Tuscan Chicken Pasta

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Though today, my husband will be grilling for me and our kiddos, I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite pasta dishes. I LOVE pasta way more than I know I should! Sometimes I'm convinced I'm part Italian even though I know it's not true. This is also one of those dishes I love cooking with my kids because it's substantially easy to make for a novice kid cook.

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

2 cups frozen spinach 

1/2 chopped onion

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried basil

2 (14.5oz) cans diced tomatoes, drained

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup half & half

3 tbsp all purpose flour

16oz box penne pasta

parmesan cheese, to garnish

1.) Place oil, garlic, spinach and onion in a dutch oven or large pot. Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. 

2.) Meanwhile, fill a large pot with salted water then cook pasta until al-dente, about 12 minutes. 

3.) Add oregano, thyme, pepper, salt, basil, diced tomatoes and chicken broth to the dutch oven. Allow mixture to come to boil, then stir. Add chicken then stir. 

4.) In small bowl, whisk flour and half & half together, making sure there are no clumps. Stir flour mixture into sauce until well combined. 

5.) Drain pasta and add to sauce and stir. Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve. 

Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo

Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo

12 oz fettuccine (or any pasta shape)

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup low-fat milk (I used 1%)

3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

(optional topping: chopped fresh parsley)

1. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions, in generously salted water.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté one minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle with flour, and stir to combine. Sauté for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.

3. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let cook for an additional minute until thickened, then stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Reduce heat to medium-low until pasta reaches al dente.

4. Drain pasta, then immediately add pasta to the sauté pan with alfredo sauce. Toss to combine. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

*Also delightful with grilled chicken or shrimp!!

Turkey Stroganoff....

I have come to the realization that cooking with ground turkey tops cooking with ground beef any given day. The taste is so much more pleasant and it can be much more healthier than cow meat. And I find that it tastes nothing like the turkey we have over the holidays (I'm typically not a fan). I've already used it create some pretty fabulous meals, most of which my (now as of this past Saturday) three year old son absolutely LOVES and tells me over and over how "it's real good, momma!". All I can say is I know I've done well when my toddler loves what I cook.

Turkey Stroganoff

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

4 oz mushrooms, sliced

1.5 lbs ground turkey

3/4 cup beef broth

3/4 cup milk

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 lb egg noodles

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup sour cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

 

   Special Seasoning:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2.5 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

 

1.In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the turkey, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned. Add the special seasoning ingredients and stir to thoroughly combine. Stir in the broth, milk and mustard. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until nicely thickened.

 

2. While the sauce is simmering, cook the egg noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water for 8-9 minutes, or until al dente. Drain, return noodles to the pan, and toss with the butter so the noodles won’t stick together. Cover loosely to keep warm.

 

3. Stir the sour cream into the sauce and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add to the warm buttered egg noodles and toss to coat. Served garnished with parsley.

 

 

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

This is one of my husband's faves! It's simple and delish! The kid likes it as well except that due to the Rotel, he can only manage to consume so much. But he DOES try!

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

1 lb Kraft Velveeta Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
2 cans (10.75 oz each) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
10oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 cup water
1 small onion, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
14.5oz cooked spaghetti

1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Combine all in ingredients in slow cooker and stir to mix well.

3. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours. Stir again just before serving.

Sausage and Penne Skillet

I tried something new last night! Trying new recipes has become a HUGE passion of mine! I anticipate cooking meals more when it's something different that I've not tried yet. And I REALLY look forward to the response I get from my husband and son after we each get our second bite. Yes, I said "second bite". Because let's face it, at the point when you are absolutely STARVING, anything would taste good. The moment you take that second bite though, you are more aware of what you are putting in your mouth and that's the moment when you want to pay attention to the consumer's reaction. That's the moment when you realize whether or not your meal is worth cooking again....or whether it's just a "good dip".   ;)

If there was ever a moment when I wished I could video the smell of something, throwing the garlic into the cooked turkey would be that time! It was SO invigorating! I had to tell myself to continue cooking before it burnt because the aroma was THAT wonderful!!

My favorite perks of this dish is that it's a one skillet meal and best of all, it's much healthier than the majority of pastas. Hubby and kiddo gave it three thumbs up (with borrowed Snoopy stuffed animal thumb!)!

Sausage and Spinach Penne Skillet Supper

1 tbsp. olive oil
1lb Italian-style turkey sausage, casings removed (substitute with mild pork sausage if can't find turkey)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced finely
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped fine
1/2 tsp salt
12oz pkg penne pasta
1 (6oz) pkg bag baby spinach
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot and add the sausage. Cook until lightly browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Stir in the water, broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and 1/2 tsp salt, then add in the pasta. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook at a strong simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened, about 15-18 minutes. If you find the liquid is absorbing too quickly and the pasta is still undercooked, add a bit more water in small amounts until the pasta is cooked thoroughly.

3. Stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, and cook until wilted. Turn off the heat, stir in the cheese and pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Pasta Night! (Bow Tie Lasagna)

Recently, hubby took up flying to achieve a pilot's license. Not job necessary--just for "fun". As part of his deal to me that if he flew any weeknight after work, he would pick up anything I so choose for supper. So tonight, Jack's is on the menu for us! But since I didn't have a chance to post yesterday, here is another delicious meal for the cook at heart.

It hardly gets any easier than this, and yet, so full of flavor! YUM!

Bow Tie Lasagna

1 lb ground chuck
5 cups bow tie noodles (12oz pkg)
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Fry ground chuck in pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in spaghetti sauce. Add hamburger, cheese, seasonings and sour cream. Fold together and allow to combine and melt, over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.