Macaroni Rosa

Looking for a meal to feed a large family or two growing teenage boys? You've come to the right place. Macaroni Rosa is a dish they serve at Buca Di Beppo, one of my favorite Italian restaurants. If you've never been there, then when you get a chance, go. They serve their food family style, which is great if you have small children with squirrel size stomachs and can share one meal with them. Be warned. . . if you order the garlic bread it can feed an army.
This is a knock off recipe that my husband created after eating at Buca Di Beppo for the first time. It's a meal the whole family can love.

First. . .
Chop chicken into bite size pieces and put in large sauce pan with a tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over chicken.

 While cooking chicken start boiling pasta as directed on package. Chop broccoli into small bite size pieces.

By this time your chicken should be almost done. Add broccoli to the last five minutes of cooking your pasta.

 Chop cheese into bite size pieces.

When chicken is finished add frozen peas to chicken and cook for one minute. Drain pasta and broccoli. Add chicken and peas in large pot with pasta. Add pasta sauce and stir until sauce is warm (about 2 minutes). Add cream and stir for one minute.

Add mozzarella cheese last. You want the cheese to melt, but not too much. Having clumps of cheese is the best part.

Macaroni Rosa
3 chicken breast
1 tablespoon oil
Italian seasoning
1 pound macaroni pasta
2 to 3 cups small pieces of broccoli
1 1/2 cups peas
1 bottle of pasta sauce (I use organic sauce without sugar (the fewer ingredients, the better it is for you))
1 small container of cream or half and half (no more than 1 cup)
2 to 3 cups mozzarella (cut into bite size pieces)
 Chop chicken into bite size pieces and put in large sauce pan with a tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over chicken. While cooking chicken start boiling pasta as directed on package. Chop broccoli into small bite size pieces. By this time your chicken should be almost done. Add broccoli to the last five minutes of cooking time with your pasta. Chop cheese into bite size pieces. When chicken is finished add frozen peas to chicken and cook for one minute. Drain pasta and broccoli. Add chicken and peas in large pot with pasta. Add pasta sauce and stir until sauce is warm (about 2 minutes). Add cream and stir for one minute. Add mozzarella cheese last. You want the cheese to melt, but not too much. Having clumps of cheese is the best part.
*You can add a pinch of cayenne to pasta sauce to give it a kick and/or chopped tomatoes.

Special thanks to my friend Annette for taking the pictures for me while we cooked and to her family for eating it with us.
To see Annette's blog visit http://www.tipsfromatypicalmomblog.com/