For Tell All Tuesday, let’s talk about some easy back to school recipes!

Everyone wants those easy recipes that do not require a lot of steps after a long day.

I have a few recipes in mind that you should try!

I went back to work on Friday for the new school year and these are some easy recipes that are on my go- to list:

Shrimp Caprese Pasta:

This recipe is by Shay Shull. I talk about her recipes a lot!! 

Ingredients:

-1 pint of cherry tomatoes
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-salt and pepper
-1 box of pasta
-1 red onion, chopped
-1 (28 oz) can of tomatoes
-1 pound of shrimp, peeled  (if you use frozen, make sure to bring them to room temp first per package directions)
-Fresh mozzarella cheese
-Fresh basil, torn into pieces

Directions:

-Preheat your oven to 400 degree.

-Line a baking sheet with foil (for easy clean up) and pour your cherry tomatoes on top.  Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes along with a big pinch of both salt and pepper.  Place your tomatoes into the oven and roast about 15 minutes.

-Bring a pot of water up to a boil and allow pasta to cook

-Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add in your chopped red onion with a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper.  Saute until tender and then add in your can of tomatoes.  Using a wooden spoon, lightly break up the tomatoes as they cook together with your onions.  Remove your cherry tomatoes from the oven and place them inside your skillet too.  Next, stir in your shrimp along with another pinch of salt and pepper.  The shrimp will heat up in about 3 minutes.

-Drain the pasta water and add your hot pasta right inside the large skillet and toss everything together.

-Ladle your pasta onto plates and garnish with fresh mozzarella and torn basil.

This is so easy to make and it is definitely one of my favorites!!

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Baked Spaghetti: 

This recipe came from my friend AnnaVee! She shared this with me over a year ago and it is the best spaghetti that I have EVER had!!

Ingredients:

-1 lb of hamburger meat

-1 pack of pot size noodles

-1 big jar of spaghetti sauce (I use prego!)

-1 1/2 packs of cream cheese (I use a little less because I don’t want to over do it!)

-1 small bag of shredded cheese (I use monterey jack and cheddar cheese!)

Directions:

-preheat oven to 350

-boil water and allow noodles to cook while you brown the hamburger meat

-drain the hamburger meat and return to pan and add the spaghetti sauce, you can allow it to heat for just a minute but the sauce will heat in the oven too

-drain noodles and return to pan and add cream cheese, mix it together well (you may want to add the cream cheese to the microwave for a minute prior to this step)

-Take your oven safe deep pan or an aluminum throw away pan (I use a large, full size pan) and layer the pan with sauce, noodles, sauce, noodles, sauce!

-Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. When 5 minutes remains, add the shredded cheese to the top of the spaghetti and allow it to finish baking.

That’s it! You’re done! It is so easy, SO AMAZING, and I promise it will feed a family or you will have left overs for the next day like us. 🙂

 I serve this with salad and wheat bread that I buy from my bakery at the grocery store!

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Dessert: Key Lime Bars

This recipe is also by Shay Shull. You can find this in her Meal Planner Recipe Book! 

Ingredients:

-1 box of yellow cake mix
-4 eggs
-1/2 cup butter, melted
-1 box of powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
-8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
-2 tablespoons of key lime zest
-4 tablespoons of fresh key lime juice

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350

-Grease (I use Pam) a 9×13 inch baking dish.

-In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, 2 eggs and melted butter.  Spread in bottom of pan.

-In a second bowl, beat with electric mixer, powdered sugar, 2 more eggs, cream cheese, lime zest and lime juice until smooth.  Spread cream cheese mixture on top of crust mixture.

-Bake 35-40 minutes until edges are brown and center set (it will still be slightly wobbly in the middle).

-Cool on counter 30 minutes, then refrigerate 2 hours up to 2 days!

I made these a few weeks ago and Harry LOVED them! I plan to make them again soon. It is such an easy sweet treat to have in the house. 

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These are definitely some easy recipes that make my life easier when it comes to cooking!

Enjoy!!