Creamy Baked Pasta

4 cups pasta, uncooked
1 jar (26 oz.) marinara sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
4 oz (1/2of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed
3/4 cup sour Cream
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/3 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Oven at 375ºF.

Cook pasta as directed on package. Remove from pot; drain. Meanwhile, in a large pan, add marinara sauce, tomatoes and cream cheese; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Return pasta to pan; mix well.

Layer half the pasta mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella and remaining pasta mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake 20 min. or until heated through.

Italian Marinated Vegetable Salad

1/2 lb. fresh green beans, cut in half
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed
8oz block cheese, cubed
1/2 cup Italian Dressing of your choice

Add beans and cauliflower to boiling water in saucepan; cook until crisp-tender. Drain. If desired, rinse under cold water; drain again. Place in bowl.
ADD remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Cover. Refrigerate 3 hours or until chilled.

Tuscan Squash and Beans over Rice

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 large tomatoes, diced (or one can of diced tomoatoes)
3 cups zucchini, chopped
½ t dried oregano
½ t thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can cannellini beans, drained
1 cup brown rice, cooked

In a sauce pan, heat oil. Add onions and pepper and saute until tender. Mix in tomatoes and zucchini and seasonings. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir beans into veggie mixture; cook about 5 minutes more to warm everything through. Serve over rice.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Artichokes

2 jars artichoke hearts, drained and divided **
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2- 2 pounds chicken**
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/5 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 cups whole wheat cous cous OR 1 cup quinoa**
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a slow cooker, combine one jar of artichoke hearts, the onion, garlic, spices, broth and chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Then place zucchini, tomatoes, and second package of artichokes in the cooker; re-cover and heat for another 15-30 minutes, or until veggies are cooked. (You know it is done when the tomatoes are just about to burst or a few have.) Remove chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon; cover them with foil to keep warm. Stir the couscous or quinoa into the remaining liquid; add lemon juice. Cover and cook until grain is done and (most of) the liquid is absorbed. Serve chicken and vegetables over couscous or quinoa.

**Note-If you want your artichokes to have a more mild flavor, then add both jars in at the beginning. Adding the second jar the last 30 minutes of cooking makes the artichoke have a stronger taste.
**Note-Use any sort of chicken you have on hand. If you are using bone-in, use about 2lbs. If you are using boneless then 1 1/2 lbs should be fine. When you remove the veggies and chicken, set aside your chicken so you can take the skin off and the bones out and just have the meat in with the veggies. After cooking so long the chicken should fall right off.
**Note-If you are using cous cous, you can add it to the slower cooker and it will cooking in 5-10 minutes. If you are using quinoa, it may take much, much longer, possibly an hour. If you don't have that sort of time, I recommend putting your remaining broth in a pot on the stove and cooking your quinoa according to packaged directions.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

1 red bell pepper cored and cut into 4 pieces
1 eggplant (about 1 pound), cut across into 1/4-inch rounds
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each), cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
Olive oil cooking spray
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a tray or work surface. Lightly spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray. Preheat a grill or grill pan over a medium-high heat. Grill the vegetables in batches until both sides are nicely charred and the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes for the pepper, about 8 minutes for the eggplant and onion, and about 6 minutes for the zucchini. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and oregano. Pour over the vegetables and toss. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the tomatoes. Divide the salad between 4 plates and sprinkle with the feta.

**Note-This salad is particularly tasty with pita-either chips or put into the bread and served as a light lunch.

3 Bean Vegetarian Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water (or broth)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles (or a 4oz can of diced chilis)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Pantry Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small zucchini, sliced
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomato
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can small white beans or cannellini beans
1 (10 ounces) box, cut frozen green beans
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh basil, torn or shredded
Grated Parmigiano or Romano, to pass at table

Sautee garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, onions, carrots, celery and zucchini in oil. Cook 10 minutes, then add in the stock, tomatoes and beans. Bring soup up to a bubble and season with salt and pepper, to your taste. Simmer 15-30 minutes, until veggies are softened and the taste is where you want it. Turn off the heat and wilt the basil into the soup. Ladle up the soup and serve with grated cheese and bread.

**Note-Feel free to take away what you don't have on hand and add what you do. It's a great clean out your pantry soup!

Quick Chunky Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for another 15 minutes.

**Note-Although I have a recipe that makes 10 cups of freezeable, no cook tomato sauce, this is a good recipe to have on hand when you are out of jarred tomato sauce and/or the freezeable sauce (or you just don't have time to wait to defrost your frozen sauce!)

Italian-Style Pasta and Beans

8-12 ounces uncooked dried pasta twists (thin corkscrew, fusilli or elbow macaroni)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large (1 cup) onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (15-ounce) can low salt garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained (or any other can of white beans)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained**
2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch
Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook pasta twists according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile while pasta cooks, heat oil in 3-quart saucepan until sizzling; add onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened (4 to 5 minutes).
Add all remaining ingredients. Stir in cooked pasta. Cover; continue cooking for 10 minutes. Sprinkle individual bowls with cheese.

**Note-if you are not using Italian style tomatoes, add to your veggie mixture: 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
**Note-I like my pasta (and other dishes) very saucy. If you are like me, you may want to add an additional can of tomatoes or an 8oz can of tomato sauce. If you do this, you may need to increase the seasoning to taste.

Easy Cheesy Bean Tostadas

Premade Tostadas shells
1 teaspoon chili powder, divided
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 onion, diced
1 pepper, chopped
1/2 cup Salsa
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 cup sour cream

Saute onions and peppers in a skillet until softened, about 5-7 minutes. As they cook, sprinkled with chili powder and salt and pepper to taste. Add beans and salsa; cook 4 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in half of the cheese.
Spread mixture evenly on tostados; top with remaining cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

Mexican Casserole with Cornbread Topping

1 cup onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons dry taco seasoning mix**
1 (15-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 package of cornbread mix, prepared as directed on box.

Saute pepper and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Open can of tomatoes and discard 2 tablespoons of the liquid. Add taco seasoning mix (and salt if using), tomatoes with remaining liquid, and beans. Mix lightly. Let simmer about 5 minutes. If too watery, mix 1 tablespoon of corn starch with one tablespoon of water. Add to mixture and let bubble 1-2 minutes to thicken. Spoon mixture into 9x12-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour prepared cornbread mix over the top. Spread to cover. Bake at 375ºF for 18-25 minutes or until cornbread is done.
Serves 4 to 6.

**Note-if using homemade taco seasoning, add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt along with the seasoning.
**Note-this can be made ahead and frozen, except for the cornbread mixture. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight and then cook as directed.

New Baby Spaghettie Casserole

8oz spaghetti, cooked to al dente or just under
1/2 cup each onions, bell pepper, carrots and celery, all in small dice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can tomatoes, undrained
1 can creamed soup
1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup
Approximately 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Oven at 350. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, taking care not to cook past al dente. Saute onions, pepper, carrots and celery about 5 minutes. As they are sauteing sprinkle with chili powder and salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and saute about 5 minutes more to fully soften vegetables. Mix together the two cans of soup and add to the veggie mixture. When pasta is done, add to the vegetables, stirring to combine. Transfer to a casserole dish and bake, covered, about 30 minutes. Take out and sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 5 minutes more, until cheese is melted.

**Note-this was a dish someone from our church made for us when we had our second child. We had a lot of it, but it was one of our favorite dishes we received. It is a dish we will always associate with the birth of our baby. I have altered it a bit to suit my tastes and cooking style more. Enjoy!
**Note-you could also double this recipe and freeze half of it. In that case, take extra care not to over cook the noodles as they might get a bit more mushy in the freezer. If you are making double, do not use 2 cans of cheddar cheese soup, instead just use 2 additional cans of a creamed soup of your choice.

Garden Fresh Pasta Salad

1 pkg. (16 oz.) farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 bottle (8 oz.) Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing (or dressing of your choice)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water the last 3 min. Drain. Place in large bowl. Stir in peppers and tomatoes. Add dressing; toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Sprinkle pasta salad with cheese right before serving.

**Note-Do I have to tell you this is a perfect dish to use up some of your vegetables from the garden? Use whatever veggies you have on hand that you think mix well!

Rotini and Black Bean Salad

8oz rotini pasta, cooked according to packaged directions
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup corn (my use frozen, fresh or canned)
¼ c green onions
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

Mix oil, vinegar and garlic together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Mix pasta and other ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour dressing over the top. Toss gently to combine. Refrigerate at least one hour, up to 24 hours.

**Note-to make this a main dish, add cheese cubes and or cubed chicken.

Pepper steak with rice

1 lb round steak, cut 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cup beef broth
2 green peppers, cut into strips
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 large tomatoes, cut into eighths
1/4 cup, each, soy sauce and water
Cooked rice

Cut meat into 1/4 inch slices. Sprinkle meat with paprika. Let sit while you prepare the other ingredients. Brown meat in butter. Add garlic and broth. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in green peppers. Cover and cook 5 more minutes. Blend cornstarch, water, and soy sauce together. Stir into meat mixture. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir gently. Serve over rice.

**Note-this dish tastes just like Chinese takeout!

Meatball Espanol

1 lb ground beef
1 c bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons worchestershire sauce
2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup beef broth
1/2 teaspoon, each, oregano, basil and sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooked rice

Oven at 375. Combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, celery, worcestershire sauce, egg and garlic salt. Form into meatballs. Bake for 20 minutes in a casserole dish. When done, remove from dish and place on paper towels to drain fat. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, zucchini, and remaining seasonings in a small saucepan. Simmer for five minutes. Blend cornstarch into beef broth and stir into tomato mixture. Return meatballs to dish and pour tomatoes over the balls. Bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve over rice.

**Note-this is another recipe compliments of my mother that I am including purely for the ease of the dish and sentimental reasons.

Tomato and Spinach Pasta Toss

2 cups Rotini pasta, uncooked
1 pkg. (6 oz.) baby spinach leaves (7 cups)
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, cook tomatoes and spinach 2 min. or until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add tomato and spinach mixture and cheeses; toss lightly.

Pizza Soup

1 pound (Mild) Italian sausage
1 cup celery
1 pound chopped zucchini
1 large onion chopped
1 chopped green pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart canned tomatoes
2 cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon Italian seasonings

Brown sausage until gray. Add to it the veggies and cook about 5 minutes, until soft. Add in spices and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their juice) and the stock and simmer about one hour. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese and either French or Italian bread.

Taco Pizza

1 package prepared pizza crust
3/4 lb ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
1 tomato, chopped
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 cup corn chips

Oven at temperature on pizza dough package. Brown ground beef, drain and set aside. Mix tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Spread over pizza crust. Dot with ground beef and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Top with tomatoes, lettuce and corn chips.

**Note-This is another recipe of my mother's. We used to eat it often and I have very fond memories of us, sitting around the table eating this pizza. I can still remember the taste of the chopped tomatoes and the distinct tomato sauce.

Fiesta Chicken with Tomato-Avacado Salsa

Tomato-Avocado Salsa
2 medium tomatoes seeded and chopped
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
4 medium green onions diced
1-2 tablespoons lime juice (May substitute lemon juice)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno chili (optional)
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt

Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup lime juice (may substitute lemon juice)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt

Mix chicken marinade. Reserve half to pour over chicken while it bakes. Pour other half over chicken. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. In medium glass or plastic bowl, gently mix all salsa ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Heat oven to 375. Spray 9 inch pan with cooking spray. Place chicken skin sides up, in pan. Pour reserved marinade over chicken. (Discard marinade that was in the fridge with the chicken.) Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20-30 minutes longer, basting with marinade. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

**I have also added 1-2 cups of mango to the salsa and it was delicious!