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Category: Recipes

One Pan Orecchiette Pasta

Here we have another one-pan dinner. I guess it is perfect timing since the back-to-school rush is upon us. All of my kids LOVE LOVE arugula. It is a staple in our fridge. I was so happy to find this recipe. I knew it would be an instant hit around here. If you do not want to use spicy sausage, parsley and cheese sausage is amazing too. We all like it both ways. And it is soo easy. Let me know what you think! Bon Appetit!!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 onion, diced

• salt to taste

• 8 ounces spicy Italian sausages, casings removed

• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided, or as needed

• 1 1/4 cups orecchiette pasta, or more to taste

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped arugula, or to taste•

1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or to taste


Directions

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, then add the onion. Cook and stir the onion with a pinch of salt until the onion is soft and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the sausage into onions; cook and stir until the sausage is broken up and browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

Pour 1 1/2 cups chicken broth into the sausage mixture and bring it to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the orecchiette pasta. Cook and stir the pasta in the hot broth, adding the remaining broth when liquid is absorbed until pasta is cooked through and most of the broth is absorbed about 15 minutes.Step 3

Stir the arugula into the pasta-sausage mixture until the arugula wilts. Ladle the pasta into bowls and sprinkle it with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

One-Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

I just made this really good, really easy back to school family dinner..We made enchiladas so many times during the pandemic that I thought this would be a great alternative. We all loved it just as much. I did add some black beans as well and it came out perfect and all in under 30 minutes. This is definitely worth a try. Bon Appetit!

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 white onion, diced finely

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced• 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce

• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican-blend cheese

• toppings: sour cream, tomatoes, diced avocado, cilantro (optional)


Directions

Step 1

In a large skillet or pot, sauté the onions in two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Once the onions soften, increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken to the pan.

Brown the chicken pieces and add the garlic. Cook for about 1 more minute.

Push the chicken to one side of the pan and add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to the other side

Add the uncooked rice to the olive oil and saute it for a couple of minutes.

Add the enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, water, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.

Cover the pan. Cook the chicken and rice mixture, making sure to stir every once in a while, for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Sprinkle cheese on top and cover the pan with a lid, letting it sit for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Serve, sprinkle with desired toppings, and enjoy!

End of Summer Berry Crisp Dump Cake

I keep seeing a bunch of “dump cake” recipes on Tik Tok and decided to try my own. I found this one and brought it with me to a friend’s house. It was so easy to make and came out great. I find it is best to serve this cake right after it comes out of the oven. It would be great for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. Stay tuned I am working on some of these Dump Cakes in fall flavors for fall celebrations too.

  • 2 bags frozen mixed berries
  • 1 box french vanilla cake mix
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup salted butter melted
  • Heat oven to 350° and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Spread out frozen berries in the bottom of the dish (
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix ), oats, and melted butter. Stir together until thick crumbles form. Sprinkle evenly over the frozen berries. (If you are watching carbs you do not need to add the oats!!!)
  • Cook for 50-55 minutes. Crisp topping will be a golden brown and the berries will be bubbling.
  • Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Let’s Toast The Rest of the Summer with an Aperol Spritz

RECIPE COURTESY OF GIADA DE LAURENTIIS

Let’s savor the last weeks of summer. One of the best summertime drinks, that has become so popular, is the Aperol Spritz. It’s a refreshing bubbly cocktail that is served in the Northern part of Italy and tastes like summertime. One of the best parts is the color is that of a beautiful Italian Riveria sunset. Bon Weekend!!

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1 1/2 ounces Aperol

3 ounces prosecco 

3/4 ounce sparkling water or club soda 

1 orange slice, for garnish, optional

Fill a white wine glass halfway with ice. Add the Aperol, prosecco, and sparkling water, and stir twice with a spoon. Serve with an orange slice if desired.

Summer Cheesy Crab Dip

One of my favorite things to make when entertaining or when I have to bring something to a party or picnic is crab dip. Everyone always loves it, so when I saw this version, I knew I had to try it. I never made one with cheese before and it really is a game changer. The cheddar with the crab is a great combination!!! Bon Appetit!!!

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Image Cooking Professionally

adapted from cooking professionally

Ingredients

• 8-ounce package cream cheese or Neufchatel, softened

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 1 tablespoon white onion, grated

• 2 (6 ounce) cans lump crab meat

• 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley

• a few drops of hot sauce, to taste• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Sliced green onions, for garnish

Step 1

Set your oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2

In a mixing bowl, cream together mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese. Add all other ingredients and continue to mix until completely combined.

Step 3

Spoon into a small baking dish.

Step 4

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cheese is starting to brown on the top and the dip is starting to boil. Serve with crackers (Ritz works well) and celery sticks.

Tex Mex Night…Sheet Pan Everything Nachos

The other day a friend was saying she is so disappointed that there are no places around us where you can get really good nachos. It seems like they used to be on every menu and now they are nowhere to be found. I started thinking about it and decided she was 100% right. I guess the only alternative would be for us is to perfect them at home. I found this sheet pan nacho recipe and it really sounded perfect. I altered the recipe to add the shredded lettuce but you really do not need it. It sometimes can tend to get soggy. Other than that I think this recipe is so easy and looks so good. It will definitely become a summer staple. The entire tray is filling enough for a meal on a hot day! Bon Appetit!

Adapted from Cooking Professionally

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Image Pixabay

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, cooked (can be made meatless as well)

12 ounces salted tortilla chips 1/2 cup cooked pinto beans, drained (either homemade or canned)

1/4 cup red salsa

1/4 cup chopped white onion

1/8 cup green onion

3 cups Oaxaca cheese, grated or shredded•

1/3 cup sour cream

1 Roma tomato, finely chopped

3 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped•

1 avocado, cubed or sliced

Shredded lettuce

Jalapenos, optional

Directions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until no pink remains. (If you are using the meat otherwise skip this step)

Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.Step 3

Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet and layer with 3/4 of the tortilla chips, ground beef, beans, salsa, white onion, green onion, and 1 cup of the Oaxaca cheese.

Then, add the remaining chips to the top, and sprinkle with 2 cups of cheese.

Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Top with sour cream, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, and whatever toppings you desire!