Zuppa Tuscana Soup from Olive Garden
Ingredients:
· 1 lb. mild Italian sausage
· 2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced in half and then in ¼” slices
· 1 large onion, chopped
· ½ can Oscar Meyer bacon bits
· 2 cloves minced garlic
· 2 cups kale, chopped
· 2 cans chicken broth
· 1 quart water
· 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions:
· Cook sausage in a 300 F oven for about 30 minutes.
· Drain sausage on paper towels and cut inot slices
· Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, and garlic in pot and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done
· Add sausage and bacon
· Salt and pepper to taste
· Simmer for another 10 minutes
· Turn on low heat
· Add kale and cream
· Heat through and serve
Shish Kabobs with Spanikopita Orzo
For Kabobs:
· Salt
· 3 Tbsp EVOO
· 1 tsp dried oregano
· 1 tsp onion powder
· 1 tsp garlic powder
· Ground black pepper
· 2 lbs lamb (top round or shoulder steaks) cut into bite-sized cubes
· May use chicken (I always have)
Directions for Kabobs:
· Preheat broiler or grill
· Whisk together EVOO with oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper
· Coat meat with mixture
· Broil or grill until seared and cook to medium doneness (2-3 minutes on each side)
For Orzo:
· ½ lb. orzo
· 2 Tbsp. EVOO
· 1 small onion, finely chopped
· 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
· ½ cup vegetable stock
· 3 cups spinach
· 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Directions for Orzo:
· Boil large pot of water, salt the water and cook pasta. Drain pasta and reserve
· Place large skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of EVOO
· Add garlic and onion and sauté until tender- about 5 minutes.
· While veggies cook, add vegetable stock and 2 cups spinach to food processor and process until smooth
· Add the puree to the pan and heat through
· Remove from heat and stir in the orzo
· Add 1 cup spinach (whole leaves), feta, salt, and pepper
· Serve with Kabobs
Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients:
· 1/3 cup (3 oz.) cream cheese
· ¼ cup green salsa
· 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
· ½ tsp. cumin
· 1 tsp. chili powder
· ½ tsp. onion powder (I never seem to have this and it tastes just fine without!)
· ¼ tsp. garlic powder
· 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
· 2 Tbsp sliced green onions
· 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
· 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
· 16 small tortillas (corn or flour)
· kosher salt
· Cooking spray
Directions:
· Heat oven to 425 F. Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray
· Heat cream cheese in microwave for 20-30 seconds. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder.
· Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well
· Place 2-3 Tbsp of chicken mixture on lower third of tortilla about ½ inch from edges. Roll as tight as you can and place seam down on sheet
· Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown
· Dip in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc.
Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
· 4-5 Tbsp honey
· 5 Tbsp lime juice
· 1 Tbsp chili powder
· ½ tsp garlic powder
· 1 lb. chicken- cooked and shredded
· 8 flour tortillas
· 1 lb. Monterey jack cheese
· 16 oz. green enchilada sauce
· 1 cup heavy cream
Directions:
· Mix honey, lime juice, chili powder and garlic and mix with chicken. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes
· Pour ½ cup enchilada sauce on bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture and cheese.
· Mix leftover enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade
· Pour sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese
· Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
Olive Garden Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Ingredients:
· 6 tilapia fillets (6 oz. each)
· 1 ¼ cups alfredo sauce
· 8 oz. angel hair pasta
· ¾ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
· ¾ cup parmesan cheese, grated
· 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
· 4 cups zucchini, cut into ¼ inch slices
· 4 cups squash, cut into ¼ inch slices
· 2 cups red bell peppers, cut into ¼ inch slices
· 2 cups red onion, sliced
· 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
· 1 Tbsp. salt
· 1 Tbsp. garlic salt
· ¼ cup EVOO
Directions:
· Mix bread crumbs, cheese, and oil thoroughly in bowl. Refrigerate until ready.
· Combine vegetables, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and EVOO in large bowl and place onto baking sheet in a single layer
· Preheat oven to 450 and begin to bring pot of water to a boil
· Place tilapia in a non-stick shallow baking pan
· Pour 3 Tbsp. alfredo sauce over each fillet and sprinkle 1/3 cup crusting mixture over each fillet and press firmly down
· Place fish on top rack and at the same time put vegetables on center rack.
· Bake for 15 minutes and remove fish- transfer to platter
· Bake veggies for 5 more minutes
· Cook angel hair pasta while fish and veggies are baking
· Toss angel hair with vegetables
Grilled Salmon
Ingredients:
· 2 lbs. salmon
· ½ cup vegetable oil
· ½ cup lemon juice
· 3 Tbsp. parsley
· 1 ½ tsp rosemary
· ½ tsp salt
· 1/8 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients and pour over salmon. Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes. Serve with asparagus and wild rice.
Spicy Shrimp and Chicken Pasta Alfredo
Ingredients:
· 1 lb box Penne reggate pasta
· 4 Tbsp olive oil
· ¼ cup garlic- chopped
· 1 pint heavy whipping cream
· ½ lb. parmesan cheese, grated (or Asiago)
· 1 jar Classico brand Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo sauce
· 2 cups lean cooked chicken, cubed
· 1 lb. deveined shrimp
· 1 lb. mushrooms
· 1 cup chopped green onions
· 1 small jar roasted sweet red peppers
· 1 small jar sun dried tomatoes- sliced
· 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
Directions:
· Boil penne pasta and rince with water when done
· In large pot put olive oil, wash and add mushrooms and garlic- Cook until almost done
· Add heavy cream and cheese.
· Add alfredo sauce
· Add remaining ingredients and simmer on very low heat for 15-20 minutes
· Serve over pasta, or add pasta to the shrimp/chicken mixture and combine thoroughly
Café Rio Sweet Pork Salad
(Time intensive, but if you move somewhere without Café Rio you can still have it!)
Serves 4-6
Sweet Pork:
Ingredients:
· 2 lbs pork
· 3 cans Coca Cola
· ¼ cup brown sugar
· dash of garlic salt
· ¼ cup water
· 1 can sliced green chilies
· ¾ can enchilada sauce (Old El Paso- medium)
· 1 cup brown sugar
Directions:
· Put pork in Ziploc bag to marinate. Add a can and a half of Coke and ¼ cup brown sugar. Marinade several hours or overnight.
· Drain marinade and put pork, ½ can Coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for 3-4 hours. Remove pork- drain liquid- shred
· In blender, mix ½ can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, and 1 cup brown sugar. If too thick, add Coke.
· Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours
Cilantro Lime Rice
Ingredients:
· 1 cup uncooked rice
· 1 tsp butter
· 2 cloves minced garlic
· 1 tsp. lime juice
· 1 can (15 oz.) chicken broth
· 1 cup water
· 1 Tbsp lime juice
· 2 tsp sugar
· 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
Directions:
· In saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp lime juice, chicken broth and water
· Cook on low 15-20 minutes until rice is tender. Remove from heat
· In small bowl, mix lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff rice
Black Beans
Ingredients:
· 2 Tbsp. olive oil
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 tsp. ground cumin
· 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
· 1 1/3 cups tomato juice
· 1 ½ tsp. salt
· 2 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
Directions:
· In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it
· Add beans, tomato juice, and salt
· Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro
Cilantro Ranch
Ingredients
· 1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix
· 1 cup mayo
· 1 cup buttermilk
· ½ bunch fresh cilantro
· 1 clove garlic
· Lime juice
· 1 jalapeno
· 2 tomatillos, remove husk, dice
Directions:
· Blend all ingredients together
Other Items You’ll Need:
· Romaine lettuce
· Uncooked tortillas- cook
· Cheddar cheese
· Sour cream, guacamole, pico
· Tortilla strips
Chicken, Tortellini, Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
· 1 large bag spinach
· Rotisserie chicken, shredded
· Strawberries, sliced
· 1 package Tortellini (four cheese), cooked and drained
· Sunflower seeds
· Poppyseed dressing
Combine all ingredients and add dressing (light) just before serving
Blueberry and Ricotta Pancakes
Combine:
· 4 egg yolks (save whites for later)
· 11 oz. ricotta cheese
· 6 ½ oz. milk
Sieve in:
· 9 oz. flour
· 1 tsp. Baking powder
· Pinch of salt
Whisk 4 egg whites to a soft peak
Gently fold into cheese mixture
Add 1/3 cup blueberries if desired
Cook on a buttered grill
White Bean and Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
· 8 chicken breasts
· 2 onions, diced
· 3 cloves garlic
· 7 cans Northern beans (undrained)
· 2 cans green chilis
· 6 chicken bullion cubes
· 3 cups water
· 1 tsp. cumin
· ½ tsp oregano
· 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Directions:
· In a large pot for chili, sauté chicken breasts in olive oil, onions and garlic
· Shred or cube chicken and then return to drippings
· Add remaining ingredients
· Simmer for a couple of hours
· Optional- I shred 2 corn tortillas into the chili and let them dissolve as it simmers. This adds a thicker texture and an added subtle flavor
Shredded Beef Burritos
Season a 4-5 lb roast with
· Chili powder
· Cumin
· Salt and pepper
· Garlic powder
Cook roast in crock pot for desired time- cool slightly and shred
Pour juices over shredded meat
Serve on flour tortillas with
· Lettuce
· Tomatoes
· Cheese
· Sweet corn
· Olives
· Salsa
· Guacamole
· Sour cream
Chocolate Chip Squares
Cream:
· 1 cup shortening
· 2 cups sugar
· 1 cup brown sugar
· 4 eggs
Add:
· 4 cups flour
· 2 tsp. baking powder
· ½ tsp. salt
· 1 tsp. baking soda
Add:
· 1 package chocolate chips
· 2 tsp. vanilla
Spread on a greased cookie sheet
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes (better if underbaked)
Cut before entirely cooled
Corn Flake Cookies
Cream:
· 1 cup shortening
· 2/3 cups white sugar
· 2/3 cups brown sugar
· 2 eggs
· 1 tsp. vanilla
Add:
· 1 ½ cups flour
· 1 tsp. cream of tartar
· 1 tsp. baking soda
· ½ tsp. salt
Add:
· 1 cup coconut
· 2 cups oatmeal
· 2 cups corn flakes
Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes
