Tuscan White Bean & Sausage Soup

While my family was fortunate not to sustain any major damage from Hurricane Sandy this week, we did lose power for three days. Luckily, we have a gas range, so I was still able to cook on my stove top  This soup was bursting with flavor and was the perfect dish to ride out the storm.

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage 
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 qt. chicken broth or stock
1 can (15-oz) diced tomatoes (with garlic and oregano)
1 can (15-oz) cannellini beans
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 lb. shell pasta
1 handful fresh baby spinach leaves
Parmesan cheese for topping

In a large saucepan, brown sausage over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 7 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add broth, tomatoes, and beans. Stir in basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in pasta, cover, and simmer for 7-8 minutes, until pasta is cooked. Remove from heat and stir in spinach just until wilted. Serve hot and top with shredded Parmesan.

*Adapted from Feast on the Cheap

Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo and Grilled Chicken

Spice up a classic Alfredo dish with a hint of fall!

1 package cheese tortellini, prepared per package instructions
1 T butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp onion powder
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced

Prepare tortellini per package instructions, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in pumpkin, nutmeg, and onion powder. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes (stirring frequently), until sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add sauce and reserved cooking water to cooked tortellini and toss. Top with grilled chicken.

*Adapted from Family Fresh Meals

Greek Chicken Kabobs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce and Orzo with Feta

There is just something about the freshness of Greek food that screams summer to me. Surprise your friends with these THREE great dishes at your next barbecue!

Chicken: 

1-1   ½ lbs chicken tenders (or chicken breast cut into strips)

2         lemons

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

Salt and pepper

6-8 metal or wooden skewers (if using wooden, soak in water before grilling)

In a small bowl combine the zest and juice of 2 lemons with oregano, red pepper flakes, oil, and garlic. Add chicken and marinade to a large, resealable plastic bag ; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat grill over medium heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 6-8 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Serve with yogurt sauce and orzo.

Yogurt Sauce:

2 cups plain Greek yogurt

½ tsp cumin

salt and pepper

½ English cucumber, grated

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Orzo:

2 cups chicken broth

½ lb orzo

2 T butter

1 tsp dried parsley

¾ cup feta cheese

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and cook per package instructions. While orzo drains, add butter, parsley, and feta to the hot pan. Add orzo to pan and stir to combine. Serve with chicken skewers.

*Modified from Rachael Ray

Balsamic Pasta Salad with Chicken

As a main course or side dish, this rich pasta is sure to please your family or a whole crowd!

1 pkg penne pasta, boiled per package directions 

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup minced basil

2 T brown sugar

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked (Try broiling)

¼ cup grated parmesan

Prepare pasta per package instructions; drain and place in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours, until chilled.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, basil, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder; pour over pasta and stir to coat. Cut cooked chicken into bite-sized cubes and add to pasta(Tip: This is a good way to use up leftover chicken, but if you don’t have any on hand, try broiling raw, seasoned chicken breasts for 8-9 minutes per side). Stir in parmesan. Chill until ready to serve.

*Inspired by Life with Lissy

Creamy Garlic Angel Hair

The sauce in this dish had an amazing flavor, similar to an Alfredo, but with a kick of sweet garlic. It’s terrific on its own, topped with chicken or shrimp, or even as a side.

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil 

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T light margarine

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

½ lb angel hair pasta

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

¾ cup half and half

1 tsp dried parsley

Pre-heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté about 1-2 minutes; stir in the butter until melted. Mix in the salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

Add the pasta to the boiling liquid and cook as long as the package indicates (usually 3-5 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the parmesan until melted. Remove the pot from heat and stir in half and half and parsley.

*Recipe modified from The Cheese Pusher

5 Minute Mac and Cheese in the Microwave

Don't be skeptical...this is delicious.  The "five minutes" does not count the cooking of the noodles but the preparation of the cheese sauce. There is no flour or butter in this recipe, which I loved. I found this recipe on Pinterest and it is from the blog Picky Plate!

8 oz of cooked pasta
1 cup of whole milk
2 cups of shredded cheese
1/2 tsp salt (original recipe called for 3/4 tsp, I thought 1/2 was plenty)
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.  After pasta has been drained, place it in a microwavable bowl and add in the milk, cheese, salt, and pepper.  Stir together.  Microwave on high for three minutes.  Remove from the microwave and stir then microwave for another 2 minutes. 

Chicken and Rice Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I am a Thai food fanatic. Since I’ve been working on becoming a bit more calorie-conscious, I was thrilled to find the inspiration for a lighter version of my favorite peanut sauce.  This dish was bursting with spicy flavor – I didn’t even miss the extra calories!

Sauce: 

1 can (14-oz) far free chicken broth

5 T peanut butter

1 T Sriracha chili sauce

2 T honey

2 T soy sauce

1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Chicken:

1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

Salt and pepper

1 T Sriracha chili sauce

Juice of ½ lime

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced

1 T soy sauce

½ T sesame oil

1 pkg rice noodles

¼ cup shredded carrots

Juice of ½ lime

2 T cilantro

Whisk together sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is well blended and smooth, about 5-10 minutes.

In a large colander, rinse rice noodles with cold water. Set aside and let soften at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss chicken with salt and pepper, Sriracha, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Heat sesame oil over high heat in a wok or large skillet. Add chicken and sauté until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add noodles to pan and toss with peanut sauce. Add carrots and chicken and toss to combine. Remove from heat and sprinkle with lime juice and cilantro.

*Recipe modified from Skinnytaste

Slow Cooker Florentine Turkey Meatballs

Want to wow your family with warm comfort food without breaking the calorie-bank? Try these turkey meatballs that are packed with protein and healthy spinach and cooked all day long for that “I slaved over this” taste.

Meatballs: 

1 lb ground turkey

¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup chopped baby spinach

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Sauce:

1 can (28-oz) tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

½ tsp basil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, smashed

12 oz (1 box) Smart Taste or whole wheat thin spaghetti

Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine meatball ingredients by hand. Form into 2-inch balls and set aside.

Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, basil, salt, and pepper to a large Crockpot.  Sauté 3 garlic cloves in olive oil over medium heat until golden brown, but not burnt. Add garlic and oil to sauce. Gently place meatballs in sauce. Cover and cook on low, 4-6 hours.

Prepare pasta per package directions. Serve meatballs over pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

*Recipe modified from Skinnytaste

Whole Wheat Rotini in Lemon-Cream Sauce with Grilled Balsamic Chicken

A few years ago, my husband surprised me with a stovetop grill pan and I absolutely fell in love. It is perfect for chilly winter days or for grilling a quick dinner without the hassle of setting up the outdoor grill. (Or when we accidently run out of propane/charcoal) This lighter version of a creamy sauce was the perfect complement to the zesty flavor of the chicken and was easy to whip up for a quick weeknight dinner.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed 

¼ balsamic vinaigrette

½ lb whole wheat rotini (1/2 box)

1 ½ T light margarine

1/3 cup flour

1 ½ cups skim milk

1/3 cup white wine

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Parmesan cheese

Place chicken breasts in a large, resealable plastic bag; add vinaigrette and toss to combine. Refrigerate and marinade at least 4 hours.

Preheat indoor grill over medium heat (or outdoor grill if weather permits). Place marinated chicken on grill and discard remaining marinade. Grill about 8 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare pasta per package directions.

Add margarine to a saucepan to melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk, wine, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir constantly and bring to a boil over medium heat until sauce thickens.

Slice chicken thinly and serve atop pasta and sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

*Recipe modified from Foodista

Chicken Piccata

You’ve probably figured out by now that I often challenge myself to recreate or top restaurant favorites in my own kitchen. This was the result of one such attempt, inspired by my favorite Italian restaurant.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed then cut in half 

Sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder, seasoned to taste

¼ cup flour

4 T. butter, divided

2 T. olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus zest of 1 lemon

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

2 T. capers

1 box angel hair pasta, prepared per package instructions

Trim chicken and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Dredge chicken in flour until completely coated.

In a large skillet, preheat 2 T. of butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, about 5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Prepare angel hair pasta per package instructions.

Add lemon juice (and zest), broth, and wine to the pan to deglaze; bring to a boil. Add capers and return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and place over prepared angel hair. Whisk remaining butter into the sauce; pour sauce over chicken and pasta. 

Thai Chicken-Noodle Salad

This simple Thai dish is great cold or warm and is perfect for lunch or dinner!

1 pkg spaghetti or yakisoba noodles 

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup sesame oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

6 T honey

6 T soy sauce

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

1 T roasted sesame seeds

Chicken:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

¼ cup lime juice

Salt and pepper

Prepare noodles per package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together oils, red pepper flakes, honey, and soy sauce. Pour sauce over noodles and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate.

Prepare chicken and brown over medium-high heat; season with salt and pepper. Once chicken is browned, add lime juice. Allow chicken to cool and toss with pasta mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, add cilantro and sesame seeds to cold pasta.

*Inspired by A Small Snippet

Tortellini & Vegetable Bake

Finally, my husband and I are in our house and out of temporary lodging. I am now able to get back to cooking and baking. It's been a long time since I have made any new recipes and I am excited to get back in the kitchen. There is a lot more kitchen here and enormous amounts of counter space, which is just perfect.I made this recipe the other day and of course, forgot to take a picture. This recipe is so good, I just had to post it without the picture! The husband loved it as well and it's something I would make again. 

10 oz. frozen cheese tortellini
15 baby carrots, thinly sliced
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 tablespoon butter
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup milk
8 oz. cream cheese, softened and cubed
1 tablespoon lemon juice.
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halfed
1/2 green pepper, chopped

1. Cook tortellini, according to package directions. Two minutes before tortellini is finished cooking, add in carrots. During last minute of cooking, add in sugar snap peas. Drain.

2. Heat butter in skillet. Add chicken and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from skillet.


3. Combine chicken broth, oregano, flour, and pepper. Whisk in milk. Cook in skillet until thick and bubbly, add cream cheese and continue to cook until smooth. Add in lemon juice. Toss in pasta mixture, tomatoes, green pepper and chicken until evenly coated.

4. Bake in a 9 by 13 baking dish covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.


Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

 

Fettuccine and Pink Sauce with Parmesan-Crusted Chicken

Italian food is great for experimenting because the flavors are so subjective. Play with the taste of this dish until you find something just right for you!

Sauce: 

1 batch of Almost-From-Scratch Tomato Sauce

1 cup half & half

½ cup shredded parmesan

1 pkg. fettuccine noodles, prepared per package instructions

Chicken:

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg, beaten

½ cup shredded parmesan

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

3 T. olive oil

Prepare Almost-From-ScratchTomato Sauce (or thaw from frozen).

Meanwhile, pound chicken with mallet until thin; season with salt and pepper. Beat egg into a shallow dish; mix parmesan and breadcrumbs on a plate. Dip each chicken breast into the egg, then coat on both sides with breadcrumb mixture. In a large skillet, preheat oil over medium heat. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side and cooked through. Cover with foil and set aside.

Stir in half & half and parmesan into smooth tomato sauce. Simmer approximately 5-10 minutes more, until flavors combine and sauce is heated through. Serve sauce over prepared fettuccine and top with chicken.

Artichoke Lasanga

Within the last year, my husband and I have become huge artichoke fans. We were are both lovers of lasagna so when I saw this recipe for artichoke lasagna, I just had to give it a try. It's a definite high score in my book! 

8 main-dish servings 

1 1/2 cups each: mushrooms, chopped onions (I omitted the mushrooms)
1 cup cooked red bell pepper (I also omitted because I forgot to pick one up at the grocery store)
8 cups loosely packed baby spinach (I used an entire bag of fresh spinach)
2 packages frozen, thawed, artichoke hearts, cut into bite size pieces 
Salt and pepper to taste 
3 cups fat-free milk, divided 
1/4 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons 
1 cup grated fat-fee Parmesan cheese 
1/2 package fat free cream cheese, cubed 
2/3 cup finely chopped parsley ( I used dried instead of fresh, to taste) 
1 teaspoon dried thyme leavs 
1 teaspoon lemon juice 
12 lasange noodles, cooked 
1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese 

1. Saute mushrooms, onions, and bell pepper in lightly greased large skillet 3 minutes; add spinach and artichoke hearts. Cook, covered, over medium heat until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Cook, uncovered, until mixture is dry. Remove from heat; season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 2 cups milk to boiling in large saucepan. Mix remaining 1 cup milk and flour; whisk into boiling milk. Boil, whisking, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; mix in Parmesan and cream cheese, parsley, thyme, and lemon juice, stirring until cream cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

3. Spread 1 cup sauce in bottom of a 13 by 9 baking pan; arrange 4 noodles in pan, overlapping edges. spoon 1/2 of artichoke mixture over noodles and spread with 1 cup sauce. Repeat layers; top with remaining 4 noodles and spread with 1 cup of sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350, loosely covered until hot, about 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. 

Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick (4 cups)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup Sherry
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (6-oz) can tuna in olive oil, drained
6 oz dried curly egg noodles (preferably Pennsylvania Dutch style; about 3 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from 3 slices firm white sandwich bread)
4 oz coarsely grated Cheddar (1 cup)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. 

2. Cook onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with a pinch of salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high and add mushrooms, then sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to give off liquid, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and continue to sauté mushrooms, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Sherry and boil, stirring occasionally, until evaporated. Remove from heat. 

3. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and whisk in flour, then cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add broth in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Whisk in milk and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture, lemon juice, and salt. Flake tuna into sauce and stir gently. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

4. Cook noodles in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain noodles in a colander and return to pot. Add sauce and stir gently to combine. Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly. 

5.  Toss together bread crumbs and cheese in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss again, then sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. 

 

 

Recipe from Epicurious

 

 

 

German Spaghetti

Many, many moons ago when I was an ice cream scooper at a Western theme park (that is not a lie) I had this wonderful spaghetti at an employee dinner. I had never had anything like it! I was looking in a church cookbook from my church in Maryland and wouldn't you know there was the recipe for German Spaghetti! I didn't follow the recipe exactly but I was happy with the result!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb spaghetti noodles
1 can tomato soup
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (or more if you like cheese!)
12 pieces of bacon

Boil the noodles according to the directions on the package. At the same time, cook your bacon. I used the precooked bacon that you just have to microwave for 45 seconds or so.

When the bacon is cooled, crumble it up.

When the noodles are finished cooking, drain them and return them to the pot. Add the cheese, soup and bacon bits to the noodles and stir until the cheese is melted.
You may need to turn the burner back on low to help melt the cheese.

I like German Spaghetti to not have a lot of extra sauce but if you want more sauce just add 1 more can of soup and some more cheese.

Mom's Chicken Casserole

As a Southerner, my mom knows her comfort food. Her recipe for chicken casserole has been passed to many and has known multiple incarnations. I prefer the recipe at it’s most basic, any time I’m craving a little contentment.

                               

2 cans cream of chicken soup 

1 cup mayo

2 cups milk

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded chicken

4-5 cups raw egg noodles, crushed

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix soup, mayo, milk, and cheese until well blended; add chicken. Fold in crushed noodles. Add chicken mixture to greased 9x13 pan; cover and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes.

**Also great to add peas and water chestnuts to the chicken mixture and top with fried onions for an extra crunch.

Cheese Burger Mac and Cheese

I am not usually a huge red meat eater but when my husband and I moved to South Texas I tried Whataburger. You may ask what is Whataburger??? It is just a fast food restaurant but for some reason I love their burgers! I do not eat fast food a lot and usually I feed my Whataburger craving with a turkey burger made at home but the other night I decided to make Cheese Burger Mac and Cheese. It was really good!!

At first glance this looks gross but it tastes wonderful!! I combined a few recipes and this was the result!

For the burger:
1lb ground beef or ground turkey
1 small onion chopped OR 1 Tbsp minced onion
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup yellow mustard (I used one big squirt)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

For the Mac and Cheese:
8 oz pasta (bow tie, elbow, etc)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
8 oz. shredded cheese
3 cups milk or less if you want cheese thicker

1. Cook ground beef in a skilled with the onion. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

2. Boil pasta according to the package directions while the beef is cooking.

3. When beef is browned through, drain in excess grease. Mix in the Ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and set aside.

4. After pasta has been cooked and drained, melt the butter in a sauce pan and then add the flour.
When the butter/flour is golden in  color add the milk. Stir until the milk is bubbly and thick. This should take 5-10 minutes.

5. Once the sauce has thickened, add the cheese.

6. Combine the cheese sauce and pasta.

7. Serve the Mac and Cheese with the hamburger mixture on top of the pasta or you can mix it all together.

Adapted from BHG and The Pampered Chef.