It's Springtime Pasta Bake

 

Here’s a delicious veggie-loaded pasta bake that's perfect for a springtime meal!  

 

Delicious!

It’s a great dish for the nights you want to go meatless.

 

Dolly Parton and Her Casserole

                                                 

She's a country music singer, guitarist, philanthropist, and actress known for pioneering the country-pop crossover.

 

Slightly Spicy Summer Veggies and Bacon Skillet

 

Turn your farmers’ market pickings into a vegetable stir-fry dish for dinner, it’s as colorful as it is tasty!

 

 

Bill and I both really liked this; just the right amount of seasonings with the extra flavor of smoky bacon. 

 

Delicious ~ One-Skillet Italian Sausage Pasta!

The alluring temptation of a one-skillet meal, what cook can resist?

I’ve seen this recipe many times, many places, had the ingredients on hand, and plunged in.  The original has just 5 ingredients ~ I cooked it with 7 ~ added mushrooms and black pepper.

Lightened up Chicken Parmesan

I love the Italian-American classic, Chicken Parmesan ~ breaded, then fried and smothered in mozzarella cheese and served alongside a plate of pasta.  

This recipe is sort of like it, just lightened-up.

Well-seasoned Sautéed Shrimp w/Tomatoes, White Wine, Cavatappi and Feta

Are you thinking feta cheese is just for Greek salads?  This recipe I’ve got for you today just might change your mind!

This light easy-to-make dish comes with a couple of our favorite ingredients, shrimp and feta cheese, pulled together with the help of a chunky herb-infused tomato sauce. 

Way back when it first started, I was addicted to the Food Network ~ not so much these days.  More than once, I recall hearing it said on the network:  pairing seafood with cheese is a "no-no."

I’m guessing there are some cheeses that would be true of, but seriously?  Certainly not all cheeses.  Who made up that rule anyway, and why? 

Begin this dish by sautéing  onion, and garlic; stir in seasonings and diced tomatoes in their juice, plus a healthy splash of white wine for added flavor in the sauce.  

Stir in sautéed shrimp, parsley, and cooked pasta to the mix; serve with a good brand of briny, tangy, sharp-flavored feta scattered over the top.

How could all this not be good?


Sautéed Shrimp w/Tomatoes, White Wine, Cavatappi and Feta

 Ingredients:

• 3 cups uncooked, dried cavatappi pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Method:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside, keep warm.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook and stir 5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and seasonings, cook 1 minute longer.
3. Stir in tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, 5-7 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
4. Add shrimp and parsley, cook 5 minutes or until shrimp starts to turn pink, stirring occasionally.
5. Add cooked pasta, toss and heat through for 1 minute.
6. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cheese. Let stand, covered, until cheese is softened.

Printable recipe

Enjoy!

Fresh Tomatoes à la Hasselbacken

You’re most likely familiar with Hasselback potatoes ~ what about Hasselback tomatoes?

This trendy little side dish might make you hesitate, but once you try it, you may be sold on it!

“Hasselbacking” has been around since the 1950’s, when cooks at the Hasselbacken Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, were peeling and partially slicing large potatoes, brushing them with butter, sprinkling them with bread crumbs, and baking them. 

Not only did patrons like the looks of the vegetable, they enjoyed the savory taste and variety of textures it offered.  To this day, it’s still on the hotel’s menu.

Instead of potatoes, this Cook’s Country  recipe focused on tomatoes.  They doubled-down on, flavors, and stuffed the tomatoes with savory pesto and tangy pungent Gruyère cheese. 

 

Instead of baking the concoction, the tomatoes were given a short blast under the broiler to lessen oven time, allowing the tomatoes to retain some summery freshness.

Unfortunately, my camera battery was dead when I wanted to take photos of cutting the slices in the tomatoes.  See the same method here with potatoes, showing the wooden spoon handles used to guide the knife when slicing the tomatoes.

 The end result was fresh-tasting tomatoes, melty cheese, and crunchy crumbs.  A great side dish for you tomato, pesto and Gruyère lovers out there!

Yield: 4-6 servingsAuthor: Pam

Hasselback Tomatoes

Accordian-like tomatoes, filled with pesto and Gruyère cheese, a great side dish for your dinner table!

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ripe plum tomatoes, cored
• 7 ounces Gruyère (1-1/4 cups) shredded
• 1-1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 6 tables extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt and seasoned pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack in sheet, set aside. On a cutting board or plate, using serrated knife, cut 1/4-inch-thick slice from 1 long side of each tomato. Turn tomatoes onto cut sides so the sit flat, then slice crosswise at 1/4" intervals, leaving bottom 1/4" of each tomato intact.
2. (Place the handles of wooden spoons on either side of tomato to prevent the knife from cutting through.)
3. Process 1/4 cup Gruyère, basil, oil, panko, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in food processor until smooth, scrapping down sides of bowl as needed, about 10 seconds.
4. Adjust oven rack 6" from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a bowl. Carefully open tomato slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using small spoon, spread basil mixture evenly between tomato slices (about 2 tablespoons per tomato.)
5. Arrange tomatoes on prepared wire rack. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese over tomatoes. Broil until cheese is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
   Serve

Created using The Recipes Generator

Enjoy!

Seasoned Summer Squash Sauté Side

Now that summer squashes and tomatoes are abundant in farmer's markets, backyard gardens, and in grocery stores, this fresh-tasting recipe is perfect for using up the produce and is over the top in goodness!

There are hundreds of varieties of summer squash, ranging from dark green to bright yellow, long to stubby, smooth to ridged to lumpy ~  from crookneck, to green and yellow and pattypan, to zucchini.

It’s a complicated family of veggies, and any one of them would be great for this recipe.  I used zucchini and crookneck summer squash, choose your favorites. 

Ready for tomatoes and mushrooms!

The squash was sautéed with garlic, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, seasoned with Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy, finishing with a little cheese melting over all.

This was simple, and delicious for dinner and just as tasty leftover at lunchtime the next day!

Yield: Serves 4Author: Pam

Seasoned Summer Squash Sauté

prep time: 5 MINScook time: 15 MINStotal time: 20 mins

This squash sauté is delicious and just as good later, should there be leftovers!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 pounds (about 2 or 3) zucchini and summer squash, sliced 
• 1 large Vidalia onion, cut into large pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 basil leaves, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon Mrs Dash Extra Spicy
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add squash, onion and garlic, and cook just until slightly browned, 2-3 minutes.
2. Turn heat to medium-high, add tomatoes, mushrooms, and balsamic vinegar, stirring occasionally for about 5-6 minutes, allowing juices to evaporate some.
3. Add basil and seasonings, combine well.
4. Scatter cheese over top, allow to melt and toss lightly.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Enjoy!

Skinny Saucy Chicken Parmesan

Look at the menu in any Italian restaurant and you’ll see 

Chicken Parmesan, usually fried like Mom used to do and served with a ton of good cheese. 

This recipe is a delicious lightened up version of that classic sinful dish.

The lightly breaded chicken is baked juicy and tender, surrounded with marinara sauce in the skillet and topped with mozzarella cheese. 

Served over a little pasta, it’s perfect Italian comfort food, that you can eat without feeling guilty.

It’s truly delicious and I will definitely be making it again for our dinner, or maybe for company.

It’s that good!


Skinny Saucy Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
2½ cups Marinara sauce (recipe below) or store-bought marinara sauce
¾ cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
Your favorite cooked pasta, optional

Method:

Preheat oven to 450°.
Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to make 6 cutlets, season both sides with salt and pepper.
In a shallow bowl, combine grated Parmesan and bread crumbs.
In a small bowl, combine oil and butter, brush on both sides of chicken.
Dredge the chicken in bread crumb mixture, place on baking sheet.
Lightly spray oil on top of the chicken.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until bottom is golden.
Turn over and bake until middle is cooked through and bottom is golden, about 7-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, cook marinara sauce over medium heat until heated through.
Place baked chicken in the skillet and top each piece with 2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese. 
Cover pan and cook until cheese is melted, about 3-4 minutes.
Place chicken on cooked pasta, if desired.
Serve

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

Method:

In a large saucepan, sauté garlic and onion in olive oil until onion is tender.
Stir all remaining ingredients in with onion mixture, heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Carefully puree hot sauce in a food processor or blender, serve over cooked pasta with Chicken Parmesan.
Makes 2½ cups
Printable recipe


Enjoy!

Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli and Tomatoes

Should you not be a veggie lover,

this tempting little dish will 

turn on your taste buds

making you forget 

you’re eating 

vegetables!

It’s a great side dish of roasted broccoli and tomatoes tossed with Mediterranean ingredients just before serving.

If you’ve never roasted vegetables, it will blow your mind with how delicious the finished dish tastes. 

Roasting brings out the vegetables rich flavors while preserving nutritional value.  

This is a simple easy side dish for any meal.  It’s filled with bite-size chunks of colorful vegetables with that good Mediterranean flavor.

I bet it disappears quickly at your house too!

Oops!  Remembered to remove lens cap, forgot to change camera settings!   (◔◡◔)

Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli and Tomatoes
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

12 ounces broccoli florets (about 4 cups)
1 large tomato, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small red onion, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 pitted kalamata olives, sliced
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed

Method:

Preheat oven to 450°.
On a baking sheet, toss broccoli, tomatoes, oil, garlic, salt and pepper until evenly coated.
Bake until broccoli starts to brown, 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
Toss with roasted vegetables.
Serve warm.


Enjoy!

Easy Smoked Turkey Sausage Skillet

 

 

Here’s a tasty quick little dish 
for your busy day!

This is a slightly adapted Hillshire Farm’s recipe.  Using smoked turkey sausage, cuts fat and calories; substitute the regular if that’s what you prefer. 

Stir-fry the meat in a little chicken broth and water, then added a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes.

Bill suggested it would do well with the sausage mixture served over a bed of rice, instead of combining it all in the skillet ~ I’ll do that the next time!  Most likely, the appeal of it would improve also.

My brain was on vacation when I served it though; I noticed the mozzarella sitting in the refrigerator after dinner.  It would've been great to have the cheese scattered over it…


Smoked Turkey Sausage Skillet
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

1 package smoked turkey sausage, sliced thin diagonally

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, large chop

1 white onion, chopped

1 package frozen broccoli, thawed

1 can (14.5) ounces, diced fire-roasted tomatoes

2 cups instant rice

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella

Method:

In a non-stick skillet, place sausage slices and cook until browned, transfer to a plate.

Heat oil in skillet.

Add pepper, onion, broccoli, and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is absorbed.

In the meantime, prepare rice according to package instructions.

Stir sausage and rice into the skillet, combine well.

Sprinkle with cheese!

Serve

ENJOY!

Chicken Pasta Caprese

Tastied up, that’s what this great dish is!


It’s simply a big bowl of pasta tossed with sautéed chicken bites, fresh basil, sweet cherry tomatoes, and cubed mozzarella.

It’s all about the mozzarella chunks, melting when they come in contact with the hot pasta and chicken ~ that’s what makes the dish so delicious.

If you’ve got a lot of those glorious end-of-summer tomatoes in your garden, this is the recipe for you, thanks to The Skinnytaste Cookbook.

Give it a try, it’s a favorite of ours!

Chicken Pasta Caprese
Printable recipe


Ingredients:
Adapted

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into ½” cubes
½ teaspoon dried basil
Kosher salt and seasoned pepper, to taste
Cooking spray
9 ounces pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2½ cups halved grape tomatoes
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
4 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes

Method:

Heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat.
Season the chicken with the dried basil, salt and pepper.
Spray skillet with cooking spray, add chicken.
Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side.
Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions, drain, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, increase the heat under the skillet to high, add oil and garlic, cook, stirring just until golden.
Add tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook, stirring, until tomatoes become tender, 5-6 minutes.
Add pasta to the tomatoes; if too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.
Add chicken, toss well.
Remove pan from heat, stir in fresh basil and cheese, and serve hot.
Serves 5

 

ENJOY!

Stuffed Cucumbers ~ the 2nd Time Around

Thanks to Alice, my late mother-in-law, it’s the same old question every summer:

“When are you making stuffed cucumbers?”

The truth is, it’s my pleasure to make the dish, I enjoy cooking it, and I wouldn’t dream of not making stuffed cucumbers!


My MIL introduced me to stuffed cucumbers many years ago; I posted it over 5 years ago, way back here ~ it begged to be posted again, it’s that good! 

A little time consuming, it might be, but it’s easy, not a plethora of ingredients; with the results amazing you, making your diners happy to be around your table.

To start, peel the cucumbers, and removed the seeds carefully.  Let them soak in salt water while you tend to the rest of the recipe.


I used canned tomatoes, incorporate fresh tomatoes from your garden, if you wish.  
Add chopped onions, seasonings and a touch of brown sugar to cut the acidity.  
Simmer on medium-low heat while stuffing cucumbers.



Stuff the cucumbers with the meat, place in the sauce and simmer until transparent.


A perfect summertime meal to us, with a crusty bread and a salad of mesclun greens ~ I’m hoping you give it a go ~ and like it too!

Stuffed Cucumbers

Ingredients:
6 cucumbers, ends cut off and peeled

For the sauce:
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomates
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the meat:
3 pounds extra-lean ground beef*
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Method:
Peel cucumbers, cut off ends until you can see the seeds; carefully scoop out seeds with a knife, without cutting through meat of cucumber.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt to water in a large bowl.
Add cucumbers and let soak for 30 minutes or so (while you make the sauce and meat.)
In a large pot, add tomato products, onion, brown sugar and salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer while preparing meat and cucumbers, stirring occasionally.
Combine ground beef and seasonings for the stuffing and meatballs.
Drain cucumbers.
Stuff cucumbers carefully with the meat.
Place stuffed cucumbers in tomato sauce.
Cook on medium-low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the cucumbers are slightly transparent, stirring occasionally. (Cooked too long, the cucumbers will break apart.)
Serve stuffed cucumbers in a bowl with a couple of meatballs.
*Use less meat if you do not want meatballs.

ENJOY!

 

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

To Italians, it’s Shrimp Fra Diabolo, “Brother Devil,” due to the heat from red pepper flakes.  Simply put, it’s spicy shrimp with onions and tomatoes in a garlic wine sauce.


No rich creamy oily heavy sauce here; this sauce is light, but a little fiery.  
After reading comments about Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe, I adapted it a little and kicked it up a notch with Old Bay Seasoning, an extra teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and a sprinkling of sugar to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes.  Don't know why I just can’t leave a recipe alone…


Spicy is a good thing ~ this little dish delivers with a bang.  

And, Woo Hoo!  Bill is liking spicy more and more.  Most people serve this over pasta, I opted for rice; polenta would be delicious too.  

This is a great shrimp dish that’s easy to make for a quick meal after a busy day, that’s good enough for company too.

I say it’s “molto delizioso!”

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Adapted

Ingredients:

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons Old Bay Garlic and Herb Seasoning
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, sliced
1 (14½-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ teaspoon dried oregano flakes
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Method:

Toss shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes and Old Bay Seasoning.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add shrimp and sauté for a minute, toss and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1-2 minutes.
Transfer shrimp to a large plate, set aside.
Add remaining oil to skillet.
Add onion, sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes with their juice, sugar, wine, garlic and oregano.
Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
Return shrimp and any accumulated juice to the tomato mixture, and cook for a minute  so the flavors meld together.
Stir in parsley, season with more salt, to taste.
4 servings

Bon Appetito!



 

Pasta w/Ground Turkey, Spinach and Tomatoes

 

I added turkey ~ if you go meatless with this dish, you’ll have a one-pot pasta dish ~ perfect for the cool weather we’re having now! Either way, it’s delicious!

 

This is an adapted Cooking Light recipe.  I used 2 cans of Contadina Diced Tomatoes with Burgundy Wine and Olive Oil.  Then, added a variety of mini-tomatoes for their extra sweetness and sub-acid tartness.  For extra seasoning, there’s fennel seed, brown sugar, cracked black pepper, plus a teaspoon of brown sugar.

The dish is a game-changer:  Use just enough chicken broth to cook the pasta, adjust seasonings to your liking; ending up with a savory pasta meal.  The next time, I will add mushrooms to the mixture.

And, besides, it’s colorful… 

 

Add garlic bread ~ Voila!  Dinner is ready!

Pasta w/Ground Turkey Spinach and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 cup cherry/grape tomatoes, sliced
2-3 cups unsalted chicken stock
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon fennel seed
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
10 ounces spaghetti or linguine
1/3 cup black olives, sliced
10 ounces fresh spinach
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Brown turkey in a non-stick skillet until no longer pink.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add onion and garlic, sauté for 3 minutes, until onion starts to brown.
Add tomatoes, stock, oregano, fennel seed; bring to a boil.
Add pasta and submerge in liquid.
Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook 7 minutes or until pasta is almost done.
Uncover, stir in salt, pepper, sugar and olives and cooked turkey.
Add spinach in batches, stirring until spinach wilts, let stand 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Serves 4-6

ENJOY!