Fruit Pizza

This recipe is for my favorite Candle Lady, Lori!! Serve as is, or top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients

1 roll Pillsbury sugar cookie dough

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

assorted fruit

Glaze (see below)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a pizza pan.

2. Open sugar cookie roll and spread dough in pizza pan to form crust. Bake for approx. 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

3. In mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread over cooled cookie crust.

4. Arrange fruit as desired on cream cheese filling. Berries, kiwi, citrus, apples, pears...all work well!

5. Drizzle glaze over fruit and allow to set before serving.

Glaze:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. butter

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp. orange juice

Directions:

1. Melt butter in small saucepan. Add brown sugar and orange juice and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir until sauce thickens.

2. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Do not allow it to overcool as it will become too thick to drizzle.

3. Drizzle over fruit.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

A warm, comforting pasta dish, with a bit of a kick! Serves 6.

Ingredients:

8 oz. pasta (I use ziti), cooked until al dente and drained

2 cups cooked chicken (canned or leftovers)

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lg can mushroom stems and pieces

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock

1 cup water or chicken stock

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sour cream

2-3 tbsp. hot sauce

1 to 1 1/2 cup shredded mexican blend cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease casserole dish.

In large skillet, heat oil and saute onions for 1 -2 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and saute until onions are translucent and mushrooms are starting to carmelize. Add all the liquid, chicken, salt and pepper, and hot sauce and heat through. Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese and sour cream. When cream cheese and sour cream is thoroughly incorporated, remove from heat, add pasta, and combine. Finally, add shredded cheese, mix well, and pour into prepared casserole dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Can be served with additional sour cream, or with sour cream mixed with a little hot sauce. Hot sauce in recipe can be adjusted to taste.

All the goodness of buffalo chicken in a warm, comforting pasta dish!

Sausage and Vegetable Hash

This is a great 'one pan' recipe that can be altered to suit your personal tastebuds. This recipe serves 4.


Ingredients:

1 lb. Jimmy Dean regular sausage
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
2 medium white potatoes, diced and boiled til just fork tender
1 large zucchini, cut into quarters and roasted (see below) and dthen diced
1 can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 oz. goat cheese (optional)

1. In large frying pan, cook and crumble sausage. When cooked, remove from pan.

2. In same pan, add olive oil, onion and garlic and saute until onions start to turn translucent. Add potatos, and diced, roasted zucchini and continue to saute until potatoes start to turn golden.

3. Add sausage back to frying pan, and pour in fired roasted, diced tomatoes, with juice. Stir together and simmer for 5 minutes, until completely warmed through.

4. To finish, crumble 1 oz. goat cheese into pan and stir in until melted and incorporated.


To roast zucchini:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut zucchini in half both crosswise and lengthwise to create quarters. Place, skin side down, on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place baking sheet in oven and roast for approx. 20 minutes. Remove and let cool before dicing.

Yellow squash, roasted broccoli, red potatoes, mushrooms....all can be added or used in place of the recommended vegetables. Goat cheese can be left out, or replaced with approx. 1/4 cup parmesan for a sharper flavor.

Shrimp and Chicken Risotto

This risotto dish is creamy, a bit tangy, and oh sooo good!

1/2 cup cooked chicken

24 medium cooked shrimp

2 tbsp. butter

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 cup uncooked arborio rice

3 cups well seasoned chicken broth (note, if broth is not well seasoned, add a bit of Adobo seasoning)

1/4 cup sherry

1 tbsp. lemon zest

1/2 tsp. curry powder

juice of 1 lemon

1 oz. cream cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

4-5 green onions, chopped

1. In small saucepan, heat chicken broth to simmering and keep on stove.

2. In large saucepan, melt 2 tbsp. butter, add garlic and shallot and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add rice and saute for additional 2-3 minutes. Add sherry and stir, cooking until sherry is absorbed.

3. Add 1/2 cup simmering chicken broth to rice and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed.

4. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and curry powder and stir in completely.

5.Continue to add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Cook until the liquid is absorbed between additions. With the last addition, the rice should be tender on the outside and still just a bit firm inside. Continue to cook until most of last addition of broth is absorbed.

6. Add cream cheese and parmesan cheese and stir in until completely incorporated.

7. Add chicken, shrimp, and 1/2 of the green onion (mostly the white part here). Stir in and cook until warmed through.

8. Use the green part of the chopped green onions as garnish on top of each serving. Don't forget this step; the freshness of the green onion is really the crowning touch!

Macaroni and Cheese

Lots of cheesy goodness!!

8 oz. elbow macaroni
4 tbsp. butter, divided
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
3 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar
4 oz. shredded white cheddar
3/4 cup italian bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 8x8 casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook macaroni according to package directions, taking off heat just before completely cooked. Drain completely.

3. In large saucepan over medium high heat, melt 2 tbsp. butter. Add flour, dry mustard, salt and pepper and whisk together well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and whisk well to incorporate flour mixture. Add milk and bring to boil, stirring often. When mixture starts to boil, turn heat to low and add cream cheese, whisking well to incorporate. When cream cheese is melted and mixed in, add both cheddar cheeses and stir until completely melted and sauce is smooth.

4. Pour macaroni into sauce and mix well. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

5. Melt 2 tbsp. butter and mix with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle moistened crumbs over macaroni and cheese and bake for approx. 35-40 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and topping is golden brown.

Chip Dip

Yes, here it is, a written version of the 'world famous' Canan chip dip! Not just a dip, this can also be used as a topping for burgers, chicken, almost anything!

2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 tbsp. mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip!!!!)
3 small beef bullion cubes (I use Tone's brand)
3 Tbsp. water
milk

1. Put bullion cubes and water in small dish and microwave for approx. 30 seconds. Break up any remaining pieces of the cubes into the water.

2. Place cream cheese, mayonnaise, and onion into food processor. Turn on and, while processing, pour in bullion water. Blend well. Remove lid and scrape sides and bottom of processor bowl to mix in all of the cream cheese. Cover again and, while processing, add enough milk to reach desired consistency.

Individual Skillet Meat Loaves w/Mushroom Sauce

Here it is, a meat loaf recipe you can do on the stove instead of in the oven! These little meat loaves are perfect individual servings. And, if you only need a couple, you can freeze the uncooked loaves. To use frozen meat loaf, just thaw and cook.

Meat loaves:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
3/4 cup italian fine bread crumbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
salt to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil

Combine first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Divide into 6 portions and shape each portion into a small loaf. In large, deep skillet heat olive oil. Add meat loaves and brown one side. Carefully turn the loaves and brown the other side. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for approx. 20 minutes, until cooked through.

Mushroom Sauce:

8 oz. sliced portobello mushrooms

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup sherry

2 tbsp. butter

After removing meat loaves from skillet, add sliced mushrooms, olive oil, salt & pepper, and saute until browned. Deglaze with sherry and then add butter. Simmer until sauce is thickened. Serve over meat loaves.