Week 1 Stuffed Shells

from 101 Cookbooks

Serves 4 - 6.

zest of one lemon 25-30 jumbo dried pasta shells Sauce: 1/3 cup / 80 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes scant 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 4 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes 1 14-ounce can crushed red tomatoes Filling: 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese 1 egg, beaten 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 1 cup / ~5 oz grated mozzarella 1 bunch of chives, minced

Oil a 13 x 9-inch / 33 x 23-cm baking pan, or equivalent, and sprinkle the zest of 1/2 the lemon across it. Set aside. Get a big pot of water boiling, and preheat your oven to 350F / 180C with a rack in the middle. To make the sauce, combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant - you don't want the garlic to brown. Now stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer, just a minute or two. Remove from heat and carefully take a taste (you don't want to burn your tongue)...If the sauce needs more salt add it now. Let cool. To make the filling, combine the ricotta, egg, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until combined, then stir in the mozzarella, remaining lemon zest, and 3/4 of the chives. Set aside. Cook the shells according to package instructions in well-salted water - until al dente. If you overcook, the shells will tear as you attempt to fill them. Drain and let cool long enough to handle with your hands - see photo.

Spread 1/3 of sauce across the bottom of the prepared pan. Fill each shell with ricotta, and arrange in a single layer in the pan. Ladle the remaining sauce over the shells, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover for the final 15 minutes or until the shells are cooked through. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve hot.

Chicken Sauce for Hawaiian Haystacks

from The Baker Upstairs Im including this recipe in case you feel like being ambitious and making homemade Hawaiian Haystacks. But, my easy recipe is to heat up 1 can cream of chicken soup and 1 can canned chicken. Instead of adding 1 can of milk to the soup, just add a can so its a little thicker. Heat through and serve with rice and toppings.

Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks (or leftover cooked chicken, cubed) 3 tablespoons butter onion (about cup), finely chopped 3 cloves garlic; finely minced

1 teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper cup flour 2 cups milk 1 cup chicken broth

Directions: In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion and raw chicken (if using leftover cooked chicken, dont add it to the skillet now, youll add it later). Saute the onion and

chicken, if using, until the onions are soft and translucent and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and chicken and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for one minute this helps get rid of the starchy, flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Add the salt and pepper. If you are using leftover cooked chicken, add it now. Continue simmering, stirring the sauce frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Serve the chicken sauce over rice with your toppings of choice, such as olives, tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, mandarin oranges and chow mein noodles.

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

from The Baker Upstairs

Ingredients: 1 pound boneless chicken thighs 1 cup honey 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup ketchup 2 Tbsp. Vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes cornstarch 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes sesame seed

Directions: Insert chicken into the crockpot and sprinkle salt and pepper on each side. In medium sized bowl combine ketchup, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil, garlic, diced onion, and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken in crockpot. Cook on low 3-4 hours or high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. When done, remove chicken and cut it into chucks. Before returning chicken to crockpot, combine cornstarch in some water and whisk it into the crockpot to thicken it up a bit. Throw the chicken back into the crockpot to re-coat with sauce. Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Week 2 Pannukku
{Finnish pancakes} from The Recipe Critic Ingredients: 4 eggs 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups milk 1 cup flour 1/4 cup sugar 4 Tablespoons butter

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Place the butter in a 9x13 and put into the oven to melt and become slightly bubbly. 2. Whisk together (I do this in my kitchenaid) the 4 eggs until combined. 3. Add the flour, milk, salt, and sugar. Blend together until batter is thin. 4. Pull the pan out of the oven with the melted butter that is slightly bubbly. 5. Gently and slowly, pour the batter on top of the melted butter. 6. Cook for 30 minutes. When it is done, it will be golden brown around the edges and bubble up especially over the sides.

Strawberry Smoothie
from The Baker Upstairs Ingredients: 1 cup frozen strawberries 1 cup vanilla soymilk Optional: 1/2 cup any flavor yogurt 1/4 cup any flavor granola Directions: Mix using immersion blender (or I guess a regular blender or food processor, but I love my immersion blender because it's so easy). Enjoy!

Gnocchi with basil pesto & sausage

from The Baker Upstairs

Gnocchi Ingredients: 2 pounds Russet potatoes 1 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 large egg, lightly beaten Preheat your oven to 400F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, and bake them on a baking sheet for 45 minutes to one hour, or until they are fork-tender. For best results, turn the potatoes over halfway through the baking time. Let the potatoes cool slightly. Peel the potatoes, and then pass them through a potato ricer, food mill or grate them over the large holes of a box grater into a large bowl. Add the lightly beaten egg and the salt to the potatoes and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the flour to the potatoes a little at a time, using only as much as you need so that the dough will not stick to your hands. When the flour has been incorporated, bring the dough together with your fingertips. Dump the dough and any remaining floury bits onto a slightly floured surface. Knead the dough as you would bread dough. Press down and away with the heel of your hand, fold the dough over, make a quarter turn, and repeat the process. Knead for about three or four minutes. Form the dough into a ball and then divide it into 6 smaller balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the

six pieces using your fingertips into a long rope about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into 1 inch pieces. You can cook the gnocchi as it is now, but traditional gnocchi has ridges. To create the ridges, press each piece of dough against the tines of a fork. With your finger, gently roll the pressed dough back off the fork. If you find the dough sticking to the fork, dip the fork in flour before you press the dough against it. Place the gnocchi in a single layer on a lightly floured or parchment-lined dish. If youd like to freeze them for later use, do so on this tray and once they are frozen, drop them into a freezer bag. To cook the gnocchi, place them into a pot of boiling and well-salted water. After a few minutes the gnocchi will float to the top. Continue to cook for one minute then remove and set aside. Toss with cooked turkey sausage, sauted red pepper, and pesto (see below for recipe). Pesto To a food processor (or a Ninja, if you're cool like me) add 1-2 cups basil leaves, a handful of walnuts or pine nuts, 1/2 - 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, and some olive oil. Pulse until everything is combined, and add olive oil until it's at the right consistency. You can store it in the fridge for a week or two, or in the freezer for a long time. And it's delicious. Can't wait for more of those basil leaves to grow back.

Macaroni & Cheese

from The Baker Upstairs

Ingredients: 6-8 ounces pasta of your choice (we like farfalle the best) 1 T butter 1 T flour 1 - 1 1/2 cups milk (depending on how saucy you like it)

1/2 tsp chicken base 1/2 - 1 tsp salt black pepper to taste 1/2 - 1 cup grated cheese (we like cheddar, pepper jack, or colby jack)

Directions: Cook pasta according to package directions. While it's boiling, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in flour and allow to cook a few minutes, or until lightly browned. Add milk and whisk until there are no lumps. Add chicken base, salt, and pepper, and cook until sauce has thickened and is almost at a simmer. Remove from heat and add cheese, whisk to combine. By now your pasta should be done, so add it to the saucepan and give everything a good stir.

Week 3 Chicken Tortilla Soup

from The Baker Upstairs Ingredients: 1 can diced tomatoes 1 can chili beans 2 cans chicken broth (about 3 1/2 cups) 1 can diced green chiles 1 T taco seasoning 1 cup shredded cooked chicken 6 slices American cheese tortilla chips (store bought, or make your own)

Heat tomatoes, beans, broth, chiles, and seasoning until simmering. Add chicken and cheese, and stir until cheese is melted. Let soup reduce a little, until slightly thickened (if it doesn't reduce or you're in a hurry, you can add a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in water to thicken the soup). Ladle into bowls and garnish with chips.

Crepes
from Little Yellow Barn makes 18-20 crepes

Ingredients: 4 eggs 1/2 c butter, melted 1/3 c sugar 1 c flour 1 c milk 1/4 c water

1 tsp. vanilla dash of salt Cream Filling: 1 c sour cream 1 8oz pkg. cream cheese SOFTENED 1 c powdered sugar

1. In a blender place all ingredients, except flour. Blend. Sprinkle in flour, blend until incorporated. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Remove from refrigerator and blend for about a minute. Heat 8-inch non-stick skillet. Butter pan (about a 1/2 tsp). 2. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into skillet. I pour straight from my blender container. Just make sure there is enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan with a THIN, THIN, THIN layer of batter. 3. SWIRL pan around until bottom of pan is covered with batter. 4. COOK for about 30 seconds, or until edges easily lift up with spatula. 5. FLIP, COOK for 5-10 seconds. Crepe should slide right out of pan. 6. Use wax paper between crepes. My crepes never actually make it to the plate.

Chicken Tikka Massala

from The Baker Upstairs For the chicken marinade: 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon salt 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt For the masala sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup finely diced onion Directions: Marinate the chicken: Whisk together cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt. Rub this mixture into the chicken, covering both sides well. Lay the chicken in a shallow bowl and cover; refrigerate so that spice mixture is absorbed into the chicken for 1 hour. Whisk the garlic, ginger and yogurt in a deep bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook. Make the masala sauce: Heat butter in a large, tall-rimmed Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, ginger, jalapeno, cumin, coriander, and garam masala. Stir and allow the mixture to cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Turn heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Take the Dutch oven off of the burner, cover to keep warm, and set aside while you make the chicken. Make the chicken: Preheat your broiler. Place your top oven rack about 5 inches from the heating coils. Line a baking sheet with foil, grease well with canola oil. Dip chicken into yogurt mixture, leaving a thick layer of yogurt clinging to it, and lay the chicken onto the sheet. Broil chicken until it is lightly charred in spots, about 15 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it sit on the baking sheet for five minutes to cool slightly and retain its juices. Cut into small (inch-long) pieces and stir into warm sauce. Stir in cilantro and serve. 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 2 teaspoons garam masala 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 2 teaspoons sugar teaspoon salt cup heavy cream cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Naan
from The Baker Upstairs

Ingredients: 3-4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast 1 1/2 cups milk 1 teaspoon sugar 3-4 tablespoons, melted butter Directions: Pour the milk into a liquid measure and heat in the microwave until warm to the touch (about 110 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). If using active dry yeast, mix the sugar and yeast into the milk and let it sit for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is foamy and the yeast has activated. Once the yeast/milk mixture is foamy, pour the mixture into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Mix well to combine. Continue adding flour gradually in small amounts, until a soft dough is formed that cleans the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough by mixer or hand until it is smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes in the mixer or 10 minutes by hand. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rest at room temperature, covered lightly with greased plastic wrap, for about 2 hours. After the dough has rested, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, rounding each into a ball shape. Cover the pieces with a towel and let them rest for

30 minutes. While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F and place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven. Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes, one by one, roll each piece into a circle about 6-8 inches wide, depending on how thin or thick you want your naan. Lay the circle of dough on the hot pizza stone and spritz lightly with water. Close the oven and bake the naan for 2-4 minutes, until it is lightly puffed (some pieces will puff more than others) and brown spots begin to appear on the top. Remove the naan from the baking stone and place on a cooling rack. Brush lightly with melted butter. Stack the hot naan on top of each other as it comes out of the oven. Cover with a towel and let the naan cool completely or serve warm.

Cheesy Zucchini Pizza Casserole

from The Baker Upstairs Ingredients: 4 cups grated zucchini 1/2 teaspoon salt + pepper, to taste 2 eggs 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 3/4 cup pizza sauce any desired pizza toppings: pepperoni, sausage crumbles, olives, peppers, onions, etc. Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 913 glass dish with non stick cooking spray and set aside. Grate zucchini and measure out 4 cups. Sprinkle salt over zucchini and let sit for 10 minutes. Ring out zucchini to remove any excess water and mix together with pepper, eggs, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and spread evenly into prepared baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with pizza sauce, remaining cheeses and any desired pizza toppings. Bake 15 more minutes and remove. Cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

from Live Better America

Ingredients: 1 can (10 3/4 oz) 98% fat free 45% less sodium condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles 1 container (8 oz) fat-free sour cream 1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

8 yellow corn tortillas (6 or 7 inch), torn into bite-size pieces 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup) 1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup) 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend (6 oz)

Directions: Heat oven to 350F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix soup, chiles, sour cream, milk, chili powder and cumin until blended. Stir in chicken, tortillas and bell pepper. Stir in tomato and 1 cup of the cheese. Spoon and spread mixture in baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake uncovered 5 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes.

Week 4 Cheddar Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Ingredients: 1 pound mostaccioli or other short pasta 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 6 strips of bacon, diced 1 packet ranch dressing mix 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups milk 2 boneless skinless chicken breast 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese halves, cut into bite-size pieces Salt and pepper to taste Directions: 1. Cook pasta according to package directions in boiling salted water; drain, return to pot, and keep warm. 2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Drain all but one tablespoon of bacon drippings from the pan. 3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the reserved bacon drippings, then add the chicken to the same skillet. Cook until tender, no longer pink, and slightly browned. 4. Sprinkle the flour and ranch dressing mix over the chicken, stirring to coat evenly. Stir in the milk, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cheddar cheese and half of the reserved bacon; cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. 5. Add the cheese sauce to the reserved pasta and stir to combine. Serve each plate of pasta with more bacon sprinkled over the top. Green onions would also be a delicious topping.

Peach Mango Bliss

from One Lovely Life Ingredients: 1 heaping cup frozen peach slices 1 heaping cup frozen mango slices frozen banana -1c orange juice (more or less, to taste) Directions: Add peaches, mango, banana, and c orange juice to blender. Puree until smooth, adding more orange juice as necessary. **I am not making homemade mozzarella sticks just buying the frozen, bagged kind.

Italian Crockpot Chicken

from High Heels & Grills Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts 1 Italian dressing seasoning packet 1/2 cup water 1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese 1 can cream of chicken soup 2/3 cup water Enough rice to feed whoever is eating. Directions: Place chicken in a crockpot and season evenly with Italian dressing. Add the water and let cook on low for at least four hours. When chicken is cooked all the way through, shred with a fork or in a mixer - just something to get it shredded. Place back in crockpot and add cream cheese, chicken soup, and water. Mix thoroughly and let sit for another 30 minutes. Serve over rice.