Roasted Tomatoes

Ok, the point of this post is the TOMATOES...so good!!! You should make them. And put them on whatever you want, because they're amazing. Thanks to my roomie Christina for teaching me how to do this!

Step 1: Slice Maters
Step 2: Coat Maters with Olive Oil
Step 3: Add Random Spices (i.e. Italian Seasoning, Salt, Pepper, etc.)
Step 4: Lay Maters on Broiling Pan and Broil until Done (brownish on edges)
Step 5: Enjoy
Step 6: Make More!

Marinara Sauce

My friend Heather M. gave me this recipe because I have SOO many tomatoes from the garden this year and I am sick of making salsa so . . . . ya.  I haven't yet used it for anything, but it tastes amazing!!!  She says you can use it for spaghetti, stuffed shells, lasagna, any pasta really.  I am going to try it with meatballs and stuffed peppers later this week.  She also says you can either bottle it or freeze it.  I will be freezing because that is how I roll.  ha ha.

In a large stockpot, saute:
4 med. onions, diced really small (about 3 cups)
4 cloves of garlic
2 T olive oil (she said any cooking oil will work as well)

Once onions are soft add:
10-16 C diced tomatoes (I did 12 because that is what I had)
1 T oregano
1 T basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Let come to a boil reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours.  The longer the better.  Before you store and cool, take a emulsion blender and make everything nice and smooth!  Once cool, store and freeze! 

When ready to use just use as is or add ground beef or Italian sausage!  Yummy!  I am wishing I had even more tomatoes so I could make a whole freezer full!

Creamy Bow Tie Alfredo

This is so stinkin' good!!  (For those of you not allergic to dairy!)  We scarfed a double batch with just our family and we made it for our family while camping a couple weeks ago and they scarfed it too! 

The recipe was taken from a kids cookbook that we got from the library.  Enjoy!

1 box/bag bow tie noodles
3/4 C heavy cream
3 T butter
1/2 C grated Parmesan (we used store bought)
1/2 C frozen peas
nutmeg (optional)
salt/pepper

Start by cooking your pasta.  Toss with olive oil when done. 
Over medium heat, combine cream, parmesan cheese, butter, and seasonings.  Stir often until cheese and butter are melted. 
Reduce heat to med. low and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes. 

Combine pasta and sauce and stir in cooked peas.  Top with more Parmesan!  So Good!!  Freezes well.  (That is what we did for camping)  We doubled the recipe and didn't have any leftovers! So a single recipe probably serves 2-3 adults.

Minestrone Soup

1 large onion                                          6 C water                    
2 TB butter/margarine                            2- 16oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 C chopped celery                               1- 15oz. can kidney beans
3 C chopped carrots                              1- 15oz. can navy beans
1/4 C minced fresh parsley                    1 tsp. dried basil
1 C shredded cabbage                           1 tsp. oregano
Pinch of garlic salt                                 1/2 tsp. dried sage
3/4 C pasta shells                                   8 oz. tomato sauce

In stockpot, saute onion and butter. Add 1 cup water, celery, parsley, carrots, and cabbage and simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining 5 cups of water and the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Manicotti

If anyone has a really yummy recipe for this let me know . . .1 12 oz pkg manicotti shells
1 16 oz carton cottage cheese
1 16 oz carton ricotta cheese
2 C grated mozzarella
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 T parsley
1 jar spaghetti sauce

There are two ways to do this . . . cooking the shells first and not cooking the shells. I did not cook my shells because I think it is easier to work with that way. If you want to cook your shells then skip this first step . . .

In casserole dish, pour half jar of spaghetti sauce and 1 C HOT water. (If using cooked shells, then don't add water). Mix all cheeses, eggs, and parsley in bowl.

Fill each shell with cheese until it spills out both ends. I used a pastry/frosting thingy to fill them. ( I don't know what it's called!!! ha ha ) Place shell in pan. Top with sauce and sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. (The recipe didn't say if you don't add these cheeses in with the cheese mixture or if this was extra? I added extra.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Recipe courtesy of Family Dinner Cookbook

Kids Alfredo

I have mentioned this before, but with my husband working graveyards half of the week every week, I have a tendency to only cook have the week and the other half of the week I kind of make up. Kids are great for that reason. They don't really care as long as it's edible. :)

Fettuccine or angel hair pasta
favorite Alfredo sauce
Parmesan cheeseNo directions needed I hope. :)

Daddy's Homemade Mac n' Cheese

This dinner is one of the girls favorites and they are always requesting it. One day I made it and spiced it up with Gouda, breadcrumbs, and cayenne pepper and nobody liked it! From that day on it has been known as DADDY's homemade, because Mommy can't seem to get it right. :)

Because I am not the master of this recipe and Bryan doesn't measure I HOPE that I am getting all the amounts right. You might have to play around with it.
2 C elbow macaroni
3/4 stick of butter
1 C flour
milk (no idea how much)
salt, pepper
3 T onion powder
1 1/2 C + shredded cheddar cheese

While your macaroni is boiling, in medium saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. When butter is completely melted, add flour. Stir together until it's nice and creamy, kind of like the consistency of peanut butter. Then very slowly add milk. Just add a little at first, about 1 C until your flour mixture has blended in with your milk. (You are making a white sauce btw)

When the sauce is nice and smooth, add more milk. When Bryan makes it he usually fills the pan about 3/4 full. Then continue stirring. If it isn't thickening up, add more flour. Then add your spices to taste. "Daddy's homemade" has a very onion powdery taste (obviously from the 3 T) but that is what the girls love and what makes his so special.

Then add your cheese, stirring constantly until melted.

Drain noodles and add sauce. Serve with salt and pepper and hot dogs. Enjoy.
Another reason why the girls like this recipe so much is the fact that this is NOT baked. They like it saucy. :)

Panko Crusted Chicken w/Fettuccine

This recipe doesn't have any pictures, FYI. It is also very ghetto, fast, and easy, which I love.

5-6 chicken tenders
2 eggs
1 C panko breadcrumbs, or just regular breadcrumbs
1 box fettuccine
1 jar your favorite Alfredo sauce

Start boiling fettuccine in salted water. Meanwhile whisk eggs together until nicely scrambled. Then dredge chicken in egg and then in breadcrumbs. Put olive oil in fry pan and fry chicken about 4 minutes each side or until chicken is cooked through.

When noodles are done, drain, cover with favorite Alfredo sauce and voila - yummy dinner for family of 5!

You could either leave chicken whole or dice up and put on top of noodles. We left it whole.

Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Beef Stroganoff

1 package egg noodles
1 lb ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 carton sour cream
1 T onion powder
salt and pepper

Cook noodles, drain, and set aside. Meanwhile brown hamburger and season with salt and pepper and onion powder. Add soup and sour cream and simmer until simmering and heated through.
Serve over noodles or rice.

(The stroganoff I had growing up as a kid was not like this at all. I remember it being more orange. I also remember that I didn't like it very much. Care to enlighten me Momma? :)

Lasagna

So, I am no Ina Garden, or whatever her name is, so you won't find any Italian Sausage or Ricotta Cheese here. My lasagna is all about simplicity and affordable. It's dang good too. This recipe is for you my Show Low friends. 6-9 lasagna noodles
1 jar your favorite Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb ground beef
1 diced onion
1 T Italian Seasoning
1 big carton of cottage cheese
2 C grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 T parsley
salt and pepper

Cook lasagna noodles. Meanwhile brown hamburger and onions. Season beef with salt and pepper and your favorite Italian Seasoning, which mainly consists of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram. Slowly stir in spaghetti sauce, remove from heat, and set aside.

Your noodles should be done cooking by now, so remove them and place on tin foil to dry. You don't want to put them in still dripping or your lasagna will be dripping. :)

In medium size bowl mix cottage cheese, 1 C mozzarella (half of it), parmesan, egg, and parsley.

Preheat oven to 375. Time to start the layers :) Start with a spoonful (probably about a half cup) of meat mixture on bottom - to prevent sticking. Then a layer of noodles, then cheese. And repeat until you have 3 layers of noodles. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese, cover with tin foil, and bake for 1 hour. Take the tin foil off the last 10 minutes and let the cheese get all toasty :)

Enjoy! Serve with yummy garlic bread and your favorite salad.