Posted on

Tuna Casserole-Kinsie & Cody Dennis

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 cans drained tuna
  • 1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2-1 can milk
  • egg noodles (we like American beauty)
  • Cheddar cheese (add to taste)
  • Kellogs corn flake crumbs
  • sliced butter (thin pieces)
  • Lawry’s salt (add to taste)

Directions:

We do different amounts of tuna and mushroom soup and milk depending on your serving size. Do what you’d like!

Cook and drain noodles. Add milk, cream of mushroom, lawry’s and cheese then mix. Add into a baking dish. Lightly cover with Kellogs crumbs. Add thin slices of butter covering the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until butter is melted and top is slightly crispy.

Posted on

Animal Style Mac’n’cheese-Kate Jarvis (Brittney’s Friend)

Source: The Mythical Cookbook

Ingredients:

Caramelized onion:

  • 2 medium yellow onions
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar

Thousand Island:

  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped pickles
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Cheese sauce:

  • 5 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • 12 slices American cheese
  • 4 ounces shredded medium cheddar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 ounces dried macaroni
  • 20 crushed plain potato chips

Directions:

Finely dice yellow onions. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Add onions, salt, sugar. Stir periodically, should take about 20 minutes to reach a dark brown jammy texture.

Now, make the Thousand Island dressing. Whisk everything together (or just get some from in-n-out)

For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour, stirring and cook until it smells toasty and fragrant (about 3 minutes). Slowly add your milk, 1/2 cup at a time and stirring constantly to prevent any lumps and waiting until the mixture is bubbly and smooth before adding more. Cook until thick enough to coat the spoon. Remove from heat. Add cheeses and seasonings.

Assembly cooked noodles and sauce together and sprinkle with crushed chips. Bake for 15 minutes at 400. Top with caramelized onions and Thousand Island dressing.

Posted on

Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti-Hallie Dennis

Ingredients:

  • 16 ounce penne noodles
  • 2 cups cooked chicken
  • 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
  • Parsley (to garnish)
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 Tablespoons flour3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups shredded parmesan
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9X13 pan. Cook the noodles

Melt butter in a sauce pan on medium heat. Add garlic. Stir until fragrant. Sprinkle in flour. Whisk to create a smooth roux. Slowly add in cream, then add parmesan. Bring sauce to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add noodles to sauce. Add chicken and parsley. Add half the mixture to the 9X13, sprinkle some mozzarella on top, add the rest of the mixture then top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25-35 minutes.

Posted on

Instant Pot Stuffed Shells-Nicole Price (Morgenegg)

Source: number-2-pencil.com

Ingredients:

  • 15 ounces ricotta
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 12 ounce jumbo pasta shells
  • 24 ounce marinara sauce
  • 1 cup water

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, parmesan, egg, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and chopped parsley. Transfer mixture to a gallon sized bag

Add water to instant pot. Snip corner of the gallon bag to fill uncooked pasta shells with ricotta mixture, transferring them to instant pot as they are filled

Top the stuffed shells with marinara sauce. Do not stir. Set instant pot o cook on high pressure for 10 minutes via manual mode. After cooking, use quick pressure release. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and cover with lid until cheese melts.

Posted on

Baked Tortellini with Chicken Gratinati – Brittney and Alex love this

Yield: 4–6 servings (depending on the size of your dish)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 14.5–ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 pound of sliced bacon
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano, divided
  • 6 ounces shredded fontina cheese, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh garlic
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast ,cut into bite sized pieces
  • 13-ounce bag frozen tri-colored tortellini (we used regular and it worked great)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place tomatoes into a strainer over a bowl and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and let sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the dish.
  2. Cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. Cut bacon strips into bite sized pieces and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
  3. In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat and add flour. Cook for four minutes stirring often. While this is cooking, heat cream to hot but not scaled either in a small sauce pan or in the microwave.
  4. Add the hot cream to the butter and flour mixture one third at a time whisking on each third to form a smooth sauce. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, nutmeg, ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, 3 ounces of the fontina cheese, fresh basil and minced garlic. Stir to combine, heat to hot and remove from heat. Set aside.
  5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  6. In a large saute pan over medium high, heat two tablespoons of bacon fat and cook chicken for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Should be slightly under-cooked as it will cook further in the oven. Remove cooked chicken to a dish or plate.
  7. Boil a pot of water and cook tortellini according to package instructions but remove from the water before the tortellini is fully cooked, as it will cook further in the oven.
  8. Depending on the size of your dishes, arrange four to six oven-safe, wide flat gratin-crème Brule dishes on a parchment-lined sheet pan and spray each dish lightly with pan spray. (We made in one pan instead and served from there)
  9. Spoon about two tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of each dish and spread to cover bottoms.
  10. Divide the cooked tortellini, cooked chicken, cooked bacon and the drained diced tomatoes among the individual dishes.
  11. Pour the sauce over each filled dish, dividing evenly.
  12. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and Fontina over the tops of the six dishes.
  13. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are browned and bubbly.
Baked Tortellini with Chicken Gratinati - Inspired by the dish at Bertucci's, we think our version tastes even better!
Posted on

Homemade Potato Gnocchi and Sausage Tomato Sauce

  • 1 pound potatoes (clean but not skinned / not new potatoes) (we didn’t plan ahead so we pealed and cut the potatoes to boil them and it worked fine)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 medium egg (room temperature)

INSTRUCTIONS 

GNOCCHI

  • In a large pot boil potatoes until tender, remove from the pot and let cool  remove the skin. Then pass through a potato ricer.
  • Mix together the flour and salt, place on a flat surface, make a well in the middle and add the potatoes and egg, mix together with your fingers to form a soft dough, it should not stick to your fingers. On a lightly floured surface, cut small amounts of dough to form ropes and cut into 3/4 inch (2 cm) pieces, then slide each piece on a fork and squeeze a little (but not too hard). Sprinkle with a little bit of flour and toss, so they don’t stick together. Let the gnocchi rest for 20 minutes before cooking.

COOKING GNOCCHI

  • In a large pot of salted boiling water cook the gnocchi, gnocchi are ready when they float to the top.  Drain and add to the cooked sauce, add a little pasta water, cook for 30 seconds, gently tossing. Serve immediately topped with fresh grated parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

NOTES

For room temperature remove from the fridge about 60 minutes before using.

The perfect potato is an old potato, in other words no new potatoes. New potatoes contain more water which absorbs too much flour. Go for Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes.

As far as flour goes, I always use all purpose, in Italy it’s called Manitoba but some people prefer 00 or a lower protein flour. A lower protein flour will make them softer and more tender, although you may need a little less flour to make the dough.

Potato gnocchi can be left uncooked for no more than a couple of hours (covered). Cooking may be a little longer because they will have dried out a bit in the air.

Any leftover cooked gnocchi should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. They will last up to three days in the fridge.

The Gnocchi can also be frozen, place the uncooked gnocchi on a cookie tray in the freezer, leave for approximately 20 minutes then place them in an airtight freezer bag. They will keep for about 1 month. No need to thaw, just cook from frozen.

One Pan Creamy Gnocchi with Sausage

NGREDIENTS 

  • 16 ounces Italian sausage
  • 1/2 small onion chopped finely
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (14 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices (we used crushed tomatoes)
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream (we used milk and it worked great)
  • 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Handful fresh basil torn (we used dried basil and dried parsley about 1 TBS each)
  • Salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Sauté the sausage and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes, or until the sausage and onions are lightly browned.
  • Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds.
  • Add the wine and let it cook for about a minute.
  • Stir in the diced tomatoes, cream, and gnocchi. Once the sauce starts to bubble again, cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes. 
  • Uncover the pan, give it a good stir, and let it cook for another few minutes, or until the gnocchi has cooked through and is nice and soft and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
  • Stir in the parmesan cheese, basil, and salt & pepper, to taste. Serve immediately. 

We didn’t cook the gnocchi in the sauce.

Posted on

LEMON CHICKEN ORZO PASTA – Brittney uses this recipe

  • 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup  chopped onion
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup fresh asparagus cut into 1″ pieces
  • 3 to 5 ounces spinach, or kale
  • zest and juice from one lemon
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot add in the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the chicken is thoroughly cooked then remove it from the skillet onto a plate.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet then add in the onion. Sauté for one minute or until the onion starts to soften.

Add in the orzo and garlic and sauté for about a minute. Pour in the chicken broth, stir everything together and bring it to a boil.

Once boiling, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes and then add the asparagus. Simmer covered for an additional 5 minutes, then add the spinach. Cook for one minute or until spinach is wilted. Remove the lid and if there is any excess liquid remaining continue to cook uncovered for another minute.

Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese until everything is combined. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Posted on

Parmesan Italian Pasta

  • 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast (We didn’t use that much. Only about 1/5 a breast)
  • 16 ounce bottle Olive Garden Italian Dressing. (Or any Italian Dressing. We only used about 1/2 a bottle of Zesty Italian and it was great.
  • 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese (we used the read stuff not the bottled stuff)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper (we used a little less of that too)
  • 8 ounce block of cream cheese

Add these after cooking time is up

  • 16 ounce package of penne pasta cooked according to directions and drained well
  • 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS

  1. Add chicken to slow cooker
  2. Pour Italian dressing over the chicken. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and pepper over that.
  3. Place cream cheese on top.
  4. Place lid on slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 5-6 hours.
  5. When cooking time is almost done cook penne pasta on stove top according to directions on the package.
  6. Shred the chicken with 2 forks. Drain the pasta and add to chicken and sauce mixture. Stir. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan Cheese over the top.
  7. Serve and enjoy!
Posted on

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

Posted on

Easy Macaroni & Cheese (no flour/no roux)

  • 8 oz dried macaroni about 2 cups (227g)
  • 1 cup milk (235ml)
  • 2 Tablespoons butter (30g)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika optional
  • ¼ teaspoon ground mustard optional
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (113g) Shred your own cheddar off the block, don’t buy pre-shredded which is often tossed with a powder that will keep the cheese from melting properly and can leave you with mac & cheese that is both clumpy and runny.
  • 4 slices American Cheese (if you don’t have American cheese, you can substitute another cup (113g) of cheddar cheese, but the macaroni will be less creamy)

  1. Bring 3 cups of well-salted water to a boil in a medium-saucepan over high heat.
  2. Once water comes to boil, add pasta, return to a boil, and cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Strain pasta, leaving the pasta in the strainer and returning the saucepan to burner over medium-low heat.
  4. Combine milk, butter, salt, pepper and paprika and mustard in the saucepan.
  5. Stir frequently until butter is melted and increase heat to medium.
  6. Once mixture comes to a simmer, return pasta to saucepan and stir well.
  7. Reduce heat to low.
  8. Add cheeses, allow to sit about 30 seconds until slightly melty and then stir until all noodles are coated. Don’t turn up the heat too high or the cheese will not melt properly.
  9. Serve immediately.  Sprinkle with additional smoked paprika, if desired.  Stir in any desired add-ins (such as bacon) immediately before serving.

Notes

This pasta tastes best when served the same day it’s made