Tag: spinach dishes

Casseroles · Chicken · Daily Thoughts · Meats · Starches · Uncategorized

Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole

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I am ready to get back in the kitchen and begin posting again. This summer we have been gone for over a month to California and Texas, where we experienced the birth of a precious new grandson, Collin Howard. New birth seems to bring on a sense of hope and realizing the many blessings which are given to us. It has been a struggle, for some reason, this summer to get in the mood to not only cook, but to post recipes. Maybe because I still prefer to bake desserts instead of meals. But, this is the new me….after watching Food Channel, Triple D and now, I’ll Have What Phil is Having (on PBS), food has again drawn my attention to trying new recipes. When I received my new Paula Deen magazine last month, I began to look through all my old PD magazines and found this one, which I had every intention of trying when I saw it, but it got pushed to the background behind settling for burgers & fries and pizza. So, here we go and I think you are going to like this one, ALOT! Thanks Paula for always drawing me back into Cookingville! You truly do inspire me beyond cookies, cakes and pies.

1 (6 oz) pkg fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/3 cup refrigerated pesto sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
12 oz uncooked penne pasta, cooked according to directions
2 1/2 cups choppe rotisserie chicken
4 oz pre-shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
2 tables thinly sliced fresh basil
1/4 teas paprika

Preheat oven to 375. Toss together spinach and pesto in a medium bowl.
Stir together Alfredo sauce and chicken broth in another bowl. Spread 1/3 of Alfredo mixture (about 1/2 cup) into a lightly greased 11×7″ baking dish. Top with half of spinach mixture.
Stir together cooked pasta, chicken and remaining Alfredo mixture, spoon, half of chicken mixture over spinach mixture. Repeat layers once with remaining spinach mixture and chicken mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 min.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.
Return to oven and bake until hot and bubbly; about 5 min. Top with basil and paprika.

Serves 4

Casseroles · Starches · Vegetables

Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna

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While on the road the past 3 weeks going between California and Arizona, we discovered quite a few mom & pop joints (and yes they were joints, as they are the type of places that you would probably drive right past, but being married to Mr. Adventure, we usually don’t just drive by, we stop and eat), we had a ball talking with people that we would not come across in our normal daily routine. It was exciting to hear people’s stories and to learn different recipes that we had not yet tasted. Since we were in our adventure mode, I even thumbed through magazines at the doctor’s office while in California.  One of the recipes that I found was this lasagna. Since we are trying to be good and not eat as much meat, this one caught my eye.

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 1/2 cups whole milk, divided

2 tables butter

2 tables flour

4 oz Fontina cheese, shredded

1 (15 oz) container whole milk ricotta

1 large egg white

2 teas fresh sage, minced

1/2 teas black pepper

2 cups shredded fresh spinach

1/2 cup scallions, minced

9 lasagna noodles

2 oz mozzarella cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add squash and cook until tender, about 12-15 min. Drain and puree in a food processor.

Preheat oven to 375. In a pot, heat butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook one min more. Whisk in 1 cup milk,  stirring constantly to avoid lumping and starts to thicken.

Add the butternut squash puree and continue to cook until mixture has thickened and then stir in Fontina cheese, to complete the béchamel sauce. Whip together ricotta, egg white, sage and black pepper in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix spinach and scallions. Cook noodles according to directions on box or use no-boil noodles.

To assemble lasagna layers, pour 1/4 of the béchamel sauce into bottom of a 9×9 baking dish, which has been lightly greased. Layer 3 noodles in the bottom and top with spinach mixture, then another 1/4 sauce. Repeat once more and finish with the 3 remaining noodles and pour remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top and bake until the cheese is completely melted and lightly golden. About 30-35 min.k