Rigatoni Pie

The hubby bought rigatoni noodles so I decided to take this opportunity to see if Rigatoni Pie was worth the video hype. First I read a few reviews then went to YouTube and found Jeannette from Rachel Ray. She has a whole series about testing internet recipes (cauliflower grilled cheese was hilarious). Just type #jeanettedoesthiswork in the search field on YouTube and you’ll get hooked. I definitely recommend watching the Rigatoni Pie one before attempting to make it on your own.

My version: I left out the ricotta and made my meat sauce a little thinner so that the flavor got down into the pasta. I also made extra meat sauce to go with it since it’s a lot of pasta. As Jeannette said: the cheese and meat sauce are basically “pasta frosting”. Definitely agree with cooking al dente. Don’t use a 10” cheesecake pan, it’s way too big. I used a 9” cheesecake/springform and it worked great! Definitely put a cookie sheet underneath and parchment paper. It pretty much looked just like Jeannette’s including falling apart when serving, lol. I would probably serve it as a centerpiece but definitely add extra sauce when serving.

https://www.rachaelrayshow.com/rigatonipie

Chicken Broccoli Shells and Cheese

This was definitely as good as it looked. The teenager coined the term "gravy cheese"--I mean, who doesn't love cheesy gravy?! We had some friends over for dinner, so I ended up doubling the recipe. I also accidentally pulled out chicken thighs instead of breasts, and unsure if they would like the combo, I cooked the chicken seperately. Served with salad and corn-on-the-cob, it was a big hit. Definitely an easy one to prepare and worth the effort.

http://diethood.com/chicken-broccoli-shells-cheese/

Feta and Vegetable Rotini Salad

I never know what to do with rainbow rotini, but I think a found a winner on Pinterest. I omitted the olives and added bacon. It passed the hubby's inspection--thumb's up. :)

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/05/feta-and-vegetable-rotini-salad.html

Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken

This has been a great week of entrees. I tried a new recipe almost every night. Tonight was the "creme-de-la-creme" so to speak. ;) This was a melt-in-your-mouth delight. The only thing I would have changed is to add mushrooms. I also doubled the recipe for our hungry teenager guests. This recipe is a must try!

http://therecipecritic.com/2016/05/creamy-tuscan-garlic-chicken/

MEXICAN STREET CORN PASTA SALAD

The hubby's request yesterday was Chicken Enchiladas with green chili (previously posted when he bought Hatch chilis). It was almost as good with roasted Anaheim peppers, but I'm definitely looking forward to Hatch season again.

While I was researching what kind of pepper to substitute for Hatch, I came across this recipe and HAD to try it. I'm not usually a fan of pasta recipes (which can often taste bland if you don't double check the flavor), but this one was a winner. I had to double most of the ingredients and I would probably add sour cream to give it more tang.

http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/mexican-street-corn-pasta-salad-2/

One Pot Zucchini Mushroom Pasta

I'm going to just copy the text from the London Broil post....both were delicious but can be summed up in one paragraph. :) 

Food Network had a great marinated london broil and needed a great side dish. And, since we have SO much zucchini, (if I don't end up freezing some), I've been using Pinterest to try to get creative. It was amazing. Tasted like we went out to a 5 star restaurant but managed to keep our money in our pockets. smile emoticon We also added my favorite merlot and his favorite craft IPA beer. Tonight it's pizza with a zucchini crust and I have zucchini bread (with molasses) in the oven....more blogs to come. :)

http://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2013/09/best-zucchini-recipe-ever-zucchini-crust-pizza/#sthash.hL00a5br.dpbhttp://damndelicious.net/2014/06/13/one-pot-zucchini-mushroom-pasta/?utm_source=feedly&utm_reader=feedly&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=one-pot-zucchini-mushroom-pasta

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