Pastas & Macaroni etc.

Rotini with Creamy Red Sauce, Italian Sausage and Chicken

++ The casserole in the photo was prepared using approximately 1/2 of my Rotini with Creamy Red Sauce, Italian Sausage and Chicken.

+ Rotini with Creamy Red Sauce, Italian Sausage and Chicken was inspired by ” jjbegonia’s Weeknight Chicken Riggies”. http://jjbegonia.com/2013/11/04/weeknight-chicken-riggies/

++ Update – December 2013

My sons and their families spent the weekend of December 15th here at my farmhouse, and we celebrated our ‘Roy Christmas’. We had so much fun being together – and this year there’s a new baby in the family!! (Our ‘Roy Christmas’ is usually two weeks before Christmas Day because one of my sons lives several states away.) I served Rotini with Creamy Red Sauce, Italian Sausage and Chicken, as well as Grammy Brouillette’s French Canadian Meat Pies – of course!

I’ve made three changes to the Rotini recipe simply because, like most people who love to cook, I really enjoy fiddling with recipes. So – now you have two ways to prepare this dish !

1. I took the casings off the Italian sausage and cooked the loose sausage-meat.

2. Instead of three boneless chicken breasts – I used one (1 1/2 lb.) package of chicken breast tenders, cut into 1″ pieces.

3. I added 1 (small) box of cherry tomatoes, cut in half.

This is a great pasta dish to make for guests because it’s yummy & it makes a lot ! And – the best part – you can prepare ahead and easily keep it warm in the oven, which gives you time to enjoy yourself.

I add red wine to my sauce. BUT, if you skip the red wine and add a bit of vodka, you have a delicious “Vodka Sauce”. Believe me, you won’t taste the vodka – it just gives the sauce another layer of flavor. Whether you add red wine or vodka, the alcohol content completely disappears during cooking, so there’s no concern about serving this dish to nondrinkers or children.

+ Recipe feeds approximately 6 – 7 people

+ To make less – prepare half the recipe, which is shown in the photo at the top of the page.

+ I kept the Rotini with Creamy Red Sauce, Italian Sausage and Chicken warm and also served it from one of those ‘portable ovens’. I highly recommend acquiring one if you entertain often. (They’re pretty inexpensive !!)

This isn’t a great photo – there was a lot going on, so I didn’t have to time to ‘light the shot’.

Ingredients and Method

1 to 1 /14 boxes — (16 oz.) Rotini, cooked al dente ++ I.E. – the center of the pasta should be chewy… not soft.) ++ There’s plenty of sauce if you chose to cook 1 1/4 boxes.)
2 packages (14 oz) Italian sausage — 1 HOT & 1 SWEET – cut into chunks. (Or – take the meat out of the casings and cook it loose.)
olive oil – you’ll need several tablespoons
1/2 cup water
3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts – cut into bite-sized chunks. OR 1 package ( 1 1/2 lbs.) chicken breasts tenders.
1 large green pepper, roughly chopped or sliced
1 large red pepper, roughly chopped or sliced
1 large onion, roughly chopped or sliced
3 cloves garlic – minced
2 jars (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce (I like ‘Bertolli Tomato & Basil’.)
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup red wine ….. OR ….. 1/4 vodka Feel free to add more wine or vodka ‘to taste’
OPTIONAL – 1 (small) box of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/3 – 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 to 1 cup HEAVY cream (Light cream works just as well….)
2 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped ++ Add as much, or as little, basil as you like!
1/3 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese – to sprinkle on top

Method

Cut sausage into chunks (or, take meat out of the sausage casings). Set aside. Cut 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1″ pieces – set aside.

Chop (or slice) 1 large red pepper, 1 large green pepper & 1 large onion. Set aside. Mince 3 cloves garlic – set aside.

Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet. Brown sausage pieces (or loose sausage meat). ++ The sausage does NOT need to be fully cooked. It’s going to cook more in the sauce. Place the browned sausage into a large saucepan or stockpot.

Remove most of the fat left in the frying pan – but not all.

Deglaze the skillet with 1/2 cup water. Add the chicken chunks and simmer (uncovered) for 4 – 5 minutes – stirring often – until chicken is no longer pink. ++ Don’t overcook chicken – you don’t want tough chicken! Place cooked chicken (and any juices) in the stockpot already containing the cooked sausage.

Now add a few tablespoons olive oil to your frying pan. Cook the chopped (or sliced) pepper and onions until they are crisp tender. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook another minute or so.

Place the cooked onions, peppers and garlic in the stockpot containing the cooked sausage and chicken.

Add to the stockpot; 2 jars (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce, 1 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/2 cup red wine ( OR ….. 1/4 cup vodka ) and 1/3 – 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. (Optional – 1 (small) box cherry tomatoes, cut in half.)

Simmer – uncovered – for 1/2 hour, stirring often so the sauce doesn’t stick. ++ While sauce is simmering – cook Rotini according to package directions.

After simmering sauce gently for a half hour, add 3/4 – 1 cup cream. (Any type of cream will do !) Simmer on low for 1 – 2 minutes. ++ Be sure to ‘simmer’ – you don’t want to curdle the cream! Add 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil. ++ I like to add the basil at the last minute so you really get all the fabulous fresh basil flavor, which seems to ‘get lost’ if it’s cooked too long.

+ These two photos show only HALF the recipe

Place the cooked and drained Rotini into a large serving bowl or casserole.

Add the creamy red sauce – mix until well-blended. Sprinkle on 1/3 – 1/2 freshly grated Parmesan cheese – and serve.

Or………you can bake your Rotini with Creamy Red Sauce, uncovered, at 350F for 15 – 20 minutes, which actually intensifies the flavor.

If you want to keep your Rotini with Creamy Red Sauce warm for a while – just lower the heat to 225F & cover the casserole with aluminum foil. Andiamo a mangiare !

November 19, 2013December 13, 2014

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!9 Comments

Gemelli Pasta Bake with Parmesan & Mozzarella and Rustic Italian Bread

++ For my recipe for Rustic Italian Bread – please follow this link – https://myyellowfarmhouse.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/rustic-italian-bread

A meal featuring saucy/cheesy baked pasta with a warm slice of homemade rustic Italian bread is always a sure winner. This recipe is a snap to make and it can be put together ahead of time – which is always nice, especially when you’re having guests.

In my case, I was at our house in the Pocono Mountains, with plans to leave the next day, when I decided that I’d rather cook up something with whatever was in the refrigerator rather drag it all home. If you follow this blog, you’ll know that I love “digging in the fridge” and making “what’s for dinner” using whatever I find. I found a bit of left-over spaghetti sauce that I’d made following ChgoJohn’s recipe for basic meat sauce. (It makes quite a bit, so I’d frozen some). http://fromthebartolinikitchens.com/2013/01/16/basic-meat-sauce-sugo-di-carne/ I also found some left-over red and green pepper, an onion, some left-over bottled spaghetti sauce – and – digging further, I found a box of pasta in the cupboard. We had run out of Parmesan, so I ran to the store – while there, I also purchased a bag of shredded Mozzarella.

I often bring my bread machine to the Pocono house, and my grandchildren love both making – and eating – homemade bread. So I decided I’d make – for the very first time – an Italian bread using the bread machine for the dough and then baking the bread in the oven. I’d never made Italian bread before and I was so happy with the results. In fact, the bread looked so beautiful it almost looked fake!

And – I gotta say – the pasta turned out yummy, though I only ate a small bit ’cause I wanted to freeze both the bread and the pasta for my son and his family when they returned to the Pocono house. And were they ever glad because on their next trip they brought along a bunch of nieces and nephew. From what I was told, the pasta – and especially the bread – were big hits!

View from the fabulous new lodge built by the ‘association’ where we have our home in the Pocono Mountains. I LOVE sitting here – you can bring something to eat, and, better yet… something to drink! So very peaceful….

Gemelli (pasta), which comes from the Italian word for twin, resembles two strands of pasta twisted together. These small pasta twists keep their shape and hold the flavor of sauce beautifully while retaining a firm “al dente” texture – which makes Gemelli perfect for a baked pasta dish. (Photo courtesy of Frites and Fries.com)

Ingredients for Gemelli Pasta Bake with Parmesan & Mozzarella

Oven at 350 F

Cook . . . covered – for 30 minutes. Uncover….cook for another 15 minutes

++ If the pasta has been refrigerated, it’ll take a bit longer to cook. (Here’s what I do to tell if it’s hot enough – I put a CLEAN finger in the middle – if it’s hot in the middle, then it’s ready!)

olive oil – about 2 Tbs.
1/2 to 3/4 green pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 – 3/4 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 (24 oz) jars of spaghetti sauce (I like Bertolli “Tomato & Garlic”.)
++ If you have some left-over sauce with meatballs or sausage, chop up the meatballs/sausage and add to the pasta. Or – you could add some left-over chicken or ground beef.
3 – 4 cups UNCOOKED Gemelli pasta, cooked according to package directions for al dente.
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese PLUS 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top (I highly recommend you buy freshly grated Parmesan – it just tastes so much better!)
1 bag shredded Mozzarella – DIVIDED
salt & pepper to taste

Follow the package instructions for cooking Gemelli pasta al dente. Once cooked, drain in a colander & rinse to prevent further cooking. While your pasta is cooking, heat some oil olive in a large skillet, and cook the green pepper, red pepper and onion just until they’re just “crisp tender”. If adding left-over sauce with meatballs etc. – add it now. If adding raw ground beef or chicken, remove the veggies and continue cooking until no longer pink. Reintroduce the veggies and add sauce. Mix well.

Pour your sauce into a big bowl. Add the pasta, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 1/2 the bag of shredded Mozzarella & combine.

Pour into a large casserole dish or a 13′ x 9″ pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan and the rest of the bag of shredded Mozzarella.

Bake at 350 F – covered – for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes – or until heated through.

If the pasta has been refrigerated, remove it from fridge about 20 minutes before cooking. – it might still take a bit longer go heat up – say 40 minutes covered & 15 more uncovered. Enjoy !

August 4, 2013January 24, 2015

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!11 Comments

Italian Pasta Sauce with Meat and Fresh Herbs

Recipe makes approximately 2 quarts. The sauce freezes well, so you can make a lot and freeze it for later! Or, you can easily halve the recipe.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. olive oil
3/4 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. ground pork
1 large onion, chopped (About 1 1/2 cups)
8 cloves garlic, minced (I highly recommend using a garlic press.)
4 Tbs. roughly chopped fresh parsley – divided
4 Tbs. roughly chopped fresh basil – divided
1/2 tsp.salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 to 1 cup red wine
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano
OPTIONAL – 10 Crimini (or any type of brown mushroom) mushrooms, sliced

In a large skillet with high sides – or a large pan, such as the size you boil pasta in, heat 3 Tbs. olive oil – add 3/4 lb. ground beef and 3/4 lb. ground pork. Break up the meat as it cooks, and continue cooking until juices run clear. Continue cooking until all liquid is absorbed and meat is browned a bit. Add chopped onion, HALF the chopped parsley, HALF the chopped basil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Continue cooking until onion is translucent.

Add tomato paste and mix until paste is thoroughly combined with the meat/onion mixture. Cook for another minute, then add the red wine. Allow to simmer a few minutes to intensify the flavors, then pour in the two cans of diced tomatoes.

I like to use a mesh cover to cut down on splashing. (I wonder why I bother… my kitchen is always a total disaster when I cook!)

Simmer the sauce – uncovered – for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every once in a while. ++ If you prefer your sauce thicker, just continue simmering a bit longer.

Photo shows Italian Pasta Sauce with Meat and Fresh Herbs – 1 hour into cooking time.

Add the rest of the chopped fresh basil and chopped fresh parsley, which will gives you a wonderful burst of flavor.

++ The diced tomatoes may still be a bit “chunky at the end of the cooking time. If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can “mash” the the diced tomatoes down a bit with a potato masher, which is what I do.

Remove the sauce from the heat. Pour yourself a glass of some of that red wine and enjoy !

Here’s the link to my friend John’s Italian Pasta Sauce recipe, which was the basis of this recipe. http://fromthebartolinikitchens.com/2013/01/16/basic-meat-sauce-sugo-di-carne/

June 18, 2013January 28, 2015

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!7 Comments

Stuffed Shells Florentine – Cook in Oven – OR – Outside on Your Grill !

++ These Stuffed Shells Florentine can be cooked outside on a covered grill set at “low” so your kitchen remains nice and cool !!t

The term Florentine, or à la Florentine, refers to any dish which is prepared in the style of the fabulous city of Florence, which resides in the Tuscan region of Italy. Florentine recipes often feature meat, poultry or fish served over a bed of spinach. In this recipe the spinach is, in fact, mixed with ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses – plus eggs, fresh parsley and some spices. All this deliciousness becomes the filling for the stuffed shells, over which a quick and easy marina sauce is poured, followed by a grating of either Parmesan or Romano cheese. I’ve been making this recipe for years and it’s always been a family favorite, however I decided to change both the filling and the sauce – and I have to say I’m very happy with the results!

I was recently invited to spend a weekend with friends in the beautiful town of Wells, Maine. I had decided Stuffed Shells Florentine would be great to bring because everyone likes them – and this recipe makes a lot! Several of us planned to head north in just one car, so, in order to save space, I prepared the filling and the sauce – and cooked the shells – in advance and then assembled the final dish the following night.

And, get this, my friend decided she’d cook the stuffed shells on the grill so we wouldn’t heat up her kitchen. I never would’ve thought of that . . . We took the containers of sauce, the filling and the precooked shells outside and assembled everything on the picnic table. Since there were three of us stuffing the shells, it only took a few minutes.

We sealed the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil, and placed it in the grill – which was set to LOW. Then we enjoyed a drink and just let the Stuffed Shells Florentine simmer away. We were very pleasantly surprised when we checked after a half hour to see the sauce bubbling away, signaling that the shells were thoroughly heated through.

So, now you have two choices – heat these in either your oven or your grill. Enjoy!

++ Cook stuffed shells in the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes.

++ Cook stuffed shells in covered grill set on LOW for about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

1 full box of jumbo pasta shells – cooked according to package directions and drained (We had about five shells for which we didn’t have filling, but they were the ones which had fallen apart, so that worked out well !)
2 jars (24 oz.) prepared tomato sauce (I like Bertolli – Tomato & Basil)
1/4 to 1/2 cup red wine
1 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
4 cups ricotta cheese (32 ounces)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese – plus extra to sprinkle on top !
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese – plus extra to sprinkle on top !
1 (10 oz) package frozen (DEFROSTED AND DRAINED!!) spinach (I actually squeeze the defrosted spinach to get out all the excess water.)
2 eggs
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (a.k.a. Italian parsley)
1 tsp. salt – (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

– – – – – “A Little Help from My Friends” Marinara Sauce – – – – –

Place two jars (24 oz.) of marinara sauce into a large saucepan – add 1/4 to 1/2 cup red wine and 1 Tbs. chopped fresh basil. Simmer, uncovered, over medium to medium-low heat while you cook the pasta shells and prepare the stuffing.

+ + I had planned to prepare a meat sauce featured on the blog “From the Bartolini Kitchens”. I had even purchased the ingredients but ended up “doctoring” a purchased sauce when I realized I was running out of time. (And I was actually very satisfied with the results of my “doctoring”.) But, if you’d like to make this dish with a traditional Italian meat sauce, take a minute to head over to John’s blog!

http://fromthebartolinikitchens.com/2013/01/16/basic-meat-sauce-sugo-di-carne/

– – – – – To Prepare the Filling – – – – –

In a medium bowl, mix 4 cups ricotta cheese, 2 cups shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan (or Romano) cheese , the defrosted and DRAINED spinach, 2 eggs, 1 Tbs.chopped flat leaf parsley, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper.

– – – – – Putting It All Together – – – – –

Pour about two cups of sauce in the bottom of a 10 x 13 pan – or a large disposable aluminum pan. With a large spoon, spread the sauce out a bit so most of the bottom is covered with sauce – you don’t have to be fussy about it ….

Fill each shell with a heaping soup spoonful of the cheese/spinach mixture. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells.

Sprinkle some shredded Mozzarella and grated Parmesan. (We ended up using some grated Monterey Jack in place of the grated Parmesan, which added a nice little “kick” of flavor!)

Ready for the Oven or Grill !! (Cover with aluminum foil.)

Cover with aluminum foil. If using oven, set temperature to 350 and cook until heated through – about 35 – 40 minutes. If using you grill, set dial to LOW and cook until heated through – about 30 minutes. (I put a – freshly washed – finger in the middle to check for doneness. It’s a bit unorthodox – but it works!)

Once the stuffed shells are heated through, remove the aluminum foil and let the shells sit about five minutes. Of course, if you just can’t wait, then you can skip the “let it sit” part. Enjoy!

June 17, 2013October 23, 2015

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!6 Comments

Thai-Inspired Chicken and Noodles

It’s always hard for me to wait until I’ve finished photographing a new recipe before I can enjoy it eating it – I just want to “dive in”. And that’s what I’m doing right now – happily eating some of my Thai-Inspired Chicken and Noodles. I’m also watching Haunted Collector, so between that and eating so late, I should be having some pretty strange dreams tonight!

I had planned to make Chicken-Ham Roll-Ups today but, instead, posted about our beautiful farm in Quebec. Then, I happened to come across a recipe I had created quite a while ago for Peanut Sesame Noodles, so I decided I’d make it and post the recipe. I’ve added some chicken to the recipe, so now it makes a complete meal. I must say, I’m pretty happy with the results!

Don’t be put off by the addition of peanut butter. Many countries cook with peanuts/peanut butter, so give this recipe I try. I think you’ll like it !!

I call this recipe “Thai-Inspired” because it’s not an authentic Thai recipe. For one thing, a true “Thai” recipe would probably not include this much peanut butter, so feel free to put in less. This dish is neither overly spicy or hot, so adjust the Cayenne pepper to your taste if you prefer heat. (You could add some red pepper flakes.) That’s the beauty of cooking – you can make this as spicy or peanut-y as you wish!

I highly recommend using Gravy Master because it gives this dish a boost of both flavor and color. (Flavour & colour for my international friends.) Actually, much of the enjoyment in eating comes down to how food looks, as well as how it tastes, so a bit of extra color can make a difference in a recipe. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

8 oz (1/2 package) linguine or angel hair pasta – any kind of long pasta or noodles, cooked according to directions and drained.
1 large onion, cut lengthwise into slices
1 Tbs. butter
2 pieces chicken breast, cut into 1″ chunks
1 tsp. Gravy Master – “Seasoning and Browning Sauce”
1/4 tsp. ginger (I used ground ginger but you could use fresh.)
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter – (Feel free to use less – I just happen to like LOTS!!)
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 – 3 pinches Cayenne pepper – (Add some red pepper flakes if you like.)
1 1/2 tsp. Teriyaki sauce (I like Kikkoman’s)
1 1/2 tsp. dark sesame oil
3/4 cup “half ‘n half” (cream)
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley, plus some for garnish

Melt 1 Tbs. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove cooked onions to a bowl and set aside.

Melt another 1 Tbs. butter, and add chicken chunks which have been mixed with 1 tsp. Gravy Master and 1/4 tsp. ginger. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. LOWER HEAT TO MEDIUM.

Add 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup chunky peanut butter (Again – feel free to use less peanut butter), 2 chicken bouillon cubes, 2 – 3 pinches Cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 tsps. Teriyaki sauce, 1 1/2 tsps. dark sesame oil, 3/4 cup “half ‘n half”, 2 tsps. chopped fresh parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Add cooked onion slices to skillet, and continue cooking and stirring just until everything is heated through. Adjust seasonings and serve. Enjoy!!

March 14, 2013October 27, 2014

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!4 Comments

Three-Cheese Mac and Cheese with Shrimp

Always loved Mac ‘n Cheese… always have… always will. I’m really happy with how this Three-Cheese Mac ‘n Cheese with Shrimp turned out!!! It’s super creamy, and has the added treat of lightly marinated shrimp.

This recipe came about because of two experiences; one yucky, and one delicious. First, the yucky experience. Not long ago, I ordered Shrimp, Macaroni ‘n Cheese at a local chain restaurant. I usually enjoy their food but not this time. The Shrimp, Macaroni ‘n Cheese was so nasty that I couldn’t even eat it. It was a gooey mess that tasted like it’d been made with wallpaper paste. (The waitress saw my still-full plate and didn’t charge me for the meal. Of course, I still had my “bar bill” !)

Now, on to the “yummy” experience. This past October some good friends invited me over for drinks and a fire. Although I hadn’t expected a meal, my friend Sue cooked up a bunch of great dishes – my absolute favorite was her Three-Cheese Mac ‘n Cheese. When I asked her how she made it, she dug into her trash and pulled out the recipe, posted on our local supermarket’s (Big Y) bag of Mac & Cheese Blend. So, that’s the recipe I used as the basis for my Three-Cheese Mac ‘n Cheese with Shrimp. I love the addition of the marinated shrimp ’cause I’m a great believer that even a good thing can always be made better.

When you see the ingredients, you’re gonna think, “Heart Attack on a Plate”! Don’t let the ingredients scare you – it’s super rich, so you don’t need to eat a lot. And it’s great for guests – I know ’cause I’ve served it to guests and they loved it – and that was before I got the idea of adding the marinated shrimp. Enjoy!!

I feel I should warn you…. this makes A LOT … and it’s so rich that a bit goes a long way. This recipe is great for a family – or a crowd, so if you don’t need a HUGE amount, then divide the recipe in half !!

Oven at 350 F Use at 10″ x 13″ casserole Cook for about 25 minutes

Ingredients

16 oz. bag of medium-to-large PRECOOKED shrimp (I buy frozen.)
2 tsp. Italian Dressing
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
16 oz. box of elbow macaroni – MINUS ONE CUP OF UNCOOKED MACARONI !!!
6 Tbs. butter (3/4’s of a stick of butter)
4 Tbs flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup light cream
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Purchase an 8 oz bag)
1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss Cheese
1 1/4 cups cut-up American Cheese (I don’t think they sell it shredded. Just ask the deli for about 1/2 pound, and then cut it up to equal 1 1/4 cups.)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt with parsley
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (The rest of the 8 oz. bag.)
1 cup “smashed up” butter crackers…. such as Ritz

If, like me, you buy frozen precooked shrimp, make sure you allow the shrimp to drain in a colander for a while to remove any excess liquid. If the shrimp have tails, cut them off, then cut the shrimp into 2’s or 3’s, depending upon the size of the shrimp.(Shrimps for my European friends!) Place the shrimp in a medium-sized bowl, and mix in 2 tsp. Italian Dressing and 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce – set shrimp aside.

Cook the elbow macaroni (minus the 1 cup) according to the package directions. While macaroni is cooking, start making the sauce. In a medium-sized pan, over medium heat, melt 6 Tbs. butter. Once butter is melted, add 4 Tbs. flour, and stir with a whisk (or spoon) until well-blended. (Mixture will be frothy.) Continue to cook, stirring, for another minute. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups whole milk and 3/4 cup light cream. Continue cooking and stirring for about three minutes – mixture will be slightly thickened.

Add 1 cup sour cream and mix until thoroughly blended, then add the Cheddar, Swiss and American cheeses. Remove from the heat. The sauce and cheese mixture is probably gonna look pretty thick and globby at this point – but that’s what you want. Add 1/2 tsp. garlic salt with parsley and 3/4 tsp. salt. If your pan is large enough, stir in the shrimp, but you’re gonna need a large bowl in order to mix the sauce & shrimp mixture with the macaroni.

Pour cheese sauce/shrimp/macaroni mixture into a large casserole. Sprinkle on 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese – which should finish the 8 oz. bag. Sprinkle 1 cup “smashed up” butter crackers over the cheese. (An easy way to break up the crackers is to put a bit more than half-a-sleeve into a gallon storage bag, then “smash” the crackers with your hand, a can or the side of a hammer.)

Cook in a 350 F oven for about 25 minutes – or until the edges of the casserole are slightly bubbly……… I think a nice baby spinach salad with sliced apples, walnuts, thinly sliced Bermuda onion and mushrooms would be great with this. Enjoy!

February 9, 2013February 9, 2014

My Yellow Farmhouse - Cooking with Love!18 Comments

Penne Mozzarella Bake

Hi There – well, here’s another recipe from the woman who’s in the running for The World’s Worst Procrastinator! I’ve recently been thinking, “Maybe I’ll put these recipes out there – and no one’s gonna ever see them”. Then, I noticed that almost 100 people have “checked out” my little recipe blog so far….even though I have, at this point, so few recipes. If that’s not a motivating factor, then I don’t know what is!! I’m sending out a great, big THANKS to my first 100 visitors! And I promise, there’ll be lots and lots of delicious recipes “comin’ at ya” from My Yellow Farmhouse!

I made up this recipe recently – and – I gotta say – it’s damn good!! Perhaps it’s the additional depth of flavor due to adding some red wine, and simmering everything together for a bit before assembling and baking this Penne Mozzarella Bake.

Oven at 350 F Serves 6

smaller-sized Penne (macaroni) – measure 3 cups, then cook “al dente”
1 lb. ground beef – 80% lean
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper – or mixture of red & green
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. garlic salt with parsley
black pepper to taste – about 1/4 tsp.
1 tsp. salt
4 cups prepared spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan – divided in two – 1/4 cup portions
7 oz. container of sliced fresh mozzarella, drained

In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Remove beef from skillet, taking out most of the fat, but not all. Add the chopped onion and pepper to the skillet; cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. Return beef to skillet. Simmer with the chopped onions and peppers for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add spaghetti sauce, spices and red wine. Lower heat, cover skillet, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you don’t have a big lid, cover with foil.)

Add the cooked Penne to the simmered spaghetti sauce mixture. (If there’s not enough room in the skillet, mix Penne and sauce mixture in a large bowl.)

Place half the Penne/sauce mixture in a 2-quart casserole. Then, in a single layer, place the drained mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with the 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Cover this layer with the rest of the Penne/sauce mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 F – uncovered – for 30 minutes. Pour yourself a nice glass of the red wine left-over from making the sauce – and ENJOY!!