Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli and Cream Sauce

I don't think I can ever get tired of pasta with cream sauce.  Even on a hot summer day, I can devour a warm, saucy, creamy, cheesy, bowl of pasta.  It is comfort food for me and love trying different variations.  This recipe is ideal, I think anyway, because it can be made ahead and the end result is still the same--a delicious pasta nestled in cheesy cream sauce with bites of tender chicken, crisp broccoli and sweet tomatoes from my garden. Definitely go try this soon, and I would recommend doubling the recipe so you have one for the freezer too.  Enjoy!

I'm linking this recipe go check out all the other great recipes people are posting!

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and  Mozzarella

Recipe Source: Modified slightly from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

*Note from Mel: See the asterisk below the recipe for make-ahead directions.

Serves 6-8

Topping:
3/4 cup bread crumbs (store-bought or make your own)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Filling:
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), stalks cut off, florets trimmed into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces penne pasta or small pasta of your choice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
6 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
3 ounces mozzarella, shredded
8 ounces oven roasted tomatoes chopped or jarred sun dried tomatoes drained and chopped
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and butter and set aside. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven. In a large pot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. Stir in one tablespoon salt and the broccoli.  Cook the broccoli for 1 minute, until it is bright green but not longer or it will end up mushy in the end. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon to a plate. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than how you would eat it normally (it will cook a bit more in the oven while baking). Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Leave it in the colander and set it aside.

While the pasta is cooking, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the flour, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth, cream and milk; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and  mozzarella.

Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce; stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the crumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

*The casserole can be prepared in advance with the following steps: after the broccoli is removed from the boiling water, plunge it into a bowl of ice water and cool completely. Assemble the casserole following the directions in the recipe. After the casserole is spread in the prepared baking pan, let it cool for 5-10 minutes before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating for up to 8 hours. To bake, preheat the oven to 375 and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I am a huge fan of casseroles.  Not only are they a simple way to stretch your food budget but they are tasty, easy to prepare, and most store wonderfully in the freezer for future meals.  Last weekend I made a ham for dinner knowing that it would provide at least three to four meals for my family.  Typically I make a scalloped potato type of dish with bits of ham scattered through out, but this time I wanted something a little different.  I found this casserole recipe and knew it would be great.  Some of my favorite ingredients are matched up, baked together and served as a warm, cheesy, flavorful casserole.

Because casseroles are so versatile, you can take this recipe and mix things up a bit.  Use a different cheese, use turkey instead of chicken, or add some steamed veggies.  Anyway you do it, I think everyone in your house will love it. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Recipe Source: Modified slightly from My Kitchen Cafe


printable version

Topping:
4 slices white bread, torn into quarters (I used some leftover french bread about 1/3 of a loaf)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
3 pounds russet potatoes (about 4-5 medium), peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
3/4 cup heavy cream or milk
8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded, about 2 cups
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound cooked chicken diced
9 ounces ham, diced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

For the topping, process the bread and butter in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.

For the filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, making sure the oven rack is in the middle. Place the potatoes, 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are partially cooked, about 2 minutes (don’t overcook because they will continue to cook in the oven!). Carefully drain potatoes, or remove them with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute (this helps cook out the flour taste in the roux). Slowly whisk in the chicken broth or water and the cream or milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often, until slightly thickened (if using milk instead of cream, you may have to cook longer for it to thicken up a bit). Off the heat, whisk in the Swiss cheese, Dijon, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Toss the potatoes, chicken and ham with the sauce and spread into the bottom of a lightly greased 9X13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the casserole is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes (add about 5-7 additional minutes onto the baking time if baking it after it has chilled in the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours). Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

As a family of five, we got two full dinners, and three lunch portions for me! 

Total Cost $5.99
Potatoes-$.30
Ham-$1.50
Chicken-$1.39
Cheese-$2.24
Milk-$.16
Onion-$.25
Thyme, Mustard, Seasonings-approx $.15

Apple & Spice Baked French Toast

There is nothing like a delicious hot breakfast. During the school year, I am lucky enough that I don’t have to worry about my kids eating breakfast because they eat at school. Then summer rolls around and I realize that I either have to get up earlier in order to make breakfast for the three little darlings, or I have to make sure we pack a breakfast to take along to daycare. Some mornings it’s option one, but most mornings we end up taking breakfast along with us. In an attempt to find an easier solution I stumbled upon this recipe for baked French toast that was easy, tasty, and didn’t cause too much disruption to my morning sleep.

Baked French toast in my opinion is very much like bread pudding. This one is layered with apples and lots of cinnamon sugar creating a decadent hot breakfast, which everyone in the family loves. The little pieces of apple stayed a little bit firm adding some crunch to the moist, fluffy French bread that soaked up all that egg and cream overnight and then the top got a nice brown crust. Delicious!

I linked this recipe up to This Week's Cravings over at Mom's Crazy Cooking!

 

  Apple & Spice Baked French Toast

Recipe Source: Adapted slightly from CDKitchen.com

**Cooks Note: I cut this recipe in half for my family and it worked beautifully
1 large loaf French or Italian bread
8 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cream
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
6 apples, (Cortland, MacIntosh, or Granny Smith)
2 tablespoons butter

Slice bread into 1-1/2 inch slices. Spray 9 X 13 inch glass pan with corn oil or non-stick spray. Place bread in glass dish, placing tightly together.

In separate bowl, beat together eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, and vanilla (by hand, with whisk, for about 1 minute). Pour one-half of egg-milk mixture over bread.

Peel, core and slice apples. Place sliced apples on top of bread to cover. Pour balance of egg-milk mixture evenly over apples.

Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle evenly over top of apples. Dot with butter. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover dish and bake in oven 1 hour. It will rise high and brown nicely. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Cut into squares and serve warm with maple syrup. Top with whipped cream and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Total Cost $2.65 for half the recipe or $5.30 for a full recipe
French Bread $.50 (I used half a loaf from our spaghetti dinner)
Eggs .28
Milk .26
Cream .50
Vanilla Free
Cinnamon .01
Sugar .10
Butter .10
Apples .90