Wholly Guacamole Chicken & Rice Pita Pockets

Ingredients
1 bag success Brown Rice
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 clove of garlic
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
4 tbs soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 can (8ounces) sliced water chestnuts drained and chopped
1/2 c. carrot, shredded or grated
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
whole wheat pita cut in half
1 package of wholly Guacamole

Prepare rice according to package directions. Heat oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heats. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook thoroughly, stirring to break-up any clumps. Stir in soy sauce, ginger, water chestnuts, carrots, cilantro and cooked rice.
Blend well. Place about mixture in each pita and top with Wholly Guacamole.

source: On the back of the Wholly Guacamole package.

Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients

1/2 cup water, divided
1lb ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, slivered
1 cup celery, diced
2 14.4 ounce diced canned tomatoes
1 cup canned red kidney beans, drained
1 cup white kidney beans, drained
5 1/2 cups beef stock
2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
32 ounces spaghetti sauce
4 ounces dry shell pasta

Saute beef in 14/4 cup water in a large pot until beef starts to brown. Drain. Add 1/4 cup water onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper Tabasco, spaghetti sauce, and pasta. Add chopped parsley. Simmer until celery and carrot are tender, about 45 minutes.

source: Olive Garden Recipe.

I searched for this recipe because I love the Pasta Fagioli soup from Olive Garden.

Falafel

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans

1/4 cup shopped onion

3 tbs flour

1 clove of chopped garlic

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbs of fresh parsley

Puree canned garbanzo beans, onion, flour, cumin, baking power, and salt in processor. Add parsley and process to blend. Sprinkle plate with flour. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls; transfer balls to plate. Roll falafel in flour tocoat; flatten balls into patties.

Pour enough vegetable oil into skillet. Fry falafel patties until brown and crispy. Transfer patties to paper towels to drain.

Serve in a pita with lettuce and tomato.

I made this recipe because I tried falafel Sultan Gyro in Lyndhurst, NJ and thought it was delious. At one point I had a falafel sandwich 3 fridays in a row. We also tired the Babaganoush at teh restauant. That spread had smoked eggplant with garlic and yogurt. Which is also served with pita bread. I think I may have to try and make Babaganoush. Sounds easy just like the falafel!

source - Bon Appetit Magazine

Ravoili with Birds Eye Shopped Spinach, Pancetta and Sage

Ingredients

1lb ravioli

1 box of shopped spinach

2 tbsp of fresh chopped sage

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp shredded pecorino romano

Directions

- Cook pancetta and garlic in olive oil in a large pan until crisp. Add butter and cook until brown, add spinach and sage. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked ravioli and let it cook for another 5 minutes.

This recipe didn't call for sauce, but we made a Alfredo sauce. The Alfredo sauce consisted of some heavy cream, milk, flour and cheese. We just eyed balled the ingredients and hoped it came at good and it did.

James made this recipe for me for Valentine's Day. Instead of using regular cheese ravioli he went to Fairway Market in Paramus and bought Heart-shaped Lobster ravioli. He bought 2 packages because he thought there was only 6 in the package. Come to find out there were 12, so needless to say we now have an extra box. Yummy :) I found this recipe when clipping coupons. It was heavenly as we ate by candlelight. For desert he made me mini strawberry shortcakes.

Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs:

2 lb ground chopped meat
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp season salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

Sauce:

1 bottle of chili sauce
10 oz. grape jelly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chopped meat, garlic powder, season salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Mix well and form little meatballs. Cook in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until done

While meatballs are cooking, combine the chili sauce and grape jelly in a saucepan until jelly has melted.

Instead of melting the chili sauce and jelly in a saucepan, you can melt it in the crock pot. This is exactly what I did. Once the meatballs were done cooking I transferred the meatballs into the crock pot. I made this recipe for my brother's Superbowl party. I brought the meatballs in the crock pot because you what to serve them warm. I thought of making this recipe because when we had a Super Bowl party 2 years ago my friend made them and they were delicious.

source: Cooks.com

Garden Skillet Dinner

12 oz Pennsylvania Dutch Broad Ribbons

1 lb uncooked chicken, dices

1/4 cup flour

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tbsp garlic, minced

1/2 cup red bell peppers, cut into strips

1/2 cup carrots, peeled and cut julienne

1/2 cup celery, sliced

1/2 broccoli florets

1 tbsp dried basil

3/4 cup chicken broth

3/4 heave cream

salt and pepper to taste

Cook ribbons according to package directions. Toss chicken in flour. In large skillet over medium heat, saute coated chicken in oil until browned. Add garlic, veggies, basil, and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, slowly stir in chicken broth and then cream. When the mixture thickened, stir in hot ribbonss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves: 4-6

I made these cupcakes for my Gandma's 90th Birthday on December 13th 2009. Tomorrow my family will be going with her to church and will host her coffee hour after church. The church also ordered a sheet cake and my mom is bringing bagels. We are looking forward to spending the day with her. I hope she has many more birthdays!!!!!