CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:
1 whole Recipe For Pizza Crust (recipe below makes 2 crusts)
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
½ cups Barbecue Sauce
Olive Oil, For Drizzling
Salt For Sprinkling
16 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced Thinly
½ whole Red Onion, Cut In Half And Sliced Very Thin
Chopped Cilantro, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Salt chicken breasts on both sides, then place in an ovenproof dish. Pour BBQ sauce over the breasts and turn them over to coat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove from oven and cut into a fine dice. Set aside.
Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.
Roll/stretch out one pizza crust. Lay it on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle a little olive oil on the crust, then sprinkle on a little salt.
Spoon a couple of tablespoons of extra BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly. Top sauce with half the sliced mozzarella. Sprinkle on half the diced chicken and thinly sliced red onion.
Sprinkle again with a little salt, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle on plenty of chopped cilantro. Cut into squares and serve immediately. Repeat with other crust and other ingredients, or save for another time.

Pizza Crust
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
1-½ cup Warm Water
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
⅓ cups Olive Oil
Directions:
Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.
Note: it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.
When you are ready to make the pizza, grab HALF the pizza dough (recipe makes 2 crusts) and squeeze the dough toward the bottom to form a nice, tight, pulled ball. You can roll out the pizza with a rolling pin if you’d like, but sometimes it’s just as easy to throw it around and pull and stretch till it feels right. And when the crust is nice and thin, lay it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan. Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and spread it with your fingers. Very lightly sprinkle some salt on the crust.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Top your crust with your toppings of choice. Then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Ranch Wings

Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken wings, split at the joint, tips removed
3 1-ounce packets ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup honey

Directions:
Toss the wings with 1 packet dressing mix in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.
Whisk the flour, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 packet dressing mix in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, 2 tablespoons water and the remaining packet dressing mix. Dredge the wings a few at a time in the seasoned flour, then dip into the egg mixture and return to the flour mixture, turning to coat. Transfer to a rack.
Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Fry the wings in batches until crisp and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Whisk the hot sauce and honey in a bowl. Serve with the wings.

Cashew Chicken Over Puff Pastry

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
2 cups uncooked chicken, chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
3/4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
Heat 1T. butter and cook cashews until lightly toasted. Remove nuts from pan. Heat 2T. butter, saute chicken and onions stirring often. Add chicken broth and broccoli. Cover and cook until broccoli is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce; stir into chicken mixture. Stir over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and add cashews.

Parmesan Cream Sauce
2 T.butter
2 teaspoons flour
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook and stir with wire whisk 1 minute. Add cream, whisking vigorously until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan.

Thai Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon Tabasco or cayenne pepper sauce
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
8 (9- to 10-inch) flour or wheat tortillas
8 ounces Monterey Jack Cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup thinly slice green onions
1/2 cup diced roasted salted peanuts
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
Brown chicken in a large non-stick skillet until it is cooked through. Mix together ginger, hot sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice. Stir into chicken.

Lay 4 tortillas on the counter and spread 1/3 cup cheese over each. Spread 1 cup chicken over cheese. Sprinkle some onions, peanuts, and cilantro over cheese. Spread another 3/3 cup cheese over top.

Slide one of the cheese-covered tortillas into a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. (I used an electric griddle.) Place one of the remaining tortillas on top. Press down with a wide spatula to remove any air pockets. Cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes, checking frequently, until bottom tortilla is crisp and browned.

Turn over, cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Repeat this process for remaining quesadillas. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Quesadillas

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves
Half a yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
Corn tortillas (6-7 inches)
Cooking spray
Shredded cheese (pepper jack, cheddar, etc.)

Directions:
Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat. Combine the chili powder, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, salt, cumin and red pepper flakes in a pie plate; whisk to combine. Add the chicken breast halves and turn to coat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and juices run clear. Remove from the heat and shred the chicken into small pieces. Add the onion to the pan and cook until tender and golden, about 5 minutes.
Combine the shredded chicken, cooked onion, and diced tomatoes in a mixing bowl; toss to combine. Lightly brush or spray one side of a tortilla with vegetable oil; flip over on a work surface so the oiled side is facing down. Place about a quarter of the chicken mixture onto one side of the tortilla. Top with shredded cheese. Fold over the tortilla to sandwich the filling inside. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling mixture.
Cook the assembled quesadillas over medium-high heat in a lightly oiled grill pan or skillet until browned on the outside and warmed through with the cheese melted on the inside. Slice into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa as desired.

Oven Baked Chimichangas

*Note: this recipe makes use of already cooked rice and chicken so plan ahead!
Makes 6 chimis
Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice
2-3 cups diced, cooked chicken
1-2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (use the lesser amount for less heat, greater amount for a bigger kick)
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese (or a combination of both)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and Pepper
6 large burrito-size flour tortillas

Directions:
Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is heating, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Cook the onion until it is just softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beans, rice, chicken and chipotle and cook until the mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the cheese and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1/4 teaspoon each).
Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave the tortillas until they are warm and pliable, about 1 minute. Top each warm tortilla with some of the chicken mixture, leaving about a 2-inch border at the bottom of the tortilla. Fold in the sides and roll up the tortilla tightly. Brush the wrapped tortillas with the remaining oil and arrange them seam side down on the hot baking sheet that has been preheating in the oven. Bake until the chimis are golden brown and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve.

Amy's Chicken

Ingredients:
1 can of Sprite
1/2 C soy sauce
4 chicken breasts

2 T honey
2 T mustard
1/2 C mayo

diced green pepper
pepperjack cheese slices

Marinate the chicken overnight in the sprite-soy mixture. Grill one side of the chicken, then turn and spoon honey-mustard-mayo on the grilled side, sprinkle with peppers and top with cheese. It should melt while the underside is grilling.

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 Jalapeno, seeded, minced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups sour cream (I used reduced-fat and it was still insanely good)
16 oz jar Medium Salsa Verde
1 & 1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
12 flour tortillas, small fajita size
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack
1/2 medium onion, diced

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute onions and Jalapenos until soft and then add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and let cook 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth until smooth and let cook until bubbly. Stir in the sour cream, salsa, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cilantro until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
Spray/grease a 9×13 baking dish. Add 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of the pan. Add chicken and cheese to the center of each tortilla and roll, placing seam-side down in the dish. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas, top with leftover cheese, and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until top is brown and bubbling.

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 scallions, white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3/4 cup raw cashews (4 ounces), toasted
White rice, for serving (optional)

Directions:
1.In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until chicken is coated; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2.In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3.Add remaining oil and chicken to skillet along with the garlic and white parts of scallions. Cook, tossing often, until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes. Return first batch of chicken to pan. Add vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
4.Add hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup water; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in scallion greens and cashews. Serve immediately over white rice, if desired.

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

Ingredients:
Coconut milk
Chicken broth
Fresh ginger
Fresh lemongrass
Chicken breast meat
Mushrooms
Fresh lime juice
Fish sauce
Chili paste
Cilantro

In a medium saucepan combine 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk, 1 can (14 oz) chicken broth, and 6 quarter sized slices of ginger. Cut 1 stalk lemongrass into 1 in pieces and add to pan. Bring to boil over high heat. Add 1 lb. boned, skinned chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 1 T. each fresh lime juice and Thai fish sauce; And 1 tsp. each sugar and Thai chili paste. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is firm and opaque about 5-10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Lemon Cream Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 1 T. flour divided
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 c. butter
1 c. chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream, divided
3 T. lemon juice
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions:
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1/2 c. flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken and shake to coat. In a large skillet, cook chicken in butter for 8-9 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.Add broth to the drippings. Bring to a boil over medium heat; stir to loosen browned bits from the pan. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes or until broth is reduced approximately 1/3 cup. Sir in 3/4 c. cream, lemon juice and mushrooms. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.Combine remaining flour and cream until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken to skillet and heat through.

Crunchy Fruity Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
1 small rotisserie chicken, deboned and shredded
2 celery stalks, chopped
handful red grapes, sliced in half
1/2 cup lightly salted cashews
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4-1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
pinch cayenne pepper

Ingredients:
Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and taste for seasoning; chill until ready to serve.

BBQ Chicken Braid

*Note: the amounts of chicken, onions, barbecue sauce, and cheese in the recipe can be altered based on your preference - simply add more or less to your liking.

Makes 2 large braids

Ingredients:
1 recipe French Bread Rolls (see below at the end of the recipe)
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 red onion, sliced into thin half moons
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.After the french bread roll recipe has gone through the first rise, split the dough into two parts. Lightly cover one portion and set aside. Roll the other portion into about an 11X17-inch rectangle (I roll mine out directly on a silpat liner to make for easy transfer to the baking sheet and oven).

Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut 1-inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side.

Spread half of the barbecue sauce down the center strip. Top with the chicken, onions and cheese. Fold the side strips over filling, alternating strips from each side and pressing them into the dough on the opposite side, forming a braid.

Pinch or twist to seal.

Place the braid on a lined baking sheet (or simply transfer the silpat liner to a baking sheet) and let rest for 15 minutes. While it is resting, follow the same steps above for the second portion of dough. Bake the first braid for 15-20 minutes (while the second braid is resting), until golden brown and bread is baked through. Remove from oven and bake the second braid.Let the braids rest for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut braid into sections and serve warm.

French Bread Rolls Recipe:
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour

In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.

Chicken Stuffed with Golden Onions and Fontina

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2/3 cup shredded fontina cheese, preferably aged
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), trimmed of fat
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Directions:
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1 teaspoon rosemary; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool*; stir in fontina.
Meanwhile, cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of each chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Stuff each breast with 1/4 cup of the onion-cheese mixture.
Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Add wine and the remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Whisk broth and flour in a bowl until smooth; add to the pan, reduce heat to low and whisk until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Return the chicken to the pan and coat with the sauce. Cook, covered, until the chicken is just cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve the chicken topped with the sauce.
*Make sure you don't combine the onion and the cheese until the onions have chilled, otherwise the cheese may melt too soon, making stuffing impossible.

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:
Marinade:
¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 3-4 limes)
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons apple cider or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Fajitas:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts)
1 yellow onion, cut into thin strips
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red (or orange) pepper, cut into thin strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon fresh lime juice (a quick squeeze of a cut lime)
dash of salt and pepper

Directions:
Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade ingredients over the top. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 2-3 hours.After marinading, take chicken out of the bag and discard the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken 4-5 minutes per side (I use my indoor grill pan usually). Remove from pan and tent with foil to keep warm.In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and add the onion, mushrooms and peppers. Stir fry until softened but still crisp tender. Add soy sauce, water, lime juice and salt and pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Slice chicken thinly on the diagonal and toss with the vegetables in the skillet. Serve immediately with flour tortillas and top with tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole, cheese, sour cream...the options are endless!

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 pounds)
3 T flour
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1 3/4 C chicken broth
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper

Directions:
Pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet to a uniform 1/2" thickness. Dredge lightly in flour, reserving excess. In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, melt butter with oil until it sizzles. Add chicken breasts and cook 4-5 minutes, turning over once, until juices run clear. Remove chicken to plate. Stir reserved flour into saute pan. Which in broth and lemon juice; heat to boiling. Boil 1 minute to thicken slightly. Return chicken to pan to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound penne rigate
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each), halved horizontally
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups whole milk
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan (4 ounces)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.
3. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Off heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
4. Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes; sprinkle each with cup Parmesan.
5. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
If you’re freezing the second dish: Prepare through step 4; let cool. Cover tightly with foil, and freeze, up to 3 months. To bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and bake (still covered in foil) on a rimmed baking sheet until center is hot, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil; bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl

Ingredients:
12-16 oz linguine(depending on how much pasta you like)
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (can substitute 1 cup fresh basil)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese
½ cup feta cheese

Directions:
Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until just tender according to package directions. Drain.In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. When combined, slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is completely combined.While the pasta is boiling, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the bell pepper. Cook briefly until crisp-tender. Add the cooked chicken and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until the chicken is heated through.When the noodles have been drained, add the hot noodles to the skillet with the red pepper and chicken and toss. Add the shredded or cubed mozzarella and toss quickly to combine before the cheese melts. Pour the dressing over the top and toss with tongs to coat all the ingredients with the dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 grated parmesan cheese
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
6 boneless chicken breast halves (2 lbs)
1/2 t garlic powder

Directions:
Mix cheese, garlic powder, and salad dressing mix. Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Baked Pasta With Chicken Sausage

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound rigatoni
10 ounces frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 9-oz. bag fresh spinach)
12 ounces precooked smoked chicken (or turkey) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (I find this in the same section/aisle as the hotdogs next to the precooked kielbasa and chorizo - I use the Jennie-O brand and it is precooked in a U-shape.
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.Stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling pasta right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to pot.Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9X13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 8X8-inch pans). Top with grated fontina and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

*Freezable Meal: Prepare recipe right up until the baking step and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. To bake, increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours. If baking from frozen, bake covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, uncover and bake 30 minutes longer.