Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip Pasta

If you know anything about me, then you know how much I absolutely love spinach artichoke dip, and when I saw that I could make it into a pasta I jumped on the recipe.  (Not literally, but you know, why not?)  I loved this dish!  It was so tasty.  It was a little time consuming, but totally worth it!

Ingredients: 

8oz Rotini 

1 tbsp Butter 

1 tbsp Olive Oil 

1 large Shallot, minced

2 cloves of Garlic, minced 

3 tbsp Flour 

2 cups Skim Milk 

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 

1/4 tsp Black Pepper 

1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese 

2 oz of Goat Cheese, room temp. 

3/4 cup Shredded Skim Mozzarella, divided

14 oz can Artichoke Hearts, roughly chopped 

2 cups Baby Spinach 

Directions: 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

Cook Pasta.

In a large sauce pan melt the butter and olive oil over medium high heat.

Add the shallot and saute for about two minutes, or until the shallot is soft. 

Add the garlic and saute for another minute.

Add in the flour, stirring until completely combined. 

Cook for about another minute.

Slowly pour in the milk and whisk continuously.

Add the salt and black pepper. 

Whisk until the sauce thickens.

Add the parmesan cheese, goat cheese, and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella.  

Whisk until completely melted.

Add in the artichoke hearts and spinach. 

Heat until the spinach has wilted.

Combine the sauce and the pasta. 

Put into a casserole dish and top with 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese.

Put in over and cook until the top is a golden brown.  About 15 to 20 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

xx  

Azure Naturals Vitamin C Serum:

This is another product that I got in the mail a few weeks ago and I instantly started to use it.  I didn't really know what it was for, but from what I was reading from the company it helps all different things.  

It helps to repair sun damage, fade age spots, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.  It is easy to apply and it absorbs into the skin so quickly.  After the first time I used the product my skin felt soft and I could see a little bit of differences.  My face felt firmer too.  

It smells like lemons in the bottle, but when I was applying it, it sort of smelled like licorice.  

After a month of using this my skin is softer and looks so much better than before.  I have one area on my chin/neck that just appeared when I was younger and this serum has help it lighten up.  It's amazing.  

I really like this serum, and I'm a little upset at myself that this is the first time that I've tried a Vitamin C serum.  I really need to try more things because I love the results I've been seeing!  

Have you ever tried a Vitamin C serum?  Let me know! 

Also, if you have any other suggestions let me know! 

xx 

Where to find Azure Naturals: 

     Facebook      Twitter     Azure Naturals Website

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Maybelline Master Kajal Eyeliner Review:

I've seen the ads for this eyeliner so many times, and when it first came out I wasn't really sure if I would buy it, but looking at it a little bit more, I decided why not?  I got two colors Onyx Rush and Purple Dusk. 

I wasn't sure if they were like crayons or if they were more along the lines of felt tips.  I think I prefer felt tips, I feel like they glide on more easily, but crayons work fine.  These are like crayons.  You definitely have to "warm" them up.  (I put warm in "" because I don't want you to think I microwave them or anything...)

I was actually surprised at how easy it was to put this eyeliner on.  I'm not very good at keeping it on the side like it says to, but that is just something my hands have to adjust to.  The color pay off is really nice also.  When I'm applying it I don't have to go over the same line nine times.
Onyx Rush stays in my waterline perfectly, but Purple Dusk not so much... I have always had trouble with keeping eyeliner in my waterline ever since I was a teenager.  I know people say to go with waterproof, but I don't know.  I tried waterproof a long time ago, and remember hating it, but maybe I should give it another try.  

I wore Onyx Rush out the other day and I only had to touch up once, and it wasn't exactly needed.  

I've only worn Purple Dusk around the house because I haven't been back out since getting them.  But it's a gorgeous dark purple color.  I'm totally in love with it, and you'll be seeing it in a future FOTD, I'm sure of it. 

I currently don't have anything negative to say about Maybelline's Master Kajal Eyeliner.  Maybe I will when it starts to run out and it's a wider tip, but I won't know for a while.  

Have you tried Maybelline's Master Kajal eyeliner? Let me know! 

xx 

Recipe: Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti

I though that this dish was going to be a bit harder than it actually was.  I didn't know making alfredo sauce was going to be so simple.  This dish was really good, and is definitely a keeper!  

Enjoy!

Ingredients for the Dish:

12 oz of Ziti

2 cups Shredded, Cooked, Chicken

1 1/2 cups Shredded Mozzarella

Shredded Parmesan or Parsley (Optional)

1 Batch of Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients for the Alfredo Sauce:

1 tbsp Olive Oil

4 Cloves Garlic, Minced

3 tbsp Flour

1 cup Chicken Broth

1 cup Low-Fat Milk

3/4 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Directions for the Sauce:

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan on meduim high.

Add the Garlic and saute it for 1 minute.

Sprinkle in the flour, stir to combine, and cook for another minute.

Slowly add the chicken broth.  Whisk until smooth.

Whisk in the milk, and bring to a simmer.

Let cook for another minute.

Stir in the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.  Stir until the cheese is melted. (For some reason, I do not have a picture of this. Sorry.)

Remove from heat and set aside for the pasta.

Directions for the Pasta Dish:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Cook the pasta.

Add the chicken and alfredo sauce.

Toss until combined.

Pour half of the pasta into a 9x13 inch pan, sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Then top off with the rest of the pasta.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy! 

xx