Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables especially when incorporated into a fabulous dish. My kids dislike asparagus but love Creamy Pasta with Asparagus & Bacon – they say that bacon makes everything better!

I am guilty of buying asparagus, putting it away in the refrigerator drawer, and finding it when it has only a day or so left. Fresh green beans are also really nice in this dish. If you have family with selective palates, this is a wonderful way to get them to eat vegetables – the creamy and flavorful sauce complements the vegetables well.

I love to add extra garnish to complement the bacon and Parmesan. I grab some fresh herbs from my little herb garden, chop them, and sprinkle on top. Then I cut a lemon and squeeze a bit of juice over the pasta. The added color and freshness of the herbs mixed with the brightness of the lemon are lovely.

Ingredients

8 slices bacon – chopped

8 oz. Baby-Bella mushrooms – sliced

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 cups milk, divided (2 cups and 1 cup)

12 oz. Farfalle pasta (Bowtie pasta)

1 lb. asparagus – trim the tough ends and cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

4 oz. cream cheese – softened

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

½ cup Parmesan cheese – shredded or freshly grated

Directions

Cook the pasta about 3 minutes less than the lowest minutes given on the package – not yet al dente. Drain the pasta, rinse, and set aside.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet or a cast iron skillet (my favorite), cook the bacon until crispy.

Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour the bacon grease into a bowl – do not discard because you will need some later.

Using the same pan from the bacon, heat to medium heat, add the mushrooms, and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Cook the mushrooms until browned and the liquid is mostly evaporated – 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the same plate as bacon.

In a larger pot, add the broth, 2 cups of milk, the pasta, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.

Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer and cook for about 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally and moderating the heat so the mixture simmers but doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the asparagus and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes – until the asparagus is tender and the pasta is al dente but still slightly firm (it will continue to cook). There will be a bit of liquid left; that is how it should be as it will help make the creamy sauce in the next step.

In a blender, combine 1 cup of milk, cream cheese, and flour and blend until completely smooth.

Slowly add the mixture to the pot while stirring quickly to combine. Simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Remove the pot from the heat. Reserve a bit of bacon for a garnish and stir the rest of the bacon with the mushrooms into the sauce.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Plate the pasta and garnish with bacon and more Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes
• Pasta: Farfalle pasta is our family favorite, so I always have it on hand. If you prefer another type of pasta, it will work well unless the pasta is really small. Penne pasta is an excellent choice.

• Sauce: This is a saucy pasta which is how we like our pasta dishes. If you want slightly less sauce, consider adding only 3 ½ cups of broth and adding more at the end, if needed. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken more as the pasta rests.

• Asparagus: If asparagus doesn’t work for your family, substituting fresh green beans works beautifully.

• Garnish: I recommend adding a sprinkle of bacon and Parmesan for the added flavor. I highly recommend sprinkling chopped fresh herbs and adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the pasta – it makes the dish pop!

I was looking to add a little culinary variety to our dinners and realized that I had never made a Chinese dish. It seemed difficult and I figured a disaster would ensue if I broke out the wok, so it was Chinese take-away for us when we had a craving. When I stumbled across this recipe, I decided to give it a go and it changed the game for me! I was impressed with how easy it was, how the flavors came together beautifully, and that my family said it was incredible. Instead of regular requests for Chinese take-away, they ask me to make this meal – proud feelings on so many levels!

I must mention the sauce: This Chow Mein sauce truly is the best. It has a perfect balance between sweet and savory with a depth that pulls it all together. It is difficult to describe but I have never encountered a sauce like this before. I think you will love it too!

Do not be afraid to change the vegetables for variety and to use what you have on hand. See the Notes at the bottom for some ideas.

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breast boneless, skinless (cut into bite-sized strips)

3 Tbsp. olive oil

12 oz. Chow Mein noodles (uncooked)

2 cups cabbage

1 large carrot julienned

1/2 bunch green onions – sliced

2 garlic cloves

Chow Mein Sauce

6 Tbsp. oyster sauce

3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

3 Tbsp. light sesame oil (not toasted)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Directions

Prepare Chow Mein Sauce

In a small mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine oyster sauce, granulated sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken broth and cornstarch. Set aside.

Cook the noodles according to package instructions, drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

Heat a large wok or large sauté pan with olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add chicken and cook until golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add carrots, cabbage and pressed garlic and sauté for just a few minutes until veggies are slightly softened and the cabbage is a bit translucent.

Add chicken and noodles back into the pan. Pour sauce over the top and continue cooking all the ingredients together for another 2 minutes.

Garnish with chopped green onions and it is ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Notes

* There are really no rules when it comes to the types of vegetables you use. The basic vegetables are carrots, cabbage, and green onions. If you want to branch out, tailor the vegetable mixture to your liking. Bok choy, bean sprouts, celery, broccoli, spinach, kale, or baby corn (if you have the acquired taste for baby corn!) are example of great options to try.

* Chicken is the popular protein choice but try changing it up sometime and use beef, shrimp, or pork – you may find you prefer another meat!

* For vegetarians, modification is quite simple – use vegetable broth instead of chicken and bake some tofu to throw in instead of meat. I always bake extra tofu and keep it in the fridge. This has saved me vast amounts of time when cooking!

A delicious appetizer made with cheese, fresh crab meat and egg, the crab rangoon egg roll recipe is perfect for parties, game day, or holiday treats.

Crab Rangoon egg rolls is one of my favorite recipes. They are easy to fry or bake, depending on how you love it. Kids love this recipe so much because it tastes just like unicorns. Trust me, adults love it too and I really can’t just think of how you could go wrong with this recipe.

Fresh crab meat, cream cheese, and a precise balance of spices fill Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls. They’re fried to golden-brown perfection and serve as the perfect party appetizer. Making all types of delicious fried delicacies is a breeze thanks to pre-made egg roll skins. There’s no limit to what you can do with these beauties once you get the knack of rolling them. Crab, cream cheese, green onions, and the ideal balance of spices are filled into Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls, which are reminiscent of famous crab rangoons.

Time to get ready: 16 minutes

Yield: 8 servings.

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) boxes of softened cream cheese

1 –2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

3 green onions chopped

½ lb fresh white cooked crab meat flaked or diced

8–10 egg roll wrappers

Vegetable oil for frying

How to prepare

Step 1:

Pulse cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and green onions in a food processor and mix several times until it is well combined, then stir in crab meat.

Step 2:

Place about three rounded tablespoons of the mixture in the center of each egg roll wrapper making a short horizontal lump, fold, tuck in and roll the wrapper tightly. Then use a small amount of water to seal the tip of the wrapper.

Step 3:

Heat a saucepan to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and fry for about a minute or two, putting 2-3 at a time until it is slightly brown.

Step 4:

Place on paper towels to drain and serve warm.

Tips:

You can use other types of crab to prepare this recipe. You can use snow crab, Dungeness crab, blue crab and stone crab.

While cooking, soften the cream cheese and bring it to room temperature.

The best oil to cook with is a high smoking oil like vegetable, canola or peanut oil.

You can add the Worcestershire sauce to taste.

The Best Classic Shepherd’s Pie – AKA Shepards Pie or Cottage Pie. Ground Beef (or lamb) with vegetables in a rich gravy, topped with cheesy mashed potatoes and baked.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

Meat Filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 lb. 90% lean ground beef -or ground lamb
2 teaspoons dried parsley leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves -minced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
1 cup frozen mixed peas & carrots*
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

Potato Topping:

1 ½ – 2 lb. russet potatoes -about 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
8 tablespoons unsalted butter -1 stick
1/3 cup half & half
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make the Meat Filling.

Add the oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the ground beef (or ground lamb) to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and and pepper. Stir well. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is browned, stirring occasionally.
Add the Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the flour and tomato paste. Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of tomato paste remain.
Add the broth, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Set the meat mixture aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Make the potato topping.

Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10-15 minutes.
Drain the potatoes in a colander. Return the potatoes to the hot pot. Let the potatoes rest in the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate any remaining liquid.
Add butter, half & half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes and stir until all the ingredients are mixed together.
Add the parmesan cheese to the potatoes. Stir until well combined.

Assemble the casserole.

Pour the meat mixture into a 9×9 (or 7×11) inch baking dish. Spread it out into an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat. Carefully spread into an even layer.
If the baking dish looks very full, place it on a rimmed baking sheet so that the filling doesn’t bubble over into your oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.** Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

*If you can’t find frozen mixed peas and carrots, you could use ½ cup frozen peas and ½ cup frozen sliced carrots.
**Bake at 400° F. Start preheating the oven after you make the meat mixture (listed in step 6).

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6th of the recipe | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 751mg | Potassium: 483mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2860IU | Vitamin C: 7.9mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 2.7mg

Easy comfort food at it’s best! There are probably as many variations of Shepherd’s Pie as there are cooks who make it. The basics are mashed potatoes, meat and vegetables but they can be mixed up to suit your tastes and you can’t go wrong.

I made enough for one pie pan and one rectangular baking pan. It’s easy to make less but go ahead and make a lot. It’s great leftover!

Ingredients:

-Lean Ground Beef, 2 1/2 pounds
-White or Gold Potatoes, about 3 pounds
-Sweet Yellow Onion, 1 medium
-Garlic, 2 or 3 cloves
-Carrots, 6 or 7
-Peas, 1 1/2 cups
-Flour, 1/3 cup
-Beef Bouillon or Stock, 3 cups
-Cheddar Cheese, 2 cups grated
-Black Pepper

Directions:

Cut the potatoes into chunks and put them on to boil. You can peel them first if you like but I never bother.

Dice the onion, mince the garlic and slice the carrots.

Brown the meat over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and begins to brown.

Add a generous amount of black pepper and the flour. Stir it together until the flour is absorbed.

Add the bouillon and stir it all together. Add the peas and carrots. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for a few minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the gravy is thickened. If it starts to get too thick add a little more bouillon.

By now the potatoes should be ready to mash. Drain them, reserving some of the cooking liquid, and dump them back into the pot. Mash with a little butter and the cooking liquid. You could use milk or cream but I decided to save on the fat and calories a little.

Spread the potatoes into the baking dish and spoon the meat and vegetable mixture on top.

Sprinkle with cheese and in the lower part of the oven at 350 until the cheese is bubbly and the whole thing is heated through.

Dish it up hot and enjoy!