Zesty Ravioli Skillet

Ingredients:

4   cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
6   oz provolone cheese, grated
1   tbsp olive oil
1   small jalapeno pepper, seeded
3   garlic cloves, pressed
2   cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1   pkg frozen cheese ravioli
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Wash spinach in large colander; drain.  Grate cheese using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with grating blade.  Set aside spinach and cheese

Add oil to 12in. Skillet; heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering.  Finaly chop jalapeno with Food Chopper.  Add jalapeno to Skillet; cook and stir 1 minute or until crisp-tender.  Press garlic into Skillet using Garlic Press;  cook and stir 15-20 second or until fragrant.

Add tomatoes salt and black pepper to Skillet; cook and stir with Bamboo Saptula 1-2 minutes or until simmering.  Add ravioli; stir to coat.  Cook, uncovered, 4-5 minutes or until tender.  Stir cream into skillet.  Cook, uncovered, 1-2 minutes or until simmering.  Spinkle spinach over ravioli; cook, covered, 1 minute or until spinach starts to wilt.

Remove Skillet from heat.  Top with cheese; cover Skillet and let stand 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Source: Quick Vegetarian Main Dishes by The Pampered Chef
Notes: I LOOOOVE this book!  This was a delicious dish.  Super easy and incredibly full of flavor. 

(If you are interested in getting this book... its your lucky day.  I am a Pampered Chef Consultant and would be happy to order one for you. Just leave a comment below with your email address)

Chicken and Corn Soup

Ingredients

1 tbsp canola oil
1 lb chicken breast, grilled, cut into bite size pieces
1 small can green chillies chopped
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth, low sodium, fat-free
1 (14.5 oz) can cream-style corn
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup crushed lime chips
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Heat oil in a large sauce pan. Add chicken and stir until slightly warmed through.

Add chillies, chicken broth, and corn. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and salt.

Serve with with Lime chips and lime wedges.

Source: Cooking Light- Complete Meals in Minutes
Note: The above recipe is how I made it. I had to change a few things because I couldn't find the item or I didn't have it. It is delicious! Tangy and satisfying.

SERVES: 4

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
3/4 lbs. chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
1 tsp chipotle chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 cup crushed baked tortilla chips
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Heat oil in a large sauce pan. Add garlic and chicken. Saute for a 2 minutes until chicken is slightly browned

Add chilli powder and cumin and stir well.

Add water, salt, broth, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Top each serving with tortilla chips and cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Source: Cooking Light- Complete Meals in Minutes
Note: I substituted canola oil for olive oil. I didn't have stewed tomatoes on hand, so I used a can of tomato sauce and chopped some fresh tomatoes in with it.

Pastafrola

Ingredients:

600 grams flour

200 grams sugar

200 grams butter

4 eggs

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 can Quince Jelly (melted)

Directions:

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and butter.

Add eggs and vanilla and form a dough.

Place 1/2 of the dough in a GREASED 9X13 pan, pressing so the dough forms a lip around the edges.

Pour melted Quince Jelly of top and spread over dough, leaving 1/2 inch exposed.

With remaining dough from a laddis and place on top or Quince Jelly. Make a long strip to decorate and finish the edges of the cake.

Bake @350 for 40-50 minutes.

Notes: I use a scale to measure out my ingredients. The dough is very easy to work with. Once baked the cake is pretty dry, its not a regular cake. We like to enjoy it with Mate (aka. Argentine Herbal Tea).

Source: Abuela :)

Corn Chowder

Serves 6

Ingredients:

8 ounces bacon, chopped
1/8 cup good olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
2 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
5 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
1 cups half-and-half
1/4 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Source: Barefoot Contessa, Food Network
Notes: The recipe is actually doubled, but this is halved. It was really tasty and very easy to make. I used sweet frozen corn. This is not a recipe you could make in the crock pot but its worth the work. It was sweet and comforting.

Tin Foil Dinner

Ingredients:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 bag frozen diced hash browns
1 bag matchstick carrots
frozen hamburger patties, slightly defrosted
zucchini, sliced,
summer squash, sliced,
onions, diced
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Optional:

BBQ Sauce
Ketchup
Shredded Cheese

Directions:

Make a double layer of aluminum foil approximately 12 inches in length.

Lightly spray foil with non-stick cooking spray

Break apart hamburger patty and place in the center of the foil. Add about 1/2 cup (or more) hash browns, carrots, zucchini, squash on top of patty. Add onions, to taste. Liberally add salt, pepper and garlic powder. Spoon a heaping tablespoon full of cream of chicken soup over top.

Tightly close the foil together making sure there are no openings. You might have to add more foil. Wrapping it neatly will make it easier to open when done.

Grill on Med/High until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Turning two-three times.

Remove from heat and serve. Add BBQ Sauce, Ketchup or Shredded Cheese if desired.

Serves ~ 4

Grilled Panini

Ingredients:

two small baguette
fresh mozzarella, sliced
prosciutto
fresh basil leaves
1 tomato, sliced
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium heat

Cut baguette length wise and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Layer one to two slices prosciutto, mozzarella, basil and tomato. Season with salt and pepper

Lightly brush both sides of baguette with olive oil. Place the sandwich on the grill and top with a brick that has been covered in foil.

Cook for about 5 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and cut in a diagonal and serve warm.