Alfredo Rosa

  Tonight I was in the mood something quick and easy with my favorite thing...pasta! Of course when I think quick, I immediately know it's time for my trusty friend, my Pressure Cooker. 

Culling through the pantry I spied a jar of Alfredo sauce. Oh how I love my Alfredo sauce. yes,jar sauce is cheating but hey...admit it...you know you use it too! *grin*  However, I was in a bit of a dilemma...I didn't want just Alfredo and I didn't want a tomato base sauce by itself. What to do...what to do!?! Mix 'em up! 

The color of the sauce turned out to be a very pretty one and boy oh boy it was tasty too! Enough talk about how good it was...let's get cooking!
 
Alfredo Rosa
1 jar Alfredo sauce 
1/4 c. tomato basil pasta sauce 
1 link of sausage sliced into rounds (Italian or beef) 
1 can chicken stock 
Water 
Olive oil 
12 oz bag uncooked Bowtie pasta 

Drizzle about a tablespoon of oil into bottom of cooking pot. Pour in Alfredo, pasta sauce, sauce, stock and dry pasta. Add in enough water to keep pasta moist. I used the Alfredo jar and swished the jar with enough water to almost fill (3/4 full.) Stir ingredients to combine. 
  Place lid on cooker and close valve. Cook for 6 minutes on Rice/Risotto setting.Quick release on the pressure valve (be careful not to burn yourself on the steam.) Serve warm. 

Click HERE for printable recipe

Crockpot Creamy Tamale Taco Soup

We opted not to go with the usual turkey or ham dinner for CHRISTmas, instead we went with a Mexican fiesta.The leftovers definitely taste much better after all. So now it's time to re-purpose those leftovers and since we finally have a cool day why not make a pot of soup...

 

2 lbs. taco ring filling

6 spicy tamales cut into small pieces

2 (10 oz) cans Ro-tel diced tomatoes & peppers; undrained (can use homemade if desired)

8 oz. softened cream cheese, cubed (or torn into small chunks)

1 & 1/3 cans chicken stock

 

In a 6qt. crock pot, combine all ingredients and stir lightly to mix. You want to avoid tearing your tamales into mush. Cover and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours. Serve with cornbread, tortilla chips or topped with sour cream.

 

 

Alternate: you can also add in a bit of cubed Velveeta cheese if you like a more cheesy soup.

 

Click HERE for printable recipe

 

 

Label Comparisons

Just because something looks alike, doesn't mean that they are the same. Prepping for today's dinner, I needed chicken stock. Reading labels at the store is my thing so I wanted to pass this tid bit along to you. 

 Here we have two cartons of organic, low sodium free range chicken broth. One is an HEB brand & the other Kroger. Let's compare...

 

If you notice the calories, HEB has 10. Yet Kroger brand has 0 calories. Now let's focus on the sodium...HEB's only has 70mg of sodium, while Kroger has 140mg. A whopping double amount! As you read the labels you'll notice there are other differences, but the main comparison is the amount of sodium in the products. 

Next time you go shopping...read and compare. Just like snowflakes, no two are just alike. 

Rotini Pumpkin Pasta

1 - 12oz pkg whole wheat rotini pasta
1-lb Italian turkey sausage (casings removed)
Olive oil
1/4 c. diced onion
3 tsp. minced jar garlic
1 1/4 c. Chicken broth
15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
pinch of ground cinnamon
Salt & pepper to taste
Italian blend shredded cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a 3 qt. stockpot heat 1 tsp olive olive. Brown sausage until no longer pink. Drain and set aside.

Return pot to heat adding a 1/2 tsp olive oil. Over medium heat saute onion and garlic for 3 - 4 minutes.

 

Stir in broth, pumpkin, heavy cream, red pepper, cinnamon and cooked sausage. Stir to combine. Salt & pepper to taste. Over med-low heat simmer mixture to thicken; stirring often. This should take about 10 minutes.Sprinkle about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Stir to melt.

Pour sauce over cooked pasta & stir to coat noodles. Top with more shredded cheese and serve.

Click HERE for printable recipe

 

Coleslaw Easter Eggs

Every year at Easter time I get so excited to dye my eggs. This was such a fun tradition growing up that I never out grew it. Well this year, I decided I was tired of the same 'ol dyed egg shells that you just peel and toss in the trash. I was also tired of the same 'ol recipe for making deviled eggs. So here's the new spin on an old favorite.

First I hard boiled my eggs as normal. Once cooled I peeled the eggs, cut them in half to remove the cooked yolks and using food safe Easter egg dye, I dyed the egg whites themselves then arranged them on an egg platter for filling.

Coleslaw Eggs

1 dozen eggs (hard boiled, cooled, peeled, halved, yolks removed & in this case egg whites dyed)

1/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

Black pepper (to taste)

1/4 tsp. Dehydrated minced onion

1/4 tsp. Garlic powder

Hidden Valley Ranch Coleslaw dressing

2 Tblsp. Bacon bits

To the reserved yolks that were previously removed from the hard boiled eggs, dd in dry seasonings. Stir to break up yolks. Add in enough Coleslaw dressing to moisten but not saturate the yolk mixture. Stir to mix well. Filling should be moist and smooth. Spoon into each egg half. Sprinkle with a dash of Old Bay atop filled eggs for decoration. Keep refrigerated.

Click HERE for printable recipe