Fettuccine with Spinach Pesto

the goods:

12 oz. fettuccine noodles

Course salt and ground pepper

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

2 T. pine nuts, plus more for serving

1 garlic clove

1 tsp. grated zest, plus 2 T. juice from 1 lemon

1/4 c. EVOO

1. Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 c. pasta water; immediately drain pasta and then return to the pot.
2. While pasta is cooking, place spinach, Parmesan, nuts, garlic and lemon zest and juice in a food processor. Process until a paste forms. While the processor is running, add oil and 1/4 c. cold water; process until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Add to pasta; toss. Adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until sauce is thinned slightly and coats fettuccine (you may not need all the water).
3. Serve. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and pine nuts, if desired.
   

   photo, compliments of martha stewart

Chicken and Spinach Pasta

picture compliments of rachael ray

the goods:

1 lb. whole wheat penne rigate

3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 bay leaf

1 T. EVOO

2 T. butter

1 onion, finely chopped

3-4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

black pepper

2 slightly rounded Tablespoons flour

1/2 c. dry white wine (or chicken stock)

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. cream or whole milk

a few grates of nutmeg

1 c. grated asiago cheese or provolone

1 (10 ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, defrosted, wrung dry and separated

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts in water, drained well and chopped

freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for your pasta. Salt you water and cook pasta al dente.
2. Meanwhile, poach chicken. Place chicken in a small pan, and add water to top of meat but do not cover completely. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil, reduce heat and gently simmer to cook through 10-12 minutes. Shred meat into small pieces with 2 forks.
3. While chicken cooks heat EVOO in a large, deep saute' pan over medium heat. Melt butter into oil and add onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle flour over cooked onions and garlic and stir one minute then whisk in white wine (or chicken stock). Add 1 c. stock and cook 1 minute and then add cream and season with nutmeg. Let sauce thicken for a couple of minutes over low heat then stir in spinach and artichokes and heat through. Melt asiago or provolone cheese into sauce and turn off heat.
4. Drain pasta and toss with sauce and chicken to combine, adjusting salt and pepper to your taste. Garnish with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Baked Manicotti

This manicotti recipe is awesome! It's done a little differently than your typical manicotti recipes. The thing I enjoy the most about this recipe is that you get alot more noodle to filling ratio. Yum! Enjoy!

the goods:

tomato sauce:
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes (in juice)
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 T. EVOO
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper, optional
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried basil

Cheese Filling and Pasta:
3 c. part skim ricotta cheese
4 oz. grated parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tsp. chopped fresh basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (i use barilla, but i also want to try healthy harvest)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 tsp. salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl combine ricotta, 1 c. parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper and herbs; set aside.
4. To assemble, pour 1-inch boiling water into 9x13 baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, seperating noodles with a tip of a sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in a single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry the baking dish.
5. Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soup spoon, spread 1/4 cheese mixture evenly onto the bottom 3/4 of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish, seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is covered completely.
6. Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 30-40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 c. parmesan cheese. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving. ***The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, thaw the manicotti in refridgerator for 1-2 days. To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.***

Cheeseburger Chili Mac and Cheese

Like I said earlier, my camera is not working properly right now and is making it difficult to take pictures of the meals we've been eating lately. This recipe I got from Rachael!
My kids LOVED THIS! I was a little sceptical at first, but they asked to have it for lunch the next day! I'd say that's a success!

the goods:

2 T. EVOO

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground sirloin

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 T. chili powder

salt and ground black pepper

1/2 c. ketchup

1/4 c. yellow mustard

1-2 c. beef stock (depending on how liquid-y you want it)

1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni

1 1/2 c. shredded sharp yellow cheddar (sharper the better!)

1. Preheat broiler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.
2. Place a medium pot over medium-high heat with 2 turns of teh pan of EVOO, about 2 T. Add the meat to the pan and cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the onion and chili powder to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is tender, 4-5 minutes. Add the ketchup, mustard and beef stock to the pot, bring up to a bubble and simmer until sightly thickened, 4-5 minutes.
4. While the chili is working, salt the boiling water and drop the pasta in. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Then drain thoroughly and return it to the pot.
5. Add chili to the pot with the pasta and give everything a good toss. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with the shredded cheese. Place the casserole under teh broiler to melt and brown the cheese. Serve with a simple salad alongside.

Chicken, Lemon and Dill with Orzo

This meal is so extremely easy, it's ridiculous! It is one of our favorites to eat at dinner and has alot of flavor!

the goods:

4 c. chicken broth
1 T. unsalted butter
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. chicken tenderloins, cut in to 1-inch pieces
1 lb. orzo
4-6 oz. havarti cheese, broken into medium pieces
1/4 c. coarsley chopped fresh dill
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In saucepan, bring broth, 3/4 c. water, butter, salt and pepper to a boil.
2. In a 3-quart baking dish, combine chicken, orzo, havarti, dill, lemon zest and juice.
3. Pour broth mixture over orzo and stir to incorporate.
4. Bake until orzo is tender and cooking liquid is creamy, 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle parmesan on top and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Ravioli

This is one of our favorite meals. SO GOOD!
(and yes, you're right.....this is not a picture i took. my camera is not functioning correctly right now, so i have to go online and find pictures that look similar to what i make. is that cheating?). I know, cheap.

the goods:



2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, or oregano
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 pounds store-bought ravioli
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon, until sauce is thickened and reduced, 20-25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling water, just until they float to the top (pasta will continue to cook in the oven). Drain pasta; return to pot.
3. Toss sauce with pasta. Pour pasta in to a 9x13 baking dish, and sprinkle with cheeses. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Crawfish Fettucine

Okay, so this really isn't a great picture, and doesn't do this meal justice. Being from the south, this is a Bluth family favorite. It smells so good while you're cooking it, that you can hardly wait to sit down and eat it. And yes, I really am not a fan of seafood, BUT I chop the crawfish pretty small, and there is so much flavor, that you can't even tell that it's there. YUMM-O!

the goods:

1/4 c. margarine
half an onion, chopped
half a red pepper, chopped
half a green pepper, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. skim milk
10 oz. Velveeta, diced
1 pkg. cooked and peeled Crawfish Tails (you can buy in the frozen seafood section at most grocery stores)
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lb. Fettuccine noodles, cooked

1. Start cooking pasta. Then in a skillet, melt margarine and add onions, red pepper, green pepper, green onions and garlic. Saute' for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk; stir with whisk. Add diced Velveeta cheese and stir until well blended and melted.
3. Stir in chopped crawfish, Worcestershire, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook until heated.
4. Add cooked pasta to sauce and toss well. Serve.

Linguini with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto and Feta Cheese

the goods:

1 (9 oz) pkg. linguine
3/4 c. oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
1/4 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 T. slivered almonds
2 T. pre-shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1 T. bottled minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. pepper1/2 c. (2 oz) crumbled Feta cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain through, reserving 1 c. cooking liquid. Return pasta to pan.
2. While pasta cooks, place tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through black pepper), in a food processor; process until finely chopped.
3. Combine tomato mixture and the reserved 1 c. cooking liquid, stirring with a whisk. Add to pasta; toss well to coat.
4. Sprinkle with Feta.

This is another one of Melessa's recipe's. It is delicious and super dooper easy! We all really enjoy this one. It's definitely one of those meals you can throw together really quick, when you don't have a whole lot of time.

Pasta E Fagiola

the goods:

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
4 thick slices pancetta, about half-inch thick each, diced
1-1 1/2 tsp. crushed rosemary
1-2 tsp. thyme
1 large fresh bay leaf or 2 dried bay leaves
1 medium onion, chunked
3-4 small carrots, chunked
4-5 rib celery, chunked
6 large cloves garlic, chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
2 15-ounce cans butter beans, drained
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 box rigatoni
Grated Parmigiano or Romano cheese, for the table
Crusty bread, for mopping

1. Heat a deep pot over medium-high heat. Add EVOO and pancetta and brown pancetta bits lightly. Add herbs, bay leaf, vegetables and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
   
2. Add beans, tomatoes and stock to the pot, and raise heat to high.
   Bring soup to a rapid bubble and add the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook soup for 6-8 minutes or until pasta is cooked to al dente, stirring occasionally.
   
3. Remove bay leaf from soup and let it rest and begin to cool for a few minutes. Place the pot on a trivet on the table so the hot pot does not burn your table, then ladle soup into bowls and top with lots of cheese and another little drizzle of EVOO. Pass crusty bread for bowl mopping.

Ham and Cheese Pasta with Chopped Walnuts

This pasta meal might seem odd, but it is really good. I know I say that about all of them, but it really is great! And using the fresh parsley makes a HUGE difference! And having a food processor to chop the walnuts and parsley up, really helps. The girls also picked out these miniature bowtie noodles. It was fun to eat and the girls could actually fit the whole noodle in their mouth. They thought it was fun. This meal is fast, easy, and tasty. What more could you ask for?!

the goods:

1 pound bow tie pasta
Salt
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
10 slices Canadian bacon or breakfast ham, cut into thin strips
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves (3 generous handfuls), chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus some to pass at the table

1. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil over high heat to cook the pasta. Once the water boils, salt it and cook the pasta to al dente. Right before draining the pasta, remove and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chopped walnuts and toast them, stirring every now and then, until they are golden and smell toasty -- a couple of minutes. Remove nuts from the skillet and reserve.

2. Once the pasta is close to being done, return the same skillet you cooked the walnuts in to the stove top over medium-high heat with 3 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 3 tablespoons. Once the EVOO is hot, add ham and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to lightly brown.

3. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cook it for another minute. Add the reserved pasta cooking liquid and cook until liquid has reduced by half. Add the pasta, toasted walnuts, lemon juice and parsley, toss it to coat the noodles and continue to cook until the pasta has soaked up almost all of the liquid. Turn heat off, add the butter and grated cheese, and toss until the butter has melted. Serve with extra Parmigiano at the table.

Penne Rustica and Salad

We really enjoy this pasta dish! Very flavorful and just plain delicious!!! I know it might look like alot of ingredients, but it's really not. It's actually pretty easy to put together and even more worth it when you take a bite! This is a great meal.

the goods:

3 T. butter

2 T. minced garlic

1 T. Marsala wine (I used chicken broth)

1/2 tsp. minced thyme

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

2 c. heavy cream

1 c. grated parmesan cheese

1/2 c. milk

2 tsp. minced rosemary

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 T. cornstarch

1 T. dijon mustard

1 lb. whole wheat penne pasta

1/2 c. (2 oz) thick sliced smoked prosciutto (I used turkey bacon this time)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I don't like shrimp, so I don't ever add it)

Topping:

3 T. grated parmesan cheese

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

Garnish:

1/2-1 roasted red bell pepper

4 sprigs rosemary (optional)

1- Preheat barbecue grill to high. Start cooking noodles, then drain and set aside. Also start to cook bacon.

2. Prepare sauce by melting 3 T. butter over medium low heat. Add garlic and sweat it for about 5 minutes. Be sure the garlic doesn't brown. Add the Marsalad wine (or chicken broth) and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce---except chicken, bacon, and noodles--- and whisk well until smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer and keep it there for 10 minutes or until it's thick.

3. Cover sauce and remove it from the heat.

4. Pound the thick end of your chicken breasts a bit to make them uniform thickness. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spear the shrimp on skewers, then rub them with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Grill chicken for 5-6 minutes per side. Grill shrimp for 2 minutes per side. When cicken is done, slice into strips.

6. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a 3 qt. casserole dish layer the cooked noodles, then chicken, shrimp, prosciutto (or bacon), and then drizzle the sauce over top. Toss to coat!!

7. For the topping, combine the parmesan and paprika and spinkle evenly on over the noodles.

8. Bake @ 500 degrees for 10-12 minutes until top begins to brown. Arrange roasted bell pepper on top of each dish (and rosemary if you like). Serve with a side salad and french bread, and enjoy.

Parmesan Chicken, Macaroni and Cheese and Green Beans

The recipe for the chicken and for the macaroni and cheese are both from miss Cherise. I've never had better homemade mac-n-cheez in my life! Very good meal.

the goods:

For the chicken:

Chicken tenders, I buy mine frozen at Costco

1/2 c. butter, very soft, almost melted
1/2 c. lite sour cream, maybe a bit more
1-1 1/2 tsp. garlic (freshly pressed or the kind you keep in the fridge)
1 roll of Ritz crackers
1/2-3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

• In a small bowl, mix the butter, sour cream and garlic together. Then in a separate bowl add crushed Ritz crackers and grated Parmesan cheese.
• Dip chicken tenders in sour cream mixture first and then dip them into the cracker mix. Place them on a baking sheet so they are not touching.
• Bake @ 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

For the mac-n-cheez:

4 T. butter, divided

3 slices white bread, broken in pieces

2 3/4 c. milk

1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 1/4 c. shredded Sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 c. Parmesan Romano cheese, shredded

1/2-3/4 lb. macaroni noodles

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

• Start cooking pasta. When done, drain and rinse under cold water. Drain out cold water.
• In a bowl mix together 2 T. melted butter and broken up bread.
• In a small pot, warm milk or medium heat.
• In a separate pot, melt remaining 2 T. butter. Add flour and mix. Then slowly add the hot milk. Stir over heat until thickened.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Keep out enough cheese to put on the top of the noodles.
• Put macaroni noodles back in pot and add cheese mixture. Mix well until all noodles are coated.
• Pour into a 3 quart casserole dish and top with remaining cheeses. Then top with buttered bread crumbs.
• Bake @ 375 for 30 minutes or until the crumbs are golden brown.
• After cooking, remove from oven and set aside for 5 minutes.

Chicken and Spinach Penne

the goods:

8 oz. penne rigate

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

4 tablespoons tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

6 cups baby spinach

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne for 3 minutes, add chicken and continue to cook until both pasta and chicken are both done. Reserve 1/4 pasta water. Drain pasta and chicken.

• Return pot to medium heat, add oil and garlic; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, spinach and reserved pasta water. Cook until spinach is barely wilted.

• Add pasta and chicken back to pot. Stir to combine. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Toss and serve!

Spaghetti with Salad and Breadsticks

If I'm having a hard time thinking of things to fix for dinner, then sometimes I'll ask the girls to tell me something they would like to have. Rylee REALLY wanted spaghetti with a breadstick, plus she knows it's Papa's favorite food and she loves her Papa. Plus Chad has scouts on Wednesday nights, so I'll usually try to do an easier meal those nights. There's no secret to this one! =)

the goods:

Whole wheat spaghetti noodles

1 lb. lean, ground beef

1 jar Classico Four Cheese marinara sauce

Romaine lettuce

Carrots, sliced

Tomatoes, diced

Red onion, diced

Avocado, diced

Cucumber, sliced

Ranch dressing, or whatever you enjoy

Texas Toast Breadsticks, found in the frozen section

Margot Chicken & Asparagus

the goods:

1 c. Apricot preserves (I used the sugar free kind)

8 oz. Russian dressing--Wishing Bone brand

1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup mix

3-4 chicken breasts, cubed

Mix together first 3 ingredients.

Cut up chicken and place in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour mixture over chicken and mix until chicken is coated. Cover dish with foil.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Turkey Sausage Pasta

the goods:

Whole wheat angel hair pasta--cooked
1 lb. turkey sausage, sliced 1/2" (could use regular sausage if you want)
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 tsp. fresh basil
1 T. EVOO
1 c. julienned seeded tomatoes
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Saute' sausage, garlic and basil in oil.

Drain pasta and add sausage mix to the pasta.

Add tomatoes and salt and pepper. Serve.

Melessa told me about this recipe and I was really excited try it! This is an EXTREMLY easy meal to make. Very quick and very light. I thought I had whole wheat pasta in my pantry, but ended up using regular. It would be even healthier with the whole wheat pasta. And the best part was is that all 3 of my kiddos scarfed it down!! Yay!