Fettuccine Alfredo

This dish is NOT for the health conscience. Every once in awhile I’d order this dish and not even think about it being an unhealthy dish. (I know its obvious, but I choose not to think like that. Haha.)

Now that I’ve made a fettuccine alfredo dish, I think I’ll limit myself to maybe a few times a year to enjoy. So yummy, so rich, but wow, it’s pretty much butter and cheese! I decided to top mine with grilled chicken breash, sauteed mushrooms, and arugula. There’s no way I could eat it plain. The arugula made it so good, it gets wilted when mixed in and gives it a peppery fresh taste. Awesome.

Fettuccine Alfredo (adapted from cbsop.com)

Ingredients:

• 18 oz fettuccine, cooked, drained and hot
• 2 sticks butter, cut in small cubes
• 3 1/4 cups grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp pepper

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Add pasta and cook according to package directions.

Drain pasta, reserving about a cup of the pasta water.

Place pasta back in pot, mix in butter and garlic powder until butter is all melted.

Add cheese and pepper, toss to distribute evenly.

Use pasta water to thin out if it gets too thick. add about 1/4 c at a time.

Serve immediately, with or without some toppings.

Turkey Quinoa Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes and Cheesy Pasta

Nothing says comfort like meatloaf, especially the ones with a thick slather of tomato sauce. Seems like not many people are that into it lately. I love how versatile it is, you can add really any spices, meats, and veggies to suit your taste.

Originally I planned to make a turkey and quinoa meatloaf, but figured meatballs are way more fun and easier for little hands. My son’s, not mine. Haha.

Also a note to myself for next time and to whoever might try to make these recipes….it makes a ton. I ended up with like 8 cups of pasta, a huge bucket of potatoes (more like 8-9 cups, but just seemed like sooo much more at the time), and 24 1.5″ to 2″ meatballs. You end up with about a cup of sauce, which is enough to spread over all the meatballs and have it drip all over the potatoes. Yummm…..

Turkey Quinoa Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb ground lean turkey
• 3/4 c cooked quinoa
• 1/2 c shredded carrot
• 2 lg eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 c fresh basil, cut into thin strips (or 1/2 to 1 tsp dried basil, depending on your preference.)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 c Italian breadcrumbs
• 2/3 c ketchup
• 4 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 tsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Fluff/loosen the turkey with a fork.

Add all ingredients from the quinoa to the pepper, mix well, but don’t compress mixture.

Add breadcrumbs and mix to incorporate.

Shape mixture into 24 balls. Each are about 1.5-2 inches.

Place on parchment lined baking sheet.

Prepare glaze: mix ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, tomato paste, and Worcestershire together.

Brush or pour tomato sauce over meatballs.

Bake for 40 mins.

Mashed Red Potatoes

Ingredients

• 3 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled and cubed into 1 – 1.5 inch pieces
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 c milk
• 1/4 lb unsalted butter
• 1 c sour cream (1/2 c would be good, but my husband loves sour cream, so it became a whole cup)
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Boil potatoes until soft, about 15 mins.

Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl and mash with fork to desired consistency.

Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until butter is melted.

Mix in the milk mixture.

Fold in sour cream, salt and pepper.

Cheesy Stove Top Pasta (adapted from Evil Shenanigans)

Ingredients

• 16 oz macaroni, or any small pasta
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 c milk
• 1 1/2 c freshly grated cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
• 1 tsp sriracha sauce
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Boil the pasta according to package directions

Drain and pour back into the cooking pot.

Over medium-low heat, add the butter and stir until melted.

Mix the egg, milk, and spices and pour over the pasta.

Stir until it begins to thicken, about three to five minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat then add the cheese.

Mix well so cheese melts.