Creamy, Greek Inspired Tomato Sauce

Camera phone again.... sorry. Maybe I will not get so lazy in the future. :)

Greek Inspired Pasta? Yes, please! 

I realized once I started cooking that I did not have enough feta cheese. Recipe calls for 12 oz and I only had 6. Boo! I did have some mascarpone cheese in the fridge and decided to use that. It worked out great and actually helped to make the sauce creamier. I was going to add chopped spinach at the end, but I forgot. Maybe next time because there will be a next time!

Salt
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves; finely chopped
4 cloves garlic; chopped
1 large red onion; chopped (I used a white onion)
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chicken stock)
2 pints cherry tomatoes;  halved if large
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound penne pasta (I used whole grain)
12 ounces Greek feta, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves; chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley; chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium to medium-high heat. Melt the butter into the oil. When the butter begins to foam, add the oregano, garlic and onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine or stock and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the tomatoes have burst and the sauce is thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.

Stir the sauce, then add the feta and cook until melted, about 1 minute. Add the pasta and the reserved cooking liquid and toss to combine, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with the mint and parsley, and serve.

Source: Food Network

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Basil Oil

Quick and easy summer pasta. Also a great way to use up fresh basil!

12 ounces pasta
3 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
4 ounces crumbled fresh goat cheese
Kosher salt and black pepper

1 can Cannellini Beans; rinsed and drained

10 oz fresh spinach; rinsed and chopped

Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, in a blender, puree 2 cups of the basil leaves with the oil until smooth; pour through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids.
Toss the pasta with the basil oil, goat cheese, spinach, beans, the remaining 1 cup basil leaves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Source: Real Simple

Farmer's Market Pasta

Our local Farmer's Market recently opened and I am beyond excited that I can walk from my house! One vendor was selling Black Tie Gourmet Mushrooms. These are mushrooms that are slow cooked with herbs, oils and butter. I could eat the whole container myself in one sitting, these are that good. But I decided to save for a pasta dish and I am so glad I did. YUM!

3/4 lb pasta; cooked to al dente (reserve 1 cup pasta water)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves; crushed
1 onion; diced
2 zucchini; diced
1 red pepper; diced
3-4 red skinned potatoes; diced (farmers market find - different for pasta, but so good!)
10-12 ounces fresh spinach
1 container black tie gourmet mushrooms
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese

Saute garlic and onion in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, then add zucchini and red pepper. Add crushed red pepper flakes and adjust seasoning. Then add black tie gourmet mushrooms and fresh spinach. Cook till spinach is wilted.
Toss with cooked pasta, add reserved pasta water if too dry. Top with Parmesan cheese!

Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli

You can't go wrong with pasta or this recipe. I found this one in my new cookbook - The New Abs Diet. We have been cooking a lot from this book lately and everything has been awesome! 

1 bunch broccoli rabe; tough ends trimmed (or regular broccoli would work)
12 ounces orecchiette pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion; chopped
3 cloves garlic; minced
1/2 lb hot Italian turkey sausage links
2 cups marinara sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the broccoli rabe into 2 inch pieces. Cook the pasta according to package directions; add the broccoli rabe during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until translucent.
Remove the casing from the sausage. Add the meat to the skillet and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 3 minutes until nicely browned.

Add the pasta and the broccoli rabe to the skillet and toss to combine. Stir in the marinara sauce and pepper flakes and cook until heated through.
Top with cheeses.

Bowtie Lasagna

I came across this recipe at the Tasty Kitchen blog and had to try it. Wow - it was good and I whipped it up in 20 minutes. YUM!

1 lb ground chuck
1 package bowtie noodles
1 jar (your favorite) pasta sauce (or homemade if you have time)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cloves garlic; crushed (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Cook noodles according to package directions.
Meanwhile, cook meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat; drain and return to skillet.
After noodles have cooked; drain and add to cooked meat. Drizzle with olive oil. Add sauce, garlic, seasonings, cheese and sour cream. Fold together and allow all to combine and melt together, over low heat for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
That's it. :)

Garlic Lime Chicken over Mexican Style Orzo

I saw this recipe for grilled garlic lime chicken and knew I had to make it. If you are looking for a flavorful and easy chicken recipe, try this one. 

I made (what I am calling) a Mexican style orzo pasta to go with the chicken. YUM! No recipe to source here as I made it up myself. I can't wait to make this one again. 

Garlic Lime Chicken

3-4 cloves of garlic; minced

1 lime; zested and juiced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; pounded and halved

Combine garlic, lime zest and juice, olive oil and salt. Whisk with a fork to combine. Add chicken to the dish and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. 

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Mexican Style Orzo

1 package orzo

1 cup reduced fat feta cheese

1 can reduced sodium black beans; drained and rinsed

1 can Ro*tel (diced tomatoes with chilies)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions; drain. Return to hot pan and add feta, black beans, Ro*tel, olive oil and lime juice. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. 

Top Mexican Style Orzo with Garlic Lime Chicken and Avocado slices. 

Garlic Chicken and Spinach Gnocchi

Vacation and work have been keeping me busy, but I am back. And I have a lot of blog updates coming....

1 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; diced
1 package shelf stable gnocchi
2 cloves of garlic; minced
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped spinach
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the gnocchi according the package directions. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then add diced chicken and cook until lightly browned.
Add minced garlic and cook until softened; 2-3 minutes. Add remaining olive oil, butter, drained gnocchi and salt and pepper. Cook until the gnocchi are golden brown on the bottoms. Use a spatula to gently flip the gnocchi. Add the spinach, tossing frequently and cook until wilted; about 3 minutes.

Easy weeknight meal that is satisfying.
Recipe adapted from Delish.

Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Turkey and Zucchini

I feel a little silly posting this recipe. Mainly because it is a regular dish in our house and I feel it is too easy to blog about. Regardless, I posted it. This dish includes two of our favorite ingredients: pasta and turkey. (As you can see from the label counts on the side of the blog!) We love this pasta dish!

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta (I prefer the Barilla brand for whole wheat)
1 lb. ground turkey; lean
1/2 white onion; diced
3 cloves garlic; minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 zucchini; ends trimmed and chopped
2 - 14.5 oz cans petite diced tomatoes; drained (I like to drain, because I think the juice makes the sauce too thin.
1 - 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil - fresh would be great, but I was out.
Salt and pepper
Fresh parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt and add pasta. Cook till al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, brown turkey in a pan over medium-high heat. Once cooked through; drain and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, warm oil over medium- high heat. Add garlic and onions. Cook till tender then add zucchini. Season with crushed pepper flakes and pepper. When zucchini is tender, add tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked turkey, oregano, basil and salt. Lower heat to medium-low and adjust seasonings.
Allow sauce to cook for 5-10 minutes.
Top pasta with sauce and parmesan.

Tomato , Brie and Basil Pasta

I am a cheese lover and Brie is one of my favorites! My friend Ali posted this recipe on her blog and I had to make it. It tastes like a grown up version of mac n cheese. We both loved it!
Ali found the recipe from Sunset magazine and the recipe couldn't be easier. We are gearing up for vacation and I was trying to clean out my fridge, so I decided to add a few more ingredients and change things up.

1 lb. whole grain pasta (I think shells work best)
4 oz brie cheese; sliced
1 quart cherry tomatoes; halved
2 cloves garlic; minced
1/2 white onion; minced
1/2 cup olive oil
8 ounces of fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves; chopped
3/4 cup reserved pasta water
Salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.
While pasta cooks, warm olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook for a few minutes until the onions are tender. Add spinach leaves and lower heat. Stir until leaves start to wilt, then add tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
Right before draining pasta, reserve 3/4 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and return to pan. Add spinach and tomato mixture to pasta and stir in cheese and basil. Keep stirring till cheese melts. If pasta looks too dry, add some reserved pasta water. I added about 1/2 cup, but added the other 1/4 cup before I stored the leftovers.
That's it! Easy and delicious!

Asparagus, Snap Pea and Avocado Pasta

1 lb asparagus; ends trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 lb sugar snap peas; strings removed
1 lb whole wheat penne; 1 cup reserved pasta water
1 lb chicken breast; pounded thin
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic; minced
1 ripe avocado; diced
1/2 cup parsley; chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat till cooked through. Set aside.

Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and season with salt. Add asparagus and cook until bright green about 2 minutes. Add snap peas and cook for 30 seconds. Scoop out vegetables and transfer to a bowl.

Return water to a boil. Add pasta and cook till al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain noodles.

In a pasta pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, snap peas and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing veggies until crisp and tender about 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parsley, avocado, cheese, cooked pasta and reserved water. Toss to combine.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food.
This is a light and flavorful pasta dish. I never thought to add one of my favorite foods, avocado, to pasta. It was awesome! We both LOVED this dish. I can't wait to make it again.

Creamy Taco Mac

1 lb. ground lean turkey
8 oz whole wheat elbow noodles + 1 cup reserved pasta water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 packet mild taco seasoning
3 oz light cream cheese
1 cup light sour cream
Salt and pepper
Cheddar cheese


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according till al dente; drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. 
Meanwhile, brown ground turkey over medium heat till no longer pink; drain. Return to pan and add taco seasoning and diced tomatoes. Allow to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, cream cheese and sour cream. Give it a good stir until cheese is melted and incorporated. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in cheddar cheese right before serving. 


Chad's rating: 10/10
Amy's rating: 10/10 - Easy weeknight meal that is a healthy take on Hamburger helper. :-)


Recipe adapted from Delish. 

Pasta with Asparagus

1 lb Farafalle pasta (bow-tie noodles)
1 bunch fresh asparagus; ends trimmed and chopped in small pieces
1 pint grape (or cherry) tomatoes; washed and halved
1/3 cup olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic; minced
Salt and pepper
Fresh Parmesan

Boil a large pot of water. Salt water and add pasta; cook till al dente.
Meanwhile, warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add asparagus and lower heat to medium. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened; stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes and pasta. Turn off heat and stir together. Top with Parmesan.

Chad's rating: 10/10
Amy's rating: 10/10

This is a family favorite recipe that I have been meaning to post on here for awhile. So easy and tasty!

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

8 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
15 oz fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and pepper
1 jar Pasta Sauce (I used Roasted Garlic)
9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (I may have used a little more)

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Pour sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Chad's rating: 9/10
Amy's rating: 9.5/10 - so easy and yummy!


Recipe adapted from here. (This was a Weight Watcher recipe, so here is the nutrition info: WW points: 4 - Calories from 1 roll: 188)

Sausage and Roasted Vegetable Penne

1 sweet onion, cut in wedges
1 medium zucchini, cut in big wedges
1 red bell pepper, cut in big wedges
1 pint button mushrooms, stemmed
2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, washed and dried
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 lb hot turkey sausage links
1/4 cup white wine
1 lb whole wheat penne, cooked according to package; 1/2 cup pasta water reserved
Freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, toss the onion, zucchini, pepper and mushrooms with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast, until caramelized, about 30 minutes, turning vegetables halfway through cooking time. In a small bowl add the tomatoes, garlic and remaining olive oil. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Add to the baking sheet at the halfway point of cooking, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, spray the pan with cooking spray and add the turkey sausage links. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Once cooked, slice the links and return to the pan. Increase the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the wine. When the vegetables have cooked, cool slightly, then coarsely chop. Add the vegetables and any pan juice to the sausage in the skillet. Toss in the cooked penne, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to moisten. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and serve in bowls topped with Parmesan.

Amy's rating: 10/10 - LOVED! Can't wait to make again.
Chad's rating: 10/10

Recipe adapted from the food network - Melissa d'Arabian.

Orechiette with Turkey Sausage and Beans

1 pound orechiette pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound turkey sausage, casings removed

1 small onion, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup milk

1 cup shredded aged white cheddar

Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil over medium- high heat in a large skillet. Add the sausage and onions. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage into bite-size pieces as it browns.

Continue cooking until the sausage is golden and the onions are tender. Add the beans and oregano; cook for a few more minutes.

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Once melted, whisk in flour for a minute till dissolved. Then whisk in milk. Continue to whisk till it thickens. Finally, add the cheese and stir till melted.

Add cheese sauce and cooked pasta to sausage. Season with salt and pepper.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 9/10

Recipe adapted from Food Network - Giada De Laurentis

Pasta with Artichoke Hearts

1 (14 or 16 oz) can of artichoke hearts, diced (reserved water from can)

2 -3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 can cream of chicken or celery soup

3/4 lb pasta

1/4 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Saute garlic in olive oil over medium high heat. Add artichoke hearts and chicken broth. Let boil for about 10 minutes.

Thicken with 1/2 can soup and season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta as directed. Add artichoke mixture, butter, parmesan cheese and pepper to pasta. Add some reserved artichoke water if too dry. Toss well.

Chad's rating: 8/10

Amy's rating: 9/10

Recipe adapted from my Grandma. :)

Antipasto Penne

2 medium peppers (I used 1 red and 1 orange)

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1/3 cup refrigerated pesto

3 ounces prosciutto, chopped

1 (7 ounce) jar oil packed sun dried tomato halves, drained and chopped

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 cup fresh spinach

8 ounces whole wheat penne

1/2 cup grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preheat boiler to high.

Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers, skin side up, on a foil lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 8 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag for at least 5 minutes. Peel and chop peppers and place in a large bowl. Stir in olives, pesto, prosciutto, tomatoes, spinach and artichokes.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add cooked pasta and cheese to bell pepper mixture and toss gently.

Top with pine nuts and serve.

Chad's rating: 8.5/10

Amy's rating: 8.5/10

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.

Turkey Goulash

1 lb ground turkey - lean

1/2 white onion, diced

1 garlic clove, diced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 zucchini, diced

1 can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 lb mini farfelle pasta

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes

Parmesan cheese

Bring pot of water to a boil; season with salt and cook pasta.

Brown turkey in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once cooked through, drain and set aside.

In the same pan, heat oil and add onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until softened and then add zucchini.

Allow zucchini to soften, then add tomatoes, kidney beans and turkey. Stir together and then season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.

Combine with cooked noodles and top with Parmesan cheese.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 9/10

Chicken Piccata with Orzo Pasta

Chicken Piccata with Orzo Pasta

1 lb. chicken breasts

2 cups cooked orzo pasta

1/2 cup green onion, chopped

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Lemon slices

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Saute chicken till cooked through and lightly browned.

In a separate skillet, saute green onions in olive oil over medium heat. After a few minutes, add sun-dried tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the chicken broth. Add hot cooked orzo, stirring to combine. Set aside and keep warm.

When the chicken is done, remove and place in a covered dish to keep warm.

In the same skillet as the chicken, add the remaining chicken broth and lemon juice; simmer for 2 minutes, stirring up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add butter in small amounts, stirring till well combined. Stir in the parsley.

Spoon the broth mixture over the chicken. Serve with orzo and garnish with lemons.

Chad's rating: 10/10

Amy's rating: 10/10

Recipe adapted from the "In the Kitchen" Costco cookbook.

French Onion Mac and Cheese

French Onion Mac and Cheese

4 tablespoons butter

2 onions, very finely sliced

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1 pound whole wheat penne rigate

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup whole milk

3/4 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded

Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and bay leaf for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and cook until the onions are lightly browned about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and discard the bay leaf. Reserve the skillet.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt and add the penne. Cook until al dente and drain.

Meanwhile, in the reserved skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of remaining butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour for 1 minute. Then whisk in the chicken stock and milk. Bring to a boil; season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese until melted.

Combine the onions and sauce with the pasta.

Chad's rating: 8.5/10 - would like beef tips added to the pasta.

Amy's rating: 8.5/10

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray magazine