PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

 

This recipe, from The Culinary Life, tastes just like the restaurant's version.  So good!

• Recipe for stir fry sauce
• 4 tablespoons sugar or agave nectar
• ½ cup hot water
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or  tamari
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup or canned tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon dark sesame oil
  
• Recipe for dipping sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (not packed tightly)
• ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  
• Recipe for stir-fried chicken
• 1 teaspoon hot water
• 1 tablespoon nice dijon mustard (use the good stuff, it will make a difference)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into half-inch cubes”
• 1 – 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained and minced
• ½ cup minced mushrooms (minced to the same size as the water chestnuts)
• ½ yellow onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• leaves of iceberg lettuce

Instructions

1. Method for stir fry recipe: In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in ½ cup hot water. Blend in soy sauce or tamari, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and dark sesame oil. Mix well and set aside in the refrigerator until the rest of the dish is ready.
2. Method for dipping sauce recipe: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce or tamari, brown sugar, and rice vinegar. Mix well and set aside.
3. Method for Stir-Fried Chicken Recipe: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon hot water, dijon mustard and minced garlic and set this aside.
4. In a wok or large frying pan over high heat, combine olive oil and sesame oil. Heat until it shimmers, about one minute. Add chicken chunks and stir fry until entirely cooked through, about five minutes. Remove from the chicken pan and allow to cool, but reserve the oil in the wok or pan, keeping it hot over a low flame.
5. Take the pan or wok that you cooked the chicken in (with the still warming oil) and turn it up to medium-high heat. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, wait one minute, and then add the garlic, onions, water chestnuts, mushrooms, cooked chicken, and the stir-fry sauce. Cook everything, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms have cooked through and are tender, about four minutes. Remove from pan and place in a serving dish.
6. Add mustard/garlic mixture that you set aside to the stir fry, ½ a teaspoon at time to taste.
7. Serve the entire lettuce wrap recipe in a nice, big serving tray, complete and iceberg lettuce leaves, and dipping sauce in small bowls.

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

This tastes like chicken broccoli casserole but is a lot more healthy.  The recipe comes from "Eating Well Living Thinner."

3/4 cup quinoa

1 (10 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom or chicken Soup
1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
2 Tb milk
1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, colby-jack, etc)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
Dash freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups cooked broccoli
Feshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Rinse 3/4 cup of uncooked quinoa until water runs clear.  Put in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water and 1/4 tsp salt and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover.  Cook for 18-20 minutes or until fluffy.
• In a large bowl combine soup, mayonnaise, milk, cheese, sugar, pepper, and nutmeg and mix.  Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
• Spoon mixture in a sprayed 9X13 baking dish and sprinkle a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese on top.  
• Cook at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Pulled Pork Enchiladas

This has a chipotle taste without too much heat.  We all really liked the flavor of these.

3 1/2 lbs pork roast (I used bone in and I still had plenty of meat)

1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tb ground cumin

2 tsp chipotle chile pepper

1 tsp salt

1 10 ounce cans enchilada sauce

1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro

1 4 ounce can diced green chile peppers

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

whole wheat flour tortillas

Snipped fresh cilantro

1 diced tomato

• Trim fat from pork. In a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine pork shoulder, broth, onion, garlic, cumin, chipotle chile pepper and salt. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 11 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove pork from slow cooker, reserving cooking liquid. Using two forks, pull meat into coarse strands.*
• In a large bowl combine pork, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid, and the 1 tablespoon snipped cilantro. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl combine the remaining enchilada sauce, 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid (discard any remaining cooking liquid), and the diced green chile peppers. Spread about 1/2 cup of enchilada-green chile pepper mixture in the bottom of a 3-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside.
• Divide pork mixture and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese among tortillas.  Place filled tortillas, seam sides down, in the prepared bakingdish (place tortillas close together); top with the remaining enchilada-green chile pepper mixture. Cover with foil; bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or until heated through and cheese is softened and starts to brown slightly.
• Sprinkle with additional snipped cilantro and tomato. If desired, serve with sour cream. Makes 6 servings

Pumpkin and Black Bean Curry

If you like curry you will like this recipe.  It's really healthy and my kids actually all ate it.  I thought it would be good to add meat to it next time.










1 onion, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 (15oz) can black beans, drained
2 (15oz) cans pumpkin puree
1 cup cream
1 Tb curry powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
 -1/4 is all my kids could stand
20 blades of fresh chives, chopped

• Saute onion in some oil for about 5 minutes.  Add broth, tomatoes, beans, and pumpkin.  Stir and bring soup to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne, and salt to taste.
• Simmer 5 minutes, garnish with chives and serve over rice.

Lumpia

Lumpia are Filipino egg rolls.  I haven't been able to find lumpia wrappers yet, so I buy regular egg roll  wrappers.  They still taste great.  I always make a double batch and freeze half of the rolls (before they are fried) to eat later.



1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground chicken
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup onion
1 cup green onion
1 cup carrots, diced
2 cups cabbage, sliced thin
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
2 pkg of egg roll wrappers or lumpia wrappers
oil for frying

• Cook pork and chicken, drain (leave a thin layer in pan) and set aside.
• In the same pan, sauté garlic and onion for 2 minutes.  Stir in carrots, green onions, cabbage, and meat. Season with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and soy sauce.  Remove from heat and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Place about 3 Tb. of filling diagonally from one corner of the wrapper to the other, leaving a 1 1/2 inch space at both ends.  Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling.  Tuck in both ends and roll neatly.  Keep the roll tight as you assemble.  Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge.
• Put those you don't want to eat now in a freezer bag and stick in the freezer.  Cook the rest in oil that is 1/2 inch deep for 1-2 minutes a side until all sides are golden brown.  Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Enchiladas

This recipe came from Allrecipes but Jess and I decided we would make changes next time we made them.  This is what we will do next time.



4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into chunks
1 (10.75 ounce) cancondensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
2 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
2 (1.25 ounce) package mild taco seasoning mix
1 bunch green onions, chopped, divided
2 cup water
2 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
10-12 (12 inch) flour tortillas
4 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives

• Place the chicken in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken pieces are no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Shred chicken by placing two forks back to back and pulling meat apart. Set the shredded chicken aside. Meanwhile, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
• Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, chopped green chilies, taco seasoning, half of the bunch of chopped green onion, and water. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder; simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.  Spread some of the soup mixture on the bottom of 2 9x13 inch baking dishes.  Stir in the rest of the mixture into the skillet with the chicken mixture.
• Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken filling before folding the tortillas, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping the enchiladas. Fold tortillas over the filling and place seam-side down in the prepared pan.
• Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Cover with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the reserved chopped green onions and the sliced olives on top of the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This tastes pretty similar to the restaurant sweet and sour.  The only difference is the color of the sauce.  You can add some orange food coloring to it to make it look like the original.



1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 3/4 cups water, divided
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast - cut into 1 inch cubes
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 egg
1 1/2 cups water
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

• Sprinkle chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper to season.
• In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, vinegar, and reserved pineapple juice. Heat to boiling. Turn off heat. In a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water and stir to combine. Slowly stir into saucepan. Continue stirring until mixture thickens.
• Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and egg. Add 1 1/2 cups water gradually to make a thick batter. Stir to blend thoroughly. Add chicken pieces, and stir until chicken is well coated.
• Heat oil in skillet to 350 degrees. Fry chicken pieces in hot oil for 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove chicken, and drain on paper towels.
• When ready to serve, layer green peppers, pineapple chunks, and cooked chicken pieces on a platter. Pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top.  Serve over rice.

Crock Pot Italian Tortellini

This tastes like a fancy spaghetti.  The kids loved it.






1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
1 (16 ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1 (9 ounce) package of frigerated tortellini
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

Directions

• Crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage into a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain.
• Combine the ground meats, marinara sauce, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on LOW heat for 7 to 8 hours.
• Stir in the tortellini, and sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes on LOW, or until the tortellini is tender.

Pork and Black Beans over Rice

This was a big hit with everyone.  There is something really great about beans and meat over rice.  There are never left overs when we make it.










1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder


Directions

• Combine pork tenderloin, onion, red pepper, black beans, salsa, chicken broth, oregano, cumin, and chili powder in a slow cooker. Set to Low and cook for 8 to 10 hours.
• Break up pieces of cooked pork to thicken the chili before serving.
• Serve over rice.

Vegetarian Lasagna

My meat loving husband and his friend told me they couldn't even tell there wasn't meat in this dish.  It is really good as is, but you can add meat to the recipe if you wish.







lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
3 cups ricotta cheese
2/3 cup grated Romano cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups tomato pasta sauce
1 cup grated Parmesan

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms, onions, and garlic in olive oil until onions are tender.
• Combine ricotta cheese, Romano cheese, spinach, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, and egg in a bowl. Add cooled mushroom mixture. Mix with a fork for until combined.
• Lay 3 lasagna noodles in bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread one third of the cheese/spinach mixture over noodles. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese on top. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce over cheese. Repeat layering 2 times.
• Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Spaghetti Sauce from Scratch

This recipe comes with a warning.  If you make this for your family, they might not ever eat store brand sauce again.  (This is from experience!)  I made this recipe a few years ago and my family fell in love with spaghetti all over again.

This is a canning recipe and so it makes a lot of sauce.  If you don't can, you can still follow the recipe as is and freeze the leftovers.  It freezes very well in freezer storage bags.




20 cups tomatoes, peeled and quartered *(22-24 tomates)
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 large onion finely chopped
1/2 Tb. garlic powder
3 Tb. salt
3 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2/3 cups olive oil
1/2 Tb. dried basil
1 Tb. dried oregano
3/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

* Tomatoes are easy to peel if you blanch them in boiling water for a minute or two and then set them in a cold sink.  The skins should start peeling off on their own.

• Combine all ingredients except for sugar.  Simmer for one hour covered.  Add sugar at the end.
• Use a hand blender and blend the sauce thoroughly or, blend sauce in blender in batches.
• Pour into prepared quarts and process in water bath canner for 50 minutes. 
•  Makes 5 quarts

Cheesy Pesto Chicken

This is really easy and really good.  I love fresh pesto sauce.






Pesto Sauce:

2 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Cheesy Pesto Chicken:

4-5 chicken breasts
1 cup basil pesto
mozzarella cheese, grated

• Pound the chicken breasts so they are thinner (1/4 - 1/2 inch)
• Place the chicken on a greased 9X13 pan.  Spread the pesto sauce over the top and then sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes.

Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

 I first tried this salad at a work party 16 years ago.  I have been making it ever since.  It's one of the only salads my kids (or husband) will eat.





1 head of lettuce
(I used a combination of green leaf and spinach.)
1 lb. ground beef
taco seasoning
1 can of kidney beans
1 small can of sliced olives
2 tomatoes
1 avacado
1 cup of cheddar cheese
frito chips

• Brown meat in a skillet.  Drain and season it according to your taste.
• Place all ingredients (except fritos) in a large bowl and mix. 
• Top individual servings with fritos and favorite salad dressing.

Cilantro Lime Dressing


¾ cup light mayo
¾ cup greek yogurt (I used fat-free.)
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice (about ½ a lime)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup milk
1 small bunch (~1/3 cup, packed) cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds.  Check consistency and if needed blend for another 30 seconds.

Apricot Chicken

This recipe is delicious, but my favorite thing about it is how easy it is.  The whole time I was cooking the kids were asking me what smelled so yummy.




7-8 pieces of skinless or skin on chicken
(I used breasts but you can use thighs)
1-2 tsp of salt
3 Tb herbes de Provence*
2 Tb olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 sweet onion, diced
6 medium apricots
1/2 cup apricot preserves

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan.
• Season the chicken by rubbing the meat with salt and 2 Tb of herbes de Provence.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the garlic and onion until the garlic is fragrant.  Add the seasoned chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-10 minutes, turning the chicken so all sides are browned.  Sprinkle the remaining herbes de Provence over the chicken, making sure all the chicken pieces are covered on all sides.  Place the chicken in the greased pan and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.
• In the skillet, add about 1/3 cup of cooking wine or water.  (If adding water, make sure you remove the pan from the heat and add it slowly so the oil doesn't spatter.) 
• Add the fresh apricots and apricot preserves and simmer on low until the chicken is done cooking in the oven.
• Add the chicken back to the skillet and heat with the sauce for another 5 minutes.
• Serve with rice.

* Herbes de Provence is a mixture of several herbs that are typical in French cooking.  There is no standard recipe for it and many recipes include lavender.  Since this might be difficult to find in stores (I happened to buy mine in France), I found a recipe by Emeril to make it yourself.

Herbes De Provence

2 Tb dried savory

2 Tb dried rosemary

2 Tb dried thyme

2 Tb dried oregano

2 Tb dried basil

2 Tb dried marjoram

2 Tb dried fennel seed

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together and store in an air-tight container.  Makes 1 cup.

Pesto Chicken Casserole

I made this and my kids all held their noses telling me the smell was too strong.  They didn't want to try it.  Once I convinced them to put a bite in their mouth, every one of them changed their minds about what they thought.  This is very tasty!
*This makes a lot so you can freeze half for another meal.

• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (16 ounce) box pasta
• 6 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 4 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) jar pesto sauce
• 1 cups milk

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and a 8x8-inch dish. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a small bowl until evenly moistened; set aside.
2. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
3. Meanwhile, combine the chicken in a bowl with the Italian cheese blend, spinach, tomatoes, alfredo sauce, pesto sauce, and milk. Stir in the pasta once done, and scoop into the prepared baking dish. Top with the bread crumb mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and golden brown on top, 40 to 45 minutes.

White Pizza

I'll have to admit that my kids didn't go for this one but  I thought it was good enough to post anyway.  If you have picky kids like me, make it for your special someone.  It is worth it.









2 Tb melted butter
1 Tb olive oil
3 tsp garlic, minced
2 Tb sun dried tomato pesto
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tb grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Alfredo sauce
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat
1 12 inch pre-baked pizza crust
1 med. tomato, sliced
1 (4 oz) pkg. feta cheese

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a small bowl mix together the butter, olive oil, garlic, pesto, basil, oregano, Parmesan and Alfredo sauce.  Arrange the chicken on top of the pizza crust and pour the Alfredo mixture over the chicken.  Top with the tomato slices and feta cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the crust is slightly browned and the toppings are toasted.

Chicken and Lentils

This dish is easy, simple, healthy, and my kids love it.  Try it.  You'll be pleasantly surprised.

1 Tb olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 lbs. chicken

2 carrots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup dried lentils (soaked overnight)

1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

1 (10 oz) can tomato sauce

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried basil

1 Tb lemon juice

1 tsp salt 

• In skillet, heat oil and brown onions.  Add chicken and cook for a couple minutes on each side.  Chicken does not have to be cooked through.
• Cut chicken into pieces.
• Put all ingredients in a crock pot and let it cook on low for the day.  You may need to add water as it cooks.
• Serve over rice. 

Orange Walnut Chicken

I thought this was really good. It comes from Taste of Home, and everything from them is delicious. We didn't add the extra green onion garnish because of the kids, but it still turned out wonderful.






3 Tb orange juice
3 Tb vegetable oil, divided
1 Tb soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 Tb butter
4 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tb honey
1-2 Tb grated orange peel
2-3 tsp grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

• Combine orange juice concentrate, 2 Tb of oil, soy sauce and garlic. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate 2-3 hours. 
• Remove chicken and reserve marinade. In a skillet, cook chicken in remaining oil until juices are clear. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, saute nuts in butter until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
• Set aside 1/4 cup green onions for garnish. Add remaining onions to saucepan and saute until tender. Add reserved marinade and the next 8 ingredients. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 5-10 minutes or until sauce reaches desired consistency. Serve chicken over rice and top with the orange sauce and walnuts and onions.

Cheddar Mushroom Stuffed Potatoes

My children are not huge potato fans. They like an occasional mashed potato dish once in a while, but they have never loved it. I made these and was really surprised that all three children not only ate the potato (skin and all) but said how much they loved them.



6 large potatoes
2/3 cup milk or cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped, fresh mushrooms
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

• Bake potatoes at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.
• When cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato and discard. Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4 inch on sides. Set aside.
• Place pulp in a bowl and add milk and mash. Add 3/4 cup cheese, mushrooms, garlic salt, basil, oregano, and bacon. Stir until combined.
• Spoon back into potato shells and top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes at 375 degrees or microwave on high for 5-8 minutes.

Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo

1 lb fettucine noodles
1 Tb butter
1 lb cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup half and half
6 Tb grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste
fresh parsley

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a large skillet, saute shrimp and garlic in the butter for about one minute. Pour in half and half; stir. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese in one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. After all Parmesan is added, mix in parsley and salt. Stir frequently making sure it does not boil. Sauce will take a while to thicken.
• When sauce has thickened, combine with cooked pasta noodles; serve hot.