Pasta, Pesto, and Peas

3/4 lb fusilli pasta
3/4 lb bow tie pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 T lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pine nuts
3/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Cook the pastas seperately in large pots of boiling, salted water for 10 - 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayo and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Baked Pasta

1 pkg (16 oz) dry pasta
1 lb lean ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce
12 oz brown gravy
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

In a Dutch oven or large frying pan, cook and stir ground beef until brown. Add garlic, tomato sauce, gravy, cream, Parmesan cheese, oregano and basil. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain.

Combine the cooked pasta (we prefer ziti) and the sauce, and spread into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350d for 20 - 30 minutes, until bubbly.

Chicken Parmigiana

NOTE: The instructions below are for 3 complete entrees (4 servings each). This recipe is from the book Fix, Freeze, Feast.

12 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Flour
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups Dry bread crumbs
12 slices Mozzarella cheese
6 cups Red sauce (we make our own, but you can use store-bought pasta sauce)

Lay out three shallow dishes. Put the flour in one, the eggs in one, and the bread crumbs in the 3rd. Slightly flatten the chicken (we pounded with a meat pounder thingie). Take each piece of chicken, coat with flour, dip in egg, and then coat with breadcrumbs. Place each piece of chicken on a cookie sheet.

Place cookie sheet(s) in the freezer for 1-hour to flash-freeze chicken.

Put 2 cups of red sauce in to each of 3 quart-sized freezer bags, and seal. Divide the cheese into 3 portions of 4 slices each, and wrap in plastic wrap. Divide frozen chicken evenly among 1-gallon freezer bags. Place on bag of sauce and one packet of cheese into each bag of chicken. Seal and freeze.

To serve, thaw completely. Preheat oven to 375d. Place chicken in a greased baking dish. Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes. Pour red sauce evenly over each piece of chicken and continue baking for 10 minutes. Place a slice of cheese on top of each piece of chicken and bake until melted.