YUM: Creamy Chicken & Pasta Bake

So no, I’m not down in San Antonio firing up the oven in 90+ degree weather. But I am hungry. That’s my reason for posting this deliciously hearty pasta dish from Kraft.

I made this one before I left Des Moines. It was delicious—and I just might have cooked this tonight if I had more than an empty fridge and two clean dishes. My dishwasher broke, and I’m out of fork and plates. How is a woman supposed to eat? Manual dish labor? Not in San Antonio. I’m not brave enough yet. I’m afraid of standing pools of water. The locals say that pools of water draw roaches and scorpions. I’ve had enough, and I’ve only seen beetles. So now that I’ve got your mouth watering, here’s the scrumptiously creamy pasta dish from my Iowa kitchen.

Creamy Chicken & Pasta Bake
Time: 38 minutes Makes: 4 servings (1½ cups each)

Ingredients
1½ cups multigrain rotini pasta, uncooked
1 small bunch broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
½ cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 oz. (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions
HEAT oven to 375ºF. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli for the last 3 min.

MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 min. or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Add cream cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 min. or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in ½ cup mozzarella.

DRAIN pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon into 8-inch sq. baking dish; cover.

BAKE 15 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake, uncovered, 3 min. or until melted. Let stand 5 min.

Recipe at KraftFoods.com

YUM: White Bean Margherita Penne

If you're in love with maters, this one's for you. A whole carton of grape tomatoes loaded on penne that's less than 500 calories. Delicious. Still craved more after the last bite. My version would have been even tastier if I hadn't skimped on the fresh basil with the dried stand-in from the cupboard.

White Bean Margherita Penne
Servings: 1

Ingredients
3/4 cup penne, uncooked
1/4 cup canned white beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
Cook noodles, drain, and place back in pot. Toss remaining ingredients in pot (except for parmesan) and warm for about 5 minutes. Top with parmesan.

From Fitness magazine

YUM: Penne with Meat Sauce

Have you ever cooked dinner in the produce section of the grocery store? And I'm not talking a frozen pizza sample on a Saturday morning.

Jordan was working, so I took leftovers to Hy-Vee. I've never noticed it before last week, but there's a microwave sitting on top of one of the refrigerated cases in the produce area. So we grabbed plates, silverware, and trays. Then reheated dinner right under the florescent lighting of the aisle. There’s even a first time for taking your own food to the Hy-Vee restaurant. But hey, I learned that this recipe reheats well.

Penne with Meat Sauce
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients
8 ounces dried penne
1 pound lean ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
1 14-ounce can whole Italian-style tomatoes, undrained
½ of a 6-ounce can Italian-style tomato paste
¼ cup dry red wine or tomato juice
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup sliced pitted ripe olives
½ cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (2 ounces)
Fresh oregano leaves (optional)

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Return pasta to hot pan; cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until meat is brown. Drain off fat. In a blender or food processor, combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, sugar, dried oregano, and pepper. Cover and blend until smooth.
3. Stir tomato mixture into meat mixture in skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta and olives. Cover and heat through.
4. Sprinkle individual servings with mozzarella cheese. If desired, garnish with oregano leaves.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 339, Total Fat (g) 11, Saturated Fat (g) 4, Cholesterol (mg) 59, Sodium (mg) 349, Carbohydrate (g) 33, Fiber (g) 3, Protein (g) 24

From Better Homes and Gardens

YUM: Quick Campanelle with Peas

Monday night called for an occasion: girl's night. So Jules came over for dinner and a movie. We had Quick Campanelle with Peas, which I've made a couple times. It's a recipe that will probably stick around. It's quick and quite good. I've taken the artichokes out from the original recipe and have added more ham. I usually use whatever pasta I find in the cupboard. It works.

Quick Campanelle with Peas
Makes: 4 servings
Start to Finish: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dried campanelle, radiatore or rotini pasta
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup black forest ham, cut in slivers
• Finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, adding frozen peas and minced garlic the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

In a large serving bowl toss together drained pasta mixture, the pasta water, canned artichoke hearts (if using), tomato, the 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, olive oil, and pepper. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with ham and, if desired, additional shredded cheese.

http://my.hearthealthyonline.com/recipe/pasta/quick-campanelle-with-peas-and-artichokes/