Eggplant Parm

1/2 c Italian style bread crumbs (not panko!)
1/4 tsp each pepper and salt
2 tbsp parm
1/4 c mayonaise
1 whole eggplant, one peel strip removed from four sides and then sliced into 1/4 inch slices

preheat oven to 400. Mix together the first 4 ingreds in a shallow bowl. Spread mayo on both sides of each slice of eggplant and then dredge in bread crumb mix. Lay on a non-stick piece of foil on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. serve immediately.

we had this with pasta and marinara. Yummy veg only dinner! serves 4-6.

Pasta with Canellini Beans

2 cans canellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 8oz cans tomato sauce
2 tbsp wozzy sauce
3/4 red bell pepper chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2-3 stalks celery with leaves, super thinly sliced
1 lb ditalini pasta
3/4 c red cooking wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil over med/high heat. Add sliced garlic and saute until golden (lightly golden). Add red pepper, saute one minutes, add celery saute 2 minutes more, add oregano and canellini beans, saute 5-7 minutes. Add crushed red peper, tomato sauce, basil, wozzy, and wine. salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, lower heat cover and simmer 30 minutes. While sauce is simmering heat water for pasta in pot. Cook pasta according to pkg directions or 1 min less. add cooked pasta to simmering sauce, stir. Add 1/2 c parm mix and serve immediately, with added parm if you like!

Easy Bacon and Pasta

2 eggs
1 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 box spaghetti, i break mine in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 slices bacon
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper

In a medium-size bowl, beat together eggs and 1 cup cheese. Set aside.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water in a measuring cup. While the pasta cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, about 5-6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat, I also added 1/2-1 c pasta water and let it simmer away until absorbed. Lower heat to med low. Stir 1/2 cup reserved cooking water into the egg and cheese mixture, stir vigorously til smooth. Pour mixture into skillet, tossing to coat. I added more pasta water at the point and stirred vigorously Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot!!

link to original recipe which I altered somewhat.

Cabbage and Noodles

1 sm/med head cabbage, shredded salted and left for 10-15 minutes then squeezed of water
1 med red onion sliced
salt and pepper
1/2 c butter
1 lb bag of wide noodles, cooked to pkg directions

In a pot or large saute pan add the butter and melt. Add the onions and the cabbage, sauteing until browned and tender, like making carmelized onions, only its with cabbage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked noodles and saute with the cabbage onion mixture until they mingle the flavors. Serve immeditately! YUMMY!!

Pasta with Carmelized Onions, Parmesan and a Balsamic glaze

1/2 pkg angle hair pasta cooked to pkg directions
1-2 onions slices in half and then thinly slices into half moons
1-2 tbsps brown sugar
salt and pepper
1/2 c balsamic vinegar
butter
Parmesan cheese

In a skillet melt several tbsp butter and add the onions, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Allow to brown slowly on med/low heat, stirring often until they turn a carmel color and are sweet and gooey. Meanwhile in a small skillet add the balsamic vinegar and simmer until reduced by half and becoming a syrup like substance. When the onions are done add to the pasta (which you have added a little butter to stop from sticking to each other) with a generous amount of parm. Finish the balsamic sauce with a touch of butter and pour over all the pasta/onions. Serve immediately. YUMMMY!!!!!

Chicken Alfredo/Tomato Bake

2-3 boneless skinless chick breast sliced into thin strips
1-2 tbps olive oil
1-2 tsp chopped garlic
1 green, red or yellow pepper cut into strips (or a mix of all)
1/4 c. chopped procuito or ham
2 cups large egg noodles (cooked to package directions)
1 jar tomato pasta sauce or equivalent in homemade (about 15 or more ounces)
1 jar Alfredo or homemade Alfredo sauce ( about 15 ounces)
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350. Brown chicken in oil until cooked through. Add garlic and ham/prosciutto. Cook until garlic is tender but not burned and the prosciutto is a little browned. Then add the peppers, cook until tender, but still crisp. Add half the tomato sauce to the pan mixture. grease a 9x13 baking pan and then dump the skillet mixture into it. Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Add the jar of Alfredo sauce, drizzling on the top in lines, it will not cover the top totally. Add the cheese on top. Bake 20-30 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Serve immediately with garlic bread and salad! YUMMY! This is one of our favorite recipes, easy to fix and definitely comfort food. The kids love it. We don't eat it too often, but when we do we rarely have leftovers.

Cajun Chicken Lasagna

Several Years ago I found this awesome recipe in BHAG. It is a great alternative to tomato lasagna, which I am not to hep on but my hubbyy loves....so we compromise with this!


Cajun Chicken Lasagne Recipe.

Try it out and see if you don't love it too!!

Ingredients
16 dried lasagna noodles
1 pound andouille sausage or smoked pork sausage, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 to 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 10-ounce containers refrigerated light Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degree F. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse. Combine sausage, chicken, Cajun seasoning, and sage. In a large skillet cook meat mixture 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from skillet using a slotted spoon, reserving drippings in skillet. Set meat mixture aside; keep warm. In same skillet cook onion, celery, sweet pepper, and garlic in drippings until vegetables are tender. Stir in meat mixture, one container of the Alfredo sauce, and Parmesan cheese.

2. Lightly coat a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or 3-quart rectangular casserole with nonstick spray. Arrange 4 noodles in bottom of dish. Spread with 2 cups of the meat-vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Carefully spread remaining Alfredo sauce over the top (if sauce is too thick, heat slightly). Cover; bake 1 hour or until heated through. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carefully cutting. Makes 12 servings.

Quick Stroganoff

1 lb ground beef
1 can cream of mush soup
1/2 sour cream
3 tbsp wozzy
1/3 c water

Brown beef, drain. Add other ingredients until bubbly, serve over noodles or potatoes. This is obviously our quickie recipe! But it tastes great and we all enjoy it in a pinch.

Chicken Spaghetti

Cook chicken in water on stove and then remove and chop. Cook 1 lb spaghetti and 1 chopped onion in broth made by the boiled chicken until done, Drain off only the left over water. Add 2 cans cream of mushroom or cream of chicken and 1 small can chopped pimentos and chicken. Mix throughly. Serve warm.

Parmesan Almond Pasta Toss

1 lb pasta of your chice, I like mostacholi in this one or other tubal pasta
1/2 sliced almonds
1/3 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c shredded parm

Cook pasta according to box directions, drain. In large skillet, lightly brown almonds in olive oil over med heat, stiring often. Add italian seasoning and garlic. stir until garlic is translucent. add drained pasta to oil/almond mix. Toss to coat. Add cheese  and toss. Serve warm. For a heartier dish use whole wheat pasta. serves 4.