Spinach Fettuccine

Ever have those nights where you go back and forth from the fridge to the pantry hoping a meal will throw itself together? Last night was one of those nights. Our summer has been crazy busy and with Corey working out of town I haven't been meal planning. It was hot and the girls and I were hungry so it was time for a little "pantry surprise". I dug deep into the pantry and found a box of spinach fettuccine and started from there. We always have frozen shrimp in the freezer and I had a jar of marinated artichoke hearts that needed to be used. Combine that with plenty of cherry tomatoes from the garden and you have dinner!

*I have made this twice now, the second time I tweaked it a bit and here is the final (or as final as my recipes get!) version.

What you will need:

Spinach Fettuccine
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts
2 cups (roughly) halved cherry tomatoes
1 package mushrooms
1/4 of a medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Frozen shrimp, cleaned
Feta Cheese (I have used the herbed feta and the regular, they are both good!)
Butter

Prepare spinach fettuccine as directed on package. In a large pan cook onions, garlic and mushrooms in butter until tender. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and shrimp. Cook for a few minutes until warmed through. Add fettuccine and feta cheese, toss to combine. Serve with crusty french bread.

Enjoy!

Italian Style Pasta Salad

Fresh and delicious, this salad is always a hit. I am making this tonight to serve along side grilled chicken. The longer it chills the better.

Prepare as directed:

1 box of spiral pasta

Rinse with cold water and let drain. Move pasta to a large bowl. Add:

2 cans olives, sliced in half
sharp cheddar cheese, diced into cubes (about 1 cup I would guess)
small container of grape tomatoes
1 - 8 oz package Italian Dry Salami, sliced into strips
4-5 green onions, sliced
1 small can sliced pepperoncini's (optional!)
1 bottle of Italian style dressing of your choice

Mix well and let chill.

*If I make the salad the day before it will be eaten I reserve half the dressing and add it before serving.

Enjoy!

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

In a large resealable bag toss together:

2 zucchini cut into 1 inch cubes
2 yellow squash cut into 1 inch cubes
2 red peppers cut into 1 inch strips
1 package of mushrooms
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning

Place vegetables on a baking sheet and roast 15 minutes or until tender and remove to a large bowl.

In a large pot cook until al dente

1 package of whole wheat or multigrain penne pasta

Drain and add to vegetables. Combine with:

1 jar marinara sauce
1 cup grated fontina
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup of parmesean

Pour mixture into a greased 13x9 inch pan. Top with additional parmesan and mozzarella. Bake 25 minutes.

**I love, love, love this recipe! It is so versatile. You can mix and match your veggies, pasta, sauces... use whatever you have on hand. In the summer I like to grill my veggies before hand, it gives it a different flavor.

Enjoy!