One Pan Cheesy Smoked Sausage & Pasta

Looking for an amazing pasta recipe?  I  made this last week and it seriously was one of the best pasta recipes I have made!  My husband agreed!  It is a must try!



I found the recipe HERE on BudgetSavvyDiva.com website.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb sausage
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
• ½ cup milk
• 8 oz dry pasta
• ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, each
• 2 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
• ¼ tsp of Red Pepper Flakes
• ⅓ cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Directions:

1. Place olive oil into your pan over medium heat - add onions and sausage - cook for 5 minutes - add garlic and all seasonings - cook for 2 minutes
2. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, milk, and pasta - bring mixture to a boil - lower heat and cover for 15 minutes
3. Still in cheese
4. Serve and garnish

Pizza Rolls

This is Marne's recipe I'm posting so I can find it easily!

She uses this pizza dough recipe that can be found HERE on Larenslatest.com.
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Fail-Proof Pizza Dough

INGREDIENTS

• for the pizza dough-
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey {or sugar}
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
• 3 cups bread flour {give or take 1/2 cup...depending on the heat & humidity}

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the pizza dough--In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. This tells you that the yeast is alive and kicking. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour and mix. Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it it doesn't stick to your hands. Once you reach this stage, knead for 6 minutes. Turn a timer on and walk away! Resist the temptation to stop earlier than 6 minutes! That seems to be the magical number. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be clean! {*This is the point when you could freeze your dough!! Divide into portions, place into freezer bags, seal removing all air and freeze. To use, remove from freezer and let sit out to get to room temperature and double in size; 6-8 hours. Then use as you'd like.} Lightly grease the bowl & the dough so it doesn't dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours. That's it! Use as desired.

THEN here are some of her notes:

Spread lightly w/butter, sprinkle with garlic powder and Italian seasoning. I put on lots of cheese and mini pepperonis. Roll up tightly then slice with string abt 1in thick and bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes. Sprinkle more Italian seasoning on top before baking. Good dipped in marinara!

***A double batch makes 2 pizza rolls, rolled up before its sliced. Make dough and let rise. Divide dough into 2 equal parts and roll out like you do for cinnamon rolls, in a rectangle.  After they cool I put them into Ziplocs and freeze. I had to make a quadruple batch this time, my kids pound through them.

Chicken Pesto Pasta- Instapot

This was so good! 

Ingredients

• 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 to 3 cups dry Penne pasta
• 1 and 1/4 cup pesto
• 1 28-ounce can tomatoes (diced or crushed)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 can chicken broth
• salt and pepper, to taste
• grated Parmesan, if desired

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in pressure cooker. Stir to combine. Cook on 10 minutes high pressure or 11 minutes if chicken is frozen. Top with grated Parmesan, if desired.

One Skillet Sun Dried Tomato Chicken & Gnocchi

Another WIN!  I tried this new recipe and loved it!


I found this recipe HERE.  Its a must try for sure! I don't like baking anything in the oven when it gets warm - so this spoke to me.  Easy, yummy, a sure thing here!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp garlic
• 12 oz. Alessi gluten-free gnocchi
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup half and half (or heavy cream)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (or any other cooked chicken)
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• ½ cup freshly grated Asiago cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, drizzle olive oil and saute sun dried tomatoes and garlic until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
2. Add uncooked gnocchi, breaking apart any that are stuck together, then mix in chicken broth, half and half and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until gnocchi are cooked through and fluffy.
3. Remove cover and mix in shredded chicken and spinach leaves, cooking an additional 3 to 5 minutes until spinach is wilted.
4. Sprinkle with cheese and cook until melted, serve and enjoy!

Sun-dried tomato Fettuccine Alfredo

I made this for the first time tonight and it was all eaten up.  They all loved it!  One child even asked if we could eat it again next week. Winner winner pasta dinner.


I searched for pasta recipes on Pinterest and came across this.  It's a winner!  The recipe can be found HERE.

INGREDIENTS 16 oz fettuccine noodles 2 tablespoons oil from sundried tomatoes in oil jar 1/2 cup sundried tomato halves , drained and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups low sodium chicken broth 1 1/2 cups milk (I use lowfat) 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 tsp EACH dried basil, dried parsley, onion pwdr, salt 1/4 tsp EACH dried oregano, pepper 2 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cubed 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella Garnish (optional) freshly grated Parmesan fresh basil instructions Cook fettuccine in salted water according to package directions. Strain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons sundried tomato oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add sundried tomatoes, garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for one minute. Sprinkle in flour and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn heat to low and stir in chicken broth. Whisk cornstarch with milk and add to pan along with tomato paste, basil, parsley, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer and continue to cook and stir until sauce is thickened (but not overly thick), approximately 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese until melted, followed by Parmesan cheese until melted. Keep heat on low until fettuccine is done cooking, then stir in mozzarella cheese until melted then fettuccine until evenly coated. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or red pepper flakes to taste. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, and fresh basil if desired (optional).

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken & Veggies

I made this last week and it was delicious and EASY!! I found the recipe on Damn Delicious right HERE

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead)
• 16 ounces baby red potatoes, halved
• 16 ounces baby carrots
• 16 ounces green beans, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, ketchup, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and pepper.
2. Place chicken thighs, potatoes, carrots and soy sauce mixture into a 6-qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, basting every hour. Add green beans during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
3. OPTIONAL: Preheat oven to broil. Place chicken 

**I had it in the crock pot for 7 hours and the chicken was dry..maybe because it was really thin chicken breasts.  Next time I will do 5-6 hours max!

Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes

I made these as an after school snack and kids LOVED them.  But they didn't turn out as cute as these, but they tasted great! You can find the recipe HERE


For the donuts:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk

• For the cinnamon sugar coating:
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.
2. Sift flour into medium mixing bowl, add in baking powder, salt, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice.
3. In a separate large bowl, scoop in the pumpkin puree and mix in brown sugar.
4. Mix in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and add an egg. Pour in milk, and mix until smooth.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
6. Scoop the batter into a 24-cup mini muffin pan, about ¾ full each cup, and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Remove the donuts from the oven and allow to cool just enough to handle.
8. Place melted butter in one bowl and the sugar and cinnamon in another.
9. Dip the donuts into the melted butter, and coat, coat, coat in cinnamon sugar.
10. Serve warm, and enjoy

** I used pureed squash and you couldn't even tell!  Mini-muffins are tedious...so next I'm just making them into big muffins without the cinnamon sugar.