Pesto Pasta Bake

1 box whole wheat Penne pasta
1 cup store bought or home made Pesto
1 jar Spaghetti Sause
1 lb ground Italian Turkey Sausage, browned
1 cup Mozzella cheese.

• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
• Cook pasta according to package directions
• Brown sausage in a large skillet, once brown add sause and warm
• Drain pasta and return to pan, mix pesto with pasta
• Pour pasta pesto into large baking dish then pour sauce mixture over pasta
• Sprinkle with choice of cheese
• Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and heated through

Words to the Wise:

I love this dish and so do my kids. It is just so easy and quick to make. It is perfect for a busy night because it comes together in a matter of minutes.
I sometime will add a layer of Ricotta cheese on top of the pasta pesto mixture and then pour the meat sauce on top of that. I have also added some frozen spinach to the pasta and pesto mixture just to bump up the veggie factor. This dish is a Jen orginal.

Creamy Spinach and Sausage Pasta

1lb 'tube' pasta like Rigatoni or Penne
1lb bulk Italian Sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 package frozen creamed spinach
1 8oz package cream cheese, soften
2 cups Mozzarella cheese

• Preheat over to 350 degrees
  
• Cook pasta according to package directions
• Brown sausage and onion in large pan, drain
  
• Stir in tomatoes, spinach, cream cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella until all melted
  
• Mix cooked pasta into the spinach and sausage mixture
  
• Transfer to a large baking dish and cover
• Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese, bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted

Words to the Wise:
This is a very yummy dish. We really, really enjoyed it. I used whole wheat penne pasta for this dish. And I couldn't find creamed spinach at the store. So I used on package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and with all the water squeezed out and about 1/2 cup sour cream. It worked for me so feel free to use whatever.

Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients

Sauce:

* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
* 1 1/4 cups whole milk
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
* Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

* 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
* 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
* 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
* 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
* 1 large egg, beaten to blend
* 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
* 2 cups marinara sauce
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Directions

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture.

Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.


Words to the Wise:
This recipes by Giada de Laurnetiis. I just love this recipe. It is a bit on the complicated side and not one really for a busy week night but it is just to make on the weekend like a Sunday afternoon perhaps. It is something a little different then your standard lasagna.

Three Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake

1lb whole wheat penne
1 package frozen spinach, defrosted.
3 boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can (14 oz) dice tomatoes
4 oz cream cheese
1 cup Mozzarella
Grated Parmesan Cheese

• Heat oven to 375 °F.
• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Sprinkle chicken cubes with Italian seasoning and then brown in large skillet that has been coated with olive oil. Cook about 3 minutes
• Add sauce and tomatoes and bring to a boil
• Simmer another 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked
• Add cream cheese and spinach (makes sure that all the water is squeezed out of the spinach, easiest way is to ring it out in a clean kitchen towel).
• Drain pasta; return to pan and the combine with chicken and sauce mixture
• Stir in Mozzarella cheese
• Poor into grease baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 20 minute or until cheese is melted and dish is heated through.

Words to the Wise:
This was a real winner. It was so good and creamy. The kids ate it up, even the spinach. This recipe was found in Kraft Food and Family magazine