Mac and Cheese with Roasted Chicken, Goat Cheese and Rosemary

ingredients

• Kosher Salt
• 1 pound Dried Rigatoni
• 1 quart (4 cup) Heavy Cream
• 2 tablespoon Chopped Fresh Rosemary
• 8 ounce Fresh Goat Cheese (1 cup)
• 2 cup Shredded Roasted Chicken
• Black Pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add enough salt so that it tastes seasoned.  

While the water is coming to a boil, put the cream, rosemary, and a pinch salt and pepper in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring just to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium and  and simmer to reduce the mixture by half.

Add the chicken to the cream and bring the mixture back to a simmer.  Continue cooking until it coats the back of a spoon, about 30 minutes.

Add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook it until al dente, about 10 minutes.  Drain the pasta from the water and add to the sauce.

Add goat cheese to pot. Toss the pasta to combine it with the sauce and bring it back to just a simmer.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

Wine: Fifty Barrels #10
(the #10 is no longer available. It was a barrel they found without a label. oops. I'm just rubbing it in that I got to have a few bottles being a wine club member and it was delicious. :D)

Ref: The Chew on ABC via Pinterest



I've always known I've had a minor mac and cheese problem. And by "problem" I mean I crave it and generally eat the orange Kraft stuff, then I feel guilty. Then Pinterest comes along and I'm realizing just how BIG my mac and cheese problem is. The amount of different mac and cheese recipes I've pinned is ridiculous. This is one of the recipes I found.... and it's AMAZING. And I still feel guilty... but with a smile. :D I did cheat and get the pre done roasted chicken and shred that, but that chicken is delicious and easy. Made this dinner super fast to make. Oh and I paired it with my grilled asparagus marinated in olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Because eating asparagus with mac and cheese makes it healthy.... no? Ok i tried at least. hahahahaha

 

Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

 

 Ingredients

1. 1 pound asparagus
2. 1 tablespoon olive oil
3. 2 teaspoons salt
4. 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
5. 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6. 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
7. 1 pound penne
8. 1/4 pound butter, cut into pieces
9. 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. Heat the oven to 400°. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until 3 tablespoons remain. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.
3. Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the butter, vinegar, asparagus, Parmesan, and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Notes Variations:
• Penne with Roasted Broccoli and Balsamic Butter When asparagus is not in season, cut 1 pound of broccoli into small spears for roasting. Toss them with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes. Continue with step 2.
• Penne with Roasted Vegetables, Toasted Nuts, and Balsamic Butter Toss in 1/3 cup of toasted pine nuts, hazelnuts, or walnuts at the end with either asparagus or broccoli.


Ref: Food and Wine via Pinterest

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

12-16 jumbo pasta shells
water for boiling pasta
4oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese + 1/4 cup for topping
3 tablespoons prepared pesto (homemade or store bought)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot over high heat, boil water and prepare pasta shells as directed on package. Cook pasta shells only until al dente. The pasta will finish cooking when the dish is baked. Drain the pasta shells and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the 1/4 cup of cheese for the topping. Fill the pasta shells with the filling and place in a baking dish.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over filled shells.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake shells uncovered for 30 minutes or until shells are bubbling hot and cheese melts.

Ref: Joelens Blogspot via Pinterest

Bahama Penne & Seared Mahi-Mahi

Ingredients:
1 box Dreamfields Penne Rigate
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks (1/2-inch pieces), divided
1 cup chopped fresh mango (1/2-inch pieces), divided
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 mahi-mahi or grouper fillets (8 to 10 ounces each)
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 small Thai red hot peppers or jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed, drained
Chopped cilantro, optional

Directions:

1. For salsa, place lime juice, wine, 1 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup mango, green onions and cilantro in bowl of food processor or blender container. Pulse to coarsely chop and blend.
2. Wash mahi-mahi fillets; pat dry. Place 1/2 cup salsa in glass dish (or food-safe plastic bag); reserve remaining salsa. Add fish; turn to coat with salsa. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pan.
4. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add peppers and garlic; cook until sizzling, about 1 minute. Remove fish from salsa; pat dry. Place fish in skillet. Cook about 2 minutes until browned; turn and cook 2 minutes to sear on both sides. (Reduce heat if browning too quickly.) Pour reserved salsa around fish. Continue cooking 4 minutes or until cooked through (fish flakes easily when tested with fork). Remove fish from skillet; set aside. Add beans to skillet; cook until sauce is desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
5. Add pasta to skillet; toss to combine. Add remaining pineapple and mango; toss to combine. Place fish on pasta; sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information (1/6 of recipe): 483 calories; 27 g protein; 31 g digestible carbohydrates*; 11 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 55 mg cholesterol; 159 mg sodium; 11 g total dietary fiber.

REF: Dreamfrields Foods

Beefy Baked Ziti

Ingredients

* 1 pound dry ziti pasta
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 pound lean ground beef or ground sirloin
* 52 ounces Classico® Tomato and Basil Sauce
* 6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
* 1 1/2 cups sour cream
* 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add pasta sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.


Ref: AllRecipes.com


Cheesy and delicious. This was so simple I kept thinking I was going to need to add more spices, but no, this recipe was fantastic. The sour cream confused me, but I went with it and was not disappointed. haha. I did make two minor modifications. While sauteing the onion I added some crushed garlic and When I was layering the casserole dish I sprinkled fresh chopped basil to a layer. Oh and I used Dreamfields Low Carb pasta, but that's a personal preference. :) It called for "Classico" sauce.... I don't know if that's just product placement or what but I'm pretty happy with my Safeway Select brand. haha This was so easy I can see using this recipe for a potluck!

Penne with Asparagus, Sage, & Peas

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound penne
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound thick asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups (10 ounces) shelled English peas or frozen baby peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and asparagus and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and boil over high heat until reduced by half and the asparagus are tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the peas and cream to the skillet and boil over high heat until the sauce has thickened, 3 minutes. Stir in the penne and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, sage and the 1/2 cup of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to bowls and serve right away, passing additional cheese at the table.

Ref: Food and Wine Magazine

Creamy Chicken, Bacon, & Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled
• 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 3 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Added:

• Roasted Red Bell Peppers
• Spinach

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, cook chicken in large skillet on medium heat 5 to 6 min. or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally. Add bacon, tomatoes, cream cheese, water and pepper; mix well. Cook 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.

DRAIN pasta; place in serving bowl. Add sauce; mix lightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan.


VARIATION:

I substituted tomatoes for roasted red bell peppers because someone doesn’t like tomatoes... not naming any names or anything... hahaha

I also added spinach to this recipe. I like my greens. :)


Ref: www.KraftFoods.com

Prosciutto, Spinach, & Pasta Casserole

Ingredients

• 2-2/3 cups dried bow ties, penne, or ziti (8 ounces)
• 2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges, or 5 medium leeks, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds, crushed
• 1-3/4 cups milk
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 ounces prosciutto, cut into thin bite-size strips
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain; rinse pasta with cold water. Drain again.

2. In a large saucepan cook onion and garlic, covered, in hot butter about 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and anise seeds. Add the milk and chicken broth all at once. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Stir in the cooked pasta, spinach, and prosciutto. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole.

3. Bake, covered, in a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Let stand about 5 minutes. To serve, stir gently and top with chopped tomato.

Makes 6 servings


Ref: www.bhg.com