Becky Higgins’ Garlic Chicken Farfalle

From: www.kevinandamanda.com

16 oz. Farfalle pasta  (add 1 T. of salt to boiling water)
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 tsp. pepper (or less, do what you think you will like)
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled (DON'T skimp!!)
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

1. Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours.
2. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. 
3. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta in salted water.
4. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. 
5. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. 
6. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. 
7. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded Parmesan cheese on top.

Four Cheese Pasta with Bacon

1 box (1 lb.) cavatappi
6 slices bacon; diced
1 T. unsalted butter
3 T. flour
2 cups 2% milk
1/2 tsp. onion flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese; shredded
1 cup shredded colby-jack (4oz)
1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 oz)
8 slices American cheese (6 oz)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat 3-quart broiler safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling; add pasta and cook for 8 minutes; drain
3. Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; 6 minutes.  Transfer to paper towels.  Pour off drippings, returning 2 T. to pan. Add butter
4. Whisk in flour until smooth.  Slowly whisk in milk.  
5. Stir in onion flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. In a large bowl toss together cheddar, mozzerella, and colby-jack cheeses.
7. Remove milk mixture from heat; whisk in american cheese and 1 1/4 cup of cheese mixture.  
8. Mix bacon and remaining cheese together; set aside.
9. In pasta pot, combine pasta and cheese sauce.  Pour half into prepared dish.  Sprinkle with generous cup of bacon-cheese mixture.  Repeat layering.
10. Bake for 20 minutes.  Increase temperature to broil and broil for 3 minutes until lightly browned.  

Servings:  10 cups

404 calories, 21 g. fat, 20 g. protein, 33 g. carbs, 2 g fiber, 616 mg sodium, 63 mg cholesterol

Green Chile-Cilantro Pesto

2 c. fresh cilantro; slightly packed
1 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese; grated
4 (4 oz) can medium-hot green chilies; chopped
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped fine
1/4 c. pine nuts
2 garlic cloves; peeled
1/2 c. olive oil
Salt & pepper

1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
2. Puree cilantro, cheese, green chilies, jalapeño, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
3. With processor running, add oil in steady stream until emulsified.
4. Season with salt & pepper and toss with cooked pasta.

Sauce makes enough for 1 pound of pasta.

Miracle Lasagna

From:  Tanya Purcell (2009)

1 (45 oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce with meat
**(I add my own 1 lb. hamburger cooked with 1 medium onion and 1 minced garlic clove)**
6 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (16 oz) container cottage cheese
3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. In 2 qt. baking dish, spread 1 c. sauce
2. Top with 3 uncooked noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese, 1 c. mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and 1 c. sauce.
3. Top with remaining noodles and layer again.
4. Cover and make at 375 degrees for 1 hour.  
5. Remove cover, top with remaining cheese and cook until cheese is completely melted.
6. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting