes.

I like this recipe, I had to cook it longer than 15 minutes at the end though. I also needed to add about 1/3 cup of sugar because it was very tart. This is a delish choice over the canned cranberry sauce and simple to make.

Southern Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients:

Cornbread: recipe follows
7 slices oven-dried white bread
1 sleeve saltine crackers
8 tablespoons butter
2 cups celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
7 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sage (optional)
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (optional)
5 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, dried white bread slices, and saltines; set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture. Add the stock, mix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste, sage, and poultry seasoning. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Reserve 2 heaping tablespoons of this mixture for the giblet gravy. Pour mixture into a greased pan and bake until dressing is cooked through, about 45 minutes.

Cornbread:

1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self-rising flour (If you don't have this, it's okay)
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

I like this dressing a lot, lots of flavor and I do use the poultry seasoning. I wouldn't put less than a tbl of the seasoning if you use it. I let the stuffing stay in a few mins longer because I didn't want it too mushy.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 to 2 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons good-quality bourbon
1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell, unbaked

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and melted butter. Add the corn syrup, eggs, pecans, and bourbon, and stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell, and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

I have made this a couple times and LOVE it. My friends and mom have requested this for the past few Thanksgivings. So I will be making some to share with them. I like that this is not a runny pie and the bourbon adds a nice hint of flavor to it. I add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (Bryer's Natural Vanilla is the best IMO)

Pot Roast

Ingredients:

2- 3lbs Chuck Pot Roast
1 Cream of Mushroom soup (family size)
1 cup of baby carrots
1 med yellow onion sliced into large pieces
2 russet potatoes or 7 small yellow potatoes cut into 1/2 pieces


Directions:

Heat a frying skillet with a little olive oil. While oil is heating, sprinkle seasoning salt (Lawry's) and flour on each side of the roast. When oil is hot, sear each side of the roast in the skillet until golden brown.

Toss onions in the bottom of the crockpot. Add roast on top when done, scoop out soup and ladle ontop of the roast. Let it cook for half the degsinated time then toss in carrots and potatoes and cover. If you put the vegetables in only half way through it won't make them mushy to eat. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

Simple.easy.delish. I am not a fan of pot roast that is in the oven with a beef broth, but I really like this recipe. Very easy and very quick to make.

Daisy enjoying some of the carrots.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Lasanga

Ingredients:

pk. of uncooked traditional lasagna noodles
4 pre-cooked chicken breast halves
1 jar of prepared pasta sauce
1 cup buffalo wing sauce
3 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
1 tub of ricotta cheese (15 oz)
2 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella and cheddar blend)
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles
1/4 cup of water (add at very end)

Directions:

Use at least a 5qt crockpot, or cut back on the amount of ingredients. In a large glass bowl, combine cooked and chopped chicken breast, the pasta sauce, and buffalo wing sauce. Ladle a big spoonful of the sauce into the bottom of your crockpot. Cover with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. You'll have to break them to get a proper fit. Add a smear of ricotta cheese to the top of the noodles. Add a layer of chopped bell pepper. Sprinkle on a handful of shredded cheese. Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients. Add the bleu cheese crumbles, if desired.

Put the 1/4 cup of water into your empty pasta sauce jar and shake. Pour the liquid over the top of the entire lasagna. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5. When cooking time is complete, unplug and take off the lid of the crock. Let it sit for 20 minutes before cutting into. Or it will fall apart.

It was pretty tasty, I was taken back about making a lasagna in a crockpot, but it was just fine. I might add a little more buffalo sauce, it had a like flavor of it through the lasagna. The bleu cheese makes the top look like it's rotten. Sorry, I hope that hasn't turned you away.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

1/2 Pound Spaghetti

1 Jar Marinara Sauce

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

2 Egg

4 Slices Mozzarella Cheese

1 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water, salt and oil and bring to a boil then add your pasta. While your pasta is cooking, clean your chicken and butterfly them (cut down one side almost through to the next, but don't cut completely in half.) In a small bowl, beat your egg. Dip your chicken in the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumbs. Place on a cookie sheet with foil covering it. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, and the pasta is finishing up, mix your marinara sauce and diced tomatoes together, and heat up in a saucepan on the stove. Once the pasta is done, drain it then remove your chicken from the oven. Place some pasta on a plate, then spoon some marinara over it, then place the chicken on top, and spoon more marinara on top, then layer your cheese on top of that. The sauce should be hot enough to melt the cheese, but if not, heat it up in the microwave for about 20 seconds.

Don't judge me, I shop at Wal-mart.

M, myself and my friend thought it tasted okay. I think the breadcrumbs and maybe the sauce need a little flavor. Maybe a little more salt? It has a light taste to it, so it depends on the person.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is Weight Watchers friendly.


Ingredients:

1 box Spice cake mix
15 oz can of pumpkin
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Instructions:

Do not add the eggs, oil, etc that the cake mix tells you to add. Mix the pumpkin and cake mix well. Mix in chocolate chips and fill the each muffin full (They barely expand). Bake for 18-22 minutes in a 350 degrees.

M walked in and stole a muffin when I wasn't looking. He stopped mid chew and handed it back to me. He hated them and I LOVE them. They are delish and so moist, even my bff loved them. I can't believe all you need is a can of pumpkin and a box of cake and that's it. Chocolate chips are optional but always delicious to add.

Cheesesteak

Ingredients:

3-4lbs Beef Chuck Pot Roast
1 Medium Onion, cut into small slices
1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into small slices
1 Tablespoon Butter
A few slices of Mozzarella cheese
Rolls (I used hoagies)
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
3/4 Cup Water

Jalapenos or banana peppers (optional)

Directions:

Place your meat in your slow cooker and set to low. Pour water over meat then add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cover and cook for 8 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker and shred on cutting board, removing all pieces of fat. Heat the butter in a skillet and add the onion and bell pepper, cook until the vegetables start to become tender. Add shredded meat and stir. Add salt and black pepper if necessary. Cover and turn the heat to low and let the flavors blend together for about 10 minutes while you prepare your rolls.Place on a baking sheet and put under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes, until they start to turn golden brown. Remove the rolls from the oven and spoon your meat mixture onto your rolls, then top with cheese.

This recipe made the meat more tender than the cut I tried to use before, but it tastes like pot roast on a bun. Something I did not like. I think I will go to the butcher next time and ask for the thin sliced rib-eye meat. The correct cut of meat they use for cheesesteaks.