Creamy Asparagus & Walnut Pasta

Adapted from Food 52

 

Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti
1 lb. asparagus
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
Parmesan cheese for garnish
¼ c. walnuts, chopped

Directions
1. Cook pasta. Reserve 1 ¼ cups water. 
 
2. Meanwhile, cut off asparagus ends, and cut the remaining spears into bite-sized pieces. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Heat garlic, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add asparagus to the pan and 1/3 cup reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover skillet and cook 5-8 minutes, or until asparagus is tender.

3. Using an emersion blender or food processor, blend 1/3 of the cooked asparagus and ¼ cup reserved pasta water.

4. Combine asparagus sauce, remaining cooked asparagus, and pasta. Stir in lemon juice and parmesan; adding additional pasta water to keep sauce loose as necessary. Heat until warmed through, top with chopped walnuts, and serve.

Baked Buttermilk Chicken Tenders with Everything Sauce

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup cups bread crumbs
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
 
Everything Sauce Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, diced
3/4 cup milk
½ tsp basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Directions
1. Pour buttermilk into freezer bag with chicken strips; refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. Prepare Everything Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute – mixture will be crumbly. Add diced jalapeño, and cook 3-4 minutes until pepper is tender. Pour in milk, whisk until smooth and sauce begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. Combine jalapeño mix and remaining sauce ingredients using an immersion blender or food processor. Place in refrigerator to chill.

3. Prepare breading station: Combine breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, paprika, and cayenne pepper in an 8x8 baking dish. Cover a small baking sheet or plate with tin foil; this will not be the pan you bake the chicken tenders on.

4. Once chicken has marinated, shake excess buttermilk off each piece of chicken and coat in seasoned bread crumbs; place on prepared foil-lined plate. Once all of the chicken is coated, refrigerate for 10-15 minutes which will help set the breading.

5. Preheat oven to 400. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper (do not use foil because the chicken will stick to it). Bake chicken 10 minutes until golden, then flip and bake another 5 minutes. For added crispiness, broil 1-2 minutes per side.

Brown Butter Chicken Fettuccine

Adapted from How Sweet Eats

 

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into pieces

Salt & pepper, to taste

½ tsp paprika

1 ½ Tbsp canola oil

6 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 medium onion, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup dry white wine

8-oz noodle pasta

2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

 

Directions

1. Heat oil a large skillet over medium-high heat; season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook 8-10 minutes until fully cooked; plate and set aside.

 

2. Reduce skillet heat to low. Melt ½ Tbsp butter and caramelize onions, taking about 15 minutes. Once onions are caramelized, add wine and let cook for 2-3 minutes.

 

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta. Also heat small saucepan over low heat, and melt remaining 5 Tbsp butter. Whisk until butter has brown bits on the bottom, then immediately remove from heat.

 

4. Once pasta is cooked, combine pasta, onions, butter sauce, and parmesan cheese.

Crispy Polenta with Sausage Stew

Adapted from Barbara Bakes
Ingredients - Stew
1 pound chicken sausage
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
¼ tsp chili flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups baby spinach
28-oz. can whole tomatoes
1 cup frozen or fresh corn
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 large potatoes
 
Ingredients - Polenta
4 ½ cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup instant polenta
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup grated parmesan
 
Directions
1. Lightly grease a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a Dutch oven or saucepan, boil water, then slowly pour polenta in to water whisking constantly until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter and Parmesan. Pour polenta into prepared baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour until polenta is firm.

3. Meanwhile, parboil potatoes: Peel potatoes, and cut to similar sizes if uneven. Fill the Dutch oven with room temperature water, high enough to cover the potatoes. With potatoes in the pot, bring water to a boil, and cook (7-10 min for small / 12-15 for large). Once done, remove potatoes from hot water, and immediately submerge them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Dice into bite sized pieces.

4. Remove the polenta from the refrigerator and cut into triangles with a sharp knife. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Grill polenta in the skillet, about 5-6 minutes per side until crispy and lightly browned. Plate and set aside; cover to keep warm.

5. At the same time, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, and cook chicken sausage until browned.  Add onion, and cook until soft. Then add the garlic and chili flakes, and cook for one minute. Add spinach to sausage mixture, cover and wilt spinach for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and corn and bring to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Using the same skillet as the polenta, grill the parboiled diced potatoes until crispy on all sides.

7. Serve the polenta topped with the sausage stew and the crispy potatoes.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

I recommend serving with Spanish Rice-a-Roni. If chicken breasts are too thin, prepare them as roll ups, placing the cheese mixture on one end of the piece, folding  over, and securing with tooth picks.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken
Adapted from Elly Says Opa

Prep Time: 15 min / Cook time: 30 min
Serves 2

Ingredients
½ cup bread crumbs
2 tsp. canola oil
2 tsp taco seasoning
1 egg
2-oz cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1 lb. chicken breasts

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a oven-save baking sheet with cooking oil and set aside.

2. In a small skillet over medium heat, combine breadcrumbs and canola oil. Stir often, and cook until breadcrumbs are golden and crisped. Stir in taco seasoning, and place mixture in a shallow dish; season with salt and pepper as necessary.

3. In a small bowl, beat egg.  In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and jalapeños.

4. Cut a pocket into each chicken breast, divide cheese mixture evenly between each chicken breast’s pocket. Use toothpicks to secure, if necessary.

5. Dip chicken pieces into the egg mixture, and then the breadcrumb mixture; make sure chicken is fully coated. Place chicken on the prepared baking sheet and cook 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.