Cheese Stuffed Shells

This is such a simple recipe! It is really quick to throw together, but it tastes so good, everyone will think you spent the entire day in the kitchen. This is also a recipe I use as a standby for when I take in dinner to someone; everyone seems to like it :)

I overstuffed my shells when I made it this (I love cheese!) but you get the idea. You can make this recipe in one 8x13 pan or in 2- 8x8 pans. I never measure anything for this recipe, but trust me, it's impossible to mess up! Depending on how much you are planning on making, here are the ingredients:

Mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Ricotta cheese (I use about 2 cups for a 9x13 pan)

Cheddar cheese (shredded - just a little bit)

Italian seasoning

Pepper

Garlic salt

2 eggs (for a 9x13 pan)

1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce (we like Barilla Marinara)

1 box jumbo shells, cooked according to package directions (1 box for a 9x13 pan)

In a large bowl, combine cheeses, seasonings and 2 eggs (the eggs are used to hold the cheese mixture together). Make a thin layer of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan(s). Stuff cooked shells with the cheese mixture (I make little balls of cheese in my hand and then stuff them inside the shells). Arrange shells in the pan. Spoon marinara sauce over the shells. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Serve with garlic bread and a green salad. Enjoy!

Tasty Tortellini Salad

1 (9 oz.) package uncooked refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup baby carrots, cut in half
4 green onions with tops, sliced
Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
3 garlic cloves, minces
1 T. Italian seasoning
Salt & Pepper

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Rinse with cold water. Combine tortellini with vegetables. Toss with dressing. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Let refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Italian Pasta Salad

1 lb. tri-colored pasta, cooked and drained

Any or all of the following add-ins:
olives
carrots
tomatoes
onion
baby corn
artichoke hearts
cucumber
garbanzo beans
pepperoni

Italian dressing
Parmesan cheese
Dash of garlic salt
Salt & Pepper

Cook and drain tri-colored pasta noodles, rinsing with cold water to shock. Add desired add-ins. Coat with Italian dressing, season with garlic salt, salt and pepper, and sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/4 c. Italian dressing

mushrooms

baby carrots

purple onion

pepper

In a greased slow cooker, lay chicken breasts along the bottom. Pour dressing over the top, then soup, then layer the vegetables. Season with pepper. Cook on high for 4-6 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours. During the last hour, add cream cheese. Stir sauce well before serving. Serve over egg noodles.

Mini Pizzas

Mini pizza crusts { I buy them at Macy's in the bakery section }
Pizza sauce
Cheese

Favorite toppings may include:
pepperoni
sausage
olives
mushroom
onions
green peppers

Bake in the oven at 375 for 10 minutes.

Chicken With Mushroom Cream Sauce Over Fettuccine

2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 package sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup white cooking wine or chicken broth
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
salt and pepper


Brown chicken breasts on both sides in a skillet and remove and set aside. Saute onions in a little bit of olive oil. Add garlic and saute, then add sliced mushrooms and saute. Add white cooking wine or chicken broth to deglaze the skillet. Add 2 cans of soup. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine everything as to look like a sauce. Put the browned chicken breast in the sauce to finish cooking, simmering for about 10-15 minutes. Serve over cooked fettuccine. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Penne Pasta { with bacon! }

6-8 slices of bacon, cut into pieces

1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes in juice

1 tsp. sugar

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning (or fresh herbs: parsley, basil, oregano, etc.)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/4 cup sour cream

12 oz. of penne pasta, cooked

Cook bacon in a saucepan until cooked through, but not burnt. Drain on paper towels and discard drippings, but do not wipe out pan. Increase to medium-high heat and add tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Stir in sugar, Italian seasoning (or herbs), and salt and pepper. Then add chopped bacon and peas. Cook for 5 minutes, simmering vigorously, stirring every so often. Remove pan from heat and stir in sour cream. Serve over cooked pasta.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

1-28 oz. can diced peeled tomatoes
1-15 oz. can tomato sauce
1-12.5 oz. can Italian diced tomatoes
16 oz. fresh mushrooms
1 lb. ground beef or Italian sausage
1 T. Italian seasoning {or use fresh herbs ~ basil, parsley, oregano, etc.}
diced onion
diced green pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped
salt & pepper


Brown meat on the stove. Then add everything together in the crock-pot. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over pasta noodles. Top with fresh parmesan cheese. Makes the house smell wonderful all day!

Slow Cooker Lasagna

This recipe comes from one of my most favorite and useful cookbooks, 101 Things To Do With A Slow Cooker. Not only is this lasagna delicious, but it's really quick and easy to make. I usually make it on Sundays before church, and then it's ready by the time we get home. Another thing I do is brown the meat and shred the cheese the night before, making assembly even faster!

12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup water
1 carton (16 oz.) cottage cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated (* I usually do 1/2 mozzarella and 1/2 cheddar)

Break noodles in half. Place half of the noodles in bottom of greased show cooker. Stir Italian seasoning into meat and spread half over noodles already in slow cooker. Then layer 1/2 of the sauce and water, 1/2 of the cottage cheese, and 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese over the beef. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low heat 4-5 hours. Do not cook more than 5 hours. Makes 6-8 servings.