Spicy Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

We skipped adding panko bread crumbs and broiling it in the oven.  We like are Mac-n- Cheese to stay creamy. We loved the spicy kick this had!


Ingredients:

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into small chunks
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 yellow squash, quartered and diced (Skipped cause I forgot to buy it)
10 baby carrots, sliced thinly
2 cups whole wheat pasta (elbow macaroni, rotini, penne, etc.)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups (8 oz.) Sargento® Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (Used Chili powder instead)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with aluminum foil and coating with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.

Toss broccoli, red pepper, squash and carrots onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Remove from oven and set aside.

Once water is boiling, lower heat slightly and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until well distributed and melted. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add macaroni and vegetables.

Place mixture in a large casserole dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Place under the broiler in your oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Rigatoni

Another Pressure cooked meal!  Done in minutes! YUM!!!  The quinoa gave it a little different taste, I might not have washed it enough?!  Still good none the less.

Ingredients:
2 Italian sausages
1/2 c. red quinoa or 1 cup cooked kamut
1 28 oz can tomatoes
2 cups water
2 large chopped roasted red peppers (I use bottled)
2 T. pizza seasoning
1/4 c. olive oil
1 lb. rigatoni
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook sausages in pressure cooker and break up. Add tomatoes, peppers, seasoning, grain and olive oil and water. Add pasta, cover and pressure for 6 minutes. Open a drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Roasted Sweet Pepper Pasta Salad with Herbs and Feta

This made a little too much for just Brad and I, pretty good, we both felt like it needed a little something else.

Ingredients:

large red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1	medium red onion, cut into wedges (about 2 cups)
	Cooking spray
3	cups uncooked penne pasta (10 ounces)
1	cup sliced 70%-less-fat turkey pepperoni (about 3 ounces), cut in half
	(2 ounces) feta cheese, crumbed 1/2 cup
1/2	cup fat-free Italian dressing
2	tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1	tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

• 2 Large red or yellow peppers, cut to 1 inch pieces.
• 1 Medium red onion cut into wedges
• 3 cups uncooked penne pasta
• 1 cup turkey pepperoni (we skipped this part)
• 2 oz. feta cheese crumbled
• 1/2 cup Italian Dressing
• 2 Tbsp. basil leaves
• 1 Tbsp. mint leaves (Only added a few of these)

Directions:

• Heat oven to 450°. Spray rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with cooking spray. Place bell peppers and onion in single layer in pan. Spray vegetables with cooking spray. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned and tender.
• Meanwhile, cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain.
• Toss bell peppers, onion, pasta and remaining ingredients in large bowl. Serve immediately, or refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.

2	large red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1	medium red onion, cut into wedges (about 2 cups)
	Cooking spray

large red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1	medium red onion, cut into wedges (about 2 cups)
	Cooking spray
3	cups uncooked penne pasta (10 ounces)
1	cup sliced 70%-less-fat turkey pepperoni (about 3 ounces), cut in half
	(2 ounces) feta cheese, crumbed 1/2 cup
1/2	cup fat-free Italian dressing
2	tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1	tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

2	large red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1	medium red onion, cut into wedges (about 2 cups)
	Cooking spray
3	cups uncooked penne pasta (10 ounces)
1	cup sliced 70%-less-fat turkey pepperoni (about 3 ounces), cut in half
	(2 ounces) feta cheese, crumbed 1/2 cup
1/2	cup fat-free Italian dressing
2	tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1	tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

2	large red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1	medium red onion, cut into wedges (about 2 cups)
	Cooking spray
3	cups uncooked penne pasta (10 ounces)
1	cup sliced 70%-less-fat turkey pepperoni (about 3 ounces), cut in half
	(2 ounces) feta cheese, crumbed 1/2 cup
1/2	cup fat-free Italian dressing
2	tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1	tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce

Seriously SO GOOD!!  I love tortellini so this was one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz bag Barilla Cheese & Spinach Tortelini (find them in the dry pasta aisle)
• 4 oz bacon or pancetta, (about 4 strips bacon)*
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press or finely minced
• 2 Tbs flour
• 2 C milk
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dry basil
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp or more if you like spicy)
• 1 medium lemon
• 2 C loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• ¾ C grated mozzarella cheese, divided
• ¾ C grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions.
• Place bacon in a medium sized skillet on the stove-top at medium-high heat.  Cook until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain.  Reserve two tablespoons bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest.  Add garlic to pan and cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute.  Add flour to pan and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with whisk until smooth.  Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer.
• While sauce is heating, use a microplane grater or a fine-holed cheese grater to zest lemon.  Then cut lemon in half and remove juice.  Add 2 teaspoons zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to sauce.  (Note:  I really love lemon so I added this to my tastes.  If you don’t want as strong of a lemon flavor, I suggest cutting it down to 1 teaspoon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice) .  Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat.
• Drain tortellini and place back in stock pot.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture.  Add spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.  Add sauce and gently stir to combine.  Place pasta mixture in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup mozarella and 1/4 cup parmesan and also crumbled bacon.
• Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted and pasta is bubbly throughout.  Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

(From Our Best Bites)

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Simple and Delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1-¼ pound Ground Chuck
• 1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• 1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• ½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.
• To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.
• Serve with crusty French bread.

Macaroni and Cheese Noodle Bake

Ingredients

• 4 cups Dried Macaroni
• 1 whole Egg Beaten
• ¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
• 1 pound Cheese, Grated
• ½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme

Directions:

• Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.
• In a small bowl, beat egg.
• In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.
• Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.
• Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.
• Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
• Add in cheese and stir to melt.
• Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.
• Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
• Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I have been kind of obsessed with anything that has Red Peppers, so when I saw this recipe I fell in Love!!  Ah, it tasted SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO GOOD!!!

Ingredients:
3 whole Red Bell Peppers
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
½ cups Heavy Cream
Flat Leaf Parsley, Finely Minced
Fresh Parmesan, Shaved Or Grated
½ pound (to 1 Pound) Pasta: Orecchiette, Penne, Fusilli, Etc.

Directions:

• Roast red peppers, either on a grill or in the oven.  I used the oven, put it on broil and would turn them as they got black.  Then place in a Ziploc bag to allow to sweat. Peel the charred skins from the peppers, then remove seeds. Puree Peppers.
• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree and stir together. Add plenty of salt.
• Pour in cream and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Add cooked pasta, and then stir together.
• Place pasta into a bowl, top with chopped parsley and plenty of shaved Parmesan.

Italian Mac-N-Cheese

This is definately one of our favorites!!!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ziti rigate, penne rigate, or cavatappi pasta (We use whatever we have)
1 lb. Italian sweet sausage
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
12 crimini mushrooms, sliced (We've never done this, but brad wants me to try it :/ )
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. all- purpose flour
1 C. chicken stock
1 C. heavy cream
1 (10 oz.) sack 2 1/2 C., shredded Italian 4 cheese blend.
1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
1 tsp. hot sauce (optional, we've never tried this either, but should!)
1/2 C. Parmesan

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.

In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage.  Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate.  Return pan to heat and add oil, butter, and garlic and mushrooms.  (I'll usually just add the garlic and skip the shrooms)  Season liberally with salt and pepper.  saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.  (if used)

Preheate broiler to high

To mushrooms (or garlic) add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes.  Whisk in stock, then stir in cream.  bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend.  when cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes.  when sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, ading hot sauce if desired.

Combine chese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to baking dish, casserole or oven safe serving platter.  sprinkle remaining 1/2 C. of 4 cheese blend and the grated parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.

Penne Rustica

Made this for Valentine's Dinner!!  It was my first time using Wine to cook!! I felt so sophisticated! haha, it turned out delicious!  Thanks Jess for recommending it! :)

Ingredients:
1/2 pound grilled chicken breast

7-8 slices of thick cut bacon
24 oz (1 1/2 boxes) penne pasta
1 large red bell pepper- diced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp paprika

Gratinata Sauce:
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup marsala wine OR (if you don't cook with wine, you can use this as a substitute:

3 TBSP apple juice + 1 tbsp red wine vinegar + enough chicken broth to equal 1/2 cup
1/2 tsp dijon or dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups heavy cream

Directions:

Chop bacon and cook in large pan. Once it's cooked, remove bacon and drain all but about 1 tsp of grease. Saute garlic in bacon grease briefly. Add marsala wine (or your substitute), mustard, salt, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and heavy cream. Cook pasta according to directions. Slice chicken into medium-bite size pieces. Combine sauce, cooked pasta, diced chicken, cooked bacon, bell peppers, parmesan cheese, and paprika and mix thoroughly. Spread in 2 - 9x13 pans. Top with chopped rosemary and mozzarella cheese.

Bake @ 475 for 10 minutes. (doesn't need long since it's everything is already cooked)

Cajun Chicken Pasta

(My Picture, we had less vegetables just because I didn't want to buy them)  Still tasted Great!

Ingredients

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
• 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
• 1 pound Fettuccine
• 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 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• ½ cups White Wine
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

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

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.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!