Orzo and Potato Parmesan

This was a pretty good dish. Although it is more of a side dish than a main dish. It was too salty though, so I would suggest going light on the salt, and reducing the Parmesan cheese as well. I only used 3/4 cup of Parmesan, and it was more than enough. Oh and I used chicken bullion instead of vegetable bullion.

Orzo and Potato Parmesan

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups water
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in orzo and garlic, and saute until lightly browned. Place potatoes, carrot, and onion in the saucepan. Continue to cook and stir until tender. Season with dried Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
2. Mix water into the saucepan. Stir in vegetable bouillon until dissolved. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes, or until orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Top with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Farfalle Special

I made this a while ago, but never posted it. I made a lot of substitutions because I needed to use ingredients I had on hand, but I think it would taste great as written. I just used milk instead of cream, I used Parmesan Cheese in stead of Roquefort and some egg noodles and rotini since I didn't have farfalle. I also only used about 16 ounces, but that was a lot of pasta.

Farfalle Special

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 slices bacon
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3/4 cup fresh mushrooms, quartered
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 2 ounces Roquefort cheese
• 1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 18 ounces farfalle (bow tie) pasta

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
   
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon and onion in the butter for 7 to 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the heavy cream, salt, pepper, Roquefort cheese and tomato sauce; cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Pour over cooked farfalle pasta and serve.

Cream Pesto Sauce

This is another recipe I made a long time ago, but forgot to post. This was really good! I think I halved the recipe for our family. I used linguine, but any long pasta would work.

Cream Pesto Sauce

• 1 (16 ounce) package linguine pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated Romano cheese
• 1 cup prepared basil pesto
• 3 roma (plum) tomato, diced

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until tender and translucent. Stir in garlic and butter, and saute until garlic is soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Dissolve flour in milk, then stir in. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cheese, and stir until melted. Stir in pesto. Add tomatoes. Cook 4 minutes, or until heated through. Toss with pasta until evenly coated.

Pasta, Broccoli and Chicken

I made this Saturday night with some fresh made pesto. It was really good. I used farfalle (bowtie) pasta instead of rigatoni. I had fresh tomatoes from a friend's garden. I didn't have a lot of Parmesan cheese so I used mozzarella instead, and it was delicious. It made a lot, so there were left overs.

Pasta, Broccoli and Chicken

• 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 1/2 pound fresh broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons pesto
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and chopped
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large pot with boiling salted water cook rigatoni pasta until al dente. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, blanch broccoli florets in a medium size saucepan, remove with slotted spoon. In same pan saute the minced garlic and pesto sauce in the olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and set aside.
3. In a large bowl toss cooked pasta with blanched broccoli, cooked chicken, and garlic/tomato mixture. Add grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and ground black pepper and mix well. Serve warm.

Greek God Pasta

So I forgot to take pictures again. Oops! This was a pretty good recipe. It think it needed more cheese throughout, not just on top. I used more feta than that. I don't know how "Greek" this really is except for the feta cheese. I just used what ever pasta I had on hand - farfalle I think. I scaled the recipe back a little, because it made a lot. We had leftovers for a few days.

Greek God Pasta

• 1 (16 ounce) package whole wheat rotini pasta
• 1 (16 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup sliced black olives
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and pour into a deep casserole dish.
3. Stir tomatoes, green pepper, green onion, olives and tomato sauce into the pasta. Season with basil and oregano and mix until evenly blended. Sprinkle mozzarella and feta cheese over the top.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

made this without changing anything - almost. I didn't have pastina, so I used small shell pasta and it wan't quite 1 cup so I used some egg noodles too. Pretty much everything else is the same. I found it on the Food Network website - a recipe from Giada de Laurentiis. It was fabulous and really easy.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

Ingredients

• 1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
• 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Beef Pasta Skillet

This was a pretty good recipe. Great for nights when you need something quick. I added a fresh roma tomato chopped and an extra cup of pasta to make it go further.
Beef Pasta Skillet

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup (Regular or 25% Less Sodium)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups cooked corkscrew-shaped pasta or elbow pasta

1. Cook beef and onion in skillet until browned. Pour off fat.
2. Add soup, water, Worcestershire, cheese and pasta and heat through.

Baked Fettucheesy

I made this a few weeks ago, but never posted it. It also called for Romano cheese, but I didn't have any. I also didn't have any heavy cream, but I figured whole milk would work. I thought it tasted great! There were not many leftovers.

Baked Fettucheesy

• 1 (16 ounce) package dry fettuccine pasta
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
  
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, and cook the onion until tender. Stir in the fettuccine, heavy cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup Romano cheese, salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared dish. In a bowl, mix the remaining Parmesan, remaining Romano, and mozzarella. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the fettuccine mixture.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and golden brow.

Penne Primavera

I have used this recipe several times. I'm surprised I haven't posted it. It's a great summertime recipe. The only change is that I add the garlic to the vegetables after they are sauteed. Yes, you really do use only 2 cups of broth! After you put the lid on the skillet it will cook into the pasta, and there will be a tiny bit left in the pan when it is done.

Penne Primavera

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (8 ounce) package penne pasta
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. When garlic is tender, remove from skillet and set aside. Place the broccoli and carrot in the skillet, and cook 2 minutes, just until heated through.
2. In a pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in the penne pasta and heated crushed garlic clove. Cook for 5 minutes, or until pasta is almost al dente. Remove and discard garlic clove.
3. Transfer the partially cooked pasta and broth to the skillet. Mix in the peas. Cover skillet, and continue cooking 10 minutes over medium heat, or until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender. Toss with the Parmesan cheese to serve.

Basil Chicken over Angel Hair

This was pretty easy. I didn't have enough fresh tomatoes, so I used a can of diced tomatoes, and it worked. Oh I forgot the hot pepper sauce - oops. That would have been good. I also forgot the salt, so we added some at the table. And we added our own Parmesan as well.

Basil Chicken over Angel Hair

• 1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook angel hair pasta until it is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken, basil, salt and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to medium, and cover skillet. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot and tomatoes are soft.
3. Toss sauce with hot cooked angel hair pasta to coat. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Tony's Summer Pasta

I found this recipe a while ago, but made it again recently with the kitchen too hot for baking. I didn't use quite as much cheese as it called for. The garlic flavor was strong, but David still ate it. I didn't use quite so much olive oil. I didn't have fresh tomatoes, so canned was an ok substitute. I also reduced it to make dinner for 4 rather than 6. I was impressed that I actually had linguini in the pantry! And fresh basil is so nice to have!

Tony's Summer Pasta

• 1 (16 ounce) package linguini pasta
• 6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• ground black pepper to taste

1. Combine tomatoes, cheese, basil, garlic, olive oil, garlic salt, and black pepper in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Drain pasta, and transfer to a serving bowl. Toss with tomato mixture. Serve.

Lime Chicken with Pasta

I made this earlier in the week. Thursday I think. I thought it was really good. I wish I'd had fresh limes and fresh parsley. It was still good with lime juice and dried parsley. I changed a lot of the recipe, so there is a link to the original.

Lime Chicken with Pasta

• For the pasta:
• 1 (16 ounce) package dried small pasta shells
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  
• 
  
• For the chicken:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 2 chicken breast halves (about 1 lb total)- cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
  
• 2 limes, quartered
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, pour pasta into a large bowl, and stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter, Parmesan, and parsley.
2. Meanwhile, warm 1/3 cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Mix salt and pepper with bread crumbs. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs. Place chicken pieces and limes into hot skillet. Cover, and cook until chicken is well browned on the bottom. Turn the chicken, and pour broth into the skillet; cover, and cook until the chicken is browned. Stir in diced tomatoes; cover, and cook about 3 minutes. Remove lime wedges, and serve over pasta.

Spaghetti Torte

I made this a while ago, but never posted it. I changed a lot and the recipe reflects that.

Spaghetti Torte

• 1 pound uncooked spaghetti
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
  
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  
• 1/2 tsp oregano
  
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used 1 tsp dried basil, and added it to the cheese mixture)
  
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  
• 4 slices provolone cheese, cut into fourths (I used shredded mozzarella)
  

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x3 inch springform pan with cooking spray.
2. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Rinse with cold water, and drain.
3. While spaghetti is cooking, combine Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, and egg whites in a large bowl. Toss with cooked spaghetti to coat.
4. Press half the spaghetti mixture in bottom of prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the basil, and top with half the tomatoes and half the provolone cheese. Press remaining spaghetti mixture into pan, sprinkle with remaining basil, and top with remaining tomatoes. Place remaining provolone cheese over the top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Let stand about 15 minutes, remove sides of pan, transfer to a serving platter. Cut into wedges to serve.

Cool Cucumber Pasta

I made this last night for a get together with Nathan and Amy. It was really good, even though I didn't have 3 hours to let it chill. It's really good the next day too. I halved the recipe, and used penne rigate pasta - still 8 oz though. I didn't use all of the dressing either. It is a lot sweeter than I expected, so maybe a little less sugar would be fine. It's not as vinegary (is that word?) as I thought it would be. We all really liked it.

Cool Cucumber Pasta

• 8 ounces tube pasta
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl; stir in oil, cucumbers and onion. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over salad and toss. Cover and chill for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.

heavenly hamburger

This recipe came from Aaron's mom. We don't have it often, because it's not that healthy. It's the first red meat I ate after my bland diet.

8 oz egg noodle pasta
1 lb ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
3 green onions, sliced
3 oz cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Brown ground beef, garlic, salt, sugar and pepper.
Add sauce, simmer 15 minutes.
Cook noodles according to package directions.
Add onions to sauce.
Stir in sour cream and cheeses.
Pour in 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Herb and Chicken Pasta

I've made this before, but apparently haven't posted it. I reduced the amounts slightly, and didn't use the red pepper flakes. I added 1 Tbsp cornstarch to the chicken broth to thicken the sauce.

Herb and Chicken Pasta

• 1 (16 ounce) package angel hair pasta
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.
2. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper, basil, rosemary, Cajun seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken from skillet and stir in garlic and onions; cook and stir until clear.
3. Return chicken to skillet over onion mixture and add broth. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside; spread mixture over pasta and serve.

Mostaccoli Mosta

I've made this before but I think it was before I started this blog. It's pretty easy and fast. The only changes are that I had 2 (8 oz) cans of tomato sauce, I used only 12 oz of penne pasta, and not as much butter or mozzarella cheese. I just put it in a 9x13 baking dish before I put it in the oven.

Mostaccoli Mosta

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (16 ounce) package mostaccioli pasta
• 2 teaspoons butter, softened
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. In large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until done. Drain. Add tomato sauce, olives, Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and oregano. Simmer 15 minutes.
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.
3. Please mostaccioli in a shallow, 3 quart baking dish. Toss with butter or margarine. Pour meat sauce over, and top with shredded mozzarella.
4. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Spaghetti with Mussels

Since we had only used half of the bag of mussels, and we had to use them up before they died, we had another mussel meal. This recipe came from Italian Cooking.

• 2 lb fresh mussels in their shells
• 5 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 4 Tbsp white wine (or water)
• 1 lb spaghetti
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Scrub and debeard the mussels under cold running water
2. Bring large pan of water to a boil for the pasta. Place the mussels with a cup of water in another large saucepan over moderate heat. As soon as they open, lift them out one by one.
   
3. When all the mussels have opened (discard any that do not), strain the liquid in the saucepan through a paper towel ans reserve until needed.
   
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the mussels, their strained juices and the water. Cook over moderate heat. Meanwhile add the pasta to the boiling water.
5. Add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper to the sauce. Taste for seasoning, adding salt as necessary.
6. Drain the pasta when it is al dente. Tip it into the frying pan with the sauce, and stir well over moderate heat for 1-2 minutes more. Serve at once, without cheese.

Aaron and I laughed that they added "without cheese" to the directions.

angel hair pasta with fresh basil, avocado and tomatoes

I got this recipe from my friend Nadine, but then I also found it in my Betty Crocker quick & Easy cookbook. It's really fast and delicious - although Aaron doesn't like it - oh well.

angel hair pasta with fresh basil, avocado and tomatoes

8 oz pasta (angel hair cooks fast, but you can use spaghetti, or something else)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 close fresh garlic, finely chopped
3/4 c chopped fresh basil
1/2 - 3/4 large avocado, peeled and cut into small cubes
4 medium tomatoes, cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package
While pasta is cooking, heat oil in 3 qt- sauce pan over medium heat. Cook garlic in oil about 5 minute, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender but not brown; remove from heat.
Stir basil, avocado, and tomatoes into garlic in sauce pan. Toss vegetable mixture and pasta. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pasta with Sweet Peas

I double this recipe and it's gone quickly. With 16 oz of pasta there are plenty of leftovers. It's really quick. I even cooked up some chicken breasts to go along with it. I sauteed them in the butter and sprinkled the red pepper (I didn't use that much- just a few sprinkles) on them and then added it to the pasta. It would be better with frozen peas, but I had canned, so I used them. This isn't my picture, and those aren't farfalle pasta noodles.

Pasta with Sweet Peas

• 4 ounces farfalle pasta (bowtie noodles)
  
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1/4 cup canned green peas
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1. In a small pot cook farfalle pasta with the 2 cups of water. Add chicken bouillon and boil until water has reduced.
2. Stir in butter and peas. Add red pepper flakes, if desired.
3. Serve with sprinkled parsley on top.