#3911 - Fresh Parmesan Green Beans

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. fresh green beans
2 TBSP chopped onions (more if you wish)
2 TBSP chopped garlic
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Place the green beans in a pot--cover them with water and add the salt. Cook/stir over medium heat until boiling. Once boiling, turn heat back to low and simmer them for 10 minutes. Drain the green beans and immediately rinse them with cold water. In a bowl add chopped onions, chopped garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil--stir to mix. Place the cooled green beans in a serving dish and drizzle the vinegar mixture over the green beans--carefully toss to coat. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Remove the cover and sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan cheese to serve.

#3900 - Buttery Asparagus

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus (washed and trimmed)
3 TBSP butter
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 TBSP minced parsley
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

After trimming the asparagus, slice each piece in half (diagonally)--this should make them still long, but about 1/2" thick. In a skillet over medium heat add the butter--melt. Turn heat back a little. Add the asparagus and salt/pepper (to your taste)--cook/stir about 6 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat--add the minced parsley and 3 TBSP of the fresh grated Parmesan cheese--stir to coat. Place the whole mixture into a serving dish and sprinkle the rest of the fresh grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

#3896 - Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 TBSP butter
1/2 cup butter (melted)
4lbs. russet potatoes
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
2 TBSP dry bread crumbs

Use the 1 TBSP butter to grease and coat a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite sized pieces. Place the potato pieces in a pot and cover them with water (adding 1 tsp. salt to the water). Bring to a boil, then cook until potato pieces are very tender. Drain the potato pieces. In a large bowl add the drained potato pieces--mash them with a potato masher. Add the milk and melted butter--mash well. Add all of the mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese--mix well. Add salt/pepper to your taste--mix well. Spread the mashed potatoes into the buttered baking dish. In a bowl add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and all of the bread crumbs--stir to mix. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake UNcovered at 400 degrees 30-35 minutes or until heated through and topping is golden brown.

#3870 - Parmesan Chopped Tomatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1-2 large home grown tomatoes OR farmer's market tomatoes
fresh ground black pepper
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
salt (optional)

Wash and chop the tomatoes and place the chopped tomatoes in a glass serving bowl. Drain off any liquid. Season with pepper and salt to your taste--stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

#3860 - Crab Stuffed Chicken Breasts

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
6 slices deli ham
8oz. lump crab meat
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 tsp. Old Bay
a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce (to your taste)
3oz. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
3oz. Italian bread crumbs
salt
pepper

In a bowl add crab meat, chopped onions, mayo, Old Bay and Worcestershire sauce--mix carefully so lumps in crab meat stay together. Salt/pepper both sides of each chicken breast to your taste. Make a long cut sideways into each chicken breast to make a pocket. Stuff each chicken breast with the crab mixture. Grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Spread the ham slices over the bottom of the baking dish. Place the stuffed chicken breasts over the ham. In a bowl add the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs--stir to mix. Spread the crumb mixture evenly over the tops of each chicken breast. Bake at 350 degrees 30-40 minutes or until chicken is done and crab mixture is hot.

#3859 - Parmesan Garlic Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP canola oil
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 TBSP flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)

In a bowl add oregano, basil, salt and pepper--stir to mix. Season both sides of each chicken breast with the oregano mixture. Cook or grill chicken breasts. While chicken breasts are cooking, in a saucepan over medium heat add the butter and canola oil--stir until melted. Add the chopped garlic--cook/stir for 2 minutes. Add the flour--whisk to mix. Add the heavy whipping cream and the chicken broth--cook/stir until thickened. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and the softened cream cheese--cook/stir until all cheese is melted. When chicken breasts are no longer pink inside, place chicken breasts on plates and drizzle the sauce over the chicken breasts.

#3839 - Puff Pastry Chicken Pizza

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough (thawed according to package directions)
garlic powder
oregano
salt
pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
pesto sauce OR your favorite pasta sauce
1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked/diced chicken breasts
olive oil

Place a single sheet of thawed puff pastry dough on to a greased cookie sheet. Use your fingers to pinch closed any small holes in the seams of the dough. Use the tines of a fork to prick the dough all over (including the edges) so that the dough won't puff as much during baking. Spread a layer of pesto sauce OR pasta sauce over the dough. In a bowl add the diced cooked chicken and a little olive oil--toss to coat. Spread the chicken pieces evenly over the sauce. Sprinkle garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese over the chicken pieces. Spread the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Bake at 400 degrees 15-24 minutes until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Remove from oven--cool slightly, then slice to serve.

#3813 - Chicken Bacon Spaghetti

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. raw spaghetti
1 TBSP olive oil
1lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
6-8 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cups diced tomatoes
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti in salted water according to box directions--drain but DO NOT RINSE and save 1 cup of the pasta water. In a Dutch oven over medium heat add the olive oil--add the bacon and cook until bacon is crispy. Place the bacon on paper towels but leave the drippings in the Dutch oven. Salt/pepper both sides of the chicken--place it in the bacon drippings and cook chicken on both sides until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken, place it on a cutting board and cut it into bite sized pieces. Add the minced garlic, diced tomatoes and baby spinach to the Dutch oven (and add salt/pepper to your taste). Add the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese and the reserved 1 cup pasta water--stir to mix and turn heat back to simmer and let the mixture simmer until mixture thickens (while stirring). Turn heat back to medium and add the drained pasta to the sauce mixture--toss to coat/stir until hot. Crumble the bacon. Add the crumbled bacon and chicken pieces to the spaghetti mixture--toss to coat/stir until hot enough to serve.

#3802 - Eggs on a Cloud

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 egg whites
2 egg yolks
a pinch of salt
a pinch of pepper
1 3/4 TBSP of grated Parmesan cheese (or substitute any grated cheese you wish)
a slice of bread
olive oil

In a mixer add egg whites--beat until stiff. Add salt, pepper and grated cheese to the egg whites--beat until stiff. Place a slice of bread on to a baking sheet. Heap all of the egg white mixture on to the bread slice and use the back of a spoon to make a deep indentation ("nest") in the center of the egg whites. Fill the nest with the egg yolks. Bake at 325 degrees for 5 minutes or until egg whites are lightly browned. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and serve immediately. Optional: you can toast the bread lightly before adding the egg white mixture.

#3782 - Spaghetti Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 7oz. raw spaghetti; 1 egg; 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Filling: 1lb. ground chuck; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. pepper; 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers; 1/2 cup chopped onions (more if you wish); 1 - 14oz. jar chunky pasta sauce (room temperature)

Topping: 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (more if you wish)

Cook spaghetti in salted water according to box directions--drain but DO NOT RINSE. In a large bowl add the egg--beat. Add Parmesan cheese--stir well. Add the drained spaghetti--toss to coat. Grease a 9" deep dish pie plate. Spread the spaghetti mixture over the bottom and up the sides of the greased pie plate. In a skillet over medium heat add the ground chuck, salt, pepper, green bell peppers and chopped onions--cook/stir until beef is browned. Drain off any grease, then add the pasta sauce--stir well. Spread the beef mixture over the spaghetti mixture. Spread the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 25-35 minutes or until hot. Cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve in pie shaped wedges.

#3776 - Baked Ritz Crackers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 stick butter (melted)
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 TBSP red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 box regular Ritz crackers

In a large bowl add all of the Ritz crackers. Drizzle the melted butter over the crackers while tossing the crackers. Add the Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and garlic powder--gently toss to coat. Place the crackers on cookie sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes.

#3771 - Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

2lbs. Yukon gold potatoes
3 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Wash and peel the potatoes, then slice them thinly. In a large bowl add whipping cream, chopped parsley, chopped garlic, salt and pepper--stir well. Add the sliced potatoes--toss to mix. Spread the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes (stirring every 10 minutes). Remove from oven--sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top. Return to oven and bake 20 minutes longer or until bubbling hot and golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Note: if you don't slice the potatoes thin enough, you'll have to bake it longer to make sure the potatoes are tender.

#3761 - Baked Chicken and Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP butter
2 sweet onions (peeled, sliced and rings separated)
a few garlic cloves (sliced thin)
1/4 cup A1 steak sauce (the thick and hearty variety)
2 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
2 TBSP Dijon mustard
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper both sides of each chicken breast and place them in a greased glass baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat add butter--melt. Add sliced onions and cover the skillet--stir them every 3 minutes until they've cooked a total of 9 minutes. Add sliced garlic--keep cooking/stirring for around 10 minutes or until onions are a nice caramel brown color. Add the brown sugar and 3 TBSP of the A1 sauce--cook/stir until incorporated. Remove from heat. In a bowl add the remaining A1 sauce and the dijon mustard--stir to mix. Spread the mustard mixture evenly over each chicken breast. Use tongs to spread the onion mixture over the chicken breasts. Bake at 400 degrees 30-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from oven and sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan cheese over the chicken breasts.

#3706 - Hot Pizza Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup of your favorite pizza sauce
pepperoni slices (chopped)--as much as you wish
2 TBSP sliced black olives (optional)

In a bowl add cream cheese, oregano, parsley flakes and basil--mix well. Spread the mixture on the bottom of a 9" glass pie plate. Sprinkle HALF of the shredded mozzarella cheese and HALF of the grated Parmesan cheese over the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the pizza sauce all over the cheeses. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 15-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let it stand a few minutes. Serve warm with good quality crackers.

#3703 - Sour Cream Parmesan Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

16oz. Breakstone's sour cream
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

In a bowl add sour cream, grated Parmesan cheese and Dijon mustard--stir well. Add kosher salt and fresh ground pepper (to your taste)--stir well. Taste--add more grated Parmesan cheese and/or more Dijon mustard to your taste--stir well. Cover and refrigerate leftover dip. Serve with good quality crackers.

#3700 - Ritz Onion Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

5 or 6 large Vidalia onions (peeled, sliced and separated into rings)
1 stick butter
2 cups fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers (crushed)

Cut the stick of butter into pats.In a Dutch oven over medium heat add the butter pats--melt. Add all of the separated onion rings--cook/stir until onions are tender. Remove from heat. Grease a large casserole dish. Make multiple layers of softened onions, then Ritz cracker crumbs, then grated Parmesan cheese. Make sure the final (top) layer is Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until top cheese layer is melted and browned. Optional: you can substitute any cheese of your choice, and you can add salt/pepper to the softened onions before layering them.

#3690 - Meatball Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup mayo
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese (more if you wish)
1 tsp. oregano
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese + extra for topping
1/2 lb. cooked meatballs (cooled to room temperature)
6 cherry tomatoes (diced)
3 black olives (diced)
3 green olives (diced)
Ritz crackers

Dice the cooled meatballs. In a bowl add softened cream cheese, mayo, Parmesan cheese and oregano--stir well. Add shredded mozzarella cheese, diced meatballs, diced cherry tomatoes and diced olives--stir well. Pour the mixture into a small casserole dish. Sprinkle extra shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake at 350 degrees (uncovered) 25-30 minutes. Serve hot with Ritz crackers.

#3688 - Panko Pork Chops

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 TBSP fresh grated Parmesan cheese (more if you wish)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt
pepper
4 pork chops
1/4 cup canola oil

Salt and pepper both sides of each pork chop (to your taste), then press the salt and pepper into the chops using the back of a fork. In a bowl add egg--beat. In a second bowl add panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning--stir to mix. Spread the panko mixture over a dinner plate (so you'll have room to coat the pork chops). In a cast iron skillet over medium heat add the canola oil--heat until hot. Dip a pork chop into the panko mixture (both sides) and place it in the hot oil. Repeat with all pork chops. Fry until bottoms are golden brown, then flip and fry until other sides are golden brown and pork chops are cooked through.

#3681 - Four Cheese Macaroni Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups raw macaroni
28oz. whole peeled tomatoes (drained and chopped; you can use fresh tomatoes if you have them)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
salt (to your taste)
pepper (to your taste)
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cook macaroni in salted water until softened but still chewy. Drain but DO NOT RINSE. In a large bowl add drained (still hot) macaroni, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese--stir carefully until cheeses melt. In a separate bowl add chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, salt and pepper--stir well. Pour the tomato mixture into the pasta mixture--stir to combine. Pour the whole mixture into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and all of the feta cheese over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 20-30 minutes. Note: you can omit the feta cheese if you don't like feta cheese.

#3656 - Cajun Gumbo Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup butter
6 green onions (sliced)
2 ribs of celery (chopped)
1/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped orange bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell peppers
1 1/2 lbs. large raw shrimp (peeled and chopped)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 1/2 tsp. creole seasoning
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened and cubed)
3/4 cup sliced pickled okra
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for sprinkling)
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
good quality crackers

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add butter--melt. Add sliced green onions, chopped celery and all four colors of chopped bell peppers--cook/stir until tender. Add chopped shrimp, minced garlic and creole seasoning--cook/stir for 2 minutes. Turn heat back to low and add cream cheese--cook/stir until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat--add sliced okra and 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese--stir to mix. Pour the mixture into a greased 2qt. baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then sprinkle more grated Parmesan cheese over the top and return to oven 5-10 minutes longer or until hot and bubbling. Serve hot with good quality crackers.