Soo Yummy Thai Pasta & Chicken



Yummier than it looks!

Perfect weeknight dinner even if there is homework to do - Less than 30 min to make, one pot and flavor to boot. I tried and tried to get a good picture of this one, but you're going to have to take my word for it, it's fantastic. Many birthdays ago my mom put together a bunch of her favorite recipes in a book for me - this recipe card has "EASY & YUMMY" written on it, she's right!
You'll need:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 lb linguine
Roasted chicken, torn, as much or as little as you like
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice (or the juice of 1 lime)
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Bring water to a boil for pasta, cook, drain, set pasta aside in a colander. In the same pot you made the pasta, mix together, broth, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir pasta in with broth mixture. Add chicken, lime juice. Put on plates/bowls and sprinkle cilantro and peanuts on top. Enjoy!!

Cheesy Pasta Primavera

Daddy Rating: 3/4

This picture does not do it justice - this meal is fantatic!

Rich yet light, veggies, cheese, pasta all in one pot. I'm not sure if I would attempt this on a week night because it requires some attention while cooking, I got this done on a Saturday during two episodes of Wonder Pets. It makes SO much, that we have plenty left over for a dinner during the week as well. This is from my favorite Everyday Food Magazine.

Ingredients:
coarse salt and ground pepper
12 oz whole wheat fusilli (or other twisted pasta)
3 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, deced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2.5 cups whole milk
2 zucchini or yellow squash, sliced and quarterd
1 cup cherry tomatoes (I wish I used more...I love tomatoes)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/3 cup fresh basil
Rotisserie Chicken

Cook pasta according to package instructions and save 1 cup of pasta water (I always forget to do this).

In a large pot (I used my favorite Dutch Oven) melt butter over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add flour and whisk to combine. Whisk in milk and cook on low heat, whisking frequently until simmering and thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add zucchini and cook until crisp-tender, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in Pasta, tomatoes, Parm and basil. If it seems too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water to your desired consistency. Sprinkle with more Parm for serving. Rip up chicken and stir into bowls before serving.

Little Miss has been picky-pants lately...but she liked the CHEESE.

Enoy with a nice glass of wine!

Chicken with Tomatoes & Thyme

Daddy Rating: 2/3

I'm not sure if there could be an easier meal to prepare and it is YUMMY, I can't believe I have't posted this sooner. I make it in the morning before work and put half in a Zip-loc bag in the freezer for a future yummy dinner. What's great is all of the prep is in the morning, and it doesn't require any attention when it's cooking so you can have quality time or help kids with homework.

AM Prep - how good does this look!

Ingredients
1 lemon
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes with basil
8 sprigs thyme
1 (or so) tablespoons capers
4 small chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on)
4 small chicken drumsticks (bone-in, skin on)
salt/pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Freezer bags
Cooked rice for serving

Slice the lemon into rounds, keeping the peel on. In a bowl combine tomatoes and their liquid, lemon, thyme, and capers. Put about half of the tomato mixture into a 9x12 baking dish. Arrange 3-4 thighs and 3-4 drumsticks in the dish so they aren't touching. Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate until you are ready to cook. Put the rest of the tomato mix and chicken in a freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months.

As soon as you get home from work, preheat the oven to 400*, remove the platic wrap and drizzle olive oil over the chicken. Roast until the chicken is is brown and cooked through (about 40-50 minutes). Serve over rice.

Enjoy with a nice glass of wine

Cugino's Chicken Enchilada Soup

Daddy Rating: 4

(I picked up this soup mix as a total after-thought while I was at the grocery store and, boy, am I glad i did! This made such good soup, it is going to become a go-to staple in our house! I deviated a bit from the instructions on the package by replacing 2c of water with chicken broth and adding tomatoes, but I LOVE chunks of tomatoes in my food, so I had to. )

Ingredients:
1 package Cugino's Chicken Enchilada Soup Mix
2 cups Chicken broth
4 cups water
1 15oz can tomato sauce
As many canned whole peeled tomatoes as you would like
Rotisserie Chicken - a much as you would like torn by hand and added to soup

For serving:
Shredded Cheese
Corn Chips
Yummy Bread

Bring water and chicken broth to a boil. Add soup mix, tomato sauce, tomatoes and chicken and let simmer, stirring occasionally for 25 min.

Of course our neighbor stopped by RIGHT when we were about to put dinner on the table, but no worries, I just kept the soup warm until he and hubby were done chatting.

I crushed up corn chips in the bottom of the empty bowl and added cheese, then I filled the bowl with soup. It was like a yummy little treat waiting at the bottom of the bowl. I also served with some yummy focaccia bread with jalapenos - YUM. The soup is thick, hearty and perfect for our drizzly evening, the best part - only ONE POT to clean.

I wish I had taken pictures, but my mom was over and I totally forgot. I brought some to work for lunch today and swore I would take a picture. Unfortunately I was so excited to eat it....I remembered to take a picture after I finished...



What was fantastic soup



Weekend Dinner - Baked Pasta With Chicken Sausage

(Daddy Rating 4/5)

(This is from an old "Everyday Food" magazine that I grabbed from my mom. I meant to cook this over the weekend, but I wasnt' feeling well and the Oscars were on so it got bumped to a Monday night...sort of a mistake, it was too much to do on a week night but it was good, so we'll keep it on hand for a Weekend Dinner or if we have company over)

Ingredients:
- Olive Oil
- Salt/Pepper
- 1 medium red onion (I used yellow)
- 1/4 cup vodka (Optional, I didn't use it)
- 1 can 28 oz whole tomatoes, lightly crushed with your hands
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 lb rigatoni (I used cavatappi because I like the fun shape better, you won't use the hole pound, you will have some plain pasta left if you need to reserve some for picky eaters)
- 10 oz Baby Spinach (I used frozen and pressed out the water because I'm cheap, but fresh would have been a lot easier)
- 12 oz smoked chicken sausage (I used some chicken sausage from Target that has spinach in it)
- 6 oz fontina cheese (I used 8oz)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (Or enough to cover the top of the casserole in the dish)

Everything finally chopped up....

Start the water boiling for the pasta. Then heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat (as large as you can because you wind up mixing the ingredients with the pasta in this skillet). Add onion; cook until translucent (about 3 min). Stir in garlic. Turn down heat and add vodka if you're using it. Turn heat back up until evaporated (about 1 min).

Trying to occupy baby girl by making drums out of mixing bowls so I can chop ingredients.

Stir in tomatoes and oregano and cook until tomatoes are falling apart (about 10-15 min). Add cream and cook until warmed through (about 5 min). Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400*. Start the pasta cooking.

Drums got old, so baby girl cleaned out the spice cabinet for me...

Add Spinach and chicken sausage to skillet until wilted (if using fresh).  Combine cooked pasta (do it in small batches, you may not want to use all the pasta) and fontina cheese to the tomato sauce in the skillet and toss to coat.

Divide evenly into whatever baking dishes you have. Top with Parm to your liking and back until browned and edges are crisp - about 20-30 min.

YAY! Finally in the oven! My husband ate the dish on the left for dinner and we still had plenty of left overs

Always serve with a glass of wine.

Crunchy Chicken on Greens

(Daddy Rating: 2/3)

It's pretty obvious I don't have a future as a food stylist or photog...still tastes good tho!

(This recipe is based off a recipe I pulled out of Real Simple Magazine - I served it over salad this time, but is also good over reduced spinch. Every time I make this (no matter if the chicken is frozen or fresh) it turns out the juiciest chicken breast ever. I would think this would be pretty kid friendly with whatever they would like on the side.)

Ingredients:
- How ever many chicken breasts you need
- Special K Cereal (make sure it is the plain kind, I bought "vanilla-flavor one time on accident...yech)
- Olive Oil
- Pepper
- Spicy Mustard
- Mixed Greens
- Your favorite salad dressing
- Hard Boiled Egg

Preheat oven to 400*.  In a shallow dish (I use a pie tin) pour the Special K cereal and press on it with a spatula to break it into small pieces. Drizzle olive oil over the cereal - about one turn of the dish, and add however much pepper you would like. On another plate, make a puddle of spicy mustard.

For some reason the chicken breasts I buy are huge, but one satisfies my husband, so I'm going with it.

Set up an assembly line, coat the chicken breast with mustard, press into the cereal on both sides and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Cook for 45 or so minutes or whatever the package of chicken directs.

Toss greens with your favorite salad dressing (I used poppy seed) and sliced hard boiled egg. Top with whole or sliced crispy chicken breast. ENJOY!

Always serve with a glass of wine.