Cheesy Chicken Pasta

How many of you have been to the $5 dollar dinners website?  I follow them on Facebook and saw that they were going to be doing 20 meals for $150.  As soon as it posted I had to see what I could make for at least for this week!  I typically don’t shop at once for that many meals but if you do then you’re in luck.  You need to head on over and get those meals!!  This is one of them that I found for this week.

I plan my meals not only on a budget but also on what my schedule for the week will be.  Since I didn’t have anything going on this day, I knew I’d have time to spend on making something new.  I had most of the ingredients on hand so if I had to guess on the cost, I’d say that this was pretty close to the $5.  I had the spices, sour cream, butter, and cheese in my kitchen.  Some little mouths aren’t a fan of tuna in the house so I substituted chicken instead.  I got the rotisserie chicken instead of the can chicken and I just cut it up.

As you can see, little Miss Khali isn’t very interested in eating her dinner.  Her little mind is preoccupied!!!

Mr. Caleb appears to be more interested in getting his loose tooth out than eating his dinner!!!!

First of all, excuse my after dinner mess!  But here’s Miss Brooklyn going up for seconds!  So she liked it.  And she’s the picky eater of the bunch!!!!

Super easy to make.  Super easy on your wallet.  Super tasty too!

I’ve looked over the other 19 recipes from the $5 dinner website but I haven’t put them down for any days this week.

Taco Tuesday for us here and then on Wednesday hopping to make the Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes.  You can’t go wrong with breakfast for dinner.

In fact, the other girl came over with Sam last night to have dinner with us.  We had some breakfast quesadillas.  Unfortunately neither of us took any pictures of what we made.  Jodi made a nummy dessert with some crescent rolls, brown sugar, and some cinnamon chocolate chips!  Not that often that we get to cooking together any more so I’m sorry we didn’t take the time to show you our fun.  Trust me, we ate really well yesterday!

I hope you have a great week.

Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Author: Patricia

Ingredients

• 1 lb. spaghetti noodles or other pasta
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 4 Tbsp flour (I used whole wheat)
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 2 containers of Oscar Meyer chicken
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• about 1 lb. frozen Green Beans or corn
• Parmesan cheese
• Chives

Instructions

1. Boil the pasta noodles as directed. Drain well and return to saucepan.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Whisk in the milk and whisk vigorously until flour “melts” into the milk. Whisk in the chicken broth. Bring to bubbling and then stir in the sour cream and cheese. Cook over medium-low heat until sauce bubbles and begins to thicken. Stir in the chicken, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the sauce to the cooked noodles and toss well.
4. Prepare frozen corn or green beans.
5. Serve Cheesy Chicken Noodles with vegetable.
6. I topped ours with some chives and some shredded Parmesan cheese.

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Patricia – Two Girls Cooking 😉

Source

$5 Dollar Dinners

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

When I was doing the blog posting for the Love My Cub sweepstakes, I stumbled on this recipe on the cub.com site.  I even posted the recipe and said that I was going to make it.  Well, I made it.   We actually made this for dinner a couple of weeks ago, I’ve just been that busy!

This was really good.  It was not only super simple to make but it was really good!

I’m not a fan of buying pre-cooked much of anything.  I’d rather make it myself.  However, when life calls for chicken tenders already in a bag, sometimes you just have to go with it.  And I have to say these are some pretty good chicken tenders.  Better than homemade?  Maybe not, but when in a hurry why not.

Since making this recipe, we’ve had the chicken tenders quite a few times I have to say.  It’s easy.  It’s simple on busy sports nights.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Recipe Type: Italian

Author: Patricia

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 28 frozen popcorn chicken bites or chicken nuggets (I used Tyson’s)
• 1/2 (16 ounce) package Penne Rigate
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 cup Essential Everyday Half & Half
• 1/2 cup Feta Cheese
• 1/4 cup Essential Everyday Louisiana Hot Sauce

Instructions

1. Prepare chicken and pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta.
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add celery, onions and garlic; salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until celery is softened (about 5-7 minutes).
3. Stir in half & half, feta cheese and hot sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 2-3 minutes. Add pasta and chicken; toss to coat. Continue simmering until heated through and sauce has thickened.

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I hope you enjoy this.  We had some crusty french bread with this and a side salad.  Great dinner.

Patricia – Two Girls Cooking 😉

Source

Cub Foods

Peanut Noodles – Women’s Shoe Blow Out!

Oh my goodness.  This was another awesome dinner.  It may not look like much but it packs a bunch of flavor in this one!  There I have nothing more to say.  Just make this for dinner and you’ll love it!!

Ok, well, that’s not all I have to say, but this was pretty good.  I had to go back for seconds and I’m not one to really do that much.  We had some Italian bread on this side with this.  Raked in the carbs for sure on this one but we don’t do that often here, so it was all good!!!!

Another super easy dinner to put together when you’re on the go or in a hurry.  Craig said he wouldn’t have eaten it, but I bet had he been here he would have at least tried it!  I wouldn’t have put the green onions on his.  There are some left overs in the fridge and I may just have that with dinner tonight.  Tonight we’re having the Chicken Bundles that my friend, Carrie made!!  She asked me today what they were called with and I just happened to find it.  So her and I may be having the same thing for dinner tonight.

I tell ya, there’s nothing better than having great friends.  Bad when they live so far away!

Back to the Noodles.  Sorry, I tend to get carried away in my typing and it the mind just goes.  So I type when I think!!  This was put together pretty quick.  With school coming up and football, we’re busy pretty much every day during the week.  So this is something to keep in mind when you’re thinking of something fast.

If you’re like me and you make your menu for the week and you’re on Pinterest or searching online and find something good, I put it on iCal for whatever day.  I had this weeks menu planned last week.  And that’s saying a lot for me.

Ok, let me be quiet and share some of the pictures I have for you!!

I was tempted to put some salt and these and eat them before the kids saw, but didn’t!!

Pasta boiling away!

What would dinner time be in the kitchen if the girls didn’t come in to see what’s going on!!  These two girls are connected at the hip.  Good thing…hope it stays that way!

Peanut sauce cooking…Smells amazing.

Try something new for dinner.  You can always get take out.  But when you make your dinner from scratch, you know what’s going in your food.  And that’s  a good feeling.  Especially when you’re trying to avoid certain foods and eat healthy.

Have a great week.  Peanut Noodles are a must try.

Peanut Noodles

Recipe Type: Peanut Noodles

Author: Patricia

Ingredients

• 8 ounces spaghetti
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced (white parts only)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• I used the green onion for the top of my noodles
• Pine nuts

Instructions

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, combine oil and onions in a small skillet. Saute over low heat until tender. Add ginger; cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat.
3. Toss noodles with sauce, and serve.
4. I topped my noodles with Pine Nuts.

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Oh and if you’re looking on a great deal for Women’s Shoes…  Check This out.  It ends Thursday, September 5th.  Hurry before you miss out!!!

Patricia – Two Girls Cooking 😉

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All Recipes

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

This may seem like a pretty hearty meal for the end of April.  But as I said in one of my last posts, it’s been fall/winter here still (with the exception of last weekend).  So when you see something coming from the kitchen that would normally be made in fall or winter, well we’re still sort of stuck in that season here in MN!!

When I find new things to make and it looks good, I am willing to give it a try.  Within my picky people pallet eaters here in the house!  This didn’t have anything that was green or orange or too spicy, so it was a go.  But I do love hearing the question:  “Is this something new you’re trying here?  And what’s the back up plan if it doesn’t turn out?”  Which really means, what if I don’t like it!!!

Well I don’t usually have a back up plan.  Not that I haven’t messed up a meal or two, but I just don’t usually have a back up plan.  And this was a meal the picky people eaters happened to like.

I loved the way the chicken turned out with the panko crust.  One of my favorite ways to bread chicken!!!  I get nervous frying chicken in a pan because I always feel like I’m going to under cook it, but it turned out great!!!   This was easy to make and had tons of great flavor!!!

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Two Girls Cooking – Patricia 😉

Source

Chef in Training

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Patricia

Ingredients

• 10-12 oz. penne or ziti pasta
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder more or less to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt more or less to taste
• 1 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese separated
• 2 chicken breasts cooked and cut into strips
• 3/4 cup bacon cooked and chopped
• 3/4 cup diced ham
• bread crumbs

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to its package’s directions. Drain. I always add a little olive oil after I drain it and stir in around so the pasta noodles don’t stick together or the pot.
2. Heat cream cheese on stove over medium low heat until melted. Stir in heavy cream. Stir until completely combined. Add onion powder and garlic salt until it tastes how you would like it to. Stir 1 cup of cheese until smooth consistency.
3. In a 9×13, layer noodles, chicken, bacon and ham. Pour sauce over top. Sprinkle top with 1/2 cup cheese and bread crumbs.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until heated through.

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Garlic Chicken & Spinach Pasta

The recipe that I found was for Rosemary and Chicken but I’m not a huge fan of that particular herb so I traded places with tons of fresh minced garlic instead!  Who doesn’t love the taste and smell of garlic?!!  I do.  Plus it’s good for you at the same time.  I try to add garlic to all of our home cooked meals.

As I’ve said many times, we have been super busy the month of September with sports and things so finding quick and easy meals is the top priority for me.  This was all of the above.  I didn’t think it would have as much flavor as it did.  But I added at least 6-7 cloves of garlic to this!!

Here’s what you need

1 box (16 oz) cavatappi pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 to 3 cups chopped cooked chicken

3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

6-7 fresh cloves of garlic minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• 1 Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
• 2 Meanwhile, in large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil and garlic over low heat at least 15 minutes. Add chicken to skillet; cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes until warm.
• 3 Add cooked pasta and spinach; toss. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach begins to wilt. Season with salt and pepper.

Power packed flavor with this pasta bowl.  I have been adding spinach to a few of our meals and haven’t gotten a complaint yet!!  Yay for the healthy green stuff!

Look no further for this simple dish.

Have a great week!

Patricia – Two Girls Cooking 😉

Source:

Betty Crocker