Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Chicken

I am KNOWN for my hot spinach artichoke dip.  Seriously....I would take it to potlucks at work and would need to make a quadruple recipe and it would still be gone in 15-30 minutes.  I actually got the idea from Pinterest to make it into a baked pasta dish.  WHY have I not thought of this before?? Unbelievable.... Anywho, I had the ingredients to make the dip and didn't make it for something that I had planned so guess what was on the menu this week for dinner?  Yep!  You guessed it!  And if by chance you were wanting the dip recipe, all you need to do is omit the chicken and the pasta from the recipe and make your own bad-ass-perpetually-requested dip.  I do HIGHLY recommend using the frozen artichoke hearts and here's why....the canned version are usually in a brine with an acid of some kind and it affects the flavor of the dish.  Even thoroughly washing it doesn't take everything away. The frozen artichoke hearts might be the most difficult thing to find for this dish but I promise it is WELL worth the hunt.  Enjoy!

Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Chicken

• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel or the reduced fat version)
• 1 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip...the real thing)
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed (I always end up adding more)
• 1 small box of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, drained, and chopped
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
• 3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 large cooked chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 a box of Penne pasta

Preheat oven to 350F.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to directions until al dente. Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl.  Mix well.  Press garlic into bowl and add artichokes, spinach, parmesan cheese, green onions, black pepper, and red bell pepper into bowl.  Mix well.  Add chopped cooked chicken breast to mixture.  Once pasta is done, combine spinach artichoke mixture with drained pasta. Gently toss to combine until all pasta is evenly distributed.  Place in a casserole dish that was greased with non-stick spray.  Place, uncovered, in oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

Heavenly, Reduced-Fat Banana Pudding

You may be asking yourself HOW can the words "heavenly" and "reduced-fat" be in the same sentence as banana pudding.  Well, I'm telling you...they CAN!  And you won't want to miss this.  It does not, I repeat, DOES NOT taste like it is reduced-fat.  But keep that in mind as you go back for seconds and wrap your lips around this delicious morsel.  You won't be able to help yourself...I promise.  Making this recipe reduced-fat was actually pretty easy.  It's all a matter of switching out the ingredients for a light, fat-free, or even sugar-free version.  And no one will be the wiser...it is that decadent!  Enjoy!

Heavenly Reduced-Fat Banana Pudding

• Reduced fat Nilla Wafers
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 1 small package sugar free, fat free instant vanilla pudding
• 1 can fat free sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
• 1 8-oz package Cool Whip Lite

Line a dish with Nilla wafers.  Prepare pudding according to package directions, except use 1/2 cup less milk so it is not too runny. (I typically use 1% milk) Mix remaining ingredients with the prepared pudding.  Fold in the bananas.  Pour over the wafers and chill until ready to serve.

*You can alternately layer the banana slices on top of the wafers and pour the pudding mixture over the top.  Or you can prepare the pudding and present it as a parfait, as I did in the picture above, with alternating layers of the pudding mixture and Nilla wafers.

The BEST Italian Creme Cake

So this isn't the best looking picture in the world, but it's one I took with my iPhone at work before the cake was all gone!  I made this cake as a 13x9 cake for the pure and simple fact that I was taking it to work for a coworker (who is reducing her schedule to one day a week :( ) and I wanted there to be enough to share for a small special team.  Traditionally, I would make this as a 2-layer cake.  It is certainly prettier in presentation when I do that.  I haven't made this cake in years and it was about time to bring it out as a special treat.  Of course, it helped that it's my coworker's favorite cake!  This cake has been compared to other Italian Creme Cakes and always came out on top.  Italians have been creating fabulous rich egg cakes composed of nuts and sweet, sealed with creamy dairy fillings from ancient times forward.  Italian Creme Cake, as we Americans know it today, descends from this culinary tradition. While no one claims to have invented this particular cake, food historians generally agree Italian Creme Cakes are related to Renaissance-era Trifles.  This recipe has been passed down for many generations in my family.  I received it from my grandmother, of French and Italian ancestry, and it was one of her signature desserts.  I learned a lot of my baking from her.  It's interesting to follow how this recipe got to my maternal aunt from my paternal grandmother, especially when they never had any interaction!  Just goes to show how delicious this cake is.  Please take the time to create the frosting by hand-beating.  It really does make a difference, not to mention puts more love into it. :)  My husband had the wonderful task of creating the frosting this time and I must say, I think it's the best I've ever tasted.  You may want to double the frosting recipe, especially if doing a multi-layer cake.  You MUST use cake flour for this recipe.  It really does make a difference.  You can find it in a red box in the baking aisle.  And don't scoff at the buttermilk.  It really makes the cake nice and moist.  I have found it to be the secret behind moist cakes and quick breads.  I otherwise hate buttermilk and will only have it around if I'm baking with it.  For more variety, try this as miniature loaves, or cupcakes, or individual Bundt cakes.  The possibilities are endless with cakes!  Enjoy!

The BEST Italian Creme Cake

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 7oz can of sweetened coconut (or half of a 14 oz bag)
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and Crisco.  Add sugar and egg yolks, beating well.  Add baking soda to buttermilk, and mix alternately with flour and salt to creamed sugar mixture.  Beat slowly.  Add vanilla.  Add coconut and pecans, then fold in beaten egg whites that are whipped to stiff peaks.  Bake at 350F for 40 minutes or until done.

Frosting

• 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and cream cheese together by hand, making sure to fully mix the two.  Slowly add the powdered sugar in batches, mixing thoroughly.  Once all the powdered sugar is mixed, add the vanilla and pecans.  Spread on the cake as desired.

Asian Marinated Cucumber Salad

I have recently developed a love affair with cucumbers.  In particular, the non-waxy, thin-skinned, seedless English cucumber.  And turning them into salads.  I owe the salad part to my good friend, Katie.  And local Asian restaurants.  But Katie really turned me onto being creative with them.  English cucumbers can typically be found in the produce section shrink-wrapped in plastic.  I always love the crab and cucumber salad you can get at some Asian restaurants, so that was my inspiration behind this creation.  It has lovely Asian flavors (rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes) that marry into a wonderful dish.  This time when I made them, I used my mandoline and sliced them a bit thicker than I have previously done.  They are traditionally sliced a bit thinner.  Try each thickness and decide what you like best.  It's a perfect side dish for any Asian entree, or any summer barbecue smorgasbord, and not laden with mayonnaise like most summertime favorites. This dish sits wonderfully in the refrigerator for several days....if it lasts that long!  Enjoy!

Asian Marinated Cucumber Salad

• 1 large English (seedless) cucumber, very thinly sliced
• 1/4 of a sweet onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Gently toss together all of the ingredients.  Put in a non-reactive (non-metal) container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the flavors meld.  

Peaches & Cream French Toast

Howdy y'all!  I know, I know... It's been a long while since I've shared anything with you guys but the juices are flowing again.  And what better way to signal a homecoming than sharing a delicious breakfast casserole with you!  I don't know about you but I loooooooove breakfast and everything about it.  Big breakfasts on Saturday morning, the smell of bacon and biscuits wafting through the air, breakfast for lunch (aka brunch) partnered with a mimosa, and the ever popular breakfast for dinner which makes it seem like you are breaking all the rules.  This year, I've been trying new things in the kitchen and came across a recipe that fit the bill: prepared ahead, utilizes fruit and one of my favorite breakfast items, and helps me to clean out my pantry of items that have just been sitting there, being neglected.  How perfect!  This recipe was adapted from one that I came across via Pinterest (which I'm fairly certain is the devil and one fellow church-goer mentioned it in church so it has to be true!).  This recipe was originally posted on myrecipes.com but I made a few tweaks and a few improvements that I'm sure you will love.  This French toast was delicious garnished with some fresh fruit, like blackberries, and partnered with bacon as I did here.  This was a perfect dish to put together for Father's Day and served in bed.  Fathers can get the same pampering as mothers do on Mother's Day!  Any day is made into a special occasion when this dish is served.  Enjoy!

Peaches & Cream French Toast

• 1 8-oz loaf French bread, sliced approximately 1 inch thick (I used half of a 1 pound loaf)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 15-oz cans sliced peaches packed in juice, drained
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
• 1/2 cup half-and-half, or heavy cream

Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Arrange bread in a tight, flat layer in dish. In a large bowl, whisk eggs with milk, sugar and vanilla until blended; pour over bread, making sure that each piece of bread is bathed in the milk mixture.  Arrange peaches on top.  In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans, if using.  Sprinkle over the peaches.  Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.  Remove baking dish from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Preheat oven to 350F.  While the dish is coming to room temperature, pour the half and half, or cream, into a small pan.  Slowly bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.  Drizzle over peaches and bake, uncovered, until casserole is lightly browned on top and just cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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Caprese Quesadilla

I absolutely LOVE quesadillas!  Honestly, who can't resist them?  In case you are from another country or planet, a quesadilla is a flour tortilla filled with a savory mixture, then folded in half and toasted or fried.  The filling traditionally consists of shredded cheese, cooked meat, refried beans, and other typical Mexican or Tex-Mex ingredients.  I typically use a smaller diameter tortilla, so I use a total of two rather than folding it in half.  Then, I heat it in a pan, similar to the method for a grilled cheese sandwich.  Quesadillas are extremely versatile.  You can fill them with whatever your imagination comes up with!  And that is exactly what I did here.  I had some leftover ingredients from the previous night's dinner, Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken, so I got creative and the results were DELICIOUS!  There isn't a ton of measuring to this, since I had leftovers, but it's the typical Italian way to cook.  Just ask Grandma! This would also be good with some grilled chicken thrown in.  Enjoy!

Caprese Quesadilla

• 2 small, or 1 large, flour tortilla
• Butter
• 1-2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• 2 slices fresh mozzarella cheese

Prepare the filling by combining the tomatoes, garlic, and basil in a small bowl.  To cut the basil, take a few leaves, roll them up and then slice thinly.  This is called a chiffonade.  Lightly toss the mixture with some balsamic vinegar.  Add salt to taste.  In a skillet on medium to medium-high heat, place a tablespoon of butter in the pan.  Once it is melted, place one tortilla in the skillet.  Take one slice of fresh mozzarella cheese and break it into pieces, placing the pieces on the tortilla.  Sprinkle the tomato mixture on top of the cheese.  Take the second piece of cheese, break it into pieces like the first slice, and place on top of the tomato mixture.  Place the second tortilla on top.  If using one large tortilla, sprinkle the ingredients on only one half of the tortilla.  After the second piece of cheese is added, fold the tortilla in half.  Allow the tortilla to brown a little, being careful not to burn.  Gently flip the quesadilla over to brown the other side to your liking.  Remove from pan.  Let cool for 1-2 minutes before cutting into fourths.  Serve with warmed spaghetti sauce, marinara, or pesto.

The Moistest Meatloaf EVER!

I love meatloaf.  Absolutely LOVE it.  Meatloaf is one of those comfort foods that people usually have problems with.  They complain that it's dry, heavy... Not this meatloaf.  This meatloaf is perfect.  It's moist, not too heavy, and can quite literally fall apart because it's so moist!  The perfect balance of flavor.... It's a shame that I have to share this with my family because I could sit down with the entire 9x5 pan in my lap, fork in hand, and eat the entire thing.  I promise, I haven't tried.  But I have thought about it. :) You can use any combination of meats here, but I typically stick with the good ol' ground beef.  I usually get an 80/20 mix.  I have been making this meatloaf for as long as I can remember, almost 20  years (for such a youngin' like me that's quite a while), and it has never failed to disappoint and is often requested.  One of these days I will actually make a different version of it with bacon and cheese.  As for the topping, feel free to double the ingredients to make a thicker topping.  And don't forget the mashed potatoes - you can't have meatloaf without them.  Enjoy!!

The Moistest Meatloaf EVER!

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce (I use an 8 oz can and then use the rest for the topping)
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs (I use the Italian Seasoned breadcrumbs)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onions (I always use yellow onion and use a little more than 1/4 cup)
• 2 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef

Topping

• 1/4 cup ketchup or leftover tomato sauce from above
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

In large bowl, combine ketchup, tomato sauce, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, eggs, bread crumbs, onions and mustard.  Mix until thoroughly blended.  Add ground beef.  Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands, being careful to not overwork the meat as it will make the meat tough.  Place in a 9x5 inch loaf pan.  In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients, mixing well.  Spread topping over the meat loaf.  Bake at 400F for 40-55 minutes or until done.  The meatloaf will still be soft.  If desired, gently check the middle of the loaf with a knife to make sure there isn't any pink remaining.  Drain off fat.  Rest meatloaf for 5 minutes before serving.