Ma What's For Dinner?

This one is for Shell.  Oh you didn’t know that I take requests? Well now you do…send ‘em on over and I’m at your service.  My girl Shell over at Things I Cant Say, oh yeah you know her, cool girl, superstar, all around homecoming queen, uh yeah, that’s her.  She asked if we had any pasta salad ideas.  Do I have a pasta salad???  Of course I have a pasta salad.  Not only do I have a pasta salad, but it’s a pasta salad served up either cold or warm, it’s easy, tastes delicious, it’s healthy and you can make it with stuff already in your house.  Oh yeah, Shell my sweet, I have a pasta salad for you…

Serves: 4                        Prep Time: 5 minutes                        Cook time: 15 minutes

1 lb Rotini (corkscrew) pasta

1 bag frozen veggies (I like mixes of broccoli, carrots, & cauliflower)

2 c  Italian dressing (bottled is fine, I like Newman’s Own)

2 c rotisserie chicken, cubed (from your supermarket)

½ c  parmesan cheese

1 can marinated artichoke hearts, drained

Heat a large pot of water over high heat for pasta.  Take out your frozen veggies and let them thaw on the counter. Once the water is boiling add some salt to flavor the pasta and then pour in fusili and cook, according to package, to al dente.  4 minutes before you pasta is set to be done add in your veggies.

Drain well and pour into large pasta serving bowl.  Top with chicken and artichoke hearts.  Pour on dressing and toss to coat.  Top with parmesan cheese.  This is a complete meal in minutes and all in one bowl!  Everyone loves less dishes to clean.

Whenever I take this dish to potlucks or when I’m in charge of snack at school everyone always asks for this recipe.  I’m almost embarrassed to tell them how simple it is, but it’s so good!

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Big shout out to my girl, Shell over at Things I Can\’t Say !  She blogged about how much her kids liked this dish and it sounded so amazing I had to make it immediately.  Let’s just say we were ALL licking the plates clean.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Serves: 4  Prep Time:  5 minutes  Cook time:  20 minutes

1 pound penne

2 t salt

1 ½ t pepper

1 T  garlic powder

1 T Cajun seasoning

1 pound chicken, diced

2 T oil

3 T hot sauce, Frank’s or Tobasco, divided

1 cup mayo

1/2 cup ranch dressing

¾ cup milk

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped scallions

shredded mozzerella

chopped blue cheese

Put on a pot of water to boil and when it does toss in some salt to season it and add in your pasta and cook until al dente.

Season chicken with the spices. You can pour it all into a ziploc bag to shake it all up. Heat oil over med-high heat and cook chicken until it’s cooked, about 5 minutes or so.  Next add 2 T hot sauce and cook for an additional minute or so.  This part always makes me cough, but I use A LOT of hot sauce, I like mine extra spicy!

Combine mayo, ranch, and milk and mix. It will be lumpy, then stir in additional T of hot sauce.  It depends on how hot you want it.  Add this to the skillet with the chicken. Cook a few minutes, until heated.

Pour over pasta and stir to combine.  Top with fresh celery, scallions, mozzarella and crumbled blue cheese.  Sooo good!  Thanks, Shell!  This one is going into permanent rotation!!! 

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Serves: 4                        Prep time:  20 minutes            Cook time: 30 minutes

FOR THE MEATBALLS

1 lb                                    ground beef

¼ c                                    milk

1 clove                                    chopped garlic

¼ c                                    chopped onions

¼ c                                    chopped red pepper

¼ c                                    chopped carrots

¾ c                                    bread crumbs

1 whole                        egg

¼ c                                    parmesan cheese

S&P

FOR THE HEALTHY VEGGIE MARINARA SAUCE

2 T                                    Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves                        garlic

¼ c                                    chopped onion

¼ c                                    chopped red pepper

¼ c                                    chopped carrots

¼ c                                    chopped mushrooms

1 28 oz can                        san marzano chopped tomato

1 ½ T                                    dried Italian seasoning

S&P

1 box                                    linguine, spaghetti, whatever floats your boat

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Get out a large cookie sheet and spray it with cooking oil, set aside.  Put on some water to boil for your pasta.

In a large pot or dutch oven heat the oil over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot add onion, carrots, and mushrooms.  Sautee until veggies are soft and onions are translucent, about 7-9 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the meatballs.  Mix them all together using your hands and form into little golf balls.  Put them on your greased cookie sheet and slide into your oven.  Bake for 25 minutes.

When your veggies are soft add the garlic to your pot.  Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring often.  Sprinkle in S&P and your Italian seasoning.  Stir.  Pour in tomatoes and stir to combine.  Bring your sauce up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Your water should be boiling now so add some salt and throw in your pasta, cook according to package.

When your meatballs are done slide them into your sauce and let them cook an additional 5 minutes in the sauce.  Drain your pasta and spoon out onto plate.  Scoop meatballs and sauce on top of the pasta and serve with a side salad and crusty bread to scoop up extra sauce!  I threw some leftover broccoli in as well.  

Noteworthy Nugget:  You can triple or quadruple this recipe for sauce and freeze it in plastic baggies or Tupperware containers to always keep on hand!  You can also make extra meatballs and freeze them for Grab n Go  meatball subs in a snap.

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Recipe Of The Day

Mac n’ Cheese Please

Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes

1 lb. elbow macaroni
3 T butter, divided
2 T all purpose flour
½ t dry mustard
3 cups whole milk
1 t fresh grated nutmeg
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup panko bread crumbs
S&P

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set a large pot of water over high heat to boil. In a large saucepan melt 2 T butter over medium high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, and bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Once the milk has thickened add in mustard and nutmeg, and season with S&P. Reduce to medium low heat and melt in cheddar and swiss cheeses. Allow to cook on low for a few minutes.

When water is boiling season water with salt and add pasta. Note package cooking time and reduce by 2 minutes, the macaroni will continue cooking in the oven later. Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot.

In a separate sauce pan melt remaining T butter over medium heat. Combine with parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, turn off heat and set aside.

Pour cheese sauce over pasta in pot. Mix well. Transfer to a greased 13×9 baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Serve with side salad and your kids will forget all about that blue box filled with fluorescent orange pasta!

Tasty Tidbit: You can make this an all in one meal with the addition of some cooked cubed ham and some frozen peas or some leftover roasted chicken mixed in with some broccoli.

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Serves 6  Prep time: 20 min  Cook time: 20 minutes

1 cup chicken stock

S&P

1 pound fettuccini

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces finely grated good quality Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

4 thin sliced chicken breasts

1 T extra virgin olive oil

10 ounces fresh broccoli cut into florets

Bring large pot of water to a boil over medium heat.  Put the broccoli into a steamer and steam for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to warm, about 200 degrees F. Put a large serving bowl or a platter, for the pasta, into the oven to warm.

Heat a grill pan over high heat.  Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season with S&P.  Grill chicken until cooked through, about 7 minutes on the first side, 5 on the second.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes then slice into bite sized pieces.

In a small pot over low heat, heat the chicken stock.

When the water boils, season with salt, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Just before draining, add a ladle of the starchy pasta water to the pot with the chicken stock. Drain the pasta.

Remove the bowl or platter from the oven and scatter with the butter pats. Add the pasta and pour in the chicken stock. Sprinkle with half of the cheese and toss for 1 minute. Add more cheese and continue to toss for another 1 to 2 minutes. Keep tossing until the pasta is evenly coated and cheese has melted into the saffron broth forming a creamy sauce. Toss in chicken and broccoli.  Serve immediately.

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