#2,811: (GF) Beef and Corn Noodle Bake

This recipe had the one ingredient in it that my boys (big boy and little boy) do not particularly enjoy...corn (although they hate peas way more).  I however, could eat corn probably every day and not get tired of it.  Even as I look at the photo above, I can barely see the corn and I used way less in the recipe because I knew they'd complain.  But the little one (6 yrs) saw one piece on his plate and immediately scowled.  The big one (41 yrs) managed to pick every little kernel out.  I swear if he just would have eaten it all mixed up he wouldn't have even tasted it.

Regardless  the girls and I loved this dish and were happy to go back for seconds (one of us may have gone back for thirds, but I won't rat anyone out!).  I made these with gluten free noodles and no one in the group could tell the difference.  I also wanted to give them more veggies (heck I was pushing my luck with the corn anyways!), so I added half a can of petite diced tomatoes, and then pureed the second half and threw that in there as well.  Mmmm....I might have to make this again this week!

2 pounds ground beef (I only used 1 lb. 2 lb seemed like a lot!) 

1 cup chopped onion

12 oz. can kernel corn, drained

20 – 24 oz. tomato soup – this can be creamy tomato soup that is gluten free or gluten free condensed tomato soup (I used a 14 oz can and then added another can of water)

1 Tbsp. ketchup

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups cooked gluten free noodles (I used Tinkyada shells)

1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
I also added: minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and dried basil.  

  

Brown the ground beef until no longer pink, adding the onion about halfway through cooking time. Put cooked meat mixture, corn, soup, ketchup, and seasoning in a bowl and mix.

Cook noodles (al dente). Drain. Mix into the other ingredients. Pour casserole into a baking dish and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, covered. Uncover for the last 10 minutes of cooking.  

#2,806: Caprese Lasagna Roll-up

When you have a whole lot of tomatoes and basil in your garden you've got to find a way to use them up!  I am a huge lasagna fan so I was excited to try this recipe when I found it.  I loved this lasagna and I loved that I was able to use fresh ingredients from my own garden for it too.  It would have been even more home made if I would have made the noodles from scratch but that would have really been pushing it! HA  

8 lasagna noodles, uncooked

3 1/2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 large egg white

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

freshly ground black pepper

3-4 medium Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (plus more for garnish)

2 cups marinara sauce 

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain pasta and align noodles in a single layer on a large sheet of parchment paper (I used a flexible cutting board).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the filling:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese and egg white until well blended. Stir in fresh Parmesan cheese.

Mix about 3 cups of the Mozzarella cheese and season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture over each lasagna noodle, covering it completely from one end to the other.

Lay about 4 thin tomato slices over the cheese mixture and then sprinkle fresh basil over top.

Snugly roll lasagna noodles to opposite end.

Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 11x7'' baking dish.

Place lasagna rolls seam side down in dish and top each roll with a heaping spoonful or pasta sauce. Make sure to cover the edges of the pasta so they don't dry out while baking.

Sprinkle remaining shredded Mozzarella on top.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and garnish with more fresh basil ribbons. Enjoy!

#2,686: Instant Pot Taco Pasta

Although I thought this recipe sounded wonderful, I wasn't sure if my family (particularly my husband) would agree.  But I figured I'd take a chance and make it anyways (and there was some leftover Texas Roadhouse Pot Roast in the fridge if my husband absolutely hated it!).  Plus it gave me an excuse to try another Instant Pot recipe.  I made the meat mixture ahead of time on the stove when I had some extra free time, and so that I didn't have to spend as much time in the kitchen right at dinner time when it's usually a little crazy.  This would also be a great prep ahead meal for a quick weeknight dinner. 

Anyhow, I figured I was pushing my luck with this recipe but wanted to push it just a bit more, so I added some frozen riced cauliflower into the mix...AND MY FAMILY NEVER KNEW.  Score!!  Actually my kids were more concerned about the corn they could see in this dish.  Babies.  

I was so scared that the noodles wouldn't be cooked but I left it to fate and tried it anyways, and was shocked when the noodles were cooked after only 5 Instant Pot minutes!  

By the way, not only did we enjoy this dish, but it was really good as leftovers too! 

1 pound ground beef or turkey

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons taco seasoning

1 cup frozen sweet corn

1 - 14.5 oz. can of fired roasted diced tomatoes (I used picante sauce)
I also added about 1/3 cup of frozen riced cauliflower

2 cups chicken broth (I used 2 1/2 cups)

8 ounces small pasta of your choice, uncooked (I used 12 oz of elbow macaroni)

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded 

Optional Garnishes

Freshly chopped cilantro

Freshly chopped green onion

Sour cream

Chopped red onion

Extra cheese

Fresh salsa

Shredded lettuce

Set your Instant Pot to sauté. Add the ground meat and onion and cook until browned, stirring while it cooks. Once it is cooked add in the taco seasoning, frozen corn, fire roasted tomatoes, chicken broth and pasta. Cover and seal the lid. Change the Instant Pot to MANUAL HIGH and set the time to 5 minutes.

When the Instant Pot beeps showing that it is done, do a quick release. Once all of the pressure/steam is please turn off the Instant Pot. Remove the lid keeping the lid pointed away from you and stir the taco pasta together. Add the cheese to the pasta mixture. Cover the Instant Pot (do not seal it) and let the cheese melt for a minute or two. Open your Instant Pot and stir.

Serve the taco pasta in bowls with garnishes.

#2,673: Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup

This is another recipe that I made this recipe right after I had my gallbladder surgery because it took such little time to throw together in the crockpot.  You basically cook the veggies and broth (and chicken if you're using it) and then add in the tortellini at the very end.  As you can see in the original recipe below, you are supposed to cook (and shred) chicken into this soup.  That had no appeal to me whatsoever, so I decided to omit it and use chicken tortellini instead.  I still got the chicken flavor, but didn't have chicken pieces floating throughout my soup.  Although I really enjoyed this healthy, easy soup, next time I will make one change.  I'll cook the tortellini in a pot on the stove, let it cool, and then add it to my soup so it stops cooking and soaking up so much liquid. 

If you are making this an plan to serve/eat it all in one sitting, you definitely don't have to do that.  But since I was the only one eating this, and eating it as leftovers, the tortellini got a little soft (still good, but not as good as it could have been). 

3 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced

3 celery stalks, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 cups shredded chicken 

6 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

salt and pepper, to taste

16 ounces three-cheese tortellini (I used refrigerated chicken flavored tortellini)

fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)

Place the carrots, celery, garlic, onion, chicken, chicken stock, basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary into a 6-quart slow cooker. Mix until combined.

Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Place the three-cheese tortellini into the soup and mix. Cook on high for another 15 minutes.

Serve and garnish with parsley.

#2,056: Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo

It was one of those nights when I didn't know what I wanted to eat, but for some reason orzo pasta was calling to me.  I was about to make some traditional red sauce to eat with it, but I wanted something creamier instead.  So a quick pinterest search led me to this recipe for a quick (yes!!) creamy garlic Parmesan orzo instead.  Thankfully I had pretty much all the ingredients on hand, and the one I didn't have (half and half) was easy enough to substitute out!  I added some peas and carrots for more veggies and cooked up some chicken sausage, and my dinner was ready in about 20 minutes!  I LOVED this dish!  It totally hit the spot for creamy noodles that I was wanting!  I would definitely make this one again!

2 Cups Orzo

2 Cups Chicken or Vegetable stock, or water

4 Tablespoons Butter

1/4 Cup Onion, diced very small

3 Garlic Cloves, pressed or minced

3/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/3 Cup Half and Half (I used heavy cream and a little bit of skim milk)

2-3 Tbsp. Chopped Parsley or Basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1/2 – 1 tsp. salt

Black pepper to taste

Olive Oil

Begin by heating about 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, let it warm up for about a minute. Add the orzo and lightly stir it around the pan so it toasts, this will give the orzo a nutty flavor. When the orzo starts to turn golden in color, add the broth or water starting with just 1/2 cup. Let the orzo absorb the liquid entirely, then add the rest. Give it a stir, bring to a quick boil and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover and let it cook for 10-15 minutes.  (I had to add about a cup or more of water for this to cook completely.)

Meanwhile, add the butter to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s melted add the chopped onion and garlic (I also added some grated carrots at this point too). Season with salt and pepper. Let that simmer for about 2-3 minutes until it softens (I cooked it for about 7 minutes so the carrots could soften more).
Add the half and half, cheese and parsley (or basil). Season again with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust.  Add the creamy garlic sauce to the cooked orzo and stir. (This is when I also threw in some frozen peas and heated for about another minute until they warmed up).  Serve warm.

#2,030: Linguine with Brown Butter, Pecans, and Basil

I'll be honest, this recipe was supposed to be made with gnocchi instead of linguine, but I refused to but another pasta (even though I love gnocchi) when I have so many open boxes in my pantry!  So I was using what I had on hand!!  After I made the brown butter sage sauce recently with my aunt, I was super excited to try this recipe as well.  I apparently love brown butter sauces, because I loved this!  It was so good, and super easy to make.  I would definitely make this one again!

2 16-oz. pkg. potato gnocchi
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp. fresh juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 cups packed torn basil leaves, divided
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about cup)

Cook gnocchi (or in my case linguine) according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add pecans and cook, stirring often, until nuts are toasted and butter begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add gnocchi and cook, tossing, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and almost all the basil. Serve topped with remaining basil and cheese. 

#2,017: Fresh pasta with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

So a few weekends ago we had our 37th (I think) annual ravioli day where we get together with my dad's side of the family and we make ravioli.  We usually make about 400 or so ravioli (some filled with meat and some filled with cheese).  My family has a stingy tradition where you only get THREE ravioli on Thanksgiving, "just to taste" them, but then we eat them at Christmas.  This year some ravioli made it over to the U.K. where my sister is living and about to have her first baby any day.  My mom put a cooler bag and ice packs in her (ahem, MY) suitcase to get it over there. 

Anyhow, when we run out of the filling ot make more ravioli, we use any leftover dough to make some homemade pasta.  This year, my aunt made me also whip up a quick batch of her Brown Butter Sage sauce to add to the pasta.  Personally, I loved it and was asked on facebook by a friend to share the recipe.  So here you go...

1 lb pasta (fresh is obviously best, but I also used refrigerated tortellini) (cook according to package directions)

1 stick unsalted butter
16 fresh sage leaves
1 c chicken broth (we use 1 cube of  this chicken boullion with 1 cup of water)
1 c heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Meanwhile in a sauce pan melt the butter and add the fresh sage leaves.  Stir to combine, turn the heat to medium, and let the butter start to brown.  This takes mabye 6 mintues to so.  Once the butter has started to get a golden brown color, carefully fish out the sage leaves and put them on a plate (DO NOT THROW THEM OUT). 

Add the chicken broth to the butter and bring to a boil.  Carefully add the heavy whipping cream and stir/whisk to combine.  Turn the heat to low and simmer until the mixture is heated through. 

Crumble the sage leaves that you removed from the butter (resist the urge to eat them!) and add it back to the sauce.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Pour over your cooked pasta.  

#2,016: Linguine with Ham and Peas

I bought some ham for my family to eat for dinner this week and I was really in the mood for some pasta so I quickly whipped up this recipe with ingredients I had on hand.  Since I only made 2 servings of this, you will have to double or triple the recipe if making it for a larger group.  I am not a huge fan of cream sauces but this was super light and just the perfect amount for me. 

2 handfuls of linguine noodles (handfuls is a technical measurement term right?!)
1/2 tablespoon butter

1/4 onion, dicedabout 1/4 cup of diced ham
1/2 cup frozen peas1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper, as desired
grated parmesan cheese, as desired

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a saute pan and cook onion over medium high heat until golden brown, about five minutes. Add ham, peas, and garlic, turn heat and cook long enough so that the peas thaw and it and the ham is warm and just starting to brown.  When just about finished, add the cream, turn the heat to medium, and continue cooking until the cream starts to bubble (it doesn't take long).   

If desired, you can add a little bit of the cooking water to thin out the mixture if desired (I did not need to do this though). 

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add hot ham and pea mixture and stir to combine.  . Season with salt, pepper, and grated parmesan as desired.

#2,014: One Pot Spaghetti (aka United Way Spaghetti)

I came across this recipe in a recent issue of Real Simple magazine, and since my family is a spaghetti loving group, I figured I'd give this recipe a try.  It actually makes so much sauce (or my husband added too little spaghetti!) that I used the leftover sauce to make pizza burgers the next night.  I think I was the biggest fan of this, and still think it could have used a little more seasoning.  I'm thinking next time I'll try 1 can of tomato sauce, and about 1 cup (or more) of spaghetti sauce.   We would definitely eat this again though. 

1 lb ground beef

1/2 onion, diced
2- 16 oz cans of tomato sauce
1 tsp dried basil

dried rosemary

dried oregano
1 1/2 cans (from the tomato sauce) of water
8 oz uncooked spaghetti noodles (I seriously think you can add closer to 12+ oz, but just watch to make sure there is enough water)
Salt, to taste

In a large pot, brown the ground beef and onion.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Simmer until the noodles are tender, about 20-25 minutes.  

#2,008: Rigatoni with Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

I love brussel sprouts, bacon, and butternut squash.  The three are such a perfect fall combo!  So when I found a recipe that adds it to some pasta, I figured it was definitely worth trying.  I had a bag of frozen butternut squash that I wasnt' sure what to do with, so I thought I'd try it along with this recipe.  WRONG move.  The squash was so soft and mushy, you definitely want to make this with fresh squash.  Lesson learned (although as soon as I threw it in the pan I figured I had made a mistake). 

Although the squash was too soft, it was still pretty good.  I would try making this again (of course with fresh squash) and giving this recipe a second try.  If you try it (and I hope you do!), let me know what you think of it.  

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed

Kosher salt

12 ounces rigatoni

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 slices bacon, roughly chopped

4 cups diced peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)

2 cloves garlic, sliced

6 scallions, sliced

Freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup grated parmesan and/or pecorino romano cheese

Tear off and reserve the outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts, then chop the rest. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs, adding the chopped Brussels sprouts and their leaves during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 11/2 cups cooking water, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in the skillet.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, then add the squash, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the squash is lightly golden around the edges, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the reserved cooking water, cover and simmer until the squash is tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the pasta, Brussels sprouts, bacon, scallions, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 cup cooking water to the skillet; toss until coated, adding the remaining cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with the parmesan.

#1,883: One-Pot Spaghetti and Sausage

This super simple recipe got super good reviews from my family even though they were appalled that I would put grated carrots in this dish.  Can you even see them?  NO...yeah, neither could I.  But my husband and my middle child both tried picking it out at first.  (Insert eye roll here).  My husband complained that his body would start rejecting the veggies as soon as he started eating it.  Needless to say, we had leftovers, and my husband happily ate those (I thought he was going to have to fight my oldest for it, but she was kind and let him have them).  :)

The only thing I did differently with this recipe was that I did NOT add the canned cherry tomatoes.  Adding grated carrots was a big enough risk for me to take, and I knew they would all just pick out the tomatoes anyways.  This is definitely best served with grated parmesan cheese on top.  I will definitely make this again. 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 carrot, grated

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tablespoon tomato paste (I probably used more like 2 tbsp)

10 ounces spaghetti, broken in half

1 14-ounce can cherry tomatoes (I omitted and added a little bit of jarred spaghetti sauce instead)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Pour off the fat from the meat.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onion to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrot, garlic and tomato paste and cook until the garlic softens, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add 4 1/2 cups water, the spaghetti, cherry tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the sauce thickens, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the parsley; season with salt and pepper and toss.

#1,810: Inside Out Ravioli

So I'm not sure how this isn't considered just a typical "pasta bake" instead of inside out ravioli.  After I put it all together I realized that ravioli is filled with ricotta cheese and that is exactly what the dish is missing!  Add it!  Although my family devoured this entire pan of pasta, it definitely would have made it more ravioli like if I would have added a layer of ricotta cheese (maybe mixed with some parsley and Parmesan cheese!!?!?!?) before I topped it with the meat mixture.  I'm definitely doing that next time!  Regardless, this was still good, but I think the ricotta would have made it even better. 

1 pound pasta (I used medium sized shells and elbow macaroni to use up what we had in our pantry)

1 (10 ounce) package frozen, chopped spinach (I omitted)

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

1 (16 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
I also added some minced garlic and a few shakes of Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a medium pot, cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.

Cook spinach according to package directions.

Meanwhile, brown ground beef, chopped onion and minced garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in tomato sauce and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Combine cooked spinach, cooked pasta, bread crumbs, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, beaten eggs and olive oil.

Spread spinach mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with meat mixture. Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

#1,792: Hamburger Mac

I was shocked when my picky eating 4 year old asked for seconds of this Hamburger Mac meal.  Any meal that he wants more of and doesn't make his "don't make me eat this" face is a good meal at our house.  I should get a picture of the pathetic look he gives us at most meals.  

2 cups uncooked macaroni
1 Tbsp olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Pinch chili pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1 large can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes (I omitted and added 1/2 a can of petite diced tomatoes and some jarred spaghetti sauce)

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt  and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Start cooking the pasta: Get a large pot of hot water heating and begin cooking the macaroni as per the directions on the macaroni package.

Brown the beef and onions: While the water is heating and macaroni cooking, prepare the sauce. In a skillet, brown the ground beef in a tablespoon of olive oil on high heat. Stir only infrequently so that the ground beef has an opportunity to brown.  When the beef has mostly browned, add the onions to the pan and toss to combine. Cook until the onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes.

Add seasonings, tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix in the drained and cooked macaroni and the parsley. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add freshly ground black pepper and  salt to taste.

#1,791: Pasta with Sausage and Ricotta

I thought MOST of my family would enjoy this meal, but figured the typical ones would balk at it (ahem my 4 and 6 year old).  Shockingly, my family really enjoyed this dinner, but most surprisingly was my picky 4 year old.  Generally, dinner consists of him crying and whining that he doesn't like dinner and doesn't want to eat.  So I was super shocked when he not only ate seconds, but came and gave me a fist bump afterwards.  LOL.  I guess he liked it.  

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion

6 ounces mild pork sausage, casings removed

1 14-ounce can no-salt-added whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, with their juice (I used jarred spaghetti sauce)

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt plus 1 tablespoon, divided

12 ounces thin tube-shaped pasta, such as pasta al ceppo (I used spaghetti)

6 tablespoons part-skim ricotta cheese

10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (I omitted)

Put 2 quarts of water on to boil in a large pot.

Meanwhile, combine oil, onion and sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and crumbling the sausage with a spoon, until the onion is golden, 4 to 5 minutes. 

Add tomatoes, pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook until the tomatoes have reduced and separated from the oil, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water, stir in pasta and cook according to package instructions until just tender.

Just before the pasta is done, return the sauce to medium-low heat. Add ricotta and basil and stir until combined. When the pasta is done, drain well and toss with the sauce and Parmigiano. Serve at once.

#1,745: Taco Pasta Bake

Here is a simple casserole that my family loved for dinner recently!  It was super simple to make and it's a great recipe to use especially if you have some leftover taco meat, or if you just double the amount of taco meat you are preparing so you have it ready for a dish like this.  My family was a big fan of this recipe so we will definitely be making this one again. 

1 box of large noodle pasta such as ziti
1 lb of ground beef
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1 cup water
1/2 pkg of cream cheese (about 4oz)
1 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

Boil pasta until just cooked (al dente), drain.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, brown ground beef and crumble.  Add taco seasoning and water with the ground beef and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced. 

Add the cream cheese to the beef mixture, stir until melted and combined, remove from heat.  Mix in the pasta.   Place in a lightly sprayed/oiled 9x13 baking dish.  Sprinkle on the shredded cheese. 

Bake at 350 uncovered for approximately 30 minutes.    

#1,713: Slow Cooker Pizza Pasta

This was a really easy dinner to throw together in the crockpot and bake one weekend afternoon.  My family overall enjoyed it, except for Allison who doesn't like pepperoni.  She picked her pieces off but because of that, claims she doesn't want me to make this again.  :)
I definitely suggest using a crockpot liner (that you can probably tell is still in the photo) to make clean up so much easier with this recipe.  

1 26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
8-10 oven-ready lasagna noodles broken up
1-2 c. Italian or Mozzarella cheese
Favorite pizza toppings (I used sauteed onions, 1/2 lb. ground turkey and pepperoni slices)
Garlic, Oregano and/or any other spices or seasonings you like
1/2 c. water

Pour about 1/2 c. of the sauce in the bottom of a medium slow cooker (spray it with cooking spray first).

Add 1/3 of your cheese, spices, and pizza toppings. Top with 1/2 the broken lasagna noodles.  Cover noodles with another layer of sauce.  Add 1/3 of your cheese, spices, and pizza toppings.  Top with remaining 1/2 of your broken lasagna noodles.  Cover with the rest of your sauce AND 1/2 c. of water.  Add remaining cheese, spices, and pizza topping.

Put the lid on and cook for 3-4 hours on low.

#1,667: Pizza in a Crockpot

I don't know where this recipe came from, as it's been sitting in a printed out version in my recipe file for a few years now.  I made it once before but never blogged about it, so it was about time to make it again and get in on the blog. 

My family really likes this recipe, but since it only needs about 2 hours in the crockpot, it's not something you can turn on and leave cooking for the day.  For us, this is a perfect weekend meal to make.  Some in my family also do not like pepperoni, so I substituted cooked ground mild Italian sausage instead. 

2 c elbow macaroni, cooked (under cook it a tiny bit since it will continue to cook a little in the crockpot)
1 lb ground beef or turkey, cooked
15 oz jar of pizza sauce
15 oz can tomato sauce
1 small package of pepperoni slices (I used mild Italian sausage)
1/2 lb shredded Mozzarella
Parmesan cheese (to taste)

I also added some sauteed onions to the ground beef mixture, as well as some Italian seasoning and minced garlic for added flavor. 

Mix cooked macaroni, browned ground beef (and onion if adding), pizza sauce, tomato sauce, and pepperoni (or cooked crumbled Italian sausage) in the crockpot.  Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  

Remove lid and add cheeses.  Cover and continue cooking for about 30 minutes until the cheese melts (I usually put on high at this point).  

#1,636: Easy Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

It always amazes me when I expect the kids to like a recipe and Brian to reject it...but here's another case of kids loved it/Brian liked it.  Really?!?!  I thought my kids would really enjoy this one, but if it doesn't come out of a box and full of all artifical ingredients, I guess it's not for them.  

Regardless, although I thought this was slightly under seasoned, it was still good and I'm glad at least Brian liked it.  

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted

1 cup 2% milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese (I used 8 oz of Italian Blend since it has fontina and provolone in it (see next ingredient below)...as well as some other cheeses) :) 

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded provolone cheese (I omitted)

Cook macaroni according to package directions for al dente. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine soup, milk, sour cream, butter and seasonings; cook and stir over medium-low heat until blended. Stir in cheeses until melted.

Drain macaroni; transfer to a greased 3-qt. slow cooker. Stir in cheese mixture. Cook, covered, on low 1-2 hours or until heated through. 

#1,628: Spaghetti Casserole

This was a super easy meal to make during the school week, and it made such a large pan that it gave us leftovers for another meal!  My family really, really enjoyed this spaghetti dinner and I would definitely make this again!

½ pound whole-wheat spaghetti noodles (I used regular noodles)

2 eggs

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil + extra for greasing the casserole dish

½ onion, peeled and diced

½ green bell pepper, de-seeded and diced (I omitted)

1 pound ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon salt

Crushed red pepper, to taste 

26 oz jar of your favorite red spaghetti sauce 

¾ cup ricotta cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

¼ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a rectangular baking dish with olive oil and set aside.

Cook the spaghetti noodles al dente, drain, and then mix with the eggs and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese. Put in the bottom of the casserole dish.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until soft, but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the beef to the pan and break up the meat with a spatula. Cook until the beef is brown all the way through. Drain and discard the fat.  

Add the garlic, salt, and red pepper, and cook for 1 more minute before adding the red sauce to pan. Heat for an additional few minutes.

Pour the meat/sauce mixture on top of the noodles in the casserole dish. Top with dollops of ricotta cheese, grated mozzarella, breadcrumbs, and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm and enjoy.

#1,564: Avocado Zucchini Pasta

I really believe that in order to like this recipe you have to be a huge fan of avocado (which I am) AND a huge lover of cream sauces (which I am not).  Although I liked this recipe (and I ate it with zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti), one small bowl was definitely enough for me.  I also thought it needed more texture to it so I tried adding a little bit of cheese on top...that didn't do it.  Once I added some bacon crumbles (not in the photo above) I loved this a whole lot more.  Maybe that's why it suggests the corn in this recipe (which I omitted).  Would I personally make this again? No.  Would I eat this again if someone handed it to me though?  Yes.  

12 ounces spaghetti (I used zucchini spirals/noodles)
2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup canned corn kernels, drained and rinsed (I omitted)

(I obviously skipped this step since I didn't use spaghetti)  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

To make the avocado sauce, combine avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, avocado sauce, cherry tomatoes and corn.  Serve immediately.