Pasta | I Can Cook That

Pasta with Wild Mushroom Sauce

Oh pasta, how I love you. Pasta, or any Italian food for that matter, is my ultimate comfort food choice. I was sent Lidia Bastianich’s newest cookbook: Lidia’s Favorite Recipes– 100 Foolproof Italian Dishes, from Basic Sauces to Irresistible Entrees, which after my first page through, I already knew would be one of my favorite cookbooks. Lidia Bastianich obviously knows her Italian dishes, she’s been in the cooking industry for most of her life; she has a number of best-selling cookbooks, owns 6 restaurants, and is basically the face of Italian cooking on PBS. I’m also happy to let you all know that I will be giving away one copy of this awesome cookbook! More on that after the recipe…

The cookbook makes Italian recipes approachable. A lot of the recipes include childhood favorites of mine, Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Italian Wedding Soup. There are recipes that the photos look so fantastic I can’t wait to try them (I’m specifically talking about the rice balls. Oh. My. Goodness.)

But I had to test out the cookbook with my favorite Italian staple: a pasta dish. The Tagliatelle with Wild Mushroom Sauce sounded just wonderful. But something didn’t want me to make this recipe. My supermarket didn’t have wild mushrooms or tagliatelle! Well, the show must go on. This is my somewhat adapted version of the recipe, Pasta with Wild Mushroom Sauce.

Ingredients: (makes 6 servings)

Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, crushed and peeled
1 1/2 pounds fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced and baby bella mushrooms
4 fresh sage leaves
1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make vegetarian)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds fresh or dry thin pasta (spaghetti, tagliatelle, etc.)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

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Hake Meuniere over Spaghetti

.With Julia Child’s 100th birthday fast approaching, the food blog world has been celebrating in the best way we know how: honoring Julia Child through her recipes. I am currently reading a book about her life called Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz. (I will have a review of this book when I’m finished reading). I just got to the chapter which describes Julia’s first encounter with French food. Her first meal in France was Sole Meuniere, a simple but absolutely delicious dish. I couldn’t get it out of my mind, so I made a slightly altered version of Julia’s version over spaghetti. I wanted to make it with sole, but my market was all out. Hake is a similar fish, so I substituted it for the sole, so I bring you Hake Meuniere over Spaghetti.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh spaghetti
3 skinless and boneless hake or sole fillets, 4 to 6 ounces
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup flour
4 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lemon, cut into wedges

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Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

This week is my favorite week of the summer: I received my first batch of tomatoes from my CSA. I love tomatoes oh so much (if you haven’t figured that out with all my posts including tomatoes as an ingredient). As a kid, I used to eat them whole, dipping them in ranch dressing. Not much has changed, except now I choose to dip them in hummus instead. Although I do love a good fresh, juicy tomato, there is something wonderful about a cooked tomato. Cooking Light‘s latest issue was (as usual) on point with a lovely, simple pasta recipe that includes tomatoes, garlic, basil … and not much else.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon kosher salt
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 pints multicolored tomatoes (I used cherry/grape tomatoes)
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved
1/4 cup small basil leaves

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Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Toasted Hazelnut Cream Sauce

What is it about nuts that go so wonderfully with pumpkin and butternut squash dishes? Walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts just pair so nicely with the flavors of squash. When I first received Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti, I knew I wanted to make a hazelnut cream sauce with it. Hazelnuts, like most nuts, taste significantly better when toasted. I have no idea why this is, but I feel the need to always heat nuts for a little while to increase the flavor.

Ingredients:

1 package of Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti
1/2 cup hazelnuts, blanched
1 stick of butter
1/4 cup sweet vermouth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
a pinch each of ginger, allspice, and nutmeg (1/8 teaspoon or less)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sage leaves, for garnish

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Butternut Squash Agnolotti Pasta Salad with Walnuts, Golden Raisins, and Snow Peas

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might have picked up on my obsession with pumpkin and butternut squash. I attempt to limit my gourd intake to the September and October months, but every now and then I still need my fix outside of those months. Butternut squash seems to be more socially acceptable, especially in pasta form. Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti is the perfect way for me to have this delicious ingredient year-round.

Agnolotti is just a type of ravioli. This specific agnolotti is a “half-moon pasta filled with oven-roasted butternut squash, Impastata Ricotta, aged Parmesan and Grana Padano cheeses, accented with amoretti cookie crumbs. I traditionally use a brown butter sage sauce with butternut squash ravioli because they are a perfect pair. I wanted to try something a little different with this agnolotti, so I instead made a cold pasta salad. It has been so unbearably hot in Philadelphia that I thought this would be a perfect (and timely) twist.Also, don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a bunch of Buitoni goodies and free Buitoni pasta!

Ingredients:

1 package of Buitoni’s Butternut Squash Agnolotti
½ cup butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
A handful of golden raisins, or to taste
1 cup snow peas
The juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste

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Gemelli with Yellow Squash Zucchini and Basil

One of my favorite parts of the CSA share is having a plethora of zucchini and summer squash at my disposal. I love these ingredients with a simple pasta, so I was happy to come across a Martha Stewart recipe fthat incorporated these ingredients. I thought I still had some snap peas left over and was going to throw those in, but I unfortunately was all out. Plus, I didn’t have any frozen peas in my freezer. If you have those, be sure to include them. I threw in a zucchini also because I had one on hand.

Ingredients:

Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounces gemelli or other short pasta
3 medium yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
Torn fresh basil leaves, as garnish

Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water. Cook 2 minutes less than required for al dente (my pasta had to cook for 6 minutes).

While waiting for the pasta to cook, slice your squash and zucchini.

Add the squash and zucchini to the pasta and water, and cook for 2 minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.

Add the butter, lemon juice, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Spoon into individual bowls and top with basil and sprinkle with Parmesan.

At first bite, I thought this might be missing something. But all it really needed was another seasoning of pepper and an extra squeeze of lemon. After that, it was quite yummy.

To really up the flavor, a few red pepper flakes would go a long way.

The flavor of this was nice and fresh. It was a solid vegetarian dish, but I think it works best as a base. I feel like you could really turn this into something special with some additional flavors included.

What would you do to customize this dish?

Yum

Gemelli with Yellow Squash, Zucchini, and Basil

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounces gemelli or other short pasta
3 medium yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
Torn fresh basil leaves, as garnish

Instructions

Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water. Cook 2 minutes less than required for al dente (my pasta had to cook for 6 minutes).
While waiting for the pasta to cook, slice your squash and zucchini.
Add the squash and zucchini to the pasta and water, and cook for 2 minutes.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.
Add the butter, lemon juice, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Spoon into individual bowls and top with basil and sprinkle with Parmesan.

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Lobster Mac and Cheese

I have wanted to make Lobster Mac and Cheese for the longest time. So when I was having a crummy week, I thought it would be the perfect pick-me up. (I treat myself really well, don’t I?) Continental, a restaurant in Old City and Midtown, Philadelphia, have the most fantastic Lobster Mac and Cheese. Made with orzo, the restaurants use Fontina and Gruyere cheese to make a creamy, crave-worthy meal. I used a FoodNetwork.com recipe as a base with Continental’s version as inspiration.

I headed to DiBruno Bros. to pick up my cheeses, and they were somehow out of both Fontina and Gruyere. Sad day. DiBruno Bros. never disappoints though, and the cheesemonger helped me choose two cheeses: Comté and Tomme de Berger. Comté is very similar to Gruyere but is from France (rather than Switzerland). It has a slight nutty flavor to it, and melts wonderfully (it’s commonly used in fondue). Tomme de Berger also has a bit of a nutty flavor and is a blend of sheep and goat’s milk. If you can’t find these, substitute Gruyere for the Comté and Fontina for the Tomme de Berger.

Ingredients:

2 cups orzo
1 pint milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces Comté cheese, grated
6 ounces Tomme de Berger, grated
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 pound cooked lobster meat
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Shrimp Florentine Pasta

My boyfriend is allergic to shrimp. And I swear knowledge of this allergy makes me inexplicably crave shrimp. All. The. Time. So I wait for weekdays to make shrimp as much as my little heart desires. Another plus is that shrimp is a super quick meal. This Cooking Light recipe took a whopping 30 minutes from start to finish. And who doesn’t like shrimp, pasta, lemon, and spinach?

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked fettuccine (I used fresh pasta so it would cook faster)
2 tablespoons Melt buttery spread (or other margarine)
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
the juice and zest of 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

Cook pasta according to package directions. If using fresh pasta, it will be done in 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Add Melt to a saute pan over medium heat. When melted, add the shrimp, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked. (It’s easiest to use tongs so that you can flip the shrimp after 2 minutes).

Add the cooked pasta, lemon juice and zest, black pepper, and spinach. The spinach will wilt significantly, so don’t worry if it seems like there is too much.

Cook for 3 minutes, or until the spinach begins to wilt. Serve immediately with a lemon wedge on the side.

I was not prepared for how strong the red pepper would be. If I made this again, I’d cut the red pepper in half. I actually ended up adding a tablespoon of whipped cream just to cut some of the heat.

I also wanted a bit more of lemon. I ended up adding lemon to the pasta throughout eating the dish. But the base flavors here were good! I just need to adjust the amount of ingredients and it would be a keeper! So, to recap: more lemon, less red pepper = perfect.

Lobster Ravioli with Saffron Cream Sauce

Everyone needs a quick but really impressive meal in their cooking arsenal. My go-to is usually ravioli; it cooks in a few minutes and all you really have to do is make an awesome sauce.

You can make the meal in a half hour, and most of the ingredients are relatively easy to have on hand. (I know it’s a bit odd to have saffron threads in my spice collection but Trader Joe’s sells some that isn’t terribly expensive.) You can buy lobster ravioli if/when it goes on sale and store it in your fridge until needed which means this seemingly fancy recipe for Lobster Ravioli with Saffron Cream Sauce is actually a quick and easy dinner option!

I was pretty excited when I came across this recipe because it sounded amazing. Um, it was beyond amazing. Seriously. This is one of my favorite sauces I’ve ever made. Mmm. Ok, sorry. I should probably share it with you now.

Ingredients (get all ingredients here):

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, optional
1 package lobster ravioli
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups whipping cream
2 pinches saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
lobster chunks, if desired
Fresh chives, for garnish

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Rigatoni with Halibut Tomato and Basil

This recipe for Rigatoni with Halibut Tomato and Basil is loosely adapted from Marc Vetri’s cookbook, Rustic Italian Food. Last Friday, I went to Vetri for the first time. And it was hands down the best meal I’ve ever had, both food and service. I was also so terribly awkward that I’m not quite over it. Marc Vetri is one stellar chef. He opened Vetri in 1998 and 14 years later continues to wow people with the food he turns out. I was swooning over each and every plate that came out. I brought my parents for their 30th anniversary and honestly, I feel like it ended up being as much a present to myself as it was for them (sorry mom and dad!).

Vetri even came over to our table, wished my parents a happy anniversary, and signed his cookbook for me! (This is the stage where I got truly embarrassing. I absolutely turned red during this encounter. Eep). So naturally, I can’t think of anything but those delicious meals. I decided to use a recipe from his cookbook, Rustic Italian Food. I ended up using Halibut because the store I was at was out of swordfish (boo).

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) box dried rigatoni
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 (12 oz) containers heirloom tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 pound halibut, cut into large chunks
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup basil leaves, hand torn, plus additional basil leaves for garnish

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Creamy Spring Pasta

I was talking to my mom on the phone earlier this week and she mentioned she was making a creamy pasta with peas (her favorite) for dinner. Naturally, I had some taste bud jealousy and decided that I needed to have that as well this week. Cooking Light’s most recent issue had this Creamy Spring Pasta which sounded fantastic so I was able to!

Ingredients:

3 quarts water
2 ounces French bread baguette, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 batch of asparagus, cut diagonally into two inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas and carrots mixture
6 ounces fresh spinach fettuccine
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup packed)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the torn bread to a food processor (I just used my Magic Bullet) and process until it becomes coarse crumbs.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add one minced garlic clove to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and cook for 3 minutes, sitting frequently. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe the pan down so that you can use it again.

Your pot should now be boiling. Add the asparagus and peas and carrots to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to remove from the water (you need the water to cook the pasta). Add the vegetables to a colander and rinse with cold water.

Add the olive oil to the saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic cloves and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. While the onion and garlic are cooking, add the flour to a small bowl and gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Add this to the saute pan. Also stir in the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.

Add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and reserve.

Remove the milk mixture from heat. Add the Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt and pepper, stirring until the cheeses melt.

Add the pasta and reserved vegetables and toss to coat.

Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and tarragon and serve.

Doesn’t it just look like spring?

The sauce does a really great impression of a cream sauce. I honestly don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference between this sauce and one made with heavy cream.

I wish I had added some of the tarragon to the sauce as well to get more of that flavor, but it was still nice as little bites of tarragon flavor.

Asparagus this time of year is just perfect. It was still crisp and bright so it stood out through the cream sauce.

And the toasted bread crumbs were awesome. An extra crunch to top off the dish!

Garlicky Meatball Pasta with Avocado-Butter Lettuce Salad

Despite having an Italian mother, I have never made meatballs before. I’m almost embarrassed to admit it. Whelp, at the age of 26, I believe it is time to finally get my hands dirty and make some meatballs. One of Cooking Light’s 40 Fast Menus in Under 40 Minutes had a recipe for meatballs, so I used it as my base for this recipe.

For the Pasta:

9 ounces refrigerated fettuccine
12 ounces ground sirloin

2 sausages, removed from their casings
1/2 cup panko
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 3/4 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated

For the Salad:

1 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups torn butter lettuce
1 cup sliced avocado

Because this is a very simple sauce, I’d suggest going for a premium high-quality marinara sauce.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, combine the beef, sausage meat, panko, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and egg in a medium sized bowl. The original recipe did not have the sausage included, but I thought it would add some extra flavor (I used these awesome sausages from Martin‘s in Reading Terminal- Mozzarella and Basil Sausages, amazing right?)

Shape the mixture into small meatballs. The recipe says to make 16. I ended up with 10. I wasn’t very good at the whole eyeballing-the-right-size-thing.

By now the water should be boiling. Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain over a bowl to reserve 1/3 cup pasta water.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. (stir to flip the meatballs so they brown evenly)

Reduce the heat to medium low and add the sauce and 1/3 cup pasta water.

Cover and cook for 11 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.

While waiting for the sauce to cook, combine the red onion, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Add lettuce and avocado; toss gently.

When the sauce is finished cooking, mix in the pasta and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Serve the pasta topped with some Parmesan cheese and the salad on the side.

I love how simple this recipe is but still packs a bunch of flavor! My normal tomato sauce takes forever to make, so I’m pretty excited to have a quick sauce when I need it.

Oh. And the meatballs? Fan-tastic. I could eat these all day.

The salad was really delicious as well! There was a bit too many onions for my liking, so I might limit the amount next time I make this.

I seem to forget how yummy simple recipes can be, something I need to remember as vegetables and fruits come back in season.

Penne with Bacon Vodka Sauce

Yes, you read that title correctly. Penne with Bacon Vodka Sauce. I have wanted to make some recipes using Bakon Vodka ever since I heard of its existence. My mind immediately went to Bloody Mary’s (which I will have a post on soon), but a coworker suggested I use it for Penne Vodka. Brilliant, no?

Ingredients:

1 can (28 oz) tomato sauce

1 shallot, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon basil

2/3 cup Bakon vodka

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 box penne pasta

Chop the shallot and garlic cloves. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cloves and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, oregano, parsley, and basil. Add the Bakon vodka and stir to combine. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally; it will thicken and reduce a bit.

While waiting for the sauce to reduce, boil a pot of water and cook the penne according to directions, you want the pasta al dente. After the 15 minutes have passed, add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

Add the pasta and mix to combine. Cook for another minute or so to allow the sauce to absorb into the pasta.

Mmmm. Smoky goodness.

This was really tasty! The bacon vodka added a subtle smokiness, kind of like using roasted tomatoes, or smoked paprika.

It wasn’t an overpowering, punch-in-the-face kind of bacon taste though. Honestly, it might be tough to pinpoint the flavor if you didn’t know that was in it.

So if you’re really in a bacon-y mood, I’d suggest adding some crumbled bacon or pancetta on top of the finished pasta.

Yum

Penne with Bacon Vodka Sauce

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 can (28 oz) tomato sauce
1 shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon basil
2/3 cup Bakon vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 box penne pasta

Instructions

Chop the shallot and garlic cloves. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cloves and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, oregano, parsley, and basil. Add the Bakon vodka and stir to combine. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally; it will thicken and reduce a bit.
While waiting for the sauce to reduce, boil a pot of water and cook the penne according to directions, you want the pasta al dente. After the 15 minutes have passed, add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
Add the pasta and mix to combine. Cook for another minute or so to allow the sauce to absorb into the pasta.

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Artichoke, Spinach, and Feta Stuffed Shells

I have been making a bunch of freezer-friendly meals lately. You never know when you will come home and just be too exhausted to cook, and frozen meals can really save the night. This one also happens to be vegetarian. I found this recipe in an old Cooking Light. I absolutely love artichokes and spinach so I knew I’d like this!

Ingredients:

(makes 5 servings. serving size 4 shells)

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped pepperoncini peppers (they come in a jar)
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded provolone/mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (9-ounce) can artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
2 garlic cloves, minced
20 cooked jumbo shell pasta (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
Cooking spray

Cook the shell pasta according to directions on the box. Drain and set aside on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil so they don’t stick together. Take a 13×9 cooking dish and spray it with cooking spray.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Add the oregano, pepperoncini peppers, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup provolone/mozzarella (I used “pizza” cheese) and the feta, cream cheese, black pepper, artichokes, spinach, and garlic.

To make it easier to fill the shells, add the mixture to a ziplock bag. Close the bag, and snip off one of the bottom corners.

Pipe the mixture into the shells. (Note: some of the artichokes might get stuck a bit while doing this so be careful you don’t end up with more mixture than you want coming out!) Add the stuffed shells to a 13×9 baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Spoon the tomato mixture over the shells.

Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese melts.

You can freeze them after stuffing the shells, freezing the tomato mixture separately and doing the last few steps later. I personally prefer frozen meals that can just be popped into the microwave or oven and the only additional step is that I have to consume the meal.

This is really an awesome recipe. I usually only have plain stuffed shells with tomato sauce and cheese so I liked the addition of the spinach and artichokes. The peppers added a little bit of pizazz to the dish without making them really spicy. (You can leave them out if you don’t want a little heat).

I did, however, crave a little bit of extra sauce (I love love sauce), so I’d suggest adding another can of puree to the mix. Past that, a good solid recipe!

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Creamy Artichoke & Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Well, that’s quite a long title for a dish. I don’t really know what else to call it though, this recipe was a result of me trying to make a meal with what I had on hand. I was send some chicken from Gold’n Plump, and one of the options was Lemon Pepper Seasoned Boneless Skinless Breast Fillets. I had some tarragon left over from my Salmon Croquettes and I thought the lemon pepper seasoning would go perfectly with that, along with some sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts.

Ingredients (this makes two servings):

2 lemon pepper seasoned boneless skinless breast fillets

1/2 box pasta of your choice (I used fusilli)

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup cream

4 artichoke hearts, quartered

1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon

salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

the juice of one lemon

Gold’n Plump’s chicken is individually packaged, which is awesome for people who live alone or do not have a family of four. I tend to not buy chicken because I never manage to finish the four fillets usually included in one package. The individual servings allow me to take what I need and freeze the rest for later use.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and the green onions, and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cream, sun dried tomatoes, tarragon, and artichoke hearts.

Cover and simmer on medium low for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. While the cream mixture is simmering, heat a grill pan (or a saute pan if you don’t have a grill pan) over medium high heat. Add the chicken and sear on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.

The chicken will not be fully cooked through. Slice into thin strips and add to the cream mixture. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Add the pasta to the cream mixture and toss to coat.

Add the mozzarella cheese. Cook for another 1-3 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce, and to let the cheese melt.

Remove from heat and squeeze the lemon juice in to the dish. Mix and serve.

Despite the cream, the flavor of the chicken still shone through, it was really nice! I loved having such a nice amount of flavor from the chicken without having to remember to marinate it beforehand.

Artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and tarragon work so well together.

You could have this dish without the pasta, but I like it to soak up all of that yummy sauce.

Note: Although the Lemon Pepper Chicken is available in some markets, it is not available in the Philadelphia area. However, Targets in the area do carry the following Gold’n Plump products:

All Natural Boneless Skinless Breasts
Extra Tender Boneless Skinless Breasts
90/10 Ground Chicken
All Natural Drumsticks
All Natural Whole Chicken
Extra Tender Tenders
All Natural Wings
All Natural Boneless Skinless Thighs