Spaghetti Carbonara

I just tried this recipe straight from the Martha Stewart Everyday Food blog. I was running low on groceries (as well as the grocery budget for the week!) and I basically had everything to make this. It turned out really tasty! The recipe says it serves 4, but it made a TON! Tony and I had seconds, and even a wee bit of thirds each, and there is still plenty left for a few more meals.

Spaghetti Carbonara

1 pound spaghetti
8 ounces (8 slices) bacon, cut 1 inch thick crosswise (I cooked and crumbled the bacon)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper (I used regular salt and pepper)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (I used shredded)
1/2 cup half-and-half

Directions:

Set a large pot of water to boil (for pasta). In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 12 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Salt boiling water generously; add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, and half-and-half. Set aside.

Drain pasta, leaving some water clinging to it. Working quickly, add hot pasta to egg mixture. Add bacon; season with salt and pepper, and toss all to combine (heat from pasta will cook eggs). Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese.

** I was a little skeptical about the raw eggs, because I wasn't sure if they would really get cooked or not from the heat of the pasta. I still don't know if it really cooked them or not, but it was tasty, so I will just trust the recipe!

Company Chicken

I have my friend Mary to thank for this recipe!When we lived in Indiana, she had us over for dinner, and this is what she made! Apparently this is what she made for a lot of people who she had over for dinner, and it was always a hit! I had to get the recipe, and we have made it often too. It has been a while since I have made it though, so I am anxious to eat it!

I made a few small changes to my version that are slightly different from Mary's.I use two cans tomatoes instead of one, and I used 1 cup broth instead of a half. Mainly because I usually use a boullion cube which makes a cup. I also only had ground thyme, so I use between 1/4 and 1/2 tsp. of that. I believe this recipe is actually an adaptation from a recipe in the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbok, although I don't know what it was originally called.

Company Chicken

6 chicken breasts
1 lb. fresh tomatoes, or 1 (15 oz.)can stewed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Cook in crockpot on low 8-10 hours.

After cooking, remove chicken and tomatoes/onions to a serving plate. Pour remaining juices into a saucepan, and thicken into gravy by adding some cornstarch.

Serve with mashed potatoes and "gravy". Rice or even noodles might be good too, although Mary served it with mashed potatoes, so that is what I usually do.

Eat up! Yum!

Easy Peas-y Penne Pasta

Well, I tried a recipe from Rachael Ray called "More Peas if you Please Penne". I thought it was really easy, so I made up my own name for it. Easy Peas-y Penne Pasta. I like that name better. Anyway, Avery loved it. Logan wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. He ran away from the table and hid in the corner behind the couch, only to run back to the table on occasion to grab an apple slice. I am really trying to crack down on making him try what I make for dinner, and if he won't, he can't eat anything else. So, here is the recipe. It is a good, easy meal.

More Peas if you please Penne* Rachael Ray

This makes a lot!

Salt
1 pound penne pasta with ridges
3 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced
Freshly ground pepper

Cook pasta al dente. Set aside a ladle of pasta cooking water and then drain.

In a small saucepan, add peas and broth. Simmer 5 min.

In a large serving bowl, mash half the peas and broth with the ricotta cheese. Toss with the pasta, butter and half the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Add the reserved pasta cooking water to moisten if needed. Stir in the remaining whole peas and the basil; season with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

* I forgot to add fresh basil to the shopping list, so used dried instead. I also used the fresh shredded parmesan instead of the grated since that's what I had.

Baked Parmesan Chicken

This is what we are having for dinner today.

Parmesan Chicken
brussels sprouts
rice
Rhodes rolls

Baked Parmesan Chicken

boneless chicken breasts
bread crumbs
Parmesan Cheese
oregano, basil, or italian seasoning
pepper
Salt to taste
garlic powder
1/4-1/2 cup melted butter

Combine bread crumbs, cheese,and seasonings; set aside. Dip chicken in butter then roll each piece in bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in 9x13 pan and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture. Pour on remaining butter. Bake at 350° for 35-55 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken.

* This is a new favorite of ours. Tony loves it. It is really easy, and tastes delicious too! I am all about easy, I can't say that enough!I just pour a few handfuls of bread crumbs, a handful of shredded parmesan cheese, and then the seasonings until it looks good. I add the garlic powder in the bread crumb mixture, but I have also sauteed garlic in the butter, and then dipped the chicken in the garlic butter first. I just wanted it a bit simpler. Try it! You'll like it!

Creamy Fusilli with Yellow Squash and Bacon

( I don't have any idea how to photograph food and make it look good, so please send your tips my way!)

I found this yummy recipe on a blog I was reading one day and decided to try it. It was delicious!

Creamy Fusilli with Yellow Squash and Bacon

coarse salt and ground pepper
8 oz fusilli (or rotelle) pasta
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled into small pieces (save grease in pan)
4 medium yellow squash (quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more fore serving

Cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

Place skillet containing bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add squash and garlic to fat in skillet; season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash begins to soften, 5-7 minutes. Uncover, and continue to cook until liquid is evaporated and squash is tender, 2-3 minutes more.

Add cream and cooked pasta to skillet; toss well, and cook until cream begins to thicken, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parmesan cheese and add enough reserved pasta water to create a sauce that coats pasta. Top with reserved bacon and more cheese.

* I used the tri-color or garden rotini. I think it looks better that way with the different colors. I cheated and used the microwave bacon, so I didn't have the bacon grease. I just heated up a bit of olive oil to cook the squash in. On the blog, the girl mentioned that she added onion to hers as well. I didn't, but it would be good in the future. I also forgot to reserve my pasta water. That's what happens when you are trying to cook dinner while the baby is crying, and the 3 year old is running circles around the house yelling at the top of his lungs. Anyway, I just poured a bit of warm tap water in instead. It seemed to work just fine. I am sure it would have been more flavorful with the bacon grease and pasta water, but it was still yummy. Make sure to season the squash well. I had to add a bit of extra salt at the end when eating, so i am sure that if I had seasoned it a bit more, I wouldn't have had to.I also think adding chicken broth instead of the pasta water would make it quite tasty. For some reason I kept envisioning artichokes in the dish. It would probably be really good with them as well! I might have to re-invent my own version of this recipe for sure! The bacon is really what makes it taste good. This recipe probably only made 4 servings, or 2 if you are my husband and me. We both had two nice bowlfuls and finished it off. I am a bit sad there aren't any leftovers! This would be a fantastic use for all that squash in your garden...if you plant yellow squash! Anyway, I really liked this recipe, and will definitely add it to my favorites and make again. Next time I may have to double it!

Favorite Pasta (aka Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce)

Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce

16 oz. penne pasta
2 (14.5 oz.) cans Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Onion
1 cup fresh basil chopped, or 2 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to directions; drain and keep warm. Cook tomatoes over medium-high heat in skillet until thickened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat; add basil and cream. Heat through. DO NOT BOIL. Toss with pasta and cheese. Serve.

This is one of my most favorite recipes, hence the name favorite pasta. I make this meal when I have to take dinner to someone, or when we have guests for dinner. It is so easy, but it tastes like a restaurant meal. Most everyone that has had it has really liked it, so it is definitely a winner. I took dinner to two people tonight, and this is what I made. I also included a box of frozen garlic toast, and a bagged caesar salad.

* I have tried this using half and half, and it does NOT turn out as well. It still tastes good, but it doesn't look good. It gets kinda grainy looking and not smooth like the cream. For presentation purposes, stick to the cream. If you don't care about the looks, go ahead and try the lower fat version. And it is definitely a million times better with fresh basil. I usually use the dried because I already have it, and it saves me money at the store. I suppose if I grew my own basil, I wouldn't have to worry about the expense! I also have always used fresh shredded parmesan, and not the grated. For some reason this is really good the next day, after the suace has set up more and isn't as runny. I hope you like it!