Feta Pasta Bake

Original Recipe HERE

 

I thought this was good, but the rest of my family members are iffy on feta.  I thought I could sneak it past them if it was cloaked in enough pasta, but no luck.  They ate it anyway, so it must've had some redeeming qualities.

I used spaghetti, but next time I'll use a smaller, bite-size kind of pasta (ditalini? small shells?).  The spaghetti didn't hold the slices together well after serving.  Also, I think it lacked flavor...I was hoping to detect the balsamic more strongly.  I added garlic and tomato paste to the original recipe; the updated version is below.

 

Ingredients

10 oz pasta

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 to 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 pint grape tomatoes or 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 oz Feta cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons tomato paste.

Salt and pepper

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

(2) Cook pasta as directed.  Drain; rinse with cool water so they are room temperature when being combined with other ingredients.

(3) Meanwhile, heat oil in large, ovenproof skillet.  Add balsamic vinegar.

(4) Add tomatoes, onion, and garlic; saute 3 to 5 minutes.

(5) In a large mixing bowl, combine Feta, Parmesan, mozzarella, milk, eggs, and tomato paste.

(6) Fold cooled pasta into cheese mixture.

(7) Add onions and tomatoes to pasta; mix well.  Return all ingredients to the skillet; spread evenly.

(8) Bake skillet for 30 minutes or until eggs have set in the middle.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Chicken, Black Bean, & Green Chile Skillet

Original Recipe HERE

 

I thought this was just going to be a run-of-the-mill, easy one-pot meal that we'd all eat and then forget about (unless I put it on here and filed it away for a weeknight clean-out-the-pantry type meal).  But my kids LOVED it.  Yes, worthy of capital letters.  *N* and *P* each asked for three helpings, and *J* asked for two (which is big, considering he's going through a picky phase right now).  The four of us polished off almost the entire thing, so I thought the leftovers would be a hearty lunch for me.  No luck, since at breakfast *N* asked if we were having the same thing for dinner again.  This sort of question is rare, and usually I'd assume it would be followed by a, "...because I don't want it!" (they are usually very leftover-averse).  But she actually asked to eat it again!  Well, knock me over with a can of black beans! (actually, don't, because that would hurt).  I felt especially vindicated because *J* said several times how gross it looked before actually tasting it.

I was going to poach the chicken but realized I had a better chance of getting the kids to eat it if I made it more interesting (because they are also meat-averse lately).  So I followed the basic steps for the lime chicken that is linked to in the original recipe.  I sliced up the chicken breasts into "tenders"-sized pieces, marinated them for about 15 minutes (all I had time for), and then browned them until cooked through in a separate skillet.  I do think it helped the flavor of the dish.

 

I eyeballed most of the ingredients, so the amounts I used aren't exact...it's an easy recipe to play with to suit personal tastes. Also, since I had no hot sauce in the house, I bought the Cholula brand used in the original recipe (sorry, Tabasco...I'm just not that into you). I assume it was good, though I used it sparingly since my kids aren't fans of hot-and-spicy things.

 

I served it with sour cream and salsa mix-ins, and green onions would've been a nice touch.  In the future, I may use this as a taco, burrito, or enchilada filling.

 

The only thing I didn't like was that the cheese congealed on top once it cooled, so maybe mixing it into the main dish before putting it in the oven - or just waiting until serving and sprinkling it on then - would work better.

 

(sidenote: I think I set a personal record for number of parentheses and hyphens in one post)

 

Ingredients

2 to 3 cups cooked brown rice

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup white onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chiles

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

additional seasonings of choice [I used about 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning mix]

1 to 2 Tablespoons lime juice

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

(2) Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium heat.  When hot, add onion.  Saute several minutes, stirring occasionally.

(3) Add garlic to skillet.  Cook another two minutes.

(4) Add rice, chiles, beans, cumin, seasonings, lime juice, chicken, and hot sauce.  Stir until thoroughly combined.

(5) Sprinkle cheeses on top.  Bake skillet about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

 

Kid Participation: None, other than eating multiple portions.

Healthier Stuffed Shells

Original Recipe HERE

 

I abhor making stuffed shells.  I boil the noodles, and a quarter of them rip to the point of being unusuable.  Several more tear as I try to pry them apart and put filling inside.  Upon serving and cutting, they fall apart further and the cheese oozes out like I just disemboweled the shell.  So I only make them every two years or so: enough time for my memory to fade, and I'll come across a recipe and say, "Hmm, maybe THAT one will work!"  Never.  They still taste good, but the effort and frustration is still not worth it.

 

That said, I'm keeping this recipe because I liked the filling: tasty and a bit healtheir than I usually find.  I can probably use it in lasagna (another pasta dish I always end up rueing my decision to prepare) or another pasta/sauce/filling smorgasbord...baked ziti, perhaps?

 

Ingredients

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups tomato sauce

1 lb pasta shells [approximiately 24 shells], cooked [I had 30+]

shredded mozzarella [optional]

parmesan [optional]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

(2) Spread a few tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.

(3) Mix together cheeses, salt, garlic powder, oregano, basil, and pepper.

(4) Fill each shell with cheese mixture; place in baking dish.  Repeat with all shells.

(5) Pour remaining tomato sauce over shells.  Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan on top if desired.

(6) Cover dish with foil.  Bake 20 minutes.

 

Kid Participation:

* Mix together filling ingredients

* Pour sauce

* Sprinkle cheeses

* Practice knife skills at dinner and have Mama need to step in and put your shells out of their misery

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash and Chicken Bake

Inspired By THIS

 

My kids don't like spaghetti squash (which isn't stopping me from serving it, repeatedly and in a variety of forms, in the hopes I can convert them).  I even found out, as Husband and I were cleaning up after dinner, that he's "not a huge fan" of spaghetti squash.  Gee, everyone...sorry I served this.  But wait!  They all ate some!  And upon further pressing Husband, he said it was actually good because he didn't notice the squash much.  So...hmm.  Make again?  I think I will, because I liked it, it was easy, and it was filling.  Next time I'll serve more side dishes with it so that family members can enjoy a smaller portion of the main dish without reaching their spaghetti squash saturation point.  I'd think this would be a good make-ahead dish and also work well for sharing.

 

This filled a 9x13" baking dish with two servings left over for the next day's lunch.  Next time I'll add some chopped onion and green pepper to provide another layer of taste and texture.  Which will just ensure that my kids pick out the vegetable-y additions, negating their usage to everyone but me.

 

Ingredients

2 medium ripe spaghetti squash, cooked and cooled

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

olive oil

1 to 2 oz cream cheese, softened [I used reduced-fat]

salt and fresh pepper, to taste

garlic powder, to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 cups tomato sauce, divided [I used Classico]

1 to 2 cups shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, divided

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

(2) Remove all spaghetti squash strands from skin; place in large mixing bowl.  Break it up with forks.

(3) In medium skillet, saute onion and green pepper in a small amount of olive oil until softened.  Toss with squash.

(4) Add cream cheese to squash; mix until well combined.

(5) Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano to squash mixture; stir thoroughly.

(6) Spread squash mixture evenly in a 9x13" baking dish.  Sprinkle with half of shredded cheese.

(7) Spread one cup of tomato sauce over mixture.

(8) Evenly distribute chicken over sauce.  Top with remaining sauce and cheese.

(9) Cover dish with foil.  Bake approximately 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.  Remove foil and bake an additional several minutes.

 

Kid Participation: None, though *J* did have fun helping me scoop out the seeds from the raw squashes earlier in the day.  He said it reminded him of carving pumpkins at Halloween.

Crustless Zucchini & Cheese Pie

Original Recipe HERE

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I prefer my quiches to have a crust (extra prefer it if it's homemade), but this eliminated that step that can be time-consuming and unpredictable.  I was shocked that *N* and *J* had three slices apiece.  Boo, no leftovers for me for lunch tomorrow.

I will try it with regular all-purpose flour next time.  I tasted the slight bitterness of the whole wheat and thought it distracted from the others (though I had the regular brown type, not the white as the recipe called for).  Also, I will try a cheese with a more pronounced flavor and probably throw in some garlic powder (because garlic powder enhances almost everything).

Ingredients

10 oz shredded zucchini [I used two medium]

2 large eggs, beaten

2/3 cup fat free milk

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped shallots 

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (King Aurthur)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper to taste

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a standard-size pie dish.

(2) Squeeze as much liquid out of zucchini as possible using a dishtowel or cheesecloth.

(3) In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and oil.

(4) Add zucchini, shallots, and cheeses to egg mixture.  Combine thoroughly.

(5) Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.  Add to mixture.

(6) Pour batter into pie dish.  Bake 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Pie will be set and turning golden on top.  Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Kid Participation:

* Squeeze the heck out of the zucchini

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Stir all ingredients together

Garlicky Pasta with Broccoli

Original Recipe HERE

This might be my family's official favorite meal.  Every time I make it, each person - young or old, small or big - has multiple servings and wants leftovers the next day for lunch.  The kids actually cheer when I say I'm making "broccoli pasta."  It's crazy, I tell you.  But I will gladly take it.  A simple, quick, easy meal that everyone loves and uses ingredients I always have on hand...and also includes a vegetable?  I can't ask for more.

I like making this with gemelli pasta because of its non-mushy texture and how it pairs well with the broccoli (that will hopefully not be mushy, either).  Also, the amount of garlic and types / amounts of cheese are up to your personal preference.

When I haven't had enough broccoli, I've subbed cauliflower or carrots, and it still turns out well.

Ingredients

1 lb pasta of choice

2 to 3 broccoli heads

3 to 5 garlic cloves

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
pepper to taste

1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmesan

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or other cheese blend

Directions

(1) Bring water to boil in a large pot.  While waiting, finely chop or press garlic cloves.  Add to olive oil to begin infusing.

(2) Cook pasta according to package directions for "al dente."

(3) In the meantime, chop broccoli into bite-size florets.  Add to pasta water for last 4 minutes of cooking time.  Broccoli should be spearable by a fork but not soft.

(4) Drain pasta.  Save about one cup of pasta water.  Transfer to large serving bowl.

(5) In pot used for pasta, heat olive oil and garlic mixture on medium heat.  Add salt.  Stir frequently.  Remove from heat when garlic becomes lightly golden (do not brown).

(6) Add pasta back to pot.  Toss to coat.  Add cheeses and pepper; stir again until evenly distributed.
(7) Add about 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water; stir.  Add more if desired.

Kid Participation: Eat such copious amounts that parents are astounded at children's stomach capacity.

Hawaiian Pizza Pockets (aka, Pineapple Ham Calzones)

Original Recipe HERE

I love Hawaiian pizzas but can't get enough votes from other family members to ever order it.  I guess I need to have a few more kids to necessitate a second pizza, and then I will pull the Mom Card and demand a pineapple-and-ham (or bacon)-and-red-onion pie.  Luckily I got a consensus tonight, and everyone thought these pockets were a fabulous dinner...but...what gives?  I don't get it; everyone likes all of the ingredients and toppings on their own...but putting them all together is a no-go. 

I didn't think the filling amount looked like enough, so I doubled it.  It made for some obese calzones that leaked a bit.  Not that it mattered, but the presentation wasn't great.

I used the Weelicious pizza dough recipe found here.  It seemed like a lot of flour, and I thought there'd be leftover dough, but there was just enough.  Anything less would have made pretty small calzones.

Ingredients

1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature

1 cup pizza or tomato sauce

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup pineapple chunks, chopped

1/2 cup ham, chopped

olive oil

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 450° F.  Line a baking sheet with foil.
(2) In a bowl, combine sauce, cheese, ham and pineapple.  Divide into 8 portions for each pizza pocket.

(3) Divide dough into 8 even pieces. Roll one piece out into a rectangle approximately 6x8".
(4) Place one portion of cheese mixture on one half of a rectangle.  Fold uncovered side of dough over cheese mixture.  Use a fork to press edges to seal.  Place pocket on baking sheet. 

(5) Repeat with 7 other pieces of dough.
(6) Lightly brush tops of pockets with olive oil.  Bake for 18 minutes.
(7) Pockets will be extremely hot.  Use a sharp knife to pierce several holes in the top to allow steam to escape for several minutes before serving.

Kid Participation:

* Combine filling ingredients

* Roll out dough rectangles

* Spoon filling onto rectangles

* Seal edges with fork

Eggplant Parmesan

Original Recipe HERE

I hadn't made a successful eggplant parmesan meal until this one.  The eggplant is either too tough or too mushy, the sauce lacks flavor, the cheese gets crusty, and so on.  However, this will now be my go-to eggplant parmesan recipe after I enjoyed it and Husband gave it rave reviews.  Neither kid liked it, but I've never had luck getting them to eat eggplant, so it wasn't a surprise.

I'm sure this could be made much healthier by baking the eggplant instead of frying it, but ehh...I was in the mood for some oil-drenched comfort food.

Ingredients

1 eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
olive oil
2 cans (14.5 oz each) tomato sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 to 2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup to 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
pasta [optional]

Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a large baking dish.
(2) Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pan on medium-high heat.
(3) In a small bowl, combine eggs and pepper well.
(4) In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs and one teaspoon garlic powder.
(5) Dip eggplant slices into egg and then breadcrumbs.
(6) Add eggplant slices to pan in several batches; brown on each side (adjust heat level as needed).
(7) Remove to plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.  Wipe most of oil out of pan with paper towels when done.
(8) Add tomato sauce, onion, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, basil, and oregano to pain.  Heat to boiling, then simmer 10 minutes until slightly thickened.  Stir in butter until melted.
(9) Lay eggplant slices in baking dish (preferably in one layer).  Pour sauce over eggplant.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and Mozzarella.
(10) Cover with foil.  Bake 20-30 minutes.  Remove foil; bake 5-10 minutes longer.  Serve with pasta if desired.

Notes: Husband remarked that the sauce had just the right amount of saltiness, but the recipe could be short-cutted by just using jarred sauce.

Kid Participation: None...including consuming it, apparently.

Mushroom Cheese Bread

Original Recipe Found in Taste of Home's 2006 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

I rely on frozen, not-homemade garlic bread way too often, but we all love it...a hard, lazy habit to break.  So I was in the market for some new variations on a favorite side.  This was an easy way to dress up plain bread and more special than just tossing some shredded mozzarella on the frozen loaf.

I thought that there wasn't enough topping for an entire loaf of Italian bread, so I only used half of one.  This was a mistake, as the topping couldn't melt enough and the bread didn't get as crispy as I'd have liked.

Ingredients

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 can (4 oz) mushroom pieces, drained or 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced thin

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons chopped green onion

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning [optional]

1 loaf (1 pound) unsliced French or Italian bread

Directions

(1) Slice loaf in half length-wise.  Toast or broil until just crisped (not browned).

(2) In bowl, combine mozzarella, mushrooms, mayonnaise, parmesan, and onion.  Spread mixture over bread.

(3) Broil 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Notes: I used Italian bread this time, so I'll try French the next.  I'll also add some garlic powder to the cheese mixture.

Kid Participation:

* Mix topping ingredients together

* Spread cheese mixture over bread (if cooled)