Mexican Pasta Skillet

Ingredients:

1 lb extra-lean (at least 93%) ground beef
1 jar (16 oz) Muir Glen® organic mild salsa
1 cup Muir Glen® organic tomato sauce (from 15-oz can)
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups uncooked regular or multigrain elbow macaroni
1 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Niblets® frozen corn
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz)


Directions:

1. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.
2. Stir in salsa, tomato sauce and water. Heat to boiling. Stir in macaroni and corn. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender.
3. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.


Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 370 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 45mg; Sodium 650mg; Total Carbohydrate 53g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 5g); Protein 25g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 8%; Iron 20% Exchanges: 3 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 2 Lean Meat

Almond Orange Pithiviers

Circles of golden, flaky Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry surround a delicious filling made with almonds, sugar, butter, orange zest and vanilla extract to make a spectacular dessert."

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced blanched almonds

1/3 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tablespoon grated orange zest 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (17.3 ounce) package Pepperidge Farm®

Puff Pastry Sheets

1 teaspoon water

confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature for 40 minutes or until they're

easy to handle. Heat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment

paper.

2. Place the almonds, sugar, butter, 1 egg, orange zest and vanilla extract

into a food processor. Cover and blend until the almond mixture is a smooth

paste.

3. Unfold 1 pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet

into an 11-inch square. Cut the pastry into a 10-inch circle using a 10-inch

cake pan. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet.

4. Place 1 pastry circle onto the baking sheet. Spread the almond mixture on

the pastry circle to within 1-inch of the edge. Beat the remaining egg and

the water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. Brush the edge of the pastry

circle with the egg mixture. Place the remaining pastry circle on top of the

almond mixture. Crimp the edges of the circles together with a fork.

5. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Sprinkle with the

confectioners' sugar.

Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin

I made this last week thinking it wouldn't be so great, the first bite I took told me otherwise! What a great combination of flavors! I loved it, and the two biggest critics of my dishes (or not so outspoken) both commented on how delicious it was and loved it also! Even the 3 yr old loved it. You HAVE to give this one a try!




Prep Time: 25 min
Total Time: 1 hour 15 min
Makes: 6 servings (1/2 cup each)

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash (2 1/2 lb)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Peel, halve lengthwise and seed squash; cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange with slices overlapping slightly in bottom of baking dish.
2. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft and butter is infused with garlic flavor. Do not let butter brown.
3. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese and 1 tablespoon of the butter-garlic mixture.
4. Brush squash slices with remaining butter-garlic mixture. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and bread crumb mixture.
5. Bake uncovered 30 to 40 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with fork. Increase oven temperature to 425°F; bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Before serving, sprinkle parsley over top.

Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
1 sweet bell pepper, cut into thin slices
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped tomatoes
12 flour tortillas
Optional Toppings:
sour cream, guacamole, shredded Mexican blend cheese, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, salsa, sliced olives, etc.

Directions:

Cut flank steak into 6 portions. Combine meat, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt in slow cooker. Add tomatoes; cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours.
Remove beef from slow cooker and shred. Return meat to slow cooker. Stir. For the fajitas, spread meat mixture onto warm flour tortillas and add your favorite toppings.
Serves 10 to 12.

Slow Cooker Beef Curry

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds lean stew beef or other lean beef, cut in cubes
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or about 1/2 teaspoon paprika, a dash of thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash garlic powder
2 medium onions, sliced
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup beef broth
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder, or to taste
1 jar (about 12 ounces) small white onions, drained

Directions:
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. In a food storage bag or shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, Creole seasoning, and garlic powder; toss beef with the mixture then brown in the hot oil along with the sliced onions. Cook, stirring, for about 4 to 6 minutes, or until beef is browned and onions are tender. Transfer the mixture to a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour beef broth in the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; pour over the beef and onions in the slow cooker. Add tomatoes and stir in curry powder and small white onions. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 8 to 10 hours.
Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Short Ribs

Ingredients:
4 to 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks
1 cup baby carrots
1 large onion, cut into 8 to 12 wedges
3 1/2 pounds beef short ribs or beef chuck pot roast cut in chunks
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon paprika, regular or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
dash garlic powder
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
---
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water


Directions:
Put the potatoes and carrots in a large slow cooker; top with the onion wedges then the beef. Combine the ketchup, 1/4 cup water, vinegar, paprika, chili powder, mustard, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Pour over the beef. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
Transfer the juices to a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Combine the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the simmering juices and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minutes. Serve the beef and vegetables with the thickened sauce.
Serves 4 to 6.

Slow Cooker Arroz Con Pollo

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves, skin removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped (or chopped roasted red pepper)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 can (14 1/2 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 package (10 oz) frozen peas

Directions:

Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika. In skillet, heat oil over medium heat and brown chicken on all sides. Transfer the chicken to slow cooker.
In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients, except frozen peas. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours. One hour before serving, rinse peas in colander under warm water to thaw then add to crockpot. Serve over rice.
4 servings.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Asparagus in Onion Sauce

Ingredients:

4 to 6 chicken breasts
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of onion soup
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon tarragon, if desired
1 teaspoon lemon and herb seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch asparagus, or 10 ounce package frozen , thawed

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except asparagus; cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add asparagus and cook on high an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until asparagus is tender. Thicken sauce with a mixture of 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and a little cold water if desired. Serve over rice or noodles.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts (pounded out thin)
4-6 pieces of ham
4-6 slices of Swiss or mozzarella cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup (can use any cream soup)
1/4 cup milk

Directions:

Put ham and cheese on chicken. Roll up and secure with a toothpick. Place chicken in the slow cooker/Crock Pot so it looks like a triangle /_\ Layer the rest on top. Mix soup with the milk; pour over top of chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve over noodles with the sauce it makes.
Teresa's Note: Its the best recipe I've tried so far

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

20 medium mushroom, firm, closed caps

2 tablespoon butter

4 tablespoons minced onion

4 tablespoons minced red or green pepper

1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup bread crumbs or the dried cubed up premade stuffing mix 

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese

3 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 tablespoons water

1 beaten egg

1 ½ TBS Chopped Parsely

1 tsp sweet or smoked Paprika

salt & pepper to taste

*Optional* Can also add in ¼ lb cooked crumbled Italian sausage or shredded crab for seafood stuffed mushrooms.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Clean mushrooms with wet paper towels. Pull stems from mushrooms and chop finely. Melt 1 TBS of the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat; add chopped mushroom stems, peppers and onion. Saute' until tender. Remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, egg, salt and pepper. 

Brush mushrooms tops and bottoms with EVOO, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fill with sautéed mixture, mounding over the top. 

Drizzle all the tops with a little more EVOO, sprinkle with Paprika and bake for about 25 minutes in a lightly greased shallow baking pan. Serve hot.

Danny’s Asiago and Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

8 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1/4 cup Basil pesto ( fresh or store bought)
1 Roasted red pepper, cut into strips
1 cup Bread crumbs
3 eggs
1/2 cup Chicken stock
1/2 white wine
salt and pepper
dry oregano
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese


Cooking Instructions:

Pound chicken breasts with mallot until flat.
In center of each breast add 1 Tbsp. Asiago, 1 tsp. Pesto, 1 tsp. bread crumbs and a piece of roasted pepper.
Carefully roll breast and seal with toothpicks.
Beat eggs in a bowl and dip rolled breast in until covered.
In a seperate bowl add remaining bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, some dry oregano, salt and pepper. Dip each rolled breast in bread crumb mixture until coated.
Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry breasts until golden brown then place in an ovenproof baking dish.
Add chicken stock and wine to baking dish, cover with foil and place in a 400*f oven for 1/2 hour.

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

1 teaspoon pure chile powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole skinless, boneless chicken breast (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 green bell pepper—cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
8 flour tortillas, warmed in the microwave
Shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream, for serving

Directions

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the chile powder with the salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cornstarch, water and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the chicken, bell pepper and onion, seal and knead gently to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Empty the contents of the bag into the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.

Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large bowl and serve with the warmed tortillas, lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream and lime wedges.

Chicken Flautas

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -
cooked and shredded
1 (8 ounce) jar picante sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
36 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil



Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl combine the shredded chicken, picante sauce and ground cumin.
Mix together.

3. In a small skillet heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Place a corn
tortilla in the oil for 1 to 2 seconds on either side to soften. Repeat with all
of the tortillas (if possible, have someone help you do this). Place tortillas on
paper towel to soak up some of the oil.

4. Put 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla and sprinkle
some cheese on top. Roll up tortilla and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet,
seam side down. Repeat with all of the tortillas until chicken mixture is gone.
If there is any cheese left over, sprinkle it over the rolled tortillas.

5. Bake tortillas in the preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until tortillas are
a little crispy and golden brown

Tex Mex Spanish Rice

Ingredients:


1 TBS Olive Oil
2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of white long grain rice
1 can HUNTS petite diced tomatoes with green chiles (or w/out)
1/2 onion diced
1/2 tsp (depending on your taste) of cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper.

Directions:

Heat oil in saucepan and brown the rice in it. Move aside when browned and cook onion until transparent. Quickly add your chicken broth, one can of Hunts petite diced tomatoes, mix well, add your spices, mix again. Add salt and pepper. Bring to boil, simmer covered for about 15 minutes.

Broiled Lemon and Garlic Jumbo Shrimp

Directions:

1. Preheat oven on broiler setting. With a sharp knife, remove tails from prawns,
and butterfly them from the underside. Arrange prawns on broiler pan.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter with garlic and lemon juice. Pour 1/4 cup
butter mixture in a small bowl, and brush onto prawns. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese
over shrimp.
3. Place broiler pan on top rack, and broil prawns for 4 to 5 minutes, or until
done. Serve with remaining butter mixture for dipping