Baked Pasta

1# cooked pasta, al dente (fusilli, rotini, cavatappi)

1# Italian sausage, browned & drained

1 recipe marinara sauce

15 oz container ricotta

2 c shredded mozzarella

½ c shredded parmesan

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. mix half marinara sauce with pasta
3. Mix remaining marinara with ricotta
4. Layer in 13x9 pan pasta, sausage, mozzarella, ricotta/marinara mix
5. Bake 30 minutes
6. Top with  more mozzarella & all of the parmesan
7. Broil 2-3 minutes until golden on top

Mariana Sauce

Put the Prego down. Marinara is so stupid simple to make that I’ve just memorized the recipe. Give it a try!

 

1 red onion, diced

6 cloves garlic (6T jarlic is fine), actually you can measure this with your heart

2 14.5oz cans petite diced tomatoes 

11 basil leaves or 1T of that refrigerated basil paste in a tube

 

1. Sauté onion in butter
2. Add garlic & sauté until fragrant
3. Stir in tomatoes & basil
4. Heat until hot enough to serve.

 

Rigatoni Rosa

½# Rigatoni

2 Zucchini

1# Italian sausage

2T tomato paste

1/2c cream cheese

1c chicken stock

2 clove garlic (or 2t jarlic)

2t chili flakes1t pepper

3/4 c grated parmesan cheese

1t salt

1T butter

 

1. bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions
2. slice zucchini in ¼ rounds
3. mince garlic (if not using jarlic)
4. season zucchini with salt & pepper and pan fry; remove from pan
5. brown sausage & garlic together
6. stir in tomato paste
7. add cream cheese & stock (you can loosen the sauce with some pasta water if it is too thick)
8. stir in butter, chili flakes, & half the parm
9. add zucchini & serve sauce on top of cooked pasta

 

Lemon Pasta

 ½# penne

2 bell peppers

Scallions/green onions

2 zucchini

1 lemon

1# Itialian chicken sausage

8oz frozen peas

Scalions/green onions

1/2c chicken or veggie stock

2c Bechamel

2T butter

1/4c crème fraiche

1/2c grated parmesean

Red pepper flakes

 

1. bring water to a boil & cook penne according to package directions
2. heat oven to 350° with baking pan inside
3. dice bell peppers, slice onions (separating whites from greens), and slice zucchini into ¼ thick rounds, zest & half lemon
4. toss peppers & zucchini with oil & roast in hot pan 15-18 minutes (stir them up one time so both side get kind of brown)
5. brown sausage & onion whites in a large pot or high-sided pan
6. whisk in bechamel and stock
7. remove from heat & stir in crème fraiche
8. add penne, peas, lemon zest, and juice from one half of lemon
9. stir in butter until melted, 1/4c parm, and as much red pepper flake as you like
10. add veggies & serve sauce over pasta
11. top with scallion greens

 

 

Bechamel

3T butter

3T all purpose flour

2 c milk

¼ t salt

¼ t pepper

¼ t nutmeg

 

1. melt butter in pan until it stops foaming but isn’t brown
2. whisk in flour & cook until “raw” smell/flavor is gone
3. slowly stream in milk
4. when sauce is steamy, but not bubbling, add salt, pepper, & nutmeg

Lemon Lime Syrup

 8 limes

4 lemons

2 C sugar

1-2 C boiling water

 

1. Zest fruit & toss zest with sugar
2. Add juice and 1C boiling water
3. Stir to dissolve adding more boiling water if necessary
4. Strain into a jar

 To use:

1. Add about ¼ c syrup to a glass with ice
2. Fill glass with carbonated water
3. Enjoy!

Cooler Corn

You can do this in one of those tiny cooler that's just big enough for a 6-pack, or you can fill a huge cooler & feed a crowd!

 

 

Cleaned and shucked corn

Boiling water

One cooler

 

 

1. Clean out your cooler

2. Toss your corn cobs in

3. Cover with boiling water

4. Corn should be cooked in about 30 m minutes & stay that way for a couple of hours!

Electrolyte Solution

 Single Serving

1 c water

2 dash salt

1 1/2 t sugar

Four cups

1 qt water

3/4 t salt

2 T sugar

Treva's Salsa

On this day in 2017, I had a craving for my sister's salsa. She had given me the recipe and even made it with me so many times that she had to have been absolutely incredulous that I'd ask AGAIN. Much to her own credit, she helpfully left the entire recipe for me on my Facebook & I have committed it to the special cookbook that my mom gave me just in case I need salsa when the power is out. I love that girl more than this salsa...and that's, honestly, a lot!

2 cans petite diced tomatoes (I like Great value brand best *Treva's note*)
1/2 onion
6 - 12 pickled jalapeño rounds
1/3 c fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 dashes pepper

Toss all but one can of tomatoes in a food processor
Combine with second can.

Real (aged) Eggnog

 I made this Eggnog exactly one time before losing this recipe & the nog was SO GOOD. Well, i just found the recipe again & here it is! You can pretty easily double this...and you'll def want to!

INGREDIENTS: 

1 dz egg yolks

1 c light brown sugar (or 1/2 c dark brown + 1/2 c white)

1/2 c heavy cream

2 c whole milk

2 c bourbon (I used cask strength & I'd do it again)

1/2 c dark rum

1/4 c congac, brandy, or sherry

pinch salt

pinch nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine egg & sugar until bln=ended & creamy (do not heat!)
2. Add remaining ingredients
3. Cover tightly
4. Age 6 wks to a year

To serve: make some whipped cream from 2 c heavy cream & fold into nog

Apple Butter!

I’ve been searching for an apple butter recipe that uses vinegar & this is as close as I got when I was gifted apples from a friend’s tree! Really I’m looking for one that included vinegar AND apple cider AND uses a slow cooker…maybe I dreamed it…

You will need a mill for this unless you really feel like peeling apples and putting them in a blender.

 

Ingredients:

3 lb Apples

3/4 c apple cider vinegar

1/2t salt

1 c water

1 c packed light brown sugar

1 T apple pie spice

1 t vanilla extract (optional, you only need it sometimes…)

 

Directions:

1. Core & wedge the apples. 
2. Add to a pot along with apple cider vinegar, salt, and water.
3. Simmer, covered 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. Turn off heat when apples can be mashed tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
5. Run through sauce mill
6. Return to heat and add sugar, spices, and vanilla. 
7. Simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens (15 minutes)
8. Enjoy on hot toast with butter!
9.  

Makes 4 to 5 cups (1qt jar, 2 pint jars, or 4 jelly jars)

Keeps 3 weeks in the fridge (lol – as if!)

 

To can:

1. Jar hot apple butter leaving ¼ inch headspace 
2. Water bath 15 minutes
3. Let sit in hot water 5 minutes
4. Remove & cool!

Apple Pie Spice

Ingredients:

 

1½ T  cinnamon, ground

1½ t nutmeg, ground

1 t allspice, ground

 

Instructions: 

1. Seriously? Stop it.
2. Mix that stuff up and use it!

Cankle Soup

 No soaking required (but you can if you want to)! Make sure to use the low sodium broth to prevent the beans getting too tough. Besides, the ham hocks will add plenty of saltines.

1 onion

1 large carrot, cubed

3 celery stalks (leafy stuff, too), cubed

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 c White wine, water, or broth

1 t herbs de provence

1 pound dry beans (about 3 cups), rinsed & picked

2 large ham hocks, smoked

2 Bay leaves

6 c low sodium broth (chicken, vegetable, beef, doesn't matter)

1. Sauté the onion, carrot, & celery until pan starts developing a fond 
2. Add the garlic & saute until fragrant
3. Deglaze the pan using the wine (I like to use a little bit, develop more fond, use a little more, etc until the fluid is gone)
4. Stir in the herbs
5. Toss the cooked veggies & everything in a large slow cooker and cook on low 12 hours
6. Remove the ham & shred disposing is any chunks of fat.
7. Stir the ham back in and serve over rice or with cornbread!

White Chicken Chili

We just had this at my parent's house & it was great! Everyone asked me to keep this recipe!

1 T vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeño, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried oregano
1 t ground cumin
2 (4.5 oz.) cans green chilies
3 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
5 c chicken broth, (I like Kettle & Fire brand)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
1/2 c. sour cream

1. Sauté the onion & jalapeño in the oil
2. Add the garlic, oregano, & cumin & stir until they're fragrant
3. Add in the chilis (I like hatch green chilis!)
4. Add the chicken cubes & cook until nearly done but not brown
5. Add broth, salt, & pepper and simmer for 10 minutes
6. Add the beans & corn & bring back to a simmer for 10 minutes
7. Stir in the sour cream & serve!

Pastor Sauce

I had some leftover, plain pulled pork from a dear friend of mine. So I made the marinade and used it to dress the pork, which as a perfectly passable pastor in a pinch!

5 guajillo chilis, dried

4 ancho chilis, dried

1 can pineapple, slices or chunks

1/2 white onion

1/4 c vinegar

2 T minced garlic (about 6 cloves)

1 t cumin, ground

1 40g packet Sazón con culantro y achiote

1. Bring 2 cups water to boil
2. Add chilis 
3. Simmer until chiles soften, about 10 minutes
4. Remove and discard stem and seeds
5. Coarsely shop chilis
6. coarsely chop one onion half
7. Strain pineapples, reserving juice reserve juice
8. Add chilis, pineapple juice, onion, vinegar, garlic , & cumin Ninja Master Prep
9. Puree until smooth
10. Cook mixture until slightly thick & onion loses "raw" taste
11. Remove from heat & stir in Sazón

To Use as a Marinade:

1. Marinate cubed pork 2-24 hours
2. Pan-fry pork & pineapple chunks until cooked through & golden
3. Serve in corn tortillas with remaining onion half chopped & fresh cilantro

Healing Broth (for canning)

1 t coriander seeds, or ½ t ground
2 cloves garlic, whole or ¼ t ground
1 T sesame oil
2 T fresh ginger root, minced
½ T chili garlic paste
8 c chicken broth, low sodium
2 strips lemon peel, without pith
2 T soy sauce, low sodium
2 T fish sauce
2 T lime juice
2 T hoisin sauce

½ t peppercorns or ¼ teaspoon cracked

1 t cinnamon

1. Add all ingredients to a pan
2. Simmer 30+ minutes or longer until very fragrant
3. Strain 
4. Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace
5. Process at 10# pressure 25 min for quarts or 20 minutes for pints

Cowboy Caviar

This makes A LOT of bean salad, so make sure you're serving a crowd. I'm taking this to a Superbowl party!

1 Can Black beans
1 Can Red Kidney beans
1 ½ Pounds Corn
4 oz. Red Onion (about half of a large one)
4 oz. Celery, chopped
1 Green Pepper
2 Red Peppers
1 Jalapeno
1 oz. Oil
10 T Cider vinegar
1 oz. Water
5 T Sugar
½ t Granulated Garlic
½ t Salt
½ t Black pepper

Mix everything together & let marinate at least 4 hours before serving. It's even better the next day!

Green Chile Enchiladas

These were a hit at my house! You could reduce the fat significantly by using fat-free soup & sour cream!

1/2 lb Ground Beef or substitute
3T Taco Seasoning
1 can Chopped Green Chilies
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 c Sour Cream
10 Tortillas
8 oz shredded cheddar

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Brown beef in a large skillet.
3. Stir in taco seasoning & half of green chilies.
4. Stir together remaining chilies, soup & sour cream in a separate bowl.
5. Fill tortillas with about 2T ground beef mixture, roll up, & place in a lightly greased baking dish.
6. Top with half of cheese, soup mixture, & then remaining cheese.
7. Bake 25 minutes.
8. Enjoy hot with Black Beans on the Side.

Ground Beef Substitute for Meat Eaters

This ends up making enough to sub out about a half pound of ground beef.

1/2 T Butter
2T Brown Rice
2T Bulgur
2T Soy Sauce
2c Water
2 Beef Bouillon Cubes
2T Quinoa

1. Saute Rice & Bulgur in butter until lightly browned.
2. Add soy sauce, water, & beef bouillon cubes.
3. Boil until rice is tender.
4. Add quinoa & boil another 5 minutes.
5. Drain well.

Black Beans on the Side

I made this as a side dish, & I started out with doing just one can. My oldest & I decided that one can was not enough!

1T Butter
1 Sweet Onion, diced
2 Garlic Scapes (I think you could also use one garlic clove)
1 can Chicken Broth or 16 oz water
1/4 t Cumin
1/4 t Coriander
1/4 t Oregano
1/4 t Black Pepper
1/2 t Salt, optional (I don't use it)
2 can Black Beans

1. Saute onion in hot butter.
2. Add garlic scapes & saute another 30 seconds or so.
3. Add everything else & simmer 7 to 10 minutes or until the liquid is all gone.
4. Never eat black beans any other way again!