Pizza Sauce

This is a delicious pizza sauce.  The original recipe called for 2 Tbsp honey but I thought it was a tad too sweet.  Jeremy thought it was great though.  It's our favorite sauce we've tried!

Pizza Sauce (Exquisit Pizza Sauce on Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 6 fluid ounces warm water 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 ½ - 1 ¾ tablespoons honey 3/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.

In a small saucepan, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, anchovy paste, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.  Heat over medium-low heat for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes enough for two pizzas.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I've always wanted to try Spaghetti Carbonara but never had until tonight.  It's easy and delicious.  Tiernan and Mia loved it.  I caramelized the onions and I used only about 1/8 c. of the chicken broth. Oh, and I didn't have any parsley so we skipped that altogether.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 8

"Pasta, eggs, cheese, and bacon come together in the ultimate Italian favorite: spaghetti carbonara. Ready in less than 45 minutes, this recipe is a sure kid-pleaser."

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound spaghetti 1 tablespoon olive oil 8 slices bacon, diced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup chicken broth (optional) 4 eggs 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.
2.	Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add broth, if desired; cook one more minute.
3.	Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together. Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set. Quickly add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember that bacon and Parmesan are very salty).
4.	Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top, and extra Parmesan cheese at table. Recipe altered slightly from allrecipes.com.

Crunchy Romaine Strawberry Salad

This salad is so absolutely wonderful.  Truly.  And don't be scared of the soy sauce - it doesn't taste at all like soy sauce.  Don't skip anything at all because they're all important in this recipe.
I got this recipe from Simple and Delicious.

Crunchy Romaine Strawberry Salad

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 1 package (3 ounces) ramen noodles
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 8 cups torn romaine
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Directions

• 1. Discard seasoning packet from ramen noodle. Break noodles into small pieces. In a large skillet, cook noodles and walnuts in butter over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until medium brown; cool.
• 2. For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Just before serving combine the romaine, onions, strawberries and noodle mixture in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Yield: 12 servings. 

Caribbean Shrimp and Avocado Salad

I changed the dressing in this salad up because Jeremy didn't think the original had much flavor.  The shrimp is so yummy in it!

Caribbean Shrimp and Avocado Salad

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 25 min. YIELD:4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 5 cups romaine lettuce
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed and heated
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper (use frozen and then defrost so it’s soft)
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced

• CILANTRO DRESSING:
• 7 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• ½ avocado
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• 1. In a large skillet, cook the shrimp, garlic, chili powder, salt and cumin in oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink; set aside.
• 2. In a large bowl, combine the romaine, corn, peas and red pepper; divide among four serving plates. Top each with shrimp and avocado.
• 3. In a small blender, puree the avocado, salt, pepper, sugar, lime juice, garlic cloves and olive oil.   Whisk in the cilantro and serve drizzled over salad.

Sweet & (not) Spicy Chicken Bacon Wraps

I was also going to make these for the Super Bowl party but I decided not to.  So we had them for dinner tonight.  They're really good and they aren't spicy at all, in my opinion.  Tiernan and Mia chowed down on them and didn't complain about spiciness so that's a pretty good indication that they're not. : )
Jeff gives these 4 1/2 stars (out of 5) and Mia gives them one million stars!  So there you have it!

SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN BACON WRAPS

 

PREP TIME

25 mins

COOK TIME

35 mins

TOTAL TIME

1 hour

A great finger food for that “bring a dish” party. What could go wrong with bacon, sugar and spices? Nothing. Cubes of chicken wrapped with bacon and coated with brown sugar, chili powder and cumin. Baked until crispy. A skill level of 3/10 (easy). Plus it is easy to double or triple if needed.

Author: Dan Mikesell

Recipe type: Party

Cuisine: American

Serves: 15 servings

INGREDIENTS

• about 1¼ pounds skinless boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1pound bacon
• ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
• 2 T chili powder
• ½ t cumin

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large mixing bowl, combine ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, 2 T chili powder and ½ t cumin. Mix well.
2. Clean and trim about 1¼ pounds of skinless boneless chicken breast. Cut into approx. 1 inch cubes.
3. If using thick bacon, thin out with the back edge of a chef knife. Cut the bacon in half, roll around the chicken cubes and secure with a tooth pick. This is the point to cover and refrigerate for better timing, if necessary.
4. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a cooling or baking rack on top.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Roll the pieces in the brown sugar mixture, making sure to coat evenly. Place on the rack.
6. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes.   Serve immediately or cover with foil on heavy dish to keep warm until served.

Recipe very slightly altered from http://www.101cookingfortwo.com/sweet-and-spicy-chicken-bacon-wraps/

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

I made these for the Super Bowl party this weekend.  While the outcome of the game was not what we wanted, these were a hit.  And as long as you remove the seeds/membranes from the jalapenos, they're not spicy.  They're so good!  (They were called Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Stuffed Jalapenos but I decided to simplify the name a little. I hate long names for recipes.)  : )

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

If you like spicy, you will love these! Halved jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese, shredded cheese, paprika, and garlic and wrapped up with crispy bacon. Absolutely incredible!
Yield: 24 stuffed jalapeño halves

total time: 45 MINUTES

Ingredients:

• 12 fresh jalapeño peppers
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese*
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 12 slices bacon, cut in half
• 24 toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (best for clean-up) or a silicone baking mat. Place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet. Set aside.

Cut the jalapeño peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and center membrane. Set aside.

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, and paprika together until combined. You could also do this by hand using a rubber spatula. Salt to taste - I add just a pinch. Spoon filling equally among all 24 jalapeño halves.

Wrap each stuffed jalapeño with a half slice of bacon and stick a toothpick through the center to assure the bacon stays in place. Place each on the baking rack and bake for 25-28 minutes or until the bacon is crisp to your liking. I like to turn the oven to broil for the last minute or two to get things extra crispy.  Serve immediately. Cover leftovers and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

MAKE AHEAD/FREEZE: jalapeño peppers may be stuffed and wrapped 1 day in advance. Refrigerate until ready to bake. You may also assemble and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

*Mexican style or pepper jack shredded cheese is also tasty.

Recipe from http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/09/25/bacon-wrapped-cheesy-stuffed-jalapenos/

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

These are similar to the stuffed mushrooms at Maggiano's and they're super delicious.  I made them for our anniversary and we had so much filling left we made them again the next week so I've increased the amount of mushrooms needed in the recipe.  It makes a lot so it's good for a party!

I reduced the fat in this recipe by about half so it's better for you but it's still in the "once in awhile category"!  ;)

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms 

16-20 oz mushrooms for stuffing (depending on size of mushrooms)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Olive oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic  

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 C shredded Fontina or Havarti cheese

1/2 C butter, softened

1/4 tsp garlic powder 

1/4 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil 

1/2 tsp parsley 

1 1/2 C panko bread crumbs

Paprika

Lemon

Heat oven to 350.  Remove stems from mushrooms and wash mushroom caps.  Place caps in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and stir gently to coat.  Place mushrooms on baking sheet gill side up and roast for 15 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly then turn over and allow juice to drain. 

In a mixing bowl, combine minced garlic, spinach and cheese; mix well.  Set aside. 

In another mixing bowl, combine butter, garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley and panko bread crumbs.    Mix thoroughly.  

Fill each mushroom cap with spinach mixture then top with panko mixture.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  

Garnish with fresh lemon.

Altered from a recipe on food.com.