Cheesy Southwest Chicken and Pasta Casserole

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it looked so good I just had to make it!  I was not at all disappointed.  Even my pickier eater said it was yummy and asked for a second helping.  It's almost like a southwest macaroni and cheese with chicken.  Will make again and again.
I used only 1 jalapeno and remove both the seeds and the ribs so that my non-heat-eaters wouldn't burn their mouths.  I didn't have any fresh corn so I used a bag of frozen which I defrosted and it turned out great.  I had chopped all of the peppers a few weeks before I made this and had put them in the freezer so they gave off quite a bit of water so I used the full 1/3 c. flour, it thickened perfectly.  I used one 14.5 oz. can of chicken broth and about 1/4 c. of water for the liquid.  I didn't have a casserole dish that I thought this would fit in to so I put it in a 9X13" baking dish, it was the perfect size, filled to the very top.  This recipe makes WAY more than 4 servings.  We've eaten it twice this week and still have some leftovers.  
Here is the link to the website where I found this recipe.  She has several recipes that look super tasty!  Love seeing other peoples food - it makes me happy...

1/2 lbs. whole grain pasta such as rotini
4 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. diced onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
3 ears corn, kernels removed
1/4 to 1/3 c. flour (depending on how much liquid the veggies give off)
2 c. chicken stock or milk
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 c. heavy cream
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/2 c. grated mozzarella cheese
2 c. chopped rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 c. crushed tortilla chips

1.  Boil pasta in a large pot of water, cooking for half of the total time directed on the package.  Drain and set aside.
2.  In a large skillet or saucepan, melt butter and saute onion, garlic, peppers, jalapenos, and corn until tender, about 7 minutes.   Sprinkle the flour over the veggies; stir.  Cook for about 2 minutes then add the chicken stock or milk.  Increase the heat to thicken the sauce, then sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, cheese, cream, chicken and cooked pasta.  Stir to combine and melt cheeses.
3.  Pour into a large casserole dish that you have sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with crushed tortilla chips.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Yield: 4 servings

Cheesy Ravioli Casserole

This is a very easy ravioli dish that makes you feel like you're eating lasagna but without all of the steps of creating one.  You make it in the slow cooker which makes meal time so much less hectic, at least in my house.  It can also be done in the oven: low temperature, around 300 for about an hour, be sure the pan is covered.  
It makes ALOT of food, we always have plenty leftover for meals later in the week. You could halve it if you really need to, I just don't know how one would need to adjust the cook time.  It is meatless so if you have someone who insists on meat at every meal you could use beef filled ravioli or you could cook and crumble some Italian sausage into the sauce.
It's a hit with my family!

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 jar (26 oz) three cheese flavored pasta sauce
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 c. water
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 pkg. (25 oz. each) frozen cheese filled ravioli
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

1.  Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat.  Cook onion and garlic in oil about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir in pasta sauce, tomato sauce, water and Italian seasoning.
2.  Place 1 c. f the sauce in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.  Add 1 pkg. frozen ravioli; top with 1 c. of the cheese, layer with remaining pkg. of ravioli; top with remaining cheese; pour the remainder of the sauce mixture over the top.
3.  Cover and cook on low heat setting 4-5 hours. Sprinkle with parsely.

Yield: 12 servings

Cold Garlic Noodles

The night that we had our 'Guilty Pleasures' Recipe night one of my healthy friends brought this dish.  It is super light tasting and perfect for summer dinners.  I double the sauce and marinate my chicken in half of it before grilling, using the other half for the noodles.  The chicken is optional so this could also be a great vegetarian dish.  Use any sort of noodle you would like, I use whole wheat spaghetti.
Delicious.

8 oz. angel hair pasta -- cooked and drained
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. oil
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. minced cilantro
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. mined garlic
1/2 lbs. chicken or turkey breasts (optional)
1/4 lbs. snow peas, trimmed
1 carrot, julienned

1.  Blend lemon juice, oil, soy sauce, cilantro, sugar, and garlic.  Pour over pasta and toss.  Stir fry or charbroil chicken then slice into thin strips.  Toss the chicken and veggies with the pasta.  Chill.

You can double the sauce if you are serving the next day.

Cheese Manicotti

Most manicotti recipes tell you to boil the noodles before stuffing them; I’ve found that unless I’m in a real hurry, doing this is just a hassle since I end up throwing half of them away since they break when I’m stuffing them. Baking them for just a few minutes longer really is much easier.
Sometimes when I have leftover filling I’ll freeze it to use later in stuffed chicken parmesan, or as part of the ricotta cheese layer in lasagna.
To quickly thaw the spinach, without cooking it place in a colander and cold water over it.

16 uncooked manicotti shells
15 oz. ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 c. grated parmesan cheese
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and pressed dry
¼ c. fresh parsley, chopped (1 Tbsp. dry)
2 jars (26 oz each) marinara sauce
4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a 9X13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a small bow beat eggs, mix in ricotta cheese, ¾ c. parmesan cheese, 3 c. mozzarella, parsley and spinach (mixture should be thick, add more cheese if needed).
3. Stuff cheese mixture into shells. Place in prepared baking dish, pour marinara sauce over the shells and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
4. Bake covered for 55 minutes, remove foil and bake for 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

This picture doesn't do this dish justice. It is just the right amount of spice. Couldn't be easier!

I served this with Soft Italian Breadsticks

4 ounces linguine
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
½ c. butter + 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 pint heavy cream
2 Tbsp. cream cheese
½- ¾ c. parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 green bell pepper, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green onion, minced
¼ tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. lemon pepper
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese

1. Melt the ½ c. butter and cream cheese over medium heat in a skillet. Stir in the cream and garlic powder, bring to a light simmer; stir in the parmesan cheese until melted. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat. In a large skillet, over medium heat, sauté chicken in remaining butter until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add green and red bell peppers, sliced mushrooms and green onions; cook for 2 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat; add the cream mixture, season with lemon pepper, salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a large bowl, toss linguini with sauce. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.

Baked Mac 'N Cheese

2 2/3 c. uncooked elbow macaroni
¾ c. onion, finely chopped
¾ c. butter, divided
6 Tbsp. flour
4 ½ c. milk
4 c. (16 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 ½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¾ c. dry bread crumbs

1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sauté the onion in ½ c. butter. Add flour; whisk until blended. Gradually add the milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cheddar cheese, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth.
3. Drain macaroni and add to sauce; stir until coated. Transfer to a greased 13X9 inch baking dish. Melt the remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Greek Browned Butter Pasta

8 oz. spaghetti
5 Tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 ½ - 2 tsp. oregano
The zest and juice of one whole lemon
Fresh ground pepper
Feta Cheese, if desired
Kalamata Olives, seeded, if desired
Pine Nuts, if desired
Sliced and seeded Roma tomatoes, if desired

1. To brown butter, place in a saucepan over medium-low heat, for about 10 minutes, watching carefully to not burn. Stir often. When you see bits of brown floating in the butter and it has a nutty aroma, remove from the heat and immediately add the minced garlic.
2. While butter is browning, cook the pasta according to package directions. Stir together the lemon juice and zest with the parsley, oregano, and ground pepper.
3. Drain the pasta when al dente and stir in the lemon juice mixture, allow to sit in this acidic mixture for a minute or two, then add the browned butter. (It is essential to add the acid before the fat, the fat will prevent the acid from absorbing into the food, making it a less intense flavor if it is not added in this order).
4. Toss with feta, olives, pine nuts and tomatoes.