Mexican pasta salad

1 1/2 lbs pasta, cooked  

1 1/2 tbs olive oil 

 Cook pasta al dente, drain, toss with olive oil. Let the pasta cool while you prepare the rest of the components. 

 Add the following ingredients to the cooled pasta: 

4 lg tomatoes, chopped 

3 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed. 

1 or 2 cans beans, drained and rinsed (black, pinto, red, or a combination) 

1/2 medium red onion or 1 bunch green onion, chopped

1 medium bell pepper, chopped. (Any color) 

2cups grated cheddar cheese (can use pepper jack for part of the cheese) 

1 can sliced black olives 

Grated carrots (opt) 

Sliced jalapeños or Serrano peppers (minced. You can either add to the salad or incorporate into the dressing.)  

Once the salad is complete toss with the dressing below. Stir to coat well. 

 Dressing: 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/2 cup sour cream 

1/4 cup red salsa 

Juice and zest of 1 lime 

1 tsp chili powder 

1/2 tsp cumin 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Tabasco to taste 

Optional: 1/4 packet of ranch dressing (I have never used this, but someone told me it would be good)  

Garnish salad with the following: 

 1 large avocado

diced Chopped cilantro (half a bunch or so) 

Serve as a side, but if you add cooked chicken or another meat this is a great main dish. Will keep in the fridge for several days though it will tend to get a little dry as the pasta continues to absorb moisture. If needed, toss with a little more olive oil or leftover dressing if it gets dry.

Crispy chicken costoletta

Crispy Chicken Costoletta

• 4 chicken breasts, cut horizontally, and pounded to about 1/4 inch thick or 4 chicken cutlets
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1 1/2 cups plain breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs, whisked with 2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Lemon Sauce

• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Juice from 2 lemons (1/4 cup)
• 1 ounce (1/8 cup) chicken stock or broth or water if you don't have stock readily available 
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200°F.

Zest two lemons. Bake zest for about 5 minutes until dry. On one paper plate combine flour, pepper and salt. In shallow bowl combine eggs and water, whisk together. On another paper plate combine dry lemon zest, bread crumbs and cheese.

Place pounded chicken in the flour, coating well, followed by the egg mixture and the bread crumbs. Heat 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Place chicken in pan and cook on each side about 5 minutes until middle is no longer pink. You will need to work in batches, adding more oil and butter as needed. Keep chicken warm in oven at 250°F.

For the lemon sauce:.

Over medium heat in a same pan you used for chicken heat olive oil, add minced garlic and sauté about 3 minutes. Add whipping cream and boil until reduced by one-third.

Add Dijon, lemon juice, chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Serve chicken with lemon sauce and mashed garlic potatoes.

Hash Brown Chicken Casserole

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs frozen hash brown potatoes, Southern Style
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 1/2 cup summer sweet corn, canned
• 2 C sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 cups cooked, shredded roasted chicken
• 2 cups bread crumbs

Heat over to 400 degrees. Place potatoes in 9 by 13 pan. In a large bowl, mix well the remaining ingredients, except bread crumbs. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle crumbs on top. Bake for 1 hour or until top is golden brown. Serves 12.

Chicken parmigiana casserole

• 4 chicken breasts, butterflied
• 1.5 cup panko bread crumb
• 1 cup parmesan cheese fresh grated
• 1 cup mozzarella
• 3 tablespoons parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 bunch basil fresh chopped
• 2.5 cups marinara sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

In an 8x8 baking dish, spread marinara sauce evenly on the bottom, then layer mozzarella and basil evenly on top. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then place evenly into pan over mozzarella. Really. Put the chicken edge to edge. In a bowl mix panko, parmesan, parsley, and oregano. Sprinkle evenly over chicken then bake at 375 °F for 1 hour. Cut into squares with a very sharp knife to serve.  enjoy.

Mexican lasagna

1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, grated or finely chopped
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corner
1 (4 oz) can fire roasted diced green chiles
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
12 8” large flour tortillas
12 ounces Mexican cheese blend (or 8 ounces Pepperjack and 4 ounces Colby Jack cheese)
6 oz can sliced olives, drained
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Drizzle olive oil into a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add beef, onion, paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper to skillet. Brown beef for about 5-7 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans and corn. Stir to combine. Allow to cook while you begin preparing the baking pan.

Smooth about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Lay tortillas on the bottom of the pan, slightly overlapping until pan is covered (about 4 tortillas).

Spoon half of the beef mixture over top of the tortillas, spread evenly. Layer tortillas on top of beef mixture. Smooth about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese on top. Scatter the green chiles over the cheese. Add the remaining beef mixture. Spread evenly. Layer tortillas on top of beef mixture. Spoon remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of tortillas. Garnish top with olives and scallions.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and lasagna is warmed through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cilantro.

Chicken Tortilla Lettuce Wraps

Add some Mexican flair into what’s normally an Asian dish. Soft butter lettuce (or romaine) cradles taco-seasoned chicken, juicy tomatoes and corn, crisp red peppers, and cheese. The wraps are topped with bright cilantro and seasoned tortilla chips. There’s so much flavor and texture in every bite. You can customize the wraps by incorporating ingredients like black beans, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, or your favorite taco fixings. They’re ready in 10 minutes and a crowd favorite.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (can use ground chicken or beef)
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 head butter lettuce
1 medium tomato, diced, or halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced small
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or a Mexican mix
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely minced
1 cup seasoned tortilla chips, crushed (I crush Doritos in my palm)
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed, optional
1 medium avocado, peeled and diced
salsa, for garnshing
sour cream, for garnishing

DIRECTIONS:

To a large skillet, add the olive oil, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes, flipping and stirring intermittently so all sides cook evenly. After the chicken has cooked through, evenly sprinkle with taco seasoning and stir to coat. Cooking time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts and sizes of pieces. Allow chicken to rest in pan off the heat while you prep the remaining ingredients.

Peel off the leaves of the butter lettuce from the core and stack them on a plate.
Use 2 leaves of butter lettuce per wrap.  (Leaves are doubled up so the wraps are sturdier) and add about 3 tablespoons chicken. Top with your choice of the remaining ingredients and enjoy. 

CHICKEN BACON RANCH LAYER SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe Avocado Lime Ranch dressing
9 cups roughly chopped green leaf or romaine lettuce, divided
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large poblano or green bell pepper seeded and diced
1 {12 oz} frozen corn, steamed and cooled
6 medium tomatoes, 5 chopped and 1 sliced into wedges for garnish
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 cup roasted chicken, roughly chopped
3 green onion, thinly sliced
2 large hard boiled eggs, cut into wedges


INSTRUCTIONS

In a large trifle or glass bowl layer in this order: ⅓ lettuce, ½ red pepper, ½ poblano pepper, ⅓ corn, ½ tomatoes, ½ red onion, 1 cup cheese, ⅓ bacon and ½ chicken. Drizzle with ½ cup prepared dressing.

Repeat, ⅓ lettuce, ½ red pepper, ½ poblano pepper, ⅓ corn, ½ tomatoes, ½ red onion, 1 cup cheese, ⅓ bacon and ½ chicken. Drizzle with ½ cup prepared dressing.
Top with the final ⅓ lettuce, ⅓ corn, ½ cup shredded cheese, ⅓ bacon and sliced green onion. Drizzle with 1/.2 cup dressing drizzling around the edge. Arrange egg and tomato wedges on top to garnish.
Chill for 4 hours, Serve with additional dressing on the side.

Jungle Rice

1 chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup basmati rice
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, finely minced
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in oven safe skillet and cook chicken breast with garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper, just until chicken starts to get some color. Add rice and stir until evenly coated with oil. Toast rice about 2 minutes. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When at full boil, cover rice with fitted lid and transfer to oven. Bake 15 minutes, stir, then bake another 5-10 minutes.

Chicken Casserole

• 4-5 chicken breasts or tenderloins 
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tube crushed Ritz crackers
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 T poppy seeds (optional)

Cook chicken in oil on the stove, seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper)

cut up cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, and put in a 9 x 13 casserole dish

Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream and spread over chicken. Put the tube of crackers in a ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin, spread crushed crackers over soup and sour cream mixture. Melt butter and drizzle over the top. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top (I usually omit these.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour until golden brown and bubbly.

creamy mac and cheese

Ummm.... yes please :-)

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese (not lowfat)
2 cups milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ pound elbow pasta, uncooked.

Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together. Reserve ¼ cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

shepherd's pie

• 1tablespoon olive oil
• 1teaspoon black pepper
• 1lb ground beef or 1 lb lamb
• 1large onion, finely diced
• 3 -4large carrots, finely diced
• 1cup frozen peas
• 3 -4sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2tablespoons flour
• 1tablespoon butter
• 1glass red wine
• 2tablespoons tomato paste
• 2tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1cup chicken stock
• 1large quantity mashed potatoes(estimating 1L or 6 cups, fresh or leftover)
• 1egg, beaten
• grated parmesan cheese(optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C/400°F.
2. Saute carrots in the olive oil until starting to get tender.
3. Add in the onions and saute for a minute or two then add the meat.
4. Season with black pepper and thyme.
5. Cook until browned then drain fat.
6. Add the butter and peas.
7. Sprinkle with flour and stir through.
8. Add tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire sauce.
9. Let this reduce slightly then add the chicken stock. Allow to reduce down until you have a thick meaty gravy. Season to your taste.
10. Remove from heat. Grease an oven proof dish** (9x13 works for me, as does an oval baker) with butter and add the sauce.
11. Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes over top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if using.
12. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the potato is nice and browned on top.
13. Serve as is or with some crusty bread to mop up that yummy sauce!

Orange Honey Salmon

Ingredients
  1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  1/4 cup orange juice
  1/4 cup honey
  2 green onions, thinly sliced
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  1 tablespoon sherry or apple juice
  1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
  1 salmon fillet (1 pound)

Directions
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first seven ingredients. Add salmon. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 1 hour, turning several times.
Line an 8-in. square baking dish with foil; coat the foil with cooking spray. Drain and discard marinade. Place salmon in prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 4 servings.

I also made an extra batch of marinade and cooked some rice in it. It was super yummy.

Slow Cooker Sausage Lentil Soup

1 pound lentils

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound sausage (we like apple chicken sausage)

6 cups chicken or veggie broth

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups chopped spinach or kale

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Canadian steak seasoning (or salt and pepper to taste)

Brown the sausage then add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Before serving, blend 2-3 cups in blender and add back in or use immersion blender to thicken. 

Roast Veggies

I like to mix it up a bit when it comes to roasting veggies in the oven. Some of my favorites are:

Cauliflower
Broccoli
Sweet Potatoes
Fennel (Just the white part)
Potatoes
Carrots

Chop the veggies into bite sized pieces. I always add an onion as well, chopped into smaller pieces. Place on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper. Preheat the oven to 425* and cook for 20 min, then stir and cook for about another 20 min.

Chicken Enchilada Pizza

1 pkg (13.8 oz/283 g) refrigerated pizza crust or bread dough from your bread machine

1/2 medium onion

1 jalapeño pepper

8 oz Colby & Monterey Jack or marble cheese blend (about 2 cups grated), divided

2 cups diced cooked chicken breasts

1/2 cup mild green taco sauce3 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 cup grape tomatoes

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly brush baking stone with vegetable oil. Spread dough on bottom of pan, stretching and pressing dough to cover bottom. Bake 12–-14 minutes or until crust is golden brown. (If using dough from bread machine, you may have enough enough for 2 pizzas. If you use it for one pizza, you may have to cook it longer to cook it thoroughly.)

Meanwhile, coarsely chop onion and jalapeño. Grate cheese; combine onion, jalapeño, 1/2 cup of the cheese, chicken, taco sauce and garlic pressed; mix well.

Remove pan from oven . Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese evenly over crust; top with chicken mixture and remaining cheese. Bake 6-–7 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove pan from oven to cooling rack.4

Slice tomatoes lengthwise into quarter. Coarsely chop cilantro. Sprinkle tomatoes and cilantro over pizza. Cut pizza into 12 rectangles. Serve.

Baked Polenta Layered with Mushroom Ragú Recipe

I don't know if I will ever get around to making this, but it looked so good I had to save the recipe.

Polenta pasticciata is a layered baked dish, just like lasagna, but made with warm, fresh polenta instead of pasta. You can fill the layers of polenta with all manner of good things—cheeses, vegetables, meats, or sauces, or a combination of everything. People absolutely love it for the complexity of flavor, and because it can be prepared in advance.
Recipe created by Lidia Bastianich

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

Ingredients

• 1 batch (about 10 cups) Basic Polenta, freshly made and hot, with or without freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (it will be richer if you include it, but just as good without it)
• 4 to 6 cups Mushroom Ragú
• 2 Tbsp. soft butter for the baking dish, or more if needed
• 1 to 2 cups shredded Muenster or dry-packed mozzarella, Italian Fontina, cheddar, or a soft cheese of your liking
• 1/2 to 1 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400° F, and set a rack in the center. Make your polenta in a large bowl, then put plastic wrap over the top, to keep it warm and to prevent a skin from forming on top. Be sure to assemble within 1/2 hour, while the polenta is still warm and soft with no lumps.

If necessary, heat the filling sauce to quite warm. If it is too dense for spreading, thin it with some water.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or a 12-inch cast-iron skillet thoroughly. Use more butter on the bottom, in particular, if you want to unmold the pasticciata onto a platter.

Pour in half the polenta (approximately 5 cups), and spread it evenly in the bottom of the pan. Scatter 1/3 cup or more shredded Muenster or other soft cheese all over the top, then sprinkle on 2 to 4 tablespoons of grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pour or ladle 2 cups of the warm sauce over the polenta and cheese, and spread it all over—use 3 cups sauce if you want a thicker layer.

Pour on a bit more than half of the remaining polenta (about 3 cups) and spread it, and top with shredded soft cheese and grated hard cheese in the amounts you like. Pour in the remaining sauce, and spread it evenly, reserving a cup, if you have enough and plan to unmold it.

For the top layer, spread all the rest of the polenta, and another 1/4 cup sauce on top of that. Sprinkle on more shredded soft cheese and grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano. If you're making a thin pasticciata in a big pan, or want it to have a beautiful deep-golden crust or gratinato, use enough cheese to really cover the top. Do not compress the cheeses, though. (See note below.)

Set the pan on a cookie sheet, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or more, until the top is deeply colored and crusted, even browned a bit on the edges. Let the pasticciata cool for a few minutes before serving. If serving portions from the baking pan, cut into squares (like lasagna), or wedges if you've used a round skillet or pan, and lift them out with a spatula.

Polenta

8 cups water, or as needed
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 Tbsp. coarse salt, or as needed
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal

Directions
In a small saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer; keep this "backup" water hot, covered, over medium-low heat. Bring the remaining water, the bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a 3-to-4-quart cast-iron saucepan, over medium-high heat. When boiling, add the olive oil.

Scoop up a small handful of the cornmeal, and, while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or flat-ended stirrer, let it sift slowly through your fingers into the seasoned boiling water. Let the cornmeal fall a pioggia—like rain—into the water. Sift the remaining cornmeal into the water a small handful at a time, stirring constantly, paying special attention to stirring the corners of the pot. It should take about 5 minutes to add all the cornmeal.

When all the cornmeal has been added, the mixture should be smooth and thick and begin to "perk," with large bubbles rising to the surface. Reduce the level of heat to medium-low, and continue stirring until the mixture becomes too thick to stir easily, about 4 minutes. Add enough of the "backup" water—about 1 cup—to restore the mixture to a smooth stirring consistency. Stir until the mixture is again too thick to stir easily. Continue adding water and stirring like this until the cornmeal is tender, about 20 minutes after the cornmeal was added.

When the cornmeal is tender, stir the polenta without adding water until it is shiny and begins to gather around the spoon as you stir it, 5 to 10 minutes. (The polenta should be thick enough to stand a spoon in.) The polenta is ready to serve at this point, or you can choose to cook it an extra few minutes to intensify the flavor. To continue cooking, reduce the level of heat to low, and stir the polenta constantly for 5 to 10 minutes. You may need to add a small amount of water during this extra cooking if the polenta begins to stick or become too thick.

Pour the polenta away from you into a ceramic bowl. Let it stand 10 minutes before serving. To serve polenta, scoop it onto plates with a large spoon, dipping the spoon in water before each scoop. (An ice-cream scoop can be used in the same fashion; it makes nice round mounds of polenta.)

Mushroom Ragú Recipe
The mushrooms you can buy at the supermarket will make a fine sauce, but if you have fresh wild mushrooms it will be even better. In either case, dried porcini provide the key flavor in this sauce. It is a sauce that freezes well, so freeze whatever extra you may have made.

Ingredients
1/2 ounce dried porcini (about 1/2 cup loosely packed pieces), soaked in 1 1/2 cups warm water for a few minutes, until reconstituted
2 1/2 pounds small, firm, fresh mixed mushrooms
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary, a tender stem about 4 inches long
1 sprig fresh sage with 4 big leaves or more smaller ones
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry Marsala
4 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Squeeze out the soaked porcini, and slice them into pieces about 1/4 inch wide. Strain the soaking water, and keep it in a warm spot. Clean, trim, and slice the fresh mushrooms into moderately thin slices, barely 1/4 inch wide. Tie the sprigs of fresh herbs together with a piece of kitchen twine, or enclose the leaves in cheesecloth.

Put the oil and butter in a large skillet, and place over medium heat. When the butter melts, dump in the onion and shallots and half the salt, and stir well. Heat to a slow sizzle, and cook for 6 minutes or more, stirring often, until the onions are soft, wilted, and shiny, without any browning.

Pour all the mushrooms into the pan, and spread them out. Sprinkle in the remaining salt, drop in the herb bouquet, then toss briefly and cover the pan. Raise the heat a bit, and cook, covered, for about 3 minutes, shaking the pan now and then to sweat the mushrooms.

Uncover, and continue to cook over fairly high heat, stirring frequently, as the mushrooms shrink and the liquid evaporates, 5 minutes or more. When the pan is dry and the mushrooms begin to brown, clear a spot, drop in the tomato paste, and toast it, stirring, for a minute or so; then stir it into the mushrooms.

When everything is browning again and just starting to stick, pour the Marsala all over. Stir constantly as the wine thickens and evaporates. When the mushrooms again start sticking to the bottom, pour in the warm mushroom water and 2 cups of the hot stock. Bring to an active boil, stirring up any caramelization on the pan bottom. Lower the heat to keep the sauce bubbling gently all over the surface, and cover the pan. Cook for about 20 minutes, occasionally stirring and adding stock to keep the mushrooms nearly covered in liquid; expect to add 1/2 cup or so at a time. Adjust the heat to keep the sauce simmering.

Uncover the pan, and cook for another 20 minutes, continuing to simmer the ragú and adding stock as needed. When the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and the sauce has just thickened, remove and discard the herb bouquet. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Chipotle Lime Butter Whole Roasted Chicken

1 (5-pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
2 limes, zest freshly grated and limes cut in half
1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (If you can't find it, use part regular paprika and part cumin)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mash together the butter, adobo sauce, lime zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Lift the skin over top of the chicken breast and stuff the butter mixture underneath, dispersing it over the chicken breasts and legs. Be gentle so the skin doesn't rip. Cover the outside of the whole chicken with the olive oil (rub it down all over!) and sprinkle it evenly with the remaining salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Stuff the lime halves inside the cavity of the chicken.  Place the chicken in a roasting pan or baking dish and roast for 75 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you slice into the leg.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice the chicken and serve it with corn and black bean salad.

Goat Cheese Roasted Chicken

5 pound fresh chicken, giblets removed

8 ounces goat cheese, slightly softened to room temperature
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 lemon
1 bulb garlic, top cut off
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Pat chicken completely dry with paper towels.

In a bowl, combine goat cheese with herbs and garlic salt, mixing well until combined. Rub the non-breast side of the chicken with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put that side down in a baking dish or roasting pan. Lift the skin of the chicken above the breast and stuff with goat cheese, pressing it into the thighs and as far back as possible. Rub the outside of the chicken with some goat cheese as well, using up the mixture. Rub with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff the garlic bulb, cloves-facing inward, in the top opening and the lemon, slice-side up, in the bottom opening. Roast for 75 minutes, then remove and let rest for 30 minutes before cutting.

Catalina chicken

From chef Ron Lock: 

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Breasts
1 cup apricot jam
1 cup catalina or french dressing
1 & 1/2 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix


Directions:

1. Place  chicken in a crock pot. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl; pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or pasta. (I think I would try rice pilaf

Bacon-etti

1 pound spaghetti
1/2 pound bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup olive oil or bacon drippings
1/4 cup minced onion
6 to 8 beaten eggs
1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I will actually use green sprinkle cheese for this dish.)
Garlic to taste (fresh or powder)
Salt and pepper

In large pot, heat enough water to cook 1 pound of spaghetti. While water is coming to a boil, fry bacon until very crisp. Remove onion from pan with a slotted spoon. Add onion to the drippings in the pan and brown. Once the onions are well caramelized, remove them from the bacon drippings with a slotted spoon and reserve them with the bacon which you have set aside. Add spaghetti to boiling water. Cook until spaghetti is cooked al dente. Drain spaghetti, and add olive oil or bacon drippings. (Bacon drippings will be more flavorful.) Stir well  to keep noodles from sticking.

Pour beaten eggs over spaghetti noodles while the noodles are still very hot and stir until egg is cooked from the residual heat of the noodles. Add grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and last of all the bacon onion mixture. (saving the bacon and onion for last makes a prettier dish.)

Makes four generous main dish servings, or six generous side dish servings. Kids usually love this. If the kids don't like onions, make sure you brown them very well. Once they are caramelized, kids will usually eat them just fine. Of course, you can just leave them out.