Marinara Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 9 cloves garlic minced
• 15 fresh tomatoes puréed 
• 6 Tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper
• 9 sprigs of parsley chopped

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic cook an additional 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat to a simmer until desired consistency is achieved. Adjust seasoning to taste.

(Yummy! I went Vegan for dinner. I put the sauce on my zoodles and topped it with sautéed mushrooms. Everyone else spread it over traditional spaghetti and chicken Parmesan. The key element was my delicious garden fresh tomatoes.)

One Pot Pasta...

2 T Olive Oil
6 Cloves Garlic (minced)
4 C Chicken Broth
2 C Half & Half
4 T Butter
*2 Cans Clams w/juice (use a little LESS chicken broth)
*1 Chicken (cooked and removed from the bones)
16 Oz Fettucine or Linguine (uncooked)
1/2 C Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
2 T Fresh Parsley (snipped)

Cook garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.  Add broth, milk, butter, *protein  and uncooked pasta.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer stirring occasionally about 18-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese and parsley.  If too thick add a little more half and half.

(A pinterest find that I tweaked... Yummy and Easy!  I like to add a protein.  The recipe does NOT call for one.  But I think it tastes so yummy with clam, chicken or shrimp!)

Alfredo Sauce...

 

3 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Cups Heavy Cream

1/4 tsp Pepper 

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

 Directions:
Melt butter in medium saucepan with olive oil over medium heat, sauté garlic.  Add cream and pepper and bring mixture to a simmer.  Stir often.  Add the parmesan cheese and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is smooth.  When sauce has thickened add the Mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth. STIR FREQUENTLY.

 

(Internet find... when I needed to add more Alfredo sauce to pasta and didn't want to run to the store... I also didn't have any parmesan cheese and just used mozzarella.  It was delicious, but I will use parmesan when I make this again.  And I will make this again. On the day of this photo, I paired it with penne pasta, broccoli and chicken.)

Chicken Spaghetti...

1 Cut Up Fryer Chicken
1 Onion - chopped
1 Celery Stalk - chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - minced
1 Green Pepper - chopped
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
6 Tbsp Butter
1 14 oz Can Chicken Broth (2 Cups)
1 10.5 oz Can Cream of Chicken Soup
2 C Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 16 oz pkg Velveeta Cheese - cubed
1 16 oz pkg Spaghetti Noodles

Cook and shred the chicken.  Reserve  the "broth" as the "water" to cook the spaghetti noodles... Chop veggies and saute them in the butter with salt & pepper until the onions are soft and clear.  Combine broth, cream of chicken and velveeta in microwave safe bowl.  Cook until melted and smooth.  (About 5-7 minutes, stop often and stir)  Combine sauteed veggies, chicken and (drained) noodles with cheese mixture.  Stir until well coated.  Spray a 9x13 casserole dish and pour mixture in.  Top with shredded sharp cheese.  Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes until hot and bubbly.

(I put this in two 8x8 casserole dishes and freeze one before baking... Delicious comfort food!)

Spaghetti Salad...

16 Oz of Cooked Spaghetti
1/2 C Red Wine Vinegar
8 Oz Bottle of Italian Dressing
2 Tbsp Salad Supreme Spice
1 C Thick cut Pepperoni
3/4 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Large Can Sliced Black Olives
1 Can Artichoke Hearts
4 Cups Fresh Veggies (Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Broccoli, etc...)

Mix all together and chill for several hours before serving.  Feeds a lot...  I love this in the summer when the tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini come from MY garden!

Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce...

3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion (diced)
3 Cloves of Garlic
28 oz can of pureed Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 C Heavy Cream

In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.  Do not burn!  Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil and continue to boil as liquid reduces.  About 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in cream and butter.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes. 

(I added two cups of mini shrimp and tossed the sauce with a box of (cooked) mostaccioli.  We all liked it.  That's a plus and a surprise...)

Macaroni & Cheese...

1 lb. Box of Pasta
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup (or any "cream" soup)
1/4 C Milk
1/2 t Tabasco Sauce
1 1/2 C. Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Boil pasta, (I like mostaccioli or bow ties) in lightly salted water per package directions.  Drain.  Return to pan.  Add butter, soup, tabasco and cheese.  Stir over medium-low heat until pasta is well coated and cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.  Salt & Pepper to taste.

(Yummy and Easy.  If you're not a fan of Kraft... Give this a try!)

Pasta Weesie...

Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp in a garlic - lemon butter - white wine sauce topped with sautéed mushrooms and scallions...

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO:
I Pkg of Linguine
1/4 C Butter
1 C Heavy Cream
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1 T Fresh Parsley (minced)
1 1/2 C Fresh Parmesan Cheese (grated)

While linguine pasta is cooking...  Melt butter over medium heat, add cream.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and parsley.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in parmesan cheese.  Stir until well combined. (This was plenty thick, I added 1/2-3/4 Cup milk to thin it down after adding the cheese.)  Toss with pasta.

SHRIMP:
1 lb of Shrimp
1/4 C Butter
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/4 C White Wine
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)

Melt butter over medium heat, add shrimp - cook halfway through before adding lemon juice, white wine and garlic.  Continue to cook to reduce the liquid down to desired thickness.  Add to Fettuccine Alfredo.

MUSHROOMS:
1 C Mushrooms (chopped)
2 T Butter
2 T Sliced Scallions
1/2 C White Wine

Rough chop the mushrooms, saute in butter with scallions and white wine until desired doneness.  Top the Pasta and Shrimp.

(My favorite meal from Carrabba's Italian Grill... Or at least my imitation of it.  Served with delicious European bread and a Romaine/Parmesan/Kalamata Olive/Caesar Salad...  I fed 6 of us for a lot less than two of us could eat out.  But, we didn't GET to eat out... I don't have white wine on hand, so substitute White Grape Juice or Ginger Ale...  )

Lasagne...

12 Lasagne Noodles
3/4 lb. Italian Sausage
26 oz. Jar of Spaghetti Sauce
14 oz. Can of fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
2 Cloves Minced Fresh Garlic
1 1/2 tsp. Cornstarch
1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil
1 Tbsp. Fresh Oregano
1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme
1 Egg
2 Cups Ricotta Cheese
2 1/2 C. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (separated)
10 Slices Provolone Cheese
1/4 C. Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Boil pasta. In a saucepan brown the sausage and drain off fat. Remove from heat, cool slightly and add spaghetti sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, garlic and cornstarch. Mix well. Set aside (You will NOT heat this). Chop the spices up together into tiny bits. (3 TABLESPOONS total fresh spices or substitute 3 TEASPOONS Italian seasoning...There will be a difference in taste if you use dried spices...) In another bowl mix the egg, ricotta, chopped spices and 1 1/2 C mozzarella, blend well with whisk or spatula. Lightly spray a 9x13 casserole pan with cooking spray. Layer 4 noodles on the bottom of pan. Spread half of the spaghetti sauce mixture. Layer 5 provolone pieces. Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly. Start over with another 4 noodles and repeat all layers. End with 4 noodles and spread 1 C mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Lightly cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes of baking. Let lasagne sit for 15 minutes before serving.

(The fresh spices and the entire salad were from MY garden!)

Favorite Pasta Salad...

12 oz. Bowtie Pasta (cooked)

6 oz. Tri-Color Spiral Pasta (cooked)

2 C. Chicken (cooked & shredded)

1 1/2 C. Celery (chopped)

1 Can Water Chestnuts (sliced)

1 20 oz. Can Pineapple Tidbits

2 Cans Mandarin Oranges

1 C. Green Grapes

1 C. Red Grapes

1 pkg. Craisins

1 C. Slivered Almonds

Mix all together in a large bowl, add 1 16 oz. bottle KRAFT Coleslaw dressing and 1 C. Mayonaise. Mix well.

(Prepared by Jenny for lunch at our Girls Retreat.)

Chicken Paprika...

1 Cut up Chicken (Rinsed & Dried)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 C. Minced Onion
1/2 C. Diced Green Pepper
1 Clove Garlic (pressed)
1 Tbsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Chicken Bouillion Crystals
1 8 oz Can of Tomato Sauce
1 Heaping Tbsp. Flour
1 C. Sour Cream

Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in hot oil add chicken. Cook chicken for 5 minutes on each side, sprinkle with paprika, chicken bouillion and salt & pepper. Add tomato sauce, cover, simmer chicken for 25 minutes. Remove chicken. Add 1 heaping Tbsp. flour. Sauce becomes like a gravy. Season to taste. Add a little of the hot sauce to the cup of sour cream before adding the sour cream to the sauce. Put chicken back in and heat sauce through, but do not return to a boil. Serve over hot, buttered noodles.

(My favorite birthday dinner growing up. The garlic and bouillion are my additions to my Mom's classic dish. Also, Geddes' traditionally like dark meat, but I usually use chicken breasts.)

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

1/2 C. Butter
1 tsp. Minced Garlic
1 can Cream of Broccoli Soup
1 Pint Whipping Cream
1 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Chopped, Grilled Chicken
Diced Tomatoes

Mix butter, garlic and soup together, heat until just bubbling. Add cream and cheese, heat stirring constantly until thickened. (Don't let it burn!) The sauce will thicken as it cools. Spread sauce over a pizza dough. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and top with chicken and tomatoes. Bake at 450* for 10-11 minutes.

(The sauce is a Chef Class recipe, it's also good on pasta. The pizza tastes similar to Papa Murphy's Chicken Alfredo Pizza! We're only fans of the tomatoes when they are fresh from a neighbors garden...)