Tortellini Primavera

We loved this dinner, and I can not wait to make it again! It was simple, with ingredients we always have on hand, and it was so flavorful and delicious. The leftovers were great for lunch the next day also, which doesn't always happen with pasta. Head on over to Annie's Eats for hundreds of other great recipes just like this. Seriously, I love her blog, she is always posting something that I just have to make!



Tortellini Primavera

Ingredients:
1 cup mushrooms, chopped (omitted for Michael's sake)
½ cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. margarine
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tomato, chopped
¼ cup milk
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 t. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
family size cheese-filled tortellini, cooked and drained
1 large chicken breast cooked and cut into bite size pieces (not in original recipe, I added for Michael)

Directions:
Heat margarine in a skillet. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and saute. Add all remaining ingredients except tortellini. Heat until all have melted together and are well blended. Cook until the mixture just begins to boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in tortellini.

More Comfort Food

This is another one of those comfort foods that is nothing special or fancy, but in my mind it always takes me right back to my parents house, which is as comforting as it gets for me anymore. Enjoy!



Tuna Noodle Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg of egg noodles, cooked
2 cans of tuna
2 cans of cream of mushroom (I use cream of chicken because Michael won't eat mushrooms)
2 cans of milk (we use FF)
2 cups of frozen peas and carrots
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.
While noodles are cooking, mix tuna, cream of mushroom, milk measured in the empty soup can, and vegetables together in a 9x13 pan.
Drain noodles and mix together with sauce in 9x13, cover with cheese, and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Make your own calazones!

This has become a regular in our dinner rotation, and for good reason. There are very few meals that Michael ever requests, but this is one of them, and I am happy to oblige because they are really easy and quick. I save time by using Trader Joes pre-made pizza dough so all we have to do is roll it out, but if you want to go the homemade route, knock yourself out. Calazone fillings can be whatever you want, be creative, the possibilities are endless. Just don't skimp on the ricotta, that is my favorite part!



Calazones

1 container of part skim ricotta cheese
2 TB Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
pizza dough
grape tomatoes halved
mozzarella
green onions diced
olives diced
red and green peppers diced
pepperoni
sausage fully cooked
1 egg white
marinara sauce for dipping

To start roll out dough and cut into two halves. Please realize now that this does not make traditional shaped calazones, more like funky circle/squares. If you want them shaped traditionally divide your dough into two pieces before rolling out into 2circles. I just don't have time for that!
In a small bowl mix together ricotta, Parmesan, egg, basil, and oregano.
On one half of your pizza dough spread 1/2 cup or so of ricotta mixture. Top with ingredients of your choice, leaving just enough room to fold one side over the ingredients and seal, like making a little pocket.
When all your edges are securely sealed brush with egg white and then bake in 425 oven for 15-20 minutes, until crust begins to brown. Let cool and then enjoy with a side of marinara for dipping.

Delicious Dinner

These stuffed chicken breasts have been popping up on quite a few blogs lately, although I first saw it on Brooke's blog. I just made a few small changes based on what I had on hand. The original recipe is from Rachel Ray, you can check it out here. Unfortuately I was not able to wrap it in bacon, because I had none thawed in time, next time though, and there will be a next time, it was certainyl good enough to make again!



Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, softened ( I used 4 oz of laughing cow ligh garlic and herb cheese)
A handful baby arugula, chopped (I omitted but I will add next time!)
A handful baby spinach leaves, chopped
8 slices bacon ( I used just about 2 TB of bacon bits as my bacon was frozen :()

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a small sharp knife cut into the thick end of the chicken and make an incision reaching 2/3 the way down the breast. Loosen up the incision with your fingers to make a hole. Combine the cream cheese with arugula and baby spinach, season with salt and pepper and stuff into the breasts. Wrap the breasts with the bacon tightly to cover the meat evenly. Place chicken on a nonstick baking sheet and roast 20 to 25 minutes until bacon is crispy and chicken is firm.

Beef...it's what's for dinner!

So we finally got around to trying out our BBQ here in pereptually warm SoCal, and these steaks were the perfect meal to break it in. I wanted something a little more fancy that just a steak though, so I conjured up memories of an Italian restraunt at home in Washington that serves a steak covered in cheese and then drizzled with a balsalmic reduction. I am proud of myself on this one, it was my first time making a reduction (sooo easy), and it really lived up to my memory of it. So delicious I can not wait to make them again!



2 sirloin steaks
montreal steak seasoning
balsalmic vinegar
goat cheese/blue cheese/gorgonzola (your choice)

Heat the BBQ until it is smoking hot and then place seasoned steaks on the grill. Now do not touch them for about 4 minutes. Gingerly flip them over and once again leave them alone for 4 minutes.
Remove to a plate and sprinkle with cheese of your choice ( I choose goat cheese, so creamy and it pairs so well with the balsalmic) and do not cut into them.
While the steaks are settling, heat 1/2 cup balsalmic vinegar in a saucepan. Bring it to a light boil stirring constantly. You shoudl notice the vinegar getting thick and syrup like. When it is too your desired consistency, remove from heat and drizzle over steak. Enjoy!