I’ve been at it again, trying out more Pinterest recipes to see if they are really as good as people keep posting.

Up first: Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake

Original recipe found here.

Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake

• 8 oz uncooked rigatoni
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 c chopped onion
• 1 (10 oz) pack frozen spinach, thawed
• 3 c cubed, cooked chicken breasts
• 1 (14 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (8 oz) container Philadelphia chive & onion cream cheese
• ½ t salt, ½ t pepper
• 1½ c shredded mozzarella cheese

I had a little helper with this recipe 😉

Prepare rigatoni according to pkg directions.  Spread oil on bottom of 11×7 in baking dish; add onion in a single layer.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or just until tender.  Transfer onion to large bowl, set aside.

Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between paper towels.  Stir in rigatoni, spinach, chicken, & next 4 ingredients into onion in bowl.  Spoon mixture into dish & sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese.  Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes; uncover & bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

This was DELICIOUS… and husband approved!!!

Recipe #2: Deep Dish Pizza Dip

Original recipe found here.

Lazy 4-Layer Pizza Dip

Adapted from The Slow Roasted Italian

6 ounces ricotta cheese***
6 ounces finely shredded Italian cheese blend (I used provolone, mozzarella and Parmesan)
3/4 cup pizza or marinara sauce
pepperoni slices to cover the top

I USED 8 OZ. OF CREAM CHEESE AND 1/2 CUP OF SOUR CREAM INSTEAD OF THE RICOTTA CHEESE.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spread ricotta cheese in an even layer in a baking dish with high sides (for deep dish version it should be no more than 6-inches across approximately).

Pour pizza sauce over ricotta cheese and spread evenly. Layer shredded cheese over pizza sauce. Layer the top with the pepperoni slices. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly.

(excuse the horribly blurry photo. Photographing men is like photographing a child, you only get one chance!)

Again another fan favorite. One request from my husband was more pepperoni’s… he said next time I should cover the whole dip with them!

And finally, recipe #3, this was by far the easiest recipe, and also the prettiest too! We made this New Year’s eve night and served it as the salad course. So pretty!

Original Recipe found here. There actually isn’t a real recipe… just the ingredients and looking at the picture… but it was SOO easy!

Here is a picture of the salad at our dinner… so pretty right?

I would call that success! 3 recipes tried, and all 3 turned out great!!!