Avacado Basil Pasta

16 ounces dried bow tie and/or wagon wheel pasta
2 medium avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and coarsely chopped
2 medium ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
6 slices bacon, crisp cooked, drained, and crumbled
⅔ cup chopped fresh basil
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

• Cook the paste according to package directions. Rinse and set aside.
• In a large bowl combine the avocados, tomatoes, bacon, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic pepper and salt. Add the pasta and toss to combine.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with cheese.

Tomato Basil & Parmesan Soup

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed (I would go with only a cup and a half though)
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

•   Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker
•   Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
•  About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed 
•  Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

Savory Summer Pie

refrigerated pie crust
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
4 large eggs
1 c half-and-half
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 c shredded Parmesan cheese
3 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

• Fit pie crust into a 9 inch deep dish tart pan. Prick bottom and sides with a fork.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Saute bell pepper and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in basil.
• Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in sauteed vegetables and cheeses. Pour into crust, top with tomatoes.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until set, shielding edges with strips of aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 
• Serves 8

Prosciutto, Asparagus and Parmesan Spaghetti

       8 ounce of angel hair pasta
       2 tablespoons of olive oil
       2 garlic cloves
       2 cups of sliced mushrooms
       4 oz. of prosciutto, cut into strips
       1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
       1 1/4 cups heavy cream
       1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
       salt and pepper
       1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

      1) Cook pasta according to directions and put pack in pot.
      2) Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Cook
      garlic and mushrooms until fragrant and semi done. Add Prosciutto
      and asparagus and cook until asparagus is bright green, about 3 min. Add
      cream, 1/3 cup cheese, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat
      to simmer and cook until sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes.
      3) Pour sauce with vegetables over pasta and toss to coat.
      4. I put more parmesan cheese on top and crisp prosciutto pieces that I baked.

Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 c olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp shredded parmesan

• combine cauliflower & garlic in large bowl. 
• drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper.
• transfer in a single layer to baking dish.
• bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.
• sprinkle parmesan over baked dish.

Alfredo Lasagna Rollups

9 lasagna noodles
2.5 c alfredo
2 c cooked shredded chicken
oregano
garlic salt
3 c mozzerella

• pour alfredo to cover bottom of baking dish (8x8 only fits 6 rollups)
• make noodles according to directions on box.
• drain & rince with COLD water.
•  lay out noodles & dry.
• spread alfredo, sprinkle oregano & garlic salt.
• add chicken & cheese.
• roll up & place in dish.
• pour alfredo & cheese to cover all the rollups.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken

4 chicken breasts
Dredge
2 c flour
4 tsp salt
4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground thyme
2 tsp ground sage
2 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp cayenne
Egg Wash
4 eggs
8 Tbsp water

• coat chicken in dredge, egg wash & dredge again.
• fry in pan on medium heat 3-5 minutes on each side.
• set chicken aside on wire rack to drain for 5 minutes.

Sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves minced garlic

• cook over medium heat; do not brown.

Add:
1 c honey
1/4 c soy sauce
1 tsp pepper

• simmer 5-10 minutes
• dip chicken into sauce & serve.

Caprese Lasagna Rollups

8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
14 oz mozzerella cheese, divided
3/4 c ricotta cheese
1 large egg white
1/3 c shredded parmesan cheese
black pepper
3-4 medium Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
1/4 c chopped basil
1 c marinara sauce

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook noodles to al dente according to directions.
• Drain pasta, do not rinse with water.
• Align noodles on a piece of wax paper.
• For filling, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese and egg white until well blended. 
• Stir in Parmesan cheese. 
• Mix in 12 oz. of the Mozzarella cheese and season with black pepper to taste.
• Place 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture over each lasagna noodle and spread into an even layer, going from one end of the lasagna to the other. 
• Align 4 thin tomato slices over cheese mixture then sprinkle fresh basil over top. 
• Snugly roll lasagna noodles to opposite end. 
• Spread about 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. 
• Align lasagna roll ups, seam side down in dish. 
• Top each roll up with about 2 Tbsp of the pasta sauce (covering edges of pasta so they don't dry out while baking). 
• Sprinkle top with remaining 2 oz. shredded Mozzarella. 
• Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. 
• Remove from oven, plate pasta and garnish with plenty of basil ribbons. Serve warm. 

OMG Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1/2 c mayo, sour cream or yogurt
1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese
Italian bread crumbs

• Mix  mayo, sour cream or yogurt & parmesan cheese.
• Spread mixture over chicken & place in baking dish
• Sprinkle bread crumbs over chicken.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Ranch Style Chicken

3 chicken breast, sliced in half = 6
1/2 c honey
1/2 c dijon
1 tsp smokey chipotle paprika
2 Tbsp lemon juice
cheddar cheese
bacon

• whisk honey, dijon, paprika & lemon juice in a bowl.
• pour over chicken & place in a ziploc bag & refrigerate for 2 hours.
• cook bacon & set aside.
• cook chicken on the grill or in a pan for 3-5 minutes on each side. 
• when nearly done, add cheese & bacon & let melt.

Baked Asparagus

Asparagus
olive oil
kosher salt
pepper

• Trim and place in a Ziploc bag.

• Season with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper.
• Place on a baking sheet lined with foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.

Mexican Casserole

1 lb taco meat

1 box Kraft macaroni and cheese

1/2 c sour cream

2 cans Rotel

cheddar cheese

 

• Make 1 pound of taco meat according to taco mix directions. 
• While taco meat is simmering prepare one box of Kraft macaroni and cheese (original where you add milk and butter). 
• Mix in about 1/2 cup of sour cream to macaroni. 
• Spread  taco meat in bottom of 9 x 13 in pan. 
• Spread macaroni and sour cream mixture on top. 
• Spread two cans of Rotel tomatoes on top, drained. 
• Top with shredded cheddar cheese. 
• Bake for 30 minutes at 350.