#3890 - Italian Bow Tie Sausage

(by Shirley McNevich)

12oz. bow tie pasta
2 TBSP olive oil
1lb. Italian sausage (casings removed; sausage crumbled)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 to 1 cup chopped onions
3 minced garlic cloves
28oz. Italian style diced tomatoes (drained)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
other seasonings (to your taste)

Cook the bow tie pasta in salted water according to box directions--drain but DO NOT RINSE. In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil, crumbled sausage and red pepper flakes--cook/stir until sausage is browned. Drain off any grease and return sausage to the skillet. To the sausage in the skillet add chopped onions and minced garlic--cook/stir until onions are tender. Add drained diced tomatoes, heavy cream and Italian seasoning--cook/stir about 10 minutes or until mixture thickens. Taste--add other seasonings to your taste, then stir. Remove from heat--add drained pasta and chopped parsley--stir to mix.

#3760 - Easy Tomato Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 fresh tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 of a red onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 TBSP Italian seasoning

In a bowl add chopped tomatoes, chopped red onions, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and Italian seasoning--mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir before serving. Serve with bread or good quality crackers. Optional: if you want the dip to be more tangy, add more balsamic vinegar.

#3742 - Townhouse Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 eggs
1 cup crushed Keebler Townhouse butter crackers
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
fresh ground black pepper
salt
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter (cut into small pieces)

In one bowl add the eggs--beat. In a separate bowl add crushed butter crackers, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and some fresh ground black pepper (your choice of amount)--stir to mix. Salt both sides of each chicken breast (to your taste). Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture, then coat both sides of the chicken breasts in the cracker mixture. Place them in a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Place the butter pieces around (but NOT on top of) the chicken breasts. Bake at 375 degrees 30 minutes or until chicken is done. When you take them out of the oven you can drizzle a spoonful of the melted butter over each chicken breast. Note: for a crispier coating, double the eggs and double the cracker mixture. When finished coating each chicken breast, dip them back into the egg mixture and cracker mixture a second time (and slightly increase cooking time).

#3697 - Sharp White Cheese Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups shredded Cracker Barrel Vermont Sharp White Cheese
1/3 cup mayo
3oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup diced Vidalia onions
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. Creole seasoning (optional)

In a bowl add shredded white cheese, mayo, softened cream cheese, diced onions, pepper, Italian seasoning and Creole seasoning--stir well to mix. Spread the mixture into a greased glass baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Serve hot with good quality 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.

#3643 - Bagel Croutons

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - day old (or stale) bagels
1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Slice each bagel in half. Cut each bagel half into large crouton sized pieces. In a bowl add olive oil, salt (your choice of amount) and Italian seasoning--stir to mix. Add the bagel pieces to the olive oil mixture--toss to coat. Spread the coated bagel pieces on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

#3544 - Spicy Rotini Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. box rotini pasta (cooked and drained according to box directions, but do NOT rinse)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt (less if you wish)
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1/2 cup sliced green bell peppers
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
1/2 cup bite sized broccoli
shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a small bowl add canola oil, white vinegar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, white sugar, onion powder and dill weed--stir well to mix. In a large bowl add drained pasta, green bell peppers, sliced onions, sliced cucumbers and bite sized broccoli pieces--toss to mix. Pour the vinegar mixture over the pasta mixture--toss well. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Toss again before serving. Optional--sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and toss well just before serving.

#3518 - Tomato Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 large tomatoes (washed, cored and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 large onion (cut in half, thinly sliced, and separated)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper (more if you wish)

In a bowl add tomato pieces, onion pieces and Italian seasoning--toss and set aside. In a separate bowl add canola oil, cider vinegar, white sugar, salt and pepper--stir until white sugar is dissolved. Pour the dressing mixture over the tomato mixture--toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Toss again before serving.

#3371 - Lasagna Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage
1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce

In a skillet over medium heat add ground Italian sausage--cook/stir until browned and broken into small pieces, then drain off the grease. In a bowl add 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and the 4oz. softened cream cheese--stir until well mixed. Spread the cheese mixture on the bottom of a glass pie plate. In a separate bowl add the drained sausage, pasta sauce and Italian seasoning--stir to mix. Spread the sausage mixture over the cheese layer. Spread 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until bubbling hot. Serve hot with bread pieces or good quality crackers.

#3350 - Parmesan Turkey Meatballs

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. ground chicken2 egg whites
2 TBSP 4C Italian breadcrumbs
1 TBSP fresh grated Parmesan cheese
3 TBSP pasta sauce + extra for dipping
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan. In a bowl add ground chicken, egg whites, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 3 TBSP pasta sauce, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder and shredded mozzarella cheese--mix with your hands. Shape the chicken mixture into walnut sized meatballs and place them in the greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until browned. While the meatballs are baking, heat some extra pasta sauce to use for dipping with the meatballs.

#3241 - Parmesan Cheese Spread

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup softened Philadelphia cream cheese
1 cup softened butter
3 tsp. Italian seasoning
garlic powder (to your taste)

In a bowl add softened cream cheese and softened butter--stir until well mixed. Add grated Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning--stir until well mixed. Add a little garlic powder at a time and stir to mix--taste and add more as needed. Use as a spread for homemade bread or good quality crackers.

#3183 - Sour Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
4 garlic cloves (minced)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts

In a bowl add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper--stir to mix. Pour 1/4 of the vinegar mixture into a Ziploc and add one chicken breast. Keep alternating vinegar mixture and chicken breasts until all are in the bag, then remove air from bag and seal. Refrigerate the chicken for 3 hours. Grease a glass baking dish. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the baking dish and pour any leftover vinegar mixture from the bag over the tops of the chicken. Cover dish with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

#3177 - Italian Pepperoni Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups raw spiral pasta
1 tsp. salt
1 chopped onion
1/2 to 1 cucumber (washed, peeled and chopped)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped pepperoni pieces
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup fat free Italian dressing (your salad will be too greasy if you use both pepperoni and regular Italian dressing)
optional: shredded mozzarella cheese (your choice of amount)

In a pot add spiral pasta and salt--cover with water, bring to a boil and cook to your desired tenderness. Drain the pasta but do NOT rinse. Let the drained pasta cool to room temperature. In a glass serving bowl add Italian dressing, Italian seasoning and garlic powder--stir to mix. Add drained pasta--stir to coat. Add chopped onions, chopped cucumbers and chopped pepperoni pieces--toss to mix. Refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve, cut each cherry tomato into four pieces--add to the pasta salad and stir to mix. Optional: add shredded mozzarella cheese when you add the cherry tomato pieces.

#3175 - Fresh Cauliflower Poppers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
4 cups fresh cauliflower florets (de-stem before measuring)
1/2 cup flour
2 beaten eggs

Separate fresh cauliflower into florets, then cut and discard the large stem of each floret (you only want to use the top part). In one bowl add bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning--stir to mix. In a second bowl add the beaten eggs. In a third bowl add the flour. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat add the canola oil--heat until oil is hot. It will work best to have one person do the coating and the other person do the frying. Dredge one cauliflower floret in the flour, then dip it in the eggs, then coat it in the breadcrumbs and place it directly in the hot oil. Repeat with all florets as you have room in the skillet for them (making sure the person doing the frying doesn't let them touch each other). Make sure you fry them to golden brown on each side (using tongs to turn them), then place them on paper towels to drain off extra oil. If using a large skillet, you should be able to fry 10-12 at a time.

#3031 - Pizza Log

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP butter (melted)
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning OR oregano
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (more if you wish)
2-4 TBSP chopped onions
1 package Hormel pepperoni slices
1 jar of your favorite pizza sauce

In a bowl add melted butter, Italian seasoning (or oregano) and garlic powder--stir until mixed. Unroll the pizza dough on to a greased cookie sheet and form it into a rectangle. Use a pastry brush to spread half of the melted butter mixture over the top of the crust. Sprinkle the onions over the crust. Arrange as many pepperoni slices as you wish over the crust. Sprinkle as much shredded cheese as you wish over the pepperoni slices. Start at one side of the crust and roll up the crust to form a log. Flip the whole thing so that the seam side is down on the cookie sheet, then slide it so that it is in the center of the cookie sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush the outside of the crust with the remaining butter mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut log into slices. Serve with hot pizza sauce for dipping.

#2968 - Mozzarella Soup Balls

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 block of mozzarella cheese (cut into 1" cubes)
2 egg whites
1/4 cup flour (more if necessary)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (more if necessary)
1/2 to 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
wooden skewers

Cut the mozzarella cheese block into 1" cubes. Place the cubes on a plate (making sure they are not touching each other), then place the plate in the freezer for a few hours. Once they are hardened, transfer the cheese cubes into a freezer safe Ziploc bag and continue freezing them overnight. The next day, prepare any type of soup that you wish (tomato soup works really well). When soup is almost hot and ready to be served, you can prepare the mozzarella balls. In one bowl add egg whites--beat with a whisk. In a second bowl add the flour. In a third bowl add the panko bread crumbs and Italian seasoning--stir until mixed. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray it with Pam. Take one frozen cheese cube, coat it all over with flour, coat it in egg whites, then roll it completely in the panko mixture and place it on the greased foil. Repeat with as many cheese balls as you wish, making sure they are not touching each other. Spray all of the cheese balls lightly with Pam. Bake at 425 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Scoop hot soup into bowls. Spear three baked cheese cubes on to each skewer and place the skewer on top of the bowl. If you don't have skewers, just serve them on the side so they can be dipped. Note: the cheese MUST be frozen or you will have a mess on your hands.

#2677 - Italian Cheese Bread

(by Cousin Cathy [Minier] Ulrich)

4 1/2 to 5 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup softened butter
2 beaten eggs
2 TBSP sesame seeds
Filling: 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese; 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning; 1/4 tsp. garlic powder; 1/4 cup softened butter

In a bowl add 2 1/2 cups flour, white sugar, salt and yeast--stir well. In a saucepan add milk, water and 1/2 cup butter--stir/heat over medium heat until very warm (about 120 degrees). Remove from heat--add hot milk mixture to flour mixture--stir well. Add beaten eggs--stir. Continue adding another 2 cups of flour and mix well until you have a stiff batter. If not stiff enough add a little more flour. Grease a 10" tube cake pan. Sprinkle the sesame seeds into the bottom of the greased tube cake pan. In a small bowl add mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and 1/4 cup softened butter--mix well. Press half of the batter into the greased tube cake pan. Spread the mozzarella mixture evenly over the batter (leaving it 1/2" away from the sides of the pan). Press the rest of the dough over the filling. Cover the pan with Saran wrap and a cloth towel. In a large pan add some warm water, then place the tube cake pan in the warm water. Let the dough raise until doubled in size (about 30 minutes). Remove from warm water, remove Saran wrap and cloth and place tube cake pan in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Loosen/remove bread from pan immediately after baking and cool it on a wire rack.

#1954 - Zucchini and Corn

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 medium zucchinis (washed and sliced thin--do not peel)
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
3 TBSP canola oil
2 cups whole kernel corn (drained)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper if you wish

In a skillet over medium heat add canola oil, sliced zucchini, chopped green peppers and chopped red peppers--cook and stir until zucchini starts to get tender. Add drained corn, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning--stir/cook until mixture is hot and all vegetables are tender.

#1586 - Honey Chicken Marinade

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1/4 cup honey
1 small bottle Italian salad dressing
1 envelope Italian seasoning
1 - 12oz. can Coca-Cola
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
salt
pepper
boneless/skinless chicken breasts

In a bowl add honey, salad dressing and Italian seasoning--stir. Add ketchup and brown sugar--stir. Slowly add soda--when it stops fizzing, stir. Poke chicken breasts using a fork (both sides)--sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to your taste (both sides). Place chicken breasts into a Ziploc bag--slowly pour the marinade mixture into the bag. Squeeze out any air before closing. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before baking or grilling.