Easy Chicken Alfredo

 I saw someone on FB make this the other day and it was all done in one baking dish!  Easy and less clean up!  Do you need a quick meal for the holidays that feeds plenty and is quick?  This is for you!  It is a little spicy so if that's a problem for you, simply switch the sauce to an Alfredo sauce.

Easy Chicken Alfredo

1 12 oz. box Rotini pasta

1 bottle Wild Wings Garlic Parmesan sauce*

1 cup milk

2 cups chicken both

1 block of cream cheese

3 cups shredded chicken

1  12 oz bag of frozen broccoli

½ tsp Italian seasoning

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

 

In a 9x13 baking dish, layer:

Rotini Pasta

Wild Wing Sauce

Milk

Chicken Broth

Cream cheese in the center

Broccoli sprinkled around cream cheese

Sprinkle Italian seasoning on top

 

Cover with foil and bake at 425 degrees for 35 min.  Remove foil and stir until well mixed.  Top with Parmesan cheese and return to oven uncovered for 5 minutes.

*This dish is a little spicy so you could use an Alfredo sauce instead of the Wild Wings sauce if you don’t like a little kick.

Veggie Pasta Salad

 I'm back with a pasta salad that's full of fresh veggies!  No story with this one, just a good recipe.

Veggie Pasta Salad

1 box tricolor rotini pasta (gluten free if preferred)

2 tomatoes, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 small can sliced black olives

1/2 orange or red bell pepper, diced

1 cup Mozarella cheese

1 package diced ham or real bacon bits

Light mayo to taste

Cook the pasta and drain it.  Add all the fresh veggies, olives, and ham or bacon.  Stir well and let cool.  Add the cheese and mayo.  Stir until well coated.  Chill and serve.  Makes a lot!

Baby Food :)

Yesterday, I helped with a baby shower for a friend I worked with for a number of years.  She waited until she found the perfect man for her  and the same for him.  They are a perfect match!  They have been married for a couple of years and now are they are going to receive the blessing of a child.  I am so happy for the two of them.  They are going to make great parents.  Several people came together to create this special occasion and here is the recipe for the pasta salad I took.  I'll post the recipe for the spinach artichoke dip after this one.

Garden Pasta Salad

12 ounces tri-color pasta (cook according to package directions)

·       1 can black olives (drained and quartered)

·       1 large cucumber, diced

·       1 pint grape tomatoes (washed and halved)

·       16 ounces fresh mozzarella

·       2 cups  Italian dressing

      Cook pasta according to package.  Drain.  Add olives, cucumber, tomatoes.  Mix well.  Let cool.  Add cheese and dressing.  Refrigerate overnight.  Stir and serve.  

      

      * You can also add broccoli to the mix if you'd like.  

A New Twist for Ravioli

If you have been following me for any length of time, you'll know that 98% of my recipes are quick and easy.  This one falls into the other 2%.  The only reason I made this recipe is because this is Labor Day weekend so I have more time for this kind of recipe.  It's also the first time I have gone to the grocery store in about 2 weeks and I was able to pick up all the ingredients! It's not a difficult recipe, but it is a little time consuming. I bought a 25 oz. bag of ravioli and used half of it because I couldn't find a small bag.  I hope you enjoy it!

Butternut-Squash Ravioli

2 shallots, finely chopped
1 Tb. minced garlic
1/2 lb. ground beef or mild sausage
3 cups chicken broth
1 small bag of frozen ravioli (cheese or meat) 
1 butternut squash (pre-cook)
2 Tb. butter
3 cups of fresh spinach
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

Before you begin this recipe, you'll need to bake a butternut squash in the oven scrape the squash out of the skin.  Combine shallots, garlic, and meat in a large pot.  Brown completely.  Remove from pot and place in a mini food processor.  Chop until well blended and fine.  Pour in chicken broth in the pot and bring to a boil.  Add in ravioli and cook for 6-7 minutes.  Add in butternut squash and cook for 6-7 more minutes until liquid is absorbed.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add in meat mixture, butter, and spinach.  Let cook for another 5 minutes.  Stir in cheese and serve.

Italian Food and Family Memories

I love Italian food.  I think it's because my grandfather was Italian and I was raised eating Italian food.  It brings back wonderful family memories.  Every time I make Italian food, I think of my grandfather.  He was the best man I ever knew.  He was happy, caring, welcoming, honest, and loved any time with family.  It was never too loud, too messy, or too crowded when we were all together.  When my family was all together, there was a lot of us and it was loud and crowded, but it was wonderful.  There was always a lot of love.  Boy, do I miss my grandparents!  I know this may sound strange, but when I eat Italian food, I feel a little closer to my grandparents.

Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo

1 pound fettuccini (or tri-color rotini) pasta

1 Tb. butter

1 lb. cooked shrimp - peeled and deveined

2 Tb garlic, minced

12 oz. broccoli

1 pepper diced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

½ grape tomatoes cut in half

1 jar Alfredo sauce

¼  cup Mozarella cheese

salt and pepper to taste

a little milk to make it creamier, if needed.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 10 minutes or until done; drain.  Add in broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, and peppers. Stir in shrimp, butter, and garlic. Pour in Alfredo Sauce; stir. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly. After all the cheese has been added, mix in salt and pepper. Stir frequently making sure it does not boil or stick to the bottom of the pot.  Add milk if needed.  

Lazy Day Recipe

Today was a lazy, lay around kind of day.  I enjoyed every minute of it too.  Too bad I have to go back to work tomorrow.  I could do this all the time.  This is the perfect recipe for a lazy day.  You put everything in one pot to cook so you only have one pot to clean up.

I tried to take a picture, but my camera battery was dead.  Dang!

Chicken Zucchini Mushroom Pasta

4 ½ cups of water

1 lb mushrooms

2 Tb. minced garlic

1 cup of peas, frozen

Italian Seasoning to taste

2 zucchini, sliced

1 lb. spaghetti or fettuccini (I used whole grain)

salt and pepper to taste

½  cup milk

2 Tb. butter

2 tsp. flour

1/3 cup Parmesan, grated

1 diced chicken breast, if desired

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine spaghetti, mushrooms, zucchini, peas, garlic, Italian seasoning, and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is cooked thoroughly and liquid has cooked out, about 10 - 14 minutes. Mix milk, butter, and flour.  Stir in Parmesan and milk mixture.

Add chicken, if desired.  Mix well.

 

More Pasta, More Memories

Summer is a great time for cold salads; especially pasta salad.  This is a recipe a friend of mine's mother used to make when we were kids.  I got the recipe from her when I was a teenager.  I suppose it's sort of strange for your child's friend to want one of your recipes when they are still school age, but that's the kind of kid I was.  She was like a second mother to me.  I spent as much time at her house as I did my own.  Thank you Mrs. Jeffcoat for the memories and the pasta salad.

Pasta Salad

1 box tri-color Rotini pasta
3 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
1/4 - 1/2 cup pickle relish
1 package diced ham
3 diced eggs
Mayo to taste
Salt and pepper, optional

Cook pasta and drain.  Boil eggs and dice up.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Chill.
*You can also add shredded carrots, sliced black olives, or frozen peas if desired.

Tortellini! It as much fun to say as it is to eat!

You have to admit, it's fun to say the names of Italian food.  Try it!  Tortellini!  Fettuccine!  Maranara!  See, I was right.  Or maybe I'm just easily amused.  Hmmmmm.

Last Sunday I found two $1 coupons in the paper for Buitoni Pasta.  The grocery store had it on sale this week so with my coupons, the price wasn't so bad.  I made two trips to the grocery store today because I forgot the Alfredo sauce and Parmesan cheese on the first trip.  After I returned home the second time, I realized I didn't have the fresh broccoli.  I did have a bag of frozen broccoli so I used that instead.  Fresh would have been better, but I didn't have it in me to go to the grocery store three times in one day.  One day I'll get my act together and get everything on one list.  Today wasn't that day.  Maybe tomorrow ... or the day after.

Broccoli Cheese Tortellini

 1 jar of Ragu Alfredo sauce
1 cup fresh broccoli florets

2 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated chicken and cheese tortellini

1 ½  cups shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add pasta and broccoli.  Cook uncovered, over medium-low heat for 8 - 10 minutes.   Drain the pasta and broccoli.  Stir in Alfredo sauce, Parmesan cheese, and pepper.  Stir in cheese and pepper into broccoli mixture.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 6 - 8 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally. 

It looked better on the plate, but I ate it before I realized I had not taken a picture.