I have had this recipe starred in my reader forever! A few weeks ago my mom was on a cooking/baking spree and this was one of the recipes she decided to send me so I decided it was for surely time that I make them.

These were simple to make, and they tasted good, but not was I expected. I think they had too much spinach I doubled the recipe so used a whole bag of spinach. I would use a half of bag next time. I also wanted a creamier sauce so I added about a 1/4 cup of heavy cream to thicken it and give it that creamy taste.

I will be trying this again and tweaking the recipe. I promise to post an updated one when I get around to it!

Butternut Squash and Spinach Stuffed Shells with Brown Butter Sauce (From: Chi-Town Cooking Creations)

• 8 pasta shells
• 1/2 butternut squash
• 1/2 bag fresh spinach
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup ricotta (being that I HATE ricotta I subbed cottage cheese)
• pinch nutmeg
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• 1/2 stick butter
• 6 – 8 sage leaves

Dice the butternut squash and roast at 425 for 15 – 20 minutes or until tender, tossed in olive oil, salt & pepper

Cook the shells to al dente

Meanwhile, saute the fresh spinach with olive oil, garlic and salt & pepper until cooked down.

In a bowl, combine butternut squash and spinach and blend using an immersion blender

Mix in the parmesan and ricotta cheese

Spoon the mixture onto the cooked shells and put back into the oven (no need to adjust temp) for about 15 minutes, until heated through.

While shells are cooking, make the brown butter sage sauch (melt the butter in a pan with the sage, allow butter to brown and sage to get crispy)

Spoon the sauce over the cooked shells and serve.

My mom gave me a bag of frozen butternut squash ravioli, I love it but Adam not so much so I wanted to make a yummy sauce to go with it so he would enjoy it.

I finally decided I would give a go to brown butter sauce, although I have never had it, it sounded like it would compliment the ravioli well. I searched and read over a ton of recipes but didn’t have all the ingredients that it called for so I decided to give it a go and make my own recipe as I went, it turned out really well.  I would like to add some nuts next time but otherwise it was perfect.

Brown Butter Sauce (From: Myself)

• 1 stick butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 T. fresh nutmeg
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a sauce pan, stirring as needed until it starts to brown.

Mix in nutmed and milk, stir until hot.

Add parmesan and serve.

This morning when I went to work I took out a package of chicken, with NO idea what I would be doing with them. During the day I decided I wanted some kind of cream sauce, and mushrooms were sounding excellent. And this dish was created. I am SOOO proud of myself for creating this totally from scratch. Normally I find a couple different recipes and adapt to what I want, but this was totally from scratch.

As soon as Adam finished his plate he asked me when I would be making this again, I guess he kind of liked it!

This was an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G dish, it had wonderful flavor, not to creamy, not to balsamicy and too many flavors but just the right amount. You need to try this right away it is really good!

Chicken with Balsamic, Bacon, Mushroom Cream Sauce (From: Myself)

• 3 slices of bacon
• 2 chicken breasts (we used a thick one and butterflied it)
• 2 cups of cream
• 3 T. balsamic vinegar
• 1 pkg. baby bella mushrooms
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 3 T. of butter

Warm large pan with olive oil.

Salt and Pepper chicken breasts both sides, put into olive oil and brown on both sides until cooked through. Meanwhile add bacon slices to same pan and cook until desired tenderness.

Once bacon is done lay on paper plate with paper towels to get grease off. Once chicken is done set aside on a plate covering with foil to keep warm.

Drain oil from the pan, but leaving what is “stuck” to the bottom, add butter and let melt.

Once melted add garlic and mushrooms. Salt and pepper to your liking, let simmer for a 2-3 minutes then add balsamic vinegar. Cook until desired tenderness.

Pour in heavy cream and bring to a boil, boil for 3-5 minutes then add crumbled bacon.

Add chicken breasts and coat in sauce cook until desired thickness. Serve over pasta of your choice.

This year I turned the big 25. I am still in denial and want to be about 22 again. I just feel SO old being 25. I know I am not “old” but man that sounds like a big number, and to be 25 married with a child. WOW!

I guess my taste have changed in 25 years. I am not a seafood person and don’t like chinese. This year I requested Adam make me a seafood dish and that we go to PF Changs. Both were amazing!! Adam made this dish with no questions asked, he did use dried herbs and used the amount called for so it was a little over herby but otherwise EXCELLENT dish.

Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce (From: Food Network)

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup clam juice (I hate clams so he used a little chicken broth instead)
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.

Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, 1/4 cup parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine, clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining herbs. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

I saw this while reading my Food Network Magazine. It seemed simple and easy which is just what we needed right now. Adam actually ended up whipping this up when he got home from work.

We both enjoyed this, it was simple to make and was really tasty. I would half the recipe next time as this made LOTS of pasta! But was very tasty!

Ho Ho Homestyle Pasta (From: Hillshire Farms)

• 16 oz. pkg. uncooked linguine
• 4 cups fresh small broccoli
• 1 pkg. polska kielbasa
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 7oz basil pesto
• 5oz crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 2 green onions, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooke linguine according to package directions. During the last 4 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to water. When linguine and broccoli are tender, drain; keep warm.

Cut sausage into 1/2 inch cubes. heat a 4 to 6 quart pan over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned and onion is tender.

Add cooked linguine and broccoli. Toss gently over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in pesto, Gorgonzola and green onions’ heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sorry for the lack of updates, our little bean arrived on November 15th and we have been a little busy, as you can tell by the messy table below. This post is written and done by Adam…

Well the other day Carrie asked me to make some home made Spaghetti Sauce.  Fortunately we were in the grocery store at the time so we picked up the needed ingredients there.  This really turned out a lot better then I thought it could and Carrie was really happy with it.

Adam’s Spaghetti Sauce (From: Adam)

• 1lb hamburger or Sausage
• 1 Medium Onion or 2 small Shallots
• 1 Package whole or sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 large Can of Tomato Sauce
• 1 Medium Can of Diced Tomatoes
• 1/4 C (give or take) of Tomato Paste
• 1 T. Basil
• 1 T. Oregeno
• 1 T Ground Fennel Seed

Brown hamburger in a dutch oven, when it is close to being brown add shallot or onion.

Use about half the container of mushrooms, slice into cubes. Drain the oil and fat and make the meat pretty dry.

Add tomato sauce, diced tomato, and tablespoon of tomato paste. Just enough to thicken the sauce.

Turn the heat down to low, you don’t want to burn it and a dutch oven works great to keep it just shy of boiling at almost any heat. Cover and let simmer. After simmering for an hour or so add spices to taste

Simmer for a couple hours 3-5 best.

Make with Spaghetti noodles or another think style of noodle and enjoy.

Adam and I both love Alfredo, but it’s not the best for you so we don’t make it often. Last week I was craving it so bad that I told him we had to try it. He gladly accepted, and even made it for dinner

He served it with steak, but this sauce was creamy and delicious. Almost all the recipes we have made at home have been grainy this one was not, we did use shredded Parmesan instead of grated but otherwise we kept the recipe, and it was delicious!! This will be my go to recipe and next time I want to try homemade pasta.

Fettuccine Alfredo (Found On: Taste of Home Cooking Originally From: Food Network)

• 18 ounces fresh fettuccine
• 2 1/2 cups heavy  cream
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups grated Parmesan
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Drain.

Stir 2 cups of the cream in a heavy large skillet to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the pasta and toss. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, and Parmesan to the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the  nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Toss the pasta mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.

My favorite magazine is Food Network, I love the recipes, I love the articles and just find it an all around good magazine, it is only delivered every few months but every time I get it in my mail box I do a little jump for joy and go inside and start reading.

This recipe caught my attention right away, it seemed “different” then anything we had tried, and something healthier is always welcome. Sadly we thought this was a little bland and a little grainy. I think with a little more seasoning and using something other then grated Parmesan it might be better. It was a good recipe to try though.

Three Cheese Macaroni (From: Food Network Magazine)

• 1 large egg
• 1 12-ounce can evaporated whole milk
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/3 cups grated muenster cheese (4 ounces), plus 4 deli-thin slices (1 ounce)
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (4 cups)
• 4 cups medium pasta shells (9 ounces)

Whisk the egg, evaporated milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and black pepper to taste in a bowl. Toss the grated cheeses in a separate bowl.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until almost falling apart, about 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the pasta to the same water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Preheat the broiler.

Combine the egg mixture and the grated cheeses in the empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheeses melt and the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the cauliflower. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth and light (you can also use a regular blender). Stir in some of the reserved pasta water until creamy.

Toss the pasta in the sauce; season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish and top with muenster slices. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Adam and I sat down Sunday to plan our meals for the week and I turned to some cookbooks for new inspiration. This was a recipe that was at the beginning of the pasta section. Adam said “OH yum make that” So I did.

I wasn’t very impressed with this recipe, although it was simple to whip together it reminded me of hamburger helper with the fake cheesy sauce. Adam on the other hand LOVED it! Saying it was one of the best pasta recipes I have made in a long time… I guess it’s all about your taste buds.

I did use my homemade tomato soup instead of canned. And fresh mushrooms instead of canned.

Spaghetti with Beef and Mushroom Sauce (From: Better Homes and Gardens)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed tomato soup
• 1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 t. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
• 1/2 t. chili powder
• 1/4 t. black pepper
• 12 oz. dried spaghetti
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

In a large saucepan or a dutch oven cook ground beef and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain. Stir in msuhroom soup, tomato soup, mushrooms, seasonings. Bring sauce to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered, for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cooke spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. Serve sauce over hot spaghetti. If desired, sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.

I was super excited to try this recipe. The WC Ingredient Challenge this week was Parmesan, once it was picked I went to food network and typed Parmesan, I wanted to do something different.

This was an awesome meal, I served it over some angel hair and made homemade marinara. We will try this again and again, I like to have a no meat option in our rotation.

****I’m sorry for the horrible picture, my tummy was rumbling and I didn’t have the patients to get a good photo.

Mushroom Parmesan (From: Food Network)

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the grill pan
• 4 to 6 portobello mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup marinara sauce (recipe I use below)
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over both sides of the mushrooms. Sprinkle the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil on the grill to prevent the mushrooms from sticking. Grill until the mushrooms are heated through and tender, about 5 minutes per side.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Place the grilled mushrooms on top of the marinara sauce and top with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle with the cheeses and top with the butter pieces. Bake until the cheese melts and the top is golden, about 15 minutes. Serve

Garlic and Basil Marinara (From: Myself)

• 1 lg. can chopped tomatoes
• 1 lg. can crushed tomatoes
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• fresh basil
• 1 t. sugar
• salt and pepper

Warm dutch oven on stove, with a little olive oil. Saute onion and garlic until tender.

Add tomotoes and spices, simmer on low for hour to hour and half.