Main Dishes etc.

Mark's Manicotti....mmmmmm!

Cook wild rice:
Put the rice in a rice cooker about 45 minutes before you want to eat.

Brown chicken sausage.
Cut into slices, cook in a skillet, and set the dripping aside for a Bechemel sauce.

Manicotti Pasta Stuffing:
2 Cups    Ricotta Cheese
2 Cups    Mozerella Cheese
1/4 Cups Parmesan Cheese
hand full of basil-Freshly chopped

Sauce:
7           Roma tomatos
1 Tab    Olive oil
3           Garlic cloves
Cook with Challot onions to taste

Add Italian Seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Stewed tomatos

He put the manicotti, sauce, and chicken sausage (previously browned) in the oven, with grated cheese on top, in a casserole dish.  It was probably cooking for around 20 minutes.

Cream sauce for Wild Rice:
Use the drippings from chicken sausage to make Bechemel sauce (instructions on an earlier post)
with butter, flour
Use whipping cream instead of milk

Use already made home-made bread for garlic bread:
Garlic sauted in butter till light brown,
then mix in herbs de Provence, salt, pepper.
(Spread it on the bread, then top with parmesan cheese)
Broil till warm and crispy.

Brian's Stuffed Chicken or Pork 

(vegetarian style would be stuffed green pepper)

Defrost 1 bag of frozen Chicken Breast in Cold water.  This way you'll have leftovers...and you'll want them.

1.
Saute (olive oil/Canola oil)
1 medium onion sliced
1 green onion chopped (maybe 2)
4-8 cloves sliced garlic
1 (or 2) portabello mushrooms sliced (equivelent to approximately 3 to 6 cans of mushrooms)
2 bell peppers sliced


2.
In a separate pan saute (oil)
1 green onion
1 (or 2) cloves of garlic chopped
Chill.

Mix with cube (1/2 C butter) and
chill again so the butter stays semi solid.


3.
In medium mixing bowl combine
1 8 oz cream cheese
approximately 1/4 C minced cilantro

4.
When combined add:
1 24 oz cottage cheese
5.
Combine the vegetable mix from step number 1

6.
Then add the chilled butter mixture.

7. turn the oven on again to broil.

8. Slice a pocket into the thawed chicken breast.  A fillet knife works best.  Stuff the chicken with the cheese and vegetables.  Place on a cookie sheet with a lip all the way around.  When all the chicken is stuffed cover with remaining cheese mixture.

9. Broil until the chicken and center reach at least 165 degrees but preferably a little higher.  After all it is chicken.  Some thermometers recommend 180 degrees.  (depending on your oven this can take 20-30 minutes.)

Serve on top of your favorite starch.  Today we are having it on whole wheat penne pasta.  Last time we had it on potatos and I believe we've had it with rice when we made it at mom's house.

I recommend a salad or steamed vegetables such as carrots, peas, etc. with the meal.  It might help your arteries to clog a little less.  :)

Oh, and today's alterations included 2 Serrano peppers, 1 extra Red Bell pepper (already noted in the recipe), and 1 Anaheim pepper.  We broiled these in the oven previous to making the sauce.

Macaroni and Cheese with Garlic Croutons--Janice Cole, Cooking Club

The key to mac and cheese lies in the luxurious sauce that bathes the pasta.  This version tweaks tradition by adding a little garlic and hot pepper sauce to lift the flavor.  Tiny garlic croutons cover the top.

Pasta:
8 oz. pasta
1/4 C butter
1 large garlic clove, minced (really, use fresh.)
1/4 C Whole wheat flour (my addition)
2 C whole milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups slightly packed shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, preferably aged at least 2 years
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce.  (I'll have to post Brian's recipe.   It's awesome)

Topping:
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 C finely cubed (1/4 to 1/2 inch) artisan (or whole wheat) bread.  I like crusts so we don't remove them as recommended.
3 large garlic cloves, minced

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cook Pasta according to package directions; drain well.  Return to pot.  Spray 1 1/2 quart gratin or baking dish with cooking spray (or butter with the soy free method:)

2. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Cook and stir 1 garlic clove 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute, whisking constantly.  Whisk in milk, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally.  Whisk in cheese and hot pepper sauce until until cheese is melted.  Pour over pasta; stir to coat.  Spoon into gratin dish.

3.  Heat oil in medium skillet over medium high heat until warm.  Cook bread 4 to 5 minutes or until light brown, stirring constantly and reducing heat to medium to medium-low if necessary.  Add 3 garlic cloves during last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking. sprinkle croutons over macaroni and cheese.

4.  (Optional- we didn't)  Bake 30 minutes or until topping is light golden brown and sauce is bubbly.

4 (about 1 cup) servings

The leftovers were even really good!  Brian added a few little personal flairs such as onion, mushrooms, and chopped turkey sandwich meat.  Such a delectable meal.  I think we'll add a can of green beans next time as well.