Random Dinner Ideas.

Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad.

Baked Ravioli.

Enchilada Lasagna.

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup.

8 Can Taco Soup.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo:
12 oz. Fettuccine noodles
4 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 c. butter
1 cup 1/2 & 1/2
3/4 c. Parmesan
1 clove garlic
1/4 t. pepper

1. Cook noodles
2. Melt butter and add garlic for about 5 minutes
3. Add cream cheese and 1/2 & 1/2
4. Stir in Parmesan and pepper
5. Pour over pasta
*This is a very easy recipe and only takes 15-20 minutes*
*I don't use a clove of garlic. We use the garlic bits that you buy inthe jar and store it in the fridge. It's about 1/4 of a cereal spoon, depending on how garlicy you like it. Make sure you DO NOT BURN the garlic!!!!!*

Spaghetti Carbonara

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spaghetti-Carbonara-II/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=65379649&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2011-08-16&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1&src=ShareOnFacebook&recipeID=11973

Italian Stuffed Shells

Italian stuffed shells.

Ingredients

Jumbo shells, cooked according to package

2 TBS butter

1 lb ground beef (1/2 ground beef and Italian sausage would be good too)

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 - 1.5 jar spaghetti sauce

1/4 - 1/2 16 oz bag of frozen spinach

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 350. Cook shells, drain, set aside. Melt butter in large skillet. Stir in onion and garlic and cook until onions are tender. Add beef, cook, drain off grease, return to skillet. Add spinach, stir and cook on low heat until spinach isn't frozen. Add ricotta cheese, stir. Pour 1/3 cup of sauce into bottom of 13 x 9 baking dish Stuff shells with beef mixture and place them in dish. Pour remaining sauce over shells. Top with shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

* 1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta

* 1 pound lean ground beef

* 1 onion, chopped

* 2 (28 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce

* 6 ounces sliced provolone cheese

* 6 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese

* 1 1/2 cups sour cream

* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

• I also lay fresh tomatoe slices over the top before baking. Yum!
  
  
  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  2. In a large skillet, brown beef over medium heat. Add onions; saute until tender. Drain off fat and add spaghetti sauce; simmer for about 15 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  4. In a lightly greased 2 quart baking dish, place about half of the pasta; top with a layer of provolone and mozzarella cheese slices. Spread on a layer of half the spaghetti sauce mixture and sour cream.
  5. Cover with remaining pasta, cheese and sauce; sprinkle a layer of Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbly; serve.

Melissa's Butternut Squash Lasagna

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 amaretti cookies, crumbled (I usually use gingersnaps because I can't find these)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk (I've always used 1 % because thats whats in the house)
• Pinch nutmeg
• 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagnanoodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagnastand for 15 minutes before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine,pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Taco Spaghetti

All you do when you are browning your meat is add a packet or two of taco seasoning to the meat. No water. (I use 2 packets but we like heavy seasoning.) Then you finish cooking your spaghetti as usually and add the cheese and crunched up nacho chips (or Doritos are good, too) at the end in your own bowl. Its just a nice twist on spaghetti.