White Spinach-Artichoke Chicken Lasagna

This White Spinach-Artichoke Chicken Lasagna has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChooseSmart #CollectiveBias

I am all about celebrating food, so when I found out that September was Family Meal Month I decided to honor the month with a delicious recipe that is perfect for family mealtime! There’s not much better than sitting around the table with family, sharing a fabulous dinner. Whether we are talking about our day, discussing upcoming plans, playing word games or telling jokes - being with my family during dinner time is the highlight of my day. And as anyone who cooks for a family knows - it’s awesome when everyone likes the meal you just prepared. When all plates are cleared and there are requests being made for seconds, you know the meal is a great success! Since my family loves lasagna I decided to celebrate Family Meal Month with a new lasagna creation: White Spinach-Artichoke Chicken Lasagna. It was a hit with my family {kiddos included} and I hope it’s a hit with yours too!

[ad] 10 Minute Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta {Pizza Inspired}

This 10 Minute Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EverydayEffortless #CollectiveBias

If I could live in any season year-round it would most certainly be fall. The cooler weather, the colors outside changing, fall harvest, comfy clothes, Halloween and pumpkin pie - I was seriously made for this season. In addition to our regular fall-time activities we've added Little League Fall Ball to the calendar this year. Let me tell you, there are few things more precious than watching a team of 6-8 year olds geared up to give it all they got on the baseball field. They are by far my favorite sports team, including professional, out there! One thing I've learned about having a kiddo play Little League - it's a game-changer for dinner. With practices and games smack dab in the middle of our normally scheduled dinnertime I've been having to adjust {and readjust} for a new dinnertime routine. My new favorites are quick-to-make meals, allowing me to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with my family. This 10 Minute Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta {Pizza Inspired} recipe fits the bill perfectly!

AD Mac + Cheese Pasta Salad with Bacon

This summer-inspired comfort food recipe for Mac + Cheese Pasta Salad with Bacon has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SummerYum #CollectiveBias

I am totally amped to be sharing this Mac + Cheese Pasta Salad with Bacon with you today! It's a marriage of two of my favorite side dishes: mac + cheese and pasta salad. Mac + Cheese is one of my all time favorite comfort foods - always has been and always will be. The taste of a warm, gooey bowl of Mac + Cheese reminds me of Grandma, corningware and snowy winters. It just doesn't feel right digging into a bowl of all that warm goodness during the hot summer months, it just doesn't. So, I switched it up and made a dish that can not only be enjoyed at home during the summer months but it also works great to bring along for all of those BBQs and July 4th celebrations on the calendar!

Red Hot Chili Pepper Mac & Cheese with Bacon {Mezzetta Recipes}

One of my favorite comfort foods is Mac & Cheese. It's warm ooey-gooey cheesiness is pleasurable enough to make most bad days tolerable. Yes, I just admitted to emotional eating - let's just move on... The other day I was introduced to Mezzetta Everything Spread and instantly thought it would be the perfect way to kick my favorite Mac & Cheese recipe up a notch. {I was so, so, so right!} The recipe is a cinch to make, so the hardest part was deciding which Everything Spread to incorporate into the goodness. I hemmed, then I hawed - but then finally decided on creating this Red Hot Chili Pepper Mac & Cheese with Bacon. This is like top-shelf comfort food y'all!!

25 Delicious Ways to Celebrate National Noodle Month

March is National Noodle Month, here are 25 Delicious Ways to Celebrate!!

1. Vampire Slayer Ramen Express

Lady and Pups

2. Lobster Mac and Cheese

Half Baked Harvest

French Onion Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Spinach

These may look like any ol' stuffed shells - but these little gems have a secret ingredient that packs a whole lot of flavor. I'll blame it on my recent craving for Onion Dip and that solo packet of Lipton's Onion Soup Mix that has been staring me dead in the face every time I open the pantry. That little blue box has been begging me to put it in everything, but I've been patient and waiting for the perfect time. This was it folks, this was it.

I can totally admit that I was a touch weary of adding onion-y goodness to these stuffed shells. I mean, onion goes great with sausage and great with spinach - but tomato pasta sauce? This was one of those dishes that had me second guessing myself up until the point I was standing in the kitchen devouring my first Cheesy French Onion Stuffed Shell with Sausage and Spinach.

I mixed the Onion Soup in with all the other tasty ingredients I'd normally put in stuffed shells, but this time I let the mixture sit for a little to allow the flavors to marinade together.

Then I crammed the shells full of the onion-y, cheesy goodness. Crammed.

Poured some sauce on top and sprinkled some cheese, then baked them for about 35-40 minutes. Let me tell you, if you make these your kitchen is going to smell amazing. Don't open a window or the neighbors are going to come knocking and asking what it is your cooking.

On second thought, this recipe makes 30 shells - open the window and invite them over!!

Onion Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Spinach
makes approximately 30 stuffed jumbo shells
(PRINTABLE RECIPE)
Ingredients
1¼ cup Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled into smaller pieces.
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
15oz. ricotta cheese
5oz. frozen chopped spinach, derosted and squeezed dry
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons Lipton Onion soup mix
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
30 jumbo shells, cooked according to package
1 jar pasta sauce {I used Newman’s Own Mushroom Marinara}
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Mix together first 8 ingredients. {italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, onion soup mix, italian seasoning and black pepper}
3. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
4. Stuff each shell with 1 heaping tablespoon of cheese mixture. Place in baking dish. {I filled up my dish with as many as possible to try and help keep all the shells upright.}
5. Carefully pour more pasta sauce over the top of pasta shells (I didn't measure the amount I used, just eyeballed it.) and sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.
6. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Devour and enjoy!

Tri-Sauce Lasagna Pastry and Butterfinger Tres Leches Cake #Valentines4All

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. #CollectiveBias #Valentines4All

My husband and I have never been big on going out to dinner on Valentine's Day. There are too many variables that could really mess up a romantic meal {lost reservations, poor service, bad food, etc.}, so we do Valentine's Day dinner at home. Plus, we've got ourselves a small brood {4 kids under the age of 5} and by going to a restaurant we could quite possibly be the cause of another couple's ruined romantic meal.  So, every year I plan us a made-at-home dinner with something easy-to-make for the kiddos {they're easy to please with tortellini, marinara sauce & baby carrots}. This year I have decided to make Tri-Sauce Lasagna Pastry for our dinner and a Butterfinger Tres Leches Cake for dessert. I was able to test out both recipes this past week and am beyond excited for our romantic meal on February 14th, 2014!

The first task was getting started on the Tri-Sauce Lasagna Pastry, it's something I have never made before and was super amped to try-out. It's basic lasagna made with marinara sauce, pesto sauce and alfredo sauce - then wrapped in a puff pastry dough and baked again until golden brown and served over more sauce. It's deliciously cheesy, crispy, saucy, meaty and above all else - it's totally novelty for a Valentine's Day romantic meal!

Spinach Artichoke Dip Chicken Skillet

To create a weeknight dinner, as part of a sponsored post for La Terra Fina, I made Spinach Artichoke Dip Chicken Skillet using an all-natural dip from La Terra Fina.

If you like Spinach Artichoke Dip, you are going to love this dish! {just speaking from experience} Since I couldn't rationalize sitting down with a bowl of bread and some Spinach Artichoke Dip for dinner, I decided to whip something up instead. The result was an amazingly delicious {seriously} skillet dinner that was a hit with my family!

This Spinach Artichoke Dip Chicken Skillet is easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy to make, which I totally have to give La Terra Fina credit for. {La Terra Fina is a maker of quality dips, spreads, baked items and some enticing seasonal items.} I admit to taking the easy route and using a pre-made dip in this recipe - but hey, it really does make it the perfect weeknight dinner by saving time! The La Terra Fina Chunky Spinach Artichoke & Parmesan Dip is all natural,  gluten-free, trans-fat free and is made with real cream cheese {first ingredient}. The flavor is far above the rest of premade Spinach Artichoke dips I have tried in the past. {no lie}

Just look at that thick, creamy goodness! It really looks homemade and the taste is just as comparable.{pictured below is the Chunky Artichoke & Jalapeno Dip that is tasty with the perfect amount of heat!}

To make the Spinach Artichoke Dip Chicken Skillet I started with a pound of dry penne pasta {my mother-in-law blessed me with 18 pounds of pasta!!} and one jar of alfredo sauce. For the alfredo sauce I prefer all natural brands, the flavor is far superior for usually just pennies more. Ok, so cook the pasta and then drain and mix with alfredo sauce.

Then in a skillet I layered the alfredo noodles, sliced baked chicken, La Terra Fina Spinach Artichoke Dip and an italian cheese blend. Covered and baked for 35 minutes and then broiled the top until golden brown.

The Spinach Artichoke Dip Chicken Skillet was an instant classic with my family! It  also makes for some awesome leftovers. {there wasn't a morsel left of this dish!}

Spinach Artichoke Dip Chicken Skillet
(PRITNABLE RECIPE)
Ingredients
1lb penne pasta, cooked according to package
1 jar of Alfredo sauce {I used Newman’s Own, 24 oz.}
1 container La Terra Fina Spinach Artichoke & Parmesan Dip {10 oz.}
2 cups cooked chicken, sliced
1 cup italian cheese blend
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix penne pasta and alfredo sauce together.
3. In large oven-safe skillet, layer ingredients in the following order: ½ of pasta mixture, 5 oz. Spinach Artichoke Dip, chicken and cheese. Repeat.
4. Cover skillet with lid or foil and bake for 35 minutes.
5. Remove cover and broil for 5 minutes or until top is golden brown.
6. Serve warm or cold and enjoy!

La Terra Fina dips are also delicious being served as their name entails - as a dip! For a quick weekend snack I popped open a container of Spinach Artichoke & Parmesan Dip and served with kettle chips and carrots. It was enjoyed by everyone in the family and I was barely able to snap this pic before the devouring began.

For more information on La Terra Fina's awesome line of products and recipe ideas, check them out on their website, twitter, facebook and/or pinterest.

Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro-Lime Pesto Pasta & a FarberWare 6QT Covered Jumbo Cooker

As part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias®, I made Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro-Lime Pesto Pasta using a FarberWare 6QT Covered Jumbo Cooker. All opinions are 100% my own. #cbias

A few months ago I tossed out my set of nonstick pans - the bottoms were warped and they were on the verge of losing their nonstick coating. They weren't a pretty sight and to be honest, it was nice to see them go. However, they didn't get replaced and I have since been using my cast iron skillet and stock pot. I do love my cast iron cookware, but I terribly missed my nonstick skillet. So I picked one out and kept waiting for the right time to buy it... Well, the wait is over and I now have my dream nonstick skillet!! I am so excited to tell you all about it, plus share the first recipe that I cooked in it!!

I chose FarberWare because they are a trusted name in kitchen tools and have been around for over 100 years.100 years!! What that tells me is that they will have trusted, quality cookware for generations of cooks to come.

Without any further ado, let me introduce you to my very own FarberWare 6QT Covered Jumbo Cooker - a 14" Nonstick Skillet. I am in love and my husband has politely asked that it not sleep with us tonight. ;) 

A few features sold me on this particular skillet. First, the size - 6 Quarts! We have a family of 6 - so bigger is better when it comes to cookware. Second, a glass lid that allows me to see inside without lifting the lid. I have twins, so sometimes my hands are full when I go to check on dinner and the glass lid is a big help. Third, it's dishwasher safe. I don't mind doing dishes - but sometimes it is easier and time-saving to throw a load in the dishwasher and go hang out with the family.

And I can't fail to mention what was a must for me when it came to a new skillet - having oven safe handles. These bad boys are safe up to 350 degrees. I can't wait to use just one pan and not have to transfer foods to an oven-safe dish!

The first thing I did after removing the packaging was check out the bottom of the pan...

Love the branding!!

While shopping for my new skillet I poked around to see what else I could find that I couldn't live without. I knew there had to be something!

A new cutting board has been on my wish list for awhile - so I checked out the selection... Did you know FarberWare makes cutting boards? All of my boards have been gifts and I have never shopped for one before, so I was clueless on the selection out there.

The choices were poly or bamboo cutting boards. I wanted a wood one - so bamboo it was, of which I just adore the color and look of the wood grain. These cutting boards resist scratching and moisture, plus no forests were disturbed to make them. I am not necessarily a tree-hugger, but I enjoy breathing oxygen - so forests are important to me. :)

Although it wasn't on my wish list, this colander caught my eye. How do you pass up a $5.97 colander that has soft comfortable-grip handles, a 5QT capacity, a cute design, is red and has a limited lifetime warranty? You don't. You just don't! My colander that is pale blue, and most likely from the late 80's, is getting retired - and this hot momma is moving in!!

And the last thing I brought to show-n-tell today was something I never knew existed. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...

Ceramic knives!!

They are sharper, harder and stronger than steel. I just had to see what this knife was all about. I picked out the 5" Santoku Knife, with blade cover, since it was the perfect size for the recipe at hand.

First, the handle is extremely soft. Not sure if this picture does it justice, but it feels so nice to hold.

Second, it made cutting a lime feel like I was cutting through butter. Oh my. This knife is serious business and I am so happy to have one!

Let's get to that recipe that I mentioned earlier! You didn't think I forgot, did you?

 I whipped up Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro-Lime Pesto Pasta for my FarberWare skillet's first meal. The recipe has quite a kick - so if you like less heat, just add less cayenne & garlic. It will still taste great!

The first step is to make some Cilantro-Lime Pesto - hence the cut & juiced limes alongside bunches of cilantro in the picture above. ;) Process the ingredients (recipe below) in a food processor and watch your pesto come to life! Set aside.

Next, heat olive oil in your skillet over medium-high heat, add garlic and seasonings (recipe below) and cook for a few minutes until fragrant and garlic is starting to turn golden.

Add 1lb of extra large, shelled and deveined shrimp. Make sure to turn them occasionally to avoid burning.

I picked up these stainless steel, silicone-tipped tongs to help avoid scratching the new pan. Since the tongs are heat-resistant I felt confident using them in hot oil. Just like the colander, the tongs have a limited lifetime warranty. Awesome!

Cook shrimp for about 7 minutes, until no longer pink.

Add the Cilantro-Lime Pesto and thin spaghetti and stir until well combined. Serve immediately.

Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro-Lime Pesto Pasta

(PRINTABLE RECIPE)

Cilantro-Lime Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups cilantro, fresh

2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh

¼ cup walnuts, chopped

2 tsp lime zest

1 tablespoon garlic, chopped

¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

⅛ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth - a few minutes.

2. Use immediately or store in refrigerator.

Spicy Shrimp

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ginger, ground

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne powder

½ teaspoon curry

½ teaspoon coriander

1lb shrimp, raw - deveined and shelled

Directions

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne, curry and coriander. Cook, while stirring, for about 3 minutes. Until mixture is fragrant and garlic is starting to turn golden.

3. Add shrimp, occasionally flipping to avoid burning. Cook for about 7 minutes or until no longer pink.

*After shrimp is done cooking, add ½ cup of the Cilantro-Lime Pesto and 1/2lb thin spaghetti noodles (cooked) to skillet. Stir until combined and serve immediately. Enjoy!

For more information on FarberWare, check out their website where you can find a wide range of products and recipes (like Mascarpone-Apple Stuffed Brioche French Toast). 

On Facebook, FarberWare shares even MORE delicious recipes (like these Grilled Cilantro Burger Sliders with Teriyaki and Pineapple) that are made using their cookware. Right now, on Facebook, you can enter to win a FarberWare Classic Series 2.75 Qt. Covered Sauté Pan or a FarberWare Millennium Stainless Steel 12-Inch Nonstick Skillet!! Very cool. :)

If you are on Twitter, follow @FarberwareCook for recipes and tips.

I bought my skillet at Walmart, where there is large selection of FarberWare items. You can check them all out on Walmart's FarberWare page. I posted pictures from my shopping trip on Google+, if you want to see what other goodies I found!

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti with Mushrooms & Instagram

I will get to that amazing Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti with Mushrooms in just a minute - let's talk Instagram first!

My husband and I recently got smartphones. I know, I know – been living under a rock, huh? So, along with a smartphone came the awesomesauce app, Instagram. I will admit, I had been jealous of everyone posting pictures on Instagram – I wanted to join in on the fun! So, I am finally on the Instagram scene and ready to share some pictures. Yay!

Here is some of what I have been sharing…

I know that it may not be the best portfolio to convince you to follow me - but I am still getting the hang of it! I promise better things are to come. ;)

Check us out on Instagram here:

Ok, now let's get to that Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti with Mushrooms!!

This dish is one of those that knocks your socks off the first time you try it, then repeats to knock your socks off while eating it as leftovers. For real. On top of the crazy-good taste of this dish – the prep is not that bad and totally worth the effort that it does take. 

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti with Mushrooms
(PRINTABLE RECIPE)
Ingredients
8oz spaghetti noodles
1.5lb ground beef
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
8oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
8oz cream cheese
1/4 cup whole milk
4 cups tomato pasta sauce (I used Hungry Harps Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce)
1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup french fried onions
Directions
1. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package
2. Preheat oven to 350
3.Brown ground beef, drain and set aside. Keep a tablespoon of grease in skillet and saute red bell pepper, onions, mushrooms and garlic on medium heat until most of the liquid that the mushrooms release is gone, about 7-10 minutes. Add cream cheese and milk to skillet and mix well until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Combine pasta sauce and ground beef in bowl
5. In 9x13 casserole dish layer ingredients in following order; thin layer of pasta/meat sauce, noodles, cream cheese mixture, remainder of pasta/meat sauce. Top with parmesan cheese.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Add french fried onions and bake for 5 more minutes.
7. Let cool and enjoy!!

Hungry Harps Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce

This is a very exciting post for me! It may not be as exciting for you – but try to play along. ;)

Now on to the show…

After many test runs and experimentation – I have my very own marinara sauce to share with you! I have always wanted to have my very own recipe for marinara sauce. But not just any recipe – a tried and true, easy to remember, delicious recipe.

We had a LOT of pasta nights to get this recipe perfected - I have faith that it will please.

By using the quantities I have listed in the recipe below, you will have just about 4 quarts of marinara sauce. What the heck do you do with 4 quarts of sauce? Freeze it! I am going to can this marinara sauce – I just haven’t got the jars yet. So, for the time being, I divide the sauce up in freezer bags and then defrost them before use. The sauce still tastes wonderful after being frozen. Score!

So… pull out your crock pot and gather up the ingredients – we've got some Hungry Harps Marinara Sauce to cook up!!

First, we need to chop up that onion.
Don't cry like I did. If you do, pretend they are tears of joy. ;)

Next, saute the onion and minced garlic together until garlic starts to turn golden brown. I add the onions to the pan first and let them cook for a couple minutes before adding the garlic. Also, lowering the heat to medium helps avoid the garlic from browning too quickly.

Open up those cans! I remember opening cans for my Grandma and I can't wait until my son can do it for me - especially when I cook this sauce. ;)

Add all ingredients to crock pot. Enlist the help of a cute, young man if you are able to...

Mix well. May as well get a second cute, young man to help you while you're at it...

Cover and let cook for 4 hours on high. I stir it at 2 hours in to make sure the tomato paste is not clumpy.

The sauce is done! Either use it then or save it for later. If you are going to freeze it, I would suggest letting it cool before transferring it to freezer bags.

I recently used the marinara sauce to make Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti that turned out uhmazing - the recipe will be coming in a few days...

Hungry Harps Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce
(PRINTABLE RECIPE)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
84oz crushed tomatoes
24oz tomato sauce
18oz tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 bay leaf
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Lower heat to medium and add garlic. Cook until garlic starts to turn golden brown. Remove from heat.
2. In crock pot, add onion/garlic mixture and rest of ingredients. Mix well.
3. Cook for 4 hours on HIGH heat.
4. Enjoy!

Do you have a tried and true recipe that you can always trust? I would love to hear what it is!!