Three Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

This is one of my favorites.  It might seem a little complicated, but if you do some prep work ahead of time, it's not bad.  I usually just buy a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking my own.  I also usually add extra spinach, and sometimes I skip the red bell pepper.  You can assemble it and freeze it too.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine (from Cooking Light magazine)

• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 3  cups  thinly sliced mushrooms
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 1  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 3  cups  chopped fresh spinach
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  (16-ounce) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese
• 4  cups  hot cooked penne (about 8 ounces uncooked tube-shaped pasta)
• 2  cups  shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2  cup  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1  (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.

Place cottage cheese in a food processor; process until very smooth. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, milk, and soup in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

[from Jaime]

Macaroni and Cheese

This is the best macncheese recipe ever! I actually did this last night.




Cook elbow macaroni (8 oz worth). Combine in a quart jar: 2 cups milk, 1/4 cup flour (I accidently put in 1/2 cup and it turned out GREAT.... never had it the other way), and 1 tsp onion salt (I used 1/2 tsp onioin powder, 1/2 tsp salt bc I didnt have onion salt). Shake vigorously for 1 min.



Combine cooked macaroni with contents in jar and 3.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese (I accidently did 4 cups :-)). Stir. Put in greased 9X13 baking dish. Decrust and tear 4 pieces of bread into litle pieces and layer on top of dish. Pour 1/4 cup butter over bread.



SO GOOD!!!! Oh, and I added ham for some added protein.

 
[from Kristin]

Shrimp and Cheesy Rice

I think we are going to do shrimp and cheesy rice tonight (Lynnae will get the cheesy rice with chicken instead and a veggie).




Cook shrimp, set aside.



Melt 1/4 cup butter in a skillet, dump in a can of cheddar cheese soup, green onions (maybe 1/4 cup or a little more), green bell pepper (1/3 cup or so), and a bunch of milk so that the the mixture is a light yellow orange color and the butter isnt overwhelming. I never measure the milk... sorry!! I put a lot in. Add pepper.. as much as you like! :) Stir with a whisk. Mix in shrimp.



Cook rice (we use instant bc its fast :)). Serve rice on plate with sauce on top.



It's really good and super easy.



[from Kristin]

German Pancakes

Here's my Grandma's German pancake recipe. She called it German pancakes because with war rations it was all they could afford to make (when you live on a farm and get free eggs and milk). Its super simple and easy to add extra stuff if you want to make it fancier




preheat oven to 400, and melt 4 tbsp butter in 9x9 pan while oven preheating
mix together:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
pinch of salt



pour into hot pan (butter will rise to the top making it look really greasy). Pop in oven for 20 mintues (but do NOT open the oven in teh first 12 minutes or it'll flop). Serve golden brown and puffy with maple syrup or your hcoice of toppings..



(I've been known to add apple bits, raisins, vanilla, cinammon, chocolate drops etc. to this mix... )

[from Harmony]

Baked Blueberry French Toast

12 slices day old bread, crust removed
16 oz cream cheese
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
12 eggs
2 cups milk
1/3 cup maple syrup



Sauce:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tbs cornstarch
1 cup fresh/frozen blueberries
1 tbs butter


*Cut bread into 1 inch cubes and place half in a greased13 x 9 inch baking dish. Cut cream cheese into 1 inch cubes, place over bread. Top with blueberries and remaining bread.

*In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and syrup; mix well. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight.

*Remove from frig. 30 minutes before baking. Cover; bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake for 25-30 minutes longer or until center is set.

*In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Stir in blueberries; reduce heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve with French Toast.



Serves 6 - 8

[from Doodiebug30]

Baked Oatmeal

3 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1/2 butter (melted)

2 eggs (beaten)

some additional milk



In mixing bowl, combine first 8 ingredients. Spoon into a greased 9 inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Serve with milk. This makes about 9 servings, and it is very heavy. You don't need much :)

[from Valerie]

Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast casserole: We make this every Christmas morning because you can make it ahead the night before and cook it in the AM.


1 dozen eggs
1/2-3/4 cup milk
6 oz sharp cheddar or spicy cheese if you like a kick
1/2 tsp mustard
1 lb of italian or sage sausage (pork or chicken)
S&P to taste
1/4 cup onion, chopped



Cook sausage and drain. Saute onion. Once sausage is cool, mix in all but cheese. Put in coated 9x13 pan. Put more cheese on top! Cook at 350 for 30 minutes and egg is set.

[from Raegan]

Dutch Baby:

I use a cast iron skillet, or a pan that can go from the stovetop to the oven.




Dutch Baby:
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt

3-4 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup sugar

cinnamon to taste

Topping:2 T melted butter, powdered sugar



Heat oven to 450. Beat eggs, milk, flour and salt. Melt butter in cast iron skillet. Pour in batter and put in oven for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 and cook 5-10 minutes.
In a separate pan, cook apples with butter, sugar and cinnamon. I use less sugar usually.
(The bigger the skillet, the shorter the time needed in the oven. It will puff up, so don't freak out like I did the first time. :) I thought it was going horribly wrong.)

When it comes out of the oven, slide it on a new dish/plate. Pour apples on it and fold in half (like a giant taco). :) Sprinkle with butter and powdered sugar.



One of my fav breakfast recipes!!

[from Raegan]

French Toast Casserole

· 1 pound loaf Italian Bread or other hard bread
· 8 ounces cream cheese or light cream cheese
· ½ c brown sugar, divided
· ½ tsp. vanilla or almond extract
· ½ c. chopped pecans or no nuts
· 4 eggs

· 2 c. Milk

· 1 tsp. cinnamon

· 2 TBSP. butter, melted

· Cut bread into cubes. Place half of bread cubes into greased 9x13 baking dish.


· Microwave the cream cheese until melted, stirring midway. Stir 1/4 c. of the sugar and the extract into the melted cream cheese. Pour this mixture over the bread cubes (will not completely cover the bread). Sprinkle nuts over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining bread cubes.


· In a bowl, beat the remaining sugar, eggs, milk, cinnamon and melted butter together. Pour over bread cubes.


· Freeze at this point or let sit in refrigerator overnight.


· Bake at 350 deg. F for 35 minutes. Serve with warm syrup or fruit toppings

[from Lauren]

Crab-Cheese Dip

*Makes 4 cups
*Bake @ 350 for 30 min.


½ cup light mayo
8 oz. pkg. light cream cheese
2 tbs skim milk
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 tbs lemon juice
1tbs hot pepper sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp garlic powder
½ cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pound crab meat (real or imitation)
¼ cup parsley, chopped



1. Heat oven to 350. Spray a shallow baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.

2. Stir together mayo, cream cheese, milk, scallions, lemon juice, red pepper sauce, Worcestershire. Sauce, garlic powder and ¼ of the cheese

3. Gently stir in crab meat (chop fine for imitation). Spoon evenly into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle parsley over top. Serve warm with baked tortilla chips.



*Per 2 tbs: 46 calories,0 fiber, 3 g fat.
*I also make this using fat free mayo & fat freecream cheese. It is not as creamy, but still tastes good and is SOO low in fat.
*I also make this with spinach in place of the crab, for a vegetarian version

[from doodiebug30]

Hungarian Style Chili with Cheesy Polenta

Hungarian Style Chili with Cheesy Polenta


Ingredients

•2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

•2 pounds coarse ground sirloin

•1 red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped

•1 red bell pepper, chopped

•1 large onion, chopped

•4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

•Salt and pepper

•1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, a palmful and a half

•1 1/2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika

•1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano, 1/3 palmful

•1/4 cup tomato paste

•1 quart beef stock

•1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock

•1 1/2 cups milk

•1 cup quick cooking polenta

•2 tablespoons butter

•1 cup shredded Gouda or smoked Gouda

•1 cup sour cream

•Finely chopped fresh dill, parsley and chives for garnish


Preparation

Heat a large pot over medium-high to high heat. Add beef and brown 7-8 minutes. Add hot pepper, bell peppers, onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook to soften vegetables, 7-8 minutes more. Stir in chili powder, sweet paprika and oregano. Add tomato paste to pot and stir to combine, 1 minute. Add stock to pot and bring chili to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 15 minutes more.



In a separate pot, bring water or chicken stock and milk to a boil, whisk in polenta and cook 2-3 minutes until thickened. Stir in butter and cheese, season with salt and pepper.



Fill shallow bowls with polenta, make a well in the center. Fill well with ladles of chili and top with sour cream and herbs.


***Oh, I used regular instead of sweet paprika and sharp cheddar instead of Gouda and it was great!
 
[from Raegan]