Cheesy Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Bake with Chicken and Bacon and the CookingPlanit Formaggio Cheese Challenge

I recently spoke with you about my collaboration with CookingPlanit and Formaggio Cheese.

 
Well folks, today is the big day. The official start of the CookingPlanit Formaggio Cheese Challenge (entry information below).

 
After spending days giving my loyal followers the opportunity to vote on which cheesylicious CookingPlanit recipe I should cook using the tasty Formaggio cheese, the winner is...Smoked Mozzarella Chicken Pasta Bake!

Formaggio Smoked Mozzarella Cheese is beyond delicious and it really turned this recipe into something special.

I adapted the recipe by using store bought roasted chicken breast. This dish goes together fairly quickly and believe me it will be a new family favorite.

The Cheesylicious dish is all done and ready to eat. 

Now it's time for you to start cooking using CookingPlanit!

But before you start cooking, let's do a brief recap on the genius of CookingPlanit!

What is CookingPlanit?  Designed to be a recipe source as well as a helping hand in the kitchen, CookingPlanit takes a full-meal approach, pairing a main dish with two side dishes, all of which have been thoroughly tested by CookingPlanit’s resident chef, Emily. 

If you haven't used CookingPlanit you really must check it out. This app does so much!

• Sets up your grocery list
• Organizing ingredients by aisle
• Gives you step by step cooking instructions so all your dishes are ready at the same time!

In addition to setting up your shopping list, aggregated by ingredient and organized by grocery store isle, CookingPlanit takes you step-by-step through the cooking process so that all three dishes are ready at the same time.  

Whether you’re an experienced cook or just starting out, getting everything done at the same time can be a challenge.  (Of course, you may choose to prepare just one recipe at a time.) 

For more details on this helpful kitchen tool, you can check out CookingPlanit online or on your mobile device.

Cooking Planit Formaggio Cheese Challenge

Now as promised in my teaser post, me and nine other bloggers are hosting a contest by Cooking Planit and Formaggio Cheese! And guess what? It kicks off today! All you need to do is:

1. Like Cooking Planit on Facebook
2. Submit a cheese-centric recipe over here

And you’re entered to win. There will be 3 winners who will win these prizes:

1. Formaggio Cheese Basket ($100 value)
2. 5-pc Cheese Knives set ($50 value)
3. Recipe feature in the Cooking Planit Collection

No purchase necessary. Recipe submission ends on June 19, 2014. Cooking Planit Resident Chef Emily Wilson, along with me and the 9 other bloggers below will be selecting the best recipes to win! Good luck!

CookingPlanit Formaggio Cheese Challenge Bloggers
Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen	CopyKat Recipes	Creole Contessa
Crowley Party	Dearest Lou	I Run For Wine
Melissa’s Cuisine	My Fashion Juice	My Own Blog Review
The Fountain Avenue Kitchen

Cheesy Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Bake with Chicken and Bacon and the CookingPlanit Formaggio Cheese Challenge

adapted from cookingplanit

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serving: 6-8

Ingredients:

6 Slices of Bacon
2 cups roasted chicken breast, skin removed, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 cups Smoked Mozzarella
1 cup sharp cheese, grated
2 cups Whole Milk
1 lb penne pasta
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano, crushed, dried
1 teaspoon creole seasonings
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Add pasta and cook 2 minutes less than suggestion cooking time on pasta box. Drain pasta, rinse under warm water, drain again, coat pasta in a little olive oil to prevent sticking and set aside.

Mix seasoning blend and set aside.

Dice bacon and fry until crisp. Reserve bacon grease.

In a large pot add butter, 2 tablespoons of bacon grease over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook about 2-3 minutes.

Add flour and whisk well for about 2 minutes.

Add milk and whisk well.

Reduce heat to medium low, add spices and cheese by the handful until cheese is melted.

Stir chicken and pasta into cheese sauce, mix well. Place mixture into a greased 13X9 casserole dish.

Top with bacon and bake for about 15-20 minutes. Allow pasta to cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy!