Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

When I first took a bite of this, we'll call it "spaghetti", I wasn't entirely convinced that I would like it. It was certainly different, to say the least. But, after eating (and totally enjoying) my serving, watching my kids eat theirs, and hearing them beg for seconds, I knew this one was going to be one of our new favorites. After dinner was over, I found myself craving more and I literally could not wait until lunchtime the next day to devour the left-overs. I don't know if it was the San Marzano tomatoes or the simplicity of the ingredients that made this so delicious, but I do know that I will definitely be making it again and again.

Pictures courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter
From Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4 as a main course; makes enough sauce to lightly coat most of a pound of spaghetti

28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes from a can (San Marzano, if you can find them)*
5 tablespoons butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan (it fit just right in a 3-quart) over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste and keep warm while you prepare your pasta. I actually mashed the tomatoes, in the saucepan, with a potato masher.

Serve with spaghetti, with or without grated parmesan cheese to pass.

*I found these at Market Street grocery store. You can also purchase at Whole Foods, or any store that caters to a specialty market. If you can't find them, use whatever brand you prefer, and I'm sure it will still turn out delicious!

Classic Italian Lasagna

Pic courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

Who's in the mood for some comfort food? Because this lasagna is absolutely AMAZING. I have been making sour cream lasagna for years and really believed that, as far as lasagna goes, it couldn't be beat. Let me tell you, this Classic Italian Lasagna beats it. It is the creamiest, tastiest homemade lasagna you'll ever make. I could literally eat it for dessert. Warning: it's a bit labor-intensive, but worth every dirty pan.

Classic Italian Lasagna

from My Kitchen Cafe

*Makes one 9X13-inch pan of lasagna

Red Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
8 ounces mushrooms (I used the canned variety), chopped
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1-2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried oregano and basil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

White Sauce:
3 cups milk (not skim, I used 1%)
5 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

9 lasagna noodles, boiled for half the time on the box (or use 12 of the no-boil noodles, of which I far prefer the Barilla brand)
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or with a napkin dipped lightly in olive oil and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat, breaking the meat apart into pieces with a wooden spoon. When turkey is cooked through, drain the grease and set aside.

In a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and one tablespoon butter. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. When oil/butter is hot, add the garlic, stirring constantly. When the garlic is lightly browned, but NOT burned, add the onion and mushrooms. Continue cooking on medium-high heat until the vegetables are soft and browned and the fluid has mostly cooked out. Remove from heat and either using a handheld immersion blender or transferring the vegetables to a blender, blend the vegetables to a paste-like mixture. Return the pot to the heat (pour the pureed vegetables back in, if using a stand-alone blender) and add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Then add the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir. Cover and let the sauce sauce simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Right before using the red sauce in the lasagna, stir in the reserved ground turkey.

While the red sauce simmers, if using lasagna noodles that need to be boiled, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the noodles for half the time suggested on the box. Once the noodles are cooked, drain, but do not rinse. Add a dab of olive oil to keep them from sticking together. If you are using no-boil noodles, you can skip this step.

Also while the red sauce is cooking, melt the four tablespoons butter and when melted, add the flour, stirring constantly to combine and letting the mixture cook, while stirring, for a minute or two. Gradually add in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the salt and pepper. Slowly whisk the white sauce, ensuring it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan, while cooking it over medium heat. Continue slowly stirring or whisking while the white sauce cooks and thickens quite a bit, about 5-7 minutes.

To begin layering the lasagna, keep in mind that you’ll have three layers of noodles as well as three layers of the sauces and cheese – so plan on splitting all the sauce and cheese piles into thirds so you don’t run out at the end! On the bottom of your lightly greased baking pan, layer three pre-boiled noodles or four no-boil noodles, slightly overlapping the no-boil noodles. Layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, spreading all to the edges and top with another layer of noodles. Again, layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and top with the final layer of noodles. Layer the sauces and cheeses again.

Cover the lasagna with a greased layer of aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli and Smoked Mozzarella

We just ate this and here I am- already posting it. It's really, really good and a surprisingly fast meal to prepare. I halved the recipe for our family of 5 and it was perfect with one serving of leftovers. I made a few changes from the the original recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe .

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli and Smoked Mozzarella

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

*Note: See the asterisk below the recipe for make-ahead directions.

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
Topping:
3/4 cup bread crumbs (store-bought or make your own)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), stalks cut off, florets trimmed into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
6 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
3 ounces smoked mozzarella, shredded (I used regular mozzarella b/c smoked is pricey)
8 ounce jar roasted red peppers, chopped (Mel used sun-dried tomatoes but I don't really like them)
DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and butter and set aside. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven. In a large pot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. Stir in one tablespoon salt and the broccoli. The broccoli cooks quickly so stay close! Cook the broccoli for 1 minute, until it is bright green. Quickly remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon to a plate. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than how you would eat it normally (it will cook a bit more in the oven while baking). Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Leave it in the colander and set it aside.
Wipe the pot dry. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the flour, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth and cream; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the roasted red peppers and (smoked) mozzarella.
Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce; stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the crumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
*The casserole can be prepared in advance with the following steps: after the broccoli is removed from the boiling water, plunge it into a bowl of ice water and cool completely. Assemble the casserole following the directions in the recipe. After the casserole is spread in the prepared baking pan, let it cool for 5-10 minutes before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating for up to 8 hours. To bake, preheat the oven to 375 and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Tomato Basil Soup

This is my favorite Tomato Basil Soup recipe, and I love Tomato Basil soup. If you've ever tried Nordstrom cafe's Tomato Basil, this one actually is comparable. Yes, it's that good. Try making your own garlic/parmesan toast to dip in it, and it is heaven!

Tomato Basil Soup

this recipe came from my sister-in-law, Debbie

1/4 cup butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. Dried thyme

1/2 tsp. Dried crushed red pepper

1 bay leaf

2 28 oz. Cans crushed tomatoes with added puree

6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth (I use water and chicken bouillon)

1 cup chopped fresh basil

1-2 cups cream

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and next 5 ingredients. Cover; cook until onion is tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, and basil. Cover and simmer 40 minutes. Discard bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Puree in blender and then add the cream (this step is optional). Serve. This is really yummy with small toasted parmesan/garlic toast slices to dip into it (try sourdough bread). Also yummy with meatballs in it. Freezes well.

Cajun Pasta

This is a recipe from the Pioneer Woman....you can't go wrong with her, trust me. I love me a cream sauce and this one really delivered. I left the chicken out of my dish and it was delicious. Next time, I would DOUBLE the amount of vegetables though- it definitely needed more. So very yummy.

Picture Courtesy Pioneer Woman Cooks

Cajun Style Pasta
Pioneer Woman Cooks
3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
1 pound Fettuccine (I used Barilla Plus Spaghetti)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
2 1/2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup Heavy Cream (or milk)
Cayenne Pepper To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Salt To Taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

(I skipped this step!) Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.
Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.
Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.
With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!
Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Creamy Cajun Pasta

I made this a few nights ago and it was a big hit. And I loved that it was relatively healthy. I subbed the sausage for chicken and only added one pepper. Also, I blended the canned tomatoes up a little but (not pureed) so it would be more palatable for my picky family.

Creamy Cajun Pasta with Smoked Sausage (chicken) and Peppers
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound smoked pork sausage, halved and cut into 1/4″ slices (I subbed chicken)
1 small red onion, halved and sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 colored bell peppers (I used red and yellow), halved and sliced
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water (high elevations increase to 1 3/4)
8 ounces pasta (I used trottole)
2 cups 1% milk
3 ounces low-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning (like Tony Chachere’s)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Instructions:
Preheat 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook 2-3 minutes or until it starts to release oil and is browning. Add the onions and cook until fragrant. Add the garlic and sliced bell peppers and cook until the peppers are tender-crisp. Remove from heat and transfer the sausage and peppers to a large plate. Set aside.
Return the pan to heat and add the tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then quickly add the pasta, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Cook until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is absorbed.
While the pasta is cooking, place the milk, cream cheese, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and flour in the jar of a blender and blend until smooth. Heat the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. When melted, add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes or until tender and fragrant. Add the mixture from the blender and cook until smooth and thickened to where if the back of a spoon is dipped into the sauce, you can trace your finger down the back of the spoon and that spot will stay clean.
Remove the sauce from heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted and smooth.
Add the peppers and sausage to the pasta/tomato mixture and stir to combine. Add the garlic sauce and combine. Season to taste with Cajun seasoning and serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

One-Pan Creamy Chicken and Spinach

 

One-Pan Creamy Chicken and Spinach

Creamy chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in this easy Italian dinner done in 20 minutes. It's all done in one pan so you don't have to do dishes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Calories 621 kcal

Author Christy Denney

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups spinach leaves (about 3 ounces)
• (optional) chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season chicken breasts well with salt and pepper. Cook chicken for 3-5 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.

2. Add the butter, onions, garlic, and crushed red pepper to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the cream, chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and cream cheese. Simmer over medium heat for a couple of minutes, whisking until creamy.

4. Stir in the Parmesan and spinach and simmer until spinach has wilted. The longer you cook the sauce the thicker it will be. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken to the pan in the sauce until warmed then serve. Garnish with fresh chopped basil if desired. Serve plain, over pasta, or over cauliflower rice for a low-carb version.

Recipe Notes

CAN I USE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN?

Yes, just skip step one and add the chicken to the sauce at the end until warm.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Nutrition Facts

One-Pan Creamy Chicken and Spinach

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 621Calories from Fat 459

% Daily Value*

Fat 51g78%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Protein 44g88%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Enchilada Casserole

pic and recipe courtesy of jamiecooksitup.net

This sounded so good to me and it was DELICIOUS! I was surprised at how yummy it was. I am DEFINITELY making it again. Even my husband asked for seconds and my three year old ate it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped (I used minced dried onions)
1 T minced garlic
salt and pepper
1 (14.5 ounce) can Mexican stewed tomatoes
3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 T taco seasoning
1 t lime juice
1/2 C sour cream
1 T butter
9 flour tortillas
3-4 C cheddar cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS:
Brown beef with onions and garlic. Season with S&P. Add tomatoes and chilies and beans. Then add seasoning. Incorporate. Then add butter and sour cream and lime juice. Bring to a low boil. Spray the bottom of a 9x13. Spoon 1/3 of meat sauce into pan. Layer three tortillas, slightly overlapping. Add another layer of meat then top with cheddar cheese. Then tortillas, then meat, then cheese. Cook at 350, covered for about 45 minutes. (I accidentally cooked mine uncovered and it was done in 30 minutes and it was slightly crispy and DELICIOUS!). I topped mine with tortilla chips.





Texas Shepherd's Pie

Potatoes + Cheese + Meat = Comfort Food. Sometimes you just need some, right? :) Add some veggies and spices to the mix and you've got a great meal. We don't eat a lot of ground beef in our family, but when I saw this recipe, I knew we had to make it, and I'm sure glad we did. It was so delicious.

image

Texas Shepherd's Pie

Adapted from Evil Shenanigans

6 small Red potatoes (or 2 Russett), diced into 1/2-in. pieces

1 Tbs. butter, softened

1/2 cup milk (I used skim with great results)

1 1/3 cup shredded pepperjack cheese, divided

1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 lb. ground beef

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup frozen corn

1 can diced tomatoes (or 1 c. chopped fresh)

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Boil potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain and cream with butter and milk until smooth, creamy consistency. Add more milk if needed. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 cup of cheese, mix well. Set aside. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and 1 tsp. salt. Once onions are softened (about 5 minutes), add garlic and remaining spices. Stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add the ground beef and stir until well-browned. Add in the black beans and corn and cook until the corn is heated through. Add tomatoes and then transfer to baking dish. Spread remaining cheese on top of meat mixture. Then spread potatoes on top (I had to use my fingers b/c the potatoes were pretty sticky). Bake about 35 minutes, until juices are boiling. Broil for 3-5 minutes until potatoes are browned to desire. Allow the casserole to rest 5-10 minutes before eating.

Tortellini Soup

Marianne Galli made this for our Souper Saturday.  First dish gone, easy!  It was really delicious.  Sorry, I didn't take any pictures:). Tortellini Soup

2 Tbls butter 6 garlic clove, minced 1/2 cup onion chopped 4 cups chicken stock 2 cups water 1 9 oz. pkg. cheese tortillini 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with liquid 1 10 oz pkg. spinach 8 basil leaves, sliced 1 egg 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated salt and pepper to taste

1 In a large saucepan, melt butter. Sauté garlic and onion. 2 Add stock and water. 3 Bring to a boil, and add tortellini and reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. 4 Add Tomatoes and cook 4 minutes. 5 Add spinach and basil, cook 1-2 minutes. 6 In a small mixing bowl, whisk egg, Parmesan, salt and pepper. 7 Slowly drizzle into soup and cook 2 minutes.

Servings: 6