Pasta

  • Sauteed chicken sausage, apples and peppers in a pan.

    Chicken Sausage and Apple Rigatoni

    Chicken sausage and apple rigatoni takes about thirty minutes from start to finish, which means it’s a snap to pull together on a busy weeknight! And, with fall right around the corner, busy weeknights are about to be status quo. Ahhhh, fall. Apple “everything” is about to be in the air: apple scented candles, apple cider, homemade slow cooker applesauce, apple pie, etc. Pretty soon the leaves will turn brilliant sunset shades and evenings will start getting crisp and cool, even though the sun still warms the day. It’s a phenomenal time of year; one of my absolute favorites!   Though many of the recipes I make with apples are…

  • Ricotta and chicken sausage with ricotta sauce on a white plate.

    Creamy Penne With Spinach, Mushrooms, and Seared Chicken Sausage

    This easy weeknight pasta dinner uses ricotta to make the delicious creamy penne sauce. A little out of the box, yes, but I like to make a game out of leftover or partially used ingredients in my fridge and pantry. Like, how can half a lemon, six ounces of chicken stock, and sour cream be repurposed into some sort of delectable savory sauce to brush over a lightly salted grilled chicken breast? Hmmm… Or, maybe a handful of berries, a bruised pear, and a mostly used carton of half-n-half can be whipped into one of the best cobblers on the planet. Not only is that “game” fun, it’s also practical. Like…

  • Orecchiette pasta with parmesan and pistachios

    Parmesan Pistachio Orecchiette

    This creamy parmesan pistachio orecchiette is the right mix of simple ingredients and big flavor! That’s right, you heard me, pistachios and pasta. That mash-up’s one of those things that sounds a little odd when you hear it, but after you try it you’re like … where have you been all my life?! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links. Now lemme tell you. I can barrel through a bag of salted pistachio nuts — shells on — in less time than it would take the average person to, well, do almost anything. They’re sooooo good. I found an online recipe for “Pistachio…

  • Spaghetti with easy homemade meatballs.

    Spaghetti and Easy Homemade Meatballs

    Make this yummy spaghetti with easy homemade meatballs in under an hour! I recently watched Anne Burrell make meatballs on one of her Food Network shows. Spaghetti and meatballs are a quintessential comfort foods that almost everyone loves. Plus, they’re the type of meal that gets better with time, which means you can make a gigantic batch and then feast on the leftovers all week long. As a person who *loves* eating leftovers for lunch, this is right up my alley. During my last trip to the grocery store, I bought a package of ground lamb/beef/veal (a.k.a. “meatloaf mix”), and with an open afternoon and the whole family home for…

  • This simple, versatile tomato basil fettuccine is ready in fifteen minutes!

    Tomato Basil Fettuccine

    This simple, versatile tomato basil fettuccine is ready in fifteen minutes! Cooking dinner shouldn’t be a drag. I’ll say this though, it can be hard to embrace a chef knife and a skillet after a 10-hour work day, followed by being a kid shuttle service, and knowing there’s a looming pile of laundry in a mound on the bathroom floor the hamper. I get it. I do. I’m also one to look at the glass half full. To make lemons out of lemonade. I don’t have to cook dinner. I get to cook dinner. See how that works? But that doesn’t mean that every night I’m pulling off a five course meal. (Okay, let’s be real—that actually never happens, unless the…

  • Enjoy a vegan fettuccine alfredo, full of savory sautéed mushrooms, that's just as creamy and comforting as a classic recipe.

    Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo With Mushrooms

    Enjoy a vegan fettuccine alfredo, full of savory sautéed mushrooms, that’s just as creamy and comforting as a classic recipe. Pasta is one of my go-to crowd-pleasing meals because it’s just as easy to prepare a meal for an intimate dinner for two as it is to feed a party with ten. I also like that pasta’s versatile. If I have guests who are trying to stay away from gluten, then the grains are swapped for gluten-free alternatives. Those who don’t eat meat? No problem. Plenty of delicious vegetarian pasta options, and if I do have folks with a meat craving, then a simple alternative is to serve seared chicken breast or…

  • There's hardly anything better than Italian meatballs on the table in a half hour, and having dinner taken care of for later in the week, too!

    Quick Instant Pot Italian Meatballs and Sauce

    There’s hardly anything better than Italian meatballs on the table in a half hour, and having dinner taken care of for later in the week, too! This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carando®. All opinions are entirely my own. I’ve really grown to love my Instant Pot®, and it finds its way into the cooking rotation at least once a week. Sometimes more frequently, if I’m making stock or something similar. When it comes to weeknight comfort food, pasta is nearly always a go-to and spaghetti with meatballs is a favorite. Though, I’ll admit, making homemade meatballs during the week feels like a daunting task.…

  • The deep layers of flavor in this chipotle chicken lasagna are a surprising treat, given how simple it is to make. It's the perfect recipe to add to your dinner rotation and you can even make it ahead!

    Chipotle Chicken Lasagna

    The deep layers of flavor in this chipotle chicken lasagna are a surprising treat, given how simple it is to make. It’s the perfect recipe to add to your dinner rotation and you can even make it ahead! This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RediscoverLaMorena #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias You’ll want to keep reading to hear about my latest New York City antics, including—not kidding—a nose ring, and also find out how to make this tasty chipotle chicken lasagna; but, first I want you to pause and check out a sweepstakes with LA MORENA® for a chance to win exciting prizes…