Best Manicotti Ever . . . and yes, I am still alive.

Hello my cooking friends:

I must apologize for my absence these past few months. Life has been insane! But I am still here, still cooking (as much as I can), and still interested in recipes from all of you.

So, without further ado, and as Teah said in her last post . . . if anyone is out there, here is a recipe!

Best Manicotti Ever

Tomato sauce:

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, in juice

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

2 T. EVOO

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1/2 t. salt

2 t. basil

Cheese filling & pasta

3 c. part-skim Ricotta

4 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (~ 2 c.)

8 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese (~ 2 c.)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

2 t. chopped fresh basil

16 no-boil lasagna noodles

- Adjust oven rack to middle, preheat to 375.

- Heat oil, garlic, red pepper flakes in sauce pan over medium heat until fragrant but not browned. (~ 1-2 minutes)

- Stir in tomatoes, basil, 1/2 t. salt, and simmer until slightly thickened (~ 15 minutes).

- Medium bowl: combine Ricotta cheese, 1 c. of the Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs. Set aside.

- To assemble: Pour 1" boiling water into your 9x13 pan, then add the noodles one at a time. Let soak until pliable (~ 5 minutes). Separate with the tip of a knife to keep from sticking. Remove noodles and place on a dish towel. Dry the dish. Spread 1 1/2 c. sauce on the bottom of the dish. Then spread 1/4 c. cheese mixture evenly onto the bottom 3/4 of each noodle. Roll up into a tube shape and arrange in your pan, seam side down. You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, 16 in all.

- Top evenly with remaining sauce, covering pasta completely. Cover with foil. Bake until bubbling (~ 40 minutes). Remove foil and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered until cheese is browned and bubbly (~ 6-7 minutes). Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Notes:

- I halfed this recipe and it turned out just fine. Delicious. I even baked mine in a round pan, because my 8" square had other food in it. No problems!

- I did not use fresh herbs, only dried.

- I really like the Barilla brand no-boil lasagna noodles. I'm sure this would work fine with real manicotti tubes if you prefer.

- This cheese filling is awesome! Probably the best manicotti I've ever had.

- This recipe can be made up to the baking point and then refrigerated or frozen. Refrigerate for 3 days at most. It can be frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw it in the fridge for 1-2 days. Increase the baking time to 1-1 1/4 hours. (*This is the advice that came with the recipe.)

Basically: really, really good. And very easy.

Pork Medallions

If anyone is there.....here is a delicious recipe someone gave me!! Apparently I like pork.


Pork Medallions

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire
6 oz pineapple juice
1 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Cut pork loin into medallions. Marinade in sauce as long as desired. Grill medallions and boil marinade to serve as gravy.

Mexicali Pork Chops

These are really easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

4 pork loin chops

1/2 c. chopped green pepper

1/4 c. chopped onion

1 16oz. can diced tomatoes

1 8oz. can corn, drained

1 8oz. can red kidney beans, drained

1/2 c. long grain rice

1/2 c. water

1 4oz. can mild green chili peppers; rinsed, seeded and chopped

3/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Trim excess fat from chops, in a skillet cook fat trimmings till 2 lb. accumulate. Discard trimmings. Brown chops on both sides. Season with salt and pepper and set chops aside. Reserve drippings in skillet.

2. Cook green pepper and onion in reserved drippings til tender but not brown. Stir in undrained tomatoes, drained corn and beans, uncooked rice, water, chili peppers, and salt. Bring to a boil.

3. Turn mixture into a 12x7.5x2 baking dish. Arrange chops on top.

4. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.

5. Uncover and bake 10-15 min. more until meat is tender.

6. Enjoy.

Glazed Bundt Cake

Okay, I apologize for my delinquency in posting! But... all the rest of you, where are you? I am in sore need of some delicious recipes this summer! 

But back to the recipe. I found this on another site, so it's really just a transfer. But oooh, boy, is it yummy. Here you are: 

The Cake: 

1 yellow cake mix
1 (3.5 oz) box of instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup pinapple or orange juice 

1/2 cup oil
1 cup sour cream 
4 eggs

Mix the cake mix and the vanilla pudding. Add the juice, oil, and sour cream and mix. Add 4 eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes (don't overbake!).

When the cake is about 10 minutes from being done start the glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter (1 cube)

Bring ingredients to a boil and keep the glaze bubbling until ready to pour over the cake. Pour the glaze over the cake while it is still in the pan. Now, the next part is essential: give it a few minutes to soak in. After it's significantly cooler, turn it out onto a plate. 

Optional: dust top with powdered sugar.

Also optional: try throwing some poppyseeds in the mix! 

Apparently you can take that same basic cake recipe up there and use any type of cake mix, along with different flavors of instant pudding and mix-ins, and you will get the same super moist, delicious bundt cake in whatever flavor you want. It is seriously amazing. SO moist and yummy. The glaze is absolutely essential too. So don't even think about leaving it out. Yes, there is a stick of butter in it, but it just soaks into the cake and makes it that much more delicious. Try it, you will see what I mean! 

Yummy Blender Salsa

This is a great recipe for those who love chips and salsa-- like me-- but have a really hard time finding salsa in the store that is just right. With this recipe you can adjust the ratios to have it more tomato-y or more onion-y or more garlic-y or more cilantro-y... you get the picture. Here it is:

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes (get one with peppers included if you want!)

1/3-1/2 white onion, chopped

1/2 c. fresh cilantro

1 garlic clove, chopped

juice of 1 lime

salt to taste

Put all of these ingredients in the blender and mix to your heart's content. You can leave it as chunky, or make it as smooth, as you prefer. I tend to like my salsa a little less tomato-y, so I put in more cilantro and onion. The first time I made it, it turned out perfect-- and I haven't been able to get the exact same combination of ingredients again, no matter what I try! So, a word to the wise-- write down your combinations as you try them so you will have it for later.

I love this stuff!

Fried Chicken and Gravy

Ok, so maybe you are all experts at cooking chicken, but my chicken-cooking track record hasn't been that great. It always came out of the oven kind of...chickeny; a rubbery, chickeny sort of taste. Yuck. So imagine how happy I was when, after doing some internet research on the art of cooking chicken, I came across this recipe for fried chicken, tried it out, and almost fell off my chair when I took the first bite because it was delicious!! One tip (which I learned during my internet research) that seemed to work well for us was to brine the chicken breasts for just 20 minutes or so before coating them. (Brining = immersing them in a salt water solution of 1/2 cup kosher salt (or 1/4 cup table salt) in two quarts of water).

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup paprika (I didn't actually use this because we didn't have any)
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp pepper
1 Tbsp ground mustard
1/2 Tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground ginger (didn't have this either)
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Additional Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
4-6 chicken breasts
vegetable oil

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.

To prepare chicken: In a large skillet, heat 1/2 in. of oil over medium-high heat. (Oil should be fairly hot before you put the chicken in; this prevents the chicken soaking up oil and getting soggy.) Place about 3/4 cup of coating in a large resealable plastic bag. In a shallow dish, beat eggs and milk. Dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, then place in the bag. Seal and shake until coated. Brown chicken on all sides, cooking until done. Place chicken on a cooling rack (like for cookies) with something underneath to drip onto. (Again, this keeps the coating crispy.)

Gravy:

Whisk 1-2 Tbsp of the leftover coating mixture with milk, bring to a slow boil and allow to thicken. Delicious over the chicken and mashed potatoes!!

Sausage Mushroom Crustless Quiche

Hello food-loving friends! It's been a while, but don't worry, I have not forgotten you. I first want to give a shout-out to the recipe posted by Vinestreet for the spicy honey glazed chicken-- I tried it this week and thought it was amazing. And now, without further ado, it is my pleasure to introduce you to:

Sausage Mushroom Crustless Quiche

1/2 medium onion, diced (1/2 cup)
6-oz mushrooms, sliced (1 cup)
approx 1 - 1 1/2 cups diced sausage, cooked (I used a normal 12 oz. package of low-fat sausage)
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/3 cups milk (low fat is fine)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly grease a 10-inch quiche/tart pan (or a 9-inch pie plate).
In a medium frying pan, cook onion and mushrooms with a bit of vegetable oil (or cooking spray) over medium-high heat until onions are translucent and tender, and mushrooms are browned. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, then stir in mushroom mixture and diced, cooked sausages.
Pour quiche base into prepared pan. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes (30-35 minutes in a pie plate), or until center is set and the outside edge is golden brown.
Let set for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

Serves 4.
salt and pepper, to taste

This was so yummy! You can use any combo of meat and vegetables, but the sausage mushroom combo is a winner. I love love love that it is crustless-- way less fat, but it forms its own crust when it bakes, so it's still stable enough to be cut and served. Be warned: I sprayed the pan w/cooking spray, but that wasn't enough because it still stuck to the pie pan a little. Also, Mark seasoned the sausage with some ginger, crushed red pepper, etc. It really made it tasty. 

Enjoy! 

Spicy Honey-Glazed Chicken

My new favorite cookbook is Saving Dinner, by Leanne Ely. I had to pay an overdue fine at the library because I just can't bear to return it. And I haven't had time to copy all the recipes we love from it, out onto paper. This lady is a nutritionist, so all the meals are incredibly healthy, but also incredibly tasty.

Here is one of our new favorites: Spicy Honey-Glazed Chicken.

1/2 c. honey
2 TBSP. frozen orange juice concentrate
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (take out your kids' portions before putting this in. It's not really that hot, but warmth is more than the average child probably likes)
1 TBSP butter
1/2 tsp olive oil
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
cilantro, chopped
green onions, chopped

Combine honey, OJ, and garlic in a small bowl. (If no children are eating add the red pepper flakes now as well.)

In a skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat, add chicken, salt and pepper to taste, and brown the chicken.

Add honey mixture to the skillet and cook, turning to thoroughly coat the chicken. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken. (At this point you can take out childrens' portion and then sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.)

To serve, place chicken on plate, spoon sauce over the top and sprinkle with cilantro and green onions.

Serve with brown or white rice, steamed broccoli, or baked butternut squash.
Enjoy! This is honestly one of the most flavorful recipes I own now. The orange juice, honey, and garlic are a great combination.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas -- DIVINE

I have been meaning to get on here and post a TON of recipes-- but school has not been letting me have much time. Until... I tried this recipe. This one I could not wait to post. It is SO good. The seasoning is so yummy and not overpowering. I am a big fan of chicken enchiladas if they are done right and these are definitely done right. Here you go:

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Marinade: 

6 T. honey

5 T. lime juice (approx. 1 large lime)

1 T. chili powder

1/2 t. garlic powder

Other: 

1 lb. shredded chicken* 

tortillas

1 lb. monterrey jack cheese, shredded

16 oz. green enchilada sauce

1 c. cream**

*I didn't know how many chicken breasts would equal 1 lb. shredded-- I ended up using 4 and it was fine, but if you use less chicken there will be leftover sauce to put in the tortillas.

** I didn't use cream at all, as you will soon see it is an optional step.

- Whisk first four ingredients for marinade and toss with shredded chicken in zip-loc bag. 

- Marinate for at least 1/2 hour, preferably more. (I only got to let mine sit for 15 min. It was still good!) 

- Pour 1/2 c. of enchilada sauce on bottom of 9x13 pan. 

- Fill tortillas with chicken, any extra marinade, and cheese. Roll up and place in pan. Make sure to save 1 c. of cheese for topping. 

- When pan is full, mix any remaining marinade with cream and enchilada sauce. Pour over top.

- Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

- Bake at 350 for 30 min. or until browned and crispy on top. 

Basically, I didn't mix up the sauces with the cream, because I didn't have any leftover marinade. I just used the extra enchilada sauce and cheese for topping. Using 4 chicken breasts, I had enough for a full 9x13 and a full 8x8. I made these for a dinner we had with another couple from our ward and got rave reviews. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I think I may even use this honey lime marinade for chicken in other dishes. It's SO good. And don't worry, the chili powder does not make it too spicy, it's just right. 

Caramel-Coated Spiced Nuts

I made these a lot this past holiday season, and also sent some to Megan. She has requested I place the recipe here. This is from Taste of Home. If nuts weren't so expensive I think I would always have some of these in open jars throughout my house. The kitchen, my bedroom, the entertainment room, and yes, a few cupboards.

2 egg whites
1 teaspoon water
1 1/2 c. roasted salted almonds *
1 1/2 c. pecan halves
1 c. whole salted cashews
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice **
1 teaspoon white pepper (I used 1/2 tsp. black pepper and it tasted fine)

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites and water until foamy. Add the nuts, stir gently to coat. Combine the brown sugar, pie spice and pepper; add to nut mixture and stir gently to coat.

Spread into a GREASED (do not forget to do this or you will weep and wail because the nuts will not come off of the pan into your mouth) cookie sheet (15 x 10 x 1) Bake at 325 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Stir in an airtight container. Makes 4-5 cups.


*I just used plain whole almonds that I bought in the bulk section, it was cheapest that way, and I also didn't want the extra salt. I also used almonds for the entire recipe since I was too poor to buy cashews and pecans. It's up to you what you want to use, just make sure you use whole almonds or cashews, not pieces.

** If you don't have pumpkin pie spice and don't want to buy it just for this recipe, use the following substitution:

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves for 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

Southern Pride Sweet Cornbread

There is nothing more annoying than crumbly cornbread. You can't get it out of the pan, you can't cut it in half to butter it. It's like picking up a handful of sand and trying to stuff it into your mouth.

I found this recipe today online and tried it tonight with chili. We ate the entire pan. (Granted, I did half the recipe, but still....it was good!!) It was sweet, moist, and slightly more dense than the regular stuff.

Southern Pride Sweet Cornbread

1 1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. honey (just add more sugar if you don't have honey)
2 eggs
1/2 cup softened butter
1 c. milk
1 c. water
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp salt

Grease 9 x 13 pan. Heat oven to 375. Mix sugar, butter, eggs, milk, honey, and water together. Mix dry ingredients. Blend wet and dry ingredients together. Mixture will be slightly lumpy. Pour into greased pan, bake until golden brown on top. Serve with butter.

Chicken Cordon Blue

Seriously, this recipe is SO good. I like that the sauce is super easy to whip up and you can use everything low fat or fat free and it tastes the same. This is a meal I can always cook for family or friends that always impresses. I serve it up with rice pilaf, a green veggie of some sort, and rolls. Yum!

Chicken Cordon Blue

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 slices ham
2 T. milk
1/4 C breadcrumbs or cornflakes
4 slices swiss cheese
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400. Cut a pocket in each chicken breast and tuck a slice of ham inside each. Roll in milk then in breadcrumbs. Arrange in a baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes (check to make sure meat it cooked), then top each breast with a slice of cheese, continue to bake until cheese melts. Serve with sauce over top.

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C. sour cream (I always use fat free)
Juice of one lemon

Blend ingredients and heat. Serve over chicken breasts.

Easy & Amazing Marinade

• Just combine: 
• 
  
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
  
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 1/4 cup ketchup
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil (* I think I may have used olive oil in ours...) 
  
• 1 tablespoon molasses
  
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot (* I used the dried ginger from the spice aisle) 
  
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard (* I used dijon for this b/c it's all we had, and it was great!)
• This makes an incredibly yummy marinade for chicken. We marinated chicken breasts and made sandwiches. SO good. I highly recommend this next time you are looking for a way to jazz up your chicken. 

Lasagna Florentine

It is hard to get my boys to eat their veggies so this is a great recipe to sneak in spinach. My boys eat this up and ask for more!! We call it white lasagna cause it has a white sauce. Serves 8-10 but for us it makes leftovers for days. :)

9 lasagna noodles, cooked & drained

spinach mix:
1 (10oz)frozen, chopped spinach, drained
2 c. cooked, diced chicken(I boil & shred it)
1 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
nutmeg to taste
2 eggs
4 oz. mozzarella cheese

white sauce:
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 chicken boullion
2 c. skim milk or 2 c. half&half
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
1/4 cup romanoff cheese (I can never find it and so I use more mozzarella)

1. Cook noodles & drain.
2. Combine spinach mix ingredients in bowl and set aside.
3. White Sauce: melt butter over low heat. Add garlic, chicken boullion, flour and milk. Stir until boiling. Remove from heat. Slowly add parmesan and romanoff cheese until melted.
4. Lightly rub 9/13 pan with butter. Layer lasagna: 3 lasagna noodles, then 1/2 chicken mixture, 1/3 white sauce. Repeat. 3 noodles and sauce on top.
5. Bake 350 degees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle mozz. cheese on top and bake 5-10 more minutes.