Skillet Toasted Pasta with Chicken Sausage

I think I really should have some Italian in me ... somewhere?!  I love pasta...and potatoes (at least I can blame that on the Irish).  Anyway, I found this recipe and was simply intrigued at how it could possibly turn out by making pasta the way you make risotto.
I followed the recipe for the most part but didn't have an onion on hand so I just threw in a little onion powder.  I'm sure the real onion would be great!  I also used probably 4 cups of chicken stock (reduced sodium) and 2 cups of water.  I didn't end up using it all.  I also added more than 1 cup of the stock at a time to create a little "boil" - you can see (hopefully) in the pictures below.  I think that helped the pasta cook.
All in all, this was so flavorful - a little smokey and creamy - which is crazy since there is no cream, milk or butter in the whole meal!  An easy weeknight meal that is so tasty!

I cooked the chicken sausage whole for a few minutes, then chopped it and finished cooking it so it had a little crispy edge

Here's the pasta after it was "toasted" and as I started adding the liquid

I added more than 1 cup of liquid to enable a small simmer / boil for the pasta

 The finished product - AMAZING!

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

Olive oil

12 oz. penne pasta

1 small sweet onion, chopped

¾ pound spicy Italian chicken sausage

2 Tbls fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

2 Tbls Parmesan cheese

Italian Seasoning

Instructions:

In a pot heat chicken stock & water to a simmer, do not boil.

In a large skillet, swirl a little olive oil. Heat over medium high heat. Add sausage and onion. Break up sausage, and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan.

Reduce heat to medium. Swirl about a tablespoon of olive oil in skillet. Add penne tossing to coat in the olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until lightly toasted.

Add about a cup (or more) of chicken stock to the pan. Stirring freqently, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add another cup of stock. Keep doing this until the pasta is cooked through.

Add sausage back to the pan. Add Parmesan cheese, squeeze lemon juice over pasta, and season with salt and pepper. Stir and heat until sausage is warm.

Serve with additional cheese, and Italian Seasoning if desired.

Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

It's been so cold here and I was craving a hearty soup.  I found this recipe on Pintrest and liked that it didn't look super labor intensive.  This soup is pretty fast to throw together and turned out really tasty!  I didn't add the bell peppers but followed the rest of the recipe.  I'd definitely make this one again!

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Ingredients:

1 lb Italian Sausage, rolled into 1/4 teaspoon size balls

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 red bell peppers, diced (I omitted these)

1 bay leaf

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

8 cups chicken broth

2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes (I only used 1 can that had basil & oregano)

1-1/2 cups chopped kale

2 cups cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large skillet, brown the mini sausage balls until cooked through - about 5-7 minutes.  Drain the grease & place on a plate lined with paper towels

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion and cook until tender.  Stir in garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.  Stir in peppers, bay leaf and red pepper flakes.  

Stir in broth, tomatoes and kale.  Add the cheese tortellini and cook until the pasta is tender - about 7-10 minutes.  Stir in fresh basil and season with Salt & Pepper.  Stir in mini sausage balls & heat until warm.  Remove bay leaf & serve.

Enjoy!

Chorizo with Pasta, Mushrooms and Tomatoes

M had to go to work the night we served this so I wanted something pretty quick and easy to make so he could eat and get to work.  I found this recipe and decided to try it.  We altered it a bit but it turned out really well & there weren't any left overs!  B wanted chicken tenders with hers - I think the Chorizo was just a little too spicy for her.  But, all in all, this is a great weeknight meal!

Ingredients:
3/4 box of rigatoni (any pasta works)
1 pkg chorizo
3/4 pkg baby bella mushrooms
1- 8 oz can diced tomatoes (I used the ones with basil & oregano)
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

For the sauce (Michael made this up to add to what we already had):
1-2 tsp flour
1 tsp light cream
1 tsp skim milk

Directions:
Put a few tablespoons of water in a large skillet.  Add chorizo over medium high heat and cover.  Cook for about 10-12 minutes, turning chorizo a couple of times.  Take cover off pan & continue to cook chorizo for another 5-7 minutes.  Remove from pan and put on paper towels to absorb some of the grease.  Cut into bite size pieces and set aside

Boil pasta according to package instructions & drain

In a small pan, add some butter / margarine and saute the mushrooms until done

In a small bowl or cup, add flour, cream and milk and whisk to combine.

In the pan you cooked the chorizo, add tomatoes (along with the juice from the can), add in flour mixture and stir to combine.  Add in chorizo and mushrooms.

Combine pasta and chorizo mixture.  Top with a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Tortellini with Chicken & Spinach in a Wine Cream Sauce

I made this dish up entirely on my own but I think it's good enough to share.  :-)  B and I were in Target and I was trying to decide what to have for dinner.  She wanted pasta but I knew I needed to work in a veggie and protein somewhere.  I also wanted a lighter sauce for it (plus B doesn't love jarred sauces).  Here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:
1 pkg Butoni fresh tortellini
1/2 pkg fresh spinach
1-2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
Lemon
White Wine
1 tbsp fat free milk
1 tbsp flour
Garlic
Freshly grated parmesan cheese (for topping)
Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder
Olive Oil (about 1 tbsp)

Directions:
Lightly season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper & a little onion powder
Arrange chicken on a grill top (or skillet) and cook thoroughly (a few minutes per side).  Set aside.
In the same skillet, heat olive oil.  Add garlic cloves and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring around so it doesn't burn.  Add spinach and wilt.  Once it's wilted, remove from pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a separate pot, start water for pasta and cook pasta according to package instructions (about 8-9 minutes to cook)
Add a little white wine (about 1/2 c) to the skillet and simmer.
In a separate small glass, add flour, a dash of water and the milk (make sure the milk isn't super cold).  Whisk with a fork until the flour is combined.  Then add this mixture to the skillet.  Stir around to blend.  If you need more liquid, repeat the wine, flour, milk and water steps.
Add juice from 1/2 lemon and a little lemon zest to the pan and stir.
Add back in the chicken and spinach and stir to coat.
Serve pasta in a bowl and add chicken mixture to the pasta.  Top with a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!
 
 

Baked Shrimp in a Lemony Garlic Sauce

I needed a quick weeknight dinner that was an "all in one" type meal.  I found this recipe on the WW community site.  I liked it and thought it was light in taste.  I would probably use fresh, chopped spinach next time only because I don't love frozen spinach.  But other than that, this is a keeper!

Ingredients:
1-1/4 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/4 c fresh lemon juice (I used less but eye-balled it)
2 tbsp light butter, melted
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp ground red pepper (I used red pepper flakes)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (I used dried flakes and just eye-balled it)
2 c chopped, frozen spinach, thawed & drained
Pasta

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Combine lemon juice and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add shrimp & toss to coat.  Place in a 9x13" baking dish, coated lightly with cooking spray
Cook pasta according to box directions
Bake for 8-10 minutes & serve with pasta

5 points plus for shrimp & spinach.  Pasta is extra

Italian Chicken Skillet

I saw this recipe and it looked pretty easy to throw together on a weeknight.  I made B's with regular thin chicken breasts but used chicken sausage for M's and mine.  The original recipe calls to marinade the chicken breasts first but since I was in a rush, I just did salt & pepper on the chicken breasts.   It also calls for chicken broth but I must have used all of mine.  I subbed a dry white wine and it turned out fine.  The skim evaporated milk makes it a little less calorie filled - which is always a plus too!

Ingredients:
8oz penne pasta
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 small onion, minced
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth (I used dry white wine)
8oz tomato sauce (I used marinara sauce because I had it already opened in the 'fridge)
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 teaspoon flour
4 teaspoons prepared pesto

Directions:
Saute marinated chicken in a large skillet sprayed well with non-stick spray over medium heat for 5-6 minutes a side, or until no longer pink in the center. Remove to a plate then cover loosely with foil to stay warm and set aside. Carefully wipe out skillet with a spatula or wet paper towel. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil then season with salt and add penne. Cook until al dente then drain and set aside.

Still over medium heat, add oil to the skillet then add onions and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until tender, then add garlic and saute, stirring constantly, for 30 more seconds. Carefully add chicken broth then let simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and evaporated milk then whisk in flour and pesto. Simmer until thick and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Add cooked and drained pasta then toss to combine. Portion out to plates then top with cooked chicken.

Sausage & Spinach Stuffed Shells

I'm a bit behind on updating the blog!  M spent most of his week home working on the plane last week.  It was pretty cold out and I was trying to make nice dinners for him so he could warm up!  I found this recipe for stuffed shells.  I wanted something that wasn't the normal all cheese stuffed shell.   I used fresh spinach and just chopped it up.  I also threw in about 1/2 lb of ground beef.  The recipe didn't call for putting sauce on the shells while they cooked, but I added some marinara sauce to it.  This was delicious and even better left over!

Here are the shells ready for the oven

Here's one of the dishes

Ingredients:
16-18 jumbo pasta shells
1 pound fresh pork sausage links, casing removed
1/2 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes - I used the basil and oregano one
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
Marinara sauce

Directions:
Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice, set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta shells and cook according to package directions. Drain well then add to ice water until ready to stuff.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork sausage & beef  then use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage, cook 5-6 minutes until browned.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds then add tomatoes and spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in ricotta cheese
Pour a light coating of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking pan (9x9 or 9x13).  Using a spoon, fill pasta shells with filling and arrange in a baking dish. Sprinkle tops with shredded cheese and drizzle more marinara sauce on top then bake in the oven 25-30 minutes until cheese has melted and tips of shells begin to crisp and brown.

Enjoy!

Chorizo & Veggies over Pasta in a Light Cream Sauce

We didn't know what we wanted last night for dinner but since it was so cold, we went with a hearty pasta dish.  I've made something similar before and used the same method for the sauce as the last time.  B didn't want the chorizo, so I made her dish with chicken tenders and the veggies (and a butter sauce).  It turned out pretty good and has many possibilities of what to throw in next time!

The veggies being sauteed 

The finished product

Ingredients:
1 package of chorizo
1/2 package sun-dried tomatoes
1 package baby bella mushrooms
1 medium size head of broccoli, florets removed
3/4 box of rigatoni pasta
1/2 c low fat milk
1/4 c low fat chicken stock
1/4 lemon (for the juice)
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Red Pepper flakes
Margarine
1-2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
In a saute pan, place chorizio in a little water (not enough to cover the sausage though).  Cover and simmer on medium to medium low for about 5-6 minutes.
Drain off water, add a little olive oil (maybe 1 tbsp) and brown the sausage.  I ended up pulling the sausage off of the heat, cutting them into bite size pieces and then saute that way until they were done - maybe another 6-8 minutes.  
In a separate pan, saute mushrooms, broccoli florets & sun-dried tomatoes in a pan with a little margarine.  Stir veggies occasionally until the veggies have softened up
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain when it's done.
In a small sauce pan, add milk, chicken stock and juice from 1/4 lemon.  Simmer over a medium to medium low heat and stir.  Add in Parmesan cheese and some red pepper flakes (to your liking) and continue to stir.
To thicken the sauce, slowly add flour until the sauce is a consistency you like.
Mix veggies; chorizo; pasta & sauce in a big pot (I used the same one that I cooked the pasta in).  Place in serving bowls and top with a little fresh grated Parmesan.  Serve immediately.
 

Almond Crusted Flounder over Pasta

For those of you that shop at our (lovely) Acme, you'll appreciate how this meal all came together!  I was debating what to make for dinner but knew I wanted something with pasta.  I went to the Acme and bought chicken tenders and almond crusted flounder.  I let B decide what she wanted with the pasta and she chose the chicken.  I opened the package and was overwhelmed with the odor!  UGH!  I quickly decided that instead of poisoning the family that night that I'd just make the flounder and serve it with pasta.  (Thankfully, B was fine with that solution)

I made the sauce using a recipe found here.  I changed up the cream for 2% milk and added some crushed red pepper flakes too.  My neighbor who came over for dinner that night said it was delicious and he wouldn't change a thing (which for him is pretty impressive because he always has 1 or 2 things he'd change!).

Ingredients:

3 almond crusted flounder fillets
1/2 package of pasta (we used ravioli but any type would work)
1/2 package of baby bella mushrooms
1/2 package sun dried tomatoes
1 small head of broccoli florets
3/4 c low fat milk
1/4 c chicken stock
1-2 tbsp flour
1/2 lemon
A few shakes of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
About 1/2 c fresh grated Parmesan
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Put cold water in pot and bring to a boil
Place flounder fillets in baking dish and place in preheated oven.  Bake for about 15 minutes
Put pasta in boiling water and cook according to package instructions
In a separate pan, heat a little olive oil and put mushrooms, broccoli and sun dried tomatoes in.  Heat over medium heat about 5-7 minutes until everything is tender.
In a small sauce pan, add milk, chicken stock and the juice from 1/2 lemon.  Stir to blend.  Add 1-2 tbsp flour (or cornstarch) and continue stirring.  Add a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes & stir.  Slowly add parmesan cheese to the mixture and stir until it thickens up. 
Drain pasta and combine the pasta; veggies and sauce.  Top with a little extra grated Parmesan & serve.  

Scallops and Pasta in a Spicy Sauce

This is actually M's creation but it was too good to not share!  I asked him to immediately type up the recipe since he doesn't measure anything and adds things in as he goes (he's way better at that than me!).  We had some cherry tomatoes and habanaro peppers from a friend's garden that were used in this.  The finished product was delicious!  The spice was just the exact right amount - not overpowering!

Ingredients:

½ a yellow onion chopped fine

5 cloves of garlic

1 sm package of bella mushrooms

½ package of sundried tomatoes chopped

1 habanero pepper chopped fine

10 cherry tomatoes, pureed

½ pint light cream

½ stick of butter

1lb of dry scallops

1lb bowtie pasta

Fresh Grated Parmesan

Directions:

Sauté onion with a little olive oil. After they are soft, add garlic – be careful not to burn.  Remove and put in bowl.  Saute mushrooms until soft with olive oil.  Add to bowl after removing most of the liquid.  Saute sun dried tomatoes and add to bowl….set aside.

Boil pasta according to package directions

Place pureed tomatoes and chopped habanero in sauce pan & simmer to reduce.  Add contents of bowl to the pan.  Add 2 pads of butter and light cream – simmer and reduce.

In a separate pan, get the pan smoking hot – add oil and pan sear scallops with salt and pepper.  2 minutes per side.  Remove and set aside.

Combine all ingredients  and top with fresh grated parm. 

Creamy Chicken Pasta with Broccoli Sauce

I wanted a pasta dish but didn't want a heavy sauce.  I found a recipe here after Googling "pasta and chicken" and followed the sauce recipe (mostly).  I probably made the meal more complicated and time consuming than it needed to be because I added shrimp; mushrooms and broccoli to the pasta dish too.  It turned out delicious!  The sauce is very light and tasty!   (I think it'd be fine with just chicken though!)  

Ingredients 
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 package of Baby Bella mushrooms
12 shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 small head of broccoli
2 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp flour
1 shallot, diced
1-2 tsp chopped garlic
Olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk (I used low fat)
Old Bay Seasoning
Margarine 

Directions
Cut chicken into bite size pieces
Heat olive oil in a pan and place chicken in pan, season with Salt & Pepper
Cook chicken, turning a few times.  Set aside
In a clean pan, melt 1 tbsp margarine and place shrimp in pan.  Season with Old Bay.  When shrimp start to turn pink, turn them over and season the other side.  Remove from heat after about 3 minutes or when shrimp are pink on both sides.  Set aside.
In a clean pan, melt 1 tbsp margarine and saute mushrooms until they are soft.  Set aside
Boil pot of water for pasta and cook according to package instructions & drain
Cut florets off of broccoli and reserve the stems.  Saute broccoli about 3 minutes before the rest of the meal is complete.

For the sauce:
Chop the broccoli stems into smaller pieces
Over medium heat, drizzle olive oil in pan and add shallot & garlic.  Stir frequently.
Add thyme to the mixture
Add broccoli stems to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes
Stir in white wine and simmer until it's about gone.
Add in the flour & stir
Stir in the chicken broth and milk and bring to a simmer
Simmer until the broccoli is soft
Transfer to a small blender (I used a small food processer) and puree that mixture
Return to pan to keep warm

Combine all of the ingredients and stir to mix everything all together.  

Easy Chicken & Pasta

I sort of feel bad putting this one on the blog simply because it was an EASY throw together dinner.  But, I figured some people might just need ideas on what to do on a Monday night when you really just don't feel like cooking!  This is the meal for you!!  It's tossing a few items together - and has potential to be better if you add some veggies (I meant to but was too tired and forgot!).

Ingredients:
Pasta (I used fettuccine)
4-5 Chicken tenders
Jarred pasta sauce (I used Vodka sauce)
1 egg
1/3 cup corn starch
Salt / pepper to taste
Olive Oil

Directions
Place egg in one shallow bowl (beaten) and corn starch in another shallow bowl with some Salt & Pepper mixed in
Rinse chicken tenders in cold water and pat dry
Heat olive oil in pan over medium high heat
Dip chicken in egg then in corn starch
Place chicken in pan and heat through, turning a few times
After removing from heat, cut chicken into bite sized pieces
Put chicken on plate with paper towel and set aside
Meanwhile, boil water and cook pasta according to package
In a separate small pot, add sauce and cook on low until heated through
Combine all ingredients and toss

Angel Hair Pasta with Sauteed Veggies & Cream Sauce

I did a "throw together" dinner last night that turned out pretty yummy!  We had our neighbors over and even they liked it!!  The measurements below are estimates because I didn't measure anything...but, hopefully if you try it, it'll turn out just as good!  Next time, I'll try to thin the sauce out just a tad.  One of our neighbors wanted red pasta sauce on theirs (instead of the cream) and I added some of that to my cream sauce but it still needs something else to make it a little thinner.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Cayenne pepper (a few dashes)
1 small head of broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 medium zuchinni, cut into bit size pieces
1 package chicken sausage
Angel hair pasta
1 Tbsp butter
8 oz 1/3 fat cream cheese
1/4 cup skim milk

Directions
- Cook sausage according to package (I simmered mine for about 10 minutes then drained the water and browned, turning frequently).  When they are done, cut into bite size pieces & put them on a plate.  Keep warm
- Using the same pan, add a little olive oil and saute the veggies, turning frequently to avoid burning them (add extra olive oil as needed)
- Cook pasta according to package instructions
- In a small sauce pan, add butter, cream cheese and milk.  Stir frequently to "melt" the cream cheese.  Add the dashes of cayenne and taste to ensure it's not too spicy.  (Here's where I added the red pasta sauce to mine)
- When pasta is done, mix all ingredients together and serve with sauce drizzled over top. 

Bowtie Pasta with Sausage; Broccoli and Mushrooms in a Spicy (Light) Cream Sauce

I had some chicken sausage that needed to be used so I decided to throw together some other items in the refrigerator and make this dish.  I didn't measure anything so the recipe will be a little vague but it turned out really yummy!  B said the sauce was a little too spicy for her but that's easily adaptable.

Ingredients:
1 package chicken sausage (I used sweet Italian this time)
1 package baby bella mushrooms
1 medium head of broccoli
Bowtie pasta
Chicken stock
Fat Free Half & Half
1-2 tsp Corn starch
Black pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook sausage according to package instructions and set aside.  (The sausage stuck a little to the pan so I used a little drizzle of olive oil to keep it from happening)
Using the same pan that the sausage was cooked in, saute mushrooms with a little olive oil and pepper
Cut broccoli into bite size pieces & steam (I steamed mine in the microwave)
Cook pasta according to the package directions
While the pasta is cooking, put sausage; mushrooms and broccoli into the same pan.  Over medium heat, add a little chicken stock (I probably used 1/4 cup or less) & begin adding some fat free half & half.  I added about 1/2 of a pint.  Gently  stir together & add corn starch (a little at a time) until the sauce thickens a little.  Sprinkle in some cayenne pepper (to taste).
Drain pasta; mix with sauce.  Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese & serve.

Penne with Spinach and Pancetta

Our dinner tonight was amazing!!  I'd definitely make it again but add a bit of spice...maybe the chipotles from the other pasta dish or just some crushed red pepper.  It'll be an experiment!  The original recipe calls for peas (not my fave)  and tortellini (not B's fave) so we changed it a bit.  My changes are in the recipe below but here's the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 3/4 box of  penne
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 4 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup Fat Free Half and Half
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook as the label directs.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add half the margarine and half the garlic.  Saute the spinach until wilted.  Let it drain on a paper towel when done.  

Using the same skillet, add the other half margarine and prosciutto and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Ladle in about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and simmer until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Drain the penne and add it along with the spinach to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sauce. Stir in the parsley. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Linguine in Spicy Chipotle Cream Sauce With Seared Sea Scallops

I'd like to take credit for this one entirely but M actually made it last night.  We had this at a restaurant and he wanted to replicate it.  I found the recipe here and we followed it to a tee.  I'll tell ya - the chipotle packs a kick but after the first couple of bites, it tasted amazing!!  If you like dry scallops and a bit of spice, you'll love this meal!  Even my mother in law (who doesn't love too much spice) really enjoyed it!

1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 
1/2 pound dried linguine 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
12 dry-packed sea scallops (about 3/4 pound) 
Salt and freshly ground white pepper 
4 cloves garlic, minced 
1/2 cup dry white wine 
1 cup heavy cream 
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
Dried red pepper flakes, to taste 

Directions

Empty the can of chipotle peppers into a blender or food processor and puree. Set aside 1 to 2 tablespoons of the puree for the sauce; save the remaining puree for another use. 
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente; drain. 
While the pasta cooks, prepare the scallops. Heat olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper and add to pan. Sear on one side for about 1 minute and turn. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chipotle, depending on your tolerance of chile heat, and the chopped garlic, and toss. Add white wine to deglaze the pan. (If necessary, you can quickly detach and discard the hinge muscles from the scallops.) When liquid has been reduced by half, add cream. Cook on high until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove scallops from pan and set aside. Add the cooked linguine to the pan and toss with the sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl and arrange the scallops on top. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and dried red pepper flakes. 

Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Shells

Yesterday was a foodie type of day!  I went to the Italian Market in Philadelphia with neighbors.  We went to Espisito's to pick up various meats (lamb chops; Italian sausage; bacon; pancetta; etc...) and took in the sights.  Since it was Good Friday, I planned to make the stuffed shells with mushrooms and spinach for dinner and the neighbors came over to enjoy them too.  I put a few pieces of the Italian sausage in them too for the kids.  They were really tasty!  I think they needed a little more spice next time so I'll experiment with that.  I found the recipe here.

Here's the spinach; mushroom; cheese mixture

Shells stuffed with the mix

 Ready for the oven

 Final product

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced finely
• 1 15 oz ricotta cheese – I used low fat
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (divided)
• 1/2 cup of fresh spinach, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 3 cups of roasted tomato, garlic and onion marinara
• 12 jumbo pasta shells, cooked per instructions

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and onions and sauté until golden brown (about 5-6 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the egg, the spinach, 1/2 the parsley, fresh basil, the nutmeg, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly then add the mushrooms and onion sauté and combine. Taste mixture and re-season if needed.

Pour 1/2 cup of marinara in the bottom of a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Place the 12 cooked shells in the pan. Stuff each shell with the ricotta and mushroom mixture.

    

Chicken; Broccoli; Pasta in a Light Cream Sauce

I love pasta...and cream sauces but I'm trying to eat a little healthier.  I found a recipe for shrimp in a light cream sauce but wanted to use up chicken that I defrosted.  I swapped the shrimp for chicken.  The recipe is based on this one but I also subbed shallot for green onion (because I'm not a fan of green onions!).  This turned out really good and I'm definitely going to make it again!

Ingredients:
6 oz. uncooked egg noodles (I used rigatoni)
1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp (I subbed this for chicken)
2 tblsp. butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (about 2-3)  (I subbed 1/2 of a shallot)
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/2 cup shaved or grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions.
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add the shrimp and green onions. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until shrimp is done.
Add half-and-half and Parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.
Add noodles, salt and pepper. Stir together to coat the noodles well.