One Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/one-pot-creamy-tomato-basil-pasta/

This was a good easy, fast dinner that I could use summer garden veggies for.

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

 I used a few different recipes and my own instructions to create this.
 Ingredients
 1 tablespoon olive oil
 1 onion diced
 3 carrots peeled and diced
 4 stocks of celery diced
 1 teaspoon of thyme dried  or three sprigs fresh thyme
( optional other pinches of spices of garlic, lemon, rosemary and bay leaves or can leave it out altogether)
 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast( about two or three breasts)
1 teaspoon of salt
 1 teaspoon of pepper
 6 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
 12 ounces farfalle pasta
1 cup frozen corn kernels

 Directions
 Put the Instant pot on sauté setting. Add olive oil, onion, carrots,  and celery, and thyme.  Cook stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes.
 Cook pasta on stove.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
 Add chicken, chicken broth, and water To instant pot.
Set instant pot on high for 10 minutes  then quick release.
Remove chicken and shred using blendtec.
 Add frozen corn to instant pot. Select high sauté setting on instant pot. Bring to a boil then turn off.
Stir in pasta, chicken, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies

If you are trying to cook healthy, this is great. It has good flavor for things that weren’t bad for you. I need to cut the chicken smaller next time though. https://www.melskitchencafe.com/sheet-pan-balsamic-chicken-veggies/

ALBACORE TUNA (OR SALMON) AND BOW TIE PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• SALAD

• 2cups bow tie pasta
• 8ounces fresh albacore tuna, drained (or 2 cans tuna, drained)
• 1red bell pepper, minced
• 1red onion, cut into crescents
• 2teaspoons capers
• 2tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1garlic clove, minced
• fresh ground black pepper

• DRESSING

• 1⁄2cup rice vinegar or 1⁄2cup white wine vinegar
• 1⁄4cup olive oil
• 1teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1teaspoon lemon zest
• 1⁄2lemon, juice of
• 1teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄4teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2teaspoon dried dill weed or 1 tablespoonfresh dill weed

• DIRECTIONS

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Drain.
2. Broil or pan fry fresh tuna. Set aside. (If using canned tuna, drain and place the tuna in a serving bowl and proceed with recipe.).
3. Combine dressing ingredients in non-reactive bowl and blend well.
4. Break up the fresh tuna into bite size pieces and place in serving bowl with the pasta. Toss dressing gently with the pasta, tuna and remaining salad ingredients.
5. Keep covered and chilled until ready to serve.
• *The Hansens like to use up leftover salmon this way.

Pasta Salad with Pesto

This was a great pasta salad recipe. I changed it a little to make it easier with the ingredients that I had on hand.  I think I used normal ceasar dressing, not creamy.  I also used normal tomatoes and sliced them. I think I may have added chives? I also pulled out a frozen ice cube of basil I had in my freezer...didn't use fresh. I didn't add any pine nuts. 

1. Tri-Color Pasta Salad
2. YIELD: SERVES 6-8
   I've subbed unsalted sunflower seeds for the pine nuts before with good results (although pine nuts are my preference; love them!).

   You can use regular tomatoes in place of the Roma; I like to give them a light squeeze over the sink after slicing in half to get rid of a bit of water before adding them to the salad.

   The original recipe called for 2 teaspoons sauté spice (equal parts black pepper, salt and garlic powder). I've scaled that amount down over the years and broken it out into separate ingredients in the recipe.
   INGREDIENTS
   • 12-ounce package tri-color rotini pasta, cooked and drained
   • 2/3 cup creamy Caesar dressing
   • 1/2 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
   • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
   • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
   • 3 roma tomatoes, diced
   • 1 (6-ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
   • 1/4 cup finely diced red onion (or green onions)
   • 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
   • 6-10 fresh basil leaves, cut into strips or torn into pieces, plus more for garnish, if desired
   • 1/4 cup basil pesto
   • 1/2 to 1 cup toasted pine nuts (optional - see note above for substitutions
   • 
     
   1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions. Drain and coat with the Caesar dressing while still warm.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the pine nuts and extra basil. Toss well to combine. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve (4-8 hours). If the pasta salad seems dry after refrigerating, add a little more Caesar dressing and stir to combine. Before serving, top with pine nuts and fresh basil, if desired.

Recipe Source: from my Aunt Marilyn

Recipe originally posted February 17, 2009

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/tri-color-pasta-salad/

Valentine's Day Food--Pasta, No Bake Cheesecake, Lemon Blueberry Donuts

I made this for our Valentine's dinner along with her divine breadsticks.  My kids loved this. Lucy still asks for me to make it. It was really easy which was nice. 

20-Minute Tomato Pesto Pasta

YIELD: SERVES 4-6

Don't skip toasting those almonds! It adds a delicious depth of flavor that you don't want to miss.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 10 to 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 to 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 medium garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound linguine or spaghetti noodles
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
• Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the noodles according to package directions.
2. While the noodles are boiling, toast the almonds in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
3. In a food processor, combine the almonds, tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process again until the mixture is mostly smooth (there will be small bits of almonds but everything else should be pretty smooth). With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and mix for 20-30 seconds. Set aside.
4. Drain the noodles and return to the pot.
5. Pour over the pesto sauce, add the Parmesan cheese, and toss to combine.
6. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and fresh basil, if desired.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Jodi at 5BoysBaker, originally from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2011
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/20-minute-tomato-pesto-pasta/

For dessert, I made these. Mark doesn't love cheesecake so these weren't his favorite but I do! I loved these and it was easy to make. I just had plain greek yogurt so I added a little powdered sugar to it.

1. No-Bake Berry Yogurt Cheesecakes
   YIELD: SERVES 8
   I use thick Greek yogurt (vanilla or honey-vanilla flavored). If you use non-Greek yogurt, the cheesecake mixture might be a bit thinner so experiment accordingly. If you have homemade yogurt, that could work as well - the thicker the better (if your yogurt is plain, consider adding a bit of honey or agave nectar or sugar to sweeten it up just slightly). Keep in mind that since the fruit mixture is spooned over the crust, if the assembled desserts are refrigerated or sit longer than 30 minutes, the crust may get a bit soft or dare I say, soggy. If you want to avoid that, you can omit spooning berries over the crust and instead top the cheesecake filling with the entire allotment of berries for each serving. If your fruit isn't really ripe/juicy, you may want to increase the sugar just a bit in the berries.
   INGREDIENTS
   Berry Topping:
   • 16 ounces fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and diced
   • 6 ounces fresh raspberries, washed and patted dry
   • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
   Crust:
   • 9 rectangular graham crackers (1 sleeve of crackers), crushed into fine crumbs
   • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
   • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
   Cheesecake:
   • 16 ounces light cream cheese, softened
   • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
   • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (just a squeeze)
   • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
   • 1 cup low fat Greek vanilla yogurt (see note)
   • 
     
   1.For the berry topping, combine the strawberries, raspberries and sugar in a medium bowl. Give the mixture a good stir and let it sit for 10-15 minutes while the rest of the dessert is being made and assembled. The berries will macerate - which basically means the sugar will help the fruit become a bit syrupy while resting.
2. For the crust, combine the crushed crackers with the sugar and butter; mix. Divide the mixture evenly among 8 (6- to 8-ounce) bowls, ramekins or individual trifle dishes and press lightly into the bottom of the dishes.
3. For the cheesecake, in a medium bowl (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer), beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until the mixture is very light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the yogurt and beat until well-combined and fluffy, 30 seconds to a minute.
4. Give the fruit/sugar mixture a good stir. Spoon a bit of the fruit mixture on top of each crust (keep in mind you'll only use half for this layer; the other half will go on top of the cheesecake layer).
5. Spoon an even amount of cheesecake filling on top of the fruit (about 1/3 cup or until all the filling is divided evenly among the dishes) and top with a spoonful of the remaining fruit.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/no-bake-berry-yogurt-cheesecakes/

We had these for breakfast on Valentine's Day with my new donut pan. My kids thought it was so fun and these were pretty tasty. They were no more work than making muffins. 

BAKED LEMON BLUEBERRY DONUTS

Serves:8 donuts

Prep time:20 mins

Cook time:10 mins

Total time:30 mins

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Lemon blueberry donuts topped with a simple two ingredient lemon glaze. These Baked Lemon Blueberry Donuts are incredibly easy to make and perfect for breakfast!

INGREDIENTS

For the lemon blueberry donuts:

• 1 cup (125 grams) all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup (80ml) milk
• ⅓ cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ - ½ cup fresh blueberries

For the lemon glaze:

• 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or milk)

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the donuts:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8 cavities in a donut pan (or pans) well with non-stick cooking spray. If using a 6-count donut pan, you will need to bake in separate batches. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the milk, sugar, egg, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter.
4. Evenly distribute the batter between all 8 cavities of the prepared donut pan (a piping bag or spoon works well).
5. Bake at 350°F for 9-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the donut comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the glaze:

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until well combined. Add more lemon juice to thin out the glaze or add more powdered sugar to thicken the glaze as needed.
2. Place a piece of foil under the wire rack with the donuts to catch any glaze. Dip each donut into the glaze and place onto the wire rack. Allow the glaze to harden for a few minutes, then serve, and enjoy!
3. http://www.livewellbakeoften.com/2017/01/16/baked-lemon-blueberry-donuts/

Harvest Pasta Sauce

This was a great healthy pasta recipe. I added a little extra salt at the end and it made it tons better. I did mine in the pressure cooker and made her recipe for divine breadsticks as the side.  I used two cans diced tomotoes instead of crushed and whole milk instead of half and half.
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/harvest-pasta-sauce-trader-joes-copycat/

Harvest Pasta Sauce {Trader Joe’s Copycat}

Yield: Serves 6-8

Make sure the butternut squash is cut into small enough pieces so it doesn't take an extra long time to cook through - I go for about 1/2-inch pieces. The cooking times given for each method are not only to cook the squash but mostly to allow the flavors time to blend.

I've only ever made this in the pressure cooker (in the Instant Pot), but I have included slow cooker and stovetop methods since the simple recipe is easy to modify. Keep an eye on the sauce to make sure that it doesn't reduce too much using the stovetop (adding liquid as needed).

The leftovers of this sauce freeze great!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped carrots (about 4 medium)
• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 15-ounce can cooked pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 to 3 cups diced butternut squash (about 12 ounces)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
• 1 tablespoon granulated or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I used a Tuscan blend from Penzey's)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup half and half or cream (or try milk)
• Hot, cooked pasta for serving
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Pressure cooker: Heat the butter using the saute function (in the InstantPot) or by heating the pressure cooker over medium heat on the stove (for stovetop pressure cookers). Add the onion, garlic and carrots, and saute for 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent.
2. Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, chicken broth, sugar, salt, parsley, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Close the pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook for 20 minutes. Let the pressure cooker naturally release for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure.
3. Use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture in batches to a blender - taking care as hot liquids expand while blending) to blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half or cream. Thin with additional broth or cream/milk, if needed. Serve over hot, cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
4. For the slow cooker: Combine all the ingredients, except the half and half or cream, in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours until the squash is tender and flavors have combined well. Use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture in batches to a blender - taking care as hot liquids expand while blending) to blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half or cream. Thin with additional broth or cream/milk, if needed. Serve over hot, cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
5. For the stovetop: Heat the butter in a 4- or 5-quart pot (or similar size) over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrots, and saute for 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent.
6. Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, chicken broth, sugar, salt, parsley, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 50-60 minutes until the squash is tender, stirring every once in a while to make sure the sauce doesn't stick (reduce the heat as needed). If it looks like it's reducing while cooking, add another 1/2 cup of broth or so.
7. Use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture in batches to a blender - taking care as hot liquids expand while blending) to blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half or cream. Thin with additional broth or cream/milk, if needed. Serve over hot, cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Alfredo Sauce

http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/22831/alfredo-sauce/
Mark really wanted me to save this because it was so easy and creamy. I will make again.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream --Beth used evaporated milk
• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley--Beth used 4  tsp dried

Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve.

Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/cheesy-spinach-stuffed-pasta-shells/

I think these are going to replace my manicotti recipe because they were so much easier. I didn't make her sauce but just opened a store bought bottle to make it easier. My favorite part was that I didn't have to stuff those tight manicotti shells.

One Pot Lasagna

This recipe was awesome because it tasted like a lasagna but I didn't have to do all the work!

I used frozen chicken sausage that I had from Costco.  I browned it on all sides then I chopped it up.  I also used elbow macaroni noodles from the cannery instead of farfalle pasta.

http://damndelicious.net/2014/12/27/easy-one-pot-lasagna/

EASY ONE POT LASAGNA

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Yield6 servings

The easiest 30-min lasagna you will ever make in a single pot - no boiling, no layering, nothing - the pasta gets cooked right in the pan!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 Italian sausage links, casing removed
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 8 ounces farfalle pasta
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Make A Quick & Easy Ranch Spinach Dip

 

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat.
• Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, garlic powder and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-15 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Stir in mozzarella and Parmesan until well combined. Using a small cookie scoop, top with dollops of ricotta and cover until heated through, about 2-4 minutes.
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.