Rotini with Prosciutto and Peas
Rotini with Prosciutto and Peas
1 pound rotini
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 pound prosciutto or country ham, thinly sliced and chipped
1 c milk
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
1 bag (16 oz) frozen peas, thawed
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook the pasta according to package instructions. While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook 3-5 minutes, until soft. Add the ham and milk, and cook 2-3 minutes, until small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan. Gently stir in the cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps. Add the peas and cook 2-3 minutes, until heated through. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce, and stir to coat. Add the Parmesan and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
From 1 2 3 Pasta Dinners
Ken's Rating: ***1/2
Chalsea's Rating: ****1/2
Cakes! and a Penguin
You probably already know I like to decorate cakes...I thought I'd share some of my most recent ones. These are some of the cakes I've made for some of my family, my coworkers and the men who live at the Inn Towne Hotel.
Yes there is a story behind this one. Ken's alma mater, Texas A&M, has a tradition which involves building an ENORMOUS (and I mean enormous!!!) bon fire piling tree (yes, tree) upon tree until there are three huge tiers of trees. They then place a University of Texas/Longhorn painted outhouse at the top and proceed to burn it to the ground. Since he'd been missing Aggieland, I thought I'd attempt to bring a piece of it here to him for his birthday.
I made a ferris wheel cake for one guy who used to work for a carnival. The blue base is cake, the wheel is rice krispies. This was a fun one. :)
Close up of the ferris wheel buckets and the little sour patch kids riders. I liked how this one turned out. :)
Pacman!
My former co-worker, Sandi, is really involved in The Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild and Ken and I have volunteered there for the past year and had tons of fun (and watched free shows). This is supposed to be a theater with the chairs (the little chocolate knobs are people's heads).
Jeff is an avid bike rider, thus, a bike.
I just thought this shot was cute.
Tim was a topography major so what else should I make, but a MAP! That's a freehand frosting world map, by the way, so I'd like to toot my own horn.
This might be a little confusing at first, but Bob is a bodybuilder so I whipped up a muscly arm and a barbell.
I almost threw up a few times while making this one...just kidding. Mike was described as a staunch republican so I thought I'd give it a shot.
We had a group birthday so I decided on a pirate theme. The blue cupcakes are water with a foam shark fin coming out and the brown cupcakes are beach-goers lying on the sand.
ARRRRGGGHHH!
Close up of the lounging tourist. :)
This is Merton. Ken knows I love penguins and I love antique stores so he stopped at one while we were dating and found this little guy. He stands watch on our dinner table. I like this picture of him (what kind of green glass penguin salutes?) and I just thought you'd all like to meet him. :)
Chicken and Broccoli Braid
Chicken and Broccoli Braid
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25-28 minutes
2 c cooked chicken, chopped
1 c broccoli, chopped
1/2 c red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp Pantry All-Purpose Dill Mix (I just used dill weed)
1/4 tsp salt
2 pkg (80z each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 375. Chop chicken and broccoli; place in medium sized bowl. Chip bell pepper and add to bowl. Press garlic over vegetable mixture.
Shred cheese and add to vegetable mixture; mix gently. Add mayonnaise, Dill Mix and salt; mix well.
Unroll one package of crescent dough; do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of baking pan. Repeat with remaining package of dough. Using rolling pin, roll dough to seal perforations. On longest sides of pan, cut dough into strips 1 1/2 in apart, 3 in deep using paring knife. (There will be 6 inches in the center for the filling)
Spread filling evenly over middle of dough. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Tuck ends up to seal at end of braid.
Brush egg white over dough. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cut and serve.
Yield: 10 servings.
From The Pampered Chef Main Dishes: Recipes at the Heart of Every Meal
Ken's rating: ****
Chalsea's rating: ****
Tuna Noodles Romanoff
Tuna Noodles Romanoff
Bake Time: 30-40 minutes
8 oz uncooked medium noodles (I used penne)
1 1/2 c creamed cottage cheese
1 1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Dash red pepper sauce or cayenne red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 cans (6 1/2 oz each) tuna, drained
1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 325. Cook noodles as directed on package; drain. Mix noodles, cottage cheese, sour cream, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper sauce, salt and tuna. Place about tuna mixture in casserole baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes - until cheese is melted and all is cooked through.
Yield: 5-6 servings.
From The Betty Crocker Recipe Card Library
Ken's rating: ****
Chalsea's rating: *
Again, we disagree strongly. He LOVED this because, and I quote, "I've never had tuna that tasted so much like fish!". I hated it because I've never had tuna that tasted so much like fish...It's edible and I finished most of my portion, but I would never make it again. I love tuna casserole, but this was not even close. Yuck. I posted it because, since Ken loved it, maybe someone out there will like it too. You'll just have to gamble with this one.
Rav'n Ravioli (or tortellini in my case)
Rav'n Ravioli
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
1 medium green bell pepper
1/2 c onion, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 jar (26-28 oz) spaghetti sauce
2 pkg (9 oz each) refrigerated ravioli (I used tortellini)
1 1/4 c water
12 French bread baguette slices
1/4 c butter or margarine, melted
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 oz fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 400. Chop bell pepper and onion. In large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat; add bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce, ravioli and water. Bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, cut French bread into 12 slices, 1/2 in thick. Add bread to melted butter and toss to coat evenly.
Spoon half of the ravioli mixture into a large casserole dish. Top with mozzarella cheese, and remaining ravioli mixture.
Arrange bread slices, slightly overlapping, around the edge of the dish and pressed lightly into ravioli mixture. Grate parmesan cheese over bread and ravioli mixture. Bake 15 minutes or until ravioli is heated through and bread is crisp and deep golden brown.
Yield: 6 servings
From The Pampered Chef Main Dishes Recipes at the Heart of Every Meal
Ken's Rating: ***1/2
Chalsea's Rating: *****
Ken's crazy. This is one of my favorite meals. It makes AWESOME leftovers, too. Ignore my crazy husband. :)
White Bean-Tomato Pasta and Herbed Bread Twists
White Bean-Tomato Pasta
Prep Time: 6 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
2 1/4 c uncooked penne pasta (6 oz)
1 1/2 c halved grape tomatoes
1/2 c chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/4 c chipped fresh basil
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (19 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Basil sprig (optional)
Cook Pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
Combine tomatoes and next 6 ingredients in a large serving bowl; set aside.
Place beans in a colander; drain pasta over beans, reserving 2 Tbsp water. Add beans, pasta and reserved water to tomato mixture; toss well. Garnish with a basil sprig, if desired. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)
From Cooking Light Superfast Suppers
Ken's rating: ***
Chalsea's rating: **1/2
If you like a vinegar flavor, you'll really love this. It was just a little overwhelming for me. Still good, but probably better as a side dish.
Herbed Bread Twists
Prep Time: 30 minutes + rising
Cook Time: 10 minutes
1/4 c butter, softened
1/4 tsp each garlic powder, dried basil, marjoram or oregano
1 loaf (1 pound) frozen bread dough, thawed
3/4 c shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
4 tsp sesame seeds (I wouldn't skip this)
In a small bowl, combine butter and seasonings. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-in square. Spread with butter mixture to within 1/2 in of edges; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Fold dough into thirds. Cut widthwise into 24 strips. Twist each strip twice; pinch ends to seal. Place 2 in apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.
Beat egg and water; brush over dough. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks.
Yield: 2 dozen
From The Taste of Home Baking Book
Ken's rating: ****
Chalsea's rating: ****
Sweet Curry-Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Sweet Curry-Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Prep Time: 15 minutes
1/3 c light mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp curry powder
1 (9oz) can chunk light tuna in water, drained
1 (8oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 c matchstick-cut carrots
1/2 c thinly sliced celery (about 2 ribs)
1/2 c chopped red bell pepper (1/2 large)
8 (1.3 oz) slices wheat berry bread, toasted (I used Texas Toast, toasted)
Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir well. Stir in tuna, water chestnuts, carrots, celery, and pepper.
Spoon 3/4 c tuna mixture onto each of 4 bread slices. (I also added slices of swiss cheese) Top with remaining bread slices.
Yield: 4 servings
From: Cooking Light Superfast Suppers
Ken's Rating:***
Chalsea's Rating:***
This made a nice lunch. Serve with potato chips or a lighter soup.
Quick Beef Lo Mein
Quick Beef Lo Mein
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp oyster sauce (I skipped this)
1 Tbsp chili paste with garlic (don't skip this!)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups whole wheat spaghetti, cooked
2 tsp dark sesame oil
2 Tbsp peanut oil (I used olive oil for both peanut and sesame oil)
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 c frozen broccoli florets
1 medium onion, cut in half & thinly sliced
1 lb flank steak, cut into long, thin strips
In a small bowl, mix together first 5 ingredients and set aside.
Combine pasta and sesame oil in a bowl, tossing well to coat.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute ginger, garlic, broccoli and onion for 5 minutes in peanut oil. Add steak and saute for 5 more minutes or until cooked through. (ok, that does not work. It took FOREVER to cook the steak through with all the other stuff in there. I would cook the steak in a different skillet and then add cooked steak to the other skillet for a few minutes so the flavor seep in.)
Add pasta and soy sauce mixture to skillet and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Garnish as desired, then serve.
From Proctor and Gamble coupon book
Ken's rating: ****
Chalsea's rating: ****
I never realize how easy Asian food was! There are some ingredients that I would never use in any other recipe so sometimes I try to find ways to substitute ingredients or skip them, but I do buy the ones with a lot of flavor in them. I'm so pumped that I can cook Asian food at home!
Enchilada Hot Dish
Enchilada Hot Dish
Cook Time: 20 minutes
1 lb. hamburger
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can cream of chicken soup
16 oz sour cream
1/2 c milk
7 soft shell tortillas
shredded cheese
Brown ground meat and then stir in taco seasoning.
Spoon hamburger into taco shells and roll up each tortilla. Line up rolled tortillas in a 9x13 baking pan.
Mix cream of chicken soup, milk and sour cream.
Pour over enchiladas and top with shredded cheese.
Bake in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes.
Serve with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes.
Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1 enchilada)
From the totally awesome Nancy Robinson
Ken's rating: ****1/2
Chalsea's rating: ****1/2
Delish! You could also sub any other kind of meat in this recipe. I'd also try chicken.
Nutty Vegetable Pasta
Nutty Vegetable Pasta
Prep Time: 6 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
1 pound fresh asparagus
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta (I used spaghetti)
3/4 c matchstick carrots
1/3 c reduced fat creamy peanut butter
1/4 c vegetable broth
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 c unsalted peanuts, chopped
Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add asparagus pieces to pasta during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Add carrots during the last 30 seconds of cooking time.
Combine peanut butter, and next 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat.
Drain pasta, and place in a large serving bowl. Stir in peanut sauce, tossing to coat. Top evenly with peanuts.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)
From Cooking Light Superfast Suppers
Ken's rating: ****
Chalsea's rating: ****1/2
She's Back!
It's been a while! Ken and I decided that instead of using all of our wedding money to pay bills and start an emergency fund, we should use some of it to buy ourselves a wedding gift. After shopping around for a few weeks, we bought a brand new digital camera. It's AWESOME! How does this explain my absence? We've been so busy playing with it that I didn't get around to hooking it up to my computer until now. :) So I'm back and here's a whole new batch of recipes!
Enjoy,
Chalsea
P.S. This is about the extent of Ken's cooking in our home since I moved in. :) But he does make a mean bowl of popcorn!
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