Olive Garden Inspired Dressing

Mix together:

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 packet Good Seasonings Italian dressing

Mix in:

1/4 c white vinegar

3 T water

1/8 c.  EVOO

1/8 c. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. mayo

1/4 c. Kraft Grated Cheese: Shredded Parmesan Romano & Asiago (blended in cuisinart so more of a graded consistency)

Store up to 2 weeks.

Tortilla Soup with Chicken, Avocado and Monterey Jack

Tortilla Soup with Chicken, Avocado and Monterey Jack

This recipe was from one of our favorite restaurants in Edina, MN called Tejas that closed several years ago.

(serves 6)

Ingredients

2 qts. Chicken Stock or Canned Chicken Broth 
1 Bell Pepper (diced)
1 med. Onion (diced)
1 ear Corn Kernels (fresh)
2 stalks Celery (diced)
2 lg. Carrots (diced)
4 oz. Tomato Paste
2 C. Corn Tortilla Chips (crushed) 
2 oz. Cilantro

Procedure

In a large pot, bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid.
Garnish for Soup.

Ingredients
1 ea. Zucchini (halved lengthwise and sliced) 
1 med. Onion (halved and thinly sliced)
8 oz. Chicken Breast (cooked and diced)
1⁄2 ea. Avocado (peeled and sliced into six)
4 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese (grated)
12 ea. Corn Tortillas (julienned and fried in 2 qts. Corn oil at 350 degrees 
1 ea. Cilantro Sprigs (optional)

Procedure
At serving time, reheat soup with zucchini, onion, and chicken. Spoon evenly into separate bowls and top each bowl equally with avocado, tortilla chips and Monterey Jack cheese. Serve immediately.

Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Dish

This recipe if from my husband's aunt. It tastes like dessert!

SWEET POTATO RECIPE

BOTTOM

1/3 cup butter

1 c sugar

2 beaten eggs

1/3 cup milk

3 c mashed sweet potatoes (5 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mashed-Sweet-Potatoes-with-Brown-Sugar-and-Pecans-15683#ixzz1eMBqhnPQ)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp sherry

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and milk and sherry. Fold in potatoes and vanilla. Put in 9x13 pan.

TOPPING

1/3 c butter

1 c brown sugar

1/3 c flour

1 c pecan chopped ( i don't always use all the pecans - can seem like alot)

Mix brown sugar and flour. Cut in butter till crumbly-don't overmix. Sprinkle over bottom stuff. Sprinkle pecans on top. 350 * for 35-40 min.

Pineapple Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pineapple Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

CAKE

2 cups All Purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
20 ounce can (about 2 cups) crushed pineapple, in juice, don’t drain
1 tsp. vanilla

(Alt 1.5 c white sugar, 0.5 c brown sugar)

Mix all together until smooth. Pour into greased 9×13 inch baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

(Alt 325 for 30-35 min)

FROSTING

8 ounces cream cheese
4 T. butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

(Alt add 1/2 cup coconut)

Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add Vanilla. Slowly add sugar and blend after each addition. Fold in nuts if desired. Ice cake or cupcakes while still a bit warm.

Add 1/2 c. walnuts or pecans for topping

Rigatoni with Spicy Calabrese-Style Pork Ragù

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 1 carrot, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 celery stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 pound ground pork
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 pound mezzi rigatoni or penne rigate
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more

Preparation

• Pulse onion, carrot, celery, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup parsley in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Purée tomatoes with juices in processor; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat; add sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 4 min-utes. Add ground pork, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Add reserved vegetable mixture to drippings in pot, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until golden, 8-10 minutes.
• Stir tomato paste and 1 cup water in a small bowl; add to pot. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 6-8 minutes.
• Add reserved meat and tomato purée and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, adding more water as needed to keep meat nearly submerged, until meat is tender, about 4 hours. Season with salt. DO AHEAD: Ragù can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool. Cover and chill, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat before continuing.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
• Add pasta and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce; stir to coat. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan and remaining 1/4 cup parsley. Increase heat to medium and continue stirring, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Divide among bowls; top with more Parmesan.

Pineapple Pork Chops

Pineapple Pork Chops - from Bon Appetit

• 
  
• 1/4 pineapple
• 1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
• 2 sliced chiles (such as jalapeño or serrano)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 chopped garlic clove
• 4 pork chops

Peel, core, and chop 1/4 pineapple into chunks. Mix with 1/4 cup cilantro sprigs, 2 sliced chiles (such as jalapeño or serrano), 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and 1 chopped garlic clove. Pour over 4 pork chops. Cover; chill at least 6 hours and up to 1 day. (Before marinating, set some marinade aside to use as a dipping sauce.) Remove pork from marinade; grill or broil.

Turtle Cake

CAFE LATTE'S TURTLE CAKE

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Note: Cafe Latte owners Linda and Peter Quinn recommend using a prepared caramel ice cream topping. From Midwest Living magazine.

For cake: 

Butter and unsweetened cocoa powder for pans

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 c. buttermilk

2/3 c. vegetable oil

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. freshly brewed hot coffee

For chocolate frosting:

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. whole milk

6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

1 12-oz. package (2 c.) semisweet chocolate pieces

1 to 2 tsp. freshly brewed hot coffee, optional

1 1/2 c. pecan halves, toasted

1/2 c. purchased caramel ice cream topping

Directions  

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of 3 9-inch cake pans and line bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Butter the paper; dust pans with unsweetened cocoa powder and set pans aside.

In a small bowl, stir together egg, buttermilk and oi and reserve. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Using an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, beating until combined. Gradually beat in coffee.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans; layers will appear shallow. (If you only have two 9-inch cake pans, refrigerate 1/3 of the batter while you bake the other two layers. Clean and prepare one of the pans as directed, and bake remaining batter.)

Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 22 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool cakes on a wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pans, then invert cakes on racks. Remove cakes from pans. Peel off paper; cool completely.

To prepare frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and milk. Add butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add semisweet chocolate pieces. Using a wire whisk, stir until smooth. If frosting is too thick or grainy, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly brewed coffee. If necessary, let frosting stand several minutes before using.

To assemble cake: When the cakes are cool,  place 1 cake layer, top-side down, onto a serving plate with a lip. Using an icing spatula or wide knife, work quickly to frost the top of this layer with one-third of the frosting. Arrange one-third of the pecans on top and drizzle with some of the caramel topping. Top with the second layer, top-side down. Repeat with frosting, pecans and caramel topping. Top with the third layer, top side up. Repeat with remaining frosting, pecans and caramel topping. Chill cake 1 to 2 hours before serving (some caramel topping will ooze from the cake as it chills).