Peppery Wisconsin Mascarpone pasta sauce with Bacon

Writing the recipe as given but I'd leave out the additional pepper and season at the end to taste... peppered bacon packs a kick. Likewise with the salt, it can be added at the end to taste preferences.

2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 shallots, diced (optional)
1 c onions diced
8 slices thick-sliced peppered bacon cut into 1 inch long strips
14.5 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 t salt
1 t pepper
8 oz Mascarpone cheese
3 T fresh basil leaves or 1.5 T dried basil leaves

1. Heat oil in a large saute pan and add garlic, shallots and onions; saute over medium heat until tender, about 5 mintues. Do not brown.
2. Stir in bacon. Raise heat to medium high and cook until bacon cooks through but does not crisp.
3. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Simmer about 15-20 minutes or until the sauce thickens and reduces a little.
5. 10 minutes into simmering the tomato bacon sauce, put the pasta on the stove. Drain pasta when it is finished cooking. Take sauce off stove and add mascarpone and basil to it. Then combine sauce with pasta.

This is a family favorite. We have it closer to payday when we can buy the more expensive bacon. The cheap stuff is mostly fat and just tastes chewy and flavorless. Trust me, its worth it to get the good stuff.

Mom's Pasta Primavara

Just pulling out an old recipe in case you want something healthy, simple, and SO good. I just made this last night, and LOVED IT! I totally forgot how good the taste is; plus, it's healthy!


oil--olive or vegetable work (I used olive)
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup diced onions
3/4 cup raw carrots, sliced (as into little circles)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup cooked chicken (I cooked in advance and had cut into stir-fry sized pieces)
1 cup canned, diced tomatoes
pasta
shredded mozzarella, *optional (SUGGESTED FOR SURE)

1. Heat oil--enough to cover bottom of pan--in a skillet/pan over medium heat; add garlic, and heat until soft: DO NOT BURN.
2. Add broccoli, onions, carrots, and salt; stir for a few minutes to soften (2-4 min.). Stir in the chicken (2 min.), and then finally stir in the diced tomatoes.
3. Let cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 -15 min.
4. Serve over cooked noodles; *optional to throw some shredded mozzarella over your noodles before spooning the chicken/veggie mixture over them.

Healthy and so, SO good...and my kids liked it, too. Get ready, Rob: we'll probably be eating this at least once a week from this point forward!

Crock Pot: Chicken Chili

4-5 frozen chicken breasts
2 jars Mrs. Renfro's Peach Salsa
Large jar canellini beans drained and rinsed
1 c (maybe more) chicken broth

Add all to crock pot and put on low for 6 hours. Stir very occasionally.

Shred chicken and add more chicken broth if you want it soupier.

You can substitute water for broth for a very low sodium version. This is excellent when you spoon sour cream into your bowl, too. Also, very good with chopped avocadoes on top but not necessary.

Crock Pot Angel Chicken

Serve over pasta or rice (go rice cooker!!). Also, I haven't tested this yet, but will soon, and then I"ll let you know how it is, from my perspective.

Ingredients:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2-2 lbs.)
1- 8 oz. pkg. sliced fresh white or shiitake mushrooms
OR 8 oz. canned artichoke hearts (I bought as 2 - 4 oz. jars)
1/4 cup butter
1- .7 oz. pkg. Italian dry salad dressing mix
1- 10 3/4 oz. can condensed golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 of an 8 oz. tub cream cheese with chives and onion (fresh, snipped chives optional)

Directions:

1. Place chicken and mushrooms in slow cooker.
2. Melt butter in saucepan; stir in Italian dressing mix. Stir in soup, wine, and cream cheese until combined; pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low-heat for 4-5 hours.
4. Serve over rice or pasta; sprinkle with fresh chives if desired.

SO, the original is to be made with the mushrooms, but in attempt to make Monica try it, I substituted jarred artichoke hearts for the mushrooms--same amount--and it was SO, SO good, I thought! We served over angel hair pasta: WONDERFUL!

German Potato Salad

Boil & Slice when COOL:
1 Kettleful of Potatoes

Frying Pan:
1 Package Bacon
2 Onions
1/2 Cup Celery
1/2 Cup Flour
3 Cups Water
1 1/4 Cup Vinegar
Sugar & Pepper to taste
Frying Pan & Crock Pot

Crock Pot:
Cooled/Sliced Potatoes and adding ingredients as finished
Add 4 Diced Hard Boiled Eggs

Peal & Boil Potatoes (stick a ford though potato to see if it goes through easily - about 8-10 minutes)

Set aside and let potatoes cool

Cut Bacon into 1/2 inch peices and fry with onions and celery (the key is not to fry bacon too dark - this will determine the color and taste of the salad. Too burnt or dark will give you that color and taste, just the right color will make the taste more flavorful and good color)

While bacon is finishing up slice potatoes (do not slice too thick). Add to crock pot.

Remove the finished bacon and stir in flour into bacon grease. Turn the heat up to high and add vinegar & water to thicken. Add Sugar to Taste (about 1 Tablespoon) and Pepper to taste (1/2 teaspoon)

Add the bacon/vinegar mixuture to crock pot with potatoes. Make sure diced eggs are init, and leave crock pot on high for about 2 hours - then switch to low until you serve.

Broccoli Rice and Chicken Crock Pot

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup uncooked converted rice
--parsley
--pepper
2 pounds chicken tenders or boneless breasts cut in strips
--
1 package cream of broccoli soup mix
1 1/2 cup chicken broth


Place rice in a lightly greased slow cooker. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper. Top with chicken pieces. Mix together the soup mix and broth. Pour over chicken and rice. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Monica's Cranberry Sauce

1 cup OJ
1 cup sugar
cranberries (about a 12 oz. bag more or less)

1. Bring the OJ to a barely-there simmer.
2. Pour the sugar in; stir until dissolved (keep simmering).
3. Add the cranberries; simmer for 10 more minutes--or maybe longer.

This is a Monica Simpson recipe for the Thanksgiving table--SO GOOD; SO much better than any store bought kind of sauce!!

Pancakes: Grandma Doug's

1 cup buttermilk
a pinch of salt
1 rounded tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 tbsp. of hot water
1/2 cup flour (more or less)
1 tbsp. melted butter

1. Add together in the given order.
2. Beat together.
3. Fry in hot pan (400 degrees) with just enough oil to cover the bottom

Someone may want to post to confirm this or not, but I THINK that adding more or less flour will affect the pancake thickness--more making them more thick. I'm not positive, though.