A new family favorite

When Buca Di Beppo opened in a neighboring town, my husband and I had to check it out.  We heard nothing but fave reviews, so how could we not go!?  It was amazing.  Every dish was better than the next.  The food just kept coming!  I swear I ate my weight in tomato sauce that night.
Fast forward about 1 year.
We drove by the other night....IT'S CLOSED.  WHAT?!  How is that amazing place closed?!  While I silently cried in the car, I knew I had a secret in my back pocket.  I had one of their recipes. hehehehehe
I've made it so many times now and no one get sick of it.  Its the number one most request meal in the house.  Every week, it seems, this meal ends up on the menu.
I guess I can share it with you, but consider yourself lucky!!  Make it and enjoy :)

Spicy Chicken Rigatoni from Buca Di Beppo

INGREDIENTS
 1/4 cup oil
1/2 Tbs crushed red pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbs chopped garlic
6 oz chicken, sliced
3/4 cup. Marinara sauce
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
2 tsp butter
1/4 cup peas
1 lb Rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions additional
1/2 t crushed red pepper (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS
 1 In a sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper and garlic and sauté just long enough for garlic to caramelize and red pepper to release flavor into the oil. Add sliced chicken and sauté briefly to coat in spices and garlic.
2 Add Marinara Sauce first and then Alfredo Sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens slightly and chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°. Turn off flame, add butter and peas and incorporate into sauce.
3 Drop cooked pasta in boiling water for 3 seconds. Let drain for 15 seconds. Toss with the sauce. Place pasta and sauce in pasta bowl, reserving the majority of the chicken to be placed on top of the pasta. Using a rubber spatula, scrape any remaining sauce from the pan to the pasta. Garnish with crushed red pepper and serve.

Hubby made dinner!

This never happens. I mean, ok he sometimes makes the occasional tacos or grilled cheese, but a full blown dinner with a RECIPE....never.

When we bought our new Nissan Rogue I told him we had to cut back on the "Patty is sick of cooking lets order out" nights, and he would have to help me out. Well, he stuck to his word and made an amazing meal this week.

We got the new Food Network Magazine and the cover recipe looked outstanding. So Paul took it and made it!

The house smelled amazing. The food deslicious. And my husband totally proud of himself.

Pea-Prosciutto Sauce

we served over 4 cheese raviolis.

Directions
Cook 4 ounces chopped prosciutto in a skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until crisp, 4 minutes. Stir in 3 sliced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Ladle in 1 cup pasta-cooking water and simmer until reduced by half, 4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream and simmer until thickened, 3 minutes. Toss with 1 pound cooked ravioli, 1 cup blanched frozen peas and some chopped parsley. Top with grated parmesan.

Been a while, but i'm back...

I kind of took a break from trying new recipes, i needed it. I was starting to just go insane, and we needed to clean out our freezer!
but tonight was something new and delish!

Sirloin Steak with Dijon-Port Sauce

Ingredients
3 cups uncooked medium egg noodles
1 pound trimmed sirloin (about 1 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
1/2 cup port or other sweet red wine
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 cup less-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves


Preparation:
Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.

While noodles cook, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Lightly coat steak with cooking spray. Add steak to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer meat to a platter; keep warm.

Add port to pan, scraping to loosen browned bits. Stir in shallots and garlic; cook 45 seconds, stirring frequently. Add beef broth; bring to a boil. Cook 20 seconds; remove from heat. Add mustard and thyme, stirring with a whisk.

Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve steak and sauce with the pasta.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 344; Fat: 11g; Protein: 28.5g; Carbohydrate: 23.6g; Fiber: 1g; Cholesterol: 4.3mg; 97mg; Iron: Sodium: 501mg; Calcium: 36mg

Weight Watcher Points-8

Where's the beef?

It's in my Chili Mac Casserole, that's where!

Chili Mac Casserole

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste (make sure you taste!!)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese

Directions
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chilies and seasonings. Drain macaroni; add to beef mixture.

Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Dinner-5/28

This was pretty good, and we have leftovers for lunch today, but i think i would use less butter next time. this one is def. not diet friendly!

4 Cheese Macaroni

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni

9 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

8 ounces cubed processed cheese food

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain well and return to cooking pot.
	In a large bowl, combine the Muenster cheese, mild and sharp Cheddar cheeses, and Monterey Jack cheese; mix well.
	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
	Add the half and half, 1 1/2 cups of cheese mixture, cubed processed cheese food, and eggs to macaroni; mix together and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly greased deep 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon of butter.
	Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges; serve.

So theres no leftovers!

I made this last night and there isn't even a drop of sauce left over! I was really hoping for some leftovers for lunch, but no dice :(

Baked Manicotti

Serves/Makes: 6
Ready In: 30-60 minutes
Ingredients:
8 ounces Manicotti -- uncooked
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim Ricotta cheese -- whipped until smooth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg -- beaten
1/4 cup sliced scallions
2 teaspoons parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (26-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese -- for topping
Directions:Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. In medium bowl, blend Ricotta, Parmesan, egg and scallions. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. Stuff pasta with cheese mixture. Arrange in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Cover. Bake in a 350F oven until hot, about 35 minutes.