Strawberry Rhubarb Jelly

I love rhubarb  and this is a way you can have it all year round because you freeze the jelly. I got this recipe from my Grandma Logterman.  After having this jelly no other jelly will do.  It's even great on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I've got my stash in the freezer so I'm set until next rhubarb season.  I also made an extra batch so I could share it with friends.

I made a double batch to share with friends.

     5 cup rhubarb, chopped
     1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple
     1  cups sugar
     1 (3 oz) box strawberry jello

1. Combine rhubarb, pineapple and sugar in a large saucepan and mix well.

2. Bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring. Add jello and mix well until dissolved. Cool for 30 minutes.

3. Ladle mixture into freezer containers (I use Pyrex glass containers with lids or plastic Ziploc containers if I'm giving it away). Refrigerate or freeze. If frozen,  thaw in refrigerator several hours before serving.

Hint: This recipe only makes 4 cups so double the recipe if you want it to last all year long.

Chicken Fajita Pizza

Chicken fajitas made into a pizza.  Simply delicious!  This recipe comes from Pillsbury.  I've been making this for years and it's a family favorite. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust

1 tablespoon  Extra Virgin Olive or Pure Vegetable Oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2  to 1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup thinly sliced onions

1 cup green or red bell pepper strips (2x1/4-inch)

1/2 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 12-inch pizza pan or 13x9-inch pan with No-Stick Cooking Spray. Unroll dough; place in pan. Starting at center, press out dough with hands to edge of pan.
• In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; sprinkle with chili powder, salt and garlic powder. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add onions and bell pepper strips; cook and stir an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender.
• Spoon chicken mixture evenly over dough. Spoon salsa over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Sausage and Mostaccioli Bake

This recipe comes from my Mom, she said it's easy and good. She was right, I've been making it ever since.

Lets get started...


List of Ingredients: mostaccioli, smoked sausage, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, parsley, salt, monterey
jack & cheddar cheese



First I slice up smoked sausage into bite size pieces. Lay out slices onto a foil (easy clean up) covered jelly roll pan. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes until browned. Check after 10 minutes.

Meanwhile boil past according to package. After I take 1/2 lb out the the pound package I like to tape box and put how much remaining pasta I have in the box letting me know for the next time. If the tape is broken then I know someone has been in the pasta and I no longer have 1/2 lb. It works for me!

The next step would be to mix up soup, milk, sour cream, parsley and salt.

By now the pasta should be done. Add pasta and shredded cheeses to soup mixture.

The side touching the foil will brown more. These look perfect.

Before adding to noodle mixture I like to pat with paper towel to remove some of the fat.
Add to noodles and put all into casserole. Cover with foil and Bake.

After 30 minutes of baking check to make sure it's hot and bubbly. Now wasn't that easy!


Sausage and Mostaccioli Bake


1/2 lb mostaccioli
1 lb smoked sausage
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Cut up sausage into bite size pieces. Place slices on a foil lined jelly roll pan. Bake preheated 450 degree oven for 10-15 minutes (check after 10 minutes-the side touching the foil browns more). Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate to drain off fat. Prepare mostaccioli according to package. Drain. In a large bowl combine soup, sour cream, milk, parsley, salt. Add mostaccioli, cheeses, and browned sausage. Mix all together and bake in a casserole dish (covered with foil) 350 for 30 minutes. Serves 4


Notes: Don't add any more than 1 cup of cheese as it will be too rich. This also can be made ahead. If making ahead and baking later add 1/4 cup more of milk.

A Really Good Salad

I found a recipe for a salad and every time I made it I changed it up a bit.  I thought the salad was good but with the changes it's really good!  If you have any extra dressing, it's delicious on any salad.

*Spring Greens mixed with some romaine, chopped (for crunch)

*celery, chopped

*craisins

*feta, crumbled (This picture looks like I used a lot of feta but the bowl is large and all the toppings are on top, I suggest not using to much feta as it is a strong tasting cheese, a little goes a long way)

*sugared pecans (In medium skillet (non stick) heat 1/4 cup sugar over medium heat until sugar starts to melt, add 1   cup whole pecans and stir to coat. Stir until sugar is melted and nuts are well coated (being careful not to burn the nuts.) Remove from heat, cool, and chop. If you have leftovers, they make a great snack)

Dressing:

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup canola oil

Put dressing ingredients in the blender and blend until well mixed. Lightly pour dressing (only what you need) over salad right before serving.

This salad is also good by replacing the crasins with berries and adding grilled chicken.  Makes for a great light lunch!

Italy (Cooking Class)

My husband and I just got back from a trip to Italy.  Our last day there we were tired of walking and decided to take a cooking class.  We are so glad that we did.  It was so much fun and we got to learn how to make a few Italian dishes.  Also we met some wonderful people from all over the world.  If you are ever in Florence, Italy go to Chef Giovanni cooking class you won't be sorry.

The first thing we did was go to the market to get all the ingredients we needed for the day.  Now this was my kind of museum! 

Spices, Olive Oil, and Balsamic Vinegar

 Vegetables straight from the farm

Dried fruit

Beautiful flowers

Assorted Olives

Fresh Seafood

We made bruschetta, and an eggplant appetizer

Bruschetta with a balsamic glaze.  Yum!

The eggplant was layered with mozzarella, basil, tomato and grilled until the cheese melted.  Then drizzled with a balsamic glaze.

Making the pasta by hand was something I've never done.  How easy!  Eggs and flour, that's it!  The flour they use is very fine not like all purpose.  Chef said if we were to use all purpose we should shift it at least three times.

My husband Kevin is not so good in the kitchen and his attempt at kneading the dough was not a success, he put a hole in the middle.  Chef Giovanni was not impressed.

Chef Giovanni saved the day and the dough!

Now that's how it's suppose to look.

We rolled the dough into a thin circle. Folded it a few times and then cut it into strips.

Tossed the strips into a little flour and we had homemade pasta!

We made a meat sauce for the pasta.  It was some of the best pasta I've ever had.

For dessert we made tiramisu.  At the end of the class we ate all the food that we made.  It was all delicious!  It was a good time had by all.