Cooking With Shaz
*To make this vegetarian, substitute Vegetable Broth for Chicken Broth
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
I made this for dinner last night…it was super yummy! It’s a keeper!
8 oz Fettuccine – cooked and drained
2 tbs each butter and olive oil
2 chicken breasts – sliced thin
1/2 pound mushrooms – washed and sliced
4 oz white wine
4 green onions – sliced
2 cloves crushed garlic
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 jar Vodka Pasta Sauce (or 16 oz homemade)
2 tbs crumbled feta cheese
Parmesan cheese for garnish
In a deep saute’ pan, heat up butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink on the outside. Add the mushrooms, wine, green onions, crushed garlic, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and continue cooking until chicken is done on the inside and mushrooms are soft. Add the jar of pasta sauce and feta cheese. Stir until well blended. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or garlic powder if needed. Heat thoroughly. Serve over cooked fettuccine. Add bread sticks and a salad for a lovely dinner.
To make my Chicken Marsala, you will need:
2 tablespoons each butter and olive oil
4 chicken breast cutlets
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, diced
1 tablespoon diced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
1/2 cup Marsala wine (or white wine)
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasonings
8 oz dried pasta, cooked al dente’, tossed with olive oil and kept warm
In large deep sided frying pan, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add chicken breast cutlets and saute until lightly browned on each side. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm. To frying pan, add the mushrooms, onion, garlic and wine. Scrape bottom of pan to deglaze the chicken bits. Cook until mushrooms are softened. Meanwhile, place flour in liquid measuring cup and whisk in 1/2 cup of the milk until flour is dissolved. Add the rest of the milk and bouillon and mix well. Pour mixture into the hot pan with the mushrooms and wine. Stir constantly until thickened over medium heat. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasonings. Return chicken to the pan and simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes. Serve over warm pasta.
Cheese Stuffing:
1/2 cup smoked shredded cheese (provolone or gouda)
8-oz package mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato flakes (drain first if in oil)
1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup sour cream (6 oz)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Sauce:
1 small onion, cut in half and thinly sliced lengthwise
24 fl oz Marsala wine
8 fl oz heavy cream
2 small containers button mushrooms, thinly sliced (6 cups)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 fl oz olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
Combine all cheese stuffing ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Butterfly thickest section of chicken breasts to create 2 lobes. Pound each breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until ¼” – ½” thick. Place flattened chicken breasts on a plate and place desired amount of stuffing on one lobe of each chicken breast. Gently press stuffing down so it resembles a hockey puck. Fold over other lobe of chicken breast; does not have to seal.
Heat large sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering. Place flour in a shallow pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Dredge stuffed chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess. Saute chicken breasts with preheated oil, cooking until each side is golden brown. Remove chicken from pan and place in a baking dish. Bake for 10-20 minutes, or until juices run clean and center of chicken reaches 165°F.
Add onions to sauté pan, and stir to loosen chicken drippings. After 2 minutes, add mushrooms and sauté until onions are translucent. Deglaze pan with Marsala wine – make sure to incorporate drippings from bottom of pan. Heat wine to a simmer and add heavy cream. Simmer on low heat until reduced by half.
Place cooked chicken breasts on a plate and top each with onions, mushrooms and sauce.
Serve with your favorite garlic mashed potato recipe.
4 Servings
1/2 pound spaghetti, broken up into thirds
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 cups bottled spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 ounces pepperoni, chopped
4 eggs, large, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
In large saucepan of lightly salted water, cook spaghetti one minute less than directed on package. Drain.
Heat oven to 350. Coat 10 inch skillet with nonstick cooking spray. If handle is not ovenproof, wrap with foil.
Coat with crumbs. In bowl, combine spaghetti, pasta sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni. Stir in beaten eggs. Spoon mixture into prepared skillet. Bake in 350 degree oven 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with parmesean, bake until cheese is golden brown, 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges.
6 Servings
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
12 oz sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 oz ham (Black Forest if possible), julienned
1/4 cup chopped parsley
8 oz pasta (your favorite shape), cooked according to package directions
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped
Heat extra virgin olive oil and garlic in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Once garlic starts to sizzle, add mushrooms. Sauté 2-3 minutes. Add heavy cream and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Allow to slightly reduce, for about 10 minutes. Add ham, peas and parsley and cook 4 minutes.
Return cooked, drained pasta to pot and add sauce. Cook until sauce simmers and coats the pasta.
Remove pot from heat and stir in grated Parmesan. Toss gently to combine.
Transfer to large serving platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Chef’s Tip: Use a small amount of salt. The parmesan cheese naturally contains salt.
4 eggplants, sliced 1/2″ thick
dash salt
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups spaghetti sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle salt on slices of eggplant. Let sit for 30 minutes, blot moisture from eggplant slices.
Dip each slice of eggplant in egg then in bread crumbs. Fry in a small amount of oil until browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Put one cup of sauce on bottom of 13×9″ baking dish. Layer eggplant slices, top with sauce then cheeses.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 or until cheese is bubbly.
8 Servings
From Southern Living
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (6-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sour cream
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup to 1 cup chopped pecans
Stir together chicken and next 6 ingredients.
Arrange 3 noodles in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish; top with half of chicken mixture. Repeat layers with remaining noodles and chicken mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pecans.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 45 minutes; uncover, and bake 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.
To Make Ahead: Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking; proceed as directed.
To lighten: Substitute reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup, 2% reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, and reduced-fat sour cream.
Yield: Makes 6 servings