One Pot Pasta dinner

The boyfriend saw this in an article he read and I followed the embedded link to Martha Stewart's page and watched her video on how to prepare.  The other one pot pasta dishes I have tried have not been something we want to repeat (they're not bad, just not quite the right flavors for us).  But this one was a hit.  Even though the boyfriend doesn't like raw tomatoes and he was a bit apprehensive about all of them in the dish.  But they cook down enough and make the sauce so you really don't notice them.  And I was apprehensive about the onion, but that also mellows out in the cooking process.  I cheated and used my microplane for the garlic since I can't slice it that thin.  And I cut the red pepper flakes way back since neither of us care that much for that kind of heat.  Make sure to use plenty of basil, and more basil as garnish!

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 12 ounces linguine
• 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
• 1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 2 sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 1/2 cups water
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

• Directions

  Instructions Checklist

  • Step 1

    Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes.

  • Step 2

    Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide among 4 bowls, and garnish with basil. Serve with oil and Parmesan.

    

One-Pot Spinach Artichoke Chicken Pasta

 

This recipe comes from TheKitchn and it's the next one in my one-pot meals series (if you will).  The only chicken sausage I could find at the store was a breakfast one.  In hindsight, I should have probably just gotten one of the usual summer sausages and not worried about it not being chicken.  The boyfriend didn't love it, but that may have been related to the sausage.  I liked it and loved that it was only one pot!  It also came together really quickly!  Also, I did not use the optional parmesan rind.

YIELDServes 4

PREP TIME5 minutes

COOK TIME8 minutes to 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces cooked chicken sausage
• 1 (12-ounce) jar quartered, marinated artichoke hearts
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 12 ounces dried linguine pasta
• 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut 12 ounces chicken sausage into 1/2-inch thick rounds and drain 1 jar marinated artichokes hearts. Place both in a large, straight-sided skillet. Add 4 1/2 cups water, 12 ounces dried linguine, 1 Parmesan cheese rind if desired, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

2. Bring to a boil over high heat (this will take about 5 minutes). Boil, stirring and turning the pasta with tongs occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente and almost all the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add 1 bunch spinach.

3. Remove from the heat. Remove the Parmesan rind, add 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt as needed.

Instant Pot Spaghetti

Let me start by sharing that I've always considered spaghetti to be a quick and easy weeknight meal.  I'm not Italian (although I do love some Italian food) and for me, it was a matter of boiling water and heating some sauce while the pasta cooked.  But then along came the boyfriend and he wanted more (ground beef or meatballs, peppers, and onions) and it became much more effort.  However he loves the way the sauce comes out in the instant pot (in this recipe from TheKitchn, so I am back to it being a quick and easy dinner!  Yay!  Now this is the part where I say, if you have an all day Sunday sauce that you make, you probably aren't going to be as happy (I find that if you have a really good recipe for anything and then try an alternate, you're never as happy with it).  And yes, it's not really *faster* than boiling water and cooking the pasta while you heat the sauce.  But it is simpler since it's all in one pot.  You brown the beef and then add the sauce and pasta and seal and you can go sit while it comes to pressure and cooks.  Or you know, make garlic bread if you want.


INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups water, divided
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara or tomato-based pasta sauce
8 ounces dry spaghetti
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Turn an electric pressure cooker on to sauté. Once heated, add the olive oil and beef. Break the beef up into large pieces with a wooden spoon and season with the salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook, stirring and breaking the beef into smaller and smaller pieces, until cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Turn off the sauté function and add 1/2 cup of the water to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck-on bits. Add the sauce and stir to combine well.

Break the spaghetti strands in half and spread them in one or two layers over the ground beef mixture. Do not stir from this point on.

Rinse the pasta sauce jar with the remaining 1 1/2 cups water (pour the water into the jar, twist on the lid, and shake gently) and then pour the water over the pasta. Remember — no stirring here.

Seal the pressure cooker. Set to cook on HIGH pressure for 8 minutes. The cooker should take between 10 and 12 minutes to come up to pressure.

Open the pressure release valve (quick release) as soon as the 8 minutes cook time is up. Open the pressure cooker and stir the spaghetti into the sauce. Turn off the pressure cooker and remove the insert from the pressure cooker. Serve immediately with a flurry of grated Parmesan cheese.

Pasta with Sweet Peas and Bacon Bread Crumbs

Chris saw this recipe on the cover of a recent issue of Relish magazine, which comes in our newspaper once a month.  He wanted to try it AND make it himself!  So far we've had it twice.  The flavors are bright and fresh.  We will be making this many more times in the future!

Pasta with Sweet Peas and Bacon Bread Crumbs

3 slices bacon
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup panko or dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
8 oz uncooked spaghetti or penne
1 1/4 cups frozen green peas
2 oz baby spinach (about 2 cups)
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and reserve 2 Tbsp drippings in pan.  Add butter and garlic to drippings; stir until fragrant.  Add panko and cook stirring constantly until golden, about 2 minutes.  Let cool.  Crumble bacon into panko mixture.  Add 2 Tbsp cheese.

2.  Cook pasta according to package directions. Add peas in final two minutes of cooking.  Drain, reserving 2/3 cup cooking water.  Return pasta and peas to pan.  Stir in 1/2 cup reserved water, spinach, remaining cheese, salt and pepper.  Stir 1/4 cup panko mixture into pasta.  If mixture looks dry, add remaining reserved water.  Divide among serving bowls; top with remaining panko mixture.

Serves 4

Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Bake

We have found our winter go-to shrimp recipe!

It is like a dish I always get at Olive Garden.  I tweaked the recipe a bit.  It is actually a "Skinny" Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Bake, but I used regular ingredients -- nothing low fat.  I also used the spice blend from our favorite summer go-to shrimp recipe (1/4 tsp each garlic powder, salt and Italian seasoning) instead of just roasting the shrimp with salt and pepper.

Click here for the link to the original recipe on the blog Damn Delicious.  I came across it on Pinterest.

Skinny Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Bake

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta

1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Alfredo Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 (6-ounce) can 2% evaporated milk

1 ounce light cream cheese

1/4 cup chicken broth, or more, to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

See a Quick Sausage Alfredo Recipe

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the alfredo sauce, melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and chicken broth until smooth, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add more chicken broth as needed until desired consistency is reached.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.

Place shrimp onto the prepared baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and roast just until pink, firm and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, red pepper flakes and alfredo sauce. Add pasta mixture to prepared baking dish and top with Parmesan.

Place into oven and bake until golden brown and cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Baked Ziti (aka Rosemary Ziti)

The boyfriend found this recipe about three years ago and it's now our default baked ziti recipe.  We love the touch of rosemary in the dish.

1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork sausage
1 1/2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
salt to taste
1 (6 ounce) package provolone cheese, sliced
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1 (6 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese


1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in oil until tender. Stir in rosemary and garlic. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. Place ground beef and sausage in the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Stir in the onion mixture and the spaghetti sauce. Season with salt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In the prepared dish, layer 1/2 of the cooked pasta, provolone cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, and a little less than 1/2 of the meat mixture. Then layer the rest of the pasta, mozzarella cheese, remaining meat mixture, and Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until heated through and cheeses are melted.

Lanny's Famous Five Cheese Lasagna

Chris and I went to Cooperstown this past weekend to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our alma mater, the Cooperstown Graduate Program!  Pot lucks are a Thing at CGP, and when we were students we had a lot of Lanny's Famous Five Cheese Lasagna.

Tragically, Lanny died in a car accident several years ago. The Program was kind enough to provide us with his recipe:

We also got the recipe for Lanny's Egg Nog.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Stuffed Shells

This recipe is DIVINE.

I love anything with the flavors of chicken cordon bleu.  So when I saw this in the October 2014 issue of Woman's Day, I had to try it.

I made a few minor changes.  I used Swiss instead of Gruyere and 1/4 tsp of dried thyme instead of fresh tarragon.  I was lazy at the store and there was a long line at the deli, so I bought cubed cooked ham instead.  I think I would do that again.  It's perfect for this recipe.

Also, I fear the broiler, so I just uncovered it and kept baking it for about 5 minutes.

This recipe was in paragraph form, so I just typed it up that way too.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Stuffed Shells

Heat oven to 400.  Cook 16 jumbo shells (from a 12 oz box) according to package directions.  Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.  Prepare the Bechamel and spread all but 1/2 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a large broiler proof baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup Bechamel with 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.  Toss with 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken.  Fold in 3/4 grated Gruyere cheese, 2 oz thinly sliced deli ham (cut into 1/2 inch pieces), 1/2 a small red onion (finely chopped), 1 Tbsp fresh tarragon (chopped), and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Spoon the mixture into the shells (about 1/4 cup each) and place on top of the sauce.  In a bowl combine 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs and 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil.  Sprinkle over the shells.  Cover with foil and bake until the shells are heated through, 12-15 minutes.  Heat broiler.  Uncover and broil until the cheese begins to brown, 2-3 minutes.

Two Sauce Lasagna

I absolutely LOVE this recipe!!  I cut it out of a Classico ad years ago.  I don't like meat in my lasagna, so I've always skipped that part.  However, it recently came to light that CHRIS loves lasagna with meat!  So I'm making it half and half from now on.  I cut up homemade meatballs for his side instead of sausage.

The only thing I changed in this recipe is I mix the spinach into the cheese mixture.  It's easier to deal with that way instead of trying to spread spinach over cheese.

I usually make my own sauce, but you can easily use jarred sauce instead, as the recipe calls for.

Two Sauce Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles
1 15 ounce container ricotta
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 26 ounce jar tomato sauce
1 10 ounce package chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 lb Italian sausage, browned and drained
1 16 ounce jar Alfredo sauce

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, 2 Tbsp Parmesan and eggs.  Mix well.

In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce.  Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce.  Top with half each of cheese mixture, spinach, tomato sauce, and sausage.  Repeat layers.  Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles.  Spread Alfredo sauce over the top.  Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

Cover and bake 350 for 40 minutes.  Uncover.  Bake 15 minutes more or until bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Pasta Primavera

I have been making this delicious recipe for so many years, I can't remember where I first found it!  I might have seen Giada De Laurentiis make it on her show.  But then again, I might have found it in one of her cookbooks.

This is a very pretty dish, with all the colors of the vegetables, so it's perfect for a late summer or early fall dinner party.  It's perfect the way it is, but I do roast the veggies longer than it says to, so they caramelize a little bit more.  I still chop everything by hand, and it WILL take you longer than the 25 minute prep time she lists!

You can click here for the link to the recipe.

One tray of veggies before roasting

 Pasta Primavera

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Grilled Shrimp and Tomatoes with Linguine

If you're craving a decadent, yet simple, grilled shrimp recipe, look no further!  This recipe is PERFECT.

Normally I make small tweaks to a new recipe.  I wouldn't change a thing with this!  My only note is that the recipe says it makes 4 servings, and Chris and I ate it all ourselves. :-)

We used frozen, uncooked shrimp.  To thaw, submerge the shrimp in cold water, changing once, for 10-15 minutes.  Also, I have trouble remembering to reserve cooking liquid.  I have a colander that hangs over the sink.  I put my glass measuring cup in it to remind me before I drain it all down the sink that I need to save some of it!

I was wondering if the linguine itself would be too bland with just butter and Parmesan.  But the shrimp is so flavorful, anything with more zip would just compete with the shrimp.  So don't doctor up the pasta!

The recipe comes from the August/September 2014 issue of Simple & Delicious.

Grilled Shrimp and Tomatoes with Linguine

8 oz uncooked linguine
16 cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp each salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp torn fresh basil
1/4 reserved pasta water

In a saucepan, cook linguine according to package directions.  Meanwhile, thread tomatoes onto skewers; brush with some oil.  Thread shrimp onto skewers; brush with remaining oil.  Mix seasonings.  Sprinkle over shrimp.

Grill shrimp, covered, over medium heat 3-4 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink.  Grill tomatoes 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened, turning occasionally.

Drain linguine, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.  In same saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  (I just melted it by putting it back on the burner after turning it off.)  Add linguine, cheese, and reserved pasta water, tossing to combine.  Remove shrimp and tomatoes from skewers; serve with pasta.  Sprinkle with basil.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

This isn't very good for you.  But OH is it worth it!

Lately I've been tweaking recipes, either because I don't have exactly what the recipe calls for or I want to jazz it up a bit.  Here is what I did instead:

• I never buy garlic salt, so I used minced garlic.  I think it was a little less than 1/2 tsp.
• I've never even heard of onion salt!  I chopped up 2 green onions from the garden instead.
• I use penne all the time.  I thought gemelli would be more fun!
• When I read this recipe I was surprised it didn't have any mustard in it.  So I added about 2 Tbsp of dijon.  I think the sauce would have tasted flat without it, so I highly recommend adding it.
• Next time I think I'd also add some thyme to it.

This recipe appeared in the September/October issue of Taste of Home.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

3 cups uncooked penne pasta
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened and cubed
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic dalt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cups sliced cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon
3/4 cup cubed fully cooked ham
3 Tbsp dry bread crumbs

My additions:
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 to 1 tsp thyme
chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook pasta according to directions for al dente.  Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat cream and cream cheese over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally.  Stir in one cup of cheese, onion powder, garlic salt and pepper until blended.

In a bowl, combine chicken, bacon, ham, and pasta.  Add sauce.  Toss to coat.  Transfer to a greased 13x9 baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with bread crumbs.  Bake, uncovered 18-22 minutes or until heated through.

Chicken Pomodoro with Garlic Spaghetti

I am a sucker for a cream sauce.  That's why when this recipe arrived in my email from Cuisine at Home, I tried it within a week!

It was everything I hoped it would be.  Not too complicated, but delicious enough to make me think I was eating out in my own dining room!

The Garlic Spaghetti was also very good as a side dish.  Next time I might serve the chicken over the spaghetti instead, and put the cream sauce over the entire dish.  (The cream sauce is FANTASTIC!)  I have no clue what ricotta salata is, so I skipped it.  I think it probably adds quite a bit to the dish, so I'll scope out the specialty cheese section next time I grocery shop.

One lemon is perfect to make enough lemon juice for the sauce and lemon zest for the spaghetti.

Cuisine at Home is a great cooking magazine with no ads at all.  Some of the recipes are a bit exotic, but the step-by-step instructions are so thorough, they are usually very easy to follow.  And I've learned a lot about techniques, ingredients, and complicated recipes that turn out not to be so complicated after all!

Chicken Pomodoro

If you don't like to cook with alcohol or don't have it on hand, you can replace the vodka with an equal amount of chicken broth.

Makes: 4 servings; Total time: 30 minutes

2	boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved, pounded to ¼-inch thick (8 oz. each)
	Salt and black pepper
2	Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2	Tbsp. olive oil
1⁄4	cup vodka
1⁄2	cup low-sodium chicken broth
1⁄4	cup heavy cream
1	cup halved heirloom cherry tomatoes
2	Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1⁄4	cup minced scallions

Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dust with flour. Coat a large sauté pan with nonstick spray. Add oil and heat over medium-high.

Sauté cutlets until brown, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer cutlets to a plate.

Off heat, deglaze pan with vodka and cook until liquid evaporates. Add broth and cream and reduce until thick, 2–3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Return cutlets to pan and cook to warm through, 1 minute per side.

Serve cutlets with sauce and garnish with scallions.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 301 cal; 16g total fat (5g sat); 93mg chol; 149mg sodium; 6g carb; 1g fiber; 25g protein

Garlic Spaghetti

Ricotta salata is a salty, mild-flavored cheese with a crumbly texture similar to feta.

Makes: 4 servings; Total time: 25 minutes

8	oz. dry spaghetti
2	Tbsp. olive oil
2	Tbsp. minced garlic
2	Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1	Tbsp. minced lemon zest
	Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
1⁄2	cup crumbled ricotta salata

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Reserve ¹⁄₂ cup pasta water; drain remaining water.

Heat oil in same pot over medium-high. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in pasta water, parsley, zest, and spaghetti; toss to coat. Season spaghetti with salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes, then stir in ricotta salata.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 329 cal; 12g total fat (4g sat); 17mg chol; 211mg sodium; 43g carb; 1g fiber; 10g protein

Rigatoni Roasted Red Pepper Bake

I cut this recipe out from a can label for something made by Contadina.  I made it once awhile back and made a few notes on it.  I tweaked it today and really liked it!

I thought it was to dry as written.  So I doubled the diced tomatoes to two cans (undrained) and skipped the water.  I also buy plain tomato paste and doctor it up myself.  In addition to the salt and pepper listed, I added basil and oregano.  Just add a little and keep tasting it until you get it how you like it.  I can't find diced peppers with roasted peppers in it, so I dice some up myself and add it separately.  I used about 1/2 cup.

This recipe is budget-friendly and is made with ingredients you're likely to have on hand.

Rigatoni Roasted Red Pepper Bake

8 oz dry rigatoni
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 gloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) Contadina Recipe Ready Diced Tomatoes, Roasted Red Pepper (I used 2 cans)
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste with Italian seasonings (I bought plain and added my own)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook 2 minutes.

Combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, plus 3/4 cup water (I skipped the water).  Add to skillet.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.  Pour into baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Angel Chicken

For Christmas this year my sister got me the Crockin Girls cookbook -- what a fantastic collection of recipes for the slow cooker!

I tried the Angel Chicken last night and it was fabulous!  We got home a little later than expected, and the chicken was still not overcooked.  Next time I think I would double the recipe but leave the chicken the same, just to make more of the delicious sauce!

It's not a very photogenic recipe, so I skipped taking a picture.  I found that the chicken shredded rather than cut nicely as shown in the Crockin' Girls photo!  I shredded the chicken and added it back into the crock pot, which created a creamed chicken sort of texture.

Angel Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 Chicken Breasts
• 1/4 Cup Butter (I just cut it up in cubes and mixed it in)                      
• 1/2 Package Dry Italian salad dressing mix
• 1 Can Cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 Cup Dry white wine
• 4 Ounces Cream cheese with onions and chives
• 1 Box penne pasta
• Chives, for garnish                       

Directions

1. Step One

   Put all ingredients in the slow cooker except pasta

2. Step Two

   Cook on low for 7-8 hours

3. Step Three

   When the chicken mixture is done, prepare penne pasta according to package directions; drain

4. Step Four

   Mix pasta with chicken. Serve in a large bowl with chives sprinkled on top

Turkey or Chicken Tetrazzini

I had intended to make this with our leftover Thanksgiving turkey.  But we ate it all.  So I cooked some chicken breasts to shred instead!

This recipe comes from The Repository, our local newspaper.  What I loved most about it is the delicious sauce.  And by not cooking the linguine all the way, it doesn't get mushy when you bake the casserole itself.  I love mushrooms, but Chris does not.  I didn't have any, so I skipped it.

Also, this makes A LOT.  I halved the recipe and we still had lots of leftovers.  If you have a big family, leave it as is!  It serves 8.


Turkey Tetrazzini

6 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms, sliced 1 inch thick
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup flour
3 cups milk
1 can (14 1/2-ounce) chicken broth
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 pound linguine, broken in half
4 cups cooked turkey meat, shredded (about 4 cups)
1 package (10-ounces) frozen peas, thawed

Preheat oven to 400.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter, add mushrooms and onions, season with salt and pepper. Sauté until tender. Remove.

For sauce:
In same saucepan, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, gradually add milk, broth, and wine. Bring to a near boil, reduce to medium and simmer 10 minutes, whisking often. Add 2 cups Parmesan and the thyme and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta half the time on package. Drain and return to pot. Fold in sauce, turkey, peas, and mushrooms. Divide between two shallow two-quart baking dishes, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Bake until browned on top and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: Top with cheddar or provolone cheese last 10 minutes or butter Italian bread, dice and spread on top.

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

My mom's sauce is my favorite!  And mine tastes just like hers.

We used to have spaghetti sauce at least once a week when I was a kid.  It reminds me of cold Saturday nights in the wintertime, when my entire family gathered together to eat dinner.  Those were good times.  We usually had leftover sauce once during the week too.

My mom always makes her famous meatballs in the sauce, and she adds links of sweet Italian sausage.  Even though Chris and I don't even like the sausage, I always put it in so the sauce will taste right!

Making sauce actually isn't that difficult.  You just have to be sure to stir it every 15-20 minutes so it doesn't burn.

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

1 medium onion, pulverized (use a food processor - I use my Pampered Chef chopper)
1 tsp minced garlic
olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pot)
6 28-oz cans of crushed tomatoes (I use Red Pack)
Parmesan cheese
basil
parsley

one batch of Mom's Meatballs
4 links of sweet Italian sausage, cut in half (use hot sausage if you like that better)

Heat olive oil in a very large Dutch oven.  Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil for 20 minutes.  If the garlic or onion begins to brown, add a spoon or two of crushed tomatoes.  Continue to simmer for the full 20 minutes.

Add 6 cans of crushed tomatoes.  Add the equivalent of 1/2 can TOTAL of water by rinsing each can with a small stream of water.  You should be dumping in what looks like thin tomato juice from each can, not just water.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, basil and parsley over the top and mix in completely.  I would guess I use about 1 tsp of each spice and maybe 1/4 cup of the cheese.  Adjust to your taste.

Stir sauce often until entire pot heats up.  It might take about 20 minutes or so before the mixture heats through.  Once heated, turn it down to one notch above Lo.  Stir every 15-20 minutes for 2 hours.

Add raw meatballs and sausage.  Turn temperature up briefly, as the cold meat will cool down the sauce mixture.  Turn back down to one notch above Lo.  Stir VERY gently every 15-20 minutes for at least an hour.  I like to cook mine for 1 1/2 hours.

Serve over pasta of your choice!  Add a salad and fresh Italian bread or garlic bread for a complete meal.

This is what the sauce looks like before you add the meat.  The meatballs and sausage bring it right to the top of my pan!

Chicken Riggies

If you're not from central New York, you probably have no idea what this recipe is!

Where I grew up, variations of this dish are a local specialty.  Everyone has a favorite recipe from a favorite restaurant.  It is essentially chicken, peppers, onions, and some kind of red sauce (usually vodka sauce) with rigatoni (hence the name "riggies").

I found this recipe online about ten years ago.  It was supposedly from a restaurant in Rome, NY.  Unfortunately, I just printed it and didn't write down the website or the name of the restaurant.  I made a few tweaks to the original recipe anyway.

Heat up leftovers in the oven with shredded mozzarella sprinkled on top!

I don't like my riggies hot.  If you do, kick it up with some red pepper flakes!

Chicken Riggies

1 pound chicken breast
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 mediun onion, sliced
8 oz container fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
pinch salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
olive oil (for sauteeing)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups marinara or vodka sauce (I like Spicy Tomato Vodka Sauce, but I skip the pepperoni in it for this dish - I also like Bertoli's vodka sauces in a jar)
8 oz rigatoni

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.  Season flour with oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and coat with seasoned flour.  Brown chicken in hot oil.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add more oil to pan.  Saute peppers, onions, and mushrooms with garlic until wilted.  Return chicken to pan.  Add chicken broth and scrape down any browned bits.  Simmer briefly.  Add vodka sauce.  Simmer for 30 minutes. 

Cook rigatoni according to package directions.  Add to sauce mixture and serve immediately.

Pesto Pasta Salad

I made this recipe for our summer party as a meatless option for our guests.  Delicious!   I sometimes skip pine nuts in a recipe because they're so expensive.  Don't skip it in this recipe!  They really add a wonderful flavor to the salad.

This recipe comes from the August 2012 issue of Cuisine at Home.

Pesto Pasta Salad

1 lb dry penne pasta
2 cups frozen green peas
1/2 cup pesto, homemade or purchased
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp minced lemon zest
1 Tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 grated Parmesean cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Cook penne in salted water according to package directions.  Add peas during last three minutes.  Transfer penne and peas to a bowl of ice water; drain well. (I just rinsed it all in cold water)

Whisk together pesto, lemon juice, oil, zest, and garlic in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in penne, peas, spinach, Parmesan, and pine nuts.  Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 20 servings (about 15 cups).

Creamy Garlic Pasta

I saw this on Pinterest (original link is here) and thought it looked like a good dish to try.  Quick and easy to put together, it's a recipe I'd make again.

2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
¼  tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
½ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil. 

Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.