Tortellini Aglio e Olio

I've had Aglio e Olio with pasta many times,

but I never thought to use it on tortellini until recently.

And let me tell you - it is absolutely amazing!
The sauce gets in all the little pasta crevices and is just WOW!!!
(But really - how can pasta, olive oil, garlic and parm ever taste bad?!?)

I had never made the sauce myself before this time,
but as usual, Google pointed me to something yummy!

This will be my go-to Aglio e Olio recipe
and I just had to share it on the blog.

The Goods:

Tortellini

Olive Oil

Garlic

Red Pepper Flakes

Salt

Italian Parsley

Parmesan Cheese

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

Add garlic and cook until lightly browned.

Next add the red pepper flakes and cook a minute more.

Cook your pasta according to directions and then drain.

Pour sauce over pasta and toss until mixed well.

Add fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.

Then serve yourself a bowl and dig in!!!

You can easily substitute any pasta of your liking in this recipe.

Tortellini Aglio e Olio 

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

1 Pound Pasta

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic

1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes

Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Italian Parsley

1. Cook your pasta, drain and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
3. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned.
4. Add the red pepper flakes and cook a minute more.
5. Pour sauce over drained pasta and mix well.
6. Add fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
7. Serve, garnish with more parsley and cheese and ENJOY!!!

Vodka Blush Sauce with Bucatini

I've had this recipe a looooong time - a few years at least. 

I can't even remember where I originally found it,

but it's been in my recipe binder just waiting to be made.

While doing my weekly meal planning I've passed it many times,

but I recently had a HUGE craving for some kind of pasta,

so I finally whipped out my recipe for Vodka Blush Sauce!

The Goods:

Bucatini Pasta

Olive Oil

Vodka

Marinara Sauce

Chopped/Diced Tomatoes

Heavy Cream

Garlic

Salt

Red Pepper Flakes

Fresh Basil

Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

Fresh Oregano

 Parmesan Cheese (Not pictured - oops!)

(Full Recipe at bottom of post!)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add garlic and red pepper flakes.

Saute for about 30 seconds - until garlic is starting to get fragrant. 

Add marinara sauce, stir, add the chopped tomatoes and stir again.

Next measure out your vodka and add to the sauce.

Add a whole bunch (that's how I measured at least) of fresh herbs!

I used fresh basil, flat leaf parsley and oregano.

Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.

Cook the sauce for about 15 minutes...

Until it looks something like this!

Now add your cream.

Give it another good stir and your sauce is almost done!

Let it simmer 5 more minutes.

At the last minute, I decided the sauce needed something more.

So I added a whole bunch (again - how I measured!) of fresh parmesan.

While the sauce was first simmering, I started my pasta.

I chose to use bucatini, but any pasta would be fine.

Just cook according to the package directions.

OR if you have time - make your own!

Once your pasta is cooked drain it well.

Then add the pasta to your sauce and fully combine together. 

And that's it folks! 

Serve with a little more fresh parmesan and herbs.

This recipe is so easy to make and can even be enjoyed by little ones.

The vodka cooks off, but leaves an amazing taste to the sauce.

I didn't time how long it took me, but I'm betting it was around a half hour.

Vodka Blush Sauce with Bucatini

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 heaping teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 large box (26.5 oz) chopped tomatoes

1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce

2 tablespoons (+/-) fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tablespoon (+/1) fresh basil

1 teaspoon (+/-) fresh oregano

1/4 vodka

1/2 cup heavy cream

fresh parmesan to your liking

salt to taste

1 pound bucatini

Note: the herb measurements should be your guideline,

but as shown above I didn't accurately measure those myself. 

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to the package directions. (You should start the pasta once your sauce is simmering the first time.)
2. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil then add your garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Add marinara sauce and chopped tomatoes, then stir to combine.
4. Add the vodka and stir again.
5. Add the fresh herbs, stir once again. 
6. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.
7. Add the heavy cream, stir and simmer 5 more minutes.
8. Add the freshly grated parmesan and stir.
9. Drain your pasta fully, add to the sauce and combine fully.
10. Serve with more fresh parmesan and herbs.

Homemade Freezer Meals!

I absolutely love cooking, but with my schedule 

I don't always have time to whip up a homemade meal.

So over the years, I've become smarter

and realized I can make certain things ahead of time,

pop them in the freezer and then bake/heat at a later time!

This has come in hand on NUMEROUS occasions.

You've read about all of these recipes before,

but I thought I'd put them all in one place for you.

For most of the recipes listed -

I usually make enough to eat once (and have leftovers) 

and a similar size to freeze and eat again soon!

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Chicken Spaghetti

Baked Ziti 

Baked Mac n Cheese 

Baked Manicotti

Baked Pretzel Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Individual Sloppy Joe's

Inez's Turkey Burgers

Turkey Pot Pies 

Soup

Soup

and MORE Soup 

I have some ideas for more freezer meals to make in the future,
but am always looking for suggestions so please send them my way!

Baked Manicotti

I'm in the process of restocking my freezer with homemade meals
and I realized I never got around to posting about my Manicotti!

I've made this a few times and love it every time.
In fact - I still have a batch frozen right now to eat soon!

Now keep reading to see how I made my Manicotti.

The Goods:

Manicotti Noodles

Mozzarella Cheese

Parmesan Cheese

Ricotta Cheese

Eggs

Marinara Sauce

Fresh Herbs

Garlic Salt

(Full recipe at bottom of post.)

Cook your manicotti and set aside to cool.

Add the cheeses, eggs, fresh herbs and garlic salt to bowl.

Mix everything well.

Stuff the noodles with mixture.

 I find using a piping bag the easiest.

Place filled noodles in greased baking dish,

cover with marinara sauce to your liking.

Add more cheese and chopped fresh herbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

And it's done!

Serve and enjoy!!!

Cheese Manicotti Recipe

2 Eggs

15 ounces Ricotta Cheese

2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 grated Fresh Parmesan Cheese

1 to 2 teaspoon Fresh Basil, Parsley or both

1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

20 Manicotti Noodles

2 cups Marinara Sauce

1. Put egg, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, half the herbs and garlic salt in mixing bowl.

2. Mix on low for about 30 seconds - until it's well combined.

3. Put mixture into piping bag and fill each noodle.

4. Place filled noodles in a greased casserole dish.

5. Pour marinara sauce over noodles and add a little more cheese.

6. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. 

7. Remove foil from dish and return to oven for 5 or so minutes.

8. Take pan out of the oven and top with the remaining fresh basil.

I adapted this recipe from a Stuffed Shell recipe I've used in the past,

so if you cant find Manicotti noodles, feel free to use Giant Shells instead!

Baked Ziti

I could have SWORN I've posted about Baked Ziti before!

But when I went to find the post for a friend,

it wasn't there!!!

I was shocked!

I've made this recipe FOREVER.

And even though I call it Baked Ziti, 

I don't think I've ever used real Ziti pasta.

I mix it up, but tend to use Rotini most often.

Now, let me show you how to make Baked Ziti,
or Baked Rotini, or whatever you wanna call it!

The Goods:

1 Box Pasta - Ziti, Rotini, Rigatoni, WHATEVER your little heart desires!

1 1/2 Cups Pasta Sauce - I use jarred Marinara, but you can always make your own.

7 1/2 Ounces Ricotta Cheese - I prefer to use Part Skim.

1 1/2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese - Again, I like to use Part Skim. 

1/4 to 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese - Fresh is best, but canned is ok if that's all you have!

1 to 2 Cloves Garlic - TOTALLY optional. I used to use it, but haven't the last few time.

Cook your pasta until al dente, which is usually about 5 minutes.

Don't worry - your pasta will cook a lil more when it bakes!

Once cooked, drain pasta and return to the pot you cooked it in.

Add almost all the cheese (reserve a little Mozzarella and Parmesan)

and mix it all up until pretty well combined.

If you're using garlic, add that too!

Now here come the fun part...

Time to layer your pasta!

Start with a layer of sauce and then add about half your pasta mixture.

Do another layer of sauce and add the rest of your pasta.

Add one more layer of sauce and your reserved cheese.

Now you can either bake the Ziti, or Rotini, or whatever you're using...

OR you can freeze it to use at a later date like I did!

CONFESSION!!!

I actually DOUBLED the recipe.

I not only made one to bake right away and eat,

 but I also made one to freeze and bake at a later date!

Whenever you decided to bake your pasta, 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

You want the cheese on top to fully melt and get a little color.

Before I go, one last quick tip!

I usually move the pasta from the freezer to the fridge 

the night before I want to bake it so it has time to defrost.

If you forget to do so, you'll just want to bake your pasta longer!

Homemade Spaghetti and Turkey Bolognese!

I hadn't made homemade pasta in awhile, so a few weeks ago I busted out my trusty pasta maker and went to town! I made half a recipe of a simple egg dough, letting it rest for a few hours before rolling it out and cutting it into spaghetti.

 I usually serve my homemade pasta with a simple marinara or an olive oil based sauce, but this time I wanted to change things up and give turkey bolognese a try! I'd never made a bolognese  but I thought I could handle it! After looking at a few recipes, I decided on this yummy sounding one from Giada de Laurentiis.

Take a look below at the process of making both the pasta dough and the sauce.

The Pasta Goods:

Flour

Eggs

A lil Salt 

THAT'S IT!

Put flour in a big bowl and make a well. Crack the eggs and mix them in with a fork until dough is starting to come together. Continue to mix it a little longer by hand.

Then dump it onto a floured surface and go to town kneading. 

I kneaded the dough for about 5 minutes, give or take. 

The top shows what it should look like when you're done kneading.

Wrap it in plastic warp and let it rest for a few hours, or even a few days in the fridge!

Once you're ready to use the dough, cut into 4 pieces. Flour the top and form each piece into a flattened disk. Run the dough through the pasta machine and then cut into spaghetti.  

Now that the pasta is done, let me tell you all about the sauce!

The Bolognese Goods:

Ground Turkey
Crushed Tomatoes
Celery
Carrot
Onion
Garlic
Basil
Flat Leaf Parsley
Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Prep all your goods!

Heat a little olive oil, sauté your onions and garlic. Once onions are translucent, add the carrots and celery and cook a few minutes. Then add the ground turkey and cook completely. Finally, add the crushed tomatoes and fresh herbs. Stir everything to combine and simmer for about 30 minutes. 

Since I made fresh pasta, it only needs to cook for a few minutes. While that was cooking, I added fresh parmesan to the sauce. Toss the sauce with the pasta and save a little sauce to add on top. I served mine with homemade garlic bread and some oven roasted corn on the cob.