Veggie Penne

I got the idea for this recipe from an email of parenting tips. Blake and I have added/changed a few things, so here is the new improved veggie pasta dish.

Ingredients
2 1/2  cups sliced carrots (3 large carrots)
1  can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic (undrained)
1 small can tomato sauce
1 can corn (drained)
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
16  ounces multigrain penne pasta
2  tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Cook the carrots in lightly salted boiling water in a covered saucepan for 10 minutes or until they're tender. Drain and set aside. Put tomatoes and corn in saucepan and add garlic salt and Italian seasoning and heat through. Use a food processor or potato masher to puree/mash the carrots. Add carrots to tomatoes and corn and stir.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and combine w/ tomato sauce in a large bowl. Serve with Parmesan.

Ono Burgers

I got this recipe years ago from a cook on the noon news. He claimed he got it from a little cafe in Hawaii where these little sandwiches were very popular. They are good and easy to make.

Brown 1 lb. hamburger with one chopped onion. Drain. Add 1 box of sliced mushrooms( or you can use canned mushrooms) and saute.

Add:

1/2 lb. cheese, grated

1 can tomato soup

1 tsp. minced or crushed garlic

Dash of Worcester

1/4 cup (or so) ketchup

1 can olives, chopped (Using a knife you don't care about, just chop the drained olives right in the can)

Pickle relish, opt. (I don't usually put it in)

Salt and Pepper

Mix all together in the fry pan. Toast 6 buns under the broiler. Load this mixture on the open buns (you can sprinkle a little more cheese on top if you would like,) then broil and serve.

Honey Cashew Green Beans

I was asked to cook a huge bag of frozen green beans for a funeral luncheon. I couldn't just take plain green beans. So I went to allrecipes.com and found this delicious recipe to fancy up the green beans. The recipe called for fresh green beans, but frozen worked beautifully.

1/2 lb. green beans or a bag frozen

Big handful of coarsely chopped cashews

1/2 stick of butter

1 heaping T. honey

Steam or cook beans in water until desired softness. While they're cooking, heat a small skillet and saute the cashews in the butter for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Stir in the honey. Put cooked beans in a serving bowl and pour nut mixture over the top. Stir until all are well coated.

Rice and Bean Quesadillas

I got this off my friend's blog and we loved it.

1 cup cooked brown rice, warm or at room temperature
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1-2 cups shredded cheese

Saute the green onion and green pepper in a little bit of olive oil. While sauteing, add the chili powder, ground cumin, garlic salt, and cilantro (use dried if you don't have fresh, that's what we did). Add lime juice, rice, and beans. Mix well until warm and reduce heat to low. Prepare quesadillas in olive oil with cheese and rice and bean mix. Serve and enjoy!

Ginger Snaps

That don't . . .snap, that is. These are soft and delicious and I'm sorry. You'll hate me because they are absolutely irresistible. I got the recipe years ago from my sister-in-law, Lorene. They are the perfect fall or Christmas cookie. Enjoy!

3/4 cup shortening (I use butter flavor Crisco sticks)

3/4 cup real butter

2 cups sugar

Cream together well, then add

2 eggs

1/4 cup molasses

Beat well. Sift or stir together and add:

4 cups flour

2 tsp. cloves

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

Beat all together. Put in fridge for a 1/2 hour or so. Make dough into balls. Roll the balls in sugar and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes. Glaze cookies while they are still warm.

Glaze

Powdered sugar, HOT water and 1/4 tsp salt. Add water a little at a time until it makes a nice glaze consistency. You can dip the cookies in the glaze( put a cooling rack on a cookie sheet to catch glaze drips) or just spread glaze on the tops.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Have you heard of allrecipes.com? It's my go-to site when I need a quick new recipe. I found this one by searching for chicken crockpot recipes b/c I needed something easy and fast for a busy evening. This stew has a fun, autumn flavor and is delicious served over rice or noodles. I've made some changes from the original. You can vary it according to your tastes or what you have on hand. Reviewers added mushrooms, carrots, celery, bay leaf, celery seeds, oregano, garlic powder, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, etc. . . . that is the joy of soup. You can add whatever you want and it turns out delicious!

3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast - cut into chunks

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup water

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (10.75 oz) - or use whatever gravy/condensed soup you have on hand

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Italian style seasoning

1 apple - peeled, cored, and cut into chunks (many reviewers added more - I used one large Gala and it was just right)

2 potatoes, cut into chunks

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, shredded or diced

1 envelope Lipton onion soup (or dry onion gravy mix)

*I added 1 cup of pureed cauliflower b/c I had it on hand and it made it healthier and creamier.

Place chicken in slow cooker. Add water, soup, pepper, salt, seasoning, apple, potatoes, onion and gravy mix. Mix all together.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Here's another great sauce for ice cream. My favorite is brownies, vanilla ice cream with this sauce over the top. Just as with the caramel sauce, I've given this as a Christmas neighbor gift in small, decorative jars. I just quadruple the batch.

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup water

4 T. corn syrup

1 12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter, water, and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil, about 5-8 minutes. Boil for three minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in chocolate chips, beat with wire whisk unitl smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour into jar and store in refrigerator. Yield: 3 cups

Creamy Zucchini Soup

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 25 min

There’s nothing better than a warm bowl of soup when it’s chilly outside, right? I found this one online (not sure what site . . . I can’t find it now) when I searched for recipes to use the oodles of Basil that we have taking over our balcony currently. This chowder is loaded with onions, tomatoes and corn, and has a creamy, yummy taste. It’s relatively quick. I like to serve with a salad and crusty bread.

Ingredients

2 med zucchini, chopped

1 med onion, chopped

2 T minced fresh parsley (I just sprinkled some dried)

1 tsp dried basil (I used a handful of fresh)

1/3 cup butter or margarine (I used olive oil)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

3 cups water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tsp lemon juice

1 can (14 ½ oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1 package (10 oz) frozen corn (I used canned corn)

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups (8 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

Pinch sugar, optional

Chopped parsley as garnish, optional (I didn’t use)

Preparation

In a dutch oven or soup kettle ove rmedium heat, sauté the zucchini, onion, parsley ,and basil in butter until veies are tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in water. Add the bouillon and lemon juice, mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, evaporated milk, and corn; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn is tender. Just before serving, stir in Cheddar cheese and Parmesan until melted. Add sugar and garnish with parsley if desired.

Yield: about 2 ½ quarts

Thai Coconut Chicken

Ingredients
Boil-in-bag brown rice (we just cooked some brown rice in the rice cooker)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fish sauce (or use soy sauce);
1 tablespoon water
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1-1/4 pounds chicken-breast tenders
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3/4 cup sliced green onions
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Tabasco green sauce, optional
Cilantro, optional

Directions
1. Prepare rice according to package directions and keep warm.
2. Combine cornstarch, fish sauce, the water, and one minced garlic clove in a shallow bowl. Toss mixture with chicken tenders, coating evenly. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan. Heat remaining oil in pan and sauté green onions for a minute. Add the remaining garlic and the ginger and cook another minute.
3. Return chicken to pan for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it's cooked. Stir in coconut milk, lime juice, sugar, and, if you're using it, green sauce. Cook about a minute until heated through. Serve over brown rice with chopped cilantro, if using.

I made a change or two, which I noted, but I got them from a daily email I get w/ parenting tips. Blake and I just loved this recipe; it got a two thumbs up!