"Thai" Peanut Noodles

Fast, easy, delicious, healthy, affordable, and unique. Seriously, what more can you ask for in a meal? (And the "Thai" is in quotes because I made up the recipe myself. It's Thai inspired, but I'm not sure how authentic it really is.)

"Thai" Peanut Noodles

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 TBSP olive oil
12 oz linguini
1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 fresh lime
1 TBSP fresh grated ginger (or dried)
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup honey
1 big handful fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

1) Cut the chicken into 1" cubes. Season with pepper and the zest from the lime (grate off the outside green part, but don't go so deep it turns white.) Heat a large skillet or wok. Add oil, and then add the chicken. Let cook for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
2) Meanwhile, boil a big pot of water. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3) Add the vegetables to the chicken and toss to combine. Let cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, to cook vegetables.
4) Mix together remaining sauce ingredients: Soy sauce, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, lime juice, and honey. It may be a little gloppy.
5) Pour sauce over vegetables and chicken and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium low and hold it there until the noodles are done cooking.
6) When noodles are done, drain them and toss them in with the peanut sauce, chicken, and vegetables. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes:
-For Vegetarian, use frozen, shelled Edamame or even little shrimp.
-For Gluten-Free, use a good rice pasta fettucini.
-Buy your favorite bag of stir fry mix. My favorites have carrots, snow peas, onions, peppers, water chestnuts, and mushrooms. Of course you can chop fresh veggies instead of frozen. I just like the convenience of frozen in this dish.

Red Pepper Tortellini salad

This pasta salad is unique and delicious--a great way to mix up your summertime barbeque recipes. And because there's no mayonnaise, it can be outside for just a little longer than typical Summer salads (a little... not a lot...).

Red Pepper Tortellini Salad

2 large red peppers (*see note)
3 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 package frozen cheese tortellini (about 1 pound)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp celery seed
8 oz mozzarella cheese
4 green onions
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1) Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and put in the fridge to cool.
2) Roast the red peppers:
2a) On a hot grill, place washed red peppers. Cook over direct, high heat about 1-2 minutes per side, until the skin blisters and turns black. Cook all sides, so the skin is all black. You might think you burned it, but it is okay.
2b) Place peppers immediately in a paper bag or in a bowl with a lid. Let sit for 10 minutes to steam.
2c) Run peppers under cool water and peel off the blackened skin with your fingers.
2d) using a paring knife, cut the top and seeds out of the peppers.
3) In a blender or food processor, Puree together: roasted red peppers, balsamic vinegar, oil, and seasonings (not the cheese, green onion, or basil).
4) Cube the cheese into small little blocks. Chop green onion and tear basil into pieces.
5) Mix all ingredients in a large bowl (Tortellini, sauce, cheese, onion, and basil). Chill and serve. Makes about 6 servings.

*Note on roasted red peppers: Roasted red peppers can be found jarred in the condiments and olives section of the grocery store. You can use those in this recipe if you don't want to go to the trouble of roasting your own. Also, roasted red peppers on their own are delicious! Try them on hamburgers or along side steak. Chopped, they pair nicely with just about any pasta sauce. Get brave and try them today!

*Another note. This pasta dish could also be served warm, but the cheese cubes may start to melt a bit. You could also add big chunks of cooked sausage or sliced pepperoni and make it a meal. Other things that would go well in this salad: sliced olives, fresh spinach leaves, capers, cherry tomatoes, or sliced radishes. If you don't have enough sauce to cover all your additions, add some extra balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Get creative!

Photo above is salad made with yellow peppers instead of red, and with chopped black olives and Italian Sausage added.

Pasta with browned butter and myzithra cheese

Looking for a new, easy, somewhat unusual, and absolutely delicious dinner? Here it is! Serve with some cooked sausage or grilled meat, or just plain for a vegetarian meal.

Pasta with Browned Butter and Myzithra Cheese

12 oz long skinny pasta (I like linguine, but any spaghetti type noodle will work from angel hair to fettucini)
1 stick real butter (NOT margarine)
about 1/3 pound Myzithra cheese

1) Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions.
2) Grate Myzithra cheese very fine.
3) Over low heat, melt butter and continue cooking--watching carefully--until it just begins to turn brown. Then remove from the heat. Don't over cook or try to go too fast--butter burns easily!
4) When pasta is done, drain, and toss together with browned butter and grated Myzithra cheese. Enjoy! Makes 4-6 adult portions.

Note on Myzithra Cheese: Myzithra Cheese is a sheep's milk cheese that is very white in color, dry in texture, and mild in flavor. It doesn't melt the same way as other cheeses. I can find it in the specialty cheese case at my local grocery stores--you know, the case by the produce that has all kinds of unproncounceable cheeses? You really only need a small amount, which makes it both cost efficient and easy to commit to--which makes this meal a great option for trying something new.

The Classic Rigatoni

I cannot claim personal credit for this recipe. It is an old family favorite. I'm mainly putting this up for a friend who wants some freezer meal ideas. This one is great--always a crowd pleaser, very quick and easy to make, and equally easy to make a double or even triple batch as a single--an important quality in a freezer meal, because I can make a huge batch on a normal day and put away a meal or two for later.

The Classic Rigatoni

1 pound rigatoni pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1 can *cheddar cheese soup
1 can tomato sauce
2 TBSP Italian Seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (if freezing, 3 cups, separated)

1) Cook pasta according to package directions in boiling water. NOTE: if freezing, undercook your pasta by about 2 or 3 minutes. Make sure it is on the firm side of al dente.
2) In a large skillet or saucepan, brown the ground beef.
3) Drain excess liquid from the ground beef and add all remaining ingredients. NOTE: if freezing, set aside the extra cup of cheese for the topping.
4) Mix cooked pasta with the sauce and serve!
5) IF FREEZING: line a 13x9 pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Pour in Rigatoni. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Freeze until solid. Remove foil pouch from pan and store for long- term. To use: return foil pouch to 13x9 pan and thaw for 1-2 hours on counter. Then cook at 350 until hot and bubbly all the way through. Depending on how thawed the casserole was, this could take any where from 30 minutes to an hour and a half. Enjoy! Serves 6-8 people (big batch... but yummy leftovers.)

*Cheddar cheese soup is in the pasta aisle. If you don't want to use it, you can do this: once the beef is browned, push it to one side of the pan or set aside on a plate. Place 4 TBSP of butter in the pan and let melt. Whisk in 4 TBSP of flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking away any lumps. Then whisk in 2 cups of milk. Bring to a boil to thicken. Add other ingredients as normal, but add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup of cheese.

Notes: You can also make this recipe with ground turkey or chicken, or even chicken cubes. To up the veggie content I've also added chopped onion or grated carrots--both are super yummy! Just add the vegetables with the ground beef at the beginning so they can cook a bit.

Creamy Lasanga

My wonderful sister-in-law Raychel came to my house yesterday, and (as is typical with me) we got to talking food. She had some artichokes and had no clue how to use them. This is the recipe I suggested.

First: This is a pretty good link demonstrating how to clean a fresh artichoke to prepare for use in a recipe like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3tivOcd530&feature=related

Once they're cleaned and prepared, you can boil them for about 10 minutes before cooling and chopping into pieces for this recipe. Or, if you don't have fresh artichokes or don't want to bother with cleaning and preparing them, you can find very yummy canned artichokes in the grocery store. I find them in the same aisle as canned olives and green beans. I don't like the marinated artichokes as well as the plain ones--the plain are much much cheaper, and since I'm putting them in a creamy lasagna, they don't need the extra flavors.

Alright, on to the recipe:

Creamy Lasagna

Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup flour
1 quart milk
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
2 (10 oz or so) boxes of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of all green juice
1 can (or 2 fresh, prepped, cleaned, and cooked) artichokes, drained and chopped
1 can chopped water chestnuts, drained
Optional: 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed OR 2 cups cooked lentils

1) In a large pot, melt the butter and add the chopped onion. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until onion begins to soften.
2) Sprinkle on flour and whisk to combine until flour soaks up the liquid. (this is called a roux.) Cook for 1 minute.
3) add milk. Whisk thoroughly and bring to a boil.
4) Remove from heat and add all other ingredients. Make sure your veggies are all drained well!

Cheese filling:
1 16 oz container small-curd cottage cheese
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp pepper

5) Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

6) Soften 1 pound lasagna noodles by placing in a shallow baking dish and covering with boiling water. Let sit for 5 minutes, then drain water.
7) In a 13 by 9 pan, place a layer of noodles on the bottom. Cover with half of the cheese filling, then half the sauce. Add more noodles, then the remaining cheese filling and the remaining sauce. Top with the last of the noodles.

Cheese-and-breadcrumb topping:
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted

8) mix together breadcrumb topping and sprinkle over the top layer of lasagna.
9) Cover dish with foil. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour, or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly all the way through. Enjoy!

Notes:
-You can leave out the breadcrumb topping and just top with shredded mozzarella cheese, if preferred.
-This can be made with chicken, lentils, or just plain.
-A myriad of vegetables can be added, if desired: grated carrots, chopped celery, shelled peas, or chopped broccoli would all be fantastic. Just add to the sauce when you add the spinach and artichokes.
-I'm not sure how to make a roux gluten-free...if you have any ideas, let me know! Because this recipe, with a GF roux, GF noodles, and plain cheese on top, would be mighty fine...

Rice-A-Roni (But better)

I used this recipe as a demonstration recipe at my cooking class. I like it because it is quick to make (about half an hour start to finish), it is a one-pot meal, and it uses things most of us have on hand all the time.

Rice-a-Roni (but better)

1 cup rice

1 cup spaghetti noodles, broken into 1” long pieces

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cups chicken stock or broth

1 cup frozen peas

2 cups cooked chicken

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, add the oil and butter. Place over medium-high heat and let the butter melt. Add the chopped onion, rice, and spaghetti noodles (dry). Cook for about 5-8 minutes, or until the noodles are beginning to toast and the onion is soft.

2. Add the chicken stock and stand back—there might be some steam and hissing. Bring to a boil. Cover immediately, reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Check half way to make sure there is still enough liquid in the pan. If it is looking very dry, add 1 cup of water and reduce heat even lower.

3. When the rice and noodles are no longer crunchy, remove the cover and add the peas and chicken. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper accordingly.

4. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 large servings, and this is a complete meal by itself.

*For flavor variations, try adding 1 bell pepper, color of your choice, chopped and cooked along with the onion at the beginning. Also try beef stock instead of chicken, or add any of your favorite frozen vegetables at the end instead of the peas.d

Smoked Trout; Tahini Pasta Salad

We just ate this amazing meal, and it is ranking in the top 5 best meals I've ever created. The fish was lightly smoked, and the Tahini in the pasta had a nice nutty, distinctive flavor that was unique and beautiful. I understand that smoked fish isn't the easiest, cheapest, or even most convenient of dishes, but if you want to make a special occasion even better, try this most delicious menu!

Smoked Trout

2 pink trout filets (about 1 pound total)
1 tsp ginger (fresh grated is awesome, dry is fine)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp brown sugar

1) Mix together all ingredients except the trout. Pour the marinade (aka soy sauce mixture) over the trout and put in the refrigerate to soak for 20 minutes to 2 hours.
2) Heat your smoker (can be done on a grill, see note for instructions) to 200 to 300 degrees. Add a hardwood wood chip like oak, maple, apple, or chestnut. Prepare smoker according to the regular directions.
3) Place the fish in the smoker, skin-side down, again according to directions. Smoke for about 1 hour, or until the fish reaches 150 degrees. Serve immediately.

*Note: If you don't have a smoker, never despair! Heat your grill with only one burner on. Prepare yourself a "smoke bomb" by placing a few wood chips in aluminum foil and sealing all edges except for a teensy tiny hole. Remove the grate from above the one burner that is on. Place the smoke bomb directly on that flame, then place the fish on the other side of the grill. Turn the flame down to the lowest level, then keep the lid shut as much as possible. The rest of the directions should be about the same. Please, DO NOT SMOKE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE! NEITHER FISH NOR CIGARETTES!

Tahini Pasta Salad
(*A quick note about Tahini. Tahini paste is a sesame-seed butter, similar to peanut butter, only with sesame seeds. Its flavor is mild and nutty, but it doesn't actually contain nuts. I found it in the olive oil section of my grocery store, but it might be hard to find. If you don't have tahini, or don't feel like buying a big jar for just one thing, you can substitute peanut butter or sunflower butter.)

1 cup shelled edamame (usually in frozen goods)
1 cup whole kernel corn
1/2 cup acini de pepe OR orzo pasta
2 tbsp tahini paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 lime, zest and juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp ginger (fresh if you can!)
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
3 tbsp olive oil

1) Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain when done, but RESERVE 3 tbsp of the cooking water.
2) Mix the pasta, the edamame, corn, and all other ingredients and heat through. *If your edamame or corn was frozen, thaw before putting in the pasta salad. Makes about 2 adult servings, so make more if you need.

To make Gluten-Free substitute cooked rice (brown rice would be phenomenal!) for the pasta, or use a GF pasta.

Blood and Guts and Monster Eyeballs

I'm the mother of a 3-year-old who is adoring the upcoming Halloween holiday. As we've been preparing, everything has just fascinated him to no end. Naturally, I've let it pour into my cooking, making "Blood Syrup", multiple pumpkin sandwiches (with a cookie cutter), and tonight's...

Blood and Guts and Monster Eyeballs
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey or chicken (can use ground beef too, but the color will be a little browner)
2 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Olives (black or green, you choose)

12 oz (or 1 lb, if wanted) spaghetti

"Blood Sauce"
1 can tomato sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp pepper

"Guts Sauce"
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1) mix up the meatballs with the first set of ingredients--ground meat through olives, except don't mix in the olives. Use your hands and don't overmix. Form them into 1 to 2 oz (a few tablespoons) meatballs and place on a baking tray. Stick an olive in each meatball so it sticks partway out to look like eyeballs.
2) Bake meatballs at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees and they are cooked through. In the meantime...
3) Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
4) Mix the "blood sauce" ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a lid or with plastic-wrap and microwave for 3 minutes.
5) For the "Guts sauce," melt the butter and the garlic in a sauce pan. Add the flour and whisk to combine, and let cook for about 1 minute. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients, including the cheese. Whisk gently until the cheese melts.
6) Mix the "guts sauce" with the spaghetti in a big serving bowl. Splatter on some of the "blood sauce". Put the cooked meatballs on the top with a few more splashes of the blood sauce. Serve and enjoy!

A note from Lisa's Soap Box:
Cook with your kids! Making fun and silly, and unique foods is one of the best ways to prevent picky eaters. But don't just cook with them; eat with them. Families that eat together, stay together. Kids who eat at least one meal a day with their families are far less likely to get into drugs or other promiscuous behavior. We're happier, healthier, and stronger people when we eat together as a family. And I can't think of a better way to start than with a goofy holiday meal. I hope you enjoy this one as much as my children did.

Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken

The church potluck coincided with needing to harvest my basil. This recipe can be served hot, warm, room temperature, or even cold, so it makes a great picnic dish. All the fresh basil is also really refreshing on a warm summer day.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Basil Pesto:
3 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup walnuts
2 tsp fresh garlic
zest and juice of 2 limes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until like a thick paste. Drizzle in the oil as you blend to ensure the right texture--if it's a really humid day, for example, you might need less oil.

Pesto Pasta Salad:
1 lb rotini (or elbow macaroni)
3 cups cooked chicken (see note below)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lb mozzarella cheese
1 batch of the basil pesto listed above

Cook the pasta in 1 gallon of salted boiling water until al dente. Cube the chicken, halve the tomatoes, and cube the mozzarella cheese so that everything is about 1 inch cubes. Mix everything together in a big bowl. Warm up if you like, or chill and serve cold. This makes a big batch of chicken salad.

*Note on the chicken: The more flavorful the chicken you start with, the better the salad will be. I made grilled chicken yesterday, and the leftovers are going in my dish. I marinaded them with lime juice and spices. Also, rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is a good choice. For very easy roasted chicken, buy bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, season with salt, pepper, and olive oil, and bake in the oven at 350 for 1 hour. This tastes amazing, and is so much better than boiling or microwaving the chicken.

*Note on Basil Pesto: My recipe listed above contains just a few unusual ingredients--Walnuts and lime juice. I use walnuts because traditional pine nuts can be expensive. I put in lime juice because I love the citrus buzz, and it keeps the basil greener longer. Pesto is absolutely delicious, so watch out--you might get addicted! Try putting it on grilled meat, or just plain pasta for a very quick side dish. It can also be spread on your sandwiches like any other condiment, and leftovers freeze really nicely. It doesn't store very well in the fridge, so use it or freeze it.

*One more quick note: This recipe contains nuts that I blend in the blender. Please make sure your guests know there are nuts in there. Allergies are nothing to sneeze at!

Lasagna Roll-Ups

A goal of mine is to start eating healthier, lots healthier. Over the summer I want to write several new, delicious recipes that cut back the fat, up the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, without losing flavor (or maybe even gaining flavor!). Here's recipe #1. Lasagna is a huge comfort food for most people, and is my husband's favorite dish. Can you think of a better way to start eating healthy, than with a yummy pasta dish? I didn't think so.

Lasagna Roll-Ups

1 box lasagna noodles, about 10 or 11 noodles total
1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp garlic
1 10 oz box frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
16 oz cottage cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and Pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
prepared spaghetti sauce (see below)

1) Boil a huge pot of water. Cook the noodles for about 10 minutes, or until they are tender but not overly soft. They will continue to cook a little bit.
2) meanwhile, cook the turkey in 1 tbsp olive oil, in a sautee pan until it is all brown, just like ground beef. Season well with salt and pepper. In the last minute, add the crushed garlic.
3) drain the turkey. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked turkey with the spinach, cottage cheese, eggs (raw), yogurt, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, and more salt and pepper, to taste.
4) drain your noodles very carefully so they don't tear. run a little cold water over the noodles so they won't burn you.
5) lay out the noodles and add 2 tbsp of the turkey filling on each noodle, spreading it down the middle. Roll the noodle as carefully as you can and lay it in a greased baking dish. Once they're all rolled up and in the dish, cover with spaghetti sauce and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Serve at the end with lots of fresh chopped oregano or basil for even extra flavor.

Notes:
*These will freeze well, and also can be prepared up to a day in advance, then baked just before service.
*If you don't have prepared spaghetti sauce, use 1 can of tomato sauce (or homemade bottled tomatoes, if you do those kinds of things...), warmed in the microwave with 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1 tsp garlic. This is a very simple tomato sauce--I wouldn't recommend this spaghetti by itself, but in this application, it would work just fine.
*For an even healthier option, try whole-wheat lasagna noodles, or even thinly sliced pieces of zucchini.

Suped-up Mac n' cheese

Rachael Ray always says if you need your kids to eat veggies, wrap them up in cheese. This is a take on Macaroni and Cheese that is pumped up with vegetables. I took this to a funeral today, and it was a hit. Don't be worried about the size of this recipe--it isn't as hard to make as it looks, and I tried to write the instructions to simplify things.

Suped-up Mac n' Cheese

1 lb elbow macaroni noodles
1 onion
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
1 quart milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup flour
1 lb shredded colby-jack (0r cheddar) cheese
8 oz (1 box) cream cheese
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup diced deli ham
1 tsp crushed garlic (1 or 2 cloves)
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika (regular paprika works too)
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2-4 tomatoes, depending on the size and how much you like tomatoes


Instructions:
1) Boil a large pot of water. When it gets boiling, add about 1 tbsp salt and pour in the pasta. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until al dente. Different pastas will vary in cooking time, so be sure to check. Meanwhile:

2) Heat the milk for 4 minutes in the microwave.

3) Chop the onion. In a 2 quart skillet or saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onion. Sautee until the onion gets soft, about 3 minutes. Pour the cooked onion into a really big bowl (this bowl will eventually hold the entire dish, so make sure it is big enough).

4) Put the same saucepan back on the stove and lower the heat to medium-low. Add the butter, let it melt. Then sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine. Keep whisking for about 1 minute. This is called a roux, and will thicken the sauce.

5) Add the hot milk to the roux and whisk constantly until the milk gets nice and thick. A few bubbles might show up. Now this is called a white sauce, or bechamel. (by the way, have you checked on your noodles?) Add the cream cheese and the grated cheese, stir it really well, until things melt. Turn off the heat.

6) In that big bowl, put in the drained spinach, the completed cheese sauce, and all the ingredients EXCEPT the tomatoes. Stir everything together. Drain the noodles (if you haven't already,) and add those. Fold the entire mixture gently, but thoroughly, until everything is mixed and looking yummy. Pour into a big casserole dish, about 15x11". This makes a lot.

7) Slice the tomatoes into pretty rounds. Place them on the top of the casserole. Bake the dish at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour, until it is bubbly and warmed through. If you want, you can even sprinkle crushed crackers, breadcrumbs, or Parmesan cheese on the top.

Cook's note: If you don't work with frozen spinach very often, you should try. This recipe is a good place to start. Because the spinach is in a big pot of cheesy pasta goodness, there isn't much to dislike. You can buy frozen spinach right with the other frozen vegetables, and usually comes in small 8 oz boxes. When you use it, thaw it in the microwave for 2 or 3 minutes. Take it out of the box and put it in a fine mesh strainer or even just a towel. Squeeze it until the green water stops coming out. You'll be surprised how much water is in there--that's why you've got to drain it. Otherwise things gets soupy. I like to serve mine as a side dish with a little melted butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, sometimes a splash of vinegar or lemon juice too.

Cowboy Mac n' Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is always a favorite with kids, and this version adds protien and fiber. Your family will be sure to enjoy, and it is a snap to make.

Cowboy Mac n' Cheese

2 boxes of Macaroni and Cheese, any brand
1 lb ground beef
1 cup whole kernel corn (1 cup frozen, or use 1 can, drained)
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup margarine or butter (half a stick)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Boil the noodles from the 2 boxes of macaroni until tender, then drain. Meanwhile, make the sauce: brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. When it is done, add the remaining ingredients, including the 2 cheese sauce packets from the boxed macaroni (add dairy products last to prevent curdling). Toss in the noodles and serve while hot.