.chicken & spinach alfredo light.

Ok friends I AM BACK!!!! It has been over a year since I have blogged, although I have still been cooking. I just have to get back into the swing of things. Thanks so much to those who have continued to ask about my blog and encouraged me to get back with it. This recipe has been adapted and turned into a "light" (well lighter..) version of this amazing Pioneer Woman recipe that can be found here. I basically used regular milk and added spinach. Not rocket science but delicious indeed. Try it out for yourself and enjoy!

Ingredients
12 ounces, spaghetti pasta
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
3/4 cups Chicken Broth
3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
3/4 cups Parmesan Shavings Or Grated Parmesan
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (I used dried)
Crushed red pepper (to taste)
3-5 cups of spinach


Preparation
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until deep golden brown on both sides and done in the middle. Remove from the skillet, slice into thin strips, and set aside. Add additional 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, followed by the minced garlic. Stir the garlic around the pan to avoid burning, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in broth, then let it bubble up and reduce for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add milk, and extra salt and pepper, whisking constantly until it's all combined. Allow liquid to heat up and thicken for a few minutes. If it gets too thick, you may thin it with a little chicken broth. When the sauce looks good, remove it from the heat. Add Parmesan and spinach to the pan, then throw the hot pasta right on top of it. Toss it a bit. Add the chicken and continue tossing until it's all combined. Again, if it gets too gloopy, splash in a little broth (you may return the pan to low heat if it needs it.) Taste it, adjust seasonings, and top with minced parsley, crushed red pepper and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately!

.spaghetti with tomatoes, olives, garlic, and feta.

I love this recipe from Food & Wine because not only was it super easy to make, but it also made me feel super healthy while eating it. Tons of flavor and o so yummy. Enjoy!



Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes (about 3), seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup Kalamata or other black olives, pitted
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons drained capers (i didn't use)
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
3/4 pound spaghetti
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
**I added crushed red pepper flakes because we love extra spice.

Preparation
In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, feta, capers, parsley, salt, and pepper.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until just done, about 12 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cooked pasta and the garlic oil to the tomato mixture and toss.

.chicken spaghetti.

Who doesn't like Pioneer Woman?! I had been hearing wonderful things about this recipe for so long and finally was able to try it. Original recipe with wonderful step by step pictures can be found here. Not only was it fun to make but I love dishes that I can toss in the oven to cook while I can clean up my mess. Then when my kitchen is clean the meal is done {im a bit of a cleaning nut} Try it out for yourself, a wonderful meal to start the new year off right :)
(before cooked w/o cheese)

(after- ready to eat!)


Ingredients
2 cups Cooked Chicken (i used leftovers from a rotisserie chicken)
3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup
2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup Finely Diced Green Pepper
1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion
1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/8 teaspoon (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation
Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.
Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

.pumpkin pasta sauce. {husband's choice}

I was a bit skeptical of this recipe at first but I had a can of pumpkin that I needed to do something with and I love cream so I decided to give it a try. WOW was I pleasantly surprised. The original recipe can be found here. (love that blog mucho). It was a big hit with the hubby and beyond easy to make. Try it out for yourself :)



Ingredients
1/2 a can of plain pumpkin ( I used a bit more)
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cup of heavy cream
5 fresh sage leaves finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon of butter

Preparation
Mix all ingredients (except butter) in a small pot and heat on medium until it comes to a boil. Let it boil for three-four minutes stirring constantly. The sauce will become smooth and mixed well. Remove from heat and add your butter. Stir until melted and lightly toss over your favorite pasta. I used Rigatoni pasta. I sprinkled a little Italian cheese blend right over top.

.chicken & spinach pasta bake.

Thank you Pinterest once again for providing me with wonderful, simple, and delicious meals. Original recipe can be found here. Made this one for the sis-in-law and it was a big hit with both her and the hubby. Try it out for yourself and enjoy!




Ingredients
8 oz uncooked rigatoni
1 T olive oil
1 c chopped onion
1 (10 oz) pack frozen spinach, thawed
3 c cubed, cooked chicken breasts
1 (14 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8 oz) container Philadelphia chive & onion cream cheese
½ t salt, ½ t pepper
1½ c shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation
Prepare rigatoni according to pkg directions. Spread oil on bottom of 11x17 in baking dish; add onion in a single layer. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to large bowl, set aside.

Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between paper towels. Stir in rigatoni, spinach, chicken, & next 4 ingredients into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into dish & sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes; uncover & bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

.orzo pasta salad.

This recipe is pure bliss and just makes you feel heathy from the inside out. My mom got this recipe from a friend at work and it would be perfect as a side dish or even as a main meal, like we did by putting it on a bed of salad. Enjoy!



Ingredients
Orzo pasta – 2 cups
Cucumber – chopped
Tomato – chopped or cherry tomatoes cut in half or quarters
Crumbled goat cheese – also work with crumbled feta
Arugula
Tuna- I used tuna but works with boiled or grilled shrimp too

Dressing:
3 fresh lemon squeezed and also grated lemon peal
2 cloves of garlic : grated
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Dill (dry or fresh)
¾ table spoon of soy sauce (lite sodium so it) just a splash so it doesn’t over whelm
*equal parts lemon juice vs Olive oil*

Preparation
Boil orzo pasta in salted water to “al dente”…. Drain pasta
Drizzle a little bit of white truffle oil or olive oil (so the pasta doesn’t stick together and soaks up the truffle oil aroma)
Once pasta cools down add the chopped vegetables of your choice and tuna and toss in dressing
Chill in the fridge. Before serving toss with arugula

.angel chicken. {husband's choice}

This is a recipe that I could seriously eat at least once a week. It is beyond easy, quick, and also falls under the heartburn friendly category (which has been impossible to follow). Try it out for yourself and you will wonder where this recipe has been your entire life. I like serving it over rice because we LOVE rice, but it can also be served over your favorite pasta. Enjoy!



Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 8oz. pkg, baby bella mushrooms
1 can of condensed golden mushroom soup
1 stick of butter
1 pkg. dry italian salad dressing mix (i couldn't find so just added some dry italian seasoning)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 of an 8oz. tub of cream cheese with chives & onion
rice or pasta

Preparation
Melt butter in a saucepan and add the italian salad dressing packet. Stir in the soup, chicken broth, and cream cheese until it combines and melts. Place mushrooms on the bottom of the crock-pot and place the chicken breasts on top. Pour the sauce mix on top of the chicken. Cover with lid and cook on low for 4-5 hrs. Serve over pasta or rice and enjoy!

.ravioli.

I love cheese. I love pasta. I love cream. Now only if all of these things were amazingly good for me we would be in business. This meal is my "im too lazy to cook" recipe. It is so simple and I almost always have ready made ravioli in the freezer. Did you know that you can buy packages of refrigerated ravioli and just toss it in the freezer and it lasts practically forever?! As for the sauce I heat up some simple marinara sauce and toss some heavy cream in for that extra bit of awesomeness. Try it out for yourself and enjoy!



Ingredients
1 package of refrigerated or frozen ravioli of your choice
Pasta sauce of your choice
Heavy cream (optional)
Parmesan cheese for topping

Preparation
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add ravioli and cook according to package directions. Heat up sauce in saucepan for 5 mins, add cream and cook for an additional 2 mins. Top ravioli with sauce and cheese. Enjoy!

.shrimp pad thai.

I found this recipe in Cooking Light. I love pad thai and was super excited to be able to make this dish at home. While this recipe was delicious and healthy, it did not taste like the pad thai from my favorite restaurant. My expectations were a bit high I know, make this recipe, enjoy it (clearly it was good because we had no leftovers at all), but understand that it just might not taste 100% like your favorite restaurant quality. Enjoy!




Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked flat rice noodles (pad Thai noodles)
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Sriracha or chili garlic sauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup (2-inch) green onion pieces
8 ounces peeled and deveined large shrimp
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation
1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
2. While water comes to a boil, combine sugar and next 4 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a small bowl.
3. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion pieces, shrimp, and garlic; stir-fry 2 minutes or until shrimp is almost done. Add cooked noodles; toss to combine. Stir in sauce; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly to combine. Arrange about 1 cup noodle mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup bean sprouts, 1 tablespoon peanuts, and 2 teaspoons basil.

.creamy ravioli with squash, lemon, and chives.

First, I need to start off by saying I LOVE cooking with cream!!! Why does it have to be that everything that is SO bad for you tastes so darn delicious?! Anyway...This recipe was found in Real Simple magazine. I just discovered there recipes and am enjoying how simple they really are. This is especially helpful when trying to work with a budget while cooking. I also love summer squash and am so happy that it is back in season. Enjoy!



Ingredients (serves 4)
16 to 18 ounces cheese ravioli (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
3 summer squash (zucchini and/or yellow squash; about 1 1⁄2 pounds), thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan (2 ounces), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preparation
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the squash and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook, tossing often, until the vegetables are just beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cream and lemon zest and cook until the vegetables are tender and the cream is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the squash mixture, pecorino, ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water, and ½ teaspoon salt to the pasta and toss gently to coat (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve sprinkled with the chives and additional pecorino.

.spaghetti with artichoke hearts and tomatoes.

The picture for this recipe does not do it justice! This is a Pioneer Woman recipe, which pretty much guarantees it will be amazing. I added shrimp to it to make it a bit more hearty, and I just like shrimp. I'm sure it would taste great with chicken too, or no meat at all. Enjoy!



Ingredients (serves 6)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
1 can Artichoke Hearts (14.5 Oz. Quartered Or Whole) Drained
1 can Diced Tomatoes With Juice (14.5 Oz.)
1 cup Heavy Cream
½ cups Chicken Broth (More As Needed)
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 pound Thin Spaghetti
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives (or Other Herbs) Chopped

Preparation
Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain and set aside.
Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not undersalt!) Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.
Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

.creamy taco mac.

This recipe is very similar to the south of the border chicken pasta but also tastes very different at the same time. I found this recipe on a website I follow called Annie's Eats. Enjoy!



Ingredients
1¼ lbs. ground turkey or beef
8 oz. dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp. taco seasoning
3 oz. cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

.shrimp chow mein.

This was one of those quickly tossed together meals that I invented one evening. It probably isn't the best out there, but it was super convenient and I enjoyed it. The best thing about chow mein is that you can easily make it individualized to yourself but adding or omitting vegetables. Have fun experimenting and enjoy!



Ingredients
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup green beans
1/2 cup corn
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 green bell pepper, sliced
4 cups chow mein noodles (I used 2 packages of top ramen without the seasoning packets)
chili sauce to taste

Preparation
In a large saucepan, combine corn, green beans, bell pepper, and shrimp. Cook over medium heat until shrimp are pink.
Mix in soy sauce, and other seasonings of your choice. Mix in cooked chow mein noodles.
Heat thoroughly. Enjoy!

.south of the border chicken pasta.

This recipe is from my friend Teresa. She came over one evening and we cooked together for our husbands. Not only was this meal amazing but it was also SO fun to cook with someone else. It was so much easier and entertaining at the same time. This recipe is very similar to one I found on another blog I follow. So look forward to another similar post soon. Enjoy!



Ingredients
2 cups rotini pasta
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
16 oz. salsa (about 2 cups)
10 oz. frozen corn (about 2 cups)
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup mexican style cheese, divided into 2 (I added more because I love cheese)

Preparation
Cook pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, cook and stire chicken in a large skillet on med-high heat for 6 min or until done. Add salsa, frozen corn, cream cheese and cumin; simmer on med-low hear for 6 min or until corn is heated through and cream cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, add to skillet with 1/2 the cheese. Simmer for 3 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining cheese, cover. Remove from heat, let stand 5 min or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

.pasta with tomato-blue cheese sauce.

Another Pioneer Woman recipe! This recipe was recommended to me by my amazing friend Linda. I know blue cheese is not for everyone but I love it. Enjoy!




Ingredients (serves 6, either cut in half or be prepared for delicious leftovers)
1 pound Pasta (angel Hair Or Thin Spaghetti)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole 28-ounce Can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
Dash Of Sugar
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste
¾ cups Crumbled Blue Cheese
¾ cups Heavy Cream
4 cups Baby Spinach
Half-and-Half, for thinning
Extra Blue Cheese Crumbles, For Garnish

Preparation
Cook pasta according to package instructions.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add minced garlic and cook for a minute. Pour in drained tomatoes. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in crumbled blue cheese. Add cream and stir, then a little splash of half-and-half if sauce is too thick. Cook for a minute or two, tasting and adding more seasonings as needed.
At the very, very, very last minute. toss in spinach. Immediately toss in the cooked and drained pasta. Serve immediately!

.baked pasta.

For all that know me well, I am really not a huge fan of red sauce. I usually prefer to stick with pesto or alfredo sauce. However, I had a random craving to make pasta with meat sauce for the first time EVER!!! and...........I actually LOVED it. Surprise surprise. I also made such a large portion because I figured why not make the entire package of pasta :) Which made for some amazing leftovers. (apparently it also tastes good cold..I caught the hubby eating it as a midnight snack, he did not want to warm it up in fear of waking me up :)



Ingredients
1 pkg. of rigatoni pasta
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
italian seasoning to taste
crushed red pepper (optional)
1 pkg. sliced mushrooms
1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preparation
Bring a large pot of lightly salted boil water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well. Meanwhile, cook ground beef and chopped onions in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Also, cook mushrooms until softened. Combine pasta, ground beef, mushrooms, spaghetti sauce. Mix well and add additional italian seasoning and crushed red pepper to taste. Transfer half of mixture to a greased, 9x13 inch casserole dish. Top with half of the mozzarella cheese. Transfer the rest of the pasta into the dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until very hot. Enjoy!

.tuna casserole.

I know this picture is not the most flattering, but it really was delicious! The hubby absolutely loved it, which made me proud because I just tossed together this meal because I was too lazy to make something fancy. So quick and simple. Enjoy!



Ingredients
1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles (or other pasta that you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup frozen green peas (I prefer green beans, so I cut them up and used them instead)
2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained
1 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup panko or breadcrumbs
Pepper to taste

Preparation
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix noodles, onion, 1 cup cheese, peas,pepper, tuna, soup. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and top with bread crumbs and remaining 1 cup cheese.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is bubbly.

.greek pesto pasta salad.

I invented this pasta salad for a work potluck. I had no idea what to bring and was too lazy to go to the store so I got the idea to make a pesto pasta salad and just toss in whatever veggies I had on hand. Then after adding all the ingredients it seemed very greek so thats where it got the name. Im officially obsessed with this salad and made it to weeks in a row because I just couldn't get enough! Enjoy!



Ingredients
I package of bow tie pasta (Farfalle)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half
4 tablespoons of pesto
1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped katamala olives
1 package of salami chopped
Pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Salt to taste
Italian Seasoning to taste
Feta cheese (optional)

Preparation
Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain when done and rinse with cold water. Add olive oil and pesto, mix well. Mix in the veggies and seasoning. Top with feta cheese if desired. Enjoy!

.parmigiano-reggiano crusted chicken piccata.

This recipe was AMAZING!!! I found it in Rachael Ray's magazine. I changed the recipe a bit to make it more practical. Also the original recipe contains capers, with I omitted because I did not have them and it tasted just fine :) The only thing that gave me problems was when I cooked the chicken the oil splashed everywhere, even though I did not even use the full amount, so make sure you have some sort of splash screen to prevent the major ouch! I will make this again soon!



Ingredients
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded 1/4 inch thick
salt
1/2 pound angel hair pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 sliced lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
5 oz. baby spinach

Preparation
1. Place the flour on a plate. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Place 1 cup cheese on another plate. Working 1 cutlet at a time, coat the chicken with flour, then egg, then cheese, pressing to adhere. Transfer to plate.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then the pasta and cook until al dente, 3 minutes. Drain, reserving a ladleful of water.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, over medium heat. Add the chicken ad cook, turning once, until deeply golden, 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and cover with foil. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the sliced lemon, garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and parsley and cook until reduced, 1 minutes. Lower the heat and bring to a simmer.
4. Stir the chicken broth into the sauce for 1 minute. Stir in the butter until melted, then stir in the lemon juice. Spoon a little sauce over the chicken. Add the spinach to the remaining sauce in the skillet and cook until wilted. Add the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir in the pasta and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and toss. Serve the pasta with chicken.

.stuffed sausage and peppers with orzo.

This is my current favorite meal! I have made it for so many people already, but have taken forever to blog about it because its a long recipe to type out. I'm lazy, this I already know :) This meal is so simple to make and can even be enjoyed out of the pepper if you wish. The original recipe is out of the "Nordstrom Entertaining at Home Cookbook." I really wanted to put something in bell peppers (because I LOVE them) so I choose this recipe. Its so yummy! Keep in mind that this recipe serves 6...I love leftovers of this so if you only want to make a little you can cut the recipe in half. Enjoy.



Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
green bell peppers with the tops cut off/seeded (optional)
1 pound of Italian sausages, casings removed (trader joe's has an amazing hot italian sausage thats great)
4 large, ripe plum tomatoes, cored and chopped (or one can of diced tomatoes)
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1 3/4 cups orzo pasta
salt
black pepper
Parmesan cheese

Preparation
In a 6-8 quart saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and pepper are tender and the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley, oregano, and broth and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the orzo pasta, cover, and continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the pasta has a soft and creamy texture, about 12 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stuff bell peppers with orzo and top with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes and then enjoy!