Quick Chicken Cacciatore

When we were first married, I used to regularly go to cooking classes taught by our local grocery store.  My husband worked nights at the time while he was finishing up college and I was teaching first grade.  So I loved having something to do while he was gone and learned a lot of basics about cooking.   And beings that I was also very busy grading papers and writing lesson plans at night--I also loved gathering recipes that were quick and easy to make.  I was excited to try this recipe that was demonstated because it fit that description perfectly!   It really is so delicious and tastes a lot fancier than it is to make.  I especially like making it with fresh linguine (found in the refrigerator section).  Unless you're more talented than me and can make your own linguine.  But then that probably would change the title from Quick to Complicated, right?  The onion, green pepper, and fresh garlic simmer with the chicken and create a fantastic italian flavor.  The italian seasoned tomatoes also make this so easy.  You can play around with it and add more spices if you like.  And parmesan cheese on top of hot, bubbling cacciatore is a must!  You'll love this simple, easy, delicious meal!

Quick Chicken Cacciatore from Pampered Chef

1 pkg breaded precooked chicken breast (6-8 patties)

1 small white or yellow onion

8 oz fresh linguine (in refrigerator section)

2 cans (14.5 oz) Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes

Fresh cloved garlic

1 medium green bell pepper (optional)

Cut chicken patties and bell peppers into strips.  Chop onion.  Cook linguine according to package directions.  Drain and keep warm.  Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium heat.  Lightly spray with olive oil.  Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes (stirring frequently).  Add tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and fresh garlic.  Bring to a boil; cover.  Reduce heat to simmer for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Serve over hot linguine.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired. 

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

When I started this blog a couple of years ago, I was posting recipes and no pics. So I've tried to go back and update those recipes with pictures. This is one of those that I posted way back when that deserves a picture. When my husband and I got married this was the first meal I made him! I laugh now at how incredibly long it took me to make it because I hadn't quite figured out the art of timing and getting everything on the table at the same time. Nonetheless, this meal was a hit and continues to be a favorite around our house. It might sound a bit unusual, but the flavors meld together perfectly and make for one yummy, cheesy, delicious variation on lasagna.

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna from Barbs (my mom)

2 cans (12 oz) evaporated milk (not fat-free)
1 (1 oz) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (16oz) lasagna noodles, cooked
1 1/2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 C mozzarella cheese, grated

Cook the chicken and noodles first at the same time. Once noodles are done--rinse in cold water and set aside (it keeps them from sticking together). Combine evaporated milk (don't use fat-free version) and Ranch dressing in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Stir in chicken and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes (don't do any less), stirring frequently. Layer half of lasagna noodles, poultry sauce, and cheese in well-buttered 9x13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Tips: When rinsing the needles, I also like to straighten them out in the colander so that as they sit there it makes it easier to layer them without the noodles all bent (if that makes sense). For extra cheesiness, increase both cheese by 1/2 cup.

Baked Spaghetti

 Growing up, my mom always made her spaghetti sauce from scratch (until I was a teen and it became easier with four kids to use a jar). She is an amazing cook and so I'm kind of a snob when it comes to homemade lasagnas, spaghetti sauces, stuffed shells (you get the pictures, I'm sure), or things with a tomato base. So when I tried this recipe that my friend Jamie gave me years ago, I was instantly hooked! It is so easy and so delicious. I no longer make my homemade lasagna or stuffed shells because it has that same awesome flavor without all the work! All of the flavors meld together perfectly and I alter the canned jar of sauce just a little bit to make it taste more homemade. My husband and kids always devour this!

Baked Spaghetti from Jamie

Mix these ingredients together and place in a greased 9x13 baking dish:

12 oz angel hair pasta, cooked
1 egg
1 C parmesan cheese
2 T chopped basil

Mix these together and place on top of the pasta:

1 lb hamburger, cooked
1 (13 oz) container ricotta cheese
2 C grated mozzarella cheese, save ½ C for the top
1 jar pasta sauce

Sprinkle ½ C mozzarella cheese on sauce. Bake at 350 for about 35 min or until the cheese starts to bubble.

**You might be tempted to throw the whole box (16oz) of pasta in to boil. I've done that before and it definitely only needs the 12 oz that is calls for. I found it was not enough sauce for that extra bit of noodles.

**If you have a pasta sauce that you love and don't want to alter--perfect. Otherwise I like to use the Prago regular sauce and add 1/4-1/2 C brown sugar, 2-4 cloves of garlic, and italian seasoning. I just season it to taste.

Yummy Pasta

 I've tried quite a few pasta shell recipes since we've been married and haven't been too impressed with any of them...there were never any that we wanted to make again. And then my mom made these and they are awesome! They're really, really good and easy to make.


Pasta Shells from my mom (Barbs)

1 box jumbo shells
½ C parmesan cheese
24 oz ricotta cheese
3 C mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 T basil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 jar spaghetti sauce (prego traditional and add ground beef)

Mix cheeses, basil, salt, pepper. Add eggs. Pour ½ sauce in 9x13 pan. Stuff shells with cheese mixture. Put in pan. Pour over remaining sauce. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

A twist on lasagna

This is one of Bret's favorite meals. He is often requesting that I make this one.

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

2 cans (12 oz) evaporated milk

1 (1 oz) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix

3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken

1/8 tsp pepper

1 (16oz) lasagna noodles, cooked

1 1/2 C cheddar cheese, grated

1 1/2 C mozzarella cheese, grated

I usually cook the chicken and noodles first at the same time. Once noodles are done--rinse in cold water and set aside (it keeps them from sticking together). Combine evaporated milk (don't use fat-free version) and Ranch dressing in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Stir in chicken and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes (don't do any less), stirring frequently. Layer half of lasagna noodles, poultry sauce, and cheese in well-buttered 9x13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Olive Garden Fettuccine

We had dinner at our friends, the Halverson's, when we first moved here and they made this for us. It seriously takes exactly like it came from a restaurant--and I'm really picky about my alfredo. It's also really, really healthy (ya, right). But it's soooooo good and a fun splurge. I like to make it after Christmas when I have extra heavy cream lying around.  My husband requests this for his birthday dinner often.  It truly tastes like it came from a high-end restaurant!

Fettucine Alfredo

1/2 C real butter

1 tsp fresh garlic

1 dash cayenne pepper

1 pint heavy whipping cream

2/3 cup fresh grated parmesan or romano cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 lbs pasta

chopped fresh parsley for garnish (opt)

1. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter--add cream, garlic, and salt and peppers. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring constantly until thick.

2. Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheese.

3. Serve over hot pasta. We like to add grilled chicken.