Cheese Tortellini & Butternut Squash in a Brown Butter and Sage Sauce

Not only was this an extremely easy meal to make, but it was surprisingly very good too! The family all really liked it and it got the kids to eat some butternut squash! The tortellini really pairs well with the sweetness of the squash and the saltiness of the pancetta. I will be making this again for an easy, quick weekday meal! 

I found the recipe in the magazine "Cuisine for two". It is great when you are cooking for 2 adults (or 2 adults and 2 small kids if you just tweek the ingredients a tad). 

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 c peeled and cubed butternut squash (I used half a large squash, around 2 cups)

* 1/2 lb refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini (about 2 cups) (I used a whole lb container)

* 2 tsp olive oil

* 2 slices prosciutto or ham, cut into thin ribbons (I went to my deli and had them slice me 3 NOT THIN slices of pancetta). 

* 4 T unsalted butter (I used closer to 5 1/2 T)

* 1 lg sprig fresh sage

* 2 T dry sherry

* juice of 1/2 lemon

* chopped fresh parsley (optional- hubby and I used on ours and left off the kids. If you have it on hand, great... if not, save on ingredients and this is really not essential).

* freshly ground black pepper

Directions (right from magazine):

*Cook squash in large saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Add tortellini; cook according to package directions until squash and tortellini are both tender (after I added the tortellini I cooked for another 6 mins or so). Drain Tortellini and squash and set aside. (I left sit in colander in my sink).

*Heat oil in saute pan over medium high heat. Add prosciutto, cook until crisp, then drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Return skillet to burner and reduce to medium heat.

*Melt butter in same pan over medium heat. Once melted, add sage and cook until butter browns, about 4 minutes; discard sage sprig. Stir in sherry and cook another 30 seconds while stirring. Add the squash, tortellini and prosciutto back in and toss to heat through.

*Off heat, drizzle tortellini mixture with the lemon juice, and sprinkle with parsley and pepper. 

*Serve and enjoy while warm! We served with side salads for the adults and fruit salad for the kiddos:)

boiling tortellini with the squash (Squash is under tortellini)

Drain and set aside

cook prosciutto till crisp (like bacon)

Brown butter while scraping the sides of pan to get leftover prosciutto bits

add the sherry and cook for another 30 seconds or so

Toss back in the squash, tortellini and prosciutto

Delicious! 

Italian Meatballs... Great for freezing

This recipe makes a huge batch. I halved the recipe and had enough to feed 4 adults and 2 kids and also had enough to freeze for another meal. I found this recipe on pinterest and they originated from the blog The Yummy Life. I made the meatballs during the day and put them in the fridge till later that night. I made a homemade sauce (you can use any sauce you prefer) and I simmered the meatballs in the sauce for 20 minutes until fully warm. I served over thin spaghetti and shredded fresh parmesan cheese over the top. The meatballs were moist and flavorful. I will definitely make these again, maybe next time I'll make a whole batch to freeze more for later use! These are great over pasta or on italian rolls as a sub!

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1-1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs (I use whole wheat)
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 medium onion, finely minced or grated
• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 lbs. ground pork
• 3 lbs. ground beef

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine eggs, water, buttermilk, and breadcrumbs in a bowl; let rest for 10 minutes. The mixture will thicken as the bread crumbs absorb the liquid. To this thickened mixture, add garlic, onion, parsley, cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper; stir until combined. In separate large bowl, combine ground pork and beef. Mix meats with fingers or a large fork using a light touch until 2 meats are combined throughout. Add bread crumb mixture to meats. Mix these together, again using a light touch with fingers or large fork. Combine ingredients well, but do not overmix. Form meatballs with hands, or use a scoop. For larger meatballs, use 1/4 cup meat per meatball or use a generous 2" scoop. For mini meatballs, use 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons per meatball or a generous 1-1/4" scoop. Place meatballs on baking sheets. Bake large meatballs for 30 minutes and mini meatballs for 15 minutes, until no longer pink in center.

Mixture of beaten eggs, water, buttermilk and breadcrumbs

I used cheese grater on onion and minced garlic

Chopped parsley

Add all to bread crumb mixture

Combine beef and pork

Add breadcrumb mixture to the meat and mix with hands well.

Form into meatballs. I made some bigger ones and some smaller ones. Key is to put all the same size on the same cookie sheet. So I did one sheet of big and one sheet of small. They cook for different amounts of time.

A little liquid will come out of them while they bake, especially if you use a fattier meat. If you go leaner on your beef you won't see as much of this.

Let cool a bit before putting them in zip lock bags (in a single layer) to freeze.

Tender and flavorful!

Simmered in sauce. Topped with cheese.

ENJOY!

Spiked Pasta (Spaghetti in a Vodka Cream Sauce)

This recipe freaking rules! I loved it! I love creamy, cheesy pasta and since this one is much healthier, what's not to love??!! This originated from Cooking Light magazine, but I found the recipe on pinterest. Here is the blog I got it from. This recipe was very simple, the hardest part (which isn't hard, just time consuming if you don't have hand held) was you need to use a hand held blender to puree sauce. If you don't have one, you'll have to transfer sauce to a blender, blend well, and then transfer back to pan.

I served these with my parmesan-garlic rolls and a side salad. The whole family loved it and my almost 5 year old daughter told me it was the best spaghetti she'd ever had and I should make it every night:) I left the basil at the end off hers. This recipe serves 3-4 people. Next time I may double the recipe so I have more for left overs:)

Ingredients:
* 1/2 pound dry thin spaghetti pasta
* 1T olive oil
* 1/2 cup finely chopped onion (I used one large shallot- I love the flavor of a shallot)
* 3/4 tsp salt, divided (I use coarse kosher salt)
* 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (Just enough to give some flavor, but not enough to make too spicy for kids)
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1/2 cup plain vodka (use a medium grade... not the super cheap kind but not your most expensive either. I used Smirnoff)
* 1/4 cup chicken broth (you could also use vegetable broth if making vegetarian)
* 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained- (I highly recommend using the Muir Glen Organic kind with Italian Herbs. I buy generic brand tomatoes for stews, roasts and chili, but this is the base of your whole sauce and where it really gets the flavor from. This is an awesome brand and since you only use one can, it's really worth the extra few cents!!)
* 1/4 cup whipping cream
* 3T thinly sliced fresh basil
* shaved or grated parmesan cheese to garnish (I used parmigiano-reggiano)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 4 mins or until tender. Add 1/4 tsp salt, red pepper, and your garlic and saute another minute or so.

2. Add vodka and bring to a boil (careful not to let it catch fire). Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until liquid reduces by half. (I think I did around 5 minutes).

3. Stir in rest of salt, broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. After simmers, remove from heat and let cool slightly.

4. While your sauce above is simmering for the 15 minutes, cook your pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

5. If you have a stick blender (I show in picture below), you can now puree the sauce right in the pan. If you don't, place tomato mixture in conventional blender. Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape, and secure the lid on blender. Place clean towel over opening in blender lit to avoid splatters and process until smooth. Return tomato mixture back to pan.

6. Mix in cream, then cook sauce for 2 mins over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

7. Serve immediately. I toped mine with the basil and my cheese. YUM!

here are most of my ingredients... I highly recommend this tomato brand for this meal. I think next time I will try this recipe using whole grain pasta. 

shredded basil and chopped shallot

sauteing the onion in olive oil

add your vodka and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 3-5 minutes till liquid reduces by half

added tomatoes, broth and some salt and pepper

Boil noodles per package instructions

Using my hand blender to puree the sauce in the pan till smooth and creamy

adding the whipping cream. Stir well and heat another 2 mins

Add your pasta...

Serve with basil and parm cheese. 

Enjoy!!! 

Chicken & Spinach Pesto Lasagna

Thank you to my friend Kelly for this wonderful recipe! I loved it!! It wasn't too hard to make and it was different than traditional lasagna. I made two pans and I am already looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow!


Since there is no "sauce" in this recipe, I definitely recommend using regular Lasagne noodles and not the "no Boil" ones. I think using the no boil ones would make this too dry. Next time I make it, I will also be using fresh spinach and homemade pesto (since I have a huge basil plant in my back yard!)


I made this for 8 adults and 3 kids tonight and everyone liked it! Don't mind my "fine china." The cooking I'm getting better at... the cleaning... not so much! :)


Ingredients:
*12 uncooked lasagna noodles (I used Barilla Lasagna Noodles)
*3 T olive oil
*1 cup onions, chopped (white or sweet)
*3 cloves garlic, crushed
*2 pkgs frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
*3 cups cooked diced chicken breast meat (I used a Rotisserie Chicken)
*1 tsp kosher salt
*1 tsp black pepper
*2 cups ricotta cheese
*1 large egg
*1 1/2 cups prepared pesto sauce, plus 2 tbsp (I used 2 containers of Buitoni brand pesto with basil- 7 oz per container)
*3/4 cups fresh grated parmesan cheese
*2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


Preheat oven to 350.
Spray 13x9 inch casserole or lasagna pan with nonstick cooking spray. Partially cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. (I boiled mine for 8 minutes)
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onions and garlic until transparent. Add spinach. cook and stir about 5 minutes. Add chicken and stir about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
In large bowl mix together ricotta cheese, egg, pesto, and parmesan cheese until throughly blended. Add chicken and spinach mixture to bowl and stir to combine.
Spread two tablespoons pesto in bottom of prepared pan.
Layer 4 lasagna noodles , slightly overlapping. Top with 1/3 of spinach ricotta mixture and 1/3 mozzarella. Repeat Layers Twice.
Bake about 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly!

chop onion 

Pesto I used

Lasagne Noodles I used

add pesto to bottom of pan

mixture of ricotta, egg, pesto and parm cheese.

My pan was bigger than the noodles so i just made it work...

saute onions and garlic in olive oil

chop chicken

Add spinach to sauteed onion and garlic. Cook 5 mins, then add chicken and cook a few more minutes

Add the ricotta mixture to the chicken spinach mixture

layer of the mixture

cover with lots of mozz cheese

3 layers in all

served with salad and garlic bread

ENJOY!