Pasta with Feta Cheese, Spinach and Sundried Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cups sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 bag baby spinach, about 7 oz.
1 pound pasta
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper



Directions:

In large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add chopped onions. Saute onions, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add red pepper flakes and tomatoes, give a quick stir. Then add spinach, cooking until spinach is wilted. Set aside.



Cook pasta as instructed, drain and place hot pasta in large bowl. Add feta and parmesan cheeses and mix well, allowing cheeses to melt.



Fold in spinach mixture, pepper and salt, to taste. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with parmesan cheese.



Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This pasta was great. I love the feta and the sweet, chewy tomatoes. I will make it again.

Randy - Thumbs Down - Randy doesn't like pasta.

Nathan - Thumbs Down - Nathan wasn't interested in pasta tonight.

Leftovers: The leftovers were good. I ate it for lunch for several days. I just heated it up in the microwave.

Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

It's cold and windy out today. My family has been sick the past two weeks, so homemade soup sounded like the perfect meal.

From Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices bacon, chopped (I omitted this.)
1 large yellow onion, chopped (I omitted this.)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 10-ounce boxes frozen chopped broccoli, defrosted
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese



Directions:

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the crispy bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel. Add the onions, garlic and thyme to the pot and season with salt, pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Add the broccoli and continue to cook until the broccoli is heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the onions and broccoli to a blender or food processor with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and puree until smooth. Add the pureed broccoli back to the soup pot and stir in the remaining 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock and the cream, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.



Stir in shredded cheese. Transfer soup to a serving bowl and top with some more shredded cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This soup was very easy to make. I loved that it was homemade and not from a can. It felt great on my sore throat. It was good, but I need to work on the recipe a little. Next time, I won't puree all the broccoli.

Randy - Thumbs Down - Randy doesn't like soup, BIG SURPRISE! He wouldn't even give it a try. (I have seen him eat soup before.)

Nathan - Thumbs Sideways - Nathan had a couple of spoonfuls. Soup is hard for a two year old to eat. I think if it was more chunky, I could strain out the broccoli and he'd be able to eat it better.

Leftovers: I stored the leftovers in the refrigerator and I've been eating it for lunch. It's good, but I wish it was a bit thicker.

Spicy Chicken Mac Skillet

Prep: 10 minutes Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pkg Kraft macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained (I didn't have this so I used chunky salsa.)
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup Mexican style shredded cheese



Directions;

Prepare mac & cheese as directed on package.



Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat.



Add chicken; cook until lightly browned and cooked through.



Reduce heat to medium; stir in tomatoes.



Stir in salsa.



Stir in soup. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Add mac & cheese; stir until well blended.



Sprinkle with cheese; cover.



Cook 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.



Makes 6 servings, 1 1/3 cups each.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This was yummy! I will make this again.

Randy - Thumbs Down - I don't like cooked tomatoes. It looked great just as the cooked chicken and the mac & cheese, but not with all the stuff mixed together.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan loved this. He ate a whole serving.

Leftovers: The leftovers were super cheesy. I ate some for breakfast the next day.

Pronto Saucy Pasta Skillet

This recipe is quick and simple.



Prep:5 minutes Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 lb (8 oz) your favorite uncooked bite-sized pasta
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 jar (4 1/2 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained (I used fresh mushrooms.)
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese



Directions:

Cook pasta as directed on package.

Add tomatoes to skillet.



Add mushrooms.



Add broccoli florets.



Add beans.



Stir in the ranch dressing. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.



Top with cheese; cover.



Let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Stir in pasta.



Makes 4 servings.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - I like this pasta dish. It's fast and simple. The next time I make it, I'll add more veggies and use less pasta.

Randy - Thumbs Down - I don't like pasta or the tomatoes.

Nathan - Thumbs Down - Nathan is not a big pasta fan. He ate all the beans and broccoli off his plate.

Leftovers: This reheated greatly. I had some leftovers for breakfast one morning. It was great!

Easy Chicken Parmesan

Prep: 5 minutes Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1 jar (14 oz) spaghetti sauce
6 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese, divided
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast (1 1/2 lb)
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese



Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour sauce into 13x9-inch baking dish.



Carefully stir in 4 Tbsp of the parmesan cheese.



Add chicken; turn over to evenly coat both sides with sauce.



Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes.



Uncover. Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese.



Continue baking 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted.



Serve over hot cooked pasta, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Verdict:

Laura -Thumb Sideways - This was just ok. It didn't blow me away. I liked the pasta more than the chicken. I won't make this again.

Randy - No response - Randy wouldn't even take a bite of this. It didn't look appealing.

Nathan - Thumbs Down - Nathan only ate a couple of bites of the chicken and pasta. He wasn't interested in it.

Leftovers: I scraped the cheese and sauce off the chicken. I cubed it up and ate it in a salad. This meal was a bust for the whole family.