Bourbon Street Chicken

Okay, so immediately after tasting this, I realized what everyone was raving about! The sauce has a great flavor, just the right amount of sweetness and spice. It is also such a simple recipe...which of course makes meals 10 times better! There is no BOURBON in this recipe...who knows why it is called bourbon?? Anyone? Anyway, it is delicious, my hubby said it is one of the best chicken dishes I have ever MADE! Points with the husband can never hurt. I even made this recipe once without the crused red pepper flakes and it was equally as divine. Enjoy!

Bourbon Street Chicken
Printable Version

Chicken
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs. oil (for frying)
4 Tbs. cornstarch

Sauce
1 garlic clove (minced)
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce (or Bragg Liquid Aminos to be GF)

Cut chicken breasts into bit sized pieces, and lightly dust with cornstarch. Heat oil in your wok or frying pan and fry chicken until lightly browned. Drain chicken on paper towels and set aside.

In a separate bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Pour into wok or frying pan and bring to a boil. Add chicken back to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice or quinoa...delish!

Serves 4.
Recipe from Blog Chef

Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups

Let’s mix it up a little...Lasagna, rolled up in individual portions, with alfredo sauce instead of tomato sauce. Not to mention the perfect rolls plopped onto your plate...they make for a much prettier show than the normal slop of a lasagna serving! These little babies were amazing! I switched the original recipe up quite a bit, and I would 100% recommend making homemade alfredo sauce. But, if you know me, you know I just CAN’T stand pre-made alfredo. Ew. Ew. EEW. I put my yum-o garlic alfredo sauce at the end of this recipe, just in case you share in my disdain! Oooo...and if you served these Divine Breadsticks with the roll-ups...you would be famous:)

Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups
Printable Version

9 lasagna noodles
2 ½ cups alfredo sauce (optional homemade recipe below)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
oregano
garlic salt
3 cups shredded Mozzarella, or cheese of your choice

Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and pour ½ cup alfredo sauce, or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Boil 8-10 cups water in a large pan, cook lasagne noodles until al dente. (I usually cook 1 or 2 extra just because lasagna noodles always seem to break on me when I am stirring them.)
Now this is the important part! Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other. Then, lay out each noodle individually and blot dry with a paper towel.

Spread about 2 Tbs. alfredo sauce over each noodle. (if there is too much sauce you will have a big mess on your hands!) Sprinkle oregano and garlic salt on top of sauce. Take 1/9 of the shredded chicken and spread it out evenly over each noodle. Add approx. 3 Tbs. cheese. To roll up, start at one end and roll the noodle over the toppings. You will need to lift the noodle a little to prevent squishing out the inside ingredients while rolling.

Place the roll-ups in the pan, one by one, seam-side down so they don't come undone. Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining alfredo sauce over the top. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted on top.

Serves 3, 3 roll-ups each
Recipe highly adapted from Artsyfartsymama.blogspot.com

The Best Garlic Alfredo Sauce
Printable Version

½ cup butter
2 ounces cream cheese
2 cups heavy cream (or substitute half and half)
2 teaspoon garlic powder
½  tsp. fresh minced garlic
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp dried oregano
⅔ cup parmesan cheese

In a medium to large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add fresh minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the cream cheese and whisk to smooth and melted. Whisk in the heavy cream.
Season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and whisk frequently until sauce thickens, around 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and when melted, remove from heat and serve.

Makes 2 ½ cups
Recipe from Momma!

Coconut Crusted Chicken with Orange Dipping sauce

MMM mmm good! Perfect crunch, perfect sweetness, a little tang, and, like I said, MMM mmm good! Every bite left me wanting more.

Coconut Chicken with Orange Dipping Sauce
Printable Version

1 egg
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
½ cup flour
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup butter, melted
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg in medium bowl; set aside. Mix the coconut, flour, garlic powder, salt and peeper in a shallow bowl. Working with one chicken breast at a time, dip the chicken in the bowl with the beaten egg and then coat with the coconut mixture.

Place on the baking sheet. Once all the chicken breasts are coated and on the baking sheet, evenly drizzle with the melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Prepare the orange sauce by combining the marmalade and the mustard together. Serve with rice or quinoa.

Serves 4.
Recipe adapted from Pennies on a Platter

The Best Garlic Alfredo Sauce

Just looking at this photo you can tell how creamy and divine this Alfredo Sauce is. From the third step of the recipe, melting the cream cheese, my mouth was watering. I knew from the beginning that this was going to be amazing. This proved right at the very first bite! Both my hubbs and I loved this sauce, it is my new go-to alfredo sauce for sure!

The Best Garlic Alfredo Sauce
Printable Version

½ cup butter
2 ounces cream cheese
2 cups heavy cream (or substitute half and half)
2 teaspoon garlic powder
½  tsp. fresh minced garlic
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp dried oregano
⅔ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

In a medium to large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add fresh minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the cream cheese and whisk to smooth and melted. Whisk in the heavy cream.
Season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and whisk frequently until sauce thickens, around 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and when melted, remove from heat and serve.

Makes 2 cups

Mango Pulled Pork Enchiladas

So, this recipe was out of leftovers. You heard it folks! My husband actually KNEW we were going to eat this pork as a leftover and was OKAY with it! You know that a meal is 100% amazing if it is approved to be eaten twice in one week, (or one month for that matter) in my home. I first made Mango Pulled Pork Sandwiches, and a couple days later whipped up these delicious puppies. Honestly, the sandwiches were great. And HONESTLY, these were AMAZING. Good thing you can make them both by just preparing one night. Thank you for bringing this into my life Food Network, and my sanity of actually using leftovers thanks you as well.
Mango Pulled Pork Enchiladas
Printable Version 

1 boneless pork shoulder (boston butt), about 3 pounds
1 cup chicken broth

Rub
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Mango BBQ Sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 onion, finely minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced (seeds discarded if you don't like it spicy)
Kosher salt
2 cups mango puree (5 mangos, 1/2 lemon, 2 Tbs. sugar)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

Enchilada ingredients:
10 tortillas
2 cups Monterray Jack cheese
10 oz. can green enchilada sauce
1 cup leftover Mango BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup cream
1 tsp. cayenne pepper


Rub: Combine the rub ingredients, in a small bowl and massage it into the pork shoulder until well coated. Refrigerated until ready to use, 3-24 hours.

Mango BBQ sauce: In a large saucepan, warm the oil, over low heat, until hot and shimmering. Add the cumin and fennel; they should splutter upon contact - be careful! Add the onions, ginger and serrano and a little salt, to taste. Saute until they soften but don't let them get any color. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Simmer about 5 minutes. Taste and season.
Place pork shoulder in crock pot. Pour 1 cup chicken base over pork and cook on low for 4 hours. After 4 hours, drain liquid and replace with Mango BBQ Sauce, RESERVING 1 cup of sauce. Cook an additional 3 hours on low.
Remove the pork from the saucepan and shred it using 2 forks. Return it to the sauce and stir to coat with the sauce.
Equally divide meat and 1 cup cheese between 10 tortillas.
Pour 1/2 can of enchilada sauce along bottom of pan. Mix the other 1/2 of the can, the 1 cup mango BBQ sauce mixture, and cream together. Pour over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until edges are crispy and cheese is bubbling.

Serves 10.
Recipe adapted from Aarti Party

Mango Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Where to begin? We love The Next Food Network Star. My hubby and I are die hard, I mean seriously. We watch every episode and actually look forward to it all week! We were gunning for Aarti to win from the beginning- Indian food rocks our world. She pulled it out! And then she pulled these out...Mango Pulled Pork. Seriously?! What could be better? Sweet, delicious mango on tender, juicy pork that falls apart in your mouth with just a kick of flavor. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. (And I used the leftovers to make Mango Pulled Pork Enchiladas...which in my opinion, are MORE Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Really!)
Mango Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Printable Version


1 boneless pork shoulder (boston butt), about 3 pounds
1 cup chicken broth

Rub
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Mango BBQ Sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 onion, finely minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced (seeds discarded if you don't like it spicy)
Kosher salt
2 cups mango puree (5 mangos, 1/2 lemon, 2 Tbs. sugar)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
10 rolls, sliced

Rub: Combine the rub ingredients, in a small bowl and massage it into the pork shoulder until well coated. Refrigerated until ready to use, 3-24 hours.

Mango BBQ sauce: In a large saucepan, warm the oil, over low heat, until hot and simmering. Add the cumin and fennel; they should splutter upon contact - be careful! Add the onions, ginger and serrano and a little salt, to taste. Saute until they soften but don't let them get any color. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Simmer about 5 minutes. Taste and season.
Place pork shoulder in crock pot. Pour 1 cup chicken broth over pork and cook on low for 4 hours. After 4 hours, drain liquid and replace with Mango BBQ Sauce, RESERVING 1 cup of sauce. Cook an additional 3 hours on low.
Remove the pork from the saucepan and shred it using 2 forks. Return it to the sauce and stir to coat with the sauce. Put a generous spoonful of the pork on top of sliced  bun, top with a reserved Mango BBQ sauce. (This is key! The extra sauce makes these sandwiches!)
Recipe adapted form Aarti Party

Pesto Pork Panini

I can't even tell you how obsessed I am with pesto right now. My amazing friend, Ali, let me borrow some one night when I was in a crunch before dinner. She suggested making Pesto, tomato, and mozzarella paninis. I kicked it up a notch and this is what I came up with! Since this meal I have also done avocado, sweet bell peppers, thinly sliced turkey, pesto and havarti cheese, and HOLY yum! Give it a shot, you will thank me! (And Ali!)

Pesto Panini

Printable Version

4 slices bread

2 Tbs. pesto (I used Knorr brand Pesto Sauce Mix)

1 1/2 Tbs. mayonaise

1 Tbs. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Pork Panini

1 medium roma tomato

1 pork loin, thinly sliced and sauteed

mozzarella cheese

Turkey Panini

4 slices turkey

1/2 avocado

1 sweet bell pepper

2 slices havarti cheese

Preheat your panini press.

For the pesto, either use pre-made pesto or purchase a Knorr brand Pesto Sauce Mix. I found this near the gravy mixes in the grocery store. Pour package into a small bowl, and add mayo and EVOO. Spread 1 Tbs. of pesto on 2 of the slices of bread.

Divide tomato, pork, and mozzarella evenly between the bread.

Place the sandwiches in the panini press and close the lid. Grill the sandwich until the bread is toasty and the cheese is melted. Slice in half and serve warm.

Serves 2.

Basil Butter

Basil Butter....who would have thought? Okay, so maybe all of you knew about this wonderful topping, but I didn't! I was just browsing on foodnetwork.com looking for a recipe with fresh basil. My cute friend Teddy grows it and I had a ton to use up! I found this recipe from Paula Deen, of course 'butter' is involved, and it was wonderful. You were supposed to top grilled chicken with this basil butter, which we did and loved. However, we then added it to our fresh corn, and O MY GOSH! It was great. I mean awesome. I mean great and awesome and so much more!

Basil Butter

Printable Version

2 Tbs. freshly minced basil leaves

1/4 cup softened butter

1 Tbs. parmesan

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Serve on top of any vegetable or grilled meat.

Serves 2.

Recipe adapted from Paula Deen

Cilantro Salsa

Thank you Missy! I really, really don't like salsa. I mean, REALLY don't like it. I have always avoided chips and salsa wherever I go, well, because I am a wuss. I hate spicy; and to me, salsa, even mild salsa, is spicy. Well, my sister-in-law helped me get over my hatred when she introduced me to this o-so-cilantro-ey salsa recipe! It is DELISH! I whip it up way to often now, and I have even started basing my meals around it sometimes. We throw this on sandwiches and quesadillas constantly to liven them up a little bit.

Cilantro Salsa

Printable Version

1 16 oz. jar Pace mild salsa

1 large bunch cilatro

Put salsa and cilantro in blender or food processor. Serve with chips, on sandwiches, or however you desire!

Recipe from Missy.

Raspberry Balsamic Glazed Meatballs

This was supposed to be an appetizer, but I whipped it into a meal by simply adding rice! These would be great served with just a toothpick in them as well. I made simple homemade meatballs, but frozen meatballs would be an even easier meal.

Raspberry Balsamic Glazed Meatballs

Printable Version

2 pounds fully cooked meatballs

1 cup raspberry preserves

3 Tbs. sugar

3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs. worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 Tbs. ginger

Coat crock-pot with nonstick cooking spray. Add meatballs (thawed if pre-frozen). In a small bowl, combine preserves, sugar, vinegar, worcestershire, and pepper flakes. Microwave on HIGH 45 seconds. Stir; microwave 3o seconds or until melted. (Mixture will be chunky). Pour mixture over meatballs and toss gently to coat well. Cover, cook on low for 2 1/2 hours. Stir in ginger, if desired. Cook uncovered 15 minutes to thicken slightly, stirring occasionally. Serve with rice for a main dish or toothpicks for an appetizer.

Serves 4 as a meal, 15 as an appetizer.

Recipe From: The Crock Pot Recipe Card Collection

Creamy Mac and Cheese with Parmesan Crusted Chicken

This dish was inspired by the Noodle Company. They serve a delicious macaroni and cheese and you can add some crusted chicken to the meal for just $2...anyway...this is not a plug for them, but for me! I wanted to try to replicate it...and this was pretty close! The flavor of the mac and cheese was just a little different, but O SO DELICIOUS! It comes in a close second to my Momma's Mac and Cheese. This is perfectly creamy and the Parmesan Crusted Chicken adds the perfect crunch.

Creamy Mac and Cheese with Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Printable Version

Creamy Mac and Cheese

16 oz. desired noodles

1 Tbs. flour

1 Tbs. butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup 1% milk

1 1/2 cups colby jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and 8x8 glass baking dish and set aside. Boil noodles until al dente, because they will cook the remainder of the way in the oven; drain.

While noodles are cooking, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about 30 seconds. Add cream and milk, constantly stirring, and increase heat to medium. Add 1 1/2 cups colby jack cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan, stir until melted and slightly thickened. Add noodles and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to a the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles. Serve with Parmesan Crusted Chicken, below.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/8 inch thickness
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, then eggs, then bread crumb/parmesan mixture. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium, being careful not to burn panko crumbs. Cook, turning once, until crumbs are golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side.

Recipe Adapted from Giada

Serves 4.

Crispy Chicken with Orange Dipping Sauce

"One of the best meals you have ever made". This is what my husband said after just a few bites of this delicious chicken. Thank you Williams-Sonoma for making me look good! I have always been afraid of frying for two reasons, 1-so many fried foods are fried wrong and are greasy, greasy; 2-the oil gets so hot so fast and the temperature is hard to maintain. I overcame both of those with this recipe! YES!!! This was not greasy at all, so flavorful, and I was able to keep the oil at a good temperature with one simple key: Patience. It is hard for me, but it paid off! This meal is to die for...

Crispy Chicken with Orange Dipping Sauce
Printable Version

3/4 cup orange marmalade
3 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. ketchup
1 1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/8 inch thickness
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

To make the dipping sauce, in a saucepan, stir together the orange marmalade, soy sauce, ketchup, and worcestershire sauce. Heat to simmering then divide into 4 small ramekins.

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium, being careful not to burn panko crumbs. Cook, turning nce, until crumbs are golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Recipe from: Williams-Sonoma "Chicken"
Serves 4

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

This is hands-down the best cranberry sauce. I never liked cranberry sauce until this year I decided to make it myself for Thanksgiving...it was deathly! I still have a tupperware of it and I am sneaking spoonfuls each day-I just can't stay away!

Cranberry Sauce

Printable Version

4 cups fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

3 Tbs. 100% Orange juice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Dissolve sugar in water and orange juice while bringing to a boil. Add cranberries and reduce to simmering. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until all cranberries have popped. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Enjoy!

Penne Gorgonzola Chicken

Where to begin...this dish was creamy and simply delightful! Every bite of this meal was a new flavor explosion, I now LOVE gorgonzola cheese. I have a feeling that because of this dish I will now be googling other meals with this creamy, flavorful cheese just so I can eat more of it! I was very nervous at first when putting such a strong flavored cheese into this simple meal, but it turned out ten times better than I imagined. It was a 15 minute meal, too, which adds even more to the love factor. My hubbs loved it just as much as I did, which is definitely saying something! (Too bad we can't eat this every week...the butter and cream are a killer combo! hehe!) Enjoy!

Penne Gorgonzola Chicken

Printable Version

1 chicken breast


7 oz. penne pasta


1/4 C. butter 


8 oz. heavy cream


2.5 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled 


1/8 C. shredded parmesan

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Season chicken with salt and pepper and grill. Slice into thin strips. Bring water to a boil and add pasta. While pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Melt butter in saucepan, heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Simmer 1 minute being careful not to let the butter burn. Slowly add cream and heat to a low boil to reduce, stirring constantly. Boil for 3 minutes. Reduce heat, add gorgonzola, parmesan, and nutmeg. Stir until melted. Serve sauce over noodles and top with chicken.

Serves 2.

Recipe From: My Kitchen Cafe

Sticky Coconut Chicken

Have you ever heard of Rumbi Island Grill? If I wouldn't have been in the kitchen preparing this, I would have thought I was at the restaurant being served this dish! This chicken was the most perfect tangy BBQ meat I have ever had. The calm coconut flavor barely comes through in the chicken, until combined with the glaze...they each make one another shine! I know that I am going to alternating when making this dish between serving it with rice and omitting the rice and serving the chicken on a toasted bun with pineapple and plenty of the delicious Make-The-Meal glaze!

Sticky Coconut Chicken

Printable Version

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
3/4 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Marinade chicken in coconut milk, ginger, pepper and red pepper flakes for about four hours. Grill on barbecue.

Glaze:
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp. water (to thicken)

While the chicken is grilling, bring above ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for about 5 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved. Add cornstarch/water mix. Once it starts getting thick, immediately take it off the heat. The glaze will continue to thicken while standing. Glaze both sides of chicken the last few minutes of grilling and serve chicken over rice. Top chicken with remaining glaze...this is very important, the glaze makes this dish!

Serves 3.

Recipe Adapted from: My Kitchen Cafe

Four Cheese Baked Ziti

I love cheese. I love pink sauce. I love garlic. I love ziti. Therefore, this meal was right up my alley. However, I know that it will be right up EVERYONE's alley that tries it! This was definitely a winner...an all-time, definitely going on my "meals to impress the in-laws" list! This homemade pink sauce(tomato and cream sauce) was to die for...I will definitely be using it in other pasta recipes. Give this a shot...preferably when you are having company, they will love you!

Four Cheese Baked Ziti
Printable Version

8 oz. cottage cheese
8 0z. ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
10 oz. ziti or similar pasta (like penne)

Pink Sauce
2 heaping teaspoons minced garlic
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (7 ounce) can stewed tomatoes (pureed)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
Black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy cream (or substitute whole milk but increase the amount of cornstarch to 1 teaspoons and the cooking time in step 3 by 1 to 2 minutes)


Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, egg and 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese together in a medium bowl; set aside. Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a large pot over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, about 7 minutes (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain pasta and leave in colander. Do not wash the large pot.

While the pasta is cooking, place garlic in skillet and heat over medium heat. Stir in the tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, sugar, basil and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Take off heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir cornstarch into heavy cream and transfer mixture to the now-empty large pot the pasta cooked in. Set the pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. (Do not skip this step!) Remove pot from heat and add tomato sauce mixture and stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.

Transfer half of pasta mixture to a 8X8-inch baking dish. Drop cottage cheese mixture by spoonfuls over bottom layer of pasta. Pour the remaining pasta mixture over the top. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Serves 4.

Adapted from: All that Splatters and My Kitchen Cafe