Summer Pasta

My friend Julie made me this pasta dish last summer for lunch one day (sans the meat).  I fell IN LOVE with this dish and have put it on our dinner rotation ever since!

1 box whole wheat pasta
1 package grilling cheese (Yanni or Halloumi)
2 roma tomatoes
a handful of fresh basil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
2 chicken sausage links (tonight I used Sprouts spicy parmesan )

this recipe is fast.  i used a box of Barilla whole grain penne pasta.  cook pasta according to directions on box (9 minutes).  as the pasta is cooking, brown sausage in pan with a tiny splash of olive oil (casings removed).  cut tomatoes into big chunks and add to new pan with a tiny splash of olive oil, then add cut up basil leaves and garlic.  cook for a couple minutes then take off heat.  slice the grilling cheese in half and place in grilling plan on the stove to brown and warm.  cut cheese into bite size chunks.  after you've drained pasta, pour back into pot, adding cooked sausage, tomatoes/basil/garlic, and sausage.  serve and enjoy.  i'll admit tonight's meal was SO good john and i each had 2 servings.  thanks julie for a delicious recipe!
Prep time: 15 min.

Note:  If memory serves me correctly, Halloumi cheese isn't cheap.  I can only find it at Central Market and I think it's $8 or $9.  Today I was at Sprouts and thought I'd try the Yanni grilling cheese I've seen there before.  It was $4 and tastes the same.

TIP:  Buy on sale and stock your freezer/pantry.  I bought chicken sausage a week ago when it was on special, divided it up and stuck it in the freezer.  I actually had everything on hand today except for the cheese!

Tortellini with Vegetables and Chicken

I make this dish a lot because it's an all-in-one meal and fast.

1 package whole wheat tortellini
1 zucchini
1 squash
2 tomatoes
2 chicken breasts, seasoned
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (or a little less)
1 cup pasta water, reserved
marinate the chicken as early in the day as possible, or even the night before.  this morning i put the chicken in a ziploc bag and used italian dressing, pepper and fresh herbs.
cook tortellini as per instructions in large pot.  before draining reserve 1 cup of pasta water.  after draining water pour the pasta back into pot. 
in a separate grill pan grill chicken on stove, then cut into bite size pieces.
wash and slice vegetables.  sautee with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, pepper and salt, and italian seasoning.  pour vegetables and chicken into pot with pasta.  add cup of pasta water and parmesan cheese.

A couple notes:  You can bake the chicken in the oven if you prefer baked chicken over grilled chicken.  In the past I've also used chicken sausage and loved it.  Tonight I used Buitoni Whole Wheat Three Cheese Tortellini and found it at Target.  Whole wheat pasta is key because it's high in fiber and protein.  Be sure and measure the parmesan cheese so you don't use too much.  Cheese is a big weakness of mine!

TIP:  Plant an herb garden.  If you don't have space in your yard, plant them in a pot.  It's easy to care for and fresh herbs really complete a dish.  I am a big fan of basil and use it a ton this time of year.

Ravioli Lasagna

Two friends brought us versions of this recipe when Jack Henry was born.  I had never heard of lasagna made with ravioli and thought it'd be super easy to make so I doctored up the basic recipe.  This is now my go-to dish that I make for new neighbors or friends who've just had a baby.  If we have friends or family over and I make this dish, I'm always asked to forward the recipe.  You can make one huge casserole, or make 2 smaller ones.  They freeze great, too.

1-24 oz jar marinara sauce (more if you prefer more sauce)
1 large bag of spinach & cheese ravioli, thawed (Costco)
1-10oz box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid
8oz  shredded mozzarella cheese
1 zucchini
1 squash
1 container mushrooms
3/4-1 lb. chicken sausage
2-3 cloves minced garlic
preheat oven to 400.
wash and slice veggies then sautee the zucchini, squash and mushrooms in a pan.  i season them with olive oil, salt, pepper, & italian seasoning.  set aside. 
using the same pan, brown chicken sausage (remove casings), season with olive oil and red pepper flakes.  set aside.
spoon a thin layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9x13inch baking dish. layer the ravioli, spinach, veggies, and meat.  sprinkle minced garlic on top.  layer half the sauce and half the mozzarella.  put one more layer of ravioli on top then finish with sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella.
cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. uncover and bake until bubbling 10 minutes.
prep time: 30 min.

It's pretty hard to mess up this recipe.  I'd love to try this vegetarian style, adding in broccoli and eggplant, but that wouldn't fly with the hubs.  He has to have meat.  I rarely eat red meat so I always use chicken or turkey sausage when I make this.  I buy whatever is on sale at the meat counter. The chicken sausage was on sale this week at Sprouts for $2.99/lb.   It's fresh and so good.  Also, I would've preferred to use whole wheat ravioli (it's high in fiber and protein) but I used what I had in my freezer.

TIP:  Instead of using a dinner plate, serve this on a salad plate.  It will help with portion control. 

Costco Ravioli