Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts w/ Tomato & Basil Salsa, Potatoes w/ Peppers & Onions

================================================

2 lbs cubed potatoes
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow onion, cut into thin slices
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
                 available in tubs near the deli
                 do not buy grated
4 (6-8oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 plum or roma tomatoes, chopped
15-20 leaves of basil, sliced chiffonade-style

================================================

Preheat oven to 500°.
Cover a large cookie sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
Toss potatoes, peppers, onion and garlic in olive oil to coat.
Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Roast for 12 minutes.  Toss & turn.  Roast for another 12 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet till screaming hot.
Season the chicken with black pepper.
Coat each side of chicken with parmesan cheese, pressing the cheese
firmly onto the chicken.
Fry the chicken for 7 minutes on each side.
Combine the chopped tomatoes and basil in a bowl to make a salsa.
Spoon the salsa on top of the chicken just before serving.

================================================

Tomato & Basil Bruschetta

========================================

2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 roma tomatoes, diced
8 slices Italian bread, cut about an inch thick
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

========================================

Whisk together the chopped garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and basil.
When combined, slowly drizzle in the oil.
Add tomatoes and allow to sit for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Meanwhile, toast the bread.
Rub one side of each piece of bread with the peeled garlic.
Top each piece of bread with the tomato mixture.
Sprinkle a little cheese on top.
Serve immediately.

========================================

Strawberry Romaine Salad

========================================

Don't knock it till you try it.  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

========================================

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Salad:

1 bunch romaine, torn into bite sized pieces
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 pint fresh strawberries, cored & halved

========================================

Mix dressing ingredients and allow to chill for a day.
Combine salad ingredients. 
Drizzle dressing on top.

========================================

Note:  I generally grill a chicken breast and serve it with this salad.  It makes an awesome meal!

========================================

Crock Pot Pot Roast

========================================

3-4 lb beef roast
1 large onion, cut up
1 lb carrots, cut up
4-5 potatoes, cut up
1 cup beef broth
salt & pepper to taste

========================================

Brown the roast on stove top.
Add vegetables to bottom of crock pot.
Lay roast on top of vegetables.
Pour broth on roast.
Salt & pepper to taste.
Cook on low for 8 hours.

========================================

Crunchy Caesar Salad

========================================

12 cups salad greens
4 cups sliced cooked chicken
tomato wedges
1 small can French-fried onions
1 cup Caesar salad dressing
croutons & shaved parmesan cheese

========================================

Toss greens with chicken, tomatoes and onions.
Top with croutons and cheese.
Serve with dressing.

========================================

Cheese Ball

========================================

16 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans
13 oz crushed pineapple, drained well
2 tablespoons seasoned salt
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped pecans

========================================

Soften the cream cheese and add remaining ingredients (except 1 cup chopped pecans)
Refrigerate the mixture until firm, before rolling it into a ball.
Roll the ball in the remaining cup of chopped pecans.
Serve with assorted crackers.

========================================

Shrimp Pizza Dip

========================================

16 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 dash garlic powder
8 oz seafood cocktail sauce
6 oz shrimp (cocktail, defrosted and well-drained)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
parsley flakes
assorted crackers

========================================

Combine first six ingredients and spread on a serving platter (acting as the "crust" for the "pizza")
Spread cocktail sauce on top of "crust".
Place shrimp on top.
Sprinkle cheese on top.
Garnish with parsley flakes.
Serve with assorted crackers on the side.

========================================

Baked Salmon with Black Olive Salsa

========================================

4 salmon filets (about 1 lb ), skins removed
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red onion
5 cherry tomatoes, quartered

========================================

Preheat oven to 400°.
Place salmon in a shallow baking dish.
Combine remaining ingredients and spoon over salmon,
Bake 12-15 minutes.

========================================

Parmesan Baked Salmon

========================================

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
4 salmon filets (1 lb), skins removed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
10 Ritz crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup)

========================================

Preheat oven to 400°. 
Mix mayonnaise and cheese until well blended.
Place salmon in shallow baking pan.
Drizzle with lemon juice.
Spread mayo/cheese mixture on each filet.
Cover filets with cracker crumbs.
Bake 12-15 minutes.

========================================

Crab Cheese Ball

========================================

Awesome, awesome, awesome!

========================================

16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
12 oz crabmeat
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 cup chili sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

========================================

Mix first three ingredients and form into a ball.  Chill.
Combine the two sauces.
Spread the cheese mixture on crackers and dot with a little  bit of the sauce.

========================================

Sausage-Stuffed Jalapenos

========================================

1 lb ground pork sausage, cooked & drained
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 lb large fresh jalapenos, halved lengthwise and seeded

========================================

Preheat oven to 425°.

Mix sausage, cream cheese and parmesan cheese.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each jalapeno half.
Bake for 20 minutes.

========================================

Cathedral Window Fudge

========================================

Always a hit around the holidays!!

========================================

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
16 oz chocolate cake frosting
2 cups multi-colored mini marshmallows
Paper cupcake cups

========================================

Melt chocolate chips in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
Remove from heat.
Stir in cake frosting.
Fold in marshmallows.
Let stand for 15 minutes, or until mixture is cool enough to handle.
Divide mixture in half.
Pour mixture onto sheet of plastic wrap.
Shape each half into a 9x2" log.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate until firm.
With a thin sharp knife, cut each log into 1/2" thick slices.
Serve each slice in a paper cupcake cup.

========================================

Fried Pickles

========================================

Dee-lish-us!!!

========================================

Flour
Dry ranch dressing mix
Sliced dill pickles
Cooking oil
Bottled ranch salad dressing for dipping

========================================

Mix the flour and dry ranch dressing mix in a bowl.
Coat pickle slices with flour mixture.
Deep fry the coated pickles for about 40 seconds under medium heat.
Serve with ranch salad dressing as a dip.

========================================  

Pizza Quesadillas

========================================

6 flour tortillas (7-inch)
1/2 cup pizza sauce
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
sliced pepperoni, olives, peppers, mushrooms, or anything else you like on a pizza

========================================

Spread some of the pizza sauce on a tortilla.
Pile on your favorite pizza toppings.
Sprinkle cheese on top.
Lay another tortilla on top.
Broil in oven until cheese is melted and tortilla is slightly browned (be careful, it may only take about 30 seconds to a minute).
Turn and broil until the other side is slightly browned.
Cut each tortilla into four quarters and serve with marinara sauce, if desired.

========================================

Asian Salad

========================================

This is another incredible dish....incredible!

========================================

1 stick butter
6 oz ramen noodles, crushed (do not use the flavor packets)
1 cup slivered almonds
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 lb shredded cabbage
1 bunch sliced green onions (green and white pieces)

========================================

Melt butter in large skillet.
Add ramen noodles, almonds and sesame seeds and heat until browned.
Remove from heat and cool completely.
In a small sauce pan, bring the oil, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce to a boil.
Remove from heat and cool completely.
Combine the cabbage and onions.
Add the noodle mixture and the dressing mixture.
Toss to coat.
Chill for about an hour and stir once more before serving.

========================================

Piccadilly Carrot Souffle

========================================

This is so good!  If you have had it at Piccadilly Cafeteria, you know what I'm talking about!

========================================

3 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled
1 1/2 lbs sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup flour
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 sticks butter, softened
Powdered sugar

========================================

Preheat oven to 350°.
Steam or boil carrots until extra soft.
Drain well.
While carrots are warm, add sugar, baking powder and vanilla.
Whip with mixer until smooth.
Add flour and mix well.
Whip eggs and add to the flour mixture.
Add butter and blend well.
Pour into a 9x13 baking dish.
Bake for about an hour.
Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.

========================================

Raspberry Cherry Pie

========================================

I make this every year to replace the traditional cherry pie during holidays.  Always a hit!

========================================

10 oz frozen red raspberries
2 cups canned sour pitted cherries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
milk & sugar (to top the crust)

========================================

Thaw raspberries (save the juice).
Add enough cherry juice to the raspberry juice to make 1 cup of liquid.
In a sauce pan, mix sugar, corn starch, butter and salt.
Stir in the cup of juices.
Add cherries and cook until thickened.
Remove from heat and very gently stir in raspberries.
Pour mixture into a pie crust.
Add top crust.
Seal edges, moisten top with milk, sprinkle with sugar. 
Cut steam vents in top crust.
Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes.

========================================

Squash Casserole

========================================

4 cups cooked squash
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 cups bread crumbs (if you use seasoned, omit the salt)
2 sticks butter or margarine, melted
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 can canned milk
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 large can French-fried onions

========================================

Preheat oven to 375°.
Spray 9x13 baking dish with Pam.
Combine all ingredients except French-fried onions.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle onions on top.
Bake an additional 10 minutes.

========================================

Crock Pot Beef Roast

========================================

6 onions, sliced
1 bottle red wine
10 cloves garlic, sliced
1 beef roast

========================================

Put everything in the crock pot and cook on low 8-10 hours.

========================================

Idea:  Serve with mashed potatoes (blend some cooked garlic from the crock pot into your potatoes.)

========================================

Crock Pot Beef Stew

========================================

3 carrots, cut up
3 potatoes, cut up
2 lbs stew beef
1 cup water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
Dash of oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
3 onions, quartered
1 stalk celery, sliced

========================================

Add ingredients to crock pot in the order listed.
Stir just enough to combine spices.
Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours.

========================================

Crock Pot Turkey

========================================

This is incredible!  Nom nom!

========================================

10-12 lb turkey
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 pkg onion soup mix
1/2 cup water

========================================

Spray crock with Pam.
Add turkey to crock.
Combine cranberry sauce, soup mix and water.
Pour mixture over turkey,
Cook on high for 2 hours.
Cook on low for another 4-6 hours.
Baste periodically.

========================================

Zuppa Toscana Soup

========================================

1lb ground Italian sausage
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 large diced white onion
4 tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb Russet potatoes
1 bunch of kale, torn into pieces

========================================

Saute Italian sausage and red pepper in a large pot.
Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
In the same pan, sauté onion, bacon and garlic over low-medium heat for about 15 mins.
Add bouillon and water to the pot and heat to boiling.
Add potatoes and cook until soft, about 1/2 hour.
Add the heavy cream and cook just till thoroughly heated.
Stir in sausage and kale, heat through and serve.
Makes 6-8 servings.

========================================