Penne Beef Bake

Ingredients

• 1 package (12 ounces) whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 2 medium zucchini, finely chopped
• 1 large green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 jar (24 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce
• 1-1/2 cups reduced-fat Alfredo sauce
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

• Cook penne according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook the beef, zucchini, pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, Alfredo sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and garlic powder. Drain penne; stir into meat mixture. 
• Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 8 servings.

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 4 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each) 
• Fajita seasoning to taste

• FILLING:
• 4 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, julienned
• 1 small sweet red or green pepper, julienned
• 2 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 8 fat-free tortillas (6 inches), warmed
• Salsa and sour cream, optional

Directions

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first eight ingredients; if desired, add liquid smoke. Add chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. 
• Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, rub on grill rack to coat lightly. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 4-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 165°. 
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and red pepper; cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until tender. Stir in soy sauce and lime juice. 
• Cut chicken into thin slices; add to vegetables. Serve with tortillas, salsa and sour cream.

Bananas Foster...or just Foster because bananas are yucky...and Foster is delicious

Ingredients
1 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup of heavy cream
3 bananas peeled, halved, and cut lengthwise (optional)
1/4 cup dark rum
Ice cream, optional

Directions
In a large skillet, melt butter. Using a wooden spoon, add brown sugar and stir together. Add the cream and let it get all bubbly.

Forget yourself and spoon some hot bubbly caramel right into your mouth.

Cuss.  Then do it again.  It's worth it.

Add the rum.  Light match, then holding the match with your kitchen tongs, chuck the match into the pan while screaming.  This scares the fire out.  Repeat as many times as needed until rum catches on fire.  At this point you do the happy dance as it not only well-deserved but helps fan your blistered tongue.

When the fire dies out, carefully fish out all your matches. They are covered in delicious caramel sauce so contemplate saving them for eating later...

Serve sauce over ice cream.  If you choose salted caramel truffle, you will literally create a piece of heaven assuming you didn't transfer any of the nasty bananas into your bowl.

Zuppa Toscana

Olive Garden® Zuppa Toscana

This is a much requested recipe on the site given its name! Someone who used to work at the Olive Garden sent in the original recipe and I've adapted it to serve just 6-8. Try it since it is really yummy!

It is a very good soup and hits the spot on cold winter days. I've included this and a few other Olive Garden-inspired recipes on the site for all of our visitors that enjoy eating at the restaurant chain. In my opinion, making these recipes at home makes them even better than the ones you eat at the restaurant! :)

Makes: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
• 1 large diced white onion
• 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
• 2 tsp garlic puree
• 10 cups water
• 5 cubes of chicken bouillon
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
• ¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Delicious!

Dulce De Leche Pumpkin Cupcakes (from JC and Josh wedding)

From: Sweetest Kitchen blog 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
7.5 ounces pureed pumpkin

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Once cooled, using the cone method, fill each cupcake with a dollop of dulce de leche and frost with dulce de leche buttercream. If desired, decorate cupcake with spiderweb design using 3 tablespoons chocolate chips melted together with 1/4 teaspoon shortening.

Dulce De Leche

Adapted from Recipe Girl
Makes just enough to fill cupcakes and use in frosting

Ingredients
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
boiling water

Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Open up the can and pour the sweetened-condensed milk into a pie pan. Cover tightly with foil. Place into a larger pan and pour boiling water in larger pan & around pie plate (level of water should be about halfway up the pie plate). Don’t let any water seep up and into the pie plate.

Place in oven and bake for 1 hour. At the one hour point, peel off foil and check for progress. If the mixture has thickened and turned a caramelly color, it’s done. If it doesn’t quite look thick enough or dark enough, cover it up and bake it a little longer (mine took 75 minutes).

When the mixture appears to have turned into a nice, thick caramel, remove from the oven. Let sit for a few minutes, and then beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

Dulce De Leche Buttercream

Adapted from Joy The Baker
Makes enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons prepared dulce de leche

Method
Cream together softened butter and powdered sugar on low using an electric mixer. Add cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth and no lumps appear. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the prepared dulce de leche and beat to incorporate.

Triple-Chocolate Chunk Pecan Pie

Ingredients
1 single pie crust
3 T unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
3/4 C packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C (4 oz) pecans, toasted and chopped coarse
6 oz total of semisweet, milk and white chocolate chopped coarse

Directions
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a chilled pie shell with a double layer of foil and fill with pie weights.  Bake until the pie dough looks dry and is light in color, 25 to 30 minutes.  Transfer the pie plate to a wire rack and remove the weights and foil.  Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees.

2.  Melt the butter in a heatproof bowl set in a skillet of water maintained at just below a simmer.  Remove the bowl from the skillet and stir in the sugar and salt until the butter is absorbed.  Whisk in the eggs, then the corn syrup and vanilla until smooth.  Return the bowl to the hot water and stir until the mixture is shiny and hot to the touch and registers 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.  Off the heat, stir in the pecans.

3.  Pour the pecan mixture into the warm pie crust.  Scatter the chocolate over the top and lightly press it into the filling with the back of a spoon.  Bake the pie until the filling looks set but yields like Jell-O when gently pressed with the back of a spoon, 50 to 60 minutes.  Cool the pie on a wire rack until the filling has firmed up, about 2 hours; serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Rigatoni with Sausage and Tomato Cream Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 pounds mild or hot Italian sausages (casings removed)

1 sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes  in thick puree

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 cup light cream

1 pound rigatoni

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a fork, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pan. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat.

Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it almost evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage, tomatoes, and salt. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the pepper, parsley, and cream.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rigatoni until just done, about 14 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan.