A Cook's Quest

I love a good pasta salad, but I am also very picky about my pasta salads.  As a result I don't typically eat other people's salads, nor do I try new recipes.  I stick with what I know and love.  However, this month I stumbled on to this Orzo, Cranberry, and Apple Salad when I was assigned to Life and Kitchen for my Secret Recipe Club blog. Life and Kitchen   is run by Lindsey, a busy mom who enjoys cooking for her family and having fun.  She writes her blog for her daughter and family in a hopes that one day they will understand what day to day life was like growing up in their family.  Lindsey's most current posts don't have meat in them.  In 2012  she gave it up and no longer cooks with meat products.  But, that doesn't mean her recipes aren't super tasty! And, her older recipes do have meat so if that is what you are after you can find it on her blog.  I searched through her blog and found many recipes I was tem...

It's  Secret Recipe Club reveal day!  This has become one of my favorite events each month.  This month I was lucky to be assigned  Healthy. Delicious. as my blog to choose a recipe from.  Lauren loves to cook and has a blog full of tasty AND healthy food.  I had a lot of trouble choosing a recipe because Lauren's blog is full of amazing food, and since she has been blogging since March of 2007 there were many tasty recipes to choose from!  Finally, I narrowed my choices down to three: Pear and Raspberry Brie Puffs , Brussel Sprout Salad with Maple Vinaigrette , and Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese .  I settled on the Mac and Cheese because homemade mac and cheese is one of my all time favorite dishes, and jalapeno poppers are a favorite appetizer of mine.  Both have cheese, and in my book cheese bumps a recipe to the top of the rankings. Let's get to business about this recipe.  I love that Lauren took a favorite...

Fall is here and I'm ready for soup.  Warm, steamy, comforting, soup that warms you from the inside out.  I can't think of a better meal on a crisp fall day than a bowl of delicious soup and warm bread.  When I found this recipe on Pinterest I knew it was a recipe I would make right away...as in that VERY day.  The clencher was a little something called "Cheesy Yum," a mixture of ricotta and parmesan cheese that rests in the bottom of the bowl as you ladle up the soup. It creates a cheesy, gooey delight to enjoy with each bite.  I highly doubt that anything topped with a concoction of "cheesy yum," could be bad. As it cooks this soup fills your home with the lovely smells of Italian food.  It will make your children run to wash their hands in anticipation.  If you are lucky, you will have a dinner table filled with the sounds of clinking spoons and comments like, "wow," "this is amazing," and my all time favorite "you are the BE...

I don't think I can ever get tired of pasta with cream sauce.  Even on a hot summer day, I can devour a warm, saucy, creamy, cheesy, bowl of pasta.  It is comfort food for me and love trying different variations.  This recipe is ideal, I think anyway, because it can be made ahead and the end result is still the same--a delicious pasta nestled in cheesy cream sauce with bites of tender chicken, crisp broccoli and sweet tomatoes from my garden. Definitely go try this soon, and I would recommend doubling the recipe so you have one for the freezer too.  Enjoy! I'm linking this recipe go check out all the other great recipes people are posting! Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and  Mozzarella Recipe Source: Modified slightly from Mel's Kitchen Cafe *Note from Mel: See the asterisk below the recipe for make-ahead directions. Serves 6-8 Topping: 3/4 cup bread crumbs (store-bought or make your own) 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1...

We like pasta in my house.  We also like Mexican food.  So when pasta and the flavors of Mexican food can be combined we are happy campers!  I thought I had hit the jackpot with Taco Pasta , but this gem of a recipe might, be a smidge better. It comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and like everything I have tried from Mel this lasagna is everything she promises it to be.  (Please go look at her beautiful photos of this dish!  They do it much more justice than mine!) This recipe has everything a good lasagna needs; layers of noodles nestled between a delicious rich sauce and topped with cheese galore oh, and I can't forget to mention that throughout are rich creamy pockets of cream cheese and sour cream.  There is a hint of spice but nothing over powering and the black beans and sweet corn are wonderful additions.  And, the best part, it is fast, thrifty, and EASY to prepare.  I made two small lasagnas instead of one large one ...

This recipe is fast, simple and E. A. S. Y.!  My kids loved it and said, "this tastes like tacos!"  I, too, was surprised at the flavor.  The sauce is creamy, with a hint of spice (depending on what kind of salsa you use), and the pasta gets coated with all the yummy deliciousness creating a simple main dish.  I doubled everything in this recipe except for the ground beef, to make sure we had enough for dinner and lunches for me and the hubby. Taco Pasta Recipe Source: Plain Chicken printable version 1 pound ground beef 8 ounce small dry pasta shapes 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup salsa 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (or one packet) 3 ounce cream cheese 1/2 cup sour cream Salt and pepper Shredded Cheese for topping Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground meat and onion over medium-hi...

OK, first things first.  Ignore the amount of butter in this recipe and don't judge me too harshly when I tell you I actually doubled the butter when I made it. After you have agreed to ignore those key points proceed to making this recipe, devouring eating it, and hiding the leftovers in the refrigerator so your family doesn't get to them before you do! Another recipe from Mel at My Kitchen Cafe that I don't have to say much about.  It is light and delicious.  The sauce is great with pasta or rice and pairs wonderfully with any vegetable you want.  I served our chicken over pasta noodles cooked in chicken broth and enjoyed every last bite.  My family can't wait to have it again! Breaded Garlic Chicken in Lemon-Butter Sauce Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe who got it from one of her readers *Mel's Note: if you prefer more sauce, since this makes a lighter, smaller amount of sauce, consider doubling the sauce ingredients. **Cook's Note-I...

I was able to restrain myself long enough to make a recipe with the wonderful roasted tomatoes that I posted a few days ago.  These little beauties add quite the punch of flavor and brightness to anything.  I love tomatoes in cream sauce, I love cream sauce with pasta, and of course they all go well with chicken so I threw this little dish together for dinner, spending more than I normally would but we all wanted something delicious and homey after eating restaraunt food all week. It was a perfect meal for all of us.   Bowtie Pasta with Chicken in Cream Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest 12 ounces bow tie pasta 2 chicken breasts grilled 2 cups heavy cream Roasted Tomatoes (about 1/2 cup chopped) Parmesan Cheese--the real stuff (about 2 cups grated) Parsley for garnish if desired Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta.  While the pasta is cooking chop the chicken that has already been cooked into bite sized pie...

When I ask B2 what sounded good for dinner she told me, "Chicken with creamy sauce and noodles.  Oh, and cucumbers too." Now this mom is never going to say no to vegetables when my kids request them so the cucumbers were in like Flynn; and I will never deny myself the opportunity to enjoy a marriage of pasta and cream cooked into one mouthwatering meal so I was happy to oblige both her dining requests.  Now the problem, what should I do that is different from my usual Alfredo sauce? Since I am not overly creative, or inspired, when it comes to making my own dishes from start to finish, I went where I always go when I need a delicious recipe, Mel at My Kitchen Cafe .  Today I found the perfect dish, Creamy Chicken Fettuccine , it has the flavors of summer with lemon, peas, and fresh basil paired with the garlicky smooth sauce that only heavy cream can create.  I'm telling you we all loved this dish, B1 and B2 declared it better than the usual and this mama ...

Gnocchi (pronounced nyō'kē) is a recipe that I had never even considered preparing....ever.  I had a myriad of reasons, they look too time consuming, they must be hard to prepare, potatoes in pasta sounds weird, you get the idea.  But, after seeing gnocchi recipes on every good Italian site or in every good Italian cookbook I was finally convinced that maybe, just maybe, there was something to these little potato pastas.  I was waiting for the perfect day to try my hand at this new dish.  When my parents offered to take the kids for a few days over spring break I decided it was time.  Not only would I have the time with no interruptions to make the dish, but then my hubby and I could have a special dinner together when he got off of work.  So I stopped at the store after work and made the choice to put these gems in a cream sauce made with heavy cream (it's a special ocassion don't give me too much flack,) ham and peas.  I was hoping for aspar...

Tonight is the last night of the Chicken Challenge.  Like the other chicken recipes I presented, this isn't a fancy recipe, just an easy "go-to" meals for busy weeknights. It is quick to prepare, easy on my budget and very very tasty!   The beauty of alfredo suace is that so many other foods pair with it nicely.  Since I only had one cup of chicken left, I had to stretch this meal in order to feed all five of us.  I added some frozen broccoli and about 3/4 c of the sundried tomatoes I recently made.  Delicious I tell you!  Even my two broccoli hating boys finished thier servings which always makes a mama proud :) Linguini with Chicken, Broccoli & Sun Dried Tomatoes in Alfredo Sauce Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest 1 box pasta 1 jar of alfredo sauce (or you can make your own) 1 c cooked chicken, chopped 3 cups of broccoli 3/4 c sun dried tomatoes drained and chopped Boil pasta.  When almost done, throw in the...