Crockpot Manicotti

We really enjoy manicotti around here, but it’s never on our menu because, confession, I really dislike stuffing the noodles. 

When I saw this recipe for a crockpot version of manicotti that did not pre-cook the pasta, I had to give it a try. 

It was so easy to fill and prep, and dinner tasted great.  The only draw back to this recipe is that it only takes 4 hours on low in the crockpot, so it’s not one that you can start in the morning and come back to dinner 8 hours later.  I suppose you could do that, but your noodles would be really mushy, and I don’t recommend it. 

We used our favorite manicotti recipe and followed the crockpot directions from Mom on a Mission.  We hope you will enjoy it too. 

Crockpot Manicotti – Inspired by Mom on a Mission

Ingredients

• 4 C of your favorite spaghetti sauce (we used our freezer sauce)
• 8-10 manicotti shells
• 1 (8oz) container of ricotta cheese
• 1 tsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. basil
• pinch of minced garlic
• salt & pepper
• 2 T Parmesan cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Optional: chopped spinach

Directions

Layer 2 C of your favorite spaghetti sauce across the bottom of a lightly greased crockpot. 

Mix together ricotta cheese with 1 tsp. parsley and basil and a pinch of minced garlic.  Add a dash of salt and pepper.  Stir well.  If desired, stir in 1/4-1/2 C chopped spinach. 

Finally, mix in 2 T Parmesan cheese. 

Using a spoon, spoon the ricotta mixture into each of the manicotti shells.  It works best to fill from both ends to make sure you get ricotta mixture all the way through the manicotti.

Place each filled manicotti over the spaghetti sauce.  It’s OK if they overlap. 

Cover with remaining spaghetti sauce. 

Top with mozzarella cheese. 

Cover and cook of low for 4 hours. 

Serve warm.

Enjoy!

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Pasta with Kale & Roasted Tomatoes

This is a simple weeknight dinner filled with veggies and delicious flavor. 

It’s ready in less than 30 minutes to boot!

We really enjoyed the combination of the roasted tomatoes with the peas, kale and pasta. I think you will too!

Pasta with Kale & Roasted Tomatoes – Adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients

• 2 C spiral pasta, uncooked 
• 1 C frozen peas
• 2.5 C frozen chopped kale
• 1 medium chicken breast, cooked and diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/2 C chicken broth
• 1/2 C half and half
• 1/4 C reserved pasta water
• 1/3 C Parmesan cheese
• 10-20 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved & roasted

Directions

Begin by cooking pasta according to directions; add peas in the last 3 minutes of boiling.  Drain (reserving up to 1/2 C pasta water) and set aside.

Meanwhile, sauté 1 minced garlic clove, with 1 medium cooked and diced chicken breast in a large skillet for 2-3 minutes. 

Add in 2.5 C chopped kale and sauté until kale is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. 

Add in 1/2 C broth along with 1/2 C half and half and reduce heat to a simmer, simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Remove from the heat and stir in pasta, peas, roasted tomatoes.

Then add Parmesan cheese. 

If the dish seems a little dry, add up to 1/4 C reserved pasta water.

Serve warm.

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Zucchini Mac & Cheese

Anyone else looking for something to do with their zucchini?!  Look no further, this delicious mac and cheese will have everyone asking for more zucchini.

Creamy, delicious and pleasing to the eye, this is a perfect summer dinner. 

Zucchini Mac & Cheese – Adapted from 2010 Version from FJiMK

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 C milk
• 1/2 lb. shell pasta (about 1/2 a 14 oz. box)
• 1 1/2 T white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 C Parmesan cheese (shredded or grated)
• 4-6 oz. Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 2 C shredded zucchini
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

Begin by shredding 2 C of zucchini.  Sprinkle with salt and allow the zucchini shreds to sit for 10 minutes while water moves via osmosis out of the zucchini.  Dump the zucchini into a strainer and strain the excess water, squeezing the zucchini so as to remove any remaining water.  Set aside. 

Meanwhile, bring your pasta to a boil following package directions.  When al dente, drain the pasta. 

In a large saucepan, whisk together 1 1/4 C milk with 1 1/2 T white whole wheat flour.  Set the pan on the burner and heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a slow boil and thickens. Season with salt and pepper. 

Remove the roux from the heat and stir in 2/3 of the extra sharp cheddar cheese.  Allow the heat from the roux to melt the cheese, and stir occasionally as it does. 

When the pasta is ready, toss it with the shredded zucchini and the Parmesan cheese. 

Place 1/2 of the pasta zucchini mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 glass baking dish.  Top with half of the cheese sauce. 

Top with remaining pasta/zucchini and pour the rest of the cheese sauce over the top. 

Sprinkle the remaining extra sharp cheddar cheese over the top. 

Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes until cheese on the top is melted and the dish is warmed throughout. 

Enjoy!

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Roasted Vegetable Summer Salad

For my grandparent’s 65th Wedding Anniversary all the grandkids brought side dishes.  I decided it was high time to create a new pasta salad. 

I roasted up a whole bunch of veggies because, let’s face it, roasted veggies taste amazing.  And, I can actually eat them when they are roasted. 

Then, I tossed them in some pasta cooked in chicken broth, marinated with some olive oil, garlic, onion, and herbs. 

The result was a delicious salad – perfect served hot or cold. 

Roasted Vegetable Summer Salad

Ingredients

• 2 C chicken broth
• 2 1/2 C small shaped pasta
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. minced onion
• 4 C water
• 1 C chopped broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
• 2 C baby carrots
• 2 medium red bell peppers
• 1 medium zucchini
• 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
• 4-6 oz. cherry tomatoes (optional)
• 1 can (~15 oz) Great White Northern Beans, rinsed & drained
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. oregano
• Olive oil

Directions

Place 2 1/2 C small pasta (we used rings, but small shells would work well too) in a large stockpot.  Add 2 C chicken broth (should be enough to nearly cover the pasta; if not, top off with water).  Sprinkle in up to 1/2 tsp. minced garlic and 1 tsp. minced onion.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Once the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid (about 3 minutes of boiling), add in the 4 C of water and continue cooking according to package directions.  Drain. 

Meanwhile, chop up your veggies.  Chop the bell peppers into 1-inch pieces, zucchini into quarters, and mushrooms into quarters.  Halve the cherry tomatoes, if using (I highly recommend doing so!).  Note – it the carrots are thick “baby carrots”, slice them in half lengthwise. 

Arrange the veggies on a large cookie sheet lined with a piece of foil coated lightly in olive oil.  Spritz with additional olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, basil and oregano. 

Roast at 450 for 30-45 minutes until crisp tender and nicely roasted.  Stir occasionally during this time and, if you are using frozen broccoli, you may need to remove the broccoli sooner than the other veggies. 

When pasta is ready and veggies are done, stir them together.  Mist lightly with olive oil to maintain moistness.  Season with additional salt, pepper, basil, & oregano.

Stir in white beans and garnish with dried parsley, if desired. 

Serve warm or chilled. 

This makes a great stand-alone salad, but would also be delicious with chicken either in the salad or along side it.  Grilled chicken would be even better!  Enjoy!

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Vegetables with Alfredo Sauce

Looking for a way to increase your vegetable consumption?  How about veggies smothered in Alfredo sauce? 

Arguably, this might minimize the health benefits of the vegetables, right? 

Not with this Alfredo sauce. 

The base: Great White Northern (or Cannellini) Beans. 

Seriously. 

Give it a try. 

Vegetables with Alfredo Sauce – Adapted from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 C whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 (14 oz) can Great White Northern or Cannellini Beans, drained
• 3 medium bell peppers, red, orange or yellow, diced
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 6 stalks of asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 C milk
• 1/4 C Parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Begin by boiling the pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside. 

Meanwhile, sauté the bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus and garlic in a skillet until crisp tender – about 10 minutes.  If you normally need to use some olive oil to sauté, do that here. 

Using a blender, puree your rinsed white beans, adding up to 1/4 C milk to help create a smooth sauce.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Pour the sauce over the cooked and drained pasta.  Add 1/4 C Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. 

Stir well until the sauce covers all the pasta. 

Pour the veggies into the pasta mixture and stir to combine. 

Serve warm, topped with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. 

You could easily add cooked, diced chicken or Italian sausage to this dinner! 

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DIY Hamburger Helper – Italian Style

So, this isn’t exactly a hamburger helper – but it has a similar approach being made in the skillet. 

In fact, I’d argue it’s better.  Real ingredients make a huge difference. 

You’ll find Italian sausage (we used turkey sausage), whole wheat pasta, spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms in this one, along with onion, garlic and parsley!

DIY Hamburger Helper – Italian Style

Ingredients

• 12 oz. whole wheat pasta (we used penne)
• 1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 T mined onion
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. oregano or basil, your choice (or, do some of both!)
• 1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 C spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 1-2 T milk
• 1/4 C Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Begin by browning the Italian sausage in a large skillet.  Drain.  Then, return the sausage to the skillet and add in 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained), 8 oz. sliced mushrooms, 1 T minced onion, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. parsley, and 1 tsp. mix of basil and oregano. 

Add in 1 can of tomato sauce and bring the skillet mixture to a low, slow simmer.  Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly – about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, bring your pasta to a boil and cook according to package directions.  Drain. 

When sauce has thickened, add in 1 C spinach.  This can be fresh or frozen, but should be torn or chopped.  Add in 1-2 T milk at this point too.  Stir. 

Add in cooked pasta.  Stir well. 

Sprinkle the top with 1/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese.  Allow the cheese to melt. 

Serve warm. 

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