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!

Easy Baked Pesto Chicken

Made something new tonight, and it was a hit! Wanted to document it before I forgot... both that I cooked and that we loved it. LOL (I buy the chicken, pesto, and Parmesan cheese all at Costco.)

I adapted this recipe from here and she notes that it is "low-carb, Keto, gluten-free, low-glycemic, and South Beach Diet friendly."

Easy Baked Pesto Chicken

{source}

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 - 3/4 c. basil pesto
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Trim chicken and slice into 3-4 smaller pieces/strips.
Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with non-stick spray, then spread ¼ c. pesto over the bottom of the dish.
Lay chicken pieces over the pesto and spread the remaining pesto on top.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, just until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove from oven and take off foil.
Sprinkle cheese over chicken, and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
To lightly brown the cheese, turn on the broiler at this point and let it broil for 3-5 more minutes.
Serve hot. Juice in pan is tasty over rice and veggies.

Connor's Baked "Skabetti"

Connor had one request for his Back to School Dinner this year: "SKABETTI".  Personally, I find regular spaghetti and sauce to be a little boring, so I scoured the internets for a different version, and ended up making this.  It was delicious!  Below is how I modified the recipe to suit our family:

Connor’s Baked “Skabetti”

2/3 of 1 package (16 oz.) spaghetti noodles
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jar (32 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. Italian seasonings
2 eggs
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
5 Tbsp. butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 container (16 oz.) ricotta cheese
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
In a large skillet, brown beef, onion, & garlic over medium heat; drain.
Stir in spaghetti sauce, seasoned salt, & Italian seasonings.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese & butter.
Drain spaghetti; add spaghetti to the egg mixture and toss to coat.

Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 9x13 glass baking dish.
Top with half of the ricotta cheese, meat sauce & mozzarella cheese… and repeat.

Cover and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Rosemary & Oregano Chicken

Simple and delicious!  We all loved this meal.  (I adapted this recipe from here.)

Rosemary & Oregano Chicken

2-4 chicken breasts (I used 2 large breasts from Costco)
5-6 small, red potatoes, quartered (enough to fill the dish)
1/3 c. olive oil
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (I used dried)
1.5 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped (I used dried)
1.5 tsp. garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Place chicken and potatoes into a large bowl.
Pour olive oil over top, and stir to coat.
Place coated chicken and potatoes in a large baking dish.
Sprinkle remaining ingredients over the top.
Bake for 1 hour, uncovered.

Italian Chicken and Vegetables

A friend of mine gave me this recipe - simple ingredients, easy prep, delicious results - we all loved it!

Italian Chicken and Vegetables

2 raw chicken breasts (sliced into smaller chunks)
Cubed new potatoes
Green vegetables (fresh or canned green beans, or I used frozen broccoli)
1 packet Italian dressing mix
Olive oil

Arrange potatoes, chicken and vegetables in 9x13 dish.
Sprinkle with dressing mix.
Top with a drizzle of olive oil.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

{Make-Ahead} Unstuffed Shells

I made this for the family a few weeks ago... it was a total HIT!  Super-easy, and made great leftovers, too.  Will definitely be revisiting this recipe again right after the holidays.  :)  (As seen on Kraft.) I like to double this recipe - keep one for us, and share a dish with others!

{Make-Ahead} Unstuffed Shells

total time: 1 hr 15 min
prep time: 30 min
servings: 6

4 c. medium pasta shells, uncooked (2/3 of 16-oz. box)
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef or mild Italian sausage
1+ jar (24-32 oz.) marinara sauce (I like to use Classico Family Favorites - Smooth & Rich Traditional flavor)
1 8-oz. block of cream cheese
1/2 c. sour cream

1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil
1/4 c. grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
1.5 c. shredded mozzarella cheese 

Cook pasta as directed on package, without salt.

Brown meat in large skillet; drain. 

Stir in marinara sauce; simmer on medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain pasta. 

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, Italian seasoning, basil and Parmesan in large bowl; stir in pasta.

Spray 13x9 baking dish with non-stick spray. 

Spread half the meat sauce onto bottom of the dish; cover with layers of pasta mixture and remaining meat sauce. 

Sprinkle with mozzarella; cover with foil. 

2 options:

1. BAKE NOW - Heat oven to 375ºF. Cover dish - bake 20 minutes. Uncover dish - bake another 10 minutes.
2. BAKE LATER - {Refrigerate up to 24 hours.} Heat oven to 375ºF. Cover dish - bake 30 minutes. Uncover dish - bake another 15-20 minutes.

Shopping list if doubling recipe:

• 2 boxes of medium pasta shells
• 2 lbs. extra-lean ground beef or mild Italian sausage
• 3 24-oz. jars Classico Family Favorites - Smooth & Rich Traditional flavor
• 2 blocks of cream cheese
• 16 oz. sour cream
• minced garlic
• Italian seasoning
• basil
• 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 bags shredded mozzarella cheese

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Chicken with Basil and Cream Sauce

This recipe card references verybestbaby.com/recipes but the link takes you to Gerber and I can't find any recipes like it really so whatever...I guess the credit goes to me! ;) This was tasty, although unlike the picture on my recipe card, the chicken isn't crispy. If you like that (which Dan suggested for next time I make this) then maybe if you bake it longer or at a higher temp? Not sure, let me know if you go that route and what ends up working.

Chicken with Basil and Cream Sauce

1/4 c. fine dry bread crumbs (I just used regular)

3 tsp. fresh basil or 3/4 tsp. dried basil, crushed, divided

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. paprika

1 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine

4 (about 1.25 lbs. total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

2/3 c. (5 fl. oz. can) evaporated milk (fat free is listed in the recipe)

2 tsp. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. reduced sodium chicken flavor instant bouillon (I just used 1 cube)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine bread crumbs, 2 tsp. fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dried basil, pepper, and paprika in small bowl.
Add butter; toss to coat.
Arrange chicken in 2 qt rectangular baking dish.
Sprinkle chicken with crumb mixture, pressing onto chicken to coat.

Bake for 20-25 min or until chicken is no longer pink in center. 

Meanwhile, combine evaporated milk, flour, and bouillon in small saucepan; stir well.
Cook over med-high heat, stirring frequently, until thickened and bubbly.
Cook and stir for 1 min more.
Stir in remaining basil.
Serve over chicken.

Makes 4 servings.

Creamy Italian Chicken

There are all kinds of versions of this easy recipe online.  This is the way I made it the other night... and it was DELICIOUS!

Creamy Italian Chicken

1/2 c. water
12 oz. lowfat cream cheese, softened
1 can lowfat cream of chicken soup
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can be frozen)

Mix water, cream cheese, soup, and dressing mix together with a spoon or hand blender.
Place chicken in crockpot and pour mixture on top.
Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours (depending on how thawed your chicken was to begin with).
Stir occasionally (once per hour) until chicken is done.
Serve over rice.

Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

This is the pasta salad we had at the family gathering on June 26, 2010.  I happened to really like it, don't know about everyone else...  :)
(Recipe found on Pioneer Woman.)

Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad


DRESSING:
     1 jar sundried tomatoes (7 oz.)
     4 cloves garlic
     3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
     1 c. extra virgin olive oil
     salt & pepper, to taste

SALAD:
     16 oz. corkscrew pasta (rotini/spiral)
     1 jar Kalamata or assorted olives
     1 pint ripe cherry tomatoes (cut in halves)
     10 leaves fresh basil (10-15 leaves), chopped or julienne
     1.5 c. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Preparation Instructions

DRESSING:

In a blender combine sundried tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and vinegar until tomatoes are chopped. Continue blending while drizzling in olive oil, until all mixed together.  (Ingredients might still separate a bit.)

PASTA:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until no longer hot.

Pour 2/3 of the dressing over the pasta; add olives and toss together.
Add remaining ingredients, tossing together and adding more dressing until the salad is coated to your liking.

Serve chilled on a big platter or in a big bowl, with an extra sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Margene's Lasagna

Margene's Lasagna

1 lb. hamburger, browned
1 16-oz. jar Prego spaghetti sauce (I use the fresh mushroom)
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. minced garlic


Mix all together.

1 16-oz. container cottage cheese, small curd
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
8 oz. med. cheddar cheese, grated

8 oz. pkg. lasagna noodles--cook as directed on package

Put in either a 9x13 or 2-square pans (line one with foil and freeze for another day)

Put a little sauce in the bottom of the pan, so the noodles won't stick.

Then layer 2 times, in this order:
     noodles
     meat sauce
     cottage cheese
     cheddar cheese
     mozzarella cheese

Heat in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese bubbles.

Aimee's note:  I have substituted ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese in this recipe, and it turned out great!

Baked Ziti

I was brave last night and made this brand-new-to-us dish for company. It.did.not.disappoint! Rave reviews all around... AND we'll have leftovers for days! :) (As seen on Vittles Divine... originally posted on All Recipes where it received high ratings.)

Yes, the recipe does call for sour cream, but it's an important part of the recipe and it turns out delicious!  I'm posting the recipe below as I made it...


Baked Ziti

1 lb. dry ziti pasta  (Whole box)
1-1.5 c. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 32-oz. jars spaghetti sauce  (I buy the large Classico Tomato & Basil jars from Costco... using 2 makes it extra saucy, but extra delicious as leftovers.  You could also use just 2 26-oz. standard-size jars of sauce as well.)
6 oz. provolone cheese, sliced
1.5 c. sour cream (fat-free is fine)
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente; drain.

In a large skillet, brown onion, garlic and ground beef over medium heat.
Add spaghetti sauce; warm through.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil or spray a 9x13 inch baking dish.  (With the extra sauce, I've found that I have to bake this in a lasagna pan (larger than your typical 9x13.)

Layer as follows:
   1/2 of the ziti
   sour cream
   provolone cheese
   1/2 sauce mixture
   remaining ziti
   mozzarella cheese
   remaining sauce mixture
   parmesan cheese

Bake, uncovered,  for 30-40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

Allow to rest on counter for 3-5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!!

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Dip

I made this dip over the weekend...  soooo good!  Definitely a hit with our resident pizza lover!  (As seen on Noble Pig.)

Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Dip

3/4 c. chopped pepperoni
1 can (15 oz.) pizza sauce
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 can (2-1/4 oz.) sliced black olives, drained (opt. - I left it out)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1-1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) refrigerated breadstick dough
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. minced parsley

In a heavy pot, over medium heat, combine pepperoni, (sliced olives), green onions, oregano and pizza sauce.
Cook until heated through, about 5-7 minutes.
Add cream cheese and mozzarella cheese.
Stir until melted and mixture is well combined.
Turn heat to low while preparing the breadsticks.
Stir occasionally.

Remove breadsticks from tube and cook according to package directions.
When breadsticks are finished baking, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve warm.

Margene's Easy Chicken Parmesan

So, I made this for dinner and Dad really liked it. AND it was easy!  It’s a recipe to feed six, I just cut things in thirds. So here it is, the measurements in ( ) will be what the original recipe called for.

Margene's Easy Chicken Parmesan

Prep Time: 5 min.
Total time: 45-55 min.
Makes: 2 servings (6 servings)

1 c. (1 jar-26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
2 Tbl. (6 Tbl.) grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 small (6 small) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ c. (1 ½ c.) shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Pour sauce into a baking dish (for 2, I used a square glass dish; for 6, use a 9 x 13 glass dish).
Stir in 1½ Tbl. grated parmesan cheese.
Add chicken; turn to coat both sides with sauce.
Cover with foil and bake for 40 – 50 minutes (I zapped it in the microwave for 3 minutes, to make sure they were cooked).
Uncover and top with remaining parmesan cheese and then the mozzarella cheese.
Bake 5 minutes more or until chicken is done (165 degrees) and cheese is melted.

Serve it over your favorite pasta (I just used spaghetti noodles).

Complete meal: Chicken Parmesan over pasta, green beans, salad, garlic bread
 
And before the pasta is added, it’s only 300 calories!

Next time I’ll plan on having spaghetti later in the week to use up the rest of a large jar (26 oz.) of spaghetti sauce. 

Parmesan Chicken

Parmesan Chicken

Serves 2

2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 egg
1 1/2 tsp. melted butter
Pasta
Marinara sauce

Flatten chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.
In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, basil and melted butter.
In another bowl, beat the egg.
Dip chicken into egg, then coat with crumb mixture.
Place in greased, glass baking dish.
Cook at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with whole wheat pasta and marinara sauce.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

This comes together so easy, plus makes great leftovers!

Bruschetta Chicken Bake
(modified version of a Kraft Foods' recipe)

Prep Time: 10 min.
Total Time: 40 min.
Makes: 4 servings, 1 cup each

1/2 can (8 oz.) diced tomatoes w/ garlic & basil, undrained
1/2 pkg. (3 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1/4 c. water
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Place tomatoes in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix, water and garlic; stir until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside.
Place chicken pieces in baking dish; sprinkle with the Italian seasoning and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture.
Bake 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

Pesto Pasta

Pesto Pasta

1 box of penne pasta (try Barilla Plus)
2 chicken breasts
Toasted pine nuts
1 container of pesto
Parmesan cheese

Get your water boiling, and don't forget to salt it! Boil the pasta according to the instructions.
Cut up the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Saute in olive oil, and season in final cooking stages (I like to use TJ's 21 Seasoning Salute on my chicken).
Slowly toast your pine nuts in a dry pan until done to perfection (ie. right before you burn them).
Mix together your cooked pasta, chicken, pine nuts and pesto. Top with parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Pasta Shells

An uber-easy, 5-ingredient dish!

Stuffed Pasta Shells

1/2 package (6 oz of 12 oz box) large pasta shells
1 container (16 oz) ricotta cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 jar (26-32 oz) spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook shells according to package directions, and drain.
In bowl, combine cottage cheese, egg, and mozzarella.
Stuff cooked shells with cheese mixture.
Place shells in a lightly greased 9x13 pan.
Pour sauce over shells.
Cover and bake about 45 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly.

Makes 6+ servings.

Aimee's Lazy Lasagna

Aimee's Lazy Lasagna

(adapted from Kraft Foods)

1 jar (26-32 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 lb. ground beef or italian sausage, browned
1 container (15-24 oz.) ricotta or cottage cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups rotini pasta, cooked

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix spaghetti sauce and meat; set aside.
Mix ricotta/cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese in separate bowl.
Spray 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Spread half of the sauce mixture into prepared pan; cover with layers of pasta and half of the cheese mixture.
Top with layers of remaining sauce and cheese mixtures; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
Cover with foil.
Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil; continue baking 15 minutes.
Remove from oven; let stand 5-10 minutes. before cutting to serve.