Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

From: Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls, optional

Directions:
Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Serve in bowls. Or, if serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.

Parmesan Okra

From: Southern Living

Ingredients
1 pound fresh okra, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons Greek seasoning
1/4 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Sauté okra in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and seasoning, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Potato Bundles

From: The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Ingredients:
6 whole Russet potatoes
1/2 whole Yellow Onion, diced
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Kosher Salt to taste
Paprika to taste
Black Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Directions:
1. Pile potatoes and onions on a square of foil.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Splash on cream.
3. Then sprinkle on salt, paprika, and black pepper.
4. Sprinkle minced parsley over the top.
5. Wrap bundles tightly and bake 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until extremely tender.
6. Serve bundles right on the dinner plate.

The Resident Chef

I came across The Resident Chef at a jewelry and gift show. I bought their Jamaican Jerk seasoning and their Parmesan Italian Dip. Last night, we grilled out chicken with the Jamaican Jerk seasoning and it was fantastic. The dip is great to dip bread in with your meal.

The seasonings, cheese balls, dips, and soups are all reasonably priced. Their cheeseballs are fantastic as well. Check out their website here. I received my seasoning in about three days.

When the weather gets cooler, I am going to try some of their soup. It just all sounds so wonderful.

Caprese Salad

From: Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Ingredients:
1 large tomato, sliced into 8 slices
8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 slices
5-6 basil leaves, sliced
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh pepper

Directions:
1. Place sliced mozzarella on a large plate or platter.
2. Top with tomato, olive oil, balsamic, basil, salt and pepper.

Peach Crisp

From: BettyCrocker.com

Ingredients:
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup cold butter
5 cups frozen sliced peaches, thawed and drained, or 1 can (29 oz) sliced peaches, drained

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, place cookie mix. Cut in butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
2. In ungreased 8-inch square baking dish or 2-quart round casserole, place peaches.
3. Sprinkle cookie mixture over peaches.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm or cool.

Burrito BLT Sandwiches

For a new twist on an old favorite:
From: BettyCrocker.com

Ingredients:
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
2 cups bite-size pieces lettuce
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)
1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
6 flour tortillas (8 inches in diameter)

Directions:
1. Toss all ingredients except tortillas.
2. Spread one-sixth of bacon mixture on each tortilla. Fold up bottom third of each tortilla; roll up to form cone shape with folded end at bottom.

Alfredo Pasta

Ingredients:

1 chicken bullion cube dissolved in 1/4 cup of hot water
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup of cold water
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Combine bullion water and cream. Bring to a low boil.
2. Add corstarch water. Return to low boil.
3. Add cheese. (Thin with milk, if desired, or add more corstarch water, if desired. Sauce will thicken as it cools)
3. Add to desired pasta.

*You can top with grilled chicken, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.

Dipped Peanut Butter Balls

From: In This Wonderful Life...

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1 cup peanut butter
1 lb. box of powdered sugar
4 cups of Rice Krispies cereal
2 bags of chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Put Rice Krispies in a gallon bag and whack until slightly crushed.
2. In a mixer bowl, combine butter and peanut butter while gradually adding sugar and cereal. Mix everything together and the mixture will be very dry.
3. Roll peanut butter mixture into small balls and place on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.
4. In a double boiler, melt all chocolate over medium heat then reduce heat to low. Dip the peanut butter balls in the chocolate. Refrigerate then serve when chocolate is hard.

Rolo Pretzels

From: In This Wonderful Life


Ingredients:
Rolos
Pretzels
Nuts (your choice)

Directions:
Bake rolo on pretzel for about 6 min @ 350
Push your choice of nut down on the rolo once you pull them out of the oven

Super Easy BBQ Pizza

From: inkOBSESSION designs

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless chicken breasts (or a packet of Tyson grilled chicken breast strips)
3/4 cup of BBQ Sauce (pick your favorite)
24 oz pizza crust (I used Boboli)
8 oz package of cheese (mozzarella cheese)

Directions:

1. Cut up the chicken and grilled it
2. Spread a thin layer of BBQ on the crust
3. Sprinkled a little cheese on the crust
4. Spread chicken evenly on the crust
5. Top the chicken with the remaining cheese
6. Bake for 12 minutes at 450 degrees (or until crust is brown)

*This was super easy and super delicious!!!

Strawberry Poppyseed Salad (knock-off of Panera Bread's)

This recipe is supposed to be the wonderful colorful fruit salad at Panera Bread. Serve with banana bread or muffins.

Ingredients:
24 c. romaine lettuce, chopped
12 oz fat free poppyseed dressing (or sugar free, whichever suits you)
12 oz canned pineapple tidbits, drained
12 oz mandarin oranges, drained
12 oz fresh blueberries
12 oz fresh strawberries, halved
6 oz chopped pecans

Toss fruit with lettuce, add dressing, toss again and top with pecans.

Serves 6-8