Crispy Chicken Over Creamy Pasta

I found this recipe over at Jamie Cooks It Up. I was intrigued by the new Philly Cooking Cremes, but the only review I had heard was a bad one. This recipe sounded tasty, and I wanted to give it a try myself. I was nervous, but there was no need to be. It was delicious and fairly simple to pull together for a weeknight meal. I'll definitely make it again and am interested in trying some of the other Cooking Cremes too!


Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

3 large chicken breasts
5 C corn flakes
3/4 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 C milk
6 T olive oil
1 12 oz package bowtie noodles (farfalle)

Sauce:
1 10 oz container Philadelphia Cooking Cream (Italian Cheese and Herb Flavor)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 C chicken broth
1/2 C milk
fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

1. In a small food processor crush the corn flakes into crumbs.
2. Add the 1/2 t salt to the 3/4 C flour. Stir to combine.
3. Place the flour, milk and crushed cornflakes each into their own separate pan. Loaf pans work well for this. If you don't have three loaf pans, do not dismay. You could use pie tins, or round cake pans...what ever works for you.
4. Place your chicken breasts in a gallon sized Ziploc bag and seal the top.
Pound the chicken flat with a meat mallet. You will really be thankful for the Ziploc bag in this step. Who wants a bunch of chicken guts flying around their kitchen? Not me...that's who.
5. Take a pair of sharp kitchen scissors and cut each breast in half.
6. Dredge the chicken in the flour. Be sure it gets covered on both sides.
Lay the floured chicken onto a small cookie sheet and slide the sheet into the freezer. Let it hang out there for about 5 minutes.
7. Start cooking your pasta.
8. Remove the chicken from the freezer and dredge each piece in the milkand then immediately into the corn flake crumbs. Again, be sure both sides are covered well.
9. Add the olive oil to a hot skillet.
10. Carefully lay each chicken piece into the hot oil. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper. Cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes....
or until the underside of each piece is nice and golden brown. Turn the pieces over. If the bottom of the pan is dry add just a bit more olive oil to the side of the pan. Swirl the pan around a bit to let the oil flow to all sides.
11. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Let the chicken cook for about 7 more minutes, being careful not to burn the bottoms. Burned bottoms are not advised. In any shape or form. Thank you.
12. When your chicken has been cooked through remove it from the pan and place it on a plate. Cover with tin foil.
13. Into the same pan pour your broth. Philly Cooking Creme, Cream of Chicken, and milk. Whisk the sauce around and let it get all warm and bubbly. Should only take about 3 minutes.
14. Slice your chicken into strips and serve over your cooked pasta and sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley if you choose.
Enjoy

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni & Cheese

I love all things buffalo. It's a delicious flavor. My good friend, Lindsay, sent me this recipe and said I simply must try it. So I did, because I always follow directions. Did we love it? Eh. Was it tasty, absolutely. I think it was a little more rich than I expected. I was hoping for more spice. It was then that Lindsay told me she had doubled the Frank's. Ah....that would definitely help! So, without trying it that way, I hesitantly suggest you double the Frank's.

*Little tip, if you want a quick way to shred chicken, the food processor works in a pinch. Just be cautious with it so you don't puree the chicken. A few quick pulses is all it needs.

Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Pesto Veggie Manicotti topped with Fire Roasted Marinara

I've mentioned it on here before that I am not a huge fan of meat in my pasta. I am, however, a huge fan of pesto and veggies in my pasta. I saw this dish on foodgawker and it was screaming my name, especially since I had just made some pesto last week. It uses a fresh fire roasted marinara sauce, which is another one of those "why didn't I do this sooner" types of pantry items.

Need:

• 15oz ricotta cheese
• 1 box of manicotti noodles (1/2 box of large shells works too!)
• 1 bag fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1/4 cup of grated carrots
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup shredded parmesan/romano cheese
• 2-4 tbsp of pesto (adjust intensity to suit your tastes!)
• mozzarella cheese for topping (go lean or go cheesy!)
• to taste: black pepper, salt, parsley, oregano, thyme & garlic powder.
• 16 oz fire roasted marinara, or your favorite red sauce (recipe to follow)
  

Do:

Preheat your oven to 350. Gently boil shells for approx 11min or until tender/al dente. Drain & arrange cooked noodles in a glass baking dish with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom. Fun fact: if you roll the noodles in the red sauce it will help prevent them from sticking/wilting! Dice and sauté, onions and garlic together with shredded carrots and 1/2 tsp of olive oil. In a large bowl, fold ricotta, parm/romano cheeses, pesto, and torn spinach together with all your herbs and spices. Next, add your veggies to the mix. You are free to use your fingers, but putting the stuffing in a bag with a hole cut in the corner and squeezing is muuuch easier =) Stuff the noodles gently and pour a generous pile of sauce on top. Top with sliced or grated mozzarella/parm cheese and bake for approx 20-30 minutes at 350F

Fire Roasted Pasta Sauce:

• 
  
• Need:
• 28 oz can diced/crushed tomatoes
  14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  approx 4 oz of tomato paste (controls the thickness)
  1/2 tsp garlic powder
  1/4 tsp salt
  1 tsp dried oregano
  1 tsp dried basil
  1-2 tsp dried parsley
  3 bay leaves
  1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Do:

In a blender or food processor, add tomatoes and blend for just a few seconds, until tomatoes look more crushed than diced. Pour tomatoes into your crockpot, season, and walk away! Set crockpot to low if you'll be leaving the house and high if you'll be around the house. No crock pot? Simply add to a sauce pot and cook at low to medium-low on the stove-top.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Broiled Cheesy Tomatoes and Basil Spaghetti

I saw the broiled tomato and basil spaghetti recipe in a Real Simple magazine, but knew I needed to beef...er chicken it up. So I used a Parmesan Crusted Chicken to make a lighter version of Chicken Parmigiana. Ahh...maaaa.....gosh! Delish!!!

Parm Crusted Chicken:

Serves 4

4 large chicken breasts
3 eggs, beaten (I used egg whites as I had used the yolks to make mayonnaise)
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese (or Parmesan)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
fresh lemon to serve

1. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat.
2. Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of cling-wrap and thin out with a rolling pin or mallet.
3. Combine the breadcrumbs with the cheese, salt and paprika. Place this in a shallow, wide bowl.
4. Place the beaten eggs in a similar bowl (big enough to dunk the chicken into).
5. To coat the chicken, dunk it first into the egg mixture and then place into the crumbs, coating the chicken well and patting down the crumbs.
6. Place the chicken in the frying pan and allow to fry for 2 minutes per side until the crumbs are crispy and the chicken is cooked through but still moist.
7. Serve hot with fresh lemon.

Broiled Cheesy Tomatoes over Basil Spaghetti:

Ingredients

• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 3 large tomatoes, cut into 4 thick slices
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more, shaved for serving
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

Directions

1. Heat broiler. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Dividing evenly, sprinkle the slices with the mozzarella and Parmesan. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. In a small saucepan, warm the oil with the garlic and red pepper over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the garlic oil, basil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with the tomatoes, additional basil, and shaved Parmesan.

Pasta with Roasted Tomato Sauce

I wanted something light and easy for tonight since I was dining alone. This recipe in the new Everyday Food magazine caught my eye the other day, and seeing as I could use up some goodies from the garden, it was an easy pick tonight. It was just what I needed. Nice flavor, light and quick! (Granted...that doesn't include the time for roasting tomatoes, but since I didn't have to tend to them while they roasted, I didn't count it towards the actual time)

So...step 1: Cut 10 plum tomatoes in half and lay cut side up on an edged cooking pan. Sprinkle with sugar and roast in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees. (I used my toaster oven)

Ingredients:
coarse salt and ground pepper
10 roasted tomato halves, roughly chopped
1/2 c evoo
3 tbsp capers (optional)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 lb spaghetti
handful fresh basil leaves, to taste

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine tomatoes, oil, capers (if using), and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta and return to pot; toss with tomato mixture. Serve pasta topped with basil.

Chicken Penne Al Fresco

I had full intentions of making a completely different pasta dish tonight, but after I hit my third strike with the ingredient list, it was out. I decided to just go with the trusty allrecipes.com and found this one. I wasn't expecting much and boy was I surprised. What a great, light, easy pasta dish! I HIGHLY recommend you try this! I kind of cut the recipe in half...my notes are below.
INGREDIENTS

* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 4 cloves garlic, sliced (2 cloves)
* 2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 medium tomato, chopped)
* 3 cups penne pasta (1 cup)
* 3 3/4 cups chicken broth (1 can, about 1 3/4c)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
* 1 1/4 cups fresh basil leaves, (1/2 tsp dried +5 small fresh leaves)
* 2 cups diced cooked chicken (1 x-large breast cooked in olive oil)
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I probably used even more than that)


1. Coat a microwave-safe casserole dish with olive oil; stir in the garlic and tomatoes. Cover and microwave on High until tomatoes begin to burst, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Remove garlic and tomato mixture from the microwave and crush the remaining tomatoes with a fork. Stir in pasta, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.
2. Cover and return to microwave. Cook on High until pasta is tender, 16 to 18 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Remove pasta from the microwave, then stir in the basil, chicken, and Parmesan cheese.

*1st cook time only took about 3 minutes for me. Second cook time took about 13.

Lemon Parm Pasta with Chicken

I tend to keep dinner simple when Carl is gone...which is often, but I wanted something better than a sandwich tonight. Luckily I have Lindsay on emergency standby, and she recommended this recipe! And remember...I always trust Lindsay...or at least her taste buds :) It was originally from Spark People.

This was the perfect quick, light and fresh recipe for this warm spring night! I'll definitely keep it in my rotation!
Ingredients

* 1/2 lb. angel hair pasta (I used about a 1/4 lb)
* 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped into bite sized pieces (I used one regular sized chicken breast)
* 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (I used 2 cloves)
* 2 tbsp butter (1 tbsp butter)
* 3 tbsp lemon juice
* 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (It's cheese...you know I still doubled it!)
* 1 cup reserved pasta water (I used about 1/2 c)

Directions

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat butter in large skillet. Saute chicken and garlic until cooked through.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions.
4. Add lemon juice and Parmesan to chicken shortly before pasta is done.
5. Toss the cooked pasta with the chicken mixture.
6. Ladle in 1 cup of pasta water to extend the sauce.

*My suggestion is to wait until the water is boiling and the pasta is in the pot to start the chicken. Mine cooked up pretty quickly, even with the heat on low.

Worth Mentioning Again: Mediterranean Orzo Salad

I made this salad awhile back, but posted it with a couple other items. I really feel as though this deserves it's own post. It's really light and refreshing, perfect for the warm weather months!

1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed and in 1 inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium red onion, sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper optional
3/4 c uncooked orzo pasta
1 can garbanzo beans
1 package (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c pitted whole kalamata olives
1/2 c snipped fresh parsley
1/4 c prepared Greek vinaigrette dressing

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine asparagus, bell pepper, onion and oil in a medium mixing bowl. Press garlic into mixing bowl; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Arrange vegetables on a bar pan (or cookie sheet). Bake 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and deep golden brown. Remove from oven; cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare orzo according to package directions, drain and rinse under cold running water. Place orzo in large mixing bowl, add vegetable mixture, beans, feta cheese, olives, parsley and salad dressing. Toss gently and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more.

I doubled this recipe for our party on Sunday, and it was a perfect amount. There were about 25 people here. I also recommend more olives...but I really like olives!

Courtesy of Pampered Chef

Tuna Macaroni Salad

Ah yes, you can totally tell it is Lent. One of my favorite recipes to break out on our non-meat days is tuna macaroni salad. It's easy, it's tasty and refreshing!

Ingredients:
1 lb elbow noodles cooked and cooled (or whatever noodle you like)
2 cans tuna, drained
1 bag of peas (the 15oz size)
1/2 red onion chopped
3 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup Miracle Whip (or regular mayo if you insist)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients together. (difficult right?) For best results, refrigerate for at least an hour, but this is always a little tastier the next day!

Thank You...Thank You ::::gracious bow:::::

Jenna at Jenna's Random Thoughts was kind enough to award me with the Refreshing as Lemonade award and the Your Blog is Fabulous award. Thanks so much Jenna! You just made my night! I really have enjoyed adding to my cooking skills and creating this blog. It's good to know others have been enjoying it too :)



I'm passing these awards onto:

Jen @ Domestic Diva
Monica @ My Big Fat Food Blog

Here are the rules…

- Add the logo in your blog.
- Add a link to the person who gave you the award.
- Nominate other (refreshing…like lemonade and fabulous) blogs of your choice.
- Don’t forget to add links to those blogs in yours.
- Also leave a message for your nominees in their blogs, informing them about the award.

Vegetable Lasagna

There is this restaurant down the street that has heavenly vegetable lasagna. I mean heavenly. I've never made lasagna, but it has been sounding sooooo good, AND Carl has been requesting it for weeks. So I scoured the interwebs until I found one that sounded good. I modified it a bit to fit my taste, and I'm glad I did. The presentation was...well....lacking. I did say this was my FIRST time making lasagna. It looked good in the pan, but just messy on the plate. Didn't matter, it tasted delicious! I'm not a fan of meat in pasta (i.e. beef lasagna, meat filled ravioli, etc.) but you could easily add that if you really wanted to...I suppose.

I cut everything roughly in half, and also added some frozen cauliflower and broccoli to the sauteed vegetables about half way through their cooking process. I also added thawed, drained frozen spinach to the ricotta/mozzarella mixture. By roughly cutting it in half, it made enough easily for 4 people...maybe 6.

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
* 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
* 3/4 cup chopped onion
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 (26 ounce) jars pasta sauce
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 (15 ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
* 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese


DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Rinse with cold water, and drain.
2. In a large saucepan, cook and stir mushrooms, green peppers, onion, and garlic in oil. Stir in pasta sauce and basil; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Mix together ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, and eggs.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread 1 cup tomato sauce into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer 1/2 each, lasagna noodles, ricotta mix, sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering, and top with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

You Should Make This....

Creamy Chicken Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

Ok, so I've had this recipe for I don't know how long. And now I'm kicking myself for not making it sooner. I think this is going to give Taco Bake a run for it's money. It's delicious, not horrible for you and it's EASY! I got this recipe all the way from Chicago- well at least my sister that lives in Chicago. I have no clue where she got it. Don't scold me. Go buy the ingredients immediately.

2 cups uncooked pasta (penne)
4 boneless chicken breasts (I just used 2 of my massive ones from Sam's)
1 can of chicken broth
1 package of cream cheese (I used low-fat)
1 package frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
1 tsp garlic, chopped (i just minced 3 cloves)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
15 cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (I bought a block on grated it over the top- fresh)

Ok, so you have your ingredients now? K, good. Now do this:

Cook pasta and drain. Cube chicken breast (1" cubes), heat half the chicken broth in a large skillet and add chicken. Cook until no longer pink (5-7 minutes). Add cream cheese, spinach, remaining chicken broth, garlic, salt and pepper. Heat for 3-5 minutes until cheese melts. Add tomatoes. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes until tomatoes are soft. Toss with pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. EAT!

Florentine Shells

Carl has often complained that he thought he was getting himself an Italian girl, but this isn't what he expected. Well, I am Italian by genetics, but hardly in the kitchen. I promised him I would work on it. Part of the problem is I hate meat in my pasta- but stuffed shells are easily made without meat and still hearty enough to handle Carl's appetite. I served this with a light spinach salad and some Texas Toast. All it needed was a glass of wine, but Carl had already poured the milk :(

Ingredients
* 18 jumbo pasta shells (I use Barilla brand)
* 1 container (15 ounces) part skim Ricotta
* 1 package frozen spinach chopped, thawed, and drained and squeezed dry
* 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
* 3/4 cup half and half (divided)
* 1 garlic clove pressed
* 1/2 tsp. dried basil
* 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
* 1/8 tsp. salt
* 28 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350, cook pasta according to directions, drain.
2. Mix ricotta, spinach, 1 1/2 cups of Italian cheese, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, and 1/4 cup of half and half. Press in garlic and seasonings. Mix well.
3. In another bowl whisk the rest of spaghetti sauce with remaining half and half. Pour half of sauce mix on bottom of cooking pan. Fill each shell with ricotta mixture, I use my medium Pampered Chef scoop- its perfect!. Arrange filled shells in baking pan. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce.
4. Cover with foil, bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil, top dish with remaining 1/2 cup of Italian cheese. Bake uncovered an additional 5 min. Let cool for 10 min. before serving. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 Servings
Notes: I actually used fresh spinach and just chopped it in my mini processor. Not sure if it made any difference, but I had a big thing of spinach that I needed to use. I also doubled the garlic...naturally!

Best Dinner Yet

Carl decided he wanted to have his parents over for dinner. I obliged and said we should make a rockin dinner. That we did. I don't think I've ever had a dinner with so much flavor. The IL's kept saying they felt like they were eating at a restaurant :) The menu consisted of Grilled Steak with Blue Cheese & Herb Butter, Mediterranean Orzo Salad and Roasted Potato Bites. First up...the beef.

Blue Cheese & Herb Butter
1/4 c butter, softened
2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
2 tsp chopped green onion with top
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Steaks
4 garlic cloves, pressed
4 beef ribeye steaks, cut 3/4 inch thick (about 8 ounces each)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

For Blue Cheese and Herb Butter, place butter and blue cheese in a small bowl. Add green onion, lemon juice and black pepper and mix until well blended.

Prepare grill for cooking at medium temperature. For steaks, press garlic cloves and spread over both sides of the steaks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place steaks on grid of grill. Grill uncovered, 6-8 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees) to medium (160 degrees) doneness, turning occasionally. Top steaks with Blue Cheese & Herb Butter.

Notes: I was more in the mood for a filet...so we did that instead. Because of that, the cooking time was more like 12 minutes due to the thickness of the steaks. Other than that...we left it all the same. OMG- so good! (Lindsay, my fellow blue cheese lover,...if you are reading this- make it now!

Next up: Roasted Potato Bites
12 small red potatoes, unpeeled
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 ounces chive and onion cream cheese spread
3 tbsp sour cream

Optional toppings such as grated cheddar cheese, bacon bits and snipped fresh chives.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes in half crosswise. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each potato half. Carefully scoop out a small amount of pulp from each potato half. In medium mixing bowl combine oil, garlic, salt and black pepper. Add potato halves and toss to coat.

Place potato halves, hollowed side down, on a bar pan or cookie sheet. Bake 30-32 minutes or until deep golden brown and tender. Remove from oven, cool slightly.

In small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese spread and sour cream; whisk until smooth. Spoon a dab onto each potato and top with optional toppings.

Notes: I just used 8 potatoes because there were only 4 of us, but I still just made the normal amount of everything. That worked out well as the sour cream and cream cheese mixture was so good I wanted to use WAY more than it called for on each potato. These were seriously so good. I could have made a meal out of them alone.

And Last: Mediterranean Orzo Salad

(Monica...this one is for you :) )
1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed and in 1 inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium red onion, sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper optional
3/4 c uncooked orzo pasta
1 can garbanzo beans
1 package (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c pitted whole kalamata olives
1/2 c snipped fresh parsley
1/4 c prepared Greek vinaigrette dressing

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine asparagus, bell pepper, onion and oil in a medium mixing bowl. Press garlic into mixing bowl; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Arrange vegetables on a bar pan (or cookie sheet). Bake 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and deep golden brown. Remove from oven; cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare orzo according to package directions, drain and rinse under cold running water. Place orzo in large mixing bowl, add vegetable mixture, beans, feta cheese, olives, parsley and salad dressing. Toss gently and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more.

My Notes: Soooo much flavor. And since I had to send Carl on a mad search for orzo, I did things a little out of order- but it worked fine. It made enough for about 12 people- this could be a great dish to take to a gathering. The salad definitely got better the longer it sat in the fridge and I'm pretty anxious to see how good it is after sitting overnight. Yum.

I was honestly pretty proud of this meal- it took a good hour and half or so, but it was worth the time and energy!! Oh and sorry...the pic isn't really the greatest. I was too excited to eat it!

Shrimp Linguine

We were in the mood for something different, so I searched the cookbooks for something I'd never made before. I came across Shrimp Linguine in one of my Pampered Chef cookbooks. It has a lot of ingredients, but the mix is really quite delicious!

Ingredients:
3/4 pound uncooked shell-on medium shrimp (about 20-30), peeled, de veined and tails removed. Frozen shrimp can be substituted for the fresh shrimp, if desired. Simply thaw the shrimp and proceed as recipe directs.
3/4 cup coarsely chopped carrots (2 medium)
2 large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup sliced green onions with tops
1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
8 ounces uncooked linguine
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Additional grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Peel and devein shrimp; remove tails. Coarsely chop carrots using food chopper. Dice tomatoes and slice green onions using chefs knife. Grate Parmesan cheese using deluxe cheese grater.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions in professional (4 qt) casserole; drain. Return pasta to casserole; cover and keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in large (10 inch) saute' pan. Add shrimp, carrots and garlic pressed with garlic press. Cook and stir over medium heat 3-4 minutes or just until shrimp turns pink; remove from skillet and keep warm.
4. Gently heat sour cream and evaporated milk in same skillet over low heat whisking with nylon spiral whisk. (Do not boil). Stir in Parmesan cheese. Add shrimp mixture, tomatoes, green onions, basil, salt and black pepper; mix gently. Pour shrimp and vegetable mixture over pasta; toss gently to coat. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

I wouldn't say this is my favorite meal, but if you are in the mood for pasta and shrimp it will definitely do the trick! Although both Carl and I agree that the next time I make it, I'm going to try a spicy chicken instead of shrimp!

Mom's Mac & Cheese

Growing up, my favorite meal my mom used to make was Macaroni & Cheese. I'm not talking Kraft- although I've never been one to turn down anything that includes cheese! This is homemade, real cheese, real butter stick to your thighs Mac & Cheese. I get cravings for it all the time, and am sure to make the full recipe so I can have it for lunch days later! YUM!

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
3 cups of milk
3 tbsp of flour
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1 pound of cooked elbow macaroni (or your favorite noodle for cheese)
1 large chunk of sharp cheddar (cubed)
1 medium chunk of swiss (cubed)

Instructions:
Melt the stick of butter and milk and add the flour to make a paste. Then add the cheese and stir. Add more milk or flour to get the consistency you like. Pour the cheese over the cooked macaroni in a casserole pan. Top it with the bread crumbs and bake for 45 minutes at 375. Then enjoy! This will easily feed an entire family- but trust me, make the whole recipe. You'll want more later!

My notes: I have none- this recipe in my mind is perfect. I don't mess with my mom's perfection :)