What's for Dinner?

I've made Alfredo from scratch before but never like this. I loved the addition of the vegetables and the Colby jack cheese. If you like Alfredo sauce, I highly recommend you try this variation! Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
6 tablespoons butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 pound fettuccini pasta
1 onion, diced
1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
3 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat combine chicken, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Saute onion, 2 cloves garlic, and mushrooms until onions are transparent. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and half-and-half, stirring until smooth and creamy. Stir in Parmesan and Colby-Monterey Jack cheeses; stir until cheese is melted. Stir in chicken mixture, tomatoes and sour cream. Serve over cooked fettuccini.

This is definitely something different. I loved the broccoli on top with the cheese but I could take or leave the meat and onion part underneath. My 10 year old gobbled it up though! Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

2 (16 ounce) packages frozen broccoli
2 pounds ground beef
1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of celery soup
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare the broccoli according to package directions.
In a skillet over medium heat, mix the ground beef, mushrooms, and onion. Cook until beef is evenly brown; drain grease. Season with salt and pepper, and mix in cream of celery soup and sour cream. Continue cooking until heated through. Transfer to a medium baking dish, and evenly layer with broccoli. Top with cheese.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly brown.

This a great crock pot recipe for a rainy Sunday, which is exactly when we had it. It makes a ton so there is plenty for seconds. It's a great comfort food! Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
1 (16 ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (9 ounce) package refrigerated or fresh cheese tortellini
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
Crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage into a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain.
Combine the ground meats, marinara sauce, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on LOW heat for 7 to 8 hours.
Stir in the tortellini, and sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes on LOW, or until the tortellini is tender.

This is a great pasta sauce with a lot of vegetables. I made it in the crock pot and let it slow simmer all day. Yum! Makes 5 servings.

Ingredients
1/2 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
1/3 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup shredded rell bell pepper
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions
In a saucepan saute onion and garlic over medium-low heat until they start to become clear. Combine in a pot, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, mushrooms, oregano, parsley, basil and olive oil. Bring to boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for at least 1 hour, however, 3 hours of cooking develops better flavor and consistency.

This is a simple one pot meal. I was a little leery that the spaghetti would cook completely in so little liquid but there was no problem at all. It was delicious! Makes 5 servings.

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
12 ounces spaghetti, broken into pieces
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with onions until no pink shows on the beef; drain. Mix in green pepper and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, spaghetti and water; stir. Add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook about 15 minutes or until spaghetti is tender, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and stir until melted

This meal is one stop shopping. You have your protein, veggies and side dish cooking together all at once. So simple! Anyway, this is really good and cooking the pork on top of the vegetables gives them a lot of flavor. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
6 (1 inch thick) pork chops
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 ounce) can vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped orange bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Season pork chops with salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic about 1 minute, then brown pork chops about 2 minutes on each side.
In a pot, bring the vegetable broth and rice to a boil. Mix in the Italian-style diced tomatoes, green bell pepper, orange bell pepper, green onions, and mushrooms, and cook about 5 minutes, until heated through. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange the pork chops over the rice and vegetables.
Cover, and bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until rice and vegetables are tender and pork has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

This chicken is really juicy. The lemon taste is very subtle and not overpowering. The mushrooms smell amazing while they are cooking in the sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon
1/4 cup butter
3 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Place the olive oil in an 8x8 glass baking dish. Place the chicken breasts in the dish, coating each side with oil. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over all. Slice the rest of the lemon and place a lemon slice on top of each chicken piece. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until brown.
In a large skillet, melt the 1/4 cup butter or margarine. Add the sliced mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms are brown and have exuded their juices, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and blend. Add the chicken broth, stirring to make a medium thick sauce. Allow to reduce, adjusting with a little more broth to make a creamy sauce. Add fresh parsley at the last minute. Spoon the sauce over the lemon baked chicken breasts. Delicious!

This is a yummy chicken recipe with a creamy mushroom sauce. It's almost like a gravy and it's great over the pasta. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients
8 tablespoons butter, divided
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
6 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup Marsala wine, divided
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 (12 ounce) package uncooked linguine pasta

Directions
Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until halfway done and golden brown on both sides, about 4 to 7 minutes each side. When browned, remove chicken to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Set skillet aside, reserving drippings.
In a separate skillet, melt the 2 remaining tablespoons of butter over medium high heat and saute mushrooms. Add 1/4 cup of the wine and stir; let reduce over low heat for 5 minutes. Set mushrooms and drippings aside, keeping warm.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Add cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom soup to reserved chicken/drippings skillet. Mix soups well with drippings, making sure no lumps remain. Slowly add cream, stirring constantly, then add remaining 1/2 cup wine; season with rosemary and thyme. Adjust amount of wine as needed to make a nice, thick gravy consistency. Let mixture simmer over medium heat until bubbly, then add reserved mushroom mixture and stir together.
Pour soup/mushroom mixture over chicken in baking dish, cover and bake in preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes.
About 15 minutes before serving chicken, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Serve chicken breasts and sauce over the hot cooked pasta.

I really liked this recipe. It was a little work but the chicken was really juicy and full of flavor. The sauce was delicious too. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 cups small whole fresh mushrooms
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup Burgundy wine
16 pearl onions, peeled
1 tablespoon bacon bits
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/8 cup all-purpose flour

Directions
Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Saute chicken over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on both sides.
Add the mushrooms, carrot, wine, onions, bacon bits, parsley, garlic, marjoram, thyme, bouillon, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, mushrooms, carrot, and onions to a platter, discarding bay leaf; cover to keep warm and set aside.
In a small bowl combine flour and water and whisk together. Stir mixture into skillet and cook until thick and bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Cook and stir 1 minute more and pour mixture over chicken and veggies. Serve warm.

This is a really hearty meal. You can put in any vegetables you want. For instance, I substituted broccoli for the yellow squash. Delicious!

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package seashell pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 boneless pork loin chops, cut into bite sized pieces
Worcestershire sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow squash, cut into bite sized pieces
1 zucchini, cut into bite sized pieces
6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
2 1/3 tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 dash red pepper flakes
grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add seashell pasta, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork in the skillet, and season with Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until almost done. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the green pepper, squash, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and garlic 3 to 4 minutes. Return the pork to the skillet.
Mix in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and wine into the skillet. Season with basil, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 35 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, and serve over the cooked pasta with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

This is a quick and easy weeknight meal. Steam some veggies, serve over pasta and you're done! The chicken is so tender and delicious! Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon butter

Directions
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute the chicken until it is nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes).
Add the garlic. Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue frying, shaking the skillet and stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover tightly and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Set aside. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, over medium high heat for about 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter or margarine and discard the bay leaf. Pour this mushroom sauce mixture over the chicken and serve.

My family and I really liked this. The chicken is moist and full of flavor! I served it over pasta and it made a really hearty fall meal. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
6 slices bacon, diced
2 onions, chopped
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup white wine
1 pound tomatoes, diced

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet; brown chicken; remove. Add bacon and saute over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
Add onions and mushrooms and continue to saute until onions are translucent. Return chicken to skillet; sprinkle with parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Add wine and tomatoes. Cover and let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, turning chicken once during cooking. Remove chicken from skillet and pour sauce over chicken.

I love anything in the crock pot and this is no exception. It's so simple, just throw everything in, make some spaghetti and voila, a hearty Italian dinner! Yum! Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
2 green bell pepper, seeded and cubed
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic

Directions
Put the chicken in the slow cooker. Top with the spaghetti sauce, green bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.
Cover, and cook on Low for 7 to 9 hours.

This a great pasta sauce and it makes a ton. The 3 of us had big portions and then I froze the rest that will be more than enough for another entire meal! It's really chunky, has a lot of vegetables and so much flavor! Makes 9 servings.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, shredded
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes
6 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound pasta


Directions
In a large skillet, warm oil over medium heat and saute bacon, onion and garlic until bacon is browned and crisp; set aside.
In large saucepan, brown beef and pork. Drain off excess fat. Stir in bacon mixture, mushrooms, carrots, celery, tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, stock, basil, oregano, salt and pepper to saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer one hour, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Serve sauce over hot pasta.

This is a really good casserole made with ingredients you probably already have at home. I used chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken. It doesn't take that long to make either, which is great for weeknights. Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS
1 (4 pound) whole chicken
1 onion, quartered
2 stalks celery
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup butter
8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1 cup cooked white rice
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot boil the chicken with the onion, celery and bay leaves until done. Let chicken cool until you can handle it. Remove chicken meat from the bones and cut into small pieces.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly stir in the cold milk and chicken stock and cook mixture until thick. Stir in the cheese.
In a large bowl combine the chicken, rice and mushrooms together. Stir in the cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper. Place mixture in a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

These are so simple and you wouldn't believe the amount of flavor for using so few ingredients. Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS
4 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch garlic salt, or to taste
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

DIRECTIONS
Season pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste.
In a large skillet, brown the chops over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms, and saute for one minute. Pour cream of mushroom soup over chops. Cover skillet, and reduce temperature to medium-low. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until chops are cooked through.

This is a simple Italian casserole that goes great with garlic bread. I didn't use the pepperoni in mine. Also, I halved the recipe and it still made a ton. Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage
1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
2 (32 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 pounds shredded mozzarella cheese
thinly sliced pepperoni

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Pour in rigatoni, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set pasta aside.
Meanwhile, brown ground beef and italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. With a slotted spoon, remove beef and sausage to a baking dish. Stir mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, and cooked pasta into the baking dish. Sprinkle cheese and pepperoni over the top.
Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

A simple marinade with unexpected ingredients makes for some yummy chicken. I made mine without the sesame seeds. Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
garlic salt to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 (8 ounce) package fresh chopped mushrooms
2 onions, quartered
1 green bell pepper, cut into large chunks

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, blend vegetable oil, soy sauce, light corn syrup, lemon juice, sesame seeds, garlic powder, and garlic salt. Place chicken in the mixture. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate. Thread chicken onto skewers alternately with mushrooms, onions, and green bell pepper. Pour marinade into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
Place skewers on the prepared grill. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Baste with the boiled marinade frequently during the last 10 minutes.

This is delicious! It takes a little time to cook but it is so worth it. It's great served over egg noodles. Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds sirloin tips, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
12 ounces mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup Burgundy wine

DIRECTIONS
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sear beef on all sides. Stir in onion, and saute until golden brown. Add mushrooms, butter, mushroom soup and wine. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.

This was really good! Putting the cheese in the sauce makes it nice and creamy, and perfect over white rice. Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
8 large mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, mushrooms and garlic. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, chicken stock, celery salt, white pepper and white wine. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and well blended, about 10 minutes. Mix 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese into the thickened sauce mixture, and stir until melted.
In a shallow medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken breast halves in the flour mixture to coat. Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned on all sides. Arrange breast halves in the prepared baking dish, and cover with the sauce.
Top chicken breast halves with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.