I was meaning to take pictures of this deliciousness, I didn’t get to it but still want to share them.
The first recipe is Pasta Primavera, given to me by my good friend, Charu, for one of my bridal showers.
Pasta Primavera
- 1 lb Pene Pasta
- 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 cloves garlic cloves (Jake and I LOVE garlic, so i think we put in 6!)
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1 bunch asparagus cut into 1″ pieces (optional, asparagus is expensive so we skipped this)
- 1 sweet red pepper sliced
- 1 yellow pepper sliced
- 1 c cherry tomatoes halved
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 Tbs grated parmesan (ALWAYS use real parmesan, not the kind from a can, it’s so much better!)
Instructions
- Cook pasta until al dente (reserve 1/4 c of the pasta water)
- Heat 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. (you can use a bigger sauce pan if you are substituting veggies or adding more than called for, this recipe is really flexible. I suggest a sauce pan because it holds more and reduces risk of spilling once the half and half is added)
- Add oil & garlic, cook 1-2 mins
- Add carrots, cook 4 mins
- Add asparagus, cover, cook 8 mins (if skipping asparagus, still cover the carrots and cook them for 8 more minutes, remember to remove lid and stir frequently as to not burn the carrots)
- Uncover, add peppers, cook 5 mins
- Add Cherry tomatoes, salt & pepper. Stir in half & half and pasta water.
- Drain pasta, transfer to bowl
- Pour sauce/veggies over pasta, sprinkle with parmesan; toss and serve
Jake and I ate this for dinner for at least 3 nights and then he had it for lunch the 5 days following that, this makes a TON of food! And it is SOO good!
Chicken Corn Chowder (From the lovely Allissa Alvord)
In crock pot, combine
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed
- 2 cans Cream of Potato Soup
- 1 1/2 c chicken broth (you can use the broth from cooking the chicken breasts, OR you can use chicken stock, which is not the same as chicken broth. I used my own home made stock from boiling chicken thighs (for another recipe). After the thighs were cooked, I removed them from the water, cut off the meat and threw the bones and skin back in the water. You may also throw in some chopped carrots, onions and celery to make a really nice stock. Simmer for at least another hour (up to 3 hours). Be sure to remove the white frothy stuff that comes to the surface. Pour your stock into a glass jar and place in the fridge, the fat will form a seal at the top and your stock is ready for use whenever you need it. When you are ready to use it, scrape off the fat from the top, the stock should have a jello-y consistency. I think that this chowder was especially good for me because I used stock instead of broth)
- 1 1/2 c frozen mixed veggies
- 1 c frozen corn
- 1 t dill (I didn’t have any so I didn’t but this in and it still tasted WONDERFUL)
stir well, cook on low for 6-8 hours
when I went to eat ours, it wasn’t very thick because I had added some water (about 1/2 can), I added a Tbs or 2 of flower to thicken it, I’m not sure if this was needed, but it helped make it thicker. I also added 3 or 4 potatoes that I chopped into small pieces, which I really think helped with the flavor and thickness of the chowder. Jake and I love onions and we had about 1/2c or so left over chopped onions from another dinner, so I threw those in as well.
This chowder was amazing, have it with corn bread on the side. We ate this for dinner at least 3 nights, so it serves about 6 (with the potatoes and such added, could serve less without). I HIGHLY recommend this recipe (and it’s pretty cheap)!
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff (another tasty treat from Allissa)
in crock pot combine
- 1 lb Cubed beef stew meat
- 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1/2 c Chopped onion
- 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 c Water
cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours
- stir in 4 oz of Cream cheese just before serving
serve with noodles and and veggie of your choice 🙂 Serves about 6
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That’s all for now, more delicious recipes to come! (next time with pictures)
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