Tortellini and Beans

1 ( 9 oz.) package cheese filled tortellini
1 can white beans (cannellini beans or white great northern)
¾ cup Feta cheese
4 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large fresh tomato chopped
4 cups baby spinach

Cook tortellini to package directions. Drain and using same pan, heat butter and oil until butter melts. Add beans and the drained tortellini to pan and heat until beans are warm. Add the feta cheese and stir until just starting to melt. Remove from heat and add chopped tomato.

Place 1 cup baby spinach on plate and put tortellini mixture on top of spinach. Shave fresh Romano cheese on top mainly for decoration.

Serves 4

Serve with Chicken Parmesan or use chicken filled tortellini.

Spaghetti Squash with Sausage Filling

1- 3 to 4 pound spaghetti squash
1 pound spicy turkey sausage
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped medium onion
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup marinara sauce
to 6 fresh basil leaves
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 Roma tomato sliced very thin
6 slices Mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place whole spaghetti squash on cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour. Pierce skin of squash four times after 20 minutes of baking time. Remove from oven and cool.

While squash is cooling, sauté sausage, red bell pepper, onion and garlic in heavy skillet over medium-high heat until sausage browns and vegetables are tender. About 12 minutes. Mix in marinara sauce and basil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Slice cooled spaghetti squash lengthwise and gently remove seeds and discard. Using a fork, pull out squash strands from shells, leaving shells intact. Add strands of squash to meat mixture and when finished mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Do not shred too deeply or shell will not stay intact) Spoon filling into squash shells. (These can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Cover and refrigerate up to one day.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange filled squash halves on baking sheet. Cover with slices of Mozzarella cheese. Lay tomato slices on top of that and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered until heated through 25 minutes. 35 minutes if previously chilled. Cut each squash half in two and serve with a green salad and garlic bread.

Serves 4

Variation:

You can also use hot Italian sausage, with green pepper. Add fresh basil and Oregano. Top with Provolone cheese in place of Mozzarella.

Olda Fashioned Italian a Meata Sauca

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced
3 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
8 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
2 pounds ground sirloin
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 cups water
2 tablespoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons garlic powder
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In large pot heat olive oil over low heat. Add chopped onion and garlic. Saute 5 minutes. Add sausage and ground sirloin and brown until done. Drain off oil and add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, as well as remaining ingredients. Simmer approximately 4 hours. Serve over any pasta but it is especially good on Penne.

This sauce is also wonderful with lasagna as well as poured over stuffed peppers.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

4 Chicken Breasts
1 lg can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 sm can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
1 can diced Green Chilis
2 cups shredded cheese
Flour tortillas (or corn if you prefer)

Boil Chicken until done (apx 30 minutes). I spice the water, adding Season All, Garlic Salt, Pepper, Sage and Poultry Seasoning. Save water and remove chicken breasts to cool so you can chop/shred.

In another pan, add the soup, sour cream, green chilis and taco seasoning. On low heat, mix the ingredients and let them simmer while you chop or shred your chicken. In a 9x13 cake pan, spray with non-stick spray and spread about one cup sauce on the bottom of the pan (so your tortillas don't get hard).

Mix chopped/shredded chicken into sauce mixture. Pour a good amount (about 1/4 cup) of the mixture into a tortilla and roll. Place in baking pan. Repeat until you have used about ten tortillas (or your pan is full leaving about an inch on either end). Pour remaining sauce mixture on top and cover with shredded cheese. Bake in oven at 350° for approximately 30 minutes (or until cheese melts and sauce is bubbly.)

I use the chicken water to make rice as a side. I also serve with tortilla chips. If you like a spicier enchilada, add a small can of diced jalapeños to the sauce.

Easy Beef & Broccoli

This is the easiest recipe evah!

1 lb beef stew meat (or fajita cut strips)
1 pkg frozen broccoli crowns
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 tea Ginger
1 Tbs Olive Oil

Heat olive oil in a wok (or a deep frying pan) and add beef. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add ginger. Cook until almost done, add frozen vegetables. Cook on medium heat until vegis are warm; push broccoli and beef to the sides of the pan and add the soy sauce. Bring to a bubble and thicken with 2 tea cornstarch in 1/4 cup water; when thick like gravy, toss beef and broccoli together in sauce to coat. Serve over rice.

Variations:

This is also an easy stir fry recipe. Add mushrooms, water chestnuts, green beans (or bag of oriental frozen vegetables) along with bean sprouts. Increase water to 1 cup and cook the same as above.