Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude! Cookbook (Everyday Cookbook Collection) (21 page)
Read Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude! Cookbook (Everyday Cookbook Collection) Online
Authors: Gooseberry Patch
Just making dinner for a few? Divide the ingredients for a large 13"x9" casserole into two smaller 8"x8" pans and freeze one to enjoy later.
“Florentine” means these saucy shells are stuffed with spinach…but with all the cheese, Garfield won’t even notice!
12-oz. pkg. jumbo pasta shells, uncooked
15-oz. container ricotta cheese
8-oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 t. onion powder
1/4 t. nutmeg
28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together cheeses, egg, spinach and seasonings. Spoon mixture into shells; arrange shells in a greased 13"x9" baking pan. Spoon sauce over shells. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serves 6.
Italian Restaurant-Style Bruschetta
Fresh tasting and really easy to fix.
4 to 6 roma tomatoes, diced
3 T. olive oil, divided
1 t. fresh basil, chopped
10 slices Italian bread
In a bowl, combine tomatoes, one tablespoon oil and basil; stir well and set aside. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet; brush with remaining oil. Place bread about 4 inches below a broiler until lightly golden, about one minute. Top bread with tomato mixture. Makes 10 servings.
Store salad greens in a plastic zipping bag, tucking in a paper towel to absorb extra moisture. They’ll stay crisp in the refrigerator up to four days.
Try this creamy stovetop dish with smoked salmon too! It’s already cooked, so just flake it, stir it in and heat through.
8-oz. pkg. linguine pasta, uncooked
1 c. broccoli flowerets, cut into bite-size pieces
2 T. butter
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
10-3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 t. pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions. Add broccoli to pasta pot during the last 4 minutes of cooking time; drain. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to skillet. Cook until golden and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. Reduce heat to low. Stir in pasta mixture and remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until heated through. Serves 4.
Give pasta lots more flavor in a jiffy! Add a bouillon cube or two to the boiling water along with the pasta.
Cutting up veggies for this recipe? Set aside some extras for lunch tomorrow…enjoy with a dipping cup of ranch salad dressing.
12-oz. pkg. fettuccine pasta, uncooked
1/2 c. creamy Italian salad dressing
1 c. broccoli flowerets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 c. zucchini, sliced
1 c. red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 c. butter
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss warm pasta with salad dressing; stir to coat and set aside. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, cook broccoli, zucchini, pepper, onion and basil in butter until tender. Stir in tomatoes and mushrooms; cook just until heated through. Toss vegetable mixture with pasta mixture. Garnish with cheese. Serves 6.
Create a cozy Italian restaurant feel for dinner. Toss a red & white checked tablecloth over the table, light drip candles in empty bottles and add a basket of warm garlic bread. Just like Mamma Leoni’s!
Good Ol’ Spaghetti & Meatballs
Great for a casual dinner with friends. Toss everything together in a big serving bowl and let everyone help themselves!
16-oz. pkg. thin spaghetti, uncooked
2 14-1/2 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 6-oz. cans tomato sauce
2/3 c. water
1 t. Italian seasoning
24 meatballs, thawed if frozen
Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese
Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, water and seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add meatballs; heat through. Ladle sauce and meatballs over cooked spaghetti; sprinkle with cheese. Serves 6.
Equally delicious spooned over pasta or into crusty hard rolls.
1 lb. sweet Italian pork sausage links, sliced into thirds
1 T. oil
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 t. garlic, minced
14-1/2 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 t. dried basil
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, brown sausage in oil. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes; drain and set sausage aside. Add pepper, onion and garlic to pan; stir-fry until tender. Stir in basil. Stir in undrained tomatoes, sausage and basil. Cover and simmer over low heat for about one hour, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink in the center. Makes 4 servings.
Whether you call it Johnny Marzetti, Goulash or even American Chop Suey…this is down-home comfort food!
8-oz. pkg. fine egg noodles, uncooked
1 lb. ground beef, browned
29-oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 c. green onions, chopped
8-oz. container sour cream
1 c. cottage cheese
1 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, brown beef in a skillet over medium heat; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients except Cheddar cheese. Gently fold in noodles. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Make some tasty noodle patties with leftover spaghetti. Mix 2 to 3 cups cold, cooked pasta with 2 beaten eggs and 1/2 cup ricotta cheese; form into 4 patties. Pan-fry patties in a little olive oil until golden. Serve topped with warm spaghetti sauce…yum!
Chock-full of so many good things, you won’t miss the meat!
16-oz. pkg. rigatoni pasta, uncooked
3 T. olive oil, divided
10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
16-oz. container ricotta cheese
1/2 t. nutmeg
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
5 T. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1-1/2 c. shredded fontina cheese, divided
Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; toss with one tablespoon oil and place in a greased 13"x9" baking pan. In a food processor or blender, combine spinach, ricotta cheese, seasonings and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Process until puréed; stir in 3/4 cup fontina cheese. Spoon spinach mixture over rigatoni; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle remaining fontina and Parmesan cheeses over top; drizzle with remaining oil. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Garnish individual servings with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4 to 6.
What kind of olive oil to use? “Light” olive oil is fine for cooking, and it’s less expensive. Save extra virgin olive oil for delicately flavored salad dressings and dipping sauces.
Add some sliced mushrooms too, if you like.
8-oz. pkg. rotini pasta, uncooked
2 T. olive oil
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 c. green pepper, sliced
1-1/2 c. eggplant, peeled and diced
1-1/2 c. zucchini, thinly sliced
28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add chicken and green pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add eggplant and zucchini. Cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes; drain. Stir in sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Ladle sauce over pasta; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.