Thai Peanut Noodles

Take 2!!! I always forget about this dish - that my family always eats happily (with the exception of our peanut allergy girl!) but I saw this today on a new recipe website I follow and she put a different spin on it! Let's try!!

Thai Peanut Noodles
8 ounces linguine noodles or Asian style noodle of choice
½ cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 ½ tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon dry ginger in a pinch
3 cloves garlic pressed or minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 ½ tablespoons honey
1-2 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce plus more for serving if desired (see note below), optional
1 bunch chopped green onions
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 limes cut into quarters
¼ cup chopped peanuts

Optional:
chili crisp oil as desired, for serving
8-10 ounces Shrimp or grilled, sliced chicken or steak

Instructions
If using noodles that require cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Some Asian style noodles are already cooked and can be added directly to the warm sauce and cooked there.
While the pasta is cooking, peel and mince the ginger and garlic, slice green onions, chop cilantro, and prepare lime and nuts.

To prepare sauce, in a separate sauce pan, combine broth, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, and sriracha. (note: I sometimes saute my garlic and ginger in a couple teaspoons of oil first, but that isn't totally necessary- either way works!) Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the peanut butter melts and the ingredients are combined. Cook on a very low simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. If desired, you may add an extra tablespoon of peanut butter if you like a thicker, more peanutty sauce.
When the noodles are done, drain well and return to pot. Immediately add the peanut sauce and toss to combine. Divide the noodles evenly among individual serving bowls then top with chopped green onions, cilantro, and peanuts. Squeeze a little lime juice over each serving and serve with an additional lime wedge if desired. If you'd like, add another squirt of sriracha or some chili crisp oil. Serve immediately. If it sits for a bit before serving and becomes too thick, just add a little broth, or even hot water, to loosen it up.

Pad Thai Peanut Bowl

Pad Thai Peanut Bowl
2 x 12 oz. noodles *I used spaghetti

1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Garlic powder to taste
2 bottles of Sky Valley Organic Thai Peanut Sauce

* optional Chicken (we used 1 can of chicken for our protein guy and air fried chicken nuggets for some of us)

Peanuts, Green onions, lime juice for serving

Cook noodles according to package directions until just tender. Heat 1 tablespoon oil, add the bell pepper  and cook for 1-2 minutes until pepper is just softened, stirring the entire time. Add garlic powder to taste.
Add in the noodles, peanuts and sauce then toss to combine. Stir in the scallions, squeeze with fresh lime juice and serve.

This was a HIT!!! Even Piper ate it!

Butter Pasta for a Crowd

All 3 of my daughters play soccer and all 3 of them play goalie - my oldest graduated from our local High School last year and my 2nd oldest (pictured) is the current Varsity goalie at that High School this year.

They have team dinner once a week and the parents pitch in to provide those dinners. A couple of us decided to do a pasta bar for the team and I don't want to forget how we did it - so I'm writing it down!!

We made dinner for 25 to 30 people. Butter pasta, GF pasta, meatballs, marinara, alfredo, garlic bread and macarons for dessert.

I made 5 pounds of rotini with just enough butter to keep them from sticking together, salt packets. We had one serving left. *2024 this year I used my 7? qt. black crockpot and my old white 4 or 5 qt crockpot to keep the pasta warm. When I got home the white crockpot broke - so I'll have to replace that.

My canning stove pot in 14 Quarts if you fill it to the "fill line". It took about 40 minutes for the water to come to a boil and then even though the package says to boil for 7-8 minutes, I cooked it for 12 minutes just to make sure it was cooked to my liking. I cooked all 5 lbs of noodles in that 14 quarts of water. Drained the pasta and put them in crockpot's with butter to keep them warm.

Corinne: 8 jars marinara, split half with meatballs, half without, 2 bags meatballs, 7 loaves garlic bread. did 4 jars of sauce plain and kept it in a large drink cooler until it was time for service. She did a bag and a half meatballs with 3 jars of sauce but she thinks she would do 2 full bags next time. She also brought 5 loaves of garlic bread but thinks 6 -7 loaves next time! Crock pot for the meatballs and sauce. 

Next year:

My white crockpot broke - so I'll need to buy a new one. DON'T FORGET EXTENSION CORDS!! 

Delese: 1 package GF pasta, GF meatballs, 4 packs macarons

The Cheesecake Factory 4 Cheese Pasta Dupe

We just got back from a soccer tournament in Las Vegas. I feel like we ate 24/7 - we always chose somewhere easy to get into. So our last dinner there was at the Cheesecake Factory.

Our 10 year old ordered this dish and she FELL IN LOVE. She took her leftovers back to the hotel and her sister (who chose to go bowling w her teammates instead of go with us) came back starved and asked to eat those leftovers - our 10 year old wouldn't share no matter what. I ended up promising her that I would find a dupe and make it for dinner later that week. It was a deal - so here is the recipe I followed! The only real difference in the one I made from all the other recipes out there is that I didn't add eggs - we have a child allergic so I just omitted them.

Doesn't look real pretty - but she was OVER THE MOON!

Cheesecake Factory 4 Cheese Pasta Dupe

8 oz Penne pasta
24 oz Marinara Sauce
1 c Ricotta
2 ¼ c Mozarella, grated
¼ c chopped fresh basil
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp pepper, freshly ground
4 Fresh mozzarella balls, cut into quarters
¾ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

Garnish
2 T ricotta cheese
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 11x8-inch (3.5 Quart)baking dish.
In a large pot of boiling, lightly salted water, cook Penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
Meanwhile, while pasta is cooking, heat marinara sauce in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, fresh basil, garlic powder and pepper. Stir until well combined.
Add hot pasta and the heated marina sauce to the ricotta mixture. Stir until pasta is thoroughly coated with the creamy sauce.
Transfer pasta mixture to greased 11x8-inch (3.5 Quart) baking dish. Place quartered mozzarella balls evenly over top of pasta. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake, covered in 350°F oven for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and place under broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Garnish: In a small bowl, combine 3 Tablespoons ricotta cheese and 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Divide evenly among four individual servings and top with freshly chopped basil.

Decadent Mac and Cheese

In the last year this Macaroni has officially become our family favorite. I don't make any other version - unless I'm cheating and make Cracker Barrel Sharp White Cheddar - LOL. 

Decadent Mac and Cheese via Kardea Brown

1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the dish

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed
4 ounces cream cheese
One 16-ounce block sharp Cheddar, shredded
1 1/2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 large eggs (egg replacer)
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with butter.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 7 minutes. Strain in a colander, run cold water over the pasta and set aside.
Using the same pot the macaroni was cooked in, melt the 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, add the flour and whisk until smooth. While whisking constantly, slowly add the milk and then the cream. Bring to a simmer, add the cream cheese and the shredded Cheddar except for 1/2 cup and stir until melted. Stir in the granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove the cheese sauce from the heat and stir in the macaroni. Season with salt and pepper.
Whisk together the eggs and sour cream in a small bowl and then fold into the macaroni and cheese. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish, fold in the cubed Cheddar and top with the reserved 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar. Bake until the top just begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more.

Alfredo Sauce

Welp - I went to look up my recipe for alfredo sauce and waddya know? It's not there!! I wanted to make Pasta Primavera - but I can't use Alfredo Sauce from a jar bc my son is allergic to eggs. So...

Alfredo Sauce
4 t chopped or minced garlic
2 t diced shallots
1 1/2 c chicken stock
2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c grated parmesan
4 oz cream cheese
salt and pepper

*I am PARANOID about burning garlic - so I always make sure not to put myself in a position to...

Add chicken stock to warm pan. Allow to heat up a bit. Add garlic and shallots. Add heavy cream 1 cup at a time. Add grated parmesan and allow cheese to melt. When that has come up to temperature, add cream cheese - 2 oz at a time. Allow it to melt and incorporate before adding the second one. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In this case - I steamed a bunch of veggies in the microwave, and cooked pasta according to package directions on a separate burner. Once everything was ready - I added the veggies to the sauce - making sure to coat them completely - then added the fettucine. Smiles all around.

Fall Pasta Bake

I am an avid viewer of the cooking show "The Kitchen" on the Food Network. I DVR all their episodes and watched this one today. One of the hosts, Katie Lee, made this pasta and it looked right up my familys alley. Boy howdy I was right! My husband took one of my daughters out and they walked in right as I was finishing this awesome meal. My 12 year old shouted "it smells AMAZING!" 

My picky eater (8) always needs to know what is in every meal I serve so I skipped over the kale the first time I told her the ingredients. She asked again - WHAT IS THE GREEN STUFF? I asked her to take one bite and then I'd tell her. She took a bite and as promised I told her it was kale. She shrugged and dished herself up a big ol' bowl.

This one will be going into rotation around here!

Fall Pasta Bake

Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish
1 pound rigatoni
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or more as desired
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups heavy cream
2 bunches Tuscan kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 pound fresh whole-milk ricotta
1/2 cup grated fontina
1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (I omitted bc I forgot it!)

Preheat the broiler. Spray a 9-by-13-inch ceramic or metal baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat the olive oil in the pan, then add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown at the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is very aromatic, another minute. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling into small chunks with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup pasta water to the pan and scrape up any of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in the heavy cream and cook, stirring frequently, until it comes to a simmer. Stir in the kale, then cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted and tender and the heavy cream has thickened, another 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the nutmeg and about 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper on the kale (taste here, as your sausage might have different seasonings). Remove from the heat and stir in the ricotta until just combined, followed by 1/4 cup each of the fontina and mozzarella. Add the pasta and stir until it is coated in sauce and the cheese starts to melt, adding pasta water if the mixture seems too thick. Taste and season with a little more salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top it with the remaining 1/4 cup fontina, 1/4 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan. Broil the pasta until the cheese is brown and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

I served this with a caesar salad - a nice way to cut through the heavy dish.

*The ONLY thing I will change when I make it next time is double the sausage - my husband and kids are big meat eaters.

This Mom's Lasagna

We hosted family dinner for my sons 16th birthday. I was feeding 20-30 (mainly adults and teenagers) so I had to come up with something delicious to feed a crowd AND something that's easy on my budget.

My local grocery store (Harmon's) had a 5 for $20 meat sale. I got approx. $40 worth of sausage, ground right there in the store for $20. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!! So I started there and I ended up here. This is based on Michael Symon's recipe for "Mom's Lasagna," I tweaked the recipe around what I had and what I could budget. This Mom's Lasagna

1/2 cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped *the pre diced frozen onions are SUCH a good hack!

4 garlic cloves, minced or grated

Kosher salt

2 lbs ground sweet sausage

2 lbs ground spicy sausage

32 - 48 oz of your favorite marinara sauce *depending on how wet you like it. I just like the flavor - not so wet for me.

1 lb dried lasagna noodles

2 lbs whole-milk ricotta cheese *32 oz for us layman folk

1/2 c Italian seasoning (Oregano, thyme, basil, parsley)

2 large eggs *I actually use an egg replacer bc my son is allergic to eggs

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, grated

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese *Fresh parsley adds a nice touch right before serving

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion garlic and a three-finger pinch of salt and sweat them until they are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the sausage and continue cooking until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to get all of the browned bits into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and simmer for 2 hours over medium heat.  Skim any fat that rises to the surface. *Harmon's sausage isn't only made right in the store - it is incredibly low fat - so I didn't have to do that!!!

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt so that it tastes seasoned and allow the water to return to a boil. Add the noodles and cook 2 or 3 minutes shy of package directions. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Italian seasoning and eggs* with a pinch of salt. I incorporated these ingredients by using a hand mixer - adds a bit of air to it - which is nice. I used Michael Symon's tip here: I put it into a gallon sized Zip Lock bag and cut the corner for easy distribution.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Ladle about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch lasagna pan. Arrange a layer of noodles over followed by a layer of ricotta mixture and then some sauce, smoothing it with a spatula to the edges of the noodles. Repeat the process until the pan is full and finishing with a final layer of noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes to brown and bubbly on top. Remove from oven and let cool before serving (he says slightly - I let it sit for about 30 minutes - think of it like a steak. If you cut into a steak right when it's done cooking - all the juices run out. Same thing with lasagna - if you cut right into it without letting it rest, you'll have a "mud slide" all the layers won't bind and they'll slide all over the place.) I served it with Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread - can you say YUMMMMM!!!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I usually make this per directions below, BUT the picture I took is one night that I was in a real hurry - and substituted rotisserie chicken for the parmesan chicken - a quick swap - but my entire family prefers it with the parm chicken.

As a note - my son doesn't like cream based sauces - like alfredo - mainly bc most jarred alfredo sauces have eggs in them - and he's allergic to eggs. THAT SAID - he LOVES this sauce AND even my picky eater who always answers the question "what do you want for dinner?" with a resounding "cheese quesadilla!" likes it too. 

CAJUN CREAM SAUCE

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
CRISPY PARMESAN CHICKEN
4 chicken breasts butterflied
1/4 cup flour
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 eggs
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
PASTA
1 lb Farfalle pasta (I had penne)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper sliced
1/2 red onion sliced
8 ounces crimini mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup parsley for garnish (optional)

Mix the Sauce ingredients together and set aside.
Set a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta to a minute shy of what is listed on the box.
Drain but do not rinse.
Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt and black pepper together in one bowl.
In a second bowl whisk the eggs.
Dredge each piece of chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, then into the eggs, and finally back into the breadcrumb mixture.
Let chicken sit on a tray while you cook the vegetables.
Melt butter in cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the bell peppers, onion, garlic and mushrooms.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until just starting to brown but not break down.
Remove the vegetables from the pan.
Add the 1/4 cup oil and cook the chicken until crispy and golden brown, 3-5 minutes on each side.

Beef Stroganoff

I knew I had to make dinner tonight with ground beef - and I've sorta over done all my go to ground beef recipes lately. Then I remembered that my Mom used to make us a ghetto beef stroganoff - so I looked up a bunch of recipes and came up with this based on what I like and what I had on hand.

It's a weeknight (tons of running the kids to and from activities) and I was painting our family room - so we ate it all (in 2 shifts) so - as with most meals lately - I didn't take a picture and usually I forget to even blog the recipe - but tonight's recipe was just that good that I had to write it down!

The 3 big kids had TWO servings and I kept sneaking back to the beef sauce for more samples. Hubs liked his plate clean. Baby even ate her big kid size portion! Definitely making this again and again!

Beef Stroganoff(ish)
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lg white onion big slices
1 container mushrooms pre sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 T flour
12 oz stock (beef would be best - but I ALWAYS have chicken)
1 cup sour cream
Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder
Pasta (usually this recipe uses egg noodles - but we have an egg allergy - so I just used penne)

Brown beef in skillet - drain on plate with paper towels. Sautee onion and mushrooms in butter and evoo until the onion is soft. Sprinkle flour over veg and stir to incorporate. Add beef back in, add cream of mushroom and stock, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir to incorporate. Cover and cook on low for 20-30 minutes - as long as it takes to boil the pasta water and cook the pasta.

Drain the pasta - drizzle in a little evoo and cover the pot. To the meat mixture add the sour cream and turn off the heat. Put the lid back on for a minute or two - then stir to incorporate. Taste and re-season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

In my house - we always serve the pasta separate from the sauce - because I have 4 kids. If I was serving adults - I would add the pasta in to the meat mixture and then serve.

Sausage & Bow Tie Pasta with Vodka Sauce

Sausage & Bow Tie Pasta with Vodka Sauce
1 - 1 1/2 lbs sausage
3/4 - 1 lb pasta (I use bow ties a lot but anything will do)
1 c heavy cream
1 c tomato sauce (I've even used pre made marinara in it's place)
1 T EVOO
1 T Butter
2 cloves garlic
1/2 - 3/4 c chicken stock
Parsley, basil, salt & pepper to taste* Fresh Parsley and basil are the best - use it if you can.

In a deep pan (like my large Creuset) crumble and brown the sausage until it is no longer pink. When you are finished - set the sausage on a separate plate covered with a paper towel to soak up some of the grease.

Using the same large pot you used for the sausage, fill with water and set to boil for the pasta.

Meanwhile, dice your onion, garlic, parsley & basil.

Sautee your onion and garlic in butter and EVOO. When the onion is nice and translucent, add the chicken stock. Now, it's probably time to add your pasta to the boiling water - do that.

Then add tomato sauce and slowly add the heavy cream. When it is all incorporated add the cooked sausage to the sauce and incorporate that. The pasta should be ready to drain. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water just in case the sauce is too thick for your preference.

After the pasta is drained, add the sauce (now including the sausage) into the large stock pot with the noodles. Add parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Serve!

*I hope this recipe makes sense - I make it all the time so it might seem all over the place - and sorry about the picture! I grabbed my sons lunch bowl with some leftovers the next day for the pic.

Creamy Basil Pesto Tortellini

I came up with this idea based on craving and availability

Creamy Basil Pesto Tortellini
1 package of fresh Tortellini (may favorite is the 5 cheese at Costco)
Alfredo Sauce (My basic alfredo sauce is HERE)
Basil Pesto Sauce (I love the Kirkland brand - sheesh - I should get paid for all this advertising!!)
Pine Nuts

I didn't give you any measurements - bc I didn't use any. I made my alfredo sauce (which does have measurements - do don't worry) When the alfredo sauce was done, I turned it down to low and covered it so it could stay warm while I prepped everything else.

The Tortellini only takes about 3-5 minutes to cook so this comes together quick! On the back burner in your smallest skillet - add a handful of pine nuts - keep the heat pretty low. Every time I toast pine nuts I forget about them - so using a low setting works for me.

Then everything comes together! I serve this buffet style. My daughter only likes alfredo on hers. One of my daughters loves Pesto - and just adds pesto and pine nuts to hers. My hubby, son and I like to add both alfredo and pesto together - mine is a little heavier on the pesto than theirs. We all love toasted pine nuts.

Just as we were all sitting down I remembered that I had a block of Asiago in the freezer - so I put a few very fine shavings on top! Delish!!

Homemade Mac n Cheese

I've been craving macaroni and cheese lately. I've tried A LOT of mac n cheese in my day.  I love a creamy, cheesy sauce. It drives me crazy when you spend so much time making mac n cheese - then you bake it and the cheese turns out gummy - do you know what I mean? I think baking it draws out a lot of the moisture in the sauce and while the pasta soaks up some of the sauce too - I'd rather have the creaminess - preference I guess...

I try to use a lot of local ingredients and organic protein, high quality cheeses, etc. But I have to say - the use of Velveeta for macaroni and cheese is crucial.

Homemade Mac n Cheese
12 oz Elbow Macaroni
3 T butter
2 T flour
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 t dry mustard
1/2 t hot sauce

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, in a large saucepan on medium heat, melt butter. Add flour, stirring constantly until mixture thickens slightly (roux). Add all other ingredients to roux - constantly stirring until the sauce is smooth.

Add the sauce to the cooked noodles and stir gently until incorporated.

*I really prefer to use elbow macaroni - but as my son is allergic to eggs, I have limited brands that make pasta without eggs - or that make pasta in a factory that doesn't also produce egg products - so... I gotta go with the flow:)

Sundried Tomato Fettuccine

Sundried Tomato Fettuccine

16 oz Fettuccine

1 c reserved pasta water

4 T olive oil

5 cloves minced garlic

½ c sundried tomatoes, diced

1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained

3 T tomato paste

½ T granulated sugar

¾ c sour cream

1 ½ c baby spinach

Pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil, add 1 tbsp. of olive oil then add your fettuccine. Cook according to direction on the box then drain (reserving 1 cup of the pasta water) and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, add the remaining 3 tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is heated up, add garlic and sundried tomato halves. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium low and gently add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and granulated sugar. Stir until well-incorporated.

Swiftly whisk in the sour cream. You’ll want to slowly add it in but whisk fast to get it all incorporated well. After all of it has been added and combined, bring the heat up to medium high and let it simmer and thicken for about 5-7 minutes.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste, then add in the baby spinach. Once the spinach has wilted, you may add in the cooked pasta and turn off the heat.

Toss to coat the pasta. If the mixture seems too thick, this is where you can slowly add the reserved pasta water a little at a time.

Top with parmesan romano. 

Quick Sausage Pasta

I saw this recipe on Pinterest originally via HERE. She promised it to be delicious and quick - all in one pan in 30 minutes. I was sold. I used diced tomatoes instead of Rotel because I didn't want my kids to complain that it's too spicy. AND - I spaced the last bit where you broil it.

It was delicious and it was quick and all 6 of us ate it happily.

Quick Sausage Pasta

1 T olive oil


1 lb smoked sausage


1 1/2 cups diced onion


2 cloves garlic, minced


2 cups low-sodium chicken broth


1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream


8 oz penne pasta



1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded


Salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Garnish with additional cheese. 

OR top with additional cheese and broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly. Which is what I wish I would've done!!

Easy Parmensan Chicken

This recipe is new to us. I made it last night just to mix things up a bit - and b/c I had everything I needed to make this dish on hand.

My husband said "I've eaten Parmesan Chicken in restaurants several times - and this one is the best I've ever had"

Parmesan Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c. panko or bread crumbs
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. seasoning salt
1/2 t. parsley
1 1/2-2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
2 c. sour cream
3/4 c. milk
1 cube butter
Spaghetti noodles
Spaghetti sauce
Mozzarella cheese, shredded (garnish)

Mix panco, garlic powder, seasoning salt, parsley and parmesan cheese together in a shallow dish. Mix sour cream and milk together and put in another shallow dish. Dip the chicken breasts into the sour cream and milk mixture and then into the cracker mixture (put a generous amount of the cracker mixture on the chicken). Place chicken in a 9x13 pan with a 1/4 cube melted butter on the bottom of the pan. Once chicken is placed on the bottom of the pan, drizzle the remaining melted butter over the chicken. Bake uncovered at 350 for 40 min. Cook and drain noodles. Warm sauce. Take the chicken out, smother with sauce and top with cheese, put back in the oven for an additional 5 - 10 minutes until the cheese is all melty and you just can't help yourself! Serve on top of pasta.