Warm Tomato, Avacado and Arugula Sala

Okay I have been trying to get back into last years bathing suit so some of my up and coming recipes might be low fat and healthy but don't despair! I also believe in moderation so some high calorie mouth-watering pasta dishes will always be part of my future too! For this dish use Compari tomatoes if you can find them. They are so amazing in this salad. Also to turn this into a complete meal add some grilled chicken and dinner is served or do what I did and just serve it as a side salad. It's all good!

Ingredients: Serves 4

6-8 Compari tomatoes sliced in half and roasted

4 cups of arugula or one bag

1 avocado sliced

1/4 cup of thinly sliced red onion

1.5 tbs of feta cheese

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tbs lemon juice

Directions:

Slice tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and olive oil and place in a non-stick sprayed pan

Roast on middle rack at 400 for 20 minutes (should be wilting and juicy but not burned)

Rinse and toss arugula with onions and avocado

Remove tomatoes from oven and sprinkle with feta cheese

Add tomatoes, cheese and any pan dripping to top of salad

Mix a bowl of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice and alittle fresh black pepper and sea salt

Pour evenly over salad and serve right away!

Crock Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta

This is a great dish to make when you are busy and don't have time to cook! Its a little hot so at the end of the directions I will post some variations for those who prefer more mild tastes. Come on girls and guys get those crock pots out and dust them off and lets get some absent cooking done:)

Ingredients: Serves 6

1-1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in strips

2 tbs melted butter

1/8-1/4 cup creole seasonings (mine is basically a mix of paprika, cayenne pepper and onion salt)

1 jar of Alfredo sauce

1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 cup of chicken broth

1 package of sliced mushrooms

1 box of spaghetti or linguine

Directions:

Spray inside of crock pot with nonstick spray

Place chicken strips in a gallon size zip lock bag

Add butter and creole seasoning and shake until chicken is well coated

Place chicken into crock pot

Cover chicken with Alfredo sauce, tomatoes, chicken broth and mushrooms

Cook on low for 8-10 hours

Make pasta cook al dente and toss with finished sauce

Serve and enjoy...make sure you have something cool to drink nearby

Now if you don't like hot food but love the simplicity of crock pot cooking

Just switch out the butter and creole seasonings for Italian dressing

And use plain diced tomatoes

Add other veggies ( if you want too) and then top with grated cheese

It will still be easy and good :)

Valentines Vodka Sauce or Penne Alla Vodka

Want to impress your Valentine? Make them vodka sauce, it is such a lovely pink color that its perfect for Valentines Day or any day really. Forget Chocolate! This is my ultimate guilty pleasure! Enjoy it!!!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup diced red onion

1 tbs jarred minced garlic

2.5 tbs of diced pancetta

1/2 cup of vodka

1 stick of salted butter

2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes

1 cup of heavy cream

1 cup of grated Romano cheese

Dried basil to season

Directions: Serves 8

Heat olive oil in a saute pan

Add onions, garlic, and pancetta and saute until browned

Remove from burner and add vodka

Return to burner and add tomatoes, butter, and cream

Add cheese & basil and stir well until melted

Simmer on low heat stirring often

Cook pasta al dente in water according to directions

Strain and toss with sauce in large serving bowl

Top with grated cheese and fresh black pepper and serve!

Rocky's Pasta Fagioli

Here is another family favorite that I learned how to make from my Grandfather. This recipe is slightly modified from his (shhhhh...don't ever tell him). On a cold New York night there is just nothing better then Rocky's Pasta Fagioli!!

Ingredients:

3-4 tbs of olive oil

1 medium yellow onion diced

6-9 garlic cloves sliced in to thin slivers

2 tbs of diced pancetta

48oz of chicken broth

28oz can of crushed tomatoes

14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 can of cannelloni beans rinsed and drained

1 can of red or pink beans rinsed and drained

1-2 tsp of dried basil

1 lb of seashell pasta

Directions: Serves 6-8

Saute oil, garlic, onion and pancetta in a large soup pot until browned on med heat

Lower heat and add broth and crushed & diced tomatoes and basil

Bring to a boil

Rinse and drain beans and add to soup pot

Lower heat and simmer for an hour

Make pasta according to directions al dente

Add to soup pot and serve

Top with fresh black pepper and grated Romano cheese!

Chicken & Black Bean Quesa-Easy-Dilla

I swear this is the perfect recipe. It's easy to make and easy on a budget. It's filling and good for you and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand so its a staple in my house.

Chicken & Black bean Quesadillas 6 servings

Ingredients:

2.5 cups of shredded Chicken

1 can of rinsed and drained black beans

1/2 can of rinsed and drained corn

1 drained can of Rotel tomatoes with green chile's

1/2 cup diced red onion(optional)

6 large burrito style flour tortillas

One bag of shredded cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Mix beans, corn, tomatoes and chicken in a large mixing bowl

Place a tortilla on a sheet of aluminium foil.

Sprinkle one side with 1/8 cup of cheese

Add 1/6Th of the chicken mixture

Top chicken with 1/8 cup of cheese and fold tortilla in half

Wrap in aluminium foil

Bake at 400 for twenty-twenty-five minutes turning once halfway through baking

Cut into four triangular pieces with a pizza wheel

Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole!

Holy Crepe!

I have had this jar of Nutella staring at me for way to long, just begging to be put to good use. I also happened to have a banana that in one more day would be a shade beyond edible, when it came to me… CREPES! I have never made them before but have eaten my share. So here is my first attempt. It went pretty well but next time I would try to get them a bit thinner and make sure to brown them nicely before taking them off the heat.

I got the crepe recipe here and think it is a pretty good. I think the next time I do a sweet crepe I will add a splash of vanilla. I would also love to try to make some homemade Nutella but that is another story...

Banana & Nutella Crepes- Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 bananas

a jar of Nutella

Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

• Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

• Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. This will make about 8 crepes depending on how accurate you are with your scooping.

• Spread about a tablespoon of Nutella into each crepe.

• Cut bananas into 1/4" slices divide evenly between crepes.

• Roll up, sprinkle on some powdered sugar to make look pretty, and enjoy!

On a side note, as I surfed the web in an attempt to avoid some work I need to do, I came across this, which makes this post more timely than I knew. This is one to put on the calendar for next year!

Garlic Lovers Mashed Potatoes

I make these mashed potatoes to top my Shepherds Pizzaiola Pie Recipe which is the following post on this blog. But you can serve them as a side dish as well. And if you are not a garlic lover then just omit or put less garlic. Most of my recipes are adjustable to taste but this one if left alone may also work as vampire repellent :) I forgot to take a picture of these when they were done so I quickly snapped a shot of my toddlers dinner plate before she ate them all up. She is only two years old and didn't mind all of that garlic!

Ingredients:
1 bag of potatoes peeled, washed and chopped up(roughly 9-10potatoes)
1 stick of salted butter
2 Tbs minced jarred garlic
1 cup of chicken broth
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tbs of salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Peel, wash, and chop potatoes













Place in large soup pot and fill with water until potatoes are covered
Boil for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are soft
Drain in strainer and place them in a large mixing bowl
Add butter and mash with potato masher
Add garlic, chicken broth and milk and stir until mostly smooth
Add salt and pepper and Serve-makes 4 servings

Shepherds Pizzaiola Pie

I'm not a huge fan of one pot meals or casseroles but my husband is. So now and then I make one for him and this is one of his favorites. I actually came up with this recipe by accident when I once had leftover bolognese sauce and leftover mashed potatoes. A light bulb turned on in my mind and Shepherds Pizzaiola pie was born! Since then I have tried to perfect it to share with you! Don't be afraid to switch out the vegetables for your own favorites. I personally think this would be great with green and red roasted peppers but my hubby does not eat them :( stay tuned for my Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe that I used to top this dish.

Ingredients:
1lb of ground beef

1.5 cups of sliced mushrooms

2 cups of frozen peas & carrots
1 Drained 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic & onions

1.5 cups of marinara sauce ( any kind that You like will do)

3-4 cups of mashed potatoes(any kind will do)

1 cup of shredded mozzarella

1/8 cup of grated Romano cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Coat olive oil or cooking spray in a saute pan

Saute beef and mushrooms until browned completely on med heat

Add tomatoes, marinara sauce, and peas & carrots.

Saute for 10 minutes on med heat.

Place ground beef mixture in an ungreased baking dish
Add mashed potatoes and smooth down and across
Add cheeses and bake in oven till browned for about about twenty minutes

Serve immediately-6 servings