Firehouse Roasted Chicken Pasta

This is a homemade version of a yummy pasta at a restaurant called Firehouse in Logan (and now various other locations). It's just as tasty as it is colorful!

Firehouse Roasted Chicken Pasta
From: Adapted from Deals to Meals

2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped thin
1 pkg mushrooms, sliced thin
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked 1-2 minutes underdone
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Cream Sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
2 tsp flour
2 qt. half and half
1-2 cups Parmesan cheese
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2-3 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp salt

Melt butter in saucepan and add flour; stir to create a roux. Add half and half. Cook on medium heat until cream is heated through. Don't cook on high or it will curdle cream. (If I remember, I like to set the cream out about 30 minutes prior to heating so it heats up faster.) Add chicken bouillon and cheese. To thicken, add more Parmesan cheese. It is done when it is heated through and coats the back of a spoon. It should be very salty and peppery.

Mix noodles and sauce in a 9 x 13 pan. Layer chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions, then cover with mozzarella. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes, or until bubbly. Then broil to brown the cheese (30 seconds to 1 minute only!)

It's Me

Who's the genius that started a cooking blog in the summer when vacations have been planned and it's too hot to cook? Those are my excuses.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. sausage
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 cup water
6 green bell peppers
16 oz. tomato sauce (or substitute salsa if you want more pizazz)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced onion
2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped (or 1/2 tsp. dried oregano)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
cheddar cheese for tops

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the rice and water in a saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and sausage until browned and cooked through.

Remove the tops, membranes, and seeds from the bell peppers. Arrange the peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed side facing upwards.

In a bowl, mix the browned meat, rice, half of the tomato sauce (or salsa), Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, oregano, salt, and pepper. Put an equal amount in each pepper.

Mix the other half of the tomato sauce (or salsa) with the Italian seasoning and pour evenly over the peppers. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

A few minutes before they are finished, sprinkle the tops with cheddar cheese and put back in the oven until melted.
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I really love stuffed peppers. I've tried a lot of recipes, and I think this one is my fav. Probably because it has Worcestershire sauce (considered holy in my house) and is covered with cheese. Mmmm....cheese.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

One of my husband's favorites!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
From: My mother-in-law's kitchen

3/4 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. sausage (I like Tennessee Pride Country Sausage)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 (15 oz) can pineapple tidbits

Mix ground beef and sausage and form into balls. Brown and pour off fat.

Combine ketchup, chili sauce, lemon juice, soy sauce, water, and brown sugar, then pour over meatballs. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Drain pineapple and add to meatballs. Cook 2 more minutes. Serve over rice.

S'Mores Bars

YUM!

S'MORES BARS
From: Bake for the Cure

18 whole graham crackers, crumbled into pieces (or rolled with rolling pin)
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup light Karo syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter OR margarine
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. 100% pure vanilla extract
6 milk chocolate candy bars (Hershey's)
1 pkg. (10 oz) mini marshmallows
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Combine crackers with cereal in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

Cook corn syrup and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil just around the edges. Remove from heat; stir in butter, baking soda, and vanilla.

Pour syrup over cereal mixture and stir to coat completely. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9-inch pan; press firmly to level. Place chocolate bars in a single layer over cereal mixture; sprinkle with marshmallows.

Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 5-8 minutes, or until marshmallows are puffed and lightly browned. Remove from oven and top with mini chocolate chips.

Refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm; cut into squares. Store in closed container for up to 2 days.
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I wonder what it would be like if you didn't refrigerate these, or maybe just not quite so long. I expect s'mores to be warm, so they were a little different cold. I tried microwaving one to see what it would be like, but it was pretty messy, melting the chocolate bar. (Maybe that's why you refrigerate it.) I'll admit I wasn't as crazy about them right after they came out of the fridge, but I tried one this morning (yes, before 8) and thought it was divine! Not cold, just perfect. It would probably also work to just use a layer of chocolate chips instead of the chocolate bars--probably cheaper. And if you don't like a lot of chocolate, that would be the way to go. These were pretty chocolately. YUM!

Turkey Muffuletta

It's that time of year! This is a great sandwich for a picnic. The flavor is amazing! I used Ciabatta bread in this picture, but it works with a skinnier artisan loaf as well.



TURKEY MUFFULETTA
From: Taste of Home
Yield: 6

1-pound loaf Italian bread
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. minced fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 pound sliced deli turkey
6 oz. provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1 (7-oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained/sliced (or look below)
1/2 cup sliced pimento olives
1 large tomato, sliced
3 Tbsp. shredded Romano cheese
1 Tbsp. minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cut bread in half lengthwise; carefully hollow out top and bottom, leaving a 1-inch shell. Discard removed bread.

In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes; brush over cut sides of bread. In the bottom shell, layer turkey, provolone cheese, red peppers, olives, and tomato. Sprinkle with Romano cheese, oregano, and pepper. Replace bread top.

Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes (A MUST FOR FLAVOR!) Cut into slices.
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Roasting your own red peppers is a lot tastier and cheaper than store-bought. Here's what you do:

ROASTED RED PEPPERS:

* Coat eat pepper with 1 tsp. of vegetable oil (not extra-virgin olive oil) with a pastry brush, getting into the folds.
* Arrange peppers on a baking sheet on the highest rack in your oven and broil. Watch carefully so they don't become too scorched.
* When dark spots appear, turn the peppers over. Continue until the whole pepper is scorched.
* Remove the peppers from the oven and place them into a bowl large enough to accommodate them.
* Cover with plastic wrap, making sure to seal completely. This will steam the peppers.
* About 15-20 minutes later, or when they are cool enough to handle, gently peel the skin off of each pepper.
* Then, hold one end of the pepper in one hand and squeeze down the length of the pepper with your other hand. This will remove the membrane and seeds.
* Open with a knife and scrape off any excess.
* Cut into desired pieces.