Taco Filled Pasta Shells

(makes 2 meals)

2 lbs ground beef
2 envelopes taco seasoning
1 pkg cream cheese, cubed
30 jumbo pasta shells
¼ cup butter, melted
2 cups salsa
2 cups taco sauce

Additional Ingredients (for each casserole)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 ½ cups crushed tortilla chips
Sour Cream
Chopped green onions

Cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning; prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese; cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until melted. Transfer to a bowl; chill for one hour.

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. Gently toss with butter. Fill each shell with about 3 Tablespoons of meat mixture.

Spoon 1 cup salsa into each greased baking dish. Top with 15 stuffed shells and 1 cup taco sauce each pan. Cover one and freeze for up to 3 months. Cover the remaining dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheeses and chips. Bake 15 more minutes or until heated through. Serve with sour cream and onions.

To prepare frozen shells: Thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours (shells will be partially frozen). Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle cheese and chips. Bake 15 more minutes or until heated through.

**Update**  I made this again, but this time in vegetarian form by substituting black beans for the beef.  It was delicious and everyone loved it again.  Both of my girls asked for me to make it again.

Chili Cheddar Penne

1 box whole wheat penne pasta
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
3-4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 taco seasonings package
½ tsp salt
2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, drained

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir constantly for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the cheese, taco seasoning and salt. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Drain pasta; stir into cheese sauce. Add corn, tomatoes, and chilies. Cook and stir until heated through.

** It is spicy but very tasty. Acadia LOVED it!

*** I might try adding black beans to this next time.

Quick and Easy Spaghetti Dinner

An easy skillet spaghetti dinner recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
· 1/2 pound lean ground beef
· 1/4 cup chopped
· pinch ground hot pepper
· 1 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
· 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
· 2 1/2 cups water
· 2 cups marinara sauce or your favorite spaghetti sauce
· 12 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
· freshly ground black pepper
· 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION:

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the ground beef, onion, cayenne pepper, basil, and oregano. Cook, stirring to break up meat, until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.

Add 2 1/2 cups water, the spaghetti sauce, and spaghetti; bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until the spaghetti is just tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let pan stand, covered, 5 minutes. Season with pepper to taste and serve sprinkled with the cheese.

Vegetarian Variation: Omit ground beef, add one chopped zucchini when onion is mostly cooked.

Potluck Lasagna

1 pound ground beef
1 can (14.5 ounces) Italian stewed tomatoes, cut up*
1 can tomato paste
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
½ tsp minced garlic
2 eggs
1 ½ cups (12 ounces) cottage cheese
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
6 lasagna noodles, cooked
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In large skillet, cook beef; drain. Stir in tomatoes, paste, parsley and garlic; remove from heat.

In large bowl, combine the eggs, cheeses, salt, and pepper. Layer 3 noodles in a greased 13x9 pan. Top with half of the cheese mixture, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and half of the meat sauce. Repeat layers.

Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Or, cover and back 375 degrees for 30 minutes, remove cover and bake 25-30 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

To use frozen lasagna: Thaw in fridge overnight. Bake as directed.

*I sometimes substitute spaghetti sauce for the stewed tomatoes.

Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups

18 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 pound Italian Style Chicken Breast, chopped
2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
5 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
4 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook noodles as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain well.

Mix chicken, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, seasoning, 1 cup spaghetti sauce, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese; add garlic salt and pepper to taste; spread 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto each noodle. Roll up tightly; place, seam sides down, in baking dish. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over roll-ups; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 6 servings

***I have not tried freezing this yet, but I think it would freeze well. Just defrost completely and bake as usual.

Vegetarian Variation: Omit Chicken

Cheesy Rigatoni Bake

2 pkgs (16 ounces) rigatoni or large tube pasta
4 Tbsp butter
½ cup flour
1 tsp salt
4 cups milk
½ cup water
2 cups egg substitute
32 oz tomato sauce, seasoned with Italian seasonings
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in four and salt until smooth. Gradually add milk and water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Season to taste. (Pepper, onion powder, garlic powder)

Drain pasta; place in a large bowl. Add egg substitute. Spoon into greased baking dishes. Layer each with tomato sauce, cheese, white sauce, and parmesan cheese.

Bake one casserole uncovered at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cover and freeze the other casserole(s) for up to 3 months.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in fridge overnight. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover, bake 10 minutes longer.

(This recipe was meant to make two 9x13 casseroles, but I find it doesn't make quite that much. In my experience, it makes one 8x8 and one 9x13 casserole, or three 8x8 dishes.)

Beef Taco Lasagna

Makes two 9x13 pans

18 lasagna noodles
2 pounds ground beef
2 envelopes taco seasoning
4 egg whites
2 cartons (15 ounces each) ricotta cheese
8 cups (2 pounds) shredded cheddar cheese
2 jars (24 ounces each) chunky salsa

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning. In a small bowl, combine egg whites and ricotta cheese. Drain noodles.

In each of two 9x13 pans, layer 3 noodles, ¾ cup ricotta mixture, half of the beef and 1 1/3 cups cheddar cheese. Top each with 3 more noodles, ¾ cup ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cups salsa, and 1 1/3 cups cheese. Repeat.

Bake one pan at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Cover remaining pan with foil and freeze up to 3 months.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in fridge for 8 hours. Bake as directed.

Chicken Pasta Primavera

Submitted by Mallory Hayford

Ready in 30 minutes or less

2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 pound boneless skinles chicken breasts, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, thawed
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet (seriously a LARGE skillet), saute chicken and garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink. Add the vegetables and cream; cook until vegetables are tender. Drain pasta. Add the pasta, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to the skillet; cook and stil until heated through.

Yield: 4 servings.

Italian Skillet Supper

3 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese


Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta; mix with meat mixture and half of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Shrimp Alfredo

3 Cups of Heavy Cream (you can substitute half and half for a healthier version, but we like it with the Cream)
1 1/2 sticks of butter
3 Tbsp. Cream Cheese
¾ to 1 C. Parmesan cheese (we get the fresh grated kind, but powdered works too)
1 tsp. Garlic powder or you can use fresh chopped garlic to taste
½ to 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (I buy the easy peel kind, so I don’t have to mess with deveining and the shell peels right off)
2 T additional butter
Minced Garlic to taste
1 lb pasta of your choice

Preparation: In a medium saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer this until all is melted, and mixed well. Add the Parmesan cheese and Garlic powder (or fresh garlic if you so desire). Simmer this for 10 minutes on medium, stirring as needed. The sauce will thicken and expand, so be careful not to let it boil over. You may wish to season with a little salt and pepper. While the sauce is simmering, melt the 2 T additional butter in a pan. Saute the minced garlic in the butter, and then add the raw, peeled shrimp. Cook the shrimp in the butter until the Shrimp is pink and curls into nice little rounds. Add the shrimp mixture to the Alfredo sauce and stir well. Serve over the pasta of your choice. This recipe serves 8. You can easily cut it in half or even 2/3 for a smaller group of people. The sauce without the shrimp added is also great if you are not a seafood fan. Just leave the steps where you cook the shrimp in butter and garlic out. Enjoy!

Chicken and Broccoli Lo Mein

1 lb thin spaghetti noodles (I prefer angel hair but any spaghetti will work in a pinch)
1 T sesame oil (olive oil will work, but sesame really brings out the asian flavor)
extra sesame oil for cooking
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or you could alternatively use chicken thighs if you wanted to)
1 small to medium onion sliced thin
1 lb package frozen chopped broccoli (or an equivalent amount of fresh)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger (fresh is fine too)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth (I use bullion to make the broth)
1/3 cup brown sugar

Cook the spaghetti noodles in salted water. When they are done, drain and add the Tablespoon of Sesame oil to them and toss to coat the noodles evenly. Set aside. Coat the bottom of a large pan or wok with sesame oil and heat. When the pan is hot add the broccoli and the onion and stir fry for about three minutes. Next add the ginger and garlic, and the meat. Cook (stirring often) until the chicken is cooked through. In a separate dish mix the soy sauce, broth and brown sugar. Once your chicken is cooked through add the noodles to the pan, and pour the sauce mixture over the top. Stir and cook until everything is heated through and the sauce and veggies are evenly distributed. If your pan is too small to take everything at once you can cook half the noodles with half the veggies and half the sauce at a time. That is what I used to do before I got my wok. This recipe will serve 8. You can cut it in half for a smaller family. If you would rather make this with beef you can substitute steak for the chicken and beef broth for the chicken broth. We just like it with chicken better. All of my kids (even the picky ones) love this recipe. It has become our replacement for a quick spaghetti dinner.

Simple Stroghanoff

This is my favorite way to make stroghanoff. I had previously always made this recipe with steak, but in these times of economic uncertainty I decided to try it using ground meat, and it turned out great. I even cut down the amount of meat and only used about 1/3 of a pound, and it still fed seven of us and we didn't feel we were missing out on meat. The best thing about this recipe is that it only takes about 20 minutes to make.
On to the recipe...Ingredients:
1 lb of egg noodles (of course you can use any kind of pasta you want, and I won't tell!)
a little butter or margarine
about 12 oz of steak, sliced into thin strips (or substitute anywhere from 1/3 lb to 3/4 lb of ground meat)
2 cups of water
1 package of onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups of sour cream
4 Tablespoons of flour
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Start out by cooking the pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water. (I do this on one burner while cooking the rest of the recipe on another.) When they are done, drain them and toss a tablespoon of butter or margarine in with the noodles, stirring to coat them so they won't stick. In a large pan cook the meat until it is browned and done to your liking. If you are using steak I recommend cooking it until it is almost cooked through the center of each piece. (It will continue cooking in the gravy as well, so if you cook it really thouroughly it may end up tough). Add two cups of water directly to the meat, then add the onion soup mix and stir well. In a small bowl mix the sour cream and the flour and stir until well combined. Add this to the meat mixture and stir until it begins to thicken. Open the can of mushroom soup and add directly to the pan, stirring well. If you want to you can thin the gravy with a little milk or water, but we like it pretty thick here. Serve the gravy over the noodles and enjoy!

Chicken Manicotti

garlic powder
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
14 manicotti shells
1 jar spaghetti sauce, divided
1 pound Italian sausage cooked and drained
1 can olives, sliced
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup water

Cut chicken into long, thin strips; sprinkle with garlic powder. Stuff chicken into the manicotti shells. Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce in greased baking dish.

Place stuffed manicotti shells in each dish. Sprinkle with sausage and olives. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese.

Drizzle water around the edge of dish. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 65-70 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and pasta is tender.


*** I like to double the recipe and freeze a batch for later. To use frozen casserole: Thaw in fridge. Let stand at room temp for 30 minutes. Bake as directed.