Baked Ravioli

Sometimes it is a nightmare trying to figure out what to make for dinner on the weekdays after a long day at work.  Since El Husbee and I are avid Costco shoppers we stock up on random items.  For instance, frozen raviolis.  Now I am not sure if we are the only ones with this problem but when we boil raviolis we always lose some in the process.  So when I learned through Pinterest that you can bake raviolis you better believe I was on board with this. 

Baked Ravioli
Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 bag frozen ravioli
2 jars alfredo sauce
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded colby cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray
2.  Spread 1 bottle of alfredo sauce into baking dish.
3.  Arrange frozen raviolis in a single layer in dish.
4.  Pour 2nd bottle of alfredo sauce over raviolis.
5.  Sprinkle sun dried tomatoes
6.  Sprinkle shredded cheese over raviolis
7.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes
8.  Let cool for about 5-10 minutes before eating
9.  Enjoy!

I think I went a little too crazy with the colby cheese and parmesan cheese this time.  I would definitely tone down the cheese the next time I make this.  But I am pretty sure I will never make raviolis the old fashion way again!  I love my oven!

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO 

Spinach Artichoke Pasta

One of my favorite appetizers to get at a restaurant is spinach artichoke dip.  I know it goes straight to my thighs but oh it is so yummy.  So worth running a extra 2, 3, 4 ... 5 miles on the treadmill.  Okay wait!  Maybe not 5 miles!

So what could possibly be as good?  Spinach artichoke dip in pasta form.  O-M-G!  This is amazing.  I have made this 3 times before I could blog about it.  It is drool worthy and worth all the time it takes to make it. 

Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 bags baby spinach
2 can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
2 bottle Alfredo sauce
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese grated
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
Pasta
1/2 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs

Directions:
1.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot or skillet.
2.  Add garlic and throw in the spinach.  Stir it around until it's wilted, about 1 minute.  Remove spinach from heat and set aside.
3.  Add 2 tablespoons butter to the same pot and raise the heat to high.  Throw in the halved artichokes and stir it around until they get a little color, 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove the artichokes from the pot and set them aside.
4.  Reduce the heat to low.  Add the 2 bottles of Alfredo sauce.  Add Parmesan, mozzarella, salt and pepper.  Stir to melt and add chicken broth until desired consistency.
5.  Add artichokes and pasta, tossing gently to combine.
6.  Gently fold in spinach.
7.  Pour the pasta into a serving dish.  Sprinkle the top with crushed red pepper flakes and plenty of Panko breadcrumbs for crunch.

I made this as a test run before Thanksgiving and then made it for the vegetarians in the family for Thanksgiving.  It was a hit among the vegetarians and carnivores.  More and more of my family is turning vegetarian so gatherings are becoming a little tricky.  

Then for Tzu Chi's gingerbread house building party I made this pasta again and one of the little girls ate 3 plate fulls.  I would call this a successful recipe.  That pioneer woman knows what she is doing.

Khloe the pup is as spoiled as ever.  The holidays are her favorite time of the year because she loves to snuggle and in the cold weather everyone welcomes a good snuggle.  Also, my family tends to give her a lot of seafood during this time of the year.  Just over the weekend I think Khloe the pup had over 6 shrimpies during dinner on Sunday.  Granted they were small.  But still spoiled.

Enjoy the holidays friends!

XOXO

Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Sundried Tomatoes

Most of the time when I don't know what to make for dinner I resort to making pasta.

El Hubby:  What's for dinner?
Me:  I don't know.  Pasta?
El Hubby:  I don't really feel like pasta
Me:  Well I don't feel like making dinner.
El Hubby:  Pasta sounds good.

Okay okay this exact conversation did not happen but some sort of it has happened.  I would say "poor husband" but the likelihood of me not feeding his is usually quite small.

Pasta has been on my brain ever since I say my cousin in Taiwan post her Facebook about eating pasta.  Ever since then I have had pasta on the brain.  I wanted something simple to make.  Of course I had not gone to the grocery store in days.  So I went through my stack of "recipes to try" and luckily found this.  And luckily I had all the ingredients.  Oh at least I made it work.
  

Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Sundried Tomatoes
Adapted from Smells Like Home

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb chicken, boneless, skinless, trimmed, sliced thin
1 onion, small
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bottle Alfredo sauce
salt and pepper
1 lb broccoli, florets only
12 oz penne pasta

Directions:
1.  Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until just smoking.  Salt and pepper chicken.  Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned but not fully cooked, about 2-3 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.
2.  Lower the heat to medium and add 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil to the skillet.  When the olive oil is shimmering add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3.  Stir in a bottle of Alfredo sauce.  
4.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Add broccoli in 3 minutes before pasta is done.  Drain pasta and broccoli.  Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining. 
5.  Add the chicken to the sauce.  Cook chicken until done, about 2 minutes. 
6.  Add pasta and broccoli to sauce.  Toss to combine.  Stir in pasta water until you get desired consistency in sauce. 
7.  Serve hot!

This pasta came out amazing.  It is for sure going into the recipe binder.  Oh and let me tell you, the leftovers were even better.

I don't know about other pet owners but I talk to my pup.  This is her face when I talk to her.  Most of the time I think she thinks I am crazy.  Which I am.  Crazy in love with my fur baby.

Get ready for spring and fruits and baking with those fruits!

XOXO

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Most nights it's a real struggle for me to come up with what to make for dinner.  I start dreading about dinner as soon as I come back to the office from lunch.  I go as far as asking my co workers what they plan on making for dinner.   Then there is always the dreaded text from El Hubby "what's for dinner".  Some times I just want to text back "poo".  Actually sometimes I do.

I literally threw this together and it was a pretty big hit in my house.  You can probably substitute chicken instead of shrimp or hey go all out and just add some chicken to the shrimp.  You can also probably pretty much use any kind of pasta.  Of course this absent minded wife only hand bow tie pasta so that's what I used.  I am sure you could substitute asparagus for broccoli.  You get the idea. 

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, with tails removed
1 lb bow tie pasta
broccoli
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
Italian seasoning
black pepper
red pepper flakes
salt

Directions:
1.  Boil pasta in water according to package directions.  Add broccoli at last 2 minutes of cook time.  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water for use at a later time.  Drain pasta.
2.  In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add shrimp and cook until they are a little pink.  Add garlic and cook 5-7 minutes.  Add olive oil and continue to cook shrimp until they are pink.
3.  Add pasta and broccoli to the skillet, season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt.  Add enough of the saved pasta water until the mixture is not dry but not simmering in liquid (start by adding 1/4 of a cup and work your way up from there).
4.  Keep tossing all the ingredients around in the skillet until it is well combined and hot.

This will definitely be filed under "make when you have no idea what to make" recipes.

This face brings a smile to my face.  How do you stay mad at a face like that?  

Get those allergy pills read, spring is coming!

XOXO 

Turkey & Spinach Stuffed Shells

I have never cooked stuffed shells and have always wanted to try.  So here is my attempt at making stuffed shells.

Ingredients:
1 package jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 onion, diced
1 (15oz) container Ricotta Cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cups breadcrumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tablespoon oregano
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 (10oz) package frozen spinach
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:
1.  Cook Shells according to directions.
2.  Drain and squeeze out excess moisture from spinach.
3.  Brown turkey and onions in 2 tablespoon olive oil.
4.  Preheat oven to 375 F.  Grease a large baking dish.  Spread 1 cup sauce on bottom of baking dish.
5.  Cream together eggs and ricotta cheese.  Add breadcrumbs, garlic, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt & pepper and mix well.  Then gently fold in the spinach and turkey mixture.  Fill shells with this mixture.
6.  Add shells and cover with remaining sauce.  Top with Mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil.  Bake 30-35 minutes until warmed through and bubbly.

Sometimes I feel that Italian cooks are like Chinese cooks in the way that both slave away all day to make a meal sometimes.  After my first attempt at stuffed shells I have decided this is a lot of work and to think it all gets gobbled up in seconds.  There is a lot of prep work but the dish is very yummy.  This dish was husband approved.  

Enjoy!
XOXO

Asian Bowtie Pasta

 

I love pasta salads.  They are so versatile.  You can eat them hot, room temperature, or cold.  For my joint birthday BBQ with my friend Leslie I knew I had to make this pasta salad.  

Now if you ask my mom she would tell you that I am a pretty good cook, until it comes to Chinese food.  I say it's not my fault because Chinese food is a art and let me tell you I am not artist.  If you ask a Chinese person for a recipe this is usually their response, "oh just put a little of salt and little of soy sauce and what ever will make it taste good".  That my friend is not a recipe.  Needless to say I hardly ever ask my mom for recipes even though she is a pretty awesome cook.  What will my poor Chinese kids eat?  This salad!  

Okay unlike most Chinese cooks I actually have listed ingredients.  Maybe I am a "banana" like those kids in high school use to call me.  Whatever!  I like instructions.

Ingredients:

1 lb farfalle (bowtie) pasta

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup sesame oil

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, cut julienne

1 cup of green onions diced

2-3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

3 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds

Pepper to taste

3 cups washed baby spinach

2 tablespoons red pepper flakes (optional but highly recommended)

Directions:

1.  Boil and cook pasta according to directions.  Drain pasta and set aside.

2.  Use small pot to heat oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and rice wine vinegar over low heat until honey is dissolved.  Remove from heat and toss in the pasta.

3.  Add the bell peppers, chicken, green onions, pepper, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes.  Toss well to coast all ingredients.

4.  Before serving, toss the pasta with the spinach.

Pasta can be served chilled or warm at room temperature.  

This bowtie pasta salad was a hit at the BBQ.  I made a pretty big tray of it and by clean up time it was all gone.  Even had people ask for the recipe.  I call that a hit!  The husband even asked me to make it a few days later after the party because he didn't get much of it at the BBQ.  

Enjoy!

XOXO