Roasted Butter Nut Squash

I just made this last night and I didn't take a picture because I really didn't think I would like it.  It was fabulous!  It had a lot of really unique flavors all mixed together, but I could have eaten the entire thing by myself.  It was so good!  I really don't love squash so I was looking for a way to cook it that I would like.  Honestly, it wasn't a winner with the kids, but it is worth it for the adults!

1 butternut squash
3/4 cup apple cider or juice
3 Tbsp. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup cranberry sauce with whole berries
chopped pecans or walnuts (toast in oven first at 350 for a few minutes)

Cut squash in half lenghtwise and coat with oil, salt and pepper.  Roast cut side down at 350 on a cookie sheet for about 45 minutes, just till tender.  Remove from oven and let cool.  While spuash cools, combine all other ingredients except cranberries and nuts in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and stir occasionally.  Cook till reduced by about 1/2.  Sauce should be syrupy.  Remove from heat and add cranberry sauce and nuts.  Dice squash in 1 inch cubes and pour the sauce over the squash.  Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes at 350.

Shera's Beef Stew

I am not a huge stew fan, but this I love!  Shera brought it over to me for dinner one night and I loved it so much, that I requested it for our next lunch party.  I hope I didn't burn you out on stew, Shera!
I will have to post a picture next time I make this.  I never remember to photograh my food when I make it.

2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine in a zip lock bag, then add 1 lb. stew meat and shake to combine.  Brown meat in 2 Tbsp. oil then add:

2 cans condensed tomato soup
2 cans water
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
3 beef boullion cubes
1/2 chopped medium onion
2 bay leaves

Simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours then add:

5 large potatoes, cubed
3 carrots, chopped

Simmer for 30-45 minutes more.
Remove bay leaves and serve!

Mounds Bars

I have a new favorite dessert about every two weeks. This is my current favorite and oh my goodness, it's good! I wish I could remember where I saw the recipe, it was on one of the many food blogs that I follow. I first saw it while I was dieting and knew that it was going to be the first thing I'd eat when I was done. I'm on a coconut kick lately. Can't get enough of it. Coconut cookies, coconut syrup on crepes (another recipe I need to share-delish) and these Mounds Bars with coconut. Mike isn't a fan of coconut so he's not real fond of my current obsession, but even he liked this recipe. And it's so quick and easy. I've already made it twice. It's definately going into my tried-and-true recipe box as a family favorite.

Mounds Bars

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

1 cup shredded coconut

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

3 Tbsp peanut butter

Mix together first three ingredients. Pack in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Combine sweetened condensed milk and coconut. Spread over cracker mixture. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter and spread over slightly cooled coconut mixture. Cool. Keep refridgerated.

My Favorite Bread Sticks

First, I have to say that I'm not eating carbs for a few weeks so you have no idea how hard it is for me to blog about my most favorite carb-filled dish. But I've been meaning to share this recipe for so long, I can't put it off any longer.

These are sooooo goood. I make them all the time. And some nights when Mike is working this is all I have for dinner (I'd do it when he's home but he doesn't think it's a meal if there isn't a big piece of meat involved). I dip them in pizza sauce and alfredo sauce or melt cheese on them but they're good plain too. I always set a couple aside and sprinkle them with cinnamon-sugar. So yummy! The only down side is that you have to plan in advance cause the whole process takes a while, but they're so worth it. Enjoy!

Bread Sticks

1 1/2 c. warm water
1 Tbls sugar
1 Tbls yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3-4 cups flour (I usually use less, just eye ball it)
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp cornmeal
1/2 c. butter
garlic salt
parmesean cheese

Combine water, sugar and yeast. Let stand 10 minutes. Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix well. Slowly add more flour until dough pulls away from side of bowl. Place in greased bowl, cover and rise for 45 minutes or until doubled. Roll onto floured surface into rectangle. Cut into 12 strips. Coat baking sheet with 1/4 c. butter and sprinkle with corn meal. Twist strips and place on baking sheet. Cover and rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes. Brush with butter and sprinkle with parmesean cheese and garlic salt (or cinnamon sugar).

Avocado Citrus Salsa

Yum.  I can't think of any other way to describe this other than yum.  It is so good!  I really loooooove avocados and I also love sweet and spicy things so this was perfect for me.  Scott and Justin also enjoyed it, the others are a little more suspicious of the fruit and vegetable combinations.  This was awesome served on carne asada beef tacos.  We also loved as a chip dip.  I thought the website that posted it, http://www.ksl.com/, had a picture so I didn't take one.  I will take one next time I make this which will probably be soon!

Avocado Citrus Salsa

•2 medium oranges, peeled, seeded and chopped (I used a can of mandarin oranges)
•1 large ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and chopped
•¼ cup chopped red onion
•¼ cup snipped cilantro
•2 tablespoons lime juice
•½ teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce (I used a splash of gren tobasco sauce)
•¼ teaspoon salt

In larger bowl combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving. Makes about 2 ½ cups.

Banana Bread {the best ever!}

Banana Cream Bread

(from my neighbor Arin)

1 1/2 C. Vegetable Oil

3 C. Sugar

4 Eggs
6 Mashed Bananas

1 TBSP Vanilla

1 1/2 Tsp Salt
4 C. Flour
1 1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

1 C. Sour Cream

2 C. Nuts (opt)

Heat Oven to 325
Grease and flour 3 bread pans (I usually halve the recipe and it still makes 2 loaves)
Combine oil, sugar, eggs, sour cream, bananas, vanilla, and salt.
Sift together flour and baking soda.

Mix into wet ingredients

DO NOT OVER MIX!

Divide into loaf pans and sprinkle about 2 Tbsp sugar over batter.

Bake for 60 minutes.

This is the best banana bread ever!  When ever I make it, it doesn't last long at all.  My neighbor Arin (the one who gave me the recipe) brought this over to our family shortly after we moved in to our house.  We ate the whole loaf of bread that night...so of course I had to bug her for the recipe, and I am so glad I did!

Pizza Rolls

We make this quite often lately when I don't know what else to fix.

They are really quick to make (if you have an hour or two to thaw the bread rolls ahead of time)

Pizza Rolls

Ingredients:

1 bag Rhodes dinner rolls (36 count)

motzarella cheese cut into 36 cubes

Pepperoni

First you have to thaw the rolls (this takes about an 1 1/2 to 2 hours)

Then you flatten the rolls out like this:

The one on the left is the original size, and the one on the right is how it looks after you flatten it out.

Then place two pieces of pepperoni and one cube of cheese on top of the roll.

Then fold the dough over making sure to pinch the edges tightly together to keep the cheese from oozing out.

Place on a pan and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.  Then brush with butter.

We make homemade pizza sauce to dip them in (I will post that too...one of these days.  It is so good, I could eat it by the spoonful).  I always cook the whole bag, because they make the yummiest leftovers.  Me and the kids eat them for lunch for several days after we have them for dinner.

Strawberry Cake and Strawberry Frosting

I know I post a lot of desserts, but that's because I eat a lot of desserts.  Yesterday I bought two flats of strawberries which I will freeze most of, but I thought it would be fun to try a new dessert with them too.  Justin loves strawberry cake so I found this recipe and it was great.  It was easy and had great strawberry flavor.  I thought strawberries in the frosting sounded a little weird, but it was really good.

Strawberry Cake and Frosting

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin mix
1 cup mashed strawberries
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup flaked coconut (I omitted this because my kids don't like coconut)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (I also omitted this due to Scott's allergy to nuts, but I would have loved both the coconut and the nuts.  I'll have to try it that way sometime.)

4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1/4 cup mashed strawberries
1/4 cup flaked coconut (omitted)

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2.In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and gelatin mix. Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup mashed strawberries, oil, eggs and sweetened condensed milk. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut and chopped nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3.Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
4.To make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, melted margarine, 1/4 cup mashed strawberries and 1/4 cup coconut. Beat until smooth and spread over cake.

This recipe makes way more frosting than is needed, unless you really like frosting.  You cold probably do 1/2 to 3/4 of the frosting recipe.  I did it all : )

Banana Bars

Lately, I have been wanting to make banana bread with over ripe bananas, but the kids have been eating them all up before I am stuck with any over ripe ones.  Finally, today I noticed that we had a few that qualified to me as over ripe--no more green on them.  So I found this recipe and the kids loved it!  I may make these from now on rather than banana bread.  (mostly because I just really love frosting)  Also, they were eaten up before I got a picture so they really are a winner at my house!

Frosted Banana Bars

from allrecipes.com

½ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (I used three ripe bananas)

Frosting (use store-bought cream cheese frosting or make your own from the version below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10 x 15 inch jellyroll pan or one 9X13 pan and an additional 8X8 pan. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; stir into the batter. Finally, mix in the mashed banana. Spread evenly into the prepared pan(s). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Set aside. In another medium bowl, beat whipped cream until stiff peaks form (it helps to use a chilled bowl and chilled beaters). Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Frost to your heart’s delight!

Lemon Bars

3/4 c. margarine, softened

1 1/2 c. flour

1/3 c. powdered sugar

Dash of salt

Mix together and spread on 9 x913 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

4 eggs, beaten well

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. flour

6 Tbsp. lemon juice

Pour onto crust that is still hot. Put back in oven and bake 25 minutes. While still hot, rub butter lightly over the top, then sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. Cut in squares and serve.

I have adjusted the recipe for the crust to make it a little thinner. Before, it was 1 c. margarine, 2 c. flour, and 1/2 c. powdered sugar. It always seemed too thick to me.

This recipe came from Afton Godfrey

Spinach Salad

Christine this is for you...I don't have a picture to post with it.  Jay and I make this a lot since the last reunion.  It is so yummy!

Spinach Salad
1 (6 oz) pkg fresh baby spinach
1 c chopped cumcumber
1 c fresh broccoli florets
1/2 c golden rasins
1/2 c real bacon bits
1/4 c slivered almonds
1/4 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 c chopped red onion

Dressing:
1/3 c mayonnaise
1/4 c sugar
2 T red wine vinegar

Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, cucumber, broccoli, raisins, bacon, almonds, mushrooms, and onion.
In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients until smooth.  Just before eating, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Christine's Requested Salad Recipe

Christine, I am about 99% sure that htis is the salad recipe from Iron Chef cook off last year.  Janae will have to check it out and let me know if I am right.  It was at http://www.allrecipes.com/ .

Ingredients:

1 (6 ounce) package fresh baby spinach
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup real bacon bits
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped red onion

DRESSING:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions

In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, cucumber, broccoli, raisins, bacon, almonds, mushrooms and onion. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat.

Classic Italian Lasagna

I found this recipe at http://www.melskitchencafe.blogspot.com/ which is one of my favorite food websites.  It was not a winner recipe with my kids, but Scott and I really liked it.  This is the meal that inspired me to start charging my kids for the food they don't eat.  Lasagne takes way too long to make for my kids to refuse to eat it!  Anyway, it is one I would make again, but only for Scott and I.  (I guess I could make it for the kids when I need some cash)

Classic Italian Lasagna

*Makes one 9X13-inch pan of lasagna (and requires the use of several pots and skillets…but don’t worry, you can wash those up in a snap while the lasagna is baking)

Red Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced (see garlic tutorial here)
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried oregano and basil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

White Sauce:
3 cups milk (not skim, I used 1%)
5 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

9 lasagna noodles, boiled for half the time on the box (or use 12 of the no-boil noodles, of which I far prefer the Barilla brand)
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or with a napkin dipped lightly in olive oil and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat, breaking the meat apart into pieces with a wooden spoon. When turkey is cooked through, drain the grease and set aside.

In a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and one tablespoon butter. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. When oil/butter is hot, add the garlic, stirring constantly. When the garlic is lightly browned, but NOT burned, add the onion and mushrooms. Continue cooking on medium-high heat until the vegetables are soft and browned and the fluid has mostly cooked out. Remove from heat and either using a handheld immersion blender or transferring the vegetables to a blender, blend the vegetables to a paste-like mixture. Return the pot to the heat (pour the pureed vegetables back in, if using a stand-alone blender) and add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Then add the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir. Cover and let the sauce sauce simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Right before using the red sauce in the lasagna, stir in the reserved ground turkey.

While the red sauce simmers, if using lasagna noodles that need to be boiled, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the noodles for half the time suggested on the box. Once the noodles are cooked, drain, but do not rinse. Add a dab of olive oil to keep them from sticking together. If you are using no-boil noodles, you can skip this step.

Also while the red sauce is cooking, melt the four tablespoons butter and when melted, add the flour, stirring constantly to combine and letting the mixture cook, while stirring, for a minute or two. Gradually add in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the salt and pepper. Slowly whisk the white sauce, ensuring it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan, while cooking it over medium heat. Continue slowly stirring or whisking while the white sauce cooks and thickens quite a bit, about 5-7 minutes. Add a pinch of mozzarella for good luck, if you wish!

To begin layering the lasagna, keep in mind that you’ll have three layers of noodles as well as three layers of the sauces and cheese – so plan on splitting all the sauce and cheese piles into thirds so you don’t run out at the end! On the bottom of your lightly greased baking pan, layer three pre-boiled noodles or four no-boil noodles, slightly overlapping the no-boil noodles. Layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, spreading all to the edges and top with another layer of noodles. Again, layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and top with the final layer of noodles. Layer the sauces and cheeses again.

Cover the lasagna with a greased layer of aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Backwards Blog

Okay, I know the purpose of this blog is to SHARE recipes. However, today I'm going to do this backwards and REQUEST a recipe and I'm really hoping that one of you has it.

Last summer at our Iron Chef practice run in Island Park someone (I think Lacee) made an awesome green salad. I don't even remember what was in it, I just remember how good it was. And I want the recipe.

So, does anyone have it or know where I can get it?

Much appreciated,

Christine

Pizza Roll-Ups

2 loaves Rhode's bread
Pizza sauce or 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
Toppings of your choice
Mozzarella cheese, grated

Set the frozen bread out 7-8 hours before you want to make the pizza rolls. Cover with plastic wrap so it won't dry out.
When ready, roll each loaf out to an approximate 10"x12" rectangle. Spread pizza sauce lightly over the middle of the bread, keeping the outer 1" of each edge clean. Place meat and other toppings of your choice over the sauce. Last, sprinkle shredded cheese over the top.
Starting from long edge, pull the dough up over the meat and cheese. Work carefully, keeping the meat and cheese inside as you pull. When the dough is covering a little more than half the meat and cheese, pull the other long edge over the meat and cheese. Seal the edges and the ends of the dough. Place both rolls seam down and lengthwise, about an inch apart, on a cookie sheet.
Allow to rise while heating your oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and spread olive oil or butter over the crest to soften it. Cool for 5-10 minutes, slice and serve.

Mom's note:

• This was a family favorite when our kids were growing up.
• You can use bottled pizza sauce for a milder flavor or the tomato paste makes a more robust flavor.

Cilantro Lime Rice

In my quest to remake all my favorites from Cafe Rio, I have discovered this recipe.  Justin, Scott, and I are huge fans.  The other kids...not so much.  They don't really count though because they do not yet adore Cafe Rio as I do.  So give it a try.  It is a little limey, but I like it that way.  You can reduce the lime juice of you want.  This is so good served with Janae's enchiladas or Pineapple and Green Chile Pork Tacos.

Cilantro Lime Rice

4 tbls butter
2 1/2 cups rice
4 1/2 cups chicken broth (I use Minute Rice so I only use half this amount of broth)
1 1/2 tsp salt
juice of 4 small limes or 4 tbls lime juice (You can use less if you don't love lime)
4 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin

Mix all in rice cooker or pot until done. ( I don't have a rice cooker so I just cook it in a sauce pan)

Crock Pot Chicken Bowtie Pasta

I have had this recipe in my binder for a long time, so I have no clue where I got it from.

Combine the following in a crockpot:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I always cook with thighs instead of breasts)

1 jar four cheese alfredo sauce

1 can cream of chicken soup

3/4 pkg real bacon pieces (I couldn't find a pkg, so I bought a jar of real bacon pieces in the salad dressing section instead)

1 pkg fresh sliced mushroom (looking at the picture, I think I forgot those!)

1/2 pkg dry Italian Dressing mix

1 cup cubed swiss cheese

1/4 stick of butter, melted

Salt and pepper

Cook on low 6-7 hours, shredding the chicken breasts about 1 hour before finished cooking.

Serve over bow tie pasta (as you can see we didn't have bow tie, so we used shell instead)

This was really good and made the house smell so yummy all day.  It was really good leftovers the next day too.  I just stored the chicken mixture seperate from the pasta in the refridgerator.

Crock Pot Pesto Chicken

Recipe adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

The recipe originally had you make your own pesto, but I have fallen in love with this pesto (pictured below) so I thought I would just buy it instead.  It is in the refrigerated section, (at WinCo it is on the top shelf near the salsa by the tortellini).  At my house any time the kids hear us say pesto, they say "pesto is the besto".  This is so yummy on hoagie sandwiches too.  It really is the besto!

4 chicken thighs

sliced mozzarella cheese (I just layered one or two slices on each thigh)

Pesto

In the bottom of a large slow cooker, arrange your chicken pieces. Mine were still frozen. Layer on slices of mozzarella cheese. Pour pesto evenly on top.  Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5. If your chicken is frozen it will take a bit longer.

This was so good.  It had a lot of flavor to it.  We just served it with dutch oven style potatoes (cooked in a frying pan this time of year). 

Sinful Bread

I got this one from The Sisters Cafe . It's another food blog written by sisters and they always have awesome recipes. I modified the recipe a bit, it says to put the mixture on French bread but all I had was garlic bread. I left out the minced onion cause it seemed like all the garlic on the bread AND minced onion would just be too much. It turned out good, but I still would like to try it as the original recipe reads. I made this a few weeks ago while Janae was visiting and she must have liked it cause she called me later to get the recipe. This is one I think we'll definately be having again sometime soon.

Sinful Bread

2 loaves french bread
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated fresh
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced onion

Combine ingredients. Split french bread horizontally, spread mixture and sprinkle with paprika (if desired). Broil to crisp up. Enough for 2 loaves of french bread.

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Source:  http://www.bettycrocker.com/

I made these today for a Sunday afternoon treat.  They are very good, but very rich.  My kids really liked them, and it is something we would make again.  Give 'em a try!

Brownie Base
1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix (or whatever brownie mix you have)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

Filling
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk (I just estimated this, I may have used more.)

Topping
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate, we don't like dark chocolate)
1/4 cup butter


1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.)

2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, water, oil and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

3. In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base.

4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. For brownies, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Tuscan Macaroni and Cheese Bake

I found this great recipe on My Kitchen Cafe a while back and have made it a few times already. Mike loves it, and that's saying a lot. He's a pretty picky eater. I modified it slightly from the original recipe and it turned out great!


Tuscan Macaroni and Cheese Bake
(modified slightly from My Kitchen Cafe)


16 ounces ground pork, cooked and drained
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 cup sliced olives
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 Tblsp butter
1 1/2 Tblsp flour
1 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tomato, sliced thinly

Cook macaroni according to package directions but undercook theby 1-2 minutes since it will continue baking in the oven. In a large bowl, combine the sausage, cooked pasta, cream cheese, olives and 1 cup mozarella cheese. In small bowl, mix flour and spices.

In a medium saucepan melt the butter, then whisk in flour and spices. Allow to cook without browning for about 30 seconds while whisking. Slowly add the milk and stir until slightly thickened, about 5-6 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pan. When slightly thickened, pour over pasta mixture and mix well.

Pour into 9 x 13 greased casserole dish. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove cover and add tomato 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for 10 minutes more. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

B.L.T. Pizza

This picture just doesn't do it justice. This is my favorite pizza to make and it's so easy. I always use the pre cooked Bobolli pizza crusts. Have you tried them? They're surprisingly good. I don't really have measurements since I just throw it all on there so just eye ball it and go with what looks right. I guessed the best I could.


B.L.T. Pizza

Bobolli Pizza Crust (or your favorite pizza crust)
1/4 cup Alfredo sauce (Clasico is my favorite brand)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (divided)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 Tbls ranch dressing

Spread alfredo sauce over pre-cooked pizza crust. Sprinkle bacon, 1/4 cup tomatoes and cheese on top of sauce. Bake at 450 degrees for about 8 minutes. In small bowl mix remaining tomatoes, lettuce and ranch dressing. Spoon over top of cooked pizza slices. So good!

Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe is from the Sisters Cafe

Peanut Butter Bars

3/4 C butter

3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 peanut butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 C flour

1 1/2 C oats

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix the oats until firm dough is made. Press batter into a jelly roll pan (a little smaller than a standard cookie sheet--I use the pampered chef stoneware bar sheet) Bake at 325 for 12 -15 minutes, depending on your oven. Do not over bake! The bars should be BARELY golden. If you over cook them they are dry and not very good, in my opinion. Allow to cool while you make your frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

(this is the best frosting ever!)

1 cup sugar
5 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Place the sugar, butter and milk in the small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook stirring constantly, until the mixture come s to a boil. Boil stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat, add the chocolate chips and stir until melted, then add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Spread onto mostly cool bars.

I just barely made these and had a minute to post about it while I waited for some vinyl to get cut.  They are so yummy...and the frosting really is the best (and easiest) frosting I have ever made.

Fried Rice

We have always liked rice, but I never used to make it until about a year ago when we found minute rice (now looking back I think this is what Mom always used, but when I was little I didn't like rice so I didn't pay much attention).  Well we love fried rice too, but we haven't ever tried to make it with minute rice. 

I found a recipe yesterday and gave it a try and it was so quick and really good. 

Modified the recipe from the Minute Rice website

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 pkg. (16 ounces) frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed  ---we didn't have any of these, so I just cut up some celery and about a 1/4 of an onion instead, and I think that is how we will always make it. 
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 cups MINUTE White Rice, uncooked

1 cube of chicken bullion

Directions:

ADD broth, vegetables and soy sauce to skillet; bring to a boil. Stir in rice; cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

HEAT oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook eggs; scramble until done.  Add to rice mixture after it has sat for 5 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Potato Bundles

You all know how much I love potatoes (unless Mom puts them in Sheppards Pie).  Well I have been craving meat and potatoes lately and I have been looking for some new potato recipes.  I made these last night with Turkey Roast and we invited some friends over for dinner and we all loved these pototoes.  They were quick to throw together and so yummy.

I found the recipe from a new cooking website I found "The Pioneer Woman Cooks".  They have lots of other great recipe ideas -- click here for all recipes organized by pictures...which I love that idea.  The annoying thing about this website is they have a picture for every step of the recipe, but if you scroll down to the bottom (before the comments) then they have a printable recipe.

Ingredients

6 whole Russet Potatoes
½ whole Yellow Onion, Diced
1 stick Butter
½ cups Heavy Cream
Kosher Salt To Taste
Paprika To Taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley

Preparation Instructions

Pile potatoes and onions on a square of foil. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Splash on cream. Then sprinkle on salt, paprika, and black pepper. Sprinkle minced parsley over the top.

Wrap bundles tightly and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until extremely tender.

Serve bundles right on the dinner plate. Serves 8.

I think these will be fun to make camping too.  You can just take it all mixed together and wrapped in tin foil and then cook it when you get there. 

Chewy Soft Preztels

Recipes is from My Kitchen Cafe

You can tell they were good...Macie couldn't wait two more seconds to have another one. 

Makes 8 pretzels

Dough:

2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

7/8 to 1 cup (7 to 8 ounces) warm water*

Topping:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm water

2 tablespoons baking soda

Coarse salt (optional)

3 tablespoons butter, melted



Place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl and beat until well combined. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it is soft, smooth, and quite slack. Lightly flour the dough and place it in a plastic bag; close the bag, leaving room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 30 minutes (to see pictures click on the "My Kitchen Cafe" link at the top of the post).

Preheat your oven to 500°F. Prepare two baking sheets by spraying them with vegetable oil spray, or lining them with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into eight equal pieces (about 70g, or 2 1/2 ounces, each). Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, combine the 1/2 cup warm water and the baking soda, and place it in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Make sure the baking soda is thoroughly dissolved; if it isn't, it will make your pretzels splotchy.

Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 28 to 30 inches long), and twist each rope into a pretzel. Dip each pretzel in the baking soda wash (this will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color), and place them on the baking sheets. Sprinkle them lightly with coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 8 to 9 minutes, or until they're golden brown. I only bake one baking sheet at a time and let the other rest while the first is in the oven.

Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you've used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that's what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave.

*Use the greater amount in the winter, the lesser amount in the summer, and somewhere in between in the spring and fall. Your goal is a soft dough.

Enchiladas

I have been making these enchiladas for a couple of years.  I made up the recipe on night when I didn't know what to cook and didn't have much food on hand, because I hated going to the grocery store with (back then) 3 kids.  Now we tote 4 kids along with us every Saturday and manage just fine...live and learn I guess.

1 pkg soften cream cheese
1 can refried beans
1-2 cups cubed chicken (I sometimes use the canned chicken if I am in a big hurry)
1/2 cup rice (I don't always put this in, I only use it if I have left overs from the night before)
2 cans enchillada sauce
1 cup grated cheese
Flour tortillas

Mix together cream cheese, refried beans, chicken and rice.  Spoon the mixture into flour tortillas then roll them up.  I usually have enough chicken mixture to make about 10-12 tortilla rolls.  Place them all seam down in a 9x13 pan.  Pour enchillada sauce on top (I usually only use about 1 1/2 cans, but if Bridger is helping he insists we pour it all on...either way it turns out just fine).  Then top with grated cheese and bake in the oven at 350 for 25 minutes.
This freezes well too, you just have to increase your baking time.   Don't put the grated cheese on if you are freezing it, I would just pull it out of the oven about 15 minutes before it was done and sprinkle with cheese and then put back in the oven.  Sorry I don't remember how long to bake it if you freeze it.

They are really quick to make (especially if you don't have to cook the chicken).

This is Bridger's favorite dinner, and everyone else must like it too, because we rarely have leftovers--but if we do they are so yummy the next day.

Spiced Apple Pancakes

I love breakfast. I tell myself I eat it becasue it's the most important meal of the day, but the truth is, it's just my favorite. But I don't like the bacon or sausage or eggs. I love my carbs! Muffins, waffles, pancakes....bring 'em on! I got this recipe from a friend of mine, Lindsey. I was so excited to try them, and even more excited when they were better than I had imagined. And the syrup? Don't even get me started. It was AMAZING. I ate seven pancakes.....SEVEN!! And I plan on making more as soon as I can get over to the grocery store for more apples.

And as proof as to how good these really are, here's a picture of the pickiest of picky eaters loving them.

Spiced Apple Pancakes:

makes approx. 18-4 inch pancakes

2 C. bisquick

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 egg

1 2/3 C. milk

3/4 C. grated apple (about 2)

Mix bisquick, cinnamon, eggand milk until smooth. Add apple. Cook on greased griddle. Turn when bubbles appear, but before they break.

Cider Syrup:

1 C. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 C. apple juice

2 T. lemon juice

1/4 C. butter

Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in saucepan. Stir in juice and lemon. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Blend in butter. Serve warm.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Have I mentioned that I love Cafe Rio?  I am always searching for recipes that taste like Cafe Rio food and are easy to make.  I found this recipe for cilantro lime rice that tastes just like Cafe Rio's and is sooooo good.  Justin and I were huge fans of this one and we will definitely make it again!  I can"t get my computer to read my SD card so I will put up a picture later.

Source:  http://www.desktopcookbook.com/

Cilantro Lime Rice

- 4 tbls butter

- 2 1/2 cups rice

- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth

- 1 1/2 tsp salt

- juice of 4 small limes or 4 tbls lime juice

- 4 tbsp chopped cilantro

- 1/2 tsp cumin

Mix all in rice cooker or pot until done. I don't have a rice cooker so I made it in a pan on the stove.

Chili on Rice

This is a mission favorite but not a Janae favorite. She likes the chili just not with rice. It sure is a quick fix and it feeds alot of people for pretty cheap.


Chili
1 pound of ground beef browned
1 can of 16 1/2 ounce kidney beans undrained
1 can of 14 1/2 ounce diced tomatoes undrained
1 package of chili seasoning
1 small onion ( optional )

Pulled Chicken Suiza Sammies

recipe from http://www.realmomkitchen.com/

I have not actually made these yet, but I am going to as soon as I buy some salsa verde.  They look so yummy!  I will add my comments as to whether or not they were a hit with the kiddos after I make them.  We love any hot meat and cheese sandwich so I am sure they will be a winner.

Pulled Chicken Suiza Sammies


1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups store-bought tomatillo salsa or salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream
1 rotisserie-style chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
4 sandwich rolls, split (I think it makes more like 6-8 sandwiches)
4 slices Swiss or monterey jack cheese

Pre-heat the broiler. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and honey, then stir in the salsa and heat through. Mix in the sour cream. Stir in the chicken to coat.

Place sandwich rolls on baking sheet and top bottom half of rolls with the cheese and broil on middle rack until rolls are lightly toasted and cheese is melted. Fill sandwiches with chicken mixture and serve.

Pasta Salad

Here is my absolute favorite pasta salad recipe. It’s my go-to recipe for any gathering, pot luck dinners, BBQs and today’s event, a bridal shower. It’s always a hit and I never have leftovers. I look at the ingredients and think they seem a little odd together, but believe me it works. And it’s so much better the next day so I always make it the night before. Give it a try, you’ll love it!

Pasta Salad

1 3/4 cups farfalle pasta

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups seedless red grapes, halved

2 cups diced ham

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente.

Drain.In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, cider vinegar, mustard, sugar, black pepper, dill weed and salt.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, grapes, ham, onions and cheese. Toss with the dressing. Cover and chill overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

Congo Bars

 

I know Congo Bars isn't a new recipe to any of us, but I made some changes to the original recipe over the weekend and they turned out de-lish-ous, so I thought I would share. I added peanut butter and did peanut butter chips AND milk chocolate chips. The recipe said to cook them for 15-20 minutes. I took them out right at 15 minutes. Most people would probably say they were under cooked but I love them gooey so I think they were perfect. I think it's my newest favorite treat, and they're so quick and easy.

Congo Bars

2/3 cup oil

2 1/4 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

Cream oil and brown sugar. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix well. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips (the dough was so thick that I actually had to pull it out of the bowl and knead it by hand to get it mixed well). Press into cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Orange Chicken

This recipe is also from My Kitchen Cafe, but the awesome plating picture is from Jay.   

I would say this is my most favorite dinner I have cooked....EVER!  It was so yummy!  It took about 30-40 minutes to fix, but most of that was making the sauce while the chicken was in the oven.  All of the kids loved it and Jay thought it was also one of the best things I had ever cooked. 

If you like Panda Express's Orange Chicken, then you have to give this one a try.

I have also be insturcted by Bridger and Jay that next time I make this I need to make more...they didn't get seconds, and the 5-6 peices of chicken they got weren't quite enough.  So next time I think I will make 1 1/2 times as much chicken...but I think I could still get away with the same amount of sauce...we will see.

 

Orange Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2" cubes

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons oil or butter

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon orange zest

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon finely minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons green onion

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Heat oven to 350. In a shallow dish combine the flour, garlic powder and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.

Pour oil (or melt butter and pour) in a shallow baking dish, large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken in pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine water, fresh orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest and whisk over medium heat for a few minutes. Then stir in brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and green onion and let it come to a boil. Combine cornstarch with water and let it dissolve and add it to the sauce until thickened.

After chicken has baked the 30 minutes, turn each piece over and pour 1/2 sauce mixture evenly over chicken. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes basting frequently.

Serve chicken over rice with extra sauce on the side.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Filled Brown Sugar Bars

Recipe Source:  http://www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/
This recipe sounds heavenly if you substitute the dark chocolate for milk chocolate.  We are not fans of dark chocolate, and I don't care how many antioxidants dark chocolate has because I don't eat chocolate for my health. I will be making them this weekend!

Dark Chocolate Ganache Filled Brown Sugar Bars


1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature

1 ¾ cups packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ cup heavy cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I will be using milk chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray the bottom of a 10 by 15-inch baking sheet (jelly roll size pan) with cooking spray or lightly coat with butter. Line the pan with wax paper and then butter and lightly flour the paper and sides of the pan.

Whisk together the flour and salt in a small bowl. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating just until well blended. The batter will be fairly stiff.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a wooden toothpick comes out clean but not dry; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bring the cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place the finely chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the finely chopped chocolate and stir gently to combine until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Let the ganache stand at room temp for 20-30 minutes to set. It should be spreadable but not runny.

Invert the brown sugar cake again onto a large cutting board. Cut the cake crosswise in half with a long serrated knife (just like you would cut a sandwich in half to share with someone - NOT like you would cut a cake into two layers, the bars are too thin for that). Spread the ganache evenly on one half of the cake to within 1/8 inch of the edges. Carefully set the other cake half on the top, matching the cut edges. Cover and refrigerate until the ganache is set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

To serve, trim the uncut edges of the cake. Cut the cake lengthwise into 4 strips then cut each strip into 8 rectangles. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Chicken Tortellini Bake

Chicken Tortellini Bake

recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

16 ounce package of cheese tortellini (my advice is to use the fresh, not frozen, variety - the kind you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store b/c they taste better and it cuts down on boiling time since the noodles aren't completely dry)

1 tablespoon oil

2 cups (about 2 chicken breasts) chicken cut up into bite size pieces

3 green onions finely chopped, white and green parts

2 tablespoons flour

8 ounces (1 cup) chicken broth

8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat with good results)

8 oz (2 cups) shredded Monterey jack cheese (to be honest, any combination of cheeses, like cheddar, mozzarella or monterey jack would be good)

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook tortellini for 2-3 minutes (this is if you use the "fresh" tortellini from the refrigerated section - and to be completely honest, next time I'm going to try not boiling it at all and letting it cook while it bakes in the oven). Drain and set aside.  (I skipped this step and it was fine)

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken for 1-2 minutes and add the fresh mushrooms and green onions, cooking until chicken is done and mushrooms are golden brown. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir until thickened. Mix in sour cream until mixture is creamy and slightly thickened.

Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Pour tortellini in bottom of 9X13 pan. Sprinkle half the cheese over tortellini. Put cooked chicken/sauce mixture on top and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

Bake covered with tin foil at 350 for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.

We had this for dinner tonight and it was really good.  I would add some salt next time to season it a bit more, but it was really good.  I actually messed up at the grocery store and bought raviolli on accident, but it was still really good.  We just toasted some garlic bread to go with it.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:

¾ cup sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

½ cup vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt


Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.  If making the extra sauce, then I would also add some cornstarch to thicken it. 
 
We made this last night and we didn't have any left overs.  So I would say that everyone liked it!  The chicken tasted  a lot like Canton's, and it was really yummy.  We made extra sauce on the stove top and it didn't thicken (after boiling for over 15 minutes), so that I why I suggested you add some corn starch.   Other than the runny sauce (which was still) good, this dinner turned out great.

Baked Manicotti

Baked Manicotti

*Serves 6 to 8

recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

Tomato Sauce

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (in juice)

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dried basil



Cheese Filling and Pasta

3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

2 large eggs , lightly beaten

3/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

16 no-boil lasagna noodles ("My kitchen Cafe" suggests you use the Barilla brand - apparently they are supposed to be the most similar to homemade pasta) I couldn't find those and just got what the store I was at had.  It turned out just fine

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan chese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs; set aside.

To assemble, pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.  I couldn't find the brand of noodles the recipe suggested, so I followed the instructions on the package for the brand of noodles that I had.

Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. (You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, allowing all 16 to fit in the dish). Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.) To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.


We made this on Saturday, and it was really good, but took really long to make.  With both Jay and I getting it ready (and making rolls at the same time) it took about 1 hour before we could even put it in the oven to start cooking.  So next time I make this I will make two and put the other in the freezer.  We had our neighbors over for dinner and they thought it was really good, so it made the work worth while to cook for 4 adults instead of just us two.  The kids all thought it was pretty good to.