Pesto Pasta Salad

I love pesto. Seriously love it. My kids like it too, but my husband, the stinker that he is, when it comes to anything yummy, hates it. So, I rarely get to make anything with pesto at home.
I've made this pesto pasta salad only a handful times, but it is SO, SO good. The only times I ever get to make it is for pot-lucks at our church or for our school PTO events. I always get big compliments on the salad and many ask for the recipe. This salad is fairly simple, but as with so much in life, simple is always better!

Pesto Pasta Salad
(recipe adapted from Food.com)
10 servings (I usually make 1 1/2 of this recipe to serve a larger amount of people as a side dish)

1 lb rotini pasta (I use multi-grain 14 oz package)
1- 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained, chopped coarsely
1- 10 oz container of cherry tomatoes (I like to use a mix of gold and cherry tomatoes), halved
1- 6 oz can of medium-sized black olives, drained and halved
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
12 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
8 to 11 oz of fresh or prepared basil pesto (to taste)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (in a can)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste


Cook rotini pasta according to package directions, just to al-dente. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.

In a very large bowl (like a punch bowl), gently mix together the chopped artichoke hearts, halved cherry tomatoes, halved black olives, chopped green pepper and cubed mozzarella cheese. Mix the pesto with the olive oil and add to the bowl, along with the parmesan cheese and minced garlic. Combine with the other ingredients.

Gently fold in the pasta and add the salt and pepper to taste. Mix and check seasoning again. Add more salt, pepper and parmesan cheese to your liking.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. This salad can be made one day ahead of serving. When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator about a half hour or so before, stir and add a little more olive oil, if needed, to "refresh" the salad. Enjoy!

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce

This is a wonderful dish. It's one of my husband's favorites (there's bacon involved) and my kids gobble it right up. Tortellini is always a big hit in our house so I'm always looking for new ways to serve it. The lemon flavor in this dish is perfect and I love how you can control how much lemon you like. My husband likes lots of lemon, my kids prefer less so I usually prepare this recipe as it's written and it's perfect every time. It's creamy, refreshing, comfort food that you are sure to love!

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce
(recipe adapted from Our Best Bites)
Serves 6-8

2- 9 oz packages of frozen or fresh cheese (or cheese/spinach) tortellini
6-8 strips thick sliced bacon, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 T flour
4 cups milk
1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp or more if you like spicy, which we do)
1 medium lemon
3-4 cups loosely packed baby spinach
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Fill a large stock pot with water bring and to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions, adding salt to the water, if desired. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, place bacon in a medium sized skillet on the stove-top at medium-high heat. Cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain. Reserve about 3 tablespoons bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest.
Add garlic to skillet and cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute. Add flour to pan and stir with a whisk constantly for about 1 minute.
Slowly add milk and continue to stir with whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer.

While sauce is heating, use a microplane grater or a fine-holed cheese grater to zest lemon. Then cut lemon in half and remove juice.
Add 2 teaspoons zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to sauce (start with these amounts and then adjust to taste). Continue to stir until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place tortellini back in stock pot. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture. Add spinach, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Add sauce and gently stir to combine.

Place pasta mixture in an 9×9 baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan and also crumbled bacon.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted and pasta is bubbly throughout. Remove from oven and cool for a minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Garlic Mac 'n Cheese with Smoked Chicken Sausage

Happy New Year! I've been on the hunt lately for new, scrumptious, family-friendly meals, that can be made ahead of time, or in less then 30 minutes. I've recently started working (after 9 years of being a stay-at-home mom!), so my time in the kitchen has been dramatically reduced. 

There are so many different flavors of 'fully cooked' or smoked chicken sausage available now in grocery stores, and using this type of sausage can be a huge time-saver. I happen to like certain brands more then others, and only buy sausage that is 100% natural and doesn't contain msg.

This "glorified" mac 'n cheese recipe is super yummy, can be made ahead (cover and refrigerate overnight before baking), and is very easy to throw together. My family and I loved this and I will be making it again and again. Even the leftovers were awesome. You have to try this!

Garlic Mac 'n Cheese with Smoked Chicken Sausage
(recipe generously adapted from Amanda's Cookin')
Serves 8 (recipe can easily be halved for smaller families)

1 box whole wheat rotini pasta
18 oz fresh or frozen small sugar snap peas (about 2 1/2 cups), cooked
6 T unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely diced
6 T all-purpose flour
2-3 fresh garlic cloves, finely minced
3 cups low fat milk (I use 1%)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use reduced fat 2%)
1 3/4 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided (I use reduced fat 2%)
2 - 9 oz packages of fully cooked smoked Italian chicken sausage, sliced into moons


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.

Cook pasta according to package directions for 'al-dente'; drain.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, stir and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic powder, and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, or until mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in the cheddar cheese and 1 cup of the Italian cheese blend, until smooth.

Add the pasta back to the pot used to cook it in. Then add the cooked sugar snap peas and the sliced chicken sausage. Add the cheese sauce and mix well. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Italian cheese blend over the top of the pasta.

Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until hot, bubbling and cheese is golden brown on top. Enjoy!

Jen's Lasagna

My husband requests every year that I make my lasagna for our Christmas Eve dinner. I usually make it early in the morning so I can just pop it in the oven for dinner and not have to worry about making a huge mess in the kitchen. I prefer to spend my time with my family, watching Christmas movies and snuggling :) Here's my "healthier" lasagna, I hope you enjoy it!

Jen's Lasagna

Serves 8

1 lb lean ground beef*
1 lb Italian chicken sausage, casing removed, and crumbled*
1 medium onion, diced
1 small zucchini, diced (optional)
1- 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil (or about 1 T fresh, chopped)
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley, divided (or about 2 tsp fresh, chopped)
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1 jar favorite pasta sauce (about 24 oz)
1 T granulated sugar
1- 16 oz container fat-free ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup reduced-fat grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2-4 cups 2 % reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese

1 package whole wheat lasagna noodles (about 13 oz)

* Can use 2 lbs of ground beef or 2 lbs of chicken sausage instead


Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lean hamburger and chicken sausage and cook for about 5 minutes. Add diced onion and zucchini to the meat and continue to cook until meat is thoroughly cooked through. Drain if needed.

Add diced tomatoes, garlic, basil, 1/2 teaspoon of the parsley, about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or basically to taste), and fresh ground black pepper, to taste, if desired. Mix well and simmer on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.

Then add the jar of pasta sauce and the sugar. Stir and let simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, heat a large pasta pot with water to a boil. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Add lasagna noodles and cook for about half the amount of time recommended on the box (probably 5 minutes total). Drain.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, blend together the ricotta cheese, remaining 1 teaspoon parsley, egg, and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle in about a teaspoon of olive oil, and add salt to taste to the cheese; mix well.

To assemble: Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, and lay 4 lasagna noodles lengthwise in the pan, overlapping the sides.
Next, use about a third of the ricotta mixture and spread evenly on the noodles. Then sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese on top of the ricotta. Then spoon about a third of the meat mixture on top of the mozzarella. Then sprinkle another 1/2 cup of the mozzarella on top of the meat (optional--add if you want the lasagna to be extra cheesy!).

Repeat layers two more times, ending with a good sprinkling of mozzarella on top of the meat and sprinkle with parmesan.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and then allow to cook for another 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

(This lasagna can be made ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days. When ready to bake, remove plastic wrap, and replace with foil. Bake for 35 minutes, then remove foil, and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or so until hot and bubbling.)

Enjoy!

Tortellini Pasta Salad

Summer is quickly fading to fall here in New England. I love the fall. I love the colors, the cool air, watching football games, but most of all, I love fall cooking and baking....

BUT, it's not quite fall yet, so I have one last summer recipe to share. I have made lots of different styles of pasta salads in my lifetime. Some are great, some are just so-so, but this recipe I came across is really good. The ingredients of the salad itself are very simple, but the dressing that goes on it is what makes it so great. This got big thumbs up in my house, even from my picky husband!

Tortellini Pasta Salad
(recipe adapted from Our Best Bites)

20-24oz fresh or frozen mixed cheese tortellini
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium sized cucumber, sliced into half moons
1 cup whole, pitted black olives, halved
1 cup Ground Mustard and Garlic Vinaigrette (recipe below)

First, make the Ground Mustard and Garlic Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
2 green onions, firm white parts only (remove hairy ends)
4-5 medium sized cloves of fresh garlic
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1-2 tsp honey (I used more because I like it sweeter--can also use sugar)
1-2 T coarse grain mustard, to your taste (or dijon, but the coarse grain mustard tastes better)
1 cup canola oil

Using a blender, combine all of the dressing ingredients except for the oil. Blend on high until thoroughly mixed and then, while the blender is running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream.
I suggest allowing the dressing to refrigerate for an hour or so before adding it to the salad. (the dressing is also great on leafy green salads)

For the salad:

Prepare tortellini as directed on package. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Combine the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and pasta in a large bowl. Add the prepared dressing and gently toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving and then add more dressing if desired. Enjoy!

Chicken Florentine Bowtie Pasta

I'm always on the search for great pasta dishes, especially quick, week-night type dishes that can be thrown together in less then 30 minutes.

Here's another great recipe from one of my favorite blogs. Jenny from Picky Palate is always creating the best dishes that are kid (and adult) friendly. I often look to her recipes for inspiration in my own kitchen. This recipe was yet another winner in my house and I think you will enjoy it too!
 

Chicken Florentine Bowtie Pasta
(adapted from Picky Palate)

2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
4 cups fresh baby spinach, washed
2 cups cooked boneless chicken, shredded or cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
2 containers of Philadelphia Cooking Creme
1 box bowtie pasta
1 1/2  cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I used reduced-fat 2% milk)
Grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.

Cook pasta to al-dente according to package directions. Drain.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken, salt, and pepper and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat and add the Cooking Creme. Stir well.

Add the pasta to the chicken mixture and mix well. Spread into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the mozzarella cheese.

Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted. Serve with desired amount of sprinkled parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!

"Make-Ahead Meal"--Baked Kielbasa and Cheese Pasta with Broccoli

For the last recipe in my "Make-Ahead Meal" series, I decided to re-create one my family's favorite meals using kielbasa instead of ham. This was a HUGE hit with everyone and I, personally, liked this version a lot better then with the ham. This made A LOT. We had a lot leftover (which was still good the next day) so I would say that this would easily feed 8 people.

 

Baked Kielbasa and Cheese Pasta with Broccoli

1- 13.25 oz pkg whole wheat rotini pasta, cooked al-dente

1 1/2 lbs turkey kielbasa, cut lengthwise and then sliced into half-moon slices

1- 12 oz pkg frozen broccoli, cooked

6 T unsalted butter

1 small onion, diced

1/3 cup flour (plus more, if needed)

3 1/2 cups 1% milk
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp ground mustard (or more if you want)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
6 oz 2% milk reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated reduced fat parmesan cheese (plus more for sprinkling)


Cook pasta to package directions just to "al-dente", drain. Cook broccoli until done, whatever method is preferred by you (microwave or stove top), drain.

Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 4-5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, add flour, mix well and cook for 1 minute to create roux stirring constantly. Gradually add milk to roux to form a thickened sauce (add more flour if needed to desired thickness), also add the parsley, mustard and salt/pepper, to taste, to roux (I started with a 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and then added more if I desired). Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese and parmesan to roux and mix well until all melted.

Add pasta, kielbasa and broccoli back to pot used to boil pasta in. Add the cheese mixture and stir gently until well combined. Pour pasta mixture into a 9x13 pan, sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese on top.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days. (Or bake immediately--adjust cooking time to only 20 minutes though)

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and replace with nonstick foil (or foil sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking--a major pet peeve of mine!). Bake covered for about 40 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Enjoy!

"Make-Ahead Meal"--Sour Cream Noodle Bake

I'm sending out a big thank you to my loyal and dear friend, Andrea, from Pie Birds, Buttons and Muddy Puddles, for sending me a wonderful make-ahead recipe that I can't wait to make :) Congratulations on winning the Target gift card!


Here's another great "make-ahead meal". I love the layers in this dish and the flavor is wonderful. My family loved it. This can either be baked right away or refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Here's the recipe:

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

(generously adapted from the pioneer woman)

3/4 package whole wheat egg noodles (or 3/4 package regular egg noodles)
1 1/4 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2- 15oz cans tomato sauce
3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 1/4 cups fat-free cottage cheese
1 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese or cheddar/Jack blend (freshly shredded is better)

Cook the egg noodles according to package directions to al-dente, then drain and return to pot, off of heat; set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for a few minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until beef is done. Drain. Reduce heat to low, then add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1/2 tsp of the salt and black pepper. Let simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the olive oil, sour cream, cottage cheese, 1/4 tsp salt and parsley. Then add to the pot with the noodles and mix well.

To assemble: Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Add half of the noodle mixture to the baking dish. Then layer with half of the meat mixture. Sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese over the meat. Repeat with remaining noodles, meat, and finishing with the cheese.

Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 2 days). When ready to bake, remove from fridge to warm for about a half hour or so (to decrease cooking time a little, but not required--just adjust cooking time). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap/foil and bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Serve with crusty bread and Enjoy!

"Make-Ahead Meal"-- Jen's Pasta Bake

We all have some sort of a pasta bake or dish that we use as our "go-to" meal. This pasta bake happens to be mine. I like to use ground turkey instead of ground beef because I can control what flavor I want better using the turkey. A lot of people have gripes about using ground turkey, because, well, it's tastes like bland turkey. The secret to making a good dish using ground turkey is to season it well. The turkey will take on whatever flavors you put on it so you have to be a little creative with it.
This pasta bake is a perfect make-ahead meal. It's super quick to throw together and can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking or can easily be frozen. It can also be made quickly for a last minute weeknight night meal by serving it "goulash" style right from the stove top.



Jen's Pasta Bake

1 box whole wheat penne, rotini or medium shells pasta
1 to 1 1/4 lbs ground turkey (99% fat-free turkey is fine or lean ground beef can be substituted)
1 small onion, diced
1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 large jar favorite pasta sauce (or about 1 1/2 smaller jars)
1 cup 2% milk reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 grated reduced-fat parmesan cheese


Begin by cooking the pasta according to package directions, just to al-dente, then drain (don't rinse), then set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and seasoon with the seasoned salt, onion powder, italian seasoning and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until about halfway done and then add the onion and garlic. Continue to cook turkey until done and then drain (you may not need to though).

Reduce heat to low; then add the drained tomatoes and about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta sauce, stir to combine. Let simmer for about 5 mintues and then remove from the heat to cool several minutes. Check seasonings and add more salt if desired.

Add the pasta back to the large pot it was cooked in. Then stir in the turkey mixture. Add the remaining pasta sauce and mix well.



Spread the pasta mixture into a 13x9 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. I usually let it sit and cool for a little while at this point (maybe 10 minutes or so). Then I evenly sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and parmesan over the top of the pasta, cover with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.



When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take the pasta bake out of the fridge to warm up a little while the oven is heating. Remove the plastic wrap and replace it with nonstick foil (regular foil will work fine, but I recommend spraying the side that touches the cheese with cooking spray so the cheese doesn't stick to it).

Bake covered for about 30-40 minutes or until hot and bubbling. If desired, remove the foil for the last 10 minutes or so of cooking to slightly brown the cheese.
Let sit for a couple of minutes, then serve and enjoy! This will easily serve 6-8 people.

Creamy Herbed Chicken Penne

Here's a great way to use up left-over chicken. This meal is quick, easy and pretty tasty. My whole family loves it and requests it often. I double the recipe to feed my larger family and we always have left-overs, which I have NO problem re-heating over the next day or two for my lunches :)

This goes great with some homemade crusty garlic bread or herbed Focaccia bread.

Creamy Herbed Chicken Penne
(adapted from a McCormick recipe)

8 oz uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen small broccoli florets, cooked
1 1/2 cups fat free half and half
4 oz Neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat than cream cream cheese), cubed
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp dried rosemary leaves
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt or sea salt (or season to taste)
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup reduced fat grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 cups chopped, cooked chicken


Cook the pasta in a large pot as directed on package. Drain well. Cook broccoli and drain.

Meanwhile, bring half and half to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the cream cheese, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and parmesan cheese. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is well blended. Add the cooked chicken and then simmer for about 5 minutes, until well heated.

Place the pasta back into the pasta pot (or a large pasta serving bowl) and add the broccoli. Pour sauce over the pasta mixture and toss gently to coat well. Serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese on top. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

Baked Manicotti with Prosciutto

This is a great recipe. It's simple, yet very flavorful, and actually pretty darn fun to put together. Regular manicotti can be a huge mess to fill so this variation is like a breath of fresh air. Using no-boil lasagna noodles instead, makes this dish super easy and leaves a lot of room for creativity.
Let's get started, shall we?


Baked Manicotti with Prosciutto
(adapted from Amanda's Cookin')

For the sauce:
2 - 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes, with juice (or the equivalent in fresh, diced tomatoes)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 - 1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes (I used 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 T chopped fresh basil

For the filling:
3 cups ricotta cheese (I used fat-free)
2 cups grated parmesan cheese, divided (I used reduced fat)
2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese (I used 2% reduced fat)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 T chopped fresh basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (1 1/2 packages)
16 slices thinly sliced prosciutto


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

For the sauce: In a large saucepan, heat the oil, garlic and pepper flakes over medium heat until garlic is just starting to brown, about 2-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce slightly thickens, about 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and add the basil.

For the filling: Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, 1 cup of the parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley and basil. Mix well and set aside.

Assembly: Cook noodles in boiling water until just pliable (this will only take about 30 seconds!!). Drain (but, do not rinse) and then place in a single layer on clean kitchen towels.

Pour about 1 1/2 cups of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish and spread evenly.

Place 1 slice of prosciutto on top of each noodle. Then spread 1/4 cup of cheese mixture over 3/4 of each noodle, on top of the prosciutto, leaving 1/4 of the noodle uncovered.

Then, starting from the end of the noodle with the cheese, gently roll the noodle into a tube shape and then arrange in the baking dish seam side down. Continue until all manicotti are rolled.

Top the manicotti evenly with the remaining sauce, making sure to cover each noodle completely.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack until the sauce is bubbling (about 40 minutes).

Remove manicotti from the oven and adjust the oven rack to the highest position (about 6 inches from the heating element). Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of parmesan cheese evenly over the manicotti. Do not replace the foil. Broil on LOW until cheese starts to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy with crusty garlic bread and a fresh green salad. Serves 8.

*Note: This dish can be made ahead of time. After assembly, place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the sauce and then wrap the top with aluminum foil (a few times if freezing). Then place in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze.

To cook, let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes or so (or thaw completely), then remove parchment paper, replace foil, then follow baking instructions.

Italian Pasta and Bean Soup

I'm a huge soup fan. I love to make (and eat) all kinds of soup. I'm especially fond of vegetable and pasta soups. This recipe came to me from my friend Mary Nadeau. She is a wonderful cook and I'm so glad she shared this soup with me because it is awesome. I love the flavor and I love that it's fairly light, yet filling, and super quick and easy. I hope you will love it too!

Italian Pasta and Bean Soup
(slightly adapted by me)

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves fresh garlic

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 full cup mini bowtie pasta

1 can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed

1 can petite diced tomatoes (with juice)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 T dried parsley

2-3 T grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cook until soft, but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
Add the chicken broth, salt and parsley and heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes (I covered the pot during simmering).
Add the pasta to the pot, bring back to a simmer, cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and beans. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
Check seasonings, cover and let sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy with some homemade herbed focaccia bread or Italian bread! Serves 3.

Asparagus Lasagna

I got a wonderful Valentine's Day gift from a friend yesterday. My friend typed out some of her favorite recipes for me and they all sound delicious, so while I'm trying these new recipes (which I am so excited about), I want to share one of my favorite recipes with you.

Asparagus lasagna. Sounds weird, but it's really good. It has asparagus, ham, cheese, noodles, in a garlic/thyme white sauce. If you are not an asparagus fan, then this recipe is not for you, but if you love asparagus like I do, then you are in for a real treat. Let's start this adventure!

Asparagus Lasagna

(generously adapted from a recipe in the 1998 Taste of Home Annual Recipes cookbook)

1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch long pieces

1 small onion, diced
4 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper
4 T "light" margarine (you can use unsalted butter or regular margarine, if you want)

4 T flour
2 2/3 cups milk (I used 1 %)

1 pkg lasagna noodles, cooked for HALF amount of directed time on package

2 cups 2% reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups julienned fully cooked ham (or just cut into small pieces)

*NOTE: I cook for 6 people every night so if you have less mouths to feed, this recipe can easily be cut in half. You will want to use a smaller pan though. An 11 x 7 x 2 would work well.

In a 2 qt saucepan, bring asparagus and a couple of inches water to a boil and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a 3 qt saucepan over medium heat, saute onion in melted margarine for 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for another minute or so. Whisk in flour, stir and let cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook for 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened; remove from heat.

Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray. Layer 3 noodles on bottom of pan. Ladle 1/3 of white sauce onto noodles, then 1/3 mozzarella cheese, 1/3 of the ham and then 1/3 of the asparagus. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used up, sprinkling the top with a little bit of mozzarella cheese or Parmesan cheese, if desired. (this could easily be made into 4 layers by simply dividing ingredients into fourths instead of thirds--we like it thicker so that is how I usually make it)

Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbling. Cut into desired portions and enjoy! :)

*NOTE: I used oven ready lasagna noodles in the pictures. I don't usually cook with them, but I had some in my pantry that needed to get used. I prefer to use regular lasagna noodles.

Beef Carbonnade

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ok, friends, this is a great beef recipe. At my house, we seem to eat a lot more beef in the winter then we do in the summer, probably because there is so many different ways to prepare all different cuts of beef and the best ones involve slow cooking with fat. No one wants to cook inside during the summer or with added fat so that's why winter cooking is so great :)

I found this recipe not too long ago and the first time I made it, my whole family LOVED it. At first, the name of the recipe made very skeptical because "Carbonnade" literally means beef stew made with beer and onions. That stopped me right there because 1) I hate cooking with beer and 2) it meant LOTS of onions. BUT, the author of the blog I found the recipe at, really made this recipe sound good and worth my time to try.

I would like to emphasize that you should NOT be scared about the large amount of onion in this dish. The onions cook for a long time and basically disappear, leaving only their flavor behind.....and it's a gooooood flavor. Trust me!

Ok, if you dare, let's make this!

Beef Carbonnade

(adapted from Amanda's Cookin')

2 slices of thick bacon, finely diced (use 3 slices of regular bacon)

2 lbs boneless chuck stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces, if needed

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2-3 fresh garlic cloves, minced

5 cups diced onion (Yes, 5 cups)

3 T all-purpose flour

1 cup low sodium beef broth

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 (12 oz) can of light beer

1 pkg whole wheat egg noodles, cooked. Add a little salt and butter to taste, if desired.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a small bowl, reserving drippings in pan. Set bacon aside.
Cook beef, seasoned with salt and pepper, in drippings over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until beef is brown on all sides. Add garlic and cook for an additional 3o seconds. Remove beef with a slotted spoon to a bowl (the beef will not be cooked through); set aside.

Add onion to pot; cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add beef broth and next 5 ingredients to pot and bring to a boil. Return bacon and beef to pot.

Return to a boil, cover and bake in oven at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf. Serve over hot cooked and buttered noodles. Serves 6.

I also like to serve this with a fresh green salad and homemade bread. In the pictures, I served it with Italian bread; recipe coming soon, hopefully :)

Bowtie Lasagna

Here's a simple, great tasting, and quick dish. This recipe comes from a member at Tasty Kitchen. I've made this a few times and my whole family loves it. This is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!


Bowtie Lasagna
(generously adapted by me)

1 to 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
3/4 pkg bowtie noodles, cooked al-dente
1 small onion, diced
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
3 cups (or more) favorite pasta sauce or marinara sauce
1 T olive oil (optional)
1 tsp salt (or less, to taste)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp italian seasonings
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or a mixture of italian cheeses
1/2 cup sour cream (I use fat free)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (I use reduced fat)

Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet. Drain. Add diced tomatoes and cooked noodles to beef. Drizzle with oil if desired. Pour sauce over noodles and meat. Add sour cream, seasonings, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Mix well and heat for 5-10 minutes until hot. Serve with extra grated parmesan cheese and crusty garlic bread. Enjoy!

Baked Ham and Cheese Pasta with Broccoli

I threw this meal together the other night because I needed a quick meal that used up the left over ham I had in the fridge. It's just a basic macaroni and cheese dish with added ham and broccoli, but it's my HEALTHIER version that is also baked in the oven. This made a lot so you can cut the recipe in half if you want to. Hope you enjoy this as much as we did!


Baked Ham and Cheese Pasta with Broccoli

1- 13.25 oz pkg whole wheat rotini pasta, cooked al-dente
2 full cups cooked diced ham
1- 12 oz pkg frozen broccoli, cooked
6 T unsalted butter
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup flour (plus more, if needed)
3 1/2 cups 1% milk
6 oz 2% milk reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated reduced fat parmesan cheese (plus more for sprinkling)
1/2 tsp dried parsley
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta to package directions to "al-dente", drain. Cook broccoli until done, whatever method is preferred by you (microwave or stove top), drain. Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add flour, mix well and cook for 1 minute to create roux. Gradually add milk to roux to form a thickened sauce (add more flour if needed to desired thickness), also add the parsley and salt/pepper, to taste, to roux (I started with a 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and then added more if I desired). Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese and parmesan to roux and mix well until all melted.

Add pasta, ham and broccoli back to pot used to boil pasta in. Add the cheese mixture and stir gently until well combined. Pour pasta mixture into a 9x13 pan, sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese on top.




Bake, uncovered for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbling. Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!