First off I'd like to apologize for how infrequent my posts have been! We've been out of town almost every weekend this month, which is usually when I post the babies. But Pinterest has been its usual sweet self to me and I found a couple awesome recipes I can't wait to share!
Allow me to explain the title "Eh-spicy Rico". This is my father's Latin alter-ego. (For those of you who know my dad, this is priceless considering he often glows in the winter and makes up for his lack of Spanish skills with effort, enthusiasm, and of course, optimism!) He often whips out this Spanish accent at gatherings, especially when relaxing on the lake, and it is truly a delight to all! In true segue fashion, I present to you this eh-spicy pasta recipe courtesy of Pinterest.....
Spicy Chicken Rigatoni
1/4 cup oil
1/2 Tbsp crushed red pepper (cut in half to cut down on the spice if you're not a fan)
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
6 oz chicken, sliced
3/4 cup Marinara sauce
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
**I didn't have any Alfredo on hand so I just made some of my own. You can find that sauce recipe
by clicking here: Homemade Alfredo
2 tsp butter
1/4 cup peas
1 zucchini, sliced (I added this to the original recipe)
1 lb Rigatoni pasta, cooked by package directions (I used whole wheat penne)
additional 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (for garnish, optional)
1. In a saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper, and garlic and saute just long enough for garlic to caramelize and red pepper to release flavor into the oil. Add sliced chicken and saute briefly to coat in spices and garlic. (I sauteed the chicken longer than just "briefly" to be sure it cooked all the way through). Add zucchini and saute until tender.
2. Add Marinara sauce first, then Alfredo sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens slightly and chicken is cooked through. Turn off flame, add butter and peas and incorporate into sauce.
3. Toss pasta with sauce. Garnish with crushed red pepper (or extra cheese!) and serve. Enjoy!
-----------------------------------
Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used a couple boneless skinless chicken breasts instead)
16 oz beer
2 cups water
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
(so I used garlic salt instead since I don't have garlic powder and my flautas turned out a bit on the salty side....luckily my husband likes salt like a deer...but next time I'd definitely use powder and maybe even cut the salt down anyways)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 jalapeno, minced
3 cups baby spinach, chopped
5 burrito-sized flour tortillas (9 in) - I used fajita size and just kept filling til the mix was gone
6 oz shredded cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil, or cooking spray
Salsa, for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. Place chicken in deep saute pan and cover with beer and water. Bring to a boil. then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from liquid and shred it. Mix together the chicken and seasonings.
3. Pour out all but 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Add jalapeno and spinach and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
**The original recipe said to layer chicken, then spinach, then cheese in the tortillas. I mixed the spinach and chicken together to make it easier, then just topped with cheese.
4. Cut the tortillas in half (not necessary if you use smaller tortillas like I did). Spoon chicken-spinach mixture along long edge of tortilla and top with cheese. Roll the tortilla up, starting with the straight edge. Place seam down on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
5. Spray the flautas with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until crispy. (I caught mine right before they got a little two crispy, I'd say only 5 minutes on the second side).
Crispy (but not fried!) and oh-so-good, especially served with some black beans or salsa. Ole!
-------------------------------------
Caramelized Onion, Zucchini, and Cheese Frittata
From: my brain plus inspiration from skinnytaste.com
1 zucchini, sliced into thin half-moons
1/4 cup onion, thinly sliced
5 strips bacon, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp olive oil
6 eggs
Splash of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese
Shredded cheddar cheese (not sure how much I used to sprinkle on top, just eyeball it according to your preferences)
2. Cook bacon (I used microwave bacon) and slice.
3. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add salt, pepper, Italian cheese, and bacon. Stir to combine.
4. Pour eggs into skillet with veggies and allow to cook slightly (the edges will begin to firm up).
5. Transfer to greased glass baking dish and top with shredded cheddar cheese.
6. Cook for 14 minutes at 400 degrees or until eggs are cooked through (do the shake test and see if the middle wiggles - if it does, keep cookin')
So tasty! Serve with toast for a breakfast night or with a side salad for a complete meal!
----------------------------------
Before I go, here's a little pic to brighten your day! And yes, our obsession with our cats has not dwindled in the least. On the contrary, it seems to grow stronger each day ha! Good thing I married James or I would most definitely, without a doubt slip down the slippery slope of being a cat lady.
No comments:
Post a Comment