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

Grilled salmon and zucchini wraps

I had some leftover honey teriyaki marinated salmon, part of a zucchini, and some flour tortillas left from a Mexican night. Not wanting to waste good fresh salmon, I came up with this tasty lunch special!

Ingredients for 4 wraps:

1 zucchini, cut in long strips
4-6 oz. salmon fillet (mine was marinated but it doesn't have to be)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. dill weed
1 tsp. garlic powder
arugula
4 12" flour tortillas

Heat a grill pan on the stove til very hot, spray with cooking spray, and place zucchini strips and salmon fillet on pan. Grill approx. 3-4 minutes per side, til salmon is just done and zucchini has nice grill marks on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

In small bowl combine mayonnaise, dill weed, and garlic powder.

Warm tortillas in microwave, or on grill pan.

When salmon has cooled just slightly, gently flake with a fork.

To assemble:

Spread a small amount of dill mayo in the center of each wrap. Add 1/4 of the flaked salmon, a few strips of grilled zucchini, and some fresh arugula. Top with a bit more dill mayo, fold in ends and wrap up!

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.

Squash Souffle

This is proof that squash doesn't have to be boring! (I'll add a photo soon!)

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 lg. zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
3/4 cup butternut squash, finely diced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. celery salt
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly coat casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.

2. In large skillet, heat olive oil. Add diced onion and all squash. Season with curry powder, garlic powder, celery salt, and paprika. Saute until vegetables are just getting tender. Remove veggies from olive oil and let rest.

3. In large bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add egg yolks and vegetable oil and combine well. In separate bowl, whisk egg whites until thick and frothy, but not stiff. Gently fold whisked egg whites into flour mixture. Add in sauteed vegetables, salt, pepper, and cheddar cheese and gently combine.

4. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish and bake @ 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. Souffle is done when dinner knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Pineapple Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cans pineapple chunks, well drained (or one pineapple cut into chunks)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp. flour

4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

20 butter-flavored crackers, such as Ritz crackers

3 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In large bowl, mix together drained pineapple, sugar, flour, and cheddar cheese. Tranfer pineapple mixture to an 8 x 8 casserole dish.

3. Crumble crackers over top of pineapple mixture.

4. Pour melted butter over all.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes.