Pasta Fagioli

Here's another great cold weather recipe. This one comes from my mom. She was telling me about this and how great it was forever. The way she described it didn't have me running to the store to buy the ingredients, but one day I decided to give it a try...it's now one of my favorites. Topped with Parmesan cheese, it's part pasta dish, part soup and just great comfort food. It's even better the next day!

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb hot sausage
• 1 diced onion
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 1 c. diced carrots

• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes or two 16 oz(I prefer fire roasted)
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 can dark kidney beans(not drained)
• 1 can navy beans(not drained)
• 2 c. water
• 5 beef bullion cubes
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1-2 tsp Italian seasoning

• 1 1/2 cups small dry pasta
• 1 c. frozen green beans or peas

Directions

Wow, this is a big list but don't worry, it's easy! In a large pot combine gr. beef, sausage, onion, celery, and carrots. Brown meat and drain fat. While the meat is browning, cook your pasta in a separate pot, remove and drain just before it's totally cooked(al dente). After you drain the fat from meat, pour into the pot all the canned items, water, bullion and spices. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer 20 minutes. A few minutes before serving, I add in the cooked pasta and frozen veggies. The longer it sits the more liquid the pasta is going to absorb. This dish is thick and hearty, it is not meant to be very watery like regular soup. Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty Italian bread.

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Shrimp in Coconut Sauce

Shrimp in Coconut Sauce

While looking for something new for my Puerto Rican husband, I found this great recipe on the Goya Food website. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tsp. GOYA® Adobo with Pepper**

3 tbsp. Olive Oil

2 cups finely chopped onion

3 scallions, sliced very thin, both white and green (reserve 1 tbsp. green part for garnish)

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 cup Tomato Sauce

1 cup clam broth(I use chicken broth)

1 can (13.5 fl. oz.) GOYA® Coconut Milk

Accompaniment:

4 cups hot cooked white rice

Directions

1. Season shrimp with Adobo and set aside
2. In a skillet, heat oil on medium. Stir in onion, scallions and garlic and cook, stirring often until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes
3. Stir in tomato sauce and cook for 5 minutes
4. Stir in clam broth and coconut milk, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes
5. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 5 minutes
6. Transfer to serving platter, garnish with scallion. Serve with rice.

This is great served with tostones(fried plantains). Recipe HERE

**Goya Adobo is a great all purpose seasoning. I know you might not like to buy an ingredient for for just one recipe that may never be used again, but don't feel bad about getting this one, it's good! We used it for everything from eggs at breakfast to thanksgiving turkey. It's especially good on pork and chicken.

Source :http://www.goya.com/english/recipes/Shrimp-in-Coconut-Sauce

Fish Tacos

Perfect Summer Dinner - Fish Tacos

A lot of people think "yuck" when they hear fish tacos and once upon a time, I was one of them. When we first moved to CO, we were out one day driving around and saw all these Dell Taco restaurants. We decided to give it a try and upon seeing this huge advertisement for their new fish tacos, we all agreed it sounded pretty gross. We ordered our food to go and discovered they had accidentally put a fish taco in our bag. We tried...we loved! I have been hooked ever since.

 Start by preparing the pico de gallo. You should know, I rarely measure stuff so writing recipes is really hard for me!

• 3 roma tomatoes, seeds out
• about half an onion
• chopped fresh cilantro
• salt
• lime juice

Dill mayo...you can use plain mayo, but I put dill on all my fish. I'm actually a Miracle Whip girl but I will eat mayo on only 2 things and this is one of them.

• couple scoops of mayo(we use canola mayo)
• sprinkle of dry or fresh dill weed
• squirt of lime juice

Now shred up some green cabbage and slice some avocado if you are so inclined.

The fish...in most restaurants they serve fried fish in fish tacos, but we are healthy, so we pan fry in some olive oil. Much better for you and easier than frying anyways!

• Tilapia fillets(or whatever fish you prefer)
• Mrs Dash Southwest Chipolte Seasoning

Now, just heat up some corn tortillas on a hot griddle, pile on all these yummy ingredients and chow down!

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Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder

I love soup, especially on a cold day. Living in Colorado, those aren't hard to come by! This recipe is a childhood favorite of mine. Here's how I make it...

12 oz. bacon
1 c. chopped onion
4 c. peeled and diced potatoes
2-14 oz. cans cream style corn
1 c. frozen corn
2 1/2 c. milk
salt
pepper

1. Cook bacon. The easiest way to do this is in the oven. Lay out bacon on a large cookie sheet and bake at 350° till brown. Place on paper towels to absorb grease.
2. In large pot, using a little of the bacon grease, cook onions till translucent.
3. Add potatoes, corn and milk. Simmer on med-low till potatoes are tender, stirring often.
4. Chop bacon and add towards end of simmer
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Leftover Ham? Make Scalloped Potatoes!

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham - Better Homes and Gardens Recipes

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes With Ham

1/2 cup chopped onion(1 medium)

1 clove garlic

2 Tbsp margarine or butter

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp pepper

Dash salt

1 1/4 cups milk

3 medium potatoes (1 pound)

2 cups chopped, cooked ham

1. Grease a 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish, set aside. For sauce, in small saucepan cook onion and garlic in butter till tender but not brown, Stir in flour, pepper and salt. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly.
2. Thinly slice potatoes. Place half the slices potatoes and ham in the prepared casserole dish. Cover with half the sauce. Repeat potato, ham and sauce layers.
3. Bake, covered, in a 350° oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake about 30 minutes more till potatoes are tender

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes: Stir in 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese into sauce mixture till melted

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

The  first Better Homes and Gardens cookbook was introduced in 1930 and has been found in America's kitchens ever since. It was in my kitchen growing up and is still the place I go to look for classic recipes as well as new ideas on those days where I just don't know what to make. I thought it would be fun to share my favorite recipes that I cook for my family and maybe try some new ones. Some of the recipes I follow may be different that those you find on the BHG website just because the BHG test kitchens are always updating their recipes to reflect changes in America's tastes, techniques, and lifestyles. Any recipes I make will be coming from Better Homes and Gardens, New Cook Book(11th and 14th Edition) and Better Homes and Gardens, Our Best Recipes. 

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings - Better Homes and Gardens Recipes

Prep: 30 minutes      Bake: 45 minutes

2 to 2 1/2 lbs meaty chicken pieces
3 cups water
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup thinly sliced carrots(2)
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1. Skin and rinse chicken. In large pot combine chicken, 3 c. water, onion, basil, 1/2 tsp salt, marjoram, pepper, bay leaf. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover simmer 25 minutes. Add celery, carrots and mushrooms. Return to boil, reduce heat, cover simmer 10 minutes or till chicken and veggies are tender. Remove bay leaf.
2. For dumplings, in mixing bowl combine 1 c. flour, parsley, baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and oregano. In another bowl combine egg, milk, oil; add to flour mixture. Stir with fork just till moistened. Drop batter onto hot chicken, making 6 dumplings. Do ot drop into liquid. Return to boiling, reduce heat, cover, simmer for 10-12 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean from the dumplings. Do not lift cover while simmering. Transfer chicken, dumplings, and veggies to serving platter.
3. For gravy, pour broth into large measuring cup. Skim fat from broth and discard fat. Measure 2 c. of broth, return to pot. Combine the 1/2 c cold water and 1/4 c. flour; stir into broth. Cook and stir till mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Serve gravy over chicken veggies and dumplings. Yield six servings.

*I did a couple things differently: 1) I did not put mushrooms because I didn't have any and I hate them anyways 2) I added some chicken bullion to the broth because I felt it needed a little more flavor 3) Instead of removing chicken, dumplings and veggies to make the gravy, I added the water flour mixture to thicken broth before I dropped and steamed the dumplings.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens


The  first Better Homes and Gardens cookbook was introduced in 1930 and has been found in America's kitchens ever since. It was in my kitchen growing up and is still the place I go to look for classic recipes as well as new ideas on those days where I just don't know what to make. I thought it would be fun to share my favorite recipes that I cook for my family and maybe try some new ones. Some of the recipes I follow may be different that those you find on the BHG website just because the BHG test kitchens are always updating their recipes to reflect changes in America's tastes, techniques, and lifestyles. Any recipes I make will be coming from Better Homes and Gardens, New Cook Book(11th and 14th Edition) and Better Homes and Gardens, Our Best Recipes.