Although I have a partner who really isn't that fond of pasta, I do cook it from time to time. He knows I love pasta and he doesn't mind me feeding my craving for it every now and then!
He eats it too, even if he doesn't really like it all that much.
He is from the old school that eats what is put in front of him.
And to be honest, even if it isn't his favourite he will be the first one to tell you that when I cook it, its not half bad and quite tolerable!
This is one of my favourite kinds of meals, an all in one dinner for two, with only a very few ingredients.
Pasta, sauce and protein cooking all in the same pan on top of the stove. I love cooking pasta this way.
It doesn't get over cooked, staying al dente, and the pasta absorbs even more of the flavour from the sauce . . . it gets right in there . . .
I created this to use up leftover cooked chicken. It is semi-based on another recipe I saw for something similar here.
In looking at her recipe I thought to myself, why can't I use already cooked chicken cubed, instead of cutting up chicken breasts and browning them in the pan.
Why indeed? Although if you don't have leftover roast chicken use fresh by all means. For this recipe you could use two small chicken breast fillets.
Just cut it up and cook it in the vinaigrette dressing as per the recipe, until the juices run clear.
You know about five years ago now, I came down with a bad case of food poisoning. I was so sick. That day I had eaten leftover pizza for breakfast and for dinner, Chicken Parmesan.
Oh boy . . . I thought I would never be able to eat either one again in a very long time!
I will admit that I still feel a bit queasy when I am faced with Chicken Parmesan, with the breading and all . . . but this was quite good.
There is no breading on the chicken, just plain roasted chicken.
Oh, I love breaded chicken . . . but not with marinara sauce and cheese . . . not yet anyways . . .
Maybe some day I will regain my taste for it. Some day . . .
And there is plenty of cheese in this . . . look at that ooze . . .
So, so, so good . . .
Interestingly enough, I wasn't put off pizza for very long. Thank goodness! Its one of my favourite food groups!
Since then I have been extremely pedantic about leftovers. I was actually in bed for four days. I never want to be that sick again.
I remember thinking that death would actually be welcome. You know you are really sick when death is welcome!
Anyways, not to put you off your food or anything . . . sorry if I have!!
I have a rule of thumb now. Food that has been made in house, I have a 3 day rule as far as leftovers go. I don't keep any after 3 days.
And anything takeaway . . . I get rid of the leftovers on the day. I don't keep them at all.
I know it might seem a bit wasteful, but I never buy more than we can feasibly eat at once. (I am so not a Gilmore Girl.) You know . . . you never know how long the toppings in a Pizza place have been sitting around waiting to be used on pizzas, or even how clean the person is that is making them.
That's why I don't like to see the people who cook my food in a restaurant. And also why I am really picky at Pot Lucks, unless I know exactly who has cooked what.
Yield: 2 - 3
Chicken & Parm Pasta Skillet
An all in one skillet meal which only uses a few ingredients and makes great use of leftover cooked poultry. This can easily be doubled.
ingredients:
- 1 TBS Italian Vinaigrette style salad dressing
- 150g cooked chicken, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups dry rigatoni pasta tubes (8 ounces)
- 340g good marinara sauce (1 1/2 cups)
- 340ml water (12 ounces)
- 90g grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)
- 60g grated mozzarella/cheddar mix cheese (1/2 cup)
- salt and pepper to taste
- parsley or basil to garnish
instructions:
How to cook Chicken & Parm Pasta Skillet
- Heat the Italian vinaigrette dressing in a medium skillet with a lid. Add the chicken. Cook and stir until the chicken begins to absorb the dressing. Pour the water and marinara sauce over top. Stir in the pasta, bring to the boil. Stir again, then reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking. At the end of that time the pasta should be al dente. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Scatter both cheeses over top. Cover and allow to melt. Sprinkle with the parsley/basil and serve immediately.
Hope I haven't put you off your dinner. I didn't mean to, just being honest! In any case, this was really tasty!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
I didn't have a lot of energy to do much today. I have had more than a few nights of terrible sleep. I think it is being caused by my change in blood pressure medication.
Hopefully it will sort itself out soon because I am really dragging my carcass today!
Dinner is something simple today I am afraid. Packaged potato gratin (like the Idaho scalloped potato mixes in North America), and chicken.
I will pop some frozen veg on and that will be it. Some days are just like that.
I have been wanting to bake this Cream Biscuit recipe however and I had it on my list to do it this weekend.
Its a good thing they are really easy and together in a flash! You can't beat a good biscuit recipe. I am always on the hunt for new ones to try.
I adapted the recipe from one I found in this old cookery book of mine, The Best of Pantry, by the Editors of Harrowsmith Country.
They were meant to be used as a topping for a curried vegetable casserole, but I thought they would also work very well on their own.
I used to love watching Harrowsmith Country on the television in the 1990's and I loved the magazine. There was a part of me that always longed to live a country life, with chickens and a nice vegetable garden . . . .
A hobby farm really . . . with maybe a cow for milk . . . or a goat . . . a kind of Little House on the Prairie kind of a life, but with some modern conveniences thrown in for good measure, like washing machines and vacuum cleaners.
I think I could probably live quite happily with just a radio to listen to . . . and I tend to romanticise doing things by candlelight and the light of a wood fire. Don't we all!
I remember when I was about 16 I wanted to live on a Commune. There was a couple I knew who lived in an old farm house up on the mountain which had very few modern amenities. Hippy dippies as my dad would say. I envied them their carefree life in a lot of ways.
I think I would have been quite happy living in an environment like that . . . growing my own veg, baking my own bread, gathering eggs, milking cows, etc.
Not so much now that I am older and not as agile as I was back then. Every now and then though I do like to channel my inner hippie and bake my own bread (not so good at that) and grow my own beans, that kind of stuff. Nothing too seriously . . . .
I do long for the comforts of a wood fire . . . sitting in my chair in the evening and crocheting as I watch the flames flicker, but alas that is not my life. I make do with a fake fire and am grateful for that.
I was really pleased with how these biscuits turned out . . . nice and light with a beautiful fluffy texture . . .
I could not resist enjoying one fresh from the oven spread with cold butter and a smattering of creamed honey . . .
I don't eat honey very often as I have Diabetes and its not so good . . . but I put 1/2 tsp on each half biscuit and I was in biscuit and honey heaven!
Doesn't that look tasty? I think it does!
Oh, if only I had had a few slivers of country ham to enjoy with it . . . ham, biscuits and honey. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.
A person is entitled to their dreams!
Yield: makes about a dozen
Cream Biscuits
These North American style biscuits (not cookies) are light and delicate. They only take minutes to prepare as well, which makes them a real favourite!
ingredients:
- 2 cups (280g) plain flour
- 1 TBS baking powder
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup (80g) lightly salted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
instructions:
How to cook Cream Biscuits
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Whisk in the salt and sugar. Drop in the butter and cut it in using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat the eggs together with the cream, using a fork to combine. Make a hollow in the dry ingredients and add the wet, combing together lightly with a fork. Tip out onto floured board and lightly knead a couple times to bring together. Pat out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out using a floured 2 inch round cutter. Place onto the baking sheet, leaving some space in between each.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the biscuits are well risen and golden brown. Serve warm.
Sigh . . . I hope I sleep better tonight! I have a brisket to cook for Sunday dinner and I don't want to be doing that when I am exhausted!
Up Tomorrow: Chicken & Pasta Parm Skillet (for 2)
I want you all to know that I am so very appreciative of the
comments you always leave on my posts, and that I do generally try to respond to
each and every one of them. On here, on facebook, on Instagram, etc. My motto has always been if someone has been
generous enough to take the time to comment, then I need to be generous enough
to respond. Comments are not always kind
however and I usually try to brush the unkind ones off, but today I want to
respond to a particularly unkind and insensitive comment which was left on my
post on the Knives Expert site on my Roasted Chicken recipe, which said simply:
“What family? You live alone with your husband.”
Dear Beccy033,
Thank you so very much for your comment. How very kind it
was of you to remind me that my husband has outlived all three of his children, and
that my own children and grandchildren live over 2000 miles away from us. You sweet words sure gave me the warm and
fuzzies. It also prompted me to think
about what it is exactly that constitutes a family.
At its very most basic, a family is the
compilation of a group of individuals who share a legal or genetic bond. It can consist of a very large group of people, or it
can be as simple as just two people who live under the same roof, or not, it could be an individual and their cat/dog. Many family members may live outside the actual home,
coming together from time to time to celebrate occasions and to just hang out.
To many
people, however, family means much more than this, and even the simple idea of
genetic bonds can be far more complicated than it might seem on the surface.
There are many kinds of families. I have often heard it said that friends are
the family that one gets to choose for themselves. There
are step and blended families, adopted families, foster families, and childless
families, all in addition to what might be seen as the so called “normal” family. Some
families have two moms or two dads.
Childless families might include pets as their family members.
Essentially, I like to think that a family is composed
of individuals and groups of people who share an emotional and spiritual
connection, even if they share no legal or genetic bonds. For example one's “Church Family” may have
shared spiritual connections and values, whereas a “Work Family” might share long
term relationships based on common experiences and activities, and hopefully . . . a shared
and pleasant work space.
I suppose what I am saying really is
that the definition of what constitutes a family is something that is
living and breathing, very fluid and constantly evolving, and it is individual and unique to each of us. Every
person can define family in a different way to encompass the relationships they
share with the people in their lives, which, over time . . . can, will and should change as one's
life changes, and the importance of family values and rituals deepen. Basically, every member who is truly
considered to be a part of a family will help to make and keep it richer.
So when I choose to gather family around my table for a
special meal or lunch, this might sometimes indeed only be my husband and I, or
it might include some of the many wonderful people we have chosen to invite to
share our lives and occasions with us, and certainly on very choice and rare
occasions it might even include some of my own children or extended family
members. The point is, “I” am the one
who gets to decide who is and who isn’t a member of my family. Often, I like to think that my family also
consists of the sweet and loyal people who drop by every day to see what I am
cooking and share my recipes with me. I
am always happy to see them, and I usually, more often than not, appreciate the
kind words they leave for me. May it be
ever so.
And just so you know, whilst I would really like to say
you are not invited to dinner, the kind of person that I am would never refuse,
even you . . . . a place at my table.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons