Cheesy Chicken Pasta

I found this recipe a couple weeks ago at www.youngancrafty.blogspot.com and have been waiting for a time to try it out.  I had cooked some chicken breasts last weekend and cubed them and placed them in the freezer so this was super quick to throw together.  I thawed the chicken in the microwave and the hardest thing was cubing the velvetta.  Since I LOVE cheese this seemed like a sure fire heat for my family.

Cheesy Chicken Pasta
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cooked and cubed
1/2 can chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
12 oz pkg of whatever kind of noodles you like
1 lb velvetta, cubed

Boil pasta according to directions.  Combine chicken, soup, broth and Rotel. Put the pasta in a casserole dish.  Cover with chicken mix. The place velvetta on top like this photo below.

Bake at 350 until Cheese is melted about 30 minutes.  Stir to allow all the pasta to be creamy and

ENJOY!!!!!

It had a spicy kick to it and was super creamy.  Can't wait to see how it is for lunch tomorrow.

Artichoke Dip

We had couples Bunco the other night and everyone has to bring food to feed the men.  So, I always bring appetizers.  I am really not a baker.  So, I thought I would try this recipe I found on Pinterest at pickycook.com. Shocker????  I (of course) "tweaked" it for me.  Cheese is a must for everything I make anymore.  So, I added another cup of mozzarella.  It was inhaled and everyone LOVED it.  I of course ate too much and liked it better than my Spinach & Artichoke Dip.  The measurements are odd but it works really well. 

Artichoke Dip
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (packed) grated
         Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of salt
2 14-ounce can artichoke hearts packed in water
          well drained and chopped in mini chopper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup Italian cheese blend
French-bread baguette sliced



Whisk the Parmesan cheese, mayo, sour cream, black pepper, garlic power, onion salt and regular salt.  Stir in chopped artichoke hearts.  Transfer to an 8x8 glass pan.  I used my small round stone baker and it fit perfectly. Cover with cheeses and more paprika.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.  You can make it a day ahead and bake for 35 minutes if chilled.  Serve with sliced bread. 

It was almost all gone at Bunco so I was happy.  I love artichokes and it's been ages since I've had some without spinach!

Enjoy!!!

500 VISITS!!

I am super excited to have 500 visits to my page.  I can't believe how many people are visiting.  I have no comments so far so I assume all is good :)  I got a very happy surprise today. 

This was in my garage when I arrived home today!!  I have been telling my hubby I wanted one so I could cook abunch on the weekends and not have to run around during the week cooking.  We do enough running as it easy with 3 busy kids :)

So look for some posts about some short cuts I have been discovering on the way to filling this happy addition to our home!  Oh, that's the wheel barrel you see in front hanging on the wall in the garage.

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole

I made this for the first time tonight and it was a HUGE hit.  Knowing I have 2 nights this week without meat, I thought we should have something meat full tonight.  Everyone loved it and I barely have a container left for work :)  It was super easy and I had everything in the fridge or pantry.  Which is my favorite on a Monday night.  Mondays always seem to be the worst.  Its the start of the week and I should have made it to the grocery store sometime over the weekend but there never seems to be anything good in the fridge on Mondays!!!

I used a recipe I found on Pinterest that I "tweaked" for me.  I added cheese.  Everything is better with cheese!!

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole
1 lb of hamburger
12 oz of spaghetti
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook the spaghetti until done.  Meanwhile, brown hamburger until no longer pink.  Drain excess grease and add spaghetti sauce to pan.  Drain spaghetti and place in large glass bowl.  Add cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese is melted and spaghetti is covered.  Add seasonings.  Pour a small amount of meat mixture into a greased 9x13 inch pan.  Cover the bottom.  Pour spaghetti mix on top of meat mixture.  Cover with remaining meat mixture.  Sprinkle with both cheeses.  Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Tortellni Pasta Salad

I made my favorite pasta salad to make total last minute for the Boy Scout carry-in today.  It makes A LOT and everyone seems to like it.  Plus, it is super easy which seems to be my requirement for everything these days. 

Tortellini Pasta Salad
2 bags frozen tortellini
10oz of cherry tomato's
1 big block Colby jack cheese
1 bottle Italian salad dressing

Cook the tortellini according to the directions.  I usually boil until the float.  Drain and let it cool in your big bowl.
Cut the tomato's in half.  Cube the cheese. Mix all together in your big bowl.  Cover the pasta mix with the salad dressing and stir to coat.  Chill until time to serve.

Be aware that the cheese may melt if the pasta isn't cool enough.  So, be prepared.

It keeps well and can be made with light dressing. 

Enjoy!!

Amaretto Slush

It is truly been a crazy week and I needed a sip of my favorite adult beverage.  I keep it frozen and dip it up when I need to unwind.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do :)

Amaretto Slush
2 frozen containers of OJ
1 frozen container of lemonade
1 cup sugar
6 cups of water
1 cup of Amaretto

Mix it all together in a freezer safe container and freeze.  Dip up with an ice cream scoop into a glass and add 7up or white soda to thin.  Enjoy!!

Mushroom Meatballs

I took my mother's tried and true recipe for Mushroom Meatballs and I adapted it to my weeknight life.  She made the meatballs from scratch growing up and they were yummy but I just don't have time for that during our crazy evening schedule these days.  I guess I could make them up on Sunday and freeze them until I am ready to make them, but I can't imagine that happening.

I have been trying to cook a meal on Sunday that makes 2 and put one in the freezer for the next week.  I think we are going to have to break down and buy a deep freeze and I am all for it.  I would love to truly try the one of the "Once A Month" freezer cooking I keep seeing on Pinterest.  But I can't now because the Market Day in the freezer is taking over :)

Here's the recipe and photo!  Hope you enjoy!

Mushroom Meatballs
1/2 to 3/4 of a bag of home style frozen meatballs
1 can of mushrooms
1/4 cup of water
2 beef bouillon cubes

Brown the meatballs on both sides in a large skillet.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every so often.  If you don't they will burn.  Add more water to make a sauce for them as needed. 

Serve with mash potato's, rice or butter noodles.  We had butter noodles (1/2 a bag of wide egg noodles cooked according to directions; drain and add 4 or 5 pats of butter to the noodles in the serving bowl)  My kids LOVE butter noodles.  We have been taking them to their "Thanksgiving Feasts" at daycare for years!!

Mid-Week Pasta Bake

I needed something quick and super easy for supper last night.  My kids love pasta and I found this recipe at http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2011/04/two-timin-pasta.html.  It was super easy and yummy.  Plus, there was some left over for lunch today :)

Mid-Week Pasta Bake
1 box Penne Pasta
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 jar Alfredo sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions.  Meanwhile, mix spaghetti and Alfredo sauces.  Add mozzarella cheese to the sauce.  Drain pasta and mix in sauce mixture.  Pour into a greased 13x9 inch pan and cook for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.  After 25 minutes, cover with Parmesan cheese and bake another 5 minutes. 

We served it with a big salad and garlic bread.  It was a hit at my house.  Hope it was at yours.

Ham Sammies

I made these for Super Bowl Sunday and they were gone in no time.  My kids and hubby inhaled them.  I found them on pinterest and of course "tweaked" them for what was in my pantry.  We LOVE Hawaiian Sweet Rolls and they are always in my pantry!!!!

Ham Sammies
1 Package of 12 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
1 onion, minced or grated
1 stick of butter
3 tablespoons honey mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons of poppy seeds
1/2 pound sliced ham
8 slices of Swiss cheese

Melt the butter in a skillet and add onions.  Saute until no longer white.  Add mustard, Worcestershire sauce and poppy seeds.  Simmer for several minutes.  Slice Rolls like it's a loaf lengthwise and place the bottom 1/2 in an aluminum foil lined 13x9 pan.  Spread 3/4 of the onion mix on top of the rolls.  Top with ham and then cheese.  Replace the roll top and then spread the remaining onion mix over the top.  Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake covered with foil for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

It has the best flavor and you can't eat just one!!!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Here is a variation on a recipe that I have made lots of times and forget about.  Which not sure why that is.  I found this variation on Pinterest (of course) and had to try it out.  Super easy and they were gobbled up in no time.  I had a harder time "drizzling" the chocolate than anything else.  I am not a neat baker/cook.

Peanut Butter Blossoms
1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo syrup
1 jar (18oz) smooth peanut butter
6 cups corn flakes
3 oz chocolate chips

Combine sugar and syrup in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until mixture comes to a full rolling bowl.  Remove from heat and stir in the jar of peanut butter.  Mix well.  Add corn flakes to a large bowl and pour the peanut butter mix over the corn flakes.  Mix well and make sure you cover all the flakes.  Scoop out with a tablespoon and form into 1-2 inch balls and drop on wax paper lined cookie sheets.  Melt chocolate for 30 seconds and then another 10 if needed. Then "drizzle" over the cookies. 

My other recipe calls for a bag of Hershey Kisses.  You drop the balls on the wax paper and press a kiss into the center of each one.  They are harder to store this way but a bigger bit of chocolate never hurts.  We store ours in an air tight container in the fridge and set them out right before serving.  That way they are not all gooey.

White Trash Dip

I made this dip to take to "Casual Girls Night" and it was a huge hit.  The guys that crashed our evening inhaled the remains.  (Not to mention the teenagers that were in the house).  I found it on Pinterest here and had to try it.  Loved it and am adding it to my list of new favorites.  It was super easy and I had all the ingredients in my pantry/fridge (which I love).  ENJOY!!

White Trash Dip
1 can chili (15oz) - I only use "no bean chili" ;)
2 packages cream cheese (8oz each), softened
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb bacon
4 green onions, chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook bacon and crumble.  Mix together chili, cheeses, bacon, and green onions in a large bowl.  Spread mixture in a pie pan. Cook for 20 minutes.  Serve with Tortilla chips.

Crockpot Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Tonight I tried to make one of my families favorites using the crockpot.  My oldest ate 3 helpings and my other two each cleared their plates.  My son was thrilled it didn't have mushrooms; his usual first question.  Next time I won't use the entire seasoning packet and it only needs to cook 4 hours.  The chicken just fell apart when I mixed it all together.  It was a great way to start my supper over my lunch hour. 

Crockpot Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
3 lb. chicken pieces
1 (2/3 oz.) pkg. Italian salad dressing mix
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 lb. of spaghetti

Directions: Place chicken pieces in crock pot and sprinkle Italian seasoning over chicken. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. melted butter. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a saucepan and sauté onion and garlic. Add Cream of Chicken Soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Stir until smooth. Add this mixture to crockpot and cook on low for an additional hour. Prepare fettuccine according to package directions.  Mix all together and serve. 

Try it out and let me know what you think :)