Frozen Grape Sangria

This white sangria recipe is perfect for summer. Also, the frozen grapes make the presentation really pretty. Enjoy!!! Ingredients 3 cups green grapes 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped 1 lemon, sliced 1 cup grapes, sliced in 1/2 1/4 cup superfine sugar 2 bottles dry white wine, chilled (recommended: Pino Grigio) 1 cup white grape juice, chilled 1/2 cup vodka Directions Place 3 cups grapes in a freezer about 2 hours before you want to serve your sangria. Combine the chopped apples, lemon slices, grapes halves, wine, sugar, white grape juice, and vodka, in a large glass pitcher filled with ice. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add frozen green grapes to glasses and fill with sangria.fr

Braised Short Rib Ragu

My favorite dish at Macaroni Grill is the Braised Beef Rigatoni. I crave this dish often, mostly when I was pregnant with Stella, but even during the cold winter months. I made this last weekend, and it was pretty close to the real deal, and it turned out delicious! Enjoy!


Ingredients.

2 cans of plum tomatoes (crush yourself) I used Organics Brand
1 large can crushed tomatoes (use 3/4) I used S & W brand
2 tbsp tomato paste, I used Organics brand
5 garlic cloves, crushed, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
red wine (for deglazing) about 1/4 - 1/2 c
sugar about two tablespoons, again to taste
2 lbs. short ribs on the bone
EVOO about 2 tablespoons
Rigatoni Pasta - cooked according to directions
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS.
Pour 2 tbsp EVOO in a sauce pot, heat over high heat. When hot, place salt / peppered short ribs in pot and cook over high heat for two minutes on each side. Ribs should be a dark brown on each side. Remove ribs and place on plate. Turn burner down to medium high heat, saute onion, garlic and carrots. Add tomato paste. When soft, add red wine and turn heat to high, deglaze the pot. Turn down to medium high and let most of the alcohol evaporate. Return ribs to pot, add tomatoes and sugar and turn bring the sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat down to low and simmer all day. When ready to serve, remove ribs to a cutting board and remove meat from bones. Discard bones and return meat to sauce. Serve over rigatoni.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Fall is here and when it starts getting chilly my favorite thing to do is cook comfort food. I love comfort food but hate all the calories that the word "comfort" entails. Therefore I have been looking for recipes that are still cozy, just not totally fattening. I made this chili last night and it definiately satisfied the comfort craving.

INGREDIENTS.

Pam

1 onion, chopped

Ground Turkey

2 tsps of chili powder

1 -2 cups of chicken broth

2 sweet potatoes (yams) peeled and cut

1 can of Mexican style stewed tomatoes

Cilantro (for top) chopped

1 orange cut in half

salt / pepper

brown rice

DIRECTIONS.

1. Brown Turkey until it is no longer pink. Drain. Add to crockpot.

2.Combine chili powder, chicken broth, sweet potatoes, onion, tomatoes.

3. Cook on Low 8 hours.

When ready to serve, add salt / pepper to liking and spoon over brown rice. Squeeze orange over top of dish. Top with cilantro.

Healthy Frozen Bananars. Strawberry English Muffins.

With school starting, I have been searching for quick and easy breakfast meals that are healthy and can be made and eaten in rush....I am always late :) I came across this recipe for frozen bananas that I fell in love with because I find that it makes such a convenient and easy breakfast. The Strawberry English Muffin recipe seems like a no brainer, but I would have never invented it on my own.

FROZEN NANERS

INGREDIENTS:
Vanilla yogurt
Bananas
Granola
Skewers
Wax Paper

DIRECTIONS:
Stick skewer into bottom banana. Dip banana in yogurt and then roll in granola. Wrap in wax paper and freeze 2-3 hours.

STRAWBERRY MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:
Whole grain or whole wheat English muffins
Whipped Cream cheese
Honey
Sliced strawberries

DIRECTIONS:
Toast muffins and spread cream cheese, drizzle honey and then top with strawberries. ENJOY!

Sassy Ham Tailgate Sandwiches

I found this recipe in the Taste of Home magazine and decided to try it because it looked so different than the normal run of the mill ham sandwich. Although these are rich, I find that one tiny sandwich is probably enough to fill you up. Two is always better, though! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (12 count) Hawaiian bread rolls
• 1 lb. shaved Black Forest ham
• 12 slices Gruyere cheese
• 1 tub (8 oz.) Philadelphia® Chive & Onion Cheese Spread
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Cut all rolls in half. Place roll bottoms in 9x13-inch pan.
• Place equal amounts of ham on each roll bottom. Top with Gruyere.
• On each of the roll tops, spread a generous amount of the cream cheese spread. Return the tops to the bottoms making sandwiches.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion and Parmesan cheese. Pour over your sandwiches and let sit for at least 20 minutes. (You can make these ahead of time and allow to sit in fridge overnight.)
• Place sandwiches, covered in foil, in a preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until warmed through. Enjoy! Yield: 12 servings.

Goat Cheese Pesto Pasta Salad

Yesterday I called my brother on the way to the food store and asked him to google what goes good with Pesto Sauce. I picked up a jar of Pesto sauce from Costco and since I don't really make Pesto often, I needed an idea of what flavors go well. Anyway, I made this dish as a warm one without the goat cheese last night and it was awesome but then had it cold today and sprinkled goat cheese on the top and it was amazing cold and as a pasta salad. Therefore, I found you can make it either way, but I will for now on make it just as a side dish and I will definitely make again because it was awesome!

INGREDIENTS

1 jar pesto sauce

1 bottle sun dried tomatoes, with the oil strained

1 cup of fresh broccoli, steamed and chopped

1 lb. farfalle pasta, cooked according to instructions

1 log of goat cheese, crumbled to top the pasta

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook pasta according to instructions and Drain

2. Steam broccoli

3. In a sauce pan heat broccoli, sun dried tomatoes, pesto and parmesan cheese

4. Place pasta in sauce pan with sauce and mix

5. Refrigerate until cold

6. Serve with crumbled goat cheese

Dijon Asparagus Chicken Rolls

We had this chicken dish for dinner last night and it was really, really good. Whenever I roll chicken, I find that it stays much more moist. Mia helped me prepare dinner last night so I let her sprinkle on the Panko breadcrumbs and mix all the ingredients in the bowl. She also helped me snap the asparagus, so therefore, she basically licked her plate because she helped cook.

INGREDIENTS:

5 chicken breasts

About 15 asparagus spears (fresh, snapped and boiled to soft)

5 pieces of Havarti cheese

5 tbsp dijon mustard

3/4 can mushroom soup

3 tbsp parmesan cheese

2 tbsp butter (melted)

Panko Breadcrumbs- enough to cover chicken breasts

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook asparagus until soft, we steamed ours, but you could also microwave

2. Salt and pepper chicken and place about 3 asparagus spears that are cut and a slice of Havarit cheese. Roll up and secure with toothpick.

3. Mix the dijon mustard, mushroom soup, parmesan cheese and butter to make a dressing. Spread the dressing over the chicken breasts and then dredge the top with Panko Breadcrumbs.

4. Put in the fridge until ready to eat.

5. Heat the oven to 475 and cook for 35 minutes.