Spinach Ravioli

These are a cinch, and you will look like a rock star!

One 16 oz. bag of spinach

olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

4 ounces of cream cheese, room temp

1/2 cup grated parm

salt and pepper

wonton wrappers

store bought or homemade spaghetti sauce, warmed

In a large skillet bring about a cup of water to a boil...add the spinach and cook until wilted. Drain and allow to cool. Squeeze the water out and chop the spinach up.

In the same skillet heat a little olive oil...add the onion, and cook until tender. Add the spinach, cream cheese, parm, and a little salt and pepper. Stir until the cream cheese is melted.

Lay out the wonton wrapper and place a heaping tablespoon of the spinach mixture in the center of each. Wet the edges and top with another wonton wrapper sealing it, and making sure there is no extra air around the filling. Continue until all the filling is gone.

In a large pot...bring water to a boil and salt it...cook the raviolis for about three minutes or until they appear tender. Place in pasta bowl and top with sauce.

Green Chile Mashers

Look...it is probably not fair to give you people this recipe that don't live near all the chile fields, but go ahead and use those green chiles from a can if you cannot find fresh...but if your ever this way...get them freshly roasted!

Two fresh green chiles

1 jalapeno

Coat these peppers with a little oil, roast them under the broiler until they are black and blistered. Place in a paper bag, and let them steam. When they have cooled, peel, devein and de-seed them, and chop them up!

2 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and chopped. Cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and return to the pot. Add the following:

1/2 cup sour cream, room temp

1/4 cup of milk, room temp

1/2 cup butter, room temp

1 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese

salt and pepper

Mash by hand...add the chiles.

Garnish with a little cotija cheese and cilantro if you like.

Chicken Cutlets with Fresh Herbs

This is soooo good...it is worth the effort on the fresh breadcrumbs!

1/2 loaf of day old french bread, or whatever you have

4 chicken breast, pounded out to be thin

salt and pepper

flour

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary

2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

1 1/2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning

olive oil for pan frying

Toast the bread...add to a food processor and grind into bread crumbs.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place some flour in a pie plate. Beat the eggs in a pie plate. In another pie plate add the bread crumbs, the fresh herbs, and the poultry seasoning. Dredge the chicken in the flour, the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Allow the chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes. Add a thin layer of olive oil to a large non-stick pan and cook the chicken over medium high heat on both sides. Serve with the Macaroni and Cheese with Ham.

Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

I ate the leftovers all week for lunch! Served it with the Chicken Cutlet with Herbs.

1 pound of pasta, cooked in salted water...I used corkscrews

3 tablespoons of butter

3 tablespoons of flour

1 cup of chicken stock

1 1/2 cups of evaporated milk...I used skim

salt, pepper, and nutmeg

1 cup of shredded gruyere

1 cup of shredded white sharp cheddar

2 tablespoons of dijon dressing

1/4 pound of smoked deli ham, finely sliced and chopped

Heat the butter and add the flour...whisk together for a minute or so over medium heat. Slowly add the milk, using the whisk to mix. Add the salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. Stir in the cheeses until it melts. Add the dijon and the ham...mix in the pasta, and serve!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Ok, Caraleigh printed this recipe off the internet, and I just took it, read through the ingredients, added it to the menu for the week, and that was that. It wasn't until I started to prepare it that I got it! The chicken is like a little parm freco with the basil and tomatoes on the top...it was sooo pretty and really yummy! Super simple and the chicken breast doesn't even need salt and pepper because the parm has so much yummy flavor!

2 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese

4 chicken breast

4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup of basil, cut into thin slices

olive oil

Place the parmesan cheese in a pie plate. Take the chicken breast and press both sides into the cheese, making a crust on the outside. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Place the chicken breast in the pan and cook on both sides until done, being careful when you turn them...they will be a beautiful browned color on both sides.

In a small bowl place the tomatoes and the basil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. When the chicken breast are cooked...blot on a paper towel and place on the plate...top each with a little of the salad!

Sesame Chicken or Pork

This recipe was suppose to be a way to make your "take-out" more healthy. I used thinly sliced pork instead of chicken, but the sauce was so yummy I will for sure make it again with chicken! I served it over brown rice with edamame on the side. It was a huge hit!

5 tablespoons of soy sauce

4 teaspoons of sesame oil

3 teaspoons of honey

1 pound of boneless, chicken breast, cut into chunks

olive oil

3 green onions, sliced

1 tablespoon of grated ginger

5 cloves of minced garlic

1 1/4 cup of chicken broth

3 tablespoons of sugar

1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar

4 teaspoons of cornstarch

1-3 teaspoons of chili paste, depending on how hot you want it

Marinate the chicken chunks in 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, and the honey. Let it marinate for 30 minutes or so. Remove from the marinade and cook it in a large sauce pan with a coating of olive oil until browned and cooked through...remove from pan.

In the same hot pan add the green onion, garlic, and the ginger...cook for 1 minute.

In a bowl whisk the following together: chicken broth, sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, chili paste, remaining sesame oil, and the remaining soy sauce.

Add the chicken broth mixture and the cooked chicken to the pan...cook until the sauce thickens!