Laura- Lasagna

Ingredients:

16 pieces (about 16 oz.) lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 pound ground beef
1 jar (about 28 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup water
16 ounces ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 teaspoons chopped oregano
2 teaspoons chopped basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In large skillet, brown meat; drain.

2. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water; simmer 10 minutes.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Lay flat on foil to cool.

4. Heat oven to 350°F.

5. In large bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.

6. Spread about 1/3 cup meat sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Arrange 4 pasta pieces lengthwise over sauce, overlapping edges. Spread one-third cheese mixture over pasta; spread with about 3/4 cup meat sauce.

7. Repeat layers, beginning and ending with pasta. Top with remaining meat sauce; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

8. Cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil; bake about 10 minutes longer, or until lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Candace-Crockpot Ranch Porkchops

1 pkg Ranch Seasoning Mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
Boneless skinless Porkchops-lean cut


Put porkchops on the bottom of the crockpot. Add the seasoning
mix and soup with one can of water into the crockpot, mix well, 
cook on low for 8 hours or high 4-6 hours. Serve with rice or noodles
and veggies. 

Laura-roast beef french dip w/ Au jus

serves 4, prep 10 min, cook 10 min
4 cups beef broth
1/2 small onion, sliced into rings
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
4 hoagie rolls
1lb lean, rare deli roast beef, thinly sliced
8 thin slices provolone
roasted garlic mayonnaise
prepared creamy horseradish

In a medium pot, add beef broth, onion and garlic to a boil.
Boil vigorously until reduce by half.  You should be able to measure out 2 cups of au jus.
Separate hoagie rolls and broil until slightly crisp. Do not walk away from the broiler unless you have lots of extra rolls on hand!
Once they are good and crunchy, spread mayo on one side of each roll, loosely pile 3-4 ounces of roast beef on top of the mayo.
Top roast beef with two slices of provolone.
Return to the broiler and broil until cheese is melted and edges darken.
Spread horseradish on top bun and close sandwiches.
Serve cut on a diagonal and au jus on the side.
I was able to buy roasted garlic mayonnaise already prepared at the store but to make it yourself just roast a head of garlic in a small crock in the oven with a bit of oil and then combine the softened, caramelized cloves with regular mayonnaise and keep in the fridge.  You could also just sprinkle them very lightly with a bit of garlic powder.  The whole point to this recipe is that it should be easy to whip up with ingredients on hand with just a trip to the store for hoagies, roastbeef, and cheese.

Brett- Spicy sauerkraut for brauts

2 Med. Onions
1 tsp. butter
1 Cup Sauerkraut
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. white pepper
3 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce (VERY HOT) we use less then 1 Tbsp.

Directions:

1. Saute onions in butter until soft and lightly caramelized.
2.Add the sauerkraut.
3. When sauerkraut is warm add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook till thickened.

 

Laura- Red skin potato salad

Ingredients

• 2 pounds clean, scrubbed new red potatoes
• 6 eggs
• 1 pound bacon
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.
2. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
3. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
4. Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion and celery. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving.

Laura-Crispy Panko Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
3 eggs, lightly beaten with 1/3 cup water
2 cups panko vegetable oil


Directions: 1 Using a mallet, gently beat the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness. (This prevents the chicken breasts from shrinking and promotes even cooking.).


2 Combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in one bowl. Place the egg and water mixture into another. Put the Panko bread crumbs into a third bowl. Dredge chicken with seasoned flour and pass through egg mixture. Shake off excess egg. For an even crispier crust, dredge with flour again and pass through egg mixture one more time.


3 Now completely cover chicken breasts with Panko crumbs, pressing crumbs down gently if needed.


4 Heat oil in frying pan on medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes on each side (or until no longer pink inside) and serve.

French Dip Crescent-Candace

French Dip Crescent Ingredients:
2 packages crescent rolls, 8 count
1 pound deli roast beef, thinly sliced
4 ounces Swiss or provolone cheese, cut in 16 equal sized pieces
optional: Horseradish Sauce
optional: Au Jus for dipping (click here for my Easy Au Jus recipe!)


French Dip Crescent Directions:
Unroll crescents onto a large cookie sheet.
Spread a small dab of horseradish on each crescent, then place a slice of roast beef and a piece of cheese on each crescent.
Roll crescents starting from the wide end and ending at the narrow end.
Bake at 375 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes, until crescents are a golden color.
Serve with Au Jus and enjoy!

Tuscan Garlic Chicken-Candace




*Note: if the chicken breasts you are using are overly thick, you can butterly them, cutting all the way through so you end up with two thinner cuts of chicken breast. Second note: I would say this recipe is right on the edge of just having enough sauce but not an overabundance, so if you like things on the saucier end of the spectrum, feel free to double that part of the recipe.


*Serves 4-6 (depending on if you are serving adults or kids)


INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (about 4-5 cloves)
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips or chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces fresh spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup lowfat milk
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound fettuccine


DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


In a shallow pie plate or similar dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.


In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through (they?ll finish up in the oven). Don?t scoot the chicken around once you lay it in the hot oil! Let the oil work it?s magic to sear the crust on the chicken. If you get all antsy and try flipping too early and/or moving the chicken around the pan, the breading is lightly to fall off. Gently remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.


While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente. Also, wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.


Stir in one tablespoon flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.


When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with half of the cheese sauce. Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.

Chili Cornbread Casserole-Candace

Serves: 8 Edit
Total Time: 1 hr 30 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Oven Temp: 350


Ingredients

Chili
1 tablespoon(s) canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1  green bell pepper, chopped
3 clove(s) garlic, minced
1 pound(s) 95%-lean ground beef
2 can(s) (15-ounce) kidney beans, rinsed
1 can(s) (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes, undrained
3 tablespoon(s) chili powder
1 tablespoon(s) ground cumin
1 teaspoon(s) sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper (optional)
Cornbread
1 1/4 cup(s) cornmeal
3/4 cup(s) whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoon(s) sugar
1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cup(s) low-fat milk
2 tablespoon(s) canola oil
1/2 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cup(s) extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions


To prepare chili: Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add bell pepper and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes and their juice, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne (if using). Bring to a boil; reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch (or similar 3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
To prepare cornbread: Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk egg, milk, and oil in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with cilantro and stir until just combined. Transfer the chili to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. Spread the cornbread batter evenly over the chili.
Bake the casserole until the top springs back when touched lightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.


Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 medium-fat meat, 1 fat. Carbohydrate Servings: 3. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (44% daily value), Vitamin C (43% dv), Zinc (36% dv), Iron (34% dv), Calcium (31% dv), Magnesium & Potassium (30% dv), Folate (22% dv).

Chicken Tiki Masala


Ingredients
3 whole (to 4) Chicken Breasts
Kosher Salt
Ground Coriander
Cumin, To Taste
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
6 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Large Onion
4 cloves Garlic
1 piece (approximately 2 Inches) Chunk Fresh Ginger
Garam Masala
1 can (28 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes
Sugar
1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 cups Basmati Rice
_____
OPTIONAL:
Fresh Cilantro
Chili Peppers
Turmeric
Frozen Peas
Preparation Instructions
Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with some kosher salt. Next sprinkle them on both sides with some coriander and cumin. Then coat the chicken breasts completely with the plain yogurt. Set the chicken on a metal cooling rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and place it about 10-12 inches below a broiler for 5-7 minutes per side. Watch carefully so as not to totally char the chicken. It should have slightly blackened edges. Remove from oven.
Next dice one large onion. In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and sauté until they are slightly browned. As the onions cook, mince your garlic. Next, cut off the outer skin and mince or grate a 1 by 2 inch chunk of fresh ginger. Add the garlic and ginger to the onions. Also throw in about 1 tablespoon of salt.
Next you are going to add about 3 tablespoons Garam Masala spice. And if you like it hot, this is also when you will add your hot chili peppers. Serranos work well. Now you are going to add your can of diced tomatoes. Continue cooking and stirring, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add about 1 tablespoon sugar. Let this mixture simmer on medium for about 5 minutes.
To a rice cooker add 2 cups Basmati rice, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon Ground Turmeric and 4 cups water. Cover, turn on your rice cooker and walk away. If you do not have a rice cooker, cook your rice as usual but make sure that you use Basmati rice.
After the Tikka Masala sauce has had a chance to simmer for a little bit, add in the 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. Now, chop up your chicken breasts into chunks and stir them into the Tikka Masala sauce. A handful of chopped fresh cilantro is a nice addition if you like cilantro. You can also throw some frozen peas into the cooked rice, give them a stir, and allow the heat of the rice to cook the peas. It tastes great and gives another nice dash of color. Serve the rice with the Chicken Tikka Masala over top. Make sure to have some Nann bread handy, too.

Laura- meatballs

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®), or to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place the beef into a mixing bowl, and season with salt, onion, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce; mix well. Add the milk, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs. Mix until evenly blended, then form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs, and place onto a baking sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.