Homemade Spaghettio's

It's funny that I wanted to try to make homemade spaghettio's because I've actually never really liked them. And apparently neither has my husband. My mom never allowed us to eat them (or any Chef Boyardee product) and I understood why when I tried them when I was older. Gross. However, after looking this recipe over I knew that I would like it because it was basically a tomato soup base with pasta. And when my son gets older and starts requesting things like this because his friends eat it, I can make him this instead and hopefully be able to fool him. I really don't want to feed him a meal that is laden with preservatives when I can just as easily make it myself. I was concerned that this was going to be too soupy, but I let it warm on low on the stove while we put our son to bed and it thickened up nicely.

Homemade Spaghettio's
Source: Pennies on a Platter

Ingredients:
8 oz ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
15 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Make pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, sugar and butter. Stir until butter is melted. Add milk, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add the cheddar cheese to the pan with the tomato base. Stir until melted.

4. Drain pasta and add into the tomato base. Mix well. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes on low heat to thicken.Pin It

Summer Spaghetti

I've had this spaghetti bookmarked for quite some time to try and just happened to have all of the ingredients on hand this week. I love summer produce and don't feel like I have made the most of it yet this summer. However, I have been kicking it into high gear the past couple of weeks because I know that summer days are limited and the farmers' market and grocery store will be flooded with fall produce in just a matter of time. Fall is my absolute favorite season, but I can't let the summer pass by without making simple dishes that shine with fresh vegetables. I definitely recommend this dish for a lunch or a light dinner. It can be easily customized to any vegetables you have on hand and I think a splash of lemon juice would be a great addition as well. Enjoy the last of the summer produce!

Summer Spaghetti
Source: Better Homes & Garden Magazine, June 2012 issue, via Pennies on a Platter

Ingredients:
8 oz.whole wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups grilled zucchini and/or other summer veggies (I used red pepper chunks too.)
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
Small handful fresh basil, chiffonaded
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
1 Tablespoon feta cheese

Directions:
1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, other veggies, tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low.

3. Add the spaghetti and reserved cooking liquid to the vegetable mixture. Mix well and heat for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

4. Serve with a sprinkle of feta cheese over the top. (not pictured since I added it last-minute)Pin It

Avocado Basil Pasta

I have become an Olympics nut. I have been planning out my days so I can watch all of the live coverage so I don't miss anything. I had enough time between the women's gymnastics competition and a few swimming finals to prepare lunch so I needed something fairly quick. I looked to my cupboards and fridge to see what ingredients needed to be used up. This pasta dish fit the bill. I really enjoyed this meal, but I will probably saute the garlic next time because it was a bit overpowering. It didn't completely ruin the dish though! This recipe is a nice summer lunch or dinner that only takes about 20 minutes to prepare. Enjoy!

Avocado Basil Pasta
Source: Slightly adapted from recipe.com

Ingredients:
8 ounces bow-tie pasta
2 medium avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and chopped
6 slices bacon, crisp cooked, drained and crumbled (I used bacon pieces since I didn't have any bacon)
2/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano as the recipe states, but I didn't have any)

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Combine the avocados, bacon, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss with the drained pasta.

3. Dish into serving bowls, then sprinkle cheese over top.Pin It

Tuna Pasta Salad

Lunch is another meal that sometimes gets the shaft in my house. I am always consistent with dinner, but many times I just snack all day instead of eating a real lunch. I decided to create some easy lunches that can be made when my son is happy to sit in his bouncer in the kitchen with me during the day. Or while he's sleeping. I made this salad with what I already had in the house, but really this can be customized to your taste and to what ingredients you already have in your pantry and fridge too. You can add any variety of vegetables and spices you want. I think red bell peppers, celery, and cucumbers would work well. You can even add some beans, which I plan to do next time. I also think this would be great with an olive oil base instead of the mayo. Mix and match to what you like!

Tuna Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup of any small pasta shape (I used salad rotini)
1 can of tuna in water, drained
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 onion, diced
1/4 cup mayo
1 T minced parsley
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, then rinse with cold water.

2. Combine tuna, bell pepper, onion, mayo, spices, parsley and cooked pasta. Mix well.

3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Makes 2 decent sized lunch portions.

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Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage

So, I quit my food blog awhile back. The main reason is that I am not a good photographer...at all. Even when I try hard my pictures still suck. But...I miss blogging about food and keeping all of my recipes in one place. So, I think I might attempt it again. We'll see if I can actually get pictures each night though since we typically don't eat until 8:30-9 with Jon's work schedule. Alright, here we go!

I love pasta, but don't usually make lasagna because my mom always makes it for me. She makes up large batches of food throughout the winter and we are always the eager recipients of it. But then I realized that I can make other types of lasagna, like ones that are more geared towards summer. This lasagna was especially good and I can see it being a repeat in my kitchen. The tomatoes and basil made it seem very fresh and light. Even the white sauce wasn't too heavy, especially since I made it with non-fat milk. I also used less mozzarella than called for, but it was still cheesy enough to be good. 

Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage
Source: Iowa Girl Eats who adapted it from Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

3/4lb lasagna noodles (you only need 9 noodles & you could easily use no-boil noodles to cut out a step!)

extra virgin olive oil

3/4lb hot turkey Italian sausage 

2 Tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tablespoons flour (I used a bit more flour since I used non-fat milk - so you will want to add a bit more butter too)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups 2% milk

salt & pepper

4 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

8 basil leaves, chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, then drain. Return to pot and add a little extra virgin olive oil to keep them from sticking together.
2. Meanwhile, remove casing from sausage and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate.
3. Using the same skillet, melt butter, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour, then whisk to combine and cook for 30 more seconds.
4. Pour chicken broth in slowly and whisk to get rid of any clumps. Continue adding the broth and whisking until mixture is smooth. Pour in milk and whisk to combine. Season with salt & pepper. Note:  You can always pour through a fine-mesh sieve if the mixture does not turn out smooth.
5. Stir sauce until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Optional step: Pour mixture into a bowl with a spout to make it easier to pour onto the lasagna. 
6. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×13″ baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into the bottom, then spread evenly. Put 3 lasagna noodles in the bottom, then top with 1/3 of the tomatoes, 1/3 of the basil, 1/3 of the cooked turkey sausage, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Repeat 2 more times, for a total of three layers.
7. Cover dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

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Shrimp, tomato & basil orzo

For as much as I love pasta, I've never made orzo before. I don't know what I was waiting for - it's a great type of pasta. I still have half a box left and multiple orzo recipes bookmarked so I'm excited to try the next one! I really don't have much more to say tonight. A storm is rolling in so I think I'll just leave you with the recipe in case I lose power. Enjoy!

Shrimp, Tomato & Basil Orzo
Source: Cooking This & That, who got it from Erica's Kitchen Adventures


Ingredients:
8 ounces orzo pasta

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped (Omitted)

2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and basil (or garlic and onion), undrained

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped or 4 teaspoons dried

kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste

crushed red pepper, to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

Parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions:
Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, saute for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes more.

Add the diced tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, red pepper, and tomato paste. Reduce heat to medium and cover skillet. Simmer for about 5 minutes until mixture is hot.

Add orzo and Parmesan cheese to skillet, mix thoroughly to combine.

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Taco Pasta

I really enjoy Mexican flavors. I'm already craving a Mexican restaurant that I've never even eaten at before. We plan to go there next month when we visit Indiana to attend the first Notre Dame game. Jon has talked this restaurant up so I hope I am not disappointed! This meal definitely incorporates some Mexican flavors (without being truly Mexican of course) and cooked up quickly, which is perfect for a busy weeknight. I think it can also be adapted to suit your tastes and what you have on hand.

Taco Pasta
Adapted from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations


Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground meat
Spices - chili powder, cumin, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, a touch of salt
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
8 oz canned chopped tomatoes
6 oz canned black beans, rinsed
6 oz chicken broth
Handful of Mexican blend shredded cheese
6 oz. rotini pasta
Sour cream for serving

Directions:

Heat a large saute pan. Add meat and cook until just about done. Season with the spices.

Add the onions and peppers, cook 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and beans, cook another 2 minutes.

Add the broth and bring to a simmer while your pasta is cooking.

Add pasta to the meat mixture, and toss with the cheese.

Plate, top with some more cheese and sour cream.

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Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken

I've been sitting here for about 5 minutes trying to think of what to write to introduce this dish and my mind is a complete blank. So I guess I will just tell you that this is a simple and quick weeknight dish that tasted pretty darn good!

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken
Source: Me


Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 pound of linguine
1/3 jar of sun-dried tomato pesto
Fresh mozzarella, cut into chunks

Cook chicken breast chunks in large saucepan over medium-high heat until cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook linguine according to package directions and drain.

Combine linguine, pesto and chicken in pan and mix until thoroughly combined. Add chopped mozzarella and serve.

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Garden-Special Primavera

Who doesn't love a good meal with a ton of veggies during the summer? One of my favorite summer activities is to go to the farmer's market on the weekends. I've only been once this summer due to my schedule, but I was able to pick up some fresh beans, zucchini and garlic before the rain started really coming down last Saturday. I impulsively picked up the new Mixing Bowl magazine that Better Homes & Gardens has created and started marking a ton of recipes that I wanted to make. I think I marked more recipes in this magazine than any other that I have gotten - which is quite a feat! So with the combination of these 2 things, I bring you - Garden-Special Primavera! I'm including the original recipe (a little bit adapted), but I did cut the recipe in half and had enough for 3 servings.

Garden-Special Primavera
Adapted from Mixing Bowl Magazine by member Debra


Ingredients:
2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1.5 cups fresh asparagus, trimmed & cut into 2-inch pieces (Omitted since the asparagus didn't look that great - I'm assuming since the season is almost over!)
1 cup broccoli flowerets
12 ounces fettuccine, linguine, vermicelli or spaghetti
1 small red pepper, cut into julienne strips
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise & sliced
1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
2 gloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup prosciutto or cooked ham (I actually just sliced up some deli meat ham and it worked great)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh or dried basil

Directions:
In a large saucepan, cook beans and carrots in a small amount of boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Add asparagus and broccoli. Return to boiling; reduce heat. cover and cook 5 minutes more or till vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook pasta according to package directions. Add sweet pepper and zucchini to pasta in boiling water for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Vegetables should be crisp-tender. Drain and return mixture to the saucepan. Add the bean mixture to the saucepan and keep it warm while preparing the sauce.

For sauce: In a medium saucepan, cook onion and garlic in hot butter over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender but not brown. Stir in chicken broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.

In a small bowl, stir together whipping cream and flour. Add cream mixture to saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, cooked ham, green onion and basil. Cook and stire for 1 minute more. Pour sauce over pasta and vegetables. Toss gently to coat.

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Penne with Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I've been determined not to waste food lately. Maybe it is because I just cleaned out the fridge and realized how much I had to throw away. So this meal came together from food that I needed to use up in the fridge...and it tasted pretty good too!

Penne with Chicken & Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Source: Stef's Kitchen!

Ingredients:
Half pound of penne
1 large chicken breast, cubed and cooked
3/4 jar roasted red peppers
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Italian seasoning
1/4 cup half-and-half (approximately)
Spinach

Directions:
Cook penne as directed on package. During the last minute or so of cooking time, add in the spinach until wilted. Meanwhile, prepare the roasted red pepper sauce. Using a food processor, puree the roasted red peppers, garlic, and Italian seasoning together. Warm up on the stove and once warm, stir in the half-and-half. Serve penne topped with chicken and sauce.Pin It

South of the Border Casserole

My husband has music blaring in the apartment & keeps coming into the living room where I am to give me running commentary about the music and is dancing like a fool as well...so I can't think enough to write about this dish. I do know one thing - it's good. Try it soon.

South of the Border Casserole
Originally seen on Delicious Melicious, who got it from Cooking This and That, who got it from A Taste of Home Cooking, who got it from Garnish with Prozac (whew, I think that's it!)

Ingredients:
1 pound of lean ground beef
1 mild jalapeno, chopped (Omitted)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
28 oz can tomatoes
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons of cumin
2 cups fat free sour cream (I only used 1 cup)
8 oz penne, ziti or any small pasta
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used colby jack)
1/4 cup cilantro, minced (Omitted)

Directions:
In a deep skillet, brown the ground beef, drain fat, if necessary. Add the peppers, onions and garlic, and cook on medium-high heat. Saute until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin.

Add the can of tomatoes, breaking up the whole tomatoes with a spoon, but still leaving big chunks. Add sour cream, stir until mixed. Add pasta. Cover and cook until pasta is al dente, about 25 minutes. This took me about 20 minutes over med-high heat. Make sure to stir frequently so the pasta doesn't get stuck to the bottom.Serve with the cheddar cheese and cilantro sprinkled on top. Serve immediately.


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Weeknight Lasagna Toss

I've had about 4 leftover lasagna noodles waiting to be used up for awhile now. I found this in the newest edition of Food & Family magazine and decided this would be the best way to use them up. Since I only had 4 noodles, I used up some rigatoni noodles to replace the rest of the lasagna noodles and it worked out perfectly. It does look very similar to the Tomato and Sausage Rigatoni I made recently, but there are a few flavor differences between the two.

Weeknight Lasagna Toss
Adapted from kraftfoods.com

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef

2 green peppers, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1-2/3 cups water

1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing

12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken into quarters

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:
Brown meat in large saucepan; drain.

Add peppers, garlic, spaghetti sauce, water and dressing; bring to boil. Stir in noodles; cover.

Cook on medium-low heat 10 to 15 min. or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

*Substitute 12 regular lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces, for the oven-ready noodles. Increase water to 2 cups and cook 30 min., stirring occasionally.

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Spinach Pasta Toss

After baking all day I wanted a low-key dinner. I chose this one from my newest issue of Food & Family from Kraft. I was worried that it would be too bland, but it wasn't at all. The chiles in the tomatoes definitely spiced it up. In fact, I will probably keep this on rotation for nights when I don't have much time to cook! It's also a great vegetarian meal, but still filling. You could always add chicken or some type of beans if you wanted some protein though.

Spinach Pasta Toss
Adapted from Food & Family


Ingredients:

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained (I used a can of diced tomatoes & chiles I already had on hand)

2 cups multi-grain penne pasta, uncooked (I used whole wheat)

1 cup water

1 pkg. (9 oz.) baby spinach leaves (7 cups)

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Italian* Three Cheese Blend

Directions:

BRING tomatoes, pasta and water to boil in large saucepan; stir. Cover; simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or just until pasta is tender.

ADD 1/2 of spinach; simmer, covered, 2 min. or until wilted. Stir. Repeat with remaining spinach.

SERVE topped with cheese.

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Sausage & Tomato Rigatoni

I used to rely on Kraft for most of my recipes when I first started to get into cooking. I still get the Kraft magazine in the mail and occasionally look at the site if I want to use up some ingredients. Anyways, I made this dish a long time ago and I remember Jon really liking it. He mentioned it a couple times in the past few weeks so I decided it was time to make it again - especially since my mom gave me some sausage the last time I visited! This is a really easy and great tasting meal. It could easily be made with another type of meat or without meat if you want too.

Sausage & Tomato Rigatoni
Adapted from kraftfoods.com

Ingredients:

4 cups rigatoni pasta (8 oz.), uncooked

1 lb. Italian sausage, cut into chunks

1 red onion, sliced (Omitted)

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing(I used a sun-dried tomato and feta cheese dressing - yum!)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (Omitted)

1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, brown sausage in large nonstick skillet; drain. Stir in onions and tomato paste; cover. Cook 15 min. or until onions are tender and sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing.

TOSS sausage mixture with pasta. Sprinkle with parsley and cheese.

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Cajun Chicken Fettuccine

I love mixing tomato and alfredo sauces. I also love cajun spices. Put it all together and you have one great meal! It even tastes good heated up for lunch the next day. Put this on your menu for a quick weeknight meal and you will not be disappointed!

Cajun Chicken Fettuccine
Adapted from Taste of Home Simple and Delicious

Ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked fettuccine
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips (For the onion and peppers I just used half a bag of frozen pepper stir fry that I wanted to use up)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
4 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 jar alfredo sauce
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (I used tomato sauce that I needed to use up)
2 cups shredded park-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and peppers in oil under tender. Add the chicken, Cajun seasoning and garlic; heat through. Transfer to a large bowl. Drain fettuccine; add to chicken mixture. Stir in Alfredo and spaghetti sauces.

Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until golden brown.Pin It

Lemon Spaghetti with Chicken and Broccoli

I adapted the lemon spaghetti recipe that I made before for the pasta and then added some different toppings. And it's made with ingredients that I usually have on hand so this is a great recipe to use when I haven't had time to get to the store.

Lemon Spaghetti with Chicken and Broccoli
Adapted from a previous recipe

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 small bag of frozen broccoli florets
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
1 lb. whole wheat angel hair spaghetti
2/3 cup lemon juice (1 juiced lemon and bottled lemon juice for the rest)
2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, cook cubed chicken breast in olive oil in a large skillet. Add broccoli florets, minced garlic & grated lemon zest when chicken is almost done.

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil and dried basil together. Combine pasta and chicken mixture, then pour lemon sauce over the mixture and stir to combine. Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese over the top of each serving.Pin It

Spinach-Stuffed Pasta Shells

Sometimes I love a really easy dinner...and this was perfect! It doesn't take much hands-on time to prepare at all. It has to bake for 40 minutes, but it gave me a chance to get some things done around the house. It's also a meatless meal, which I have been trying to do at least once a week to save money. However, I did use meat spaghetti sauce that my mom made for us but you can whatever kind of sauce you want. It's a fairly inexpensive meal as well!

Spinach-Stuffed Pasta Shells
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

Ingredients:
12 dried jumbo shell macaroni
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 eggs
1 8-ounce package shredded Italian cheese blend (2 cups)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 26- to 32-ounce jar pasta sauce

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Meanwhile, drain thawed spinach well, pressing out excess liquid.

For filling, in a medium bowl beat eggs. Stir in spinach, 1-1/2 cups of the Italian cheese blend, and the ricotta cheese. Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons of the filling into each jumbo shell. Place shells in 2-quart square baking dish. Pour pasta sauce over shells.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree F oven about 40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Italian cheese blend before serving.

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Meat Goulash

Does anyone else find the process of cooking relaxing? I used to get really frustrated in the kitchen, especially if things weren't going the way I wanted them to. I have definitely gotten more comfortable in the kitchen since then, and now I look forward to moments in the kitchen. I think I am turning more into my mother everyday! Anyway, Mondays are always a busy day for me and I usually don't get to cook dinner until after 9pm. Yeah, I know...but this is the way my schedule must be at least until I am done with school. Fortunately, my husband works at night so dinner is always done before he gets home! :) Even though I didn't start dinner until 9:45pm I still felt relaxed and liked the fact that I was making dinner instead of grabbing fast food. I got the idea for this meal from one of the girls on the message board...you can read her blog here. I liked this meal because it's definite comfort food and after some snow flurries today it was needed! I think if I make this again I will add some kind of vegetable - like some canned tomatoes because it needed some veggies!

Meat Goulash
Adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound short pasta, such as macaroni, ziti rigate or gemelli (I used elbow macaroni)
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 slices lean bacon, chopped (I used turkey bacon)
1 pound ground meat (a mixture of beef, pork and veal) (I did NOT use this because frankly, it sounds pretty gross to me - I used ground turkey instead)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I used jarred garlic)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika (I don't have this so I used a combination of paprika and cumin to get the smoky flavor)
Freshly ground pepper
3 large jarred roasted red peppers, drained (The jarred peppers I had were in pieces and not whole so I used about 3/4 of a jar)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup sour cream
A generous handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (I used dried parsley)
A generous handful of fresh dill, chopped (I used dried dill)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat the EVOO, half a turn of the pan, in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3 minutes, then move the bacon to the side of the pan and add the ground meat, crumbling it. Brown the meat for 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and onion; season with the paprika and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

In a food processor, puree the peppers until smooth and stir into the meat. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the beef broth and simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the sour cream and cooked pasta. Top with the parsley and dill.

It kinda looks like slop, but I promise it's good!

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Shrimp & Brie Linguine

I found this recipe and thought it sounded great because I REALLY love cheese. However, I guess I am not a fan of brie. I probably should have tried it before I made an entire meal out of it, but that's my own fault. I did get some other tips on how to make a sweeter type of dish from brie so I may try it one more time doing it that way. I did heat this up the next day and I actually liked it better because it melted on the pasta more and it didn't do that the first time around.

Shrimp and Brie Linguine
Adapted from Cooking This & That - from Coastal Living


Ingredients:
8 ounces Brie cheese, rind removed, if desired (I left it on because it seemed like too much work to take it off!)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, coarsely chopped (I used roasted red peppers)
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped (I just used a can of tomatoes I already had on hand)
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped (Omitted)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped fresh basil (I used dry basil)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used one pound)
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cube Brie and combine with next 7 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and let stand about 1 hour.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. Two minutes before pasta is al dente, add shrimp. Cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are done.

Drain pasta and shrimp, and immediately toss with Brie mixture. Serve immediately with fresh Parmesan.Pin It

Pasta Dish & White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I wanted to try this recipe because the combination of white wine and white cheddar sounded really good. However, this didn't turn out as good as I thought it was going to be. The sauce just did not get thick for me, but I think it might be because I didn't use the roasted garlic paste. Jon said that he liked it, but wished there was some sauce on it...and I knew that the sauce didn't pull through then! So if you decide to make this, I would recommend using the garlic paste to see if that makes the sauce thicker.

Ziti with Chicken in a White Wine Cheddar Sauce
Adapted from Good Things Catered as seen on Just 2 Good

Ingredients:
1 lb ziti or other pasta (I used rotini)
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 Cup Roasted garlic paste (I didn't have any of this so I just used 2 cloves of minced garlic)
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 Cup white wine
2 Cups chicken broth
2 Cups broccoli, cooked
2 Cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 1/2 Cups white cheddar cheese, grated (I used sharp white cheddar parmesan cheese)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Cook pasta to al dente and set aside. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When butter begins to foam, add roasted garlic paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until reduced, about 2 minutes. Add broth and simmer until slightly thickend, about 2 minutes. (I added the flour in here to try to thicken it up more) Add cheese and stir constantly while returning to a boil. Add Ziti, turning to coat. Add chicken and broccoli and serve.

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I have been craving cookies with oatmeal, white chocolate chips & cranberries...and this recipe was starred in my Google reader. These were SO good. I will definitely make them again someday. It's just a great combination of flavors!

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Source: Adapted from Recipezaar as seen on Fresh from Cate's Kitchen

(adapted from RecipeZaar)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white chocolate chips

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with silpats (I don't have these, but I should!)

* In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

* In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter with the sugars until fluffy.

* Add egg and vanilla and mix well.

* Stir in oats, flour mixture, white chocolate, and cranberries and mix until combined.

* Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake for about 10 minutes, until just beginning to get a little color.

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