Pesto Chicken Panini

This recipe is from my sister, Kara.

1 cup diced or shredded cooked chicken
1/4 to 1/2 cup prepared basil pesto (we like the Classico brand)
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
8 slices French bread, sliced about 1/2 inch thick

Preheat George Forman grill, panini press, or skillet. Spread each slice of bread with pesto. Layer bottom half (pesto side up) with cheese, tomato, chicken, cheese, and top slice of bread (pesto side down). Place in the George Forman grill, apply some pressure. Grill until golden brown and cheese is melted.

These are super yummy and easy for lunch or dinner. Obviously, the amounts are approximate, so use as much or as little as you need/want. I did think sliced Mozzarella cheese might be easier to work with, if you have it. :)

MEXICALE SUPPER

2 pounds ground beef (I usually only use 1 pound)

1 medium onion, chopped

3 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cumin

4 Tablespoons sugar

Dash of garlic powder

2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce (I use a single 15 ounce can)

3 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

3 (6 ounce) cans water

2 cups cooked rice

Tortilla chips for scooping

Toppings of your choice: cheese, lettuce, tomato, olive, sour cream, etc

Brown beef and chopped onion in a large skillet. Drain grease. Add seasonings, tomato sauce and paste, and water. Simmer for 30-40 minutes. Add rice and heat through. Spoon onto plate, top with toppings of your choice, and eat as a chip dip, using the tortilla chips. Serves 12+.

Cream of Broccoli Potato Spinach Soup with Cheddar

4 tablespoons butter

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, crushed

¼ cup flour

3 cups milk

½ teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon rosemary

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ pound sharp cheddar cheese shredded

3 chicken boullion cubes

2-4 medium potatoes, chopped

1 ½ pounds broccoli, coarsely chopped

1 pound spinach, washed

4 cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in saucepan; add onions and garlic. Saute about 5 minutes. Slowly add flour and cook on low heat for about 2 more minutes. Add milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Boil about 1 minute. Add thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, and cheese.

In a separate large pot, add potatoes, bullion, and water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. Add chopped broccoli and continue to simmer for another 5 or so minutes until broccoli is tender. Remove from heat and add spinach. Mix spinach in, cover for about 10 minutes until spinach is well steamed.

Blend potato mixture in a food processor or blender. Return to original pot and add cheese sauce and lemon juice. Heat through, but don’t boil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Jim and I love this soup! It is very tasty and filling, and even tastes better the next day. The kids are slowly coming around, since I make it probably once a month. Jim nicknamed it "Leprechaun Soup" since it is a delightful shade of green. :)

CHILI

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
16 oz. tomato sauce
15 oz. kidney beans with liquid
15 oz. can mexican chili beans OR 15 oz. can pinto beans, with liquid
10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies - makes it a little spicy so choose a different variety if you don't like spicy
2 small tomatoes
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water

Cook ground beef with onions until done. Drain. Return to pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 1-2 hours with lid off to reduce liquid and thicken. Add more water if it becomes too thick.

NECIA'S MACARONI AND CHEESE

1 box mac noodles (cooked and drained). Necia uses 16 oz., but you can use less if you like it 'saucier'
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard (not a necessary ingredient, but it helps bring out the cheese flavor)
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups milk
3 cups cheese

Melt butter over medium heat, then add the flour and stir together to make a rue. Cook until it's a nice brown color but don't let it burn. Add milk, salt, mustard and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Let mixture boil for about one minute. Turn off heat, add cheese and mix until melty and delicious. Put noodles in a 9X13 pan (careful, it will be very full!) Pour cheese mixture over the top and mix together. You can add more cheese to the top if you want crunchyness. Put in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until it's warm. Serve and enjoy!

BAKES ZITI

1/2 lb. Ziti noodles
16 oz. ricotta cheese
3 cups mozzarella cheese
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese

Cook ziti noodles and drain. Mix in a bowl with ricotta and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. Grease a 9x13 baking pan. Spread 1/2 the spaghetti sauce in bottom of pan. Add ziti mixture and cover with the remaining spaghetti sauce. On top, sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella and the Parmesan. Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH

FROM THE BOSCH COOKBOOK:

3 cups hot tap water
2 Tbsp. honey
6-8 cups whole wheat or unbleached flour
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. dough enhancer
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. oregano

Mix water, honey, spices and 3 cups flour to a paste consistency. Add yeast, salt and additional flour-1 cup at a time- until mixture pulls from side of mixer - about 10 minutes for whole wheat flour, less for white. Add dough enhancer the last 2 minutes. Preheat a pizza stone to 500 degrees. Roll out dough onto floured board (or use cornmeal). Add toppings. Place on pizza stone. Bake about 7 minutes or until done.

MANICOTTI

12 large manicotti shells
4 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
2 cups ricotta cheese
6 Tbsp. fresh basil or 2 Tbsp. dried basil
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. For filling, stir together 3 cups mozzarella, ricotta and basil. Carefully stuff each shell with cheese mixture.
Spoon 2 cups spaghetti sauce in bottom of a 9x13 pan. Arrange stuffed shells over sauce. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top of pasta. sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake manicotti for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan; bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

FARFALLE PASTA PRIMAVERA

8 oz. Farfalle pasta
2 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 oz. snow peas
2 oz. asparagus (sliced)
4 oz. mushrooms
5 oz. heavy cream
2 oz. Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese
1 oz. butter or olive oil
1 oz. tomatoes, diced
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water about 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain well. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and cook the chicken until done, then remove from pan. Place butter in pan and add snow peas, asparagus and mushrooms and cook for one minute. Add cream, cheese, pasta and chicken and simmer until sauce thickens and mixture is combined well. Finish with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese to taste. Serve garnished with tomatoes.

NIKKI'S ENCHILADAS

1 lb. ground beef
1-2 packags corn tortillas
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can enchilada sauce
grated cheddar cheese

Brown beef, drain and set aside. Warm tortillas in microwave or quickly dip in hot oil, drain. Combine soups and enchilada sauce, mix well. Spoon a little of the soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Fill tortillas with meat and cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in pan. Pour remaining soup mixture over the top, covering the tortillas completely. Top with more cheddar cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

EASIER METHOD - Follow the above except, layer the tortillas (like a lasagna) in the pan instead of rolling them up. Layer one (sauce), layer two (tortillas), layer three (meat), layer four (cheese) - continue three more times. Top with sauce and cheese and bake.

BAKED MOSTACCIOLI

1 lb. Penne or Mostaccioli pasta - cook about 10 minutes, drain and pour into 9x13 baking dish.

In a large skillet, brown 1 lb. hamburger or sausage OR half of each, with 1/4-1/2 cup diced onions. Drain off grease and add the following -

12-24 oz. spaghetti sauce of your choice - depending on how tomatoey you like it.
1 (14 ox) can stewed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. sugar (optional)
1 Tbsp. crushed basil leaves
1/2 tsp. garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, diced
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (1/2 tsp. if you like spicy)

Pour mix over pasta and stir. Mix together 1 cup shredded 4-blend Italian cheese (or you can use just mozzarella) and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Stir 1/2 of the cheese into the pasta. Top the mostaccioli with the other 1/2 cheese mixture. Cover and bake in 350 degree oven about 30-40 minutes.

CRUSTLESS QUICHE

Butter a 9" pie plate and in it sprinkle:
4 oz grated cheese (1 cup)
6-7 sliced crumbled bacon or 1 cup chopped ham
Vegetables--mushrooms, broccoli, peppers

In a blender mix:
4 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 TBSP butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup milk

Blend for one minute. Pour over cheese and bacon. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand for 3-4 minutes before serving.

FRUIT PIZZA

1 cup margarine
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together. Press into a pizza pan to form crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350. Cool.

Cream together 1 (8oz) pg cream cheese, softened and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Spread over cooled pizza crust.

Place fresh fruit (strawberries, kiwi, bananas, etc.) and canned fruit (peaches, pears) on top of cream cheese.

In a small saucepan, mix the juice from the canned fruit with a small amount of cornstarch and sugar. Cook over medium heat till thickened. Pour glaze over pizza and chill.

TACOS

1 lb very lean ground beef
1/2 cup diced mild green chilis
1 TBSP garlic salt or fresh minced garlic
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 cup minced onion
1 TBSP Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
2 TBSP tace seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Fry ground beef with onions until crumbled very fine. Add remaning ingredients, stir in completely and turn heat to low for 3-5 minutes. While meat is simmering, place shells in over at 200 degrees. Serve with meat, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and grated cheddar cheese. Garnish with salsa, guacamole, olive and sour cream.

BAKED ZITI

1/2 lb Ziti
16oz Ricotta cheese
3 cups mozzarella cheese
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Cook and rain Ziti according to package directions. Put in a bowl and mix with ricotta cheese and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. Grease a 9X13 pan. Spread 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce in bottom of the pan. Add ziti mixture. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and rest of mozzarella. Bake 20-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.