SHRIMP SCAMPI

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup butter, cubed

¼ cup olive oil

1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ cup lemon juice

½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. dried oregano

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup dry bread crumbs

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Hot cooked angel hair pasta

In a 10 inch ovenproof skillet, sauté garlic in butter and oil until tender.  Stir in the shrimp, lemon juice, pepper, and oregano; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and parsley.  Broil 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until topping is golden brown.  Serve over pasta.  Yield: 4 servings

CREAMY WHITE CHILI

1 pound skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch cubes*

1 medium onion

1 ½ tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cans (15 ½ oz. each) great northern beans, drained**

1 can (14 ½ oz.) chicken broth

2 cans chopped green chilies

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. pepper

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

½ cup heavy whipping cream

In a large saucepan, sauté chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Add the beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and heavy whipping cream.  Yeild: 7 servings

ENJOY!! J

*I have substituted the chicken breasts for a few cans of chicken. ** I sometimes add an extra can of great northern beans.

STUFFED PEPPERS

Stuffed Green Peppers with Brown Rice, Italian Sausage, and Parmesan
(Makes 4 large stuffed green peppers, recipe created by Kalyn when her market had a great sale on peppers!)

1 C long-grain brown rice (I used Uncle Ben's Brown Rice, but any long-grain rice will work.)
4 large green bell peppers, bottom trimmed, cap end cut off and diced, and seeds removed
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
2 links turkey Sweet Italian Sausage (or other sausage of your choice. Use diced mushrooms instead of sausage for vegetarian version.)
1/2 tsp. ground fennel
1/2 tsp. dried Greek or Turkish oregano
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Cook rice according to package directions, or using a rice cooker. (Rice can be cooked ahead and used in this recipe later.)

Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Trim bottom of bell peppers so they have a flat surface to stand on. Cut off a fairly generous amount of the stem end of peppers, then remove seeds. Place hollowed-out peppers in a baking dish that you've sprayed with non-stick spray or olive oil. (A dish that's close in size to the peppers will work best.)

Remove stem part from the pepper caps and trim off any white membrane, then dice pepper caps and the onion into fairly small dice. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet, then saute diced pepper and onion for 3-4 minutes, until they are starting to soften but aren't browned. Remove pepper-onion mixture to a bowl, add 1 tsp. more olive oil, then squeeze sausage out of the casing and cook until it's lightly browned, breaking apart with the back of the turner.

Put the onion-pepper mixture back into the pan with the sausage, add the dried spices, and saute 2-3 minutes to blend the flavors. Then add cooked rice and Parmesan cheese, season the mixture with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, and cook just long enough to warm, about 1-2 minutes.

Stuff the filling mixture into the hollowed-out peppers, using a spoon to press the mixture down so it's tightly packed into the pepper shell. (A few years ago I stopped pre-cooking the peppers before stuffing, and now I prefer peppers that are stuffed raw.) If you have any extra filling, you can put it in a small ramekin and bake along with the peppers. Bake peppers for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and put a generous pinch of grated mozzarella on top of each pepper. Put peppers back into the oven and bake about 10-15 minutes more, until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

You can freeze leftover peppers for a month or two, although the frozen peppers will be a little softer in texture (but still very tasty.) I cut them in half top-to-bottom before freezing and freeze two halves in a small baking dish with a snap-on lid.

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI... (TO TRY)

Chicken Spaghetti

5 chicken breasts 

1 tbsp chicken boullion

3 celery, chopped 

1 small bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped 

½ lb Velveeta cheese

1 can cream of chicken or mushroom 

1-16 oz pkg spaghetti

Cook chicken in 4 qt. pan, filled 3/4 full with water; add boullion. While chicken is cooking, chop veggies. After cooking for 15 minutes take chicken out of pan, add spaghetti to broth. When spaghetti is cooked, add chopped chicken, veggies, soup and cheese. Cook 10 minutes and pour into a casserole dish. Bake 25 minutes at 350.

SIMPLE STROGANOFF

1 lb. ground beef
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
1 can beef broth
salt
pepper
1 package egg noodles

Brown and drain hamburger.  Add cream cheese and beef broth.  Let simmer until cheese is melted.  Add salt and pepper.  Serve over egg noodles.

SHELL CASSEROLE

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups hot water
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
6 oz. large shell shaped pasta
1 (2 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)
1 cup sour cream

In a skillet, cook ground beef and onion until red color disappears.  Drain beef; place in slow cooker.  Stir in salt, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and flour.  Add water and bouillon.  Mix well.  Cover and cook on LOW 2 to 3 hours.  Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions and drain.  Add cooked pasta, mushrooms and sour cream to slow cooker; stir to mix ingredients.  Turn control to HIGH.  Cover and cook on HIGH 10 to 15 minutes.

CALIFORNIA TAMALE PIE

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 (14 to 15 oz.) can chunky tomato salsa
1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (2.25 oz) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, mix cornmeal, milk and egg.  Stir in meat, chili powder, cumin, salt, salsa, corn and olives.  Pour mixture into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours.  Sprinkle cheese over top; cover and cook another 5 minutes.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

BAKED STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

12 oz. jumbo pasta shells
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (reserve 3/4 cup to top)
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 lbs. ricotta cheese
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tbsp. dried parsley
24 oz. spaghetti sauce

Bring water to a boil and cook shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the rest of the ingredients except the spaghetti sauce. Preheat oven to 375*. Place a thin layer of spaghetti sauce onto the bottom of a 13 X 9 baking dish.  Drain and cool shells with cool water.  Spoon cheese mixture into each pasta shell and place open side up in a single layer in prepared pan.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the stuffed shells.  Loosely cover with foil and back for 40 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup mozzerella cheese on top.  Bake 5 more minutes.

FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES

(Adapted from Rachael Ray's French Dip Sandwich recipe)

4 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced
1 cloved garlic, minced
1 tbsp. flour
2 cans beef broth
1-2 lbs. deli sliced roast beef
Montreal Steak seasoning or salt and pepper
swiss cheese or provolone cheese (optional)
sandwich rolls (we have used mini bagels)

In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add onions and garlic to butter and saute 2 minutes. Add flour to butter and onions and cook a minute longer. Whisk in beef broth in a slow stream. Bring sauce to a bubble and allow to simmer over low heat until ready to serve sandwiches.

Pile meat loosely across your cutting board or a large work surface. Lightly season meat with grill seasoning or salt and black pepper. Pile meat onto rolls or bagels as desired.  Top with 1/2 slice of cheese.  Put in 400* oven for about 10 minutes to toast bread and melt cheese. Set out ramekins or small soup cups for dipping sauce.  Dip and enjoy!

RITZY CHICKEN WITH POPPY SEEDS

1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6-8 chicken breasts, skinned and bones
1 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp. poppy seeds

Combine first 8 ingredients in a container suitable for marinating.  Add chicken breasts.  Coat and marinate refrigerated over night.  Remove the coated chicken from mixture and roll in cracker crumbs.  Arrange in a single layer in a 9x13 pan.  Melt butter and pour half over the chicken.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350*.  Spoon the remaining butter and the poppy seeds over the chicken and cook 15 minutes longer.