Stovetop Mac & Cheese

This was so easy and yummy! Very versatile and you could easily change up the type of cheese that you use for a more sophisticated taste. We gobbled it down. 

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

adapted from Alton Brown

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

1/2 lb elbow macaroni

4 TBS unsalted butter

2 eggs

6 oz evaporated milk

1 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

3/4 tsp dry mustard

10 oz shredded sharp cheddar (or whatever other cheese you might like!)

Directions

Boil water and add the macaroni. Cook according to the box (usually about 10 minutes) and drain. Return to the pot, add the butter and toss to coat. 

While the pasta is cooking, combine the eggs, evaporated milk, salt, pepper and mustard. Whisk until well combined. Pour over the macaroni and stir to combine. Add cheese and stir. Over low heat continue to stir as cheese melts about 3 minutes or until creamy. 

Enjoy!

Stovetop Lasagna

Hubby and my niece chowed down on this. My niece was almost finished with her plate before we made it to the table. Hubby didn't know there were veggies in it until my niece mentioned something about "salad" being in it. She had helped me make the puree and saw the spinach. We kept trying to shush her, but it eventually came out. Of course, weird faces were made after that and it tasted "different". This was all from hubby, not my 4 year old niece. Rule of thumb for the future - make the puree ahead of time and don't let hubby know! I also apologize for the picture - we started serving before I took a pic so it looks like a hot mess.

Stovetop Lasagna

adapted from The Sneaky Chef

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion (1/2 of a medium onion)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground turkey

3/4 cup Green Puree (<---Click the link for the recipe)

6 oz can tomato paste

1/4 cup oat bran 

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

9 oz box of lasagna noodles, broken 

24 oz jar of pasta sauce (I like Prego traditional)

1-1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 

Directions

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, deep skillet that had a lid. Saute the onions until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic in the last few minutes of cooking. Add the turkey and cook until no longer pink.

In a bowl, combine the puree and tomato paste. It will turn an unappetizing brown color, but don't be alarmed! Add it to the skillet and mix. 

Stir in the oat bran, basil and oregano. Top the mixture with the lasagna noodles. Pour tomato sauce over the noodles. Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the pan and stir into the sauce.

Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. 

Top with cheese and cover for about 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. 

Enjoy!

Rigatoni alla Carbonara

I have been making this for almost as long as we've been married. It's definitely one of our favorites. The original calls for pancetta, a cured Italian meat, but I use bacon as it's cheaper and more readily available. It's great any time of the year!

Rigatoni alla Carbonara

adapted from Rachael Ray

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb rigatoni

1/3 lb bacon, chopped

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 large egg yolks

3 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserve a ladle full of pasta water. 

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Saute bacon in 1 TBS of olive oil until it browns about 4-5 minutes. Add the rest of the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute for 2 minutes. Add wine and reduce the liquid by half, about 3 minutes.

Beat together the egg yolks and cheese. While whisking, slowly add a ladle of boiling pasta water. Set aside.

Drain pasta and add it to the pan with bacon sauce. Toss together and add egg mixture. Toss for 1 minute and remove from heat. Continue tossing until sauce is absorbed by the pasta.

Enjoy!

Chili Mac

I probably should have checked the weather before making this. Today it was 80 degrees! At the end of October! Too hot for me at this time of year. Regardless, this dish was yummy and would be perfect on a cool fall night. I like to top mine with a little shredded sharp cheddar!

Chili Mac

adapted from multiple recipes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

1 1/2 TBS chili powder

1 1/4 tsp cumin

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp Kosher salt

14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes, undrained

15 oz can of kidney beans, undrained

8 oz can of tomato sauce

1/2 of a 6 oz can of tomato paste

Directions

In a separate saucepan, boil the macaroni until almost done, about 7-8 minutes.

Cook turkey over medium-high heat and drain. Add back to pan. Put in garlic, chili powder, onion powder and cumin. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients except the macaroni. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Toss in the macaroni and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken Tortellini Bake

Let's just say that my 3 year old niece threw down on this and said "Mommy I really like this!" It's so yummy and cheesy and delicious. Hubby went back for seconds and we almost ate an entire 9x13 pan of this! I had made this recipe once before, but wanted it to be a little saucier than the original. So this version was born.

Chicken Tortellini Bake

adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 45-50 minutes

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

19 oz package frozen cheese tortellini

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 can low fat cream of mushroom soup

8 oz container of reduced fat sour cream

1 cup chicken stock

3 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

3 green onions finely chopped, white and green parts

2 TBS flour

1 TBS canola oil

2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Toss in the chicken and green onions. Saute until chicken is almost done, 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle on flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken stock and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, garlic powder, black pepper and 1 cup of cheese. Put the chicken mixture in the bowl and stir to combine. Add the tortellini, toss until well coated. Pour into the prepped 9x13. Top with the remaining cup of cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese beings to get golden brown. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Pan-Grilled Snapper with Orzo Pasta Salad

This was new for me all the way around. I'd never had snapper or orzo. Amazing, right? I've tried a lot of things and I'm not sure why I'd never had either of these. I must say that I now love orzo! It's such a cute little pasta. For those who've never had it, it's basically a rice shaped pasta. The snapper was delicious too. Very light fish, firm textured. I can't comment on hubby's approval rating as we didn't actually eat this for dinner. I had thawed the fish and then I was too tired to make dinner after a big test. I made it the next day for lunch instead! The pasta definitely needs a little tweeking and it would be great maybe with a little feta in it!

Pan Grilled Snapper with Orzo Pasta Salad

adapted from My Recipes

Ingredients

1 1/2  cups uncooked orzo

2-4  (6-ounce) red snapper fillets

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 TBS minced shallots

1 TBS chopped fresh parsley

4 TBS fresh lemon juice

1 TBS orange juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 1/2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Pour 1 TBS lemon juice over the fish.

Combine salt, pepper, shallots, parsley, remaining lemon juice, orange juice, and mustard in a small bowl, stirring well. Slowly add olive oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle the shallot mixture over pasta; toss well to coat.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti &Turkey Meatballs

Y'all know I love my turkey! We just don't eat a lot of red meat here and I am often switching out turkey meat instead. So here is my take on meatballs...

Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 lb spaghetti noodles

1 jar spaghetti sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350.

Put the turkey, egg, breadcrumbs and cheese in a medium size bowl. Push your sleeves up and start working this together with your fingers. Once everything is well mixed, form the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs. Place them on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

While the meatballs are cooking, put on a pot of water and boil your noodles according to the package. 

**A little trick for making the spaghetti sauce taste homemade is to put a little olive oil in it while it is warming on the stove. I prefer Prego, but you can use what your family loves best.

Enjoy!

Turkey Noodle Bake

Okay this was good, but it could definitely be great. Next time I will omit the green peppers because we did not like them in this at all. I added them (they were in the original) because I thought it might be too bland. It was a last minute decision and I should have stuck with my gut which told me to omit them. I also doubled the original recipe so that we could have leftovers. I do need to tinker with it as it has potential, but was a little runny and could be slightly creamier. 

Turkey Noodle Bake

adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

4 cups uncooked egg noodles (I used wide)

1 lb ground turkey

1/4 cup diced onions

2 TBS chopped green pepper

15 oz can tomato sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup 4% small curd cottage cheese

4 oz cream cheese, softened

2 TBS sour cream

grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. 

Cook the noodles according to the package directions.

In a large skillet, cook onion until it is slightly translucent and add the turkey and green peppers. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink. Stir in the garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Add the tomato sauce and sugar. Cook on medium-low heat for a few more minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, cream cheese and sour cream. Add this into the turkey mixture and remove skillet from heat. Add in drained noodles. Mix together.

Put noodle mixture in a 9x13 pan, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

I know. It sounds totally bizarre. I saw it in my Food Network magazine back in April and was just as skeptical. Last weekend we spent time with my parents and my mom raved about it! I figured I would add it to the weekly menu and see what all the fuss was about. We are big fans of buffalo chicken and mac & cheese. It was good, but I have to admit that I thought the "buffalo" was a little overwhelming. I think part of the problem might have been that 1. I didn't use pepper jack cheese, just regular monterey jack, since I belated found out that mine was out of date and 2. I didn't use bleu cheese on top as we are not fans. We will definitely be eating it again as hubby gave it two-thumbs up. I'll just remember to use pepper jack next time! 

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

1/2 lb elbow macaroni

1/2 of a small onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded chicken

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup plus 2 TBS hot sauce (preferably Frank's)

1 TBS all-purpose flour

1 tsp dry mustard

1 1/4 cups fat-free half-and-half

1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese 

1/3 cup light sour cream

1 cup ranch croutons, crushed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 casserole dish.

Melt 2 TBS butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/4 cup hot sauce and simmer until well mixed.

Bring a pot of water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and spray with cool water. 

In a large bowl, put the cooked macaroni and chicken mixture. Set aside.

Melt 1 TBS butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 2 TBS hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.   

Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and chicken mixture. Stir until it is well mixed and put it in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with crushed croutons.

Bake for 30 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan

This is definitely a family favorite around here! I make this at least once a month and it is so yummy. I serve it with spaghetti and garlic bread. I'll let the picture do all the talking!

Chicken Parmesan

adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 cup flour, on a shallow plate

2 eggs, lightly beaten, in a pie plate

Jarred pasta sauce (I like Prego)

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella

Olive oil spray

Directions 

Preheat oven to 375.

Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper and pound out to 1/2" thickness using a mallet or rolling pin. 

Combine bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parmesan, oregano, basil and cayenne in a pie plate. Coat each breast in the flour, shaking off any excess flour. Dip each breast in the egg and then into the bread crumb mixture. Set coated chicken aside on a plate. 

Spray a non-stick skillet with olive oil spray and heat over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden on both sides.

Spread one cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and top with chicken. Top each breast with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Pasta

I had two other dishes on the menu that contained a couple of the items in this pasta, mainly the shrimp and sausage. Neither of us really wanted the other dishes and I wanted pasta so I found an Emeril recipe and adapted it to fit what we had. We were definitely rewarded! This was fairly easy to make (although it did require a little bit more prep work than usual) and a little spicy, but oh so yummy!

Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Pasta

adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1/2 - 3/4 lb cooked fettuccine

2 TBS olive oil

1 lb peeled, deveined raw large shrimp

1 TBS plus 2 tsp Essence seasoning (recipe below - I think you can buy this, too.)

1 1/2 smoked turkey sausages, sliced and quartered (I use Butterball)

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1 TBS minced garlic

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Essence Creole Seasoning

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions

Heat 1 TBS of olive oil over medium high heat in a large saute pan. Season the shrimp with 2 teaspoons of the Essence. Place the shrimp in the pan and saute until almost done. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. 

Place the remaining TBS of olive oil in the saute pan and onions and bell peppers. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook another minute.

Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 30 seconds. 

Add the chicken stock to the pan and scrape with a spoon to remove any browned bits that have formed in the bottom of the pan, about 30 seconds. 

Add the thyme, 1 TBS of Essence and 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 2 minutes. 

Add the heavy cream to the pan and cook an additional 2 minutes. 

Return the shrimp to the pan and pasta to the pan. Continue to cook the sauce and pasta, stirring occasionally, for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the basil and Parmesan. 

Enjoy!

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

As you all know, I ♥ PW (also known as Pioneer Woman). She always has the yummiest recipes that are easy and hubby-friendly. I made a few changes to the original recipe to make it a little more hubby-friendly.

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups dry spaghetti, broken into two inch pieces

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 TBS finely diced green pepper

2 TBS finely diced onion

1 cup chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics)

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

a pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.

Cook spaghetti in chicken broth and water until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in 8x8 casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Bake for 45 minutes until bubbly. If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil.

You can also double this for leftovers and put it in a 9x13 casserole pan.

Enjoy!

Best. Lasagna. Ever.

Wow. Seriously this was delicious. Definitely better than Stouffer's and it might have been marginally lower in fat. I'm just pretending it was since I used part-skim mozzarella and turkey. I definitely will make this again and possibly even use the sauce for regular pasta in the future. It got two thumbs up from my picky hubby so you know it must have been good. I know the ingredient list and directions seem overwhelming, but it was actually really easy. Enjoy!

Best. Lasagna. Ever.

adapted from AllRecipes

Ingredients

1 1/4 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage (Mine were in casings and I just removed the casing)

1 pound lean ground turkey

1/2 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

2 - 6 oz cans tomato paste

2 - 8 oz cans tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

2 TBS white sugar

1 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

3 1/2 TBS dried parsley (or 4 TBS fresh chopped parsley)

12 lasagna noodles

16 oz ricotta cheese (the good stuff like Polly-O, Sierra or Sorrento)

1 egg

3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced

Parmesan cheese (I didn't really measure this, just sprinkled it on)

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook turkey sausage, ground turkey, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. You can do one of two things here - if you use the turkey there isn't much "juice" to drain off. I left mine in there for flavor. Now, if you use beef and sausage, you might want to drain off some of the "juice" so that you don't end up in an early grave from clogging your arteries. Just sayin.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, pepper, and 2 1/2 TBS parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. If you want to make this a day ahead and not be tied to the stove for 1 1/2 hours, you can follow the directions above (minus the simmering part) and then assemble the lasagna. Put it in the fridge overnight and put it on the counter to come to room temp about 1 hour before you put it in the oven.   

Put the lasagna noodles in hot tap water to soak for about 20-30 minutes. They will still be firm, but will cook up nicely in the oven without getting mushy. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, 1 TBS parsley, and 1/2 tsp Kosher salt. 

Preheat oven to 375. 

To assemble, spread 2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with half of the ricotta cheese mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese. 

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Chicken Stroganoff

This is hands down one of my favorites. It's so easy and yummy. I can eat it year round, but it's perfect on a cold winter day! I use all reduced fat/sodium or fat free product with great results. Well with the exception of the butter, that's full fat. Yummy! This meal is also great too because you just toss it in the crockpot to cook all day and your house smells delicious when you get home.

Chicken Stroganoff

adapted from AllRecipes

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 TBS butter

1 package dry Italian dressing mix

1 - 8oz package reduced fat cream cheese

1 - 10.75oz can of reduced fat/sodium cream of chicken soup

1/2 package of wide egg noodles

Directions

Cut the chicken into cubes and place in crockpot with 2 TBS butter. Sprinkle with Italian dressing mix. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Add cream cheese and soup. Cook on high for another 30 minutes to and hour, or until cream cheese is thoroughly melted and heated through. While waiting for this to be ready, cook the egg noodles according to the package.

Top egg noodles with chicken and sauce. Enjoy!

Shrimp Scampi

This recipe was delicious and very easy! I doubled the wine and butter from the original recipe to make more "sauce".

Shrimp Scampi

adapted from This Mommy Cooks

Ingredients:

4 TBSP White Wine

4 TBSP Butter

1 tsp Dried Parsley Flakes

2 TBSP garlic, minced
juice of half a lemon

1 pound shrimp

Directions:
Melt butter in skillet. Once melted, add wine, parsley, and garlic. Mix well and add shrimp. Cook 6-9 minutes until shrimp is pink on both sides. I served this over angel hair pasta with some garlic bread.