Penne Alla Vodka

Serves 6

3 T. Butter
3-4 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1 C. thinly sliced prosciutto
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 c. half and half
1/4 c. Vodka (the good kind!!)
Salt and Pepper
1 Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb penne pasta
3/4 c. freshly grated parmingiano-reggiano cheese

In a large pot, melt the butter. Add garlic and cook until golden brown. Stir in proscuitto, and cook for a minute or two. Add tomatoes, crushed red pepper, pepper and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in half/half and cook for 2 minutes, stirring a lot. Add vodka and cook until it no longer smells strongly of vodka (3-5 min). Cook the pasta as direct on box, but al dente. Add the pasta to the pot and mix until it is well coated. Toss w/ cheese and freeze.

**Reheat in oven at 350 until warm or on the stove in a saucepan!

White Chili

2 lbs northern beans
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 TBS Veg. oil
1 TBS ground oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp Ginger
1 1/2 tsp season salt
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
4 1/2 quarts chicken broth
2 garlic cloves minced
8 bnls chicken breast halves
1 can sweet corn
1 c heavy cream
2 4oz cans chopped green chilies
Shredded cheddar or Jack for Topping

Place beans in saucepan, cover w/water & bring to a boil for 2 min. Remove from heat & let soak 1 hr. drain & rinse
In soup pan saute onion & oil til tender. Combine seasonings & divide. add half seasonings to onions for 1 min then add beans, broth, garlic & corn. simmer for 2 hrs.
Coat chicken in remaining seasonings & bake @ 350 until juices run clear. Add chicken, chilies & cream to beans. Simmer for 1 1/2 hrs.
Top each bowl with cheese when serving.

Cheesy Potatoes

1 Bag of Shreded Hashbrowns
1 small Chooped Onion
1 can of cream of Chicken & Mushroom
1 16 oz sour cream
1 8 oz bag of shreded cheddar cheese
1 stick of butter
1 lb sliced smoked sausage
1/2 c Milk

Heat butter & onion, add sausage, sour cream, soup & cheese & mix. Then add hashbrowns, milk & mix until creamy. You can top with crushed corn flakes, potato chips or crackers (your choice).

November Exchange

The following is a list of meals to be prepared for the month of November:

• Kimmi - Jambalaya & Spaghetti Pie
  
• Christie - Chicken Cordon Bleu & Mom's Chili
  
• Brenda - Penne alla Vodka & Chicken Tetrazzini
  
• Nakole - Cheesy Potatoes w. Sausage & White Chili
  
• Mickey - SW Chicken Stew & Beef Stew
  

It was also decided that we will start to meet on the first Friday of every month.

Our next meeting will be at 5:30pm on Friday, November 7th at the Frog in Syracuse.

Thanks to everyone for your promptness this month...let's continue to be on time to make the meetings efficient. Maybe next time we can cut the actual "business-part" to one hour. What do you think? Is that a good goal?

I love you all!!

~Kimberly =)

Spaghetti Pie

Serves 8

1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb.  Hamburger

6 oz.  Cooked spaghetti
2 T.   margarine
1/3 cup  Parmesan cheese
2  well beaten eggs 
1 cup  cottage cheese
½ cup  mozzarella cheese 

Brown hamburger.  Drain.  Combine with the spaghetti sauce (or purchase meat sauce).  Stir margarine into cooked, drained pasta.  Stir in Parmesan and eggs.  Form into “crust” in buttered CAF tin.  Spread cottage cheese over the bottom of the “crust”.  Fill pan with meat sauce.  Cover with plastic wrap and the tin lid with the silver side down.

 

Reheating Instructions:  

Thaw in refrigerator 24-48 hours. Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, bake 5 minutes longer. 

Hearty Jambalaya

Serves 8  

1 lb polish sausage, cut into ½ inch slices 

1 lb boneless/skinless chx breasts, cubed 

1 large onion, chopped 

½ c chopped celery 

½ c chopped green pepper 

4 garlic cloves, minced 

2 T butter 

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomato’s, undrained 

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste 

½ t hot pepper sauce 

¼ to ½ t cayenne pepper 

1/8 t garlic powder 

1/8 t white pepper 

1/8 t pepper 

1/2 lb  uncooked med. shrimp

In a dutch oven or large saucepan , saute the sausage, chicken, onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in butter until chicken is browned. Stir in the tomato’s, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a boil. reduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. 

Stir in the shrimp. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. 

Cool and pour into CAF tins. Cover with plastic wrap and the tin lid with the silver side down. 

Can freeze up to 2 months. 

Thaw, warm and serve over rice. 

Mom's Chili

10 lbs lean ground beef
10 lbs italian sausage
light red kidney beans
dark red kidney beans
stewed tomatoes
tomato sauce
chili seasoning
oregano
brown sugar
diced onions
diced green peppers
minced garlic

I can't give you the exact measurements because I would have to kill you all. OK...maybe it's not that much of a secret. I just know how much to put in. I don't measure. It's the recipe my mother has made since we were little kids. And we LOVED it....trust me...most Floridians don't eat chili so you know it has to be good! My suggestion is to stick it in the crockpot and let it simmer for 6 hours. Let those juices jive. It's a beautiful thing.
Let me know what you think.

Chicken Cordon Bleu w/ Gruyere Cheese Sauce

Gruyere Cheese Sauce
olive oil
1 medium onion minced
3/4 c butter
1 c all-purpose flour
10 c milk
2 c shredded gruyere cheese
2 c shredded parm cheese
salt & pepper to taste

saute onions till tender. remove from pan and set aside. in same pan, melt butter over medium heat. stir in flour and cook 3-5 min. slowly add milk, stirring constantly until well blended. whisk over med. heat till thickened. remove from heat. add shredded cheeses, stirring till melted. stir in onions. season with salt & pepper. set aside.

48 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
48 slices ham or pastrami
48 slices swiss cheese
2 c butter, melted

pound the hell out of the chicken boobies till 1/8 in thickness. place slice of ham and slice of swiss on the middle of each breast and roll them up. brush with butter. bake until cooked through (30-40 min) @ 350˚. cool. place 4 rolls in each tin. pour sauce over the chicken breasts.

This recipe is a bitch, but well worth it. I will do it because I love you all.

Thaw. bake @ 350 for 30 min.

Favorite Beef Stew

1/2 bag of carrots
3 ribs celery (cut up)
2 large potatoes (peeled and cut up)
1.5 C chopped onion
1/2 bag of green beans (opt.)
1/2 bag of corn (opt.)
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1.5 T Worcestershire sauce
3/4 t dried thyme leaves
3/4 dried basil
1/2 t black pepper
1.5 lbs. slew meat
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can reduced sodium beef broth
1/4 c flour
1/2 c cold water

Layer: carrots, celery, potatoes, onions, garlic, bay leaf, Wor. sauce, thyme, basil, pepper, beef, tomatoes, with juice and broth. Cover and cook LOW 8-9 hours.

LATER AFTER COOKING: To thicken--turn slow cooker on high. Mix flour and water (I use a whisk to get rid of lumps) and then add 1/2 C of cooking liquid. Add mixture to cooker. Stir to mix well. Cover and reheat.

***I usually add a splash or red wine to this--makes it yummy!
***I have also added extra broth and water to this and then added tapioka if anyone is interested.
***Since I'm making these separately, I can mix/match veggies for how each family would want their recipe.

Southwest Chicken Stew--slow cooker meal

1.5 lbs. b-less/s-less chix breast cut up
1 T chili powder (I can adjust this for you)
1 t cumin
3/4 t salt
1 red pepper cut up
1 green pepper cut up
3/4 c chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
1 can chili beans in spicy sauce (I can use mild sauce)
1 can chili-style stewed tomatoes
3/4 cup salsa

Place chicken in cooker. Add chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir to coat. Add red and green peppers, onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes, and salsa. Mix well. Cover and cook LOW 5 hours. (I have cooked this all day while at school and it is fine.) If you prefer a thicker stew, you can add a little corn starch about 30 minutes -1 hour before serving. Mix well and allow it to come back up to heat and it will thicken.

Easy Chicken & Dumplings

Serves 6
prep time 30 min.

Ingredients:
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1-2/3 cups reduced-fat biscuit/baking mix
2/3 cup fat-free milk

Directions: In a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray, saute celery and carrots for 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, poultry seasoning and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered. Add the chicken. For dumplings, combine biscuit mix and milk. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto simmering broth. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean (do not lift cover while simmering).