The MMP Cookbook

We just made Pasta with Shaved Brussel Sprouts and Pancetta and it was yummy! Both kids loved it...even my picky one. We used a brand of gluten free pasta that we like:

12 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed
8 oz uncooked gluten-free spaghetti, fettuccine or angel hair pasta
4 oz (diced pancetta
2 tbsp + 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste
1 tsp lemon zest
Crushed red pepper, for serving

Instructions
Halve Brussels sprouts vertically, and thinly slice horizontally, or slice in a food processor fitted with the slicing disk.
Cook pasta.
While pasta cooks, sautè pancetta in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until almost crisp and fat is rendered, about 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan with the pancetta fat. Add sliced Brussels sprouts, salt and pepper. Sautè until tender and sprouts are beginning to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
Rinse the cooked pasta and add it to pan along with 1 tablespoon oil (if using), lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir to thoroughly combine and heat through.
Plate pasta and sprinkle with crushed red pepper, to serve.

Good idea. I need to think of one of my favorites to post.

Count me in!
Crockpot Ranch Chicken
Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
I can cream of chicken soup
I cup sour cream
I minced garlic glove
I .4 oz package ranch dressing/dip mix
I 16oz package fettuccine noodles

Directions:
Place chicken in crockpot
Combine and mix the remaining ingredients except for noodles
Pour mixture on top of chicken
Cook on low for 4-5 hours
Prepare noodles according to package
Shred chicken and combine with noodles
Enjoy!

I think that sounds great! I'm definitely in (will come up with one)

Spaghetti Sauce (That's not terribly hard to make)

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce

Directions: In a large pot, combine ground beef and all ingredients except the tomato sauce. Stir and break up the ground beef over medium high heat, until fully cooked.

Slowly stir in the tomato sauce and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer 1 to 2 hours. Serve over spaghetti or favorite noodles.

** I usually rush this and don't simmer anywhere near as long as they suggest. It's so simple my kids can make this sauce and everyone in my house will eat it. It's nice and thick and is very filling. It makes a lot so there is always leftovers, and freezes well.

Sounds like a lot of fun!
Count me in!

i am in! i will send ya a recipe for chicken parmesan later when i have more time!

My granddaughter was in the hospital last year and they served her Tater Tot Casserole. But nothing I can find online seems like what they served her.

Anyone have any great recipes for that?

I'll share my recipe for spinach lasagna. I write down WAAAYYY too much information but here it is.

*****

I spray a sheet of foil with some non stick stuff so I can lay the lasagna noodles out while making this. That way once they are cooked they are not continuing to cook or stick together in a strainer. Once they are cooked according to the package directions and drained I lay them out separately on the foil.

I top the lasagna with the foil after wards, sprayed again if not slick, to keep the top layer of cheese from sticking to it while cooking. I don't like burnt cheese, I just want it completely melted on top.

Ingredients:

>> box of your favorite lasagna noodles, cook them according to the package instructions, this is a drier lasagna and cannot be made where you cook the noodles in the dish in the oven. I cook about 12 noodles just to be sure I have enough.

>>1 jar of your favorite vegetable spaghetti sauce, I like the chunky garlic and herb. Sometimes I will use a holey spoon to dip sauce out so that I get a chunkier layer of sauce. I don't tap the spoon to get more runny sauce off, just whatever goes through the slots.

>>Mozzarella cheese, slices are very easy to measure or shredded, whichever. A pound?

>>2 boxes of frozen chopped spinach, cooked according to the directions on the box. Then drained, wrung out, swirled around, wrung out again, rolled up in a towel and squeezed, then all over again. Get it as dry as possible. This is the make it or break it step.

>>1 carton of Ricotta cheese, you can use cottage cheese but the texture is less....chewy. The cottage cheese is mushier but healthier.

>>1 egg, crack open in a bowl and stir it up

>>1 tsp. dried parsley, I don't really like the flavor so I almost always leave this out

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Getting the spinach mix ready:

Take the cooked spinach, mix in one stirred up egg, and the dried parsley. Mix in the ricotta cheese. Once mixed well you can divide this into either 2 sections or 3. Depends on how many layers you plan on making and how thick you want the layer to be. This is really to your own preference.

****************************

You're ready to start layering.

You have spinach mix
Your favorite veggie spaghetti sauce
Cooked lasagna noodles
Mozzarella cheese

**************************

Spray your lasagna pan so the ingredients will not stick.

You can layer the ingredients however you want. It does not matter. You can start at the bottom with a layer of lasagna noodles if you like lots of pasta , you can start on the bottom with spinach mix.

How I layer it. from top to bottom. Sometimes I use more noodles and put them between the cheese. Then I put more cheese on top of that layer.

Layer of cheese
Spaghetti sauce
Spinach mix
Lasagna noodles
Layer of cheese
Spaghetti sauce
Spinach mix
Lasagna noodles

Everything in this dish is cooked EXCEPT THE EGGS. This must be heated long enough to cook those eggs in the spinach mix. Don't short the time in the over.
Cover the pan with the foil you laid your cooked noodles out on. This is sprayed, the cheese won't stick to the foil if it's still oiled. You can remove the foil near the end to slightly brown it if you like that effect.

350degrees/20 minutes.

i have a rolled up lasagna recipe. You can actually make a huge batch and freeze them too.

What you need:
16 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 lb bulk pork sausage
1 cup chopped onion
2 jars tomato pasta sauce (I usually use Barilla's)
4 cups MIXED finely shredded parmsean and mozzarella cheese ( we do NOT like ricotta cheese)
1 bag frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry (you can use fresh too)
2 teaspoons dried basil leaves or Italian seasoning
1 egg

Making the Sauce and cheese (for baking roll-ups)
3 cups tomato pasta sauce (reserve some for topping)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz) (the other 2 are for the topping)

Preparing
In 5-quart Dutch oven, cook lasagna noodles as directed on package. Drain; rinse with hot water. Drain well.

Cook beef, sausage and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Mix cheese, spinach, basil and egg. Spread about 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture over each cooked lasagna noodle to within 1 inch of one short end. Spoon about 1/4 cup meat mixture over cheese mixture on each.

Roll up firmly toward unfilled end. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil. Place roll-ups, seam side down, on pan; cover loosely with foil. Freeze about 30 minutes or until firm. Place frozen rolls in airtight freezer container; label. Freeze up to 3 months.

BAKING ROLL UPS
Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dishes with cooking spray. Remove roll-ups from freezer bag; place 8 in each baking dish.

Rolls MUST BE THAWED if you froze them first!! Do NOT allow them to thaw for more than 24 hours (the noodle gets yucky)
.
Heat oven to 350°F. Pour remaining pasta sauce over and around roll-ups in each baking dish. Cover tightly with foil; bake 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle each baking dish with 1 cup cheese; bake uncovered 3 to 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

My most requested dish by both family members and non-family members. If you take this to a potluck, bring copies of the recipe with you! Don't add additional salt - several of the ingredients are salty so no extra is needed in my opinion.

Tator Tot Hotdish with Style

1.5 lb ground beef (or turkey, or a mix of beef/turkey)
1 smaller bag frozen chopped broccoli (steamed in microwave for 3 minutes)
1 can Durkee French fried onion rings
2 (10 ounce) cans cream of celery soup
3/4 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon Worcester Sauce
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
Black pepper to taste
1 bag of frozen tater coins (they are about the size of a thick nickel)

Preheat oven to 400°F Spray 9 x 13 pan with Pam or other cooking spray and lay the potato rounds on the bottom and sides. Bake 15 minutes.
Brown beef, drain grease, and spread on top of cooked tater coins.
Layer broccoli and tomatoes on top of the beef layer.
Mix soup, milk, half the onion rings, half the cheese and seasonings and pour over broccoli/tomato layer mixture.
Bake covered with foil (or it will dry out) at 400°F for 30 minutes.
Remove cover and add rest of cheese and dried onions and bake uncovered another 8 - 10 minutes (until cheese is melted and onions are brown).
Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

I bet I could find it in my email!! Did you want it?