Zuppa Tuscana

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup ground Italian sausage

2 medium potatoes cut in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch slices

3/4 cup diced onions

6 slices bacon

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 cups Kale leaf, cut into half and then sliced

2 T chicken base

1 qt water

1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Cook ground sausage in skillet until done. In separate saucepan, cook bacon and onions. When bacon is crisp remove bacon. Leaving onion. Add garlic to onion and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken base, water, and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer for 4 minutes.

Italian Saute

This is a recipe I've had for a long time. I used to make it quite frequently but Shane started complaining about all of my spinach recipes. I'm a big fan of spinach, the rest of my family--not so much. It was nice pulling this recipe out of retirement. I liked it as much as I remembered and no one complained about the spinach.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I put in a lot more than that)
1 0z can tomato sauce
2 T parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 10oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:
In large skillet cook ground beef and drain off extra fat. Add onion and mushrooms and continue to cook until moisture is absorbed. Add tomato sauce, parsley flakes, garlic powder, basil, oregano, and seasoned salt. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Combine spinach and cottage cheese. Sprinkle 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese over meat mixture. Spoon cottage cheese mixture evenly over meat. Spread remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Cover skillet and simmer 15 min. Serve.

Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 lb sweet italian turkey sausage
3/4 lb lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6oz) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5oz) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles (I like oven ready)
16 oz ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:
In saucepan cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Drain out the fat. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, pepper, and 2 Tbsp parsley. Simmer for an hour 1/2.
If you don't use oven ready noodles this would be where you would boil the noodles until al dente and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese (or substitute cottage cheese) with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Preheat oven to 375.
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange noodles lengthwise. over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 25 min. Remove foil and bake and additional 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti
1 lb lean ground beef (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 bag fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 26 oz jar pasta sauce
3/4 cup sour cream ( or substitute cottage cheese)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 pkg cream cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (or cheddar)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef, drain and crumble. Add in the next ingredients or if you make it vegetarian start with these ingredients: In a small amount of olive oil saute green bell pepper, garlic, and spinach, chopped onion.Add in the spaghetti sauce. Let simmer for 10 minutes or until ready to use.
In a small bowl combine sour cream (or cottage cheese) green onions and cream cheese; set aside. Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add the cooked spaghetti. Spread the cream cheese mixture over it and add the spaghetti sauce on top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Flatbread Pizza

Ingredients:
Flat Bread (found near the regular bread or near pita bread in grocery store)
Tomato Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Feta Cheese
olives, sliced
pepperoni
bell peppers, sliced
tomatoes, chopped
artichokes, chopped
onions, sliced

Directions:
Lay out your flat bread on a cookie sheet and top with pizza toppings. Bake in oven at 450 for 7-10 minutes until heated through and cheese melted.

Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:
1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper
jar of spaghetti sauce
8 oz jumbo shell pasta or 12 lasagna noodles
Optional:
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 bag of fresh spinach
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Cook the pasta shells according to directions on box. In large bowl stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese, salt, parsley, basil, and pepper until thoroughly combined. If you want to include the spinach--heat oil in a skillet. Add onions and cook until soft. Add spinach and garlic and cook until spinach is wilted. Add this mixture to the cheese mixture. Coat the bottom of 9x13 pan with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Take each shell and fill with 1-2 Tbsp of cheese mixture. Place into the pan and then pour the remaining jar of spaghetti sauce on top of the shells. Then put mozzarella cheese on top of that and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Creamy Italian Chicken

This is another case where I'm sorry I don't have better photography skills. This is so yummy! One of my favorite dishes by far and it is so easy to make! I will say this cooked a little longer than it needed to, so that may be part of the problem. But it was still delicious, I don't think you can mess this up. I found this recipe on Marci Freeman's blog. She has one of my favorite food blogs and so I've adopted a lot of recipes from her.

Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut in strips
1/4 cup butter (melted)
8 oz container of cream cheese with chives (can substitute plain cream cheese)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (.7oz) pkg. Italian dressing (dry mix)
1/2 cup water
rice
Add ins: onions, mushrooms, carrots

Directions:
Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Combine butter, cream cheese, mushroom soup, italian dressing mix, and water. Stir in any add-ins you want into the sause. Mix and pour over chicken. Cook in crock pot for 6-8 hours. Serve with rice.