Sauteed Chicken Fettuccine with Creamy Lemon and Olive Pesto

This recipe was born from a mistake. Pesto was planned all along, but somehow this version was creamier than the rest. Perhaps because I was not really paying attention, perhaps because I eyeballed instead of following the recipe I usually use... whatever reason, the pesto was less green than it usually is and seemed much creamier. It was outstanding so I'd made a mental note of what I had done. And the good news is there's a ton leftover for another day!

Creamy Lemon and Olive Pesto

1 large package of basil (close to 1 fully packed cup)
1 1/3 cup of olive oil
4 cloves of crushed garlic
1 cup of pitted or canned Kalamata or black olives
3/4 cup of toasted almond (pine nut or walnut) pieces
Juice and zest from 2 large lemons
1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese (My use of shredded as opposed to grated, could that be what made this recipe so thick and creamy?)
Freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste

I made this is my blender but I should have done it in my food processor. It was too thick for my blender to handle.

In a food processor add the basil, olive oil, lemon and zest, toasted nuts (optional) and Parmesan. Blend until you get a thick (like a milkshake) consistency. Add the olives and pulse so that they are chopped but you can still see small pieces. When you've achieved the mixture you've desired take a taste and add the salt and or pepper to taste. Admittedly this looked a lot like a Shamrock shake!

Cook the fettuccine per instructions on your package, drain and reserve a little of the pasta water, a few tablespoons' worth. Add the desired amount of pesto (about 1 cup) to the pasta and mix well.

The rest of the pesto will keep in the fridge for a week. It freezes beautifully as well.We'll re-use the pesto one night with sandwiches as a substitute to mayonnaise. Also is great tossed into chicken salad!


Sauteed Chicken


This is my no-fail, standby. It's quick and easy and goes with anything. I use this as a base for many chicken recipes.

Trim and clean chicken pieces. Filet each breast and then cut each fillet in half. Cover each piece of chicken, both sides, with generous amounts of garlic powder, sea salt and cracked pepper. (If having chicken 2 nights in a row or twice in the same week I will often go ahead and prepare the chicken for the next night's recipe and place the chicken, already seasoned, into a Ziplock bag.)

In a large skillet, place 1 to 2 tbs of olive oil, and heat pan on high heat. When hot, place as many chicken pieces into the pan as you can fit, leaving a little space next to each piece. Turn heat to medium-high. If the pieces get too brown turn it down to medium. Brown each side and and turn, cooking for a total of about 10 minutes. When thoroughly cooked place on a plate and keep in warm oven until ready to serve. Yield 1/2 breast, or 2 pieces per person and serve with the pasta.

Shells with Garbanzos, tomatoes and Cumin

I was sitting in the pediatrician's office last week and picked up a copy of Rachael Ray's magazine. There was a spaghetti recipe that caught my eye. I noticed that it contained canned tomatoes, chick peas, parsley, cumin, other spices and Parmesan.  I made a mental not of these ingredients and created my own version for dinner that night.

I like to cook vegetarian dishes a couple of times a week. The kids don't mind and they loved this one!

Ingredients:
1 can chopped canned tomatoes, 8 oz
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 handful fresh parsley, chiffonaded
2 tsp (or more to taste) cumin
2 tsp (or more to taste) ancho chili powder
1 tsp (or more) sea salt to taste
1 tsp (or more) pepper to taste
2 tbs capers
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese shredded or grated
Olive oil to drizzle

In a large pan pour a small amount (1 or 2 tbs of olive oil) and and turn to med high, when the oil is hot add the garbanzos and saute until lightly browned. Turn heat down a little add the garlic and mix well. Add the cumin, chili powder, sea salt and pepper. Mix well so that all the spices are incorporated. For those of you who want more kick add another teaspoon or so of the cumin and chili powder. Stir well. Add the tomatoes and capers, stir and let sit over low-medium heat.

Meantime bring a large pot of water to a boil. When ready add your pasta (shells) and cook per directions on package.

When pasta is ready drain and return to pot with a little bit of the pasta water remaining. To the sauce add the parsley, and the Parmesan. Mix well and then pour the mixture over the pasta. Toss taste to see if salt and pepper are needed and serve!

A Perfect Summer Meal: Cornmeal Crusted Chicken, Backyard Summer Salad & Lemon Parmesan Fusilli

This meal happened quite by accident, as all my best ones do. I had several pounds of chicken in the fridge that should have gone in to the freezer. I had taken the kids out of town for a couple of days and totally forgot about the chicken. Until I came home... and noticed that the Sell By Date was that day. We had already eaten dinner but I was not about to lose all that lovely free-range chicken. So I took one of the packages and dumped it into boiling water. I would freeze the cooked chicken to make chicken salad another day. The other batch would get lightly coated with cornmeal and some seasonings, tossed into a skilled with olive oil for a few minutes and then on to a baking sheet for a few more minutes. Even though this would be our dinner the following night I had to try a sample. It was divine. I love to use cornmeal instead of flour. I love the texture it provides.

Cornmeal Crusted Chicken
Ingredients:

Chicken breast, 1 to 2 lbs, trimmed and cut into smaller portions as desired
1/2 cup good quality cornmeal, repeat this ratio as necessary
1 tablespoon seasoning such as Lawry's, Old Bay or your preference
Good quality olive oil
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

In a skillet heat olive oil until it starts to sizzle, then turn heat to medium high
In a deep bowl add the cornmeal and seasonings and mix well
Dredge the chicken in the cornmeal and place in the pan. Let brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
Place on baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken has been browned, adding extra olive oil as needed. (If excess cornmeal builds up in pan, wipe clean with paper towel, add more olive oil and start over.
Place baking sheet in a preheated, 375 degree oven, for about 15 minutes to ensure the chicken is adequately cooked. The cornmeal crust should keep the chicken from drying out inside.

Backyard Summer Salad

If you have a tomato garden this is a perfect salad for you. If you happen to grow cucumber and basil, even better!

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, peeled and trimmed. (I prefer the seedless English cuckes)
1 large tomato, quartered and thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, very finely chopped
1 handful fresh Basil, Julienned
1/2 onion thinly sliced (I prefer red or Vidalia)
1/4 Grandma's Dressing

Grandma's Dressing:
1 cup of light extra virgin olive oil
1/4 apple cider vinegar
4 tbs. water
2tbs. powdered beef bouillon

In a large bowl add the above ingredients. Let marinate at least 20 minutes prior to serving.



The Lemon Parmesan Fusilli was based upon this recipe... I just guestimated here and added 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped.

Lemon Pasta with Feta, Asparagus and Bacon

Asparagus is in season! Use it as often as you can! This pasta recipe is hearty and yet light... it's flavors are smooth and yet complex... A handful of ingredients make this an easy dish to make yet it tastes like you slaved over it for hours!

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 small bunches of asparagus, peeled
1 1/2 cups of feta cheese
1/2 cups of Parmesan cheese
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon (should yield about 5 tbs.)
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 lb box of pasta (I used shells)
1 package of bacon, cooked and crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook per directions on package.

Start cooking bacon. Microwave is my method of choice! When bacon has cooked, remove from oven, let cool and crumble.

Bring a large saucepan to a boil and add asparagus. Cook no longer than 5 minutes and then remove from heat. When asparagus have cooled slightly, slice asparagus into 1/2 to 1 inch slices. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl add together Parmesan cheese, feta cheese, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic and mix well. Set asside.

When the pasta is ready drain the pasta and return to the pan, adding back about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Mix well and add the cheese mixture from the bowl. Mix well. Add asparagus pieces. Mix well and serve immediately!

If unable to serve immediately keep the pasta over low heat on the stove. Do not add bacon until just prior to serving to assure crispiness.

Spicy Artichoke Dip

I scoured the internet looking for a good recipe for artichoke dip. It amazed me how simple this was to make. For the most part mayo, cheese and artichokes. I even found some great looking recipes that also called for crab. Divine! But I needed something that would appeal to my children too since it was New Year's Eve and we would be feasting on finger foods until the clock struck Midnight and the Ball dropped in Times Square. I would try the crab another time. Meantime I needed a dip with a little extra Umph! And I wanted to cut out some of the calories. So I created my own. And it was OUTSTANDING!

I apologize for not having a picture. I have one actually but it is not good. I've been practicing with my new camera, but it seems the older one is actually a bit better for capturing food. But you know what artichoke dip looks like and I assure you this looks like all the rest, only it tastes better!

Recipe:

1 14. oz can of artichoke hearts
1/4 cup light mayonnaise (Hellman's)
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbs of Dijon mustard
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 - 2 good dashes of Worcestershire sauce, add more if you desire

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Drain (really well!) artichoke hearts and chop them finely. Place into mixing bowl.
Add mayonnaise, sour cream and cream cheese. Mix well so that all is well blended.
Add Parmesan, Dijon, cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix Well.
Place in an oven safe baking dish.
Bake for about 20 minutes until the top starts to bubble and turn light brown.

Vine Ripened Tomato Sauce with Gremeli

Summertime is a great time of the year to eat. I love to eat vegetables right out of the garden or picked from local farms or picked up a farm stand. Tomatoes are perfection this time of year. And those of you who grow them might have so many that you are looking for more ways to use them. This recipe is sure to please!

A lovely dish to cool you off on a hot summer day!

I first had this recipe about 20 years ago. My friend Jennifer made it for me and my friend Cathy. It was summertime and I was visiting my friend Cathy at her home in Greenwich. The recipe was so simple and quickly became one of my summertime favorites. You can make it was linguine or angel hair pasta, which I believe is how we ate it, but I used Gremeli as it is an easier shape for the kids to manage.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes, large, vine ripened (others will work well too) 1 per person
1 small handful of thyme
1 heaping handful of fresh basil leaves
2 - 4 cloves of garlic (depending on your taste)

Lawry's Seasoned Salt OR -- 2 good shakes
Jane's Crazy Mixed up Salt
Olive Oil, approx 1/8th of a cup, plus more to drizzle
Sea Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Freshly shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium or large sauce pan bring water to boil

2.While water is boiling score the bottom of each tomato with an X

3.Place in boiling water for NO MORE than 1 minute. This is called blanching. You want to remove the skin but not cook the tomato. You will see the skin start to peel off. Remove and place on a cool surface and repeat until all tomatoes have been blanched.

4. Once tomatoes have cooled, peel skin. Should peel easily using just your fingers.

(See picture below of tomatoes as soon as they come out of the hot water.)

5. After you peel the tomatoes into bite sized bits, discard the seeds and toss the chopped tomatoes into a medium sized bowl, then with your hands give the tomatoes a squeeze, breaking the bits up further. Set aside.

6. Chop up garlic, basil and thyme

and add all three ingredients to the tomatoes.

8. Mix well, add olive oil, seasonings and set aside to marinate for at least 2 hours.

9. Just prior to serving cook your pasta per directions on package. Drain and rinse under cool water to bring to room temperature. Drain pasta of all excess water.

10. In a large bowl add pasta, drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil and mix well.

11. Using a slatted spoon remove all tomatoes and set aside.

12. Add juices and mix well and taste... adjust seasonings as desired

Don't worry about it being too "soupy" the cheese will absorb some of the moisture or serve with a nice crusty baguette and use the bread to sop up all the good stuff!

Linguine with a lemon, garlic and white wine sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb. Linguine
Juice of 2 lemons
4 gloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbs. dried parsley flakes
2 - 4 Tbs white wine (to taste)
4 Tbs. olive oil
Salt, pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta per directions on box.

In a medium sauce pan add 2 Tbs. olive oil and over medium heat add the garlic, brown slightly
Add parsley, whisk in lemon and white wine, keep simmering over low heat

Once pasta has been fully cooked and drained return to pot and pour sauce over the pasta. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Prior to serving drizzle the remaining olive oil over the pasta, serve warm, in bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Mangia!