Cheesy Pasta!

Starting the week off with something easy – “Cheesy Pasta” – kinda, sorta like mac & cheese but I just seem to make up my own recipe every time!  Having said that, this is a very approximate “recipe” since I just tend to do my own thing with this… I just usually just throw stuff in a pot and see what happens! 

Here’s what I did last night:

 

Cheesy Pasta with Chicken and Roasted Vegetables:

3 cups uncooked pasta (cook according to package directions – I used shells this time but you can really use any shape)

Approx ½ cup of chicken cut into small chunks (I used “real” chicken for myself and Brent’s veggie chicken strips)

Approx 1 ½ cups of vegetables (I used broccoli and cauliflower)

2 TBSP olive oil

½ cup cream cheese (I used Philadelphia Light Herb and Garlic flavored)

¼ cup milk

1 TBSP pre-made Pesto

1 tsp garlic

2 tsp of herbs (fresh or dried!)

A few “turns” of fresh ground pepper

A pinch of salt

Approx ¾ cup shredded cheese (I used a mozza cheddar blend)

 

Start water boiling in pot on stovetop and turn oven on to 350F to pre-heat.  Chop your vegetables into small pieces and spread on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and put in oven to roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

While the vegetables are roasting and water is boiling, heat olive oil in 2 separate frying pans and cook each type of chicken through.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper if you’d like as it cooks! 

While chicken, veggies and pasta are cooking, start the sauce! Combine cream cheese, milk, spices, pesto and salt & pepper in a small pot and stir on medium heat until cream cheese has melted and mixture starts to boil slightly. Remove from heat

Put desired amount of pasta and vegetables in 2 separate baking dishes, each topped with your chicken and pour sauce over each.  Mix everything up thoroughly in each baking dish, top with shredded cheese, cover with tinfoil and bake for 15 minutes. Take foil off and broil for a few minutes until cheese is browning and bubbly!

 

I will sometimes get this prepared in the morning or on my lunch break and then just have to bake when we get home in the evening! So usually bake at 350F for 30-45 mins in that case and then broil for a few minutes! 

(I apologize for this picture... apparently there was a shadow covering one plate I didn't notice until after we'd eaten lol too late to take a new pic!)