Chicken Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

via the comfort of cooking

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 ounces uncooked rotini

1 3/4 cups (1 1/2-inch) slices asparagus (about 1/2 pound)

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1 tablespoon butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/3 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dash of crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until fully cooked and juices run clear. Tent with foil and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and/or olive oil. Add asparagus during last 2 minutes of cooking time.

Place peas in a colander. Drain pasta mixture over peas; set aside.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Combine broth and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir until well blended. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cream, juice, salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add pasta mixture to broth mixture; toss gently to coat.

Slice chicken and serve immediately with pasta.

Enjoy!

Crock pot Honey Sesame Chicken

via 

Author: Leigh Anne Wilkes

Recipe type: Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 2 chicken breasts (about 2 lbs total)
• salt and pepper
• ½ C onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 C honey
• ¼ C ketchup
• ½ C soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 tsp cornstarch
• ⅓ C water
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 3 green onions, chopped

Instructions

1. Put chicken in crock pot. Season with salt and pepper
2. In a bowl combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and red pepper flakes.
3. Pour over chicken
4. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2 hours
5. Remove chicken and shred.
6. In a small bowl combine cornstarch and water.
7. Pour sauce in crock pot into a sauce pan and add in the cornstarch mixture.
8. Stir to combine over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until thickened. Stirring often.
9. Pour over chicken.
10. Serve over rice
11. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

via A Hint of Honey

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 lbs. fresh tomatoes (I used a mixture of Roma and beefsteak), cored and halved
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 small yellow onions, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
3 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream (optional- I omitted)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.

2. Place tomatoes, garlic, and onion on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil (about 1/4 cup), sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer and roast in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until tender and caramelized.

3. Transfer roasted vegetables to a large pot. Add the butter, bay leaves, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by a third.

4. Add basil to the pot. Using an immersion blender (or food processor), puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to low heat and stir in the cream (if using). Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serves 4.

Italian Stuffed Acorn Squash

Italian Stuffed Acorn Squash

by Laura Muir, freshandhappy.com

Ingredients:

For Roasted Acorn Squash

3 Acorn Squash, halved and seeds removed

1/4 C olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

salt and pepper to taste

2 tesapoon brown sugar

For Tomato Veggie Sauce

4 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 cup yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 zucchini, cubed (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, or more to taste

2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

For Acorn Squash filling and topping:

3 cups ground Italian sausage, browned

2 cups, jalapeno white cheddar (or pepper jack), shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash, halve and remove seeds of acorn squash.  Place rush the cut side and inside of squash with olive oil.  Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning blend and a light sprinkle of brown sugar.  Bake in oven for about 1 hour.  When done, squash will be fork tender.

In a large saucepan, melt butter.  Add olive oil, diced onions, minced garlic, cubed zucchini and grated carrots.  Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes or until garlic starts to brown lightly, and onions are slightly translucent. 

Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes.  Bring to a slow boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Add milk brown sugar soy sauce, cinnamon, Italian seasoning blend, salt , pepper, and chili powder.  (Make sure to season well with salt to taste.)  Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. 

While sauce is simmering and squash is roasting in the oven, brown the ground Italian sausage.  Drain excess grease, and set browned meat aside.

When squash is done roasting, remove from the oven.  Fill the hollow bowl of the acorn squash with 1/2 cup browned Italian sausage.  Top with 1/2 cup vegetable tomato sauce and some shredded cheese.  Return to oven and change oven temperature to broil.  Remove from oven when cheese is melted.  Serve hot.

Kielbasa, Pepper, Onion and Potato Hash

via The Two Bite Club

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) package turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 yellow, red or orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 small or 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a heavy bottomed skillet (I like to use my cast iron), heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, around 8-10 minutes, stirring a few times to ensure even browning.  
2. In a separate skillet, brown the sliced kielbasa for around 5 minutes in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat.  Remove the kielbasa from the pan and set aside.  Add the peppers and onions to the skillet and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.  
3. Add the cooked potatoes and kielbasa to the skillet with the onions and peppers and mix everything together.  Serve nice and hot!

Notes

• I use two skillets to make this recipe.  I used to make it in one, but something always came out wrong.  I've learned that when I cook my potatoes in a separate skillet they cook more evenly and stay nice any crispy when they're added to the other ingredients right before serving.
• Sometimes I'll add some minced garlic to the peppers and onions, but it tastes just as good without it.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

via Tasty Kitchen

Good homemade Indian food did not seem like a real possibility.  This was really, really tasty.  Served with TJ's naan.  Yum.  A little involved.

Ingredients

• FOR THE CHICKEN:
• 9 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Yogurt
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Jalapeno Pepper, Stem Removed, Pepper Pierced Several Times With A Sharp Knife
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion, Peeled And Diced
• 6 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
• 3 Tablespoons Garam Masala
• 1 piece Fresh Ginger, About 2-3 Inches, Peeled And Grated
• 4 cups Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon Raw Sugar (can Substitute White Granulated If Necessary)
• 2 teaspoons Cornstarch Or Cleargel
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• TO SERVE:
• Hot Buttered Rice And Peas
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Directions:

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1- 1 1/2 inch pieces. Sprinkle the coriander, cumin and salt over the chicken, then stir in the yogurt until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover lightly and let sit for 10 minutes before proceeding.

Melt 1 tablespoon the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Raise the heat to medium high and quickly brown about 1/4 of the chicken. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker as it is finished, using 1 tablespoon of butter per batch, and repeat until the chicken is all in the slow-cooker. Throw the pierced jalapeno in on top of the chicken.

Prepare the sauce. Return the pan to the heat and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and kosher salt, then stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to lightly brown around the edges.

Stir in the garam masala and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) before raising the heat to high and adding the crushed tomatoes and raw sugar. Stir well, scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow-cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, or until the chicken is very tender.

Use a fork or whisk to stir the cornstarch or cleargel into the heavy cream until smooth. Pour into the slow-cooker and stir gently until the colour is even. Replace the lid and let cook for 10 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.

Serve over hot rice and peas, topped with a generous amount of chopped cilantro.

Peach Ice Cream

via Taste of Home

To satisfy a craving.  Makes tons--could easily be halved.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups half-and-half cream (I used whole milk)
• 3-1/2 cups sugar (I cut sugar by 1/4)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups heavy whipping cream (I used 3.5 cups)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 to 8 medium peaches, peeled and slicedor 4 cups frozen unsweetened peach slices

Directions: 

1. In a large saucepan, heat half-and-half to 175°; stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of hot cream mixture into the eggs. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over low heat until the mixture reaches at least 160° and coats the back of a metal spoon.
2. Remove from the heat. Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water; stir for 2 minutes. Stir in whipping cream and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
3. Place peaches in a blender, cover and process until pureed. Stir into the custard. Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two-thirds full; freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
4. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze, stirring before freezing each batch. Allow to ripen in ice cream freezer or firm up in the refrigerator freezer for 2-4 hours before serving. Yield: about 3 quarts.