Green Bean Bundles

OK. I am not a vegetable lover. I know, I know, they're good for me, they're good for my waist line, blah blah. Green beans, in particular, are my arch nemesis. That being said, if I really like these!! Of course, they're fried...oops, so not terribly healthy. But a fried green bean has got to be better than no green beans, right? Come on, work with me here....these are from the fabulous Paula Deen!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh green beans
• 1 bunch green onions, cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons House Seasoning, recipe follows
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup buttermilk Oil, for frying

House Seasoning:

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

Directions:

1. Bundle about 5 green beans by tying in the center with a green onion strip. Combine house seasoning and flour. Dip green beans in buttermilk and roll into flour mixture.
2. In a deep frying pan or Dutch oven, fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

**House Seasoning - Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Lemon Bars

My mom used to make these for me when I was a little girl, and they have long been a favorite. My friend Katie swore she hated all things lemon, until I made these bars for her. Yes, they are THAT good!

Ingredients
Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
• Pinch salt
• 2 sticks butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
  

Filling:

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan.
   
2. Make the crust by combining the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. You may need to dip your fingers into a little flour or confectioners' sugar to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers. Bake for 20 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, to make the filling, mix the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and lemon juice. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired, when the bars are done.

Pumpkin Stew

Yes, everyone questions this dish when I tell them about it. But realy, it's amazingly delicious! I serve this with fresh sourdough bread or rolls. It's pleasantly filling, and perfect for a cold night.

Ingredients

• 1 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 TBS dried basil
• 2 lbs lean pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes**
• (1) 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
• (1) 28 oz. can pumpkin puree
• (1) 14.5 oz. can vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup white zinfandel
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 5 Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
• 2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 cinnamon stick

Directions:

1. HEAT olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and basil; cook for 1 minute or until onion is tender. Add pork; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add tomatoes with juice, pumpkin, broth, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
   
2. ADD potatoes, green beans and cinnamon stick. Cover; cook over low heat for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Remove cinnamon stick before serving.

Basil Chicken and Pasta

Monday nights can be insanely busy at my house. My boys have their Boy Scout meeting, and often, my daughter has some function for Girl Scouts. Trying to get everyone fed before we head out the door can be challenging, to say the least. This past Monday was no exception. I had chicken out, but I was really tired of my chicken and rice stand by. When I cam across this recipe, I thought it had the possibility to be good, but the original recipe needed some work. Bland food is not something my family is big on! With a few tweeks, this dish came out great, and was still pretty fast to get to the table!



Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken (breasts or thighs will work) cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 TBS olive oil

12 oz. rotini or baby penne**

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli

(2) 4 oz. cans of sliced mushrooms, drained

2 tsp lemon pepper

4 tsp dried basil

2 1/2 cups of milk

8 oz. cream cheese, cubed**

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese



Directions:

1. In a large pot, cook pasta according to directions. Set aside.


2. In a large skillet, add olive oil, chicken, garlic, broccoli, mushrooms, and 1 tsp of the dried basil. Cook until the juices run clear.


3. In a sauce pan, add milk, lemon pepper, remaining basil, cubed cream cheese and paremesan cheese. Stir frequently until the ingredients are well incorporated. Sauce should be slightly thick.


4. Add sauce to chicken mixture. Add pasta and toss. Serve immediately.

**Barilla makes an awesome baby Penne

**I use Kraft light cream cheese to cut back on the fat and calories, but you can use regular if you want!

Marinated Garden Tomatoes

I am not a big fan of raw tomatoes. I cook with them all the time, but 'fresh' tomatoes usually do nothing for me. Except this recipe!!! I could eat these tomatoes 3-4 times a week and never get tired of them. I know that tomatoes are going out of season for much of the US, but I had to post this anyway.

Ingredients:

• 6 large tomatoes, cut into slices or wedges
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
• 1/3 c. olive or canola oil
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 TBS fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

Directions:

1. Place tomatoes and onions in a shallow serving bowl.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, garlic, salt, thyme, and pepper. Mix well.
3. Pour over tomatoes.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight

serves 10