Chicken-Bacon Primavera

What You Will Need: Chicken (cooked & slice or shredded), bacon (chopped & crispy), onions, garlic, bell pepper, green beans, broccoli, butter, pasta, chicken broth & parmesan cheese.

**Take some help from the store & use a rotisserie chicken if you are short on time.

I would prefer this dish be made with a long pasta such as linguini but its easier for my child to eat a smaller noodle.    

First things first......Pour yourself a glass of wine & turn on some Italian music! 

Ora possiamo cominciare! 

Which means, Now we can begin! 

Place a pot of water over high heat & bring to a boil. Cook your pasta till al dente, drain & set aside.

In a large skillet. Melt some butter then sauté the sliced onions & chopped garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes.

Add in the chicken & cook another 2 minutes.

Trimmed green beans & bell pepper join the mix. Cook for 1-2 minutes. You don't want to overcook the beans & peppers. We don't want mushy veggies in our pasta! 

Now we will start building the sauce right in the pan.

Pour in about a half of broth. Bring to a boil. 

Add in the cut broccoli & simmer for 2 minutes. 

Throw in 3-4 Tablespoons of butter, season with salt & pepper.

Toss in the bacon pieces.

Sprinkle in plenty of parmesan, mix & boom....your ready to serve! 

Get a big bowl of your pasta & pile it high with the tender chicken, crisp bacon & fresh veggies. 

Don't forget to spoon over plenty of the buttery broth! 

Garnish with more parmesan & some chopped fresh herbs if desired. 

Enjoy & Always Cook with Love! 

Braised Beef & Portobellos.

What You Will Need: Beef (I have top sirloin strips), portobello mushrooms, red onion, red bell pepper, parsley, unsalted butter, grill seasoning, worcestershire sauce, flour & beef stock.

Preheat the oven to 250.

Cut the meat into medium size chunks & season well with the grill seasoning.

In a large, oven safe skillet, heat some olive oil & sear the meat on both sides. Don't move the pieces around because you want them to get a good crust. 

Into the skillet, add sliced onions & peppers. Stir & allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.

The portobello mushrooms go in next. I like to cut them thick so they don't completely disappear in the sauce. Mix & cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

Give a couple splashes of the worcestershire sauce & 2-3 tablespoons of butter.

Once the butter is melted, sprinkle in a little more then a 1/4c. of flour. Mix & allow all the flour to cook.

Pour in the beef stock till it almost completely covers the meat. Bring to a bubble, taste & adjust if necessary. 

Place in the oven for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. The longer, the better. Check on it about ever 30 minutes to make sure there is still enough liquid. If it appears to be getting dry, add in some more stock. 

Carefully bring the skillet out of the oven, sprinkle on plenty of fresh chopped parsley & your ready to serve!

Serve over egg noodles, creamy mashed potatoes or risotto! 

The meat is fall apart tender, the mushrooms are earthy, the sauce is rich and decadent! 

Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!