2 Things to do with Rigatoni

  So I had a weeknight a few weeks back with not much to do so I decided to get dinner prepped for the next night and make something I could bring to lunch the next few days. I boiled an entire box of rigatoni, baked almost a whole bag of chicken breasts and cut up lots of fresh veggies. All this to prep a pasta bake for the next night and a pasta salad for my lunches the next three days. Also, the pasta bake was in a 9x13 and since its just my husband and me he was able to have a couple lunches as well. My mouth is watering looking at these pictures – both were so good. And now I’m hungry. Have to wait to eat – tonight we’re making two appetizers for dinner and sitting out on the deck with a couple drinks (hopefully its nice out). Spring rolls and asparagus, yellow squash flatbread. We always work out after work on Fridays and then clean up and cook so I’ll have to wait a while before eating. I knew I shouldn’t have looked at these pasta pictures now.

 

Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

·        Just over half a box of rigatoni

·        Jar vodka pasta sauce (I absolutely love vodka sauce – so good!)

·        Onions – chopped (I didn’t think mine were chopped small enough so I ended up picking some of them out but my husband said they were fine)

·        Couple cooked chicken breasts - seasoned with salt and pepper (I baked them to keep them healthier because I wanted the rest of them for my pasta salad which I was trying to make healthy)

·        Chopped fresh parsley

·        One clove garlic (I cheated and use a jar of minced garlic, about a tsp)

·        Italian shredded cheese (the mixed bag they sell or parmesan)

Steps:

1.      Chop onions, garlic, parsley and throw in bowl

2.      Mix in vodka sauce

3.      Cook pasta according to directions on box, drain, mix in

4.      Chop chicken into strips or chunks and mix in

5.      Spread into 9x13 pan

6.      Top with fresh parsley and Italian shredded cheese

1.      Then since I was making it for the next day I covered it with tin foil and placed in the fridge. When ready to make just take foil off and bake!

1.      Bake at 350 uncovered for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly

2.      Serve with garlic bread, bread sticks or salad. Yum!

 

Pasta Salad

 

Ingredients (I basically had a whole bunch of veggies in my fridge and just threw in whatever I had):

·        Just under half a box of rigatoni

·        Couple baked chicken breasts (seasoned with salt and pepper)

·        Chopped Yellow bell pepper (about a half of one)

·        Chopped Tomato (1 whole)

·        Handful of baby carrots – cut in half or thirds

·        Gouda cheese – cubed

·        Broccoli

·        Cauliflower

·        1 can pinto beans

·        Chopped fresh basil

 

Dressing (this is the recipe I based mine on, I didn’t follow it exactly, I more of just used it as a guide):

·        1/2 cup olive oil

·        1/4 cup red wine vinegar

·        2 cloves garlic, minced

·        1 teaspoon dried basil

·        1 teaspoon dried oregano

·        1/2 teaspoon ground mustard seed

·        1/4 teaspoon salt

·        1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Steps:

Chop everything up and mix in bowl

Whisk ingredients for dressing, taste and adjust – adding more of any ingredients you think it needs

Add dressing to bowl

Mix

Done!

 

 

It has been so nice the last few weekends that I’ve gotten lots of yard work done, gardening done and the dogs love being outside – well, Patches loves it, Sister is ok with being outside for a short time, otherwise she is mainly an inside kind of dog.