Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Bake

I made this for the boys recently, and they loved it! Huge hit at our house, and all of the leftovers were inhaled, which rarely happens. I baked mine in a deeper 9x13 pan - it makes quite a bit! Adapted from here.

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Bake

1 lb rotini pasta cooked & drained - save 1 c water
3 c cooked chicken diced or shredded (about 1 lb)
2 15-oz jars Alfredo sauce
1 c garlic Parmesan wing sauce
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
½ c grated Parmesan cheese
½ c pasta water (optional)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Parsley (for garnish, optional)

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13” baking dish.

Chicken should be in bite-sized pieces, cooked. (I chose to saute it in olive oil quick, over boiling/shredding/using a rotisserie chicken.)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions until it's al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside – save 1 c pasta water.

Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked rotini pasta, diced or shredded chicken, Alfredo sauce, garlic parmesan sauce, half of the shredded mozzarella cheese, and half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix everything together until well combined. If needed, add about ½ c pasta water. You want the casserole dish to be good and saucy!

Pour the pasta mixture into the greased baking dish and spread it out evenly.

Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pasta mixture.

Cover with aluminum foil. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 min, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the pasta bake is heated through.

If desired, uncover and place the casserole under the broiler for 2-3 min until the top of the casserole is golden brown. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn!

Once done, remove the pasta bake from the oven and let it cool for 5 min covered with aluminum foil. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!

Aimee's Version of Margene’s Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Kristen brought this to us while we had Covid, and Connor has been asking for it ever since. This is the way I executed it, with every shortcut imaginable, to make it easier. Saving this here for future reference.

Aimee's Version of Margene’s Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

4 qts. chicken broth (4 boxes)
2.5 c. chopped celery
2.5 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 1/3 pkg. wide egg noodles
2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken
5 cans cream of chicken soup
1.5 Tbsp. parsley
1 pkg. Costco pulled chicken, shredded into bite size chunks (2 lbs.)

Put broth in pot and bring to a boil.
Add celery, carrots, and onion, and return to a boil.
Add noodles and boil for 6 minutes.
Add bouillon, soup, and parsley. Stir gently to dissolve lumps.
Add chicken and heat through.
Salt & pepper to taste.


This made 28 c. of soup...

• ate 8 c. for dinner
• saved 8 c. for leftovers
• froze 8 c. worth
• gave 4 c. away

Tater Tot Chicken Pot Pie Bake

Made this comfort food classic for the family last night... we all (even Brian!) went back for seconds, and it will easily feed us a second hearty meal. Adapted from here. 

Tater Tot Chicken Pot Pie Bake

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Olive oil
21-Seasoning Salute, to taste
3 cans cream of chicken soup
3/4 c milk
1/4 c butter, cut into small pieces
Dried onion, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt & pepper, to taste
16 oz frozen mixed vegetables (1 bag - carrots, corn, peas, green beans)
2 c shredded cheddar cheese (1 bag)
32 oz frozen tater tots (1 bag)

Cut up chicken breasts and saute in olive oil in a large pan. Add 21-Seasoning Salute during final stages. Set aside cooked chicken in a bowl.
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a 9x13" deep baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In the pan used to cook the chicken, combine soup, milk, butter, onion, garlic powder, and salt & pepper.
Stir together and cook over medium heat, until heated through.
Remove pan from the heat and stir in chicken, frozen vegetables, and cheese.
Scoop mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with frozen tater tots.
Bake for 30-35 min, or until it starts to bubble.

Easy Sausage Gravy & Biscuits

Savory breakfasts are my favorite, and Connor really enjoys them, too. For the first day of winter break, we made this one morning. It's a conglomeration of a few different recipes, but I wanted to save how we did it. Plus, Connor plans to make this on his own.

Easy Sausage Gravy & Biscuits

1 can buttermilk biscuits
1 pkg (9.6 oz) Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles

about 1/4 c. flour

2.5 c. milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Bake the biscuits per the can instructions.

Meanwhile, warm sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Stir in flour, until combined. Gradually add milk, stirring continuously, until the gravy thickens and comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer and stir for 2 more min. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Split biscuits in half. Place open biscuit on plate and top with 1/3 c. gravy.

Gingerbread Cookie Butter Oatmeal Cookies

These might be my new favorite cookie! They remind me a little bit of Mom's Oatmeal Coconut Crispies, but the flavor is slightly more complex with the cookie butter and ginger. Adapted from here.

Gingerbread Cookie Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

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1 c. unsalted butter, softened

14 oz. jar Trader Joe's Cookie Butter

3/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 c. molasses

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 c. flour

2 c. oats

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, cookie butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ginger, until creamy and fluffy (about 1-2 min). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the molasses, vanilla, and eggs, and mix until well combined (about 1-2 min). Scrape down the bowl.

Add the flour and oats, and mix until just evenly combined.

Scoop the dough into balls with a medium cookie scoop, and place a few inches apart on the baking sheets (about 1 dozen per sheet). Bake for 10-12 min until set around the edges with a few cracks on top, but still soft in the middle. Let the cookies rest for a few minutes on the sheet.

Move the cookies to a cooling rack. The cookies will stay soft for a couple of days stored well-covered at room temperature, and freeze well for several months.

Slow Cooker Maple & Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin

I made this pork for the family the other night, and we all snarfed it down! The sauce is unexpected, almost like a Carolina BBQ sauce flavor, but not quite. So tasty! Adapted from here.


Slow Cooker Maple & Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin

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2 lbs. pork tenderloin
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. maple syrup (cut in 1/2 if using pure syrup)
1 tsp. minced garlic
4 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. dried thyme crumbled
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water

Sprinkle tenderloin lightly with salt and pepper.
Place pork in a slow cooker sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine syrup, garlic, mustard, honey, brown sugar, vinegar, and thyme. Pour over the pork.
Turn pork to coat thoroughly.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hrs (check temp around 6.5 hours - pork should be cooked to ~150 degrees F), or on HIGH for 3-4 hrs.
Remove pork to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Pour the juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Simmer for 5 min.
Combine the cornstarch and cold water; whisk into the reduced juices and cook for 1 min. longer.
Slice the pork and serve with the thickened juices.

Serves 6.