Easy One-Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta

One thing that has surprised me about having a baby is how much longer everything takes. Getting out the door, doing laundry, going to bed, making dinner…. The only things that seem to be happening faster these days are eating, showering, and sleeping. So as much as I love a good complicated recipe, I have been defaulting to quick and easy dishes pretty much every night (that doesn’t end in fast food :/ ). Things that I can throw together in 30 minutes or less are perfect for me. And if the recipe doesn’t dirty a ton of dishes, then it’s really a winner. So when I made the Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta from Nicole’s new cookbook a few weeks ago, I was in love – and inspired!

After making that pasta dish I almost immediately started thinking about making a Buffalo Chicken version. I thought the creamy pasta base would be a perfect match for the spicy Buffalo sauce. I have made different versions of Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese several times, and while they were all amazingly delicious, they were also packed full of fatty calories and more time consuming to make. This pasta is lightened up with the use of Greek yogurt and less cheese and also easier to make! Definitely a new favorite in our house!

 


A few more spicy Buffalo ideas!
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells
Homemade Buffalo Sauce
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Buffalo Chicken Bites

Chicken Tamale Pie From Scratch

Having a new kitchen is a lot of fun, but it can also be a little bit of a pain. You know how there are certain items that you just always have in your pantry? Yeah, chances are if you moved across country, and stored you kitchen stuff for over a month, you don’t have those items. This is especially true of condiments. I try and remember the basics when I go to the grocery, but it’s difficult to remember everything that you might like to have on your table at some point. That’s what happened to me as I went to put some delicious Cholula hot sauce on the table to go with this Chicken Tamale Pie. I was shocked to open my refrigerator and NOT find what is usually a staple in my house. Not to worry though, it turns out the Tamale Pie didn’t even need it!

We absolutely loved the flavor that was packed into this dish. It really did remind me of the tamales that I came to love in San Diego. I especially liked the texture of the crust, which was tender and moist, acting like a sponge for the enchilada sauce, but still just a bit crispy around the edges.

Now, I wanted to make each portion from scratch, so it took a little more time than most people want to spend on a weeknight. But, you could easily take some short cuts (like pre-cooked/shredded chicken or canned enchilada sauce) and turn this into a weeknight meal. Also, the enchilada sauce makes more than you will need, so you can throw it in the freezer for next time!

 

Here are some more delicious Mexican Inspired Dishes!

Mexican Lasagna
Barbacoa Beef for Burrito Bowls
Baked Rolled Tacos (Baked Taquitos)
Quinoa Mexican Soup

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells

Up until a few weeks into my second trimester I had a major aversion to chicken. Just the thought of it icked me out. The first time I noticed the aversion was when I was having lunch with a friend and I ordered a buffalo chicken wrap. I took one bite, looked at my friend, covered my mouth with a napkin and said, “Sorry”. I wound up picking out all of the chicken (and half of the lettuce). Next time we went for lunch I asked them to replace the chicken with beans (yeah, that’s right, I ordered a buffalo bean wrap, and it was delicious!).

I am finally over that crazy aversion and we’re back to having chicken several nights a week. Of course it’s easy for things to get repetitive when you eat chicken for dinner several times a week, so I’m always trying to think up new ways to use it. What better way to spice up chicken than to add buffalo sauce? To mix it up even more I decided to stuff the chicken in pasta shells. The result was fantastic! We absolutely loved this dinner, hope you do too!

 

Check out these other tasty Buffalo recipes, too!

Buffalo Chicken Salad
Buffalo Chicken Bites
Homemade Spicy Garlic Buffalo Sauce
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
 

Crockpot Pork and Sauerkraut

Sometimes I make and post things with a pretty good feeling that it will be well received (case in point –  Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread). Other times I make and post things that I love, but I pretty much know going into it that it’s not going to blow-up Pinterest. This is one of those things. I LOVE Pork and Sauerkraut with . It’s major comfort food for me. But it’s sauerkraut, so you either love it or hate it.

If you do love sauerkraut, this meal should be right up your alley. Warm and filling with the perfect tang from the sauerkraut. Bonus points for a short ingredient list and easy crockpot recipe. If you don’t love sauerkraut, just check back later this week when I will be sharing another pumpkin recipe that I think you’ll like. 🙂