Penne Rosa

A while back, my husband and I went to Noodles & Company for lunch, and I ordered the Penne Rosa. It was SO good, that I looked for a recipe online when we got home. I found one and improvised it a little. It might not taste exactly like the Penne Rosa at Noodles & Company, but it is VERY delicious!


(Note: If you want to add meat to this dish, here is a recipe for Parmesan-Crusted Chicken to serve on top of the pasta.)


Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 (1 lb) box penne pasta
1 (8 oz) box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced italian-style tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (8 oz) container sliced mushrooms
red pepper flakes
additional parmesan cheese

Directions:
Fill a pot with water and add red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and add penne noodles and cook according to directions on the box. Drain and place in large serving bowl.


Saute the mushrooms and set aside.


For the sauce:
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushroom, spinach, and more red pepper flakes (to taste), and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.

Serving directions: 
Place some pasta on a plate. Pour some sauce over the pasta (like you would with spaghetti). Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top, if desired. If you have Parmesan Chicken, cut up some of the chicken and serve it on top of the pasta. Enjoy!

Mrs. Huddlestun's Potato & Corn Chowder

This is a recipe I got from a friend's mom. She used to homeschool my friend and I when I was little, and I remember having this soup for lunch on a few cold days in Oregon at their house. It's hearty and delicious!

1 (12 oz) package of bacon (or you can buy 1 lb and use about half), cut into pieces
half a small onion, chopped
6 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 bag frozen corn
1 can creamed corn
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper (to taste)
cheddar cheese

Directions (exactly as she wrote them):

If you are putting bacon in it, cook a pkg. of bacon (12 oz) and then saute about a half of a small onion in the grease. Drain it with the bacon. Peel and cook about 6 potatoes (cubed). Drain most of the water off (Leave a little) and add a bag of frozen corn. Then add a can of creamed corn, and about a 1/4 of a cup of milk. If you want the soup to be thicker, add some instant potato flakes. About a handful at a time, and stir until it looks thick enough. Season it with salt and pepper and THEN put back in the bacon and onion. Shread a mess of cheddar cheese over the top, and sprinkle it with a little bit of parsley or chives. 

Flavorful Taco Casserole

(Another one of my own recipes, except I made this one up without any "backup" recipe)

Ingredients:

1 recipe of homemade refried beans

tortilla chips

8 oz can tomato sauce

2 lbs ground beef

2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar and colby jack)

4 tsp taco seasoning (I use homemade taco seasoning)

For homemade refried beans:

1 can black beans (rinsed, drained, and divided)

1/2 cup water

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

dash of cayenne pepper

several drops of tabasco sauce

Beans directions:

In a medium saucepan on the stove, heat half of the beans with all of the water on low heat until heated through. Meanwhile, make a paste out of the remaining beans by smashing with a fork (in a small bowl). Once the beans on the stove are heated stir in bean paste and add garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and tabasco sauce. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

Casserole directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Crush enough chips to cover the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Spread evenly. On stove, mix tomato sauce into refried beans, and warm on low heat. Brown the meat, drain, and add taco seasoning. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water if meat is too dry. Cook for a few more minutes. Spread refried bean mixture over chips. Spread taco meat evenly over refried bean mixture. Sprinkle cheese over the whole casserole, and bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.

Chocolate Chip-Toffee-Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

(this is my own recipe!)

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup Heath toffee bits
1/2 cup sweetened coconut

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, chocolate chips, toffee bits, and coconut. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pizza Macaroni Bake

Ingredients

1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 cup elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash pepper

Directions

In a skillet, cook sausage, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the macaroni, tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, water, oregano and pepper.
Transfer to a lightly greased 1-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and casserole is heated through.

(2 servings)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pizza-Macaroni-Bake/Detail.aspx

Old-Fashioned Pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, melted



Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.


http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Good-Old-Fashioned-Pancakes/Detail.aspx

Southwestern White Chili

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cans great northern beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cans cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1 1/3 cups milk
4 tablespoons canned chopped green chiles (one small can is the right amount)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups diced cooked chicken breast

DIRECTIONS:

In saucepan, saute onion and pepper in oil till tender. Stir in next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir in chicken. Heat through.

(about 6 servings)