I love finding new recipes to use with the ground beef I keep in the freezer. Some nights when I don't plan a dinner, its nice to be able to grab some out of the freezer, throw it in the pan, and brown it up. I saw this Rachael Ray recipe on a blog that I follow. I had most of the ingredients in my pantry so I knew I had to try it. And I love Rachael Ray, so I figured it had to be good! Usually my spaghetti consists of Ragu, ground beef and noodles. That is all fine and dandy, but I love this hearty twist. And let me tell you that the leftovers are even better the next day! The crumbled bacon on top gives it such a great "cowboy" flavor!
1 box spaghetti noodles
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
1 14-oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 16-oz. can tomato sauce
shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
scallions, for garnish (I omitted these)
Cook noodles to al dente according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra virgin olive oil and bacon. Brown and crisp bacon. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain off a little excess fat if necessary. Leave just enough to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add the beef and crumble with wooden spoon as it browns. Drain off excess fat. Add onions and garlic. Stir into the meat and cook until slightly softened, about 4-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add 1/2 cup beef stock and deglaze the pan. Cook 5-6 minutes more then stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cover and cook on low for about 15 minutes to allow the tomatoes to cook and the flavors to combine.
When ready to eat, place a serving of noodles in the bottom of a pasta bowl or large plate. Top with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, crisp bacon crumbles, and scallions.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Taste and Tell)
I made this recipe for the first time last year for Easter. I loved it. And let me just say that I don't really like tomatoes. I want to like tomatoes. I do. I really do. I've tried to eat them, and it just doesn't work for me. I can eat canned diced tomatoes cooked in something and ketchup. That's about the extent of it. The only other way I'll eat them is roasted or cooked in the oven. It brings out the sweetness in the tomato and it is oh-so-yummy. And if you don't like tomatoes, fine. You can either pick them off at the table, or just bake it with the topping minus the tomatoes. I really think it takes this mac and cheese over the top. The goldfish bring it back down to Earth. Who doesn't love Goldfish? The original recipe used breadcrumbs, but I read about several people substituting Goldfish in the comment section. Awesome. I only had the Original flavor this time, but I used the Cheddar flavor last time. Really, really good! If you're planning on entertaining with this recipe, go ahead and make the whole thing. If you're planning on making it for your family dinner, I would try to half it. It makes a ton...well, an entire casserole dish full! I made it for my brother's birthday dinner today and we have well over half of it left. I guess I know what I'm taking for lunch this week! I am going to grill some chicken breasts to throw on top with some steamed broccoli. That will cover me at least until Wednesday!
1 lb. elbow macaroni or cavatappi (the little corkscrews)
4 cups milk
1 stick butter, divided
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 small tomatoes (I used about 6 plum tomatoes)
1-1/2 cups crushed Goldfish crackers
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well and set aside. (I only had penne noodles on hand this time. It works best with the elbow macaroni noodles.)
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook fora minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the cheeses and seasonings. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top; season the tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the crushed Goldfish, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Ina Garten)
When I originally planned this meal out for the Menu, I was going to make Pork Scallopine. Publix had their pork loins on sale this week, and I was going to have the butcher cut it into pork chops for me. I still haven't made it to Publix. I didn't want to get the pork just for this meal, when I had chicken breasts in the freezer. I find myself spending more money at the grocery store than I typically would because I'm buying things to cook for the blog. I really need to start watching that! I am going to have to start cooking with my stockpile because I have tons of food here. I don't need to have huge trips to Publix anymore. Although, when a good week comes around I know I will! If you like pork and have some boneless chops that you want to use, pound them out to about 1/2-inch thickness and make this using the pork instead of the chicken. This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman, and in the original recipe she uses chicken. All of her recipes are fabulous. This one was no different. Clay ate this one too, but just picked out the mushrooms. He's gotten so much better about trying new things, but mushrooms aren't one of them!
1 box linguine noodles (I only had spaghetti)
4-6 chicken breasts
salt and pepper
flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
12 oz. white mushroom, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1 whole lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream (can use half-and-half)
1 heaping teaspoon capers (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Flatten chicken breasts to uniform thickness (do the same if you're using pork chops). Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry chicken breasts until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside. If you're using 6 chicken breasts, you will probably have to do this in batches.
Throw the mushrooms into the pan and stir, cooking for 4 minutes until the mushrooms have some color. Pour in the chicken broth and the juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (I halved the recipe when making it, so I only used 1/2 of a lemon). Stir to deglaze the pan, and then cook vigorously over medium-high to high heat for 1 minute, until sauce reduces. Pour in cream and stir, then add parsley and capers and stir. Remove from heat. Stir in salt and pepper (be generous with your seasonings). Place pasta and chicken on a platter and top with entire pan of sauce. Generously sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!
(adapted from The Pioneer Woman)
I liked this recipe because it was a baked spaghetti that used ground beef. The only baked spaghetti's I've ever eaten have been with chicken. It has lots of vegetables in it too, which makes it a well rounded dish. I used whole wheat pasta and 98% fat free soup. You could also trim it up by using ground turkey. Clay even liked it. He just picked out the mushrooms, and said it was really good! So, even if you have picky eaters in the house, this is a great way to get them to eat some veggies. Serve it with a small side salad and garlic bread and you've got a great dinner! Dawn, the columnist from the Baldwin Register's Spice of Life, said she divided this into two 8 X 8 dishes and froze one for later! This recipe was featured in the same article with my Mom's Southern Pecan Cream Pie.
1 lb. ground beef (or turkey)
12 oz. spaghetti noodles
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup green pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 8-oz. package mushrooms, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup sliced olives
1 can Cream of Mushroom
1/4 cup water
2 cups shredded cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large saute pan, brown ground beef over medium heat. Drain off excess fat. Transfer cooked meat to a bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet, saute onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil and butter over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 8 minutes or until most of the liquid has cooked out of the mushrooms. Add the tomatoes, olives and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Place half of spaghetti noodles in the bottom of a greased 13 X 9-inch baking dish. Top with half of the meat mixture and 1 cup shredded cheese. Repeat layers. Mix the soup and water until smooth. Pour over the mixture and lightly spread. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Kim Neal- Baldwin County Living Magazine)
This is an ode to those good 'ole childhood days of Hamburger Helper. Or maybe I should say good 'ole college days of Hamburger Helper, being that I never ate it until then! I will admit that I have a couple of boxes in the pantry for emergency dinner nights when I'm good with a bowl of cereal, but Clay must have meat. It does come in handy. I must say, though, that this tastes much butter and is not any more difficult to fix. All of the ingredients are sale staples and you should have most of everything in your pantry. I know I did. This is great for busy weeknight meals because its something the whole family can enjoy.
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
8-oz. short pasta (I used macaroni)
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 packet taco seasoning (check out this recipe!)
3-oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
shredded cheddar cheese (optional...I ran out)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside. *I forgot to reserve the pasta water, so I just substituted 1/2 cup chicken broth when it is needed later*
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saute pan, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the skillet and cook 5 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water (chicken broth in my case). Continue to stir until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from heat and top with shredded cheese if desired.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Annie's Eats)
Are you tired of pasta and sauce being on sale at the grocery stores? I know Publix has one brand on sale EVERY week. Needless to say, I have plenty of it on hand. But surprisingly enough, I haven't cooked anything with it lately! I came across this recipe on Foodbuzz the other day and though it was perfect because the chicken was on sale last week and this week its the pasta, sauce and ricotta cheese. This is a good twist on your typical Chicken Parmesan. It was a winner in my house!
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup lowfat ricotta
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (2 slices of bread)
1/2 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper
10 oz. spaghetti noodles (just shy of one box)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim chicken breasts of excess fat and pound slightly with a meat tenderizer. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange on the bottom of a baking dish.
In a small bowl combine the ricotta, milk and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Spread ricotta mixture evenly over chicken breasts.
In a food processor or blender, pulse bread and garlic to make the bread crumbs. Mix in the parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the crumbs over chicken breasts liberally, pressing into chicken to ensure a good stick.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until juices run clear.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Also warm sauce in a separate saucepan over low heat.
To serve, slice the chicken and serve over the pasta with a ladle of sauce.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Eatin' On The Cheap)
I made this right before Easter, but forgot to post it! I love taco salads, as you know, and this is a lot like one. Only this one is served with noodles instead of chips. My husband wasn't sure if he was going to like it. He loved it! Put this one in the dinner rotation!
1 box penne noodles (preferably whole wheat)
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 packet taco seasoning (I only had fajita seasoning)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded cheese
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and shopped
1/4 head iceberg lettuce or chopped romaine lettuce
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to pot.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a skillet and brown the beef over medium heat. Cook until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat. Add three-quarters of the onion, garlic and taco seasoning. Cook until the onion of softened, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the chicken broth.
Add the meat sauce to the pasta and toss. Spoon into a serving dish, top with the cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese, about 1 minute. Top with the remaining onion, the tomatoes and lettuce. Add sour cream and olives like I did!
The only thing I regret is forgetting to put away the leftovers. I woke up to the pot still sitting on the stove! I was SO mad! UGH
Enjoy!
(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)
After last night's flop of a salad (it was good last night, not for lunch today) I was very excited when this turned out as great as it did! The feta cheese was great. My husband ate it too...he didn't know it had feta cheese in it :) It wasn't his favorite, but he picked out the zucchini and ate some. That's progress, right?!? I bought the chicken sausage from Sam's. I buy the big pack and freeze them in two's or three's. The sausage is fully cooked, so I just sliced it in half-moons and browned in the skillet. By changing the flavors of sausage, you could really change up the dish. To be honest, I don't remember what kind mine was. It had a slightly sweet background to it. I pulled it out of the freezer tonight and thawed it in the sink in cold water. This is a refreshing change on the noodle casserole dish! I've got some already packed for lunch tomorrow. Oh, and Rusty...you're getting a container too!
2-1/2 cups uncooked ziti (I used whole wheat rotini)
8 ounces chicken sausage (I used 4 links)
5 cups zucchini, thinly sliced (I used 4 medium)
2 cups vertically sliced onion (didn't have this)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) feta cheese (I used the whole 4-oz. container)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (you could use 1/2 cup)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
Slice sausage in half-moons. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add sausage to pan; cook until browned. Remove from pan. Wipe out skillet.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in pan. Add zucchini, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes or until veggies are tender and zucchini begins to brown, stirring occasionally.
Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan with the veggies; cook 1 minute. Combine zucchini mixture, pasta, sausage and feta cheese in a large bowl or the pasta pot; toss well. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 X 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly and light browned.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Cooking Light)
Frozen spinach is a great bargain at the grocery store. Just think of all of the bags of fresh spinach it would take to wilt down and fit into a 10-oz. frozen box of spinach. A lot! This recipe is a great way to sneak spinach into your diet. My husband even ate it! I made him some without the spinach, but he said that the ones with the spinach were just as good! If you have a small family, go ahead and make this whole recipe. Cook half now and freeze the other half of the shells for later. Freeze the stuffed shells (without the sauce) and then store in a zippy bag. Top with sauce and cheese before baking. You could use Italian sausage, ground beef or Jimmy Dean like I did. Change it up to use what you have on-hand!
1 box jumbo pasta shells (I didn't use the whole box)
1 lb. Italian sausage (I used Jimmy Dean)
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 10-oz. box frozen spinach
3/4 cup shredded or diced carrots (I forgot these!)
1 26-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13 X 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.
In a large skillet cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned, breaking up chunks with a wooden spoon. Drain. Thaw spinach in the microwave. Squeeze out all excess liquid.
In a medium bowl, stir ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, spinach, carrots and sausage (I was going to cook the carrots with the sausage to soften, but I forgot!)
Spread about 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce over bottom of baking dish. Fill the shells with the cheese sausage mixture. Arrange shells, filled side up, on sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over stuffed shells. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 5-10 minutes longer until cheese is melted.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Eat Better America 2010 Calendar)
This is a great dish to make as a side dish (for a crowd) or as a vegetarian main course. I have a feeling this is going to be my lunch this week. It makes a ton! I even used only 3/4 lb. instead of the full 1 lb. the original recipe called for. This is not a typical cheesy macaroni. The cheese is cubed then stirred in. I love how it melts while it cooks and you get little pockets of cheese in the noodles. Yummy! The veggies are so good, and so good for you! This is simple to put together. Take the time while its baking to get the kitchen clean. Double duty on a weeknight is a must!
3/4 lb. elbow macaroni pasta (I used 3/4 box Smart Taste)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. white mushrooms or baby bellas
1 onion, finely chopped
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 10-oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus 2/3 cup
2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons (feel free to use less)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, cubed (I used 12 oz. Monterrey Jack)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally , about 7-8 minutes. Drain pasta and return to pot (off of the heat).
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onion is golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and spinach. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.
In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Spread the softened butter in a 9 X 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle half of the bread crumb mixture in the dish to coat.
In the pasta pot combine the vegetable mixture with the cooked macaroni, cubed mozzarella and the remaining parmesan cheese. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining bread crumb mixture, and dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake until top is golden brown, about 30-40 minutes.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
Alright...so this was one of the ones that didn't turn out good. I've seen this written several times in magazines on the side column as a Ragu ad. El-Yucko. Don't waste your time. If you want to try it for its simplicity, use the chicken broth instead of the water. It tasted exactly like what it is: watered down tomato sauce pasta. It has potential though. It reminds me of a simpler version of One Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs. My opinion, just go for the meatball recipe. WAY more flavor and only a few additional ingredients.
Here's the recipe anyway, in case you want to try to improve it:
2 lb. ground beef
1 jar Ragu (the BIG one- 2 lb. 13 oz- I used 1-1/2 regular jars)
4 cups water (use chicken broth for more flavor)
1 lb. uncooked rotini pasta
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Brown ground beef in 6-quart saucepot; drain. Stir in sauce and water. Bring to a boil. Stir in uncooked rotini; return to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 14 minutes or until rotini is tender. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese. Let stand covered until cheese is melted.
(adapted from All You Magazine)
I absolutely love this recipe! I first made it several years ago for Bunco. Its a little more labor intensive than most of my other recipes, but it is totally worth it. I actually made this one Sunday afternoon. I doubled the recipe and divided it between 3 aluminum casserole dishes and put them in the freezer. Just top them with the breadcrumb/cheese mixture before baking. I'm cooking from the pantry this week, or the freezer in tonight's case, and it feels good to be able to do that. I hope that you enjoy this recipe. Its really one of my favorites!
9 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
1-1/4 teaspoons pepper
1 lb. white mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature (2 % would suffice)
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
12 ounces linguine
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Spread 1 tablespoon butter over a 13 X 9 baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-sized pices and put in a large bowl. **You could totally skip this step and grill the chicken breasts or use 1 rotisserie chicken**
Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture into the bowl with the chicken.
Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1-3/4 teaspoons salt and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil (watch this though and don't let it boil over!) Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce and peas (I totally forgot to add these!) to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.
Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.
**I doubled this recipe and divided among 3 aluminum baking dishes and froze them. I figured if I was going through all the trouble to make this I might as well get the most bang for my buck! Thaw the casserole in the fridge the night before you want to bake it (mine was still pretty much frozen tonight). I baked it covered in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. I uncovered it and topped it with the breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Turned the oven up to 450 degrees and baked uncovered another 35-40 minutes. Delish!
Enjoy!
(adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
This is going to be my lunch all week! Publix had asparagus "on sale" this week. Its still not a great price, but I couldn't wait any longer to post this recipe. I first made this Easter last year. Its a Southern Living recipe, so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. Its great as is, or you could add chicken and bulk it up as a main course. Leftovers are even great cold eaten more as a pasta salad. And did I mention that it cooks in about 15 minutes. That's right. Quick, easy and delicious!
1 box penne pasta
1 bunch fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, mined
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup pecan halves
Prepare pasta according to package directions; rinse and drain (I forgot to rinse).
Snap off tough ends of asparagus, and cut into thirds. Saute asparagus in a hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes. Stir in red bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Stir in salt and pepper.
Toss together pasta, asparagus mixture, parmesan cheese and pecans. Garnish with additional cheese and pecans, if desired.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Southern Living)
I had a lot of alfredo sauce that I bought the other week and wanted to find a new way to use it. My sister-in-law Jennifer shared this with me. Its a take on a ziti bake. Five ingredients and super easy. Not to mention, delicious! I have to credit Shelley with the cooking for this one though! She made this while I stood around and kept her company :) Thanks Shelley! I'll let the recipe speak for itself.
1 box penne noodles (we used Smart Taste)
1 jar alfredo sauce
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese (we used Italian Blend)
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium high heat. Drain off excess fat. Pour jar of spaghetti sauce over meat and heat through.
Drain pasta and return to pan. Pour in alfredo sauce and mix well. If it is too thick, you can thin it out with a splash of milk.
Spray a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Spread a think layer of the meat sauce in the bottom. Top with the noodles and meat sauce in this order: noodles, meat, noodles, meat. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes until bubbly. Serve with garlic bread and salad.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Jennifer Ammons)
This recipe turned out really yummy. Not a "stoup" like Rachael Ray's original recipe. Closer to a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. But, it all cooks in the same pot...hence the new name! Rachael Ray describes her "stoup" as thicker than a soup but thinner than a stew. I think I put too many noodles, which contributed to mine thickening up more. You can lessen that amount if you want to aim more for the "stoup" consistency. I like eating mine with a fork, so it worked out perfectly! I like having the carrots tucked in there too. Ella ate hers with no problem. Heck, even Clay ate them! This recipe makes good use of the spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, bread crumbs and parmesan cheese that has been on sale at Publix. I must confess though. My meat was not thawed when I got home, so I had to improvise and use frozen meatballs. If you have those in the freezer, go right on ahead. It makes this dish that much easier. I used 20, but I think you could throw a few more in there. If spaghetti is a favorite around your house, knock this one out. Its sure to be a crowd pleaser!
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped (I used about 1 cup chopped baby carrots)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth (1 carton)
1 26-oz. jar spaghetti sauce (My Classico jar was 24 oz.)
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 lb. ground beef
1 large egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, divided
salt and pepper
3/4 box spaghetti, broken into thirds (I used whole wheat)
In a large soup pot, combine the olive oil, onion, carrots and garlic and cook over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken broth, spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
In a large bowl, using a fork, combine the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper. Roll the meat into balls the size of a large walnut and drop each one into the soup pot (will make about 16-20 meatballs). Simmer for 10 minutes.
**This is where you could make life easier and use frozen meatballs like I did!
Stir the broken spaghetti into the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes. Add in the additional 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Its ready to serve now, but I covered it and reduced the heat to low and simmered probably another 15 minutes or so until we were ready to eat. Serve in bowls and top with additional parmesan cheese. We served ours with some Cole's Garlic Bread we got B1G1 at Publix a couple of weeks ago.
Enjoy!
(adapted from RachaelRayMag.com)
This is another one of those recipes that I was holding onto just waiting on cannellini beans to go on sale! I added the zucchini because I love it and I thought the green would be pretty. The beans make it very filling. I love all of the fresh colors. This isn't a favorite of my husband's. He doesn't like zucchini or tomatoes. So...I knew he wouldn't like this dish. But, I can't cook Man Food all the time. If he doesn't like it, I have PLENTY of cereal! Publix had the big Italian sale this week with the Progresso beans and broth B1G1. I got some of the produce from my local farmers market. Serve this with a salad if you'd like. I like the one-bowl ease of this though. Its easy to curl up in my chair, bowl in hand, and enjoy dinner.
8 oz. rotini, ditaloni or other short tube pasta (I used 1/2 box elbows)
1 15-19 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chicken broth (plus more if needed)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
2 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
salt and pepper
In a large saucepan, cook pasta according to package directions; drain well and set aside.
In a blender or food processor, combine 3/4 cup of the beans and the chicken broth. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Place bean puree back in the pot used for cooking the pasta. Bring to a slight boil and pour the pasta back in with the bean mixture.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook garlic and zucchini in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir frequently to keep the garlic from scorching (If it does scorch start over. You will never get that bitter taste out of the dish). Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute. Add the remaining beans, shredded chicken, salt and pepper. Heat through. (Tip: Cut the tomatoes in half and gently squeeze over a bowl to get out the excess seeds and juice. Then chop and add to the skillet.)
Add the tomato mixture to the hot pasta and toss to coat. If you need to add more broth to give it a better consistency add it now. I maybe added 1/4 cup while mixing. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)
I just recently started cooking with Italian Sausage since I've picked it up during the sales at Publix and Winn Dixie. I really like the change it gives me in my regular dinner routine. I found this recipe in a Philadelphia Cream Cheese insert in one of my magazines. It is very simple and very delicious. Great for quick weeknight meals. The peppers give it a good fresh kick. You probably have most of these items in your stockpile. Its a great change on the noodles-pasta sauce dinner!
1 box Penne Noodles (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)
1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
8 oz. cream cheese (I used reduced-fat)
1/4 cup milk (add more as needed for desired consistency)
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, brown sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up large chunks with a wooden spoon. Drain off excess fat. Return to skillet and add peppers. Cook 5-10 minutes or until softened. Stir in spaghetti sauce and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add cream cheese, cook another 5 minutes or until melted, stirring frequently.
Drain pasta and return to pot. Add sausage mixture, mixing thoroughly. Add enough milk to thin out the consistency (I didn't measure, so I'm not sure how much I added. I'm guessing between 1/4 and 1/2 cup. It will resemble an alfredo sauce). Top with Parmesan. Serve with a small salad.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Kraft)
Dawn Hoover, the columnist from Spice of Life, sent this recipe to me a couple of weeks ago. I knew it was definitely something that I wanted to make. Anything stuffed in a pasta shell has to be good! I think if I made this again, though, I would add more cream cheese. If your in the mood to try something different for dinner, give this one a try. I'll be warming up leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
Filling Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup salsa
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4-oz. cream cheese
1 box jumbo pasta shells (you'll only use about 16)
Additional Ingredients:
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheese
1-1/2 cups crushed Tostitos (I omitted these)
1 cup sour cream (I ran out!)
In a large skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink; drain off any excess fat. Add taco seasoning, water, salsa and beans; cook over medium heat until thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated (about 10 minutes). Add the 4-oz. of cream cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain. Toss with a little olive oil or butter to keep from sticking together.
Fill each pasta shell with a heaping tablespoon of meat mixture (I just used the one from my silverware drawer). You should be able to fill about 16. Spoon 1/2 cup salsa in the bottom of a 9-inch baking dish. Top with filled shells. Pour the other 1/2 cup salsa over the top, cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses. Bake uncovered 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Sprinkle with crushed chips. Serve with sour cream and extra salsa. Throw on some shredded lettuce or green onions if you feel like you need some green :) Serve with some rice, corn or beans.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Taste of Home- originally sent to me by Dawn Hoover)
Sometimes I get tired of the same pasta-noodles-cheese combinations. I did this one a few years back, and to be honest, I've kind of forgotten about it! It is a little more time consuming than just a regular noodle-sauce-pasta-in-the-oven-dish, but it is so worth the extra prep work. I love ricotta cheese, and the parsley gives it a slight burst of freshness. A "bunch" of parsley was $.88 at Wal-mart the other day. So its nothing that will break your wallet. Of course, if you don't have any, its perfectly fine without it. I think most of you probably have your own version of this. Let me know how you do yours! And if you want to go for a change, try this one next time!
9-12 lasagna noodles
1 lb. ground beef
1 regular sized jar spaghetti sauce (plus 1-1/2 cups extra)
1 15-oz. ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella or Italian blend)
1 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions. Lay out on a work surface to cool when done. You might want to drizzle them with a little olive oil or spray with a butter flavored cooking spray (that's what I did).
Meanwhile, brown the beef in a skillet over medium heat until brown, breaking up the bigger pieces with a wooden spoon. Drain off excess fat (I use a baster for this most of the time). Pour 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9- inch baking dish. Pour the rest of the sauce in the meat. Simmer over low about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 2 cups shredded mozzarella, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and salt and pepper (to taste). Mix well.
Lay out a lasagna noodle. Spread approximately 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture over noodle. Top with approximately 2 tablespoons of meat. Gently roll up and place on top of sauce in baking dish. Repeat until your dish is full. My dish held 9 lasagna rolls. Top with any meat that is left. Pour an additional 1-1/2 cups sauce over lasagna rolls. Top with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (or more if you feel adventurous!)
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with salad and breadsticks.
Enjoy!
Spinach is not something that I eat often. I don't dislike it, its just not something that I'm full of ideas for! But, it is Super healthy and should be eaten more often. So, to pull myself in, I combined it with pasta, eggs, and bacon! Pasta Carbonara is a pasta dish made with spaghetti, bacon, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Tonight I used fettuccine because I had some Buitoni left over from a previous sale that needed to be used. There are many different ways to make this. Just about everybody has a recipe for it. I chose one from Cooking Light tonight. The original recipe called for the bacon to be cooked in a skillet, and then the onion sauteed in the bacon drippings. I saved a little bit of "healthy" and cooked the bacon in the microwave, and sauteed the onions in a teaspoon of olive oil. The eggs and Parmesan cheese essentially become the "sauce". Very Yummy! I ate this as-is tonight, but it could be served with grilled chicken or asparagus. You could also leave the spinach out (its not traditionally in Pasta Carbonara) and serve a spinach salad on the side!
1 6-oz. package baby spinach
6 slices bacon
1 cup onion, finely chopped (I used about 1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 oz. spaghetti (or whatever long pasta you have on-hand)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Heat large skillet over medium heat. Saute spinach and a pinch of salt in 1 teaspoon olive oil for 1-2 minutes, until wilted. Remove and set aside.
Cook bacon and set aside. (I cooked mine in the microwave while the onions were sauteing)
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in same skillet and saute onion and garlic until tender, about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken broth; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat. (I read the recipe wrong and added in 1 cup of chicken broth. I reduced it a little longer and it turned out fine!) Once reduced, remove from heat; keep warm.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well, reserving 1 tablespoon of cooking liquid. Immediately add pasta and 1 tablespoon reserved cooking liquid to onion mixture in skillet. Add spinach and bacon; stir well to combine. Place skillet over low heat.
Combine cheese, egg, egg white, salt and pepper (to taste) and stir with a whisk. Add to pasta mixture, tossing well to coat. Cook 3 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat. Add salt and black pepper if needed. Black pepper is really good on this!
Enjoy!
(adpated from Cooking Light)
