Angel Hair Amatriciana

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 oz. thinly sliced guanciale, pancetta, or chopped unsmoked bacon
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup minced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 28-oz. can peeled tomatoes with juices, crushed by hand
  • Kosher salt
  • 12 oz. dried angel hair
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add guanciale and sauté until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes. Add pepper flakes and black pepper; stir for 10 seconds. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 15-20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt; add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until 2 minutes before al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.

3. Add drained pasta to sauce in skillet and toss vigorously with tongs to coat. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. (Add a little pasta water if sauce is too dry.) Stir in cheese and serve.

*Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.

Chicken and Veggies Noodle Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chopped, cooked, chicken
  • 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 red cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • Small handful fresh cilantro, chopped
  • One package fresh Yaki-soba stir fry noodles with sauce base.
  • Vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and sauté until veggies are slightly tender. About 4 minutes. Remove veggies from pan and set aside.

2. Add another 3 Tbsp of oil to pan and water. Add noodles and stir to soften noodles. Return veggies to pan and add chicken and warm through. Add package seasoning and stir to combine.

3. Serve warm and top with fresh cilantro.

Italian Chicken Pasta Salad

Meals could get very interesting at the Pletcher house over the next two weeks! We are moving to a new house and I really want to try and use as many ingredients in my fridge, freezer and pantry as possible before moving. So….ta-dah!! Here’s my first concoction!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
  • 1/4 cup pepperoni, slices halved
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1/3 of an English cucumber, diced
  • 2 oz jarred, chopped pimento
  • 3 oz crumbled feta
  • Handful fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water and shake until very dry. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl, drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over it and toss well to coat.

2. Add the chicken, cucumber, olives, peppers, pepperoni, onions, pimento and parsley. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar, toss well to combine.

3. Taste and adjust the seasoning. For best flavor, let the salad stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube 
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas 
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream 
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed
  • Black pepper
  • 1 store bought pie crust.

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Saute until the vegetables start to turn translucent, a couple of minutes.

2. Add 2 cups of the shredded chicken and stir to combine. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and chicken, and stir to combine. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring gently.

3. Pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Stir in the bouillon cube and combine. The flour will combine with the chicken to create a gravy. Next, add the peas.

4. Pour in the cream and stir. Allow the mixture to cook over low heat, thickening gradually, about 4 minutes. Season with the thyme, salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Be sure it’s adequately salted!

5. Pour the chicken mixture into a deep pie pan or small casserole dish.

6. Roll out the pastry so that it’s 1 inch larger than the pan. Place the crust on top of the chicken mixture and cut small slits in the top. Press the crust gently into the sides of the dish to seal.

7. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*This recipe is adapted from Ree Drummond from Food Network.

Blackberry, Sage and Grapefruit Mocktail

Ingredients:

  • Sage leaves
  • spindrift BlackBerry sparkling water
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 2 grapefruit, juiced
  • Blackberries (optional)

Directions:

1. Put 4 sage leaves with the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer until the mixture thickens a bit, about 10 minutes. Drain into a small metal bowl, reserving the zest, and let cool.

2. Divide grapefruit juice among four glasses. Add 1/2 oz of simple syrup into each glass. Top with ice. Pour in blackberry water.

3. Garnish with grapefruit wedge and sage. Blackberries to garnish if you have them.

Cherry Limeade with Mint and Basil

Ingredients:

  • Thai basil leaves
  • Mint leaves
  • Lime wedges
  • Ice cubes
  • Cherry limeade soda or sparkling water

Directions:

1. Place 4-5 leaves each of mint and basil along with 2 lime wedges. Muddle together with a muddler or back of a wooden spoon.

2. Add ice to fill the glass. Pour in cherry limeade soda or water.

3. Garnish with mint leaf and lime slice.

Pho

Ingredients:

  • 4 pounds beef soup bones
  • 1 onion, unpeeled and cut in half
  • 1 large finger fresh ginger, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 pods star anise
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 4 quarts water
  • 1 (8 ounce) package dried rice noodles
  • 1 lb chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
  • 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
  • 1 large carrot, shredded
  • 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch Thai basil
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
  • Sriracha®

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place beef bones on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until browned, about one hour.

3. Place bones, onion, ginger, salt, star anise, and fish sauce in a large stockpot and cover with 4 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer on low for 6 to 10 hours. During the last hour add the chicken breasts to the broth. Cook for one hour. Strain the broth into a saucepan and set aside.

4. Shred chicken and set aside.

5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, place noodles in the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Usually 6-8 minutes. Bring stock to a simmer.

6. Divide noodles among 4 serving bowls; top with chicken, cilantro, and green onion. Pour hot broth over the top. Serve with bean sprouts, Thai basil, mint, lime wedges, carrots, cucumber, and Sriracha on the side.

Grapefruit and Parsley Spritz

Ingredients:

  • 2 ruby red grapefruits
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 6 sprigs parsley
  • 2 cups grapefruit seltzer water
  • 1 shot gin, vodka, or tequila per drink (optional)

Directions:

1. Use a sharp paring knife to remove strips of zest—that’s the colorful outside of the peel, with as little of the bitter white pith attached—from about 1/2 of 1 of the grapefruit. Put the strips with the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer until the mixture thickens a bit, about 10 minutes. Remove and reserve the zest, let cool.

2. Set aside 4 parsley leaves or double-leaves to use as a garnish. Put the rest of the leaves in the bottom of a heavy glass or cocktail shaker and muddle them—just gentle crush them with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon.

3. Stir in the grapefruit syrup. Cut the grapefruits in half and juice 3 of the halves into the mixture. Cut 4 slices to use as garnish from the final half and then juice the rest of it into the mixture.

4. Fill 4 old-fashioned or high ball glass with ice. Divide the grapefruit-parsley mixture between them. Add alcohol to the glasses for people who want cocktails. Top with seltzer, give a good stir, and garnish each glass with a grapefruit slice and a mini-sprig of parsley.

Blood Orange and Rosemary Mocktail Spritzer

Ingredients:

  • Rosemary simple syrup (recipe below)
  • Ice cubes
  • Blood orange, sliced
  • Ginger beer
  • Blood orange sparkling water
  • Rosemary sprigs

Rosemary Simple Syrup

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 granulated sugar
  • 1 rosemary sprig

Directions:

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat and add rosemary sprig. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes and set aside to cool. Remove rosemary before use.

2. Add ice to a cup. Add 1 tbsp simple syrup. Fill cup 3/4 of the way with ginger beer. Top the cup off with blood orange sparkling water. Stir to combine. Add rosemary sprig and slice of blood orange.

*If you can’t find blood oranges or blood orange sparkling water, grapefruit is a delightful substitute!

Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound strawberries, sliced
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine sliced strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Strawberries will release juice without any mashing required.

2. Reduce heat and simmer 20-23 min or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Keep in mind sauce will thicken up slightly as it cools and even more with refrigeration.