Million $$$ Spaghetti Bake

I love spaghetti.  I mean really really love it. I've seen this recipe on Pinterest dozens of times so I decided to give it a try.
I even have another spaghetti bake recipe posted here on the blog: Square Spaghetti.
Although slightly similar the 2 recipes each have different ingredients that make them unique.
Give this recipe a try!

MILLION $$$ SPAGHETTI BAKE

1 lb. ground beef

1 (24 oz.)jar of spaghetti sauce

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. sour cream

1 c. cottage cheese

1/2 c. butter 

1 (16 oz.) pkg. spaghetti 

1 1/2-2 c. mozzarella  cheese

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°. In a large stockpot cook the pasta according to package directions until al denti. Drain and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese; cream together with an electric hand mixer.

Saute your ground beef until no longer pink; add the jar of spaghetti sauce and heat through.

Place a few pats of butter (about 1/2 of the stick) in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.

Pour 1/2 of the spaghetti into the bottom of the baking dish and spread the cream cheese mix over the top of the noodles.

Pour the remaining noodles over the cheese mix, add the remaining butter in small pat's (like you did in the beginning).

Pour the sauce over the entire top and spread evenly.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 min.  Remove dish from oven, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and return to the oven for 15 min.

Allow the dish to stand for 10 min. before serving. Sprinkle each serving with a little Parmesan cheese if desired.

 Recipe Source: MadeFromPinterest.Net

Brittany's Sesame Noodle Salad

This may seriously be THE BEST salad I have ever had.  My awesome neighbor Brittany brought me some one day, and I almost fell off my chair, it was so good.  She is very nice and shared the recipe with me, and then she gave me permission to post it on the blog.  I love you Brittany!

You cook your pasta.

You make your dressing in a jar.

 

You stir everything together, chill for a few hours and then serve it up!  
Brittany says this salad is even better the next day, but I may never know...it's just too good (it IS even better the next day but I rarely have any left).

Add fresh baby spinach when making the salad.  It's even more divine, if that's possible!

SESAME NOODLE SALAD
Dressing:

1/4 c. sesame seeds, toasted

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. soy sauce

1/3 c. rice vinegar

1 tsp. sesame oil

3 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. ginger, fresh minced or ground

1/4 tsp. black pepper

In a large jar with a tight fitting lid, combine all of the ingredients.  Seal the jar and shake well until everything is incorporated.  Chill until ready to mix with the salad ingredients.

Salad:

1 (16 oz.) pkg. rotini pasta

3 c. chicken, cooked and cubed

1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 c. chopped green onion

Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente (I like to leave my pasta just slightly less than al dente so that when the salad is ready to serve the noodles are still firm).  Rinse pasta under cold water until cooled.  Drain well.  In a large mixing bowl place the cooked pasta, chicken, cilantro and green onion (add spinach, if using).  Shake the dressing again until well mixed, pour over the pasta and stir very well.  Chill 4-5 hours before serving.

Note:  there will be quite a bit of dressing in the bottom of the bowl, just stir the salad every hour or so during the chilling time and the dressing will be absorbed in.

This is an updated re-post from Feb. 2013.

Spinach Tomato Spaghetti Al Fresco

THIS RECIPE IS MY NEW FAVORITE DISH!

1 POT, NO DRAINING, AND 9-10 MINUTES COOKING TIME! 

AWESOMENESS  X  10!

I love this dish so much that I've made it 3 times in 2 weeks. My husband and daughter like it too.  Hubby isn't a spaghetti fan, but he sincerely likes this dish, in fact he requested I make it for the 3rd time.

Fresh spinach and basil, thin spaghetti pasta, tomatoes, onions and Parmesan cheese....Mmmmmm.  It doesn't get better than that for me! 

SPINACH TOMATO SPAGHETTI Al FRESCO

12 oz. thin spaghetti noodles
4 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 medium onion, julienne sliced

2 tsp. fresh garlic, minced or chopped

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. dried oregano (leaf or ground)

2 large sprigs fresh Basil, chopped

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 c. torn baby spinach
8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces-keep warm (optional)

Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a large stock pot, pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, black pepper, oregano, chopped basil and olive oil.
Break the pasta noodles in half and drop in.

Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer, stirring pasta every 3 minutes or so. Cook about 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed (I found that I liked the pasta best when there was about 1 inch of water left in the pot when I finished cooking it. The starch from the pasta will thicken the sauce as it cools a bit).
During the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, drop in the fresh spinach and stir, stir, stir to mix it in.  It may seem like that's a LOT of spinach, but remember that it wilts down.
Sprinkle with the warm bacon and Parmesan cheese.

Stinkin' good!

Recipe source:  unknown, I found it on Facebook with no link back...

5 Ingredient Ramen Noodle Bake

This was a recipe that caught my eye on Pinterest. 
Finding 5 ingredient recipes makes me happy, and since the title suggested a simple pasta casserole, I knew I would give it a try. 

Ramen Noodle Bake

4 pkg Beef flavor Ramen Noodles

1 (26 oz.) bottle spaghetti sauce

1 lb. cooked ground beef 

2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

3 1/2 c. water.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
Setting aside the seasoning packets, break up the 4 packages of ramen noodles and spread them over the bottom of the dish.

Sprinkle the cooked beef over the top of the noodles.
Pour the bottle of spaghetti sauce over the top, and then sprinkle 1 of the beef seasoning packets over the top of the sauce.  Save the remaining packets for another use.

Next sprinkle 1 c. of cheese over the top, and then pour the water over everything. 

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake 40-50 min, until the water is absorbed.
Remove the foil, sprinkle with remaining 1 c. shredded mozzarella and return to the oven for 7-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

My family ended up giving this recipe a B+ grade.  We all agreed it would be better with  cooked sausage rather than the beef, and we thought it would be lovely with Parmesan cheese baked on top.
The noodles were very soft, and not as "dense" as I thought they would be, but I did like this dish.

1 tip:  I found the dish to be a little salty for my taste because I used ground beef that I had cooked and pre-seasoned in a large batch earlier in the week.
I will not add salt to my ground beef while cooking it the next time I make this, and I will definitely add diced onions to the meat while frying it.

Recipe adapted from The Cutting Edge of Ordinary

Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna in Creamy White Sauce

I've always been a lover of pasta, artichokes, cream cheese and mozzarella cheese, so it's a perfect dish for me! 
It also turned out to be a big hit with my family and a couple of dinner guests we had the first evening I tried this recipe. Well, we all decided that this dish is a keeper!

Chicken & Artichoke Lasagna in Creamy White Sauce

2 c. cooked chicken, shredded

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

(I don't recommend using marinated hearts)

2 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 c. milk

1 tsp. chopped garlic

(or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)

1/4 c. tightly packed fresh basil, chopped, divided

8 oz. sliced mushrooms (optional)

12 lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions, just BARELY to al dente. Remember, the noodles will continue to cook in the oven.

In a large bowl combine the chicken, artichokes, 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

In a separate bowl beat the cream cheese, milk and garlic until well blended.  Stir in 2 Tbsp. of the chopped fresh basil.
Mix 1/2 of the cream cheese sauce in with the chicken mix.

In a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray, spread 1/2 of the remaining sauce onto the bottom.  Cover with 3 noodles, then 1/3 of the chicken mixture and 1/3 c. mozzarella cheese. Layer on the mushrooms, for the first layer only.
Repeat with a 2nd layer, in the same order and again with a 3rd layer.
Top with remaining 3 noodles, cream cheese sauce, and the last 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until it is heated through.  Sprinkle with remaining basil then allow to stand for 5 minutes before cutting into squares.

I turned my broiler on for  5 additional minutes of baking time to get this lovely browned cheesy goodness. 

Ya baby!

Next time, I'm adding spinach in a layer or 2 (instead of the mushrooms)...imagine the possibilities...
oh, and p.s. this is really good the next day too.

Recipe adapted from: Kraft Foods

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad

This is a recipe you will thank me for.  I mean it is DELISH! 
My adorable neighbor Brittany brought some by just a couple of weeks ago and I fell in love.  In fact, I obsessed about it for days, I talked about it, I might have even dreamed about it. Brittany gave me the recipe link, and I started right in trying to feed my need (ha).  I have made this recipe several times already, and EVERY time, it is THE hit at the party or event I've taken it to.
It's very simple to make, and the ingredient list is easy too, plus this dish earns bonus points because it goes together in a jiffy.
One note;  be sure to give yourself extra time to allow the salad to chill and soak up the dressing, at least 4-5 hours before serving, and the salad is even better the next day!

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad

Dressing:

1/4 c. sesame seeds, toasted

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. soy sauce

1/3 c. rice vinegar

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/2 tsp. ginger, fresh or ground

1/4 tsp. black pepper

In a large bottle with a tight fighting lid, combine all the ingredients, seal, and shake until everything is incorporated.

  Salad:

1 (16 oz.) package rotini, bow tie, or other pasta.

3 c. cooked chicken, chopped or shredded

1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 c. chopped green onion

Cook pasta according to package directions until BARELY al dente, the pasta will continue to soften as it is chilled and soaks up the dressing, so you don't want it to be too soggy.
Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water until the pasta is no longer warm  Let cool completely. Once it is cooled, you may need to give it a very quick rinse to make sure the pasta isn't sticking together, then drain very well.
In a large mixing bowl place the cooked pasta, chicken, cilantro and green onion.  Give your dressing another good shaking up and pour over the pasta mix.  Stir until ALL of the pasta mix has been coated with the dressing.  Cover.  Place in the fridge to chill.  At this stage the dressing will not be absorbed and quite a bit will sit in the  bottom of the mixing bowl.  Occasionally stir the pasta salad and the dressing will eventually all be soaked in. Don't skip this step, it makes all the difference!

Sprinkle with additional sesame seeds and chopped cilantro before serving if desired.

Note:  I am not a big lover of cilantro, so I split the 1/3 cup measurement that the recipe calls for and used flat leaf parsley that I had chopped up in combo with the cilantro.
Also, the original recipe explains how to toast the sesame seeds, but I skipped that step and bought them already toasted!  Check with your local bakery, because they will often sell you a larger quantity for less money than the seeds you find in the spice isle.

Recipe Source:  ~BRITTANY DAW~, via AllRecipes.com

Tempting Taco Pasta

I think it's fairly obvious to everyone that my family loves pasta.  It's our main staple...that and the local Wendy's Restaurant.
This recipe is one my husband really likes and bugs me to make  {he doesn't want to make it himself, he claims it has many steps-seriously sad}  when I say we have nothing edible in the house.  It's a great "pantry staples" meal.  You know, one of those recipes created using items you generally always have in your pantry...if your organized...and creative...and have a good memory...

TEMPTING TACO PASTA

8 oz. pasta like elbow, shell, rigatoni, etc.

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2. diced onion

1 (10.25 oz.) can condensed tomato soup

1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (1.25 oz.) packet taco seasoning mix

1 1/2 c. cheddar jack cheese, shredded

1 c. tortilla chips, crushed

1/2 c. sour cream (optional)

1/4 c. chopped green onion (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions until barely al dente. While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet brown the ground beef and diced onion until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off grease.  Stir in the tomato soup, canned tomatoes and taco seasoning. 

Drain pasta and stir into the beef mixture.

Spoon the pasta mix into a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been lightly coated with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips over the top and then cover with the shredded cheese. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cheese is melted and very slightly browned.

Serve with sour cream and green onions if desired.

Recipe source: Allrecipes.com