The Recipe Box

Here is a list of our go-to, quick dinner ideas: 1. Beef in Brown sauce with perrogies, pasta, or potatoes. 2. Chicken or beef or pork stir-fry -just through together veggies, meets and staples from my asian cooking list and have it with rice or noodles. 3. Baked chicken - just season chicken pieces with lots of spices (thyme, parsley, rosemary, garlic, onion, pepper, salt), splash some balsamic vinegar  et voila. 4. Beef or chicken enchiladas 5. Bakes pork chops -  throw together a sauce made of barbecue sauce, soy sauce, garlic, honey or brown sugar et voila 6. Ground beef, or chicken or sausage and pasta, baked or stove top. 7. Soup (potatoes, vegetable, zucchini, brocoli etc. . ) 8. Chili 9. Meatloaf 10. Ground beef patties

Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef 1 lb asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 medium onions, sliced 1 1/2 cups beef broth 1 cup tomato puree or stewed tomatoes 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil 3 tablespoons heavy cream 1/4-1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional) 4 cups cooked farfalle pasta (bow-tie) Parmesan cheese Preparation: Saute the asparagus, onions in a tbsp of oil. Add 1 cup of beef broth; cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has almost evaporated; remove mixture from the skillet. Add beef to the skillet; stir/saute for about 2 minutes or until no longer pink. Return vegetable mixture to the skillet; add in the remaining broth and the next 4 ingredients; stir/saute and simmer while cooking the pasta. Cook the pasta. Add the pasta to the meat mixture and cook until well heated through Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

This is a very decadent dessert made with pear. Ingredients: 4 firm ripe pears vanilla or chocolate ice cream 7 oz chocolate 3 tbsp double cream (heavy cream) water 1/2 cup sugar whipped cream Preparation: 1. Peel the pears and stand them in a saucepan (it's ok if they do not stay standing. 2. Pour water and 1/2 cup sugar in the saucepan until 3/4 through the pear. 3. Simmer for 20 minutes. Let sit at room temperature , or in the fridge until ready to serve. 4. When ready to serve, melt the chocolate. 5. In a saucepan on the stove, mix 1/2 cup of the water mixture from the pear and the whipping cream and the melted chocolate, until desired consistency. 5. To serve, in a glass dish, or bowl, set a scoop of ice cream, put in a pear standing, add a scoop or 2 of whipped cream. Pour chocolate sauce over the whole assembly with special effort to cover the pear. Enjoy!

Muffins Waffles Pancakes Eggs and ham or bacon Frittatas Omelettes Coffe cakes Banana bread Cinnamon buns and Monkey bread Oatmeal For more Top Tens, visit OhAmanda blog .

No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Ingredients: Filling: 12 oz cream cheese 2/3 cup sugar 1 cup sour cream 1 cup whipping cream 2 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 tbsp unflavored gelatin Crust: 1 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup melted butter Topping: 2 1/2 cup blueberries 1 tbsp cornstartch 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1/8 cup water 1/4 cup sugar Instructions: Prepare crust: Mix together graham crackers, sugar and butter. Press firmly into a springform pan or pie dish. Refrigerate. Prepare filling: Put cream cheese in a mixing bowl over boiling water until slightly warm and soft. Soften unflavored gelatin over 2 Tbsp of warm milk. Beat sugar in the cream cheese (off the heat). Add in the gelatin and mix well until well mixed and well dissolved. Whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add in the sour cream and whip for a few more minutes until well combined. Fold that mixture into the cream cheese, along with the vanilla, until well combined. Pour into crust, and r

This recipe comes from a book given to me the year we got married by some very good friends. I took it to our Not-Back-to-School picnic on Tuesday and it was a winner. Roman Apple Cake 1. Preheat oven to 350. 2. Combine in mixing bowl: 1 cup sugar 2 1/4 cups flour 1 /4 tsp. salt 3/8 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. soda 1/2 tsp. cloves 1 tsp. cinnamon 3. Beat in: 2/3 cup shortening (you can use oil as well) 2 eggs 2/3 cups milk 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 4. Add: 3 cups raw apples, chopped small (with or without skin) Mix well. Pour into greased and floured 9x13" pan. 5. Cover with topping: Crumble together: 1 Tbsp. melted margarine or butter 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 tsp. flour 1/2 cup chopped nuts or coconut (optional) 1/4 cups rolled oats. 6. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Enjoy!

We just went blueberry picking last MOnday and I've got blueberries in the fridge and the freezer. These are sooooo good for you! I thought I'll share  a list of what I am planning to do with them: Blueberry Cheesecake (I just made one yesterday - the recipe is shortcoming) Blueberry muffins ( I am yet to post my 2 favorite ones) Blueberry coffecake Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cake Blueberry Coffee Crumb Cake Blueberry cobbler They are really good to add to smoothies, fruits salads, cereals, even plain drinks. Hope you got inspired . . .