Creamy Zucchini Pasta

 I was shocked at how flavorful this dish was. And what a great way to hide veggies for the kiddos. This has become my new favorite pasta side dish and is a great way for us to use the zucchini from our garden.

We did have extra sauce from this dish and were able to save and use it later in the week. 

Ingredients

3-4 C uncooked pasta

2 lb zucchini, cubed

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 red onion, diced

3 cloved garlic, minced

1/3-1/2 C heavy cream

4-5 fresh basil leaves

1 tsp chicken bouillon

Salt and pepper to taste

1 C reserved pasta water

Parmesan cheese

Fill a pot with water (make sure to salt your water) and bring to a boil. Add your pasta and cook until al dente.

In a large pan over medium heat, add the oil. When hot, add the zucchini and onion. Cook until they begin to soften.

Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Stir in the heavy cream, basil, chicken bouillon, salt & pepper along with a 1/4 C pasta water. *You may need to add more when blending to get a creamy consistency

Pour into a blender and blend until smooth.

Add back to the pan and stir in the cooked pasta. Add more pasta water if needed and stir in parmesan.

Creamy Pasta with a Kick

 Rainy day, busy work day, just don't feel like cooking day...This pasta is the perfect dish for you. It's quick, easy, warm, comforting and will bring you out of your slump with its spicy kick.

Enjoy it with breaded or grilled chicken, grilled shrimp or just by itself!

Ingredients

2 C pasta of choice

1 Tbsp olive oil (or chili oil for extra heat)

5 gloves garlic, minced

1 tsp red chili flakes

1/4 yellow onion, diced

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 Tbsp white wine

1/2 C heavy cream

2 Tbsp cream cheese

1/4 C pasta water

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Fill a pot with water (make sure to salt your water) and bring to a boil. Add your pasta and cook until al dente.

In a large pan over medium heat, add the oil. Stir in the garlic, chili flakes, onion, onion powder, oregano and Italian seasoning. Cook until onions begin to soften.

Add the white wine and let it cook down for about 3 minutes.

Stir in the heavy cream, cream cheese and pasta water. Stir and continue cooking until the cream cheese has melted.

Add parmesan cheese and salt/pepper to taste. 

Stir in the cooked pasta. Add more pasta water for a creamier consistency.

Chicken Veggie Soup

Fall is upon us...and what better way to kick off soup season than with my favorite Chicken Veggie Soup.

Growing up my mom always made this soup but I never appreciated the vegetables as a kid. Now, the more zucchini the better! Add any vegetables you like!

Enjoy this soup with a slice of French bread and butter.

Ingredients

For the Chicken/Broth

4 bone in chicken thighs

1/2 yellow onion, halved

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1/2 Tbsp oregano

1 bay leaf

1 tsp chicken bouillon (optional)

For the Soup

1/4 yellow onion, diced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can corn, drained

2-3 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1/2 small head cabbage, cubed

2 zucchini, quartered

1/2 tsp oregano

salt and pepper to taste (or substitute chicken bouillon for the salt)

In a pot add the rinsed chicken thighs and fill the pot almost full with water. Add the remaining chicken/broth ingredients. Bring pot to a low simmer and cook for at least 3 hours. You will need to add more hot water to keep the pot at least 3/4 full (this will be the broth for your soup)

After 3 hours remove the chicken to a plate to cool (it should be falling apart). Strain everything else out of the broth and pour the broth back into the pot. 

Turn the heat to medium and add the onion, diced tomatoes, corn, carrots, celery and oregano. Let cook for about 15 minutes.

Shred the cooled chicken and add to the soup. Make sure to remove the bones and fat.

Add the cabbage, zucchini, pepper and salt/chicken bouillon. Bring to a simmer and let cook until the zucchinis start to get soft, about 20 minutes. If you want more broth, add more water to your liking.

*I like to cook broken up spaghetti noodles on the side to add to my bowl of soup. You can add the uncooked pasta to the soup if you'd like, just remember they will soak up some of the broth and when reheating any leftover soup, will be soggy

**You can also add cubed potatoes to the soup when you add the carrots

Frito Corn Salad

  Came across this summer side dish on tik-tok and have to put my own spin on it! This dish is perfect for BBQ side dish, poolside on a hot summer day. This recipe serves about 4, so double it for a BBQ and also wait to add the chips until you are ready to serve so they don't get soggy. 

When it comes to the spices, be sure to add the chili powder or cayenne pepper to your liking. You can always add more later if its not spicy enough.

Ingredients

1 can corn, drained

1/2 C mayonnaise

1/2 C - 1 C shredded cheese

1/4 C bacon bits

2 green onions, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/4 C cotija cheese (optional)

1 tsp chili powder or cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

2 C chili cheese Fritos crushed

In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except the Frito chips. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in the crushed chili cheese Fritos.

Taco Pasta

 This creamy, spicy, taco pasta is great for any day. Super simple to put together and full of flavors. 

Add your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, lettuce, salsa, hot sauce, avocado, etc.!

Ingredients

2 C rotini pasta, cooked al dente

1/2 C reserved pasta water

1 tsp oil

1/4 yellow onion, diced

1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced

1/2 lb. ground beef

2 Tbsp taco seasoning

1/2 can petite diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp heavy cream

1/2 C chicken broth

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

3/4 C shredded cheese

Cilantro for garnish

In a large pan over medium high heat, add the oil. When hot add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.

Stir in the taco seasoning and jalapeno, and cook for a few minutes to incorporate the flavors.

Add the chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir in the cheese.

If sauce is too thick, add more chicken broth or pasta water.

Stir the pasta into the sauce until fully coated. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Creamy Corn Herbed Orzo

With the temperature getting hotter, I wanted to make a simple pasta dish. I came across a dish where someone had used laughing cow cheese wedges as the pasta sauce. I ran to the store to get all the ingredients, but saw the Boursin cheese and came up with a better idea!

Ingredients

1 cup orzo pasta

1 Tbsp butter

1 C corn (fresh off the cobb, canned or frozen)

3/4 block of Boursin garlic & fine herbs

1/4 C parmesan cheese

5 leaves fresh basil, sliced thin

Salt and pepper to taste

In a small pot, heat water until boiling. Add the orzo and cook 9 minutes. (Reserve some pasta water)

In a skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter and add the corn. Cook until just slightly golden. Remove from heat.

Add the cooked orzo to the pan of corn.

Stir in the Boursin cheese with a little bit of pasta water and combine. Add more pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.

Add in the parmesan, basil, salt and pepper. Stir until creamy and smooth. 

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is probably my favorite pasta dish. It is simple, hearty and delicious. You can also serve this over rice instead of egg noodles. 

Ingredients

1 lb egg noodles, cooked al dente

1/2 lb chuck roast, cubed

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 Tbsp minced garlic

Water

1 lb mushrooms, diced

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp kitchen bouquet

1/2 C sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan over medium high heat, add the oil. When hot add the cubed meat and onion. Cook until meat is browned and onions are soft. Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.

Cover the meat with water and simmer until water is almost gone. Cover with water and continue simmering again. Repeat this process another two times until your meat is tender.

When water is almost completely gone, add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften. Cover with water again and cook until 1/3 of the water is left. Stir in the salt, pepper, sour cream, cream of mushroom soup and kitchen bouquet. Let simmer for a few minutes. 

Stir in the cooked pasta or serve over steamed rice.