Broccoli Feta Pasta

As you have probably noticed, I'm having a hard time adjusting to 2012!!  Hard for me to get into the swing of things bc 2012 has been cRaZy at our house and I've found myself just trying to keep up!  So here is a fabulous recipe that my husband and I stumbled upon on the Food Network one weekend.  It's a Sara Moulton recipe & it's super fast, super easy, and super yummy!  My family loves it!  And I love it because it's SO easy!

You'll need:

• 5 oz crumbled feta cheese
• pinch (to taste) crushed red pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 13.25 oz thin spaghetti (or angel hair)
• 2 heads fresh broccoli

So easy:  just steam cook your broccoli in a small amount of boiling water until desired tenderness.  I had forgotten how fresh broccoli goes from a dull green to a brilliant green in just a few minutes!  I'm a nerd, but I think it's so pretty!

Then, boil your spaghetti (original recipe called for angel hair, but all I had was thin spaghetti & it worked fine) for half the time on package.  Drain spaghetti and put it the boiling chicken broth (original recipe called for veggie broth, but I used my homemade chicken broth that I have sitting in my freezer awaiting times like these).  Cook for a few more minutes in the broth until pasta reaches desired doneness.

Add cheese and crushed red pepper.  Mix thoroughly and serve.

My picture isn't that fabulous bc I was SO hungry and ready to eat!  The Mister loved this recipe and I loved that it took about 15 minutes from start to finish with practically zero prep!  Plus, I used whole grain spaghetti plus the fresh broccoli, I have to believe it's pretty healthy :)  

A good way to start the new year!  I'm hoping this is the beginning of more consistent posts on Cowtown Cooking in 2012 :)  Happy New Year!

Spaghetti with Homemade Tomato Sauce

I know all of you know how to make spaghetti.  But until a few weeks ago when I tried the Tomato Sauce with Bacon & Onion , I had not tried to make my own spaghetti sauce.  I relied on my new cookbook as a starting point and went from there.  It was pretty easy!  But I have to say, I have to tweak a few things to make it to my liking...like does anyone know how to thicken tomato sauce??  Do I add flour or....?  This sauce was super easy and very clean tasting, but I think it could've used more a little more flavor - next time I will add some basil & oregano and hopefully figure out how to make it thicker!  But besides that, it was pretty and smelled delish!  The recipe I had was for simple tomato sauce, but added meat to mine bc that's just how we like it around here.

You'll need:

• olive oil
• about 2 lbs of ripe tomatoes
• 5 cloves of garlic
• about 1 lb of ground beef
• pepper
• sea salt
• garlic powder

I started by roughly chopping up my tomatoes using a serrated knife - so easy!!  My life has changed thanks to my new knives hahaha!  Sad.

Beautiful, glorious tomatoes.

And into the food processor they go.  I put in seeds and all bc I thought, "Why go through the trouble of seeding the tomatoes?  I eat them anyway on a regular basis."

I blended mine until they were at the consistency I wanted.  I was surprised that, although it's hard to tell in this picture, the tomatoes now took on a pink color, not the color of regular tomato sauce.  My nerdy cooking self thought this was interesting.

Then I poured a couple tbs of olive oil in my pan

And browned my meat - while seasoning it with salt, pepper, & garlic powder, of course!  Then I removed the meat from the pan and got out these guys...

5 cloves of garlic seems like a powerful punch, but it was just fine for this sauce.  I didn't think it was overpowering at all.  I chopped them, smushed them...

And returned him to the pan that I browned the meat in, with a little added olive oil

Then when the garlic started to sizzle, but not brown, I added the tomatoes back to the pan.

I let all that simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes

Then I added the meat back in the sauce and simmered for another 15 minutes or so - isn't it pretty?  I felt very Italian!

And if I had some garlic bread it would've been perfect!  But at least I had finely shredded parmesan & that went nicely with it.  Now once I figure out how to thicken it up, it will be perfecto!!

Family Favorite Chicken Spaghetti

This is one of our family's favorite dishes!  Everyone eats it and everyone loves it so that's win-win in my book.  It's pretty easy to make and it makes A LOT, so I know we will be eating a lot of this in the future :)  I start out by baking the chicken (the original recipe calls for using a whole chicken, but I use this method for all my recipes that call for cooked chicken, it's just what I've found works best for me)

I just use:

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into tenders
• olive oil
• sea salt
• garlic powder
• pepper
• chili powder

After I spray the pan with olive oil, I drizzle olive oil over each piece of chicken, then sprinkle sea salt, garlic powder, pepper, and chili powder, on each piece.  Usually, I use sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder, every time I bake this chicken.  For dishes like this one & enchiladas, for example, I add the chili powder, too.  I just love all the extra flavor that all the spices add to each dish.

Bake chicken at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until juices run clear and it's cooked completely through.  After chicken has cooled enough, chop chicken into small pieces.

In case you're tired of my pretty ingredient pictures, here's one of those "reality" ingredient shots haha

For chicken spaghetti, you'll need:

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I usually just use as much as I have)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 jar chopped pimentos
•  spaghetti noodles (two small bags of thin spaghetti noodles), cooked according to package directions

Saute onion and green pepper in olive oil

When green peppers and onions are almost cooked clear, add chopped chicken

add chicken broth,

add cream of mushroom soup & milk - I usually mix the milk and soup in the measuring cup before adding, to get all the lumps out of the soup

Continue mixing and heat until bubbly

After bubbly, add pimentos, chili powder, and pepper.  At this point I usually simmer the sauce until the noodles are ready.  I think the longer it simmers, the yummier it is, but it's good either way.  The funny thing is on this day, I could not get the pimentos open for. the. life. of. me.  And hubby had to work late so this batch went sans pimentos.  I tried everything, and that jar just wouldn't open!  

Once the noodles are ready, mix with sauce and add a cup of cheese (more or less if you like :).  Pour in a greased (I use olive oil spray, again) 9x13 glass pan.  Add the remainder of the cheese to the top, cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.  Until cheese is melted and sides are bubbly.

It is delish!!  Hope you love it!  I usually top mine with chopped green olives, but hubby likes his sans green olives, so whatever you like, you can't go wrong!  I wish I had a picture of the chicken spaghetti when I served it, but it was Friday night, hubby was working late & this mama was worn out so this is the best picture I could get - ha!  Happy Eating!