My Recipe Collection

Spinach Rice Casserole

1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
10 oz fresh spinach, torn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
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In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add rice; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the spinach, salt and pepper; cook until spinach is wilted.

Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender. Yield: 8 servings.

Bruschetta-Style Thin Spaghetti (served hot)

Total Cooking Time: 15 min.
Serves: 3-4 people

1 box (12-13.25 oz) whole-grain thin spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 cups diced fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
To taste: oregano and basil (fresh or dried), shredded Parmesan cheese, cracked pepper, salt
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1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Heat a large saute pan on medium high with olive oil. Saute garlic until golden. Add tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and herbs. Heat until warmed (about 2 minutes).

3. Combine pasta and tomato mixture and heat until warm (approximately 2-3 minutes).

Bruschetta-Style Thin Spaghetti (served cold)

Substitute balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and olive oil with:
1 cup of your favorite salad dressing
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1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. In a mixing bowl, toss pasta, tomatoes and salad dressing.

Curly Pasta Salad
by Susan Herr

Makes: 12 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes

Salad:
4 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
12 ounces cavatappi or other curly pasta
4 cups thinly shredded red cabbage
2 orange bell peppers, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 pint yellow or red cherry tomatoes, halved

Dressing:
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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1. To make salad: In large pot, combine water and salt; bring to boil.

2. Add pasta and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta and rinse briefly under cold water to cool, shaking off excess.

3. In large bowl, combine drained pasta, cabbage, peppers and cherry tomatoes.

4. To make dressing: In blender, combine all dressing ingredients except cheese; blend until garlic is pureed and dressing is emulsified. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse to combine. Toss dressing with salad about 15 minutes before serving. (Salad ingredients can be prepared up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate cooked pasta and vegetables separately, then make dressing and toss together shortly before serving.)

Angel Hair Pasta with Shellfish
Serves: 6

12 oz angel hair pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 roma tomatoes, diced
1 cup imitation crab meat, shredded
2 cups small precooked shrimp
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade
2 ounces Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
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Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat oil in a mon-stick skillet. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. Add imitation crab and shrimp and heat through. Add basil and toss with pasta. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle servings with cheese.

Basil-Topped Swordfish

Prepare Classic Pesto Sauce. Spoon 1 tablespoon pesto over each of 6 swordfish steaks, 1 inch think, 6 ounces each. Bake in 450°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes until fish is cooked through. Meanwhile, cook 1 pound green beans and 1 pound yellow wax beans, trimmed, in boiling salted water for 7 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and mix with 4 tablespoons of pesto. Top with 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Serve with fish. Makes 6 servings.

Ligurian-Style Linguine

Prepare Classic Pesto Sauce. Boil 1 pound linguine until firm but tender, following package directions, adding in 3/4 pound green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, during last 6 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water. Place pasta back into pot. While pasta is cooking, simmer 1 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes, in lightly salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Gently stir potatoes into pasta and green beans. Add 3/4 cup pesto and reserved cooking water. Gently stir to coat. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan over the top. Garnish with basil. Pass extra pesto, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Classic Pesto Sauce
Makes: 1 cup.
Prep: 20 minutes.
Cook: 10 minutes.

2 cups packed basil leaves, rinsed
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
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1. Process basil, garlic and pine nuts in work bowl of a food processor until finely chopped. With processor running, slowly add oil through top of processor. Process for 1 minute, until smooth.

2. Remove to non-reactive storage container and stir in Parmesan cheese and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Hongos Rellenos Instantáneos

Ingredientes:
1 libra de champiñones blancos grandes, sin los tallos
3 cdas de aceite de oliva
1/2 cdta de sal
1/4 de cdta de pimienta negra molida
3/4 de taza de pan crujiente sazonado
1/2 taza (2 onzas) de queso parmesano rallado

Preparación:
Precalentar el asador o el horno a 400°F. Untar ambos lados de los hongos con aceite de oliva; sazonar con sal y pimienta. Rellenar cada hongo con dos o tres pedacitos de pan. Transferir los hongos a la parilla, o hornear en una charola hast que los hongos estén suaves y el pan dorado, apróximadamente ocho minutos. Cubrir con el queso parmesano y asar, u hornear, hasta que el queso se derrita, apróximadamente dos minutos. Servir inmediatamente.

Fried Ravioli
by Family Circle
Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Fry: 3 minutes per batch

Parmesan Dipping Sauce:
1 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Fried Ravioli:
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup Italian-flavored dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
9 oz refrigerated cheese ravioli (uncooked)
4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
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1. Parmesan Dipping Sauce: Process cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper in food processor until combined. Remove 3/4 cup to small bowl. Add basil to remaining sauce in processor; process until sauce is smooth. To each sauce, stir in 2 tablespoons water to thin slightly. Refrigerate until serving time.

2.Fried Ravioli: In shallow dish or pie plate, lightly beat eggs and milk with fork until blended. On sheet of wax paper, combine bread crumbs, garlic salt and cayenne.

3. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss ravioli with beaten egg gently to coat. Remove a few ravioli at a time, letting excess drip off. Coat ravioli in crumb mixture, shaking off excess. Place on prepared pan; repeat process.

4. Over medium-high heat, heat oil in 5-quart saucepan until 350°F on deep-fat fry thermometer. Fry a third of the ravioli at a time, turning occasionally until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes for each batch. Drain on paper towels. Serve with Dipping Sauce. (Or refrigerate, then reheat in 500°F oven for 1 to 2 minutes.

Joe’s Lasagna
by Joe Carpenter

Sauce:
2 16-oz cans tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion salt
1 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic
3 Tbsp cooking oil
1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck
1 tsp Accent
Another tsp salt, or you can just put in two tsp to begin with like i do
1 pound can of tomatoes

Brown onion, garlic, and meat in oil. Add the rest of the stuff and simmer one and one half hour.

Filling:
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
1/2 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3/4 pound ricotta or cottage cheese ( i like ricotta)

Boil noodles nine or ten minutes in salted water. Combine in lasagna pan in following order : sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake for one hour @ 350 degrees. Eat! I find the ricotta hard to smear on the noodles so i just drop it on in small spoonful sizes.