Roasted Pesto Pasta Salad

 

 

1 small zucchini, cut in half and into 1/2 in pieces

1 yellow squash, cut in half and into 1/2 in pieces

1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1 inch thick slices

1/2 red onion, cut into 1/2 in slices

1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

2 tbsp. EVOO

Salt & pepper

12 oz vegetable pasta, rotini, ziti, or shells

1/2 c prepared Pesto sauce

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

 

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Toss cut vegetables with EVOO, salt, and pepper.  Spread on a prepared cookie sheet and bake until edges start to brown approximately 20-25 minutes, flip once during baking.  Set aside and cool slightly when done.  While vegetables are roasting, cook pasta according to al dente directions and place in medium bowl with Italian seasoning and Pesto sauce.  Add cooled vegetables and cheese and toss to combine.  Refrigerate at least 1-2 hours prior to serving.

Cajun Shrimp with Pasta

2 tbsp. butter
1/4 c chopped onion
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
1 14.5 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes
1/4 c dry white wine
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
salt, pepper
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 tbsp. parsley
3/4 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 lb pasta, optional (I used macaroni to make it easier for my 16 month old to feed himself but typically I would've used linguine)
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Melt butter in a large skillet and saute onion, garlic, pepper, and celery until onion is translucent over medium heat.  Stir so garlic does not burn. Add in tomatoes, wine, Tabasco sauce, and all seasonings.  Simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes.  Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink about 6-10 minutes depending on size of shrimp.  Do not cook past shrimp turning pink as shrimp will turn rubbery.  Add cooked pasta or rice if desired.  Serve with freshly grated cheese.

Caesar Pasa Salad

8oz vegetable farfalle pasta
1/4c grated cheese
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small zucchini, grated
1 c frozen peas, defrosted
1/4 c packed basil leaves, chopped
1/2-3/4 c Caesar dressing (I use Ken's Creamy Caesar)

Cook pasta according to al dente directions and rinse with cold water once done cooking and drained.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss to coat pasta.  Serve warm or cold.

Bacon Blue Cheese and Spinach Quesadillas

Side note... every time I think of quesadillas, I think of Napolean Dynamite... I won't explain the reference... if you've seen the movie, I'm sure you know it but also know that I have been known to actually forget the correct way to pronounce the word and have ordered quesadillas in a restaurant the way Napolean would ;)

 

8 8 inch whole wheat tortillas
1/2 lb maple flavored bacon, chopped
2 c fresh spinach leaves
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 yellow or red onion, sliced thinly into half circles
2 oz blue cheese crumbles
EVOO cooking spray

Heat oven to 250 F and prepare a large cookie sheet with foil.  Cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towel.  Reserve 1 tbsp. of excess bacon fat and cook onion slices until browned.  Drain with bacon.  On 4 tortilla shells, sprinkle cheddar cheese, spinach, cooked onion and bacon, blue cheese crumbles and additional cheese.  Top with remaining tortilla.  Heat large skillet over medium heat and spray with EVOO spray.  Cook each tortilla on each side for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned and cheese melted.  Place in oven to keep warm while you cook remaining tortillas. 

We had this with a spinach salad and parmesan sweet potato fries!

Banana Chip Muffins

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
2/3 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
3 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 c butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chip morsels

Preheat oven to 375 F.  In a large bowl whisk flour sugar and baking soda.  In another bowl whisk egg, bananas, melted butter, and vanilla until blended.  Add to flour mixture and stir until dry ingredients are just moistened.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Fill greased or paper lined muffin tin 3/4 full.  Bake 17-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Garlic Beef Enchiladas

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with onion and pepper
10 6in flour tortillas (warmed right before use to ensure easier handling)
2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese

sauce:
1/3 c butter
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 14.5oz can beef broth
2 c tomato sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink.  Crumble beef as it cooks, drain excess fat, and stir in seasonings and flour.  Stir in tomatoes, bring to a slight boil and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes.  In a saucepan, heat butter over medium high heat and add garlic.  Cook one minute, stirring frequently so as not to allow garlic to burn.  Stir in flour until well blended and gradually whisk in broth.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir 2 minutes until thickened.  Stir in tomato sauce and seasonings and heat through.  Pour 1 1/2 c of sauce into greased 13x9in baking dish.  Place about 1/4 c of beef mixture onto the center of each tortilla with 1-2tbsp shredded cheese.  Roll up and place seam side down in sauce.  Repeat with remaining with beef, tortillas, and cheese.  Pour remaining sauce evenly over top of rolled tortillas.  Bake covered for 30-35 minutes until heated through.  Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of sauce and bake uncovered additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

I have no words for this other than amazing. And heart attack. But amazing.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
5 medium Russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I left the skin on
1/3 c EVOO
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp McCormick Molasses Bacon grill seasoning
6 tbsp hot sauce
1/4 c blue cheese crumbles

Topping
2 c Mexican shredded cheese blend
1/2 lb cooked, crumbled bacon
1 c diced green onion


Preheat oven to 500 F.  In a large bowl combine EVOO, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and other seasonings. Add potatoes and stir to coat.  Add potatoes to a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish, reserving any left over seasoning EVOO mixture.  Add chicken to reserved seasoning mixture, stir to coat, and refrigerate.  Roast potatoes for 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes so that all cook evenly through.  Once the potatoes are done, stir blue cheese into chicken mixture and add to the top of roasted potatoes and lower oven temperature to 400 F.  Top the raw chicken with topping ingredients and bake 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the top is bubbly and melted.

Italian Breakfast Torte

Um hello delicious!

1 tube (8oz) refrigerated biscuits, divided
1 tube (8oz) refrigerated crescent rolls, divided
1 tbsp EVOO
1 6oz package of fresh baby spinach
8 eggs, divided
1 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Spaghetti seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red sweet pepper, diced
1/2 lb thinly sliced deli ham
1/2 lb thinly sliced hard salami
1/2 lb sliced Provolone cheese


Preheat oven to 350 F.  Place a greased springform pan on double thickness heavy duty foil and securely wrap around pan.  Place on a baking sheet.  Press separated biscuit layers into bottom of pan, sealing seams well and taking to edge of spring form pan.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until set.  Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat EVOO over medium heat and add garlic and pepper, cooking 1-2 minutes.  Add spinach in batches, stirring well until spinach has cooked down.  Drain on several sheets of paper towels to remove excess EVOO.  In large bowl, combine 7 eggs, parmesan cheese and seasonings.  Once crust is done, layer with 1/2 of ham, salami, provolone cheese, and half of spinach mixture.  Pour half of egg mixture over top and repeat layers.  Top with separated crescent rolls and seal seems well.  Brush with remaining beaten egg.  Bake uncovered for 1 to 1h15m or until thermometer reaches 160 F.  If top starts to brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.  Once done, loosen sides of springform with a knife and remove rim from pan.  Let stand 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

1 medium zucchini, sliced at about a 1/4"
1 tbsp EVOO
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 c Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp Spaghetti seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Toss zucchini in EVOO.  In a small bow, combine rest of ingredients.  Dredge each slice of zucchini through bread crumb mixture and place single layer on prepared cookie sheet.  (I thought there wasn't enough breading on them so I sprinkled what remained in the bowl over the tops of the slices.  Bake until brown and crisped approx 25-35 minutes.  Keep testing them towards the end.

Spicy Fresh Tomato Pasta

1/2lb bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
4 cloves of garlic
8oz of whole wheat penne
1.5lbs plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
12 basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to al dente instructions.  In a 12 inch skillet on medium high heat, cook chopped bacon until crisp.  Meanwhile in a food processor, pulse onion and garlic until finely chopped.  Add this mixture to skillet with bacon and cook 5 minutes or until soft, stir occasionally.  Pulse 1.5lbs plum tomatoes until roughly chopped.  Add to skillet.  Season with red pepper, salt, and pepper.  Stir and cook until well combined and heated through.  Drain cooked pasta and top with tomato bacon sauce.  Dress with basil leaves and parmesan cheese.

Tortellini and Garden Vegetable Bake

Okay... I have been a bad blogger... no, a terrible blogger.  The past few months have been hectic but I have tried tons of amazing recipes... I just never blogged them nor wrote down my modifications and most times, I didn't even photograph them.  I'm going to try to get back in the saddle again starting.... now.  Pinterest is evil but has reinspired me to be my creative self and make times for the things I care about doing when I have free time instead of lounging.  I want to craft more again, coupon more again, cook more again, and bake more again.  With a one year old and another itty bitty on the way (YAY!), it's a lofty goal but I'll try ;)  Anyway, here is a Pinterest inspired recipe.

1 14oz package of cheese tortellini
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 c frozen sugar snap peas, cut into half
1 red sweet pepper, diced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced and halved
1 c cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 lb chicken, cooked and cubed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 c milk
6oz cream cheese, cubed
1/2 c Alfredo sauce
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Mc Cormick Red Pepper and Roasted Garlic
1/3 c whole wheat seasons bread crumbs
1/2 c grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease a 2 1/2 quart baking dish.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and add carrots, sugar snap peas, and tortellini.  Drain and set aside.  Melt butter in small saucepan and mix in flour over medium high heat.  Cook additional minute, reduce heat to medium and slowly whisk in milk, garlic salt, McCormick seasoning and pepper.  Cook until thickened and add cream cheese, reduce heat to medium low.  Continue to cook until the cream cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth, being sure to stir often so mixture does not burn.  Combine tortellini mixture and sauce mixture, adding in zucchini, cherry tomatoes, chicken, basil leaves and Alfredo sauce.  Pour into prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes, stirring once and topping with bread crumbs and grated Parmesan once it has been stirred.