Pasta Archives

Category: Pasta

07
Sep
2017

Cajun Chicken Pasta

518 Shares

Cajun chicken pasta, with chicken breasts, healthy veggies in a creamy, mildly spicy sauce in this “lightened up” version of a famous restaurant dish!
I recently celebrated a birthday, and one of the first things I did with a gift card I received was to purchase a new cookbook for my collection. The first recipe I made from that cookbook was this delicious “lightened-up” recipe for Cajun Chicken Pasta. We LOVED it, so I want to share it with you today!

The original version is a popular restaurant item in a famous restaurant, but in this version, it has been lightened up, and prepared as written, will be under 400 calories per 1½ cup serving! It’s absolutely delicious! Look at all those fresh colorful veggies that are in this Cajun chicken pasta! Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prep The Veggies First!

The best tip I can give you is to prep them before beginning! If you have all ingredients ready to go, you can prepare the dish while the pasta cooks and it should be ready in about the same amount of time! TIP: Also to save time… bring a large pot of salted water to a boil right at the start (for the pasta).

Blend The Sauce Thickening Ingredients

Combine milk, cream cheese and flour in a blender. Mix until well blended. Set aside. This is a “slurry” that will be used to thicken the Cajun sauce later.

Cook The Pasta

Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Prepare the chicken and sauce while pasta is cooking.

Time To Cook The Chicken

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the chicken. Season all the chicken pieces with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. When hot, add chicken (may need to work in batches depending on size of skillet). Cook chicken about 3 minutes (till golden brown on bottom), then flip and cook other side about 3 minutes. When done, remove the chicken to a plate. Set aside.

Now Let’s Put The Cajun Chicken Pasta Together

Add olive oil to the skillet (same one you cooked the chicken in). Turn heat down to medium. Add the bell pepper and onion slices. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the veggies are tender, add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add minced garlic, and cook for an additional minute, stirring often. Add the rest of the garlic powder, remaining salt and pepper. Stir to blend, and continue cooking.

Turn heat down to medium-low. Pour in the “slurry” ( milk/cream cheese/flour mixture) and a cup of chicken broth. Stir well, to blend. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring often, until the sauce has started to thicken.

Time To Finish This Dish!

Add the chicken back into the skillet. Add salt and the rest of the Cajun seasoning. Stir and cook until chicken is heated through (1-2 minutes). Once mixed, add the cooked pasta, and gently stir, to coat pasta and chicken with Cajun sauce.

Serve The Cajun Chicken Pasta

Once everything is heated through, the Cajun Chicken Pasta is ready to serve! Garnish each serving with sliced green onions… and serve while hot!

We absolutely loved this Cajun chicken pasta meal! So much flavor! I also recommend Gina Homolka’s cookbook “The Skinnytaste Cookbook” for anyone looking to cut some calories out of their meals! It is a wonderful cookbook with some delicious recipes!

Have a great day. Be kind out there, people! It’s such a small thing… but your kindness really can have a huge impact on others!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious pasta recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so. If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Source: The Skinnytaste Cookbook” by Gina Homolka, Published 2014, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, pages 187-187.

5 from 1 vote

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Cajun chicken pasta, with penne, chicken breast strips, and healthy veggies in a creamy, mildly spicy sauce are featured in this "lightened up" copycat version of a famous restaurant's dish!

Category: Chicken

Cuisine: Cajun

Keyword: cajun chicken pasta

Servings: 5 servings

Calories Per Serving: 378 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1/3 cup fat-free milk
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour (Gluten-free, use sweet rice flour)
3 Tablespoons light cream cheese
8 ounces penne pasta or linguine (Gluten-free, use brown rice pasta-check label)
Salt
1 pound boneless , skinless chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
1¼ teaspoons Cajun seasoning (divided)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (divided)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper , seeds removed, cut in thin slices
1 medium yellow bell pepper , seeds removed, cut in thin slices
1/2 medium red onion , thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves , minced
8 ounces button mushrooms , sliced
2 medium tomatoes , chopped
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 medium scallions (green onions), chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

First... prep veggies, gather ingredients, and heat large pot of salted water to boiling.
Combine milk, cream cheese and flour in a blender. Mix until well blended. Set aside.
Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain; set aside. Prepare chicken/sauce while pasta cooks.
Season chicken pieces with 1 tsp.Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray; heat to medium-high. When hot, add chicken. Cook chicken about 3 minutes (till golden brown on bottom), turn, cook other side about 3 minutes. When done, remove chicken to a plate. Set aside.
Add olive oil to skillet. Turn heat down to medium. Add bell pepper and onion. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once veggies are tender, add mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook 2-3 minutes, then add minced garlic, and cook for an additional minute, stirring often. Add the rest of the garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir to blend.
Turn heat down to medium-low. Pour in the "slurry" (milk/cream cheese/flour mixture) and a cup of chicken broth. Stir well. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring, until sauce has started to thicken.
Add chicken back into skillet. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt and the rest of the Cajun seasoning (1/4 tsp). Stir and cook until chicken is heated through (1-2 minutes). Once mixed, add cooked pasta to skillet, and gently toss, to coat pasta and chicken with sauce. When heated through, it's ready! Garnish each serving with sliced green onions... and serve hot!

Nutrition Facts

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 378 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 63mg21%

Sodium 179mg8%

Potassium 941mg27%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 1605IU32%

Vitamin C 85.1mg103%

Calcium 64mg6%

Iron 1.8mg10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin to your Pinterest boards!

Save

31
Aug
2017

Fresh Tomato, Bacon and Onion Fettucine

categories: Bacon, Italian, Pasta

775 Shares

Pin775

Yum

You’re gonna love this fresh tomato bacon onion fettucine, a delicious Italian seasoned pasta dish that can be easily made in only 20 minutes!
A few days ago our oldest son popped in for a visit, and ended up staying to have dinner with us. I made this yummy, quick recipe for Fresh Tomato Bacon Onion Fettucine, and we enjoyed it very much!

The recipe is one I’ve had for years and years, but do not know the original source, since only the recipe was written down on a little 3×5 card. I’ve made a few changes to the recipe over the years to suit my taste buds, and let me tell you… it is good!

The basic recipe for this tomato bacon onion fettucine is actually quite simple… cook bacon, cook pasta, cook a few other simple fresh ingredients, combine, and serve in about 20 minutes! It tastes wonderful, too! Here’s how you make this dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Tomato Bacon Onion Fettucine

In a skillet, cook the bacon pieces until crisp. When done, transfer bacon pieces to paper towels to absorb the grease. Drain off the bacon drippings, BUT LEAVE 1 TABLESPOON BACON DRIPPINGS IN SKILLET (sorry for the slightly blurry photo). **Tip: While bacon is cooking, bring water for pasta to boiling, then cook in separate pot**.

Add chopped onion, tomato, basil and crispy cooked bacon pieces to reserved Tablespoon of bacon drippings in skillet. The photo below is before I added the cooked bacon. (I used a variety of colored tomatoes, but any fresh tomatoes will be perfectly fine!).

Cook 3-4 minutes until onion is tender, and tomatoes have begun to break down. Add minced garlic and a couple Tablespoons of starchy water from the pasta that is cooking. Stir well, to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated completely through on medium heat.

Prepare Fettucine Noodles

Heat lightly salted water in a large pot for cooking the pasta. Once the water is boiling, add the fettucine pasta, and cook according to package directions. (Note: I did this while cooking the bacon and sauce to save time).

I made the fettucine from scratch with my little pasta machine earlier in the day just for fun! Isn’t it beautiful? I used it in this meal (because I find it relaxing to make homemade pasta), but absolutely recommend using store bought pasta for the easiest way to make this dish!

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain it, then add pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Gently toss with tongs, to thoroughly coat the tomato bacon onion fettucine pasta with sauce. Cook until heated through, adding an additional touch of water if necessary to thin the sauce to cover.

Serve The Tomato Bacon Onion Fettucine

Place pasta and sauce onto serving dishes, then garnish the tomato bacon onion fettucine with grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of dried or fresh parsley. Serve, and enjoy!

We really enjoyed this tomato bacon onion fettucine with a simple mixed green salad on the side. The recipe, as written, makes 3 main course servings or 4-5 small side servings. The caloric calculation is based on 3 main course servings.

As I write this blog today, my heart is broken over the Hurricane Harvey destruction and horrific flooding occurring in Texas and Louisiana this week. We are continuing to pray for our fellow citizens impacted by this event, and are hopeful God will meet their needs physically, emotionally and spiritually during and after this tragedy. He is “a very present help in times of trouble”.

Have a good day, friends. May you know God’s unconditional love, no matter what you are going through!

Looking for More PASTA Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious pasta recipes you might want to try, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original Recipe Source: unknown (recipe handwritten on a 3×5 card many years ago)

0 from 0 votes

Fresh Tomato Bacon Onion Fettucine

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

20 mins

You're gonna love this fresh tomato bacon onion fettucine... a delicious Italian seasoned pasta dish that can be easily made in only 20 minutes!

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: tomato bacon onion fettucine

Servings: 3

Calories Per Serving: 347 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

6 ounces fettucine noodles
3 slices raw bacon , cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped tomato
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (or 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil)
2-3 Tablespoons starchy pasta water
Grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
Dried parsley (for garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat lightly salted water in large pot. When boiling, add pasta, and cook according to package directions. (I did this at same time I was cooking bacon and sauce).
In a skillet, cook bacon pieces until crisp. Transfer bacon pieces to paper towel to absorb grease. Drain grease from skillet, BUT LEAVE 1 TABLESPOON BACON GREASE IN SKILLET.
Add chopped onion, tomato, basil and bacon pieces to bacon drippings in skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes until onion is tender, and tomatoes have begun to break down. Add minced garlic and a couple Tablespoons of water from the pasta that is cooking. Stir well, to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated completely through on medium heat.
When pasta is finished cooking, drain and add pasta to skillet with the sauce. Gently toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Heat until hot throughout. Place pasta and sauce onto serving plates, and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of dried parsley. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Fresh Tomato Bacon Onion Fettucine

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 347 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 66mg22%

Sodium 237mg10%

Potassium 319mg9%

Carbohydrates 44g15%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 490IU10%

Vitamin C 8.1mg10%

Calcium 84mg8%

Iron 1.5mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Save

14
Jun
2017

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells

categories: Chicken, Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta

112 Shares

Pin112

Yum

Enjoy great Italian flavors in Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells! Pasta shells filled with chicken, broccoli, and a creamy garlic cheese sauce.

If you like chicken and broccoli, you will LOVE these Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells! Such a “comfort food” dish… with cheesy Alfredo sauce coating the chicken and broccoli inside jumbo sized pasta shells! Yum! There are so many ways to enjoy pasta, and this recipe for chicken broccoli stuffed shells caught my attention. How can you go wrong with pasta, chicken, broccoli, AND cheesy Alfredo sauce?

My husband and I really enjoyed this fairly simple to prepare dinner. We also enjoyed finishing off the leftovers the next day! Here’s how to make these delicious chicken broccoli stuffed shells:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Prepare the jumbo pasta shells by cooking according to the package directions. Cook until the pasta is al dente, then drain and place pasta shells on a large baking sheet to cool, separating them so they don’t stick together while cooling. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking/cooling, prepare the Alfredo sauce by combining butter, garlic, heavy whipping cream and milk in a pan on medium heat. Stir together ingredients and bring them to a low simmer (do NOT boil).

How To “Temper” The Eggs For The Sauce

Place the egg yolks in a small bowl, beat until blended, then temper the eggs. “Tempering” the eggs slowly raises the temperature of the egg yolks to prevent them from scrambling when they hit the hot Alfredo sauce.

To temper the eggs, add a spoonful of the hot Alfredo sauce to the egg yolks, whisking the mixture as you add. Repeat the process with several more spoonfuls, one at a time, whisking each spoonful into the eggs. Once you have done this, slowly drizzle the egg yolk mixture into the Alfredo sauce, whisking as you add. Stir mixture well to combine, then remove pan from the heat.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Season the sauce to taste, with salt and black pepper, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded/chopped chicken, chopped steamed broccoli and 1/2 cup of the Alfredo sauce. Stir to combine.

Assemble The Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells

To assemble: Place a couple spoonfuls of Alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 cake pan. Place a large spoonful of the chicken/broccoli mixture into each pasta shell. Place filled shells on top of sauce in pan.

Divide the remaining alfredo sauce over the tops of the pasta shells, and then sprinkle them with the rest of the mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup).

Bake The Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Bake the chicken broccoli stuffed shells uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. When done, the cheese sauce will be bubbling up around the shells, and the cheese will be melted on top of shells.

Remove the pan to a wire rack, and let the chicken broccoli stuffed shells cool for a minute or two, before serving.

Serve The Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Place pasta shells onto individual serving plates and spoon some of the remaining Alfredo sauce over the top. Sprinkle with dried parsley flakes, if desired… and enjoy this delicious meal!

I hope you enjoy trying this stuffed shell recipe. My husband and I really appreciated the leftovers, as well (just as good the second time around). If you enjoyed these stuffed shells, you might enjoy my recipe for Mexican stuffed pasta shells. They’re yummy, too!

Have a wonderful day, and strive to be kind. It’s so simple to do… and can really encourage or make an impact on someone who might be hurting. May God bless you.

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Adapted From: http://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/chicken-broccoli-alfredo-stuffed-shells/

0 from 0 votes

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Enjoy great Italian flavors in Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells! Pasta shells filled with chicken, broccoli, and a creamy garlic cheese sauce.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: chicken broccoli stuffed shells

Servings: 5 servings (4 shells per)

Calories Per Serving: 561 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) box of jumbo pasta shells
3 cups cooked chicken , chopped (rotisserie chicken works well)
1¾ cups chopped/steamed broccoli

For Alfredo Sauce:

3 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic , minced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1¼ cup whole milk
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Mozzarella cheese
2 large egg yolks , beaten
Salt and black pepper , to taste

Garnish:

1/2 cup freshly grated Mozzarella Cheese
Dried parsley flakes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare pasta shells according to package directions until pasta is al dente; drain and place pasta shells on baking sheet to cool, separating them so they don't stick together.
While pasta is cooling, prepare Alfredo sauce by combining butter, garlic, heavy whipping cream and milk in a pan set on medium heat. Stir ingredients and bring them to a low simmer (do NOT boil). Place egg yolks in a bowl, beat until blended, then temper the eggs (this slowly raises the temp. of the egg yolks to prevent them from scrambling when they hit the simmering Alfredo sauce). To temper eggs, add a spoonful of the hot Alfredo sauce to the egg yolks, whisking as you add. Repeat process with 3-4 more spoonfuls, one at a time, whisking while adding. Slowly drizzle egg yolk mixture into the Alfredo sauce, whisking as you add. Whisk mixture well; remove pan from heat.
Add 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Stir. Add salt and pepper; season to taste.
In mixing bowl, combine chicken, cooked broccoli and 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce. Stir. Place a couple spoonfuls of Alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan. Place a large spoonful of the chicken/broccoli mixture into each shell. Place filled shells on top of sauce in pan.
Spoon remaining sauce over the top of the shells; sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
Bake (uncovered) at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. When done, the cheese sauce will be bubbling, and cheese will be melted on top. Remove pan to wire rack; let shells cool a minute before serving. Transfer shells to individual serving plates and spoon remaining Alfredo sauce over the top. Garnish with dried parsley flakes. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 561 Calories from Fat 360

% Daily Value*

Fat 40g62%

Saturated Fat 23g144%

Cholesterol 268mg89%

Sodium 525mg23%

Potassium 480mg14%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 41g82%

Vitamin A 1595IU32%

Vitamin C 29.3mg36%

Calcium 403mg40%

Iron 1.5mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s another to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Save

25
May
2017

EASY CHEESY Penne Pasta And Spinach Bake

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta

18 Shares

Pin18

Yum

This EASY CHEESY Penne Pasta Spinach Bake may not be the poster child for “Good-Looking” meals, but what it lacks in looks, it makes up for in TASTE! This meatless pasta dish, with three Italian cheeses, tastes wonderful, and is incredibly easy to prepare!
I came up with this simple penne pasta spinach bake recipe one day while brainstorming what to make for dinner. After taking stock of what I had in my refrigerator and pantry, I decided to make this recipe using what I already had in the house. The results? A really good, SIMPLE to prepare meal!

Since I was creating a meal off the top of my head, I didn’t document the process too well with photos. So these photos are just to give you an idea… trust me, the meal tastes a LOT better than it looks in these pictures.

How Is The Penne Pasta Spinach Bake Made?

The recipe is very straightforward. Penne pasta is cooked and drained. Spaghetti sauce (your choice-homemade or store-bought), mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta, garlic powder and fresh spinach are added and mixed in.

The penne pasta spinach bake is then placed into a 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray.

The penne pasta spinach bake is then topped with additional mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Time To Cook The Penne Pasta Spinach Bake!

Bake the pasta dish (covered with aluminum foil) for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 5 more minutes (uncovered). That’s it!

Serve the penne pasta spinach bake hot… and enjoy! It may not be the most “appetizing” looking photo I’ve ever taken, but it really does taste GOOD!

Hope you will give this recipe a try! It is filling, filled with flavor, and is a cinch to prepare! The leftovers were good, too!

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

0 from 0 votes

EASY CHEESY Penne Pasta And Spinach Bake

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Penne Pasta is baked with spaghetti sauce, three cheeses, and fresh spinach in this easy, tasty, and filling casserole.

Category: Casserole

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: penne pasta spinach bake

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Calories Per Serving: 391 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3/4 pound penne pasta
16 ounces Marinara sauce (approx. - homemade or use a jar of sauce-need enough for 4 servings)
1 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1½ cups chopped fresh spinach
Additional Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese for topping casserole (approx.1/4 cup each)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Place pasta in large mixing bowl.
Add spaghetti sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta cheeses, fresh chopped spinach, plus garlic powder. Stir into pasta until ingredients are fully coated and combined.
Pour pasta into prepared 9x13 pan. Add additional mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses to top.
Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove pan from oven and serve pasta immediately.

Recipe Notes

Number of servings will depend on the size portion you serve.

Nutrition Facts

EASY CHEESY Penne Pasta And Spinach Bake

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 391 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 38mg13%

Sodium 800mg35%

Potassium 472mg13%

Carbohydrates 48g16%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 1385IU28%

Vitamin C 7.4mg9%

Calcium 357mg36%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Save

06
Mar
2017

Chicken, Parmesan & Spinach Gnocchi

categories: Chicken, Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta

570 Shares

Pin570

Yum

Chicken Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi is an easy to make, 30 minute Italian dish with chicken, fluffy potato dumplings, Parmesan cheese sauce and spinach!
What do you get when you combine chicken, fluffy Italian potato dumplings, Parmesan cheese sauce and spinach into an easy meal? This recipe for Chicken Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi, that’s what… a simple, yet absolutely delicious entree! If you’re a Vegetarian, you can simply leave the chicken out and still enjoy this wonderful dish!

I found the original recipe on Pinterest, and decided to fix it for dinner recently. It was sooooo good! This chicken parmesan spinach gnocchi recipe serves 4, and only takes about 30 minutes to prepare, from start to finish!

Talk about Italian comfort food! Whoa… the potato gnocchi are a classic Italian pasta, and the chicken breast chunks provide protein. In addition, the creamy Parmesan sauce is amazing, and the fresh spinach used in the recipe would make Popeye proud!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of the Page

How To Make Chicken Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

Here’s how simple this recipe is to prepare: Cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Lightly season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat olive oil in skillet on medium high heat.

Once oil is hot, add chicken and cook 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.

Cook The Gnocchi

Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Basically, you add them to boiling water, cook, and when they float to the surface they are done. This typically takes only a few minutes. Drain the gnocchi. Set aside.

Prepare The Sauce

Place the empty pan back on the stove. Add butter to pan and heat on medium until melted. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring well. Add flour; stir well to remove lumps and form a roux (thick paste).

Cook and stir for 30 seconds, just to “cook out” the raw flour taste. Add milk slowly to roux; stir or whisk it well to remove any remaining lumps. Cook this for 2-3 minutes only until the sauce has begun to thicken.

This is what the creamy sauce will look like, as it begins to thicken while cooking.

Time For Some “Add-Ins”

Stir in the chopped fresh spinach. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce has thickened and spinach has wilted. Add Parmesan cheese and the cooked chicken into sauce. Stir well to combine.

You can add a bit more milk if the sauce is too thick. Taste the finished sauce, then season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary, to suit your personal taste preference.

Add The Gnocchi And Serve

Remove the pan from the heat, and add cooked, drained gnocchi. Gently stir until all ingredients are combined. If necessary, reheat through on low. Serve the chicken parmesan spinach gnocchi immediately once it reaches the desired heat.

Serving Chicken, Parmesan & Spinach Gnocchi

I dish up the gnocchi onto individual serving plates, then garnish with a bit more grated Parmesan cheese (can never have too much Parmesan, right?). Serve, and enjoy this wonderful chicken dish! It’s creamy, has great flavor, and is delicious and filling!

If you enjoy this chicken parmesan spinach gnocchi, you will LOVE my “copycat” recipe for Olive Garden’s Chicken Gnocchi Soup or a recipe for Creamy Italian Sausage Gnocchi. They are both delicious, also!

I really hope you will consider making this chicken parmesan spinach gnocchi recipe. I think you will be surprised at just how simple it is to make, in such a short time. Have a wonderful day… and be KIND as you journey through this 24 hours you’ve been given!

Be sure and check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a LOT of delicious, family-friendly recipes I’m confident you will enjoy

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Adapted From: http://www.lifeasastrawberry.com/parmesan-spinach-gnocchi/

0 from 0 votes

Chicken, Parmesan & Spinach Gnocchi

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Chicken Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi is an easy to make, 30 minute Italian entree with chicken, fluffy potato dumplings, Parmesan cheese sauce and spinach!

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: chicken parmesan spinach gnocchi

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 478 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
Salt , pepper and garlic powder (to lightly season chicken)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
16 ounces potato gnocchi (found in pasta section)
2 Tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic , minced
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1¼ cups milk
3 cups fresh spinach , chopped
Additional salt/pepper and milk , if necessary
1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish, if desired)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Lightly season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat olive oil in skillet on medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add chicken and cook 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
Prepare gnocchi according to pkg. directions (add to boiling water, cook, and when they float to surface they're done - 3-4 minutes). Drain gnocchi. Set aside. Place empty pan back on stove.
Add butter to pan; heat on medium until melted. Add minced garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring well. Add flour; whisk well to remove lumps and form a roux (thick paste). Cook and stir for 30-60 seconds to "cook out" flour taste. Add milk slowly to roux; stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes only until sauce has begun to thicken.
Add chopped spinach; stir well. Cook for 3-4 minutes until sauce has thickened and spinach has wilted. Add Parmesan cheese, then add cooked chicken to sauce. Stir well. Add a bit more milk if sauce is too thick. Taste sauce; season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
Remove pan from heat; add cooked and drained gnocchi. Gently stir until all ingredients are combined. If necessary, reheat through on low. Serve immediately upon reaching desired heat.
Serve, garnishing each portion with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Chicken, Parmesan & Spinach Gnocchi

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 478 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 71mg24%

Sodium 950mg41%

Potassium 468mg13%

Carbohydrates 48g16%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 2640IU53%

Vitamin C 7.3mg9%

Calcium 436mg44%

Iron 5.3mg29%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Save

29
Jul
2016

Pasta With Italian Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes And Summer Squash

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta

12 Shares

Pin12

Yum

Pasta with Italian Sausage is a delicious meal, with seasoned spaghetti noodles topped with sun-dried tomatoes, onion, basil and summer squash.

Recently I created a recipe for pasta with Italian sausage. I used 2 Italian sausages that I scavenged out of our freezer, added summer squash from our garden, and some sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil) from our garden, as well, so it certainly wasn’t a budget buster!

This dish WAS packed with great flavor! I made the sausage topping while the pasta was cooking, so the entire meal was quick to put together!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Pasta with Italian Sausage

Begin by cooking the pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta was cooking, I cooked the ingredients for the “sauce” in my trusty old, large skillet.

These ingredients include Italian sausage, onion, green peppers, yellow squash, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, minced garlic, and spices.

When done cooking, drain off the little bit of grease from the Italian sausage from the skillet. Good riddance!

Season the Cooked Pasta

For this recipe for pasta with Italian sausage I use spaghetti, but any pasta would work just fine! When done cooking, drain the pasta (don’t rinse), then put it back in the pan. Toss the hot pasta with butter, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, oregano, and garlic powder. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve The Pasta with Italian Sausage

Divide the hot, seasoned pasta with Italian sausage into serving dishes. Top each portion with the Italian sausage mixture. Generously sprinkle the pasta with additional Parmesan cheese, to finish.

Grab a fork, and enjoy this tasty pasta with Italian sausage dish! Looks pretty good, and tastes very good! The best part? Pasta with Italian sausage can be prepared and on the table in about 20 minutes!

Hope you enjoy this delicious pasta with Italian sausage! I made it up as I went along (which is ALWAYS an adventure!), but was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was. the pasta is full of flavor! My husband and I LOVED this simple meal. Have a great day, friends, and please come back again soon.

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorite pasta recipes include:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Source: My hungry brain.

0 from 0 votes

Pasta With Italian Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes And Summer Squash

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Pasta with Italian Sausage is a delicious meal, with seasoned spaghetti noodles topped with sun-dried tomatoes, onion, basil and summer squash.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pasta with Italian sausage

Servings: 2 servings

Calories Per Serving: 1187 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Pasta "Sauce":

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Italian sausages , casing removed
1/4 cup chopped brown onion
1/3 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup chopped yellow squash
1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves , chopped
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

For Pasta:

8 ounces pasta (½ pound)- I used spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and Pepper , to taste
Additional shredded Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil (for pasta). When fully boiling, add pasta and cook per package instructions.
While pasta is cooking, prepare the "sauce", by heating olive oil on medium high in large skillet. Add crumbled Italian sausage, chopped onion, green peppers, yellow squash, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, oregano and minced garlic. Cook for approx. 7-8 minutes, until done. Drain any grease from pan. Keep warm.
When pasta is done cooking, drain, then return to pan. While pasta is hot, add butter, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder, and salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well, to combine.
Place seasoned pasta in serving bowls. Top with hot sausage mixture.
Garnish (liberally) with additional shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Pasta With Italian Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes And Summer Squash

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 1187 Calories from Fat 657

% Daily Value*

Fat 73g112%

Saturated Fat 24g150%

Cholesterol 119mg40%

Sodium 1055mg46%

Potassium 999mg29%

Carbohydrates 97g32%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 35g70%

Vitamin A 885IU18%

Vitamin C 49.5mg60%

Calcium 122mg12%

Iron 3.7mg21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Save

28
Apr
2016

Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Gouda and Spinach

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Pasta

7 Shares

Pin7

Yum

Macaroni and cheese with smoked gouda, fresh spinach, and Parmesan cheese is a creamy, delicious comfort food meal!
My husband and I tried a new recipe a few weeks ago for “Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Gouda and Spinach”. Let me tell you… it was a fantastic, flavorful, “meatless” dinner, and must be totally “HEALTHY” because it has spinach in it, right? (snicker, snicker)

It actually was very delicious and EASY to prepare! I found the recipe online and played around with it just a bit to suit our taste buds, and boom! Macaroni and Cheese with ATTITUDE! Here’s how easy it is to make:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook and drain macaroni noodles, according to the package directions (then set aside). Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add chopped green onion; cook & stir for a couple minutes, then add minced garlic and cook for one more minute.

Stir (or whisk) in flour. Continue cooking for one minute.

Add in half and half and milk, stirring continuously. Turn the heat on the stove up to medium-high. While stirring, bring the mixture to a boil. Continue stirring. This should take several minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out.

Once the sauce for the macaroni and cheese has come to a boil and has thickened (see photo below), add salt and pepper, to taste.

Turn heat down to medium-low. Stir in the smoked Gouda and freshly grated Parmesan cheeses. Mix well to melt cheeses.

Once cheese has melted, add in the chopped spinach and the cooked and drained macaroni noodles. Stir to combine.

Once the macaroni and cheese is fully mixed, taste the sauce. If necessary, add additional salt and pepper, to suit your taste.

Spray a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray, then pour macaroni mixture in. Sprinkle the top with dried bread crumbs. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake it for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

After 15 minutes, remove the foil , and continue baking for approximately 6-7 additional minutes, until the cheese sauce is nice and bubbly!

Here’s what the macaroni and cheese looked like straight out of the oven. Can you see the bubbling sauce on the edges of the pan?

We let it cool down just a touch, then dished up our servings! It was really delicious! The combination of flavor from Smoked Gouda Cheese and Parmesan really give this comfort food dish a LOT of flavor!

I sure hope you will give this macaroni and cheese recipe a try. It’s that kind of recipe that makes you want to curl up on the couch (in sweatpants) with a big bowl of this comfort food after a long day. No matter HOW you eat this, I think you’ll LOVE it!

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Adapted From: http://www.recipegirl.com/2011/03/21/spinach-macaroni-and-cheese/

0 from 0 votes

Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Gouda and Spinach

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

22 mins

Total Time

37 mins

Macaroni and cheese with smoked gouda, fresh spinach, and Parmesan cheese is a creamy, delicious comfort food meal!

Category: Meatless Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: macaroni and cheese

Servings: 6 servings

Calories Per Serving: 686 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped green onion , thinly sliced (stem and bulb)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 cups Half and Half
2 cups low-fat milk (I used 1%)
Salt and Pepper , to taste
1 1/2 cups Smoked Gouda cheese , grated
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese , grated
4 cups fresh spinach leaves , cut into 1/2 inch strips
3/4 pound elbow macaroni , cooked and drained (use pkg. directions)
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook macaroni, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter over medium heat, in a large skillet or saucepan. Add chopped green onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook for additional minute. (do not burn garlic!)
Stir or whisk in flour. Cook for additional minute.
Add half and half and milk. Stir or whisk in to the flour mixture in pan to fully combine. Turn heat up to medium high. Continue cooking, stirring often until mixture comes to a boil. This will take several minutes. The sauce will thicken quite a bit. Once thickened, season to taste with a little bit of salt and black pepper. Turn heat down to medium-low.
Stir in Smoked Gouda and Parmesan cheeses. Stir to combine. Add chopped spinach and cooked & drained macaroni noodles. Stir well to fully mix ingredients together. Once mixed, taste it again. Add additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Spray a 1 quart baking dish with non stick spray. Pour macaroni mixture into dish. Sprinkle the dried bread crumbs evenly over the top of macaroni. Cover pan with foil.
Place covered dish in 350 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil from dish, then continue baking for 6-7 minutes. When done, the sauce is hot and bubbly around the edges of the pan.
Remove from oven, let it rest for about a minute, then serve it up! YUM. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Any combo of cheeses would probably work in this dish... Just be sure that the total amount of cheese added is 2 cups! Have fun creating your OWN version!

Nutrition Facts

Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Gouda and Spinach

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 686 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Fat 33g51%

Saturated Fat 20g125%

Cholesterol 114mg38%

Sodium 739mg32%

Potassium 571mg16%

Carbohydrates 64g21%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 2850IU57%

Vitamin C 8.3mg10%

Calcium 674mg67%

Iron 2.4mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Save

01
Apr
2016

Chicken Club Pasta Salad

categories: Chicken, Main Dish Salads, Main Dishes, Pasta, Salads

5.7K Shares

Pin5.7K

Yum

Chicken Club Pasta Salad is a delicious, filling, chilled salad with rotini pasta, chicken, bacon, tomato, cheese, etc. in a creamy homemade ranch dressing.
The weather has finally warmed up here this week, so to celebrate the sunshine I made a Chicken Club Pasta Salad for dinner the other night. I served it with some fresh fruit on the side – and boy, was it good! It FELT like it was summer (at the end of March!)!

I found this recipe for a chicken club pasta salad on Pinterest, and decided to give it a try, because any salad with chicken and bacon in it has to be good! Add to that cheddar cheese, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a creamy ranch dressing… and it sounded like a winner! And it was… we REALLY enjoyed this entree salad (and I got to use fresh parsley and chives from my garden in it, also!). If you like a more traditional pasta salad, check out my simple recipe for that here.

This is a very easy salad to prepare. Most of the prep work (and it’s not too tedious) involves cooking bacon, a piece of chicken, and some pasta (I like to call it “multi-tasking!”). The rest comes together quickly and with little to no fuss! My kind of meal! I made the entire salad in the early afternoon, tossed it with a bit of the dressing (to keep it from drying out) and refrigerated it until dinner time. Then I added more salad dressing right before serving! Here’s how you make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Chicken Club Pasta Salad

First cook a large chicken breast. (Boil it, grill it, bake it… or use leftovers… just get enough cooked chicken for 2 cups, and cut it into 1″ cubes and set aside). Next thing is to cook the bacon until fairly crisp. Drain and cool, then cut. I used kitchen shears to cut it into small pieces.

Cut the bacon, cheddar cheese and tomato into small pieces. Set aside.

Add all dressing ingredients to a medium sized bowl. Whisk to fully combine. Refrigerate until ready to add to salad.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water, until pasta is completely cooled off. (I used tri-color rotini pasta for the color it added, but you could also use shells, macaroni noodles or mini-penne pasta for this dish).

Add cooled pasta, bacon, chicken, cheddar cheese and tomato to a large salad bowl.

Time For The Salad Dressing

Pour some of the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. If making this up early in the day, add only enough dressing to cover the pasta so it won’t dry out in the fridge. When ready to serve later, add additional dressing, to taste.

If you are making and serving this salad immediately, add enough dressing to taste and coat all ingredients (there will be some leftover dressing no matter which way you choose to prepare this!)

Serve the salad up, dig in, and enjoy this delicious, filling salad! It tastes wonderful the next day, as well. Hooray for leftovers at lunchtime!

We really enjoyed this chicken club pasta salad. I think it would be perfect on a HOT summer’s night, or to serve at a luncheon or potluck with friends! Hope you will consider giving this a try! You might also like this BLT Wedge Salad, or my recipe for Chopped Greek Chicken Salad.

Be sure to check out ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. Have a fantastic day, and may God bless the work of your hands!

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Adapted From: http://www.spendwithpennies.com/chicken-club-pasta-salad/

0 from 0 votes

Chicken Club Pasta Salad

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Chicken Club Pasta Salad is a delicious, filling, chilled salad with rotini pasta, chicken, bacon, tomato, cheese, etc. in a creamy homemade ranch dressing.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken club pasta salad

Servings: 5 servings

Calories Per Serving: 674 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For The Salad:

8 ounce pasta (I used rotini tri-color pasta)
8 slices bacon , cooked crisp, then cut into small pieces.
2 cups cooked chicken breast , cut into 1" cubes
1 tomato , seeded and diced
1/2 cup cheddar cheese , cut into 1" cubes

For The Ranch Dressing:

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon fresh chives , chopped
1 Tablespoon dried dill weed (or chopped fresh dill)
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley , chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & black pepper , to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep ingredients (cook chicken and bacon / chop tomatoes, cheese). Set aside.
Make the salad dressing. Set aside.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water, until pasta has completely cooled off; drain well.
Put salad ingredients into a large salad bowl (except for the salad dressing). Mix.
Add salad dressing to taste. You will NOT have to use all the dressing. If eating salad immediately, just add enough to toss and coat all ingredients well. If making salad early in day, add enough salad dressing to lightly coat all ingredients, stir, then cover dish and refrigerate until ready to serve. At serving time, add additional salad dressing to taste (since pasta will absorb some of the dressing while refrigerated). Stir to combine. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note: I used 1 really large chicken breast, which provided me with the 2 cups chicken.
Original recipe also called for 1/2 of an avocado, diced. Didn't have one when I made this, but I'm sure it would be great in this salad, as well.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Club Pasta Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 674 Calories from Fat 378

% Daily Value*

Fat 42g65%

Saturated Fat 13g81%

Cholesterol 106mg35%

Sodium 536mg23%

Potassium 475mg14%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 32g64%

Vitamin A 670IU13%

Vitamin C 5.3mg6%

Calcium 165mg17%

Iron 1.9mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Save

18
Dec
2015

Chili Spaghetti

categories: Beef, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern, Pasta

50 Shares

Pin50

Yum

Looking for a quick and easy pasta dinner with a Mexican twist? How about making a batch of Chili Spaghetti, with chili, green onions, cheese and sour cream?
When you really think about it, traditional spaghetti has tomatoes, meat, tomato sauce, onions, garlic and cheese (Parmesan). It’s a straight up, not too hard ITALIAN-INSPIRED meal to prepare. Well- guess what? Many of those same ingredients are found in Chili (homemade or purchased), but with a completely different spices. So why NOT make a MEXICAN-INSPIRED spaghetti meal, right? Right.

If you enjoy chili, and you enjoy spaghetti, read on! This easy meal will be a perfect combo meal for you! Making chili spaghetti is super simple, and it tastes so very good! The pasta dish is very filling, and full of flavor. My hubby and I love having this meal occasionally. If you are more into “regular” spaghetti, be sure and check out my recipes for Easy Spaghetti Sauce with Italian Sausage or Easy Meatballs for Spaghetti.

I make my Mom’s recipe for homemade chili so I always seem to have some extra in the freezer. I use that for this recipe, but for crying out loud… if you don’t have homemade, just buy some good quality chili (meat and beans) to make this EASY!

How To Make Chili Spaghetti

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While the spaghetti noodles are cooking, heat up the chili in a large skillet. A couple minutes before the spaghetti has finished cooking, ladle out about 1/4 cup pasta water (this has starch in it), and stir it into the chili.

Remove pasta from pan about one minute before it is done. Drain pasta well without rinsing, then add it to the skillet with the chili in it. Stir well or use tongs, to fully combine the chili and the spaghetti noodles.

Continue to cook the chili spaghetti for a couple minutes until well coated and pasta is fully cooked through.

Serving Chili Spaghetti

When done, transfer the pasta onto individual serving plates. Spoon a little leftover chili from pan onto pasta. Garnish the spaghetti chili with grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and a dollop of sour cream. Serve piping hot, and enjoy!

Note** If you are using store bought canned chili, be sure you have enough chili in the skillet to completely coat the spaghetti! You will also need to have some extra chili in the skillet to spoon on top of the pasta when you plate it!

No recipe is really needed for chili spaghetti. IT’S WAY TOO EASY! Sure hope you will give this a try. It is a very easy meal to “throw together” on a busy day, when you are pressed for time, and the family is starving! Have a great weekend, friends. May you find moments of love, laughter, peace, and great JOY!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of pasta recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Save

11
Dec
2015

Florentine Lasagna Roll

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Pasta

521 Shares

Pin521

Yum

Florentine Lasagna Roll is a delicious, easy, meatless dish with spinach and cheese filled pasta, rolled & baked, covered in an Italian tomato sauce.
I’ve been making this meatless Florentine Lasagna Roll for almost 20 years… for potlucks and delicious dinners with our family! Filled with spinach, three kinds of cheese, garlic and onion, then covered in a simple Italian flavored tomato sauce, this recipe is easy and FABULOUS!

Even though this meal is “meatless”, you don’t need it with three cheeses, spinach and fantastic Italian flavors shining through in this meal!

The recipe is “simple”; all you do is cook lasagna noodles, mix together a cheese and spinach filling and spread it over the noodles, roll it up, cover with an Italian-flavored tomato sauce and bake. Easy, right? Right. Anyone can make this great dish! Here’s how:

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of the Page

How To Make This Lasagna Roll

Cook the spinach according to package directions, and then drain it very well, to remove as much liquid as possible.

In a medium sized bowl, combine cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, cooked and drained spinach, chopped onion, garlic cloves, black pepper, and egg.

Mix well, to completely combine ingredients. Set aside.

Cook The Pasta

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions. You need 10 cooked lasagna noodles for this recipe. I cook 12, in case any of them split or break. Think of it as pasta insurance. Once cooked, drain the noodles, then arrange them on a large sheet of wax paper, overlapping the long (curly) sides to form a rectangle.

Prepare The Florentine Lasagna Roll

Once noodles are fully arranged, carefully spread the filling over the noodles. I put spoonfuls of the spinach filling over the noodles, then use the back of a spoon to spread out the filling.

Roll It Up!

Spread grated Mozzarella cheese all over the cheese/spinach filling, then carefully roll up the pasta and filling.

To roll it up: Using the wax paper to help, begin tightly rolling the noodles up (starting with the side of rectangle with straight pasta edges). Use the wax paper to help roll noodles tightly as you go. Tuck the noodle edges under as you complete the first roll, so you have a tight, firm roll to begin with.

I pulled back some of the wax paper as I rolled to show you what it should look like.

When pasta is completely rolled up, place the finished roll on a large baking sheet (one with rimmed edges). Carefully remove the last bit of wax paper from underneath the roll. The lasagna roll should look like this (see photo below).

Make The Sauce For The Florentine Lasagna Roll

Combine the sauce ingredients (tomato sauce, sugar, basil and oregano) in a medium bowl, and then stir to combine. .

Spoon the sauce over the entire surface (top and sides) of the Florentine lasagna roll. Use all of the sauce.

When completely covered with sauce, grate Parmesan cheese all over the top and sides of the roll.

Time To Bake The Florentine Lasagna Roll

Bake in a preheated, 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from oven, and let the Florentine Lasagna Roll stand for 5 minutes before attempting to slice it.

With a sharp knife cut slices of the Florentine Lasagna Roll, and place on individual serving plates with a large spatula. Serve with some crusty bread and a great salad, and BOOM! You’ve got yourself a great Italian “meatless” meal… just like that!

Trust me… this meal is DELICIOUS. You won’t even miss having meat in it. The flavors are amazing, it’s really EASY to make, and looks quite nice, too! Sure hope you will give this recipe a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised! If you enjoy Italian food, you might also be interested in Florentine Manicotti, which is delicious, and uses ricotta cheese in the filling.

Have a great day during this busy holiday season. My husband and I made an intentional decision to NOT fill up this holiday season with “busy-ness” and looking for “things” to entertain us, as our culture tends to promote. Instead, we are enjoying a simple holiday season this year, trying to focus on what Christmas really means to us… the birth of our Savior, Jesus. His humble birth changed everything, and for that we are GRATEFUL.

Looking for More ITALIAN Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a lot of great Italian dishes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe Source: unknown (wrote recipe on a 3×5 card over 20 years ago- didn’t note where I got it from)

5 from 1 vote

Florentine Lasagna Roll

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Florentine Lasagna Roll is a delicious, easy, meatless dish with spinach and 3 cheeses filled pasta, rolled, then covered in an Italian flavored tomato sauce.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: lasagna roll

Servings: 6 servings

Calories Per Serving: 420 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

10 cooked lasagna noodles

For The Filling:

10 ounces package frozen spinach , cooked, and well drained.
8 ounces package cream cheese (room temp.)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese , grated
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic , minced
1 large egg , slightly beaten
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese (do not add to filling-keep separate!)

For The Sauce:

24 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

For garnish:

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make The Filling:

Cook spinach according to package instructions. Drain well. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, cooked spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, chopped onion, black pepper, minced garlic and egg. Stir well until mixture is fully combined. Set aside.

To Make Lasagna Roll:

Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Remove from heat; drain.
On wax paper, arrange the noodles overlapping the long (curly) sides to form a large rectangle.
Spread cheese/spinach filling over surface of noodles. Spread grated Mozzarella cheese over the cheese/spinach filling.
Starting at short ends of the pasta (non curly), roll up the pasta (in jelly roll fashion), using the wax paper to help. Tuck the ends under and firm up the roll, as you roll it up, continuing to use the wax paper as a guide. When it is roll completely, carefully transfer (might have to use two spatulas) the roll to a large (9x13) baking sheet. Carefully remove the wax paper. Seam side should be down on the sheet.

To Make Sauce:

In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, sugar, basil and oregano. Stir to combine.

To Finish Roll:

Spread the sauce over top and sides of entire lasagna roll. Grate Parmesan cheese over top of the roll. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven. Let Lasagna Roll stand for 5 minutes before attempting to slice. Using a sharp knife, slice into serving sizes, and using a spatula, place slices onto individual serving plates. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Florentine Lasagna Roll

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 420 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 85mg28%

Sodium 693mg30%

Potassium 469mg13%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 6495IU130%

Vitamin C 6.8mg8%

Calcium 351mg35%

Iron 3.2mg18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Save

Category: Pasta

Prep The Veggies First!

Blend The Sauce Thickening Ingredients

Cook The Pasta

Time To Cook The Chicken

Now Let’s Put The Cajun Chicken Pasta Together

Time To Finish This Dish!

Serve The Cajun Chicken Pasta

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

How To Make Tomato Bacon Onion Fettucine

Prepare Fettucine Noodles

Serve The Tomato Bacon Onion Fettucine

Looking for More PASTA Recipes?

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

How To Make Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells

How To “Temper” The Eggs For The Sauce

Assemble The Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Bake The Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Serve The Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media: Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

How Is The Penne Pasta Spinach Bake Made?

Time To Cook The Penne Pasta Spinach Bake!

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media: Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

How To Make Chicken Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

Cook The Gnocchi

Prepare The Sauce

Time For Some “Add-Ins”

Add The Gnocchi And Serve

Serving Chicken, Parmesan & Spinach Gnocchi

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media: Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

How To Make Pasta with Italian Sausage

Season the Cooked Pasta

Serve The Pasta with Italian Sausage

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media: Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media: Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks! Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

How To Make Chicken Club Pasta Salad

Time For The Salad Dressing

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

How To Make Chili Spaghetti

Serving Chili Spaghetti

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

How To Make This Lasagna Roll

Cook The Pasta

Prepare The Florentine Lasagna Roll

Roll It Up!

Make The Sauce For The Florentine Lasagna Roll

Time To Bake The Florentine Lasagna Roll

Looking for More ITALIAN Recipes?

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks