Author: nancy

Blue Cheese Spread Appetizer

This is a really tasty cheese spread. It is the a great appetizer and is so easy to make. It has become one of my favorite recipes for entertaining ladies.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled blue cheese, room temperature
  • 1 to 3 tbsp toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tbsp chives, chopped
  • 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
  • Sourdough or French bread, thinly sliced

Directions
Mix together the cream cheese, blue cheese, walnuts, chives and parsley. Do not over-mix. Serve with sliced bread.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Whole Wheat Pancakes
Whole Wheat Pancakes
This is an old favorite recipe of mine. I love whole grains and these pancakes are tasty, healthy and hearty. Of course, they are best with real maple syrup too!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tbsp wheat germ
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tbsp oil

Directions

  1. Mix dry ingredients.
  2. Add milk, honey and oil, stirring just until moistened.
  3. Cook on preheated griddle.

Mandarin Orange Chinese Salad

Mandarin Oranges
Mandarin Oranges
This is always a crowd pleaser and so easy to make. It is one of my favorite recipes to make for potlucks. You will love it, too.

Ingredients

  • 1 large bag shredded cabbage with carrots
  • 2 pkg ramen noodles (do not cook), beef flavored, crushed into small pieces
  • 2 small cans Mandarin oranges
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 bunches green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 2 packages beef seasoning from noodles
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Directions

  1. Mix together the cabbage, noodles, oranges, almonds, and onions in a large bowl.
  2. Mix the oil, vinegar, sugar and seasoning together.
  3. Pour dressing over dry ingredients in bowl.

Let set at least one hour before serving

Easy Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce
Marinara Sauce
This is a super easy and delicious Marinara sauce and has become my favorite recipe for a tomato based sauce. You can add some ground beef to it to make a hearty meat sauce if you like.

Ingredients

  • 2- 14.5 oz cans of Italian tomatoes
  • 1- 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup finely diced onion
  • 1/2 cup red or white wine

Directions

  1. In a food processor or blender, place tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
  2. In a large skillet saute the chopped onion over a medium heat in the olive oil for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the blended tomato sauce and the wine.
  4. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over your favorite pasta.

Categories
My Favorite Recipes

Halibut with Asian Cilantro Sauce

Halibut with Asian Cilantro Sauce
Halibut with Asian Cilantro Sauce
I really love this sauce and this is my favorite recipe for a sauce for fish. It is excellent with halibut, but would be good on other types as fish as well. You can bake the halibut any way you like. I prefer to lightly season mine with salt, pepper and paprika and bake in a convection oven. It is important not to overcook fish, so I always use a meat thermometer and cook it until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Convection oven cooking works great for fish.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups loosely packed cilantro leaves
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp minced, peeled, fresh ginger
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno chili pepper, chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Asian sesame oil
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • salt, to taste
  • 2 – 8 oz halibut fillets, cooked

Directions
Place all ingredients except halibut in food processor and puree. Serve over cooked halibut.

Craisin Spinach Salad

This is a really easy and tasty salad recipe. It is always a hit at potlucks. It will become one of your favorite recipes.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
  • 1 lb spinach, rinsed and torn into bite size pieces
  • 1 cup Craisins
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp minced onion
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
  2. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and Craisins.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar and olive oil.
  5. Toss with spinach just before serving.

Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges and Pecans

I was at a potluck and this salad was served.It has become a favorite recipe when I want to make something unique. Everyone always requests the recipe. It is wonderful and perfect for this time of the year when the beets are ready to be harvested.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs red beets, peeled and diced
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 large navel orange, quartered and sliced crosswise
  • 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 4 ounces feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
  • 4 handfuls salad spinach or other greens

Dressing

  • 4 – 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • pinch pepper

Instructions

  1. Toss beets in olive oil to coat lightly.
  2. Spread them over a baking dish, sprinkle with salt and roast @ 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, so they are tender but still firm.
  3. Remove from oven and cool.
  4. In a large bowl, combine beets, oranges, feta, parsley, onions, and pecans.
  5. Mix dressing ingredients and pour over salad and toss.

Serve on a bed or spinach or other greens.

Best Ever Lasagna

Best Ever Lasagna
Best Ever Lasagna
I think I got this recipe off the web, but have no idea who originally posted it. It is excellent. Although it takes a little time to put together, your family and friends will love you for it! It is my favorite recipe for lasagna.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, cut into bite size pieces and casing removed. (Turkey sausage works well too.)
  • 3/4 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp Italian seasonings
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 12 lasagna noodles, cooked
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3/4 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced (fresh is best)
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until browned.
  2. Stir in crushed tomatoes,tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.
  3. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, 2 tbsp parsley.
  4. Simmer covered for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  5. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, remaining parsley and a dash of salt.
  6. Spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce in bottom of 9×13 inch pan.
  7. Arrange 1/2 of noodles lengthwise over meat sauce.
  8. Spread with 1/2 of ricotta cheese mixture.
  9. Top with 1/3 of mozzarella slices.
  10. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
  11. Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
  12. Cover with foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
  13. Bake @ 375 degrees for 25 minutes, remove foil and bake for 25 minutes more.
  14. Cool for 10 minutes.
Categories
My Favorite Recipes

Luscious Vegetarian Lasagna


I have tried many vegetarian lasagna recipes over the years, but this one is my favorite recipe for vegetarian lasagna. The men in my family love it too, and will sometimes request it over meat lasagna. This dish takes a little extra prep time, but is definitely worth the effort. (Tomorrow I will post my family’s favorite meat lasagna.)

Ingredients

  • 1 can (14 1/2 oz) tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (12 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 small zucchini, chopped
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups cottage cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
  • 8 ounces lasagna noodles, cooked

Directions

  1. Simmer tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, and pepper in medium saucepan over low heat.
  2. Cook and stir onion and garlic in hot oil in large skillet over med-high heat until onion is golden.
  3. Add zucchini, mushrooms, carrot, and green pepper.
  4. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 min.
  5. Stir vegetables into tomato mixture, simmer 15 minutes.
  6. Combine mozzarella, cottage cheese, and Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Blend well.
  7. Spoon about 1 cup sauce in bottom of 12×8 inch pan.
  8. Place a layer of noodles over sauce, then 1/2 of the cheese mixture and 1/2 of the remaining sauce.
  9. Repeat layers of noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.