Monday, February 9, 2009

Seafood Tomato Alfredo


from Campbell's Kitchen


Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup diced canned tomato
1 lb. fresh fish fillet (flounder, haddock or halibut), cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups hot cooked linguine


Directions:

Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook until it’s tender.

Stir in the soup, milk and tomatoes. Heat to a boil.

Add the fish to the skillet and reduce the heat to low.

Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serve over linguine.

Serves 4




Make it cheaper . . .

Leave out the fish and make veggie pasta by adding broccoli, cauliflower . . . veggie leftovers would be perfect.

This would also be good with rice . . .

An idea for leftovers of this meal . . . use the sauce with some rice in a frittata!


Sunday, February 8, 2009

Frittata




I'm bumping up this article on Frittata since I consider this one of the best "cheap meals" ever. It is one of my favorite recipes to go to when I am low on funds and have leftovers. Since I eat rice often, I've perfected my frittatas and vary them often.

Last night I made a basic Broccoli Frittata and decided to add some seasoned bread crumbs to the mix and it was AWESOME. I was low on many ingredients that I normally use in my frittata . . . so this was very basic . . . rice, broccoli, egg, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and a handful of seasoned bread crumbs . . . seems like you can't mess this up!

Frittata is a type of Italian omelet that frequently features fillings such as meats, cheeses, and vegetables . . . the main ingredient is usually rice or pasta. This is one of my favorite meals that is great with a salad.


My way of cooking has changed since becoming a widow and cooking for one. I always cooked as if I had a large family since my husband and I always had company just showing up and ended up eating dinner with us. That practice taught me how to cook using leftovers and has come in handy now that it is just me. Especially since I really don't want to eat the same meal night after night and hate to freeze food that I end up throwing away.

The frittata is one of those versatile meals you can throw together fast and vary the ingredients to what you have on hand. My cooking style does not take a recipe and follow it . . . I use it as a guide.

The frittata is perfect for my type of cooking. For instance, I've never used the frozen chopped broccoli . . . since I eat lots of fresh steamed broccoli or green beans, I use the left overs . . . whatever I have left. If I have leftover mushrooms, they go in too. You get the idea. You can also vary the type of rice or substitute rice with any type of pasta.

You can't really mess it up! Just experiment, try to keep the ratios balanced, using the basic ingredients and have fun with it!


Here is a recipe for a Broccoli Frittata that I use as a guide:


2 1/2 tbsp onion, chopped


1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli (cooked and drained)


2 1/2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese


1/4 cup milk


1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded


2 tbsp. butter or margarine


1 small garlic clove, crushed


1 cup Rice, cooked


2 eggs, slightly beaten


1/2 tsp. salt


dash of pepper . . . great with cayenne or red pepper if you like hot



Saute onion in butter until tender. Do not brown. Add broccoli, garlic, rice and Parmesan cheese, mix well. Combine eggs, milk and seasonings. Stir into rice mixture. Turn into well-buttered shallow 1 qt casserole dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until set. Makes 2 servings.



Double Fudge Cream Cheese Brownies



BROWNIES:


1 cup butter or margarine
4 (1-oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips


FILLING:

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbs. margarine or butter, softened
3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 Tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla




Heat oven to 350.

In 2-quart saucepan combine 1 cup butter and unsweetened chocolate.

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until melted
(4-6 minutes).

Stir in remaining brownie ingredients except chocolate chips.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread half of batter into greased 13x9 pan.

In small bowl stir together all filling ingredients. Spread over brownie mixture.

Spoon remaining batter over cream cheese. (Batter will not entirely cover cream cheese mixture).

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.



Source: Land O'Lakes Butter



Saturday, February 7, 2009

Broccoli and Pasta Bianco

from Campbell's Kitchen

Prep Time: 20 min.
Bake Time: 25 min.


Ingredients:
1 pkg. (1 pound) uncooked penne pasta (about 6 cups)
4 cups fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese


Directions:
Heat the oven to 350°F.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add the broccoli for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain the pasta and broccoli well in a colander.

Stir the soup, milk and black pepper in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Stir in the pasta mixture, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the pasta mixture is hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted.

Tip: Creamy white pastas like this one taste great with the tang and heat of crushed red pepper flakes. Serve it on the side.



Serves 8.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Cherry Cheese Pie

This recipe comes from the Eagle Brand Milk label and has been one of my favorite recipes for as long as I can remember. Very convenient recipe when I want to make something that is awesome and easy . . .



9-inch graham cracker crust or baked pie shell
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
21 oz. can cherry pie filling, chilled

In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy.

Gradually beat in milk until smooth.

Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.

Pour into prepared crust.

Chill 3 hours or until set.

Top with pie filling before serving.

Refrigerate leftovers.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Buffalo-Style Chicken Nachos

Serves: 6
Prep. time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

- 2 cups diced cooked chicken
- 1/3 cup FRANK'S® RED HOT® Sauce
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 bag (10 ounces) tortilla chips
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese

In bowl, toss chicken with RedHot Sauce and butter. Layer chips, chicken
mixture and cheese in baking dish.

Bake nachos at 350F for 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Garnish as
desired.

Splash on more Red Hot Sauce to taste.


Source: FRENCH'S® Cookbook

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Easy Pina Colada Coffee Cake

1-1/2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple, packed in fruit juice, drained, with 1/3 cup
liquid reserved
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons water
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp rum extract
2 TBS flaked coconut


Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Spray an 8x8 baking pan with butter-flavored cooking spray. In a
large bowl, combine the Bisquick and sugar. Add pineapple, reserved
pineapple juice, sour cream, and water. Mix gently just to combine.
Stir in coconut and rum extracts.

Evenly spread batter into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle coconut
evenly over the top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the
center comes out clean.

Place baking dish on a wire rack and let cool for at least 15
minutes.

Cut into 8 servings

Sunday, January 18, 2009

German Chocolate Pie

4 oz. German chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 unbaked 10-inch pie crust

TOPPING:
1-1/3 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans


Heat oven to 375.

In microwave, melt chocolate and butter on a low setting in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Stir several times during melting process to prevent burning.

When chocolate is melted, stir in sugar, salt, vanilla, cornstarch and beaten eggs until well blended.

Stir in evaporated milk until smooth.

Pour into pie shell.

Mix coconut and pecans together.

Sprinkle them evenly over the chocolate mixture.

Use a knife to cut through the coconut into the chocolate mixture in several places.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is set.

(The pie center puffs slightly and the top begins to crack when it is done. If the crust becomes too brown, place a piece of foil over the top of the entire pie for the final 15 minutes of baking.)

A dollop of whipped cream can be added if desired.

Source: 53rd Annual Cookbook - The Parkersburg News & Sentinel, 11/2007

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Pork Fajitas

2 Tbs. fresh lime or lemon juice
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1 lb. pork cutlets (6 to 8), cut in 2-inch long, 1/2-inch wide strips
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas, stacked and wrapped in foil
1 large onion, halved and cut in thin strips
1 large red bell pepper, cut in thin strips
Salsa, optional

1. Mix lime juice, 1 Tbs. oil, the garlic, hot-pepper sauce, cumin and salt in a plastic food storage bag. Add pork, close bag and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile heat oven to 350. Place wrapped tortillas in oven and heat 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off oven (keep tortillas in oven until ready to use).

3. Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and pepper and cook 7 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp-tender.

4. Add pork, increase heat to high and stir-fry 3 minutes or until pork is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

5. To make fajitas, fill each tortilla and about 1/2 cup pork mixture, top with salsa and roll up.

Serves 4.

Source: 50 Best-Ever, Super-Easy Meals, Woman's Day, February 22, 1994
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