Giada's Fusilli with Spinach and Asiago Cheese

Yield: 4 servings

Cook Time:20 min

Ingredients

• 1 pound fusilli pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (9-ounce) bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 8 ounces (1/2 pint) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup (about 3 1/2-ounces) grated Asiago
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 more minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Add the cheeses, salt, pepper, and the pasta cooking liquid and stir to combine.

Transfer the pasta to a serving plate and serve.

Found on www.foodnetwork.com

Beef and Green Chile Enchiladas

1 pound lean ground beef (at least 80% lean)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can (4.5-ounce size) chopped green chiles
8 ounces shredded colby-monterey jack cheese
1 can (10-ounce size) enchilada sauce
6 (8-inch size) flour tortillas
***GARNISHES, IF DESIRED***
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
additional sour cream

Directions:

Heat oven to 350F. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently.

Drain. Add corn; cook and stir about 3 minutes or until corn is thawed. Stir in sour cream, green chiles and 1 cup of the cheese.

Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Spread about 2 teaspoons enchilada sauce on each tortilla. Top each with 2/3 cup beef mixture. Roll up tortillas; place seam side down over enchilada sauce in baking dish.

Drizzle remaining enchilada sauce evenly over filled tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; place sprayed side down on baking dish and seal tightly.

Bake at 350F for 45 to 50 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve garnished with lettuce, tomato and additional sour cream.

courtesy of CDKitchen.com

Streusel Topped Pumpkin Spice Muffins

1 box spice cake mix

1 can pumpkin

1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 24 muffin cups. In mixing bowl, place all ingredients. Mix until well blended. Scoop into muffin tin. Make topping.

Streusel Topping:
1 C Brown Sugar
1 Stick Margarine
1 C Flour

Stir together flour and brown sugar, breaking up any lumps. Cut in margarine. Spoon or sprinkle on top of muffins, pat down slightly. Bake at 350 for 20-24 minutes.

*Any leftover topping can be refrigerated for several weeks or frozen for several months until needed.

~Recipe found at www.southernplate.com~

There are more yummy recipes there. Check it out!

Italian Cheese Bread Ring

Batter:

4 1/2 - 5 1/2 c flour

1/4 c sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbl. Yeast

1 c water

1 c milk

1/2 c butter

2 eggs

Filling:

1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 c butter, softened

Generously grease 12-cup fluted tube or 10-inch tube pan.  

In large bowl, combine 2 1/2 c flour, sugar salt and yeast; blend well.  In small saucepan, heat water, milk and 1/2 c butter until very warm.  Add warm liquid and eggs to flour mixture.  Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed.  By hand, stir in 2 - 2 3/4 cups flour to form a stiff batter.  In a small bowl, combine all filling ingredients; mix well.  Spoon half of batter into prepared pan; spoon filling evenly over batter into within 1/2 inch of sides of pan.  Spoon remaining batter over filling.  Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350.  Bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and read sounds hollow when lightly tapped.  Remove from pan immediately; serve warm or cool.

Tomato Bruschetta

Tomato Bruschetta

6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (optional)
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1.5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed (fresh optional, for dried – use less)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
2. In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
4. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
5. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Homemade Tortillas - Native Style!

To make about 8 tortillas, you will need:

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon shortening

3/4 cup warm/hot water

Put cast iron skillet/plate on stover over medium heat. 

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together. Add shortening and mix with your fingers only, until consistency of ingredients is pretty uniform. Add the water (plus or minus a little - it takes practice to get the right consistency). 

Knead/smear the dough for a while (sorry, I'm not sure how long!). Then break into 8 pieces. Knead each piece a little, then roll into a ball. Flatten/smush the ball and set aside. 

Once all balls are made and flattened, roll out. Start the rolling pin in the middle and work your way out. Make 1/4 turns and keep rolling out until tortilla size. 

Cook on cast iron skillet/plate on medium for 15 seconds. Flip, and blot out bubbles with wadded up clean towel.

Repeat for more tortillas. Works best in batches of 8 tortillas at a time.

Layered Antipasto Salad

3 c uncooked penne (or mostaccioli) pasta

2 1/2 c broccoli florets

1 Tbl chopped fresh parsley

1/2 lb deli roast beef slices, cut into strips (or left over roast beef, cubed)

2 c chopped tomato

1 c Caesar dressing

Shredded provolone cheese

Cook pasta, adding broccoli during last 2 minutes; drain.  Rinse and cool.  Toss with parsley.

Place 1/2 of pasta in a 4 qt bowl; top with 1/2 each of tomatoes, beef, dressing and cheese.  Repeat layers.  Cover and chill at least 2 hours.