Chickpea Broccoli Fettuccine

This vegetarian chickpea broccoli fettuccine is the best recipe when your craving Italian, and want quick and easy too.

Pasta, chickpeas and broccoli tossed in a light creamy, garlicky sauce, full of delicious summer flavors.When you need an easy 30 minute dinner make this pasta. It’s comfort food with a light and summery taste.

OK, so I know I post a lot of pasta recipes, but pasta is so versatile, you could have hundreds of combinations. At the restaurant on the menu, you pick, your pasta shape, sauce,and any extra add-ins.

By some estimates there are 600 distinct commercial brands of pasta shape, hundreds of sauces, endless vegetables and protein combinations.

That’s why I post a lot of pasta recipes, when am stuck for a dinner idea it’s Pasta to the rescue.It’s not often you find a meal the whole family will love when you do you want to make it often.

Here’s How Do Make Chickpea Broccoli Fettuccine

This is how to make Chickpea Broccoli Fettuccine. Start by cooking the pasta according to package direction, adding the broccoli the last few minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and broccoli reserving two cups of the magical pasta water.

YES, pasta water is magical when added to pasta sauces, is’t natural starch thickens the sauce and adds flavor eliminating the need for added creams.

Saute the onions and garlic until tender and just beginning to brown before adding the chickpeas , be sure the saute pan is big enough to hold all the ingredients without crowding.

If the saute pan is to small you wouldn’t get that beautiful golden color instead the food ends up looking like it was boiled instead of sauteed.

Then put the rest of the ingredients in the pan scraping up all the brown bites, simmer for 10 minutes. The recipe says to reserve 2 cups of water but I know it only calls for 1, that’s because I always like to save more than I need in case the sauce is to thick.

The other thing is the chickpeas and broccoli can be roasted then added to the sauce at the same time as the pasta. When I use this method which I do often

I use my Cuisinart toaster/airfryer to a quick and economical alternative to turning on my large wall oven.

If you make this recipe please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram hearing from you is my favorite part.

Ingredients

1/2 Lbs. Fettuccine
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups chick peas
2 Tbs. each butter and extra virgin olive oil
2 cups pasta water
1 cup manufacturing cream
1 cup reserved pasta water
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 Tbs. chopped garlic
2 Tbs. each Italian parsley, basil and Thyme
pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook fettuccine according to package directions Add broccoli last 5 minutes and reserving two cups of the water
Drain and rinse 2 15 oz. cans chick peas
In a saute pan bring oil and butter to a medium heat
Add onion and garlic saute until tender and just beginning to brown
Add chickpeas saute until golden
Add resevered pasta water, cream, parmesan, and herbs
Simmer 10 minutes
Toss, pasta, broccoli, chick peas
Salt and pepper to taste
sprinkle with parmesan and ENJOY!!!

Tuscan Chicken Penne

You need to add this Tuscan Chicken Penne to your weekly pasta night menu. It’s a creamy pan sauce filled with sun dried tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms and goes prefect with the chicken and pasta. This is a delicious base sauce to add any shape pasta to, it doesn’t have to be penne, use what you have on hand.

My recipes and the way I cook is to use what I have on hand, or what is on sale and the freshest seasonal ingredients. This meal came about because on a shopping trip I bought whole, skinless. boneless chicken breast, they were on sale.

I like to cut them into different shapes to use in different recipes. For this penne pasta I cut the chicken into strips.

The rest I cut into fillets for grilling or baking, lay it flat in baggies and freeze it.

It’s great when all you have to do is take the chicken out of the freezer and it’s pan ready for your recipe, for those busy night , when commitments are long and time is short.

This quick dinner can be on your table in about thirty minutes and has few ingredients so you don’t have to go to the store as often, because you forgot something, and leaving with more than you came for, plus a little extra frustration you didn’t have to pay for in this crazy times.

Lets Talk Pasta Water

In this Tuscan Chicken Penne recipe I used pasta water in the sauce, like I do in 75% of my recipes. Pasta water is the magical ingredient to add to your pan sauces.

Add 1 cup or a couple ladle fulls to your sauce before adding the pasta.The salty, starchy water not only adds flavor but helps to glue the sauce and pasta together, it will also help thicken the sauce.

Save the pasta water before you drain the pasta, this is an easy step to forget. I like to save more of the pasta water then I need to adjust for the consistency am looking for.

If you want to thicken any pan sauce a little pour do this, coat a pat or two of butter with flour and drop it in the sauce. Be sure to cook the sauce at least 5 minutes after adding floured butter so there is no flour taste.

This is a delicious restaurant quality base sauce you can customize to fit your lifestyle and taste and your family will love it. If you make this recipe please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with your creations, hearing from you is my favorite part.

Ingredients

1 lbs. penne

1/2 Lbs. chicken sliced into strips

4 cups spinach chopped

4 oz, sun dried tomatoes

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup reserved pasta water

2 Tbs. chopped garlic

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 Tbs. each chopped Italian parsley, basil, and thyme

2 Tbs. each olive oil and butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Instruction

1.Heat oil and butter add onion and garlic saute until opaque

2. Salt and pepper chicken

3. Add s chicken saute on high heat till golden

4. Add heavy whipping cream, chicken stock, pasta water and parmesan cheese

5. Simmer covered until thickens about 15 minutes

6. Add spinach and sun dried tomatoes simmer 5 minutes longer

7. Toss cooked penne in sauce

8. Top with additional parmesan……. Enjoy!!!

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

Memorial day has always been the unofficial start of Summer for me, and Am kicking it off with this roasted vegetable pasta salad.

This Italian pasta salad is full of good for you ingredients and everyone’s favorite one Pasta. It’s no secret I love pasta, I grew up with my mother making fresh pasta

almost daily.We lived on a farm in the hills of Tuscany, my mother and father worked the land and we reaped the rewards in the most fresh, delicious food.

I can remember my Mama up before dawn dressed and standing at the counter rolling out the pasta dough on a wooden board my father make for her.

Yes, there’s nothing better then fresh pasta, but if your looking for quick and easy then store bought is the way to go. With thousands of shapes and brands you can find any kind your looking for, from fresh to dry and everything in between. At the restaurants the raviolis, gnocchi and lasagna are made by hand the rest are store bought and delicious.

Make It Yours

In this vegetable pesto pasta salad I used fusilli, the funny corkscrew shape pasta. But any shape pasta works in this recipe, even gluten free or whole wheat. What ever pasta you choose be sure not to over cook it .

Stop the cooking process by running cold water over the pasta. This whole recipe is customizable from the pasta shape to what kind of vegetables you use.

I use what ever vegetables I have on hand in this recipe I put in a can drained chickpeas for crunch. The one thing I wouldn’t change in this recipe is the dressing,

the pesto vinaigrette makes the dish burst with vibrant color and fresh Summer flavors. This pasta salad is prefect for the warmer weather as a side dish or add some grilled shrimp or chicken and you have a prefect dinner any night of the night.

If you make this please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram hearing from you is my favorite thing.

Ingredients

1/2 lbs. fusilli
1 zucchini sliced
1 red and 1 green bell pepper
2 ears of corn
1 can chickpeas drained
1 red onion
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian dressing divided
1/4 cup prepared pesto sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package direction run under cold water
Preheat oven to 375
Mix Pesto sauce with the Italian dressing
Mix all of the ingredients with 1/2 cup of the Italian pesto dressing
Roast vegetables 20 minutes
Toss pasta and vegetables with the resevered Italian pesto dressing
Sprinkle with Additional parmesan and 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Salmon Broccoli Fettucini

This salmon, broccoli fettucini is the best recipe when your craving Italian, and want quick and easy too. Pasta, salmon and broccoli tossed in a light creamy, lemony sauce, full of delicious summer flavors.

When you need an easy 30 minute dinner make this pasta. It’s comfort food with a light and summery taste.

By some estimates there are 600 distinct commercial brands of pasta shape, hundreds of sauces, endless vegetables and protein combinations.

That’s why I post a lot of pasta recipes, when am stuck for a dinner idea it’s Pasta to the rescue. It’s not often you find a meal the whole family will like, when you do you’ll want to make it often.

Making Salmon Broccoli Fettucini

Start by cooking the pasta according to package direction, adding the broccoli the last few minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and broccoli reserving two cups of the magical pasta water.

YES, pasta water is magical when added to pasta sauces, is’t natural starch thickens the sauce and adds flavor eliminating the need for added creams. Salt and pepper the salmon then cut it into cubes.

Brown the salmon then remove it from the pan to prevent overcooking, set it aside while making the sauce.

Put the rest of the ingredients in the pan scraping up all the brown bites, simmer for 10 minutes. Return salmon, broccoli and pasta to saute pan heat through, sprinkle with parsley and thyme….ENJOY If you make this recipe please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram hearing from you is my favorite part. If you like salmon, you may want to try my Citrus Salmon

Ingredients

1/2 Lbs. Fettuccine
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 Lbs. skinless salmon cut in medium chunks
2 Tbs. butter and extra virgin olive oil
2 cups pasta water
1 cup manufacturing cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 Tbs. chopped garlic
2 Tbs. grated lemon peel
Juice from 2 lemons
2 Tbs. each Italian parsley and Thyme
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook fettuccine according to package directions Add broccoli last 5 minutes and reserving two cups of the water
Salt and pepper the salmon pieces
In a saute pan bring oil and butter to a medium heat
Add onion and garlic saute until tender and just beginning to brown
Add salmon cook 5 minutes brown slightly and remove set aside
Add resevered pasta water, cream, parmesan, lemon juice, and lemon peel
Simmer 10 minutes
Toss, pasta, broccoli, salmon and herbs in the sauce……ENJOY

Pesto Pasta Primavera

This pesto, pasta, primavera is ever-changing, depending on what fresh vegetables you have on hand. The most important ingredient is fresh vegetables and good pesto sauce

You can use store bought or homemade pesto, I used homemade. There are a few staples in my kitchen I almost always have, one is marinara, the other is pesto.

The recipe for the pesto is easy in a blender mix 1 bunch of washed basil stems removed, add 1 cup parmesan, 1 cup toasted pine nuts pour in 2 cups extra virgin olive oil.

Quick, easy, delicious and versatile is what make this healthy vegetarian meal prefect for weeknight family meals and it’s decant enough for Saturday night dinner with friends.

If you want a hearty meal add chicken, shrimp or mix in any left overs. Change the shape of the pasta and the combination of add ins and you wouldn’t repeat the same meal for aleast a week.

You’LL Love this Pesto Pasta Primavera

Sure there’s a time for fancy plated, layered creations, that take hours to prepare, but for me, quick, easy, and delicious is what am looking for.

I want recipes that come together in less than an hour, most times less then 30 minutes. This pesto, pasta primavera comes together in less than 30 minutes , but your family and friends will think it took much longer.

When am stuck for dinner ideas or company’s coming it’s pasta I turn to. You are going to love this pasta, it’s vibrant colors and fresh flavors make this one of those meals you’ll want to make often.

If you make this please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, hearing from you is my favorite part!!!

Ingredients

1/2 Lbs. Fettuccine
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 cup fresh corn
1 onion chopped
2 cups chopped spinach
2 cups prepared pesto sauce
2 cups reserved pasta water
3 Tablespoons chopped garlic
3 Tablespoons each chopped Italian parsley and basil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

cook pasta according to package directions reserving 2 cups of pasta water
In a large saute pan in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter saute the onion and garlic until tender and just starting to brown
Add the vegetables salt and pepper now saute 5 minutes
Add pesto and pasta water simmer 5 minutes longer
Toss pasta in pesto sauce add herbs
Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese ….. Enjoy

Baked Chicken Rigatoni

This baked chicken rigatoni pasta dinner will let us know what Italians knew all along, that pasta is easy to prepare, versatile and good for you.

By having just a few basics, you can trow together a satisfying dinner ready to serve in less than a hour.

Virtually anything, yesterdays left over chicken, that’s what I used, some fresh vegetables, a handful of cheese can be turned into a simple quick pasta dinner.

Pasta is an ideal main course it’s high in complex carbohydrates and low in fat, making it a staple in our house two to three times a week.

It’s not often you find a meal the whole family will like, when you do you’ll want to make it often. And because pasta is so versatile you can serve it two to threes a week, without repeating the same dish. What’s not to love? Nothing!!!!

Pass The Pasta

This chicken baked rigatoni recipe uses pantry and refrigerator staples, that I had on hand. Pasta is so versatile, you can change this recipe up by leaving the mushrooms or the spinach out, or changing the pasta shape, without changing the flavor much.

Talk about different shape pasta, did you know there are more than 500 distinct commercial pasta shapes.

Pastas are now made in a variety of flavors and made with many different flours. The most important thing to remember when selecting, cooking and serving dried pasta is that they are interchangeable.

If you can’t find a particular type called for in the recipe, simply use a pasta of similar size and shape.

If you make this recipe please leave me a comment, let me know your experience with the recipe, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Hearing from you is my favorite part.

Ingredients

1/2 Lbs. rigatoni
2 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 Lbs. sliced mushrooms
2 cups chopped spinach
1/4 cup flour
2 cups low fat milk
1 cup diced swiss cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook pasta el dente reserve 1 cup of pasta water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a sauce pan in 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil saute chicken until brown
Push chicken to side of pan, add Mushrooms and garlic saute until golden…..salt and pepper now.
Mix the flour with 1 cup of the milk whisk until smooth
Slowly add the flour/milk mixture to simmering pan
Add remaining milk, cheeses, spinach, nutmeg and drained pasta and re severed pasta water
Transfer to a heat proof casserole dish, sprinkle with additional cheese and Italian Parsley
Bake covered for 20 minutes uncover and bake 10 minutes longer
Serve and ENJOY!!!!

Tuscan Bucatini

This Tuscan bucatini is such a great recipe that uses few ingredients and comes together in less than 30 minutes, easy enough for weeknight family meals, and fancy enough for Saturday night dinners with friends.

It’s fast and full of rich Italian flavors, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and garlic make this vegetarian pasta dinner mouth watering good.

Simple in nature, this recipe is made with ingredients you probably have on hand, but if you don’t my recipes are always customizable, to fit your lifestyle and taste.

You can change this Tuscan pasta recipe by adding, subtracting or changing the pasta shape to make it your own creation.

Bucatini Pasta

It’s no secret I love pasta!! When I am stuck for dinner ideas it’s pasta to the rescue, and one of my favorite is bucatine.

Bucatini pasta is like a hollow thick spaghetti. Growing up my bother and I used the long hollow noodles like straws, it drove my mother crazy.

This dry pasta needs to simply be stirred in boiling water for 10 minutes, and dressed up with your favorite sauce. It taste ,

delicious in this vegetarian Tuscan Bucatini recipe but you can use any shape pasta you like.

Be sure the stock pot s big enough for the long noodles to move freely. The right size pots and pans are important in any well equipped kitchen,

I use a 6 quart stock pot it’s the prefect size for all around kitchen use. You don’t need a lot of different pots and pans, start with a basic set and build as needed .

If you make this recipe pleas leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram that’s my favorite part!!!!

Ingredients

1 lbs bucatini pasta
4 cups chopped spinach
1 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 small chopped onion
2 Tablespoons each butter and olive oil
2 cups resevered pasta water
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons each Italian parsley, basil, and thyme

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package direction reserve two cups of pasta water
In a saute pan saute the garlic and onion until limp in 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Add the sun dried tomatoes and reserved pasta water
Simmer covered for 10 minutes
Add the spinach and parmesan cheese last 5 minutes
Toss the pasta in the sauce
Add herbs
Sprinkle with Additional parmesan and Italian parsley and ENJOY!!!

Air fried Chicken Parmesan

Air fryer Chicken Parmesan

This air fryer chicken parmesan dinner can be on your table in 30 minutes, if your using prepared marinara sauce.

What do I mean prepared??? Here is Italian restaurant cooking 101. Marinara sauce is used in many Italian recipes, so when I make it, I make more than I need, and freeze it in different size containers for ready made meals.

If you don’t want to make your own marinara you can use store bought. Making your own marinara is so easy you’ll want to make it often.

Here’s how easy it is: Marinara Sauce recipe……In a stock pot in 4 tablespoons of olive oil saute one bunch of chopped Italian parsley, with one chopped onion and 4 tablespoons of chopped garlic saute until limp add in 3 15 oz cans chopped tomatoes and 3 15 oz cans of tomato sauce, and 2 cans of water simmer covered for 2 hours, that’s it restaurant quality marinara sauce made in your kitchen!!!

What Is An Air fryer

An air fryer is a counter top kitchen appliance that uses convection to circulate hot air around food to cook it. It produces a fried look and taste without the oil.

Hot air rushes down and around food placed in a fryer style basket. This rapid circulation makes the food crisp, much like deep frying. with a lot less guilt.

Let me tell you I was skeptical, until I tried it this Air fry chicken parmesan recipe. Guess what, this recipe made me a believer in air frying. The chicken was crispy and tender

Here’s a few tips:

Refrigerate the chicken after coating with the bread crumbs it helps the bread crumbs stick to the chicken
It helps if the chicken is cut in uniform pieces to insure even heating
Pre heat the air fryer
Bring chicken to room temperature before frying

You can also make your own Italian flavored bread crumbs. You know that stale bread that’s about to turn a different color? Don’t toss it, put it your food processor add in 1 cup parmesan cheese to every 3 cups of bread crumbs,

add 1 tablespoon each garlic, onion powder, fresh chopped Italian parsley, thyme and oregano.

There you have it, homemade Italian bread crumbs that you can freeze for ready use. the chicken parmesan can be frozen too, for weeknight family meals or

unexpected company is coming, and I need easy, quick and delicious right now!!!

If you make this recipe please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram that’s my favorite part!!!!

Ingredients

!/2 lbs. linguine
4 skinless boneless chicken breast
2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups prepared marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

turn air fryer to 4oo degrees
Cook pasta according to package directions reserving 1 cup of the pasta water
Mean while salt and pepper chicken
Mix the Parmesan cheese with the bread crumbs
Dip the chicken breast in the slightly beaten egg then the breadcrumbs
Air fry the chicken breast for 10 minutes
Add shredded mozzarella on top of the chicken breast
Air fry 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted
Heat the prepared marinara if sauce is too thick add reserved pasta water
Toss pasta with marinara
Top each chicken breast with the marinara and additional parmesan…..ENJOY!!!!