Mediterranean Chicken Skillet

As longtime readers probably know, most of the food I cook tends to be in the "quick and easy weeknight dinner" category, and something is about to happen to ensure that the food I cook stays in that vein. That's right, folks: Next week, I will officially be a soccer mom. My oldest son starts soccer practice next week, and to say that he is excited about it would be a massive understatement. As for me...I just can't believe my baby is old enough to play soccer.

I'll be shuttling him to and from practice a couple of nights a week, and of course he'll have his games on the weekends, so our evenings are about to get crazy crazier. That's one reason why I'll be making this skillet dinner, and other meals like it, so often in the coming months.

Another reason why I'll be making this one over and over again is that it. is. so. very. good. Filled with artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, and olives, and topped with a generous sprinkle of feta cheese, this Mediterranean-style skillet meal is loaded with flavors my whole family loves. I served ours on a bed of pasta, which worked wonderfully, but brown rice, quinoa, or lentils would be healthy alternatives. The night I made this, Joe was on a business phone call upstairs while I was preparing dinner, so I even cooked this while wrangling two small boys with no assistance -- and it was still effortless. That is definitely my kind of meal.

Mediterranean Chicken Skillet

slightly adapted from The Sweets Life

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large or 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

4 cloves minced garlic

5 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 14-ounce can of quartered artichoke hearts

1/4 cup sliced green or kalamata olives

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Greek seasoning

2 cups baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced

Feta cheese, crumbled

Cooked pasta or rice for serving, if desired

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until chicken is browned. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds.

2. Stir in tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, and spices. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

3. Stir in spinach and cook until spinach is wilted. If desired, serve mixture over rice or pasta. Sprinkle with feta before serving.

Spinach-Artichoke Bites

I've actually made these spinach-artichoke bites a few times now, and I just haven't shared them yet, which is truly a travesty. I first came up with this idea back in March, when I was planning my sister-in-law's baby shower. Inspired by these cheesy corn bites, I decided to fill tortilla cups with spinach-artichoke dip for easy eating. Every time I make these, they are the first thing to disappear, and everyone raves about them.

Spinach-artichoke dip is one of those things I do a little bit differently every time I make it, and this time I added chopped roasted red peppers to the mix (since I was making these for a Christmas celebration, I thought the colors would be festive). I absolutely loved the addition of the roasted red peppers, and I think I'll be adding them to my dip all the time now!

Spinach-Artichoke Bites

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 roasted red peppers, patted dry and diced
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 bag cup-shaped tortilla chips (like Tostitos scoops)

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add garlic and artichokes to saucepan and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in spinach and roasted red peppers. Add cream cheese and sour cream and stir until smooth and thoroughly combined. Add 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and the parmesan and stir until melted. Remove from heat.

3. Arrange tortilla cups on the prepared baking sheet. Add about a tablespoon of the dip to each cup. Sprinkle each cup with remaining mozzarella cheese.

4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the cheese on top is melted. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta

Some ingredients are soul mates, just absolutely meant to be paired together, and spinach and artichoke are definitely two of those ingredients. I know I’ve made something similar to this before, but when Carrie raved about it on her blog, I just knew I had to try this version. I’m so glad that I did. This pasta is creamy, spinachy-artichokey, cheesy deliciousness. The boys just loved it, and didn’t even mind the flecks of green in their pasta. Joe and I really enjoyed this too, and found it to be a hearty, flavorful, meatless meal. And, it seriously only takes about 15 minutes to make. A win-win-win!

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta
adapted from Carrie’s Sweet Life

12 ounces penne pasta
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 13.5-ounce can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup sour cream
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 10-ounce package chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta. Drain, return to pot, and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and artichokes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the onions are tender and translucent. Add the garlic; cook and stir 1 additional minute. Add sour cream, cream cheese, and parmesan and heat through until completely melted. Stir in spinach.

4. Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese to the sauce mixture. If the mixture seems to dry, add reserved pasta water a bit at a time.

5. Pour pasta into a greased baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Broil 3 to 5 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Artichoke-Crusted Chicken

Oh man, you guys, it has been a DAY. Seriously. The short version is this: During a treacherous drive to work this morning in the snow, my windshield wipers quit working. On the salty, icy roads, with the wind blowing hard and other cars spraying their slush onto my windshield. Needless to say, I did not try to drive the rest of the way to work. Luckily this happened right by a fast food restaurant, so I was able to nurse a cup of coffee while I waited for Joe to arrive to trade cars with me. My knight in shining armor a gray Impala.

My morning’s adventures have put me in a Mood. Not only do I now have the windshield wipers to deal with, there is also the fact that for a couple of weeks now, the heat in my car hasn’t been blowing on high. Oh, it blows hot air all right, but it blows it in puffs. These two factors, plus the fact that I need new tires, have had me stewing all day. Stupid car. Stupid Ohio winter.

On days like this, the last thing I want to do when I get home is cook an involved dinner that generates lots of dishes. On days like this, I want something quick and low-maintenance so I can just put on my comfy clothes, curl up on the couch with my family, and not think about anything, especially potentially expensive car repairs. This chicken dish would be perfect for a night like tonight. It’s ready in minutes, it’s simple without being boring, and it tastes so good. Joe, in particular, really liked this. It basically tastes like artichoke dip on top of chicken – there’s nothing not to love.

So yes, this would be the perfect thing to make on a night like tonight...but I’m not making it tonight. Instead, I’m throwing up my hands and ordering Chinese take-out. Don’t judge me.

Artichoke-Crusted Chicken
adapted from Sugarlaws

4 6-ounce chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2/3 cup grated Swiss cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Salt and pepper the chicken and then sauté each chicken breast in a skillet over medium-high heat, for about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once, or until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Set aside.

2. Mix together the mayonnaise, artichoke hearts and Swiss cheese until evenly distributed. Spread the mixture over the chicken breasts, and then broil for about 3 minutes, watching them to be sure they don’t burn. When the cheese is melted and bubbling and the tops are golden, remove and serve.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Pizza

The thing I love most about food blogging is connecting with others through food. Food is such a universal language, and it’s been so much fun for me to share the recipes my family loves with all of you – and to hear about the ones that you love as well. I get lots of e-mails from readers and friends, recommending a certain recipe or dish to me because they thought it sounded like something I would like. I think that’s so cool! And apparently I am very transparent, because whenever this happens (and it happens a lot!), the recipe is almost always something I’ve already had my eye on for quite some time. Either that, or it’s something I can’t believe I hadn’t already thought of myself – like this pizza.

My friend Jessie e-mailed me about this pizza soon after she tried a version of it at a pizza place. She said she couldn’t wait to share it with me, and that she knew it was something I would love. And as soon as she described it in her e-mail, I knew I would without question be trying it. I put it on the menu that very week.

Spinach artichoke dip. On pizza. It’s...I just...I can’t even, you guys. I can’t describe how amazing this pizza tastes. There are just no words. So, okay, it’s far from the healthiest thing to have for dinner...But it’s the perfect meal for a once-in-a-while indulgence. Give it a try, and tell me it’s not the best thing you’ve ever tasted.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Pizza
inspired by Jessie

1 pizza crust (store-bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can artichokes in water, drained and roughly chopped
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup sour cream or mayonnaise
A few tablespoons of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded Italian-blend cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Pre-bake pizza crust, if necessary, according to the directions on the package or your recipe.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add artichokes and cook for a few minutes.

3. Stir in spinach, cream cheese, sour cream or mayonnaise, milk, salt and pepper, and 1 cup of cheese. Stir until completely blended and smooth. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

4. Spread dip mixture on top of pizza crust, leaving a half-inch border around the edges. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese, parmesan and halved tomatoes.

5. Bake according to package directions or recipe, until crust is browned and crispy.

Spinach-Artichoke Chicken Melts

This recipe is based on a sandwich I had at a restaurant during a business lunch a while ago. As soon as I read the description on the menu -- “chicken breast with spinach & artichoke dip on toasted sourdough” -- I knew I’d be ordering it, and probably also duplicating it at home. I think I had it on our menu the following week.

I don’t know why I never thought of using spinach-artichoke dip as a sandwich spread before. It’s the perfect consistency for spreading, and its flavors would work really well on lots of types of sandwiches. For this sandwich, I made a quick stovetop version of spinach-artichoke dip, spread it on toasted slices of wheat bread, and topped it with a seasoned chicken cutlet. It was so simple and so delicious. Depending on how many sandwiches you make and how much of the dip you use on each sandwich, you’ll probably have some dip left over. But I definitely encourage you to make the full amount. Having leftover spinach-artichoke dip on hand is never a bad thing.

Spinach-Artichoke Chicken Melts
inspired by The Claddaugh

2 chicken breast cutlets, pounded thin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 15-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Toasted bread

1. Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and sauté in olive oil over medium-high heat until cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic cloves; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in cream cheese, artichokes, and spinach; cook until cream cheese is completely melted. (If needed, add a small amount of milk to desired consistency.) Stir in cheeses.

3. To assemble sandwiches, spread dip on one slice of toasted bread. Top with a chicken cutlet and the other slice of bread. Enjoy!

Rustic Chicken

I’m just warning you now, I’ll probably be sharing quite a few chicken recipes this month. It’s been on sale at both of my regular grocery stores a lot lately, so it’s been on our menu frequently. But if any of you are anything like me, you’re always on the hunt for new and different chicken recipes, so hopefully I’ll post a poultry-centric dish this month that catches your eye.

Take this “rustic chicken,” for instance. It’s aptly named, I think, because it does look pretty rustic once it’s prepared. In the words of Joe, “Wow, this tastes so much better than it looks!” Oh, my silly husband.

It really does, though. With mushrooms, artichokes, bacon, and stuffed olives, this dish has such earthy, complex flavor. It comes together quickly, and it’s hearty and delicious. I served ours over spaghetti noodles tossed with a bit of butter and some parmesan cheese, and although Andrew seemed to mostly only eat the noodles, I’m going to go ahead and say that my whole family loved this!

Rustic Chicken
adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking

6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch strips
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, quartered
1 packet dry chicken gravy mix
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup stuffed green olives

1. Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.

2. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the onions. Cook until tender, then add the mushrooms. Push the mushrooms and onions to the side and add the chicken. Cook until the chicken browns, then add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium.

3. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Serve over pasta.

Spinach and Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese

Ahhh, spinach and artichokes. It’s one of those classic ingredient combinations that almost everyone seems to love. Spinach and artichokes are delicious in dip, even better in lasagna, but they may never taste better together than they do in this macaroni and cheese.

I can’t say enough good things about this dish. It’s fast, flavorful, budget-friendly and so incredibly delicious. Joe and Andrew both loved it too, and it was a great way to sneak some extra vegetables into my toddler. I’ve found I can hide just about anything in macaroni and cheese and he’ll eat it. Needless to say, this dish will be making many repeat appearances in our house!

Spinach and Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese
source: adapted from Rachael Ray

1 pound short-cut pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups milk
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 can chopped artichoke hearts in water, drained
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

1. Place a large pot of water over high heat to cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, salt it well and drop in the pasta. Cook to al dente, according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and reserve.

2. While the pasta is cooking, place a medium pot over medium-low heat with the olive oil and the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook the veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes.

3. Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, then whisk the chicken stock into the pan, cooking for another minute. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste to the sauce and simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.

4. Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle more of the cheeses over the top and broil under low heat until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown.

Foil-Pack Chicken with Artichokes, Tomatoes, and Rice

It seems like I’m all about the rice dishes lately, huh? I’ve now posted three rice-centric recipes in a row. Hopefully later this week I’ll have a little bit more variety for you!

I’m a huge fan of foil-packet dinners like this -- they’re sort of like one-pot wonders, only wrapped in foil instead. This is a complete meal in one, with chicken, vegetables, a starch, and even a delicious sauce. We all really liked this meal a lot. I pretty much stuck to the original recipe, except I used brown rice, adjusted for serving size and added a sprinkle of cheese to the top of each packet (because cheese makes everything better, right?). This was so incredibly low-maintenance, and really flavorful and delicious too. Can’t beat that!

Foil-Pack Chicken with Artichokes, Tomatoes, and Rice
source: adapted from Kraft Foods

1 1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
1 1/2 cups warm chicken stock
3 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves, 1/2 inch thick

Salt and pepper to taste
1 can artichoke hearts, drained, quartered
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/4 cup pesto
Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 400°.

2. Mix rice and chicken stock; spoon onto centers of 3 large sheets heavy-duty foil. Top with chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top chicken with artichokes and tomatoes; drizzle with combined dressing and pesto.

3. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and both ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place on a baking sheet with rimmed edges.

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove packets from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut slits in foil with sharp knife to release steam before opening. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

You have to make this lasagna immediately. Like, change your meal plans for tonight and have this instead. On Veteran's Day, I can't think of a better dish to serve the hero in your life than a huge piece of this creamy, cheesy, comforting spinach artichoke lasagna.

You know what this lasagna tastes like? It tastes like spinach artichoke dip. But with lasagna noodles. If that isn't enough of a selling point, well, I don't know what else to say.

This was also my first experience using no-boil lasagna noodles, and I think I'm in love. I realize I'm about two years too late with my infatuation, but seriously: Have you used no-boil noodles? There are no torn noodles or burnt fingers to worry about or anything! My life will never be the same.

This post is sort of all over the place, but the main thing I want to tell you is this: Make this lasagna soon. It's delicious. We all loved it, including Andrew. This was a great way to get some iron-rich spinach into him. It's a new family favorite for sure.

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
source: inspired by Better Homes and Gardens

9 no-boil lasagna noodles
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 boxes chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 15-ounce carton ricotta cheese
1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

1 egg
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half or light cream

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add artichokes, onion and half of the garlic; season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened and the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese, the spinach, the egg, and salt and pepper as needed.

2. In a small bowl or glass measure, combine broth and flour. In the large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic; cook and stir until garlic is tender but not browned. Stir in flour mixture and half-and-half. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

3. In a small bowl, combine mozzarella cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

4. To assemble, spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of an ungreased 3-quart shallow baking dish. Layer three of the noodles in the dish. Spread with one-third of the spinach-artichoke mixture and one-third of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella mixture. Repeat layering noodles, spinach-artichoke mixture, sauce, and mozzarella mixture two more times, ending with cheese.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes until edges are bubbly and top is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Artichoke Bread

I've had my eye on this bread for quite some time now, and I finally got the chance to make it last night. I'm so glad I did, because it was absolutely delicious! The artichoke topping is incredibly creamy and flavorful and pairs so perfectly with the crispy bread. It reminded me a lot of hot artichoke dip. I followed Megan's suggestion and sprinkled some chopped parsley on the top, and I loved the freshness it added. I don't really know what else to say about this bread; it was simply amazing and will definitely be repeated in our house!

Killer Artichoke Bread
source: Megan's Cookin', who got it from Smoky Mountain Cafe

1/4 cup butter

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (I used colby because I had it on hand)

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1 French bread loaf (I used half an Italian loaf I had left over from a previous meal)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the artichoke hearts, cheeses, sour cream, and salt and pepper. Stir to blend. Remove from the heat and cool.

2. Slice the bread lengthwise. Spoon the artichoke mixture evenly onto the bread. Broil until cheese has melted and bread is hot. Top with chopped parsley and cut into slices.

Tuscan-Style Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

Do you ever see a recipe and think to yourself, "Mmm, that sounds good, I think I'll give it a try." And you make it, and then it tastes SO MUCH BETTER THAN YOU EVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED? These sandwiches are that kind of food. Joe liked them so much he begged for me to make them again the next night. I liked them so much I actually posted a link to the recipe on Facebook. Seriously. We both liked them so much we almost cried over the SHEER JOY OF EATING THEM. You think I'm exaggerating, don't you? I promise, I'm not.

If I were to pinpoint one thing that made this such an awesome sandwich, I'd have to say it's the pesto mayonnaise. It worked so well with the rest of the flavors and tied them all together in a way that was just absolutely perfect. We will be having these sandwiches again soon, and we will be having them on a regular basis FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES. If I could reach through your computer screens and force you to try them, I would. But since I can't, I'll just assure you that if you do try them, I know you'll love them just as much as we did. We ate ours with a side of zucchini cakes, which were a quick and tasty accompaniment.

Tuscan-Style Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
source: Epicurious

1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons prepared pesto
2 4x4-inch squares focaccia or ciabatta (I used a sweet Italian loaf, cut in half and sliced sub-style, and grilled)
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
Olive oil
4 thin slices fresh mozzarella (I used 6 thick slices, 3 per sandwich. I love my fresh mozzarella!)
2 canned artichoke hearts, drained, thinly sliced
1 plum tomato, thinly sliced
1 cup mixed baby greens (omitted)

1. Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Combine mayonnaise and pesto in small bowl; whisk to blend.

2. Brush chicken lightly with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to cutting board; cool slightly. Cut chicken on sharp diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices (I did this with Joe's sandwich, but I kept mine whole, which I would recommend because it keeps the juices in).

3. Spread pesto mayonnaise onto cut surfaces of bread. Layer chicken, mozzarella, artichokes, and tomato onto bottom halves. Top with bread tops.

Creamy Artichoke Alfredo Sauce

I made this pasta dish for my own birthday dinner on Saturday evening. And wow, was it good! This has a lot of the same flavors as hot artichoke dip, and it was completely satisfying, creamy and delicious. It's certainly not the kind of thing you'd want to eat every day, what with all the sour cream and heavy cream and all, but it's nice to splurge every once in a while. And what better time than my birthday to do so?

I was initially worried that the lemon flavor would be too strong in this -- Joe's not a big fan of lemon -- but it was actually really subtle. Joe and I both really liked this, and so did our little Andrew...

...even though some of it didn't make it all the way to his mouth!

Creamy Artichoke Alfredo Sauce
Source: seen on A Taste of Home Cooking; adapted recipe from GroupRecipes

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1 13.75-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Pasta of your choice (I used fettucine)

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Increase heat to medium-high, add artichokes, and cook until slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, 1 cup heavy cream, parmesan, and lemon zest and juice.

6. Cook over low heat, do not boil, until ingredients are heated through, about 2 minutes.

7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8. Toss cooked pasta with sauce and the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream. Sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired.

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta

I am always printing off recipes I find online. I stuff all of them into a massive notebook that's already way too full of them -- so full that it will barely close. Because this system is so unorganized, most of those recipes go unused because it's too much of a hassle to sort through all of them to find what I'm looking for.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I found myself with a little bit of spare time, and I decided to organize all of these recipes. I bought a huge three-ring binder, sheet protectors, and labeled dividers, and I threw myself into the project. And now, I have a very well-organized place for all of my internet recipes to call home.

To celebrate, all of our meals this week are coming from that binder. They're all internet recipes I printed out ages ago and haven't yet tried. Last night, I made the first one -- and WOW, was it a winner!

I love the combination of spinach and artichokes, and I love cream cheese, and I love pasta, so when I found a recipe for creamy spinach artichoke pasta I immediately started salivating. This pasta was so, so good. I made a few changes to the recipe, and they were good ones: I added one chopped roasted red pepper, as well as some additional hot sauce and some black pepper, and I topped it all with bread crumbs mixed with melted butter before I put it in the oven. Without these things, I think the pasta may have been too bland. I loved the creaminess of this dish. I can't think of one way I could improve upon it. This is our new favorite pasta dish, and I can tell it's going to become a regular in our house. When I told Joe -- a self-professed hater of leftovers -- that we were having the rest of it tonight for dinner, he was actually happy -- and that's a real testament to how good this is!

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Source: Recipezaar

12 ounces campanelle pasta (I used rigatoni)
1 (12 ounce) package cream cheese or neufchatel cheese (I used an 8-ounce block of cream cheese, which was plenty)
3/4 cup sour cream (increased to 1 cup)
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I eyeballed it, but probably used about a teaspoon)
2 cups shredded swiss cheese
1 (13 3/4 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, halved
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs, mixed with melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cook pasta according to directions, drain; return to pot; reserve.

3. In large bowl at medium speed beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth; reduce speed to low; add milk, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and hot sauce.

4. Beat until combined, 30 seconds; stir in 1 1/2 cups swiss cheese, artichokes, spinach and roasted red pepper.

5. Pour over pasta; toss to combine.

6. Spoon pasta mixture into a shallow baking dish; sprinkle with remaining swiss cheese, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

7. Bake until heated through, 30 minutes. If desired, to brown cheese broil 1 minute.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Artichokes, Lemon and Goat Cheese

I was a little bit disappointed with how this meal turned out, I think because I have been wanting to try this dish for so long. When I first came across it, I was pregnant, and goat cheese was off limits. Then, Andrew was born, and I was busy doing other things besides cooking. I never forgot about this recipe, though, and as soon as I got back in the kitchen full time I was still just dying to try it.

I think part of the problem with this meal was the herbed goat cheese I bought. The only kind the grocery store had was pre-blended with roasted garlic and tons of basil. Normally I would love this, but since the recipe calls for lemon zest in the filling, the basil in the goat cheese made it taste waaaaay too lemony. Also, if I were to make this again (and I probably will, because I'd like to see how it tastes with just regular goat cheese), I think I'd use artichoke hearts in water instead of the marinated ones. I understand that Cooking Light was trying to bump up the flavors so taste wasn't sacrificed in favor of healthfulness; but there was almost too much flavor in the filling. The meal did have its good points, though: The chicken was very moist; the filling was flavorful, even if it was a bit too tangy; and the boxed rice pilaf I served as a side dish was quite tasty.

Without further ado, here's a photo of my (hideously monochromatic) plate and the recipe.


Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Artichokes, Lemon and Goat Cheese
Source: The Best of Cooking Light (page 213)

2 1/2 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 3-ounce package herbed goat cheese
4 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray (I used olive oil)

1. Preheat oven to 375º.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients; stir well.

3. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Top each breast half with 2 tablespoons cheese mixture; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Tuck in sides, and secure each roll with wooden picks.

4. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Wrap handle of pan with foil, and bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is done.

Shells Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach and Artichokes

Sometimes I surprise myself with how tasty some of my kitchen creations are. I don't just "make up" recipes very often; I usually use cookbooks or the internet and then add or change ingredients as I see fit.

That being said -- I don't know where I dreamed this recipe up, and I was surprised by how well it turned out. I think the idea for it started with the spinach artichoke dip I made a couple of weeks ago. I started thinking how good spinach and artichokes would be with pasta in a creamy cheesy sauce, but instead of just making a plain pasta dish, I decided to stuff some pasta shells. Hence, this creation.

I used a whole box of jumbo pasta shells and a large container of ricotta cheese, so I had a lot of both left over -- much more than just Joe and I could eat. I went ahead and made about half for us, then froze the other half for a future meal. I'll be interested to see how well they froze. (Incidentally, we loved this with sausage -- but ground chicken or turkey would probably be good in here too, and much more figure-friendly!)


Shells Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach and Artichokes
Source: Cassie

1 box jumbo pasta shells
1 pound Italian sausage
1 large container ricotta cheese
1 box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk
2 cups Italian-blend shredded cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta shells according to package directions, just to al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

2. Brown sausage in a medium skillet; remove from heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, spinach and artichokes. Add cooled sausage to mixture.

4. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When butter is melted, stir in flour. Continue to stir and cook for one minute until flour is thoroughly combined. Add milk and cook until sauce begins to thicken. Add cheeses to sauce, along with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Stuff each shell with the ricotta mixture and place in a greased baking dish. Pour sauce over stuffed shells. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in a 350° oven until sauce begins to bubble, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I've been meaning to post the recipes from the bachelorette party I hosted for about a week now, but who knew a seven-week-old would need so much attention? Sheesh! Andrew has been wearing me out lately, but he's fast asleep now so I finally found myself with a few minutes to spare. Both of my blogs have been sorely neglected lately, but hopefully that'll change soon.


Anyway, the party went really well. I think the bride-to-be had a really great time, and I know she appreciated all the hard work I put in to make sure that happened! Turns out, I made way too much food, but that's okay -- she didn't mind the leftovers! Here's the spread:


One of my co-workers made a fantastic spinach artichoke dip for the baby shower they had for me at work, so I asked her to share the recipe with me so I could make it for the party. I have no idea if this is her recipe or if she got it from somewhere, but wherever it came from, one thing is for sure: It's wonderful. I love spinach artichoke dip, anyway, but this one is especially good. My changes to her recipe are in purple.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Source: Kristy

1/2 teaspoon garlic

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 mozzarella cheese

1 14-ounce can artichoke harts, drained and finely sliced

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients until well mixed.

2. Spoon into a 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish. Top with additional mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.