Caprese Stuffed Chicken

 
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups baby spinach
4 chicken breasts, pounded very thin
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
4oz mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees then line a sheet with with foil, spray with nonstick spray and then set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat then add onion, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds. Add spinach then cook just until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Brush and season both sides of the pounded chicken breasts with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mound 1/4 of the spinach mixture on one end of the chicken breasts, then layer on sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil then sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper. Fold other end of chicken over and secure with a toothpick. Place onto prepared baking sheet then bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.

One Pan Caprese Pasta

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 main dish servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups dry pasta
• 1 package of grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 5 fresh whole basil leaves
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups fresh, diced Mozzarella (about 8 oz)
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• Chopped basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat a 12 inch skillet or saute pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft.
2. Add dry pasta, sliced tomatoes, fresh whole basil leaves, water, salt and pepper. Stir together to combine.
3. Bring pasta mixture to a boil. Continue to cook pasta over medium heat, stirring often, until pasta is cooked and the liquid is reduced; about ten minutes.
4. Top evenly with mozzarella cubes and cover the pan so the cheese can melt.
5. Sprinkle with Balsamic vinegar and chopped basil for garnish.

Creamy Bow Tie Asparagus Pasta

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. bow tie pasta
• ½ c. (1 cube) butter (the real stuff)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 pint heavy cream
• salt & pepper to taste
• 10-15 spears asparagus, blanched and cut into pieces
• ½ c. bacon, crumbled
• ½ c. toasted pinenuts (or to taste)
• Parsley, to taste
• Parmesan cheese, to taste

Instructions

1. Boil bow tie pasta in salted water until al dente. Do NOT over cook.
2. In wok or heavy skillet melt butter. Add minced garlic and saute a minute or so.
3. Add Parmesan Cheese and bouillon cube(s). When the bouillon cube is dissolved, slowly stir in heavy cream and salt & pepper. Add cooked pasta to cream sauce and toss until pasta is well covered. Add blanched asparagus. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, toasted pinenuts, parsley & Parmesan cheese and toss together. Serve immediately.

Note: My new favorite pasta

Spaghetti and meatballs

Italian Meatballs:
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt*
*If you want, you could substitute all the Italicized ingredients with 3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning found here.
Gently combine meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. Shape into balls, whatever size you like, but I prefer using my standard cookie scoop (about 1 Tbsp.) to shape meat into balls and then rolling it between my hands to make them even more round. Place on a broiler pan
and broil until the meatballs start to brown–I actually use my toaster oven. Just because I can. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to use (or freeze for later use).
Sauce
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Olive oil
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
16 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of baking soda (to help neutralize the acid)
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add remaining sauce ingredients and combine well. Bring to a simmer and add meatballs. Simmer on low, uncovered, until desired consistency is reached–about 25-30 minutes for a sauce that’s of medium consistency (my husband, bless him, likes it very thick while I like it a little on the thin side. Whatever will we do??)
Serve over hot spaghetti (shhhhh…I used linguine!), maybe with some breadsticks and some freshly grated Parmesan on top. Serves a lot–like probably 12 regular people or 2 teenage boys.
FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare meatballs as directed, but divide the meatballs among two freezer-safe containers. Prepare sauce through adding all ingredients to the pan, but don’t simmer; rather, divide the sauce among the two containers. Freeze until ready to use. When ready to use, place in slow cooker and cook on low for about 5-6 hours, although you’ll want to keep an eye on the sauce and make sure it’s not burning if you go for the whole 6 hours.

Chicken Parmesan Rollatini

Cook Time:
35 min

Level:
Easy

Serves:
4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 14.5-ounce can crushed San Marzano or fire-roasted tomatoes 5 or 6 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 thin (1/8-inch-thick) chicken cutlets (4 ounces each)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
6 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
Instant polenta, for serving (optional)

Directions

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Cook the broth, garlic, tomatoes and basil in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper; place smooth-side down on a work surface. Sprinkle with the parsley and mozzarella. Starting at the short end, roll up to enclose the filling. Secure with a toothpick.

Mix the parmesan and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Put the egg white in another dish and beat until foamy.

Mist a cast-iron skillet with cooking spray. Dip the chicken rolls in the egg white, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place in the skillet, seam-side down. Sprinkle with any remaining breadcrumbs and mist with cooking spray. Bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Serve with the tomato sauce, and polenta, if desired.

Per serving: Calories 355; Fat 14 g (Saturated 7 g); Cholesterol 105 mg; Sodium 848 mg; Carbohydrate 15 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 44 g

MEATBALLS ITALIAN STYLE

1 lb. ground beef
2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 c. Romano cheese, grated (imported preferred)
1 tsp. salt
Black pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbsp. basil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. cooled spaghetti sauce (makes the meatballs moist and soft)

Mix all ingredients well and shape into golf-ball size. Place in a non-stick baking pan or spray pan with pan coating. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Drop in spaghetti sauce and let simmer for 1 hour. Makes about 15.

Chicken and Artichoke Fettuccine

Ingredients:
8 oz fettuccine
2 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup onion chopped
1 cup whipping cream
8 oz artichoke hearts
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 chicken breast cooked and sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain well and set aside.
In a large skillet, cook bacon until cooked through, but not crisp. Add onion and saute for about 2 minutes.
Stir in whipping cream, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, dried basil, salt and pepper. Heat to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until artichokes are tender and sauce is thick, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir chicken into artichoke mixture. heat until warmed through and serve over cooked pasta. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Makes 4 servings

Notes: Original recipe called for 1 lb large fresh shrimp. We don't like sea food so we substitute chicken

Grilled Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup steamed broccoli
1/2 cup diced blanched tomatoes
16 oz raw fettuccine noodles
5 Tbsp butter
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups chicken broth
3 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp corn starch mixed with water as needed
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
- Grill chicken in saute pan 5 min each side. Cut into strips and set aside. Remove Broccoli stems and steam for 5 minutes. Blanche tomatoes until skin is peeling off. Peel, remove seeds and dice, set aside.
- Cook pasta in boiling water. Drain, rinse with warm water and set aside.
- Prepare the Alfredo sauce in large saute pan. Melt the butter adding the minced garlic. Saute garlic until brown, add both the chk broth and the heavy cream. Reduce heat for several minutes. Next add corn starch and water mixture slowly while stirring until the sauce thickens.
- Add Parmesan cheese, parsley, and salt/pepper. Combine the fettuccine noodles and the sauce. Return to flame and cook about 1 minutes. Add chicken, broccoli and tomatoes. Heat through.

Notes: Sometimes we grill the chicken on the BBQ. I rarely take the time to blanch the tomatoes...usually just chop them up and throw them in.

Chicken Stroganoff

Ingredients:
3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breast- cubed
1/8 cup butter
1 (7oz)pkg dry Italian dressing mix
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

Directions:
Place cubed chicken, butter and Italian dressing mix into crock pot and mix
Cook on low for 3 hours
Add cream cheese and soup and mix
Cook on high an additional 30 min
Serve over egg noodles

Cheesy Chicken Tortellini Bake

Ingredients

Pasta Mixture:
1/2 cup Chopped onion
1 tsp Olive oil
1 Garlic clove, pressed
1 jar White Alfredo pasta sauce (16 oz.)
2 Pkgs refrigerated cheese-filled regular or spinach tortellini (9 oz each pkg)
1 1/2 cups Cubed cooked chicken
1 cup Milk
1 cup Water
1 cup Frozen peas
1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
2 tbsp Snipped fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp dried basil leaves
Crumb Topping:
1/4 cup Grated fresh Parmesan cheese (1 oz)
2 tbsp Butter or margarine
1 cup Fresh bread crumbs

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. For pasta mixture, chop onion with Food Chopper

3. In 4 qt. Casserole, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic pressed with Garlic Press. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender.

4. Stir in pasta sauce, tortellini, chicken, milk, water, peas, and black pepper. Heat until mixture just comes to a boil; remove from heat.

5. Stir basil into pasta mixture

6. For crumb topping, grate Parmesan cheese. Place butter in microwave on HIGH 30-45 seconds or until melted. Stir in bread crumbs and cheese; mix well.

7. Spoon pasta mixture into Square Baker; spinkle with crumb topping. Bake 15-20 minutes or until edges are bubbly and topping is golden brown

Big Calzone

ignore my dirty plate :)

• For the bread: Let sit for 5 minutes in a large mixing bowl: 1cup warm water, 1 T yeast, 1 T sugar
• Once the yeast has bubbled, add: 2 T oil, 1 t Salt, 1 cup Flour. Add more flour until dough is not sticky but isn't too dense. Kneed for about 5 minutes. Let dough rise until doubled, punch down and let rise again.
• Roll Dough into a large rectangle and place on a greased cookie sheet.
• Layer pizza toppings down the middle. Mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, olives, peppers, etc.
• Season with garlic, oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, etc.
• Cut 1 inch strips down both sides around toppings. Fold the strips to the middle and braid the top together. Top with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Slice and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Notes: after the calzone comes out of the oven brush with garlic butter....quite delicious!

Bob's Awesome Lasagna

Prep time: 30 Min
Cook time: 1 hr
Original recipe yields 1 9X13 pan

Ingredients

• 8 ounces lasagna noodles
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup minced onions
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) package large curd cottage cheese
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute ground beef, onions, salt and garlic salt until meat is brown. Drain excess fat, add spaghetti sauce to beef mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking pan.
4. Line bottom of pan with three lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 of sauce mixture over noodles. Layer 1/3 of the cottage cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella over the cottage cheese. Repeat this layering process until all ingredients are used up.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for one hour. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: We use ground turkey instead of ground beef. I usually cut in half and do a 9x9 pan. My new favorite thing is the no boil Barilla lasagna noodles.

Zuppa Toscanna Soup

Like Olive Gardens

Serves:12
Prep time: 35 min

1 lb. Spicy Italian sausage- crumbled
1/2 lb smoked bacon- chopped
1 qt. water
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes- cubed (can add more)
2 garlic cloves- crushed
1 medium onion chopped
2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

1- In large skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside
2- In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside
3- Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender
4- add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes
5- add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Recipe for: Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients and Directions:

2 chicken breast cut into thin strips
4oz linguine, cooked
2 tsp Cajun seasonings
2 Tbls butter
1 thinly sliced green onion
½ cup heaving whipping cream
2 Tbls chopped sun dried tomatoes
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
¼ cup parmesan cheese

Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in bowl and coat. In large skillet sauté chicken in butter until chicken is done. Reduce heat; add green onion, heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour over linguine and toss with cheese.

Notes: Everyone LOVED, even Jaxon. Really easy. I like it with more sun dried tomatoes!