cooking Archives - Page 9 of 24

Basil Shrimp Pasta

September 15, 2010 jennifer Main Dishes

I made this for the first time at the beginning of the summer, and it was a hit. A few minor adjustments and it’s now a family favorite. My six year old even requested it for her birthday dinner.

Basil Shrimp Pasta Ingredients:

1 pound peeled, deveined, cooked shrimp. (I use the 71-90 count. They’re smaller, which is great for my younger children and also allows more shrimp per bite without spending a fortune.)
1 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered 1 cup Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Salad Dressing 2 cups water 2 tsp. chicken bullion 8 oz. Neufchatel cheese fresh basil (about 6-8 leaves) 1/3 cup parmesan cheese 3 cups uncooked farfalle (bow-tie pasta) If you purchased frozen shrimp, thaw it.

Cook pasta according to directions on package.

Pour 3 Tb. Sun Dried Tomato dressing into a large skillet. Add chopped zucchini and stir. Cook over medium heat until zucchini is tender.

Add water, bullion and remaining salad dressing to skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes, to heat through. Add Neufchatel cheese and shrimp. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes to heat shrimp and melt cheese.

Drain pasta and add to skillet. Stir to coat pasta. Slice basil leaves into thin strips. Add basil and parmesan cheese to pasta, stir lightly. Serve and enjoy!

Baked Fruit Salad

September 3, 2010 jennifer Breakfast, Sides and Salads

Served warm, this fruit salad has a surprising twist of flavor. We like to serve it with brunch, but you could use it as a side for an evening meal. It’s nice to use in the winter when good fresh fruit is unavailable.

Baked Fruit Salad 1 can (29 oz) pear slices 1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup flaked coconut 1 tsp. lime zest Drain mandarin oranges, discarding juice. Drain pears, reserving 1/2 cup juice in a small bowl. In an ungreased 11 x 7 inch baking pan, combine pear slices, mandarin oranges and lime zest. Add brown sugar to pear juice and mix well. Pour over fruit. Sprinkle with coconut. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through.

My husband hates mandarin oranges but likes this salad because the lime zest adds unexpected flavor. I like this salad because I tend to have all the ingredients on hand, which makes it easy to throw together.

Hope you enjoy it!

Hopeful Homemaker

Enchilada Pie

August 30, 2010 jennifer Main Dishes

This is one of those simple, inexpensive recipes that you can put together in just a few minutes, especially if I’m using leftover rice. It’s also one of my food storage recipes. It’s certainly nothing fancy, but my children will eat it. I simplified it recently, and am happy with the results.

Ingredients:

1 can refried beans 1 tsp. cumin 1 can enchilada sauce (I used green) 1 cup cooked rice 1 1/2 cups cheese 3 flour tortillas In a small bowl, mix together refried beans, cumin and cooked rice.

Spread 1-2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a pie pan. Lay 1 flour tortilla on top of the enchilada sauce. Spread 1/3 of the bean mixture over the tortilla, 1/3 of the remaining enchilada sauce over the bean mixture, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese over the sauce. Cover cheese with another tortilla, and continue to layer in the same order. Repeat layers one last time, finishing with the last 1/2 cup of cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with sour cream, salsa and chips.

Note: if you’re in a hurry and don’t have cooked rice, you can skip it and it will still taste great. I make two of these for my family, and one batch of my green enchilada sauce is sufficient for both. In fact, I usually have enough sauce left to add a 4th tortilla on top. I then pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortilla and sprinkle with cheese.

Enjoy!