Chicken Athena

For something different try this recipe from one of my favorite recipe sources, our family friend, Holly Webster:

2 Cans stewed tomatoes
2 sm. jars marinated artichoke hearts
1 onion, diced
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Feta cheese
Whole wheat thin spaghetti

1) Saute chicken in oil until brown

2) Add onion and saute

3) Add tomatoes with juices and marinade from artichokes (set the artichokes aside)

4) Simmer 10 minutes

5) Add artichokes and heat until hot

6) Serve over pasta and top with crumbled feta cheese

Spaghetti Bake

This is a great one for when you want to take dinner to someone else.  It freezes well and cooks up very easily.

1 lb. hamburger
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
4 oz. can mushrooms (drained)
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1-2 C mozzarella
1/3 C. parmesan
8 oz cooked spaghetti (I use whole wheat because it dominates regular pasta)

1.  Cook meat, onion, and garlic in electric skillet
2.  Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, and spices.
3.  Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 20-25 minutes.
4.  Preheat oven to 375
5.  Stir in cooked noodles
6.  In a greased 9x13 casserole dish, layer 1/2 spaghetti mixture, all mozzarella, other
      1/2 of spaghetti mixture, and sprinkle with parmesan
7.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes

Creamy Tortellini

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Britton, and it has been a favorite ever since!  I normally am not a big fan of dishes with sausage, but this is truly an exception to that rule.

I don't home-make my tortellini, so just use whatever variety of tortellini you'd like.  I usually get two small frozen bags of tortellini in the freezer section of the grocery store, but my sisters rave about the tortellini in the fresh pasta section of Costco.

Anyway, here's the recipe:

2 small bags tortellini (or equivalent)

1 lb Jimmy Dean's sausage (regular or Italian)
1 onion
garlic to taste
2 cans Italian diced tomatoes
Italian seasoning to taste

1/4 C butter
1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
3 C Milk

1.  Brown sausage, onion, garlic
2.  Add tomatoes and Italian seasoning and let simmer, stirring occasionally
3.  While mixture is simmering, make white sauce in a separate pan on stove top:
          a. melt butter and stir in flour, salt, pepper over medium to medium-high heat
          b. whisk in milk
          c. cook, stirring frequently, over med-high heat until thick and bubbly, then cook
              and stir for one minute more
4.  Combine sausage mixture with white sauce
5.  Serve over cooked tortellini