Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

 Original recipe found here

2 cups low-fat milk
1/3 cup (3 oz) low fat cream cheese
2-3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth.  In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds, you don’t want to burn it.

Then add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now.

When it’s nice and thickened remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Season with additional salt if needed.  Also, if you have leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken almost into a solid. Just re-heat and add a little milk and it will be back to normal again.

Mini Tostada Salads

**From Our Best Bites cookbook "Savoring the Seasons"

6-8 small flour tortillas

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1 tomato, diced

1/4 frozen corn, thawed

1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed

2 TBSP sliced green onions

2 TBSP chopped Cilantro

1/2-1 cup shredded, or finely diced, grilled chicken (optional)

Vinaigrette:

2 TBSP white wine vinegar

2 TBSP canola oil

2 tsp honey

1/8 tsp kosher salt

2 cracks black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Dash hot sauce

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2) Warm tortillas in microwave for 20-30 seconds until soft and pliable. Quickly press each one into the well of a muffin tin, carefully overlapping sides if necessary and making the bottom as flat as possible. Bake 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.

3) While tortillas are baking, combine lettuce, tomato, corn, beans, green onions, and cilantro. 

4) For the Vinaigrette: Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously for 1 minute. Dressing can be prepared up to several days in advance and stored in the fridge.

5) When tortillas are done, remove from muffin tin and set on a wire rack to cool. Once completely cooked, toss salad, adding in grilled chicken (optional) and desired amount of dressing together and fill each tortilla cup.

Grilled Sour Cream Hamburgers

1 pound ground beef

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp kosher salt

1) Mix everything together, and form into patties (this made 4 regular sized burgers)

2) GRILL to perfection (however you like it)!! These burgers DO fall apart easily, so move them as little as possible.

**We grilled the buns for a few minutes and that really made it yummy. Incredible. MOIST. Delish. We'll never do burgers any other way!

Cheeseburger Soup

*Recipe from my friend, Lisa*

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes (or frozen hash browns)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cubed Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream

1. In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.
2. Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.
4. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Pork Fried Rice

1 cup frozen carrots
1 cup frozen broccoli
1 cup frozen peas
1 small can mushrooms, sliced
3 eggs
2 cups warm rice
Soy sauce
Canned pork/leftover pork (optional)

1) Cook rice in rice maker or pot.

2) Cut frozen carrots and broccoli into smaller pieces.

3) Warm ¼ cup of olive oil in a wok or large frying pan. Pour in veggies, and let them sauté until soft.

4) After veggies are soft, push veggies to the outer parts of the wok/pan, and crack the eggs into the middle of the pan. Scramble eggs with whisk or wooden spoon.

5) Add warm rice and canned pork and mix everything together. Add in soy sauce to taste, usually about 1/8-1/4 cup.

Beef Stroganoff

1 pound ground beef

8 oz sour cream

2 TBSP flour

2 tsp beef bouillon granules

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 TBSP butter

*egg noodles or mashed potatoes

1) Mix sour cream and flour. Stir in bouillon, 1/2 cup water, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Set aside.

2) In skillet, cook meat, then stir in mushrooms, onion, garlic, and butter until cooked and soft.

3) Stir in sour cream mixture. Cook and stir frequently on medium-low heat until thickened and bubbly.

4) Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Chimichangas

1 pound ground beef
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small-medium sized onion, chopped
4 TBSP flour
-cook these 4 ingredients together until beef is no longer pink, and the onion is soft. Drain, and return to frying pan.

1/2 can corn
7 oz. cooked tomatoes
1 TBSP chili powder
-add to meat mixture, and heat until thick.

shredded cheddar cheese

1) Empty meat mixture into the middle of 6 warmed flour tortillas; put grated Monterrey Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese on top of filling.
2) Fold up all four sides of the tortilla. Spray both sides of tortilla with cooking spray. Place on baking sheet with the folded side down.
3) Bake first side for 5 minutes at 500 degrees.
4) Turn the chimichangas over, and bake the second side for 3 minutes at 500 degrees.

Pasta with Pesto Sauce

**This recipe is from my Muddah**

1 pound linguine
2 cups fresh basil leaves, torn with NO stems
3 TBSP pine nuts
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
3/4 cup romano cheese (parmesan or asiago cheeses also work)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup water

1) Boil linguine until al dente
2) Put all other ingredients into a blend. Blend well.
3) Pour pesto sauce over linguine and serve hot.

Mom's Clam Sauce

7 oz. minced clams

1/4 cup Olive oil

1/4 cup butter

3 cloves minced garlic (3/4 tsp garlic powder)

2 TSBP chopped parsley

1/2 tsp salt

linguine noodles, cooked

1) Drain clams, but keep all the juice; set the juice aside.

2) Heat oil and butter.

3) Add garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes; remove from heat

4) Stir in clam liquids, parsley, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring periodically.

5) Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

6) Add clams and simmer for 3 minutes.

7) Pour over cooked linguine and combine.

**Delicious with grated parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese