Baked Pasta and Broccoli with ham and Cheesy-Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

Debbie's Recipe

Baked Pasta and Broccoli with Ham and Cheesy-Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

1 recipe guiltless alfredo sauce
3 ounces Pecorino cheese, grated (about 1 cups- could sub fresh grated Parmesan)
1/2 pound medium multigrain pasta shells or bowties
1/4 pound sliced smoked ham, chopped (about 1 cups)
1 medium bunch broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets (3-5 cups)
optional: 1/2 cup toasted whole-wheat panko (Japanese bread crumbs) for serving.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to
a boil.  Cook pasta until slightly tender but not fully cooked, about
5 minutes.  (Note:  If you like your broccoli pretty tender, add it to
boiling pasta water for a minute before draining)  Drain well; return
to pot.  Add ham, broccoli, and cauliflower sauce; toss to combine.
Transfer to an ovenproof 3 1/2 quart baking dish.  Sprinkle with
remaining pecorino, and bake until bubbling in center, about 30
minutes.  Heat broiler, and broil until golden brown on top, 1-2
minutes.  Divide among dishes, top with breadcrumbs (if using), and
serve immediately.

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

Debbie's Recipe

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

1 C low-fat milk                                                  
1/3 C (3 oz) low fat cream cheese
2 T flour
1 t salt
1 T butter
3 garlic cloves
1 C grated Parmesan cheese                                
1 small head cauliflower
1 tsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves
4 medium shallots                                                
4 tsp flour
2 c broth or water
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add cauliflower,
garlic, shallots, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until softened but not
brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with flour;
stir to coat well.

Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; gently simmer
until cauliflower is very soft, about 15 minutes.  Let cool for 5
minutes.  Transfer all to a blender, and puree. (or cook frozen
cauliflower in microwave as directed, then puree)

Place 1 c pureed cauliflower, milk, cream cheese, flour, nutmegand
salt in a blender and blend until smooth.  In a non-stick sauce pan,
melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Let the garlic saute for
about 30 seconds, you don’t want to burn it.

Then add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4
minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it
cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now.

When it’s nice and thickened remove the pan from the heat. Add the
cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least
10 minutes before using

Veggies and Noodles with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce

This is Debbie's recipe :)

Veggies and Noodles with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce (can halve recipe
for 4 servings)

• 1 lb. linguine or rice noodles (if using rice noodles, soak in hot
• water for about 1/2 hour and then drain and rinse)
• 1 12-oz. package of frozen stir fry vegetables or 6 oz. frozen
• broccoli and 6 oz. frozen julienned carrots
• 1/2 c. green onions
• 1 medium red, orange, or yellow pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 c. sliced mushrooms (about 6-8 small mushrooms)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh, minced ginger
• 1 Tbsp. fresh, minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp. curry paste
• Juice of 1 lime, plus more limes for garnish
• 2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 13.5 ounce can of lite coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce (available at Asian markets)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• great northern beans, whole or pureed
• Black or white sesame seeds for garnish

Cook pasta according to the package directions. In a small mixing
bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce,
curry paste, and lime juice.

In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high
heat. Add the green onions, mushrooms, ginger, garlic and red peppers
and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the garlic is fragrant,
about 3 minutes. Be sure to continue stirring constantly to prevent
the garlic from burning.

Add the the frozen vegetables. Stir fry for about 1 minute and then
add the coconut milk mixture and beans and cook until it begins to
boil. Remove from heat and add the cooked noodles. Toss to combine and
then allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes. Toss again, season with
salt and pepper to taste and serve with a sprinkling of sesame seeds
and 2 lime wedges per person (squeeze the lime juice over the noodles
before eating

Chinese Asparagus Chicken (AKA Chinese Masterpiece)

I tried this recipe a few weeks ago and Dave LOVED it. I've made it several times since :)  It's also very easy to make. So I hope you all enjoy it!

Ingredients

• 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 2 Cups wild rice, cooked
• 1/2 lb fresh asparagus
• 9 Tbsp hoisin sauce
• 4 Tbsp peanut oil
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions

1. Cut asparagus into 3/4 inch to 1 inch pieces, discarding tough bottoms of spears. In a small bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce and brown sugar and set aside. Prepare rice OR reheat cooked rice and keep warm.
2. Heat wok over medium high heat. When hot, dribble 1 tablespoon of oil around the rim. Stir fry asparagus for approximately 2 minutes. Remove from the wok and keep warm. Heat wok to high heat.
3. Heat wok to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and the chicken pieces and stir fry until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the reserved asparagus and hoisin/sugar sauce and stir fry all together until pieces are coated with sauce. Serve over the hot rice.

Sheet Cake, Pumpkin Bars, Cranberry Sauce . . . Losing 30 lbs????

Ok, so here are a few recipes I promised I would post.  Sorry this is so late, it just seems like every time I sit down at the computer Blake wakes up or is hungry again! :)  So, without further adieu, here are the recipes for sheet cake, pumpkin bars and a cinnamon apple cranberry sauce we are making for Thanksgiving this week.  You can tell me how that turns out since we haven't tried it yet either!  Sounds like my lose 30 lbs of baby weight plan is going askew!

Sheet Cake
Cake:
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1 c water
1 c butter
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Frosting:
1/2 c butter
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Combine flour and sugar.  Bring water, butter, 3 tbsp cocoa powder to boil in saucepan and stir until smooth. Pour over flour and sugar and mix with a beater.  Add the buttermilk, eggs, soda and vanilla and mix.  Pour into a sheet pan (9x13) sprayed with nonstick spray and bake @400 degrees for 17 minutes.

For frosting, when the cake is done, bring the butter, cocoa and vanilla to boil.  Remove from the heat and quickly add the milk and powdered sugar.  Spread over cake while hot.

Pumpkin Bars
Cake:
2 c sugar
4 eggs
2 c canned pumpkin
1 c canola oil
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 c powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk (if required to get right consistency)

Cream sugar, eggs, pumpkin and oil with a hand mixer.  Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and cloves.  Add to the pumpkin mixture.  Bake in a greased pan @350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

For the frosting, mix the ingredients well and cover bars when cool.

Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce
2 c cranberry juice
1 (6 oz) bag sweetened dried cranberries
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 c sugar
2 Gala apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 tsp cornstarch

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, add juice, cranberries, cinnamon and sugar.  Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes.  Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have softened and apples are tender (about 5 minutes).

Remove 8 oz of liquid to a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch.  Slowly add back to the cranberry mixture, stirring constantly.  Cook for 5 more minutes.  Remove from the heat and refrigerate in the serving bowl until thickened (about 30 minutes).  Remove the cinnamon sticks and serve.

Butternut Squash Soup (you won't believe it!)

This is an amazingly yummy butternut squash soup I found online! My husband hates squash, so when I made it and left it out for him to eat (he got home late) I intentionally stayed out of the kitchen so he would try it first before asking! :) He sat down at the table, and I waited, listening...



"Beck!! This stuff is amazing! it is the BEST soup! what is it!!" I almost felt bad telling him! Hope you guys pluck up the courage to try, it really IS good! This is not the typical cinnamon-y squash soup, it has a little kick--but not enough to dissuade all my people from gobbling it down!! YUM.

Easy Butternut Soup

Ingredients :
3/4 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
6 Tablespoons butter
8 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (I used one large butternut and 1 large acorn, cook 25 minutes, halved & seeded, cut side down @ 350 in oven, cool to help cut)
5 cups water
6 cubes chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon dried marjoram (I didn't have--fabulous anyways)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (don't skip this though!)
1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup half/half or milk

Directions :


In a large saucepan, saute onions in butter until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.
Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, add half/half, and heat through. Do not allow to boil.

Pumpkin Bread

Becky and I both found this recipe coincidentally! It's really great! I don't know about you but I stock up on can of pumpkin this time of year :)

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 cups white sugar
6 eggs
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, pecans, coconut or raisins

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed (It took me an hour and 5 minutes).