eggless carbonara

• 2-1/2 cups uncooked farfalle or any shaped pasta 
• 8 bacon strips, diced
• 3/4 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/3 cup butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• steamed broccoli or sauteed mushrooms (optional)

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. 
• Add the cream, butter, garlic and salt if desired to the skillet; cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Drain pasta; add to cream mixture. Stir in the bacon, mushrooms and broccoli if using, and cheese; heat through. Remove from the heat. 

sour cream chicken enchiladas

• 2-1/2 cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 12-18 whole Corn Tortillas
• 1 whole Large Onion, Diced
• 3 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 2-1/2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese (i use a mixture of jack and cheddar), Grated
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Cilantro, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack of paper towels to drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken and half of the green chilies. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.

In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you'd like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.

beef stroganoff with tomato sauce and mushrooms

1 package of no yolks wide egg noodles

1 small can of tomato paste

1 can of beef bouillon (I always use Campbell's brand)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2- 1 lb beef tenderloin tips

1/2 lb mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tbs butter

garlic salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan melt the butter over medium heat and add the sliced onions.  Cook and stir until the onions are translucent.  Season the beef tips with garlic salt and pepper.  Place pieces of beef in the saute pan with the onions in a single layer.  Cook for 3 minutes and then turn the meat and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook until soft.  Add the tomato paste and stir until fragrant.  Then add the can of bouillon and bring to a boil.  Once the sauce has come to a boil reduce heat to low and simmer while preparing the noodles.  Boil egg noodles according to package directions.  When the noodles are done take the sauce off of the heat and stir in the sour cream.  Top the noodles with the sauce and serve immediately.

6 servings

take-out fake-out: panera's chicken and wild rice soup

Ingredients

• 1 box uncle ben's wild rice
• 1 rotisserie chicken shredded (or some shredded poached chicken breasts)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk

Directions

1. Cook the wild rice according to package directions, but remove from heat about 15 minutes before it's done. Drain the excess liquid, and set aside.
2. In a pot over medium heat, saute the carrots and onion in 2 tbs butter  for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and cover. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is tender. Add the broth to the stock pot, and add the partially cooked wild rice. Stir in the pepper and salt; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth. Whisk in the milk, and continue cooking until mixture is bubbly and thick. Then stir all of the milk mixture into the broth mixture.
4. Mix in the reserved chicken meat.  Allow this to heat through for about 15 minutes.

This makes lots of soup, I usually half this recipe, I have never frozen it, but I would guess that you would freeze the soup base and just not add the rice.

corn chowder with cheese and bacon

2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. water
2 1/2 c. milk (skim or 1% work just fine and lighten it up considerably)
2 regular-sized chicken bouillon cubes, 1 Knorr chicken bouillon cube, or 2 tsp. chicken base
1/2 lb. bacon (optional)
1 small onion, minced
2 red potatoes, diced into small cubes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 C frozen fresh corn
Salt and pepper to taste 

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, for garnish
A few dashes of hot sauce (optional)
Chopped flat leaf parsley and chives (optional)

Fry bacon until crisp. In the meantime, melt butter over low heat in a soup pot. When melted, add flour to make a roux and whisk until it comes together in a little ball. Add water and whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps. Add milk and chicken base or bouillon and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, onions, and garlic, and simmer (but don’t boil!), stirring very frequently, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add the corn and heat through. Add a few drops of hot sauce and then salt to taste. Stir in chopped herbs if using.

Serve with grated cheese and crumbled bacon.

creamy macaroni and cheese

Servings: 4

Ingredients

12 ounces macaroni (whatever shape you like)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup yellow onion, minced

12 ounces cheese (i like to use mostly cheddar, with a little mozzarella and parmesan)

4 ounces cream cheese

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt and pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta as directed until it is al dente, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

2. Return the pasta to the saucepan immediately.

3. Add the garlic, onion, and cheese to the top and mix lightly to coat.

4. Add the cream cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and butter, stirring well.

5. Add 1/4 cup of the hot cooking liquid to the mixture and stir until the cheese is thoroughly melted, adding more hot water if needed.

6. Stir the mixture until smooth and creamy.  Serve immediately

banana nut muffins

½ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4 cups smashed bananas

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts

½ cup water

 topping:

3 oz of melted bittersweet chocolate (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° degrees.  Prepare muffin tins with liners (makes 24 cupcakes).  Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and blend until barely mixed  Sift the dry ingredients and gradually add them to the shortening mixture.  Add bananas, vanilla, nuts and water as needed to create proper consistency (should be runny, that's what makes them moist).  Bake for 23 minutes.  The tops should be golden brown.  Let the cupcakes cool and if so desired top with the melted chocolate.  I prefer mine with sugared butter, so do whatever you want.

blueberry muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut (optional)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup and the vanilla. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Add coconut and walnuts if using.  Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

take-out fake-out: bj's buffalo chicken pizza

1/3 recipe of deep dish pizza dough (recipe to follow)
1 cooked chicken breast diced
1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese
4-5 tbs Red's hot sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 oz blue cheese crumbled
Ranch dressing for serving

Pizza Dough:
          1 1/3 cup warm milk
          1 tsp salt
          4 cups flour
          1 tbs sugar
          1 package active dry yeast
          2 tbs vegetable oil (for dough)
          1 1/2 tbs vegetable oil (for pan)

       

mix yeast, salt, sugar and warm milk in the bowl of your stand mixer.  let stand for 2 minutes.  mix in oil.  add flour slowly, mixing using the paddle attachment.  once all the flour has been added, switch to the dough hook attachment and knead for 5 minutes on medium speed, or until dough is smooth and not sticky.  divide dough into 3 pieces.  at this point you can either get your dough in your greased round cake pan or packaged for freezing.

since we're making buffalo chicken pizza you will want to grease a 9in round cake pan with the remaining vegetable oil (make sure the sides are greased).  place 1 of the dough pieces in the pan and spread it using fingers.  brush the top of the dough with a little vegetable oil, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hr in a warm place.  once the dough has risen for 1hr punch down and press dough up the sides of the pan and let rise again for 30-40 minutes.  while you are waiting for the second rise get all of the other ingredients ready and preheat your oven to 450.  

mix the hot sauce with sugar until the sugar is dissolved.  toss the chicken in the sauce.  top the dough with half of the mozzarella, then the chicken and sauce and followed by the remaining mozzarella.  if desired spread the crumbled blue cheese on top.

bake at 450 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  serve with ranch dressing drizzled over the pizza.

peach freezer jam

6-8 8oz freezer safe jars and lids

3 cups peeled diced peaches
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbs lemon juice
3/4 cup water
1 box of fruit pectin (i use sure-jell)

In a large bowl mix diced peaches, sugar and lemon juice.  In a small saucepan bring water and fruit pectin to a boil stirring constantly.  Once this mixture has come to a boil, continue to boil for 1 more minute.  Pour mixture over peaches and sugar.  Stir until the sugar has been incorporated.  Then pour into jars leaving 1 inch of space between the jam and the lid.  Let sit at room temperature for 24 hrs.  Then place in freezer or fridge.  Enjoy over toast, waffles or anything.

ezra pound cake peach streusel muffins

Makes large 12 muffins

Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel Topping:
• 1 1/2 CUPS COARSELY CHOPPED pecans
• 1/3 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1/3 CUP FIRMLY PACKED LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
• 1/2 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON
• 3 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED

Muffin Batter:
• 2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1 CUP SUGAR
• 1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
• 2 TEASPOONS GROUND CINNAMON
• 1/2 TEASPOON GROUND ALLSPICE
• 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
• 3 LARGE EGGS
• 3 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, MELTED
• 1 1/2 CUPS SOUR CREAM
• 1 TABLESPOON DARK RUM OR PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1 1/2 CUPS PEELED, PITTED, CHOPPED PEACHES

1. For the Topping: In a small bowl, combine the pecans, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the butter, and mix until well blended.

2. For the Muffins: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 large muffin cups with paper liners, and spray the top of the pan lightly with nonstick spray.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, from flour to salt, and set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, sour cream and rum or vanilla. Fold in the peaches.

5. Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture. Stir until just moist and blended. Do not overmix.

6. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan with a large ice cream scoop (1/3-cup scoop). The batter should come to the top of the paper liner or pan. Sprinkle with the Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel Topping, and lightly press the topping into the muffin batter.

7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes clean. Remove from the oven, and cool for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins out of the pan, and serve immediately.