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]

Oven Pork Chops w/ an Apple Cider Gravy

Made Oven Pork Chops w/ an Apple Cider gravy, Mushroom wild rice and steamed carrots.




The chops are lightly breaded and lightly fried. Cut up 1/2 to a whole onion (depends on how much you like them) and about half a container of fresh mushrooms and layer in a baking dish. Lay your lightly fried chops over the veggies. Use the drippings, flour, a lil milk, seasonings salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder...) and apple cider to make your gravy. Amounts will depend on how much you are making. (I made 5 thin chops and used about 1/3 cup milk and 1 1/2 cups cider. Pour gravy over the veggies and meat and cover with foil. Bake for approx. 30 minutes, until meat is cooked thru and veggies are tender.


[from doodiebug30]

I might make this again in a week or two and try adding apple slices in the dish as well.

Stir Fry

Tonight is one of my "go-to" meals. It is kind of a hodge-podgey stirfry. I always thow tons of veggies in this. You could use any veggies you want. I will list the ones I typically use. I make a lot to have leftovers for lunches for DH and I. My family loves this and eats a lot of it! Use a big skillet if you plan on making this much. Or spilt in two skillets.




Ingredients:

2 packages of Polish Kielbasa sliced into coins.(There are several kinds, I use a lean one made with turkey)

Any kind of veggie you want to add. I normally add:

Chopped green/red/yellow peppers

Broccoli florets

Chopped celery

Sliced mushrooms

Sliced carrots

Cherry tomatoes halved

Brown rice



Directions: Add kielbasa first to begin browning. Then start chopping and adding veggies. I add carrots and broccoli first as they take the longest. I cook my veggies till pretty soft as Emma still only has 6 teeth but that is up to you. Then I add celery, peppers and tomatoes. Mushrooms come last. Season with Italian seasoning. Cook until veggies are the way you want them. Serve over bed of rice and top with parmesan cheese.

[from Molly]

Stir Fry

tonight is a stir fry recipe from my neighbor...i'll let you know how it turns out, but it smells great so far:




chicken or tofu (i used 3 chicken tenders)
1 small onion
8 oz mushrooms (i only had half a package, so just use what you have9
10 oz spinach or kale (we are using kale)
1T thyme
1T (to taste) soy sauce
olive oil



using stir fry pan (i use a wok) cook chicken or tofu in olive oil at med high heat and season with salt, pepper, thyme and soy sauce. set aside

add more oil to the pan. throw in diced onion and sliced mushrooms. saute.

add chopped spinach or kale, turning until wilted. this takes a bit of space, so if you pan isn't large, i would set aside the onions/mushrooms first. also drizzle with soy sauce. kale takes longer than spinach, so take that into account.

add in chicken and stir. test seasonings. serve over white or brown rice.



ps: caroline doesn't do well with kale, so she will have the chicken and rice with chopped baby carrots (raw). :)

[from Rochelle]

Stuffed Mushrooms

20 medium Mushrooms
3 tbs Butter
2 tbs finely chopped Onions
2 tbs finely chopped Red Bell Pepper
14 Ritz crackers, finely crushed
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
½ tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbs Pepper Sauce
Dash Garlic powder
2-3 cloves fresh minced Garlic
¼ Frozen Spinach, thawed and warmed
OPTIONAL: ¼ cup Mozzarella cheese



*Preheat oven to 400. Remove stems from mushrooms. Finely chop enough of the stems to measure ¼ cup; set aside. Cover and refrigerate remaining stems for later use.

*Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add chopped stems, onions and peppers; cook until veggies are tender. Thaw and heat the spinach.

*Stir in cracker crumbs, cheeses and seasoning. Spoon mixture evenly into mushroom caps and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until heated through.

*Can be stuffed several hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Baking time is 20 minutes.

[from doodiebug30]

Plowman Salad

We make salad a whole lot. We tend to put in it whatever is in season, but here is what we strive for:


Green leaf lettuce

Spinach

Cheese cut into small cubes

Tomatoes

Broccoli

Carrots, sliced

cucumber

mushrooms



Mix together and eat with your favorite dressing.



You could also add grilled chicken, onions, boiled eggs...whatever sounds good to you.

[from Valerie]

Laura's Salad

Lettuce and/or Spinach as desired

Bacon, cooked and crumbled

red onion

Cheese

Mandarine oranges

Mushrooms

Slivered Almonds



Mix salad ingredients. Add dressing


Poppyseed Dressing

3/4 cup vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup dry mustard



Blend in blender. Then add:

1 1/2 cups oil


Blend.


Pour into serving container. Then add:


1 1/2 T poppyseeds


My recipe says do not blend, but I shake it up before pouring/using.

This makes a lot.

[from Valerie]

Poppyseed Salad

1 bag fresh spinach

3/4 c fresh mushrooms

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 red onion

1 head lettuce

1 cup grated swiss cheese



Mix salad ingredients except cottage cheese. Pour dressing on top and add cottage cheese when ready to serve.
This doesn't keep well, so make what you will eat at the time.




Poppyseed Dressing
3/4 cup vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup dry mustard



Blend in blender. Then add:

1 1/2 cups oil


Blend.


Pour into serving container. Then add:
1 1/2 T poppyseeds


My recipe says do not blend, but I shake it up before pouring/using.

This makes a lot.

[from Valerie]

Sausage and Mushroom Polenta "Lasagna" (Master Recipe)

Made this last night...YUM!
Sausage and Mushroom Polenta "Lasagna" (Master Recipe)

•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling

•2 tablespoons unsalted butter

•1/2 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (I used chicken sausage)

•1 portobello mushroom , stem removed

•1 small yellow onion , chopped

•4 large cloves garlic , chopped

•2 sprigs fresh rosemary , leaves stripped and finely chopped

•1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

•Salt

•finely ground black pepper

•1/2 cup chicken stock or broth

•Zest and juice of 1 lemon

•2 cups ricotta cheese

•1 egg

•1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

•1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

•1 tube (24 ounces) prepared polenta , plain or flavored, cut into 21 disks about 1/4-inch thick

•1 cup shredded mozzarella



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of EVOO (twice around the pan) and the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the sausage, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. While the sausage is starting to brown, cut the portobello mushroom in half and then thinly slice and add to the sausage. Chop and add to the pan as you go the onions, garlic and rosemary. Season the sausage and mushrooms with the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Once everything is in the pan, the sausage is lightly browned, and the mushrooms and onions have wilted, add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Continue to cook over high heat until the liquids have evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.

While the sausage and mushrooms are cooking down in the liquid, in a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with the egg, lemon zest, Parmigiano, and the breadcrumbs.

Brush an 8-inch spring form pan or an 8" x 8" baking dish with a little EVOO and place 7 disks of the polenta on the bottom of the dish. If they overlap a little that's fine; it will vary depending on what kind of dish you are using. Divide the sausage and mushroom mixture into 3 even portions. Do the same with ricotta mixture.

Using the back of a spoon, spread one third of the ricotta mixture on top of the polenta. Don't make yourself crazy doing this—just mush it out over the polenta. Top the ricotta with a third of the sausage and mushrooms. Repeat the layers two more times, starting with the polenta and finishing with a sausage and mushroom layer. Sprinkle the top with the mozzarella. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, transfer to the oven, and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. To make sure it is cooked through, insert a knife into the center of the dish, wait a few seconds, and then remove it. Touch the knife with your fingertips and if it is hot, the lasagna is done. Remove from the spring form (or cut loose from the baking dish) and serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raegan, that sounds very yummy! I have never seen prepared polenta in a tube. What part of the grocery is that in?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I always find it in produce. At Wal-Mart it's where all the stuff like Tofurkey is. :) It's refrigerated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[from Raegan]

Green Pepper Casserole

Last night was green pepper casserole




· 3 green peppers chopped into squares
· ½-1 cup long grain rice (just not instant)
· 1 can diced tomatoes
· 1 can tomato sauce
· ½ large onion diced
· A couple of cloves of garlic minced

· A little water if necessary

· 1- 1.5 lb ground beef

· 1 ½ -2 cups shredded mozz. cheese


Last night I threw in some left over mushrooms too and it was good




Brown beef and drain excess fat. While browning, do your chopping. After browned, mix all ingredients in a 13x9 dish. (spray dish with pam before adding mixture)


*The actual recipe only calls for ½ c rice and ½ c water. I like a little more rice and more “tomato-ey” so I add the can of tomato sauce. You don’t really need the water since you are adding the tomato sauce, but I do just to make sure all rice gets plump.


Bake at 350 covered for 1 hour. Give it a little stir about ½ way so rice on top gets to some liquid. Take off cover for the last 5 min and add cheese to the top. Put it back in till cheese is melty and bubbly.

[from Molly]

Upside Down Deep-DishPizza

Upside Down Deep-DishPizza

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• seasonings (garlic powder, italian seasoning, etc...
• 1 jar spaghettie sauce
• 2 cups mozzarellla cheese
• 1 pkg broccoli, thawed
• 1 refrigerated pizza crust
• **optional: olives, mushrooms...

*brown you meat and onion. Add seasonings. Drain off any fat.

*Add jar of sauce and bring to simmer. I add mushrooms at this point.

*Nuke broccoli for a few minutes to thaw and warm.
*Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray. Spread broccoli across dish. Pour meat and sauce over evenly. Cover with cheese. Spread, pizza dough across dish; covering it from side to side, but not overlapping the dish.

*Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Brush with egg white if you want the crust shiny and golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

[from doodiebug30]