In order to pull off the gift that fills the air with the aroma of cooking and a meal that satisfies the taste buds, Laurie is the first on the gift registry to grab the crock pot the couple has requested and has it shipped directly to them.  Don’t worry, she doesn’t attend the wedding empty handed.  Loaded up inside a gift bag are the ingredients for her favorite and most versatile recipe, Fire Chicken Pasta.  Don’t let the title fool you, it’s a meal with just a slight kick and will be waiting for the newlyweds after a long work day (plus, it makes enough to double as a fabulous freezer casserole to save for later!).

Fire Chicken Pasta (2 meals)

Place in the crock pot and mix together:

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 cup red pepper (chopped)

1 cup green pepper (chopped)

2 jars (15 oz) Alfredo sauce (or make homemade)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (15 oz) jar of mild salsa (or your favorite temperature)

1 package taco seasoning

Fun options to add:  bacon bits, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, spinach, jalapenos

Substitutions:  thinly sliced beef, shrimp

Add to mixture:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen is fine)

Cook on low for 8 hours.

Prior to serving:

Prepare 1 package (16 oz) gemelli or spiral pasta according to directions, drain

Shred chicken and return to crock pot

To serve:

Place pasta on dinner plates and cover with chicken and sauce mixture.  Sprinkle with more Parmesan  if you like.

As a freezer casserole:

Mix the remaining pasta, chicken and sauce.  Pour into a greased casserole dish (8” square or similar)

Cover and freeze up to 3 months.

Cooking the frozen casserole:

Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.  Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.   Uncover, top with Parmesan, and cook for 15-20 more minutes, or until bubbly and top is browned.