Classic Fettucini Alfredo

Oh on this cold, wintry, 13-degree, blizard-like night I decided to make something easy but classic. Well my husbands car wouldn't start two days in a row so he was out going back and forth to Auto Zone to test his alternator, battery, etc. I completely spaced at the grocery store this week and bought spaghetti noodles instead of fettucini .. as you can see. Turns out, fettucini sauce and spaghetti noodles taste wonderful together! Although it's not completely classic, it still was a wonderful, warm treat for him to come home to tonight.

This was also the first time I had tackled home made fettucini and my husband had no idea it wasn't from a jar. He absolutely loved it and we will never buy the jar again! Thanks Annie!! I know her recipe also called for home made pasta but we are moving soon so my brand-new Kitchen Aid mixer is still in it's original packaging from Christmas so maybe in a month or so I will tackle home made pasta.

I can taste it all over again.

Classic Fettucini Alfredo

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Brown Eyed Baker

For chicken breasts: (OMIT for vegetarian entree)

1-2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, butterflied

1 tbsp oil

For fettucini sauce:

3 tbsp butter

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1.5 cups heavy cream

1.5 cups parmesan cheese

salt & pepper, to taste

First, boil water stove top and cook noodles to preferred consistency. Meanwhile, cook chicken breasts with oil in a small skillet on mediut heat 3-5 minutes on each side until no longer pink. Slice and set aside. Keep warm.

Then, melt butter in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add garlic and cream, simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook an additional 5-7 minutes until thickened. Mix in cheese until melted and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with chicken on top.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Come to mamma .. or is it pappa? This soup was a very hearty, thick tomato based soup that actually had a lot more going on than your basic in-the-can soup. I usually throw some milk, basil and a can stove top but this is so much better!

My husband doesn't always appreciate the finer things in life; he is sometimes set in his old ways. He liked it but wasn't overwhelmed by it's hearty goodness. I, however, felt differently. This is completely worth making even though it is time-consuming and has a lot going on. One thing I did was shorten the length of time it simmered on the stove (turned out fine) and the turkey bacon and bread I baked in the oven burnt so I wouldn't suggest cooking them quite as long as the original recipe. I adjusted mine to reflect this.

Here is what the toppings looked like after the oven. The bacon really didn't survive well. Don't let it get to this point.

When serving, sprinkle the non-burnt toppings from the oven on top.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

For soup:

1/2 cup canola oil (or olive oil)

2 cups onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, sliced and quartered

1 cup celery, thinly sliced

4 minced garlic cloves

2 cups ciabatta (or french) bread, crusts removed

1 large can (28 oz) plum tomatoes (or you could use crushed tomatoes)

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup dry red wine (I used a red zinfandel)

3 tbsp basil

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

For topping:

1-2 cups ciabatta (or french) bread, with crusts

4 strips turkey bacon, chopped, half cooked

basil, to taste

olive (or canola) oil, to taste

Heat 1/2 cup oil in large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic cloves. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the bread cubes without crust and cook an additional 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor pulse blend the canned plum tomatoes. You can skip this step if you purchased crushed or chopped tomatoes instead.

Add tomato sauce to  pot along with chicken stock, wine, basil, salt and pepper. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook additional 35-40 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, coat the bread cubes that have the crusts still attached with oil, basil and add the bacon in too. Place in a single layer on cookie sheet and cook at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on it and make sure to not over cook it! It will be done when the bread is golden and crunchy, but the bacon pieces are not burnt.

When soup is finished simmering, mix in parmesan cheese and whisk well for 5-10 minutes to dissolve all bread crumbs. Serve warm and top with bread and bacon pieces.

Potato Soup Plus II

Remember this soup? I made this soup this past fall and my husband wanted to learn to start cooking and how to chop things and such so I figured this would be a great recipe to try again. He thought there were too many potatoes in the last one so we used less. Then we adjusted it as we saw fit for the recipe. The second try was a complete success and totally different from the first trial. I think the Potato Soup Plus II is a definite upgrade!!

Look at my awesome husband learning to peel potatoes!

Then I showed him an easy chopping method .. while I taste-tested a few slices. =)

This version of the soup takes less time than the first and uses less dishes. I followed the original recipe which called to heat the soups and milk on the stove top and then add it to the mixture originally, but this turned out even better. The paprika did come out in small chunks. I didn't realize it was just to taste and for seasoning until it was too late. Oh well. Maybe there will one day be a third trial.

Here is the original photo from the first trial. I think you can tell it's definitely got more potatoes in it.

Potato Soup Plus II

Adapted from: Originally from Easy Slow Cooker Cookbook

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed small

1 cup cubed ham

1 cup broccoli florets, cut very fine

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 can fiesta nacho cheese soup

3/4 can chicken broth

2.5 soup cans milk

paprika, to taste

Place all prepped ingredients into crockpot and mix well. Cook on medium heat for 6-8 hours. Sprinkle paprika to taste before serving.

Potato Soup

Cincinnati-Style Spaghetti

I am always looking for different ways to make pasta, especially spaghetti. Even though we live so close to Cincinnati, I have never actually made this before. I can't even remember the last time anyone has made this for me in the last decade either. At any rate I saw this in my new cookbook I got for Christmas so I had to make it! My husband loves his beans and I love my pasta! Perfect combination!

Cincinnati-Style Spaghetti

Adapted from: Biggest Book of 30-Minute Meals (Better Homes & Garden)

12 ounces dried spaghetti

1 lb ground beef

1 cup onion, chopped

2 tbsp chili powder

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 (15oz) can red kidney beans, drained & rinsed

1 (14oz) jar marinara sauce

1/2 cup water

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook spaghetti per package directions. Meanwhile, in large skillet cook beef and onion until onion is tender and meat is browned. Drain and return to pan. Stir in cinnamon and chili powder and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add kidney beans, marinara sauce and water. Cook over medium heat until boiling and stir occasionally.

To serve, place warm noodles in bowl, cover with sauce and top with cheese.

Panera Bread

Panera Bread. If you have one of these in your area, you have been there at least a half-dozen times .. or two. This is the perfect balance of soup, salad, and sandwiches to appease any taker. There are so many selections but I usually get the same thing over and over. Sometimes I stray from the norm and this was one of those times. I was pleasantly surprised too and had to write about it.

You would look at my meal and think, "Okay, Caesar Salad: semi-healthy. Whole-Wheat baguette: definitely better than the French baguette they offer. Mac & Cheese: probably not the healthiest." Dead wrong!

Here were the nutrition facts I pulled from the website: (click for larger image)

The french baguette is actually not much different than the whole-wheat except that it doesn't have as much fiber (3g less). Calories and sodium and other factors were almost exactly the same. So I have been thinking this whole time it's healthier!? Yeah yeah .. I know .. it's processed differently in our bodies. Yadda yadda. But it tastes SO GOOD!

Also, I always get the caesar dressing on the side (because they put it on by the gallon I think) and that saves a lot of calories. Doing this will! Dip your fork in the dressing, then some lettuce. You'll be pleasantly surprised at all the leftover dressing you have (and calories saved).

Now for the dreaded mac & cheese! This stuff was superb!! I want to learn to make mac & cheese like this at home. They were advertising this stuff everywhere in the store and it looked so good I had to try it. If I had known it was almost 500 calories .. NO THANK YOU! Other than that, it was fantastic!

All in all a 900 calorie dinner. Made me want to run to the bathroom and purge immediately. I could do it once in a while, but not on a weekly basis or anything.

Food taste: B (too much dressing)

Service: A

Atmosphere: A

Wait time: A

Diversity of menu: B (more of a luncheon place .. not for dinner really)

Nutritional value: D

Chili-Flavored Chicken Soup

The title of this soup made me gravitate towards wanting to make it. That and the simpleness of the ingredients. I never expected what it turned out to be but it was a pleasant surprise. The term "chili" to me means thick, full of beans and filling. This soup is not that at all so don't be fooled by its name.

After eating this soup I was not overly-full nor did I feel like my mouth was burning from too much spice. It was the perfect combination of spices, vegetables and chicken. This is perfect if you have to have a quick meal but don't want something to weigh you down. This has a very brothy, clear base and it's filling but not that pants-button-Thanksgiving-popping full.

Chili-Flavored Chicken Soup
Adapted from: Biggest Book of 30-Minute Meals (Better Homes & Garden)

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
1 can whole kernel corn, drained (15 oz)
1 can beef broth (15 oz)
1 can chicken broth (15 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (14.5 oz)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper

In large pot on stove combine all ingredients except chicken and bring to a boil. Stir in chicken pieces and return to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly stirring a few times.

Thai Chicken

 ***HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 2010 is going to be fantastic! I just know it.***

Throughout the entire process of this recipe I was very skeptical of whether or not it would taste halfway decent at all. Peanut butter, chives, coconut milk? Who would have thought this would go together so nicely! Really it does and is worth a shot in my book. I served this with a side of brown rice (and I started making my brown rice 50/50 with water/chicken broth so it's less dry).

This is defnitely a winner in my book! It has that slight hint of asian cuisine while being easy and quick enough to do yourself at home. This dinner was even so filling I didn't finish my plate! Great for appetite supression if you are looking to lose weight. Email me or comment if you would like the nutritional information!

This is a can of coconut milk. Not too cheap, but not really expensive. Plan two meals to use this in one week so you don't waste it. You can find this in your local supermarket near the asian or thai foods.

Don't skip the peanuts. They really bring it all together.

Thai Chicken

Adapted from: Biggest Book of 30-Minute Meals (Better Homes & Garden)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (medium sized, 1-1.5 lbs)

4 green onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp cooking oil

1/4 cup honey roasted peanuts (optional to chop them)

In a small mixing bowl, combine coconut milk, peanut butter, ginger and pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat and cook chicken breasts until cooked thoroughly. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Add green onions to warm skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes until tender. Stir in sauce mixture, stirring until bubbly. Remove from heat.

Place chicken on plate and spread sauce over top and sprinkle with peanuts to serve.