Wednesday March 17 , 2010
Chicken and Vegetable Pasta Bake
Description A pasta bake is true comfort food for winter. Children usually eat everything you coat in cheese sauce.
Ingredients
At a glance
Serves
4
  • 1 cup pasta
  • 2 bacon rashers, chopped
  • 3 spring onions or shallots, chopped
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
  • 1/2 cup drained canned corn kernels
  • 1 cup grated cheese
Cheese Sauce
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 2 Tbs plain flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup grated cheese
Methods/steps
  1. Cook pasta following the package instructions. Drain.
  2. Boil or steam broccoli and carrots.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  4. Cook bacon and onions over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Bacon should be crisp.
  5. In a large bowl, combine pasta, bacon mixture, corn, and chicken. Pour cheese sauce over and mix well.
  6. Rub butter on the sides and bottom of an oven proof dish. Spoon in mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.
  7. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese top is melted and starts to turn brown.
Cheese Sauce
  1. Melt butter. Add flour and cook for 1 minute over medium heat.
  2. Remove from heat and add milk slowly, stirring vigorously.
  3. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring continously, until sauce thickens -it will begin to boil.
  4. Stir in cheese. Keep heating on a very low heat until cheese melts. Don't let it boil again.
Additional Tips

This pasta bake can be prepared in advance and re-reated later, but it does not freeze well.

There are some shortcuts for faster preparation:

  • Microwave bacon and onion on HIGH for 3 minutes.
  • Boil broccoli and carrots with the pasta.
  • Microwave instead of baking: sprinkle paprika on top to give a nice color and cook on HIGH for 6 minutes.
  • Microwave melted butter and flour on HIGH for 1 minute.
  • Add milk and microwave on HIGH for nother 3 minutes. Add cheese and stir until it melts. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds on MEDIUM if necessary.
Reviews

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