Springtime Pesto, Pasta, Pea Salad............

This is one of our favorite Spring and Summer salads. I am betting it is because it's green, cool and sooo good. It is also one of my go to salads for potlucks and parties. When we make it at home we usually serve it with Marinated Grilled Chicken and call it a meal. My girls love this one but they usually pick around the peas....I know totally silly kiddos....The pesto recipe can be used in anything calling for pesto.....

Serves: 10-12

1 1/2 lbs of Bow Tie Pasta (or something similar)
1/4 C Olive Oil
1 1/2-2 C Pesto (recipe below)
1 10oz Package of Frozen Chopped Spinach (Defrosted & Squeezed Dry)
3 T Fresh Lemon Juice (I sometimes use more)
1 1/4 C Mayo
1/2 C Grated Parmesan Cheese, or more
1 1/2 C Frozen Petite Peas (Defrosted)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cook Pasta in salted water until al dente (follow directions on box). Drain and toss with the Olive Oil. Cool to room temp. Make Pesto (recipe below) Then, in a food processor puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add mayo and continue to puree. Add pesto mixture to the cooled pasta, and then add parm cheese, peas, salt, pepper and mix well.

Pesto (makes 2 cups)
1/8 C Walnuts
1/8 C Pignolis (Pine Nuts)
3-4 Cloves of Garlic
2 1/2 Cups of Fresh Basil Leaves
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
3/4 C Olive oil
1/2 C Grated Parmesan cheese

Place walnuts, pignolis and garlic in a food processor. Process for 30 sec. Add basil, salt, pepper. With the processor going slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube, process until pureed. Add grated Parmesan cheese and process for 1 more min. Use in any recipe.

Colorful Chicken Pasta Salad

I love cold salads on hot summer days for dinner. This is an adaptation from Shawn's Moms Chicken Salad. I have changed the noodles from Soba or Chinese to Whole Grain. Partly because I can not find the Chinese noodles I normally use (Not a big Chinese selection down here in TX) and partly because its a good recipe to use whole grain noodles. Shawn even likes this salad as do the kids.....but the kids prefer it with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce instead of the Sesame dressing which is fine with me since I always have Teriyaki in the fridge (good way to get my kids to eat rice and such).......Anyway you can use your favorite marinated chicken, but I would recommend Gordon's Marinade, which I have on a separate post or a Teriyaki Marinade. I like to serve this salad with the dressing on the side, it makes for easy keep if there are leftovers plus it also allows a person to put as much or as little as they want.

Serves 6-8

4-5 Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts, sliced

1 lb Barilla Plus or Barilla Whole Grain Spaghetti Noodles

1/2 Head of Cabbage, chopped

2 Bell Peppers (Red, Orange or Yellow), quartered & sliced

1 English Cucumber, quartered & sliced

1-2 Cans Mandarin Oranges (we use 2 cause the girls LOVE them)

Grape Tomatoes, whole

4 Green Onions, chopped

Toasted Sesame Seeds or Almonds, Garnish (optional)

Dressing-(this is the doubled recipe, you can 1/2 it)

4 oz Apple Juice

8 oz Rice Wine Vinegar

4 T Sesame Oil (can reduce and add a splash of chili oil if you want some heat)
4 T Soy Sauce

2 tsp Sugar

To make the dressing mix all ingredients in a container and shake vigorously until sugar is well mixed. Cook Pasta according to package and rinse under cold water. Let Drain. Layer salad in a large Pasta Serving Bowl, start with cabbage then layer the noodles on top, then top with veggies and chicken...Basically make it pretty (although my pic above is not my best work, oh well) Like I said before I like to serve the dressing on the side (we also do green onions on the side since Shawn does not like them)....avoids putting too much on or not enough, yadah, yadah.....

Naples Style Lasagna

I grew up with this basic recipe and over the years of making it I have found this version to be my favorite....I am a crazy cook and I like all my red sauces to taste different.....my spaghetti sauce can not taste like my marinara and my lasagna sauce can not taste like my spaghetti sauce.....on so on....The sauce for this is really simple and that's probably why I like it.....quick and easy....I also like using a combo of cottage cheese and ricotta...you could use one or the other.......its also best to make a day ahead and let set up in the fridge too....I only do that when I have time....can also freeze to eat at a later date too.....anyway this is becoming one of Mikiah's favorite dishes....she loves it.....Enjoy!

Makes: 9x13

1 lb Ground Beef

1 lb Italian Sausage

1 Med Onion, finely chopped

1-1 1/2 C Mushrooms, quartered

Salt & Pepper

3-4 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1/2-3/4 C Dry Red Wine

1 10.75 oz can of Tomato Puree

1 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes, Italian Style or Plain

1 Bay Leaf

1-2 tsp dried Basil

1/2-1 tsp of Italian Seasonings

1/2 box or 10 Lasagna Noodles

3 beaten eggs

1 1/2 C Ricotta

1 1/2 C Cottage Cheese

3/4 C Grated Parmesan

1/4 C Italian Parsley, chopped

8oz-16oz Fresh Mozzarella, sliced use as much or as little as you want (I buy a two pack of fresh Mozzarella at Costco and use one of them, but I have seen them in grocery stores and you can use regular mozzarella too, we just prefer fresh)

Cook Noodles in salted boiling water for 8 min and drain well.

For Sauce:

In a pot add beef, sausage, onions and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook until meat is browned. Drain off fat, return to heat and add in the garlic cook for 1-2 min. Add in the wine and stir. Then add in crushed tomatoes/puree, bay leaf, basil, and Italian seasoning. Re season with salt and pepper. Simmer until thick stirring occasionally, I usually let it simmer for 40 min or so. Discard bay leaf.

For Filling:

Combine beaten eggs, ricotta, cottage cheese, Parmesan and fresh parsley.

Arrange 1/2 the lasagna noodles in the bottom of a greased (I just spray with non stick spray) 13x9x2. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture, 1/2 of the meat sauce, and 1/2 of the mozzarella. Repeat with noodles, then the rest of ricotta mixture and the rest of the meat sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for about 45min to 1 hour until hot and bubbly. Uncover and add the remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for another 15 min or until lasagna is hot through and cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 min before serving. Serve with bread and extra Parm cheese if you like....

Chicken and Balsamic Cream Sauce

So when I create I never quite know what something will taste like....its pretty much a crap shoot....last night I made this dish and I must say it turned out pretty good.....I definitely have some fine tuning to do to make it even better but I think it is worth posting for all you to try, edit and create.......that is if you like balsamic vinegar.....you can leave out the goat cheese if you don't like it, but I tell you that combined with the sauce was my favorite part and could never leave it out....but I LOVE goat cheese.....crap I love most cheese.....its definitely one of my guilty pleasures....besides chocolate.....So edit away and enjoy this twist on a old time chicken and noodles....or rice....

Makes 6 servings

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Salt & Pepper

1-2 T Olive Oil

2-3 Shallots, finely chopped

3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

2 T Flour

2-3 T Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp Thyme (I used fresh cause I had it)

2 C Chicken Stock

1-1 1/2 C Half & Half

1/4 C Italian Parsley, finely chopped

1 lb Orzo, cooked according to package (You could use rice too)

1-2 Bunches of Broccoli, steamed

Plain Goat Cheese, topping

Splash Balsamic Vinegar, topping (optional)

In a large skillet heat olive oil over med high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper add to heated pan. Cook chicken 5-6 min per side and then remove and cover with foil. Turn down the heat to med, and add Shallots, Garlic and Thyme. Cook for 2-3 min. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for about 2 min. Whisk in the Chicken Stock, Balsamic Vinegar and Half and Half. Turn up the heat a little bit and simmer for 3-4 min or until thickened. Slice up the chicken and add it back to the pan, then add in the Parsley. Heat for 1-2 more min until hot.

To serve: Place some orzo in a bowl, top with Chicken Cream Sauce, Goat Cheese and a splash of Balsamic vinegar along side some steamed broccoli. Enjoy....

Italian Pesto Pasta

So this is one of those meals that I usually have everything for and it is easy to whip together....We love it with sliced Italian Sausage links, but I will use whatever I have from cooked Chicken to Flavored Smoked Sausage to Salami......This is probably one of Mikiah's favorite meals....whenever I ask her what she wants for dinner she usually replies with "Pesto Pasta"......You can use any semi soft or soft cheese that you like.....I just so happened to have some Farmers Cheese which worked great.....Havarti also works great as well as those flavored spreadable cheeses....add more veggies if you like.....Peppers would be a good add in.........Oh and I love Trader Joe's pesto....which is a major bummer about living in San Antonio....No Trader Joe's down here.....Totally miss that store.....

Makes 4-6 servings

1 pkg Italian Sausage Links (Sweet or Hot)

2 C Cream

1/4-1/3 C Prepared Pesto

3 oz Cream Cheese

8 0z (1 C) Farmers Cheese (or any other Semi Soft/Soft Cheese)

Pepper, to taste

2-3 C Fresh Broccoli, cut into florets

1 Lg Can Medium Olives (you can slice, I don't so Shawn can pick them out)

1 lb Pasta (we use Mini Penne or Bow Tie, easier for the twins to eat)

1/2 C Parmesan Cheese or Parm Cheese Blend, garnish on top

Fry up the sausage links until done all the way through. Remove from heat and slice.

Boil a pot of water. Add in a some salt and then the noodles. Cook according to package, except in the last 2-4 min (depending on how done you want your broccoli) add in the broccoli to the pot. Drain and dump back into the stock pot and then add the olives on top.

While noodles are cooking. Start the sauce. Pour the cream into a sauce pan or deep skillet. Heat over med low/med heat for 5-8 min until hot through. Stir in pesto and heat another 1-3 min to bring back to hot. Stir in cream cheese once combined add in the semi soft cheese and stir until melted and well combined. Then add the sausage to the pan and season with pepper, keep over med low/med heat and bring sauce to back to hot and slightly thickened around 5 min or so. Pour sauce over the noodles/broccoli/olives and stir to combine, serve out of the pot or dump into a pasta bowl.....Top with Parmesan Cheese and Enjoy.....

Blanco Chicken Lasagna

Lasagna is one of my favorite comfort foods....there are so many variations you can do, red sauce, white sauce, pink sauce....This recipe is a good way to use up some cooked chicken, shoot you could even use leftover turkey.......This recipe even allows you to use the infamous "Poultry Seasoning" which I seem to only use around Thanksgiving and usually end up buying fresh every year.....Anyway its easy to double and a recipe I like to make and take to new parents when they come home from the hospital....

Makes: 9x13 Pan

8oz Lasagna Noodles
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
3/4 C Chicken Broth
1/2 t Salt
1/2 t Poultry Seasoning
8oz Package Cream Cheese, softened
1 C Cottage Cheese
1/2 C Sour Cream
1/2 C Mayonnaise
1/3 C Onion, finely chopped
1/3 C Green Bell Pepper, finely chopped
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
3 C Cooked Chicken, shredded or chopped
Buttered Bread Crumbs

Cook Noodles according to package (8-9 Min). Rinse in Cold Water and set aside. Mix chicken soup, broth, salt and poultry seasoning in a sauce pan and heat over med-low heat (watch the soup it can stick to the bottom of the pan). In a bowl beat softened cream cheese and the cottage cheese together, add in the sour cream and mayo. Then stir in the onion, green pepper and parsley. Butter or spray a 9x13 pan and then layer 1/2 the noodles, 1/2 the Cottage Cheese mixture, 1/2 the Chicken and then pour 1/2 the soup mixture. Repeat layers and top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 min, until bubbly and hot.....

Lemon Linguine

I have started to see a trend in my cooking.....we love citrus. Lemon especially......Maybe its because it just gives food that extra pop or zing. We just had this dish a few days ago and all of the family really liked it, especially Mikiah.....she was slurping the noodles 1 by 1.....and of course she had seconds....Shawn and I both think this would be great with some grilled shrimp instead of chicken....but it was what I had.....Oh do we love pasta.....

Serves 4-6

1 lb of Linguine Noodles

3 T Lemon Olive Oil or reg Olive Oil

3-4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

2 Lemons, Zested & Juiced

1-2 C Cooked Chicken Breast Strips (I used Frozen Grilled Strips)

2 C Heavy Cream

1 C Grated or Shredded Parmesan

1/2 C Flat Leaf Parsley, Finely Chopped

10-12 Basil Leaves, sliced thin

1 Lemon Sliced for Garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and then drop in the noodles, cook according to the package (about 8-9 min). After about 5 min of the noodles cooking use a glass measuring cup and pull out some of the pasta cooking water about a 1/4 of a cup. Drain Pasta when done.

Heat large deep skillet over low heat, add in olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Add in chicken and cook for 5 min. Add in the 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water, lemon juice cook for 3-5 more minutes until chicken is hot through. Then stir in the cream and blend. Raise the heat a little bit and bring the sauce to a small bubble and reduce the cream. Add lemon zest and half of the cheese, half the basil and half the parsley, stir. Season with salt and pepper. Add Pasta to pan and turn off heat. Toss the pasta with the sauce for a few minutes allowing the pasta to soak up the sauce. Place all in pasta bowl and top with the rest of the cheese, parsley and basil. Add a slice or two of lemon to squeeze on right before eating, if you like.

Velvet Slippers Pasta

Ok, so the name is a bit funny, but this is what Shawn's brother Joel thought....he said this pasta was like wearing "Velvet Slippers"..... This recipe use to be called Crap-Shoot Pasta becuase Nana called this dinner a crap-shoot and I think it stuck in my head as the perfect name since we basically (mostly Nana) made it up as we went. Which by the way is one of my favorite ways to cook. I love pasta main dishes and this one works well for that. It all started because we had some leftover Jalapeno Popper filling (Cream Cheese and Hot Sausage) that we needed to use. Anyway we looked through the cupboard and 'Ta-Da' here is dinner.....

Serves 4-6

1 lb (16oz) of Your Favorite Pasta (we use Mini Penne the girls love the size)
2 C (1 pint) Heavy Cream
1/2-1lb of Meat, cooked (Italian Sausage, Sliced Flavored Sausage Links, Sliced Chicken)
3-4 oz Cream Cheese, Cubed
1 C Havarti Cheese, shredded (any mild cheese would be good, Munster, etc)
1/3-1/2 C Sundried Tomatoes, chopped (I prefer them packed in Oil)
1/2 C Fire Roasted Peppers, chopped (I use the jarred Yellow/Red ones)
1 Small can Sliced Black Olives
Zest of 1 Lemon
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 4-5oz Bag of Arugula or Baby Spinach
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Sliced Tomato, Garnish
Parmesan Cheese, Garnish
Green Onions, Garnish

Boil water and add in salt & pasta, cook according to the box and drain (Do not rinse). Start the sauce while cooking boiling the water for the Pasta and it should all come together around the same time. Pour the cream into a sauce pan and heat over Medium or Medium/Low to warm and heat the cream but not scald. When heated melt in Cream Cheese and stir. Add in the meat to heat it through. Then add some of the zest of lemon (if you like a more punch lemon taste you could as some of the juice of the lemon) reserving some zest for the top of the finished dish. Stir and season with a little pepper. Add in the Havarti and stir in to combine. When melted add in Sundried tomatoes, Peppers, Olives heat until warm, probably a few min or so. After noodles are done and still hot put back in the pan you cooked them in and pour sauce over. Add in Spinach and toss together and season with Salt and Pepper if it needs it. Place in a serving dish, garnish with sliced tomatoes, green onions, and Parmesan.