Showing posts with label mozarella cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mozarella cheese. Show all posts

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

I was craving this dip and since the Chilis nearby closed I decided to make some at home. I couldn't find a recipe I liked 100% so I adapted Paula Deen's recipe from the Food Network. It was so yummy and made a lot so next time I will probably cut it in half!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans artichoke hearts
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used 8oz of cream cheese instead - mayo is yucky!)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used 8oz.)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese (I used mozerella cheese)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Heat the spinach in a microwave oven on high for 5 minutes and squeeze dry. Drain the artichoke hearts and coarsely chop in a food processor.
Combine all the ingredients except the jack cheese in a large bowl. Stir well. Scrape into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the jack cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Transfer to a chafing dish and keep warm over a low flame. Serve with bagel chips.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Lamb Meatballs with Garlic Tomato Sauce on Pitas

After finding some ground lamb for $2.45 a pound I needed to find an Italian-style recipe to use it for. This one seemed perfect and I used the ground lamb meat instead of ground chicken. And it was SO good. Seriously, the homemade sauce and the meatballs are really good. Eight pitas were only $1.50 so by no means was this a pricey meal but it was very delicious!
Chicken Meatballs with Garlic Tomato Sauce on Pitas
from Good Things Catered
Ingredients
1 lb. ground chicken (I used ground lamb that I had, turkey or hamburger would also work)
1 medium sweet onion, grated
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp fresh oregano
1 pinch fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp fresh breadcrumbs (I used Italian style, not fresh)
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp ketchup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 recipe garlicky tomato sauce (see recipe below)
Pitas
Mozzarella, or cheese of choice
Directions:
1. In large bowl, combine chicken (lamb), onion, thyme, oregano, and rosemary.
2. To chicken mixture, add breadcrumbs, soy sauce, and ketchup.
3. Fold mixture to combine ingredients (do not stir as it will overwork).
4. In large skillet over medium low heat, add olive oil.
5. Meanwhile, roll chicken mixture into 2-inch balls.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. When pan is heated through and almost smoking, carefully add meatballs to the pan, spacing one inch apart.
8. Let cook, untouched, until bottom of meatballs are browned, about 4-5 minutes.
9. Using tongs, gently flip meatballs being careful not to break, and let cook untouched until other side of meatballs are browned, about 4-5 minutes.
10. Remove meatballs from pan, set aside, and repeat cooking process with remaining meatballs.
11. Return all meatballs to the pan, add 1/2 c. of water and place in oven to cook. (I put the pitas in now to toast them for about 10 minutes).
12. Cook until internal temperature of meatballs reaches 165 degrees- this took about 20-25 minutes in my oven. Check the meatballs with a meat thermometer to measure doneness. (I didn't do that.)
13. Meanwhile, heat tomato sauce.
14. Remove meatballs from oven, drain off liquid and all fat.
15. Add heated tomato sauce to pan, scraping browned bits from the bottom.16. Heat through and serve on toasted pitas, topped with cheese.
Garlicky Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 (14 oz) can whole tomatoes, lightly drained and coarsely chopped (I did not drain them)
1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
1/4 c. water (omitted - instead don't drain tomatoes)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tsp fresh basil, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pinch raw sugar
Directions
1. In large stock pot over medium heat, heat oil and bring up to almost smoking.
2. Add diced onion and cook until translucent and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds
4. Add chopped tomatoes, scraping any browned bits from bottom of the pan, and heat until starting to bubble.
5. Turn heat to a simmer and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine.
6. Let simmer for one hour, uncovered.
7. If storing, remove from heat and place in airtight containers in fridge once cooled.
8. If serving immediately, simmer until begins to bubble and serve.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Zucchini, Sausage, and Feta Casserole

Zucchini, Sausage, and Feta Casserole
from Cooking Light

This pasta casserole combines pantry ingredients with fresh summer produce for a hearty, family-friendly dish. Any leftovers are even better the next day as the flavors have time to meld.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)
8 ounces chicken sausage (I used as zesty habenero flavored sausage to add some kick and may try a tomato basil kind next time)
1 teaspoon olive oil
5 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt object2
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper object
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese object
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.
Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes, omitting salt and fat; drain.
Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from pan. Heat oil in pan. Add zucchini, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and zucchini begins to brown, stirring occasionally.
Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute. Combine zucchini mixture, pasta, sausage, and feta cheese in a large bowl; toss well. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

* I also sprinkled with a little olive oil when I pulled it out of the oven because the cheese dried out just a bit.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 284(27% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 4.6g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 16.9g; CHOLESTEROL 35mg; CALCIUM 160mg; SODIUM 433mg; FIBER 2.6g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.3g
Lia Huber
Cooking Light, JULY 2007