Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake

This is so easy and so good!  I love how it had the tomatoes added in, but then again, everything with tomatoes tastes better, doesn't it?

This makes a large portion, so I'm keeping it in mind next time I sign up for a potluck.

Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of rigatoni

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 (10 oz) package of frozen spinach, thawed

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced into small pieces

1 (14oz) can of Italian-style diced tomatoes, do not drain

1 (8oz) package of chive and onion cream cheese, softened

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375º

Cook the rigatoni according to the packaging directions. 

In a frying pan, saute the onions in oil until soft and tender. Set aside. 

Drain the spinach well by wrapping it in a towel and squeezing out the excess water. 

Mix pasta, spinach, chicken, tomatoes, cream cheese, cheese and salt and pepper.  Stir until well combined. Spread evenly in the casserole dish and sprinkle with extra mozzarella cheese. 

Cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until bubbly. 

Source: Saving Money Living Life

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

I could probably eat an entire bowl of spinach artichoke dip by myself.  The problem is, I can't justify doing that as "dinner".  But slap it on a pizza crust and my problem is solved! 

Yea!

  

It's the little things.

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup butter

2 Tbsp cream cheese

 3/4 Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

6 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1 can artichoke hearts, rinsed and squeezed dry, roughly chopped

2 pizza crusts (unless you want the topping to extra heavy)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425º (or follow the directions on container)

In a medium saucepan over low heat, stir together the cream, butter and cream cheese until melted.  Combine well. 

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and garlic powder.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes. 

Place the spinach in a frying pan with a tablespoon of water and cook over medium high heat until wilted. Then place on a clean towel and wring out all the liquid.  Then add the spinach to the sauce and stir to combine. 

Spread the sauce over the crust. 

Spread the artichoke pieces over the sauce and top with mozzarella cheese. 

Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown. 

Source The Two Bite Club

Cream Cheese Enchiladas

Can't every night be enchilada night?  I wish!  Although cream cheese isn't a regular ingredient in enchiladas, it adds such a creamy flavor to these and helps make this recipe one of my favorites!

Cream Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients:

5 oz of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

10 oz can of red enchilada sauce

 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 cups chicken, cooked, shredded

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

4 oz diced green chilies

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to season

1 package tortillas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325º.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. 

In your stand mixer, combine cream cheese, sour cream and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce.  Stir in 1/2 cup of each cheese. 

In another bowl, combine the chicken, corn, green chilies, cumin and chili powder.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken mixture to the cream cheese mixture and combine well. 

Spread 1/2 of the remaining sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. 

Fill  the tortillas with the mixture and roll up.  Place seam side down in the pan.  Repeat for as many as you can fill.  

Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie

4th Of July Strawberries

I'm aware that Thanksgiving is next week and I'm posting a 4th of July treat.  Not backwards at all!  Somehow this post has been hiding at the bottom of my "drafts" and today, it surfaced!  So, here they are.... a sweet, cool, summer treat you can enjoy.... in 6-7 months from now!

4th of July Strawberries

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs of fresh strawberries, tops cut off

1 bag/box of melting white chocolate

blue sprinkles

Directions:

Melt the chocolate and dip the strawberries' tips in.

Pour the sprinkles into a shallow bowl and roll the chocolate tip of the strawberry in the sprinkles. 

Devour!

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

Oops!  I did it again.  I got sucked in by ANOTHER buffalo chicken recipe.  Help me. I can't stop eating buffalo chicken themed food!  On second thought, I don't need help.  I'm helping YOU!  This is amazing and filling and it combines two of my favorite things, pasta and buffalo sauce!  It's a dream come true!

Buffalo Chicken Pasta 

Ingredients:

1 16 oz box of Penne pasta, cooked and drained

2-3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into small pieces

1/2-1 cup of Franks Buffalo Sauce

3/4 -1 cup Ranch dressing

1-2 cups Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º

Mix together buffalo sauce and dressing.  In a seperate bowl, mix chicken, pasta and cheese.  Mix with sauce and stir until combined. 

Pour into a baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. 

Bake about 20-25 minutes. 

Source:  Lentzed Life

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don't usually enjoy baking.  Cookies are the worst!  Everytime I make them, they turn out flat and crispy. When I stumbled across this recipe, and all the ingredients were in my pantry, I thought I'd give it a whirl.  I'm not sure why, but they turned out fat and soft and pretty tasty too!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingrediets:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º

Sift flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

In another bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Mix in egg and vanilla until completely incorporated.  Add flour mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  Mix in chocloate chips. 

On a baking stone, or a greased cookie sheet drop 1 Tablespoon sized balls of dough onto the baking stone about 2 inches apart.  

Bake 8-10 minutes.  Don't bake too long of your cookies will get crispy!

Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Source: American Heritage Cooking