Mini Penne with Spicy Chicken Alfredo (Sandra Lee)

8 oz dried mini penne pasta 1 jar Alfredo sauce 1 can Italian diced tomatoes 1 T Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 2 pkgs refrigerated cooked chicken breast strips, or cook and cut your own 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives shredded parmesan cheese 1. Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain well and return to hot pot. Cover and keep warm. 2. Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, combine Alfredo sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes over medium heat. Stir in chicken and olives. Brink to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. 3. Serve over hot cooked pasta and top with parmesan cheese.

Pasta Fagioli

This is one of my favorite soups in the CrockPot. I know it from the Olive Garden, but got the recipe off of one of my favorite cooking blogs, www.crockpot365.blogspot.com . It makes a ton. Freezes great; great for leftovers so I usually don't ever half the recipe. It also has tons of vegetables in it, so it's mostly good for you!

Pasta Fagioli

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 cans (14.5oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups beef broth (I do half beef broth/half water to cut down on sodium)
1 jar (16.5 oz) of your favorite pasta sauce
2 tsp oregano (I've used Italian seasoning when out of oregano)
1 T Tabasco, or less if you don't like spicy
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 c dry pasta (I use whatever I have open, and this past time it was small shells, which I really liked)

Use a 6 qt or larger crockpot. Brown meat on stovetop, drain well. Chop up carrots, onion, and celery. Add to empty crockpot. Drain and rinse the beans, and add them. Add the whole cans of tomatoes, and the pasta sauce. Add the beef broth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, and Tabasco sauce. Stir in meat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hrs or high for 4. When vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 c. dry pasta.

Cover and cook on low for another hour on low or until the pasta is tender. Serve with parmesan and garlic bread! We ate with a ceasar salad too, and it was yummy!