Cyndi's Pasta Alla Medici

A while back, Olive Garden had a dish made with cheese tortellini, alfredo sauce, ham, mushrooms, and peas.  Hubby loved it.  They no longer serve it, so I recreated something similar at home for him and he just loves it!

You will need:
3 cups penne pasta

Sauce:
1 and 1/2 stick of butter
1 tb minced garlic
3 cups half and half
flour
container of grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup chopped ham
1 small package fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced.
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First boil water for your pasta. Add a touch of salt and a pat of butter to avoid sticking and boiling over.
While that is cooking (about 10 minutes), start your sauce.
Use a large saucepan and melt a stick of butter.  When melted, start adding flour. Start with a 1/2 cup at a time.  Stir with a wooden spoon or silicone heat resistant whisk to make a paste.  Add half and half, and Parmesan cheese.  Stir to correct consistency and amount that you will need.  At this point, add your garlic. Adding it sooner will easily burn it.

 Meanwhile, in another saucepan, melt a 1/2 stick of butter.  Add mushrooms and cook until tender.

 Add frozen peas, chopped ham, and cooked mushrooms to the sauce.  Add garlic, cream, or cheese as needed for taste or consistency.

Drain penne pasta.  Place pasta on a dish and spoon sauce over top.

TIPS:
You can use milk instead of cream if desired.
Use a large non-stick skillet for easy clean up, like this one from Amazon.
Use a silicone whisk like this one for best results.
Serve with easy Cresent Rolls, or any other kind of bread.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

You will need:
4 chicken breasts
8 soft taco shells
2 cups shredded colby cheese
Taco Bell Seasoning Packet (shhh! ;))


Sauce:
3 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 TB flour
1/4 C chili powder
2 C chicken stock
10 Ounces tomato paste
1 TS dried oregano
1 TS ground cumin
1/2 TS salt

Brown chicken in skillet with 1 tablespoon evoo. Shred or cube chicken. Add back to pan and cook on low.  Add Taco seasoning.  Follow directions on packet.  It will thicken.  Mix 1 cup of shredded cheese in chicken mixture.

Butter a 9x11 baking dish.  Lay each soft taco shell and spoon seasoned chicken inside.  Fold both sides and lay in dish seam down.  Continue with remaining taco shells.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your sauce:
In a medium saucepan, heat oil, add flour.  Stir with a wooden spoon until it looks like paste.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add chili powder.  Cook for 30 seconds.  Add chicken stock, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin.  Stir. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.  The sauce will thicken and be smooth.  Adjust seasonings as needed.

Take baking dish out of oven and pour sauce evenly over enchiladas.
Sprinkle with shredded cheese and put back in oven for 10 minutes.

Cheesecake Strawberries

Want an easy, yummy sweet treat for your Valentine? 
You will need only TWO ingredients:

1. Philadelphia Cheesecake Filling (in the tub)
2. Fresh Strawberries

First, wash strawberries and pat dry.  Next, cut the bottom tip off of the strawberry (this is so the strawberries stand up on the plate).  Using a strawberry huller, remove the top of the strawberry and carefully scoop out the inside of the berry.  Fill a pastry bag with tip and cheesecake filling.  Fill strawberries using the filled pastry bag.  Use sprinkes if desired.  Serve chilled.

Caribbean Pork with Lime Coconut Rice and Mango Salsa

You will need:

• can of pineapple tidbits


• 1 lime


• 4 boneless pork chops


• 1 cup white wine


• 1/4 c fresh chopped cilantro


• 1 yellow or red sweet pepper


• 1/4 c strips red onion

Marinate boneless pork chops in pineapple juice, lime juice, white wine, fresh cilantro, salt and pepper. Marinate for at least 2 hours in fridge. When ready to cook, add 1 TB Extra Virgin Olive oil to frying pan. Add pork chops. Brown lightly both sides. Add liquid from marinade to pan. Add strips of yellow or red sweet pepper and red onions. Cook on med/low with cover on. When veggies are soft, add pineapple chunks to pan. Cover and heat.
Meanwhile, cook your rice: Coconut Lime Rice from Southern Living Magazine.

TIP: toast coconut and add to top of rice when serving. Gives it an extra YUM factor =)

Mango Salsa:
Peel and chop mango. Add diced red onion, chopped cilantro, diced jalepeno pepper (no seeds), chop red or yellow sweet pepper. Squeeze fresh lime juice over top and stir.

Wontons: Tropical Wontons from The Pampered Chef

Mongolian Steak Stirfry

Do you love Mongolian BBQ like I do? Here is an easy way to make it at home. You'll Need:

1 sirloin steak, cut into bite size pieces or strips if you choose

1 small onion

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (Kikkoman)

1 TSpoon brown sugar

Extra virgin olive oil

Heat a small amount of olive oil on med in medium sized frypan. Add steak. Cook until steak is browned. Add onions and mushrooms. Cook until tender. Add teriyaki sauce and brown sugar. Stir and cook on low until sauce is thickened.

Serve over rice.

Serves 2

You can add any other vegetables of your choice. Note, potatoes will take longer to cook. Add before you add the other vegetables.

Comfort Food - Chili

What is better on a snow day than homemade chili?


Here is a easy way to make it and it turns out oh-so-yummy!

You'll Need:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can Bush's mild chili beans
1- 16 ounce can tomato sauce
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c ketchup
chili powder to taste

Makes 4 servings

Brown ground beef with chopped onion. Drain grease. Add remaining ingredients. Stir and simmer for about 20 minutes. Season to taste. Serve with Colby Jack shredded cheese... and viola!

Top off with these great mini saltine crackers. Love 'em!

Gourmet Gals

Our first "Gourmet Gals" entree: Broiled Mahi Mahi with sautéed onions & tomatoes, with a side of steamed asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Bon Apetit! 2.6.10

Recipe:

Ingredients:
2 onions, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
36 ounces mahi mahi fillets
thin lemon slice (to garnish)

Directions:
1) Heat olive oil over medium heat in saute pan. Saute sliced onions in the oil for about 8 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes, parsley, white wine, tomato paste, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Set mixture aside.
2) Lightly grease a rack, and line a broiler pan with aluminum foil. Place rack in broiler pan.
3) Place fish, in a single layer, on the rack. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Broil fish about 5 inches from heat for about 8 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
4) Spoon the onion-tomato mixture evenly onto a platter. Place the broiled fish on top of the onion-tomato mixture.
5) Garnish with lemon slices.

Great Ideas for Graduation Food

Chicken Salad Sliders


Ingredients
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 1/2 cups finely diced cooked chicken
1 cup finely diced celery
1/3 cup slivered almonds
12 mini slider rolls
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, mayonnaise and salt. Toss with the chicken, celery, and almonds in a medium bowl. Serve on mini slider rolls.


Overnight Fruit Salad


Ingredients
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups green grapes
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
2 medium firm bananas, sliced
2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
In a double boiler over medium heat, cook and stir eggs, sugar and vinegar until mixture is thickened and reaches 160°. Remove from the heat; stir in butter. Cool.
In a large serving bowl, combine grapes, marshmallows, pineapple, oranges and bananas; add cooled dressing and stir to coat. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, fold in whipped cream and pecans. Yield: 12-16 servings.
Compliments of Taste of Home.