SPINACH MANICOTTI

PORTIONS: 2 = 4 MANICOTTIS

INGREDIENTS

4 manicottis cooked according to box instructions.

2 cups chopped spinach well compacted

¾ cups ricotta cheese

1 tbsp. oil

½ medium size onion. Diced

1 minced garlic clove

½ finely diced red pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Tomato sauce

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Grated parmesan cheese.

METHOD

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Sauté onions, garlic and peppers together. Add spinach salt, pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Let it cool off. Combine the spinach with the ricotta cheese and fill up the manicottis.

Spread tomato sauce at the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the manicotti over the tomato sauce. Spread more tomato sauce on top of the manicotti then sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and also with aluminum foil.

Bake it in a preheated oven at 350 ° F until is hot. Uncover and let brown a bit the cheese.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS WITH NOODLES

SWEDISH MEATBALLS WITH NOODLES

PORTIONS: 35 meatballs = 6 portions

INGREDIENTS FOR MEATBALLS

300 g. = 11 oz. ground pork.
300 g. = 12 oz. ground beef.
½ cup small diced onions.
1 beaten egg.
1¾ tsp. salt.
¾ tsp. allspice.
¼ tsp. ground black pepper.
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg.
1 cup bread crumbs.
2 tbsp. flour.
1 tbsp. olive oil.
1 lb. wide noodles

MEATBALLS PREPARATION.

In a bowl mix the ground pork, ground beef, onions, egg, salt, all spice, ground pepper, nutmeg and bread crumbs.
Using a tablespoon for meassurement make 35 meatballs.
Dip the meatballs in the flour.
Heat up a skillet with the oil and brown the meatballs all around. In a moderate heat, cover the skillet to finish cooking.. Place the meatballs on a dish after cooked..

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE

¼ cup shallots fine chopped.
2½ tbsp. cornstarch.
3 cups beef broth.
3 tbsp. white wine.
1 tbsp. worcesterhire sauce.
1 tbsp. sour cream.
1 tbsp. chopped dill.

SAUCE PREPARATION

Using same skillet that the meatballs were cooked, add and saute the shallots. Add wine and let it reduce.
Disolve the cornstarch in ½ cup of the beef broth.
Add to the skillet the 2 ½ cups of beef broth and let it boil. While it is boiling, thick it with the cornstarch mix and let it cook for a minute under moderate heat.
Add to the sauce, worcesterhire and sour cream.
Put and mix the meatballs in the sauce.
Cook the noodles in boiling water according to the package directions.
Strain the noodles and mix with the meatballs.
Serve in plates sprinkling the top with dill.


NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING, BASE ON A 2,000 CALORIES DAILY DIET

Calories                    533.2          Total Fat                    24.7 g     Saturated Fat              7.2 g          
Polyunsaturated Fat      2.3 g       Monounsaturated Fat   7.5 g    Cholesterol              150.0 mg    
Sodium                  1,126.7 mg    Carbohydrate              44.7 g    Dietary Fiber               2.7 g         Sugars                           1.5 g       Protein                        33.1 g

SWEDISH MEATBALLS WITH NOODLES

PORTIONS: 35 meatballs = 6 portions

INGREDIENTS FOR MEATBALLS

300 g = 11 oz ground pork.
300 g = 12 oz ground beef.
½ cup small diced onions.
1 beaten egg.
1¾ tsp. salt.
¾ tsp. allspice.
¼ tsp. ground black pepper.
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg.
1 cup bread crumbs.
2 tbsp. flour.
1 tbsp. olive oil.
1 lb. wide noodles

MEATBALLS PREPARATION.

In a bowl mix the ground pork, ground beef, onions, egg, salt, all spice, ground pepper, nutmeg and bread crumbs.
Using a tablespoon for meassurement make 35 meatballs.
Dip the meatballs in the flour.
Heat up an skillet with the oil and brown the meatballs all around. Cover the skillet to finish cooking a moderate heat. Place the meatballs in a dish after cook.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE

¼ cup shallots fine chopped.
2½ tbsp. cornstarch.
3 cups beef broth.
3 tbsp. white wine.
1 tbsp. worcesterhire sauce.
1 tbsp. sour cream.
1 tbsp. chopped dill.

SAUCE PREPARATION

Using same skillet that the meatballs were cook, add and saute the shallots. Add wine and let it reduce.
Disolve the cornstarch in ½ cup of the beef broth.
Add to the skillet the 2 ½ cups of beef broth and let it boil. Ounce it is boiling thick it with the cornstarch mix and let it cook for a minute under moderate heat.
Add to the sauce, worcesterhire and sour cream.
Put and mix the meatballs in the sauce.
Cook the noodles in boiling water acording to the package directions.
Strain the noodles and mix with the meatballs.
Serve in plates sprinkling the top with dill.


NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING, BASE ON A 2,000 CALORIES DAILY DIET

Calories                    533.2          Total Fat                    24.7 g     Saturated Fat              7.2 g          
Polyunsaturated Fat      2.3 g       Monounsaturated Fat   7.5 g    Cholesterol              150.0 mg    
Sodium                  1,126.7 mg    Carbohydrate              44.7 g    Dietary Fiber               2.7 g         Sugars                           1.5 g       Protein                        33.1 g   

WHOLE WHEAT ROTINI WITH PEPPERS AND ONIONS

WHOLE WHEAT ROTINI WITH PEPPERS AND ONIONS

PORTIONS: 4

INGREDIENTS

13.25 oz (375 g.) o 1 box whole grain pasta
½ tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves cut in slices
1 small onion cut in Julienne ( cut onion in ½ and then length wise )
½ yellow pepper cut in Julienne
½ red pepper cut in Julienne
½ orange pepper cut in Julienne
2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves cut in Julienne
Salt  to taste
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tbsp. capers
15 olives

PREPARATION

3/4 of a dip pan, fill it with water, ½ tbsp salt and let it boil
Put in the pasta, cook it al dente and strain the water.
In a hot frying pan saute garlic and onions for 2 minutes.
Add peppers and lightly cook.
Add the basil leaves, pepper, capers, olives, pasta and salt to taste.
Serve immediately.

SAUTE FLANK STEAK WITH ASPARAGUS AN WHOLE GRAIN PENNE PASTA

SAUTE FLANK STEAK WITH ASPARAGUS AN WHOLE GRAIN PENNE PASTA

PORTIONS: 3

INGREDIENTS
½ lb. whole grain penne pasta cooked
1 lb. asparagus
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion cut in julienne
2 chopped garlic cloves
1 lb. flank steak or sirloin cut in thin slices
1 cup washed, sliced scallions
¾ tbsp. salt
¼ tsp. fresh thyme leaves
¼ tsp. ground black pepper

PREPARATION

In a pot with boiling water cook the pasta al dente. Strain the water off, cool the pasta with cold water and strain again.
Peel the asparagus at back end, removing the hard fiver.
In a container with boil water cook the asparagus at your taste, and cool it with cold water to retain the green color on it.. (Better al dente)
With a paper towel dry well the sliced beef.
Heat up a frying pan with 1 tbsp oil and saute together the onions with the garlic and put it in a container temporarily Heat up the pan with the other tablespoon  of oil and when it starts smoking add the beef and brown it.
Add to the beef, scallions, salt, thyme leaves, black pepper, pasta and asparagus. Heat up well and serve.

LO MEIN NOODLES WITH STRAW MUSHROOMS

LO MEIN NOODLES WITH STRAW MUSHROOMS

PORTIONS: 5

INGREDIENTS

1 lb uncooked lo mein noodles
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp ginger root minced
½ cup onions, diced or strips
½ cup of Julienne peppers ( thin strips )
½ cup Julienne celery
1 cup of Julienne carrots
8 oz straw mushrooms whole
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce

PREPARATION

Keep on the stove a large pot with boiling water.
At the mid time, heat up a large saute pan with the vegetable oil and sesame oil.
Saute the garlic, ginger, and onions together.
Add to the pan peppers, celery, carrots. Cook them al dente.
Cook the noodle in the boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes and strain the noodles.
Add the noodles, sugar, soy sauce and straw mushrooms to the pan. Mix well and serve

NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING, BASED ON 2000 CALORIES DIET
 Calories               412.2         Monounsaturated Fat 1.9 g            Carbohydrates     83.8 g
Total Fat                 78.2 g      Cholesterol                 0.0 mg        Dietary Fiber          4.11 g
Saturated Fat            0.9 g       Sodium                    400.9 mg       Sugars                    0.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat  3.4 g       Potassium                155.6 mg       Protein                   1.1 g