Chicken Pesto Pasta With Spinach

This is an easy-to-make, easy-to-keep-on-hand recipe...and a great use for leftover chicken.  I don't add any extra salt to this dish.

8 oz. dried ziti pasta
1 packet (1.8 ounces) Knorr Cream of Spinach Recipe Mix
3/4 cup water
1 cup 2% milk
2 tablespoons pesto
2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped or 1 box (9 ounces) Perdue Short Cuts Carved Chicken Breast, Original Roasted variety, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sliced green onion
Freshly ground black pepper and Italian Seasoning, to taste
2 cups baby spinach leaves
Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish
Chopped tomato, for garnish

Boil ziti for 8 minutes; drain, reserving 1/2 cup water from the pot.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk together cream of spinach recipe mix, 3/4 cup water and milk in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low and cook for five minutes.  Whisk in pesto.  Set aside.

In a large skillet (or the used pasta pot), heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken, garlic and green onion.  Season with pepper and Italian seasoning.  Heat through, approximately three minutes.  Add the reserved pasta water to deglaze the pan.  Stir in the spinach leaves.  Cook until wilted.  Add pasta and sauce; stir well.

Spoon out onto serving plates and top with Parmesan and tomato.

4 generous servings

Stuffed Shells

After suffering through a brutal winter packed with blizzards and Nor'easters, it was so nice to spend the first day of Spring in Dixie.  I wore short sleeves and sandals (!) and chased my daughter and nieces around the yard.


Back to reality.  The weekend ended when we returned home last night.  We were exhausted after the long drive, starving and rain-soaked.  What's for dinner?  Pasta sounds good.  I analyzed what I had on hand....jumbo stuffed shells!  Yum.

20 jumbo pasta shells (half of a 12 oz. box)


Meat Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
One-half of a 20.8 oz. package ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 ozs. fresh mushrooms, chopped
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons dry wine, whatever you have on hand
24 oz. jar tomato-basil pasta sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
1 cup baby spinach leaves, chopped


Cheese Filling:
15 oz. whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded four-cheese Italian blend
1 large egg
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Few grinds of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt


Topping:


3 tablespoons grated Parmesan


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the pot of water on for the pasta and start the sauce.


Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Add the turkey breast and break it up with a wooden spoon.  When halfway cooked, add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Cook until the turkey is done and the onions are tender.  Deglaze the pan with the wine and stir in the pasta sauce.  Pour the stock into the empty jar, recap it and shake to get every bit of sauce.  Pour this into the pan.  Add Mrs. Dash and Italian seasoning.  Stir in the spinach and heat until wilted.


Cook the pasta shells according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.


Stir together the ingredients for the cheese filling.  If you have fresh parsley on hand, add a good tablespoon.


Grease a gratin pan or a 13 x 9" pan.  Add three ladles of sauce to the bottom of the pan and spread it around.  Stuff a heaping tablespoon of filling into each shell.  Place them on top of the sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan.  Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.


Enjoy the pasta with a salad, garlic toast and a glass of wine.


It took about an hour, but it really hit the spot!

Favorite weeknight soup

I love soup. Well-made soup, that is. I'm really not fond of the canned stuff. And instant? Forget about it.

I've tried dozens of soup recipes, but this one is tops when I want a soothing, nourishing, quick feast.

The pot begins with bacon, onions and garlic. Oh, the aroma!

Stir in chicken stock, water, crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add fresh tortellini, cook through and wilt in spinach. Done.

Tortellini Soup

Adapted from the recipe Quick Tortellini and Spinach Soup from Cold-Weather Cooking by Sarah Leah Chase

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 slices center cut bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 quarts Kitchen Basics chicken stock

1 cup water

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes in puree

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

9 oz. package Buitoni Chicken & Proscuitto "Tortelloni" (a fresh pasta product that I find on my grocer's dairy aisle)

5 oz. container organic baby spinach leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Fresh parmesan, for grating over the top of each serving

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon, onion and garlic; cook for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Add stock, water, tomatoes and Italian seasoning; bring to a boil. Stir in in tortelloni. Gently boil for 8 minutes. Add spinach; cook for five more minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan.

For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon, use vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock and use fresh cheese tortelloni pasta.

I love the chicken and proscuitto version. The smokiness of the ham and the warmth of nutmeg pair with the bacon and onions in the soup base to give the final product a deep, rich flavor.


Don't forget the crusty rolls with butter!

Lo Mein Monday

Monday can be torture. The solution? An exotic pasta that can be thrown together in 30 minutes flat!





3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided

3 scallions, root ends trimmed and thinly sliced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 small package chicken breast fillets (3/4-1 pound), thinly sliced across the grain

Chinese five-spice powder, to taste

Reduced-sodium soy sauce, to taste

1/2 pound dry linguine

1/2 head napa cabbage, thinly shredded with your chef's knife

2 large carrots, shredded

5 oz. package sliced shitake mushrooms

1 tsp. minced ginger from a jar (from the produce aisle)

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 pound fresh bean sprouts

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup chicken broth

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced


Have the ingredients prepped and ready to go!


Heat your largest nonstick skillet over medium heat; pour in 1 tablespoon sesame oil. When the oil becomes fragrant, add scallion and garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Add chicken and sprinkle with five-spice powder. Saute for five minutes or until cooked through. Splash with a bit of soy sauce, approximately 2 tablespoons.


Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Boil it for 7 minutes; drain and set aside.


Remove chicken from pan with slotted spoon. Add another tablespoon of oil. Increase the heat slightly. Add cabbage, carrots and mushrooms. Saute for two minutes. Make a well in the middle of the pan; add ginger and red pepper flakes. Heat for a few seconds and stir the mixure into the vegetables. Season to taste with soy sauce.

Add pasta, chicken and bean sprouts to the pan. Toss with tongs or wooden spoons. Mix together cornstarch, sherry, the last tablespoon of oil and chicken broth. Stir into the noodles. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Stir in the cilantro. Taste for seasoning. More soy? Salt? Five-spice? How's the texture? If it seems a little dry, add a little more broth. Or sesame oil :) Yummmm!