Pasta with lemon and Garlic

I picked this side dish to accompany my last posting of Herb and Citrus Oven Roasted Chicken. (see previous listing for picture)  This dish gives off a light lemony flavor.  Easy to make, and quite tasty!


1 lb pasta
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup reserved pasta water

• Cook pasta per boxed instructions
• Before draining pasta, reserve 1 cup of water
• While pasta is draining, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot
• Add garlic and fry until garlic begins to smell (approximately 15 seconds)
• Add pasta to the garlic and oil
• Add parsley
• Mix together.  Add some of the water if the pasta is to dry
• Serve with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper on top

-Queenie Cuisine

Sausage Lasagna Rolls

 My husband likes lasagna as long as it does not have ricotta or cottage cheese... perfect, this recipe calls for cream cheese for filling.  Easy to make, and fancy looking.  The sauce tastes great too!



Makes 10 lasagna rolls 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
1  28 oz can crushed tomatoes (undrained)
1  15 oz can tomato sauce
1  6 oz can tomato paste
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 uncooked lasagna noodles
5 uncooked Italian sausage links
1 package fresh baby spinach
1 package softened cream cheese (8 oz)
2 cups part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees bake
• In a pan, over medium heat, heat oil
• Add onion and garlic.  Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until tender
• Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and seasonings
• Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 40 minutes (if cooking uncovered, sauce will spit all over the stove)
• Cook lasagna until al dente
• Cook sausage according to package
• In a pot, bring water to boil, and cook spinach until wilted.  Drain and squeeze dry
• In a bowl, mix cream cheese and spinach
• Spread 3 cups of sauce into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish
• Spread out 2 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture onto flat noodle
• Cut 1 sausage, and place half at end of noodle
• Roll up noodle and place standing on top of sauce on baking dish
• Repeat until all noodles and sausage are used up
• Place last 1  1/2 cup of sauce over noodles and sprinkle with cheese
• Cover and bake for 40 minutes
• Remove cover and bake for another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted

-Queenie Cuisine

Classic Macaroni Salad

  Tomorrow we are having a family cookout to celebrate my youngest son, who will be turning 5 on September 17th.   
  Very colorful with a touch of sweet and tang.  Easy to make, and quite delicious. (Fresh dill makes the whole dish)



Serves 12

Dressing:

1 cup light mayonnaise
4 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or rice vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste


Pasta:

1 lb cooked and drained elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
4 celery stalks, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 small red onion diced
Salt and pepper to taste

• Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar and sugar.  Season with salt and pepper (set aside)
• In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, dill, celery, pepper and onion
• Mix dressing in to combine
• Season with salt and pepper

Keeps up to 2 days in the refrigerator

-Queenie Cuisine

Homemade Beef Ravioli

I have always wanted to make homemade ravioli.  I must confess, without a pasta maker to thin the dough out,  I may not try making this again for quite a while.  As you know,  I am not the best with dough.  Even after rolling it numerous times, I was unable to get it as thin as it should be.  The recipe makes 48 raviolis per batch, mine made 24.  On a different note,  the dough tastes just like it should be.  I have some extra filling left, (which is very delicious, by the way)  so tomorrow, I am going to serve it with homemade marinara sauce.  I will serve this tonight with Browned Buttered Sauce. (under sauces, January 16, 2013)  Bon Appetit!

Filling:
1/2 lb ground beef
1 small minced onion
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg

Dough:
2  1/4 cups flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Filling:

• In a large skillet, cook beef, onions and garlic over medium heat until all juices are evaporated, onion is tender and meat is browned.  Remove from heat, and stir in parsley, cheese and egg
• Cover and refrigerate

Dough:

• In a large bowl, stir in flour, eggs, water and oil to make a stiff dough
• On a well-floured surface, knead dough until smooth, not sticky
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes
• Cut dough into 4 pieces
• On a floured surface, use a floured rolling pin and roll 1 piece into a 12 x 8 inch rectangle
• Using a dull knife or pizza cutter, mark dough into 24 - 2 inch squares. (mine were much bigger)
• Place a small amount of beef filling in the center of each square
• Roll out a second piece of dough and place on top of filled dough
• Cut raviolis and pinch all 4 sides
• Place finished product on a clean, floured dish towel to dry for 30 minutes
• Repeat with remaining dough
• After 30 minutes,  bring  a large pot of water to boiling and place ravioli in; carefully separating with a fork to avoid sticking
• Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, or until firm, but tender
• Drain and use with your favorite sauce

-Queenie Cuisine

Chicken Flavored Noodles

 The flavor is very similar to bagged sides such as Knorr/Lipton Noodles and Sauces. I chose this recipe because it used chicken broth as a base, and it complimented the Maple Pecan Chicken.  I used low salt, low fat chicken broth, so the sodium content was lower.  Extremely easy to make!

Serves 5


2 tablespoons butter
28 ounces chicken broth
12 oz egg noodles
Chopped parsley

• In a large pot, brown butter, add broth and bring to a boil
• Add noodles and after a second boil, remove from heat and cover
• Let stand for 30 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times
• Mix in some fresh chopped parsley for added color

-Queenie Cuisine

Pasta with Peas and Basil

This very simple recipe has a touch of elegance;while being child-friendly.  (all 3 kids ate it)  The use of onion versus garlic made a nice change.  I must admit that I was a bit reluctant to use the basil because I was not sure how it would taste with peas.  I personally think the hint of basil flavor made the whole dish.  Use with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.  The ingredient amounts reflect the recipe being cut in half.  I served 5 people, (3 children, 2 adults)  I still have 2 adult sized servings left over.

3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion chopped
1/2 pound pasta (thin pasta works well and looks fancy)
1 to 2 cups frozen peas
6 basil leaves
Parmesan cheese to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

• In a large pan, melt the butter and cook the onion until slightly wilted. Set aside
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add pasta, and cook according to package directions
• With 5 minutes left of cooking the pasta,  add the peas to the butter/onion mixture.  Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking liquid
• When the pasta is done, toss with the butter mixture over medium high heat
• Sprinkle with chopped basil and cheese.  Season with salt and pepper 

-Queenie Cuisine

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

My husband has a business meeting for 13 people tomorrow.  He asked that I make a couple of hot dishes for lunch.  Being his wife,  I want to impress these people, so I did not "skim" on anything in this recipe. (It would be a sin to be thought of as a boring cook!!)  When I make this for my family,  I never use any cream,  I use a combination 1% and whole milk.  I also cut down on the butter and cheese.  Once again, if you are either on a diet, or have a cholesterol problem,  I wouldn't suggest eating this in large quantities.

**One more note,  This recipe would taste good with fresh mushrooms or sun dried tomatoes.

This recipe serves 8.

24 oz penne pasta
6 chicken breasts cut in pieces
8 - 10 tablespoons olive oil
8 cup broccoli florets
1 cup better, melted
4 cups light cream
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon garlic
4 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste (Personally, the Parmesan has enough salt in it)
1+ cups milk (optional)
Extra Parmesan cheese to garnish

• Cook pasta until al dente stage, drain well
• Cook broccoli until just soft, drain
• In a large saucepan, saute chicken in olive oil until done.  Remove and set aside
• In the same pan, melt butter, add cream, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Heat for 2 minutes with out boiling
• Add Parmesan cheese, and stir to melt
• Add chicken, cooked pasta and broccoli and lightly toss to coat.  (If you want more sauce, add the optional milk)
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to garnish

-Queenie Cuisine

Cheese Ravioli with Browned Butter Sauce

I didn't know what to make my husband for dinner tonight.  I had a good brand of frozen cheese ravioli, so I added this brown butter sauce.   Serves 1 or 2 

2 tablespoons butter
1/3 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons total of fresh basil, sage, oregano and parsley (I used some dried, it worked)
2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese (you can use Romano or Asiago also)
Ground pepper to taste

• In a medium sauce pan, combine garlic and butter.  Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted.  
• Cook until butter is lightly browned
• Remove from heat and stir in herbs and pepper
• Drizzle sauce over cooked ravioli, sprinkle with cheese

Finished!

-Queenie Cuisine

Beef Ravioli in Cream Basil Sauce

The ravioli may be frozen, but the sauce is delish!  This meal is easy to make, and certainly beats regular jarred tomato sauce.

1 24 oz package frozen beef ravioli

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 lb sliced mushrooms

3  chopped green onions (I used less, we are not an oniony kind of family)

2 minced garlic cloves

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 10 oz can diced mild tomatoes and green chilies, drained.  (I did not use the can with chilies)

2 tablespoons fresh basil

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt. (I did without)

• Prepare ravioli in a large Dutch oven according to package directions;  drain and keep warm
• Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms and next 3 ingredients;  saute over medium high heat for 6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.  Stir in diced tomatoes and green chilies, basil and cream; bring to a boil.  reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally  5 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan cheese; add salt.  Stir in ravioli and toss. 

 Buon Appetito

-Queenie Cuisine