Pizza Pasta

Clearly, this was written last week, which just proves my exhaustion point!  I'll go ahead and say it out loud, when Benjamin Franklin thought day light savings would be fantastic, he didn't have kids. The result has been one very long week for kids and parents. Could I be anymore exhausted?? Being this tired means sometimes a step or two might be over looked. In this case it meant I completely over-looked the baking portion. And it has nothing to do with the teeny tiny print of the recipe, with my glasses upstairs. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Ingredients:

1 cup elbow macaroni

1/2 lb 90% lean ground beef

6 fresh mushrooms, quartered

1/3 cup chopped onion

8 oz tomato sauce

3 1/2 oz sliced pepperoni

2 Tbs sliced black olives

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/4 cup part - skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

Cook macaroni according to package directions. In large skillet, cook beef, mushrooms, and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, pepperoni, olives, sugar, Italian seasoning, and pepper.

Drain macaroni; add to meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheeses, stirring to mix.

If you choose to bake, this is what you need to do: transfer to a 1 1/2 quart baking dish coated with cooking spray, sprinkle more cheese on top. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 4

Derived from Sam's Club



Beef Stroganoff

Let me first start by saying that I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. First we had illness, then our annual Tahoe trip, then illness again (me, this time), and finally a crazy busy schedule. I am glad, however, that this is my next post. So incredibly yummy I ate it off the serving spoon after the hubs plunked it in the sink with the bowl! Not to mention, I had the best Sous Chef ever!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb ground sirloin

Salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbs butter, divided

2 Tbs all -purpose flour
2 cups beef stock with 1 Tbs Better Than Boullian Beef Base - or 2 cups beef consommé
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 lb egg noodles, cooked to, package directions

Preparation:

Heat skillet over high heat. Add 1 tbs oil and 1 tbs butter, then add meat and onion. Cook over high heat until evenly browned, 3-4 minutes.

Heat a second skillet to medium heat. Melt 2 tbs butter and cook with flour for about 1 minute. Whisk in beef broth mixture or consommé, thicken 1 minute. Stir in mustard and sour cream, thicken 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Mix meat,sauce, and egg noodles.

Serves 4

Penne with Zesty Bolognese

I'm not Italian. I don't even think I have the tiniest bit of it in my family. Makes me wonder where my love for all things pasta and wine comes from. I try to cut back because we'd be eating pasta all the time. they tend to be some of my best "go to" dishes. This one has made it to the top of my list. I guarantee even your pickiest eaters will love it and you will be a dinner hero!

Ingredients:

1 small onion chopped (or about 1/2 to 1 cup prechopped, I buy frozen)

1/4 cup lite zesty Italian dressing
1 lb extra-lean ground beef (you could always use turkey or chicken)
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 14.5oz can undrained diced tomatoes
3/4 lb of you favorite uncooked pasta
2 Tbs Neufchâtel cheese (or low fat cream cheese, maybe even ricotta)
Grated Parmesan to taste, for serving

Preparation:

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook and stir onions in dressing until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add eat and cook on medium-high until browned, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes sauce and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on medium low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While meat sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt.

Add Neufchâtel to sauce and stir until melted. Drain pasta. Top pasta with sauce and Parmesan.

Serves 6

*Derived from Kraft recipes

Shrimp Florentine Pasta

My kids love, love, love shrimp, so when I saw this recipe, I got all excited!  A guaranteed success!  I'm going to make this one again, with some changes though. The original recipe said to omit the fat and salt, but I found the fettuccine too dry and it clumped terribly, my suggestion is to add olive oil to the water when cooking.

Ingredients:

8 oz uncooked fettuccine
2 Tbs butter
1 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 Tbs chopped garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 oz fresh baby spinach

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and keep warm.

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp, garlic, and crushed red pepper (if used). Cook until shrimp is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add cooked pasta, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and spinach. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until spinach starts to wilt, stirring to combine.

Serves 4

*Derived from Cooking Light

Mini Lasagna

Oh My Gosh, guys, this is amazing!  It's so easy, for lasagna.  Everyone loved this one, though some (Daniela) tried to deny it.  Really, a very good, quick version of lasagna.  Also reheats very well the next day for lunch.  Always a bonus!

Ingredients:

Kosher salt

7 lasagna noodles
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling (I omitted the drizzling)
1 lb ground meat mixture; beef.pork & veal, etc. (I used just ground beef)
2 cups tomato sauce
1/8 tsp pepper flakes (optional)
3 cups baby spinach (I did a quick chop of the spinach before adding)
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
6 Tbs grated Parmesan
1/4 cup thinly sliced basil

Preparation:

Preheat broiler.  Bring pot of salted water to boil.  Add noodles and cook to al dente, approximately 11 minutes. Drain and transfer to cutting board, halve crosswise. 

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the ground meat and cook, stirring, until browned.  Add the tomato sauce and red pepper flakes.  Simmer about 5 minutes.  Add spinach and stir until it wilts, then add ricotta and bring to a low simmer.  Season with salt and remove from the heat.  Toss the mozzarella and 4 tablespoons of Parmesan in a bowl. 

Spray the bottom of an 8" square baking dish with cooking spray, add a layer of slightly overlapping lasagna noodles.  Top with half of the meat sauce and half of the cheese mixture.  Repeat with another layer of noodles and the remaining meat sauce and cheese mixture.  Cover with remaining noodles and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.  Broil until golden brown and bubbling, 3 - 5 minutes.  Top with basil.

Serves 4

 

*Derived from Food Network Magazine

Bacon and Broccoli Mac 'N Cheese

This easy meal turned out to be a hit not only with the kids, but with the hubs as well.  Who would have thought!

Ingredients:

3 cups brccoli florets

8 oz uncooked rigatoni

1 Tbs butter

1½ Tbs all-purpose flour

1¼ cups 2% milk

2 oz shredded colby-jack cheese

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

 ½ cup extra-sharp shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Steam brocolli 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender; drain.  Pat dry and keep warm.  Cook pasta in boiling water for about 8 minutes, drain and keep warm.  Wipe pan with paper towels and return to medium heat.  Melt butter in pan. Sprinkle flour over melted butter; cook for 1 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Gradually add milk to the flour mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with whisk.  Cook for 1 minute or until slightly hick, and remove from heat.  Add colby-jack cheese; stir until smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients, including broccoli and pasta.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

*Derived from Cooking Light