Barbecue Chicken Pasta

May 11, 2013 in Cassie, kid friendly, Main Dishes

I love barbecue chicken. I love cheddar cheese melted on my barbecue chicken. I love pasta. And I love creamy pasta sauce.

So, what happened here was pretty genius.

It’s barbecue sauce, it’s got spice, it’s got sweetness, it’s creamy and it’s on pasta. It’s kind of amazing.

I used Trader Joe’s barbecue sauce instead of making my own sauce, because TJ’s has a nice kick of spice to it. If you’re not into spice, that’s cool, just use a sweet barbecue sauce instead.

Here’s how to make it!

original recipe

Ingredients

1 package penne pasta
3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 cup spicy barbecue sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbs brown sugar (only if using a spicy barbecue sauce)
1 tbs onion powder
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. In a 9×9 baking dish, pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken breasts. Cook for 45 minutes, or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the package directions.

Place the cooked chicken on to a cutting board and slice into strips. Take the remaining barbecue sauce and pour it into a large sauce pan. Add in the brown sugar, sour cream, onion powder and the cheeses. Cook on medium until all the cheeses are melted and well combined.

Place the sauce over top of the pasta, top with chicken and additional cheddar cheese if desired. Enjoy.

No Comments »

Vegetarian Asparagus and Parmesan Pasta Toss

April 25, 2013 in Cassie, Dinner, LIghter Side, Main Dishes, Vegetarian

Looking for a fabulous vegetarian meal? Look no further. I’m not a vegetarian, however, I do limit our meat consumption. So each week when I put together our menu, I am always in search of a good meatless meal – or four.

I’m one of those people who, once I find something I like, eat it all the time until I’m tired of it. A few years ago when my mom sent me this recipe, I did just that. I had completely forgotten about it until a friend was asking for a good vegetarian pasta dish.

Now I fear my family will have to bear with me as I go through this obsession again.

I changed the veggies that are in the original recipe, and use less red pepper flakes because of the kids. This is one of those dishes where you can use virtually any veggie with it. The original calls for asparagus, red peppers and mushrooms, but I have texture issues with mushrooms, so I omit those and use broccoli and carrots instead. You can, however, use anything with it, seriously.

Here’s how to make it!

recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 package uncooked pasta, I used spirals
Cooking spray
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 3/4 cups (1-inch) pieces asparagus (about 12 ounces)
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan, divided

Directions

Preheat broiler.
Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a ziplock plastic bag and seal. Let sit for 10 minutes, then peel and cut into strips.
Boil the pasta until al dente.
Steam the baby carrots and broccoli until to desired softness.
Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium high heat. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add bell pepper, crushed red pepper, spices and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer; cook for 7 minutes. Stir in asparagus; cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender.
In a large bowl, combine boiled pasta, broccoli, carrots and asparagus mixture. Add in the parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
Enjoy!

1 Comment »

Peanut Butter Oat Bar

April 3, 2013 in Cassie, kid friendly, LIghter Side, Sweets

I think it would be pretty safe to say I have an obsession with oatmeal and peanut butter. Finding a way to put them together with a little chocolate is always a good day.

This weekend I’m hosting a spinathon and I’m trying to figure out baked goods I can make for the spinners to eat after their workout. Trouble is, I want to avoid anything too sugary or dense so that they don’t feel sick after all the hard work.

Plus putting all those calories back in when you just worked them out, even if it is for a good cause can be tough.

This is a simple recipe with all ingredients on hand. It requires no butter, no eggs and no oil.

I’ll be most definitely making this for Sunday.

Here’s how to make it!

recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup oats (not quick oats)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tbs vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add in vanilla, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined. Add in the flour and oats. The mixture will be gritty. Don’t worry.

With the mixer set to low, mix in the milk until well combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides.

Dump the mixture into a greased 8×8 baking tin. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Makes 9 large bars.

No Comments »

Zucchini Lasagna

March 28, 2013 in Cassie, Dinner, kid friendly, LIghter Side, Main Dishes

This surprised me. I didn’t think this was going to be very good, just kind of meh, but I was surprised that it in fact was delicious!

I made mine with ground turkey, however, if you want to make it vegetarian, then simply use lentils or soy crumbles as your meat.

The meat sauce combines your meat choice, broccoli, cauliflower and onion. It was super filling and ridiculously healthy. Even if I don’t make this exact meal again anytime soon, I will definitely make the meat sauce again. It’s a great way to sneak veggies in for kids if that’s an issue.

I made this meal the morning before I cooked it for dinner, and it wasn’t overly watery from the zucchini. It also freezes well.

Here’s how to make it!

recipe adapted from Jo and Sue

Ingredients

4 zucchini, sliced into 1/8 inch slices
1 lb ground turkey (or 1 cup prepared lentils)
1 onion, diced
2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
2 cups cauliflower, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
pepper to taste
1 jar pasta sauce
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup parm cheese, grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 425.

Slice the zucchini into 1/8 inch slices and line them on cookie sheets. Bake them for 5 minutes on each side.

Reduce the heat to 375. Brown the turkey and sprinkle with pepper. Drain. Add in the chopped onion, broccoli, cauliflower and garlic. Top with the pasta sauce. Cook for 10 minutes on medium/high heat until veggies are easily blanched.

Now build the lasagna. Pour half the meat sauce into a 9×12 pyrex pan. Line half the zucchini on top. Spread the cottage cheese on top, then pour the remaining meat sauce over top. Top with the remaining zucchini, mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.

Bake for 50 minutes covered with tinfoil, then remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes.

Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. It may be watery due to the zucchini, so letting it rest will help absorb some of the extra fluid.

No Comments »

Cheesy Pasta Primavera

March 21, 2013 in Cassie, Dinner, kid friendly, LIghter Side, Main Dishes

I’m not one who usually gets excited about veggies. But seriously? Seriously? This was amazing.

I saw the original recipe yesterday and told about five people about it, then made a vow I was going to eat it. And soon.

I even dragged my four kids to the store just to get the ingredients for it. I was that stoked about it.

This is light, healthy and full of flavor.

I promise.

And remember, this is pasta primavera – therefore, the sauce is thin.

Here’s how to make it!

recipe adapted from Recipe Girl

Ingredients

Sauce:
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tsp ground thyme
salt and pepper, to taste

Main dish:
16 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked until al dente
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 cup chopped baby carrots
1 large red bell pepper, chopped or sliced thinly
2 cups cooked and chopped or shredded chicken breast (optional)
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

Topping:
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Boil the pasta until cooked to al dente, set aside.

Make the sauce by combining the greek yogurt, cheeses and thyme together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Prepare the veggies. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and cook the garlic for a minute. Add in the broccoli, pepper and carrots. Cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add in the pasta and optional chicken and mix to combine. Add in the sauce and stir, again to combine.

Pour into a prepared pyrex pan and top with the halved cherry tomatoes.

Cover with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the cover, top with remaining mozzarella cheese and cook another 10 minutes.

Serve immediately.

No Comments »

Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

March 20, 2013 in Breakfast, Cassie, kid friendly, Sweets

Finally! A non-bundt cake!

I’ve wanted to try this cake out for a while now, but never had good enough strawberries for the recipe, but then I had some leftover from the angel food cake and figured why not?

I’m dubbing this a breakfast cake. Sure, it’s partially because I made and consumed some before 11 AM, but also because it has fruit in it. That’s a good excuse, right?

First of all, roasting strawberries is a fantastic idea. My house smells amazing.

Secondly, this is a delightful cake. It’s dense, which just means there’s plenty to share, but it also has a really nice tang from the balsamic vinegar.

It’s also extremely simple to make.

Ready?

Here’s how to make it!

recipe from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

For the strawberries:

8 ounces strawberries, hulled
2 tbs maple syrup
1 tbs olive oil
pinch of salt
2 tbs balsamic vinegar

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or sour milk, as I used – add a tbs white vinegar to the milk, let sit then use)
1 tsp vanilla extract
roasted strawberries

Directions

For the strawberries:

Preheat oven to 375. Line a deep cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Hull the strawberries and mix with maple syrup and olive oil. Lay out on the cookie sheet and roast for 35-40 minutes until juices are thick, but not burning.

In a small bowl, add the balsamic vinegar and mix in the roasted strawberries. Set aside.

For the cake:

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.

In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, butter, eggs and vanilla together. Slowly combine the dry ingredients until just mixed and no lumps remain.

Spoon into a cast iron skillet or quiche pan. (I used my cast iron dutch oven, and had to cook an extra 10 minutes.)

Top with the strawberries and bake for 20-25 minutes. (I baked mine for 33 minutes because of the dutch oven.)

Let cool on a wire rack and serve. Cake is good for 3 days if well stored.

No Comments »

Angel Food Cake : The Healthiest Cake Option

March 16, 2013 in Cassie, kid friendly, LIghter Side, Sweets

A few weeks ago when I asked my sister what kind of cake she’d like me to make her for her big 30th birthday, she said, “It’s OK, fruit salad is fine.”

Yah, no. That doesn’t fly with me.

I mean, I do love a good fruit salad dessert with greek yogurt and granola on top, but a 30th birthday seems so much bigger than fruit salad.

So I decided on my own authority to make an angel food cake and have strawberries available should that not be cool with her.

The cake went over amazingly. In reality, how can it not? It’s light, fluffy, sweet – but not too much so, and by far the healthiest cake option there is out there.

Did you know it’s also super easy to make?

It really is.

Here’s how to make it!

recipe from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
12 egg whites
1/3 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Get a tube or bundt pan and set it aside. DO NOT GREASE IT.

In a bowl, combine half the sugar, flour and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla extract on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium high and slowly add in the remaining sugar over 3 minutes until medium, smooth peaks begin to form. It will be glossy and not super foamy.

With a rubber spatula, slowly add in the dry ingredients in three parts. Pull the batter from bottom to top, in a sweeping motion as to not over mix and cause the eggs to deflate.

Spoon the batter into the UNGREASED tube/bundt pan. Do not smooth the batter. The pan should be full to the top.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

When the cake done, cool it face down on a cooling rack for an hour. You may need to use a rubber spatula to free the cake from the pan after the hour is done.

Serve with strawberries or berry of choice.

No Comments »

Cookie Dough Balls II

March 9, 2013 in Cassie, kid friendly, Sweets

A few weeks ago I posted a recipe on raw cookie dough balls.

Today I wanted them, but I didn’t have a can of sweetened condensed milk.

So.

I made them anyhow with a different recipe and they’re even better.

Best of all? I had everything on hand.

You will, too.

So make them.

Here’s how to make it!

original recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

In a bowl, cream the sugar and butter together. Mix in the vanilla and milk. Add the flour, mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Eat immediately with a spoon, OR chill in the fridge if you plan on rolling them out.

No Comments »

Applesauce Bundt Cake

March 7, 2013 in Breakfast, Cassie, Sweets, Winter Eats

I’m on a bundt kick, yes. But they make the moistest cakes ever and because of the fact that it’s missing a center, it’s less likely that you’ll over bake it.

Plus they’re pretty.

This is an applesauce bundt cake. It requires homemade applesauce, however, if you don’t have it, never fear, you can use store bought, but stick with the chunky kind.

This cake almost reminds me of a fall spice cake, with a hint of pumpkin. There’s no pumpkin in this, however. BUT, it makes a great breakfast cake.

Not that I’d know.

Not at all.

It’s extremely moist, light and completely unfilling. So cut a big slice.

Here’s how to make it!

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Living

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp

2 cups packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup honey

2 eggs, room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups homemade applesauce (or chunky style store bought)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a bundt or tube pan with cooking spray and flour.

Mix together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the honey. About 3-4 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl down between. Add in the vanilla.

With the mixer on low, add in the dry ingredients. Then mix in the applesauce.

Pour into the bundt pan and bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool until the cake comes away from the pan, about 15 minutes.

Top with powdered sugar.

No Comments »

Happy Birth Day Audrey: a Marble Bundt Cake

March 1, 2013 in Cassie, Sweets

On Tuesday I had a baby. A perfectly perfect 6 lb 14 oz girl named Audrey Rose.

So today, while my other kids were playing a game of “Let’s pretend to buy things through the kitty door,” and Audrey napped in her chair, I baked this cake.

It’s really good.

My husband may have tasted it, though it was inhaled in less than 3 minutes, along with a full glass of milk.

It really doesn’t need a frosting, to be honest, just a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar will do, but my husband is a frosting guy, so I made a really simple chocolate butter glaze.

Here’s how to make it!

recipe compliments of the Food Librarian

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups sugar, divided (1/2 cup and 2 cups)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup hot water
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, divided (1/2 teaspoon and 2 teaspoons)
2 2/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare your bundt pan with cooking spray and flour

Make the chocolate syrup: In a saucepan, mix together the cocoa powder and 1/2 cup sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup hot water. Whisk and simmer until fully combined, remove from heat, add in 1/2 tsp vanilla and allow to cool.

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

Cream the butter and 2 cups of sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl.

Add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients, mix on low, add in 1/2 the milk, continue to mix on low, add in another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then the rest of the milk and end with the dry ingredients.

Do not over mix.

Take 1/3 of the batter and combine it with the chocolate syrup. Pour 1/3 of the white batter into the bundt pan, then layer the chocolate layer, then top with the remaining white. Use a knife to create a marble effect.

Bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before inverting on a cooling rack. Make sure to loosen the edges before attempting to remove the cake from the pan.

Top with powdered sugar or a frosting of your choice.

I made a simple chocolate butter glaze:

1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk

Combine all that into a sauce pan, simmer and whisk constantly and top over cake.

No Comments »

Sweet and Saucy

You are browsing the Blog for Cassie.