Monday's Menu

Last week, I got a craving for some cheesy alfredo noodles. So I checked to see if there might be a good knockoff recipe of one of my favorite restaurant's dishes. Alas, there was none.

I did, however, have a jar of alfredo sauce in the pantry. So I did a little experimenting. Everyone seemed to like it quite well.

Canned alfredo sauce is always a little bland in my opinion so I made sure to add some pepper and oregano. But I had a light touch and I think it could have used a little more. No one else seemed to mind it though. One definite indication that it was hit:  Hubby took some leftover to work for his lunch the next day. Even Rugrat seemed to be happy to have it two days in a row.

You could, of course, make your own alfredo sauce which would probably be more tasty too. That's not a recipe I have quite mastered yet though. You can also pump this up or down by adding other favorite things. One thought I had was pepperoni. And definitely a few more spices. You could also try things like mushrooms or bell peppers.

Have fun with it.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne

4 cups or so of cooked and drained penne pasta (tube-shaped with angled ends)

2 cups cooked boneless, skinless chicken chunks

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cups chopped fresh spinach

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded Provolone cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 jar alfredo sauce (or about 2-3 cups homemade)

Additional cheeses to top

In nonstick skillet, saute onions in olive oil until tender. Add spinach and saute until wilted. Remove from heat. Mix together chicken chunks, noodles, alfredo sauce, spinach/onion mixture, oregano, pepper, and cheeses. Sprinkle more cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned and warmed through, about 20 minutes.