Test Your Fire Alarms, Please.

Here's a friendly reminder to make sure your fire alarms are in working order. You can do it the traditional way like everyone else or do it my way.

And honestly, my way is a tad more delicious.

This dish is phenomenal. Trust me. My father, whose favorite dish is Cajun chicken pasta, won't order it from the restaurant menu anymore because it's not as good as mine.

Boom.

First cut up 3 thawed boneless, skinless chicken breast. Layer each one with some Cajun seasoning, like so.

Then cut up a red onion, red pepper, green pepper and Roma tomatoes. 

I usually do this ahead of time and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours. You don't have to do this, but I like to let the Cajun seasoning soak into the chicken.

Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta.

Meanwhile, melt butter and olive oil over high heat. When melted put chicken in the pan in a single layer.

Wait until one side is browned, then flip and cook the other side. Use a slotted spoon to take the cooked chicken out and put on a plate. It takes me 3 times to cook all the chicken.

This is where I set the fire alarms off. Just FYI. 

Then add more butter and oil. Once melted, add the peppers, onions and garlic. Sprinkle with more Cajun seasoning and salt. Cook over high heat for 1-2 minutes while stirring.

Then add the tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds to a minute. Stir continually.

Transfer the veggies to another plate.

Over high heat, put chicken broth and a few splashes of white wine vinegar in the same pan. Scrape the pan while cooking for about 3 or 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in cream. Cook for a few minutes, until it begins to thickens, whisking constantly. 

Taste the cream. Add cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. I like it really spicy, some don't. It's up to you.

Once it tastes how you like, add the chicken and veggies back in. Cook for a few minutes until bubbly and hot. 

Add to the cooked pasta and combine.

At first the sauce will seem a little thin, but keep stirring and it will thicken up.

Cajun Chicken Pasta
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 lb. gluten-free spaghetti 
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 green pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 1 red onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 splashes of white wine vinegar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• cayenne pepper
• black pepper
• salt

1. Cook pasta. Cut up veggies and chicken.

2. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning on chicken pieces.

3. Heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil in skillet over high heat.

4. Add chicken in a single layer. Do not stir. Let them brown and then flip. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate. Continue until all chicken is cooked.

5. Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil to the skillet. When melted, add peppers, onions and garlic. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and salt. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minutes. Remove from pan and put on plate.

6. Over high heat, add the chicken broth and white wine vinegar. Scrape the pan and cook 3-5 minutes.

7. Reduce to medium-low, add in cream. Cook for a few minutes until it thickens, whisking constantly. Taste and add cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt.

8. Add chicken and veggies and heat until bubbly.

9. Combine with cooked and drained spaghetti.

***

You guys, you have to make this. It's easy and so delish.

 

This is such a good dinner and it makes excellent leftovers.

My favorite part is that the veggies are soft but still crunchy. I hate mushy vegetables. 

I could eat this stuff everyday. 

Not only did I give you an amazing dinner, I also set off your fire alarms/reminded you to do so.

I'm all about giving, you see.

Enjoy!

Kaci

Grillin' Like A Villian

In a previous post, I talked about my love for football. Even during the off season, it's not unusual to find me watching the NFL Network, waiting for any updates on the Green Bay Packers, or any team in general. 

Weird, I know. Whatever.

Even though I miss football, I love the warmer weather that spring brings. It's not unbearably hot (I'm looking at you Oklahoma summer) and the evenings are always so nice.

And that is why I love grilling and spring food. It's so fresh and delicious.

This recipe I'm about to share with you is a perfect addition to any grilled meat. It's easy to pull together and tastes delicious.

Plus, it's just so pretty. 




















All you have to do is cook up some pasta, pour it in a colander and let it cool.
















While it's cooking and cooling, make the pesto. You can use store bought pesto, but where is the fun in that? I followed this recipe for the pesto.

Then, I drained and chopped up a jar of roasted red peppers.

While I was chopping up the peppers, I drained some black olives in a colander

Then I mixed the cool pasta, red peppers and olives together in a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, I took 1/3 cup of the pesto and 1/3 cup of Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar dressing and whisked it together.

Next I poured the pesto and dressing mixture over my pasta and stirred it all together.

At this point, I went ahead and took a few bites. It needed more salt, so I sprinkled some kosher salt. I also added a few more spoonfuls of pesto. You don't have to. I just love pesto.

Next, put in in a pretty bowl, cover and in saran wrap and pop it in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Right before you serve it, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

• 12 oz. Quinoa pasta
• 2 cans of sliced black olives
• 1 jar of roasted red peppers
• 1/3 cup pesto
• 1/3 cup Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing
• Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package. Drain and let cool

2. While pasta is cooking, make pesto

2. Drain sliced black olives

3. Drain and chop up roasted red peppers

4. Add black olives and red peppers to cooled pasta. Mix

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together pesto and dressing

6. Pour pesto mix over pasta and stir. Adjust salt and pesto to taste

7. Cover and store in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.

8. Right before serving, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

***

We had this pasta salad with some grilled pork chops. We really enjoyed it. However, I made the salad too early so it sat in the refrigerator for 6 hours. That was a little too long, so I would definitely keep it around 1-3 hours. 

This would be good with grilled steak, chicken, fish, etc. It was really light and fresh.

You can also use whatever pasta you'd like. It doesn't have to be gluten-free.

Another great thing about this pasta is that you can put whatever you'd like in it. Tomatoes would be a great addition. My dad said he would like green olives in it. Whatever you want to add would probably be really good.

Enjoy!

Kaci

Starting Off With A Bang!

I tried a lot of recipes this weekend and I will share them all with you, but this is the perfect dish to kick off this blog. When I tell you that you need to make this as soon as possible, I mean it. It also is probably the easiest and most flavorful pasta dish ever.

My whole family loved this dish. This is amazing because

1. My dad hates (HATES) pesto.

2. My sister won't eat anything green and doesn't like pasta.

So if they like it, I can guarantee you'll love it.

Okay...to the recipe! (said like "TO THE BATCAVE")

Don't worry about it.

First, cook some pasta. This is Mrs. Leeper's corn pasta (gluten-free) and it is fabulous. You can obviously use normal pasta. Obviously.

While the pasta was doing its thing, I took some yummy basil and dropped it in the food processor

Then the Parmesan cheese

Pine nuts and garlic came to the party

I then threw in the salt and pepper, gave it a whirl and then drizzled in some olive oil

This smells amazing. I literally walked around my house with this stuff making every one smell it.
Except my dad. Please refer to #1 above.
Butter and heavy cream are melted in a large pot then I added the pesto, stirred it together and let it simmer for a few minutes.
SIDE NOTE: I meant to get a picture of the butter and cream in the pot, but right when I put the butter and cream in, my sister dropped four plates on the floor, breaking all of them and halfway ripping off her toenail. Appetizing, right?

Add remaining Parmesan cheese, stir to melt then gently toss in the pasta and add some rotisserie chicken.

Andddd....VOILA! Everyone will be incredibly impressed with your culinary skills. And tummies will smile.

That's a win-win.

Rotisserie Chicken Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce

Adapted from Kevin and Amanda

• 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper, each
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 12 oz Mrs. Leeper's corn spaghetti pasta
• Roughly 1 rotisserie chicken, cut into pieces.

1. Bring water to boil, then add 1 tbsp kosher salt and pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside. Meanwhile, make the pesto.

2. Add basil, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic cloves, and salt and pepper to a food processor. Process while slowly drizzling in olive oil. Add the cream and butter to a large bowl set over medium heat. Pour in the pesto, stir until well combined, and let simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off heat, and add the the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and stir until melted and combined.

3. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and stir together. Now, you can either serve and top with hot rotisserie chicken or if your chicken is already chopped and is cold from the fridge, add it to the pasta and stir together for 2 minutes to heat up the chicken.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Make this soon. As in now. It's the perfect pasta dish and it's so quick and wonderful.

Good luck!

Kaci