Chicken and Vegetable Lasagna

I have mentioned before that my husband loves lasagna, so I wanted to try a twist on the original version. After scouring many, many recipes, I came up with this Chicken and Vegetable Lasagna. He was a little skeptical at first since it wasn't "normal" lasagna, but he definitely liked it and had several servings! The kids even liked this one!! This recipe is a keeper!

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

12 lasagna noodles (regular or oven ready)

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp dried basil (divide into 2)

1/2 tsp dried oregano (divide into 2)

1/4 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp unsalted butter

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite size pieces

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups shredded carrots

2 cups frozen spinach, chopped (do not thaw)

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. **Omit this step if you are using oven ready lasagna** Place lasagna noodles in a 9x13 inch pan. Fill pan with hot water and a splash of olive oil. Let noodles soak while you prepare the filling.

3. In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth, flour, thyme and 1/4 tsp oregano and 1/4 tsp basil. Whisk together and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium low and let sauce thicken while you prepare remaining ingredients.

4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat. Add cubed chicken, 1/4 tsp oregano and 1/4 tsp basil, salt and pepper. Saute chicken until cooked through (about 5 minutes). Remove chicken to a paper towel lined plate. Add the butter to the skillet to melt. Add chopped onions, garlic and carrots. Cook and stir until tender (about 5 minutes). Add the chopped tomatoes and frozen spinach and cook until heated through. Return chicken to skillet and combine with vegetables.

5. Spread some of the thickened sauce in the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Add 1/3 of the chicken and vegetable mixture and top with 1/3 of the sauce (about 2 cups) and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat this layering twice ending with mozzarella cheese. Top with the Paremesan cheese.

6. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

Chicken Tetrazini

Between my recent crazy cleaning project and training for a half marathon (oh yeah, and taking care of 2 kids and a husband), things have been busy around here. So, I was looking for something good that I could throw together for dinner. I kept coming back to Chicken Tetrazini for some reason- maybe because I had all of the ingredients? I compiled some things from different recipes for this one. Most of the recipes called for either cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup. I seem to have an aversion to those for some reason and almost dismissed the idea altogether. But, I decided to go ahead and give it a try- at least if it was a failure, I could mark it off my list. Well, as much as I didn't want to like this one, it was really good. Even my husband had at least seconds and took some for lunch as well! This is really easy to throw together with things you probably keep on hand- a nice meal for those busy nights! I used one can of cream of chicken and one can of cream of mushroom- use whatever combination you like.

Ingredients (Makes 6 servings)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 oz spaghetti

8 oz sour cream

1/2 can chicken broth

2 cans cream soup (chicken, mushroom or one of each)

salt and pepper to taste

shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Boil the chicken breasts until done; about 20 minutes. Shred chicken into bite sized pieces.

2. Break spaghetti in half and cook according to package directions. Drain.

3. Prepare a baking dish with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except cheese) to baking dish and combine. Cover with shredded cheese.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

ENJOY!

Turkey Meatballs

My son has been requesting spaghetti and meatballs and I finally got around to making it for him. He has pretty basic tastes, but is trying to venture out some. I was looking for a simple recipe (i.e. more bland than Tony and I would normally like) and didn't really find what I was looking for, so I came up with something on my own. This was a tasty dish that everyone enjoyed. It was simple enough for Daniel and tasty enough for us. Definitely something to go in the meal rotation!

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
1 small onion, diced
2 tsp fresh Oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
2 tsp fresh Basil (or 1 tsp dried)
3 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup milk or heavy cream (I used 2%)
1/2 cup olive oil
t tbsp butter
flour

Directions
1. Mix turkey, onion, herbs and salt and pepper. Add eggs, bread crumbs and milk. Roll meatballs into desired size. Roll shaped meatballs in flour to lightly coat. (I used a small cookie scoop and this made about 30 meatballs).

2. Heat a large pan. Add oil and butter and cook over medium heat until the butter turns golden brown (3-5 minutes).

3. Brown the meatballs in the hot oil and remove to a paper towel lined plate until finished.


4. Line meatballs on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until done. Add meatballs to your favorite sauce and pasta!


ENJOY!!

Spahetti Carbonara

While I'm not a huge fan of Carbonara dishes, my husband is and I knew he would like this Spaghetti Carbonara. It was tasty and a huge hit with him! My only tip is to read through the recipe and have everything ready to go when the pasta is finished cooking. You have to move quick when you are mixing everything together.

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti (I use a whole grain spaghetti)

8 ounces bacon (8 slices cut into 1 inch pieces) *(I use turkey bacon)

3 large eggs

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/2 cup half and half

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Set a large pot of water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel and set aside. Salt water and add pasta cooking according to package instructions. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan cheese, and half and half. Drain pasta when al dente (or softer if you prefer), leaving some water clinging to it. Working quickly, add hot pasta to egg mixture. Add bacon; season with salt and pepper, and toss all to combine (the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs). Serve immediately , sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

Chicken Parm Meatballs and Spaghetti

Some of my free time lately has been spend perusing recipes all over the Internet. When I came across this one for Chicken Parm Meatballs and Spaghetti on Rachel Ray's site, I knew I needed to make it soon! The recipe looked good and it did not disappoint.

The main change I made was to use ground turkey because that's what I had on hand. The recipe says to shred the garlic and onion, but I found it easier to finely chop both. I also used chicken stock rather than white wine. I didn't have fresh basil, so I used a tbsp of dried.

We both really enjoyed this dish and will definitely add it to the rotation!

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken (or turkey)

1 box chopped frozen spinach (defrost and ring dry in towel)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup milk

1 large egg

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper

3 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp olive oil

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup chicken stock (or dry white wine)

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup basil leaves, torn or shredded

1 lb spaghetti

Directions

1.Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper over a baking sheet (I didn't do this step, but really recommend it as they really stick to the pan otherwise).

2. Place chicken and spinach in bowl. Add 1 clove garlic and 3-4 tbsp onion to the bowl. Combine 1/2 cup of the cheese and breadcrumbs with nutmeg. Add milk to barely moisten- no more than 1/4 cup. Sprinkle the bread-cheese mixture into the chicken mixture then add the egg, parsley, salt and pepper and 2 tbsp tomato paste.

3. Combine 1 tbsp tomato paste with 1 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl. Mix and combine the chicken with breadcrumbs and section the meatball mix into quarters. Shape each section into 3 meatballs. Arrange meatballs on baking sheet as you work. Using a pastry brush, brush meatballs with tomato paste and oil mixture and roast for 18-20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic and remainder of the onion. Add the garlic and onion to the olive oil and gently cook for 8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes and stock to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in basil and allow the sauce to reduce while you cook the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain pasta and place back in hot pot with butter, remaining cheese and sauce. Toss pasta to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with chicken meatballs.

Enjoy!

Baked Ziti

My husband was in the mood for some Italian food and this recipe for Baked Ziti seemed to fit the bill. This was a very easy dish to put together and can easily be adapted to your tastes. Served with some good bread and a veggie this makes a tasty meal! This dish also freezes well and any leftovers are just as tasty!






Ingredients
1 16oz box Ziti pasta
1 jar spaghetti sauce or 16oz homemade sauce
1/2 lb ground turkey (or ground beef)
1/2 lb turkey sausage (or pork sausage)
salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes- to taste
12 oz ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 slices Mozzarella cheese (or Provolone cheese)



Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta al dente (according to package); drain.
3. Brown sausage and turkey in a skillet with your desired seasonings. Drain. Add the spaghetti sauce and simmer.
4. To assemble dish, place enough sauce on the bottom to cover. Layer in this order: 1/2 of the cooked noodles, all of the ricotta, 4 slices of Mozzarella (or Provolone), 1/2 of the sauce, remaining noodles, half of the Mozzarella and Parmesan, remaining sauce, remaining cheeses. (Make sure that the pasta is completely covered in sauce and cheese to avoid hard pasta after cooking).
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes to cool before servings.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

This is another compilation of recipes and my "go to" recipe for Spaghetti Sauce. This recipe freezes very well and I often make it when I do "once a month cooking". One batch makes enough for dinner, a few lunches and 2 quart sized freezer bags to freeze for later meals. Each quart sized bag also makes enough for dinner and a few lunches- so at least for us, this recipe can be stretched pretty far. This was our dinner tonight- love being able to throw everything into the crockpot in the morning and not worry about it until dinner!

Ingredients

2 lbs ground turkey (or lean ground beef)
3 medium onions, chopped
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (12 oz) tomato paste
2 tbsp dried basil leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper


Cook ground turkey, onions, mushrooms and garlic in skillet over medium heat until turkey is cooked, about 10 minutes; drain. While turkey is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in crockpot. Add turkey mixture and stir well. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours. Makes 24 1/2 cup servings.


*I have also added other veggies like carrots, broccoli and zucchini when I have them on hand- good way to sneak in some veggies!