Caprese Pasta

I made this for my sister when I was helping her after the birth of her last baby.  It was absolutely delicious. New favorite pasta. Ever. The flavors are so amazing and cheesy and mmmm- goodness!  Her husband even decreed it the best pasta ever.  The best part of this dish is how quickly it comes together.  If you start with cooked chicken, it's in and out of the oven within 45 minutes!  Even including the grill time for the chicken, it's ready in under an hour.  Seriously, make this pasta today.  It's delicious!

 

Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from Cooking Classy via How Sweet It Is

Feeds: 4-8 (Depending on how much pasta you use)

 

2 medium chicken breasts (1-1.5 lbs.), grilled and diced (I sprinkle them liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder before I grill them)

1 box Rigatoni or Penne Pasta (The original recipe calls for only half a box of pasta, but I have a big family to feed, so I always use the whole box and just up all the other ingredients a bit)

2 cans fire roasted tomatoes, pureed a bit (I just use my immersion blender on them for a few seconds)

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

Red Pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

12 oz. fresh Mozzarella, cubed, sliced or grated (fresh is key, here)

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped chiffonade style

 

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.

 

2.  While pasta is boiling, in a separate pan over low heat, heat tomatoes, heavy cream, Romano/Parmesan cheese, garlic.  Add red pepper and salt and pepper to taste.  Continue to cook over low to medium heat until all the cheese has melted.

 

3.  Drain cooked pasta and add to Tomato sauce mixture.  Add grilled chicken, grape tomatoes, half of the mozzarella and half of the basil.  Toss to combine.

 

4.  Pour mixture into a greased casserole or baking dish.  Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and cook pasta uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted gooey goodness.  Serve sprinkled with remaining basil.

 





 

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

This is such a yummy, easy dinner recipe. I love stuffed shells and I finally found the perfect recipe- and it even uses chicken!  I hope you'll enjoy t hem as much as I do!

Recipe Source adapted from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

What you'll need:
1 (12-ounce) box uncooked jumbo pasta shells (you'll need every last one of them)

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 cups fresh chopped spinach

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15oz) container cottage cheese

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened 

1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 cups)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce (this was just enough. If you like it saucier use more)


1. Cook shells according to package directions. Be sure to cook them to al dente or even slightly less than al dente.  Drain them and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease two 9x13 baking dishes.

3. In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells.

4. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. If you are freezing one of the 9x13 prepared pans, freeze it after this step. Include a baggy of the remaining mozzarella for when you cook it.

5. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Makes 8-10 servings. 

Summer Farfalle

Alysia's Summer Farfalle

I adapted this recipe from Pioneer Woman's Farfalle with Zucchini. I sort of took her recipe and just added a bunch of ingredients I thought would add to the flavor. I happen to love it myself. I love the way the flavors of the fresh herbs really pop and I just love Farfalle pasta! Hope you enjoy it as much as me!

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts, cubed
1 zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 yellow squash, sliced and quartered
3/4 pkg. mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves minced garlic
3/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 can chicken broth
1-2 tsp. cornstarch
2 c. Parmesan cheese
steak seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste
fresh herbs (For the herbs, I used parsley, oregano and basil, but lemon thyme would also be really good.)
Box of Farfalle noodles, cooked and drained

To prepare chicken:
For this rendition, we used a lemon pepper marinade, oregano and basil. However, you can just stir fry the chicken in oil with salt and pepper as well. The lemon pepper marinade did give it a yummy fresh flavor though.
Cook the chicken completely and set aside.

For Veggies:
Stir fry your zucchini and yellow squash in a bit of oil in the same pan you cooked your chicken.
Do not cook completely, overcooking is no good!! Just coat everything completely in oil and  cook for about 2 minutes. Remove the zucchini and squash and set aside with the chicken.

Use wire whisk to scrape off bits from bottom of pan, add a little more oil and saute the mushrooms. Again, don't cook all the way. Remove from heat and add to chicken mix.

Add a bit more oil and saute the onion and garlic. Once onion is translucent, add cherry tomatoes. Toss all to coat evenly in oil.

In a separate small bowl, mix 3/4 can chicken broth and 1-2 tsp. cornstarch or arrowroot. You don't want it thick or heavy, but like a thin sauce consistency. Once this is the right consistency pour it into the onion/garlic/cherry tomato mixture.

Stir this around and then add 1/2 -3/4 c. heavy cream. Stir again. Let thicken for a few minutes. Add seasonings (Steak seasoning, garlic salt etc.) to taste.

Then add your veggies and chicken back in. Stir evenly. If your sauce is not thick enough within another few minutes, add more cream. If it's too heavy/thick, add chicken broth.

To prepare dish:
Get a casserole dish, 2 qt. corning ware dish, or 9x13 pan. Put cooked pasta on the bottom of the dish.
Top with large handfuls of all your fresh, chopped herbs. Spread evenly. Top with Parmesan cheese and then your sauce/veggie mixture. Top with more Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or microwave for 5 minutes.
Eat and enjoy!!

Italian Pasta Bake

I tried this recipe out of my Simply One Dish magazine from Pillsbury. I got a subscription to the Pillsbury monthly recipe magazines and am FINALLY getting around to using them!! See, all that money wasn't a waste. ;) Joe and Bade really enjoyed it and it seems relatively healthy...lots of veggies anyway.

What You'll need:
1 1/2 c. uncooked mostaccioli or penne pasta
1/2 lb. bulk pork Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium stalk celery
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow squash
4-5 sliced mushrooms (or one small can of mushrooms)
10-15 quartered pepperoni slices (opt.)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz.) (You can also do one large can of spaghetti sauce in place of the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes)
1 can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano (14.5 oz)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350 F. Spray 8 in. square pan (I used a round corning ware dish). Cook and drain noodles according to package directions.

In a skillet, cook the sausage and onion over medium-high heat, stirring occassionally until sausage is no longer pink and onion is tender. Drain. Stir in zucchini, squash, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and mushrooms. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pasta. Pour into baking dish. Cover and bake 15 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 5-10 more minutes until casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted.

I've made this a few times now and it is super yummy. The second time, I had a lot of spaghetti sauce on hand, so I used a jar of that instead of the two cans of tomatoes. It tasted just as good and was a good way for me to use some of my food storage. :)

Baked Chicken Penne

This was a great pasta dish we made a couple weeks ago. It came together pretty easily and made a TON. I didn't even have to double it for Dinner Group. Because it makes so much, it's a great freezer meal, or dish to bring in to someone. Plus, I like good pasta "bases" that I can add different vegetables to, and still get a great dish. It's the sauce that makes this one so good.  I ended up combining two pasta dishes to get it the way I like it. 

Recipe Source: Our Best Bites

Serves: A lot! (at least 10)

Salt and Pepper
1 lb. Penne
1 tsp. Olive oil
2 chicken breasts
6 T. butter
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
6 cups whole milk
10 oz. mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 oz.) (If you can't find shredded Provolone, just use an Italian cheese blend)
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan (6 oz.)
1 package bacon, cooked and chopped (12 oz.)
1 14 oz. jar artichoke hearts, chopped (I prepare the non-marinated kind)
1/2 - 1 cup finely chopped green onions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 2 shallow 2 quart baking dishes.

2. In a large pot, bring a pot of water to boil and cook Penne just 3 minutes short of al dente. Drain and set aside.

3. While the pasta is cooking, add some olive oil to a large, separate saucepan. Salt and pepper your chicken and add to saucepan. Cook until cooked through and set aside. Once it's cooled, halve your chicken breasts horizontally, and then slice them into strips.

4. Now add the mushrooms and any other desired vegetables to that same saucepan, and saute them just short of being done. Add a little olive oil if necessary. Set them aside once you've sauteed them for a few minutes.

5. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. (I just used the same pot I used for my pasta. I'm all about getting as few dishes dirty as possible.) Add flour and garlic, whisking for about a minute. Cooking the flour for a few minutes helps get rid of the "floury" taste. While whisking, gradually add milk, and bring to a simmer. Keep whisking the sauce as it begins to thicken, about a minute.

6. Add your mushrooms and artichokes and cook for another couple minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Provolone and 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan. Add the chicken, bacon, green onions, and pasta and season with salt and pepper. I found it needed a LOT of salt and pepper at this point.

7. Divide the pasta evenly between your baking dishes and top with remaining Parmesan cheese. (If you're planning on freezing one pan, don't top it with the Parmesan cheese. Instead, put it in a small baggie and freeze it with the Penne.)

8. Bake uncovered, until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Spaghetti with Artichokes and Tomato Cream Sauce

We've decided to try meat-free Mondays in our house. Jared and I feel like we're eating too much meat. I should have a pile of great vegetarian recipes from my childhood and I do have the Fit for Life Cookbook, but... most of those recipes aren't super appealing to my kids. I'm not so sure we'll be using tofu anytime soon. Sadly, I'm afraid meat-free won't necessarily translate to healthier... just cheaper. But, that works, too.

Perfect recipe to start us off... Pioneer Woman, of course! I knew she wouldn't lead me astray and that I'd be able to convince the family to play along, with a recipe from her. And she did not disappoint. This stuff was delicious and super fast. From start to dinner on the table, it only took me 30 minutes. I love 30 minute meals! And believe it or not, my finicky eaters cleaned their plates. Granted, they emptied most of the tomatoes and mushrooms off their plates before they started, but that's just a minor detail. Besides, it meant more mushrooms for me! (The mushrooms were my addition... makes the meal just a bit "meatier.") This stuff is fantastic!

Recipe source: Pioneer Woman
Serves: 6

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Butter
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 can artichoke hearts (14.5 oz., quartered or whole), drained, NOT marinated
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 oz)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 cup heavy cream (I substituted evaporated milk without any problems; my sauce thickened just fine)
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth (more as needed)
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (optional... I added it.)
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. thin spaghetti
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh herbs, chopped (chives, basil, parsley, etc.)

1. Cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Melt olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Stir occasionally and cook for 8-10 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream/milk and broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat until heated through.

5. Place drained pasta in a large bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Pour sauce over that and toss slightly to mix everything together. Top with fresh herbs. Add a tiny bit of reserved pasta juice or more chicken broth if the sauce seems to thick.

Lemon Garlic Angel Hair Pasta

I've made this several times and I really enjoy it. It's very light and it is meatless (warning to Joey...).

1 t EVOO
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine (yes, I'm evil... I use cooking wine I find next to the vinegars in the grocery store)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup chopped fresh tomato (maybe this recipe isn't for Emily either...)
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (do NOT use anything but fresh!)
2 T grated parmesan cheese
ground pepper to taste

Bring large pot of water to boil over high heat.

As water is coming to a boil, place olive oil and garlic in a saute pan and cook over medium heat just until garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat and pour in wine. Return to heat and cook on high for another 1-2 minutes until reduced by half. Stir in lemon juice and tomatoes, remove from heat.

Place pasta in boiling water and cook to desired doneness (usually 1-4 minutes). Drain pasta and place in warmed serving dish. Add wine, garlic, tomato mixture. Add basil, parmesan and pepper. Toss and serve immediately. Goes quite well with crusty warm bread and a green salad.

Leeky Linguine with Shrimp and Asparagus

This was another one of those recipes I've been meaning to try for quite some time now, and I finally got around to it last week. I knew I'd like it... shrimp and asparagus... how could it go wrong? But I was worried about the boys liking it and expected them all to turn their noses up at it. Surprisingly, they loved it! They completely cleaned their plates and had seconds and even Jared dug in. This was super easy and fast and very tasty. It's not a "saucy" pasta but, it's really light, perfect for a spring pasta, and has just a hint of a "kick" from the red pepper.

I got this off of Taste and Tell, one of my favorite sites, and she got it from Every Day with Rachel Ray (be sure and check out her picture... it's much prettier and more appetizing looking... I'm terrible at getting good pictures of food!). The original recipe didn't include the asparagus, but I felt like it needed something and it was definitely a welcome addition.

Leeky Linguine with Shrimp and Asparagus

Makes 4 (large) portions (With the addition of the asparagus, it fed a lot more than that)

1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 T plus about 4 T extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Pinch of kosher salt

Black pepper to taste

1 lb. linguine

4 leeks --- trimmed, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise and washed

1 bunch asparagus, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into chunks

1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth (or chicken broth)

1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Parmesan Cheese

In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 2 tablespoons EVOO, lemon peel, garlic and crushed red pepper; season with salt and black pepper.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.

While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the leeks and asparagus and cook until the leeks are wilted and asparagus is tender crisp, about 5-8 minutes. Push the leeks and asparagus to the side of the pan, add the shrimp to the skillet and cook until pink and firm. Pour in the wine (or broth) and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.Add the pasta to the skillet; season with additional pepper if desired. Add the parsley and a healthy sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and toss.

Spaghetti Pie

This is a yummy change for spaghetti....the "crust" and cottage cheese really make it. This is a doubled-ish recipe as I found it easier to just use a pound of hamburger, a jar of sauce, and more noodles, and then I just freeze one of the "pies" for later. Enjoy!

8 oz dried spaghetti
2 Tbs butter
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic seasoning in the sauce)
1 cup chopped onion (1 onion)
1 cup chopped green sweet pepper (optional....I've never had one on hand when making)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
Seasonings of choice for sauce (garlic, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, sugar.....)
2 cups low fat cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti and drain (I like to break mine into pieces first). Return to pan and stir in butter till melted. Stir in egg and parmesan cheese.

Meanwhile, cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic, seasoning the meat with salt and pepper. Drain fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and seasonings to taste. Heat through.

Spray two 9-inch pie plates with non-stick coating. Press spaghetti mixture onto bottom and up sides of pie plates, forming a crust. Spread cottage cheese on bottom and up sides of crusts. Spread meat mixture over cottage cheese. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a 350 oven for 20-25 minutes or till bubbly.

Aunt Linda's Frog Eye Salad (or Acini de Pepe Salad)

I can't believe we don't have this recipe up here! This is definitely a family classic. I made it last night for a RS Dinner and because it makes so much, I had a ton leftover. And I will probably eat it all by myself. The entire bowl. I like it that much. I think it's best with lots of fresh fruit, especially nectarines, strawberries, peaches, and grapes.

½ cup sugar

1 Tbs flour

1¼ tsp salt

7/8 cup pineapple juice (I can usually drain enough from the pineapple chunks I add later)

1 beaten egg

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

8 oz. acini de pepe (found with the pasta; little tiny pasta balls; you'll only need 1/2 the package!)

1 1/2 tsp. oil

1-2 cans drained mandarin oranges

1 cup pineapple chunks

½ cup crushed pineapple

1 regular size carton frozen topping, thawed

½ cup miniature marshmallows (colored ones are good for adding a bit more color)

Any other fruits desired –grapes, bananas, peaches, nectarines strawberries, etc.

1. Cook Acini de pepe according to package directions, adding 1 1/2 tsp. oil. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Mix sugar, flour, and salt together. Add the pineapple juice, and egg and cook over stove until thick. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and allow to cool. Once it's cooled, add acini de pepe and refrigerate mixture 8 hours or overnight.

3. Just before serving add drained mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, crushed pineapple, frozen topping, marshmallows and any other desired fruits.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and needed something easy for dinner group this week and this fit the bill. I had everything on hand or could easily substitute stuff and how can you possibly go wrong with pasta? And I'm so glad I tried it because I loved this! The sauce tasted like something straight out of a fancy Italian restaurant.... it was amazing. The flavor was fantastic and the dish didn't end up being spicy at all. I've changed the recipe just a bit as I did find the sauce to be a bit runny and decided to add some sour cream to thicken it up a bit. How much sour cream you use is definitely up to you. I used about 2 cups cream and 1 cup sour cream. I also added some more cajun sesoning at the end. This is definitely going to be a regular dish in our house.

3/4 pound bowtie pasta (or whatever pasta you have on hand)

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, plus more to taste
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
3 red bell pepper, sliced
3 green bell pepper, sliced
12 fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 green onion, chopped
1 1/2 - 2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 -2 cups sour cream (you want to plan on 3 cups, between the sour cream and cream)
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

2. Slice the chicken into strips or large chunks and place in large skillet. Sprinkle liberally with Cajun seasonings as you cook and saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes). Another alternative is to place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag and shake to coat and then saute it.

3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat. (I varied the recipe here by cooking my chicken until done and removing it to a separate plate and then adding my veggies. I find that I always cook my peppers too long and wanted to cook them as needed without worrying about whether my chicken was done or overdone.)

4. Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese, and more cajun seasoning to taste. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, (and your set aside chicken if you cooked it like me) toss and heat through. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Pizza Pasta Toss

This was another one that my kids loved.... Jaxon actually told me I make the best dinners in the whole wide world. So there.

3 cups (8 oz.) penne pasta, uncooked
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (I just used regular Italian dressing)
2 oz. Pepperoni, quartered (If you don't like pepperoni, try bacon here instead; also it's easiest to quarter pepperoni using scissors)
10 mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)
1 green pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup Shredded Italian Five Cheese Blend or mozzarella

(we also add sliced olives)

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add pepperoni, mushrooms and peppers; cook and stir 8 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add sauce; mix well. Cover. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 min.

DRAIN pasta; place in large serving bowl. Add sauce mixture and cheese; toss to coat.