Hollandaise Sauce

Joan created this tangy hollandaise sauce for our Pre-Easter dinner. While Joan drizzled it over asparagus, it would compliment other spring vegetables such as sugar snap peas or broccoli. While traditional hollandaise is high in calories and labor-intensive, this version is very tasty and ready in just five minutes.

1/2 cup Light Mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1 tsp. lemon juice


Mix all ingredients in saucepan.

Cook on low heat 5 min. or until heated through, stirring constantly.

Serve over hot steamed fresh fresh spring veggies.

Makes 1 cup or 8 servings, 2 Tbsp. each.


Jazz it up: Serve sauce over vegetables as directed, then garnish with chopped fresh parsley or finely chopped red peppers.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Brian and Heather arrived on this Good Friday for the Easter holiday. Emily also joined us for dinner. Along with the traditional pierogi and kielbasa, Joan prepared macaroni and cheese. This classic dish is favorite of the boys.


2 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard (optional)
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
2 Tbsp margarine or butter
2 cups (18 oz) shredded American or Cheddar cheese, divided
8 oz elbow macaroni (about 1 3/4 cups), cooked 7 minutes and drained


1. In medium saucepan combine first 4 ingredients; stir in milk. Add margarine; stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in 1 3/4 cups cheese until melted. Add elbows. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheese.

3. Bake uncovered in 375°F oven 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Bake Time: 25 minutes

Additional suggestion:
Baked Ham N’ Cheese Macaroni: In step 2, stir in 1 cup diced ham with elbows.

Super Easy Fish Skillet

Mediterranean flavors "pop" in this classic Spanish fish dish made simple. Joan chose Tilapia fillets as the fish. While Joan was served this dish with yams, rice or pasta would make a fine side.


Prep: 5 min. Total: 20 min.


1/2 red onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup black olives

1 lb. frozen fish fillets, such as haddock, halibut or cod, thawed

Cook onion in dressing in large skillet until tender.
Add tomatoes, pepper and olives.

Top with fish: cover. Simmer gently on medium heat
8 to 10 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Makes 4 servings.

For a flavor boost add garlic and red pepper flakes to the sauce.

Pesto Lasagna Rolls

Is there anyone on earth who doesn't like lasagna? Besides Garfield, I mean. Here is an alternative to traditional lasagna. A lighter, brighter and more interesting version - the lasagna roll.

Originally an old Sunset magazine recipe. The lasagna rolls were baked in whipping cream enriched with a jolt of pesto. Joan borrowed the preparation style, but added some spinach to increase the nutrients, cut way back on the cheese and used tomato sauce instead of whipping cream to cover the rolls.

12 lasagna noodles
1 jar (26 ounces) pasta sauce
or 3 cups homemade
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach
thawed, squeezed dry
1 jar (3'/2 ounces) prepared pesto
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain.

Heat oven to 350°. Spread 2 cups of the tomato sauce in bottom of a greased 13-by-9-inch pan. Combine garlic, ricotta, spinach, pesto, egg, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Place a lasagna noodle on a clean kitchen towel; spread 1/4 cup of the ricotta mixture on the noodle. Roll noodle up; place seam-side down in pan. Repeat with remaining noodles. Pour remaining tomato sauce over noodles; sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes. Uncover; cook until cheese is golden brown, 10-15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Meatloaf

While Spring will officially be sprung at 8:07 this evening, the outside temperature has not realize it yet. So there is still time to serve a family favorite. This recipe is from the kitchen of Mildred Council, known as Mama Dip to her family, friends and customers.

Serve with masked potatoes — a must! But a baked potato will fit the bill. Aunt Dorothea's sweet pepper jelly sauce makes for a splendid topping.

2 pounds of ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
l tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Mix all the ingredients together; place the mixture in a loaf pan or shape into a loaf and place in a baking pan. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until firm when pressed in the center.

Serves 8.

As fate would have it wouldn't you know that thanks to Steve Parton Michael got a job checking IDs at the Meatloaf concert at the Onondaga War Memorial in Syracuse On Thursday evening of March 22nd.

Mark Bialczak’s review of the Meatloaf concert.

Hamburger Soup

Since it is snowing again, and Brad and Michael are traveling to Syracuse to work on Rusty’s project, and Joan is going to her Seymour Library book club, Hamburger Soup seems to be just the right item for the supper menu. Easy to prepare and warms the body.

1 pound of ground beef
5 cups of water
1 6 oz. can of tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped (1 cup)
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/3 cup pearl barley
1 package beef bouillon (1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried crushed basil
1 bay leaf (optional)
salt and white pepper to taste
1/4 cup ketchup

1. In a large pan brown the ground beef. Stir slightly to breakup large pieces. Drain off the excess fat.

2. Add the water, undrained tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery, barley, bouillon, seasoned salt, basil, ketchup and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for one hour or until the vegetables are tender.

3. Season with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaf.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Joan purchased a Deni Meat Tenderizer from QVC. With this kitchen aid in hand, she tenderized the chicken breasts before making this meal.

2 boneless, skinless whole chicken breasts (4 chicken breast halves)
l/3 cup goat cheese
1/2 cup roasted red pepper strips from a jar,drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen spinach
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons lemon olive oil (or any extra virgin olive oil)
Salt and pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry chicken breasts well. Tenderized chicken breasts. Lay each whole chicken breast half on its own large sheet of nonstick foil or foil coated with canola cooking spray. Spread half the goat cheese over half of each whole chicken breast. Top the goat cheese with roasted red pepper strips.

Blend parsley, spinach, garlic and olive oil in a small food processor or electric mixer. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired. Use 1/4 of the mixture on each chicken breast to top red pepper strips, then fold the breasts over to create the stuffed chicken breasts. Divide remaining parsley mixture and use to top the four stuffed breasts. Completely
wrap each with the foil. Place the foil pouches on a 9-inch-square baking dish.

Bake for 45 minutes. Open the pouches to uncover the chicken breasts and broil, if desired, for about a minute or two to lightly brown the top.

Makes 4 petite servings.

After dining on the stuffed chicken breasts, it was agreed that a white sauce might add to this entree.