Archive for the ‘Pasta’ Category

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Cajun Chicken Pasta for two


2011
10.09

Posted in Chicken, Pasta | No Comments »

I was looking for dinner ideas the other night and asked a colleague what his favorite chicken dish was. He replied “There is this Cajun Chicken dish my wife makes that I absolutely love” or something to that effect. Sounded good so this was how I went about it.

It turned out to be an excellent, rich chicken pasta with the perfect amount of spice. All the richness of something like a fetucini Alfredo I’d loved as a kid but have since somewhat outgrown. I think this would also make a great veggie version, removing the chicken in place of 2 cups of halved mushrooms or steamed asparagus tips. The recipe was derived from the one found here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cajun-chicken-pasta/detail.aspx

Ingredients

  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (below)
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
    • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 fresh baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 4 ounces linguine pasta
  • 1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese (Parmesan or Romano works well too)
  • 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf Italian parsley

Directions

  1. Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat.Place in fridge for 1/2 hour or so for absorption.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes).
  3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat.
  4. Remove 2 tablespoons of bell pepper for final garnish.
  5. Remove chicken and cut into 1/4 inch strips against grain. Return to pan.
  6. Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat on med-low for 8 minutes (while the pasta is cooked) to allow sauce to thicken.
  7. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Add pasta to pan with chicken and simmer on low for 4-5 minutes.
  8. Plate pasta, sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese, bell peper and parsley. Enjoy with a nice glass of the open white!
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Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel


2007
11.20

Posted in Casseroles, Italian, Pasta | No Comments »

I have to say that fresh fennel is one of my favorite things to add to a sauce. It adds such a distinct flavor that is more complex than a typical tomato+basil+etc sauce. This is a great dish to throw together ahead of time and drop in the oven just before you are ready to eat. You will need to increase the cooking time of course if the dish has been refrigerated.  The fresh basil and fennel really makes this sauce delicious. Leftovers are in high demand for this one. Yummy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound hot Italian sausage links (hot Italian Turkey sausage can be used for a lighter meal)
  • 1 (12 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
  • 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce or your favorite homemade sauce
  • 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • red bell pepper, roasted and chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
  2. Fry the sausages in a large skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and slice into rounds.
  3. Add the garlic, fennel and onion to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red bell peppers, basil, sliced sausage and pasta sauce. Heat through over low heat until warmed.
  4. Combine the pasta with the sauce and vegetables in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spread the mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses over the top. Garnish with a few fennel leaves left from the bulb. Cover with aluminum foil.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove the aluminum foil. Set the oven to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is browned.
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Three Cheese Macaroni with Wild Mushroom


2007
10.03

Posted in Casseroles, Pasta, Vegetarian | 1 Comment »

This recipe was inspired by the folks at whatwereeating.com. I had to make some changes, however, because I couldn’t find all of the ingredients in the original recipe. So, here is my version which turned out absolutely wonderful and is easy to make! Beats the living crap out of the blue box! The kids had seconds and thirds! This went well with some freshly steamed green beans tonight.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 c. sliced crimini mushrooms
  • 1 1/2 c. sliced shitake mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp. oil or bacon fat
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. sherry cooking wine (found in the vinegar section)
  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 4 tbsp. flour
  • 2 2/3 c. whole milk
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 4 oz. herb goat cheese, crumbled
  • 4 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded
  • 4 oz. parmigiano reggiano, separated in two 2 oz. piles
  • 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1 tsp. fresh sage, minced
  • 2-3 tbsp white truffle oil, depending on how strong you like it
  • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 c. crushed croûtons (cheese and garlic flavor) or Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • 10 oz. elbow pasta
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

  1. Place a large pot of water over high heat and cover.
  2. Place a large skillet with 2 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté for 7-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are fully cooked and slightly caramelized. Toss or stir occasionally. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper then add 1 1/2 tbsp. sherry cooking wine. Allow all of the wine to cook out, then remove the mushrooms and set aside.
  3. Begin the cheese sauce: Add butter to a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and is hot, whisk in flour. Cook the flour, whisking, for about 30 seconds, just long enough to get rid of the raw flour taste, but not long enough for the flour to start caramelizing.
  4. Add the thyme, rosemary, sage, and red pepper flakes. Continue stirring and allow the herbs to cook for another 30 seconds or so. Slowly pour in the milk and the heavy cream while continuously whisking so everything mixes smoothly and there are no lumps. Allow to come to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
  5. While waiting for the sauce to come to a simmer start the pasta. Liberally salt the pot of boiling water, almost to the point it tastes like sea water. This may take a few handfuls of salt. Add the pasta to the water and cook the pasta for a minute or two less than the suggested time on the box.
  6. Once your sauce has reached a simmer, stir in the goat cheese, cheddar, 2 oz. of Parmigiano and truffle oil. Stir until all cheese has melted. Remove from heat and taste the sauce for seasoning levels. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
  7. Preheat oven to ‘Broil’. In a small bowl, mix together crushed croûtons (or Panko) and 2 tbsp. Parmigiano reggiano.
  8. Strain pasta immediately when finished cooking. In a mixing bowl, toss the pasta, cheese sauce, and mushrooms together. Pour the macaroni and cheese into a glass baking pan and spread the croûton mixture evenly across the top.
  9. Broil the macaroni and cheese in the upper part of the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until the topping is golden and the cheese sauce is bubbly. Serve hot and enjoy!