Food Friday - Tortellini Soup

Boil one cup of cheese-stuffed tortellini in
1 1/2 C of water for about five minutes.
Add one can of Tomato soup. Stir

Optional: add Italian spices and/or some cheese

Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Southern Mac-n-cheese

We had this Monday night (with Pork Tenderloin - not to be confused with Pork Loin, silly) and it was quite good.

7 oz elbow macaroni (measure prior to cooking)
1/4 C butter
1/2 medium yellow onion (diced)
3 T flour
2 C milk
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 t dry mustard
2 C cubed cheese (I used colby jack)
1 C fresh bread crumbs
2 T parsley (chopped)

• Cook the macaroni according to directions.
• In a medium saucepan, saute the onion in the butter.
• Add the flour to make a paste.
• Add milk and cream cheese and stir until smooth.
• Add salt, pepper, and dry mustard.
• Add cubed cheese and stir until smooth.
• Add the cooked macaroni and mix well.
• Pour into a small casserole (8x8) pan.
• Sprinkle the bread crumbs and parsley on top.
• Bake at 400 at 15-20 minutes.

This was even better warmed up the next day. All three of us loved it!

Food Friday - Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake

I got the idea for this from a restaurant in Utah. My mom duplicated it and then I decided to try to duplicate it too. As too many of my "jazz" recipes, this one doesn't have specific measurements but I'll try to give you a good idea of what to do.

1 Chicken Breast - cubed
4-5 Mushrooms - sliced (you can also use a can of sliced mushrooms)
1/2 Onion - chopped
1 T Garlic - minced
1 1/2 C Chicken Broth
1/2 C Flour
2 T Olive Oil
1 1/2 C Milk (or Half and Half)
1 C Dry Penne Pasta
Salt, Pepper, Italian Spices (thyme, oregano, basil) to taste
1 Tomato - chopped
1/2 C Bacon or Ham - cut in pieces (I just use the ready-made bacon bits that come in a bag)
1/3 C Parmesan Cheese
1/3 C Mozzarella Cheese

Saute (in the 2 T of oil) the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Add chicken cubes and seasonings. Next add the 1/2 C flour and mix until the chicken is well coated (it will be pasty). Add the chicken broth and cook until it becomes thickened. Add the milk and stir until smooth (but don't thicken). Remove from heat.

Place the dry pasta in a medium-sized casserole dish. Pour the chicken mixture over the pasta. Mix in the tomato, bacon, and parmesan cheese. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Serve with bread and veggies and a side-dish of fruit.

Food Friday - Chicken Scampi*

3 Chicken Breasts (thawed or fresh)
2 C Chicken Broth
2-3 Sliced Bell Peppers (I used red, yellow and orange because they were on sale - they are also sweeter)
1/2 C Diced Yellow Onion
3 Crushed Cloves of Garlic (or 1 T of the jarred stuff)
3/4 C Sliced Mushrooms (fresh or canned)
1/3 C Milk (or cream)
1/3 C Flour
1 T Olive Oil
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
1 t Oregano Flakes
1 t Basil Flakes
Angel Hair Pasta

Place 1 T Olive Oil in a medium frying pan with the heat on medium high. Saute onions and garlic until they turn clear. Add 1/3 C flour to make a thick paste. Add 1/3 C milk (or cream) to make a thick cream sauce. Add the chicken broth and stir well (with a whisk) until it is smooth. Add red pepper flakes, oregano flakes, and basil flakes. Add mushrooms and pepper slices.

Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer. Cook for approximately 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The sauce should cook down to be moderately thick (saucey, you know). Salt and pepper to taste.

As far as the meat goes you have some choices here:

1. You could grill the breasts and serve on top of the pasta.
2. You could bread and fry the breasts (this is what Olive Garden does) and serve on top of the pasta.
3. You could be totally lazy (like moi) and cut the breast into cubes and throw it in the sauce at the beginning of the 45 minutes and let the sauce cook the chicken.

Cook the pasta according to directions. Mix the pasta into the sauce and serve as one (or if you are a rebel you can serve the sauce on top). Top with parmesan cheese (the real stuff is best but if you are like me you'll just grab the tall green vat of Kraft out of your fridge, wince a bit, but serve it anyway).

*Phil and I both loved this but the Bambino said it was "yucky." (Actually she only says "cky.") This word (or fraction of a word) has been reserved for dirty diapers and things found on the floor that really want to find their way to her mouth but that she knows shouldn't. It has never been applied to my cooking ... until now. She tried it, ate the bread and melon, and then handed her plate to Phil while saying "cky." And so it begins...

Food Friday - Alfredo Sauce

1 T Minced Garlic (I use the kind in a jar)
2 T Olive Oil
2 T Flour
4 C Cream (or half/half for less fat and calories)
1 t Onion Powder
1/2 C Parmesan Cheese (grated or powdered)

• Saute the garlic in the olive oil (in a medium sauce pan over medium heat).
• Add flour and stir well (it will be somewhat pastey).
• Add cream and mix well.
• Cook until smooth and nearly as thick as you want it (the cheese will cause it to thicken more).
• Add onion powder and cheese and stir until smooth.

Serve over pasta or use as a pizza sauce (with spinach is good).
You can add grilled chicken on the side or cubed and placed right into the sauce.

Food Friday - Fettuccine with Fresh Tomatoes and Brie

Since most people have fresh tomatoes now (don't even ask me about our tomato plant - the saddest thing ever!), I thought I'd share this really delicious recipe.

2 T Olive Oil
4 Large Tomatoes - peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 Clove Garlic - pressed
6 oz. Brie - cubed
5 T Fresh Basil - finely chopped (I do have a beautiful Basil plant!)
1/4 t Salt
1/2 t Pepper
1 lb. Fresh Fettuccine (if you don't feel like making your own - just buy a box of dried - it won't hurt!)

Saute tomatoes and garlic in olive oil 6-9 minutes. Lower the heat to medium - add the Brie. Continue cooking until the mixture is creamy. Stir in basil. Pour over cooked pasta and serve immediately.

This is seriously good stuff (and it only takes about 15 minutes prep and 15 minutes of cooking).

Enjoy!