Pasta

Here are my recipes for a delish pasta dish! Enjoy!
Feel free to comment after you make it :)



Red Pasta Sauce Recipe
I use this in all of my red sauce dishes! So good and slightly sweet!

Gather Needed Ingredients:
*1 tblsp Olive Oil
*1.5 tblsp Minced Garlic
*1 (14.5oz) Can Stewed Tomatoes (I use Hunts)
*1 (14.5oz) Can Diced Italian Flavored Tomatoes; drained (Again, Hunts brand)
*1 (6oz) Can tomato paste
*1/4 teasp dried oregano
*1/4 teasp dried basil
*Salt to taste
*1 teasp brown sugar (you can also use regular granulated sugar it's up to you)

Heat oil and add garlic, saute. Add canned tomatoes, seasonings, salt & pepper let mixture boil then lower heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Spoon bigger chunks into blender and blend on "Salsa" setting just enough to break down chunks. Add back to pan and simmer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes add tomato paste, this will thicken the sauce. Simmer 5 more minutes.





Baked Ravioli

Gather all ingredients before starting!:
*1 tblsp olive oil
*1.5 tblsp minced garlic
*1 teasp thyme (I used fresh)
*.5 teasp oregano
*1 can (14.5oz) stewed tomatoes
*1 can (14.5oz) diced Italian flavored tomatoes
*salt to taste
*2 lbs frozen ravioli (can use either cheese or meat whichever you prefer)
*1/4c parm cheese
*1c shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: I have always added a little sugar to my pasta sauces to cut back on the acidity. Not much just to taste!

Preheat oven to 425*. In a skillet heat olive oil and add minced garlic & saute. Add thyme, oregano, and tomatoes let boil then turn heat down to simmer. Spoon big chucks into blender and blend. You want some chunkiness to it but you dont want whole tomatoes or really big pieces. Add back to simmering mixture. Simmer for 15 minutes. While sauce is simmering put water and ravioli into a pot and boil until they float- drain and toss with sauce. Pour into lightly sprayed 9x13 pan top with parm cheese then mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. This pairs well with a salad and bread!




Million dollar spaghetti

Gather all ingredients before starting!:
*1lb ground beef
*1 can spaghetti sauce (can also use the sauce recipe listed in my baked ravioli dish!)
*1/4c sour cream
*1/2 lb cottage cheese
*whole stick of butter
*8 oz. noodles
*bag of sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350*. Boil noodles in salted water. While the noodles are boiling mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese and mix very well, I use a hand mixer to do this it also breaks up the chunks of cottage cheese to make it smoother, and set aside. Brown ground beef and drain. Pour sauce over meat. Take a few slices of the butter stick and lay them on the bottom of a 9x13in. dish then layer half of the noodles in the dish over top of the butter slices then pour the cheese mixture over noodles and spread. Add the rest of the noodles and pur a few more slices of butter on top of those noodles. Cover with sauce and meat spread and bake for 30 minutes. Once timer goes off pour the cheddar cheese on top of the meat sauce and bake another 15 minutes to brown!




Mexican stuffed shells
Gather all ingredients before starting!:
*1 lb ground beef
*1 package taco seasoning
*4 oz. cream cheese
*14-16 jumbo pasta shells
*1.5 c salsa
*1 c taco sauce
*1 c cheddar cheese
*1 c Monterrey jack cheese
*3 green onions
*1 can of black beans, drained
For topping you care use sour cream, salsa, sliced black olives, or any topping you would like!

Preheat oven to 350*. Cook ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning and cook according to package. Add cream cheese cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well and set aside to cool. While the meat mixture is cooling boil water and cook jumbo pasta shells. Once drained place shells on a baking sheet so they do not stick together. Pour the salsa on the bottom of a 9x13in dish then pour the can of black beans over the salsa. Stuff each shell with the meat mix and cover with taco sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. After timer goes off add cheese and bake 10 more minutes to brown.


Shrimp Alfredo

Gather ingredients!:
1 package (16 oz) fettuccine (I used angel hair)
1 1/2c heavy or whipping cream
1 tblsp butter or margarine
1/2 teasp salt
1/4 teasp coarsely ground black pepper
3/4c grated Parmesan cheese
chopped parsley

1) In a large sauce pot, cook pasta according to directions. Drain
2) Meanwhile in a 2 qt saucepan heat cream, butter, salt, and pepper to boiling over medium-high heat. Boil until sauce has thickened slightly about 2-3 minutes. In a serving dish toss pasta with sauce and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with parsley.
Sauteed Shrimp:
In a skillet melt 1 tblsp of butter and add shrimp (Honestly I didn't measure how much I put in it I just added enough for me and the kids), cook over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Cut a meyer lemon in half use half of the lemon and juice it over the shrimp slice the other half and add the slices to the shrimp. Cook through and add to pasta! Enjoy!!



Ravioli Balsamico

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients needed:
*14 oz refrigerated ravioli, four cheese which was about 1 1/2 packages of Buitoni
*1 1/4c light balsamic vinaigrette
*1/4c julienne cut sun dried tomatoes, chopped.
*1/2c chopped walnuts
*2 tblsp butter, cold
1)in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook ravioli according to package. Meanwhile in a large skillet over medium high heat bring vinaigrette to a boil. Add sun dried tomatoes and walnuts. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in butter until sauce is smooth and shiny.
2) Drain pasta. Add balsamic sauce and heat through.


Eggplant Parmesan with fettuccine

Gather Ingredients Needed
*1/2c Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
*1/4c grated parmesan cheese (I was out so I chopped already shredded mozzarella)
*1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste (this will add spice if you do not like spice you do not have to add this)
*1 eggplant; trimmed, peeled, and sliced 1/2-in thick
*1/2c olive oil
*Sea salt & pepper to taste
*1 package mozzarella cheese; shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Grease a cookie sheet
2. Mix seasoned bread crumbs, 1/4c parm cheese, red pepper flakes, & salt/pepper to taste in a bowl. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil on each side and press into crumb mixture to coat. Lay slices onto baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove eggplant and reduce oven temp to 375.
4. Place eggplant slices into prepared baking dish, overlapping slices. Spoon tomato sauce over eggplant and top with mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Turn oven to broil and cook 1-2 minutes to give the cheese topping a golden color. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving!




Mushroom Sauce Fettuccine


Gather ingredients:
*2 packages (9oz each) refrigerated fettuccine, Buitoni
*3 tblsp EVOO
*1 package (8oz) presliced fresh white button mushrooms
*1 package (8oz) presliced fresh brown mushrooms
*1 cup chopped onions
*1 1/2c beef broth
*1/3c dry sherry
*1/4c balsamic vinegar
*1 packet beef stew seasoning, McCormick
*1 can (14.5-ounce) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, drained

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well; return to hot pot. Cover; keep warm. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions to hot oil cook and stir for 7 to 8 minutes. Create a well in center of the mushroom mixture. Add beef broth, sherry, and balsamic vinegar. Stir in beef stew seasoning until dissolved. Add drained tomatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. Serve hot over cooked pasta!