Chicken Sausage Veggie Pasta

When we were in Chicago a few years ago, my Aunt Rosie made the most delicious pasta dinner. She shared her "recipe" - Cooked pasta, chicken sausage, and veggies. There's no set measurements or ingredients, so you can customize it to your own taste. The ingredients below is what I typically use. Depending on my mood, or time frame, I may roast or saute my veggies. This year I think I will try grilling them. It is fast and easy and Oh so delicious!

Chicken Sausage Veggie Pasta

8 oz favorite pasta, cooked

1 pkg. chicken sausage, slicedinto 1/2" pieces

(we use Chicken sausage with apples and guoda or Chicken sausage with artichokes and mozzerella)

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced or quartered

1 small zuchinni, sliced and halved

8 oz cherry tomatoes

1 bunch asparagus, sliced

1/2 cup-ish Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 tsp fennel seeds

Cook pasta according to directions.

When I make, I roast asparagus, tomatoes and zuchinni with olive oil, salt and pepper at 400 for 15 minutes. Saute 3 TBSP butter, mushrooms, fennel seeds, and chicken sausage. When everything is done, combine with parmesan cheese in large serving bowl.

Instead of roasting tomatoes, you can also chop in half and add fresh with the parmesan cheese. For a little heat, add a dash of crushed red pepper flakes with the seasonings when roasting.

Other items we like to add: Kalmata olives, sun-dried tomatoes

Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Cream

Angel Food Cake can be a bit intimidating to make, but it is really easy. It is one of my favorite desserts in the Spring when strawberries are on. I have been making this recipe for a few years and my whole family really likes it. This recipe came from the Lion House Cookbook.

Angel Food Cake

1 Cup plus 2 Tbsp. sifted cake flour

1 1/2 Cups sifted sugar

1 3/4 Cups (10 to 12) egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. almond extract

Sift together flour and 1/2 cup sugar. (Now really, does anyone sift? I don't. I put the flour and sugar together and mix it around to get air in with a spoon.) In a large bowl, combine egg whites, salt, cream of tartar, and flavorings. Beat on high speed with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 cup of sugar gradually, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in flour mixture, one-fourth at a time, folding in with 15 fold-over strokes each time, turning bowl frequently. Do not stir or beat. After last addition, use 10 to 20 extra folding strokes.

Pour batter into ungreased 9- or 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes for 9-inch cake or 30-35 minutes for 10-inch cake, or until cake springs back when pressed lightly. Cool cake in pan, upside down, 1 to 2 hours. Then loosen from sides and center tube with knife and gently pull out cake. An angel cake pan with a removable bottom is ideal for removing cake in perfect condition.

Top slices of cake with strawberries and sweetened whipped cream.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchildads

I have to be honest, I am not a fan of chicken enchiladas. It's too much cream soup sauce for me. So when I saw the following recipe on GTU last week, I quickly printed off the recipe and planned it for my next weekly menu. It is DELICIOUS!!! I love the hint of sweet, spicy, tartness of the chicken paired up with the creamy, spicy green sauce. I had only made a half a pan and wished I made more! This is definetly a make again recipe! (I borrowed the pic from GTU website, my camera batteries keep dying)

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), cooked and shredded
12 corn tortillas
2 cups of Mexican cheese blend, shredded (1 small bag usually is 2 cups)
1 14-oz can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream
nonstick cooking spray
1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.

Spray the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray. In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish.

Add a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Cover the chicken with a large tablespoon (or big pinch) of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada - it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.

Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. You will use about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired. Pour this mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake the enchiladas for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top. Serve with sour cream, black beans, and rice or a green salad for a great meal.

Brunch anyone?...

We had our neighborhood recipe exchange group this week. The theme was "Brunch". It was a good turn out with lots of delicious food! Sorry, I didn't get any photos. Here are a few of the recipes that were sampled that night...

Ham n Swiss Egg Rollup
(Melissa Acker)

8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup 1% milk
12 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooked lean ham (8-10oz. chopped in food processor)
1 can (8 ounces) mushrooms, drained
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1 bunch green onions, optional
Hollandaise sauce (Reduced fat recipe below)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper with non-stick spray.
Beat cream cheese until smooth, gradually beat in milk. Add eggs, flour and salt; beat well. Pour egg mixture into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until eggs are set and browned.
While eggs are baking finely chop ham and mushrooms. Slice green onions (bulbs and tops). When eggs are baked remove from oven and immediately spread eggs with mustard; sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese; sprinkle with ham, mushrooms and green onions. Starting on long side, roll eggs up, jelly roll style, removing parchment paper away as you roll. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of the egg roll; return to oven and bake 5 minutes longer to melt cheese. Slice and serve hot with warm Hollandaise Sauce.

Reduced Fat Hollandaise Sauce

1 egg, beaten
1 cup 1% milk
1/4-1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Beat egg in a 2-cup microwave safe bowl; whisk in milk, dry mustard and cornstarch. Microwave 1 minute; stir, microwave in 20-30 second intervals whisking after 20-30 seconds (about 2 minutes total) until thick. Stir in butter; stir in lemon juice. Makes 1 1/2 cups sauce (Can add cheese to sauce to add some extra flavor.)

Notes: This is a great dish for brunch or potluck super. For variety, experiment with your own favorite omelet ingredients. Serves 12


Raspberry Cheese Braid
(Mandee Lund)

1 loaf Rhodes frozen bread dough
½ pkg cream cheese softened
4 TBS powdered sugar
Raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Allow 1 loaf of bread to thaw until warm and bubbly. Use cooking spray on board and cookie sheet.

Roll out brad to a rectangle 10 x 18” and let rest.

Meanwhile mix ½ pkg cream cheese with 4 TBS powdered sugar until fluffy.

Cut braid. Position dough so you have a vertical rectangle. Cut slits on each side leaving a 2-3 inch strip in the middle that is uncut. Spread cream cheese on the middle of the braid and then spoon raspberry jam on top. Braid the bread by crossing the strips over the middle and tucking them under the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size. Bake 25-30 minutes. Let cool then sprinkle the top with powdered sugar before serving.

Marshmallow Biscuits
(Kristen Healey)

1 tube of biscuits
¼ cup melted butter
cinnamon sugar
3 mini marshmallows for each biscuit or ½ a large one

Take one biscuit at a time stretch it out a little. Take marshmallows dip in butter then in cinnamon. Wrap in biscuit and pinch closed at the top. Cook at 350 for 10 minutes.

***Note: a favorite with my kids and it’s easy enough for them to make them