Categories
Bacon Mushrooms Pasta Spinach

Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms & Bacon

12 oz fettucine pasta

Sauce:

4 strips bacon, cut in 2-in. pieces
1 medium onion, cut in thin wedges
1 pkg (8 oz) presliced mushrooms
1 large clove garlic, cut in slivers
1 bag (10 oz) prewashed fresh baby spinach

Nice to add:

Diced tomato and grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook as package directs.
Meanwhile cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Place on a paper towel to drain. Remove all but 1 Tbsp fat from skillet.
Add onion and mushrooms to skillet. Sauté 4 minutes or until onion has browned. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add spinach; cook until wilted.
Scoop 1/2 cup cooking water from pasta pot; stir into spinach mixture. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add Sauce and bacon; toss to mix. Sprinkle with tomato and cheese.

4 Servings

Categories
Ham Italian Mushrooms Pasta Spinach

Pasta Florentine Olive Garden Recipe

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.

Categories
Eggplant Hash Brown Potatoes Mushrooms Soups Vegetables Vegetarian White Beans

Minestrone Genovese

1oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 lb. Swiss chard, stems removed
1/4 lb. spinach, stems removed
Salt
2 small zucchini, diced
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and diced
2 Japanese eggplants, peeled and diced
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups pasta
2 cups cooked white beans
2 tbsp. pesto (see recipe below) Freshly ground black pepper

Soak porcini in 2 cups warm water until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove porcini, rinse, chop and set aside. Pour porcini water through a coffee filter and reserve. Chop chard and spinach leaves.
Bring porcini water and 6 cups salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add porcini, chard, spinach, zucchini, potatoes, eggplant and oil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Add pasta to soup. Cook pasta for about 10 minutes, add beans and cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in pesto and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or, in the Genovese tradition, at room temperature. Sprinkle with parmigiano-reggiano, if you like.

Pesto

2 tightly packed cups stemless fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp. pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Coarse salt
1/2 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano

Crush basil, pine nuts, garlic and a large pinch of salt into a fine paste with mortar and pestle. Drizzle in oil, stirring constantly, then stir in parmigiano-reggiano. Put plastic wrap directly on surface of pesto, then set aside. If using a food processor, put pine nuts, garlic and salt into the bowl of the food processor fitted with a metal blade and blend to a paste. Add basil, drizzle in oil and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in parmigiano-reggiano.

Categories
Cheese Dried Beef Mushrooms

Creamed Chipped Beef

1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 ounces dried beef
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1 can (4 ounces) chopped mushrooms, drained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes)
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low to medium heat. Cut beef into thin strips; add to melted butter. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes; blend in flour. Gradually add milk and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbling. Stir sour cream, mushrooms, cheese, chopped or dried parsley, and salt and pepper to taste; heat through. Serve creamed chipped beef on rice, in pastry shells, or over toast points.

Recipe for creamed chipped beef on toast serves 4.

Categories
Chicken Mushrooms Noodles

Chicken Stroganoff

12 ounces broad egg noodles
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (any variety and/or combination)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cooked chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives

Directions

Cook egg noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes until soft. Add mushrooms and cook 3 minutes, until mushrooms soften. Add thyme and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in chicken. Add wine and simmer 1 minute. In a small bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch and Worcestershire sauce. Add mixture to pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer 2 minutes, until mixture thickens. Stir in cooked noodles and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Transfer to a serving platter and top with chives.

Categories
Chicken Breasts Mushrooms

Chicken Marsala

This is super easy and very good!

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken cutlets
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pre-diced onions
4 ounces pre-sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (.75-ounce) packet mushroom gravy mix

1. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with thyme. Wash hands.

2. Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add onions and mushrooms; cook 3–4 minutes or until tender. Move onions and mushrooms to outer edge of pan. Place chicken in center of pan (wash hands); cook 2–3 minutes on each side until browned.

3. Stir in wine, then add remaining ingredients. Stir until well blended. Reduce heat to low and simmer 6–8 minutes until sauce thickens and internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to accurately ensure doneness. Serve.

Categories
Casseroles Chicken Mushrooms Poultry Rice

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

1 (6.2-ounce) package fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix

2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

1 (8-ounce) package fresh mushroom slices

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

2/3 cup Italian dressing

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

Cook rice in a large saucepan according to package directions, using 2 cans chicken broth instead of water. Add mushrooms before the last 5 minutes.

Stir in chicken, dressing, and sour cream; spoon into a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish.

Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes.

Yield: Makes 6 servings