Chicken and Stuffing Shells

With the colder weather rapidly approaching, nothing makes me happier than true comfort food. I altered a recipe I found for Thanksgiving stuffed shells (using leftovers) that is to die for. It's cheesy and creamy and everything that makes you feel warm and cozy.

1 box of pasta shells

1 large can of chicken

1 box Stove Top stuffing

4 oz. of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

1/3 cup of mayonnaise

4 cups of shredded mozzarella

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 (or 2 if you're like me) packets of chicken gravy

 

Boil your shells while you get the filling ready.

Make the stuffing, then add in the chicken and cream cheese while on a low heat to make it melt. Once the cream cheese is mixed thoroughly, take off the stove and add in the parmesan, mayo, and 3 cups of the mozzarella.

(Now's the time to preheat your oven to 350)

Put 1/2 the can of soup on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Stuff your shells with the stuffing mixture, and snuggly line them.

Put another layer of the soup over the top of the shells when you're done.

Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake covered for 45 minutes and an additional 10 minutes uncovered.

While they are baking, make your gravy.

 

Let them sit for a few minutes, and then serve smothered in gravy. Voila!

 

The Holy Grail of Macaroni & Cheese

Alright. Here goes. I'm only sharing this recipe because I want a back up for myself in the horrible instance that my written recipe gets lost. This recipe is special. Of all the things I make, I get the request to make this most often. I got the recipe from a friend of mine, because I was so head-over-heels in love with this stuff. I'm tellin ya - worth it's weight in gold. Ready? Here goes. One last thing - this stuff comes with a warning: don't make this unless you want to eternally be disappointed with every other mac n cheese recipe you'll ever make again.

1 lb Creamettes (yes, you must use this brand of macaroni. I'm not sure why it's so much better)

1 lb block of Hoffman's SuperSharp cheddar (don't try to substitute - I know it's expensive, but the whole dish depends on it)

1 quart of milk (that's 4 cups :-) )

1/2 Tablespoon black pepper

1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grate your cheese into a large baking pan.

Stir the sugar, pepper, and salt into the milk.

Boil the noodles for 7 minutes and drain. Pour the hot noodles over the grated cheese. Let sit for about a minute and then mix together until all the cheese is melted. Pour the milk mixture over the cheesy noodles. Do not mix. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Voila! Enjoy and try to share even though it hurts. You can thank me later.

 

Thai Curry Tofu

So this is more of a product review than a recipe, but we’ll call it a two-fer. I’m not at all into curry or tofu, but these two things together are delicious! Never something I though I would like, but gave it a shot just in case. It’s spicy (but not too spicy) and flavorful and just really good. I like to eat it with chopsticks just for fun. This is such a quick thing to whip up, it’s nice when you’re whooped at the end of the day and just want something easy to throw together.

 

Start off by steaming a bag of frozen broccoli and cooking up some mushrooms.

Cut up extra firm tofu into bite size chunks (serving size is 1/5 or 1/4 of the package depending on brand) and sauté in a pan until there is a nice golden color on the edges.

In a separate pan, heat up a ¼ cup of Trader Joe’s Thai Red Curry Sauce.



Mix it all together and you’re set!

 

Nutritional information:

Calories: 250

Fat: 13

Carbs: 24

Protein: 19

Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Pasta

I’m starting out with my favorite healthy recipe. This is so delicious, you would never guess it was a lighten up version. It has a sort of alfredo-ness about it, but not as rich. It’s just creamy and flavorful and seriously yummy. You’ll crave this whether you’re trying to cut back or not. Here’s a recipe for 2 servings.

 

Start off by boiling some Dreamfields spaghetti (1” dry circle) This is low-carb pasta that seriously doesn’t taste any different from normal stuff. I hate whole wheat pasta – it tastes like cardboard. I also can’t get into shirataki noodles – way too weird of a consistency. The Dreamfields is right on in taste and texture, just make sure you cook according to the instructions on the box. If you overcook your noodles, the carbs will creep back in.

Combine 2 wedges of Laughing Cow light garlic and herb, 1 Tablespoon of fat free sour cream, 1 Tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese, and garlic salt to taste. You’ll want to heat this up in the microwave for 30 seconds or so just to make it smoother. Stir this sauce into drained and heated frozen spinach (a 10 oz box is good) and cooked baby bella mushrooms ( I used about 10-15). When your pasta is finished cooking, drain it and mix in the spinach/mushroom sauce. I like to sprinkle the top with fresh diced tomatoes. Feel free to add some chicken in the mix, but I prefer it without.

 

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories: 304

Fat: 4.5

Carbs: 19

Protein: 16.5

Lasagna

I'm seriously craving my mom's Italian food.  So please forgive the slew of recipes that I'm posting that involve some sort of sauce and gooey melty cheese combination.  But in case you're ever in the market for an easy, family pleasing lasagna recipe (and who isn't), try this one out.  It's basic and it's delicious.  Plus, you always have the option of adding veggies or meat to the recipe if that's what floats your boat.  But try out the original recipe (courtesy of my mom) below first - you won't regret it!

 

15 lasagna noodles

16 ounces mozzarella cheese

16 ounces large curd cottage cheese

1 jar pasta sauce (avoid the watery marinara variety)

parmesan cheese

 

Cook lasagna noodles according to directions on box.  Once the pasta is drained, carefully lay out each lasagna noodle flat on pieces of wax paper to cool.  Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish (I use a glass pan).  Add a layer of noodles (3, next to each other), then a layer of cottage cheese, then a layer of mozzarella cheese.  Spoon a line of sauce down the center of the cheese topped noodle.  Sprinkle the top of the sauce with parmesan cheese.  Then repeat the layering (noodles, cottage cheese, mozzarella, sauce, parmesan).  Keep the 3 best lasagna noodles (no cracks or breaks) for the top layer.  Layer the last 3 noodles next to each other on the top, then cover with sauce and mozzarella and parmesan cheese.  Spoon cheese around the sides of the pan so the lasagna doesn't dry out.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, until bubbly.

Smelly Chicken

Don't be turned off by the name of the chicken, I beg you.  This is a recipe of my Gram's, and we used to call it this because it made the house smell SO. GOOD.  I talked to my Grammy today and was thinking of her when I was going through recipes for this post.  This is perfect for summer - fresh herbs, and such a delicious and unique taste.  Try it today!  You and your family will love it!

 

1 to 1.5 pounds chicken pieces (you can use boneless breasts, or bone-in pieces like wings, legs, etc - up to you)

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt, allspice, and cinnamon.  Brown the chicken pieces in a deep pot in 3 tablespoons of oil.  Once the chicken pieces are browned, add:

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped

1 teaspoon thyme, finely chopped

1 tablespoon basil, finely chopped

1 large vine ripe tomato, chopped into small chunks

1/2 cup dry white wine (whatever you would feel comfortable drinking)

Mix the herbs, tomato, and wine well with the chicken, cover and cook slowly until tender (45 minutes to 1 hour).

Stuffed Shells

My sister and I were talking the other night about our upcoming family reunion (fondly referred to as "The Italian Picnic" by family members).  We were discussing what to make, which prompted me to dig this recipe out.  If you've had stuffed shells before and disliked them, I PROMISE that you will love these.  If you've had stuffed shells before and liked them, you will like this recipe even more.  And if you haven't had a stuffed shell ever in your life, well...you haven't lived.

These shells have the perfect cheese-to-spinach ratio and they are absolutely delicious.  They are easy to make and they feed a boatload of people.  My mom taught my sister and I to make these a long time ago...we used to take them to parties, at Christmas or for potlucks.  Other moms begged us for the recipe.  People have confessed to daydreaming about these stuffed shells.  But that's another story.  Here's what you'll need:

 

one 12 oz box of jumbo pasta shells

24 ounces ricotta cheese

1/2 pound mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 to 3 eggs, beaten

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

10 oz box frozen spinach, cooked and drained (squeeze as much of the water out as you can)

1 tablespoon parsley

garlic salt to taste

1 jar pasta sauce (avoid watery marinara varieties)

 

Cook pasta shells al dente according to directions on the box and after draining, rise in cold water.  Cover the bottom of a large baking dish with a layer of sauce (I use a 9x13 inch glass pan).   Mix together cheeses, eggs, spinach, salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic salt in a large mixing bowl.  Fill the shells with the cheese/spinach mixture and line them up in the baking dish.  Spoon more sauce over the tops of the filled shells and along the edges of the baking dish so that the shells don't dry out while baking.  Bake at 350 degrees for at least 1 hour, until bubbly.

Pepperoni Pasta Bake

Recently, my sister came down to visit.  My parents sent some things with her to give to me, and among those items were seven jars of tomato sauce.  Yes, seven.  Apparently, they were a dollar a piece at the grocery store, and my dad bought a whole case.  This "gift" from my dad prompted the question, "what the heck am I going to do with all of this sauce?"  We didn't have a whole lot of food in the refrigerator OR the pantry...but I managed to rustle up something that was pretty tasty and VERY easy last night.  Try this next time you want an easy Italian meal!  The pepperoni definitely adds some delicious flavor, but it doesn't overpower the dish.

 

3/4 pound pasta (I used rigatoni, but you can use anything - I want to try either bow ties or egg noodles next)

1/2 jar tomato sauce (avoid the watery "marinara" variety if possible - I used Del Grosso tomato basil)

1 large handful of pepperoni slices, cut into thin strips (turkey pepperoni is a great alternative)

1 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese

garlic salt

red pepper flakes

 

Cook pasta according to directions; drain and return the pasta to the pot.  Stir in the sauce and pepperoni strips, then stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese.  Add a dash of red pepper flakes and garlic salt and stir.  Pour the pasta mixture into a casserole dish and top with the remaining 3/4 cup of cheese.  Bake covered at 350 for 25 minutes.  Remove cover and turn on the broiler for 5 minutes in order to make the cheese brown and bubbly.  Serve with Garlic Parmesan Bread Bites and a salad.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

I heart chicken, in case you hadn't noticed.  I've always been a bit of a picky eater, and now I live with another picky eater.  Sometimes it's hard to make things that won't weird her out.  I'm always happy with what I perceive to be "kid food" - pizza, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, etc.  So last night I decided that I was in the mood for some "real" chicken nuggets.  I thought briefly about going to Chick Fil A, but I decided that I was too broke (sad but true) to do that.  So I busted out some chicken I had in my freezer, and the rest was delicious history.

 

3 whole boneless chicken breasts

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 to 2 tablespoons garlic salt (to taste)

2 teaspoons dried oregano

milk

 

Cut the chicken breasts up into 1 inch cubes.  Put the cut up chicken into a bowl and cover with milk (I used 2%, but I'm not sure it matters).  Mix together breadcrumbs, garlic salt, and oregano.  Take a few pieces of the chicken at a time and toss in the breadcrumbs.  Place breaded chicken pieces in a glass baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Don't worry if the pieces touch each other in the dish.  Once all the chicken is in the baking dish, spray the top of the chicken lightly with cooking spray and cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35-40 minutes.

**I dipped my nuggets in honey mustard, but they are delicious plain, too!

Chinese Chicken

Okay, all you specialists of Asian cooking/cuisine - clearly this is not an authentic recipe.  This recipe is not actually from China, and it is probably not served in a Chinese restaurant of any kind.  I'm Italian.  I admit it.  I don't know the first thing about using a wok.  What I DO know, however, is that my Gram used to make this for me when our family had our annual Chinese New Year dinner.  Also, I had (real) Chinese food last night, so I now I have a real hankerin' for this.  It's an easy, delicious, do-it-yourself version of sweet and sour chicken.  It's delicious on its own, or with the sweet and sour sauce.  Here's how to make it:

CHICKEN:

boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)

soft fresh breadcrumbs (go ahead and make your own!)

garlic salt

milk

Cut the chicken in chunks/cubes, place in a dish and sprinkle it with garlic salt.  Cover the chicken with milk, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Once the chicken has marinaded, roll the chicken in the breadcrumbs and fry them in a skillet until brown, then place in a baking dish and bake covered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

SWEET AND SOUR PINEAPPLE SAUCE:

Get a large can of pineapple chunks and drain, saving 1 cup of pineapple juice from the can.  In a saucepan, heat the juice along with 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch.  Cook until the sauce thickens, then add the pineapple chunks back into the sauce.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

When I was at home, I filched a bunch of my favorite recipes that my mom has in her cookbooks.  When my sister and I were kids, she used to make this kick-butt casserole that EVERYONE loved.  It was special food and comfort food at the same time.  Also, whenever we had this, we also had crescent rolls.  And who doesn't love those? 

Try this.  Classic flavors, pure deliciousness, and it makes me think of my mom. 

1 head broccoli, cut into pieces (i usually just use the florets but you can probably use all of it)

6 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup mayo

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 cup soft bread crumbs

2 tablespoons melted butter

Spread the broccoli pieces on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Layer the chicken on top of the broccoli.  Mix the soup, mayo, and lemon juice together and pour over the top of the chicken, making sure that most of it is covered.  Sprinkle the cheese, then the breadcrumbs over the top, and drizzle the melted butter over all so that the breadcrumbs will get nice and toasty.  Bake covered at 350 degrees for about an hour, until bubbly and very hot.

Hot Chicken Salad

This post is for Rose who has been on me to post Hot Chicken Salad since the birth of this blog.  However, the recipe was at my parents' house, and I am bad at memorizing things.  So here you go - if you're tired of turkey leftovers, try this.  It's delicious comfort food that will leave you feeling cozy and satisfied.

3 cups cooked chicken breast, cut into small cubes

1/4 cup almonds

1 cup diced celery

1 teaspoon minced onion

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2/3 cup mayo or Miracle Whip

Topping: 1 cup grated cheddar cheese & 1 cup crushed potato chips

Mix all ingredients except the topping and pour in a buttered casserole dish.  Top with cheese and chips and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly.

Melt In Your Mouth Shredded Beef

This stuff is AWESOME. I actually got this recipe from my mom's friend who I don't really like all that much (aka at all). I hate when crappy people make awesome food. Alas, I'll pass this gem along, because it's so good I wouldn't want to deprive you of it. This recipe is for a decent amount of food, about what we would make for a party (maybe 20 people). Here's what you're going to need:

1 stalk celery - chopped

3 onions - chopped

2-3 green peppers - chopped

1 1/2 thirty-two (32) ounce  bottles of Heinz ketchup

5 Tablespoons BBQ sauce (whichever brand your like, I use KC Masterpiece)

5 Tablespoons vinegar

2 Tablespoons worchestershire sauce (I can't pronounce this to save my life - soon as I get to sauce, it comes out "shaush")

1 cup brown sugar

2 3/4 cups water

8 pounds of chuck roast (I use two 4-pounders)

Mix all the ingredients together and pour the sauce over the roast. Cover and put in a 300 degree oven for 7 hours. I let this go overnight, and it's tender and delicious. When it comes out of the oven, shred the meat apart with two forks. All of the veggies turn to nothing-mush and just produce a wonderful sweet and tangy sauce. Let it cool to room temperature and lift off the layer of grease that forms on the top (gross, but no one wants to eat all this extra fat). Heat back up to serve. This goes great with a creamy coleslaw and my corn casserole.

Parmesan Skillet Chicken

In case you haven't gathered it, I love chicken.  It's my go-to meal staple.  Basically, it just becomes a question of what I'm going to do with the chicken each night.  It's been awhile since I made this recipe, and I'm kind of mad that I haven't made it lately because it's SO good.  It feels fancy without being difficult to make.  And the flavors - WHOA!  Look out.  It's like Italy took over your kitchen and then hijacked all of your tastebuds.  Here are the ingredients...

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thin is preferred - or you can butterfly two breasts and pound them out)

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary (I use a little more, because I love this flavor)

1 can (14.5 ounces) Del Monte Italian-style stewed tomatoes

cooked pasta of your choice (don't you love the freedom I give you?)

First, coat the chicken with the parmesan cheese - really press that cheese into the chicken.  In a large skillet, cook the chicken in the olive oil over medium heat until done.  Remove the chicken from the skillet and cover with foil or a lid to keep warm.  In the same skillet, cook the mushrooms and rosemary until soft.  Add the tomatoes.  Cook uncovered over medium heat until the sauce thickens.  Spoon sauce over pasta and top with the chicken. 

Deliciousness (and happiness) abounds.

Baked Popcorn Chicken

Don't worry...we didn't forget about posting delicious recipes!  I was talking to my Gram today on the phone, which inspired me to post a recipe that she sent me via snail mail when I first moved down here.  She cut it out of a newspaper at home (not sure which one - sorry) and I made it immediately.  So yummy, and fun to eat too!  All the fun of a chicken nugget, without the fried-ness.  They have a little zip to them too, thanks to the addition of the Dijon mustard.  This is perfect for an easy weeknight meal, or to have during a football game on Sunday.

cooking spray (an olive oil spray works best for this)

2 large egg whites

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (honey mustard works too - great twist!)

half teaspoon salt

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1 and a half pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into 1 inch cubes)

Spray a large baking sheet with the cooking spray.  Mix the egg whites, mustard and salt in a bowl.  Put the breadcrumbs in another separate bowl.  Take a few of the chicken pieces at a time and toss them in the mustard mixture to coat, and then toss them in the breadcrumbs.  Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet, and make sure that they are not touching if possible.  When all the chicken pieces are on the sheet, spray the top of the chicken lightly with more of the cooking spray (this will give it great color and some crunch).  Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.  Using a spatula, flip the chicken over after these 15 minutes are up.  Continue to bake until golden brown for another 5 to 10 minutes.

"Restaurant Quality" Chicken

The name comes from my lovely roommate - I made this chicken one night with ingredients we had in the pantry and it was a flavorful and delicious hit.  There's definitely a "comfort food" quality about this dish.  Here's a little tip/confession - I'm not ashamed to say that I LOVE boxed rice pilaf (I'm a Rice-A-Roni girl).  And it's the perfect compliment to this dish.  You could definitely serve it with Rose's garlic mashed potatoes instead though - yum yum.  That would definitely kick it up a notch.  I'm a firm believer that there is no such thing as too much garlic.  I think it's almost dinner time!

4 boneless chicken breast halves, pounded thin

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon garlic salt (sounds like a lot, but it's so worth it)

1 tablespoon italian seasoning OR oregano (remember, this is a "whatever you have on hand" thing)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Take a baking dish (I usually use a corningware dish - they are extremely easy to clean) and drizzle a good amount of olive oil on the bottom of the dish.  Place the chicken in the dish and drizzle the top with olive oil.  Mix all of the dry ingredients together and cover the top of the chicken with the mixture, making sure there is no chicken showing.  Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Baked Chicken Parm

I made this dish this past weekend and I was feeling totally inspired to share it with you.  If you love melty, cheesy, saucy deliciousness, then this is for you.  I kind of made this dish up on a whim - I was attempting to make all my favorites without actually pan frying anything.  This is a one-pot meal that will knock your socks off with its simplicity and overall tastiness.  Yes, I'm excited, okay?

1 package fresh chicken breasts (thin is preferred -about five to six pieces)

1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon garlic salt

1 tablespoon italian seasoning

olive oil

1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce (tomato basil is delicious, and if you can find it, Del Grosso)

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded italian blend cheese (you can find this pre-bagged)

First, trim the chicken and prep it by seasoning it with salt and pepper, and then rubbing it with a little bit of the olive oil.  Next, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic salt, and italian seasoning.  Dredge breasts in this mixture.  Add some of the sauce to the bottom of a baking dish and then place the chicken in the dish - try to make sure they have enough room, but it's okay if they overlap a bit.  Cover the top of the chicken with sauce and make sure there are no areas that are exposed - you want to seal in the deliciousness and this helps the chicken to not dry out.  Next, sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the sauce, cover with a lid or foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover the chicken, add the fresh shredded cheese all over the top, and continue to bake until golden and bubbly.

Chicken Marsala

I'm going to be honest.  I was extremely intimidated by this the first time I tried it.  It was the first time I ever cooked with wine, and I was cooking for my family so I wasn't even sure if they'd like it.  Like it?  They LOVED it.  My mom said that this is my "signature dish" and that I should serve it for company (because I have dinner guests oh-so-often)!  Forget company...make this for yourself.  It's a lot easier than you think, and after you cook it a few times, you'll be able to get it done in under 30 minutes.  What now, Rachael Ray?

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I usually split these and then pound them thin)

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup Marsala wine

Combine the flour, salt, pepper and oregano.  Heat the oil and butter in a skillet until it bubbles.  Coat the chicken in the flour mixture, then shake off the excess.  Cook in the skillet for about two minutes, until it is lightly browned on one side.  Turn the chicken over, and add the mushrooms.  Cook another 2 minutes until the other side of the chicken is lightly browned.  Stir the mushrooms to cook evenly.  Add the wine and then cover the skillet, turn the heat down and simmer this for about 10 minutes.

Side notes:  the butter and the olive oil create a pretty big amount of sauce.  It's okay to use less of these two things, but make sure you use BOTH butter and olive oil because it tastes so much better!  Also, if you have to simmer this for longer than 10 minutes, it won't hurt anything.  It's delicious.  I usually serve this with mashed potatoes.  YUM!!  My stomach just growled...

Not Your Mom’s Meatloaf

Ew. Meatloaf. Could you combine two words that would sound less appetizing? I think not. I couldn’t stand meatloaf growing up with all the onions and peppers and well…meat.  It always seemed dry (but greasy…how’d that happen?) and if there wasn’t ketchup near by, I wasn’t going to touch it with a 39 ½ foot pole. Not this stuff though. This is the diva of meatloaf. This is tender and savory. This is meatloaf fit for a queen.

2 pounds ground pork and beef mix

1 can tomato soup

1 sleeve Ritz crackers

1 egg

1 package onion soup mix

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours.