Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce aka Best Thing I've Ever Made/Eaten

Seriously, these are the best thing I've ever made. I was blown out of the water when I had my first bite! A-mazing! Wonderful! Fantastic!

Short ribs are a bit hard to find, but are cheap and make the most delicious, tender anything. If you try anything here, please try these!! A lot of prep time because short ribs have to braise in order to break down the tough connective tissues, but SO worth it!!

Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce

Adapted from PioneerWoman.com

Ingredients

8 whole beef short ribs

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and Pepper

1 tbsp sugar

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 whole onion, diced

1 c red wine

1 c (28oz) whole tomatoes

1 c (14oz) tomato sauce

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp ground thyme

Directions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Sprinkle short ribs with salt and pepper. Brown short ribs in olive oil, about 1-1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.

Pour off excess oil. Throw garlic and onions into the pot. Stir to cook for a minute or two, then add tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, salt, red pepper flakes, and thyme. Stir to combine.

With tongs, set short ribs back into the pot, submerging as much as possible. Cover the pot and place into the oven.

Cook for 3 1/2-4 hours. Short ribs should be tender and falling off the bone. With a spoon, skim off any visible fat and discard.

As they are right now, they're absolutely delicious!!! The sauce is so rich and velvety, almost. To serve, I made some polenta, which was great because it absorbed all the sauce. This is a winner!!

Goat Cheese and Sun dried Tomato stuffed Chicken Breast

This was a creating a la Eric. A friend had made this for him before, so we just tried to recreate it as best we could. It turned out so good!!

You'll need to butterfly your chicken breasts, which means cut them thru the middle horizontally but do NOT cut them totally apart. You just want to kinda fillet them in half so they open like a book page. Good analogy, right???

Goat Cheese and Sun dried Tomato stuffed Chicken Breast

Adapted from Eric <3

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts, butterflied

4 oz goat cheese, at room temperature

1/3 c halved sun dried tomatoes in oil

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Butterfly your chicken breasts as explained so eloquently above. Spread 1/3 of the goat cheese down the middle of the chicken breast. Top with a line of sun dried tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Roll the chicken breast up and secure with toothpicks to keep the filling in. Season the outside with salt and pepper as well. Repeat with the other chicken breasts.

To cook, heat some olive oil in a skillet and brown the chicken on all sides. Cover and let finish cooking at a low temp. Remember to remove the toothpicks before eating!

Super Easy Chicken Parm Subs

This is my super easy take on a chicken parm sub and I throw in some spinach to make me feel healthier. You could add whatever you wanted or have lying around in the veggie drawer too.

Super Easy Chicken Parm Subs

Makes 2

Ingredients

1 chicken breast, cut into cubes

Salt and Pepper

1 c pizza or marinara sauce

1/2 c frozen chopped spinach

Parm cheese

French bread roll, hoagie roll, whatever you've got

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Cut the bread roll in half. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and a little salt. Pop until the broiler until slightly toasty.

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown the chicken in a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper. When cooked through, add the spinach and sauce. Let cook for 5 minutes or so.

When the bread is cool enough to handle, pile each piece with the chicken filling. Top with parmesan cheese and put back under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and melted. Enjoy!

Portabello Parmesan

Baked cheesy deliciousness... yes, please! And we can call it healthful because it's mushrooms... right?

In the recipe, you make your own marinara sauce, however, if you have one that you love, just use it. That will halve the time it takes to make this dish!

Portobello Parmesan

Adapted from The Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the dish

3 portobello mushroom caps

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

4 fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper

2 c panko bread crumbs

1 c grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp chopped parsley

4 lrg eggs

1 c flour

Veggie oil for frying

4 oz mozzarella, sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x13 inch baking dish. Scrape out the gills of the portobellos with a spoon then halve the shrooms horizontally to make 6 thin rounds.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 min. Reduce the heat to low, add the tomatoes and basil and cook until the garlic is soft, about 15 min more. For a smooth sauce, transfer to the food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine the panko, 1/2 c Parmesan, 1 tbsp parsley, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a shallow bowl. whisk the eggs and 2 tbsp water in another bowl. Put the flour in a third bowl.

Dredge the shrooms in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the eggs and then in the panko mixture, pressing to coat both sides. Heat 1/2 inch veggie oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Working in batches, fry the shrooms until golden, about 2 min per side. Drain on paper towels.

Spread a layer of the marinara sauce in the prepared baking dish. Add the shrooms, then cover with the remaining sauce. Top with the mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until browned, 20-25 min. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.

Pea Prosciutto Sauce for Pasta

This is a really easy pasta sauce that you can put on whatever your favorite pasta is. Lately, mine is ravioli as you can tell from some of the other posts. I made this because it was on the cover of the most recent Food Network magazine. It was so funny because my sister called me and told me she had to make this recipe and I'd already cut it out. Great minds think alike!

Pea Prosciutto Sauce for Pasts

Adapted from The Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

4 oz prosciutto, chopped (or bacon)

2 tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 c heavy cream

1 lb cooked pasta

1 c frozen peas

Parsley

Parmesan, grated

Directions

Cook prosciutto (or bacon) in a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat until crisp, about 4 min. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, about 1 min. Ladle in 1 c reserved pasta water and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 min. Add heavy cream and simmer until thickened, about 3 min. Toss in the cooked ravioli, peas and some chopped parsley. Top with grated Parmesan.

Ravioli with Artichoke Sauce

I found this in my Food Network magazine and decided to try it because it only takes 20 minutes or so. I also love artichokes, so was excited to find a pasta recipe that Incorporated them.

Ravioli with Artichoke Sauce

Adapted from The Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 9 oz package frozen artichokes (or canned artichokes in water)

1 c half and half

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

1 c frozen peas (don't thaw)

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tsp lemon juice

1 lb frozen ravioli

1/4 c Parmesan

1/4 torn basil leaves

Directions

Combine the artichokes, half and half, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp salt in a large skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until the artichokes are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and continue to cook, covered, until tender, about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil. Add the ravioli and cook as the label directs. When done, transfer into the sauce.

Add the Parmesan to the pasta and sauce and gently stir. Top with the torn basil and serve with crusty french bread. Yay!

Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

So, I also forgot to take a picture of this... yikes! Off my game...

These are awesome!!! The stuffing is absolutely amazing!

Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

4 whole Portabello mushroom caps, gills removed and cleaned

Olive oil

1/2 lb Italian sausage, or links with casings removed

2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 whole onion, diced

1 bulb fresh fennel, diced

1 whole bell pepper, any color, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 sprigs rosemary

3/4 c white wine or chicken stock

1/2 c shredded cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

4 slices sandwich bread, toasted (pulse in food processor for bread crumbs or use store bought bread crumbs)

1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Wipe the portabellos clean with a paper towel and scrape out the gills with a spoon. Drizzle enough olive oil in the bottom of a glass baking dish to coat. Place shrooms in the dish, top down, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Brown the sausage in a large skillet with a little olive oil and the crushed red pepper over medium high heat. Add the veggies, garlic and rosemary to the skillet when the sausage is browned, cook about 5-7 minutes.

Add the wine to deglaze the pan and allow to cook for another 5 min or so, until everything is tender.

Stir in the shredded cheese and bread crumbs. Taste for seasonings at this point.

Add salt and pepper, if needed, and remove from the heat. Then add the beaten egg and the mixture should seem a little 'wet.' Mound the stuffing into the portabello caps and sprinkle with a little extra cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes and then enjoy!!

Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage Marinara

This is the second stuffed shells recipe that I've made and I've decided I dig em. They are the perfect cheesy, pasta-y, yummy dish and the combinations are endless. If I have to be choosy, I would say try this recipe first over the other one I've posted below. This seems to me to be more of a traditional stuffed shell recipe. Any of my Italian friends want to weigh in?

Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage Marinara

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1 box jumbo pasta shells

15 oz Ricotta cheese

8 oz cubed mozzarella

1 c freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping

1 egg

12 basil leaves

2 tbsp minced parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 whole medium onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb Italian sausage

1/2 c red wine

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Cook pasta shells for half the time directed. Drain and pour in some olive oil to keep them from sticking while hanging out.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a min or two. Add Italian sausage and brown, breaking it up into small bits as it cooks. Pour in red wine and cook for another min or two. Pour in cans of crushed tomatoes and stir. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for seasonings.

In a separate bowl, mix cheeses, egg, salt and pepper, basil and parsley. Stir until combined.

To assemble, coat the bottom of a baking dish with sauce. Fill each half-cooked shell with the cheese mixture. Place face down in the sauce. Repeat until the cheese mixture is gone. Top shells with remaining sauce. Sprinkle on extra Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot and bubble. Serve with crusty bread and a salad.

Stuffed Shells

Pasta stuffed with yummy stuff and topped with cheese... ummm, duh! Of course, I put it on my to do list!

*note: I made a half the recipe below because this makes 32 stuffed shells or 2 8x12 baking dishes*

Stuffed Shells

Adapted from MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients

1 box jumbo pasta shells (even if you're making half, still cook all the shells bc I found many break)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 red onion, chopped

1 head radicchio lettuce (cored and shredded, about 4 c)

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

12 oz ricotta cheese

8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes

Salt

Pepper

5 c of your favorite tomato sauce

Directions

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook pasta shells for 10 min. Drain, rinse, transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook prosciutto, garlic, and onion, stirring until prosciutto starts to caramelize, 6 to 8 min. Add radicchio, cook until tender but not mushy, about 4 min. Stir in vinegar, cook until evaporated. Let cool slightly then stir in ricotta and mozzarella.

Pour 2 c tomato sauce into the bottom of each of two 8x12 inch baking dishes. Stuff 32 shells with 1 heaping tbsp filling each. Pack 16 shells into each dish. Here I poured more tomato sauce over the shells cause I like sauce and I covered the shells in shredded Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil (freeze now, if desired).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dot shells with butter. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 15 min more. Heat remaining sauce and serve with the shells.

Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks

I've come clean with my butternut squash obsession, but I've yet to announce by leek obsession. Man, these things are delicious! They are in the onion family, but they are much more mild and palatable if you're nervous about onions. This pasta dish involves leeks, pancetta (fancy bacon) and cream... seriously? Seriously? I never even stood a chance...

Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

12 oz pasta, cooked al dente

3 oz chopped pancetta (I used bacon)

3 whole leeks, sliced thin

1 tbsp butter

1/2 c dry white wine

1/2 c heavy cream

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook pasta and set aside. Reserve 1/2 c pasta water.

Saute chopped pancetta (or bacon) until fat is rendered and it starts to brown. Add sliced leeks and cook for 8 min. When you add the leeks, you can also throw in a pat or two of butter, if you're brave. After 8-10 min, pour in wine then cook an additional 1-2 min, until reduced. Reduce the heat to low, then pour in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in Parmesan. Toss with the pasta, adding a little pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Take a bite and go to pasta heaven...

Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini with Parmesan Topping

When I planted my vegetable garden this year, I was most excited about the zucchini. I pictured lots of zucchini and I'd be making zucchini bread, muffins, cakes, fried, baked, blah blah blah. However, not one zucchini yet... not one. The plants are huge but nada. So... I went and bought some and made this because I'd finally decided I had waited long enough. Time to move on.

Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini with Parmesan Topping

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients

2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, center spooned out but save the 'meat'

2 tsp olive oil

4 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped

1/4 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

Salt

Pepper

1/4 c Parmesan cheese

3 tbsp bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the onions, zucchini, and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from the heat and let cool.

Lay the zucchini on the baking sheet

and fill with the sauteed veggies.

Mix the parmesan and bread crumbs together. Top the zucchini with the cheese mixture.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Corn Mushroom Risotto

Anything with risotto in the title, pretty much makes it on my menu. I mean, I love carbs in all shapes and forms. And this one is fancy because it's Italian carbs. Molto bueno!

Lots of people are intimidated by risotto because they think it requires constant care. You actually do not have to stand at the stove and stir constantly. You do however, have to continuously add liquid. But I did dishes, made a salad, etc all while the risotto was cooking. Every now and then lean over and add some stock. Not so hard...

Corn Mushroom Risotto

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

5 pieces bacon, diced

1 c frozen corn

6 oz shitake mushrooms

4 oz button mushrooms

3 tbsp butter

2 medium shallots

1 1/4 c arborio rice

1 c dry white wine

1/2 c to 3/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

4 c chicken stock

salt

pepper

Directions

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, heat 4 cups chicken stock and 2 cups water in a small sauce pan.

Stem and slice the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms in the pan with the bacon drippings over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate.

Add the butter and shallots to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft.

Add the rice and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.

Stir in the wine until absorbed, then add 1 tsp salt and the corn.

Ladle in 1/2 cup of the stock and water mixture, stirring until absorbed.

(This is how you know when to add more stock... when you move your spatula thru the risotto and it doesn't immediately come together.)

Continue adding broth in 1/2 cup increments, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more.

Continue until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the cheese, mushrooms and bacon.

Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Enjoy!

Potato Leek Pizza

This pizza was so yummy! I love leeks and get excited when I find a recipe that uses them. They are in the onion family, but are so mild and delicious. You should try one! The bacon and cheese don't hurt this pie one single bit, either. It came out very impressive, I felt, so definitely put this on your list of must-try!

Potato Leek Pizza

Adapted from the Pioneer Woman Cookbook

Ingredients

Pizza Crust

1 tsp or 1/2 pkg active dry yeast

4 c all purpose flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling

Pizza

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces

3 leeks, rinsed well to remove grit and thinly sliced

5 small red or Yukon gold potatoes, sliced paper thin

1 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced thin

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Black pepper

Directions

Pizza crust:

Pour 1 1/2c warm water in a bowl and sprinkle yeast over the water.

Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on low, drizzle the olive oil into the flour/salt mix until just combined.

In a separate bowl, gently stir yeast/water mix, then drizzle it into the flour/oil mixture.

Mix until the dough forms a ball. Drizzle a little olive oil into a clean bowl, toss dough into the bowl and over with oil.

Cover with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm location for 1-2 hours. (You can store in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for two days or freeze for up to 6 months).

Pizza Toppings:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil to prevent the crust from sticking. Put the dough on the baking sheet and lightly stretch until it gets to your desired shape and size. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Begin by placing the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon until cooking but not crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside.

Pour off most of the grease, but don't clean the plan. Return to the heat and turn to medium low. Add the leeks to the pan and saute over medium low heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Using a sharp knife or a mandolin, slice the potatoes very thin. Do this just before you need the potatoes or they will turn brown. Yuck! Arrange the potatoes in a single layer over the entire crust, slightly overlapping the edges. Sprinkle the potato layer with salt.

Lay the mozzarella slices over the potatoes in a single layer.

Place the leeks on top of the cheese. Then the bacon layer goes on. Finally, add the goat cheese and freshly grated black pepper.

Bake for 8-11 minutes until the edges of the crust are brown and the cheese is melted. Cut and serve!

Bow-tie 'Lasagna'

This is another fabulous Pioneer Woman recipe. It was so easy and super yummy! It's a great weeknight dish and the leftovers would be perfect work lunch the next day. In the future, I might spice this up with some veggies too!

Bow-tie 'Lasagna'

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1 lb ground chuck

5 c bow tie noodles

3 c spaghetti sauce (whatever your favorite is)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp italian seasoning

1/2 c mozzarella cheese (I used an italian blend)

1/2 c sour cream (I used plain greek yogurt cause I didn't have sour cream)

Directions

Fry the ground chuck in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I know the habit it to stir and mix around, but you want to break it up and then leave it. The meat should brown and get some tasty flavor. When it's done, set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. When done, drizzle with olive oil and mix in your sauce. Then add the hamburger, italian seasoning, cheese and sour cream.

Stir together and cook on low for a few minutes if it needs to thicken up and melt the cheese then serve. Yummy!

Mini Meatball Sandwiches

This is one of those meals that you love but never order out because it's so messy to eat in public. Or at least that's why I don't... Aaaanyway...

There is this blog that I follow every day (it's that good) called Pioneer Woman and she posts funny ramblings about her life on a Oklahoma ranch every day; stories about her kids, Marlboro Man (her cowboy husband), their animals and other stuff. Included in that are a section for recipes, which is where I got this. I also bought her cookbook the other day and read it cover to cover. No joke... like it was a Nicholas Sparks tear jerker (without the sobbing).

K, so the moral of this story is you should make this. That's all.

Mini Meatball Sandwiches

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1 lb ground chuck or ground beef

1/2 c bread crumbs (seasoned, plain, panko... whatever)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

Pepper to taste

1/2 c milk (whatever you drink is fine... maybe not chocolate though)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 jar marinara sauce

12 slider rolls or dinner rolls

Italian cheese of some kind (mix, mozz, parm, etc)

Directions

Mix meat with bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and milk. Knead together with hands. Roll into heaping tablespoon sized meatballs. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 1 minute. Add meatballs between the onions and brown for 1 minute. (You might have to do this in batches depending on the size of your skillet. Or freeze some for later). Pour in a jar of marinara; shake pan gently to mix. Put on the lid and simmer for 20 minutes.

When ready to serve, cut each dinner roll in half. Place cheese on top and bottom. Spoon a meatball with sauce onto the bottom bun and top. Serve extra sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Jesseca's Pasta

This recipe was sent to me by my friend, Jesseca Keefe. We went to nursing school together and she's a lovely person and a great cook! Our tastes seem to run the same gamut so she knew I'd love this! It's a great, quick pasta with so few ingredients you may have them in your fridge now.

Jesseca's Pasta

Adapted from Jesseca Keefe

Ingredients

8 oz whole wheat pasta

2 cups low fat marinara

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 7 oz container Greek yogurt

1 cup chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper

6 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Cook pasta, drain

2. While pasta is cooking bring marinara and red pepper flakes to simmer over medium heat for 5 min. Remove from heat

3. Stir 1/2 cup marinara into yogurt until smooth. This prevents curdling. Whisk mixture back into sauce.

4. Combine pasta with sauce, basil, salt and pepper and cheese.

Lazy Chicken

This is another RR recipe from an old cookbook. It appealed to me because it's a one pot chicken dish and who doesn't love the simplicity of that. It turned out very good, very Italian, and fulfilling. I served it with a green salad and it was a great meal for myself and my dear friend, Michelle.

Lazy Chicken

Adapted from Rachael Ray, Classic 30-Minute Meals

Ingredients

Balsamic vinegar

1 & 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (thinly sliced or pounded thin)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 medium white-skinned potatoes, thinly sliced

1 medium white onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 c white wine or chicken broth

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced

1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes

10 leaves fresh basil, torn or coarsely chopped

2 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves stripped from stem and chopped

1/2 to 3/4 c shredded Italian cheese of your choice

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Rub a little splash of balsamic vinegar into each chicken breast. Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan.

Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to pan. Add a layer of sliced potatoes and onions. Sprinkle the potatoes and onion with salt and pepper. Let potatoes and onions cook, turning occasionally but maintaining a thin layer, until they begin to brown all over. Add a little broth of wine to the pan. Spread a thin layer of zucchini on top of potatoes and onions and season again. Top with a layer of the chicken breasts. Dump the crushed tomatoes evenly over the top. Sprinkle with chopped herbs. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese and serve!

Lentils with Pasta and Greens

Hi Friends! Sorry, I've been absent. Went on vacation and started my new job! All very exciting, but not enough cooking being done. I'm back on the wagon, so never fear.

I found this in a Rachael Ray cookbook my cousin, Cassady, got me years ago. It caught my eye because it involved lentils, which a great fiber, as well as swiss chard, which I've never cooked with before. It turned out to be very good and satisfying. It'd be great on a cold wintery night with bread and a glass of wine.

Lentils with Pasta and Greens

Adapted from Rachael Ray, Class 30-Minute Meals

Ingredients

2/3 c dried lentils, green or any other variety

2 bay leaves, fresh or dried

10-12 oz pasta (I used whole wheat fusili)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c red wine

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 can vegetable broth

1 lb swiss chard, washed, dried and chopped *cut out tough rib down the middle* (My store had both red and green. I used red because it added nice color).

1/4 tsp allspice

1 tsp ground cumin

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Cover lentils with water and bring to a boil. Add a bay leaf and cook until the lentils are tender, 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, put a large pot of water over high heat for pasta. When water boils, add salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain.

Preheat a large skillet and add extra virgin olive oil. Add remaining bay leaf, onion, carrots, red bell pepper, and garlic. Saute 10 minutes over medium heat. Add wine and cook until liquid reduces, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 more minute. Add vegetable broth and swiss chard; cover. Once greens have wilted, season with allspice, cumin, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until greens are tender, about 10 minutes.

When greens are tender and no longer bitter, uncover and stir in drained lentils and pasta. Adjust seasonings and enjoy!

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

For Kasey's party, I wanted to have some kind of bruschetta with a dip. Forgetting that Kasey doesn't like olives, I chose this. Awesome... At least I can say I've made tapenade now. Liz and thought it was great but bordered on too salty, so taste it before adding any additional salt. It's really easy to make because you put all the ingredients in the food processor.

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

Adapted from www.barefootwine.com

Ingredients

2 c pitted Kalamata olives

2 tbsp capers

1/2 tsp anchovy paste

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp thyme

1 tbsp oregano

1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

Pepper

Salt

Directions

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Pulse until desired texture. Taste and season with salt/pepper, as needed. Serve with toasted baguette.