Baked Lemon Pasta

I have been seeing lots of recipes for variations on lemon pasta.  Some have shrimp or chicken added, while others have spring veggies.  I thought I'd try out a basic version.  My kids love lemons and pasta so I thought that they'd enjoy this.  This was simple enough to put together.  The kids enjoyed it.  I'm not the biggest fan of citrus so this wasn't my favorite.  But I was happy that they enjoyed it! I think adding some grilled chicken would be a great addition.

Baked Lemon Pasta
recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
1 pound Thin Spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
2 cups Sour Cream
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Extra Lemon Juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to package.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt to taste.  Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.
  Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

Giada's Macaroni and Cheese

This week is the May Potluck at I Heart Cooking Clubs.  Participants can choose any of the former featured chefs and cook any of his or her recipes.  Since Ottolenghi is the first chef that I'm cooking with, I had a lot of chefs to choose from.  In the April Potluck I made a Jamie Oliver recipe.  This month I decided to cook one of Giada De Laurentiis' recipes.  I'm not sure that I've ever cooked any of her dishes before, though I have watched many of her shows on the foodnetwork.  I had some leftover ham in the freezer and I knew I couldn't go wrong with mac and cheese.  My kids LOVE the boxed mac and cheese.  I have tried many different homemade versions of the dish since they love it so much.  But I always get the same response, "I like the boxed one better!"  This version of mac and cheese has no cheddar.  So it's really different than what my kids are used to. Although they ate it and my daughter requested some for lunch the next day, the boxed stuff still rules for them.  This dish is really cheesy.  I substituted swiss cheese for fontina, added ham, which was optional in the original recipe, and left out the Italian parsley. Definitely not cooking "light" with this one.  But with the recent rainy and chilly weather we've been having it was actually quite the comfort food.

Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe slightly adapted from foodnetwork.com, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:
Butter, for greasing dish
12 ounces wide egg noodles
2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated Swiss
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
3/4 cup grated mozzarella
4 ounces cooked ham, diced
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Butter a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, about 5 minutes. Drain well, but do not rinse.

Whisk the cream, milk, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup Swiss, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and ham. Add the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Toss the remaining 1 cup Swiss, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Ottolenghi's Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango

This week's theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs is "Use Your Noodle."  Since I love pasta this theme was right up my alley.  I saw this recipe and knew it was the one that I would make.  Noodles, eggplant, and mango.  All ingredients that I love.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find soba noodles at the local grocery store but already had a package of udon noodles in the house so I used those.  I also substituted a whole jalapeno pepper in place of the red chile pepper.  My grocery store doesn't carry those and I've found that Ottolenghi uses them a lot in his recipes!  This is a perfect spring or summer meal.  It's served room temperature and does require the sauce being premade and the eggplant browned.  But it's light and refreshing with a hint of spice.  I didn't even attempt to try to get the kids to eat this.  It had a little kick to it plus they don't like eggplant . You have to like eggplant to really enjoy this dish!  My adapted recipe is below.  For the original recipe check out Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi.

Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango
Recipe adapted from Plenty:  Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup vegetable oil
1 eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice
12 ounces udon noodles
1 large ripe mango, cut into 3/8-inch dice
2 1/2 cups cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced

Directions:
In a small saucepan gently warm the vinegar, sugar and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, jalapeno, and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.

Heat up the vegetable oil in a large pan and shallow-fry the eggplant in three or four batches. Once golden brown remove to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave there to drain.

Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5 to 8 minutes to become tender but still al dente. Drain and rise well under running cold water. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible, then leave to dry on a dish towel.

In a mixing bowl toss the noodles with the dressing, mango, eggplant, half of the cilantro and the onion. You can now leave this aside for 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve add the rest of the cilantro and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl.

Mommy & Daddy Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Tagliatelle with Spinach, Mascarpone, & Parmesan

This week is the April Potluck at I Heart Cooking Clubs.  Even though the featured chef is Yotam Ottolenghi, for the potluck participants are able to choose a recipe from any of the eight previously featured chefs that the club has cooked.   Since Ottolenghi is the first chef that I've been cooking with for the club I wanted to branch out and try cooking something from one of the past chefs.  I decided to cook something from Jamie Oliver.  I saw this recipe and it looked so simple and easy, just the kind of recipe I needed this week!  This was so easy to make.  Taste-wise it was okay.  The kids ate it without complaint and my daughter even asked to take some for lunch the next day.  I felt it was kind of plain and needed something.  I have a bunch of Italian sausage in the freezer that I think when crumbled and browned would have gone really well in this dish.  Although I wasn't wowed by this dish, I was glad to have made something by Jamie Oliver and will be trying some of his other recipes out!

Tagliatelle with Spinach, Mascarpone, & Parmesan
recipe adapted from jamieoliver.com

Ingredients:
1 lb. fettuccini
olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
baby spinach, washed thoroughly
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
2 handfuls Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions:
Boil a large pot of water,  add pasta, and cook according to package directions. Meanwhile heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, the butter, and garlic. When the butter melts, add the spinach and heat until wilted, approximately five minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste then add the heavy cream, mascarpone and a little ladle of cooking water from the pasta. Let this come to a simmer and then season again.

Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water, then stir it into the spinach sauce. Add the Parmesan and toss everything together.  

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Although it's officially spring, the weather here in New York still feels like winter.  Cold enough that a casserole for dinner sounded good.  My kids have gotten used to me asking, "How would you rate tonight's dinner?" that my daughter often volunteers her rating before I even ask.  Another dinner that I made this past week (my Secret Recipe Club recipe which will be revealed April 8) was first rated 10 thumbs up!  But once my daughter tasted this she edited her previous rating.  "That one gets down a little to maybe 8 1/2 or 9 and this dinner gets 10 stars!"  This has all the flavors and components of Chicken Cordon Blue in a one dish meal.  This was a dinner that we all enjoyed....even my picky eater of a son!  A couple of days after I made this my dad came over to watch the kids so my husband and I could go out to dinner with my brother.  I had some of this leftover that I told him he could eat for dinner.  He enjoyed this so much that he's been asking me for the recipe.  A reminder to myself to read through a recipe in its entirety either the night before or earlier in the day.  If you don't pre-make some of this, it can take over 2+ hours.  I had some Tyson already cooked grilled chicken breasts in the freezer which I thawed in the microwave and then marinated while I finished prepping this.  So, it didn't get the hour of marinating time but it saved me about 30 minutes of chicken cooking time.  Plus, the chicken had a grilled/smoky flavor that added a nice touch to the dish.  I also bought the already diced cooked ham which saved chopping time.  With a pint of heavy cream this is not a "light" dish but it is really tasty!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
recipe adapted from I Thee Cook

Ingredients:

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cooked and chopped
1 cup Honey Dijon Salad Dressing
1/2 Pound diced ham
1 pound large pasta shells

Cheese Sauce:
1 pint heavy cream
1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt, and then to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
8oz Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
8oz Swiss Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions:
Place chicken in a zip lock bag with honey dijon dressing and marinate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in a baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes.

While chicken is baking cook pasta according to package directions drain and set aside.

To prepare the cheese sauce add the heavy cream to a sauce pan and heat over medium low heat, whisk in the flour and add the rest of the ingredients in the order they are written. Continue cooking and stirring frequently until sauce is thickened and cheese is melted. Pour cheese sauce over pasta stir to coat. Add chicken and ham.  Mix into pasta.

Grease a 9 x 12 casserole dish and pour pasta mixture into dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top and bake for 25-35 minutes.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

This post is shared at:
Melt in Your Mouth Monday Recipe Blog Hop @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam Hands
Making the World Cuter Monday @ Making the World Cuter
Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping it Simple

Brussels Sprouts Gnocchi Pan Fried with Sage Butter

I recently posted the Banana Chocolate Chunk Nutella Muffins that I made for The Secret Recipe Club.  I had the blog Spinach Tiger and there were so many recipes that I wanted to try out that I couldn't just make one!  I posted the muffins for reveal day but I wanted to share another recipe that I had made from Angela's blog.  I had some leftover mashed potatoes so this was a perfect way to use them up!  I posted the ingredient amounts from the original recipe but I had to use a LOT more flour to be able to roll my "dough" out and keep it from falling apart.  Once these were cooked though they were really tasty!  These were a bit more work than I had anticipated for a quick weeknight dinner, but definitely worth the effort. 

Brussels Sprouts Gnocchi Pan Fried with Sage Butter
recipe from Spinach Tiger

Ingredients:
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
2 large shallots
6-8 brussels sprouts, shredded
1 egg
½ cup flour
¼ cup grated pecorino cheese
8 sage leaves
2 tablespoons butter
olive oil
a few sprigs fresh thyme
salt
pepper

Directions:
Shred brussels sprouts with knife or mandolin. Remove large leaves and save those for garnishing the plate.

Saute shallots in butter and olive oil until soft. Add brussels sprouts, fresh thyme cook for 5- minutes on medium heat.

Add brussels sprouts and cheese to potatoes. You want a ratio of about 1 to 2, brussels sprouts to potatoes. Add egg. Mix thoroughly. Add flour. Mix gently. Using floured hands and a clean cutting board that has been floured, roll into long tube. Cut and run fork across. Put in salted boiling water until they rise to top, about one minute only.

Remove from water, drain well.

Put butter into frying pan. Add sage leaves and fry leaves until crisp, not browned. Remove. Add gnocchi, and fry until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Pan fry in sage butter.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Baked Orzo with Chorizo and Spinach

I had some leftover chorizo that I wanted to use up.  When I saw this recipe I knew I wanted to try it.  This was really easy to prep and then cooks in the oven for 25 minutes.  It was a perfect weeknight meal for a cold winter's night.  The kids picked out what they wanted to eat (chorizo, yes, spinach and mushrooms, no) but did try one bite of everything.  My husband and I really liked this dish!  I could have halved it so we didn't have as many leftovers as we did, but it was eaten up for lunches throughout the week.  I would definitely make this dish again!

Baked Orzo with Chorizo and Spinach
recipe from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo pasta
Chorizo; I used 2 links, each was about 6 inches long.
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 c shredded cheeses - I used a mix of mozzarella, Parmesan, and asiago
More Parmesan cheese, for the topping, about 1/4 c
6 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Crumble the chorizo into the pan and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, saute 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, saute 2 minutes.  Add the wine, stirring to scrape up all the brown bits. Let simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Stir.  Add the cheeses, stir. Pour in the cream and stir to combine everything.

Pour the mixture into greased baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered until golden, about 25 minutes. I turned on the broiler for the last minute or two.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

This post is shared at:
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country
Showcase Your Talent Thursday @ What's Cooking, Love?
Food-Spectacluar Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes
Foodie Friday @ Simple Living and Eating

Ravioli and Sausage Skillet

Ravioli makes for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Especially, the store-bought frozen, already made kind!  This dish is a perfect winter meal.  It takes basic ravioli and steps it up a little into a hearty and filling dish.  This meal was super easy to make and something that the whole family enjoyed.  While not gourmet it's a step up from ravioli and a jar of pasta sauce!  This made enough that allowed us to have plenty of leftovers.

Ravioli and Sausage Skillet
recipe adapted from Dashrecipes.com

Yield:  8 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 (14.5-oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 ½ cups water
8-oz shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
25-oz frozen mini round cheese ravioli
4-oz Parmesan cheese, grated
6 basil leaves, chopped

Directions:
1. In a large skillet over medium high heat; add olive oil. Remove sausage from casings and crumble into skillet. Stir occasionally until cooked through.

2. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powders, salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Add water, stir well. Add ravioli and cover. Cook 10 minutes or until ravioli is tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Preheat oven to broil.

4. Add 4 ounces of Italian cheese blend to skillet and gently fold in to combine. Sprinkle the remaining 4 ounces over the top of the skillet.

5. Place skillet in oven for 2-4 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden brown.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Recipe Repeat: Baked Macaroni & Cheddar

I originally found this recipe in an issue of EveryDay with Rachael Ray back from 2008.  I had made it once before, but not sure when.  I figured if I had saved the magazine tear-out it must have been good.  You can't really go wrong with mac & cheese.  Plus, this recipe has broccoli in it, so I didn't need to make any extra veggies!   My kids love mac & cheese and broccoli, so of course this was a hit with them! 

Baked Macaroni & Cheese
recipe from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, April 2008

Ingredients:
1 large bunch broccoli, cut into bite-size florets and stalks peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pound whole wheat elbow pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 3)
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups low-fat milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
12 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons bread crumbs

Directions:
1.Fill a large pot with enough water to reach a depth of 2 inches and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse with cold water. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the broccoli in an even layer.

2.Fill the same pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain.

3.Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees . In the same pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup milk until thickened, then whisk in 1 cup more. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, then whisk the mixture into the pot. Simmer, whisking, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the cheddar and 4 tablespoons parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the pasta. Spoon the mixture over the broccoli.

4.In a small heatproof bowl, combine the garlic and remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter; microwave at high power until melted, about 20 seconds. Stir in the bread crumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Discard the garlic, then sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on the pasta. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!

This post is shared at:
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Creative Thursday @ Michelle's Tasty Creations
Showcase Your Talent Thursday @ What's Cooking, Love

Chicken & Ravioli Carbonara

I saw this recipe and had to try it.  It would give me an excuse to eat bacon, which I haven't had in forever! I liked that it didn't have a bunch of ingredients.  The only change that I made was cooking the chicken in a honey balsamic dressing instead of Italian dressing.  I thought I had some and I wasn't going back out to the store for 2 Tablespoons of it!  It really didn't have a big impact on the flavor.  I have to say that this ended up being really soupy.  I used a slotted spoon to take the ravioli out to serve and it was good.  But I ended up packing the extra ravioli away in the sauce and they just got all mushy the next day.  We all liked this and my son even had seconds....my kids do LOVE bacon!  This was a nice change from ravioli and red sauce. 

Chicken & Ravioli Carbonara
recipe from Mandy's Recipe Box

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Honey Balsamic dressing
1 lb. chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 lb 9oz. package cheese ravioli
1 c. half and half
12-16 oz. package of bacon, cooked and crumbled
shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat the dressing in a large skillet. Cook the chicken in it til done. Add broth and thawed ravioli. Heat to a boil. Reduce to medium and cook uncovered 4 minutes or till ravioli is tender. Stir in half and half. Reduce to low and simmer 3-5 minutes or until sauce is at desired consistency. Sprinkle in the bacon, but save some for topping later. Stir all together. Serve up and top with more bacon and parmesan cheese.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Gnocchi & Bacon Gratin with Garlic Bechamel

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I needed gnocchi and this is the dish that I needed it for.  When I first saw the recipe, it had me at bacon and garlic.....yum!  This was a good storm day meal to make.  There were a lot of components to this dish so it was nice to cook it and not be in a rush.  It is a perfect comfort food type dish perfect for a cold night.  My brother was staying with us during the storm since he was without power and he had and enjoyed this dish with us.  I posted the original recipe below, the only change I made was not adding the nutmeg.  Unless I'm making a dessert, I don't usually add nutmeg to my main dishes. 

Gnocchi & Bacon Gratin with Garlic Bechamel
recipe from Lauren's Latest

Ingredients:
3 slices thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 large cloves garlic
17 oz. package gnocchi
salt & pepper, to taste
scant 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

topping-
2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Bring large pot of water to boil. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and butter into small skillet and place on medium heat. Once butter melts, stir breadcrumbs around to moisten completely and brown lightly. Remove from heat and set aside. Once bacon is cooked and crisp, remove from skillet onto paper towels to drain. Leave 1 tablespoon bacon grease in pan and melt in 2 tablespoons butter. Grate in garlic cloves and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour and whisk. Cook 1-2 minutes and then whisk in milk slowly to prevent lumps. Add in salt, pepper and nutmeg and reduce heat to low. Pour gnocchi into boiling water and cook until they start to float, 2-3 minutes. While gnocchi is cooking, crumble cooked bacon. Drain gnocchi and stir into sauce. Add in bacon. Pour entire contents into buttered baking dish and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes and serve hot.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

The Weekend Chef: Gnocchi I

Because of Hurricane Sandy and the lack of mass transit down to the city, my husband was home with us for several days.  I needed gnocchi for a recipe that I wanted to make (see tomorrow's post) and had some potatoes that needed to be used up.  I asked my husband if he wanted to help make dinner and he gladly agreed.  He was in charge of making these gnocchi while I got the rest of the dish ready.  I don't make home made pasta....like ever!  It seems like way too much work for what you get.  However, I don't know why we don't make gnocchi more often.  Gnocchi is my husband's favorite patsta (although can you really call it pasta if it's made with potato?!) We've made ricotta gnocchi before but I don't think we've ever made traditional potato gnocchi.  This was really easy to make and tasted so good! Although these would be great with red sauce or even just some butter and cheese, I used them in tomorrow's featured recipe!

Gnocchi I
recipe from allrecipes.com by Anna

Ingredients:
2 potatoes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg

Directions:
1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel potatoes and add to pot. Cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and mash with a fork or potato masher.

2.Combine 1 cup mashed potato, flour and egg in a large bowl. Knead until dough forms a ball. Shape small portions of the dough into long "snakes". On a floured surface, cut snakes into half-inch pieces.

3.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop in gnocchi and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until gnocchi have risen to the top; drain and serve.  

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!

Pasta Bake with Kielbasa and Apples

My kids love salty, processed meat.  Bologna, sausage, salami, kielbasa, pepperoni....they love it.  I know it's not the healthiest, but I think anything in moderation is okay.  When my son heard there was kielbasa in our dinner he asked, "Don't we eat that on Easter?"  Yes, we have a traditional Polish breakfast on Easter morning with my parents, including kielbasa, hard-boiled eggs, and my mom's home-made Easter bread.  But I told him that we can also eat kielbasa at other times.  Like in this dish......with apples.  I've been trying to cook with apples as much as I can.  Even though we didn't go apple picking this year they are in season and the kids love them.  So I figure they'll hopefully enjoy them cooked in various dishes too.  This is one of those comfort food type dishes perfect for a chilly fall night.  It's really easy to make and cooks for about 30 minutes with some resting time.  The kids enjoyed it a lot and you know it's rare when my son enjoys dinner! The original recipe called for 1/2 tsp. hot sauce that I forgot to add to the adult bowls (I'm sure made this dish even tastier).

Pasta Bake with Kielbasa and Apples
recipe slightly adapted from Mostly Food and Crafts

Ingredients:
1 lb. box of rigatoni
2 cups of milk
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 apples  (Fuji or Braeburn) cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8 ounces of Kielbasa, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 3 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile in a medium saucepan over medium heat,whisk together the milk and flour until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and add half the cheese, salt and pepper and mix until smooth.

Add the sauce to the pasta along with the Kielbasa and the apples and combine. Transfer to baking dish; cover with foil.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes more, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Chili-Cheese Mac

I don't like most beans, especially kidney beans.  So even though chili is a perfect slow cooker and fall/winter meal I have rarely, if ever made it.  Then I found this recipe for chili-cheese mac.  Unfortunately, I only realized just now that I don't have a picture of the dish (but you can click on the Cooking Light link below to see). However, the kids enjoyed it a lot so I thought that I'd still post it.  Now this dish had a little kick to it from the chili powder and tomatoes with chiles.  I was afraid the kids weren't going to eat it.  They did notice the spice but just asked for more to drink and continued to eat.  If my son eats his entire dinner it's worthy of a 2 thumbs up rating!  However, I only gave this one 1 1/2 because I didn't think it was too special.  It was definitely quick and easy and it was the second recipe that I've made recently that cookedd the pasta in the same pot as the other ingredients in the dish. 

Chili-Cheese Mac
recipe from Cooking Light, April 2012

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon canola oil
3/4 pound ground round
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1 cup water
1 (10-ounce) can mild diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
1/2 cup fat-free milk
4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
4 1/2 ounces finely shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add beef and next 4 ingredients; cook 3 minutes. Add broth, water, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Stir in macaroni; cover and cook 10 minutes or until macaroni is done.

2. Heat milk and cream cheese in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook 4 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar. Add cheese sauce to macaroni mixture; toss well to coat.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Recipe Repeat: Broccoli Rabe and Salami Pasta

I was cleaning out my "already tried" recipe folder and found this recipe.  I made it so long ago, that I didn't remember making it the first time so I thought that I'd try it again.  I changed it a little this time, trying to use up some ingredients that I had in the refrigerator.  The kids enjoyed this.  They both like pepperoni, my son loves cheese, and my daughter enjoyed the broccoli rabe.  I remember grocery shopping with her when she was maybe 3 years old and buying some broccoli rabe.  She asked me what it was and when I told her what it was she replied, "I like broccoli, I don't like rabe."  Fast forward to this dinner, eating some broccoli rabe she told me that it looked and tasted like broccoli....and she ate it all up!  I was pleasantly surprised!  This was tasty enough and had components that the kids could pick out what they didn't like, so they were more willing to eat this.  This was a quick and easy weeknight pasta meal.

Broccoli Rabe and Salami Pasta
recipe slightly adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, September 2007

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound rigatoni
2 bunches broccoli rabe, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more to pass around the table
1/3 pound sliced pepperoni
3 oz. mozzarella, diced
Black pepper

Directions:
1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water. Reserve the pot.

2.While the pasta is working, fill a deep skillet with enough water to reach 2 inches deep. Bring to a boil, salt it and add the broccoli rabe; lower the heat and simmer until just tender, 7 to 8 minutes; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, heat the EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Return the broccoli rabe to the skillet and cook for 1 minute longer.

3.In the pasta pot, combine the ricotta, parmigiano-reggiano and pepperoni. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking liquid, broccoli rabe, diced mozzarella, and pasta and toss to coat. Season with black pepper.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta

This recipe originally caught my eye when it was described as a one pot meal, including the cooking of the pasta.  You are supposed to cook the chicken first in the skillet and then once the chicken is done, take it out and cook the pasta.  I had never cooked pasta in a skillet before (and probably won't again....there was a lot of liquid and I almost had a flood on my stove!).  Next time I'd just cook the pasta separately and then mix with the chicken and other ingredients after.  If you like BBQ sauce then you'll probably enjoy this dish.  It was tasty and different from other pasta dishes I've made in the past.  My son of course wasn't a big fan but my daughter enjoyed this.  As for my husband, well he likes almost everything I make!  From the picture you can see that I didn't garnish with scallions (or any garnish for that matter!).  The kids don't like them and it's just one less thing that they have to pick out!

Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta
recipe from A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
1 red onion, diced
3 cups water
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces penne pasta
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken and onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken and onions to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the water, chicken broth, penne and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed, the pasta is tender and the mixture is thick and syrupy. Stir in the barbecue sauce and sour cream. Once mixed, add in the reserved chicken, onions and shredded cheeses. Stir to combine and cook until everything is heated through.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with additional red or green onions and more shredded cheese.

Family Rating: 11/2 thumbs up.

Stovetop Chicken Parmesan Pasta

Chicken Parm is a meal that I know the kids will eat.  Breading, frying the cutlets, and then baking them can be a bit time-consuming for a weeknight meal.  I saw this recipe and thought it must be easier if it's made on the stovetop......I thought wrong.  In theory, it sounds quick and easy.  As for reality, I found this recipe took me too long to make. Not all of the chicken pieces fit in the fry pan, so I need to cook them in two batches.  And turning over small pieces of chicken to make sure all the sides got browned.....annoying!  I have to admit that this dish was tasty.....chicken parm and pasta, not much about it not to like.  However, next time I'll just fry up some cutlets, and make regular chicken parm and serve with a side of pasta.  If you have the time and like chicken parm then you'll probably like this dish!

Stovetop Chicken Parmesan Pasta
recipe from Creative Kitchen Adventures

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
Italian seasoned bread crumbs to coat
1 whisked egg
Favorite spaghetti sauce
Pasta of choice
4 to 6 oz. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:
1.Prep water for pasta, bring to a boil & turn on low.

2.Make chicken nuggets with chicken breast.

3.To make chicken nuggets: cut chicken into 1-inch cubes.

4.Dip cubes into egg, and then put in ziploc bag with bread crumbs and toss to coat.

5.Heat oil in skillet, and fry up chicken nuggets.

6.Make spaghetti sauce or heat up sauce of choice.

7.Make pasta per directions and drain.

8.Add chicken nuggets and pasta to sauce.

9.Add fresh mozzarella and stir around till melted in.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.  

Cheesy Baked Penne With Ham

This dish is a twist on the usual mac and cheese....which my kids LOVE!  Making this recipe took two trips to the grocery store though.  I sent my husband to the grocery store one night to pick up a few things.  He thought he grabbed provolone but instead grabbed a triangle of parmesan cheese.  So I went back to the grocery store the day I planned on making this.  While my kids love ham I was afraid that my daughter wouldn't like this because of the provolone cheese.  She doesn't like the stuff.  Once melted into the sauce and mixed in with the pasta though it was very mild (and I bought a mild provolone!). We all ended up enjoying this dish.  This does require a little prep (making the sauce, cooking the pasta, etc.) and then some baking time.  But we thought that it was definitely worth it!  It's a warming, comfort-type dish perfect for the colder weather coming up!

Cheesy Baked Penne with Ham
recipe slightly adapted from Mandy's Recipe Box

Ingredients:

Sauce:
4 cups 2% milk
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 freshly ground pepper, to taste

Pasta:
1 pound penne pasta, cooked until tender yet still firm to the bite
1 ½ cups diced ham
1 cup diced provolone cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Prepare sauce: Heat milk in a medium saucepan until small bubbles form around the edges. In a larger saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir well. Continue to cook, stirring, until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly begin adding hot milk to the large saucepan, whisking constantly while adding. Sauce will start out lumpy and become smooth as milk is incorporated. Stir in freshly ground pepper. Turn heat up to medium and bring sauce to a simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the pasta.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking dish.(I used a 9x13 dish)

3. Assemble the dish: In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta with the sauce. Stir in  ham, provolone and ¾ cup of the grated Parmesan. Scrape the mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

4. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until sauce is bubbling around the edges and the center is hot (about 10 minutes more). Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Rustic Pasta Alfredo with Three-Cheese Italian Sausage

I bought a package of Johnsonville Three-Cheese Italian Style Sausage.  I wasn't sure how I was going to prepare and serve them.  When I was putting them in the freezer I happened to notice the recipe printed on the back of the package.  It actually looked tasty and interesting, so I decided to go with it. Unfortunately, I found the sausage to have a funny texture.  Besides that though this dish couldn't be beat for convenience.  If you're in a rush and want a quick, home-cooked dinner, this is it.  I think any type of cooked sausage would work well in this dish.  I don't normally buy jarred alfredo sauce, but it was a nice change from the regular jarred sauce we usually have. Besides picking out the veggies that they didn't like, the kids ate the pasta and sausage. Like I mentioned, I wasn't a big fan of the sausage (and lucky me, I have another package in the freezer!.  But this was so convenient to make and the kids ate it, so I'm happy.

Rustic Pasta Alfredo with Three-Cheese Italian Sausage
recipe slightly adapted from back of package and at the johnsonville website

Ingredients:
1 package (12 ounce) penne pasta, uncooked
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1tablespoon olive oil
1package (13.5 ounce) JOHNSONVILLE® Three-Cheese Italian smoked sausage, sliced
1 jar (15 ounce) Alfredo sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a large skillet, sauté the zucchini, squash, onion, and garlic in oil until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the sausage, Alfredo sauce, pepper, basil, oregano and thyme; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes longer or until heated through.

Drain pasta; stir into sausage mixture. 

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

California Pasta with Artichokes and Almond-Citrus Pesto

This past month our supper club theme was "California" cooking.  The host couple, which wasn't us usually makes the protein. In my search for a recipe to make I found all kinds of good "main dish" recipes....fish tacos, cioppino, grilled pizza.  Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding a side dish.  After many internet searches I finally narrowed it down to a California Cobb Salad and then I found this recipe.  It has California right in the name and used lots of ingredients from California.  I should have stuck with the salad!  I just wasn't a fan of this dish.  I think a large part was due to the fact that this pesto was made from parsley and I'm not a parsley fan.  As my husband commented, "Well, if you don't like parsley why did you pick this recipe?"  I told him that I like pesto and I thought that the parsley flavor wouldn't be so strong mixed with the other ingredients.  I was wrong though.  The parsley flavor was pretty strong.  Note to self, do not make any more dishes, especially pesto, that calls for this much parsley!  If you're a fan of parsley though this may be right up your alley!  My husband ate all the leftovers and the kids surprisingly ate some....so you never know!

California Pasta with Artichokes and Almond-Citrus Pesto
recipe from The Rachael Ray Show, April 30, 2008

This recipe is dedicated to Maria Shriver. I wrote it in honor of her visit to our show. It highlights many ingredients that California is the proud producer of: artichokes, citrus, almonds, olive oil, garlic and of course, fine wine.


Ingredients:
2 leeks
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 10 ounce box frozen quartered artichoke hearts, defrosted or 1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
Salt and pepper
1 pound fettuccine
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 cup flat-leaf parsley tops
3 tablespoons (a small handful) slivered or blanched almonds, toasted
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
1/3 cup (a rounded generous handful) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions:
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil for the pasta.


Trim off the root ends and top four inches of the leeks. Cut them in half lengthwise then into slices 1/4-inch thick. Wash them vigorously, separating the layers to free grit in either a colander under cold running water or in large bowl of cold water. Drain and pat dry.

Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and artichokes, sauté 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Salt the boiling pasta water and drop in fettuccine.

Place zest, parsley, almonds, garlic and cheese in food processor and season with salt and pepper. Turn processor on and stream in 1/4 cup EVOO until it combines into a thick pesto sauce.

Add wine to the leeks and artichokes, and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the pesto sauce and a ladleful of starchy cooking water. Drain pasta and add to skillet. Toss pasta with sauce to coat evenly. Serve with Orange and Arugula Salad with Marmalade Dressing alongside and pass more cheese at the table for topping.

Family Rating: So-so.