Christina's Penne Rosa

adapted from backtoherroots.com

16 ounces whole wheat penne
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 ounces chicken, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 pinches crushed red pepper flakes
16 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
2 medium tomatoes (about 1/2 lb.) chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
10 cups fresh spinach
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup plain Greek yogurt or heavy cream
Xanthan gum as needed
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook penne according to package directions. Drain and set aside.


In a large skillet with a lid, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add chicken and cook until all edges are cooked. Add in garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 2 minutes or until garlic begins to soften.

Add in mushrooms, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms begin to release their water.

Remove from heat, add in spinach and cover skillet. Let spinach wilt for 2 minutes.

Remove lid and place skillet back over low heat. Add the penne, Greek yogurt or cream, pasta sauce and a few pinches of xanthan gum. Stir until sauce is thickened, mixed well and all pasta and veggies are coated. Heat until just warmed through. Divide into pasta bowls and serve topped with parmesan cheese.

Note: can also make with shrimp or salmon.

Christina's Grilled Mozzarella Sandwiches

from marthastewart.com

• 1 pound fresh buffalo mozzarella, cut into 4 equal pieces about 3-inches by 4-inches
• 8 1/2-inch thick firm white sandwich bread
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• A grating of nutmeg
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Marinara sauce for dipping

Directions

1. Place the mozzarella on 4 slices of the bread. Cover with the remaining slices to form sandwiches. Trim the crusts off to make perfect 4-inch squares.
2. In a wide shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cream, thyme leaves, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk until well blended.
3. In a 10 to 12-inch nonstick saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook until the sizzling subsides. Dip 2 of the sandwiches into the egg mixture, turning to coat, place in the pan, and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 2 minutes. Flip over and brown on the other side. Transfer the sandwiches to individual plates and repeat the process with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, and 2 sandwiches. Cut in half, and serve immediately with a side of marinara sauce.

Lorri's Artichoke Lasagna

Don't let the name fool you. This is incredibly delicious and my new go-to meal for guests.

1 box lasagna
extra virgin olive oil
1 smallish onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1 (13 oz) jar of artichokes, well drained and coarsely chopped
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Red Sauce
(You can just used jar spaghetti sauce, which I often do when I am short on time) but the extended recipe is below

In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until they start to brown. Add ground turkey and cook until cooked through. (I don't know if I buy extra juicy turkey but I always have to absorb the extra liquid with a paper towel.) Add artichokes and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

While this is cooking start cooking your lasagna in salted water. It only takes 4-5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, and basil. Then add the turkey mixture.

Cover the bottom of a 9*13 (or larger) pan with red sauce. Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread ricotta/turkey mixture. Spread red sauce. Add another layer of noodles...blah blah blah. end with a schmear of red sauce. Now you can top it mozarella cheese but I never have it so I never do. :)

Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

5 cups marinara sauce/spaghetti sauce
3-4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced

Cook the bacon, remove from pan and drain off almost all the fat. Add garlic and red pepper. When fragrant, add sauce. When warm, add bacon and turn off heat.

Christina's Pizza Rolls

source unkown

pizza dough
5 oz cream cheese
1 lb shredded mozarella cheese
pizza toppings

Spread cream cheese on rolled out dough. Add your choice of pizza toppings, then cover with cheese. Roll up like a cinnamon roll and cut each about 1 inch (if you do it thicker they are doughy). Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 425 for 15 minutes. Dip in Pizza Sauce, parmesan cheese, or ranch.

Christina's Spinach Lasagna

4 C (32 oz) ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 10 oz packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
6 C (48 oz) spaghetti sauce
8 oz lasagna noodles
16 oz mozarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400. In medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, eggs, salt and pepper. Add spinach and stir well.

Spread a small bit of tomato sauce in bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish.

Arrange layer of noodles on top. Spread on top 1/3 of ricotta mix, 1/3 of tomato sauce and 1/3 of grated cheese. Repeat 2 more layers.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more, or until top is golden brown.