Pasta Bake

This dish is SUPER easy and everyone seems to really like it!

Prego used to have specially marked jars for Pasta Bake. I was so disappointed when they stopped making it - until I realized that if I could recall the actual recipe, I could just use a regular ol' jar of pasta sauce! So...here you go. Enjoy!

I wish I had thought to take a picture *before* we had eaten most of it...

Ingredients:

• 1 box of pasta - UNcooked (I use the curly, hollow pasta, Cellentani)
• 1 Jar spaghetti sauce (I use Prego Traditional)
• 1 spaghetti sauce jar filled with water
• 2 - 3 cups of shredded cheese (I use a cheddar/mozzarella mix; sometimes I add Parmesan too)
• Meatballs - cooked (Optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Put the pasta, sauce, and water into a 9X13 pan. Stir. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
3. Stir. Add meatballs and cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

(I usually just get the frozen meatballs and pop them into the oven beside the pasta during step 2.)

Dressed Chicken Breasts With Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients
1 cup ranch dressing
1/3 cup spicy brown dijon mustard
4 chicken breasts, either pounded thin or cheat & use the "scallopini" cut :)
1/2 cup butter or margarine (I usually end up using a little more)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 box of angel hair pasta, cooked & drained

Directions
In small bow, whisk together salad dressing and mustard; set aside
In large skillet, saute chicken in butter until browned; transfer to dish & keep warm
Pour wine into skillet and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan (about 5 minutes)
Whisk dressing mixture into skillet with wine and blend well
Server chicken with sauce over pasta

****NOTES****
This is a HUGE hit in my house. Pre-kiddo's, this dish was reserved for special occasions, special gifts and wow-ing new friends and in-laws :)
We have given the boys the version with the wine, but if you want you can reserve some dressing/mustard sauce and put it over the chicken and pasta
There is always extra sauce left over and we have yet to find something it DOESN'T go well on :)

Stuffed Shells Florentine

Here's another recipe from mom of twins Alyson. Thanks, Alyson!

This recipe takes some time to assemble, but it makes a lot. It reheats well and freezes (uncooked) well. If you freeze it (or freeze half) in an oven-proof dish, you can bake it straight from the freezer.

Ingredients:
1 box jumbo pasta shells
3 T. olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. ground chicken
salt and pepper
10 oz pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
15 oz. container ricotta cheese
3/4 c. grated parmigiano reggiano
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 T. chopped parsley
1 jar marinara (Rao's and Gia Russo are both delicious)
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella

Directions:
1) Cook the pasta shells in salted water until quite firm, probably about 5 minutes (they will continue to cook when you bake the dish).
2) Meanwhile, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add the chicken, salt and pepper and cook through. Let cool.
3) Combine the cooled chicken mixture, spinach, ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, eggs and parsley.
4) Pour some sauce in the bottom of the dish to coat. Fill the shells with the chicken-cheese mixture and place in the baking dish. Drizzle sauce over shells and sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese.
5) If baking right away, bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until cooked through and slightly browned. If baking from the freezer, bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, covered, and 20 minutes, uncovered.

Cauli-Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C Uncooked Spiral Pasta (we use Hodgson Mill's Whole Wheat Spirals w/Milled Flax Seed)
4 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp butter
3 c milk, warmed
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3/4 head cauliflower, cut into small bites and steamed slightly

Directions
Cook pasta and drain. Set aside.
Cut cauliflower into small bite-sized pieces and steam in a very small amount of water. Set aside.
Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour, salt and pepper to create roux.
Gradually add warmed milk and stir until thickened.
Add cheese and stir to melt.
Combine sauce with pasta and cauliflower and put in a casserole dish.
Bake 350 for 30 minutes.

Penne with Vodka & Tomato Cream Sauce

I got this recipe YEARS ago from a vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley in California. Each time I make it, hubby says "It's restaurant quality." Quick, easy, and very yummy.

1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 small onion (or 1/2 medium)--chopped
1 140z can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Vodka
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 lb. penne pasta (cooked and drained)
Fresh grated parmasean cheese

Heat pan, combine butter and Olive Oil. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add can of tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes. Add cream, Vodka, and pepper flakes. Simmer for additional 3-4 minutes for flavors to blend. Add pasta and toss. Top with Parm. cheese.

Penne with Broccoli

Here's an awesome pasta and veggie dish that, with bacon, becomes outstanding. Sorry all you vegetarian readers, this one isn't for you! Well, I guess you could just omit the bacon, but seriously, that's what makes it so yummy. That and all the garlic. And the tomatoes. And the broccoli, come to think of it! Mmmm, it's all good!

Here's my version of this recipe for Penne with Garlicky Broccoli(ni):

Ingredients:

8 oz penne pasta (1/2 of a 1 pound box)
5 slices of bacon
2 broccoli crowns (or one bunch of broccolini), cut into small florets
6 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half
Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions:

1) Cook penne according to directions on the box. Drain.

2) Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crispy. Move to a paper towel to drain.

3) Add the garlic to the bacon grease* and saute for 3 minutes over medium low heat. Add the broccoli(ni) and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the pasta and grape tomatoes. Stir or toss to coat and mix.

4) Remove from heat. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese, and top with crumbled bacon.

*Okay, fine, I couldn't do it. The recipe called for using the bacon grease. I'm sure that's delicious. I drained most of the bacon grease and used some olive oil.

This recipe originally called for broccolini. I've made it with both broccoli and broccolini, and quite honestly, prefer the broccoli. Of course, I'm in love with broccoli. I should probably marry it. So, my opinion is to use broccoli, but feel free to try it with broccolini.

Creamy Chicken and Pasta Soup

Who doesn't crave chicken soup when you're sick? Below is a basic chicken soup version doctored up with rotisserie chicken and evaporated milk to make it creamy and oh so yummy.

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups peeled, diced potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
few pinched of pepper or as desired
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups small shaped pasta ( i prefer ditalini)
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk

Directions:
In a Dutch oven or large soup pan, saute olive oil, onions, carrots, celery and garlic for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, thyme, poulty seasoning and saute for 1 minute until combined. Gradually add chicken broth, potatoes, salt & pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in chicken and pasta and simmer for 10 minutes until pasta is cooked. Add in evaporated milk and heat through, but do not boil.

Enjoy!

Spring Pea-sto

Ingredients
1 lb penne pasta
1 bag frozen peas, defrosted
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
6 to 8 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves stripped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup (plus a little more) grated Parmigiano
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil then season water with salt and cook penne to al dente.

Before draining pasta, reserve 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cooked-pasta-water

Place 1/2 of the peas in the bottom of a large serving dish.

Place the rest of the peas in a food processor with the pine nuts, basil, tarragon leaves, lemon zest, cheese and olive oil.

Add a little salt and pepper then process the pesto into rough paste, adjusting seasonings if necessary.

Pour starchy water over peas in bowl then add pesto.

Pour hot, drained pasta over the pesto and toss vigorously to coat and combine.

Adjust seasoning if necessary and serve with extra cheese.

**Side note: the pea-sto sauce freezes REALLY well :)

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Ingredients
1 egg
5 oz evaporated milk (smallest can)
1 tsp Gulden's spicy brownmustard
5 dashes of Tabasco sauce
1 lb pasta (any shape)
1 Tbsp butter
2 cups shredded cheese (I use colby jack)
Plain Panko crumbs

Directions
Wisk together first 4 ingredients, set aside
Prepare pasta as box directs, drain & return to pot
Stir butter into pasta until melted
Add evaporated milk mixture and cheese, stir until melted
Sprinkle panko crumbs on top to taste

**If extra is left over, the sauce will thicken when cool; just add a little bit of milk prior to re-heating :)