The Jan Ririe Collections- Greek Pastitsio Casserole

 Greek Pastitsio Casserole

• 12 ounces penne pasta
• 1 pound ground turkey or ground sirloin
• 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion, from about 1 large onion
• 1 ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces light cream cheese
• 2 cups milk, 1% or skim work great
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

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INSTRUCTIONS 

• Coat a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat the broiler.
• In a large pot of lightly salted, boiling water, cook the penne pasta according to package directions.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add beef or turkey to the pan with the diced onions and 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring to break up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through. Drain excess grease from the meat.
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute or so. Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture, stirring to combine, and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.
• Add the cream cheese in pieces, scattering it over the meat. Let it melt into the meat and stir to combine. Whisk or stir in the milk, nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon salt and tomatoes. Stir to combine well and bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Cook 5-6 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened and is thoroughly heated through.
• Stir in the pasta and spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the pasta and broil for about 3-5 minutes (watching carefully so it doesn’t burn!). Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Let it stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

Pico De Gallo and Refried Beans

I received this recipe from Mariana Lucena, She made these items on a camping trip in Oct at The Stake Cabin.

 Pico De Gallo
 9 roma Tomatoes diced
1/2 yellow onion chopped
1 bunch cilantro chopped 
olive oil
lemon juice
salt & pepper
pepper flakes



Refried beans
Soaked overnight, then rinsed and cooked in water for 16 min in the instapot, they were still tough (she had to cook for 16 more min to soften) or you can cook for in the slow cooker for 8 hours.

Then take out half of the water and start smashing the beans, add salt, pepper, and some broth

Italian Inspired Vegetable Barley Minestrone Soup

2 t oil
1 large carrots, diced
1 small onion, diced
3/4c celery, diced
4 t garlic
4 c chicken broth
1 c water
14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes
1/2c pearl barley
8 oz mushrooms, slcied
1/4t black pepper
1 small zucchini, diced
1/2c basil, chopped
4 T parmesan

Heat up oil, add carrots, onion, celery, carrots till onions are golden. Stir in garlic cook 1 min. Add broth, water,tomatoes, bring to boil. Add barley, mushrooms, pepper and cover for 40 minutes.
Stir in zucchini and cool for 5 minutes. Stir in basil

Carly Quesadilla

Pineapple
Grilled Chicken
Cilantro
Avocado
Tomato
Jalapeno
Tortilla
Cheese
She also has used BBQ Sauce

Put all the ingredients inside the tortilla and fold the tortilla in half, laying flat. Cook on both sides of the tortilla

Greek Pitas

Chicken
onion chopped
lemon pepper seasoning
tomatoes chopped
Lettuce
olives
Pitas

Tazaki Sauce
1 Cucumber grated
Sour Cream or yogurt
1 tsp Ranch Packet
milk



Season chicken with lemon pepper seasoning, Saute or grill chicken with onion
Make tazaki sauce

Another version

Chicken Marinade

1 pound boneless , skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup olive oil
4 lemons
4-5 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Add the chicken, Greek yogurt and olive oil to a medium size bowl. Zest one of the lemons and add to the bowl. Juice that lemon into the bowl with the zest. Slice the other three lemons and set aside. Add the minced garlic, oregano, kosher salt and black pepper to the lemon juice and zest and stir. Pour half of the marinade into the freezer bag or the bowl with the chicken pieces and reserve the other half of the marinade for basting. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours in the refrigerator.

• When ready to grill, prepare the grill by lightly oiling the grate with vegetable oil or cooking spray and set to medium high heat.
• Grill the chicken, basting with the reserved marinade and turning often so each side browns and has light grill marks, until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear. During the last 5 minutes of cooking add the 3 sliced lemons to the grill, turning once or twice. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serve with the grilled lemons. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

Tzatziki Sauce- Food and Wine

1 cup Greek-style plain yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Toasted pita or pita chips, for serving

allow cucumber to drain or squeeze in a cheese cloth to remove excess water.

Stir together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice and dill in a medium bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Before serving, garnish with more fresh dill and serve with toasted pita.

Lentil curry

1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/2 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons curry paste
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 14-ounce can tomato puree or chopped tomatoes

2 c water

3 sliced carrots

lemon or lime (juice and pour on right before its served)

Optional- can add coconut milk, but I didnt have any

1.  Cook the lentils according to directions. Drain and set aside.
2.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes until fragrant and golden. Add all the spices (curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, sugar, garlic, ginger) and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato puree; stir and simmer until smooth.
3. Add the lentils and the water or cream. Stir to combine and simmer for another 15-20 minutes (the longer, the better)! Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

I served with rice on the side and a Dad salad (1 washed whole romaine lettuce leaf for each person).

It actually was even better the next day, so delicious to me! The kids didn't love it.

Green bean and veggie soup

Cooking LSL

• 2 tbsp olive oil
•  1 small chopped onion
•  2 cloves garlic chopped
•  2 medium potatoes diced
•  1 medium chopped carrot
•  2 cups diced tomatoes — (fresh or canned)
•  3 cups green beans — (fresh or frozen, thawed) cut into pieces
•  5 cups chicken — (or vegetable) stock (can use hot water and chicken base)
•  1/2 tsp black pepper
•  1 tsp salt - or more depending on taste
•  1/4 tsp dry basil
• avocado
• 
  

1. In a large sauce pan, over medium heat saute onions and carrots in olive oil for 3 minutes.
2. Add chicken stock, potatoes, tomatoes and garlic and bring to a boil. Add salt, pepper and basil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add green beans and simmer for 15 more minutes, until tender. (I do not like over cooked green beans, that's why I add them 15 minutes after all the other vegetables.).
4. Cook soup until all vegetables appear cooked through, it usually takes me 30-35 minutes. Cooking time depends on the king of pot used, stove, vegetables amounts of stock used.
5. Serve hot. You can garnish with chopped parsley or dill.
6. After cooked, I served the soup with avocado on top. It made everything come together, Delicious

When I was sick I made this and it was quick and easy and perfect for my sore throat