Homemade Alfredo Sauce -- best ever

4 servings

Ingredients

½ cup butter

1 pint heavy whipping cream 

4 ounces cream cheese

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted.  
  
• Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated parmesan cheese.
  
• Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Toss it with your favorite pasta!

Spaghetti Sauce Recipe for a Crowd

 Serves 20

Ingredients

1 1/2 T olive oil

1 1/2 C finely diced yellow onion 

4 cloves garlic,  minced

1 C dry white wine (chardonnay is best)

3 T Tomato Paste

2  28oz cans of crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz cans of tomato sauce

2 28 oz cans petite diced tomatoes w/juice

1 T sugar or 2 T brown sugar

2 T dried oregano

2 T dried basil

2 T dried parsley 

1 t dried thyme

a pinch of red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring, for one minute or until fragrant. Add white wine and bring to a boil to cook off the alcohol. 
• Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it coats all the onions (about 1 minute). 
• Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, sugar, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. 
• Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and simmer, partially covered, for at least an hour or up to three hours. Stir occasionally. Make sure the sauce isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan. Adjust heat if necessary.
• Carefully remove bay leaf and stir in basil, and parsley until butter is melted.
• Taste, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
• Add italian seasoned cooked ground beef to make a Bolognese sauce or meatballs.
• Freezes well

Quick Spaghetti Sauce

This is a Mel's Kitchen Cafe recipe

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef, turkey or pork or any combination (I omit this as I like to use frozen meatballs)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 tsp dried basil (I add a little fresh basil toward the end)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp coarse, kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In a large 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground meat, Drain any excess grease.  (if you are using meat in your sauce)

2. If not using meat, sauce Onion, garlic, salt and pepper in 1 Tbs. EVOO.

3. Stir in the tomato paste, and herbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells fragrant.

4. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar and soy sauce. Stir to combine.

5. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes (or as long as you like/need)

6. Serve over hot noodles, make meatball subs or save leftovers for a pizza sauce. I often times double the recipe so I have leftovers, it freezes really well also.

BAKED ZITI

10 servings

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 pound Ground Beef

2 (24 ounce) jars Classico® Tomato and Basil Sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil, divided

12 ounces ricotta cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided

1 dash salt and pepper

1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. 
• Place onion with 2 tablespoon of EVOO in large deep skillet and cook about 3 minutes over medium high heat, then add garlic and cook another minute then add ground beef and cook until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat pasta sauce with 1 teaspoon basil until bubbling. In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. 
• Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam Spread bottom of baking dish with sauce. Layer 1/2 of the ziti, 1/2, the ground beef mixture, 1/2 of the ricotta, and 1/2 the mozzarella. Spoon half of the sauce over top. Repeat layers. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 teaspoons basil and Italian seasoning. 
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. 

Chicken Tetrazzini

Ingredients

8 ounces of spaghetti noodles
1 pkg fresh mushrooms, sliced
½ cup butter

4 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked 

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Break spaghettini into 1 inch pieces. Cook according to package directions. Drain.

Saute mushrooms in butter or margarine. Cut chicken into large pieces, and mix with mushrooms. Stir in sour cream and condensed soup. Fold in noodles. Turn into a buttered casserole dish, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 40 minutes.