Parmesan Orzo

I forgot to take my own picture, this version has 4-6 Tbsp of fresh basil

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup Orzo pasta
2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
3/4-1 cup Parmesan Cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt butter over medium heat
Add orzo pasta and saute for a few minutes until orzo starts to brown
Add broth
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes (all the broth should be absorbed)
Remove from heat
Add Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper

Serves: 4

Garden Risotto

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 3/4 c (12oz) uncooked orzo pasta
2 c broccoli florets
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 c corn
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat oil in 12" nonstick pan
Add onion and garlic
Cook 2 minutes
Add orzo, broccoli, and broth
Reduce heat to medium and cook 6 minutes
Add chicken pieces, cook 6 more minutes
Stir in corn, salt, and pepper, cook 5 minutes
Remove from heat
Stir in cheese and serve

Italian Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

1 container/bag of your favorite pasta
1/2 head broccoli
1/2 - 1 red pepper
1 can sliced olives
1 bottle Italian dressing (your favorite)
4 chicken breasts

Directions:

Cook chicken (grill, bake, or in pan), season with salt and pepper
Cook pasta and broccoli
Soften red pepper in microwave, or if you are fortunate enough grill over heat

Mix all chicken, pasta, broccoli, and pepper in large bowl.
Add Italian dressing*
Serve warm or cold

*I prefer this dish cold and with not as much dressing, so I add 1/2 bottle of dressing and refrigerate over night. I add additional dressing, if needed.

Rigatoni

Besides homemade pizza, this is my most requested dish in our house.

Warning...this recipe may be difficult to follow or understand because I do NOT measure when I cook. Most recipes I can estimate on the amounts, however this one I add or don't add based on who I am cooking for, on smell, and on taste! But if your willing to take the chance, I promise you and your family won't regret making this recipe!

This dish is great to eat the day of, or if you like to plan ahead, make it 1-2 days, and store in refrigerator.

Ingredients

1 pound ground Italian sausage, mild or hot
1 pound ground beef
1/4 - 1 pound pepperoni (amount based on preference. Our family prefers Dietz Watson Pepperoni Sticks found at Albertsons in the deli department )
1/2 to ? garlic, minced (amount based on preference)
28-48 oz tomatoes, (type and amount based on preference. Most of our family are not fans of tomatoes so we use 2- 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes.)
6  oz tomato paste
1/2 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 - 1 tsp Thyme, dried
1/4 - 1 tsp Oregano, dried
1/4 - 1 tsp Sage, dried
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
1 - 2 pound Rigatoni Pasta *Use less pasta if you prefer meaty dish

Directions

Brown Italian sausage and ground beef.
I like to add a bit of seasoning to my meat as it's cooking, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp garlic powder.
Drain grease.
Slice pepperoni to bite size pieces. Add to browned meat. *You may need to drain off additional grease.
Add garlic.
Add canned tomatoes, ONE can at a time, stir in, Add additional cans until sauce is the consistency you prefer.
Add tomato paste, if needed (I find that if I use crushed tomatoes I don't usually need to use paste).
Add seasonings, salt and pepper. *If you use seasoned tomatoes and paste, you may want to reduce amount of seasoning!
Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.
TASTE sauce, if bitter add sugar, 1/2 tsp at a time, as needed.

Boil pasta as directed. *For those who have little mouths to feed, we find using Penne pasta works best for those 'little' mouths.

Serve sauce over pasta, top with grated Parmesan cheese.

To bake: place pasta in bottom of large baking dish, pour sauce over the top, and store in refrigerator up to 2 days. Bake at 350 degrees 30-45 minutes or until center is hot.

Summer Salad

Ingredients

1 pound thin spaghetti
1/2 to full container Johnny's Salad Elegance
Tomato*
Red Onion*
Cucumber*
Green Pepper*
Italian dressing*

Directions

Cook and drain spaghetti.
Immediately pour Salad Elegance on pasta.
Remove seeds from vegetables.
Cube all vegetables so they are same size.
Mix vegetables in pasta.
Toss pasta with Italian dressing.
Chill overnight.

*Amount based on your preference.
For dressing I use about 1/2 bottle, chill overnight, and add more dressing before serving, as needed.

Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

1 pint heavy cream
1 stick of butter (can reduce if desired()
2 Tbsp cream cheese
1/2 - 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer until all is melted and mixed well.
Add: Parmesan cheese and garlic powder.
Simmer 15-20 minutes on low at a minimum.
Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Our family loves this recipe so we double it and serve it with grilled chicken,  steamed broccoli and fettuccine noodles.