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Broccoli Pesto Pasta

I hadn’t been feeling super inspired to blog for the past few weeks. Maybe it was the fact that it’s been cold and rainy and generally gloomtastic around here, maybe it was the fact that my mind was focused on other thoughts and my hands were busy doing other things. I had recipes and photos queued up to post, but no desire to talk about them. And maybe it’s the fact that spring has finally sprung, but I’m feeling excited to telling you about delicious food again. I’m also feeling really pumped about warm weather dishes. While I’m a soup-and-stew lady through and through, the cold and grey lasted a little too long this year, and I’m so ready to bust out the salads and sandwiches.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

This is a great transition dish for that weird in-between period. With the bright, green, fresh broccoli “pesto” and baby spinach, it looks and feels super springy and light. But it’s still got that creamy, comforting, pasta thang going on. I think you could easily (and deliciously) serve this cold or at room temperature instead of warm, and it would be a refreshing dish even on the hottest of days. And despite a dubious April, it’s clear now that those days are comin’!

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

I made this a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it. I’m a broccoli freak, so it was no surprise to me. I threw in some spinach leaves at the end for extra green goodness, but you could also add them to the pesto itself. You could pretty much throw any other leftover greens into the pesto to add some extra flavor—arugula would be great, and you could even use basil to give it more of a traditional pesto flavor. The beauty of pesto is that you can really have fun with it—just play around and enjoy!

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Adapted from Annie’s Eats
Serves 8

1 lb. broccoli
1 lb. short pasta
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup baby spinach leaves, optional
Additional Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving, optional

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, chop the broccoli crowns into florets. Chop the stems into ½-inch discs. When the water is boiling, add the broccoli to the water to boil briefly just until fork-tender, about 3-4 minutes. (Alternatively, add a steamer basket above the water and steam the broccoli until fork-tender.) Remove to a bowl, leaving the water in the pot. (Use a skimmer or strainer to remove the broccoli if you boiled it.)
Maintain the water at a boil. Add the pasta to the pot and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cups of the pasta water and then drain the pasta well. Set aside.
Return the pot to the heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the pot over medium-high heat, heating until the butter is melted. Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and cook 1-2 minutes more. Return the cooked broccoli to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes more to heat through. Season with pepper to taste.
Transfer the broccoli mixture to a food processor or blender. Pulse in short bursts, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is finely chopped. Add in the greek yogurt and parmesan cheese and process until smooth. If needed, add the reserved pasta water a little bit at a time just until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste. In a large bowl (or in the pot), toss the pasta with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta nutrition

Tomato Tortellini Soup

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Tomato Tortellini Soup

It’s been a rainy week he

re in Chicago. Several times, I’ve woken up in the wee hours of the morning to the sound of rain absolutely pounding on our windows and skylights. I slowly fall back asleep only to wake up a mere few hours later to the sound of my alarm…and rain still pounding on the roof. And not only is it rainy, but it goes from being semi-warm and spring-like to being puffy down coat weather within a day. ENOUGH! I am so ready for it to be consistently warm and sunny, and this is coming from a person that prefers to wear sweaters even in 90º weather, so you know it’s bad.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

My number one rainy day meal is tomato soup. Usually with grilled cheese. I won’t lie, I have a weakness for Campbell’s condensed, but sometimes I class it up a little with the homemade stuff. I’ve been wanting to make this creamless tomato soup from America’s Test Kitchen for a while—it uses bread to thicken it instead of cream!—but tomato soup isn’t hearty enough for me by itself. It needs something (hence the classic grilled cheese combo). And then it became clear: tomato soup and grilled cheese is a classic. Tomato sauce and pasta with cheese is a classic. Thus, cheese tortellini in tomato soup should be a classic. Obviously.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

Why hadn’t I thought of this before? I realize I’m not the first one to think of it, but it’s a new and groundbreaking thought for my little brain. Bear with me. It’s delicious. Thick, tangy, sweet tomato soup with chewy, carby, cheesy tortellini. I can’t think of a more perfect rainy day meal. And just in the interest of encouraging my laziness, this soup is an incredibly simple and quick meal that you can throw together even when you don’t feel like cooking anything. Plus, it’s a great vegetarian meal too (just use veggie stock). Bring on the rain…as long as I can bring soup.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
Serves 6

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
2 (28-oz.) cans diced San Marzano style tomatoes with basil
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
1 (9-oz.) package fresh cheese tortellini, such as Buitoni
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes with their juice. Stir in the sugar and bread, bring to a simmer, and cook until the bread begins to dissolve, about 5 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil and puree the mixture using an immersion blender until smooth (or transfer to a blender and puree in batches until smooth, then return to the pot). Add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the broth and bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add tortellini and stir until all tortellini are immersed in liquid. Cover and simmer for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until pasta is plump and tender. Ladle soup into bowls and top with chopped parsley before serving.

Tomato Tortellini Soup nutrition facts

Curried Chicken Tikka Pizza

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Curried Chicken Tikka Pizza

We have homemade pizz

a all the time. My boyfriend whips up the whole wheat dough in the bread machine, and when I get home from work, I toss it and top it and throw it in the oven. So easy. And so easy to love. But sometimes, the old standbys of pepperoni or turkey sausage get a little old. That’s when it

’s time to get a little crazy. Sometimes there’s white pizza, but sometimes it gets a little crazier. Like…putting Indian food on pizza and topping it with cheese. Guess what? It totally works. We loved this pizza! Arrivederci, pepperoni—this is our new favorite.

Curried Chicken Tikka Pizza

There’s a lot happening on top of this crust. It starts with chicken breasts coated in yogurt and spices: garam masala and curry powder. The chicken goes under the broiler while you start the sauce on the stove. With a mixture of tomatoes, ginger, spicy cayenne pepper, garlic, more garam masala, and a splash of cream for silkiness, this sauce is absolutely packed with flavor. Standard tomato sauce ain’t got nothin’ on this stuff: savory and spicy with so much depth of flavor. Then, the chicken is added back into the sauce and spread on the crust before being topped with mozzarella, red onion, and cilantro. Deliciousness awaits.

Curried Chicken Tikka Pizza

Adapted from Cooking Light
Serves 4-6

12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons garam masala, divided
1 teaspoon curry powder
Cooking spray
⅝ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¾ lb. pizza dough, recipe follows*
⅓ cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about ¾ cup)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat broiler to high.
Cut chicken in half horizontally. Combine chicken, yogurt, ½ teaspoon garam masala, and curry powder. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon salt. Broil 5 minutes on each side.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Place tomatoes in a mini chopper; pulse until almost smooth. Add oil to pan. Add 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala, ginger, red pepper, and garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; simmer 4 minutes. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt and cream; cook 1 minute. Cut chicken into pieces. Add chicken to pan; toss.
Spoon chicken mixture on prepared crust. Top with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with onion. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until crust is golden and topping has browned slightly. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

*You can also use your own favorite crust recipe or a store-bought crust.

Bread Machine Pizza Crust

Recipe from Cuisinart
Makes (2) ¾-lb. pizza crusts

1 cup water, at 80º-90ºF
¾ teaspoon honey or sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2⅔ cups bread flour
9 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1¾ teaspoons yeast (active dry, instant, or bread machine)

Place ingredients, in order indicated by the manufacturer of your bread machine, in pan of bread machine fitted with kneading paddle. Run the machine on the dough cycle. When complete, remove the dough from the machine and place on a floured work surface. Divide dough in half and reserve one half for later use (place in a freezer bag and freeze or refrigerate). Toss or roll out to a 12-14″ circle. Transfer to a baking sheet covered in parchment paper or a pizza stone before adding toppings.

Curried Chicken Tikka Pizza nutrition

Herb Roasted Chicken

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Herb Roasted Chicken

My weeks start with the best of i

ntentions. I make meal plans, get groceries, and optimistically think that I’ll have the time and energy to make a home-cooked meal every night of the week. But then real life happens. Work happens, exhaustion happens, time is crunched and excuses are made. Planned meals get pushed in favor of

a quick sandwich or take-out, and my good intentions turn to twinges of guilt. One thing I always think I’m going to do to solve this—but never actually do—is roast a chicken on Sunday nights. That way, we can have chicken for Sunday dinner and then have leftover meat to use in meals duri

ng the rest of the week—not to mention plenty of homemade stock to freeze and use in recipes. Since I’m in an especially busy period right now, I roasted a dang chicken. And now I’m wondering why I waited so long to make this a regular practice.

Herb Roasted Chicken

There are a thousand ways to roast a chicken and even more recipes for it, but this one is my favorite that I’ve tried so far. It’s particularly wonderful because it’s a minimum effort, maximum results situation. It’s nothing fancy—common ingredients, simple and fast preparation—but the flavor and texture is exceptional. Just stuff the cavity with some fresh herbs, a few whole cloves of garlic, and half an onion; then coat the chicken in olive oil and pat on a simple rub. Throw it in the oven and you have a beautiful, moist, golden brown chicken with perfectly crispy skin in no time. Roast some vegetables alongside it and you have a whole meal, just like that! We were amazed by how tender and flavorful this chicken was. We each had a breast for dinner, saved the rest of the meat, and made a ton of homemade stock with the carcass. See? Roast chicken is one of the most economical meals you can make—it just keeps giving! Plus, it’s one of the best ways to eat chicken and a great weekly ritual to have. Start this week!

Herb Roasted Chicken

Slightly adapted from The Comfort of Cooking
Makes 1 whole chicken, 5-6 servings

1 whole 5-6 pound chicken, giblets removed
1½ Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ yellow onion, cut into wedges
5 whole cloves garlic, crushed
1 handful fresh thyme, rosemary or parsley or a combination

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Arrange oven rack on bottom third. Prepare a large roasting pan topped with a rack. (You can also top a 13×9 pan with a cooling rack).
Rinse whole chicken. Pat dry with paper towels and place onto rack atop roasting pan, breast side up.
Place onion, garlic, and herbs into cavity. Coat chicken with olive oil using your hands. Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and season chicken all over with mixture, patting on with your hands. If desired, tie legs with kitchen twine.
Roast for 1½ to 2 hours, depending on size* (plan on about 20 minutes per pound). If chicken is browning too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil. To measure temperature, place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. It should reach 180ºF.
Remove chicken from oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

*Note: My chicken was only 3 pounds, so I halved the rub quantities. It took about 1 hour to roast.

Polenta Hearts and Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce

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Polenta Hearts and Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Like I said in Sunday’s post, I mostly love Valentine’s Day because it’s an excuse to eat heart-shaped things and sweets. But as much as some of us would like to, we can’t just eat dessert all day, holiday or not. Chocolate for breakf

ast sounds awesome in theory, but isn’t quite so awesome in practice. That’s why I thought I’d post an easy, healthy, savory recipe that’s also festive. These adorable parmesan polenta hearts are perfect for breakfast in bed with your sweetheart, or even a stress-free homemade meal—no reservations required. Of course, this isn’t just a Valentine’s Day meal; skip the heart-shaped cookie cutter and this is a perfect everyday dish.

Polenta Hearts and Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Another thing I love about this recipe is that it’s cheap. Polenta, a couple eggs, and canned tomato sauce are not only worth pennies, but they’re also easy to find—and you might already have all of the ingredients on hand. If you’re tightening your belt, this meal sure beats a fancy prix fixe meal at a restaurant. And it couldn’t be easier. Just cook up some instant polenta, add some Parmesan cheese, and spread the mixture on a cookie sheet; let it cool and cut out large heart shapes with a cookie cutter. While the polenta is cooling, saute onions and garlic and add tomato sauce. Then, stir in Italian seasoning and a pinch of sugar and you’ve got a great, quick marinara. Let it simmer while you poach (or fry) a couple of eggs. Plate and serve. See? Easy, but impressive.

Polenta Hearts and Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Serves 2

½ cup instant polenta
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
⅓ cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup organic canned tomato sauce
Pinch sugar, to taste
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 eggs, poached*
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the polenta: Prepare a baking sheet by placing a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone mat on it. Set aside. Add polenta and ¼ teaspoon salt to 2 cups boiling water. Stir constantly until done, 5 minutes. Immediately add Parmesan cheese and stir until combined.** Spoon polenta onto prepared baking sheet and, using a rubber spatula or offset spatula, spread it out so it’s about ½” thick. Transfer baking sheet to refrigerator for about 10 minutes or until polenta is set.

For the tomato sauce: While polenta chills, prepare tomato sauce. Add olive oil to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant. Reduce heat to medium low. Add canned tomato sauce and Italian seasoning and stir; taste and add a pinch of sugar if needed. Simmer for about 5 minutes (or until heated through) while you prepare your eggs. Keep warm until ready to serve. When ready to serve, spoon sauce onto two plates.

To serve: When polenta is set, remove from refrigerator. Using a large heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut two hearts out of the polenta and use a spatula to lift them onto two plates. You will not need all of the polenta; use smaller heart cookie cutters to cut out more for serving or reserve remaining polenta for another use. Top the plated tomato sauce with a polenta heart and a poached egg for each plate. Salt and pepper to taste.

*Don’t know how to poach an egg? Here’s a tutorial from Alton Brown. You can also fry your eggs instead.

**If you aren’t making heart-shaped polenta, this is the point where you can just spoon the polenta onto plates without chilling or shaping. Alternately, you can cut out circles or squares instead of hearts.

Polenta Hearts and Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Polenta Hearts and Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce nutrition

Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

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When I left for college, my dad bought me a book called, “101 Things to Do With Ramen Noodles.” It didn’t prove very useful in my kitchen-less dorm, and by the time I got my own real kitchen, I got really interested in cooking and was so above ramen noodles. However, I recently remembered this dish that my mom used to make using those super cheap, quick-cooking noodles, and it just goes to show that even if you’re a fancypants cook, sometimes there’s a place for ramen noodles. Combined with tons of veggies and chicken, they make for a ridiculously easy, tasty, and healthy dish.

Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

This stir fry comes together with just a few ingredients: green onions, prepackaged coleslaw, soy sauce, sesame oil, and of course, a couple packages of ramen noodles. For the coleslaw, I used a mix of cabbage and broccoli slaw. I also added mushrooms and garnished with some toasted sesame seeds, but that’s totally up to you. You can throw in as many veggies as you like—throw in some red bell pepper, water chestnuts, baby corn…anything, really. And the more veggies you add, the bulkier and more satisfying this dish becomes. The original recipe from Cooking Light served two, and the serving size was so huge that I actually cut it in half, so my version serves four. And you won’t still be hungry after chowing down on a bowl of this stuff, I promise.

Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

Adapted from Cooking Light
Serves 4

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
1 cup (1-inch) sliced green onions
8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms, optional
3 cups prepackaged coleslaw
2 (2.8-ounce) packages chicken-flavor ramen noodle soup
1½ cups water
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

Heat ½ teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onions; stir-fry 1 minute. Remove chicken mixture from pan; keep warm. Heat ½ teaspoon oil until hot. Add mushrooms, if using, and stir fry for 5 to 7 minutes until browned. Add slaw; stir-fry 30 seconds. Remove mushroom and slaw mixture from pan; keep warm.
Remove noodles from packages; reserve 1 seasoning packet for another use. Add the water and remaining seasoning packet to pan; bring to a boil. Break noodles in half; add noodles to water mixture. Cook noodles 2 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken mixture, slaw, and soy sauce; cook until thoroughly heated.

Note: You can also make this same recipe with beef or vegetarian. For beef, simply substitute 8 ounces of ribeye steak, sliced thin, for the chicken; substitute beef flavor for the chicken-flavored ramen. For vegetarian, skip the meat and use veggie ramen. Throw in some tofu or extra veggies if you like.

Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

Ramen Noodle Stir Fry nutrition

Slow Cooker Italian Chili

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I’m sure there’s a more authentic name for this dish than “Italian Chili.” But it’s based off myslow cooker chili, so it makes perfect sense, right? And since it’s an AmyBites original, I claim naming rights. Italian Chili it is, whether it’s a “thing” or not. This dish was born via a flash of inspiration. One day at work last week, I was thinking about food (totally normal) and how great that slow cooker chili is. But I’ve been making it for years and haven’t really changed it up. And then, it hit me: what if I made an Italian version? Um, duh. A few simple swaps would take this from Mexico to Italy in a flash. There was zero chance it wouldn’t be amazing. I was pretty darn pleased with myself.

Slow Cooker Italian Chili

I simply swapped out most of the ingredients for their Italian counterparts and added a few other flavor boosters. Ground turkey is replaced with hot Italian turkey sausage, kidney beans with cannellini beans, Mexican-style stewed tomatoes with Italian-style stewed tomatoes, Italian seasonings…you get the picture. I also added a bit of pasta, some red wine for depth of flavor, finished it off with some fresh parsley, and ta-da! Perfetto. Or, in English, “bonkers delicious.” It’s a little spicy, a little sweet, savory, herby…basically, absolutely packed with flavor. And the texture is phenomenal. I love my chili chunky and full of contrasting textures, and this does not disappoint with the sausage, beans, all the veggies, and the pasta. I served it alongside some freshly-baked homemade focaccia bread and it was an absolutely delicious, perfectly satisfying meal. My old standby is going to have some competition in the chili rotation from now on, that’s for sure!

Slow Cooker Italian Chili

Adapted from AmyBites’ Slow Cooker Chili
Serves 4-6

1 lb. hot Italian turkey sausage
1 cup diced onion
½ cup diced celery
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
½ cup dry red wine (can use water or low-sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable broth)
1 cup uncooked whole wheat short pasta such as rotini, macaroni or ditalini
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus additional for serving

Cook the sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until brown, stirring to crumble. Drain most of the fat, leaving about a tablespoon of fat in the skillet with the sausage. Add diced onion and the next 6 ingredients (onion through salt), and cook for 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Place meat mixture in an electric slow cooker; stir in beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and red wine.
Cover with lid, and cook on low heat setting for 4 hours. After 4 hours, add pasta to slow cooker and stir until all pasta is submerged in liquid; turn heat to high and cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Stir in 3 tablespoons chopped parsley. Scoop into bowls and top with additional fresh parsley if desired.

NOTE: The chili can be made on the stovetop if you don’t have a slow cooker. Instead of transferring mixture to slow cooker, leave on stovetop and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, 1½ hours. Then, bring back to a boil and stir in pasta; cook until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.

Slow Cooker Italian Chili

Slow Cooker Italian Chili nutrition facts

Bacon Mushroom Cavatappi

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amybites_cavatappi-title

Something I’ve been working on for th

e past couple of years is getting better at improvising in the kitchen. Too often, I’m tempted to just say “we don’t have any food” and go out or order in. In reality, we usually have plenty of food—it’s just a matter of putting the bits and pieces together in a creat

ive and delicious way. I’m pretty good about meal planning, but on the weeks I’m not so on top of it, creativity is the name of the game. I think the key to being successful at this is really knowing your basic cooking techniques and flavors—and, of course, trusting your instincts.

As many great dishes are, this one was born from the need to use up some extra veggies. Once I knew we had fresh mushrooms and spinach to work with, I spotted a couple of half-used blocks of cheese and a box of pasta and the rest just clicked. I know that mushrooms and bacon are a match made in heaven, and frozen peas are a great addition to most creamy pastas. All of these simple ingredients, combined with some basic know-how and inspiration, created some major magic. This pasta knocked our socks off! This will definitely be added to our quick-and-easy meal rotation.

The veggies are cooked in the fat from the bacon, which builds some serious flavor from the get-go. The mozzarella-asiago cheese sauce is simply made from low fat milk thickened with a little flour, and it clings to every noodle. The peas and spinach add pops of freshness and color, and the mushrooms provide a delicious meatiness, so you could easily make this a satisfying, meatless meal. But if you’re a meat lover, you’ll love the savory, crisp crunch the bacon provides—not to mention the depth of flavor it adds throughout. It takes only as long as the pasta needs to cook to throw this meal together, so it’s perfect for those nights when you’re short on ingredients and time. Enjoy!

Bacon Mushroom Cavatappi

Serves 4

8 ounces dry cavatappi noodles
4 slices bacon, sliced in 1″ pieces
1 onion, diced
4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
4-6 ounces baby spinach
4 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 ounce asiago cheese, shredded
1½ cups 1% or skim milk
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
Salt & pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve about 1 to 2 Tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet; discard the remainder or set aside for another use.
Add onion and mushrooms to skillet with bacon fat and cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms are browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low, then add peas and spinach to skillet and cover; cook until spinach is wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes.
While vegetables cook, start the sauce in a saucepan. Whisk together milk and flour and add to saucepan; stir in broth. Cook milk mixture over medium-high heat until boiling. Continue to cook another 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste; keep warm until pasta is done.
When pasta is done, drain and return to pot. Add vegetable mixture to pasta and stir until combined. Pour cheese sauce over the pasta and stir until all pasta is evenly coated. Stir in bacon or sprinkle on top to serve.

Chicken Broccoli Crêpes

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As picky as I was when I was a kid, there were a few healthy things I’

d eat happily. One of them was broccoli. I’ve always loved it. Loving broccoli is probably in direct conflict with being a picky eater, but it provided a little relief to my long-suffering mother in the cooking department. This dish is one I grew up eating, and it’s always been one of my

favorites. It’s simply savory crêpes stuffed with broccoli, chicken, and cheese, and topped with a creamy mushroom and cheese sauce. My mom used to make my sauce without the mushrooms, but I’ve thankfully come to realize that it’s way more delicious with them. What was wrong with

me?! At least I have a renewed appreciation for this tasty dish now. And it’s a great recipe to kick off those healthy eating resolutions—it’s light (only about 200 calories per serving), but super satisfying.

I just nabbed the recipe when I was home for the holidays, and I’m so glad it’s in my arsenal now! Although the technique couldn’t be simpler, it is a bit time-consuming to prepare. Everything goes quite a bit faster with a helper in the kitchen, but another way to expedite the process is to make the crêpes the day before and refrigerate, then prepare the filling and sauce just before serving. The crêpes keep well in the fridge and you can even freeze them for later use. The batter makes about 18 crêpes and the recipe uses only 12 of those, so you’ll have a few extra to save. And I know what you’re thinking, (“Crêpes are difficult and fussy!”) but don’t be intimidated. A bit of patience and a gentle twirl of the wrist is all it takes. And since these are filled, rolled, and covered with sauce, it’s a very forgiving dish. Even imperfect crêpes will work just fine—and taste just as delicious.

Chicken Broccoli Crêpes

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens
Serves 6 (2 crepes and about 3 tablespoons sauce)

12 crêpes, recipe follows
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup low sodium chicken broth or water
1 cup 1% or skim milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded gruyere or Swiss cheese
Splash of white wine, optional
4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 cups finely diced cooked chicken breast
10 ounces finely chopped fresh or frozen broccoli, cooked and drained

Prepare crêpes; set aside. Sauté mushrooms in a dry, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Combine onion and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Combine milk, cornstarch, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine; add to onion. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Add cheese; stir to melt. Add wine if using and stir to combine. Reserve ½ cup of the cheese mixture. Add mushrooms to remaining cheese mixture. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. For filling, combine cooked chicken, cooked broccoli, and the ½ cup reserved cheese mixture. Spoon about ¼ cup filling down the center of the unbrowned side of each crepe; roll up gently and securely. Arrange crepes, seam-side down, in a 13×9 inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve cheese-mushroom mixture over crêpes.

FOR THE CREPES

1 cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups 1% or skim milk
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

In bowl or large measuring cup combine flour, milk, egg, and salt; whisk until blended.
Lightly spray a 6″ skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-low. Remove from heat. Spoon in about 2 tablespoons batter. Lift and gently swirl skillet to spread batter and evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Return to heat and cook until bottom is lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Gently run a silicone spatula under the edges of the crêpe to loosen. Invert pan over a paper towel and allow the crêpe to fall out.
Repeat to make about 16 to 18 crêpes, occasionally spraying skillet between crêpes. Place paper towels between each crêpe when stacking to prevent sticking. Reserve 12 crêpes and refrigerate or freeze the remainder.

Easy Pasta Carbonara

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Like many of you, I’m heading home for the holidays. This is my last day of work and then I’m on vacation for a glorious twelve days. I’m counting the minutes! For the past few days, it’s felt like an exercise in futility to shop for groceries when I’m about to abandon my fridge and pantry for a week and a half. The solution has unfortunately been more dining out than I’d like, but we can’t do that for every meal. The other day, I was trying to assess our options for dinner and not coming up with much. But among a meager assortment of random foodstuffs, there was bacon, eggs, and pasta.

I also knew we had parmesan cheese, so my thoughts immediately went to carbonara. I’ve had a couple pretty fancy carbonaras at ritzy restaurants, but it can actually be one of the simplest and cheapest dishes you can make at home. It’s simply long pasta (traditionally spaghetti, but I’ve used linguine here) with bacon (or pancetta), cheese, and egg. The egg is the sauce. It never ceases to amaze me that with just an egg, you can create such a silky, luxurious sauce. Some versions will add cream or butter, but all it really does is add an unnecessary heaviness.

Shallots and garlic provide the flavor base, and as is carbonara tradition, black pepper finishes off the dish. I’m not a huge fan of black pepper, so you can definitely use more than I’ve indicated here. You can also add veggies—peas show up frequently in pasta carbonara. Another (possibly more impressive) way to serve this up is top the pasta with a poached egg and let the diner break the yolk to sauce the pasta. Regardless, this is an easy, economical dish that’s guaranteed to satisfy.

Easy Pasta Carbonara

Serves 4

8 oz. long whole wheat pasta, such as linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccine
¼ cup reserved pasta water
2 slices center cut bacon, sliced in 1″ pieces
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth or white wine
2 large eggs
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, reserving ¼ of cooking liquid before draining.
While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.
Add the minced shallot to the skillet with the bacon fat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant. Add broth or wine to the skillet to deglaze, and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. Remove the pan from the heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and parmesan cheese until well combined. Set aside. Drain the pasta and transfer to the skillet with the shallot mixture. Immediately add the egg mixture to the hot pasta while stirring vigorously. Add black pepper and half of reserved bacon and continue to toss until all pasta is evenly coated with sauce. If sauce is too thick, add in reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. To serve, top with the remaining bacon and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.