Cross Country Pasta Party {Spaghetti & Baked Ziti}

My Dad taught me how to make 'Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce'! He has 3 items on the household menu that he cooks: Spaghetti, French Toast, and Frozen Pizza's. I must add that he makes them all very well... he knows his stuff!

Here is how you 'doctor up' a jar of Prego, and let me tell you, there is a real transformation here!

Dad's Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce:

Ingredients:

1- four pound jar of Prego

1- pound of Italian sausage

1-pound of ground lean hamburger

1 T oregano

1 T Italian seasoning

2 T sugar

1 large onion

1 T olive oil

Directions:

Cook Italian sausage and hamburger, drain juices. Cut up onion, and simmer in olive oil on medium heat in a separate pan from the meat. Add seasonings and sugar. Combine all of the ingredients, along with the Prego. Simmer for 10 minutes, then serve over your choice of pasta.

In order to feed the 45 hungry athletes, I tripled the sauce recipe, boiled pounds of angel hair spaghetti pasta, added a salad, toasted french bread and made Rachel's Baked Ziti:

BAKED ZITI

1 lb ziti/penne pasta

1 onion chopped

1 lb ground turkey

1 cup cottage cheese

1 clove minced garlic

light sour cream

8 oz sliced provolone cheese

1 c. shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese

1 50 oz jar pasta sauce

Spray casserole dish

Boil and drain pasta and set aside

brown ground turkey, onion and garlic - add pasta sauce

layer 1/2 the pasta, a layer of provolone, a thin layer of the light sour cream and cottage cheese, 1/2 the sauce mixture, remaining pasta, the mozzarella and remaining sauce. Top with the parmesan.

Cook for 30 min @350 or until warm and cheeses are melted.

The Baked Ziti a great dish, and freezes well.

I must add that the girls brought dessert, and the boys donated the drinks! Go Nighthawks!

Chicken & Pasta with Peanut Sauce

This is sooooo good! As a bonus it is terribly easy! The only thing you have to cook is the pasta! This has been a long time favorite at our house!

Ingredients

6 ounces dried fettuccine or linguine

1 cups snow peas

1 cup cooked chicken strips (I like to use part of a roitisserrie chicken)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh pineapple or one 8-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Place the snow peas and chicken in a large colander. Pour hot cooking liquid from pasta over pea pods and chicken in colander; drain well. Return pasta, pea pods, and chicken to the hot pan. Add pineapple.

2. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan stir chicken broth into peanut butter. Heat and stir with a whisk until peanut butter melts. Stir in soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper, and garlic; heat through.

3. Add sauce to the pasta mixture. Gently stir to coat pasta with sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Pumpkin Pasta

My dear friend Marianna made this dish last year and now that fall is in the air I remembered how delicious it was and had to make it!

1 pound fettuccini

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups slice yellow onion

1/4 cup minced shallot

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese,divided

2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Garnish: fresh thyme

1. In a large stock pot, bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil over high heat.

Add fettucini, and cook according to package. Drain well.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add

yellow onion and shallot. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 -7 minutes,

or until onion is translucent.

3. Add pumpkin to pan, stirring to combine. Add chicken broth, thyme,

bay leaves, salt, and pepper, stir again. Simmer for 7-10

minutes, stirring frequently , or until sauce is thickened. Add 1 1/2

cups Gouda, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, and pasta, stirring gently.

Remove bay leaves. Top with remaining 1/2 cup Gouda, 1/2 cup

Parmesan. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.

Pasta with Veggies and Shrimp

This is a fast, no fuss dinner.  With healthy oil and lots of veggies, this dinner is good for you!  

8 oz Fettuccine1/2 LB raw Shrimp, de-viened and shelled

1 C Broccoli florets

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 C Carrots, slices

2 TBSP Olive Oil

1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

Cook pasta according to directions, about 4 minutes before pasta is done, put veggies in with the pasta a boiling water.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a skillet.  Add red pepper and garlic.  Add shrimp and cook until opaque and pink.

Drain pasta and veggies, toss with shrimp mixture.  Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Penne Rosa

This is our favorite semi-homemade meal! We often make this on Sundays for a no-fuss, simple, tasty dinner.

Penne Rosa

12 oz Penne Pasta

1 packet Knorr Parma Rosa, prepared as directed

1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

1 Can Diced tomatoes, liquid drained

Parmesan Cheese

2 Cups Spinach (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions

2. Prepare parma rosa sauce according to directions. Add tomatoes and crushed red peppers, bring to a simmer. Add Spinach and cook until wilted.

3. Combine Pasta and sauce, top with Parmesan cheese

CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

Chicken Salad
This is a very low-fat version of a chicken pasta salad
5 Cups uncooked small shell macaroni
1 1/2 Cups fat free mayo
1 cup low-fat coleslaw (see recipe below)
6 cups cooked, diced chicken breasts
2 cans sliced water chestnuts cut into slivers
3 cups diced celery
1 bunch green onions thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups halved cashews
4 cups red grapes cut in half

COLESLAW DRESSING
3/4 cup miracle whip
1/2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T splenda
1/4 cup skim milk
whip together with a whisk until well blended and mix with fat free mayo

Cook macaroni until tender, rinse under cold water and drain well.
Combine shells, coleslaw dressing and mayo in a large mixing bowl.
ADD
6 Cups cooked, diced chicken breasts
2 Cans sliced water chestnuts
2 Cups diced celery
1/2 Bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups halved cashews
3 Cups red grapes, cut in half

Make salad the night before serving.
20 1-cup servings.

Serve over lettuce as a wrap or in croissants

Three Cheese Macaroni

Macaroni and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food, and this dish is a real indulgence!  Any type of pasta will work, but I love how every inch of the penne pasta is covered, inside and out for this yummy, cheesy side dish.

 

Makes 8-10 Side Dish Servings

Ingredients:
12 oz Penne Pasta
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1/4 Cup melted Butter
1/2 tsp Ground White Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
8 oz American Cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8 oz Shard Cheddar Cheese, Shredded (2 cups)
2 oz Mozzarella, shredded (1/2 Cup)
20 Ritz Crackers, crushed

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. In a large pot cook pasta according to directions, drain and return to pot.

2. Add milk, butter, pepper, and salt. Stir in Cheeses. Transfer to a greased 2 quart casserole dish.

3. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Carefully stir mixture. Sprinkle with crushed crackers and bake 5 more minutes or until crackers are browned and mixture is heated through. (Don't overcook or mixture will curdle) Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce

A fabulous chicken and pasta recipe...

Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon  ground fennel seed

• 1  teaspoon  dried basil

• 1/2  teaspoon  salt

• 1/2  teaspoon  ground coriander

• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

• 1  pound  chicken breast tenders, cut into (1-inch) pieces

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil

• 4  garlic cloves, minced

• 4  cups  canned diced tomatoes, undrained

• 1  cup  white wine

• 8  ounces  uncooked penne

• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; rub over chicken.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes, turning once. Remove from heat; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until garlic is soft. Add tomatoes and wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken, and simmer 5 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Toss pasta with sauce in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Contributed by Becki Cutler

Pasta Milano {Macaroni Grill}

I save the divine ingredients (like heavy cream) for special occasions. I need to keep my girlie figure!



Pasta Milano (Macaroni Grill)

Alfredo Sauce
1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsely

Saute:
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp roasted garlic
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 TB sundried tomatoes
1 tsp parsely
2 oz chicken stock

Add saute mixture to alfredo sauce. Add cooked chicken (3 - 5 oz (I use grilled BBQ chicken)) to sauce. Serve with bowtie pasta and garnish with parsely, tomato, parmesan cheese. I actually used DaVinci spinach nests, which are one of the few spinach pasta products my family enjoys.

My sister in law Cheryl passed this recipe on to me - it is one of her families top 3. It is delicious!