roasted red pepper appetizer

You can add black olive slices, fresh basil and italian parsley, use bleu cheese or ricota and parmesan

16 ozs roasted red pepper (drained)
8 ozs goat cheese (room temperature)
1 garlic cloves (minced)
3 tbsps olive oil
3 tbsps pine nuts (toasted)

12 tsp red pepper flakes
14 tsp pepper
5 slices garlic (bread)
1 Swirl half of the olive oil into an attractive baking dish - 9x13 or so.
2 Combine the softened Goat Cheese with the garlic, stuff gently into the Red Peppers and place them in a single layer into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, red pepper flakes and pepper, drizzle with remaining olive oil.
3 Cut garlic bread (I use the frozen box of garlic toast) into "fingers" and kind of place them on their sides in the dish, so they will brown.
4 Bake about 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

ham and cheese sliders

Poppyseed Ham and Cheese Sliders
Print
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Serves: 12
Ingredients

1 lb deli ham thinly sliced
1/2 lb baby swiss cheese
2 pkgs (24 count total) dinner rolls
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp prepared mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/3 cup brown sugar
grated onion to taste


Instructions

Make sandwiches with rolls, ham and cheese -fill a 9×13 pan with these (you can squeeze them in)
In a medium sauce pan on the stove bring to a soft boil: butter, mustard,onion, worcestershire, poppy seeds, and brown sugar.
Pour sauce over top of sandwiches
Cover with foil and bake at 350 for appx 20 mins

Chicken Paremesan

1/2 c flour
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded uniformly
1/2 c olive oil
2 T butter
4 cloves garlic
1 med onion, chopped
3/4 c red or white wine (white is better)
3 cans crushed tomatoes
2 T sugar
1/4 c chopped parsley, divided
1 1/2 c grated parmesan
1 lb thin linguine or other, cooked

combine flour with s and p to taste on a large plate. sprinkle breasts on both sides with s and p, dredge in flour. heat oil and butter on med high. fry chicken until golden, 3 min per side. remove and keep warm, add garlic and onion, cook 2 min. pour in wine, cook 3 min till reduced by hal. sti in tomatoes, sugar, s and p. reduce heat, cook 30 min. add 1/8 c parsley and 1/2 c parmesan. arange chicken on top, sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cover and heat till cheese melts. sprinkle remaining parsley, serve over pasta.

Tuscan Vegetable soup

this is so easy and really good. also low calorie.

from CoookSmart in USA weekend, Feb 24, 2012

15.5 oz can cannellini or other small beans, low sodium, drained and rinsed
1 T olive oil
1 med carrot, diced (1/2 c)
1/2 large onion, diced (i c)
2 stalks celery, didced (1/2 c)
1 zucchini, diced (1 1/2 c)
1 minced clove garlic (1 t)
1 T chpped fresh thyme or 1 t dried
2 t chopped fresh sage or 1/2 t dried
1/2 t salt, or more to taste
1/4 t pepper
4 c chicken broth, low sodium
14 oz can diced tomatoes
2 oz baby spinach leaves (2 c) chopped
grated parmesan

Mash half of the beans. Heat oil in pot over med high, add onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic thyme, sage, salt and pepper. cook stirring, till tender, 5 min. Add brother and tomatoes. bring to a boil. add spinach and beans, cook a few minutes. serve and top with cheese. Serve six, 143 calaries each.

lissa's toast cups

1 lb sliced bread
2 T butter
2 or 3" biscuit cutter

Grease mini muffin tin and press bread into each place. bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. can store up to 3 weeks in airtight container.

Filling:

4 T butter
3 shallots, minced
1/2 lb finely chopped mushrooms
2 T flour
1/2 c heavy cream
3 T chives
2 T chopped parsley
1/2 t salt
1/2 t lemon juice
1/8 t cayenne
2 T parmesan cheese

Melt butter, add shallots, cook 2 min. Add mushrooms and cook 10=15 min. Sprinkle flour over mixture, cook 2 mint. turn heat to high and add cream, cook and boil 3 min., stirring. remove from heat, add rest x cheese, fill cups, sprinkle cheese on top. bake 350 10 min.

eggplant parmesan

I had most of these ingredients and adapted the recipe liberally, which cut the prep time and was remarkably good. I used one good sized eggplant but after draining for about 15 minutes, i dusted each with flour, salt and pepper and sauteed them in olive oil. i used a prepared italian red sauce, dried basil and didn't have a lot of monzarella so i augmented it with ricotta.


1/2 lb medium eggplants (about 3), cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
3 1/4 teaspoons salt
5 lb plum tomatoes
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
20 fresh basil leaves, torn in half
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
3 1/2 cups panko * (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 ozfinely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2/3 cup)
1 lb chilled fresh mozzarella (not unsalted), thinly sliced

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Preparation

Toss eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt in a colander set over a bowl, then let drain 30 minutes.

While eggplant drains, cut an X in bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch tomatoes together in a 5-quart pot of boiling water 1 minute. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, peel off skin, beginning from scored end, with paring knife.

Coarsely chop tomatoes, then coarsely purée in batches in a blender. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add garlic and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomato purée, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Stir together flour, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Lightly beat eggs in a second shallow bowl, then stir together panko and 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in a third shallow bowl.

Working with 1 slice at a time, dredge eggplant in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg, letting excess drip off, and dredge in panko until evenly coated. Transfer eggplant to sheets of wax paper, arranging slices in 1 layer.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 cups oil in a deep 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry eggplant 4 slices at a time, turning over once, until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain.

Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of a rectangular 3 1/2-quart (13- by 11- by 2-inch) baking dish. Arrange about one third of eggplant slices in 1 layer over sauce, overlapping slightly if necessary. Cover eggplant with about one third of remaining sauce (about 11/4 cups) and one third of mozzarella. Continue layering with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted and golden and sauce is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes.

Cooks' note: Tomato sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. *Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets, and Uwajimaya (800-889-1928).

Read More http://www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/Eggplant-Parmesan-109739#ixzz1oYHVcXlL