Creamy Tomato Tortellini with Sausage

 We are staying with our daughter, son-in-law & granddaughter while we are awaiting the closing of our new home in The Villages, Florida. I must say our son-in-law has cooked some amazing dinners! This recipe is one I HAD to get from him...truly restaurant quality!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cheese tortellini
• 4 links Italian Sausage (either remove the casing or slice the sausage
• 2 - 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1.5 or 2 tsp. garlic cloves
• 8 oz. block cream cheese, cubed
• approximately 6 oz. baby spinach

Directions:

1. Bring water to boil and cook tortellini according directions.
2. In large skillet, brown sausage. Drain fat if needed.
3. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic & spinach to browned sausage, and stir in cubed cheese until incorporated.
4. Drain tortellini. Add to sauce. Toss & serve.

Chicken Piccata

This recipe is good delicious and so hard easy to make. Everyone will think you are a gourmet cook...even if you're not.
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts (I like to use five 5 oz. chicken breasts from Sam's Club because they are the perfect serving size already. They can be found in the freezer section.)
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• 1/3 cup flour
• salt & pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• dash red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 cup brined capers
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (optional)
• cooked angel hair pasta

Directions:

1. If using the 5 oz. chicken breasts......put them between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat hammer to 1/4 inch thickness.
2. If using regular size chicken breasts......cut them horizontally, butterflying them open. Cut in half if chicken breast are still too large, and then put them between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat hammer to 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Mix together grated parmesan, flour, salt & pepper.
4. Rinse chicken pieces in water.
5. Dredge rinsed chicken pieces thoroughly in flour mixture until completely coated.
6. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in large skillet on medium high heat.
7. Add half the chicken pieces. Do not crowd the pan.
8. Brown well, approximately 3 minutes per side.
9. Remove chicken from frying pan and cook the remaining chicken breasts.
10. Place cooked chicken in dish covered with foil in warm oven while preparing the sauce.
11. Add chicken stock, lemon juice and capers to the pan.
12. Use a spatula to scrape up the brown bits.
13. Reduce the sauce by half.
14. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.
15. Serve chicken atop cooked angel hair pasta.
16. Pour sauce over chicken.
17. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

Beef Stroganoff

This recipe is an oldie, but goodie! We used to eat this meal with Beth and Aaron's babysitter and family back in the early 1980's. Betty is an excellent cook, and we could always count on her for a delicious meal. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have for many years.

Ingredients:

1 lb. round steak, cubed (I use eye of round.)
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg extra wide egg noodles

Directions:

1. Cut up steak.
2. Brown steak and onions in small amount of cooking oil.
3. Stir in flour, salt & pepper.
4. Add tomato juice and drained mushrooms.
5. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
6. Add sour cream.
7. Heat, but don't allow to boil.
8. Stir into noodles cooked according to package directions.

Mama Sherri's Mac 'n Cheese

I don't claim to be good at making mac 'n cheese, but I blended some recipes I already had and made this recipe. I hope you like it as much as Papa Dukes and I like it! ☺

Ingredients:

16 oz. (4 cups) uncooked elbow macaroni
3/4 stick butter (or margarine) + 2 Tbsp.
6 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
salt to taste
white pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar (I like to mix mild and sharp.)
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Cook macaroni per box instructions.
2. While macaroni is cooking, melt 3/4 stick butter (or margarine) in sauce pan.
3. Mix flour with melted butter. Let it begin to brown.
4. Slowly add milk, salt & white pepper. This will thicken to make a roux.
5. Slowly add shredded cheddar and stir until it is completely blended.
6. Stir cheesy roux and cooked/drained macaroni.
7. Pour mac 'n cheese mixture into dish sprayed with Pam.
8. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter (or margarine) in microwave.
9. Stir seasoned bread crumbs with melted butter, and then sprinkle on top of mac 'n cheese.
10. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

BLT Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
16 oz. box pasta (I use medium shells.)
1 1/2 bags pre-cooked Oscar Mayer bacon pieces
2 cups ranch dressing (Light ranch is good too.)~ may need a little more if dry
1 small onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 - 2 heads chopped Romaine lettuce

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to box directions, and drain.
2. Mix all ingredients together for a tasty summer pasta salad.

Baked Spaghetti

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) pkg. spaghetti
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (26 oz.) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (I use Lawry's.)
2 eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
3. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
4. Stir the spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt with the beef and onions.
5. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter.
6. Drain spaghetti; add egg mixture and toss to coat.
7. Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 9x13 baking dish.
8. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese.
9. Repeat layers.
10. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
11. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Please let me apologize to my Italian friends. This is about as close as I am to making an Italian dish. Your dishes are THE BEST! One day I hope to learn how to make your authentic Italian sauce.

Aunt Betty's Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 lb. round steak, cubed
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg. wide egg noodles

Directions:

1. In dutch oven, brown round steak and onions in small amount of cooking oil.
2. Stir in flour, salt and pepper.
3. Add tomato juice and drained mushrooms.
4. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
5. Cook egg noodles per package directions.
6. Add sour cream to meat mixture.
7. Stir into drained, cooked noodles.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
16 oz. Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
16 oz. pasta (rotini or shells)
1/2 bottle McCormick Salad Supreme
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions on box.
2. Prepare vegetables.
3. Mix all ingredients and chill.