Pesto Sauce

This sauce works with any shape of pasta, on chicken, on wraps, or sandwiches. Once made, it will keep in the fridge in sealed container for about 1-2 weeks. In freezer, 2-3 months. Hint: freeze in ice cube trays and thaw as needed, one ‘cube’ at a time.

2 cups fresh basil leaves (do NOT use dried)

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves fresh garlic

8 Tbls grated hard cheese (may use Parmesan or Romano cheese-combo tastes best).

2-3 Tbls pine nuts (walnuts may be substituted) toasted if desired

¼ teas salt

Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in blender or food processor and pulse until a thick paste is made. Scrap sides occasionally. Add more oil if needed. Add to pasta and enjoy. Makes enough for 16 oz of pasta.

-Lisa

Cafe Rio Chicken and Dressing

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 cloves garlic, mined
5 pounds chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour. (I usually half this recipe for my family.)

1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (Use the seeds too if you like it spicy.)

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Regrigerate.

-Kristi

Ziti with Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes and Gorgonzola Sauce

This recipe is for 2, I quadrupled it for a family of 8 and it worked fine)

4 oz. uncooked ziti
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
6 T. half and half
3 T. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 c. fresh spinach
　
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add cherry tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper, and minced garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in half and half and Gorgonzola cheese; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in spinach and pasta, cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, tossing occasionally.
　
If it starts to look dry, add more half and half.
Serve with BBQ chicken.

-Kristi

Salmon with Cilantro-Citrus Sauce (serves 4)

Cilantro-Citrus Sauce

1 c. cilantro (leaves and stems), chopped

¼ c. flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 clove garlic

¼ c. orange juice

1 T lime juice

1 T rice vinegar

¼ c. pine nuts

¼ c. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. 

Salmon

4 4-6 oz. salmon filets

2 T olive oil

salt

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees.  Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, just before beginning to smoke.  Add the filets, skin side up and season with salt.  Cook for about 4 minutes, then flip.  Place in preheated oven and cook for 5-7 minutes, until done.

Top each filet with the cilantro-citrus sauce and serve.

-Amy

Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

This recipe, I use as a freezer meal, or when I make stir-fry fresh. I make the sauce and use it whenever I need Teriyaki sauce.  It's the best!

4 boneless chicken breasts
2 c. broccoli crowns, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced or diced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 c. red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
canola oil, for sauteing

Sauce:
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. Mirin (rice cooking wine)
1 t. fresh ginger, grated
1 t. garlic, minced

In a medium saucepan, mix together all sauce ingredients and cook over medium heat, stiffing constantly, until sugar is dissolved.  Set aside to cool.

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1-2 T. of oil over medium heat.  Stir-fry broccoli, onion and red pepper for 2-3 minutes, adding more oil as needed.  Add mushrooms and cook 1-2 minutes more.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.  Add about 1/2-3/4 cup of the stir-fry sauce to the vegetables and stir gently to coat.  In a separate skillet, heat 2-3 T. oil over medium-high heat; add chicken slices in separate batches and stir-fry just until chicken starts to lightly brown.  The chicken will not be completely cooked through at this point.  Add more oil as needed for each batch of chicken.  Add another 1/2-3/4 cup of stir-fry sauce to the cooked chicken, mixing well to coat.  When food is cool, place chicken and vegetables in two separate freezer bags.  Freeze.  Any unused stir-fry sauce may be stored for approx. 1 week in the refrigerator in an air-tight container; then used on serving day.  The sauce will also keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Thaw chicken and vegetables completely.  To reheat, place 1-2 T. oil in a large skillet or wok and stir-fry chicken and vegetables just until heated through.  Add more stir-fry sauce as needed.  Serve over rice or stir-fry noodles.

-Jen

Paula Deen’s Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. cooked ground hamburger

           

            Add:

            onion salt, garlic salt, regular salt

            1 T. Italian seasoning

            2 T. sugar

            1 T. worchestershire sauce

            2 – 6 oz cans tomato paste

            1 med. can tomato sauce

            1 c. water

Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.  (Angel hair pasta is great and mixing the noodles and sauce together before serving is yummy too!)

-Erin