Fettuccine Alfredo

2 c heavy cream
1 c grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
½ tsp Pepper
½ tsp Salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 lb dried fettuccine pasta

Begin cooking pasta until al dente. While pasta is boiling, pour cream into a medium saucepan. Set pan over high heat and bring cream to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes). Remove pan from heat and set aside until pasta is ready.

In a small bowl, combine parmesan cheese, pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Drain pasta and dump back into pot. Add the warm cream to the pasta. Add the parmesan mixture. Toss pasta with cream and cheese mixture until the ingredients are well blended. Let sit for at least 3 minutes for pasta to absorb some of the sauce and for it to thicken up a bit. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and serve.

I occasionally add diced chicken, or broccoli, or sautéed garlic, or ham to this pasta for extra flavor. Spinach is also good but it makes the mixture a tad watery. Or I serve it as is with baked chicken and steamed broccoli on the side. This dish is super easy for kids to make.  

Shared by Alison

Classic Banana Bread and Melynda's Crockpot Taco Soup

Classic Banana Bread
By:  Cooking Light

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cups plain low-fat yogurt (I always use vanilla yogurt)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Optional:  1  1/2 cups chopped walnuts (I always add these in)
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir.
3.  Place sugar and butter in large bowl, and beat with mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute).  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended.  Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. (Add in walnuts if desired beat on low as little as necessary until mixed)
4.  Spoon batter into 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Yield 14 servings

Melynda's Crockpot Taco Soup         

1-1.5 Pounds ground Turkey meat browned

1 Medium Onion chopped
2 cans Kidney Beans (Pinto works too)
2 cans Black Beans
2 cans of Whole Kernel Corn
1.5-2 Packets of Favorite Taco Season

Brown Turkey meat with chopped onion.  Pour meat into Crockpot.  Add cans of beans and corn (do not drain the liquid add it with the beans).  Pour in packets of Taco season.  Start with 1.5 of the packets of taco season and then when it is close to being done add more season if it needs more flavor too much season will overwhelm it.  Stir in the season and mix well.   Then add additional water if need until the water line reach roughly 1 inch above the beans, meat and corn.  Let it cook for 3-4 hours on low.  The more it simmers the better the flavor.  Serve in individual bowls and let everyone top their own with sour cream, cheese, sliced green onions or tortilla chips.  Simple and yummy.  Makes a lot and freezes well.

Shared by Laurin

Pork Chops with Black Bean Salsa

Pork Chops with Black Bean Salsa

Better Homes and Garden

Ingredients
4 pork loin chops, cut 1 ¼ inches thick
1 teaspoon Jamaican jerk or Cajun seasoning
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup corn relish (see recipe below)
½ of a 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ teaspoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon cumin
sliced avocados for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat broiler (or grill).  Trim fat from meat.  Rub seasoning and black pepper onto both sides of chops.  Place pork chops on the unheated rack of broiler pan.  Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 10-15 minutes or until done (160 degrees), turning the meat over after half the cook time.

Meanwhile, for salsa, combine corn relish, beans, lime juice, and cumin.  Serve chops with salsa and if desired, sour cream or avocados.

Corn Relish II

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/corn-relish-ii/

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen corn
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cups chopped seeded cucumber
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until thickened. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Notes - To make the corn relish I have omitted the cucumber because I didn't have it or substituted a red pepper for green.  I freeze the corn relish I am not using and then just thaw out a portion for the next time I make this dish.

You can also grill the pork chops outside.  Be careful not to overcook under the broiler or grill, because once the chops dry out, they get chewy.

Shared by Alisha

Kahlua Pork and Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie

KAHLUA PORK IN A SLOW COOKER

1-6 pound boneless pork butt

1 1/2 tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt

1 tablespoon hickory liquid smoke

1. Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt then liquid smoke all over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker. 2. Cover, and cook on Low for 16 to 20 hours, turning once during cooking time. 3. Remove meat from slow cooker, and shred. 4. Serve.

This pork is so easy. I served it with a pineapple-marshmallow-mandarin orange salad, a green salad, rice, Rhodes rolls and maple butter. 

CRUNCHY CARAMEL APPLE PIE

Serves: 10

Pastry for a single deep-dish pie shell

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 peeled and thinly sliced applesauce (I use half sweet apples and half tart apples)

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats

3/4 cup cold butter

3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1.    Prepare pastry for a deep-dish single-crust pie. (In a hurry use a refrigerated pie crust such as Pillsbury) 2. Place in deep dish pie plate and trim and crimp the edge. 3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 1 cup sugar, 6 Tablespoons flour, cinnamon and salt. 4. Add peeled apple slices and gently toss until they are well coated. 5. Transfer mixture to pie shell, pile high and push down a bit. 6. For Crumb Topping: Stir together brown sugar, 3/4 cup flour and oats. 7. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until topping resembles coarse crumbs. 8. Sprinkle over apple mixture and press down, covering the apples completely. 9. Place cookie sheet under pie to prevent dripping and Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes until golden and bubbly. 10. Remove from oven. 11. Drizzle generously with caramel topping and sprinkle with chopped pecans. 12. Cool on a wire rack and serve. 13. Add vanilla ice cream on the side, if desired.

  

Shared by Julie

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

8 oz. Elbow macaroni

4 Tb. Butter

3 Tb. Flour

2 c. Milk

½ tsp. Salt

Dash of pepper

2 c. Cheese, shredded

Prepare macaroni according to box directions. While macaroni is cooking, prepare the cheese sauce. In a large saucepan, melt butter, add flour mixed with salt & pepper. Whisk until well combined, gradually add milk, whisking continually.

Brink to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, reduce heat and cook about 10 minutes, until mixture is thick. Gradually add cheese and simmer until cheese sauce is smooth and thick, about 5 minutes. Fold in cooked macaroni.

Place mixture in a 9x13 pan, bake at 400° for about 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Optional Toppings: I like to put some old-fashioned oats, extra pepper, Italian breadcrumbs, and more grated cheese on top.

Shared by Joan

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 carrots, chopped

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in potatoes and carrots and cook 5 minutes more. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in cauliflower, cover, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Puree in batches in a blender or food processor, or in the pot using an immersion blender. Return to low heat and stir in milk, salt, and pepper.   Heat through. Serve garnished with parsley.

Shared by Ie Li 

Fun Fall Recipes

Olive Garden Fagioli  
Seriously one of my FAVORITE recipes lately. SO GOOD and easy! 
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1cup)

1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)

3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2, 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes

1, 15 ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)

1, 15 ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)

1, 15 ounce can tomato sauce

1, 12 ounce can V-8 juice

1 tbsp white vinegar

1.5 tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 pound (1/2 package) ditali pasta 

Brown the beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat.  Drain off most of the fat.

Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.

About 50 minutes into the simmering, cook the pasta in 1.5 to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat.  Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough.  Drain.

Add the pasta to the large pot of soup.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes more and serve.

World’s Best Cornbread  
Really, it is more like cake! It is YUM-O! 
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

3.5 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 cups milk

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and cornmeal.  In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Add 1/3 of the dry mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until combined.  Add 1 cup milk and mix until combined.  Continue to alternate dry and wet mixing after each addition until all combined.   Bake uncovered in a 9x13 pan for 30-40 minutes or until top is light brown.  (I like to cut in squares and freeze half of it for later use!)

Shared by Jodi