BROCCOLI BEEF SKILLET FRY

Ingredients:

1 pound stir fry beef (or steak cut into strips)

Coarse ground peppercorns, to taste

4 cups broccoli, steamed 4 minutes in the microwave

Sea salt, to taste

½ of an onion, finely chopped

4 cups mini sweet bell peppers

1 Tablespoon butter

½ cup slivered toasted* almonds

White Rice or Brown Rice (I use READY RICE – 1 minute in the microwave)

Directions:

Wash and chop the sweet bell peppers.  Peel and chop onion (I use an electric food chopper).  In a sautuesse pan, melt butter.  Add onion and bell pepper and sauté.  Microwave or steam rice.  Add the steak strips and generously season with cracked peppercorns (I use the peppercorn medley).  Cook on medium heat until the steak is done (if the steak has extra water, I use a paper towel and carefully soak up the excess – without removing any onion and seasoning). Season broccoli with sea salt.  Steam broccoli in microwave for 4 minutes.  Add the steamed broccoli and toasted almonds and stir just until combined.   Serve on a bed of rice (I like brown rice, my husband likes white rice..so in the picture I mixed the two rices)

*to toast slivered almonds:  Place almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake in a preheated oven on 375 degrees F for 3 minutes, stir, then bake 1 more minute.  Remove from oven.

Ingredients

Sauteing Onions and Peppers

Adding Beef

Cooking Beef

Adding Broccoli

Adding Toasted Almonds

Ready to Serve on Rice

Plated

CREAMY GARLIC HERB BUTTER SAUCE WITH SEASONED CHICKEN AND BOW TIE PASTA

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) package Bow Tie Pasta (I use the Vegetable Pasta)

4 thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

Mrs. Dash

Peppercorn Medley

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

4 teaspoons olive oil, or garlic olive oil

Ingredients for Creamy Butter Garlic Herb Sauce:

3/4 cup butter, melted

6 tablespoons heavy cream, warmed

½ teaspoon Garlic Herb Mrs. Dash

½ teaspoon Garlic Pepper  (I used Bill Baron’s Savory Secrets Garlic & Pepper Secret #6)

1 shake Peppercorn Medley (for butter sauce)

Top with shredded Parmesan and/or mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Boil water for pasta, adding about 1 teaspoon salt and a drop of olive oil.  Peel and chop garlic.  Place chopped garlic and olive oil in a sauté pan.  Cook on medium heat until toasted.  Set aside.  Add pasta to boiling water.  Boil according to package directions.   In a large sauteusse pan, add chicken and season generously with garlic herb Mrs. Dash and Cracked peppercorn medley.  Cook on Medium High heat just until done and no longer pink in the middle.  Meanwhile melt the butter and warm the heavy whipping cream (about 15 seconds in microwave).  To the creamy butter sauce, Mix in the seasonings with a whisk and whisk until well blended.  Drain pasta.  Now combine all the components (pasta, toasted garlic and creamy butter sauce) into your large sauteusse pan.  Mix well over low heat for about 2 minutes – just to be sure it is hot all the way through.  Top with shredded Parmesan and/or mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

Chopped Garlic in olive oil

Toasted Garlic

Creamy Garlic Herb Butter Sauce

Cubed Chicken

Mixing it together

All Mixed

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups smooth peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon butter, softened

2  (11.5 oz) bags of chocolate chips, divided (I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips)

Items needed:

1 baking sheet

Parchment paper

Baking spray

Heavy sauce pan or double boiler

Silicone, plastic or rubber spatula

(a space in the freezer to accommodate the baking sheet)

Directions:

Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.  Lightly spray parchment paper with baking spray.  Melt  1 bag of chocolate chips on low heat – stirring constantly, just until it is completely melted.  Continue stirring after removing from heat.  With a spatula, spread the chocolate into a ¼” layer on the prepared baking sheet.  Place the melted chocolate in the freezer for about 10 minutes or until set.    Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter.  Mix until combined.  Remove the baking pan with the chocolate layer from the freezer.  Spread the peanut butter generously over the chocolate.  Return to the freezer.  Melt  the second bag of chocolate chips on low heat – stirring constantly, just until it is completely melted.  Continue stirring after removing from heat.  Remove the baking sheet from the freezer.  With a spatula, spread the chocolate over the peanut butter layer.  Return to the freezer.  Let set (about 15 minutes).  Cut into squares with a food scraper, kitchen utility scissors, etc.  It will not cut into perfect squares, but do the best you can.  It will taste delicious, though.

Ready to Cut

Individual

Plated

CHEESE STUFFED MANICOTTI for the SLOW COOKER

Ingredients:

1 Package Manicotti (from Raleys, Nugget or Winnco)

Cheese Stuffing

1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta Cheese

1(16 oz.) Container Cottage Cheese ( I use low fat, small curd)

2 (2 Cup) Package Mozzarella Cheese (I use low fat)

½ of an 8 oz.  (4 oz.) container of grated Parmesan Cheese

1 bunch parsley leaves (washed and cut)

Meat Sauce:

1 pound Hamburger Crumbled and drained

2  Jars Beritolli five cheese Marinara Sauce

Season with Garlic Powder, Italian Seasonings, etc. Fresh chopped basil, fresh minced garlic, etc.

Topping:

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Line  slow cooker liner with slow cooker liners.

Snip the leaves off the parsley and cut them

In a large bowl, combine the Cheeses for the stuffing.  Add parsley and stir in.

Boil Manicotti for 5 minutes (or about ½ the time it suggests on the box).  Drain and let cool on waxed paper.

Brown and crumble the hamburger.  Drain grease.  Add the Tomato Sauce and Season.

Put enough of the meat sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker to lightly cover the bottom (so the manicotti does not stick)

Stuff the Manicotti with the cheese mixture by hand or by using a very small spoon (I use a baby spoon)…I have found that using my hands works much better.  Or, sometimes I use some kitchen shears and cut a single seam into the manicotti.  Then I spread the cheese in it and roll it up.  I place it in the slow cooker seam side down.

Place each manicotti in the lasagna pan over the light layer of meat sauce

Cover the manicotti with the remaining meat sauce – to be sure that the pasta is covered (otherwise it will dry out during baking)

Sprinkle the meat sauce with the cup of mozzarella (or whatever cheese you have).  Cover with lid.

SLOW COOK for 4 hours on LOW.

Ingredients

Draining Grease With a Paper Towel

Meat Sauce

Boiling Pasta

Cheese Mixture

Cheese Mixture with Parsley

Boiled and Drained Manicotti

Layering

First Layer

Stuffing Manicotti

Second Layer

Ready to Slow Cook

Ready to Serve

OREO OBSESSION ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients:

2 (14.3 oz.) packages Oreos (divided)

½ cup Butter, melted

1 (1.5 Quart) container Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, softened

1(1.5 Quart)  Chocolate Ice Cream, softened

Chocolate syrup for garnish

Whipping cream for garnish

Directions:

Make oreo dust for crust by placing 1 oreo at a time in a food processor (use one package of oreos for this).  Pour oreo dust into a large springform pan.  Pour melted butter into pan and mix oreo dust into the butter.  With a fork, press the mixture down on the bottom of the pan forming the crust.  Place springform pan in the freezer. 

Coarsely break about 10 oreos into pieces.  Pour softened chocolate ice cream into a large mixing bowl and pour in Oreo pieces.  Mix with a mixer until combined.  Remove pan from freezer and spread chocolate ice cream over crust.  Place in the freezer.

Pour Cookies and Cream Ice Cream into a large mixing bowl.  Mix with a mixer.  Remove pie from freezer .  Spread cookies and cream ice cream on top of chocolate ice cream layer.  Place in freezer.  Take 10 Oreos and make oreo dust in the food processor.  Set aside.

Remove pie from freezer.  About ¼ inch from the sides of the pan take about 10 oreos and partially submerge them  and into the ice cream so they are standing up like wheels.  Place one Oreo in the middle of the pie laying on its back.  Sprinkle Oreo Dust on the top of the ice cream and gently press down (save remaining dust for the sides).  Place in the freezer and freeze overnight. 

Carefully remove from freezer and using a knife dipped in hot water, scrape it along the sides of the springform pan and remove the sides of the pan. 

Using a knife dipped in water, gently scrape along the sides of the pie a little at a time and press remaining oreo dust to the sides of the pie.  Slice, and serve with chocolate sauce, hot fudge sauce and whipped cream.  Enjoy.