Lasagna Chicken Florentine

1-1/2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 12 ounce cans evaporated skim milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
cooking spray
6 no boil lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3/4 cup preshredded reduced fat pizza blend cheese or cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 450F. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Stir in salt and nutmeg; cook until thick, stirring constantly about 3 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with half of chicken and half of spinach. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper; top with 3/4 cup sauce. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Cover and bake at 450F for 25 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly. Uncover and top with cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Stuffed Chicken Siena

Courtesy of Olive Garden

CHEESE FILLING/CHICKEN:
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
2 Tbsp Parmesan, grated
1/2 cup smoked Gouda, chopped
1/4 cup Fontina cheese, shredded
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp black ground pepper
1 Tbsp green onions, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 egg
2 Tbsp heavy cream

CHICKEN:
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (6-8 oz each), butterfly cut

FOR SIENA SAUCE/PASTA:
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup green olives with pimiento, chopped
1/4 cup small capers, rinsed
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup tomatoes, diced
29 oz can tomato puree
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 medium red bell peppers, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp sugar
2 fresh sweet basil, chopped
1 lbs pasta (your choice), cooked according to package directions

Pre-heat oven to 450ºF.

CHEESE FILLING:

MIX all cheese filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until well-blended. Divide into 4 portions; refrigerate until ready to use.

PREPARATION FOR CHICKEN:
PLACE chicken on a cutting board and split to open. Spread cheese filling evenly on both sides.
FOLD one side over to the other and repeat with other breasts.
PLACE chicken in baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450ºF for 20 minutes or until juices run clear.

SIENA SAUCE:
HEAT olive oil in a small sauce pot; add garlic and sauté for one minute (do not brown). Add bell peppers and sauté until al dente. Add olives and capers and stir. Add red wine and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients except basil.
BRING to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add basil to sauce and stir well; remove Siena sauce from heat.
PLACE one chicken breast and drained, cooked pasta on each plate. Evenly distribute Siena sauce over chicken and pasta. Garnish with chopped basil.

Angel Hair with Ham and Baby Peas

12 ounces Angel Hair, uncooked
1 10 ounce box frozen baby peas, defrosted
1 1/2 cups 1% milk
1 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced very thin
2 cups chopped extra lean ham
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, combine 1/2 cup of the peas, milk, flour, salt and pepper in a blender jar or food processor. Blend until very smooth. Add remaining peas, without blending and set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and ham and cook, tossing, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add milk mixture, reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes, stirring constantly. When pasta is done, drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta cooking liquid. Add ham sauce and reserved pasta cooking liquid. Stir over low heat until pasta is coated with sauce. Transfer to a serving platter or plates. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve, passing Parmesan cheese separately.

Alfredo Rotini

15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper
12 ounces rotini, cooked and drained
28 ounces alfredo sauce

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt and pepper; stir to mix well. In another bowl, combine hot cooked pasta and alfredo sauce. Layer half of pasta mixture in an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Evenly layer with cheese mixture and remaining pasta mixture. Bake, covered, 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Alfredo Regatta

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup half and half
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
fresh black pepper to taste
onions and mushrooms, as desired
pasta of choice, cooked and drained

Saute onions and mushrooms, set aside. Mix first three ingredients in pan over low heat. Stir five minutes. With whisk add butter & grated Parmesan. After five minutes, stir in flour 1/2 tablespoon at a time. Stir vigorously over high heat. Add mushrooms and onions. Add fresh pepper & garlic last.Serve over pasta.

Baked Manicotti with Cheese Filling

The word manicotti means "little muffs", and it is a Southern Italian favorite. Usually, here in this country, the dish is made with packaged manicotti shells, but with this recipe you make your own.

SAUCE

1/3 cup olive oil or salad oil
1-1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (2 pound - 3-ounce) can Italian tomatoes, undrained
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper

MANICOTTI

6 eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING

2 pounds Ricotta cheese
1 (8-ounce) package mozzarella cheese, diced
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


MAKE SAUCEIn hot oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven, sauté onion and garlic 5 minutes. Mix in rest of sauce ingredients and 1-1/2 cups water, mashing tomatoes with fork. Bring to boiling, and reduce heat. Simmer mixture, covered and stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.

MAKE MANICOTTI - In a medium bowl, combine 6 eggs, the flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1-1/2 cup water. With electric mixer, beat just until smooth. Let stand 1/2 hour or longer.

Slowly heat an 8-inch skillet*. Pour in 3 tablespoons batter, rotating the skillet quickly to spread batter evenly over bottom. Cook over medium heat until top is dry but bottom is not brown.

Turn out on a wire rack to cool. Continue cooking until all the batter is used. As the manicotti cool, stack them with waxed paper between them.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

MAKE FILLING - In large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, the eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley; beat with a wooden spoon to blend well.

Spread about 1/4 cup filling down the center of each manicotti, and roll up.

Spoon 1-1/2 cups sauce into each of two 12 x 8 x 2-inch baking dishes. Place 8 rolled manicotti, seam side down, in single layer; top with 5 more. Cover with 1 cup sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, 1/2 hour, or until bubbly.

Makes two (12 x 8 x 2-inch) Manicotti


NOTES - *If not using a nonstick skillet, brush skillet lightly with butter for each manicotti.

Beat batter for shells just until well mixed; it shouldn't be frothy. Let stand 1/2 hour or so before using - or even overnight in the refrigerator.

You can make shells and sauce a day in advance, and refrigerate. Make one and freeze one.

TO FREEZE - Line baking dish with a large piece of foil; assemble as directed. Fold foil over to seal, and freeze in dish. When frozen, remove dish. TO SERVE: - Unwrap; place in baking dish, and let stand for 1 hour to thaw. Bake, covered, 1 hour in a 350 degree oven.