Hot stuff pasta

This recipe was born out of desperation and a desire to use what I had on hand. Sound familiar? I used some kielbasa, diced jalapenos, cheese and peas and made a pretty terrific dinner. This recipe can be modified to suit your family's heat tolerance -- cut back on the jalapenos or skip them altogether. I'll bet you have most of these ingredients now, so consider this recipe when you need to make a quick and easy dinner. If you can make a basic white sauce, you can whip this dish up in no time.

You'll need:

1/2 pound kielbasa, diced (half of a package)
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon diced garlic
1 teaspoon diced, pickled jalapeno peppers
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 to 2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 cup green peas
8 ounces cooked, drained pasta

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the kielbasa and cook until slightly browned.

Remove the meat from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Add the garlic and jalapenos to the skillet, then blend the flour to make a paste. Cook for about three minutes.

Stir in the milk, using a wire whisk, until completely blended.

Cook over medium heat about 5 or 6 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Blend in the Cheddar cheese.

Blend the sauce completely. Add the diced kielbasa and green peas to the sauce and cook another 3-4 minutes until all is heated through. Serve over pasta. I garnished the dish with some minced parsley from my herb garden -- pretty, huh?

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Beef stroganoff my way

I couldn’t stand beef stroganoff when I was a child. One of my worst food memories was being made to sit and finish it, as it got colder and colder. Ugh. But recently, I’ve had a hankering to go back and try it again, making it the way that appeals to me today.

The dish is creamy, thanks (normally) to sour cream. I used plain yogurt in my recipe since it is so much lower in fat and calories. I also added red wine and Worcestershire sauce – they make everything better. This recipe was a hit with my youngest son, who can be pretty picky.

You’ll need:

1.5 pounds stew beef or flank steak, cut in bite-sized pieces
¼ cup onion, diced
14.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
4 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
½ cup red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper

Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Warm a skillet over medium heat, add a teaspoon of oil and brown the beef pieces for 3-5 minutes. Add to slow cooker. Add red wine and Worcestershire sauce to skillet to deglaze pan, then pour liquid over meat in slow cooker. Add cream of mushroom soup, onion, and sliced mushrooms; stir to combine. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

Combine yogurt and flour in a small bowl. Add the yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Cook for another 30 minutes. Cook about 2 cups of thin egg noodles in boiling water, drain and keep warm. Serve the stroganoff over the noodles. This is best when topped with fresh chopped parsley (super easy to grow in the yard!)

Try this recipe! It’s a lower fat option that is full of flavor.

Chicken in wine in the slow cooker, 2.0

I tried my hand at coq au vin in the slow cooker recently, after seeing a recipe in a favorite cookbook. It wasn’t as fancy, or involved, as the original recipe, but the results were delicious – red wine, thyme and garlic gave a great depth of flavor.

To try it yourself, you will need:

8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 medium onion, cut in wedges
1 cup carrots, in bite-sized pieces
6-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 cup red wine
½ cup mushrooms (canned is fine; just drain first)
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

Place the onion and carrots in a 6-quart slow cooker.

Cook, drain and crumble the bacon. Place the chicken pieces over the carrots and onions, then top with garlic, mushrooms and bacon. Pour red wine over all.

Top the mixture with salt, pepper and sprigs of fresh thyme. Yes, these sprigs came right out of my tiny herb garden.

Cook on low for about 7 hours. This dish is excellent with pasta or rice. I used mini fusilli.

This dish was terrific – the chicken was fall-apart tender and had a delicious flavor thanks to the wine, thyme and bacon. Try it soon!

Yummy extras to freeze or share

Recently I made turkey manicotti with spinach and had enough of the filling to make two casseroles – one to keep and one to give away. The ease of having a no-fuss dinner made me want to do it again. This dish made me recall a similar dish I made each time I was pregnant with my three children; with each pregnancy I made several casseroles ahead and froze them. Later, when I was home from the hospital, I was grateful to have several easy food options on hand.

Don’t cook pasta that is going into a casserole, especially if you intend to freeze it. Add enough sauce or other liquid to immerse the pasta and it will turn out just fine. Pre-cooking it will cause the pasta to be overcooked.

Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli

2 cups fresh broccoli
½ pound boneless chicken (I used 5 or 6 tenderloins)
4 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
16 ounce jar prepared Alfredo sauce
2 cups macaroni noodles
1 cup water, divided
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Place the broccoli in a microwave safe bowl, add about ¼ cup water, cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Drain liquid. In a medium skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil, then brown the chicken pieces on all sides.

Cook the chicken for about 5-7 minutes, then remove from skillet and allow meat to rest.

Shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken and broccoli.

Add the sliced mushrooms, Alfredo sauce and ¾ cup water.

Add the dry macaroni noodles, parsley, salt and pepper and blend completely.

Pour the mixture into two casserole dishes that have been sprayed with non-stick spray. Top with shredded mozzarella.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until casseroles are bubbly and slightly browned on top. This dish would be great for a crowd. Or consider giving one of the casseroles away, or freezing one for later. Dish will keep for three months frozen; to prepare, thaw in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours before baking.

Chicken tetrazzini

It’s obvious that I cut plenty of corners on a traditional tetrazzini recipe. That offering normally includes a thickened sauce made from chicken or turkey broth, celery and onions and pimento. This recipe retains some of the basis of tetrazzini, but was faster and incorporated what I had on hand. It is the kind of dinner that can be made on short notice from items that are readily available in any pantry.

Chicken tetrazzini

1 pound chicken tenders
14.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons toasted almonds, sliced (I actually used a combination of almonds and cashews; that’s what I had)
4 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup water
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then cook in a skillet. Shred the meat.

To the skillet, add cream of mushroom soup, cooked noodles, sliced mushrooms and 1 cup water.

Blend in cooked chicken and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish that has been coated with non-stick spray. Top with parsley and almonds.

Cook at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and top is slightly browned.

Turkey and spinach manicotti

This is the concoction I whipped up last week to share with the family of a neighbor who is recuperating. The recipe made enough for two casseroles; one to keep and one to give away. I didn’t work from an existing recipe; I had ground turkey, spinach and mozzarella cheese on hand. With the addition of pasta, some cottage cheese and the manicotti noodles, I came up with a pretty impressive casserole.

Turkey and spinach manicotti

1 pound ground turkey
2 cups fresh spinach
16 ounce container cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup for each casserole)
16 ounce jar prepared Alfredo sauce
2 teaspoons parsley
Salt and pepper (about a ½ teaspoon of each)
14-16 manicotti noodles (7-8 per casserole)

Brown the turkey in a large skillet; drain any excess fat. Mix in the fresh spinach, tearing the leaves and folding them into the meat. The heat from the skillet will wilt the leaves. Stir in the cottage cheese, parsley and salt and pepper. I soaked the manicotti noodles in warm water for about 5 minutes; they were slightly softened, but still firm enough to fill easily. Hold your thumb over one opening and fill the noodles with a small spoon.

Pour about ¼ cup Alfredo sauce each into two 9X9 casserole dishes. Lay the filled manicotti noodles over the sauce and scoop around any extra filling to fill in the gaps. Top the noodles with ¼ cup Alfredo sauce and ½ cup (each casserole) mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with extra parsley to garnish. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, until casserole is bubbling and browned on top. Serves 3-4.

The casseroles can be covered with foil and refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to three months. To cook from frozen, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator for about 24 hours before baking. Taking a little time to whip us a casserole and freeze it is a great way to always have an emergency dinner on hand.

I only soaked the manicotti noodles to soften them because they will finish cooking while the casserole bakes. Cooking them ahead of time will yield overcooked pasta at the end.

Quickie spaghetti

My mother always cooked from scratch – pie crusts and spaghetti sauce included. For spaghetti, she would blend crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, onions, peppers and various spices to make a delicious meal. I appreciate the longer method, but I often need to pull dinner together much faster. This recipe gives prepared spaghetti sauce a richer flavor, but with much less time.

Cream of mushroom soup is an addition I learned from my wonderful mother-in-law. It makes the sauce creamier and cuts the acidity of the tomatoes.

For Quickie Spaghetti, you’ll need:

1 pound ground chuck
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
10.5 ounce can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 jar prepared spaghetti sauce (my newest favorite is Red Gold brand; I used the 26 ounce can)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons white sugar
8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained

In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil, then add the garlic.

Add the ground chuck and brown meat over medium heat.

Skim off fat, then add the prepared spaghetti sauce and the cream of mushroom soup.

Blend the mixture completely…

…then add oregano, red pepper, parsley, black pepper and sugar.

The additional spices pump up the flavor of the prepared sauce and the mushroom soup gives the sauce a creamier finish. Cook the sauce for about 20 minutes. Cook spaghetti noodles for about 10 minutes (about 8 minutes for thin spaghetti, my preference); drain and serve with sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.

This is a popular dish at our house, with plenty of leftover sauce for other dishes.

Cheesy goodness, made from scratch

So many people rely on packaged foods that some children have never had real, honest-to-goodness macaroni and cheese. Once you learn to make this dish from scratch, eating powdered, orangey cheese powder will never again be an option.

I had never eaten macaroni and cheese from a box until I went to college. Same for canned spaghetti sauce and corn dogs. My mother was a “from scratch” person and did not include pre-packaged or mix items in our pantry or fridge. Today, she will use canned spaghetti sauce, but she still shuns macaroni and cheese from a box.

And here’s why: Making your own tastes better. Powdered cheese mix is not cheese. Making food for your family gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Don’t get me wrong; macaroni and cheese is not health food. Eat it in moderation. You can use reduced fat milk in the sauce. But do take the time to try this recipe; it is better than anything you will ever get out of a box.

Homemade macaroni and cheese

1 cup uncooked macaroni noodles
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups milk
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese; reserve about ¼ cup to sprinkle on top
6-8 saltine crackers, crushed

Cook the macaroni noodles in boiling, salted water for about 7-8 minutes. Drain and place in a greased 2-quart casserole dish. In a sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine. Add the flour and blend thoroughly. Cook 1-2 minutes. Using a whisk, add about half the milk. Blend thoroughly; as the mixture thickens, add the remaining milk. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add ¾ cup cheese; stir until melted completely. Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni noodles, then stir to combine. Top with the reserved cheese and crushed crackers. Bake in a 350 degree over until top is browned and bubbly; about 20 minutes. Serves 6.

Turning leftovers into lasagna

I love making spaghetti for dinner, but I always seem to wind up with more leftover sauce (tons) than noodles (none). The extra sauce often makes its way into the freezer, until space demands I do something with it. I’ve added the sauce to stews and soups and just reheated it for later meals. But last week, when I noticed I had three small containers in the freezer, I decided to fashion a lasagna meal from it.

I had about 3 cups of sauce total in two containers; one that included chicken meatballs and one with kielbasa (two favorites from different nights). The ingredients were a surprise to me, too. I just aimed to clean out the freezer and the mixing of flavors was delicious. If you save extra sauce like I do, try this method to repurpose it.

“Leftovers” lasagna

3 cups sauce, thawed
12-15 lasagna noodles, uncooked
16 ounce container cottage cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Don’t bother to cook the noodles. If you layer them with sauce and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, they will cook completely. To the cottage cheese, add the garlic, oregano, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste; mix thoroughly. In a 9x13x2-in baking pan, spread about ¼ cup of thawed sauce. Add a layer of 3-4 lasagna noodles, breaking to fit the pan if needed. Top with another layer of sauce, a layer of cottage cheese, a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, topping the dish with sauce and mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook another 10-15 minutes to brown the top. Lasagna will cut more smoothly if it cools about 15 minutes. Serves 6-12.

Lasagna cooks beautifully in a slow cooker also. Spray the inside of a 6-quart cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Layer the ingredients as above, cover with lid and cook 4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low. Again, no need to pre-cook the noodles; skip that step in either method and save extra time.