Spicy Rigatoni with Creamy Meat Sauce

What can you say about pasta? How delicious it is? How easy it is? How it feeds a lot of people? Yes to all those things! And this dish is no different. Throw everything into a pan and you’re good to go! Well...you’ll need to cook the pasta first so technically it’s two pans, but still. This is WAY good and WAY easy! Double it to feed lots of hungry people or if you like lots of leftovers!!!

Spicy Rigatoni with 

Creamy Meat Sauce

8 ounces of rigitoni ~ cooked and drained

1 24-ounce jar pasta sauce

1 pound Italian sausage

1 small onion ~ diced

1-2 cloves garlic ~ minced

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

1 - 2 cups fresh grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, saute the diced onion and minced garlic for a few minutes.

Add the meat and seasonings and cook until done.

Pour in the jarred sauce and stir.

Then add the cream.

Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine.

Turn off heat.

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and cover pan. Allow to sit until cheese melts.

Serve!

Let's make some yummy pasta!

Saute the onion and garlic then add the meat and seasonings.

Cook until the meat is done 

then add the pasta sauce.

Next comes the cream!

Dump in the cooked pasta.

Sprinkle with cheese! Eat it up!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Taco pasta. Fajita pasta. All kinds of Mexican pasta. Why not enchilada pasta? Well, guess what? It worked! This is so enchilada-y and tasty. After you dice the chicken and veggies and cook the pasta, it’s just a matter of throwing it all together into a pan and heating it up. IT Guy really enjoyed this...and so did I! If you’re more of a green chile enchilada fan, then use that but IT Guy loved red chile so we went that route with a little green thrown in for good measure. Anyway...this little dish tastes just like enchiladas except you use pasta instead of tortillas. And there’s NO rolling them, either so how great is that?

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

 

1 rotisserie chicken ~ diced

2 10-ounce cans red enchilada sauce

1 10-ounce can green enchilada sauce

1 4-ounce can diced green chilies

1 medium onion ~ diced

1 red bell pepper ~ diced

2 cloves garlic ~ minced

3 cups grated cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons red chili powder

12 ounces penne pasta ~ cooked and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

 

In a large skillet, saute the onion, bell pepper and garlic in a little olive oil until soft.

 

Pour in the enchilada sauces, add the chicken, cumin, red chili powder and salt and pepper.

 

Stir then allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.

 

Remove pan from the heat and add 1 cup of the cheese and the sour cream. Stir to combine.

 

In a large bowl, combine the pasta and chicken mixture.

 

Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

 

Cover with foil and bake until bubbly...about 20 - 30 minutes.

 

Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Okay....so here's MOST of the stuff 

you need. The sour cream was hiding 

out in the fridge.

Saute the veggies.

Then add the sauces, seasonings 

and chicken. Then allow to simmer 

for a few minutes.

Remove from the heat then add 

the sour cream and 1 cup of the 

grated cheese.

Mix sauce and pasta in a large bowl 

then pour into the prepared pan.

Bake it up! Enjoy!

Cajun Jambalaya Creamy Pasta

Pasta dishes are always a welcome sight in the SFFS house. This particular one was REALLY a hit. Not only was it delicious...but it basically is a one-pot wonder. Considering the list of ingredients, you wouldn’t think you could do it...but you can! It’s so yummy and easy. A little slicing and dicing and you’ve got dinner!

Cajun Jambalaya Creamy Pasta

1 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes ~ drained, liquid reserved

1 red bell pepper ~ diced

1 yellow bell pepper ~ diced

1 medium onion ~ diced

1 1-pound package kielbasa ~ cut into “coins”

2 chicken breasts ~ cut into bite size pieces

1 28-ounce can petite diced tomaotes ~ drained, liquid reserved

2 - 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

4 cups baby spinach

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces pasta ~ penne, rigatoni, etc.

2 cups water

1 cup chicken stock

1 pound uncooked, tail-off shrimp (optional)

In a large dutch oven, saute the peppers and onion in a little olive oil until soft.

Add the chicken and kielbasa and cook for a few more minutes.

Stir in the Cajun seasoning.

Add the chopped tomatoes and stir.

Add the liquid from the tomatoes, the water and the chicken stock.

Stir in the pasta.

Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes or until pasta is done.

Add the spinach and cream (and shrimp, if using) and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes until spinach is wilted (and shrimp is cooked through).

Here we go!

Saute the onion and bell peppers.

Add the sliced kielbasa 

and the diced chicken.

Cook the meat for a bit then add 

the cajun seasoning.

Add the drained, chopped 

tomatoes and stir.

Then the water, juice from the drained tomatoes and the chicken broth.

Then add the pasta and cook until done.

Pour in the cream and the shrimp 

if you're using that.

Don't forget the spinach!!!!

Give it all a big stir and 

you're ready to go!

Serve with some crusty french bread!!! Delish!

Green Chile Chicken Pasta

Casseroles are one of my "go-to" meals. Everyone loves them and they're so easy. And green chile is one of IT Guy's "go-to" items so this was a winner in our book. This one makes a hefty 9x13 inch pan but you can always break it down into two smaller pans and freeze one for later. Who doesn't love a meal you can pull right out of the freezer...thaw and bake? I know I do!

Green Chile Chicken Pasta



3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1 7-ounce can diced green chilies
1 8-ounce container sour cream
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
5 cups dried pasta ~ cooked and drained
2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Toss together the chicken and cheese in a medium bowl.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for about a minute.

Pour in the chicken broth and cook and whisk until thickened.

Remove from heat and add onion powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper.

Stir in the green chilies and the sour cream.

Add half of the pasta to the bottom of the pan then add half of the chicken/cheese mixture.

Repeat.

Pour sauce over the whole thing but do not stir.

Bake for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.


 

Our ingredients!

 

Toss together the chicken and cheese in a medium bowl.

 

In a medium saucepan, melt the 

butter over medium heat. Add the 

flour and cook for about a minute.

 

Pour in the chicken broth and 

cook and whisk until thickened.

 

Remove from heat and add onion powder, 

garlic powder and salt and pepper.

 

Stir in the green chilies 

and the sour cream.

 

Add half of the pasta to the bottom 

of the pan then add half of the 

chicken/cheese mixture.

 

Repeat!

 

Bake!

 

Serve!

Seafood Pasta Salad

I love seafood. IT Guy? Not so much. But I don't let his weird  (and by weird I mean he doesn't like seafood. What's with THAT?) food habits keep me from doing what I want to do. And this pasta salad is what I wanted to do and I'm glad I did because it was GOOD! I used imitation crab meat but the real deal would be wonderful. I had some frozen cooked shrimp that I threw in that were perfect. This is easy and delicious!

Seafood Pasta Salad




12 ounces pasta ~ cooked and drained (I used penne)
8 ounce package imitation crab-meat
2 cups frozen cooked shrimp
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
4 green onions ~ diced
1 - 2 stalks celery ~ chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley

In a large bowl, stir together the buttermilk, mayo, sugar, lemon juice, lemon pepper, garlic powder and seasoning salt.

Add the crab, shrimp, onions and celery.

Stir together then add the cooked pasta and mix gently to combine.

Chill for several hours or overnight.

Sprinkle with dried parsley right before serving.

 

Let's go!

 

In a large bowl, stir together the buttermilk, 

mayo, sugar, lemon juice, lemon pepper, 

seasoning salt, garlic powder and seasoning salt.

 

Add the crab, shrimp, onions and celery.

 

Stir together then add the cooked 

pasta and mix gently to combine.

 

Chill and serve!

Cheesy Rotini Bake

Pasta is a family favorite around the SFFS house!  What's nice about this dish is that it's similar to lasagna without all the intense layering. I've decided one thing about myself and that is I'm not a froo-froo kinda gal. Anything I can make with little to no fuss, I'm all about that, which is one reason I like this dish. This went over like gang-busters in my house....IT Guy even took some to work with him for lunch a couple of days. It makes a lot so if you need to feed a large family or a crowd...or you like leftovers....then this is the dish for YOU! Oh...and it's delicious!

Cheesy Rotini Bake



1 pound ground beef
1 small onion ~ diced
2 cloves garlic ~ minced
1 23-ounce jar pasta sauce
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt ~ divided use
1 teaspoon pepper ~ divided use
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning ~ divided use
8 ounces Rotini pasta ~ cooked and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef and cooked until meat is done.

Pour in the pasta sauce and heat through.

Mix together the ricotta, eggs, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

Spread 2 cups of the meat mixture on the bottom of the prepared pan.

Add half of the Rotini pasta then sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.

Dollop large spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over the mozzarella.

Add more sauce and repeat until all ingredients are used.

Cover with foil and bake about 30 - 45 minutes until bubbly.

 
Here we go!

 
Saute the onion and garlic 
then add the ground beef.

 
Stir in the pasta sauce and heat through.

 
Mix up the ricotta, egg, Italian 
seasoning and salt and pepper.

 
Spread some sauce in the bottom 
of the pan then add some pasta.

 
Then dollop some ricotta on top 
and sprinkle with some mozzarella.

 
Repeat until all ingredients are used.

 
Then bake!

 
Then eat!