Remember that Kenny Rogers song, "The Gambler"?  There was one line that stuck out to me as I was preparing for dinner, "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run".   I knew my boys were at their limit of being surprised at what I was making for dinner on a nightly basis.  So I decided to surprise them with one of their favorites with a twist ;)  

Ingredients:
1 box (16 ounces) whole wheat spaghetti 
10 ounces fresh spinach
1 container (10 ounces) of Philly Cooking Creme, Italian Herb and Cheese
6 ounces of reduced fat cream cheese
16 ounces reduced sodium chicken broth
1 rotisserie chicken-I use just about the whole thing
Parmesan cheese (optional) to sprinkle on top 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Cook pasta per directions on the package
-While pasta is cooking, remove the chicken from the bone and place desired amount in a bowl, then set aside
-Steam the spinach until wilted, wring or pat out extra water and set aside
-While spinach is steaming, in a pan on medium heat combine broth and cheeses and heat until mixed well
-Drain pasta
-Combine all ingredients until well mixed
-Spray 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray
-Optional top with Parmesan cheese
-cook for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly



Healthy Eatings, 

Rachel
 
I love corn and we had some left over ears that we had to get eating right away, so here is a great recipe to use up those last few ears of corn or in the winter when you need a hearty meal and you can substitute frozen corn.


Ingredients:

Jumbo Shells-I used about 1/2 of the box or about 20 shells)
1/4 to 1/2 cup of white wine-I used a Pinot Gris
2 eggs
16oz of  tomatoes-I used cherry and baby heirloom tomatoes
12 oz can of tomato paste
1 cup cooked spinach
Italian seasoning
15 oz of Ricotta cheese
4 ears of corn (or about 2 cups)
8 oz feta cheese
8 oz Italian or mozzarella cheese
1 jar of artichoke hearts
9 x 13 pan lightly greased


Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-Cut the tomatoes (how small you cut them depends on how chunky you want your sauce) and the artichokes then place in a large bowl.
-Add the white wine to the bowl with the tomatoes and artichokes and set aside.
-Set 2 pots to boil, 1 for the corn and 1 for the shells (Add a little olive oil to the pot for the shells).  After they are brought to a boil, add the corn and shells and cook until tender.
-Mix the ricotta cheese, feta cheese, eggs and spinach together in a bowl and set aside.
-Take the tomatoes and artichoke mix and simmer in a pot until the tomatoes are soft, then add in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning to taste and mix until it bubbles, then remove from heat.
-drain the corn and use a sharp knife to remove the corn from the cob (I use a Kyotsu knife).  Add the corn to the cheese mixture.
-Drain and rinse the shells
-Spread a soup ladle nor two worth of sauce on the bottom of the pan.
-Stuff the shells with approximately 2 Tablespoons (I did not really measure it out, just eyeballed it) worth of the cheese, spinach and corn mixture and place in your pan
-Cover the shells with the remaining sauce
-Cover with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes
-Remove the foil, sprinkle with shredded cheese and place back in the oven for 30 more minutes.



Healthy Eatings, 

Rachel
 
I had some leftover steak from a cookout. I am not a huge fan of leftover steak, so I wanted to think of something I could do to use that steak in a whole new way.  While thumbing through a cooking magazine, I found a recipe that I thought was good, and made it a little better.  What I came up with was Steak Oscar Pasta.




Ingredients:
8oz pasta-I used Barilla Plus Elbows
Steak-I used an Angus Sirloin, grilled to medium the day before.  
Asparagus, about 1 pound, cut
Green onions, one bunch, chopped
Crab Meat-I used about 6 oz
1/2 cup mayo-I use Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Mrs Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning-I used about a 1/4 tsp-1/2 tsp of seasoning


Directions:
-Cut up the steak and place in large bowl (I kept my steak cold, you can have it warm or cold)
-In a separate bowl, mix mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese together
-Add the seasoning and crab meat, and mix well then set aside
-Cook pasta according to the directions.
-For the last 2 minutes add the asparagus and green onion to the pasta water.
-Drain and place in the large bowl with the steak, add sauce and mix well.







Healthy Eatings,

Rachel