Holly's Pasta Alfredo

1.      Cook one pound of penne pasta until “al dente” doneness (per pkg directions).  While pasta is boiling:

2.      Cube of butter – melt in small pan

3.      Whisk in ½ cup flour

4.      Whisk in approx. 2 1/2 cup milk, cook and stir over medium heat until thick.

5.      Add one container fresh shredded Parmesan cheese, cook until melted. 

6.      Season if needed with salt & pepper.

7.      Add drained pasta to sauce & serve.

 

Diann’s Sugar Cookies

1 stick butter (if you like crispier cookies use all shortening)

1/4 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla or 1/2 tsp lemon extract

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Combine sugar, butter, shortening, eggs and flavorings. Blend in flour, salt, baking powder and cover and chill; atleast one hour.

Heat oven to 400. Roll out dough to 1/8" think and cut into desired shapes. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 6-8 mins or til very light brown. Cool on racks. Frost.

Brianne’s Frosting

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups sifted confectioners sugar
2 TBS milk

Mix butter and shortening, add vanilla, gradually add sugar one cup at a time, then add milk beat at medium speed till light and fluffy

Bread Salad

1 baguette
1 bunch basil
4 roma tomatoes
1 red onion
5 cloves garlic
extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
white balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar
salt & pepper

Preheat oven 375 degrees.  Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Drizzle evoo over baguette pieces (cut in bite- size squares), toss to coat. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Chop basil in fine strips, tomatoes in bite- sized chunks and onion, in strips.

Chop garlic finely ad cook in 1/4 cup oil for 10 seconds. 

Toss vegetables, bread and oil mixture.  Add a sprinkling of white basalmic vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

You can marinate everything but the bread for 2-3 hours, add bread last and toss.

So good!

Chicken Piccata with Artichoke Hearts

Ingredients:

2 pounds Chicken Breast
1 cup flour
Olive oil

For the sauce:

1 large tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, mined
1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup capers, rinsed
1/2 jar marinated artichoke hearts
24 oz low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp margarine or butter
2tbs fresh parsley

3 tbsp flour & enough chicken broth to make slurry
Directions:

Rinse and clean chicken. Pound thin. Season with salt and pepper. Mix flour with salt and pepper on a large dinner plate. Prep sauce ingredients. Coat frying pan with olive oil heat over medium heat. When oil is hot enough to sizzle with a drop of water it's ready. Dip both sides of chicken in flour and shake excess. Add to pan and let cook until golden brown about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set on a paper towel to drain oil.

Add 1-2 tbsp of utter to olive oil. Add chopped tomato and garlic. Smash tomatoes with a back of a fork and reduce to a pan sauce. Add lemon juice, capers and artichoke hearts. Stir and cook about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth. Make flour and chicken broth slurry. Whisk briskly with a fork. Let sauce thicken. Add fresh parsley and basil to sauce. Add chicken back to pan and gently reheat.

Serve with rice or pasta or just a loaf of crusty Italian bread to soak up the lovely "gravy"!

Paula's Junior League Salad (avocado & hearts of palm)

Dressing:

Juice of 1 large lemon

1 T. fresh fine herbes (parsley, chives, tarragon, chervil)

1 t. Dijon mustard

1 T. Worchestershire sauce

1 t. salt

½ t. fresh ground pepper

3 cloves garlic minced

1 ¼ c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 T.  Feta cheese

           Toss with:

Romaine, Chopped Leeks, Hearts of Palm & Avocado.

Holly's Cheese Sauce

Sauté sliced onions in margarine/butter

Add:

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Jar Cheese Whiz

Heat through; serve over steamed broccoli or cauliflower.

Mmmmm...

Bianca's Candied Yams/Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 pounds yams/sweet potatoes
1 1/4 cups margarine
1 1/4 cups brown sugar (or to taste)
1 pound miniature marshmallows
ground cinnamon to taste
ground nutmeg to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a deep 9x13
inch baking dish.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until
done. Drain, cool and peel.
3. Chop yams/sweet potatoes into bite size chunks. Mash half of the potatoes.
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine margarine, brown
sugar, 2 cups marshmallows (or to taste), cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook,
stirring occasionally, until marshmallows are melted.
4. Stir mashed yams/potatoes and chunks into marshmallow sauce.
Transfer to prepared dish. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
5. Take out yams/potatoes and top liberally with marshmallows so that
no yams/potatoes are visible.
6. Bake in preheated oven for another 15 minutes or until marshmallows
are golden brown (marshmallows will expand a lot!)

(From Thanksgiving 2011)