Chicken Scampi

First of all, I seriously have every intention of posting some beef recipes just as soon as our local stores have reasonable prices! I can't quite psych myself up to spend $3/lb for regular ground beef...not even ground chuck! Even chuck roast has been $4-ish a pound...RIDICULOUS! Chicken happens to be the only thing on sale these days and I have to stick to my budget! I am so very proud to announce that my husband got straight A's this semester, so this was our celebratory meal in his honor :) Now, we just have to wait another few weeks to find out if he gets accepted into nursing school to start this Fall. If he receives an acceptance letter, I'm most definitely splurging on some good steaks!!! I also will remain on the hunt for quick weeknight meal ideas, because I'm hoping to work a ton to sock away money for next semester--if anyone has any ideas, please do share!

As for this recipe, I found it to be very simple to prepare and was a huge hit with my family. My husband polished off his plate and I think he took the leftovers for work today and my son requested seconds the night I prepared it. I followed the basic recipe on allrecipes.com, but tweaked it a bit. Would definitely make it the very same way next time! If you enjoy garlic and Italian-style food, this recipe will be right up your alley! (Oh, and did I mention that from start to finish, it took all of 25 minutes?!?)

Chicken Scampi

1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins (I happened to use these, because they were on sale for the same price as the boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you could actually just use the boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them into 1 inch wide strips)

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the butter or margarine and oil over medium high heat, until the butter/margarine melts. Add the parsley, oregano, garlic and salt and mix together in the skillet. Stir in lemon juice and white wine.

Add the chicken and saute for about 3-4 minutes or until chicken turns white on the outside. Lower the heat and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. (Watch the chicken carefully...mine was done in closer to 10 minutes). ***Also, you may have to add additional butter/margarine, while the chicken is cooking--I added an extra 1/2 stick***

Serve over pasta or rice. I used one pound of thin spaghetti, because I didn't have any angel hair on hand--this was more than enough for my family of 4.

Source: Adapted from allrecipes.com

Chicken Milano

This might seriously be my new favorite "at home pasta dish"...YUM! I selected this recipe that many people stated they felt was "restaurant quality", for our family dinner that we've been having every Friday night. (It's the only night of the week that we're able to sit down for dinner together, as a family, because of our crazy schedules and it's something that our kids look forward to each week!) I really loved it, but am so very grateful that I made some adjustments, including doubling the sauce ingredients and adding extra garlic. I also felt the need to thicken the sauce a bit, because it was way too runny--thus the addition of cornstarch. My recipe below reflects the increase in sauce ingredients, however, I would suggest going ahead and doubling the recipe altogether--I have a feeling that I'll be fighting my husband for the leftovers! All kidding aside, the recipe (as written below) would be enough for a family of 4, but if you're especially big eaters or have a larger family, I'd suggest doubling it. My kids are 2 and 5, so it was more than enough for us, but if you've got older kids, you may at least want to one and a half it! Again, don't forget...I wrote the recipe to reflect the amount of ingredients I would suggest for a single recipe!

Chicken Milano

2 tablespoons butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cups chicken broth, divided
2 cups heavy cream (or half and half)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dried basil
12 ounces dry fettuccini pasta

Directions:

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups of the chicken broth; increase to medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. Add the cream (or half and half) and cornstarch and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute chicken. Press on chicken occasionally with a slotted spatula. Cook for about 4-6 minutes per side (depending on the size of your chicken breasts and until the chicken is no longer pink inside). Transfer to a dish, cover and keep warm. (I stuck mine in the microwave!)

Discard the fat from the skillet and in the same skillet, over medium heat, bring 1/2cup chicken broth to a boil; stirring the pan juices. Reduce slightly and add the cream sauce to the skillet. Stir in basil and adjust seasonings to taste; continue to simmer on low.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook according to package instructions, approximately 10 minutes; drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with 6 tablespoons of the sauce.

Transfer pasta to serving plates and top with chicken. Cut chicken into diagnoal slices and coat with the cream sauce. Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top, if desired!

Source: Adapted from allrecipes.com

Skillet Chicken with Broccoli, Pasta and Parmesan Cheese

Oh, how we love pasta at our house! I've been spending a little bit of time each day, going through some of my favorite blogs in search of recipes to try and this particular recipe comes from Donna's blog (My Tasty Treasures). If you haven't checked out her blog, I HIGHLY recommend it--not only will you find some wonderful looking recipes, but she's one of the most down-to-earth and entertaining people I have ever "met". I love meals that can be prepared using one skillet and this dish is relatively healthy...bonus! I only made a few minor changes: I substituted penne pasta for ziti, used lemon juice from the bottle (since I didn't have fresh lemons) and I did use half and half instead of heavy cream. I've substituted half and half in countless recipes and have never noticed that much of a difference...except in the price! (Heavy cream is generally about double the cost of half and half). This is a great weeknight meal, but there was a bit of prep involved, so make sure you take that into account! My husband helped me prepare it, so that cut the prep time down significantly, but between cutting up the chicken, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and onions, I would allow about 15-20 minutes for prep...depending on how fast you are in the kitchen!

Skillet Chicken with Broccoli, Pasta and Parmesan Cheese

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch squares
Table salt and ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 ounces ziti
4 1/4 cups water
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4-5 cups broccoli florets (depending on how much broccoli you want!)
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or asiago
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook without stirring for one minute. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges--1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened--2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant--about 30 seconds.

Add the pasta, 3 cups of the water, and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and syrupy and almost completely absorbed--about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining 1 1/4 cups water. Cover and reduce heat to medium and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and almost tender, 2-3 minutes.

Uncover and return the heat to medium-high. Stir in the cream, Parmesan cheese, and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

Source: My Tasty Treasures

Goulash

My sister, Sarah, is SUCH a good cook and has an unbelievable knack for finding good recipes to try! A couple of weeks ago, I bought about 5 lbs of ground beef, intending to make meatloaf, but then realized that I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand. I was a bit flustered, trying to figure out what to make, without having to make a trip back out to the store and I noticed this recipe on her blog. My husband and I have always loved cooking-themed shows, whether it be Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen, Chopped, etc, and we've heard people mention Goulash multiple times, yet have never tried it. My sister said that they truly enjoyed this recipe and it's from Paula Deen, so I knew I couldn't go wrong! I did make a couple of changes--the biggest being that I omitted the ground turkey altogether...it makes me want to gag and used all ground beef. I also used an entire 1 pound box of macaroni and am confident that this would easily serve a family of four and depending on how hearty your appetites are, you likely may even have some leftover! I made it later at night, after the kids had gone to bed and my husband and I each ate a large bowl-full and we had 2 decent-sized containers left. As my sister suggested, I served salad and garlic bread with it. Definitely a great "comfort food"!

Bobby's Goulash

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey (again, I used all ground beef!)
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2- 15 oz cans tomato sauce
2- 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon House seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder)
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked) ***I used a full pound of uncooked macaroni***

Directions:

In a dutch oven, saute the ground beef and ground turkey over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing. Spoon off any grease. Add the onions to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups (I added a little extra, b/c of the additional pasta) of water, along with tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 15-20 minutes.

Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30minutes. (My sister suggested stirring periodically to ensure that it doesn't stick and burn to the bottom of the pot). Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes before serving.

Source: Delectable Dining; originally from Paula Deen Celebrates!

Pasta with Scallops and Lemon Butter Mustard Sauce

This recipe apparently was NOT a "winner" with my husband--he took a couple of bites and then asked me if I wanted to finish his portion. I knew when I was making it that there was a good possibility that he may not care for it. My husband has never tried scallops and I made the mistake of using the less expensive scallops for his "first time". Oops! I didn't go out and specifically buy scallops for this recipe--in fact, I've never even cooked with scallops before. I don't know if any of you have seen the little 4 oz bags that go on sale at Kroger periodically for $1.00, but I picked up a couple of packages a while back, figuring I'd give them a try. I, personally, didn't think they were "bad"--they obviously weren't as good as those really big scallops you get out, but the flavor was comparable. I really enjoyed the flavor of the dish and think that if my husband could have gotten past the idea of the scallops, that he might have actually enjoyed it. If any of you try it, I'd love to hear your feedback!

Pasta with Scallops and Lemon Butter Mustard Sauce

1 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon lemon, zest of, grated
8 ounces bay scallops
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup low-fat butter
6 ounces pasta, cooked and hot (I used 8 ounces of angel hair and that made enough for 2 people).
1/4 cup chives, snipped (I only had dehydrated chives)
salt and pepper

Directions

Simmer wine and lemon zest in medium saucepan. Add scallops and cook and stir for 1 minute. Take out scallops, raise heat and reduce wine to about 1/4 cup.

Reduce heat to low, whisk in mustard, then butter, in small pieces. Add scallops and any juice and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve sauce over cooked pasta and sprinkle with chives. (I stirred my pasta in with my scallops to coat it well and then sprinkled some chives on top!)

Source: Recipezaar.com

Orecchiette with Spinach, Sausage and Tomatoes

Thankfully, I got two shifts in at the hospital this weekend and I was quite pleasantly surprised when I found a gift in my "mailbox". I didn't get a chance to open it until later in the day, but when I did, I was very touched! One of my friends gave me a cookbook by Pampered Chef, called "29 Minutes to Dinner". It couldn't have possibly been any more appreciated, as not only do I love to cook, but I LOVE quick meals!!! I brought the cookbook home on Sunday night and rather excitedly showed my husband. It seems as if he only "half listens" the majority of the time, but apparently it caught his eye, because he spent yesterday morning looking through it (while I was working) and picked a recipe to make for dinner last night. I didn't get home until about 9pm, but when I walked in, the house smelled WONDERFUL! I had no idea he had picked a recipe from that cookbook until after I ran up and showered, because dinner was supposed to be a "surprise", but I got a kick out of the fact that he seemed as excited by a new cookbook as I was! While I had absolutely nothing to do with the preparation of this meal, I wanted to include it as a post, because it most definitely is worth trying and it was very cute to see my husband proudly making dinner for me after a long day's work. Just a couple of little "notes" before I post the recipe...

1) My husband used bow tie pasta, which was a perfect substitution! It seems awfully difficult to find orecchiette pasta around here--I think I've only been able to find it once!

2) The dish was a tad bit spicy for me, even though my husband said he made a point to use mild Italian sausage as opposed to the hot Italian sausage that the recipe called for. Perhaps it was the *optional* crushed red pepper flakes that he added--he ended up putting two teaspoons. As a side note on the recipe, it suggests using sweet Italian sausage for a milder dish--I would definitely make this recipe again and would consider going that route instead and/or omitting the red pepper flakes altogether.

This would be a great dish to make if you are having company over, as it presents really nicely--it looked really pretty in person, but unfortunately, I took the picture about 9:30pm, so I didn't have an ounce of natural light to work with. My husband served it with garlic bread, but it would be great to serve with a nice salad, as well. God love him, but he doubled it for just the two of us (because he said he wanted to make sure there was enough), so it made a TON! There easily is enough left for at least 2-3 meals! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Orecchiette with Spinach, Sausage and Tomatoes

1 1/4 pounds bulk hot Italian sausage
3 cans (14.5 oz each) Italian-herb diced tomatoes, divided
12 oz uncooked orecchiette pasta
2 1/2 cups water
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grape tomatoes
1 oz Parmesan Cheese, grated
5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:

Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart as it cooks. Drain canned tomatoes using a colander into a large bowl; reserve 1 cup of the tomato liquid for later use in this recipe.

Add drained canned tomatoes, tomato liquid, pasta, water, minced garlic, red pepper flakes (if desired) and salt to skillet. Cover and cook 13-15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cut grape tomatoes in half. Add grape tomatoes, spinach and reserved 1 cup tomato liquid to skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with cheese.

Source: Pampered Chef 29 Minutes to Dinner, Volume 2

Penne with Spicy Italian Sausage, Cream, Tomatoes and Peas

I've been a little "under the weather" the past few days, but I was bound and determined to stick to my meal plan for this week! I've been wanting to try this recipe for quite a while now...my parents gave my sister, Sarah and I a special cookbook put out by Sam's Club, called "Favorite Family Dinners". It includes recipes from many famous chefs, including Tyler Florence, who I know so many of you rave about :) This was one of the recipes that immediately caught my eye and then when Sarah made it and posted it on her blog, I knew we had to try it! I was a little nervous to use the spicy Italian sausage, as I've never been a fan of eating anything too spicy, but it honestly was not the least bit overpowering and I wouldn't hesitate to use it again! There were a couple of minor substitutions that I had to make, as I did not quite have the energy to run out to the store and I wasn't about to ask my husband to make another trip out, but the dish still turned out great!

Penne with Spicy Italian Sausage, Cream, Tomatoes and Peas

4 links spicy Italian sausage (I went ahead and used all 5 that came in the package!)
1 pound dried penne
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves (one of the items I didn't have, so I used the dried)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy whipping cream (I substituted half and half, as it was about 1/3 the cost)
2 cups peas, blanched
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the sausages in a roasting pan and roast in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden and just cooked. Cut sausages at an angle into bite-size pieces.

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until tender yet firm (al dente).

Set a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent and fragrant. Add tomatoes and basil; season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, then fold in cream and continue to simmer until rich and creamy. Add sausage, blanched peas, pasta and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Fold together and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Serve topped with a shower of cheese and garnish with basil.

*TIP: To blanch peas, submerge them into boiling water for 2 1/2 minutes (1 minute for frozen peas), then strain them and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process. Strain them again and set aside.

Source: Sam's Club Favorite Family Dinners (excerpted from Tyler Florence's cookbook: Dinner at My Place).

Pan Seared Lemon Tilapia with Parmesan Pasta

My husband eagerly volunteered to make dinner last Saturday night, so that I could shower and unwind before heading to work bright and early the next morning. I found this recipe earlier in the day and was thrilled that I just so happened to have all of the ingredients! We actually used frozen tilapia fillets and I would not hesitate to make this again--or let my husband make it again, I should say ;)


Pan Seared Lemon Tilapia with Parmesan Pasta

16 ounces elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons light olive oil
2 pounds tilapia fillets
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the pasta:
2 tablespoon light olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over medium heat, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the macaroni uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it is cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of the tilapia fillets with lemon juice, oregano, basil, cilantro, salt, and pepper, and lay the fillets in the heated skillet, making sure they don't touch. Sear the fillets for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until the fish is golden brown on the outside, and opaque and flaky inside.

Return the hot, cooked macaroni to the saucepan, and stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat the pasta. Sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese, stir to mix, and stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, the garlic powder, basil, oregano, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Divide the pasta between two plates, and top each with a tilapia fillet.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Pizza in a Pot

I just love my crockpot! It's funny, because I tend to go in spurts--I'll use it several times in a row and then I forget about it for a while, only to wonder why I don't use it more regularly?!? This is an extremely easy recipe to throw together and quite frankly, I think it could be considered a quick weeknight meal. They say to cook it on low for 3-4 hours until it's heated through, but everything is already cooked before you even put it in the crockpot, so you could easily just set it on high for an hour or so and I would imagine it would produce the same result! One thing that I can't stress enough is to make sure you add some seasoning to the beef, veggie and sauce mixture before adding it to the crockpot. I ended up stirring in some garlic salt at the end, because I thought it was really bland. It definitely need salt of some type and had I not been in such a rush to throw it together, it probably would have dawned on me that the recipe itself didn't call for any seasoning!

Pizza in a Pot

1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound spiral pasta, cooked and drained
2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) sliced pepperoni
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, pizza sauce and tomato paste.

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, layer the pasta, beef mixture, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through. ***If you'd like, substitute 1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage for the pepperoni in Pizza in a Pot. Cook it along with the ground beef, green pepper and onion.***

***Make sure to add some form of salt :)***

Shrimp Scampi

This is the last full day I'll have with my husband and kids...he goes back to work on Wednesday and I signed up to work tomorrow. I was trying to figure out what to make for lunch, when I remembered that we had some shrimp leftover from when we had fondue the other night for my husband's birthday. I certainly didn't want it to go to waste, so I immediately thought I would make shrimp scampi...one of my favorite dishes! We've experimented with several different recipes over the years and I decided that I would just kind of "wing it" this afternoon. I thought it was pretty good, if I do say so myself :) My husband and I have tried recipes in which I thought the "wine flavor" was too much, so that was my one major change. I added half white wine and half chicken broth. I didn't have fresh parsley, so please excuse the dried. If you're making this for a family of 4 or more, I would at least double it!

Shrimp Scampi

8 oz angel hair
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
Fresh parsley (for garnish)

Directions:

Boil pasta according to package directions. In the meantime, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 10-15 seconds, stirring constantly to make sure it does not burn. Add shrimp and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes--continuing to stir constantly. Add wine and chicken broth and bring to a boil; allow to boil for 1 minute. Add pasta, salt and pepper and stir to coat. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken

I came across this recipe several years ago, when I was up visiting my parents around their anniversary. I had decided to make them dinner and wanted to find something that they would both enjoy. I remember scouring the internet, in search of that "perfect recipe" and knew immediately that this would appeal to both of them. I don't know if any of you are aware, but if you go to Olivegarden.com, they have a link to many recipes on their site. I actually kind of forgot about that, until I was typing out this post! My parents both seemed impressed with the quality of this dish and my Mom has said that it's one of her favorite recipes. My Mom was in town this past week, so I decided to make it for her. Again, everyone said they enjoyed it! My youngest sister has actually ordered the Garlic Tuscan Chicken at Olive Garden (after trying my version) and she said that she honestly preferred this recipe. The original recipe calls for one red pepper, but I think the addition of the yellow pepper is nice in terms of adding a little color, but trust me...I understand how expensive red and yellow peppers can be, so I would think that it would be just as good with green peppers. I also have been itching to try adding mushrooms and/or onions, but I'll have to wait for a day when my husband isn't around :) The recipe I'm posting includes several revisions that I have made over the years, but by all means, feel free to refer to the original recipe and you can tailor the recipe to suit your tastes. I'm sure it will be delicious, most any way you make it!!!

Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken

(6) 6-8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to 1/2 inch thickness)
1 1/4 cup flour, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
1 lb fettuccine pasta (I've always used penne)
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, julienne cut
1 yellow pepper, julienne cut
1 cup white wine
1/2 lb whole leaf spinach, stemmed
24 oz heavy cream
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF and start boiling water for pasta. Mix 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess. Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken breasts 3 at a time over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp (2-3 min). Add more oil for each batch as necessary.

Place cooked chicken breasts on a baking sheet and transfer to preheated oven. Cook for 15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and peppers and cook for approximately 1 minute. Stir in 2 Tbsp flour, wine, spinach and cream and bring to a boil. Sauce is done when spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in parmesan cheese.

Coat cooked, drained pasta with sauce, then top with chicken and remaining sauce. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.

Adapted from recipe posted on Olivegarden.com

Greek Pasta Salad

I enjoy eating pasta salad all year round, but especially in the summer! I believe I first tried this at a bridal shower for either myself or my sister, Sarah and everyone loved it! It's since been made for several events and I actually made it for my grandfather's birthday party this past weekend...I thought it would go well with the deli tray that they were having. I actually doubled the recipe, which I would suggest doing for a crowd--it's really good leftover!

Greek Pasta Salad

3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 pound box pasta (cooked and drained)

3 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 (4 oz) can whole black olives, sliced
12 ounces sliced pepperoni, cut into strips

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, basil, oregano, black pepper and sugar. Add cooked pasta, mushrooms, tomatoes, red peppers, broccoli feta cheese, green onions, olives and pepperoni. Toss until evenly coated. Cover and chill 4 hours or overnight.

Source: Adele Fine

Asparagus Carbonara

I recently picked up a copy of EVERYDAY with Rachael Ray and immediately marked this recipe! I love pasta, bacon and asparagus, so I figured I couldn't go wrong--I was just praying that this recipe wasn't as much work as the last Rachael Ray recipe I tried! There was a bit of prep work involved, but not too much, by any means. My husband and I both really enjoyed this dish...it was unlike anything I have ever made, but a dish I will certainly make again! There was one major "issue" I had with the recipe--perhaps I'm just paranoid, but I'm not a fan of eating raw eggs. The original recipe stated to mix the pasta and asparagus into the egg/cheese mixture and then add the bacon at the end. I decided (after conferring with my sister) that I would add the pasta mixture (already mixed with the egg/cheese) to the skillet and simmer it for about five minutes to cook the egg. It was delicious!!!!

Asparagus Carbonara

2 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 pound spaghetti
1 bunch asparagus, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and cheese. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, adding the asparagus during the last minute of cooking. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the hot pasta and asparagus to the egg mixture; toss to coat.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp; stir in the garlic. Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the pasta mixture to the skillet and simmer for approximately 5 minutes, adding the reserved pasta water to moisten. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: Adapted from EVERYDAY with Rachael Ray (June/July 2009)

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo

Tomorrow is my 6th wedding anniversary and my husband and I kept going back and forth regarding what we wanted to do. A weekend getaway would have been most ideal, but with two little ones, it wasn't overly practical. My husband mentioned wanting to make dinner for me and then earlier in the day, he said that he was going to make dinner tonight and then take me out to dinner tomorrow, since my sister so kindly agreed to watch our kids for a bit. (Thank you in advance, Sarah!) This recipe comes from a free Kraft Food and Family Magazine that I've been receiving for years--I hear they now charge for it, though! My husband is cute, because he flips through any cooking magazines I get and always kind of bookmarks those recipes that he wants to make--this being one of them. I ordinarily really enjoy recipes from this magazine, but I was kind of curious as to how "authentic" this would taste. Was I ever pleasantly surprised...it was so rich and creamy and tasted much more similar to alfredo sauces that I've had out, than the previous recipe I posted. (Although that recipe was really good, too--just a completely different flavor!) I really appreciated my husband making this delicious dinner and look forward to our night out tomorrow :)

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo

12 oz fettuccine (uncooked)
4 tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing
1 lb uncooked deveined, peeled medium shrimp
6 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Directions:

Cook pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add shrimp; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, adding garlic for the last minute. Remove shrimp with slotted spoon; set aside.

Add cream cheese and broth to skillet; cook until cream cheese is completely melted, stirring frequently. Stir in shrimp and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

Drain pasta. Add to skillet; toss to coat. Transfer to platter; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and parsley.

Source: Adapted from recipe in Kraft Food and Family Magazine (Summer '09)

Baked Ziti

I bet you'd never guess that I am a huge fan of Italian food, would you?!? If I could only eat Italian food for the rest of my life, I'd be quite content :) I came across this recipe on Amber's Delectable Delights and the picture itself sold me! I followed her basic recipe, but changed around a few things...just because the pork sausage I bought came in a 1 lb roll (and her recipe only calls for 1/2 lb) and we also quite enjoy cheese, so we added even more than what the original recipe called for. The pork sausage gave the dish a nice little kick--not too spicy by any means, though! This was a nice, hearty meal that I served with salad and the cheesy garlic bread that I made earlier in the week. Now I just hope I saved enough room for one of the brownies that I made this afternoon!

Baked Ziti

1 box (16 oz) Ziti pasta (I couldn't find ziti to save my soul, so I used mostaccioli)
1 1/2 jars spaghetti sauce
3/4 lb ground beef
1 lb pork sausage
Salt, black pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes (all to taste)
16 oz cottage cheese (or ricotta if you prefer)
8 oz mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
8 slices provolone cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season water with salt, boil pasta till al dente; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile brown sausage and ground beef in skillet and season with desired amounts of salt, black pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes. Drain excess grease away from meats and return back to skillet. Add the jar of spaghetti sauce and let simmer until you are ready to assemble the dish. Place enough sauce mixture on the bottom of the pan so the noodles won't stick. Then assemble the rest of the dish- half of the cooked noodles, all of the cottage cheese, 4 slices of provolone cheese, 1/2 of the remaining sauce, remaining noodles, half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, remaining sauce, remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let set 10 minutes to cool before serving.

Source: Adapted from recipe posted on Amber's Delectable Delights

Chicken Parmesan and Cheesy Garlic Bread

This version of Chicken Parmesan was phenomenal, but I did do some MAJOR adjusting in terms of the ingredient proportions as they seemed way off to me! I know a lot of people are on a budget and it kind of sickened me to have to throw away so much of the breadcrumb/Parmesan cheese mixture--especially since the way the recipe was originally written, it called for an entire container of Parmesan cheese--actually more than that, because his recipe was for two boneless-skinless chicken breasts and I used five and only doubled everything else! When I initially started to measure out my ingredients, my gut was telling me that it seemed like way too much, but I tend to always follow recipes exactly as they are written the first time around and then adjust them to suit my family. Again, the chicken was wonderful...I would just highly suggest following my revisions to avoid wasting!

I chose to serve this Chicken Parmesan with homemade garlic bread--when I say "homemade", I'm not referring to making the actual bread...I cheated and had my husband pick up a loaf of Italian bread. It, too, was delicious, but then again, how can you go wrong with something that calls for 1/2 pound of butter?!? I will definitely be making both of these recipes again!

Chicken Parmesan

5-6 boneless-skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
2 eggs (beaten)
3/4 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1-2 jars marinara sauce (or your favorite spaghetti sauce) ***depending on how much sauce you like***
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb box spaghetti (you may even want to make a little extra!)

Directions:

Place chicken breasts between sheets of wax paper and pound the chicken until it's about ½ inch thick throughout. In a pie plate combine breadcrumbs, oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, and parmesan cheese. Crack an egg into a bowl and slightly beat. Take a separate plate and pour flour on it. Dredge your chicken breasts first in flour, then in egg and then in the breadcrumb mixture.

Put your chicken breasts in a pan and sauté until browned on both sides. (only cook until browned, do not cook all the way through)

Place chicken into a greased, oven safe dishes and top chicken with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Place chicken into the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Serve on spaghetti topped with the remaining marinara sauce.

Source: Adapted from recipe originally posted by Blog Chef

Cheesy Garlic Bread

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and mix with garlic powder and dried parsley.

Place Italian bread on a medium baking sheet. Using a basting brush, brush generously with the butter mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven approximately 10 minutes, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and any remaining butter mixture. Return to oven approximately 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned.

Source: Allrecipes

***Here's a picture of the breadcrumb/Parmesan cheese mixture I had left...it was an ungodly amount!***


NOTE: This reheated really well...the chicken remained as moist as the first time around!

Shrimp Alfredo

I was all set to make this for dinner last night, but my husband and son insisted that they wanted me to relax, while they prepared dinner. It was very cute watching them methodically measure everything out and take such pride in the meal they were preparing :) This recipe comes from a blog that I am absolutely in love with--I don't think I've ever seen him post something that I didn't immediately want to try! I sat anxiously waiting for them to announce that dinner was ready, as the smell taunted me from the kitchen. This is a very interesting twist on traditional "alfredo". I found it to be absolutely delicious, although my husband was a little turned off by the onions. (Fine by me, because that means that I get the leftovers!!!) Keep in mind...my husband is extremely picky, so while I love him dearly, I wouldn't necessarily go by his opinion, as I would eat this again in a heartbeat! (I just wanted to give a "heads-up" to those of you who don't care much for onions, as they did stand out in the dish!) Just as an "FYI"...the sauce continued to thicken over time...I know it looks pretty thin in the picture, but that's only because we were too hungry to wait! Also, we doubled all of the ingredients, except for the shrimp, as 8 ounces of pasta didn't seem like very much to me--especially with the pound of shrimp.

Shrimp Alfredo

1 lb medium raw shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails removed)
6 garlic cloves (sliced in half)
1 medium onion (diced)
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces fettuccini (or your favorite pasta)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon cornstarch
seasoning salt
ground black pepper
Minced fresh parsley (for garnish)

Directions:

Bring to large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix cornstarch and milk. Set aside. In a large frying pan heat butter and oil. Add garlic and onions, cook for 5 minutes or until garlic is soft. Mash garlic with the bottom of a fork. Add shrimp and cook until it just turns pink (about 1 ½ minutes). Stir milk mixture into the pan. Cook while stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened (about 2 minutes).

Pour mixture over cooked pasta. Mix in parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

I had to include a couple pictures of my "boys" preparing dinner...



Source: Blog Chef

Chicken Pasta Salad

If this isn't "heaven on a plate", I don't know what is?!? My sister, Sarah, made this a few years ago and as soon as I took that first bite, I wanted to eat the entire bowl! This is my absolute favorite pasta salad EVER! It can be kind of an expensive pasta salad to make, but this time of year, it seems as if you find vidalia onions and avocados on sale. The recipe calls for cherry tomatoes, but it somewhat sickened me to spend $3.99 for a tiny little 10 oz package, so I opted to use roma tomatoes. It definitely is better with the cherry tomatoes, but certainly wasn't bad with the Roma. I also used (2) 16 oz packages of pasta---more for leftovers :) Keep in mind...you can imagine how much I love this pasta salad, because no one else in my house will eat it and I STILL used two packages of pasta!

Chicken Pasta Salad

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 cups steak sauce
1 1/2 packages (18 oz) fusilli pasta
4 cubes chicken bouillon
2 Vidalia onions, diced
3-4 avocados - peeled, pitted and diced
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
2 cups Ranch-style salad dressing (you may need a little more, depending on how "moist" you like your pasta salad)

Directions:

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Place breasts into a glass baking dish and marinate in steak sauce for 15 to 60 minutes. Grill chicken until no longer pink and the juices run clear. Remove from grill, and chop into bite-size pieces.

To a large pot of boiling water, add bouillon cubes and pasta. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and rinse under cold water.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, pasta, onion, avocados and tomatoes. Mix in salad dressing, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.

Source: Sarah O'Brien

Pasta for Breath Only a Mother Could Love

Holy carbs!!! I feel like I've been eating pasta left and right lately--I don't think I mentioned that my husband made baked ziti the other night when I worked?!?! I can't help it...pasta is one of those things that I CONSTANTLY crave! As mentioned in a previous post, I've been trying to find recipes that will reheat well, so I have lunches for the week. Both of my kids have been sick, so they've been especially "needy/clingy", which has made it even more difficult to find time to grab a bite to eat. This is another recipe that I found in one of my Mom's cookbooks. The cookbook was called "Behind Every Great Chef, There's a Mom" and it featured signature recipes of many famous chefs' Moms--a pretty neat concept! This particular recipe is from Rocco DiSpirito's Mom. Within the description, she refers to this dish as "a perfect dish to serve when friends stop by unannounced--even when it seemed as if there was nothing in the house to cook!". It was incredibly easy (it took all of maybe 10 minutes) and all of the ingredients are those which most people would have on hand. The only suggestion I would make is to sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the pasta before serving--I felt like it needed just a little "something".

Pasta for Breath Only a Mother Could Love

Salt
1 pound spaghettini
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 to 8 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a 6 quart pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and stir well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, taking care not to let the garlic get too dark, about 2 minutes. When the garlic is light brown, add the parsley and red pepper flakes.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Toss, season with salt and pepper and serve right away in warm bowls.

Source: Behind Every Great Chef, There's a Mom! (Nicolina DiSpirito)

Olive Garden Chicken Scampi

If I could eat at Olive Garden every night, I would in a heartbeat! Unfortunately, having two little ones has made it a bit more challenging to eat out--both from a financial standpoint and based on the fact that it's not overly enjoyable to dine out when dealing with kids who don't want to sit still for more than five minutes! While I was home visiting my parents last month, I took advantage of looking through some of the HUNDREDS of cookbooks that my Mom owns. I came across this "Top Secret Restaurant Recipe" cookbook and sat drooling as I imagined just how wonderful it would be to recreate some of my restaurant favorites at home! (Especially for a fraction of what I'd pay to eat the dishes out!) While I've never had Olive Garden's Chicken Scampi and therefore, have no basis of comparison, I can tell you that this dish was as good as any I had ever eaten at Olive Garden! It was a bit time consuming, but well worth it! Just a couple of suggestions: You may want to 1 1/2 the sauce and consider adding fresh mushrooms--my husband would never agree to the mushrooms, but if your family likes them, I think they'd be a nice addition.


Olive Garden Chicken Scampi

Scampi Sauce

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced white onion
1/3 cup minced garlic (8 to 12 cloves)
1 1/2 cups Chablis wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1 cup heavy cream

5 to 6 quarts water
16 ounces angel hair pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
12 chicken tenderloins
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
1 chopped red onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

*Optional Garnish: Parmesan cheese*

Directions:

Make scampi sauce by melting butter in a preheated pan over medium/low heat. Add 2 tablespoons minced white onion and saute for 2 to 4 minutes or until the onion begins to brown. If the butter begins to burn, turn down the heat. When the onion is beginning to brown, add the minced garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Don't let the garlic burn. After about 30 seconds, add the wine, salt, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and black pepper and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer for approximately 15 to 18 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half. Add parsley and heavy cream and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Do not let mixture reach a boil.

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the angel hair pasta and cook for about 4 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander when done, then hit it with some cold water to prevent sticking and to keep it from cooking further.

Preheat oil in 2 large skillets over medium heat. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken tenderloins, then coat each one in the flour that has been measured into a large bowl. Arrange all of the coated tenderloins on a plate before sauteing 6 tenderloins in each pan. Cook the tenderloins for 3 to 5 minutes on one side or until golden brown. When the chicken is brown on one side, flip each of the pieces and move them to the side of the pans. Add an even amount of sliced peppers and chopped red onion to the center of each skillet. Continue cooking the chicken and vegetables for 4 to 6 minutes or until the chicken is browned and the veggies are beginning to brown on the edges.

Divide the scampi sauce in half and pour it over the chicken and other ingredients in each pan. Add 2 portions of pasta to each pan, then toss everything a bit and continue to cook for a couple of minutes or until the pasta is heated through. Prepare each dish by serving equal amounts of pasta onto each of four plates. Use a spoon or tongs to add the peppers and onion on top of each pile of pasta. Arrange three chicken tenderloins in the center of the pasta. Sprinkle each plate with about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh parsley and serve it up with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2, by Todd Wilbur