SHRIMP SCAMPI

Tips: We added some spinach after to the pasta after draining the water.

"This recipe needs about a half cup of chicken broth or white wine to keep it from being too dry. Otherwise, it is very, very tasty."

INGREDIENTS

• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• Hot cooked angel hair pasta

DIRECTIONS

In a 10-in. ovenproof skillet, saute garlic in butter and oil until tender. Stir in the shrimp, lemon juice, pepper and oregano; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and parsley. Broil 6 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Serve over pasta. Yield: 4 servings

NUTRITIONAL FACTS

1 cup: 395 calories, 30g fat (11g saturated fat), 177mg cholesterol, 420mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 24g protein.

ITALIAN STUFFED SHELLS RECIPE

MAKES:

8 servings

TOTAL TIME:

Prep: 50 min. Bake: 35 min.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups (16 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
• 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 24 jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat, crumbling beef, until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in water, tomato paste, bouillon and oregano. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine egg, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Stuff shells with cheese mixture.

Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange shells in a greased 13x9-in. or 3-qt. baking dish. Pour meat sauce over shells. Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer.
Freeze option: After assembling, cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake as directed, adding remaining 1 cup mozzarella after 30-40 minutes and increasing time as necessary for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°. Yield: 8 servings.

Test Kitchen Tips

Get a nutritious boost by adding a 5-ounce package of chopped baby spinach to the cheese mixture.

The sweet aniselike flavor and bright color make basil a great garnish choice for this.

Skillet Mac & Cheese Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 25 min.YIELD:4 servings

Tips:  use whole milk instead of half and half.

Use shredded cheese instead of velveeta.

Double the recipe.

 I also add 1/2 tsp of dry mustard.

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 3/4 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
• Optional toppings: crumbled cooked bacon, crushed cheddar cheese fish-shaped crackers, chopped fresh chives and freshly ground pepper

Directions

• 1. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.
• 2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted.
• 3. Add macaroni; cook and stir until heated through. Top as desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts

1-1/2 cups: 600 calories, 37g fat (23g saturated fat), 144mg cholesterol, 1185mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 1g fiber), 23g protein.

© 2017 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC

   

Cajun Chicken Pasta

cajun chicken pasta

Prep Time:10 min Cook Time:20 min

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
• 8 ounces penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• chopped fresh parsley leaves, if desired Coupons

Instructions

1 In a large Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil and cajun seasoning. Rub and shake to coat chicken.

 

2 Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook about 6 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and cover with foil keep warm.

 

3 In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

 

4 Wipe skillet clean (be careful it will be hot!) and melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant.

 

5 Gradually whisk in heavy cream. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

 

6 Stir in pasta and gently toss to combine.

 

7 Serve immediately with chicken, garnished with tomatoes and parsley, if desired.

life in the lofthouse http://life-in-the-lofthouse.com/

Tortellini Mac and Cheese

Tortellini Mac and Cheese

45 minutes to prepare, Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 (20 oz.) bag frozen cheese tortellini
• 1 (16 oz.) block Velveeta, cubed
• 6-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• olive oil, as needed
• parmesan cheese, grated, as needed

 

Preparation

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat and cook onions, stirring frequently, until caramelized. 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. While the onions caramelize, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to package instructions, or until al dente.
3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and return pasta to pot over medium-low heat.
4. Gently stir in cubed Velveeta, heavy cream and butter, then season generously with salt and pepper, and add in nutmeg.
5. Fold in caramelized onions and sprinkle in 1/2 crumbled bacon.
6. Transfer to serving bowls and serve hot, garnished with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

CHICKEN ALFREDO LASAGNA ROLLS

 
9 lasagna noodles
2 ½ cups Alfredo sauce
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
oregano
garlic salt
3 cups shredded Mozzarella, or cheese of your choice

Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and pour ½ cup alfredo sauce, or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Boil 8-10 cups water in a large pan, cook lasagna noodles until al dente. (I usually cook 1 or 2 extra just because lasagna noodles always seem to break on me when I am stirring them.)
Now this is the important part! Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other. Then, lay out each noodle individually and blot dry with a paper towel.

Spread about 2 Tbs. Alfredo sauce over each noodle. (if there is too much sauce you will have a big mess on your hands!) Sprinkle oregano and garlic salt on top of sauce. Take 1/9 of the shredded chicken and spread it out evenly over each noodle. Add approx. 3 Tbs. cheese. To roll up, start at one end and roll the noodle over the toppings. You will need to lift the noodle a little to prevent squishing out the inside ingredients while rolling.

Place the roll-ups in the pan, one by one, seam-side down so they don't come undone. Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining alfredo sauce over the top. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted on top. I sometimes broil mine the last 5 minutes to make the cheese toasty on top.

Christmas Eve Confetti Pasta

Christmas Eve Confetti Pasta

This fabulous, easy pasta has become a holiday tradition in our home. All the prep is done before we attend Christmas Eve service. On returning, I just boil water and saute. It's so colorful with a tossed salad and garlic bread—and always gets raves! —Ellen Fiore, Ridgewood, New Jersey

8 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 25 min.

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) linguine
• 1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 pounds cooked small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch
• oven, saute the peppers, onion, garlic and seasonings in oil until
• vegetables are tender.
• 
  
• Add the shrimp; cook and stir 2-3 minutes longer or until heated
• through. Drain linguine; toss with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with
• cheese.
• 
  
• Yield: 8 servings.

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/christmas-eve-confetti-pasta#ixzz3LCa8Sz3I

Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

Rated: Submitted By: Linda Caroline Photo By: Elijah Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 6

"Sweet Italian sausage is simmered with plum tomatoes, garlic, onion and heavy cream to create a thick, rich sauce that's served with bow tie pasta."

Ingredients:

1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 cup diced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced 1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:

1.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2.	Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage and pepper flakes until sausage is evenly brown. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, cream, and salt. Simmer until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
3.	Stir cooked pasta into sauce, and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley. Tips: don't use olive oil.  Drain ALL oil prior to adding the cream to prevent greasy looking cream.

Printed from Allrecipes.com 11/29/2012

Tomato and Pepper Lasagna

Weight Watchers Recipe

Ratings (450)

7PointsPlus Value

Prep time:  20 min

Cook time:  65 min

Serves: 8

Comforting layers of pasta, tomatoes, peppers and cheese. So good and so filling! A definite hit in cold-weather months.

Ingredients

	24 oz store-bought marinara sauce
	1 cup(s) canned diced tomatoes, fire-roasted, drained
	1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
	1 cup(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
	1 cup(s) shredded Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano suggested
	1/4 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute
	1/4 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	1/4 tsp dried oregano
	6 item(s) uncooked lasagna noodles, regular or whole-wheat
	1/2 cup(s) roasted red peppers (packed in water), water-packed, cut into thin strips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  
• In a small pot, combine marinara sauce and tomatoes; set over low heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
  
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses; stir to combine. Stir in egg substitute, salt, pepper and oregano.
  
• Spoon 1 cup of sauce in bottom of an 11- X 7-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 2 lasagna noodles over sauce, down center of dish. Spread half of cheese mixture (about 1 cup) over noodles; top with pepper strips. Place 2 more noodles on top; spread with remaining cheese mixture. Top with 1 cup of marinara sauce; place remaining 2 lasagna noodles on top. Spoon remaining sauce over top and gently press down on lasagna.
  
• Cover dish loosely with aluminum foil; bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake until sauce is lightly browned and noodles are tender when tested with a knife, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to firm up slightly. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Notes

• If you're short on time, skip simmering the marinara sauce with the diced tomatoes.
  
  Vary the color and flavor of this recipe by adding a layer of tender baby spinach leaves or spicy arugula leaves with the pepper strips (could affect PointsPlus values).

WW Baked Ziti

Course: main meals
PointsPlus™ Value: 7
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Here’s a tasty, healthy version of the Italian classic. For more robust flavor, add crushed fennel seeds. For a meaty version, add lean ground beef to the sauce.*

Ingredients
3 spray(s) cooking spray
1 pound(s) uncooked pasta, rigatoni or penne
3/4 pound(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4 cup(s) marinara sauce, store-bought, divided**
1/2 pound(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheeses
1/4 cup(s) basil, cut into ribbons, for garnish***
Instructions

* Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat bottom and sides of a lasagna pan with cooking spray.

* Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cool water and drain.

* While pasta is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, red pepper flakes, 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and 1/3 cup marinara sauce.

* To assemble ziti, spoon 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of prepared pan; top with half of pasta in an even layer. Evenly spread pasta with ricotta mixture; cover with half of remaining sauce. Top with remaining pasta and spoon remaining sauce over top; sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining tablespoon Parmesan. Bake until cheese melts and is browned, about 20 to 30 minutes. Allow ziti to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/prt/recipe.aspx?Type=1&RecipeID=224411

Pasta Primavera

1/2 pound fresh broccoli florets
1/2 pound zucchini Diagonal slices
1/2 pound mushrooms sliced thin
Olive oil
1 cup ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
pepper to taste
1 pound linguine noodles
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Stem broccoli until crisp-tender. Set aside. Rinse and drain zucchini and mushrooms. in a large skillet coated with olive oil, lightly saute garlic. Add a small amount of water while sauteing, if necessary. Add the zucchini and mushrooms. Cook covered over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the steamed broccoli, tomatoes, parsley and pepper. Mix well and cook 2 minutes longer. Cook the linguini according to package directions. When done drain and return to pot. Stir in olive oil and 1-2 tablespoons of water add vegetables and grated Parmesan cheese. Toss well and serve hot.

Posted on the Atlas Quest Food for Thought Board by Schizokeet.