Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Another delicious pasta dish from the Pioneer Woman. Yum!

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole (Pioneer Woman)
1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
1 stick 1/2 Cup Butter
16 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Sliced
¼ cups Dry White Wine (I use cooking wine)
Kosher Salt And Pepper
¼ cups Flour
2 cups Chicken Broth (reserved From Chicken Or Canned)
1-½ cup Whole Milk
¼ cups (additional) Dry White Wine
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Whole Black Olives, Chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Extra Cheese, For Sprinkling
1 pound Thin Spaghetti

Place chicken in a pot of water and boil on medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool slightly. Keep broth in pot.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Throw in mushrooms, add 1/4 cup white wine, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until liquid has totally evaporated. Remove mushrooms from skillet. Set aside.

Bring broth to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds (shorter pieces). Add spaghetti pieces to boiling broth and cook. Drain when al dente. Remove meat from bones and shred until you have 2-plus cups of shredded chicken.

Return large skillet to medium-low heat. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups broth and whisk to combine. Pour in milk, additional 1/4 cup wine, salt and pepper to taste, then cook and bubble until thick. Turn off heat, add Parmesan cheese, and stir.

Add mushrooms, chicken, and chopped olives. Stir to combine and check seasonings. Add cooked spaghetti and stir.

Turn into a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Bake at 350 degrees or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with salad and warm, crusty bread.

Mushroom, Sausage & Pepperoni Calzones

Mushroom, Sausage & Pepperoni Calzones
1 recipe whole-wheat bread dough (find it here), or enough dough for 2 pizza crusts
1 c. marinara sauce, plus more for dipping
3 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
6 large button or crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. ground sausage, browned and drained
1 sm. package pepperoni

If using my recipe for dough, divide into thirds and freeze one third for next week's pizza or some breadsticks! Roll out each piece of dough into a 15 " circle. Place on pizza stones or greased baking sheets. Spread a thin layer of sauce on one half of each crust. Layer each with half the cheese, pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms, leaving a 1" border around edges (see figure 1). Brush a little water onto edges of crust, fold empty half over top, and press to seal. Using fingers, fold the edge up on itself and seal tightly (see figure 2). Cut a few slits in top for steam to escape. Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes, until golden brown and crispy on top. Slice, serve with dipping sauce, and enjoy! Makes 2 large calzones (enough for 4 very hungry people, or 2 adults and 4 children!).


Figure 1


Figure 2

Italian Wedding Soup

First of all, sorry for the picture. Soups are just not very photogenic. But this one was really yummy- it really hit the spot! So please ignore the bad photo and try it anyway!

Italian Wedding Soup

1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)

1/4 c. milk (or 1 egg)

1/4 c. Italian breadcrumbs

2 tb. parmesan cheese

1 tsp. basil

3 tb. minced onion (or 1 tb. dried)

1 garlic clove, minced

10 c. chicken broth

2 c. frozen chopped spinach

1 c. diced carrot

1 c. acini de pepe pasta (dry)

Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Mix ground meat, milk, breadcrumbs, parmesan, basil, onion and garlic. Using a small scoop, make 3/4 " meatballs and drop them into boiling broth (I used the small end of a melon baller). Throw in carrots and acini de pepe and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until carrots are softened and meatballs are cooked. Add spinach and bring back to boil, cook a few more minutes. Serve with crusty bread.

Rich & Hearty Lasagna

I previously posted my recipe for meatless lasagna, but I used a jarred sauce and cottage cheese. I recently tried making my first homemade cheese- Ricotta- and it turned out great, so I thought to celebrate I'd make a from-scratch, authentic lasagna. Oh, it was SO good! The sauce is similar to my mom's recipe, and it is so much better than the stuff in the jar.

Rich & Hearty Lasagna

For the sauce:

1 lb. ground Italian sausage

1 onion, diced

3-4 cloves minced garlic

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes

2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried parsley

salt and pepper

Brown sausage and onions until meat is no longer pink, drain excess fat if necessary. Add in garlic and cook a few more minutes. Add tomato sauce, paste, and diced tomatoes. Stir in spices, season to taste with salt and pepper. Add about a tomato-can full of water. Simmer over low heat for several hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if it becomes too thick. My mom would simmer this all day, and it makes the house smell heavenly!

For the lasagna:

12 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente and drained (I use whole-wheat)

3 c. ricotta cheese

1/2 c. parmesan

2 tb. parsley

2 eggs

2 c. mozzarella cheese

1 recipe meat sauce

Mix ricotta, parmesan, parsley and eggs in a bowl. In 9 x 13 pan spread about a cup of the meat sauce. Lay 4 lasagna noodles on sauce, spread 1/2 of ricotta mixture on noodles. Pour on 1/3 of remaining sauce. Layer 4 more noodles, other 1/2 of ricotta, and another 1/3 of sauce. Layer last 4 noodles and remaining sauce in pan, then sprinkle with mozzarella and more parmesan if desired. Cover with greased foil, bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let sit for about 15-20 minutes before cutting. Serve with some crusty French bread and enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza

15" pizza crust (I use my whole-wheat dough, recipe here makes enough for 3 crusts)
1/2 c. pizza sauce

1/2 c. BBQ sauce, divided (our faves are Sweet Baby Ray's and Famous Dave's)
2 c. (8 oz.) mozzarella cheese, grated
1 c. pineapple chunks
1 large chicken breast

olive oil, s & p

1/2 medium onion, sliced

Roll crust out and place on pizza stone or tray. Mix pizza sauce and 1/4 c. bbq sauce. Season chicken w/ salt & pepper, cook in skillet over medium-high heat in olive oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in center. Chop chicken and mix w/ remaining 1/4 c. bbq sauce. Cover crust with sauce, mozzarella cheese, chicken, onion, and pineapple. Bake in a pre-heated 425 oven for about 15 minutes, or until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly. Mmmm!

Glazed Italian Meatloaf

My mom taught me how to make meatloaf, and I have changed some things over the years to suit my tastes, but the glaze is still all hers. It is SO good! I serve it with either baked or mashed potatoes and green beans.

Glazed Italian Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground turkey (or beef if you prefer)

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 large egg

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp parsley

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 c. Italian breadcrumbs, oats or almond meal

Mix all ingredients together. Pat into a large loaf pan. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (depending on your oven). Mix glaze ingredients in a bowl: 1/2 c. ketchup and 1/3 c. brown sugar. Pour grease out of pan, pour glaze over meatloaf and bake an additional 15-20 minutes. Slice and enjoy!

Gourmet Veggie Pizza

Gourmet Veggie Pizza
1 15-inch pizza crust (I make my own using my whole-wheat bread recipe- one recipe makes about 3 crusts)
3/4 c. ranch dressing
2 tb. fresh minced garlic
2 c. (8 oz.) mozzerella cheese, grated
1 c. baby spinach leaves

4-5 large mushrooms, sliced
1 large tomato, chopped (I didn't use this time since they aren't in season)
1/2 onion, chopped

1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
2 tb. parmesan cheese
1 tsp. basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning

Roll out crust and place on pizza stone or greased baking tray. Mix dressing and garlic, spread on crust. Place spinch leaves over sauce, then cover with cheese. Evenly spread on mushrooms, tomato, onion, and artichokes. Mix parmesan and herb of choice together, sprinkle over top of pizza. Bake in a pre-heated 425 oven for 12-15 inutes, until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly.

Hawaiian Pizza

Hawaiian Pizza

15" pizza crust (I use my whole-wheat dough, recipe here makes enough for 3 crusts)

3/4 c. pizza sauce

2 c. (8 oz.) mozzarella cheese, grated

1 c. pineapple chunks

canadian bacon slices

1/2 c. colby cheese, grated

Roll crust out and place on pizza stone or tray. Cover with layer of sauce, mozzarella cheese, canadian bacon, and pineapple. Sprinkle colby cheese over top. Bake in a pre-heated 425 oven for about 15 minutes, or until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly. Mmmm!

Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage

I got this recipe off the My Kitchen Cafe website, and it is so good. It tastes like restaurant Italian food, no kidding. Even Dustin loves it, and he's not a big pasta-lover. It makes a ton, so either freeze half for another meal or make it when you need to take a meal in to someone- you'll have plenty for 2 families!
Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
*Makes a heaping full 9X13 pan*
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream (I just use milk)
1 pound rigatoni
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 9-oz. bag fresh spinach)
12 ounces precooked smoked chicken (or turkey) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (next to the precooked hot dogs-I just use turkey kielbasa)
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.Stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling pasta right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to pot.Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9X13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 7X11-inch pans). Top with grated mozzerella and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza

Ever since we moved an hour away from the closest Papa Murphy's, I have been looking for a copycat recipe for their pizza of the same name- it is one of our faves. I never could find one, so I made up my own. Oh, man, was it good! The original calls for green onions, but I didn't have any so I used red. Choose the one you prefer- they are both good! *We have a new family tradition of having homemade pizza and watching a movie every Friday night, so I'll post some other pizza recipes as I make them.

Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza

1 15-inch pizza crust (I make my own using my whole-wheat bread recipe- one recipe makes about 3 crusts)

3/4 c. ranch dressing

2 tb. fresh minced garlic

2 c. (8 oz.) mozzerella cheese, grated

2 small or 1 large chicken breasts

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 red onion or 3 green onions, chopped into 1" pieces

1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

2 tb. parmesan cheese

1 tsp. basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning

Roll out pizza dough and place on pizza stone or greased baking sheet. Mix together ranch dressing and garlic, spread on dough. Sprinkle mozzerella cheese over sauce. Heat saute pan on medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper, cook in hot oil for about 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Chop chicken and spread on pizza. Evenly place tomatoes, artichokes, and onions on pizza. Mix parmesan and herb of choice, sprinkle on top of pizza. Bake on 425 for about 12-18 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned. Slice and enjoy!

Meatless Lasagna

As I started making my menu for this week on Sunday night, I realized I was at a loss for ideas, so Dustin said he'd make the menu. Usually this ends up being game meat ideas or pancakes, which I reject, but this time he had some great ideas. His menu was: Monday-Pork chops with applesauce and green beans, Tuesday-Chicken Divan and rice, Wednesday-Lasagna with french bread, Thursday-Scrambled eggs, bacon and hashbrowns, and Friday-Ribeye steaks (YUM!). My contributions this week- Saturday will be pizza night and Sunday we're having ham, scalloped potatoes and asparagus. Of course I'm still cooking it all, but it was nice not to have to think about the menu for once. Thanks, Dustin- great ideas! I always make my lasagna meatless- it's cheaper, there's already protein with all the cheeses, and I like it better! This time we tried whole wheat lasagna noodles, and it still turned out great! I served it with spaghetti squash (a la the Webster garden) and French bread.

Meatless Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente and drained

15 oz. low-fat cottage cheese

4 c. shredded mozzerella, divided

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 tb. parsley

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 jar your favorite spaghetti sauce (I love roasted garlic)

While your pasta is cooking, mix cottage cheese, 2 c. mozzarella, parmesan, eggs, parsley and pepper in bowl. Spread 3/4 c. spaghetti sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 pan. Lay 4 lasagna noodles, overlapping, in pan. Spread on 1/2 of cheese mixture. Spread on 3/4 c. more of sauce. Layer 4 more noodles, remaining cheese mixture, and 3/4 c. sauce again. Top with last 4 noodles, remaining sauce, and last 2 c. of mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving (this helps it set up so your lasagna isn't watery). Enjoy!

Variation for Spinach Lasagna: Sometimes I add a layer of baby spinach leaves on top of each cheese mixture layer- it adds extra nutrients and the kids hardly notice it's there!

Chicken Italian

This is one of our all-time favorites (Dustin really loves it, and he usually doesn't like Italian food). It is another of Mimi's delicious recipes. I served it with steamed brocolli and buttery garlic noodles.
Chicken Italian
1- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast, sliced thin
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 tb. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
8 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 tb. white wine (I use cooking wine)
Saute mushrooms and onion in 2 tb. olive oil. Remove from pan. Mix flour, salt & pepper in large plastic bag. Shake chicken in flour mixture. Brown chicken in remaining 2 tb. olive oil. Add tomato sauce, broth, and white wine to pan. Add mushrooms and onions back to pan. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer about 25 minutes. Serve with noodles.