Divine 1-Hour Breadsticks

Pic Courtesy Google

These are the yummiest breadsticks and they only take 1 hour!! Amazing!

Divine 1-Hour Breadsticks

from Mel's Kitchen Café

Ingredients

Dough:
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 4 cups flour, about 15-20 ounces (see note above)
Butter and Topping:
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted (for the baking sheet)
• Dried herbs, garlic salt and grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or in a large bowl by hand), mix together the water, yeast, sugar, salt and one cup of the flour.
2. Continue adding the flour until the dough just clears the sides of the bowl; knead for about three minutes. It should be soft and slightly sticky without leaving a lot of residue on your fingers.
3. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
4. While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the melted butter onto large, rimmed baking sheet (about 11X17-inches).
5. On a lightly greased countertop, pat the dough into a long rectangle, about 16-inches by 7-inches or so. Cut the dough every 1-inch (more or less) into strips with a pizza cutter.
6. Twist each strip slightly and place about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with dried herbs of choice, garlic salt and Parmesan cheese.
7. Let rise for 20 minutes (you can cover with greased plastic if you want to, but it's not necessary). Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

White Chicken Lasagna Soup

Pic Courtesy Google Images

I made this a few days ago and it was SO good. I didn't think it would be a hit, but they loved it! I made it with the Divine Breadsticks from the same site and everyone gobbled it up! It makes a ton, so half it.:)

White Chicken Lasagna Soup

from Mel's Kitchen Café

Ingredients

Soup:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots (about 2 large)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 12 to 16 ounces tri-color rotini (depending on how noodly you want it)
• 8 cups milk (I actually think it would be better with 6 cups of milk, it was a little runny)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 to 3 cups cooked, shredded or chopped chicken
Creamy Topping:
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Chopped, fresh tomatoes

Directions

1. In a large 8-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and rotini.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the rotini is al dente (it will continue cooking a few more minutes in the next step).
4. Whisk or blend together the milk and flour.
5. Add the mixture to the soup and simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the chicken and heat through.
6. For the topping, stir together the ricotta cheese, basil, pinch of salt and pepper, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
7. Serve the soup topped with a scoop of the ricotta mixture plus a smattering of fresh tomatoes.

Perfected Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Pic courtesy of Google

I made this for dinner last week and it was DELICIOUS! My kids all gobbled it up and Christian even loved it. Yum!

Perfected Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

from Mel's Kitchen Café

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups onion, chopped and divided
• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 pounds lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 can (12-ounces) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 cans (14-ounces each) Italian-style diced tomatoes or regular diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (28-ounces each) crushed tomatoes
• 8 ounces button or baby bella mushrooms, chopped (I added these, but might reduce or even sk
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock or beef broth
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 cup of the chopped onions, and sauté until translucent and slightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly for a minute or so.
2. Add beef, and cook, breaking into small pieces, until it is no longer pink, 6-7 minutes. Drain excess grease.
3. In a blender or food processor, blend remaining 1 cup onion and the red pepper until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pot with the beef and onions.
4. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and thyme, and cook for 1 minute, stirring until combined.
5. Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, mushrooms (if using), beef broth, and sugar. Stir until combined before adding the bay leaves.
6. Bring the sauce to a boil, and then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and let the sauce rest for 10-15 minutes (for the flavor to absorb) before serving.

Aunt Sheri's Chicken Lasagna

Pic courtesy of A Bountiful Kitchen

I made this a few weeks ago and we all loved it. It was an easy, comfort meal.

Aunt Sheri's Chicken Lasagna

1- 12 oz package of wide egg noodles (cooked al dente)

½ cup butter

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups cooked chopped chicken

1 24 oz container cottage cheese

1 egg, beaten

2-3 cups grated mozzarella cheese

¾ cups grated parmesan cheese

additional sprinkle of pepper and chopped fresh or dried parsley for garnish, if desired

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium to medium high heat. Add flour, salt, pepper, dried basil and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Whisk chicken broth into flour and butter mixture, about a cup at a time, until mixture is thickened.
2. Turn down heat and add chicken.
3. Turn off heat.
4. Mix cottage cheese and egg together in a medium bowl.
5. Mix cheeses together in small bowl.
6. Layer the ingredients together in this order in a greased 9x13 pan:
7. one third-chicken mixture
8. one half- pasta
9. one half- cottage cheese mixture
10. one third- mozzarella mixture
11. one third- chicken mixture
12. one half- pasta
13. one half-cottage cheese
14. one third- mozzarella
15. one third chicken mixture
16. one third- mozzarella on top
17. If layering is too complicated, see notes for simplified version!
18. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 35-45 minutes or until golden on top and bubbly.
19. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or basil and a sprinkle of pepper.