Taco Pasta

When I saw this in my google reader, I knew I had to make it! My husband LOVED it!

Stove Top Taco Pasta
Source: About a Bit of Everything

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1/4 c taco seasoning
3/4 c water
1 pkg low fat cream cheese (8 oz)
1 box pasta (we used rotini)
optional: cheese of your choice to sprinkle on top (we used mozzarella)

Directions
Brown ground beef in a large dutch oven. Combine taco seasoning and water. Pour taco seasoned water over browned meat, stirring to ensure all meat is covered. Simmer to reduce amount of liquid (approximately 5-10 minutes) on low. Once reduced, add cubed cream cheese, stirring to incorporate fully. Prepare pasta according to directions and drain. Add drained pasta to dutch oven, stirring to coat completely.

Mac & Cheese

Those of you who know me well, know I really don't like cheese. I don't like cheese in my sandwiches, I don't like cheese on my pizza, and I don't like mac & cheese unless it's from a blue box. Well, my husband on the other hand, likes EXTRA cheese on EVERYTHING. So, when I came across this mac & cheese recipe from Fresh From Cate's Kitchen, I know I had to try it. Her pictures make it look creamy and delicious - which it is. It's like a home-made version of velveeta shells & cheese.

Easy Mac & Cheese

(adapted from Cooking Light, May 2007)

1 1/4 cups uncooked macaroni
1 cup 1% milk
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp salt
a few grinds of a pepper mill

Cook pasta in a medium saucepan according to package directions.
Transfer to a colander.
In the same saucepan, combine the milk and flour over medium heat, stirring with a whisk.
Cook, stirring constantly until thickened (about 2 minutes).
Add cheese, salt, and pepper, and continue whisking until all the cheese is melted.
Turn off heat, stir in the pasta, and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

This is so super easy, and really good. Enjoy!

Spicy Garlic Herbed Pasta

I found this recipe from Katie at Good Things Catered. Katie has one of my favorite blogs, so I knew when I saw this recipe it would be amazing. And it really was - soo good. I served this dish with Lemon Velvet Chicken and topped it with a little of the leftover sauce from the chicken. It was amazing.

Spicy Garlic Herbed Pasta

Ingredients:
1 lb pasta of choice (I used egg noodles)
2 tsp olive oil
5 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed (I used a large spoon full of the already chopped stuff, I'm a cheater!)
1/2 tsp dried hot red-pepper flakes
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
1/8 c. fresh thyme, minced
juice 1/2 lemon

Directions:
-Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil.
-Cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, according to package instructions.
-Reserve 1 c. pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
-Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
-Add garlic to skillet and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute.
-Add red pepper flakes, wine, salt, and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, 1 minute.
-Add butter to skillet, stirring until melted, and stir in herbs and lemon juice.
-Remove skillet from heat.
-Toss pasta well in large bowl, adding some of reserved cooking water if necessary to keep moist. (mine did not need this)

ENJOY!

Penne Alla Vodka

Amisdt my husband and I trying to cut back on our grocery spending, we have decided to meal plan and buy our groceries specific to the meals we want to create. While browsing other blogs to find new meals to make, I found this Penne Alla Vodka recipe from Telly's Tasty Tidbits. It looks simple and delicious, and let me tell you it is. I didn't have all the ingredients on hand, so I changed it up a bit. To see the original recipe, click the link above. This is my version:

Penne Alla Vodka

-26 oz tomato sauce

-1/2 cup heavy cream

-1/2 vodka

-1/2 cup of "pizza" shredded cheese (this is what's it is called in my store, it is actually a mix of mozzerella, parmesan and something else..)

1 box penne noodles

-Cook noodles while preparing sauce

-For the sauce, bring tomato sauce and vodka to a simmer in a sauce pan. Once bubbly, add in the cream and let simmer. Once bubbly, add in the cheese and let simmer. Once bubbly, add the cooked pasta and stir together. I added a little bit of parsley at the end also. It is so good and so easy. Enjoy!