Chicken Lemon Basil Pasta

I love this pasta dish. The zing from the lemons, mixed with the grilled chicken and cheesey pasta really makes for a delicious concoction. I like to make this for new moms since it is fairly simple, makes a large batch, isn't your typical lasagna or red sauce noodle dish, and it transports easily. Serve it up with a loaf of artisan bread and, if you're feeling healthy, maybe a salad, and voila!

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman:

For 8 servings:


2 - 4 chicken breasts grilled and sliced (I only use 2 if they are the big ones like the frozen ones from Costco)
1 lb penne pasta cooked per package directions
1/2 stick butter
3 - 4 whole lemons
1 cup milk (preferably 2% or whole if you have it)
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
20 whole basil leaves chopped

Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in milk. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Adapted from recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe

This was divine. I served Eric and I up restaurant sized portions so we could have "leftovers" but I ate mine - ALL gone! It was that yummy. The sauce is so creamy and flavorful!

*Serves 2-4 (depending on if you are serving adults or kids)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, use mallet to flatten them to uniform thickness
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (about 4-5 cloves)
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips or chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces fresh spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup lowfat milk
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound fettuccine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a shallow pie plate or similar dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through (they’ll finish up in the oven). Don’t scoot the chicken around once you lay it in the hot oil! Let the oil work it’s magic to sear the crust on the chicken. If you get all antsy and try flipping too early and/or moving the chicken around the pan, the breading is lightly to fall off. Gently remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente. Also, wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in one tablespoon flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with half of the cheese sauce. Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.

Great Grandma Austin's Lasagna

I love entertaining with food and my dad was headed to SLC to pick up my mom from the airport Friday night. I told him he ought to come by for dinner beforehand. I also invited my brother and his girlfriend up. I was excited to make a delicious meal for them all to enjoy and this definitely did the trick. This is pretty much the best lasagna I've ever tasted. It is simple, as far as lasagnas go.

The recipe is SUPER vague. I will put what was included in my grandma's recipe/directions in black and I'll add my commentary in pink, just so you can see how simply she wrote it, just to confuse me many years down the road I'm sure.

12 oz lasagna noodles (cooked per package directions - the boxes don't come in 12 oz sizes so I purchased the 16 oz box and cooked 15 of the noodles).
2 lbs hamburger browned with some salt and pepper and drained
24 oz canned diced tomatoes
12 oz tomato paste
1/2 lb swiss cheese sliced
1/2 lb cheddar cheese sliced
1/2 lb moterey jack cheese (or mozzarella) sliced
1/2 box oregano (no idea how to get a box of oregano. I bought fresh oregano and used the leaves from 4 stems. You could also use dried oregano - about 1 Tbsp.)
garlic to taste
salt to taste

Combine browned hamburger, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, garlic, and salt in a saucepan. Simmer sauce for 45 minutes. Put cheese, noodles and sauce in two layers. Do this by first putting some of the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Then put down one layer of noodles (I did 4 side by side and then 1/2 of one at the end of the pan where the noodles didn't cover). Place more sauce and then cover with a layer of the sliced cheeses using some of all 3 kinds of cheese. Repeat with the noodle, sauce, and cheese layers. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove foil, turn oven to broil and let cook just until cheese starts to bubble and brown on top.

And there you have it. It is SO delicious! We served it with a green salad (my favorite with romaine, crumbled blue cheese, craisins, and sliced almonds) and sliced sour dough bread.