Sweet and Spicy Noodles With Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts cut into chunks and cooked (You can cook it with some peanut sauce tossed in to give the chicken some added flavor, if desired.)

1 lb noodles, fully cooked and drained (any kind you prefer)

In a small sauce pan, brown 4 tsp minced garlic in some olive oil then add:

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. white vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. sesame seeds

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
2 c. steamed broccoli (optional)

Toss the chicken, noodles, and sauce together in a large fry pan or wok on medium heat. Let it all simmer together for about five minutes so the noodles absorb some of the sauce. Toss in steamed broccoli (optional). Serve hot.

* I finally found a spicy dish that didn't make me crave more heat! WOW was this spicy and we loved it! Surprisingly, I think I will add less red pepper flakes next time so I can taste more of the sauce and not just feel the heat. It was still really good and so easy! We loved the broccoli with it. I served it with some hot and fresh rolls and of course some cold milk to help with the delicious spice. This was yummy and different than our usual dishes. Loved it!

Recipe & photo from Favorite Family Recipes

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Alfredo Sauce (recipe below)
2-3 cooked chicken breasts, diced
1-2 cups fresh chopped broccoli, cooked and hot
fettuccine, cooked according to package directions. (You can substitute another pasta if needed.)

Cook chicken in method desired. I boiled mine on the stove. Add chicken and broccoli to Alfredo sauce and heat through. Serve over hot, cooked fettuccine.

Alfredo Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (1 clove) minced garlic
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic with the butter. Add cream, garlic powder, and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Trust me, it will thicken. When sauce has reached desired consistency, stir in Parmesan cheese. Use for Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, or just serve as is over fettuccine. Serves 4-6.

* The alfredo sauce had a lighter taste to it than I am used to but we really loved it! My husband is not normally a big pasta eater but he went to town on this dish! It didn't leave us feeling like we had eaten a heavy dish either. We sprinkled our pasta with a little extra parmesan cheese. So yummy!

Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything
Photo from Heartland Fields

Weeknight Lasagna Toss

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 of a small onion, chopped (optional)

2 green peppers, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1-2/3 cups Water

1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing

12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken into quarters

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1. Brown meat (and onion, if desired) in large saucepan; drain.
2. Add peppers, garlic, spaghetti sauce, water, and dressing; bring to a boil. Stir in noodles; cover.
3. Cook on medium-low heat 10-15 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

* A little something special: You can stir 1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese into noodle mixture before sprinkling with shredded cheese, if desired.

* You can substitute 12 regular lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces, for the oven-ready noodles. Increase water to 2 cups and cook 30 min., stirring occasionally.

* This easy stove top lasagna recipe has been one of our favorites for awhile. Even my super picky little eater enjoys it! I always add some onions to the meat because I love the flavor that it gives to this dish but it's completely optional. I also use a little more of the zesty Italian dressing than it says. :-) I like to serve it with French bread or garlic bread along with a green salad and it is very filling with plenty of leftovers.

Photo & Recipe Adapted from Kraft Foods

Baked Ziti

1lb. ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (32 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon oregano (I used Italian seasoning)
1 (16 oz) package ziti pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, add ground beef, onions, and garlic. Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until the beef is browned. Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth and oregano. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Stir in 1 cup of sauce into the cooked ziti noodles. Spoon ½ of the ziti mixture into a 13×9” baking dish. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ½ cup parmesan cheese over the top of the ziti mixture. Top with 2 cups of the sauce, then add remaining ziti mixture and top that with the remaining sauce.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

* This was super yummy and easy to make. The ingredients for this recipe are staples in our house so it makes this dish very convenient. The recipe says it serves 6 but I would say it serves a lot more than that. It makes a ton. I served it with French bread and that was honestly all it needed since it was so filling and flavorful.

From Real Mom Kitchen

Cajun Chicken Pasta

1 (8 ounce) package penne pasta, cooked and drained
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
4 Tablespoons butter
16 slices red bell pepper
16 slices green bell pepper
1/2 purple onion
6 large mushrooms, sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Cook pasta, drain.
2. Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a resealable plastic bag; shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until almost tender (about 5 to 7 minutes). Add onion towards the end to soften and saute.
3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and mushrooms. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.
4. Add cream and remaining seasonings; heat through. Add pasta and toss; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

* This was a delicious pasta dish and very easy to make. I omitted the mushrooms since I am not a big fan of them. I used 2 fresh chicken breasts as well as some pre cooked frozen fajita chicken strips that I had on hand and they both worked great! The pasta has a very light flavor but we loved the kick the Cajun chicken gives this dish. It's not a diet dish by any means but my husband says this recipe is definitely a keeper!

From Allrecipes.com

Curly Mac & Cheese

8oz pkg rotini
3 cups milk
1 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of nutmeg
1/2 container parmesan cheese
1/2 block cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375*
Cook pasta in boiling water.
Drain
In a saucepan whisk milk, cornstarch, salt, and nutmeg together.
Cook over mild heat until slightly thick and bubbly.
Whisk in parmesan cheese.
Put drained pasta in baking dish.
Pour sauce over pasta.
Cover with shredded cheese.
Bake about 20 minutes.

Chicken Alfredo

1. Brown chicken in about 3 Tablespoons oil. Cook until there is no pink left.
Cut broccoli in small pieces and cook in boiling water.

2. Remove chicken from pan. Do not wash pan. Add 1/2 onion minced very fine and 1 teaspoon garlic. Cook until onion is tender.

3. Add 1/4 cup butter to pan. Melt.

4. Add about 1/2 cup flour to melted butter and whisk together.

5. Add milk to mixture and stir until there are no lumps and it is the desired thickness. Add 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.

6. Add the chicken and broccoli. Let simmer for just a few minutes.

7. Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

8. Serve over hot pasta.

* I got this recipe from a class in college. It was the first chicken alfredo I ever made from scratch and is still my favorite to this day!