Classic Tomato Sauce

It just seems wrong to use jarred pizza sauce on a homemade pizza crust! So, I went to the pantry to see what I could come up with. The outcome? A REALLY tasty tomato sauce that could be used on anything from pizza to pasta. My husband and I love spicy foods, but the kids do not. So, I only added red pepper flakes to one half of the recipe and left the other half plain for the kids. This is such a simple sauce that there is no need for the jarred kind (with all those preservatives)!

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp salt
28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes and salt. Stir and saute for 45 seconds (do not brown the garlic). Stir in the tomatoes. Heat the sauce over a low simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and use as desired.

I initially used the sauce for our pizza, but thought it would taste great tossed with some pasta and a little cheese...and I was right! :-)

ENJOY!

Chicken and Vegetable Lasagna

I have mentioned before that my husband loves lasagna, so I wanted to try a twist on the original version. After scouring many, many recipes, I came up with this Chicken and Vegetable Lasagna. He was a little skeptical at first since it wasn't "normal" lasagna, but he definitely liked it and had several servings! The kids even liked this one!! This recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

12 lasagna noodles (regular or oven ready)

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp dried basil (divide into 2)

1/2 tsp dried oregano (divide into 2)

1/4 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp unsalted butter

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite size pieces

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups shredded carrots

2 cups frozen spinach, chopped (do not thaw)

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. **Omit this step if you are using oven ready lasagna** Place lasagna noodles in a 9x13 inch pan. Fill pan with hot water and a splash of olive oil. Let noodles soak while you prepare the filling.

3. In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth, flour, thyme and 1/4 tsp oregano and 1/4 tsp basil. Whisk together and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium low and let sauce thicken while you prepare remaining ingredients.

4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat. Add cubed chicken, 1/4 tsp oregano and 1/4 tsp basil, salt and pepper. Saute chicken until cooked through (about 5 minutes). Remove chicken to a paper towel lined plate. Add the butter to the skillet to melt. Add chopped onions, garlic and carrots. Cook and stir until tender (about 5 minutes). Add the chopped tomatoes and frozen spinach and cook until heated through. Return chicken to skillet and combine with vegetables.

5. Spread some of the thickened sauce in the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Add 1/3 of the chicken and vegetable mixture and top with 1/3 of the sauce (about 2 cups) and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat this layering twice ending with mozzarella cheese. Top with the Paremesan cheese.

6. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

Italian Chicken

A new past time seems to be searching through recipes for ideas! After seeing quite a few "Foil Packet" recipes, I thought I would give this one from Amber's Delectable Delights a try. This chicken turned out VERY moist and flavorful and was super easy to put together. I will definitely be making this again and I also have some ideas for changing up the flavors so stay tuned!!




Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 red potatoes
1/4 cup marinara sauce
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Lay 2 pieces of foil on a flat surface and spray with cooking spray. Wash, scrub and slice potatoes very thin (I used a mandolin slicer). Arrange the sliced potatoes in an oval shape on the foil. You want to make this about the size of the chicken breast. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Mix all of the seasonings in a small bowl and sprinkle both sides of chicken. Place chicken on top of potatoes. Top each chicken breast with half of the marinara sauce and half of the cheese.

4. Raise up the sides of the foil and fold down to create a seal. Place packets on a baking sheet.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until chicken reaches 170 degrees. Remove from oven and let set a few minutes. Poke a hole in the foil to release the steam and open. Move to a plate and serve.



ENJOY!

Chicken Parm Meatballs and Spaghetti

Some of my free time lately has been spend perusing recipes all over the Internet. When I came across this one for Chicken Parm Meatballs and Spaghetti on Rachel Ray's site, I knew I needed to make it soon! The recipe looked good and it did not disappoint.

The main change I made was to use ground turkey because that's what I had on hand. The recipe says to shred the garlic and onion, but I found it easier to finely chop both. I also used chicken stock rather than white wine. I didn't have fresh basil, so I used a tbsp of dried.

We both really enjoyed this dish and will definitely add it to the rotation!

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken (or turkey)

1 box chopped frozen spinach (defrost and ring dry in towel)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup milk

1 large egg

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper

3 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp olive oil

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup chicken stock (or dry white wine)

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup basil leaves, torn or shredded

1 lb spaghetti

Directions

1.Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper over a baking sheet (I didn't do this step, but really recommend it as they really stick to the pan otherwise).

2. Place chicken and spinach in bowl. Add 1 clove garlic and 3-4 tbsp onion to the bowl. Combine 1/2 cup of the cheese and breadcrumbs with nutmeg. Add milk to barely moisten- no more than 1/4 cup. Sprinkle the bread-cheese mixture into the chicken mixture then add the egg, parsley, salt and pepper and 2 tbsp tomato paste.

3. Combine 1 tbsp tomato paste with 1 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl. Mix and combine the chicken with breadcrumbs and section the meatball mix into quarters. Shape each section into 3 meatballs. Arrange meatballs on baking sheet as you work. Using a pastry brush, brush meatballs with tomato paste and oil mixture and roast for 18-20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic and remainder of the onion. Add the garlic and onion to the olive oil and gently cook for 8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes and stock to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in basil and allow the sauce to reduce while you cook the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain pasta and place back in hot pot with butter, remaining cheese and sauce. Toss pasta to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with chicken meatballs.

Enjoy!

Ziti with Chicken and Brocolli

While browsing recipes the other day, I found this one for Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli in a White Wine Cheddar Sauce that looked interesting. I debated on whether to post this one or not because I didn't really care for it...but taste is very subjective and one of you may fall in love with it! I didn't care for the wine sauce or the white cheddar...or the combination of those two maybe. I can see the potential of the recipe and think that I would like it minus the wine and with a different cheese sauce. I'll have to put that on my list! But if you enjoy white wine, this recipe might be right up your alley! :-)





Ingredients
1 lb Ziti
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup roasted garlic paste (roast garlic in oven)
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 large head of broccoli, cut in florets
2 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken
3 oz extra sharp cheddar (preferably white), grated
4-6 thin strips of Parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and pepper to taste



Directions
1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and cook Ziti to al dente.
2. Lightly steam broccoli and set aside.
3. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. When butter starts foaming, add garlic paste and cook about 1 minute. Add flour and cook about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook for 1 minute. Stir broth into pan and simmer sauce until thickened- about 2 minutes. Add cheddar and stir while returning to a boil. Fold in cooked Ziti and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add broccoli and chicken and stir.
4. Plate and top with Parmesan slices if desired.

Enjoy!

Baked Ziti

My husband was in the mood for some Italian food and this recipe for Baked Ziti seemed to fit the bill. This was a very easy dish to put together and can easily be adapted to your tastes. Served with some good bread and a veggie this makes a tasty meal! This dish also freezes well and any leftovers are just as tasty!






Ingredients
1 16oz box Ziti pasta
1 jar spaghetti sauce or 16oz homemade sauce
1/2 lb ground turkey (or ground beef)
1/2 lb turkey sausage (or pork sausage)
salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes- to taste
12 oz ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 slices Mozzarella cheese (or Provolone cheese)



Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta al dente (according to package); drain.
3. Brown sausage and turkey in a skillet with your desired seasonings. Drain. Add the spaghetti sauce and simmer.
4. To assemble dish, place enough sauce on the bottom to cover. Layer in this order: 1/2 of the cooked noodles, all of the ricotta, 4 slices of Mozzarella (or Provolone), 1/2 of the sauce, remaining noodles, half of the Mozzarella and Parmesan, remaining sauce, remaining cheeses. (Make sure that the pasta is completely covered in sauce and cheese to avoid hard pasta after cooking).
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes to cool before servings.

Enjoy!

More Focaccia Bread

Although we have come to love this Focaccia bread recipe, I was intrigued by this recipe from The Bread Baker's Apprentice book by Peter Reinhart that is supposed to be more "authentic". Unlike the previous one that you can decide to make just hours before, this recipe takes 2 days to make. So, you definitely have to prepare in advance for this one. It actually took a few weeks for me to get around to making this one because I kept forgetting to get it started the night before.

While there were a lot of steps to making this bread, none of the steps were difficult by any means. The hardest part of this recipe was the waiting...and more waiting. I used my electric mixer, but the recipe can be adapted for doing this by hand. One thing I didn't do correctly was adding the cheese at the beginning of the baking process- you want to wait until after it has baked the first 5 to 10 minutes or it will get too brown and burn.

Overall, this bread had a great texture and taste and I will definitely make this one again!

Ingredients
5 cups bread flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast
6 tbsp olive oil
2 cups water, at room temperature
1/4 to 1/2 cup Herb Oil (recipe below)

Directions
1. Stir together flour, salt and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the oil and water and mix on low speed with the paddle attachment. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl, but stick to the bottom of the bowl. You may need to add additional flour to firm up the dough, but it should still be quite soft and sticky.
2. Sprinkle enough flour on the counter to make a space about 6 inches square. Using a scraper or spatula dipped in water, transfer the sticky dough to the counter and dust with flour. Shape the dough into a rectangle. Wait 5 minutes for the dough to relax.

3. Coat your hands with flour and stretch the dough from each end to twice its size. Fold it letter style over itself to return it to a rectangular shape. Mist the top of the dough with oil, dust with flour and loosely cover with plastic wrap.

4. Let dough rest for 30 minutes. Stretch and fold the dough again; mist with oil, dust with flour and cover. After 30 minutes, repeat this again.
5. Allow the covered dough to rest on the counter for 1 hour. It should swell, but not necessarily double in size.
6. Line a 17 x 12 inch sheet pan with parchment and follow the shaping and panning instructions below.
7. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough overnight (or up to 3 days).

8. Remove the pan from the refrigerator 3 hours before baking. Drizzle additional herb oil over the surface and dimple the dough with your fingers. The dough should fill the pan and be about 1/2 inch tall Add any other pre-proof toppings desired. Again, cover the pan with plastic and proof the dough at room temperature for 3 hours, or until the dough doubles in size, rising to a thickness of nearly 1 inch.
9. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Gently place any pre-bake toppings on the dough.
10. Place the pan in the oven. Lower the oven setting to 450 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue baking the focaccia for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it begins to turn a light golden brown. If you are using baking toppings, sprinkle them on at this point and continue baking an additional 5 minutes. The internal temperature of the dough should be above 200 degrees. The cheese should melt, but not burn.
11. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately transfer the focaccia out of the pan to a cooling rack.
12. Allow the focaccia to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Shaping Focaccia

A. Drizzle 1/4 cup of olive oil over the paper and spread with your hands to cover the surface. Lightly oil your hands and using a scraper, lift the dough off of the counter and transfer to the pan, maintaining it's shape.
B. Spoon half of the herb oil over the dough.
C. Use your fingertips to dimple the dough and spread it to fill the pan. Only use your fingertips so you do not rip the dough. Try to keep the thickness of the dough as uniform as possible. If the dough becomes too springy, let it rest for about 15 minutes and continue dimpling. Don't worry if you aren't able to completely fill the pan 100%- as the dough relaxes and proofs it will spread naturally. Use more herb oil as needed to ensure that the entire surface is coated with oil.

Herb Oil
-The generous application of herb oil to focaccia will enhance the flavor of the dough more than any toppings. There are many ways to make this oil, and you can make it in any quantity. You can either use dry or fresh herbs, or a combination. Do not heat the oil, just warm it, and then let the herbs steep in the warm oil, infusing it with their wonderful flavors.
-Here is one way to make it, but feel free to substitute your favorite herbs and spices. The olive oil you use does not have to be extra virgin because it will be cooked later, and the subtle flavor of extra virgin will be lost.

Warm 2 cups of oil to about 100 degrees. Add 1 cup chopped fresh herbs. The herbs may include basil, parsley, oregano, tarragon, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, savory and sage, in any combination. (Substitute 1/3 cup dried herbs or a combination of dry and fresh). Add 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp granulated garlic or 5 to 6 cloves fresh garlic chopped or pressed. You may also add 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp onion powder, or 1 tbsp dried minced onions. Store any leftover herb oil in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan

My all time favorite food is Mexican (or Tex Mex to some), but I do love some good Italian food as well. My husband likes Chicken Parmesan so I set off to find a good recipe! Again, I couldn't find one recipe that I just really loved, so I changed things here and there and came up with this recipe:

Ingredients

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cups spaghetti sauce (homemade or jarred)

1 cup mozzarella cheese (or Monterrey jack)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Put the beaten eggs in a shallow dish. In another dish, combine Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Dip chicken into bread crumbs, eggs and bread crumbs again.

3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and saute until chicken is cooked through (about 8 to 10 minutes each side).

4. Pour spaghetti sauce into a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Add chicken and top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is completely melted. Serve over cooked pasta.

We both really enjoyed this recipe! The chicken was very moist with lots of flavor. This will definitely be added to the book for future meals! The kids liked it as well...although Arianna was a little more interested in the broccoli- she'll fight you for some broccoli :-) We served it with this Focaccia Bread for a great meal!

Enjoy!

Lasagna

One of my husband's favorite meals has always been lasagna, so that's what I made for Valentine's dinner along with salad and bread sticks. I have made this for so long that I don't remember where the recipe originated, but it has been changed up a little over the years. It is a tad labor intensive, but the taste is worth the work! I make this one with ground turkey and turkey sausage, but you can easily substitute ground beef and an Italian sausage.

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb ground Italian turkey sausage
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (12 oz) can tomato paste
1 (12 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp chopped parsley
lasagna noodles
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 to 1 lb mozzarella cheese, grated
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
In a large pot, cook turkey, sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat until well browned; drain. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water. Add sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp salt, pepper and 2 tbsp parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 8 to 10 minutes in boiling water; drain and rinse in cold water. In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg, remaining parsley and 1/2 tsp salt.

Preheat oven to 375 and lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. To assemble, start with 1 1/2 cups meat sauce. Layer with noodles then 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers ending with mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and cover dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

This has proven to be one of those meals that are difficult to get a good picture of...but I tried! I made this for my parents 50th Anniversary last month and did the layering a little different. I did a layer of sauce, then noodles, then cheeses, the noodles and repeated. I actually thought that it held it's shape a lot better with that order and it sure didn't affect the taste to do it differently!
This is the "traditional" layering and while it was quite yummy, it was a little messier (not that it really matters though!) Very yummy meal for my special guy! Hey, I even did the dishes from dinner for him ;-)

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

This is another compilation of recipes and my "go to" recipe for Spaghetti Sauce. This recipe freezes very well and I often make it when I do "once a month cooking". One batch makes enough for dinner, a few lunches and 2 quart sized freezer bags to freeze for later meals. Each quart sized bag also makes enough for dinner and a few lunches- so at least for us, this recipe can be stretched pretty far. This was our dinner tonight- love being able to throw everything into the crockpot in the morning and not worry about it until dinner!

Ingredients

2 lbs ground turkey (or lean ground beef)
3 medium onions, chopped
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (12 oz) tomato paste
2 tbsp dried basil leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper


Cook ground turkey, onions, mushrooms and garlic in skillet over medium heat until turkey is cooked, about 10 minutes; drain. While turkey is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in crockpot. Add turkey mixture and stir well. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours. Makes 24 1/2 cup servings.


*I have also added other veggies like carrots, broccoli and zucchini when I have them on hand- good way to sneak in some veggies!

Minestrone Soup

I often give my husband (and now son) a hard time because he could eat the same thing for lunch everyday. When we first got married, he took a turkey and cheese sandwich to work everyday for at least a year (no exaggeration either)! I on the other hand require a little more variety in my meals! The one exception to that seems to be soup...I could eat soup everyday for lunch without a problem. Although I'm sure it helps that I mix up the soups every week- so it isn't one type forever. I really love a good soup! In a pinch I will turn to canned soup, but I much prefer a homemade soup with more flavor and less sodium!

Last week, we celebrated my wonderful parents 50th wedding anniversary! That is such an accomplishment- especially in this day and it was certainly worthy of a celebration! So, we had a little Italian food feast! On the menu was Minestrone soup, salad, homemade Lasagna and homemade bread sticks with brownie cheesecake for dessert....yummm! This post is for the soup and the other recipes will be posted soon!

Again, after searching many recipes, I could not find one that I liked everything about so this recipe was created. It can easily be changed to your tastes!


Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
4-5 stalks celery, chopped
5 carrots, chopped
3 cups chicken broth (I used low sodium)
2 cups water
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
1 (15oz) can light kidney beans, drained
1 (15oz) can green beans, drained
2 cups frozen spinach (do not need to thaw)
3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
1 tbsp chopped oregano
2 tbsp chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup small seashell pasta
grated Parmesan for garnish

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Saute garlic and onion for 4-5 minutes. Add celery and carrots and saute another 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth, water and tomatoes and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Add red wine and reduce heat to low. Add kidney beans, green beans, spinach, zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour.

Cook the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions. Drain pasta and add to soup to warm. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 8 servings.



The soup has a really good flavor and lots of chunky vegetables! Enjoy!