Chipotle Chicken Pasta

Chipotle Chicken Pasta

1 pound penne pasta
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons honey, divided
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 large chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups frozen peas
2-3 tablespoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipolte in adobo sauce)
2 cups half and half
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
tortilla strips and parsley for garnish

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside.

Whisk together the lemon juice, 1tablespoons of the honey, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the marinade. Toss to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan, add the bell pepper and onion to the pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, then stir in the peas. Add the adobo and half and half to the pan, bring to a simmer and stir in the parmesan cheese. Stir in the chicken and pasta, toss well to coat. Serve, topped with tortilla strips and minced parsley.

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Garlic Shrimp and Sundried Tomato Pasta

Whenever C is out for the evening, Miss F and I always indulge in seafood. We had visited my parents for crabs and got a couple pounds of fresh shrimp from the Kemah seafood market. The shrimp there are so much better than what you can get in the grocer.  Miss F has become and expert shrimp peeler, which makes dinner prep a breeze.  She wasn't a huge fan of the sun dried tomatoes, but that meant all the more for me.  I used dried sun dried tomatoes and rehydrated them with boil water.  I added a bit of the water the tomatoes steeped in to the sauce.  This recipe is adapted from Julia's Album.

Garlic Shrimp and Sundried Tomato Pasta

12 ounces linguine pasta
2 tablespoon butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup sundried tomatoes
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 cup half and half (or milk)
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside, reserving the cooking water.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and tomatoes, sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the shrimp, salt and paprika, cook for 5 minutes more, until the shrimp are pink. Add the half and half, basil and red pepper, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and pasta, adding any of the reserved cooking water if the sauce needs thinning.

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Rigatoni all'Amatriciana

C is semi-obsessed with Mario Batali. Every time he visits New York City, he has to go to Babbo. His main obsession is the olive oil cake, but he loves every dish he has ever been served there. We are going to NYC in a few weeks, it will be Miss F's first ever visit, and he was sure to make reservations at Babbo as soon as possible. The funny part is that he has seen Batali twice on the street, once in Aspen and once in NYC, and he didn't have the courage either time to stop and say hello. This recipe from Batali was a huge hit in our family and it might be the best tomato sauce I have ever made. It was truly amazing.

Rigatoni all'Amatriciana

2 pounds fresh tomatoes
1 pound rigatoni
¼ pound thick-cut bacon, sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick
½ red onion, halved and thinly sliced
¼ cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
½ cup freshly grated pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
½ cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

Seed and chop the tomatoes, add to a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the tomatoes release their liquid, stirring often. Press the tomato mixture through a mesh strainer, making sure to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Discard the skins, reserve the strained liquids.

In a large saucepan, cook the rigatoni until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, add the bacon and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is beginning to brown, 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes moe. Add the tomato paste and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the strained tomatoes and bring the sauce just to a simmer.

Add the pasta and reserved cooking water to the sauce and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until the pasta is coated. Remove from the heat and stir in the ½ cup each of cheese and parsley. Season the pasta with salt and black pepper and transfer to bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve, passing more cheese at the table.

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Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

The date on this recipe from Epicurious is 1995, which is about how long I have been making it.  I have made it countless times...from engagement parties to casual dinners at home to dinner parties.  It is a no fail recipe and is perfect for parties because everything can be prepped in advance.  The Monterrey Jack cheese adds a real richness beyond the cream and parmesan that you usually expect in an alfredo.  Feel free to add any fresh vegetables that you enjoy in an alfredo pasta, but I prefer the broccoli and red bell pepper as the original recipe calls for.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into ½ inch-wide strips
4 cups broccoli florets, from one large head
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups cream
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound penne, freshly cooked

Grease a 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray, set aside. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the chicken, broccoli and bell pepper; sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, 1 cup of the Paremsan, Monterrey Jack, salt and red pepper. Simmer until the sauce is thickened slightly, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the penne pasta, toss well to coat. Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining ½ cup of Parmesan. Broil for 3 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown. Serve.

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Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan

Miss F saw oven baked chicken parmesan on an episode of Pioneer Woman, but I didn't love the recipe at all. She really wanted to make it, so I decided to make up my own version. This recipe seems like it has lots of steps, but it is really quite easy. And it makes a ton. I served it with a pound of spaghetti...leftovers for days!  I hate frying in my kitchen and this chicken turned out nearly like the original recipe, which requires even more pans and lots of oil.  This is going into regular rotation for our dinner around here.

Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
¼ cup red wine
1 can tomato paste
2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg
¼ cup water
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded Mozzarella

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Saute the onion for 2 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds more. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, then add the tomato paste. Stir in the diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, brown sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the chicken breasts into ½” thick pieces. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and water. In another shallow bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Dip each chicken piece in the egg, then into the breadcrumb mixtures, tossing well to coat completely. Place the chicken into the prepared baking dish. Spray each chicken breast with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the dish, add the prepared tomato sauce to the dish. Nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce. Top the chicken with the remaining Parmesan cheese and the Mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes more. Serve.

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Crawfish Macaroni and Cheese

Miss F's big school project was "The Back 40 Museum" aka her Farm to Table project. Each kid selected a food and researched the process of farm to table. Of course Miss F selected her most favorite food: crawfish. She mad an incredible 3D model demonstrating the process of catching to table and filmed a crawfish commercial promoting her project. She also prepared a short speech to give when people visited her display at the museum. It was a spectacular project, but we had one issue. We had to make 40 "bites" of food that worked with her theme. She wanted to do boiled crawfish, but I think that wouldn't have gone over too well with the school. I don't think they had any interest in 40 2nd graders peeling crawfish tails. I suggested that we make crawfish mac n cheese, take it in a crockpot and serve it in little cups. I was worried that most of the kids wouldn't even want to try crawfish, but I was shocked to find that I was quite wrong. Many kids came back for second and third helpings...one girl had never had crawfish before and she absolutely loved it. Success!

Crawfish Macaroni and Cheese

4 tablespoons butter, divided
12 ounces crawfish tailmeat
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
¾ pound macaroni, prepared per package instructions.


Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the crawfish tails and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the tails from the pan. Add the remaining butter and reduce the heat to medium-low. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour. Cook the roux for 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the cheese and Cajun seasoning until the cheese is melted. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the crawfish tails and macaroni. Serve.

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Artichoke, Spinach and Chicken Lasagna

I initially thought my friend Jen was attending my dinner party, so I decided to make a main dish tailored to her. Whenever we go out to lunch at Houston's, she always orders the spinach and artichoke dip. Without fail.  I want to make some sort of dish that mimicked that dip and lasagna seemed like a natural way to do it.  One of my biggest complaints about lasagna is that I don't love the texture of ricotta.  Here, I halved the ricotta, replacing it with cream cheese, more in line with the spinach and artichoke dip everyone loves.  The result was a perfect dinner party dish, I love things that can just bake while I socialize.  Unfortunately, Jen had to cancel at the last minute, which means I will have to have her over soon and serve this again.  The recipe looks long, but it is really quite easy, especially if you use the Instant Pot and Fasta Pasta shortcuts.

Artichoke, Spinach and Chicken Lasagna

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup water
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound lasagna noodles
¼ cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup flour
3 cups milk
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan
10 ounces chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 15 ounce can artichoke hearts, chopped
16 ounces ricotta
16 ounces cream cheese. softened
4 cups shredded mozzarella

Instant Pot instructions:
Place the chicken, water, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in the Instant Pot. Place on “Poultry” setting for 20 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Shred the chicken and set aside.

Regular instructions:
Place the chicken, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Heat over high heat until the water boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Shred the chicken and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Fasta Pasta instructions:
Place 9 of the lasagna noodles in the Fasta Pasta and fill to level 4. Microwave for 13 minutes. Drain and allow the noodles to cool. Repeat with remaining lasagna noodles.

Regular instructions:
Cook lasagna noodles in boiling salted water until al dente per package instructions. Drain and allow the noodles to cool.

In large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Whisk in the flour, until fully incorporated. Add the milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. When the mixture thickens after about 5 minutes, remove from the heat. Stir in the parmesan, spinach, artichokes and shredded chicken.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta and cream cheese.

Layer ¼ of the chicken mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with 6 lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta and cream cheese mixture over top. Layer ¼ of the chicken mixture over the ricotta and top with 1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese. Layer with 6 more lasagna noodles, then 1/3 of the ricotta, ¼ of the chicken and 1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese, twice more, ending with the mozzarella cheese. Spray aluminum foil with cooking spray, cover the lasagna spray side down. Bake for 45 minutes covered, remove the foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more. Allow to cool 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

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Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Pasta

Whenever C is out for the evening, I usually default to some sort of shrimp dish since it is a quick meal that I know Miss F will gobble up. I had a ton of grape tomatoes (and wine!) left over after a dinner party and I knew I wanted to make a shrimp pasta with them. The tomatoes "pop" once they simmer in the sauce for a bit, which adds a nice flavor to the sauce. Add as much cayenne as you prefer, Miss F and I enjoy spice, so I added a heaping 1/2 teaspoon, the spice was tempered by the half and half.  Be sure not to over cook the shrimp, they can get chewy very quickly, which is why it is best to keep them warm on a plate while you make the sauce.

Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Pasta

12 ounces linguine pasta
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup grape tomatoes
½ cup half and half

Prepare the pasta per package directions. Sprinkle the shrimp with the salt and cayenne pepper. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer, flipping after 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and simmer for 1 minute. Whisk the cornstarch into the chicken broth, slowly add to the pan, stirring constantly, stir in the tomateos. Simmer for 5 minutes more, gently pressing a few of the tomatoes once they soften. Stir in the half and half, pasta and shrimp. Stir gently to combine and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve.

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Chicken, Broccoli and Tomato Fettuccine

This originally started out as a lemon and chicken pasta, but a steal on grape tomatoes (99 cents a package) and broccoli (49 cents a pound) totally changed the game plan.  I used my Fasta Pasta and in the 17 minutes it took the fettuccine to cook, dinner was done.  Dice up some chicken, pull apart some broccoli heads and that is really all the heavy lifting this meal takes.  Some of the tomatoes burst as the sauce cooks, adding a really light tomato flavor to it, complete perfection.  C and Miss F picked out their tomatoes, but they were happy with the sauce nonetheless.  Ah well, all the more for me.

Chicken, Broccoli and Tomato Fettuccine

12 ounces fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 head broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 container grape tomatoes
1 clove garlic
¼ cup white wine
½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup half and half
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Prepare the fettuccine per package instructions, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, broccoli, tomatoes and garlic to the pan, sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Whisk together the chicken broth and corn starch. Pour the broth mixture and half & half into the pan, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and fettuccine. Serve.

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Lobster Linguine

I bought crablegs at a Kroger on my way home from work instead of my usual two Krogers I alternate between. I noticed that they had whole steamed lobsters in the seafood case and since Miss F adores lobster so much, I knew I wanted to make a pasta with it next time C was out of town.   I decided to hit the grocer after school, so the lobster would be fresh and so that Miss F could help select which lobster she wanted.   Our regular Kroger only had the tails and I wasn't interested in smelling up the house steaming lobster.  So we went to another Kroger, no lobster, and then to the Kroger where I had initially seen the whole lobsters, no luck.  I tried to convince her to have shrimp pasta instead, but once I had tempted her with lobster, there was no going back.  I ended up steaming the lobster tails at home, then boiling a pot of water with 1/4 cup of white vinegar to kill the smell.  It was worth it.  Recipe inspired from Simple Seasonal.

Lobster Linguine

12 ounces linguine
1 large steamed lobster or 3 small steamed tails
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup white wine
¼ clam juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
¾ cup half and half

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside. Break down the lobster and chop the meat into bite sized pieces, set aside. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, whisking for 1 minute until fully incorporated. Add the wine while still whisking, cook for 1 minute more. Add the clam juice and tomato paste while still whisking and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the drained pasta, lobster and half and half into the sauce; salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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Simply Delicious Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo is definitely a family favorite around here. I saw Mario Batali's recipe for fresh pasta and I knew I wanted to try it. Unlike my usual recipe, which uses nearly a dozen eggs, this recipe was a lot simpler. This was the easiest fresh pasta I have ever worked with, which is an added bonus.  I decided to make a very simple alfredo sauce to go along with the super simple pasta, it was perfection.  The pasta is so tender and holds up beautifully to the sauce.  Miss F was also a huge fan of dipping her broccoli in the alfredo sauce, smart girl!

Simply Delicious Fettuccine Alfredo

2 ¼ cups flour
3 eggs

4 tablespoons butter
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup parmesan

Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the eggs and turn the mixer on low speed. Mix until the eggs are well incorporated. Swap out the paddle for the dough hook and knead the dough on medium for 10 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead by hand for 1 minute more. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Feed each piece through the pasta attachment at level 1. Fold the dough in half and run through the pasta maker twice more. Reduce the setting to level 2 and run the sheet through twice. Reduce the setting to level 3 and run the sheet through once. Reduce the setting to level 4 and run the sheet through once. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces. Run the sheets through the fettuccine cutter or cut by hand. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cut pasta to the pot and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the fettuccine rises to the top.

Heat the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the cream and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the parmesan. Toss the drained fettuccine in the sauce, serve.

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Meatball Pasta Bake

Miss F loves two cooking show: Master Chef Junior and Pioneer Woman. I have tried to get her to watch Barefoot Contessa with me, but she gets bored with it, but I guess I can see that with an eight year old attention's span. As soon as she saw the Pioneer Woman that included this Meatball Pasta Bake, she wanted to make it. I adapted the original recipe quite heavily to better suit it to my cooking style and taste.  This recipe was a huge hit with the family.  I served it with a big salad, it was a great and filling meal.

Meatball Pasta Bake

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt

1 pound ground beef
½ cup grated parmesan
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 egg

1 pound rigatoni, prepared per package instructions and drained.
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes
¼ cup grated parmesan

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Add the tomato paste, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, basil, parsley, oregano and salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer while you prepare the meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stir together the beef, parmesan, breadcrumbs and egg. Grease two 24 cup mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Scoop the meatball mixture using a heaping teaspoon, roll into a ball and place into the muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Toss the prepared pasta with the tomato sauce. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread half of the pasta into the dish. Add half of the mozzarella and half of the meatballs to the dish. Top with the remaining pasta. Nestle the remaining mozzarella and meatballs into the pasta. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes more. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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Grape Tomato and Spinach Angel Hair

This pasta couldn't be any easier and it tastes like it took hours to make. Well, the original recipe does take hours, from Ina Garten, but I adapted it to take about 20 minutes instead.  Miss F was a huge fan of the pasta, but wasn't as keen on the spinach.  I am not normally a fan of cooked spinach, but stirring it in at the last moment was perfect.  The pasta water, parmesan and burst tomatoes make a nice and light sauce.  The original recipe calls for fresh basil, which would work equally as well as the fresh baby spinach.

Grape Tomato and Spinach Angel Hair

½ pound angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups grape tomatoes
1 cup baby spinach
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup grated parmesan

Prepare the pasta per package directions, reserve the pasta water and drain the angel hair. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the angel hair and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the spinach, salt and parmesan. Serve.

ALTERNATE FASTA PASTA PREPARATION
Add two servings of Angel Hair to the Fasta Pasta and fill to level II. Microwave for 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the pasta water from the Fasta Pasta into the pan, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the angel hair and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the spinach, salt and parmesan. Serve.

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New Zealand Shrimp Pasta

We spent an amazing vacation in New Zealand this summer. When we arrived in Lake Taupo, it was just about lunch time. We stopped at the most wonderful café, Waterside. It had an incredible view of the gorgeous lake and mountains.  I ordered a prawn pasta and Miss F couldn't resist eating nearly all of my lunch.   When C went out of town, she asked if we could try and recreate the dish at home.  This is my best attempt at doing do and she agreed that it was exactly like the dish we had in New Zealand.  The whole meal took less than 15 minutes to make, which means it will go into regular rotation when C isn't home for dinner.

New Zealand Shrimp Pasta

12 ounces linguine pasta
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup half and half
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
½ teaspoon dried basil

Prepare the pasta per package directions. Sprinkle the shrimp with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer, flipping after 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and simmer for 1 minute. Whisk the cornstarch into the chicken broth, slowly add to the pan, stirring constantly. Simmer for 3 minutes more. Stir in the half and half, grape tomatoes, basil, pasta and shrimp. Stir gently to combine and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve.

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Four Ingredient Carbonara

I may never add cream to carbonara ever again. And since it shouldn't be used traditionally in carbonara anyhow, I am completely fine with that. The sauce is still incredibly rich with six eggs and a ton of parmesan cheese.  Unfortunately, pancetta is completely rejected by both C and Miss F, even though it is the traditional meat used in carbonara, I use bacon instead in order to get my family to eat what's on their plate without complaints.  Miss F even dunked her broccoli in the sauce, she loved it so much.  Now that school has started, I need meals that come together quickly in the evening since on some nights Miss F doesn't get home until after 5 pm.  Carbonara to the rescue for a quick and delicious meal.  Miss F requested that the broccoli be mixed with the carbonara next time I make it.  I think I could fry it in the bacon grease, how delicious would that be?

Four Ingredient Carbonara

6 slices bacon, cut into lardons
1 ¼ cups grated parmesan cheese
6 eggs
12 ounces thin spaghetti

In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain all but a tablespoon of the grease from the pan. Set aside. Separate 4 of the eggs, discarding the whites. Add the 4 egg yolks and 2 remaining whole eggs to a two cup measure. Add the parmesan cheese and whisk well to combine with the eggs. Prepare the spaghetti per package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving the cooking water. Add the drained pasta to the pan with the bacon and pour the egg and parmesan over top. Toss well to coat, thin if necessary with the reserved pasta water. Serve with fresh cracked pepper over top.

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Instant Pot Bolognese

Miss F first had Bolognese sauce on Valentine's Day at Casa Tua in Aspen. She loved it! It is such a complex tasting sauce and takes a day to make.  Enter the Instant Pot.  I found this recipe and decided to adapt it a bit to better suit my family.  I am still learning how to use the Instant Pot, but this recipe really cuts down on the time it normally takes to make Bolognese sauce.  C is quite entertained by the Instant Pot and my ineptness with it.  The first thing I made in it, I left the steam valve open...oops.  That dinner took a bit longer than it should have.  He even DVRed a pressure cooking television show for me, so I could properly learn the correct (and quick) way to cook.

Instant Pot Bolognese

4 ounces pancetta, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 pound ground beef
¾ cup red wine
1 six ounce can tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1½ cups water, hot
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 pound rigatoni, prepared per package instructions and drained

In the cold pressure cooker with no oil or butter, with the top off, sprinkle the pancetta in a flat layer and turn on to the lowest heat possible to render the fat. After the pancetta begins to sizzle (in about 5 minutes) add the onion, carrot and celery and raise the heat to medium-low and cook until well softened (about 10 minutes). If things begin to stick you can add a little pat of butter or swirl of olive oil. Raise the heat to medium and add the ground beef and brown well stirring occasionally (about 30 minutes or until all of the liquid from the meat is evaporated and the fat begins to sizzle). Add the wine and scrape the juicy bits stuck to the bottom and sides of the pan and evaporate it completely (about 7 minutes). In the meantime, mix the tomato paste with the beef stock and add salt, pepper. Pour the stock mixture into the cooker and stir well. Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. When time is up, open the cooker by releasing the pressure through the valve. Add hot water, stir the contents well and scrape any juicy bits from the bottom to incorporate. Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. When time is up, open the cooker by releasing the pressure through the valve. Stir in the cream and rigatoni. Serve.

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Cajun Crispy Shrimp Pasta

When C has a last minute dinner out with friends or co-workers, I usually try to convert our meal plan for the evening to have seafood in it somehow. C doesn't eat anything from the sea and the rest of us are obsessed with anything that comes from the sea. Miss F's most favorite at the moment is shrimp. I buy a ton whenever we go down to the Seabrook seafood markets and freeze it in one pound portions. And she can easily take down a half pound of shrimp.  Cajun chicken pasta is a favorite around here and I decided to swap out the chicken for crispy shrimp...it was delicious!  Miss F was a huge fan and cleared her plate.  And so did I.

Cajun Crispy Shrimp Pasta

12 ounces linguine
1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chacheres)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine
¾ cup cream
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Prepare the linguine per package instructions, drain and set aside. Toss the shrimp with the cajun seasoning and flour. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, saute the shrimp and bell pepper for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp is crispy and cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Bring to a simmer. Add the cream and basil, stir and heat through. Stir in the parmesan and linguine, toss to coat and serve.

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Creamy Chicken Asparagus Pasta

I love asparagus, especially in the spring and summer when I can get a big bunch for under a dollar.  This recipe was inspired by Cooking Classy, but very little remained the same once I was through.   If you are going to the trouble of frying bacon, you might as well fry the chicken and the asparagus in the leftover bacon grease.  Go big or go home, right?  I added some fresh basil at the end for my dish, Miss F and C were quite happy without.  Heck, they would have been happy without the dried basil, oregano and thyme, but the herbs really add a lovely flavor.

Creamy Chicken Asparagus Pasta

12 ounces penne pasta
5 slices bacon, cut into lardons
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sauce
1 pound asparagus, trimmed of ends, remaining diced into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¾ cup milk
¼ cup cream
1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

Prepare the pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the bacon to a plate and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the pan. Stir together the basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the herb mixture all over the chicken. Add the chicken and asparagus to the pan and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Remove the chicken and asparagus to the plate with the bacon, set aside.

Add the butter to the pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add the garlic and whisk for 30 seconds more. Whisk in the milk and cream, bring to a boil, stirring constantly to keep smooth. Add the parmesan cheese, penne pasta, bacon, chicken and asparagus. Toss well to combine and serve with additional parmesan on top.

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Orecchiette Carbonara with Peas

This may be my new favorite carbonara. It's quite genius, actually. The little orecchiette cups the sauce perfectly and sometimes even a pea sneaks in there. This also may be the richest carbonara recipe I have ever made. 6 eggs for only 12 ounces of pasta, but the result is a lovely sauce that is velvety smooth.  I needed about 1/4 cup of pasta water to thin the sauce.  I can't wait to try the same sauce with my usual thin spaghetti, but I am also excited to try orecchiette carbonara with other add ins.  This recipe is adapted from the New York Times.

Orecchiette Carbonara with Peas

12 ounces orecchiette
5 ounces bacon, cut into lardons
1 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
2 cups frozen peas
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 ¼ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta per package instructions, reserving the pasta water.

In a large sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium high heat until crisp, then drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the garlic, peas and thyme; cook for 3 minutes more. Add the drained pasta to the pan and turn off the heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and cheese. Pour the eggs and cheese into the pan with the pasta, stirring constantly and adding pasta water if necessary to thin the sauce. Top with fresh cracked pepper and serve.

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Shrimp in Tomato Cream Sauce

So Tide and Thyme pretty much lives my dream life, her Instagram breeds jealousy with every post.  I knew this recipe of hers would be a huge hit with Miss F, as long as I omitted the spinach.  I am not a huge fan of cooked spinach anyhow, so it was also a win for me.  We got amazing shrimp from the Seabrook seafood market and they were perfection.  Miss F may have taken down a half pound of shrimp on her own.  I used the amazing Fasta Pasta and dinner was ready in under 15 minutes, it doesn't get any better than that.

Shrimp in Tomato Cream Sauce

½ pound angel hair pasta
1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3 tablespoons butter
¼ red onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
3 Roma tomatoes, diced (a small handful reserved for garnish)

Prepare the angel hair pasta per package instructions, drain and set aside.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat, add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp over and cook 1 minute more. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom and let reduce for 2 minutes. Add the cream, parmesan and tomatoes. Cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan and simmer for 3 minutes more. Add the angel hair to the pan and toss well to combine. Serve topped with the reserved tomatoes.

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