It's Easy...and It's What's For Dinner

The easiest meals to prep and cook always tend to be my most favorite.  Don't get me wrong.  I love to put a little elbow grease into my meals when I have extra time...the juice is almost always worth the squeeze when a few extra ingredients and a little extra time is required.  But on nights when the kids have basketball practice until 7 and I still want to get something hearty and and homemade on the table before bedtime at 8, easy to prep and cook wins every time.  

This meal right here couldn't be easier.  Minimal prep time is involved which is always a bonus.  In all honesty, I found this recipe and thought is might be a little bland so I'd have to tweak it and add a few things here and there, but I was SO very wrong.  I could eat pasta every night of the week, but Mr. Spouse has never been a huge fan. Not only did he rave about the meal as he was eating, but he took it to work for leftovers the next day and that says A LOT because that sweet man is not a leftover kinda guy (saves more for me!! ;))  

CHICKEN FAJITA PASTA

via Mommy On Demand

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed or sliced)

2 TBSP. Olive oil

1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced

1 orange bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 box (1lb.) penne pasta

2 TBSP. Chicken Fajita Seasoning

1/2 C. + 2 TBSP. heavy whipping cream

First thing's first.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and return to pot.  Set aside.

Next up slice your onion, bell peppers, and chicken.    As you can see, mine came out more like thinly cut cubes.  It won't affect the flavor, so cut 'em how you want 'em.

Now add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan and heat on medium/high heat.  Add in chicken and stir to coat in oil.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the fajita seasoning into the pan and stir to coat again.  Cook for about 6-7 minutes or until chicken is pretty much cooked through.

This is my personal favorite fajita seasoning.  There may be better out there, but this one is always available in my area and I love the flavor it adds, so this is the one I like using :) 

Once the chicken is cooked through, toss in the onion and bell peppers.  Stir to combine and reduce the heat to medium.  Cover with a lid and heat through until the onion and bell peppers are soft.  Keep an eye on the chicken mixture and stir as often as needed to prevent sticking to the pan.  I probably let mine simmer for about 10 minutes or so.  

Once the onions and bell peppers are soft, add in the heavy cream, cooked pasta,  and the remaining tablespoon of fajita seasoning.  Stir to combine and cook on low until the cream is heated through.  

 This would be excellent topped with a Mexican cheese blend, but we used shredded parmesan and it was amazing!  Pico, avocado, and/or cilantro would be great toppings, too!!!  But honestly, this dish truly stands on it's own as is!!!  Nothing extra needed!!

Seriously though...how easy was that?!?!?!  Total prep time was maybe 10ish minutes or so?!  Not too shabby!!!  Like I said earlier, I really thought I'd have to add something extra to give it more flavor, but I couldn't have been more wrong.  It was seriously perfection just the way it was!! And the fact that Mr. Spouse ate it for leftovers spoke volumes.  This will be appearing on our dinner table a lot more often!!!  I love finding new recipes that aren't just easy, but delicious as well!!!  YUM!

It Tastes Like The First 3 Years of Marriage

When Adam and I were first married 11 years ago, I knew nothing about cooking. 

Wait.  I take that back.  

I could scramble the heck outta some eggs and I could toast a pretty decent piece of bread.

The first three years of our marriage really proved how much my husband loved me for me.  Lord knows he didn't love me for my culinary prowess.  We dined on lots of taco salads, fiesta chicken (gag), chicken squares (can't even say those two words around Adam without causing bouts of nausea), and Hamburger Helper.  Oh dear...we loved us some Hamburger Helper (of the beef stroganoff variety, of course).

When I found this recipe in my little recipe box, the ingredients didn't make me think about stroganoff in the least.  But as soon as Adam walked in the door, he said it smelled like our first few years of marriage.  "Are you making stroganoff???"  Then he took a bite.  "This sure tastes like stroganoff smells.".  I'm going to take that as a good thing because this one pot dish was delightfully tasty!  And he went back for seconds.  Always a sign of a good meal!!!

CHEESY TORTELLINI & BEEF

1 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning.

1 C. Water

1 (15 oz.) can beef broth

1 beef bouillon cube

1 (20 oz.) pkg. cheese tortellini

1/2 C. shredded Italian Blend Cheese

Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

All you'll need to prep for this dish is one pan.  One large-ish pan/skillet.  Es todo.  

In a large skillet, brown the beef. 

Once the meat is browned, remove from heat and drain.  Return meat to skillet and add the Montreal Steak Seasoning.  Stir to combine and heat on high.

Add the water, beef broth, and bouillon cube.  Stir well.  

Bring to a boil and add the package of tortellini (I used the refrigerated Buitoni 3 cheese tortellini).  Cook until tortellini is heated through...about 6-10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and drain the tortellini and beef mixture.  Return to skillet and toss in the shredded Italian blend cheese.  Cover with a lid until the cheese is melted (2-3 minutes).

You could also serve this with an additional sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese if you so desire.  We sure did :)  Is there really such thing as too much cheese?!

Voila! 

A delightfully delicious one skillet supper!!!  My FAVORITE kind of meal!  

Easy prep, easy clean-up.  And tasty to boot.

And apparently reminiscent of our first three years of marriage ;)

Fun Finds & An Easy Meal

My mom's side of the family is Italian.  My great grandparents...Maw Maw & Paw Paw...are from Italy and the time spent with them growing up made for some of my most favorite childhood memories.  I was blessed enough to have them around until I was 21.  They were some of the most beautiful people.  My Maw-Maw started the tradition of Sunday pasta & zucca.  She made the pasta and the meatballs all from scratch.  She taught My grandma how to do the same and the tradition still lives on today.  Sunday Funday pasta & zucca with the family are my most favorite Sundays.  You've never had pasta, meatballs, and zucca until you've had my grandma's.  Best around, hands down (I know I'm biased ;)  

I still haven't mastered the art of making everything from scratch.  I won't attempt the pasta, but I'm getting better at the zucca.  Meatballs have always stumped me.  I can never make 'em quite like grandma.  And that's really a shame because they're amazingly delightful.  I did find this recipe recently and figured it was worth a shot.  How could I possibly screw up a baked version of grandma's fare?!  Luckily I didn't!!  Although they're nowhere near the same, they are just as delightful and delicious to boot!

BAKED MEATBALLS ALLA PARMIGIANA

via I Breathe, I'm Hungry

1- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

2 TBSP. fresh parsley, chopped

3/4 C. grated parmesan cheese

1/2 C. all purpose flour

2 eggs

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dried minced onion

1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 C. warm water

Parmigiana Topping

Marinara sauce (I use Victoria brand Marinara - Old World Style)

Mozzarella cheese

This really is a quite simple dish to prep and bake.   I like to prep mine during the day or even the night before , refrigerate, and then bake before serving.  

Combine parsley, parmesan, flour, eggs, salt, dried onion, italian seasoning, and water.  Whisk together until well mixed and add in the ground beef.  Now take off your rings because your hands are about to get dirty.  You'll want to mix the beef and the liquid mixture together by hand until it's well combined.  

Then you'll form the mixture into meatballs about 2" around like this...

Once your meatballs are prepped (you might need two baking dishes for this), pour one tablespoon of marinara over each meatball.  Then place slices of mozzarella on top of each marinara covered meatball.  

Bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes and voila...

baked meatballs alla parmigiana!!!

Y'all...these are SO good!!! I'm really partial to my grandma's meatballs and don't often eat them unless she's the chef.  However, this recipe has definitely become a family favorite.  My youngest loves grandma's meatballs and he says these are "even just as delicious, mom!!  But grandma's are still my favorite."  Sweet boy knows what he likes.  These are great served on their own with a side of mashed potatoes, but they're just as good served over pasta....minus the melted mozzarella. 

Now I want to share a few fun finds that made my closet and holiday collection smile :)  

First up, Halloween.  I KNOW it's too early to talk about it.  I know.  But I also know that Home Goods/Marshall's sell out of this stuff with a quickness, so I went ahead and got a head start on my holiday shopping so I wouldn't miss out.  It's all put away and stored right now, but I'm tempted to start my Halloween decorating when September hits (is Sept. 1st too early?!?!?  #kidding  #sortof)

Do y'all shop at Ross??  I LOVE Ross.  Their home decor is on point.  Not always, but often.  It's definitely a hit or miss, but goodness...when it's a hit it's a home run!!  I ran in the other day while I was in town and found these fantastic wire baskets with wooden handles for a whopping $3 on clearance!  SOLD!  I bought them all.  I have no idea what I'll do with all of them, but this one makes a cute little home for my flour and sugar containers.  

I think I've told y'all before how our nearest grocery store is about 25 minutes away.  Well...we do have one in town, but they're overpriced and never have anything I need.  It's a pretty tiny little grocery store.  About a year ago our little town got a Wal Mart.  Since they have pretty much everything I need, I typically do my grocery shopping there.  While I was walking to checkout the other day I noticed a display of fitness gear.  Y'all...they have some CUTE stuff!!  And it's pretty decent quality, too!  New gear always makes me excited to workout, so I picked this up.  The whole outfit cost me $17.  Not too shabby.  So if you're looking for inexpensive workout clothes, head on over to Wal Mart and check out what they have in stock.  

We won't be experiencing any cool weather anytime soon here, but I know that my favorite store will sell out of their Fall/Winter clothes pretty quickly, so I went ahead and picked up a few (inexpensive) things for the change in weather (whenever that happens).  Just wanted to share in case you're anything like me!!

I know this isn't a flattering angle, but this sweater is the cutest!!!  It looks great with skinny jeans and covers enough of the lower half to wear with leggings, too!  The material isn't too thick or too thin...just right for cooler temps.  And it's soft, too.  For $17.90, it's a STEAL!

EYELASH LACE-TRIM SWEATER, FOREVER 21

I know I'm late to the feather vest party and this trend is probably out, but I love it.  I looked everywhere for one last season and couldn't find the right color.  This is exactly what I was looking for.  I know I won't wear this all the time, so the $33 price tag is perfect for this occasional accessory. 

SIDE PANELED FAUX FUR VEST, FOREVER 21

A Pasta Salad with a Southwestern Flair

If you read my post on Tuesday, you know that I haven't really been home a whole lot this summer.  When we were home I tried to keep our meals simple.  Lots of grilling...a little take out...and too many "finger foods" :)  I realized that grocery shopping during the busy summer months isn't quite as organized as it is during the school year.  All that to be said, one thing that was easy to prep and lasted us a few days worth of meals was pasta salad.  

Oh sweet, sweet pasta salad.  I definitely have my favorites in this category.  My dear friend, Jill, gave me the most AMAZING tomato, basil, & feta pasta salad recipe years ago and it's one of my favorites to make and eat.  However, it doesn't last long at all.  I eat it like it's going out of style.  Mr. Spouse isn't a fan of eating the same thing over and over, so I had bring in a few new recipes that would satisfy his palate.  I'm pretty sure we hit a home run with this one!!!

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

2 tbsp. olive oil

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cubed & cooked

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb. box of tri colored rotini pasta

2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 CUPS frozen corn, thawed

1 can Rotel, drained

1/2 C. green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 C. red bell pepper, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

2 TBSP chopped cilantro

DRESSING

1/2 C. Mayo

2/3 C. plain Greek yogurt

1 TBSP. dry ranch dressing (Hidden Valley dressing)

1 TBSP. taco seasoning

Heat olive oil in a skillet and add chopped garlic.  Let garlic sautee for about 1-2 minutes and toss in the cubed chicken.  Heat until cooked through.  Remove and set aside.

Boil pasta according to package directions.  Drain, return to pot, and set aside.  

While the pasta & chicken are cooking, start chopping the bell peppers, green onion, and cilantro.

And go ahead and prep your dressing, too.  

Now add the chicken and veggies/cilantro to the pot of drained pasta.  Toss in the Rotel, black beans, and corn and stir to combine.  

Mix in the dressing one tablespoon at a time.  Just add until the consistency is to your preference. 

Transfer to a large bowl, serve, and enjoy!

This is a great salad served slightly warm or cold.  I love the creaminess!!  We've also tried this same recipe with Italian dressing instead of the one mentioned here.  Absolutely DELICIOUS.  Another great dressing to incorporate with these ingredients?!  Bolthouse Cilantro Avocado dressing.  YUM!   This has been a great side dish for us (without the chicken), but it's perfectly fitting for a full meal, too!!!  Now it's off to make some more!!  Summer's not over yet ;)

Monday Mash-Up With a Cajun Flair

It's Monday, y'all.   As if you needed a reminder.  I really can't complain.  I started out my morning outside with this view.  

Our outdoor living area is currently undergoing a makeover.   Nothing like the pressure of entertaining and hosting guests to get our rear in gear!  I *think* we finally have an idea of what we want to do out there.  Of course, I'm a huge fan of the farmhouse look for interior decor.  Mr. Spouse loves the style as well, but for the outdoors...his "man cave"... he wants something a little more apropos to his stylistic preference (aka: any and everything Jimmy Buffett-esque).  Needless to say, I have my work cut out.

We had a great little weekend.  A baseball game for my husband and our oldest while I took the littlest to a birthday party.  While we were enjoying all the cake and ice cream, I decided it would be the perfect day for a long overdue date night with the spouse.  I love our "us" time and we need MORE of it!!!  I planned a *surprise* night of fun (meaning I planned dinner & drinks) and mom and dad kept the kids.  Best babysitters ever!!!

If you're in the Houston area, I HIGHLY recommend Holley's Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar!  SO AMAZING!!!!  Right next to pasta, any and all seafood is my most favorite fare.  

 We started with a round of oysters and their Benne Seed Parkerhouse Rolls (a MUST !!!}  I got the blackened grouper and Adam ordered the Crispy Redfish.  Both excellent.  We finished off our meal with the Apple Pie Bread Pudding and ohmiword...to.die.for!  My mom's most favorite dessert is coconut cream pie or coconut cake, so we ordered her the Down South Coconut Cake as a little surprise "thank you!" for keeping the boys.  I had a few bites when we got back to the house and the reviews were spot on...one of the best coconut cakes I've ever tasted!  

After dinner, we headed to Julep.  We're big bourbon fans in this household and a friend of mine suggested we visit this bar to sample some of their bourbon cocktails.  This was the neatest little dive.  We loved every little bit of it.  I was especially fond of the decor and the bartender's uniforms.  Everything had a Southern flair.    We were hoping to score a seat at the bar or in one of their cozy little booths, but it was slammed so we headed to the patio.  I had my very first Mint Julep (amazing!) and Adam made sure to purchase the cup in which it was poured so that we could commemorate the occasion :) We had to stand as we enjoyed our spirits, but we had the best time.   That is until I realized I wasn't carded.  Every single person walking in was carded...except for me & my husband.  Shoo.  

#imgettingold #imissbeingcarded #istillfeellikeilooklikeim21

Sunday Funday found us at church and then enjoying a little Tex-Mex for lunch followed by a trip to Lowe's.  Family fun at it's finest :)

Now it's Monday and I'm getting things ready for Easter.  I'm hosting again this year and this place is not clean. Not clean at.all.  Before I head off to do some damage control, I want to share one of my favorite pasta recipes with you (have you noticed that all of my pasta recipes are my favorite?!).

We love meals with a cajun flair and this one is so very, very delicious!!!

PASTALAYA

via Plain Chicken

1 lb. of Farfalle/Bow Tie pasta

16 oz. smoked sausage link, sliced

1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 tsp. olive oil

1 Cup heavy whipping cream

2 TBSP. minced garlic

1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped

4 TBSP. tomato sauce

1/2 Cup chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp. cajun seasoning (we always use Tony Chachere's!)

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Go ahead and cook the pasta according to package directions.  While your pasta is cooking, let's get everything else ready, shall we?!

Heat the olive oil over medium/high heat and toss in the sausage to brown.  Brown the sausage and add in the onions.  Saute for a couple of minutes and then add the minced garlic. 

Saute until fragrant...about 2 minutes...and then pour in the chicken broth.  Give the broth time to reduce by about half (2 minutes, give or take).   Mix in the tomato sauce, cajun seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper.  

Stir until ingredients are well combined and then add the shrimp and heavy whipping cream. 

 Heat until boiling and then reduce the temp to low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes and continue to stir the mixture.  When shrimp are cooked through, remove from heat and pour over drained pasta.

Topped with shredded parmesan cheese and enjoy!!!

I love that this dish had a little kick and combined lots of my favorite flavors.  Sausage, shrimp, pasta...you can't go wrong!!!!  This is a great dish to make when company comes over, too.  Ours absolutely LOVED it!!! If you're a fan of cajun style cookin', I highly suggest this delectable dish!  

Cozy Comfort Food

The weather around these parts has been warming up, thankfully, but the rain is sticking around.  We've had a couple of days full of clear skies, but there's a 65% chance of rain today and at this very moment, it's coming down pretty hard.  Here's my current view...

Now I'm realizing you can't even see the drops!!  HA!!!  But it's definitely coming down pretty steady.

 I don't know about y'all, but my favorite kind of rainy day meals typically involve comfort foods and soups.  Cozy food, if you will.  There's just something about snuggling up on the couch with a big ol' blanket, Parenthood on the TV, and a bowl of soup in hand.

This is one of those "cozy" meals.  And super easy to boot!  Definitely my kind of cooking!!!

TORTELLINI & TURKEY CHILI

via Closet Cooking

1 TBSP olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP chili powder

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cumin

1 lb. ground turkey

6 cups chicken broth (or a 32 oz. box)

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

1 (28 oz.) can of petite diced tomatoes

1 TBSP. tomato paste

1 tsp. oregano

20 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini (we used the Bertolli brand 3 cheese tortellini and added just a little less than the entire package)

Sea salt & pepper to taste

First up, dice and saute the onions in the oil.  Let 'em saute for about 5 (ish) minutes and then toss in the garlic, chili powder, paprika, & cumin.  Mix the spices with the onion and let this simmer for about 1-2 minutes...just long enough to make this little concoction nice and fragrant.

Now add the ground turkey to the onion and spices and cook until browned.  

While the turkey is cooking, let's prep the rest of the goods.  In a large stockpot, add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, black beans, tomato paste, and oregano.  Cook at medium-high heat and once it starts to boil, add the tortellini.  By the time you add the tortellini, the turkey will be ready.  I went ahead and let my tortellini finish cooking before adding in the turkey/onion/spice mixture.  

Once all of the ingredients are combined, turn down the stove to low heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes to give all the flavors a chance to blend.  

Before serving, season your chili with a dash of sea salt and pepper (if you so desire).  Regular salt will work just fine, too.  I only had sea salt on hand and I sorta prefer it anyway.  Kevin at Closet Cooking topped his off with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese, and some green onions.  YUM!!!  I wish I would've had it all on hand because I certainly would've dressed it up that way, too.

This recipe made a pretty good sized batch.  We have leftovers which I fully intend to eat as the rain falls today.  And you can bet I'll be eating it while I'm sitting on the couch and making my way through season 5 of Parenthood.  (how I managed to get this far in two weeks is beyond me...and really, really frightning.  #netflixaddiction)

My Current Favorite Cold Front Meal

We had a little cold front blow in yesterday and I'm currently cozied up in my jeans, tee, and blardigan.  I heard it was woven by angels and I had to splurge after my friend, Kara, showed me hers.  Oh my.  It's all it's cracked up to be and then some.  But I digress.  Our family up north thinks we're funny when we say it's cold here.  This cold front will bring us lows in the 70's and highs in the 80's and let me tell you...that's cold enough for me :)  My Texas blood goes into shock when the temps dip below 70.  

The best thing about these "cold fronts" are enjoying warm weather meals.  Meals that just don't bode well with the sweltering heat and 100 degree evenings.  Soups are one of my most favorite "cold weather" meals.  I like soups just as much as I love pasta, so when I found this recipe that combined the two I knew it had to make it's way into our dinner plans.  It seems like most of my recipes lately have been from Damn Delicious, but I can't help it.  Everything I've tried from her has been amazing!!!  And this one is a perfect cold front meal!  

SPINACH TOMATO TORTELLINI SOUP

via Damn Delicious

1 TBSP. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

5 1/2 cups chicken broth {3 cans}

1 {14 oz.} can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1 {14 oz.}can Italian style diced tomatoes {basil, oregano, garlic}

1 {20 oz.} pkg. cheese stuffed tortellini {refrigerated}

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 bay leaves

1 pkg. baby spinach

kosher salt & pepper, to taste

shredded parmesan, to taste

This is one of the easiest meals to make.  If you're into fast, easy, and delicious...and who isn't?!?!?...then you seriously need to consider adding this to your menu!!

First up, grab a large stock pot or dutch oven.  Let's heat the olive oil over medium/high heat.  Add the garlic and onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions are a little translucent.  

Now add the broth, diced tomatoes, spices, and bay leaves.  Whisk the mixture and then toss in the tortellini making sure to stir well to coat.  You can season with salt and pepper if you so desire.  

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and continue to simmer until the tortellini is cooked through. Add the baby spinach and cook until it's wilted.

Ladle yourself a serving and top it all off with a little bit of freshly shredded parmesan.

As you can see, I modified the recipe just a bit so that we'd have enough for leftovers for the week and I really wanted to use up the last of the diced tomatoes I had on hand.  

Mr. Spouse gleefully exclaimed that this is his new favorite soup.  I would have to agree that this one is right up there for me, too.  Truly one of the most delicious "cold front" meals I've made in a long time!!!!

A Winning Trifecta

Happy Tuesday!  I'm back after spending a few days on the road.  If y'all haven't figured it out by now, I LOVE living in Texas.  I love absolutely everything about it...hot weather and all :)  This past week I drove a couple of hours west and headed to Round Top to enjoy the last little bits of Texas antique week with the girls.  If you're not familiar with Round Top, let me just tell you that I think you'd LOVE it!  Miles...and miles...and miles...and miles of shopping....new stuff...old stuff...thrifted stuff...clothes...antiques...and cocktails :)

We spent the day shopping...our first stop was Junk Gypsy.  Big love.  We even stamped our very own leather bracelets and I apparently don't know how to do this the right way. #stampingfail  

Then we walked around...browsed the booths...shopped....posed for pics...and enjoyed a champagne popsicle at the Bubble Lounge while we were waiting out one of our lovely, albeit unexpected,  Texas storms.

After walking back to our campsite completely wet and muddy, we washed off {with baby wipes...#noshame} and got ready for Prom.  Such fun!!!  

We left the next morning after burritos for breakfast and then I came home and slept like crazy.  7 girls in a pop-up camper doesn't make for the best sleep :)  I was telling my mom I wanted to go back, so we decided to hop in the car the day after that and head back up to see what we could find.  After 6 non-stop hours of shopping {and eating!}, we drove back home with a trunk full of goodies.  I can't wait to go back in April!!!  

Speaking of eating, I could eat bowls and bowls of pasta.  A non-stop buffet of decliciousness.  This is, hands down, my favorite carb :)  I decided to take a few old family recipes and mix them together to create a new(ish)-to-me pasta dish.  I love lots of different variations on the tried and true bowl of spaghetti and this one did not disappoint.  The best part of this whole meal was the quick and easy prep.  Fast, easy, and flavorful...a mommy's dream trifecta :)

PENNE ITALIANO with BACON

1 lb. penne pasta

1 lb. chicken thighs, cut in small bite sized pieces

1 TBSP. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bag of frozen onion/celery/pepper blend {green/red peppers, onion, celery}

1 jar of Classico Tomato & Basil spaghetti sauce

1 {14 oz.} can of Italian style diced tomatoes

2/4 C. Zesty Italian dressing

Salt & Pepper, to taste

6-8 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled

Shaved/shredded/grated parmesan {optional}

Let's go ahead and start cooking the pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, cut your chicken into bite sized pieces.  I like to do this because I feel like the chicken cooks faster and nothing scares me more than uncooked chicken {{{shudder}}}.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken once it's all warmed up.

Cook the chicken until it's no longer pink on the inside and then remove from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the bag of onion/celery/peppers and garlic.  Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the pepper blend is translucent.  

Now add the chicken, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, and dressing to the skillet.  Mix until well combined and simmer for about 15 minutes.  You can add a little salt and pepper here if you want, too.

While your sauce is a simmerin', bake {or fry} your bacon.  I like to bake mine.  Frying and I don't mix.  I've got the burn scars and burnt bacon to prove it. So baking it is.  Remove the bacon from the bacon sheet and set aside to cool.  Once the bacon has cooled, crumble it into little pieces.  Or big. Whatever you prefer.  The bacon will be the proverbial cherry on top if you know what I mean :)

Drain pasta and return to the pot.  Now toss the chicken/sauce mixture over the pasta and mix to evenly coat.  Serve yourself a generous portion and top with the crumbled bacon bits.  Then garnish it with a little shaved/shredded/grated parmesan if your taste buds beckon.  

Like I said before...fast, easy, and flavorful.  A winning trifecta in my kitchen.

This is definitely a perfect little twist on the tried and true original.  And the addition of bacon was definitely an added bonus.  I loved that savory little crunch.  I wouldn't skip that part if I were you, but then again I really do love bacon, so maybe that's just my taste palate talking.  This dish is delicious with or without the pork, so do whatever your little heart desires.  Either way...just do it. Give this little number a whirl.  You'll be so happy you did!!!

Spice Girl

I love music.  ALL kinds of music.  Blues, rock, jazz, praise & worship, country, pop, indie, folk...you name it and I pretty much love it.  I would prefer to listen to music than watch TV...unless Sons of Anarchy is on and then it's all about the TV.  My husband would argue that I have poor taste in music because I have playlists that include cheesy boy bands from back in the day and random tunes with ridiculous lyrics.  I guess we can't all have great taste in everything ;)  As ashamed as I should be to admit this, I was once a fan of  the Spice Girls.  I could sing every word to every mainstream song and if I randomly hear them to this day, I can still recite every single lyric.  I lead a very, very exciting life.  

This recipe has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Spice Girls, but whenever I read or hear the word "spicy", something takes me back to 1998 and visions of platform boots and Union Jacks dance around in my mind.  So tell me what'cha want, what'cha really, really want...  You can thank me later for getting this song stuck in your head :)  

SPICY SHRIMP & TOMATO FETTUCCINE

via Budget Bytes

8 oz. fettuccine

2 TBSP. olive oil

1 TBSP. butter

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 {15oz.} can of diced tomatoes

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. salt

pepper, to taste

This recipe is pretty quick and simple, so no prep pictures are included.  

First things first.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  

While the pasta cooks, mince your garlic & set aside. 

Heat the olive oil & butter in a large skillet over medium heat on the stove top.

While the olive oil & butter are heating, go ahead and peel your shrimp.  Honestly, you might wanna go ahead and do that before anything else because those little suckers take a few minutes to come out of their shells :)

Once the olive oil and butter are heated, add the raw shrimp and garlic.

Saute the shrimp for about 3-5 minutes {or until they're pink}.  

Remove the shrimp from the skilled and leave all the other goodness inside.  

Place the shrimp in a bowl and set them aside.  

Now add the tomatoes {don't drain!!} to the skillet  and toss in the cracked red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste.   Let that simmer for about 5ish minutes.

Once the sauce has thickened, remove from heat and then toss in the shrimp and give it a good little mix.  I like my shrimp coated with the yummy tomato mix.

Now pour the tomato sauce & shrimp over the {drained} pasta and toss until it's all combined.

You can garnish your plate with a little chopped parsley and some shaved parmesan, but I opted out on both counts.  It was just perfect on it's own.  

This little dish packed the perfect amount of heat, too.  Not too mild.  Not too spicy.  Perfectly perfect.  The best part about this meal {aside from the outstanding flavor} was the amount of time it took from prep to plate.  I think I was in the kitchen for a total of *maybe* 20 minutes.  Those are the BEST kind of meals, for sure.  

I do think the addition of a little chopped chicken would be really delicious, too.  Shrimp is my personal favorite so I won't be making any adjustments.  If you're a fan of spicy sauces, seafood, and pasta....and quick meal prep...then you should definitely add this to your menu!  It won't disappoint!!

Pasta Perfection

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably know that I'm a sucker for pasta.  I have over 30 pasta recipes on this little blog {not mine of course.  I'm not a chef...I just know how to follow recipes :)}    Pasta is, by far, my most favorite thing to eat.  I could absolutely eat it every single day.  I really do try to refrain.  My jeans pretty much beg me to take it easy on the carbs :) This dish would've been perfect without the addition of said carb, but I'm pretty sure it adds to the overall delightfulness of this meal, so don't leave it out.

Pasta can be really heavy depending on how you prepare it.  This, however, is anything but filling.  It's light and robust all at the same time.  No heavy sauces.  No crazy ingredients.  If you ask me, it's perfection in a bowl.  

SPICY SAUSAGE AND PEPPER PASTA

via Two Peas and Their Pod

12 oz. Penne Pasta {I used Penne Plus, Market Pantry}

2 TBSP. Olive Oil

2 cloves garlic, minced {I used 1 Tbsp. pre minced garlic}

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1/2 orange bell pepper, sliced

 1 pkg. Smoked Turkey Sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices

Crushed red pepper, to taste

Grape tomatoes, halved {to taste}

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil {more or less depending on your preference}

Shredded parmesan cheese, to taste

Salt & pepper, to taste

This little dish takes no time to prep and cook.  You'll spend most of your time...a whopping 5 minutes...slicing the veggies, herbs, and sausage.  

Go ahead and start cooking your pasta according to package directions.  Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet and the sausage, onion, veggies, and garlic.  Toss in some crushed red pepper while you're at it.  I added quite a bit because we love a little kick in our food.  Add as much...or as little...as you want.  Saute for about 5 minutes or until the veggies & onion soften up.   

Remove the sausage, onion, & peppers from the heat and set aside.  Drain pasta and return it to the pot.  Now toss in the onion/pepper/sausage mix.  And don't forget to add the tomatoes and basil, too.  Mr. Spouse isn't a huge fan of tomatoes so I didn't add too many of those. Toss ingredients until well mixed.  

Now serve yourself a generous helping and top it off with shredded parmesan cheese.  It's okay to be liberal with your serving of cheese...trust me ;)

From start to finish, this dish took me about 25-30 minutes to get on the table.  I know I live my life in exclamation points and I'm a bit dramatic about everything, but seriously...this is AMAZING!!!!!  And if amazing doesn't quite explain it, let me give you a few synonyms that will....

Awesome.  Incredible.  Wonderful.  Marvelous.  Delectable.  Savory.  Scrumptious.  Palatable.

{Insert your adjective here.}

If you're looking for a quick weeknight meal that's easy to prep and takes no time to get on the table and in your mouth, look no further.  Absolute PERFECTION.

When I make a recipe for the very first time, I follow it to a T.  I don't like to veer away from it because, like I said before, I'm not a cook.  After I have it for the first time, I'll figure out what needs to be added/omitted and then eventually make it again with those changes.  When I make this again...which will be VERY soon...I'll use the WHOLE pepper and more red onion because I love a pasta brimming with loads of veggies.  A definite keeper!!!!

I’ll Take That, But I Can I Get it Without The….

Have you ever been to a restaurant and found something you REALLY wanted, but when you ordered, you requested about 15 changes to the dish??  That’s my sister.  “I want the caesar salad with grilled chicken, but can I get it with no protein, 86 the onions, and put the dressing on the side”.  Did that just happen??  I like to give her a hard time about it because well, that’s just what sisters do…even when they’re grown and married with kids :)  She cracks me up every time she orders.  I found this recipe and knew I had to try it, but when it came to the actual execution, I pulled a Sara.  Not because I didn’t like what the recipe was calling for and wanted to change it all up, but I was just too dang lazy to go to the store and pick up the basil.  Sad, but true.  Either way, this recipe still turned out DELISH!!  I’m sure Sara would want to 86 a few things in this recipe, but for me, it was definitely a keeper for sure!

CHICKEN PARMESAN PASTA BAKE

via Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 TBSP. olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups of water
1 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pkg. {12 oz.} pasta shells (but you can use any type of pasta you prefer)
1 cup  grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces

Optional
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Even when I’m not snapping pics of what I’m doing in the kitchen, I still like to set out all of my ingredients in one place.  Makes cooking a *little* faster…at least, that’s what I tell myself.

If you have an oven safe skillet, you’ll wanna get that out and start cooking with that.  The only oven safe skilled I own is my cast iron skillet and it was a little too shallow for this dish.  You can also use a regular skillet and then transfer everything to an oven safe dish when it’s time to bake.  Now let’s get started.

Toss the tomatoes into your food processor and pulse until they’re coarsely chopped.  I used my blender because my food processor is in the hospital.  Prognosis= sadsville.  Things aren’t looking good.  ANYWAY, pulse the tomatoes and set aside.  Toss the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and olive oil into the skillet.  Cook on medium high heat for about a minute and then add the tomatoes, water, and 1 cup of chicken broth.  Stir to combine and then toss in the pasta {raw}.  Bring the tomato/pasta mixture to a simmer and cover.  Cook for about 16-18 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Make sure to stir frequently so that the pasta doesn’t burn and stick to the bottom of your pan.  Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.

Once the pasta is cooked, stir in 3/4 cups of the grated parmesan and the pepper.  Then go ahead and add your cooked chicken, too.

If the pasta mixture is too dry, you can add more broth {to your desired consistency}.  I didn’t have to add any because it was just right for me.  Stir to make sure the parmesan is well combined with the rest of the ingredients and then transfer everything to the oven safe dish I was talking about earlier {unless you’re cooking with an oven safe skillet, of course.}

 

Now sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining parmesan evenly over the top of the pasta.  Heat the oven to 475 and bake for about 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and bubbly.  As you can tell, I left mine in longer than the recommended time.  Forget to set the timer.  Then I forgot all about dinner altogether.  Since I’m such a mess in the kitchen, I like to get the heck outta dodge whenever possible.  Otherwise I’ll be too tempted to clean :)

 

Even without the addition of the fresh basil…which would have been absolutely AMAZING, by the way…this little dish still turned out GREAT.  I love pasta so much that it’s an absolute necessity to have as many variations on the tried and true dish of spaghetti as I possibly can.  Mr. Spouse isn’t as big a fan as I am, so it’s pretty much imperative that I keep up with variety.  I know the ingredients look a little overwhelming {because pretty much anything requiring more than a handful of things usually is}, but you can see that this couldn’t have been any easier. That’s definitely MY kind of meal!!!