Monday, March 3, 2008

Pasta Perfect

Natalie recommended this recipe recently. We ate it this evening -- BAM!! Instant family favorite, no lie. The kids inhaled it and Justin loved it too. It was in a Kraft magazine originally.

Ingredients
3 cups farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked
4 cups broccoli florets (chopped)
3 tbs Kraft roasted red pepper Italian with parmesan dressing
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 ½ pounds)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato-basil spaghetti sauce
4 ounces cubed cream cheese (I used fat-free)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 3 minutes of the pasta cooking time. (or steam broccoli separately). Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, turn chicken over; continue cooking 4-5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Drain pasta, return pasta to pan and set aside. Add pasta sauce and cream cheese to chicken in skillet; cook on medium-low heat 2-3 minutes, or until cream cheese is completely melted, mixture is well blended and chicken is coated with sauce, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm. Add sauce mixture to pasta mixture; mix well. Transfer to 6 serving bowls.

Cut chicken crosswise into thick slices. Fan out chicken over pasta mixture in each bowl. Sprinkle evenly with parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings, about 1 ½ cups each.

**I cooked two regular breasts of chicken. When it was cooked through, I cut it into bite-sized pieces, smaller would have also worked. I only then added it to the pan and began to cook it up with the dressing and garlic. Also, to serve, I mixed the entire mixture together instead of removing the chicken and fanning it out pretty on top, which would have also been nice.

Italian Chicken

Justin wooed me with this simple and delicious recipe from his mother when we were dating. It has since become a family favorite. Of course, I'm the one who makes it now, LOL!

Ingredients
4 large frozen chicken breasts
6 slices provolone cheese
1 jar or can of your favorite spaghetti sauce ($.82 Hunts Chunky Garden recently)

Directions:
Place chicken in baking dish. Pour entire can of sauce over the chicken. Bake covered for 60-75 minutes. Remove from oven; drape cheese over the chicken. Recover, continue to cook for 15-25 more minutes.