#3913 - Bacon Wrapped Meatballs

(by Shirley McNevich)

3lbs. ground chuck
3 eggs
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup 4C Italian bread crumbs
1 TBSP minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped onions (more or less to your taste)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
other spices (to your taste)
1lb. good quality bacon
marinara sauce OR BBQ sauce

Cover a jelly roll pan (flat pan with a lip) with foil and spray the foil with Pam. In a bowl add ground chuck, eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, bread crumbs, minced garlic, chopped onions, salt, pepper, oregano and basil--mix with your hands until combined. Form the meat mixture into 12 - 2" meatballs. Open the bacon--find the middle point of the slab of bacon. Using a sharp knife start at the top/middle of the bacon and slice all the way to the bottom (vertically) to make half slices of bacon. Wrap one meatball with one half slice of bacon, then turn the meatball 1/4 and wrap with a second half slice of bacon. Place the bacon wrapped meatball (bacon seams down) on to the foil lined jelly roll pan. Repeat with all meatballs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until meatballs are done and bacon is crispy. Carefully pour off extra grease. Serve with marinara sauce or BBQ sauce.

#3909 - Greek Salad Dressing

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

In a blender add olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, dried basil, pepper, salt, onion powder and Dijon mustard--beat well. Pour the mixture into a glass bottle with a lid and add the red wine vinegar--screw on the lid and shake well before using.

#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.

#3819 - Italian Eggs

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup sliced pepperoni
1 large onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 TBSP oregano
1 - 28oz. can diced tomatoes
4 eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 loaf baguette bread

In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil and pepperoni slices--cook/stir until pepperoni is cripsy. Place pepperoni on paper towels. In the same skillet add the chopped onions--cook/stir over medium heat until onions are tender. Add minced garlic and oregano--stir. Add the diced tomatoes--cook/stir until simmering. Use the back of a spoon to make 4 "nests" in the tomato mixture, then crack one egg into each of the nests. Cover the skillet and cook until egg whites are done but yolks are still runny (about 5 minutes). Sprinkle the pepperoni and shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top and let in on the stove for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Serve mixture over crispy baguette bread. It's messy but it's good!

#3806 - Chopped Tomato Sauce

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion (diced)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
salt (to your taste)
2 TBSP Hunt's tomato paste
2 - 28oz. cans whole plum tomatoes (chopped and put back in the juice)

In a pot over medium heat add olive oil--stir until hot. Add diced onions, the bay leaf, dried oregano, chopped garlic and salt--cook/stir until onions are tender. Add tomato paste--cook/stir for 5 minutes. Add chopped plum tomatoes and their juice--cook/stir until mixture just starts to boil. Turn heat back to low--simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes. Taste--adjust seasonings to your taste and remove the bay leaf.

#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.

#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.

#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.

#3634 - Italian Gravy (Red Sauce)

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion (minced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
4 cups water
2 - 32oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 - 16oz. can Hunt's tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. white sugar (more if necessary)
salt, pepper and oregano (to your taste)

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add olive oil, minced onions and minced garlic--cook/stir until onions are see-through. Turn heat back to medium low. Add water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped basil, baking soda, white sugar, salt, pepper and oregano--cook/stir until mixture is simmering. Tilt the lid on the Dutch oven and simmer for 2 hours or until sauce is thick. Taste--adjust seasonings as necessary.

#3629 - Baked Tomato Slices

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 large tomatoes
1 bag shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers (red, green, orange, yellow--one color OR a mixture)
oregano

Slice each tomato into 4-5 thick slices and arrange them on a foil lined baking sheet. Spoon chopped bell peppers evenly over each tomato. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the tops of each tomato. Sprinkle a little oregano over the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbling. Remove slices using a slotted spatula to drain off any extra juices before place them on serving plates.

#3612 - Bacon Lima Bean Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 - 15oz. containers chicken broth
2 - 15oz. cans lima beans (rinsed and drained)
2 large carrots (peeled and sliced thin)
2 large red potatoes (washed, peeled and diced; more if you wish)
2 red bell peppers (chopped)
1 large onion (chopped)
2 ribs of celery (thinly sliced)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 cup Half 'n Half
6-8 slices of bacon (cooked and crumbled)

In a Dutch oven add chicken broth, lima beans, sliced carrots, diced potatoes, chopped red bell peppers, chopped onions, sliced celery, butter, salt, pepper and oregano--cook/stir over medium heat until boiling. Once boiling, turn heat back to low, tilt the lid and cook 35-45 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Taste--add more seasonings as necessary to your taste. Turn heat up a bit--add the Half 'n Half and crumbled bacon--cook/stir until hot but not boiling.

#3549 - Zucchini Sauce

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 medium zucchini
1 onion (chopped)
1 - 28oz. can Italian crushed tomatoes
3 TBSP olive oil
salt (to your taste)
pepper (to your taste)
garlic powder (to your taste)
oregano (to your taste)

Slice the zucchini into coin shaped pieces, then cut each piece into four quarters. In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil and onions--cook/stir until onions are almost done. Add zucchini pieces--cook/stir until tender but still a bit crispy. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano--cook/stir until mixture is hot. Serve over pasta.

#3459 - Cucumbers and Tomatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 ripe tomato
1 cucumber
4 tsp. olive oil (more if you wish)
4 tsp. apple cider vinegar (more if you wish)
oregano (to your taste)
1/2 tsp. salt

Wash the tomato, slice it, then cut each slice into 4 quarters. Wash and peel the cucumber, then slice it thin. In a bowl add the tomato pieces, cucumber slices, olive oil, cider vinegar, salt and oregano--toss to coat. Add more olive oil and cider vinegar if necessary, then toss again. Serve immediately. Recipe may be doubled.

#3378 - Italian Hoagie Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 onion (chopped)
1 tomato (chopped--more if you wish)
1/4 lb. sliced salami (chopped)
1/4 lb. sliced ham (chopped)
1/4 lb. sliced proscuitto (chopped)
1/4 lb. sliced turkey (chopped)
1/4 lb. sliced provolone cheese (chopped)
1/2 cup mayo (more if necessary)
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 - 12" round load of Italian bread
1 regular loaf Italian bread (cut into bite sized pieces)

In a bowl add chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped salami, chopped ham, chopped proscuitto, chopped turkey, chopped provolone cheese, mayo, olive oil, oregano and basil--stir well until mixed. If too dry, add a little more mayo and stir again, then cover the bowl and refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve, cut a large hole in the top of the round loaf of Italian bread and scoop out the center (saving the bread pieces for dipping). Dump the dip mixture into the hole. Serve with the bite sized bread pieces.

#3349 - Parmesan Baked Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup Egg Beaters1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup 4C Italian breadcrumbs
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup butter (melted)
5lbs. chicken pieces

In a bowl add egg beaters and milk--whisk to mix. In a second bowl add Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, oregano, paprika and pepper--stir to mix. Grease two 9 x 13 cake pans to hold the chicken. Dip each chicken piece in the egg mixture, then coat in the spice mixture. Place the chicken piece in one of the pans. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Carefully drizzle the melted butter over the tops of all the chicken pieces. Bake at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until chicken is done.

#3348 - Oven Baked Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

10 chicken pieces1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup canola oil

Add butter and canola oil to a 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 375 degrees until butter melts, then remove from oven and stir well. Set the pan aside. In a paper bag add oregano, garlic salt, paprika, pepper, salt and flour--close bag and shake to mix. Dip both sides of one piece of chicken in the melted butter mixture, drop it in the spice bag, close the bag and shake the bag to coat. Place the coated chicken piece on a plate. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Place all coated chicken pieces in the pan where you had the butter mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, then use tongs to turn all chicken pieces and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until chicken is done.

#3322 - Dutch Oven Sausage Pasta

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 TBSP olive oil
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 onion (chopped)
1lb. Italian sausage (cut into thin coin shaped pieces)
2 cups chicken broth
1 - 15oz. can Italian style diced tomatoes
1/2 cup milk
8oz. raw spiral pasta
1 cup shredded cheese (your choice of type)
salt, pepper and oregano (to your taste)

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add olive oil, minced garlic, chopped onions and sausage pieces--cook/stir until sausage is browned. Slowly add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, milk and the raw pasta--stir until mixed. Add salt, pepper and oregano to your taste--cook/stir until boiling. Once boiling, turn heat back to simmer, put the lid on (tilted) and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until pasta is done to your liking. Remove from heat and remove the lid--sprinkle shredded cheese over the top. Place the lid back on for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

#3303 - Easy Turkey Meatballs

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. ground turkey
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
3 garlic cloves (minced)

In a small bowl add minced garlic, chopped onions, chopped parsley, salt, pepper and oregano--stir to mix. In a large bowl add ground turkey and beaten egg--mix with your hands. Sprinkle the onion mixture and breadcrumbs all over the turkey mixture--mix with your hands until well mixed. Spray a skillet with Pam. Shape the turkey mixture into 1" meatballs. Place half of the meatballs in the greased skillet--cook/stir over medium heat until outsides are browned and insides are cooked (6-8 minutes). Repeat with remaining meatballs. Optional: if you would rather bake them, place them in a greased glass baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

#3281 - Italian Spaghetti Squash

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 spaghetti squash
olive oil
1 jar marinara sauce
salt and pepper to your taste
oregano, garlic powder, Italian seasonings (optional)

Wash the spaghetti squash, slice each of them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle olive oil over all sides of the squash. Salt and pepper the cut sides of the squash with salt and pepper to your taste. Grease a jelly roll pan (baking sheet with a lip on all sides). Place the squash cut side down on the greased pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 30-45 minutes of until squash is tender. Remove from oven and cool until you can handle the warm squash. In a skillet add marinara sauce--heat on simmer while working with the squash. Use a fork or a spoon to scrape the squash strands from each piece of squash into a bowl, then discard the hulls. Repeat with all squash. Add squash strands to the marinara sauce--stir to mix. Turn heat to medium and cook/stir until mixture is hot. Taste--add oregano, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, etc. if you wish.