Pizza Sauce

This is a great recipe. Use it any time you need pizza sauce, with pizza, calzones, pizza dip, whatever you need sauce for.

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce or use 2 (8 ounce) cans
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese (you can also use grated Parmesan cheese)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sweet basil (optional)
3/4 teaspoon crushed oregano
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Mix in jar or similar container (Not aluminum). Shake or stir well. Let marinate in refrigerator at least six to eight hours. Remove bay leaf before using.

Most often I make just half the recipe, except for the pizza dip (You need the whole recipe for that.). It makes enough for a good sized pizza or calzone.

Italian Chicken and Tortellini

Easy dinner and almost no clean up since you cook it in a foil packet.  Great for summer. Cook it on the grill and keep your house cool. It's also great for fall or winter. Cook it in the oven and enjoy a great one dish dinner.

Ingredients:
2 sheets (12x18-inches each) aluminum Foil*
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1/2 to 3/4 lb.)
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
1/2 can (from a 2 1/4 oz. can) sliced ripe olives, drained (optional)

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium-high or oven to 450°F.
Center one chicken breast half on each sheet of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle each chicken breast with 1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Arrange 1/2 of the tortellini around each piece of chicken. Spoon 1/2 of tomatoes and 1/2 of olives over each serving of tortellini.
Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Repeat to make two packets.

Cook:
Bake 30 to 40 minutes on a cookie sheet in the oven OR
Grill 14 to 18 minutes in a covered grill.

*I  use 4 pieces of foil and make two layers of aluminum foil to prevent the juices from leaking out.

Pizza Dip

This is a great dip! Try it with tortilla chips or thinly sliced baguette. It's also good with crackers.
This would be a perfect appetizer or snack for your New Year's Eve party or for your Super Bowl party.

Very easy and oh, so yummy!
We had this on Christmas Eve. It was delicious. I'll try some variations and also some other possibilities for dipping into the pot.

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, cubed
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
1 package (8 ounces) sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 can (3.8 ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Bagel chips or garlic toast or English muffins

Place the cream cheese in a 3 quart slow cooker. Combine the pizza sauce, pepperoni and olives; pour over cream cheese. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the cheese is melted. Stir; serve warm with bagel chips or garlic toast or spread on English muffins as an open face sandwich.

I made half the recipe and used a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker. I also made my own pizza sauce. Find that recipe under pizza.
I think it would also be good with browned hamburger or sausage instead of or in addition to the pepperoni.
It might also be good as the dressing on a sub sandwich with some ham, turkey, or beef.

Taco Enchiladas

I got this recipe from my daughter. She has some great recipes. Thanks, Kristen. These are easy and make a tasty dinner. I usually have ingredients on hand for these, so don't have to make a special trip to the store. If you like enchiladas and/or tacos, I think you'll like these.

This recipe makes 12 enchiladas.

1 pound hamburger
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese (I usually use 1/2 cheddar and 1/2 mozzarella)
1 package flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown and drain the hamburger. Add the taco seasoning with 2 teaspoons of water. Mix well.

In a bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Place two tablespoons of the cheese mixture on a tortilla. Top with 2 or 3 tablespoons of the seasoned hamburger and roll up enchilada style. Repeat with all of the tortillas.

Place the tortillas in a 9x13 inch pan.

Spread the remaining cheese mixture over the top of the tortillas in the pan.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Serve as is or top with tomatoes, lettuce, more shredded cheese, cilantro, olives, sour cream, salsa, and any other toppings you like.

Lasagne

I will have to say that I'm a little bit picky about my lasagne.   Really I'm a LOT picky about my lasagne.  So this is THE recipe that I use.  I've been making this lasagne for many many years.  So many years that I had to update some of the ingredients because some of the original ingredients are just no longer available.  As lasagnes go it's pretty easy to make.  So if you're a little bit picky about lasagne try this one.  This also freezes well if you have leftovers.

 This is ABSOLUTELY my favorite dish.

Lasagna

1 pound ground beef

1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

2 cups small curd cottage cheese

1 egg, beaten

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brown ground beef in skillet.  Remove from heat.  (If you’re not using extra lean ground beef, drain and rinse with hot water.)  Add pasta sauce to the meat.  (I use meat flavored, marinara, or traditional.)  Mix well.

Boil lasagna noodles in salt water until al dente.  Drain.

In a medium bowl stir together cottage cheese, beaten egg, pepper, and parsley flakes.

Place half of noodles in 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan.  Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the noodles. This will be a thin layer.  Then layer half of the meat mixture.  Top with half of the mozzarella.  Repeat the layers.  Ending with mozzarella on top.

Bake at 375° for 30 min.

Makes 8 servings.

          (I actually use more mozzarella than this.  I like a nice thick layer of cheese on top.)

Freezer Meal Twice Baked Potatoes

I love making these and putting them in the freezer. Then when I want a quick and easy but delicious meal, I can just pull one out of the freezer, place on microwave safe plate and microwave for a few minutes. Fix a salad while it's cooking and I have a yummy dinner in a short amount of time.

4 large baking potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 Package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened (This is a small package. You could divide an 8 ounce package.)
4 Tablespoons milk
1 envelope (1 ounce) ranch salad dressing mix
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes*
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Scrub and pierce potatoes; place on a microwave safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 13-15 minutes or until tender, turning several times. Let stand for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and milk; beat in salad dressing mix. Add mashed potatoes; mix well. Cut a thin slice from the top of each potato; scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. Add pulp to the cream cheese mixture and mash. Spoon into potato shells. Top with cheese.
If you are eating them now, microwave two potatoes, uncovered, on high for 3 1/2 -4 1/2 minutes or until heated through.
Place remaining potatoes on a baking sheet. Freeze overnight or until thoroughly frozen; transfer to a freezer bag. May be frozen for up to 3 months.
To Use Frozen Potatoes:
Place potatoes on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, at 50% power for 8-9 minutes or until heated through. I add a little more cheese after I microwave them.
*I just bake a couple of extra potatoes. Peel and mash with a little milk and butter for the mashed potatoes.

Manicotti

I got this recipe from a friend. It is yummy and simple to make. Low-fat and delicious.
Ingredients
10 manicotti shells
2 cups reduced fat spaghetti sauce
2 egg whites lightly beaten
1 (15 ounce) container low fat cottage cheese
1 TBSP fresh parsley, snipped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 3/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, fresh is best
Directions
Cook the manicotti shells according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Arrange the shells in a single layer and set aside.
Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce in bottom of 13” x 9” baking dish.
For the filling, stir together egg whites, cottage cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until well combined. Stir in 1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To assemble, spoon the cheese mixture into manicotti shells and place the filled shells in a single layer in the baking dish. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce on top. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and remaining parmesan cheese. Bake 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Nacho Chicken Chowder

This is an easy soup to put together and cooks while you're doing whatever else you need to do. It tastes delicious. You would never guess it's as easy as it is. Wonderful on a cold day.

Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 (14.5 oz) cans Mexican-style tomatoes
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed nacho cheese soup
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen whole kernel corn (2 cups)
Shredded Mexican-style or cheddar cheese
Directions:
In a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker, stir together chicken, undrained tomatoes, soup, and corn.
Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours or on high heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Sprinkle each serving with shredded cheese.

Prize Winning Cheese Soup

This is the soup recipe that I made on Good Things Utah and won the runner up prize with. It is all done in the microwave. It is filling and delicious. We always have soups for dinner on Christmas Eve. This one is a tradition. It's nice to do in the microwave and free up the stove for other things.

4 cups cubed potatoes (3-4 potatoes), raw
2 cups carrots (2-3 carrots), cut diagonally
1 pkg frozen broccoli, thawed
1/2 cup margarine
2 cups milk
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp dry mustard
2 lbs(1Pkg)processed American Cheese (Velveeta), cubed
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp black pepper

Microwave:
Combine water, celery, onion, carrots, and potatoes in a 4 quart casserole dish. Cook on HIGH 15 min. until the vegetables are crisp, tender.
Stir in broccoli, bouillon, margarine, dry mustard, pepper, and Velveeta.
In a small bowl mix milk and flour. Add milk mixture slowly to the cheese and vegetable mixture and stir well. Cook on MED HIGH (70%) 20 min. until the vegetables are done.
Serves 12

Nachos

This was a favorite when my kids were teenagers. It's quick and easy and very tasty. Serve with some extra salsa if you like.

1. Brown 1 pound hamburger, mix in 1 can refried beans
2. Layer on cookie sheet:
Tortilla chips
Hamburger/bean mixture
Grated cheddar and/or mozzarella cheese
Salsa
3. Bake in 300 degree oven until the cheese melts

Chicken and Broccoli Braid

This is an easy recipe and is really delicious. One great thing about it is that it has so many food groups. There's meat, dairy, vegetable, and grain. If you have a salad, it's a perfect meal and very easy. You can use leftover chicken or even buy a roasted or rotisserie chicken from the store. You can also use precooked packaged chicken from the refrigerated section at the store. You can use either fresh or frozen (thawed) broccoli. It's a great "go to" recipe when you're tired or don't have a lot of time to spend. You can put together a salad or do whatever else while it bakes.

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packages (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place chicken and broccoli in large bowl. Add pepper and cheese. Press garlic over vegetable and chicken mixture. Add mayonnaise and salt; mix well. Unroll 1 package of crescent roll dough; do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of 12" x 15" pan(a cookie sheet works well). Repeat with remaining package of dough. Seal perforations, so that you have one large rectangle of dough. On longest sides of dough cut into strips 1 1/2 inches apart, 3 inches deep (there will be 6 inches in the center for the filling). Spread filling evenly over middle of dough. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn to help them stick together. Brush on a bit of water for "glue", if you need to. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Tuck ends up to form a rim at the end of braid. Brush egg white over dough. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown.
Cut crosswise to serve.

You can use mayonnaise instead of the ranch dressing. You can also add 1 teaspoon of dill weed to the filling, if you like.

It's still good if you use reduced fat cheese, light ranch dressing, and reduced fat crescent rolls.

Makes: 10 servings

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

I made these for Super Bowl Sunday. I really like mozzarella sticks, but they have so many calories and so much fat. So I reworked a recipe I had and this is what I came up with. They are very light and crispy--really delicious.

Makes: 32 appetizers
8 light string cheese sticks cut once vertically and once horizontally. Each stick will then be cut into 4 sticks
Vegetable oil enough for deep fryer or 2 inches deep in heavy saucepan
1/2 cup Kodiak Cakes pancake and waffle mix (You could probably use a different brand, but it may be a little different.)
1/2 teaspoon paprika (I like smoky paprika, but use whatever you have.)
1/4 cup fat free milk
2 Tbsp egg Beaters or other pasteurized egg product
Marinara sauce, if desired for dipping

1. Place cheese sticks on tray; freeze at least 1 hour.
2. Heat 2 inches of oil to 375ºF in large heavy saucepan or follow manufacturer's directions on deep fryer. Beat pancake mix, paprika, milk and egg beaters until smooth. Dip cheese, 1 stick at a time, into batter, covering cheese completely. Be sure to cover the cheese completely or it will melt and run out.
3. Fry 8 to 10 sticks at a time 1 to 2 minutes, turning carefully, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serve cheese sticks with marinara, salsa, spaghetti or pizza sauces.

Freezing the cheese first allows the outside to get crispy before the cheese starts to melt.
If you can't cook at least 6 or so at a time keep them in the freezer so they won't thaw before you get to them.
Coat them all before you start frying. They cook very quickly and you need to be ready. Don't try to fry and coat at the same time.
You can also use cheddar cheese cut into about the same size sticks. They are also yummy.

1 serving = 2 sticks and is 3 points