It's Pasta Night: Mediterranean Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

My mom has always had a thing for cookbooks and cooking magazines. Looking back, it almost strikes me as humorous because she very seldom tried a new recipe, and even less frequently do I remember her referencing a cookbook. As an adult she has given me many of the cooking magazines that she no longer wants. I've been going through them, pulling out the recipes that I would like to try and adding them to my recipe file. One of my best finds so far is a Land O'Lakes Recipe Collection: Fresh and Fast Pasta. Tonight I tried my first recipe from the collection, Mediterranean Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken. It was simple, tasty, and on the dinner table quickly. Best of all I had everything in my pantry, and the hubs loved it! Hooray for simple dinners!

Mediterranean Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

Adapted From: Land O Lakes Recipe Collections: Fresh and Fast Pasta

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive-oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 3/4 cups small pasta shells
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. While the olive oil is heating, season chicken with salt and pepper to taste on both sides. Cook the chicken for approximately 4 minutes on each side (the goal here is not to cook chicken through, but just to get a nice sear).

Meanwhile, while your chicken is cooking put the sun-dried tomatoes (discard the oil if they are packed in oil) and small onion into your mini food processor and give them a few pulses until they are well broken down. Put aside.

Remove chicken from heat, and tent with foil. Add chicken broth to the dutch oven and allow to come to a boil. Once the broth has come to a boil add the sun-dried tomatoes, onions, pasta, and return the chicken to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender and chicken is cooked through (the liquid will be pretty much absorbed).

Remove from heat. Stir in oregano, butter, and lemon juice.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

The Hub's Favorite Meal: Spaghetti and Meatballs with Pomodoro Sauce and Cheesey Garlic Bread on the Side

I've said it before, but I will say it again: my hubby is a very picky eater! One thing he loves is Italian food, in any and every form. His hands-down favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs. I found my recipe for spaghetti and meatballs one day when I was flipping through the television and happened to catch Tyler Florence making his Ultimate Spaghetti and Meatballs. I found the recipe online, modified it a bit to suit our tastes, and the rest is history. So for my hardworking hubby, here's his favorite meal: Spaghetti and Meatballs with Pomodoro Sauce and Cheesy Garlic Bread on the side.

Spaghetti and Meatballs with Pomodoro Sauce

Adapted from: Tyler Florence

Spaghetti and Meatballs:

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 cup milk
• 4 slices bread
• 1 pound ground turkey or beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• spaghetti

Pomodoro Sauce:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
  
• 3-28 ounce cans whole tomatoes or 3 quarts tomatoes, liquid reserved
  
• 1 tablespoon dried basil

For the Spaghetti and Meatballs:
In a large bowl, pour enough milk over your bread to moisten, and set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic. Cook until vegetables are soft; about 10 minutes (careful not to let them burn). Remove pan from heat and let cool.

For the Pomodoro Sauce:
While the onion and garlic are cooking for the meatballs, heat 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and 5 cloves of minced garlic; cook for about 5 minutes. Hand crush your tomatoes as you carefully add them to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and allow the sauce to come to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

For the Spaghetti and Meatballs:
While your onions and garlic are cooling, grab a large mixing bowl and add: ground turkey or beef, egg, parmesan cheese, and dried parsley (do not mix together yet). Grab your bread and gently squeeze the excess milk out of it, and then tear up and add to meat mixture. Add your cooled onions and garlic (hold onto your pan, you'll need it to cook your meatballs in), and gently combine all ingredients with your hands (be careful not to overwork). Divide into 10 equal pieces and shape into meatballs.

Heat approximately 3 tablespoons of olive oil in your skillet, and brown your meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes (don't be concerned if your meatballs are not completely cooked through; they'll finish cooking in the oven).

While your meatballs are cooking do the following: preheat the oven to 350, add dried basil and parsley to pomodoro sauce, and put a large pot of water on to boil for your spaghetti.

Place your meatballs in a glass baking dish, and spoon about half of your pomodoro sauce over them. Shower with a generous handful of mozzarella cheese. Place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

While your meatballs are cooking, reduce the heat on the remaining pomodoro sauce, and cook the spaghetti in boiling water until tender. This recipe could probably accommodate up to 1 pound of spaghetti, but cook the amount that you will need to feed your family in one meal. Drain spaghetti and set aside.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Adapted from: Cooks Country Cookbook

• 5 large garlic cloves, grated
• 8 tablespoons room-temperature butter (1 stick)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon water
• 1 loaf French Bread, sliced in half horizontally
• 1-8 oz bag shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400. Cook 1 tablespoon butter, water, and garlic in a small nonstick skillet over low heat, until straw-colored, 7 to 10 minutes.

Mix cooked garlic with remaining butter and spread on cut sides of bread. Sandwich bread back together and wrap loaf in aluminum foil. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Unwrap bread and place buttered side up on baking sheet. Return to oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set oven to broil.

Combine Italian seasoning with cheese, and sprinkle over bread. Broil until cheese is melted and crisp, 1-2 minutes (watch very carefully!).

Serve immediately and enjoy!