Baked Veggie Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 12 oz whole wheat penne pasta
• About 12 oz pasta sauce
• 1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375.  Prepare pasta according to package directions.
• Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-low heat.  Saute peppers, onions, and garlic just until softened.  Add ground beef and brown, keeping drippings in the pan for flavor.  Remove from heat and add pasta and pasta sauce, stirring until well-coated.
• Spoon half of the mixture into a 2-qt baking dish, cover with half of the cheese.  Repeat with remaining pasta and cheese.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes.

String Pie

Ingredients:

• 8 oz spaghetti noodles
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 TBS butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 24 oz spaghetti sauce
• 1 lb ground beef, cooked
• mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9"x13" pan.
• Cook noodles according to package instructions.
• Combine Parmesan cheese, butter, and eggs. Stir into the cooked and drained noodles. Spread in the bottom of the pan.
• Layer cottage cheese, spaghetti sauce, and ground beef on top of the noodles.
• Bake about 50 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella on top and continue baking for 10-15 minutes.

Mom Horak's Rotini Salad

Ingredients:

(for dressing)

• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 TBS salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 TBS garlic powder
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 3 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano

(for salad)

• 1 lb rotini pasta
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cucumber, peeled & diced
• 1 jar pimientos
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• radishes, thinly sliced
• tomatoes, diced

Instructions:

• Mix dressing ingredients in a glass container and allow to sit in refrigerator overnight.
• Cook pasta according to package instructions. Combine all ingredients and add dressing. Store in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

Tuscan Chicken Simmer

Ingredients:

• 4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb)
• 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded Italian five-cheese blend or mozzarella cheese
• 4 servings of penne or fettuccine pasta

Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package instructions.
• Cut chicken into bite-sized strips. Saute in olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add cream cheese, water, pesto and tomatoes to skillet. Cook on medium heat about 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and serve over pasta.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken (Olive Garden's Recipe)

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 TBS salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp Italian herb seasoning
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 TBS minced garlic
• 1 red pepper, julienne cut
• 1/2 cups white wine (can substitute white grape juice)
• 1/2 pound whole leaf spinach, stemmed
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

• To prepare the chicken:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and Italian herb seasoning in a shallow dish.  Dredge the chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.
• Saute the chicken in a large, non-stick oven-proof skillet with enough oil to coat the pan over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp.
• When finished, transfer the oven-proof skillet to the oven.  Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked through.
• To prepare the pasta:
• Cook according to package directions.  Drain and set aside until needed.
• To prepare the sauce:
• While the pasta is cooking, heat some oil in a saute pan.  Add the garlic and the red pepper and cook for approximately 1 minute.  Slowly add a tablespoon of flour and stir to combine.  Add the white wine and bring to a boil for about 1 minute.  Add the spinach and the cream and bring mixture to a boil.  The sauce is done cooking when the spinach appears wilted.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
• To finish the entree:
• Parly coat the pasta with the sauce and transfer to a large bowl.  Cut up the chicken and put it on top of the pasta.  Cover with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Southwestern Stroganoff

***This is one of Jordan's favorites...and I love it because it's so easy!!!
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 cups wide egg noodles
• 1 cup water
• 1 16-oz jar salsa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions:

• In a saucepan, brown the ground beef. Drain.
• Add egg noodles, water, salsa, and salt to the beef in the saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil. Turn heat down and simmer covered for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in sour cream.
• Serve!

Yield: about 6 servings
*I usually make a half-recipe of this for Jordan and I.
**This recipe is great paired with Garlic and Cheese Biscuits!

Creamy Bow-Tie Pasta with Chicken & Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bow-tie pasta, uncooked
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 4 TBS Italian dressing
• 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• Italian seasoning and black pepper
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups tomato-basil spaghetti sauce
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

• Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 3 minutes of the pasta cooking time.
• Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken, and sprinkle with pepper and seasoning. Turn all pieces over and repeat on the other side. Allow to cook about 5 minutes. Add garlic to the skillet and cook about 3 more minutes.
• Add pasta sauce and cream cheese to chicken in skillet. Cook on medium-low heat 2-3 minutes or until cream cheese is completely melted. Mixture should be well-blended and the chicken coated with sauce.
• Drain pasta and broccoli. Return to pot and add chicken mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

*Serving suggestion: Butter ciabata bread and sprinkle with garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, paprika, and parsley. Broil on high until bread begins to brown.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Penne

Ingredients:

• 6 servings penne
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• 3 TBS flour
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup milk
• 6 TBS butter
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 TBS flour
• 2 tsp. garlic
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups half-n-half
• Mozzerella cheese

Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package instructions
• Mix breadcrumbs, flour, and parmesan in a bowl. Dip the chicken strips into the breadcrumb mixture, then into the milk, and then back into the breadcrumb mixture. Saute the strips in olive oil.
• Melt butter in a saucepan; add olive oil. Whisk in flour. Add garlic, water, and salt until blended. Mix in sour cream and half-n-half until smooth.
• Toss the pasta with the white sauce. Top with chicken and mozzerella cheese.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 4 + 1 TBS butter or margarine
• 3 TBS flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 oz. processed American cheese
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 TBS dry bread crumbs

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 13" x 9" baking dish.
• Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Place in baking dish.
• In a saucepan, melt 4 TBS of butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes; reduce heat. Add cheeses, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted.
• Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and mix well.
• In a small bowl, melt the remaining butter and mix in the bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the macaroni and cheese.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

The Best Chicken Fettucine Alfredo EVER

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. cream cheese
• 3 TBS butter
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• Parsley, Italian seasoning, and black pepper to taste
• 8 oz. fettucine (8 oz. held together and looked at from the end is about the size of a quarter in diameter)
• 1 - 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast, cut in bite-size pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:-Prepare fettucine according to package directions.
-Saute chicken in olive oil in pan over medium-high heat, seasoning with Italian seasoning and black pepper. Add minced garlic to saute for the last 2 minutes.
-To prepare sauce, slowly melt cream cheese and then add the butter (which will melt much more quickly). Stir often to keep it from separating. Once they are both melted, add milk and cheese. Stir in parsley and black pepper to taste. Add chicken pieces and minced garlic. Pour sauce over fettucine.

Yeild: 2-3 servings (doubles/triples easily!)