This is a yummy, quick, easy, delicious weeknight meal! I cut the original recipe in half but doubled the noodles, and added peanuts and edamame.
INGREDIENTS:
Sauce:
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
3/8 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon dry cooking sherry
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
1 cooked and shredded chicken breast
8 oz. linguine or Chinese egg noodles, cooked to al dente and chilled
2 heads hearts-of-romaine lettuce, chopped or 1 head regular romaine, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 large English cucumber, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
Pinch salt, or more to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Handful peanuts
Handful of cooked edamame
DIRECTIONS:
Whisk peanut butter, vinegar, sesame oil and sherry in a bowl until smooth. Add soy sauce and Sriracha sauce, and stir to blend.
Combine remaining ingredients with sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Original Recipe: Good Dinner Mom
This is a super quick weeknight meal! This can be a side dish or a main dish (if you eat a ton, like me!).
INGREDIENTS:
Pesto:
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, minced
Sea Salt, to taste
Gnocchi:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (1 lb.) package potato gnocchi
3-4 cups baby spinach leaves
Freshly shredded Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Make Pesto:
Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process until smooth. Add the cheese and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
Make Gnocchi:
Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain completely.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden and crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Turn the gnocchi and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 3 more minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in 1/3 cup of the pesto and the baby spinach. Toss together in the pan until the spinach just starts to wilt. You might have leftover pesto. Serve warm and garnish with Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, if desired.
*A good leftover use of the pesto is the Chicken Pesto Spinach Pizza.
ORIGINAL RECIPE: Drop Dead Gorgeous
I made the recipe a couple weeks ago, and we both liked it. I cooked the pasta too much, so I'm decreasing the cook time, but other than that, it was delicious!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb smoked sausage
- 1.5 cups diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, Mild
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions.
Makes 4 servings.
Original Recipe: Kevin and Amanda
My neighbor Jessica made this, and it was so good I asked for the recipe. It's a bit time consuming, but worth it.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
- 1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
- 1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup good olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound orzo
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 1/3 cup good olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To assemble:
- 4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
- 15 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.
Original Recipe: Barefoot Contessa
I found this on Pinterest, and have made it a handful of times. The last time I made it I BAKED my bacon first (who knew?? thanks mom for the recommendation!), instead of frying it in the pan. The overall dish was just as tasty, and not quite as greasy. I added more bacon than the original calls for, because more bacon makes everything better.
INGREDIENTS:
- 10 oz pasta
- 1/2 cup pasta water - reserved
- 6 pieces thick sliced bacon
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lb brie, cut into cubes
- 10 basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Put aluminum foil on a 1" thick baking sheet. Place bacon strips on there, and cook in oven at 400 degrees for anywhere from 17-22 minutes (depending on how you want it and how hot your oven is). Take out of oven, let cool, and break into bite size pieces.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
Heat large skillet with some olive oil (and a little of the bacon grease if you want) and add onion and saute over medium high heat until the onions are caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and toss for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the cubed brie along with the reserved pasta water. Stir constantly until the cheese is melted and then add the cooked pasta to the mixture and toss to combine.
Add the basil and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve immediately. This is also wonderful leftover.
Original Recipe: What's Gaby Cooking
This is a great meatless Monday recipe. Trip keeps wanting me to add sausage to this...I keep putting him off. I've never used smoked paprika before, and it really does make this dish.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 (26 oz) can diced tomatoes (or crushed, whatever you prefer)
- 1/2 pound penne pasta, cooked
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- pinch of salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400.
In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high. Once the butter starts bubbling, add the onions. Saute until they start to soften, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper and paprika. Saute another minute. Stir in the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.
Add in the cooked pasta and spinach. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Pour mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Original Recipe: Bev Cooks
