Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta

adapted from Pasta Revolution by America's Test Kitchen via http://traceysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com

1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups water
1 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 oz pasta (penne or shells)
2 oz (about 1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 oz (about 1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese 
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, (I just added dried basil to the tomato/chicken/pasta mixture because I didn't have fresh basil on hand)

Preheat the oven to 475 F.

Add the tomatoes to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. Set an oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, the water, 1 cup of the chicken broth, and the pasta to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer, then cover the pan and continue simmering (you may need to reduce the heat slightly) until the pasta is tender, about 16-18 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently as it cooks.

Once tender, remove the cover and stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the pepper, and the chicken. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. If the mixture seems dry, mix in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth as needed to loosen it up (I didn't add any of it). {Note: if you don't have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to a baking dish at this point.} Sprinkle the top evenly with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and bubbles around the edges. Garnish with the basil then serve.

Submitted by Joanna

Note:  Everyone just loved this - Matthew thought it was one of the best things ever!

Best Baked Salmon Ever!

Don't really know if this is true but if you come up with a better name let me know.

Big chunk of salmon (with skin is ok. I think one piece is better than lots of pieces.)

Mr. Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce (I get it at Costco in CA but Krista and Miriam used teriyaki sauce instead and thought it was ok)

furikake (Japanese sprinkle stuff you put on top of rice- any kind you like)

wasabe mayonnaise (this is essential! unless you loathe wasabe... :>( )

Oven at 350F

Pick the baking pan to fit your piece of fish. For a really long piece of fish I use my rimmed sheet pan. Watch out for sauce spillage when removing from the oven.

Pour Mr. Yo's sauce into the pan. Cover the bottom with the sauce.

Place washed and dried fish into pan on top of the sauce.

Dot with wasabe mayonnaise

Sprinkle furikake all over the top of the fish.

Using a chopstick, poke holes all over the fish.

Bake about 30 min, until flaky and a good "salmon pink" color.

People really seem to like this dish, and it's easy so it's great to wow the guests, providing the salmon isn't too expensive, of course!

diana

African Bean Soup

This is a vegan recipe that Alexis and I (Diana) made. I got it from www.NutritionMD.org in case anyone is interested in vegetarian recipes. We changed it so it wasn't strictly vegan. We also added some red pepper flakes to give it some zip.

Serves 8

1/2 c water

3T low sodium soy sauce
1 onion sliced thinly

2 sm sweet potatoes/yams- peeled (I didn't), diced, ~2cups

1 lrg carrot thinly sliced

1 celery stalk thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper seeded and diced

15 oz can crushed tomatoes

4 c vegie broth or water (I used chicken broth)

15 oz can garbanzo beans, undrained

1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro

3 T peanut butter

1-2 t curry powder

4c cooked brown rice

1- Heat water and soy sauce in large pot. Add onion and potatoes. Cook over high heat, stirring often until onion is soft, ~5 min.

2- Add carrot, celery, bell pepper. Cover and cook 3 min stirring occasionally.

3- Add tomatoes, broth/water, garbanzos and liquid, cilantro, p-nut butter, curry powder. Stir to mix. Cover and simmer until vegies are tender when pierced with a fork, ~10 min.

TO SERVE: place 1/2 c cooked rice in bowl and top with a generous ladle of soup.

Santa Rosa Rice Salad

1 box Long Grain & Wild Rice mix, cooked with seasonings
Juice of 1 lemon
3 chicken breast halves, cooked & diced, OR 1 lb. or more cooked shrimp
4 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 oz. snow peas or sugar snap peas
2 medium avocados, diced
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Mix salad ingredients in large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and add to salad.
Salad may be made a day ahead--add dressing, avocados, and pecans no sooner than 2-4 hours before serving.

Aunt Gene, here's the recipe you wanted! Love, Emily

Pastitsio

From family friend Fay Kolster. Yummy! It's Greek pasta. Make it without the spinach and mushrooms to be more authentic.

I modified it by adding frozen spinach and mushrooms (cuz I like them and I can!) I cooked the mushrooms in the pan after the hamburger. Squeeze the water out of the spinach first then add it to the mushrooms. Add the hamburger mix back into the pan with the spinach and the mushrooms and mix well. Make the cream sauce, then mix the whole thing together in the 9x13 pan, mix well and bake. Maybe add more parmesan and a little more milk to make it a bit creamier, hmmmm....

1 pkg tube macaroni (ziti, etc)

1 beaten egg

1/4 c milk

1/3 c parmesan

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 c chopped onion

8 oz tomato sauce

1/2 t cinnamon

1/8 t nutmeg

3/4 t salt

1/8 pepper

CREAM SAUCE

3T flour

3T butter

1/4 t salt

1 1/2 c milk

1 beaten egg

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1. Cook macaroni. Stir in 1 beaten egg, 1/4 c milk, 1/3 c parmesan cheesse. Set aside.

2. Cook beef and onion until browned and onion is tender. Drain excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce and spices. Set aside.

3. Make cream sauce: melt butter in small sauce pan. Blend in flour and 1/4 t salt. Stir in milk when well blended and smooth. Cook until bubbly and thickened. Cook and stir 1 min more. Blend a moderate amount of hot mixture into egg. Return to pan and mix. Stir in cheese.

4. Pour noodles, meat mix and cream sauce into 9x13 in pan. Mix well. Bake @ 350F 45-5- min. Will set up and thicken as it cooks.

from Diana

Chicken Taco Soup

Chicken Taco Soup

4 chicken breasts cut bit size
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp garlic
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp each – chili powder, cumin and paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
6 cups water
3 each – chicken and beef bouillon cubes
2 cans – 14 oz. dice tomatoes
1 green pepper, cut bite size
1 can – 15 oz. dark red kidney beans or black beans
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown chicken, onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cook 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve in soup plate with tortilla chips on the bottom. Spoon sour cream on top. Garnish with black olives, cheese or avocado. Serve with more chips or warm tortillas.

Here's another fast, easy and yummy soup. This is Mary's recipe. My kids love it!

Submitted by Joanna

Tortellini Soup

Tortellini Soup

¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 pkg - 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cans chicken broth
1 can seasoned tomatoes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. basil
1 large (14 oz.) pkg. cheese tortellini
Grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in soup pot, low to medium heat
Peel, chop and add onion and garlic – 3 minutes
Add mushrooms – 2 minutes
Add broth and tomatoes
Raise heat to high - cover pot
Bring to boil
Add Worcestershire and basil when broth comes to a boil (you can put in fridge at this point)
Add tortellini when both comes to a rolling boil
Cook 3 to 4 minutes
Add parmesan cheese to taste before serving

This is easy, fast and YUMMY!

Submitted by Joanna, requested by Sue

Lasagna Spinach Spirals

10 pieces of uncooked lasagne
2T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves minced
2 10-0z packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, excess liquid squeezed out
1 15 0z container ricotta cheese
3/4 to 1 c grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t nutmeg
30 oz meatless pasta sauce
4oz low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Prepare lasagne according to package directions. Rinse and drain.
Heat oven to 350F.
Heat oil in med skillet. Add onion and galric and saute until tender. Mix in spinach. Set aside and cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach mixture, ricotta and Parmesan cheesses, egg and spices. Spread spinach mixture equally on lasagne (covering the whole noodle) and roll up each piece jelly-roll style.
Place half of pasta sauce in a 13x9x2 baking dish. Place pasta spinach spirals, seam side down, in dish. Top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Bake uncovered until heated through, about 25 minutes.

This is great because you can make enough for a lot of people or enough for just 2 by modifying the recipe a bit. It's very tasty!

Beef Stroganoff

Serves 4
1 1/4 lbs sirloin steak tips, trimmed of excess fat and cut w/ grain into 4 equal pieces
2t soy sauce
1 lb white mushrooms, wiped clean & quartered (I used baby bellas and it was good)
2t hot water
1t dry mustard
1t sugar
1/2t ground pepper
1T veg oil
1 med onion, chopped fine,
approx 1t table salt
2t tomato paste
4t unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 c +1T white wine or dry vermouth1
1/2 c beef broth
1/2 c sour cream
1T chopped fresh parsley leaves or dill
1. Using fork, poke each piece of steak 10-12 times. Place in baking dish; rub both sides evenly with soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 15 min or up to 1 hr.
2. While meat marinates, place mushrooms in med microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until mushrooms have decreased in volume by half, 4-5 min (there should be as much as a 1/4c liquid in the bowl). Drain mushrooms and set aside; discard liquid. Combine water, dry mustard, sugar, and 1/2t pepper in small bowl until smooth paste forms; set aside.
3. Pat steak pieces dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat oil in 12 in skillet over med-high heat until just smoking. Place steak pieces in skillet and cook until browned on all sides and internal temp registers 125-130 deg, 6-9 min, reducing heat if fond begins to burn. Transfer meat to large plate and set aside while cooking sauce.
4. Add mushrooms, onion, and 1/2 t salt to skillet and cook until mushroom-onion mix begins to brown and dark bits form on bottom of pan, 6-8 min. Add tomato paste and flour and cook stirring constantly, until onions and mushrooms are coated, about 1 min. Stir in 1/3c wine, beef broth and mustard paste and bring to simmer, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to med and cook until sauce has reduced slightly and begun to thicken, 4-6 min
5. While sauce is reducing, cut steak pieces across grain into 1/4 in slices. Stir meat and any accumulated juices into thickened sauce and cook until beef has warmed through, 1-2 min. Remove pan from heat and let any bubbles subside. Stir in sour cream and remaining tablespoon of wine; season to taste with S/P. Sprinkle with parsley or dill and serve.

Submitted by: Diana

Spaghetti Sauce

1 (28oz) can pureed tomatoes
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T white sugar
3 T red wine vinegar
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 T Basil
2 T Italian Seasoning
Onion - to taste

** Combine all and simmer for at least 30 minutes ( I do longer for best flavor) Add whatever kind of meat that you would like **

This is a real simple basic sauce, but it's really easy and good!!!!

Submitted by: Miriam

Burritos

1 teaspoon cumin seed
black pepper
white pepper powder
1 Tbsp (give or take) red pepper
(can replace with combination of Paprika and Chipotle powder)
cinnamon (about 1 tsp)
1 15-oz can black beans
1 red, yellow OR green pepper diced
(or any combination of the 3)
1 small onion diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/4-1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4-6 tortillas
juice of 1/2 lime

Optional:
1/2-1 cup diced chicken, beef, or chorizo
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 fresh cilantro

Saute garlic, onion, bell pepper and cumin seeds in 1 Tbsp olive oil. If using meat, saute along with garlic/onions
Add beans and 1/2 cup water. Add pepper, red pepper, cinnamon, and simmer about 20 minutes. Add lime and cilantro at the end (if using)
Wrap tortillas with bean mixture, cheese, tomatoes or salsa.

Very flexible recipe. We used leftover grilled chicken and it was very yummy!
Even my Chinese family thought so :-)

Submitted by: Sue Ng

Jambalaya

Easy Jambalaya

Ingredients
• 2 cups enriched white rice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound boneless, skinless white or dark meat chicken
• 3/4 pound andouille, casing removed and diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
• Several drops hot sauce or 2 pinches cayenne pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons (a handful) all-purpose flour
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1(14-ounce) can or paper container chicken stock or broth
• 1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) cumin
• 1 rounded teaspoon (1/2 palmful) dark chili powder
• 1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound medium shrimp, raw, deveined and peeled (ask for easy peel at fish counter)
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• Chopped scallions, for garnish
• Fresh thyme, chopped for garnish
Directions
Cook rice to package directions.
Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Cube chicken and place in hot oil and butter. Brown chicken 3 minutes, add sausage, and cook 2 minutes more. Add onion, celery, pepper, bay, and cayenne.
Saute vegetables 5 minutes, sprinkle flour over the pan and cook 1 or 2 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes and broth and season with cumin, chili, poultry seasoning, and Worcestershire. Bring liquids to a boil and add shrimp.
Simmer shrimp
**I don’t usually put the shrimp in, and it’s excellent**

Submitted By: Miriam Pinnow

Cinnamon Chicken

Ingredients:Serves 4
1 chicken (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cut into 8 pieces (legs, breast and thighs)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic , peeled and minced
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion , peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cups water
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 Tbsp. dried Italian herb seasoning
Egg noodles cooked

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. A wet chicken will cause the oil to splatter while the chicken is sautéing. Mix the cinnamon, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the chicken pieces on all sides with the seasoning.
Heat the olive oil in a large, nonreactive, deep skillet over high heat. A 12-inch skillet with sides about 2 1/2 to 3 inches high will allow you to brown all the chicken at once. If you don't have a skillet large enough, brown them in two batches using 1/2 the oil for each batch. What's important is that the chicken isn't overcrowded, which would cause them to steam rather than brown.Add the chicken to the oil and brown for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn the pieces using a metal spatula, as they have a tendency to stick to the pan. Remove the pieces when they are well browned on all sides.
Mince three of the garlic cloves. Lower the heat to medium-high, and add the onions and minced garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions have softened and are a rich golden brown. Add about 1/2 cup of the water and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula or spoon to deglaze the pan, loosening any particles stuck on the bottom.When the water has evaporated, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and remaining 2 garlic cloves, minced.
Return the chicken to the pan. The liquid should cover about 3/4 of the chicken pieces. Cover the pot and simmer over medium-high heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and thoroughly cooked. If the sauce becomes too thick, it can be thinned with a little more water. Season the finished sauce with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over egg noodles.

I saw this one day on this daytime tv show that is produced and taped in Chicago with some famous host. I changed it a bit but the original is by chef Cat Cora. It's one of my favorites now.

submitted by Krista Spaletto

Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp and Feta

5 large tomatoes, cut into eighths
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup Feta, crumbled


Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the tomatoes in a large baking dish. Spoon the olive oil and garlic over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss. Place on top rack of oven and roast for 20 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven and stir in the shrimp, parsley, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with the Feta. Place back in oven for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked. Serve warm with crusty bread and angel hair pasta or mashed potatoes.

Note: I also add other vegetables - asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms. It's yummy!

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Submitted by: Joanna Falk

Grilled Marinated Pork Chops

Marinated Pork Chops

Thick Pork Chops – Bone in
Marinade:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 – 4 T Worsh
3-4 T Soy Sauce
2 T Honey
2 T Dijon
Splash Tobasco

Mix well

Before you put into the marinade, season Pork Chop with:
Season w/ Season Salt
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder

Marinade overnight


Grill on, Low direct heat 9-10 minutes each side (350)

Submitted by: Miriam Pinnow

Parmesan Broiled Tilapia

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets

**For a little added spice, I put some cheyenne pepper in it**

Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Submitted by: Miriam Pinnow

Spicy Chicken with Broccoli

Spicy Chicken with Broccoli

2 whole chicken breasts cut into strips 2 inches x ½ inches

In a bowl combine 2 tsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper or black pepper

Put the chicken into the cornstarch mixture and refrigerate 20 minutes.

1 lb. broccoli cut tops off into little pieces and cut the stems into long strips and then into
1 inch pieces

Boil a pot of water and add the broccoli for 1 minute after the water has come to a boil. Drain and put into a cold bath to stop the broccoli from cooking.

Submitted By: Miriam (although this is actually Krista's recipe) :)

3 green onions – with tops, cut into 1 inch pieces

Mix the following: 1 tsp. read pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. black bean sauce
2 Tbsp. garlic
1 tsp. ginger root, finely chopped
1 tsp. sugar

Heat 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil until hot in a wok or fry pan.
Add Chili bean sauce and cook 10 seconds
Add chicken for 2 minutes.
Add broccoli and green onions for 1 minute.

Serve with white rice.

Meatloaf

Meatloaf

Mix:
½ cup catsup
1/3 c. tomato juice
½ tsp. pepper
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup bread crumbs
¼ cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp. yellow mustard

mix into 1 ½ lbs ground beef

Line the pan with foil.

Topping:

¼ cup barbeque sauce
½ tsp. mustard
2 tsp or tbsp brown sugar, Krista wasn’t sure which it was, knowing how we cook we’ll just toss some in anyway.

Put over the top. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. It will take a little bit longer if you prepare it ahead of time.

Submitted By: Miriam (again Krista's recipe that was on my computer)

Joanna's Original Chicken, Artichoke & Broccoli Casserole

Chicken, Artichoke,& Broccoli Casserole


2 – large chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
2 – small head of broccoli steamed and chopped
1 can artichoke hearts chopped
1 red bell pepper, roasted & chopped
1- 8 oz. pkg mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
½ lb. angel hair pasta cooked and drained (I break the pasta in thirds)
1 small can fried onions

Sauce:
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. butter
3 to 4 tbsp. flour
1 ½ to 2 cups chicken broth
½ cup cooking sherry
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
¼ cup asiago & Parmesan cheese + some for topping
pepper to taste
　
　
Sauté onion, garlic and butter in a pan until tender (5 to 10 min). Add flour to coat the onion mixture. Slowly add the chicken broth and then the cooking sherry. It should be slightly thickened. Then stir in the cheeses until they are melted.
In a 9x13 inch pan, layer pasta, then the chicken mixture and top it with the sauce. Sprinkle it with a little more Parmesan cheese and then spread 1 small can of French’s fried onions on the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Note: The 1st time I made this I used leftover rotisserie chicken.