Vittles Divine

Mmmmmm.... we're heading into the time of year when it's more respectable to eat pasta for every meal. As with most marinara sauces, this is best served at least one day after it has been simmered. This recipe makes a huge party pot of yummy delicious spaghetti sauce. Any extras can be easily frozen for future use. Ingredients 2 pounds ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium green pepper, chopped 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced 3 celery ribs, chopped 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian stewed tomatoes (I blend the contents briefly in a food processor; my kids and husband hate tomato chunks) 1 jar (26 ounces) of your favorite store-bought spaghetti sauce (we love Ragu Mama's Special Garden Sauce, but any flavorful recipe will work) 1/2 cup ketchup 1 can tomato soup 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon prepared mustard Hot cooked spaghetti Directions In a larg...

This recipe came from the Top Family Recipe Collections of two of my friends. Knowing what talented cooks they both are, I took a leap of faith, despite my reservations on the whole concept. Peanut butter? With my pasta ? That seemed rather sacrilegious to this little Italian. Especially when I don't really love peanut butter all that much in the first place. Consider me converted. Thank you , Wendy and Allison! Kinley's response: "Wow... Wow.... WOW . This is good. SO good. If you ever go on The Next Food Network Star, you need to make this for sure to win the whole thing!" I made the recipe exactly as written and it was perfect just the way it was. I wasn't familiar enough with some of the ingredients to mess around anyway. I have never used sesame oil, ginger, rice vinegar, or chili-garlic sauce before. 12 ounces linguine ( NOT 16 ounces!) 2-3 breasts of cooked and chopped or shredded chicken. (I used 2 somewhat large ones) Sauce: 1 ...

Sigh... This is a dish that haunts me in my dreams at night until I make it. I love it. I mean I really really love it. I originally got the recipe from my friend Heather W. and it's one of their family favorites too. My kids go bananas (in a happy way) when they find out Rosemary Chicken Pasta is on the menu. It doesn't look like much, but the flavors are unique and addicting. It's crazy good. Ingredients 2 breasts of boneless, skinless chicken 1/2 cup flour 4 tsp olive oil (divided) 4 tsp butter (divided) 1/3 cup diced onions 2 tsp minced garlic 3 cup unsweetened white grape juice 4 tsp chicken boullion 1 tsp ground or regular rosemary leaves 1/2 tsp salt dash pepper 12 ounces angel hair pasta (not 16 oz!!) fresh chives (optional; I have never used them) Directions Cut thawed chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and put into bowl. Pour flour into bowl and stir until chicken is well coated with flour. In a wide, deep skillet, combine 3 tsp olive oi...

I originally got this yummy recipe from my sister, Heather. I love it and make it all the time. I have been working on it for a few years, tweaking to maximize taste and texture while minimizing caloric content. I'm there!* Salad: 1/2 lb. rotini pasta, cooked al dente, drain, rinse in cold water 1.5 C cooked chopped chicken 4 cups fresh spinach, shredded/torn 1/2 C black olives, chopped in 1/4’s 2 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled 1.5 cups diced tomtatoes (grape tomatoes, YUM!) 1/2 C monterrey jack cheese, shredded Dressing: 1 Tbs Dijon mustard 4 Tbs olive oil** 5 Tbs vinegar 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 Tbs honey 1 clove garlic, minced Blend dressing ingredients. Pour over mixed salad. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes before serving. Salt to taste at table. *This makes 12 delicious 1-cup servings, 178 calories each. Not bad for all that pasta and cheese! **If the dressing is too tart, add another Tbs of olive oil.

For Valentine's Day, I made a delicious baked ziti for the family. It was extremely easy and just as delicious! I see why it had such high ratings on allrecipes.com . INGREDIENTS 1 pound dry ziti or mastaccioli pasta 2 cups onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic 1 pound lean ground beef 2 (24 ounce) jars PLUS 1 cup of spaghetti sauce** 6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced 16 ounces sour cream (fat-free is OK) 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese DIRECTIONS Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente; drain. In a large skillet, brown onion, garlic and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce; warm through. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a (deep!) 9x13 inch baking dish.  Make sure it's plenty deep; this is a large meal! Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti Sour Cream (I like to mix the first half of the ziti WITH the sour cream.  Easier and faster) Provolone cheese...

This dish is a low-fat primavera that I originally found in a Pillsbury magazine. While it's a little more time-intensive than I generally prefer, it's yummy and worth it. Plus, I'm getting faster at streamlining the process. Our whole family loves it and it doesn't taste all that healthy! Ingredients: 16 oz sliced fresh mushrooms 2 cups broccoli florets 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 cup diced tomatoes* 1 cup diced, cooked chicken 2 cups halved fresh snow pea pods (optional, and did not use) 12 oz uncooked fettucini 2 cups fat-free (skim) milk 3 tbs cornstarch 1 tbs chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil leaves 1/2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1 cup light ricotta cheese 1/4 cup shredded fresh parmesan cheese ( not in the green can!!) 3/4 cup chicken broth 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped Directions 1. Cook and drain fettucini as directed on package. Lightly spray with Pam and toss to keep from sticking together. Cook and chop/shred chicken. 2. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan,...

My friend Johanna gave this recipe to me and we make it all the time. So good, so good! This is a regular staple at our house and perfect for taking in a meal to a neighbor. INGREDIENTS 6 cups cooked farfalle (bow tie or mini-bow tie) pasta*** 2 Tbs butter 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 (10.75 o unce) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon dried parsley 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2-3 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut or shredded into bite-size pieces Approx 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained 4 tablespoons grated Romano or parmesan cheese (not from the green can!) DIRECTIONS In a large pot with boiling salted water cook farfalle pasta until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic cloves and cook until garlic browns. Add the cream of chicken soup, stir in the dried parsley, salt, and ground fresh pepper. Blend milk and tomatoes gently in food processor or blender and add to pot. Let simmer for 5-10 m...