Pasta

Creamy, Dreamy Pasta with Peas and Mushrooms

December 5, 2012 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

This pasta is so simple and has quickly made its way up the list of favorites for my family. Even my non-mushroom eating husband agreed to try it and was surprised with how well he liked it! He actually requested it again! So, if you’re not sure… I dare you to try it. It would make a great weeknight meal for your family. Just pair it with some crusty bread and you’ve got a meal!

:: Creamy Dreamy Pasta with Mushrooms & Peas

1 lb. box of baby shell pasta
1/2 cup of Fresh Parmesan
1/4 cup of half and half
1 Tbsp of butter
2 slices of turkey bacon, finely chopped
8 oz box of sliced button mushrooms
1 1/2 frozen baby peas
2 cups of chicken stock

Bring a big pot of water to a boil {add salt to your pasta water). Cook the pasta as directed on the package until almost done {al dente}.

Cook the bacon and remove from pan. Set aside to cool. Add the mushrooms along with a Tbsp of butter to the pan. Cook the mushrooms until they are cooked through. Pour in the chicken stock and peas. Make a slurry of 1 Tbsp of cornstarch and a little water add to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to half and thickened.

Add the pasta to the pan along with the Parmesan and the half and half. Serve with crusty bread and more fresh Parmesan. Mmmm…

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Pasta Palomino – An EASY Weeknight Favorite!

December 22, 2011 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

One of my favorite local restaurants is Bella Roma. It is a locally owned Italian/Greek restaurant and they used to have a dhish on the menu called Pasta Palomino. Occassionally, they will have it as a special now, although it isn’t on the regular menu any more. I was really sad when I found out I couldn’t get it all the time.

What is Pasta Palomino? My family jokes that it is adult Chef Boyarde. It is penne pasta served with a creamy marinara sauce. It is highly addictive but really quite simple. In fact, it is so simple I decided to try to recreate the dish at home and I have to say it was a home run!

:: Pasta Palomino

Penne Pasta {cooked at directed on package}
Spaghetti/Marinara sauce {I use my homemade recipe here but without beef – use whatever you like}
half and half

Obviously this isn’t an *actual* recipe. You just eyeball it. You can’t go wrong. All you do is heat your marinara sauce – either homemade or jarred will work just fine but I have a loving relationship with my homemade. (:

Once the sauce is hot add in some half and half to make it creamy. I usually cook enough pasta and sauce for four people and I add in between a 1/2 to 1 cup of half and half.

Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Serve immediately with a slice of garlic bread. Mmmm.

This is a comfort food type dinner that couldn’t get any easier! Perfect for a busy weeknight meal – and much better AND healthier than ANY fast food drive thru!

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Pasta, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: dinner, easy dinners, easy weeknight dinners, italian, marinara, pasta, pasta palomino

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Chicken Queso Pasta

November 16, 2011 by Denisesawyer 3 Comments

I’ve been singing about my love addiction to Pinterest lately. My favorite use for it is to find new recipes to spice up my meal plan. A couple weeks ago I tried out a recipe for Chicken Queso Pasta and made a few tweaks. The result was a homerun recipe! My husband LOVED it and has asked for it to be on the regular meal plan rotation. He even ate the leftovers for lunch two days in a row! Now, that is saying something! (:

:: Chicken Queso Pasta

1/2 (or a little more) of a 10 oz box of mezze penne pasta
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon flour
1 1/3 cup milk, 2% or higher
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cream cheese
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 can drained Ro*Tel tomatoes
2 cups cooked shredded chicken

Heat the oven to 350 F and spray a medium casserole dish with non-stick spray.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, but reduce the cooking time by two minutes.

In a medium pot heat the oil over medium heat. Once it begins to shimmer add the garlic. Add the cumin, coriander and salt and cook for an additional two minutes, or until the spices become fragrant.

Add the flour and cook for three minutes, stirring constantly, until all the flour is moist. Gradually whisk in the milk and stir until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to thicken.

Turn off the heat and add the cream cheese and 6 ounces of the shredded cheese and whisk until melted. Stir in the Ro*Tel tomatoes & chicken. Stir in the pasta.

Then, pour the pasta into the prepared casserole dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pasta is bubbly and the cheese has melted. Let stand five minutes before serving.

Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Pasta, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: cheese, chicken, chicken pasta, pasta, queso

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Meal Solution: Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

April 4, 2011 by Denisesawyer 1 Comment

This week’s meal solution is Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo! This is one of my husbands favorite dishes! We don’t have it often because it is pretty fattening. I’ve lightened it up a little bit, but it still isn’t something you want to have every week.

Walmart has all the ingredients you need to prepare this meal:

Great Value Alfredo Sauce (16 oz)
Great Value Fettuccine (16 oz)
Great Value Chunk Chicken Breast Meat (12.5 oz)
Great Value Grated Parmesan
Sara Lee Garlic Bread
Great Value Diced Tomatoes
Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookies

While these ingredients would whip up a quick and easy dish of pasta alfredo, I prefer to make it homemade – and it doesn’t really take that much longer! Alfredo sauce takes about 5 minutes to whip up from scratch!

Walmart also recommends adding diced tomatoes to spice it up a bit (and sneak a veggie in) but you could use broccoli (like Domestic Diva did) or spinach. My family prefers it with spinach.

Check out my recipe for alfredo sauce and then get cookin’!

All you need is some noodles, some chicken (raw or canned), some sort of veggie to add in (optional) and some toasty bread to dip!

First, I got out all the ingredients I would need. Then, I started a big pot of boiling water with some salt. I cooked my chicken from raw – I just chunked up 1 raw organic chicken breast – but you could also use precooked that is leftover or even some leftover rotisserie chicken. I sauteed the chicken in a little olive oil and garlic. It took about 5 to 7 minutes. While I sauteed the chicken I microwaved some organic spinach. I dropped the pasta in the water and started the sauce. By the time the pasta was done the sauce was ready! Then, all I did was add the chicken, spinach, pasta and sauce all in my pasta bowl. Viola! This dish was done in about 20 minutes!

This post is part of a series on Making Meals Easier for Mom (Meal Solutions). I hope you love it as much as I do! Follow me and my fellow Walmart Moms, Jenn at Frugal Upstate, Heather at The Domestic Diva, and Lori at My Wooden Spoon, to get a fresh take on a new meal plan each week. Walmart has provided me with compensation and a gift card in return for this post. Participation in this program is voluntary. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Pasta, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: alfredo, chicken, dinner, Meal plan, meal solutions, pasta, recipes, Walmart

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Meal Solution #10 – Chili Chicken Mac & Cheese

February 16, 2011 by Denisesawyer 4 Comments

Image Credit: KraftBrands.com

It’s time for another Walmart Meal Solution! Each month Walmart highlights two quick and easy weeknight meals. This week it is Easy Chili Chicken Mac and Cheese and the ingredients Walmart is highlighting:

Kraft Mac & Cheese (7.25oz) (regular or whole grain)
GV chunk breast of chicken (12.5oz)
5th Seas Chili Powder (2.87oz)
GV Chunky Medium Salsa (24oz)
Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie (17.5oz) $1.72

You can choose how to put the ingredients together but here are a couple of my favorite mac and cheese dinners:

:: Chili Chicken Mac & Cheese

Chicken (1 large breast cooked and shredded or canned)
1 (14.5 oz) can of petite diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp cumin
1 package of mac & cheese
1/3 cup shredded organic cheese

Prepare the mac & cheese as directed on the box. In another skillet heat chicken, can of tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin until all the liquid is cooked out and the ingredients have been heated together thoroughly. Pour the chicken mixture into the mac and cheese and stir. Serve with shredded cheese on top (and a little sour cream if you like).

Another one of our families favorites (and actually we had it last night) is Tuna Mac and Cheese Casserole. It is a little more mild (so it is fabulous for pregnant ladies like me! – LOL).

Image Credit: Supper Savings

:: Tuna Mac and Cheese Casserole

1 package of mac & cheese
1 can chunk light tuna
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup of frozen peas

Prepare mac and cheese as directed on the box. Stir in a can of tuna and the frozen peas. Spread mixture into a casserole dish and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

This is a delicious, and quick meal. And, our other favorite thing about it is that it is quick clean up too!
I serve mine with some home-canned pears or other fresh/seasonal fruit to round out the meal.

What are your favorite ways to make mac and cheese a quick and easy dinner? What are your favorite add-ins?

Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Pasta, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: macaroni and cheese, main dish, meal solutions, recipe, Walmart

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Meal Solution #9 – Macaroni Grill Pasta Dinner

February 1, 2011 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

So if you’ve been following here for a while you know that I am participating in a program to help Walmart spread the word that they are doing something new to help moms (and dads) find quick meal solutions for their families. Each week they feature certain ingredients to grab and go so that you can pick them up and cook up some dinner with out any planning at all. I’ll let you in on the ingredients and what Walmart suggests you make this week…and I’ll share my tips on how to spice it up and make it WHOLESOME! Here’s what their offering this week:

Macaroni Grill Creamy Basil Pasta Kit
Great Value Diced Tomatoes
Reese Artichoke Hearts
Sara Lee Garlic Bread
Pillsbury Fudgy Brownie Mix

So what am I making? Well, you know my family has really made an effort to cut out processed foods, so I’m making a pasta dish that is almost as quick and easy – Ravioli Bake. And, it only takes 4 ingredients (or less!).

:: Ravioli Bake

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I use homemade canned or frozen, thawed)
1 can (14.5 oz) Great Value Diced Tomatoes (optional – if you like it chunky)
2 pkg of frozen cheese ravioli (1 lb. each) – I used Marketside Fresh Pasta that I had frozen to maintain freshness
1 ball of fresh mozzarella (7 to 8 oz)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix spaghetti sauce and tomatoes. Spoon some sauce into the bottom of a 13×9 inch casserole. Place a layer of ravioli in the dish, then a layer of sauce and repeat until all pasta is in the dish. Cover with remaining sauce. Place grated or sliced mozzarella on top. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

I placed mine under the broiler for a few seconds to brown the cheese.
Serve with fresh Parmesan and Garlic Bread and you’re sure to have happy ‘fellas’ like mine. =)

*Note – for my small family I made an 8×8 dish and only used 1 lb. of pasta. =)

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Pasta, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: dinner, Meal plan, meal solution, pasta, ravioli, recipes

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Alfredo Sauce

December 20, 2010 by Denisesawyer 4 Comments

Alfredo Sauce is one of those dishes that seems luxurious to me. It is delicious, but high in fat. So, we don’t have it very often. It is so decadent though, when we do have it, it is thoroughly enjoyed! =)

Now, as requested, my recipe for alfredo sauce:

:: Alfredo Sauce

1 pint of half and half
1 stick of butter
1 cup of Parmesan (the good kind that you buy in a block and grate yourself – don’t skimp!)

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add half and half and cheese. Cook over low heat until it is hot and the cheese has melted. Be careful not to let this boil. Half and half, like milk, will curdle if heated to boiling – so keep an eye on it!

I serve Alfredo sauce with fettuccine or linguine noodles and we love it with a little pan seared chicken (chopped) and spinach mixed in! Mmmm!

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Pasta, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: alfredo, dinner, italian, recipe, sauce

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Meal Soultion #4: Spaghetti Night

October 27, 2010 by Denisesawyer 12 Comments

Image Credit: blogchef.net

Ragu Traditional Sauce (26 oz) $1.75
Great Value Spaghetti (16 oz) $0.89
Great Value Grated Parmesan (8 oz) $2.73
Great Value Mushroom Pieces/Stems (4 oz) $0.55
Great Value Cut Green Beans (14.5 oz) $0.50
Great Value Whole Kernel Corn (14.5 oz) $0.50
Sara Lee Garlic Bread $3.22

*Prices may vary from region to region.

So, obviously you can go pick up all the above ingredients and have a quick and easy dinner of spaghetti with marinara along with a few veggies and some garlic bread and the total cost for the above would be $10.14 – that’s not bad! Even adding a lb. of beef to make this into a meat sauce your total would be less than $15.

However, at my house we’d be having spaghetti night with homemade marinara. I keep a jar of it on the shelf or a carton or two in the freezer. Using my family recipe it is just as easy to make a small batch as it is to make a large batch. If I make a big batch I can use some of it for dinner and pour the rest up in canning jars and boil the jars in a boiling water bath, or pour it up in freezer cartons. Then, I have several meals and only one mess! The benefit to canning them is that you don’t have to remember to thaw it out – and its just as convenient as a jar of Ragu!

:: Spaghetti Sauce

3 or 4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
4 (16 oz) cans of tomato sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1 medium onion
1 bay leaf
1 lb. grass fed ground beef
1 Tbsp olive oil

In a 4 quart sauce pan add oil, onion, and garlic. Saute until translucent. Add tomato sauce and remaining ingredients and simmer until heated through. The longer your simmer, the longer it will develop flavor, but you can eat it as soon as it is hot!

Cook ground beef in a separate pan, then you can add just it to just enough of the sauce for one meal and freeze or can the rest as marinara (without beef).

This recipe makes enough for 8 servings (or two meals) depending on how generous you are with the sauce.

How else do I switch it up?
I serve my spaghetti with a simple lettuce salad, some freshly grated Parmesan, and loaf of homemade baguette. I also LOVE Great Value’s angel hair pasta!

Want to make your meal a “moment…” You know a FAMILY MOMENT? Set the table with a nice table cloth, some candlesticks, your cloth napkins and dishes. Then, play some Italian Bistro music in the background and turn a quick meal into an experience! Buon Appetito!

Filed Under: Beef, Main Dishes, Pasta, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: dinner, ground beef, italian, marinara, Meal plan, menu plan, spaghetti

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Meal Solution #1: Homemade Hamburger Helper & Molten Chocolate Cakes

September 22, 2010 by Denisesawyer 9 Comments

Image Credit: Hoosier Homemade

So Walmart is trying this new thing where they are offering moms (and dads) meal solutions. You know, for those of us who are busy and forgot to write a meal plan! Or, those of us who are pooped and don’t want to make what we planned! So, this week here’s what Walmart is offering moms (and dads, of course!)…

Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Mac ($2.73) OR Hamburger Helper Beef Stroganoff ($2.73)
Del Monte Green Beans ($0.82)
Del Monte Lite Sliced Peaches ($1.36)
Betty Crocker Warm Delights Molten Chocolate Cake ($1.64)

*Prices may vary by region

There was a time, not so long ago, that this would have been a regular meal in my home. But, now I have a few more tricks up my sleeve and a different take on additives in food. So, while Hamburger Helper is okay in a pinch with a pound of grass fed beef of course, I have a great recipe for you that uses only three ingredients you’d have in your pantry (or you could pick up for pennies at at your local Walmart or other grocer).

Homemade Hamburger Helper

1 box of Organic Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (Annie’s mac and cheese, or other brand will work too!)
1 lb. of grass fed ground beef
1 dollop of organic and low sodium Better Than Bouillon Beef Base (or 1 beef bouillon cube)

Boil water and cook macaroni noodles as directed on the box. Cook and drain ground beef. Combine macaroni, ground beef, ingredients as indicated on mac and cheese box (likely milk, butter, and cheese packet), and Better than Bouillon Beef Base in the pan and heat until combined.

This is so simple! It is a crowd pleaser and is easy to double or triple if you are feeding a large crowd. Rather have beef stroganoff… try my homemade variety. Add some organic canned green beans, some fresh, organic sliced peaches (or organic canned variety – peaches are a pesticide laden fruit!). Don’t want to spend the money on organic canned peaches? Try a fruit that isn’t on the dirty dozen list – such as oranges, bananas, or pineapple. All of these are fine to purchase conventionally and Great Value’ s price on canned pineapple is hard to beat!

Okay, for dessert…

My family doesn’t typically have dessert on weekdays (we save the calories for the weekend). But, if you’ve got a craving for something sweet, Betty Crocker’s molten chocolate cake is good, but these homemade molten cakes are to die for! And, while they won’t be done in 30 seconds like Betty Crocker’s variety, you can have these from pantry/fridge to plate in 15 to 20 minutes! That’s not bad!

Image Credit: Tummy Tales

Molten Chocolate Cakes (aka: Chocolate Heaven)

(Makes two small cakes)

1/2 stick of unsalted butter
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate (see note below for substitutions using other chocolates)
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/8 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butter and flour two 6 oz. ramekins.

In the microwave, melt chocolate and butter together.

Beat together egg, egg yolk, and sugar with mixer until you get a pale, thickness. Stir in flour and chocolate and mix well. Spoon into prepared ramekins, and set on a flat baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. The sides of the cake will rise and look cake-y, while the center remains liquid and batter-like in appearance.

Remove from oven and let sit for 1 minute in ramekins… if you can! =)
Turn a plate upside down on top of ramekin and flip it right side up. Allow the cake to sit a minute and then it should pop out. You might have to run a knife around the edges if it doesn’t release. Dust with powdered sugar if you like (it makes it pretty!). You can also garnish with whipped cream and/or fresh raspberries or a little raspberry jam.

This post is part of a series on Making Meals Easier for Mom (Meal Solutions). I hope you love it as much as I do! Follow me and my fellow Walmart Moms, Jenn at Frugal Upstate, Heather at Domestic Diva, and Lori at My Wooden Spoon, to get a fresh take on a new meal plan each week. Walmart has provided me with compensation and a gift card in return for this post. Participation in this program is voluntary. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Beef, Dessert, Main Dishes, Meal Plans, Pasta, Wholesome Food, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: easy dinners, hamburger helper, homemade, Meal plan, meal solutions, molten chocolate cake, quick dinner, Walmart

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Creamy, Dreamy Pasta with Peas and Mushrooms

:: Creamy Dreamy Pasta with Mushrooms & Peas

Pasta Palomino – An EASY Weeknight Favorite!

Chicken Queso Pasta

:: Chicken Queso Pasta

Meal Solution: Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Meal Solution #10 – Chili Chicken Mac & Cheese

:: Chili Chicken Mac & Cheese

Meal Solution #9 – Macaroni Grill Pasta Dinner

Alfredo Sauce

:: Alfredo Sauce

Meal Soultion #4: Spaghetti Night

:: Spaghetti Sauce

Meal Solution #1: Homemade Hamburger Helper & Molten Chocolate Cakes

*Prices may vary by region

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Molten Chocolate Cakes (aka: Chocolate Heaven)

Click the Image for a Printable Meal Plan

@WholesomeMommy on Twitter