Creamy Kale & Mushroom Chicken Pasta

We do a lot of pasta in our house, but I tend to stay away from the unhealthy and calorie packed creme sauces.  My husband is always disappointed when I reach for the inevitable red sauce so he was very excited when he saw the word "creamy" in this recipe.  This dish is like a grown up mac & cheese thanks to the creamy sauce made from mascarpone cheese and yet still has great nutrition thanks to the kale. I loved the garlicky taste and will probably add more next time.  So delicious it was hard not to go back for seconds!

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
8oz farfelle pasta or other short-cut pasta
2 chicken breasts, but into bite-sized pieces
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
salt & pepper
1 shallot, chopped
1 tbsp butter
8oz button mushrooms, sliced
6 cups chopped kale
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-3/4 cup chicken broth, divided
4oz mascarpone cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain then set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper then add to skillet and cook until no longer pink in the center. Remove to a plate then set aside.

Heat remaining teaspoon oil in skillet then add shallots and saute until they begin to turn golden brown, 1 minute. Add butter and melt thena dd mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and saute until mushrooms begin to turn golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Add kale and garlic then saute until kale begins to wilt, 1 minute.

Add 1/3 cup chicken broth to skillet then place a lid on top and steam until kale is tender, 3-4 minutes. When tender, add mascarpone cheese and enough chicken broth to make a sauce then stir until smooth. Stir in cooked pasta and chicken then taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Baby Biscotti

Ellie has been teething hardcore lately and I have been wanting to find something that will ease her sore gums and coax those new teeth through.  I have seen lots of recipes for teething cookies, most of which include sugar or palm oil, so I wanted to find something that was healthier and that was going to stand up to those jagged little teeth.  She's like a Saber Tooth Tiger!  I tried another recipe and found them to be too soft and she was able to gnaw through it in a few seconds.  Molasses was the likely culprit.  The solution? Baby Biscotti!  We all know how hard biscotti are, so this was an ingenious recipe.  The oblong shape and hard texture of twice backed biscotti are ideal for little hands and new teeth.  You can experiment with different flours or pureed fruits and vegetables to make it your own. I used a banana in my first batch and found that it worked really well.  I'm looking forward to trying different purees to make them sweeter and more interesting. While no cookie can be completely resistant to crumbling, this one lasted a long time.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Makes: 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup melted butter or canola or olive oil
1 jar pureed fruit or vegetable or large mashed ripe banana
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2-1 cup oats
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat butter, puree and eggs until smooth.  Add the flour, oats, baking powder and salt and stir until almost combined; add any additions you want and stir until just blended.  If it seems dry, use your hands to complete the mixing as the dough comes together. If it's too sticky (this will depend on the puree you use) add more flour until you have a soft, stiff dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Divide in half and shape each piece into an 8'' long log. Place the logs 2''-3'' apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and flatten each into a rectangle that is about 3'' wide.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm and starting to crack on top.  Transfer the logs to a wire rack to cool for a bit and reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees.

When they're cool enough to handle (they tend to crumble when they're still hot), place the logs on a cutting board, trim the ends and cut each log diagonally into 1/2''-3/4'' slices with a serrated knife. Place the slices upright on the cookie sheet, spacing them about 1/2'' apart so that there's room for the air to circulate between them and return to the oven for 30 minutes.  If you like, turn the heat off and leave the biscotti inside the oven until it cools down to make them even harder.  Once cool, store in an airtight container.

Ellie enjoying her biscotti

Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

I recently inherited two large bags of blueberries and thought it was the perfect time to try out this dessert.  Truly decadent, rich and creamy these bars do not disappoint! They aren't as dense as cheesecake which I really like.  I added some lemon zest to the mixture and really enjoyed the addition.  Break out the sweatpants, you will not be able to eat just one!

Prep time: 25 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Chill time: 1 hour
Makes: 36 bars

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cups + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
Powdered sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan; set pan aside. 

In a small saucepan stir together the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the orange juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly  Remove from heat and set aside.

For crust, in a large mixing bowl stir together the 2 cups flour and the powdered sugar. Cut in butter until fine crumbs form and mixture stats to cling together (mixture will still be crumbly). Pat mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat cream cheese, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and the 1 tablesppon flour until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Pour over hot baked crust, spreading evenly. Spoon blueberry mixture in small mounds over the cheese layer. Use a thin metal spatula or table knife to marble the mixtures together.

Bake for 20 minutes more or until center is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove uncut bars from pan by lifting foil. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator upto 2 days. If desired, sift powdered sugar over bars just before serving.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

I have to admit, it's not really a soup kinda day here in San Jose but these ingredients were begging to be used before they went out with the trash - one of my least favorite things to do. So into a soup ya go! It was a double plus because it is another Iowa Girl Eats recipe that I have been wanting to try for awhile.  That girl knows how to cook and I really like her style, so ya'll have to bear with me trying out her recipes.  The other bonus is that I am a single parent this week and I do-not-have-time to cook anything elaborate, so I'll be slurping this down all week.  There is nothing fancy about this recipe but is is warm, hearty and easy.  Great for any meal!

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 1 hour - 1 hour & 15 mins
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp butter
1/2 small onion or 1 large shallot, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
8 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts, cut in half
3/4 cup wild/brown rice blend
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour

DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrots, season with salt & pepper, then saute until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and thyme then saute for 1 more minute.

Add chicken broth then increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add chicken breast halves and cook until no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes, then remove to a plate and set aside. Shred when cool enough to handle. Add wild/brown rice blend to the pot then place a lid on the top, turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for 40-50 minutes until rice is tender.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup milk and flour until smooth then add remaining milk. Slowly drizzle into soup while stirring. Add chicken then simmer soup for 10 more minutes uncovered and serve.

Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This recipe does not disappoint! It is a super easy, set-it-and-forget-it-recipe for the crock pot.  Perfect for busy weeknight dinners. I found the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens and slightly adapted it to be a bit more spicy.  I should also note that this is not my picture.  They were so delicious that I forgot to take a picture of the actual thing - twice! That should tell you how delicious they are! I served mine on whole wheat buns with broccoli slaw. I will take a picture next time, promise!

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 6 hours on high, 12-13 hours on low
Makes: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1.5lb boneless pork shoulder roast
1 medium sweet onion, cut into thin wedges
3/4 cup chili sauce (you can add more spice depending on your preferences. I like sriracha)
1/2 cup cola
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
8 hamburger buns, split and toasted

DIRECTIONS:
Trim fat from meat.  In a 3.5 or 4 quart slow cooker combine meat and onion. In a small bowl combine chili sauce, cola, ketchup, mustard, chili powder, vinegar, cumin, garlic, paprika, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Pour over meat mixture in cooker.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 12-13 hours or on high heat for 6-61/2 hours.

Transfer meat to a cutting board. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onion to a medium bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Thinly sliced or shred meat. Add meat to onion; stir gently to combine.

Toss meat mixture with enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten. If necessary, return meat mixture to cooker. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Cover and cook about 15 minutes or until heated through. Serve meat mixture in buns.

Sausages with acorn squash and onions

This could very well be my new favorite winter meal.  So easy to prep and cook on a busy weeknight.  The sweet squash and salty sausage and cheese make this dish so tasty. We practically slurped this up in one sitting!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 large acorn squash, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 red onion, cut into 1/4 inch wedges
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 hot or sweet Italian sausages
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese (2 oz)
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss squash and onion with oil and arrange in an even layer.  Season with salt and pepper. Add sausages to sheet.  Roast until vegetables are just tender, 15 to 18 minutes.  Heat broiler. Sprinkle Asiago and sage over vegetables and broil until cheese is browned and bubbling and sausages are cooked through, 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cherries to serve.

Pork and Greens Skillet Pie

This is another Food Magazine recipe that is a great winter dish. It's homey and also healthy. I didn't used a cast iron skillet because ours is too small to fit all the ingredients.  If you don't have one, simply omit the last step of putting it in the broiler and make sure you pan is heat safe for the oven.  I also opted to use Polenta instead of Cornmeal and it turned out just as great.  As always feel free to add more cheese!

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1lb ground pork
1 medium yellow onion, diced 
1 large bunch Swiss chard, trimmed, stems and leaves separated and roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp fine cornmeal, divided
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided (or more to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a cast iron skillet, cook pork over medium heat, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 7 minutes.  Add onion and Swiss chard stems, increase heat to medium high, and saute until translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir in Swiss chard leaves and cook until wilted, 2 minutes.  Stir in 2 tablespoons cornmeal, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a rapid simmer. Cook until liquid thickens, stirring occasionally, about 14 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.

In a small saucepan,  bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Whisk in remaining 3/4 cup cornmeal and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan, season with salt and pepper,and spoon over pork and greens. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan, transfer to oven, and bake 20 minutes. Heat broiler and broil until top is golden brown and mixture is bubbling at edge, 2 minutes.

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

I bought a package of mini peanut butter cups from Trader Joe's a few months back because I thought they would be really tasty in cookies instead of chocolate chips.  I was correct and I know I am not the first person to think so! This is a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe but I added the peanut butter cups instead of chocolate chips.  A totally different way to get the flavor of a peanut butter cookies in addition to the chocolate.  This recipe has you make large cookies, but they would last longer if you made them smaller. Or you can just eat twice as much!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups + 2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla
12 oz package mini peanut butter cups (unwrapped, and chopped if not already bite-sized)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325°. Line two baking sheets with parchment or a silicon mat. Place butter and sugars in a mixer bowl, mix on medium high until well-combined, 2-3 minutes. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix on low just until combined. Stir in peanut butter cups until distributed. Chill dough 15 minutes.
Scoop 1/4-cup dough balls onto a lined baking sheet (if making large). Bake 11-15 minutes, until the edges brown and the center is still soft. Let cool on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Easy Baked Potato Soup

This is a great slow cooker recipe, especially since there is minimal prep. I adapted this recipe from All Recipes, but chose to add less bacon because it make the soup way too salty to add as much as the recipe called for. Normally I'm all for bacon, but it really was too much.  The dry ranch mix gives this soup an extra kick! It's a very hearty soup, perfect with some crusty bread.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 7 hrs 15 mins
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
10 red potatoes, cut into cubes
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1 small red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp chicken bouillon granules
1 tbsp ranch dressing mix
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 cups water
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onion

DIRECTIONS:
Put potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker crock. Scatter flour over the potatoes; toss to coat. Scatter bacon bits, red onion, garlic, chicken bouillon, ranch dress mix, parsley, seasoned salt, and black pepper over the potatoes. 

Pour water into the slow cooker.  Cook on low 7 to 9 hours. Pour half-and-half into the soup; cook another 15 minutes. Garnish with Cheddar cheese and green onions to serve.

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles

I don't normally attempt to cook Thai food because we have such great Thai food here in San Jose, but our favorite restaurant burnt down (well, it was a kitchen fire) last year and still hasn't reopened.  We have been on the hunt for a replacement, but haven't found anything quite a yummy as TeeNee Thai. So sad.  This was an easy recipe and great for my first attempt into Thai cuisine. It was intended to be served over noodles, but I think it would be great over rice as well. 

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooke time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp finely copped garlic
2 tbsp red curry paste or panaeng curry paste
3/4lb boneless chicken, cut in big, bite-sized chunks
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tsp ground turmeric or curry powder
2 tbsp dark soy sauce or soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1lb fresh Chinese-style egg noodles, or 1/2lb dried Chinese-style egg noodles, angel hair pasta or spaghetti
1/3 cup coarsely chopped shallots
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and then add the garlic.  Toss well and add the red curry paste, mashing and stirring to soften in the oil, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook 1 to 2 minutes, tossing now and then to brown it evenly and mix it with the curry paste. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, turmeric, soy sauce, sugar, and salt and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil and adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Stir in lime juice, remove from heat, and cover to keep curry warm while you prepare the noodles.

Cook the noodles in a large pot of rapidly boiling water, until tender but still firm, as little as 2 minutes for fresh noodles and 7 minutes or more for dried. Drain, rinse well in cold water, drain again, and divide the noodles among individual serving bowls. Ladle on hot curry, and sprinkle each serving with shallots, cilantro and green onions, Serve hot.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar

This is such a simple yet powerful side dish that I love.  The balsamic vinegar adds a nice zing to the roasted brussels sprouts.  It goes great with pork or beef, but really it's so delicious that I would eat it with just about anything!

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Makes: varies

INGREDIENTS:

Brussels sprouts

Olive Oil

Balsamic vinegar

Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to roast at 375°F. Peel the outer, beat-up layers of the brussels sprouts off.  Trim the end, then cut brussels sprouts in half.

Toss in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat evenly, then add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Lightly oil a sheet pan, then spread out brussels sprouts, cut side down. Roast in oven for 15 min., flip the sprouts to cut side up, then roast for about 10 minutes more or until gently browned.

Shepard's Pie

I came home the other day to my husband baking this dish and I have to admit it smelled amazing.  If you would have asked me a day earlier if I would like ground beef and mashed potatoes in the same casserole, you would have gotten a resounding hell-to-the-no.  But there is something about these comfort foods mashed together in one "pie" that just works.  I would never had attempted this on my own, so I'm glad the hubs brought me out of the box on this one. Try it on a cold, rainy day.  I promise, it won't disappoint.

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 40 min

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

For Mashed Potatoes:

2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup cream or milk

2 tbsp butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan

1 3/4 lbs ground beef or ground lamb

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 bag frozen peas

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup beef stock or broth

2 tsp Worcestershire, eyeball it

1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls

1 tsp sweet paprika

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20-30 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Add warmed cream and 2 tbsp melted butter. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth. Salt & pepper to taste.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrots and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Pasta with Toasted Garlic, Dried Cranberries, Kalamata Olives & Feta

This is another great recipe from Iowa Girl Eats and as she claims, it really IS the best pasta ever.  Or really close to it. The ingredients remind me of my Orzo salad and are just crazy enough to work together. Prepare all the ingredients beforehand because once you get started it will move really quickly. Her recipe serves two but I guarantee that you will at the very least need to double it because you won't want to eat just one serving. Delish!

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly minced
1/2 small red onion, minced
salt & pepper
1/4 cup dried cranberries
4 cups torn kale
1/4 cup water
4oz spaghetti
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add garlic slices then cook, stirring constantly, until slices are pale golden brown.  Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add spaghetti to a large pot of salted, boiling water then cook until al dente. 

Turn heat down to medium and then add red onion.  Season with salt and pepper then cook until golden-brown and tender, about 3 minutes.  Add cranberries and kale, season with more salt and pepper, then add water, place a lid on top of the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes or until kale is tender.

Add kalamata olives to cooked kale and cranberry mixture. Transfer cooked spaghetti to skillet then toss to combine all ingredients. Add up to 1/4 cup pasta cooking water if needed.  Divide between two plate then top with one tablespoon feta cheese and half the cooked garlic slices each.