Cheesy Kielbasa and Pasta Dinner

Good evening my friends!  It feels so good to bring you a new recipe last week and another one this week!  I have missed it, and all of you.

I found kielbasa at the store marked down.  1.00!  I bought a handful, ok....I bought 8,  Straight into the freezer for a good potato and kielbasa hash with a fried egg on top or something for breakfast or breakfast for dinners.  I asked you all on Facebook for your best recipes using kielbasa, and what great feedback.  I plan to give many of them a try!  I wanted to use pasta and cheese, and had never run across much of that nature so I went to work and hit this on the head, the first time and I can assure you, this might be a once a weeker in our house now!

This is a one pot show.  Everything into one hot tub and you are golden.  I even served it straight out of the pot.  Why not?  Added some crusty bread and a green salad and boom!

Feel free to trade out the can of diced tomatoes for a very large fresh tomato, diced!

1 T olive oil
1 lb kielbasa, cut into coins
1 tsp minced garlic
1- 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (feel free to swap out one LG fresh tomato, diced)
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 T onion powder
16 ounces short pasta (I used rotini)
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)

In a large pot, on medium heat add in your olive oil.  Let warm for a minute and add in your keilbasa and let heat through and brown for 2-3 minutes.  Add in your garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute.  Add in your chicken stock and tomatoes (with juice).  Stir in your onion powder and bring the mixture to a boil. 

When it boils, add in your pasta, stir and cover and let simmer 8-9 minutes.
 

Remove lid, stir in heavy cream and 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

Mix until combined.  Add the other cup of cheddar on top and put the lid back on.  Let sit for 3-4 minutes to melt the cheese.

I served this with some nice crostini and fresh green beans!

If you enjoy this recipe you may also enjoy:

Mexican Spaghetti
Goulash
Orecchiette and Sausage

Cookies and Cream Oreo Blondies

Heyyyaaaa!!  Long time no see, eh?  Been a slow summer.  Been in a transition time and just haven't been mentally at my best.  I am looking forward to fall and winter though!   Lots of kitchen time!  Lots of soup!  Lots of comfort food!  Lots of delicious goodness!

As most of you know, I have a new YouTube channel.  I would love to have you subscribe if you haven't.  Here is the link, FoodThoughtsOfaChefWannabe.  You will find lifestyle, food, hauls, Scentsy, and random videos with my littles and hubby!  That being said, I love couponing so one fo those channels I watch, Nicole Burgess and she shared this recipe from Six Sisters Stuff.  I adapted my recipe from that.  I changed it up in a way I thought we would enjoy it better!

Here is what you will need:

1 cup butter softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3.4 ounce package of INSTANT vanilla pudding
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 heaping cup of white chocolate chips
20 Oreo's roughly chopped  (I save a handful off to the side to sprinkle on top when it is in the pan)

You can do this by hand, but the mixture gets pretty thick and hard to stir, (I learned the first time).  I did it in my stand mixer this time!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.

In your stand mixer cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.  When it is smooth and fluffy, add in vanilla pudding mix.  Mix until completely incorporated.  Scrape down the sides as needed!

Mix together the flour, soda, powder, and salt.  Just mix for a couple of seconds and then add flour mixture into the mixer bowl half at a time and continue mixing.  Next add in your cookies and white chocolate chips, (minus that handful) Mix until just combined.  Pour out into your 9x13 and even it out as best you can.

Pop it in the oven for 25-30 minutes.  It should still be a little gooey looking in the middle!  Let cool and serve up with an ice cold glass of milk!

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Double Chocolate Mint Brownies
Chocolate Amaretti Trifle
Chocolate Crunch Brownies