Spicy Chicken & Sausage Pasta

I have never made pasta with sausage in it, so I was apprehensive. BUT oh my goodness this meal was delicious! It made enough for 4 people to have seconds, and we all wished to have thirds. I'm definitely sure that this will be made again very soon. My husband told me again this morning that he loved dinner last night.

The Sauce:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 4 T butter
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 – 2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper 

The Rest:

• 10 ounce package of penne pasta cooked
• 1 1/2 T melted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 small jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
• 3 sliced Lousianna hot link sausafe
• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

Sauce:

1. Melt butter in saute pan or skillet.
2.  Add cream, salt and pepper, heat to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and fold in cheeses and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

The Rest:

1. In a large pot  over medium heat, melt butter, then add mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes.
2. Stir for one minute. Next add artichokes and chicken and cooked sausage, Stir.
3. Stir in 1/2 of the sauce.
4. Add cooked pasta followed by rest of the sauce. Stir gently.
5. Serve and top with extra parm cheese & sprinkle cayenne pepper

 

Original Recipe from HERE

BBQ & Ranch Chicken Salad

• Romaine Lettuce chopped
• Black Beans rinsed
• Corn
• Avocado sliced
• Monterey Jack Cheese
• Cooked Chicken chopped
• Santa Fe style tortilla strips
• mushrooms sliced
• onion chopped
• Ranch
• BBQ sauce

1. Place chopped lettuce on your place, then put the rest of the ingredients on top and use your own measurements.
2. In a small bowl mix some ranch and bbq sauce together, then top the salad with desired amount.
3. Enjoy!

Meet Temperance ♥

A little over a month ago, our apartment was broken into and I was a total mess. Two days later I went into Petsmart and adopted little Temperance "Tempy"! As soon as a held her, all my anxiety went away and she curled up into my neck, I ended up falling in love with her and bought her that day, haha! She is a little ball of engergy and a lover, I feel so lucky to have her as a part of our little family.

Healthy Breakfast:: Yogurt, Strawberries, Oats & Walnuts

The healthy living bug has got me again! Yesterday I went shopping and bought so much fruit so I could prep it and store them in mason jars. If its easily accessible, you're more likely to eat it instead of a bag of chips. Something else I've learned, don't bring anything into the house you don't want to eat.

Just throw in some yogurt, fresh strawberries, oats & walnuts, easy EASY!

Mushroom and Spinach Ravioli with Chive Butter Sauce

I love when my husband makes ravioli and this has got to be the best recipe he has ever used! If you have a couple free hours, this is your recipe! It was a long process but the end results were delicious!!!

 

 

• 1 teaspoonolive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoonswater, or more if needed
• 2eggs
• 2 cupsall-purpose flour, or more if needed
• 1/4 teaspoonsalt
• 1 teaspoonolive oil
• 1 clovegarlic, minced
• 1/2 cupchopped onion
• 1 (8 ounce) packagefresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 4 ouncescream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cupgrated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cupmozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cupfrozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 tablespoonchopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoonchopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoonground cayenne pepper
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1egg white, beaten
• 3 tablespoonsbutter
• 1 1/2 teaspoonschopped fresh chives

 

 

1. Whisk together 1 teaspoon olive oil, water, and whole eggs in a bowl until evenly blended; set aside. Combine flour and salt in a separate large bowl, and make a well in the center. Pour the egg mixture into the well and stir just until combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 5 to 10 minutes, adding more flour or water as needed. Wrap dough tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to rest.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and continue cooking and stirring until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool.
3. Beat cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the cooled mushroom mixture, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, spinach, 1 tablespoon chives, parsley, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Roll the pasta dough out to about 1/16 inch thick. Cut 3 to 4-inch circles using a large cookie cutter. Roll each circle out as thin as possible. Working with one circle at a time, brush the pasta lightly with the egg white. Scoop about 1 heaping tablespoon full of the mushroom filling onto the center of the pasta, then cover with a second piece of pasta, pinching the edges to seal. Cut the sealed ravioli with the cookie cutter once more to create a uniform shape. Place the finished ravioli on a floured baking sheet, and repeat the process with the remaining pasta and filling.
5. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the ravioli and return to a boil. Cook until the pasta floats to the top, 3 to 4 minutes; drain.
6. To make sauce: Melt butter in a skillet over high heat, cooking and stirring until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons chives. Serve over hot ravioli.

recipe from: All Recipes

Kung Pow Tofu & Crab Rangoons

 

Kung Pow Tofu

• 8 oz. extra firm Tofu chopped into 1/4 chunks
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 red pepper chopped into chunks
• 1 green bell pepper chopped into chunks

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbs sugar
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

1. Stir fry tofu and garlic in a wok or non stick pan until golden
2. Add bell peppers and onions and cook until tender
3. Mix sauce in a small bowl and then add to wok, stir until everything is covered
4. let sit until sauce thickens and stir before serving.
5. Serve over your favorite rice, we eat Calrose.

Baked Crab Rangoon

• 2 tbs sour cream
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 crab meat
• wonton wrappers

1. Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with non stick cooking spray.
2. In a food processor add all the ingredients (except wonton wrappers of course) and blend until smoothe.
3. Lay a wonton wrapper on a plate or cutting board, place 2 tsp of mixture in the center and brush two adjacent sides of the wrapper with water.
4. Fold over making a triangle and press around the filling to remove & and seal the wrapper.
5. Spray the top of the wonton wrapprs lightly with cooking spray.
6. Bake for 12 minutes or edges are golden brown.
7. Serve with sweet and sour dipping sauce

Emily's week with Sissy!

The best gift I could have ever received for my birthday was having my sister stay with me for the week! We rang in the new year with some friends, read books, babysat my favorite little ones, saw Les Miserables, went shopping with our gift cards, watched movies & went out for dinner for my birthday! I cannot believe my baby sister is going to be 13 in less than a month, its crazy!!!!

Emily has been taken off all her medication & only takes a multivitamin in the morning. She continues to have check up appointments but she is HEALTHY! It was so much fun to see her chase my cat around the apartment and then keep up with my husband with all the jokes and sarcasm.

2013 is already one million times better than 2012!!