Chicken Tortellini Bake

I made this for dinner tonight and it really just hit the spot. It's fairly easy and really satisfying.

We're not mushroom people so I left those out, but as we started eating I mentioned that I thought it would be good with chopped broccoli and Aaron thought that would have been perfect. So if you don't do mushrooms, maybe try broccoli?

Also, you'll probably want to salt and pepper the chicken sauce part of it as it's cooking. I didn't think about it since the recipe didn't say to, and we ended up salting it at the table. Which is always kind of annoying.

Recipe here.

Also, if you're not reading My Kitchen Cafe, you might think about giving it a try. I swear every single one of her recipes sounds absolutely fabulous. None of them are too complicated. Just basic, every day type cooking.

Broccoli and Tortellini Salad

This salad is the best. It comes from a former co-worker of mine, who was always asked to bring it to events.

Salad Ingredients:

• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 1/4 lb. fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
• 2-3 heads broccoli, chopped into florets
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• red onion, finely chopped (to taste)

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 t cider vinegar

Cook bacon, cool, and crumble. Cook tortellini for 8-10 minutes, drain, and rinse under cool water. Mix dressing ingredients. Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl; add dressing; toss. Serve chilled.

Chicken Milano

Adapted from Domestic Diva in Training.

1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
8 ounces dry pasta - fettuccini, penne, linguini, etc.

In this recipe, you basically have three pans on the stove top doing three different things:

1. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter; add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and 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 and bring to a boil; stirring. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the chicken (from step 3) and basil and adjust seasonings to taste.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the sauce.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil, add chicken to pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is no longer pink inside. Add chicken to sauce and stir.
   

Transfer the pasta to serving plates; top with cream sauce; serve. I LOVE this pasta!!

Cous Cous with Peanut Sauce

It's the new Mac and cheese! At least it might be at my house, since my kids loved it and don't really care for mac and cheese (weird I know). I got this recipe from The Vegan Spoonful (click the link to see a picture). I made a few slight alterations such as using regular milk instead of soy, and also halved the recipe (it was plenty for us plus leftovers), but otherwise my version is almost the same.

Peanut Sauce:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1 and 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or hot water with bouillon)
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt to taste
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup milk

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in peanut butter and allow it to melt a little. Add vegetable broth and whisk until smoothly incorporated. Add spices and simmer on medium-low heat, covered, for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in milk and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Cous Cous

1 cup dry cous cous
1 T olive oil
1 t vegetable bullion powder (I used chicken)
1/4 t paprika
1 cup boiling water

Stir olive oil, bouillon powder, and paprika into dry cous cous until thoroughly mixed. You can do this right in your serving bowl. Stir in boiling water and cover for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork. Serve peanut sauce over hot cous cous. Enjoy!

Pasta Basta

1 T. red pepper flakes

olive oil to cover bottom of pan

3 T. minced garlic

1 c. pine nuts

8 ½ oz. sundried tomatoes – julienne

1 ¼ c. calamata olives

3 oz fresh basil chopped

salt and pepper to taste

3 c. cooked chicken – sliced or cubed

1 lb. penne pasta cooked to al dente

12 oz. cheese tortellini cooked to al dente

½ lb. feta cheese

Cook red pepper flakes in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large pan over medium heat. The longer you cook – the hotter it gets. Be careful not to burn. Add garlic, pine nuts and tomatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add olives and basil cook for a couple more minutes. Add cooked chicken and pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with feta cheese, toss and serve.With this recipe you are free to add more of what you like and less or none of what you don't. Play around with it - it is a family favorite copy-cat recipe from Oreganos.

Vegetarian Penne

This pasta has the best flavor! I devoured it. It's pretty filling even w/out meat, but would also be good with sauted diced chicken mixed in. You could also experiment w/different veggies. Yum!

half of a 16 oz. bag of pasta (penne, spirals, etc.)
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 small yellow summer squash, sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 t minced garlic
3 T butter
2 t flour
1 t salt
1/2 t dried parsley
1/2 t dried thyme
1/4 t pepper
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (this is what makes it taste so good!)

Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile in a large skillet, saute the onion, squash, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic in butter until tender.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, seasonings, and cream until smooth; add to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta and add to the vegetable mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. I usually end up adding in a little more cream so that it's not too dry.

HEAVENLY Angel Chicken

6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C. melted butter
1 Pkg. Good Seasons Italian salad dressing mix
1 can golden mushroom soup (I use cream of chicken, Kent doesn't do mushrooms)
1/2 C. chicken broth
4 oz. cream cheese
pinch of dried onion
1/4 tsp. ground garlic (optional)

Cut chicken breast into fourths, so the flavor can be absorbed into all the pieces. (boneless center-cut pork chops are also good). Place chicken in the crock pot. Mix together butter, dressing mix, soup, broth, cream cheese, onion and garlic. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Serve over angel hair pasta.

Chicken Parmigiana

2 eggs, beaten
dry bread crumbs
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Beat eggs in a bowl. Place bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Dip chicken in egg, then bread crumbs. Place chicken in greased 9X13 glass pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

Pour 1/2 of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the 9X13 pan. Pour the rest over the chicken. Sprinkle cheeses on top and return to oven for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Baked Ziti

1 pkg. of ziti noodles
1lb. of ricotta cheese
1lb. of mozzarella cheese
1 egg
pepper to taste
1 jar of spaghetti sauce

1. Cook noodles
2. In a separate container, mix the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, and pepper.
3. Line a cassarole baking pan with 1/4 of spaghetti sauce.
4. Mix noodles in with the cheese mixture.
5. Put all in baking pan.
6. Pour remaining sauce on top with some extra mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins.

(by Becky)