hearty tomato soup

2 T. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups milk
2 cans condensed tomato soup
2 cans diced tomatoes with juices

melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. cook onion and garlic in butter about 2 min. stirring occasionally until onion is tender, remove from heat. stir in paprika, basil and cream cheese. gradually stir in milk and soup, return to heat, and beat with a wisk until cheese is melted and soup is smooth. stir in tomatoes, heat over medium heat stirring frequently until hot.

i was given this recipe by kate homer. it is one of jeffrey's favorties.

the best meatballs w/pasta and tomato-basil cream sauce

*meatballs

1 lb. beef
1/2 pkg. of stove top stuffing mix for chicken
2/3 cup water
1 egg

heat over to 400 degrees. line cookie sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray.
mix ingredients until blended. shape into balls and lay on pan. bake 14-16 min.

*pasta and tomato-basil cream sauce

1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. dry basil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
8 oz. linguini pasta, cooked

mix sauce, cream cheese, and basil in large skillet; cook on medium-low heat for 3 min. or until heated through. add the cooked meatballs into the sauce. sprinkle with parmesan cheese. serve with pasta.

kraftfoods.com

bbq cheddar chicken roll-ups

1 large green pepper, cut into strips
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 large onion, sliced
1 lb. chicken breast, but into strips
1/2 cup bbq sauce
4-6 tortillas, warmed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

warm a small amount of oil in a skillet pan. cook peppers for 3 min., add onion and cook for 3 min., add chicken and cook until no longer pink. stir in bbq sauce. you can add a small amount of flour if your sauce is too thin. cook until chicken is done.

spoon into tortillas, top with cheese, roll-up, and enjoy.

kraftfoods.com

Teriyaki Chicken Pouch

decide how many people you are going to cook for and that is how many pouches you will cook.

each pouch will contain:
1 small boneless chicken breast half
1 pineapple ring
1 green pepper ring
1 Tbsp. Teriyaki sauce or BBQ sauce

place chicken in the center of a large sheet of foil and top with pineapple, green pepper, and sauce. bring up foil sides. double-fold top and ends to seal pouch, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

to bake:
heat oven to 350 degrees. place pouches on a cookie sheet and place in oven. cook for 40 min. or until chicken is done.

to grill:
heat grill to medium heat. grill 15 min. or until chicken is done.

serve with rice.

open one end of pouch and pour the extra sauce into small individual bowls to use for dipping chicken and to pour over rice.


Kraft Food and Family Summer 2009

note from maryirene.
we just tried it with teriyaki sauce and baking it. we really enjoyed it! the boys too! they both ate their entire chicken breast. next time i think we will try to use a thicker teriyaki sauce and add extra pineapple and green pepper rings into each pouch. it was so good. yum.

Stir-Fried Pork

2 cups white rice

1 tsp. oil
1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
8 oz. sugar snap peas
1/4 cup Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
3 green onions, diagonally sliced
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Cook rice as directed on package

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet on med-high heat. Add meat, cook and stir 2 min. Add peppers and peas, cook 3 min. stirring frequently. Add dressing and onions, cook and stir 1 min.

Mix soy sauce, cornstarch, and ginger until well blended. Add to meat mixture in skillet, cook 1 min. or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Serve over rice.

Spring 2008 Kraft Food and Family magazine.

Tomato Artichoke Soup

4 T. butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 T. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juices
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup sour cream

In a large saucepan heat butter and saute onion for 5 min, or till soft. Add garlic and thyme and saute 1 min. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, broth, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 min. Add sour cream, stir well and simmer for 5 min.
Taste for seasoning.

*Optional: Homemade Croutons

8 cups cubed french bread
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tsp. italian seasonings
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Combine ingredients in bowl and toss well. Spread out on parchment and bake for 5-12 min. or until cheese melts and bread is toasted. Serve with soup.

Recipe courtesy of Becky Peirce

The Best Most Perfect Crockpot Roast Ever

1 roast
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 env dried onion soup mix
1 1/2 tsp A 1 sauce
2-3 cloves mashed garlic

Place roast in crockpot with soups, garlic and A1 sauce. Cook on low 4-5 hours. When finished the soups and roast juices make a great gravy for potatoes.

We use the Onion and Garlic Marinated Pork Tenderloin from Costco.

Recipe from Tammy Zundel

Awesome Bowtie Pasta Salad

This recipe is soooo good!

8 chicken breast halves, cut and cooked
12 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked
4 green onions, chopped
1 small package slivered almonds
1 can water chestnuts, diced
1 1/2 bottles Briana's Poppy Seed Dressing
salt to taste
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 package crunchy chow mein noodles

Cook chicken and chill. Rinse pasta with cold water. Mix chicken, pasta, onions, almonds, water chestnuts, and dressing. Add salt to taste, then mix in oranges.
Chill before serving.

Sprinkle crunchy chow mein noodles over Pasta Salad. (don't add them to the whole bowl - they get soggy.)

Another one of Sheryl's great recipes!

Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 large egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large slice high-quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed and bread torn into 1-inch pieces
8 oz ground pork
1 small onion, grated on large holes of box grater (about 1/4 cup)
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces lean ground beef
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

Sauce:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
table salt and ground black pepper

For the meatballs:
Whisk egg and cream together in medium bowl. Stir in bread and set aside. Meanwhile, in stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat pork, onion, nutmeg, allspice, pepper, brown sugar, salt and baking powder on high speed until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes, scraping bowl as necessary. Using fork, mash bread mixture until no large dry bread chunks remain; add mixture to mixer bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and homogeneous, about 1 minute, scraping bowl as necessary. Add beef and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl as necessary. Add beef and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl as necessary. Using moistened hands, form generous tablespoon of meat mixture into 1-inch round meatball; repeat with remaining mixture to form 25-30 meatballs.
Heat oil in 10-inch straight-sided saute pan over medium-high heat until edge of meatball dipped in oil sizzles, 3-5 minutes. Add meatballs in single layer and fry, flipping once halfway through cooking, until lightly browned all over and cooked through, 7-10 minutes. (Adjust heat as needed to keep oil sizzling but not smoking.) Using slotted spoon, transfer browned meatballs to paper towel-lined plate.

For the sauce:
Pour off and discard oil in pan, leaving any fond (brown bits) behind. Return pan to medium-high heat and add butter. When foaming subsides, add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is light brown, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in broth, scraping pan bottom to loosen brown bits. Add brown sugar and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce is reduced to about 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream and return to simmer.
Add meatballs to sauce and simmer, turning occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

We have had these meatballs with both noodles and mashed potatoes.

Snobby Joes

1 cup uncooked lentils

4 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium-size yellow onion, cut into small dice

1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into small dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chile powder (I only used 2 tablespoons)

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

2-3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

4-6 rolls or buns

Pour the lentils and water into a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.

About 10 minutes before the lentils are done, preheat a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.

Stir in the cooked lentils, chile powder, oregano, and salt. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the maple syrup to taste and the mustard, and heat through.

Turn off the heat and let the pot sit for about 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld. Serve on buns garnished however you would like. We did avocado and pepper-jack cheese and it was delicious.

Recipe from Anna Low and Kate Wangsgard

Red Kidney Bean Curry (Rajmah)

This is an Indian cousin of spicy red bean chili.

Serves 6

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger (I used a lot less then this)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 plum tomato, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large green chili, chopped (optional- I didn't use)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
8 ounce can of tomato sauce or 8 ounces of one of your choice
3 cups boiled red kidney beans or 30 ounces canned red kidney beans, undrained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)

Heat oil in a deep sauce pan over medium heat for one minute. Add ginger, garlic, onion, green chili, and let sizzle for one minute. Add the tomato sauce, salt and remaining spices and cook for an additional five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the kidney beans with water or canned red kidney beans (undrained) plus one additional cup of water, and tomatoes. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro.

Serve over rice or with naan. A dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream on top is heavenly.

From Smitten Kitchen.

Sheryl's Stuffed Shells

1 box large shells pasta
3 cups (24 oz.) cottage cheese, drained
12 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. parsley
3/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 jar (28 oz.) prego sauce

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook shells about 15 minutes.
Mix drained cottage cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, eggs, salt, parsley, oregano, and pepper in large bowl. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of 1 9x13 inch baking pan and 1 8x8 inch baking pan. Stuff shells with mixture and place in baking pans. Pour sauce over stuffed shells, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through. I usually remove the foil and allow the top to get a bit crispy before taking it out. Allow to set for a few minutes.

Recipe courtesy of my wonderful mother-in-law, Sheryl.

Crispy Dijon Chicken

1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4-1/2 cup plain, dry breadcrumbs
1/4-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Preheat oven to 475°. Spray 13x9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine mustard and evaporated milk in shallow bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese in separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken into mustard mixture, coating both sides, then into breadcrumb mixture. Place in prepared pan.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
Makes 4-6 servings.

verybestbaby.com/recipes

Pasta with Garlic, Oil and Toasted Bread Crumbs

Benjamin calls these Crumb Noodles and asks for them nearly every night.
Can be a simple entree with salad or vegetables, or a side dish with meat or chicken. Serves 8-10.
1 1/2 lb. linguine or spaghetti
2 t. salt for pasta + 1 t for sauce
3 T. butter
1 C. dry bread crumbs *
3 oz. Parmesan Cheese, grated (not Kraft!)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced (1 T.)
1/8 C. EVOO
2 T. butter
Dash Ground Red Pepper
1/3 C. Chicken Broth
1 t. Balsamic Vinegar
1 C. pasta cooking water
Prepare pasta according to directions, reserving 1 C. cooking water just before draining. Heat butter in large skillet over med-high heat until foaming; add 1/2 t. of the minced garlic, cook 1 min. Add breadcrumbs and cook until golden brown, toasted and fragrant; 2-3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl to cool slightly; when cool, toss with Parmesan cheese. Wipe out empty skillet with paper towels. Mix remaining garlic with 1 t. water. Heat olive oil, butter, garlic and red pepper in cleaned skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, vinegar, pasta water, remaining 1 t. salt and pepper to taste; cook to blend flavors, about 1 minute longer. Toss pasta and sauce in warm serving bowl; sprinkle with breadcrumbs, toss and serve immediately. **
**If not serving immediately, wait to toss with breadcrumb/cheese mixture until right before or they become soggy and gummy.
*You can make your own breadcrumbs by pulsing 3-4 slices quality white bread in a food processor until fine crumb develops, then toast in the oven at 300 degrees until dry.  OR buy premade Panko bread crumbs.  
Published in Cooks Illustrated Magazine.

Bread Gnocchi with Tomato and Basil

8 slices day old Italian bread
3 T EVOL
2 T butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper
2 c tomato sauce
3 small plum tomatoes, chopped
several torn basil leaves
2 c shredded mozzarella

Heat pan over medium heat. Chop bread into bit size pieces. Add EVOL, butter and garlic to skillet. Melt butter then add bread. Season with salt and pepper. Toss and cook the bread 7-8 minutes then add tomato sauce and tomatoes. Turn to coat and warm the tomato sauce, 3-4 minutes. Remove the gnocchi from heat and transfer to casserole dish, top with basil and mozzarella cheese. Put under broiler for 2-3 minutes until cheese browns and bubbles.

Recipe: Rachel Ray