Olive Garden's Capellini Pomodoro

14 oz capellini pasta (angel hair)
8 medium tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
11 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Top with Parmesan Cheese

Cook capellini pasta according to package directions. Mix diced tomatoes, chopped basil, garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Drain pasta. Toss pasta with tomato mixture in a sauté pan and heat throughout. Serve immediately.

Price Guesstimate: $3-4

Steph's Comments: Oh my goodness I love this recipe! I got it off of Olive Garden's web site. I love it because it's CHEAP and so, so, so good. I change a few things when I make this: 1. I use dried basil and just throw it in 'til it looks good to me (I love basil so I add a lot); 2. I sometimes throw in some other spices - oregano or such; 3. I sometimes throw in some kind of meat - like chicken or sausage or ground beef, but it's good without it. Enjoy this - it's fast, cheap, and deee-licious.

Easy Pasta Yummo!

1 box/bag of pasta
Olive Oil OR Butter (really however much you want to coat the noodles with)
garlic powder (to taste)
Parmesan cheese (to coat noodles)
Oregano (to taste)
Other seasonings to taste

Cook pasta according to directions on the box, Toss with a dash of olive or a pad of butter while it's still hot and mix in parmesan, garlic powder, oregano and sometimes red pepper flakes or salt and pepper, or whatever you want.

Price Guesstimate: $2-3

Steph's Comments: Kara, a blog reader, sent this to me and it is YUMMY. My kids totally gobbled it up, and my 4 year old announced that it is her new favorite meal. Serve it with some veggies and fruit, and you've got yourself a quick, cheap meal. Thanks Kara! Oh, and Kara recommended using bow tie noodles and that's what I used - my kids call them "butterfly noodles" - they worked perfectly with this meal!

Easy Lemon Pasta with Chicken

1 lb. dried penne (I used rotini and I only used 13.25 oz 'cause that was one box)

2 chicken cutlets cut into fingers (I used 2 breasts cut into 1-inch pieces)

salt and ground pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

3 TBS olive oil (I used less)

3 TBS parsley (opt)

1 large or 2 small lemon(s) juiced

1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain well. Cut chicken into the size you want and season with salt and pepper. Cook in a large grill pan over medium high, grill until golden and completely cooked. Remove to a plate. Add garlic and red pepper flakes to pan with 3 TBS olive oil (I used probably 1/2 of this) - saute until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta to the garlic and red pepper flakes and turn off heat. Stir together and add to a large bowl. Add chicken to the warm pasta and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in parsley. Add the lemon juice and mix. Before serving top with Parmesan cheese (I probably used more than 1/2 cup).

Price Guesstimate: $4-5-ish

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe from my sister Heidi and it is a FABULOUS summer meal. It's not heavy and creamy like some pastas, and it's so full of lemony goodness. A warning, if your kids don't like lemons they won't like this (duh!). :) My two- and one-year olds didn't care for it, but my four-year old liked it. My husband and I LOVED it.

Pasta Primavera

1 cup broccoli, cut in bite-size pieces (or whatever veggies you'd like!)
1/2 cup asparagus (1-inch pieces) (I left this out)
6-oz uncooked Linguine (I used spaghetti) 
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 -1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (I used roma tomatoes, diced)
1/3 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream (I replaced this with milk again)
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (I did dried basil)
1/4-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta to your liking. Drain. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion & peas and saute for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes, and broccoli (or whatever veggies you want) saute for another couple of minutes. In a bowl, whisk milk, cream and cornstarch then add to skillet. On medium heat, cook sauce until it starts to thicken (3-5 minutes) - stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over pasta/veggie mixture and toss to coat. Top with basil and Parmesan cheese and serve. Makes 4-5 servings.

Price Guesstimate: $5-ish


Steph's Comments: I got this recipe here. I changed several things (as shown by all the parentheses!), and I also added some red pepper flakes... I felt like it needed a LOT more flavor than she called for - I added a ton more salt. But once I got the flavor how I wanted it, I LOVED it, and it's even better the next day when the flavors have more time to mix together. You can easily make it kid-friendly by leaving out the onions and adding just veggies they like... it's a win-win! 

Skillet Sarzana

Skillet Sarzana

1/2 lb Italian Sausage
1/2 lb lean ground beef (or you could use a full pound of either of these meats, or I replaced 1/2 lb. of the meat with a can of kidney beans)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced (I did 2)
1 (8-oz) package wide egg noodles (I used bow-tie pasta)
1 (16-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese
salt/pepper to taste
Italian seasoning to taste (but probably not if you use Italian sausage)

In a large skilletbrown ground beef and sausage. Add onion near the end and saute with meat. Add uncooked egg noodles, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently, and simmer for 1/2 hour. Keep checking it during this time; you might need to add some water if the noodles absorb all of the liquid too quickly. When the noodles are softened, add the grated cheese and continue to stir until it melts. At this point, do not overcook - the cheese might burn. Makes 4-6 servings, and it's great as leftovers.

Price Guesstimate: $5-ish

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe from here, but as you can see, I made a few adjustments (different noodles, added the beans, and added the Italian seasoning)... it turned out great! I served it with French Bread and Honey Dew. It was a tasty, filling dinner. My kids didn't LOVE the fact that there were onions in it, but that's okay. :) Next time I hope to have sausage to try it with, but it was good with ground beef & beans... I will definitely be making this again!

Easy Stroganoff

1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 can mushrooms

2 lbs. hamburger

1 pint of sour cream (I use fat free)

Egg noodles, rice, or baked potatoes

Brown hamberger, add soups and mushrooms. Simmer. Just before serving, mix in sour cream. Serve over egg noodles, rice, or baked potatoes. Serves about 6.

Price Guesstimate: $6-7 (assuming hamburger was around $2/lb)

Steph's Comments: This is my mother-in-law's recipe and it is yummy. I've made stroganoff a lot, but hers was always so much better than mine, so I finally got her recipe. The secret ingredient is the Lipton Onion soup mix! Yum.

Speedy Stir-Fry Noodles

16 oz. angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti

2-4 c. broccoli, cut

1 lb. chicken breast, cut in pieces

1 c. Kraft Asian toasted sesame dressing ($1.50 at Smith's)

4 T. soy sauce

1/2-1 tsp ground ginger

1/2-1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4-3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it!)

1/3 c. peanuts, chopped (optional - I didn't add this to save on cost)

Cook pasta according to directions on box. Add broccoli to boiling water the last couple of minutes that pasta is cooking. Drain pasta and broccoli. Add a small amount of oil to skillet, heat and add chicken. Cook until no longer pink, then stir in dressing, soy sauce, ground ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add drained pasta and broccoli to this mixture and mis well. Top with chopped peanuts if desired.

Price Guesstimate: $6-7 (not counting peanuts)

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe out of a family cookbook from my mother-in-law... it's my husband's aunt's recipe (her name is Erin). The only thing I changed is that I doubled the sauce because I wanted more (so the recipe you're looking at is doubled). It's one of my new favorites! I didn't have crushed red pepper flakes, and I wished I had them because they add some depth that I missed, but despite that, it was SO yummy. And it's very kid friendly because it doesn't have any of those terrible awful onions that plague my daughter's life. :) Also, you could very easily leave the chicken out if you want to go meatless, and you could add other veggies in - it's one you can play around with. I seriously will be making this often, so you should try it too! :)

Mexican Pasta

Opps... I posted this yesterday without writing anything and didn't notice until today! Sorry! :)

6-7 oz. seashell pasta
2 T. olive oil (or less)
1 1/2 - 2 onions, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can peeled, diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 - 3/4 c salsa
1 1/2 T. taco seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste

Shredded cheese (optional)

Cook pasta. While pasta is cooking, cook onions & peppers in olive oil. Stir in corn, black beans, tomatoes, salsa, taco seasoning, and salt & pepper. Heat thoroughly. Drain pasta and pour pasta and veggie mixture together in a 9x13 pan. Top with shredded cheese if desired. Put under broiler for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted. Yields: 6-ish servings.

Price Guessimate: $5-ish

Steph's Comments: My sister-in-law, Lori, gave me this recipe, and it is YUMMY. I added the cheese on top because I love and adore cheese on everything, but you don't really need it. My two-year old even liked this! I will definitely be putting this in my "frequently used" recipe collection.

Chicken Broccoli Pasta

2 c. chicken, cooked and cubed

2 c. broccoli, cooked

2 cans cream of chicken soup

¾ c. mayonnaise

1 TB lemon juice

1 c. milk

1 TB margarine

1 c. cheese

12 oz cooked pasta (I like seashell)

Mix all except cheese and pasta. Put in 9x13 pan, top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30

minutes.

Price Guesstimate: $6-ish

Steph's Comments: My mom made this casserole growing up. It's creamy and the lemon juice adds a great tang! My sister, Heather, reminded me about it, and I'm glad, because it's SO YUMMY! Thanks Heath! (And you can use light/fat free mayo to help keep it lower fat if you want!)

Chicken Tetrazzini

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. whipping cream (or I use 1% milk and it works just fine!)

7 oz. spaghetti
2 c. cubed, cooked chicken
1 (3 oz.) can mushrooms (optional but delicious!)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti noodles as directed by package. In a separate pan, melt the butter then stir in the flour, heat until bubbly. Add salt, pepper, chicken broth, and whipping cream (or milk). Bring to a boil to thicken. Stir sauce into cooked spaghetti, chicken, and mushrooms. Pour into pan (2 qt or 8x8 or 9x9) and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 uncovered for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Yields: 5-6 servings

Price Guessimate: $5-6-ish

Steph's Comments: This is my go-to food when I need to take dinner to someone. It's yummy and kid-friendly (especially if you leave the mushrooms out). It also looks nice, but it's fairly cheap. I got this particular recipe from my cousin, Jana, but I also have used others that are almost identical. This is a great one to tuck into your good-meal recipe box!

Easy Pasta Bake

8 ounces uncooked pasta
1 jar (1 lb. 10 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix (the secret ingredient)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella (cheddar works too!)
Optional: 1 lb. cooked ground beef

Cook pasta according to package directions: drain. In a bowl, combine the spaghetti sauce and salad dressing mix (and ground beef if you're using it); add pasta and toss to coat. Transfer to a greased shallow 2 qt baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. You can also cook it in the microwave for 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Yields: 6-ish servings (it's quite filling!)

Price Guesstimate: $4-5 without meat, $6-7 with meat (if your meat was $2/lb)


Steph's Comments: I love spaghetti, so I knew I'd love this, and I especially loved the Italian dressing mix in it - in fact, I might even add a second one next time for double the flavor! :) I got this recipe off of Real Mom Kitchen (www.realmomkitchen.com). Her recipe doesn't call for any meat, but I had some already browned ground beef so I threw it in. It would also be yummy with cottage cheese! 

Ravioli Casserole

1 jar (28 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 package (25 ounces) frozen cheese ravioli
2 cups (16 ounces) small curd cottage cheese
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese (can use less, and cheddar works too!)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Spread ½ cup of spaghetti sauce in an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Layer with half the ravioli, 1 ¼ cups of sauce, 1 cup cottage cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Yields: 6 to 8 servings.

Price Guesstimate: $8-10

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe off of Real Mom Kitchen (www.realmomkitchen.com). It's a quick and easy version of lasagne - using ravioli instead of lasagne noodles. Her recipe calls for cooking the ravioli first, but I just put it in frozen and it worked just fine. This is a really, really easy meal to throw together, and it's yummy! Also, any kind of ravioli works!

Spanish Mac n' Cheese

2 c. macaroni (I used whole wheat rotini)
1 lb. ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 med. Onion, diced
2 cans tomato soup
1 can black olives, sliced
Dash of salt and pepper
Cheese

Cook ground beef with onion and garlic.and set aside.Cook macaroni, drain.Combine meat, macaroni, tomato soup, and black olives together and dish into a casserole dish.Add salt and pepper and sprinkle on top w/ cheese. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cheese melts.(To avoid using the oven, I add cheese right into the saucepan.) Yields: approx. 6 servings.

Price Guesstimate: $6-7ish

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe from my husband's cousin Allie. It is yummy! I love new dishes that are easy to throw together, and this definitely fits that category. I will definitely be making this one again - thanks Allie! Oh, and I haven't tried this, but I thought it MIGHT be good with beans replacing the meat... just a suggestion! :)

Pantry Bean Soup

2 cans (14 oz. each) chicken broth
1 c water 16 oz. favorite frozen vegetable mix (I used stir fry veggies)
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/3 - 2/3 c elbow macaroni
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained
1 can (15 oz.) white or kidney beans, drained
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese

In a pot over medium high heat, add chicken broth, water, vegetables and canned tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Add pasta, beans, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper and continue to boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender. Add Parmesan cheese and simmer a few minutes before serving. (I also put a little more Parmesan cheese on top of each serving once it was on the bowl b/c I love it!) Yields: 8-10 servings

Price Guesstimate: $6-8 (I replaced water for the chicken broth so it was probably $6, but with the chicken broth it's probably $8 or so)

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe from my Aunt Kim, and she got it from The Essential Food Storage Cookbook by Tami Girsberger and Carol Peterson. Honestly, I think the name sounds like it's going to be a bland "I'm eating this because I should" recipe, but it's NOT AT ALL. It's very similar to minestrone - which I LOVE. I really, really loved this. It's filling, cheap, and so good. I made it with some yummy homemade biscuits - I'll put the recipe for those on tomorrow! :) I'll definitely be making this again - even my kids ate it!

Bean Bolognese

1 14-ounce can of beans, rinsed, divided (White beans are really good in this)
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 green or red pepper, chopped (opt.)
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery (opt.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/4-1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4-1/2 tsp. basil
8 ounces pasta (fettucini, spaghetti, etc.)
Parmesan cheese to top

Chop veggies. Mash 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl with a fork. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, carrot, celery, garlic and salt; saute until softened, about 10 minutes. Add bay leaf. Add chicken broth; increase heat to high and boil until most of the liquid evaporates, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juices, parsley, oregano, basil, and the mashed beans. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining whole beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender. Drain. Discard the bay leaf and top the pasta with the sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan. Yields: about 4 servings.

Price Guesstimate: $6-ish.

Steph's Comments: I got the idea for this dish off of the Eating Well web site (http://www.eatingwell.com/), but I added my own touch to it (I like LOTS more flavor than they were suggesting!). I was so pleased with how it turned it out. I'm a total bean girl and a total tomato girl, so this was my kind of dish. It was really yummy over the noodles, but while I was eating it I thought it would also be really yummy over some hard bread, with cheese on top, broiled. Yum, yum. In fact, I might make that for myself for lunch tomorrow with the leftovers. I will definitely be making this one again. And it's nice and cheap because the beans replace the meat, but you still get protein and fiber! Sidenote, though, it's not very kid friendly because it has LOTS of chunky veggies. Next time, just to save my ears from all the whining, and so I don't waste an ounce of the sauce's yumminess, I might just give my kids canned spaghetti sauce over their noodles and then make them eat some veggies on the side. :)

Sausage Casserole

1lb. mild sausage
4 cups wide egg noodles
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk (measure with the cream of chicken soup can once it's empty)
salt and pepper to taste
frozen peas and/or corn (as much or as little as you want)
Shredded cheese (optional)

Boil the noodles according to the package directions. Brown the sausage while you're waiting for the water to boil and while the noodles are cooking. In a casserole dish or 9x13 pan, mix the cream of chicken soup, milk, peas/corn, salt and pepper. Drain the noodles and then add them to the dish, along with the sausage. Top with shredded cheese, if desired. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe from my friend Monica Bingham. And let me tell you, it was a great new casserole recipe, and one that I will be making again! I love sausage, so this was a fun way to use it, and it's a very kid-friendly recipe, and that's always nice to find! I actually used wheat-enriched elbow macaroni instead of the egg noodles because it was what I had (and my kids need all the fiber they can get, a-hem!). I also used canned corn instaed of frozen because that's what I had. Thanks for sending it my way Monica! Everyone else, keep the recipes coming! I'm sorry that I'm slow getting them posted, but it's because I want to try them first, so be patient with me!

Creamy Chicken Florentine

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup water
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen cut leaf spinach (or I substitute broccoli)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds chicken cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
8 oz. uncooked penne or rotini noodles
1/2 c. mozzarella or cheddar cheese
Garlic powder, Basil, and Oregano to taste

Stir in the soup, water, spinach (broccoli), tomatoes and chicken and spices in a 13x9 pan. Cover. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Stir. While the chicken is baking, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and stir the hot cooked pasta into the dish. Sprinkly with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes more or until hot and bubbly.

Time-saver Tip: If you already have cooked, cubed chicken, skip the first step, and just mix it all together and cook in the oven for 20 minutes, or in the microwave for 5-7. (When I buy chicken, I like to cook a bunch all at once, then I cube it and separate it into 2 c. servings to keep in the freezer - it makes dinners so much faster!)

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe from my Campbell's Casseroles cookbook, although I adapted a little bit. My husband really likes it - I like it, but I think next time I'm going to add more veggies. I LOVE mushrooms, and they would go well in this. So would some onions and even some zucchini or something.

Top Raman Stir Fry

2 c. cooked, chopped or shredded chicken (opt.)
1 c. broccoli
1 c. cauliflower
1 carrot sliced thin
2-3 tbsp soy sauce
3/4 c. water
1 package of top-ramen

Break noodles. Set aside. Put veggies and chicken in skillet for 1 min on medium heat. Stir in noodles, seasoning packet, and water. Bring to a boil. Change to low heat. Simmer covered for 3-5 minutes or until waters gone. Stir twice while cooking.

Steph's Comments: My sister, Heidi, sent me this recipe, and I was so glad she reminded me about it because every time I make I think of her! This is a quick, versatile, yummy one. You can add as much or as little of everything - I love to add even more veggies, and even if you don't have the chicken, it's still tasty. Kids love this one because they love Ramen Noodles!

Easiest Ever Tuna Casserole

6 oz. uncooked spiral or elbow macaroni (rotini works well too)

1 egg

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. pepper

8 oz. low-fat cottage cheese (1 cup)

1/2 c. dairy sour cream (can use fat free)

1/2 c. low-fat milk

1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz.)

1 can tuna (6 3/4 oz.), drained

Preheat oven to 350. Cook macaroni in salted boiling water until al dente or just tender to the bite (5-7 minutes). Drain and rinse with hot water. Drain well then place in 2 qt. casserole dish with a lid. In medium bowl beat egg with salt, mustard, and pepper. Stir in cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, and 1/2 of cheese. Stir egg mixture into cooked macaroni. Break tuna into chunks and stir into macaroni mixture. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle on remainder of grated cheese, and bake uncovered for 10 minutes longer. Microwave option: Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes in the microwave.

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe from my Grandma. It's a very not-tuna-y tuna casserole. And, surprisingly, the cottage cheese and dry mustard are both VERY yummy in it (I was skeptical about those ingredients!). I was pleasantly surprised how good this was when I made it the first time, and it's now become a regular for me.

Chicken Ranch Macaroni

1 box Mac & Cheese

2(5oz.) Canned Chicken (drained)

2 TB Ranch Dressing

1/2 c. chopped tomato

3 TB sliced green onions

Prepare Mac & Cheese as directed. Add chicken, salad dressing, tomato, and onions. Sit gently and heat until warmed through.

Steph's Comments: This is a funny sounding recipe, but my sister told me about it, and it's a really fun way to dress up Mac & Cheese! I liked it!