Cheap Eats :: Creamy Baked Pasta with Spinach

This is my husband's absolute, outright favorite dinner ever. He begs for it all year and he gets it...well, he gets it about once a year. It's his special birthday dinner, but this year he was working on his birthday so we didn't get around to making it until now.
He was so excited and he and Lucy gobbled it up like it was going out of style!
This is a meatless dish and could easily be made vegan with some substitutions. Not mention...it's pretty danged cheap:

Creamy Baked Pasta with Spinach

Ingredients
8oz penne pasta (or any other pasta)
1 (24-28oz) can of spaghetti sauce
8oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
5-10 oz chopped frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
*I used 5 oz because I like less
dash of nutmeg
pinch of salt & pepper
1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)

 Directions (Pre-heat to 350F)
1. Cook Pasta according to directions/drain
2. Whisk cream cheese and milk until smooth
 3. Add spinach and parmesan to cream cheese
4. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg

5. Mix pasta with spaghetti sauce
6. Layer 1/2 the pasta in the bottom of baking dish
7. spread cream cheese mixture over pasta layer
8. Top with remaining pasta
9. Add mozzerella cheese to top

10. Cover with foil or lid and bake @ 350F for 30 mins
11. Remove cover and bake an additional 10-15 mins until cheese browns at the edges

 

Cheap Eats :: Creamy Garlic Pasta

I found this recipe on Pinterest a couple months ago and it quickly became a family favorite around here. For me, it's how fast and easy it pulls together. For them, it's the amazing taste!

My son, the picky one, always gobbles up every last bite and asks for seconds. My daughter, the baby who eats everything, loves it enough to grunt for more. The husband, who isn't the biggest eater, will eat a heaping bowlful happily. It's a guaranteed crowd pleaser...and a joy to make. I have the recipe memorized now, I've made it THAT much.

Tonight, I made it with an added element...chicken breast. I know, I know...chicken breast?! From the dark meat lady?! Well, to be fair...I was gifted the chicken breast by my sweet cousin who brought me some groceries after an especially bad day. I already had creamy garlic pasta in the menu and thought the chicken would be a nice treat! (Thanks cuz!)

Otherwise, this makes a fantastic meatless (not vegan) meat.

It's feeds 3-4 people with no leftovers. If you have big eaters, I suggest doubling it. We are not big portion types, so this is perfect for my family of two adults/two kids.

Creamy Garlic Pasta + Chicken

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic; minced
2 Tbs butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 c chicken stock water +
2 tsp chicken bouillon
8 oz angel hair pasta
1 c grated  shredded parmesan cheese
3/4 c heavy cream
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
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2 thin chicken breasts (hammered thin or sliced thin)
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions
Pasta

1. In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the salt, pepper, water + bouillon. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil.

3. Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until tender.
4. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted.

5. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream. Serve immediately.

Chicken
1. Coat chicken in oil and season

2. Heat skillet or griddle to med-high
3. Cook chicken while pasta cooks turning half-way through (about 8 mins on each side)
4. Cook until chicken is no longer pink
5. Slice and divide among pasta bowls.