This is crock pot meal #2 for the week (from TidyMom, slightly modified), and it was Easy with a capital E. This got rave reviews from the husband and the kids wolfed theirs down, too. I have to admit, I was concerned that this was going to be a flop--the ingredients seemed too simple especially for plain old chicken breasts. BUT boy was I wrong! Even better, you probably have almost all the ingredients in your kitchen right now.
INGREDIENTS
4 chicken breasts (mine were frozen when I put them in the crock pot--they always are--but you can use thawed...whatever)
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
1/4 cup water
8 ounces cream cheese (I use fat free)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use Healthy Request)
1 pound pasta of some sort (spaghetti...penne for the kids...anything)
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Put your chicken in the crock pot. Mix Italian dressing packet with 1/4 cup water and pour over chicken. Cook on low 3 hours.
(2) After 3 hours mix cream of chicken and cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth OR you could do like I did (because I did not read the recipe) and put them in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Stir it until the cream cheese melts and combines with the soup.
(3) (Optional: At this point I took the lid off the crock pot and cut my chicken into smaller pieces--not bite-sized but smaller)
(4) Add the soup/cream cheese mixture to the crock pot and cook on low for an additional hour.
(5) Serve over pasta...cooked pasta, of course.
Showing posts with label Pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pasta. Show all posts
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Bowtie Lasagna
This one is from Tasty Kitchen. This is another super fast, filling, and yummy recipe. The sour cream really differentiates it from your generic pasta and tomato sauce dish. My kids also LOVED this! Here's what you need:
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1 pound bowtie pasta
3 cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I just dumped in a whole jar...I don't really know if that is 3 cups or not)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (or more) teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS
(1)Brown you ground beef in a skillet & drain. Meanwhile, cook your pasta as directed on package.
(2) After pasta is done, drain it, return it to the pot, and drizzle the olive oil over it.
(3) Add EVERYTHING else to the pot. Stir it well to combine.
(4) Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until it is warm and cheese is melted.
(5) Optional: Dump everything in a 13x9" casserole dish, cover it with some more shredded mozzarella, and broil it until it gets all melty and delicious.Serve and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1 pound bowtie pasta
3 cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I just dumped in a whole jar...I don't really know if that is 3 cups or not)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (or more) teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS
(1)Brown you ground beef in a skillet & drain. Meanwhile, cook your pasta as directed on package.
(2) After pasta is done, drain it, return it to the pot, and drizzle the olive oil over it.
(3) Add EVERYTHING else to the pot. Stir it well to combine.
(4) Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until it is warm and cheese is melted.
(5) Optional: Dump everything in a 13x9" casserole dish, cover it with some more shredded mozzarella, and broil it until it gets all melty and delicious.Serve and enjoy!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
I must warn you--this sauce made me despise Ragu and all those other store-bought sauces. I licked the pot--no lie!--after I canned this. Which brings up another point. This is actually a canning recipe. So if you want to know how to "can" (I think it should be called "jarring" since you actually put it in jars) this, then just comment and I will send you instructions. You can also just put it in the refrigerator if you plan on using it all within about 2 weeks. OR you can freeze it in Freezer bags (double bag it just in case you have a hole!). Anyway, we love this sauce. It should make enough to make spaghetti about 8 times, depending on if you like a lot of sauce or not:
HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE INGREDIENTS
10 lbs fresh tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 1/2 cups onions, chopped (I use yellow or Vidalia)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano*
2 bay leaves*
1 tablespoon plain non-iodized salt (this is important if you are canning)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of red pepper (or more if you like it spicy)*
1 tablespoon dried parsley*
1 tablespoon dried crushed celery leaves*
*All these spices are things you should find in the dried spice section of your grocery store
INSTRUCTIONS (for using, refrigerating, or freezing)
(1)Peel, core, and chop tomatoes.
(2)Combine with remaining ingredients in heavy saucepan (a big pot).
(3)Simmer 2 hours, uncovered, until you reach desired consistency (the longer you simmer it the thicker it will get). Your house will smell amazing.
(4)If you like chunky sauce leave it as is. If you like smooth sauce, then put it through a food processor or blender before storing.
(5)Let it cool completely before storing it in refrigerator or freezer.
HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE INGREDIENTS
10 lbs fresh tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 1/2 cups onions, chopped (I use yellow or Vidalia)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano*
2 bay leaves*
1 tablespoon plain non-iodized salt (this is important if you are canning)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of red pepper (or more if you like it spicy)*
1 tablespoon dried parsley*
1 tablespoon dried crushed celery leaves*
*All these spices are things you should find in the dried spice section of your grocery store
INSTRUCTIONS (for using, refrigerating, or freezing)
(1)Peel, core, and chop tomatoes.
(2)Combine with remaining ingredients in heavy saucepan (a big pot).
(3)Simmer 2 hours, uncovered, until you reach desired consistency (the longer you simmer it the thicker it will get). Your house will smell amazing.
(4)If you like chunky sauce leave it as is. If you like smooth sauce, then put it through a food processor or blender before storing.
(5)Let it cool completely before storing it in refrigerator or freezer.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Farm Style Spaghetti and Meatballs
Y'all didn't know I live on a farm? Just kidding, I really live in a zoo... (My husband is embarrassed right now because I am not funny. Love you, sweetie!). Anyway, I don't know where this recipe got it's name, but I got the recipe here. I knew it would be awesome because it had Lipton onion soup mix in it...I was right. This is not normal spaghetti--not like Italian spaghetti. It has a whole different, rich flavor--I can't describe it. Just try it. Trust me. It's good. When I made it, I halved the recipe (I am making it again tonight). Let's start with the meatballs:
MEATBALL INGREDIENTS
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 of one envelope of Lipton onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (I did not have this so I just threw in some dried oregano, parsley, and garlic powder totaling 1 1/2 teaspoons)
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat your broiler to 500 or 550.
(2) Use your hands to mix your ingredients and shape into ping-pong sized balls.
(3) Place the balls on a cookie sheet and broil for 8-10 minutes.
(4) Then place meatballs into a large pot or dutch oven.
SAUCE INGREDIENTS*
1 29-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 can of water
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (again, I kind of made my own)
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
1 pinch ground cloves
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and add to pot over meatballs.
(2) Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium/low. Cover and cook for about 40 minutes. The longer you cook it the thicker your sauce will be.
(3) Serve over spaghetti!
*Warning: DO NOT wear your favorite light colored shirt while eating this...don't let your husband either...unless you have an excellent stain remover :)
MEATBALL INGREDIENTS
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 of one envelope of Lipton onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (I did not have this so I just threw in some dried oregano, parsley, and garlic powder totaling 1 1/2 teaspoons)
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat your broiler to 500 or 550.
(2) Use your hands to mix your ingredients and shape into ping-pong sized balls.
(3) Place the balls on a cookie sheet and broil for 8-10 minutes.
(4) Then place meatballs into a large pot or dutch oven.
SAUCE INGREDIENTS*
1 29-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 can of water
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (again, I kind of made my own)
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
1 pinch ground cloves
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and add to pot over meatballs.
(2) Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium/low. Cover and cook for about 40 minutes. The longer you cook it the thicker your sauce will be.
(3) Serve over spaghetti!
*Warning: DO NOT wear your favorite light colored shirt while eating this...don't let your husband either...unless you have an excellent stain remover :)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Sundried Tomato Pesto= 2 Meals
This is a regular a our house...it would be more regular if Wal-mart kept sun dried tomatoes in stock. I guess I shouldn't complain--I am glad they have them at all. I ONLY buy sun dried tomatoes at Wal-mart, because they will cost you an arm and both legs anywhere else. At my Wal-mart they are $3.48 for and 8-ounce jar...at Winn Dixie and Fresh Market they cost at least twice that. CRAZY! Anyway, this is a Giada di Laurentis recipe that I got from James' mom. It is so good...Elijah occasionally eats this with a spoon. What can I say? The kid loves garlic. Anyway, this pesto is the key element of two* of our very favorite dishes and it is Easy with a capital 'E'! Here it is:
SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO INGREDIENTS
1 8-ounce jar sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed (honestly I don't know exactly how to measure basil leaves in my measuring cup, so I just grab a big handful)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Prepare yourself--this is so easy. Dump everything EXCEPT the Parmesan cheese into your food processor and turn it on. That's it! Let it go until the tomatoes and basil are finely chopped and everything is mixed up. It only takes a few seconds.
(2) Dump your pesto into a bowl and mix in the Parmesan.
*FOR PASTA: Brown one pound ground beef and drain. Cook 12 ounces of penne pasta as directed on box and drain. Then stir your meat, pesto, and pasta together.
*FOR PANINIS: Grab a loaf of Asiago Cheese Bread (It sounds fancy, but you can find it in the bakery section of Wal-mart most days...you can get it at other stores too or at Panera Bread, but you will pay for it!). Slice it into 1/2-inch thick slices. Spread pesto on one side and add cooked, sliced chicken breast. Brush some olive oil on the outside and put the sandwich in a pan. Now, find something heavy--I use a slightly smaller pan and a can of whatever I have in the cabinet--and put it on top of the sandwich to press it down (if you are super-cool and have a panini press, then you could use that, I suppose). Turn your stove on medium/high heat and cook each side for a couple of minutes until it begins to brown a little. Enjoy!
SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO INGREDIENTS
1 8-ounce jar sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed (honestly I don't know exactly how to measure basil leaves in my measuring cup, so I just grab a big handful)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Prepare yourself--this is so easy. Dump everything EXCEPT the Parmesan cheese into your food processor and turn it on. That's it! Let it go until the tomatoes and basil are finely chopped and everything is mixed up. It only takes a few seconds.
(2) Dump your pesto into a bowl and mix in the Parmesan.
*FOR PASTA: Brown one pound ground beef and drain. Cook 12 ounces of penne pasta as directed on box and drain. Then stir your meat, pesto, and pasta together.
*FOR PANINIS: Grab a loaf of Asiago Cheese Bread (It sounds fancy, but you can find it in the bakery section of Wal-mart most days...you can get it at other stores too or at Panera Bread, but you will pay for it!). Slice it into 1/2-inch thick slices. Spread pesto on one side and add cooked, sliced chicken breast. Brush some olive oil on the outside and put the sandwich in a pan. Now, find something heavy--I use a slightly smaller pan and a can of whatever I have in the cabinet--and put it on top of the sandwich to press it down (if you are super-cool and have a panini press, then you could use that, I suppose). Turn your stove on medium/high heat and cook each side for a couple of minutes until it begins to brown a little. Enjoy!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Asian Chicken Pasta
We actually call this "teriyaki chicken" at our house, but there is not actually any teriyaki sauce in it, so I gave it a new name. Anyway, this is easy and James and the kids love it. Scroll down to the bottom for slow cooker instructions!
ASIAN CHICKEN PASTA INGREDIENTS
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and sliced
1/2 bottle Kraft Light Asian Toasted Sesame dressing
3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicier)
1 pound of your favorite whole grain pasta (we like spaghetti best, but penne is easier for the kiddos to eat)
1 broccoli crown, chopped into bite-size florets
chopped peanuts for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Boil a large pot of water for the pasta.
(2) While you are waiting, combine the dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a separate saucepan. Bring to a boil. LEt it boil for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.
(3) Add your sliced chicken to your sauce.
(4) Add your pasta to the boiling water and cook as directed. Add a little olive oil to the water to keep your pasta from sticking together.
(5) When your pasta has about 3 minutes left to cook, add in the broccoli.
(6) Drain your pasta and broccoli. Pour your sauce and chicken over top. Sprinkle on some chopped peanuts and dish it out!
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Add chicken, dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper to the slow cooker.
(2) Cook on high* 4-5 hours.
(3) At dinner time, cook you pasta and broccoli (frozen, fresh, "steam in a bag," whatever). Drain both and dump it all in the slow cooker with the chicken. Stir it up and serve! (If you want more sauce you can always squirt some more dressing in at the end.)
*Maybe I am just being paranoid, but I always like to cook chicken on high in the slow cooker to insure that it reaches a proper internal temperature. If you are not paranoid, then I guess you could cook it on low for 7-8 hours.
ASIAN CHICKEN PASTA INGREDIENTS
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and sliced
1/2 bottle Kraft Light Asian Toasted Sesame dressing
3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicier)
1 pound of your favorite whole grain pasta (we like spaghetti best, but penne is easier for the kiddos to eat)
1 broccoli crown, chopped into bite-size florets
chopped peanuts for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Boil a large pot of water for the pasta.
(2) While you are waiting, combine the dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a separate saucepan. Bring to a boil. LEt it boil for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.
(3) Add your sliced chicken to your sauce.
(4) Add your pasta to the boiling water and cook as directed. Add a little olive oil to the water to keep your pasta from sticking together.
(5) When your pasta has about 3 minutes left to cook, add in the broccoli.
(6) Drain your pasta and broccoli. Pour your sauce and chicken over top. Sprinkle on some chopped peanuts and dish it out!
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Add chicken, dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper to the slow cooker.
(2) Cook on high* 4-5 hours.
(3) At dinner time, cook you pasta and broccoli (frozen, fresh, "steam in a bag," whatever). Drain both and dump it all in the slow cooker with the chicken. Stir it up and serve! (If you want more sauce you can always squirt some more dressing in at the end.)
*Maybe I am just being paranoid, but I always like to cook chicken on high in the slow cooker to insure that it reaches a proper internal temperature. If you are not paranoid, then I guess you could cook it on low for 7-8 hours.
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