Pasta Alfredo with Chicken and Bacon

1 lb. pasta
1 jar Alfredo sauce
diced tomatoes (fresh or canned, drained)
1 to 2 cups chicken, diced
3 strips cooked bacon, chopped
1 cup cheese, diced or shredded
broccoli or peas, if desired

Cook pasta. Combine all ingredients in casserole pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Family Favorite Macaroni & Cheese

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded or cubed cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook macaroni according to directions on package.
3. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
4. Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Italian Sausage with Bow Ties

16 oz. bow-tie pasta (or penne or whatever)
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. red pepper flakes, crushed (or to taste)
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups heavy cream or half & half
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. dried basil

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook the sausage, onion, garlic, and pepper flakes over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in tomatoes, cream, salt, and basil. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; toss with the sausage mixture. Garnish with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Chicken Noodle Soup

This isn't as much a "recipe" as just a general idea. It's pretty basic, but Tierney asked if I was going to add it to my blog, so I guess I will. We had it last night and it was so good on a cold fall day.

2 chicken breasts, diced (raw)
6 carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
1/2 c. onion, diced
water (enough to cover everything and provide as much broth as you want)
chicken bouillon (however much you need for the amount of water you add)
salt & pepper
1 lb. pasta (this made a LOT so you could definitely cut this part down if you don't want leftovers)

Put all ingredients except pasta in a large pot. Cover and boil/simmer until carrots are tender (the chicken will be cooked by then). Cook pasta in a separate pot (you could just add it to the rest and cook, but I don't like to do that. It seems to soak up too much of the broth). Stir cooked pasta into the soup.

Note: you could also use canned chicken broth in place of the water and bouillon