Chicken and pasta with sun-dried tomato pesto

I found this recipe on Cooking Light and was amazed at not only how good it was, but also how much my children raved about it.  We served it again tonight (for the umpteenth time!) and both kids went back for seconds.  Serve it with a garlic or tomato-basil bread from your local bakery, and you have a wonderfully filling meal.  This recipe has been adapted to add chicken and to alter the ingredient order a bit, but you can opt out on the chicken if you want it as a side (and serve with a smaller pasta for a side dish) or potluck item.  Use whole wheat pasta if you prefer.  I also suggest making bigger batches of the pesto and freezing for really quick dinners!


YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)             

Ingredients

• 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fresh linguine
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with olive oil and Italian seasoning (or Italian turkey sausage even!), cubed and cooked
• 3/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
• 1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons preshredded fresh Asiago cheese
• 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup pasta water
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain through a sieve over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pan.
While pasta cooks, place tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through black pepper) in a food processor; process until finely chopped.
Combine tomato mixture and the reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, stirring with a whisk. Add to pasta; toss well to coat.   Stir in chicken breast.  Spoon onto plates and sprinkle with feta.

Lemon, Pepper, and Tequila Grilled Chicken Breasts
We made these tonight after I found the recipe on MyRecipes.com.  WAY too much pepper was indicated in the recipe, but I altered it a little to begin with so it was almost tolerable.  So here we go with my version, including a lot less pepper.  A great recipe to throw together in the morning and let marinate all day!

Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes of marinating time

• 1/2 cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tbsp white (blanco) tequila
• 4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves

1. Combine lime juice, sugar, pepper, oil, salt, and tequila in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag. Stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Set aside.
2. Put chicken in bowl or plastic bag with marinade. Cover or seal; chill 30 minutes up to several hours.
3. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-hot (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 in. above cooking-grate level only 3 to 4 seconds). Remove chicken from marinade and grill 5 minutes (cover if using gas). Turn chicken over (cover if using gas), and grill until cooked through (chicken should feel firm when poked), 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

The best potatoes...EVER!

I made these tonight on a whim that we needed a different version of potatoes for Father's day dinner.  I had purchased a bag of small red potatoes last week and knew I could pan-fry them from a previous recipe's experience, but that recipe needed more flavor.

I dug the recipe out of a folder and started working my own magic, only using their cooking methods.  I couldn't get enough of them!!  Rob thought they were really, really good, Lauren chowed down on them and Alex got picky enough to say he didn't like them... meh, what ever, picky child!

So here goes...the best potatoes, EVER!

Pan-Fried Smashed Potatoes

1 pre-packaged bag of small red round potatoes (no bigger than 2" diameter; maybe a 1 pound bag)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
chicken broth or bullion, for boiling potatoes
1 tbsp dried thyme (or 3 tbsp fresh)
1 tbsp dried chopped rosemary (or 3 tbsp fresh)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

Place potatoes, olive oil, and salt in a large pot.  Fill pot with enough broth (or water and equivalent chicken bullion) to cover by at least and inch.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat slightly and simmer for 10 minutes, or longer depending on the size of your potatoes, until you can just put a fork into a potato.  They do not need to be fork-tender, just a little on the surface.

Remove the potatoes from the water and place on a cookie sheet.  Using a wooden spatula or another firm utensil (do not use a potato masher), slightly smash the potatoes so the skin breaks.  They should be about 1/2" thick.

Heat 1/2 cup oil in a 12" skillet over high heat, until it shimmers.  Place potatoes in pan and season with half the thyme and rosemary, then salt and pepper to taste.  Place a lid on the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low.  Let cook for 10 minutes.  Flip potatoes and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes, seasoning with more of the herbs and salt and pepper.  Serve immediately, and, if desired, sprinkle with shaved parmesan or romano cheese.

Linguine with potatoes, green beans, gorgonzola and sage

We had this tonight, and 3 of the 4 of really liked it!   It was a little grainy because of the type of potatoes I used and the dried sage since the grocery store didn't have any fresh.  And we used peas instead of green beans since it was what we had on hand.  It was quite tasty, a little too salty (cut back on that if you think the cheese will be enough), and would be really good with chicken added in!  Oh, and it was really quick and easy to throw together....minimal chopping and not much cleanup!  If you use blue cheese instead of gorgonzola, add 2 more tablespoons of butter.

• YIELD: Makes 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
• TOTAL:30 MINUTES
• COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients

• 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes  (I used russets since it was what we had)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 pound linguine
• 10 ounce green beans, cut into 2-in. lengths, or 1 bag (10 oz.) frozen cut green beans (frozen peas or a veggie medley would work fine)
• 6 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
• 8 ounces gorgonzola dolce or other soft blue cheese, such as Fourme d'Ambert (see Notes)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish

Preparation

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4-in. pieces. Put in a large pot, add 2 qts. water, cover, and bring to a boil. Add salt and linguine. Stir, cover, and return to a vigorous boil. Add green beans, cover, and bring back to a boil. Uncover and cook until linguine is tender to the bite, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, chop sage leaves. In a large serving bowl, mash cheese, butter, sage, and pepper together. Set aside.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and vegetables, shaking off as much water as possible. Pour pasta and vegetables on top of cheese-butter mixture. Toss to combine until cheese melts and coats pasta. If resulting sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water, 1 tbsp. at a time. Serve hot, garnished with additional sage or pepper if you like.
Variations:
Spinach: Add 6 oz. of spinach, cut into thin ribbons or chopped, to the pasta for the last minute of cooking.
Radicchio: In a large frying pan over high heat, cook 1 head thinly sliced radicchio in 2 tsp. olive oil until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add to cooked pasta before tossing with cheese.
Herbs: Use thyme, oregano, or basil instead of sage.

Farfalle with tomatoes, onion, and spinach

In my attempt to steer my family toward more meatless meals (no, I am NOT going vegetarian!), I came across a few recipes that actually do sound quite tasty.  This one was one of them.  And I would not mind throwing in some grilled chicken (maybe one breast....) to make it a little more sustainable.  But really, it wasn't necessary.  My husband was prepared to chow down on some leftover potato salad after this "light" meal, but was surprised when he finished and was full!

I did add extra oregano, as well as some salt and pepper.  I used a stainless steel skillet so I needed to add more oil.  But Rob liked it, Alex ate all of it, and Lauren picked out the tomatoes and spinach (she does not like tomatoes, but apparently only likes spinach SALAD...sigh...she's getting pickier as she gets older!). 

I might add some Italian seasoning next time, and also try rehydrating some sun-dried tomatoes instead of using fresh (I know Lauren likes those!).  It would also make a tasty cold salad-type dish. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces uncooked farfalle pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup vertically sliced yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 3 tablespoons shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions; drain.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and oregano; sauté 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and vinegar; sauté 3 minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften. Add pasta and spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with feta.

Greek Easter Bread
I made this for Easter dinner with a few alterations for the bread maker.  Right now my kids are thoroughly enjoying the leftovers as french toast for breakfast.  VERY good bread, slightly sweet, plenty of flavor!  Just change the order of ingredients according to your breadmaker's directions, remove the dough and pick up with the original directions with braiding and rising.  Original recipe from Cooking Light.

Greek Easter Bread

1 teaspoon whole allspice

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)

Dash of salt

Dash of sugar

2 packages dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons each)

4 3/4 cups bread flour, divided

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons butter

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon water

1 large egg yolk

Preparation

Place allspice and cinnamon in a spice or coffee grinder, and process until finely ground. Set aside.



Combine water, dash of salt, dash of sugar, and yeast in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Let stand for 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 1 cup flour to yeast mixture, stirring until well combined. Let stand 20 minutes.



Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in allspice mixture. Add yeast mixture to butter mixture; stir with a whisk until well combined. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Add 3 1/2 cups flour, about 1 cup at a time, stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).



Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press 2 fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)



Divide dough into 3 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 14-inch-long rope. Place ropes lengthwise on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray (do not stretch); pinch ends together at one end to seal. Braid ropes; pinch loose ends to seal. Lightly coat dough with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.



Preheat oven to 350°.



Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg yolk, stirring with a whisk. Brush half of yolk mixture over loaf. Let stand for 5 minutes. Repeat procedure with the remaining yolk mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Atomic Buffalo Turds

Yeah, I know the name sounds.....intriguing.  But we were invited to a party last night and were asked to bring a dish.  So we made these.  Hollowed out jalapeno halves stuffed with cream cheese, a little smokie, and wrapped in bacon, then smoked.

We used Jack Daniels mesquite wood chips in our smoker and were not impressed.  I think we'll make them this way next time...they are definitely worth another try!

18-20 jalapenos
2 blocks cream cheese (any fat content)
cayenne and paprika to taste
1-2 drops liquid smoke
1 package Hillshire Farms Little Smokies
2 lbs.thick cut bacon, cut in half and very lightly browned
Raspberry chipotle glaze

Special equipment: broiler pan or a rack set over a roasting pan, toothpicks, foil for easy clean up

Cut the tops off the jalapenos, then slice lengthwise.  Remove as much of the seeds and membranes desired.  (We removed all of it and it had ZERO kick, negating the "atomic" protion...big mistake!) 

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, cayenne, paprika and liquid smoke to taste(you can also use a spicy barbecue rub, chipotle chili powder, or minced/pureed canned chipotles in adobo sauce to taste; if using chipotle powder or sauce, omit liquid smoke).  Using a knife, fill jalapenos with 1 teaspoon cream cheese mixture, then top with little smokie.  Wrap a slice of bacon around the jalapeno and secure with a toothpick.

Place on a baking sheet/broiler pan and bake at 300 degrees for about a hour, maybe longer if the bacon does not appear browned.  (Bacon will not cook to a crisp texture, but it should be browned).  Brush with raspberry chipotle glaze and return to oven for another 20-30 minutes.  Serve warm, with additional glaze on the side.