MARINARA SAUCE

2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp of oregano
1 Tbsp of basil
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
1/4 cup of water

Saute garlic in oil (do not burn)
Add crushed tomatoes and water
Add oregano, basil, salt, pepper and garlic powder

Cook over low heat approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve over your favorite pasta

*This is a great meal to make when you really need something quick.
You can always add a jar or can of drained mushrooms to it to make it a little different.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH POTATOES & PEAS

4-6 chicken thighs (with bones in and skin on)
4 or 5 potatoes
1 can of peas, drained
Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Spray a baking/roasting pan with cooking spray
Place chicken thighs in pan, skin side up
Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder

Roast in 350 degree oven until the skins are browned approx. 15 minutes
turn and cook on the other side 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel potatoes, cut up and put in pot with cold water, season with salt and cook until tender but not completely done. Drain and add to chicken after chicken has been browned on both sides, making sure to turn the potatoes a few times to coat them with the drippings from the chicken.

Add the drained peas and mix again.

Put everything back in the oven and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes more or until the chicken is done.

CHILI

1 and 1/2 pounds of chopped beef
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 can of red kidney beans (15 oz)
1 package of dry chili seasoning

Brown meat in medium size pot.
Drain off excess liquid.
Add seasoning package and tomato sauce
Add 1/2 can of water (use tomato sauce can)
Add kidney beans, including the liquid.
Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder

Cook together about 20 minutes.

Serve over rice or with grated cheddar cheese, finely chopped onions, tortilla chips

Please go to cookingwithdiane.blogspot.com and leave your comments to let me know what you thought of this recipe.

ROASTED RED PEPPERS

As many red peppers as you want.

Wash the peppers and leave wet.

Line a cookie sheet or two or however many you need to accommodate the peppers, with aluminum foil.

Place peppers on lined cookie sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven turning from time to time as they begin to cook.

When they begin to deflate and soften, they are done. The time this takes varies and also depends if you prefer them soft or hard. Use your own judgement.

When they are done, place them in a large bowl (including any juice that may have escaped from the peppers, cover with plastic wrap and put them aside to cool down. If you don't have time to clean them you can refrigerate until you do.

I like to put some plastic bags down on the counter and then paper towels over them. Have a couple of bowls to work with and also keep a bowl of water near by to clean you hands now and then. Paper towels also. This is a bit messy but I assure you they are a thousand times better than store bought.

Hold the pepper over the bowl and peel and remove the seeds. Place the seeds and peels on the bags covered with paper towel for easy clean-up. The pieces of red pepper go into another bowl. After doing this with each pepper, take a clean bowl and go through them again to remove any remaining seeds. Pour all of the liquid through a strainer over the peppers.

The peppers can be separated into plastic containers and frozen.

To serve, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. If you want to you can add a little olive oil as well. I think they taste just fine without it.

AUNT MARY'S RICE BALLS

4 cups rice (small grain or medium grain, if you can't find small)
7 & 1/2 cups of water
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder
1 stick of butter

Put all together in pot and cook until all water is absorbed.

Taste rice and if it feels too hard add a little more water a little at a time and cook until rice is tender.

Let rice cool

After it's cool, add 2 eggs one at a time and mix in well. Add approximately 1/4 cup of grated cheese and mix in well.

MEAT FILLING
Brown about 1 pound of chopped meat (beef or pork). Drain and add one 8 oz. can of delmonte sauce or any brand of tomato sauce you like. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

MOZZARELLA
Cut up some mozzarella.

TO ASSEMBLE RICE BALLS:
Put a little rice in your hand and put some meat and mozzarella in center, cover with a little more rice - shape into a ball and roll in bread crumbs. I find if I moisten my hands it's easier to roll the balls.

Deep fry.

Drain on paper towels.

I hope this recipe comes out good for you. It is a bit messy to work with but oh so worth it. My mom was certainly the expert rice ball maker and I hope that I am able to follow in her footsteps.

PEAS AND MACARONI

1/2 lb of elbow macaroni
1 can of peas
1/2 onion sliced
2-3 tbsp. of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic

Saute garlic and onion in oil.
Add peas (including water)
Season with salt and pepper

Separately, cook elbow macaroni in boiling water (add 1 tsp of salt to the water)
when almost done, drain macaroni, reserving some of the water.

Combine the macaroni with the peas and add as much of the reserved water to make it to the consistency you like.

Cook together about 15 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of butter and stir.

Serve with grated parmesan or romano cheese.



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Enjoy!

PASTA FA-GIOLI (BEANS AND PASTA)

Pasta Fa-Gioli (Beans and Pasta)

1/2 pound of pasta (tubbitini or ditalini)
1 large can of cannelini beans
2 cloves of garlic
1-2 tbsp olive oil

In a medium size saucepan saute garlic in oil
Add beans (including the water)
Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder

Boil pasta in a large pot
when almost done, drain reserving some of the water.
Add pasta to beans along with some of the reserved water (the amount is up to you)
Cook together on low heat for about 20 minutes to combine flavors.

Serve with grated romano or parmesan cheese.

HOME MADE ITALIAN MEATBALLS

1 lb of chopped beef
3 eggs
4 slices of white bread (crust removed) wet with hot water and squeeze out excess water.
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder (to taste)
1/4 cup of grated romano cheese

bread crumbs to coat meatballs
oil to fry meatballs

Place chopped beef in a large bowl, add eggs, wet bread, salt, pepper, garlic powder and grated cheese.
Mix well and shape into balls
Coat balls with bread crumbs and fry till browned all over.

Drain on paper towels.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2 cups chicken breast cut into cubes
Approx. 1 cup of flour
Salt & Pepper
2 cups of carrots (either sliced or baby carrots) (if you love carrots, add more)
2 Tb oil
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of Ketchup
1/4 cup of vinegar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 Tb worcestershire sauce

Put flour, salt and pepper in plastic bag, add chicken and shake to coat chicken. Discard excess flour.

Brown chicken in oil.

In bowl combine water, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and worcestershire sauce. Stir mixture and add to chicken. In separate pot par-boil the carrots till almost tender and then drain and add to chicken. Let cook together for approx. 20 minutes or so.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Welcome to Cooking With Diane!

Welcome to Cooking With Diane!

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I hope that you will enjoy trying these recipes. Most of them are what I would consider to be relatively easy to prepare and fairly quick. You will find that some of them are very forgiving and you can make a small amount or a large amount depending on your needs.

It's mostly up to you. If a recipe calls for peas and you really like peas, you can add a little more. If not so much, add less. A lot of the time when I'm cooking it's based on what I have in the house and how much time I have for the preparation.

Please feel free to post questions in the comments section and I will answer you as soon as possible.

Diane