Pesto Pasta with Chicken

I've had this strange fear of pesto for a while.  Even though "they" say it's actually very easy to make, it always seemed like a daunting restaurant type dish.   But then I realized that if I can make risotto, then pesto pasta should be a piece of cake.  And it is, seriously, so easy.  I almost feel foolish for not having this dish in our weekly rotation until now.

I decided to start with a very traditional pesto, which consists of basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and Parmesan cheese.   Once I get the hang of this, I shall expand to some of the flavored pestos of the world.  I'm really curious about infusing some bell peppers into this business.

I've also discovered that our immersion blender once again rocks our world.  We haven't had a proper blender for a while (it got fried blending baby food... I know, right?), so we figured we'd just go for it and use our $30 immersion blender.  Let me tell you, it works well.  And clean up is much easier when you don't have to deal with separating the blades from the container, etc.   I'm all about minimizing clean up, y'all.

The recipe calls for what seems to be a lot of olive oil, but the end result didn't feel terribly greasy.  In any case, I've done the calorie count, and by the time you factor in pasta and chicken breast, the total meal comes out to be heart healthy enough.  Not the lowest fat dinner out there, but we all need treats once in a while.

This recipe is adapted from Pasta, from Parragon Publishers.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast, skinless, boneless
• Farfalle Pasta (one 14oz bag)
• 3 1/2 shredded fresh basil
• 4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp pine nuts
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water according to package directions.  Drain, but do not rinse.
2. Cook chicken breast on a lightly oiled skillet, until the the middle is no longer pink.  I find it useful to cut the chicken into strips before placing it on skillet.  When it's done, cut cooked chicken into small cubes.
3. To make pesto, place basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt into a blender/ food processor. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in cheese (this step is not necessary if you use an immersion blender.  yay!).  This is also a good time to season with salt and pepper.
4. Combine pasta, chicken cubes, and pesto on a warm serving dish (or if you're trying to minimize dish-washing, into the same pot where you cooked the pasta). 
5. Toss well to mix, and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Toddler Ratings   hearth healthy: yes     spicy: no      easy to chew: yes      ease of preparation: easy      reheating:  tastes even better reheated   food groups: carbs, protein, veggies, healthy oil

Pan fried salmon with butternut squash mashed potatoes

It's only the second Weekly Challenge (along with our friends from read it // eat it) and we're already behind.  Funny thing happens when you blog about feeding a toddler, yeah, sometimes that toddler takes a lot of attention.  

Read more here about this week's theme: the Ocean.  We decided to go with salmon because we love it's natural fatty buttery flavors, and it's a fairly easy protein to cook.  We are trying to give Babygirl more fish, since "they" say omega oils are good for the brain, right?  We need her learning more animal sounds.

The fish is simply pan-fried; nothing fancy or complicated.  It's pretty similar to how my mom cooked fish when I was growing up.  Really, with salmon, there's no reason to add any seasoning beyond salt and pepper, the fish itself is rich and creamy.

The mashed potatoes with butternut squash is my idea, based on something I must have read on the Internet at some point of my life, though I'd be hard-pressed to figure out where.  It substitutes butternut squash, a naturally buttery tasting vegetable, for cheese, butter and/or cream.  Result: non-fat (yet creamy) mashed potatoes.

Babygirl's Plate

Adult Plate

Ingredients

Fish

• Salmon (a single portion is 6 oz) *
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 
• Olive oil
• salt and pepper

Mashed potatoes

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks (this is the part where I specify the best potato for mashing, but I'm not that knowledgeable.  For the record, I am content to use russet)
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. On a large pan, place butternut squash and potatoes.  Cover with water and set to boil.  Once boiling, lower temperature to keep at a slow simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, until both squash and potatoes are soft.
2. On a medium pan, heat a small bit of olive oil (just a tiny tiny bit, but you need it for the onions).  Cook onions until they are translucent
3. Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides and put on the pan, over the cooked onions.
4. After the fish is cooked on one side, flip it over to cook on the other.  Salmon turns a distinctive "salmon" color when cooked.  I personally let it brown a bit on both sides, as I think it makes it tastier.  And yes, the fish often falls apart during the flipping process; it's no biggie.
5. Check on the mashed potatoes, and if cooked through, remove extra liquid.  Mash until desired consistency and season.
6. Done !

* My new discovery for removing salmon skin: the fish monger will do it for you!!!  At lest they do at Whole Foods, though I'm sure other places would too.  

Toddle ratings: heart healthy: yes     spicy: no     easy to chew: yes, super mushy     ease of preparation: very simple     reheating: only mashed potatoes, but they can be a side to any protein     3 food groups: protein, vegetable, carbohydrate

Gourmet Chicken, or Chicken with Balsamic reduction

My brother named this "Gourmet Chicken," and I can still remember the night it happened.  My parents were out of the country on a trip, so my my then teenage brother and I were home to fend for ourselves.  We came up with this variation on simple pan-fried chicken just playing around with ingredients.  And it came out really tasty!

Over the years, it's become a staple for dinner at my house because it's just so simple to make.  For those days when you don't feel like cooking, but still want that homemade goodness?  Gourmet chicken it is!  I've also simplified it over time, for efficiency's sake, though sometimes I'll add fresh Italian herbs or white wine for extra flavor.

Babygirl loves this chicken, and will munch on it happily.  My main concern with this meal is the lack of vegetables integrated into the dish.  We usually end up eating it with a side of steamed frozen veggies, if even that.  But really, we aren't fans of stand alone vegetable, too bland tasting.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces.  (with fats removed) 
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar*
• 2 cups rice
• salt/pepper

Directions

1. Cook rice and set aside.  We use a rice cooker, so this step is a non-issue, but you can follow any process you prefer.**
2. On a medium/large pan, preheat olive oil and cook onions and garlic until onions look clear.  You can use more or less oil, as needed, but we've found that you need some olive oil to get the best taste from the onions.  Heart healthy cooking doesn't mean fat free, just low fat, so some oil is good.
3. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper.  Stir.
4. Once the chicken is browned and cooked all the way, add balsamic vinegar to pan.  Stir chicken and the balsamic with naturally reduce.  Do this for about 5-10 minutes, adding balsamic vinegar slowly until the chicken is coated in it.
5. Optional: After taking the chicken and onions out of the pan, you can put the rice on it and soak the leftover oil/balsamic reduction.  This "dirty" rice comes out de-li-cious.

* I'm not actually sure how much balsamic vinegar goes on this, as I've always eyeballed it.  However, I tend to be pretty liberal with the balsamic, as it reduces to a delicious consistency.
** I strongly prefer the taste of white rice, but that's just me.  Brown rice is healthier

Chicken and mushroom spaghetti

My brother visited for his college spring break, and took it upon himself to cook us a meal as a sign of appreciation.  He's one of those people who makes up recipes on the spot, and tries new things all the time.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, though I've never been around when it doesn't work.  Man, he's a good cook.

He made up this recipe based on previous experiences cooking pasta.   I'd definitely make it again, as it's pretty simple in concept, though I will make some amends to use less utensils.  We had too many dishes to wash that night. And one of the golden rules of eating with a toddler is to make it simple, and clean-up easy.  I'd also like to cook it with less butter.  I love the butter taste, and think it goes great with wine (how very french), but I worry about the heart-healthiness of it all.

This was Babygirl's first time with sauteed mushrooms, and she loved them.  Soft, tasty, and a great veggie.  We already knew she liked chicken and pasta, so no issue there.

Ingredients

• 1 pack of spaghetti (we prefer whole wheat)
• 1 1/2 tbl spoons butter
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 lb chicken breast, chopped to bite size pieces
• 6 oz mushrooms, sliced thin (we used cremini)
• 1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (we substituted with half n half because it's what was in the fridge)
• 1 cup white wine
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, marinate chicken with white wine, season with a little bit of salt and pepper.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
2. Cook pasta al dente.  Do not drain.
3. On a medium skillet, melt half the butter, and cook chicken at low temperature.  At this point, you can squeeze half a lime for extra flavor
4. On the largest skillet you own, melt the remaining butter, and cook garlic until golden brown.  Add the sliced mushrooms, and continue cooking the mushrooms until the liquid reduces away.*  Season periodically with salt and pepper
5. Add the pasta to the large skillet (do not strain, take directly from cooking pot to skillet with a slotted spoon or tongs), and add the chicken to the large skillet.
6. Add the heavy cream, parsley and remaining chicken marinade.
7. Cook for 5-10 more minutes.

* for an additional punch, add 1 or 2 shots of vodka to mushrooms after 5 minutes of cooking.  We didn't try this because of Babygirl, but my brother swears it makes the sauce tastier.

Spanish Chicken with Rice

Great easy recipe and one of our go-to dishes.  It's made in the crock-pot, which means that it takes some upfront dedication. In fact, the prep takes a bit longer than I'd like, so I reserve for a Sunday afternoon cooking session.  But after it's done, it's mushy goodness, easy to store and reheat for at least 2 weeknight dinners. I've been embracing our crock-pot a lot, so much that we recently upgraded to a brand new model.

It also passes our toddler seal of approval: heart healthy, has 3 food groups (protein, carbs and veggies), easy to chew, and easy to reheat.

Babygirl loves this dish, and will eat it heartily.  We've also experimented with adding zucchini and yellow squash, and it works pretty well.   Please note that we don't give our kid sausage, as we feel it'd be too fatty.  However, we cook it all together for the flavor.   More sausage for the adults...

The recipe is slightly adapted from the "Crock-Pot Slow Cooker Bible"

Ingredients

• 2 table spoons olive oil  * we don't use oil, just heat ingredients in a Teflon pan
• 11 oz cooked kielbasa, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs *for a leaner option, you can use chicken breast, and it still tastes juicy
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups white rice 
• 1 cup diced carrots *or more
• 1 bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• salt and pepper for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth  *preferably homemade or sodium-free
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Directions

1. On a medium skillet, brown sausage on both sides.  Transfer to crock-pot with slotted spoon.  You could also blot them with a paper towel to reduce the fat content
2. Add onions, garlic to skillet.  Add chicken and brown on all sides.  This is easier if the chicken is cut into small pieces.  Transfer to crock-pot
3. Add rice, carrots, bell pepper, salt, black pepper and saffron to crock-pot.  Pour broth over mixture until everything is just covered.  This should be about 4 cups.  Cover, cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
4. Before serving, stir in peas.  Cook for about 15 minutes.  It helps if your crock-pot has a WARM setting.

Super Simple Chicken Soup

We made this because Babygirl is sick, and you know what they say, chicken soup is the best for colds. My mom taught me this recipe, and it is one of those things that's in the family and has never really been written down.  I like it because it tastes great (always a plus), and is super easy to make.   

My personal rule with chicken soup is that you should be able to make it for yourself when you're sick.  So efficiency is of the essence.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of chicken drumsticks or thighs (the soup comes out tastier if the chicken has bone, but then it's harder to eat later)
• 1 onion, cut into quarters
• 2 potatoes, cut into large pieces
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 carrots, cut into large pieces (if using baby carrots, about a third of a pack, no need to chop)
• 2 tomatoes, cut into quarters
• salt and pepper
• oregano
• 1/3  pack of angel hair pasta

Directions

• Put a bit of water on large pot, add chicken, onion, potatoes, carrots, celery and tomatoes.  Add water until all ingredients are covered
• Put on high heat until boiling, then lower temperature to lowest setting and simmer covered for at least 30 minutes.  The longer it simmers, the softer the veggies.   Check that chicken is cooked with a fork.
• At the very end, season with salt, pepper and oregano.  At this point, also put pasta and boil for only 5 - 8 minutes
• Enjoy

Notes

• This soup can be as easy or complicated as you want.  Personally, I keep my veggies very large because the whole boiling process makes them mushy.  Also, I like eating big chunks of onion.  If you want to chop the veggies into tiny pieces, suit yourself.  I'm just lazy.
• It's very easy to make substitutions. Sometimes, I skip the tomato or celery, depending on what's in the fridge.  Though I keep the veggies in the Mediterranean family.  
• This is a recent tip I learned from my aunt: put the oregano at the very end.  Apparently, if the oregano boils and simmers for too long, it can taste bitter.  While if you throw it in at the very end, it keeps a fresh taste
• Many times we substitute sweet potatoes for the potatoes.  Babygirl loooves sweet potatoes.
• For kids, it's probably easier to substitute soup pastas.  When I was a kid, I loved alphabet or star pastas.  Easier to put on the little spoons.
• The veggies and chicken should come out very soft and mushy.  Excellent for kids without molars.
• It's very important to choose a part of the chicken with natural fats.  We currently prefer boneless skinless chicken thigh, making sure to keep the pieces the fatty sections.  Without the chicken fat, the soup lacks flavor.  It tastes even better if the chicken has skin, but it's a hassle to serve with a toddler.   If you're using lean chicken breast, I'd recommend adding a bit of olive oil.