5 Cheese Ziti - Olive Garden

sauce:
4 cups tomato sauce
2 cups Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
3 T fontina cheese
1 tsp. garlic pepper seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

topping:
3 cups mozzarella
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 T ramano cheese
3 T parmesan cheese
1 T minced garlic
3 T olive oil
3 T fresh, flat-leaf parsley

1 lb ziti pasta
1 cup mozzarella

Prepare the sauce by combining all ingredients in a bowl; cover and refrigerate till ready to use. Prepare pasta according to directions. Prepare the topping by whisking together 1st four ingredients. Add the garlic, oil and parsely and mix until blended. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix pasta and sauce together, then pour into a sprayed 9x13 glass cooking dish. Spread remaining mozzarella sauce over the top, then the topping. Back 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Zuppa Toscana - Olive Garden

This tastes just like the real thing!

1 lb ground Italian sausage (I use 1/2 pound)
1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 large diced white onion
4 Tsp. bacon pieces
2 tsp. garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes chicken bullion cubes
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb potatoes (about 3 large)
1/4 bunch of kale (I use 1/2 bunch)

Saute sausage with pepper flakes. Drain & refrigerate. Saute bacon, onion and garlic over low-medium heat, about 15 minutes. Add bullion and water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Add the cream and cook until just heated, stir in sausage and kale. Let heat through and serve!

Chicken Thigh, Red Cabbage & Potatoes

4 cups shredded red cabbage (1/2 small head)- I usually do the entire head
10 halved new potatoes
extra-virgin olive oil
course salt and ground pepper
1 pound chicken thighs
2 Tbsp. grainy mustard
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. horseradish
zest of 1 lemon plus lemon juice from 2 lemons.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss cabbage and potatoes with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, marinate chicken thighs in olive oil and juice from one lemon (can marinate up to overnight). Drain chicken thighs, then smear with mustard, horseradish and zest of one lemon. Nestle in pan with cabbage and potatoes and roast another 15 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice over all just before serving.

This recipe is also great with salmon!

Quinoa and Black Beans

This recipe is wonderful burrito-style with fresh salsa, avocado and cilantro!

1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper
1 can corn
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Heat oil in med. saucepan. Stir in onion and garlic, saute until lightly browned. Add cumin and cook for 30 seconds or so, then add cayenne pepper. Mix in quinoa and cover with vegetable broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, simmering 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Stir in corn and beans and heat through. Add cilantro and serve.

Welcome!

Hello lovely ladies :) Here is a blog for us to put our dinner group recipes on! I've invited you both to be authors- if you are not sure how to sign in and create a new post let me know and I can walk you through it. Let's make sure and label all of our posts so that as we get more recipes, we will still be able to easily find a recipe we're looking for.

I love our dinner group! It rocks :)

Here's to lots of yummy meals to come!