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Alfredo Sauce – Andrea Morgenegg

1/2  C butter

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese   

2  tsp. garlic powder (or 1-2 cloves garlic)

2  C. milk

6 oz. (1.5 C) grated parmesan cheese

1/8 tsp. pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan.  Add cream cheese and garlic.  Add milk a little at a time with whisk to smooth out bumps.  Stir in parmesan and pepper.  Remove from heat when reaches desired consistency

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Garlic Knots

Dough Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp Active Dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/3 cup milk
  • 5 TBS butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 – 4 1/2cups flour

Garlic Topping – Stephanie says she always makes double the butter to have enough

  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Parsley flakes, dried
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 1 TBS butter
  • Marinara Sauce for dipping (optional)

Combine warm water, yeast, and 1/4 tsp sugar and stir–allow to rest for 5-10 minutes until foamy. 

Pour yeast mixture into the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or into a large bowl if you plan on kneading by hand). Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, warm milk, butter, egg and salt. Blend mixture until combined. 

While mixing on low speed, slowly add the flour, mixing until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 – 6 minutes. You may not use all of the flour called for!

The dough should be soft, very slightly sticky when touched with a clean finger. It should be pulling away from the sides of the mixer. 

Grease a large bowl with cooking spray or a tiny bit of oil. Place the dough in the bottom of the bowl and turn it over once to coat all sides in oil (this helps keep it from drying out.) 

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.

Gently punch the dough down. Add a little flour to your countertop or work surface (or spray it lightly with cooking spray).

Grab a ball of dough, about the size of a golf ball, and roll it out into a long rope (about 1/2 inch thick and around 9 inches long). Tie the rope into a knot and place it on prepared baking sheet.

Cover garlic knots loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise again in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.

Bake for 10-12 min. or until lightly golden on top.

While they’re baking, make the garlic sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.

After removing knots from oven, while still warm, brush them lightly with garlic sauce.

Notes

Store in an air-tight container or bag at room temperature for 2-3 days.To Freeze After Baked: Allow garlic knots to cool completely and place them in a freezer ziplock bag.  Store for up to 2 months.  To thaw, remove garlic knots from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature, or stick them in the microwave for a few seconds.To Freeze the Dough: Make the rolls up to step 8.  Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and flash freeze (place them in the freezer for 1-2 hours).  Move the rolls from the baking sheet into a freezer safe ziplock bag or container and freezer for up to 3 months.  To bake, remove frozen rolls and line them on a greased baking sheet.  Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow them to thaw and rise on the countertop for about 2 hours. Bake at 400º F for 9-12 minutes.

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Slow-Cooker Cheesey Chicken Manicotti

  • 2 Cups finely chopped cooked chicken
  • 1 container (15 oz) whole-milk ricotta cheese (can use cottage cheese)
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 14 uncooked manicotti shells (8 oz)
  • 1 jar (25.5 oz) tomato basil pasta sauce (or make your own)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
  1. In a medium bowl, mix chicken, ricotta cheese, garlic salt, and red pepper flakes; stir in 1/4 cup of the basil. Spoon into quart-sized resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut 3/4 inch tip off bag. Pipe filling into manicotti shells.
  2. Spray 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix pasta sauce and water. Spread about 1/3 of the sauce mixture in slow cooker. Place 7 of the filled manicotti shells in pasta sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon another 1/3 of the sauce mixture over shells. Top with remaining 7 filled manicotti shells; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining 1/3 of sauce mixture.
  3. Cover; cook to 3 hours on High heat setting or until shells are tender. Serve with remaining 1/4 cup basil.
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Slow-Cooker Pork Ragu

  • 8 slices applewood smoked bacon, chopped (half of a 12 oz package)
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 can (28 oz) fire roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained
  • 6 cups cooked rigatoni pasta (about 4 1/2 cups uncooked pasta)
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired
  1. Spray 5 quart slow cooker with cooking spray
  2. In 5 quart Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp. With slotted spoon, remove bacon to small bowl.
  3. Season pork with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the pepper. Add half of the pork to the bacon drippings in the Dutch oven, and cook 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. With slotted spoon, remove pork from Dutch oven to slow cooker. Repeat with remaining pork.
  4. Add onions, carrots, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper to Dutch oven, cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Stir in garlic and oregano, cook 30 seconds. Add broth, heat to simmering, stirring to remove brown bits on bottom. Transfer mixture to slow cooker with pork. Stir in tomatoes and bacon.
  5. Cover, cook on Low heat for 8 to 10 hours or until pork is tender and easily falls apart. Before serving shred pork with 2 forks. Serve over cooked pasta. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.
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Slow Cooker Lasagna

  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
  • 3 cans (15 ounces each) Italian-style tomato sauce ( I would just make my own spaghetti sauce and not add the extra basil and salt in this recipe)
  • 2 tsp dried basil leaves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
  • 1 container (15 oz) part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 15 uncooked lasagna noodles
  1. Cook sausage and onion in skillet over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, basil, and salt.
  2. Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. (Refrigerate remaining mozzarella cheese while lasagna cooks.)
  3. Spoon 1/4 of the sausage mixture into 6-quart slow cooker; top with 5 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Spread with 1/2 of the cheese mixture and 1/4 of the sausage mixture. Top with 5 noodles, remaining cheese mixture and 1/4 of the sausage mixture. Top with remaining 5 noddles and the remaining sausage mixture.
  4. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 4 to 6 hours or until noodles are tender.
  5. Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  6. Makes 8 servings.
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Pizza Sauce

  • 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbs minced fresh garlic
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tbs tomato paste

In a medium saucepan, saute garlic and onions in olive oil until tender. Add seasonings and continue cooking a few more minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, then tomato paste. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

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Stuffed Sweet Peppers

This is the recipe as I found it. I think you could substitute regular sausage, mozzarella cheese, and green peppers if you would prefer. I added the homemade sauce option since we never buy sauce.

  • 3 Medium sweet red peppers
  • 2 Medium sweet yellow peppers
  • 1 jar (14 oz) spaghetti sauce, divided (or homemade sauce)
  • 3/4 pound uncooked Italian turkey sausage
  • 3/4 cup uncooked instant rice
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped tomato
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 2 Tbs sliced ripe olives
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Cut tops off peppers, chop tops and set aside. Discard stems and seeds; set pepper cups aside. Reserve 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce; pour remaining sauce into slow cooker. Combine sausage, rice, cheese, onion, tomato, parsley, olives, garlic powder, salt, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, reserved chopped peppers, and spaghetti sauce.

Spoon into pepper cups; place in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until peppers are tender. Yield: 5 servings

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Manicotti Crepes – Grandma Morgenegg

Pasta:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups water (and a little, I like a thin batter)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix well with mixer, until smooth. Cook in crepe pan or small skillet until light tan, not brown like a pancake. Stack alternating stacks on a place until all are cooked.

Filling:

  • 2 lbs ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped (1/4 cup dried parsley flakes)
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 lb. Mozzarella Cheese

For a full recipe of pasta I found you only need 1/2 a recipe of filling.

Mix well and fill shells with a line of filling down the middle. Then roll like enchiladas. Put in pan with spaghetti sauce on the bottom. Cover with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Can sprinkle with cheese last 5 minutes. Can use spaghetti sauce with meat.

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Parmesan Twists

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
  • 1 egg yolk beaten, with 1 Tablespoon water
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds or poppy seeds
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 baking sheets.
  2. In a medium bowl, beat together the Parmesan cheese and the butter with an electric mixer until the mixture is fluffy. Beat in sour cream.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the flour with the thyme, oregano, and basil. Beat the flour mixture into the cheese mixture. Knead the dough lightly and divide in half.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into two 12X6 inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle into twenty-four 6X 1/2 inch strips.
  5. Before separating the strips, brush them with the egg yolk-water mixture and sprinkle them with sesame seeds or poppy seeds
  6. Holding each strip by the ends gently twist the pastry 2 or 3 times and place on prepared baking sheets.
  7. Bake the twists at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.
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Lasagna

In 9X13 pan, layer: (grease pan)

  1. Uncooked lasagna noodles
  2. Cottage cheese (1 pint mixed with 1 egg) It will take 2 pints or one large cottage cheese
  3. Spaghetti sauce about 2 quarts (Grandma Morgengegg adds tomato paste to thicken the sauce)
  4. Shredded Mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

Repeat each, make sure sauce fully covers the noodles.

Use a little extra cheese on top.

Refrigerate if necessary, covered.

Bake 325, covered, 1 hour. Then bake uncovered an additional 5-10 minutes.

Cool 5-10 minutes before cutting.