Garlic Ground Beef & Spinach with Cheese Tortellini

This is a super easy weeknight meal (less than 30 minutes) and was a big hit with the entire family! This is not a heavy creamy dish. There will be a little beef broth in dish if you're serving right away but by next day, that pasta will have soaked it up and it will still be great. I imagine this would be amazing with a little cream cheese added to sauce to thicken. But it's good as is and less rich. If you use refrigerated tortellini then add it to simmering sauce until it cooks through.

1 lb (450g) ground beef

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 package (20 oz) frozen cheese tortellini

1 cup beef broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional) or dried

 

Cook the tortellini according to the package instructions. Once done, drain the pasta & save about a cup of the cooking water.  While tortellini cooks, brown the beef, breaking it apart with your spatula as it cooks. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes & garlic. Stir for a minute. Pour in the broth and pasta water. Let the mixture come to a gentle simmer. Add butter & stir. Add in spinach, parmesan cheese & parsley.  Serve.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I made so many changes to the original recipe, this is now mine. The original called for cooking the chicken with the peppers & onions then adding the pasta until it’s cooked through, about 15 min. I don’t like to cook my protein and veggies together so I did it a bit differently. I also cooked my pasta first and set it aside. Double the garlic, added a bit more Cajun seasoning and added red pepper flakes as well as Parmesan cheese which was not in original at all. This was excellent and a keeper per the fam! 

 

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4), cut into 1-inch pieces
3-4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded & cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded & cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
12 ounces penne pasta
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes Italian style

6 ounces cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature
Parmesan cheese, about 1/4 cup
4 scallions, sliced, for serving

 

Season chicken thigh pieces with 2 tsp Cajun seasoning. Leave 1 tsp aside. Let chicken come to room temp for ½ hour while prepping everything else. Heat 1 tblsp oil in large wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers & onions and cook until they just begin to release some of their juices, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic &  cook until softened, 1 minute. If you like softer veggies, cook longer and deglaze pan with a little if needed. Set aside on a plate. In same pan, heat 1 tblsp oil. Add the chicken & cook, browning on each side about 4 minutes total. Add veggies back in, along with chicken broth & tomatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and reduced a bit, about 15 minutes. Mine was still pretty thin at this point so I added in the cream cheese and lowered to a simmer. Once cream cheese was melted, I added in the rest of the cajun seasoning (taste to see if you need to add more), cooked pasta & Parmesan. Take it off heat & let it sit. This thickened up nicely.

Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake

I found this recipe on beyondthechickencoop.com and made some minor adjustments. The homemade pepper jack cheese sauce makes this a keeper and it’s flexible so add whatever you do like or take away anything you don’t. I doubled the garlic which is already reflected below. And I marinated my chicken in Italian seasonings, onion & garlic powder, lemon and olive oil for 30 min before grilling or sauteing in  a pan. I also added mushrooms but may not always for the mushroom haters. I didn’t bake it for the 20-30 minutes since everything was cooked through, just added a little parm & mozz on top then broiled. 

 

8 ounces penne pasta (whole wheat penne worked nicely too)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons flour

2-3 clove garlic minced (this is doubled from original recipe)

2 cups milk whole milk (Used 1 or 2% which is fine)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

⅛ teaspoon Italian seasoning

4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded, about 2 cups (can add mozzarella too)

¼ cup Parmesan cheese shredded

1 cup Mozzarella (if using in the mixture and on top like I did)

2 cups cooked chicken chopped (breasts or thighs work well)

1 cup canned diced tomatoes 15 oz can, drained

Topping

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley chopped, optional

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. In a sauce pan over medium heat combine oil and flour. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Whisk in milk. Continue cooking over medium low heat, stirring often. Add seasoning. When milk begins to simmer, it will begin to thicken. Do not boil. Turn heat off and whisk in Monterey Jack cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Fold in tomatoes and chicken gently. Add cooked and drained pasta and fold gently until covered with cheese sauce. Spray a 2 quart (8x11") casserole dish with a non-stick spray. Add pasta mixture. Top with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Bake uncovered in a preheated 400° oven for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Add chopped parsley before serving.

Crockpot Ravioli Lasagna

Hubs found this recipe on a Facebook page called Mimukbangs. It was excellent. You can really do as you wish with amounts of everything. Below yielded 2 layers of ravioli and 2 layers of beef. It could use a 3rd layer but that's personal preference. I bought a 44oz bag ravioli and had plenty leftover but used all of everything else. 

1 bag frozen cheese ravioli 

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 

1 jar (24 oz) of your favorite pasta sauce 

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained (use 2 lbs for extra meatiness) 

Add a thin layer of pasta sauce at the bottom of the crockpot to prevent sticking. Layer the ingredients in the crockpot in the following order: ravioli, browned ground beef, shredded Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and pasta sauce. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of sauce and cheese on top. Cook: Set the crockpot to cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. This allows the ravioli to cook through and the cheese to melt and become bubbly. Servings: 6

Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake

I found this recipe on Food.com & thought it was simple enough for weeknight cooking. I was also drawn to the use of chive & onion cream cheese which did not disappoint. The original recipe used rotisserie chicken and also baked the onions in the oven first by themselves. I chose to cook some chicken breasts in the crockpot the first time I did this & boneless skinless chicken thighs the second time. I also sautéed my onions in a pan rather than the oven. Next time, I will add some fresh garlic as well & instead of putting all of the mozzarella on top, I think it would be a great idea to mix at least ½ cup into the mixture.

8 ounces uncooked rigatoni pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
2 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8 ounce) container chive & onion cream cheese
Salt & pepper
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese 

Prepare rigatoni according to package directions. Sauté onion & garlic in a pan with a little olive oil. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Drain thawed spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels. Stir rigatoni, spinach, chicken and next 4 ingredients with onion & garlic in bowl. Add some mozz. Spoon mixture into baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake, covered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes until all is melty. Place under broiler for a few minutes to brown the edges of pasta as well as cheese.

Chicken Pasta Primavera in a White Wine Garlic Cream Sauce

Inspired by a meal the hubs had while traveling out of town, of all places, a Hilton Garden Inn. After explaining what he had I put together this creation and he loved it. 

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Italian Seasoning

Olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

8oz pkg sliced mushrooms

1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin

1 small Vidalia onion, sliced thin

White wine, such as Chardonnay, 500ml, about 3 glasses.

½ can of low sodium chicken broth

1 tblsp cornstarch mixed with about ¼ c water

A few bunches of fresh spinach, sliced

1 lb of fettucine or favorite pasta

Splash of cream (a little less then 1/4 c)

Fresh parmesan cheese

Shaved almonds (for garnish, optional)

Place chicken between 2 pieces of wax paper. With a mallet, flatten out chicken just to uniform thickness. This helps the chicken cook evenly as well as come out tender. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder & Italian seasoning. Let sit at room temp for ½ hour (my number one rule when cooking or grilling any meat).

Heat up water to boil for the pasta so you don’t have to at last minute. Heat a little olive oil in large sauté pan. Heat garlic until fragrant. Add the vegetables except for spinach and sauté until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove & set aside. Heat a little more olive oil in same pan. Add chicken breasts & cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side. Set aside on plate to rest so all juices return to center.

Your pasta should be up to a boil now.

Your pan should be nice & brown. This is when you deglaze the pan to get up all that goodness. Pour in the wine & chicken broth & scrape up all the brown bits. Heat to a boil.  Meanwhile, slice the chicken on a thin slant.

Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the wine broth mixture & let it continue to boil for a minute or two. This is to thicken liquid just a little although this is not a very thick sauce. Add the cream, salt & pepper to taste. Add in the veggies, sliced chicken & spinach. Allow to heat through for a minute. Lower heat and add your pasta. Toss until thoroughly coated. Add some fresh parmesan cheese.

Garnish with shaved almonds and serve with more parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Food for Thought

Use any pasta you'd like. Our fav for this dish is fettucine. Also, feel free to use the frozen pkg of bell peppers & onions for the veggies. This includes green & red pepper. You can add a little butter to the sauce to make it a little richer. It just depends on how healthy you want to keep it. I omitted the butter and it was just as good. This dish is even better the next day!

Linguine with Spicy Red Clam Sauce

A family favorite for over 20 years, I created this recipe after visiting a bookstore back in 2000 and perusing so many Italian cookbooks for a clam sauce recipe. I took what I liked about all of them and made my own. We like things spicy around here, hence the use of jalapeños. This couldn't be any easier. Currently, I make this for my mom and dad in freezer portions because they absolutely love it too. 

Printable Recipe Here


Olive oil
5-6 garlic cloves
2 28oz cans whole peeled tomatoes (I like Cento)
6 jalapeño peppers, red or green, seeded (see notes) & finely chopped
6-7 cans chopped clams, drained. Liquid reserved from 4 cans only.
2 tblsp parsley
16oz cooked linguine
Salt to taste
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat oil in sauté pan. Cook garlic until soft & fragrant. Stir in tomatoes & jalapeños. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in clam liquid & heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. This is when I break down the tomatoes with my immersion blender or you can use a masher. Personal preference as to how chunky you like your sauce.

Stir in clams, parsley & salt. Cover & simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, put up linguine.

Serve with pasta. Add red pepper flakes & parmesan cheese.

Food for thought: Jalapeño peppers vary in their heat level so I try to judge the best I can from if my nose and eyes are watering as I cut them. For more heat, I keep the seeds in. If you're not a spicy fan, then de-seed and use less jalapeño. As for the clams, I used to use the minced but the bigger chopped ones are perfect. 

Penne with Sausage & Escarole

Blogging breaks are necessary but then I get to a point, usually after 5 days, when I feel disconnected from the people who have become a part of my life. So, here I am, I've missed you. And I bring you this dish I made recently which I found in the Today's Show recipe book, a gift for my  birthday in October.

I loved this dish! The ingredients just work so well together. The original recipe called for broccoli rabe which is slightly bitter. I opted for escarole since it pairs beautifully with sausage in a popular Italian soup. It was perfect so I'm sticking with it!!!!!

PENNE WITH SAUSAGE & ESCAROLE

{Printable Recipe Here}

1 lb hot or sweet Italian sausage links
1 tblsp olive oil
8 oz Escarole, chopped (about 6 cups)
1 large leek, cut into ¼” slices (about ½ cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup chicken broth
½ cup purchased roasted red sweet peppers, drained & cut into strips
6 oz dried penne pasta
¼ cup snipped fresh basil
½ tsp pepper
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Fill a skillet with ½” water. Bring to boiling. Add sausage. Cook covered for 15 minutes. Drain. Remove to a cutting board & cut into ½” slices. Return slices to a skillet & cook in oil for 2-3 minutes or until brown. Set aside.

Add escarole, leek & garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring until escarole is wilted & leek is tender.

Stir in sausage, broth & peppers. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover & simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until escarole is crisp tender.

Meanwhile cook pasta. Add cooked pasta, basil & black pepper to sausage mixture. Toss gently to combine.

Top with parmesan cheese. Serve additional parmesan cheese at table.

A little tip on parmesan: Fresh is best!!!!!!!!!!! I highly recommend buying a fresh block & shredding/grating as you need it. It lasts for a while & is perfect for pasta dishes that require only just a few but very fresh ingredients.

Since I find it to be such a pain to grate on the smallest hole (not shown above) I grate on the hole you see above, then I just do a rough chop to get it just a bit smaller that what you see.

{Food for Thought}

The recipe didn't mention taking the casing off the sausage but I did anyway. After it boils & you remove it to a cutting board, let it rest for a few minutes. Then just take a knife & make a slit the long way, removing the casing like a jacket with your hands. Since the sausage & escarole are perfect together I wouldn't recommend substituting chicken but if you're not a meat eater I think turkey sausage would be fine too.

 { Deliciously Linking to Friday Food with MomTrends }

Drop Dead Lasagna

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I don't go crazy during Thanksgiving except to bring a few dishes to my parent's house so it was a good time to take a blogging break. Christmas, however, is a whole 'nother story!

I make this lasagna every year for Christmas dinner at my house. It's special for the holiday in terms of taste & effort & the whole family loves it!

Tyler Florence says this is the old-school lasagna that you find in the Italian restaurants in Brooklyn. Fuggedaboudit! You can assemble the lasagna ahead of time...& it's great for leftovers.

DROP-DEAD LASAGNA

Printable Recipe

1 lb lasagna noodles
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 tblsp fennel seeds
1/2 tblsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tblsp dried oregano
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
Salt & Pepper
2 lb ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 lbs shredded mozzarella cheese
4 cups Marinara Sauce (see notes)
Additional Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

Fill a large pasta pot with water & place over high heat. Add a generous amount of salt & bring to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles for only 8 minutes; they should still be somewhat firm, as they will continue to cook when you bake the lasagna. Drain the noodles in a colander & rinse them quickly under cool water to stop the cooking process. Drizzle some olive oil so the sheets don't stick together, then set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat & drizzle with 2 tblsp of olive oil. Sauté the onion, garlic & bay leaf for a couple of minutes, until the onions are translucent & smell sweet. Add the ground beef & pork, stirring to break it up & cook until the meat is thoroughly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the excess fat. Combine the fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, brown sugar & dried oregano in a spice mill or a coffee grinder, give it a whirl & sprinkle on the browned meat. Stir in the tomato paste until well blended; season with salt & pepper. Take the pan off the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta & Parmigiano cheeses. Fold in the parsley, basil & eggs, season with salt & pepper. Mix well.

Preheat the oven to 350. Take inventory of the components you should have: slightly cooked lasagna noodles, seasoned meat mixture, ricotta cheese filling, 2 pounds of mozzarella cheese, a pot of sauce & a 13 x 9 inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Let the layering begin.

Start by ladling enough sauce into the dish to cover the bottom; this prevents the lasagna from sticking. Layer 1 -- the noodles: slightly overlap 4 lasagna noodles lengthwise so they completely cover the bottom with no gaps.

Here is a little tip I swear by: if you take 2 lasagna noodles & line the short ends of the pan, they will act as brackets or a wall to give the lasagna support when you cut it (see pic below)

Layer 2 -- the meat: spread half the meat mixture on top of the noodles with a spatula. The meat mixture, being the most solid element, will act as a foundation.

Layer 3 -- the cheese: spread half the ricotta cheese mixture over the meat, smooth out with a spatula.

Note the side brackets of lasagna noodles

Then sprinkle a third of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the ricotta mixture.

Layer 4 -- the sauce: top with a full ladle of tomato sauce, about 1 cup (see notes); smooth it out with a spatula. Repeat layers 1 through 4. Finish with a final layer of noodles, tomato sauce & the remaining mozzarella. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to force out any air bubbles & to compress the layers.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until golden & bubbling. Allow the lasagna to sit for 20 minutes so it doesn't ooze all over the place when you cut it into squares. Pass the extra tomato sauce & grated Parmigiano around the table.

{Food for Thought}

If you’re like me, you’ll want to have more sauce than just 4 cups. One ladle for each layer seems so little to me so I add more so the lasagna isn’t dry. And I also have extra for passing around. My favorite, if I am not up to making my own, is LaFamiglia DelGrosso. It's expensive but worth it. Last year I got lucky when they had a buy one get one free. Normally, it's $8 per jar.

The use of fennel has also become a bit of a conversation piece in my house since some people do not like it. If you have loved ones who don’t enjoy fennel I recommend cutting down the amount to 1 tsp because you can really taste the tablespoon. Lastly, you may want to increase the ricotta mixture by 50% as well. This way, you have more if you need. And if you have leftover just reserve for another use.

Tastefully linking to Blessed with Grace for Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays!

Wok Seared Chicken with Asparagus

The weekend is here & that's a beautiful thing. I hope everyone enjoys theirs. For me, there will be sunning & swimming on the homefront with a few meals thrown in as well as a minor home renovation I am very excited about.

We have one of those bi-fold pantry doors & the pantry is not very large. When the door is open it feels like it's taking up half the space to access the closet. So, we have someone coming in to brace the door, making it like a regular one. Then we'll also be able to put shelves on the door to create more space. Hey, sometimes it's the little things that make me happy.

Onto something else that made me pleased. I found this East meets West dish on Eating Well's site. It's delicious & really satisfies the craving for pasta without feeling guilty as well as fill the protein & veggie need.

1 tblsp toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
4 scallions, trimmed & cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tblsp minced fresh ginger
1 tblsp oyster-flavored sauce
1 tsp chile-garlic sauce
1/4 cup shelled salted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add asparagus; cook, stirring, for 2-4 minutes, depending on how soft you like your asparagus. Add chicken; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Stir in scallions, ginger, oyster sauce & chile-garlic sauce; cook, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in pistachios & serve immediately. Makes 4 servings

{Food for Thought}

Regular sesame oil as opposed to toasted works just fine. I also did not use fresh ginger so I sprinkled it a few times. No exact measurement. I served this over whole grain thin spaghetti & once I added the pasta to the hot pan I also added just a little pasta water to help bind it all together.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!! I'll be coming around to cath with you for sure.

Stephanie's Shrimp & Feta Pasta

I have been MIA, I know. Last week's priority was getting ready for a weekend trip to Ft. Lauderdale to visit my sister. Tristan & I had a great time!!!! Today I come to you with a dish I am in love with. The best part is ~ I created it last week while trying to get rid of a few things & it ended up being so delicious, even restaurant quality, that I made it again the next night.

If you love olives, feta & pasta but want something light, this is the dish for you. I pat myself on the back for adding pasta water which creates a nice sauce along with just a little of the pesto, olives & feta, without a lot of fat. I can eat this dish & feel like I am indulging without actually doing so.

8 oz whole grain rotini or penne pasta
1 tblsp olive oil
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
20 medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
1-2 tblsp Classico Sundried Tomato Pesto
1 heaping tblsp kalamata olives, chopped
1 heaping tblsp crumbled feta cheese with basil & tomato
1/3 cup pasta water
Parmesan cheese
Basil, optional

Cook pasta according to directions. Make sure to reserve about 1/3 cup pasta water. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion & garlic & cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add shrimp. Cook & stir for about 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato pesto, olives, crumbled feta cheese & reserved pasta water. Stir until a sauce develops & cheese melts, about 1 minute.

Garnish with parmesan cheese & basil.

{Food for Thought}

The above measurements are for about 2 large servings. I was making it just for myself so I had leftovers for lunch after having more than I should the 1st time around. So, use your judgment. I loved the rotini more than the penne because it captured the sauce better, especially since there is not an abundance of it to begin with.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

Visit Blessed with Grace for more TMTT

Baked Ziti with Chicken & Spinach

This may not be fat free but it’s definitely a lighter version of most cheesy baked ziti dishes & without all the labor involved. I picked a recipe from my sidebar where I keep fellow bloggers’ recipes but I decided to re-vamp it a bit. I still really like the idea of hers, where she purees artichoke hearts & adds it to the sauce so I may try that next time. See here for the original. As for my version, it needs just a tad improvement but I wanted to catalog it since it really satisifies a craving for baked ziti without all the guilt.


8-16 ounces whole grain penne with fiber
1 tblsp olive oil
2 large boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz bag fresh baby spinach
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup 1% milk
3 tblsp Classico tomato pesto
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
Crushed red pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta, drain & set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan. Saute chicken pieces a few minutes & then add onion & garlic. Cook for a few minutes until almost cooked through. Add spinach & cook until wilted. Place mixture in bowl & set aside.


In the same skillet, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour until golden. Add milk & whisk until smooth. Add the pesto & blend until smooth. In a large mixing bowl toss the pasta, chicken mixture & sauce mixture with the Parmesan cheese & mix well. Pour into a greased 9x9 casserole. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake about 30 minutes. Serve with a little crushed red pepper & parmesan cheese.

{Food for Thought}

While I really enjoyed this, I would have liked a little more of a saucy feel but without the fat. So doubling the butter & flour is not an option. Maybe adding some chicken broth flavored with roasted garlic may do the trick next time or adding the pureed artichoke hearts from the original recipe. This was nice served with some whole wheat bread, brushed with a little olive oil, garlic powder & Tuscan seasonings then broiled for about 3 minutes.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th! If you're looking for a great dessert to make, check out these mini cheesecake tarts from Paula Deen. I make them whenever I can. Lined alternately on a plate with cherry & blueberry filling, they will be perfect for the holiday.

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

From the Barefoot Contessa, this was one of the best pasta salads I have ever tasted. It was so flavorful due to the roasting of the veggies & fresh simple ingredients like garlic & lemon juice.

I made this last Sunday a few hours before both sets of our parents came over for a BBQ & there just wasn't enough. Everyone devoured it & would have had more. This was so delicious I am planning to make it again this Memorial Day weekend as we have a couple of friends coming over for another BBQ. C'mon by!!!!!

1 small eggplant, peeled & 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled & 1-inch diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb orzo

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 scallions, sliced thin (white & green parts)
3/4 lb. good feta, 1/2-inch diced
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion & garlic with the olive oil, salt & pepper on a large baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain & transfer to a large serving bowl. 3. Add roasted vegetables to the orzo, scraping all the liquid & seasonings from roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper & pour on orzo & vegetables. Add the scallions, pignolis, feta & basil.

{My Thoughts}

Instead of using plain feta & adding fresh basil, I always buy the reduced fat tomato basil feta. And rarely do I add the pine nuts.

This dish is also great at room temp but we prefer it cold

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

Come on back tomorrow night for the amazing Grilled Chicken Piri Piri that paired so perfectly with this delicious salad. Just in time for Memorial Day Weekend!

Lo Mein with Stir Fry Vegetables

Hi all. The upside to being sick is getting better, and with a vengeance! I think my bedroom is the cleanest room in America. The carpet was steam cleaned & dust was eliminated from every single surface including fan, walls, curtain rods & above the door trims. It even smells & feels healthier.

And speaking of healthy, I found this recipe in a magazine & knew I wanted to make it right away. But instead of using napa cabbage, carrots & Teriyaki I changed it up to suit our tastes better. It was really good & even better over the next day or two!

8 oz thin spaghetti
3 tblsp vegetable oil
1 lb ground chicken
Salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced including white parts
1 pkg sliced white mushrooms
1 pkg broccoli slaw
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup water
1 jar Thai Chili Sauce

Cook spaghetti as directed. Set aside. In 12 inch skillet heat 1 tblsp oil on medium high until hot. Add chicken & 1/8 tsp of salt. Cook until no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl with slotted spoon. To the drippings in skillet, add garlic, scallions & 1 tblsp of oil. Cook 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms, cook 5 minutes. Add broccoli slaw & ground ginger. Cook for 5 minutes until veggies are tender, stirring often. Add the remaining tblsp of oil if needed.

Add Thai chili sauce, spaghetti & chicken to the veggie mixture. Cook 2 minutes to blend flavors & heat through.

My Thoughts:

I changed the original recipe so much to get to what is above so I really have no additional thoughts. If you're not a mushroom lover, these can be substituted with red & green peppers. Teriyaki sauce can also be used in place of the Thai chili sauce. This dish was awesome as lunch for the next 2 days.

Click Here to Print Recipe

And for a little sweetness to round out the meal...

Photo of Tristan by the fireplace, used for this year's Christmas card.
Tristan (right) & friend Angel on last week's playdate.

Pasta with Creamy Mushroom Pea Sauce

Even though the name has Creamy in it this is on the healthier side. Adapting this dish from Eating Well, it made for a great dinner last week & lunch for the 2 days after. I was planning to post crab cakes today that I made over the weekend but for some reason my pictures didn't come through to my email here at work from my email at home. Thankfully, I had this recipe ready to go but without my own pics. I'll have to incorporate those in later because there is one funny one which shows exactly why I cut the amount of the peas down.

For more Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays please visit Blessed with Grace.

Ok I will leave in the above pic just for kicks & for comparison sake but the 2 below are mine. THIS is why I needed to reduce the peas.

8 ounces whole-wheat pasta, such as fusilli or rotini
2 cups frozen peas
1 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces sliced prosciutto, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh mushrooms
2 tblsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup whipping cream
Lots of freshly ground pepper, to taste
Fresh parmesan cheese for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until the pasta is tender. I had thawed my peas so I added them to the pasta the last two minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook prosciutto, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic & cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add mushrooms & cook, stirring, until they release their juices & most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms; stir to coat. Add wine & let simmer for 1 minute. Add broth, return to a simmer & cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in cream & pepper. Drain the peas & pasta; return to the pan, add the mushroom sauce & toss to coat.

My Thoughts:

This dish is not rich & creamy at all like an alfredo sauce & I even wished for more sauce when I first made it. So, I doubled the liquid ingredients to make more & those amounts are already incorporated into the amounts above.

If you don't like mushrooms or peas just substitute. To me, the flavor of this dish comes from the prosciutto, wine & chicken broth & a bit of the cream of course. It's a light pasta dish that won't weigh you down.

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Sesame Chicken & Noodles

We really enjoyed this dish awhile back. I made quite a few changes to the original recipe & while we had it warm, I think I prefer this dish cold. It was amazing the next day!!!

As my mind's on Breaking Dawn, I can't help but think that if vampires could eat, they would really enjoy this straight out of the fridge after a little horizontal immortal mambo. Just sayin'. What I wish & get are two different things, no spoilers here. Anyway, ahem, here's the recipe.....

Picture from Google

Sesame Chicken & Noodles (adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)

1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup sliced scallions
2 tblsp honey
1 tblsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tblsp Asian garlic chili sauce
3/4 lb fresh chicken tenderloins
8 oz pkg whole wheat whole grain thin spaghetti
2 tblsp sesame oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 8oz pkg special blend mushrooms

In medium bowl stir together vinegar, scallions, honey, soy sauce, ginger & garlic-chili sauce. If you have pre-packaged chicken toss it into sauce & set aside to allow flavors to meld. If using fresh chicken, saute in pan with a little oil for a few minutes. Add red pepper & mushroom & saute for another few minutes. Add to sauce & set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare your noodles. When they're done, rinse with cold water if you are eating the dish cold. Toss with the sesame oil. Place on plate & then spoon chicken mixture on top.

My thoughts:

If you don't have garlic chili sauce, just add some garlic powder to the sauce. Also, original recipe called for 12 oz pkg of refrigerated grilled chicken breast strips but I don't like buying those pre-packaged goods because of the sodium.

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Southwestern Casserole

It's 7am. Going to get some coffee while we're out doing an errand, then to the park, off to explore a New York style deli I've never been to, make something sweet with my little guy & off to the Disney Ice show tonight. And a bit of Twilight Reading, only 23 pages in..... Oh, also, if you haven't seen What Happens In Vegas with Ashton & Cameron, you should!!!!  I was laughing so hard last night, that kind of hysterical laughter with tears but no sound coming out. I haven't finished it yet because Tristan woke up from my laughter as he was lying on me. 

Southwestern Tuna or Chicken Casserole

I made this with tuna last week but next time I will definitely be using chicken. I am posting it because of the value it brings for being easy, convenient & healthy. Comes from Cat Cora. T for tasty, E for easy.

Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups corn kernels, frozen & thawed
1 (10.5-ounce) can reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1 cup store-bought bottled tomato salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder, if desired
1 (6-ounce) can tuna packed in water, drained & flaked
2 1/2 cups rotini, penne or fusilli pasta, whole-wheat if desired, cooked according to package directions
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, reduced-fat or fat-free

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with the canola oil & when the oil is hot, add the onion & celery. Cook & stir until the vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in corn & cook 2 minutes longer to incorporate. Stir in the soup, salsa & chili powder until well blended.

Add the tuna & cooked pasta, stirring just to coat. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the top evenly with cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes or until bubbling. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Linguine with Fresh NO COOK Tomato-Olive Sauce

Aaah, it has been far too long since I made this dish but I loved it so! I like the fact that the sauce needs no cooking, that you just throw the ingredients in a bowl & let the room temperature do its magic. Perfect with a piece of crusty bread & a glass of your favorite wine.

Photo borrowed from Google

2 lbs seeded diced plum tomatoes
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup pitted & chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup diced yellow pepper
1/2 cup + 2 tblsp slivered fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tblsp lemon juice
1 lb linguine
8 oz fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2in cubes
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, olives, yellow pepper, 1/2 cup basil, green onions, olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Stir & let stand at room temp for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Toss cooked pasta with mixture & add mozzarella. Garnish with basil & parmesan.

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Have a great weekend everyone!  I am entertaining tomorrow for Labor Day. On the menu will be bacon cheddar burger sliders on sweet Hawaiian rolls with horseradish mayo, artichoke dip, some chicken sausage with peppers & onions & some homemade sweet tea. I'll be spiking a little on the side for myself!

Baked Fettucine & Asparagus w/ Lemon, Pine Nuts & Mascarpone

Why couldn't I just say Baked Fettucine? Well, because the lemon makes this dish feel light, the pine nuts are a beautiful addition, & the mascarpone makes it feel decadent. I made this dish a few weeks ago when "the family" (reminder to self: you're NOT a member of the Sopranos, SNAP OUT OF IT) was over to try out my 1st effort at a homemade red sauce. Since I am more of a white sauce, bechemel, olive oil, garlic butter type of girl, I had to make another dish. If you look in the pictures you will see there isn't too much of a cream sauce. THAT'S what I loved. It was wet but not too creamy, therefore not rich or too heavy. I didn't fall into a food coma after eating it & that's a good thing!

Olive oil
2 lb medium thick asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 bunch of scallions, cut in thin rounds
Finely grated zest from 2 lemons
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of dried or ¾ tsp of ground thyme = 3 sprigs fresh
Sea salt & black pepper
1 tblspn unsalted butter
1 tblspn flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup grated Parmigiano
Generous pinch of ground allspice
Small pinch of cayenne
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 lb fresh fettucine
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted


~Heat oven to 450. Lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish/casserole with olive oil. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus & blanch until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain in colander, run under cold water to keep green color. Set aside. If you want to you can scoop the asparagus from the water, leaving it boiling so it's ready for the pasta. Or you can prep the asparagus earlier in the day like I did.

~In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute scallions for 1 minute. Add asparagus & saute for 1 minute. Take skillet off heat & add half lemon zest, the lemon juice, thyme, salt & pepper; mix well.

~In a saucepan, heat butter & flour over medium heat, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Add milk, still whisking, until it comes to a boil. Lower the heat a bit & cook until smooth & lightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.

~Turn off heat & add the mascarpone, the remaining lemon zest, & 1/2 cup of Parmigiano, whisking until mixture is smooth. Season with allspice, cayenne, salt & pepper.

~In small bowl, combine breadcrumbs & remaining Parmigiano. Season with salt & pepper & add a drizzle of olive oil. Mix well.

~Cook the fettucine leaving it slightly undone. Drain & return to cooking pot. Add the mascarpone sauce, the pine nuts, & the asparagus with all its juices. Toss & taste for seasoning. Pour into the baking dish & sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over top.

~Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Enjoy with a glass of white wine!

My Thoughts: this wasn't hard to prepare but also not your regular throw together pasta meal. It's perfect for a weekend dinner and well worth the effort. It was sinful without all the sin because it was not laden down with too much alfredo or the usual creamy sauces.

Tuna Casserole

This is another of my husband's favorites of all time. His Mom has been making it for years & Terry actually made it for me when we were dating before handing over the recipe to me. I wrote last week that it's not a favorite but when I tasted it this weekend I really did enjoy it. It's best served cold out of the fridge, a day after making it. Terry also loves putting a sliver of it between bread.
















2 cans solid white tuna, the largest size
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
2 jars of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 envelope of Lipton dry onion soup mix
5 celery stalks with leaves, diced
1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
24oz Sour cream
16oz Muellers Egg noodles, medium
Italian Bread crumbs

In a saucepan, combine the tuna, soup, mushrooms, onion soup mix & sour cream. Simmer for 20 minutes. Microwave the diced celery with a tablespoon of water for 2 minutes. Drain and add to t8una mixture. Meanwhile, boil water and cook noodles for 5 minutes less than what the package states. Drain noodles & place back in pot. Add the tuna mixture except for 1-2 cups. Combine noodles and tuna mix well and place in a 9x13 casserole dish. Spread the extra tuna mixture on top. Sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs and place under the broiler just until they are browned, 5-7 minutes. Let cool & place in fridge. Best eaten next day when completely cooled.

**I used to bake the casserole to get the breadcrumbs browned but it took too long & I figured if that was the only reason it would be easier to just broil it **









The picture here is of the recipe halved in a smaller casserole dish but it was still gone in less than 24 hours.