Sunday, February 26, 2012

Spinach-Artichoke Manicotti


Preheat oven 400° F and grease 13x9 baking pan with butter

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Filling:
-1 package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
-1 package of frozen artichokes, thawed and drained
-2 cloves of crushed garlic
blend in the food processor before adding in the cheese filling bowl

-1 cup of parm cheese
-1 cup of mozz cheese
-1 cup of asiago cheese
-1 cup of fontina cheese
-1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese
-1 egg
-pinch of nutmeg
-pinch of salt
-3 pinches of pepper

With either a piping bag or a ziploc bag with a corner cut small, filled in the bag with the filling and fill in the cooled manicotti. Place the filled manicotti in the baking dish till the baking dish is full.
Meanwhile make the sauce

Sauce:
-1/2 cup of mozz
-1/2 cup of fontina
-1/2 cup of asiago
-3 tablespoons of flour and butter
-2-3 cups of milk (eyeball)
-pinch of nutmeg, pepper, and salt
Make rue with butter, flour, seasonings, and add milk while whisking. Add the cheeses till thick and pour the sauce over the manicotti.

Topping:
-1/2 cup mozz
-1/2 cup parm
-1/2 cup asiago
-1/2 cup fontina
Sprinkle the cheese over the top before putting the baking dish in the ovwn for 30-35 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes before serving

Thursday, February 16, 2012

My Chili



For saute pan:
-extra virgin olive oil, about twice turns around the pan
-1 onion
-1 pound of ground beef
Heat oil over medium high heat and saute onions for a few minutes, season with S&P. Add ground beef till brown

Meanwhile...
I use my crockpot for this

For crockpot:
-1 red pepper*
-1 yellow pepper*
-1 pint of cremini mushrooms (or button)
-1 pint of cherry tomatoes
-1 can of cannellini beans, drain
-1 can of black beans, add along juice
-a couple of cloves of garlic, 2-5 (I do love garlic)
-1-2 poblano pepper*
-2 fresno chili peppers*
-1-2 cubanella pepper*
-1 jalapeno pepper*
-small can of tomato paste

I've use McCormmick's original chili spice mix before or can make your own (I measure by eyeballing by my palm of my hand)
-chili powder
-paprika
-cumin
-italian seasonings (herbs)
-beef bouillon cube, crushed into a powder form
-S&P

combine all in the crockpot, sauted beef and onions included. Set the crockpot on medium or high for 6 to 12 hours (if you want it as tonight's, or tomorrow's dinner, make it during the day like in the morning, early afternoon)

Once you are ready to eat, I tend to use cheddar cheese for the topping

You don't like beef? Use chicken or put no meat at all to make it vegetarian- just double the veggies and beans

*- If you don't want the heat, take out the ribs and seeds out of the peppers