Mom's Stuffed Mushrooms

I don't know if it's just cuz I grew up on them, but this is my favorite stuffed mushroom by far, and I LOVE mushrooms!

40 small-medium size Mushrooms, stems removed (smaller ones are my fav)

1/2 c. butter

8 oz. cream cheese

3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

5 Tb. minced garlic

1/2 Tb. chopped chive, or green onion

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter. Dip each mushroom into the butter and place onto cookie sheet. Blend rest of ingredients in a bowl. Spoon into each mushroom. Bake for 15 minutes or until stuffing is golden brown. Enjoy!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

8 ounces uncooked linguine, or favorite pasta

1 pound chicken breast, cut into strips

1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (to taste)

2 Tb. olive oil, divided

1 med. red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 med. yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 red onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 med. tomatoes, diced

1 cup chicken stock

1/3 cup milk

1 tbsp flour

3 tbsp cream cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.

Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate

Add remaining olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium, add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.

Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with garlic powder, salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.

Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add pasta, toss well to coat and Enjoy!

Fav Roast Beef Dippers

3lb. beef bottom roast, trimmed of visible fat

1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced

1-11oz. jar pepperoncini sliced, and 1/2c. pepperoncini juice reserved

1/2c. olive oil

1/2c. water

1-.7 pouch Italian Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Mix

1tb. minced garlic

Ciabatta or Sourdough rolls

Arugula and sliced tomatoes to top sandwich

Place beef and onion in a 3 1/2-qt or larger slow cooker. Mix pepperoncini juice, oil, water, dressing mix and garlic in a small bowl until blended. Pour over beef. (If you have time, cover the crock and place in refrigerator to let beef marinate the night before, turning occasionally.)

Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours until beef is tender.

Cut rolls lengthwise in half (lightly toast if desired) and brush cut sides with some of the cooking liquids. Pour remaining liquid into a serving bowl.

Transfere beef to cutting board; let rest 15 minutes, then slice thinly. Layer beef, onions, sliced pepperoncini, tomatoes, and arugula on bottom half of rolls. Cover with top. Serve with reserved cooking liquid for dipping.

Jozi Gyros

I've just concocted this and am already looking forward to making it again! I think it's my new crave...

(Topper)

2 Tbsp biryani paste, canned

4 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
2 small tomatoes, diced

1 cucumber, diced

1 small onion, diced

Whisk together the biryani paste, mayonnaise, cilantro, lemon juice and olive oil until well combined. Mix in tomatoes cucumber and onion and set aside.

(Meat)

1 lb ground lamb
3 Tbsp breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tsp each ground cumin, ground ginger and turmeric
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp each salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

In a medium bowl mix together bread crumbs, finely chopped onion, cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, pepper, coriander and cayenne. Add ground lamb and mix until well combined. Make into patties and cook in a skillet until well done. Take the patties and cut into small chunks.

Place the meat on Pita bread, top with the topper and enjoy!

Olive Garden Salad

This one is to go with my earlier post, the Zuppa Toscana. It's not exactly the same as the stuff from OG, but it's pretty close and delicious at that!

Dressing:

½ c. mayonnaise

1/3 c. white vinegar

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 Tb. simple syrup

2 Tb. Parmesan cheese

2 Tb. Romano cheese

¼ tsp garlic salt – or one clove garlic, minced

½ tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp parsley flakes

1 Tb. lemon juice

Mix all dressing ingredients until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal tastes, add a little extra sugar.

Salad:

1 large head romaine lettuce

sliced red onion

black olives

2-4 pepperoncinis

2 small tomatoes, quartered

½ c. croutons

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Put lettuce in bowl. Place on top the red onions, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Toss in the Olive Garden Dressing and add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like.

Creamy Dijon Chicken Over Rice

1 cup rice, cooked
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 cups mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to season
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 oz white wine

2 cups whipping cream

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp butter

2 cloves minced garlic

Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed frying pan over medium low heat. Add chicken breasts, 4 cloves minced garlic, season with salt and pepper and continue to fry the chicken until completely cooked.
Remove chicken from pan and hold in a warm oven.

Add to pan the white wine. Simmer until volume is reduced by half. Then add whipping cream, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat a metal spoon.
Meanwhile, heat butter and garlic in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add slivered almond and cook until lightly brown. When done, remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towel. In same pan, add the mushroom and cook until lightly brown.

Return Chicken to the sauce, add the mushrooms and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Serve over cooked rice. Sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds.

Serves 4

Homemade Herbed Fettuccini