Chicken Parmesan Pasta

Raise your hand if you're tired of me posting chicken recipes! Listen, I am well aware that at least 85% of the savory dishes I post here involve chicken in some way. There are a few reasons for this: 1.) Chicken goes on sale all the time, and when you cook on a budget like I do, that is a very good thing; 2.) It's so versatile; it can be stuffed or shredded or breaded or pounded, and can be used in pretty much every ethnic cuisine there is; and 3.) It is the only meat my children will eat. Well, sometimes I can get them to eat pork, but that's about it. Besides, I think everyone is always looking for new chicken recipes, right? Maybe I should just rename my blog to "Cassie Craves Chicken" and be done with it. ;)

So here's yet another chicken recipe for you, and this one? This one, my friends, is a real winner. I've made it a handful of times now and it is safe to say that it's solidly on the Family Favorites list. It's a simple, quick way to enjoy chicken parmesan, and it cooks entirely on the stovetop, so there's no need to even turn on the oven. Best of all, it's absolutely delicious!

Chicken Parmesan Pasta

adapted from Creative Kitchen

1 pound chicken tenders, cut into chunks

1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

Italian seasoning to taste

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced (you can use fresh, block, or do what I do, which is use some of the boys' string cheese)

1 pound penne or other short pasta

2 tablespoons butter

Additional parmesan cheese

1. Place the breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese in a plastic freezer bag. Dip the chicken chunks in egg, then add to the bag and shake to evenly coat.

2. Heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken in an even layer and cook on all sides until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a baking sheet, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm in the oven.

3. Cook the pasta to al dente in boiling salted water; drain, return to pot, and add 2 tablespoons of butter and a handful of parmesan cheese. Stir until melted.

4. Drain and wipe the skillet you used for the chicken, then return it to the heat and add the one tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Add onion and season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is softened. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds, then stir in the spaghetti sauce. Add Italian seasoning and additional salt and pepper to taste.

4. Combine pasta, reserved chicken pieces, sauce, and diced mozzarella and stir to combine. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese and serve.

Peach Blondies

Now that summer is starting to wind down (finally! already!), I'm taking advantage of all of the fresh summer produce while it's still available. Peaches are definitely my favorite of the fruits in that category, and I'm a little sad that I didn't get to bake with them more this year. I need a board on Pinterest specifically for all of the peachy baked goods I've pinned lately!

I did make these peach blondies earlier this summer, and they were a huge hit with everyone who tried them. The peaches keep the blondies so moist, and the brown sugar and cinnamon give them such a rich, warm flavor. To guild the lily, I whipped up a quick cream cheese glaze for the blondies using some peach nectar I drained from a little plastic cup of the boys' peaches. Although the glaze is definitely optional, I highly recommend it. I thought it complemented the blondies perfectly. Although if you don't feel like making the glaze, I big scoop of vanilla ice cream would be perfect with these...just sayin'.

Peach Blondies

adapted from From Apples to Zucchini

For the blondies:

2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced

For the glaze:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon peach nectar

1. Combine brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla and mix until well-blended. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and add to wet ingredients. Fold in peaches. Spread evenly in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

2. To make the glaze, mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and peach nectar until fully combined. If the mixture is too thick, add more peach nectar. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. Spread glaze over blondies.

Chicken with Feta, Roasted Tomatoes, and Garlic Butter Spinach Spaghetti

We had this meal this past Friday night, and it was so fantastic I just couldn't wait to share it with you. It was borne from a surplus of spinach and tomatoes in my fridge, neither of which I had a plan for, and both of which were nearing the end of their freshness. Needless to say, both ingredients found an incredibly delicious home in this recipe.

Both of these recipes are prepared with uncomplicated, basic ingredients, which I'm finding are my absolute favorite kinds of recipes these days. The dishes are simple to prepare, and I'm sharing them together because I think they should absolutely be served together. The chicken, roasted tomatoes, feta and luscious buttery spaghetti all complement each other so wonderfully. My boys and Joe couldn't get enough of the noodles, and we all wanted more (so you may want to increase the amount of spaghetti to at least half a pound!). And not only was this meal delicious; it was pretty healthy, too!

Chicken with Feta, Roasted Tomatoes, and Garlic Butter Spinach Spaghetti

For the chicken:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform thickness

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

4 roma tomatoes, sliced

Crumbled feta cheese

For the spaghetti:

1/3 pound spaghetti noodles, broken into thirds

3 tablespoons butter

6 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tomato slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and add one tablespoon of olive oil; toss to evenly combine. Roast tomatoes in an even layer for about 10 minutes, or until softened and beginning to brown. Set aside, covered, until serving.

2. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until chicken is well browned on both sides and juices run clear; remove from heat, place on a plate, and cover with foil until serving.

3. To make the spaghetti, cook the noodles in boiling salted water to al dente; drain. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When melted, add garlic and salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant. Add spinach to drained noodles and pour the garlic butter mixture over the top. Toss to combine and wilt the spinach.

4. Spoon some of the pasta onto each plate. Top the pasta with a piece of chicken, some of the roasted tomatoes, and sprinkling of feta cheese.

Southwestern BBQ Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

Ever since I made this sandwich, I have been thinking about it constantly. I realize that sounds pretty pathetic, but there you have it. I was literally laying in bed last night before I went to sleep, thinking about all of the things I love about this sandwich. The smoky-sweet-spicy BBQ sauce, the gooey cheese, the crisp corn relish and the soft avocado...ah. It's just an amazing sandwich, with the perfect balance of flavors and textures.

These sandwiches are endlessly adaptable, and they can take as much or as little time as fits your lifestyle. Use a rotisserie chicken and they're ready in minutes. Or cook the chicken and BBQ sauce in a Crock pot and shred the chicken before serving. Either way, these sandwiches are absolutely delicious. For me, it's the incredible corn relish that just takes them over the top. The relish is even good on tortilla chips, as I can personally attest. I could eat it every single day!

Southwestern BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

corn relish adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking

For the chicken:

4 strips bacon, chopped

1 medium red onion, diced

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken

For the corn relish:

2 cups corn kernels (I used canned, and it was fine)

1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped

1 roasted red pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon honey

Salt and pepper to taste

For the sandwiches:

4 slices jalapeno havarti or pepperjack cheese

1 avocado, pitted and thinly sliced

4 sandwich buns

Mayonnaise

1. Preheat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until nearly crisp. Add onion and continue to cook until onion is softened. Add BBQ sauce, brown sugar, chipotle in adobo, and cumin. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Once the mixture is bubbling, stir in the chicken and reduce the heat and let simmer while you prepare the corn relish.

2. To make the relish, combine corn, jalapeno, roasted red pepper, and cilantro in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the honey and lime juice. Pour the lime juice mixture over the other ingredients and toss together. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

3. To make the sandwiches, top the bottom half of each bun with some of the BBQ chicken mixture. Top with a slice of cheese, a spoonful of the corn relish, and sliced avocado. Spread the top of the buns with mayonnaise and serve.

Chicken and Vegetable Pasta with Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

We're nearing the end of summer and that, in itself, seems like a ridiculous sort of thing to be saying. How is summer almost gone already?! My oldest has started preschool. A year from now, he'll be going to kindergarten. And that's all I'm going to say about that... *sniff sniff*.

Anyway, I think this is a nice sort of meal to bridge the seasons. It's loaded with veggies, but the pasta is tossed in a luscious roasted garlic cream sauce, which makes it feel very rich and fall-like. This pasta tastes like something you'd order in a restaurant -- but you get to make it at home and eat it in your bare feet, which is always a plus in my book. :)

Chicken and Vegetable Pasta with Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

adapted from Sunny Side Up in San Diego

1 head of garlic

Salt, pepper and olive oil for roasting

2 chicken breasts

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

12 ounces penne pasta

1. Preheat oven to 375. Cut the top off of a head of garlic to expose the tops of cloves. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Loosely wrap the aluminum foil around the garlic, pinching the seams to seal. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the cloves are tender and start to turn golden brown. Allow to cool.

2. While the garlic is roasting, heat some olive oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through. Allow the chicken to rest, covered with aluminum foil, until you're ready to serve.

3. Cook the penne to al dente in boiling salted water.

4. In the same skillet you used for the chicken, melt the tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Add zucchini, red bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms and cook until onions are translucent and the mushrooms are browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the cloves into the skillet. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the garlic and mix into the vegetables.

5. Add the white wine and stir until reduced by half, using a wooden spoon to release the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in cream and heat through until slightly thickened. Add the parmesan cheese and stir to melt. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

6. Add the sauce to the penne and arrange each portion on a plate. Slice the chicken into thin strips. Top each serving with some sliced chicken and additional parmesan cheese.