Halloween Pasta

This is a go-to meal for entertaining; it is the most comforting yummy meal EVER! This recipe came from my brother Joe when he lived in Italy for a few years. You will think you are eating out at a fancy Italian resturaunt.

Halloween Pasta

serves 6-8

start to finish:  1 hour

                        ½ lb. bacon, sliced into ½-in. strips

                        ½ lb. pork sausage

                        1 medium-large onion

                        2 cloves garlic, minced

                        2 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes

                        ¼ C dry sherry

1 T basil,

                        1 ½ t Italian seasoning

                        1 t light brown sugar

                        1 ¼ t salt

                        ¾ t pepper

                        1 C heavy cream

                        1 lb. hot cooked penne

                        2/3 C Parmesan cheese

1.         Cook bacon on medium-low heat in heavy skillet or sauté pan, until tender.  Drain fat, except 2-3 T.  Add sausage, onion, and garlic to bacon.  Cook and stir on medium heat until sausage is crumbled and just done.    

2.         Add tomatoes, sherry, and seasonings.  Mix over medium heat until combined and simmering.  Cover and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes. 

3.         Add salt and/or pepper to taste.  When pasta is cooked and drained, add cream to sauce.  Stir over medium heat until combined and heated, about 5 minutes.   

4.         In large bowl, combine pasta and sauce.  Add parmesan to taste.  Stir to combine.  Serve. 

This is a family favorite we love how fresh it tastes! We actually started grating the cheese so that there weren't the small chunks of cheese but a continuous cheese sauce. Both ways are good. It is worth the money to use fresh basil on this as well. Be careful whenever you are cooking garlic because it will burn REALLY quickly and then it's ruined, so make sure you have the next step prepared before you start; it only takes a few minutes (until you smell it.)

Fusilli alla Caprese

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time: 10 min

Inactive Prep Time:--

Cook Time:10 min

Level:Easy

Serves:4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound fusilli pasta (or other spiral pasta like Rotini)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

This recipe is for Mike who LOVES pancakes and has ever since he was little (he would out eat any adult when pancakes were on the table) I got this from the cooking channel and l love it especially the syrup!

Homemade Instant Pancake Mix and Blueberry Syrup

Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson

Prep Time:15 min

Cook Time:5 min

Level:Easy

Serves:15 pancakes of about 3-inches in diameter

Ingredients

 Pancake mix:

·         4 cups all-purpose flour

·         3 tablespoons baking powder

·         2 teaspoons baking soda

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar

 Pancake batter:

·         1 egg

·         1 cup milk

·         1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

Mix the above ingredients together and store in a jar.

For each 1 cup pancake mix, add 1 egg, 1 cup milk, and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Do not overmix.

Heat a flat griddle or pan over medium-high heat.

Spoon drops of 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of batter onto the hot griddle and when bubbles appear on the surface of the little pancakes, flip them over to make them golden brown on both sides. A minute or so a side should do it.  (Don't squish them down this will make them more dense and less fluffy; just let them cook and flip them)

Blueberry Syrup for Pancakes

·    1/2 cup maple syrup

·    1 1/2 cups blueberries (raspberries or strawberries are great too)

Directions

Put the syrup and blueberries into a pan and bring to the boil.

Let bubble for 2 to 3 minutes, and then pour into a jug and bring to the breakfast table with the pancakes. (If you let simmer too long it will turn into gooey sticky)

Chicken, Broccoli, & Brown Rice

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 20 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 T vegetable Oil

4 Skinless, boneless chicken breast half (about 1 pound)

1 can (10 ¾ oz) Cream of Chicken Soup

1 ½ C Water

¼ tsp paprika

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 ½ C uncooked instant brown rice (or white)

2 Cups fresh or frozen Broccoli Flowerets

Directions:

 Heat oil in a 10 in skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 min or until well browned on both sides. Remove chicken from the skillet. Stir the soup, water, paprika, and pepper in the skiller and heat to a boil.

Stir the rice and broccoli in the skillet. Reduce heat to low and return chicken to skillet. Sprinkle the chicken with additional paprika and pepper. Cover and cook for five min or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

Capellini With Spicy Zucchini-Tomato Sauce

Prep Time: 15 min

Inactive Prep Time: --

Cook Time: 20 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this gives a little heat enough to make you lips burn but not enough to make you go running for the milk; if you like more or less heat adjust) 
• 1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
• Kosher salt
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into small chunks
• 1/2 pound capellini
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Grated parmesan cheese, for topping

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is just golden, about 1 minute. Crush the tomatoes into the skillet with your hands and add the juice. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the capellini and cook as the label directs. Drain and add to the sauce along with the basil; toss to coat. Top with parmesan.

Per serving: Calories 351; Fat 11 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 280 mg; Carbohydrate 52 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 10 g

Gay’s Wonderful Breakfast Casserole

24 oz Frozen shredded hash browns (thawed)

½ C melted butter

1 C (heaping) Monterey Jack Cheese

1 C Cheddar Cheese

1 C Cubed Ham (We prefer maple sausage)

½ tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned salt

6 eggs

1 C evaporated milk

1. In a 9x13 pan, spread potatoes on bottom & up sides of pan. Pour butter evenly over potatoes with a teaspoon. Bake crust at 425˚ for 25 min.
2. Layer Monterey Jack cheese, cubed ham & cheddar cheese.
3. Beat eggs; Mix with milk & salt.
4. Pour over casserole evenly. Bake about 40 min at 350˚ or until toothpick stuck in middle comes out clean.