Tuscan Salad

I love cannellini beans. They are mild, creamy and packed with protein. They are easy to find, but most of the time they are labeled "White Kidney Beans" and say "Cannellini" in very teeny print underneath. I often eat this salad as a meal and several times a week.

8 ounces green beans, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 head Romaine lettuce, torn
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup pitted black olives - I use Kalamata olives
1/2 red onion, cut into slivers - cut them thin!
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce shaved Parmesan (about 1/2 cup)

Directions
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until beans are slightly tender. Transfer the cooked green beans to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 3 minutes. Drain the green beans.
In a large bowl, combine the green beans with the lettuce, cannellini beans, olives, and red onion. Toss to combine. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Top with shaved Parmesan and serve.

Giada DeLaurentiis

Alfredo Pasta with Chicken, Shrimp, Artichoke and Capers

This is from my Mother in law, who is a wonderful cook. It is now one of my top, top fav's.

1/4 cup butter

2 T flour

2 c. heavy cream

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 T white wine vinegar

1/2 t. pepper

3/4 t. salt

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 lb Fettuccine pasta, cooked

cooked, sliced chicken, cooked shrimp, as many artichoke hearts as you like and about 2-3 T capers. 1 chopped, seeded tomato

Melt butter in large skillet. Stir in flour to make a roux. Stir in cream and simmer until thick. Turn off heat. Beat egg yolks and add some warm cream to them. Slowly pour into skillet (being careful not to scramble your eggs!). Add cheese and stir until melted and creamy. Season with vinegar, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add hot pasta, artichokes, capers, cooked shrimp and chicken. Mix together. You can use some of your pasta water to thin out sauce if needed. This also helps the sauce stick to the pasta. Top with 1 chopped, seeded tomato and parsley. Add of course... I always top with more cheese.

Spinach Dip(s)

WARM SPINACH DIP

I found this recipe from a recipe blog I look at called Kelly's recipes. Jamie found it and I really like this girl! She has so many of the exact same recipes I have and love!! She must be wonderful, right ;)

I will post a link as soon as I get permission. Anyway I tried this spinach dip and its so good. I plan on making it again today to join my superbowl yummy's.

1 pkg frozen spinach
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz Monterrey jack cheese
6 oz Parmesan cheese
1 can Rotel
In a large saucepan, cook the spinach according to package. Drain. Add cheeses and melt on low heat. Add rotel, the whole can juice and all. (there isnt much juice in them). Serve with tortilla chips or bagel chips or melba toasts.

Next time I would probably add a cup or 2 of artichoke hearts, chopped, and some garlic.

COLD SPINACH DIP

This is the best cold dip I have found. Its KNORR VEGETABLE RECIPE MIX

(I used this one before I took the pic... missing the Knorr part). You can get this in any grocery store. Then add:

1 package (10 oz) chopped baby spinach or frozen cooked, drained and squeezed

1 (16 oz) container sour cream

1 cup mayo

1 package recipe mix

1 can (8 oz) water chestnuts, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

*I add one tomato chopped and seeded*

Mix all ingred's and chill at least 2 hours

I serve mine in a bread bowl with chunks of bread and assorted fresh veggies. Yum yum.

Poppyseed Chicken

My family has been sick with some kind of virus for the past 2 weeks, over and over and over again. It has left me searching for some serious comfort food. This is one of my favorite comfort foods and although it has sour cream, seems to have soothed some aching tummy's.

2 cups sour cream (16 oz)
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 ts. poppy seeds
2½ cups cubed cooked chicken
1¾ c. butter flavored cracker crumbs
½ c. melted butter
In bowl, combine sour cream, soup and seeds. Stir in chicken and pour into a greased baking dish. Combine cracker crumbs and butter. Sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
I serve mine with steamed or roasted asparagus and a salad.

Recipe from Milcy Paris

Manhattan Meatballs

Celebrating the Superbowl next weekend? Well.. I usually am, whether I like it or not.
Here is one of my favorite crowd pleaser recipes, of course you cant have man parties without man food.... !

2 lb. ground beef
2 cups bread crumbs
½ cup chopped onions
2 eggs, beaten
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. salt
1 jar (10 oz.) apricot preserves - if you cant find apricot, I have used orange marmalade and it's just as good
1 cup Barbecue Sauce
1 med can crushed pineapple

Preheat oven 350. Make meatballs by combining first 7 ingredients. Cook meatballs in oven for 30 minutes. In saucepan, combine preserves, pineapple and bbq sauce. Cook until combined, about 7 minutes on medium heat. Pour over meatballs. Cook an additional 30 minutes on low. Serve with toothpicks.
These work well in the crockpot too. I make the recipe as directed and pour it all into the crockpot, but make sure to put on lowest setting or warm, because it will burn if left too long.

Wild Rice Soup

Not your traditional wild rice soup - this soup has more of a tomato base.

1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
16 oz wild rice blend (i use Lundberg Wild Blend - wild & whole grain brown rice)
2 cups cooked and cubed chicken breast (i usually have cooked and saved a couple of extra breasts during the week - it makes the cooking time much faster.)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3.5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

In a Dutch oven (or other 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid), cook bacon over medium-low heat until browned and crisp. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
Add onion and carrots; cook until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste.
Add rice, thyme, broth, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover; cook until rice is tender, about 50 minutes.

Stir in vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve immediately.

Note: If you prefer to leave out the bacon, skip step 1, and cook the onions and carrots in 1 tablespoon olive oil.
If the soup becomes too thick during cooking, add up to a cup more water.

Chicken Tostadas with Salsa Verde

flour tortillas
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack or monterey jack cheese
2 cooked and shredded chicken breasts
1 cup jarred green salsa, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped plus 2 tablespoons cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
shredded iceberg lettuce
diced tomatoes


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tortillas on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese evenly over tortillas; bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together chicken, salsa, 1/4 cup cilantro, and cumin. Spoon mixture evenly over tortillas; bake until heated through, about 8 minutes.
Top with lettuce, tomato, and extra salsa. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

serve with spanish rice and black beans

(adapted from an everyday food magazine recipe)