Posts Tagged ‘recipes’

Chicken spaghetti comes in several versions.  In our family, it’s actually more like Tetrazzini.  It’s basically yummy sauteed chicken tenders and whole wheat spaghetti baked with a happy sherry cream sauce topped with parmesan cheese.  You wont find this recipe linked to the Superfoods website, let’s just tell it like it is.  But I’ve tried to clean it up a little.  What this recipe lacks in Superfood credibility, it more than makes up for in flavor and a gratifying effort.  Kids eat this.  All kinds, all ages.  I’ve never had any child turn their nose up to this.  Never.  It makes everyone happy, and my daughter requests it ALL the time.  I serve this with an Isabel salad and Sister Shubert rolls.  Like I said, it’s not necessarily good for you, but it sure is good!

Ingredients for Classic Chicken Spaghetti in a Creamy Wine Sauce

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
• boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins - I use between 10 and 15 tenderloins then freeze the rest
• 8 oz. package of sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups heavy cream
• splash of sherry
• splash of white wine (or another splash of sherry if you don’t want to open a bottle of wine)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp. hot paprika
• 1 generous Tbsp. flour
• 1 generous Tbsp. softened butter
• 6 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions

1. First get the spaghetti water going.  Fill a stockpot with water and plenty of course salt or kosher salt and put it over high heat.

It’s pretty difficult to oversalt cooking water that will be drained.  Go ahead and get some salt in there.

2. Melt the 1/4 cup butter and add the olive oil over medium heat in a very large saute pan.

I use the large All-Clad buffet pan.

3. Saute the chicken tenderloins and the mushrooms together.  As you saute the chicken, cut each one into bite size pieces with your saute spoon or spatula.  Stir it around a bit until the chicken is just cooked through (no longer pink).

 Season with salt and pepper as you’re cooking.

4. Add the heavy cream and stir in.
5. Add the lemon juice, sherry and wine and stir in.
6. Add the hot paprika and stir in.
7. In a small bowl or ramekin, use a fork to make a paste with the flour and butter (1 generous Tbsp. each). Once you have your buerre manie paste add it to the sauce and stir or whisk it in well.

To thicken sauces, sometimes a buerre manie is used.  A buerre manie is a french term and I have no idea what it means.  I do know that it works, however.  A buerre manie is equal parts flour and softened butter. 

8. Allow the sauce to come to a slow bubble.

  It will thicken up a bit.

9. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti (according to instructions) in the boiling water you started earlier.
10. Once the spaghetti is ready, drain it and add it to the cream sauce.  Incorporate all together.
11. Dump all into a casserole dish and top it with some parmesan cheese.
12. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until bubbly

Serve and smile!

How is it possible that we have begun the school year behind the eight ball? I thought that with my daughter beginning kindergarten and my stepson beginning his senior year of high school I would have plenty of time. Over these first three weeks of school, this has not been the case. So many pressing commitments at the school, a new routine to carve out and get used to – one week turns to two turns to three and I realize that even I have let family dinner slide. With things calming down and our family routine taking shape, I am gladly back in the kitchen.

This week’s featured family dinner is one of my daughter’s favorites. Don’t miss the opportunity to quickly whip up this simple and classic meal you will find yourself coming back to again and again.

Each week, in addition to the weekly family dinner, I will include a dessert or sweet. This week I’m starting with another of my daughter’s favorites. I love having something sweetly homemade sitting out on the counter through the week so my stepson can grab a snack. And tucking something sweetly homemade into my daughter’s lunch box – well that is one of the motherly joys I’ve looked forward to for years.

Grilled Flank Steak

Twice Baked Potatoes

Southern Green Beans

Snickerdoodles

Off to Central Market we go to get the groceries. You will always find that my grocery list is listed in the same order as Central Market’s set up.

Make sure you have:

PRODUCE

• Russet potatoes – one per family member
• Chives
• A few handfuls of fresh green beans
• A yellow onion

MEATS

• A good quality flank steak
• Bacon

BAKING GOODS

• Flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Sugar

HERBS AND SPICES

• Kosher salt
• Ground pepper
• Regular salt
• Cinnamon
• Cream of tartar

OILS AND VINEGARS

• Olive oil

DAIRY

• Grated cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Half and half
• Butter
• Eggs

Also, make sure you have a grill pan and a large covered sauté pan.

The recipes will be listed soon.