Baked Chicken-Bacon Alfredo

I was sitting on the couch, recovering from a c-section and enjoying being pampered, when my mother-in-law brought be a plate of this dish. I seriously considered asking her to move in with us!  My house was so clean and every meal was absolutely divine!  This dish was so good.  The great part was, we froze the leftovers and ate them the other night.  They were even better the second time around.  Probably because I was off of the pain pills and had my senses back to full power. You can double the batch and freeze one, or toss the leftovers in a freezer bag and freeze it that way.  Either way, Fabulous!

Baked Chicken-Bacon Alfredo

8 oz. penne or bow tie pasta

1 jar Alfredo sauce or 1 recipe Alfredo Sauce

1/2 rotisserie chicken pulled apart into pieces (or 2 chicken breasts cubes and grilled)

6 oz. (1/2 package) bacon, cooked and chopped

1 14-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 c. chopped green onions (about 1 decent-sized bunch)

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Preheat oven to 350.

 

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

When pasta is done, drain and stir in Alfredo sauce. Toss with chopped chicken, bacon, artichoke hearts, green onions, and 1/2 c. mozzarella. Season to taste.

Transfer mixture to an 8×8″ baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.

 

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

Chicken Parmigiana

I was very delighted with this dish! A friend of mine made a similar recipe for me when I had my last baby and I really enjoyed it.  I hadn't eaten it since.  Then I found this recipe on another friends blog and decided to give it a try.  The only thing I think I changed was using Italian seasoning instead of oregano for the sauce.  Yummy yummy yummy!!!

Chicken Parmigiana

4  boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and basil. In another bowl, beat the egg. Dip chicken into egg, then coat with crumb mixture. In a large skillet, brown chicken in butter and oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Chunky Marinara Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 2 to 4 minutes until crisp-tender, stirring frequently.

Mix in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, oregano and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until flavors are blended, stirring frequently.

Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese

We have a winner!!! No you didn't miss a giveaway. Don't worry. I have been searching for the perfect mac and cheese recipe for a couple of years now.  My kids love the stuff, and It's not as cheap as it used to be.  I remember buying it for 15 cents a box back in the day. Not that its so expensive now, but hey...

Anyway, I love me some good ol homemade comfort food. And you can't get much better than this.  I had a friend ask me for a good freezer meal mac and cheese recipe the other day.  All of a sudden I remembered, this recipe has been right under my nose the whole time.  Years ago, a friend of ours was making some for our family.  I remember watching her pour the cream around the edge and thinking, yeah that's going to be Delicious!!!  So I decided to email her for the recipe and she sent it right back to me. 

All of the other ones that I have tried, have peen too pasty or grainy. The cheese never really melted right.  Ahhh, this one is creamier than ever.  Trust me, you will love it! 

 Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese

1 bag  Large elbow macaroni

2-3 cans of Campbell's cheddar cheese soup ( I used 2)

2-3 (8 oz) bags of casserole mix shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

1 can of regular milk

1-1/2 cups Heavy whipping cream divided

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp White pepper (I just used black)

Boil pasta to al dente. Drain and leave in the colander.

Heat the Cheddar cheese soup with 1 can of milk in microwave bowl,

In a large pot (the same one you boiled the pasta in), pour the heated cheese in first then add the pasta slowly so you don't run out of creaminess. Add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 of the bags of shredded cheese, 1tsp salt and 1/2 tsp white pepper. Stir it up make sure its very creamy because otherwise it can dry out when baking.

Stir well until cheese is melted.  Pour into a 9x13 pan (this fills the pan, so you could stretch it and do about 3 9x9 pans and freeze them)

If it's not super duper creamy then pour more heavy whipping cream all along the inside edges of the pan (I used about a half cup more) Sprinkle the other bag(s) of shredded cheese all over the top Broil on high for about 3 minutes. Don't let it burn. You want it to be pretty golden brown. Turn the oven onto bake at 400 for another 30 minutes.

Tip:  you will want it to be extra creamy so that when it bakes, it won't dry out.

Freezing:  I haven't frozen this yet, but I would just do everything up until the baking process.  Wrap it with foil (make sure you are using an aluminum pan.) Then wrap it with plastic wrap.  Store up to 3 months. 

To thaw, allow it to sit on the counter for a few hours.  You can also thaw it in the fridge over night.  Then proceed with the baking instructions.



Cheesy Chicken Penne with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I've got another freezer meal for you today!  This one was a huge hit for my family!  I really liked the sun dried tomatoes that were in it.  I'm usually not a huge fan of them, but if gave the dish a nice sweet flavor in the midst of the saltiness of the cheese.  A great combo.

A word to the wise:  When you are making your sauce, don't turn up the burner too high!  Be patient, it will thicken and simmer, I promise. (it's not going to get super thick.  It will be about the difference between regular milk at the start and heavy cream at the end) If you are making a huge batch, it will take longer.  I didn't do my job at our freezer meal class and it got burned.  Not so yummy! So whatever you do... leave it on medium heat and stir, stir, stir!  Make sure that when you are stirring, you are getting the bottom of the pan.  If you leave it on medium and you are constantly stirring well, you shouldn't have any problems.

The one in the picture is topped with mozzarella cheese.  I've made it that way and with no cheese on top.  Both are great. It just depends on how cheesy you feel like getting!

Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes

kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound penne rigate

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each), halved horizontally

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

6 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

1 1/2 cups shredded provolone* (6 ounces) you could also make that 1/2 mozzarella

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan 

1 Cup mozzarella cheese (topping)  (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. If you’re going to freeze one, use a disposable foil pan.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta and set aside.

While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.  

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot (I just use the pot I cooked my pasta in), melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer.  Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more. Add tomatoes; cook 1 minute. take the pan off the heat and and gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes.  (top with remaining mozzarella cheese if desired)

Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Freezer instructions:

To freeze, prepare all steps just before baking. Cover pan well with aluminum foil and then plastic wrap.  Freeze for up to 3 months.  To bake, preheat oven to 400.  Remove plastic from pan (leaving foil on) and bake for about 1 1/2 hours.  Remove foil, stir pasta.  Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly throughout

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

4 Cheese Manicotti

I have been working on perfecting this one for quite a while now.  I think we found the perfect combo! One night I decided to make it 4 different ways, each with different spices.  We found one that we liked the best and it has been a hit for many who attend the freezer meal class too.

This is an easy freezer meal!  Just put it in an aluminum pan and wrap with foil just before baking.  Pull it out and thaw it, and then it's ready to cook.

4 cheese Manicotti

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup small curd cottage cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 egg

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 Tbsp dried parsley

4-5 cups spaghetti sauce

1 (8 ounce) package manicotti shells

Top: 1 cup mozzarella Cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Boil pasta for 8-10 minutes.  Only until al dente.  Don't over boil it or it will fall apart.  In a bowl, combine first 8 ingredients. Stir until well combined. Stuff cooked manicotti with the mixture. (I like to use a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the corner cut out)

Spread 2 cups sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Lay stuffed manicotti, side by side in the baking dish. Top with desired amount of remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and continue baking 10 minutes, until mozzarella is melted and bubbly.

Cheesy Lasagna Rolls

It has come to my attention that I haven't posted my freezer meal dishes yet.  I've been slacking, I'm so sorry!  Here is one that we made a few months back.  These are so easy and yummy!  I like that when you roll them up, they are ready to go in individual sized portions.  It's a fun new twist on your typical lasagna. 

These were a huge hit at our freezer meals class.  Enjoy! I forgot to take a pict of the finished product.  Just imagine this one with gooey cheesy all over! Yummmm.

Cheesy Lasagna Rolls

12 Lasagna noodles, cooked and cooled
1 jar spaghetti sauce, divided

Filling:
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided (1 1/2 cup for filling, 1/2 cup on top)

Pour half of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Mix together all ingredients for the filling. Lay noodles flat and spread filling mixture on noodles. Roll up like a sleeping bag and lay in pan. Top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Note: Do not over cook noodles. Follow directions on box of noodles.

recipe comes from My Sisters Cucina

Penne Rigate with a Garlic Butter Sauce

I love when my husband gets creative in the kitchen! This recipe was a last minute, throw it together meal. It is so easy and so delish!  You may want to double the sauce recipe if you like your pasta to have more flavor

Penne Rigate with a Garlic Butter Sauce

3-4 cloves crushed garlic

1 cup butter

crushed black pepper to taste

salt to taste
1 box Penne Rigate Pasta

Boil  pasta and set aside. On medium low heat, melt butter and put in garlic.  Saute for about 5 minutes until garlic is golden brown.. Add salt and pepper. Stir and pour over cooked pasta.

Tip: To add a little different flavor, try adding a splash of lemon juice or top with Parmesan cheese

Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce

This recipe comes straight from Olive Garden. I love it when they give out their own recipes! I couldn't find just plain Romano cheese at Wal Mart so I just got the Parmesan/Romano mix and did a cup of it.  Also something I learned real quick...Dont get the powdered stuff, get the actual grated ones. The powdered form, makes it too grainy. This recipe, serves 4

Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup imported Romano cheese, grated
6 egg yolks from fresh jumbo eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it begins to simmer. Turn off heat. Slowly whip in cheese, then remove from heat.

Place egg yolks in a separate bowl and slowly whip in a portion of the hot milk and cream mixture. Slowly add egg yolk mixture back into remaining cream mixture. Place back on very low heat and continually stir until simmering. Take sauce off heat so it thickens. (This will increase temperature of egg yolks, known as tempering).

Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Easy Stroganoff

I found a few recipes for Stroganoff that I liked out of our ward cookbook, then created my own recipe from them. This meal takes about 15-30 minutes to prepare. It is so simple! I know it probably sounds weird to have chicken and beef in the same meal, but surprisingly its super good! If you just can't handle the thought, you can substitute a can of cream of mushroom instead of chicken. My husband just hates mushrooms so I use cream of chicken. There are very few things he wont eat and mushrooms is one of them.  Also peppers and onions.  That is why I use the dehydrated ones instead. For some reason, he has convinced himself they are not real onions that way. Ha ha ha.

Easy Stroganoff

1 lb  ground beef (browned)

8 oz sour cream

1 large can Cream of Chicken (or Mushroom)

1 tablespoon dry onion soup mix

Worcestershire sauce to taste ( I really like the flavor so I add about 4 tbsp. Just taste as you go)

1 lb  egg noodles

Cook noodles according to package instructions.

Brown beef in a skillet and add Cream of Chicken soup, onion soup mix and Worcestershire sauce. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stirring frequently. Turn down heat and add sour cream. Heat through, pour over egg noodles.

Variation: You can add sliced onion and sliced mushrooms if you want. You can saute them up as you cook the brown beef and then add other ingredients according to instructions.

Variation: You can also serve this over rice instead of egg noodles.

Stuffed Shells

Today is my 7th anniversary!  For our special dinner I made stuffed shells.  This dish, a friend of mine made for me after I had my 3rd baby.  We actually ate it for her 1st birthday dinner. It has since become a  meal saved for special nights like tonight. This is another super easy one. The exciting thing for me is that I was able to use fresh parsley from my garden. It tastes so much better with fresh although you can used dried if you need.  I hope you enjoy it!

Stuffed Shells

1 box of jumbo shells
1 pint (small curd) cottage cheese, drained
1-8oz cream cheese
1/4 c. butter softened
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 egg
1 green onion, chopped (optional)
1/8 t. salt
pepper to taste
1 jar marinara sauce
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Boil shells until they are just done but still firm.  Spread half of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. In a medium sized bowl, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, butter, parsley, egg, green onion, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into the shells and lay side by side in the pan. Top with the rest of the sauce and cook at 350 degrees for 30 min. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Tip: To use dried herbs, you would use about a third of what the recipe calls for. So you can use about 2 1/2-3 tbsp.  

Macaroni Salad

Here is another pasta salad that I love!  It isn't the prettiest salad to photograph but it sure is tasty. My friend gave me this recipe about 10 years ago and I have enjoyed making it many times since,  You can use any type of pasta for this dish. I usually like to use Ditalini but the store was out of it, so I used small shells this time.

Macaroni Salad



16 oz of cooked pasta

1/2 bell pepper chopped

1/2 onion (I usually just use a couple dashes of onion powder)

1/2 can olives chopped  ( I use the whole can)

3-4 large pickles chopped

1-1 1/2 C. diced cheddar cheese (I like sharp in this one)

6 hard boiled eggs, diced

salt and pepper to taste

dash of garlic salt

1-2 C Mayonnaise

1/2 C. Sour Cream

2-3 Tbsp pickle juice

Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.  Then add next 6 ingredients.

Dressing- In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, salts and pepper.   Mix together and add to salad. Refrigerate for several hours before serving. You may need to add more mayonnaise and salt prior to serving.

Tip: Make sure to cool the pasta before adding the cheese. It will melt it if you don't.

Pasta Salad

6 and 3 years ago I gave birth to two beautiful girls.  Yep that's right, they have the same birthday!  In their honor I am going to post one of their all time favorites. Pasta Salad

We love pasta salad! That's about all I can say about that.   It's simple, its yummy and you can make a ton and eat it throughout the entire week.  It's very simple. Noodles, veggies, dressing, cheese and maybe even meat.  This is a great dish to use all of those veggies that need to get eaten before they go bad.  Our favorite is to put in shredded Parmesan cheese. You can use any kind of cheese though.  Also we like to put pepperoni in ours.  This time I tried using the pepperoni sticks because I had a coupon for them.  I really liked it that way. Any pepperoni would work though.

Pasta Salad

1 box of pasta (I like the tri-colored rotini for good color)

Any veggies you want

Sliced carrots

sliced olives

broccoli

cauliflower

cherry or grape tomatoes

cucumbers

pepperoncinnis

sliced bell pepper

purple onion

Cheese( any kind)

pepperoni

1/2-1 bottle of Italian dressing

Boil pasta until al-dente.  Cool and add all ingredients. Stir well and serve cold