Cheesy Lasagna Rolls With Spinach and Ricotta

Ingredients:

Salt
1/2 pound (8 to 10) uncooked lasagna noodles
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups prepared marinara
1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add noodles and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well and gently transfer to a clean work surface.
Grease a small roasting pan or casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside. Working with one noodle at a time, spread with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta and 2 tablespoons of the marinara then top with spinach. Starting at one end, roll up noodle snugly then arrange in pan either seam-side down or with the rolls close enough together to hold each other closed. Pour remaining marinara over assembled rolls then sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until golden and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6.

Nutritional information per serving (about 7oz/189g-wt.): 350 calories (100 from fat), 11g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 35mg cholesterol, 670mg sodium, 47g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 9g sugar), 16g protein

via www.yumsugar.com

Butter-pecan Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

8 medium sweet potatoes (5 lbs.), or one per person
olive oil
course salt
2 T. butter, cut into small pieces
2 T. light brown sugar
1/3 c. pecan pieces
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes and halve lengthwise; slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil (we brush it on both sides); season with salt.
Transfer half the potatoes to a second baking sheet; cook both sheets until potatoes are tender, tossing occasionally, 25-30 minutes.
Sprinkle with butter, brown sugar, pecan pieces and cayenne pepper, dividing evenly. Bake until sugar is carmelized and hard, about 10 minutes. Toss gently; serve immediately. Serves 8.
***I got this recipe from the Martha Stewart website. I used to only make it for holidays, but we love it so much we make it more often. I double the topping ingredients when I make it.

via kimmccrary.blogspot.com

MONTEREY CHICKEN

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. bar-b-que sauce ( I use Bull's Eye)
1/4 c. real bacon bits
1 c. colby and jack cheese, shredded
1 14 oz. can Rotel tomatoes, drained (canned with green chilies added)
sliced green onions
pepper



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pound out chicken breasts to flatten. Season with pepper. Grill chicken until no long pink (we used our George Foreman grill) and place on baking sheet covered with foil. Top each chicken breast with one tablespoon bar-b-que sauce, 1/4 c. cheese, 1/4 c. tomatoes, green onions and one tablespoon of bacon bits. Place in oven and bake until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).

***This is the first time we marinated the chicken breasts before cooking and they were great. You don't have to though. Marinade: 1/4 c. olive oil, 2 T. soy sauce, 2 tsp. McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning. (We only marinade about a half hour or the meat gets too salty for us.)

via kimmccrary.blogspot.com

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:
(serves 2-3)

6 ripe tomatoes – cut into chunks
3 carrots – peeled and sliced into discs
1 green or red bell pepper – cut into chunks
1 yellow onion – cut into chunks
5 cloves of garlic – halved
6-8 fresh basil leaves (or Season with Spice's American dried basil leaves)
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
2 tsp of Season with Spice's Sweet Spanish Paprika
Dash of Season with Spice's Moroccan Thyme
1/2 tsp Season with Spice's freshly ground Tellicherry Black Pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 cup milk
Dab of butter
Olive oil



Instructions:

1. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil into a deep frying pan, and heat on high. When hot, toss in the garlic and onion and sauté until lightly browned. Then add in the carrot and sauté until lightly browned.
2. Add in another tablespoon of olive oil, along with the bell pepper and tomatoes. Cook on medium fire until tomatoes are softened. Turn heat off and let cool while completing next step.
3. In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Heat on low.
4. Add the cooked veggies into a blender, along with the fresh basil leaves. Blend on low speed to desired texture.
5. Add the blended mixture into the large pot, stir well with the broth, and cook on medium fire until soup thickens to desired texture. Then stir in butter and milk, add in more salt if needed, and cook a few more minutes.
6. Serve hot, and garnish with shredded fresh basil leaves and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy with a side of toast or a grilled cheese sandwich.

Notes:
- You can roast the vegetables instead, but I prefer the way the garlic, onions and carrots caramelize in the frying pan and give the soup a stronger flavor.

via blog.seasonwithspice.com

Hot Caprese Dip

Ingredients:

10 ounces fresh mozzarella
3 small roma tomatoes, seeded and juiced
3 tablespoons fresh basil



Instructions:

Chop up all of your ingredients.
Note: Make sure to get as much moisture out of the tomatoes as possible.

In a small baking dish, combine all the ingredients and mix well.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes so cheese becomes bubbly and golden. Serve immediately with crackers.

Orange-Cinnamon French Toast

Ingredients:
(serves 6)

2 -4 tablespoons butter, melted (I used 3 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
6 slices bread
additional honey (optional) 

 Instructions:

In a bowl, combine butter, honey and cinnamon. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan; spread to coat the bottom of pan. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs, orange juice and salt if desired. Dip bread into egg mixture and place in the prepared pan.
Bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Invert onto a serving platter; serve with honey if desired.

via www.food.com

Almond Meltaway Cookies

Ingredients:
(for 32 cookies)

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt (or can use regular table salt)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons almond extract

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk (or water)
2 teaspoons almond extract



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and almond extract, mixing until combined. Add flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until completely combined.
Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into small circles and then press with hands (or with the bottom of a cup) into a disk shape. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 8 minutes. The cookies will not look browned or cooked, but they are! Remove from oven and let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Ice:
In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk and almond extract - until smooth.
Using a spoon, smooth icing onto the top of each cookie and let set for 10 minutes, or until hardened. Store in the fridge, let come to room temperature when ready to serve.

via www.thenovicechefblog.com

White Chicken Chili Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth
4 15.5 oz. cans Great Northern Beans drained and rinsed
2 cups shredded chicken
1 small can diced green chilies
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese Monterrey Jack or Mexican Blend



Instructions:

In a large pot, add broth, beans, chicken, green chilis, cumin, garlic powder, oregano and pepper. Simmer on low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes, or until it is heated through.
Right before serving, stir in sour cream and cheese until it is all blended and melted.

Crockpot Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:
(Serves 6-8)

1 lb ground beef (or vegetarian crumble)
3 cups of beef broth (or vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
1 cup of water
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TB dried parsley
1 TB dried basil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1, 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1, 6oz can of tomato paste
1 cup V8 (or any vegetable drink)
2 cups uncooked shell pasta
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Optional topping- shredded cheese


Instructions:
1. First mix together the can of tomatoes, and tomato paste in crockpot.
2. Next add broth, beef, garlic, parsley, basil, onion, V8 and salt/pepper.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
4. When 30 minutes are left of cook time, add in the 1 cup of water and noodles. Stir to combine. Put lid back on and continue cooking for 30 minutes.

NOTE:
If you like your soup to have more liquid,  feel free to add some extra broth and or water when you add the noodles.

via www.familyfreshmeals.com

Big Brunch Tomato Eggs

Ingredients:
serves 2 generous portions

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
A good handful of spinach, roughly chopped
A small handful of basil, roughly chopped
4 large free range eggs
A little grated Parmesan cheese to serve
A generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper


Instructions:
In a large frying pan heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic slowly for 7-10 minutes until soft but not coloured.
Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Stir through the basil and spinach until it has wilted.
With the back of a spoon make four wells in the sauce and then crack the eggs in.
Cook the eggs in the sauce until the white is cooked through and the yolk is still soft.
Season with sea salt and black pepper and a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Serve the eggs in tomato sauce on top of some crispy crusty bread for a hearty brunch!

Nutella & Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients:
(Makes 16 squares)

110g unsalted butter
200g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
75g plain flour
55g cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp peanut butter (I used chunky)
4 tbsp nutella


Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 180oc. Line 8 inch x 8 inch pan with baking parchment. Melt butter then stir in sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in all of the remaining dry ingredients.
2) Heat Nutella and peanut butter until runny. Stir into Brownie mix. Pour into tin then bake for 25 min until top has a light papery crust.

Tomato Basil Sea Scallop Croustini with Sriracha Chili Sauce

Ingredients:
8 Sea Scallops
French Baguette sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
5 small vine ripened tomatoes (ping pong or golf ball size)
Fresh Basil leaves
2T Unsalted Butter
1/4 C Mayonaise
1T Sriracha Chili Sauce
1T Lemon fresh juice
1T Ketchup
1T Oilive oil
1 garlic clove
S&P to taste


Instructions:
Rinse your scallops with cold running water then lay on a plate lined with paper towel and pat them dry.
Lightly sprinkle scallops with kosher salt.
I decided to use a cast iron skillet over a non-stick pan because I wanted to get a really good browning and canalization on these scallops quickly.  A non-stick pan would have required a longer cooking time and you never want to over cook a scallop.
Melt the butter over medium high heat.  Place the scallops in butter and cook for 2 -3 minutes.
Turn each scallop over and continue to cook for another two-three minutes.  While scallops are cooking tilt the pan and spoon the hot browning butter over the tops.  Once the scallops are finished cooking remove them from the pan and place on a plate with a clean towel to drain.
The grocer's bread department usually carries baguettes already sliced into rounds, but if you can't find those then grab a whole baguettes and slice it into 1/4 inch rounds.  Place 16 rounds on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil.  Place under the oven broiler and keep an eye on them.  Toast until golden but not burnt.
While the baguette rounds are still hot take a clove of garlic and rub each piece of bread.  The more you scrub the rounds with the garlic the more flavor it will impart.
Slice your small  tomatoes into 16 slices or enough slices for each baguette round you have. Please note these are not cherry tomatoes they are just very small tomatoes about the size of ping pong or golf balls.
Pluck 16 Medium sized leaves from your fresh basil plant or package.  DO NOT use dried basil!
In a small bowl mix the mayonnaise, sriracha, lemon juice, ketchup.  Place a dollop on each garlic toasted round.
Lay each scallop on its side and slice in half creating two pieces each with a seared caramelized top.  I wish I had photographed this step, but I'm sure you can figure it out.  If not let me know in the comments.
Create you layers.  Croustini, sriracha sauce, then lay down a basil leaf, top that with a tomato slice and lastly sit a scallop half on top.