IT's HERE! The New March Issue Has Been Released!

It's here! The new March issue of the Welcome Home online blog magazine was released early this morning and is now ready for your viewing pleasure! I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I did making all these recipes and sharing them with you. March is the month for delicious recipes for St. Paddy's Day and Easter. I think you might find some great recipe choices for those holiday meals.

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THE NEW MARCH ISSUE!

I just finished the March issue of the Welcome Home Online Magazine and I'm way ahead of schedule!  Just wondering if anyone would like a bite of my carrot cake?

This recipe will be featured in the next issue coming out March 1st. It's called The Perfect Carrot Cake.....and I promise it lives up to its name!

When you click on the link below and subscribe to the Welcome Home Online Magazine, you will have almost instant access to over 500 of my private recipes that are exclusive to subscribers only. And there are 200 more recipes coming to the magazine this year! All for only $2 a month (paid annually).

Plus you will become an instant member of the Welcome Home Recipe Fan club where you will find even more recipes that you haven't seen before.  

Here's your link: http://www.welcome-home-blog.net/p/my-store.html   

Now guess where this bite is headed?

Cheesy Meatball Casserole

I just love pasta. I love how you can take a few ingredients and turn them into something so divine that you close your eyes as you savor every bite!  Like this one.  It starts off with your basic pasta....I like Rotini for this one...and ends up loaded with incredible meatballs, a rich chunky tomato meat sauce and tons of cheese. This is a keeper my friends!

Cheesy Meatball Casserole

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground chuck
1/2 ground pork
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs (or more if  needed)
1  1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Shape into small meatballs and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.  Set aside.

Meat Sauce

1 pound ground beef
1 (26 oz) jar Ragu Chunky Tomato, Garlic, Onion

Brown ground beef in large heavy skillet until no longer pink. Drain and return skillet to burner and reduce heat to low. Add sauce and simmer for 15 minutes until heated through.

Casserole

1 box (16 oz) Rotini
4 cups Mozzarella cheese

Boil Rotini as directed on package and drain well.  Return to pot and turn off heat.  Mix in meat sauce and stir well. Pour into a 9 x 13 casserole and arrange meatballs on top of casserole.  Top entire casserole with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until cheese has melted and casserole is hot and bubbly.

• Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home 

Four Cheese Manicotti

This was dinner on Saturday night. Simple and delicious and so good. I served it with a nice tossed salad and some warm and crusty Italian bread fresh out of the oven. Those Italians sure know what they're doing when it comes to cooking! Who doesn't love pasta like this?

 NOTE: I held up on the sauce for the photo because it is hard to capture the right color when the red sauce is too prominent. However, I the manicotti was sitting on top of just the right amount of marinara sauce when I served it.

Four Cheese Manicotti

1 box (about 12) manicotti, uncooked
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, un-drained
1 jar (6 oz) tomato paste
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 cups (16 oz.) shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz) shredded provolone cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain well. In a large skillet, over medium heat, saute onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30 minutes.

Filling: Combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, Parmesan cheese and egg; mix well. Carefully stuff your cooked pasta with cheese mixture.

Spread half the sauce on bottom of greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti over sauce. Spoon remaining sauce on top; cover tightly with non-stick aluminum foil. Bake 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Note: You may want to add ground beef or Italian Sausage to your sauce.

Photograph is copyrighted and the property of Welcome Home.

My Insanely Delicious Garlic Bread

If you put a loaf of warm garlic bread just out of the oven in front of me and a big slice of the most decadent chocolate cake with rich creamy frosting, I would take the bread. Hands down. Every single time.  I am one of those people that loves hot bread just out of the oven with lots of butter. I have been known to eat too much bread and not have enough room for dinner when it finally comes to the table.  I'm about to share with you my insanely delicious Garlic Bread and you'll know why.

Insanely Delicious Garlic Bread

1 loaf Vienna or Italian bread
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup room temperature butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the powdered kind)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make your garlic herb butter first.  In a small bowl combine the garlic and fresh parsley. Next add the butter, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper and mix until smooth.  Take the time to grate your own Parmesan cheese.  Set aside.

Prepare your loaf of bread.  You can use whatever bread you like. But I like a loaf of Italian bread for this recipe.

With a serrated knife, slice your loaf of bread into thick slices without cutting all the way to the bottom. Leave about ½- inch at the bottom uncut.  Don't cut all the way through.  

Next, using a rubber spatula, add the butter mixture between each slice using all the filling you have made. I smear it in between the slices and all over the front.  Then wrap it tightly in aluminum foil.

Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover the bread and bake for an additional 5 minutes to crisp up the outside of the bread.  

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.

Roasted Sweet Chili Rubbed Haddock with Olives

I am always looking for new ways to prepare fish so I was excited when I saw this dish on the menu at my favorite seafood restaurant. Sometimes I will ask the server if the chef is willing to share the ingredients of a dish. Other times I have to figure it out myself and that's always fun. This time I put the flavors together in my head and made it at home. I started with a dry rub using seasonings I already had in my pantry. Then instead of using hot peppers, I decided to top it off with StarFine Foods Tomato and Pepper Marinated Olives to give it a spicy twist! The blend of spices turned out so flavorful that now I use it on my fish recipes. 

Roasted Sweet Chili Rubbed Haddock with Olives

2 Haddock Fillets

1 tablespoon Star Find Foods Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

½ cup Star Fine Foods Tomato and Pepper Marinated Olives, sliced

1 tablespoon capers

1 teaspoon of scallions, just the green part

Pat dry your fillets with a paper towel. Salt and pepper both sides and set aside while you make your rub.

Sweet Chili Rub

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
½ teaspoon Oregano
½ teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
¼ teaspoon Cumin
¼ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

In a small bowl combine all of the spices and mix well. Brush the fillets with olive oil on both sides and then rub the spice mix generously all of the fish. You will use the entire rub – so make sure to coat them very well. Refrigerate the haddock for about an hour.

Place the fish on a foil-lined baking sheet and top with sliced olives and scallions and capers. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes – the fish will flake easily when it’s cooked through.  Serve immediately.

Photographs are the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.

StarFine Food's new Flavor Destinations: (Tomato & Peppers) Marinated Olives are available at Raley’s, Albertsons (Arizona), Safeway (Arizona) and Walmart stores and online at:  http://bit.ly/TomatoPeppersOlives

So far I've tried Star's new  Hot Pepper Stuffed Olives, the new Lemon Stuffed Olives. the new Flavor Destinations Spanish (Tomato & Peppers) Marinated Olives, and the new Flavor Destinations Italian Garlic and Basil Marinated Olives.

And I love them all! 

Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

Olive Tapenade Bruschetta With A Kick

Along with all the appetizers and snacks, I always make some sort of a Bruschetta to put out for a party.  I also like to put out a few relish trays and it seems that the olives are always the first to need a refill. This year I have decided to combine the two and make a spicy olive tapenade to spread on my crostini rounds. It was such an easy recipe to make thanks to Star Fine Foods. I used their Hot Pepper Stuffed Green Olives to give this appetizer the perfect kick!  These little crusty rounds topped with a subtle dash of heat are going to be just perfect for the big game! 

Olive Tapenade Bruschetta With A Kick

1 jar StarFine Foods Hot Pepper Stuffed Green Olives, chopped

4 Tablespoons Star Fine Food Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced

1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1/8 teaspoon pepper

¼ cup parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 medium French baguette, sliced (about 30 slices) or use petite toasts

Drain the liquid from the olives and finely chop. Next finely chop the garlic and the onion and add to the olives. Then add the capers, parsley, lemon juice and pepper and stir to blend. Finally add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix well.

NOTE:  If you use a food processor you want to only pulse it about 3 or 4 times so that you keep it a little chunky.  Pour into serving bowl and refrigerate.  Slice your rounds and stack around bowl when ready to serve.

If you prefer toasted Crostini:

Prepare the crostini toasts by laying them out on a baking sheet and brushing each slice with olive oil.  Put the baking sheet under the broiler and broil on low for about a minute or two until golden brown.  Remove and allow to slightly cool.

Spread a heaping tablespoon of the tapenade onto each slice of toasted bread. Arrange on a serving platter and serve immediately.

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.

Star Fine Food's new Hot Pepper Stuffed Green Olives are available at Savemart and Walmart stores and online at http://bit.ly/HotPepperOlives.

So far I've tried Star's new  Hot Pepper Stuffed Olives, the new Lemon Stuffed Olives. the new Flavor Destinations Spanish (Tomato & Peppers) Marinated Olives, and the new Flavor Destinations Italian Garlic and Basil Marinated Olives.

And I love them all! 

Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!