Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce

This recipe took approximately 15 minutes to make.  It was delicious, and, therefore, I love it.

Pesto (or use 4 ounces store-bought pesto)
3/4 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
2 cloves Garlic, Peeled
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan (additional)
12 ounces, weight Pasta (cavitappi, Fusili, Etc.)
2 whole Tomatoes, Diced

Cook pasta until al dente.

Add basil leaves, 1/2 cup Parmesan, pine nuts, and salt and pepper to a food processor or blender. Turn machine on, then drizzle in olive oil while it mixes. Continue blending until combined, adding additional olive oil if needed. Set aside.

Heat cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pesto and stir.
Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl. Pour pesto cream over the top. Toss to combine. Add diced tomatoes and toss quickly. Serve immediately.

Original source: http://thepioneerwoman.com

Queso Taco Pasta Bake

There's a possibility that I used every pot and pan I own to make this dish.  But - it was totally worth it!  The leftovers are in the fridge right now, and I can't wait to dig in.  This recipe makes a TON of food.  Half this recipe, and you'll have plenty for a family of four.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup prepared mild salsa
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
One 10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes, mild
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3/4 pound small pasta of your choice
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to melt. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper for about 30 seconds until bubbly. Slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Increase heat to high while whisking until thickened. Takes 3-5 minutes. Stir in cheese and salsa, turn off heat and set aside.
Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add ground beef, salt and pepper, cooking until browned. Drain fat if necessary. Add tomatoes, cumin and lime juice, stir to combine.
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and run under cold water.
Transfer beef, noodles and queso to a large pot or dutch oven over medium low heat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper to your liking. Transfer to prepared baking dish and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve warm. 

Original source: www.picky-palate.com

5-Minute Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

I'm not sure this could be any easier.  Sydney loved it, and it was delicious.  I think I'd like to try it next time around with some sort of "fancy" cheese or mix in some broccoli.

1/2 pound cooked pasta of choice (we used small shells)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup whole milk
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place pasta, cheese, milk, salt and pepper into a microwave safe bowl. Stir to mix. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir and microwave for an additional 2 minutes. Stir until creamy and smooth. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings

Original recipe: www.picky-palate.com

Chicken Tostada Upside Down Bake

Have I mentioned how much I love Picky Palate?  Wow - Jenny Flake can cook!  I tried this recipe Monday night, and it was deeeeelicious! 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
4 small or 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
1 can diced tomatoes, fire roasted is great with this recipe
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can black olives, chopped
1 packet ranch dressing seasoning packet
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
Pinch of kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, in the sheet form
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt with Parsley
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat. Saute onions for 5 minutes then add in garlic; cook for an additional 1 minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, corn, black beans, olives, ranch seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, until heated through, then stir in cilantro. Pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish that’s been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Place Crescent Roll sheet over top of chicken mixture, brush lightly with olive oil and season with garlic salt.  Bake for 20 minutes, until just starting to brown. Top with cheese and bake for an additional 15-18 minutes or until cheese is melted and crescent dough is cooked through. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Original source: www.picky-palate.com

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

A couple weeks ago, a friend suggested I should use the microwave to cook fish. I had never heard of such a thing. I mean, I realize it could be a possibility, but I never seriously considered using the microwave to cook fish - or really any other dinner entree for that matter. Anyway, on her suggestion, I purchased a package of tilapia fillets from Wegmans last week. The fillets are frozen and individually wrapped (about 4 ounces a piece). For lunch, I took one of the fillets and put it in a bowl of water to defrost. It was defrosted and ready to be cooked in about 10 minutes. At that point, I put it in the microwave on a plate and pushed sensor cook for fish. It was ready in about a minute. That was about the easiest thing ever! The fish was well cooked, delicious, and the kids loved it!

Tonight, I continued my fish party by making lemon garlic tilapia. This was so good, it is possibly the best fish I've ever had. We'll definitely be making this again - soon.

4 T butter
Juice of 1 lemon
2 t garlic
parsley
2 tilapia fillets

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Salt and pepper the fillets and place them in a baking dish. In a saute pan, saute the remaining ingredients. Pour the saute mixture over the fish and bake for approximately 14 minutes. Enjoy!

Pappardelle with Baby Spinach, Herbs, and Ricotta

Here's a light, vegetarian pasta dish for Lent! Tom said it was delicious - even though it has parsley, which he strongly dislikes.

8 ounces uncooked pappardelle (I used fettuccine)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cook pasta with 1 tablespoon kosher salt according to package directions, omitting additional fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, and reserve 1 cup cooking liquid.

Combine 1/2 cup reserved hot cooking liquid and ricotta cheese in a food processor or blender, and process until well blended.

Combine hot pasta, cheese mixture, spinach, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Add additional cooking liquid to moisten, if needed.

Original source: Cooking Light

Cowboy Spaghetti

I love recipes that offer us variety at dinnertime. These days, I make almost every meal we eat, and so I am thrilled to find a new recipe that is different from our usual fare. This recipe fits the bill. Also, it's a Rachel Ray recipe, and you can't go wrong with her food!

1 pound spaghetti
Salt
1 T olive oil
3 slices smoky bacon, chopped
1 pound ground sirloin
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
Ground black pepper
2 t hot sauce (I was a wimp and only used 1 t, and it wasn't enough)
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c beer
1 (14-ounce) can, chopped or crushed fire roasted tomatoes
1 (8-ounces) can, tomato sauce
8 oz sharp Cheddar
4 scallions, chopped

Heat a pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and salt the water. Cook to al dente or with a bite to it.

Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and bacon. Brown and crisp bacon, 5 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon. Drain off a little excess fat if necessary. Leave just enough to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add beef and crumble it as it browns, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, garlic and stir into meat. Season the meat with salt and pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire. Add 1/2 cup beer and deglaze the pan. Cook 5 to 6 minutes more then stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Add hot spaghetti to meat and sauce and combine. Adjust seasonings and serve up pasta in shallow bowls. Grate some cheese over the pasta and sprinkle with scallions. Garnish with crisp bacon.

Original source: Rachel Ray

Slow Cooker Buffalo Wing Sandwiches

Tom claims that I should be able to win some sort of contest with this combination. Needless to say it was a huge success. It is not kid-friendly - way too spicy! Here's the plan: slow cooker buffalo wing sandwiches with homemade ranch dressing and french fried onions.

Boneless chicken breasts
Frank's RedHot buffalo wing sauce

Put chicken in the slow cooker and cover with wing sauce. Cook on low for 3 hours or until done. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Pour remaining sauce through a sieve to separate out any leftover chicken fat or other drippings from the sauce. Return "clean" sauce to the slow cooker along with the shredded chicken. Keep warm until time to serve.

1/2 T Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c buttermilk
1/8 t cracked black pepper
1/16 t paprika
1/16 t garlic powder

Combine ingredients to make ranch dressing.

To make sandwiches, put the chicken on rolls, then top with extra hot sauce, ranch dressing, and French's Fried Onions. Yummy!

Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

1.5 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1.5 stalks celery, finely diced
1.5 carrots, peeled and diced
1 T fresh minced garlic
1 c shredded, cooked chicken breast
1 c steamed white rice
1 c prepared wild rice
1 t kosher salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/8 t garlic salt

Cheese Sauce
2 T butter
1/8 c all purpose flour
1/8 t kosher salt
1/8 t black pepper
1 c chicken broth
1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Top with 3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil into a medium dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and carrots until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken, both rices, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Reduce heat to low.

To prepare cheese sauce melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper then slowly pour in chicken broth whisking continuously. Whisk until thick and nearly boiling then stir in cheese until melted. Pour cheese sauce into rice mixture then transfer to a 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Top with additional cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through. Serve.

Original source: www.picky-palate.com

Ricotta-Stuffed Spinach and Broccoli Pizza Pie

Mmmm... This was easy to make and eat! I think I'll try a meat version next time around.

16 oz whole wheat or white pizza dough (I used Pillsbury in the tube, but I may try a circular version next time around)
1 Cup ricotta cheese
¼ Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 Cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
2 Cups fresh broccoli florets, steamed until fork tender, about 3 minutes in boiling water
Pinch of salt
½ Cup Roasted red bell peppers (I used the jarred version)
1 ½ Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Spread and press one piece of dough into the bottom and sides of a 9-9 ½ inch round cake or tart pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. (I used a 9 ½ inch round cake pan that worked perfectly) In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and Parmesan cheese until well combined. Spread into pressed pizza dough.

Place olive oil into a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute spinach until wilted down, about 3 minutes. Place evenly over ricotta cheese layer. Place steamed broccoli florets over spinach and season with a pinch or two of kosher salt. Layer roasted red peppers, then mozzarella cheese over top. Press out remaining piece of dough and place over filling, tucking edges inside of pan. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian Seasoning. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cooked through.

Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan or cutting into wedges.

8 slices

Original recipe: http://www.picky-palate.com/

Southwest Shredded Chicken Three-Bean Chili

This was easy to whip together. I used chicken that I popped in the oven earlier in the day. At dinner, it took me about 20 minutes total to pull together (including the corn muffins I made in my mini cupcake maker).

4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 14 oz cans chicken broth
16 oz can black beans, drained
16 oz can red kidney beans, drained
16 oz can cannellini beans, drained
15 oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
1 Tablespoon Tabasco hot sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 heaping Tablespoons chili powder
1 heaping Tablespoon cumin
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and shredded chicken breast; cook for 1 minute then stir in chicken broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, hot sauce, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes then reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve.

Original recipe: http://www.picky-palate.com/

Hot Tamale Casserole

This was absolutely fantastic! Thanks so much to Jen, who passed along the recipe.

Jiffy corn muffin mix (prepare using directions on the box, you will need milk and an egg)
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (16oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (10oz) enchilada sauce
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 can (2 ¼ oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp minced fresh cilantro
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, green pepper and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, enchilada sauce, chilies, olives, chili powder and cilantro, heat through.

Prepare the cornbread mix and put it in an 8 x 8 casserole dish. Top cornbread mixture with the meat mixture. Cover and bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Then add cheese for the last 5 minutes until it’s bubbly and cheese is melted.

Grasshopper Brownies

It was a well-known fact that you could prowl the halls of Argon ST around 1:00 pm and usually find a free lunch. We had lunch catered almost daily for different meetings and lunchtime learning sessions. One of my favorite desserts from the local caterer was a brownie that was covered in mint cream and topped with a thin layer of chocolate. This recipe is a pretty spot-on recreation.

1 box of brownie mix (plus ingredients listed on the box)
2 c confectioner's sugar
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 t peppermint extract
green food dye
6 T butter
1 c chocolate chips

Prepare brownies as specified on the back of the box. Let cool.

Mix sugar, 1/2 c butter, and peppermint extract until smooth. Spread over cooled brownies. Let set (about 15 minutes).

Melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat. Poor chocolate over frosted brownies. Let set (about 1 hour).

Enjoy!

Pizza Bake

This was a good change of pace. It definitely tastes like pizza. The sausage and pepperoni was a little much for me, but Tom and Sydney loved it. I didn't use all the sausage or pepperoni called for in the recipe. Next time, I may even cut it back a little more. Regardless, this will be a new addition to the regular rotation.

1 (19 ounce) package Bob Evans® Italian Sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 (16 ounce) jar pizza sauce
1 (2 ounce) package diced pepperoni
1/2 c sliced yellow bell peppers
2 c shredded four-cheese Italian blend, divided in half

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until browned. In large saucepan, cook macaroni according to package directions, drain. In 9-inch square baking pan, combine sausage, macaroni, pizza sauce, pepperoni, yellow peppers and 1 cup cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese over sausage mixture. Cover and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until sausage is fully cooked.

Pot Roast with Vegetables

I made this about a month ago for the first time. At the time, Tom was out of town, so my parents came over for dinner. My Dad proclaimed this the best pot roast he'd ever eaten. We'll see what Tom says when he tries it tonight! If he's lucky, I'll make some rosemary focaccia to go with it.

1 (3 to 4 pound) piece beef chuck roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 yellow onion, halved
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bunch baby carrots
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

Season all sides of the beef with a fair amount of salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot; heat the oil over moderately high heat. Brown the meat on all sides, taking the time to get a nice crust on the outside.

Meanwhile, pour the tomatoes in your crock pot. Add the vegetables and herbs around the sides of the pot. Once your meat is browned, transfer it to the crock pot. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

A few months ago, my friend Jessica made me dinner. It was spectacular - crockpot BBQ chicken sandwiches. When I asked her for the recipe, she said she was a little embarrassed to share it because it was so easy. Well, sorry Jessica - it was sooooo good, I have to share it with the world! I hope you don't mind! :)

This is the BBQ chicken I used on yesterday's BBQ chicken-crusted smoked macaroni and cheese.

Chicken breasts
1 bottle of BBQ sauce - choose your favorite (ours is good old Kraft Original)

Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot and cover with BBQ sauce. Turn on low for 4 hours.

VOILA!

Shred the chicken with two forks. Put the chicken on buns and make chicken sandwiches or use the chicken for some other use: macaroni and cheese, BBQ chicken pizza, BBQ chicken salad... Yummy! Thanks so much, Jessica!

BBQ Chicken-Crusted Smoked Macaroni and Cheese

This is to die for... really - it's not very good for you. But - it tastes awesome!

1/2 lb cellentani (use any pasta of choice)
2.5 T butter
2.5 T flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t fresh cracked black pepper
2 c milk, I used 2%
2.5 c shredded smoked cheddar cheese
1 c shredded BBQ Chicken - stay tuned for a recipe
1/2 c shredded smoked cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Melt butter into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute stirring. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Increase heat to medium high, stir continuously until liquid thickens and comes to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheddar cheese until smooth then add cooked pasta. Pour mixture into a square baking dish then top evenly with BBQ chicken. Sprinkle with additional cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.

Original recipe: http://www.picky-palate.com/

Lazy, Lazy Girl Lasagna

I call this Lazy, Lazy Girl Lasagna because Lazy Girl Lasanga is when I use no bake lasagna noodles. This recipe takes it to a whole new level of lazy.

1 lb penne pasta
1 lb ground beef
1 jar tomato sauce
1 15-0z ricotta cheese
2 c + 1/2 c mozzarella cheese
1 c parmesan cheese

Boil noodles according to package directions. Brown and drain ground beef. Combine noodles, beef, and tomato sauce. In a separate bowl, combine cheeses. In a 9 x 13 pan, place 1/3 of the noodle mixture. Cover in cheese mixture. Repeat. Top off with remaining noodles and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven at 350 for 25 minutes.

Carrot Cauliflower Casserole

This is a Bergeman-family recipe that has been passed down from Grandma Ruthie! We eat this casserole at every holiday meal. It may sound a little questionable, but it is one of our favorites. I will admit that steaming cauliflower is a stinky proposition. So - here's a tip: put your carrots and cauliflower in your steamer, and then put your steamer outside to do the deed. On Thanksgiving, you can drive by our house and find the carrots and cauliflower happily steaming on the front porch!

1 small bag of mini carrots
1 large head of cauliflower - chopped
2 c grated cheddar cheese
1 c bread crumbs

3 T butter, melted

2 cans undiluted cream of chicken soup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Steam carrots and cauliflower. Layer steamed carrots and cauliflower with cheese in casserole dish. Pour soup over vegetables and cover with breadcrumbs. Drizzle butter over bread crumbs.

Bake 40 minutes.

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

This dinner was great for a variety reasons: it was so far from what we normally have for dinner, it was a nice change of pace; it was incredibly filling - especially for a "vegetarian" meal; and it tasted great (really - what else matters?). Tom had initially said he didn't want couscous, but then he changed his mind. In the end, he couldn't stop raving about it!

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup uncooked couscous

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Dissolve the sugar in the melted butter. Brush squash with the butter mixture, and keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Stuff squash halves with the skillet mixture to serve.