My son has been asking me to make lasagna; it’s one of his favorite meals. I found this recipe for “lazy lasagna” made in the Instant Pot. I thought it would be a great way to give him the flavors of lasagna without the time needed to make it. This recipe is also great for a mid-week dinner … especially when you have a limited time to get dinner on the table before running to evening events.
We thought it was even better the next day for leftovers!
Spring sports for my kids start in a little over a month and I’m always searching for dinners that I can make in less than 30 minutes. This quick and simple recipe is going to be one of my go-to meals for busy nights. It takes no time at all to make and it’s delicious … plus I can get my kids to eat green vegetables without complaining. They both inhaled a bowl and asked for second. Winning!!
I really liked the addition of the walnuts. They added a bit of crunch and texture to the pasta, plus they’re so good for you!
16 oz cheese Tortellini
3/4 lb asparagus, chopped into thirds
juice from one lemon
4 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup walnuts
Fresh ground pepper
4 Tbsp grated Parmesan
Cook pasta according to package instructions. When cooked, transfer to a large bowl; set aside. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat until frothy. Add the chopped asparagus and toss to coat. Cover with a lid and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
When asparagus is cooked, using a slotted spoon, scoop the asparagus from the pan into the bowl with the pasta. Keep as much butter in the pan as possible. Add the lemon juice to the pan and season with fresh ground pepper. Pour the sauce over the pasta and asparagus. Toss to combine. Mix in the walnuts and top with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Source: Green Valley Kitchen
I’m working on getting back to blogging regularly now that the spring sports season is coming to an end. There were only a few days in all of April and May that we didn’t have something going on which led me to make quick and easy dinners to get us to practices or games. I’m looking forward to getting back in the kitchen and unwinding with a little baking and cooking.
I threw together this quick pasta dish on Monday night – we’re back to Meatless Mondays – and it was so simple and delicious! I think sometimes the most simple meals are what is needed every now and then. I used a new type of pasta – Casarecce. It’s a short, wide strip of pasta that is loosely rolled like a scroll and twisted. It as perfect for holding all space and pieces of garlic. I can’t wait to use it again with fresh pesto this summer!
The weather has been off here in PA, so we’re now just getting spring veggies. I’ve been craving green vegetables lately, so when I got a box of spring peas in my CSA, I knew I wanted to whip up a pasta dish with them. I found this quick and easy recipe for tortellini with peas, asparagus and bacon – PERFECTION! I mean really, you can’t go wrong with bacon!! Another perk of this recipe, it’s quick and easy for those busy weeknights.
Do you love lasagna? We love it too – it’s probably one of my son’s favorite foods and something he never complains about eating. We always end up with four empty plates at dinner. I wanted to change things up and make stuffed shells, but in place of my regular filling recipe, I used the ingredients to make lasagna as my filling. It was a definite winner and made enough for leftovers and a few days of lunch for me. I’ll definitely be making this recipe again!
This recipe has been on my “to make” list for a while now and I finally got to it! It was really good, despite my kids complaining about it. I think the Parmesan was a little too strong for them. This meal is definitely on the heavier side with the cream sauce, and would be good served with a green salad. I made the meatballs ahead of time, so it would cut down on prep time and make this a meal I could make during the busy, work week.
I think fall has finally arrived and it’s time to break out all the recipes for hearty and soul-warming foods. Lasagna is definitely one of those recipes and this one definitely doesn’t disappoint! I’ve made this recipe several times before but realized I hadn’t blogged about it yet. So here it is! It’s super easy to make and I love having it for leftovers. I also love the combination of the mushroom and spinach, it helps stretch out the ground turkey plus I can add some greens into my kids. I usually serve it with a green salad and fresh bread.
Evenings have been a little crazy around our house the past couple of weeks, so I’m always looking for ways to get dinner on the table quickly. This recipe definitely did that…except I was the only one who enjoyed it. Everyone else in my family was just blah on it. Oh well, you can’t always please everyone 🙂 I still wanted to share it with you all! I liked the hint of barbecue sauce with the shredded chicken. I served it with a green salad and dinner was ready in no time at all.
Last month, I picked up an Instant Pot during the Prime Day sale on Amazon. I’ve been eyeing one and it was finally time to bite the bullet and get one. I’ve used it sporadically over the last month and I’m really going to use it once school starts next week and my dinner prep time gets cut in half on nights I coach cheerleading.
I was a little hesitant to use the IP for the first time since I had never cooked with a pressure cooker before….but there was nothing to be scared of! It was easy to use and I have loved everything I’ve made it in so far. I never thought about making pasta in a pressure cooker, it came out great! Even my picky kid gobbled it up!
Well it’s been a crazy week! I had all intentions to get caught up on recipes this week, but sometimes life throws you for a loop and everything goes out the window. My little guy started to get sick on Thursday night and I thought he was improving, but we ended up making a midnight trip to the ER on Sunday night. It was a whirlwind of 36 hours spent being observed in the peds floor for dehydration. He was released on Tuesday afternoon and is doing much better. Then my daughter got sick…. Luckily it was short-lived and she’s already better.
Now onto the recipe…pesto baked rigatoni. I loved this pesto especially since it’s a combination of spinach and kale. Both the kids loved it and it was quick and easy to make. It would be great to take to a potluck or a meal for new parents.
1 lb whole wheat rigatoni
2-3 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup reservation pasta water
1/2 shredded mozzarella cheese
Pesto
Pesto
2 cups spinach
1 cup baby kale
1 cup basil
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan asiago cheese
1/2 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, add in all the pesto ingredients and puree until smooth.
In a large stock, bring water to boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Slice the tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Add in the pesto and the cooked pasta. Add in half of the reserved pasta water and mix until it’s well combined. Add more water if necessary to make it saucy. Pour into a 9×13 baking dish and top with the mozzarella cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the dish is warmed through.
Source: Pinch of Yum
