Baked Parmesan Asparagus

Baked Parmesan Asparagus
Baked Parmesan Asparagus is crisp and delicious.  This asparagus is great with grilled steaks, chicken, or fish. This side dish is quick and easy and can be ready in 10 minutes flat.  This is one of my go-to sides that everyone loves.

Ingredients
1- lb Asparagus (I prefer the thin stalks)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash asparagus, and trim off bottom 2" of stalk.  On a baking pan lined with aluminum foil, place asparagus in a single layer and drizzle with Olive Oil (about 2 tablespoons).  Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and salt and pepper.  With hands, toss asparagus, making sure cheese and oil are evenly distributed. Bake in oven for about 7 to 8 minutes. 

Cenacolo Green Beans

Thanks to the guys at Comunita Cenacolo for giving me their recipe for green beans.  They are easy to make and so flavorful. I am making this recipe tonight for Easter dinner.

Cenacolo Green Beans

Ingredients

2 (16 oz) bags Frozen Green Beans
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small onion diced
2 tbs garlic

Directions

In a stock pot or large skillet, saute onion and garlic for about 10 minutes over medium heat.  Add chicken stock, green beans, and can of tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to remove green beans.

Mimi's Banana Pudding

Mimi's Banana Pudding

Ingredients

2 small boxes Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix

3 cups Milk

2 large container whipped topping

1 8 ounce container Sour Cream

2 boxes Vanilla Wafers

6 large Bananas

Directions

Make pudding by combining pudding mixture and milk.  Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes so pudding has time to set up.  Remove from fridge and FOLD in sour cream and 1 container whipped topping.

In a beautiful serving bowl, layer vanilla wafers, bananas, and pudding mixture.  Top with remaining whipped topping.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Domestic Diva's Baked Ziti

Domestic Diva's Baked Ziti

Ingredients

1 pound Ziti
1 pound Hot Sausage
1 medium Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can of diced Tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can of diced Italian Tomatoes
6 ounces Basil Pesto or 8 ounces Basil Pesto Sauce
1 (15 ounce) container Ricotta Cheese
1 package Washed Spinach
4 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
2 cups Parmesan Cheese or Italian Blend, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, add 1tsp Olive Oil, 1 tsp Butter, onion, and garlic.  Saute until onion is translucent or about 5 to 8 minutes.  Transfer onion and garlic to a bowl.  In the same skillet add hot sausage, brown, and then drain well.  (I use paper towels to soak up any extra fat.) Combine Sausage and Onion together in skillet, add 2 cans tomatoes with juices and pesto.  Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.  Add ziti and cook until al dente or about 10 minutes.  Drain in a colander.

Return ziti back to the large pot. Add meat sauce mixture to ziti and stir to combine. 

In a separate bowl, add ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, and 2 cups Mozzarella.  I find it easiest to mix this with your clean hands.

Butter a 4 quart baking dish, add pasta mixture, top with spinach mixture, and then remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. 

Bake until completely heated through and golden and crisp on top, about 20-25 minutes.  Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

**I make this recipe in 2 2-quart baking pans.  We eat one now and freeze the other casserole for another day.** 

Mrs. Cave's Christmas Casserole

Jonathan's mother makes her Christmas Casserole every year on Christmas for breakfast.  Mrs. Cave thinks the Rice Crispies help make the casserole unique and gives it great texture.  I couldn't agree more!  Mrs. Cave's Christmas Casserole was the first breakfast casserole I've ever had, and let me tell you, it made a real impression on me!  She was generous enough to share her recipe with me.

Mrs. Cave's Christmas Casserole

Ingredients

2 lbs. Hot Sausage

1 large Onion, chopped

2 cups Rice Crispies

2 cups Sharp Cheese, grated

2 cups Celery Soup

6 eggs, beaten

Directions

Brown Sausage and Onion together, crumbling sausage well.  Drain fat well.  Combine cheese, soup, and eggs together and add to sausage.  Place half of the mixture in a rectangular baking dish and top with 1 cup of Rice Crispies.  Place rest of Sausage mixture over this layer and top with remaining Crispies, pressing them into the mixture.  Bake 40 minutes in a Preheated 350 degree oven.  Can be made the night before.  Serves about 8-10.

Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Soup

Unfortunately, Jonathan is sick today with a nasty stomach bug.  In addition, we've had extremely cold temperatures in Tennessee for the past week.  There is also an inch and a half of snow on the ground!  I've decided that it is the perfect night for my homemade Hearty Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Soup. I hope the Hearty Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Soup is just what Jonathan needs to feel better!  (I think it's working, he's already had 3 bowls!!)

Ingredients:
4 bone-in skin on Chicken Breasts
1 bag-Carrots
6-8 stalks Celery
2 medium to large Onions
2 32 ounce carton Chicken Stock (1 for cooking and 1 on reserve in case you need more broth)
1 1/2 cups Bow Tie Pasta
3 chicken bouillon cubes (extra large size)
Thyme
Bay leaves
Salt
Pepper


Directions:
In a large stockpot cover chicken breasts with cool water.  To the pot add 1 medium onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, all cut into large pieces with 3-4 bay leaves, about 10 branches of thyme, and chicken bouillon cubes.  Bring to a boil then simmer for about 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. 
Remove Chicken from broth.  Take skin and bones off the chicken and return skin and bones to the pot to simmer.  Continue to simmer the broth while chicken is cooling. 

While chicken is cooling, dice into medium pieces large onion, remainder of carrots, and about 5 celery stalks.  Remember when you are dicing the veggies to cut them into about the same size so they cook in the same time.  Put veggies into a large stockpot and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  While cooking the veggies, shred chicken into bite size pieces and set aside. 

After veggies are cooked, turn off simmering broth and strain broth with a colander into the cooked veggies pot.  It is best to do this over the sink.  Return pot to heat and bring to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until tender for about 8 minutes.  Add chicken.  Taste the broth and add Salt and Pepper to taste.  I probably used about 1 tablespoon each of Salt and Pepper. Great with sandwiches or just crackers.  Enjoy!

This recipe makes a HUGE pot of Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup so after the soup cools, I freeze the remainder in ZIPLOCK Freezer Bags.  Lay freezer bags flat on a cookie sheet in the freezer.  This will allow the soup to freeze in the shape of a thin book, which saves room in the freezer.  (By the way, when the soup cools, the pasta expands and soaks up a lot of the broth so add more chicken stock to the pot before I freeze it)

Christmas Cheese Dip

I don't have much time tonight to write on the blog so I thought I would put the recipe up for a simple dip that I created for my family's Christmas Eve party.
This Christmas was very special because it was my twin cousins Francesco and Chiara's first Christmas. They came to the party in reindeer antlers! So cute! Spending time with family and friends is the greatest Christmas gift and blessing that I could receive. A gift that I gave my family was this super delicious cheese dip, which they all loved! I hope you all enjoy the recipe.

Christmas Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
1 lb- Ground Beef
1 medium Onion diced
1 bar- Velveeta Cheese (I use the 2% Velveeta because it makes you feel less guilty)
1 can- HOT Rotel Tomatoes drained
1 can- Original Rotel Tomatoes drained
6 oz- Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained

Directions:
Cook ground beef and onion in a skillet until browned. Drain Well.
In a crockpot, add diced Velveeta, Rotel Tomatoes, hamburger and onion, and spinach.
Cook on low, stirring occasionally, until cheese melts. Set crockpot on warm for serving. Serve with tortilla chips.