Artichoke Pasta!

I am going to make this soon! It's similar to Johnny Carino's Artichoke Pasta! One of my favorites! :)


Artichoke Angel Hair Pasta!

4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic finely diced
1 cup finely diced Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup finely diced black olives
1/4 cup capers
1 small jar of Artichoke hearts, halved
1 package angel hair pasta

Saute garlic in olive oil until done.
Add tomatoes, olives, capers, and artichoke hearts. Saute until done.
Serve over pasta.

You can also add grilled chicken breast if you'd like. (But I will pass on any meat! haha)

JOHNNY CARINO’S STUFFED MUSHROOMS

I went to Johnny's for my b-day and my friend ordered these! They were AMAZING! I just found this recipe and I actually still need to try it so if someone does before me and it doesn't work! I am sorry! But it looks pretty simple and I plan to make them this week!

Looking forward to making them! :) Yummy!


JOHNNY CARINO’S STUFFED MUSHROOMS

1/8 cup Chopped Garlic
4 cups Chopped Spinach
2/3 cup Diced Red Onion
2/3 cup Shredded Asiago Cheese
1/2 cup Romano Cheese
1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Black Ground Pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. Sauté Spice (equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic salt)
1 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup Easy Eggs
Large Mushroom Caps - Stem Removed

GARNISH:
4 oz. Lemon Basil Cream Sauce
1/8 cup diced Roma tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, Julienne
1 Tbsp. Parmesan Parsley mix

PREPARATION:
1. In a large metal mixing bowl, combine ingredients, except the mushroom caps.

2. Fold together all ingredients well, until mixture begins to form into a single mass.

3. Place approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixtures into each cap.
4. Place stuffed mushrooms caps on sheet pan stuffing side up

5. Bake in oven for 10 minutes at 375 degrees, remove and cool immediately.

6. Ladle heated Cream Sauce over mushrooms.

7. Top with diced Roma Tomatoes and sprinkle with fresh Basil strips.

8. Garnish with parmesan parsley mix and basil.

YIELD approximately 65 each

Black Bean Chili

We enjoyed this for dinner last night. It was pretty simple and quick to prepare. A suggestion was to add corn bread as side and sprinkle some on the top. I didn't have time to make corn bread so I just did biscuits, but I think corn bread would be great with this! Enjoy all the healthy ingredients in this yummy chili! :) I found this recipe at Sister's Cafe! P.S. I am still working on trying to take pictures of "What's On Our Plates"

Black Bean Chili
4 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 can (4 1/2 ounces) chopped green chilis

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed (or use home cooked)

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes

Salt

1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
Juice of a lime (optional)

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.

To the pan, add chilis, beans, tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, puree 2 cups of the stew. Return the puree to the pan, and add frozen corn; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Squeeze the juice of a lime over the soup. Serve hot, sprinkle cheese on top.

Black Bean Zucchini Quesadillas

Black Bean Zucchini Quesadillas

Black beans, zucchini, and a bit of cheese folded into tortillas - this may be the best quesadilla you've ever tasted. (One of my friends made these and added Chicken, she said it was a big hit!)
Yield 4 quesadillas
Time 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 pounds zucchini, grated
1½ t salt
30 oz or canned black beans, drained
12 oz Monterey Jack, grated
2 green onions, chopped
1 jalapeño, minced
8 eight-inch tortilla
olive oil

Directions
Toss zucchini with salt in the colander, and squeeze out excess water. Combine zucchini with beans, cheese, green onions, and jalapeño. Brush one side of each tortilla with oil. Place four tortillas oil side down and spread each with one fourth of the zucchini-bean mixture. Top each one with an oil-side-up tortilla.

To Cook 1. Fry: place one quesadilla in a frying pan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side, until golden. We grilled ours! Yummy!
2. Broil: Place quesadillas on baking sheet and broil about 1-2 minutes per side, until golden.

Tomato Pesto Pasta

This recipe is from Sister's Cafe as well! It's delicious! Spencer was a little skeptically because it was so green, but he loved it!

Tomato Pesto Pasta

1/4 cup basil Pesto( recipe link on side)

1/4 lb penne pasta ( I used whole wheat and it was delicious)

1.5-2 cups tomatoes

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Basil leaves

Shredded parmesan cheese



Prepare Basil Pesto. Store in refrigerator or freeze until ready to serve. Cook pasta according to package directions. Just before draining the pasta into a colander, remove 1/4 cup of pasta water; set aside. Drain the pasta, put back in the pot, and then stir in the Basil Pesto and the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to create a sauce. Add diced tomatoes and toss to coat thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer onto individual serving plates and garnish with sliced fresh basil leaves and shavings of Parmesan cheese.Makes 2 servings.