Entree - Ravioli with Garlic and Oil - from Marjorie

10 – 12 cloves of garlic chopped fine

1 can low salt/low fat chicken broth

Package of ravioli or whatever amount needed (adjust liquid accordingly)

Parsley flakes (or fresh)

Grated cheese

Salt, pepper & red pepper to taste

Saute garlic, salt, pepper & red pepper in pan coated with lots of olive oil until a light golden color.  Be careful not to burn.

Add in chicken broth, parsley and let it cook until all flavors blend.

In separate pot, boil raviolis and then drain water.  Either add ravioli to sauté pan or add garlic/soup ingredients to raviolis.  Mix well.  Top with grated cheese and serve.

I like to make enough of the garlic/soup mixture so the raviolis remain nice and moist.  They can absorb the liquid very quickly.

Serve with hot Italian bread for dipping!!!

As always, Bon Appetite!!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu (from Marjorie courtesy of America's Test Kitchen)

450 degree oven

8 oz. chicken breasts (use as many as you need and adjust other ingredients accordingly.  This recipe is for 4.)

25 Ritz crackers

4 pieces of hearty white bread

3 eggs with a splash of milk

6 tblsp Melted butter

Deli sliced ham (2 slices per each chicken breast)

Shredded Swiss Cheese

Flour

Dry chicken and slit each breast to create a pocket.  Start ½ way down the fatter side and begin at that end and make slit approximately 3 inches wide.  Let knife reach as far in without breaking through the breast.

Use 2 slices of ham per breast….fill each slice with ¼ cup of shredded swiss and roll tightly.  Place both rolls into the chicken breast.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper and chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

While chicken in fridge prepare 3 dishes.  One with flour, one with egg wash with 2 tblsp Dejon mustard  and one with breadcrumbs.

To make  breadcrumbs place 25 Ritz crackers, 4 slices of bread quartered into a blender with the melted butter and mix until nice breadcrumb consistency.  Place on baking sheet and place in oven for 5 or 6 minutes or until a nice golden brown.

Take chicken breasts and dredge in flour, patting to remove any excess flour.  Then dredge into egg wash and then into breadcrumbs, packing tightly so it sticks well.

Place chicken breasts on lightly greased cookie sheet on lower rack of oven for 10 minutes at 450 degrees.  Reduce heat to 400 degrees and place tray on center rack for another 20 minutes.

With a little  luck it should be a delicious dinner!!!  Enjoy.

Entree - Grandma Feula's Chicken Fricassee (from Marjorie)

Grandma Feula's CHICKEN FRICASSEE

Chicken pieces (breasts & legs) whatever amount you want

2 or 3 tbsp olive oil in bottom of pot

Couple of cloves of chopped garlic (I often sprinkle in lots of garlic powder as well)

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp oregano

Small can of tomato sauce (or amount needed depending upon amount of chicken)

Salt & Pepper to taste

(These amounts can be adjusted to your taste based upon amount of chicken being used)

Heat oil & cook garlic until golden brown (be careful not to burn)

Put in chicken and saute on all sides until golden

Sprinkle in the onion powder, oregano, salt & pepper

Add the small can of tomato sauce & one can of water (can of water to one can of sauce)

Cover, bring to boil and cook over medium/low heat for about 50 minutes to an hour stirring frequently

Can add some gravy master if you want to darken color of sauce

Bon Appetite!!!

Entree - Meatloaf with BBQ Sauce (from Majorie - modified from Rachael Ray)

Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

1 ¾ lbs. ground beef (I prefer sirloin)

1 medium onion cut into small dice

1 large rib celery or 2 small cut into small dice

1 green or red pepper cut into small dice

1 large egg plus splash of milk beaten

1 cup breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. grill seasoning (McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning)

1 cup smoky barbecue sauce

½ cup tomato salsa

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

Place ground beef in large bowl.  Add onion, celery, pepper, beaten egg, breadcrumbs. In another bowl mix smoky barbecue sauce, salsa & Worcestershire sauce.  Pour ½ to ¾ of mixture into the meatloaf bowl.  Save other half for topping the meatloaf.

Mix meatloaf well with hands.  Place in meatloaf pan, press firmly to mold.  Put remaining sauce mixture on top of meatloaf and score with fork.

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 ¼ hours.

Bon Appetite!!!

P.S.  It’s a lot easier than it may appear and it’s not MY recipe…..it’s a modification of Rachel Ray’s.  Delicious!!!

Entree - Brisket with Carrots and Onions (from Marjorie compliments of Barefoot Contessa)

Ingredients:

6 to 7 lb. beef brisket (or two 3 to 4 lb. ones)

2 tbsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp. minced garlic (4 cloves)

2 tsps. dried oregano leaves

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks

8 stalks celery cut into 2 inch chunks

6 yellow onions, peeled and sliced

8 fresh or dried bay leaves

1 (46 oz.) can tomato juice (I often use V8 Vegetable juice)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place brisket(s) in a heavy roasting pan (I use my turkey pan).  In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic and oregano.  Mix well and rub mixture on the brisket(s).  Pile the carrots, celery, onions and bay leaves on the brisket and pour in tomato juice.  Cover the top of the pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper, and then with aluminum foil (tomato juice will react unpleasantly with the aluminum foil if they touch.)

Bake for 3 ½ hours.  Remove the meat from the pan and keep warm.  Place the pan on 2 burners and boil the vegetables and sauce over medium heat for another 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Slice the meat across the grain.  Serve on platter with the veggies.  Italian bread for dipping!!!

Bon Appetite!!!

Dessert - Sour Cream Coffee Cake (aka 'Grandma Cake')

Maria told me this recipe was something Helen made all the time (this is the original recipe from Camille Dunn who was Maria's neighbor).

2 Sticks soft butter
1 cup sugar
(cream the above 2 ingredients together)
Add 2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix well

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamin
chop nuts and mix

Sift dry ingredients into the wet mixture, beat well and STIR (don't use mixer!) in one cup of sour cream.

Spoon half of the batter into a greased and floured pan (I use a bundt pan), sprinkle on half of the topping mixture, the rest of the batter, and the rest of the topping. Recipe says to bake about 1 hour at 350 but I always find for me it's done at 45 minutes, depends on the oven.

Appetizer - Sausage Balls (from Marjorie)

Easy Sausage Cheese Balls

Ingredients

• 1 pound sausage
• 4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3 cups baking mix (Bisquick)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, combine the sausage, cheese, and dry baking mix. Mix together, and shape mixture into walnut-sized balls. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.