Cook with Love and Amber

  Around Christmas time last year my Nanni passed away. She left behind a beautiful and well lived life which made possible 4 children, 14 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, and countless friends and extended family. She was a cancer survivor, an active member of her church, and enjoyed a cup of coffee and always had cookies on deck for the grandkids.  I wanted to honor her with a recipe from a beautiful book put together by her daughter, my Aunt Kim, which became a tearful Christmas gift because none of us knew last year that she wouldn't be there to share it. The cookbook contains recipes from Nanni's personal collection, both handwritten and typed, and also includes many recipes from other family members to create a Stilwell Family Cookbook across generations.  I decided to use Nanni's meatball recipe to highlight her skills in the kitchen with simple family style meal. The recipe below is my take on her original dish. If you're looking for an easy, delic...

This butternut squash ravioli is served in a delicious brown butter sauce with toasted pecans. This unique dish is easy to make and will really pack a savory yet sweet flavor punch of fall for your guests who will be delighted and full by the end of the meal!  Serves 4 Time to Completion: 1 hour Ingredients : 2 packs Wegmans brand squash ravioli 1 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp fresh thyme, removed from stem and divided salt & pepper to taste 4 tbsp butter 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp lemon juice 1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped Directions : Preheat the oven to 400 Cut the ends off the butternut squash and microwave for 1 minute Allow to cool, then use a large kitchen knife to remove the skin.  Split the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and strings Cut the squash into 1/2 inch pieces until you have 2 cups Toss the cubed squash on a baking sheet with olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh thyme, salt, and pepper Roast in oven for 30 minutes Meanwhile, pour pecans into ...

This classic Italian dish is loaded with robust flavor but nice and light for an excellent summer dinner on the patio! Not to mention it's easy to make in about 30 minutes, and only requires a few ingredients! I hope you enjoy making and eating this dish. Let me know how it goes! Special Tips: I chose crimini mushrooms because they are more mild in flavor! To clean them, use a damp paper towel to brush away the dirt, and remove the stem by popping it out of the center of the mushroom.  If you're like me and have never looked for Marsala wine in the grocery store, it's in the vinegar isle!  You won't need additional salt at the end! The prosciutto will add all the salt you need! Ingredients: 8 oz crimini mushrooms, stem removed and sliced 4 oz prosciutto, cut into small pieces 1 large shallot, sliced 8 oz rigatoni pasta 3 sprigs rosemary 4 gloves minced garlic 1 cup Marsala wine 1 cup heavy whipping cream 4 tbsp olive oil pepper to taste Directions: Cook past...

This beef stroganoff is easy and quick! It is sure to be a household staple coming in at less than 500 calories a serving and making a large hearty dish!! Special Tips: Mushrooms are not my favorite food group, but when paired with something like beef stroganoff they truly add a phenomenal earthy flavor. I recommend cremini mushrooms which have a more subtle flavor Another tip about mushrooms! Always buy them whole and slice them yourself. Not only does this save you money, but mushrooms are very porous and will dry out faster when pre-sliced. Their porosity is also a great reason to cook with them because they soak up all the flavors! Servings: 8 Ingredients: 1  t bsp olive oil 1   lb   lean ground beef 1/2   medium yellow onion   diced 1/2 lb  cremini  mushrooms   sliced 2   garlic cloves   minced 2  t bsp flour 1   cup   beef broth 1   cup   whipping cream 1/3   cup   sour cream 1  t...

This recipe...YUMMM. The herby, garlicky, creamy deliciousness of this dish cannot be understated! Chicken, bacon, ranch? Let's talk about chicken, bacon, alfredo!! Special Tips: Prepare ahead! Things move quickly and you'll need ingredients handy. Reserve pasta water to thin out your sauce just in case it gets too thick. Always grate your own cheese. Use a splash of lemon juice to reduce saltiness if you need to do so. Only make as much as will be eaten to avoid having to reheat this beast. It can be done (instructions below), but it ain't easy! Don't worry about scraping or cleaning your skillet in between tasks. All those browned bits will add so much flavor! Serves 6 Ingredients: 8 oz linguine noodles 1/2 cup butter 4 oz cream cheese 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 medium chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces 4 strips bacon  1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1 tsp garlic powder 4 tsp minced garlic 2 cups heavy cream Pasta water as need...

We all need some comfort food these days! This goulash recipe is easy and packed with flavor to make everyone in your household say yummmmm!  I used ground elk meat, a special gift from my father, but you can use any ground red meat!  Special Tips: When using ground game meat, remember it is very lean. Always add in some fat like butter when pan frying to allow the meat to brown without drying out and giving your dish just a little more yummm! Serves: 2-3 Ingredients: 1 lb ground red meat (venison, elk, or beef will work great!) 1-2 tbs butter if using game meat 1 yellow onion 1/2 green bell pepper 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1.5 cups water 14.5 oz canned tomato sauce 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp salt pepper to taste 4 oz elbow macaroni, uncooked Directions: Add ground meat, onion, and green pepper to a large dutch oven. Add butter if using game meat Brown meat and veggies (5-7 minutes) 1-2 minutes before...

My macaroni and cheese is my most requested, pot-luck-pleasing, party-going recipe so why should it not be the star of my very first post? This recipe has become a staple of my household, adored by my husband and all of our friends and family. You can play around with the recipe by adding different cheeses and even some spice, but I'll get to that later. The first thing you need to do is prep all of your ingredients. I find that this recipe is easier to accomplish when things are ready at your fingertips. We don't all have sou chefs to rely on, but a friend or spouse can come in handy if you forget to prep something. Special Tips: Pasta: I prefer to use Cavatappi pasta because the larger noodles and helical shape really make this dish seem like your fine dining, but you can use elbow macaroni or other kind of pasta! Cheese: no matter what cheese you add, always grate it yourself! Pre-shredded cheese loses some of the robust flavors and produces a clumpy, sometime gri...