Great Pasta Dish!

Artichoke and Sundried Tomato Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts            1/4 cup prepared sundried tomato

salt and pepper for seasoning                         pesto (Classico or Fresh Market)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped                     1 14 oz. can Artichoke hearts

¼ cup your favorite white wine                       (quartered)

1 Tbsp. olive oil                                            fresh basil leaves for garnish

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes w/juices

  

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat a skillet on a medium high heat, and add the olive oil till just smoking.  Place chicken in the skillet and brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Put garlic in the pan, and sear, till aromas begin to release, this will happen quickly, maybe just a minute or so, and garlic turns golden brown.  Take pan AWAY from the heat and add the wine.  Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and let wine reduce for about 1 minute. Pour tomatoes into pan, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in pesto and artichokes.  Return chicken to the pan, and cover.  Lower heat to medium low, and continue until chicken is finished cooking through, approximately 10 minutes.

Place on plate and garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves.  Serves 4

Stuffed Peppers!

Sprouts has wonderful yellow, orange and red bell peppers right now.  Their sausage is very lean and these peppers are great!  You can use pasta, couscous or rice to fill these little darlin's . . .

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Extra Cheesy Stuffing with Sausage

2 cups shell macaroni (8 oz)                         2 cups (8 oz.) mozzarella, grated

8 bell peppers (yellow, orange, red and/or     3 oz. cream cheese, softened

  green) tops cut off & insides removed         ¾ cup (3 oz.) grated parmesan

1 lb. Italian sausage                                      ½ tsp. basil

2 jars (16 oz) spaghetti sauce                      salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375°.  Cook macaroni in boiling salted water until al dente.  In large saucepan over medium heat, cook and crumble sausage until browned.  Drain.   In large bowl combine drained macaroni, cream cheese, mozzarella and half of the parmesan.  Mix to coat.  Add half of one jar of sauce to make coating look “pink”.  Pour other half of first jar of sauce in bottom of large baking pan.  Place peppers upright in pan.  Fill each pepper with macaroni and cheese stuffing (letting the filling overflow generously into pan).  Spoon second jar of sauce over peppers and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.  Cover and bake 45 minutes.  Remove cover and bake 5 minutes more.  (Make sure peppers are soft before removing cover).  Serves 8.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

This is so delicious on a cold day:

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

4 cups chicken broth                                    1 cup chopped carrots

2 cups water                                                1 cup chopped celery

2 cooked, boneless chicken breast                ¾ cup flour

   Halves, shredded                                       ½ cup butter

1 (4.5 oz) pkg. quick cooking long                2 cups heavy cream

   Grain & wild rice with seasoning packet      ½ tsp. salt & pepper (to taste)

In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water and chicken.  Bring just to boiling, then stir in carrots, celery, rice, reserving seasoning packet.  Cover and remove from heat.  In a small bowl, combine salt & pepper & flour.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly.  Reduce to low then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux.  Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth.  Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.  Stir cream mixture into broth and rice.  Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10-15 minutes.