Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana copycat soup

https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/olive-garden-copycat-zuppa-toscana-38298

we create our own mild italian sausage and don't use pepper flakes

to rty recipe - grilled chicken margherita

http://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/grilled-chicken-margherita/

creamy Mozzarella Pasta with Shrimp

http://juliasalbum.com/2017/04/creamy-mozzarella-shrimp-pasta/

Ingredients

Pasta:
• 8 oz penne pasta (for gluten free, use gluten free brown rice pasta)
Shrimp:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (drained from sun-dried tomatoes jar or just use regular olive oil)
• 1 pound shrimp, without shells, and deveined
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
Sauce:
• 1 small jar (3-4 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, or use 3-4 oz oil-free sun dried tomatoes
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (never frozen)
• 1 tablespoon basil (if using dry basil), if using fresh basil you can add more
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (at least, add more to taste)
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup reserved cooked pasta water (or more)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• NOTE:
• WHAT IS HALF AND HALF? Half and half is the US milk product that combines half milk half cream to form a lighter cream. To make 1 cup of half and half, combine 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup heavy, or whipping cream.

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some cooked pasta water. Drain the pasta.
2. Note: if using sun-dried tomatoes in oil (in a jar), make sure to drain sun-dried tomatoes from oil, before using them. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this drained oil for sauteing the shrimp as described below: 
    Coupons
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil (reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes jar - see note above, or use regular olive oil) in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add shrimp, minced garlic and cook the shrimp on one side for about 1 minute, until shrimp turns pink or golden brown on that side. While it cooks, sprinkle the top of shrimp with salt to cover every single shrimp. Make sure not to crowd the shrimp in the skillet, otherwise moisture will form and shrimp won't sear right. After 1 minute, Flip the shrimp over to the other side and cook for about 30 seconds or 1 minute more. The shrimp should be golden color or pink on both sides and not overcooked.
4. Remove the shrimp to a plate, being careful to leave all the oil in the skillet.
5. To the same skillet, add sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil and sliced into smaller chunks, if needed) and more minced garlic, and saute in olive oil (remaining from shrimp) on medium heat, stirring, for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant. The skillet should be hot.
6. Add half and half to the hot skillet with sun-dried tomatoes and bring to boil. Add shredded cheese to the skillet, and stir in while boiling. Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all the cheese melts and the creamy sauce forms. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of half and half or reserved cooked pasta water. Add basil, crushed red pepper flakes, paprika. Stir.
7. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt gradually, stirring on low heat and tasting (you might need slightly less than 1/4 teaspoon).
8. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, and reheat gently on medium heat. Add the cooked shrimp, stir it in. Taste, and add more salt, if needed. Add a small amount of half and half or reserved cooked pasta water, if the sauce is too thick. Let everything simmer on low heat for a couple of minutes for flavors to combine.
9. Note: Make sure to salt the dish just enough to bring out of the flavors of basil and sun-dried tomatoes.

Followed recipe pretty close but doubled the cream (used full cream not half and half) and cheese to have more sauce. 

Also used fresh tomatoes instead of canned sun dried. 

banana bread from all recipe

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_bread/

made it in blendtec so just added all ingredients and mixed.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 very ripe bananas, peeled
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup sugar (1/2 cup if you would like it less sweet, 1 cup if more sweet)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and butter a 4x8-inch loaf pan.

2 In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

3 Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.

4 Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350°F (175°C), or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

5 Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack. Remove the banana bread from the pan. Slice and serve. (A bread knife helps to make slices that aren't crumbly.)

Read more: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_bread/#ixzz4WGMH5euA

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken

Here is the original recipe: http://therecipecritic.com/2016/06/creamy-parmesan-garlic-mushroom-chicken/

Here is my slightly modified version.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• Salt Pepper
• 8 ounces sliced mushroom

• Creamy Parmesan Garlic Sauce: (we doubled the original sauce, added more garlic, chicken broth and garlic spread instead of powder)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 7 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoon flour
• 1 can chicken broth (2 cups)
• 2 cup heavy cream 
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Johhny garlic spread and seasoning (from Costco) 
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cup spinach, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large skillet add olive oil, garlic spread, and cook the chicken on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown on each side and cooked until no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until tender. May need to add more oil or butter. Remove and set aside.
2. To make the sauce add the butter and melt. Add garlic and cook until tender. Whisk in the flour until it thickens. Whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and salt. Add the spinach and let simmer until it starts to thicken and spinach wilts. Add the chicken and mushrooms back to the sauce and serve over pasta is desired.

We really liked this one. It would be good served with bread sticks. Especially since we doubled the sauce so this is lots for dipping. 

Bread (From Loy)

1/2 Cup Warm Water
2 TbspYeast
Place Water and Yeast in at least a 2 cup bowl/measure cup. Sprinkle sugar on top. Set aside to rise.

1/2 Cup Oil
5 Cups Hottest Water - Measure carefully
1/2 Cup Sugar or Honey
2 Tsp Salt
4-5 Cups Flour (put whole wheat in first if you use it. Suggest 1/2 and 1/2)
Mix, Scrape Sides, Thin Batter
Add Yeast, Mix up good
Dish towel over 5-7 minutes peek, Rise 2/3 up
Beat Down or knead put dough hooks in
add more flour 1/2 cup at a time (soft dough, not too sticky. Want soft and stretchy)
Dump out on an oiled counter   ??? oil a little
20 kneads, oil top lightly. Cover with Saran Wrap.  Sit 20 minutes
Divide into 5.

Bread 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 (not 9 by 5)
Grease with Crisco Shortening
Keep covered with dishtowel or saran
Put warm place. Top of stove. No draft. Turn heat up.
400 degrees for 30 minutes (every oven different)
Air needs to circulate all over pans
Cool on racks. Put in heavy freezer bags. Get all air out to freeze.

Herb Onion
2 Tbsp Onions, sit in water
2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning




****work in progress. Need clarification from Debbie Peters

Feather Rolls (from Julie)

Feather Rolls
2 Yeast Cakes
1/2 Cup Warm Water
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1/3 Cup Oil

1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Tsp Salt
2 Eggs well beaten
4-5 Cups Flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water with 1Tbsp Sugar.
Scold Milk and add Oil, Sugar, Salt, and Eggs. Add Flour to make soft dough. (Rarely takes more than 4 cups).
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Take half and roll out in circle, spread with melted butter and slice into 16 triangles.
Roll up.
Let rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Bake 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.