Chicken Noodle Casserole

I decided to make this for dinner last week because my husband had a cold. You know, the change of weather sniffles, sneezing, sore throat, etc. Don't worry, he's doing better now. Maybe it was this casserole that helped him out!

This was a really comforting meal that tasted like chicken noodle soup in a casserole! It was easy to make with ingredients that you probably have on hand. Although my husband said he couldn't really taste it (poor thing!) he said he liked the texture. But I'll vouch on the taste - it was great!

Ingredients
Source: www.Allrecipes.com

2/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
8 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers (I added this)

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add chicken; cook and stir until no longer pink. (I cooked the chicken first, then added the onions and garlic). Add the broth, carrots, celery and savory. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted. Pour over chicken mixture. Add noodles; mix well.

Transfer to a 3-qt. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle crushed crackers over entire casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

Beef Stroganoff

I decided to make this last week when my husband and I realized that we were getting rather sick of chicken. I knew this would be something my husband would like, so I thought I'd give it a try. I knew this wouldn't be the most elegant of meals, but I was hoping it would have some flavor at least!

I chose this particular recipe because it didn't have a can of cream of who knows what soup in it, which I'm personally not a huge fan of. Overall this was a great recipe. Yeah, it was perhaps one of the ugliest meals I've made, but it was good! And it was a definite husband pleaser!!! Homey, comforting, and hearty - this is a great fall/winter meal.

Ingredients
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained (I omitted)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (I added this)
1 (8 ounce) package wide egg noodles
salt
pepper

Directions

Break up ground meat into a large skillet and brown until cooked through. Drain off excess fat. Add onion, mushrooms, garlic powder, and mustard powder. Cook and stir over medium heat until the onion is tender.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Stir into beef mixture, and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not stir too much. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain. Serve sauce over hot noodles.

Zucchini Stew

In the summer when I have zucchini completely overtaking my garden, this is a recipe I make quite often. It's simple, easy and adaptable. Chances are, you'll have everything you need for it right in your pantry. It's also vegan which I find to be a nice chance of pace during the week. I usually serve it over white rice or pasta.

Ingredients

1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 28 oz. can of diced or petit diced tomatoes
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken stock (optional)
salt
pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer for aprox. 30 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. If mixture becomes too thick, add chicken stock (you could even just add water or vegetable stock if you want to keep this completely vegan) and thin the sauce to your preference. Check again for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper if need be.

Once zucchini is tender, serve hot over a bed of pasta or rice. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Also makes great left overs!

Shrimp Farfalle

I've been eating a lot of shrimp lately. It's quick, easy and makes for a perfect weeknight protein. I've been eating less meat (especially red meat) so for me, shrimp is a great alternative. I feel like like I'm eating a meat, and shrimp is always such a treat.

This was one of those "clean out your pantry" type of meals. I just mixed up a bunch of things that I had on hand, and it worked out REALLY well! This pasta dinner was so flavorful, light and healthy. I really loved this and will certainly make it again.

Ingredients
1/2 12 oz. box farfalle pasta
1/2 head fresh broccoli, trimmed and chopped into medium pieces
8-10 precooked shrimp, thawed and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
1.5 cups chicken stock
aprox. 2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 fresh tomato, chopped
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2-3 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
salt
pepper
fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. During the last 3 or 4 minutes of cook time for the pasta, add fresh broccoli to the pasta water (keeping the pasta in the pot). Cook until pasta is done and broccoli is bright green and slightly softened. Be careful not to cook the broccoli too long - 3 minutes is about all you'll need. Drain pasta and broccoli and set aside.

In a large saucepan sprayed with non stick spray over medium-high heat, add shrimp. Cook until seared, about 2-3 minutes then flip shrimp to their other side and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken stock, lemon juice and thyme leaves and whisk in corn starch until well combined. Cook until thickened, and season with salt and pepper. When sauce has thickened sufficiently, add pasta, broccoli and tomato to the saucepan. Toss everything together and serve hot. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Lentil Soup

I've recently become a big fan of lentil soup. It was never anything I ate as a child, but I tried it for something different and was really impressed with it. It's very hearty, filling and good for you. And it tastes just great. So after trying a pre-packaged lentil soup mix which I liked, I made it myself the next time and was thrilled with the results.

This soup was quick to come together and just tasted great. It makes a lot, so be prepared to either freeze some or bring it lunch for a few days after you make it! It's a nice, satisfying soup that will make you feel good about eating it without sacrificing flavor!

Ingredients
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living magazine

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 cups water
2-3 cups chicken stock
1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 cups dry pasta (I used shells)
2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Directions
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring salted water to a rolling boil. Add shells and cook about 7-8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook carrot, celery, and shallot until tender, about 6 minutes. Add water, chicken stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in cooked pasta and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with vinegar to taste. Drizzle with oil and serve.

Stained Glass Pappardelle

We all have those recipes that sit in our archives for ages. Ones that we really want to make but for some reason never get around to. Well this is that recipe. This was posted on Good Things Catered literally over a year ago, but I hadn't forgotten it. It is much too pretty to forget.

So on the last Saturday before my 2010 diet starts I finally decided to make this. First of all I have to say that I love the basic recipe for the pasta dough from this recipe. For some reason I found it much easier to work with then my other recipe. Also, I didn't make the dough in a food processor like the recipe suggested. I'm one of those rare people who don't believe they need a food processor so I just did the old mound of flour on the counter top with a well for the egg mixture technique. This of course worked fine, but I'm going to keep the food processor instructions since most of the world has a food processor.

I just think this pasta is beyond impressive. Visually, this pasta is just so interesting that it makes it much more appealing then regular pasta. If you want a pasta to impress, this is most certainly it.

*Note - I served this pasta with some Alfredo Sauce I had leftover which was great. However, Good Things Catered has a Parmigiano-Reggiano Cream Sauce Recipe which looks just delicious!

Ingredients
Source: Good Things Catered

2 1/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour, divided
1 small pinch salt
4 large eggs
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small bunch of fresh parsley, leaves picked

Directions
-In bowl of food processor, add 2 c. flour and salt.
-Pulse to combine.
-Add eggs and olive oil and process until dough comes together fully, about 10-12 seconds.
-Remove top from processor and pinch dough with fingertips. You want a moist dough, but if it's too sticky, add flour 1 Tbsp at a time and process until dough is moist, but not sticky to the touch, should take an additional 30 seconds.
-Turn dough out onto well floured surface and knead for about 1 full minute, or until no streaks of flour remain and dough has come together cohesively.
-Turn dough into a ball and place on surface, under glass bowl for 30 minutes to let dough rest.
-After dough is rested, setup pasta roller.
-Divide dough in half.
-Roll half of pasta through thickest setting, fold in thirds, and then roll again.
-Repeat this rolling through thickest setting about 8 times or until pasta is completely uniform.
-Slowly decrease pasta roller width and take down to the thinnest setting.
-After you roll through the thinnest setting, set dough out on counter, sprinkle half of dough with small pieces of parsley leaves, fold other half of dough on top of parsley and press over to remove air pockets.
-Roll this through the pasta rollers one more time and set aside.
-Repeat rolling process with second half of dough.
-Take dough halves, cut into 12-16 inch sheets, fold each sheet and cut with a sharp knife into 1-inch strips, length wise.
-Place cut pasta out onto floured baking sheet to dry (15-20 minutes)while you bring large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
-Once water has come to rolling boil, pick all pasta up at the same time and drop into water.
-Boil until al dente, about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, depending on thickness.
-Drain pasta, reserving some pasta water, and place into desired sauce.
-Use pasta water to add to sauce, as desired.
-Plate and serve immediately.

Makes about 1 lb.

Penne Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

I've literally had this recipe in my drawer for over a year. I wanted to make it last year but my husband hates pumpkin everything (and he's not that picky...so when he doesn't like something I try to avoid it) and I just never got around to making it.

However, a few weekends ago he went up to hunting camp so that was the perfect opportunity for me to make this.

This was an easy dish to put together, and came out great. The pumpkin flavor was so nice and the creamy sauce just lent itself so nicely to the penne pasta. And honestly, the leftovers tasted almost better then the day I made this. It might take me another year to make this, but I will definitely make it again!

Ingredients
Source: Martha Stewart

12 ounces penne rigate (ridged), or other short pasta
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (I used dried)
3-4 leaves fresh sage, minced (I added)
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar (I omitted)
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish (optional) (I omitted)

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.

In pasta pot, heat oil over medium. Add rosemary and fry, stirring, until starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rosemary to a paper towel, leaving oil in pot.

Carefully (oil is hot and will spatter) add pumpkin puree, garlic, half-and-half, Parmesan, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and 1 cup reserved pasta water to pot. Stir sauce until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add pasta to sauce, and toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water. Season generously with salt. Serve pasta sprinkled with fried rosemary and, if desired, more red-pepper flakes.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

This is a recipe I have been wanting to make for ages, but have been unintentionally avoiding because I knew it would be very time consuming. So on a lazy Saturday afternoon I decided to make this delicious sounding recipe with some fresh butternut squash out of my garden.

This ravioli went above and beyond my expectations. My husband and I truly loved it and were so impressed with the flavors. It is perfect for this time of year when all you want are hearty, comforting foods. And really this recipe is easy to follow and easy to make. Of course it's time consuming since you are making fresh pasta, but it really is worth the effort.

Ingredients
Source: Williams-Sonoma Italian cookbook, page 55

For the Pasta Dough
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, plus more for kneading and rolling
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon safflower oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)

For the Squash Filling:
1 butternut squash, about 1.5 lb
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Egg Wash:
1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

For the Butter & Sage sauce
1/2 cup unsalted butter
40-50 small fresh sage leaves (I used about 20 leaves since I didn't want to strip my poor little sage plant. But I really think the 40-50 would have been great)

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Directions
For the pasta dough: To make the dough by hand, place the flour in a mound on a wooden or plastic work surface. Make a well in the center. In a measuring cup, whisking together the eggs and oil. Pour the egg mixture into the well. Then, using your fingers and working in a circular motion, gradually blend the egg mixture into the flour. Lightly flour your hands, gather the dough into a ball, and knead, adding additional flour in small amounts as needed to prevent stickiness until smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place the dough in a plastic bag or just on the counter and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to let the dough relax.

Cut the dough in halves or fourths to make it more manageable to work with. To roll the dough on a pasta machine, adjust the rollers to the widest setting. Flatten the piece of dough with your hand or a rolling pin, lightly dust the dough with flour, and pass through the rollers. Fold the dough in half and pass it through the rollers a second time. Repeat the rolling and folding 6-8 more times or until the dough is smooth. Flour the dough lightly if it tears or starts to stick, brushing off the excess. Reset the rollers one width narrower and pass dough through them. Again reset one width narrower and repeat, passing the dough without folding through the rollers. Continue to put the dough through the rollers, without folding it and using a narrower setting for each pass, until the sheet of dough is the desired thinness, usually the last setting for pasta such a ravioli. Each sheet should be about 4-5 inches wide. Makes about 1 lb. of pasta dough.
To Make the Squash Filling: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and discard. Place on the prepared baking sheet, cut side down, and bake until very soft with pierced with he top of a knife, about 35-45 minutes. Let cool to the touch. Peel the squash and puree the fles in a food processor. Add the bread crumbs, egg yolk, and Parmesan and pulse to blend. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and pulse to combine. Set aside.

To assemble the ravioli, roll out the pasta dough as stated above. Place a pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface and spoon 1 tablespoon squash filling onto the pasta at 2 inch intervals. Using your fingers or a pastry bursh, lightly dampen the edges of the pasta sheet and the spaces between the filling with the egg wash. Top with a second pasta sheet and press with your fingers along the edges and around each mound of filling to seal and remove air bubles. Cut into squares with a straight edged pastry wheel or sharp, thin bladed knife, then press the edges to secure. Make sure the filling does not break the sale, or the raviol with come apart during cooking.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, in a saucepam pver medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sage and cooking without stirring until the leaves crisp slightly and infused the butter, 2 -3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain well, place in a warmed large, shallow bowl and top with the sauce and Parmesan. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve at once.

Zucchini Feta Casserole

This is by far one of my favorite summertime dishes. It's fresh, flavorful and filling! I always end up with way too many zucchinis from my garden, so this is a great recipe to make because it uses a whole zucchini. My inspiration was originally from a Cooking Light recipe, however I have altered it to my tastes quite a bit over the years, so I don't think it's much like the original! The reason I like this meal so much is because you can adapt it to suit your mood and tastes. Sometimes I add tomatoes, use different cheeses, or add in chopped chicken breast. I was also thinking that artichokes would be great in this, although I haven't tried that yet. In addition, it's a really quite a healthy recipe! Overall, this meal is the perfect summertime dinner.
Ingredients
Adapted from Cooking Light

1 14.5 oz. box Penne Pasta
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped and cooked (optional)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add about 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, then zucchini, onion and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes or until onion is tender and opaque, and zucchini is wilted. Then add tomatoes (if desired) and cook for another 5 minutes or until tomatoes are soft. In a small bowl, whisk together chicken stock and flour until thoroughly combined, then add to vegetables. Cook for another minute or two, until sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, zucchini mixture, feta cheese, and cooked chicken (if desired) until combined. Pour into a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over entire casserole and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Shrimp Scampi

I haven't always liked shrimp. In fact, when I was younger, I really disliked it. I never hated it (like mushrooms...yech!) but I never ordered it out either. But lately I have been craving it. When I went to Florida, I refused to get any chicken because I make it at home so much and I really like to try regional cuisine when I travel. I ended up getting shrimp quite a bit and really found that I enjoyed it.

So I was anxious to try Shrimp Scampi, and went with Tyler Florence's recipe. It was absolutely fantastic!!! I couldn't get over how easy it was to make, and it resulted in an absolutely fantastic meal! The flavors worked so well together...and did I mention it was easy?! Plus, all of the ingredients are things that I almost always have on hand! This was a great recipe, one that I will most certainly make again!

Ingredients
Source: Tyler Florence

1 pound linguini (I used dried homemade fettuccine - and probably not a pound's worth!)
4 tablespoons butter (I used 2)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling (I used 2)
1 large shallot, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional (I omitted)
20 large shrimp, about 1 pound, peeled and deveined, tail on (mine were on the smaller side)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used more like 3/4 cup)
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves (I omitted)
1 tsp cornstarch mixed/dissolved in a splash of water (I added this)
Directions

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of water. (I omitted this...I think the sauce would have been too thin with an extra cup of water)

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. I added the cornstarch mixture at this point, to thicken the sauce up. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil (I omitted this step, I didn't think the extra butter/oil was necessary). When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta and reserved pasta water (I omitted adding the extra pasta water, I think the sauce would have been much to thin with it). Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

BLT Macaroni Salad

Now that food from the grill is officially in our regular dinner rotation, it was high time I made some macaroni salad to go along with it! I found this recipe on Buns in my Oven and was anxious to give it a try as a departure from my 'regular' standby.

We thought this was really good! I mean, who doesn't love bacon....in anything? It definitely takes on a whole new feel and taste with the addition of the green onions and tomatoes, but they were a welcome addition! And I know that there is technically no "L" in the BLT Mac salad, but I think the green onions kind of give it that 'green' feel that one would be looking for in a BLT! All in all this was a great recipe that I'm sure to be making again!!!

Ingredients
Source: Buns in my Oven

1lb. macaroni pasta
8 slices bacon
2 medium-large tomatoes (I only used 1 tomato as my husband isn't a huge fan of tomato 'chunks')
2-3 bunches of green onions, plus extra for garnish
1 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip)
1/4 cup white vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add macaroni. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and pour into large mixing bowl.

2. Fry 8 slices of bacon and, when cool enough to handle, crumble into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

3. Chop tomatoes and green onions, add to small mixing bowl. Mix in mayonnaise and vinegar. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Pour mayonnaise mixture over macaroni and stir together well. Stir in the crumbled bacon.

5. Serve in a pretty dish with some chopped green onions sprinkled on top. Enjoy!

Giada's Lasagna Rolls

This is a very popular dish in the internet food blogging world, and one that I have been yearning to try. However, my picky husband insists that noodles alone are not sufficient for dinner, so for him I had to pair this with a chicken breast. But for me, this was perfect. Serve this with some crusty Italian bread, a salad and a nice glass of wine and you've got yourself a really fabulous meal!

These were very easy to make, and I loved the addition of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of the dish. I made a few changes to the original recipe that worked out really well for me...namely the addition of the minced garlic; it added so much flavor to the ricotta mixture. Overall, this was really an excellent meal.

Ingredients
Adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis

Bechamel Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk (I used skim)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry (I omitted)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped (I omitted)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce (I used less then this...probably about 1 cup)
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced (I added this)
A pinch of nutmeg (I added this)

Directions

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach (if using), 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto (if using), egg, salt, nutmeg, minced garlic and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Cheesy Venison Casserole

My husband and I still have a lot of venison in the freezer from the deer he got this past fall. We actually butchered it together and I had fun doing it! I found it really interesting to see where the meat comes from and how you can break it down. Anyways, he said he was in the mood for hamburger helper the other day and asked me to use venison in it instead. I said I would, but I was going to make my "own" version of hamburger helper and not make it from out of the box (obviously). I didn't use a recipe but kind of came up with it as I went along and it came out really great! I love when I make things without a recipe and they actually come out good since I don't do it very often! This is perfect comfort food, and the perfect recipe for when your husband wants hamburger helper but you don't want to make it from a box! You can obviously substitute beef for venison, but I personally loved the flavor the venison gave the dish. I served this meal with some crusty french bread that I topped with Olive Oil and minced garlic, and toasted in the oven for a few minutes.

Ingredients
1 lb ground venison (or beef)
1 box of Large Shell Pasta (I used Barilla)
1 medium-large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 block (4 oz) reduced fat or fat free cream cheese
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
3 cups skim milk
1 bay leaf
1 egg
1/2 tsp paprika
1 8 oz. bag shredded 'Mexican' blend cheese (I think this equals about 2 cups)
salt
pepper
panko bread crumbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a large casserole dish with non-stick spray. Set aside. In a large pot of boiling, salted water add shells and cook for about 12 minutes or until cooked through. Drain, and set pasta aside.

In a large skillet with high sides, cook ground venison over medium-high heat, crumbling/stirring meat every few minutes. When ground beef is almost cooked through and has very little pink left, add onion and garlic. Stir to combine, cover and cook, stirring every few minutes for about 5-7 minutes or until onions are translucent and meat is cooked completely through. Reduce heat to medium-low, add cream cheese and cover. Stir every so often until cream cheese is completely incorporated with meat mixture and has melted. Remove mixture from heat and, keeping it covered, set aside.

In a medium-large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. When melted, whisk in flour and continue whisking until the mixture becomes a very light golden color, about 3-4 minutes. Whisk in milk and paprika, add the bay leaf and turn up the heat to medium-high. When the mixture has been brought up to a simmer, lower heat to medium or medium low...you don't want the milk to boil over!!! Make sure you are whisking constantly during this whole process. Let the milk simmer for about 10-12 minutes, or until it has thickened considerably. Remove the bay leaf, and temper in the egg*. Whisk in all of your cheese and continue to whisk until the cheese is completely melted and the mixture is nice and thick.

Now, put your cooked shell noodles in the same pot as the beef mixture, and pour the cheese sauce over everything. I used most of the sauce, but not all of it. Add as much as you want, to your particular cheese liking! Mix everything together thoroughly, season with salt and pepper to taste, and pour in your greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with panko bread crumbs, and bake for about 20-30 minutes. Serve, and enjoy!


*Tempering in an egg: If you're not a food network junkie like me, you might not know what tempering in an egg means! Basically you don't want your egg to scramble when you put it in a hot mixture, so you have to bring it up to temperature gradually. Crack your egg into a very small bowl or measuring cup, then add a few spoonfuls of your hot milk mixture to it and whisk it in with the egg. Do this 2 or 3 times, adding more of your hot milk mixture each time. Then pour the whole thing back into the thickened hot milk and whisk to combine.

Four Cheese Ravioli

I haven't had ravioli in ages and I was really in the mood for it last week. Since I got the whole fresh pasta thing down, I decided to make some! I saw this recipe at Good Things Catered and it sounded perfect...just what I wanted!

The recipe was delicious...my husband and I really loved the ravioli. It is a bit time consuming of course, but no more so then making fresh pierogi which I do on a semi-regular basis. The only thing I will do next time is adjust the noodle to cheese ratio! I had a little too much noodle and not enough cheese, but that was entirely my fault. I was worried about the cheese falling out of the pasta during cook time so I overcompensated. I served the ravioli with a combination of homemade alfredo and store bought marinara sauce (it sounds weird but it's really good) which I mix together and then I topped the ravioli with freshly grated Parmesan. All in all this was a great recipe that I will definitely make again!


Ingredients
Source: Good Things Catered

1 batch fresh pasta, rolled out in sheets 12 in. long by 4 1/2 in. wide
1/4 c. ricotta cheese (I definately used more than 1/4 cup to get the consistency right. However I did use Fat-Free ricotta, which I think is a lot less moist then regular)
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. freshly grated fontina cheese
1/4 c. fresh grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp fresh oregano, finely minced
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions
-In small bowl make filling by combining cheeses, oregano, salt and pepper.
-Mix to combine thoroughly and set aside.
-Place pasta on a lightly floured surface.
-Fold dough in half lengthwise, press gently to make a crease and then unfold.
-Place about 2 tsp filling every 2 inches along the closest edge of the pasta half.
-Dip a finger in a small bowl of water lightly moisten dough around each mound of filling.
-Fold the top pasta half on top of the bottom half and press and shape the dough around each mound, working outwards.
-Make sure all the air is pressed out and the filling is secured in the middle of the pasta (or it will break in the boiling water.
-Use a pastry edger (sharp knife of 2in. circle pastry cutter), cut ravioli into 2 inch squares.
-Place raviolis onto a lightly floured surface to dry for one hour.
-Place into airtight container to store in refrigerator for up to a week or freezer for up to 3 months.

Alfredo Sauce

My husband and I just love Alfredo sauce, so I tend to make it quite a bit! I started with this recipe but over time it has really evolved to suit mine and my husband's tastes. I love the way this Alfredo comes out every time, and I just realized I never made a post dedicated to it! So here is my favorite recipe, I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
Adapted from Tyler Florence

2 cups milk (I usually use a combo of 1 cup fat free half and half and 1 cup skim)
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 shallot, minced
2 small or medium garlic cloves, minced
3 tsp all purpose flour
salt
pepper
nutmeg

Directions
Heat milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add butter and whisk occasionally until all of the butter has melted. When the butter has melted, whisk in flour, shallot and garlic and let it sit at a very low simmer (make sure it doesn't really boil) for aprox. 3-5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in cheese and add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Continue to let the sauce simmer very slightly until it is at the consistency you want. Great with fresh pasta. Garnish pasta with chives or green onions, if desired!

Homemade Pasta

I had sooo much fun making pasta last weekend! Seriously...it think it was the most fun I've ever had making food! Maybe simple things just amuse me, but the way you feed the dough through the roller and have it turn out nice and thin and then put it through the fettuccine cutter....awesome!

This was, however, my second attempt at making pasta. My first attempt failed miserably...my dough was way too dry (think sawdust) so I had to throw it away. However, I mustered up enough strength to try it again and it turned out perfectly! Just follow your instinct...when the dough looks like it has enough flour it probably does. And when you are rolling it you add more flour anyways.

When searching for a recipe I turned to Good Things Catered because I've yet to be disappointed with a recipe from there! The only thing I did differently was add about a tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil when I was whisking the eggs into the flour.


Ingredients
Source: Good Things Catered - Originally from Williams-Sonoma

2 ¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
3 eggs, lightly beaten
(I added 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil in with the eggs)
Semolina flour for dusting (I used all purpose)

Directions:
-Place the 2 ¼ c. flour in a mound on a work surface.
-Make a well in the center large enough to hold the beaten eggs and pour the eggs into the well.
-Using a fork, begin gradually incorporating some of the flour from the sides, taking care not to break the flour wall.
-When the eggs are no longer runny, you can stop worrying about the wall.
-Continue working in more flour until the dough is no longer wet.
-Begin kneading the dough by hand, adding as much additional all-purpose flour as needed until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, 3 to 5 min.
-After reading other recipes online, I decided to let the dough rest for about 15 minutes at this point.
-Scoop up any remaining flour and pass it through a sieve to remove any large particles.
-Set the sieved flour aside.
-Dust baking sheets with semolina flour.
-Divide the dough in half.
-Keep one half on the work surface, covered with a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying.
-Set up your pasta machine alongside another work surface.
-Lightly flour the work surface with some of the reserved sieved flour.
-Using a rolling pin, flatten the other dough half into a rectangle thin enough to go through the rollers at the widest setting.
-Pass the dough through the rollers once, then lay the resulting ribbon down on the work surface and flour it lightly.
-Fold into thirds lengthwise to make a rectangle and flour both sides lightly.
-Flatten the dough with the rolling pin until it is thin enough to go through the rollers again.
-With one of the two open edges going first, pass the dough through the rollers nine more times at the widest setting; after each time, flour, fold and flatten the dough as described.
-After 10 trips through the wide rollers, the dough should be completely smooth and supple.
-Now you are ready to thin the dough. Starting at the second-to-widest setting, pass the dough through the rollers repeatedly, setting the rollers one notch narrower each time.
-When the pasta ribbon gets unwieldy, cut it in half and continue rolling one part at a time until the dough reaches the desired thinness.
-Arrange the finished pasta sheets on the prepared baking sheets and cover with kitchen towels to prevent drying.
-Repeat the entire process with the second half of dough.
-Cut the pasta by hand or machine as desired.

Orzo with balsamic caramelized onions

I almost didn't make my orzo this way last night because I was worried that it would be way too much of the same flavors in one dish, since I made it with my Seared pork chops with balsamic caramelized onions. But since I already had everything out I decided to make it this way and boy was it great! I didn't think the balsamic caramelized onions were too overpowering at all, and it paired so nicely with pork chops. I started with my favorite orzo recipe that I found on the excellent blog "cook like a champion" and went on from there!

Ingredients
Adapted from Cook like a Champion

1 tbsp butter
1 cup orzo
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 1/4 cups water
1 small onion, sliced
aprox 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
aprox. 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
pepper

Directions
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add orzo, and cook stirring constantly about 3 minutes. Add Chicken stock and water to orzo, and bring to a boil while stirring. Once at a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the orzo is simmering, add aprox. 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Once the onions start to caramelize, add about 2 tbsp. balsamic to the hot skillet. Once the onions are sufficiently caramelized to your liking and the orzo has simmered for about 12 minutes, add the balsamic onions to the orzo along with another tbsp. of balsamic vinegar (this last tbsp. can be omitted if you like a weaker balsamic flavor, I personally love lots of balsamic!), salt and pepper to taste. Cook the orzo for another 3 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed and serve hot.

Mezzi Rigatoni Alfredo with Prosciutto and Scallions

I was inspired to make this dish while I was at a Christmas Party a few weeks ago. The restaurant served something similar with Penne Pasta, a cream sauce (it wasn't Alfredo), ham and scallions. Well, the dish was really good there but my husband wasn't with me so I decided to try and recreate something similar for him. The result was heavenly. I got Mezzi Rigatoni for something a little different from our "norm", found a a great Tyler Florence Alfredo sauce recipe, and then decided to add in some Prosciutto and Scallions for an extra "kick". The creamy and rich alfredo sauce blended so well with the sharpness of the scallions and the mellow flavor of the Proscuitto. I will definately be making this again...my husband and I both loved it.

Ingredients
1 box of Mezzi Rigatoni pasta
4-5 slices of Proscuitto, chopped
4-5 bunches of washed scallions, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
salt
pepper
Alfred Sauce

Afredo Sauce Recipe
Adapted from Tyler Florence
Ingredients
1 pint heavy cream (I used 2 cups of half and half)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly cracked black pepper
salt
3 tsp flour

Directions
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, about 10 minutes for Al Dente. Drain, and put back in large pot. Cover and set aside.

To make alfredo sauce, heat heavy cream over low-medium heat in a deep saute pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Add 3 tsp of all purpose flour a little at a time in order to thicken the sauce up. When you have reached the desired consistency, sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and salt.

Toss cooked pasta with Alfredo sauce, Chopped Prosciutto, Green onions, Shallots, Salt and pepper.

Creamy Parmesan Orzo

2 weeks ago at the grocery store, I picked up a box of orzo. I had no clue how to prepare it, and to be honest I don't think I've ever even eaten it before. But I'm always looking to do different side dishes so I thought it would be good for that. Well that box sat in my pantry for about a week or so. I scanned allrecipes.com with no luck, and even looked through some other food blogs. I still didn't find anything I was interested in. Then I happened to find my way on the Cook like a Champion blog and found exactly what I was looking for! A perfect way to serve my orzo! So I tried it last night and oh my gosh I loved it! I served it with Cheddar Baked Chicken, and it was a perfect side to that. It was also a perfect "base" recipe and I'm SO excited to try all different variations on it. But for the 1st time, I followed the recipe (almost) to the T! It reminded both my husband and I of risotto but it's a lot less time consuming. Either way it's great, you will love it!

Ingredients:
Adapted from Cook like a Champion

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup orzo
1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese (I didn't measure my Parmesan, but I know I used way more than 1/4 cup!!!)
2 tablespoons parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch of Nutmeg

Directions:
-Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
-Add orzo and cook three minutes, stirring constantly.
-Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil.
-Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
-Remove from heat.
-Stir in cheese, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Grate a little Parmesan over the top right before serving.

Pierogi Lasagna

When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try and it and blog about it! I found it on the Omnomicon blog and while my pictures are no where near as good as on that blog, I did what I could! This was great as a side to Kielbasa with carmelized onions. I thought the end result was a little bit on the "bland" side, but I blame myself because I think my potatoes were under seasoned. I will use more onions next time as well because i found they got lost in all of the potato and noodle goodness. Also, I wouldn't serve it as a main course or by itself because all those carbs get a little overwhelming. A protein is a must with this dish! Some Grilled Kielbasa is an excellent choice. But all in all, I thought this recipe was a really good take on a pierogi. I will probably make it again!

Ingredients
1 lb lasagna noodles
4 lbs red or white potatoes
1/4 c sour cream (optional)
1/2 c milk
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 c butter (1.5 sticks) (I used about 3/4 - 1 stick)
1 onion, sliced in rings

Directions
Cook the noodles. Chop potatoes into 1" cubes, place in pot of cold water (enough to cover), and allow to come to a boil. Continue boil until potatoes are soft enough to yield to a fork stab. Drain, mash, blend with a mixer. Toss in the optional sour cream and milk, mix some more. Add salt to taste. Stir in cheddar.

Melt all the butter over medium-high heat, then sautee onion until the rings no longer hold their shape.

Preheat oven to 375. Grease the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with some of the onion-butter. Lay noodles on the bottom of the dish, then spread the potatoes, a dollop at a time, along the length of each noodle. Once done, smooth the potatoes, then spread about a quarter of the onion on top, and drizzle a small amount of butter as well. Repeat this twice (or more if your dish can accommodate), then top with noodles and the remainder of the onions and butter.

Pop in the oven for 20 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before cutting and serving.