Simple Yet Gourmet

If you like Ranch Dressing, you will probably love this pasta! It's definitely different from your standard pastas that typically involve tomato sauce or cream, garlic and Italian herbs.  Not that I have anything against those- I love a good Italian pasta! But every now and then it's good to break away from the mold and try out something new, and this was very, very good!  Penne pasta, sliced chicken breast, and crispy Bacon topped with a creamy Ranch sauce, this is one even the kids will love! 

There is nothing fancy about this salad, but considering the fact that I've been making it for the last 18 years, it's a keeper.  I love it because it comes together quickly, it's customizable, meets my criteria for a one dish dinner (protein, fiber, and veggies), and everyone in the family will eat it without complaint! This pasta is perfect for a make ahead dish for those nights that you know there isn't going to be much time to make dinner but you still want something healthy and satisfying.  I'm writing this they way I typically make it, but you could totally add in some other veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, raw broccoli, etc.  You can even use a different type of pasta.  I like to use the Ronzoni Garden Delight Veggie though because it actually contains a 1/2 serving of veggies per serving!

If you like pasta you will love this Skillet Baked Ziti! Think of tender noodles smothered in a creamy red sauce with fresh basil, garlic, and three cheeses. Amazing!  So simple yet flavorful.  And another great aspect of this dish?  You only use one pan which means less dishes to wash.  Woot woot!  If you have an oven proof skillet you can just pop it in there at the end to brown the cheese a little.  Or, you can take the lazy way out like me and just cover the pan and wait a minute or two for the cheese to melt.  Technically it wouldn't be skillet "baked" ziti, but either way, it is sure to please!

I love pasta and am always keeping my eyes open for new recipes.  It seems like a lot of them are just slight variations from our tried and true file, but this is different.  While it starts out like a basic Alfredo might, the addition of cajun seasoning, asiago cheese, and grape tomatoes make it entirely different.  I loved the depth of flavor the asiago brought to the dish as well as the kick from the cajun seasoning!

This was my first attempt at cooking shrimp, and I have to say it was not as hard as I thought it would be.  It was actually very easy and fast to cook!  Brynlee and I love this recipe!  I included the red pepper flakes on the first try and it was pretty spicy so now I leave them out, but it's just a matter of preference.  Either way, you get a lemony garlic flavor that is sure to please!

When I was a child, I would have liked to eat Mac and Cheese from the box every single day.  I still remember my Dad teasing me about how when I got older and went on a date I would probably ask for Macaroni and Cheese.  What can I say-I loved it!  I thought all kids did.  My little Brynlee, however, will not touch the stuff.  If I ever offer to make it she asks me to leave the cheese off.  So basically she wanted just plain noodles.  That is until she tried this.  This is SO much better than the stuff from the box and really doesn't take much longer to make.  It is smooth, creamy, and delicious.  Comfort food at it's finest!

I planted basil for the first time ever this Summer, and am loving having it readily available for use.  Since I now have quite a bit, I decided to attempt some pesto.  I loved this recipe!  It made a pretty thick pesto which is great for adding to a variety of pasta's, panini's, or even pizza.  The great thing about pesto is it is very versatile.  This recipe is perfect for my liking.  Toasting the pine-nuts adds a nice flavor, the parmesan cheese makes it nice and thick, while the garlic makes it flavorful but not overly pungent.  Even Brynlee, my 4 year old, loves this, and that's saying something for a girl who insists on having plain noodles when we serve Mac 'n Cheese or Spaghetti.

This is one of our very favorite pasta dishes. It was one of the first recipes I posted on this blog, but as time has gone on I've tweaked it here and there to make it even better! It's similar to the Macaroni Grill's Pasta Milano. Flavor packed sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, white wine, and chicken broth help to make a deliciously flavorful cream sauce which perfectly blends the components together to make a very satisfying dinner.

This recipe is an old family favorite that I've tweaked a little bit to fit our liking.  While it is tasty and varied in its components, it comes together quickly.  In only the time it takes to cook the pasta you can have a healthy, delicious dinner.  The chicken, broccoli, and tomatoes are simmered in a light white wine sauce, seasoned with basil and a hint of red pepper.  When the broccoli is tender crisp the mixture is tossed together with the pasta,

Similar to a Caprese salad, this pasta is simple and light.  The fresh cherry tomatoes and torn basil add a freshness to the dish that is so refreshing.  Combined with fragrant garlic and slightly melted mozzarella cheese, this dinner is perfect for lunch or dinner any day of the week.  Oh, and did I mention it comes together really quickly and is delicious?

I had my first bite of this salad about 1 1/2 years ago and I was hooked.  It was different from any salad I had ever tasted before and I kept taking bite after bite wondering what it was about this salad that made me like it so much.  Was it the feta cheese? Possibly.  The grape tomatoes? Nope.  I would never eat those by themselves.  The honey, lemon, and olive oil dressing?  Definitely added to it, but it wasn't all.

  Here's another great soup recipe to keep you warm in the upcoming months.  I served it with these     bread sticks  and together they really hit the spot.  One of the things I love about this soup is that it warms your kitchen and has a wonderful aroma as it simmers.  Also, it has a good amount of veggies in it, including shredded zucchini.  I got my tortellini's from Costco from the refrigerated section.  In my opinion, fresh or frozen tortellini are the best, but you could also use the ones from the box.  Either way, don't l et this soup pass you by without giving it a try.

So here is another quick and easy recipe for those busy weekday nights.  I added a few of my own special touches, like always, but the main recipe is the same.  I made a very simple spaghetti sauce, but feel free to use your favorite canned spaghetti sauce.  I added some different cheese to mine, as we McCain's love our cheese!

Living a greater part of my life it Connecticut, this recipe was a favorite of many of the friends.  It seems like a staple to most people back there.  Over the years I have created my own version of this simple dish so I thought I would share it with you.

In honor of Mike's birthday today, I am posting his favorite dish of all time!  Since we've been married he has tried to tell me about a dish he use to eat while working at IBM a long time ago.  I have tried many times to recreate the dish but never have had much success, until now, finally!

Have you ever heard of the motto, less is more.  This recipe is a great example of this.  In our house we rarely buy a jar of tomato sauce, we make our own!  During the summer I will use my fresh tomatoes from the garden but for the rest of the year I use the Italian canned tomatoes.

Here's a yummy, good for you recipe.  I'm not one for dieting, but if I happen to find a healthy recipe that is also delicious, I'm all about that.  This orzo salad is loaded with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and cilantro. With a spicy, creamy buttermilk dressing drizzled over salad you may forget this is a "light meal".  I think the avocado really helped meld the flavors together.  If fact, the next time I make this I am going to dice up the avocado's and mix them in with the salad instead of serving them on the side.  The only other change I would make to this recipe is to substitute garlic powder for the crushed garlic.  I love garlic when it is cooked, but the flavor of it raw was a little too strong for me.  Other than that, it was perfect.  Something that I will definitely be making again!

This flavorful, good for you chicken recipe came from the BYU 5th ward cookbook.  This recipe was anonymous but stated " My absolute favorite recipe from my Italian grandmother".  That was enough to pique my interest.  I have been making this recipe for several years now and I love it as well. The chicken is initially browned, then cooked in a marina sauce making it flavorful, tender, and juicy.

This has been a favorite side dish in my family!  With summer upon us, we do a lot of grilling.  I am always looking for salads to compliment the grill.  This salad is great with barbecue chicken, sandwiches or sloppy joes.

Do you ever just need a quick and easy dinner? This recipe will do the trick! The ingredients for this dish I always have on hand, so it took me about 15 minutes to prepare and serve this dish. I made a big salad, cut up some watermelon and made some garlic toast, easy and delicious!