Pasta in a Pesto-Cream Sauce

Ok, this dish is NOT diet-friendly.  However it is SO delicious.  You'll think you are at a fine-dining restaurant.  Your family will wonder where you went to culinary school.  Oh, and did I mention it's fast and easy???

SIDE NOTE:  I was making this for 13 people, so it looks like tons.  However, the measurements included will serve 4-6.

2 lbs. chicken breasts
Balsamic Herb marinade (make your own or buy a bottled one)
1 12 oz box of fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti noodles
1 8-oz tub of Buitoni prepared pesto (or make your own, but this brand tastes homemade)
1/2 c. white wine
1 c. cream
2 T. olive oil

Marinate chicken for 1 hour to overnight.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil add about 1 T. prepared pesto to the olive oil.  Let cook until it's browned.  Add white wine to the pan.  Let reduce by half.

Slowly add cream to the wine in the pan.  Whisk well to incorporate.  Cook over medium-low heat until thickened (about 10-15 minutes).  Stir often. 

While the sauce cooks, heat a grill to medium heat.  Grill chicken over medium heat until cooked through (about 15 minutes).  Remove chicken from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Add pesto to the cream sauce.  Whisk together well.   I forgot to get a picture of the sauce.  It should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.  If it needs help thickening, add 1 T. cornstarch mixed with 2 T. cold water. 

Drain pasta, combine with sauce.  Slice chicken breasts.  Serve pasta with chicken on top. 

This is so yummy. It makes my mouth water just looking at it!!
NOTE:  To make a Balsamic Herb marinade, I took about 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar, 2 T. olive oil, 1/4 c. water, 1 T. basil, 1 T. oregano, 1 T. rosemary, salt and pepper.  Blend well in a blender or food processor.  If you are in a hurry for the marinade to penetrate, add 2 T. vodka to it and pre-slice the chicken into strips.

Navajo Tacos

We love tacos at our house.  Sometimes, though, I like to switch it up and make them on scones.  It's no more difficult than regular old tacos, but it's fun and new and soooooo yummy!

You need:

1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
12 frozen Rhodes rolls (double recipe if you need more)
Oil for frying scones
Taco toppings:
cheese, olives, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, taco sauce, sour cream, refried beans...)

Thaw rolls and let rise.  I almost always use the quick-rise method on the back of the bag.

Cook ground beef with the taco seasonings as per directions on the seasoning packet.

Heat oil in a large skillet.  I test my oil by dropping a one-inch piece of bread into the oil.  If it fries to a golden brown in about 30 seconds, I know it's ready.  Stretch each roll into a 3-4 inch circle.  You can also combine two rolls for a larger taco.  Fry on each side until golden brown.

Remove to a plate that has a couple paper towels on it to collect the oil drips.  Let everyone build the taco of their dreams with the toppings,

Here's my favorite:  scone, meat, cheese, onion, olives, lettuce, taco sauce.  So yummy; so fun!

Lasagna Fake-Out

My kids love lasagna.  I hate how long it takes.  Once in a great while, I'll resort to frozen, but I really don't like it.  This easy recipe has all the great flavors of lasagna, MUCH less time, and has spinach hidden in there for nutritional value.  Big score for moms here!

You need:

1 box medium-large style pasta (shells, penne, rotini)
2 T. olive oil
1 box frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and wrung out in a towel
3 T. butter
1/2 onion chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes (Total of 28 ozs.)
1 c. (or one container) Ricotta cheese
1 c. Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
dash nutmeg (freshly grated, preferably)

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook pasta according to package directions, but about one-two minutes shy of the recommended cooking time.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil.  Saute the onion for 2 minutes, or until golden.

Add the spinach to the skillet.

Add about 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Remove the spinach to a small bowl.  Add canned tomatoes to the pan.  Bring to a simmer and let thicken slightly.

Add basil to sauce.  Let simmer while you spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.  Drain cooked pasta and return to the pot.  Add the spinach mixture to the noodles

Add the Parmesan and ricotta cheese to the noodles.  Stir well.

Spread this mixture into the prepared pan. 

Pour the sauce over the top of the noodles.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes, or until it is piping hot with melty, bubbly cheese on top.  I forgot to take a picture of the dish right out of the oven.  We served ours with green salad and garlic bread.

This is yummy comfort food, and is seriously done in about half an hour.  That's less time than it takes to cook a frozen one!!!

Green Bean Rice Pilaf

My kids love this side dish.  They think it's awsome to have rice, noodles, and green beans all together.  I love this side dish paired with something that has a sauce to go on top.  Sauces just make it much better.

You Need:

3 T. butter
1 c. rice
1 c. spaghetti noodles broken into small pieces OR 1 c. Orzo pasta
2 c. chicken stock
1 c. water
1 c. green beans (fresh or frozen)


In a pot, melt the butter.  Add the rice and pasta.

Cook in the butter until the rice begins to turn a golden color.

Add the chicken stock and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low or medium-low, cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Add the green beans (I was going to cut the whole beans to 1 inch long, but I found some French-cut green beans, and I used those instead.).

Stir gently to incorporate, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

Serve alongside just about anything, but I served it with Chicken in Creamy Sauce.  It's so yummy with sauce on top.

Chicken in Creamy Sauce

I am a sucker for a rich, creamy sauce, and I don't skimp on the cream.  I love it.  Plus, I figure that as long as I'm not making them EVERY NIGHT, it's ok to indulge in real cream sauces every so often.  This is a new recipe I tried recently, and it's truly lovely. 

You Need:

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 eggs
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
2 T. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
1/2 c. flour
3 T. olive oil
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 c. white wine
1 c. cream
3 T. cold butter

Preheat oven to 375.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.  Pound chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch thick.  Combine eggs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.  Put flour on a plate.

Dip the chicken breasts in the egg mixture first, coat well.

Lightly coat the chicken breasts with flour.

Brown the chicken in the oil until golden.  Don't worry about cooking through, as they will bake in the oven to finish.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 15 minutes.  In the pan that you cooked the chicken in, saute the onion for a minute.

Add the white wine, and reduce by half.

Add the cream, stirring quickly to incorporate.  Cook for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Serve over the chicken.  We like it with Green Bean Rice Pilaf, too. 

Wasabi Ranch Dressing

This is a copy cat of TGI Friday's dip for their fried green beans.  I actually bought the battered green beans, though they wouldn't be hard to make.  This dip would also be good on sandwiches, as a veggie dip, or with fried pickles.

You Need:

1/2 c. ranch dressing
3 T. milk
1 t. cider vinegar
1/3 medium cucumber
1-3 t. wasabi paste (depending on how hot you want it)

Peel and cube the cucumber.  Put it in a food processor and blend well.  Add the ranch dressing and milk.

Add wasabi and cider vinegar.  Blend until smooth.  Serve.

Deviled Eggs

I always have too many Easter eggs left over.  So, here is how I use them up.  These get gobbled up quick!

You Need:

6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 T. red wine vinegar
2-3 T. sweet mustard
2-3 T. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
paprika for sprinkling

Peel eggs and rinse of any shells.  Cut in half lengthwise.  The yolk should easily pop out.  If it doesn't scoop gently with a spoon.

Add mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.

Mix until smooth.  Scoop into a gallon-sized ziplock bag.  Press air out of the bag and seal.  Snip one corner off the bag. 

Fill the egg halves with the yolk mixture.  (Mine turned out a bit runny this time.  I usually estimate all measurements.  This time I estimated too much, but I scaled back on the measurements for the blog.)
Sprinkle the eggs with paprika.

Lemon Herb Rub/Marinade

This is a super easy marinade or rub to use on chicken or pork.  I used this in the Chicken On A Can recipe.

You Need:

1/2 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. olive oil
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
3-4 T. fresh chopped herbs (tarragon, rosemary, thyme, basil)

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Blend until it makes a thick marinade or rub.   I used it on a chicken.

You can see in the picture that it's still liquid, but it's thick.  I rubbed it in the chicken, cooked the chicken on the BBQ, and served it up with Macaroni Salad and grilled asparagus.

Chicken on a Can

Ok, this chicken changed my life.  BBQ has never been the same since I learned this way of cooking a chicken!!!  I LOVE THIS CHICKEN!!  It turns out so flavorful, moist, and flat-out delicious that I can hardly contain my excitement when I cook it.  So good!  A must try.

You Need:

Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
A Spice Rub (I love Famous Daves Rib Rub or Durkee Rib Rub)
A Whole Chicken
A Soda or Beer (NO DIET!)

Now, this recipe requires you to get up close and personal with your chicken.  You are going to give this chicken a nice massage.  Pour some olive oil in the palm of your hand and rub it over the inside and outside of the chicken.  Next, loosen the skin from the chicken.  Right above the cavity, the skin has a natural opening.  Put your hand between the meat and the skin and loosen it.  You need to make sure to get in the legs too.  Then, pour your rub in the palm of your hand (I used the spice rub for one and Lemon Herb Rub for the other).  Rub the rub in between the skin and meat, on the outside of the chicken, and on the inside.



This is between the chicken breast and skin.



This is between the chicken leg and the skin.

See how relaxed they look??  Ha ha!

Open the soda and drink about 1/4 of it.  Set it on the counter and place the chicken over it, firmly.  There are little stands available that the can sits in, and they make it more stable for the chicken on the grill. 

I have one, but when I cook for all the fam, I need two chickens.  The pictures show one with the stand and one without.  Turn your grill to a medium heat.  You can place your chickens on the grill immediately.

Grill over a medium heat for about 45 min. to 1 hr.  Use a meat thermometer in the thigh to test for doneness, or carefully slice the chicken open.  While it's cooking, check for small flare ups.  I use a spray bottle of water to tame the flames and keep my chickens cooking without scorching (most of the time!).

This is the beautiful bird.  So yummy!  As you can see, a flare up took out the botoom of the legs--oops!  Carve up the bird.  It should easily slice and come apart at the joints.

I served ours up with grilled asparagus and Macaroni Salad.  Such a great summer meal!