One Pot Wonder Tomato Basil Pasta

This was so easy to make and tasted fantastic! What else could you want in a dinner recipe? I used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth. The best part was the freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top (the kind you find in the refrigerated cheese section). It definitely brought just the right flavor. I highly recommend making this. I am definitely adding this to my rotating meals.

ONE POT WONDER TOMATO BASIL PASTA

Serves 4 to 6 as an entree

12 ounces linguine pasta
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid ( I used zesty red pepper flavor)
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.

Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .

Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Tortellini in Creamy Rosé Sauce

I really loved the flavor of this pasta sauce. It was very flavorful and smooth. The best part of it, though, was that I left to pick Jayna up from play practice and when I came home, Jayson was home and finishing dinner! I had to document it with a photo.

Tortellini in Creamy Rosé Sauce

Here's what you need to make it:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce
• 1 pkg (20 oz) refrigerated tortellini
• 1 (10 oz) pkg Philadelphia Cooking Creme (I used Italian Cheese and Herb - see photo)
• 4  cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

 Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in broth and spaghetti sauce. Bring to a boil.
Add pasta; stir. Cover; cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally  Add cooking creme. Cook and stir 3 more minutes. Cover; cook 5 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in Spinach; cook covered 1 minute, or until wilted. Remove from heat, top with Parmesan.

Enjoy with a large slice of French Bread! Yum!

This sauce reminded me of another sauce that I love. Here's that recipe, too!

Farfalle with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

• 
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound sausage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

• 1 pound farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
• 1/2 cup (packed) chopped fresh basil
• Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage. Sauté until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender and sausage is browned, about 3 minutes longer. Add tomatoes and cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sausage mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to same pot. Add sausage mixture and toss over medium-low heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is dry. Transfer pasta to serving dish. Sprinkle with basil. Serve, passing cheese separately.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

I know, you are all shocked that I’m posting not only one, but two, count them 2, recipes on here.  Blown away, I know.
I found this on Pinterest and thought, why not.  It looked good and it got really good reviews.  I’m trying to branch out from our same 10 meals we eat over and over.  At first, Pat was like ‘you can try it, but I can’t promise that I’ll like it’.  But after we made it, he was all kinds of excited.  It was really tasty… and this is Pat, a really picky eater.   
I’m just posting the ingredients, but I’m also posting a link to her blog.  She has a great step-by-step, complete with pictures.  But here are the few changes we made. 
A little less sour cream, and a little less cheese.  Also, we made it with the onions, but since we aren’t really onion people, I don’t think we’ll put them in again.  And I don’t feel like the sauce need more salt.  While I did add it this time, I probably won’t next time.  It didn’t make it too salty, but I just think it was unnecessary.  
Anyway click here for the detailed recipe.  (and she was a hoot to read)
 
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded {or shredded rotisserie chicken…I used the breasts}
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 {4 oz.} can diced green chiles
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
2 {10 oz.} cans green chili enchilada sauce
2/3 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded cheese {I used colby & monterrey jack}
1 cup sour cream
Penne pasta

Really you should try it.  It was good.  (and it made quite a bit)

Blackened Fresh Chicken Alfredopomodoroitaliano

Here's Pato's take on Chicken Alfredo. Kacey isn't a huge fan of the heavy, rich, way too much alfredo that you get in most restaurants; so here's how we make it.

You'll need:
Chicken breast
Blackening seasoning
Penne pasta
Fresh tomatoes
Fresh spinach
Alfredo sauce (it can be from the bottle, but pick one that isn't loaded with fat) We found some roasted red pepper stuff that was good and not super fatty.



Step 1:
Butterfly the chicken breast so it's 1/2" thin or so and sprinkle plenty of blackening seasoning on both sides. The more seasoning, the spicier the final result!! Cook in a hot sautee pan with a little olive oil.

Step 2:
Cook the penne pasta. 'Nuff said.

Step 3:
Dice the tomatoes and run a knife through the spinach to make it a little smaller.

Step 4:
When the chicken is done, let it rest for a minute or two and then slice it nice and thin.

Step 5: (where the magic happens)
Get a clean sautee pan nice and hot and add a few ounces of your alfredo sauce. You just want enough sauce to coat the ingredients, not to form a big pool of the stuff on the plate. Throw in some penne pasta, chicken and spinach. Toss together and cook for 30-45 seconds, just until it's nice and hot, not until the spinach is nasty!! Dump it onto the plate (Pat cooks each portion separately so you feel like your eating at Macaroni Grill!) and top with the diced tomatoes.

Serve with garlic bread and chocolate milk. It's nice, tasty and not as heavy as most Alfredo dishes so you can eat the whole plate!




Bon Apetite!!!

Creamy Bowties

This is The Bates Favorite Meal

Alma and I made up this meal using some of the things we loved about other meals.

Anyway, I know if I make this Kaitlyn will eat... A lot.

So when I know she needs to eat a good dinner, this is it! We all love it tons and it is super easy!

Boil your favorite Pasta

Bowtie :)

Cut up and cook Chicken in a pan with butter and Lemon Pepper

in another saucepan measure out

(this is for my family of three)

3/4 cup of chicken bullion

4 oz of cream cheese

Stir with Wisk over med-high heat until it thickens and makes a sauce

Pour over pasta, top with Cheese, Bacon, I like Sauteed Onions and Peppers

(and one thing that I absolutely love on it is Cherry tomatos, but they are not in the picture above)

Pour sauce over pasta and mix in all other ingredients

Super Yummy and easy.

Creamy Mac and Cheese

At HEB I got a free bag of Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese and I didn't want to make it just plain so I looked up this Recipe on Kraft Foods website. We loved it and it reheated great for Kaitlyns lunch the next day. It was creamy and tasted great. I would love to add Chicken or something to it too next time, but even then, easy and yummy last minute meal.

So if you find yourself with this Mac and cheese bag and not sure what to do with it, Cough Cough Mom.... Here ya go!

What You Need

1 pkg. (12.6 oz.) KRAFT HOMESTYLE Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

2 Tbsp. soft margarine

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1/2 cupBREAKSTONE'S FREE or KNUDSEN Fat Free Sour Cream

1/2 cup KRAFT FREE Shredded Non-Fat Cheddar Cheese

Make It

COOK Macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package.

Remove from pan; drain.

MELT margarine in same pan on medium heat.

Add onions; cook and stir 2 min.

Stir in contents of Seasoning packet, Cheese Sauce Mix and milk.

Add macaroni; mix lightly.

Stir in sour cream. POUR into 1-1/2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray.

Top with shredded cheese and Crumb Topping.

BAKE 10 min. or until macaroni mixture is heated through and shredded cheese is melted.

Spinach and Tortellini Salad

This cold pasta salad is perfect for potlucks or lunches! Yum!

1 (9 ounce) package cheese-filled tortellini
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing

Directions
In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain.
In a large bowl, combine the tortellini, spinach, cheese, tomatoes and olives. Add enough salad dressing to coat. Toss and season with salt and pepper. {I let in sit in the fridge for a while to chill out.}