Cajun Chicken Pasta

I found this recipe a while back while looking for another pasta recipe, and just tried it tonight. I'm kicking myself for taking so long to make it - it's so good! It's definitely on the spicy side, but the kick of heat was a nice change for us. We both really enjoyed it and I'll be making it again.

Oh, and I was just too lazy to take a photo. Sorry. Maybe I'll take a pic of the leftovers.

Cajun Chicken Pasta
From Southern Living 2007
12 ounces uncooked linguine
2 pounds chicken breast strips
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning*
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 cup butter
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced**
1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced*
1 (8-oz.) package fresh mushrooms
2 green onions (white and light green parts only), sliced**
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Garnish: chopped green onions

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Sprinkle chicken evenly with Cajun seasoning and 1 tsp. salt. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken, and sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done. Remove chicken. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, and green onions to skillet, and sauté 9 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid evaporates. Return chicken to skillet; stir in half-and-half, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add linguine; toss to coat. Garnish, if desired, and serve immediately.

*To make your own Cajun seasoning, combine 2 1/2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper.

**1/2 (16-oz.) bag frozen sliced green, red, and yellow bell peppers and onion may be substituted.

Turkey & Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

A week or so ago I went in search of a recipe that uses turkey in a non-traditional turkey kind of way. I'm trying to use a different type of protein with each meal so that we aren't eating beef or chicken over and over and over again. So far I have two great turkey recipes in my repertoire (Greek turkey burgers and turkey lettuce wraps), and this adds a third. Don't let the long name and long recipe scare you away; this is actually a pretty easy recipe to make (but you will use quite a few pots and pans). It makes a ton - an entire box of jumbo pasta shells - so it's good for a large family or for a couple nights of leftovers.

Akins family - you'll be seeing this meal soon!

(I'll take a photo next time I make this.)

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce
Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis
1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9x13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 20 minutes (60 minutes if shells are frozen.)

Arrabbiata Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped (I used bacon instead)
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (can be omitted for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce (about 2 jars)

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use. Yield: approximately 6 cups

Campanelle Pasta Salad

A few weeks ago when I was at Target (I go way too often, by the way) I noticed that Giada De Laurentiis had launched a new line of products exclusive to Target. The ceramic/stoneware bread pans looked nice, but I was drawn to a box of orzo pasta. Not that I've ever cooked orzo, but I was really interested in seeing if there was a recipe on the back of the box.

Yup, there was. It was an orzo/tuna recipe, and it intrigued me. I didn't buy the orzo because it cost almost $2.50 for a one-pound box, and I knew I could buy it at Publix for about a dollar less (non Giada branded, however, but the brand name is certainly not worth my $1).

So, two weeks later I was still thinking about that recipe. Obsess much, Kara? I couldn't find it online (of course not -- they want me to shell out $2.50 for a box of pasta), but I did find an incredibly similar Giada recipe, made with campanelle pasta instead of orzo.

Worth a shot, I figured. And I might as well feed the beast that had been obsessing over tuna and pasta.

So, I made it for dinner tonight and was pleasantly surprised. Neither Patrick nor I are big fans of fresh tomatoes, but we both liked the cooked cherry tomatoes, and they gave the pasta nice flavor and color. It was a nice flavor change of pace for us, too; while we tend to eat copius amounts of pasta, we don't typically eat fish (at least not at home).

This was a quick, easy meal, too, perfect for weeknights.

And, to Target and Giada (cause I'm sure they'll read this ...) -- how about a line of Giada-inspired clothing? I always like the shirts she wears ... but would wear a cami underneath. No cleavage in the kitchen for me!!


Campanelle Pasta Salad
Slightly modified from the original Giada De Laurentiis recipe, found on foodnetwork.com*
1 pound campanelle pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
1 small or 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (12-ounce) can tuna in oil, drained
1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons dried chopped thyme
4 teaspoons chopped dried parsley
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

In a 14-inch skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the tuna to the skillet and, using a fork, break into chunks. Add the cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, capers, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the pasta, the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, and the parsley. Toss until all the ingredients are coated, adding a little pasta water, if needed, to thin out the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.

*I used 12 ounces of tuna instead of the 6 called for in the recipe, and am glad I did. I don't think that 6 ounces would have been enough to taste. I also didn't feel like buying fresh herbs, and already had the dried herbs on hand, so that's what I used. I modified the quantities above to account for using them instead of fresh herbs. For the original recipe, click here.

Cheese Manicotti

Sorry - again - for my lack of posts/recipes lately. I've been in town ... just not cooking as much as I'd like! Please stick with me though; I promise it will get better soon!

This recipe is one I grew up eating, and it's sort of a comfort food to me. And, it's an Italian meal, which I adore. I tend to gravitate towards the delicious combo of pasta and cheese!

Again, I don't have a photo because (let's all say it together) we ate it too fast and by the time I remembered all I had left on my plate were a few blobs of marinara sauce. But y'all know what manicotti looks like, right? I paired this with garlic bread and a salad (with my favorite Italian dressing - Good Seasons - the mix that you combine with oil, red wine vinegar and water).

Delizioso!

Cheese Manicotti
Recipe passed down to my mom from a dear family friend, Mamie Coffey
8 oz. (2 cups) diced or shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 slightly beaten eggs
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Marinara sauce (I use a whole jar store-bought sauce for this recipe)
Approximately 8-10 uncooked manicotti noodles

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Mix the first seven ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour a small amount of marinara sauce in the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Fill uncooked manicotti noodles with cheese mixture and place in dish on top of marinara sauce. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the cheese-filled noodles. Top with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired. Cover dish with foil and bake, covered, for approximately 45 minutes (at 350 degrees).

Paula Deen's Baked Spaghetti

Patrick's grandmother is known for her baked spaghetti, and it's made at family reunions and other family get-togethers and was a staple in Patrick's life while he was growing up. Needless to say, my baked spaghetti will never measure up to his grandmother's (nor will I try to compete!), but since I know that it's right on up there on the list of "Patrick's favorite foods," I wanted to try to make it.

Thankfully, Paula Deen, southern cook extraordinaire, came to my rescue. I found her recipe for baked spaghetti and knew that if it's from Paula, it had to be good. I mean, how can you go wrong with two pounds of cheese? (Okay, maybe not quite two pounds, but there's a lot of cheese in this. And it's soooo good.)

Do make sure that you are cooking for a crowd when you make this. This is not a recipe for two (I made it for just the two of us one night and then took the 3/4 of the pan of leftovers to Suzanne and Carter's. Her parents were in town and I knew her dad loves baked spaghetti -- and wouldn't mind our leftovers -- so they were able to finish it. We like leftovers, but really didn't want to eat it for six days). I think the recipe says it serves 10. I'd say 8-10 depending on how hungry folks are, but it does feed quite a few people. (Okay, I just realized that this can easily be cut in half for those of us who don't have eight people to feed. So, next time, when I'm just cooking for the two of us, I will be halving this recipe.)

Oh, and according to Paula, "Fodor's Travel Guide" calls this "The best baked spaghetti in the South."

Try it and I think you'll agree.


Paula Deen's Baked Spaghetti
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced green bell peppers
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons The Lady's House Seasoning*
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 small bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
8 ounces uncooked angelhair pasta
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

To make the sauce, in a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, seasoning mixtures, sugar, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Crumble the ground beef into a saucepan. Cook until no pink remains, then drain off the fat. Aff the ground beef to the stockpot. Simmer for another 20 minutes. While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Cover the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch pan with sauce. Add a layer of pasta, then half the cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with the remaining cheese, return to the oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into squares before serving.

*To make 1 1/2 cups of The Lady's House Seasoning, stir together:
1 cup of salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

This is a good, all-purpose seasoning to have on hand.

Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Pasta

Y'all know what a fan I am of fast, easy, and delicious meals. This recipe has it all, folks, plus veggies, too! A hometown friend of mine, Dawn, created this fab dish and was gracious enough to share it with me.

The first two words I saw in the recipe were "goat cheese." SOLD!! I love goat cheese, but rarely have the opportunity to eat it, much less cook with it. The rest of the recipe could have included sardines and sauerkraut (two foods I wouldn't cook or eat), and I would still have made it, just for the goat cheese. Thankfully, Dawn's recipe included yummy ingredients like sun dried tomatoes, broccoli, Alfredo sauce and mushrooms. Mmmmm!! And did I mention this takes no time at all to make? 30 minutes, and you're sitting at the table, enjoying a scrumptious meal!




Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Pasta
Recipe courtesy Dawn Norris
2/3 box of penne rigatte (must use the rigatte…it soaks up the sauce better)
1 package of broccoli-in-the-bag
1 tablespoon butter
Olive oil
½ of medium onion, diced
1 package of sliced mushrooms (if you're like my husband, you can pick these out or omit them. I happen to think mushrooms are quite yummy)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 jar (or more if you love sun dried tomatoes) of sun dried tomatoes, julienned (I couldn't find a jar, so I just used the package from the produce section)
½ of roasted chicken, cut up in big chunks, or 1 package of the precooked Tyson chicken strips
1 jar of Sun dried Tomato Alfredo pasta sauce (Classico is best)
Salt
Pepper
Container of goat cheese crumbles
1/3 cup of parmesan (optional)

Boil your pasta. Use about 2/3 the box of penne for about six people.

While pasta is boiling (that is literally all the time it takes to make this dish), put “broccoli in the bag” to steam.

Put butter and about two turns of olive oil (I always use some of the oil from the sun dried tomato jar) in LARGE sauté pan on medium to high heat. Begin sautéing onions. Once onions start to soften, place the mushrooms into the pan and begin cooking. When mushrooms are beginning to brown, add the garlic, sun dried tomatoes, chicken, broccoli, and jar of sun dried tomato Alfredo sauce. Add salt & pepper to your liking. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Lower heat to very low.

At this point, the noodles should be done. Add the noodles to the sauce pan directly from the pot using a slotted spoon or strainer (you want a little of the pasta water to get into the sauce mix—it helps the sauce stick to the pasta better).

Pour into a big pasta bowl (this feeds at least 6 people). Mix in the container of goat cheese crumbles and sprinkle on parmesan (optional).

Enjoy!

Don't be a chicken

I am fairly skittish when it comes to cooking chicken. I have a fear that my husband, whom I love dearly, will die a slow and painful death of salmonella poisoning. (That, or the chicken will be tough and rubbery and dry, which although not nearly as tragic as death-by-salmonella-poisoning, it runs a close second.) Thus, I usually steer clear of recipes that call for cooking chicken, roasting chicken, boiling chicken, and the like. Unless, of course, I can use the ever-popular rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, Purdue Shortcuts, or something of the like.

But y'all make me adventurous and want to live life on the edge.

Last week, I cooked us some chicken. And lived to tell about it. (Patrick is alive and well, too.)

I have to say, it was good. (My photo doesn't do it justice - it tasted much better than it looks. I need to work on my photography skills.)


Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan
Recipe from goodthingscatered.blogspot.com
4 large chicken breasts (about 3 lbs.)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups of bread crumbs (I used Panko bread crumbs)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups pomodoro/marinara sauce (make your own, defrost what you have or store bought is just as delicious)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Cooked pasta of your choice (I used spaghetti)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a shallow dish mix together egg and milk.
In separate shallow dish mix together bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
Rinse and pat chicken breasts dry.
Pound to tenderize chicken breasts to about 1 inch thickness throughout.
Preheat olive oil in a oven proof skillet over medium heat.
Dip chicken breasts into egg/milk mixture and then cover in breadcrumb mixture.
Place coated chicken breast in hot oil and saute each side until lightly browned (about 1 minute per side).
Place skillet directly into oven.
When internal temperature of chicken reaches 160 degrees, carefully remove pan from oven and place a spoonfull of sauce and 1/4 of the cheese on top of each.
Place skillet back into the oven and bake until internal temperate reaches 170 degrees (about 15 minutes total).
Remove from oven and serve on top of pasta.

We ate this so fast there was no time to take a picture - Tuscan Ravioli

That's how stinkin' yummy this dinner is, y'all. It's so good. Hear me on this. Do not let the lack of photo deter you from trying this recipe. I implore you. For the love of all that is good and right, try this recipe. If you need backup, just head on over to Suzanne's blog and ask her what she thinks of it. She'll give you the scoop. Her family digs this dinner, too.

So that's my pitch.

As I think I mentioned last week, Patrick and I have a standing dinner date with the Akins family every Thursday evening. It's a ton o' fun. They're a family with four kids four-years-old and under - what's not to love about that?? We get loads of kid and baby time (and good adult hang time, too), and also get to have great meals each week with six of our favorite people. A while back, I introduced them to this ravioli dish, and it was an instant hit. Everyone loved it, and it's one of Patrick's favorite meals. It's become a staple on the Witherow and Akins menu rotations ever since. Once you try it, you'll understand why.

Oh, and one more thing. It's super fast and super easy. Again, I love this recipe.

Tuscan Ravioli
Adapted from a Southern Living recipe
1 package frozen cheese ravioli
1 jar sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce*
2 tablespoons white wine**
1 can petite diced tomatoes***
1/2 cup chopped basil
Parmesan cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, pour Alfredo sauce into a large saucepan. Pour wine into sauce jar, cover tightly, and shake well. Stir wine mixture into saucepan. Stir in tomatoes and chopped basil; cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Toss with pasta; top with Parmesan cheese. Makes 4-6 servings.

If you're planning on having bread with this dinner (bring on the carbs!), put it in the oven before you start making the ravioli. Cause I'm telling ya, this dinner takes no time to make. The ravioli take about 5 minutes to cook, and the sauce takes 5. SO FAST!!

*I use Classico Sun-dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce. Sometimes Publix has it buy-one-get-one-free and then I stock up!
**I don't know anything about wine and use Fairbanks Sherry instead. I use it for anything cooking-related that calls for white wine.
***I use Hunt's petite diced tomatoes, and it seems to have less liquid than some of the other brands. If you use something else, I would recommend draining the liquid first. You'll have less sauce, but that's okay. (Draining the liquid is actually what the "real" recipe recommends, anyway, but we like the sauce and want lots of it.) You could also be all fresh about it and chop two medium-size fresh tomatoes, but I take the easy way out of things. Hello - quick, easy.

An identity crisis

One of the new favorite meals in the Witherow household has an identity crisis; it can't decide if it's Italian or Mexican. Whatever it is, we love it. And, it's one of the fastest, easiest weeknight meals ever. Gotta love that! I'm eating leftovers now ... so yummy!


Mexican Chicken Penne Pasta

1 package (16 oz.) penne pasta
2 cups cubed cooked chicken (if you want to be really speedy and easy about this, like me, use the Purdue Shortcuts chicken)
1 1/4 cups salsa con queso dip
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large tomato, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, queso dip, milk and salt together. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat. Top with black beans, tomato, onions and cheese.

If you try it and like it (ohmyfriend, you will love it), I can't take credit for the recipe. Thanks to Suzanne and Carter for the goodness; Thursday nights are one of my favorite nights of the week because of them and their family! Plus, they have introduced us to some wonderful meals!