Eyes and Ears Pasta for Halloween

 Note: I found this recipe online about a year ago. I have yet to try it. If you get to it before I do let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients

To Make the Ears:
1 1/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup water
3 drops Red food coloring

To Make the Eyeballs:
1 1/2 pounds of Ground Chicken or more
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper (white if you have it but black will do)
1/8 teaspoon
garlic pitted medium green olives
pitted medium black olives

To make the Blood/Sauce:
1 small jar marinara sauce (or your favorite homemade recipe -- see Releated Recipes below)
red food coloring

Instructions

To Make the Eyeballs:
Dump the ground chicken in a mixing bowl, add the spices, and mix well. Make little balls of chicken about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place on a cookie sheet. To make the iris of the eye, take a green olive and cut in half and remove the pimento if you bought that type. To make the pupil, cut a black olive into small pieces. Now insert the black olive piece into the half of green olive. Stick the green olive onto the ground chicken eyeball. When you cook the eyeballs, you do not want them to brown, so steam them. Steam the eyeballs just like you would steam vegetables. It should take about 20 minutes over medium heat.

Prepare the Ears:
Roll out the dough on a floured counter with a rolling pin. The dough should end up about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out round pieces of dough using a glass about 3 inches in diameter. Cut a small hole in the middle of the 3 inch piece of dough to form the ear canal. Roll up the edge of the round piece of dough and form into an ear shape. It helps to have a picture of an ear since you cannot look at your own. I put my ear on the copy machine and made a copy.
Put the finished ears on a dishtowel and let dry overnight if possible. If you do not have time, an hour or two will suffice.
Cook the ears in boiling water and 1 tablespoon of olive for about 2 minutes or until they float to the top of the water. Drain the ears in a colander.

To Make the Blood:
Simply take a small jar of spaghetti sauce and mix in some red food coloring.

Assemble the Dish:
In a slow cooker or serving dish, pour the "blood" into bottom. Arrange the cooked "eyes" and "ears" and you're done. This dish can be easily reheated in a microwave or keep it warm in a slow cooker set on warm for the length of your party.

Deliciously Simple Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 2 cups Spaghetti sauce
• 1lb of Pasta
• 1/2 cup Ricotta
• 4 tablespoons Sour cream

Boil the pasta in salted water until tender. Drain. Add the sauce, ricotta and sour cream. Stir until well blended.

Meat Balls

• 1lb ground Beef
• 5 slices of Bread 
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1 teaspoon Basil
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Garlic Salt
• 6 tablespoons Olive oil or more

Preheat olive oil in a sauce pan on medium-high heat. In a large mixing bowl add the ground beef, egg, parmesan, basil, oregano, pepper and garlic salt. Soak each slice of bread in water and ring out. Tear into pieces and add to bowl. Mix ingredients well. Spoon mixture into hot frying pan using about 2 tablespoons of mixture per meat ball. Cook thoroughly. Mix with spaghetti or top spaghetti with meat balls, sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

Yield: 6 Servings

I didn't put much effort into the picture. It tastes great though!

Stir Fried Chicken and Veggies

Tonight was an easy night. Delicious, and very simple. Here is what you'll need. Note: You can substitute your own seasonings if you don't have mine.

Ingredients

• 3 boneless skinless Chicken breast halves
• 1/2 lb Pasta
• 16-oz bag of frozen Mixed Vegetables of your choice, thawed and drained
• 4 tablespoons of Olive oil
• Greek seasoning
• Lemon and Pepper seasoning salt
• 4 teaspoons Butter
• Salt
• Pepper

In a sauce pan heat oil on medium-high heat. Slice the chicken breasts in half and then cut into 2 inch strips. Season with lemon and pepper seasoning salt and add to oil once hot. Cook, tossing chicken periodically. Once it has cooked thoroughly add the mixed vegetables and cook until the liquid has evaporated from the pan. Add the greek seasoning and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 more minutes or until vegetables are starting to brown.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain and place back on burner. Add the butter and stir until it's melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix the chicken and vegetables with the pasta and serve.

Yield: 5-6 servings

Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners. Sift flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, salt and baking powder together into a large bowl. Dredge the blueberries in the sifted ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the milk, butter and egg. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Let muffins sit for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. 

 

 

Carrots and Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 Broccoli bunch, chopped into individual bunches
• 8-oz baby Carrots
• 3 Pork chops, chopped
• 4 tablespoons Olive oil
• 4 tablespoons Butter
• 4 tablespoons Flour
• 2 cups Milk
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1/2 lb. Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 lb. Pasta, cooked

Place broccoli and carrots in a pot with enough salted water to cover. Boil until tender; about 30 minutes. Set aside. In a sauce pan on medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Season pork as desired and add to sauce pan until cooked thoroughly and browned. Place with vegetables. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in milk. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, or until thickened. Add cheese, stirring to melt. Blend thoroughly. Mix with pork, vegetables and pasta. Serves 4.

Potato Dumplings

Ingredients

• 6 large Potatos, boiled and mashed
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 3 eggs, beaten slightly
• 1/2 lb ground Beef

To cooled potatoes, add flour, salt, nutmeg and eggs. Roll ground beef into balls, 1/2 inch in diameter. Mold potato mixture around meatballs. Drop in boiling water. Cover tightly and continue boiling for 15 minutes. Do not lift lid. Serve with vegetable soup. Serves 6.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients

• 2 medium sized Eggplants
• 1 cup Vegetable oil
• 2 6-oz cans Tomato paste
• 2 cups Water
• 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 3-oz can Mushrooms
• 1 lb Mozzarella cheese

Peel eggplant and slice into 1.2 inch slices. Fry in oil until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Cover bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch buttered pan with a layer of eggplant slices. Combine tomato paste and water, mixing well. Pour over eggplant. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. Repeat laters, ending with mozzarella cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Makes 10 servings.