This man-eating Nightmare Before Christmas Wreath veggie tray is made of broccoli and tomatoes, with edible cheese and olive eyes.

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I may have started decorating for Halloween in August but today is the first of October which means it is time to share Halloween recipes, starting with one inspired by my favorite Halloween movie – The Nightmare Before Christmas. While I strongly believe that The Nightmare Before Christmas movie is both a Halloween and a Christmas movie, especially since there is a Friday the 13th in December (an actual nightmare before Christmas), it is more popular for Halloween.

Somehow before this the only themed recipe on my blog is Sally’s sugar cookies. I’m going to change that this year, as my kitchen is decked out in all things Nightmare Before Christmas, complete with Sally’s apothecary jars, and is inspiring me to make more themed recipes.

If you’ve seen it, you should remember the man-eating wreath among other scary decorations and presents that Jack Skellington delivers to unsuspecting households while acting as Sandy Claws. But this Nightmare Before Christmas Wreath isn’t going to be eating anyone The tables have been turned as it is the people who are eating it – it’s a Nightmare Before Christmas wreath veggie tray!

How to make The Nightmare Before Christmas wreath veggie tray? It’s simply broccoli florets arranged in a ring, with grape tomatoes dispersed within to look like holly, and topped with two ovals of sliced white cheese and two slices of black olive for the eyes. I originally intended to add a red pepper bow like I did with my Christmas wreath pizza ring, but I totally spaced. Feel free to fix my memory lapse when you make yours.

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS WREATH VEGGIE TRAY

Print

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 heads of broccoli, trimmed, washed and patted dry
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, washed and patted dry
• 1 slice provolone or mozzarella, preferably round, sliced into two ovals
• 2 slices of black olive
• Spicy ranch dip, for serving

Directions

1. On a large circular platter, place a small ramekin or dip bowl. Around the bowl, arrange the broccoli into the shape of a wreath. Fill in any gaps with cherry tomatoes.
2. Place cheese slices on the top portion, with a slice of olive on each, to emulate eyes.
3. Fill center bowl with spicy Ranch dip or other preferred vegetable dip.

 

Source: The Spiffy Cookie Original

This hamburger chop suey is a throwback comfort food recipe that is easy to make but also a little different. Just try it, you’ll love it!

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I am still working through the giant catalog of my mom’s recipes. I first started with the ones she had made copies of for me when I left for college, but after my most recent trip to Maryland we found even more! Literally four boxes of recipes cards. I actually discovered the origin to a couple of her more frequently made recipes and a couple others written in short hand which were neat.

Now I have even more recipes to work through. And I am totally digging these retro, minimal ingredient, few step recipes. I’ve not felt particularly inspired in the kitchen lately and many of these recipes are comforting on many levels, so I find myself drawn to them more than ever.

This hamburger chop suey doesn’t seem to appear in any of my memories, but given that it has chow mein noodles I am sure she made it for my brother and I at some point. It’s totally her style too, combining unsuspecting ingredients into something delicious. According to the internet, it can also be another name for goulash and has Italian-American origins. All I know is that this is most definitely not that.

The original recipe calls for a can of mushrooms, but since neither Bob nor I like mushrooms we substituted that for chickpeas. We also added a bit of broccoli to pump up the vegetable content a bit more. And finally we spiced it up by adding a little chili oil.

One year ago: Strawberry Spinach Salad Pizza

Two years ago: Pesto Chicken Salad

Five years ago: Taco Hummus

Six years ago: Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Coconut-Ginger Rice

Seven years ago: Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Bowls

Eight years ago: S’mores Puppy Chow

Ten years ago: Banana Foster Cream Pie

HAMBURGER CHOP SUEY

Print

Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 head of broccoli, florets cut
• 1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed chicken and rice soup
• 1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (8 oz.) can chickpeas, drained *
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup raw rice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Chili oil, to taste
• Chow mein noodles

Directions

1. In a large skillet, head olive oil over medium heat. Add beef and brown until most of the pink is gone. Add onion, celery, and broccoli and sautee for 5 minutes.
2. Add soups, chickpeas, water, rice, and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover, turn off heat, and let steam for 20 minutes.
3. Season to taste with chili oil. Serve topped with chow mein noodles.

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You can’t have a picnic or backyard cookout without an easy pasta salad. Toss your favorite pasta shape with vegetables, cheese, and Italian dressing for the perfect summer side dish.

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Happy National DNA Day! To celebrate I made an easy pasta salad with rotini pasta because it looks DNA double helix. But before I get into the recipe, let’s talk a little science for #ScienceSundays!

What is National DNA Day?

National DNA Day celebrates the discovery of DNA’s double helix by James Watson and Francis Crick using X-ray crystallography created by Rosalind Franklin in 1953 and the completion of the Human Genome Project 50 years later in 2003 ted in 1989). The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), one of 27 institutes and centers that form the National Institutes of Health (NIH), encourages organizations to host events celebrating National DNA Day from January through May of each year, offering opportunities to learn about the latest advances in genomic research and explore what it may mean for our lives.

I may not be an organization, nor am I hosting an event, but as a classically trained geneticist, I figured it was a great topic to briefly cover and correlate to food in some way.

What is DNA?

DNA is like a recipe with instructions for our body to grow and function. Actually, an even better analogy is comparing DNA to the coding of a computer program but instead of a series of 0s and 1s, it’s made of nucleotides denoted by As, Ts, Gs, and Cs. It’s the language of DNA.

Despite how different humans many appear from one another, we actually are 99.9% identical genetically. A more startling fact is that only 1% of our total DNA actually contains sequences known as genes, which code for those instructions. The regions outside of that 1% regulate what/when/how/how much of that gene and its product is made.

Since DNA is more or less a code, it first must be translated in messenger RNA (or mRNA which is commonly heard term these days with the COVID-19 vaccines) which then is translated into proteins that have various functions.

How is genomics used?

The human genome project and advances in genomics have changed the way we do science. When the project first started in 1989, they were sequencing the entire genome by hand, but now its digital. Heck now you can spit into a tube and 6 weeks later you have results from places such as 23andMe (referral link).

With the help of genomics, we are also learning how life works and disease occurs. Those genes I mentioned? They can have slightly different sequences, or be damaged, which may cause disease, and sequencing can identify and possibly even diagnose rare diseases when classic medicine fails. Of course this work has raised ethical and social considerations which is why experts in these fields have been involved since the beginning.

Another benefit comes at a social level. This information shows that we are more alike than we are different, that we have a more diverse history than many people expected, breaks down the traditional notions of race but instead a beautiful continuum, and promotes conversations about race in a positive way with perspectives of similarities instead of differences.

What to learn more? Here are some great review videos on DNA and the Human Genome Project.

DNA-Shaped Easy Pasta Salad

So what does all that have to do with pasta salad? Mostly just the fact that the DNA double helix resembles the rotini pasta shape. However there is a Science of Macaroni Salad TED talk about how it can be used to explain how everything is made of molecules. But that goes even deeper than DNA.

This pasta salad, unlike understanding genetics, is quite simple and the perfect side to your favorite grilled summer meats like Traeger smoked pork chops. Just mix up cooked rotini (or your favorite pasta shape) with chopped broccoli, red bell pepper, salami, cheddar, olives, and Italian dressing. Of course since it’s more of an assembly rather than a recipe, you can easily change the various components based on your preferences. Want mozzarella instead of cheddar? By all means! I actually used gluten-free chickpea pasta from Barilla.

Three years ago: Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Five years ago: Root Beer Pancakes

Six years ago: DIY Anthopologie Inspired Confetti Tumblers

Seven years ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chess Pie

Eight years ago: Chicken Mango Quesadillas

Nine years ago: Chicken & Spinach Alfredo Pizza

Ten years ago: Cake Batter Fruit Dip

EASY PASTA SALAD

Print

Yield: 10 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 lb. rotini pasta (I used Barilla chickpea)
• 1 large head of broccoli, florets trimmed and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 8 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed
• 5 oz. sliced salami, diced
• 2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
• 16 oz. bottle Italian dressing
• Garlic, red pepper, salt and black pepper, to taste.

Directions

1. Cook pasta 2 minutes past al dente. Drain and let cool.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the broccoli, pepper, cheese, salami, and olives. Add cooled pasta and dressing and stir until evenly distributed. Season to taste.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

You can change out any ingredient you wish: pepperoni for salami, mozzarella for cheddar, tomatoes for peppers, different shaped pasta, etc.

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Spinning a southern classic to pair the flavors of bacon and blue cheese with the tartness of dried cranberries! How do you make your broccoli salad?

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I love broccoli salad but until recently I am not certain that I’ve ever made it myself. It something that I always forget exists until it shows up at a picnic/summer cookout and I am reminded how simply delicious it is.

However I’m not entirely sure if there is a “traditional” version of the recipe. I’ve seen various cheeses, dried fruits, onions, nuts, dressing ingredients, bacon or no bacon – what way do you make broccoli salad?

While I was intrigued by a blueberry broccoli salad, I went with dried cranberries, red onion, blue cheese, and bacon! I’ve seen it called “craisin broccoli salad” but that leaves out all the other goodness!

I’ve actually made this twice already. The first was served with pulled pork that Bob smoked for our house warming party (for which I also made that jalapeno popper mac and cheese).

The second was just this past weekend when Bob busted out the smoker again, this time for ribs! I’m enjoying this trend of him smoking various meats while I sit back and make easy sides to pair with it. What are your favorite BBQ sides other than broccoli salad?

Three years ago: Greek Stuffed Peppers

Four years ago: Oven-Fried Granola Chicken Tacos with Mango Crema

Five years ago: Greek Hummus Dip with Homemade Pita Chips

Six years ago: Breakfast Stromboli

Eight years ago: Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies

BACON & BLUE CHEESE BROCCOLI SALAD

Print

Yield: 8 servings Prep Time: 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or plain Greek yogurt)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• Salt and pepper
• 4 cups fresh broccoli florets cut into small pieces
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the broccoli, cranberries, blue cheese, red onion, and bacon. Stir until thoroughly coated. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

Source: Adapted slightly from The Suburban Soapbox.

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Roasted veggies are the best – so I mixed up a whole bunch of them, added crispy chickpeas, and drizzled the whole roasted veggie bowl with a lemon tahini dressing.

There’s a restaurant in Columbus called Brassica which serves up Mediterranean inspired pita sandwiches, salads, and bowls in an assembly line style made popular by Chipotle. It seems that there are tons of these types of restaurants these days but Brassica is one of my favorites, and after a recent visit I decided to try my hand at making a similar roasted veggie bowl at home. Because that’s how I roll.

I present to you, a bowl full of roasted vegetables topped with crispy chickpeas and a lemon-tahini dressing. It never ceases to impress me how something so simple can be so incredibly delicious and make me forget I’m not eating meat. There’s cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant, sweet potato, carrot, and red onion all mixed up in there. You could also add quinoa for a Quinoa Chickpea Salad if you prefer a little more vegetarian protein.

Then they are served over a bed of kale and lentils or rice (or both if you’re me) and drizzled with lemon-tahini dressing. If you want to go the extra mile you can also make your own tahini.

The crispy chickpeas on top add great texture and flavor to the dish. This was actually my first time roasting them on the stove top and I think I actually prefer it to the oven, especially when I need the oven space to cook other things like the veggies in this particular situation. You could definitely make a huge batch of these crispy chickpeas in advance and store them until needed.

The best thing about these roasted veggie bowls is that you can easily customize them with whatever veggies you prefer. You could also add a dollop of hummus and serve it with warm pita. I actually added a little bit of Cleveland Kraut Beet Red kraut on top of mine because why not? And it’s so pretty!

Two years ago: Lemon-Lime Pistachio Bars

Three years ago: Octoweenie-Mac and Cheese Bagel Bites

Three years ago: Homemade Garbage Plates

Four years ago: Baked Oatmeal with Blackberries and Bananas

Five years ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

ROASTED VEGGIE BOWL WITH LEMON TAHINI DRESSING

Serves 6

Ingredients:

VEGGIES

1/2 head cauliflower, florets chopped

1/2 head broccoli, florets chopped

1 eggplant, peeled and chopped

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

DRESSING

1/3 cup tahini

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

CHICKPEAS

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

ASSEMBLY

Fresh chopped parsley

Chopped kale

Lentils or rice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Place veggies on two large baking sheets lined with foil. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss until coated.
3. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, stir, return them to the oven (alternating racks), and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until tender and browned on the edges.
4. While the veggies are roasting, make the lemon tahini dressing. Add all ingredients to a blender, blend until smooth, and then refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chickpeas and season with smoked paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about five minutes, or until slightly crispy. Remove from the heat.
6. To assemble, place roasted veggies over a bed of kale and lentils (or rice), top with spiced chickpeas, and parsley. Drizzle the dressing over top, and toss to combine.

Source: Adapted from Chicho’s Kitchen.

No more take our for you, these lettuce wraps can be from at home. Made with ground pork and plenty of Asian flavors.

I first made this recipe back in my early years of graduate school with my roommate at the time Brandi, pre-blog, circa 2008 PB. I remember how fancy we felt buying all these exotic ingredients and we worried we’d never use again. That was until we tasted the end result and knew we’d make it as many times as the ingredients leftover allowed.

Ten years later I found myself craving lettuce wraps and I remembered this recipe. Thankfully I still had the original printed out copy because there’s no telling how else I would have ever found the exact one again. This time around I actually had most of the ingredients already on hand and decided to change or add a few of my own ideas.

Funny how something seemed so daunting 10 years ago but today I consider this an easy weeknight meal. Sure it has a bunch of ingredients but not many steps. But 10 years ago I thought any recipe beyond pasta and jarred sauce or a frozen veggie and chicken stir fry was complicated. Now I make meals like that when I have little motivation to cook anything. Oh how perspectives change!

Three years ago: Lemon-Lime Raspberry Mojitos

Four years ago: Strawberry Shortcake Cobbler

Five years ago: Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Seven years ago: Pineapple Pancakes with Honey Greek Yogurt Topping

ASIAN PORK LETTUCE WRAPS

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb. ground pork

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 large head of broccoli, florets chopped

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp minced pickled ginger

1 dash chili pepper sauce, to taste (optional)

1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

16 bibb or butter lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry

Sweet chili sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Add the pork and cook until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Drain pork on a paper towel lines plate and and discard all but 1 teaspoon oil.
2. Place the same skillet back on the stove top and add the onion and broccoli. Cook until onion starts to turn translucent and broccoli is slightly tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and chile pepper sauce into the onion-broccoli mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil, and cooked pork until warmed through.
4. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter and pile meat mixture in the center. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from AllRecipes.com.

I want to show you a magic trick. Watch as one pan turns into a delicious sheet pan bacon wrapped mustard chicken weeknight dinner with broccoli and potatoes!

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Sheet pan dinners. We all love them, need them even, to help minimize the sometimes hectic thing we call life. And when it involves bacon and potatoes it does double duty as a comforting hug for your taste buds. What was even easier was that the ingredients for this meal were delivered right to my door by Green Bean Delivery.

Don’t worry this isn’t a sponsored post, but I did use a discount code and I may have gone a bit crazy with all the options available resulting in enough for like 4 meals. If you live in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky or Missouri you should check if you live in one of their delivery areas to get some local produce and groceries.

As you can see I got all kinds of things that you won’t be seeing in this recipe and while I may share the recipes I made with the rest of it later, today we are focusing on only 4 of them. Broccoli, red potatoes, Batch No. 2 blackened Cajun mustard, and Smoking Goose applewood smoked bacon.

Dude, that bacon may be one of the best I’ve ever had. If you order one thing get that for real. I could have ordered chicken too but I had just stocked up due to a sale at my local in-person grocery so that seemed unnecessary.

Before I talk about the recipe, let’s backtrack to that hectic life comment – our basement flooded again last night. A huge storm came through and brought a tornado with it that did some serious damage to my friends neighborhood in South Columbus. Thankfully her family is alright but the same can’t be said about everyone and I am hoping they will be alright by the time this posts but I’ve heard they will be without power for 36 hours.

All we got in our neighborhood was a torrential downpour but that was enough to cause the water table to be higher than our basement floor and yet again we watched helplessly as the water seeped through the floor faster than we could remove it. At least this time it wasn’t at 2am. We cannot figure out why this keeps happening when we’ve had big storms that flooded the river more than it is now without flooding our basement.

Sheet Pan Bacon Wrapped Mustard Chicken with Broccoli and Potatoes

So yea, getting dinner on the table on a night like that without much thought or effort is much needed and that’s the perfect time for this sheet pan dinner. All you need is to wrap chicken breasts in bacon, nestle between potatoes on a sheet, top with a quick-made mustard sauce, roast, and then add the broccoli for the last half of the roasting time. So simple and so stinking good. Love when you don’t need separate main and side dishes too.

Random side note: Just realized I have exactly 1 month left of being 32. I can’t handle how time passes by faster as I get older. And our wedding is just 4 months and 6 days away?! I swear it was 8 yesterday. #EndRandomStreamOfConciousness

Get More Super Simple Weeknight Recipes:

• Bruschetta Chicken by That Recipe
• Cheesy Pasta with Shredded Kohlrabi by Art of Natural Living
• Easy One Pot Mexican Beans and Rice by Magical Ingredients
• Easy Skillet Chicken Pot Pie by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Ham and Cheddar Carbonara by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Honey BBQ Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin by Family Around the Table
• Pepper Steak by Palatable Pastime
• Slow Cooker Hot Beef Sandwiches by Cheese Curd In Paradise

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, follow our Pinterest board too!

Two years ago: Baked Pizza Hummus

Four years ago: Rainbow-Surprise Lemon Cake

Five years ago: Baked Eggs with Crispy Hash Brown Crust

Six years ago: Cheesy Cat Treats

Seven years ago: Funfetti Cake Batter Smoothie

SHEET PAN BACON WRAPPED MUSTARD CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI AND POTATOES

Print

Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 lb. chicken breasts (preferably six 1/3 lb pieces)
• 6 slices of bacon (I used applewood smoked)
• 1 lb. red skinned potatoes, cubed into bite-sized pieces
• 2 Tbsp whole grain mustard (I used blackened Cajun)
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-1/2 lb. broccoli, cut into small florets

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick spray.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and wrap each with a slice of bacon, placing them on the prepared baking sheet, tucking the bacon underneath.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and honey. Evenly pour over each chicken breast.
4. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 teaspoon of oil until evenly coated and season with salt and pepper. Distribute the potatoes around the chicken and roast for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, toss the broccoli in the same bowl as the potatoes with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from oven, stir the potatoes, and add the broccoli to the pan around the chicken.
6. Roast for another 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes and broccoli are tender.

Source: Adapted from Simply Recipes.

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Dinner can be easy and nutritious at the same time with this skillet lasagne packed with 5 different vegetables.

It’s nearing the end of November which means we are about to be bombarded with all things related to the holidays, and if you are hosting you are particularly focused on Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner menus. But I’m here to remind you that there are several other meals between now and then (shocking I know) and one of them should be this easy veggie skillet lasagne.

This time of year calls for cozy recipes and my dad’s skillet lasagne is a popular one around these parts. I’ve started making variations upon the original and this latest creation takes the beautiful canvas that is Barilla Rigatoni Pasta and turns it into a nutritious meal with the addition of Barilla Sauce, Galbani Cheese, and 5 different vegetables! I’ve got onion, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, and red bell peppers for you.

Recipes like this remind me how much I love pasta. It lends itself to being versatile, making it perfect for any occasion and therefore brings people together. Because who doesn’t love pasta? But of course you can’t call something lasagna without cheese so to top it off, this recipe is also made with creamy Galbani Ricotta Cheese and stretchy Galbani Mozzarella Cheese giving you that perfect cheese-pull.

Conveniently, these quality Barilla and Galbani products can be found at your local Walmart store, and with Ibotta you can earn $2 when you purchase Barilla Pasta/Sauce and Galbani Cheese. I got the Barilla Rigatoni Pasta, Barilla Traditional Sauce, Galbani Ricotta Cheese, and Galbani Mozzarella Cheese. I didn’t realize however until I opened the package that the Mozzarella came pre-sliced! Apparently they offer one kind that is great for shredding and one for slicing. If you’re ever shredded Mozzarella cheese with a hand grater you’ll understand and appreciate the option to buy a firmer variety! But I digress.

My favorite thing about dishes like this? It all cooks in one single pot for clean up that’s as easy as the recipe itself. And since there’s so many veggies packed in already there’s no need for a side dish. There’s even protein thanks to the Ricotta! But if you’re feeling the need to pump it up a little more you could easily add chicken or tofu if you’d like to keep it vegetarian.

VEGGIE SKILLET LASAGNA

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 bunch asparagus, chopped

Florets from 1 medium head broccoli

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced

28 oz. Barilla Traditional Sauce

3 cups water

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 (16 oz.) box Barilla Rigatoni Pasta

15 oz. Galbani Ricotta Cheese

16 oz. Galbani Mozzarella Cheese (about 2 cups), shredded and divided

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add veggies, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in sauce, water and seasonings. Bring to a boil, add pasta and bring to a boil again. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in ricotta cheese and cook, covered, 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top, cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Top with parmesan cheese if desired.

Source: Adapted slightly from my Skillet Lasagne.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WonderfulYourWay #CollectiveBias

I love all of the fresh vegetables in pasta primavera. This version incorporates alfredo sauce and chicken for a chicken alfredo-pasta primavera combo that is as delicious as it is easy to make.

Alert: Valentine’s Day is exactly 1 week from today! If you haven’t already made dinner reservations, you better get on that asap. We sometimes will go out for Valentine’s Day but never on the actual day, maybe the day before or after to avoid the crowds. Instead we like to stay in and cook together. Since Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday, that means finding a meal that is not just fitting for the holiday, but also quick and easy to prepare.

We love pasta in our house, but we have also been trying to incorporate more lean meats and vegetables into our diet. So after I picked up a trusty box of Barilla® Classic Blue Box pasta, I also grabbed all the veggies to make a alfredo primavera. This authentic brand is simple yet wholesome, which helps in my desire to create an easy and delicious “Wonderful Your Way” meal for Valentine’s Day. And the availability of perfectly matched, great tasting sauces makes like even easier. Hello garlic alfredo!

So how easy was this dish to throw together? Well, while the pasta boiled in a pot of water, I sauteed the onion and garlic and briefly cooked all the veggies – just enough to warm them up while still retaining their crunch factor. After removing the veggie mixture from the pan, I then seared some chicken breasts lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Once the chicken was cooked and placed on serving plates, I added the alfredo sauce to the same pan to warm it up, followed by the pasta, veggies, and fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper and maybe a little bit of the pasta cooking water to reach the preferred sauce consistency and you are done!

Of course don’t forget some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top. Then, after your done savoring your meal with your loved one and cleaning up the minimal dishes (hooray!), you’ll have plenty of time left to cuddle on the couch. As an added bonus, there is plenty leftover to enjoy for lunch the next day and I’m a huge fan of leftovers for lunch. And who is going to complain about another serving of primavera?

I hope you make this for Valentine’s Day dinner or your next date night in, I think you will love it! But if you are looking for more Barilla “Wonderful Your Way” recipe inspiration, click HERE.

Two years ago: DIY No Sew Faux Roman Shade

Three years ago: Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup

Four years ago: Lip Balms

Five years ago: Whole Wheat Blueberry Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Six years ago: Velveeta Chicken & Veggie Mac

CHICKEN ALFREDO PRIMAVERA PENNE

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1/2 onion, fined diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups bite-sized broccoli florets

1 large carrot, sliced diagonally

1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

1 zucchini, sliced diagonally

1 medium yellow squash, sliced diagonally

1/2 cup frozen peas

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 (1 lb.) box Barilla® Classic Blue Box Penne

1 (14.5 oz.) jar Barilla® Garlic Alfredo Sauce

5 basil leaves, finely sliced, plus more for garnish

Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add broccoli, carrot, pepper, squash, zucchini, and peas, stir, and cook for only 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
4. Add sauce to the skillet to warm. Stir in basil leaves and then add veggies and pasta. If the sauce seems a little thick, add some of the reserved cooking water. Top with more Parmesan, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original

We are in the home stretch people. If you haven’t already it’s time to either make those last minute dinner reservations for Valentine’s Day or start planning your dinner menu at home. Personally I prefer staying at home, avoiding the masses. Sometimes we will go out the day before or after if we feel like getting fancy and being seen in public but on the actual day we avoid interacting with the outside world.

The day before we actually have plans with friends to marathon watch the extended versions of Lord of the Rings, but first we are starting with the original animated Hobbit movie (because it’s just better than the newer ones). In case that wasn’t enough, I’ve also planned out an entire days worth of Hobbit-themed meals to keep us fed during this journey. But more on that later. First alfredo.

Yesterday was actually National Fettuccine Alfredo day but since many of you have football on the brain I am throwing a belated celebration here on the blog today. Ever since I discovered the guiltless alfredo trick using cream cheese and milk I have been hooked. I have made all kinds of varieties from cajun to avocado and today I add another to the list: roasted garlic and hemp seed.

By using hemp seed instead of flour, not only is it gluten-free, the sauce gets a little extra kick of protein. And then there’s a double punch of garlic with an entire head of roasted garlic blended into the sauce, and then strips of chicken which were marinated in a garlic vinaigrette. Serve with a side of broccoli and I think you’ve got yourself a perfect Valentine’s Day dinner! Don’t forget to serve it with a glass of wine smoothie and finish it off with strawberry shortcake.

Today is the last day of #FreshTastyValentines! If you haven’t already, make sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win some great prizes. For more recipe inspiration, check out the widget located at the bottom of this post.

Three years ago: Valentine’s Funfetti 7 Layer Bars

Four years ago: Sausage Lasagna Heart Calzone

Five years ago: Oreo Truffles

LIGHTER ROASTED GARLIC & HEMP SEED FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup T. Lish sweet garlic vinaigrette

1 head garlic

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil, divided

12 oz. broccoli florets (I used Mann’s broccoli wokly)

12 oz. gluten-free fettuccine

2 cups 2% milk

3 oz. light cream cheese

2 Tbsp hulled hemp seeds (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

1 tsp salt

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. Place chicken in a zip-top bag along with 1/2 cup dressing. Let marinade overnight.
2. Heat the oven to 400°F.
3. Peel most of the paper off the garlic. Leave the head itself intact with all the cloves connected.
4. Slice the top off (about 1/4 to 1/2-inch) the head of garlic. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the exposed surface of the garlic, letting the oil sink down into the cloves. Place top back on and wrap in foil (or I used the Casabella garlic roaster). Roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Once cooled, remove garlic cloves.
5. When 25 minutes remain for the garlic, place chicken in a baking dish and cover with foil. Also, on a baking sheet lined with foil, spread the broccoli, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place chicken and broccoli in the oven and let bake for the remaining 25 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.
6. Cook noodles according to package directions; strain and set aside.
7. While the noodles cook, in a food processor or blender, combine milk, cream cheese, hemp seeds, roasted garlic, and salt. Process until smooth.
8. Place a medium-large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the milk mixture and stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes until the sauce begins to simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more until thickened.
9. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan until melted and cover the pan immediately.
10. Let stand for at least 10 minutes prior to using. It will continue to thicken to desired consistency.
11. Serve pasta topped with sliced chicken and sauce, with a side of broccoli.

Source: Adapted from my Guiltless Fettuccine Alfredo.

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary product from T. Lish, Mann’s, Bob’s Red Mill, and Casabella but was not otherwise compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.