Thursday, February 23, 2012

Tuscany White Bean and Chicken Pasta

This was our dinner last night and super easy and tasty

3 Boneless skinless chicken breast
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 squeeze anchovy paste (you may think you don't like anchovies but really you do...the paste is great cause then you don't have to touch  them)
1/2 onion diced
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 can white beans
1 pkg penne pasta
3 T prepared pesto
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and saute in some olive oil till cooked, remove from pan and let rest. Add the onions and garlic and anchovy paste to the pan, cook till soft and paste is melted. Add tomatoes and beans and pesto. Meanwhile cook pasta till al dente. Slice chicken and add to the beans and tomatoes. Season to taste. Add pasta and toss well, add Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Wow, it has been over a month since I posted last and I swear, I've been cooking pretty much every night...it's just been crazy. I'm seeing a preview of what my life will be like sooner rather than later, with all five of the kids being in school and sports and activities...and we are still only in kindergarten and preschool! Ahhhh! Oh well, we are very blessed. Here is what I made for dinner last night and I liked it, my kids didn't eat much of it but that really doesn't say much as they are picking eaters regardless of what I make!
Growing up my mom would make us chicken roll, I don't remember what all it had in it other than cream cheese and chicken and you dip it in cream of chicken soup although I'm sure I have her recipe...somewhere. Anyhow, well talking to my sister Jessica the other day and she said they had chicken roll the other night and when she said it it sounded so good...so I decided to make it, but I wanted to desperately use up some of the things in my fridge so I made my own version...
Italian Chicken Roll:
1/2 batch Never Fail Dinner Rolls found here http://simplehomegourmet.blogspot.com/2010/06/never-fail-dinner-rolls.html
1 pkg cream cheese softened
4 boneless skinless chicken breast marinated in Italian dressing seasoned with salt and pepper then grilled and sliced
1/4 cup pesto
2 T sun dried tomatoes, dice small
1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
salt and pepper to taste
egg wash
Alfredo or marinara for dipping(heated through)

Roll out the dough to a large rectangle. In a bowl combine the pesto, sun dried tomatoes and cream cheese, spread onto the center of the dough leaving about three inches on each side. Top with the cooked sliced chicken, top with the cheeses season with salt and pepper. Cut 1 in slices in the dough on the long sides of the rectangle leaving the ends in tack. fold ends over then weave or braid the strips of dough over the end pieces, creating a braided loaf. Coat with egg wash and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese if desired. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes until golden brown and bread is cooked through. Serve with warm marinara or Alfredo for dipping.  Enjoy!