Better Than Olive Garden Spaghetti Sauce
One of my favorite dishes to make is pasta.
Y’all.
I love me some pasta.
Josh and I just moved a while ago and we live minutes away from Olive Garden. If there was is one thing I love almost as much as pasta it’s their bread sticks. I’ve only given in once to eating there for dinner. Even though I have to pass it four times a day, five times a week.
The struggle is real. Oh yes. It is. 
So while we’ve only stopped in for dinner once, that hasn’t stopped me from thinking of it. So I headed to my kitchen to recreate that fantastic spaghetti sauce. And I think, not only did I do it, but I honestly think it’s better than the Olive Garden sauce!
You can get excited. I did! 🙂
(BONUS: Your house will smell amazing!)
3 28 oz cans
crushed tomatoes (I like the basil, oregano and garlic tomatoes. You can also use 12-15 fresh tomatoes peeled, chopped and blended in your food processor. If using fresh tomatoes you may need to use more herbs to fit your tasting.)
4 cloves
garlic
4 tbsp
dried basil
1 1/2 tsp
black pepper
2 tbsp
sugar (This takes out the bitterness. If you are using fresh or if you like a sweeter sauce you may want to add more sugar.)
2 tbsp
olive oil
1/3 cup
shredded parmesan romano cheese-
minced green peppers (optional)
Servings:
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Heat the olive oil in a 5+ qt. pot over medium heat, and add the chopped or pressed garlic.
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Heat for one to two minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic, then add all the tomatoes, black pepper, basil and sugar. Stirring often, bring to a low boil.
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Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours stirring often.
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For the first half of the simmer time, do so with the pot uncovered, then cover.
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Add the cheese, stir in and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or so.
Don’t forget to pin!
If you are planning on storing your extra sauce you can either can the sauce or freeze it. These jars are my favorite for freezing things!
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Skinny Bacon, Chicken and Asparagus Penne
My favorite dishes all usually have one thing in common: pasta.
I love me some pasta.
Shells. Lasagna. Spaghetti.
But my favorite of all favorites has to be Alfredo.
You can get the jarred Alfredo sauce, but ehhhhhh. It’s not the same. You need homemade sauce. It’s creamy and cheesy and delicious. And luckily making homemade sauce only takes a few minutes to make. And even LUCKIER is that I have a lightened up version ready for you.
And it’s so delicious and awesome ….. you would never know!
Now, I will admit this recipe has a few steps, but nothing difficult. And the end result is SO worth it. It’s one of my favorite recipes to make and a dinner that is requested A LOT in our house!
(Don’t forget to pin!)
| Prep Time |
| 20 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 20 minutes |
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Creamy and cheesy – you would never guess that this Alfredo has been lightened up! With the smokiness of the bacon, Italian chicken and delicious asparagus this is sure to be a new favorite dinner that will be requested time and time again!
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1 pound
boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp
olive oil
1 tsp
basil
1/2 tsp
dried thyme
1/4 tsp
salt
1/4 tsp
pepper
12 ounces
penne pasta
1 pound
asparagus ends trimmed, steamed and cut into pieces
1 1/2 tbsp
butter
2 tbsp
all purpose flour
2 cloves
garlic minced
1 3/4 cup
milk
1/4 cup
heavy cream
3 ounce
Neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese) diced
1/3 cup
shredded Parmesan cheese
5 slices
bacon cooked and crumbled
Servings:
-
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, stir together basil, oregano, thyme and 1/4 salt and pepper. Sprinkle half of the herb mixture evenly over tops of chicken. Add chicken to skillet, herbed side down, then add remaining herb mixture to the top of the chicken. Cook until fully cooked through, about 8 – 12 minutes. Let the chicken cool and then dice into bite sized pieces.
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Cook pasta according to the box directions.
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In a skillet (this will need to be a large one!), melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir continuously for about 1 minute. Add garlic and stir for 30 more seconds. Then add milk and cream as well as salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil while still continuously stirring. Once it has reached a boil, reduce the heat and add both the Parmesan and Neufchatel cheeses. Stir until completely melted.
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Toss pasta in the skillet with the sauce, coating evenly. The add your steamed asparagus and bacon bits. Mix together and serve!
This recipe was originally from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom!
I’m so glad I found it on Pinterest and tried it out!