Spaghetti & Meatballs

There is nothing better than being able to have a yummy, satisfying home-cooked meal without having to do much cooking. Don't get me wrong, I love to cook. It really helps me relax and de-stress (that is, when I don't have children hanging on my leg.) But, there are some days when it's just no that easy, whether it be sickness, errands, or just a long weekend. This is why I love meals that freeze well. Spaghetti sauce is one of those things that just taste better the second time. I've found most people agree on this one. I will also freeze meatballs, BUT I do not cook them first. I do not like the taste of frozen pre-cooked meatballs. To freeze them, put them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm and then you can place them in a Ziploc bag. I also portion my sauce into Ziplocs and they can be laid flat in the freezer. So, here's my take on the classic family spaghetti dinner.

Chicken Parmesan

This a recipe is a perfect example of why I need to keep a running list of the things I make. It is one of my favorite recipes, but I always forget about it when I'm making my grocery list for the week. It's really simple, yet delicious and you can make it with common ingredients you might already have in the house. I boosted the healthfulness of the meal by serving it over whole wheat pasta. Our family loved it and I think it will become our regular spaghetti.

Fettucini Alfredo with Chicken and Roasted Broccoli

Yum! This is one of my all time favorites. It is a quick and very easy recipe that pleases just about anyone (as long as they like pasta and cheese!) I have a deep love for Italian food and have the opinion that cheese can make just about everything better. I have always been a fan of broccoli and have recently discovered the incredible flavor you can get from roasting broccoli. I do it as a side dish but have also found it to be delicious with my Fettuccine Alfredo.

As far as chicken goes, there are many ways you can prepare chicken to go with this dish. It is delicious, grilled, roasted, or sauteed. You can even cut your cooking time and buy a rotisserie chicken from the market. They are delicious and a good time-saver for quick family meals. I've used them in pasta dishes, for nachos or quesadillas, and even pizza toppings (Note to self: I'll have to do a post on BBQ Chicken pizza).

I think the simplicity of this dish is one of the things that makes it so delicious. But, you can make things even better by including great ingredients. I recently bought a large chunk of
Parmigiano Reggiano at Costco. While this sauce has always been delicious, the quality of the cheese brought it to new heights.

Recipe (serves 4 plus leftovers)

3/4 - 1 lb fettuccine
1/2 c butter
1 c Parmigiano reggiano (plus more for garnish)
1 c heavy cream
1/2 - 3/4 lb broccoli
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 - 1 1/2 lb chicken tenderloins

Follow directions on box of pasta to cook to al dente.

Preheat oven to 400. Arrange broccoli on baking sheet in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. (It's also great with some minced fresh garlic or a little garlic powder.) Drizzle broccoli with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast in oven for about 10 minutes.

To saute chicken: Heat 1-2 T olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in skillet a few minutes on each side until lightly browned. Remove to cutting board and slice before mixing with pasta.

For sauce: Melt butter in pan over medium-low. Add cream, cooked fettuccine, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until combined and cheese is melted into sauce. Add chicken and broccoli and mix to combine. Garnish with additional Parmesan (I love my Microplanefor this - more on that in a later post).

This is one of my favorite "BLD" recipes (one of Rachael Ray's terms meaning Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner). This was the first time I tried this recipe with the no-boil lasagna noodles and it came out perfect! I'm thrilled because they are one of my favorite ingredients. I love lasagna, but have never been a fan of the boiling, oiling, cooling, etc of the noodles before you can even assemble your lasagna.

Shrimp and Broccoli Lasagna

Click to print div 1

Servings: 4 for dinner and leftovers for lunch

Ingredients

• 1 lb medium shrimp, cooked
• 1 lb broccoli, cooked crisp-tender
• 6 lasagna noodles (pre-cooked if they're not no-boil)
• 6 T butter
• 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 c green onions, sliced
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t dry mustard
• 1/2 t thyme
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 5 c milk
• 2 c monterey jack, shredded
• 3-4 c cheddar, shredded (white or yellow is fine)

Directions:

1. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in flour, onions, salt, dry mustard, thyme, and cayenne.
3. Cook for a minute, add milk, and continue to cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
4. Reduce heat to low and add the monterey jack.
5. Cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted.
6. Preheat oven to 350.
7. In an ungreased 13x9 (3 qt) baking dish, layer 1 cup of sauce, 3 noodles, all of the broccoli, 1 cup of cheddar and 2 cups of sauce. Top with 3 more noodles, all of the shrimp, 1 cup of cheddar, remaining sauce, and remaining cheddar.
8. Bake 30 minutes until top is golden and bubbly.