Tomato Bacon Pomodoro

From Taste of Home Cooking School 50^th Anniversary Cookbook

(This recipe tasted great and was really pretty fast. See the changes I made at the end.)

1 package (19 to 25 ounces) frozen ravioli or tortellini

½ pound bacon, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

½ medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes

5 tablespoons tomato paste

2/3 cup chicken broth

¼ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon until almost crisp. Add onion and garlic; cook until onions are tender. Stir in the tomatoes, paste, broth, basil, oregano, and parsley; simmer for 3 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over cooked pasta. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Changes:

I used rotini pasta instead of tortellini because that was all I had – 12 ounces of rotini was enough.

Next time I will skip the olive oil, but don’t drain the bacon (needed for flavor).

I used a can of diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning – didn’t have crushed in that size. I think the added seasoning helped.

I used a 3 ounce package of tomato paste instead of measuring tablespoons.

Used dried parsley instead of fresh.

Didn’t need any salt or pepper.

4.5 out of 5 stars. Would probably have been better with tortellini, but it was really good. The amount of oil and grease seemed excessive, but it didn’t look it in the finished product.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

I adjusted a recipe from Parents magazine and made this last night. I gotta say, I'm pretty impressed ...

3 potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups frozen broccoli
2 cans vegetable broth (or about 3 cups)
dash of onion salt
3 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded

In medium saucepan, bring potatoes, broccoli, vegetable broth and onion salt to a boil. Drop heat to medium and simmer about 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Left cool about 5-10 minutes.

Blend soup with the cheese. I put about 1/3 of the mix in blender with 1/3 of the cheese and then kept layering until my blender was about 2/3 full, then I pureed. Add a little more mixture little by little until all is blended. (I mixed the last portion in unblended because I like some chunks.)

I didn't think my family would eat it because it looked like green glump, but my 2-year-old downed three bowls. We'll be making it again.

Yummy Cinnamon Rolls!!!

I LOVE Cinnamon rolls. I've always had trouble making them, but I made this recipe for breakfast this morning, and they turned out perfect!
This makes 1 dozen cinnamon rolls, and it can be doubled very easily.

1/2 C. Milk
1/4 C. Butter
1/2 C. Water
1 1/2 t. Active dry yeast
1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 t. Salt
1 Egg
1-2 t. Vanilla
3-4 C. Flour

Filling:
1 t. Cinnamon
1 C. Brown sugar
1/4 C. Butter softened

Frosting:
1 C. Powder sugar
4 oz. (1/2 pack) Cream cheese
1 1/2 t. Butter
1/2 t. Vanilla
1 1/2 T. Milk

1- Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, remove from heat. Mix in butter, stir until melted. Add water and cool to lukewarm.
2- In large bowl, combine milk mixture, with remaining ingredients, except flour. Stir in Flour 1/2 C. at a time. Dough will be slightly sticky. place on floured surface and kneed until smooth and elastic. About 8 minutes. (If you have a kitchen aid mixer you can skip this part.)
3- Roll dough into a 12x9 in. rectangle. In a bowl stir together brown sugar and cinnamon. Butter dough, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll up down. (To seal the seam you can use a little bit of water.)
4- Cut into 12 slices (Dental floss works the best.) Place rolls into a greased 13x9 in. pan. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5- Bake in oven about 20 min. or until golden brown on the tops.
6- Mix together ingredients for frosting, spread over warm cinnamon rolls and serve!

If you want to make these ahead you can place them in the fridge before letting them rise. Then when you are ready to cook them just let them sit and rise 60-90 min. before baking.

Chili

I love soup and now that fall is setting in we're eating one kind of soup or stew weekly if not more often.
Here is my Chili recipe. I kind of made it up so I don't have exact measurements and I didn't write it down so I'm hoping that my horrible memory will remember it...

1 lb. Ground beef cooked and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced green chilies
2 cans of beans (I used black and white kidney, any work.)
1 T. Chili powder
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 t. Cumin
1 t. Onion powder
1 t. Salt
1 t. Pepper

Mix all ingredients in a pot and heat through. This is great served with corn bread.
The spices are not exact measurements. I just guessed, so you'll have to do it all to taste.
You can also add about 2 T. liquid smoke to your chili if you want a smokey taste. It's found with the condiments.
You can use any meat you want, ground Turkey, chicken, beef chunks, whatever your preference.
Like I said I used a couple of different beans in my chili, but you can use any kind you like.
Enjoy!

Autumn Pork Chops

1 TBS vegetable oil
4-5 pork chops ( cut 3/4" thick)
1 CAN of cream of celery soup
1/2 CUP apple juice or water (I use apple juice)
2 TBS spicy brown mustard
1 TBS honey
generous DASH of pepper

1. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add chops and cook 10 minutes or until browned. Set aside, pour off fat.

2. Add soup, juice, mustard, honey and pepper. Bring to a boil and return the chops to the pan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until chops are no longer pink.

We serve this over rice with some kind of veggie and salad on the side. Super good!

Gravy

I'm sure everyone in the world knows how to make gravy ... except for me. But in the odd chance someone else might also benefit from gravy recipes/instructions, if you are skilled in this area will you post something? THANKS!

Almond Chicken

I love this recipe. It is my husband's favorite and whenever we make it for anyone, they always ask for the recipe. Its much better than restaurant chinese food.

Almond Chicken

1. Cut chicken breast into bite size pieces (one big chicken breast will easily feed two people) and coat pieces in egg and then cornstarch mixed with a little garlic salt.

2. Pan fry in a small amount of vegetable oil until barely brown. Put pieces in casserole dish.

3. Mix the following sauce and put in the casserole dish with chicken. This amount of sauce will work for one chicken breast. You will likely have to double it for two.

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c chicken broth (I generally put 1/4 c water and a bullion cube undissolved and it will dissolve as it cooks)

1/2 c vinegar

4 Tbs Ketchup

1 Tbs Soy Sauce

4. Cover with sliced almonds.

5. Cover casserole dish with lid or aluminum foil. Cook in 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Serve over rice.