taco pasta bake gardein

****I MADE THIS WITH CHORIZO, GROUND MEAT, AND IT NEEDED A LITTLE MORE KICK...***

Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 - 3/4 of a bag of large noodle pasta like ziti 
• approx. 1lb of ground beef
• 1 pkg/envelope of taco seasoning
• 1C water
• 1/2 pkg of cream cheese (about 4oz)
• 1 1/2C shredded cheese (I used marble)

Directions:
1. boil pasta until just cooked, drain, run cold water over it
2. brown ground beef
3. mix together taco season and 1C of water, pour over cooked beef and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced
4. add the 1/2 pkg of cream cheese to the beef mixture, stir until melted and combined, remove from heat
5. put pasta in your casserole dish or pot, mix in 1C of the shredded cheese
6. top pasta and cheese with beef mixture, gently mix until the pasta is coated
7. top with remaining 1/2C of shredded cheese
8. bake at 350 uncovered for approx 30 minutes 

Here's my original post with photos, let me know if you have any questions, and enjoy!

Step 1:
Boil pasta, don't over cook it as you will be baking it later. I like rigatoni and ziti for this recipe, but any big noodles will do.

Step 2:
While pasta is cooking, brown ground beef.

Step 3:
When ground beef is cooked through add taco seasoning mixed with 1C water and let simmer.

Step 4:

When ground beef is ready add approx. half a pkg of cream cheese and stir until melted and mixed in.

Step 5:
When pasta is ready drain and run cold water over it.

Step 6:

In a casserole dish add cooked pasta, stir in some shredded cheese, the ground beef mixture, top with more cheese, leave uncovered and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Family Thoughts:

Oh my gosh, it's so yummy, kids like it as well! Make lots so you can have leftovers for lunch the next day! :-) 

chicken stroganoff

Here's how I made it:

1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
a couple splashes of vegetable oil for cooking
1/2 cup shallots, finely diced
1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp dried tarragon
pinch nutmeg
1 cup sour cream
4 cups cooked broad noodles for serving

I started by heating a splash of oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. When the oil was hot, I added my chicken pieces and cooked them until they were golden brown and beautiful. I transferred the chicken to a heat-proof bowl and set it aside.

Next, I lowered the heat of my skillet to medium and added another splash of vegetable oil. I added the shallots and mushrooms to the pan and stirred while they began to soften and brown. After a few minutes, I added about a tablespoon of water to the pan to help the mushrooms begin to release their liquid, then I allowed them to continue to cook down for another 10 minutes or so. In the last few minutes, the tarragon and nutmeg were stirred in.

To finish, I returned the chicken to the pan, turned off the heat, and stirred in the sour cream  (turning off the heat ensures the sour cream doesn't get too hot and begin to separate). I like a thick sauce, but if you prefer a thinner sauce you can add some water at the end. 

A bed of broad noodles made the perfect nest for our chicken stroganoff.

This is some goooood stuff! Quick and simple to make, and oh so deliciously rich and creamy!

brie n chicken pasta

Brie and Chicken Pasta
Inspired by The Meat and Potatoes Foodie
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 small chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite size pieces
8-10 oz penne or mostaccioli pasta
1 small zucchini squash, cut into matchsticks
7oz brie cheese with herbs, cubed and chilled
Fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.   Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.  Place pasta back in pot and add the zucchini and chicken; toss to combine.  Stir in the cheese cubes until everything starts to melt.  Add pasta water if needed to thin out the cheese sauce.  Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

ziti with chicken and roasted red pepper pesto

Ziti with Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, quartered
7 oz jar roasted red peppers
1 Tablespoon of the oil from the roasted red peppers
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnishing
10 oz ziti pasta
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped

Directions:
In a food processor, add all the ingredients except the pasta and chicken.  Pulse until almost smooth; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions; drain well.  Return the pasta to the pot and add the cooked chicken.  Toss with the pesto and serve immediately.  (if the pasta is too dry, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil)  Enjoy!

Double Meat White Ragu

DOUBLE-MEAT WHITE RAGU

Sweet sausage and veal double the flavor of this vegetable-enriched ragu tossed with pasta.

by Rachael Ray | on 03/09/12

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INGREDIENTS

• A handful of dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound bucatini (hollow spaghetti) or pici (fat spaghetti, not hollow)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 pound ground veal, patted dry
• 1/3 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated
• 1 small rib celery with leafy top, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 10-12 small sage leaves, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup milk
• Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving

Serves 4

PREPARATION

Place the mushrooms in a small saucepan and cover with the stock or water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer on very low heat to reconstitute (or pour 1 cup boiling water over them, cover and let stand for 10 minutes).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the starchy cooking water.

While the pasta is working, in a heavy pot, heat the EVOO, two turns of the pan, over high heat until smoking. Stir in the veal to brown slightly, then stir in the sausage, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and sage; season generously with salt and pepper. Cover and cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, then stir in the wine to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Remove the mushrooms from their soaking liquid and chop. Stir the mushrooms into the ragu with their strained liquid, leaving any sediment behind. Stir in the milk, lower the heat to medium-high and cook to thicken.

Stir the reserved 1 cup of starchy cooking water into the ragu. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Top with a liberal amount of cheese.

Beefless Tips Pasta

beefless tips pasta

gardein
1 pkg	gardein beefless tips

other ingredients
1/2 cup	cashews, whole raw
	water for covering cashews by 1”
1 lb	paperadelle
2 tbsp	extra virgin olive oil
1.5 cups	cherry tomatoes
1 cup	onion, diced 1/4”
1	garlic clove, minced
2 cups	cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup	white wine
3 tsp	thyme fresh
2 tbsp	lemon juice
1.5 tsp	vegetable stock paste (better than bouillion)
6	artichokes, canned, 1/4 wedges
10	kalamata olives, pitted, quartered
1 cup	cashew cream or heavy cream
to taste	salt
to taste	peper

for the cashew cream... put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth and strain through a fine mesh sieve.

cook paperadelle as per cooking instructions found on package

heat a non stick pan over medium-high heat, add canola oil and caramelize gardein beefless tips well on all sides set aside, 2-3 minutes.

meanwhile heat a large fry pan add olive oil and sauté grape tomatoes on high heat until tomatoes start to caramelize.

add onions ,mushrooms and garlic over medium heat until onions soften, mushrooms caramelize and garlic is fragrant, deglaze pan with white wine.

add the thyme, lemon juice, vegetable stock paste, artichoke pieces, olives, cashew cream , salt and pepper. bring to a high simmer and pour sauce over pasta.

Tagliarelle with Truffle Butter

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 ounces white truffle butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (8.82-ounce) package Cipriani tagliarelle dried pasta or other eggfettuccine
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 3 ounces Parmesan, shaved thin with a vegetable peeler

Directions

Add 1 tablespoon salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) saute pan, heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Add the truffle butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, lower the heat to very low, and swirl the butter until it melts. Keep warm over very low heat.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, exactly. (If you're not using Cipriani pasta, follow the directions on the package.) When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the saute pan and toss it with the truffle-cream mixture. As the pasta absorbs the sauce, add as much of the reserved cooking water, as necessary, to keep the pasta very creamy.

Serve the pasta in shallow bowls and garnish each serving with a generous sprinkling of chives and shaved Parmesan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve at once.

Mushroom and Marsala Penne

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 pound fettuccine, regular or whole wheat
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 rounded tablespoon flour
• 1/3-1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Serves 4

PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter and melt until it foams. Add the mushrooms and brown for about 12 minutes, until golden. Add the shallots and season with thyme, salt and pepper. Stir for 3 minutes more; sprinkle in the flour, then add the Marsala and reduce for 1 minute. Add the stock and cream and simmer to thicken for a couple minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a medium size skillet, melt the remaining butter into the remaining EVOO. Add breadcrumbs and garlic and brown until nutty and fragrant. Remove from the heat, let cool for a couple of minutes, then add the cheese and parsley and season with black pepper.

When you add the shallots to the mushrooms, drop the fettuccine and cook to al dente, 8-9 minutes. Reserve a little of the starchy cooking water; drain, toss with the sauce and serve topped with breadcrumbs.

Roasted Tomato Penne a la Vodka

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds plum tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons EVOO, plus more for drizzling
• About 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese
• A generous handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1 pound penne rigate or other short-cut pasta
• 1 cup diced fresh mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Serves 4-6

PREPARATION

Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.

Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and arrange them cut-side up on wire racks set over rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with the thyme, salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes are slumped but still moist in the center, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool.

Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until very soft but not caramelized, 12-15 minutes. Add the vodka and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and roasted tomatoes and heat through. Stir in the mascarpone, then puree into a fairly smooth, creamy sauce using an immersion blender, food processor or blender. Return the sauce to the pot, add the basil and stir until wilted.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta, and season with salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.

Toss the pasta with the sauce and transfer to a glass or ceramic baking dish. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan. If you are making the pasta ahead of time, cool it and then cover with parchment and foil. Store in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to serve, pre-heat the oven to 375°F.

Bake the casserole, covered, until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until brown and bubbly on top, 15 to 20 more minutes.

Cook's Note: Serve with a salad of escarole or romaine dressed with lemon juice, EVOO, salt and pepper.