Homemade Spaghetti-O's with Meatballs

  In April, I drove to Washington D.C. with my children for Spring Break.  My sister lives there with her children and it is always so much fun to visit them.  We go on tons of outings and see so many amazing things when we are there.  It's pretty great that so many of the museums, the zoo, and so many other activities are completely free!

On Friday night, my sister took me on a Girls Night Out to Georgetown.  The first thing we did involved enjoying gelato at Dolcezza  ( I had blood orange and  meyer lemon;  my sister had salted caramel and apple cider), ate at a delicious pizza place (but I can't remember the name of it!) and then we did some window shopping.  Our first stop was Dean & Deluca. 

   I realize that some people might not find this type of store exciting, but let me tell you that I could've stayed in there all day long.  It was fascinating to see so many beautiful foods and packages.   You might be wondering at this point what any of this has to do with Homemade Spaghetti-O's and Meatballs.    Well, when we were wondering around Dean & Deluca, I just happened to spy a cute little bag of ring shaped pasta.  Anelloni to be exact.   I had to have those cute little rings.  I had been looking for them because this particular recipe was on my to-make list.  (I will let you know that I did not pay as much for them in the store as the price that is listed online).

I had found my must-have item and my sister was trying to decide what kind of treat to buy from the bakery section (She settled on a ginormous peppermint brownie that we shared the next day with both of our entire families-10 people- after a hike) .  We made our purchases and went on our way.

My little ring pasta made it back here to Georgia and this recipe was one of the first things I made for dinner once we were home.

I didn't grow up eating canned Spaghetti-O's, but when I got married, I discovered that my husband really liked them.  But only the ones with meatballs.  I haven't eaten them, but he usually has some on hand, in case of an emergency.   As soon as I saw this recipe on Tracey's blog, I knew I would have to try it, if for no other reason than just so my husband could compare the homemade taste to the can.  

This homemade version is pretty easy and actually quite tasty.  My kids really liked it and my husband seemed to enjoy it too.  I made extra mini meatballs and froze them, so next time we want this yummy dish, part of it will already be ready to go.




  Here is the recipe for Homemade Spaghetti-O's with Meatballs
* I used ground chicken breast for the meatballs

  

Creamy Cauliflower Mac

Macaroni and cheese doesn't ever happen at our house. Mostly because my son doesn't like cheese and it's kind of hard to hide the cheese in mac n' cheese. Plus, I don't think I ever ate it growing up, so it really isn't something that I think about very often.

I came across this recipe and remembered seeing things like this before, where cauliflower puree is used in the sauce and replaces almost all of the milk/cream/cheese, or whatever people usually use in their mac n' cheese. I had 2 heads of cauliflower in my fridge and decided I would try this one out. I used whole wheat shells for the pasta because I couldn't find whole wheat elbows. You cook the cauliflower in boiling water and then the pasta. The cauliflower is pureed with a little bit of cheese and some other ingredients that add flavor, like dijon mustard. I added more cheese than called for because I tasted the sauce and it was a little bland, so I added more cheese and tasted it again.

My family liked this recipe. My daughter whose favorite food is cheese, absolutely loved it. I thought it was really good and a nice way to use cauliflower.

Here is the recipe for Creamy Cauliflower Mac from Mark Bittman
* I used whole wheat pasta
* I added about 1/3 cup more cheese than called for because I pureed the sauce and tasted it and decided I wanted it to have a little bit more cheese flavor
* I would add less Dijon mustard next time

Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

I have to apologize for the fact that my blog has been taken over by zucchini and summer squash, but when you pick at least 5-6 a day out of your garden, you kind of have to eat them fast and in everything. I have been using a small zucchini in my breakfast everyday, sauteed/ on the side of my eggs, but I still have to incorporate them into our dinners.

When I saw this recipe over at Ezra Pound Cake, I knew it would be a great one for a summer night. Light and quick. Lots of veggies. bright flavors. This dish has it all. I wasn't sure if my kids would enjoy the yogurt/lemon sauce since it was tart and well, quite lemon-y, but they gobbled this one down. And, I used grapes tomatoes from the garden. Nothing tastes as good as a home grown tomato. Nothing at all.

Here is the recipe for Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce
* I didn't cook my tomatoes, I just tossed them in when everything was mixed together

Midwinter Minestrone

I can't believe that we are snowed in! I really thought when I moved from Utah back to Georgia we were leaving the snow behind, which was just fine with me.
But, the snow started to fall last night and when we woke up this morning, there was a nice blanket of snow on the ground. Luckily, they had already cancelled school, so we got to sleep in.

I have the perfect thing for a cold, snowy day like today-Rachael Ray's Midwinter Minestrone.

This recipe comes from Rachael Ray's new cookbook, Look + Cook. This cookbook contains more photos than her normal cookbooks and showcases some of the steps of the recipe, so you can look and see if you are proceeding with a certain recipe correctly. This particular recipe is also posted on many of Rachael Ray's websites. And it is one that she has made on at least one of her shows.

This was the first recipe I wanted to try from the book because I absolutely love minestrone and love to try different takes on it. It starts out with some cubed pancetta, which I found out a couple weeks ago really gives soup a great flavor. I used about 1/2 of the pancetta called for in the recipe to start off the soup. I used roasted red peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes, simply because I had the roasted red peppers in the fridge. I really loved that this soup contains kale, one of my favorite dark greens.

The best thing about minestrone is that it is full of vegetables, but it is also hearty enough to be a complete dinner. We didn't need to have biscuits or breadsticks or anything else with this soup because it contained all the makings of a great dinner in one delicious bowl.


Recipe for Midwinter Minestrone
* I omitted the olive oil since pancetta lends enough oil to start off the soup, in my opinion
* I used jarred roasted red peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes
* I omitted the mushrooms
* I used only 2 oz of chopped pancetta
* I used whole wheat shell pasta

Spaghetti Frittata

This is one of those great ideas- it really is an idea more than an actual recipe. I looked at a couple of recipes for inspiration, but this take on a Spaghetti Frittata really just worked out beautifully for me. This is a great way to revamp ingredients and turn them into something else, so that you and your family don't get into the rut of eating the same exact meals all the time.
It is basically leftover cooked spaghetti, veggies, and sauce that are combined with eggs and cooked/baked.
You can do it anyway you want to, and that is what makes it so wonderful.

I used this Ratatouille as the sauce- I defrosted (I always end up freezing things when they make a ton and plan to reuse it a month or so later) it in a large skillet, drained some of the liquid and pureed it in the food processor. Then I cooked some whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles. Sauteed an onion, garlic and spinach.
I combined all the sauce, noodles, sauteed stuff, a little feta cheese, and eggs (I used 6 eggs and 2 egg whites) in a large bowl (make sure to mix well) and transferred it to a glass baking dish to bake. I baked it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. You can also mix all the ingredients in an oven proof saute pan and cook it on the stove top first and then finishing it off in the oven.

This was so tasty. My family appreciated the spin on a familiar dish. And since the sauce was made completely of pureed veggies, it was pretty healthy too. I can definitely see many variations of this in our future!

Here are some of the recipes that I got my idea from:
Recipe for Spaghetti Frittata from Eating Well

Recipe for Leftover Spaghetti Frittata
from Honest Fare

Butternut-Squash Pasta Sauce

I usually prepare butternut squash the same exact way, every time. I peel it, cube it, toss it with olive oil, salt & pepper, and roast it in the oven until tender. Then I mix it with other stuff to make a salad, side or whatever. And I love it that way, but I wanted to try something different.
I somehow found this recipe and thought it looked really delicious, plus it gave me a new way to enjoy butternut squash. I have had butternut squash as a pasta filling, but never as the actual sauce.
We don't eat pasta very often, so for this occasion I bought 2 kinds of refrigerated tortellini- whole wheat 3 cheese and one with a chicken filling (since one of my kids hate cheese).
I was really excited about the sauce. It smelled delicious. It was nice and smooth. It had a delicious flavor.

I used some chicken stock in place of the water called for to smooth and thin out the sauce.
The toppings- fresh sage, walnuts and parmesan cheese- were absolutely perfect.

Now, there were a few family members who were not at all excited about this pasta sauce. They didn't care for it at all. But, being the mean mom and wife that I am- I made them eat it anyway. I loved it.



Recipe for Butternut-Squash Pasta Sauce from Martha Stewart
* I added chicken stock instead of some of the water to the sauce

Lentil Minestrone

I actually made this a couple of months ago, at the beginning of summer because I love minestrone and lentils anytime of year. I knew some people might have a bad reaction about a fall soup being posted in the summer, so I saved it until Sept. came along. My husband once told me- when I served him soup for dinner during summer a couple years ago- that no one wants to eat hot soup after being in the hot sun. (Well, it doesn't really bother me!)

This was just one of the recipes I tried from the newer version of Deborah Madison's wonderful cookbook- Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

We absolutely loved it. I actually doubled it and froze some, so we could have a quick dinner. I end up doing that a lot when I make soups.
I will definitely make it again!

Recipe for Lentil Minestrone
* I used canned vegetable stock
* I used bowtie pasta
* I used spinach for my greens

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

I love browsing through cookbooks. A few weeks ago we were at a book store and I was thumbing through one of Giada's cookbooks, I don't remember which one, but I saw this recipe for pasta with roasted veggies.

I love roasted veggies. It is the best way to eat any vegetable, in my opinion.
My parents and brother were still here when I made this pasta dish and it was really good.

I made a couple of changes to the recipe, but they were small ones. I subbed in asparagus for the mushrooms, mostly because asparagus was really cheap and my family loves it and because mushrooms aren't my favorite.
I also used whole wheat pasta because I always do and my family likes it.
I didn't use smoked mozzarella because it was too expensive for me to buy, but I am sure that adds something special to the flavor of this dish. I just used mozzarella.

The leftovers were fabulous. My brother and I were fighting over them to the very last bite.



Recipe for Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
* I used 1 lb of asparagus instead of the mushrooms
*I used regular mozzarella instead of smoked
*I used whole wheat penne

Sausage, Mozzarella, and Broccoli Rabe with Shells

Sometimes the cover recipe on a magazine just draws you in and you have to make it.
That is the story with this pasta dish.
It was on the cover of Everyday Food a couple of months ago.
Something about cheesy baked pasta is really appealing. Throwing in something green makes it even better.

I used turkey sausage in this recipe because I use ground turkey and turkey sausage in place of ground beef or pork always. It is a way to cut back on calories and fat, without getting rid of the flavor.

The broccoli rabe was a little much for my kids in this one. It can be bitter, although blanching/steaming it for a few minutes is supposed to help with that.
The recipe suggested subbing in regular broccoli, if preferred, but I think spinach would also be a good alternative. You could also sub another type of cheese, since fresh mozzarella can be expensive.

This turned out to be a recipe that looked better than it tasted for us. We still liked it, but I was expecting more from it, for some reason. I would like to play around with the recipe in the future and make a few changes, to see if I could get better results. It was good, but not as amazing as the photo made me think it would be.

Recipe for Sausage, Mozzarella, and Broccoli Rabe with Shells

Whole Wheat Linguine with Tuna, Spinach, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs

Here is a quick pasta dinner that we enjoyed a few weeks ago.
I saw it in an issue of Everyday Food Magazine and knew it would be quick and easy, which makes getting dinner on the table a little bit easier.

I changed a couple of things in this recipe. I used whole wheat linguine instead of normal spaghetti. I usually try to use whole wheat pasta whenever we have pasta dishes just to get some extra nutrition and whole grains into our meals. No one in my family can tell the difference between whole wheat and "normal" pasta. This isn't a picky food for us.
I used black olives instead of kalamata olives simply because I already had them in my pantry and my family likes the taste of black olives better than any other olive.
I also used albacore tuna.
I decided to wilt some spinach and add it to this dish because I wanted it to have some vegetables.

The fresh breadcrumbs and lemon flavor in this pasta really make it a winner. Everyone here really enjoyed it.
I saved the leftover breadcrumbs in a little baggie and then re-used them when I reheated the pasta that was leftover.

I also included the link to the recipe in its original form, in case making it that way sounds more appealing to you.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Tuna, Spinach, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3/4 pound whole wheat linguine
  
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons sliced black olives
• 2 cans (6 ounces each) albacore tuna in water, drained
• 5 or 6 oz bag spinach
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse bread and 1 teaspoon oil until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, tossing occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Steam spinach in microwave or on stovetop. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, olives, and 1 tablespoon oil; toss, adding enough pasta water to coat. Add tuna; toss gently. Stir in wilted spinach. Serve sprinkled with breadcrumbs.

Recipe for Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs

Cold Ginger, Soy, and Honey Sesame Noodles

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I have really enjoyed spending some time with my sister and my family. We have had tons of Thanksgiving foods and just enjoyed a long weekend together.
This recipe is one that I have made several times, the first time I made it to send with my younger brother and my son in their lunches last year. Those of us who were able to sample it at home, loved it.

It is really easy to make and is supposed to be served cold. The sauce only has 5 ingredients, so you can whip it up in no time. I always use whole wheat angel hair pasta when I make this and then it feels like it is just a little bit healthier for you.

The flavors of the sauce are really delicious- honey, sesame oil, peanut butter, fresh ginger and tamari (which is just a thicker, darker and a little bit richer soy sauce). Yum.

Recipe for Cold Ginger, Soy, and Honey Sesame Noodles

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I am taking my mom to the airport today. It has been a really fun week.

I am easily influenced by other peoples blogs, pictures, and suggestions when it comes to trying different recipes.

A couple weeks ago, Tracey sent out a tweet about this pasta from The Pioneer Woman, so I went to her blog to look at the recipe.
Her gorgeous photos and the fact that this pasta had to do with roasted red peppers, which I love, helped me decide to make this for dinner that night.

I had everything on hand, so it really didn't take long at all.
I used whole wheat pasta because that is what I always use.
I roasted my peppers in the oven, since I don't have a gas stovetop.
I also omitted most of the heavy cream at the end and just splashed in a couple Tbls of half and half instead.
Delicious!

Tracey's post and recipe for Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Pioneer Woman's post and recipe for Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

One Year Ago-Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes

Peanut Chicken Soba Salad

Whenever I need a quick salad or side dish, I go to myrecipes.com. I just type in a keyword and I always find a recipe that I want to make.
The recipes are rated, like many other sites, so I can go and read what people thought about a certain recipe before I make it.

I chose this salad because I needed to take something to a get together that could be served cold and still taste good.
I also chose it because I didn't have a lot of time to prepare and wanted something that I already had all the ingredients for that I could throw together. The fact that most people had given it 5 stars on the ratings helped give me the extra little push to go ahead and make it.

The method for cooking the chicken could also be used for the Chicken Nachos that I posted yesterday.
I left out the red onion and used sesame oil instead of peanut oil.
I also used whole wheat angel hair pasta because I didn't have any soba noodles on hand.

I ate this at the get together and really enjoyed it. The bowl was clean when the whole thing was over so I suppose that means everyone else liked it too!


Recipe for Peanut Chicken Soba Salad


One Year Ago-Slow Cooker Vegetable Casserole

Crispy Tofu with Green Vegetable Stir-fry

As soon as I saw the photo for this recipe in a recent issue of Family Fun Magazine, I ripped it out.
This looked like it could be the one. The recipe that would get certain members of my family excited about tofu. (I won't mention any names, but one of them is not a child- that pretty much gives it away, doesn't it?)
Ok, maybe excited isn't the right word to use there.
Acceptance is what I was going for.

Here you have small tofu cubes that are marinated, breaded, and deliciously crispy.
This recipe is a bit more time intensive than the one I posted last week, but it is also one that I would make again.
The stir-fry is great, the tofu is delicious and my family really loved it.

The tofu cubes are flavorful and crispy-the panko breading is perfect.
The recipe suggested serving this over rice, but we don't eat alot of rice and I had some whole wheat angel hair pasta, so I served the stir-fry over noodles instead.
The recipe also suggested using any combination of green vegetables that you like, such as: asparagus, fresh green beans, broccoli, sugar snap peas, snow peas, and/or zucchini.
I used all of the above, except for the sugar snap peas and snow peas.

My daughter (the one that loves tofu), even ate some of the leftover cubes as a snack the next day. Cold, out of the refrigerator.

I'm just saying....


Crispy Tofu with Green Veggie Stir-Fry adapted from Family Fun Magazine
Ingredients
For the tofu:
1 14 oz package extra firm tofu
2 Tbls soy sauce
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs found in the ethnic food aisle of supermarkets)
1/3 cup canola oil (I used 2 Tbls and cooking spray)

1- Drain the tofu, then press it with paper towels to remove excess water. Cut into cubes.
2. Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar in a 8-inch square baking dish. Add the tofu cubes and turn them to coat all sides. Set the cubes aside to marinate for 30 minutes, turning them once halfway through.
3. For dredging, make an assembly line of three small dishes: the first containing the cornstarch; the second, the egg; and the third, the panko. Toss each tofu cube lightly in each dish, in the order listed. Set the cubes aside on a plate until all are coated.
4. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Heat a 10 to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, then the tofu cubes to the pan. Fry them on one side until golden and crisp, then continue cooking until all sides are golden, using tongs to turn them, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the cubes to the paper towel-lined baking sheet and place it in the oven to keep the tofu warm.

For the stir-fry sauce:
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 Tbls oyster sauce
1 Tbls soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

For the stir-fry:
1 Tbls canola oil
1 small bunch scallions
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
4 cups cut up vegetables to stir-fry(I used broccoli, asparagus, zucchini and fresh green beans)
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds ( I totally forgot about these)

1. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the oil, then the scallions and ginger. Stir-fry until they're just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the vegetables and stir-fry until they're crisp tender, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the garlic and the sauce, stir-frying the mixture until it's bubbling, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve stir-fry with rice or noodles and top with 12 cubes of tofu, per serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

One Year Ago-Red Lentil Soup-2 ways and Bundles of Joy with homemade Pear Butter

White Bean and Arugula Pasta Salad

Do you ever get tired of the same old pasta salad type dish? I know I do.

I made this in the heat of the summer. I didn't want to turn on the oven, I wanted something that would be ready in a matter of minutes, and I wanted it to taste good.

I saw this recipe in the August issue of Southern Living Magazine. I was at the library with my kids and was thumbing through it- the picture just looked really good, and besides, sometimes you just want a dinner or dish that is easy-peasy.

This is a variation of the recipe, that was provided- which added a couple of cans of tuna, in my mind turning it into an acceptable main dish.
I had most of the items on hand, which was another plus.

The original recipe called for sun-dried tomatoes, but I didn't have any, and my husband thinks tomatoes are poisonous, so I decided I preferred that he live, so I just chopped a red bell pepper and called it good.

I usually only use whole wheat pasta, but when we were unpacking our food boxes that we brought from Utah, I found a box of the cute mini bowties, so I used those.

I love the arugula in this, which adds a nice little peppery bite, but you could also use spinach. The feta could also easily be swapped out and you could use chickpeas instead of white beans.

I couldn't remember the exact name of the recipe when I did my picture, but when I found the recipe later at myrecipes.com, I realized that I messed up the name a little bit. Oh well, you can call it whatever you want. All I know is that it was easy, tasty, and left us feeling quite satisfied.

Recipe for Pasta with White Beans and Arugula

One Year Ago- Tilapia Fish Sticks, Millet Pilaf, and Kale Chips

Asparagus and Shrimp Stir-Fry on Noodle Pillows

Maybe my kids are a little strange, but they absolutely love shrimp. Any way you prepare it. Hot, cold, battered and fried, naked, spiced, sauced-whatever you want, they love it. (Sorry, I realize I was getting a little Bubba-esque there about the shrimp).

They also are really fond of asparagus. If my 4-yr old sees it when we go to the grocery store, she begs for it. She complains about celery, but not asparagus.
I thought that was kinda strange because I just as an adult learned to love asparagus a few years ago, but I am not complaining.

I saw this cute stir-fry recipe and knew my whole family would love it. No bribing would be involved and that basically sold me on trying it.

You boil your pasta noodles and toss them with a little sesame oil and then form them into little nests and bake them in the oven until the outer edges and brown and crispy. Yum! The original recipe called for Asian wheat noodles, but I just used whole wheat vermicelli instead since I had some in my pantry.

The stir-fry is really basic- ginger, soy sauce, and garlic. I used canola oil to stir-fry my asparagus and shrimp.

My husband loves shrimp too, so this dinner was quickly gobbled down, with everyone asking for more shrimp. I love it when that happens.

p.s. You can still enter my giveaway, if you haven't already- just leave a comment HERE

Recipe for Asparagus and Shrimp Stir-Fry on Noodle Pillows



One Year Ago-Grown Up Mac and Cheese with Turkey Bacon and Broccoli

Salmon & Noodle Bowl

This is the last day of my 1-sentence posts, so come back tomorrow for something a little more verbose (maybe); I like to cook fish because my family adores it and this recipe was so fast I couldn't believe it- you just cook up some noodles, and add a few things, top it off with some salmon and everyone wins!

Salmon & Noodle Bowl from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine: Market Fresh Suppers

1 9-oz pkg. refrigerated fettucine
2 Tbls olive oil
1 lb skinless, boneless 1-inch-thick salmon, cut into 8 pieces
salt and pepper
6 cups packaged fresh baby spinach
3/4 cup bottled roasted red bell peppers
1/2 cup reduced- calorie balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing (I used Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, brush 1 Tbls olive oil on salmon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat an extra-large skillet over medium heat; add salmon. Cook 8 to 12 minutes or until salmon flakes, turning once.
Remove salmon; cover and keep warm.
Add spinach, peppers, and remaining oil to skillet. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted. Drain pasta; add to skillet.
3. Add dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Divide spinach-pasta mixture among four bowls. Top with salmon.

One Year Ago-Root Beer Freeze and Perfect Party Cake

Chicken Giardino

The Olive Garden used to be one of my favorite places to eat.
I always ordered the same exact dish( which I never do at any restaurant because I like trying new things)- Chicken Giardino. I liked this pasta dish because it was overflowing with vegetables, had a light, lemony sauce, and it was considered a "light" dish on their menu.
Then we went to visit my sister and brother-in-law in Boston. They took us to eat at Maggiano's.
I am sorry to say that there was no comparison. The Olive Garden just didn't do anything for me anymore.
And to make matters worse, they took my favorite dish off the menu!!!
I have tried a couple of other things there and they have all been sub-par.
But that isn't the point.
The point is that I saw the official recipe for Chicken Giardino on The Hungry Housewife.
I had never thought to check The Olive Garden's website for the recipe, but she did. And she made Chicken Giardino and loved it.
I was curious to see if I could recreate this yummy dish at home, so I did.
And it was delicious.
If they brought my beloved Chicken Giardino back to the menu, The Olive Garden might just see me again. But maybe not, because now I know that I can make it myself.

CHICKEN GIARDINO

(Olive Garden)
Ingredients
Sauce: ****I made double batch of this sauce****
1 Tbsp butter
¼ tsp dry thyme
½ tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic pepper
1 Tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup chicken broth
¼ cup water
¼ cup white wine
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Chicken:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced width-wise into ½” strips
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small rosemary sprigs
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Juice of ½ lemon
Vegetables:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ bunch fresh asparagus (remove bottom inch of stem; cut remainder into 1” pieces)
1 zucchini, julienne cut
1 yellow summer squash, julienne cut
2 roma tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
½ red bell pepper, julienne cut
1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
½ cup frozen peas
1 cup spinach, cut into ½” pieces
½ cup carrots, julienne cut
1 lb farfalle pasta (bow ties), cooked according to package directions

Sauce Preparation:
MELT butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in thyme, garlic pepper and rosemary. Whisk to thoroughly blend and cook for 1 minute.
COMBINE chicken broth, water, wine, milk, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Add cornstarch and whisk until cornstarch has dissolved and there are no lumps.
ADD liquid mixture to sauce pan. Whisk all ingredients together and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat.
Chicken & Vegetables Preparation:
COMBINE all chicken ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend well.
MARINATE for 30 minutes.
HEAT a saute pan over medium high heat. Add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil.
SAUTE chicken strips until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
ADD all vegetables and sauté until cooked through.
ADD cooked, drained pasta and sauce to sauté pan. Stir until pasta is thoroughly coated with sauce.
TRANSFER to a serving platter and garnish with chopped parsley

Coming for the weekend- S'mores!

Greek Tuna Salad Pasta

It is really hot today. Don't you think so? We have been swimming everyday in grandma's pool and today we decided that we would go to the library. It was about 10:30 in the morning and I was thinking about what else we could do to keep ourselves busy.
I thought too soon.
We stayed at the library for 4 1/2 hours.
We missed lunch. My youngest took a nap on my lap. And I was the one who finally spoke up and said that I was hungry so we had to go.
That really has nothing to do with this post, but I just found it humorous that my children were so entertained by the library.
Now on to the food.
I made this pasta salad about 6 weeks ago. I don't remember all the things I changed about it, but as soon as I made it, I wrote down the changes to the recipe and so, the recipe below is my version of the recipe.
I added a couple extra vegetables and used whole wheat pasta.
This would be a really great option for a really hot day (like today), because you only have to boil the pasta and if you have some leftover, cooked pasta in the fridge, then you can just whisk up the dressing, have a quick lunch or dinner, and keep your house nice and cool, by avoiding the use of the oven.
I hope everyone has a great Father's Day weekend! We are grilling out and I get to make a cake! (I haven't baked a thing in 4 weeks, so I am a little excited about the cake!)

Greek Tuna Salad Pasta adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine
1 pound whole wheat penne rigate pasta

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2-3 Tbls fresh lemon juice

1- 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cucumber, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 cup matchstick carrots

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Two 6-ounce cans solid white tuna in water, drained and broken into chunks
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain and spread onto a baking sheet to cool.

2. Meanwhile, pour the vinegar into a large bowl and whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in the tomatoes, cucumber, yellow pepper, and carrots. Add the pasta and parsley and toss; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tuna. Top with the feta.

Up Next- Carrot-Zucchini Muffins

Kung Pao Veggies

Usually, I plan weekly menus and don't really have to think about what I am going to fix for dinner. But, once in awhile it gets close to dinner time and I think to myself- What am I going to make?
That is what happened last week. I had cooked spaghetti noodles in the fridge and tons of vegetables. I remember seeing this recipe for Kung Pao Chicken over at Barbara Bakes and I figured I could make it quickly. I printed off the recipe, chopped my veggies and warmed up the noodles. Dinner was ready in a flash!
I used zucchini, carrots, sugar snap peas, and a yellow onion. I left out the chicken because I didn't have any ready. I just stir-fried the veggies in the sesame oil and then added the sauce after a couple of minutes. I served it over the noodles and topped it off with some cashews.
This was a quick and easy recipe and it was really simple to adapt it with what I had on hand in my fridge. I included the recipe that Barbara used, but just keep in mind that it is really easy to adapt.
My family loved it!

Kung Pao Chicken seen over at Barbara Bakes, who adapted from For the Love of Cooking

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into bite sized chunks

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

6 green onions, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup roasted peanuts

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 1/2 cup pea pods, steamed until tender

Combine chicken and cornstarch in a Ziploc bag and toss until evenly coated. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a bowl and set aside for later.

Heat a large skillet or wok with sesame oil over medium high heat. Once the pan is smoking hot add the chicken and stir fry for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper and green onions (leaving a few for garnishing) to the pan and stir fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar mixture to the pan along with the cooked chicken, peanuts, carrots, and pea pods.

Cook for a few minutes until sauce thickens up a bit and carrots are tender. Serve over rice or noodles and top with remaining green onions.

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