Corn Casserole

1 can corn
1 can creamed corn
1 1/2 cups uncooked pasta (I used small shells)
Small box Velveta, cubed
Ritz crackers, crushed

Mix the corns, pasta and Velveta together in an 8x8 pan. Once it's mixed well top with the ritz crackers. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Cyndie Call

Chicken Pasta Salad

Dressing:

2/3 cup white wine vinegar

1 cup oil

2/3 cup teriyaki sauce

6 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Salad: 

2/3 cups spinach

2 cups chopped chicken

1 can mandarin oranges

1 can chestnuts

1 bunch green onions chopped

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 box bowtie pasta

Cook pasta and mix with dressing and chicken. Let sit overnight or at least 2 hours. Add remaining ingredients just before serving. (or cranberries will stain the pasta pink).

By Fawn Fay

Spicy Roasted Vegetable Mac N Cheese

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into small chunks

1/2 red pepper, diced

small zucchini, quartered and sliced

10 baby carrots, sliced thinly

1 cup cauliflower florets, chopped into small chunks

2 cups whole wheat pasta (elbow macaroni, rotini, penne, etc.)

1/4 cup olive oil plus a little more for drizzling

1 garlic clove, minced

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp. breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil.
Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with aluminum foil.

Toss broccoli, red pepper, squash and carrots onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, toss to coat veggies. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Remove from oven and set aside.

Once water is boiling, lower heat slightly and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until well distributed and melted. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add macaroni and vegetables.

Place mixture in a large casserole dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Place under the broiler in your oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

by Trish Slussar

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

yourhomebasedmom.com3 red bell peppers
2-3 Tbsp onion
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 C fresh basil
3 Tbsp olive oil
1- 1 1/2 C half and half
1 tsp cornstarch
1/3 C grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat broiler.  Cut peppers in half and remove seeds. Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil and place cut side down on cookie sheet.  Place under broiler until skin is blackened and softened.  Place in a paper bag an alllow to steam for about 5-10 minutes.
Remove the skin from the peppers and cut into small pieces.
In a frying pan saute the garlic, sliced basil, red peppers and onion in olive oil.  Cook for 10 minutes.
Mix corn starch and half and half together well, no lumps.
Place mixture into blender (be careful it will be hot, leave the lid of blender slightly askew but not enough so that it will spray out)  Mix to desired consistency.  Put mixture back in frying pan and heat to a boil.  Add in half and half to the desired consistency.  Add in cheese and cook until cheese melts.  Stir in butter.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  If it thickens too much add some additional half and half.

Chicken Primavera with Pasta

Summer Miller (via Philadelphia Cooking Creme)
I left out the chicken so my daughter would eat it. I also substitute whatever veggies I have on hand.

1 lb. boneless chicken cut into bit size pieces
2 cups frozen stir fry vegetables (broccoli, carrots, peppers, snow peas)
1 Tub (10 oz) Philadelphia Creme ( I like the savory garlic blend the best)
2 cups hot cooked pasta


Cook and stir chicken in a nonstick skillet until done. Add vegetables, cook until heated through. Add cooking creme, cook and stir for 3 minutes. Stir in pasta.

This meal can be make in 15 minutes.

Tortellini with Roasted Butternut Squash

Terrah Anderson

This is a pretty dish with lots of veggies. I like how it uses soup for the pasta sauce. You can make the soup one night and use the leftovers to make the pasta dish a day or two later, or freeze it. The soup cooks easily in the crockpot or the stove. Sometimes I add chopped cooked chicken to the pasta, but it’s a good meal on its own too.

Tortellini with Roasted Butternut Squash - from Recipe Shoebox (http://recipeshoebox.blogspot.com)

2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (you can also use sweet potatoes)
1/2 - 1 Tbs. sage (divided)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbs. butter, chopped (I left this out)
3 cups butternut squash soup (you can buy this in a box or make your own—my recipe below)
2 pkg. (9-oz each) cheese tortellini, cooked a minute less than the package directs (or just regular noodles)

Preheat oven to 450°. Toss squash (or sweet potatoes) with 1 Tbs. sage, oil, salt, pepper, and chopped butter in mixing bowl. Spread mixture in even layer on baking sheet. Roast 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

Add roasted squash, soup, and remaining tablespoon sage to skillet on medium; bring to a simmer. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired. Add pasta. Cook 1 minute. Makes 5-6 servings.

Curry Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash (or you can use acorn squash or another type if you like)
1 onion, diced
3c. chicken broth (I use water and bullion cubes)

1 large apple, peeled and chopped

1 c. apple juice
1-2 tsp. curry powder
Salt and pepper

1 can evaporated milk (or fresh milk or half and half)

Cilantro Cream Chicken

Cilantro Cream Chicken
Serves 6

Disclaimer: If you can feel your arteries clogging and your blood pressure rising as you read the ingredients, PLEASE keep reading. It's an OLD Atkins recipe that I modified when I went back to my beloved carbs. This recipe can be made as FAT or THIN as you like. There are options at the end.

1 pound fusili (or other short pasta)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
salt and pepper
small onion, halved and sliced
small red pepper. sliced
6 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup bottled jalapeno slices

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. When it boils, add pasta and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken to pan and season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until chicken is almost cooked through.
Add peppers and onion to chicken, continue to cook until veggies are crisp tender. About 5 minutes.
Add cream cheese cubes and whipping cream. Cook and stir until cream cheese melts and sauce begins to bubble.
Add lime juice and half the cilantro.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in remaining cilantro and jalapenos.
Pour sauce over cooked pasta and toss to coat.

*I have made this recipe with the following substitutions, all with very similar results.

Cream cheese: regular, reduced fat or fat free.
Whipping cream: heavy, regular, half and half and fat free half and half.
Butter: I've made it with the whole amount, smaller amounts, and even with a little olive oil instead of butter.
I used reduced fat cream cheese, half and half and about 4 T. butter for the recipe exchange.

About the cayenne and jalapenos: Our family likes the heat to hurt a little. But you can easily reduce or eliminate them as you prefer.
I made it half strength for the recipe exchange.

Pork Dumplings

Cheryl Pugliano
Pork Dumplings (Pot Stickers)

1 pound ground pork

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 small red onion or green onions, chopped

minced ginger (1 in chunk)

S&P to taste

Mix well and refrigerated an hour or two for better flavor if possible but not necessary.

-OR-

Ground Beef Dumplings

1 pound ground beef

green onions or 1/2 of a type small onion

2 or more cloves of minced garlic or garlic powder

S&P to taste

Use the round type dumpling or wanton wrappers but square ones work also, just wrap like an egg roll. For the round wrappers, fold over like a half moon and pinching off the ends using water and your thumb/pointer finger to seal. Russian dumplings are boiled for 5-6 minutes or until done. Dumplings can be individually quick frozen and then placed all together in a bag, frozen, and used later. Asian dumplings are often sauteed on both sides in a little oil, then add water to the pan and continue to cook for at least 5 more minutes until meat is fully cooked.

Dipping sauce:

1/2 cup Soy Sauce (I use less salt type)

1-2 Tbsp. sesame oil

1-2 Tbsp. rice vinegar or white vinegar

1-2 green onions

1 Tbsp sugar

Mix it all together in a jar or tupperware container and taste to see if you prefer a little more oil, vinegar, or sugar.

Pasta with Pumpkin Alfredo

Pasta with Pumpkin Alfredo
Megan Darbous

1 Package fresh pasta
10 oz prepared alfredo sauce
1/2 T Butter
1/4 C finely minced onion
1/2 C canned pumpkin (try more if you love pumpkin, this is really mild)
2 T chicken broth
1 T chopped fresh sage (1 t. dried leaves)
1/2 T fresh thyme (1/2 t. dried leaves

Follow instructions on pasta to cook. In a separate sauce pan melt butter on medium heat. When melted, add onion. Make sure your onion is really finely diced. Since you have a nice smooth sauce you don't want big chunks of onion.

Saute until soft. Since they're small it should only take a couple of minutes. Add chicken broth and herbs. (I used fresh herbs, but I"m sure dry is great too, just go for leaves as opposed to ground spices so as not to muddy the color)
Use a spatula to deglaze the pan a bit and get any cooked bits of onion off the bottom. Add pumpkin and whisk to combine. Add alfredo sauce, stir to combine, and cook until heated through.

Thai Peanut Butter Chicken Pasta

Thai Peanut Butter Chicken Pasta
Megan Bradshaw

12 ounces linguine (NOT 16 ounces!)
2-3 breasts of cooked and chopped or shredded chicken. (I used 2 somewhat large ones)

Sauce:
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup finely shredded carrots
3 tablespoons minced garlic (yes, you read that right -- 3 tbs. Surprisingly, it's not too much)
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

Cilantro, cashews, and additional green onions to garnish (I usually do not do this)

Cook pasta in a large pot of water according to package directions, breaking pasta into thirds before boiling. Drain and return to pot. Set aside.

Heat 1 TBS sesame oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add green onions, carrots, garlic and ginger. Saute until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.

Combine honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and chili-garlic sauce in a bowl and and mix well. Add to vegetables. Add Chicken. Simmer sauce 2 minutes. Pour sauce over pasta and toss well.