One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

Easy, fast and delicious.

One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup chicken, cooked and shredded
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup water
15oz can quartered artichoke hearts, quarters cut in half
pinch red chili pepper flakes
1/2lb penne pasta
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons drained capers
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (shredded Parmesan or Romano)
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1 tsp dried basil)

Directions: 

1. Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic then saute until golden brown.
2. Add chicken broth, water, artichoke hearts, red chili pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to the skillet then bring mixture to a boil and add pasta and chicken. Shake pan to make sure all the pasta is covered with liquid then place a lid on top, turn heat down to medium, and then simmer for 2 minutes less than package directions (you want the pasta to be under al dente as it will cook for a few more minutes in the sauce.)
3. Remove lid then add lemon juice, capers, and tomatoes, and then turn the heat up to high and reduce sauce for 2-3 minutes. Remove pan from heat then stir in parmesan cheese and basil. Let sit for 2-3 minutes to thicken then serve.

http://iowagirleats.com/2014/07/21/one-pan-mediterranean-chicken-pasta-gluten-free/#_a5y_p=2053833

Cinnamon Crunch Skillet Bread

This is like a cinnabon in a pan.  SO GOOD.  Jeremy was raving about it all night.  Seriously worth the effort.  And it's actually easier than cinnamon rolls.  I took the first rise out of the recipe because I skip the 1st rise 100% of the time.  I am not sure what the point is of having the dough rise 2 times...

I got this recipe from: http://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/cinnamon-crunch-skillet-bread/

Cinnamon Crunch Skillet Bread

 Lovely breakfast or brunch sweet bread, with all the flavours of cinnamon rolls, served up in a skillet.
Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp. white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. instant or dry active yeast
• 1 cup milk, warmed
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil or melted butter
• For brushing the dough:
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• For coating the dough in:
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• Streusel topping: (optional)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, cold
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Glaze:
• 2 cups icing/confectioners sugar
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon  salt

Instructions

1.        Make the dough: Proof the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water in stand mixer.  Add the sugar, warmed milk, vegetable oil and salt. Add 2 cups of flour.  Knead with the dough hook until dough is smooth, adding more flour as necessary.

2.        Grease a skillet and set aside.

3.        Divide dough into two pieces and roll into a rope about 3 feet long. Place the dough on to a long piece or parchment or foil wrap and liberally brush with melted butter mixed with the vanilla. Pour the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture evenly alongside the buttered ropes and then roll the ropes in the mixture until evenly covered. Pinch the end of the ropes together and then twist them together, pinching the other end once all twisted together.

4.        Place twisted ropes into the skillet, starting from the centre and winding it around. (If you have some melted butter left over from brushing, feel free to drizzle it over the dough). Cover the skillet with a clean towel and let rise until doubled.

5.        Meanwhile, prepare the streusel topping by combining dry ingredients and cutting in the cold butter with a fork. Set aside.

6.        Preheat oven to 350° F. Once dough is doubled, sprinkle with streusel topping and bake for 30-40 minutes, covering it with foil after 20 minutes if is getting too dark.   Do not over bake.

7.        Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by combining the wet ingredients and adding to the powdered sugar. Stir well until smooth. Pour evenly over bread once it has cooled a bit.

Tuscan Tortellini

This is a really tasty recipe and a little different than your typical tortellini dish.  We liked it a lot!  Don't skip the cheese though - it adds a bit of a needed salty side.  We also used regular Italian because I didn't have any of the other... and it was delish.

Tuscan Tortellini

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pkg fresh cheese tortellini
•  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
•  
• 1/4 cup Tuscan Italian Salad Dressing (or regular Italian)
•  
• 1 Carrot
•  
• 1 Head of broccoli, chopped
•  
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese Shredded

 

Instructions

1. Cook the tortellini, but don't over-cook!!! It will turn to mush in the pan if you do.
2. Break up the broccoli and use a peeler to julienne the carrots. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and add the veggies. Cook until they begin to brown a little. Add the garlic for about a minute.
3. Add the pasta and the dressing. Stir every minute or so until the pasta begins to get golden and a little crisp on the edges.
4. Sprinkle with cheese (don’t skip) and serve immediately!

http://www.ohsweetbasil.com/2009/01/tuscan-tortellini.html

Baked Ziti with Summer Veggies

This is a yummy way to use up some of your summer veggies.  I usually substitute cottage cheese for ricotta cheese because it's cheaper - I just blend it in the blender until it's the same consistency of Ricotta.  I also used less than 1/2 c. of onion, and I added more cheese on top than it calls for.

Baked Ziti with Summer Veggies

4 oz. uncooked ziti
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 C. chopped yellow squash
1 C. chopped zucchini
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 C. chopped tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 C. part-skim ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese, blended smooth)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 C. part skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan.  Add onions and saute until golden.  Add squash and zucchini; saute 5 minutes.  Add tomato and garlic; saute 3 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.
Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg.  Stir into pasta mixture.  Spoon into a 2-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.  Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Summer Veggie Rice Bowl

This is an easy, light summer dinner and it's healthy to boot! The pine nuts give it just the right touch. Yum!

I didn't have Parmesan to shave so we just used shredded and instead of grape tomatoes we chopped up fresh tomatoes from the garden. Lastly, the original recipe serves this at room temperature but since I didn't have the rice cooked ahead of time we ate it warm and decided that's the best way to do it. :)



Summer Veggie Rice Bowl

1 1/3 C brown rice
1 C frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 C grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 C torn fresh basil (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/4 C pine nuts, toasted
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 C chopped zucchini
1/2 ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved

Cook rice as directed on package.  Combine first 9 ingredients in large bowl and toss until well blended.  Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add zucchini; saute 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add zucchini and remaining olive oil to rice mixture; toss.  Top with Parmesan.



Altered slightly from Cooking Light.

Crock Pot Tomato Ravioli Soup

While we were eating this for dinner tonight Jeremy said, "Wow, this is really good soup".  My jaw dropped.  Jeremy saying a soup (i.e. "water for dinner") is not only good, but really good?  The king of "yeah, it's not bad" said this soup was really good.  So I had to post it.

Crock Pot Tomato Ravioli Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 or 9 LARGE tomatoes (you could use three 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes and skip sauteing them, just add directly to crock pot)
• ½-1 cup Italian sausage, cooked and out of casing
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup dried cheese or mushroom ravioli
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried

Instructions

1. Saute garlic, onion and frozen basil in olive oil until garlic is slightly browned.
2. Add your tomatoes and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Boil until it creates enough sauce for about 6 cups of juice. Add more tomatoes if needed.
3. Add chicken broth to your crock pot.
4. Once tomato mixture is ready, add to the crock pot.
5. Add sausage, seasonings, and brown sugar and stir well.
6. Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours (or LOW for 7 hours).
7. Add the evaporated milk and dried ravioli; stir and cook on LOW for another 30-45 min until ravioli is tender.
8. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!