Monday, January 10, 2011

i promised mr. i would....

cook more in 2011....
not that i have to justify my statement but i will anyways....it's not like i NEVER cooked, it's just i didn't that OFTEN. maybe like a nice meal once a week, then of course you have left-overs that lasts a day or more, and then the good old standby...frozen pizza. then before you knew it the week was over already. then back to a cooked meal again.

so anyways enough of that ranting....we are trying to spice up our dinner rotations :)

tonight's meal: grilled chicken pasta in tomato sauce
you could also you shrimp if that is your thang :)

so you wanna try it? this is what you'll need:

1 lb. bonless, skinless chicken boobs
your favorite steak seasoning
1/2 pound penne pasta
2Tbsp butter
2Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C chicken broth
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
1 C heavy whipping cream
salt&peppa (to taste)
1Tbsp parsley
1Tbsp basil

first, rinse your chicken in cold water and lay on wax paper.
the cover with another sheet of wax paper. use a meat mallet and pound the breast so that they are even in thickness. you want them to be even thickness just because i think they cook more evenly is all.
cover your chicken in your favorite steak seasoning. we used a chicago steak seasoning. you could also use like montreal steak seasoning or even lowrys seasoning too. whatever your little heart desires :)
So...
you could grill the chicken next OR if it is like snowing like crazy and colder than the artic where you are at like me :) then you can cook them on the stove top. we chose to use our stove :)

i use 2Tbsp butter & 2Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. let that get nice a hott like then place your chicken boobs in the skillet and flip in about 5 min.
**once the chicken is done...you will be tempted to eat all of it plain b/c it's soooo yummy but refrain! you will be happy you did :)

now, make your pasta. in a large pot, add your water and a Tbsp salt. salt? yep. it will give the noodles a delicious taste! bring that water to a boil then add your penne pasta. i used like 3/4 of a 1lb. box of pasta and that is enough for you and your mr. plus a day of left overs or lunch for work the next day.

now to the heavenly tomato sauce.......
heat 2Tbsp butter and 2Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. add the garlic and stir occasionally until the garlic is tender. you won't want to let your garlic too brown because then you are close to burning it. it should take like 3-5 minutes.

add your chicken broth to the garlic, butter, and olive oil and turn to medium high.
now let the chicken broth reduce while we cut up the chicken. it should be cool enough to handle by now.
now go back to your chicken broth. i wondered why in the heck you have to let the chicken broth reduce? i didn't really know what that meant. if you are like me :), you want it to reduce so that your sauce isn't too soupy or runny. it should reduce to like 1/2 or so.

so pour in your tomato sauce.
then pour in your heavy whipping cream
add 1/2 tsp salt & pepper, 1Tbsp dried parsley & basil...
or if you want, you may buy fresh and chop them up but that sounds like too much work, i'll stick with the herbs from my cupboard :)
and stirrrrr
then taste test it! if YOU think it needs more salt and/or pepper, please do so!

so now you will drain your pasta and put right into your tomato sauce and mix all together until ALL the noodles are covered.

you may also add your chicken to that mixture so it can heat back up.....OR....you can just add your chicken to the top of your pasta on your plate, like we did :)

fancy, ey?!?!??
are you huuuuungry yet!?!?!


here was my audience, making sure i wasn't messing up or anything :)

hi mom!!!!

happy cooking!!!!! :)




1 comment:

  1. oh YUMMMMMMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    ok, how crazy is this, i totally made this recipe last week:
    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Penne-with-Spicy-Vodka-Tomato-Cream-Sauce/Detail.aspx
    for when i hosted wine-night at my house.....
    we were totally thinking alike.
    yours looks so good.
    we are definitely going to try it!!!!!!!
    goo momma go!

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