Italian Baked Chicken and Pasta

8 oz. mini penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound cubed chicken breast (two chicken breasts) cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice ( I used Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until barely tender, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, mozzarella cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 13x9-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, melt 1 tbsp butter then stir in the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Cauliflower and Chickpea Gratin

Caitlin, I'm posting this for you! I haven't made it yet though but it sounds like something we would like. (I think we'd omit the capers!)

Serves 6 as meatless main dish

3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
6 cloves garlic, minced (1 TBSP minced)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 TBSP capers, rinsed and drained
1 TBSP chopped fresh oregano
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp kosher salt (I omitted)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-3/4 pounds cauliflower, cut into florets
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook about 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add drained tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in parsley, capers, oregano, lemon juice, thyme, kosher salt, and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a covered dutch oven cook cauliflower in a small amount of boiling water about 5 minutes or just until tender (I steamed in the microwave). Drain and keep warm.

Transfer cauliflower to a 2- to 2-1/2 qt. broilerproof baking dish. Top with hot tomato mixture. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes or just until cheese begins to brown. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 271 cals, 12 g fat, 951 mg sodium, 9 g fiber, 10 g protein

XG Chicken Stew

(a.k.a. Garlic-Braised Chicken and Flageolet Stew)

I haven't made this yet but Michael and Karen say it's very good!

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 4 for leftovers)
10 garlic cloves, peeled
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cups flageolet beans, soaked overnight in water (may substitute navy beans - flageolets are very hard to find)
4 sage leaves
1 small leek, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
4 two inch sourdough bread, toasted (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon olive oil

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cut in half. Place the garlic, flageolets, stock, sage, leeks and chicken in 2.5 quart All-Clad pot. Bring to simmer and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.To serve, place 2 croutons in bowl, cover with XG stew, sprinkle with chopped chives and drizzle with olive oil. Top with fresh ground pepper and salt. Put the butter back in the fridge and serve with an Australian cab.

French Creamy Lentil Soup

I haven't made this yet. The comments are those of the original poster's.

This lentil soup comes out so wonderfully - the flavors are nicely balanced and perfectly put together. We always try to follow this recipe exactly to the point - do not deviate from the proportions or you wont get as nice a result.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 strips of bacon sliced into small pieces
• 1 large onion
• 2 medium carrots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp thyme chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes 14 oz
• bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper
• 1 cup lentils washed (preferably lentils de puy)
• 4 1/2 cups broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup white wine

Method:
Fry bacon pieces until crispy. Put in diced onion and carrot into the pot and cook with the bacon, press garlic and let it cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and lentils, cook 8-10 min on medium low heat. Add wine, bring to a simmer, add broth and water.

Cook for 30 min on low heat, partially covered. When soup is cooked nicely, puree 3 cups of soup in a blender and add 1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper if needed, add fresh parsley and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Chicken Wings

Another family favorite!

marinade:

2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup white wine

Mix all ingredients together. Add wings and marinate overnight. Remove wings from marinade and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until crispy.

Five Hour Stew

This recipe is a family favorite. Sometimes I omit the potatoes and serve the stew over mashed potatoes. Delish!

3 Tablespoons instant tapioca
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
2 pounds stew meat
15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1/3 cup or a little more cold water
1/3 cup red wine
1 Tablespoons Kitchen Bouquet-(a browning and seasoning sauce usually found with the spices or maybe with the Worcestershire sauce- a brown round bottle with a skinny neck and yellow label and lid)
Vegetables-chunked carrots, onions,(whole small or halved larger ones) celery, turnip, parsnips, potatoes-any amount desired
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together well, in a large Dutch oven (covered) and bake for 5 hours. DO NOT open the oven til done. Enjoy!

Milk Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

2	cups flour
2	tablespoons unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
1/4	teaspoon baking powder
1/2	teaspoon salt, preferably ultra-fine sea salt
1/2	pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to tepid
1	cup firmly packed light brown sugar, sieved if lumpy
1/2	cup granulated sugar
3	eggs, lightly beaten
3	teaspoons vanilla extract
6	packages (1.4 ounces each) milk-chocolate-covered toffee bar candy, chopped into rough chunks
1 1/4	cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1	cup milk chocolate chips

1. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

2. In a bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In another bowl, whisk the melted butter and light brown and granulated sugars. With a wooden spoon, blend in the eggs and vanilla, mixing until well incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture. Add the toffee, walnuts, and chips.

4. Pour the batter into the baking pan, spreading it into an even layer. Bake for 30 to 34 minutes, or until just set. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Let it sit for 30 minutes.

5. Use a sharp knife to cut 4 horizontal rows and 4 vertical rows to make 25 pieces. Cool completely, then recut and use a small offset spatula to remove the bars from the pan. Store in an airtight tin.

Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread

This recipe, from Claudia Fleming, pastry chef at New York City's Gramercy Tavern, is superlative—wonderfully moist and spicy. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr Serves 8 to 10 Claudia Fleming Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY 1 cup oatmeal stout or Guinness Stout 1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 2 tablespoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Pinch of ground cardamom 3 large eggs 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup vegetable oil Confectioners sugar for dusting Special equipment: a 10-inch (10- to 12-cup) bundt pan Accompaniment: unsweetened whipped cream Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature. Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream.Cooks' notes:
• This recipe was tested with Grandma's brand green-label molasses.
• Like the chocolate decadence cake, the gingerbread is better if made a day ahead. It will keep 3 days, covered, at room temperature.

Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream.Cooks' notes:
• This recipe was tested with Grandma's brand green-label molasses.
• Like the chocolate decadence cake, the gingerbread is better if made a day ahead. It will keep 3 days, covered, at room temperature.

Buffalo Chicken Chili with blue cheese cornmeal dumplings

This chili tastes like Buffalo wings, but it's a little better for you.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds ground chicken or turkey
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped cilantro or to taste
6 ounces beer (your favorite brew)
15 oz. can pinto or kidney beans
1/4 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

Dumplings:
One 8.5-ounce Jiffy-brand corn muffin mix
1/3 cup milk or enough to obtain desired consistency
1 large egg
2 scallions, finely chopped
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)


1. Heat a medium Dutch oven or large skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and the butter and melt together. Add the chicken and cook, breaking up the meat, for 6 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, onion, carrot and jalapeño. Season with salt, pepper, cumin and cilantro, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beer and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Concentrate the flavor of the beer by reducing the mixture over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the beans, hot sauce and the tomato sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chili for 15 minutes.
2. Mix the corn muffin mix with the milk and egg. Stir the scallions and the blue cheese into the batter. Drop by large spoonfuls into the simmering chili and continue to cook until dumplings are firm.

Killer Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound ground beef
12 ounces chorizo sausage, casing removed, cut into 1/2 cubes
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 (14.5-ounce) cans beef broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
2 green jalapenos, slit lengthwise 3 times each
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish with Cheddar and sour cream, if desired.

Place oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Brown the sirloin in batches. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add ground beef, chorizo and onions to the pot and brown. Make sure to break up the meat. Return sirloin to the pot. Stir in remaining ingredients, except for garnishes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer for 2 hours. Stir occasionally, breaking up tomatoes. Before serving, discard cinnamon stick, bay leaves and jalapenos. Garnish, if desired.

White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

Carolina loved these cookies last Christmas!

Prep: 40 min.
Bake: 10 min. per batch

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
* 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 cup cold butter
* 12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
* 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
* 2 teaspoons shortening
* White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.

6. To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Mock Chilies Rellenos for crock pot

2 tsp butter
2 4 oz. cans chopped canned green chilies
½ lb cheddar cheese, grated
½ lb Monterey Jack cheese, grated
4 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp flour
¾ cup milk

Grease bottom and sides of crockpot. Place half of chile peppers in bottom of crockpot. Layer in order: cheddar, chilies, Jack. Beat egg whites till stiff. Fold in slightly beaten yolks, flour and milk. Pour into crockpot. Cover and cook on HI 2-3 hours.

Southwestern Lentil Soup

This is one of my favorite lentil soup recipes.


1 lb bag lentils
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
4 ounce can diced green chilies
8 ounce can tomato sauce
6 ½ cups water
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons Southwest seasoning (Penzey's)

Wash lentils, drain and set aside. Brown the ground beef, the onions, and carrots in a soup pot. Mix in the lentils, tomatoes, green chilies, tomato sauce, water, pepper, and Southwest seasoning. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Goulash a la Carolina

This recipe is really good. I watched Carolina make it once, which is why I asked for the recipe. It would be good served over mashed potatoes or noodles.

2 tbsp oil
2 lg onions, sliced thin
4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 lb stew beef
2 cups canned tomatoes with juice
1/4 cup sour cream

Heat oil in dutch oven and saute onions till golden, about 10 min. Stir in paprika, salt, and garlic, then transfer to a plate. Heat a little more oil then brown the beef. Return onions to the pot with the meat, add the tomatoes and a little water if necessary and simmer gently for 2 hrs or until meat is tender. Don't let it burn like I did.

At the end stir in the sour cream.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding a little more olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute or so. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.