Chicken With Sun-dried Tomatoes

The original recipe is from a 20011 calendar that has recipes, but I could not find a source.

It called for:
1lb fusilli pasta
8.5 oz jar of sun dried tomatoes (in oil)
1lb diced chicken
1 bunch asparagus (in 2" segments)
4 cloves of minces garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

I modified the recipe slightly by seasoning my diced chicken with salt and white pepper, only using 2/3 of the jar of tomatoes, and adding sauteed mushrooms. This was more than enough for five people and only took around 30 minutes to make.

I started by cooking the pasta according to the package directions while I sauteed the chicken in the oil of the sun dried tomatoes. I suggest setting aside a cup of the pasta water in case you need it to loosen the pasta at the end. Once the chicken was cooked, I reserved it and began sauteing the asparagus. I added the mushrooms once the asparagus started to get tender. Next, I added the garlic and the tomatoes, and tossed in the pasta. I added about 1/4 cup of the pasta water which seemed to help distribute the seasoning and loosen the pasta. You will also want to salt and pepper and sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the pasta at this point.

Enjoy!

Mushroom & Artichoke Lasagna

I've been considering vegetarianism so I decided to give up beef, pork, and poultry for Lent. To be completely honest, it hasn't been easy. Not that I want to eat meat, it's just difficult to come up with meals that are varied and nutritious. I recently came across this recipe and thought I'd give it a try.

You will need:

1 lb sliced baby portobello mushrooms

2 cans of water packed artichoke hearts rinsed, drained and chopped

2 TBSP butter

3 cloves of garlic

1 cup white wine cheese

lasagna noodles

4 cups mozzarella

Salt & Pepper

Sauce:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup organic unbleached flour

2 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup white wine

Saute the mushrooms in butter, adding garlic, artichokes, wine and salt & pepper after the mushrooms are tender. Cook over medium heat until the liquid had evaporated.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the flour, stirring until smooth. Slowly add the milk, then bring to a boil. Allow the white sauce to cook for a minute before adding the wine and Parmesan cheese.

Add about a cup of the sauce to a greased baking dish before layering the lasagna noodles, another 1-2 cups of sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups of the artichoke mixture. Repeat this layer twice. Bake for 45 minutes at 350° covered. Uncover, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.