Orzo w/Roasted Vegetables

Anyone who has read this blog for any period of time knows my family and I like our vegetables roasted (click here, here, or here for examples). So when I came across a recipe online for a mixture of orzo and roasted vegetables, I was pretty excited. I quickly browsed the recipe, then moved on to other things, forgetting to bookmark the site to be able to go back later for a better look.

Spaghetti w/Olive Oil and Garlic

Simple pasta dishes are a favorite in our household.  They are excellent for a light lunch, or as a side dish with dinner.  One of our staple dinners is grilled or roasted chicken with a side of Spaghetti w/Olive Oil and Garlic, along with a steamed vegetable or two.  This is one of those dinners that I can have on the table in less than 30 minutes, and is very nutritious as well.

This dish even makes doing the dishes easy, as the "sauce" is made in the same pan the pasta is cooked in.  If desired, you can also top this with a little Parmesan cheese for added flavor.


Spaghetti w/Olive Oil and Garlic

1 lb dry spaghetti
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain using colander.  Return empty pan to burner and add olive oil.  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Return pasta to pan and add parsley.  Toss to coat.  Serve immediately. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Pesto-Chicken Pasta Casserole(s)

Yep, that's right.  Casseroles.  The dish I made for dinner tonight makes two Italian-inspired casseroles.  The best part, making two casseroles took no longer to do than one.  Now one pan is soaking in the sink (To my daughter:  dishwasher is still not empty) and the other pan is in the freezer where it will stay until I have a night where I need a hassle-free dinner.  Then I can pull it out of the freezer the night before, let it thaw in the fridge all day, and then bake it for an hour.  Presto!  A homemade dinner two months in the making.  (Reheating directions are at bottom of post.)

Of course, if you have a large family (or a teenage boy), you could also bake both casseroles and feed up to 12 people.


Pesto-Chicken Pasta Casseroles

16 ounces rotini, penne, or rigatoni
6 cups cooked cubed chicken
16 ounces shredded Mozzarella or Italian cheese blend
5 cups fresh spinach
1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce
1 jar (8-10 ounces) pesto
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil

To freeze

Begin by cooking pasta according to package directions.  Drain well.  In large bowl, mix together pasta, chicken, cheese, spinach, crushed tomatoes, Alfredo sauce, pesto, and milk.  Divide mixture into two baking dishes (I used a 8x8 disposable foil pan for the one I am freezing and a 7x11 for the one I cooked today).

To eat

Note:  an option here is to substitute broccoli for the spinach.



To freeze:  Place casserole in freezer overnight.  Place in large freezer bag or vacuum seal once solid.  Use within 3 months.

Time to dig in!!!

In small bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.  Divide evenly between two casseroles.  Bake casserole at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and top is browned.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.







I like to serve this with some garlic bread and a salad (I was lazy tonight, no salad).  Enjoy!!!

To serve frozen casserole:  Thaw casserole in refrigerator overnight.  Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to baking.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly and browned on top.

Lasagna Roll-ups

Today I decided to stick with the Mediterranean theme of the weekend and go with something Italian.  My family loves lasagna, and this recipe literally puts a twist on the classic recipe.  This is a recipe I use a lot because it is so versatile.  This version uses marinara sauce and ground beef, but you could easily substitute Alfredo sauce and sauteed vegetables. 
12 lasagna noodles
1 1/4 lbs ground beef or turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

15 ounces ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 jar (26 ounces) marinara sauce (your favorite flavor)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In large pot, cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain well, and spread out on parchment or wax paper to cool.  Meanwhile, brown meat in skillet.  Drain grease and add garlic to pan and cook about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in basil and oregano.

Mix together ricotta, egg, parsley, Parmesan, and all but 1/4 cup mozzarella. 

Divide mixture evenly and spread over lasagna noodles.  Spread meat mixture evenly over cheese.  Carefully roll up each noodle. 

Place 1/2 cup of marinara sauce in bottom of baking dish.  Place rolled up noodles in pan (you may need to use more than one pan) and spoon remaining marinara sauce over the top of the noodles.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.  Bake, covered, for 20 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 10 minutes more, or until cheeses are bubbly.

I like to serve this with broccoli sauteed in olive oil with a little garlic and Parmesan cheese, but a garden salad would be nice as well.  Garlic bread completes the meal.