Meatless Meals: Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta

Today is Ash Wednesday.  And if you are Catholic, like us, you are probably on the hunt for a meatless meal for today and the next 7 Fridays.

One of my very favorite MeatFree options is my Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta!  Serve it with some veggies or a side salad, and you have a great meal where you won't even miss the meat! 

Your Shopping list for the Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta:

• one pound of pasta - any kind will work - I used Mini Rigatoni 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 galric cloves, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) San Marzano Tomatoes
• pinch of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese cut into cubes
• a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half
• a few leaves of fresh basil
• extra parmesan cheese for garnish and serving

 

Now Let's Make the Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente - drain and set aside
3. Meanwhile while the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a 12 inch cast iron skillet (any oven safe skillet will work)
4. Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden and fragrant 
5. Add the can of tomatoes and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to your liking
6. Simmer the tomatoes for at least 10 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes as they cook (I just use the back of my wooden spoon to do this)
7. Stir in the half and half and the parmesan cheese and mix until the sauce becomes pink
8. Now add the pasta and half of the cubed mozzarella cheese and toss until all of the pasta is coated with sauce
9. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the cherry tomatoes over the top and place skillet in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the cheese is melted 
10. Garnish with the fresh basil and extra parmesan 

When I make this dish, I use my Cast Iron Skillet:

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

It's Lent again, and that means coming up with meatless meals for Friday nights if you are Catholic!  Last year, I shared a couple of our favorite meatless meals (that I cook all year not just during Lent).  But I forgot to include my all-time favorite meatless meal and that is Baked Macaroni and Cheese!  I like simple mac and cheese, and this recipe is classic.  I made a few changes to my original recipe until I found the combination of ingredients that I like best!

Your Shopping List for the Baked Macaroni and Cheese:

• 1 pound Cavatappi Pasta
• 1 stick Butter, divided
• 4 tbsp Flour
• 5 cups Whole Milk
• 5 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (I used Sharp Cheddar)
• 2 cups Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• salt and pepper

Now Let's Make the Baked Macaroni and Cheese:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 casserole dish
2. In a small bowl, melt 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) of butter.  Stir panko breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese into the butter.  Add salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp each) - set aside
3. In a large pot of salted water, cook the Cavatappi Pasta until 3-4 minutes shy of al dente - drain and set aside
4. In a separate large pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) of butter over medium heat
5. Whisk the flour into the butter, then whisk in the salt and pepper (I do about 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper)
6. Once the flour/butter mixture is bubbly, add the 5 cups of whole milk, whisking often until mixture has thickened (you will notice that it starts to coat your whisk) and tiny bubbles appear on the surface
7. Add the grated cheddar cheese and whisk until completely smooth (I usually add cheese in two batches
8. Add the pasta into the cheese mixture - it will seem like there is a lot of cheese sauce and there should be!  The pasta will finish cooking in the oven and absorb a lot of the sauce!
9. Pour into prepared casserole dish
10. Top with breadcrumb mixture
11. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until the edges of the casserole are nice and brown

Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta

Last week, I set out to make something in my new cast iron skillet, which was a wonderful birthday gift from my in-laws!  I have been having some serious pasta cravings during this pregnancy, so I knew that pasta needed to be the main part of this dish!  We also needed to make a trip to the food store in the worst way...so this meal happened to be meatless and use ingredients that I had on hand (which is always a good thing)!

Your Shopping list for the Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta:

• one pound of pasta - any kind will work - I used Mini Rigatoni 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 galric cloves, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) San Marzano Tomatoes
• pinch of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese cut into cubes
• a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half
• a few leaves of fresh basil
• extra parmesan cheese for garnish and serving

Now Let's Make the Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente - drain and set aside
3. Meanwhile while the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a 12 inch cast iron skillet (any oven safe skillet will work)
4. Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden and fragrant 
5. Add the can of tomatoes and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to your liking
6. Simmer the tomatoes for at least 10 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes as they cook (I just use the back of my wooden spoon to do this)
7. Stir in the half and half and the parmesan cheese and mix until the sauce becomes pink
   
8. Now add the pasta and half of the cubed mozzarella cheese and toss until all of the pasta is coated with sauce
9. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the cherry tomatoes over the top and place skillet in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the cheese is melted 
10. Garnish with the fresh basil and extra parmesan 

This dish was a huge hit in our house!  Everyone loved it! 

I used this cast iron skillet to make this dish:

Easy Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Lent is in full swing, and Easter is about a month away!  If you are counting, there are also five Fridays before Easter Sunday, which means you may be in search of a great meat-free meal idea!  Last Friday, I made this Easy Cheesy Baked Tortellini Casserole for my family, and it was a hit!  I used to make this for John all the time when we were dating/engaged/newly married, but honestly I haven't made (or even thought about) this recipe in over a year!  Neither Lacie or Blakely has had it before, and they both ate a ton of it - loving every single cheesy bite!  

Now that I remember how simple it is to make and how delicious it is to eat, this Easy Cheesy Baked Tortellini will definitely be making it's way into the dinner rotation more often at the Hilosky House!

Here's What You Need to Make the Easy Cheesy Baked Tortellini:

• 1 large package of fresh cheese tortellini - about 16 to 20 ounces (from the refrigerator case at the grocery store)
• 2 cups of smooth marinara sauce (your favorite kind or homemade) 
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (I like whole milk ricotta)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese 

Now Let's Make The Easy Cheesy Baked Tortellini:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish
2. In a large pot of salted, boiling water cook tortellini for 2 minutes (only 2 minutes - don't over cook)
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the marinara sauce and the ricotta cheese 
   
4. Add the pasta to the sauce mixture and stir to coat 
   
5. Pour into prepared casserole dish 
6. Top with shredded mozzarella and parmesan 
   
7. Bake in preheated oven for 40 - 45 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the edges have browned
8. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving 

It is so so so Cheesy! 

How Easy Is That! Happy Meat-Free Cooking!  

Meatless Quesadillas

Easter is just a little over a month away!  And if you're Catholic, then you are most likely on the hunt for some meat-free meal ideas to make on Fridays during Lent.  While forgoing meat on Fridays is not a huge sacrifice to me personally...it is for John who is a huge meat eater!  My sacrifice is really planning the meatless menu!  One option that we both enjoy are these Meatless Quesadillas.  They are a quick meal that can be made in 15 minutes!  It's a great option for a light dinner or even for lunch.  Using corn tortillas makes this meal Gluten Free as well! 

Here's What You Need to Make the Meatless Quesadillas:

• 12 to 16 corn tortillas
• 2 - 3 cups shredded cheese - I used a Mexican Blend but you could use plain cheddar, monteray jack, etc.
• 2 bell peppers, any color, diced 
• 1 cup corn (frozen or fresh)
• 1 cup black beans
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Now Let's Make the Meatless Quesadillas:

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet (non-stick is easiest)
2. Add the diced peppers and sauté until slightly tender
   
3. Add the corn and cook for additional minute
4. Add black beans and stir until heated through
   
5. Add all seasonings, stir, and taste - add more of any spices if desired
6. Turn heat off and set mixture aside 
7. Place 6 corn tortillas on a large griddle
8. Top each tortilla with 2-3 tbsp of shredded cheese
9. Top the cheese with 3-4 tbsp of veggie and bean filling
   
10. Top filling with 2-3 additional tbsp of shredded cheese
11. Finally close the quesadillas with an additional corn tortilla
12. Turn heat on and cook until cheese is melted and quesadilla is lightly browned on the bottom
13. Use a spatula to flip and cook until lightly browned on the second side 
    
14. Transfer to a cutting board, cut and serve

This will make 6-8 quesadillas depending on the size and how much filling you use!  

Quesadillas are a great and fast meal!  It is also super easy to mix up any of the ingredients to meet the dietary needs and tastes of your family!  When I make this throughout the rest of the year, I will add shredded chicken to make them not meatless (and more filling for the hubby).