Stuffed Peppers

6 large bell peppers, any color
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (measure AFTER cooking, measurement is approximate)
1 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cut thin slice from stem end of each bell pepper to remove top of pepper. Remove seeds and membranes; rinse peppers. Cook peppers in enough boiling water to cover; 4-5 minutes, drain.

Cook beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat, until beef is brown, drain. Stir in rice, salt, garlic, and 1 cup of the tomato sauce; cook until hot.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Stuff peppers with beef mixture. Stand peppers upright in ungreased square baking dish, 8 x 8 x 2. Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers.

Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes longer or until peppers are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.

Sweet Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

I got this recipe from ourbestbites2.blogspot.com (awesome recipe site!). They have lots of suggestions for different twists on the recipe...I am only typing up the way I made it because I loved it that way...but look at that site if you want other suggestions!!

Cinnamon Chips

8 taco size flour tortillas
3 (or so) Tblsp. butter, melted
cinnamon-sugar mixture (I mix about 1 cup sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a basting brush to brush one side of each tortilla with melted butter. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over each tortilla, then, with a pizza cutter, cut tortillas into triangles. Place on cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until just barely starting to brown (they will continue cooking slightly after removed from oven).

Sweet Fruit Salsa

Any of your favorite fruit can be used, I used the fruits I used because the difference in color makes it look yummy :)

8-10 strawberries
4-5 kiwi fruit
4-5 slices of pineapple
2-3 tangelos (oranges or mangos would be great too!)
several blackberries

Chop the strawberries, kiwi, and pineapple with food chopper. Peel and slice the tangelos. Cut blackberries in half if they are large. Wait until right before serving to add the blackberries, as they will dye everything else. The original recipe calls for sugar to sweeten, but mine was plenty sweet without added sweetener, so taste, and if necessary, add sugar to sweeten. Combine all fruit in a bowl, and serve with cinnamon chips.

Creamy Italian Noodles

1 pkg. (8 oz.) wide egg noodles (or noodles to your liking)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup whipping cream, half and half cream, or evaporated milk
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 1/4 tsp. Italian salad dressing mix

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and place in a bowl. Toss with butter. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup oil
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sour milk (milk + 1 Tblsp. vinegar)
4 Tblsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

Combine all ingredients. Then, sprinkle with a topping of 3/4 cup of each:
chocolate chips
brown sugar
chopped nuts (optional)

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes in a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan.

Spinach and Cheese Cannelloni

1 jar (16 oz.) Alfredo sauce
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 Tblsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
12 medium flour tortillas
1 egg
Parmesan cheese, to garnish

Spread 3 tablespoons Alfredo sauce in a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Saute spinach in a frying pan. Stir in garlic salt, Italian seasoning, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, and egg.

Cut tortillas into 6-inch squares. Place 2 tablespooons mixture along one edge of a tortilla square. Roll up and place seam-side down in pan. Repeat for each tortilla square. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Mom's Chex Mix

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 1/2 cups Kix cereal
1 cup Cheerios
2 cups small cheese crackers
2 cups thin pretzel sticks
1/2 lb. mixed nuts

Melt butter and seasonings together and pour over all ingredients. Stir. Bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes

Asian BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tblsp. rice vinegar
3 Tblsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger root (or a sprinkle of ginger powder)
1 rotisserie-cooked chicken, skin and bones removed
buns or rolls of your liking
mayonnaise or miracle whip (optional)

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook 2 minutes or until tender.

Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger root; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

Add chicken and heat through.

Toast rolls or bread and spread with small amount of mayonnaise (if desired), then chicken mixture. Serve immediately.

Minestrone Soup with Pasta, Beans, and Vegetables

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can white beans, drained (I like Navy beans)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup ditalini pasta, cooked
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried sage
salt and pepper
small amount Italian seasoning
2 Tblsp. sugar
small amount fennel seed (optional)
1/2 lb. mild Italian sausage, browned
1-2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen spinach, defrosted
grated parmesan or romano cheese

In a slow cooker, combine broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, fennel seed (if desired), and sugar. Meanwhile, brown the Italian sausage and add it to everything else. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

One hour before it is done, add the beans.

Thirty minutes before soup is done cooking, add ditalini, zucchini, and spinach. Cover and cook for 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Rice Pilaf

Seasoning Mix
3 Tblsp. chicken bouillon granules
3 Tblsp. dried parsley flakes
3 tsp. dried celery flakes
1 Tblsp. dried minced onion
1 Tblsp. sugar

In a bowl, combine above ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Additional Ingredients (when ready to cook)
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 Tblsp. butter or margarine
2 cups water

In a saucepan, saute rice in butter until lightly browned. Add water and about 1/4 cup of seasoning mix. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Linguine Carbonara

2/3 lb. linguine
3 minced garlic cloves
3/4 cup frozen peas
3 Tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs-beaten with 1 Tblsp. milk and 2 Tblsp. pasta cooking water
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 cup Kirkland Crumbled Bacon
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tblsp. parsley-chopped (optional)
freshly ground pepper-to taste

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to al dente. Drain the pasta, but reserve a little of the cooking water for the egg mixture.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add garlic and peas, and cook over very low heat. Stir in the red pepper. Next, add the cooked pasta to the pot, and stir to combine. Add the bacon crumbles and the egg mixture and toss. Turn the heat off and add the cheese, parsley, and black pepper. Serve.

Manicotti

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 of an onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed (or use garlic powder)
1 cup cottage cheese
4 oz. mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
about 12 manicotti, cooked
16 oz. bottle spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp. oregano leaves
parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Brown the ground beef, garlic, and onion.

Add to the cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, salt, and mayo.

Cook manicotti.

Fill each manicotti with 1/3 cup of filling. Place in dish. Cover with spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with oregano leaves and parmesan cheese.

Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 10 more minutes.

Famous Pork Chops

1 cup crushed butter crackers (Ritz)
garlic salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
4 pork chops
1/4 - 1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a shallow bowl combine crushed crackers, garlic salt, and pepper; mix well. In a separate bowl beat eggs.

Dip the pork chops in the egg batter and then in the cracker mixture. Place the pork chops in a casserole dish. Place chunks of butter around the pork chops. Cover and bake for 30 minutes for thin chops, or 45 minutes for thick chops (turning over halfway through). Remove foil in the last few minutes to allow crackers to crispen a little.

Asian Chicken Salad

2 Tblsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 Tblsp. sesame oil (optional)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 Tblsp. rice vinegar
1 (8 oz.) pkg. dried rice noodles
1 head iceburg lettuce- rinsed, dried, and chopped
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
3 green onions, chopped
1 Tblsp. sesame seeds, toasted

Prepare the dressing 30 minutes ahead of time by combining the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil, and rice vinegar in a salad dressing carafe.

To prepare the chinese rice noodles, heat a skillet with a few Tblsp. oil and break off a little bit of the noodles, add them to the skillet and fry them. Because they will puff up in the skillet only add a few at a time. As they begin to puff up, remove and drain them on paper towels.

In large bowl combine iceburg lettuce, cooked and shredded chicken, green onions, and toasted sesame seeds. Let chill about 10 minutes and just before serving add the cooked rice noodles. Serve in salad bowls and offer the dressing in a pourable container or pour dressing over salad, toss, and serve immediately.

Broccoli and Bow Ties

kosher salt
8 cups broccoli florets (4 heads)
1/2 lb. farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 Tblsp. unsalted butter
2 Tblsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 lemon, zested
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tblsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts (optional)
freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
In the same water, cook the bow tie pasta according to the pkg. directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.
Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, cook the chicken in a little oil until no longer pink. Heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over med-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 tsp. salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with pignolis and cheese, if using, and serve.
(To toast pignolis, place them in a dry saute pan over med-low heat and cook, tossing often, for 5 minutes, until light brown.)

Shoy-u Chicken

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 cup water

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. ginger powder

1 tsp. garlic salt

6-8 chicken parts (thighs & legs are best)

Spread chicken in 9 x 13 pan. Combine sauce and pour over chicken. Allow to marinate a few hours before baking. Cook at 450 for 30 minutes. Serve with rice using sauce as gravy.

Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1/2 - 1 lb. chicken

1/2 - 1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 jar alfredo pasta sauce

1/2 cup milk

3/4 - 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

4 oz. can of sliced mushrooms (optional)

sprinkle of parmesan cheese (if desired)

pasta of your choice

Cut chicken into small pieces (or shred after cooking) and brown in 1 Tblsp. hot oil. Add all other ingredients and mix to make creamy sauce. Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with extra cheese if desired at the table.