Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne

This recipe is from Real Mom Kitchen

·         6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes

·         kosher salt and black pepper

·         1 pound penne rigate

·         1 teaspoon olive oil

·         4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each), halved horizontally (I used perfect chicken)

·         1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

·         6 garlic cloves, finely minced

·         6 cups whole milk

·         10 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced (I used 8 oz of button mushrooms)

·         1 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (I omitted these)

·         1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces) (I used an italian blend that had provolone in it)

·         1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 6 ounces)

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.  While chicken pan is still hot, toss the mushrooms in and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes).  Use a little extra olive oil if needed.(Since I used left over chicken, I just cooked the mushrooms in the olive oil)

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot , 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 mushrooms and 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.  If freezing, place remaining parmesan cheese in a zip-top baggie.  If cooking, sprinkle on top.

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

Freezer instructions:

To freeze, prepare through step 4 and then let pasta cool.  Cover pan well with plastic wrap.  Place extra cheese in baggie (for topping) on top and then cover entire pan well with foil.  Freeze for up to 3 months.  To bake, preheat oven to 400.  Remove foil and plastic from pan and set cheese baggie aside.  Place foil back on pan and bake for about 1 1/2 hours.  Remove foil, stir pasta, and top with cheese.  Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes (I only did 10 minutes)  or until mixture is hot and bubbly throughout.

Meatballs Stroganoff

This recipe is from Menu Musings of a Modern American Mom.

Ingredients:

I'm giving you fair warning, this is NOT a 'measure everything out' recipe.  Instead, its one of those things you throw together after work on a busy day because it works and its delicious and your kids love it, and its super fast.

• Frozen Italian style meatballs (1/2 oz each) 
• generally, enough to cover the bottom of the pan.  Depends on who is home.
• Extra virgin olive oil 
• 1+ Tbsp - just enough to brown up the meatballs.  
• 2 cups beef broth 
• use more for more meatballs... just go with this recipe.  Don't over think it.
• Seasoning
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• dried herbs (probably at least 1 - 1 1/2 tsp each) - parsley, oregano, basil
• it will look like a lot of seasoning, but in the end, it will be great!
• 2/3 - 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (or cream cheese)
• Wide egg noodles
• enough for whoever is there.

Method:

Start off with your favorite brand of frozen Italian style meatballs.  Brown them in a little olive oil in a skillet (a black iron skillet if you have one).  This is where you get all the good flavors - from the fond (the brown bits that stick on the bottom) that gets stuck in the skillet.  [I don't think this would work as well in a non-stick skillet b/c it releases too much of that goodness.]

After they are browned up nicely, deglaze the pan with about 2 cups of beef broth.  Bring to a boil.  Season generously with salt and pepper, dried herbs (parsley, oregano, basil).  When it starts reducing, add about 2/3 cup sour cream and about a cup of heavy whipping cream.  These will make the sauce creamy and silky and also act as a thickener.  *If you don't have any heavy cream, you can use plain milk.... Add a heaping teaspoon of cornstarch to the cold milk to make a slurry, then add it.

Meanwhile, boil water in a separate pot and add the wide egg noodles.  Boil until they are still just a bit al dente, drain briefly and add to the simmering sauce.  They will finish cooking in the sauce and also soak up a lot of that goodness.

The result is a nice, creamy sauce - slightly tangy from the sour cream, a little herbaceous from the nice green herbs, a little beefy from the stock.  Yum! 

Homemade Mac & Cheese

1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 1/2 c milk
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil
3/4 tsp paprika
10 oz American processed cheese, cubed
16 oz (about 3 cups) macaroni noodles, cooked

Combine eggs, milk, & seasonings.  Melt butter in a sauce pan.  Stir in flour.  Add milk mixture, & stir constantly over medium heat until it thickens.  Simmer 1 minute.  Add cheese & stir until cheese melts.  Add sauce gradually to the noodles until you reach the consistency you prefer (this is not a perfected recipe, so add the sauce gradually until you reach equilibrium).  Serves about 6

Golden Topped Pasta

8 oz dried pasta shells or spirals (or whatever)
2/3 c. chopped ham, beef, or turkey
12 oz frozen mixed vegetables
a little oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese (divided)
1-2 tsp. mustard
salt & ground black pepper

Preheat oven on broil. Heat vegetables according to package directions. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reheat meat if needed. Drain and place pasta, vegetables, & meat in casserole. Stir in 1-2 tsp oil. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the four & cook 1 minutes, stirring. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat, bring to a boil, stirring, and cook for 2 minutes. Add half the cheese, the mustard, & seasoning to taste. Spoon the sauce over the meat, vegetables, & pasta mixture. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and broil quickly until golder & bubbling.

Macaroni Goulash

2 cups elbow macaroni

Drizzle of olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 lb hamburger

1 can tomato soup

Grated cheese

Boil elbow macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook onions in olive oil until transparent, add ground beef & brown. Combine noodles, meat, & tomato soup & warm on stovetop until heated through. Served with grated cheese.

Skillet Bow Tie Lasagna

So easy, so fast, so delicious. A great combination. And all in one pan to boot. Another recipe from Kara.

1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb pork sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
8oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 c water
1 T dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 c dry bow tie pasta
3/4 c cottage cheese
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1/2 c mozzarella cheese

Brown meat, onion, and garlic; drain. Add remaining ingredients except cheeses. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until pasta is tender. Combine cottage cheese and Parmesan and drop by spoonfuls over tomato mixture. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and let cook for a couple of minutes until melted.

Fettucini Bake

1 pound Italian sausage
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 14.5 ounce can tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
3 beaten eggs
2 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tsp parsley
8 ounces hot cooked fettuccine noodles

Brown meat in a 10 inch skillet, drain. Add onion, tomatoes, and oregano; bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, margarine, parsley, and garlic power. Toss noodles with egg mixture, add to meat mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

This was presented to me as a freezer recipe. If freezing, I'd only cook the noodles half the regular time.

Spaghetti Pie

About 4 c. (8 oz.) spaghetti, broken in halves, cooked, & drained
1/3 c. onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta cheese
3 oz (about 3/4 c.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1 c. (4 oz) mozzarella cheese
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

Heat oven to 350. Spray casserole dish with oil. Cook pasta according to directions and drain well, but do not rinse. Place in a large mixing bowl. Spray a small skillet with vegetable oil. Chop onions, press garlic, and saute over medium heat for 1 minute. Add to pasta in bowl.

Grate mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, egg, salt, Italian seasoning mix & 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese to pasta mixture. Toss to combine ingredients. Press pasta mixture into casserole dish, forming a 1/2 inch rim around edge.

Spoon 2 cups pasta sauce into pasta shell. Spread to rim. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into wedges. Serve with remaining sauce.