Oven toasted Ravioli

Sometimes I don't feel like cooking.  On those days the kids usually get pierogis or raviolis.  Recently it was raviolis but I just didn't want them.  Then I remember I pinned this recipe and so I thought I  would try it to "liven" up my raviolis.

Recipe:

12 round frozen ravioli, thawed
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
6 Tbps Italian bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together egg and milk in shallow bowl.  In another bowl or pie plate, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.  Dip ravioli in egg and then in bread crumbs.  Place on baking sheet.  Repeat until all ravioli are coated.  Spray ravioli with cooking spray.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with warm marinara or pesto.

from plainchicken.comvio

Chicken Spaghetti

It is cold and snowy so here is a nice comfort food recipe.  It is almost casserole like.  I prepare this and cook half and freeze half for another day.  Its an easy meal that tastes yummy, even if it is bad for you. Its also a nice change from just regular spaghetti (or buttered noodles which my kids like)

I substitute cream of chicken for one cream of mushroom.  Actually most time I don't use the canned soups and make my own cream of whatever then add it. 

Enjoy

Recipe:

• 2 cups Cooked Chicken
• 3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
• 2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup
• 2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup Finely Diced Green Pepper
• 1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion
• 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
• 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.
Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

From Pioneerwoman

Pasta Carbonara

I haven't posted in a long time.  I haven't been making anything exciting.  I need to start trying more recipes again.

We had family staying with us for a week and I needed something that would please everyone.  So I decided pasta (my kids love noodles).  I went on Giada's (from the food network) site.  My husband loves her, most likely b/c her show is full of her cleavage.  But her recipes have always been good.

I didn't have pancetta so we used thick bacon.  I also added some peas b/c that is how I always have seen it at restaurants here.  Everyone enjoyed the meal.  I served it with salad and the Pioneer Woman's cheesy garlic bread. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound pancetta, diced into 1-inch cubes
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 pound dried penne
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Heat a large saute pan, until hot. Add pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and remove pan from heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish.

In a large pot, boil 6 quarts of salted boiling water. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse with water; you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will stick. While the pasta is still hot, return it back to the pot. Add the browned pancetta and mix well. Add the cream mixture and coat the pasta completely. It's important to work quickly while the pasta is still warm so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Add remaining Parmesan and chopped parsley.

Lemon Cream Chicken Pasta

Got this from all recipes. It was very good. I might add a bit more lemon to to the sauce, but I wasn't using fresh lemon juice so that may be why it needed it. I added freshly grated parm cheese.

Ingredients

* 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 1 lemon, quartered
* 2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
* 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1 (8 ounce) package rotelle pasta
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place chicken in a lightly greased baking dish. Squeeze lemon over both sides of the chicken breasts and season both sides using 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 40 minutes, or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink inside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, season the chicken broth with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and add lemon juice and pasta. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.
3. Cut cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir into cooked pasta, along with the cream and lemon zest. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly before serving.



http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Cream-Pasta-with-Chicken/Detail.aspx?prop31=8

White Spaghetti

I found this recipe a long time ago when Mike and I were 1st married. It was one of the first meals that I made that wasn't out of a box or packet! It is a quick, easy meal. Nothing too exciting, but a nice change from tomato sauce.

16 oz spaghetti noodles
2 or 3 eggs (beaten)
1 cup parm cheese
6-8 slices of bacon (cooked and crumbled)

Cook noodles according to directions. Drain. Immediately add the eggs and stir into the noodles (right in the pot). The eggs will cook right on the noodles (and the pot so stir often). Add the parm cheese. Top with bacon and serve.

So easy. The original recipe also called for ham and maybe green onions. I have also read where you can add garlic. You just heat some oil in a frying pan and cook some garlic. Then cook your bacon on in that pan.

Welcome...Balsalmic Brown Butter Raviolis

Welcome to my recipe blog. I enjoy cooking and love when people give me new recipes so I thought that I would start posting some of the recipes that I try/enjoy. Hopefully someone will make some of these! And if you are really lucky maybe some of my mom's recipes might pop on here.

So my 1st recipe is very simple. I saw it on the food network. Mike likes watching Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis. I know it is mainly b/c she has major cleavage, but her recipes are pretty good actually. We have made this a few times. Hayden enjoys them as much as we do.

Note: I don't use the walnuts that the recipe calls for. I don't like nuts too much. (and I just use regular salted butter too)



Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

* 18 to 20 ounces store-bought ravioli (cheese, mushroom, or squash)
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain ravioli onto a large serving platter.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat. Let cool for about 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Transfer the ravioli to the pan saucepan with the balsamic brown butter. Sprinkle walnuts and Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately.

Here is the link to the actual recipe site: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/ravioli-with-balsamic-brown-butter-recipe/index.html