Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti O's

The other day on Pinterest I came across a recipe called Cheesy Grown-Up Spaghetti O's. Due to my husbands extreme love of Spaghetti O's I knew this was something I had to make for him ASAP. 

Everyone in my house L-O-V-E-D this. The great part about these, was that they tasted great the next day too!

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti O's

Recipe from Picky-Palate

1 pound Small circular pasta, Ditalini pasta or Rings

1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick

3 - 15oz. cans tomato sauce

3 Tablespoons from dry Ranch Dressing seasoning packet

3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded (If you are looking for a super simple way to shred chicken go here.)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1- 2 cups finely shredded cheese (I like to use preshredded "Mexican blend" or "taco cheese"

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and rinse with cold water.

2. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a large dutch oven or pot.

3. Add the tomato sauce to the butter, and stir to combine.

4. Add the Ranch seasoning and pepper to the sauce mixture, and stir to combine.

5. Add the cooked pasta and shredded chicken to the sauce mixture, and stir to combine.

6. Reduced to medium/low heat, and top with shredded cheese. Cover with lid, and allow the cheese to melt. About 5 minutes.

7. Serve warm, and Enjoy!

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Cheese Stuffed Shells

Stuffed shells have been a favorite of mine ever since I was I kid. Now that I am making them for my family, I have made a few changes from my mother's recipe. I am happy to say my kids and husband love them as much as I do.

Cheese Stuffed Shells

1 pkg jumbo shells pasta, cooked according to package directions

8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

8 oz muenster cheese, shredded

15 oz ricotta

26 oz jar a spaghetti sauce, divided

2-4 cooked chicken breasts, cut to about the size of a jumbo shell (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.Cook shells according to package directions.

3. Shred the mozzarella and muenster cheeses, into a bowl.

4. Add the ricotta cheese to the mozzarella and muenster cheeses, and mix. (It will look crumbly.)

5. Spread some of the sauce on the bottom of a 9"x13" baking pan. (Just enough to cover it.)

6. Roll the cheese mixture into an egg shape, and stuff it into a cooked shell.

7. Place the stuffed shell, seem side down into the baking sheet.

8. Repeat step 5 & 6 until all the shells are filled.

*** If you would like to add some cooked chicken breast, add it to the baking dish now. Just spread it out among the shells.

9. Cover the shells with the remaining sauce.

10. Cover the baking dish with foil and poke a few holes in the foil.

11.  Bake for 35 minutes.

12. Serve and Enjoy!

These stuffed shells freeze and reheat well. I like to freeze them by individual serving. 

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Semi-Homemade Wine Pasta Sauce

Regular store bought pasta sauce can be good, but it can be better.

The sauce I like is Classico's Cabernet Marinara. 

The catch...I can almost never find it anywhere anymore.

My solution to get that wine flavor I so desire in the sauce, is to add some wine to other sauces.

I know it doesn't sound like anything special; but it totally transforms a sauce, and any meat you include in your sauce.

"Recipe"

1 lb organic ground turkey breast

1 - 24oz. jar Classico Traditional Sweet Basil, pasta sauce

12 oz Pinnacle Ridge Concord, a sweet red wine

1 - 1 lb box Barilla Campanelle Pasta
Mozzarella Cheese - shredded

1. Brown your meat in a large skillet/saute pan over medium-high heat. I used my favorite pan my Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 5 Quart Round Braiser*.
2. Once the meat is browned stir in your jar of sauce, and wine.

3. Simmer the sauce over low-medium heat until you get the consistency you want.

4. While the sauce is simmering cook your pasta according to package directions.
5. To serve, spoon sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.

Notes:
~I only use 8 oz of wine if there is no meat in the sauce.
~When you add the wine it will look really watery, but with simmering you can get the consistency you want.

*Affiliate Links.

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Totally Yummy Creamy Garlic Pasta

The other day my husband was spying over my shoulder while I was perusing Pinterest and started telling me things he wanted me to "pin". After explaining to him that Pinterest is my thing, and if he wants to "pin" something he needs to make his own account, I realized that he had actually pointed out a good recipe. 

Shhh...don't tell him I said that.

This wasn't the post I had scheduled for today but, after trying this recipe today and everyone in my family falling in love with it, I just had to share it.

The thing that caught my eye about this recipe is how versatile it could be. By adding chicken and/or veggies the combinations are endless! I cannot wait to try peas or broccoli with chicken in it. I will increase the sauce when I add extras. The way the recipe is written, the sauce is just enough for the pasta and I want everything coated! Yum!

Creamy Garlic Pasta

Recipe adapted from The Cheese Pusher

2 teaspoons olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

2 cups water

1 - 12oz box angel hair pasta

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup heavy cream

1-2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped -to taste

1. In a medium-large stock pot, bring the olive oil to low-medium heat.

2. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the butter and allow it to melt.
4. Add pepper, chicken stock, and water. Adjust the heat to high and bring to a boil.

5. Once the stock water is boiling, add the pasta and cook per box directions.

6. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the the Parmesan cheese, until melted.
7. Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the cream and parsley.
8. Serve immediately.

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