Pasta Recipes

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Cajun Chicken Casserole

February 20, 2014 by Kay Leave a Comment

Cajun spices are mixed with chicken, veggies, pasta and a creamy sauce in this comforting casserole.

Cajun Chicken Casserole

Happy Friday Everyone! Do you have any special plans for the weekend? Since there is more crazy weather ahead I plan to stay inside. I will be busy in the kitchen mixing up some tasty recipes. On the menu is a Chorizo & Cheese Dip, something with beef tips, and a strawberry salad for sure and I might take a stab at some made from scratch rolls. Wish me luck!

From what I can tell anything with pasta and any type of dessert gets really high views on my Facebook page. Go figure, my two favorite meals seems to be everyone else’s favorites as well. I will try and share more recipes under these categories but I may need to find people willing to help me eat the food so I don’t gain too much weight!

Cajun Chicken Casserole

I used Farfalle pasta in this dish but feel free to use any small shaped pasta. For this recipe you saute the chicken and vegetables, then add in 2 different kinds of soup along with some milk to make up the sauce. Add in the spices, stir in the cheese and the casserole is ready to bake and enjoy!

Cajun Chicken Casserole

Enjoy!

Cajun Chicken Casserole

Rating: 41

Yield: 6 Servings

Cajun Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

1 – 12 ounce package pasta (bow tie, penne, rotini)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
½ can (10 ¾ oz.) French onion soup
1 cup 2% milk
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. pepper
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente.
Saute chicken in 1 tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven until juices run clear. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Saute onions and peppers in the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil in the same pan until tender. Add the chicken, chicken soup, French onion soup, milk, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
Drain pasta. Add to the soup mixture; toss to coat. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the last of the cheddar cheese on top. Cover and bake the casserole at 350 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes or until bubbly.

http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/cajun-chicken-casserole/

Broccoli Macaroni And Cheese

February 17, 2014 by Kay 11 Comments

Broccoli Mac & Cheese starts with a layer of broccoli with cheesy pasta added and then it’s baked to perfection.

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

I am a huge fan of Mac & Cheese, the homemade kind, not the boxed kind. This version has some broccoli added in and the best way to eat broccoli is with some cheese on it! If you are trying to add more vegetables into your diet, or better yet, into your kids diet, this is a good place to start.

Add the broccoli to the baking dish.

The broccoli is blanched then layered on the bottom of the baking dish. While the pasta is cooking you whip up the cheese sauce.

Add the cheese sauce to the pasta.

The cheese sauce is actually a healthy version using low fat milk, a mixture of flour and cornstarch to thicken the sauce and the amount of cheese is minimal for a cheese sauce.

Lastly you mix together some butter and bread crumbs to add to the top of the pasta. Lastly you bake the dish to combine all the flavors.

Enjoy!

Add the pasta over the top of the broccoli.

Add the bread crumbs.

The end product is delicious.

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

Rating: 51

Yield: 8-10 Servings

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

1 large bunch broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
1 pound pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups low-fat milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
12 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons bread crumbs

Instructions

Fill a large pot with enough water to reach a depth of 2 inches and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse with cold water. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the broccoli in an even layer.
Fill the same pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain.
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees . In a sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup milk until thickened, then whisk in 1 cup more. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, then whisk the mixture into the pot. Simmer, whisking, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the cheddar and 4 tablespoons parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the pasta. Spoon the mixture over the broccoli.
In a small heatproof bowl, add the 1/2 tablespoon butter; microwave at high power until melted, about 20 seconds. Stir in the bread crumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on the pasta. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Notes

You can skip the broccoli if you would like, but I highly recommend it. If you don't have shallots, use a small onion in its place.

I used Rigatoni for the pasta, feel free to use any small shaped pasta for this recipe.

http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/broccoli-macaroni-and-cheese/

Adapted from Everyday with Rachel Ray

Shrimp Scampi

February 10, 2014 by Kay 7 Comments

Shrimp Scampi tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but comes together in under 30 minutes!

Shrimp Scampi

I whipped up this recipe on Friday evening before the Hubby and I started to watch Lost from the beginning. We watched it when it was on TV but didn’t get to see or didn’t pay close enough attention to get all the details of the show.

It’s as good today as it was when it was on all those year’s ago. We are watching it on Netflix. Do you have Netflix? If not, you must, it is the best. My only problem is I tend to spend too much time in front of the TV and neglect other things I need to be doing (like housework).

Back to the recipe….you saute garlic in olive oil and butter, then you toss in the shrimp and some spices.

Try standing your fork up in the middle of your pasta!

After the shrimp has been sauteed for a few minutes you toss in the linguine and mix it all up and voile, your dish is ready. Just plate it up and toss on some freshly grated parmesan and some herbs if you like.

Garlicky, Buttery Shrimp

Serve this up with a salad or try my recipe for Pesto Cheese Bread and you have a nice dinner to share with your Sweetie!

Shrimp Scampi

Rating: 51

Serving Size: 4 Servings

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients

12 ounces of linguine, cooked according to package directions
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
1 lb. shrimp, deveined and shells removed, patted dry
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. paprika
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Fresh parsley or oregano for garnish, optional

Instructions

While the pasta is cooking, heat a pan over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Mince the garlic and add it to the pan, sauté for 1 minute and add the shrimp, salt, pepper and paprika. Saute until the shrimp are pink, approx. 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Take the pan off the heat and add the pasta and stir to combine and you are ready to serve. Top with parmesan cheese and parsley or oregano if desired.

Notes

I used fresh shrimp for this recipe. If you use already cooked shrimp, you won't need to saute the shrimp as long. Make sure the shrimp are thawed before making them.

http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/shrimp-scampi/

Enjoy!

One Pot Pasta Dish

January 13, 2014 by Kay 4 Comments

I always say if you are going to dirty up your kitchen for one meal, why not dirty it up for two! So, today I am featuring my One Pot Pasta Dish recipe and I will also be making enough ground chuck for my Tamale Pie recipe which I will feature on Wednesday. It can be tough trying to plan meals every week and at times even tougher to find time to make a decent meal every night. Both of these recipes come together rather quickly and are packed full of flavor.

The One Pot Pasta Dish is delish! I am a huge pasta lover and I always say that if I had to choose one nationality of food to live on it would be Italian because of pasta, I LOVE IT……LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! I try and eat pasta in moderation and over the last few years they have come out with healthier pasta, so I don’t feel so bad making pasta dishes and serving it to my family.

I started out frying up 2 pounds of ground chuck. And here is a secret for cutting back on the fat in your ground chuck, when you are done frying the meat, pour the meat on a plate with a stack of paper towels on it. The paper towel will soak up the excess fat from the ground chuck. Set aside half of the ground chuck for the Tamale Pie.

Get rid of the excess fat.

Next add the olive oil to the same pan you used for the ground chuck over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 7-8 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add the meat, tomato products, water and seasonings. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the temperature to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

The Sauce

Add in the pasta and simmer for another 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. I used Orecchiette pasta, but you can use the pasta shape of your choice.

Orecchiette Pasta

The end result is so heart warming, a true comfort food.

One Pot Pasta Dish

Add some parmesan cheese to the top if you wish.

Add some parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

One Pot Pasta Dish

Rating: 51

Yield: 6 Servings

One Pot Pasta Dish

Ingredients

1 pound ground chuck
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
3 cups tomato juice
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Dash of pepper
1 (7-ounce) package pasta, uncooked
Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook the ground chuck in a large pot, stirring it and breaking down the meat into crumbles. Drain the meat on a plate covered with paper towel. In the same pot add the olive oil and add the onion and pepper. Saute until translucent, approx. 7-8 minutes.
Add in the ground chuck and the next 10 ingredients and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add pasta; cover and simmer, stirring often, 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with cheese, if desired.

Notes

*If you are going to make this recipe along with the Tamale Casserole, you will need to brown 2 lbs. of ground chuck and save half for the Tamale Pie.

http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/onepotpastadish/

Recipe adapted from My Recipes

Pasta Recipes

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