Tag: Pasta

Chicken Meatballs in Marinara Sauce with Pasta

This recipe makes tasty,super moist chicken meatballs even when using chicken breast meat.  Smother them in an Italian tomato based marinara sauce and served over pasta. These meatballs remain moist and taste great the second day as a leftover.

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken

1 medium onion minced

3 garlic cloves minced

2 T butter

2 T plus 1 t  olive oil

1/2 C panko or fine crushed bread crumbs

1/4 C milk

1 egg beaten

1/4 C parsley chopped

1 t thyme

1 t salt

1/2 t ground pepper

1/4 Cup grated Parmesan plus additional for serving

10 ounces linguine

24 ounces of marinara sauce¹

Directions

Bring large pan of salted water to boil and cover over low heat while making meatballs.

In small skillet over medium heat add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and minced onions. Cook for 3 minutes and add minced garlic and cook until garllic is fragrant about a minute. Set aside to cool.

In medium bowl combine milk and egg then add panko and mix. Let mixture stand until panko is moistened. Add chicken, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Gently mix until all ingredients are combined.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using either a small or medium size cookie scoop form meatballs and place on cookie sheet.

Cook the meatballs in two batches. Heat large non stick skillet on medium high heat and add 1 T of butter and 1 T olive oil. After butter is melted add half the meatballs and cook 8-10 minutes until all sides browned. Transfer to a medium bowl. Melt remaining butter and olive oil and add meatballs. Cook 8-10 minutes until all sides browned. Remove to bowl.

Add pasta sauce to pan and captures brown bits for flavor. Add in meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes.

Bring pasta water up to a boil and cook according to package directions.

Drain and divide pasta into four bowls. Spoon meatballs and sauce over the pasta. Serve with additional Paresan and a green salad.

Notes

¹ I use RAO’s Marinara Sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

White Bean Rosemary Pasta Soup

A delicious,healthy, easy to make soup with lots of beans and pasta with a delightful rosemary garlic broth. P.S. The conchiglie pasta captures the beans.

 Ingredients

1 medium sweet onion chopped

1 cup fine diced carrots

1 cup fine diced celery or 3 stalks

3 T olive oil

2 cans cannellini beans drained and washed

1 can garbanzo beans drained and washed

5 cups vegetable broth* or chicken broth

1/3 cup crushed tomatoes – Pomi Crushed if available

6 rosemary stems tied*

1/4 t crushed red pepper

1 1/2 cup Conchiglie* shells or large shell pasta.

Salt and pepper

Directions

In medium sauce pan sauté onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of broth, beans, rosemary, and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium high heat for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add 3 cups of broth and pasta. Bring to boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes.

Remove rosemary stems.

Serve with toasted rosemary bread or sourdough for dipping and a green salad.

Notes

* We use Swanson’s ® vegetable broth when we are having a vegetarian meal. It does not have a heavy carrot influence.

* I love Rosemary. Most people would use 1 or 2 stems.

* Conchiglie shells are usually hard to find in our grocery stores but are preferred in this soup. The on-line stores have them or use large shells.

 

 

Oven Roasted Beer Can Rosemary Garlic Chicken

Ingredients

Brine( I always brine my chickens prior to roasting)

1 gallon water

1/2 cup kosher salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

3  garlic cloves smashed

3 rosemary stems

Beer Can

1/2 can water

1/2 lime chopped

3 rosemary stems

4 smashed garlic cloves

Chicken

3 1/2 to 4 pound roasting chicken

Salt and pepper

2 T olive oil

3 T chopped rosemary

2 garlic cloves minced

1 t salt

Directions

Brining Solution

Add water,salt and brown sugar into jumbo Hefty® plastic bag or container twice size of brining solution and stir until salt dissolved. Add soy sauce, garlic, rosemary and mix. Remove excess fat and giblets from cavity of chicken then submerge the chicken. Refrigerate the chicken for at least 4 hours.

Beer Can/Holder*

Place can in baking dish or foil covered cooking sheet and rub exterior with vegetable oil. Fill can/holder to half full with liquid. Add lime,garlic, and rosemary into can.

Chicken

Preheat oven 375 º

Combine rosemary, garlic, and olive oil in small bowl. Remove and dry the chicken. Salt and pepper the cavity of the chicken. Place the chicken bottom side down on the beer can holder with legs in front of the can. Gently lift the skin at top of the chicken and rub 2/3 of the rosemary garlic mixture from the breasts to the thighs. Rub the remaining 1/3 on the exterior skin of the chicken. Fold the wings to the back of the chicken. Roast the chicken for about 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees using an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest for 10 minutes.Use tongs to remove the chicken. Carve and serve.

*Beer Can Roaster – Stainless Steel(Can be purchased on-line or at most cooking supply stores) It has a large base that helps steady the chicken.

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.

 

 

 

 

Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1 cooked chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces

2 carrots diced

3/4 cup frozen  peas

1/2 cup fresh green beans chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

1 T olive oil

2 t Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor

4,cups organic chicken broth

1/2 t herbs de Provence

Salt and pepper

4 oz or about 1 inch in diameter dry  fettucine

Directions

Bring 4 cups of lightly salted water to boil. Add fettucine and cook until al dente about 8-10 minutes. Drain and save 1/2 cup pasta water.

Mean while add olive oil to large sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute until fragrant. Add carrots, green beans, broth, bouillon, and herbs de Provence and cook 5-6 minutes. Add peas and cook 2 minutes. Add pasta and cook 2-3 minutes to meld flavors. Season and add pasta water if additional broth is needed. Serve with toasted Rosemary bread.

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.