Spaghetti Sauce

Brown:

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

Add:

  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon sweet basil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt (if no garlic)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Add:

  • 4 16 oz cans tomato sauce

Simmer 30 minutes

Jumbo Stuffed Shells

  • 1 package (12 oz) jumbo shells, uncooked
  • 4 cups ricotta or cottage cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon parsley
  • 3/4 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 cups spaghetti sauce

Cook pasta according to directions on package.

In a large bowl, stir together cheeses, eggs, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper.

In 9X13 baking dish, spread 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce.

Fill each cooked shell with about 2 Tablespoons cheese mixture. Layer one-half filled shells in prepared baking dish; spread one-half remaining sauce over shells. Layer remaining filled shells over sauce; spread remaining sauce over shells.

Cover with foil. Bake 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Lasagna Roll-Ups

Makes 6-8 Servings

12 Lasagna noodles

Spaghetti sauce

1 Tablespoon parsley

2 15 oz containers ricotta or cottage cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8oz)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs, well beaten

  1. In large saucepan, cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 10-12 minutes or until tender; drain. Rinse with cool water and drain again. Set aside.
  2. Make your desired spaghetti sauce.
  3. In a large mixing bowl stir together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese, eggs, and parsley.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. To assemble: spread approximately 1/3 cup of cheese mixture evenly over each of the lasagna noodles.
  6. Starting from the short side, roll up each of the lasagna noodles.
  7. Pour sauce into 9×13 baking dish. Place rolled-up noodles seam side down in the baking dish. Top with sauce.
  8. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 more minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

Carla’s Parmesan Chicken

1 to 1  1/2 cups bread crumbs

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon garlic salt or powder

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Mix all together and use to bread chicken.

Fry breaded chicken till golden brown.

Place in pan and drizzle with spaghetti sauce.

Bake at 350 till chicken is done.  Add some mozzarella cheese to the top towards the end of the cooking time.

Also works great for eggplant.

Zupa Toscanna Soup – Olive Garden

1  1/2 cups spicy sausage links — 12

2 medium potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/4″ slices

3/4 cup onions, diced

6 slices bacon

1  1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups kale leaves, cut in half, then sliced

2 Tablespoons chicken base

1 quart water

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place sausage links onto a sheet pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until done; cut in half lengthwise, then cut at an angle into 1/2 inch slices.

Place onions and bacon in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear.  Remove bacon and crumble.  Add garlic to the onions and cool an additional 1 minute.  Add chicken base, water, and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes.  Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale, and cream.  Simmer 4 minutes and serve.

Calzone (see after recipe for other combinations)

Pizza dough (your favorite recipe)

1 pound sausage (mild or hot, cooked and crumbled)

1 pound mozzarella cheese, grated

1 green pepper

1 onion

pepperoni

olives, sliced

Divide pizza dough into 5-6 ounce pieces.  Roll out round to about 6″ diameter.  In center of dough place sausage, cheese, any other fillings you want from the above list or any others you like.  Pull dough around filling and pinch ends together.  Place on greased baking sheet.

Brush olive oil over the top of dough and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Serve with spaghetti sauce to dip.

Philly Cheese Steak Calzone

  • Thinly sliced, cooked steak
  • Mozzarella
  • Sauteed onions and green peppers

Tex-Mex Calzone

  • Black beans
  • Corn
  • Red onions
  • Shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • Salsa
  • Guacamole for serving

Meatball Calzone

  • Halved, cooked meatballs
  • Marinara sauce
  • Fresh basil
  • Shredded Parmesan

Garden Veggie Calzone

  • Cooked broccoli
  • Roasted red peppers
  • Sauteed mushrooms
  • Pesto
  • Shredded mozzarella

BBQ Chicken Calzone

  • Cooked chicken
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Shredded mozzarella
  • Sauteed red onions

Breakfast for Dinner Calzone

  • Scrambled eggs
  • Shredded Cheddar cheese
  • Hash brown potatoes
  • Cooked, crumbled bacon

Dessert Calzone

  • Chocolate hazelnut spread
  • sliced strawberries
  • dusting of confectioners’ sugar before serving

Olive Garden Alfredo

1/4 pound butter (This is what the recipe calls for we use 4 Tablespoons)

Flour

1 teaspoon garlic puree

2 cups heavy cream (if you don’t want it as bad for you you can use milk.  We usually do that, but the cream is much better)

1/4 whole milk (you can use 1% or 2% to save on calories too)

1/2 parmesan cheese (much better with fresh, but we usually just use the dried stuff)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt butter with garlic puree.  Don’t burn the garlic.   Add flour to make a roux.  Add heavy cream and milk (Or just 2  1/4 cups milk) and cheese.  Stir with a whisk till thickens.  Add salt and pepper to taste

Meatballs

1  1/2 pounds ground beef

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic pressed or minced

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 Tablespoons water

1 egg

Salt

Pepper

Combine water and egg and mix a little.  Combine all the rest of the ingredients.  Form into balls and bake at 350 till done.  Time depends on size of balls.

You can fry in a dry pan instead, but baking them is so fast and easy and less messy.