Ziti with Vodka Sauce is a delicious, classic pasta dish. The sauce is a creamy, cheesy sauce with a little tomato added in. 

This is one of my favorite pasta dishes. I love a sauce that’s in-between a cream sauce and a tomato sauce, and this is that kind of sauce. You don’t taste the vodka at all. I don’t hesitate serving it to my family. There are four tablespoons of vodka in the whole recipe, and you don’t taste it at all. It’s so delicious. I hope you’ll try it!

Ingredients needed:

• salted butter
• garlic
• sour cream
• milk or cream
• Parmesan cheese
• fresh basil
• tomato sauce
• white pepper
• ziti pasta
• vodka

How to make Ziti with Vodka Sauce:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top.

What does vodka do for vodka sauce?

In a vodka sauce, the vodka helps maintain a cohesive texture, allowing the creaminess to meld with the tomato base. You can also use wine, but that would add flavor. You’re really just using the vodka for the texture- you won’t taste it

Ziti with Vodka Sauce is terrific with a great caesar salad, and crusty french bread to scoop up the extra sauce. Enjoy!

The Best Ziti Recipes:

• Burrata Baked Ziti
• Ziti Carbonara with Salami
• Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti
• Skillet Baked Ziti
• Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

Print

Ziti with Vodka Sauce

This is terrific with a great caesar salad, and crusty french bread to scoop up the extra sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword vodka sauce, ziti

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 445kcal

Author RecipeGirl.com

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup sour cream (can use light)
• 1 tablespoon milk or cream
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan (plus additional for serving)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (plus more for garnish)
• 3 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1 dash white pepper
• 8 ounces ziti pasta, cooked and drained
• 1½ shots (about 4½ tablespoons) vodka

Instructions

• In a medium skillet, brown the garlic in melted butter. Add the rest of the ingredients except the pasta and vodka. Stir until bubbly and heated through.
• Add the vodka to the sauce and pour over the cooked pasta. Place in individual pasta bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan and chopped basil.

Notes

• I like to double the sauce recipe because my husband loves it so much!
• In a pinch, you can use marinara sauce in place of tomato sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 442mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 605IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Ziti with Vodka Sauce appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

This easy recipe for Sausage and Pepper Stew is a delicious twist on the classic combination of sausage and peppers.

This pot of stew is a great comfort food dinner! There’s a little pasta in it, so it’s more filling than traditional sausage and peppers. But you can certainly leave out the pasta if you wish to make it lower carb. Make a side salad and grab a loaf of French bread, and you’ll be good to go.

Ingredients needed:

• extra virgin olive oil
• whole sweet Italian sausages
• onion
• garlic
• green bell peppers
• canned tomatoes
• water
• small pasta
• fresh basil
• salt and pepper

How to make Sausage and Pepper Stew:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

NOTE:

• Although whole sausages take a little longer to cook through, they stay nice and juicy and they don’t give off too much fat into the stew.

Variation suggestions:

• add in artichoke hearts
• use different colored bell peppers
• add green or black olives
• diced eggplant is a delicious addition
• add sliced mushrooms

I suggest you serve this piping hot in a bowl with some toasted garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread. Sometimes I sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top too. Enjoy!

The Best Stew Recipes:

• Chicken Stew with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables
• Greek Beef Stew
• Shipwreck Stew
• Basque Lamb Stew
• Classic Beef Stew

Print

Sausage and Pepper Stew

A delicious twist on the classic combination of sausage and peppers!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword peppers, sausage, stew

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 750kcal

Author RecipeGirl.com (adapted from Fine Cooking)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1¼ pounds sweet Italian sausages (whole)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 medium green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
• One 28 ounce can tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 2 cups water
• ¾ cup uncooked small pasta (such as shells)
• 5 large leaves fresh basil, chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• In a large skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausages and onion; cook, moving the sausage around to brown on all sides, until the onions are just tender, about 8 minutes.
• Add the garlic and bell peppers and cook another couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, water and pasta, making sure the pasta is submerged. (Keep pushing the pasta down into the liquid and do not add more water.) Raise the heat to high and cook until the liquid starts to boil. Turn the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until the sausages are cooked through and the pasta is tender, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle in the basil and season with salt and pepper.
• Slice sausages and serve.

Notes

• Although whole sausages take a little longer to cook through, they stay nice and juicy and they don't give off too much fat into the stew.
• VARIATIONS: Add artichoke hearts, olives or diced eggplant.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 750kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1600mg | Potassium: 1192mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 791IU | Vitamin C: 96mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 5mg

The post Sausage and Pepper Stew appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

Hi Friends!

Here’s my weekly post sharing about what’s going on in the world of RecipeGirl, as well as some fun links to things I’ve come across lately. So here it goes: following are 10 things to share with you this week- everything from recipes to shopping to a few fun articles and more. There are a few affiliate links included here and there. Enjoy!

Favorite Chicken Dinners!

• I’ve been making this Apricot Balsamic Chicken for my family since 2007!
• Baked Cornflake Chicken is so easy and delicious! This tender juicy chicken with a perfectly crispy coating is sure to become a family favorite!
• This Indian Butter Chicken recipe is an easy, make-at-home version of the restaurant classic.
• Lemon Parmesan Chicken is one of those chicken recipes that you’ll want to make again and again.
• Picky eaters tend to love these Honey Molasses Chicken Drumsticks.  They’re covered with a simple glaze, and they’re delicious!

Fun Shopping Finds:

• Love this pretty, pretty spring skirt (on sale)!
• I’m in love with this adorable white cable sweater (on sale).
• I have this sports bra, and I love it. So comfortable!
• This is an adorable jacket.
• Here’s a cute crossbody wallet purse!

Instagram accounts to follow:

• Follow PassengerShaming for some pretty funny/crazy airline incidents!
• Follow HeyGrillHey for grilling inspiration!

What I’m watching and reading:

• My husband and I watched Tulsa King on Paramount, and we loved it so much! It stars Sylvester Stallone. Can’t wait for another season.
• I’m in the midst of listening to The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. Based on a true story, it was written after interviewing a real-life Holocaust survivor and tattooist. As with all Holocaust stories, it’s difficult to listen to. But it’s a compelling, interesting story.

Fun Recipes I’ve spotted on the internet this week:

• Suddenly I’m craving Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
• OMG these Extra Marshmallow Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars!

Here’s what’s going on in my life:

• This week has been all about planning upcoming vacations this year. It’s so nice to be able to travel again!
• I had my first mammogram since my lumpectomy last summer. All clear- phew!

Catch up on food-related news of the week:

• New cookbook release > The Cancer Diet Cookbook For Beginners: 1000 Days Of Nourishing Whole-Food Cancer-Fighter Recipes For Treatment And Recovery| With 28-Day Meal Plan by Dina S. Roy. Since I went through breast cancer, I’ve been eating healthier this year. I’ll be picking up this book for some ideas!
• Sara Michelle Gellar was sued by McDonalds when she was 5 years old!
• Your rescue pet could become the new Cadbury mascot.
• Did you know there is Ted Lasso Ice Cream?
• Subway is making a big change to the way it makes sandwiches.

Products I’m loving:

• This belt bag is an updated version of fanny pack. Cute!
• Did you know that two light string cheeses have a total of 100 calories? That’s been my latest pick-me-up snack.
• I’m obsessed with facial masks, so this set is fun!
• Cute tote to bring to the Farmer’s Market!
• I’ve been eating a fruity grain-free cereal (Three Wishes) from Whole Foods. It’s not bad- it’s lower calorie and it’s great with unsweetened vanilla almond milk!
• I bought a new food scale for my kitchen.

Bake this week: 

• I love these No Yeast Apple Cinnamon Rolls, and they’re so easy to make.
• My Applesauce Oatmeal Bread has been a popular recipe this week.
• Use your ripe bananas to make Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Next Week’s Recipes:

• On RecipeGirl: Sausage and Pepper Stew, Ziti with Vodka Sauce and Caesar Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Parmesan Croutons
• On RecipeBoy: Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
• On RecipesForHolidays: White Bean Chicken Chili for National Chili Day!

Have a wonderful week!

XO 
Lori (RecipeGirl)

The post 10 Things to Share #19 appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

This Avocado Manchego Cheese Omelette is a delicious Mexican-style omelette that features avocados and Spanish Manchego cheese.

Weekends are great days to make a special breakfast. This one has so many great flavors in it. I love the Manchego cheese (it’s a nice change from traditional cheddar), and the avocado is always a welcome surprise too. This Avocado Manchego Cheese Omelette will quickly become a family favorite!

Ingredients needed:

• yellow bell pepper
• red bell pepper
• jalapeño pepper
• onion
• fresh cilantro
• fresh parsley
• salt and pepper
• oil
• eggs
• milk
• avocado
• Manchego cheese

How to make an Avocado Manchego Cheese Omelette:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

Add the sliced avocado and top with cheese. If you like your omelettes overflowing with cheese, add more cheese!

The Best Recipes Using Avocado:

• Spicy Hummus Avocado Dip
• Spinach Salad with Chicken, Avocado and Goat Cheese
• Air Fryer Avocado Fries
• Chilled Avocado Soup
• Watermelon and Avocado Salad

Print

Avocado Manchego Cheese Omelette

This omelette will quickly become a family favorite.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Avocado, manchego, omelette

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 478kcal

Author RecipeGirl.com

Ingredients

• ½ cup yellow bell pepper, finely diced
• ½ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
• ½ cup onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• cooking oil
• 8 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 large avocado, sliced
• 1½ cups Manchego cheese, shredded
• fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Sauté peppers and onions in a small amount of oil. Add cilantro and parsley, season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the eggs and milk, whisk together well, and set aside.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Ladle ¼ of the beaten egg mixture into the pan. Stir in the sautéed pepper and onion. Cook until set. Flip the omelette and cook until done. Add the sliced avocado and top with cheese. Fold the omelette and turn it out onto a warm serving plate. Top with additional cheese and garnish with fresh sprigs of cilantro.
• Repeat this process 3 times to create four servings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 421mg | Sodium: 710mg | Potassium: 563mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1588IU | Vitamin C: 89mg | Calcium: 561mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Avocado Manchego Cheese Omelette appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

This Chicken Salsa Verde recipe is an easy, family friendly, one-skillet chicken meal.

What is salsa verde? It’s green salsa! My Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas are a very popular dinner recipe. So I’m hoping this recipe for Chicken Salsa Verde becomes a favorite too. It’s a one-pan meal of delicious and creamy Mexican chicken that is topped by cornmeal dumplings.

Ingredients needed:

• unsalted butter
• all purpose flour
• chicken broth
• salsa verde (green salsa)
• evaporated milk
• rotisserie chicken
• whole milk
• cornmeal
• salt
• baking powder
• green onions
• fresh cilantro

How to make Chicken Salsa Verde:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

How spicy is Chicken Salsa Verde?

It’s completely up to you how spicy you’d like to make this recipe. Choosing mild or medium-spiced salsa will determine that.

Chicken Salsa Verde with dumplings is great comfort food. It’s the kind of dinner I like to make on a cold and blustery evening. And it’s always well-received. Enjoy!

More Salsa-Themed Recipes:

• Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Salsa Roasted Salmon
• Grilled Chicken Street Tacos with Peach Salsa
• Red Snapper with Pineapple Salsa
• Pork Tenderloin with Mango Lime Salsa

Print

Chicken Salsa Verde

This recipe is an easy, family friendly, one-skillet chicken meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken, salsa verde

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 6 servings

Calories 706kcal

Author RecipeGirl.com (adapted from Perfect One-Dish Dinners)

Ingredients

CHICKEN:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• One 14.5-ounce can chicken broth
• 1½ cups salsa verde (green salsa)
• ½ cup green taco sauce
• One 5-ounce can evaporated milk
• 1 whole (about 6 cups) rotisserie chicken, meat pulled off the bone and shredded into chunks

DUMPLINGS:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1½ cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions (include green tops)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

PREPARE THE CHICKEN:

• Heat the butter over medium-high heat in a large, deep ovenproof skillet (or a 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven). Whisk in the flour to make a paste.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the broth, salsa, taco sauce and evaporated milk; whisk into the pan. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the chicken, heat through, and cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 400°F.

PREPARE THE DUMPLINGS:

• In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter until just about to simmer.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, green onions and cilantro. Stir in the warmed milk mixture, just until blended.
• Scoop rounded spoonfuls of the dough and drop into the chicken mixture. Return the chicken to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Cover and transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the dumplings are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Notes

• It's completely up to you how spicy you'd like to make this recipe. Choosing mild or medium-spiced salsa will determine that.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 706kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 192mg | Sodium: 1855mg | Potassium: 486mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1745IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 255mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Chicken Salsa Verde appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

This is a recipe for Vanilla Apples garnished with sweetheart croutes (heart-shaped, butter toasted bread). It’s a fun recipe for Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be all about chocolate. Consider whipping up this delicious and festive sautéed apple treat on the holiday this year. Wouldn’t it be a fun after-school snack? My kid would have gone nuts for this one when he was younger. Heck, he’d probably still enjoy it now!

This recipe comes from Nigella Lawson’s cookbook, Nigella Express. It’s an older book, but I still reach for it to use once in a while. There are great, unique-style recipes in the book.

Ingredients needed:

• butter
• red apples
• vanilla extract
• white bread
• white sugar

How to make Vanilla Apples:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

The Best Valentine’s Day Recipes:

• Weight Watchers Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Dipped Brownies for Your Valentine
• Marbled Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
• Chocolate Valentine Surprise Loaf Cake
• Nutella Heart Ravioli

Print

Vanilla Apples with Sweetheart Croutes

This is a fun recipe for Valentine's Day!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apples, baked apples, vanilla

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 209kcal

Author RecipeGirl.com (adapted slightly from Nigella Express)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 large Gala apples (or another variety of red apple)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 3 slices white country bread, cut into heart shapes with a cookie cutter
• sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet.
• Core and finely slice the apples (leave the peel on if your intended eaters will go for that- otherwise, peel the apples first). Add them to the skillet, cooking for about 3 minutes, then add the vanilla and cook for about another 5 minutes total, turning once (until browned). Remove the apples to a platter.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and quickly fry the sweetheart croutes until browned and slightly crisp.
• Arrange the croutes on the plate with the apples; sprinkle with sugar (if using).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Vanilla Apples with Sweetheart Croutes appeared first on Recipe Girl®.