Roasted Red Pepper Chipotle Fettuccini

This was a.maze.ing. It's sweet, it's spicy, it's creamy. And I love the color of the sauce. It'd be great for a Valentine's dinner! You could add some chicken or sausage if meatless isn't your thing. But it's not needed!

 

Roasted Red Pepper Chipotle Fettuccini 

1lb fettuccini 

1 jar roasted red peppers - drained

1/2 onion - diced

 2 cloves garlic - minced

1-2T chipotle in adobo (more or less per your heat preference) 

2T butter

1 1/4C heavy whipping cream

1T dried basil

Parmesan cheese  and chopped parsley for serving

Cook the pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Sautee the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add in the red peppers and the chipotle. Cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer all the ingredients to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Return the mixture back to the skillet. Add the heavy cream. Stir until well combined. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Toss with the cooked pasta. Garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley. 

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Chicken Tetrazzini

This casserole reminded me of when I worked at a deli in high school. We always served some sort of tetrazzini! The girls loved this, and had 3 servings! 

Chicken Tetrazzini 

2C cooked shredded chicken

8oz spaghetti 

4 stalks celery - chopped

1/4C onion - diced

2 cloves garlic - minced

2C shredded mozzarella 

1/2C parmesan cheese

1 can cream of chicken

1/2C sour cream

1/2C french fried onions

Prepare the pasta according to package directions. In a small skillet, sautee the celery, onion and garlic until soft and golden brown. In a large bowl stir together the cream of chicken and sour cream. Stir in the chicken, celery mixture, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and the parmesan. Pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella. Cover and bake at 375* for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with french fried onions. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. 

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Italian Cabbage Soup & Homemade Greek Salad Dressing

What a great supper!! I love a good soup and salad combo. The soup is warm and hearty and the salad dressing has a nice bite. Serve with some crusty bread and it's a perfect meal for a cool fall day! Best part? This is a CHEAP meal and most of the ingredients I always have on hand.

Italian Cabbage Soup

2 large carrots - peeled and diced

4 stalks celery - diced

1 small onion - diced

1 small head cabbage - shredded 

2 cloves garlic - minced

1 6oz tomato paste

4C chicken stock

1 15oz can great northern beans

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf 

In a large stock pot sautee the carrots, celery, onion and garlic until they start to soften. Add the cabbage. Stir occassionally, until the cabbage starts to wilt. Stir in the tomato past, chicken stock, beans (don't drain the can), thyme and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occassionally. 

Although I haven't tried it, I'm sure this would also work well in a slow cooker. Mix everything together and cook on low for 6 hours. 

Greek Salad Dressing

1/4C olive oil

2 cloves garlic - finely minced or pressed

1tsp Greek Seasoning (I used Penzey's) 

1/2tsp dried basil

1/2tsp sugar

1/2tsp black pepper

1tsp yellow mustard

1/3C red wine vinegar

1/2tsp salt

Add all the ingredients to a container with a lid ( I like to use a mason jar). Shake until well combined. Let set for 10 minutes for flavors to blend. This would also be good with a teaspoon of minced blacked olives and grated parmesan cheese. 

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Cheesy Creamy Rice Bake

This recipe is so quick and easy!! It's creamy, cheesy and very family friendly! It could also be easily doubled for a 9x13 baking dish. 

Cheesy Creamy Rice Bake

1lb ground beef

2c cooked white rice

1 can tomato sauce

1C cottage cheese

1/2C sour cream

2C shredded cheddar

1T season salt

1tsp garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 350*. In a skillet, brown the ground beef. Stir in the tomato sauce, season salt & garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile in a bowl mix together the cooked rice, sour cream and cottage cheese. In a greased 2 quart baking dish spread in half of the rice mixture. Then layer half of the meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the shredded cheddar. Repeat the layers. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. 

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Autumn Lasagna

Yesterday was so dark and cold and dreary...it rained all day. And not the man, it seems like it's been raining all day but it really did rain from the minute I woke up until I went to bed. This meal was perfect for yesterday. Warm, rich, and full of flavor. I served this with some cheesy garlic bread. 

Autumn Lasagna

2C butternut squash puree 

1 1/2C heavy whipping cream

1 stick butter

1C parmesan cheese

1tsp rubbed sage

1/4tsp nutmeg

2 cloves garlic - minced

1 box frozen spinach - thawed and strained

2C shredded cooked chicken

2C shredded mozzarella 

9 lasagna noodles - cooked

In a large sauce pan, melt the stick of butter. Add the garlic and sautee for 1 minute. Stir in the heavy whipping cream. Bring to a low boil. Stirring occasionally, let cook for 10 minutes. Whisk in the butternut squash and 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese until well combined. Stir in the sage and nutmeg. Let simmer for 10 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350*. Spoon a small amount of sauce into the bottom of a baking dish. Layer 3 noodles, some of the chicken, spinach, mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Ladle with some of the sauce. Repeat 2 times. Bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 30 more minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. 

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Taco Stroganoff

Tacos and pasta!!! My 2 favorite things!!! This recipe is quick, simple and delicious!! If you like things spicy, add in some chopped jalapenos. Black olives would be good too!!  Add a few dashes of hot sauce on top for an added kick!

Taco Stroganoff

1lb ground beef

1/4C taco seasoning (or 1 packet)

1/2 cup water

8oz package cream cheese - cubed

1/4 C milk

4oz can chopped green chilies

1 can mexicorn - drained

2 c shredded cheddar

8oz wide egg noodles

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese, milk, chilies, corn and one cup of the shredded cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring occassionally, until the cheeses are all melted and combined. Stir in the egg noodles. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar on top. 

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Jalapeño Bombs

These are a family favorite! Smoky bacon, spicy peppers and juicy chicken - YUM! The first time I had them was at a friend's house, her mom had made them. And she couldn't cook them fast enough! I instantly fell in love and have been making them myself ever since! The spicy pepper with the cool ranch is pure heaven!! If jalapeños aren't your thing, you can quarter a bell pepper and use that instead! These are great appetizers for a party but we like to cook up a bunch as a main dish all the time!

Assembling these can get a bit slippery and tricky! Using kitchen gloves (especially since you are handling spicy peppers!) helps and so does having an assembly line set up!!

Jalapeño Bombs 

6 large jalapeños

6 chicken tenders (or 2 breasts cut into 12 pieces)

1T season salt.

12 onion pieces

6 slices of bacon

ranch dressing for serving

Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Cut the chicken tenders in half. Sprinkle with the season salt. Cut the strips of bacon in half. Take a pepper piece, add an onion slice and then a piece of chicken. Wrap the entire thing in a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining peppers. Grill over medium high heat until bacon and chicken are cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Serve with ranch dressing. 

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Grilled Pizza

Our family LOVES pizza cooked on the grill. I bet we have it at least once a week! We let everyone put their own toppings on, which my girls think is the greatest thing ever! Obviously this dough and sauce recipe can also be used as oven baked pizzas! As a thin crust this makes the perfect amount of dough for our family of 4. 

This is the easiest pizza crust recipe!! I also like to stir in some dried herbs and seasonings that will compliment the pizza toppings. So for our normal pepperoni pizza, I add some garlic powder and oregano. If I'm doing a taco pizza, I'll add some chili powder, cumin and cilantro.

Grilled Pizza

Sauce

6oz tomato paste

1 beef bullion cube

1/2tsp garlic powder

1/2tsp italian seasoning

1/2tsp dried parsley

In a small saucepan combine all ingredients with 2T water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally for at least 10 minutes. If sauce seems too thick, add small amounts of water until it reaches your desired consistency. 

Dough

3C all purpose four

1 envelope (or 2 1/4 tsp) quick rise yeast

1T sugar

1T salt

1C warm water

2T olive oil

In a large bowl combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Stir in the olive oil and about 3/4 of the water. Mix until everything is combined and a dough ball has formed, adding more water as needed. Place dough in a greased bowl. cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about one hour.  

For Pizza

dough

sauce

your favorite pizza toppings

Preheat your grill to 450*-500*. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to desired thickness. Add the sauce and toppings. I've found with grilled pizza, a thin layer of sauce and toppings works best! Place the pizza, carefully, on the hot grill. Close the lid and cook until cheese is melted and crust is a nice golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. A pizza peal would be great for this. We don't have one yet, and just get very creative with some large spatulas!!

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Grilled Italian Chicken Salad

A perfect summer salad! Our AC was broke for several very long, hot, steamy weeks. We ate a lot of salads during that time, this being a favorite! The chicken I used was actually leftover from the night before. This Grilled Italian Chicken is my most loved way to eat chicken, it's so juicy and has a nice tangy flavor from the marinade. The salad itself is great - there is a nice spicy kick from the peppers, a good crunch from the veggies and the hard boiled eggs add a nice creamy texture.

Grilled Italian Chicken Salad

Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1c Italian dressing

Salad

1 large head romaine lettuce - chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper - thinly sliced

1 medium carrot - peeled & thinly sliced

1/4c sliced pepperonchini's

1/2c shredded parmesan

1c croutons

2 hard boiled eggs - thinly sliced

Dressing

1c ranch dressing

1tsp garlic powder

1tsp Italian seasoning

 

In a large re sealable bag add the chicken and Italian dressing. Marinate for at least four hours. Remove the chicken and place on a medium high grill. Cook, turning once, until chicken is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Let chicken cool and thinly slice.

In a small bowl combine all the dressing ingredients.

In a large bowl combine all the salad ingredients. Place the chicken on top and drizzle with the dressing.

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Pesto Pasta Salad

This is a simple pasta salad with just a few ingedients but full of great flavor! I love the basily (is that a word?!) of pesto! This is perfect for BBQ's or picnics (just keep it cold because of the mayo) but would also be cute for St. Patrick's Day. Green sauce, orange carrots and white cheese! 

I've noticed with pasta salads, the amount of dressing you use can vary. Some days the noodles are thirsty than others! If you have extra dressing from this recipe, it is a great pesto mayo for chicken sandwhiches. 

Pesto Pasta Salad

1lb rotini pasta - cooked according to package directions and cooled

2 medium carrots - peeled and sliced thin

1C mozzarella cheese -  cut into small cubes

2C mayo

1 packet dry pesto mix (I like the Knorr brand)

In a small bowl combine the mayo and pesto. In a large bowl, mix together the pasta, carrots and cheese. Stir in enough pesto mayo to make the pasta salad nice and creamy. Chill at least an hour before serving. 

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Roasted Butternut Squash & Leek Fettuccine with Bacon & Parmesan

This was so good!! The sauce is rich & creamy and so full of flavor! This would be perfect for a crisp fall day. We got butternut squash in our co-op food basket and I'd never cooked with it before. If/when we get them again I'll be making this for sure!!!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Leek Fettuccine

2 small butternut squash

1/2C leek - washed & sliced thin

2 cloves garlic - minced

2T butter 

1tsp rubbed sage

1 1/2C chicken stock

3/4c heavy whipping cream

4 strips bacon - cooked & crumbled

1C shredded parmesan cheese

1lb fettuccine

Preheat the oven to 425*. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds & fibers. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place skin side up on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, 30-40 minutes. While the squash is cooling, in a large skillet melt the butter. Add the garlic & leeks. Sauté until leeks are tender. Scoop out the squash into a bowl. Mash with a fork. Add the squash to the leeks. Stir in 1 cup of the chicken stock and the sage. Simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to package directions. Stir in the heavy whipping cream to the squash mixture. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a bit more chicken stock. Stir 1/2c parmesan cheese into the sauce. Toss with the hot pasta. Garnish with bacon & remaining cheese.

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Potato, Carrot, Leek Soup

I've recently started using Bountiful Baskets (www.bountifulbaskets.org) and LOVE it! I love it for so many reasons, one being it forces us to try new fruits and vegetables! Like leeks - never had, never cooked with them. I knew enough about them that they had a mild onion flavor and were very sandy so needed cleaned well. Using them in soups seemed to be the most popular way to eat leeks so that's what I tried. This soup was great! Hearty, quick and easy! I wish we had had some bacon to crumble on top - that would have been the perfect addition!

Potato, Carrot & Leek soup

2T olive oil

1lb leeks - trimmed, sliced thin & rinsed

1/4tsp chili flakes

2 garlic cloves - chopped

4c chicken stock

2 medium potatoes - peeled & chopped

4 medium carrots - peeled & chopped

1 pint heavy cream

1/2stick butter

1T dried thyme

In a large sauce pot heat up the oil over medium heat and add the leeks, chili flakes & garlic. Sauté until the leeks have wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes. Pour in the chicken stock. Cover and bring to a low boil. Boil until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender) purée the soup until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, butter and thyme. Simmer for 5 more minutes. If the soup seems thick, thin it out with a bit more chicken stock. Garnish with shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon.

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Coconut Chicken Strips with Creamy Mango dipping sauce

I followed this recipe exactly - that never happens!! I usually tweak them, change them up to make them my own. But this seemed so simple I didn't change a thing! This was sooooo good!! Sweet and crunchy with just a tiny bit of heat. The dipping sauce is fantastic, goes perfectly with the chicken! 

http://thecozyapron.com/a-cozy-appetizer-coconut-crunch-chicken-strips-and-letting-love-be-the-inspiring-guide/

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Roasted asparagus with Balsamic Butter & penne

Ok. Every time I see a recipe with a balsamic vinegar sauce the noodles never look as dark as mine turn out! No idea why sooooo while this looks like pasta with mud sauce it's actually VERY good!! It's a great, easy meatless dish. The sweetness of the balsamic butter goes great with the saltiness of the cheese! My daughter was working on tastes (salty, sweet, bitter,ect) at school so this went hand in hand with that! 

Roasted Asparagus & Balsamic Butter with Penne

1lb asparagus - trimmed & cut into 1in pieces

1/2c balsamic vinegar

1/2tsp brown sugar

1 stick butter - cubed

1/2c shredded mozzarella

1lb penne pasta - cooked according to package directions 

Preheat the oven to 425*. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile in a small sauce pan, bring the vinegar to a low boil. Boil until reduced and thickened. Stir in the brown sugar. In a large skillet add the penne, asparagus, balsamic vinegar & butter. Stir & cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Stir in the cheese.

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Pastitsio

Sorry - no beyond amateur crappy iPhone picture of this meal! I forgot to save several photos before I deleted them of my phone - oops!

This is a Taste Of Home recipe. It was great! It's a nice change from the regular baked pasta dish. It came together quickly and the whole family loved it! 

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/nikki-s-perfect-pastitsio 

This is the picture from the TOH website 

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Creamy Mustard Chicken

A simple recipe with lots of flavor! The sauce is rich & creamy with a nice tang from the mustard. I worried about the mustard flavor being too strong for the girls but they loved it! I served it with corn casserole & cheesy beans but it'd be great with mashed potatoes! 

Creamy Mustard Chicken

1T olive oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breast

1tsp dried thyme

1/2c flour

1/4c Dijon mustard

1c whipping cream

Mix the thyme & flour together. Dredge the chicken in the flour. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken, keep warm. Add the mustard to the skillet. Whisk until blended with the remaining juices in the skillet. Add the cream & slowly bring to a boil, stirring occassionally. Cook until the sauce is thickened, 3-5 minutes. Serve the sauce over the chicken.

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Beef & Green Bean Pie

Here's another super simple & super easy recipe from Taste Of Home! Very kid friendly & a perfect one for them to help make too! 

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/beef--n--green-bean-pie

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Baked Swiss Steak

Great dinner!! Growing up round steak was always pan fried & served with brown gravy. This was a nice change up! The aroma while it's baking in the oven is mouthwatering. Simple ingredients, easy preparation all adds up to a delicious, family friendly meal! 

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/baked-swiss-steak

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