Italian Chicken

 I'm embarrassed to admit, but it's been a long while since I was in the kitchen.  Blame it on the summer heat, just pure laziness or whatever, but I had no motivation for cooking.  That was until I found this recipe on Pinterest. 

{My picture didn't do it as much justice as the original}

Ingredients:
4-5 Roma Tomatoes (all of the Romas looked bad so I opted for Cherry Tomatoes)
1 can Artichoke Hearts
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. flour
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
mozzarella cheese
EVOO
Salt & Pepper to taste
Basil to garnish

Directions: 
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.  Core and chop about the  tomatoes.
3.  Thinly slice two cloves of garlic.
4.  Drain a small jar of artichoke hearts.
5.  Place all ingredients in a bowl and pour in a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a generous amount of S&P, a teaspoon of sugar, a couple tablespoons of flour.
6.  Place the tomato mixture in with the boneless skinless chicken breasts.
7.  Bake until the chicken is almost done.
8.  Take the almost done chicken out of the oven and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.
9.  Place the chicken under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is golden brown and the vegetables are caramelized.
10. When you pull the chicken out of the oven, sprinkle some fresh basil on top and the heat of the dish will wilt the basil.

The Verdict:
It was oh, so yummy!  I let Fred add the cheese and he added a little too much, but it was delicious.  The meal was very quick and easy to make.   I served it with the veggie noodles and a salad.  Not bad for a weeknight meal.

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

Recipe from:  The Daily Dish

Ingredients:

- 10 lasagna noodles, cooked

- 10 oz of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with a paper towel

- 1 (15 oz) container of part skim ricotta (I used the Sorrento brand)

- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

- 1 egg

- Salt & pepper to taste

- 1 (32 oz) jar of tomato sauce, for topping

- 10 tbsp of part skim shredded Mozzarella, for topping

-1 lb. spicy Italian sausage 

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Cook lasagna noodles and brown sausage

3. Take a 9 x 13 baking dish and place 1 cup of tomato sauce at the bottom. Spread the sauce around evenly.  

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper all together. 

5. Lay a piece of wax paper out on the counter and lay out the cooked lasagna noodles (making sure they are dry).  

6. Take 2 tbsp of the ricotta mixture and spread evenly across the noodle. 

7. Starting from one side, roll the noodle carefully and place the seam side down onto the baking dish.

8. Repeat this process with the remaining noodles. 

9. Place about 1/4 of a cup of sauce over each noodle in the baking dish (or until the top of the noodle is covered in sauce). 

10. Then also top each roll up with 1 tbsp of the shredded mozzarella. 

11. Cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes (or until the cheese melts). 

**We loved this recipe.  It was so yummy!  Fred even requested that it be put "in the rotation".  I served it with salad and bread. 

Pizza Spaghetti Casserole

{recipe from here}

Ingredients

12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (1-lb.) package mild ground pork sausage
2 ounces turkey pepperoni slices (about 30), cut in half
1 (26-oz.) jar tomato-and-basil pasta sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (8-oz.) package shredded Italian three-cheese blend

Preparation

1. Cook spaghetti with 1/2 tsp. salt according to package directions. Drain well, and place in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

2. Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and set aside. Wipe skillet clean. Add pepperoni, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until slightly crisp.

3. Top spaghetti in baking dish with sausage; pour pasta sauce over sausage. Arrange half of pepperoni slices evenly over pasta sauce. Sprinkle evenly with cheeses. Arrange remaining half of pepperoni slices evenly over cheese. Cover with nonstick or lightly greased aluminum foil.

4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes; remove foil, and bake 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and just begins to brown.

**This was wonderful!! Add a little more sauce than the recipe called for to make it tastier! We will definitely have it again.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

Recipe from: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
1 cup Heavy Cream - I only used 1/2 cup
Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
Fresh Basil, Chopped - omitted
1-½ pound Fettuccine - I used orecchiette

Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

**This was absolutely delicious. I even added some Italian sausage because Fred likes meat in his pasta. It tasted like something from an Italian restaurant. I served it with a spinach, dried cranberry, toasted almond salad. Delish!

Chicken Spaghetti

Recipe from: Natasha at A Day in the Life

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts--boil in water to cook and then cut up into small pieces (or I cooked mine in the crock-pot for a few hours covered in Rotel then shredded)
8-10 oz. of spaghetti--cooked in water that chicken was boiled in (I broke mine into 3 inch pieces)
1 can Rotel
1 lb. Velveeta (1/2 a block)
3 tbsp. worcheshire
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp of butter

Directions:
Mix all the above ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins or until bubbly.

**This was super easy and very delicious. We will be having this again. :)

Spicy Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 eggs, beaten
12 lasagna noodles, cooked, rinsed and drained - I used 9 noodles ...because they come 18 to a pack and I had made lasagna before...if you use 12 what are you going to do with the other 6?!?! But I did not adjust the other ingredients and it worked out just fine

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375ºF.
2. Mix first 3 ingredients; combine 1/2 cup (I put about 3/4 a cup with the other ingredients) with chicken, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan and eggs. Spread 1/4 cup onto each noodle; roll up.
3. Spread 1/2 cup of the remaining sauce mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish (I used a 9x9 square baking dish since I only had 9 roll ups); cover with lasagna rolls (seam-sides down), remaining sauce mixture and mozzarella.
4. Bake 25 min. or until heated through.

Easy Calzone

Recipe from: Simply Made...with Love

Ingredients:
1 can of crescent rolls
pepperoni (or any pizza topping you want)
shredded mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
1 T. italian seasoning
pinch of garlic salt
olive oil (1 T)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to time directed on rolls can. Roll out 4 separate rectangles (2 triangular squares together).
2. Place pepperoni on top of the dough. Place cheese on top of the pepperoni (in the center).
3. Roll dough & pinch dough to seal the ends. Brush with olive oil & seasonings. 4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until dough is brown.

**We loved these. They were so easy and so delicious. I made two chicken and two pepperoni.

Homemade Lasagna

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon white sugar

12 ounces cottage cheese or Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg

9 lasagna noodles
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook beef until brown. Drain. In another skillet over medium heat, cook onion until translucent. Combine beef and onion in a large saucepan with tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour.
2. While sauce is simmering, blend cottage cheese, Parmesan and egg until smooth. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover sauce with 3 noodles. Cover noodles with one-third of remaining sauce. Top with half the mozzarella. Place another layer of noodles and one of sauce over the mozzarella; top that with the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce.
6. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top and bake 15 minutes more, until golden and bubbly.

*I was impressed at how easy it was to make. It was delicious and my family enjoyed it! Too bad I forgot to take a picture!

Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes

From: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
1 can Artichoke Hearts (14.5 Oz. Quartered Or Whole) Drained
1 can Diced Tomatoes With Juice (14.5 Oz.)
1 cup Heavy Cream
½ cups Chicken Broth (More As Needed)
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
Salt And Pepper (to Taste)
1 pound Thin Spaghetti
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives (or Other Herbs) Chopped

Preparation Instructions
1. Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not undersalt!) Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.
4. Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. 5. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

For the complete tutorial, click here.

Spinach Ravioli Bake

From: What's For Dinner?

Ingredients:
2 Cups Spaghetti Sauce
1 Package (25 ounces) Frozen Italian Sausage Ravioli
OR Ravioli of your choice (Cheese for Vegetarians)
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Package (10 ounces) Frozen Chopped Spinach, Thawed and Squeezed Dry
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
1. Grease a 2-qt. baking dish.
2. Place 1 Cup spaghetti sauce in greased dish. Top with half of the frozen ravioli (ravioli does not need to be cooked, it can be frozen), mozzarella cheese, spinach and Parmesan cheese.
3. Repeat Layers.
4. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

For other great recipes, visit What's For Dinner?

Chicken Pesto Pizza

From: Think Happy Thoughts


Ingredients:
Premade Pizza Dough
Basil Pesto Sauce
Chicken Breast - boneless skinless
Fontina Cheese - cut up into small pieces
Olive Oil
Black Olives - sliced
Diced vidalia onions (optional)
Balsamic Vinegar (or your fav balsamic dressing)
Salt + Pepper
Garlic Salt (or raw garlic if you are watching the sodium, hehe)
Flour
Pizza Stone - or cookie sheet

1. First take the pizza dough out of its packaging, form it into a big ball, put it in a deep bowl, drizzle olive oil over the top, and cover the bowl with a dish towel. The dough needs to rise and it should take about 20 mins. At the same time - preheat your oven for 400-450. The best pizza is cooked in a HOT oven.

2. While the dough is rising you can cook your chicken in a skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom of the skillet with olive oil - not too thick though or you will end up with oily fried chicken! If you are using the onions you can add them now. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and any other seasoning you like.

3. As the chicken begins to cook I start to cut it up, right in the skillet, into bite sized pieces. (I hate cutting raw chicken so I always wait until the outside is tough and white.) Drizzle a bit of balsamic oil over the cooking chicken (I use a capful). It should reduce and become syrupy and sweet. I usually don't overcook my chicken because it is going to bake in the oven. Once I do the cut test and see the inside is no longer pink I take it off of the burner and allow it to cool.

4. When the dough has risen, sprinkle some flour over the top of the dough ball and onto some counter space. You can roll your dough out - but I HIGHLY advise just using your hands to work it into whatever shape pan you plan on cooking the pizza on. I usually don't put anything on my pizza stone, but if you are using a cookie sheet you need to cover it with olive oil.

5. After you have shaped your dough and put it on its baking sheet, spoon on the basil pesto. This is another time when you can use as much or as little as you wish. If you go with a little bit of pesto, make sure to add some olive oil so the pizza remains moist.

6. Bake your pizza for 5-10 min so that the crust begins to form. (I just added this step on Monday and it was the first time our pizza had real chewy crust!)

7. Remove the pizza and while it is still boiling hot arrange the toppings in this order: chicken, olives, cheese.

6. Put your pizza in the oven and cook it for 20 minutes. If you have never made pizza in your oven I recommend that you constantly check on it to make sure nothing is burning.

Paula Deen's Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1 3/4 pound)
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup sliced carrots (about 3 small)
2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 medium)
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
Grated Parmesan, (optional)

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add chicken, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add onion and carrot, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
4. Top each serving with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.


Recipe can be found here!