I’m an adventurous cook but I never made manicotti until my husband’s grandmother gave me her recipe for the crepes! I find it’s a lot easier to make manicotti with crepes than those tubes you have to boil and fill. I hope you’ll think so too and give it a try yourselves. P.S. I think that if I wasn’t an author, I’d want to be a chef like the characters in SOUTH BEACH LOVE. If you haven’t read SOUTH BEACH LOVE, it’s specially priced at 99 cents at https://amzn.to/4hbnXQr or you can download it for free if you sign up for my newsletter at https://bit.ly/CaridadsNewsletter.

Manicotti

Manicotti Crepes

3 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 cup club soda
3 large eggs
6 tbsp melted butter, cooled
1 tsp salt

Beat the eggs in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. The mix should be like a runny pancake batter. Be sure not to overmix as this will make the crepes harder.

Oil the non-stick skillet with just a little oil smeared around the skillet with a paper towel.

Heat the skillet until a drop of water dances on the surface. Then kick it down a notch and ladle in the batter, a little over a 1/4 cup per crepe. Give the skillet a twirl until the bottom is coated with the batter. It should be about 1/8 inch thick and not much more. The crepe will start to set and when it’s almost fully set, flip it for another half a minute or so.

Lay the cooked crepes on a plate. It’s okay to stack them until you are done. The butter in the batter keeps them from sticking to the skillet and to each other.

You will get about 20 crepes from the above mix. That’s enough to make two 9×13 pans of baked manicotti.

The above recipe is also for a slightly thicker batter/crepe since thin ones can be hard to handle. But once you get the hang of it, add an additional 1/2 of cold water for a thinner batter/crepe.

Ricotta Filling for the Manicotti

2 eggs
3 pounds Ricotta (Drain it for a few hours to get rid of the excess liquid)
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese (or preferably a 2 or 4 cheese mix with fontina, asiago, parmesan)
Chopped fresh parsley if you have it, if not a little dried (but it’s not an essential)
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Beat the eggs and then add everything else (but leave a handful or two of the shredded cheese for a topping). Mix it all up and put about 3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture spread across the crepe. I use a cookie scoop so I have the same amount in each crepe. Roll the crepe to cover the cheese mixture. Lay the crepe with the rolled edge down on a greased pan with a little bit of red sauce.

Roll all the crepes and lay them side by side. A 9×13 pan should allow for ten crepes to go there side by side. Cover with a little red sauce and top with mozzarella. Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes and then serve!

For a change of pace, cook up some spinach, squeeze out the extra liquid, chop and mix it into the cheese mixture. It’s quite tasty that way also.

Bon Apetit!

What it looks like from batter to crepe, and also the filling!

When the winter winds blow and bite, it’s time for a warm, stick-to-your-ribs dinner. I love stews, pot roasts, and all kinds of meals like that during cold winter days. Today’s Foodie Friday recipe is a variation on a pot pie. Filling is basically the same but instead of pie crusts, the recipe is easier by just topping the filling with biscuits. I’m all in favor of making life easier and still having a tasty supper. I hope you enjoy the recipe below! P.S. If you haven’t already picked up your copies of DANGER IN DADE and the other books in the South Beach Security series, you can snag them at https://amzn.to/3PoCWdv.

Ingredients

1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup half-n-half or milk (whichever you have handy)
1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
1/4 cup minced celery
1/2 cup minced onion or leek (whichever you have handy)
2 tbsp butter
3 cups shredded chicken meat (your local store rotisserie chicken is perfect for this)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, microwave the peas and carrots for about three minutes.

In a cast iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and saute the onion/leek and celery until just soft. Add the chicken, cream of chicken soup, and half-n-half/milk.

Mix everything well.

Top this mixture with the biscuits and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the

Remove from oven and cool a bit. The inside filling will be very hot, but that’s just what you need on a cold winter day.

I don’t regularly buy the famous (or should I say infamous) Costco roasted chicken. I don’t know why I don’t because it is such a bargain. For 4.99 my hubby and I made at least 5 different meals and this Foodie Friday I’m sharing a menu for using your Costco chicken. Let’s get started for today’s Cook’s Treat!

Day 1 – Eat the roasted chicken with some green beans or peas, and baked or mashed potato. Once you’re done with the meal, take all the meat off the carcass.

Day 2- Place the carcass in the stockpot and cover it with water. I add a little miso and Better Than Bouillon for some added flaver. Also add some chopped onions, chopped celery, and sliced carrots. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer for about an hour or so. Remove the carcass and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove the last of the meat and when you are ready to eat, add that meat as well as about a cup of the dark meat you removed from the carcass the night before (chopped). Add a cup of something green, like chopped kale or spinach. I use frozen. Also add a 16 ounce can of white bean (drained) and two cups of either noodles or ditalini. Cook about 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Serve with salad and a hearty bread.

Day 3 – Chicken Pot Pie: Use a tube of crescent rolls. Grease two small baking crocks. Open the crescent rolls. You’ll notice that 2 crescent rolls make a perfect square and there are four (4) of them. Put one in the bottom of each crock. In a bowl, place 2 cups chopped chicken. Add 1/2 can of either cream of chicken or mushroom soup. Add 1/4 cup of half and half or milk. Microwave a 16 oz package of pixed vegetables. Add to the bowl and mix all the ingredients. Scoop over the crescent roll square in the crock. Cover the remaining square of crescent roll. Bake at 350 until browned and bubbly.

Day 4 – You probably have some soup left over. For a light dinner, slice the chicken for a sandwich or a club sandwich. I made chicken salad with mayo, craisins, apples, and chopped pecans. Serve soup and salad for dinner.

Day 5- There was still some chicken left over and I shredded it and with some cheddar, used it as a filling for chicken enchiladas!

WOW – 5 days of meals with a 4.99 chicken and some other inexpensive additions. If you want to upscale things, use only leeks in #3 and make a chicken leek pie. With the broth you make for the soup, you can change this up by adding chopped potatoes instead of the beans and adding some corn and half and half for a chowder-like soup. If you’re a salad lover, which I am not, make a salad with the chicken cubes, blue cheese, craisins, and some glazed walnuts/pecans.

Hope this helps you plan a menu with your Costco chicken deal!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving Day yesterday and I hope you did as well! My son-in-law made the most fabulous turkey I’ve ever had on his smoker. It was incredibly moist and so tasty. It’s almost a crime to make it into pot pie it was so good. My daughter’s ham was equally delicious while I provided some side dishes, including that corn casserole I love so much! Today I’m sharing a recipe for a hearty and comforting turkey pot pie you can make with those holiday leftovers!

Caridad’s Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients

2 pie crust shells (Pillsbury, box mix, or made from scratch)
3 cups chopped turkey
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup peas (Fresh, canned or frozen. If canned or frozen, pre-cook and drain to eliminate excess liquid)
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup celery chopped
1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 can Half and half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (the real stuff!)
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly grease large 9-inch pie pan. You can do individual, but I did one big pan to save time. If you’re using dark metal pans, you may need to cut down on the cooking time.

Saute mushrooms in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Olive oil is my go-to but you can substitute vegetable oil or butter if you prefer.

Saute mushrooms for about 3 minutes to get rid of their liquid.

Add carrots and celery and saute for another 3 minutes or so.

Add onions and saute until softened, about another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add mushroom soup and the half and half and stir well. Remove from the heat and add the turkey. Mix well until all the turkey is coated with the sauce. I’m not cooking the turkey at this stage since it’s already cooked and I don’t want to overcook it since it’s going into the oven for at least 30-40 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste and add peas, mixing them in gently. I had canned peas and they are softer, so I added them last. If you’re using frozen ones that you’ve cooked, you may add them in earlier, but don’t mush them up.

Prepare your pie pan with the bottom layer of crust, stretching it up carefully to reach up the sides.

Fill the pan with your turkey, soup, and vegetable mixture and make sure it’s level. Top with the grated parmesan cheese.

Cover this mix with the top pie crust shell. Close the edges of the pie by folding and crimping the edges all around.

Cut a few slits in the top pie crust to allow steam to escape so you won’t burst that top crust with the steam.

Cook this pie for about 30 minutes. Remove and place a tin foil collar on the crimped edges of the pie so they won’t brown too much. Cook for another 10 or so minutes or until the top crust is golden brown.

Let sit for about 5 minutes and then slice and eat.

Some people will do an egg wash on the top of the crust. That will give you a nice glaze and color, but that extra color can throw you off as to the pie crust being cooked.

Bon Apetit!

I love everything about Thanksgiving dinner. I love the food. I love getting together with family. I love having a moment to be grateful for all that I have in my life, including all of you who come to visit! My favorite side dish on Thanksgiving is a corn casserole. My sister gave me the recipe for this years ago and now I make it every Thanksgiving. What’s even better is that it’s a very simple recipe. If you try it, please let me know if you liked it! P.S. Only 4 more days until the release of KILLER IN THE KENNEL. Thanks to all who’ve already bought it and made it #75 in Police Romance E-books. Do you think we can get it to #1? Pre-order your copy today at https://amzn.to/3ZgKnt0.

Ingredients

One 15 ounce can cream corn
One 15 ounce can kernel corn drained
One pint low fat sour cream
One stick melted butter
One package Jiffy corn muffin mix
One cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine first 5 ingredients. Grease casserole or brownie pan with butter. Pour ingredients into pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until firm. Sprinkle cheese over top and let melt 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let casserole sit for another 10 minutes. Enjoy!

The garden has been good to me this year and has given me lots of eggplants and peppers. I had too many the other day and decided to make a Sicilian-inspired baked ziti! It’s tasty, delicious, comfort food and today I’m sharing my recipe with you! It’s pretty easy and also makes for good leftovers. P.S. If you love romances packed with tasty food, grab a copy of SOUTH BEACH LOVE, now a Hallmark Original Movie. It’s specially priced at 99 cents (https://amzn.to/3Y10qJx) or free when you sign up for my newsletter (https://bit.ly/CaridadsNewsletter)!

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 red (or green) pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 35-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes (it does make a difference!)
1 32-ounce tub of Galbani Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese (Yes, it is the tastiest)
1 16-ounce whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt for pasta water
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp basil (Fresh if you have it)
Water for pasta
1 pound penne rigati (works better than ziti)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish (I use an aluminum foil one for easy clean-up). Fill a pot with water and 2 tsp salt and bring to a boil to cook the pasta.

For the sauce, place 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan and heat until shimmering. Once oil is hot, add eggplant and saute for at least 5 minutes or more. Then add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes. Finally, add pepper, onions, and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for no less than 30 minutes. If you can let it go an hour, even better.

In a bowl, place ricotta, beaten egg, 8 ounces of the grated mozzarella, and the chopped parsley. Stir well.

Bowl the penne but do not cook all the way. My brand said to give it 9-10 minutes but I only cooked it for 5. Why? You are going to mix with the sauce and also bake it. That will keep cooking the pasta. You do not want it to get too soft.

Drain the pasta and mix with the tomatoes and veggies. Cook for about two minutes. Place half this mixture in your baking dish.

This next trick I learned from my daughter. Spread the ricotta mixture across this layer. Then top with the remaining pasta, tomato, and veggie mix. Top with the last of the grated mozzarella. You can also top it with some grated parmesan at this point.

Bake for 30 minutes. Broil for another 2-3 minutes to toast the mozzarella.

Serve with garlic bread, salad, and a nice red wine! Bon Appetit!