Baked Ziti

There is a similar recipe on this page which I used for a base, but I upped the amount of pasta and sauce in this version to serve more people (and I just like it saucier!). 

2 lb rigatoni

2 cups ricotta cheese

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp Grill Seasoning 

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

28 oz crushed tomatoes

a few fresh basil leaves, torn

salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook to al dente. Place the ricotta in a bowl and season with some grill seasoning and parmesan. While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for minute or two, then stir in the tomatoes and basil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and toss with the cheese mixture. Add the tomato sauce and mix. Pour into 9x13 pan and top the pasta with shredded parmesan, if desired, and bake at 350 until warmed through and cheese starts to brown, about 15-20 minutes.

To freeze: cover with press-n-seal and foil, keeping close to the top of food. Thaw in refrigerator and bake at 350 for 35-40 min.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

My family LOVES buffalo chicken - wings, dip, tacos, etc. This dish is like taking the buffalo chicken dip that I make and mixing it with pasta... then baking with more cheese. Delicious!

16 oz penne pasta
12oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot sauce
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Cook the pasta, al dente, according to directions.

Stir together the cream cheese, ranch, and hot sauce until creamy. Add the chicken, then combine with the cooked pasta. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Put into casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.


For a freezer meal, cover with plastic wrap and then foil and do not bake. Thaw in refrigerator and bake as directed.

Creamy Baked Mac-n-Cheese

I have made so many varieties of mac-n-cheese, but the possibilities are endless! I came across a recipe that used cream cheese and sour cream in the sauce and thought hmmm.... I changed up the cheeses used and added more spices. It was SO GOOD. Especially with our smoked pulled pork! I used penne pasta since it was in my pantry, but you could use another pasta.

16-oz package penne pasta
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg yolk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp paprika (I used smoked)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup grated parmesan*
1/4 cup crumbled feta*
1/2 cup monterey jack*
2 cups mild cheddar*, divided
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt, then cook pasta until almost cooked through. Drain.

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, butter, egg yolk, and spices in a bowl. Add the cheeses (only 1 cup of the cheddar) and stir. Gently stir in the milk.

Mix the sauce with the pasta and pour into dish. Top with remaining cup of cheddar cheese. Bake in preheated oven until heated through and cheese has melted, about 15 minutes. I also like to broil to brown the cheese on top a bit!


*Feel free to use your favorite cheeses, just use a total of 2 cups in the sauce. This combo had a fantastic flavor!

Creamy Chicken and Noodles

This was such an easy meal to make but had great flavor. I love meals that remind me of family dinners from growing up! My kids gobbled this up. It would have been delicious served over some mashed potatoes, but we ate it with some bread and butter because it was already so creamy. This is to serve my large family of 6 with some leftovers, so halve it if you need.

12 oz wide egg noodles
8 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
10 oz bag frozen peas and carrots
1 cup cream or milk
1/2 cup water
4 tbsp flour

Place noodles in large pot. Add stock and olive oil; stir. Add peas and carrots. Cover and heat over medium heat until noodles are soft, 10-15 minutes. Add the chicken and stir in cream/milk.

Mix water and flour so there are no lumps. Add gradually to the noodle mixture, stirring constantly. Heat to boiling and simmer for 5 minutes.

(This could also be frozen after it is cooked -- let cool and put into large freezer bag. Freeze flat, then thaw and reheat on stovetop.)

Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini

This was a favorite of my almost 2-yr old. She had three helpings! You do have to do a little cooking, but then the crockpot takes care of the rest.

3 cups chicken broth
1 lb cooked, chopped chicken
1 lb spaghetti
1 med onion, chopped
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan

Cook pasta according to package directions, leaving al dente. Drain and put in bottom of crockpot. In a large pan over medium heat, saute onions and mushrooms in 1/4 cup butter. Add other 1/4 cup butter and dust with 1/2 cup flour to create a roux. Gradually stir in chicken, chicken broth, sherry, paprika, and heavy cream. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken. Pour chicken mixture over pasta and top with parmesan cheese. Cook in crockpot for 3-4 hours on low.

Chicken Club Casserole

This was delicious and you could easily change it to suit your family's tastes (a couple of my kids grumbled at the tomatoes and spinach!). This would be wonderful with ham, broccoli, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes... so much! It completely fills a 9x13 baking dish, so if you have a smaller family you could divide it into two 8x8 pans.

1 lb rotini pasta, cooked a little less than al dente
2 lbs chicken breast, cubed and cooked
2 cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup real bacon pieces
1 cup milk
1 cup mayonnaise
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
2 cups colby-jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 375. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the shredded cheese. Pour into a 9x13 greased baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

To freeze: Once in baking dish freeze. Thaw, or mostly thaw, before following baking instructions above. You will probably have to add 15-20 minutes to baking time.

Penne in Chicken-Bacon Blush Sauce

This combo is fantastic! My entire family raved about it and just about everyone had seconds. It was delicious as is, but next time I might bake it with extra cheese on top. Yum!

1 lb penne, cooked according to pkg directions
1 lb bacon, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1.5 lbs chicken breast, cut into small pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper, to taste
15-oz can diced tomatoes, some liquid drained out
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp Frank's hot sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup mozzarella cheese

In a large pot, cook the bacon until it starts rendering some fat. Drain off some of the grease, Add the onion, chicken, garlic, and season with salt & pepper. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Add tomatoes, basil, and hot sauce. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in sour cream. Add the sauce to the pasta, then add mozzarella cheese.

To freeze: Put in foil pan and cover with press-n-seal/foil. After thawing, or mostly thawing, bake in 350 oven until warmed through (35-45 min).

Best Meatball Recipe

Here is an excellent meatball recipe!  I used it with the Stove-top Marinara for a knockout Spaghetti and Meatballs dinner.  Be sure to save the drippings from the pan to add to your sauce!

Ingredients:
1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
3/4 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 eggs, beaten
1 T. garlic, minced
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. ground black pepper
2 t. dried basil
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch nutmeg
2 lb. ground chuck
1 cup low-sodium beef broth

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 450.

2. Stir together all ingredients except for ground chuck and beef broth.  Add ground chuck and mix with a fork.

3.  Using a medium (2") scoop, portion the mixture into meatballs.  Roll them after they are scooped to be sure they are rounded.  Lay them, not touching, on a baking sheet.

4.  Add enough beef broth to cover the bottom of the pan and bake until cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Note: To freeze extra meatballs, lay the cooked meatballs on a tray lined with wax paper and put in the freezer.  Once the meatballs are frozen, move them to a freezer-safe plastic bag.

Homemade Pesto

With all the basil in our garden, I've been making pesto quite a bit!  Here's the recipe I've been using, adjusted from one I saw on allrecipes.com:

Ingredients:
3 c. packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 c. pine nuts
4 cloves garlic
3/4 c. parmesan cheese
Pinch of coarse salt
1/4 c. olive oil

Blend all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor.  With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.

Mushroom Cream Pasta

This isn't exactly kid approved, my kids wouldn't touch it. It also isn't healthy. But it is wonderful! Mike and I loved this and it came together super quickly.

Ingredients
8 ounces sliced baby portabello mushrooms
1/2 cup marsala wine
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces of pasta (use gluten free pasta to make the dish gluten free)

1. Bring water to boil and start prepping pasta.
2. Combine musrooms and wine in a large skillet; bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Cook until wine is reduced by half.
4. Add cream and tarragon to mushroom mixture. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper and remove from heat.
6. When pasta is ready pour into large serving bowl and mix with the mushroom sauce.

Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

I can't believe I have never posted this recipe!  I got it from Food Network Magazine a couple years ago and I LOVE it!  It was on the cover as one of their "lighter" options and it only takes 30-40 min to make!  I've updated the recipe a bit to fit my needs, and I always freeze half the meatballs for a quick meal any time.

Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1/4 c. minced garlic
2 28 oz. can plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 c. fresh basil leaves (or 2 T. dried)
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
1/2 c. chopped parsley
2 slices stale whole wheat bread, crust trimmed, bread chopped
1/2 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
2 egg white, lightly beaten
12 oz.whole wheat spaghetti

Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add 3 T. garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes with their juice, 1 c. water, 1/2 c. basil (or 1 T. dried), and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened.

2. Chop the remaining basil, then mix with the turkey, parsley, bread, ricotta, parmesan, egg white, minced garlic, 1/2 t. salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl or food processor.  Form into 8 large or 24 small meatballs.  (Note: At this point, I freeze half of the meatballs on a tray, then move them to a freezer bag once frozen.  You can make the sauce again any time and add the frozen meatballs directly to the sauce to cook.)  Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer, turning, until cooked through.  6 min. for small meatballs and 12 min for large (increase cooking time if using frozen meatballs).

3. Meanwhile, cook and drain the spaghetti.  Toss with some of the sauce, then divide among bowls.  Top the spaghetti with the meatballs, the remaining sauce, and more parsley and parmesan.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

The absolute BEST pasta salad in the world (at least of the ones I've tried)!

Vinaigrette:
1 1/2 T. capers, drained
2 t. anchovy paste
2 t. minced garlic
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 t. dried oregano
6 T. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Puree all ingredients in a food processor except for oil.  Slowly drizzle in oil and blend until emulsified.

Salad:
12 oz. tri-color rotini pasta, cooked and drained
2 c. seeded and half-moon sliced cucumbers
1 c. halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1 c. diced smoked mozzarella or gouda
1 c. diced hard salami
1 c. thinly sliced red onion
3/4 c. pitted and chopped kalamata olives
1/2 c. sliced roasted red peppers
1/2 c. marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

Combine all salad ingredients.  Toss with vinaigrette to coat.  Refrigerate salad overnight for best flavor.  (Note: I usually serve it immediately and then have leftovers for lunch the rest of the week.  The flavor does get better as it sits overnight.)

New Fave Mac-n-Cheese

I started making my roux a little different in my mac-n-cheese, just to give it a bit more flavor. It turned out GREAT and now it's my new fave! I've made this quite a few times this summer - it's perfect for a BBQ side dish. I also have thrown it in the oven with a bit more cheese on top, after doubling the recipe for a crowd. Yum!

1 lb elbow macaroni
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
pinch pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1-1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar (or colby jack is also great)
dash Worcestershire
dash hot sauce

Cook the macaroni in boiling water according to package directions. Meantime, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, and ground mustard (I combine them all in a little bowl ahead of time, then add at once). Stir with a whisk and let the flour taste cook out but don't burn. Whisk in the milk until combined - let cook until thickened. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Once the cheese melts in add the Worcestershire and hot sauce, and add cheese sauce to the cooked & drained noodles.

Grilled Ratatouille and Goat Cheese Orzo

I've never had ratatouille before, so I don't know how this version compares.  This version, however, was INCREDIBLE!  Everything is grilled outside, so you don't need to heat up the oven at all.  The grilled tomatoes make such a fresh and delicious tomato sauce.

1 eggplant, halved lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
1 red onion, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
1 small tomato, halved and seeded
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise
1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise
2 T. olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Goat Cheese Orzo (recipe below)

Sauce:
1 T. olive oil
2 T. fresh basil
2 t. fresh lemon juice
1 t. minced lemon zest

1. Toss vegetables with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill over medium heat until tender.

2. Chop all vegetables except tomato and transfer to a bowl.

3. Puree tomato and the rest of the sauce ingredients in a food processor until smooth, then toss with vegetables in the bowl.

Goat Cheese Orzo:
4 oz. orzo pasta
1/2 c. milk
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook orzo according to pkg. directions; drain and set aside.

2. Whisk together milk and goat cheese in a saucepan over medium heat until combined.  Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until slightly thick, about 3 min.  Stir in orzo.

3. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Grilled Vegetable Couscous

This is an awesome recipe which is delicious served warm for dinner or cold for lunch the next day. Enjoy!

3 c. sliced zucchini
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed (I omitted this)
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 in. thick slices
2 T. olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cut in half with ribs and seeds removed
10 oz. instant couscous
1 T. minced lemon zest
3 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
2 c. halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. chopped scallions
3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grate with oil.

2. For the veggies, toss zucchini, asparagus, onion, and red pepper with 2 T. oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Grill vegetables until charred, 5-6 min. Chop into bite-sized pieces.

3. Cook couscous according to package directions with zest added; set aside.

4. Whisk lemon juice and 2 T. oil in a large bowl. Add couscous, grilled vegetables, tomatoes, parsley, and scallions; season with salt and black pepper. Top couscous with goat cheese.

Bow Tie Pasta & Broccoli

I first saw Ina Garten make a similar version of this recipe on the Food Network. She was having a party for kids, and she claimed it was a great way to get them to eat their broccoli. She was right! Not only did my older son eat every bite of pasta and broccoli on his plate, so did my husband! It's a versatile recipe that can be served for lunch or dinner, hot or room temperature, and with a variety of pastas. It's great just as a vegetarian meal, or cooked and diced chicken breast can be added for protein (or for those of us who have major meat-eaters in our families). Recently, I just made the sauce (no broccoli or pine nuts) and poured it over penne pasta. With some hot chicken sausage cut into rounds and added at the end, it became a great meal that my entire family loved!

2 large heads of broccoli
1 lb bow tie (farfalle) pasta
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1-2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 lemon, zested
2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts*
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a handful of kosher salt. Cut off the stems of the broccoli, and chop the heads into individual florets. Add the broccoli florets to the salted, boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
2. Add the bow tie pasta to the same salted, boiling water. Cook according to the package directions, around 11 minutes, or until al dente. Strain the bow ties, and add to the bowl with the broccoli.
3. Meanwhile, heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the garlic and the lemon zest, and saute for 1 minute.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and stir until the salt has dissolved. Pour the sauce over the bow tie pasta and broccoli. Toss well to coat everything. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with the pine nuts and Parmesan cheese.

*To toast the pine nuts, place them in a dry saute pan over a low heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are slightly brown and fragrant, tossing them in the pan every so often to keep them from burning.

Butternut Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter

This were a little time consuming to make, but really delicious! My kids liked them too. :)

1 can (16 oz) butternut squash or pumpkin puree
1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tbsp grated parmesan, plus more for garnish
salt and black pepper to taste
48 wonton wrappers
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
4 tbsp butter
16 fresh sage leaves

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Mix the squash, vinegar, nutmeg, and parmesan; season with salt and pepper.

2. Working on a clean floured surface, lay down a single wonton wrapper and place a small spoonful of the squash mixture in the center, being careful not to overstuff. Paint the edges of the wrapper with egg whites, then top with another wonton wrapper. Press firmly around the edges with your fingers to secure the filling inside the ravioli. Repeat with the remaining wrappers to make 24 ravioli.

3. Salt the boiling water and turn down the heat to medium so that it's gently boiling. Carefully drop in the ravioli and cook for 3 minutes, then drain (it works best to do this in batches so they don't stick together).

4. In the meantime, heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat and add the butter and sage. Cook until the butter is lightly brown and begins to give off a nutty aroma (you don't want the butter to burn). Add the cooked ravioli to the pan, tossing gently to make sure they don't break. Divide among 4 plates and garnish with parmesan.


Recipe comes from Cook This, Not That

Pasta with a Creamy Smoked Bacon & Pea Sauce

This is another recipe from Jamie Oliver's "Jamie's Food Revolution" that I adapted a bit for my family. I bought sour cream instead of heavy cream, and it seemed to work fine. The recipe is very kid-friendly, and using mini pasta, like shells or bow ties, makes it a lot of fun. My 4-year-old loved it, and so did my husband and I. It also makes a lot of leftovers!

10 slices smoked bacon
Small bunch of mint
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound mini pasta, such as mini shells or mini bow ties
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 cups frozen peas
2 tbsp heavy cream or sour cream
1 lemon
6 ounces Parmesan cheese

1. Finely slice the bacon. Pick the mint leaves and discard the stalks. Finely grate the parmesan cheese.

2. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions.

3. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. Add the bacon to the pan, sprinkle a little pepper over it, and saute it until golden and crisp. Meanwhile, finely chop the mint leaves.

4. As soon as the bacon is done, stir in the frozen peas. After a minute or so, add the heavy cream (or sour cream) and chopped mint. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the saute pan, and toss everything well.

5. Halve the lemon, and squeeze the juice over the pasta. Remove the pan from the heat, and salt and pepper to your taste. The sauce should be creamy and silky. If it's too thick, add a splash of the reserved cooking water to thin it out. Add the Parmesan cheese, and toss everything to coat well.

Chilled Chicken Pasta

I normally eat something different than the kids at lunchtime, and this is so quick and easy for me to prepare ahead of time. It's delicious, healthy, and filling too! This recipe is for one serving, but it could easily be multiplied to make a larger batch. Just toss the following ingredients together!

1/4 cup cooked and chilled whole wheat penne
1 tbsp pesto sauce
3 oz cooked chicken (or turkey) breast, diced
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup shredded carrots
2 tbsp Italian four-cheese blend

Pasta with Broccoli & Turkey Sausage

This is a simple dish without a heavy sauce, but still so much flavor! You can use any pasta you'd like - I've done both penne and mini farfalle. My kids LOVE this dish!

1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets
10 oz pasta
1/2 tbsp olive oil
4 link uncooked turkey (or chicken) sausage, casings removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
salt and black pepper to taste
parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the broccoli and cook for 3 minutes. Use tongs or a skimmer to remove the greens. Return the water to a boil. Cook the paste until al dente.

2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned, then add the garlic and pepper flakes and saute for another 3 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and chicken stock and lower the heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Drain the pasta and toss immediately with the sausage and greens. Serve immediately topped with a little cheese.

(This recipe was altered from Cook This, Not That)