Easy Weeknight String Cheese-Stuffed Manicotti

This is the quickest, easiest baked pasta dish that you'll probably ever make. {And, it only uses five ingredients.} With only about ten minutes of hands-on prep time {no need to even pre-boil the pasta}, you can toss this in the oven while you whip up a quick side salad and maybe get some garlic bread made up. It's perfect for busy weeknights and is an extremely kid-friendly dinner option.

This no-frills and no-fuss baked manicotti recipe really couldn't be easier. After a quick soak in hot water, the pasta shells get stuffed with string cheese before being baked off in a sea of good-quality, store-bought marinara sauce. A sprinkling of shredded mozzarella atop it all ensures an end result of bubbly, gooey, cheesy goodness amidst all that sauce - everything that a good pasta bake should be.

NOTE: Preparation of the pasta following my recipe directions yields al dente manicotti {still slightly firm}. If your family prefers very soft, almost mushy pasta, you may desire to boil noodles according to manicotti package instructions - ending the cooking a couple of minutes shy of the recommended time on package - prior to assembly of the dish.

Yields 4 - 5 servings.

Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

I think that most of us can agree that Macaroni and Cheese is like, one of the best dishes on earth. It's pretty much one of the ultimate comfort foods in life. I make many versions, but I really like this one because of how incredibly easy it is. It, literally, is just a dump-everything-in-the-slow-cooker kind of recipe. Stir it up, plop the lid on, turn the temp to low and walk away for a few hours. That's it. Seriously. {You don't even boil the noodles first.} The pasta ends up perfectly cooked {not mushy at all}, an amazing creamy sauce is created and the flavors are simply spot on.

This takes just a short time to cook {three and a half hours or so}, so I like that this is something I can get going shortly before the kids get out of school and it's ready just in time for dinner around six o'clock. This, also, would be just perfect as a side dish for Sunday dinner after church.

A warning, however ... this is {obviously} not diet food. It has pasta and butter and cheese and milk and eggs and more cheese. So, it definitely doesn't quite register on the "healthy" scale. But, isn't that what we love about Macaroni and Cheese? It's totally supposed to be a little indulgent and a whole lot of yumminess.

NOTE: DO NOT PRE-COOK THE NOODLES. THEY GO INTO THE SLOW COOKER STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.

Yields 6 servings {as a side dish}

Classic Macaroni Salad

A true summer staple, Macaroni Salad is a throw-back to so many of our childhoods and a side dish that never quite goes out of style. With simple ingredients and easy prep, it's a recipe that I come back to time and time again. It's perfect alongside baked beans, corn on the cob and watermelon wedges at cook-outs. Our grandmothers and moms knew a thing or two about easy, delicious recipes. And, Macaroni Salad is just one of those recipes that truly stands the test of time.

Grab some elbow noodles, make a creamy {and quick} dressing, dice up a few vegetables, toss in some chopped boiled eggs and give the whole thing a stir. It's a great make-ahead option for picnics and warm-weather gatherings. And, it always disappears quickly.

Yields 6 - 8 servings.

Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles

Deeply savory, beefy and hearty, my Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles is sure to become a family favorite. This is one of the simplest slow cooker dinners that you could probably make. The preparation is beyond easy and quick. And, the list of ingredients is a super short one. All that's required is a beef roast, frozen egg noodles and a few other basic pantry staples. And, with just a few minutes of your time in the morning, you'll have everything set in motion for a hot, comforting meal come dinnertime. No canned soups here. No store-bought seasoning packets. And, no need to even sear the meat on the stove top. Simple, breezy and easy.

Frozen egg noodles are utilized in this recipe and are added during the last couple of hours of cooking. I have been easily able to find them near the frozen ravioli and bread dough at most supermarkets these days. If you can't get your hands on them, I think you could possibly use dried egg noodles from the regular pasta aisle, but I can't truly advise on the exact cooking time for them since I have not tried using them in this recipe. Also, they may not contribute much to the thickening of the "gravy" in this recipe. {I do have a killer stove top Beef and Noodles recipe here on the blog that uses homemade egg noodles if you'd like to go that route.}

NOTE: The recipe begins with five cups of stock when the roast first starts in the slow cooker. However, you may find that you need to pour in some additional liquid as the noodles cook later in the cooking process if your noodles are thickening things too quickly or if you simply prefer a thinner consistency to the "gravy."

Joyously Domestic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. You can read my full disclosure statement here. This post contains affiliate links to amazon.com.

Yields 6 servings.

Creamy Balsamic Corn and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

I am a sucker for pasta salads during the summer. I have a few favorites like, my Veggie Overload Pasta Salad and my Mandarin Orange and Spinach Pasta Salad {with Teriyaki Dressing}. This version is loaded up with fresh-from-the-garden sweet corn, chopped sun dried tomatoes, a variety of other fresh vegetables and some fun, twirl-y pasta. And, although those components are all fabulous in their own rights, it's really the creamy dressing that makes this pasta salad swoon worthy. A hint of fresh garlic, a little oil, a few spices, some dashes of a good-quality balsamic vinegar and creamy mayonnaise get whisked up together to create what I consider the ultimate pasta salad dressing.

Of course, you can choose to switch up the veggies that you use, but this recipe calls for a combination that I find works great together. The sweetness and pop of the fresh corn compliments the chewy, flavor-packed sun dried tomatoes. The cucumber lends a cool, refreshing component to the salad while the radish brings a slight peppery "bite" to the party. And, a subtle onion flavor is present by way of the scallions.

I've chosen an Italian Trottole pasta (such a neat shape), but any small or medium size pasta works here. Just be sure not to overcook the pasta ... you certainly don't want mushy noodles in this fabulous summertime side dish.

Corn and Tomato Pasta Salad

For me, summertime fare means fresh, happenin' side dishes. Sure, barbecue chicken and burgers on the grill are fabulous. But, I really look forward to the sides when it comes to summer cookouts and gatherings. Potato salad. Crisp, sliced cucumbers paired with fresh dill and doused with vinegar. Buttery corn on the cob. Fresh fruit salad. A good guacamole. A crudité platter with creamy dip. And, pasta salad. Glorious, scrumptious pasta salad.

I make so many versions of pasta salad throughout the summer months. This one is a great recipe for showcasing fresh corn and garden tomatoes this time of year.

The vinaigrette-style dressing used in this recipe is light and simple. It really allows the fresh vegetables to shine and it doesn't compete with the other ingredients. (NOTE: A high-quality, store-bought Italian-style dressing can be used in place of the oil, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar dressing if you desire a more-robust, no fuss dressing.)

What's great about this salad is that it gets better with time. So, it's the perfect make-ahead side dish for your summer gatherings and parties. Gather up some just-picked vegetables, grab a box of mini pasta shells, break out that bottle of balsamic vinegar and make this before the summer is over!

Italian Pasta Salad

This is a great side dish for cookouts and summer gatherings. It's always a real crowd-pleaser. And, it's perfect to make up to have on hand for lunches throughout the week, too.

A good-quality bottled Italian dressing can be used if you're not wanting to make the homemade vinaigrette. I always reserve a little of my dressing for right before serving. I find that it's nice to have a little on reserve to moisten everything back up - especially if the salad is made a day in advance.

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Sun-dried tomatoes are one of my favorite ingredients.  When I cook with them, I inevitably eat several of them as-is just like they were candy. I just love the sweetness and chewiness of them. I enjoy using them in a variety of dishes and we just love incorporating them into pasta recipes.

This pasta dish is a fabulous go-to dinner option for us.  We enjoy it with a simple salad and some garlic bread. It's a great vegetarian dish to make and is super economical.

Yields 4 servings.

One Skillet Creamy Pasta

I love when dinner is simple to prepare and scrumptious to devour.  This is one of those dishes that is surprisingly easy, yet really wows the whole family.  The sauce is similar to an alfredo. This recipe uses whole milk instead of heavy cream.  A little bit of cream cheese keeps everything smooth and creamy so you won't miss the heavy cream at all.

Grab a skillet.  Toss in the ingredients and you'll end up with one amazing dish! I added in some chopped fresh spinach and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.  Fresh tomatoes would be fabulous in this, too.  Be sure to use fresh Parmesan ... the pre-packaged shredded kind just doesn't just melt as smoothly.

Yields 4 servings.

One Pot Tomato & Basil Pasta {A Martha Stewart-Inspired Recipe}

 

One skillet + five minutes of prep time + twenty minutes of cooking = a super quick and easy pasta dinner.

I was amazed at how this dish turned out for being so simple and basic to make.  The only liquid that is added is straight H20, so I was concerned that there wouldn't be much flavor or a good consistency to the "sauce" that is created as this cooks.  But, something amazing happens.  Just the few ingredients that are added bring great flavor to the dish while the starches in the pasta release into the water so that it thickens almost like cream was added.

I came across a Martha Stewart recipe for One Pot Pasta (video of recipe preparation included) that totally intrigued me.  I did alter a couple of things when making it myself, but I pretty much kept with the basic method she used.  Next time, however, I will use a little less crushed red pepper flakes.  Her recipe called for a half of a teaspoon, but I got ambitious and used probably around 2 - 3 teaspoons!  Yikes - it was pretty darn spicy, but still a fabulous dish!

NOTE:  I used a combination of regular spaghetti noodles and whole wheat noodles.  I like the healthful benefits of adding the whole wheat pasta, but it did make the sauce a weird brownish color at the end of cooking.  I would recommend not using a brown-colored pasta if you would like the sauce that is created to stay a creamy, white color.. 

Yields  4 - 6 servings.

Skillet Lasagna with Italian Sausage Meatballs

 

Don't you love laboring for an hour (or more) assembling traditional pan lasagna and then waiting for another hour (or more) for it to bake?  Me neither.  (And, we won't even talk about all those dishes!)

But .... I do love me some lasagna.  So, what's a girl (or guy) to do?

Whip up this skillet lasagna in a fraction of the time while still enjoying all of the flavors of pan lasagna.  There - problem solved.

Yes, this recipe truly uses only one pan.  (No need to even pre-boil the pasta.)  Isn't that fabulous?

I chose to shape the Italian sausage into mini meatballs, but you could totally just break the sausage up and cook it as you normally would for a meat sauce.  (You could even use ground beef if you prefer.)  I utilize a good-quality marinara in this recipe, but if you have some canned or frozen from-scratch sauce on hand, go for it and use that!

Serves 4 - 6.
Adapted from Center Cut Cook.

BLT Caesar Pasta Salad

The past two weeks have been quite relaxing and stress-free for us here at the Joyously Domestic household. We finished up softball and baseball season right at the beginning of the month, then we stayed pretty busy with cookouts and get-togethers over the Fourth of July holiday while my hubby had the week off of work. He's been back to the grindstone and out of state for work Mondays through Saturdays again. So, it has been just the three kiddos and I lounging around the house and relishing in the beautiful summer weather outdoors.

It's times like these that I am so grateful that my "job" is being a stay-at-home momma. Having late movie nights, trips to the berry patch, leisurely dips in the pool and no set schedule for right now has been joyful bliss. Oh, and we get to spend a lot of time in the kitchen together.

I love summers at home with my kids and wouldn't want it any other way.

They love helping me chop and mix in the kitchen. And, they are mega lovers of pasta. I've been making my "Veggie Overload" Pasta Salad on a weekly basis all summer (it is so darn yummy), but I've discovered another "winner" pasta salad right here, my friends.

This recipe is truly a combination of three of my favorite foods ... BLT sandwiches, Caesar salads and pasta salads.

You have a few options regarding assembling the salad. If you're making this more than a couple of hours before serving, you may choose to wait to add in the chopped/shredded lettuce until shortly before serving to guests. {This will ensure that it doesn't get too soggy or limp.} And, if you strongly prefer crisp bacon, you can have that ready and kept separate, as well. Just stir into the salad at the time of service. {Doing so will ensure that your bacon doesn't become too soft or rubbery.} So, just plan according to what you prefer.

Yields 8 servings.

"Veggie Overload" Pasta Salad

I am in love with this pasta salad!

I've lessened the amount of pasta I would, typically, use for pasta salad from sixteen ounces to ten ounces, but have amped up the amount of veggies in order to make this a little more full of the "healthful, good stuff."

I have to admit that I normally "cheat" when making pasta salad by utilizing a store-bought, good-quality Italian dressing.  I found a pasta salad recipe by Jamie Deen recently that got me excited about doing my pasta salad a little differently this time around.  He adds in his carrots and broccoli to the boiling water during the last couple of minutes of cooking the pasta.  The veggies still stay crisp, but aren't as "harsh" to the palette.  I was, also, intrigued by his dressing.  I altered a few things and came up with something that I am crazy about.  He uses red wine vinegar in his dressing, but I chose to use balsamic vinegar (highly recommended).  (I have provided the amounts for either.)  The dressing begins as a vinaigrette, but the addition of a little mayo brings about a smooth, creamy texture that beautifully coats the ingredients.

What I enjoy, too, about most-any pasta salad is that you can use any types of vegetables that you prefer or have on hand.  Below is what we love in our pasta salad.  For example, I like the combination of both fresh tomatoes and sun-dried.  (Leave out the sun-dried if you don't care for them or if you don't happen to have any on hand, but I truly believe that they help "make" this dish.)  We like peas in our version, but Jamie uses edamame.

Serves 6 - 8.

Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake

 

It's been a bit of a frenzied week here in our house.  My daughter's fourteenth birthday party is this Saturday.  We have over thirty guests set to attend and I've been in my crazy party prep mode since the weekend.  (My poor children and husband know what I'm talking about ... don't ya, guys?)

 

I still have most of the shopping to do and a bit of housework yet to get done.  The always-present-the-week-before-a-major-party-event chore list has been posted on the fridge for several days ... color-coded according to each family member's respective day-to-day tasks for the week.  (I know ... my OCD really comes out in full force at times such as these!)  Since all of my children have their birthdays in the spring, we get ready for their parties and get much of our spring cleaning done all at the same time.  (It's a win-win for this mom!)

I'm taking a brief break, however, to share this wonderfully scrumptious recipe with you.  It's a very simple pasta bake that could be changed up to suit your tastes and to utilize what you have on hand.  Swap out the spinach for some blanched broccoli.  Add in some canned artichokes or fresh, chopped mushrooms.  Want to make it a little more healthful?  Use whole wheat pasta.

Yields 6 - 8 servings.

Slow Cooker Lasagna - In Layered Disposable Pans

 

Yesterday was day six of the kids' spring break. The first few days were spent in a whirlwind of Easter festivities. We kept occupied with the whole shopping, cooking, egg-dying, egg hunting, ham-devouring, candy-overload and family-gathering aspect of it all. Once Monday rolled around and my husband left for the week for work (he's gone four days at a time out of state each week), the kiddos and I were left to our own devices with (pretty much) an empty schedule for several days.
 

May I just say that I enjoy very little more in life than chilling out at home with my children while we watch movies, play games, read, take naps and do just about nothing ... all with no set schedule and no where to be.

Life is good.

And, while it would have been lovely to jet off somewhere for a vacation during their time off from school, I have been perfectly content to spend some quality time with my kids this week ... to pull a chair up to the table to play board games with my competitive ten-year old son, to cuddle up on the couch with a stack of books to read to my darling, curly-haired five-year old girl and to dance to music in the middle of the living room with my fourteen-year old daughter. (Okay. So maybe I was the one dancing and she was the one churning out the tunes on her phone, but whatever. And, yes, I got lots of eye rolls, but that's okay! Ya know - typical mother/teenage daughter stuff.)

Last night we enjoyed lasagna in the slow cooker. 

I've tried making lasagna in the slow cooker before.  It wasn't a pretty sight!  The edges burned before the center was completely cooked and getting rectangular noodles to fit in an oval slow cooker was a nightmare.  I decided to give it another whirl using the same method that I use for my slow cooker oatmeal - prepare the lasagna in disposable aluminum pans and create a "water bath" within the slow cooker to allow for steam to help gently cook the lasagna.

It worked like a charm!

For just a couple of bucks, you can buy disposable aluminum pans in just about every shape and size.  I used rectangular ones that were about eight inches long and five or six inches wide.  This size fits great in my slow cooker insert.  You'll have to see what will fit best in yours.

I stack the two pans on top of each other, but I use something in between them so that the top one doesn't come into contact with or crush the bottom one.  Experiment with what works for you.  I use metal tongs or a couple of wooden skewers.  You could, also, possibly lay a few butter knives across the top of the bottom pan.

I used my recipe below for this method, but I'm sure you could try this techinique using your own fabulous lasagna recipe instead.

Yields 8 - 10 servings.

Lasagna "Cupcakes"

Lasagna "cupcakes" are super popular in the JD household. And, I love making them because I can get a pan of these into the oven from start to finish with only like, fifteen minutes of prep time. That's quite a difference in time compared to making full blown traditional lasagna. But, the flavor and texture is still all there. Winner!

 

Making lasagna in cupcake form solves the issue of everyone fighting over those coveted corner pieces of a traditional pan-baked lasagna.  Everyone gets crispy edges here, folks.  (The edges will crisp while the bottom part softens and takes on the texture of regular cooked lasagna noodles.)  And, another "plus" - these are just so darn cute.  These allow me to get my kids busy in the kitchen ... the layering is just so much fun! Also, using square wonton wrappers means no boiling noodles and is a total timesaver.

 

NOTE: Ground beef or Italian sausage could easily be added into one of the layers or combined with the sauce if you'd like a meaty version. Also, fresh spinach is a great add-in to one of the layers.

 

Yields 12 "cupcakes."

Cheesy Ravioli Bake

With my girls off babysitting today and my son helping my hubby chop wood all afternoon, I enjoyed a Sunday afternoon watching a Law & Order: SVU marathon that I had recorded on the DVR.

 

 

A warm, crackling fire?  Check.

A cup of Sleepytime Herbal Tea?  Check.

My favorite Nonni's Caramel Milk Chocolate Biscotti Bites?  Check.

Comfy yoga pants and fuzzy socks?  Check.

Stabler and Benson on my t.v. screen?  Check.

It was an afternoon of pure bliss.

(And, just so you don't think that I'm too incredibly lazy ... I did bundle up [eventually] and trek outdoors to help with the final hour or so of wood stacking.)

Oh, and I made dinner.

But, shhhhhh!  Don't tell my family how quick and easy this recipe is to make!  I'm positive that they think I must have been slaving away all day putting this together! (It'll be our little secret.)

This is such a simple recipe as it is written. But, it is easy to adapt it to suit your preferences. Round or square ravioli can be used. Refrigerated "fresh" ravioli can be used or you can use frozen ravioli. I keep this vegetarian, but you can layer in cooked ground beef or sausage. And, adding in fresh spinach or mushrooms, for example, makes this super hearty and gives you another layer of flavor.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Beef and Noodles {Using Homemade Egg Noodles}

I think I'm weird.  Why is it that so often I am much more productive when I've gotten barely any sleep?  Maybe I'm running on adrenaline.  Seriously.  Most folks can barely function with just a few hours of sleep.  I, on the other hand, am slow-moving, groggy and fatigued-feeling when I've gotten a long night's sleep.  However, it never fails that when I've only slept for three or four hours, I'm running around the house in the morning like a crazy person ... all hyped up and full of energy.   

It happened today.  I was up until almost three in the morning working on the blog and cleaning around the house.  I swore I'd go back to bed once the kids got on the bus for school at seven this morning.  Nope.  Instead, I stayed up doing laundry, making homemade egg noodles, watching t.v. and editing blog photos. I'm sure I'll pay for it later.  Sigh.

But, this recipe is certainly worth spending a little time on. It's nothing overly complicated, but the result is a total COMFORT FOOD dinner that your family will greatly appreciate. You'll, basically, be braising beef until ultra tender on the stove top in a rich broth, making my two-ingredient egg noodles while the meat cooks and then bringing the two components together to simmer to perfection.

NOTE: You'll need to go HERE for my post on making your own egg noodles from scratch. 

Serves 4 - 6.

Lasagna Soup

We all know that making a huge pan of lasagna can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive task.  But, lasagna is one of those comforting dishes that most everyone adores. This particular recipe is a fun and simple twist on traditional lasagna. It's made right on the stove and there's only about fifteen minutes of actual hands-on prep time. You'll find all of the flavors and components of lasagna present here, but in soup form.

I chose not to add in any kind of ground beef or Italian sausage simply because my kids are not wild about those two ingredients. I would recommend about a half of a pound of either for this amount of soup if you'd like to include it. (It should be browned in the pot prior to the addition of the onion, garlic and green pepper.) Alternatively, you could swap in vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock should you desire to keep this completely vegetarian.

Regarding the pasta for this recipe, you can buy Campenelle pasta, which looks like mini lasagna noodles.  But, regular lasagna noodles work just fine. Just break them into pieces. I used about 8 - 9 large lasagna noodles. Any smaller-sized pasta would work, however. (I have even made this with egg noodles.)

Yields 4 - 5 servings.

Sun-dried Tomato Chicken Over Pasta

 

It was Sunday.

It was cold and rainy.

I was thinking soup for dinner.

Then, I came across this recipe on Little B Cooks' blog.  What a fun blog to browse!  Her recipe for Sun-dried Tomato Chicken was my inspiration for dinner. 

I made a few changes to the original recipe.  And, I served my chicken and sauce over pasta.

As a person who blogs about food and recipes, there are times when I try something new and then, later wish I had done the recipe a different way.  This dish was one of those instances.  Both my hubby and I agreed that using this exact sauce recipe with homemade meatballs would be killer!  The chicken was good, but this sauce is somewhat similar to say, a Swedish meatball sauce ... just infused a bit with the flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes.  So, I plan to try it with meatballs soon!

And, by the way ... if you think you don't or won't like sun-dried tomatoes, I urge you to try it in this recipe.  The flavor combinations are lovely and I know I will be making this sauce again many times in the future!