Zucchini Noodle Carbonara

Ingredients:

Pasta:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot, sliced very thin
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 3 zucchini, spun on a spiralizer on the thin strand blade
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 slices bacon, diced, cooked until crisp, and drained of fat

Sauce:

• 1-1/2 cups light cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, with 1 Tbsp reserved for garnish
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

• To prepare the pasta, put the olive oil in a 12" skilletover medium heat. Sauté the shallots and garlic until they just begin to brown. Add the thyme, then the spiralized zucchini, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the zucchini noodles soften but are still slightly al dente. Remove to a colander and allow the liquid to drain from the vegetables. Set aside.



• To prepare the sauce, use a small saucepot on medium heat and warm the cream until it begins to simmer. Whisk the cream until it reduces by about 1/3. Add in the Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Check for seasoning and that the sauce has slightly thickened.



• To finish the pasta and assemble the dish, return the zucchini mixture to the skillet, just to heat through and to incorporate the diced, cooked bacon.
• Serve in 2 large pasta bowls with the zucchini noodles being placed on top of the sauce. Garnish with the reserved Parmesan.

Pot Roast with Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1 (3–4 lb) boneless bottom round roast
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 3 cups beef stock
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 carrots, sliced into 1" pieces
• 2 celery stalks, sliced into 1" pieces
• 6 white or Red Bliss potatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Spread the flour on a large plate. Dredge the roast in the flour, coating it completely. Season it liberally with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until it's well browned. Remove the browned meat to a plate. Add the onions, garlic, and tomato paste to the pot and cook until the onions and garlic begin to turn golden. Add the red wine and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the wine has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Return the meat to the pot.
4. Add the beef stock, thyme, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to the oven. Roast for 2–1/2 hours. Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes and roast for 2 hours more. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for 15–20 minutes. While the meat is resting, skim the fat from the gravy. Transfer the gravy to a saucepan and heat. Cut the roast into thin slices, arrange them on a serving platter, and garnish with the parsley. Serve the pot roast accompanied by the gravy.

Easy Chicken Parm Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 lb breaded, cooked chicken fingers, defrosted if frozen
• 1 lb penne pasta, cooked to al dente
• 2 (24-oz) jars marinara sauce
• 1-1/2 cups grated Provolone cheese, divided
• 1-1/2 cups grated asiago cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.



• Cut the chicken fingers into 2" pieces and place them in a large bowl. Add the penne, marinara, 1 cup Provolone, 1 cup Asiago, and the Parmesan. Fold the ingredients together and place in a deep 9" x 13"casserole dish.



• Combine the remaining cheeses in a medium-size bowland sprinkle it over the top of the casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Orange Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 4 egg whites, beaten
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice, divided
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• Cooked brown rice (for serving)

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.



• Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.



• Using three shallow bowls, put 3/4 cup cornstarch in the first, egg whites in the second, and panko in the third. For each piece of chicken, coat in the cornstarch, dip in the egg whites, and then coat with the panko. Place all of the coated chicken on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes.



• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce in a medium saucepan. Add 3/4 cup of orange juice, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and red pepper. Bring to a simmer on medium heat.



• In a bowl, take the remaining orange juice and whisk in 2 Tbsp of cornstarch with a fork until there are no lumps. Stir the mixture into the saucepan. Continue simmering the liquid until it thickens, then remove from the heat.



• When the chicken has finished baking, carefully put into a bowl and pour the sauce over the hot chicken. Toss to coat. Sprinkle on the scallions and serve with brown rice.

Delicious Side Stuffing with Artichokes & Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 4 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 16 cups day-old Italian bread, diced into large cubes
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 (14.5-oz) can artichoke hearts, quartered

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 3.5-qt casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until melted. Add the sausage, garlic, onions, celery, and mushrooms. Crumble the sausage with a spoon and sauté until fully cooked and the vegetables are soft.
3. Add the chicken stock, rosemary, and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute.
4. Pour the hot mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the cubed bread, a 1/2 cup Parmesan, and the artichokes. Fold gently and transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Totchos

Ingredients:

• 1 (32-oz) bag frozen tater tots
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
• 1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 3 cups shredded colby Jack cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup red onion, small dice
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, medium dice
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.



• Put the tater tots on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until crispy.



• Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain the grease from the ground beef, then add the taco seasoning and the canned diced tomatoes. Bring up to a simmer.



• When the tater tots are done cooking, loosen them from the baking sheet with a spatula. Spread the beef mixture over the tater tots. Top with 2 cups colby Jack cheese, followed by the red onion, tomatoes, black olives, and black beans. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese and remaining colby Jack overtop.



• Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until all of the cheese has melted.



• Mix together the sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro in amixing bowl. Drizzle on top of the baked totchos.

Pork Chop Osso Bucco

Ingredients:

Pork:

• 6 thick-cut, bone-in pork chops
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 2 cups onion, medium dice
• 1-1/2 cups carrot, medium dice
• 1-1/2 cups celery, medium dice
• 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp rosemary, chopped
• 1 Tbsp oregano, chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup marinara
• 1 Tbsp orange zest or 2 strips (1" x 2") orange peel, pith removed
• 2 tsp, plus more for seasoning, salt
• 1 tsp, plus more for seasoning, pepper

Gremolata:

• 1-1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic, chopped

Preparation:

• To prepare the pork, season the chops with a little salt and pepper.



• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, use enough oil to sear both sides of the pork chops and remove from the skillet. Add the remaining oil to the same skillet, then add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables just begin to soften. Stir in the garlic, dust the flour over the mixture, and stir in the tomato paste. Cook for just a few minutes until the color of the paste begins to darken, but do not let the mixture scorch. Add the herbs and red wine to deglaze the skillet. Stir in the stock, marinara, zest, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat.



• Place a couple spoons of the vegetable mixture in the bottom of a slow cooker. Put in the pork chops, then cover with the remaining vegetable mixture. Place on the lid and cook on the medium or high setting for about 3 hours. Check the chops for tenderness. They should be just able to be pulled apart with a fork, but still attached to the bone.



• To prepare the gremolata, mix together the lemon zest, parsley, and garlic.



• To serve the meal, place a chop on each plate, spoon on some of the sauce from the slow cooker, and top with a little bit of the gremolata.