Guest Post: Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Bake

Ingredients:
8-10 Chicken Tenderloins (or 4-5 breasts, well-pounded)
1 Package of your favorite noodles - I used bowties and penne.
1 Jar of Creamy Alfredo Sauce - my favorite is Classico Three Cheese Alfredo
1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce - again, my favorite is Classico Tomato and Basil
1 Cup of grated Mozzarella Cheese
1 Cup of grated Cheddar

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the Alfredo and Spaghetti sauce first in a separate bowl while cooking the noodles. Remove the noodles right before they are fully softened as they will finish cooking in the oven.

Put layer of sauce (about 1/3 of mix) on bottom of 13x9, then a generous amount of noodles (about half of what was made).

Lay the chicken evenly across noodles, then pour another 1/3 of sauce mix on top and spread evenly.

Pour the rest of the noodles, then sauce on top of chicken.

Finally, sprinkle cheese on top, and cover with foil.

(From bottom up, the layering should be sauce, noodles, chicken, sauce, noodles, sauce, cheese).

Then, bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. This is approximate because I just checked the chicken to make sure it was done - make sure there is no pink left in your chicken!

~Elizabeth @ A Healthy Wait

Honey and Wine Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
3/4 cups warm water
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 tsp active yeast
1 tsp honey
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups flour
3-4 roma tomatoes (or any good ripe tomatoes)--diced
2 cloves garlic--minced
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
fresh chopped basil
shredded mozzarella cheese

In a mixing bowl combine:
3/4 cups warm water
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 tsp active yeast
1 tsp honey
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil

Allow yeast to foam (about 5 minutes) before stirring in:
3 cups of flour
 Turn on to floured board and knead 2 minutes. Place in oiled bowl, cover, and allow to double (about 1 hour).

Before...

While waiting....
In a small bowl combine:
3-4 roma tomatoes (or any good ripe tomatoes)---diced
2 cloves garlic--minced
3 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour (while dough is rising).

After an hour, it didn't grow much. But it still turned out. So don't let that discourage you!

Punch down and allow to rest 15 minutes. Divide in 2. Roll out into 8-10' rounds.

Spread tomato mixture evenly on the pizza dough rounds. Sprinkle with:
fresh chopped basil

Bake at 475 for 6 minutes then top with:

shredded mozzarella cheese
Return to oven and finish baking, about 4 minutes. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately.

Chicken and Wild Rice (Chicken Casserole)

10 oz uncooked wild rice (we use white rice) - I used brown: tip below.

4-8 chicken breast, boneless & skinless
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup - I strongly dislike mushrooms, but didn't realize I didn't have a third cream soup until I was cooking it. I substituted Campbell's "chicken and rice" soup and it worked great.
1/2 cube butter - I didn't even use 1/8 and it still tasted great. The butter seems unnecessary if you are looking to cut calories.
2/3 cup white/sherry or port wine (non-alcoholic cooking sherries)
1 small pkg slivered almonds (optional)
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
paprika

Soak brown rice in warm water while defrosting your chicken. (I also made the casserole the night before cooking it and allowed the rice to sit in the mixture all night. The rice turned out great - which is a first for me with brown rice!) Put rice in bottom of buttered 9x13 glass pan. 

Mix soups & wine in separate bowl.

Melt butter. Put 1/2 soup and 1/2 butter on rice. Lay chicken breasts on top, as flat as possible. 

Put the rest of the soup and butter on top. 

Cover with Parmesan cheese. Add almonds (optional). Shake paprika over top. 

Cover with foil and bake at 275 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Serves 4-8 (or makes great leftovers).

Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 pound of sweet italian sausage
1 pound of ground beef
1/2 cup chopped conions
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans of tomato sauce
2 (6 ounce) cans of tomato paste
1/2 Cup of Water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon fennel seed
2 teaspoons fresh Basil leaves chopped
4 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
23 ounces of ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 egg
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 lasagna noodles

Start with the following in a pot:
1 pound (450 g) of sweet Italian sausage
1 pound (450 g) of ground beef
1/2 cup (120 mL) of chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic chopped

Brown the ground beef, Italian sausage, onions and garlic in a pot until they start to cook. It takes about 6 to 9 minutes to brown the meat. I like to use a Dutch oven to cook this portion of the recipe. I use a medium low temperature to brown the meat. It is optional to remove the grease from the meat once it is finished browning, your choice.

1 (28 ounce) (784 g) can of crushed tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) (230 g) cans of tomato sauce
2 (6 ounce) (168 g) cans of tomato paste
1/2 (120 mL) cup of water

Gently stir this into the cooking meat.

One major key to this recipe is the fresh ingredients. Fresh basil and parsley smell amazing and make a big difference in taste!

2 tablespoons (30 mL) white sugar
1 teaspoon (5 mL) fennel seed
2 teaspoons (10 mL) fresh Basil leaves chopped
2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh Italian parsley chopped
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
1 teaspoon (5mL) Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground pepper

Gently stir these seasonings into the sauce.

Cover the pot and let the meat sauce simmer. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This is the ideal simmer time but not mandatory. If you don't have time it will still be great after one hour of simmering.

Soak 12 lasagna noodles.

The lasagna noodles need to be soaked in hot tap water for 15 minutes.

While the noodles are soaking you can make the cheese filling.

Put the following in a mixing bowl:

23 ounces (644 g) of ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) fresh grated nutmeg

Grate fresh nutmeg over the Ricotta cheese.

Add the following:1 egg
2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh Italian parsley chopped

Mix these ingredients together with a spoon.

Now we start building the lasagna layers.
Use a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Spread 2 Cups (480 mL) of meat sauce on the bottom of the pan.

Remove your lasagna noodles out of the water bath. Shake water off wet noodles.

Lay 6 noodles across the layer of sauce.

Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the layer of noodles.

Spread 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta layer.

Spread 2 cups (480 mL) of meat sauce over the cheese layer.

Lay down the next layer of noodles.

Spread the remaining ricotta mixture over noodles.

Spread the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses saving some cheese for the top of the lasagna.

Put the last layer of meat sauce on the cheeses.

I found that a rubber brush worked the best to spread the ricotta cheese mix

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Cover with foil.
Bake in preheated oven at 350F (177C) for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 25 minutes.

Tropical Berry Smoothie

Ingredients:
3 1/2 Tbsp Plain Yogurt
1 Banana
3/4 cup Blackberries
1 1/2 cup strawberries
3/4 cup Pineapple
3/4 cup orange carrot juice (substitute with water or other juice, such as lemonade, if desired.)
1/3 package of orange juice concentrate
6-7 ice cubes (or more depending on how you like the consistency)

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend well.
Serve and Enjoy

Side note: If you do not like seeds of any kind, this drink may not be for you.

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Bake

I made up this recipe about two weeks ago, unfortunately didn't think to take picture until after we'd already eaten about 1/3 oof the pan. Oh well! The recipe is pretty self -explanatory, but if you have any questions feel free to let me know!

Ingredients:
8-10 Chicken Tenderloins (or 4-5 breasts, well-pounded)
1 Package of your favorite noodles - I used bowties and penne.
1 Jar of Creamy Alfredo Sauce - my favorite is Classico Three Cheese Alfredo
1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce - again my favorite is Classico Tomato and Basil
1 Cup of grated Mozzarella Cheese
1 Cup of grated Cheddar

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix Alfredo and Spaghetti sauce first in a separate bowl while cooking the noodles. Remove the noodles right before they are fully softened as they will finish cooking in the oven.

Put layer of sauce (about 1/3 of mix) pon bottom of 13x9, then a genourous amount of noodles (about half of what was made).

Lay chicken evenly across noodles, then pour another 1/3 of sauce mix on top and spread evenly.

Pour the rest of the noodles, then sauce on top of chicken.

Finally, sprinkle cheese on top, and cover with foil.
(From bottom up, the layering should be sauce, noodles, chicken, sauce, noodles, sauce, cheese).

Then, bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. This is approximate because I just checked the chicken to make sure it was done - make sure there is no pink left in your chicken!

You really can't go wrong with this combo - it was delicious! Sorry for any ambiguity, however. As I said, I didn't even think about writing it down or keeping track until after we'd already eaten some of it! Again, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! Enjoy!

Pasta Primavera Sauce

Prep Time: 20 Mins.
Serves: 4-7 (depending on age, gender, and hunger level of your guests!)

You will need...
*1/3 cup olive oil
*1 large carrot
*1 large zucchini
*1 large squash
*2 cups broccoli (The only pre-cut, frozen vegetable to use. All others should be fresh!)
*15-20 grape tomatoes (or 10 cheery tomatoes, you decide)
*1/2 yellow onion
*3 cloves of garlic
*Cayenne Pepper
*Basil
*Parsley
*Sea Salt
*One jar of your preferred red sauce (I prefer Classico Fire-Roasted Tomato and Garlic)
*1/2 jar of your preferred alfredo sauce ( I prefer Classico Creamy Alfredo)

Preheat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Begin thinly slicing/chopping vegetables in the order written. As you are chopping, begin adding + stirring vegetables immediately as you continue, allowing the carrot to begin cooking first as it will take the longest, etc. Add sprinkle of salt. OCCASIONALLY STIR. After adding the broccoli cover and allow to simmer while you continue chopping, adding, stirring.

When all vegetables are fully steamed (soft, coming apart, etc.) pour into large sauce pan. Add full jar of red sauce, and 1/2 jar of alfredo sauce. Add light sprinkle of Cayenne pepper. (Spicy warning: Add depending on how much your taste buds can handle. A small amount is not spicy, only flavorful, but it builds up quickly) Add generous amounts of basil and parsley. Turn on heat to medium high and allow to steep + stew for a minimum of 10 minutes.

Pour over your favorite pasta or dip with you favorite bread and Enjoy!