Chili Pasta Bake

Came across this recipe from Mrs. Schwartz's Kitchen and had to give it a try.  Definitely a keeper and one I'll be making again before too long.  And it makes a lot which Ben appreciates as it means he has leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Chili Pasta Bake

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced
1/2 lb. cooked pasta (I did about 12 oz.)
15 oz. tomato sauce (I did 2 - 8 oz. cans.)
14 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies (I did one 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes and one 4 oz. can diced green chilies.)
1 can black beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
3 dashes of Cayenne powder (I only did 1 but there was practically no kick... so probably safe to do more next time.)
1/4 c. water
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I did a mix of cheddar and monterey jack.)

sour cream, green onions and Fritos corn chips for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the ground beef with the onions.

While the ground beef is cooking, cook your pasta to firm al dente. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

After the ground beef is cooked, add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and green chiles, beans chili powder, cumin, cayenne and water. Give it a stir and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, stir in the cooked pasta. Stir to combine.

Pour the chili pasta mixture into a 9×13 pan. Flatten out with a spatula and sprinkle with cheese. Place in the oven for 30 minutes or until the edges are bubbling and the cheese has fully melted.

Epicurean Chicken Salad with Creamy Honey Lime Dressing

This is a fun variation on pasta salads, perfect for summer!  The recipe comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I will also say that this salad tasted way better fresh than out of the fridge the second day.

Epicurean Chicken Salad with Creamy Honey Lime Dressing

Salad:

• 10 ounces rotini pasta
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces or shredded
• 1 large sweet-tart apple, cored, diced (I prefer Honey Crisp for this salad)
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, diced small (about 1 cup)
• 1 15 ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained very well
• 1/2 cup red grapes, halved
• 2/3 cup sliced almonds

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup light or regular mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup light or regular sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds

1. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the pasta until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.  Drain well.
2. In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together.
3. In another small or medium bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients together.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir gently to mix so that all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to an hour (the salad may dry out a bit if refrigerated for much longer - you can make extra dressing or reserve part of the dressing to stir in right before serving).

Pasta Al Forno

I've made this quick and easy pasta dish several times before but somehow it escaped my recipe blog!  This is just pasta and cheese, what's not to love?

Pasta Al Forno

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 (14-ounces each) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta or other tube-shaped pasta
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
• 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot of lightly salted water, cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, in a 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes (undrained), oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly thickened. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
2. After draining the pasta, return the noodles to the pot and pour in the sauce. Toss to combine. Lightly coat a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Place half of the pasta in the dish. Sprinkle half of the Parmesan and half of the mozzarella cubes over the top. Top with remaining pasta. Sprinkle remaining cheeses over the top. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Creamy Tuscan Pasta Sauce

Monday is Italian night at our house so I was excited to find this new recipe to try.  Everything  came together really quickly - my kind of meal.  Another great one from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. 

Creamy Tuscan Pasta Sauce

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 8 pieces
• 8-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, drained and chopped
• 2 cups milk
• 6 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste, if needed
• Diced fresh tomatoes, fresh basil for topping (optional)

1. In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Stir in the dried basil. Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it should come together to form a smooth, creamy paste. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.
2. Over medium heat, add the milk gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency, 5-10 minutes. Serve over hot, cooked noodles.

Spaghetti Pie

This recipe comes from one of my favorite sources: Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  She says this is her family's favorite meal.  I haven't had spaghetti pie since I was a kid but I decided to give this recipe a try the other night and I thought it was delicious.  I used regular spaghetti noodles because that's what I had on hand but I think the thin ones would be better. 

Spaghetti Pie

12 ounces thin spaghetti or vermicelli noodles
1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (I used diced.)
16-ounces tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, divided

Lightly coat a deep 9 or 10-inch pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.  (If you don't have a really deep pie plate, use a square or rectangular pan - I used a 9X13.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the noodles until al dente according to package directions. While the noodles boil, heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef or turkey, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and continuing to break up the meat, until the meat is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain the excess grease, if any. Return the skillet to medium heat and stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil and oregano. Simmer the sauce over medium or medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

When the noodles are done cooking, drain and return to the pot. Immediately stir in the cream cheese and toss the noodles by lightly lifting them up and over with tongs until the cream cheese is mostly melted. Stir in the cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated. Stir in 2 cups of the red sauce. Keep the remainder of the red sauce warm on the stove.

Scrape the noodles into the prepared pie plate and using a flat spatula, press the noodles evenly into the dish so they are tightly pressed together and evenly flat across the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese across the top.

Bake the spaghetti pie for 20-22 minutes, until it is hot and bubbly and the cheese is golden on top. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes. Cut into slices and serve with remaining red sauce.

Italian Pasta Salad

It's just about salad season and this is a super easy one!  I often have a lot of spinach on hand so I'm always looking for new ways to use it... rather than in smoothies and regular green salads (the two most common ways I use it.) 

Italian Pasta Salad

8 oz. bowtie pasta
Several handfuls of spinach
1 small head of broccoli, cut into small pieces
1-2 tomatoes, diced
3 string cheeses, cut into pieces OR part of a block of Mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes

Dressing:
I used a packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix and made it according to package directions but you could use any Italian dressing.

Cook noodles and add broccoli pieces to pot for last 1-2 minutes of cooking time.  Drain and rinse in cold water.  Put in bowl along with spinach, tomatoes and cheese.  Coat liberally with dressing and toss.  Serve!

Lasagna Soup

Last night for Valentine's Day dinner we had lasagna soup.  It was delicious!  I'm craving this soup again today but Ben took all the leftovers to work!  I found the recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe months ago and am now wishing I hadn't waited so long to make it!  I made a few changes to suit my taste and the ingredients I had on hand better. 

Lasagna Soup

Soup:
1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (I used ground beef.)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (I only used 1/4 tsp so it wouldn't be too hot for my kids.)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (I used regular diced tomatoes.)
2 bay leaves
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I just used 3 cans which is a little less than 6 cups but it was plenty soupy.)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 2 tablespoons dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
16 oz. Rotini pasta

Cheese topping:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, for sprinkling

In a large 4-quart pot, add the Italian sausage and cook over medium heat, breaking the pieces up with a wooden spoon or spatula while it cooks. After about 3-4 minutes, add the onion. Cook the sausage and onion together, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is cooked through and the onions are soft. Drain any excess grease. Stir in the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, bay leaves and chicken broth. Add the basil, if using dried (if using fresh basil, add it in the next step).

Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and the fresh basil, if using.  While the soup is simmering, cook the noodles.

For the cheese mixture, in a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and basil. Set aside.

To serve the soup, add a scoop of cooked pasta noodles to a bowl. Top with a ladle or two of soup and dollop with a generous spoonful of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Serve immediately.

Poor Man's Stroganoff

I haven't been doing a lot of cooking lately with all the morning sickness I've been feeling, but I managed to put this dish together a couple of weeks ago.  It was really quite easy and took very little time to prepare.  The best part was it totally hit the spot - at least for me.  I got this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I omitted the bacon because I didn't have any on hand and also omitted the mushrooms because I am not a fan.

1-2 teaspoons olive oil
6 ounces turkey bacon, diced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
½ teaspoon paprika
1 cup sour cream, light or regular
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried

Cooked egg noodles or rice, for serving

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil and saute diced bacon over medium heat until crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside, leaving any grease/oil in the pan. Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about one minute (if the pan is too dry, add a teaspoon of oil as needed). Add salt. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are softened and have given up most of their juices. Transfer them to the same plate as the bacon.

In the same skillet, brown the ground beef or turkey with the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the grease.

Stir in the flour and tomato paste to the meat mixture and mix to combine well. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add the beef broth and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking to combine all the ingredients. Simmer vigorously for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is slightly reduced and thickened. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and paprika. Cook until flavors blend, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add sautéed mushrooms and bacon back to the skillet. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sour cream, mixing well to avoid lumps. Stir in the parsley. Serve over egg noodles or hot, cooked rice.

Skillet Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

I love my Abuela's recipe for macaroni and cheese and haven't really had a desire to try another one, but I came across this one and thought I'd give it a shot.  You can make the entire thing in one skillet and it's quite creamy.  Just be careful not to over do it on the cheese!  (I used too much because I didn't measure.)  You can also add ham and peas or any other variety of foods to dress this up.

Skillet Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

3 1/2 cups water, plus extra if needed
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
12 ounces (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (I omitted - didn't have any.)
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
Ground black pepper to taste 

Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes.

Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (May not need any additional water.) Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Chicken Alfredo Casserole

This recipe is similar to another one I have for Chicken Alfredo Bake but I love the addition of tomatoes and grilled onions in this one. I saw this posted on my cousin Lisa's blog and it hit the spot for dinner the other night. It was pretty easy to whip up last minute too. I used my recipe for Guiltless Alfredo for the sauce and then leftover sauteed chicken from dinner the other night. This casserole calls for fettucine - which I used and it was great - but most pastas would probably work just as well.

Chicken Alfredo Casserole

16 oz. fettuccine noodles

16 oz. alfredo sauce - or guiltless alfredo recipe (see link above)

6-8 chicken tenderloins - or about 1-2 breasts

1/2 cup cubed ham - I used regular thin slice deli ham.

2 roma tomatoes

1/2 an onion

1/4 cup butter - I used about 1-2 Tbsp.

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook fettuccine noodles as directed, drain, and pour into 9x13 Pyrex dish. Stir butter into noodles until completely melted and mixed in. Fry chicken tenderloins and slice into strips. Place chicken and cubed ham on top of noodles. Pour alfredo sauce over everything evenly, but do not mix in. Cut tomatoes into circles, and place on top of casserole. Add salt and pepper. Cut onion into rings, and fry. Place fried onions on top of casserole. Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Chicken Lasagna

This is a great recipe when you're feeling like pasta with a white sauce. It's very flavorful and pretty easy to make.

Chicken Lasagna

6 Tbsp butter, divided
1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes
3/4 tsp dried thyme (Next time I'm going to try basil or oregano - or a combination of the two.)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 c whipping cream
8 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked and drained (I usually use more.)
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese (I always use Mozarella.)
Minced fresh parsley, optional

In large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 T butter. Add chicken, garlic and thyme. Cook until chicken is done, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add remaining butter to skillet. Stir in flour and salt until smooth. Cook and stir until golden brown. Gradually add broth and cream. Bring to boil. Cook and stir every 2 minutes until thickened.

In a greased 9X13 baking dish, layer half of the noodles, chicken, white sauce and cheese. Repeat layers. (I like to do 3 layers.) Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes longer or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

Italian Tomato Sauce with Pasta

This is basically homemade spaghetti sauce. I found the recipe in my Betty Crocker's Cooking Basics cookbook. It was a wedding gift and served me well in the beginning of our marriage when I was trying to figure things out. We've been using a lot of tomatoes lately in an effort to keep our garden harvest from going to waste.

Italian Tomato Sauce with Pasta

1 medium onion
1 large clove garlic
1 small green bell pepper (I had red so that's what I used.)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can whole tomatoes, undrained (I used fresh tomatoes from our garden, diced.)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 Tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp fresh or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fennel seed (I omitted.)
1/8 tsp pepper
8 oz. uncooked spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine

1) Peel and chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Chop up the pepper, enough to measure 1/4 cup.

2) Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat 1-2 minutes. Cook onion, garlic and pepper in oil for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Stir in the tomatoes with their liquid, and break them up with a fork. Stir in the tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, fennel seed and pepper. Heat to boiling over high heat. Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat just enough so mixture bubbles gently and does not spatter.

4) Cover and cook 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes to make sure mixture is just bubbling gently and to prevent sticking. Lower the heat if sauce is bubbling too fast.

5) After the tomato sauce has been cooking about 20 minutes, cook the pasta according to package directions.

6) Drain pasta and serve with sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Alfredo Bake

I love this dish because I use my friend Sarah's "Guiltless Alfredo" recipe and it's much lighter than regular alfredo sauce. You don't feel sick after eating it!

Chicken Alfredo Bake

16 oz. pasta, cooked al dente (penne or rigatoni work well)
1 chicken breast, fried in olive oil and seasoned with your favorite seasoning, then cut into cubes
Guiltless Alfredo Sauce (see recipe below)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Mix pasta with alfredo sauce and chicken and pour into greased 9X13 baking pan. Sprinkle with one cup mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes covered at 350. When finished baking, sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

2 cups low-fat milk (not skim)
1/3 cup (3 oz.) 1/3-less fat cream cheese
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Toss the milk, cream cheese, flour and salt in a blender. Process until smooth and set aside.

In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on medium heat and then add garlic. Saute garlic for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now.

When it's nice and thick, like a normal alfredo sauce, remove pan from heat. Add cheese and stir. Then cover and let stand 10 minutes. It will continue to thicken upon standing.

Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta

Oh my goodness! Can I tell you how much I loved this dish?? And Ben loved it too! I got this from http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com. Is it so obvious how much I love that blog?? This is the perfect summer pasta. It is light and tastes so fresh. I didn't have any tomatoes ready to be picked from my garden so I settled for tomatos from my Bountiful Basket (the co-op that I participate in most recently) - which were great. I used linguine, which I thought was the perfect noodle choice for this dish, but really spaghetti or fettucine would taste great too.

Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta

2 large ripe, firm tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)

1 Tb fresh chopped basil or 1 tsp dried basil

1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

½ tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper

Shredded Parmesan cheese

6-8 oz angel hair pasta

Mix together the diced tomatoes, chopped basil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Let "marinate" on counter for 30 minutes. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain and toss with the tomato mixture. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

I love pasta! I found this recipe at http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com. The first time I made this recipe was the first time I ever bought jumbo size pasta shells. They are so much easier to stuff than manicotti! I think I will stick with them. This recipe is great - I really liked it. I made it the first time using both blocks of cream cheese (as called for) and thought it was too heavy on the cream cheese taste. The second time I made it I only used one block and it was just right for me. This makes two 9X13 pans so you could freeze one of them for later.

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

44 uncooked jumbo pasta shells (That’s about one and one-half 12-oz boxes.) *I stuffed mine pretty full so I only used one box.

2 c chopped cooked chicken

2 c fresh chopped spinach

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 c.)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 Tb dried parsley flakes

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce (any variety)

Cook shells according to package directions (be sure to stir every once in awhile so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan and tear apart); drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 2 13x9x2inch baking dishes.

In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Abuela's Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

Every time we went to visit my Abuela growing up, she'd have a fresh batch of her famous macaroni and cheese waiting for us in the oven. I got this recipe from her when I was in college but she had a hard time putting it down on paper - she never measured anything! I've played around with this recipe several times and substituted other cheeses for the cheddar or added meats to it. I also don't bake mine but it seems like my Abuela always did....or maybe she was just keeping it warm in the oven?? Anyway, this is so much better than boxed mac & cheese!

Abuela's Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

16 oz. elbow marcaroni - cooked according to package directions

1/2 cup butter (I usually use less.)

6 Tbsp flour (approximate)

2 cups milk

1/4 cup more milk

8 oz. grated cheddar cheese (I always use at least two heaping cups full - and I've tried colby jack and sharp cheddar - both good!)

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Parmesan cheese

Make white sauce by melting butter in small saucepan over low heat. When melted, add flour. When begins to bubble, add 2 cups milk. Stir on stove top until it has thickened. Remove from heat and add cheese. Stir until melted. Add the extra 1/4 cup milk.

Salt, pepper and garlic salt the cooked macaroni. Pour cheese sauce on top of it.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Crock Pot Lasagna

I forgot to take a picture when I made this the other night. I got this recipe from my old neighbor Lesa and I have made it several times. It is perfect for those nights when you want an easy meal like lasagna but you won't be home to throw it in the oven and wait while it cooks. Lesa adds several vegetables to hers like zucchini, squash, carrots, olives and mushrooms but I haven't ever tried that...my husband and kids probably wouldn't eat it if I did. :)

Crock Pot Lasagna

lasagna noodles (I use the oven-ready ones.)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
cottage cheese (I use two 16 oz. containers but you could use one of the larger size containers.)
1/2 lb hamburger
1/2 an onion
mozarella cheese (I use quite a bit because I love cheese!)

Brown the meat and onion, add other veggies (if desired). In a lightly greased slow cooker put a small amount of sauce on the bottom and then layer as follows: noodles, meat mixture, cottage cheese, sauce, mozarella cheese.

Make the layers as thick as you like. (I usually do three layers.)

Cook on low for 4-5 hours. It may be quite saucy the first day so you can eat it out of a bowl if desired. The next day it will be thicker.