Creamy Pesto Pasta

Creamy pasta with amazing flavors, comfort food at it's best.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb pasta any shape

2 cooked chicken breasts and shredded (Optional)

8oz cream cheese

3/4 cup pesto

2 tablespoons smart balance or butter

1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

water to cook pasta and salt to flavor the water

reserve 1 cup of pasta water

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain.

2. In a large sauce pan melt butter add onion, peas & carrots, and garlic cook until vegetables are tender.

3. Add cream cheese, salt and pepper, pesto and pasta water stir until the cream cheese is melted add in chicken and pasta stir to coat and top with Parmesan cheese.

Lasagna

 Use leftover spaghetti sauce to make a hearty lasagna, great for freezing to have back up dinners ready quick! Pair up with a big piece of Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

Spaghetti Meat Sauce

1 egg

1 package oven ready lasagna noodles

2 small containers of ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

1 cup parmesan reggiano cheese, grated

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

1.  In a small bowl mix together egg, ricotta cheese, parmesan reggiano cheese, and parsley leaving 1 teaspoon behind for the top of the lasagna.

2. Spread the bottom of your lasagna pan with meat sauce, then lay down the lasagna noodles (but leave space in between them because once the lasagna cooks it will cook the oven ready noodles.) Next using a slotted spoon scoop meat sauce onto noodles and spread evenly then put the next layer of noodles, then pour all of the ricotta egg mixture and spread evenly. then more noodles, meat sauce, and lastly the last layer of noodles then top with some of the meat sauce, then the mozzarella cheese and parsley.

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees, F.

Let stand to cool for 15 minutes, it will be easier to cut and more safe to eat!

Ready to eat!

Spaghetti Meat Sauce

This is the recipe my Mother and I have put together for basic meat sauce for spaghetti or lasagna. But what's spaghetti without the Garlic Bread

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 green pepper, finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 12oz cans tomato paste

3 15oz cans tomato sauce

1 tablespoon  dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup brown sugar, may need more to taste

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds*

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

*Wrap fennel seeds in fine mesh cheesecloth, and tie the top with cooking string so no seeds can escape. Set aside for later*

1. Cook ground beef until brown in a large sauce pan on medium heat, add in olive oil, onions and peppers; cook until onion is translucent. 

2. Next add tomato paste and reduce heat to med-low. Stir everything until well combined and toss in the garlic, cook until fragrant then add all the rest of the ingredients. Simmer on low for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings to your liking, you may need more or less always taste your sauce throughout cooking, a little time can change the taste.

Freezing instructions: I try to always have spaghetti sauce in my freezer, just in case I do not feel like going all out for dinner. I just pour the cooled sauce into a freezer bag or a freezer container and I keep it up to 3 months in the freezer, defrost, heat it up and just add pasta!

Asian Pasta Salad

A refreshing pasta salad is perfect for a Summer potluck, I keep most of these ingredients on hand for a easy side dish. Easy way to get kids to eating vegetables

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon sambal olek chili sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 chopped green onions
1 cup diced califlower
2 carrots, peeled and julienned

1/2 chopped bell pepper

1/2 lb spaghetti or linguine pasta, cooked al dente
Season with freshly crushed black pepper

Directions:

1. Strain pasta and run cold water until pasta is cool, toss in olive oil to prevent sticking.

2. In a medium-sized bowl whisk soy sauce,sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and chili sauce; whisk until sugar is dissolved.

3. Toss pasta in the sauce and vegetables, let marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator but can also be left overnight for more flavor, toss again before serving and serve cold.

Creamy Mac n' Cheese with Crumb topping

One of my favorite comfort foods and with this crumb topping it makes it even better!

This one has no crumb topping it is just topped with more cheese. Yum!

Ingredients:

4 cups elbow macaroni noodles, cooked al dente

4 cups Monterrey jack/ Colby cheddar cheese mix, grated

3 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Crumb topping

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and pour cooked macaroni into a glass baking dish.

2. In a medium sized pot melt butter over medium heat, add flour, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and ground mustard; Stir until creamy and bubbly.

3. Stir in milk and bring to a boil, remove from heat, stir in cheese and Worcestershire sauce. Pour cheese over macaroni and mix together.

4. Combine crumb topping ingredients and sprinkle over macaroni and cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and crispy on top

Dig In!