Broken Spaghetti in Garlic-Butter and Parmesan Sauce

 

Hankering for a big, full bowl of pasta smothered in a creamy garlic-butter and Parmesan sauce?   

 

 

If so, I’ve got a great recipe for you!

 

Turn Your Easter Ham into a Lighter Ham Tetrazzini!

When Easter's over, wow those around your dinner table with this tasty ham dish!

I’ve made Turkey Tetrazzini from time to time, but this slightly adapted recipe from Cooking Light, replacing turkey with ham, caught my eye.  It’s filled with the same great tetrazzini flavors and is easy to make also, however, it’s that touch of horseradish that takes it up a notch!

Savory Chicken Meatballs over Spaghetti

Often, the simplest foods are the best!

 

In other words, comfort food ~ that’s just what we need now with this cold, windy (45 mph gusts last night and today), snowy weather!

These meatballs are healthier, with chicken instead of beef, and egg beaters substituting for eggs.  The sauce is a basic tomato sauce.

It’s a comforting delicious dish, requiring little explanation!

Savory Chicken Meatballs over Spaghetti

For the meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup egg beaters

6 saltine crackers, crushed

3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

½ cup onion, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Method:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well.

Form into 1½” meatballs (about 20) and place on a baking sheet.

Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes, until no longer pink in center.  Set aside.

For the sauce:

2 cans (15-ounce) diced tomatoes

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1-2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon basil

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

½ - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Method:

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes.

Lower heat and add meatballs, combine well and cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, drain.

Divide all onto plates and sprinkle with Parmesan.

ENJOY!

Not Your Usual Tomato and Mozzarella Sauce with Pasta

Do you want a different side dish or even a main dish?  This is definitely not your mama’s pasta with tomato sauce!

This recipe came from a 1990 Hometown Collection of America’s Best Recipes Cookbook and was submitted by The Women’s Art Guild, Laguna Gloria Art Museum in Austin, Texas.  I have no recollection of where I picked up this cookbook but it is filled with some tasty recipes. 

If you adore ripe tomatoes and pasta, you will enjoy this for a meal.  It is a simple recipe that is easy to toss together.  

The finished dish has a strong tomato taste and the texture of the cheese becomes softer.  I like it warm so I serve it immediately.  I’m guessing it would be fine if it were served with the pasta at room temperature.  

It is definitely different!

Ready to rest for an hour

Tomato and Mozzarella Sauce with Pasta

Ingredients:

6 to 8 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup fresh basil, minced

¼ cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti

Method:

Combine first 7 ingredients, stir well.

Cover and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain well.

Immediately transfer hot spaghetti to a large serving bowl.

Pour sauce over hot cooked spaghetti, tossing gently to combine.

6-8 servings

ENJOY!!!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes.  

Summer Spaghetti Salad

Is a family reunion on your horizon?  How about a cook-out with friends or a company picnic?  If so, spaghetti salad is just the right dish for a hot summer day to fill up those bellies!

There are so many variations of spaghetti salad that is usually served cold but can be served hot as well.  You can add your favorite variety of vegetables to satisfy your tastes.  I use thin spaghetti but, you can replace it with linguine, vermicelli or the pasta of your choosing; just cook it until al dente. 

It is a refreshing salad due to the fresh crunchy brilliantly colored vegetables.  This dish will be eye candy and disappear fast.  It’s great for any get together because, not only can it be made ahead; it is mayonnaise free to avoid spoiling in this hot weather. 

This is a scrumptious go-to dish to satiate your hunger quickly ~ actually; I can make a meal of just this mouthwatering salad!

Summer Spaghetti Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound thin spaghetti
10 slices bacon
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 large red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
2 tomatoes, diced

1 cucumber, diced
1/4 cup salad seasoning mix, recipe here
½ teaspoon lemon zest

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Method:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.

Drain and crumble.
In a large bowl combine cooked spaghetti, celery, onion, bell pepper, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and salad seasoning.

In a small bowl, whisk lemon zest, lemon juice and minced garlic with olive oil.

Pour over spaghetti mixture and toss.

Add crumbled bacon and lightly toss.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Chill until serving.

8-10 servings

Give it a go ~ it’s a delicious people pleaser!!!

Baked Chicken over Spaghetti

Through the years, I’ve seen lots of recipes for Baked Chicken over Spaghetti with most of them having “cream of” soup added to the mix.  No “cream of” soup here to disguise the flavors!

I used boneless chicken breasts this time, but you use the chicken you like ~ your own baked, broiled or boiled chicken, a whole rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or grilled chicken, shredded chicken and even chicken tenders.

With the additions of tender baby spinach, sliced mushrooms, spicy Italian seasoning and your favorite pasta sauce, this can be thrown together quickly, baked and served over spaghetti for an appetizing meal for your family.  Be creative and throw into the mix

Baked Chicken over Spaghetti, a crisp green salad and a loaf of crusty bread ~ that’s simply another comforting meal!

Oven ready!

Baked Chicken over Spaghetti

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breast halves or 1 pound cooked chicken of your choice

1 jar (24-ounces) pasta sauce (I use Classico Fire-Roasted Tomato and Garlic)

1 package (6-ounces) baby spinach

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 pound spaghetti, cooked

Method:

Coat with cooking spray a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Place chicken breasts in the baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine pasta sauce and spinach.

Add next 4 ingredients, combining well.

Pour sauce over chicken.

Cover dish with foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Scatter cheese over chicken and cover with foil.

Bake until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Serve chicken with sauce over cooked  spaghetti.

Ummmm, good!!!

Visit my friend Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway! 

Shrimp and Sweet Pea Sauté

Until the local farmer’s markets are open here, I’m using frozen sweet peas and canned tomatoes in this dish.   In about 4 weeks, the farmer’s markets will open here and I can hardly wait for all the great local vegetables that will be available this summer.  I like the fact that I can financially support the local farmers who work so hard to produce their delicious bounties of the growing season!

It’s a beautiful blend of colors in this shrimp dish and I’m not sure whether the peas or the shrimp is the star here because they both add mouthwatering flavors.  Sugary sweet peas and succulent shrimp are a great marriage and a few more ingredients make it even better. 

We favor this served over pasta but rice or orzo compliment it also.  Here’s the recipe: 

Shrimp and Sweet Pea Sauté 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 green onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup chicken broth
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
2 cups frozen sweet peas, thawed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
¾ pound spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

Method:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes, until the
are pink and opaque.  
They do not have to be cooked through at this point.
Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Place green onions in skillet and sauté for one minute.
Add lemon juice and chicken broth and stir until well heated.
Add tomatoes and peas, cooking until hot and peas are
tender.
Meanwhile, cook pasta until desired consistency.
Add crushed red pepper and salt and pepper.
Return shrimp to skillet and cook for a couple of minutes
until shrimp are cooked through and sauce has thickened.
Serve over pasta. 

ENJOY!!!

Visit my friend Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway!

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Outdoor Cafe Piazza, Rome, Italy

 

Sergio Pitamitz

Last evening, that age old dilemma “What’s for dinner tonight?” floated around in my mind and I was hearing it from Bill also.  Sometimes that can be an annoying question, especially when I’m asking myself and don’t have a clue as to what to cook!  Do you ever have one of those evenings?  You want something different, a comfort food but, not a meat and potatoes meal.  Well, since I am the boss of cooking and the chef of this house, spaghetti alla carbonara came to mind.  Yum!

Spaghetti alla Carbonara is an Italian dish that was created during the time of World War II.  Food was scarce after the liberation of Rome in 1944 and the allied forces came to the aid of the war-torn hungry people by giving bacon and powdered eggs to a restaurant in Rome.  The Romans supplied the pasta and swiftly adapted the ingredients into this fabulous recipe that fed the hungry and also brought a sense of community.  The soldiers savored  the dish, returned home and delivered the recipe for spaghetti alla carbonara to their families and local restaurants.

We love bacon, eggs and cheese.  And, what’s not to like about spaghetti?  It is a perfect dinner and an easy one also.  The Italians probably use pancetta or pork jowl, but pork jowl is hard to come by here.  A fine grade of bacon works very well!  

I hope you try this dish if you have never had it!  Just twirl the spaghetti on your fork, slurp the luscious spaghetti and devour the bacon and sauce!  You will be delighted and glad you did!

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Ingredients:

1 pound thick-sliced bacon, chopped

1 pound spaghetti

4 large eggs

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Method:

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crisp, adding the garlic during the last couple of minutes.

Remove bacon mixture, set aside, reserving the bacon drippings.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

While the spaghetti is cooking, beat the eggs, pepper and 2 tablespoons cheese together in a bowl.

When spaghetti is al dente, drain well and return to the pot.

Toss with 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings or however much it takes to coat all

of the pasta.

Place the pasta in a warm serving bowl, add the egg mixture, and toss quickly.

Add the reserved bacon and 1 cup grated cheese and toss again.

Serve immediately, passing more cheese and the pepper grinder at the table.

Serves 4

Pam’s note:  it is important that the pasta stay hot so that the heat from the pasta will partially cook the eggs and turn them into a sauce.

It’s one of my favorite authentic Italian dishes!  Yum!!!

E 'deliziosa!!!

Chicken & Spaghetti Frittata

I’m hooked on frittatas!

Sautéing chicken, mushrooms and onion

Now that the Christmas cookie baking binge is over, I’m ready for a great savory dish and this is it!  Frittatas are the Italian version of the American omelet and differ in that the frittata is served open-faced and not folded.  

It is sort of similar to eating quiche without the crust.  They are initially cooked on the stove in a skillet and finished in the oven by broiling or baking.  Some cooks invert the skillet onto another skillet on the stove instead of putting it in the oven and that takes a bit of practice. 

Frittatas can also be as thick or as thin as you like them and the filling has endless possibilities: any variety of cheese, Italian sausage, spinach, shrimp, crisp bacon, ham, salmon, vegetables and diced potatoes or pasta.  They are usually served warm but are good also at room temperature. 

I had never cooked one until recently and from time to time, I love these types of dishes:  a complete meal all in one pan.  I just combined parts of several recipes and this was the result.  It’s worth it to cook fresh chicken and spaghetti for it however, if you should have leftovers; it is a delicious way to use them. 

It is a tasty change for your meal.  Frittatas are perfect anytime; cook one for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or cut into small portions and serve as a savory appetizer.  It is delicious and makes for a great meal served with a crisp tossed Mesclun salad.  

After broiling

Chicken & Spaghetti Frittata

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons butter

3 chicken breasts, cubed

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (or canned)

2 cups cooked spaghetti

6 eggs

4 tablespoons parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

¼ cup chopped parsley

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Method: 

In an oven-proof frying pan, sauté the cubed chicken, mushrooms and onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil until done, transfer to plate.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, parmigiano-reggiano cheese and parsley.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to skillet.

Add half of the egg mixture to the skillet.

Add cooked spaghetti.

Layer chicken and onion mushroom mixture on top.

Spread 1 cup mozzarella cheese over chicken layer.

Cover with remaining egg mixture.

Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella over all.

Cook 3-6 minutes until bottom is golden brown, do not over cook.

Invert a skillet or a plate larger than the skillet over the frittata and turn out the frittata.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and return the frittata to the skillet to brown the other side.

Note:  rather than flipping the frittata, I place the skillet under the broiler for 5-8 minutes. 

Invert a serving plate over the skillet and carefully turn out the frittata.  Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

The frittata is so good and a very versatile dish that is great leftover also.

Dinner is ready!

Ummmm!  Delicious!!!