Baked Cream Cheese Pasta
Makes 6 servings
8 oz cream cheese
16 oz grape or roma tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
16 oz pasta, such as bowties, rotini, shells or any small-shaped pasta.
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 lemon, juiced
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Add the cream cheese to the bottom of a baking dish and pour the tomatoes in around it. Evenly season the cream cheese and tomatoes with the olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the tablespoons of butter in three different pads on top of the tomatoes.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until everything is bubbly and golden brown. Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
Use a spoon to gently smoosh and stir the tomatoes and cream cheese together to create a sauce while it is hot. Add in the cooked pasta, fresh basil and lemon juice and stir to coat. Enjoy!
Recipe from Kj and Company
Creamy chicken & Mushroom Stuffed Peppers
Makes 8 servings
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5 green bell peppers seeded and cut in half
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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3 stalks celery diced
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1 small onion diced
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2 pounds cremini mushrooms sliced
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3 tablespoons butter
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4 tablespoons flour
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2 cups cold milk
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2 cups chicken stock
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1 teaspoon dried thyme crushed
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5 teaspoons dried mushrooms such as oyster or porcini
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ground into a powder
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½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
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½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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2 cups cooked chicken shredded
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2 cups cooked white rice
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1 ¼ cups shredded cheese such as Monterey jack or cheddar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Lay the peppers cut side up in a 9 X 13 inch pan with ¼ cup water in the bottom. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and microwave the peppers for 8-10 minutes until softened. Drain the water from the pan and set aside.
In a large skillet or dutch oven, sauté onions and celery with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms soften then transfer to a bowl.
In the same dutch oven or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, scraping bits from bottom of pan if there are any. Whisk in the flour and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly so flour taste cooks out and the mixture becomes lightly browned.
Add the chicken stock and the milk to the butter and flour mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the thyme, crushing it between your fingers, the ground mushroom powder and season to with the salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to medium heat and cook until the sauce thickens and reduces by one third. Add the mushroom mixture back to the pan with the chicken and rice and cook until warmed. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick.
Lightly salt (about ¼ teaspoon) the inside of the stemmed and seeded peppers and place in a microwave safe bowl with ½ cup or so of water, cover and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
Place peppers in a 9 X 12 baking dish, skin side down, and fill pepper cavities with chicken mixture and top each pepper with a small handful of shredded cheese. Add extra filling around the peppers. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling and the cheese is melted. Rest for 5 minutes and serve.
Recipe from Foodie Crush
Peach Salsa
Makes 6 servings
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1 lb. fresh peaches, diced
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1 large roma tomato, diced
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1/2 small red onion, diced
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1/2 jalapeno, minced seeds removed
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2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
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juice from 1 large lime
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1/2 tsp. salt, more to taste
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1/4 tsp. black pepper, more to taste
Instructions
Add chopped peaches, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro to a medium mixing bowl. Squeeze fresh lime juice and sprinkle salt and pepper over fruit and veggies.
Stir to combine ingredients well. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy.
Recipe from Modern Meal Makeover