Robusto Pesto

Ingredients:

4 cups basil leaves

4 garlic cloves

1/4 c. pine nuts

1 c. extra-virgin olive oil

2 c. Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (finely shredded)
Coarse salt

Additional ingredients for bruschetta:
fresh mozzarella cheese (cut into slices)
tomatoes (cut into thin rounds)
onions (thinly sliced)
balsamic vinaigrette
Artisan bread (sliced)
basil leaves

Directions:
1. Put the basil, garlic, pine nuts, and about 1/2 cup of the oil in a blender or food processor. Pulse the machine on and off, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, until the mixture is chopped but not pureed; add a bit more oil if necessary.
2. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the remaining olive oil or as much as you need to get a loose paste.  Then stir in the Parmesan cheese and add salt.  It should be fairly salty and somewhat gritty at this point.  If you're using it as a pasta sauce, the key is to thin the pesto with a few tablespoons of pasta water before tossing it with the noodles.  If you're spooning it over meat, fish or poultry, make it a little on the thicker side (you can easily do so by adding more cheese). 

To make bruschetta:
1. Drizzle olive oil on bread and toast in the oven. 
2. Add pesto thickly to bread.
3. Top with tomatoes and onions.
4. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette.
5. Top with one round of mozzarella and a few fresh basil leaves.

M&M Holiday Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 12-ounce package M&M’S®  Milk Chocolate Candies (red and green)

3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter/sugar mixture. Stir in M&M’S® Milk Chocolate Candies and nuts, if desired. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; cool completely on wire racks. Store in tightly covered container.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Use your slow cooker to make this creamy version of a classic dish.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
3 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cup (about 10-ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8 ounce box isn’t quite 2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Add eggs. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen
Servings: 12 servings
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Easy

Meat Filled Shells

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
4 eggs slightly beaten
1 c. Italian bread crumbs
1 c. shredded mozzarella
3/4 c. finely chopped onions
3/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
spaghetti sauce
grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Spread a thin layer of sauce in bottom of 13x9 pan.  Place shells open side down in single layer.  Cover with remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 45 min.  Fills 36 shells (1 box). Serves 10-12 people.

Lasagna Filling

Ingredients:
2 lb. ricotta (lrg. container)
2 eggs
1/3 c. sugar
1 c. plain bread crumbs

Directions:
Mix together and layer lasagna.

Cheese Filled Shells

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ricotta (1 1b.~14 oz.)
3 eggs
1/3 c. sugar
1 c. plain bread crumbs
2 c. mozzarella shredded
1/2 c. parmesan cheese grated
2 Tb. parsley
3/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
Mix all together and stuff shells.  This makes enough for one box of jumbo shells (36). Serves 10-12 people.

Slow-Cooked Shredded Beef Tacos

Ingredients:
1 packet of taco seasoning mix
1 1/2 lbs. beef chuck roast
1 med. onion, sliced
1 c. water
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
1 packet (3 oz) taco sauce
Tortillas

Optional toppings:
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
shredded mild cheddar cheese
sour cream

Directions:
Place beef and onion in slow cooker.  Combine water and seasoning mix in a small bowl.  Pour over beef and onion.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until fork tender.
Transfer beef to cutting board. Shred beef with two forks.  Place in large bowl.  Stir in taco sauce and chiles.
Fill warm taco shells with beef mixture.  Top with desired toppings.

Throw Together Stuffing

Ingredients:
1  (12 oz.) pkg. seasoned whole-wheat stuffing mix (Pepperidge Farm)
2  (14 oz). cans low-sodium chicken broth
Nonstick cooking spray
2 stalks of celery chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh sage
1/2 c. pecan pieces
2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1/4 c. dried cherries

Directions:
1. Place the stuffing mix and broth in a large bowl.  Let stand about 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with cooking spray.  Heat on medium.  Add celery, shallots, sage, and thyme.  Cook for about 6 minutes, or until softened.
2. Stir the vegetable mixture into stuffing mixture.  Add the pecans and dried cherries, and transfer the mixture to a 2-qt. square baking dish.  Cover wth aluminum foil and place in the refridgerator overnight.
3. Bake the next day at 400 F for about 45 minutes or until heated through.  Let stuffing stand at least 15 min. before the meal begins.  Makes 8 servings.

Hungry Girl Pumpkin Bread (Muffins)

1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c Splenda
1/4 c brown sugar (not packed)
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
one 15 ounce can pumpkin
1/2 cup Egg beaters
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 c raisins or crasins chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  In medium bowl, combine all wet ingredients.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just blended.  Add chopped raisins/craisins and stir to evenly distribute.  Spoon batter into large loaf pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the top of the loaf is firm to the touch. Allow to cool and cut into 8 slices.

OR

Evenly distribute batter into 8 cups of a muffin pan that have been sprayed with nonstick spray (I always seem to get more than 8...) Cook for 35 minutes.

Regis and Kelly- Rossome Ribs

I saw this on TV...and it sounded mouth-watering!!!

Ingredients
2 racks of Baby Rack Ribs

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:
3 Cups Brown Sugar
3 Cups Ketchup
¾ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Water
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire
2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
3 Tbsp. Dry Mustard
4 tsp. Paprika
5 tsp. Salt
5 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

Dry Rub Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. light Brown Sugar
1 ½ Tbsp. Kosher Salt
½ Tbsp. Chili Powder
¼ tsp. Black Ground Pepper
¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
½ tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

Directions:
BBQ Sauce Directions:

Use a blender and combine brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, water and Worcestershire sauce. Season with: mustard, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Salt and Pepper. Blend smooth.

Rossome Ribs Directions:
1. In a bowl combine all dry ingredients and mix well.
2. Place the ribs in a plastic bag.
3. Pour the dry rub into the bag, close and shake well.
4. Massage the dry rub into the meat, making sure all the surfaces are covered.
5. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
6. Preheat the grill, turn off half the burners (you will be cooking using indirect heat) and then adjust the heat to 350 degrees.
7. Wrap the ribs in foil and cook for one hour.
8. Open the foil and slop on the BBQ sauce and rewrap the ribs.
9. Cook for another 40 minutes.
10. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, brush both sides of the ribs with the sauce.
11. Cook ribs directly over fire now to caramelize the sauce. Make sure the rib meat reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees before removing from the grill.
12. Transfer ribs to platter.
13. Sprinkle ribs with a little spice mixture and brush with more sauce.
14. Let ribs rest for 5 minutes, serve and enjoy!

Pasta Dough (4 egg)

Ingredients:
3 c. flour
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 Tb. water

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients and then add 1 Tb. of water until dough is the right consistency.  For family, multiply the recipe by 3.  Dough needs to sit overnight.  Then, while using a pasta machine which is heavily floured, make pasta!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 chicken breasts boiled and shredded
1/2 c. Frank's Redhot Sauce
1/2 c. blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese or mozzarella

Instructions:
Stir cream cheese in deep backing dish until smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbling.  Stir.  Serve with vegetables, chips, or crackers.

Grandma Dot's Mac & Cheese

Jon and I always bring this to pot luck dinners and there is never any left to take home...that's just how wonderful it is!

Ingredients:
8 oz. package of elbow macaroni (cooked and drained)
4 1/2 to 5 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 cups milk
2 large eggs (beaten)
1 1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 stick of margerine
paprika

Instructions:
Cut up margerine into small pieces and spread in bottom of large 9 x 11 casserole dish.  Combine milk, eggs, salt and pepper in a seperate bowl.  Place cooked hot macaroni in casserole dish.  Sprinkle cheese and stir to mix (reserve some cheese to spread on top...about 1 cup).  Pour milk-egg mixture on top and stir.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Uncover. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and paprika.  Cover and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Zero Point Cole Slaw

This is terribly yummy and addictive!  I could eat this at every meal...seriously!
Ingredients:
4 cups cabbage, shredded

½ medium English cucumber, thinly sliced
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
½ tsp table salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 ½ Tbsp sugar
2 ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (optional)

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, cucumber, onion, garlic, green pepper and carrot; set aside.


In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; pour over vegetables and toss to mix and coat. Chill in refrigerator, tossing once or twice, for about 1 hour.

Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.