Simple Penne Casserole

This is a recipe I made up myself, using ingredients I had on hand. It was very easy and the family liked it. :)



Simple Penne Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp minced garlic
1 lb package penne pasta (I used Barilla whole grain, 13.5 oz package)
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
3 C shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Brown the hamburger with half of the Italian seasoning and all of the minced garlic mixed in.
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain.
3. Mix hamburger mixture with pasta. Add pasta sauce, the rest of the Italian seasoning, and then mozzarella cheese.
4. Top with more mozzarella cheese if desired.
5. Cook in preheated 375° oven for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is hot. Serve with garlic bread and salad. Enjoy!

Homemade Beef Casserole

I'm pretty sure I got this one from my BFF Kat. It's super easy to make, and it's a real kid pleaser.

Homemade Beef Casserole

Ingredients:
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked
1.5 pounds ground beef
8 ounces or more of shredded cheddar cheese (I use closer to 3 cups)
2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
1-1/8 zesty Italian spices (or use a mixture of oregano and basil if you don't have this)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, place macaroni, beef, all but 1 C of cheese, 1-1/2 cans tomato sauce, and one teaspoon Italian spices and mix well.

2. Pour into 13x9 baking dish. Top with remaining 1/2 can tomato sauce and then the rest of the cheese. Sprinkle with remaining spices. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30-45 minutes.

Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Over Pasta

I made this tonight. It was incredibly easy to make and very tasty. We didn't even have any leftovers!

Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Over Pasta

Breaded chicken breasts topped with savory tomatoes and melted cheese and served over hot pasta

Hands on: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Makes: 4 servings (1 chicken breast and 1 cup pasta each)

Ingredients:
4 frozen Banquet or Tyson breaded chicken breast patties
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) Hunts Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano, drained (I ran out of this so I used regular canned dice tomatoes and spiced them myself)
4 slices (2/3 oz. each) mozzarella cheese
8 ounces dry pasta, uncooked (I used rotini)
shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:
1. Bake chicken in preheated oven according to package directions.
2. Top each breast with 1/3 cup of the tomatoes; cover with 1 cheese slice. Continue baking 20 minutes, or until chicken is heated through and cheese is melted. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large saucepan according to package directions.
3. Drain pasta; return to saucepan. Add the remaining tomatoes; toss to coat. Place on large platter; top with chicken. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Creamy Chicken, Pasta & Mushroom Skillet

I made this last week. It was easy, and a hit with the kids!

Creamy Chicken, Pasta & Mushroom Skillet

Rigatoni pasta and chicken tossed in a tomato and mushroom sauce with peas

Hands on: 20 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Makes: 6 servings (1-1/3 cups each)

Ingredients:

8 ounces dry rigatoni pasta, uncooked
1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped (1 med = 1/2 cup)
1 can (14.5 ounces) Hunt's Petite Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook chicken and onions in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes, or until chicken pieces are no longer pink in centers.
2. Stir in undrained tomatoes and soup; cook 5 minutes, or until heaated through, stirring occasionally. Add peas; mix well.
3. Drain pasta; place in large serving bowl. Add tomato mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.