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.

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.

Baked Cream Corn with Red Bell Peppers & Jalapenos

This recipe comes from the Food Network. I made it alongside some skirt steak for Labor Day weekend and it was a HUGE hit!!!! This was not as rich as one might think and was absolutely perfect! I will definitely be making it for many years to come as it could not be easier. And it's certainly special enough for a holiday side. 

8 ears corn, husked
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 jalapeno peppers diced
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp salt
Pepper
½ to 1 stick salted butter, cut into pieces
 

Preheat over to 350. Slice the corn kernels from the ear in a large bowl. Add peppers, heavy cream, salt, a generous amount of pepper and butter. Mix well. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 45-55 minutes. I like to put under broiler for just a couple minutes at the end to brown it a bit.

 

Spinach Casserole

What an awesome 4th of July weekend. I hope everyone's was fantastic. I will write more & show pics in the next few days but it was a perfect combination of a little girlfriend time by the pool, & BBQ time with family.

{My Pool Boy}

I brought this super yummy dish to my parents for a BBQ & it went over well with everyone. It's so easy to make & a little unique in its flavor thanks to the combo of cheeses. I have Deanna to thank for this one. It went perfectly with grilled skirt steaks & the fried rice I brought, just without the roast pork this time.

2 boxes frozen spinach, drained & thawed
16 oz cottage cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup American cheese, shredded
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
11/2 cups croutons
Salt and pepper, to taste

Toss croutons in melted butter. Mix all ingredients, except 1/2 cup croutons, in a large bowl. Pour into a greased casserole dish; sprinkle with remaining croutons. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

{Food for Thought}

I used more onions, about 1/4 cup or a 1/4 of an onion. I also was only able to find the larger sized herb seasoned croutons. I just broke them up some but the taste of them was perfect for the dish.

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Cheddar Veggie Torte

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. One of my best friends Tara came to visit me for a brief but wonderful overnight stay. We have been friends since 7th grade when we both lived in NY. She moved to Florida shortly after we became close but time nor distance has ever stood between us. I came to Florida years after & we now just live 2 1/2 hours away. 

We had a great time, laughing & catching up. We enjoyed ~ an afternoon in my quaint little downtown, sipping on Blue Moon at a sidewalk cafe ~ Mojitos by the pool as the sun was setting ~ a brisk afternoon walk by the lake ~ a tearjerker chick flick ~ and sharing some time in the kitchen. I knew I wanted to make this recipe for Tara's visit as soon as I saw it. 

Perfect for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Or if you prefer, this makes for a nice breakfast or brunch. Oh heck, dinner too! It's good anytime. I will definitely be making it again!!!!! 

It's loaded with lots of veggies. With only 4 eggs, it's more like a torte than a quiche. And with a multi grain cracker crust, it's simply delicious!

1-1/3 cups finely crushed multigrain crackers
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 small zucchini, finely chopped
5 small fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz spreadable garlic & herb cream cheese
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tblsp crumbled cooked bacon (I used turkey bacon)
2 tblsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (I used dried basil)

In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs & butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. In a large skillet, saute the zucchini, mushrooms, onion & red pepper in oil until tender. Spoon over cheese.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in bacon. Pour over vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Garnish with basil. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.

{My Thoughts}

You can substitute whatever veggies you prefer. This is best at room temp so let sit for a bit when out of oven. To re-heat leftovers from the fridge, just place a slice in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds to get the chill out.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

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Zucchini Pie

Easy post, easy recipe. This is a simple throw together to have around for house guests who may want to munch on something in between meals. I made this awhile back for my sister & her beau & am just getting around to posting it. There are so many variations to this & I like this one just as much as any. I am a big zucchini fan so this is a great way to use it up!

3 c. zucchini, sliced thin, with skin on
1 c. Bisquick
1/2 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper
Dash oregano
1 c. oil
4 eggs

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Pour into greased casserole & bake at 350 degrees until brown & firm, about 35 - 45 minutes.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

See you tomorrow for Not So Fat Fridays!

Chicken Tortilla Bake

Hello all! Happy New Year! So far it's been a good one & it'll be nice to get back into a routine now that the holidays are over. I have about 2 weeks worth of recipes coming your way, including this delicious treat that is perfect for Sunday football. I also made this on New Year's Eve for something to nosh on as we all just chilled out waiting for the ball to drop on TV. It's more like an appetizer to me although the recipe says it can serve as a main dish as well.

(1) 28oz can diced tomatoes, drained
(1) small onion, chopped
(2) garlic cloves, peeled
(2) chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (from 1 can)
(2) tblspn vegetable oil
(2) cups shredded rotisserie chicken
(3/4) cup low sodium chicken broth
(1/4) cup chopped fresh cilantro or 2 tblsp dried
Salt & Pepper
(15) 5 inch corn tostadas broken into 2 inch pieces
(1 1/2) cups shredded Monterey Jack
(1) cup sour cream, for serving

Heat oven to 425. Grease a 2qt baking dish or standard casserole dish. Puree tomatoes, onion, garlic & chiles in blended until smooth. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat & add tomato sauce. Bring to simmer & cook until slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes. Add chicken, broth, cilantro, salt & pepper.

Place half of chips in dish. Top with half of sauce & chicken mixture & half of cheese. Repeat with second layer. Using fingers, expose as many chips on top layer so they can crisp in oven. Bake until bubbly & cheese begins to brown, about 12-15 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream. For a main dish, this feeds 4 but for an appetizer it could feed 6-8.

My Thoughts:

If you want this spicy you can add more chipotle peppers, which are found in the ethnic section of the supermarket. If you don't, remember to use only 2 peppers from the can. You may have a couple left over. You may also want to serve this with more chips on the side as the chips on the bottom of the dish soften up. Definitely expose the chips on the top layer so you have some crispiness with each bite.

{Click Here to Print 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.

Swiss Mushroom Chicken Bake

I made that name up & I think I'll keep it. The original was fancy fast chicken. I made this new dish last night & it was super easy & super delish. I will definitely make this again! Ya see, you're inspiring me!!! I have this long list of new dishes to try but I have an equally large collection of old favorites.

 

Anyhoo, this my Haitu (2 words, 2 words, 2 words.....) to express just how easy this was. And for a weeknight when I start dinner at 6 that's exactly what I need: Preheat oven. Prepare everything. 10 minutes. Pop in. Haitu done. Now, I loved that I was done prepping by the time the preheating was done. And when I popped it in the oven I went on the treadmill.

Swiss Mushroom Chicken Bake (adapted from MinuteChef.com)
4 thin chicken cutlets
4 slices Baby Swiss cheese
4 oz pkg of fresh gourmet mushrooms
1/2 can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup white wine plus a little more
1 cup Pepperide Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
A little melted buttah!

Pre-heat oven. Place chicken in lightly greased (I used Pam) glass baking dish. Top each chicken with slice of cheese. Lay mushrooms on top. I used 1/2 of a 4oz package but next time I plan to use the whole pkg. Mix cream of mushroom with wine & spoon over each piece of chicken. Spread stuffing mix & drizzle melted butter on top. I took a little extra wine & lightly poured a little around the edges of the dish, for steaming purposes of course. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

My Thoughts:

I don't use canned goods too much but I am starting to become a little more flexible with the cream of's because, as in this dish, I only used 1/2 can. It was more than enough especially when mixed with the wine & I only spooned a bit over each piece of chicken rather than the dish being completely drenched in sauce/cream.

As I was prepping, I thought this would be enough mushrooms but they weren't. Use entire 4 oz package next time if you love 'em.

I love meals like this where I can enjoy a glass of wine that was also used in the cooking of the dish! Notice there were NO leftovers!

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.

Hash Brown Quiche

I made this quiche a few weeks ago and then froze it. At the last minute I decided to pop this in the oven at 350 for 40-45 minutes, and served it with a side spinach salad. I now promise myself to always have a quiche in the freezer!! This is the original recipe, but my modifications are in parentheses. The hash browns as the crust is a wonderful idea so I am confident anything you decide to put in would be delicious.

3 cups shredded frozen hash browns (I used 4 to get a better crust and have no gaps)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup half-and-half

3/4 cup diced cooked ham (I used tomatoes instead because I didn't want any meat but I will try this next time)

1/2 cup fresh baby spinach (I added this, was not in original recipe)

1/2 cup diced green onions

1 cup shredded Cheddar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Gently press the drained hash browns between paper towels to dry them as best as possible. In a 9-inch pie plate, toss the hash browns with the melted butter into the plate. Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. When the hash brown crust is ready pour the egg mixture over it and return to the oven.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is light golden brown on top and puffed. I had to cover the edges at some point so hash browns didn't get too brown. I didn't dollop with sour cream but next time I sure will!

Mediterranean Quiche

I just made this for the first time for the Mother's Day party. It was excellent and GONE! If you like savory then you'll love this. I did not make my crust from scratch so if you do, visit the link below. Otherwise, just buy a store bought pie crust such as Pillsbury roll out crust. This was even easier because I made it ahead of time, froze it, and then re-heated it the day of the party for about 40 minutes.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_19035,00.html

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sliced yellow onion
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/4 pound mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Gruyere
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Pillsbury Pie Crust
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and zucchini and cook, stirring, for 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the liquid is rendered and the vegetables are wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, basil, and thyme and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool. In a bowl, beat the eggs and half-and-half together. Add the salt, pepper, grated Gruyere, and crushed red pepper. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the prepared piecrust, pour in the egg mixture, and crumble the goat cheese on top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.