Quick Chicken Spaghetti

Sometimes I just want quick, easy and comforting for dinner. Hmm, actually, I pretty much always want that for dinner. But in addition I really like it to be healthy too!

This is an easy receipe that you can make for the whole family in 45 minutes or less. Use any pasta you want, or skip the pasta and serve it with a salad. I try to eat pasta no more than once a week max because it is heavy and because if I don't limit myself, I could have pasta every night happily because I love carbs. But limiting it to once a week makes it all the more delicious and something to look forward to on a night when I want to throw something together quick and can turn to it!

Chicken Spaghetti:
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

4 skinless chicken breast
1 12 oz can diced Italian tomatoes
3 fresh tomatoes (sub an additional can if you don't have fresh)
3-4 cloves garlic- minced
1 box gluten free spaghetti 12oz or more
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp and 1 tbs each: Basil, Oregano, Marjoram
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Optional: 1/2 cup dry white or red wine

1. Clean chicken and cut into even 2 in thick strips. Salt and pepper, add 1 tsp: oregano, basil and marjoram
2. Heat olive oil in large deep dish skillet. Add chicken strips and cook 3 minutes each side over medium heat.
3. Fill Large Stock Pot with water 3/4 way full and place over high heat. Bring to boil.
4. When chicken is browned on al side, add canned and diced tomatoes over them in pot. Add 1 tbs of Oregano, Basil and Marjoram. Add 1/2 cup wine.  Cover, turn heat to medium low and let simmer.
5. Add pasta to large stock pot when water comes to rolling boil and follow directions for cook time.
6. Drain pasta, check chicken to make sure cooked through.
7. Serve Chicken and sauce over pasta.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower "White/Alfredo" Sauce

Ok, so it has been a while since I posted a recipe for you all. In truth I cook dinner for my family nearly every night of the week but 75% of the time I'm half started on making dinner before I remember I should have grabbed my camera.  And about 50% of my meals are staple favorites like Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti, Grilled or Broiled Salmon, Grilled Chicken with various veggies or Salad. 

But it has been too long my friends! So when I was on Pinterest yesterday and saw a pin for Cauliflower Sauce, well I just had to try it and see if it turned out as well as the Cauliflower Pizza!

I also had a package of frozen "fresh" calamari and though I could add those into this meal. 

The Cauliflower Sauce is really simple. I'd go with white cauliflower unless you want to freak your fam out and buy the purple kind!

Cauliflower White Sauce:

Servings 4

Prep Time: 5-10 min

Cook Time: 10 min

1 Large fresh head of cauliflower 

8 cloves garlic

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste ( I found that because cauliflower is so bland that I had to season more than I normally would)

1. If using a whole head of cauli, cut off stalk and break into medium bunches.

2. Place cauliflower in pot over steamer rack (I'm not a fan of boiling but if you prefer you can boil them to) Steam for 6 minutes. 

3. Now de-skin garlic and mince. Place in unheated small skillet with 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil and bring to medium temperature- cook about 3 minutes (don't let the garlic brown as it turns bitter tasting)

4. Drain cauliflower and reserve 1-2 cup of cooking liquid.  Place drained cauliflower in blender or food processor and add garlic with butter/oil mixture.

5. Blend 30 seconds, then add 1/2 cup water, blend 30 seconds. Add water until you reach desired consistency (do you like thick or thin sauce?) I added about 1 cup total. 

6. Serve over your favorite pasta, mix with rice for a "cheesy" sauce or use as white sauce  for pizza!  The sky is the limit really. 

I put mine over some gluten free spaghetti (I'd have used linguini if I'd had it) and added green peas and some pan sauteed calamari. And then I added Old Bay and it was delicious! :) The family approved! Except next time I think i will use a bolder flavored protein like salmon, ground turkey or shrimp because the whole dish while it looked nice was really bland even with the seasoning I'd added to the calamari and the sauce until I added some Old Bay.