Pasta e Fagioli

 This one is a healthy vegetarian option that my kids really like.  It is less "soupy" than other versions of recipes by the same name and more of a pasta dish.

• 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 carrots diced or grated (see notes)
• 2 ribs celery diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely minced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 15 oz. crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 19 oz. cans white beans
• 8 oz. small or medium pasta such as shells, ditalini, orecchiette, or macaroni
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• fresh grated parmesan cheese, more olive oil, and crushed red pepper for serving, optional

Instructions

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the  onions, carrots, celery, and rosemary. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and starting to brown, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add HALF of the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, the crushed tomatoes, and the chicken stock. Use an immersion blender to puree everything directly in the pot for a few seconds. It shouldn't be perfectly smooth, but some of the beans and veggies should be mashed to thicken the mixture. See notes if you don't have an immersion blender.
• Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, and add the rest of the beans and the pasta, as well as the 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Simmer, covered, until pasta is cooked (about 10 minutes).
• Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste (this dish requires a lot of salt, and how much you add depends on how much is in the stock/broth you use or if you've used water).
• Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper, and drizzled with more extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.  From "Bowl of Delicious"

Vegan Pesto

2 cups packed of Basil or thai basil
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup peanuts or natural peanut butter
3 T sesame oil
1.5 T rice vinegar
dash of red pepper flakes
1 T agave nectar or honey
1 t soy sauce
1 T lime juice
salt to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until texture is smooth

Stuffed Shells

This recipe is so easy, a 5 year old could do it!  Short of boiling the noodles, Beatrix prepared this entire dish.  It is a perfect dinner to get the kids not only involved, but taking ownership of the meal.  And they were pretty tasty, too!

1 package jumbo shells
1 jar spaghetti sauce - I used some previously frozen Slow Cooker Marinara
36 frozen meatballs, thawed
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles according to package.  Drain and let cool.
Pour about 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13.
Put a meatball inside each shell, and then put in the casserole.
Cover with sauce, and then sprinkle with cheese.
Bake in a 350 oven, covered for 35 minutes, and then uncovered for about 5 more, until bubbly.

Amy's Homemade Hamburger Helper

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey (sometimes I use only 1/2 lb)
• 1/2 cup onions, diced
• 1 tablespoon butter, optional
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt or seasoning salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon parsley
• 3/4 garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 or more cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Brown ground meat in a skillet over medium heat until almost done.
2. Add in onions and cook until tender.
3. Drain meat & onions on paper towels and return to skillet.
4. Add remaining ingredients except for the cheese.
5. Stir to combine.
6. Bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat, cover and cook until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
8. * Do not over cook pasta. I usually taste check it at 9 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Sauce may be thin.
10. Let pasta sit to thicken the sauce, meanwhile adjust seasonings if needed.
11. Serve and enjoy.

Kristen's Spaghetti and Meatballs

My friend Kristen made this on our trip to Chelan, and it was delicious!
Here's the recipe with her notes:

Aunt Doris Spaghetti and meatballs

Meatballs
1.5lbs hamburger (I don't use hamburger usually. I'll use combination of spicy chicken sausage and pork and add fennel and anise seeds to make it more "sausagy" if not using sausage. any combination ground meat works if you add spice)
1 C parmesan (I use the bagged shredded stuff from trader joes)
2TB oregano (I use heaping TBS of oregano & parsley and add Basil too)
2TB sugar (I use probably half)
2 tsp salt
2TB parsley
1/4 tsp red pepper (I use more)
1.5 C breadcrumbs (I use the Italian variety)
2 eggs
1/2 onion diced (or more)
2 cloves garlic (I use a lot more !!!)
salt and pepper

Bake balls 15-20 min at 350

Sauce
1 lg can 28oz tomatoes (crushed)
1 lg can or two small cans tomato paste
3 cans tomato sauce
1/2 can water (or more-eyeball it)
2 tb sugar (I use less)
6TBS parsley
3TBSs oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper

I add onion and garlic to this too. Just sauté it in some olive oil before adding all the cans.
Simmer sauce for couple hours. add water if needed. I don't like it too thick but not runny either
Add the meatballs last half hour or more if you want.

Cincinnati Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
• Kosher salt
• 1 6-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons chopped unsweetened chocolate
• 1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• Freshly ground pepper
• 12 ounces cooked spaghetti
• 1 19-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 pound grated cheddar cheese
• Oyster crackers, for serving

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add half the chopped onions and the garlic and cook until soft, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, allspice, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and cloves. Cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the beef and cook the mixture, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt.
Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and 1 1/2 cups water; simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thicker. Add the chocolate, vinegar and Worcestershire and cook until the mixture is thickened but still soupy, about 15 more minutes.
Discard the bay leaf and season the chili with the freshly ground pepper. Divide the spaghetti among bowls and top with the chili, beans, remaining onion and cheddar. Serve with the oyster crackers.

PW's Alfredo Pasta

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound Fettuccine Noodles
• 1 stick Butter
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 2 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a saucepan or skillet, warm butter and cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Grate Parmesan cheese and place half of it into a large serving bowl. Pour warm butter/cream mixture over the top.
Drain pasta and immediately pour it into the bowl.
Toss a couple of times, then sprinkle in the other half of the Parmesan.
Toss to combine, thinning with pasta water if necessary.
Serve immediately as a main course or accompaniment to meat or salad.

 

Hamburger Noodle Bake

 

Ingredients

• 5 cups uncooked egg noodles
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup chili sauce
• 1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook noodles according to package
• directions until al dente; drain. In a large skillet, cook the beef,
• onion and green pepper over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes or
• until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the noodles, soup,
• cheese, water and chili sauce. Transfer to two greased 8-in.-square
• baking dishes.
• Toss bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over casseroles. Bake,
• uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Yield:
• 2 casseroles (4 servings each).

Chicken, asparagus, goat cheese pasta

This recipe originated from a blog called Smitten Kitchen.  I found it with a google search for asparagus and goat cheese.  The only thing I changed from the original recipe was to toss in some rotisserie chicken shreds.

Photo from Smitten Kitchen

1 pound spiral-shaped pasta
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon (1 Tbl grated peel plus all the juice)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 5- to 5 1/2-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese (Costco always has this at a great price)



Cook your pasta in a large pot of well-salted water until it is almost tender, or about three minutes shy of what the package suggests. Add asparagus and cook until firm-tender, another two to three minutes. Drain both pasta and asparagus together, reserving one cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, combine olive oil, lemon peel, tarragon and cheese in a large bowl, breaking up the goat cheese as you put it in. Add hot pasta and asparagus to bowl, along with a couple slashes of the pasta water. Toss until smoothly combined, adding more pasta water if needed.

Stir in shredded chicken.

 Season generously with salt and pepper, and lemon juice.

Creamy Slow Cooker Beef & Noodles

--2 lbs stew meat

--2 T butter

 

--1 T worcestershire sauce

--1 T black pepper

--2 T dried minced onion

--1/4 cup beef broth

--1/2 t kosher salt

--1 t herbs de provence

--1/4 cup milk

--1/2 block of cream cheese

 

Mix together all ingredients except cream cheese and milk in your slow cooker.  Cook on low for a long time, at least 8 hours.  This makes the beef very tender.  Before serving, stir in cream cheese until incorprated.  Serve over noodles.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 can diced green chiles (4 oz)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

2 cans green chili enchilada sauce (10 oz, each)

2/3 cups red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cheese (any kind)

1 cup sour cream

Penne pasta

Topping Ideas

Avocado

Green Onions

Black Olives

Tomatoes

Sour Cream

Directions

1. Shred chicken (I recommend doing this earlier in the day, or even the day before to save time, as well as chopping the veggies).

2. Boil pasta according to package. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet and cook onions for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

3. Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, and enchilada sauces. Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

4. Add cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and heated through. Slowly add the sour cream, but DO NOT bring to a boil (so as not to curdle the sour cream). Stir until sour cream is well mixed and heated through.

5. Drain pasta and add to the skillet with the cheese sauce; mix well. Serve and garnish with desired toppings.

Homemade Crock Pot Mac N Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
• 1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions

• Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Place in a
• 5-qt. slow cooker; add butter. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, 3
• cups cheese, evaporated milk, soup and 2% milk. Pour over macaroni
• mixture and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Crockpot Italian Chicken

Crockpot Italian Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 packet Zesty Italian dressing seasoning
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk (can adjust soup/milk ratio for desired thickness)
2 tablespoons of garlic powder

1 package of pasta (cook separately and toss with other ingredients from crock pot)

Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
If sauce is too thick, add a little milk.
Add pasta to chicken and toss

Mexican Stuffed Shells

 

I made a double batch of this and froze one.

 

 

16-20 jumbo pasta shells (20 will fill a 9x13 baking dish)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 tbsp. chili powder
1½ cups (12 oz. bottle) taco sauce or salsa, divided
¼ cup sliced green onions
Light sour cream (optional)

1. Prepare pasta shells according to package directions, then drain. (I always prepare a few extra in case some break while being filled.) After cooking, either toss with a little oil (to prevent sticking), or set out on a baking sheet, separated, while they wait to be filled.

2. Cook beef in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Drain. Add beans, ¾ cup cheese and chili powder; mix well.

3. Spread ¼ cup taco sauce over bottom of each of two 8-inch square baking dishes (or ½ cup sauce in an 9x13 pan). Fill pasta shells with beef mixture (about 3 tbsp. each, which equals one large cookie scoop). Place 8-10 shells in each baking dish, filled side up. Spoon remaining taco sauce over shells. Cover one baking dish with plastic wrap, then wrap with foil. Label and freeze for up to 2 months.

4. Cover remaining baking dish with foil. Bake at 350º for 40-45 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve with green onions and sour cream.

To bake frozen shells: Place baking dish in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 375º. Remove foil & plastic wrap; recover with foil. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until heated through. Top the same way as above.

PW's Chicken Parmesan

 

The sauce on this one is amazing!!

• 4 whole (up To 6) Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Trimmed And Pounded Flat
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 3/4 cups Wine (white Or Red Is Fine)
• 3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/4 cube Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 pound Thin Linguine

Preparation Instructions

Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on a large plate.
Dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside.
At this time, you can start a pot of water for your pasta. Cook linguine until al dente.
Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil/butter mixture is hot, fry chicken breasts until nice and golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and keep warm.
Without cleaning skillet, add onions and garlic and gently stir for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom. Allow wine to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar and more salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. Toward the end of cooking time, add chopped parsley and give sauce a final stir.
Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated Parmesan. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated. Add more cheese to taste.
Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with more parsley. Serve immediately.

Kung Pao Chicken W/ Sesame Noodles

 

Kung Pao Chicken (from Mary Ostyn!!)

Ingredients:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks 2 tablespoons white wine 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

1 ounce hot chile paste 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar 2 teaspoons brown sugar 4 green onions, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts 4 ounces chopped peanuts

Directions:

1.	To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2.	To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
3	Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens. Pioneer Woman's Sesame Noodles: Ingredients 12 ounces, fluid Thin Noodles, Cooked And Drained ¼ cups Soy Sauce 2 Tablespoons Sugar 4 cloves Garlic, Minced 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar 3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil ½ teaspoons Hot Chili Oil 4 Tablespoons Canola Oil 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin Preparation Instructions Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat. Sprinkle with green onions and toss.

Taco Pasta

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 8-12 ounces medium pasta shells or other small dry pasta shapes
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, drained (if making this for kids you might want to use just plain diced tomatoes)
• 1 packet (4 tablespoons) taco seasoning
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the meat is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the meat is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.
3. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit if it is still too thin.
4. Toss in the cilantro right before serving for some fresh color and flavor. Serve with a green salad.

Cheese Manicotti

This one was delicious, not too difficult, and a great affordable vegetarian option.

You will need:
8-10 manicotti shells
1 lb cottage cheese
1 T parsley
1 egg beaten
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 cup mozzarella
1 jar spaghetti sauce
extra parm and mozz to sprinkle on top

Cook pasta shells until al dente and cool.  Mix filling ingredients together and spoon into shells.  Place in baking dish and cover with sauce and extra cheeses.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 min until hot and bubbly.

Pasta w/ Creamy Mushroom Sauce and Homemade Garlic Bread

 

 

 

You will need:

1/2 onion finely chopped

2 T chopped garlic

2 T olive oil

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

chicken stock

heavy cream

dill

 

Directions:

Heat up a pan and saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil until the mushroom starts to golden and the onion is soft.
Add 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1 1/2 cup cream and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill.
Let it simmer for 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.  Toss with hot pasta.

 

 

You will need:

• 1 cup warm water (70° to 80°)
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4-1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

• In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available.
• Bake according to bread machine directions (check the dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices (about 1-1/2 pounds).

Alfredo Pasta w/ chicken and broccoli

Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta (I used penne)
• 1 stick Butter
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 2 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 small bunch of fresh broccoli
• 2 cups cooked, shredded or cubed chicken

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions.  When it's almost done, add the broccoli.  Cook until desired tenderness.
In a saucepan or skillet, warm butter and cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Grate Parmesan cheese and place half of it into a large serving bowl. Pour warm butter/cream mixture over the top.
Drain pasta and broccoli and immediately pour it into the bowl.  Add chicken.
Toss a couple of times, then sprinkle in the other half of the Parmesan.
Toss to combine, thinning with pasta water if necessary.