Pasta Hot! Hot! Hot!

Recipe Source: Kathleen Novo

Prep/Cooking Time: 30 Min

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

In a small saucepan over low heat place olive oil, garlic and peppers and simmer. Pour olive oil mixture over cooked pasta and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Fried Okra

Recipe Source: Linda Martin

Prep/Cooking Time: 30 Min

Ingredients:

10 pods okra, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

In a small bowl, soak okra in egg for 5 to 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge okra in the cornmeal mixture, coating evenly. Carefully place okra in hot oil; stir continuously. Reduce heat to medium when okra first starts to brown, and cook until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Cheesy Chicken Rice Casserole

Recipe Source: recipezaar.com

Prep/Cooking Time: 50 min, 10 min prep

Ingredients:

3 small chicken breasts
1 cup cooked rice
3/4 cup cubed Velveeta cheese
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 pint whipping cream
1/2 chicken bouillon cubes
pepper(optional)
4 ounces frozen mixed vegetables, of your choice (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Cook rice as per directions on box or bag, more rice can be used but at least a cup. Combine can of cream of chicken with whipping cream, mix well. add chicken bullion cube. Take chicken breasts and slice into inch, inch and a half strips (if you want to keep them whole, adjust cooking time).Pour rice, cream of chicken mixture, and cheese into a medium sized casserole dish. Bury chicken strips into mixture. Add pepper to taste and veggies (optional). Mix well and cover with foil. Check chicken to see if it’s done after about 40 minutes, depends on if you kept them whole or how big the strips are.

Chipper Banana Muffins

Recipe Source: From Weight Watchers Simply the Best. Recipe by Marsha M. Williams, Boise, Idaho

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup skim buttermilk
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line eighteen 2 3/4 inch muffin cups with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the sugar, applesauce, eggs and oil until frothy. With the mixer at low speed, alternately add the bananas and buttermilk with the flour mixture; stir until just combined (do not overmix). Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Remove from the cups and cool completely on a rack.

Irish Soda Bread

Nicki’s note: Just in time for St. Patty’s! This recipe is almost identical to what my grandmother used to make, and hers was an old McDee family recipe. Looks great, Arlene!

Recipe Source: Arlene Costello, Agnes Walters

Prep/Cooking Time: 1 Hr 10 Min

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 pint sour cream
1 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two 8×4 inch loaf pans.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, sour cream and raisins and mix until just combined. Distribute batter evenly between the two pans.

Bake for 1 hour.

Chicken Casserole

Recipe Source: Nikki Kate

Prep/Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups dry noodles
6 ounces chickens
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 1/2 ounces cream of mushroom soupor cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cook noodles and drain. Combine chicken, mayonnaise, onion and salt with noodles, set aside. Blend soup and milk. Heat through; then add cheese until melted. Mix together with noodles.

Butter glass 9×13 inch oblong dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Tortilla Chip Casserole

Recipe Source: Tara, allrecipes.com

Prep/Cooking Time: 35 Min

Ingredients:

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
1 (14.5 ounce) package nacho-flavor tortilla chips
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded processed cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In a large bowl, combine the soups, tomatoes and green chile peppers and milk. Mix well until smooth. Layer a 9×13 inch baking dish with the tortilla chips, then the chicken, and then pour the soup mixture over.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, top with the cheese and bake for 10 more minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Recipe Source: Shana Hillman

Prep/Cooking Time: 45 Min

Ingredients:

4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch round cake pan, and dust with cocoa powder.

In the top of a double boiler over lightly simmering water, melt chocolate and butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Slices can also be reheated for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.

One Skillet Chicken and Black Beans

Recipe Source: drgourmet.com

Ingredients:

1 tsp. grapeseed oil
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 ribs celery (diced)
1 large onion (diced)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup dark beer
1/4 tsp. salt
to taste fresh ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 – 15 ounce can no salt added black beans
6 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast (cubed)
2 ounces low-fat Monterey jack cheese (grated)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, celery and onion and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the onions begin to soften.

Add the cumin, cayenne, beer, salt, pepper, tomato paste, maple syrup vanilla extract and black beans. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for another five minutes.

Divide the chicken and black bean mixture into two au gratin dishes. Top with the grated jack cheese and place the dishes in the oven.

Cook for about 3 – 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown on top.

Nicki’s Notes:

I made mine in an iron skillet and put that straight into the oven after topping with cheese. I also used olive oil in the absence of grapeseed oil.

Wild Rice Casserole

Recipe Source: Betty Maithonis

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons salad oil
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1 pound lean ground beef
1 10 1/2-ounce can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup water
3/4 teaspoon celery salt
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 cup wild rice, cooked according to package directions, without salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Saute onion in oil in large skillet. Add ground beef and brown. Drain off grease. Stir in soup, water, seasonings, and cooked wild rice. Pour into a buttered casserole dish. Bake covered for 30 minutes.

Serves 6.