Spicy Sausage Pasta

After a week of excruciating humidity (well humid for So Cal) and heat, I had been so lazy about cooking and preparing much for dinner. Dollar tacos at the local Mexican restaurant, salads and well...just about anything that didn't require me being in the hot kitchen, was what we were eating. Last night, I finally snapped out of it, bit the bullet, (ok not literally or I wouldn't be able to be sitting here typing this) and made us something to eat. Scouring my Pinterest boards to come up with a recipe that sounded good, I decided on this Spicy Sausage Pasta. Can I just say "wow?" This pasta is so amazing, spicy just how I like it and super easy to prepare. If you are having company for dinner and they like a little bit of zip or spice to their foods, this would be a great meal to make for them.

Recipe Source:
http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/spicy-sausage-pasta.html

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage
1.5 cups diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup Jack cheese, grated
1/3 cup green onions, sliced

Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a large skillet. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, heavy cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the jack cheese. Transfer from the skillet into a greased 13 X 9 pan. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with green onions. Broil until cheese is melted, slightly brown, and bubbly.

Zucchini and Tomato Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Last night I made a great dinner. I took a bunch of pictures, only to figure out that something is wrong with my camera and all the pictures were dark and blurry. None of them even showed how wonderful the meal looked. Unfortunately I didn't figure all this out until after the food was gone. Oops! Since I had some leftover cooked linguini from last night's meal, I decided that for lunch today I would make another meal like last night's, only I didn't have all the right ingredients. So I had to get creative. I'm glad I did because it actually worked well. The link to the original recipe  can be found here: Linguini with Garlic and Mushrooms.

8 oz linguini
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 large zucchini, cut into bite sized pieces
2 leeks, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
15-20 cherry tomatoes
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup half and half (you can use regular cream also)
Salt/Pepper to taste

1 tsp cornstarch
Fresh oregano, chopped
Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Chop all the vegetables. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguini and cook for 10 minutes. While the linguini is cooking, heat the tsp of olive oil in a large skillet. When the olive oil is hot, add the zucchini and leeks. Cook until tender, but still firm. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook for another couple of minutes. Add the lemon juice and the cream. Stir well. Add salt and pepper and stir again. Heat through. In a small bowl, put the cornstarch along with a little bit of juice from the zucchini skillet and stir together. Add this cornstarch mixture to the skillet to thicken the lemon/cream mixture. Serve the zucchini and sauce mixture over the hot linguini. Top with fresh oregano and Parmesan cheese.

Rigatoni with Parmesan and Broccoli

Today was the type of day where I wasn't on top of my game mentally. So when I found this recipe, I had nothing in me to even think about adding to it or taking away from it like I usually do with recipes. I'm actually glad now that I didn't change it at all as it turned out really great. After a wonderful afternoon hanging out with a sweet friend, I also didn't have a lot of time to cook for dinner. So this recipe was perfect because it was very quick and super easy to throw together. Will I make this one again? Definitely yes, although the hubby has requested to put grilled chicken in it next time. Sounds like a great suggestion to me!

Recipe Source: http://allthatsplatters.blogspot.com/2011/06/rigatoni-with-broccoli-garlic.html
*There was much more broccoli and cheese in our dinner. My camera went nuts and only took blurry pictures, so I had to go back and take pictures of our leftovers, after we had eaten most of the goodies out of it! 

1 pound broccoli florets
1 pound rigatoni
5 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄3 cup dried Italian breadcrumbs
5 cloves garlic,  thinly sliced
1⁄4- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1⁄2 cup grated Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Salt to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.Add the broccoli and cook for 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Set aside.

Bring the water back to a boil and add the pasta.While the pasta cooks, heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over low heat. Add the bread crumbs, stirring, until the crumbs are golden brown. Remove the breadcrumbs to a small bowl and set aside.

Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes.Cook for aout 1 minute, then stir in the broccoli. Stir the broccoli to coat it with the oil and taste for seasoning.  Keep warm while pasta is cooking, but don't burn the broccoli.

Drain the pasta and add it to the broccoli mixture. Cook over high heat for 1 minute. Stir in the bread crumbs and cheese. Serve immediately.

Zucchini and Basil Pasta

Another meal made with fresh zucchini and basil right out of my  backyard garden? Yep! There is just something to be said for walking into your own backyard and picking fresh, organic ingredients to use for dinner. After a day of pulling weeds and harvesting vegetables from my garden, with my hubby, I knew I would have to plan a fairly easy meal to make. I mean...come on, I'm no spring chicken anymore. A day pulling weeds can knock me out of commission for a few days ;)
Since I had just picked fresh zucchini and I  knew I had a ton of basil growing, this recipe just called out to me. I am so thankful we tried it tonight, because it was simply amazing. The hint of lemon went perfectly with the vegetables and of course fresh basil goes with almost anything!
 Thank you to the recipe developer over at the original site for the recipe:  Zucchini and Basil Pasta
I can't wait to head back over to her web site and try some more of her recipes. Here is a link to her site:
http://achowlife.com/

2 medium zucchini
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups packed fresh, roughly chopped basil leaves
1 pound of your favorite pasta
1 and 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Slice the zucchini lengthwise into quarters and chop into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Place the zucchini on a plate and sprinkle the salt over the top of it. Let it sit for 15 minutes until the zucchini begins to sweat out it's liquid. Pat the zucchini dry with a paper towel.
Place enough water into a pot to boil your pasta. Bring the water to a boil and follow manufacturer directions on the pasta to cook it "al dente." Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. (You want the starchy water to use later in the recipe.) Drain the pasta in a colander.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over moderately high heat until it's hot. Saute the zucchini, stirring occasionally, until golden but still firm, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in the chopped basil. Stir in the pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and gently toss together. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Chili Skillet Mac

Sometimes in life you just grow weary and emotionally drained. It's times like those that even my love of cooking is affected. I know when those times come and I don't feel like cooking, that my brain is on overload. Usually for me the joy of cooking outweighs the problems of life. Not so much this past week. But....I have a BIG God who can handle BIG issues! So today I picked myself up by the bootstraps and finally sat down to start blogging some recipes I have made the last few days. This chicken chili mac is super easy to make and it actually tasted quite good. I am not usually a big fan of things all mixed up in a skillet, but I will probably make this one again.
*I am  not much into photography as you can obviously tell haha....but this tastes better than this picture makes it look! 

Original recipe can be found at: http://picky-palate.com

8 ounces wagon wheel pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green or red bell peppers

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 cups chicken breast, cooked and shredded

10 oz can Rotel tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup white beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp Hidden Valley Ranch powder (from dip or dressing packet)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cool water to stop cooking. Heat oil in a skillet. Add onions and peppers, cook stirring until softened about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook stirring for 1 minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, broth, corn, beans, 1 cup wagon wheel pasta, chili powder, cumin, Ranch seasoning and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve.

Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Shells

Can't you stuff anything into a pasta shell and have it taste good? I'm thinking the answer might just be yes, but then I can't imagine stuffing escargo into a pasta shell. I'm sure someone, somewhere has and they probably loved it. I think I'll just stick with the basics. I found this recipe on the Better Homes and Garden site and after tweaking it a little bit, I have decided it was pretty good. I can't say it's one of my all time favorites, but I would  make it again.

1 (12 0z) pkg jumbo pasta shells
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups red onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
 1 tsp chili powder
12 tsp paprika
salt/pepper to taste
2 Tbsp oil

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

1 can refried beans with salsa

1/2 pkg Lawrys taco seasoning powder

20 oz enchilada sauce

1 pkg Mexican style four cheese blend

1 cup green onions, sliced

2 cups Nacho Dorito's crushed 

sliced olives

 

 Heat oven to 350°. Cook the pasta by the package directions. Rinse, drain and set aside. In a skillet, cook the bell peppers, onion, jalapenos, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper in hot oil for about 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the chicken, beans, taco seasoning mix, and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1/2 cup of the green onions. In a large baking pan, sprayed with Pam, pour 1 cup of the enchilada sauce. Move the pan around to make sure the entire bottom is covered. Place the filling into the shells and place the filled shells onto the top of the sauce in the pan.Drizzle with the remaining enchilada sauce. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 min. Uncover the shells and cover with the remaining cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chips, olives and the remaining green onions.

Spicy Sesame Noodles with Grilled Chicken

This  morning was an amazing hike with the hubby in the mountains. We were so lucky to be able to see the beauty of God's creation. We saw a doe, a donkey, goats, squirrels, and blue jays. Someone reading this might be lucky enough to see those things all the time, but when you live in the heart of a big city, those things can amaze you! Needless to say though....my poor little feet were tired tonight so I needed to come up with something quick for dinner so I wouldn't be standing forever while I was cooking. This was definitely quick, thanks to my handy, dandy indoor grill. I whipped the chicken up in no time, the sauce was a snap and it only took a few minutes to chop up some veges. If you don't like your food spicy, you can just omit the sriracha and the red pepper flakes.

3 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp sesame oil

3/4 Tbsp Sriracha sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
8 oz whole wheat spaghetti
2-3 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
3 green onions, sliced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
6 basil leaves, chopped

In a bowl, combine: rice vinegar, soy sauce, vege oil, sesame oil, sriracha sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. Stir until thoroughly mixed and let sit on counter for about 15 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Cook the spaghetti according to pkg directions. Drain in a colander and place into a large bowl. Add the chicken, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro and basil leaves. Pour the sauce on top and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
* adapted from the original recipe at http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net

Mexican Stuffed Shells

I wasn't sure what my initial reaction to this recipe would be, because as I have stated many times in this blog, I am not a big fan of ground beef. But, I guess if it's disguised in enough taco seasoning, it seems to work for me.This turned out to be very delicious and pretty simple to make. I love spicy food, so this one was right up my alley! If you don't like food too spicy, you could use mild  salsa and mild taco sauce.

1 lb. ground beef
1 package Lawrys taco seasoning
4 oz. cream cheese
18 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
3 green onions
Sour cream
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a skillet cook ground beef. Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.  Add cream cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Mix together thoroughly. Set meat aside and let it cool down. Cook the pasta shells according to directions. Drain. Set shells out individually on a cookie sheet so that they don’t stick together. Pour salsa into the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish.  Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells on top of the salsa in the pan with the open side of the pasta facing upward. Cover the shells with taco sauce. You may need to use a spoon to collect some of the sauce off the bottom of the pan to help cover the shells. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add shredded cheeses and bake for 10-15 more minutes, with the foil removed.  Top with green onions. Serve with sour cream.

Chicken and Pesto Stuffed Shells

If you read my earlier post today, then you will know that I almost didn't leave enough pesto sauce to make tonight's dinner. ;) Well I did have enough and it actually turned out to be pretty tasty! I will definitely be making this one again. You could always substitute store bought pesto sauce, but hey, I grow so much basil in my garden, that I cannot justify not making it myself.

16 jumbo pasta shells
4oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan + 1/4 cup for topping
3 tablespoons Pesto sauce
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

small handful of sun dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

enough butter melted to moisten the bread crumbs(maybe 1/8 cup)


In a large pot over high heat, boil water and cook the jumbo shells for 12 minutes or until "al dente". Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the 1/4 cup of cheese for the topping. Fill the pasta shells with the filling and place in a greased baking dish.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over filled shells. 

In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave and stir in Panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle all over the top of the shells and then bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until shells are bubbling hot and cheese melts.

Lasagna Cups

My mom always taught me not to play with my food, but making this version of lasagna in a cup felt kind of like playing with my food. Sssshhhh don't tell my mom ;)
This wasn't necessarily as easy as making regular lasagna in a pan, but it also makes for great single servings to store in the freezer for work lunches. These would be great to make for a party, or for when a pot luck at work calls for more "single serve" style food.

*Makes 11 lasagna cups

Ingredients:
for the sauce-
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion
1/4 lb lean ground beef, cooked and drained
1/4 lb hot italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
1-8 oz. can tomato sauce ( plus 1/2 can water)
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sugar
salt & pepper to taste


for the cheese filling-
1-10 oz. tub Philadelphia Italian Herb & Cheese Cooking Cream
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese,
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, grated & divided
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg





1 box lasagna noodles ( I use whole wheat)


Parmesan cheese for the top along with the extra mozzarella

For the sauce- heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions, pepper, zucchini and garlic for about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked ground beef and tomato paste and mix together. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook 30 minutes.

For the cheese filling- stir all ingredients together excluding half of the grated mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

For the pasta- Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta sheets 2 minutes less than package directions and drain.Rinse with cold water and place pasta on greased baking sheet until you are ready to put together the lasagna cups.

For assembly- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut out 11 large squares of parchment paper. Line 11 jumbo muffin tins with the squares. They won't stay down on their own, but don't fret, the pasta will help "weigh them down" so they will stay. Line the edges of the muffin tins with 1 lasagna noodle.  The lasagna noodle will overlap itself about 2 inches. Spoon about 1/2- 1 tablespoon of sauce into the bottom of each cup into the center of the noodle lined muffin tin holes.  Next cut the rest of the noodles into quarters and press one of these pieces of pasta into the bottom of each cup,  on top of the sauce. Top the noodle square you just placed at the bottom with a generous tablespoon of sauce. Then place a generous tablespoon of cheese filling on top of the sauce.  Repeat this pasta-sauce-cheese layering one more time being sure to press out any air bubbles. Top these lasagna cups off with a 3rd piece of pasta, more sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle parmesan cheese all over the top of the mozzarella. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Pasta Salad

I'm sure everyone knows how to fix a basic and simple pasta salad but I thought I would blog it anyway. I woke up this morning at 2:45 AM and our cable TV doesn't work. Since the repairman won't be here till this evening, what else is there to do but cook and blog? ;)
Tonight we go feed the homeless. It's such a great experience for us every time we go. We started getting involved in the ministry about 3 years ago and I know that every time I go,  I come away from that place, far more blessed than the people we are serving. I love how God does that!!
Since we won't be home in time for me to cook dinner, I had to think ahead and plan a dinner that would be quick for when we get home. I made a polsa kielbasa and a pasta salad. Yummy!!

1 box tri color rotini pasta
1 cucumber

1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 green bell pepper
1/4 yellow or orange bell pepper
1/4 cup broccoli, or less
1/4 cup celery
1 can black olives
1 bottle Bernsteins Cheese Fantastico Dressing ( I use the light version)
Salt/Pepper to taste

Boil pasta according to pkg directions. When it's done cooking, run the pasta under cold water to cool it down quickly. Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl.
Cut all the vegetables as small or large as you would like them. ( I like mine a little chunkier cut) Place the vegetables into the pasta bowl. Add the olives, salt and pepper to the salad. Pour as much or as little of the dressing over the salad as you like. (I usually save quite a bit because after you chill the pasta in the refrigerator it dries out quite a bit). Stir thoroughly and place in the refrigerator. Take out after awhile and add more dressing if necessary and stir again.

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

Since it's been so hot this week, I have been making easy, no muss, no fuss, dinners. I usually make home made macaroni and cheese in the oven. Truthfully I like my oven recipe just a little bit better than the crock pot version, but hey when it's 100 degrees outside, the crock pot version will suffice.

This recipe makes quite a bit....you could cut it in half for a small family or a single person.

16 oz package elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 can evaporated milk

2 cups lowfat milk

Salt/Pepper to taste

32 oz velveeta cheese, cubed

6 Tbsp melted butter

 

Cook the pasta, drain and place back into the pan. Toss the cooked pasta with the olive oil to coat thoroughly. Put the pasta into a *GREASED* crock pot along with all the other ingredients. Stir well.  Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours.

Chicken and Pasta Bake

After a day of church, lunch out with my daughter and son in law and an afternoon visiting with the in laws, it was definitely a night to make a fairly easy dinner. This is super easy to make and it hardly takes any time at all.

2 cups pasta, any kind you like
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups, cubed raw chicken
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz can of either crushed or diced tomatoes ( I would use diced, but all I had was crushed tonight)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 Tbsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tbsp butter
*In the picture I added a few leaves of fresh hot and spicy oregano, to the top, out of my garden. 

Heat oven to 450.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside in large bowl. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic to the chicken. Stir and cook for 4-5 more minutes. (Chicken might not be done at this point, depending on how big it is cubed, but that's ok because it's going to finish cooking in the oven) Stir the chicken mixture into the pasta. Pour the tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper and the mozzarella cheese onto the chicken/pasta mixture.  Stir and place the entire mixture into an 11X13 inch baking pan (make sure you spray it with Pam). In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Stir together and sprinkle over the pasta mixture in the baking dish. Use the 2 Tbsp of butter to "dot" onto the top of the meal. (do this by cutting very small pieces of the butter and placing them randomly all across the top). Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Shrimp Pasta

This was one of those dinners that started out as one thing and turned into completely a different thing. I had every intention of cooking shrimp for dinner, but had no idea I was going to include pasta. My daughter was over today and she was hungry for pasta, so I decided to combine her pasta craving with my shrimp craving and it turned out to be a wonderful dinner. I am not really sure how to post this as a recipe, since I just kind of threw it together last minute, but I'll try!

Whole wheat spaghetti
Tomatoes, chopped
Fresh Basil, chopped
Green onions, chopped
Shrimp
1/4 cup White wine
1 tsp Butter
1 tsp chopped garlic
Salt/Pepper to taste
Fresh Broccoli
Fresh shaved Parmesan Cheese
Olive oil
*amounts are approximate, just add whatever you like and however much of it you like*

Mix the chopped tomatoes, green onion, and basil together with salt and pepper in a bowl. In a skillet with a little olive oil, cook broccoli until still crisp tender. Meanwhile, cook shrimp in a pan with the butter, garlic, white wine and salt and pepper for just a few minutes until it turns pink and is cooked through. Place a serving of pasta noodles onto your plate and top with the shrimp, tomato mixture, broccoli, salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil all  over it lightly. Serve with grated parmesan on the top.

Manicotti

How do you even begin a food post on a day like today when Japan has suffered so much? It's amazing to me to see how Bible prophecy is all coming together.So before I post my food blog I wanted to share some of what I know to be true from the Bible and it pretty much sums up perfectly what is taking place in the world right now.

"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah." -Psalm 46:1-3. 

And when you hear of wars and insurrections (disturbances, disorder, and confusion), do not become alarmed and panic-stricken and terrified; for all this must take place first, but the end will not [come] immediately. Then He told them,... Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be mighty and violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences (plagues: malignant and contagious or infectious epidemic diseases which are deadly and devastating); and there will be sights of terror and great signs from heaven,

...And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth [there will be] distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity [without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn] at the roaring (the echo) of the tossing of the sea, Men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the [very] powers of the heavens will be shaken and caused to totter. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great (transcendent and overwhelming) power and [all His kingly] glory (majesty and splendor).Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (deliverance) is drawing near." -Luke 21:7-11, 25-28, Amplified Bible.

Tonight I realized that I had not made manicotti in probably 10 years. It seemed like it would be a fairly quick and  easy meal to make and it sure was! I found the recipe from years ago, but I also knew that my cooking skills had improved since then and definitely my tastes  had changed, so I just started throwing it together with a completely different spin on the recipe and it was wonderful. 

3/4 lb ground beef  (or you can also use 1/2 lb ground beef and 1/4 lb italian sausage for some added flavor)

1 egg

1/4 lb grated mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup soft bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 -2 Tbsp chopped, fresh parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Manicotti noodles

16 oz tomato sauce

1 cup water

Italian seasoning

Oregano

Fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Brown beef and drain. Let the beef cool for 5 minutes. Mix into the beef, the next 7 ingredients. Stir well to combine. 

Meanwhile, boil the manicotti noodles for 6 minutes and drain in colander. Rinse with cold water. 

Spray an 11X13 pan with Pam. Then pour 8 oz of the tomato sauce onto the bottom of the dish. 

Stuff each noodle with meat mixture. ( I find it easiest to hold the noodle like an ice cream cone, but leave one finger across the bottom so filling cannot fall out.)

Lay the noodles into the pan with the tomato sauce. 

Pour the leftover 8 oz of tomato sauce directly over the noodles and cover as best as you can. 

Pour 1 cup of water over the top of the tomato sauce covered noodles. 

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. 

Remove from oven and uncover the manicotti. Lightly sprinkle oregano and italian seasoning over the entire pan.

Sprinkle the parmesan over all the noodles. 

Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10 more minutes.

 

Ginger Lemon Noodles

For those of you that read my prior post earlier this morning, you will know that I was going to make a few things using Meyer Lemons today. The second recipe using the  lemons today turned out really great! These are noodles with a light lemon/ginger dressing. Next time I make this, I just might add chicken or shrimp to the noodles and make it more a meat type main dish. This is super easy with  no cooking skills required. If you can boil water for noodles, then you can make this one!

Dressing:
1/4 cup Rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
3/4 Tbsp freshly grated ginger root
 1 1/4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp sesame oil ( don't substitute this with other oils...it has a very distinct sesame flavor that is unique)
3 Tbsp olive oil

Noodles: 
8-9 ounces whole wheat noodles of any kind ( you don't have to use whole wheat it's just what we prefer)
Chopped cilantro
Chopped Green onions
(here is where you can add any of your favorite things to this dish)
Toasted sesame seeds

Combine all dressing ingredients except for both kinds of oils in a food processor or blender. Mix until thoroughly combined. After it's mixed, drizzle in both oils, while machine is running. Set aside.

Cook noodles according to package directions until done. Drain and set aside.

Toss the noodles with the dressing in a large bowl. Mix in chopped cilantro,green onions and sesame seeds.

Italian Margherita Pasta

I'm so thankful as I sit here typing this tonight. God is so good to me and has blessed me beyond what I can comprehend. I actually had my first "order" for an item today. A friend from work ordered a pumpkin cream cheese roll. I took it to her house and she had a friend visiting and that friend then ordered 4 more! What a blessing! Anyway, tonight for dinner I made an Italian Margherita Pasta with chicken. It was so good and so filling. My pine nuts got a little too toasted, but they still tasted great! Lesson learned....do not try to cook on all 4 burners at once while you are on the phone ;)

For the Pasta:
8 oz dry spaghetti ( I used wheat spaghetti)
3 cups halved grape tomatoes
2 cups diced mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup thinly sliced, fresh basil
Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Toasted Pine Nuts


For the Chicken:
2-3 boneless, skinless  chicken breasts
Olive oil, dried oregano, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste

*Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
*While spaghetti is cooking, combine tomatoes and mozzarella in a large bowl. Set aside.
*Coat chicken with oil, oregano, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook in skillet or grill until cooked through. Slice into thin strips.
* Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a skillet over med heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
* Pour oil into tomato/cheese mixture. Add the cooked pasta and stir.
* Stir in basil, season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
Divide pasta onto plates and top with chicken and toasted pine nuts.
** To toast pine nuts, place nuts in a small skillet with a little bit of olive oil. Turn fire to low- med and continue stirring till pine nuts are golden brown and toasty

Asian Noodle Salad

So after yesterday being fairly cold, and soup sounding wonderful, today is very warm and anything light and easy sounds wonderful for dinner. I prepared Asian Noodle Salad and now it is sitting in the refrigerator cooling off and letting all the flavors mesh together by dinner time. This is a cold asian noodle salad and it's very light and refreshing!

Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti noodles ( I use whole wheat)
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup cilantro, chopped
8 green onion stalks, thinly sliced
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, diced ( you can remove the seeds, it will make it less spicy)
1 1/2 cups dry roasted peanuts (chopped or whole)

Cook spaghetti until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to large bowl. In a small bowl, combine: sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt and balsamic vinegar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add to noodles and mix well. Add chopped cilantro, green onions and jalapenos. Mix well again. Serve with peanuts on top.