I call this recipe Shrek Noodles because of the pretty green color of the sauce. This recipe is quite delicious and even my non-spinach eaters will eat this.
1 1/2 lbs. pasta, cooked
1 lb. spinach, lightly steamed
1 large pkg. fresh basil, leaves only (about 30 leaves)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large tomato
4 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic
Sea Salt to taste
1/2 cup walnuts
Puree the spinach, basil, oil, tomatoes, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and walnuts in a high-powered blender. Serve tossed with cooked pasta, sprinkled with extra shredded Parmesan cheese. Serves 8.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Monday, December 31, 2012
Stuffed Mushrooms
This Stuffed Mushroom recipe from Cooks.com was delicious as part of our New Year's Eve celebration meal. (Ok, the kids wouldn't touch them, but Jesse and I LOVED them!) I used only 1/4 lb. Jimmy Dean Sausage and still got 12 Stuffed Mushrooms. Also, a great way to cook them is in a muffin tin so they stay upright.
Brown Sugar Smokies
These Brown Sugar Smokies from All Recipes are great as an appetizer or as part of a breakfast buffet. We served them as part of our New Year's Eve celebration meal with the following dipping sauce:
Creamy BBQ Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip)
3 T. BBQ sauce (good quality)
Mix together and serve as a dipping sauce for Brown Sugar Smokies.
Creamy BBQ Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip)
3 T. BBQ sauce (good quality)
Mix together and serve as a dipping sauce for Brown Sugar Smokies.
Baked Potato Wedges
Our New Year's Eve celebration meal included these delicious potato wedges. We served them with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing, although the kids enjoyed them with ketchup.
Potato Wedges
4 large russet potatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T. parsley flakes
1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. granulated garlic
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes with oil and seasonings; toss well to coat.
Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, turning wedges halfway through cooking time. Sprinkle with additional seasoned salt, if desired (we thought they were great without any additional seasonings).
Potato Wedges
4 large russet potatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T. parsley flakes
1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. granulated garlic
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes with oil and seasonings; toss well to coat.
Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, turning wedges halfway through cooking time. Sprinkle with additional seasoned salt, if desired (we thought they were great without any additional seasonings).
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Nutella No Bake Cookies
I love peanut butter chocolate no bake cookies, however Morgan can't eat them, so I was excited when I found this recipe. I made them for an activity days refreshment. They were yummy--of course I missed the peanut butter, but Morgan loved them and they were pretty tasty still. :-)
Nutella No-Bake Cookies
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3/4 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup hazelnuts chopped (I didn't have these so I left them out)
1/4 cup flaked coconut
In a medium saucepan, bring butter, sugar, cocoa and milk to a boil and cook for one minute. Add Nutella, vanilla and salt and stir to combine. Remove from heat. combine oatmeal, hazelnuts and coconut into a medium-sized bowl. Add chocolate Nutella mixture and mix to combine. Spoon 1 inch balls onto Silpat or parchment paper and sprinkle with a few extra chopped hazelnuts. Cool for 20 minutes.
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3/4 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup hazelnuts chopped (I didn't have these so I left them out)
1/4 cup flaked coconut
In a medium saucepan, bring butter, sugar, cocoa and milk to a boil and cook for one minute. Add Nutella, vanilla and salt and stir to combine. Remove from heat. combine oatmeal, hazelnuts and coconut into a medium-sized bowl. Add chocolate Nutella mixture and mix to combine. Spoon 1 inch balls onto Silpat or parchment paper and sprinkle with a few extra chopped hazelnuts. Cool for 20 minutes.
Fudge!
I was in the Christmas Goodie Baking spirit yesterday. I don't know why I chose fudge, because honestly I'm not a big fan of fudge, but it seemed Christmasy and easy, so I spent some time searching on Pinterest and found a few fudge recipes to try. All four turned out good, but I'm listing these in my favorite order:
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Fudge
(yummy! you just can't beat chocolate and peanut butter!)
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
7 ounce jar Marshmallow Crème
1/2 cup peanut butter
Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 6 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in a medium pot. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling for 4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate pieces until melted. Add 1 cup marshmallow crème and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into a lined or greased 13x9 inch pan.
Repeat the process with remaining ingredients substituting peanut butter. Then spread over the chocolate mixture in the pan. Cool and cut into squares.
Eggnog Fudge
(this was Morgan's favorite out of the two she could eat...she loves eggnog!)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup dairy eggnog
12 ounces white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, plus a little more for the top of the fudge
7 ounces marshmallow crème
1 tablespoon rum extract
Line a 8x8 inch pan with foil or parchment paper. In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, butter and eggnog. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 8-10 minutes over medium heat or until a candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Using a wooden spoon, work quickly to stir in white chocolate and nutmeg until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in marshmallow crème and rum. Beat until well blended and then pour into prepare pan. Sprinkle a little freshly ground nutmeg on top. Let stand at room temperature until cooled. When completely cooled, cut into squares. Store in a covered container.
Nutella & Sea Salt Fudge
(this is quite rich and more of a dark chocolate flavor, but nice and smooth)
14 ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
8 ounces 60% Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Nutella
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt
Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate chips, nutella and butter. Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl over a medium pot of gently simmering water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and mixture is smooth, 5-7 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm. Cut into squares and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
(this one was good flavor but a little gritty on the texture)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter.
Bring sugar and milk to a boil. Boil for 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Pour into a 8x8 lined pan. Cool and cut into squares.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Fudge
(yummy! you just can't beat chocolate and peanut butter!)
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
7 ounce jar Marshmallow Crème
1/2 cup peanut butter
Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 6 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in a medium pot. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling for 4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate pieces until melted. Add 1 cup marshmallow crème and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into a lined or greased 13x9 inch pan.
Repeat the process with remaining ingredients substituting peanut butter. Then spread over the chocolate mixture in the pan. Cool and cut into squares.
Eggnog Fudge
(this was Morgan's favorite out of the two she could eat...she loves eggnog!)
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup dairy eggnog
12 ounces white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, plus a little more for the top of the fudge
7 ounces marshmallow crème
1 tablespoon rum extract
Line a 8x8 inch pan with foil or parchment paper. In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, butter and eggnog. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 8-10 minutes over medium heat or until a candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Using a wooden spoon, work quickly to stir in white chocolate and nutmeg until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in marshmallow crème and rum. Beat until well blended and then pour into prepare pan. Sprinkle a little freshly ground nutmeg on top. Let stand at room temperature until cooled. When completely cooled, cut into squares. Store in a covered container.
Nutella & Sea Salt Fudge
(this is quite rich and more of a dark chocolate flavor, but nice and smooth)
14 ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
8 ounces 60% Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Nutella
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt
Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate chips, nutella and butter. Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl over a medium pot of gently simmering water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and mixture is smooth, 5-7 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm. Cut into squares and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
(this one was good flavor but a little gritty on the texture)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter.
Bring sugar and milk to a boil. Boil for 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Pour into a 8x8 lined pan. Cool and cut into squares.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Caprese Lasagna Rolls
I made this recipe today after Stake Conference and it was delicious! Of course, in my opinion, you can never go wrong with Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil.
Ingredients:
8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
14 oz freshly shredded, low-moisture part skim Mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
1 large egg white
1/3 cup freshly, finely shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/4 oz)
freshly ground black pepper
3 - 4 medium Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/6 inch thick slices)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1 cup Simple Marinara Sauce, recipe follows
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions listed on package to al dente. Drain pasta (DO NOT rinse with water) and align lasagna noodles in a single layer on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper.
For filling, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese and egg white until well blended. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Mix in 12 oz. of the Mozzarella cheese and season with black pepper to taste (I wouldn't recommend seasoning with salt just because the cheeses already have plenty of salt).
Place 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture over each lasagna noodle and spread into an even layer, going from one end of the lasagna to the other. Align 4 thin tomato slices over cheese mixture then sprinkle fresh basil over top. Snugly roll lasagna noodles to opposite end. Spread about 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Align lasagna roll ups, seam side down in dish. Top each roll up with about 2 Tbsp of the pasta sauce (covering edges of pasta so they don't dry out while baking). Sprinkle top with remaining 2 oz. shredded Mozzarella. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven, plate pasta and garnish with plenty of basil ribbons. Serve warm.
Simple Marinara Sauce
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions to hot oil and saute about 3 minutes until soft, adding garlic during last minute of sauteing. Pour in crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and allow sauce to cook for about 25 - 30 minutes (which will allow some of the water in crushed tomatoes to evaporate) while you prepare pasta and lasagna filling (you can freeze or refrigerate left over sauce in a small airtight container for later use, adding fresh basil if desired).
Ingredients:
8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
14 oz freshly shredded, low-moisture part skim Mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
1 large egg white
1/3 cup freshly, finely shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/4 oz)
freshly ground black pepper
3 - 4 medium Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/6 inch thick slices)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1 cup Simple Marinara Sauce, recipe follows
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions listed on package to al dente. Drain pasta (DO NOT rinse with water) and align lasagna noodles in a single layer on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper.
For filling, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese and egg white until well blended. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Mix in 12 oz. of the Mozzarella cheese and season with black pepper to taste (I wouldn't recommend seasoning with salt just because the cheeses already have plenty of salt).
Place 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture over each lasagna noodle and spread into an even layer, going from one end of the lasagna to the other. Align 4 thin tomato slices over cheese mixture then sprinkle fresh basil over top. Snugly roll lasagna noodles to opposite end. Spread about 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Align lasagna roll ups, seam side down in dish. Top each roll up with about 2 Tbsp of the pasta sauce (covering edges of pasta so they don't dry out while baking). Sprinkle top with remaining 2 oz. shredded Mozzarella. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven, plate pasta and garnish with plenty of basil ribbons. Serve warm.
Simple Marinara Sauce
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions to hot oil and saute about 3 minutes until soft, adding garlic during last minute of sauteing. Pour in crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and allow sauce to cook for about 25 - 30 minutes (which will allow some of the water in crushed tomatoes to evaporate) while you prepare pasta and lasagna filling (you can freeze or refrigerate left over sauce in a small airtight container for later use, adding fresh basil if desired).
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