Baked Ziti / Rotini (secret ingredient - Bacon!)

                               Before cheese and oven                                        after

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1/2 package Bacon & Bacon fat 
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 can Rotel, undrained
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup Pace Picante salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced (divided)
• 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning 
• 1/2 teaspoon Johnny's Seasoning Salt
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 8 ounces ziti or Rotini, cooked and drained
• handful of pre-shredded cheddar
• grated parmesan
• Parmesan/Ramano Mix
• 1/2 teaspoon oil
• dried parsley (garnish)

Cook bacon then set aside keeping the fat.  

Saute onion, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, italian seasoning, and pepper in bacon fat and oil until onions are soft and aromatic. Add Rotel, Pace, tomato Sauce. Season to taste.  add 1/4 cup grated parmesan. Stir. 

Boil noodles, drain.  

Cook beef separately in garlic, Montreal Steak Seasoning and Johnny's Seasoning Salt, drain. Add beef to sauce, stir. mix in handful of shredded cheddar.  Add noodles to sauce, stir.  Pour in baking dish.  Top with grated parmesan and parmesan/ramano mix (shredded) and parsley.  Bake until cheese on top is melted.

beef, comfort food, italian, pasta,

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Shrimp Scampi Linguini

 

Finally..the end of the work week ..I was ready for some comfort food!  I was also ready for seafood.  Seafood could easily be one of my favorite foods. love love love.  Being from Seattle fresh seafood was a constant.  Easliy attainable at any moment.  Oh I do so miss Pike Place Market.  Working downtown made it easy for me to pop over on my lunch, grab all the fresh seafood (seriously fresh.. like right out of the water .. Pike Place is right near the pier) that I could put in my work fridge and take home at the end of the day. 

 

 

I now live in Tennessee ... as you can imagine, this is nowhere near the ocean.  So Kroger seafood department it is.  It works.   I had some frozen shrimp on hand so I decided to cook up a Shrimp Scampi Linguini Pasta.  Glad I did.  It was flavorful and nice to curl up on the couch with while watching the newest Breaking Bad.  The boys loved it.  There were no leftovers. lol.  On to the recipe...

 

Shrimp Scampi Linguini



• 10 oz linguini pasta
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 shallots (or half an onion), finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• Seasoning salt (I use Johnny's)
• Sprinkling of blackened Cajun seasoning (optional but yummy)
• Sprinkling of Garlic powder

Directions

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or WOK , melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Season the shrimp with, pepper, seasoning salt, garlic powder, blackened seasoning; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside. 

Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, taste sauce, drain more of needed, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta. Stir well and season with salt and pepper, mix in a 1/4 cup shredded parmesan. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately. Garnish with more shredded parmesan and another sprinkling of seasoning salt.

 

 

Also try these great pasta dishes:

 

Chicken Scampi - Olive Garden's Copycat

 

Ramen Noodle Stir Fry 

 

 

dinner, italian, pasta, seafood,

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Cheesy Garlic Bread

Given the creamy italian salad dressing in this recipe, I was unsure if it would be good.  Much to my surprise, it worked! This recipe from The Goose Berry Patch turns out was a perfect compliment to the Olive Garden 'Copy Cat' Chicken Scampi dish I made last night. 

 

Ingredients

• ½ c. butter, softened
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ to 1 c. creamy Italian salad dressing
• 1 loaf Italian bread, halved lengthwise
• 2 c. shredded Cheddar, mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese (I used cheddar & parmesan)
• 2 t. dried parsley

Instructions

1. Blend butter, garlic and salad dressing together in a small bowl.
2. Place bread on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Spread butter mixture over both halves.
3. Top with shredded cheese and parsley.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
5. Slice each half into 8 pieces; serve warm.

dinner, italian, sides,

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Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil - divided use
• 1/2 green bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 red bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 orange bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 medium sized red onion sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic sliced thin
• 1 pound Anegel hair pasta cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings
• Seasoning salt or Garlic salt

Instructions

Place flour, panko, salt, and pepper into a shallow dish and mix well with a fork. Place milk in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken first in flour/panko, then dip into milk, and then dredge again in the flour/panko. Place breaded chicken on a wrack and allow to rest 10 minutes before cooking. While the chicken is resting, cut peppers, onions, and garlic.

Saute peppers, onions, and garlic in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season peppers, onions, and garlic with a light spinkling of salt. Saute until peppers begin to brown. Remove from skillet.

Place remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in hot skillet or WOK .   Place chicken in skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until the chicken has browned on both sides. Add more olive oil as needed. Sprinkle with a pinch of seasoning salt or garlic salt.  Remove chicken from pan.

Deglaze the pan by adding white wine to the pan and add italian seasoning blend. Scrape the bottom with a spoon scrapping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add heavy cream and mix well. Return cooked vegetables to the pan and stir. Simmer for a minute or two. Add cooked pasta to the skillet. Plate the pasta and sauce, placing a few pieces of cooked chicken with each plate.

Serve with Cheesy Garlic Bread.

  

  

 

 

Recipe adapted and changed from Copykat.com

chicken, comfort food, copy cat, dinner, italian, pasta,

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Chicken Spaghetti

So good!  I didnt take pictures last time I made it. 


pictures coming soon !

Ingredients

• 2 cups Cooked 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 Onion
• 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained  (optional, but makes it pretty)
• 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
• 1 teaspoon Johnny's Seasoning Salt (or Lawry's or other seasoning salt)
• 1/8 teaspoon (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

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).

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman - Recipe changed/modified by Mrs. Scales.

comfort food, dinner, italian, pasta,

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Italian Cream Cake

 











I'll get better pictures next time. lol.  lighting was awful.





Cake Batter
2 Cups All Purpose Flour 
2 Cups of Sugar
1 Stick of Butter
1/2 Cup of Shredded Coconut
1 Cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans
5 Egg Whites (beat until stiff peaks)
5 Egg Yolks
1/2 Cup of Crisco
1 Cup of Buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon of baking soda
 

Cake Icing
8 oz of Cream Cheese
1/2 Stick of butter for humid climates 
1 teaspoon of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
8 oz of Powdered Sugar
*Note for Dryer Climates use 1 to 1.5 sticks of butter

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. If your oven browns quickly then take it down 15 to 20 degrees. Grease and flour 3 round cake pans.

1. Cream butter with sugar and add vanilla.

2. Next add 5 separated egg yolks and 1/2 cup of crisco – mix and beat until fluffy.

3. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients: Flour and the baking soda.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the mixture a little at a time alternating with the buttermilk (about 1/4 cup at a time).

5. Next mix in walnuts or pecans and coconut.

6. In another bowl beat the egg whites until you have stiff peaks.

7. With a spatula gently fold in your egg whites into the batter.

8. Spoon the batter into your 3 pans.

9. Bake until light brown and for about 30 to 60 minutes (use a toothpick in the center and make sure no batter is on the stick).

10. Once the cakes are done pull them out and let them cool.

11. Next Cream all of the ingredients together for the icing in this order: Cream Cheese, Butter, Buttermilk, Vanilla extract, and Powdered Sugar. 

12. After the icing is mixed start to assemble the cake. Stick strips of parchment paper around the bottom of the cake. Ice the top of it and add the next layer of cake and ice the top of it adding your final layer of cake.

13. Now start to ice the sides and the top of the cake until covered. Use chopped walnuts or coconut to decorate the sides.

14. Refrigerate the cake until you are going to slice and serve!

cakes, dessert, italian, sweet,

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