Posts Tagged ‘pasta’

I am a huge pasta lover.

I dont discriminate. I love it in all shapes and sizes.

But I must confesss……I have never, not ever, cooked with Orzo. It has scared me….intimidated me…..made me eat gallons of ice cream at a time.

Ok maybe I can’t blame that last one on the pasta.

I decided one day while at the store to put on my big girl pants, man up and take that little guy on.

I have no idea why I was so frightened of this little thing. I love it. It cooks faster (which helps with my impatience) and its smaller so you can shovel more in your mouth.

I feel so good about my self….I can take on the world!

This is a fantastic side to the Chicken Puri Puri

Creamy Garlic and Cheese Orzo

Ingredients

• 1 box ( 16oz) Orzo
• 8 Tbsp butter
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• ½ container Cooking crème cheese
• 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup scallions

Directions

1. Cook pasta (orzo) in a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook about 8-9 min, just until al dente.
2. In a large pan melt butter. Add garlic, salt and pepper; cook about 1 min (just until softened). Add cooked pasta. Fold in cooking crème. Once incorporated, add cheese; simmer and continue to stir until melted.
3. Add scallions and gently stir.
4. Serve warm.

When ever I need something fast and warm and feeling half-way, kinda, some what healthy I make this.

It is kinda, sorta healthy because it has veggies in it.

My kids LOVE (with all capitol letter) this. Even the hubby loves this.

Mac & Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pkg (32 oz) Chicken broth
• 6 oz noodles (i.e. pasta shells)
• 1 bag Frozen broccoli, cauliflower, carrot blend
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring broth to a boil over high heat.
2. Add pasta and reduce heat to medium. Bring to a simmer.
3. Simmer uncovered for 5 min.
4. Add veggies and cook until veggies and pasta are tender. About 5-7 min more.
5. Combine milk and flour in a re-sealable container; sake well to combine.
6. Stir milk mix into pasta and veggies. Cook until bubbly.
7. Add cheese and cook until melted.
8. Serve warm.

One of my favorite comfort foods is Lasagna. Oh the pasta, cheese, carbs, cheese, meat, cheese, sauce, cheese……you get my point.

It just takes so long to make sometimes. So I wanted to shorten the time it took to make it…so I can make more of it and eat more of it.

Don’t judge…..ok judge.

Using ravioli eliminates 2 of the steps……holler

I mixed it up and used some cheese ravioli and some mushroom ravioli. I had to get some type of veggie in there

I wont waste your time with the step by step directions; as I am sure you are well aware of how to make a lasanga.

(sauce/meat layer followed by the pasta followed by some cheese and more sauce and repeat)

Hollie  amazing.

I was worried about the texture initially……my mind can rest easy. It was fan-tabulous.

Ravioli Lasagna

Ingredients

• 4 cups spaghetti sauce
• 16 oz mozzarella
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 25 oz frozen cheese ravioli

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 375
2. In a large pan cook ground turkey. Add sauce and cook until warm and bubbly.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ravioli only 2-3 min. Just so it is no longer frozen.
4. Take ½ cup of sauce and meat mix and spread on the bottom of a 8×8 baking dish.
5. Place on layer of ravioli, then some cheese and more meat/sauce mix.
6. Continue layers.
7. Top with any remaining cheese.
8. Bake for 35 min, uncovered and over a cookie sheet.
9. Remove and let stand for 5 min. Cut and serve.
10. Serves 6-8 people.

One of my families favorite restaurants here in Arizona is Brio. Every time we go up to the Phoenix area we go there. I have fallen in love with their Pasta a la vodka. It is to die for.

This is my attempt at making it. It is pretty darn good if i say so my self. My husband says he actually likes it better….go me! And my picky little eater actually ate it all with out a fight….bonus.

Start with a very large pan heated with some olive oil (about 1/4 cup). Add in your chopped onion.

Chop up some prosciutto and garlic and add to the pan.

Here is my favorite part……the Vodka. Turn your heat down to low and add 1/3 cup in to pan. Go ahead and have some for yourself….its ok, I wont tell.

Add your tomato sauce and stir. Add your Salt and pepper to taste.

Add in your heavy cream.

Top with some cheese, stir…….almost there.

Toss in your cooked Tortellini (Cheese filled of course

There we go. All done. Enjoy

Tortellini a la Vodka

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 6 oz Prosciutto, chopped
• 3 colves garlic, chopped
• 1/3 cup Vodka
• 12 oz Tomato Sauce/Spaghetti sauce
• 6 oz heavy cream
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 48 oz Cheese Tortellini

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil
2. Add onion and cook about 2 min until onion is almost translucent.
3. Add your garlic and prosciutto. Cook 2-3 more min
4. Add your vodka and tomato sauce
5. Mix until everything is incorporated.
6. Add your cream and cheese. Simmer on low until cheese melts.
7. Gently toss in Tortellini.
8. Serve Warm

This is one I got from my absolutely wonderful mama. She has made this for me since I was tiny (and because of this I am no longer tiny). And now I make it (and it is requested) for my little tiny people.

It is a quick easy meal you can whip up when you feel like cooking, stick in the fridge and heat up when you don’t feel like cooking.

First step….bring a large pot of water (about 8 cups) to a boil. Pop in your chicken and boil until fully cooked (about 10-15 min). Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Reserve 4 cups of the broth. Once chicken has cooled shred.

In a large pot mix the 4 cups of broth with the tomato soup. Add spaghetti noodles and cook until al dente. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Layer chicken in a casserole dish.

Whip the cream of chicken and cream of mushroom in a medium bowl. Pour on top of chicken.

Top with spaghetti and tomato mix.

Top with cheese and pop in oven.

Cook for 30-40 min or until bubbly.

Enjoy with a side salad…..delicious. My mama is one good cook.

Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast
• 1 can Tomato Soup
• 1 can Cream of Chicken
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom
• 8 oz spaghetti noodles
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a large pot boil, in about 8 cups water chicken until fully cooked (about 10-15 min).
3. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Reserve 4 cups of the broth.
4. Once chicken has cooled shred.
5. In a large pot mix the 4 cups of broth with the tomato soup. Add spaghetti noodles and cook until al dente. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Layer chicken in a casserole dish.
7. Whip the cream of chicken and cream of mushroom in a medium bowl. Pour on top of chicken.
8. Top with spaghetti and tomato mix.
9. Top with cheese and pop in oven. Cook for 30-40 min or until bubbly.

This is defiantly one of my top 10 recipes. It has my love of carbs and cheese combine with some chicken so I don’t feel sooo bad. And it is super easy.

Here we go.

Place your shredded chicken in a bowl and add your sour cream (or I like to use Greek Yogurt), 1/2 a cup of your cheese and cilantro. Give it a good mix to combine. This is where it gets fun. Add 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce. Yummmm, huh

Now I didn’t have any fresh Cilantro left so I used this amazing little thing. Just use the same amount as you would fresh cilantro.

Now….Boil your Manicotti noodles in some salted water; remove and let cool.

Time to Stuff.

Just take a Manicotti shell in one hand and a spoon full of the chicken mix and gently stuff it in. Do this until it is full. Tuck away into a casserole dish.

Lets move on to the cheese sauce shall we….

In a medium sauce pan/pot melt your butter. Once melted add your flour and mix it all up. Add cream and whisk until there are no lumps. Add remainder of buffalo sauce (3/4 cup) and stir some more. Add your cheese and salt and pepper to taste. And Pour over the stuffed noodles.

Pop in oven for 30 min or until bubbly.

Remove and let cool for about 5 min. Serve.

Manchilada

Ingredients

• ½ pkg (4 oz) Manicotti shells
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 3 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup buffalo sauce (or Franks hot sauce)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cook manicotti shells in salted boiling water until al dente. Remove and set aside to cool
3. In a large bowl combine chicken, cilantro, sour cream and ½ cup cheese. Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
4. Mix in ¼ cup buffalo sauce.
5. Grab your cooled Manicotti shells and gently stuff chicken mix inside.
6. Place in a 9×9 casserole dish.
7. In a medium sauce pan/pot melt butter over medium heat. Once melted add flour and mix.
8. Add cream and whisk until there are no lumps. Add remainder of buffalo sauce (3/4 cup) and stir some more.
9. Add your cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
10. Pop in oven for 30 min or until bubbly.
11. Remove and let cool for about 5 min. Serve.

There is no secret about my love for all things cheesy and charbo-lishous. I would take a bowl of cheesy, saucy pasta over a cookie any day…..well almost any day.

This recipe has been in my weekly rotation since I learned how to make it. At least once a week we have this or some form of it. I LOVE this. Partly because it is so easy and can be made ahead of time. But mainly because it is so amazing.

Here is your line up…..

First, cut up and cook your prosciutto. Cook until it starts to get to that crispy goodness stage.

Now in a large bowl add all your ingredients and mix well. Add 1/2 of your Parmesan cheese and mix some more.

Pour into a 9×9-baking dish.

Slice up you fresh mozzarella (you can find this in most all grocery stores next to their specialty cheeses). And stuff it into your pasta. Save about 5 slices for the top.

Top with remaining Parmesan and reserved mozzarella.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, covered. Remove cover and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown and sauce bubbles.

**Note: I highly recommend baking on top of a cookie sheet to catch and spillage. Not fun to find next time you go to cook in you oven**

Remove and let stand for 5 min. Serve.

Enjoy with some crusty garlic bread and a crisp salad.

Ziti

Ingredients:

• 3 oz prosciutto, chopped
• ½ box (8oz) Ziti, cooked
• 1 ball (8 oz) fresh mozzarella
• 1 jar (24 oz) Sauce (preferably home made)
• 4.5 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Over medium heat cook chopped prosciutto until crispy (about 5 min).
3. In a large bowl combine ziti, sauce, cooked prosciutto and ½ of the Parmesan cheese. Stir until fully combine.
4. Pour into a 9×9-baking dish.
5. Cut up fresh mozzarella and shove into pasta. Reserve 5-6 slices for top.
6. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
7. Cover and cook for 30 min. (Note: I highly recommend placing on top of a cookie sheet to cook. This will help to catch any spillage)
8. Remove cover and cook and additional 5-10 min, or until cheese on top is fully melted and pasta is bubbling.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 min. Serve.

My all time go to recipe is spaghetti or even better Ziti; of course with home made sauce.

When I got married this sauce was one of the first things my husband taught me to cook. When we got married, I couldn’t cook anything…..and I mean anything. I would mess up boiling water. He is still a far superior cook, but I can at least hang.

When I make this I actually double the recipe and freeze for a super quick dinner.

Here is your line up……

First, chop up your onion….fairly fine. Add to a large pot with oil. Cook until it becomes translucent and add garlic. Cook for about 2 more min.

Now blend your tomatoes. Pour one can at a time into your blender and blend until fully liquid. Do the same for the other can and add to pot. Add your tomato paste and stir until incorporated.  Bring to a low simmer and reduce heat to low.

We dont use a ton of basil (but we do love it), so when we buy it most of it tends to go bad. Then one day, while in Trader Joes, I stumbled upon these. They come in other types to (cilantro and garlic). They are wonderful.

If you cant find these regular fresh basil works just as well (in fact it actually tastes a bit better).

Ok, so now add your salt, pepper, basil and cayenne and stir.

Simmer for about 40 min, stirring every 10 min or so.

Enjoy over pasta or where ever you like your sauce…I don’t judge.

Kicked up Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ onion, chopped finely (about ½ cup)
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 ½ Tbsp Pepper
• 2 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 8 tsp basil, chopped finely

Directions:

1. Over medium heat, add oil and onion to a large pot.
2. Once onion begins to become translucent add garlic. Cook for about 2 min.
3. In a blender add once can of whole peeled tomatoes and blend until liquid. Add to pot. Do the same for the other can.
4. Add tomato paste and stir. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and basil.
5. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low.
6. Cook for about 40 min, stirring every 10 min.
7. Enjoy over pasta.

I am staring out my window trying to think of something witty to say to open this post, I notice one of my neighbors house has a moving van. What the heck….I didn’t know they are moving, was the first thing that come to mind. The second was how much I wish that I could move. Start new somewhere…..ahhh. Then my mind wonders (as it often does) to our last vacation in the San Juan Islands in Washington (state).  That was fun. The food was out of this world. One (of the many) best things I ate while there was this salad.

The day we got home I tried to recreate it. After many attempts I think I finally got it.

Here is your line up….

This is so easy it is ridiculous….in fact once again I forgot to take most of the photos.

Everyone in…..

Toss and dig in

Add some grilled chicken to make it a complete meal.

Mmmm…..this is soooo good. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Guess what we are having for dinner.

San Juan Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 bag (7.6 oz) Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 ½ cups pasta, cooked (i.e. rigatoni, campanelle or pene)
• ½ cup candied pecan pieces
• ¼ cup Cranberries, dried
• ¼ cup Gorgonzola crumbles
• 1 ½ cup BBQ vinaigrette (recipe below)

BBQ Vinaigrette

• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• ½ cup Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:

1. Put lettuce, cooked pasta, pecan pieces, cranberries and Gorgonzola into a large serving bowl.
2. Drizzle with BBQ vinaigrette.
3. Toss and enjoy.

For the Dressing:

1. Put both ingredients into a air tight container and shake until fully combine. Or mix in a bowl.
2. Drizzle over salad.

After making a big batch of the meatballs, from yesterday. I needed something to put them in….soooo……

Meatball soup!!!!! This is one of the easiest things I make for dinner. It is fast and super tasty.

First step, in a large pot put about 1/4 cup of olive oil in. Just enough to cover the bottom. Add your onion. Add your garlic once the onion becomes translucent. Add your chicken broth.

In a blender blend your can of tomatoes (pour the tomatoes out of the can into the blender, that would be a disaster if you just put the can in). Then pour that tomato liquid into the pot. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Then add some of the Prosciutto meatballs you made from yesterday. Those were tasty little guys, huh?

Next, in a medium pot bring some salted water to a boil. Add your tortellini (I like the cheese kind). And cook until done (about 5 minutes), then drain.

Now it is time to plate. Put your tortellini in the bowl first. Then ladle out some soup, and top with a few of the meatballs.

Sprinkle with some Parmesan and presto ….done-zo….

Meatball Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 box (32 oz) chicken broth
• 20 oz tortellini
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pot put oil and onion. Cook over medium heat.
2. Once onion becomes translucent add garlic. Cook for about 2 more min.
3. Add broth, and stir.
4. In a blender, blend tomatoes into a liquid. Pour into pot and stir until incorporated. Bring to a simmer and turn heat to low
5. Add meatballs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. In another medium pot bring salted water to a boil. Add tortellini. Cook until done (about 5 min). Drain.
7. Time to plate…put tortellini down first into a bowl. Ladle out some of the soup and meatballs. Sprinkle with cheese and enjoy.