Cooking With Gas

Appetizer

Ingredients:

1.5 C cooked chicken

8 oz cream cheese

1 C parmesean cheese

1 tbsp hot sauce

1/2 tsp salt

12 banana peppers, halved and seeded

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
• In a medium bowl, stire together chicken, cream cheese, parmesean, hot sauce, and salt.
• Put mixture in peppers.
• Bake for 15 minutes until peppers are softened.
• Drizzle with hot sauce if desired.

Side Dish

Ingredients:

2 cups pasta of choice
1 medium zucchini, about 10", sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 lb raw shrimp of any size, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup fresh basil, rinsed and sliced
salt and pepper

Directions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions.

• Meanwhile, pour oil in a large skillet and place over gas flame on medium heat.

• Add zucchini and red onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

• Add shrimp and cook 4-6 minutes more until shrimp are pink and cooked through.

• Drain pasta and toss with vegetables, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle in basil, and pour over vinaigrette. Serves 4. 

• Honey Mustard Vinaigrette: Whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 Tbsp dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp honey, and 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs loose/bult hot Italian sausage

6 C beef broth

1 C chopped onoins

1/2 C dry or semi-dry red wine

1 lb can (28oz) undrained pettite diced tomatoes

2 C thinly sliced carrots

1 C ketchup

1 tsp Italian seasoning

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 C diced zucchini

1/2 lb cheese-filled tortellini (uncooked or cooked al dente)

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

1/4 C chopped fresh parsley

Grated parmesean

Directions:

• Brown sausage and drain
• In a large soup pot, add cooked sausage, broth, onions, red wine, petite diced tomates (with juice), carrots, celery, ketchup, Italian seasoning, and garlic. 
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
• Stir in diced zucchini, tortellini, green pepper, and parsley.
• Note: Soup will be much thicker if adding uncooked tortellini. If using uncooked tortellini, add additional beef broth and simmer covered until pasta is tender, an additional 20-30 minutes. If using cooked tortellini, simmer for only an additional 5-10 minutes. 
• Sprinkle with parmesean cheese to serve.

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef tips or stew meat

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1 medium chopped onion

1 package of sliced mushrooms

1 packet of onion soup mix

1/s tsp black pepper

1 C sour cream

Directions:

Combine first seven ingredients in crockpot, cover, and cook on low for seven hours. Serve with sour cream over egg noodles.

Dessert

It might not look it, but this is one healthy recipe!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup applesauce
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla or coffee extract 
1 tsp baking soda 
1/2 tsp baking powder 
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2-1/2 cups flour 
3/4 cup dark or regular cocoa powder
3 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 large zucchini) undrained 

Directions:

• Preheat your gas oven to 325 degrees and spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

• In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, applesauce, and vanilla until smooth.

• Beat in eggs one at a time. 

• In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa.

• Add the mixed dry ingredients alternately with the yogurt to the egg mixture.

• Stir in the zucchini, turn batter into the cake pan, and bake for 30-45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 

• Serve as-is for a healthier treat, or top with your favorite ganache, buttercream, or chocolate glaze.