One Pan Chicken Alfredo

Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves crushed garlic
salt and pepper
1 1/4 cups heavy cream/whipping cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Asiago Cheese
1/2 tsp nutmeg

OPTIONAL: 1/2 mushrooms
OPTIONAL: 1 to 2 cups of chopped steamed broccoli

Cut chicken into small cubes. Heat oil, butter and garlic in large saute pan over medium high heat. OPTIONAL: Add mushrooms and simmer until soft. Add chicken and salt and pepper and cook until done. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Let juices in the pan reduce a little then add the cream. Bring to a slight boil and simmer for about 2 minutes to let thicken. Stir a few times to prevent scorching or sticking. Add cheeses and mix and continue to simmer. Add nutmeg, OPTIONAL: broccoli and mix and allow to cook on low for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and simmer a few more minutes. Serve over cooked noodles.

Pesto Pizza

This is based on the traditional Italian caprese salad, which combines basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella. It's vegetarian-friendly and a healthier change of pace from your average workaday pepperoni/sausage pizza.

• 1 1/2 cups pesto (buy it in a jar or use this recipe to make your own, it's not hard)
• 6 oz. fresh mozzarella, also called "buffalo" mozzarella. It's white and softer than regular mozzarella, and can usually be found in the deli section with the other cheeses. Yeah, it's a bit more expensive, but worth it. If you can't find it, regular ol' mozzarella will do in a pinch.
• 1 or 2 fresh tomatoes
• Pizza crust

Spread pizza crust evenly with pesto. Slice fresh mozzarella and tomatoes and arrange on top. Bake according to pizza crust instructions, or until cheese browns and tomatoes are a bit crinkly-looking. If the toppings look like they are swimming in soup, it needs to bake longer (but keep in mind that the pizza will "solidify" as it cools).


Eat and enjoy!


Optional toppings: Try a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan, pitted kalamata olives, or roasted red peppers, sliced into strips. If you have any fresh basil leaves lying around, they make a good garnish after the pizza is baked. Mmmm!

Chicken Penne

I LOVE this recipe!

2-3 diced chicken breasts (also tastes great with diced salmon)
1 cube butter
1 tsp garlic salt
1 box penne noodles
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 cups parmesan cheese
1 tsp onion salt
optional: tomato

Boil water and cook noodles to box directions. In saucepan combine cream, butter, garlic salt, onion salt and parmesan cheese. Bring to boil for 5 minutes. Add chicken (or salmon) and boil 1 minute. Mix with noodles and enjoy! (Makes around 8 servings)

I got this recipe from a friend and decided to added diced tomatoes. I think it makes it just that much better. I like lots of tomatoes! This recipe reminded me a lot of the chicken penne at Applebees if you have had that.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

1 pint whipping cream
1 cube butter
2 Tbsp cream cheese, melted
3/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese
2 minced cloves garlic

Lightly saute garlic in butter. Add cream, then add melted cream cheese. Add parmesan cheese. Simmer on low until it thickens. Then add 1/2 tsp. salt.

Chicken Primavera

1 c. Carrots (thinly sliced)

1 c.  Asparagus (chopped)

1 c. Yellow & Green Zucchini (sliced)

1 c. Mushrooms (sliced)

1 c. Chicken, cooked/cubed
1 c. Noodles (I like bow tie), cooked

1 c. Whipping Cream

2 pkg. Dry Italian Dressing

1 c. Parmesan Cheese

1 cans. Diced Tomatoes

Optional Veggies:

Peppers

Onions

Cook Noodles. Saute Carrots & Asparagus for 2 mins, add rest of veggies and saute another 2 mins. Add chicken, cooked noodles, whipping cream, Italian seasoning, and parmesan. Stir well. then add tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer until ready to serve.

This is a new recipe that was recently given to me! It is soooooo gooooood I had to share, can't take the credit though. :)

The hardest part is slicing up the veggies. I usually buy enough veggies to make it twice and slice them all up at one time, so the next time it is so easy to throw it all together (but don't forget about your veggies and have them go bad). Which means I make it twice pretty close together, but it is good enough that our family doesn't mind. My two year old LOVES this recipe. Especially when I sprinkle some extra parmesan cheese on top (she takes after her mother).

Broccoli and Tortellini Alfredo

INGREDIENTS
1(14-oz.) pkg. Green Giant Select® Broccoli Florets
1 (19-oz.) pkg. frozen tortellini
1 (10-oz.) container refrigerated Alfredo sauce or 1 (1-lb.) jar Alfredo Sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese
2 cooked chicken breast

DIRECTIONS
1.
Prepare broccoli and tortellini as directed on package. Drain; place in large serving bowl along with cubed chicken.
2.
Meanwhile, heat Alfredo sauce in saucepan. Pour sauce over broccoli and tortellini; toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Sausage and Tomato Rigatoni

4 cups rigatoni pasta, uncooked
1lb Italian Sausage, cut into chunks
1 Red Onion, sliced
¼ cup tomato paste
¼ cup Kraft Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook Pasta as directed on package

Meanwhile, brown sausage in large nonstick skillet; drain. Stir in onions and tomato paste; cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until onions are tender and sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing

Toss sausage mixture with pasta. Sprinkle with parsley and cheese.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Yes, it can be done! You can adapt any lasagna recipe for the slow cooker -- just use oven-ready noodles and snap off the corners so they fit in the pot. (You kind of have to be creative.)

Begin with a layer of sauce (this acts as an insulator so the noodles don't burn), then stack up fillings and noodles until the pot is full. Then put on the lid, and let it cook (or, steam, really) for 3-4 hours.

If you want to finish with a cheese layer, don't put it on top until the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Add a salad and breadsticks, and you're done! (Oooh, and what better excuse to have Italian gelato for dessert?)