Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon

salt and pepper
12 slices of bacon, cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces ( diced ham works well, also)
4 leeks (white and light green parts only) halved lengthwise, rinsed well, and thinly sliced
1 pound pasta (small pasta like campanelle or orecchiette work well)
2 large eggs
1/2 ounce Parmesan, grated (1/4 cup) plus more for serving
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from skillet. Add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until leeks are golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Add pasta to pot and cook according to directions. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice. Whisk 1/4 cup pasta water into egg mixture.

Drain pasta and immediately add to egg mixture, along with bacon, leeks, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle with more cheese if desired and serve immediately.

Tagine with Pork and Couscous

In a tagine with lamb ( or pork loin) and couscous, rich meat offsets the sweet taste of honey, cinnamon, and raisins. Vegetables lighten things up, and the couscous absorbs all the flavors. For best results, cook in a tagine (a glazed earthenware container with a conical lid) over a heat diffuser (a flat metal plate that is placed over a burner). Otherwise, use any large casserole or Dutch oven.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/Tagine-with-Lamb-and-Couscous#ixzz1lMYUTEre

Makes 4 - 6 servings.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless pork loin or lamb shoulder , cut into bite-size cubes
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 medium sweet potato , skinned and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 medium onion , coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic , skinned and mashed
• 1/4 cup white raisins
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds
• Sprigs of fresh cilantro for garnish
• 1 box couscous

Directions

To make lamb: Season meat with salt and pepper. In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil; add lamb and brown over medium heat.

Place heat diffuser over another burner. Place tagine on top of diffuser and set burner to medium heat.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine lamb, carrots, sweet potato, honey, allspice, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, and chicken broth. Lightly toss to coat.

Add remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil to tagine. When hot, add onion and garlic; cook until soft, about 6 minutes.

Add combined ingredients to tagine; cover and simmer approximately 40 minutes. Remove from heat; garnish with raisins, toasted almonds, and cilantro.

Meanwhile, make couscous as directed on box . Fluff couscous with a fork and serve alongside tagine.

Tian Provencal ( Zucchini and Tomato Bake)

1 tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzling

1 large onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 pound tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch

1 pound zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch

1 tsp dried herbs de Provence (can also use Italian seasoning)

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese ( I use a little more)

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over low heat. Cook onions and garlic for about 20 minutes until soft and golden. Spread over bottom of a 12 inch shallow baking dish.

Arrange tomatoes and zucchini in rows over onion mixture. Alternate rows of zucchini and tomatoes. Sprinkle with herbs, cheese, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes or until veggies are tender. Serve warm or hot.

RAVIOLI WITH SAGE-WALNUT BUTTER

Kosher salt

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 9-ounce packages refrigerated cheese ravioli
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup fresh sage leaves
• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Combine the vinegar,honey and bay leaf in a small saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Cover to keep warm.

Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook as the label directs. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the sage and walnuts and cook until the nuts are toasted, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, ladle in about 1 cup cooking water and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.

Drain the ravioli, reserving another 1/2 cup cooking water. Add the ravioli to the skillet and toss to coat, adding the reserved water as needed. Remove from the heat, toss with the parmesan and season with salt. Divide the ravioli among plates and drizzle with the balsamic syrup.

Per serving: Calories 613; Fat 47 g (Saturated 19 g); Cholesterol 94 mg; Sodium 633 mg; Carbohydrate 29 g; Fiber 4 g; Protein 17g

PEAR AND PROSCIUTTO PIZZA

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups vertically sliced Oso Sweet or other sweet onion
• 1 (12-ounce) prebaked pizza crust (such as Mama Mary's)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
• 1 medium pear, thinly sliced
• 2 ounces prosciutto, cut into thin strips
• Dash of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1 1/2 cups baby arugula leaves
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 450°.
• 2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.
• 3. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Top evenly with onion mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Top evenly with pear and prosciutto. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle with nuts. Place arugula in a medium bowl. Drizzle vinegar over greens; toss gently to coat. Top pizza evenly with arugula mixture. Cut pizza into 8 wedges.

Jackie Mills, Cooking Light
MARCH 2010

Italian Beef - crock pot

• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
• 1 (5 pound) rump roast

Directions

1. Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil.
2. Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat.
3. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork.

Apple Cake

Preheat oven 350

1/2 c butter, melted

2 c flour

1 c sugar

1/2 c light brown sugar

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tap salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 lbs apples - peeled, cored and cut in 1" chunks

1/2 c chopped walnuts

2 large eggs

Butter 9x13 pan. Whisk together flour, sugars, baking soda, salt and spices. Add apples, walnuts, butter and eggs. Stir until just combined. (Mixture will be thick and won't look like enough liquid. The apples cook down and provide juice that will be cooked into the batter.) Spoon into pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake 40 - 45 minutes. Cool in pan and can be dusted with powdered sugar or served with fresh made whipped cream.

Olive Garden Style Chicken Gnocchi Soup

1/3 c olive oil or butter

2 cloves minced garlic

1 lb chicken cut up in bite size pieces

1/3 c flour

1/2 carrot shredded

1 celery stick

1/2 c fresh chopped spinach

2 1/2 c whole milk

1 1/2 c heavy cream

3 chicken bullion cubes

cracked pepper to taste

Package of gnocchi - either frozen or packaged

On medium heat melt butter and add garlic and saute, add chicken and cook through out. Stir in flour well and mix until flour is cooked into the chicken. Add milk and heavy cream. Add veggies and bullion cubes. Stir and heat together. Add Gnocchi last and cook package directions. Mix ingredients well until soup thickens. Simmer about 10 minutes and stir occasionally.

Posole - Mexican Soup

12oz ground turkey or sausage

2 - 14oz cans chicken broth

1 - 15oz can black beans drained

2 - 14oz cans hominy, drained

1 - 14oz can Mexican style stewed tomatoes chopped or Rotel

1/2 c chopped green pepper

1/3 c chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

Brown meat then add green pepper, onion, garlic, oregano and chili powder. Cook until tender. add rest of ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Garnish with lime wedges.

Potato Cheese Soup

4 oz bacon, chopped

2 TBSP butter

2 slices leaks

2 tsp dried sage

2 tsp dried thyme

4 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cream

1 bay leaf

3 chopped potatoes

8oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

chives

Saute bacon til brown and crispy. Add butter and saute leeks, sage and thyme. Add chicken broth, cream, bay leaf and potatoes. Simmer until tender. Mash some of the potatoes til the consistency is what you like. Add cheese and stir til melted. Top with fresh chives.

Beef Stroganoff - crock pot

• 1 TBSP veggie oil
  2 pounds beef stew meat - cut up in 1 inch pieces
  1/4 pound sliced fresh mushrooms ( I use one container)
  2 TBSP chopped onion
  2 cloves minced garlic
  1 tsp salt
  1 tsp dried oregano leaves
  1/2 tsp pepper
  1/4 tsp marjoram leaves
  1 bay leaf
  1 1/2 cups beef broth
  1/3 cup red wine
  1 cup sour cream
  1/2 cup flour
  1/4 cup water
  Hot cooked noodles
  
  Brown beef on all sides in oil. Drain and discard fat. Combine beef, mushrooms, onions, garlic,salt, oregano, pepper, marjoram and bay leaf in crock pot. Pour beef broth and wine over top. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 -10 hours or HIGH for 4 - 5 hours.
  
  Combine sour cream, flour and water in a small bowl. Stir in about 1 cup hot liquid. Add mixture to crock pot. Cook uncovered on HIGH for 30 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Serve over noodles

Roasted Pumpkin with Sage and Shallots

1 medium sugar pumpkin peeled seeded and cut into 2" pieces
4 shallots peeled and 1/4 lengthwise
3 TBSP olive oil
3/4 cup fresh sage leaves
coarse salt and ground pepper

Mix all ingredients and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender...about 30-35 minutes. Toss once and rotate baking sheet 1/2 way thru.