Pasta meal kit recipes

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Meal kits - where you get all the parts for a meal and assemble it at home - used to be a hot trend. This trend is making a comeback right now.

Tony Stallone with Peapod was back in our studio to tell us about this returning trend. He also shared tasty pasta dish recipes, for which Peapod and Barilla teamed up.

Tony's recipes:

1. Whole grain penne pasta with creamy, meaty tomato sauce

Ingredients:

1 box Barilla whole grain penne

2 cups broccoli florets

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 lb. 93 percent lean ground turkey

1 jar Barilla tomato and basil sauce

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, imported grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding the broccoli the last two minutes of cooking time. Strain when done.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive and red pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook, stirring frequently, until turkey is cooked through, about five minutes.

3. Stir in sauce and heat for two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream. Return pasta to large pot and top with sauce and 1/4 cup of cheese. Stir to coat.

4. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and serve immediately.

2. Baked rotini

Ingredients:

1 box Barilla rotini

1 bag baby spinach (6 oz.)

1 jar Barilla pasta sauce flavored with meat

8 oz. mozzarella balls pearl

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot water to a boil. Stir in pasta and cook for five minutes and drain.

2. Combine spinach, sauce, pasta and cheese in a large bowl or in the pot where the pasta was cooked. The spinach will wilt slightly because of the heat of the pasta; this is fine.

3. Place pasta mixture into a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Combine panko breadcrumbs and olive oil; set aside. Remove foil and top evenly with panko mixture. Bake for five minutes or until crumbs have browned. Remove from oven and enjoy!

3. Parmesan-crusted chicken with spaghetti

Ingredients:

1 box Barilla spaghetti

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 1/4 cup parmesan cheese divided

2 eggs

3/4 cup flour

6 chicken breast cutlets, thin

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 jar Barilla marinara sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook the entire box of spaghetti according to package directions.

2. Combine panko breadcrumbs and 3/4 cup parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Beat eggs in a second dish or pie plate. Place the flour into a zipper closure plastic bag. Add chicken, seal bag and shake to coat. Open bag and shake to remove excess flour. Dip chicken in egg mixture, shaking to remove any excess egg and coat in the parmesan mixture; set aside.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. When oil is hot, add half the chicken pieces and cook for about three minutes per side or until browned and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining olive oil and chicken. Remove any excess from the skillet and use the skillet to heat the marinara sauce.

4. Toss the spaghetti with the heated sauce. Divide pasta evenly onto plates and top with chicken. Sprinkle with reserved cheese if desired.