Rice Pudding

I found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe. It is by far the BEST rice pudding recipe I have ever tasted. In fact, if any of you know what Kozy Shack Rice Pudding is, that is what this tastes like (if you chill it before eating).

3/4 cup Arborio rice, rinsed (kind of pricey, but definitely worth it!!)

6 cups whole milk

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 cup heavy cream (this recipe may be a reason why I'm getting chubby:))

In a medium saucepan, combine rice, milk, vanilla, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until rice is tender and liquid has absorbed, about 40-45 minutes. (It took mine between 1 hour and 1 hour 15 minutes: I didn't cover it while it simmered because her recipe didn't say to, but next time I may try covering it and see if it's done more quickly)

Stir in heavy cream and serve warm, or chill it and then serve.

Not Your Mother's Meat Loaf

1 lb Meat (ground beef or use ground turkey if you are wanting to be healthy.  I double the recipe and use a pound of each)
1 c cubed cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 onion chopped (use a small onion and a large one if doubling)
1/2 of a Green Pepper chopped
1 tsp of Salt
1 tsp of Pepper
1 tsp of Celery Salt (I use garlic instead)
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 c bread crumbs (I love to use crunched Ritz crackers)

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Put it all into a bread pan (2 bread pans if making a double batch) and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. YUM!

* I got this recipe from my sister Kari. I never liked meat loaf much until I had this at her house once. It is very good!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

4 Chicken Breasts Cooked and shredded or cut into small pieces
(you can also just buy a rotisserie chicken that is already cooked at the store and shred the meat from that)
5 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 quarts water
1 tsp. Basil
4 tsp. Chicken bouillon
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
Frozen noodles (Grandma's or Reames home style egg noodles)

Boil vegetables, water an bouillon for about 15-20 minutes. Add chicken soup, basil, chicken and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, then add 1/2 package noodles (defrosted). Boil for 20 minutes or until noodles are cooked.

Yummy Crockpot Lasagna!

So I totally stole this recipe from Oprah, but Luke said it was the best Lasagna he's ever had- so I thought I'd share! It was my first attempt at it (well I guess I should say successful attempt- the first time I made it years ago, I accidentally flipped the entire pan upside-down in the oven... such a waste of time, money, and it sucked having to clean it up!). It really was good, and such a perfect Sunday meal: assemble Saturday, stick in the pot before church and WALAH! a delish meal for dinner with no hassle. So... here she is with adjustments from myself in red. Enjoy!

Crock-Pot Lasagna Recipe Oprah.com  |  October 26, 2010

Recipe created by Jessica Seinfeld

Servings: Serves 6

Ingredients

·         3 cans (14.4 ounces) crushed or diced tomatoes

·         3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced

·         2 tsp. dried oregano 2TBLS

·         1 tsp. Italian seasoning

·         1/2 tsp. kosher salt

·         1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

·         1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

·         2 containers (15 ounces each) fresh ricotta or fat free cottage cheese

·         2 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella

·         1/4 cup grated Parmesan

·         12 whole wheat lasagna noodles (about three-quarters of a 1-pound box)

·         5 ounces (about 6 cups) baby spinach I'll omit this next time- just makes it gross- unless you like spinich...

·         1 lb. browned hamburger or sausage Italian Sausage was really yummy, but really fatty.

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt, red pepper and black pepper and hamburger. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella and Parmesan.

In the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, spread a thin layer of the sauce. Top with 3 of the noodles (breaking to fit as necessary). Spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the noodles and layer with 2 cups of the spinach and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture. Repeat twice more with the noodles, sauce, spinach and cheese mixture. Top with the remaining 3 noodles, sauce and 1 cup mozzarella.

Cook on low, covered, until the noodles are tender—especially in the center of the lasagna—about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. It's good if you place in refrigerator overnight after cooking & reheat the following day. (Less like soup, more like lasagna).

Cream of Wild Rice Soup

My neighbor gave me this recipe, and it was amazing.  I didn't take a picture though.  We dipped rolls into it, but I thought it would be perfect for bread bowls.  This recipe made a pretty big pot for my family, so we ate some, then I froze the rest for later.

3c. cooked Uncle Ben's Wild Rice
2 carrots (diced small)
1c. diced chicken
1c. flour
salt and pepper
1 large onion, diced  (does anyone ever really use the whole onion in one recipe?  I don't)
2 celery stalks (diced small)
1/2c. butter
8c. chicken broth
1c. half and half

Saute' carrots, celery and onion in butter until tender.  Add flour.  Add broth, rice, chicken and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Add half and half and reheat, but don't boil again.

(My friend suggested to me that I mix the flour with some of the broth before adding it to the soup to prevent getting flour clumps.  I did that, and it worked well.)

Broccoli and Bow Ties

This is in my top 5 favorite dishes. The recipe is from food network (I think it's a Paula Deen recipe). It is delicious and pretty healthy too!!

kosher salt
8 cups broccoli florets (4 heads)
1/2 lb. farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 Tblsp. unsalted butter
2 Tblsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 lemon, zested
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tblsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts (optional)
freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
In the same water, cook the bow tie pasta according to the pkg. directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.
Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, cook the chicken in a little oil until no longer pink. Heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over med-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 tsp. salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with pignolis and cheese, if using, and serve.
(To toast pignolis, place them in a dry saute pan over med-low heat and cook, tossing often, for 5 minutes, until light brown.)

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

I got this recipe from ourbestbites and it is delicious!
Dressing: (make this ahead and refrigerate)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tblsp. seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 Tblsp soy sauce
3 Tblsp. honey
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 Tblsp. minced ginger
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro (stems and all)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. sriracha chili sauce
2-4 Tblsp. water (to desired consistency)

Place everything in a blender and mix until smooth. Makes about 2 cups. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Salad:
8 oz. Linguine
4 cups shredded greens: napa cabbage, romaine lettuce, spinach, etc.
2 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 medium carrot, julienned
1/2 medium cucumber, halved and sliced
1/2 of a red onion, thinly sliced
3 cups diced or shredded grilled chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
about 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
cilantro, if desired

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta. While the pasta is cooking, start chopping veggies.

The great thing about this salad, is you can use whatever veggies you like. I usually use romaine lettuce, and purple cabbage, and any of the remaining ingredients that I have in the fridge.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it and rinse in cold water until it has cooled off. Place noodles on the plate and cover with veggies and chicken. Pour dressing over all and top with peanuts and cilantro, if desired.