Category: Pasta

Easy Chicken Bolognaise

Tonight is kids’ two-hour basketball practice so we need an easy, quick to make dish.  The type of food that makes a growing child ask for seconds.  Unfortunately, there are never leftovers:)

Ingredients

Sauce

1 pound ground chicken ¹

1 T Mexican Blend (Morton & Bassett)

1 t Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt

2 T olive oil

1 large carrot diced

2 celery sticks diced

1 large shallot diced

4 garlic cloves minced

1 C chicken broth

2 t basil chopped

2 t thyme

2 C marinara sauce

1/2 C cream

1/2 C Parmesan cheese

2 t parsley chopped

Salt and pepper

Pasta

1 pound of  pasta

4 quarts of salted boiling water

Directions

Serves 4-6

Sauce

In medium bowl combine chicken, Mexican seasoning, salt and set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add diced carrots, celery, and onions.  Then cook for 4 minutes over medium high heat.  Next, add garlic and cook for two minutes.

Add the seasoned chicken mixture, then stir to break chicken into bits.  Cook until chicken is no longer pink–about 8 minutes.

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Add chicken broth and cook for two minutes while stirring occasionally. Add marina sauce, basil, and thyme and cook for five minutes.

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Add cream, combine, and simmer for about ten minutes.

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Add additional reserved pasta water, if sauce is too thick. Add Parmesan and adjust seasoning.

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Pasta

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook following package directions. Drain and reserve about 1 cup pasta water.

Assemble Pasta Dish

In large serving bowl add the pasta. Pour sauce over the pasta and top with chopped parsley.  If desired, serve with a green salad on the side.

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Notes

1. Ground turkey or ground can be used as direct replacement.

 

 

 

 

 

Meatballs with Stuffing in Sauce Over Pasta

Stuffed low fat meatballs with spinach and carrots for family members who are not fans of spinach or cheese. Actually they asked for more vegetables in the stuffing and less cheese.

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef(85% ground)

1/2 pound ground turkey breast

1/2  C Italian bread crumbs

1 egg

1 t Italian seasoning

Stuffing

1/2 C cream cheese

3/4 C died provolone

1/2 C chopped spinach

1/2 C diced carrots*

1 garlic clove minced

1 t thyme

Salt and pepper

Serve

1/4 C Parmesan

Compouund Butter

1/4 pound butter cold diced

3 T herbs chopped

Chop the herb leaves and place in small blender. Pulse 2-4 times. Add chunked cold butter and pulse until combined. Remove and place on sheet of plastic wrap and roll into log. Ready to use or refrigerate and use on favorite dishes.

Directions

Combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, and seasoning in medium bowl.

Combine cheese,vegetables, and seasoning in small bowl.

Divide meat into 12 balls using cookie scoop. On parchment paper press the balls flat and add a teaspoon of stuffing and seal the meat around the stuffing.

Add 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter(I use herbed compound butter*) over medium high heat. Brown the meatballs. Add tomato sauce and cook for 12 minutes.

Add 4 quarts of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook following package directions. Pour sauce and meatballs on pasta. Sprinkle Parmesan and serve.

Note:

*Carrots were microwaved for 1 minute

Alaska Bison Bolognese with Pappardelle*

Our friends shared their bison with us. We adjusted the tradional Bolognese sauce and pasta and it was delicious with bison.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground bison

2 T butter

2 T olive oil

1 T  bacon grease

1 carrot diced

1 celery stalk diced

1/2 large onion diced

2 garlic cloves minced

1 C dry white wine

1C milk

1 C Swanson’s beef stock

1 T Cento® tomato paste

14.5 ounces crushed plum tomatoes 

2 T chopped parsley

1 t oregano

1 t thyme

6 T Worcestershire sauce 

1 T poultry seasoning

1/2 C Parmesan- Reggiano

Pappardelle pasta*

Directions

Melt butter, bacon grease, and olive oil in large Dutch oven. Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until golden over medium high heat about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic stir for about 30 seconds. Add bison and cook until dark brown and separate until crumbly. Add wine to deglaze and bring mixture to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced by 3/4. Season the meat mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Add beef stock, milk, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste then bring to boil. Cover and simmer over very low heat for two hours. Check occasionally for sauce sticking to bottom of pan. If sauce is sticking lower heat and add water.Add parsley, oregano, thyme, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, poultry seasoning, and Parmesan. Simmer over very low heat uncovered for about 15-20 minutes to meld seasonings. Add last tablespoon of butter and pour over the papperdelle and toss.

Serve with a crusty bread. 

Note:

*Substitutions for papperdelle pasta are tagliatelle or fettucine. 

Easy Spaghetti Sauce with Pasta

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An easy to make spicy pasta sauce made from scratch served over pasta that is low fat but flavorful.

Ingredients

3 T olive oil

1 red onion diced

2 carrots diced

4 garlic cloves minced

2 Jalapeños diced

1 pound 93% lean ground beef

1 T oregano sliced

1 T Worcestershire sauce

3 T Kalmata olives sliced

1/2 C red wine

3 T Cento® tomato paste

3 C tomato sauce

2 C crushed tomatoes

1 box of spaghetti or linguine

5-6 quarts of salted water

1/2 C grated Parmesan(optional)

Directions

Serves 6 – 8

Heat olive oil in large skillet then add onions,carrots, Jalapeño, and garlic and cook 7-10 minutes. Add in ground beef  and cook until meat is brown. Add red wine, tomato paste, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to boil then lower heat. Add in olives and oregano and simmer 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ready to serve.

Bring salted water to boil and add pasta. Boil for 9-10 minutes for al dente. Drain and plate in large spaghetti bowl. Pour sauce over the pasta and sprinkle on cheese. Serve with green beans and in the summer with a simple Caprese salad.

 

Sweet Corn Risotto

Ingredients

4 cups Swanson Chicken Cooking Stock

3 cups water

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

1 medium sweet onion fine chopped

2 cups arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup fresh cut sweet corn kernels

1/8 t nutmeg

Directions

Bring the chicken stock and water to simmer in saucepan. Keep the broth warm on low heat.

Place butter and olive oil in 4 quart sauce pan and melt over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Do not brown. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently until translucent 3-4 minutes. Add white wine and stir until it is absorbed. Add 2 cups of warm broth stirring  until liquid is absorbed about 9-11 minutes. Add 1 cup broth stirring occasionally until absorbed. Do not let bottom of pan get dry. Add 1/2 cup broth, corn, and nutmeg. Stir until absorbed. Continue adding broth until rice is al dente about another 10-15 minutes.  Stir in cheese and adjust seasoning.

 

 

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts skinned, boneless, and halved

1 cup flour

1 t salt

1 t pepper

1 t Italian Seasoning

2 T olive oil

3 T butter

2 shallots fine chopped

10 ounces Cremini mushrooms stemmed and sliced

3/4 cup Marsala wine

1 cup chicken broth

1 t salt

1 t pepper

2 T butter

Directions

Combine flour,salt, and Italian Seasoning on large plate.Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4 inch thickness.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.Add butter and melt. Dredge chicken breasts in flour mixture and place in skillet. Do not crowd the breasts. Cook on each side about 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove to plate and set aside. Add oil,butter and melt. Place remaining breasts and cook about 5 minutes per side. Remove to plate and set aside. Add 1 T butter, shallots, and mushrooms. Cook until liquid from mushrooms is evaporated. Add wine and scrape bits from the skillet. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add chicken broth and cook until sauce is beginning to thicken. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and stir. Return chicken and simmer 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Serve with wide egg noodles or papperdelle.

 

 

 

 

Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients 

12 ounces papperdelle

2 T Kosher salt

1 pound Cremini or button mushrooms cleaned and sliced

5 garlic cloves chopped

1/2 shallot chopped

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

8 ounces Marscapone

1/8 t nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c Parmesan cheese

Directions

Pasta

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to boil. Add fresh papperdelle and gently boil for 4-5 minutes. Boxed pasta takes 9-11 minutes to become al dente. Drain and save 1/2 half  cup pasta water.

 

Sauce

Add olive oil and butter to large skillet over medium high heat. Melt and add garlic and shallots. Cook until fragment but not brown. Add mushrooms and toss to coat in butter mixture. Cook until mushrooms have exuded liquid and most liquid evaporated. Mix in Marscapone and nutmeg. Add to pasta, toss, and adjust seasoning. If dry add small amounts of reserved pasta water to achieve creamy sauce. Add Parmesan and serve. Chicken or shrimp go well in this dish for protein.

 

Alaska Salmon, Caper & Asparagus Pasta

In the sping and summer when salmon are running, one way to enjoy fresh salmon is a simple pasta dish with salmon, asparagus, and cappers.  This is a neasy recipe for a large crowd.

Ingredients

2 pounds Sockeye (red) salmon, pin bones removed

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salmon rub

1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

1 pound fettuccine

2 bottles clam juice *

1 shallot diced

6 cloves garlic minced

2 pounds asparagus broken into roughly 2 inch pieces

6 tablespoons capers

3 tablespoons fresh chopped marjoram

2 carrots ribbon sliced

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place salmon on foil lined cookie sheet. Dry the filet and remove pin bones.  We use Wustoff fish bone pliers or Global fish bone tweezers.

Sprinkle filets with brown sugar, salmon rub, and lemon pepper. Bake in oven 4 minutes per half inch thickness. Do not over bake the salmon. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes. Break into large pieces; do not flake into small pieces.

Bring to boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add fettuccine and cook to al dente–about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and add to pasta sauce. (Al dente pasta is firm and has a slight chew.  Do not overcook the pasta since it will cook a little more when mixed at the end.)

Heat olive oil in large skillet (13 or 14 inch) over medium high heat. Add garlic and shallot and then cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add asparagus and 1 bottle of clam juice and cook for about 4 minutes until the asparagus is bright green. The total cooking time depends on the asparagus thickness.

Combine pasta, salmon, capers, second bottle of clam juice, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Toss all ingredients. Add carrot ribbons and Parmesan. Gently toss again to finish.

Serve.

*Vegetable broth can be used as substitute.