Bacon Spinach Tortellini Bake

This Bacon Spinach Tortellini Bake is easy to make with only 6 ingredients, unless you want to make homemade Alfredo sauce. I’ve provided a link below for the Alfredo recipe. It’s very simple just a white roux and Parmesan cheese minus all the extra ingredients you find in a jar. Serves 6 Total Time: 70 minutes 

Ingredients:

1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce 
1/3 cup water 
1 package (19 oz) frozen cheese-filled tortellini 
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped cooked bacon  
1 bag (5 oz) baby spinach, coarsely chopped 
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz) 

Directions:

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish generously with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix Alfredo sauce and water. Arrange half of the frozen tortellini in single layer in baking dish; top with 1/4 cup of the bacon, half of the spinach, half of the Alfredo sauce mixture and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons bacon. Spray one side foil with cooking spray and cover baking dish, sprayed side down. Bake 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until bubbly around edges and hot in center.

Make your own Alfredo sauce here

Italian Pasta Salad

Here is another cold pasta salad for those hot nights when you don’t want to cook over a stove or even a grill. This would also be great for a cookout, pot luck or a family gathering. Serves 8 Total Time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients:

Kosher salt 
1 pound penne pasta, cooked according to package instructions 
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
1 16-ounce jar giardiniera, drained and chopped 
5 ounces provolone cheese, diced (1 cup) or real mozzarella 
5 ounces salami, diced (1 cup) 
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 
Freshly ground pepper 


Directions:

Mix the mayonnaise, olive oil and red wine vinegar in a large bowl. Add the cooked penne pasta and toss well. Add the giardiniera, provolone, salami, parsley and basil; toss well and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy! 

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Too hot to cook a big meal? I made this Mediterranean Pasta Salad it was just enough for a hot muggy summer night. You can also serve this as a side or add a protein if you like, try pepperoni, salami (I did) or chicken and make it a meal. Serves 4-6 Total Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients:

3- Cucumbers medium size, cut into bite size pieces 
1-Pint Grape Tomatoes, halved  or 2-3 medium tomatoes, sliced
1- Can sliced Black Olives 
1/2 jar of roasted red peppers, sliced
16-oz box of tri-colored rotini, cooked
1- Container Feta Cheese 
1/2- Red Onion, diced 
2- Tbsp Olive Oil 
2- Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 
1- tsp Dried Oregano 

Instructions: 

In a large serving bowl add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, roasted red peppers, black olives, cooked pasta and any protein, if using. In a small bowl combine your olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and oregano. Pour dressing over veggies and  toss until everything is coated. Sprinkle the top with feta. Chill 1/2 hour before serving. 

Rigatoni with Summer Bolognese

Per Food Network, “Summer pasta dishes don’t have to all be mayonnaise drenched side dishes. Case in point: Rigatoni with Summer Bolognese. Making the most of sweet summer tomatoes, this homemade Bolognese highlights the beauty of fresh Farmer’s Market produce in a classic way. Great fresh or leftover, this dish will become a summer staple in your household.” Serves 4 Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Kosher salt
10 ounces rigatoni (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely diced
2 small carrots, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then drain. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the ground beef, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until evenly combined, 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until almost completely dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, the tomatoes and half the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the mixture is saucy, 4 to 7 minutes. Add the cheese to the sauce, then add the rigatoni; season with salt and pepper and toss, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Divide among bowls and top with the remaining basil and more parmesan.

Grilled Chicken with Marsala Risotto

This chicken marsala recipe from BH&G looks like it came from a fancy Italian restaurant, but surprise: this jazzed-up risotto recipe is actually super-doable to recreate in your own kitchen. Serves 4 Total Time: 50 minutes 

Ingredients:

2 cups thinly sliced fresh cremini mushrooms
1/2 of a large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry Marsala
2 1/2-3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
14 – 16 ounces chicken breast tenderloins
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup finely shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach leaves

Directions:

In a large saucepan cook mushrooms and onion in hot oil over medium heat about 10 minutes or until tender and light brown, stirring occasionally. Add rice and 1 clove of the garlic. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until rice begins to brown. Remove from heat. Carefully add Marsala; return to heat. Cook and stir until Marsala is absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan bring broth to boiling; reduce heat and simmer. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the broth to rice mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat until broth is absorbed. Add the remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until broth is absorbed. (This should take 15 to 20 minutes)

In a small bowl combine thyme, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the salt. Rub the remaining 2 cloves garlic over chicken; sprinkle with thyme mixture. Lightly coat both sides of chicken with cooking spray.

Heat your grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170°F), turning once. If chicken browns too quickly, reduce heat to medium. Add cheese and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper to rice mixture, stirring until cheese is melted. Stir in spinach. Spoon rice mixture onto serving plates. Top with chicken...yummy!

Italian Hot Bake

First time I made this Italian Hot Bake, I made it exactly as written. The next time I made some changes, because I thought it needed more flavor. I used mild Italian sausage instead of ground beef, added some chopped pepperoni and sliced black olives. I did not put this in the oven. After browning the sausage and onion and green pepper I added the spices and tomato sauce. Simmered for about 20 minutes; covered. Added the pepperoni and olives, stirred. About 10 minutes before serving, I added the cooked bow ties. It was more to my liking. This is a keeper. What would you change? Serves 4 Total Time: 70 minutes

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups uncooked multigrain bow tie pasta (about 4 ounces)
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook and crumble beef with 1/2 cup mushrooms, onion and green pepper over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Stir in seasonings and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Place pasta in an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with meat sauce and remaining mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Bake, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted, 5-10 minutes.

Italian Chop Salad

This Italian Chop Salad is great for lunch or a light dinner. Serves 2 Total Time: 15 minutes 


Ingredients:

4 cups chopped romaine, iceberg or Bibb (Boston) lettuce 
1/2 cup peeled English cucumber, cubed (no cucumber, use celery, green pepper or radishes)
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes or quartered Campari tomatoes 
1/4 cup sliced red onion 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste 
1/2 roasted red pepper, in water, chopped 
1 ounce genoa salami, sliced 
6 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella 

Directions:

Toss the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion with oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with roasted red pepper, salami and mozzarella. Also good with olives, hard boiled eggs or pepperoncini