Carol's YOLO Seafood Lasagna (You Only Live Once)

Shrimp, crab and lobster in a creamy cheese sauce with spinach, roasted red pepper, green onion, garlic and a six-cheese blend. Oh, yeah!

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil

5-green onions, sliced

6-cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ lbs. cooked shrimp

3-6oz. cans crab meat, drained

8oz. cooked lobster meat, diced (or, omit and increase shrimp to 2 lbs.)

1/3 C. fresh parsley, chopped

6 T. butter

½ C. flour

2 C. milk

2 C. seafood stock (or 1 ½ C. chicken broth + 8oz. bottle clam juice)

1 C. heavy cream

½ C. parmesan cheese, shredded + extra to sprinkle on top

1 t. salt

½ t. white pepper

1 t. paprika

1-box frozen chopped spinach, drained

2 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1-box oven-ready lasagna noodles, uncooked

18oz. roasted red pepper (1 ½ - 12oz. jars)

Swiss cheese, thinly sliced (abt. 4 oz.)

10oz. shredded cheese blend (asiago, romano, parmesan, provolone)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a big saucepan, sauté green onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Put into a bowl, and add shrimp, crab meat, lobster and parsley. Mix together and set aside.

Into the same big saucepan, melt butter on medium heat and add flour. Stir a few minutes, then add milk, seafood stock, heavy cream, ½. C. parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, paprika and spinach. Stir sauce until thickened. Set aside.

To assemble: into a 9 x 13 baking dish, (or other large, deep dish) pour about a cup of sauce into the bottom of the dish. Place a layer of lasagna noodles on top. Add a layer of sliced Swiss cheese, followed by a layer of roasted red peppers, then about 1 ½ C. sauce.

2^nd layer: lasagna noodles, all of the seafood mixture and about 10oz. of 4-cheese blend.

3^rd layer: lasagna noodles, rest of the sauce, mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top.

Bake at 350° F for 50-60 minutes. Serve warm with vinegar & oil salad.

Cost: Approx. $53; serves 10-12. ($4.42-$5.30 per person)

Chicken Pot Pie

What's not to love about getting your fresh, hardy vegetables, tender, juicy chunks of chicken, bathing in an herbal broth with a touch of cream, and topped with a golden flaky crust? This is one of America's best comfort foods. I like to make this recipe in a deep casserole dish, and look forward to the experience of eating it again over the next few days.

Total Time: 2 hrs. 

INGREDIENTS
6 – skinless, boneless chicken breasts (frozen or thawed)
3 T. olive oil
salt & pepper
5 C. chicken stock
2 chicken bouillon cubes
 1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 C. onions, chopped (2-large onions)

½ t. thyme

1 ½ t. tarragon
3/4 C. flour
1/4 C. heavy cream
2 C. sliced carrots (about 6 carrots)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups)

1/2 C. minced fresh parsley leaves

For the pastry:
3 C. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/2 C. vegetable shortening
6 T. cold, unsalted butter, diced
1/2 to 2/3 C. ice water

1 egg beaten with 1 T. water, for egg wash

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the frozen chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 50-60 minutes (if thawed, 35 minutes), or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle.  Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

Meanwhile, into a large pot melt the butter and sauté the onions, carrots, thyme & tarragon over medium heat for 10 - 15 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bouillon cubes to the sauce. Simmer for 1 minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 t. salt, 1/2 t. pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, peas, and parsley. Mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour filling into a deep casserole dish and place rolled out dough on top. Crimp the dough to the sides. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Chicken Marsala

You don't have to go to a restaurant to enjoy the exquisite taste of Chicken Marsala. Make it in 30 minutes at home and have the bonus of leftovers.

INGREDIENTS

6-skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Salt & pepper

Olive oil

1-bundle asparagus spears, rinsed & patted dry, tough ends snapped off          

½ lb. mushrooms, sliced

1 T. butter

1/3 C. Marsala wine

1-can beef consommé

1 T. corn starch plus ¼ C. water (slurry)

6-slices provolone cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 450°F.

Place asparagus spears on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and rub with hands to coat the spears. Spread spears out to lay flat. Sprinkle them with salt. Bake 8-10 minutes.

In the meantime, coat the bottom of a skillet with olive oil (approx. 3 T.) and heat on medium high heat. Salt and pepper one side of the chicken breasts and put into skillet, seasoned side down. Now salt and pepper the other side. Fry for about 4-5 minutes per side.

When chicken is done (the center is fully cooked) remove from skillet. (You could place them on your baking sheet along with the already baked asparagus spears). Into the same hot skillet, add butter and mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms for about 10 minutes, until they have browned. Lightly salt them and add Marsala wine and wait 1 minute, then add beef consommé. Into a small bowl (or coffee mug) mix corn starch and water. (This is a slurry). Add slurry to the mushrooms and stir until sauce is slightly thickened and bubbly.

To serve, place a piece of chicken in the center of your plate. Spoon mushroom sauce over and around the chicken. Place 5 or 6 asparagus spears crosswise on top of the chicken breast, followed by a slice of provolone.  (The cheese should melt from the warmth of the food.) Enjoy.

Carol's Encore Chicken

I first tasted this Italian inspired chicken dish in a fine dining restaurant in Cincinnati. It became my favorite meal of that establishment, until the shocking day the master chef/owner sold his restaurant and the new owner revamped the menu, eliminating the culinary masterpiece. I was obsessed to figure out the recipe, which I did with great success! You will go nuts over this incredible, succulent meal, for which you will be yelling, "Encore," which in Italian means "more!"

INGREDIENTS

4-skinless boneless chicken breasts, sliced into ½ thickness (8 pieces)

Olive oil

Provolone cheese, sliced

Roasted red peppers  (in the jar)

Prosciutto

½ box orzo

1 shallot, diced

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar alfredo sauce

1-14.5oz can tomato bits or diced tomatoes

½ C. frozen peas

¾ C. sherry

1 can beef consommé

2T. cornstarch in 1/3 C. water (slurry)

¼ C. blue cheese, crumbled

Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350⁰ F.

For orzo, bring saucepan of water to a boil and add salt. Stir in orzo and boil 7-8 min.

In the meantime, season chicken on one side with salt and pepper. On a foil lined cookie sheet, assemble 8 individual layers of provolone, red pepper and prosciutto, keeping ingredients in a uniform size with the chicken breasts. Place skillet on stove over medium heat. Drizzle skillet with 3T. olive oil and fry chicken breasts 4 minutes on one side, then turn over for one additional minute. (Chicken will not be fully cooked.) Place chicken pieces on top of the prepared layers on cookie sheet. Invert the layers. Bake the chicken layers in the oven for 5-8 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

While chicken is baking, drain orzo and set aside. Using the empty saucepan, sauté garlic and shallot in 1 T. olive oil on medium-low heat until soft (4min.). Add orzo back into the saucepan. Stir in alfredo sauce, tomato bits and peas. Cover and keep on low heat.

Deglaze empty chicken skillet with ¾ C. sherry, stirring up chicken drippings. Add 1 can beef consommé and cornstarch slurry. Bring to a boil and add blue cheese. Turn off heat.

To serve, spread a puddle of consommé in the middle of a plate. Place 1 large spoonful of orzo in the center of the consommé and top with the chicken layers.

Serves 8.

Carol's Cinnamon Bread

Who doesn't love that irresistible aroma and the moist, chewy taste of freshly baked cinnamon bread? This recipe is tried and true, having been passed down through several generations. I added more cinnamon into the recipe to embolden the taste that will make you smile.

INGREDIENTS 

½ c. milk

½ c. shortening

½ c. sugar

½ t. salt

1 pkg. rapid rise yeast

¼ c. warm water

3 ½ c. sifted enriched flout (all purpose)

2 eggs, beaten

butter or margarine

1 T. cinnamon

white sugar (eyeball a thin coat onto the rolled out dough)

INSTRUCTIONS
Scald milk.  Add shortening, sugar and salt.  Cool to lukewarm.  Dissolve yeast in water; combine with milk mixture.  Stir in half of the flour. Add eggs and beat well.  Add enough of the remaining flour to make soft dough.

Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (10-15 min.).  Put in greased bowl and turn over once to coat the dough with grease.  Cover.  Let rise in warm place 2 hours.  Punch down.  Turn out on a lightly floured surface.  Roll into a  rectangle 8x12 inches.  Brush (smear) with butter.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Roll up from the narrow end like a jelly roll.  Pinch and fold ends under and place in a greased bread pan.

Grease surface of bread dough with butter.  Cover. Let rise 45 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes.  While warm, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Carol's Chicken a la King

How about Carol's Chicken a la King, served over homemade biscuits to soak up the herbs, sherry and creamy broth. Delicious!

INGREDIENTS

¼ C. plus 1 T- unsalted butter (can substitute coconut oil)
1 - sweet onion, chopped

1 – red pepper, chopped
6 T.- flour
¼  C.- dry sherry
4 C.- chicken broth or stock
1/3  C. -  minced flat-leaf parsley
¼ t. -  thyme
1 t. -  salt, plus more, to taste
½  t. -  black pepper, plus more, to taste
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
½ lb. -  baby bella mushrooms, cut into approx.1/4-inch slices
½  C. -  heavy cream
4-6 C. -  1-inch cubed, oven-roasted chicken (about 5-frozen skinless/boneless breasts drizzled with olive oil, salt & pepper, baked at 375° F, for 50-60 minutes.)

¾ C. – frozen peas

5 oz. - Velveta cheese

Serve over buttered noodles or biscuits in a bowl.

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup of the butter, and sauté the onions and red pepper until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Whisk in the sherry and broth and bring to a boil while stirring. Add the parsley and thyme, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the mushrooms until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce into mushrooms and season with the salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir in the heavy cream.

Add the chicken, peas and Velveta cheese, and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately over noodles or split baking powder biscuits in a bowl.

Carol's Blackened Shrimp Enchiladas in Cilantro-Queso Sauce

I knew this was a winner when my taste buds exploded with joy on the first bite! If you like Mexican food and shrimp, stop right here and get ready for creamy, spicy goodness. And yes, it is very healthy, as well as insanely delicious. Ay!

INGREDIENTS

·      2 T. olive oil

·      1- red bell pepper, chopped

·      1- C. sweet onion, chopped

·      1-small can mild green chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped

·      1 tomatillo diced

·      1-unpeeled zucchini, chopped

·      1 t. garlic powder

·      ½ t. oregano
  pinch cayenne pepper

·      salt and pepper to taste

·      3 T. flour

·      3 T. water

·      1 C. milk

·      1 C. Monterey Jack cheese, grated and divided

·      ¼ C. sour cream

·      1/3 C. cilantro, chopped

·      1 pound cooked or raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

·      2 t. Blackened Spice Blend (below recipe)

·      3-green onions, chopped and divided

·      2 tomatoes, chopped

·      1-avocado, diced

·      6-8 inch flour tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion, chili peppers, tomatillo, zucchini, garlic, oregano and a pinch of cayenne. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

2.   In a small bowl, combine flour and water and whisk to blend. Add to bell pepper mixture. Add milk and stir until well blended. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Add ½ cup of the Monterrey Jack cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cilantro.

3.   In a large skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add shrimp, blackened seasoning and 2/3 of the green onions. Stir until shrimp just turn pink, about 2 minutes. Stir in half of the bell pepper mixture and half of the tomatoes. Remove from heat. Lay out flour tortillas and fill equally with the shrimp mixture and diced avocado. Roll tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish.

4.   Top enchiladas with remaining half of the bell pepper mixture. Cover with foil and bake 30 - 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with remaining ½ cup of Monterey Jack cheese, green onions and remaining chopped tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Serve with refried beans and turmeric rice (sautéed onion, 1 C. rice & 1 t. turmeric).

BLACKENED SEASONING BLEND

·      ½ t. garlic powder

·      ½ t. basil

·      ½ t. thyme

·      ½ t. black pepper

·      ½ t. white pepper

·      ½ t. onion powder

·      ¼ t. cayenne pepper

·      ½ t. salt

·      ½ t. paprika

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup tastes good any time of the year, with its ZING of garlic, ginger and curry! (I always double this recipe.)

INGREDIENTS

2 ½-3 lb. butternut squash

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

Olive oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

¼ t. ground ginger (or 1 T. grated fresh ginger root)

1 t. curry powder

5 C. chicken stock

Salt

Pepper

1 ½ C. half & half

INSTRUCTIONS
Cut off the ends of the squash and slash the overall surface with a knife. Microwave for 4-5 minutes on a paper plate to make it easier to peel. Cool. Peel. Cut lengthwise to seed (scrape out with a spoon) and then cube the squash (like you would potatoes).

Alternate, squash baking method –

   1. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.

   2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut tops off of squash, split lengthwise and remove seeds. Place the squash halves cut-side up on the baking sheet. Rub 1 tablespoon of butter over the tops and insides of the squash halves with your fingers. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until knife tender, about 50-60 minutes.

   3. When the squash is done, remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet enough to handle. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into the saucepan with the already cooked vegetables; discard the skins. Stir together and skip to the bottom paragraph of this recipe.

In a large pot, add about 2 T. olive oil (enough to coat the bottom), onion, carrot, celery and sauté for about 5-7 minutes on medium high heat, adding garlic in the last 2 minutes so it doesn’t burn. Add raw squash, ginger, curry powder, 4 C. chicken stock and ½ t. salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and cook for 30 minutes. Check to see if squash is easily split with a fork. (If you use the alternate method to bake the squash, cook only 10 minutes with the vegetables.)

Puree in a blender (only fill the blender about half way at a time, or the blender will explode). Return the soup to the pot and add the last 1 C. chicken stock, half & half, and season with salt and pepper to taste. If bland, you can add more curry and garlic powder.

Makes 8 cups

Carol's Bang, Bang Shrimp or Chicken

My son will drive an hour home from college just to eat this favorite meal! The fragrant smell of this crispy, fried food with Thai sauce will become one of your favorites, too. Make with shrimp or chicken, or if you are like me, do both! I like to serve this up on top of basmati rice and stir-fried broccoli. If you happen to have leftovers, count yourself lucky! It tastes just as spectacular the next day.

INGREDIENTS 

1 lb. raw shrimp, or 4-skinless-boneless chicken breasts (cut into stew-size pieces), or both

garlic powder

kosher salt

canola oil for frying

rice flour (1 cup + 1 cup)

2 egg yolks

1 cup chilled club soda

Paper bag

Cooked basmati rice


INSTRUCTIONS

Heat wok to 375 degrees F, and pour in canola oil to 2-3 inches. 

Season meat with salt and garlic powder. Make tempura batter by combining in a small bowl 1 c. rice flour, 1 c. club soda, 2 egg yolks and 1 tsp. garlic powder. Put 1 c. rice flour and 1 tsp. garlic powder in plastic bag. Place paper bag on cookie sheet for absorbing grease from fried food. Heat oven to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

Shake meat pieces in plastic bag of dry flour mixture. Next, dip the meat pieces in the tempura better and gently lower into the heated wok grease. Fry no more than 10 pieces at-a-time for approximately 8 minutes. When pieces are golden and floating, lift out with a slotted spoon and place on the cookie sheet lined with a paper bag. Keep cooked meat in warm oven while frying the rest of the meat.

When all meat is finished frying, place into bowl and coat with sauce. Sprinkle with chopped green onions (scallions) and serve over cooked basmati rice.

Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Thai sweet red chili sauce

2 Tbl. Thai garlic chili pepper sauce (Can also use Sriracha sauce.)

1 tsp. garlic powder

Cayenne powder (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and adjust to taste. Add cayenne powder for more heat, if desired.

Banana Bread

Growing up, banana bread was a breakfast treat that still remains a comfort food for me and my own family. It has a wonderfully moist banana flavor and goes well with a glass of milk, or your first cup of coffee in the morning. I make mine without nuts, but you can certainly add them into your batter, as well as chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or "whatever floats your boat." And sometimes I make the recipe into cupcakes.

This is for 1 loaf.

INGREDIENTS

1 ¼ C. sugar

½ C. butter, softened (1 stick)

2 eggs

3-4 medium bananas

Not quite ½ C. milk, topped off with abt. 1 T. vinegar (equivalent of buttermilk)

1 t. vanilla extract

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 ½ C. flour

INSTRUCTIONS
Put oven on 350˚. Grease bottom only of a foil-lined loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix sugar and butter. Add eggs and bananas and blend with an electric mixer. Add milk mixture, vanilla, baking soda and salt and blend together. Finally, add the flour. Pour into the loaf pan.

Bake an 8-inch loaf for about an hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 ¼ hours, until a cake tester comes out clean. Wrap immediately after baking and store in a zip-loc bag. Eat within 4 days, or store in refrigerator for up to 10 days. Keeps well in the freezer.

Balsamic Honey Chicken

Into a zip-loc bag:

½ c. balsamic vinegar

½ c. honey

½ c. brown sugar

¼ c. soy sauce

5-cloves garlic, crushed

3-rosemary sprigs

5-pieces chicken (boneless breasts), cut in half if they are large

Instructions:

Marinate the chicken at least 2 hours.  Save the marinade to a pot. Boil 10 minutes to thicken – it will coat the back of a spoon.

Set oven to 400⁰ F.  Bake the chicken pieces on a baking sheet, 25 minutes.  Put sauce on baked chicken and serve.

(Good with couscous and a green vegetable.)

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

There's a smile in every bite. You will love this chocolate, coconut and almond treat!


INGREDIENTS
1 box of family size Chocolate Fudge brownie mix 
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 
1 (14 oz.) bag coconut
1/4 C milk
1 C chocolate chips, melted
1/4 C almonds (or nuts), crushed

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line (regular size, not mini) cupcake pan with paper liners. (Don't skip the paper liners as they make stick).

Make brownies according to package directions and pour batter only half way up the liners.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. While they are baking, mix the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and milk together.

Remove brownies from oven and spoon on some sweetened coconut.

Place bake in oven and continue to bake an additional 14-16 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing the paper liners. Drizzle melted chocolate on top then sprinkle with almonds.