White Wine Sauce Lasagna

                                                                                                                                        

1 (8 oz.) lasagna noodles

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 T chopped sun dried tomatoes

1 lb. ground meat

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1T minced garlic 

1 cup half-and-half cream

1 cream cheese, cubed

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup Gouda cheese, shredded (6 oz.)

1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese

1 beaten egg

12 oz. mozzarella cheese

Directions

Cook the lasagna, drain well. Sprinkle with olive oil; toss gently, and set aside. Cook the ground meat, onion, celery, and garlic until the meat is browned, stirring to crumble meat. Drain mixture. Add half and half and the next 5 ingredients; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream cheese melts. Add the wine, cheddar cheese, and Gouda cheese; cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, hand beat the cottage cheese and egg. Set aside. Layer half of the reserved noodles in a greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Top with half the reserved meat mixture, half the cottage cheese mixture, and half the mozzarella cheese slices. Repeat layers omitting the mozzarella. Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with the remaining mozzarella, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Cheese Spinach Artichoke Souffle Panera Knock Off

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 3 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed

 3 tablespoons minced artichoke hearts

 2 teaspoons minced onion

 1 teaspoon minced red bell pepper

 5 eggs

 2 tablespoons milk

 2 tablespoons heavy cream

 ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese

 ¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

 1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese

 ¼ teaspoon salt

 1 8-ounce tube Pillsbury Crescent butter flake dough

 melted butter

 ¼ cup shredded Asiago cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

 Combine spinach, artichoke hearts, onion, and red bell pepper in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water cover bowl with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the plastic. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Beat 4 eggs. Mix in milk, cream, cheddar cheese, Jack cheese, Parmesan, and salt. Stir in spinach, artichoke, onion, and bell pepper.  Microwave egg mixture for 30 seconds on high, and then stir it. Do this 4 to 5 more times or until you have a very runny scrambled egg mixture. This process will tighten up the eggs enough so that the dough won't sink into the eggs when it's folded over.  Unroll and separate the crescent dough into four rectangles. In other words, don't tear the dough along the perforations that make triangles. Instead, pinch the dough together along those diagonal perforations so that you have four rectangles. Use some flour on the dough and roll across the width of the rectangle with a rolling pin so that each piece of dough stretches out into a square that is approximately 6 inches by 6 inches. Brush melted butter inside four 4-inch baking dishes or ramekins. Line each ramekin with the dough, spoon equal amounts of egg mixture into each ramekin. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Asiago cheese on top of the egg mixture in each ramekin, and then gently fold the dough over the mixture. Beat the last egg in a small bowl, then brush beaten egg over the top of the dough in each ramekin. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until dough is brown. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the souffle's from each ramekin and serve hot.

Martha Stewart's Angel Biscuits

                                                                                                                             

These are delicious!!! If you want to use this recipe for a shower or party, you can make these petite size and use the mustard sauce. Makes 24 biscuits! I made ham biscuits but you could use any breakfast meat.

2 packages active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled, for brushing

2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Butter a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper and set aside.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together into a large bowl. Transfer half of the dry ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and cut in the cold butter, pulsing, until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with some larger pieces of butter still remaining. Transfer the mixture back to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the yeast mixture and buttermilk. Stir until a dough forms and turn out onto a floured board. Knead until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, about 5 minutes.

Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch, and cut out 1 1/2-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter. Set the biscuits 2 inches apart on the baking sheet; brush the tops with melted butter, and bake until lightly golden (they should not brown), 10 to 12 minutes.

Mustard Sauce

1/2 cup dry mustard

3/4 cup distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon salt

Directions

Mix mustard, vinegar, and wine in a porcelain or stainless steel bowl. Cover and soak overnight.

Beat eggs with sugar and salt until very light and foamy. Add mustard mixture, and cook in a double boiler (or in a stainless bowl over a pot of simmering water) until thick, approximately 1 hour, whisking occasionally.

Cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Chinese Fried Chicken

                                                                                                                                        

Thanks Kittencal!!

SWEET AND SOUR RED SAUCE

1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

1 cup white sugar (can reduce 2-3 tablespoons for a less sweet taste)

3/4 cup cold water (or can use unsweetened pineapple juice or half each, I prefer the pineapple juice)

3 tablespoons cornstarch (for a thinner sauce reduce to 2 tablespoons, if you want an very thick sauce use 4 tablespoons)

This batter can also be used to make onion rings or shrimp.

CHINESE CHICKEN BATTER

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (garlic lovers add 1 teaspoon)

2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/3 cups cold water (if you are reducing to half a recipe use 1/2 cup plus 2-1/2 tablespoons water)

1 -2 teaspoon sesame oil (optional but good to add)

Oil (for frying)

8 chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces

Seasoning salt (optional)

Directions:

To make the sweet and sour sauce; in a saucepan combine the first 5 ingredients until combined. In a cup or bowl whisk the cold water or pineapple juice with cornstarch until smooth and well blended, then whisk vigorously into the ketchup mixture; bring to a boil stirring or whisking constantly over medium-high heat until bubbly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue simmering and mixing until thickened (be patient the sauce takes a few minutes to thicken up) remove from heat and allow to sit at room temperature while making the chicken balls or you may cool to room temperature then refrigerate until ready to use (I prefer the sauce at room temperature).

To make the chicken balls: in a large bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder; add in water and sesame oil; whisk vigorously until smooth. Add in chicken pieces; using clean hands and mix until well coated. Carefully dip the battered chicken pieces in hot oil and fry until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Remove to a paper towel. Sprinkle with seasoning salt immediately after frying if desired.

White Wine Mustard Crusted Chops

                                                                                                      

6 thick pork chops
meat tenderizer ( I like Adolph's seasoned)
paprika
1/2 c white wine
3 T olive oil
1t Dijon on each chop

Cover chops with tenderizer on one side and paprika on the other. Pierce with a large pronged fork.
Grease skillet with 3T oil and heat to medium heat. Sear chops, on both sides, in a large skillet. Pour a little wine and add Dijon on each chop. Finish in oven on broil for 10 minutes on each side.