Recipes from the Bulletin
Slow Cooker Chicken Marinara
1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 small onion
2 medium bell peppers, cut into strips
2 cups pasta sauce
1 pkg (12 oz) dry rotini pasta
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker. Top with onion and bell pepper. Add pasta sauce. Cover and cook on low setting 4-6 hours. Cook and drain pasta according to package directions. Place pasta on platter. Top with chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Freeze leftovers for another meal.
Pizza Quesadilla’s with Dipping Sauce
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE: (If you like to experiment with herbs in the kitchen – go ahead and use this recipe. For a super short-cut just buy your favorite spaghetti or pizza sauce!)
8 ounces tomato sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
FOR THE QUESADILLAS:
4 8-inch white or whole wheat tortillas
6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces pepperoni, diced
In a small pan over medium heat, stir together tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, crushed fennel seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and allow to heat and thicken while making quesadillas, stirring occasionally. Assemble quesadillas by laying out two tortillas on a cutting board. Sprinkle EACH tortilla with 3 ounces of shredded mozzarella, 1 tablespoon Parmesan, and 2 ounces of diced pepperoni. Lay the remaining tortillas on top. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer an assembled quesadilla onto the skillet. Cook for a couple of minutes, until tortilla begins to turn golden and cheese starts to melt. Carefully flip quesadilla over and cook for another couple of minutes or until cheese is fully melted. Remove hot quesadilla to a plate and repeat with second quesadilla. Alternatively, you may cook both quesadillas at the same time on a flat griddle. Slice each quesadilla into 6 wedges and serve immediately with warm dipping sauce.
Vegetable Pasta Salad
8 oz thin spaghetti (broken in 1-inch pieces, cooked and chilled)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 small cucumber (diced)
1 small green pepper (diced)
1 sweet red pepper (diced)
1 small red onion (diced)
1 medium zucchini (diced)
1 (2 ¼ oz) can sliced ripe olives
1 bottle (16 oz) Italian salad dressing
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate. This salad keeps well for 3-4 days.
Santa Fe Stuffed Potatoes
4 medium potatoes
1 cup black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 cup salsa
1 cup corn (canned or frozen)
1 cup cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes and prick with a fork. Bake for one hour or until cooked through. Stir together beans, salsa and corn in saucepan about 10 minutes before the potatoes are done. Heat over medium heat until simmering. Remove potatoes from oven and cut in half lengthwise on plates. Spoon bean mixture over the top of each potato, and sprinkle with ¼ cup shredded cheese. Serve with fruit and milk.
Salmon Patties
1 can (15 oz) red or pink salmon, drained
8 saltine crackers
¼ cup diced onion or bell pepper
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice (bottled or fresh squeezed)
In a medium bowl, remove skin from salmon and flake with a fork, mashing bones (great calcium). Crush the crackers and add to bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Shape into 4 patties. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook salmon patties turning once, until lightly browned on each side. Can be served sandwich style on a bun, or with a baked potato and vegetable for a salmon dinner.
Breakfast Pizza
1 lb sausage (cooked and crumbled)
1 (8 count) pkg. Crescent rolls
1 cup loose pack hashbrowns (thawed)
1 cup shredded cheese
¼ cup milk
½ tsp salt
Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
5 eggs
Press crescent rolls in ungreased pizza pan to form pizza crust. Put sausage , then hashbrowns and top with shredded cheese. Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over cheese. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes.
Chicken Rice Soup
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
¼ tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 stalks celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
½ onion, finely diced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup long grain rice
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay chicken breast in jelly roll pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in preheated oven and roast until cooked through about 25 minutes. Set aside. Heat canola oil in a pot over medium heat; add celery, carrots and onions and sauté 3-4 minutes until tender. Sprinkle with thyme. Pour in chicken broth, cover and bring to a simmer and simmer 30 minutes. While vegetables are simmering, prepare the rice according to package directions. Chop the chicken and add to the pot of vegetables along with the rice and parsley.
Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Soup
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
¾ cup dried black beans, rinsed
1 bag (16 oz) frozen corn
3 cups water
1 tsp chili powder, or to taste
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast
Optional ingredients – baked tortilla chips, chili flakes, chopped cilantro, jalapenos, lime, sliced or chopped avocado, salsa, light sour cream, or shredded cheese
Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook 4-6 hours on high, or 8 – 10 hours on low. Remove chicken right before serving. Shred using two forks. Stir shredded chicken into soup. Serve with optional ingredients as desired.
Sloppy Jo Casserole
1 pound ground beef
½ cup chopped onion (frozen chopped onions work well)
1 can (15.5 oz) Sloppy Jo sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups biscuit baking mix (such as Bisquick)
1 cup milk
2 eggs
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook beef and onions in skillet over medium heat until beef is browned (about 8-10 minutes); drain. Stir in Sloppy Jo sauce. Pour in 8×8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour over beef mixture. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Lentil Barley Stew
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion -frozen chopped onions work well
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup frozen carrots and peas
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup red lentils, dry
½ cup pearled barley
3 cups water
3 cups chicken broth
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil then onion and garlic. Sauté until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils and barley are tender – about 45 – 50 minutes.
Pizza
1 100% whole wheat flour tortilla
½ cup chopped vegetables of your choice (such as onions, green peppers, mushrooms)
¼ – ½ cup meat of your choice (such as sausage, pepperoni, shredded chicken)
¼ cup pizza sauce (or tomato sauce)
¼ cup shredded cheese
¼ tsp oregano
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tortillas on a cookie tray. Top with sauce, vegetables and meat. Sprinkle with cheese and oregano. Put the tray in the oven and bake the pizza until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Turkey Tettrazini
2 cups turkey, diced
½ cup onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
¼ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup flour
14 oz can chicken broth
1 ½ c milk
¾ c Parmesan cheese, divided
8 oz linguine pasta, cooked and drained
½ cup peas
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter or margraine in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook 3-4 minutes until tender. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and add turkey, cooked noodles and peas. Transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish. Mix ½ c Panko bread crumbs and ½ c Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake 35 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos
1 cup potatoes, diced
½ cup onions, diced
1 cup bell pepper, diced
8 eggs, beaten
1/8 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese
8 flour tortillas
Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray. Cook potatoes for 6-10 minutes over medium heat. Add onions and peppers to potatoes. Cook 3-4 minutes until potatoes are browned. Add beaten eggs. Cook 4-5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in garlic powder and pepper. Roll up burritos using 2 Tbsp cheese and ½ cup egg mixture. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Seal wrapped burritos in a large freezer bag after frozen. To reheat – remove the plastic wrap and wrap in a damp paper towel . Heat 3-4 minutes on medium power.
Old Fashioned Beef Stew
Makes 8 servings
1 Tbsp. canola oil or other cooking oil
1 1/2 pounds stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 c. onion, cut in 1-inch slices
2 c. carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 c. celery, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 c. beef broth (reduced-sodium, canned or made
from bouillon or soup base)
1 bay leaf (remove after cooking)
3 tsp. of cornstarch in 2 Tbsp. of cold water
(thickener)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Rinse and prepare vegetables as directed. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add beef and cook until the beef is browned. Add remaining ingredients (except thickener) to browned beef, bring to boil, then simmer covered for about 1 1/2 to two hours. Add more liquid if needed. Bring to boil at end of cooking time. Mix cornstarch with about 2 tablespoons of water to make a thin paste for thickening, then add to pot and cook on low while gently stirring.
Slow cooker directions: Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Mix browned meat and other ingredients (except thickener) and cook on low for eight to 10 hours. Increase heat to high at the end of the cooking time, add thickener and stir gently until thickened.
Slow Cooker Chicken Sante Fe Soup
4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (7 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 (8 oz) bag frozen corn
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (14 oz) can low sodium vegetable broth
1 (32 oz) box low sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp chili seasoning mix
Place all ingredients in slow cooker and simmer for 6-8 hours on low. Remove the cooked chicken and shred with 2 forks. Return chicken to soup and serve.
Apples and Sweet Potatoes
8 servings
4 medium sweet potatoes
2 large apples cored and cut into ¼ inch rings
½ cup orange juice
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar
Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water until tender. Remove skin and cut into 1/4-inch slices. (Alternatively, potatoes can be baked until tender.) Layer the potatoes in the bottom of a large baking dish. Top with a layer of apples. Pour the orange juice over the potatoes and apples. Mix the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the apples. Dot the casserole with margarine. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until apples are tender, about 30 minutes.
Ham and Brown Rice Skillet
1 can (14 oz) low sodium chicken broth
2 ½ cup cooked ham, chopped
½ tsp minced garlic
1 ½ cups instant brown rice, uncooked
½ tsp black pepper
2 cups frozen peas
Parmesan cheese, optional
Combine broth, ham, and garlic in a skillet. Heat to boiling. Stir in rice and pepper, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook 10 minutes. Add peas and cook about 4 minutes more until rice is tender and peas are hot. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top if desired.
Easy Roasted Veggies
Serves 5
5 cups assorted vegetable pieces, cut in chunks (potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, onions, and carrots)
1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/8 tsp salt
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 9” x 13” pan with aluminum foil. Spread vegetables in pan. Sprinkle oil on vegetables. Stir. Sprinkle with Italian seasonings, salt and pepper. Bake uncovered 45 minutes. Turn every 15 minutes until tender.
Mexican Chicken and Barley Chili
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups water
¾ cup quick cooking barley
1 (16 oz) can tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14 oz) can reduced sodium chicken broth (about 1/3/4 cups)
2 cups frozen corn
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1 ½ pounds)In a large 4 qt saucepan, cook onion and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients except chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add cooked chicken; continue simmering 5-10 minutes or until chicken is tender.
Easy Skillet Barbecue
6 (4 oz) lean boneless loin pork chops
½ small onion, cut into ¼ inch slices
½ small green pepper, seeded and cut into strips
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
½ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chops, and cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chops from skillet and add onion and green pepper; sauté until tender. Return chops to skillet. Combine barbecue sauce and remaining ingredients; pour over chops. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until pork chops are tender.
Taco Casserole
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeno , seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic
1 pkg taco seasoning
15 oz can black beans, drained
4 oz can diced green chilies
3 Tbsp tomato paste
16 oz jar picante sauce
2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9X13-inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside. Brown ground beef in skillet, and drain. Add onion, garlic and jalapeno. Cook until vegetables are soft. Stir in taco seasoning, black beans, green chilies, tomato paste and picante sauce. Cook 1-2 minutes; set skillet aside and add 1 cup shredded cheese. Transfer to prepared dish and top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
Bake 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Top with desired toppings and serve with tortillas or tortilla chips.
Summer Bounty Salad
7 cups vegetables
(zucchini, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes) chopped
1 pepper (red, yellow or mixed)
2/3 cup light Italian Salad dressing
Wash and prepare the vegetables. Combine all vegetables and salad dressing in a bowl, stirring to coat vegetables with dressing. Cover and refrigerate 1-3 hours to blend favors.
Easy Lasagna
12 ounces lasagna noodles – uncooked (may use regular, no boil, or oven ready lasagna noodles)
1 ½ lb ground beef
1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
3 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
¾ cup water
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp fennel (used for the RAGBRAI dinner – can be omitted)
2 cups cottage cheese
3 cups mozzarella cheese
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheeseBrown and drain ground beef. Add beef to sauces, water and seasonings. Simmer for 10 minutes. Spray 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Layer in the following order: uncooked noodles on bottom, 2 heaping cups sauce, 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers 1 more time then finish with noodles. 2 heaping cups sauce and 1 cup mozzarella on top. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove foil and let stand for 10 minutes.
Zucchini Pie
2 zucchini, sliced (about 10 cups)
2 onions, sliced
2 eggs
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 14.5 oz can tomatoes
1 cup mozzarella cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp black pepper
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray; set aside. Wash zucchini and discard ends. Cut into slices. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and onion slices and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat. In bowl, stir together eggs, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning and pepper. Add undrained tomatoes and cheeses. Pour over zucchini and stir to mix. Pour into casserole. Bake uncovered 60 minutes. Top will be golden brown.
