Whole-Wheat Pasta with Kale (Everyday Food)

Whole-wheat spaghetti which is slightly nuttier and chewier than regular pasta holds its own with the kale, fontina cheese and bacon.

4 slices bacon, cut in 1/2" pieces
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb kale (1 bunch) thick stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
salt and pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb whole-wheat pasta
1/2 cup coarsely grated fontina cheese

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until browned and crisp. Remove to paper towel and drain all but 3 tbsp fat from the pan.

Add garlic to skillet and cook, stirring frequently 2 minutes. Add half the kale; cook, tossing, until just wilted, 2 minutes. Add remaining kale and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing until all the kale is wilted, 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer until kale is very tender, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup
pasta water. Return pasta to the pot. Add kale and shredded fontina. Toss with pasta to combine. Add enough pasta water to create a thin sauce to coat pasta. Serve, topped with bacon.

Carrot Walnut Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients Cake

1.5lbs washed,unpeeled carrots, grated
3 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup veg oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp all spice or pumpkin pie spice
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, mix by hand, all cake ingredients. Pour into a 9x13 sheet pan, that is greased & floured. Bake @ 350 for 45-50 minutes.

Cream Cheese frosting

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 TBL butter

Blend the icing with a mixer or by hand. Frost cake once it's cooled.

My brother was mentioning to Mom on Sunday that he always remembers the chocolate cookies than Nan made when we were kids. I remember them as well, and they were macaroon type things. I found one of those old spiral community cookbooks and found a recipe that I thought might be them.

Just finished making them, and they are! He'll be thrilled on Christmas Day when I serve them.

Uncooked Cookies

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup coconut
6 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cups nuts or raisins (if desired)

Put butter, sugar and milk in a saucepan and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls or roll into balls onto waxed paper and let set.

I love this sandwich

Grilled apple, ham and cheese sandwich

2 slices multigrain bread
3 oz sliced deli ham
1 oz sliced provolone cheese
1/2 cup baby spinach

2 tsp honey mustard
2 oz apple slices
Preparation
Grill 2 ounces of apple slices in pan.
Layer 1 slice of multigrain bread with 3 ounces ham,
1 slice provolone cheese,
1/2 cup baby spinach,
2 ounces of grilled apple slices,
2 teaspoons of honey mustard
and then the second slice of bread.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Coat sandwich with cooking spray, and place in the pan.
Cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned and cheese melts.
Cut sandwich in half, if desired. Serve immediately

Cream Cheese Olive Spread
***I make a double batch of this***
3 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup sliced green olive with pimentos
2 Tablespoons cream
1/4 cup finely diced celery
drop or two Tabasco
pinch of salt
Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature. Beat (with mixer) until fluffy. Add the cream and seasonings. Blend. Mix in olives and celery. Allow time to soften before eating, serve with crackers. Keeps at least 2 weeks in refrigerator.
nodakgal

connie, I love cream cheese and olive spread.

I have some zesty mixed olives marinating. Will be ready Friday.

Ripe Banana Loaves (using a cake mix)

Grease pans with pan grease or grease with solid shortening and dust with flour. Two 9 inch loaves. Baking time is
40 to 45 minutes.

1 package (18.25 ounce cake mix, plain yellow)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (about a cup)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup oil (canola, safflower, corn, soybean or sunflower)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in center of oven.

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend on low for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed again. The batter should look well blended and the bananas well pureed. Divide the batter between the two pans that have been prepared. Place in the oven, side by side and bake until they are golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. When done remove from oven and place on wire racks to cool for 20 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges and invert onto cooling racks. Lay them on their sides until cool at least 30 minutes. Wrap in aluminum foil and keep for one week at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw on the counter overnight when ready to use from the freezer.

Sue

COOKIE DOUGH DIP (Foodgawker)

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cups chocolate chips

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to bubble. Set aside to cool, and whisk in vanilla.
Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar for 60 seconds. With mixer on low speed, add in brown sugar and butter mixture. Mix until combined. I added the chocolate chips at this time so the mixer could break them up into pieces. You can so that, or just fold in the chocolate chips.
Garnish with additional chopped chocolate. Serves with fruit, cookies, crackers, pretzels or a spoon. Makes about 1-� c.

Glenda, if you have any olives left over I bet they'd be great in Nodakgal's spread.

Glenda infro please!
Zesty olives? and marinating in what dear girl? LOL
Sounds like it might be good!

Here you go nodakgal--just in case Glenda doesn't see this.

SPICED OLIVES (Glenda@KT)

use the juice that's in the jar
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 small cloves garlic, slivered
1 jar (7 ounces) large green olives *mixed olives are great

Place oregano, pepper flakes and garlic in jar of olives with olive juice
Cover tightly and shake until seasonings are well distributed.

I just made Glenda's olives. That's how long it takes--pluse I cleaned the knife and cutting board and put the spices away. I bet they're great. I did have some olives missing from the jar, but they were so packed it helped get the good stuff distributed.

patti, I changed the recipe and went for a new one :o)

zesty marinated olives
2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder which wasn't enough so I used 2 tsp minced garlic as well
3 tsp italian seasoning
some dried onion
salt if needed, I added some sea salt
3 bay leaves
AND I THOUGHT IT NEEDED SOMETHING ELSE, and a friend brought me some fresh rosemary sprigs, so I bruised them a little and put the sprigs in.
It's getting there. Taste tested this morning.

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

3 cups assorted drained olives

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix all ingredients, except olives, in medium bowl until well blended. Add olives; toss to coat well. Cover.

2. Refrigerate 6 hours or up to 5 days, stirring occasionally

Oh, I forgot, I added some red pepper flakes

LOL--too late for this batch. But I'll try this one next unless we like these too much.

Oh, you will like the ones you made. I promise :o)

I'll let you know how these turn out after they are completely marinated and ready to jar up.