Family Night Pasta Bake

I have seen versions of this dish all over the place, and this is my take on it.


Family Night Pasta Bake

1 pound Italian sausage
1 box penne pasta
1 (15 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce
1 (24 oz.) jar Marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shaved parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes (optional)

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 Cook sausage until cooked through. Drain and set aside.

 Cook pasta according to directions and drain.

 In a large bowl, mix cooked sausage, both sauces and the mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine. Add red pepper flakes to suit your taste (optional). Add cooked pasta and mix thoroughly.

 Pour mixture into 9 x 13 baking dish and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

 Remove from oven and top with shaved parmesan cheese.  Bake for an additional 5 minutes.  (Grated parmesan can be substituted, but shaved gives a nice melty texture.)

Serve with garlic bread and a salad, and you're all set.  So simple and tasty!

Easy Chicken Tortilla Bake

I saw a recipe for Easy Chicken Tortilla Bake here and thought it looked pretty easy and tasty, so I tried it.  This was one of the easiest recipes I've ever made, and the entire family (including my picky daughter) all liked it.  You make it in an 8x8 dish, but it goes all the way to the top, so it's a lot of food!

Here's the recipe:

Easy Chicken Tortilla Bake

3 cups cooked chicken, diced 

1 (16 oz) jar Pace Salsa Verde (I couldn't find Pace and just used another brand)
1 cup sour cream plus additional for topping, if desired (could also use reduced-fat)
5 (6-inch) corn tortillas (I used white corn tortillas)
2 cups shredded cheese  (I used a 2% Mexican blend)
Diced jalapeno peppers, optional (I used canned)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8X8 casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cut or tear tortillas into smaller pieces.

Spread half the chicken on the bottom of the casserole dish, top with half of the salsa verde, then half of the sour cream, half of the tortilla strips, then half of the shredded cheese. Repeat layers. 


Cover dish with aluminum foil and baked in preheated oven for 40 minutes. 


Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes, until bubbly. 


Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Top with jalapeños and/or more sour cream if desired. (I desired.)

I served this with a side of zucchini, yellow squash, and onions, topped with black pepper and a little season salt.

So yummy!