Seafood shells with garlic cream sauce

Ingredients:

24 medium pasta shells, cooked according to package directions and drained.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2/3 cup shredded swiss cheese
2-3 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. hot sauce (depending on how spicy you like it
1 4oz can tiny shrimp, drained
4 oz. crab meat (I use the imitation), finely minced

Sauce:

3 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup water
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine filling ingredients and mix well. Gently fill each pasta shell with a heaping tablespoon of filling and place in a casserole dish.

In medium saucepan, melt butter, add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often so butter and garlic does not burn. Add worchestershire sauce and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add flour and combine well. Cook, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes. Gradually add heavy cream, whisking into flour mixture so there are no lumps. Cook over medium low heat, stirring often, til sauce thickens. Use water to thin slightly if sauce becomes too thick.

Pour sauce over stuffed pasta shells and bake @ 350 for 30 minutes.

Serves 6

Spanish Hash

This casserole is a cross between a Spanish Rice and a Texas Hash. Sort of a Spexas Hash?

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground round

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

1 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes

1 14.5 oz can garbanzo beans

1/2 cup chopped spanish green olives

3 tbsp. seasoning blend (see below)

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

2 cups beef or vegetable stock

1 cup shredded Mexican Blend cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 1.5 - 2 quart casserole dish.

2. Bring stock to boil in medium pot with lid

3. Add rice, lower heat to simmer, cover pot, and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is fluffy and tender.

4. While rice is cooking, in large skillet, heat olive oil and add onions and garlic. Lightly saute just until onions begin to sweat. Add chopped olives and seasoning blend and saute for additional 2-3 minutes.

5. Add ground round to onion mixture and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, garbanzo beans and cooked rice and mix thoroughly.

6. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish. Cover with shredded cheese, and bake for 30 minutes.

Seasoning blend:

4 tsp. dried minced onion

3 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. corn starch

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Combine and store in airtight container.

Vegetable Hash

As a side dish or entree, this dish is as tasty as it is appealing!

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini

1 large yellow squash

4-6 Roma tomatoes

8 slices bacon

salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

olive oil

Directions:

1. Slice zucchini and yellow squash into 1/2" rounds, then quarter each round.

2. Quarter and remove seeds from tomatoes and cut each quarter in half.

3. Combine vegetables, coat VERY LIGHTLY with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

3. In large skillet, cook bacon until light brown and crispy. Remove and let drain on paper towel.

4. Remove all but 1 tbsp. of the bacon drippings. Add vegetables and saute until cooked and lightly browned.

5. Remove vegetables, drain for a few moments on paper towel. Place in serving bowl, crumble in bacon, and toss lightly.

Serves 4 as a side dish. or two as a main course.

Chicken and Sun Dried Tomato Enchiladas

A new take on a classic recipe, this dish combines the tang of sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese with the heat of buffalo sauce and the warm comfort of chicken. This recipe serves 4-5

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken

8 oz. sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil

1 medium onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. garlic powder

4 tbsp. butter

1/4 cup hot sauce (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)

1 cup chicken stock

8 oz. goat cheese

10 corn tortillas

1/2 cup shredded monteray jack cheese

Directions:

1. In small saucepan, melt butter, add hot sauce and chicken stock and bring to boil. Continue to cook until liquid reduces by close to half and thickens slightly.

2. Drain sun dried tomatoes, reserving oil.

3. In small skillet, heat tomato infused oil and saute onions and garlic until translucent. Drain and set aside. In same skillet, lower heat and add chicken, garlic powder, and half of the tomatoes to warm oil. Toss to coat then set aside.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray baking dish with cooking spray.

5. To assemble enchiladas: place one tortilla on a plate, add a small amount of chicken w/sun dried tomatoes, some of the sauteed onions, and approximately a tablespoon of goat cheese. Drizzle just a touch of the sauce over and roll up. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat until all enchiladas are rolled and in the dish. Top with remaining sun dried tomatoes and any remaining onions. Pour sauce over all and top with shredded cheese.

6. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Oven Beef Roast

OK, this is the easiest and tastiest recipe yet for a great beef roast with gravy. Not traditional beef gravy, but gravy on steroids! LOL

3 lb. bottom round rump roast
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. season salt
2 tsp. ground pepper
2 tbsp. italian seasonings
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 lg. onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup red wine
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 -8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 beef bullion cubes


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. In large, oven ready skillet, heat olive oil.

3. Combine flour, garlic powder, seasoned salt, ground pepper, and italian seasonings. Thoroughly cover rump roast with flour mixture, making sure all surfaces are coated.

4. Brown roast in hot oil, turning carefully until all sides are golden brown. Remove meat, add onion, and saute until translucent and just starting to turn light brown. Add wine to deglaze the pan, then add soy sauce, tomato sauce, water, and bullion cubes. Stir until cubes are dissolved, then add meat to sauce.

5. Cover and place in oven. Roast for approx. 4 hours, removing at least once to baste the top of the roast with the sauce.

6. Remove meat and let rest for approx. 10 minutes before cutting. Serve the gravy over the meat or in a separate bowl, as seen in the photo.

Melt in your mouth goodness, with just a little kick!

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!

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.

Country Pork Ribs with Leeks and Mushrooms

2/3 cup flour
1 tbsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. dried basil
3 tbsp. dried parsely
salt and pepper
4-6 large country style individual pork ribs
olive oil
1/2 cup sherry
1/2 cup beef broth
2 large leeks
4 oz. white button mushrooms

Combine flour, thyme, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. Dredge ribs in flour mixture. Heat olive oil in large pan and brown floured ribs on all sides; remove and set aside.

Cut off dark green leaves and roots of leeks. Cut in half lengthwise, then chop into 1" pieces. Separate layers and rinse thoroughly in cold water. Drain and pat dry. Slice button mushrooms. In same pan in which the ribs were browned, add a bit more olive oil, chopped leeks and mushrooms. Sprinkle 2 tbsps. of leftover flour mixture over leeks and mushrooms and saute until leeks are soft and mushrooms start to brown. Add sherry and beef broth and scrap any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Place browned pork ribs back in pan, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until pork is cooked through and sauce has thickened.

NOTE: I serve this with gnocchi. Place the ribs on a serving platter. Put cooked gnocchi in a serving bowl and pour leek and mushroom sauce over. Serves 4-6