Chicken Alfredo Pasta

About 4 years ago now, I found an amazing pasta recipe that has been a huge hit here in Chaosville. It's called Garlic Parmesan Noodles and you can see it if you click that link. I would occasionally make it as a side dish but then I found this very similar recipe on Betty Crocker that turned it into a main! We love it! I always at least double it for our family.

THE INGREDIENTS

2 TBSP butter
2 tsp minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth or stock
8 oz uncooked pasta of your choice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup frozen veggies of choice (not pictured because I skip them)

A relatively new development here in Chaosville is we have a new sous chef! She is getting the hang of how to help in the kitchen and she really enjoys being in there with me. Meet Ellie:

On to the cooking! In a skillet or stockpot (if you double the recipe you will need more than a skillet size) melt the butter. Add in the garlic and cook and stir until fragrant. It only takes a minute or so.
Add in the broth, salt, pepper and pasta. This time I used gemelli pasta but I have used many different kinds from angel hair to cavatappi.

Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium. Cook uncovered until pasta is al dente. It will depend on your pasta choice, so look on the box. Most of the liquid will have been absorbed by the pasta.

Stir in the cream and Parmesan.

Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the chicken. You can also stir in a cup or so of frozen veggies, if your family would still eat it that way. As mine will not, I usually make a side of mixed veggies that can be added in to my bowl! Cook for a couple minutes more to warm through the chicken and any veggies you may have added.

Let it stand for a few minutes and the sauce will further absorb/thicken in that time. I like it to have some liquid in my personal serving but my husband likes it to be thicker. My favorite thing about this is that it does not take a long time to prepare but it is hearty and lovely and creamy and so, so good!



 

SPO (Sausage Potato Onion)

I made this for dinner the other night and realized I had never blogged it so I took pictures and here it is! I love this recipe SO MUCH which is unusual for me because I am not a big fan of sausage. In fact, I usually don''t eat any of the sausage when I make it. I do love the flavor that the potatoes and onions take on from the sausage and the spices. I originally found this recipe online and printed it out. According to the print out it is from this site.

THE INGREDIENTS

1 package link sausage (I use beef sausage)
1 large onion, peeled and chopped 
5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed OR 1.5 pound bag of baby potatoes, cut in half
Olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground thyme OR 1/2 tsp dried thyme

This is a very different kind of recipe for me. The original has no measurements for the spices! I was very unsure of myself the first time I tried to make it but it turned out so good! I have found that the amount I listed are a good starting point. More on that in a minute...
I cook this on a sheet pan that I have covered with aluminum foil and sprayed with this wonderful invention:

I have never had any issues with sticking and clean up is a breeze! I also double this recipe every time so if the pictures below seem like a lot of food, it is. Everyone in the family loves this so much that we never have any leftovers. I use my largest mixing bowl and drizzle the empty bowl with olive oil first. Then prep the onions and add them to the bowl, followed by the potatoes and the sausage.

I add a little more olive oil and then mix everything around to coat the mix. For the spices, I mix them together in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the spice mix over the meat/veggie blend and mix to coat. Sometimes after mixing it seems like there are not enough spices so I will mix another portion and add and mix until everything has an even amount. When you are satisfied with the spices, pour the mix on the sheet pan and spread evenly.

Bake at 400 degrees for a total of 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, remove from the oven and stir around to prevent sticking.

After 45 minutes, test the potatoes to make sure they are done through. If they do not pierce easily with a fork, cook a little longer, checking every 5 minutes or so until done.

My favorite thing to serve with this is cornbread but I usually forget that and unless I make the cornbread earlier, it doesn't work out. In any case this is a relatively simple but very hearty dish that our whole family loves!