Mahir’s Gorgonzola Pasta

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Did you know you can cook your rigatoni (or any pasta actually) up to 48 hours before you want to serve it. Once your noodles are finished boiling (al dente), you take them out of the pot, take one or two tablespoons of olive oil per pound and drizzle it onto your noodles, tossing them to make sure they are all coated. Once your noodles cool for about 15 minutes, dump them in a large Ziploc bag and put the sealed bag in the refrigerator.  Time to serve – set your pasta pot on the stove and bring salted water to a boil. Add the pasta. A 30 second soak is all you need. The point here is to warm the pasta to serving temperature and remove most of the oil. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs Rigatoni pasta cooked
  • 6 Tab butter
  • 4 c heavy cream (1 qt)
  • 8 oz crumbly Gorgonzola (not creamy or “dolce”)  1/2 lb
  • 4 Tab grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 c minced fresh parsley

Directions:

  1. Melt butter in large pan.
  2. Add salt, parsley and cream.
  3. Heat to just before boiling.
  4. Add Gorgonzola.
  5. Stir until cheese melts and it begins to thicken (3-5 minutes).
  6. Add Romano cheese.
  7. Stir and cook 2 minutes more.
  8. Mix with pasta.
  9. Serve.

Serves:  Makes 3 cups – about 4 people

Source:  Rich Barkley. About the name. . . .I don’t know where Rich got the recipe but when I googled it this is what I found.  Mahir Aggarwal lives in Singapore!

It taste amazing like the Italian pasta

1 Like
Mahir Aggarwal
Mahir Aggarwal
Level 2 Burppler · 3 Reviews
Jun 7, 2014 · Italian

Creamy Pesto Dressing

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This Creamy Pesto Dressing recipe is an Old Spaghetti Factory Copycat.  Please use dried basil in this recipe, fresh basil won’t work.  The Classy Cooking recipe did use “a large handfull of fresh basil”  (and warned about old dried basil!).  Your choice. Other recipes added a dash of hot pepper sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 c buttermilk
  • 1 c mayonnaise
  • 1/2 c shredded parmesan
  • 6 tsp dried basil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • salt and pepper

Diretions:

  1. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Whisk to combine.
  3. Refrigerate.  It takes 48 hours for the buttermilk to thicken.
  4. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Serves: 6
Source:  lifesambrosia.com

Notes:  Bla.  Thin. Might have been the several years old dried basil!  Added 8 oz cream cheese and some onion soup mix and had a nice dip for veggies.  Thickened two days later.

 

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Orange-Sauced Broccoli & Peppers

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Vegetables don’t have to be naked!  The sauce would also work on green beans or broccolini.  What  about chicken or pork?

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ lb broccoli flowerets
  • 2 medium red or yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 Tab butter
  • 4 Tab onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tab cornstarch
  • 12 oz orange juice concentrate
  • 4 tsp Dijon-style mustard

Directions:

  1. In a large pan cook broccoli and sweet pepper in a small amount of boiling, lightly salted water about 8 minutes or until broccoli is crisp- tender.
  2. Drain.
  3. Cover and keep warm.
  4. For sauce, in a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat.
  5. Add onion and garlic.
  6. Cook until onion is tender.
  7. Stir in cornstarch.
  8. Add orange juice concentrate and mustard.
  9. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
  10. Bring to the dinner in pan to cook additional 2 minutes.
  11. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
  12. Pour the sauce over the broccoli mixture.
  13. Toss gently to coat.

Serves: 10-12

Source: my.hearthealthyonline.com

Villa Park Women’s League – GOURMET – February 15, 2014

Baked Caramelized Onions

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This is the most basic caramlized onion recipe.  This blog also has Sauteed Onions for 50, Roasted Balsamic Onions, Balsamic Cippolini Onions, and Pinot Braised Onions.  Feel free to experiment.

Ingredients:

  • 5 # yellow (brown-skin) onions
  • ¼ c vegetable oil
  • 1 Tab salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Cut off the stem and root ends of the onions, then halve then lengthwise, and peel away the dried brown skin.
  3. Cut the onions into 1/4-inch slices. It is important to have all the onion slices roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
  4. Place all the onion slices in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven (I like to spray the inside of my pot with non-stick vegetable spray).
  5. At this point, your pot will be full of sliced onions, but the onions will wilt and shrink dramatically during the cooking process.
  6. Toss the sliced onions with the vegetable oil and salt to help draw out the moisture and to keep them from sticking to the pot.
  7. Cover the pot and place in the preheated oven.
  8. Set your timer for 15 minutes.
  9. After 15 minutes, open the oven, remove the lid, and the stir the onions well (scrape all sides of the pot and make sure you get all the bits and pieces – stir the onions well).
  10. Cover with lid and return to the oven.
  11. Repeat this 15 minutes process for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
  12. Watch the onions shrink and the color change to a reddish-brown.
  13. After you reach the 2-hour point, your onions will have almost no water left and will have darkened and taste sweet. NOTE: If you feel you have too much water left in the pot, place the pot back in the oven with no lid for an additional 15 minutes to evaporate the excess water.
  14. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
  15. Reheat at dinner.

Serves: Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.

Source: What’s Cooking America

Villa Park Women’s League – GOURMET – May 17, 2014

Cake Mix Cookies

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In case you don’t already have this recipe, or forgot about it all together, here it is.  These cake mix cookies are such an easy and delicious recipe to make with only three ingredients! Customize this recipe with your favorite flavor and mix-in’s. Great starter recipe for kids.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15.25-ounce) box cake mix
  • 1/2 c melted butter (or oil if you don’t want to make the best cookies)
  • 2 large eggs (1 egg for firmer cookies)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, stir the cake mix, butter, and eggs until combined. If you have time, refrigerate the dough 15 to 20 minutes (it will make it a little easier to work with, since it is sticky).
  4. Using a medium scoop or spoon, scoop the dough onto the baking sheet.
  5. Top with additional toppings, if desired.
  6. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies are set. You don’t want them to brown.
  7. Let cool a couple minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack.
  8. Store in a covered container up to 3 days

Notes:
To dip in chocolate: Once the cookies have cooled, melt chocolate and dip half the cookie into it. Lay cookies onto wax paper and add sprinkles, if desired.
Variations: You can use pretty much any flavor of cake mix to make these cookies. Feel free to add in your favorite mix-ins or dip in chocolate.
Red velvet white chocolate chip: If you’re a fan of red velvet cake, you’re going to love this version! Use a red velvet cake mix and mix in 1 cup of white chocolate chips.
M&M: You can use white or yellow cake mix for this variation. Mix in 1 cup M&M’s.
Devil’s food with Rolo’s: If you’re a chocolate lover, these Rolo cookies are perfect for you!
Serves:  24

Source: iheartnaptime.net – Jamielyn Nye and many other websites, books, newspapers.

Margie’s Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake

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Margie threw this together for one of the Alpha dinners at church.  Throw being the opperative word!  The quanity of some ingreadents is left to the baker.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb bag dark frozen cherries, defrosted
  • almon extract
  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • 2 sticks butter, cubed
  • chocolate chips
  • sliced almonds

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Pour the cherries in the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan.
  3. Sprinkle with almond extract.
  4. Top with 1/2 box chocklate cake mix.
  5. Mix.
  6. Sprinkle on 1 stick of butter chunks.
  7. Sprinkle on the rest of the cake mix.
  8. Sprinkle on the other cube of butter chunks.
  9. Bake 350° for 50 minutes.
  10. While still hot, top with chocolate chips and almonds.

Serves:  Probably 10-12 polite adults, or 3 boys with a fight for the last bite.

Source:  Margie Kleerup – Feb 2013

Mississippi Sin Dip

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 No one seems to know where the name came from.  Great quick dip – all you do is measure and mix.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bread bowl or 1 French bread loaf
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened (not whipped/spreadable.)
  • 16 oz sour cream – 2 cups
  • 2 c cheddar cheese shredded – 1/2 lb
  • 1 c bacon crumbles (cooked) about 8 slices – use readymade
  • 1 Tab hot sauce
  • 2 tsp garlic paste/chopped
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • scallions or chives, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. In a large bowl, cream sour cream and cream cheese with a hand mixer until fluffy – about 3 minutes.
  3. Add shredded cheese, bacon, hot sauce, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings.
  4. Mix well.
  5. Cut the top off of the bread and remove the insides. Reserve the top and insides for serving.
  6. Place the hollowed bread loaf on a baking pan.
  7. Scoop the cheese mixture into the middle.  (Or use heatproof bowl but the bread bowl is traditional)
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and hot.
  9. Remove from the oven and rest 5 minutes before serving.
  10. Garnish with chives if desired.
  11. Serve with the hollowed out bread, crackers and veggies.

Serves: 12 people – 4 cups
Source:  SpendWithPennies.com. Holly Nilsson

Notes:

  • For a milder flavor, swap garlic for ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
  • When cutting the bread, save the top for dipping. Also use crackers, chips, veggies, and more.
  • Hot sauce can be increased to taste.
  • Mix the cream cheese with a hand mixer. This adds more air to the dip making it more “scoopable”.
  • Pre-shredded cheese works well in this recipe (and saves time).
  • Swap out bacon for bacon bits or even sausage crumbles.  The original Mississippi Sin Dip had diced ham.

 

One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

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This super lush and creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta is perfect for busy weeknights. Everything cooks in one pot and is done in under 30 minutes!  Or make a double recipe on Sunday and  dinner is ready on Tuesday.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 2 Tab butter
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 lb. penne pasta
  • 1 1/2 c chicken broth
  • 1 c milk
  • 3 oz. cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup basil pesto
  • 1/4 c grated Parmesan
  • freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper
  • 3 c fresh spinach
  • 1/4 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes

Directions:

  1. Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces.
  2. Add the butter to a deep skillet and melt over medium heat.
  3. Add the chicken to the skillet.
  4. Cook over medium heat until the chicken is slightly browned on the outside.
  5. While the chicken is cooking, mince the garlic.
  6. Add the garlic to the skillet with the chicken.
  7. Sauté for one minute more.
  8. Add the uncooked pasta and chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken and garlic.
  9. Stir to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  10. Place a lid on the skillet.
  11. Turn the heat up to medium-high.
  12. Bring the broth up to a boil.
  13. Once the broth comes to a full boil, give the pasta a quick stir.
  14. Replace the lid.
  15. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
  16. Let the pasta simmer over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most
    of the broth has been absorbed.
  17. Stir the pasta briefly every two minutes as it simmers, replacing the lid quickly each time.
  18. Once the pasta is tender and most of the broth absorbed, add the milk, cream cheese (cut into chunks), and pesto.
  19. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese has fully melted into the sauce.
  20. Finally, add the grated Parmesan.
  21. Stir until combined.
  22. If using, add the fresh spinach and sliced sun dried tomatoes. Stir until the
    spinach has wilted.
  23. Remove the pasta from the heat.
  24. Top the pasta with freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper.
  25. Serve.

Serves:  4
Source: Beth – Budget Bytes via James L. Kleerup

James “I’ve been using chicken thighs, seasoning the chicken some, whatever pasta I feel like, and adding in onions, frozen peas and/or carrots.”

Incredible Melted Icream Cake with Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

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This is a great cake to make with kids – they don’t believe it will work.  And it freezes!

Ingreadients:

  • 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package white cake mix
  • 2 c melted ice cream (a little more than a pint), your choice of favor, cherry vanilla is good, coffee was also recommended
  • 3 large eggs

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven 350°
  2. Lightly mist a 12 cup Bundt pan with oil, then dust with flour.
  3. Place cake mix, melted ice cream, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.
  5. Increase the speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more.
  6. Pour the batter into a Bundt pan.
  7. Bake 38 to 42 minutes.
  8. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes.

Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

  • 2 c powdered sugar.
  • 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder.
  • 4 Tab butter.
  • 1/3 c plus 1 Tab milk.
  • 1 tsp vanilla.
  • 6 large marshmallows.  The rest of the bag can be frozen to keep them soft.

Directions:

  1. Sift the sugar and cocoa together into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Set aside.
  3. Place the marshmallows, butter, and milk in a medium- size saucepan over low heat.
  4. Stir until the marshmallows are melted, 3 to 4 minutes.
  5. Remove pan from heat.
  6. Pour sugar and cocoa mixture over the marshmallow mixture.
  7. Add the vanilla.
  8. Stir until the frosting is smooth.

Serves: 16

Source:  Cake Mix Doctor

Red Hot Applesauce Jello Dessert

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A classic retro vintage dessert .   If you’re old-school, your mouth is probably already watering. If you’re a bit younger, I can almost hear asking “What the heck is this concoction you speak of?”

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 c of boiling water
  • 1 c Red Hots candies
  • 1 (6 oz) box cherry Jello (can also use strawberry)
  • 2 c applesauce
  • 1 c chilled Sprite (or 7-Up, or Gingerale)
  • Cool Whip or whipped cream
  • Red Hots candiesDirections:
  1. Bring water to a boil in pan, over high heat.
  2. Add the red hot candies.
  3. Reduce heat to low and stir until dissolved.
  4. Add the box of jello and stir until dissolved.
  5. Remove from heat.
  6. Add the applesauce and Sprite into the Jello-Red Hots mixture.
  7. Stir to distribute.
  8. Pour jello mixture into serving glasses.
  9. Cover with plastic wrap.
  10. Chill overnight.
  11. Before serving, add a dollop of Cool Whip or whipped cream and sprinkle with extra red hots.

Serves: 6
Source:  gretasday.com/

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