Chicken & Pasta With Broccoli Rabe Pesto

While Jake loves vegetables, my mister is a different story.  I have worked hard over the last 15 years to get him to at least tolerate vegetables, but tolerate is as far as I have gotten.  He comes by it naturally, his dad still won't touch a single vegetable.  Not one to give up easily, I am always looking for ways to make vegetables more appealing to him and to increase the amount I get him to eat.  When this recipe for broccoli rabe pesto popped up in my inbox I knew it would be the perfect way to do just that.  If you aren't familiar with broccoli rabe, also called rapini, it is a leafy green that has little broccoli like florets hidden amongst the leaves.  Sauteed with a little olive oil and garlic it is one of my favorite vegetables.  This pesto just takes that up to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Start out by roasting some garlic.  Roasted garlic is such an easy way to transform the flavor of your dish from ordinary to extraordinary.  On a piece of foil put a few garlic cloves (still in their peel), drizzle with a little olive oil, and crack on some salt and pepper.  You could also do the whole head of garlic and use the extras to just spread on toasted bread. (Mmm, mmm, mmm!)  Wrap the garlic up in the foil and bake at 350 for about half an hour.

While the garlic is transforming itself into sweet, garlic heaven, you can prep your broccoli rabe.  Wash it and then cut off the thick bottom stems.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Once the water it boiling, add a generous pinch of kosher salt and the broccoli rabe to the water.  Cook until it turns bright green, about 30 seconds.

Squeeze out as much of the water as you can, then put the broccoli rabe into your food processor.  Add in some freshly grated Parmesan (I use my favorite Parmesan Romano blend from Trader Joe's), kosher salt, pepper, olive oil, and then squeeze the garlic out of their skins.

Process it all for about 30 seconds, until it is smooth.  Did I mention that this freezes well?  It does, really well.  So, I usually make a double batch.  At this point, I put half of the pesto into a container, top it with press and seal, and then stick on the lid.  The other half I stick in the fridge for dinner that night because I like to make this during nap time.  You can do it all at once, but it is easier for me if I have less to do when Luke is awake.

Speaking of having less to do, one of my favorite dinner shortcuts is rotisserie chicken.  Almost every time I go to Costco I buy a rotisserie chicken.  For $4.99 I get a delicious cooked chicken that usually gives me enough for two dinners.  Josh is my official chicken cutter (I am a little, okay a lot, grossed out by the whole chicken bones and skin thing).  He portions it into a ziploc for the freezer and a container for dinner that week.

When it is time for dinner, cook your favorite pasta according to the instructions on the package.  I like shells because they act like little cups for the pesto to fill.  Before you drain the pasta, reserve a little of the pasta water.  While the pasta is draining in your colander, put the pesto and your cut up rotisserie chicken into the pot to heat up.  Add the pasta back in, stir it all together, and slowly add in the reserved pasta water until you get the consistency you want.

That's it.  You have a complete dinner with pasta, vegetables, and protein all in one delicious pot.  I always serve it with extra Parmesan on top because I can never get enough Parmesan.  This is comfort food you can feel good about serving your family!  The garlicky pesto is so unbelievably tasty.  Volunteer to do the dishes too, then you can lick the spoon, the plate, and everything else to get up every last drop of this broccoli rabe pesto and no one will ever be the wiser.  

Chicken & Pasta with Broccoli Rabe Pesto
Adapted from Josh Laurano

• 4 cloves garlic (whole and unpeeled)
• 1 bunch broccoli rabe (rapini)
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus an extra drizzle for the garlic
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and a pinch for the garlic
• 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked pepper, and a pinch for the garlic
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 1 lb. pasta
• 1/2 a rotisserie chicken cut into bite sized chunks

1. Lay the garlic cloves on a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a little pepper.  Wrap the garlic up in the foil and cook at 350 for 30 minutes.  Then set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile set a pot of water to boil.  Wash the broccoli rabe and then trim off the thick bottom stems.  When the water boils, add in a generous pinch of kosher salt and the broccoli rabe.  Cook until it turns bright green, about 30 seconds, then remove to a colander and run cold water over it.  Squeeze out as much water as you can.
3. In a food processor place the drained broccoli rabe, olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and 1 cup Parmesan.  Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and add it to the food processor.  Process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
4. Cook pasta according to the package directions, reserving 1/2 cup of the water before draining.
5. Put the pesto and chicken in the pasta pot to warm up.  Add the pasta back in and stir to coat.  Add the pasta water in slowly until you reach the desired consistency.
6. Serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

I'm linking up with Tasty Tuesday, Two Cup Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Wonderfully Creative Wednesday, Whimsy Wednesdays, Moonlight & Mason Jars,  Mad Skills, Create Link Inspire, Lou Lou Girls, Thrifty Thursday, Pin Junkie, Link Party Palooza, Best of the Weekend, Weekend Potluck, Bakerette, Pinworthy Projects, Creativity Unleashed, Show Stopper Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Saturday Night Fever, Inspiration Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Busy Monday, and Monday Funday.

Chicken Caprese Pasta

Every summer the all the boys in Josh's family go to a Dodger game.  This year's game was last night so Josh and Jake weren't home (Luke has to wait another year or two to go).  Since I was on my own for dinner I decided to make myself some pasta.  I had a small piece of fresh mozzarella leftover so I decided to make a Caprese inspired pasta dish.  This recipe is easily adapted to serve more people but it is also super simple to make for just yourself.  Because this recipe is so adaptable, it really reads more as an ingredient list than an actual recipe.  Don't let that deter you.  It is super easy and delicious.

Start out with enough chicken for however many people you are serving.  Since it was just me I used three frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders.  Season both sides with a little onion salt, some fresh cracked pepper, and a sprinkling of dried basil and oregano.  Saute over medium heat in a pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Don't flip it a bunch, you want to get that nice golden color.  When the chicken is cooked through, remove it to a cutting board and cut it into bite sized pieces.  Reduce the heat to low and pour a splash of chicken stock into the pan.  Use a wooden spoon to scrape up anything on the bottom of the pan.  Then add in a few tablespoons of olive oil, a clove of minced garlic, and some grape tomatoes (I pierced mine with a knife so they wouldn't squirt at me).  Saute until the tomatoes start to get soft and then add the chicken back into the pan.

Meanwhile cook some pasta al dente according to the directions on the package.  When the pasta is ready, drain it and then pour the chicken and tomato mixture into the pasta pot.  Dice up a little bit of fresh mozzarella, toss in a few fresh basil leaves, and stir it all together.  The heat from the pasta and sauce will wilt the basil and start to melt the mozzarella.

Serve the pasta with a little bit of shaved Parmesan (grated will work too) and a little drizzle of balsamic glaze.  This Chicken Caprese pasta combines all of the great flavors of my favorite salad, the Caprese, with my favorite food, pasta.

This dinner comes together so quickly and easily with no measuring.  It capitalizes on the fresh flavors of summer, the sweet tomatoes and fragrant basil.  Adding in the creamy mozzarella, salty Parmesan, and the sweet tang of the balsamic leaves this pasta bursting with flavor.  I like it with a side salad but if you want it to be a one dish meal, simply stir in some baby spinach or arugula with the fresh basil leaves.  Whether you are eating this alone or feeding it to your family, this Caprese Chicken Pasta is sure to please.

Chicken Caprese Pasta

• pasta
• boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders (fresh or frozen)
• onion salt
• freshly cracked pepper
• dried basil
• dried oregano
• splash of chicken stock
• olive oil
• grape tomatoes
• minced garlic 
• fresh basil
• fresh mozzarella, diced
• balsamic glaze (you could also use plain balsamic vinegar if you don't have glaze)
• fresh Parmesan (shaved or grated)

1. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the directions on the package.
2. Meanwhile, season both sides of the chicken with onion salt, pepper, dried basil, and oregano.  Cook over medium heat in a pan coated with cooking spray.  Remove and cut into bite sized pieces.
3. Pour a splash of chicken stock into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up anything from the bottom.  Add in some olive oil, minced garlic, and grape tomatoes.  When the tomatoes start to soften, return the chicken to the pan and continue to cook until the tomatoes are soft and the chicken is heated through.
4. Add the chicken and tomato mixture to the drained pasta, along with a few leaves of basil and some diced fresh mozzarella.
5. Serve topped with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and some Parmesan.

I'm linking up with Showcase Your Talent Thursday, Create It Thursday, Thrifty Thursday, Cook It Craft It Share It, Pin Junkie, Pin It Thursday, Link Party Palooza, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Best of the Weekend, Weekend Potluck, Bakerette, Inspiration Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Craftastic Monday, Busy Monday, Monday Funday, Lou Lou Girls, Tips & Tricks, Mad Skills, Create Link Inspire, Tasty Tuesday, Two Cup Tuesday, Whimsy Wednesday, Wednesday Whatsits, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Tasty Tuesdays, and Wonderfully Creative Wednesday.

Arugula, Sun Dried Tomato, & Feta Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is one of my favorite party foods.  When I throw a birthday party, I tend to go all out (check out my Cars and Superman parties here: 1, 2, 3, 4), so I like foods that can be made in advance and don't need to be served hot.  This arugula, sun-dried tomato, and feta pasta salad is one I turn to again and again.  I regularly get asked for the recipe so I thought I would post it on here so that everyone can make it.

What really sets this pasta salad apart is the dressing.  It's based on a salad dressing that my stepmom makes.  The trick is a combination of two vinegars, red wine and rice wine.  A lot of pasta salads use a pre-made dressing but homemade dressings are super easy and make a huge difference.

Start out by cooking your pasta according to the directions on the pasta.  I used penne this time but any short pasta you like is perfect.  While your pasta is cooking make the dressing.  Combine some extra-virgin olive oil with equal parts rice wine and red wine vinegars.  Stir in a little dijon mustard, dried oregano, onion salt, and pepper.

Drain the pasta and then toss with the dressing while it's still warm.  Refrigerate the pasta until it is cool then add in a container of feta with mediterranean herbs and half of a jar of julienned sun-dried tomatoes.  I got my feta and my tomatoes at Trader Joe's.

Toss it all together and refrigerate until ready to serve.  You can make it to this point the day before.

Right before serving, add in about half of a package of arugula and toss it all together.  Then sit back and wait for the compliments to come rolling in.  This is the perfect pasta salad to bring to a barbecue this holiday weekend.

Arugula, Sun-Dried Tomato, & Feta Pasta Salad

• 1 lb. pasta, penne or other short shape
• 4 oz. oil-packed julienned sun-dried tomatoes
• 6 oz. package crumbled feta with mediterranean herbs
• 3 1/2 oz. arugula

For Dressing:

• 3 oz. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbls. red wine vinegar
• 3 tbls. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. onion salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. While pasta cooks whisk together all dressing ingredients.  Drain pasta and toss with dressing while still warm.  Cover and refrigerate until cool.
3. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and feta and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Right before serving, add arugula and toss well.

I'm linking up with Wednesday Whatsits, Wake Up Wednesdays, Whimsy Wednesdays, Made By Me, Showcase Your Talent Thursday, Pin It Thursday, Thrifty Thursday, Pin Junkie, Moonlight & Mason Jars, T.G.I.F., Link Party Palooza, Best of the Weekend, Weekend Potluck, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Inspiration Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Craftastic Monday, Monday Funday, Busy Monday, Two Cup Tuesday, Tips & Tricks, Create Link Inspire, Mad Skills, and Lou Lou Girls.  

Chicken Sausage Wonderpot

I've been seeing these amazing recipes all over Pinterest for one pot pasta recipes where everything cooks together at once, including the pasta!  This is pretty much the greatest idea ever for me considering that pasta is my favorite food, I hate doing dishes, and with an infant I need meals that minimize my hands on cooking time.  So, I finally decided to give one a try.  Here is my spin on the "Wonderpot."

Start out by slicing up about a pound of sausage (I used 5 links).

You can use any sort of precooked sausage that you like.  I LOVE this one from Costco! 

Then take a pound of grape tomatoes and halve them.

Get a yellow onion.  Peel it, quarter it, and slice it.  I did all of that slicing while Lucas napped and threw it all in a big ziploc bag and stuck it back in the fridge.  Then when I was ready to make dinner I just poured it into my pan.

You will need a big pan, one wide enough for the spaghetti to lay flat and deep enough to hold all of the ingredients.  In addition to the sausage, onion, and tomatoes put in a pound of spaghetti, 4 1/2 cups of water, garlic, fresh julienned basil, salt & pepper, and dried Italian seasoning.

Cover the pan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat (use tongs to mix it up once or twice).  Once the water is boiling uncover the pan and continue to cook for about 9 minutes, mixing it with your tongs every 3 minutes or so.  The water will be mostly absorbed by this point but not completely because it is your sauce.

In the last minute, stir in some fresh spinach so it can wilt.  Then stir in a bunch of shredded cheese.  I used Trader Joe's quattro formaggio but plain Parmesan would be really good too.  It will melt into the liquid giving you a deliciously cheesy sauce. 

Twenty minutes, one pan, dinner is served!

Chicken Sausage Wonderpot

• 1 pound precooked chicken sausage, sliced into coins
• 1 pound grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered and sliced
• 1 lb. spaghetti
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
• pinch red pepper flakes (optional) 
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• handful fresh basil leaves, julienned
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded Quattro Formaggio

1. Place all ingredients except spinach and cheese in a wide, deep pan.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  
2. Once it is boiling, uncover and continue to cook 9 minutes, mixing every 3 minutes with tongs. 
3. In the last minute stir in the spinach so it just wilts.
4. Stir in the cheese so that it melts into the liquid.
5. Serve with extra cheese and red pepper flakes if desired. 

I'm linking up with Two Cup Tuesday, Whimsy Wednesday, Wake Up Wednesday, Wednesday Whatsits, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Pin It Thursday, Create it Thursday, Get Him Fed Friday, Pin Junkie, Weekend Potluck, Best of the Weekend, Link Party Palooza, Show Stopper Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Inspiration Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Craftastic Monday, Busy Monday, Monday Funday, Create Link Inspire, and Mad Skills Party.

Corvina, Spinach, & Pasta in Garlic Sauce

I try to make sure we eat fish at least once a week but I have to confess, I don't love cooking it.  We tend to eat a lot of frozen fish that I can just pop straight into the oven and Josh is getting kind of burned out on the lack of variety in our fish meals so I was determined to try something new.  Then I saw that wild caught Corvina (a fish that I had never heard) was on sale at Sprouts this week so I decided to give it a whirl.  Since it is a new fish to us I wanted to keep the rest of the flavors familiar and simple.  I remembered a seafood pasta we had eaten on a cooking demonstration a few years back in Alaska and used that recipe as my jumping off point.

Start out by heating up some olive oil in a large, deep pan (big enough to hold the whole meal) over medium heat.  Add some anchovy paste to the pan and saute it for about a minute.  If you aren't normally a fan of the anchovy, trust me.  The anchovy adds a really nice depth of flavor but it isn't overwhelming.  Just try it, I promise you will like it.

Add in a whole bunch of minced garlic.  Remember this is a garlic sauce.  If you don't like garlic, this recipe is not for you (but seriously who doesn't like garlic?).  This recipe is very garlicky and oh so good.  Stir constantly for a few minutes until the garlic begins to turn golden and then remove it from the heat.  This will let the garlic get sweet and delicious without going too far and burning.

Pour in some white wine, then put the pan back on the burner.  Bring it to a boil until it is reduced by half.  While that is happening, cut your fish into bite-sized pieces and then add the Corvina into the pan.

Continue to cook stirring occasionally, until the fish turns white (about five minutes).

While you are making the fish and garlic sauce, cook a half pound of pasta to al dente according to the package instructions.

Once the fish is cooked through, add the drained pasta into the sauce and toss completely.  Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.  Cut the butter into small pieces and dot them all over the top of the pasta.

Add in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach and squeeze the lemon juice all over it.  Then stir it all together until the butter is melted.

That's it, a one-pan fish meal that is easy and delicious.  Serve with freshly grated parmesan if you want (I always do).

Corvina, Spinach, & Pasta in Garlic Sauce

• 4 tbls. olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. anchovy paste
• 1/3 cup minced garlic
• 2/3 cup white wine
• 1 lb. Corvina or other white fish, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 lb. dry pasta
• 4 tbls. butter, cut into small pieces
• about 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• juice of 1/2 of a lemon
• parmesan (optional)

1. Cook pasta to al dente according to instructions on package.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil over medium heat in a deep pan large enough to hold the entire meal.  Add anchovy paste to pan and saute for about a minute.
3. Add garlic to pan and saute, stirring constantly, until garlic begins to turn light golden.  Remove from heat and pour in wine to deglaze the pan.
4. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a boil.  Stir occasionally and continue to boil until reduced by half.
5. Put Corvina pieces into pan and cook until fish turns white, about 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Add in the drained pasta and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper.  Stir to combine.
7. Scatter the pieces of butter all over the top, then add in spinach and squeeze lemon juice all over the top.  Stir it all together and continue to cook until the butter is melted.
8. Serve with parmesan if desired. 

I'm linking up with Create It Thursday, Showcase Your Talent Thursday, Pin It Thursday, Thrifty Thursday, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Pin Junkie, Link Party Palooza, and Show Stopper Saturday.

Quick Turkey Bolognese

Do you ever get in a dinner rut where you make the same things week after week?  This was one of those recipes for me a few years ago until I decided to start trying new recipes on a regular basis.  It was a great decision because I've discovered tons of great recipes, but I sort of forgot about the recipes that used to be our favorites.  Now that we have a new baby, I find myself returning to those old recipes that I can make without even thinking about it (since I'm pretty sleep deprived and my brain isn't fully functional right now). 

This recipe for quick turkey bolognese is one of those old favorites.  It is perfect for a busy mama because it is easy to throw together and gives you homemade sauce taste without hours of cook time.

Start out by browning your turkey and onions in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.  When the turkey is cooked through, drain any fat from the pan.

While the turkey is browning, put the diced carrots in a small microwave-safe bowl with about 1/4 cup of water.  Cover it and cook on high for 6 minutes.  Using fresh carrots instead of frozen will add to the home-cooked taste and par-cooking them in the microwave allows you to cut down on the simmer time for the sauce.

To the browned turkey and onions, add in some garlic, the par-cooked carrots, a can of crushed tomatoes (I prefer San Marzano), a little red wine, some Italian herbs (basil, oregano, & thyme), salt and pepper, and if you're feeling spicy a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Turn the heat down to low so that the sauce is just simmering and then start a pot of water for your pasta.  Your sauce will continue to simmer, with you stirring occasionally, while your pasta cooks according to the instructions on the package.

About two minutes before your pasta is ready to be drained stir about a tablespoon of veal demi-glace into the sauce.  I bought mine at Williams-Sonoma.  If you don't have any, the sauce will still be good, but I highly recommend picking some up.  It really adds great depth of flavor and makes this sauce taste like it simmered for much longer than it really did.

Top with fresh Parmesan and enjoy!

Quick Turkey Bolognese

• 1 cup diced carrots
• 20 oz. ground turkey
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red wine
• salt and pepper to taste
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tbls. veal demi glace (optional)
• Parmesan 

1. Place the diced carrots and 1/4 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl.  Cover and microwave on high for five to six minutes.
2. While the carrots cook, brown the ground turkey and onion in a deep skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  When the turkey is cooked through, drain any fat and return to the heat.
3. Add the remaining ingredients except the demi glace and Parmesan.  Stir to combine and reduce heat to low.  
4. Simmer while bringing pasta water to boil and cooking the pasta, stirring sauce occasionally.
5. Two minutes before the pasta is finished cooking, stir veal demi glace into the sauce.
6. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan

I'm linking up with Tasty Tuesdays, Two Cup Tuesdays, Create, Link, Inspire, Whimsy Wednesdays, Wake Up Wednesdays, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Pin It Thursday, Thrifty Thursday,  Create It Thursday, Link Party Palooza, Best of the Weekend, Show Stopper Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, and Inspiration Monday.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna

Christmas Eve with my in-laws means pizza.  I'm not sure how the tradition got started, but every year they go out for pizza at Chi-Chi's and the ladies tend to order pasta.  Since we had a newborn this year, they came to us and picked up pizzas.  I wanted to have pasta but needed something make-ahead because you never know when you will be able to cook.  I knew lasagna was the perfect solution but I had a small challenge.  My father-in-law doesn't eat any vegetables and my niece has recently become a vegetarian so we really needed two lasagnas.  For the vegetarian lasagna I wanted to use butternut squash because my niece really likes it and she was my target audience.  I came across this great recipe from How Sweet Eats and then added in some spinach because I always like to have a green vegetable.  I also left off the sage because I heard it can decrease your milk supply and I'm nursing.  This was A-MA-ZING!  That being said, there was a puddle of grease on top and on the bottom when I cut into it, so I set about making a few changes to try to avoid that when I made it again.  I reduced the amount of butter and replaced a third of the mascarpone with some part-skim ricotta.   All I can say is YUM!

Start out by roasting some butternut squash.  I just bought the bag of pre-cubed butternut squash from Trader Joe's because I don't have time to peel and cut a butternut squash.  Put the squash on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Drizzle it with olive oil and then sprinkle on some salt, pepper, and a little ground nutmeg.  Bake it at 400 for 25-30 minutes, then mash it.  You don't need to make a puree, chunks are perfectly delicious.

To make the cheese mixture, thinly slice a shallot and mince a few cloves of garlic.  Melt a little butter in a skillet over medium and add in the shallots and garlic.  Cook for a few minutes swirling your pan every 30 seconds or so.

Take about a third of a bag of frozen chopped spinach, defrost it in the microwave, and press out as much liquid as you can.  Then in a medium bowl, combine the spinach with some parmesan, ricotta, room temperature mascarpone, the butter, shallot, and garlic mixture, and some salt and pepper.

Spray an 8 x 8 baking pan (this is plenty for my little family but you can easily double this and bake it in a 9 x 13 pan) with cooking spray.  Take a little of the cheese and spinach mixture and spread it around the bottom of the pan.

Lay two no-bake lasagna noodles on top of the cheese and spinach mixture.  Spread half of the mashed squash on top of the lasagna noodles then spread half of the remaining cheese and spinach mixture on top of that.

Sprinkle on some grated parmesan and some mozzarella.  Repeat the layers one more time with the remaining squash, cheese and spinach mixture, parmesan, and mozzarella.

At this point, I recommend refrigerating it overnight so the flavors can marry and the no-boil noodles come out softer.  You can bake it right away if you want but making it ahead is so convenient.

If you made it ahead, about 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the lasagna, remove it from the fridge.   Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden brown.  (As you can see, I did have a little bit of grease on the top this time too, but I just blotted it off with a paper towel.)

Let it sit for about 10 minutes before cutting into it and serving.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna

• 12 oz. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 tbls. olive oil
• salt and pepper
• nutmeg 
• 4 no boil lasagna noodles
• 8 oz. mascarpone, room temperature
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 1/4 cups grated parmesan
• about 5 oz. frozen chopped spinach
• 1 tbls. butter
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella

1. Preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Put squash on baking sheet and drizzle with oil.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg.  Stir to coat.  Bake for about 30 minutes then mash squash and set aside.  If baking lasagna immediately, reduce oven temperature to 350.
3. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the shallot and garlic.  Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so.
4. To make the spinach and cheese mixture, defrost the spinach and press out as much moisture as you can.  
5. In a medium bowl combine the defrosted spinach, mascarpone, ricotta, 3/4 cup of the parmesan, salt and pepper, and the butter, shallot, and garlic mixture.
6. Spray an 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray and spread about 1/4 cup of the spinach and cheese mixture on the bottom.  Top with 2 no-boil lasagna noodles.
7. Spread half of the butternut squash over the noodles and then spread half of the remaining spinach and cheese mixture on top of that.
8. Sprinkle on 1/4 cup of parmesan and half of the mozzarella.
9. Repeat your layers one more time: noodles, squash, spinach and cheese mixture, parmesan, and mozzarella.
10. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  Let sit 10 minutes before cutting and serving.  *If making ahead, refrigerate overnight.  Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before baking.

I'm linking up with Pin It Thursday, Create It Thursday, Moonlight & Mason Jars,  Thrifty Thursday, Pin Junkie, Link Party Palooza, Show Stopper Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Inspiration Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Mad Skills Monday, Create, Link, Inspire, Two Cup Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays, Wonderfully Creative Wednesdays, and Whimsy Wednesdays.

Pasta with Tuna, Lemon, & Peas

Who likes one dish meals they can make using mostly pantry ingredients in 20 minutes or less?  Me too!  This meal is exactly that.  A while back I pinned this recipe because I try to serve fish once a week but my husband is not the biggest fan.  Also, while I love fish, I don't really love cooking it.  Add to that the fact that it is such an expensive protein (especially my favorite varieties) and it is hard to fit it into our diets even though I know how good it is for us.

That is why this recipe is so perfect.  It uses canned tuna so I always have it on hand and since it is already cooked it is super quick.  Add in some frozen peas and fresh lemon and parmesan for both tang and salt and you have a delicious and easy complete meal on the table in no time at all.

Start out by boiling some water for your pasta.  I used the Barilla white fiber because I love how quickly it cooks up.   In the short time it takes your pasta to cook, the sauce will be ready.

When your water is almost boiling, add some olive oil and minced garlic to a pan over low heat (I was out of fresh garlic so I used a frozen garlic cube from TJ's).  After about a minute add in your tuna (oil packed) and some frozen peas using a spoon to break it all up and mix it together.  Remember that your tuna is cooked so you are just heating everything up.

When the pasta is ready, drain it and add it to the pan with your tuna and peas.  Add in a generous amount of parmesan (as usual I used the TJs Parmesan & Romano blend), the juice of a lemon, and a little bit of butter cut up into small pieces so it will melt quickly.  Stir it all together and once the butter is melted your dinner is ready.  You could also add some red pepper flakes here to add a little spice but we like it as is.

I love this meal because it has the comfort food quality of a tuna noodle casserole, but all in a few minutes without turning on the oven or dirtying a casserole dish.  So there you have it, fish for dinner in a few minutes, with a few ingredients.

Pasta with Tuna, Lemon, & Peas

• 6 oz. Barilla white fiber pasta (half a box)
• 2 tbls. olive oil
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 cans tuna packed in olive oil
• 1 cup frozen peas
• juice of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan, (the fresh kind, not the shelf stable)
• 2 tbls. butter, cut into small pieces

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pan heat olive oil over low heat.  Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Add in tuna and peas, stirring occasionally, and continue to cook over low for about 5 minutes or until heated through.
4. Add drained pasta to tuna mixture and then stir in parmesan, lemon juice, and butter.

I'm linking up with Link Party Palooza, Best of the Weekend, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Weekend Potluck, Super Saturday, Show Stopper Saturday, Sunday Linky, Marvelous Monday, Inspiration Monday, and Tasty Tuesday.

Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Spinach, and Smashed Tomatoes

This wasn't what I had planned to make for dinner tonight, but then Josh and I both bought Italian sausage at the store so I knew I needed to use one of them ASAP.   I had half a pint of grape tomatoes and 1/3 of a bag of spinach waiting to be used up so I decided to combine those three and make a quick one dish meal.  I apologize in advance for a severe lack of amounts in the ingredients.  This was a "to taste" recipe.

I forgot the Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, thyme)

Have you tried this white fiber pasta yet?  It is called "mini" but it cooks up to be pretty big.  Added to that, it cooks in 4-5 minutes which is a huge plus in my book.  I highly recommend it.

Start out by heating up a large saute pan (one big enough to hold all of the ingredients at the end) coated with cooking spray.  Then add in about a pound of Italian sausage (I used chicken sausage) breaking it up as it cooks.  When it is cooked set the sausage aside and wipe out the pan with a paper towel.  (If you use pork sausage you may need to drain it first, the chicken doesn't really leave fat.)

Fill a pot with water to boil the pasta.  While you wait for your water to boil, start the sauce.  

Add some olive oil to the pan and heat it over low heat.  I never measure olive oil, I just swirl around the pan a few times a la Rachael Ray.  When the oil is hot toss in 3 whole cloves of garlic.

Saute the garlic for about 5 minutes flipping the garlic around a couple of times.  Then add some basil, oregano, thyme (you can also just use a pre-made Italian seasoning), and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Once the garlic is starting to get softer and golden add in grape tomatoes (I used 1/2 a pint but I think a full pint would have been even better).  Cover the pan and let the tomatoes and garlic saute for about 5 minutes (shaking the pan back and forth a few times) until the tomatoes are soft and bursting their skin.  

Somewhere in here your water should be boiling so put your pasta in.  If you are using the white fiber, remember it only takes about 5 minutes to boil.

Now for the fun part.  If you aren't wearing an apron, you may want to throw one on.  Take your potato masher and gently mash up the garlic and tomatoes.  Not all of my tomatoes had burst their skin so they squirted a bit when I mashed them.  It all stayed in the pan, but better safe than sorry if you ask me (and the pale pink dress I was wearing).

When everything is nice and mashed...

throw on a few handfuls of baby spinach and add the sausage back in.  Stir it all together.  

By now your pasta should be cooked.  Stir the pasta and 1/4 cup of parmesan into the sauce and if it is a little dry you can add in a little more olive oil or about 1/4 cup of the pasta water.  If you want, you can stop here.  This was what I intended to have for dinner.

While I was taking this photo the pregnant voice in my head told me that this really could use some more cheese, and I have zero willpower.  Soooo, I poured this back in the pan and added about 1/2 a cup of Trader Joe's quattro formaggio.  If you don't have a TJ's this is a blend of shredded parmesan, asiago, provolone, and fontina.

 That's more like it.  If you ask me, everything is better with more cheese.  If I'm totally honest, I served this with extra grated parmesan and red pepper flakes on the side.  I can't help myself.

 MMMMMMM!

Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Spinach, and Smashed Tomatoes

• 1 lb. bulk chicken Italian sausage
• 1/2 box pasta (I used Barilla White Fiber Mini Rotini)
• 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 pint to 1 pint grape tomatoes
• dried basil, oregano, and thyme
• red pepper flakes
• 1/3 - 1/2 bag baby spinach
• grated parmesan
• TJ's quattro formaggio (optional)

1.  Heat a large saute pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks.  When the sausage is cooked through, remove it from the pan and wipe it out with a paper towel.
2. Turn the heat down to low and add the olive oil to the pan.  Once it is heated add the garlic cloves to the pan whole and saute, flipping the garlic a few times, for about 5 minutes or until the garlic is starting to soften and turn golden.  Then add the tomatoes, a few shakes each of basil and oregano, a pinch of thyme, and a pinch of red pepper.  Cover the pan and saute for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan a few times to move them around.
3. Meanwhile start your pasta.  *Keep in mind if you use the white fiber that it only takes about 5 minutes to cook.
4. When your tomatoes are soft and the skins are bursting take a potato masher and mash the tomatoes and garlic.  Then stir in the spinach and the cooked sausage.
5. Add in your cooked pasta, 1/4 cup parmesan, and the 1/2 cup quattro formaggio if desired.
6. Stir it all together.  If it seems a little dry, add 1/4 cup pasta water or some more olive oil.
7. Enjoy!

I'm linking up with Tasteful Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, Wonderful Food Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Best of the Weekend, Pin Junkie, Suburbs Mama, and Link Party Palooza.