Pour mixture into prepared dish and bake 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Ovens vary so times will too. There are two schools of thought on when a brownie is done. I’m of the just cooked through school, but a lot of people prefer to have them a little drier than I do. Your choice. Cool on a cooking rack and then cut into squares. Enjoy!
BLAINE’S BEEF STROGANOFF
Ingredients:
l lb. sirloin steak
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
8 oz. mushrooms (cut the stem ends off and quarter them)
2 tbsp. chili sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 16 oz. pkg. wide butter noodles
2 tbsp. chopped chives for garnish
Directions:
Put the steak on a cutting board and cut it into approximately 1 inch square pieces. Put the flour in a paper or plastic bag and add one-fourth of the beef pieces. Shake the bag so the pieces become coated. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large deep pan over medium heat. When it’s hot remove the pieces from the bag and brown them in the oil, about 2 minutes on each side. When both sides have been browned, remove them and set aside. Repeat with 1/4 of the pieces at a time. When the last batch has been removed from the oil, add the chopped onion and sauté until soft. Return the meat to the pan and add the chili sauce, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for approximately one hour or until the meat is tender.
When the meat is tender bring the water for the noodles to a boil and prepare them according to the directions on the package.
Just before serving stir one cup of the meat mixture into the sour cream and then return that mixture to the remaining meat mixture, stirring to combine. (I know it sounds like an unnecessary step, but trust me on this one) Heat slowly until the entire mixture is warm. Drain the noodles. Put a serving of noodles in a soup bowl or spaghetti bowl. Top with the meat mixture and garnish with the chives. Enjoy!
NOTE: You can also serve this over rice or mashed potatoes.
COMFORT FOOD LINGUINI WITH CLAM SAUCE
Ingredients:
1 box linguini
1 tbsp. olive oil
½ cup diced onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (10 oz.) cans whole baby clams, drained (I used minced and chopped for years, but I found that whole clams really make a difference)
1 tsp. dried oregano
8 oz. bottle clam juice
½ cup chicken broth (If I don’t have homemade broth on hand, I prefer the concentrated brand that comes in a jar called ‘Better than Bouillon’ to cubes)
½ cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add enough salt so that it tastes like the ocean. Cook the linguini according to the directions on the package. You want the linguini to just be done, not mushy.
While you’re bringing the water to a boil, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and sauté until tender. When tender, add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Add the clams and sauté 2 more minutes. Add the oregano, salt, pepper and gently combine. Finally, add the clam juice, chicken broth, and wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pour the clam mixture over the drained linguine. You can add the parsley and stir to combine or use it along with the Parmesan as a garnish. I like to serve it in pasta bowls. Enjoy!
CHICKEN MANICOTTI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE
Ingredients:
1 box of manicotti noodles
1 jar of marinara sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 skinless chicken breasts or thighs (It’s usually cheaper if you buy them with the skin on and then remove it)
3 Italian sausages with the casings removed, torn into small bite size pieces
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 pint ricotta cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: Fresh parsley leaves, minced
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the skinless chicken in an ovenproof pan and bake, covered with tin foil, for 45 minutes. Let cool. When cool, shred or cut into bite-size pieces and set aside. Fry the sausage pieces over medium heat and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt until it tastes like the ocean. Cook the manicotti according to the package instructions. Drain and immediately transfer the manicotti noodles to a large bowl of ice water with plenty of ice cubes.
While you’re cooking the manicotti noodles, put the olive oil in a small frying pan. Heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the chopped onion and sauté until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove and set aside.
Combine the ricotta cheese, chicken, sausage, egg, Italian seasoning, sautéed onions, garlic, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper in a mixing bowl.
If you have oval individual dishes, spread ¼ cup of the marinara sauce in each one. If not, spread one cup of the marinara in a 9 x 13” pan. Gently remove the cooked manicotti noodles, one at a time, from the ice water and stuff them with the cheese, chicken, and sausage mixture. (It’s messy, and I’ve found the best way to do it is with my hands. Not particularly fun, but it works! Some of the noodles will probably tear. Don’t worry about it, just put the torn side down and no one but you will ever know.) If you’re using individual dishes, put two stuffed manicotti noodles in each dish. If you’re using the large pan, fill the noodles, allowing about ½ inch between them. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the noodles and place them side by side in a pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each of the individual dishes. If using one large dish, sprinkle all of the mozzarella cheese on it and the remaining marinara sauce. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. I like to sprinkle a little parsley on the top just before serving. Enjoy!
KAT’S COFFEE CAKE
Coffee Cake Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick mix
2/3 cup milk
2 tbs. granulated sugar
1 egg
Streusel Swirl Ingredients:
½ cup Bisquick mix
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
3 tbsp. firm butter cut into 12 pieces
Optional: ½ cup walnuts or pecans (Like I said earlier, my grandchildren are not fans of nuts)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9” round baking dish. In a medium bowl, prepare the coffee cake by combining the Bisquick mix, milk, sugar and the egg. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. In a small bowl prepare the streusel by combining the Bisquick mix, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Spoon it over the coffee cake. Using a table knife, push it back and forth through the streusel mixture so as to swirl the streusel into the coffee cake mixture. If desired, top with the nuts. Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until brown on top. Enjoy!
*****
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ABOUT DIANNE
Dianne lives in Huntington Beach, California, with her husband, Tom, a former California State Senator, and her boxer dog, Kelly. Her passions are cooking, reading, and dogs, so whenever she has a little free time, you can either find her in the kitchen, playing with Kelly in the back yard, or curled up with the latest book she’s reading.
Her other books are available below:
Amazon: Blue Coyote Motel
Amazon: Coyote in Provence
Amazon: Cornered Coyote
Amazon: Coyote Series
Amazon: Kelly’s Koffee Shop
Amazon: Murder at Jade Cove
Amazon: White Cloud Retreat
Amazon: Marriage and Murder
Amazon: Murder in Cottage #6
Amazon: Murder in the Pearl District
Amazon: Murder and Brandy Boy
Amazon: Murder in Calico Gold
Amazon: The Death Card
Amazon: Murder at The Cooking School
Amazon: Murder & The Monkey Band
Amazon: Murder at The Bed & Breakfast
Amazon: Murder at The Secret Cave
Amazon: Murder in Cuba
Amazon: The Blue Butterfly
Amazon: Trouble at the Kennel
Amazon: Murdered by Words
Please feel free to follow her on these social media sites:
Website: http://www.DianneHarman.com
Blog: http://www.DianneHarman.com/blog
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @DianneDHarman
Google+
Facebook Author Page (Thriller)
Facebook Author Page Cozy Mystery
Amazon Author Page
Blue Coyote Motel, an Amazon Kindle Best Seller, was a quarterfinalist in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award Contest and was also a Goodreads Psychological Thriller of the Month Book.
Murdered by Words: Midwest Cozy Mystery Series Page 12
