Creamy Ricotta Rigatoni & Grilled Chicken

On a cool spring evening, a light and flavorful pasta really seems to just hit the spot. I have been experimenting with ricotta cheese and have discovered how absolutely tantalizing it is. It can be used in savory dishes that warm your insides, or to make sweet and fluffy pancakes that make it worth waking up early on a Saturday morning. For this dish, I chose to use the ricotta cheese as a sauce that I tossed my pasta and vegetables in. The key that I have discovered is that to adequately and successfully coat the pasta with this creamy sauce, you need to use a pasta that has ridges in it so that the sauce can stick to it. Rigatoni is not only a lovely noodle with ridges, but is perfectly bite sized and easy to pick up! You will love the flavors in every aspect of this meal on their own and especially when combined.

This dish made at least 3 servings, and since many nights I find myself too tired from work and not looking forward to making dinner, but yet not ready to give up and go through the drive through, I love having leftovers on hand.

Ingredients:

16 oz. Rigatoni pasta
1 cup Ricotta cheese
Chicken tenders
1 1/2 cups halved or quartered mushrooms
1 bunch of asparagus cut in thirds
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch Red pepper flakes
Pinch Garlic powder
Pinch Cayenne pepper
Garlic Pepper chicken seasoning
Salt
Pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook your pasta in salted boiling water
2. Steam the asparagus (I have a steam basket that fits on top of my pasta pan which works wonders)
3. Combine Ricotta cheese, red pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper in oven-safe baking dish. Place in 200 degree oven to soften and heat through
4. Pan sear mushrooms and asparagus in pan seasoned with EVOO and spices
5. When pasta is al dente, drain, but hold aside 1/4 cup of pasta water to Ricotta mixture. Combine pasta and Ricotta, then add mushrooms and asparagus. Keep on Medium Low heat.
6. Season chicken with garlic pepper seasoning and place in the pan that was used to cook vegetables. Brown on each side until cooked thoroughly.
7. Serve with pasta and vegetables mixture on the bottom and place the chicken on top. Enjoy!

Peanut, Almond & Cashew Crusted Mahi Mahi

I have been in quite the mood lately for a taste of the sea. It may be the large quantity of Mahi Mahi that I most recently purchased, or it maybe it's the season, but all in all I am loving coming up with fun recipes to tingle my tastebuds and bring out my culinary creativity. This is my first attempt at peanut, almond and cashew crusted fish, but I think it turned out deliciously well. The saltiness of the nuts really adds great flavor to the fish without me adding any salt and the fish stays nice and tender. This dish would be absolutely divine over a rice pilaf, but I ended up choosing my favorite roasted potato wedges.

If you are looking for a way to spice up your Friday night fish during this lenten season, look no further-this Mahi Mahi is sure to please!

Ingredients:

Fresh or frozen filet of Mahi Mahi
1 cup of salted peanuts/almonds/cashews roughly chopped
Cajun seasoning
Garlic powder
Extra Virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Instructions:

1. Set your stove to Medium High and add one swirl of EVOO around the pan
2. Lightly coat your fish in EVOO
3. Spice fish with Cajun spices and garlic powder
4. Add nuts to each side of the fish
5. Cover and let cook evenly on each side (about 7 minutes each)

Serve with a side of vegetables and a carb and enjoy your dinner in less than 20 minutes!

Fresh Salsa

Chips and salsa is a complete guilty pleasure that I happen to indulge in quite frequently ;) I absolutely love making my own fresh salsa as an alternative to opening a $4 jar. Using fresh ingredients and however much of what you want, this salsa can become a personal favorite of yours and a request from friends and family!

Ingredients:
6 Roma tomatoes
1 large white onion
2 jalopeno peppers
lime juice
season salt (I like to use Vulcan fire salt, but Cajun is great too!)

Instructions:
1. De-seed jalopenos (I always wear gloves ever since a nasty occurrence including a horrific burning sensation all over my hands...ick)
2. Chop and combine all ingredients
3. Toss with lime juice and season salt

Roasted potato wedges

Potatoes are an easy and nutritional addition to any meal. They fill you up and complete meat and veggies as a sustaining side. Additionally, you can season these wedges so that they hardly add any unnecessary calories to your daily allowance, while still tasting absolutely delish!

Ingredients:
Potatoes
-Baking potatoes
-Baby red potatoes
-Yukon gold potatoes
Pam spray
Lawry's season salt

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 525
2. Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper
3. Cut potatoes into bite-sized wedges
4. Place wedges on cookie sheet and spray with Pam
5. Sprinkle with season salt
6. Bake for 20 minutes, checking occasionally, turning if necessary until you see a golden brown outside

Turkey Chili

Right around the beginning of October, I had the urge to chow on some yummy chili. Tis the season! There are a zillion different ways to make your chili with your choice of beans, tomatoes, and additional add-ins, your perfect chili can be achieved. I switched up my own night of chili by using ground turkey and additional spices.

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground turkey
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can chili ready diced tomatoes
1/2 white onion diced
1 packet chili seasoning (check for gluten-free, if needed)
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Brown ground turkey and season with salt and pepper
2. Drain beans
3. Combine all ingredients in a large pot on medium high heat

Chunky Broccoli Soup

I love love love making a huge batch of soup in the fall and eating it throughout a chilly week. This soup is so versatile in that you can add different flavors by varying the spices you use. In this recipe, I just use salt and pepper, but recently, my aunt made a killer soup and added rosemary and thyme. The tomatoes add an extra kick with a little spice to heat up this delicious dish. Reheating is a snap, or if you're headed out of town for the weekend for a big football game, freeze the remaining soup and reheat the next week!

Ingredients:
1 bunch of fresh broccoli stalks
2 carrots
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cans chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup half and half

Instructions:
1. Wash and cut broccoli into small chunks, shred carrots
2. Heat broccoli, carrot, salt, pepper and chicken broth to boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer; cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes
3. Open and drain Rotel tomatoes and add to pot
4. Mix flour and water. Pour gradually into broccoli mixture
5. Heat to boiling and stir occasionally.
6. Stir in half and half. Stir frequently until hot. Do not let boil.

Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bread

This bread comes with quite the name, but its combination of ingredients and flavors will whet your palate. I have engineered this recipe to cut down on the calories and add enriched nutrients. As with most of the sweet treats in my repertoire, I have added my favorite dark chocolate chips, Ghirardelli...yum.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce
2 eggs
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 smashed bananas
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients
3. In a separate mixing bowl, smash the bananas and then mix peanut butter, applesauce and eggs.
4. Slowly combine the wet and dry ingredients and add chips and nuts.
5. Pour batter into two bread pans
6. Pop in the oven and cook for 50 minutes

*If top of the bread starts to brown too much, cover with foil to retain moisture and prevent over-browning