Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo and Grilled Chicken

Spice up a classic Alfredo dish with a hint of fall!

1 package cheese tortellini, prepared per package instructions
1 T butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp onion powder
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced

Prepare tortellini per package instructions, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in pumpkin, nutmeg, and onion powder. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes (stirring frequently), until sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add sauce and reserved cooking water to cooked tortellini and toss. Top with grilled chicken.

*Adapted from Family Fresh Meals

Cube Steak Parmesan

Stuck in a chicken rut? Try this Italian classic with inexpensive cube steak instead of chicken.

3-4 cube steaks 

½ cup flour

Salt and pepper

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup Panko bread crumbs

½ cup shredded parmesan

4 T olive oil

1 (32-oz) can tomato sauce

2 tsp sugar

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

½ tsp garlic powder

½ cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Pour flour onto a plate and season with salt and pepper. Beat egg in a separate dish. Combine bread crumbs and parmesan on a third plate. Preheat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil heats, dredge steaks in flour, egg, and the bread crumb mixture, coating each side completely. Add steaks to hot oil and fry until just browned on each side.

In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, sugar, oregano, basil, and garlic. Pour enough of the sauce into the baking dish to coat the bottom. Place steaks atop the sauce in a single layer and top with the remaining sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with mozzarella, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Creamy Garlic Angel Hair

The sauce in this dish had an amazing flavor, similar to an Alfredo, but with a kick of sweet garlic. It’s terrific on its own, topped with chicken or shrimp, or even as a side.

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil 

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T light margarine

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

½ lb angel hair pasta

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

¾ cup half and half

1 tsp dried parsley

Pre-heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté about 1-2 minutes; stir in the butter until melted. Mix in the salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

Add the pasta to the boiling liquid and cook as long as the package indicates (usually 3-5 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the parmesan until melted. Remove the pot from heat and stir in half and half and parsley.

*Recipe modified from The Cheese Pusher

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

Chicken parm is one of my all-time favorite Italian dishes, but it can be a bit time consuming to make. This Crockpot version is easy, tasty, and hands-off!

1 T olive oil 

1 egg, beaten

½ cup herbed stuffing mix

½ cup parmesan cheese

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

½ cup-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 jar spaghetti sauce or 2 cups Almost-From-ScratchTomato Sauce

Pour olive oil in the bottom of a large Crockpot. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg. Combine stuffing mix and parmesan on a plate. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dip both sides of the chicken breasts in egg, and then dredge in stuffing mixture. Place chicken in the bottom of the Crockpot. Top with mozzarella and then with sauce. Cover and cook on low, 4-6 hours.

*Recipe modified from Chef in Training

Slow Cooker Florentine Turkey Meatballs

Want to wow your family with warm comfort food without breaking the calorie-bank? Try these turkey meatballs that are packed with protein and healthy spinach and cooked all day long for that “I slaved over this” taste.

Meatballs: 

1 lb ground turkey

¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup chopped baby spinach

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Sauce:

1 can (28-oz) tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

½ tsp basil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, smashed

12 oz (1 box) Smart Taste or whole wheat thin spaghetti

Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine meatball ingredients by hand. Form into 2-inch balls and set aside.

Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, basil, salt, and pepper to a large Crockpot.  Sauté 3 garlic cloves in olive oil over medium heat until golden brown, but not burnt. Add garlic and oil to sauce. Gently place meatballs in sauce. Cover and cook on low, 4-6 hours.

Prepare pasta per package directions. Serve meatballs over pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

*Recipe modified from Skinnytaste

Whole Wheat Rotini in Lemon-Cream Sauce with Grilled Balsamic Chicken

A few years ago, my husband surprised me with a stovetop grill pan and I absolutely fell in love. It is perfect for chilly winter days or for grilling a quick dinner without the hassle of setting up the outdoor grill. (Or when we accidently run out of propane/charcoal) This lighter version of a creamy sauce was the perfect complement to the zesty flavor of the chicken and was easy to whip up for a quick weeknight dinner.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed 

¼ balsamic vinaigrette

½ lb whole wheat rotini (1/2 box)

1 ½ T light margarine

1/3 cup flour

1 ½ cups skim milk

1/3 cup white wine

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Parmesan cheese

Place chicken breasts in a large, resealable plastic bag; add vinaigrette and toss to combine. Refrigerate and marinade at least 4 hours.

Preheat indoor grill over medium heat (or outdoor grill if weather permits). Place marinated chicken on grill and discard remaining marinade. Grill about 8 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare pasta per package directions.

Add margarine to a saucepan to melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk, wine, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir constantly and bring to a boil over medium heat until sauce thickens.

Slice chicken thinly and serve atop pasta and sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

*Recipe modified from Foodista

Lo-Cal Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken

I just love the sweet and tart flavor that balsamic vinegar gives to a dish. These chicken thighs were tender, flavorful, and simple to prepare – and only about 180 calories per serving!

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed 

½ cup chicken broth

½ cup apple cider

2 T lemon juice

2 T balsamic vinegar

½ tsp thyme

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 T light butter

2 T flour

Place trimmed thighs in the bottom of a large slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine broth, cider, lemon juice, vinegar, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low, 5-6 hours, until chicken is cooked through and tender.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook about 1 minute. Add 1 ½ cups of cooking juices, whisking constantly, until sauce is smooth and thickened. Serve sauce over chicken.

Chicken Piccata

You’ve probably figured out by now that I often challenge myself to recreate or top restaurant favorites in my own kitchen. This was the result of one such attempt, inspired by my favorite Italian restaurant.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed then cut in half 

Sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder, seasoned to taste

¼ cup flour

4 T. butter, divided

2 T. olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus zest of 1 lemon

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

2 T. capers

1 box angel hair pasta, prepared per package instructions

Trim chicken and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Dredge chicken in flour until completely coated.

In a large skillet, preheat 2 T. of butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, about 5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Prepare angel hair pasta per package instructions.

Add lemon juice (and zest), broth, and wine to the pan to deglaze; bring to a boil. Add capers and return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and place over prepared angel hair. Whisk remaining butter into the sauce; pour sauce over chicken and pasta. 

Fettuccine and Pink Sauce with Parmesan-Crusted Chicken

Italian food is great for experimenting because the flavors are so subjective. Play with the taste of this dish until you find something just right for you!

Sauce: 

1 batch of Almost-From-Scratch Tomato Sauce

1 cup half & half

½ cup shredded parmesan

1 pkg. fettuccine noodles, prepared per package instructions

Chicken:

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg, beaten

½ cup shredded parmesan

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

3 T. olive oil

Prepare Almost-From-ScratchTomato Sauce (or thaw from frozen).

Meanwhile, pound chicken with mallet until thin; season with salt and pepper. Beat egg into a shallow dish; mix parmesan and breadcrumbs on a plate. Dip each chicken breast into the egg, then coat on both sides with breadcrumb mixture. In a large skillet, preheat oil over medium heat. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side and cooked through. Cover with foil and set aside.

Stir in half & half and parmesan into smooth tomato sauce. Simmer approximately 5-10 minutes more, until flavors combine and sauce is heated through. Serve sauce over prepared fettuccine and top with chicken.

Almost-From-Scratch Tomato Sauce

A good tomato sauce is key to many Italian dishes. This sauce is the perfect foundation as an ingredient in a meal or as a stand-alone over pasta. I save time by using canned tomato sauce, but the result tastes slow-cooked and bold.

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

½ white onion, diced

1-2 carrots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T butter

¼ cup red wine or apple cider

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp basil

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper to taste

1 can (28-oz) tomato sauce

In a large saucepan, sauté celery, onion, carrots, and garlic in butter until softened, 3-5 minutes. 

Add wine or cider to deglaze the pan. Stir in Italian seasoning, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add tomato sauce. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes-1 hour with lid on to reduce splattering.

Turn off heat; use an immersion blender to blend sauce to desired consistency (or use a stand blender in batches). Serve over pasta or use as a foundation for your favorite Italian dish.