October: It's Pasta Month!

Among other things, October is national pasta month!

In honor of one of our favorite foods, I'm posting a recipe today from MMM...Cafe blogger Chelsea. I made this last week using Dakota Growers lasagna noodles, and the kids loved it. It has made excellent leftovers, too.

Chicken Alfredo Roll-Ups

9 lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups alfredo sauce (TW note: Please make the homemade recipe below - it is easy and the taste is so worth it!)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
oregano
garlic salt
3 cups shredded Mozzarella, or cheese of your choice (TW note: I used monterey jack)

Spray an 8x8" pan with non-stick spray and pour in 1/2 cup alfredo sauce, or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Boil lasagna noodles per package instructions. Important: Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other. Blot noodles dry with a paper towel.

Spread about 2 tablespoons alfredo sauce over each noodle (too much sauce = a big mess, so don't get crazy). Sprinkle oregano and garlic salt on top of sauce. Take 1/9 of the shredded chicken and spread it evenly over the noodle, repeat with all noodles until you've used all the chicken. Add approximately 3 tablespoons cheese. To roll up, start at one end and roll the noodle over the toppings. You may need to lift the noodle a little to prevent squishing out the inside ingredients while rolling.

Place the roll-ups in the pan, one by one, seam side down so they don't come undone. Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining alfredo sauce over the top. Top with remainin cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

The Best Garlic Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup butter
2 oz cream cheese
2 cups heavy cream (or half and half) (TW note: I used 1 cup cream, 1 cup half and half)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2/3 cup parmesan cheese

In a medium to large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add fresh minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth and melted. Whisk in the heavy cream. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and whisk frequently until sauce thickens, around 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and when melted, remove from heat and serve. (Makes 2 1/2 cups)