Cajun Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Chicken

CAJUN PASTA (CHICKEN SAUSAGE & CHICKEN)

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1 Box Whole Wheat Penne (or regular Penne if you prefer)
1 Head Broccoli chopped small
2 Bellpeppers (1 red, 1 yellow)
1 small can Tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
1 Pound Chicken Sausage (chopped small)
1 Pound Chicken Breast (chopped in bite sized pieces)
3 tblspoons Parsley
Old Bay Seasoning (add to your liking)
2 tablespoons Onion Powder
3 tablespoons Minced Garlic (or more if you're like me)
2 cups grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 tablespoons of Unsalted butter
Dash of Cayenne (not much)
Salt N Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook Pasta according to package directions. Transfer pasta to a bowl. Cook Broccoli in remaining pasta water for 5 minutes. Transfer to same bowl as pasta. Set Aside

2. Heat up EVOO on Med. Heat. in a large deep pan. Season chicken pieces with Old Bay (about 2 tablespoons), Garlic Powder, Salt N Pepper.

3. Saute' Sausage and Chicken in EVOO until no more pink shows. Transfer to a seperate bowl.

4. In remaining EVOO, saute' garlic and Bell Peppers (5 minutes)

5. Add in Butter and Tomato Paste, Stir until smooth. Simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Whisk in Heavy Cream and other spices (More Old Bay, Parsley, Salt N Pepper, Cayenne). Simmer for 5 minutes

7. Return Pasta, Meat, and Broccoli to pan. Fold all ingredients until well mixed. Taste and Adjust seasoning to your liking.

8. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until well incorporated.

9. Serve Hot!

Simple Linguini

EASY LINGUINI

During the summer, I hate firing up the stove. It's already hot and eating heavy meals just makes you more tired. So, I came up with this super quick, super delicious linguini. All the taste but not the long drawn out cooking process. A certified 30 minute meal.

WHAT YOU"LL NEED:

1 box of linguini (fresh pasta is always nice)

1 bushel fresh parsley (chopped fine)

3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons of onion flakes (or dried onion)

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup white wine

1 teaspoon lemon juice (or 1 teaspoon of lemon zest)

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 bag baby spinach

2 cups of grated parmesan cheese (or pecorino romano)

a pinch of red pepper flake (or more if you like more of a kick)

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare pasta as package explains, drain (reserve 1/2 of cooking water), and set aside
2. In a Medium Sauce Pan, heat up EVOO (medium heat), add garlic and onion flakes, cook for 2-5 minutes
3. Add in white wine and lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes
4. Whisk in flour and sugar. Allow mixture to come to a small boil/bubble.
5. Whisk in chicken stock. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, Sauce should be slightly thickened
6. Add in cooking liquid from pasta. Simmer for two minutes
7. Season with salt and pepper to your taste
8. Turn off burner, mix in pasta
9. Next toss pasta with spinach and parsley. Continue to toss until spinach is wilted completely
10. Toss in parmesan and red pepper flake. This should thicken the pastas sauce.
11. Serve hot!

Rigatoni Bolognese with Spinach and Sweet Peas

RIGATONI BOLOGNESE

If you're on a diet, this recipe is not for you! lol. This dish is packed with rich heavy cream, tomatoe sauce and other deliciousness. If you want to learn how to make this, then you should keep reading.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1/2 lb of sweet italian sausage (no casings)
1/2 lb of lean ground beef
1 box Rigatoni
1 bag of frozen peas (thawed)
2 cups of raw spinach
1 cup of parmesan cheese (or more if you like)
1/2 white onion (minced fine)
6 cloves of garlic (minced fine)
2 stalks of celery (minced fine)
3 carrots (chopped small)
2 tblspns Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 64oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
1 1/2 cup of heavy cream
2 tspns of sugar
1 tblspn oregano
1 tblspn parsley
1 tblspn thyme
1 tblspn basil
1 teaspn red pepper flake
1/2 teaspn nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare pasta as stated on the box (al dente). Set to the side and reserve a few tblspns of starchy water

1. In a large sauce pan, heat up olive oil, once hot (and oil is swirling) add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Saute 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are translucent and tender. (high heat)

2. Add meat to the mixture (the pork and beef). Cook until no pink is visible. Drain the excess oil.

3. Add the heavy cream and turn heat down to medium. Add in nutmeg and simmer for 1 hour or until cream thickens and mostly disappears.
COOK'S NOTE: This step is optional- I wanted my sauce a little thicker, so before I added the heavy cream, I added 2 tspns of flour to the meat mixture, stirred it in until it disappeared and then added the heavy cream. 

4. Next add in the tomato paste, mix well. Add in the crushed tomatoes, stir well. Add in the rest of the seasonings. Simmer on low for 45-50 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

5.  Add in peas and simmer for 5 minutes or until peas are warmed in sauce.

6. Cut off heat, stir in pasta and reserved water. While dish is still hot, mix in spinach and keep stirring until spinach is completely wilted.

7. Serve hot and top with parmesan cheese as last step.

There you have it ladies and gents! My version of Rigatoni Bolognese. It's super delicious and worth the time. 

Until Next Post,

Happy Cooking

Seafood Mac N Cheese

SEAFOOD MAC N' CHEESE

This decadent dish combines all my favorite things! Pasta, seafood and cheese. Super yummy, super delish. Everyone will be singing your praises

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
•  4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
•  3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pound coarsely chopped cooked lobster, shrimp, crawfish, or crabmeat, or a combination
• 4 cups (1 pound) mixed grated cheeses, such as Parmesan, cheddar, Swiss, Gruyere, and Gouda
• 1/2 block of velveeta cheese 
• Additional spices (garlic powder, thyme, paprika) to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni 2 minutes less than al dente. Drain; rinse with cold water. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter over medium in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook until softened and almost translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add milk; whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg. Add additional spices to taste. Fold in Cheese (reserving half a cup for topping) until all is melted and sauce is thick and creamy.

Remove pan from heat. Fold in seafood and macaroni; transfer to a shallow 4-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining amount of cheese over top. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until topping is golden and sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. 

This can be served as a side or a main dish. But it is very rich so it's best served alone!

Carbonara

CARBONARA

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1/3 pound pancetta , small dice 

5 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1/2 cup dry white wine 

3 large egg yolks

Salt and pepper (to taste)

1 pound pasta such as linguine or spaghetti 

Grated Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano  

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

3 tblspns of EVOO

DIRECTIONS:

Bring a large pot of water to boil for pasta.

 

Heat olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta or guanciale, brown 3-4 minutes, then add garlic and some black pepper, and stir 2 minutes more. Add wine and reduce heat to low. Whisk up egg yolks and season with salt and pepper.

 

Add pasta to salted boiling water and cook to al dente.  

 

Add 1 full cup of starchy cooking water to egg yolks in a slow stream to temper them.  Reserve an extra half-cup starchy water in case the pasta gets too tight when you toss it.  Drain pasta and add to pancetta and garlic, remove from heat and toss with egg yolks and handfuls of grated cheeses, parsley, adjust salt and pepper to taste.

COOK'S NOTE: I also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a bite of heat.

TSB Meat and Spinach Lasagna

Lasagna w/ Meat and Spinach

Nothing is as good as home-made! Especially Lasagna. You can add whatever you want and take away all the stuff you don't want.

I recommend this recipe for a Family of atleast 4! I made it for 2 and it was way too much.

What You"ll Need

1 box of lasagna noodles (I used the type that you boil but to save time, you can use the no-boil pasta)

Grated Parmesan

Parsley

Basil

Oregano

Mozzarella Cheese (2 medium bags)

1 small bag of baby spinach (washed)

MEAT FILLING:

1/2 pound of ground pork

1/2 pound ground beef
1 small can tomato paste

2 jars of your favorite tomato sauce (don't worry, we'll doctor it up)

1 large onion (finely chopped)

6-7 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

1 teaspoon EVOO
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake
salt and pepper to taste
Italian seasoning (basil, oregano)

CHEESE FILLING:
32 oz of ricotta cheese

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

handful of parmesan cheese

Directions:

Prepare Lasagna noodles per directions on box

Coat a sauce-pan (large) with EVOO , saute' onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Add in both pork and beef and cook until there is no pink left. Strain off oil and excess liquid. Next mix in can of tomato paste, cook for 5 minutes. Pour in both jars of tomato sauce, italian seasoning, sugar, red pepper flake,stir and simmer for about 30 minutes (stirring about every 5 minutes). Turn off sauce.

In a medium size bowl, Mix together cheese filling ingredients.

Now it's time to layer

Pre-heat the over to 375 degrees.

I prefer to use a disposible silver pan so there is less clean up.

On the bottom of the pan, add a layer of sauce, layer 3-4 lasagna noodles on top, small amount of sauce on top of that. Then add a layer of the ricotta mixture. Then add a layer of spinach with mozzarella on top of that. Then repeat this process, ending with noodles and then sauce. On the top of the last sauce layer, add a heaping amount of mozzarella cheese mixed with parmesan. Sprinkle top with basil, oregano, and parsley.

You should have this, at this point.

 Cook for 50 minutes covered with foil, then un-cover and cook for another 20 minutes.

You should now have this.

Let Lasagna rest and cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Cooks Note: I saute a small portion of my spinach for the very first layer ONLY. This is optional. If you saute it, cook until it just wilts in olive oil and garlic.

I hope you enjoy my rendition of a classic Italian meal.

If you have any suggestions, list them below.

All comments and feedback are welcome.

Lots of love and Best Dishes to all

~April Antoinette

Tuna Pasta Salad

TUNA PASTA SALAD

GM Lovies!!!


I know it's been quite some time since I've rested here to post one of my recipes. There have been a lot of changes with my job and work. That has left little or no time for me to cook. Yesterday was an exception and I was so very happy to get back in the kitchen. I decided to make something so simple but quite delicious.


I made Lemon Pepper Chicken (recipe will be in another post) and TUNA PASTA SALAD!!!!


Very Simple Ingredients but BIG FLAVOR.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Bowtie Pasta (or any shaped pasta you prefer
• Mayo (I used the Balsamic Salad Dressing Mayo by Hellmann's)
• Fresh Parsley
• Celery
• Green Onion
• 2 to 3 cans of Tuna in Water (depends on how much Tuna you want)
• 3 tablespoons of Robust Italian Dressing
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• Salt n Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

After cooking and draining pasta, Mix all wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Put all the herbs and spices over cooked pasta, mix in Tuna, then pour over dressing mixture (make as little or as much as you want depending on how creamy you want your salad). MIX ALL TOGETHER and Voila, YOU'RE DONE!!! SIMPLE, EASY, DELICIOUS

Cajun Jambalaya Pasta w/ Sausage and Chicken

CAJUN JAMBALAYA PASTA

Today I didnt feel like going to the grocery store so hed the cabinets and freezer for what I had laying around. I quickly came up with this recipe I went with pasta verses rice because I had it and wanted to use it. So lets get to it.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1/2 a pack of egg noodles (Cooked)

1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 can of tomato paste

1/2 cup of chicken stock

1/2 block of Velveeta cheese

tspn of oregano,parsley, basil

1 tblspn of minced garlic

1/4 cup of EVOO

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1 tspn of old bay seasoning

a pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste.

3 chicken breasts

1 packed of sausage (ppreferrably andouille or sweet italian)

1/2 an onion

I started by heating EVOO And saute' ing the onion and garlic. And then browning the chicken and sausage. Once almost cooked thoroughly, cut into bite size pieces.

While meat browns, heat heavy cream and velveeta in a small sauce pan and stir until smooth. 

Add all the other ingredients to sausage and chicken. 

Add in cheese sauce. And then mix in cooked pasta. 

Simmer on medium for another 10 minutes.  And then you're done.

I didnt have bellpepper but that would have been great in this as well.                                                 

As always, until next time. Hope you try this. If you do, email me your results!

love and best dishes!!

Shrimp and Mussels in a Spicy Clam Sauce

SHRIMP & MUSSELS W. SPICY CLAM SAUCE

What I was in the mood for last night was Shrimp Fra Diavolo. While I was at the meat market I noticed that Shrimp and Mussels were on sale. So I said why not make a take on it myself. So this is my version of this classic Italian dish with a Southern girl spin....

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound of PEI mussels

2 sprigs of thyme

5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 sprigs oregano, leaves stripped and roughly chop
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of parsley flakes
1 teaspoon of basil
2 cans of Progresso red clam sauce
1 can of white clam sauce
12 ounces bucatini or linguine
Handful of parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium sauce pan, heat up the evoo and add your garlic. Saute until soft.

Pour in your wine, crushed tomatoes, clam sauce, tomato paste and herbs.

Simmer on low for about 45 min to an hour.

Throw in your seafood.

Cook on medium for about 15 min. Make sure to discard any mussels that don't open during cooking.

Last 5 minutes stir in a handful of parmesan cheese.

Serve over your choice of pasta. I went with linguini.

I love all things Italian. So this dish hit home last night. I made enough for a few days (because I only cooked for me!! Lol) Adjust portions by half if you don't want as much for leftovers.

Hope you try this dish out. If you do, make sure you let me know what you think.

Best Dishes everyone.

I plated with a few small croissants.  Nothing fancy in the plating.