Chicken Broccoli Pasta

Chicken Broccoli Pasta

8 oz bowtie pasta
8 cups chopped broccoli
1-2 chicken breasts - cooked & cubed
1/4 cup pine nuts - roasted (cook at 350* for 8-10 min.)

Put broccoli in pot of water to boil. Cook for 3 minutes. Take out broccoli, but KEEP water. Cook pasta in broccoli water. While pasta cooks, start the sauce.

Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp Olive oil
* Melt together, then add;
1 tsp minced garlic
zest of a lemon
* Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Take off heat and add;
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Toss pasta, broccoli, pine nuts, and sauce together.
1/2 tsp black pepper

Toss pasta, broccoli, sauce, and pinenuts together.

Cream of Broccoli & Cheese Soup

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

1 lb. fresh broccoli, chopped
2 sticks butter
1 qt. chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese
1 cup flour
1 qt. half & half

Steam broccoli until tender (12 to 15 minutes). Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour to butter & cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook until thick. Turn heat down. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat until cheese is melted and soup is hot. Do not boil.
Soup is better reheated the next day. Keeps well in refrigerator.
Yummy topping for potatoes.

Variations: add celery, carrots, & onions

Easy Breadsticks

1 Tbsp yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 + c. flour

Topping Ideas:
1/2 c. butter
garlic salt
parmesan cheese

1/2 c. butter
cinnamon & sugar

1/2 c. butter
salad supreme
salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt, and flour. Mix then knead for 3 minutes. Rest 10 minutes. Press dough out in a 9x13 cake pan. Slice into sticks in the pan. Pour topping over dough. Let rise for 10 minutes. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Pizza Casserole

1 lb. Hamburger
1 (10 oz.) can pizza sauce
Pepperoni cut into pieces
2 c. egg noodles

Add to taste:
Cheese
Onion
Olives

Brown hamburger with onion. Boil noodles and drain. Combine all ingredients, except cheese, in casserole dish and cook at 350° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and melt.

Creamed Peas & Potatoes

Peel and cut 6 potatoes (large pieces)
Boil until soft
Cook peas in microwave 2-3 minutes with a little water

White Sauce:
1/2 cube butter - melted
1/3 cup flour
Mix to paste consistency
1/2 tsp chicken bullion
2 cups milk
salt & pepper
Whisk until smooth
Microwave 3 minutes
Whisk until smooth

Pour sauce over potatoes. Stir in peas.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

Combine ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
Cook for 3 minutes
3/4 cup raw spanish peanuts
Cook for 3 minutes
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
Cook 1 minute
1 tsp. baking soda
Gently stir until foamy

Once mixed, spread thinly on a cookie sheet. Allow to cool completely before breaking.

Chicken Pesto Pizza

(I should have taken a picture before we dug in)

Pesto
1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves (without stems)
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh parsley sprigs without stems or torn fresh spinach (I used spinach)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds (you can split and do 1/8 cup of pine nuts & another)
1 large clove garlic, quartered
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil or cooking oil

1. In blender or food processor combine basil, parsley or spinach, Parmesan or Romano cheese, nuts, garlic, and salt. Cover and blend or process with several on-off turns until a paste forms, stopping the machine several times to scrape the sides. (It also helps if you add the ingredients a little at a time and blend.)
2. With machine running slowly, gradually add olive or cooking oil and blend or process to the consistency of soft butter.

Marinated Chicken (optional, but adds good flavor)
Cut chicken breasts into small pieces
Put in a bowl or zip lock bag with enough Soy Sauce to cover it. Add pepper to mix.
Let marinate for at least an hour. Stir or mix bag occasionally.

Pizza
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 each small green, sweet red and yellow peppers, julienned

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms or 1 (6 ounce) jar artichoke hearts, drained
3 tablespoons prepared pesto*
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tsp oil
crust

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken, onion, peppers and mushrooms in oil until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat; set aside.
2. Take a homemade crust (I used 2 cans Pillsbury Pizza Crust dough) and press it onto a cookie sheet at the desired thickness. Build up edges slightly. If you don't want to mess with dough, you can used a prepared crust (like Boboli).
3. Spread with pesto.
4. Top with chicken mixture and cheese. Sprinkle with pepper and remaining salt.
5. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until crust and cheese are lightly browned.

(I'm not a fan of peppers, so I left those off)

* You can store unused pesto for up to 5 days in the fridge or in the freezer up to 3 months.