Creamy Tomato Pasta

This is so delicious, and it freezes well.  I made a bunch of sauce for when I had Griffin and stuck it in the freezer.  All you have to do is defrost, warm on the stove, and pour over cooked pasta.  It is so good.  So so good.  Really bad picture.  Really delicious pasta.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

4 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped finely
3 cans tomato sauce (8 oz each)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cream cheese
salt
pepper
1 pound pasta, cooked.  I like Penne the best.

Melt the butter in sauce pan.  Add the onion and saute for a minute.  Add the tomato sauce and sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or so.  Add cream cheese and stir until it has melted into the sauce.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for 1 minute more.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook pasta as directed and drain.  Add the sauce and serve.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Ham and Swiss Stromboli

Ok, so this is one of the top requested meals at our house.  It is really versatile and can be switched around according to taste.

Ham and Swiss Stromboli

French Bread dough-either a scratch recipe or the Pillsbury refrigerator dough
Deli Ham (10-15 ounces)
Sliced or shredded Swiss cheese (12-16 ounces)
Salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder
Optional ingredients: bacon or green onions

Roll out french bread dough.  Layer the deli ham and Swiss cheese down the middle of the dough, leaving excess dough at the edges.  If you are adding bacon and/or green onions, layer them in as much as you would like.  I sprinkle garlic salt, pepper, and onion powder sporadically as I feel needed.  Once it is to where I like it, I fold the excess dough over the top of the meat and cheese.  Pinch the edges so they don't open up in the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cut slits in the top of the dough and bake for about 20-30 minutes, until the dough is done and cheese is melted.  Let it cool for about 15 minutes or so before slicing and serving.  Delicious.

French Bread dough (recipe from melskitchencafe.com)

3/4 cups warm water

1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour, give or take a few tablespoons

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water and yeast and let the yeast proof and bubble for 3 minutes or so.  Add sugar, oil, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Begin mixing and continue to add the rest of the flour gradually until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Judge the dough not by the amount of flour called for in the recipe but in how the dough feels. The dough should be soft and smooth but still slightly tacky to the touch.

Knead the dough in the stand mixer or by hand until it is very smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand. Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it has doubled (this usually takes about an hour).  Roll out on a greased cookie sheet to use for the stromboli.