Sweetheart Chicken and Pasta
One of the first things that made me fall in love with my husband is his cooking! This man can make some incredible meals! The #1 requested meal in our house is his Sweetheart Chicken and Pasta. His recipe has always been TOP SECRET and the kids have begged for it. This is comfort food in its purest form. Boneless chicken breast is simmered in a blend of seasonings and Italian dressing, loading it with flavor. Then we add in our favorite marinara, more dressing, and more seasonings. Layering the flavors is key to this dish! Traditional pasta dish? Nope. If you are looking for a traditional pasta dish, keep scrolling. This is not traditional and was my hubby’s creation when he had time to explore the spice rack and the fridge. The end result? A flavor-packed pasta with so much umami flavor – you are gonna LOVE it!!! Can I make this for a crowd? Yes! This is a great pasta dish to make for a crowd! Just double the recipe. You can pour it into a large 9×13 pan, cover with foil, and keep it warm in the oven until you are ready to serve. We have served this at many family dinners and it is always a huge hit! How to Make Sweetheart Chicken and Pasta Prepare all of your ingredients. Dice the onions and chicken. Heat Then heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, the onions and the garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent. Add Now add one jar of marinara sauce, the remaining ¼ cup of Zesty Italian, an additional teaspoon of chili powder, ½ tsp. cumin, ⅛ tsp. ground red pepper and a pinch of black pepper. Mix together and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Cook the pasta In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season liberally with salt. Add one pound of rigatoni and cook according to package directions. Drain and add back into the pot with a couple pats of butter. Stir well. Assemble When the chicken and sauce are done, carefully pour it into the large pot of pasta. Stir together well. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy! Tender chicken is tossed in a seasoned marinara sauce with rigatoni. Packed with flavor, this will be on repeat in your kitchen! You might also enjoy
Sheet Pan Chicken Bruschetta and Asparagus
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to share some easy and elegant meals that will make you look like a rockstar with little effort. My Sheet Pan Chicken Bruschetta and Asparagus embraces all of the spring flavors we love and is perfect for a late lunch! Chicken breasts are lightly seasoned and roasted alongside fresh asparagus. While it is roasting, enjoy a glass of wine with your mom! Right before serving, top the chicken with fresh mozzarella and bruschetta. It will be so colorful and bright! This dish highlights your favorite Mediterranean flavors. Your mom is going to LOVE this and so are YOU! How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken Bruschetta and Asparagus Preheat Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Lay in the middle of the baking sheet. Lay the asparagus on both sides of the chicken. Drizzle everything with olive oil. Season the asparagus with salt and pepper. Toss the asparagus lightly to coat. Place in the oven for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked to 165°F. Toppings Add slices of fresh mozzarella on top of each piece of chicken. Return to the oven for 4-5 minutes until it starts to melt. Remove from the oven and spoon the bruschetta evenly over the chicken. Optional Top everything with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and fresh basil. Need a great bruschetta recipe? Check out my Easy 5-Minute Bruschetta – you can make it while the chicken is roasting in the oven! Easy one sheet meal with juicy chicken, roasted asparagus and fresh bruschetta! You might also enjoy
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
It’s just a couple days until Cinco de Mayo and my Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, also known as Coctel de Camarones, is the perfect appetizer to kick off the festivities! I first had this a couple years ago. One of my husband’s aunts is from Mexico and she shared this appetizer at a family dinner. The first time I saw it, I was completely confused – it was saucy and served with saltine crackers. It sort of looked like a gigantic Bloody Mary (BTW – I love a good Bloody Mary!). When I took my first bite, I was in heaven! What is Mexican Shrimp Cocktail? If gazpacho and shrimp cocktail had a love child, it would be Mexican Shrimp Cocktail! Tender poached shrimp, fresh tomato, cucumber, avocado, onion, and cilantro are tossed in a lightly spiced, tomatoey sauce. The textures and flavors blend beautifully! It is a fiesta in your mouth! How do I serve it? You can serve it in a big bowl at a party or you can dress it up and serve it in margarita glasses. Serve it with saltines, tortilla chips and lots of lime wedges! I promise, you will LOVE IT! How to Make Mexican Shrimp Cocktail For the Shrimp Cocktail Clean and dice all of the vegetables and add to a large bowl. If you are serving within a few hours, add the avocado. If you are prepping a day ahead, do not chop and add the avocado until shortly before serving. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. Pour over the vegetables and mix well. To Cook the Shrimp Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon and salt. Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Scoop out the shrimp and chill for a few minutes in a bowl of ice water. Combine Drain the shrimp and coarsely chop into bite size pieces. Add to the bowl with the sauce and vegetables. Stir together. Reserve some of the shrimp to garnish. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to combine. To Serve Serve in large, wide-rimmed glasses (Margarita glasses or martini glasses are great!). Garnish with extra lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and the reserved shrimp. Add saltine crackers or tortilla chips. Enjoy! Tender poached shrimp, fresh tomato, cucumber, avocado, onion, and cilantro are tossed in a lightly spiced, tomatoey sauce. The textures and flavors blend beautifully! You might also enjoy
One Pan Mediterranean Cod
One Pan Mediterranean Cod is a quick, easy weeknight meal! Keep it low carb or serve on a bed of rice. Either way, it’s delicious! I love the simplicity of Mediterranean cooking. It’s not fussy. It’s all about using the fresh ingredients you have in your kitchen. I’ve made several versions of this dish, changing ingredients here and there, depending on what I have on hand in the refrigerator. Any greens will work – kale, spinach, Swiss chard. Don’t have cod? Use flounder, tilapia, or haddock. It’s all about working with what you have available. Another great addition would be a drizzle of Easy Basil Oil! This recipe is meant to be flexible. Try it this week and drop a comment below! How to Make One Pan Mediterranean Cod Heat Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.Add the garlic, baby greens and grape tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute and push out to the sides. Cod Add the cod and season with salt, pepper, dill, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until the greens start to wilt and the tomatoes start to soften. Wine Sauce Add the lemon juice, wine, butter, and capers. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, checking periodically. It is finished when the fish is white and flakes easily. Serve Serve with the pan juices and a wedge of lemon. Enjoy! One Pan Mediterranean Cod is a quick, easy, weeknight meal! You might also enjoy
Easy 5-Minute Bruschetta
The weather in Northeast PA has been swinging back and forth from the mid-80’s down into the 40’s as we work our way through April. On those warm days though, I love spending time on our patio, soaking up the sunshine! That’s when I want bright, fresh appetizers! My go-to is Easy 5-Minute Bruschetta! Perfect for appetizers, great with grilled chicken! It literally takes me only 5 minutes to prepare. Appreciating life… I made this version of bruschetta right after I successfully finished all of my breast cancer treatment last summer. It was late July, hot and humid. I had a bit of time to myself and an overabundance of grape tomatoes growing in the garden. So, I made this Easy 5-Minute Bruschetta, sliced up some fresh mozzarella, and grilled a few crostini. I layered everything together and enjoyed it on the patio – grateful for the second chance on life that I had been given. For those of you that have gone through cancer treatment or a major life-altering event, you’ll understand what I mean. After surviving cancer, you really take the time to reflect on how important it is to enjoy the small things in life everyday. I hope you try my Easy 5-Minute Bruschetta and remember – enjoy the small things! How To Make Easy 5-Minute Bruschetta Tomatoes Rinse and drain grape tomatoes. Add to a food processor with the garlic cloves and pulse a few times until chunky but not puréed. Pour into a medium bowl. Dressing Add aged balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. BAsil Stack and roll the fresh basil leaves. Slice into thin ribbons. Add to the bruschetta. Mix to combine. Rest Stack and roll the fresh basil leaves. Slice into thin ribbons. Add to the bruschetta. Mix to combine. Serve Layer crostini with fresh mozzarella and a spoonful of bruschetta. Great for a light meal or appetizers! Recipe Notes Grill boneless chicken breasts and top with Easy Bruschetta for a Mediterranean inspired meal – my Bruschetta Chicken! Perfect summer appetizer made with fresh grape tomatoes, basil, and garlic! Serve with fresh mozzarella and crostini! You might also enjoy
5-Minute Avocado Pickled Egg Toast
This recipe is so ridiculously easy I’m almost embarrassed to post it. And yet – it is so yummy! 5-Minute Avocado Pickled Egg Toast is easy, quick, and nutritious! Perfect for breakfast on the go! This week I have been trying to be creative with leftovers from Easter dinner. My family craves variety and doesn’t do well with eating the same thing for days on end. I think that is how many of us end up creating cool recipes! We open the fridge and stare at all of the contents, trying to figure out “something” that we can make with the little bits of this and that sitting on the shelves. That is how my spin of avocado toast was born! A fusion of Pennsylvania Dutch and Mediterranean. I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I do! How to Make 5-Minute Avocado Pickled Egg Toast Bread Use a slice of your favorite bread. I like to use a nice multigrain. Toast the bread to your liking. Avocado Cut an avocado in half, scoop out one side and slice. Reserve the other half. Layer the sliced avocado on the toast. Sprinkle with Everything Bagel Seasoning. PIckled Egg Then take one pickled egg and slice. Layer the pickled egg slices on the avocado. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Perfection You will get the perfect balance of creamy from the avocado with the tanginess of the pickled egg and crunch of the multigrain toast. Enjoy! Quick, nutritious avocado toast with pickled egg