Recipes from this morning's show :)

TUSCAN CHICKEN PASTA

ITALIAN LAYERED SALAD

WHITE WINE CAKE

TUSCAN CHICKEN PASTA

This is truly a 1-pot wonder!  You don’t even have to cook the pasta beforehand!

1 (16-ounce) package rigatoni or penne pasta (uncooked)

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1-½ lbs. uncooked chicken tenders cut into bite-size pieces

2 (22-ounce) jars Alfredo sauce (I use Bertolli)

3 cups chicken broth

½ cup of your favorite red sauce

½ cup minced sun-dried tomatoes

2 cups fresh baby spinach

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Fresh chopped basil and Parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375.  In a large ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid, sauté the onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Next add the chicken and sauté just a few minutes—only until no longer pink.  Add the minced garlic, Alfredo sauce, broth, red sauce, and sun-dried tomatoes.  Stir well and place the lid on the pot and bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until pasta is cooked.  Carefully remove from the oven and stir.   Add the spinach and cheese and stir well.   Bake an additional 7-10 minutes or until cheese melts.  Garnish with fresh chopped basil and Parmesan cheese.  Delicious!

ITALIAN LAYERED SALAD

1 head of iceberg lettuce, washed and drained well

1 (16-ounce) bag broccoli coleslaw mix)

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained well

½ cup chopped red onion

 1 small bell pepper, chopped

1 cup mayo

½ cup creamy Italian dressing

1 cup parmesan cheese

Fresh basil

In a large bowl, layer the chopped lettuce, then the broccoli slaw, beans, onions, and bell pepper.  Mix the dressing and mayo together and spread over the salad mixture.  Top with Parmesan cheese and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.  Sprinkle with fresh basil just before serving.

WHITE WINE CAKE

Everyone should make this cake…I promise you will be amazed at how delicious it is! 

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

¾ water

¾ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

4 large eggs

1 ¼ cup sugar

¾ cup Chardonnay (only use Chardonnay)

1 stick real butter

Preheat the oven to 350.  Beat the cake mix, pudding, water, oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, eggs, ¼ cup sugar and ½ cup of the wine for about 2 minutes.  Pour into a well-greased Bundt pan.  Bake for 1 hour.

In a small pan, melt the butter and add the remaining ¼ cup wine and 1 cup sugar.  Cook over medium heat, stirring often until the sugar dissolves.  As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, carefully pour the butter mixture evenly over the cake.  Let it cool for 1 hour then transfer the cake to a cake platter.

My pork tacos with sweet and spicy slaw, Mexican Quinoa and Sopapilla Bars :)

PORK TACOS WITH SPICY SLAW

MEXICAN QUINOA

SOPAPILLA BARS

PORK TACOS

1 Lb. pulled pork from your favorite BBQ restaurant

Corn Tortillas

BBQ sauce

FOR THE SLAW:

Bag of slaw (you can find it by the bagged salad)

5 ounces plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons mayo

1 teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder and Mexican seasoning

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon sugar

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped, fresh jalapeno pepper

Juice from half of a lime

Place the slaw in a large bowl and set aside.  Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the slaw.  Stir well and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Place the warm pork in a warm corn tortilla.  Top with slaw and BBQ sauce, and add fresh chopped cilantro and avocado.  Delicious!

MEXICAN QUINOA

I have never cared for Quinoa until I made this…it’s delicious!

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 cup vegetable broth

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 cup frozen corn kernels

½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lime

Chopped avocado and fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the onion and jalapeno.  Sauté for 5-7 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Next stir in remaining ingredients except the avocado and cilantro.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.   Stir well before serving and top with fresh cilantro and avocado if desired.

SOPAPILLA BARS

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls

2 packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Unroll 1 can of dough and press into the bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2-baking dish.  In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla and 1 cup sugar.  Spread over the dough.  Unroll the second can of dough and place over the cream cheese mixture.  Pour melted butter evenly over dough.  Mix the remaining ½ cup sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly over butter.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Cool about 30 minutes then place in the fridge for about an hour before cutting into bars.

This is pure comfort food! Enjoy! :)

SALISBURY STEAK MEATBEALLS

MASHED CAULIFLOWER

CREAMED CORN

ITALIAN PEAS

SALISBURY STEAK MEATBALLS

2 lbs. ground sirloin

2/3 cups breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon each of sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder

2 tablespoons each of butter and olive oil for cooking the meatballs.

Combine first 4 ingredients and seasonings and form into small meatballs.  Place the olive oil and butter in a skillet and brown 6 to 8 meatballs at a time on each side.  This will only take about a minute per side.  Be careful not to have the skillet too hot.  Once all meatballs are browned on each side, place them on a platter to the side.

FOR THE GRAVY:

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup chopped onion

32 ounces beef broth

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Ketchup

2 teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet

3 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

Salt & pepper to taste

Add onions to the pan, adding a little more olive oil, if needed.  Sauté’ for 5 to 7 minutes and add the garlic.  Sauté’ the garlic for 1 minute.  Add the remaining 5 ingredients and bring to a slow boil.  Add the cornstarch/water mixture and salt and pepper, stirring well.  Add the meatballs to the sauce cover and simmer 45 minutes, stirring them every 10 minutes.  Makes 18-20 meatballs.

MASHED CAULIFLOWER

2 (1-pound) bags frozen cauliflower

4 tablespoons whipped cream cheese

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded

Boil cauliflower for about 20 minutes or until softened.  Drain well.  In a large bowl, place cream cheese, butter, salt and pepper.  Add cauliflower and mix with a stand up mixer until well blended.  Stir in cheddar cheese. 

 CREAMED CORN

8 ears of fresh corn, shucked, cleaned and cut off the cob or 1lb. bag frozen corn

½ stick butter

4 tablespoons sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup half and half

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt butter and add corn stirring often for about 8 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes.  I like to use my hand blender and mash a little of the corn right in the skillet.  If you don’t have a hand blender, you can scoop half of the corn mixture into a blender then place it back in the pot.

ITALIAN PEAS

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen green peas

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet.  Stir in onion and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add peas, broth and salt and pepper.  Cover and cook about 15 minutes or until peas are tender.