Johnny Carino's Festival Bowtie Pasta

2 oz. melted butter

2 tsp. minced fresh garlic

1/4 c. diced red onion

1/4 c. diced cooked bacon

1/2 c. diced Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 lb. sliced, cooked chicken

2 oz. heavy whipping cream

6 oz. Alfredo sauce (recipe follows)

1/4 c. Asiago cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 lb. bowtie pasta, cooked

In a heated saucepan, combine butter, garlic, onions, bacon, tomatoes, chicken, and spices.

When onions begin to turn translucent, and heavy cream and Asiago.

Once cheese and cream have reduced by half, add alfredo sauce and bowtie pasta. Toss until well-combined and remove from heat. Allow to cool for a few minutes so the cheese and sauce can thicken.

Alfredo Sauce

2 c. Heavy whipping cream

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

1/2 Tbsp. black pepper

1/8 c. whole milk

Bring heavy cream, milk, and black pepper to a consistent boil. Remove cream mixture from heat and fold in parmesan cheese. Store completed sauce in fridge until use.

If you have extra alfredo sauce (which you should) you may want to serve it as a dipping sauce for some french bread or breadsticks. (You could also half the recipe for the alfredo sauce.)

Chipotle Chicken Skewers

INGREDIENTS

Chicken Skewers:
• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-5 medium chicken breasts)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (scrape out the seeds before mincing to reduce spiciness)
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 12 bamboo or metal skewers
Creamy Dipping Sauce:
• 3/4 cup lowfat sour cream
• 1/4 cup lowfat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
• Juice from one lime
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice the chicken breasts into long, thin strips, about 1/2-inch thick. You should have right around 30 strips. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the chicken with the brown sugar mixture coating all the pieces evenly. Cover the chicken (or place in a ziploc bag) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
2. For the dipping sauce, in a bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Cover the mixture and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until the flavors combine. Alternately, you can make the dipping sauce in advance and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Be sure to season the dipping sauce with additional lime juice, salt and pepper to taste before serving.
3. 30 minutes before grilling, cover the bamboo skewers with water and soak. Skip this step if using metal skewers.
4. Preheat an oven broiler or gas/charcoal grill. Weave two strips of chicken onto each skewer. Broil or grill the chicken for 5-8 minutes until cooked through, using nonstick cooking spray on a foil-lined pan if you are broiling. Serve immediately (if you broil, you may need to cook in batches) with the dipping sauce.

Freezer Instructions: 

Thaw chicken; thread on skewers and grill!

Manicotti

3 cups cottage cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
12 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. dried parsley

Freezer Instructions: Thaw filling. Cook manicotti for 7 minutes. Rinse under cold water to cool.  While manicotti is cooking, mix Ragu and tomato sauce together. Season with Italian seasoning or to your family's tastes. Cut corner off of filling bag and pipe filling into cooked manicotti.  Spread 1/2 of sauce on bottom of pan(s). Place filled manicotti on top of sauce. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 400 until sauce is bubbly (about 30 min.). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Cashew Chicken

6 c. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. whole cashews

Marinade:
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp white wine (I replaced this with a mixture of a 1:1 ratio chicken broth and apple cider vinegar)
1/2 c. soy sauce
3/4 c. brown sugar

Mix ingredients for marinate.  Soak ckicken in marinade for 20 minutes.  Drain marinade, reserving liquid.

Heat oil in wok, bringing to 375 degrees.  Stir fry chicken in oil until done.  Add marinade.  Heat just long enough to get marinade hot. 
Label, bag and serve.  Store cashews until ready to serve.  (Do not freeze cashews with chicken mixture or the cashews will become mushy)

Heating instructions:  Place in microwave safe bowl.  Lightly cover bowl and heat chicken mixture.  Add cashews and serve over hot rice.

Sorry ladies, that is the ideal way to make it.  Honestly, I just forgot about our changed date and ran out of time.  You will need to thaw out your chicken and strain off as much of the marinade as you can, then add it to you hot oil in fry pan and cook until done.  Then add your remaining marinade and bring to boil for a few minutes to cook the sauce.  Then serve with rice.

I served this with a green salad and watermelon.

Enchilada Casserole

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 small onion
1 sprinkle of garlic salt
1/2 T chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 can drained black beans
1 can drained corn
1 can chopped olives (optional)
10 corn tortillas
1/2 lb. grated cheese

Brown and crumble hamburger.  Add onion, seasonings, beans, corn, & tomato sauce.  Simmer.  Layer in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan:  tortillas,1/2 ground beef-sauce mixture, olives, 1/2 of the grated cheese.  Then repeat.  Carefully pour 2/3 c. water over the top.  Bake at 350 for 30 min. covered.

For frozen meal:  I don't love how corn tortillas freeze, so I froze the meat sauce and cheese separate.  Store the corn tortillas in the fridge and then thaw the meat and cheese to complete the instructions above.  I've included the olives as an option if your family likes them.

White Chili

Medium onion chopped and sauted in 1 T. oil
1 can diced green chilies
1 can chicken broth
2 cans cream chicken soup
2 cans chicken
2 cans Great Northern beans
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Saute onion and then add everything else.  Stir and bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer about 20 minutes.  Can sprinkle with cheese and dip tortilla chips if you wish.  Yields about 10 servings.

Coconut Ginger Rice

Coconut Ginger Rice (w/ Chicken)

Coconut Rice

1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
2-3 TBL of grated ginger
1-2 garlic clove minced
1/2 tsp of tumeric
4 cups of rice
1 15 oz can of Coconut Milk
4 cups of water
1 tsp of salt
2 lbs of chicken

Saute onion, ginger, garlic, & chicken in 1 TBL of oil. (About 8 minutes) Stir in Tumeric, salt, and rice to coat. Add can of coconut milk and water. Bring to boil. Turn heat to low. cover and cook until rice is done (15 to 18 minutes).

This recipe was adapted from "The Art of Asian Cooking"


Frozen Meal Instruction:  Place Chicken in large pan. Put in 4 cups of water, coconut milk, and rice bag.  Cook until rice is done (20 to 30 minutes)

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

1 small to medium yellow onion, thinly sliced into half moons
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fresh or frozen
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

Freezer Instructions:
Thaw chicken and sauce. Slice one onion and sprinkle in bottom of crockpot (optional).  Add chicken and sauce to crockpot and cook on low 5-6 hrs.  Remove the chicken and shred the meat.  Return it to the crockpot and mix it with the sauce.  Serve hot on rolls.

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU    

Skin and bone six large chicken breasts.  Pound them until they're thin.  Lay 1-2 slices Swiss cheese over each breast.  Next lay 1-2 thin slices of ham over the cheese.  Roll up each piece of chicken.  Hook together with a toothpick.  Dip in milk, roll in flour, dip in buttermilk, and then roll in dried bread crumbs.  Brown in butter.  Bake at 350̊ for 30-45 minutes.  Serve with Rich Cheese Sauce, and Oven Baked Rice.

RICH CHEESE SAUCE

1  cup medium white sauce (2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 cup milk)

                                               

Add to the white sauce, and stir until cheese is melted:

1  cup grated nippy cheddar cheese

1  teaspoon dry mustard

½  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

OVEN BAKED RICE - Cook uncovered with the chicken:

1  cup rice                          ½  diced onion

1  can beef consume          ½  cube butter

1  can water

We also like green beans served with this meal, with the cheese sauce over the beans.

Southwest Egg Rolls (Natalie & Kendra)

Natalie & Kendra's September Plan:

We will be doing Southwest Egg Rolls. Here's a picture of them that my friend had posted on her blog. I wanted you to all see a picture so you could see that they are actually wrapped in tortilla shells, not actual egg roll wraps that you fry.

















1 chicken breast fillet, diced
½ red bell pepper, minced
2 tsp dry onion
1 can corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can green chilies
½ T parsley
½ t cumin
½ t salt
Dash cayenne pepper

1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
Flour Tortillas

Optional Dipping Sauce: (Will not include ingredients for this, but you can make it if you wish)
*Tastes great served with salsa

Avocado-ranch dipping sauce:
1 c. ranch
1 whole avocado, mashed
1 tsp. minced onion
Salt & pepper
Blend together with blender

Cook chicken and dice. In large bowl mix all ingredients together. Sauté all ingredients until warm. Remove from heat and add shredded cheese. Warm tortillas. Place 1/3 c. or so of mixture inside a tortilla. Fold completely together so mixture cannot escape (fold ends and roll up center). Place inside a panni grill or George Forman to grill (can also just do it with a warm pan- turn often to avoid burning- just want to crisp the outside a bit.) and melt cheese. Serve with dipping sauce or salsa.

September Grilled Pepperoni Sandwiches

For Sept I'll do these sandwiches, similar to pizza but enough of a twist to seem like a different meal!

For 10-12 servings we use

2 loaves crusty italian bread (we like Broulim's Artisan)
1 28 oz jar of spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
butter for the outside of the bread
6 oz pepperoni
1/2 lb mozarella, sliced

Slice bread into 1/2" slices.  Make sandwiches with cheese on both sides of bread and pepperoni in the middle.  Butter both sides of the bread and grill on a griddle, in a skillet or if you have a panini grill use it.  Serve with spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce or marinara for dipping.

We usually have a green salad and root beer with this dinner.

For the freezer meal, I will have the sandwiches made and bagged.  You will just need to thaw with the bag open so the bread doesn't get soggy and grill them until cheese is melted and bread is browned.

Upside-Down Meatloaf

1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C ketchup
1 1/4 lbs. extra lean ground beef
1 3/4 C oats
3/4 C buttermilk (can use regular milk)
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ginger

On the bottom of a greased 5x9 loaf pan, press brown sugar, then spread the ketchup over the sugar.  in a large mixing bowl (I use my kitchen aid), combine all other ingredients.  Make a loaf out of the mixture and place it on top of the sugar/ketchup mixture.  Bake @ 350* for 45-60 min or until juice runs clear. (I tend to cook it more for 60 min, but I'm a little paranoid about having it cooked all the way through.

FREEZER DIRECTIONS:

Loaf has been frozen uncooked.  I would suggest thawing it for a full 24 hours or more in the fridge before cooking.  I have read online that you can cook it frozen but just do 1 1/2 to 2 times the cook time.  I haven't tried this though.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes (they are YUMMY!)

 Ingredients

• 4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 onion, sliced into rings or chunks
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 1 quart casserole dish.
   (I just usually spray the pan good.)
2. Cut potatoes and onions.
   
3. In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish.  Top with 1/2 the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and pour half the sauce over it.  Add remaining potatoes, onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and pour remaining sauce over it.  Cover dish with aluminum foil.
5. Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.

Green Beans