Notes: for a heartier meal, some cooked ground beef could be stirred into the sauce or cooked along with the onions and garlic. The tomato basil sauce could be switched out for any marinara/tomato pasta sauce on hand. Recipe can be frozen prior to baking and can be cooked frozen with an increased baking time.
Serves 4-6.
12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups of tomato pasta sauce of your choice
About 10 basil leaves, julienned
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti to just under al dente. You want it to be a little firm since it will continue to cook in the oven.
While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet on medium heat and add the olive oil. Cook onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in tomato sauce and about 3/4 of the fresh basil. Gently mix in cooked spaghetti.
Spray a large baking dish (9x13 or a deep casserole dish) with non-stick cooking spray. Add in spaghetti mixture. Top with cheeses. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Garnish with reserved fresh basil.
Roasted Garlic and Manchego Potatoes Au Gratin
Notes: these require a little more prep work than standard au gratin potatoes, but are very flavorful and excellent for a special occasion.
From Food and Wine.
Serves 12.
3 heads garlic, cloves separated but left unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced (use a mandolin)
2 cups shredded Manchego cheese
1 cup smoked gouda cheese (use a soft, creamy one)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small pan, drizzle the garlic with the oil. Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes, until tender. Let cool, then squeeze roasted garlic out of the cloves. Mash into a paste.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine garlic paste, half-and-half, cream, thyme, and rosemary and bring to a boil. Simmer over very low heat for about 20 minutes, until very fragrant and slightly reduced. Season with salt and pepper.
Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 1/4 of the potatoes on the bottom. Top with 1/4 of the shredded cheese and drizzle lightly with the garlic cream. Repeat the layering. Pour any remaining cream on top and press down the top layer of potatoes.
Cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly and potatoes are cooked through. Let cool about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
From Food and Wine.
Serves 12.
3 heads garlic, cloves separated but left unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced (use a mandolin)
2 cups shredded Manchego cheese
1 cup smoked gouda cheese (use a soft, creamy one)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small pan, drizzle the garlic with the oil. Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes, until tender. Let cool, then squeeze roasted garlic out of the cloves. Mash into a paste.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine garlic paste, half-and-half, cream, thyme, and rosemary and bring to a boil. Simmer over very low heat for about 20 minutes, until very fragrant and slightly reduced. Season with salt and pepper.
Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 1/4 of the potatoes on the bottom. Top with 1/4 of the shredded cheese and drizzle lightly with the garlic cream. Repeat the layering. Pour any remaining cream on top and press down the top layer of potatoes.
Cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly and potatoes are cooked through. Let cool about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Spicy Garlic Cashew Chicken
Notes: the recipe calls for chicken thighs, but we prefer a mix or all chicken breasts--either boneless, skinless or bone-in. If using boneless chicken, decrease the weight to about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. Cooking time with vary based on the type of chicken used, however. Chicken can marinade ahead of time in the fridge, up to overnight, or even in the freezer for up to 3 months.
From Simply Recipes.
Serves 4-6.
1 cup roasted cashews
6 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 jalapeño pepper, stems and seeds discarded, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish
2 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
In a food processor or blender, add cashews, cilantro, oil, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, lime juice, and water. Pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reserve a fourth of the marinade to serve fresh with the cooked chicken. Use the rest to coat chicken.
Preheat broiler, grill, or grill pan. Broil or grill chicken, turning frequently, until golden and crisp and cooked through. This will take about 25-35 minutes on a grill or 10-20 minutes under a broiler. Serve with lime wedges and reserved marinade.
From Simply Recipes.
Serves 4-6.
1 cup roasted cashews
6 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 jalapeño pepper, stems and seeds discarded, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish
2 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
In a food processor or blender, add cashews, cilantro, oil, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, lime juice, and water. Pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reserve a fourth of the marinade to serve fresh with the cooked chicken. Use the rest to coat chicken.
Preheat broiler, grill, or grill pan. Broil or grill chicken, turning frequently, until golden and crisp and cooked through. This will take about 25-35 minutes on a grill or 10-20 minutes under a broiler. Serve with lime wedges and reserved marinade.
Spinach and Cheese Waffles
Notes: these are best with a flavorful cheese. They are great topped with a fried egg, but would also be wonderful drizzled with a little garlic butter.
Makes 4 large waffles.
1 1/2 cups flour (all whole wheat works great, but white or a mix is good, too)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup oil
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, pepperjack, etc.)
3-4 cups loosely packed spinach, chopped
Preheat a waffle iron.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, and oil. Add to flour mixture and gently stir until just combined. Fold in cheese and spinach. Cook waffles according to waffle iron's manufacturer's directions.
Makes 4 large waffles.
1 1/2 cups flour (all whole wheat works great, but white or a mix is good, too)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup oil
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, pepperjack, etc.)
3-4 cups loosely packed spinach, chopped
Preheat a waffle iron.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, and oil. Add to flour mixture and gently stir until just combined. Fold in cheese and spinach. Cook waffles according to waffle iron's manufacturer's directions.
Strawberry Limeade
Notes: recipe below includes proportions for a large pitcher or for one single serving.
From Our Best Bites.
From Our Best Bites.
For one serving:
Sprite (about 12 ounce)
1 ½ limes
3-4 tablespoons Strawberry Sauce
Fill a tall glass with ice. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime over the glass. Fill the glass about half way with sprite. Add 3-4 tablespoons of strawberry sauce. Top of with more sprite or strawberry sauce. Slice remaining ½ of lime into wedges. Squeeze juice into cup, then add as a garnish.
For a big pitcher (about 6 servings or so):
2-liter bottle of sprite
10 limes
1 recipe Strawberry Sauce
In a pitcher, add the strawberry sauce and the juice of 8 limes. Cut remaining 2 limes into wedges, squeeze juice into pitcher, then add juiced wedges to the mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Just before serving, add about ¾ of a bottle of Sprite, or more to taste. Serve over ice.
Strawberry Sauce
Notes: this is great dessert sauce, and also really good mixed in with lemonade or limeade. You can also use almond extract, depending on your taste/what you are using the sauce for.
From Our Best Bites.
1 pint strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Wash strawberries, remove stems, and halve. Combine berries and sugar and bring to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up strawberries as they soften. Remove from heat and add in extract.
Allow strawberries to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and puree. Store in the refrigerator.
From Our Best Bites.
1 pint strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Wash strawberries, remove stems, and halve. Combine berries and sugar and bring to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up strawberries as they soften. Remove from heat and add in extract.
Allow strawberries to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and puree. Store in the refrigerator.
Thai Peanut Noodles
Notes: although filling on its own, some chopped chicken would be a good addition to this quick dish.
Serves 3-4.
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha (more can be added according to desire heat level, but start small)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces Udon or linguine noodles (whole wheat work great)
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
2 limes, quartered
Chopped peanuts
Cook noodles in well salted boiling water. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges.
Serves 3-4.
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha (more can be added according to desire heat level, but start small)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces Udon or linguine noodles (whole wheat work great)
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
2 limes, quartered
Chopped peanuts
Cook noodles in well salted boiling water. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges.
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